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Today we're happy to have cookbook author Cynthia Nelson of the popular contemporary Caribbean style cookbook "Tastes Like Home". Cynthia, originally from Guyana currently living in Barbados writes and blogs about her Caribbean cooking at tasteslikehome.org. Cynthia also teaches broadcast journalism, writes a weekly column for stabroeknews.com an online newspaper based out of Georgetown, Guyana. She also contributes to caribbeanbelle.com (Trinidad) and citystyleandliving.com (Canada), U Magazine (a new Health Magazine produced and published in Trinidad & Tobago. Also, a contributing writer for Christian Science Monitor:- Culture (Food) and former Contributing Writer to About.com, a New York Times owned-company. Her passion for writing the cookbook Taste Like Home came from her travels in the Caribbean, tasting and experiencing West Indian food; creating diverse dishes of the region: Indian, African, Portuguese, Spanish, French, British, Dutch, and Chinese and putting them all in her cookbook/food memoir.
Read through the entire post to see about a giveaway to win one a copy of her cookbook Tastes Like Home: My Caribbean Cookbook.
Her cookbook is laid out first as a food memoir, describing childhood food memories, what she's learned from the various markets she's visited, how she creates a new dish, to what she's eating. And the book goes into the Caribbean recipes: breakfast, entrees & special occasions, condiments & sides, and sweet treats; followed by a special "how-to" guide. Cynthia brings readers over 100 recipes from all over the Caribbean; all of which she has tried and tested herself and served to family and friends. But more than just recipes, Tastes Like Home is a conversation about food and how it connects and forms part of Caribbean identity. In the memoir section Cynthia shares personal memories which help us to understand Caribbean food and lifestyle. Some of the memories focus on food, some on events or special festivals, others are just recollections about life in the Caribbean. In the recipe section readers are treated to step by step guides on how to make roti, the perfect baked ham, Dhal puri, Christmas Cake and Coconut drops....
Minced -Meat Patties: "Patties can be filled with ground meat, chicken or vegetables. The true star here of course is the pastry. It is the same rich short-crust pastry that used to make the cheese rolls and pine tarts." Pg. 254
Your book, Taste Like Home, what in you said, "this is the book I want to write"?
The idea that this is the book I want to write was really in direct response to the many readers of my newspaper column who live in the Diaspora. In many ways, my column ties and connects them to a country and a part of the world that is no longer their day-to-day place of dwelling. I started my Tastes Like Home column because I too was living away from home and wanted a connection. Sure I was enjoying my new home and surroundings and so I wanted to merge my two spaces. I think readers connected with this and soon I was getting emails expressing the similarities of the food memories and if there was a way I could just compile all the memories and accompanying recipes. Hence the book.
I know one of your main focuses was the fact that you were tired of people seeing only Caribbean food as a garnish , a spice, or herb. But in reality Caribbean cooking is far more than the spices it's comprised up of; there is real long time ancestral/melting pot history in there. Can you share with us some of that history?
I often think of the Caribbean as a "made-up" place. Of course the first persons to occupy these lands were the Indigenous Peoples who still live in these parts. Our fore-parents that came to the shores were forced (through slavery), fooled (through Indentureship) and then we have our colonial masters whose influence can be found throughout the length and breath of the Caribbean – in the way we talk, the way we live, the things we eat, the way we cook etc. It is like you said, a real melting pot.
The British, French, Spanish & Dutch were the colonial powers in the region and many countries/states changed hands, to and fro for decades. The slaves came from Africa and indentured labourers from India, China and Portugal. The constant changing of ownership resulted in each territory being having a real mix of cuisine. For example, in countries like Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad the variety of food is vast and varied. In some other countries, particularly the smaller island-states, you can find the food being predominant of a particular cuisine or particular influence.
In your biography for your book it states that you worked for Caribbean media for many years. Tell us about that.
My career in the media started off in my home country, Guyana and then I moved to Barbados to work at the Caribbean Broadcasting Union (now Caribbean Media Corporation). The Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU/CMC) is a regional media organization that covers news for the entire English-speaking Caribbean. It's programming is not exclusive to news but also to documentary, sports, talk shows etc. Working there as a Journalist, primarily in the Television division, afforded me the opportunity to travel the region to cover stories, events, activities etc. So through my job, I got to see much of the Caribbean. It was amazing to see the similarity in terms of the culture and at the same time observe how different as nations we are. Each unique, each special, each different yet with a common connection. A real celebration of unity in diversity.
I love that in your About.com column, you state "west Indian food is not as well known as other world cuisines. It is often stereotyped as a garnish or reduced to a handful or ingredients….the diversity of the region is reflected in the food we make and eat everyday…" That's true actually; there isn't a whole lot out there in books in terms of West Indian cooking. I can see why you were drawn to it—to expose it many layers of diversity and break down the stereotypes that it isn't just about certain ingredients, but rather what's done with those ingredients. Am I on the right track?
You are very much on the right track. There are two things to note. Whenever Caribbean food is spoken of, it is always about the Spanish Caribbean and the cuisine is always that of Puerto Rico. Whenever the cuisine of the English-speaking Caribbean is spoken of, it is always Jamaican food, it's as if the rest of the region does not exist. I'm not blaming any one or any entity for that. If we want to be seen and heard and acknowledged, well then we have to show up, stand up and speak up. Make our presence felt and known.
Mettagee: "Many Caribbean countries have their own one-pot dish of ground provisions (root vegetables) cooked with coconut milk, salt fish, meats and dumplings. In Guyana, it is called Mettagee. All the ingredients are cooked together in a large pot with coconut milk until the liquid reduces to a thick sauce...." pg. 169
At what age did you start cooking/baking? I was 9.
What was your first creation?
Curried pork and cooked white rice. The rice turned out fine and while the curry had good flavour, the meat was tough and needed to be cooked longer.
What are three things people don't know about you?
1. I am somewhat of an introvert, the anonymity of writing and working in radio (back in the day) is such a warm cloak of comfort. You can be out there without being there, know what I mean?
2. I had actively started studying to become a Catholic nun.
3. Stationery stores make me very happy – particularly the pens section!
When trying out new recipes do you have good taste testers around?
Not all the time. There are some recipes that I have a good sense of how they will taste before hand and feel confident enough to invite taste testers the first time I make the dish. On other occasions, I refer to test the dish out alone, first. If the taste is as expected but it is not something that I really like but feel that others would appreciate, then I share with my taste testers.
Is there one area of cooking or baking that is hard for you to master? For me it's mastering the art of croissants—it's all about how you handle and keep the dough cold, and not to over-work the dough.
Nothing comes to mind off the top of my head but I'm sure that that is because there are things that I am yet to try making! (laugh)
What is your favorite Caribbean dish?
I get asked this question often and the truth is that it varies depending on my mood, the place and time. It really would have to be some sort of rice dish. I love rice.
Is there a fruit or vegetable you just don't like?
A vegetable – eggplant, unless the flesh is fire-roasted and pureed. It has to be fire-roasted not oven roasted, the skin must charred from the roasting, burnt.
Are you a gardener?
No, but I do have some potted plants. I take instructions from the nursery and take care of them. I think I become overprotective and give the plants too much water and not enough sunlight.
I personally would love to know what types of herbs and spices you keep in your cupboard. Which ones get used the most and how?
This question made me laugh. Herbs – fresh thyme, cilantro and scallions (green onions). I buy these weekly. I buy the other herbs if I have something in particular that I want to make and flavor. I always have a bottle of blended sweet basil with oil and seasoned with salt and in my refrigerator.
Spices – I have quite a variety, mostly in the whole form. I have whole spice mixes that I assemble and store; I then toast and grind and necessary to replenish stock that has been depleted. So you will find whole spice mixes of various garam masala, tea masala, Chinese five-spice, Middle Eastern spice mixes etc.
I make my own ground cinnamon. The spices that get used often are cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, star anise, fennel, cumin and mustard seeds.
Bajan Fish Cakes: "In essence this is a salt fish fritter. It is delicious when served hot with the addition of some Pepper Sauce or Sour on the side. When making these fish cakes to be served in Barbadian Rum Shops in particular, lots of hot pepper is added to the mixture. Long ago, instead of boiling and then frizzing the salt fish, it used to just be pounded and then added to flour and seasonings to create a batter..." Pg. 224
Your favorite place/country to visit solely for the food?
Ah, it's a trio for me – Thailand, Vietnam & Malaysia!
Are there any chef celebrities that inspire you?
Yes and they are as follows in no particular order.
Lidia Bastianich – I think that she is an exceptional teacher. There is knowledge, authority and a commonsense down-to-earth-ness about Lidia's approach to her cuisine that I really admire. Much of it for me is not what she is making or that she is cooking Italian food but it is more about her ability to communicate her passion and teach it so effectively.
Ruth Reichl – I've always had an interest in food and wanted my work in someway to be food related, however, it was not until I read one of Ruth Reichl's editorials in Gourmet and her best-selling Garlic & Sapphires that I knew what it is that I wanted to do with food – write about it! The woman just has a way with words… more than anything else, I marvel at her ability to transport. Ruth takes you along with her – as a participant, as an observer, as a companion, as a taster. Her writing is so vivid. It captivates and it always leaves you wanting for more – of the scenery, of the atmosphere, of the food. I aspire to be such a writer.
James Oseland – James has an enviable palette! I love to listen to him evaluate and critique food. Moreover, he seems to have such an open mind when it comes to food and cuisine. I really and truly admire that quality in anyone and he is right there at the top of my list.
Rick Bayless – Rick's unwavering and lifelong respect and celebration for the cuisine South of the border tells me that this is the kind of person I would want be around, all the time. Rick's passion for Mexican food is infectious, I enjoy this series on PBS and he makes me hungry for Mexican food, all the time.
Favorite food guilty pleasures?
Only one – French Fries. I'm pretty good at controlling it though. The only time I over-indulge is when I am travelling.
Have you ever taught cooking or baking?
I did a private cooking class for someone about 3 years ago. While I enjoyed the class, I found the experience demanding. Perhaps it was because I was doing the class in my spare time away from my job at the college and amidst my writing. I think that to teach cooking/baking classes, it has to be a full-time thing. While the idea seems exciting, I'd advise people to try it out first before quitting your day job to do it. The type of recipe writing is different; there is a lot of planning and organization that goes into it, long before the actual class itself. More importantly, while you may know how to do something well, it does not necessarily mean that you can teach it and do so well. Fortunately for me, I drew on my skills as a teacher/facilitator.
