text:
On magazine covers and sleepy babies
After perfect game, Braden lands Sports Illustrated cover
Here are some of the notable quotes from around Major League Baseball this week:
"It's a magazine you grow up reading. Well, I didn't really read Sports Illustrated. I thumbed through the pictures, obviously. But it's pretty cool that my mug's gonna be on that magazine."
-- Dallas Braden on the news that he would be on the cover of Sports Illustrated. (Oakland Tribune)
"I hadn't seen him awake. I finally got to see him and hold him a little bit."
-- B.J. Upton on his newborn son, Riley Emanuel. Upton missed the Monday-morning birth by about 20 minutes despite hiring a private jet. He stayed the night at St. Joseph's Hospital before boarding a Tuesday-morning flight to meet the Rays in Anaheim, Calif. (St. Petersburg Times)
"Just another guy who throws 88 and locates a little bit. Neither one of us is pitching anything special, but he was special [Sunday]. I got a little choked up. It was one of the coolest things I've ever seen on TV. I haven't wanted to be in Oakland since I left. I'm happy where I'm at. But I kind of wished I was there."
-- Dana Eveland, now with Toronto, on his good friend and former teammate Dallas Braden. (Toronto Sun)
"It hit me. I really wished he could be here, but he was here in spirit. He's in heaven. Hopefully, he was able to watch."
-- Reds left fielder Chris Heisey, on his father, Craig, who passed away in 2007, after hitting his first Major League home run on Tuesday night. (Cincinnati Enquirer)
"This will be a chance for him to really put it together over a full season and see what he's capable of. I think everyone has always known he could do it, but he hasn't really been in the right spot to play every day. There's something to be said for coming into camp and knowing you're the guy and the organization is confident in you."
-- Adam LaRoche , D-backs first baseman, on second baseman Kelly Johnson. (MLB.com)
"I felt all along that Gardy was an everyday player. He's hit left-handers all the way throughout, and he's comfortable in there. I love what he brings to the table."
--Yankees manager Joe Girardi on outfielder Brett Gardner, who is hitting .337 with 16 stolen bases. (MLB.com)
"I take a lot of extra batting practice and try to stay ready for any time they need me. When I hit off the machine in the cages, it makes me feel pretty good."
-- Andy Marte, Indians first baseman, on staying prepared. (Akron Beacon Journal)
"Brook [Jacoby] is a real good fit for me. To come back and start over where we left off helped. He knows my swing really well. We can get in the cage and iron stuff out before it goes too far south. The other is just playing the Positive Pete role with Laynce Nix and me, just focusing in. We're trying to be each other's hitting coach and mental coach. It's good to have him on my side as well."
-- Jonny Gomes, on Reds hitting coach Brook Jacoby and teammate Laynce Nix. (Cincinnati Enquirer)
"It's just natural. When you dive, it's hard on your body."
-- Magglio Ordonez, on his preference to make sliding catches instead of diving catches. (MLB.com)
"I'm trying to be somewhat of a table-setter. That's my job, to get on base any way I can and get in scoring position. That's my No. 1 focus and all I'm trying to do up here."
-- Tigers rookie center fielder Austin Jackson on trying to get on base. (MLB.com)
"I want to throw 120 pitches every start. A lot of times pitch counts are overrated. When you first get in the league, it started to take on some huge significance. But look at back in the days, guys pitched every four days and had long careers. It's all about taking care of yourself."
-- Jake Peavy, White Sox starter, on a starting pitcher's longevity in the game. (Chicago Tribune)
"You put him on the field now with any right-handed hitter in baseball, and he will stay with him as far as power. From all the guys I've played with, the only one at that age I'd compare him to is Chipper Jones."
-- Wes Helms, Marlins veteran, on top prospect Mike Stanton. (Miami Herald)
"He's going to be fine. His approach is very good. He looks like a big leaguer at home plate. He's just got to keep doing what he's doing."
-- Hanley Ramirez, on the Cubs' young phenom shortstop, Starlin Castro. (MLB.com)
"If he's commanding it, you'll have to make up your mind when you go up to hit -- 'Which one of these things am I going to look for?' It's really tough as a hitter, especially when you have just the 60 feet to deal with, is to try to handle all the stuff."
--Dodgers manager Joe Torre on the difficulty of facing Rockies pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez, who features an overpowering fastball along with a changeup, splitter and slider. (Los Angeles Times)
"That's why I give this guy tons of credit. He went through that. Not a lot of guys would. They'd call their [agent] and say, 'Hey man, get me out of here, it just isn't working, blah blah blah.' But he's weathered the storm. I've always believed as he gets better, he'll be part of this."
--Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti on Barry Zito. (Contra Costa Times)
"It boils down to 'I'm going to have confidence in this pitch, I'm going to throw it without any fear. I'm going to throw it with great intent. And there's going to be a purpose behind it.' And he's getting there."
--Angels pitching coach Mike Butcher on starter Scott Kazmir, who is working to refine his slider. (Los Angeles Times)
"I feel like I've been swinging the bat pretty danged good, man. I get robbed the other day for a line-drive double, probably. I get robbed bases loaded. I get robbed at the warning track at Safeco Field. I hit a line drive ... in Texas. That's just part of the game. You just keep going. Obviously, I didn't have anything to show for it. Now maybe I'll start."
-- Rob Johnson, Mariners, following his two-hit game on Tuesday night. (Seattle Times)
"When I went down, I started using both of my arm slots like I did last year. I wanted to go back to my other arm slot against right-handed hitters so I'd be able to get those guys out. Right away, I started doing it and it gave me confidence like I had last year. I'm confident I can get righties and lefties out."
-- Mitch Stetter, Milwaukee reliever, on a stint in the Minors during which he had a 2.61 ERA with 12 strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
"I try to drop my glove now instead of keeping it up. Trying to keep it down and relax my shoulders a little bit more and give a little bit more time to get my grips. Sometimes I was tipping my pitches and all that. By [lowering the glove] I'm more consistent, and I'm not tipping pitches, and it all worked out pretty good today."
-- Johan Santana on the revamped delivery he unveiled on Saturday. He no longer holds his glove around his face while looking in at home plate. (New York Daily News)
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Lefty Antonini recalled in first promotion to bigs
By Ken Gurnick / MLB.com
Antonini was 1-0 with a 4.26 ERA over four games (three starts) for the Isotopes. This is the first Major League promotion for the 26-year-old Antonini, acquired by the Dodgers from the Mets on Dec. 27, 2010, for Chin-lung Hu.
A left-handed starter, Antonini's stay in Los Angeles could be short. Reliever Todd Coffey is eligible to come off the disabled list Sunday. Coffey is scheduled for Minor League rehab innings Wednesday and Friday. If those go without an issue, he's likely to be activated Sunday, with Antonini returning to Albuquerque.
Manager Don Mattingly said the club chose Antonini to counter Atlanta's left-handed hitters.
Antonini said he got the call around 1 a.m. Tuesday morning while the club was in Oklahoma City. He called his mother in Philadelphia and woke her up with the good news.
"I was a little surprised, but I was throwing the ball good there and once you get a rhythm, you never know what can happen," Antonini said.
Rivera exits in sixth after straining hamstring
LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers first baseman Juan Rivera, who homered earlier in Tuesday night's 4-3 loss to the Braves, exited in the bottom of the sixth inning with a left hamstring strain.
He will have his left leg evaluated Wednesday to determine if he needs to go on the disabled list.
Rivera pulled up halfway to first base and jogged the rest of the way on a deflected infield single off Atlanta starter Mike Minor. After a brief discussion with manager Don Mattingly, Rivera left the game, but without a noticeable limp.
"We'll know a whole lot more [Wednesday]," Mattingly said. "Right now it sounds like it's the attachment really low, just above the knee. I don't know how to categorize it at this point. He could come in tomorrow bad or really good and it will be a couple days thing."
Rivera started at first base in place of James Loney, who replaced him.
Elbow tendinitis lands reliever Guerrier on DL
LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers reliever Matt Guerrier, signed in part to be the bullpen workhorse, was placed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday because of right elbow flexor tendinitis.
Guerrier had an MRI, which revealed no issues with the ligament that leads to Tommy John surgery. He received a platelet-rich plasma injection, will rest for several days, then begin tossing.
The Dodgers called up left-hander Michael Antonini from Triple-A Albuquerque to replace Guerrier in the bullpen.
Guerrier last pitched a week ago and the placement on the disabled list was retroactive to April 18. He said he's been dealing with the condition since Spring Training and it doesn't bother him when he's pitching, but he has trouble getting loose the next day.
"I could pitch through it, but it puts the guys in the bullpen in a tough position when I need a day off after every game I pitch," he said.
Manager Don Mattingly said the decision to put Guerrier on the DL was made after Monday night's game.
"We thought it was normal stuff the first couple days, but when it extended it was like, 'What's going on here?'" Mattingly said. "The biggest problem is he doesn't know how he feels the next day. I could tell last night by his answers that he didn't know what's going on."
