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Mass Effect 3: Special Edition is a Wii U launch title because there are Nintendo faithful who have never experienced BioWare's sci-fi RPG. That's the message sent by the functionally identical port that Australian developer Straight Right assembled for the console's launch. There's nothing wrong with this, but if you were among the masses howling for blood over the trilogy's conclusion earlier in 2012 — whether for or against — then there's nothing new for you to find here. If you want to know if the game is worth your time, look no further than our original Mass Effect 3 review.
The quick and easy answer for total newcomers: yes, definitely worth your time.
The most noticeable feature that separates Mass Effect 3 for Wii U from its predecessors is, of course, the GamePad. Nintendo's second screen interface is outfitted with only minimal enhanced functionality, in the form of an area map and any of eight touch-based hotkeys that you can assign. Creating a shortcut to a particular ability or piece of gear is as simple as dragging a small icon over to the desired location at either side of the GamePad screen. You'll still end up using face buttons for Commander Shepard's own combat abilities, but the touchscreen shortcuts offer quick and relatively easy access to squad skills once you get the hang of tapping one without having to look for it.
Mass Effect 3: Special Edition also adds a newly reformulated version of the Genesis motion comic included with the PlayStation 3 release of Mass Effect 2. The comic allowed players who hadn't experienced the first game to see the story and make any critical choices they had missed. Genesis 2 is largely the same thing, with the events and choices of ME2 added in as well. The idea is to introduce newcomers to the Mass Effect universe while setting up a basic foundation for the state Shepard's interpersonal relationships as ME3 opens.
That's the idea. The problem is that the first two Mass Effect games both feature long, elaborate stories that are very difficult to distill down into a motion comic with a reasonable running time. Corners are cut and details are glossed over, particularly in the new portions of Genesis 2 that cover the events of the second game. Elaborate, multi-hour story arcs that unfold as Shepard assembles his team are swept into broad yes/no responses that do the dirty work of setting up the pawns for Mass Effect 3 but with none of the nuance that makes the end result so fulfilling. It's an unfortunate issue, and perhaps an impossible one to avoid unless (until?) the previous two games come to Wii U.
Also included as part of this "special edition" package is some of the previously released downloadable content for Mass Effect 3, including the day-one From Ashes add-on, the Extended Cut DLC that brings additional context to the story's conclusion, and the Resurgence, Rebellion, and Earth content packs for the game's Galaxy at War co-op mode. The lone all-new addition is one heavy weapon, a cluster-fire rocket launcher with lock-on capabilities. No one's going to argue against the idea of a multi-fire rocket launcher, but it probably doesn't merit another trip through the campaign.
Galaxy at War is completely intact, though the absence of more recent DLC releases means that previous versions of the game enjoy several additional maps plus new features like challenges and hazards that aren't (yet) available on Wii U. The micro-transaction component of the mode's booster pack-driven economy is also gone, with the various weapons/gear/character packs now only purchasable with credits earned in-game. Prices unfortunately remain at their micropayment-encouraging highs, which only serves to highlight the mode's chief flaw: the fact that supporting for-pay content comes before nailing the right drip-feed of gear to keep players feeling invested. Without microtransactions Galaxy at War's grind mentality is laid bare, and with none of the enhancements offered by more recent DLC updates.
Mass Effect 3 for Wii U does manage to impress on a technical level. This sharp-looking game loses nothing in the transition to Nintendo's platform. There may even be some slight improvements in the realm of lighting and shadows. Load times definitely take a hit, though it's likely just as much the console as it is the game. As our own review notes, the Wii U suffers from inexplicably long load times for even the most basic tasks, such as jumping between the various main menus. That said, the hardware is most certainly up to the task of doing the BioWare art team proud.
Mass Effect 3: Special Edition for Wii U is a clear-cut frontrunner among the new console's strongest launch titles, though that's hardly surprising given the critical success of the original game. It is most definitely not a journey that returning players need to experience, not unless there's some burning desire to play through the same game again. The minimal amount of new content coupled with the gimped co-op and surface-level GamePad enhancements ultimately cast this new version of Mass Effect 3 as a lesser sibling to the earlier releases. It's still Mass Effect 3 though, and it's not a game to be missed.
Score: 9 out of 10
(This game was reviewed on the Wii U using a copy provided by the publisher)


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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The priory was originally founded at Embsay in 1120 and contained canons led by a prior. Bolton Abbey was founded in 1151 by the Augustinian order, on the banks of the River Wharfe. The land at Bolton, as well as other resources, were given to the order by a Lady Alice de Romille of Skipton Castle in 1154.1 In the early 14th century Scottish raiders caused the temporary abandonment of the site and serious structural damage to the priory.2 The seal of the priory featured the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Child and the phrase sigillum sancte Marie de Bolton.3
The nave of the abbey church was in use as a parish church from about 1170 onwards, and survived the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
Building work was still going on at the abbey when the Dissolution of the Monasteries resulted in the termination of the priory in 1539. The east end remains in ruins. A tower, begun in 1520, was left half-standing, and its base was later given a bell-turret and converted into an entrance porch. Most of the remaining church is in the Gothic style of architecture, but more work was done in the Victorian era, including windows by August Pugin
Pentax K10D 18-55mm
1/125 f6 ISO100
123 views @ 21 Aug 2011

subset: commoncrawl


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Connecticut congressman Joe Courtney pointed out a historic blooper in the film "Lincoln" -- and some Hollywood experts wonder if the resultant fuss will mar the film's shot at a best-picture Oscar. (Some even wonder if Joe Courtney is gunning for "Argo" because its star, Ben Affleck, had campaigned for him.) "Lincoln" had congressmen from Connecticut voting to uphold slavery when in fact all Connecticut's congressmen voted for the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery. The film's writer, Tony Kushner, said that was a dramatic device to heighten suspense, and many historians say they're not concerned about the minor inaccuracy because the film captured the bigger point -- Lincoln's drive to get the 13th Amendment passed. What's your view? Should (or will) the inaccuracy kill the film's chance to get a best picture award? Or will the judges give the filmmakers a break, given the stirring larger story the movie tells?
The Oscar for Best Fabrication
Maureen Dowd, New York Times, Feb. 16
Lincoln's Historical Accuracy The Main Focus Ahead of The Oscars
ContactMusic.com, Feb. 18
Congressman Clarifies: He's Pro-'Argo,' but It's No Conspiracy
The Carpetbagger blog, New York Times, Feb. 11
Rep. Joe Courtney gets lesson in Oscar politics in debate over 'Lincoln' accuracy
The Reliable Source blog, Washington Post, Feb. 12


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The medical community overwhelmingly recommends the consumption of seafood, especially those fish with a high concentration of heart-healthy Omega-3's, as an important part of a healthy diet. However, some seafood has been found to contain industrial and environmental contaminants, like mercury and PCBs. How is a consumer to know if their seafood is safe?
Seafood Safe is the solution consumers need. Seafood Safe is a testing program for mercury and PCBs in seafood, two of the most prevalent contaminants found in seafood today. The program helps inform consumers of how many meals they can consume per month, without exposing themselves to dangerous levels of these contaminants. The recommendation is derived from EPA's Guidance for Assessing Chemical Contaminant Data for Use in Fish Advisories. To protect those adults that are at highest risk, women of childbearing age, the Seafood Safe label reflects safe consumption levels for this sub-population.
EcoFish and Henry & Lisa's Natural Seafood are the first adopters of the Seafood Safe program, visit EcoFish/Henry & Lisa's to learn where you can purchase their products.


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NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion to Earn Fans more than 50-Percent Off Pre-Race Pit Pass for 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Night Race at AMS
The 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion will earn fans more than 50-percent off a Sunday Pre-Race Pit Pass for the Aug. 31, 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Race at Atlanta Motor Speedway with the purchase of an infield or grandstand ticket.
With the final race of the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this Sunday, fans will have the opportunity to purchase a Sunday Pre-Race Pit Pass for $48 if Jimmie Johnson, driver of the No. 48 car, captures the championship while a title by Matt Kenseth behind the wheel of the No. 20 car, will push the price to $20. A championship by Kevin Harvick, who drives the No. 29, will earn fans a $29 Pre-Race Pit Pass.
Regularly-priced at $100 for a Sunday-only Pre-Race Pit Pass, this extremely limited-time offer will only be available for five days, beginning on Monday, Nov. 18at 9 a.m. and will run through Friday, Nov. 22 at 5 p.m.
To take advantage of this offer, fans must purchase a reserved grandstand or infield admission for the event for each discounted Pre-Race Pit Pass they wish to purchase. Those who have already secured their tickets for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Race on Aug. 31 at Atlanta Motor Speedway are also eligible for this special limited time offer. To purchase, fans may visit the Atlanta Motor Speedway ticket office in person or via phone at 770-946-4211.
A Pre-Race Pit Pass provides access to pit road until one hour prior to the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Race in addition to stage-front access to driver introductions located on the front-stretch at the start-finish line.
For more information, visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com or call Atlanta Motor Speedway at or (770) 946-4211.


