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Spring's new beginning has Bucs optimistic
Talented club offers hope to fans frustrated by 20 years of struggles
By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com
BRADENTON, Fla. -- For the most outward sense of optimism associated with the pitchers' and catchers' report date and all it entails, you walk through the doors welcoming you to the place they call Pirate City. You stroll through the hallways lined with photos or jerseys of the likes of Clemente, Mazeroski, Stargell, Wagner and the brothers Waner and step into the clubhouse, where Russell Martin is unpacking a fresh pair of Air Jordan cleats.
It is here, at Pirate City, where the spirit of this baseball holiday is at its height. Because a day when everybody is 0-0 is always good for what ails a team all too accustomed to the wrong side of the ledger.
This, after all, is a day for positivity. A day when you can focus more on the promise of Andrew McCutchen, Pedro Alvarez, Neil Walker and Jerry Sands than the pain of 20 losing seasons past. A day when Francisco Liriano can look down at his fractured right arm -- an injury sustained the day before he was to sign a since-discarded two-year, $12.75 million deal -- and see it healing, hopeful that he is on the verge of an NL-induced, A.J. Burnett-like bounceback. A day when Gerrit Cole is on the come and Starling Marte is on the rise and Jonathan Sanchez is finally going to put it all together, you'll see.
And yes, a day when Martin's cleats are unsullied by soil or cynicism.
"Everybody," Martin says, "is in first place right now. That's the way I see it. Whatever happened in the past, you can't change it. But what you can do is get your mind right for the season coming up. That's what our expectation should be -- to get focused and prepare to the best of our ability."
What, exactly, is the Pirates' ability, at this particular point? Hard to tell after yet another frustrating finish to a season that had flirted with contention or at least competitiveness. The Pirates were 2 1/2 games behind the NL Central-leading Reds in early August last year, only to lose 36 of their next 52.
Said closer Jason Grilli: "Everybody went from, 'Wow, we're on a playoff run' to, 'Well, at least we'll have a winning season' to…"
To square one, essentially.
The power of perspective is such that the seven-win increase from '11 to '12 was much less the storyline than was the consecutive losing seasons streak -- the longest such streak in North American professional sports. That streak colors every conversation about the Pirates. Case in point: While Pirates pitchers and catchers were unpacking their personal belongings, word was spreading about Pope Benedict's resignation, prompting famed stat analyst and political prognosticator Nate Silver to tweet this:
"No pope has resigned since 1415, which is also the last time the Pittsburgh Pirates had a winning record."
Oof. Even the math whizzes pile on the Pirates.
One of these years, the team will get it right. And on a day like this, you can't help but hope that this is indeed the year, if only for the sanity of long-suffering Pittsburghian baseball fans.
Of course, we don't have an inordinately ample assemblage of acquisitions that allow us to point to the Pirates as a team on the verge of newfound glory. Last year's Trade Deadline additions -- Wandy Rodriguez, Travis Snider and Gaby Sanchez -- did little to push the Pirates forward, and Liriano comes with more questions than answers. At least Martin, fresh off two reputation-rebuilding seasons in pinstripes, comes with the cachet of experience in a winning culture, and the Pirates are paying a cool $17 million over two years for the privilege.
Martin made it clear that the money -- and the speed with which that money was offered -- was what wooed him to Pirate City. Strange, of course, that the money didn't come from the Yankees, but that was the new reality in which we lived this winter.
"Having the money and wanting to spend the money are two different things," Martin said. "That's the business aspect I have no control over. I have nothing to do with [the Yankees'] decision-making. If they feel they can save a bit of money by going with two guys who don't really cost that much, and they feel they still have a competitive team and that was an area where they could save a little money, that's the business side of it, and I have no problem with it.
"Would I enjoy playing with the Yankees? Of course, who wouldn't? It's a great environment to play in, a winning environment. It's fun. But I didn't get that opportunity, and I'm going to make the best of the opportunity I have now."
It is not dumbing things down to suggest that the Pirates' fortunes and Martin's ability to make the most of this opportunity are very much entwined. Because while the lineup has a respectable amount of promise and potential in the form of those mid-20s players entering their primes, it is imperative that the Bucs get every ounce of upside out of their arms, and the veteran catcher should have no small amount of input.
Cole, the No. 1 overall Draft pick in 2011, is counted as a potential saving grace, but let's not put too much on the kid too quickly. For now, the immediate focus is on lowering Burnett's home-run-to-fly-ball rate, getting Rodriguez's strikeout rate back up to his former norms, figuring out what the heck happened to James McDonald in the second half of '12 and capitalizing on Liriano's surprisingly solid walk, strikeout and homer rates, once he's healthy.
Those are among the tasks on Martin's radar, and his offseason perusal of the Pirates' video logs got him started. But Spring Training will be the real learning period, and Martin, for one, is going into it with open eyes.
"I don't have any expectations for what the outcome of the season can be," he said. "It's really a fresh outlook. I'm just ready to compete. I feel like, with this team, there's a bit more youth. I feel I can be a leader when it comes to helping pitchers understand themselves and get better. I don't want their expectations to be anything different than just going out there and competing and having fun."
Martin has it right, for a team in the Pirates' position can't afford outright expectations. But on this day, the sun was shining on Pirate City, the slate was clean and the cleats were fresh out the box. It felt like enough to move forward.
Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his columns and follow him on Twitter at @Castrovince. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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This interview was posted in the Free Agency thread by KingMaxwell, but I wanted to shine a little more light on it, as he makes some great quotes throughout the interview.
Catching Up With Vince Carter
On possibly signing with the Raptors:
Initially reflecting on his time with the Raptors:Vince Carter wrote:
On the perception that Toronto is a bad city to play in:Vince Carter wrote:
On whether he hopes to one day be Accepted by Raptors Fans:Vince Carter wrote:
Vince Carter wrote:
What do you say guys? Water under the bridge? C'moon. C'mooooon!

subset: commoncrawl


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ProjectForge is a Web-based solution for project management including time sheet booking, Gantt charts, financial administration and controlling, issue management, and managing work-break-down structures. First-party and third-party plugins are supported. Ready-to-run packages of the ProjectForge server are available for Windows, Mac OS X, and all Java6-capable platforms (database and Web server are included). ProjectForge is also available as a web-archive file (war) for usage within your own Web server and for your own database installation.
ZShaolin installs a powerful terminal on your Android device, without requiring root. It comes with applications to edit text, images, audio, and video using shell scripts and programs like FFMpeg, ImageMagick, Sox, Oggz, Lua, awk, sed, vim, emacs, git, SSH, and rsync. A zsh command line environment comes pre-configured with colors, smart completion, error correction, and all man pages, making ZShaolin also suitable for those who would like to learn shell scripting and Unix system administration via a remote session.
Engroup is an enterprise groupware system promotes collaboration among members in a team or company. It also helps members manage their business better. It has the following modules: a dashboard that aggregates contents from the mail system and RSS from some known sources; private messages, an alternative method for fast communication among members to replace chatting or email; email, which supports the IMAP protocol with SSL enabled; a forum, implemented with JForum; a wiki, implemented with JSPWiki; HRM to manage employee information; CRM to manage customer information; a document management system; a project management system; a todo list to track private tasks of a user; and an RSS reader.
USL is an object-oriented scripting language written with C++ and compiled on both Linux and Windows. Without a script provided, USL is an interactive interpreter and programmable command shell. There is no socket programming with USL. USL is intended for general purpose scripting in local systems.
mod_pLua is an Apache HTTP Server 2.x module for developing Web applications with Lua. With mod_pLua, you can use Lua for scripting in two distinct ways; Embedded Lua scripting, <?lua print("Hello, world!") ?>, or plain Lua scripting with a CGI-style interface. mod_pLua precompiles all scripts and caches the compiled binary code so that each new call to the same file will be lightning fast, allowing you to serve hundreds of thousands of requests per minute on any modern server. Mod_pLua supports both the traditional Lua interpreter as well as LuaJIT for both Windows and UNIX platforms. If your Web server supports it, mod_pLua also utilizes APR_DBD and mod_dbd to handle persistent database connections through the dbopen() Lua function.
PHTML Encoder encodes PHP scripts before distributing them. The script code is encrypted before saving. PHTML Encoder includes console and GUI versions of the converter. You can lock your scripts to a predefined machine via machine ID, and can combine protected/unprotected scripts on one website.
Diluculum is a library that intends to make the coexistence of C++ and Lua more harmonious. In this regard, it offers essentially three "services": a nice way to access data stored in a Lua interpreter; a not so bad way to write functions in C++ and make them available to Lua; and a limited and just barely usable way to register C++ classes and objects in a Lua state.
NetConnect is a command line tool for automating the login process to routers, switches, or UNIX hosts and any intermediate devices or proxies in the path. It does this by using credentials supplied within a configuration file. It also allows users to run Perl based scripts on a single device or devices in parallel to automate tasks. Although it was originally designed around Cisco routers and switches, it can be extended to work with any CLI based device by specifying custom prompts that different devices use. It works well with Cisco routers and switches as the concepts around "enable" mode and the corresponding syntax of the prompt are contained within the source. Devices can be stored within your configuration file, so you are able to connect to devices using a portion of their name (using regular expressions) as opposed to having to remember IP addresses or full DNS names.