Guerrier had a 2.70 ERA in seven games but walked five in 6 2/3 innings. Guerrier signed a three-year, $12 million contract before the 2011 season. This is the first time he's been on the disabled list with an arm injury. The only other time he's been disabled was in 2006 for a fractured thumb.
Belisario set to head out on Minors assignment
LOS ANGELES -- Troubled Dodgers reliever Ronald Belisario will start a Minor League rehab assignment next week and is eligible to return from a 25-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball's drug policy on May 4.
Belisario, however, is out of options and the Dodgers must decide if he's ready to help the club on that date. If not, they cannot send him to the Minor Leagues unless he clears waivers, but he could be taken by another club.
Belisario has not pitched in the Major Leagues since 2010 and spent the entire 2011 season on the restricted list, reportedly with drug problems that prevented him from obtaining a work visa.
Manager Don Mattingly said Belisario has been working out at the club's Camelback Ranch-Glendale complex in Arizona.
Ken Gurnick is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Is The Stig, as Jeremy claims, an escaped super-soldier created by the American military? Or has Clarkson inadvertently combined the plots of The Bourne Trilogy, Captain America and Universal Soldier?
Or, as James suggests, could he be the love child of a hot shot pilot and an air stewardess? May believes that the pair consummated in the lavs of Concorde at the precise moment it entered supersonic flight, literally infusing their infant's soul with speed.
Perhaps Hammond's right, who thinks The Stig's a cursed man endlessly pursuing his youngest memories of speed strapped to his horseriding father's chest.
All we know is that he's called The Stig. And, for the first time ever, his remarkable story's been consigned to print in The Stig: The Untold Story (RRP is £18.99. But you know the score - if you go to Amazon or iTunes and pre-order now, you might find it for considerably less…)
But even more remarkable are these candid images from the book, which have been leaked online ahead of its official paperware release on October 25. You literally won't believe them…


text:
When I answer questions of a personal nature, Coldplay.com readers often get in touch with their own thoughts. So, we now have a weekly feature, Team Oracle, whereby each Friday (with the question asker's permission) we open up a question to all of you to answer too. Then, the following Friday, I'll post a selection of the best answers, alongside my own reply.
ANYONE can join in so, if you'd like to, please email your response to the following question, in no more than 250 words, to email@example.com before midnight Thursday 23rd August.
I need to learn to manage my money and I'm wondering if there is some sort of rule to go by so that I'm not going from paycheck to paycheck. I'm in college and it isn't wise to live like I were still at home. Do you have any recommendations?
Nathalie, India.
Look forward to seeing your replies.
The Oracle
Please email your replies to firstname.lastname@example.com


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Reyes playing his part atop Blue Jays' lineup
By Gregor Chisholm / MLB.com
DETROIT -- The Blue Jays are off to a slow start this season, but the same can't be said for their All-Star shortstop, Jose Reyes.
Reyes has been one of the few bright spots in an otherwise disappointing Opening Week. He entered play on Wednesday with a .444 average, five runs scored and three-extra base hits through seven games.
The Dominican native has been everything the Blue Jays were hoping for at the top of their order, and while the heart of the order hasn't done a very good job of driving him in, the opportunities certainly have been there.
"I feel good at the plate right now," said Reyes, who extended his hitting streak to seven games later in the day with a single in the eighth inning of the Blue Jays' 8-6 win over the Tigers. "Just seeing the ball good, make a good swing on the ball. I go up there looking for a pitch, and if I get it, I'm going to put a good swing on the ball.
"But that doesn't mean anything, because we know we're not playing the way we're supposed to play -- so I feel like I haven't done anything, because it's all about winning."
While Reyes was waiting out the rain during a 2-hour and 29-minute delay before Wednesday's game, he could take some solace in the fact that he had reached base in 14 of his past 22 plate appearances. He also had enjoyed a multi-hit game in his past four contests, and while that came to an end on Wednesday, his 12 hits through the first seven games trailed only Dave Martinez (14) for the most to start a Blue Jays career.
One of the contributing factors to Reyes' hot start could be his participation in the recent World Baseball Classic. Reyes was one of the offensive standouts from that tournament, and the success clearly has carried over into the regular season.
Reyes prepared himself for competitive baseball a little bit earlier than normal, and while it helped result in a Classic championship, it also produced some positive numbers at the plate.
"Yes I had to get ready this year sooner because you're going to go play in the WBC," Reyes said. "I think that helped me with my winning attitude, too. Take the confidence and bring it to this ballclub."