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World Premiere
By Jonathan Marc Sherman
Directed by Ethan Hawke
with Brooks Ashmanskas, Vincent D'Onofrio, Ethan Hawke, Zoe Kazan, and more
Inspired by Bertolt Brecht's inflammatory play Baal, Clive tracks a dissipated songwriter in 1990s New York City from the hedonistic heights of seduction and consumption into an ecstasy of self-destruction. This production reunites Jonathan Marc Sherman and Ethan Hawke, who teamed previously at The New Group on Things We Want (written by Sherman, directed by Hawke). At once a celebration and a nightmare vision of life lived for pleasure, Clive boasts an eclectic selection of classic American songs performed live.
Set Design: Derek McLane
Costume Design: Cathy Zuber
Lighting Design: Jeff Croiter
Sound Design: Shane Rettig
Original Music: GAINES


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Lakes by County
Adams County
Benton County
Chelan County
Clark County
Cowlitz County
Franklin County
Grant County
Grays Harbor County
Jefferson County
King County
Kitsap County
Kittitas County
Klickitat County
Lewis County
Lincoln County
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Pend Oreille County
Pierce County
Skagit County
Snohomish County
Spokane County
Stevens County
Thurston County
Whitman County
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Information & Facts
Species NameBlack crappie(Pomoxis nigromaculatus)
Common NamesCalico Bass, Papermouth, Strawberry Bass
Size RangeAverage 7-9 inches. Crappie can grow to 9-15 inches in quality populations.
State Record4.50 lbs; John W. Smart; Lake Washington, King County; May 1, 1956
DescriptionBlack crappie are one of several "panfish" species in Washington and are very popular with anglers, because they are relatively easy to catch and are considered excellent eating. Crappie can be identified by their large rounded dorsal and anal fins, and their deep, but narrow bodies, giving a compressed "pancake" appearance. Black crappie are closely related to white crappie and are the more plentiful of the two species in Washington. They have seven or eight dorsal spines and dark, irregularly-spaced blotches covering their sides. White crappies have five or six dorsal spines, and are usually shaded with dark vertical bars and the base of their dorsal fin is shorter than that of the black crappie. White crappie do not have the number of spots on their sides that black crappie do.
Where to fish for Black crappieBlack crappie can be found statewide in Washington's inland lakes. Today, the most popular and productive crappie fishing is in the waters of the Columbia Irrigation Project, including Banks Lake, Moses Lake and Potholes Reservoir. Lake Washington, Silver Lake (Cowlitz County), the Columbia and Snake rivers, and many smaller lakes and ponds around the state are also popular and productive crappie fishing spots.
Quality Black Crappie Waters:
Downs Lake (Spokane County)
Long Lake/Lake Spokane (Spokane County)
Newman Lake (Spokane County)
Ohop Lake (Thurston County)
Palmer Lake (Okanogan County)
Silver Lake (Cowlitz County)
Soda Lake (Grant County)
How to fish for Black crappieCrappie can be a dependable year-round opportunity. They are the earliest spawners of the sunfish family, actively spawning when water temperatures approach 55° F. Unlike bass, these fish are commonly found in schools during the spring. They tend to scatter after spawning, and are more likely to be found in deeper water during the summer. Black crappies seem to be more dependent on vegetation, while white crappies do better in more turbid waters. Both species are often found congregated around underwater structure, such as old pilings, stumps, snags, or near rocks or the mouths of feeder streams. Fishing at night can also be productive where permitted.
They will take nearly every kind of lure, from garden hackle to small bass plugs, but small plastic tube jigs and curly-tailed grubs are the most popular and consistent producers. Fly fishing for warmwater fish is growing in popularity and can be very productive for panfish such as crappie, as well as largemouth and smallmouth bass. When the water is cool (below 55° F), try tipping the lure with a bit of bait. Small bass bugs and high-riding hair bugs on a fly rod work well in the spring after the water has warmed. Other good artificial lures include wet flies and streamers, plus spinners, small spoons, and small poppers.
Crappies will not normally strike a fast-moving target, so moving the lure slowly is a key to success. In shallow water, an effective retrieve can be achieved by hanging a tube jig or curly-tailed below a bobber, then adjusting the depth to match that of the fish. Move the bobber very slowly, then strike gently (merely lifting the rod is usually enough) when the bobber moves sideways or dips. A gentle hook-set is necessary because of the crappies' very thin mouth. For the best landing success, play the fish carefully and use a landing net.
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WDFW Police Facebook


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Free Shipping on U.S. Order Over $55 / International Order $200+
Pack of 20 pieces.
Application: Place on wet polish or top coat, and finish your manicure with an additional layer of top coat to seal the studs. Nail glue is not necessary.
Measures approximately 3mm x 7mm
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Aldrich students honor teacher's memory at Hoops For Heart
Last Friday, Aldrich Junior High School students took part in their annual Hoops For Heart, but this year's event was extra special. It was held in memory of Martha Whitaker, Aldrich's former physical education teacher who lost her battle with kidney cancer in September at age 47.
"Hoops For Heart was her baby," explained special education teacher Diane Chaplin, who was close friends with Whitaker. "They're trying to do it big this year, raise more than they have in the past."
Hoops For Heart is a fundraising event for the American Heart Association. Students raise a minimum of $20 to be able to go down to the gym and participate in basketball activities such as shoot out contests for two periods of the day. The morning was divided into two sections, one for eighth graders and another for seventh graders.
To add more to the event this year, students that raised $30 or more participated in a basketball tournament in the afternoon, after lunch period.
"It's a special tournament for the more competitive kids. There's all different levels [of basketball skills]," said Susan Perkins Brillat, Aldrich physical education teacher.
The school raised $3,700 for the American Heart Association, $100 more than their goal of $3,600. Perkins Brillat said 90 students participated in the event.
In addition to the funds raised by students, a special raffle of different gift baskets was put together for faculty in collaboration with the faculty at Gorton Junior High School.
While everyone seemed to be having a great time playing basketball, Whitaker wasn't far from everyone's mind.
"Since Mrs. Whitaker passed away, she was always really into this stuff; it's nice to do this for her," said eighth grader Julia Conti.
Eighth grader Matt Woods agreed, adding that Whitaker was a teacher who really cared about her students.
"If you needed anything, she was there for you," said Woods. "She was one of my favorite teachers."
Conti said Whitaker was also one of her favorite teachers and remembers she had a great sense of humor.
"She was always laughing," said Conti.
Woods also recognized that Hoops For Heart helps a lot of people who need it.
"It's important because the money goes to people who can't afford all this medical care," he said.
Donna Tringali, youth market director for the Rhode Island Chapter of the American Heart Association, came by the event to present the school with their participation banner and accept their donation check. She also recognized the commitment made by Whitaker to this cause and hoped the students never forgot that.
"I hope every time you participate in Hoops For Heart, or see the banners, you would not only think of keeping yourself healthy and helping those who need it, but think of individuals like Martha who thought this cause was important," said Tringali.
Whitaker's husband Don and mother, Margaret "Bunny" Enos, also stopped by the event to see what Whitaker loved so much.
"I'm just so impressed that they raised so much money for the Heart Association. It's nice for [Martha] to be remembered this way," said Enos.
"It was very nice. I enjoyed it," said Don about being able to watch the kids participate. "I know my wife was really involved. It was nice to be here and see what she did. She enjoyed it and she was really good at it."
Aldrich Junior High has participated in Hoops For Heart every year since 2002.


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** "The Frisian Hobbit"
** "The Frisian Hobbit"
** "The Slovenian Hobbit"
** "The Slovenian Hobbit"
* A regular contributor to [[Beyond Bree]]
* A regular contributor to [[Beyond Bree]]
Revision as of 21:05, 7 June 2013
Mark T. Hooker is a visiting scholar at Indiana University's Russian and East European Institute (REEI). Retired, he conducts research for publication.
The Fifth Beyond Bree Award (2012) was bestowed upon Hooker at The Return of the Ring.[1]
He is a member of the Board of Academic Advisors for Walking Tree Publishers.[2]
Hooker is credited with coining the term Tolkiennymy (to describe the study of Tolkien's use of names and etymologies from existing languages) and borrowing the Russian word Samizdat (to describe self-published "pirate" translations).
- 2003: Tolkien Through Russian Eyes
- 2006: A Tolkienian Mathomium
- 2009: The Hobbitonian Anthology
- 2012: Tolkien and Welsh
- 2001: Mythos
- "Russian Tolkienists"
- 2003: Tolkien in Translation
- "Nine Russian Translations of The Lord of the Rings"
- 2004: Translating Tolkien: Text and Film
- "Dutch Samizdat: The Mensink-van Warmelo Translation of The Lord of the Rings"
- 2004: Tolkien Studies: Volume 1
- "Frodo's Batman"
- 2005: Parma Nölé 13
- "Frodo Quartermain"
- 2010: Lord of the Rings Fanatics Plaza
- 2011: Tolkien and the Study of His Sources
- "Reading John Buchan in Search of J.R.R. Tolkien"
- 2011: Lembas Extra
- "The Frisian Hobbit"
- "The Slovenian Hobbit"
- 2013: Beyond Bree May issue
- "Journey to the Center of Middle-earth" (The influence of Jules Verne on The Hobbit)
- A regular contributor to Beyond Bree
External links
- ↑ "The Fifth Beyond Bree Award was given to Mark T. Hooker" dated 26 August 2012, Tolkien Library (accessed 28 August 2012)
- ↑ "Walking Tree Publishers Board of Advisors", Walking Tree Publishers (accessed 21 January 2012)