If you could invite any three people to dinner (living or dead) who would they be and what would you make?
I'd invite my friend Tanita Davis – she doesn't like okra but I'd cook it for her and show her that okra does not have to be slimy.
Ruth Reichl & James Oseland of course – for purely selfish reasons (I'd want to pick their brains), I make a plethora of Caribbean dishes so that they can return to their world and spread the word about Caribbean food (lol)
Will there be a second cookbook?
Yes and hopefully a third and fourth… though they may not be strictly cookbooks and by that I mean that they may not be recipe books but books about food. So, they will fall under the genre of cookbooks.
Any advice for food bloggers hoping to get a cookbook published?
Know what it is that you want to say. More importantly, HAVE something to say!
Ask yourself what will set your book apart from the others out there, particularly those with similar subject/areas. And ask yourself if there is an audience for such a book.
Don't give up if a publisher does not immediately pick up your book.
Look at small publishers and imprints and not just the big names.
Don't let anyone shake the faith you have in your project.
Thank you so much Cynthia. Wonderful getting to know you more. As well as learning more about Caribbean cooking. I highly suggest this cookbook. My favorite part of the cookbook? In the section, "Sweet Treats" there is a recipe for "Roat (roth), a sweet fried pastry made with cardamom. "Of all the goodies packed in the paper bag one gets at the end of a Pooja (Jhandi, a Hindu service), roat is my favorite. It's made of clarified butter, flour, sugar, and ground cardamom...." Pg. 304
If you would like a chance to win a copy of Cynthia's cookbook Tastes Like Home: My Caribbean Cooking, all you have to do is leave a comment here telling us your favorite Caribbean dish.
One entry per person
Please have a valid email address shown in the signature line or in with the comments.
We'll draw two winners on Wednesday June 20, 2012.
guest post: Cynthia Nelson of Tastes Like Home: My Caribbean Cookbook +Giveaway
Today we're happy to have cookbook author Cynthia Nelson of the popular contemporary Caribbean style cookbook "Tastes Like Home". Cynthia, originally from Guyana currently living in Barbados writes and blogs about her Caribbean cooking at tasteslikehome.org. Cynthia also teaches broadcast journalism, writes a weekly column for stabroeknews.com an online newspaper based out of Georgetown, Guyana. She also contributes to caribbeanbelle.com (Trinidad) and citystyleandliving.com (Canada), U Magazine (a new Health Magazine produced and published in Trinidad & Tobago. Also, a contributing writer for Christian Science Monitor:- Culture (Food) and former Contributing Writer to About.com, a New York Times owned-company. Her passion for writing the cookbook Taste Like Home came from her travels in the Caribbean, tasting and experiencing West Indian food; creating diverse dishes of the region: Indian, African, Portuguese, Spanish, French, British, Dutch, and Chinese and putting them all in her cookbook/food memoir.
47 comments:
Fave Caribbean dish = RUM CAKE! :) Seriously great interview & book and being that we have a home in Aruba, I can relate to so much of what she said!ReplyDelete
I haven't had enough of Caribbean food to really know! But I am going there soon!!ReplyDelete
everything always sounds so delicious!!
i agree with Averie... rum cake.ReplyDelete
I have a lot of favorites, but Vaca Frita is way up there on the list. It's Cuban. It's flank steak that's first braised, then cooled and shredded, and finally stir fried with onions, peppers, and some spices. I like the looks of the sandwiches on the cover of "Tastes Like Home" and would make it the first recipe I try. lfmelcher @ gmail.comReplyDelete
Not sure, haven't eaten much Caribbean food, but whatever is on the cover looks amazing!ReplyDelete
I'm not very familiar with Caribbean dishes, but I would love to learn more about them! Anything with seafood would probably be my favorite! email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Coconut shortbread looks appetizing to me!ReplyDelete
sofrito is good!ReplyDelete
I don't really know if this is considered Caribbean, but I LOVE Cuban sandwiches! Other then that, I haven't had to much!ReplyDelete
Growing up in a Guyanese household, I have tried so many types of dishes. My absolute favorite would have to be chicken curry with roti. Very classic dish! I would like to learn how to make these dishes for myself now. I have heard many people reccomend Cynthia's book!!!ReplyDelete
Love her recipes. I think cornbread or many of the rice dishes from the region. lisa AT supersmall.comReplyDelete
- Maritsa6/13/12, 5:44 PM
I love pepper pot, but have still never attempted to make it! Hopefully, if I win the cookbook I can try Ms. Nelson's recipe!ReplyDelete
I like Caribbean jerk chicken and rum cake! Yum!ReplyDelete
I haven't had any expirence with caribean food, but i love her blog and would love to have her book so i can start knowing about the cusine more than i know now.ReplyDelete
Bigan choka & roti!!ReplyDelete
This was a fun interview to read...ReplyDelete
My favorite dish is cod-fish period...I love it served with anything but my all time meal is; eggplant/spinach (chop-up) and duccana (an Antiguan local dish made of coconut, white sweet potato, flour, sugar, vanilla essence and some folks put in raisins. It is then steamed in fig leaf or if you can't find fig leaf, foil paper). The duccana is a bit tedious to make because of all the grating but if you have a food-processor, you're half way home. It is well worth it when you get to eat it with the cod-fish or by itself. I will say, after you're finished eating that meal, you simply want to go to sleep.
I'm home-sick just thinking about it.
I've had the chance to peek Cynthia's book online..The recipes are simple and diverse.
There are so many to pick from but my all time favorite is simply oxtail stew the way my mom makes it :)ReplyDelete
- debbi chappell6/13/12, 7:40 PM
Oh wow where to begin...Rum Cake, sweet plantains, carribean chicken, oh and the soups, wait rice and beans yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm! i cant choose!ReplyDelete
I am really craving Caribbean food after reading this! My favorite is tostones, Swoon.ReplyDelete
jerk chicken is Caribbean, right? if so, that's my favorite!ReplyDelete
pajamachef (AT) gmail.com
No need to enter me in the giveaway, but sounds like an awesome book. Love the flavors of the islands.ReplyDelete
I love cookup rice (split peas, pigeon peas doesn't matter) with fish cakes.ReplyDelete
A wonderful guest post and interview! I really love Cythia's blog and would be so happy to win her book.ReplyDelete
Jerk chicken is definitely one of my fave dishes.
Fried plantains!ReplyDelete
Cynthia is one of my favorite bloggers (and now author) of all times. And she shows again on this post why I like her so much! Thank you for sharing so much with us!ReplyDelete
I don't know if being in Mexico qualifies me for the giveaway, but my favorite Caribbean recipe is patacones. Oh so good!
Excellent interview. Makes me want to run right out and find this book and cook some great food. I love any of the curry dishes and the pasties.ReplyDelete
If you give me rice and peas, some fried plantain and a couple of johnny cakes I am in heaven!ReplyDelete
- Leonor6/14/12, 1:09 PM
My favorite caribbean dish is perhaps "el chupe" a soup made out of chicken potatoes corn and cilantro. You may add a bit of heavy cream and avocado to enhance the flavors of the soup. it's a very filling meal! It's one of my favorite comfort foods.ReplyDelete
I also adore "cazon" a type of fish that you must shred and then cook with tomatoes, onions, peppers and other ingredients! it's great with arepas or empanadas!
My favorite Carribean dish is Jerk Chicken! email@example.com
I enjoy this post so much and I love her blog. Believe it or not I have never eaten a Caribbean dish. Would love to try that cuisine.ReplyDelete
- Robyn6/14/12, 6:04 PM
I looooove Aranitas! Definitely my favorite treat.ReplyDelete
My favorite Carribean dish is Jerk Chicken!ReplyDelete
Thanks, great giveaway!
barbarapalermo at gmail dot com
I really am not terribly familiar with Carribean food so I'm going to go with Leonor's choice - el chupe - sounds fantastic!ReplyDelete
I love all kinds of food - and I think I've seen banana fritter type recipes out there -- I would love to win this book will post in Cookbook Junkies too!ReplyDelete
I don't have much experience with Carribean food, but I would like to get started at some point (and I am willing to take risks in the kitchen) so this book sounds like the perfect place to get started!ReplyDelete
My favorite Carribean food is by far Jerk Chicken. There are endless variations of how to prepare it and whenever I eat it I feel more alive and happy!ReplyDelete
- Anonymous6/17/12, 9:53 PM
no favorite carribean food since i have never cooked any so i'm not familar w/ the spices or ingredients used - though i would expect it might be something along the rice and bean line or a bread made w/ tropical fruit.ReplyDelete
fruitcrmble AT comcast DOT net
one more for the Rum Cake!! :-) but I'm sure the book has many many many delicious dishes to try. all the spices and smells and colors!ReplyDelete
farruska AT gmail DOT com
Hands down....rum cake!!! Already had my fruits soaking from last year for this Christmas.ReplyDelete
- Barry Bibby6/19/12, 1:31 PM
I think the best Caribbean dish is stewed Ox Tail with dumplin' and boiled provision (dasheen, cassava, yam). This dish, when made well & with love of course, is like transcending this earth for the 20 minutes. I enter another world of just bliss! Best ever! P.S. Lots of gravy and the tender ox tail make this the ultimate Caribbean dish for me.ReplyDelete
- Barry Bibby6/19/12, 1:41 PM
My e-mail - email@example.com
I haven't made too many Caribbean dishes. My favorite would be rice and beans, if I had to choose. However, I do love some rum cake!ReplyDelete
Jerk chicken is my favorite Caribbean dish! :)ReplyDelete
Was a winner selected?ReplyDeleteReplies
#16 whynot
#34 Crystal
- BettyD8/20/12, 10:37 PM
Rum Cake....yum!ReplyDelete


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Target Corp. has been victimized by a security breach of shoppers' credit and debit-card data, potentially affecting millions of customers, multiple news sources reported Wednesday.
According to reports the theft was national in scope, involving the magnetic stripe "track data" containing private information. It could allow thieves to create counterfeit cards.
U.S. Secret Service spokesman Brian Leary confirmed the agency is investigating a credit and debit card data theft at Target stores, but declined to provide further details.
The breach comes at a disastrous time for Target and its customers, arriving during the final hectic shopping week before Christmas. Target has 1,797 stores in the U.S. and 124 in Canada.