One of the trending topics surrounding the Blue Jays' slow start is how it relates to what the Marlins went through last season. In some ways, it's a natural comparison to make, considering Miami went through a similar offseason spending spree a year ago, and now several of those key players find themselves on Toronto's roster.
But that's where the comparisons end in Reyes' opinion. The ballclubs are completely different, and while the Marlins started last season with a 2-5 record -- the same win/loss total the Blue Jays had entering Wednesday -- it doesn't mean the failed results will find their way to Toronto as well.
"What happened in Miami was in Miami," Reyes said. "This is a new ballclub, different atmosphere here, different chemistry. I can't compare what happened last year to this year. We're going to be fine. We believe in the talent that we put on the field every single night. We're going to turn it around, and hopefully it will be sooner than later.
"There's still plenty of baseball left. If we were talking about September it's a different ballgame, but we're just a week into the season, the season is still young."
Blue Jays claim outfielder Wells off waivers
DETROIT -- The Blue Jays claimed outfielder Casper Wells off waivers from the Mariners on Wednesday afternoon.
Wells, who is out of options on his contract, was cut by Seattle at the end of March, when the club decided to go with Jason Bay as its final outfielder on the 25-man roster.
The 28-year-old Wells is expected to report prior to Toronto's series opener in Kansas City on Friday. By that time, the Blue Jays will have to make a corresponding move to create room on their 25-man roster.
Wells is an above-average defender who hit .225 with 17 home runs and 51 RBIs in 124 games for the Mariners over the past two seasons. He batted .189 with two homers, 14 RBIs and a .646 OPS in 53 at-bats this spring.
The biggest benefit for the Blue Jays is Wells' ability to hit left-handed pitching. Wells is a career .264 hitter with an .838 OPS versus lefties compared to a .230 average and .675 OPS against righties.
The claim likely means Toronto will soon go with a seven-man bullpen. The club had been carrying eight relievers through the first week of the season, but that will soon change, and it's probable that right-hander Edgar Gonzalez will be the one who is designated for assignment.
To make room on the 40-man roster for Wells, the Blue Jays designated right-hander Alex Burnett for assignment.
Broken nail not expected to hamper Dickey
DETROIT -- In the grand scheme of everyday life a broken fingernail means next to nothing, but the same can't necessarily be said for a knuckleball pitcher.
R.A. Dickey broke a nail during the first inning of his last start against Boston. The ailment might seem incredibly minor, but considering the way Dickey has to grip the ball if his nails aren't quite right, it can have a negative impact.
The minor injury wasn't revealed until general manager Alex Anthopoulos brought it up during a radio interview on Tuesday night. He was asked about it again on Wednesday morning and insisted that Dickey isn't in danger of missing his upcoming start on Saturday.
"He's said he's done it many times in the past, that he could pitch with it," Anthopoulos said. "He wasn't concerned about it and said it happens all the time, so we're not concerned about it."
Dickey's fingernail might not be a concern, but the overall performance of the starting rotation has been through the first seven games of the season.
Toronto's starters have yet to throw a single pitch in the seventh inning while posting an overall ERA of 6.08, which is third worst in the Major Leagues. The sample size is still incredibly small, though, and Anthopoulos believes the rotation will still prove to be a major strength for his ballclub.
"Once our rotation starts to settle in, I think we'll be fine," Anthopoulos said. "It's really our starters giving us a chance to win the games. Obviously, offensively we need to get everybody going as well.
"It's just a matter of everything clicking together at the same time and just starting to get on a roll."
Encarnacion doubles his way out of hitting funk
DETROIT -- Edwin Encarnacion snapped an 0-for-19 streak with a pair of doubles in the Blue Jays' 8-6 victory over the Tigers on Wednesday afternoon.
Encarnacion entered the game with just two hits on the season as the Blue Jays' cleanup hitter, but he doubled that total versus Detroit.
The first double occurred in the fourth inning, but it was the double in the sixth that scored one and helped spark a three-run rally to get Toronto back into the game.
"I knew I had to just keep my head up, I knew things were going to change, it's not going to be like the beginning all year long," Encarnacion said. "I felt a lot better, more confident, especially when you get a hit, that's what you need, a blooper, something, then your mind changes."
The early-season struggles might have been a cause for concern, but the fact remains the Blue Jays are still only a week into their 162-game schedule. There's more than enough time to turn things around in April, but that's a month in which Encarnacion has experienced a lot of difficulty in the past.