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Car Review
2013 Jeep Wrangler: New Car Review
Pros: Open-air cockpit; great off-road ability; wide variety of trims and price ranges; it's a Jeep
Cons: Average fuel economy; marginal side-impact crash tests; lots of plastic bits; uncomfortable rear seat
What's New: For 2013, Jeep has improved on the Wrangler's folding roof design, making it easier to operate and offering a triple-layer soft-top for a quieter interior. Additional interior lighting is added, as is an available Alpine speaker system. The 2013 Jeep Wrangler introduces a limited edition Moab trim with Rubicon-style wheels, Trak-loc rear diff and a premium soft-top. New wheel designs for Rubicon and Sahara round out the changes.
What does it say when a vehicle not known for its outstanding safety features, excellent gas mileage or sophisticated suspension is also one of the best known, best loved vehicles on the road today? It says that sometimes fun and freedom trump caution and logic, and no vehicle says it better than the 2013 Jeep Wrangler and its elongated sibling, the Wrangler Unlimited.
The freedom to roam, to go where you want when you want and not worry about getting stuck, is what Wrangler owners love most about their four-wheeling friend. The Wrangler offers freedom to travel topless, doorless and even windshieldless, if you choose. Jeep's philosophy seems to be that if you have to drive, why settle for a boring 4-door sedan when you can have a Wrangler instead?
The Wrangler comes in a number of flavors, all adept at handling off-road adventures, so opting for the most affordable Wrangler only requires sacrificing creature comforts, not capability. Although its shape still strongly resembles the original CJs of the 70s and 80s, the 2013 Jeep Wrangler is much larger in both length and width. In addition to the 2-door model, the 4-door Unlimited expands the Wrangler's fun to growing families who need the extra space. Regardless of which you choose, both are available with removable soft-top or hard-top shells.
For 2013, Jeep continues to offer a Wrangler trim to fit just about every need, niche and income bracket. The Jeep Wrangler is available in Sport, Sport S, Sahara and Rubicon, as well as special edition packages that include the Moab.
Comfort & Utility
The Wrangler is still a rugged beast, but it has been tamed over the years to become a rather civilized 4x4. You won't find a highly useful interior space or a whisper-quiet cabin, but many things once thought of as luxuries are considered necessities for the modern off-roader. Thus, the Wrangler now has power windows, a GPS navigation radio and Bluetooth hands-free cell phone connectivity. Heated seats, leather upholstery and automatic climate controls are options.
The Wrangler's front seats are actually quite comfortable, with tall backs and wide seat bottoms, but the rear seats are a bit upright and narrow; however, the rear seat does feature a fold-and-tumble feature that makes it easy to increase the cargo bay without having to pull the seats out and store them. The interior gets a heavy dose of hard plastic--good for durability but not terribly attractive or comfortable for resting one's arm.
Four-door Unlimited models ride on a longer wheelbase that offers more rear-seat legroom and space for more gear. But the Wrangler's greatest versatility is found in its numerous roof options. Opt for the soft-top and you'll get a sliding front panel that can be retracted to create a sunroof-like opening; the top can also be folded back completely and stowed behind the rear seat or removed. The Freedom Top option includes a hard shell top with removable roof panels, a glass rear window with wiper and full metal doors. For a custom look, both Sahara and Rubicon trims can be ordered with a body-color hard top.
Although the Wrangler isn't exactly a paragon of technology, it does offer some fairly advanced electronics. The UConnect option brings with it Bluetooth, Sirius satellite radio, iPod and USB integration and on-board navigation radio with maps by Garmin. Audiophiles will be thrilled by the 368-watt Infinity sound system that includes an overhead speaker bar so you can take your music with you even when you leave the top and doors behind.
On the Rubicon model, the standard Command-Trac 4x4 system is replaced by the Rock-Trac option that includes lower gear ratios for slower rock crawling, electronic locking differentials and an electronically disconnecting front sway bar. Also standard on the Rubicon is a Dana 44 front axle, additional skidplate protection and 32-inch BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain tires.
Performance & Fuel Economy
Chrysler's Pentastar 3.6-liter V6 engine is standard on every Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited. With 285 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque, the Jeep earns decent fuel economy with an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mileage rating of 17-mpg city and 21-mpg highway, regardless of whether you choose the 6-speed manual or 5-speed automatic transmission. This engine has excellent low-end torque, is powerful and smooth and is a perfect match to the Wrangler's new image as an upscale upstart.
Despite its removable top and doors, the 2013 Jeep Wrangler has performed well in crash tests. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave the Wrangler Unlimited a "good" rating in its frontal offset crash test, with a "marginal" rating in the side-impact test for models without the optional side airbags. Standard safety equipment for all Wranglers includes electronic traction and stability control, electronic roll mitigation, Hill Start Assist and Hill Descent Control.
Driving Impressions
Considering its solid front and rear axles, 10-in ground clearance and off-road tires, the Wrangler can't be expected to handle well by modern SUV standards. But the Wrangler is easy to manage under normal driving conditions, with good feedback from the steering and fairly level cornering at reasonable speeds. The ride is still rough, and there's not much shelter from wind and road noise, but that is to be expected.
Where the Wrangler shines is off the pavement. The base 4x4 system is remarkably adept at tackling snow, mud and sand. Unfortunately, unlike more modern 4WD systems, the Wrangler cannot operate at highway speeds with its 4WD system engaged. Serious off-road enthusiasts will love the Rubicon, which features an electronically detachable front sway bar, allowing for maximum wheel travel, a Dana 44 front axle and a 73:1 crawl ratio that lets you crawl at speeds as low as half a mile an hour.
Other Cars to Consider
Toyota FJ Cruiser - The FJ Cruiser is a fairly competent off-road vehicle, but it's not as flexible as the Wrangler, comes only in a 2-door version and has a fixed roof with plenty of blind spots.
Nissan Xterra - A nicely equipped Xterra is less expensive than the Wrangler, and it is pretty good for modest off-road adventures. But the Xterra lacks the adept suspension and the slow rock-crawling capability of the Rubicon, and like the others in this group it doesn't offer the option of a removable top.
Jeep Grand Cherokee - If you're looking for great off-road ability in a vehicle that carries the legendary Jeep name but offers better safety and a more carlike ride and interior, you might be happier in a well-equipped Grand Cherokee Laredo.
AutoTrader Recommends
If all you need in a vehicle is the basic 4x4 ability and the open-air cockpit of the Wrangler, you can't go wrong with the Sport S trim. It has a very reasonable sticker price, comes nicely equipped and can take you anywhere the more expensive Sahara can. If you're serious about off-roading, there is only one choice: the Rubicon. Short of a HUMMER H1, there is no vehicle we'd rather take off-road.


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Fourteen-year-old Bella
Bella comes to Forks right before the Cullens. Edward and Bella might never have met. So, what happens to the story? I can't pick which one I like better. Please vote on your review!
I would really appreciate if you would reveiw. It only takes a second.
1. The Plane Ride
Rating 3.8/5 Word Count 552 Review this Chapter
Sitting on the plane, one might have imagined I was traveling somewhere, somewhere to have fun, to have a vacation. This was nowhere near the truth. In reality, I was traveling to Forks, Washington, the rainiest place in the United States and I was not happy about it.
My mother, Renee was shipping me off to live with my father, Charlie. I was fourteen, almost fifteen and she told me that I had too much attitude for my own good. The only reason I had anything close to attitude was that she was dating some guy named Phil. He is so much younger than her, that they should be illegal.
I hated Forks. I hated everything about it, from the constant raining to the fact there's only one bathroom that my father and I will have to share. Plus, there was the fact that since it was a small town, everyone knew everyone else's business, not that I had anything to hide or anything, but still, a little privacy would be appreciated.
I grimaced, trying to repress these thoughts that plagued my mind almost constantly, and tried to lean back against my hard, uncomfortable seat. I was burning up in the layers of clothes that my mom insisted on me wearing even though I was leaving Phoenix, Arizona. I decided that during the layover I would take off my parka and hoodie. I would have done it on the plane, but that would have been near impossible considering that I was smashed against some middle aged man who was reading the newspaper, hitting me almost constantly and a woman who was chomping on about five sticks of gum while talking to her husband who was across the aisle.
Of course, my layover wouldn't be for another hour so I grabbed a CD with my favorite songs and pulled on the earphones. Debussy's Clair De Lune softly played, calming me one note at a time. Before it could change to another song, I pressed repeat, letting the calmness wash over me until I heard the nasally voice of the flight attendant telling us to turn off electronics.
I sighed, pressed off and stuck the machine in my bag. We slowly started to descend down to the earth and as everyone got quieter the loud chewing gum started falling out of the woman's mouth. She pushed it back in and pressed the call button. From the front of the plane, I could see one of the attendant's throw her a dirty look as she started hesitantly down the walkway. I couldn't wait to get off this plane and take off these stupid layers.
However, I could wait to land and have an awkward silence with Charlie from the airport. Both of us were very taciturn and in many ways we were suited for living with each other in many ways.
Beside me I could hear the woman asking how much longer we were going to be in the air and without replying; the flight attendant shook her head and walked back to where she was supposed to be in the first place.
"We are now starting our descent. Please stay seated until I come back on." The annoying voice alleged calmly.
I brought my seat into a sitting position and closed my eyes.
- Author
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One of the most powerful ways to build your brand—and your community—is through live streaming video. Here are some tips for using Periscope to do it.
Water Cooler
5 Ways to Build Your Brand on PeriscopeJanuary 15th, 2016 by Richard Brownell
5 Ad Blocking Takeaways for PR ProsJanuary 14th, 2016 by Michael Miller
The proliferation of adblock software is an opportunity for PR communicators to demonstrate leadership by leveraging analytics to inform and improve content strategy.
Oscar Nominations Won't Win Hollywood Any Prizes for DiversityJanuary 14th, 2016 by Steve Goldstein
Intentionally or not, with its list of nominees the motion picture industry is sending a message about its own sense and awareness of the value of diversity—a message and perhaps a wake-up call that could prove useful to other industries and professional disciplines that have similar blind spots.
Twitter Update Brings Periscope Videos into iOS AppJanuary 13th, 2016 by Ian James Wright
It's time to jump on the Periscope train if you haven't already.
Social Media: The Stock Market's Crystal Ball?January 13th, 2016 by Jeffrey Goldberger
We live in an era where the comments or opinions expressed via social media, whether true or false, have the ability to move markets.
4 Press Release Writing Tips for PR ProsJanuary 12th, 2016 by Richard Brownell
The press release is a key item in the communicator's toolkit, but it is only effective if it tells your brand's story in a way that grabs media attention.
6 Reasons Why You Should Encourage Employees to VolunteerJanuary 12th, 2016 by Ian James Wright
Doing the right thing pays dividends in ways you might not have imagined.
5 PR Lessons From the Golden GlobesJanuary 11th, 2016 by Seth Arenstein
Despite the criticisms of The Golden Globes, they can make careers and brands; in addition there are several PR lessons we can learn from them.
3 Measurement Questions That Will Help Prove PR's ValueJanuary 11th, 2016 by Mark Renfree
By taking the time to dive into the measurement data, communicators will be better prepared to defend their work in the boardroom.
How Call of Duty Used Snapchat to Ignite Its CommunityJanuary 8th, 2016 by Mark Renfree
Activision and Edelman created the first ever in-game integration with Snapchat by installing a "hack" in the Black Ops 2 online multiplayer maps.