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When DailyTech
stopped by ECS's Computex booth today, we found a notebook sitting by itself
with no name tag or description whatsoever. We asked a few ECS reps if they had
any inclination as to what was powering this mysterious 15.4" notebook, but
no one knew its true identity -- that is until we grabbed an ECS Asia Pacific
(APAC) Notebook Product Manager. He informed us that the nameless notebook was
based on Intel's upcoming Santa Rosa
platform which replaces Napa.
Intel's Santa Rosa
platform, which is due out in Q1 2007, supports Merom-based Core 2 Duo processors. Santa Rosa will also use a new wireless networking
chip codenamed Kedron to replace the
venerable Intel Pro/Wireless 3945ABG card. Kedron
will be based on the 802.11n networking protocol and will be backwards
compatible with 802.11a/b/g. The Santa
Rosa platform will also feature Robson
technology. Robson allows NAND flash memory to be
used on the motherboard to cache critical OS system files. As a result, boot times are decreased 4-5 times that over current systems.
It should be interesting to see how much battery life and
performance can be increased by using Robson
technology in addition to flash-based hard drives as
demonstrated by Samsung. The future is definitely looking bright for us
mobile users out there.


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First Dig for the New Digs
The $195 million Lacamas Community Credit Union in Camas, Wash., has broken ground for its seventh branch, this one in Vancouver. The new location is expected to open later this year.
"The Andresen Financial Center will feature a warm and engaging space that fosters open communication," said President/CEO Kathleen Romane. "We want to become our members' financial advocates and this setting removes the traditional barriers that get in the way of building relationships."
The 17,500-member Lacamas Community CU was the first credit union established in Southwest Washington, chartered in 1936, and now serves anyone who lives or works in Southwest Washington.


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Don't know much about this cat, but you gotta think anything can help now.
Source - Click hereTrey Johnson has paid his dues in the NBA D-League for at least part of the past four seasons, and it looks it's finally paid off. According to a source close to the situation, the 26-year-old Johnson has been called up by the Toronto Raptors for a 10-day contract.
Johnson, the D-League's leading scorer, is averaging 25.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists while making 51 percent of his attempts from the field this season. In 101 career D-League games, all with the Bakersfield Jam, Johnson's posted averages of 20.2 points, 4.7 assists and 3.8 rebounds. He also earned two 10-day contracts with the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2008-09 season, but appeared in just four games for 14 minutes total.
Johnson, a 6-foot-5 combo guard, told FanHouse following the D-League Showcase that he was ready and waiting for the right opportunity in the NBA.
"I have a strong belief in God and, for whatever reason, I'm still here. I'm not going to accept just getting called-up, having a 10-day contract, and then coming right back down, and maybe God understands that," Johnson told FanHouse following the Showcase. "Maybe He's like 'I'm going to get him to a situation where he's going to be able to perform well; where he's going to stick and get a legitimate opportunity to go out there and do some things.' I mean, I was called up to Cleveland and I had two 10-days, but I didn't really play. I'm very thankful for the opportunity, but how legit can I really say my time in the NBA was since I didn't really get a chance to play?"


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Rwanda 20 years: The story in the corner
Next Monday marks 20 years since the Rwanda genocide began. This month, we'll be sharing photos, videos, and perspectives that together tell the 20-year story of recovery and reconciliation in Rwanda, and the role World Vision has played in that story these past 20 years.
One of our wonderful storytellers, Kari Costanza, writes today about one of her trips to Rwanda and Jean Marie – the meek man standing in the corner – who was able to show her the story she was aiming to tell.
People often ask me how I go about finding stories for World Vision.
I could tell them how I'd been a television newscast producer for 10 years, and how I moved to World Vision where I worked for the magazine, learning to hone in on the perfect story for the World Vision audience—a story that is compelling, representative of the broader community, and has—or will have—some sort of World Vision involvement.
But that wouldn't be true.
It turns out that the best stories I find have nothing to do with me and everything to do with waiting for God to point me in the right direction.
On my second trip to Rwanda, that direction was toward the corner of the room.
In August 2009, Jon Warren and I returned to Rwanda, this time after a trip to Burundi. Sponsorship was just beginning in Burundi and we wanted to compare the two countries. Burundi also experienced conflict between the Hutu and Tutsi tribes in which hundreds of thousands of lives were lost. We wanted to show where sponsorship could help take communities in Burundi in the next ten years. We wanted to show the hope that lay ahead by demonstrating what sponsorship had accomplished in neighboring Rwanda.
In Rwanda, we went to a well-established sponsorship project called Nyaruguru, across the border from Burundi. Nyaruguru had been hit hard by the genocide. Schools were razed, water systems destroyed, houses demolished. But after a decade of sponsorship, World Vision staff had been able to work near-miracles in the community: Children were back in school, their parents had jobs, and a semblance of life was returning.
We asked World Vision staff to show us everything that had been done in the community through sponsorship. We knew there was a lot to see. But strangely, none of the managers could really explain what World Vision had done. We grew increasingly frustrated. There was a good story here, but we weren't getting it.
Finally, we asked if anyone had been here since the beginning.
Yes, they said, Jean Marie Mugwaneza, a small man sitting quietly in the far corner of the office. Jean Marie was shorter than me and I'm only 5'4". He was a person you'd never think to ask for information. He wasn't showy. He was meek.
But it turned out that Jean Marie had been working on this project since the beginning. Jean Marie was the one who had walked the hilly dirt paths to find children for sponsorship. He knew Louise, the community's first sponsored child. He knew what schools had been repaired. He could point out rebuilt water systems and successful agricultural projects.
We spent several days with Jean Marie as he pointed out accomplishment after accomplishment. The more time we spent with him, the more amazing the story became. The man in the corner turned out to be the man who knew it all.
Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the kingdom of God. And blessed are the meek like Jean Marie Mugwaneza for they are sometimes the best storytellers of all.
Sponsorship has played a vital role in the recovery of many communities, families, and lives in Rwanda over the past 20 years, and will continue to in the future. Consider sponsoring a child in Rwanda today!
Download the photo above as a desktop image to commemorate 20 years toward reconciliation in Rwanda.
Follow our story of 20 years toward reconciliation in Rwanda on Twitter: #Rwanda20yrs


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For two weeks Debbie Fogg poured through her fabric for something bright. She designed an angel to embroider and worked with her son to perfect a poem about comfort and love — all in hopes of winning a sewing contest and $50,000 for charity. Then, when her pillow was finished, she read the rest of the directions.
All her fabric had to be from one store, and she had to have receipts.
"I am very very passionate when it comes to my love of horses and my sewing. So I sat and stewed about it for a week as to which time a young lady that I had done horse shows with lost her father to brain cancer. She was only 16 and totally devastated. I gave her the pillow with the poem on the back of it. She cried and cried thanking me for such a special and precious gift."
The rest, as they say, is history.
"After I gave it to her and saw how much it meant to her, I decided right then and there I was not entering it in the contest, I was going to make them and give them to people who have lost loved ones or just going through a difficult time in their life. I have since made over 100 pillows…. To me there is no greater feeling than putting a smile on a sad face."
Out of one mistake, many blessings and hope.
Today's journal page was designed by me (Marketta) and inspired by Emily Dickinson's poem where she writes, "Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul, and sings the tune without the words, and never stops at all…."
To download today's journal page and write your own thoughts, click here.
Here's a glimpse…


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"It's not a totally different "I". It's not like one ball stops rolling, hits another, and the other starts rolling. It's the same ball still."polarbuddha101 wrote:When people think about about a being that just died and where it was reborn in a third person perspective they often run into this confusion about how the two beings are related. But if you imagine what rebirth would be like from a first person perspective then there isn't any issue. One experience simply follows another and this continues until one realizes nibbana and passes away out of their final existence. If you go to sleep and wake up, it is the same stream of experience, if you die and are reborn, it is the same stream of experience.
isn't this problematic in terms of impermanence?


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TAG Vote Rescheduled for Tuesday
Thanks to foggy weather that delayed and canceled some flights, the Senate has canceled today's procedural vote on S. 3637, the bill that could extend the Transaction Account Guarantee program.
Instead, CUNA is reporting, the vote will come on Tuesday. S. 3637 would extend unlimited deposit insurance coverage granted during the financial crisis for noninterest bearing transaction accounts. Coverage is set to revert back to $250,000 at year's end without congressional action.
The TAG bill is strongly favored by major bank trade associations; however, both CUNA and NAFCU oppose the bill unless member business lending legislation is added as an amendment.


