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Series: The Queen's Thief #1, Genre: Fantasy/YA, Pages: 280, Published: 2005 (1996), Publisher: EOS, Source: Library
Friday, 30 March 2012
Review: The Thief - Megan Whalen Turner
60 comments:
I bought this series on my Kindle but haven't read them yet. They do sound good and I'm glad to hear you enjoyed this first one.ReplyDeleteReplies
It's always good to have them all before you start :) I hope you will enjoy themDelete
This one looks good and I like that is not that long as fantasy books tend to be. Another one that goes to my TBR.ReplyDeleteReplies
Most be cos it's YA, and yes sometimes short can be goodDelete
I LOVE THIS SERIES!! So glad you are giving it a try- I really hope Turner continues to write in this world.ReplyDeleteReplies
I remember that :) And I am very glad that the library has the next 4Delete
We have this one. I'm hoping to get my daughter to read it with me over the summer.ReplyDeleteReplies
That will be fun for the both of you :)Delete
You read it! Yay!! :D And you liked it! *happy dance*ReplyDeleteReplies
I FINAlly listened to you ;)Delete
I hear such amazing things about this book but I've never really had an urge to read it. Maybe I should reconsider at some point.ReplyDeleteReplies
I will try to read all this spring/summer so you will see then ;)Delete
Sounds like a good book!ReplyDelete
Love it when there's a really great ending, though it sounds like it might be necessary to have the next books in the series in hand before finishing this one!ReplyDeleteReplies
I would not say that. It ended well, kind of final..but you know that more is to comeDelete
I do love a good ending! This one sounds worth reading.ReplyDeleteReplies
It was such a great ending :DDelete
It's suprising how something so small like the age of the character can impact your view so much of them! I like the sound of this book - thieves are always fun to read about!ReplyDeleteReplies
I really like to know things and here..no idea. But it works anyway :)Delete
Yes! That's what I look for too. A good ending that keeps you wanting more!!!ReplyDeleteReplies
This book had such a great ending and that is sure what I look forDelete
It's Friday!!!!!ReplyDeleteReplies
How interesting that you couldn't tell the age of the characters. Still if it didn't bug you enough to stop reading it, it must be pretty good. Especially if you are wanting the other books.ReplyDeleteReplies
it did not stop me from reading, it bothered me a bit since I am just too curious. But I just put a few ages on them all and was done with thatDelete
I agree, it's frustrating when the age isn't obvious. Still, seems like a good book. Added to my TBR list =) Thanks!ReplyDeleteReplies
It was good and I guess it was supposed to be a bit of a mystery...or she did just not bother with itDelete
I enjoyed this book too and need to get to the other ones.ReplyDeleteReplies
I do need to know what will happen to these countriesDelete
I haven't heard of this one, but it sounds good. Glad you enjoyed it.ReplyDeleteReplies
I heard so much about this book so when I was read it I was a little bemused because it wasn't as good as I expected it to be. Then I read the next two in particular and I got why the series is so popular!ReplyDeleteReplies
Same here, not as good as I expected. Still good, just not as good..but I guess I will see with the rest then ;)Delete
It's a Newberry winner too. Nice that the library could get it for you. I hope you enjoy the rest of the series.ReplyDeleteReplies
When it comes to that they are the best :D I try not to ask for too much though ;) But they do want fantasy and such so I think that is why the listenDelete
this sounds like an enjoyable read. I love that your library listens. Love your review.ReplyDeleteReplies
They are the bet! *hugs library*Delete
This sounds like a great series. I'd be wondering how old the characters are too.ReplyDeleteReplies
I just want the little things you knowDelete
These have been on my list for what seems like forever! I want to read them to!!ReplyDeleteReplies
You must read them then, and like I always say, come back to the fantasy genreDelete
I want this one!ReplyDeleteReplies
:D Come on over and try my library ;)Delete
Oooooh I hate when that happens! I'm a curious beaver and I like knowing more specific details about the character. Like age range. They don't have to give me the excate date, but a rough estimate like have a side character say, "you can't be old enough to even buy a beer" or "your too old to be doing that" Something!ReplyDelete
Anyways, great review! I've heard some good things about this series too.Replies
I know, like, at least let me know if he is a kid, a teen or just someone short and old.Delete
Sounds interesting, glad you liked it.ReplyDeleteReplies
It was good :)Delete
I've been sitting on these forever, they're supposed to be great! So glad you enjoyed it :)ReplyDelete
I've been sitting on these forever, they're supposed to be great! So glad you enjoyed it :)ReplyDeleteReplies
I hope you take out them one day and red them :)Delete
I must try to look for this book at my library too :)ReplyDeleteReplies
Yes do that :DDelete
I've heard a lot about this series too and do want to pick it up one day.ReplyDeleteReplies
I hope you do :)Delete
i started this book awhile ago, but I couldn't get into it. maybe i should give it another tryReplyDeleteReplies
It does take a while to pick up, but it's just so easy to read so the pages fly by anywayDelete
I loved this book! don't wait too long to read the second one, because I did and I felt confused for quite some time. Plus the ages didn't line up in my head right, I think you know what I mean. Still enjoyed it though.ReplyDeleteReplies
Aha, so the ages were messy for you too. And I will take your advice and try to read it in April or MayDelete


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By Emily Orthwein
Big 12 Campus Correspondent
It is not every day that an athlete makes it onto the CBSsports.com senior writer, Bruce Feldman's Freak List. One of TCU's top offensive linemen, Blaize Foltz, ranked ninth on that very list as one of the top 10 "craziest athletes in college football." The 6-foot-4, 310-pound graduate student benches 580 pounds, squats 800, incline benches 530 and has cleaned 430.
"It was a big honor getting on the list," said Foltz. "It's pretty cool to be recognized for your hard work in the weight room. I didn't know that this kind of strength was any different than normal."
Foltz, as a player, likes the challenge of improving his strength, his technique as an offensive guard and his overall approach to the game. Some of his teammates also use his strength as their own motivational tool by challenging him and seeing where they stand.
During the season, Foltz's coaches are careful not to overload him, so the real tests are in the off-season. He enjoys trying different things in the weight room to further his already outrageous ability.
Being a senior on the team, Foltz has seen many changes at TCU, like playing in a new stadium, joining the Big 12 Conference, seeing new buildings pop up around campus and going from an undergraduate to a graduate student. Having this experience and knowledge, on the field and off, can only make Foltz a stronger leader on the offensive line.
"Playing in a new conference, we've had to definitely heighten our attention to detail because the skill level is a lot better," said Foltz. "Week in and week out, the teams we play are really good."
Having this knowledge as a senior can help the team as a whole, specifically his little brother, Brady, a redshirt freshman for the Horned Frogs this season.
"I love having him on the team with me," said Blaize Foltz. "It's a big deal for our family more than anything to have both of us here. I try to help him out whenever I can, but also try to keep the 'telling him what to do' part to a minimum."
With or without Foltz's brother on the field with him, TCU's offensive line is known to have a stronger bond than any position on the field. Going to O-line weekly dinners before games and practicing with his fellow offensive linemen everyday are just a few tangible examples of the bonds in this position.
"We all have the same personalities and the fact that the older players aren't afraid to help out the younger ones, really holds together that respectful camaraderie between us," said Foltz. "You'll never find another place or another situation where this many people are a part of the same goal and I think it's special, especially being on the offensive line."
While Foltz's demeanor on the field is intimidating and aggressive, his persona off the field is much more relaxed and fun.
"I'm quirkier, more laid back and sarcastic off the field, but on the field I am serious," said Foltz. "It's good to lighten the mood sometimes."
For how strong he is now, one would not be able to tell that he had a season ending knee injury back in 2010. A big part of his mental and physical healing process came from having a strong faith and supportive family.
"When it first happened you want to give up because you feel like the world just ended," said Foltz. "But at the same time you get the opportunity to get stronger mentally as a person, and I came back stronger than I ever was."
There are advantages for Foltz playing for TCU during its inaugural season in the Big 12 Conference. Being a native from Rose Hill, Kansas, Foltz had the support of nearly 200 of his friends and family at TCU's first Big 12 game at Kansas.
As far as Foltz's future, the work ethic and sheer strength are there; it is just a matter of the opportunity presenting itself. Marcus Cannon, a former TCU offensive lineman who also made it on to the "freak list," was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. So the option for Foltz to go the professional route is a definite possibility.
Foltz already attained his degree from TCU, whose football program was one of just four to finish in the top 25 in the final 2010 polls and in the Academic Progress Rate. With this, and his incredible ability as a player and love for the game, Foltz has many viable options after his final season as a Horned Frog.
"I want to give my shot in the NFL and see how that goes," said Foltz. "But if not, then I will probably go work for an engineering company in California, or train the future athletes of our next generation like my Dad had done for me."
Whether we see him playing professionally or training the new generation of athletes to come, Foltz has a bright future ahead of him.


text:
WESTFORD -- Four days after a shooter killed 20 children and six adults at a Connecticut elementary school, Westford Selectman Robert Jefferies decided it was time to act.
Jefferies asked his fellow selectmen in December to support a bylaw banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines within town lines. The board adopted Jefferies' proposal as one of its goals for the new year and, last week, it was placed on the warrant for the March 23 Town Meeting.
If the proposal remains on the warrant and is approved by voters, it could make Westford the first community in the state to institute a local assault-weapons ban.
"The push has to come from the bottom. I don't think it's going to come from the top," Jefferies said. He said it is important for the town to have a discussion about weapons in the community.
That discussion has begun. Several residents last week spoke before selectmen urging the board to take more time for debate on the measure.
Once the bylaw is passed, the state Attorney General's Office must review it to ensure it complies with state laws and the federal Constitution. No other community in Massachusetts has submitted a similar bylaw for an assault-weapons ban, nor have any similar bylaws been submitted for review recently, according to the Attorney General's Office.