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Views of silvery olive trees dotting the hills will remain with you after your trip in Umbria. Most trees are ancient, possibly hundreds of years old.
Umbrian olive oil has been known for its excellent quality for a long time.
We produce artisan extra-virgin olive oil in our two small olive groves following a simple method. In the spring, we prune the trees. In the summer we mow the grass. No chemicals are applied, only wind, sun and rain.
In the fall, we harvest the olives by hand or with small mechanical rakes which don't bruise the fruits. We then transport the olives as soon as possible to a professional mill where they are processed within 24-48 hours.
The fresh oil is beautifully green, slightly peppery but smooth at the same time. It's fragrant with hints of bitter almond.
It's fantastic on a slice of crusty bread but also drizzled as a finishing condiment onto soups, pasta and vegetables. A true essence of Umbria.


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The National Rifle Association is expected to address the Newtown tragedy today during a Washington D.C. news conference.
The organization signaled its intention in a statement released Tuesday, four days after 20 young children and six of their teachers and staff were gunned down in their elementary school by a 20-year-old wielding an assault rifle.
In its statement, the NRA said it is prepared to offer meaningful contributions to help �make sure this never happens again.�
I hope the NRA is serious about wanting to help, but I wouldn�t be surprised if it is not � at least not helpful in ways some would like to see, such as through the promotion of more robust gun control measures.
I am cynical about the NRA wanting to do its part in stopping this senseless violence because the organization seems to offer a window into its soul by succinctly noting in its statement that it is made up of �four million moms and dads, sons and daughters ��
Perhaps I am reading too much into it, but the NRA seems to be implying that questioning its ardent opposition to gun control measures would be just as silly as suggesting that its four million members are complicit in the Newtown tragedy.
Of course, the NRA might prove me wrong. Maybe it will become a reliable partner in ending this national nightmare of senseless mass murders. Maybe the emerging sense that the Newtown tragedy has moved more Americans to embrace stricter gun control measures, to include a number of previously recalcitrant politicians, has made a difference.
But I rather think the NRA will be playing for time, because it understands all too well that as a nation our primary coping mechanism in the wake of unspeakable hurt and pain has all too often been to block the experience from our minds.
Rather than going through the difficult and painful process of understanding why and how the experience might change us, or has changed us, we double down on trying to prove that it has not, or it cannot, and we do so by doggedly trying to live �normally.�
We are told that this response is a strength, one that that is as American as the Constitution and apple pie.
Former President George Bush may have articulated this best, when, in the wake of 9-11, he told us that the best thing to do, as some have characterized it, was to go shopping.
�Get down to Disney World in Florida,� he told us. �Take your families and enjoy life, the way we want it to be enjoyed.�
There may be some benefit to responding to adversity in this fashion, but rather than safeguarding our so-called �normal� lives, we could actually be creating new norms of existence.
Most of us, for example, did continue to live our lives �normally� after 9-11, while thousands of our fellow citizens (6,616 as of October this year) went to die in Iraq and Afghanistan. More continue to die as the Afghanistan war, in its 11th year, continues on.
In reality, however, we have come to accept unending wars as being normal.
Those opposed to meaningful gun control regulations will argue that such measures are an attack on the Second Amendment to the Constitution, an attack on who we are as Americans. They might even argue that the best response to the Newtown tragedy would be to go out and buy more guns; to live as normal Americans should.
But in reality, we would be accepting the mass murder of children as the new norm. I hope that is not the position the NRA will embrace, but I wouldn�t be surprised if it is.


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The Tremors� fan base spans far and wide, across all types of people. Whether the crowd is full of college students, swing dance enthusiasts, or Hells Angels, you can bet The Tremors will have the crowd jumping with their brand of whipsaw rockabilly as pure, authentic and strong as Tennessee sour mash.
Through passionate research and exploration into rock'n'roll history, the band has created their own unique blend of style by combining classic Sun Records era rockabilly with the reckless abandon of late 70�s punk rock. Rockabilly music has a universal appeal. It's the music of Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Charlie Feathers and countless others who plied their trade in the neon-soaked, late-night dives and juke-joints across the new south when pharohs ruled from Memphis like in days of old. Its effect on popular music can still be heard to this day. No living soul can resist its appeal.


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product description
Related Products:
Shun Classic
Left Handed Knives
Blade Style - San Mai
Japanese/Asian Knives
Left Handed Chef Knives
Stainless - VG-MAX
Stainless Steel
Wood - Ebony
Wood - Pakkawood
Maker: Shun (click to see more by this maker)Product line: Shun Classic (click to see more in this line)
Item num: 83593
Blade length: 9.00 in.Total length: 14.50 in.Blade height (at heel): 1.40 in.Blade thickness (near bolster): 0.09 in.Item weight: 7.50 oz.Shipment weight: 11.7 oz.Blade: VG-MAX stainless steel clad with stainless damascus on each sideHandle: Ebony-black Pakawood
Description: Bread knives are serrated for easy slicing through loaves of bread or tomatoes. Shun's unique serration makes it especially good for pastries and cakes.
The stunningly beautiful Shun line of kitchen cutlery is forged by Kai in Japan and distributed through Kershaw. Shun's proprietary, high-performance VG-MAX steel, which provides incredible edge retention, is clad with damascus stainless steel, then ground and bead-blasted, revealing the flowing pattern of the layered steel. The result is a line of knives that is sharp, durable, corrosion resistant, and beautiful to behold!
'D' shape Black Pakkawood handles provide beauty and function. The 'D' shape is designed for right handed users and provides maximum comfort and control. Pakkawood provides strength and stability along with moisture resistance.
Availability: Not currently available


