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John Smedley • Page 2
Planetside 2 will be "the MMO Halo for PlayStation 4", says Smedley
Planetside 2 will attract the Xbox crowd to the PlayStation 4, according to Sony Online Entertainment boss John Smedley.
PlanetSide 2 dev scraps paid-for buffs after fan uproar
PlanetSide 2 developer Sony Online Entertainment has canned plans to introduce paid-for buffs after fans took to Reddit to voice their disapproval.
PlanetSide: original game going free-to-play, SOE confirms
PlanetSide, the 2003 MMO shooter from Sony Online Entertainment will go free-to-play at some point in the future, according to the company's president John Smedley.
Planetside 2: "It's not tough for us" to spot aimbotters, says Smedley
Planetside 2's development team is betetr at identifying cheaters than you, says Sony Online Entertainment boss John Smedley.
Planetside 2 will experience some server mergers soon
Sometimes, things don't quite work exactly as intended in MMOs, and so things need to be adjusted. In the case of the free-to-play MMOFPS Planetside 2, one such thing is server populations. They are unbalanced, says Sony Online Entertainment president John Smedley, and so server mergers are on the way.
Planetside 2 ban hits player with $230 spend
Planetside 2's watchdogs aren't afraid to ban those who've paid to enjoy extras in the free-to-play shooter MMO.
Planetside 2 dev has 'proven' it can bring games to PS3, teases new projects
Planetside 2's John Smedley has become a mainstay on these pages for being so damn quotable. This time he's been discussing his studio Sony Online Entertainment's capability for bringing its games to PS3. He believes it can be done. Find out what he had to say below.
PlanetSide 2: triple Station Cash event on Friday
PlanetSide 2 normally asks that you buy in-game Station Cash to fuel your experience, but the generous types at Sony Online Entertainment are tripling your wonga on Friday only. Their plan? To ride off into the sunset with your riches before the world ends. True story.
Planetside 2 free players "just as important" as spenders, says Smedley
Sony Online Entertainment boss John Smedley has said all Planetside 2 players are equal in the developer's eyes, because they're "content for each other".
PlanetSide 2 doing better than other titles
Head of Sony Online Entertainment, John Smedley, said that PlanetSide 2 is bringing in more revenue than their other titles, even with it launching the week after the mega force that is Call of Duty.
PlanetSide 2 getting new weapons tomorrow, anti-vehicle weapons next week
When he's not relishing the ban of "scumbag" cheaters in PlanetSide 2, SOE CEO John Smedley is teasing new weapons for the recently launched MMOFPS. According to tweets from the man himself, "new sniper and carbines" will be introduced in the game "tomorrow," December 6. The following week, players can expect "new anti-vehicle weapon," including […]
Planetside 2 boss goes on cheater head-hunt, calls banned player "scumbag"
Planetside 2 boss John Smedley has promised a aggressive war on cheaters currently active in SOE's sprawling MMOFPS. He's even called one banned player a "scumbag" over Twitter. Get the facts below.
PlanetSide 2 - Fleet Carrier teased, MMO could last until 2025, account-wide Station Cash unlocks
Lost of PlanetSide 2 news today, what with SOE head John Smedley teasing Fleet Carriers, predicting the game could run well into 2025, and the news that Station Cash unlocks will be soon be shared across characters. Well, it's a lot to take in.
Planetside 2: SOE details its 3-year plan, wants to run until 2025 if possible
Planetside 2 developers SOE sure are an optimistic bunch aren't they? Studio president John Smedley has outlined his grand plan for the long future of the MMOFPS, including new continents and much, much more. Check out his theories below.
Planetside 2 fixes address missing certs, crashes
Planetside 2's beta servers went offline briefly earlier today while Sony Online Entertainment corrected an issue which crept in with the last patch: missing certs (the MMO's currency). SoE boss John Smedley said that users should not be seeing any more cert issues, and that only a very small number of players were affected. A […]
Planetside 2 Australian servers now live
It's a good day to be an antipodean MMOFPS fan; the long promised Australian Planetside 2 servers are live. Sony Online Entertainment boss John Smedley announced the opening on Twitter, and games.on.net reports local players have already reported a noticeable decrease in lag. No more blowing up the tanks in front of you by driving […]
Planetside 1 going free-to-play "fairly soon," says SOE
Planetside 1 is going free-to-play, SOE boss John Smedley has announced on Twitter. He said with the launch of Planetside 2, its predecessor will be "kept running and it will go F2P sometime fairly soon." SOE Live starts tomorrow in Las Vegas, and while there won't be anything announced on PS1 at the event, expect […]
PlanetSide 2: release date teased, three-continent launch confirmed
PlanetSide 2 is in beta right now and developer Sony Online Entertainment has detailed a number of big changes that will be sweeping the game world as a result of player feedback. Top of the list, is the scrapping of Auraxium, one of the game's currency types, and an upcoming release date reveal.
SOE won't force existing players to jump to ProSiebenSat.1
Sony Online Entertainment's John Smedley has given an update on a proposed migration of all European users to ProSiebenSat.1, with a result which soothe ruffled feathers all round.
SOE president: "People that don't play games have no business in this business"
SOE president John Smedley doesn't think people should be in involved in the gaming industry if they don't play games.
John Smedley latest
PlanetSide 2 getting new weapons tomorrow, anti-vehicle weapons next week
Planetside 2 boss goes on cheater head-hunt, calls banned player "scumbag"
PlanetSide 2 – Fleet Carrier teased, MMO could last until 2025, account-wide Station Cash unlocks
Planetside 2: SOE details its 3-year plan, wants to run until 2025 if possible
PlanetSide 2: release date teased, three-continent launch confirmed
SOE president: "People that don't play games have no business in this business"
SOE's Player Studio allows you to create in-game items to sell on SOE Marketplace
SWTOR's transition to F2P was the "right decision," says SOE president
GDC Online: Smedley to keynote, SWTOR receives six award nominations
SOE – 70% of DCUO players are on PS3, proving MMOs work on console
Planetside 2 beta should start soon, providing "all goes ok" with tech test
DC Universe Online daily revenue up 700% after freemium conversion
SOE: SWTOR the "last large scale MMO" to use subscription business model
Ratio of indoor and outdoor environments will be balanced in Planetside 2
SOE: Upcoming contract expiration, Old Republic release led to Star Wars Galaxies closure


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Bauer adjusts in quest to earn rotation spot
Right-hander working on mechanical changes implemented in offseason
By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Indians pitching prospect Trevor Bauer is attempting a delicate balancing act of altering his mechanics and trying to make the team's Opening Day rotation. It remains to be seen whether his changes will hurt his chances of cracking Cleveland's roster.
"That's not my decision," Bauer said after his latest outing on Wednesday. "I know the season starts in a couple weeks and I'm trying to get ready for it -- wherever I'm at. That's the only thing I can do, try to get ready for the season. That's what Spring Training is about."
During the Indians' 6-5 Cactus League loss to the Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium, Bauer allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits in just three innings. The right-hander was scheduled to log five frames, but a 33-pitch third inning combined with a long bottom half forced an early exit.
"We really weren't comfortable letting him go back out," Indians manager Terry Francona said.
Bauer -- up against Scott Kazmir, Carlos Carrasco and Corey Kluber for the fifth spot in the starting staff -- finished with 56 pitches, including 30 for strikes. The abbreviated outing and ongoing mechanical adjustments might lead to a trip to Triple-A Columbus to begin the season, but Cleveland has yet to tip its hand as to which way it is leaning.
Despite his pitching line, Bauer, ranked as the Tribe's No. 2 prospect, said he was happy with Wednesday's performance given his comfort level with his revamped delivery. The 22-year-old prospect -- acquired from Arizona as part of December's nine-player trade that also included the Reds -- added that he began implementing his mechanical changes over the offseason.
Part of Bauer's reason for changing is to hopefully avoid the kind of nagging groin injury he had last season throughout the Minors and during a four-start stint with the D-backs.
"There's a lot of different reasons," said Bauer, who went 12-2 with a 2.42 ERA in 22 starts between Double-A and Triple-A last season. "Command and health, among other things. I could talk for days on why I'm doing it, but that's stuff you guys aren't interested in hearing. I've been trying to do it all offseason. As soon as the season ended last year, I went to work on it, but I had some injuries that were leftover from last year.
"It's just been kind of tough getting to a place where I feel fully healthy where I can actually work on it. So coming into Spring Training, I finally feel fully healthy, but when you're trying to overwrite 10 years of neuromuscular programming in four or five weeks, that makes it a little bit tough."
Francona downplayed the changes Bauer is in the process of making.
"Guys are working on stuff all the time," Francona said. "I think he's trying to get to a point in his delivery where he's comfortable all the time. A lot of guys are like that. He's got some moving parts in that delivery, so he's just trying to get some consistency there."
Jordan Bastian is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Major League Bastian, and follow him on Twitter @MLBastian. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