Police Chief Thomas McEnaney said he was not aware of other towns that have adopted such a ban.
Massachusetts has among the strictest gun laws in the country and one of the lowest rates of gun deaths, according to the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, a group that promotes strict gun policies.
It is one of six states with bans on large-capacity magazines.
State law allows rifles to hold 10 rounds of ammunition and shotguns to hold five rounds. The exception is that .22-caliber weapons can hold up to 10 or 12 rounds, McEnaney said.
In response to the town's proposed bylaw, the Westford Sportsmen's Club, which has more than 700 members, released a statement:
"Massachusetts firearms laws are already among the most restrictive and complex in the nation. Westford Sportsmen's Club supports the Second Amendment rights of all citizens and opposes any local legislation that duplicates or is more severe than existing state law."
Jefferies said if the bylaw is passed by the town and upheld by the state, he would like signs on every entry road into town publicizing the ban.
Selectman Valerie Wormell questioned Town Hall's effort to put together a bylaw amendment, saying the town should explore first whether it has the ability to institute such a ban.
"Honestly, I think this is a colossal waste of time. I think it might be a political show," she said.
The proposed bylaw may not make it to Town Meeting floor, however.
Jefferies did not attend the meeting where selectmen closed the Town Meeting warrant.
The three selectmen present -- Chairman Kelly Ross, Jim Sullivan and Andrea Peraner-Sweet -- said they were inclined to leave the proposed bylaw on the warrant and decide sometime before Town Meeting if the entire board is prepared to go through with the warrant article.
"This has been one of the most interesting and difficult articles for me to have to make a decision on ... this one has people who I know really well feel very strongly about this and from both sides of the issue. They all make interesting and good points," said Ross.
"Even if the town does not do anything, I do believe that having a discussion about gun control should be had in our community," said Peraner-Sweet.
Sullivan said he felt as though the process was rushed and that only one side of the argument was heard.
Numerous residents requested the Board of Selectmen to take the article off the Town Meeting warrant.
Al Prescott, who said he was a state police-certified firearms safety instructor, said the board had put the proposal together hastily.
"You've made me a criminal overnight and please don't do that. I don't want to be made a criminal," he said, if the bylaw where to go into effect.
A Facebook group for those opposing the proposed gun ban was formed, but it has subsequently been taken down. The posting said it was taken down in an effort to have one united voice opposing the gun ban.
"Rest assured there are many Patriots among us," the final posting read.
The proposed bylaw states that the high firepower and military features of assault weapons are preferred by criminals and place law-enforcement officers at risk.
Among the highlights of the proposed bylaw:
* Gun owners would have 90 days to remove a banned assault weapon from town or surrender it to the police chief;
* Violators may be penalized by indictment or complaint in district court;
* Violators would face a fine of $100 for first offense, $200 for second, and $300 for third.
In an opinion from the town's legal counsel, Gregg Corbo, of Kopelman and Paige, the town's pursuit of a proposed ban appears in the clear. He said nothing in the statute states a legislative intent to preclude local action on gun control.
Follow Sarah Favot on Twitter @sarahfavot.


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Home >
Post >
Academics >
Schools & Colleges >
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences >
Departments & Programs >
Department of Political Science/International Studies >
Graduate Programs >
M.A. in Political Science >
Submitting an Application for Admission
It is recommended that an Application for Admission to the Master of Arts in Political Science program be submitted at least one month prior to the start of classes. All applications and requested materials (i.e. application fee, transcripts, letters of recommendation, personal statement) should be submitted to the LIU Post Graduate Admissions Processing Center.
To apply for admission, please follow these steps.
Applicants to the M.A. in Political Science must complete the Long Island University Online Application for Admission. The application can be obtained by clicking on the above link or selecting the Apply Now button in the upper right-hand corner of this page. You can also request that a graduate application be mailed to you by calling 516-299-2900 or emailing email@example.com.
Mail a non-refundable application fee of $50 by either check or money order (made payable to Long Island University) or contact the Bursar to submit fee via credit card. Please write your name on the check or money order, if that is your preferred method of payment. International applicants must pay the fee in U.S. dollars by sending an international money order or check. You can also pay by credit card by printing the Credit Card Authorization form on the Bursar website or by calling 516-299-2323. Cash, international postal money orders or Eurochecks are not accepted.
Submit official undergraduate and/or graduate transcript with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Applicants who will have not completed their degrees prior to admission deadlines should submit a transcript without the final semester's grades. Such applicants may be accepted pending receipt of their final degree noted transcripts. Submit one copy of official transcripts from all other institutions attended, including other graduate programs.
International students should refer to the International Admissions website for transcript requirements.
Submit two professional and/or academic letters of recommendation that address your potential for success in the profession and your ability to complete a graduate program. Letters of recommendation should be from an academic source, preferably a professor or academic official who is familiar with your academic history and achievement. If you have been out of school for several years, recommendations may come from your employer or supervisor. The references should be given the Letter of Recommendation signed by you, along with a stamped envelope addressed to: Graduate Admissions, LIU Post, Admissions Processing Center, P.O. Box 805, Randolph, MA 02368-0805.
Submit a statement of approximately 500 to 1,000 words describing your reason for pursuing graduate study at LIU Post, your personal and academic background, relevant experience, and your professional goals. You may submit this statement as part of the Online Application for Admission, or follow at a later date as a hard copy.
In addition to the requirements listed above, international applicants must submit official score results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The required minimum acceptable TOEFL score is: 79 Internet-based (213 computer-based or 550 paper-based) or minimum IELTS score: 6.5. International students whose native language is English, or who have attended for at least two years an accredited College or University where the only medium of instruction is English, may have the English Language proficiency requirement waived. The waiver is determined on an individual basis following a review of the student's application. Students whose English Language proficiency is below the required minimum score but who are academically admissible will be "Conditionally Admitted" to the program and required to first complete LIU Post's English Language Institute prior to enrolling in any academic coursework.
Graduate applicants can send their admissions materials to:
LIU Post
Graduate Admissions Processing Center
15 Dan Road, Ste. 102
Canton, MA 02021
International applicants should send their admissions materials to:
LIU Post
720 Northern Blvd.
Brookville, NY 11548-1300 USA
If you have any questions about the admissions application process or requirements, please contact the Department of Political Science graduate advisor at 516-299-2407 or email firstname.lastname@example.com or call the LIU Post Graduate Admissions Office at 516-299-2900 or email email@example.com.
720 Northern Blvd, Brookville, New York 11548 | Telephone: 516-299-2000


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Friday, January 16, 2009
We Interrupt This Weather to Bring You...
That is the most peaceful sound on earth. I can just smell the salt and feel the warmth on my skin when I watch this. I feel energized. I feel at peace. Ahhhhh I love it. And I can pretend I'm there (at least until I look out the window here.)
Posted by Dawn at 12:32 AM
41 comments:
- Emiliy said...
love it.
i live in orange county and my morning commute takes me down PCH every morning and every evening. today, it was 90 degrees. jealous?
:) stay warm
- January 16, 2009 at 1:05 AM
- My Semblance of Sanity said...
Love it!!!
Thank you!
I think I will bookmark this post and have it up during these LOOOOOOONG winter months!
How many days till summer?
- January 16, 2009 at 1:19 AM
Dawn I know you are all frozen solid over there and we are melting ind 41 degrees celsius temps here (105.8 f).
Yes we are off to the beach tomorrow.
- January 16, 2009 at 1:51 AM
I live in Perth in western australia and today was 40 degrees Celsius which in your language is 104 degrees
- January 16, 2009 at 4:24 AM
Thanks, Dawn! As a fellow Chicagoan, that's just what I needed!
- January 16, 2009 at 5:54 AM
- Amy Flippin Blankenship said...
- January 16, 2009 at 6:47 AM
- amy said...
Thanks Dawn! I needed that! :)
- January 16, 2009 at 7:15 AM
- Willow Tree said...
Nice! It's -20 here in Wisconsin, before the windchill. I'd Much rather be at the beach, lol. On the upside, school got canceled again because the cold is dangerous. Say it with me now, help me do the laundry son. :o)
Blessings, Carolynn
- January 16, 2009 at 7:27 AM
- Christy said...
OK, that was warming for about 20 seconds until I too looked out the window! Thanks for sharing and why didn't I ever think of doing that?
- January 16, 2009 at 8:09 AM
- Erin T. said...
Maybe I'll make a pitcher of 'Ritas and sit in front of this video all day. Fantasy is so much better then the -30 no-sane-person-should-deal-with-this degree weather.
My car wouldn't start this morning! We think it's a frozen gas line!!! I curse you, Stupid Chicago winter!!
- January 16, 2009 at 8:27 AM
- Chas said...
Ooh, dare to dream. I haven't left my house in 4 days because I have a little guy under a year old, and if there's no emergency I'm not taking either one of my kiddos out. The temperature upon waking this morning was -20, and that's before the wind chill is factored in. I'm beginning to wonder if I'll ever taste fresh air again, and that beach looks so inviting and warm. I think my toes just thawed a little.
- January 16, 2009 at 8:35 AM
The thermometer outside my window reads -25 right now, so this is wonderful!
My Good Housekeeping arrived yesterday. Loved the essay!
- January 16, 2009 at 8:54 AM
I am not sure if I love you or hate you for that video clip!
Love the book release counter...can't wait till I get mine!!
- January 16, 2009 at 8:55 AM
Dawn, the only bad thing about that video is that it's not long enough. I live in Mississippi and I cannot imagine what you all are having to endure in Chicago. Stay warm!
- January 16, 2009 at 9:06 AM
- Kim said...
Oh how I needed that this morning! I am sitting here FREEZING and that just made my morning. Can't wait for summer!