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I agree, and this distinction is very relevant.Sam Vara wrote:Other examples would be the "vegetarian" who is OK about eating chicken and fish, and will eat meat if refusing it would offend their host, etc. They are indeed "no true vegetarian", regardless of what they call themselves, and if we allow that some things can over-ride self-definitions, then we can try to convince our opponent that the monks in question are "no true Buddhists". It's difficult, however, when rioters and killers are wearing saffron robes and are attempting to justify their actions in terms of accepted Dhamma!
No it doesn't.Vern Stevens wrote:I'd like to clarify your answer as perhaps the wording of my question was confusing. Dropping the question form, I'd say that I should have compassion and empathy for the monks involved despite their unskillful actions. Does your response state that I should not?mettafuture wrote:Of course not.Vern Stevens wrote:However, am I not supposed to look on to the actions of these people with compassion and empathy, recognizing that their actions are arising from their suffering however off course they may be?
Not entirely. To trace the doctrinal source of Christianity, there's the Bible, for Islam there's the Koran, and for Buddhism there's the Tipitaka. And it can be easily shown that The Book of Mormon, The Nation of Islam, and the Mahayana Suttras were all later additions, and are not, technically, canonical sources.Vern Stevens wrote:The more a philosophy or religion is splintered into factions, the more difficult it is for some people to identify who is "truly" what; the waters get muddied.
http://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?p=248391#p248391Dan74 wrote:Eureka!mettafuture wrote:If that's the case, then they are deluded. If that's the case, then they are deluded. Or they're just ignoring the teachings that speak against violence. Or they never took the Dhamma that seriously to begin with.Dan74 wrote:The thing is we often act unskillfully and do not repent because we don't see it as unskillful. I suspect most of these monks, don't blatantly break the precepts but actually perceive themselves as guardians of the Dhamma.
No they haven't.Kamran wrote:Buddhists have committed a lot of terrorism and other violence as well.
Where is the violence in the Tipitaka?Kabouterke wrote:Well, of course Buddhism has a violent side.
People have a violent side, but Buddhism does not.
It's not difficult at all.The religion clearly doesn't call for it, just as it's difficult to justify the Crusades with the Bible.
"Anyone who blasphemes the name of the Lord is to be put to death. The entire assembly must stone them. Whether foreigner or native-born, when they blaspheme the Name they are to be put to death."
-- Leviticus 24:16
Hitler used evolution to justify the extermination of the "inferior." Should this used against evolution, or does it have anything to do with the science of evolution theory? Absolutely not. Just because #2 is possible doesn't mean that it can be used against something, unless that something clearly endorses the actions it inspires.Kabouterke wrote:You're kind of asking two questions at once:
1. Does the religion outright call for violence?
2. Has the religion been used for a justification for violence?
We shouldn't confuse these two questions: #1 does not mean that #2 isn't possible.
But it is unique in that it doesn't, once, condone any form of violence.Buddhism is not unique in the fact that it calls for non-violence.
"God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might 10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you."As I said in the post above, most people are aware that the New Testament speaks strongly against violence and presents a strong message of brotherly-love, compassion and acceptance.
-- 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10


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Results tagged ' Denny Batista '
Love Me Non-Tender Candidates 2008…Part One
After all the Post season celebration have muffled to a silent roar, we embark on a journey that no player wants to roam. That journey down the road of arbitration. Where the road is lined with pitfalls and traps, one of tendering offers or letting the players kneel by the wayside to gather themselves after being cast off by their clubs. It is a time to reflect and expose the best and worst of this time of year for baseball. It becomes the time when you really know what your team GM and your coaching staff think of you as a productive member of their franchise. And the journey starts now……………….
On this date, Friday, December 12th, every team in the major leagues must decide to either tender contracts to their arbitration-eligible players, or set them free as more glut in the 2009 free agent market. And while in past years the non-tendered players weren't considered to be difference-makers, the list could be more interesting this year. There are several players on this list who either had bad situation on their teams or might have been fighting back from injuries in 2008.
Players who are "tendered" on Friday are considered signed for 2009 at a salary to be determined, not less than 80 percent of his salary the previous season, and both sides continue negotiating. If a deal cannot be struck, the team and the player will each file a proposed 2009 salary in early January. Those figures are exchanged on Jan. 19, and a date for a salary arbitration hearing is then set for Feb. 1-21.
If the sides still cannot come to terms before the date of the hearing, a representative for the team and one for the player present a case before a panel of arbiters, which chooses one salary or the other. On the other hand, if a player is not tendered a contract before Friday's deadline, he becomes a free agent.
A nationwide economic downturn has affected how Major League Baseball teams are conducting business, and in an effort to cut corners, the number of non-tendered players could increase, based solely on the market's projected rise in their salaries based on arbitration data and past results.. The same can be said for the quality of those players. Some of the guys being considered for non-tender have been great contributors to their teams in the past, but not during the 2008 season.
Past players non-tendered include David Ortiz, Rick Ankiel, Ryan Franklin, David Eckstein, and Chad Durbin. Usually at least a few useful guys are unearthed. I am going to submit a few names that are being considered to be non-tendered starting at midnight tonight. Some of these names might sign free agent contracts with their old teams, but usually if a player is released from that team, they tend to float to another organization instead of resign with their old clubs.
Coming into the deadline are a few names that might mean somehting to several Tampa Bay Rays fans. A few names from the past are being considered to be non-tendered tonight. One of them is currently on the Rays roster and might have been pre-destined for this list during the season with the acquiring of Gabe Gross during the season.
Designated Hitter/ Right-fielder Jonny Gomes has been the emotional sparkplug of this Rays young team for several seasons. But in 2008, after some spotty play in the outfield, both in left-field and right-field. Posting a ugly .167 batting average during the season might not bode well for Gomes to even be considered a contract in 2009. But one of the great facts of arbitration is that Gomes made $ 1.25 million in 2008, and the arbitration might not even give him a substancial increase.
He might skate by and be offered a contract based on his loyalty and the teams' need for at least some kind of right-handed bat in the rightfield corner. Situations could change in the next few months, but the Rays could "rent" Gomes for now and get a trade return on him later in the Spring if needed.
The Rays have other players who will be on the bubble on Friday, like right-fielder and left-handed bat, Gabe Gross. He might be the best cltch hitter the Rays had in 2008, but he also might be caught in the numbers games as the team just traded for the young and undercontract for 6 more years Matt Joyce. Both players have a defensive pedigree, and it all might come down to if the Rays think that Gross will win the spot and be worh the money to keep, or set Joyce up in right and let Gross go, hoping he remains to be put under a free agent contract at a reduced price.
This might be the tricky one for the Rays. Gross did everything asked of him in 2008. He also is a great clubhouse guy who is never in trouble and always helping the younger outfielders. His ceiling might be higher than Joyces' right now after a banner year where he set career numbers in almost every offensive category. It was a year where he was used more, and saw more plate appearances than any other time in his career. Gross might join Gomes on the free agent market where there is a glut right now for corner outfielders. If not for that trade during the Winter Meetings, Gross would have been offered a contract without question.
An ex-Rays who might be getting considerable consideration from his current team is the Houston Astro's Brandon Backe. However, with the current state of the Astros' rotation — they have little Major League-ready depth in their farm system and few backup options to protect themselves from injury and inconsistency — they may decide to hold on to the right-hander. And with a salary of only $ 800,000 for 2008, he might come in at a considerable discount compared to the free agents on the current starting pitching market.
Astros General Manager Ed Wade sounded like he's willing to give Backe another look but at the same time noted the right-hander's 2008 season was a disappointment and he'll have to prove a few things in 2009. But the Astros have very little pitching depth, and the three top prospects — Brad James, Sergio Perez and Bud Norris — likely won't be ready for the big leagues come Opening Day. That alone may ensure Backe is tendered a contract on Friday.
Another ex-Rays who has had to basically live out of his suitcase this past season is reliever Chad Gaudin. Two years ago it seemed that the Toronto Blue Jays were serious about the young pitcher and staked him a claim in their Bullpen. But during the off-season he was traded to the Oakland A's where he started and relieved for the Athletics. He was then sent packing to the Chicago Cubs in the deal for Rick Harden as a key plug for the Cub's Bullpen problems.
Since arriving in Chicago, Gaudin went 4-2, with a 4.26 ERA and got 27 strikeouts in 27.1 innings of work in 2008 for the Cubbies. Gaudin is known for his slider and his sinker, which both have above average movement to both sides of the plate. Also in his arsenal is a sinking change-up that can come in on left-handers. Gaudin might be a casualty of expectations in 2009, and might be non-tendered as rendered a free agent by the Cubs.
Another possible casulty to the non-tender pile might be a National League pitcher who has been fighting to get into game shape for over a year after having 2 injuries in the past 2 seasons. Milwaukee Brewers' starter Chris Capuano came to the team with high expectations. He was considered one of the top 5 pitchers in 2007 before a labrum injury forced him to have surgery on 10/11/2008. Capuano rehabbed and was struggling to get into game shape when another injury hit him during 2008 Spring Training. This time a torn ligament in his left pitching elbow basically shelved him for the entire 2008 season. He was retroactively posted to the 15-day DL on March 27th.
He was twice transferred on the DL lists in 2008, going from the 15-day disabled list again on September 1st, then subsequently put back on the 60-day DL on October 31, 2008. Capuano's case is complicated because he earned $3.75 million last season but did not pitch because of the injury. If the Brewers tender him a contract, they could not cut his salary by more than 20 percent, and it seems unlikely they would commit such an expense to a pitcher still rehabilitating. If the Brewers in fact decide to non-tender Capuano, they would try to re-sign him to a new, less expensive contract for 2009. He's eligible for free agency after next season.
There are other "big names" being considered during the non-tender phase of arbitration. A few might have seemed like promising rising stars in the MLB a few years ago, but might have had tough times and might be in consideration for being released by their clubs. One of the most visible name on this list might be former 2003 Rookie of the Year winner Angel Berroa of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Another name sure to be heard on Friday will be Baltimore Orioles' pitcher Daniel Cabrera. The club has to decide whether to offer a contract to Cabrera. If Baltimore doesn't, the hulking right-hander will become a free agent one year ahead of schedule. If the O's do, they may wind up going to arbitration. Andy MacPhail, Baltimore's president of baseball operations, said Thursday that he's still trying to make a decision. Cabrera, although erratic, remains one of the most experienced starters in the Orioles' organization .
Baltimore has just one starter penciled into next year's rotation and is trying to add at least two veterans by trade or free agency this offseason. Jeremy Guthrie remains the only surefire member of the starting staff, and Baltimore must decide whether Cabrera is a replaceable asset or one that's worth one last shot at trying to salvage his potential. Cabrera has made at least 26 starts in each of the past five seasons, and he's logged at least 140 innings in each of those campaigns. The 27-year-old started relatively strong in 2008, jumping out of the gates to a 6-5 record and a 4.33 ERA in the first half of the season. After the All-Star break, however, he was 2-5 with a 7.59 mark.
And still, the overall numbers represented an improvement on his previous season. Cabrera went 8-10 with a 5.25 ERA in 2008 and snapped a two-year streak of leading the league in walks. One year earlier, he went 9-18 with a 5.55 ERA. I think the Birds will take a gamble on Cabrera for one more years and help place at least one more piece into the pitching puzzle for 2009. But I do think he will have a short leash in 2009 with the Orioles, and might be a trade deadline casualty if he is again wild and uncontrolable next year.
Pittsburgh management has still not made a determination to whether or not they plan to offer a contract to right-handed reliever Denny Bautista before the midnight on Friday for teams to tender contracts to all arbitration-eligible players. Bautista is the only one of the team's eight arbitration-eligible players whose status is in question. The Pirates' management team has had internal debates this week about whether or not to keep Bautista, though no resolution has yet been made.
The Pirates acquired Bautista late last June in a minor trade with the Tigers, and the control problems that Bautista had in Detroit and other previous stops resurfaced again with the Pirates. He allowed 28 earned runs and 28 walks in 41 1/3 innings of relief for Pittsburgh. He struck out 34. Bautista earned $395,000 in 2008, just over the Major League minimum. He would be in line for a significant pay raise should he go through the arbitration process with the Pirates.
The Pirates will tender contracts to their seven arbitration-eligible players — Ryan Doumit, Zach Duke, John Grabow, Adam LaRoche, Paul Maholm, Nate McLouth and Tyler Yates. Of that group, Doumit, Duke, Maholm and McLouth are all arbitration eligible for the first time.
The Red Sox must tender 2009 contracts to all unsigned players on their 40-man roster by Friday at midnight ET. The only players this truly impacts are those eligible for arbitration. For the Red Sox, that list includes first baseman Kevin Youkilis, closer Jonathan Papelbon, backup catcher Kevin Cash and lefty specialist Javier Lopez.
Reliever Manny Delcarmen was seven days short of enough service time to qualify for arbitration, so the Red Sox can simply renew his contract in Spring Training. Cash is the most likely candidate to be non-tendered on Friday. The Red Sox's catching situation is in a state of flux, as the team continues to negotiate with Jason Varitek and scour the market for trade possibilities.
Even if Varitek returns, the club might seek a young player with more offensive potential than Cash to be the backup. The Red Sox like Cash defensively, and he does a nice job of handling Tim Wakefield's knuckleball. However, there's a chance he simply doesn't fit into the plans for 2009. Even if the Red Sox non-tender Cash, they are still free to negotiate with him or re-sign him at some point. The same goes for any non-tendered player.
The Royals need to find some room on their 40-man roster and that could be accomplished on Friday, the deadline for clubs to offer contracts to players. When the Winter Meetings closed, the Royals had 39 players on the winter roster but had signed pitchers Doug Waechter and Horacio Ramirez. They'd also reached an agreement with pitcher Kyle Farnsworth, and when that contract is approved another body will be added.
Adding Waechter filled the roster and, by Friday, a spot will be needed for Ramirez. The Royals could designate a player for assignment or non-tender a player, in short, not offer him a contract. The only way a club can keep an unsigned player is to tender a contract. If a player is non-tendered, he goes off the roster and becomes a free agent. Then he can sign with any club, including the Royals.
One possible option for the Royals would be to non-tender pitcher Jairo Cuevas and sign him to a Minor League contract. Cuevas has been the subject of a tug-of-war between the Royals and the Braves, each team claiming him on waivers from each other in the last two months. One writer speculated that, in order to save money in an effort to sign shortstop Rafael Furcal, the Royals might non-tender such players as catcher John Buck and outfielder Mark Teahen who both figure to do well in salary arbitration.