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Noosa Library Service hosts a range of fun activities for children each school holidays. From storytelling to wacky workshops, there is something to suit every child.
Music on Mondays
Young people get a chance to share in Music on Mondays with a rap and DJ-style session with a local musician.
Come and enjoy the fun. No booking required
Cooroy 10.30-11am Monday 6 July
Pokemon Club
Bring along your DS games, trading cards and more! Manga and other games too.
Ages: 7 to 15 years. No booking required
Cooroy 9.30-11.30am Saturday 11 July
NAIDOC Week Celebrations
"We all Stand on Sacred Ground"
Hear Stories of Country followed by art creations based on the stories. For ages 5+
NAIDOC Week stories and art activities with Lyndon Davis
Hear Stories of Country with Lyndon Davis, followed by art creations based on the stories.
Ages 5+ Free. Bookings required.
Cooroy 1-3pm Monday 6 July
NAIDOC Week stories and art activities with Peter Mulcahy
Hear Stories of Country with Peter Mulcahy, followed by art creations based on the stories.
Ages 5+ Bookings required.
Noosaville 10am-noon Friday 10 July
School Holidays @ Noosa Library Service
Free events - Bookings required
Download the full events flyer
Monday fun day Play the original interactive board games – Scrabble, Connect Four, Pictionary and more – then give your imagination a workout in the LEGO Lounge. All ages. Bookings not required. Cooroy Mon 29 June 10am-noon AND Noosaville Mon 6 July 10am-noon
Food fit for kids Get your exercise with our pedal powered smoothie bike and make a healthy snack to share with author Rebecca Mugridge. Ages 6-12years. Free. Bookings required. Noosaville 10-11am Monday 29 June AND Cooroy 10-11am Tuesday 30 June
Make it - take it DIY craft inspired by stories and games. Bring your imagination and take home your own creation! Ages 5+ Free. Bookings required. Noosaville 10-11am Tuesday 30 June AND Cooroy 10-11am Wednesday 1 July
Warhammer Club A table top war game designed for regiments of fantasy miniatures. Ages 12+ Bookings not required. Noosaville 9.30am-1pm on Every Saturday and 10am -2pm on Weds 1 and 8 July
Pixel art Minecraft without the computer! Be inspired to create pixelated characters. Ages 7-10 years Free. Bookings required. Noosaville 10-11am Wednesday 1 July AND Cooroy 10-11am Wednesday 8 July
Wizard Science Science fun with a bit of magic...calling wizards of all varieties to come explore the magic behind science and science behind magic. Ages 8+ Free. Bookings required. Noosaville 10-11am Thursday 2 July AND Cooroy 10-11am Thursday 9 July
Cooroy Library, Cooroy
All Sunshine Coast events, gigs, functions etc... onsite are correct as per information provided at time of uploading, please always verify times or dates directly with the venues to avoid disappointment.
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New Students
Quick Links: Prior to orientation | Prior to move in | Be aware of | Move in weekend | After move in
Computing Services has developed this site to make your transition to the Bradley family as easy as possible. The Technology Helpdesk is your first line of support and is manned by student consultants who are experienced in dealing with all student access issues.
There are a number of things that can be performed by you prior to coming to campus. By completing these tasks, your first couple of days will be more enjoyable and your family will rest more easily knowing that these issues have been taken care of before they return home.
Use the quick links above to jump to specific topics or start with our helpful tips for new students below.
Prior to orientation...
Activate your account
An activation letter has been sent to you and contains your BUnetID (username) and an activation code (PIN). The BUnetID identifies you to Bradley's network and permits you to access registration for orientation, course registration and technology resources located throughout campus.
Detailed information pertaining to your account and keeping it secure is located at: http://bradley.edu/helpdesk/accountsmanagement.
To activate your account go to: http://newaccounts.bradley.edu
Check your Electronic Mail (B-Mail)
The student electronic mail system is hosted by Google© and accounts are created by and affiliated with Bradley University. B-Mail is the official method of University communication with students. You are responsible for all official correspondence received via your B-Mail account. It is strongly suggested that you check this account regularly.
To access your electronic mail account go to http://mail.bradley.edu and enter in your BUnetID and password that you created from the activation letter.
Your mailing address is: email@example.com
Example: Elton John's B-Mail address: email@example.com
Sign up for emergency messaging
Bradley University has partnered with 2SMS to provide emergency messaging to faculty, staff and students.
In order to register for classes all students must either "opt in" or "opt out" of the program. The only requirement for opting in is that you have an active cell phone which is able to receive text messages. Visit http://emergency.bradley.edu for complete details.
To sign up:
- Go to http://MyBU.bradley.edu
- Log into the system using your BUnetID and password.
- The "My Info" page contains the portlet for foreWarn
- On the "Emergency Text Messaging" bar press the first icon on the right.
- Select "Opt In"
- When entering your cell number do not include any punctuation. Example: 3096772957
- Press the Save/Confirm Button
- A test text message is sent to verify the process.
- Or Select "Opt Out"
Press the Save/Confirm button


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Roxtec Distributor
Norhtwest, Bay Area and Gulf Region (Not all products availible in all territories)
Roxtec EZ00000000044 - EzEntry 4/4
About Roxtec
At Roxtec, we develop, manufacture and sell complete sealing solutions for cables and pipes. Our pioneering modular-based seals are the base for our rapid and sustainable growth, but the positive trend is first of all built on committed people, strong values, and a clear customer focus.
Our close co-operation with customers and the tightness within our own organization create excellent conditions for continuous improvement. The dialogue enables us to tailor new sealing solutions for customers. It stimulates us to keep on exploring new markets.


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Tiger Woods is always the story before a major, whether he's playing in it or not.
Woods will play in the British Open next week, his first major since returning from a back injury that caused him to miss the Masters and U.S. Open. He's returned to play in the Quicken Loans National in June, where he missed the cut.
And that's the way he'll head into Royal Liverpool Golf Club.
His former swing coach, Hank Haney, doesn't think his game is in shape to win a major and he doesn't believe Woods cares like he did.
"That he isn't going to play competitively in the two weeks running up to the Open speaks to the fact that he doesn't care as much as he used to," Haney told The Scotsman. "Still, you can't win if you don't enter. Maybe he will catch lightning in a bottle. But I really think he is using the Open to get ready for the PGA at Valhalla next month. That's a much more realistic target for him.
"I can't believe he feels like he is ready to win the Open. If he did, he would have played at the Greenbrier this week or at the Scottish Open. But he hasn't practiced much for almost a year now. He took time off at the end of last season, played a bit, then got hurt. So he is way behind in his preparation. It says a lot about him that he spent this past week with his kids. That will make him a better person, but it won't make him a better golfer."
Haney has long criticized Woods since the two split, but this one might be the most damning, and partly because there's probably truth to it.
Still, it's OK if the most important thing in Woods' life isn't majors. Pre-scandal in 2009, he spent most of his time on golf and extracurricular activities, not his family. Spending more time with his children will pay dividends for life. Those 14 majors will never provide love.
That Woods' priorities have changed isn't necessarily good for golf fans or his pursuit of Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 majors. Woods has always been at his best with that laser-like, maniacal focus and pursuit of winning. Remember, Nicklaus won with a supportive family.
Jon Tattersol, an Atlanta-based golf professional who grew up in Northwest England about 49 miles outside Royal Liverpool in Hoylake, believes Royal Liverpool, of all the probable courses for the British Open, is probably the best suited for Woods' game. Woods won the British Open at Royal Liverpool in 2006 using a driver just once. He and his 2-iron had a love affair off the tee.
"I would say if it was another course like Carnoustie, where he had to drive the ball further, I would say there was a slim chance he could win, but it's still Tiger Woods," Tattersol said. "At Liverpool, he won last time he was there, and he's got good memories. There are a lot of holes where he didn't hit driver last time he was there.
"No, he hasn't played much. But of all the courses where it could be, he stands a better chance here. He has good memories and he can manage his way around instead of bombing it out there. I would say if he finished top-10 he'd say he's disappointed, but probably quite honestly he wouldn't be."
Tattersol analyzed Woods' swing in Golf Magazine's "Play like a Pro" and believes that "regardless of the state of his swing, Tiger has always set up and swung with great posture."
Woods will be posturing to prove he's ready to win another major, since he hasn't won one since the 2008 U.S. Open. The drought has spanned six years, so this injury is only a small part of his inability to win majors.
For Woods, this is no longer just about the state of his swing. It's plenty about the state of his mind. The British Open will be telling about the state of both.


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|START Conference Manager
ASIST 2012 Annual Meeting
Baltimore, MD, October 26-30, 2012
Time and Space in Collaborative Information Seeking: The Clash of Effectiveness and Uniqueness
Roberto Gonzalez-Ibanez, Muge Haseki and Chirag Shah
Monday, 8:00am
Collaboration takes place in different time-space conditions. Past research has shown that these two dimensions may have different implications in the collaboration process as well as on its products, depending upon the task being performed. In collaborative information seeking (CIS), as a relatively new topic in information science, little is known about the effects of different temporal-spatial contexts. To address this, we conducted a user study involving 80 participants in 40 pairs, which were assigned to four experimental conditions, namely: co-located, remotely located with text chat, remotely located with audio chat, and asynchronous. Using quantitative methods, we investigated the effects of these conditions in terms of communication features, information synthesis, productivity, and user experience. Results regarding the space dimension suggest that behaviors of co-located users tend to overlap thus affecting their coverage of diverse and useful information. Conversely, when team members work remotely located, they can reach more independency, which leads them to explore more diverse and useful information with the added value of reducing both cognitive and affective load. With respect to the time dimension, we found that asynchronous collaboration enables participants to reach high levels of independency at the cost of effectiveness. These results provide interesting insights into how various spatial-temporal contexts in CIS could influence factors such as productivity, efficiency, effectiveness, and uniqueness.


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Need some inspiration on where to stay? Top rated cheap hotels in South Holland include Suitehotel Pincoffs, Villa de Duinen, and PREMIER SUITES PLUS Rotterdam based on user reviews.
Skyscanner hotels is a fast, free and simple way to organise your stay. In a few clicks you can easily search, compare and book your South Holland accommodation by clicking directly through to the hotel or travel agent website. No fees are added to your stay by booking with us.
To get started, simply add your chosen travel dates to the search box above and let us find cheap hotel deals for you. Or alternatively, select from the hotel options above.