Officials from the Minneapolis-based corporation did not respond to repeated inquiries Wednesday.
And American Express spokeswoman Marina Norville confirmed, "We are aware of the incident," adding that the company is "working with Target, but it's an ongoing investigation, so there's not a lot to say at this point."
The breach is said to have begun during the hectic Black Friday shopping weekend, and lasted another week or two, according to a report from Krebs On Security, a blog by former Washington Post reporter Brian Krebs, who writes about cybercrime and other Internet-security topics.
"It's not clear how many cards thieves may have stolen in the breach," Krebs posted Wednesday. But citing sources "from two major card issuers," he wrote that "more than one million" cards from both issuers "were thought to have been compromised in the breach." Krebs did not identify the card companies.
Representatives for Visa and MasterCard could not be reached for comment.
The Wall Street Journal separately reported Wednesday that the breach "happened in stores, not online, and may have involved tampering with the machines that customers use to swipe their cards when making purchases." It sourced its report to "people familiar with the matter."
"Presuming this is all true, it's probably one of the most serious things you can have happen, because it affects not only your store operations, it affects the lives and financial security of your customers," said Jim McComb, a Twin Cities retail analyst.
Two years ago, McComb was involved in a similar security breach with a different retailer.
"When you've got this breakdown in the system, the cards have to be cancelled," McComb said. "And the consumer has to get a new card. In many cases, companies provide credit monitoring for the cardholder."
The big worry is concern about any stolen data, McComb said. But there's also the hassle of losing access to a credit or debit card during the busiest shopping week of the year.
Norville, the American Express spokeswoman, said that customers "are not liable for any sort of credit card fraud," but did urge shoppers to keep an eye on their charges, and alert American Express if they see anything suspicious.
Asked if its fraud systems have detected unusual activity involving Target, Norville replied, "We've just started running diagnostics, so it's too soon to tell."
More than 20 percent of Target shoppers pay for their purchases with Target's REDcard, which gives customers a 5-percent discount.
But unlike at most retailers, roughly half of Target's REDcard customers prefer to use a debit card, not a credit card. Debit cards link directly to a customer's checking account.
Julio Ojeda-Zapata contributed to this report.

subset: commoncrawl


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Johnny Damon is not someone you overpay for -- and I wasn't all that comfortable with the Red Sox offer of 4/40. So it'll be weird to see him clean-shaven and in pinstripes next summer, but I'm glad it's Steinbrenner and not Henry handing him an average of $13 million a season (!) until the end of 2009.
New York is paying for what Damon was, not what he will be. There can be no doubt that his four years in Boston will turn out to be far more productive than his four in the Bronx.
Damon's the original Idiot, the hirsute anti-Yankee who drilled the grand slam to ice Game 7. Yankee fans hate this guy. Now they have to pretend to like him, just like they're doing with Randy Johnson.
Anyone wanna guess how many times we'll see Jeter bunting Damon to second in the first inning? ... As far as outfield skills, if Torre's smart, he'll put Damon in left and Shemp in center.
What it perhaps most surprising -- though it really shouldn't be -- is the profound ignorance displayed by the national media. Read Olney, Rosenthal and the CHB to see how horrible confused and doomed the (newly) cursed the Red Sox are.
Their collective stupidity and inability to offer even a hint of actual analysis shouldn't surprise me, yet it does. It's like they are all 10 years old, thinking one team is better than another because it has more recognizable names on it. How do these guys have jobs?
Meanwhile, here in reality: Thanks for the memories, Johnny.
Now ... Jeremy Reed, come on down!
Damon is offering the usual bullshit:
My message to Red Sox fans is I tried. I tried everything in my power to try and come back, but unfortunately I know they're going to be upset, but I'm always going to have a strong feeling about them. I'm always going to remember the great times, the World Series, the three out of the four years we made the playoffs.Upset? Well, not really. In 2009, seeing Damon in the Yankee outfield and not Boston's will be a pleasant sight, not an infuriating one. (I only wish we still had Doug Mirabelli on the team, so we could cackle when he went from first to third on Damon's noodle.) And replacing his production will not be that hard.
Good leadoff men are tough to find and I think the Yankees found the best leadoff hitter in the game.As Art Martone points out, Mark Loretta has a higher career on-base percentage (.365) than Damon (.353).
Damon, May 2005:
There's no way I can go play for the Yankees, but I know they're going to come after me hard. It's definitely not the most important thing to go out there for the top dollar, which the Yankees are going to offer me. It's not what I need.
Damon, December 20, 2005:Boston: 4 years -- $40,000,000
New York: 4 years -- $52,000,000
Without a doubt [I'll cut my hair and shave my moustache]. Mr. Steinbrenner has a policy and I'm going to stick to it. Our policy with the Yankees is to go out there and win ...Bostonian of the Year: David Ortiz. ... The Red Sox inked 37-year-old Rudy Seanez to a one-year deal with a club option for 2007. ... Tony Graffanino accepted salary arbitration. ... After nearly three months of rest and the use of a protective shoe, Pedro Martinez's right toe still hurts. "This worries me a little because generally by this time of the year I'm already throwing."
Dan Shaughnessy, Boston Globe:
No way around this one. Johnny Damon is a Yankee and it looks like the Red Sox don't know what they are doing. ... While New England slept last night, Damon got into bed with the enemy. Sox officials smugly believed there was no market for their marquee center fielder and the Yankees took advantage of Boston's big sleep. ...While a columnist has more leeway than a repoter, it's amazing how factually wrong so much of CHB's work is. They assumed there was no market for Damon? They have no 1B? What???
So now your Boston Red Sox have no center fielder, no shortstop, and no first baseman to go along with no Theo Epstein and no clue. It's fair to say this is becoming a winter of discontent in Red Sox Nation. ... The Josh Beckett trade bought some goodwill and glad tidings, but losing Damon to the Yankees is a devastating blow to the foundation of the Nation.
The Sox won't recover from this one easily. In an already dismal offseason, they've now lost their center fielder and their leadoff hitter. They've also lost a local icon, a rare favorite of teenage girls and fanboy bloggers. ... [Damon's] production in pinstripes will be a personal affront to Red Sox fans around the world. ...
Bottom line: The Yankees just got better and more interesting, and the Red Sox just got worse and more boring.
Mike Lupica, New York Daily News:
The story here, in bold type, is that despite all the talk about saving money and getting younger, it was business as usual last night for the Yankees ...Joel Sherman, New York Post:
I like Damon as a ballplayer, always have ... but over the second half of [last] season he faded the way the Red Sox faded and couldn't throw the ball to second base. There were, in fact, days when he made Bernie Williams' arm look like some kind of rocket launcher in comparison. ...
The idea that this is some part of prudent financial plan because they wouldn't go to seven years for Damon is pretty funny. ...
I have felt for years that the Yankees missed a great chance with Damon four years ago when he was leaving Oakland as a free agent. ... He was 28 and available and would have moved Derek Jeter to No. 2 in the order right there.
The Yankees passed. Damon went to Boston instead. And when it came down to Game 7 in the American League Championship Series, it was Damon who hit one of the most famous postseason home runs ever hit against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium, that grand slam off Javier Vazquez that really was the end of the biggest comeback in sports history. ...
In the winter when the Yankees overpaid for Hideki Matsui they now overpay for Johnny Damon. Only here is $52 million supposed to be viewed as some kind of bargain ...
The Yanks signed Damon for the same amount as Hideki Matsui. Which makes sense. ...George King, New York Post:
In the past 48 hours, the Yanks let Boras know that if Damon did not sign immediately, they were going to jump on a lower-level center fielder such as Corey Patterson or Luis Matos. It probably was a bluff, but not one Boras could risk. ... A key Idiot has jumped from the Red Sox to the Yankees, who suddenly look like winter winners. ...
For a few weeks, the Yanks have been calibrating how much greater their chances to win it all in 2006 and '07 are with Damon, and whether that was enough to motivate having Damon in 2008 and 2009, when he will be 34 and 35, and his already atrophying defense will have worsened further. ...
Damon instantly makes the Yanks the AL East favorites again, with all that the Blue Jays have done and all that the Red Sox might do.
Damon is leaving Fenway Park for Yankee Stadium to carry on the legacy of Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and Bernie Williams. ... Damon's decision caught the dysfunctional Red Sox brass by surprise. CEO Larry Lucchino said negotiations with Damon were ongoing almost an hour after the deal was sealed with the Yankees. ...Tyler Kepner, New York Times:
As for Yankee fans carrying a grudge against Damon for helping the Red Sox climb out of a 3-0 ditch in the 2004 ALCS against the Yankees, that will vanish shortly.
Why did Damon leave Boston for the blood rival Yankees? Damon was concerned about the upheaval in the Red Sox front office ... Also, Damon's wife has voiced a displeasure over the way she has been treated by the Boston media. ...
[T]he Red Sox have fallen squarely into turmoil. ... The Yankees, meanwhile, have no major holes. Their off-season work is all but complete, and they have done it at the expense of their rivals.The back pages of the rags are all pretty much the same:
Daily News:


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INTRODUCTION With this brief extract, you can take a first look at your personal "Color Horoscope" by Johannes Schneider. Small samples from the individual sections will give you an overall impression of the complete horoscope. The "Color Horoscope" combines the delineation of the birth chart with color psychology. It provides you with an insight into the character structures by describing your distinctive traits and your needs as well as the various roles you play. The internal psychological defense mechanisms are also described, and the possibilities for alleviating these conflicts are pointed out. At times, the text is somewhat confrontational and demands an active analysis of your own personality. You can order the complete "Color Horoscope" by Johannes Schneider, consisting of 10 to 12 pages, as an E-Horoscope in the Astroshop.
YOUR BEHAVIORAL PATTERNS Objectives and Motivations
Based on the ranking of the planets receiving a high score, your objectives and the motivations for your behavior can be described as follows:
With an alert mind, open eyes and pricked ears, you observe the world and always strive to become acquainted with new things and to expand your horizon. You attain the knowledge, the information and the contacts and relationships which bring you material or intellectual benefits. You also seek anything which provides you with relief or an entertaining change of pace when you are plagued by negative emotions.
You hope to achieve a significant improvement in your situation by means of pleasant contacts and good relations. To you, this prospect is a strong incentive to take the initiative yourself and to follow all the necessary steps.