subset: commoncrawl


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Representatives of Raynham Park, PPE Casino Resorts and Penn National submitted their final applications to open a slot machine parlor in advance of a Friday afternoon deadline.
Representatives of Raynham Park, PPE Casino Resorts and Penn National submitted their final applications to open a slot machine parlor in advance of a Friday afternoon deadline.
The three applicants are competing against one another for the sole slot license Massachusetts will award under the 2011 law that authorized expanded gambling. Each is scheduled to give a detailed 90-minute presentation to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission on Monday.
The commission expects to award the slots license by December or January.
Raynham Park owner George Carney has partnered with Pennsylvania-based Greenwood Racing in an effort to build a $230 million slot parlor at the former greyhound track on Route 138 in Raynham. The project gained the support of 86 percent of voters in a townwide referendum.
PPE, an affiliate of the Baltimore-based Cordish Cos., is hoping to build a slots parlor in Leominster, where it got 62 percent support in a local vote. Cordish has previously said it plans to invest $200 million in building the proposed 125,000-square-foot facility in the central Massachusetts community.
Penn National, which failed to gain support from Tewksbury voters, has since secured an option to buy Plainridge Racecourse, a harness track in Plainville. Plainridge had initially put together its own application, which was disqualified. In its decision deeming Plainridge's initial application unsuitable, the Gaming Commission cited findings that former track president Gary Piontkowski had allegedly helped himself to more than $1 million from the track's cash room over the years.
After deeming Plainridge's initial application unsuitable, the Gaming Commission allowed the proposal to be re-submitted under a new ownership team. The commission on Thursday gave a favorable suitability determination to the new Penn National/Plainridge application.
The three slots applicants are scheduled to present their proposals to the commission Monday in Boston. PPE is scheduled to present at 10 a.m., followed by Penn National at 12:30 p.m. and Raynham Park at 2:30 p.m.
The Gaming Commission is providing a live online stream of the presentations at www.massgaming.com.
The commission also announced Friday that it is extending the deadline for cities and towns to submit petitions to be recognized as a "surrounding communities" to Oct. 31. Under the law, host communities and surrounding communities are eligible to seek mitigation payments from developers to offset the infrastructure impact of a slots parlor or casino.


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Chris Brown Gets Heckled But Surprisingly Isn't a Complete Jackass About It [NSFW VIDEO]
Chris Brown is a notorious hot head, but he managed to keep his cool when an insanely angry drunk guy verbally attacked him with racial slurs.
Baby steps!
Breezy was outside of the Playhouse nightclub in Los Angeles, because he's super mature and it's appropriate, when an African American man approached his car and just started berating him incessantly.
Brown was trying to leave in his Lambo when the guy yelled, "I ain't never seen a n—- jump in a car that fast, n—-."
The eloquent stranger added, "Yo, scary-ass Chris is that motherf—er bulletproof?"
What happens next is a little murky, but it sounds like Brown asked the guy if he himself is bulletproof, which was a pretty clever retort coming from Brown, who usually only picks on gay men, women and maybe kittens. And Drake, but that's pretty much the same thing.
The heckler's reply implies that he bleeds blue, but not in the cop sense: "I'm a crip n—-, hell yeah, I'm bulletproof!"
It sounds a lot worse than it looks, though — if you watch the video (audio may be NSFW), Brown is laughing while this is going down. Obviously he's not worried if his car is bulletproof. It's bottles he's concerned about.