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Meet The Writers
The MAC
About Us
Indians Archive
A Lazy Sunday Spent Wondering How We Got Here
A Lazy Sunday Spent Wondering How We Got Here
Written by
Paul Cousineau
As 50 degree weather inexplicably makes its way to the North Coast on a January morning as we get ready for the NFL conference championship games, let's get rolling right into a Lazy Sunday, starting off with Paul's take on a piece from Yahoo's Jeff Passan on why he thinks the Indians find themselves where they do. In today's piece, Paul also takes a look back at the Indians performance this past decade as it compares to our division foes, hindsight on the Cliff Lee trade, and some very intriguing developments on the Cleveland microbrewery front.
As 50 degree weather inexplicably makes its way to the North Coast on a January morning and since there are errands to run before football starts let's get rolling right into a Lazy Sunday, starting off with
a piece from Yahoo's Jeff Passan
on why he thinks the Indians find themselves where they do. While the article in neither revolutionary nor wholly accurate, it does present some great starting points on a Sunday that actually doesn't look to be too Lazy for me:
Equal parts of the blame go to Indians ownership and management. The Dolan family runs the team on a tight budget. It doesn't spend much in the draft. Not quite the flowerbed for prosperity. And yet general manager Mark Shapiro is the one who gave Travis Hafner - a designated hitter - a contract extension that runs $11.5 million this year and $13 million the next two years, plus a $2.75 million buyout for 2013. And he traded CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee the season after each won the AL Cy Young award for a grab bag of prospects, none of whom has come close to distinguishing himself.
All of which is to say: The Indians are in one of those awful spirals that never seems to stop, one issue begetting another. They locked up all that money in Hafner, which means they can't spend elsewhere, which increases the chances of a rough season, which makes the Dolans wonder why they're spending any money in the first place. It's vicious.
Low-revenue franchises like Cleveland cannot afford wholly miserable contracts. It torpedoes them. The New Yorks and Bostons of the world aren't the best because they spend the most on players but because they can afford to take chances, completely whiff and write it off like a businessman does an expensive dinner. That cost a lot, huh? Oh, well.
The Indians will devote more than half their payroll to Hafner, Kerry Wood and Jake Westbrook this season. Such is not the formula for Rust Belt success. The Indians must develop players (which they've done) and engage in the fine art of flipping them for a new crop of young players (which they had done prior to the Sabathia-Lee miscalculations).
I highlighted the money line here (and it's not the "awful spiral" one, which feels a little premature given that the Indians are two years removed from an ALCS appearance and that two of the three contracts he mentions are coming off the books after this year...if not sooner), which is where Passan puts most of his focus on the article. This is nothing new, but despite the incendiary portion of the fan base thinking that the Indians are left with an owner "unwilling to spend money", the issues that put the Indians where they are now is that the money that WAS spent ended up being committed to players whose production dropped precipitously after inking their deals, either due to injuries or regressions caused by injuries (allegedly) as well as a lack of home-grown talent to fill the voids created in trades.
As for that home-grown talent void, I found it interesting that Passan writes "the Indians must develop players (which they've done) and engage in the fine art of flipping them for a new crop of young players (which they had done prior to the Sabathia-Lee miscalculations)". All of that means that they are actually doing things RIGHT in terms of player development, only to be handcuffed by their place in the MLB pecking order. While Passan asserts that the team "doesn't spend much on the draft", I found
this little snippet from FanGraphs as they were doing a recap of the Red Sox 2009 draft
Despite the possibility of being hamstrung during each amateur draft due to consistently-late picks from finishing with such a good record each season, this first-class organization uses its considerable finances to award above-slot contacts to deserving talents. Over the past four drafts, the club has handed out 19 above-slot deals worth $200,000 or more, the highest number from any one club.
Realizing that you're tired of hearing about the disparity in MLB from me recently (and I've just as tired of thinking about it), it puts into context what the Indians are up against here. With large-market clubs getting smarter at all levels of organizational development the Indians have struggled to keep up in terms of "out-smarting" large-market teams in the areas that the small-market teams used to still be able to utilize for player acquisition and development.
Going back to the piece, I'm not sure what Passan is intimating in the "Sabathia-Lee miscalculations", if he's ready to dub both of those deals as failures by the Indians in terms of player acquisition. He writes that CC and Clifton Phifer were dealt for "a grab bag of prospects, none of whom has come close to distinguishing himself ", despite 2 players from the CC deal likely getting the majority of AB at 1B and in LF this year (a year and a half after the deal) and the fact that the Lee deal was just consummated 6 months ago, meaning it's still wildly early to denounce the trade, regardless of early returns.
Additionally, doesn't it strike you as odd that small market teams can to perennially succeed in development AND master the fine art of flipping players (as Passan says the Indians have done)...and still they can be undone by a couple of "misjudgments" to the point that a particular fan base has tuned them out just two years after nearly making the World Series?
It's been said time and time again since the middle of the 2009 season, but teams in markets like Cleveland attempt to build a group of players that develop and compete together, get good for a couple of years (with the hope that they get some hardware to show for their trouble), then watch a couple of those developed players go off via trade or FA as the team blows it all up and attempts to build it all over again.
Fans may not want to hear that, but that's the reality of MLB these days...and if you're looking for teams and GM's that have thrived given their team's specific economic standing in MLB, you may find
this piece from Baseball Prospectus rather interesting as Shawn Hoffman did a comprehensive analysis of the performance of each MLB GM through the decade that has just passed
, using a criteria based on team revenue and performance.
You'll have to read the story to get to Hoffman's criteria, but after all of the computations to rank all of the General Managers of the "Aughts",
Shapiro comes in at #6
, with Jocketty, Hunsicker, Gillick, Friedman, and Beane all grading out higher in this particular grading system which takes available resources (hence the exclusion of Cashman and Epstein) and results into consideration in ranking the 40 GM's evaluated.
Interestingly, the Indians are pegged as the 3rd best run organization over the past decade (behind the Athletics and the Cardinals) in the piece using Hoffman's criteria and while everyone will be quick to point out that the Indians are coming off of a 97-loss season and are looking at an approaching season of uncertainty (to be charitable), the Indians compiled four 90+ win seasons in the "Aughts" (two under Shapiro) and have two playoff appearances (one under Shapiro) to show for the decade.
Using 90+ win seasons and playoff appearances as a barometer then, how did the Indians stack up in the 2000s compared to their Central rivals?
Twins - four 90+ win seasons, five playoff appearances
White Sox - three 90+ win seasons, three playoff appearances
Indians - four 90+ win seasons, two playoff appearances
Tigers - one 90+ win season, one playoff appearance
Royals - zero 90+ win seasons, zero playoff appearances
It should be noted that the last time the Royals had a 90+ win season was 1989. To put that in perspective, that was the same year that John Hart replaced Doc Edwards in the Tribe dugout to manage the last 20 games of the season.
But I digress...back to the "best-run organization" piece, did anyone else notice that the Athletics (who came in at #1 in the article) have been attempting to open their next "window of contention" over the last three or four years, stockpiling young arms just like another team you may know?
The A's have turned the pieces and parts from their success of the early-to-mid-90s (6 of 7 seasons with 90+ win seasons) into a talented group of youngsters. While those teams haven't been above .500 for the past 3 years, the seeds sewn from their trades of the past few years has finally started to blossom, most notably in their starting rotation as all but 15 of their games last year were started by players that were 25 or younger on
a staff that had an identical team ERA in 2009 (4.26) as the Yankees did
Both the Indians and Athletics realize what they are and while the off-season may be boring for Indians' fans and may cause an inordinate amount of hand-wringing over Mike Redmond and his ilk (present company included), how does the alternative look for teams that aren't nearly as self-aware of their place in the MLB pecking order?
Would you prefer an off-season where our team "adds" a guy like Rick Ankiel (who posted a .285 OBP last year...Trevor Crowe's was .278) for $3.25M, leading
Joe Posnanski to evaluate his Royals-related stages of grief
It goes back to the Passan piece in that he asserts that "the disconnect between the Cleveland Indians and their fans has spread from fissure to full-fledged canyon, and this offseason is doing nothing to heal a relationship gone rocky" and while I don't disagree with that, it points to the idea that people want activity for a team to point to in an attempt to show that the team is improving, even incrementally. However, the quiet offseason that "is doing nothing to heal a relationship gone rocky" shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who was around last July when Lee and Victor were dealt with a club option for 2010 on their contract. Debate all you like about whether adding those two to the 2010 Indians' team makes it a contender, but in the case of Lee, there's no question what he has his eyes on this coming offseason, at least
according to Jayson Stark's sources
"Everyone in baseball knows," said one AL executive, "that the two things Cliff Lee and Darek Braunecker will want next winter are a lot of years and a lot of dollars. This guy just played with a Cy Young (CC Sabathia) who got seven years on the open market. So why would anyone think he wouldn't be saying, 'Why shouldn't I get that, too?'"
If that was the Lee's position when he approached the Indians before 2009 about a contract extension and the Indians were sitting at 42-60 at the time he was dealt, is there any question that Lee wasn't going to be around for 2010?
That being said, did the Indians get enough for him?
We're not going to know for a while, though people are quick to forget that Carrasco, Marson, and Donald were among Baseball America's top 100 prospects entering 2009 with
Carrasco at 52
Marson at 66, and Donald at 69
. While each started 2009 off slowly in the Phillies' system (causing much of the consternation when the trade was made), the bodies of work that put them at that level in prospect rankings still exist.
In terms of why the Indians included Lou Marson and Jason Donald in the deal (in the context of the addition of Mike Redmond and, to a lesser extent, Brian Bixler and Mark Grudzielanek), I had an e-mail exchange with a consistently insightful reader (who asked not to be named) who had some interesting thoughts as to why the Indians opted to acquire Marson and Donald instead of OF Michael Taylor, who was reportedly available to them and has now been traded twice this off-season, once to the Blue Jays in the Halladay deal, then
to the Athletics for Brett Wallace
last month.
His thoughts on the inclusion of Marson and Donald (as well as perhaps why the Indians chose Carrasco) do make sense on a number of levels and it goes a little something like this...hit it:
The Lee trade ... I've been saving this one, but as a very belated baby shower gift, I'll give it to you...
A-22(A/A+): 346/412/557, 50:89 BB/K (671 mleOPS)
B-22(A/A+): 304/395/473, 64:109 BB/K (603 mleOPS)
A-23(AA/AAA): 320/395/549, 48:70 BB/K (730 mleOPS)
A-23(AA): 307/391/497, 47:86 BB/K (689 mleOPS)
You probably guessed: Player A is Michael Taylor, Player B is Jason Donald. The grains of salt here are that Donald is about 15 months older, and spent all of last year hurt. On the other hand, Donald is a middle infielder. Taylor's a left fielder. Taylor's numbers are gaudy, for sure, but his viability as a major leaguer will be contingent on his making the power translate; otherwise, he's Ben Francisco the Younger. Donald's defensive value -- and, look closely, his roughly equal effectiveness as a baserunner -- mean that even if his pop falls off a little against MLB pitching, he's still pulling his weight.
And remember the Andy Marte Rule: Do not get worked up because a minor leaguer hits 20 home runs.
So how's this for a trade narrative: The Phils offer Taylor, and the Tribe counters with Donald -- a legitimately better prospect but for the injury -- and Marson to make up the difference, thereby filling the need for a right-handed, MLB-ready middle infielder, and getting a young, solid, cost-controlled catcher who serves as Santana insurance, and whose presence allows the Indians to clear payroll and beef up the starting depth by moving Shoppach.
You could make a similar case for Carrasco/Knapp over Drabek, except, of course, for the fact that Carrasco compares favorably to Drabek already, as you've pointed out plenty.
So, Dave Cameron at FanGraphs (who ripped the deal saying Shapiro got "taken to the cleaners" or something to that effect) would be happy if we'd hauled in Drabek/Taylor. But the reality is, we needed two pitchers more than we needed one, and we needed skill position players more than we needed Yet Another GD Left-fielder, and Cameron, bless his heart, wouldn't have to live with the Lee trade failing to equate to long-term MLB production.
Perhaps it was that idea of quantity in light of the attrition rate of these prospects (particularly the pitchers) and perhaps the Indians have put more stock into the idea that Carrasco, Marson, and Donald were "undervalued" a bit because they didn't positively light up AAA Lehigh Valley in their first 3 months there. Perhaps it was the idea that a body of work longer than 3 months could be leaned upon more heavily in terms of taking a guy like previous flavor-of-the-month Carrasco over current flavor-of-the-month Drabek and likewise with Marson and Donald over Taylor (who did not appear among Baseball America's Top 100 prospects entering 2009) in that they put more stock in three years of performance over three months of performance.
At this point, only time will tell if the Indians chose the prudent path...
Changing lanes and apropos of nothing, but attempting to leave this on a positive point, news that
Andy Tveekrem is returning to the North Coast
hit recently and if you don't know who Andy Tveekrem is, allow this to enlighten you:
Tveekrem, 46, has moved back from Delaware, where he was the brewmaster for Dogfish Head Craft Brewery for the last five years. He and his wife, Vickie, who was a waitress at the Great Lakes Brewing Co. when he began his brewing career there, are renting in the Tremont neighborhood for the time being.
He began with Great Lakes Brewing Co. in 1991 and was brewmaster when he left in 2000. During his time there, Great Lakes went from producing 850 barrels a year to 18,000. Pat Conway is one of the founders of the company.
Even if you're not familiar with what Dogfish Head Craft Brewery has been putting out for the last five years (Esquire Magazine called their 90-minute Imperial IPA "perhaps the best IPA in America"), that timeframe of when Tveekrem was brewmaster at GLBC would mean that he was the brewmaster when Dortmunder and Christmas Ale were first put into production.
Anywho, Tveekrem is teaming up with the owner of McNulty's Bier Market/Bar Cento to create a microbrewery "directly across from McNulty's Bier Markt, just north of the West Side Market", it's safe to say that the West 25th Street/Lorain area is quickly becoming quite a hub for phenomenal craft beers (call it "The Brewery District")...something that can keep us warm throughout our North Coast winters.
Finally, it should be mentioned that I've been asked to guest host this Thursday's "All Bets Are Off", sitting in for the vacationing Bruce Drennan. The show will air from 3 PM to 6 PM, so be sure to set those DVR's (if you happen to work at those times) or watch live and interact as much as you'd like as I'll be talking Tribe, Browns, and Cavs while welcoming Tony Lastoria and others as guests for the 3-hour live show.
Posted by
Paul Cousineau
Jan 23, 2010 7:00 PM
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text:
The nationally-ranked St. John Fisher College program delivered a school-record 11 sacks on defense and scored 30 straight points to help secure a 37-14 victory over host Hartwick College on Saturday in a matchup between two undefeated teams. The Hawks and Cardinals came into the contest as the number one and number two ranked offenses in the Empire 8 Conference respectively but the Fisher defense was up for the challenge, holding the Hawks to just 197 yards of total offense.
With the win, Fisher, ranked 19th in the d3football.com poll, improves to 5-0 and 2-0 in the Empire 8 Conference, while Hartwick falls to 4-1, 1-1 respectively. The Cardinals are now the lone unbeaten team in the Empire 8 Conference.
Fisher, who led 14-7 at the half, took control of the game early in the third quarter. The Cardinals marched 63 yards on the opening drive, with the big play coming on a 58-yard hookup from Tyler Fenti to Kevin Francis who took it down to the Hartwick five yard line. Fisher had to settle for a 20-yard field goal from Brendan Carey to make it 17-7 four minutes into the quarter.
Following the field goal, on the Hawks first possession of the half, quarterback John Garcia had his pass deflected at the line of scrimmage, which was picked off by Sean Preish, who scampered 35 yards to put the Cardinals up 24-7. The touchdown came just 18 seconds after Carey split the uprights.
Fisher scored on back-to back possessions early in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach.
Cody Miller found pay dirt for the second time of the day on a four-yard touchdown run to start the fourth quarter. Miller finished with 75 yards rushing and two touchdowns.
Following a Hartwick three and out, Fenti connected with Francis again, this time for a 56-yard touchdown and a 37-7 lead with just over 10 minutes remaining in the game.
The Cardinals never trailed in the game. After two defensive stops to start the contest, Fisher began its second drive of the day with excellent field position from the Hartwick 49 yard line. Facing a fourth and five from the Hartwick 20-yard line, Fenti connected with Dan Rudy for ten yards to pick up the first down. On the ensuing play, Ryan Kramer scampered into the endzone from five yards out to put Fisher up 7-0 late in the first quarter.
Hartwick evened up the score at 7 apiece with 10:54 remaining in the first half on a one-yard run from Tanner Williams. Williams helped set up the score with a 36-yard punt return to the Fisher 19 yard line, scoring six plays later.
The Cardinals marched right back on the ensuing possession, on a nine play 62-yard drive to regain the lead 14-7 with just over seven minutes remaining in the second quarter. Facing a fourth and one from the Hawks five yard line, Miller took the handoff to left side into the endzone, marking the seventh straight game the senior has scored a touchdown.
Fenti finished the day 16 of 27 for 241 yards and one touchdown. Kevin Francis ended the day with 5 catches for 156 yards and one touchdown.
On the defensive side, Mike Donitzen led the way with 7 tackles, including 3 sacks. Cody Foster chipped in four tackles and 2.5 sacks for the Cardinals.
Fisher returns to action at 12 p.m next Saturday at Salisbury University.