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Unexpected CEO Departures Shock Industry
Changes at the top at some credit unions in 2013 caught some by surprise.
Among them was Juli Anne Callis, who resigned as CEO in June from the $561 million National Institutes of Health Federal Credit Union in Rockville, Md.
Callis said she wanted to get more involved in health management and health care advocacy. She had served at the helm of NIHFCU since 2009. Tim Duvall, the credit union's executive vice president and deputy CEO, was named the interim CEO.
At the time of Callis' resignation, NIHFCU's financials did not reveal any significant concerns.
In March, Ken Burns, president/CEO of the $4 billion Patelco Credit Union in Pleasanton, Calif., since May 2009 announced he would resign over the summer, citing the need for new challenges.
Erin Mendez, the former executive vice president and chief operating officer at the $9.7 billion SchoolsFirst Credit Union in Santa Ana, Calif., was hired as the new president/CEO at Patelco in mid-August.
A month later, CU Times discovered that the $1.7 billion Technology Credit Union in San Jose, Calif., where he previously served as president/CEO, filed a complaint against him regarding the circumstances of his move to Patelco. For more details visit CUTimes.com.
The resignation of $1.7 billion Affinity Plus FCU President/CEO Kyle Markland took place Aug. 28. The credit union chalked up his departure to empty nest syndrome after his second child went off to college.
Dave Larson was named the interim president/CEO shortly after Markland's resignation and on Nov. 21, his role became permanent.
At the time of Markland's resignation, Affinity Plus reported a 0.57% return on assets as of June 30, according to its financial performance reports posted on the NCUA website. In the third quarter, return on assets dropped to 0.25%. Comparatively, in June 2012, the credit union reported 1.45% ROA.
Affinity Plus' third quarter financials revealed a number of financial management strategy shifts that resulted in a 55.1% annualized drop in net income as of Sept. 30. Net income dropped from $4.6 million as of June 30 to $3.1 million as of Sept. 30. The credit union also experienced a 12.7% increase in provision for loan and lease losses after delinquent loans increased 23.5% to $16.5 million in the third quarter.


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THE COURIER / Submitted
Priority Federal Credit Union, located at 430 North Hampton Avenue, is now a member of the Chamber. For more information, call 479-890-6203.
Software powered by Sole Solution. Content © 2018 Russellville Newspapers Inc.
The Courier - Your Messenger for the River Valley in Russellville, AR.
MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The Associated Press is entitled exclusively to the use of or republication of all the local news printed in this newspaper as well as AP news dispatches.