Encarnacion did manage to hit .322 last April, but for his career he is just a .246 hitter with a .767 OPS during the month. The numbers haven't been any better in May as evidenced by a .230 average and .720 OPS, but from there things drastically turn around.
The Dominican native said he expects things to improve a lot faster than that this season, and Encarnacion insists the slow start doesn't have anything to do with a sprained right index finger which caused him issues during Spring Training.
The bigger culprit has been pitch selection, and that's something he improved upon versus the Tigers as he took a more patient approach to his at-bats.
"I feel great, my finger feels 100 percent ready to go," Encarnacion said. "Things have been working good, I just have to keep working hard, keep working on my routine, and I know things will change.
"I feel good. I just have to select my pitch. I've been swinging at a lot of pitches out of the strike zone, and that's how I've been making outs by myself, swinging at bad pitches. So, right now I'm going to try to focus on a pitch in the strike zone."
Worth noting
The Blue Jays signed veteran right-hander Miguel Batista to a Minor League contract on Tuesday night. The move isn't expected to have a major impact on the big league club but was instead made to help improve depth at Triple-A Buffalo
"They needed some innings down there just to have any type of role, long relief, spot start," Anthopoulos said. "It's just depth. You'll see a lot of transactions on the Minor League side that they do day in and day out. I understand that anyone who is a former big league player is going to be news, but it's just for them to have more innings and have a little more length."
Gregor Chisholm is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, North of the Border, and follow him on Twitter @gregorMLB. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
March 24, 2009
Nate Clark '03 knew it was going to take a big move for him to make it as an artist, so he left his Illinois home and headed to Portland.
"For young people who are concerned with being hip, Portland is a Mecca," Clark says. "As a secular liberal progressive, it feels like home out here to me. I decided it would be a great city to try out."
The move seems to be paying dividends. He plays guitar, bass, and upright bass in five different bands ("The other love of my life is music."). And he's beginning to make his mark as a young artist. He had a major showing of more than 30 pieces last summer at Hopworks, a Portland hot spot and brewpub.
Clark defines his art as "exercises in composition with particular attention to the accident." He was heavily influenced at Wabash by Professor Greg Huebner H'77 and by a visiting Japanese artist, Rikuo Ueda. Rikuo uses mechanical devices to create art. He has used wind to guide brushes across canvas.
"I thought I had control over what I do and Rikuo sort of blew that notion apart for me," Clark says. "After I left school it became clear to me how much his art influenced mine. In a sense his process is sort of making marks through the medium of the wind. It raised a lot of questions for me about why we choose to make the marks we do."
Clark has participated in the Portland Round, a two-hour show with musicians, poets, and an artist or two
painting during the evening. "It's through these things that you develop a sense of community. I can share and develop ideas. I feel I have been very successful out here."
Photo Album


text:
Austin Texas Wedding Photography
A St. Thomas More Parish Wedding Austin Texas
By FelimonAdmin| 2013-03-15T11:42:38+00:00 March 15th, 2013|0 Comments
About the Author: FelimonAdmin
My name is Felimon Hernandez and I am a Wedding Photographer residing in Austin, Texas (city of food trailers, hip restaurants, and awesome music!). I am a Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas and destination wedding photographer. I do what I love and love what I do!


text:
ByWSJ Staff
By Scott Patterson
A leading House Republican said the nation's top health official should step down if problems with President Barack Obama's new health-care plan aren't quickly resolved.
Rep. Darrell Issa (R., Calif), chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said on CBS's "Face the Nation" Sunday that if technical issues plaguing the new online health-insurance marketplaces aren't fixed, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius "shouldn't be there."
"Why didn't she know that the president's signature legislation was in fact in trouble?" Mr. Issa said in the interview.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D., N.H.) disagreed. "There's going to be plenty of time to place blame for who's responsible" later, she said on the news program. "It's too early to start placing blame." Ms. Sebelius has said that she doesn't plan to resign.
Mr. Issa's committee last week released a letter saying the top contractor developing the health-care website said an agency within HHS made the 11th-hour decision that led to some of site's biggest problems.
CGI Federal Inc., a unit of CGI Group, told investigators that about a month before the site was launched, the decision was made to require all visitors to the HealthCare.gov website to create accounts in order to browse its insurance offerings, according to a committee document. The change, later rescinded, triggered bottlenecks on the site as millions of visitors overwhelmed the site's computer systems.
The Obama administration said Friday that it expects problems with the website to be fixed by the end of November. Ten Democrats on Friday sent a letter to Ms. Sebelius saying she should consider extending the current March 31, 2014, deadline by which people must enroll in the program or pay a penalty.