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Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous
I've been to Boston quite a bit over the years, but mostly to the suburbs. This was the first time I've actually stayed in the core of the city. Cambridge was nice - my hotel was only a block from the offices where I was working, and the Cambridge Galleria mall was between the two.
You're thinking of going from a BMW to ... a ... CR-V? Wow, talk about culture shock. But, I totally get the rationale behind it. Dependable, room for the kids, good resale value. Certainly better than the Wrangler Unlimited you are also talking about.
A friend of mine bought a car like this a couple of years ago. It had more miles on it but it was still solid. She's not a car person and wants to spend as little as possible on transportation, so it was a good choice for her at the time. It ran well and was still solid, she drove it until she inherited a car a couple of years later.
Boston is a GREAT city, we were there over Memorial Day, love it.
Like you I'm always thinking about what to do when my lease is up in January 2014. The practical thing to do it buy it out, I like the G37....the engine is a little coarse but otherwise I do like the car and it's hard to beat for $31k. I could get a new Fusion or Accord for about the same money, but not sure I want to do that. The fun side of me wants to splurge on the new IS or Q50, and that gets into the lease vs. buy decision.
LOTS to think about.
I know a CRV is kinda vanilla, non-offensive, & worlds apart as far as the way it drives compared to my BMW. Like I said last week, as much as I LOVE my BMW do I really need "the ultimate driving machine" for my 65 mile/day (6 days a week) commute along mostly highways?
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2015 Infiniti Q40 AWD, 2017 Honda Pilot Touring AWD
Something I have used to quickly remove contaminants (sap especially) is a magic eraser type sponge. You'll need to use it with lots of water, but it kind of does the same thing. A quick wipe with one will smooth out paint, but removes wax too (it is kind of like a very fine sandpaper, in principle), so some work is needed.
Those white things (Mr. Clean is one brand)? I have a couple of those around here but they haven't seen much use.
There's no issue about potentially removing wax on my cars.
The "Cigar Lighter" port stopped working (wouldn't charge my phone). After cursing myself for buying a British car, I had an epiphany: Check the fuse! I discovered that the XK has three fuse boxes: under hood, between the two rear seats and in the left "passenger footwell area." Of course, here in Los Estados Unidos, the left is the driver side, so of course I had to translate my English language owner's manual into Boston English...
Of course, it was the fuse. In the engine bay fuse box. Which you acccess by:
Pop the hood.
Remove four plastic screws from the black plastic shroud of elegance and remove.
Remove the fuse box lid.
Replace fuse.
As simple as CUE!
My next car? Discounting I now have eight straight years of college to pay for, wife is non too subtle in her desire to install a new, bigger deck, more interior house painting and new furniture, I'm thinking of staying in the Jag family: F-Type coupe or XF sedan. We'll see, I think I'm good for a while longer now that I bought new sneaks for the XK and have use of the old SUV while daughter is in college. Maybe trade the 11.5 year old RX for a newer, more economical SUV, maybe a used Rogue, CRV, RAV4? Mitsu Outlander?
(Note from Laurasdada's accountant: The preceeding paragraph is fantasy. He will be driving the mid-life crisis mobile for some time... )
'13 Jaguar XF, possibly my favorite of all the cars I've owned. But, my '09 Jag XK was a beauty, as was my '05 Acura TL, '88 Acura Integra, '84 Mitsubishi Mirage Turbo & '78 VW Scirocco (my first!). And, of course, the '92 Nissan Sentra SE-R and '95 Saab 900s I bought for the ex... Ok, I like a lot of the cars in my life.
stickguy Posts: 26,378I love Boston too. And am perfectly fine with the baseball team (I do love Fenway, and still owe them a debt of gratitude for 1986!)
should be up sometime in the summer. My baby that is college hunting is interested in B.U., so that will give us an excuse to go up and visit.
2018 Hyundai Elantra Sport (mine), 2013 Acura RDX AWD (wife's) and 2015 Jetta Sport (daughter's)
jayrider Posts: 3,602When you find yourself becoming practical about cars, it might be maturation or low T. Take it from someone who knows. :P
I'll still ALWAYS have my Prelude (until my kids start driving).
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2015 Infiniti Q40 AWD, 2017 Honda Pilot Touring AWD
We are similar in age, do your best to start a 401k or similar retirement account. I put 8% of my salary and my employer matches .50 on the dollar. I've been putting into it for almost 13 years and am stunned at the amount in there already. The 8% hit isn't that bad because it's not taxed.
Not trying to preach, but since I'm not a good saver I had to do something.
I love Boston as well. The wife and I had a long weekend planned there in March but had to cancel when my Stepdad got sick.
Fintail, I would have been scared to try Magic Eraser on paint. It did get ink of my ivory leather when nothing else would.
2017 Buick Enclave / 2017 Hyundai Elantra
Try bumping that 401K up to 15%... and, give it 20 years..
(it isn't as hard as it sounds.... )
You'll need a lot more money than you think....
Prices Paid, Lease Questions, SUVs
I can't remember but I may be at the max for the employer match. I couldn't afford 15% but probably wouldn't hurt to bump it to 10.
2017 Buick Enclave / 2017 Hyundai Elantra
Thanks for the advice tjc78. You aren't preaching at all. We're all friends here. I have a ROTH IRA that up until maybe 4 years ago, I contributed to every year. My wife's 1st job matched her 403b contributions for the 5 years she worked there. I used to be fantastic at saving. Up until 3 years ago when we sold our condo for an almost $80,000 loss. Instead of having 20% to put down, I only had 10% and consequently have a rather large mortgage payment compared to what my wife & I make. My wife also makes $20,000 less than she did 3 years ago. Believe me, I'm not complaining at all. I've got a bunch of things in motion that will ease the squeeze in the coming months/years. I'm in the process of refinancing my mortgage (current rate is 5.125%, new rate will be 3.25%). My wife's Pilot will be paid off in 3 years. Once my Dad reaches 70 1/2 (he's 67), he's going to start collecting social security & I'll get a nice raise. When my kids are all in school, my wife will be able to work more.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2015 Infiniti Q40 AWD, 2017 Honda Pilot Touring AWD
I max out my employer match at 6%... but, I started at 10% in my 30s... bumped it up to 15% in my '40s.. and, 20% in my '50s.... My wife has, as well..
The 10% and 15% were the max allowed at the time... .but, now... the only cap is the $17,500 per year ($23K if you are over 50)... Both of our 401Ks are with Vanguard, and the plan has a lot of choices, so that helps..
I look back and wish I had been putting 20% away in my '30s... I'd be able to retire, right now (at 55).
But, starting next year... back to 6%.... My wife just got a buyout and retired.... so, we need some cash flow until she is eligible to draw on her retirement funds in three years... (at 59.5)
You are right about how fast it grows.... we have a stunning amount of money in our 401Ks (and, it still scares me it won't be enough..)
Prices Paid, Lease Questions, SUVs
Ditto all the advice here, NYC. You can borrow to finance your kids education, buy a house, buy a few cars, but it's hard to borrow to finance a retirement. If you have a 401K at work, ensure you are, at the very minimum, maxing your contribution to get the full match. The earlier and more you contribute will allow the most powerful force on earth to work for you: compounding!
Up until a few years ago, we were fortunate enough to be able to both max our 401k contributions, but not wanting kids to have to borrow for their college, much is going to 529 plan now. Wife has a sizable 401k, she won't tell me how much... I'm trying to catch up...
For all the trials and tribulations of the stock market, our few winners have more than made up for my many losers. A dangerous game, but as history has shown, over the long haul, you can grow your nest egg. If only I had sold all my tech stocks back in 2000.... Or loaded up on Ford in 2008... Or the Powerball machines would, for once, pick the correct six numbers! I mean, every time I buy a ticket I give them the six numbers to return. How hard is it, really!!! :P
'13 Jaguar XF, possibly my favorite of all the cars I've owned. But, my '09 Jag XK was a beauty, as was my '05 Acura TL, '88 Acura Integra, '84 Mitsubishi Mirage Turbo & '78 VW Scirocco (my first!). And, of course, the '92 Nissan Sentra SE-R and '95 Saab 900s I bought for the ex... Ok, I like a lot of the cars in my life.
You'll need a lot more money than you think....
Less if you aren't an active participant in here.
Also, less money is needed if you die young from boredom...
Prices Paid, Lease Questions, SUVs
Poking around today I find a nice 2009 128i. 34k and only $22,000. Seems minimally equipped but does have 3 pedals.
The only downside (well, other than not having the budget) is that the car is at Sweeney's in Cincinnati.
roadburner Posts: 10,639The only downside (well, other than not having the budget) is that the car is at Sweeney's in Cincinnati.
In addition to the Sedona Red 128i Weenie has a 135i M Sport. If it wasn't black on black I'd probably hold my nose and go look at it. Its service history is good- based on what my BMW source told me. The 128i isn't a SP car which makes it a non-starter for me.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport / 2014 M235i / 1999 Wrangler / 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2016 i3 REX/2009 Cooper Clubman Son's: 2009 328i
The only downside (well, other than not having the budget) is that the car is at Sweeney's in Cincinnati.
Pretty sure we can work with that..
Prices Paid, Lease Questions, SUVs
Not a car, but a local bike dealer got a couple Honda CB500 series bikes in, and I looked at them yesterday. I like what I see.
Debating whether I'd want the F (naked) or X (kind of a dual sport/street hybrid) more - I don't think I'd want the faired version. I rode a dual sport last weekend (an older Yamaha with a very touchy throttle and loud non-existent exhaust system), my first time on one - and I was surprised how comfortable it was, and easy to do precise maneuvers.
I figure that, for me, any BMW will be sporty enough even without the Sport package.
qbrozen Posts: 22,680Personally, I found the non-sport seat unbearable.
'17 F150 Crew 2.7; '67 Coronet R/T; '14 Town&Country Limited; '09 LR2 HSE. 44-car history and counting!
When the 1-series was first introduced, I took a test drive of one. Can't remember if it was a Sport edition or not, but didn't find anything to complain about regarding the seats.
The car I test drove was an automatic; am thinking the stick shift would be more engaging to drive.
I haven't driven one myself, but that 128i, particularly with a stick, should be plenty fun to drive. We drove up to Ft. Collins over the weekend for their "Taste of Ft. Collins" and took my wife's 328 - I drove back home and thought to myself how fun it is to drive that car. I like the pull of my 335, but there's definitely something engaging to n/a inline-6 and a stick shift.
If you like the non-sports seats Michael, it would certainly be a nice option for you (whether it's that one or you find one local).
2017 Durango R/T - 2017 Civic Type R - 2016 V60 Polestar - 2012 Mini Hardtop
So I've had like 5-6 legitimately interested buyers on the 530i, and only one has been local. I've had callers from California, Tennessee, Vermont and Maryland. The latest is from Vermont - seems really interested and tentatively plans to fly out with a friend the first weekend of July to drive it back, assuming we come to terms on the price.
We'll see - I'm not surprised this has turned into a long-distance sale, but those always provide some challenges. Though the 318ti was an out of state sale, and it worked out just fine.
2017 Durango R/T - 2017 Civic Type R - 2016 V60 Polestar - 2012 Mini Hardtop
but there's definitely something engaging to n/a inline-6 and a stick shift.
I have test driven a 3-series coupe with a stick and was amazed at how much pull there is from "only" 230HP. Just so smooth.
I know that many folks don't like the odd proportions of the 1-series, but I think that's part of the attraction to me. I think it will be the "odd man out" as time passes - the next gen 1-series will be FWD, and the direct replacement (2-series) will most likely be larger, heavier and have less feel than the current car. And, will probably have the turbo-4 rather than the inline-6.
And, the 1-series is only available in RWD, which limits the appeal in those parts of the country who have to live with poor weather part of the year.
corvette United StatesPosts: 5,718"I have test driven a 3-series coupe with a stick and was amazed at how much pull there is from "only" 230HP. Just so smooth."
I think kyfdx has said that BMW uses bigger horses than everyone else. :P
I can't take credit for that, but I'm sure I've repeated it..
Mine got a short-shift kit on Friday, and new struts, tires and alignment, today (along with control arm bushings)..
Total bill for everything was nearly $3000. :surprise:
I really, really like this car...
Prices Paid, Lease Questions, SUVs