When you desire something, you take vigorous action and pull out all the stops in order to obtain it as soon as possible. Neither obstacles nor objections [...]
Distress and Problems
The tendencies and modes of behavior which can cause you distress and problems can be described on the basis of the ranking of planets with a low score. However, it cannot be deduced to which degree you have become aware of and overcome your personal weaknesses, and consequently have gained a deeper understanding of the problems of others. The following statements indicate what you can do to improve your ability to move through life with fewer problems.
You are often frustrated because in your view, you receive too little physical affection and you experience too few erotic adventures and enjoyments. This can mislead you into seeking consolation in other sensual pleasures or distracting yourself from your sense of lack through overwork. At best, both can provide only temporary relief.
You quickly get worked up when something does not go according to your wishes. You are particularly upset because the difficulties that may arise are [...]
By combining your objectives and the motivations behind your behavior with your fears and the indications of your underlying issues, it is possible to conclude that your psychological needs are as follows:
the enjoyment of life. The things that time and again entice and satisfy you and sometimes console you in your frustration are sensual pleasures, be [...]
Your Color Horoscope indicates a variety of roles that you play on the stage of life. The following section describes the role plays you engage in, as well as the motivations, objectives and modes of behavior associated with it.
Creative Your active mind is always full of thoughts and good ideas, and you never suffer from a lack of plans or projects the realization of which [...]
Searching for a Warm Nest The thing you believe necessary to your well-being is a comfortable home in which you can recuperate from the stresses [...]
Searching for Pleasure Due to the fact your desire to enjoy life is so strong, you take on quite a bit and you do a lot in order to obtain what brings [...]
Sly Fox Due to the fact that you always have your antennas on, you are immediately aware of who or what could be advantageous to you, and since you [...]
In conclusion, here is a description of those facets of your personality which can stand in the way of your development into a free and happy person as long as you are not aware of them. You hardly notice in you the presence of these intellectual and emotional patterns, nor do you perceive their mode of action. Nevertheless, the effects they have on your life are usually not to your advantage. Use the following interpretations as a working hypothesis for self-exploration. The recommendations given for each postulate indicate alternative attitudes which could possibly allow you to leave the old field of negative emotions behind.
Surrogate Pleasures You attempt to compensate feelings of frustration with satisfying activities, sensual pleasures or the enjoyment of material [...]
About this Horoscope This interpretation of the positions of the planets at the time of your birth is based on the Astro-Color-System® developed by Johannes Schneider; in addition to the ten typical planets, this system also includes the two minor planets Chiron and Vesta. In this system Chiron is considered to rule the sign of Virgo and the sixth house of the horoscope; Vesta rules the sign of Taurus and the second house. The twelve celestial bodies are awarded points based on their position in the signs and the houses of the horoscope and on the aspects between them. These scores are used to establish a ranking of the 12 celestial bodies, called the planet profile, and four subgroups, called the basic structures. Since a typical color has been assigned to each of the celestial bodies, this ranking can also be represented as a series of these twelve colors. As you can see from the personal planet profile calculated for you, each planet has its assigned color above it; the height of the colored column indicates the number of points awarded to the planet. Together with 13 additional colors, these same colors form the basis of the psychological color test Color-O-Scope®, which can be found here under the name "Color Oracle".The colors you select in the test indicate your current behaviors and problems, while the astrological analysis of your birth constellation describes your personality. The combination of these two interpretations makes it possible for you to compare your present situation with your intrinsic nature and to see which facets of your personality you are currently living out and which you are not. This comprehensive insight is entirely new within astrology and is impossible to achieve with any conventional method.
Astrological Data used for Color Horoscope Free Try-Out Edition
Planetary positions
Major aspects


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"Yeah. We're supposed to write down everything we eat for the week."
"Ohhh. Is that for health class?"
"You're making up stuff, right?"
"Huh?" Savannah looked up at me, confused.
"You're not writing down what we have really eaten for dinner this week, are you?"
"Yes," she answered innocently.
Crap! Why did I ever teach my kids that lying is bad?! I obviously never thought that one through. I glanced at her paper. Listed almost every day for breakfast was "a handful of Cheez-Its". Yeah, that's nutritious. Nothing gets your day started like highly processed, fake cheese flavored crackers. Vitamins? Nope. Minerals? Nah. Fiber? Not really. Protein? Notsomuch. Partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oil with TBHQ, yellow #5, yellow #6, and monosodium glutamate? Check!
I continued past Savannah's nutrition packed breakfasts to dinner. I've had a less than stellar week in the cooking department. Her list read...
chicken pot pie
double cheeseburger from McDonalds
grilled cheese sandwich
Oh yeah, that looks great. I envisioned Savannah's health teacher being so shocked and appalled by Savannah's menu that she'd soon be sending me a packet filled with 5 pounds of nutrition information including menus, charts of vitamins and minerals needed to support development, and a BMI calculator. I was sure she'd soon be calling me to discuss the importance of the food pyramid (which, by the way, did not exist when I was a kid. We didn't have any pyramid. We had the bread group. Cookies and cakes were part of this group. We had the dairy group. This included milkshakes. We had the fruit and veggie group which included French fries and strawberry-banana smoothies. And finally we had the meat group which contained cheeseburgers.).
"So you don't want to write baked salmon, steamed asparagus with a lemon drizzle, herbed new potatoes and a cup of fresh pineapple for dessert? OK. OK. It's ok. How about we just add some details then? It's not really lying if you're just adding details, right? Here we go..."
Nachos: made with low fat corn tortillas, fat free beans, low fat cheddar, tons of lettuce and tomatoes and NO greasy beef, sour cream or high fat cheese
Pizza: made with a whole wheat crust, fresh plum tomatoes and basil, and a sprinkle of part skim parmigiana cheese and NOT sausage and greasy pepperoni
Lasagna: made with whole grain pasta, lean ground turkey, ricotta, and spinach and NOT Italian sausage and 6 pounds of cheese
Double cheeseburger from McDonald's: made with, umm, made with, hmmm, ok, I got nothin' here.
Every time one of my kids has brought this particular project home from school, it's been a fast food/quick-what-can-I-throw-in-the-oven kind of week. Every time! Why don't teachers give us a head's up and let us know that every bite our kids eat is going to be analyzed so we have time to
Oh and I thought I had a most wonderful idea for curbing my late night sweet tooth attacks! My plan was to make myself a cup of wonderful, sweet dessert tea in the evening when I got a craving to munch on something sweet. So, tonight I put my plan in action. Mmmm Sweet Coconut Chai Tea with a little milk and sugar. It's like a dessert, right? I sat down and inhaled the spicy, coconutty aroma and felt the steam on my face. I took a sip of the rich, creamy goodness. And then I decided that the tea would go much better with a cookie. So much for that plan.


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Friday, April 11, 2008
In-Progress At Phoenix: "Trackside," Practice and Qualifying Coverage
Friday before the Nationwide Series race on ESPN2, there are several hours of NASCAR action on SPEED.
Things kick-off with Steve Byrnes hosting Trackside at 4PM Eastern Time. Kurt Busch and Elliott Sadler will be the featured guests joining Larry McReynolds, Jeff Hammond and Darrell Waltrip for the hour.
At 5PM, SPEED covers the Nationwide Series qualifying session that is scheduled to last ninety minutes and go directly into the first Friday Sprint Cup practice at 6:30PM.
There are two sessions, and SPEED will carry them both with a flexible version of NASCAR Live with John Roberts in between. That should be around 7:30PM. The final session cranks-up at 8PM and continues for one hour. SPEED then turns-over the NASCAR action to ESPN for the Nationwide Series race.
This post will serve to host your comments about the Friday NASCAR programming on SPEED from Phoenix. To add your TV-related comments, please click on the COMMENTS button below and follow the easy instructions. The rules for posting are on the right side of the main page. Thanks again for stopping by The Daly Planet.
37 comments:
- Anonymous said...
Mam oh Man!
The 45 missed again!!!
What is up at Petty??
I feel so bad for them
- April 11, 2008 at 9:13 AM
- red said...
anon 9:13: as you likely know, the #45 didn't miss: the time was good enough to take the 43rd position. unfortunately, elliott took the past champion's provisional and so the #45 goes home.
just seems wrong in so many ways, doesn't it? i would certainly like to see nascar do away with that provisional all together. either race the series and get in on time or retire. the manipulation of this provisional and all the driver shuffling it creates is patently unfair.
a past champ is just that: past. his former championship status should not be effecting current teams and drivers.
- April 11, 2008 at 9:36 AM
- Ken said...
With the sponsorship problems of Yates and Petty, the top 35 fiasco may not be a problem much longer. NA$CAR will be looking for field fillers to complete the field like they now do in the Nationwide Series. After a car misses a couple of races, they get so far behind in the points, there is no chance of getting in the top 35. A smart sponsor will go elsewhere.
Maybe when that happens, some of the mid-pack running cars will try harder to win races rather than driving conservatively to keep themselves in the top 35 and an assured starting spot.
- April 11, 2008 at 10:12 AM
- red said...
so, can i just toss out a random thought here even tho' it isn't related to media coverage (b/c 9:30 pm is a lonnnng way off from where i am outside philly!):
how about we let everyone who shows up at qualifying, race?
before you all clamor at me, just think about it. with the current state of sponsorships/lack thereof, how likely is it that we'd be in worse shape than we are now? we already have "field fillers", we already have drivers who want to protect that Top-35 at all costs, we already have "The Chase" deciding the champion for us, we already have inane moments like past champion provisional -- let's do away with all that! let's make it easy.
let's say there's a minimum speed at each track. you go out to qualify and if you meet/exceed that speed, you're in. pretty simple. minimum speed could be the average or mean speed run at that track last time or somesuch math moment.
historically, nascar has run with much larger fields before the 43 car rule came into effect. i don't need to debate better or worse racing but the point was, the field could handle more cars, cars that were certainly far more different than what ends up racing on saturday or sunday. so . . . maybe it's time to look at letting everyone who meets the minimum speed into the show.
i dunno. i just hate it when the #43 doesn't make it to the show or when boris gets rained out of an amazing qualifying effort and all those other ramifications of the current system. yes, a contender could most certainly be wrecked out by a less-than-stellar driver. and that's different than now in what way? and sure! a car could troll along at the back, getting lapped and accomplishing little. again, that's different how?
i prefer simplicity over complicated any day. when i have to resort to studying jayski just to figure out what's going on week to week, something is wrong.
i'm just sayin' . . .