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This Week in Auto Racing April 5 - 7
Martinsville, VA – NASCAR is back on the short track this weekend, as the Sprint Cup and Camping World Truck Series compete at Martinsville Speedway. The IndyCar Series runs its second event of the season at Barber Motorsports Park.
Sprint Cup Series
STP Gas Booster 500 - Martinsville Speedway - Martinsville, Va.
After a week off and for some folks a time to cool off, the Sprint Cup Series returns to action at Martinsville Speedway.
Martinsville, a 0.526-mile, paperclip-shaped racetrack, will feature a lot of beating and banging among competitors during 500 laps of racing. It's also likely that tempers will flare either before or after the checkered flag waves here.
Joey Logano and Tony Stewart will be the center of attention this weekend at Martinsville following their physical altercation last week at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. Stewart got into a post-race scuffle with Logano on pit road. He was furious with Logano for blocking him multiple times during a restart late in the event.
It was the second straight race Logano had been involved in an altercation. Last month at Bristol, Denny Hamlin and he had words with each other followed by a shoving match between both of their teams after that race ended. Logano was upset after Hamlin spun him around in the late going.
"You have to always look forward in this sport," Logano said. "If you linger on things, you will only go so far. So I've been focusing on Martinsville from the time we left California. It was good that we had an off-weekend, so everyone got a little rest before the upcoming stretch of races. But with the way we have been running, I want to keep the momentum going. So I'm ready to get back at it and move on."
During their confrontation at Fontana, Stewart pushed Logano around, while Logano threw a water bottle at Stewart before crew members from both teams intervened. Stewart later said that Logano is "going to learn a lesson."
Will that lesson take place at Martinsville?
Whether or not he has another run-in with Logano, Stewart does expect a drama- filled day on Sunday at Martinsville.
"One thing about Martinsville is there is no lack of excitement," Stewart said. "I don't care how flawlessly your day goes, you're going to bump into somebody at some point, even on a perfect day. You put 43 cars on this half- mile track, and it's always going to be exciting. You will never have a race there where you don't have some sort of drama during the day. I think every driver will say they will have some drama at some point in the day. When you have 43 drivers with 43 dramatic moments, that's a lot of action going on."
After his accident at Fontana, Hamlin is expected to miss the next five races due to a compression fracture in his lower back. He crashed hard into the inside retaining wall after making contact with Logano while the two were battling for the lead and the win during the final lap.
Mark Martin will substitute for Hamlin in the No. 11 Toyota at Martinsville. Hamlin, though, is planning to be at the track throughout the weekend.
With top-10 finishes in each of the first five races this season, Dale Earnhardt Jr. heads to Martinsville with a 12-point lead over defending series champion Brad Keselowski. Jimmie Johnson is 16 points behind his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Earnhardt.
Martinsville has been one of Earnhardt's better tracks lately. He has finished either second or third in the last two spring races here. Earnhardt has yet to win in 26 starts at this track.
"I love racetracks like that," Earnhardt said of Martinsville. "Every track has something about it that you like or something characteristic about it that you enjoy. But Martinsville is just a fun place, really fun track to race on. I think the fans get a great event. They get a great show when we're there. I think it's a good ticket between it and Bristol and Richmond. It's some of the best short-track racing in the country that you can see. I feel like it's always a lot of fun."
Two years ago, Earnhardt was just a handful of laps away from winning at Martinsville for the first time. He took the lead for the first time in that race when he nudged Kyle Busch out of the way with 21 laps remaining. But Kevin Harvick denied Earnhardt the victory after Harvick passed him with just four laps to go.
"At Martinsville, you do a lot of protecting your line, protecting your position," Earnhardt said. "You'll see guys doing a little bit of blocking. But there's a fine line, and I kind of go back to everybody's opinion on where that line is going to be different, and you're going to get different reactions out of different guys, depending on how you race them. You can race everybody the same, and some guys might not like it and some guys might not have a problem with it. But you've got to know each other's personalities well and know what to expect."
Ryan Newman won at Martinsville one year ago, and Johnson claimed the victory here last October. Johnson and teammate Jeff Gordon lead all active drivers with seven wins at this track.
Danica Patrick will compete at Martinsville for the first time. If Patrick makes the field, she will become the first female to start a race here.
"I am actually really excited about Martinsville," Patrick said. "I like the little short tracks. They're fun. We're going to be close racing a lot of the time. We went testing out at Little Rock (Rockingham, N.C.) and got a feel for a track like Martinsville. I thought we actually made some really big gains that day. It was fun. Is there time to look down at your water and oil temperatures? No, there's not. I think it will be fun, and I had no idea that a woman had not competed (in a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race) at Martinsville, but I guess these are things I'll find out along the way."
Forty-four teams are on the preliminary entry list for the STP Gas Booster 500.
Camping World Truck Series
Kroger 250 - Martinsville Speedway - Martinsville, Va.
The Camping World Truck Series has had quite a bit of time off since its season-opener on Feb. 22 at Daytona International Speedway.
While all drivers and teams in the series are eager to get back on track this weekend at Martinsville Speedway, probably no one is more ready than Johnny Sauter, who won at Daytona. Sauter enters this race with a six-point lead over Ron Hornaday Jr. and Justin Lofton.
Sauter won the spring race at Martinsville in 2011. He followed up with a fourth-place finish here later that year. But Sauter has finished 14th and 29th at this track since then.
"Like any race, a lot of things have to go right, pit strategy and taking care of the truck all day and staying out of trouble, so Martinsville is a tough one to win at," Sauter said. "We've done it before, and we typically run in the top-five every time we're there until something happens. I don't see any reason why we can't go there and pick up where we left off in prior races."
Kevin Harvick is the only Sprint Cup Series regular competing in this race. Harvick is driving the No. 24 Chevrolet for NTS Motorsports, which merged with Joe Denette Motorsports prior to the start of this season.
Harvick has won three of the last four spring races at Martinsville. He led all but two of the 250 laps in the event here one year ago.
"Martinsville is one of those racetracks I always look forward to getting behind the wheel at each year," Harvick said. "I've had a lot of success in the Truck Series at Martinsville, so hopefully that trend will continue this weekend with NTS Motorsports."
Forty teams are on the preliminary entry list for the Kroger 250.
Five drivers are making their Truck Series debut at Martinsville. They are: Chase Elliott, the 17-year-old son of 1988 Cup Series champion Bill Elliott, Jonathan Davenport, Grant Galloway, Devin Jones and Erik Jones.
Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama - Barber Motorsports Park - Birmingham, Ala.
A.J. Allmendinger will compete in an open-wheel race for the first time in seven years this weekend when the IZOD IndyCar Series runs at Barber Motorsports Park.
Allmendinger is scheduled to drive the No. 2 car for Team Penske in at least two IndyCar races this season -- Barber and the May 26 Indianapolis 500. He has tested an Indy car three times in the past seven weeks, including practice last week at Texas Motor Speedway to better prepare for racing on an oval.
After a three-year career in the Champ Car World Series, Allmendinger switched to NASCAR in 2007. He drove for team owner Roger Penske in the Sprint Cup Series last year but lost his ride with the team after the first 17 races of the season when he was suspended for violating NASCAR's substance abuse policy. He is running a limited Sprint Cup schedule for Phoenix Racing this year.
"I look at more than anything the fact that Roger Penske himself made the phone call and wanted me back in one of his race cars, and whether it's an Indy car or a stock car or sports car or whatever; to me, just that phone call itself means more than getting in the race car," Allmendinger said. "I'm excited, and I'm ready to go."
Allmendinger participated in a two-day IndyCar test session at Barber last month.
"I have to really work on learning how to get around this racetrack," he said. "There are certain sections that I feel comfortable in, and there are some other ones that I'm not. It's going to take some getting used to. Good thing about having Will Power and Helio Castroneves as teammates is that they are usually the two fastest guys here."
Allmendinger won five races and made 14 podium appearances in Champ Car from 2004-06. He also won the Barber Dodge Pro Series title in 2002 and captured the Toyota Atlantic Series championship the following year.
"The small amount that I've worked with (Allmendinger), he's a great guy, great personality," Power said. "I think he's an asset to the team, and so far, he's doing two races. I hope he does more. He's good, and I enjoy working with him."
Penske is 3-0 in both pole and race wins at Barber. Castroneves won the inaugural race at this track in 2010, while Power has claimed victories in the past two events here. Power led all 90 laps in the 2011 race.
Twenty-six teams are on the entry list for the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama.