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Reviewed By Wade L (WHITEWATER, WI) Reviewed for a 2008 Pontiac G8 —5/8/2016 8:42 PM
The EBC Sport Rotors look Great and perform even Better! The black rotor with red stuff pads look slick. Rotors & pads do create a lot of break dust but figured they would do to the more aggressive rotor and pad. But overall great product! Worth the $


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Heineken Cup
Saracens ponder quarter-final venue options
Graham Jenkins
January 21, 2013
Saracens' new Allianz Park home will play host to their Anglo-Welsh Cup clash with Cardiff Blues this weekend © Getty Images
Saracens are hoping to get permission to stage their Heineken Cup quarter-final clash with Ulster at their new Allianz Park ground.
The Premiership side, who booked a place in the last eight of the competition with a 40-7 victory over Edinburgh on Sunday in their last outing at Vicarage Road, intend to seek planning permission to temporarily increase the capacity of their new stadium from 10,000 to 15,000 in order to comply with the criteria laid down by European Rugby Cup Ltd, the organisers of the competition.
"This is our home ground now so yes we would like to play that game at home", said Saracens chief executive Ed Griffiths at the official unveiling the state-of-the-art artificial pitch that has been installed at their new Barnet home.
Saracens will use their Anglo-Welsh Cup clash with Cardiff Blues on Sunday as a test event with an invited audience of 3,500 set to attend before the official opening game against Premiership rivals Exeter Chiefs on February 16. But they require the support of the local council if they are to play host to Heineken Cup rugby this season with the battle for a place in the semi-finals set to take place on the weekend of April 5/6/7.
"There are number of hoops to go through," explained Griffiths. "We have planning permission to have crowds of up to 10,000 but the capacity for a Heineken Cup quarter-final must be at least 15,000. We are not going to do anything without having a discussion with the council and together we will decide whether it is too soon for a new venue or whether it is perfectly possible to increase the capacity for one match."
Griffiths is confident that the 1,100 capacity temporary stands that will be erected at either end of Allianz Park for regular season games could easily be replaced by larger ones seating 3,500 fans each that would ensure the stadium fulfils ERC criteria.
But having seen his nomadic club play at several other venues, including Wembley and Twickenham, during their protracted three-year move, Griffiths remains open to the idea of staging the high-profile euro clash elsewhere. However, any return to Wembley may be scuppered by a clash with the Johnstone's Paint Trophy final that is due to be staged there the same weekend.
"We are not massively concerned about it," he said. "There are another couple of fairly good stadiums. We've played at Wembley several times and are very familiar with it and it feels like a home ground. Twickenham is also an option as we have played there before.
"We are in discussions with lots of stadiums at the moment. We want to bring those to a decision by the end of this week, certainly by the end of next week. We will stage a big event either way."
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
Graham Jenkins is the Senior Editor of ESPNscrum and you can also follow him on Twitter.
Communication error please reload the page.


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Nice Game thread....
Who's scheduled to make the game 6 gamethread?
Nice Game thread....
Who's scheduled to make the game 6 gamethread?
Hope we can pull it off, but its going to be very hard to beat the heat and the refs... game 1 & 2 especially game 1 was the worst officiating job i have ever seen, the refs took us out of it late in the 2nd quarter...tonight lebron and wade will get every call, so we cannot have anybody go cold pretty much we will have to shoot over 50% to even have a chance.
We shall be raped tonight. It won't be fun.
This forum needs to come together tonight.
This could be our last fight and I'll be damned if I dont spend it with you guys rooting til im breathless for the Knicks!
The Heat dont deserve this win! They are the enemy!
Tyson-Melo-Amare stand up and take charge, lead your men to victory in battle!!!!
Please for us fans, give us one more night..just one more oppotunity to see this group one last time!
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If dont care if he was joking or not, Bibby go out there and shut this clown up!MIAMI First Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade throws Mike Bibby's shoe during Game 1.
Now, Wade has taken what appears a playful feud to another level. When asked about Bibby Wednesday, Wade decided to take a verbal jab at his former teammate.
"We know Mike has made more shots in this series than he made all last year (with the Heat)," Wade said. "Send that to Mike."
Bibby will start in place of injured point guard Baron Davis for the New York Knicks in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series. Bibby is 5 of 13 from 3-point range during the series, including hitting the go-ahead basket late in the fourth quarter of the Knicks' Game 4 victory Sunday at Madison Square Garden.
Last year Bibby struggled during the Heat's run to the NBA Finals, shooting just 25 percent (17 of 66) from 3-point range.
He and Wade were first linked in the series-opener. When Bibby lost his one shoe in the backcourt during the second quarter, Wade picked it up and tossed it out bounds while play was still going. The Knicks still scored on other end, but Bibby glared at Wade after the incident.
"I'd never done that before, but it was fun," Wade said after the game. "I love messing with Mike, with Bibbs."
The Heat lead the best-of-7 series 3-1, entering Wednesday's Game 5 at AmericanAirlines Arena.
This Game Thread is Dope


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Project Home Page
Surname DNA testing is the newest tool available to genealogists. These tests help genealogists verify their paternal ancestry (father's father....father) in a quick and easy way. It saves time, prevents mistakes, and provides invaluable data that can be obtained in no other way. It can be very powerful when combined with traditional paper trails.
Participating in a Surname DNA Project provides:
1. The participant's genetic DNA, which is very close (and sometimes identical) to his earliest known ancestor.
2. The participant's "deep" ancestry (Haplogroup), which identifies the paternal ancestor's prehistoric origins.
3. A sense of camaraderie, which is particularly strong for those who share a genetic ancestry
4. Stimulation to family research and renewed sharing of information
5. A wider sense of identity and relationship, as we begin to realize how much we are a World Family.
6. A chance to compare your genetic ancestry with those of your Surname and the spelling variations
7. Your genetic matches who do not share your common surname
8. The knowledge to understand our ancestors better - particularly where the records have been lost
The Biggs Family Project was started to:
1. Compile all known families by earliest ancestor, including contact info for researchers of the line. (See the Patriarch Page)
2. Identify and compile the separate families through DNA Testing (See the DNA Recruitment Page)
|The purpose of this effort is to help families find their branches and work together to find their common heritage. There are numerous Biggs families in the US alone with beginnings in Virginia and the Carolinas as well as New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland. With known migration patterns from the Northeastern US (i.e. New York and Pennsylvania) to Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky and westward, it must be that some of these branches are related. It be so wonderful if they could be connected!
|Bigs, Biggs, Bigges
|Big, Bigg, Bigge
|Bigger, Biggers
|and others that may be related (if your surname is not listed please contact the administrator
Useful Genealogical Links:
World Families Network Forums
Biggs Family Forum
Pedigree Forum
World Families Network General Discussion
|Ancestry Board:
|Rootsweb Mailing Lists:
Biggs Family History: Sarah's Genealogy Pages
The Biggs Family of Bedfordshire, Kent, & Sussex: Biggs World
Biggs Family of WV and MD: Biggs Family Genealogy
|John Biggs of TN: Descendants of John Biggs
|Biggs of England, VA, & NC: The Biggs Lineage
|Biggs of Ulster, NY: Descendants of John Biggs, Sr.
|Biggs of Kentucky: Descendants of Allen T Biggs
- 14434 reads


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Police in Montgomery County have released a sketch of a man sought in sex assaults during the mid-1970s, hoping the image will jog someone's memory of events four decades ago.
Detectives from the Montgomery County Cold Case Unit re-released the composite drawing Friday. The man shown is suspected in sexual assaults in Wheaton, Silver Spring and Takoma Park.
Detectives in the 1970s had spoken to a witness who described the man seen near an incident in Wheaton. The composite was created 30 years ago.
Detectives believe that there may be additional victims and say they hope any victims come forward.
The man was described (in the mid-1970s) as a white male, in his late teens or early-20s, 5 feet 11 inches tall, and weighing about 140 pounds. He had acne scars on the left side of his face.
Anyone with information regarding the identity of the subject is asked to contact the Cold Case Unit at 240-773-5070.