- April 11, 2008 at 10:58 AM
- batchief said...
Red, your suggestion is noble, but my understanding of why the magic number is 43 has to do with the number of pit boxes available. I would like to see the number of automatics reduced to 20 or 25 with no exemptions to start the year based on the previous years points. I can't think of any other major sport where the season before dictates anything in the new season. Sorry to get off the subject John.
- April 11, 2008 at 11:14 AM
- red said...
"pit boxes", right! knew there had to be a glitch in such a simple plan. forgot about how lousy the pit box situation is currently. sigh
- April 11, 2008 at 11:24 AM
- Anonymous said...
- This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
- April 11, 2008 at 12:24 PM
- batchief said...
Aagh yes, another anon poster heard from. Suggesting change has nothing to do with feelings for the sport. Some could say we suggest change to make the sport we care about better with the hope that more people will jump on the Nascar badwagon. For me Nascar is like a family thing.
- April 11, 2008 at 12:51 PM
- red said...
anon 12:24: the statement you have chosen to post is rife with incorrect assumption, hidden under the "anonymous" tag. as such, it is irrelevant.
- April 11, 2008 at 1:10 PM
- Anonymous said...
Red and Batchief:
Agree with your notes and sentiments entirely. The # of pits is a problem, but what about this as a compromise.(I am sending it to Mike Helton too). NASCAR should take the Daytona qualifying model and extend it. Something like this. The top 35 are in and locked. Every other car that shows up and makes a qualifying run then starts a short (as in 1 mandatory pit stop) Saturday heat race-with the starting order based on qualifying speed. The top finishing 8 cars get to race Sunday, and the Champion's provisional ONLY guarantees a spot in the Heat race....not Sunday's race. Even if teams like Petty and Yates don't make the BIG show, they at least get TV time for their sponsors on Saturday. Thoughts?
- April 11, 2008 at 1:48 PM
- Truck Series Fan! said...
I've also thought they could race more cars on larger tracks maybe get as many as 45 or 46 on the superspeedways.
- April 11, 2008 at 2:26 PM
- SophiaZ123 said...
I think the larger tracks should allow more cars. How did they deal with this years ago...were their MORE pit boxes back then or did they just share like they do at a couple tracks that are one pit short.
I am SICK of the PCP myself and I have only been watching since 2004.
Then again, I am not great at math and I think you need an Algebra degree to understand the Daytona qualifying rules.
Geez. 43 fastest race. end of story.
Something is going to have to give or more fans are going to get upset.
How long does NASCAR think they can keep ALIENATING their fans with Brians tweaking of the sport? He believes all is perfect in the sport.
- April 11, 2008 at 2:41 PM
- batchief said...
Anon 1:48, that is a great suggestion is looks workable. Also, with that all cars would have the chance to race for something. Good idea my friend.
- April 11, 2008 at 2:58 PM
- red said...
anon 1:48 -- as a dirt track fan, i relish heat races! the truly hungry guys get up on the wheel and make it happen so they can get a shot at the main feature. works for me.
what i like best about this proposal is that sponsors get a shot at tv time and that has to help keep this sport rolling along. qualifying would take a bit longer but everyone would get some time "in the lights." i would still do away with past champion's provisional: it just seems unfair to me.
as far as pit boxes: nascar could do the staggered yellow flag pitting sort of strategy. it's complicated and has a whole bunch of problems but it is being used currently at tracks that lack enough boxes for every one of the 43 cars.
- April 11, 2008 at 3:12 PM
- boyd said...
Just a little history. The field used to be 42 cars back in the 80's, King Richard missed a race (I think at a short track) and then there was a 43rd spot added as the champions provisional. At that time it was said it was in honor of his car number.
It's been around a lot longer than most think.
Also, Brian baby hasn't tinkered with the PCP yet.
- April 11, 2008 at 4:43 PM
- Anonymous said...
@red--yup those silly pit boxes/garage area is part of it. There are a few where there aren't enough garage stalls. *Most* have 43 pit stalls, I *think* it's Dover/Loudon that has 42 and it's been that way for years. It didn't become an "issue" until a few years ago when Jimmie had qualifying issues and he had to share a pit box. Which ever track it was they're supposed to be reconfiguring it but I don't know if it's been done. Sears Point had to reconfigure there's because some cars had to pit over at Gilligan's Island.
- April 11, 2008 at 5:42 PM
- Anonymous said...
- This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
- April 11, 2008 at 5:45 PM
- Lisa Hogan said...
Just my opinion:
Mr. Byrnes does not make a good "play-by-play" announcer in the booth. He spends too much time on put-down humor and inside jokes.
I enjoy humor in the booth; but today was like Trackside II. I'd rather hear more about what's happening on the track.
- April 11, 2008 at 6:28 PM
- Anonymous said...
today makes me miss Dave D on Monday night.
- April 11, 2008 at 6:38 PM
- Richard in N.C. said...
I've been a Petty fan since before Richard had cowboy hats and still am. So, despite pulling for Kyle, I do have a hard time criticizing the PCP since it helped Richard at the end of his career. Also, from a TV and spectator standpoint, I do like to see the past champions in races since they earned the provisional from their accomplishments - but I like it a lot more when my favorites don't get bumped, like Kyle did.
- April 11, 2008 at 6:39 PM
- SophiaZ123 said...
Mike Joy admitted his mistake on a driver (name escapes me now, brain hiccup..sigh)yesterday.
Said he read on the internet he called the car a Chevrolet instead of a Ford.
:-) think he meant this blog?
Hey, Mike Joy!! I LOVE YOU!! you do not take yourself too seriously, are a class act, do your best to get info to us when you can (like announcing immediately MM was ok after his horrible looking crash last week)
Gotta love it when you hear him sneak in a comment.
Not that I am SAYING he read it here but I seem to recall SOMEBODY pointing that out here yesterday, too.
I really enjoy this group in the booth...Mike, Larry and Darrell.
- April 11, 2008 at 7:12 PM
- Anonymous said...
Comment deleted
This post has been removed by the blog administrator.
April 11, 2008 5:45 PM
I'm surprised this was removed..I thought SPEED showed very poor taste in what they did with the "skit", which is a legit comment on one of the shows at the top of this section. I used no web-link or profanity> I thought tthe segment just showed how far NASCAR & It's partners are from accepting diversity in the sport..
- April 11, 2008 at 7:16 PM
- red said...
richard in nc: i truly understand the feelings folks have for the provisional, especially as it was created so that the king could make a race. as much as i respect everything richard petty has done & continues to do for nascar, that was a mistake in my humble opinion. and frankly? i have always been perplexed that he accepted that provisional.
for me -- just 1 fan among 75 million! -- i would prefer that a champion retire gracefully and not have to receive "a gimme" to keep a career going. seems as if nascar keeps moving a tick further away from "race your way into the show" with each well intentioned move.
- April 11, 2008 at 7:22 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
Thanks to Mike Joy for almost sneaking in a mention....
Anon 5:45PM:
Thanks for taking the time to return. Please help put what you meant into some perspective for folks reading your comment without knowing what specific thing you are referencing.
Anyone is welcome to add a comment, which is why I have tried very hard to keep the Anon label available.
All I ask is that with many hours of NASCAR on Friday, you take a moment to reference your comment.
- April 11, 2008 at 7:51 PM
- Anonymous said...
I think the point wasSPEED had Rudledge acting as a gay Massuse in Pink shirt and talking with affects in giving massage to Sadler.
- April 11, 2008 at 8:01 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
Thanks for the follow-up. We welcome discussions of any point, and if that skit was offensive, please say so.
There has been quite an interesting reaction to Rutledge Wood and his antics. He is often forced to play the clown and make himself look idiotic.
The "Trackside" gang is a veteran bunch, and they are pretty good at not stepping into the wrong topics.
I saw that moment and just thought Rutledge looked like a moron once again. He could be the nicest and smartest guy ever, but he has been so branded by SPEED that whenever he tries to do something with quality involved, it gets lost in translation.
Thanks again for the follow-up.
- April 11, 2008 at 8:09 PM
- Newracefan said...
Haven't seen Trackside yet I did see little but of Elliot's massage during practice and even with no sound I was thinking you have got to be kidding. I may FF thru the entire piece when I do watch, I'm not very fond of the let's see how stupid I can act type stuff
- April 11, 2008 at 8:16 PM
- Lisa Hogan said...
I agree, JD. I do not enjoy the Rutledge act. It makes me either leave the room or the channel. SPEED has now inserted him in every show.
The odd thing is that they need more on-air folks with the extended coverage. If SPEED would just let Rutledge stop the act, I think he would do a good job.
- April 11, 2008 at 8:57 PM
- AMS fan said...
Elliot's massage. I didn't see anything that "almost" any two friends wouldn't do to each other.
I didn't see anyone acting any different than normal. I thought RW was trying to talk like the massuse. It just looked like the guys having fun at the others expense. Right or wrong, it looked like just clean fun amongst friends.
The great thing about this blog, each to their own opinion.
- April 11, 2008 at 9:49 PM
- Anonymous said...
@JD--I agree that it helps to be specific. Not everyone is watching or sometimes may have "seen" it different. So if it's too generic, some may not realize what one is talking about. I didn't see the deleted comments so I don't know how anon 5:45 worded it.
I had the TV on but sound muted since I was on the phones. I saw it but the CC didn't put the same spin that I think a live paying attention would have. Because just from watching and not hearing, I was like "Awwwwww...how sweet Elliott is getting a massage from Rut, hope A isn't jealous"
- April 11, 2008 at 9:50 PM
- stricklinfan82 said...
Mike Joy,
If you're reading this now and this blog was the place you saw the reference to your slip of the tongue on Travis Kvapil's manufacturer during qualifying, I hope you didn't take offense to me saying that. I wasn't trying to be critical at all or trying to put you down in any way. As I said Thursday I know it was an honest mistake and you knew better than that. I just thought it was funny and ironic that a mis-speak like that happened to happen on that particular car, especially considering the logos all over the car :)
You're still the best in the business and I hope my comments didn't upset you in any way, that certainly wasn't the intent. I just hope you got a good laugh out of the situation like I did :)
- April 12, 2008 at 12:58 AM
- Newracefan said...