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You have a unique medical history. Therefore, it is essential to talk with your doctor about your personal risk factors and/or experience with urinary tract infections. By talking openly and regularly with your doctor, you can take an active role in your care.
Here are some tips that will make it easier for you to talk to your doctor:
- Bring someone else with you. It helps to have another person hear what is said and think of questions to ask.
- Write your questions ahead of time, so you do not forget them.
- Write down the answers you get, and make sure you understand what you are hearing. Ask for clarification, if necessary.
- Do not be afraid to ask your questions or ask about where you can find more information about what you are discussing. You have a right to know.
- Do my symptoms sound like a urinary tract infection?
- How might I have contracted this infection?
- Is there any chance that this is a more serious kidney infection?
- Do I have any risk factors for urinary tract infections?
- I am a man. Might I have some underlying problem that caused me to develop a urinary tract infection?
- My child has a urinary tract infection. Might he or she have anatomical defects in the urinary system? (In young children, anatomical defects are a common cause of UTIs in both genders. In older children, this changes with more girls having UTIs by virtue of being female.)
- What kind of treatment do you recommend?
- Are there any self-care treatments I can practice?
- What can I do to relieve my discomfort?
- How will I know if the infection is gone?
- How much water do you recommend that I drink?
- Do you recommend cranberry juice? How much?
- I get a lot of infections just after I have sexual intercourse. What can I do to prevent this?
- Can I use my hot tub?
- How will I know if the infection is progressing or becoming complicated?
- What symptoms would warn me that the infection is moving up and affecting my kidneys?
- I am pregnant. Do I need to worry about any complications for the baby or me?
- What preventive measures for UTIs would you recommend in the future?
- Might I benefit from prophylactic antibiotics?
Revision Information
- Reviewer: Adrienne Carmack, MD
- Review Date: 09/2016 -
- Update Date: 09/17/2014 -


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Luxury condominiums? Nowhere to be seen. A five-star restaurant? Missing in action. Boisterous tourist hoards calling to one another in foreign tongues or a southern twang? Unlikely to find them here at Hesperus Ski Area.
What you will find is a casual, unrefined atmosphere awash with quirky charm and personal touches, and a clutch of local snow revelers inseparably loyal to the place. Oh, and some pretty good skiing.
Compared to the panache of Telluride, the powerful ascent of Purgatory's "Six-Pack" lift, or the copious powder at Wolf Creek, Hesperus is a bare bones area.
It has one lift, with room for two on each chair. Skiers and snowboarders glide between clusters of scrub oak instead of towering ponderosa pines. A trip down from the hill's saddle takes all of three minutes.
In place of a majestic timber-framed lodge at the base area, visitors take refuge in a metal-roofed Quonset hut with burnt orange carpet and rustic green lamps hanging from the ceiling. They warm chilled bones with nachos, chili and hot chocolate served from behind a counter. Owner Jim Pitcher - also called "Pitch" - walks in and out, taking breaks from running the operation to mingle casually with regulars he recognizes.
There are few frills here, and not a hint of pretentiousness.
The people love it.
For people, turning 50 years old is a milestone. It inspires them to take stock of the past and ponder their own mortality.
Hesperus Ski Area surpassed its own half-century mark this season; it first opened in the fall of 1962, and the circumstances were almost accidental. There was no ribbon-cutting ceremony. In fact, it was a surprise people showed up at all.
It began with three brothers and an idea. Wilbur, Bill and Glenn Hare - all of Bloomfield, N.M. - loved to ski, but weren't so fond of the long trek to Coal Bank Pass or the now-defunct Stoner Ski Area north of Dolores. They longed for closer, more accessible terrain.
After some reconnaissance, the brothers found what they were searching for: an quiet, hilly tract of land between Durango and Mancos, just off U.S. Highway 160. They approached the incumbent sheep and cattle rancher, who agreed to lease a portion of his property to the Hare brothers for winter recreational use.
Wilbur Hare, now 86, says the trio didn't intend for their little ski getaway to become a commercial business.
"We built it, at first, strictly as a family ski area, for our family members. Then, the first weekend we started it up, we found that wasn't going to work. A big crowd of people showed up," he said. "There was no place for them to park!"
In the early years, infrastructure upgrades were piecemeal and trial-by-error. Two tow ropes - one 300 feet, the other 800 - pulled skiers up the hill. The first structure ever erected at Hesperus, the venerable Quonset hut, still stands, but the Hares' ensuing attempt at expansion failed - in spectacular fashion.
"We trucked up another building to make a bigger lodge. It was an old barracks from the Aztec school district. We got it situated, carefully, on the foundation," Hare said. "Then it snowed 30 inches and the roof caved in."
"We didn't pursue that any further," he added, laughing.
Two of the brothers - Wilbur and Bill - had work experience in heavy construction, and put their engineering know-how to use making improvements. The biggest project was a homemade T-bar lift cobbled together from scratch.
"We built the whole apparatus ourselves," Hare said of the T-bar, a precursor to modern chairlifts. "There were big sprocket wheels on each end where the cables go around, and we fabricated our own clamps to secure the cables. The cables we bought new. And we used old rims for the smaller wheels."
They dug a well to supply guests with fresh drinking water and tapped a nearby natural gas pipeline owned by El Paso Natural Gas Co. (where Glenn worked) to power the T-bar engine.
Managing it all was no easy day at the office.
"I'll tell you what, it was the hardest work I ever did, for the least money," Hare said. "Standing out there in the cold helping skiers get onto the lift, fixing equipment, grooming trails. It was a heck of a job."
The brothers enlisted some outside manual labor to prepare the runs. Lacking any type of mechanized tiller to smooth out lumpy snow, they'd tamp it down by crisscrossing the trails horizontally on skis.
"We'd give out free ski passes for their help," Hare said.
"Hespie's" unassuming, minimalist appearance - then and now - belies its role as host to several major historic events. The pinnacle was probably 1966, when the National Cross Country Championship took place on its grounds. For many years the Durango High School and Fort Lewis College ski teams used it for training.
Some business was siphoned away when Purgatory Ski Resort opened to the public in 1965, and after 13 years in charge, the brothers decided to move on. Hesperus changed hands several times before falling to Jim and Lexa Pitcher in 1988.
Did Wilbur Hare expect the little family hill to still be chugging along five decades later?
"No. Not really," he said. "But I'm glad it is."
While the upper trails at Hesperus include some challenging gulleys and chutes - Alligator Alley, Why Not and Quick Draw come to mind - the ski area is better known for being a non-threatening place for novices to hone their skills.
"Longtime residents will tell me stories of how they learned to ski here as youngsters," Jim Pitcher said.
The bolder, precocious ones might teach themselves. Others rely on sage advice from a parent or private lesson instructor. Hundreds more owe their deftness on the slopes to Sno-Katz Kidz, the after-school program that each season tutors youth ages 5-15. This year enrollment is 85 kids.
"They'll come up here to cut their teeth. We work hard teaching them. For someone just starting out and testing the waters, it's ideal," Pitcher said.
Fittingly, Hesperus' hours of operation correspond to the school day: 4-9 p.m. during the week, a 12-hour 9-to-9 stint on Saturdays, and 9-4 on Sundays. During the holidays, when the kids have more free time, hours expand.
Installing large floodlights on 80 percent of the hill is among Pitcher's proudest accomplishments. Night skiing not only offer a unique, otherworldly ambience; it also gives locals - occupied by work or classes during the day - a chance to hit the slopes.
"(The lights) add a whole new dimension. No other ski areas around here, even the large ones, offer night skiing. People have realized that coming up for 2 or 3 hours after a day at the office is a nice way to get some exercise and burn off stress," said Jim Class, a member of the Hesperus Ski Patrol since 1977.
The Pitchers have been at the helm long enough to witness a generational changeover. Children who crept timidly up to their counter to rent skis or buy hot chocolate two decades ago are now prodding their own kids to do the same.
Take Jason Curtis of Farmington. Having learned at Hesperus as a boy, Curtis is now shepherding his 4-year-old daughter along on her maiden ski voyage. Mother Lindsey captures the moment on camera.
As the girl gathers speed, Curtis lets go of her hand. She coasts along with aplomb, no poles needed. She's a natural.
Inside the toasty Quonset hut, Dan and Amy Long, of Cortez, observe their two sons through half-fogged windows. From the inside, with its rounded shape and wooden slat ceiling creating a hull-like effect, the hut resembles a sea vessel. Instead of gazing out onto open waters, though, the windows offer a front-row seat to the skiing and snowboarding action.
As a parent, Amy Long likes the visibility aspect.
"You might worry at bigger resorts. If you get separated from (your child), good luck finding them. Here you can watch them come down," she said.
The Long's elder son, 13-year-old Dylan, is steady and assured on his snowboard - an old hand. The younger, 8-year-old Kooper, is a little wobblier. Having learned to ski three years ago, Kooper now wants to follow in his big brother's footsteps. Changing to a board takes some practice.
"(Kooper) has no fear. His first time skiing he came barreling down the hill full-speed. We were shouting and motioning for him to stop," Amy Long remembers. "He'll catch on soon enough."
The Longs have been recurring patrons of Hesperus for 15 years. They like to bring out-of-town extended family that come to visit.
"We come here for the convenience," Dan Long said. "It's close and affordable. And I love the small business aspect. It inspires loyalty."
This season's discordant weather patterns - a dry November, a snowy December, an all-over-the-map January - are a good example of how the Pitchers roll with the punches. They've grown used to it. They have no choice.
Since purchasing Hesperus 25 years ago, they've opened late, closed early, and a few years not opened at all.
"The season has definitely gotten shorter and more unpredictable. You can't predict the snow or temperatures anymore," Jim Pitcher said.
Such are the trials of a low-tech, low-elevation operation. With no snow guns to supplement natural snowfall in a dry spell, Hesperus is subject to the whims of Mother Nature. The base elevation of 8,100 feet (rising to 8,800) means snow consistency can be a toss-up.
On a recent overcast Saturday en route to the hill, precipitation fell steadily but was lingering on the soggy cusp between rain and snow. The thermometer read 35 degrees. Then 34, and 33. Cresting the final rise and pulling into the Hesperus parking lot, the droplets turned to watery flakes. Just in time.
Between erratic weather, up-and-down visitor numbers, the workload and operational costs - lift repairs, the land lease, licensing, staff wages - the challenges are many. Running the place can be a grind; a "hassle", in Pitcher's words.
At 64, finding a successor is something that's crossed his mind. He and Lexa have put Hesperus up for sale, off and on, over the last decade. They've had a few curious lookers, but none have panned out.
"I'd like to pass the baton," he said. "And I'd like to see the atmosphere stay the same. There aren't too many ma and pa's out there anymore. I can't think of many one-lift operations left."
Hassles aside, he still has a fondness for "Hespie" and the people who enjoy it.
"When the sun peeks out, the snow is packed and people start showing up excited to ski, there's a sense of satisfaction. You feel your efforts have paid off," he said.