- January 16, 2009 at 9:37 AM
No kidding! We are an hour and a half east of Chicago in Michigan and -17 is just insanely cold!!!!
- January 16, 2009 at 9:46 AM
- harmzie said...
mmm.... I'm there....
(and temporarily not in central-prairies Canada)
- January 16, 2009 at 9:47 AM
- Kristi-Anna said...
Love the sounds... but it reminds me more of the Vancouver area beaches in winter, and the North Sea in The Netherlands in January! Not warm, but certainly warmer than the -15oF with windchill here!
- January 16, 2009 at 10:15 AM
- Julie Sturgeon said...
To all you Californians, and particularly those living on a beach: Get a life.
You need to experience - 0 temperatures BEFORE the wind starts blowing to cut your bones to pieces just walking to the mailbox. You need to know what it's like to have mail so cold you can't open it for an hour after bringing it inside.
So who's gonna be the first to swap houses with me?
- January 16, 2009 at 10:17 AM
- Wendy said...
Okay, that was weird... I clicked on the video clip then remembered to turn on my speakers. There's the lovely beach scene and the sound of the waves, along with a song from the Little Mermaid soundtrack. I thought it was pretty funny that you'd put that song to your video clip, until I realized that it was coming from my playlist, not yours... Funny coincidence though!
- January 16, 2009 at 10:22 AM
- Cookie said...
Calgon take me away!
- January 16, 2009 at 10:39 AM
- Rick said...
I'm sitting in my desk chair looking at the Pacific right now. (Just had to say that.) I've experienced 0 degree weather - no thanks.
Come and see us!!
- January 16, 2009 at 11:35 AM
Thanks for that taste of warm weather! So I just pre-ordered your book and I'm wondering if you are able to track how many people have ordered at this point. I've been reading your blog faithfully from the beginning of your new found fame and I can't wait to read your book. You help me keep my life as a mom in perspective. Thanks!
- January 16, 2009 at 11:43 AM
- amber said...
and not to depress you any more, but i live in LA. it's been in the 80s this week. yeah. it's ridiculous. :P
- January 16, 2009 at 12:08 PM
- Persnickety Ticker said...
Here in the sunny state of FL it only takes me about 15 minutes to get to a beach. But since it is 44 degrees outside right now that adventure would just be way too cold for me. The sun is still shining here as always though.
Sending you some virtual warmth to help you through those freezing temperatures!
Or you could just ask all the Australians to chip in and buy you a vacation...
- January 16, 2009 at 12:12 PM
- Tammy said...
Hi Dawn,
I just got my Good Housekeeping in the mail and immediately searched out your article. Great stuff, as usual. Can I join you?
- January 16, 2009 at 12:24 PM
You have blogging awards! Woo!
Hope you're staying warm hon, it's cold today!
- January 16, 2009 at 1:36 PM
- Carla said...
I love your blog & I hope you don't mind me plugging an urgent call for action on behalf of a child. If you google Emerson White it should give all the info needed. If not, please look at my blog post about it- anyone & everyone is invited!
- January 16, 2009 at 1:49 PM
- KAL071203 said...
Dawn I just got my goodhousekeeping today. you piece is great! Congrats!
- January 16, 2009 at 3:15 PM
- Shari said...
I never get tired of that sound and I live on the Oregon Coast. When I am tense I go park near the ocean and open the window. Beautiful smell and sounds are so soothing! I love it here. It rains like 40 inches between October and April. Floods everywhere, but not moving! No sirree!
- January 16, 2009 at 4:35 PM
- noexcuses said...
Dawn, I don't subscribe to Good Housekeeping, but I know where I am going as soon as a car with automatic transmission comes home!
Can't wait!!
Wonderful video. You are right. The smells and sounds are mesmerizing. I used to sit on the beach for hours, doing nothing. (Except maybe check out some guys) It would clear all the junk out of my head and I was ready to return to reality. Thanks for sharing!
- January 16, 2009 at 5:09 PM
- Robin said...
Thanks for sharing your video! I feel the need to get my feet into some sand!
We're also enjoying this wonderful frigid weather that you're experiencing...we live near Springfield, IL. I'm ready for it to warm up a bit. Watching your video helped. = )
- January 16, 2009 at 9:03 PM
- Patois said...
I've lived in cold, cold, cold places before. I'm really thankful I'm here, outside of San Francisco, right now. I'm sure I'm going to be the cause of a big earthquake by saying this, but it's just great here right now. The heck with summer drought!
- January 16, 2009 at 9:18 PM
- Michelle said...
I could so use me some Florida right about now. And would you believe that my mom flew out Tuesday am (on a planned trip) and gets back Sunday afternoon? I sorta hate her a little for that ;)
No school for your kids that last two days?
- January 16, 2009 at 9:31 PM
I enjoyed this one in sunny, central Gulf coast of Florida today! It's in the 40's outside and inside is mid-60's with both space heaters wide open. I'm sure many of you are dealing with sub freezing temps but for us thinbloods down here this is cold weather we're having. No fooling, my fingers and toes are blue and I'm wearing 2 layers of almost everything. I can't move, but I'm not freezing! Thanks for the beach minus the windchill.
- January 17, 2009 at 12:31 AM
That was perfect. I could smell the salt and feel the warmth of the sun!
I just had friends get in on Thursday night from Mexico. They had a hundred degree temperature change!! 80 some degrees to almost -20! That's what they get for leaving me here!!! :o)
- January 17, 2009 at 12:44 AM
Thank you for the mental vacation :) I love the beach...we are hoping to take our son to see the ocean next Summer when we are more financially sound.
I agree...it is the most peaceful sound on earth :)
- January 17, 2009 at 1:46 PM
- FreeSpirit said...
Oh, thank you. I got up real close to my computer so all I could see was the video. LOL I love the beach so much. I always feel better at the beach. Like anything is possible.
- January 17, 2009 at 1:54 PM
- Helene said...
Bless you for that, Dawn! :-) I take pictures at Gilsen Park in the summer just to be able to get through winter.
Saw the GH article. I am raising my 3 1/2 year old grandson and he is feeling like 6 kids in one some days :-) Not sure how I had 3 of my own less than 3 years apart back then.
Love your blog.
- January 18, 2009 at 6:05 AM
- This Crazy Thing Called Motherhood said...
I live in San Diego and just posted a bunch of pics of my kids hanging out at the beach...I was born and raised in MN so it never ceases to amaze me that we can have a day at the beach in January!
And of course, being the mean person I am and all, I called my family back home to brag about the fact that I was hanging out at the beach while they were busy trying to thaw out from the 20 below weather they had a few days before. (They were experiencing a "heat wave" at 20 above zero. Crazy!)
- January 19, 2009 at 10:48 AM
- SARAH said...
thanks for bringing a peice of home to me... I grew up in southern Cali.. used to ride the bus to Venice beach & santa Monica before going to class when I was in high school. I loved to watch the sunrise from there... hearing the sounds smelling the salt in the air... wow... thanks!
- January 19, 2009 at 1:02 PM


text:
Disclaimer: I'm as uneasy about the Arizona Diamondbacks trading Trevor Bauer away as anyone.
That said, I'm willing to reserve judgment on Kevin Towers' latest trade, the one that sent the former No. 3 overall pick along with pitchers Bryan Shaw and Matt Albers in exchange for shortstop Didi Gregorius, first baseman Lars Anderson and pitcher Tony Sipp. The general manager was able to land the shortstop he coveted without having to part with right fielder Justin Upton.
That would have been a real bad move.
In making the trade he did, Towers parted with his second top pitching prospect in as many offseasons, and given how well Jarrod Parker pitched for the Oakland A's last season, the latest deal should definitely give one pause.
And while that deal netted Arizona an established pitcher in Trevor Cahill, this one brought an unproven 22-year-old shortstop who has a reputation for being an excellent defender and mediocre hitter. Could Gregorius develop into a quality starter who fills the team's hole at short for the foreseeable future?
For this trade to work out, he better.
Many believe Bauer is destined to become a frontline starting pitcher, and his minor league track record would suggest just that. However, his four-game stint in the big leagues left much to be desired — both with his pitching and attitude — and the team, in its quest to fill holes, felt dealing him was the way to do it.
"When we went into the winter we wanted to improve our bench, we wanted to add a left-handed bat at third base, we wanted to hopefully acquire a shortstop that we would control for some time, a premier shortstop, which we think we did," Towers said Tuesday after the trade was announced.
Towers said he was only willing to part with Bauer if it netted them Gregorius, so it's clear the third-year GM values the 6-foot-1, 185-pound shortstop rather highly.
Many seem to doubt the GM's assessment of Gregorius, with ESPN's Keith Law saying the shortstop "might end up a 2-WAR (wins above replacement) shortstop, but that's about it" and Sports Illustrated's Jay Jaffe writing "the fact remains that Bauer could still emerge as the best of [Arizona's starting pitching] bunch within the time that he's under the Indians' control, and the key player the Diamondbacks got in return for him, former Red Gregorius, is not guaranteed to fix their shortstop problems."
However, Yahoo Sports' Jeff Passan wrote "The unpredictability of Towers scares other executives, who wonder if he's really as crazy as he seems or if he actually knows more than everyone else and is fleecing people with a smile on his face", and that's the key here.
There is no guarantee that Bauer will be a successful major leaguer, just as there is nothing that says Gregorius has to be an abject failure. Just because Bauer was recently selected at the top of the draft does not mean he will be an outstanding player who should never be traded.
See Beasley, Michael if you subscribe to the theory that high picks should be untouchable.
As it stands, the Diamondbacks obviously felt of all the starting pitchers at their disposal — Ian Kennedy, Daniel Hudson, Trevor Cahill, Wade Miley, Tyler Skaggs, Patrick Corbin, David Holmberg, Archie Bradley, Brandon McCarthy and Trevor Bauer — it was Bauer who was the most expendable.