I finally watched Trackside and the massage piece wasn't as bad as I thought it was actually somewhat funny. The voice was Rutledge trying (sort of) to sound like a girl and he prob talked so Elliot would notice and they could move on. Elliot is enough of a gentleman not to say hey this massage sucks what are you doing and look at "Amy". I think it was Trackside's way of busting on Elliot. The guy who tried to stage dive and crashed and beaned Hammond with a baseball. It all about the "play hard"
- April 12, 2008 at 9:49 AM
- Anonymous said...
currently watching Trackside. Yes I agree, Jeff H and no comment on the "FIKE" and only from DW. Kind of weak. But that is only one side of the issue. Wish we as fans knew the other
- April 12, 2008 at 11:15 AM
- Anonymous said...
Kurt B, only one w/sunglasses. Just looks out of place with the rest of the panel not wearing them
Kingston, NY
- April 12, 2008 at 11:25 AM
- Anonymous said...
wonder if Kurt was hiding another black eye?
- April 12, 2008 at 12:13 PM
- Anonymous said...
Hey guys - the Trackside crew was just messing with Elliott Sadler because Elliott missed the Martinsville show because of his back. That is all it was! Just some friends making fun of another friend. Rutledge made it funny because Elliott had no clue what was going on until he lifted his head.
- April 12, 2008 at 3:48 PM
- Anonymous said...
I thought the massage thing was hilarious. But then again, I have a sense of humor. And I agree with the person that said it was just friends messing with each other.
Those guys just have fun. That's what that show is for. If you don't like to see 4 old friends talking about racing and having guests on, you definitely are watching the wrong program. Their chemistry and laid back attitude is what makes it so fun. Go watch something else if you guys can't enjoy it. It takes less time to change the channel than to get on a website and blog about how much you didn't like something. But again, to each thier own.
- April 12, 2008 at 11:02 PM


text:
533 W. 218th Street (west of Broadway)
New York, NY 10034
Parking Information (This information is provided as a courtesy only. Columbia University is not responsible for the accuracy of this information or the services provided by the listed organizations.)
In Brief
Baker Athletics Complex, located at the northern tip of Manhattan at 218th Street and Broadway, is the primary athletics facility for Columbia outdoor sports programs, featuring Robert K. Kraft Field at Lawrence A. Wien Stadium, Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium, Columbia Softball Field, Robertson Field at Satow Stadium, the Columbia Field Hockey Venue, The Dick Savitt Tennis Center, The Remmer and 1929 Boathouses, the Chrystie Field House and the Campbell Sports Center.
The tract of land on which the Baker Athletics Complex stands was purchased for the University on December 30, 1921 by financier George F. Baker. Then a $700,000 gift, the 26-acre area was dedicated in April, 1922 and hosted spring football practice that same year. In the fall, Columbia's football team continued to practice uptown,but played its games at South Field on the Morningside Heights Campus. The first stadium at the site, then known as Baker Field, opened in the fall of 1923 with 15,000 seats in temporary stands. Five years later, the University built the 32,000 wooden-seat stadium that served Columbia fans for 55 years, until the spring of 1983.
The first game at Baker took place on September 29, 1923, with Columbia defeating Ursinus, 13-0. The opening game in the official stadium was played on Sept. 29, 1928 as Columbia defeated Vermont, 20-0.
Lawrence A. Wien Stadium, home to the Lions' football and lacrosse teams, was opened on Sept. 22, 1984, and also features an outdoor, eight-lane Rekortan running track. In October 2007, the playing field at Wien Stadium was named Robert K. Kraft Field in honor of Robert Kraft '63CC.
Baker has been upgraded several times since 2005, including state of the art surfaces for all of Columbia's teams that compete at Baker Athletics Complex. Columbia's baseball, field hockey, softball and soccer teams all play on sport-specific surfaces for their respective sports.
(Note: Parking for Football games in and around the Baker Athletics Complex is extremely limited. Fans are encouraged to use mass transit when possible.)
From WEST SIDE HIGHWAY/HENRY HUDSON PARKWAY: Exit Dyckman Street, and proceed east to Broadway. Make a left on Broadway and proceed 20 blocks north to 218th Street.
From FDR/HARLEM RIVER DRIVE: Continue north to end of Harlem River Drive. Bear right at light and proceed north on 10th Avenue to 218th Street.
*From MAJOR DEEGAN EXPRESSWAY (I-87): Exit 230th Street. Proceed on 230th Street westbound (from north – make right at light; from south make left at light). Continue on 230th Street to Broadway. Make left on Broadway and proceed 12 blocks to 218th Street.
From WEST: Take George Washington Bridge and follow signs for Henry Hudson Parkway North or Major Deegan Expressway North(follow directions above).
From NORTH: Take Cross-Westchester Expressway (I-287) or Cross-County Parkway west to Saw Mill River Parkway south. Take the Saw Mill to the Henry Hudson Parkway South or Major Deegan Expressway South (follow directions above).
From NEW ENGLAND: Take Connecticut Turnpike (I-95) to Cross Bronx Expressway (I-95). Exit Cross Bronx to Major Deegan Expressway North or Henry Hudson Parkway North (follow directions above).
From LONG ISLAND: Take Long Island Expressway East to Clearview Expressway North, or Northern State Parkway/Grand Central Parkway East to Cross Island Parkway North to Throgs Neck Bridge. Bear left after toll for Cross Bronx Expressway (I-95) South (follow directions above).
*Commercial and Oversize Vehicles must use Major Deegan Expressway.
By MTA NEW YORK CITY SUBWAY: Broadway-Seventh Avenue IRT Local ("1" train) north or south to 215th Street, then walk two blocks north and cross Broadway at W. 218th Street. OR 8th Avenue IND Express ("A" train) north to 207th Street (exit at north end of platform - 211th Street), then proceed north to 218th Street.
By MTA METRO-NORTH COMMUTER RAIL: Marble Hill Station is located just across the Harlem River from Baker Athletics Complex, at 225th Street. Walk east to Broadway, then south across the Broadway Bridge to 218th Street.


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this was awesome. so good to read.
We don't need no education...
Yes you do, you've just used a double negative!
Thanks TG for doing these blogs in your spare time, im looking for to blog number #7. Also i would be happy to recieve a battle damaged faker take up a monthly variant slot maybe with a few new accessories from Tri-Klops.
Evil Army of the Horde!!
"A knight is sworn to valor. His heart knows only virtue. His blade defends the helpless. His word speaks only truth. His wrath undoes the wicked."
Mumble, can anyone illuminate me about which mini-comic is "Glut's mini-comic" (about giants helping to build Castle Grayskull), please? :.
GozzoMan, Heroic Cherry Picker
"A knight is sworn to valor. His heart knows only virtue. His blade defends the helpless. His word speaks only truth. His wrath undoes the wicked."
The point is: TG is an employee of Mattel, and anything he writes in association with his job becomes a reflection on that company, whether it's an official press release, a blog, or an answer to an online question. As such, folks who take affront at being told that "This is their Hiss" and "Moss Man is not a bath toy" have every reason and right to talk about it. And any professional would look at that criticism, realize that some of what he is doing and some of his favorite phrases are ticking off part of his already small customer base, and make some changes. You can't please everyone all the time, and some folks will gripe just to gripe. But you and others often attack anyone who questions TG or points out his failings, which is just as bad as those who attack anything he says regardless.
In this article, TG's snarkiness and tendency to blame fans is starting to come through again in the opinion of a lot of the posters. Defending your belief that's not the case is one thing, but several of the posts here come dang close to attacking fellow fans, calling them haters and generalizing the rants of a few to anyone who says anything bad about Scott. And that's crossing the line as much as calling TG the devil incarnate regardless of what he does.
Folks are frustrated with the numerous problems they've been having simply getting their figures, and some of TG's answers to those problems have been borderline clueless. He's the face of the line and, by default, Matty, and is the first target when things go wrong. In this article, he goes a little too much into blaming that on fans who will never be satisfied with anything. Bad timing for the above reasons, and this really left a bad taste in my and other mouths. And since this is a discussion of this blog, that came out. This article doesn't exist in a vacuum, it touches on a lot of things that have been problematic for a long time, and folks are naturally bringing up those things while discussing it. Talking about the article without bringing up those issues would be like talking about America landing on the moon and ignoring Sputnik, Yuri Gagarin, and the cold war in the discussion. It's impossible not to talk about past things when we see the same problems right here.
Heck, if I ever met TG in person, I wouldn't take back anything I've said, but I would be happy to buy the guy a drink for helping bring the line into being. Not everyone criticizing TG hates the man's guts or hauls him up for every word that comes out of his mouth. Just remember that, okay. folks, and just try to have a civil discussion where we respect some differing opinions?
My last word on that for this thread.
"I will use this power for all the good that can be done, to work for peace, to encourage virtue, and above all, to preserve life in all its forms..." Superman
"A knight is sworn to valor. His heart knows only virtue. His blade defends the helpless. His word speaks only truth. His wrath undoes the wicked."
I tend to think people give him a pass due to the nature of the situation. I think there is a fear associated that if Scott gets too much criticism, he will stop communicating with us at all. The problem with that is that he is just like anyone else and has opportunities to do his job better. He needs to hear that people don't like the veiled jabs in what should be a fun and informative blog about the history of the Classics line.
Furthermore, if this was any other product or service, would people really be this tolerant? If you went to Starbucks and you placed a complaint about your coffee to the manager, would you honestly tolerate a "This is your coffee, folks" kind of answer? Of course you wouldn't. You wouldn't put up with it then, and it shouldn't be tolerated now. He has a tendency of making these kind of statements, and it needs to stop. It doesn't do him any favors in doing what is an essential function of his job, which is maintaining a relationship with Mattel's clients.
Most wanted: Starburst She-ra, Lodar, Vintage Toy Catra, Lady Slither, and the Great Black Wizard!
It's funny, but I can see both sides of this. I do think there seems to be a part of Scott's personality that, when he gets defensive, he can come off as slightly dismissive or "snarky." But, on the other side, there are posters here who CLEARLY have some sort of (odd) agenda when it comes to Scott. Their entire posting lives (or certainly a large percentage on this particular subforum) are devoted to nothing but taking little swipes at Mattel or Scott. Clearly, for them, they simply just don't like Scott (or, at the very least, his public persona) and feel some wrong (perceived or real) has been done to them. And they aren't going to let any of us forget it. But, I think that might be three or four posters I can list off the top of my head. And no, I won't list them. We all know who they are. They might not see it themselves, but we do. The thing is, they are a VERY tiny minority whose opinion—no matter how biased it seems—must be accepted in the spirit of open communication. If they step over the line into being downright abusive, I trust the mods will do their work.