Ms. Sebelius is expected to testify on Wednesday about problems with the rollout of the health-care plan before the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R., Tenn.), vice chairman of the House Energy & Commerce panel, said the website problems underscore the need for a broader delay in the new healthcare law. Appearing on "Fox News Sunday," Ms. Blackburn said the Affordable Care Act should be suspended while the problems are reviewed. She also said lawmakers need to hear from Ms. Sebelius "before she is out the door."
"The incompetence in building this website is staggering," Ms. Blackburn said.
Rep. Xavier Becerra (D., Calif.), who chairs the House Democratic caucus, said accountability is important, but that the first priority for policy makers should be getting the program up and running.
"Everyone should be accountable, but the most important thing we should worry about right now is making sure we fix the website, not fixate on the website," Mr. Becerra said on "Fox News Sunday."
Related: WSJ's Peter Landers and David Wessel discuss whether the troubled rollout of HealthCare.gov will mean that fewer people will sign up.


text:
Police say the two men broke into the Animal Care and Adoption Center on Friday and stole a pair of blue pit bulls. Police say their images were caught on surveillance cameras inside the shelter.
Detective Tom Briggs tells the Texarkana Gazette that one man has his hair braided in the front with a ponytail in the back while the second man had bushy hair and wore a white baseball cap.
Anyone with information is asked to call Texarkana police.


text:
No Lulz: Twitter Goes In On Struggle Comedian Bobby J For Crappy Jokes
- By Bossip Staff
2 of 16
Twitter Goes In On Comedian Bobby J
Have you heard of the comedian Bobby J? He's pretty popular on Twitter and has been on BET and various other outlets for his jokes. But sometimes, the jokes don't hit like they should and Black Twitter gives him the business. He tweeted a joke about women getting who get multiple W-2 being hood rats and not only was it not funny but there were accusations he jacked it.
Damn, homie. Peep the tweets.


text:
I've read a lot of debate, both here and elsewhere about the problems with C++ in general (I still like it, even though I'll be moving on to other languages when I've gotten more competent). However much some people dislike the language being used at all, there seems to be even more opposition to the idea of it being a newbie's first programming language.
Well, I'm a newbie and C++ is the first language I've decided to try. So far it's been a lot of fun for me, and while I haven't gotten into the nitty gritty of real programming like creating classes, understanding inheritance and the like, I'm enjoying the learning curve immensely.
I've heard that it's too low level (better to hide the inner workings from people who don 't know what they're doing). I've heard that it's too demanding in terms of precise syntax (why punish programmers for missing a single semi-colon?). I've heard it takes too long to produce truly impressive results (it's just too generalist). I've heard these and a dozen other warnings; at the risk of sounding thick-headed, most of them seem to boil down to
"C++ is a pain in the neck, and if you've never programmed before it'll put you off for good."
I'm the kill of bull-headed masochist who'll spend weeks boring into a problem until I beat it, if for no reason but the sheer spite of it. Finicky syntax and blood-boiling bugs will irritate me, but not enough to quit programming altogether. If frustration headaches, delayed gratification and general information overload are all I have to worry about, I'm sticking with C++ as my introduction to the world of programming.(Then maybe Python or LISP)
The people here have a lot of experience with the language, and while the results might be a little biased (I'm guessing most of you enjoy using C++ to some degree), I'd like to know if the experts could give me any other reasons to start with another language aside from the fact I might pull my hair out. Am I going to develop any bad coding habits? Will it hurt my understanding of programs in general? I'll switch to one of the more popular first languages if this is going to make me a bad programmer somehow, or hurt my ability to understand other languages, but if it's just about the difficulty curve, well... :3


text: I'm a big geek who is trying to convince the every day world I am just a normal mother of two. My first pop culture loves were Star Wars and Disney. In the 90's I fell for Star Trek and Harry Potter. really folks, I'm just a dork through and through. And oh yeah, I'm one of the alphas from the Werewolf Registry. We have lots of fun over there howling at the full moon.


text:
Porsche had a plan to remedy this with a 916, which was shown at the Paris Auto Show and then pulled just before introduction. 20 were built. This would be the one. But I would settle for my GT back also. Just 250 made.
Porsche had a plan to remedy this with a 916, which was shown at the Paris Auto Show and then pulled just before introduction. 20 were built. This would be the one. But I would settle for my GT back also. Just 250 made.
Uh, there is the Campfire, too, guys!!