Not all of the D-backs' top pitching prospects were going to make an impact in Arizona; some were destined to be dealt. Towers' job is to determine which are least likely to succeed and then make a move while they still have value.
And speaking of value, it appears the right-hander's was not nearly as high as many thought. At least, not if the "prize" in the deal was a prospect as middling as Gregorius.
"We've got very good reports on him," Towers said of the shortstop. "He's athletic, could probably play defensively right now in the big leagues.
"When I saw him, he reminded me of a young Derek Jeter."
That's a lofty claim, especially given the fact that Gregorius is a career .271 hitter with minimal power and pedestrian speed on the base paths.
Towers said his gut tells him Bauer is going to have a "very good career" and that his hope is this is a deal that works out for both teams.
"He was a tough guy to part with; we were fortunate that we have a lot of pitching depth," he added.
The Diamondbacks now have a little less pitching depth but another option at shortstop. They may have just surrendered a future ace and received a utility infielder, or, maybe, they sold high on a pitcher about to flame out in the Majors and acquired the next great middle infielder.
Then again, perhaps the result will be something in between.
We just don't know.


text:
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
B101's Weekday Tweets - Wednesday
Purdue isn't a 1 seed - yet - but they certainly looked the part on Wednesday night. Led by JuJuan Johnson's 24 points, the Boilermakers got out to an early double-digit lead and held off a late Ohio State rally to pick up a huge 60-57 win over Evan Turner and the red-hot Buckeyes in Columbus. The win is Purdue's fourth over a team ranked in the top 10 this season and their sixth Top 50 win overall. The Boilers have now won eight straight Big Ten games, and are now just a half game behind Michigan State for first place in conference. If they beat Illinois at home on Saturday and if Villanova loses at Pitt, they'll be the final 1 seed in Monday's bracket. Ohio State, meanwhile, will fall from their spot on the 2 line next week, and how far they fall will depend on how they fare in East Lansing on Sunday. If the Buckeyes beat the Spartans, it would create a pretty big logjam atop the Big Ten, with three teams potentially separated by just a half a game.
Maybe we shouldn't have added that fifth A-10 bid after all. Both Charlotte and Rhode Island suffered damaging (and potentially resume-killing) losses on Wednesday night, and as a result, both may be out of our next bracket on Monday. The 49ers blew a 10-point first half lead in an 83-77 home loss to lowly Duquesne, and Rhode Island became Saint Louis' second upset victim in the last five days, losing 62-57 on the road to the Bilikens. Both losses were bad, but Rhode Island's is definitely worse. The Rams have now lost three in a row, and at 7-5, they are alone in seventh place in the A-10 standings. Even if they win at home against Fordham on Saturday, it's hard to see them staying in the field next week. Charlotte very well could join URI on the outside of the bracket looking in, but the 49ers have one more chance to keep their bid - if they can find a way to beat Xavier at home on Saturday. If they lose, they'll be out, too. The biggest winner in this whole mess is Dayton - who will (finally) get into our field if they can just beat LaSalle at home on Thursday and Duquesne on the road on Sunday. (See, Flyer fans, we don't hate you after all.)
Saint Louis' win - their sixth in a row - makes them the most intriguing team in the A-10 right now. The Bilikens are now 8-3 in conference, and they still have home games with Xavier and Temple and a road game at Dayton left. If they could ever win out (they also have a road game at UMass on Sunday and a home game against Duquesne next Saturday), they would leap frog their way into the bracket heading into the A-10 tourney.
It was good night for a couple of teams hanging on or around our Last Four In list. Oklahoma State led by as many as 20 in the first half and hung on for a 69-64 win at Iowa State, and UAB overcame a surprisingly tough test from Southern Miss to beat the Golden Eagles 59-54 in Hattiesburg. Oklahoma State's win snapped a two-game road losing streak in conference and moved them to 6-5 in conference with a critical home game against Baylor looming on Saturday. The Cowboys would be in the field if we did a bracket today, but their remaining schedule (Baylor, at Texas, Kansas, at Texas A&M, Nebraska) leaves them little room for error down the road. The same can be said for UAB, who moved into sole possession of third place in C-USA with their win and Tulsa's home loss to Marshall. The Blazers face Houston at home on Saturday, and if they win, they'll remain in our bracket next week. If they lose, C-USA could very well be back to a one-bid league.
Louisville needed 10 extra minutes to do it, but the Cardinals also picked up a huge bubble win on Wednesday, beating Notre Dame (sans Luke Harangody) 91-89 in double overtime at Freedom Hall. Samardo Samuels was unstoppable inside for Louisville in the victory, scoring a career-high 36 points, hitting 16-of-19 free throws, and almost single-handedly fouling out four Irish players. Tim Abromaitis (29 points) did everything he could in Harangody's absence to keep ND in the game, but in the end, the shorthanded Irish couldn't pull the upset. Louisville's next game is at DePaul on Saturday, and then the Cardinals begin a season-defining four-game stretch to finish the year (vs. Georgetown, at UConn, at Marquette, vs. Syracuse). If they just split those games, they're in. Anything less, and they'll have to do some damage in the Big East tourney to get a bid.
It's been nearly impossible for teams to win on the road in the Big XII this season, and that trend continued Wednesday in Columbia. Kim English scored 18 points, including 11 in one key six-minute stretch in the second half, to lead Missouri to an 82-77 home win over Texas. The win improved the Tigers to 7-4 in conference and sent the skidding Longhorns to their sixth loss in their last nine games. If Missouri can win at Nebraska on Saturday, they'll likely be a 6 seed in our next bracket. Texas, who is now 6-5 in the Big XII, will need a win at Texas Tech on Saturday to avoid falling into the 8/9 game next week.
Northwestern has found plenty of creative ways to miss out on the NCAA tournament over the years. This year, they'll be on the outside looking in because they couldn't beat the two worst teams in the Big Ten. Exactly one week after the Wildcats suffered a crippling loss at lowly Iowa, their at-large hopes were officially dealt a knockout blow Wednesday night at the hands of Penn State (Penn State!), a team that was 0-12 in conference coming in. Not only did the Nittany Lions win by 11 in Evanston, they did so with their leading scorer, Talor Battle, scoring just 10 points on 2-of-8 shooting. The only hope Northwestern has now of getting an at-large (besides the tournament expanding to 96 teams tomorrow) is to win out and to win two games in the Big Ten tourney. Any takers on that bet?
UNLV's slide toward a double-digit seed continued on Wednesday night, as they lost 66-61 at Utah. It's the third straight loss for the Runnin' Rebels, who, at 7-5, are now a game behind San Diego State and alone in fourth place in the Mountain West. That normally wouldn't be a good place to be in a conference that figures to get three bids, but the Rebels' schedule is very easy from here on out. They play Colorado State at home on Saturday and then finish up with a home game against TCU, a game at Air Force, and a home game against Wyoming. They should win all of those games and be in good shape to grab a bid heading into the MWC tourney.
Of note: West Virginia won at Providence; Duke won at Miami; Maryland won at N.C. State; Florida State won at Virginia; Kansas State beat Nebraska at home; Tennessee beat Georgia at home; New Mexico beat Wyoming at home; BYU won at Colorado State; Temple won at St. Bonaventure; Xavier beat St. Joseph's at home; Richmond beat Fordham at home; Butler beat Illinois-Chicago at home; Utah State beat Louisiana Tech at home; Wichita State edged Evansville at home.
52 comments:
- Shaudius said...
Why is Purdue not a 1 seed yet though?
Their resume is certainly more impressive than Villlanova's
Nova key wins: Dayton, Ole Miss, Maryland, WVU, Georgetown, Louisville
Losses: uconn, Georgetown, Temple
Purdue's key wins: Tenn, Wake Forest, WVU, Wisconsin, MSU, OSU
Purdue's losses: NW, Wisconsin, OSU
Nova's losses are equal or worse to Purdue's, uconn is about as bubbly as NW, OSU is better than Temple, Wisconsin is worse than Georgetown.
Of tournament locks, Purdue has beaten better teams. Now Nova has some bubble wins that Purdue doesn't have, Seton Hall and Marquette xs 2 compared to Purdue's Illinois(hopefully x2s after Saturday).
Additionally, you have to like Purdue's chances going forward in the Big Ten as their biggest games are at home(MSU and Illinois), where's Nova's biggest games are 2/3 on the road, at Pitt, at Cuse,
now Nova has 3 chances to pick up huge wins in the next 5 games, whereas Purdue only has 1 really, but Nova is more likely to lose 2 of 3 than win 2 of 3, whereas Purdue seems more likely to win at home versus Illinois and MSU.
So season ending today or projected, I can't see how Nova is the 1 over Purdue right now.
a similar analysis could be done for Cuse, only Cuse has an even less impressive(but one less loss) resume than Nova(more bubble wins less lock wins), and one of either Cuse or Nova will lose again(since they play each other).
At least to me it looks more likely at this point, both season ending today and projected that the Big East is far more likely to get 1, 1-seed than it is to get 2, so your four number ones should be, Cuse(or Nova), Purdue, UK and KU.
@ Shadius --
The resumes are very similar, but I'd give Nova the edge on the following -- Nova has 2 wins over the RPI top 10 (one on the road), Purdue has 1 (at home). Nova also has a better record against the RPI top 100 (11-3) than Purdue (9-3) -- but this does come, as you note, against 51-100.
- Jeff said...
"OSU is better than Temple"
RPI: Temple 11 OSU 31
SOS: Temple 30 OSU 85
Record vs RPI top 50: Temple 6-4 OSU 4-3
Record vs RPI top 25: Temple 4-2 OSU 3-3
Wanna try again?
- Shaudius said...