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I love Prongs. I love everything about Harry Potter. I love Sirius and Lupin and Voldy and Ginny and Lily and Draco and Harry and Ron and Tom Felton and Daniel Radclife and almost everything else about Harry Potter Books!
My wand is 11.5 inch willow, fairy hair.... i did not buy it from Ollivianders


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A day after a secret proposal to convert sections of Augusta's mill district and downtown into campus expansion space for Georgia Regents University, Mayor Deke Copenhaver said he felt a sense of relief.
"I've been so excited about this," he said. "For seven years, I've tried to find some sort of project that could really get the entire community excited, and I feel like this really does that."
Revealed on Wednesday, the Augusta Regional Collaboration Project's proposal calls for renovating two historic 500,000-square-foot textile mills into student housing and educational space for a "mills campus" on 50 acres, plus developing a "cultural campus" spread across several buildings downtown, including a new riverfront performing arts center.
Copenhaver, who founded the project last year with public and private funding, said the project remains in infancy, with no developed cost estimates, funding mechanism or approval from the university system.
Many at the state level have already been apprised of the plans, he said.
"I've met with the chancellor twice," he said. "The governor has been briefed. But obviously there's still a long way to go, with building a financing model, putting project costs on something concrete with numbers to put before the regents."
Dayton Sherrouse, the executive director of the Augusta Canal Authority, said the proposal to restore Sibley and King mills had the full support of the authority, as long as the historic structures are maintained.
"This proposal is very consistent with our long-range goals on a variety of fronts," Sherrouse said, because it addresses the authority's long-term goals of preservation, conservation, education and economic development.
Sherrouse said he'd already given tours to 10 to 12 groups of university officials, engineers, architects, estimators and others before the proposal's release.
The authority, which can issue bonds, oversaw the successful restoration of Enterprise Mill – less than half the size of Sibley and King – in 1993 after it sat vacant for years.
Matt Kwatinetz came to Augusta as part of the site selection team for the new Starbucks plant under construction but recently was hired as executive director of the mill project. He'll be part of the team persuading the regents that the project is worthwhile.
"The theory is that it would grow top-line revenue and that net-net, they would be spending less," Kwatinetz said.
According to a presentation by city officials Monday to GRU President Ricardo Azziz's Cabinet, the project would be a public-private partnership involving local, state and private resources, but would be city-owned.
It would leverage about $250 million in ongoing city infrastructure investment, including $62 million in transportation sales tax funds dedicated to improvements on Broad and 15th streets, the $90 million Kroc Center that sits in the mill district and Augusta's $37 million contribution of hotel-motel tax money to the Laney-Walker and Bethlehem redevelopment projects.
Five Augusta Commission members who attended Monday's meeting with Azziz had only enthusiasm for the proposal, but District 1 Commissioner Bill Fennoy reminded them that the city has many other infrastructure needs.
"We have just agreed to spend $41 million in renovations for the municipal building, but we've got infrastructure issues that are being overlooked and they have not been addressed in a timely manner," Fennoy said. He has a meeting planned with residents of Harrisburg, the former mill village, to get their feedback.
Commissioner Bill Lockett said the proposal likely would benefit Augusta-Richmond County as a whole and served as a show of support for the consolidation of Augusta State University and Georgia Health Sciences University, which many have resisted.
"I think the community really went overboard with this 'Save the A,' " Lockett said. "They would have to come to the realization that $1.5 billion pumped into this community is worth more than just a name."
Commissioner Grady Smith, who serves on the Augusta State University board of trustees, was enthusiastic.
"When you have these kinds of talks going on, what it means for the future is jobs, jobs, jobs, and that's what we need in this area," he said. "Let's show the Board of Regents and Dr. Azziz and all of them, I know we've had some disagreements, but let's all pull together and talk positive. It'll really be a plus for years to come."


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The Bikes Over Baghdad crew is heading over to Kuwait and Iraq for their third tour next week to bring support and holiday cheer for the U.S. troops still stationed in the desert. As a send-off we'll be doing interviews with the B.O.B. II crew this week. First up: Brian Kachinsky.
Brian was on the first Bikes Over Baghdad tour in 2009 and after that amazing first trip he had no hesitations about going on the second tour. Brian put in lots of time talking with the troops, and put a lot into his riding during the demos with lots of street moves mixed into the shows wherever possible. During downtime he could be found riding bunkers and finding various spots on the different bases--BK definitely made the most of his time in Kuwait and Iraq, and will be doing it all over again on B.O.B. III…
Your dad was in the military, did that factor into you wanting to go on these tours? Why did you want to be a part of B.O.B.?
The fact that my dad was in the military did make me curious as to what military life is really like. My dad had served in both Iraq wars, but was never deployed to Iraq. He was always stationed elsewhere. He has always mentioned how he wanted to go to Iraq to help the cause and experience what it's like over there. When I was invited on the [first] trip I immediately said yes for both my curiosity and my father's curiosity.
What was the most rewarding thing about doing this tour (B.O.B II) for you?
The most rewarding thing for me was just being able to make the troops happy. Life isn't easy over there in Iraq. The conditions, weather, and stress all wear these soldiers thin. That being said, you don't really realize what they go through until you experience it for yourself. I was both shocked and impressed by the hard work and overall strength of the people serving over there.
Were you ever scared on this tour?
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit concerned. Even though we are never intentionally put in harms way, the risk is always there. After all, we were in an active war zone.
What should riders/people here at home know about what's going on over in Kuwait/Iraq?
I think everyone should know that there is much more going on over there than you see on the news or read in the paper. War is a very complex thing and all we really hear about at home is the death toll and other negative things happening over there. Whether it be good or bad, I think that everyone should realize that there is plenty they don't see, so it's unfair to make assumptions when you're not fully informed. I'm not the President or a Four-star General, so I don't know everything either, but I have talked to many servicemen, seen what they do, seen how they live, and seen both the good and the bad. Just know that there is much more going on than you will ever see or know.
How did the second tour compare with the first?
This tour was different in that we got to see and do different things, bases, and meet different people. Both tours were equally as rewarding. I did notice that in the eight months we were gone things have calmed down quite a bit, and the withdrawal (of U.S. troops) from Iraq is visibly apparent.
Which was your favorite show and why?
My favorite show was at FOB Falcon. The crowd, ramp setup, and overall vibe was amazing. It's hard to say one show was better than the next. Each show was unique and had awesome aspects to all of them.
What went through your head as you were riding some of the spots we got to go to at the palaces and on the various bases?
It was a bit surreal to be in the environment to begin with. It's insane to concentrate on doing tricks when all I could think about was that this was once home to one of the most vicious dictators of our lifetime. The palaces are both breathtaking and mind-blowing. Some are in ruins and others are still elegant and functional. It's bizarre. We were also limited on time. I could have rode the Ba'ath House for days, but we only had about 20 minutes.
The bases were interesting as well, some of them are well established and some are barebones. When someone says they are stationed in Iraq, I now have to ask "where?" because it gives you a whole different perspective on how their life is over there.
Any good quotes from soldiers? Anything you'll never forget that was said to you?
Many soldiers said "you've made my deployment" or "this is the best thing our eyes have seen since we've been over here." Statements like that truly make our trip worthwhile and give a whole new meaning to the phrase "Mission Accomplished."
What was it like riding in 120°-130° temps?
It was horrible. It was so hard to get motivated to do your best in those conditions, but we all sucked it up and made due. For a second you feel sorry for yourself that you have to ride in that kind of heat and dust, but then you glance over and see soldiers in full fatigues doing twice as much work as you. It's humbling and also gives you a newfound respect for everything they do over there. Now, when I'm at home and it's a sweltering hot summer day, I think, "This isn't as bad as Iraq," and I go out riding. In the military they call that "getting acclimatized."
Incorporating different military vehicles (Hummers, MRAPs, a fuel tanker, a Bradley, an ambulance, etc.) into the shows was rad. Which was your favorite and why?
I liked riding the MRAP and fuel tanker the best because they made for good and unique sub-box setups. All the vehicles are extremely sturdy. If it can handle a roadside bomb, it can handle a tire or a peg.
What was it like going to the Ziggurat pyramid, and seeing the ruins of Ur?
That was probably one of the best parts of the trip. That is by far the most historic and ancient thing my two eyes have ever seen in person. It's a part of human history that 99% of people will never have access to see in their lifetime. I felt very fortunate to be able to see and walk around that place. Although it was "outside the wire" (off base) I felt safe knowing that we had the best security guards we could ask for: the U.S. Army.
Out of everything we got to see and do, what was the best/most fun/most memorable?
The most fun thing for me was just talking to all the troops over there. They have so many experiences and skills to share. Not one soldier has the same story as the next. They have all seen and done so much crazy stuff. I oftentimes had to cut the conversations short because I realized I had been pelting them with questions for over an hour! Their reactions to us were all positive, and that made it the most fun for me.
It was cool meeting different riders who were over there doing their service. What was it like talking to them and learning about what it's like for them to be over there?
I love meeting BMXers from all over the globe, but this trip was particularly unique in that we got to meet people from home, average people like us, who were living a life that we can never fully understand. It just goes to show that BMXers are everywhere and that they are all unique. I could still sense their passion for BMX and their excitement when we came to visit them. Many of these people would never have riders visit their towns at home even, so for them to hang out with us in Iraq, of all places, was pretty special. I can't wait for all of them to get back home and be able to shred again!
Click on the first photo below to view the photo gallery…