Kurt -- Forum Liaison ---> Resources and Links Thread <---
mine-ineye-deatheah-pielayah-jooa-kalayus. oolah-minane-hay-meeriah-kal-oyus-algay-a-thaykin', buddy!
at least it was German air cooled boxers...
sorry Kurt...
but to the OP...tools for the job. If you don't have a low range torque wrench,
you might consider getting one. The torque spec on the pan bolts feels crazy
weak in the hand. I found it real easy to over do them if not using the torque
wrench. IIRC (and I don't think I do), the torque is 6 ftlbs??
Gerald P
The last thing I want to be is just like everyone else...
1969 Sport Fury Convertible
I hope to get my new tires on this weekend as well as cleaning and detailing those hard to reach (unless the wheels are off) areas. The wheels themselves will take quite a bit of time, I'm sure.
While the wheels are off I plan on packing some fresh grease into the bearings provided they feel smooth...if not, it's new bearings.
Any tips or hints on greasing the old bearings?
Attitude is everything!
08' V-Strom 650 great light weight tourer
Look closely at each of the outer races (cups) for any pitting. and remove all old dried up grease, etc.
Look at the rollers of the inner race unit (the cone) by thoroughly cleaning. then inspect each roller for any pitting.
One thing NOT to do is what was popular as a joke for fun, is to use an air gun and "spin" the bearing using air pressure while holding the bearing in your hand. Could explode! Blowing out is OK, just don't allow it to spin.
If you need bearings, Max's for me was actually less expensive than the local bearing stores. -- And I live in the community where the tapered roller bearing was invented by Timken!
When greasing with fresh grease, the old mechanic's method is to put a blob of grease in the palm of one hand, and then thoroughly work the grease into all the inner spaces of the cone with the other hand holding the bearing and pushing and working it (neading) into the blob of grease.
Optional because some people disagree on this, but: I always put more grease into the bearing area than just on the bearings. My reasoning is because that is what I was taught years ago, but it also helps keep dirt and any moisture that may leak in from the seals away from the bearings. If you grease this way every couple of years, those bearing should last hundreds of thousands of miles - actually, never wear out!
One last thing. Inspect the surface where the inner lip of the seal rides on. Be sure it is clean and smooth. In my opinion, it doesn't hurt to take some 600 to 1,000 grit wet-or-dry with a little solvent (like kerosene or even paint thinner) and lightly "polish" the surface. If that item has a deeper groove worn in it, you may want to replace, or at least see if seal (or spacer) can be located a little further in or out so that the new seal has a new location where it can ride. Be sure to lubricate seal when installing - helps to allow it to slide into location with less possibility of "grabbing" and "rolling". If seal has a spring on inner seal as some do, be sure not to damage or accidentally pull it out unknowingly.
I got the trans, final drive and driveshaft lubes changed and had about 5.5 hours more to devote to the /7 Saturday so I detailed the front end.
Today I hope to get to the front wheel bearings, detail the rear of the bike and repack rear wheel bearings.
Tires go on Monday.
Then put a couple hundred miles on before tackling the carbs.
I might be sick, but...THIS IS FUN STUFF!
Last edited by godfather; 10-07-2013 at 02:36 AM.
Attitude is everything!
08' V-Strom 650 great light weight tourer
One month to the day...
Most of you know what's involved with resurrecting on of these fine machines so I will not bore you with any more details...
This morning it was 39 degrees, so for kicks I went out to the garage, set the "enricher" (say choke) at full, opened the fuel petcocks, turned on the key and hit the starter button. Within two seconds... it was running! I am not surprised, but I am amazed since I have not yet touched the carburetors.
I have some more cleaning and polishing to do, but it is progressing very nicely. I found crash bars that are in better condition and am looking for a set of near perfect peanut style rocker covers... cuz I like the look.
Goin' out for a ride this afternoon...we need to bond.
Last edited by godfather; 10-16-2013 at 12:04 AM.
Attitude is everything!
08' V-Strom 650 great light weight tourer
Oh well...the bonding session I had planned did not happen today...but that's OK.
My wife surprised me with taking 1/2 day off work to spend my 60th BD cruising the backroads of northern MI enjoying the colors, then a movie and dinner. (I know what you're thinking, but, she does not ride, so taking the /7 was not an option)
Hope the rain stops for the weekend, and I can take the time away from work...we need to bond, and I want to get some riding time in.
Attitude is everything!
08' V-Strom 650 great light weight tourer


text:
Our Colorado community and our country have endured so much this year, from the Weber Fire and Waldo Canyon to Superstorm Sandy, from Aurora to Newtown, and all the heart-wrenching moments in between.