I'm not sure why you cut the RPI at top 10, considering if you cut it just to 20(all very good teams still right?), the difference becomes 2 wins for Nova compared to 4 for Purdue, so Purdue has beaten 2 more team in the top 20 RPI instead of 1 more team in the top 10, I'd say that's advantage Purdue(that doesn't include Purdue's wins over OSU and MSU both on the road).
Yes, I will concede that Nova has played more top 100 teams, but those 2 extra top 100 teams Nova played are Notre Dame and St. John's, now I'm not going to say Purdue would win both those games certainly, but you have to concede that if Purdue were to have played those two teams instead of their 108 RPI team Buffalo(who they beat by 36) and their 117 RPI team Michigan, they would probably have emerged victorious.
@Jeff OSU lost 3 games without their star player and that's something that factors into both seeding and quality of the team itself. Besides, the RPI is a flawed stat when looked at in absolute terms anyway, or do you believe that Duke is the 2nd best team in the country? MSU the 26th? OSU the 31st? Louisville the 30th? Louisville is better than OSU?
Do you believe Temple's QWs of VaTech, Nova, RI x2 2 and Xavier
are better than OSU's Cal, Purdue, Wisconsin, Florida State and Illinois?
Maybe they are and maybe they aren't but here's the important thing.
OSU is a 2 seed in B101's bracket, Temple is a 5, even if you don't think OSU is better, B101 thinks the selection committee will think OSU is better, so therefore a loss against OSU looks better than a loss against Temple, which was the point of my argument.
Nova is 3 in RPI, Purdue is 10, nove has the higher SOS by 20 spots, is higher ranked(eye test),has 7 road wins, vs 6, and in case you can't read, NW is done, and Uconn has a very good shot at the tourney. The syracuse comparison is even more ridiculous... Syracuse has been one of the most impressive teams of the season, winning the Coaches vs Cancer tournament, and, underratedly, winning 3 straight road games in 5 days, sandwiching a win at west virginia in between wins in piscataway and south bend.
Is it just me or does Missouri get away with a lot of fouls?
- DavidS said...
After last night, Nova is 6 in the RPI and Purdue is 9. Nova is 2-2 vs. RPI top 25, Purdue is 5-1. Nova is 6-3 against top 50, Purdue is 6-2. No one cares about wins over 51-100, but Purdue's loss @NU looks worse as the weeks go by. They are definitely very close. Purdue has proven itself better against the top teams, which is why I think they get the slight nod here. The committee looks for good wins and Purdue has the most. Still a lot of ball to play, and they are very close right now, but I think Purdue has a little bit better resume.
- Shaudius said...
Anonymous said...
Nova is 3 in RPI, Purdue is 10, nove has the higher SOS by 20 spots, is higher ranked(eye test),has 7 road wins, vs 6, and in case you can't read, NW is done, and Uconn has a very good shot at the tourney. The syracuse comparison is even more ridiculous... Syracuse has been one of the most impressive teams of the season, winning the Coaches vs Cancer tournament, and, underratedly, winning 3 straight road games in 5 days, sandwiching a win at west virginia in between wins in piscataway and south bend.
As of yesterday, before Purdue beat OSU, their RPI was 10, and Nova's was 6(source realtimerpi.com), thats a meaningless distinction. Again, or do you think Duke is the second best team in the nation and Wake is the 12th? The RPI is not an absolute system.
Nova is ranked 3rd, Purdue 4th, the other supposed 1 seed, Cuse, is 5th? So wouldn't that argument support my argument that Purdue + 1 BE team is a 1 seed, but not both over Purdue?
A higher SoS by 20 rankings also means very little as far as seeding is concerned, no one cares that your RPI >100 wins were versus teams in the 110-120 range versus teams in the 140-150 range. Bad teams are bad teams, also, no one cares if you beat Rutgers, only if you lose to Rutgers(RPI 100 btw, thats a nice top 100 win).
NW is done but uconn has a very good shot? uconn only has a nice shot because Nova lost to them, just like NW only really had a nice shot earlier in the season because Purdue lost to them, they're both bad losses and basically a wash.
So winning a pre-conference tournament makes you impressive? Purdue won the Paradise Jam beating a full strength Tenn team, is that less impressive than Cuse beating a UNC team that has since proven to be anything but tournament caliber?
So they won 3 games in 5 days? Whats your point? Neither Rutgers nor ND are tournament teams, WVU is, but guess who beat that same WVU team by 19? Purdue. Before you get on my case about ND, they have the weakest non-conference schedule of anyone even in the bubble discussion, and basically couldn't even buy a 20 win season, and Rutgers will be lucky to finish with a winning record.
But why don't we actually do the Cuse analysis,
Cuse QWs: Cal, Cornell, Florida, WVU, Gtown, Marquette(?), Cincy(?)
That looks like 2 tournament locks to me, WVU and Gtown, Cornell, Florida, Marquette Cincy and Cal are all bubble teams. We could include USF, ND and hell even Seton Hall in that list and it wouldn't add a single definite tournament team.
Purdue on the other hand has beaten WVU, MSU, OSU, Wake Forest, Tenn and Wiscosnin, all tournament locks.
So thats 6 lock wins veruss 2 lock wins. Even if you shift Cornell and Cal in as locks, the edge still goes to Purdue, and I didn't include Purdue's bubble win versus Illinois.
You mention Cuse's road wins being 6 to 7, but who were their road wins to?
Cuse's road wins: Florida, Seton Hall, Rutgers, WVU, DePaul, Cincy, Notre Dame
So 2 scrubs(Rutgers and DePaul), 4 bubble teams, and 1 lock
Now lets look at Purdue's road wins: Alabama, Iowa, Illinois, MSU, OSU.
So 2 locks, 1 bubble, 2 scrubs.
The neutral court win of Tenn is better than the neutral court win of UNC.
You could argue beating one more lock on the road is worse than beating 3 more bubbles, but I think its a wash with the neutral court favouring Purdue.
Cuse is ahead in the discussion though because of their one less loss, but lose at Pitt tonight and I think Purdue has the edge over Cuse just like it already does versus Nova.
Mizzou plays a 40 minutes of hell style defense that Mike Anderson learned as an assistant under Nolan Richardson. They basically press the whole game and that leads to a lot of fouls. It doesn't hurt them too badly since their bench is so deep.
As for Syracuse, "winning the Coaches v. Cancer tournament" basically means they beat Cal and UNC at home. Big deal. If they were in the national title game would you trust Arinze Onuaku and Rick Jackson to hit their free throws? I don't see 'Cuse winning tonight, either.
@ Anon
Syracuse won Coaches vs. Cancer against two teams, Cal and UNC, who were overranked and may not even make the NCAA tournament this year - Cal obviously having the better chance to do so. So, I am not sure how winning that tournament wins you much of an argument. Purdue, afterall, won the Paradise Jam by beating 9th ranked Tennessee when UT had all of their players pre-suspension. Not to mention, UT is much better than both Cal and UNC at this time. Purdue blew out West Virginia and Syracuse won by 1 pt @ WVU - both great wins. So, I don't think Purdue and Syracuse are that much different, especially based on your arguments.
As for 'Nova, I was very impressed with their win @ WVU. However, I'm not sure how they are better than Purdue using the eye test. Next week, Purdue will be ranked above 'Nova, so does that change the eye test? Granted, losing @ NW doesn't look good now, but at least it was on the road and not at home. UConn was embarrassed at home vs. Cincy and yet they come in and knock off 'Nova @ 'Nova? Uconn has talent, but Villanova shouldn't lose to them at home.
I don't think it matters in the end, though. 'Nova and PU will likely be in the same bracket as the No. 1 and 2 seeds (assuming neither stubs their toe again), and everything will be settled on the court.
thank the lord....the A10 blows, my father could start for any team in that conference....
I suppose, because I'm bored, that I'll argue for duke. Duke has 8 wins against teams in the top 43 of the RPI, vs 5 for nova, and 5 for purdue. Purdue and Duke both played Wake Forest, with Purdue winning 69-58, and Duke completely blowing them out of the water, 90-70. Duke has the 8th ranked SOS, vs 53 for purdue, andhas just one extra loss to show for the difference. Duke has COMPLETELY out-classed 8 different top 100 teams, defined for these purposes as a win by at least a baker's dozen. Purdue has a full 1 win of the sort. Duke has 9 wins over Ken Pomeroy's top 50, including 8 over the top 40, and 6 over the top 27. Duke has 1 more loss, but both teams have an inexplainable loss, Duke's to N.C. State(84 in pomeroy's ratings), Purdue's to Northwestern(71st). All of the other losses between the 2 teams combined are in the top 25 of his rankings, with Duke's 3 coming on the road, and 1 of purdue's losses coming at home. Duke has a further 6 games vs the RPI top 100, which they should win easily, which would move them to 17-3 vs RPI top 100, Purdue has another 4 opportunities, 2 of which are easy wins, and 2 of which are very tough games that I'm not sure you can favor Purdue in. The game against michigan state is one i would bet they lose, since it will be a statement game for MSU after losing earlier without kalin lucas, Should they win all the games, they would be 12-3 vs RPI top 100. Duke also has the big name, the great coach, the better guard play and the higher upside(great season even with singler struggling, and young frontcourt players).
Dayton should have never left the B101 bracket. The Flyers have a strong resume and belong in the field. The fact that they were left out this week is ridiculous.
- Shaudius said...
Margin of victory is ultimately meaningless in any of these discussions, otherwise we could split so many hairs it wouldn't be funny, KU's OT win versus Colorado, UK's OT wins versus Stanford and Miss State, it doesn't matter how you win only that you win.
The SoS argument is potentially value, but its not really about the scrub teams you beat(that are better than the scrub teams others beat), but the quality opponents that you beat. Purdue also has 9 wins over kenpom's top 50, so that's also a wash.