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December 16 was a huge day and has taken me forever to finish, it ended up on two double page spreads.
Katie Pertiet:
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Sunday 16th December 2012
As we sit here tonight mulling over the events of today, tired and spent, I think today will go down in memory as one of the best.
We left to head down to Geelong around 8am, following a big black cloud the whole way. My concern was leaving the dogs out the back, Molly will not head to shelter or the kennel, she'll just sit and get wet if it rains, but as it happened that big black cloud just kept on going and there was no rain in Mortlake.
We spent a couple of hours with my mum on the way through and exchanged gifts. Mum even had a little Christmas tree up this year, the first time in 5 years. It was nice, a quiet time with her for a coffee and morning tea.
We headed down to Ocean Grove then for lunch at Andrews. Oh my! It was probably one of my most favourites times spent ever. Everyone was there. Andrew and Connie took great pains to put on a perfect spread, decorations, two beautifully decorated tables, and a delicious lunch of ham, turkey, vegetables and salad, followed by Connie's Christmas cake that she had cooked and decorated.
Everyone was there, Andrew, Connie, all Mike's kids, Wes, Tabby with Aaron, Britt and Tristan, and Ann-Marie and Callum with Jessica and Sean. It was fun, noisy, laughing, crazy good times.
After lunch there was a frenzy of gift giving. The funniest thing was that Ann-Marie and I gave each other near enough to the same gift, a jewellery box with drawers. Sean adored the remote control helicopter, but we won't tell Andrew about when it flew straight into the television cabinet and crashed with a thump!!
Family photographs were the order of the afternoon, and we got some beauties, and I made good use of the gorilla pod mum had given me earlier in the day, in setting up a complete family photograph.
We had the best time, so wonderful being surrounded by family, I'm so lucky being part of this crazy fun group of people.
On the way home we stopped at the cemetery and paid respects and love to dad and Pat and Mikes friend Graeme. We placed hydrangeas on their graves which I had picked from Andrews garden.
Got home around 8pm, utterly exhausted after the huge day and long drive home.