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Dirk Hayhurst inspires Action Team
Jays righty shares his experiences of helping those in need
Dirk Hayhurst may never be a household name, but the Blue Jays pitcher told Action Team volunteers that ordinary people have the power to make a major impact as much as professional athletes.
As the March guest on the Action Team's monthly conference call, Hayhurst explained that even before he reached the Majors he understood that "the opportunity to make an impact with the platform of professional sports is present immediately."
"As a baseball player, as an athlete really, you become sort of an icon," Hayhurst said. "You're an entertainer, people know you, you have a platform. Sport is a platform and it is a platform that our culture takes very seriously. Whether you know it or not, as an athlete, you have a voice on that platform. And many would say that it's our responsibility to take that platform and that voice that we have through sports and use it for a positive impact."
Hayhurst, who doesn't have the star power of previous Action Team teleconference guests like Curtis Granderson, Mark Teixeira or Shane Victorino, learned first-hand at a homeless shelter that reliance on his celebrity status wasn't going to be sufficient and certainly isn't the only way to affect the lives of those in need.
"My entire life up to that point in the shelter had kind of revolved around the thought process that being famous made me important, and that I could somehow touch people with that fame and make their problems go away," Hayhurst told the students.
"So, there I sat in this shelter with a stack of baseball cards, watching beleaguered, bedraggled people people come in looking for food, and I tried to offer them a signed card to make them feel better. And one gentleman -- I'll never forget this -- he stared at me when I offered him a card and he said, 'What will that do for me? It's useless. What I need is someone to care about me.'
"In that moment, I realized that it didn't matter if I was famous or not. What mattered was that I was willing to bridge the gap and care about another human being. It's something all of us can do, whether famous or non-famous, and I really wish more of us would do it."
The recent earthquake in Haiti provided the inspiration for Hayhurst's most recent charitable efforts. Hayhurst used Twitter to collect nearly $2,000 toward Haiti aid in exchange for personal phone calls expressing his thanks to those who donated. Hayhurst said the thank-you calls were time consuming but rewarding and something that anyone could take the time to do.
"Hey, I'm just like you," he said. "Just because I play this for a living doesn't make me different or special or unique or somehow separated from suffering. Let's just call and chat, and I'll thank you personally. We'll talk about baseball, we'll talk about Haiti, whatever. Let's just be people, and if you donate, I'll be happy to call."
Hayhurst's efforts resonated with the Action Team callers. Eleven Action Teams, including the March Action Team of the Month from Cypress Bay High School in Weston, Fla., have already completed projects to benefit Haiti.
Cypress Bay, the closest Action Team to Haiti, partnered with local charity Food for the Poor to raise more than $1,000 for Haiti aid by organizing a raffle with the Florida Marlins, complete with an appearance by Billy the Marlin and a grand-prize package, including opening week Marlins tickets, a pregame player meet-and-greet, and an autographed baseball.
The Cypress Bay Action Team also collaborated with their school district to sell pastries during school lunch periods and collect food and water for Haiti victims over the course of their project.
Robbie, one of the Action Team captains, said, "it really built enthusiasm throughout the school, and it was a great introduction to the school of what Action Team is all about."
Hayhurst left the students with a reminder about the rewards of volunteerism.
"It makes you a deeper and richer person. It's not you helping them. It's them changing you and shaping you, sharing experiences, showing you the depth of humanity and what we're really about at our base level ... There's a lot of unknown at first, so it takes a good bit of courage to do to reach out and experience it, but there's something so cool and so courageous about being a young person and taking that responsibility on your shoulders."
"I promise you ... the act of your selflessness, of your humility, and seeing the healing that can be done through your hand will change you permanently. That is a gift like no other, and it is totally worth the sacrifice. I can promise you that it's real, so I encourage you to go out and try it."
Founded in 2002 as a joint initiative between the Major League Baseball Players Trust and Volunteers of America, the Action Team program inspires youth to make a difference in their schools and communities by connecting student volunteers with exemplary Major League players. To date, more than 20,000 students in more than 150 high schools have taken action to bring positive changes to the lives of 900,000 people in need.
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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GASTONIA � Hunter Huss and Ashbrook don�t play their basketball regular season finale with a title on the line every year.
It just seems that way.
And after Huss handled the city�s other school, Forestview, 79-57 on Tuesday night, it set up yet another championship battle between the city�s oldest rivals.
In truth, the two schools have combined to win or share a league titles 19 times in the 37 years since they have been in the same conference since the 1975-76 school year.
That�s become 20 of 38 after Friday in what has to rank as one of the most highly-anticipated matchups between the two in years, as Ashbrook comes in with a 16-6, 10-1 Big South 3A Conference record that includes 10 straight league wins and Huss will enter at 18-3, 10-1.
The Huskies� lone blemish?
A 75-64 loss at Ashbrook on Jan. 18 that still stings a group a Huss program that has claimed four titles in the previous five seasons to give the Huskies� 15 league titles in school history. The Green Wave�s last of its 10 titles came in 2006.
�When they thumped us pretty good then, we just hoped we�d have a shot at it (the league title),� Huss coach Walt Wallace said. �And, fortunately, we do. They�re awfully, awfully good, but we have a chance at a league title if we can win.�
Said Forestview coach Dan Ghent, who has been swept by both teams this season: �I expect that�ll be a �Get your tickets by Wednesday� and a heckuva game. It ought to be a lot of fun to watch.�
Getting that opportunity came after a slow start, but featured one of Huss� best blitzes of the season.
Forestview (9-13, 4-7) got 3-pointers from Calvin Johnson and T.J. Fair to take a 6-0 lead more than two minutes into the contest.
But Huss responded with 19 straight points and 28 of the game�s next 31 points to take a 28-9 advantage late in the first quarter.
A defense that forced the Jaguars into 16 missed shots and six turnovers in the first quarter led the effort.
�When we play good defense, we�re really good,� Wallace said. �When we don�t play good defense, we�re really ordinary.�
Fortunately for Wallace and the Huskies, that suffocating defensive effort lasted most of Tuesday as Forestview missed 43 shots and shot 35.8 percent overall and committed 21 turnovers.
�You can�t turn the ball over like that against a team like Huss against expect to win,� said Ghent, who felt his team might have been a bit anxious on its �Senior Night.�
Huss veterans Jeremiah Hunter (25 points), Jaelen Kennedy (21) and Kerrion Moore (14) led the way for the Huskies, with Moore�s off-the-backboard assist to Hunter for a first-quarter slam dunk one of the game�s biggest highlights.
For Forestview, all 12 players scored, with Fair and Ben Hinton tallying nine points apiece, Devante Mackins eight and Jay Simpson seven.
The Jaguars� finale affords them the chance to be in the upcoming N.C. 3A playoffs when they visit Kings Mountain (8-14, 4-7) on Friday.
�It�s pretty much a playoff game for both of us,� Ghent said.
Forestview girls 74, Hunter Huss 17 � Bre Armstrong scored 23 points, Lauren Smith 20 and Kaitlyn Taylor 15 on their �Senior Night� as the Jaguars (16-6. 9-2) kept their Big South 3A title hopes alive.
For Huss (1-20, 0-11), Jalaah Crosby had seven points and Netaesia Garrison six.
Tickets on sale
Tickets for Friday�s Ashbrook at Hunter Huss basketball doubleheader go on sale Wednesday at Huss. The school office will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for information, call Huss at 704-866-6610.
Richard Walker: 704-869-1841; twitter.com/JRWalk22