Duke only has 5 games left in their season, so I don't know how they could possibly have 6 games versus the RPI top 100 left. So Duke winning at Maryland is an easy win? But Purdue beating Illinois at home(I'm assuming this is the non-easy win) isn't? Or at Virginia for that matter, one only needs to look at how Duke has faired on the road to realize that their home court advantage is huge and no away game is an easy win for this Duke team.
Kalin Lucas played in the game at the Breslin with Purdue, and was semi-effective, but Purdue still won by 12.
What does a big name, a great coach and better guard play(which is debatable) have to do with anything? Okay, so lets award seeding based on huge potential upside, everyone, get ready to see uconn, UNC and Louisville as 2 seeds.
- Shaudius said...
Also, Duke has 2 wins versus the RPI top 25 compared with 4 for Purdue and 2 for Nova.
Don't get me wrong Duke has a legit argument for a 1 seed, but Purdue actually has 6 wins versus the RPI top 50, versus Purdue's 8, and one of those is a top 50 win versus uconn for Duke.
Purdue's top 50 wins: Tenn, Wake, WVU, Wisconsin, MSU, OSU
Duke's top 50 wins: Charlotte, uconn, Gonzaga, Florida State, Wake, Clemson, Gatech, Maryland
Throw out Wake since both teams beat them, throw out uconn because counting that as a top 50 win is kind of ridiculous at this point,
and you have
Purdue: Tenn, WVU, OSU, MSU, Wisconsin
Duke: Charlotte, Gonzaga, FSU, Clemson, GaTech, Maryland
I think Purdue wins, especially when you consider only one of Duke's top 50 wins came on the road, where as 2 of Purdue's did.
Even if you do put that uconn win in, Purdue has the edge because of the one less loss, the same reason Cuse has the edge on Purdue today(but Nova doesn't).
- Michael said...
I'm not going to re-hash all of the arguments made for Purdue, Nova, Cuse or Duke as number one seeds, but I will concede that all of their resumes are pretty close. The selection committee, however, loves two things: 1) Playing and beating good teams 2) road/neutral wins.
I don't think all of the teams in the discussion have accomplished #1. It's #2 where I think Purdue has an advantage. The committee is going to look at Purdue and see that it beat Michigan State, Ohio State, and Tennessee on the road. None of the other contenders for the #1 spot have three wins like that on the road. Duke's best road/neutral win is at Clemson and that's worse than all three of Purdue's. Nova beat West Virginia and Louisville on the road, but I'd equate the Louisville win with Purdue's Illinois win and Illinois is Purdue's 4th best road win. The Cuse's best road wins are at West Virginia and at Cincy.
In the areas that the committee assigns the greatest weight, Purdue has an edge and I think that would earn them the one seed if the season ended today.
Texas still has a very tough schedule left. How far do you see the Longhorns seed falling if they lose a majority of their remaining games? Is it possible Texas could miss the tourney?
I really don't think Villanova will get a one seed. They have a very tough schedule and could easily lose 2-3 more games.
If duke goes 17-3 vs top 100 RPI teams, then wins their conference tournaments, beating in the process another 3, I think it would be ridiculous to speculate that they did not "play and beat" good teams. Also, If you'll not, I used pomeroy's top 50, not the RPI top 50.
- Michael said...
I didn't mean to say that Duke did not play and beat good teams. I think Nova, Duke, Purdue and Syracuse have all done that.
I like Pomeroy better as well, but the committee barely uses it, unfortunately.
All I'm saying is Purdue has beaten four teams that were ranked in the Top Ten at the time they played them, three of those away from home. That's something none of these other teams with similar resumes are going to be able to boast.
- Bracketology 101 said...
Some solid debating on here today everybody. Nice work.
It's clear from everyone's arguments that good cases could be made for Purdue, Villanova, and Syracuse all to be No. 1 seeds. We like Syracuse the best out of the three right now, and we are leaning toward Purdue over Villanova for the other spot because the Boilermakers have three more RPI top 25 wins (5 vs. 2) and because they have an easier schedule left. Ultimately, the 1 seeds will be determined by how these three teams (and others) do in their respective conference tournaments. Purdue gets a slight edge in that comparison, too, because it's much more likely that Villanova or Syracuse get upset early in the Big East tourney than Purdue does in the Big Ten tourney.
Texas is definitely heading in the wrong direction, but we would be stunned if their skid ended with them missing the tournament. Their last five games (at Texas Tech, vs. Oklahoma State, at Texas A&M, vs. Oklahoma, at Baylor) are in no way easy, but they should at worst go 3-2. Depending on who those three are against, they'll probably be somewhere in the 6-8 range heading into the Big XII tourney.
"because it's much more likely that Villanova or Syracuse get upset early in the Big East tourney than Purdue does in the Big Ten tourney."
Do you mean that the Big East is a tougher conference than the Big 10?
B101 - in case you were wondering, Jerry Palm did not get your note about the Hokies.
Apparently they need to win all of their home games, win @BC, and win @Duke or @GT to make the tournament. I.e., they need to go 12-4 in the ACC to have a shot.
Wow. That's ignoring pretty much every objective standard out there for judging teams in favor of OOC SOS. At 12-4 with a win @GT or @Duke, VT would have to be around a 6 seed at least.
- Bracketology 101 said...
The Big East is better - and much deeper - than the Big Ten. If Villanova finishes second in the Big East, they would face the 7 or the 10 seed in the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament. Those teams, right now, would be Marquette and Cincinnati. That's a lot tougher than what Purdue will face in the quarters of the Big Ten tourney.
We hope Palm sticks with that idiotic rationale about the Hokies. That'll be one more team we get right than him on Selection Sunday.
Virginia Tech is in as of now. However, they're not in nearly as good of a position as some of their fans believe. It boggles my mind that a team in one of the BCS conferences has only played 5 games against RPI top 75 teams at this point in the season.
I think one thing some of the people on here are missing when it comes to Villanova is that while they do have some very strong guard play (especially Scottie Reynolds, how is he NOT considered by everyone to be better than John Wall?) but Nova has really struggled against teams with size. UConn is one of the biggest teams in the country and they couldn't handle them even at home. Even Michigan, a team which has had a chronic shortage of size since Ekpe Udoh followed his AAU Coach to Baylor managed to beat them. And then there was that absolute layup line @ Georgetown (which, btw, Duke should have to answer for as well).
So as far as the question of who deserves a #1 seed more, Villanova or Purdue, the answer is Purdue, simply because Nova won't have an answer for Syracuse's size when they play at the Carrier Dome on Saturday.
As for Duke, rather than asking whether Duke deserves a #1 seed ahead of Purdue based on who they played, how about asking if Duke deserves a #1 seed over KENTUCKY based on who they played? The demise of the Pac-10 has concealed a dirty little secret, which is that the SEC isn't really that much better than it was last year.
Good point about Kentucky. However, they only have 1 loss and their computer numbers say a #1 seed also. At some point the committee (I think anyway), looks past all the numbers and goes with an eyeball test. Using that test, regardless of what numbers say, Kansas is clearly the best team in the country. After that, it's either Kentucky and Syracuse. After that, I think there are a lot of teams that are quite even. But those 3 (and Kansas is in a class by itself) are a level above.
- BEISketbol said...
Not sure how you could put Dook ahead of Purdue. Sure the Blue Devils beat a bunch of inferior top-50 teams, but they have struggled in true road games, going just 4-4 (best win @Clemson, yawn), and are only 2-2 against the RPI top 25, with their best win probably against Gonzaga on a neutral floor.
In contrast, Purdue is 5-1 (yeah, 5-1) against the RPI top 25 and 6-2 in true road contests. Both teams beat Wake at home so that's a wash. Purdue has very nice wins at home against WVU and 'Sconsin and on the road against MSU, OSU, and Illinois. Not to mention their neutral site win against Tennessee.
Thus, the Boilers have a much better case of being an "elite" team as of now. This, of course, could change, especially since the Dookies have a much better chance of winning the ACC tournament than Purdue does of winning the Big Ten tourney. The top of the Big Ten is much, much better than the top of the ACC this year.
- Brett said...
Here's a fun little game:
Team A:
Record vs RPI top 25: 1-1
Record vs RPI 25-50: 1-1
Record vs RPI 50-100: 4-2
Record vs RPI 100+: 15-0
Team B:
Record vs RPI top 25: 1-6
Record vs RPI top 50: 2-2
Record vs RPI 50-100: 3-1
Record vs RPI 100+: 9-0
The teams aren't very different except for top 25 record. However, one team is going to be in everyone's bracket while the other team isn't even on the bubble for most bracketologists.
- Shaudius said...
While the BE may be deeper, its also much larger, when you're talking about conferences its something that is usually neglected by BE supporters.
5 teams in out of the BT is equivalent to ~7.5 teams in out of the BE.
Another downside to having so many teams in the BE, depending on the schedule breaks, you end up playing the good teams far less in the BE than you do in the Big Ten, Nova was a victim of this this season,
Of the other tournament locks from the BE Nova will have played 6 games by the end of the year, if you count Pitt, WVU, Cuse and Georgetown
Purdue on the other hand will have played the other top 4 teams in the BT, MSU, OSU, Wisconsin and Illinois 8 times.
As their head to head and OOC schedules have shown, there's little difference between playing Notre Dame and playing NW, I would also imagine there's little difference between playing Minnesota and playing Cincy. Sure the BE teams may be perceived better, but are they really? NW beat ND straight up neutral court, Minnesota played TAMU tight and beat Butler early in the year. Middle the road Michigan beat middle of the road uconn, granted at Michigan.
The bottom of the BE is also as bad as the bottom of the Big Ten, losing to Rutgers or DePaul is just as bad as losing to Iowa or Indiana.
I will admit to not knowing exactly how the BE tournament works, but to say that playing Marquette or Cincy would be tougher than playing Minnesota or NW, doesn't really hold much weight to me, they're all around the same level.