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Zina is a graphical interface to your MP3 collection, a personal jukebox, a Podcaster, and an MP3 streamer. It includes an optional Flash player, a tag editor, and can search the Web for album art and song lyrics. It can run alone, be embedded into an existing Web site, or be used as a module in Drupal, Joomla, and Wordpress.
Airtime lets you take total control of your radio station via the Web with intelligent archive management, powerful search, an easy playlist builder, a simple scheduling calendar, and rock-solid automated playout. Features include fades, cues, playlists, a programme calendar, Icecast, Shoutcast, and Soundcloud integration, DJ and station manager roles, JQuery widgets, Liquidsoap playout, and a record and rebroadcast functionality. Powerful media archive features 'watch' folders to allow stations to magically synchronize files, auto-import files, and has multiple directory support. Users can interact with it through any Web browser. It comes with an 'easy install' package.
XiX Music Player is a music player for MP3, Ogg, M4A, AAC, FLAC, APE, and OPUS files. It is easy to create and maintain your own playlists. There is an integrated lyric viewer that searches for the lyric of the song you are listening to. If the CD cover is found, it is also shown. You can also rip CD tracks to MP3 or FLAC. Listening to your favorite online radio stations is also possible. The focus is on having fast control of all your music.
K-Yamo is an MP3 and Ogg Vorbis tagger with ID3v2 support. It can store ID3v1, ID3v2.3, or ID3v2.4 tags. It also stores pictures in the tags. K-Yamo supports multi-file editing. It can guess tags out of filenames, and fetches the missing parts from musicbrainz. It also cleans up your files into a structured filesystem tree which makes use of the tags in the files. Finally, it is a CD ripper with FreeDB support. A MySQL database can optionally be used for tagging.
audiopreview is a command-line tool that plays previews of many audio file types (Ogg, MP3, etc.), video file types (AVI, MPEG, Real, etc.), and Internet streams. It can also be used as a regular command-line media file player (i.e. play the files entirely like yauap or mpc123 would).
Flac2All is a multi-threaded script that will convert your collection of FLAC files into either Ogg Vorbis, MP3 (with the Lame encoder), or FLAC, complete with any tags and identical file/folder structure. The script has been stable for about a year now, and it has been known to saturate 8-core machines with parallel conversions. It is useful for people with with large FLAC collections who also want a lossy version for portable media players. If wanted, the script can perform updates by skipping already converted files. It has only been tested on Linux, but it should work without alteration on the other Unix systems with bash and the required dependencies.


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ATM Disclosure Bill Introduced in New York
The Credit Union Association of New York is backing a bill which would eliminate a requirement that fee disclosures be attached to ATM exteriors.
Assemblywoman Annette Robinson, a Brooklyn Democrat and chairman of the Banks Committee, introduced the legislation, the CUANY said.
According to the association, current law requires ATM operators to display notices in two separate locations, both physically on the ATM and electronic notification on the screen, informing consumers that they might be charged fees for withdrawing cash from the ATM.
These exterior disclosures have become the seeds of widespread lawsuits directed at both credit unions and banks around the country.
Robinson's bill would eliminate the requirement of physical fee disclosures on ATMs, which would bring New York state law into conformity with federal law signed by President Obama last December, the association said.
CUANY President/CEO William J. Mellin noted that CUANY has been advocating aggressively for state passage of this legislation.
"Our state's law on this issue needs to be modernized, and the introduction of this bill is a significant step in the right direction," Mellin said. "We commend Assemblywoman Robinson for her leadership, and we will continue to advocate for advancement of the bill in both the Assembly and the Senate."


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A newly-discovered
structure, which spans 50,000 light-years and is positioned in
the center of the Milky Way, was identified by NASA's
Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope.
Finkbeiner, founder of the new structure and an astronomer at the
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Mass., has
discovered two gamma-ray-emitting bubbles that may be millions of
years old and span from the constellation Virgo to the constellation
Grus. He was able to find these bubbles using NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray
Space Telescope, which is a space observatory, and
astrophysics/particle physics partnership developed in collaboration
with the U.S. Department of
we see are two gamma-ray-emitting bubbles that extend 25,000
light-years north and south of the galactic center," said
Finkbeiner. "We don't fully understand their nature or origin."
hints of the bubbles were visible in earlier spacecraft
data, astronomers conducting previous studies on gamma rays were
unable to find the bubbles mainly because of the fog which surrounds
gamma rays throughout the sky. When particles, which are moving at
the speed of light, react with light and interstellar gas in the
Milky Way, a fog develops.
and his team were able to find the gamma-ray-emitting bubbles by
processing available data from Fermi's Large Area Telescope (LAT),
which is a high-resolution and extremely sensitive gamma-ray
detector. Researchers continuously refined models in an effort to
identify new gamma-ray structures hidden by the fog. Finkbeiner was
able to isolate the fog from the LAT data by using different
estimates of the fog in these models, and finally stumbled upon the
large bubbles.
its launch in June 2008, Fermi repeatedly has proven itself to be a
frontier facility, giving
us new insights ranging from the nature of space-time to the
first observations of a gamma-ray nova," said Jon Morse,
Astrophysics Division director at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
"These latest discoveries continue to demonstrate Fermi's
outstanding performance."
next step is to figure out how these bubbles were formed. The
gamma-ray-emitting bubbles have "well-defined" edges and
their emissions are much more energetic than any other gamma-ray fog
previously found in the Milky Way, which, according to researchers,
suggests that the bubbles were formed as a result of large and
somewhat fast
energy release. Finkbeiner and his team are unsure as to what the
source of this energy release was, but hypothesize that it may be a
particle jet from the supermassive black hole located at the galactic
center. There is no evidence that the Milky Way's black hole has
these fast particle jets, but there's a possibility it may have in
the past. Another possible source of the energy release may be
gas outflows from a burst of star formation.
other galaxies, we see that starbursts can drive enormous gas
outflows," David Spergel, a scientist at Princeton
University. "Whatever the energy source behind these huge
bubbles may be, it is connected to many deep questions in
addition to discovering the gamma-ray-emitting bubbles, the team also
revealed Fermi's best picture of the gamma-ray sky on Tuesday. They
were able to produce such an image after two years of data
scans the entire sky every three hours, and as the mission continues
and our exposure deepens, we see the extreme universe in
progressively greater detail," said Julie McEnery, Fermi project
scientist at NASA's
Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.