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Spoilers could Ruin the Rays Playoff Party
I am a sucker for those movie teasers. You know the ones I am talking about. The segments taken from the movie that in one minute are better than the 130 minutes you spend sitting in that theater wondering why you spent $ 6 to see this junk. Sometimes I think that baseball has its own set of teasers throughout the season,and that you never know who or what might be playing that spoiler role until after it is all said and done.
Who would have guessed that the teams making a run to take that spoiler role this season would be located beyond the Continental Divide. Who would have believed that the 2009 edition of the Tampa Bay Rays would find trouble on the other side of the country. Even though we are now beginning to turn and burn our way through the 3rd act in the season,there have been a several huge spoiler moments that have been ignored by the Rays fans.
And those shortcomings might be brought back into focus in the next few weeks. I have heard it a few times this season that, " A loss in April is the same as one in September", or my new favorite, " A season is not lost with a loss in April". I have to say I totally disagree with both of those quotes. A loss anytime is the year will effect you in the end…..period.
The first set of quotes might be true in some people's minds,but right now with us chasing the pack of New York and Boston in trying to defend our American League East crown, the West is getting mighty testy with the Rays. Having the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners focusing their collective attentions on us to get some wins and boost their own chances in the A L Wild Card race,those April through August losses to this division are beginning to playing out bigger and bigger every day.
It is not to say that the team will not re-right the ship and cruise to a divisional or Wild Card playoff slot,but some of the key losses of the past could come back to sink the Rays ship before October 1st. Take for example our season opening 7-game home stand where the Yankees took 2 out of 3 and the Chicago White Sox took 3 of 4 to put us at an early 2-5 home record to begin the season. It has been forgotten that we let the Yankees take a series from us at home, where in 2008 we seemed to own everyone in baseball.
In the month of April,the Rays won their first series of the year against the Boston Red Sox in Fenway Park,but did not win another series until the Red Sox made their first 2009 visit to Tropicana Field. In that time,the Rays dropped 6 straight series and went 9-14, including going 5-5 against their own AL East foes.
I have always been of the mindset that if you lose one game to your divisional opponent,it will take 2 wins to get back that initial loss. Now that can be spread out over the entire season,but you need those critical rival losses back at some point before the end of the season to compete for that playoff berth. And that same scenario is beginning to play out in the Rays chances for the 2009 playoffs.
If you take their current record of 23-15 against the AL East,it looks like they are within my simple formula for getting to the playoffs. But for some odd reason I forgot to include the spoilers in all of this,the American League West division teams. It might have been a simple case of out of sight, out of mind, but this division now holds an important key to the Rays playoff hopes.
I know that seems odd with the Rays having to still play 31 games against their divisional rivals and I am sweating about the 11 games still to play against the AL West squads. But if you think about it,the Rays currently holding a losing record of 8-14 against this division,which includes a 3-game sweep of the Rays by the Texas Rangers during the July 4th weekend.
The Angels currently lead their division and look like the team to beat in the West again. But with two of that divisions teams,Seattle and Texas still battling the Rays to stay in the Wild Card Race,every contest against Seattle and Texas will take on New York and Boston importance right now. I have always boasted a importance in winning our divisional games, but for some reason I lost sight of the guys out West. We are done with one member of that division with our seasonal series against the Oakland A's completed. But the A's did take the yearly series 6-4 from us this season.
That only illustrates the fact that we need to win against the West as well as the East the rest of the way. The West could hold the trump card for any of the three getting into the postseason this year. If Texas sinks us in their 6 remaining games against the Rays,it would be a huge blow to any Rays hope for the playoffs. But, we also can not lose sight of the odd mid-week 2-game series against the Mariners at the Trop. either here. Those eight games could mean the difference in a Wild Card berth, or watching on television this October.
The truth be told, we have to worry about the AL East,but we also have to respect what the AL West could do to our playoff dreams. The only team we have a winning record against in 2009 is the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim,who we begin a 3-game series tonight @ 10 pm. It is also the last stop of our 6-game road trip. We have already gone 1-2 on this trip,and might need a sweep to keep us within fighting range in the AL East and put some cushion between us and Seattle in the Wild Card.
And to think of a sweep here in Anaheim is a tall order since the Rays are 1-10 in Anaheim Stadium. The Angels are also playing some pretty fired up ball right now and could be a true test for the Rays. With the Red Sox opening a 4-game series tonight against the Detroit Tigers in Fenway,then heading to Texas and Toronto for 3-game series. And the Yankees beginning a 3-game series against Toronto before they embark on their own "West Coast excursion" to Seattle and Oakland. Now is the time for the Rays to put an end to the AL West dominance this season.
Everyone has said that this race might be decided before the beginning of September. Right now for the Rays it is critical that we get as many wins as possible before we enter September and a month of mostly A L East games. In that month we will face our division rivals in 20 out of 28 games. Mixed into that divisional fever will be 3-game series against the Rangers and Tigers, plus that odd 2-game Seattle series.
For the Rays to achieve their goals of making the playoffs again in 2009,the team must take care of their spoilers' from the A L West. Those three teams might just hold the deciding factors in the race for the Rays. Wins against them are all pluses for the team. But to lose against any of them right now could put another doubt in the minds of Rays fans.
But that is why we play 162 games and do not award division crowns or playoff berths after a month. If we had awarded a berth back at the beginning of May, the three divisional winners would have been the Toronto Blue Jays,Seattle Mariners, and the Chicago White Sox. That is a big difference from the current leaders of Los Angeles, New York and Detroit. The games are falling off the schedule for the Rays, and the time is now to show their might and claim a stake in 2009.
12 Comments
I can't say that I feel your pain fully, as (like you said) us Red Sox have been the upper half of the East so far, but I do understand the way you feel as much as a Sox fan can. It is also a very interesting idea about spoilers, movie trailers, etc. It brings some interesting questions to my mind.
Nice blogging!
There are a few other teams who are very good at playing spoiler. Toronto springs to mind. Just have to get ready and play hard – and play to win. It's coming to the do or die time of year soon. Time for a big push to get above Boston in the standings and hopefully get that Wildcard spot or even make a run on the Yankees. Well…there's a lot of baseball left, and it's time to make those games count.
Cliff – I blogged about this today. We fans have got to keep the faith! There is a LOT of baseball left and here in the AL East? Anything can happen!
Fenway BC,
It is like those terrible "B" movie I grew up with that used to tease you into believing, then insult your intelligence with a monster that looks like a guy dressed in Spanish moss from the pine trees on the set.
This time of year the spoiler is the king.
For 10 seasons it was the Rays trying to ruin early playoff parties or even the playoffs for other teams.
I guess it is our time to have to worry about the spoilers now.
Rays Renegade
I am beyond that " lot of great baseball to play" gig.
I see now as the time to set the table or go away hungry.
We have sat back or been pushed back long enough.
Time to go hunting and bring back dinner (wins).
I really do not want to have to wait until that last series against the Yankees in the Trop to secure a spot, or leapfrog anyone.
Guess I want them to show me something the next few days.
Rays Renegade
I originally wrote a nice post on the psychological presence of denial in the PED situation, but my computer ate the blog while I was proofreading it.
I seriously think this road trip, and the trip to Detroit and Arlington, where we got swept earlier this year will be the games needed to secure a shot at a playoff berth.
11 games against another division right now could be a huge key moment in our season.
Rays Renegade
Right now is kind a do or die for the Rays, maybe a few losses here and there, but with October looming like the start of school (august 19 for me. Gives me chills) The rays could us a energy boost. Mr Longoria your to shine.
Touche' Johnny,
Most people are taking a "wait and see" attitude before September.
I say the move has to be made now so we can secure a spot.
Nothing against either team in front of us, or with Seattle or Texas, but I would hate to lose a playoff spot on October 3rd in the last game of the season because we failed now.
Rays Renegade
Ah, yes, the spoilers. The bottom feeders who never play well against anyone else besides teams with slim hopes of contention. That would be the Royals (and probably the Indians this year) in the AL Central. All the Twins had to do was take 2-of-3 from Kansas City in the final series last year, and their playoff ticket would have been punched. Needless to say, should the Twins, by some miracle, still find themselves in contention at the end of the season, I'm not looking to that final series with the Royals (again).-Erinhttp://plunking-gomez.blogspot.com
For years it was either New York or Boston that came in here for the last series.
This year I think New York got the short straw.
The last series of the year is called "Fandemonium, and it is the Rays time to thank the fan-dom.
It is always old out, and tickets are hard to come by with the scalpers.
Should be even more fun this year.
Rays Renegade
I think it's a tough call. For me, I look at the Rockies and they have been in an uphill battle against the Dodgers. Right now, I'm not looking at anyone being down and out. The Rockies fought their way back from 14 games behind to 5.5, I have to believe that other teams can do it too.
I have to give it to the Rockies.
Since the managerial change, they have been a different team.
It is starting to look like a genius move.
With the momentum since the switch they might catapult themselves into the Wild Card to stay in 2009.
Rays Renegade