The BE being so huge means there's a huge bubble as the middling teams in the middle beat themselves up, it doesn't make them better. The middle teams in the BT get beat up by the top more because they play the top more.
The BE ends up playing schedules like Nova, the BT ends up playing schedules like Purdue most of the time.
- Shaudius said...
One more, Cuse plays the top four teams out of the BE a total of 5 times, thats even one less than Nova does. Losing 1 out of 3 of those tims so far, with 2 more to come. Georgetown plays em 6 times as well. Noticing a trend?
I'll take UConn, Cincy, Marquette, and Louisville over any middle of the road Big 10 team. The Big 12 and Big East are the best conferences this year. The RPI thinks so too.
Here's the difference Shaudius. The top 4 teams in the Big East are among the top 10 teams in the country. The top 4 teams in the Big 10 are among the top 40 in the country.
- BEISketbol said...
Brett, Seton Hall could easily end up at 10-8 in conference with their remaining schedule (@WVU, Rutgers, Marquette, @Rutgers, @Providence). They would certainly have to at least go 4-1 in that stretch to have any shot of getting in though.
You did fail to point out that Team A beat Team B on a neutral floor.
That said, Va Tech doesn't have much room for error with their not-so-impressive resume. Though, it's tough to put Tech behind some of the teams with better wins that are in the middle of the ACC standings (FSU, Georgia Tech, Clemson), especially when they're tied for second in the league.
You're basically saying the Big East teams play an easier schedule, right?
Cuse: 12
Nova: 31
Pitt: 10
Gtown: 2
Purdue: 43
Illinois: 64
Wis: 14
- Brett said...
Yeah, I wasn't really arguing for inclusion of SHU. I was, more or less, arguing that Virginia Tech still isn't that impressive. And yes, Tech beat SHU on a neutral floor in OT. So, the edge definitely goes to Tech, but they're pretty close.
There is a huge difference between going 1-6 vs. the top 25 and going 1-1 vs. the top 25. That's 5 extra chances for Team B to pick up a quality win.
- Michael said...
I don't know if I was a Big East fan if I'd be talking much smack to the Big Ten. Purdue absolutely dominated West Virginia. Michigan beat UConn. Wisconsin beat Marquette. Northwestern beat DePaul. Even Indiana beat Pitt.
The computer rankings I respect (note the RPI) show the Big East with a slight edge and that may be true, but the two conferences are interchangeable.
Could Old Dominion earn an at large if they win at Northern Iowa? How many Colonial teams do you see making the field?
- Howard Salwasser said...
Who's having it worse? Northwestern or the U.S. curling team?
- Shaudius said...
" Anonymous said...
Here's the difference Shaudius. The top 4 teams in the Big East are among the top 10 teams in the country. The top 4 teams in the Big 10 are among the top 40 in the country."
Are they? Says what, the flawed RPI? Thats the same RPI that says that Duke is better than UK, Cuse, WVU and Nova.
So you're also prepared to say that Ohio State is the 42nd best team in the country?
the Pomeroy rankings, the AP and Coaches polls, Saragin ratings and common sense all say that the RPI is the exception to the huge lopsided BE being that much better argument.
But regardless, my point was that the Big East may play their middle teams more, but they play against their top teams less, so more teams end up with records that are closer to 13-12 than 6-19 which they'd have if they played the top more instead of the middle more, this makes teams like Minnesota look extremely bad compared to teams like USF because Minnesota has to play better teams more often than USF does.
Its a lot harder to win a lot of games when you're playing more top 25 teams than when you're playing more top 75 teams is my whole point.
BE plays more middle teams, less top teams in a season.
Regardless of all that, I'm still putting a ton more stock in tempo free than I am in RPI, especially since if you follow tempo free its basically predictive to within 2 points of where Vegas sets the lines for games which usually end up being pretty accurate to the final score(with some variance obviously).
Brett - it's much better to beat 4 ACC teams just now outside of the top 100 (Virginia, NC State, Boston College) than it is to lose 5 extra games to the top 25. Virginia was even considered a quality win after they had beaten several quality ACC teams in a row.
Teams don't (or shouldn't) get extra credit for just playing and losing to top teams. If at this point VT had lost to 4 top ACC teams and had a 4-5 ACC record, instead of the winning against the bottom 4 and earning an 8-3 record, they'd rightfully be out of the picture. There's only so much you can control your schedule, and in conference you can only play who you've been given.
I'm not following you Shadius. Sagarin, Pomeroy, and RPI all have the Big East as the better conference.
As a corollary to your argument, it also means Big East teams get to play the really bad teams less also. (i.e. Iowa, Penn State, Indiana, DePaul, Rutgers)
You destroy the RPI for having Duke too high (and I agree), yet you praise Pomeroy. The same Pomeroy that has Duke at #2.
- Bracketology 101 said...
If ODU wins at Northern Iowa and wins at least a share of the Colonial regular season title, they'll get an at-large. The Colonial is going to get at most two bids, and if ODU wins the CAA tourney, it'll be a one-bid league.
Nice line, Howard. Throw Lindsey Jacobellis into that mix too.
How many conference wins will St. Louis need to get in at large discussion? Could you see any chance for K State to climb up to a 2 seed? Thank you and keep up the outstanding work.
- Shaudius said...
"I'm not following you Shadius. Sagarin, Pomeroy, and RPI all have the Big East as the better conference.
As a corollary to your argument, it also means Big East teams get to play the really bad teams less also. (i.e. Iowa, Penn State, Indiana, DePaul, Rutgers)"
It is a fair point that you also play the bottom less although I would argue that there are more legitimate teams at the top of the Big Ten in relative number than there are at the top of the BE, even if you take out Illinois you're talking about 4/11 versus 5/16 and more stinkers 4/16(St. John's, Rutgers, DePaul, Providence) versus 3/11(Iowa, Penn State, Indiana) in the BE, meaning you're more likely to play 7/16 likely to play a middle pack team in the BE versus 4/11 in the BT.
"You destroy the RPI for having Duke too high (and I agree), yet you praise Pomeroy. The same Pomeroy that has Duke at #2."
I agree that Duke is too high in both, I was just using Duke as a quick example for the RPI, but the real kicker is how low OSU is(42 as of today), I praise Pomeroy because as a whole I feel it is much more accurate and predictive than the RPI, not perfect either, but I admit I could have just stuck with the OSU example.
Regardless, I did not mean to get into a which conference is better argument, the BE is better, but the difference isn't that great was my point, the whole thing stemed from B101 stating that Purdue would have an easier time in the BTT than Cuse or Nova would, and therefore he liked them better as a 1 seed down the stretch, my point was that the BT isn't that much worse in the middle than the BE, so to say that Purdue has an easier road is selling the BT short.
The reason I like Purdue down the stretch more personally is because the bulk of Purdue's tough games are behind them, and their remaining games that are the most difficult are at home(MSU and Illinois, although at Minn isn't a gimme), whereas both Nova and Cuse have more difficult games ahead of them because their schedules are more backloaded.
Your RPI fun fact of the day:
The winless Bryant Bulldogs are currently above one four-win team in the RPI because they played a tougher schedule.
- Shaudius said...
Kenpom has them as 346 ahead of 1 win Alcorn State, to be fair, Bryant is probably actually better than them.
- Bracketology 101 said...
Saint Louis needs at least 11 wins to be in the mix for an at-large. If they could ever get to 12, they would be in the field heading into the A-10 tourney.
Kansas State is already a 2 seed in our bracket. If the question was meant to say "1 seed," the Wildcats are still very much in the mix. They are going to have to win out, though, which would include a win at Kansas. If they lose to the Jayhawks, they would have to win the Big XII tournament to jump up to a 1.
Agreed that Bryant probably isn't the worst team out there - just find the RPI to be a strange beast in general. No ranking system will be perfect, but the RPI is overly simplistic and yet counterintuitive. Like if you gave the BCS football computers a lobotomy.
My main gripe with RPI as its used today is that there should be some element of how good someone was when you beat them. Teams change in quality as the season goes on for a lot of reasons, and their opponents end up unjustly punished or rewarded because of a swoon or sudden uptick in play. The idea that someone can become a good win or bad loss several months after you played them is ridiculous.
Well, not true, I probably have a laundry list of gripes to add to that about the RPI, but that's my primary one now.
- Jeff said...
Our best player was out for our loss to Richmond, and was essentially a scarecrow during our loss to Charlotte. He was kicked in the head against Fordham, giving him migraines and a concussion. He should not have played against Charlotte, but did (to a degree). He couldn't concentrate because of the noise and bright lights, and was forced to leave the game where he was seen on TV covering his ears and his eyes with a towel. So with him healthy, we win at least one of those games.
So since that's factored in for OSU, I hope it's also factored in for Temple.
Mr. K
If Uconn goes 4-1 in their next 5 and their one loss is to WVU, do they need to win more then 1 in the BE tournament?


text:
Members of the Leavenworth and Lansing school boards gathered Thursday for a rare joint meeting to discuss a new alternative school program.
Members of the Leavenworth and Lansing school boards gathered Thursday for a rare joint meeting to discuss a new alternative school program.
The planned program will be housed in Lansing but serve students in both districts.
During the meeting, the boards passed a resolution, agreeing to work in collaboration.
Eric Punswick, associate superintendent for the Leavenworth public schools, said the program will serve students in grades seven through 12. Students in the program will be able to receive high school diplomas from their respective school districts.
According to Punswick, the alternative program will assist students who struggle in a traditional school setting.
He said school officials are looking to provide a system that is more personalized to individual needs.
The program, which is scheduled to launch in the fall, will use online curriculum provided through the Greenbush Southeast Kansas Education Service Center. Greenbush already provides curriculum for a dropout recovery program in Lansing.
The new alternative program will allow students to move at an appropriate pace, according to Punswick.