I can understand some of the criticism leveled at Scott. There are times when I do think he comes off as kind of awkward with the way he phrases things and certainly there seems to be some tension/weirdness elsewhere that I'm not even going go into but that I will say is, frankly, disappointing. Also, there are other times where I think what he is posting is pretty much innocent but I just know the wording will set SOMEONE off here. The thing is, I don't know that not everyone is terribly objective when it comes to him. They are more than willing to dish it out, but if he comes back at them with even the mildest swipe they run behind the protective curtain of "but I'm a fan! You can't talk to me that way Mr. Brand Manager." But to me, just as Scott is not some superhuman brand computer that makes no mistakes, I understand that not every poster here is going to be some superhuman fan computer that always interprets everything as it is intended. In the same vein, even though I don't understand why some people seem to make their relationship with Scott so weirdly (to me) personal, I accept that this sometimes happens.
Communication is a two-way street. The thing is, even if the relationship between Scott and some fans has been bungled, it doesn't have to be permanent. But for anything to move forward, then fans have to let go of their past annoyances and quit bringing them up every two seconds. Also, it'd help if they didn't spin elaborate conspiracy theories all the time. It's good to be questioning. It's counterproductive to be cynical. And at the same time, it would be good for Scott to perhaps rethink some phrasing as some of it can come off as being defensive. I understand his determination to get out there the work he has done on the line and to get fans to fully appreciate the hard work he has put in. I think he has done TONS of it. I think he's a huge MOTU fan and that we owe him a TON of thanks for that work. In fact, when I "met" him at PowerCon (for all of two seconds, he gave me the mini-comic and signed it) that's what I said to him. I said thanks for his work. But the truth of the matter is, there will probably be some people who won't ever acknowledge that. He should accept that and move on. If I were in his shoes, I would have told some of you off a long time ago, and it would have been the wrong thing to do. I already feel bad for being brusque sometimes with some people no here. That's why I'm a creative manager and not a brand manager, though. Also, from Mattel's side (and I say Mattel, as I'm not sure this is COMPLETELY down to Scott) there really does need to be some major changes with Digital River. Like, we need to be able to change our shipping from the horrible Newgistics to UPS, for instance. I think shaping that section of it up and making it more customer focused would solve a lot of issues.
But I think it behooves EVERYONE to let go of the past and move forward, understanding that neither fans nor Scott nor the 4H nor Mattel nor He-man.org nor ANYONE is going to get it all right all the time. We should all acknowledge that we're human and not let that take away from our shared love of MOTU. I love these commentaries. I just started reading them, and they are a fascinating look behind the scenes and I do think there are some very reasonable explanations for some of the stuff we've perceived as being odd as fans over the years. I also love the look into the creative process. I hope these continue on and on.
Last edited by mekaneckpain; March 2, 2012 at 01:26pm. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
However, 'This is your King Hiss' is EXACTLY the right thing to say. Remember this was after the Panthor flocked/no Flocked fiasco. In order to placate fans, he admitted that a 'flocked' Panthor was possible in the future...
But reallly... just because it's possible, didn't mean they have it planned or will happen anytime soon. Just not happening.
So when people started screaming about how they were gonna skip Hiss and wait for the rerelease,refresh,v2,200x version... it was absolutely right of him to come out and say 'guys, we don't have one planned... it's not gonna happen. If you want a Hiss... This is the only one we're making.'
If he'd just gone with the stock answer of 'Anything is possible, that's be a great refresh'.. then people would be upset by THAT 'dismissive' answer too...
Myself, I pick Candid truth over corporate babble any day
If you don't like you coffee, Starbucks would give you another one. Same as Mattel does. Try going to Starbucks and telling them you don't like the shape of this cup. You want another one. Or you don't like the taste of these beans... you want a different kind of beans...
See what they say.
We're not talking about replacing a broken toy... they DO that... King Hiss, Snout spout... we're talking about going back to the factory making drastic changes to the molds and starting up production again...
Should they do it, probably... Will they? Not a chance.
Planet Claire has pink air
All the trees are red
No one ever dies there
No one has a headThe B-52's
One thing about the blog specifically - the idea of having Faker's hair be removable and showing circuits in the t-slot is REALLY cool. I would have loved that. Even if they can't do a Terminator-like head down the road something like this would be neat if they ever re-release him or redo him.
Dc Direct did that with Amazo
Another interesting blog.
Y'know, it's interesting, and a bit ironic, that Scott wanted to write these blog's in a similar fashion to the behind-the-scenes segments on DVDs. What always bothered me about those DVD segments was how they are always patting themselves on the back on what a good job they did, even if the movie was crap. Now, Scott's blog has that same "I did a great job!" theme. Just like a DVD extra.
Anyway, I do appreciate the time he takes to write it and give us a look, albeit small, into the "making of a figure."
Lastly, I really don't care about the bios. I read them all, but don't care how well done they are. The actual names of the characters all suck, so whatevs. I think some fans care too much about them. But to each his own.
"Everything comes to he who waits."


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The operators of Bowhaus dog daycare and boarding in Erie recently acquired a property in Boulder, where they plan to open a second location, officials with the Boulder-based Colorado Group announced.
Bowhaus Partners LLC purchased the 15,500-square-foot building at 6560 Odell Place for $1.1 million from Solid Systems Building Partnership, according to Boulder County property records.
Bowhaus owners Dan and Susan Nicholson are renovating the property and anticipate opening their business — which will offer services such as grooming, dog and cat boarding and dog daycare — by Feb. 15, said officials with the Boulder-based Colorado Group.
The four existing tenants at the property will remain, said Jason Kruse, a principal at the Colorado Group.
Kruse represented Bowhaus Partners, and Sallie Taylor, of Irwin and Hendrick represented the seller. John Wahl, of Wells Fargo, arranged the financing for the purchase of the building, Kruse said.


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The fog is thick and the winds are brisk, not a great day for whale watching. But here I am clutching the damp rail of a temporarily converted lobster boat as it plows through two-metre swells. Suddenly, skipper Roy Graham shuts off the big diesel for a few minutes.
"Just listen," says guide Penny Graham. "We can't see them, but we might hear them and get closer."
A dozen pair of ears tune in for the whoosh of a humpback blowing, or exhaling, as it breaks the surface. Since whales will often move in one direction, we could follow and hopefully get close enough to see something through the fog. But the wind drowns out any whales that might be in this prime area off Brier Island, reputed as the best place to see them in the Maritimes.
It's not great today. When there's fog and no wind you can hear the humpbacks. The wind is not a problem when you can see the giants breach.
But we were warned. Roy and Penny have been doing this longer than most, filling in time between lobster seasons by taking out whale-watchers. There are now more than a dozen firms from the city of Digby right out along the spectacular 73-kilometre spit called the Digby Neck to Long Island and Brier Island.
Two hours earlier, Penny had stood on deck and described the weather as marginal. We were told we'd be lucky to see anything, but since many folks just had the one day on the island, it was a four-and-a-half hour boat ride now, or try again tomorrow.
And the forecast for tomorrow was more of the same.
"Anyone want to get off now? Once the boat leaves the dock, we're not turning back," said Penny.
After a few hours on the heaving sea, a few green-faced landlubbers had wished they'd taken that advice.
As the wind picked up, many hoped the fog would blow off. Penny laughed. "Nope, this is a soueaster." Translation: The wind was just bringing in more fog from the Atlantic, which seems to have limitless fog to share with Nova Scotia.
Penny scanned the sea for "fluke prints," areas of foam where a whale has smashed its tail into to sea. Nothing.
She inhaled deeply. "I smell them." The boat stopped again. "When they're feeding you can't miss that smell."
The distinctive odour of herring is often a great way to track the whales, But alas, not today. On we went through the fog, hoping that something would pop up within 50 metres of the boat.
And suddenly, something did. "There," she yelled. Everyone bolted for the rail to see what looked like a giant porpoise arc through the sea on a parallel course.
"It's just a minke."
The smaller whale doesn't have the reputation for playfulness of the humpback, but on a day like this any whale will do.
The sleek, dark back and dorsal fin appeared a couple more times, and then so did an orange zodiac craft. "That's Tiverton. They've come to see our whale. Nobody is seeing anything today," said Penny.
As we docked at Brier Island, Penny handed everyone a complementary pass. "Sorry about today. Come back and ride for free next time."
At the end of a spectacular formation of volcanic rock, Brier looks out into the Bay of Fundy with a rugged face of 40-metre cliffs that reminds many of the Giants Causeway in Ireland. On neighbouring Long Island, a popular stopping spot is Balancing Rock, a sliver of basalt that seems to stand alone.
Brier's southern point trails off into the sea, leaving the bar of Green Island and Gull Rock, a graveyard for unfortunate ships caught in the powerful tides of Fundy and St. Mary's Bay.
Losses were so great that the first lighthouse was erected in 1809, with two more in later decades. The locals were not above scavenging materials from wrecks. A lumber ship that was smashed on the rocks in 1908 yielded enough wood to build the community hall.
At just five kilometres long, Brier is a tiny island rich in history. Three hours from the U.S., it was a major rum-running base during Prohibition. Special low-profile, fast boats were built on the island to evade the authorities. (During a Nova Scotia liquor strike, the flow was reversed, admits one resident. "We loaded up in Maine.")
In the mid-1800s, the village of Westport was a major port for the trade of salted cod to the Caribbean, bringing back molasses and rum which were then taken to England.
The seafaring roots run deep. The village was the boyhood home of Joshua Slocum, who sailed alone around the world in his 37-foot sloop the Spray between 1895 and 1898, a feat until then thought impossible.
Once home to a fleet of sailing vessels, the harbour today is the base for an important lobster fishery from November through April. But you won't find lobster on the menu at Lavena's Catch Cafe, a quaint spot near the ferry ramp in Freeport, a few minutes across Grand Passage from Brier.
Judged one of the best places to eat in Nova Scotia, it's also inexpensive and a hit with locals and tourists. The haddock and scallops are locally caught and fresh each day.