Whether an act of nature or an act of man, it can be difficult to fathom the depth of loss. We don't pretend to have the answers as to why such things happen, but we can tell you this: Time and time again, we have seen that when disaster strikes and darkness descends, good people come together to extend compassion and aid to those affected most dearly.
At the Red Cross, we are fortunate to have experienced first-hand the outpouring of kindness that human beings are capable of - the type of selfless giving that helps dispel despair and bring hope that, yes, together we can triumph over tragedy. Tens of thousands of people in Colorado and across our country gave generously to help when fires destroyed livelihoods in our home state, and again when Hurricane Sandy devastated the East Coast. Hundreds of volunteers in communities all over Colorado gave their time to answer the call for help, working 12- to 16-hour days for weeks at a time to help bring food, shelter, emotional support and basic health services to victims. And more than 2,000 of your fellow Colorado residents give their time on a regular basis rendering acts of kindness in response to the small disasters that occur daily and helping us train people to prevent and respond to emergencies like heart attacks and home fires.
What I mean to say is this: People are good, and collectively the good can overcome. For every dollar that you have donated, thank you; your gifts have directly helped people in need. For every hour you have volunteered, thank you; your time has not only accomplished good work, but has helped build faith in humanity. And for every tear you have shed and prayer you have said, thank you; your compassion is the spirit that empowers us all to take action when faced with the worst, and to rebuild with hope for a better tomorrow.
Wishing you all peace and kindness during this season of giving,
Cindi Shank
Executive Director
Area Disaster Manager
Southwest Colorado Chapter
American Red Cross


text:
Yasubey Enomoto slapped on a fight-ending guillotine choke in the final minute of his five-round title fight and took the M-1 Challenge welterweight title from Shamil Zavurov.
The rematch headlined Friday's M-1 Challenge 30 event.
The event took place at The Hangar at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, Calif., and the night's main card aired on Showtime.
Zavurov, who entered the fight with a 13-fight winning streak, faded down the stretch as his takedown attempts grew increasingly unsuccessful. Enomoto was quicker to the punch and dropped Zavurov early in the fight, but both competitors kept an active pace early in the headlining bout.
Heading into the fifth round, the fight was tied at two rounds each. And like their first meeting back in April – which then-champ Zavurov won via decision after Enomoto took the bout on eight days' notice – the rematch appeared it'd be decided by the judges. However, when a fatigued Zavurov shot for a takedown late in the round, Enomoto slapped on a fight-ending guillotine choke.
The tap-out came at the 4:10 mark of the round.
Enomoto (9-3), a Swiss fighter and World Victory Road/Sengoku fighter, now has won three straight fights. Zavurov (18-2) suffers his first loss in more than two years.
Damkovsky, Sarnavskiy victorious
In other action, former M-1 Global lightweight champion Artiom Damkovsky (10-6) avenged a March TKO loss to Jose Figueroa (10-6) with one of his own. The knockout came at the 2:19 mark, when Damkovsky dropped Figueroa with a quick right to the side of the head and finished him off with punches.
Alexander Sarnavskiy (17-0) moved to 17-0 with a first-round choke-out of late replacement Sergio Cortez (7-7) in a 160-pound catchweight affair. After the fighters hit the mat, Sarnavskiy worked his way to his opponent's back and forced a tap-out from a rear-naked choke at the 1:46 mark of the opening round.
In middleweight action, Tyson Jeffries (8-6) picked up his seventh submission win in eight career victories with a second-round brabo choke of Eddie Arizmendi (15-6). The tap-out came at the 2:08 mark of the second round.
In the night's TV opener, Bellator/Strikeforce vet and California-based fighter Bao Quach (19-10-1) tapped out Alvin Cacdac (10-9) with a first-round triangle armbar at the 3:33 mark.
The full M-1 Challenge 30 results included:
MAIN CARD (Showtime)
- Yasubey Enomoto def. Shamil Zavurov via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 5, 4:10 – to become new welterweight champ
- Artiom Damkovsky def. Jose Figueroa via KO (punches) – Round 1, 2:19
- Alexander Sarnavskiy def. Sergio Cortez via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 1:46
- Tyson Jeffries def. Eddie Arizmendi via submission (brabo choke) – Round 2, 2:08
- Bao Quach def. Alvin Cacdac via submission (triangle armbar) – Round 1, 3:33
- Aaron Miller def. Paul Webb via unanimous decision
For more on M-1 Challenge 30, stay tuned to the MMA Events section of MMAjunkie.com.
(Pictured: Yasubey Enomoto)