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By Michael Maresh
Journal Staff Writer
While most residents are shopping in stores for the holidays, a sometimes-shivering Greg Kemp dons his Santa Claus hat and parks himself outside of City Market for two hours to ring bells for the Salvation Army.
For the past 10 years, Kemp has volunteered his time to solicit funds for the less fortunate.
While most residents look forward to shopping this time of the year, Kemp is different.
Kemp, who ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the Montezuma County Commission earlier this year, said he looks forward to the shopping season but hes not into shopping. He looks forward to manning his post for the Salvation Army, and said he will continue doing this for as long as he is able.
A decade ago, when Kemp first volunteered, he chose the 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday shift at City Market. That coincided with the time he was getting off work and he has kept that same schedule ever since.
Kemp, 71, first became a bell ringer when Slavens Hardware management 10 years ago offered their employees their hourly wages for those willing to be a bell ringer.
I chose to do it on my own because I felt if I was getting paid I was not volunteering, he said. It is a very enjoyable experience.
Kemp is one of the 252 Salvation Army volunteers who will take on numerous shifts when there is a need. A number of volunteers return every year.
They have a list of people who volunteered in the past, and we are the first ones called, Kemp said.
Salvation Army bell ringers will be at Walmart, Walgreens and City Market Friday through Sunday through the holidays, as the charity organization does not want to bombard residents with bell ringers everywhere they go for a month, said bell ringer supervisor Mel Heath.
What hooked Kemp on this volunteering activity was all of the people he was able to meet as they entered and exited the store.
Its the people in general, he said. But he also knows that hes helping a good cause.
I know that this money is all being used locally with no administration cost involved.
What Kemp enjoys the most is seeing little kids slipping coins into the traditional red kettle, and he in return asks them if they want to ring the bell.
Kemp said he has no idea how much money is collected at the two City Market posts or the post he mans.
Heath estimates that about $25,000 is raised through this fundraiser,
Before moving to Montezuma County in 2001, Kemp never had the opportunity to be a bell ringer, and added in bigger cities, bell ringers are usually paid due to the lack of volunteers or people willing to give their free time even for a worthy cause.
Every cent received, he said, goes toward a worthy program, whether that be used for medical or dental assistance, food and places for the homeless and people needing a place to stay.
And Kemp, who resides in Mancos, said some people would be surprised at who will stop to put money into the kettle.
You name it. Every type of person you can imagine are included in the contributions, he said.
Kemp said he thinks close to 40 percent of those walking by his post will stop to put money into the kettle.
Heath, on the other hand, thinks the overall percentage of people donating is much lower.
I think the bell is kind of a trigger. I really do, Kemp said, and added the classic Christmas song Silver Bells actually refers to the Salvation Army silver bells.
But there is a downside to being a bell ringer volunteer he admitted.
It gets very cold, but at least at City Market you sort of have a roof over your head, he said.
He added the frigid temperatures feel worse because bell ringers are not moving much and tend to stay close to the doorways to greet people.
With me its my hands, he said, referring to what gets the coldest.
After the sun goes down, it gets real cold, Kemp added.
Knowing how cold it gets, Heath makes the rounds and gives every bell ringer a break if they need one.
Kemp said he and the rest of the volunteers donate their time for each holiday season because they consider it more of a calling than anything else while helping them remain humble.
It helps us remember what we have to be thankful for, he said, You know there are people out there who are a lot worse off than you are and it is a way to remember what you do have.
He added that he considers this volunteering to be a big part of his life for the month he does this.
Its just one of those things that are part of the holidays for me, Kemp said. Its what makes Christmas for me. The people are the fun part.


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Come at meMichael Wallace @WallaceNBA_ESPN
More I see him, more I'm convinced DeRozan is quietly 2nd-best SG in the East. He just doesn't get much attn in Toronto
Come at meMichael Wallace @WallaceNBA_ESPN
More I see him, more I'm convinced DeRozan is quietly 2nd-best SG in the East. He just doesn't get much attn in Toronto
Is Michael Wallace respected source?
I'd say he's at least top 5 in the east and there is an argument for top 2. Jrue Holiday and Wade are both up there with him, but that position is very weak in the east. He needs to shoot a better percentage and get his efficiency up, but I can see where he's coming from.
Why does it matter if he's a respected source? He's giving an opinion and is listened to by a lot of people, this isn't a news story.
Edit: Holiday is a point guard....So no, in terms of pure shooting guards, I'd say Demar is top two. Now if you talk about wings he moves down the list with Lebron, Paul George, and George Hill all being in there as well.
Last edited by hateslosing; Sun Dec 30th, 2012 at 12:14 PM. Reason: stupid
"Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival."
Don't forget Joe Johnson and Monta Ellis ... Affalo and J.R. Smith would get a say just because of their two way play (but would rather have DeMar)
In terms of PER, for what its worth, Wade, Lou Willams, Jordan Crawford, Ben Gordon, Gerald Henderson, Ray Allen, JR Smith and JJ Redick are ahead of Demar - making him 9th. Monte Ellis is listed as a PG, but really a SG - hes ahead of DD too. Joe Johnson is below, but I think universally thought of as a pretty good player (notwithstanding the contract)
Not that PER is the be all and end all .. but Id say a couple of those guys are for sure below DD (Henderson, Reddick, Allen (although hes a specialized player) - but I think its reasonable to say DD is top 5 .. top 2 you can twist the argument, but a little tougher ..
Last edited by mountio; Sun Dec 30th, 2012 at 12:30 PM. Reason: missed Ellis and JJ
Also Ray Allen though he's getting older and has taken a back seat in Miami
Its his consistency this year with the rebounding, 4.9 rebounds a game. Paul George and Evan Turner both G/F as well are the only other guys averaging more than him at 7.1 and 6.6 respectively.
Paul George is considered more of a SF, so it makes sense.
fuck espn.
I've had it up to here with them either
a) ignoring us
b) trying to discredit our franchise.
The 2 spot in the East is weak, but DeMar is playing outstanding basketball. Top 2 is debatable and we all know what opinions are like...whether he's getting credit south of the border or not, he's earned my respect. Hard work is paying off and based on his poise, improved jump shot and versatile offensive game, it appears he's become a real student of the game. Has great athletic gifts but they can only take one so far. Nice to see him come together as a more complete player.
You know if you compare him and Vince for a second (hear me out, I know you're all grumbling ), Vince had all the talent and gifts basically given to him and because f such his drive and longevity are both questionable and he's never turned into tr player we expected (kobeesque)
Now take demar. Nothing was given to him talent-wise and he struggled his first few years in the league. He however shows a much greater drive and diligence to working on his skills. It's interesting to see his rise in the standings of SGs in the east. Hopefully he continues to grow
Twitter - @thekid_it
I was really down on Demar at the start of the season, but he's changing my opinion. So much of his game - 3pt%, fg%, rebounding, defence, passing, creating off the dribble - has improved this year.
And he's only 23! He could be very, very good in a few years.
Many 2s in the East that lets say don't spend much time at SF don't have a lot of other strong skills beyond shooting. Wade has been the best SG in the east for awhile, largely because he would do so many things on the floor beyond buckets. Really, if I had to classify the 2s in the east this year, trying to discount guys who pay I'd think of as SF or PG, I think it'd go like this:
*Next few: JR Smith, Afflalo, Joe Johnson...JJ is having a shitty year, but normally in the past he would easily be the 2nd or 3rd on this list. So to me, Demar is the 4th or 5th best SG in the East. While Smith can light it up, Demar has become quite consistent and reliable this season. Afflalo just can't carry the scoring load, even if he is a great defensive player.
Demar has improved quite a bit this year. I initially wanted him traded, because I thought we could jump a faster moving elevator, not that there was anything wrong with DD, but I wanted a little more grit from the position. However, with his recent play, I am like a deer in the headlights, I think I just want to see more before I decide, I don't feel comfortable making a call either way.
Last edited by BasketballCrush; Sun Dec 30th, 2012 at 02:53 PM.
"Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival."
I thanked Matt for information... And explained that I was just curious to know that what I asked.
Better SG in the east than Demar:
Wade, Joe Johnsons, Monta Ellis, George, Turner (JR Smith may be on this list to but I'm just not a fan of his game)
Crazy though looking through SGs (and players in general) and how much more talent is in the west. Makes me question if even being the '2nd best -insert position here- in the east' could even be considered a compliment.
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Here's the latest Weekly Chat - home to discussions about ttc, BFPs, Cautiously Optimistic Pregnancies and Rainbow Babes as well as all sorts of off-topic chatter; the place where you can get to know your fellow rpl superheros and laugh. If you need support, are going through a crisis or loss, or have a specific question to ask the membership, please post a new thread so you can get the attention you need. But if you are looking for conversation - this is your place.
Everyone is welcome, but do be aware that we discuss the challenges of parenting, provide support for those pregnant, cheer on 2ww and celebrate BFPs here on this thread as well as talk about real life pressures including kids. We've had ongoing conversation on buying and letting go of cribs, and I think we've established that as much as we look forward to morning sickness as a good sign, going through it can be utter misery and venting is okay. If you're too raw from a recent loss (and goodness knows, all of us have been there), know that we would be delighted to have you join in whenever you're ready.
I'm going to post my roll call below and will do the best I can to keep it updated; let me know if you have suggestions on how to make this chart better (believe it or not it is formated with tabs and columns that just refuse to actualize). Also, the list has gotten quite long and, in some cases, out of date - part of this is because I've wanted to be as inclusive as possible, the list is a bit overwhelming. So, I've started to cull the list based on my highly-questionable memory. If you're contributing occasionally but regularly, I'll keep you on, but if we haven't heard from you in months, then I'll suspect you've moved on. Again, everyone is welcome: If you're on the roll call and you want to stay, speak up and join the conversation. Newcomers - jump in and introduce yourself!