Our bed-and-breakfast in a restored 1830 home was just a short walk to the ferry, which runs hourly.
On the other end, our server advised us it would be leaving right on time. "Well, my stepfather is the captain."
Because of its location on the Atlantic Flyway and at the gateway to the Bay of Fundy, and the great tides which have created a rich ecosystem, Brier is a major stopover for migrating seabirds, shorebirds, waterfowl and hawks. The Big Pond lowlands and Whipple Point are protected areas.
While the whole Digby Neck is spectacular, it is not beach country -- with one exception. At the hamlet of Sandy Cove, a short unmarked road leads to the secluded Sandy Cove Beach, a popular place in the summer when the sun is shining and the water temperature tolerable. That wasn't the case in late September.
We found several spectacular white sand beaches west of Halifax on the southwest coast. But the water temperature was a chilly 10C.
- FLIGHTS: WestJet and Air Canada offer daily direct flights to Halifax. Digby is 235-kilometre drive through the beautiful Annapolis Valley. Digby Neck is a narrow ribbon of land between the Bay of Fundy and St. Mary's Bay. There is a two-minute ferry across Petite Passage to Long Island, and a five minute ferry from the end of Long Island to Brier Island. ($4 per car for each ferry. No charge for return trip.)
- Accommodation: Bay of Fundy Inn, a restored 1830 home now run as a bed-and-breakfast. $75 night for two. (1-800-239-2189). Owners also run Mariner Cruises Whale and Seabird Tours. A tour of up to five hours on the water costs about $48 per person, $40 for seniors and students, $26 for children. Website: www.novascotiawhalewatching.ca
- There is also a lodge, hostel and motel on Brier, as well as other whale watching firms. Order the free Doer's and Dreamers' guide from the province.
Website: www.novascotia.com
- The Grahams say around Brier Island, finback whales, minke whales and harbour porpoises are the first to arrive in the spring. In June, the humpbacks begin to return; by late June they are abundant, and white-sided dolphins are often seen. By mid-July all five species are commonly sighted and usually remain until late fall.


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Senior Knights
down McPherson
The Newton Senior Knights American Legion baseball team downed McPherson 7-5 Monday night at Klein-Scott Field.
Down 3-1 after two innings, Newton scored three runs in the bottom of the third. McPherson tied the game in the top of the fourth, but Newton replied with a run in the bottom of the fifth. Each team scored a run in the sixth inning. A Knight run in the bottom of the eighth gave the Knights a two-run cushion.
Gunar Drinnen went three for four hitting for Newton with a sacrifice fly.
Drinnen started the game, giving way to Peyton Dahl in the fifth inning. Dahl was credited with the win. Keil Stauffer struck out four batters in the final two innings for the save,
Steve Gonzalez started for McPherson. Aaron Marshall took the loss.
Marshall and Alex Ruxlow each went three for four hitting for McPherson. Ethan Nadew went two for five.
Results of Tuesday's game at McPherson were not received at deadline.
Newton plays Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Garden City Invitational. Newton plays at 5:30 p.m. Friday and two games on Saturday. Medal games are Sunday.
McPher. 210 101 000 —5 9 2
Newton 103 011 01x —7 7 2
Gonzalez, Marshall (L) 7 and Likely; Drinnen, Dahl (W) 5, Stauffer (S) 8 and Sweely.
Wingnuts lose
series opener
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas — The Wichita Wingnuts opened a road series at Grand Prairie with a 2-1 loss Tuesday.
Josh Strawn went seven innings for the AirHogs, allowing a run on six hits with a walk and five strikeouts. Justin Dowdy and Patrick Mincey each pitched an inning, striking out two. Mincey was credited with the save.
For Wichita, Justin Klipp went seven innings in the loss, allowing two runs on six hits with a walk and four strikeouts. Andrew Aizensadt finished the game.
Jared McDonald went two for three hitting for Wichita, scoring the sole run on a solo home run. Jake Kahaulelio went two for four hitting.
Brian Myrow led Grand Prairie, going two for four with an RBI.
The series continues today.
Wichita 001 000 000 —1 6 0
Grnd.Pr. 100 010 00x —2 6 1
Klipp (L, 2-1), Aizenstadt 8 and Armstrong; Strawn (W, 6-1), Dowdy 8, Mincey (S, 11) 9 and Flores. HR — W: McDonald (2). Time — 2:23. Attendance — 1,026.
Wild GM
to retire
PARK CITY — Wichita Wild indoor football team general manager John Blazek has announced his retirement.
Blazek, the Champions Professional Indoor Football League executive of the year, guided the team to its first ever league playoff title and a three-way tie for the regular-season title.
"(Wild owner Wink) Hartman hired me three years ago to bring a championship to the Wild organization and to Wichita; that goal has been accomplished," Blazek said. "It's time for me to step down and let someone else take the reins. I am excited for my next chapter in life, and that is to spend more time with my grandchildren. I have spent 35 years with other kids and families and it's time to focus on my family now. The past three years working for Mr. Hartman have been some of the best years in my life. I have worked with some great people in my career and Wink Hartman, Morris Lolar, and Lebaron Hollimon are among those people."
Blazek's retirement comes after his wife retired from the Maize school district at the end of the school year.
Wingnut players
take honors
WICHITA — Wichita Wingnuts pitcher Ryan Hinson was named the American Association pitcher of the month for June.
Hinson was 5-1 with a 1.41 earned-run-average in six starts last month. He went seven or more innings in five of those outings. He also became the team's career record holder for strikeouts in that span.
For the season, Hinson is 6-2 with a 1.75 ERA.
C.J. Ziegler was named the AA batter of the week for the week ending Sunday. Ziegler had at least one hit in each of the Wingnuts' six games. Wichita finished the week 5-1.
Ziegler was 10 for 22 hitting with 10 runs scored, three home runs and 14 RBIs. He tied the team record for RBIs in a game, driving in seven runs in a 20-6 win over the Laredo Lemurs. Ziegler is the third Wichita player to take weekly AA honors this season.
Thunder to
host contest
WICHITA — The Wichita Thunder is hosting a slogan contest for the 2013-14 season.
The contest will run from today through July 17. The winning selection will be used with the Thunders' advertising campaign for the season. The winner will receive a season ticket in the blue, yellow or green section.
Submissions should be sent to email@example.com. They are due by 5 p.m. July 17.


text:
Calla Lily - Fall Pack - 50 Stems
- $ 148 98 148.98
About this item
The Calla Lilies have a large, trumpet-shaped bloom that rests upon a long, smooth stem.
Perfect for your wedding, event, resale or individual needs.
Please have someone available to receive and process the flowers on the delivery date.
For further information regarding care and handling please see our Flower Care Guide.
- Due to differences in monitor resolution, color intensity may vary from actual items
- Bunches: 5
- Stems per bunch: 10
- Stem length: 22-24 in.
- Colored Callas are available year round
- Very delicate flowers
- Suggested delivery date of at least 2 days before your event
- Bouquets/Bunches are individually sleeved to ensure protection during shipping
- Exposing flowers to a warmer environment will help the flower bloom, storing them in a cooler will slow down the opening process
- Slight shade variations from actual picture may occur, but will be consistent within the bouquet
Substitution Policy:
To assure optimum freshness, different varieties may be substituted based on availability. In making substitutions, we take great care to ensure that we exceed your expectations, and that you will be satisfied with the flower quality and performance.
Flower Care and Conditioning :
These flowers are shipped dry and may appear "wilted" when you first receive them. This is natural, as they have been without water for over 24 hours and are very thirsty. The initial hydration process is imperative so your flowers are at optimum freshness and appearance.
Follow the Care Guidelines Below:
- Unpack flowers immediately upon arrival
- To make your calla lilies last as long as possible, try to handle them as little as possible, taking extra care to avoid touching the flower heads themselves
- Fill a clean container/vase with fresh cool water and add flower food provided
- Keep only 1-2 inches of water in the bottom of the vase.
- Remove any foliage that falls below the waterline of your container
- Using a sharp knife or scissors, make a clean cut of at least 1/2" off the end of the stem
- Place the flowers in the prepared container
- Allow flowers at least 4 hours to hydrate.
- Do not place flowers in direct sunlight and keep in a cool location
- When arranging calla lilies in a bridal or bridesmaid bouquet, keep in mind that the flower stems can drip, leaving stains or marks on dresses or other material. To avoid this, let the flowers stay approximately 30 minutes out of water before holding close to fabric.
- If callas' stems are curved and need to be straightened, wrap them loosely in newspaper, and store them upright in a tall bucket, vase or container.
- Change water and re-cut stems every 3 days
Delivery dates and prices fluctuate with seasonal availability and demand.
Although your order takes 7 days to process, we suggest you place the order from 7 to 30 days in advance. Since flowers are perishable and affected by weather, please have someone present to receive the flowers between 8 a.m. and 12 noon if you live in a metropolitan area or 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. if you live in a suburban or rural area. This will ensure that your flowers are not left at the doorstep or sent back for next day delivery.
Additionally, shipments may be delayed by weather or other unforeseen circumstances resulting in shipping and/or delivery dates being modified.
Order Cancellation Information :
Please note that all requests to cancel a floral order must be made within 4 business days of the scheduled delivery date of the order.
No deliveries to Alaska, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico.
Assembled Country
Component Country
Member reviews & questions
Ask & Answer
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Shipping Information
Standard - 2 to 6 business days
Due to the speed of delivery, order tracking numbers may not be available prior to the day of delivery.
Warranty Information
This product is covered by the Sam's Club Member Satisfaction Guarantee. Sam's Club guarantees timely delivery of fresh, beautiful flowers. If you are not completely satisfied with your product please contact us immediately to request a refund or replacement. Requests for replacements must be received prior to 2:00 pm CST in order to have a replacement order sent out. Replacements will only be provided if the flowers arrive in poor condition. Images will be required for any replacement or refund and must be received within 48 hours after receiving the product. Refunds will not be given for circumstances resulting from negligence. Order cancellation requests must be received at least four days prior to the delivery date. Orders cancelled less than four days before the delivery date will not be refunded.


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IT IS ILLEGAL for companies doing busi-ness by phone to promise you a loan and ask for you to pay for it before they deliver. For more informa-tion, call toll-free 1-877-FTC-HELP A public service message from THE OLDHAM ERA and the Federal Trade Commission.
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