The school districts also will partner will the University of Saint Mary and the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth for the program.
Punswick said Saint Mary will provide student teachers to help with the program and also assist the students with things such as college planning. The Sisters of Charity will help with things such tutoring and career planning.
"We sit on a gold mine of resources here in Leavenworth County," he said.
Leavenworth Superintendent Kelly Crane said when people look at alternative schools, one component that's often left out is a connection with counseling and planning for the future. She said this will be part of the new program through the partnerships with Saint Mary and the Sisters of Charity.
Punswick said the program will operate morning and afternoon sessions and up to 25 students can be enrolled in each session.
Students will be accepted based on applications and recommendations through a school student improvement process.
The Leavenworth district will provide a coordinator for the program. The Lansing district will provide an instructor.
The coordinator, who also will be in charge of other programs, already has been chosen. During Thursday's meeting, Leavenworth board members approved a staffing report which listed various personnel changes. One of the changes listed is the transfer of Jofee Tremain to the position of coordinator of alternative programs.
Tremain, who currently serves as the principal of David Brewer Elementary School, will transition into her new job at the end of the school year.
Noting the planned morning and afternoon sessions, Leavenworth board member Nancy Klemp asked if students in the new program will be going to class for only half days.
Punswick said Lansing's dropout recovery program already uses the morning and afternoon system, but individuals can elect to attend for a whole day.
Lansing Superintendent Randy Bagby said the half day system will allow students to participate in things such as band in their home school districts or even take regular education classes in addition to their alternative studies.
"They'll be able to do both," he said.
According to Punswick, students in the alternative program will be able to participate in athletic and extra-curricular activities in their home districts. The districts also will provide the students access to vocational programs.
Leavenworth board Vice President Marti Crow asked if students will be able to move from the alternative program back into the regular education setting.
"It's possible," Bagby said.


text:
I know I have old random posts in regards to makeup storage, but this is my most recent way of organizing my makeup as of late, granted I hardly wear much makeup nowadays because I find myself to be too lazy to do any full on looks. But nonetheless, my makeup needs a home!
I know I am probably going to get a few questions as to where I got most of these organizers from, so I will list them down with each pic. :)
My vanity all clean (I don't remember where I got this actual vanity from, I get a lot of questions about this from older posts but my mom ordered it for me from Washington when they moved so I have no clue), but it's actually a child's vanity and I can sit in it fine, you would never think it's a child's vanity.


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text: Executives forecast ongoing economic gloom, but, for the second survey in a row, the percentage of the respondents who think the situation is getting worse hasn't increased. Many say their corporate-management team is doing a good job in the crisis. A gloomy economic stasis has taken hold, responses to a McKinsey Quarterly survey—in the field from March 10, 2009, through March 16, 2009—indicate.1 1. The survey garnered 1,630 responses from executives across the range of regions, industries, and functional specialties. The percentage of the executives who say economic conditions have gotten worse at the national level hasn't increased, but fewer than a third expect an upturn this year. Executives overall are confident with how their companies are managing the crisis, though 53 percent expect profits to drop in the first half of 2009, and the number expecting to shed workers has jumped eight percentage points in six weeks. Companies that executives describe as well managed are likelier than others to be reducing both operating costs and capital spending—and perhaps not weakening operations a great deal, because these companies are also likelier than others to be improving productivity. Overall, the results show that most companies are not actively seeking more cash. This survey also solicited executives' views on some topics of intense public debate. Respondents think "bad banks" are a good idea, disagree on whether CEOs are paid too much, and overwhelmingly say the public trusts business less than it did before the crisis—and lay the blame at the doors of financial firms.Big questionsAmong the respondents' views, there is no ambiguity about whether trust in business has fallen as a result of the crisis: 85 percent say it has and—by a wide margin—they blame the decline mostly on financial firms' misunderstanding of risk (Exhibit 1). That response holds even among executives at financial firms. Among respondents who selected "other," many specified "greed." There is much less consensus among the respondents on whether CEO compensation is excessive in their industries: 43 percent say it is, and 47 percent say it isn't.2 2. The rest responded "don't know." Perhaps not surprising, nearly 60 percent of respondents in finance say yes, as do 49 percent of respondents at very large companies (those with annual revenue of $1 billion or more). Another area of intense public debate is how to restore liquidity and stability to markets. One option is for governments to buy the financial institutions' toxic assets and consolidate them into a "bad bank" to restore liquidity to the rest of the system (a plan similar to what the US government proposed on March 23, 2009). Fifty-four percent of all respondents—and 61 percent of those in financial services—say creating a bad bank would help restore liquidity. Executives across Asia are likeliest to hold this view. Exhibit 1 The risks of poor judgment When we asked respondents which one action would do most to restore market stability, the responses express a clear focus on liquidity, with various ways to achieve it. The paths mentioned by many respondents are lowering taxes for businesses, consumers, or both; increasing consumer confidence and spending; focusing on global responses in regulation, currency management, and confidence building (what one executive calls "sincere cooperation of all nations"); and cogent, long-term leadership, described by another respondent as "pick a plan, stick with it, communicate tactics, be clear." Respondents also call for government actions of all sorts, as well as the reverse: "Leave the banks and companies alone. Let the bad fail and the good will thrive—this will set our globe back into balance." Perhaps the most hopeful note comes from an executive who writes, "Have patience. Confidence and risk tolerance will improve naturally, as it is part of human nature."Stasis, with a few signs of hopePatience will indeed be needed. Overall, executives say their national economies are in very poor shape—almost 90 percent say conditions have declined since September 2008—but haven't gotten worse in the past six weeks. Similarly, the proportion of respondents expecting their nations' GDPs to drop stands at three-quarters, as it did six weeks ago. The proportion of executives expecting an economic upturn this year has dropped from 40 percent to 30 percent, suggesting that respondents expect the current situation to continue for some time. Executives' responses about their companies indicate that, over the past six weeks, they have settled into the expectation that poor conditions will continue for some time. Half of all respondents expect their companies to shed workers in the first half of 2009—an eight-percentage-point increase from just six weeks ago, when more expected an upturn to occur this year (Exhibit 2). And more respondents to this survey than to earlier ones offer a prediction for their companies' near-term profits: 53 percent expect profits to be lower in the first half of 2009 than in the second half of 2008, and these are mostly the same respondents who expect their companies to shed workers. Only 6 percent are unsure.3 3. In addition, 25 percent expect an increase, and 16 percent expect no change. In January, 27 percent expected an increase, 17 percent expected no change, 46 percent expected a decrease, and 10 percent didn't know. Finally, the executives' expectations about how the crisis will change their industries haven't shifted notably since November 2008. Roughly two-thirds expect lower growth, and as in November smaller percentages expect consolidation and a lower tolerance of risk. Exhibit 2 Expecting to shrink Although only 14 percent of respondents expect their countries' economic conditions to improve in the first half of 2009, that's more than twice the percentage that, six weeks ago, expected an improvement (Exhibit 3). The proportion of hopeful executives has increased most in Europe and North America. Exhibit 3 More hopeful than in January Although more companies are seeking funds, the proportion that can obtain all they seek has remained the same—just under half—perhaps indicating some growth in the amount of funding available to companies Further, most companies' finances still aren't on the edge, according to these respondents. Only a minority say their companies are seeking external funding (as has been the case since we began asking, in October 2008). More companies are seeking funds for new initiatives than for any other purpose (Exhibit 4). These responses indicate that growth is still on the agendas of some companies, particularly in high tech and telecommunications. Among the other reasons for seeking funds, increasing available cash has decreased in importance since December.4 4. About half of the companies that have sought external funding since September have sought it from sources different from those they obtained from earlier. The most common new source, at 47 percent, is the government, followed by individual large investors, at just over a third. Executives at companies in finance are, not surprising, by far the likeliest to say their companies sought funds from the government. Exhibit 4 New funds for new initiatives Our findings may suggest that although some companies are having trouble meeting everyday expenses, most companies are less focused on building a large pool of ready cash than they were a few months ago. Since interest payments regularly cut into cash, that conclusion may be supported by the finding that only 39 percent of all respondents say that their companies have actively sought to decrease debt since last September (though 16 percent of the respondents don't know). There are some differences by region and industry, but only in manufacturing do a majority of respondents—a bare 51 percent—say that their companies have sought to reduce their debt. It must be noted that over the past six weeks, the number of companies seeking funds has jumped to 30 percent, from 24 percent—the first big change since October. The increase comes from financial companies and from companies in Europe and in Latin America and other developing economies.Companies doing more with lessMore than half of all respondents—57 percent—say that because of good management, their companies have been less hurt than most by the crisis. Although that figure probably indicates hope for better results than are entirely plausible, it also indicates a confidence in management that runs counter to many other reports. Indeed, even at companies where executives expect profits to drop in the first half of 2009, 51 percent say that their companies have been well managed, along with 52 percent of executives at financial firms. Perhaps even more interesting, companies that (according to their executives) are well managed have a focus somewhat different from the one that executives at poorly managed companies support (Exhibit 5). Well-managed companies have a much stronger emphasis on reducing both operating costs and capital spending, as well as on improving productivity. Although executives at poorly managed companies also advocate cutting operating costs, they then turn to restructuring and hiring. Exhibit 5 Well-managed companies target costs and productivity Little action in the capital marketsAt companies that executives regarded as well managed during the crisis, nearly a third of respondents expect profits to increase in the first half of 2009, and 15 percent expect to increase the size of the workforceGiven the precipitous decline in stock prices in the past year, it is notable that just over half of all respondents say that their companies have taken no action in the capital markets as a result of the crisis (Exhibit 6). Although the percentage drops among public companies, it's still a remarkably high 30 percent. And when a company does act, the most frequent response is to support its stock through better communication rather than to buy its stock or stakes in other companies. Exhibit 6 On the sidelines of the capital markets