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Just as some firms are able to grow without advertising, many RIAs do not use solicitors to attract clients. If a firm does have relationships with solicitors, however, it faces a different set of compliance requirements.
A solicitor is any person who, directly or indirectly, solicits clients for, or refers clients to, an RIA. Brokers, bankers, accountants, insurance agents, and attorneys often act as solicitors. In some states, solicitors are required to be registered as IARs.
RIAs frequently utilize employees or third parties to solicit new clients. Advisors should proceed with caution, however, because they must fully disclose this practice on their Form ADVs, and they must comply with both SEC and state regulations regarding solicitors. Solicitors and the advisory firms which utilize them must understand the rules.
Rule 206(4)-3
Rule 206(4)-3 under the Investment Advisers Act establishes requirements governing cash payments to solicitors. This rule permits payment of cash referral fees to individuals and companies recommending prospective clients to an RIA.
Rule 206(4)-3 requires satisfaction of the following four conditions before a cash referral fee is paid:
- The advisor must be registered
- The solicitor is not subject to statutory disqualification
- There is a written agreement between the parties
- Disclosure is made to prospective clients
If an advisor offers personalized advisory services through an affiliated solicitor, this relationship must be disclosed to prospective clients at the time of solicitation, but disclosure of the specific terms of the arrangement is not required. With an unaffiliated solicitor providing personalized advisory services, the solicitor must provide a copy of the RIA's brochure and a copy of a separate written disclosure document.
Rule 206(4)-3 stipulates a written agreement between the RIA and the solicitor, clearly defining each party's duties and responsibilities. There must also be a written disclosure document, explaining to prospective clients that the solicitor is working on the adviser's behalf and is receiving compensation for the referral.
The RIA's CCO must oversee the solicitor's activities. If the solicitor is unaffiliated with the advisor, the CCO must exercise due diligence ensuring that the solicitor is acting in compliance with the written agreement. An RIA must make a genuine effort in determining whether the solicitor has complied with their agreement. Furthermore, the RIA must have a reasonable basis for believing that the solicitor is in compliance with the terms of their contract.
Distinctions between Types of Solicitors
An RIA's compliance obligation depends upon the type of solicitation arrangement the firm is utilizing. Some solicitors provide only impersonal advisory services. Impersonal advisory services are provided solely by means of the following:
- Written materials or oral statements which do not purport to meet the objectives or needs of the specific client
- Statistical information containing no expressions of opinions as to the investment merits of particular securities
- Any combination of the foregoing services
In addition, a partner, officer, director, or employee of the RIA, may be a solicitor. A solicitor might also be a partner, officer, director, or employee of a person who controls, is controlled by, or is under common control of an RIA. The relationship between the RIA and that person must be disclosed to the client at the time of solicitation or referral. For example, it is becoming increasingly common for CPA firms to start an RIA. An employee of the CPA firm recommending that particular RIA to a client, must disclose their relationship.
Disclosure Requirements
Whereas SEC-registered investment advisors are subject to Rule 206(4)-3, most states have implemented the same or a similar regulation. Whether an advisor is SEC or state registered, there are usually stringent disclosure requirements for solicitors who provide more than just impersonal advisory services. In these instances, the written agreement between an RIA and a solicitor must cover all of the aspects of the relationship:
- Describe the solicitation activities engaged in by the solicitor on behalf of the RIA and the compensation to be paid.
- Require the solicitor to comply with the RIA's instructions, as well as the pertinent provisions of the Investment Advisers Act.
- Require the solicitor, at the time of solicitation, to provide the client with a current copy of the RIA's written disclosure statement as required by Rule 204-3, as well as a separate written disclosure document.
The separate written disclosure statement furnished by the solicitor to the client must contain the following information:
- The name of the solicitor
- The name of the RIA
- The nature of the relationship, including any affiliation, between the solicitor and the RIA
- A statement that the RIA will be compensating the solicitor for his or her solicitation activities
- The terms of the compensation arrangement
- The cost, if any, to the client above and beyond the advisory fee if attributable to the existence of the solicitation arrangement
Before entering into an advisory contract, an RIA must receive the client's written acknowledgment that he or she received the firm's Form ADV or brochure and the solicitor has a written disclosure document. As we will see later in this chapter, the RIA must retain a copy of each acknowledgment as part of the records that must be retained pursuant to Rule 204-2(a)(15).
Must Solicitors Be Registered?
In some states, a solicitor may fall within the definition of IAR. For example, in Oregon, a person who "solicits, offers, or negotiates for the sale of or sells investment advisory services" meets the definition of an IAR. As IARs, solicitors in Oregon are subject to laws applying to individuals employed by or associated with state or SEC-registered investment advisors. Therefore, a state or SEC-registered investment advisor may not employ a solicitor unless the IAR is licensed to the RIA. The RIA is responsible for supervising the solicitor.
Oregon does, however, exclude certain solicitors from the definition of an IAR. A solicitor is not an IAR if the referral fee is a nominal sum, such as a flat fee of $100. On the other hand, if solicitors receive a referral fee that is based on a percentage split of fees to be earned, they do fall within the definition of IAR.
In contrast to Oregon, a solicitor in Florida does not need to be registered as an IAR. The only requirement is that the person may not be subject to a statutory disqualification, such as being barred or suspended by the SEC from associating with an investment advisor.
Books and Records Relating to Solicitors
Rule 204-2(a)(15) under the Investment Advisers Act requires an RIA to create and retain records showing arrangements with solicitors for five years. At the time of solicitation, each prospective client must be given a copy of the RIA's Form ADV Part 2 disclosure brochure, and a copy of the solicitor's written disclosure document. The prospective client must acknowledge receipt of this documentation in writing. Furthermore, the RIA must keep a copy of each written agreement and client acknowledgment as part of the records it maintains under Rule 204-2(a)(10).
During a compliance examination, examiners expect to find a written solicitation agreement between the RIA and the solicitor. This document is not usually given to the client. It should contain:
- specific solicitation activities engaged in by the solicitor on behalf of the RIA and the compensation to be received;
- an agreement by the solicitor following the instructions of the RIA and to comply with the provisions of the Investment Advisers Act;
- an agreement by the solicitor to provide prospective clients with a copy of the RIA's Form ADV, or other disclosure document, at the time of the solicitation;
- an agreement by the solicitor to give the prospective client at the time of solicitation a copy of the solicitor's separate written disclosure document;
- representation by the solicitor that he or she is not subject to statutory disqualification.
Examiners also expect to see the solicitor's written disclosure document. One copy goes to the prospective client and a second copy should be given by the RIA to the prospective client when an advisory contract is executed by the parties. This document must disclose:
- the name of the solicitor;
- the name of the RIA;
- a statement that the solicitor is being compensated for referring the client to the RIA;
- the terms of the compensation arrangement between the RIA and the solicitor; and
- whether a client must pay higher fees than would otherwise be charged if there were no payments to a solicitor; and
- the nature of the relationship between the RIA and the solicitor.
Frequently, the solicitor and the RIA are affiliated through common control or ownership.
The Big Picture
RIAs should be on the look-out for situations where they inadvertently use solicitors. For example, some RIAs have considered offering clients a gift card every time they refer a client. Although this type of compensation is not necessarily a cash payment as spelled out by Rule 206(4)-3, it may be viewed as solicitor arrangement if clients are compensated in exchange for referrals. It is far less likely that Rule 206(4)-3 will apply in a situation where an advisor takes a client to lunch or dinner to thank her for a referral.
Examiners want to see specific instructions to the solicitor from the RIA. They also require documentation showing that the firm's CCO or a designee is monitoring the solicitor's compliance with the terms of the written agreement. An RIA's CCO or compliance officer has an affirmative duty to make certain that the solicitor has complied with and continues to comply with the terms of the agreement.
As is so often the case, there can be a disconnect between an RIA's business model and its Form ADV and policies and procedures. In too many instances, an RIA's disclosure brochure does not mention that the firm uses solicitors to attract clients. In addition, policies and procedures often do not articulate steps taken by the RIA to comply with the rules relating to solicitors.
Most firms' policies and procedures incorporate the rules applying to a solicitor working in that jurisdiction. Figure 26-1, shows an example of a firm's disclosure brochure language with regard to solicitors.
Figure 26-1. Solicitor Disclosure Brochure Language
"We directly compensate non-employee (outside) consultants, individuals, and/or entities (Solicitors) for client referrals. In order to receive a cash referral fee from our firm, Solicitors must comply with the requirements of the jurisdictions in which they operate. If you were referred to our firm by a Solicitor, you should have received a copy of this Disclosure Brochure along with the Solicitor's disclosure statement at the time of the referral. If you become a client, the Solicitor that referred you to our firm will receive a percentage of the advisory fee you pay our firm for as long as you are a client, or until such time as our agreement with the Solicitor expires. You will not pay additional fees because of this referral arrangement. Referral fees paid to a Solicitor are contingent upon your entering into an advisory agreement with our firm. Therefore, a Solicitor has a financial incentive to recommend our firm to you for advisory services. This creates a conflict of interest; however, you are not obligated to retain our firm for advisory services. Comparable services and/or lower fees may be available through other firms."
*Used with permission from National Compliance Services, Inc.
The use of solicitors adds to the many compliance obligations owed by RIAs. Investment advisors risk problems if they choose a solicitor who does more harm for the RIA than good.