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|Britz, Steven
|Kremer, Diane
Submitted to: Journal of Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/19/2002
Publication Date: 11/8/2002
Citation: Britz, S.J., Kremer, D.F. 2002. Warm temperatures or drought during seed maturation increase alpha-tocopherol in seeds of soybean (glycine max [l.] merr.). Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 50:6058-6063. Interpretive Summary: Vitamin E comes from tocopherols, a family of fat-soluble antioxidants. Some recent recommendations calling for increases in vitamin E consumption will require supplements because vegetable oil, the primary dietary source of vitamin E, is low in alpha-tocopherol, the tocopherol with the highest vitamin E activity. ARS scientists have found that warmer temperatures during seed maturation increase alpha-tocopherol in soybean seeds by 2-3 fold. Soybeans are the largest source of vegetable oil in the American diet. It may be possible to breed for soybeans with an altered response to temperature and increased alpha-tocopherol under field conditions, thus diminishing the need for supplements. Since the response is very sensitive to temperature, it is also likely that differences in weather or climate affect tocopherols in some current soybean lines. This information will be useful to soybean breeders, to scientists studying nutrition, plant biology, or environment and to policy makers assessing the potential impact of global change.
Technical Abstract: Soybean seeds are an important source of dietary tocopherols, but like seeds of other dicotyledonous plants, they contain relatively little alpha-tocopherol, the form with the greatest vitamin E activity. To evaluate potential effects of environmental stress during seed maturation on tocopherols, three soybean lines were raised in greenhouses at nominal average temperatures of 23 deg. C or 28 deg. C during seed fill, with or without simultaneous drought (soil moisture at 10-25 percent of capacity). Total tocopherols increased slightly in response to drought in two of the three lines. All three lines responded to elevated temperature and, to a lesser extent, drought with large (up to 2-3 fold) increases in alpha- tocopherol and with corresponding decreases in delta-tocopherol and gamma- tocopherol. The results suggest that weather or climate can have significant effects on seed tocopherols. It may be possible to breed for elevated alpha-tocopherols by selecting for altered plant response to temperature.


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News & Events
For the Media
Clarkson University Partner in New Adirondack Initiative for Wired Work
[A photograph for media use is available at http://www.clarkson.edu/news/photos/adk-bear.jpg ]
Clarkson University is a partner in an initiative to get more people to work and live in the Adirondacks and not just vacation there a few days a year.
The Adirondack Initiative for Wired Work, cochaired by Elmer Gates of Blue Mountain Lake, N.Y., and Clarkson President Tony Collins, is a team of regional leaders and energized professionals dedicated to revitalizing healthy economic growth in the Adirondacks through technology.
By 2019, its goal is to add 2,019 corporate telecommuters, mobile workers, and working wired entrepreneurs to the region in support of green tech commerce and new economic opportunities that will grow the base of regional residents that sustain vital services for year-round residents and visitors to the region.
"Accounting offices source India and the Philippines. MRIs and X-rays are read in China. Graphic designers and chip designers are global anywhere with the Web," says Gates. Having built a company in India, Gates is confident the Adirondacks can compete on this level.
The vision for the initiative is to advance creative work and lifestyle choices by promoting technology and services that encourage corporate telecommuting, mobile work, green tech commerce and entrepreneurship from home offices, with negligible impact on the environment.
"Our pristine location and the unique character of the communities that share the park with wildlife and recreation enthusiasts alike are our greatest assets - working wired in the Forever Wild is a creative lifestyle choice that complements the natural environment that we all embrace," says Collins.
The Adirondack Initiative has started to establish business centers in strategic locations throughout the park that will add convenience and economies of scale to home offices, peer-to-peer social networking, and educational opportunities. Vacationers and seasonal residents telecommuting back to their offices are welcome to use them. The first one, in Blue Mountain Lake, opened this summer.
On September 8, Clarkson will host the first annual Forever Wired Conference, providing professional development, networking and information sessions advancing working-wired entrepreneurs, mobile workers, corporate telecommuters and green tech commerce.
The Adirondack Initiative is also sponsoring a survey to understand the needs of corporate telecommuters, entrepreneurs and mobile professionals interested in "working wired" in the park. To take the survey and for more information about the initiative, go to http://www.clarkson.edu/adk .
Clarkson University launches leaders into the global economy. One in six alumni already leads as a CEO, VP or equivalent senior executive of a company. Located just outside the Adirondack Park in Potsdam, N.Y., Clarkson is a nationally recognized research university for undergraduates with select graduate programs in signature areas of academic excellence directed toward the world's pressing issues. Through 50 rigorous programs of study in engineering, business, arts, sciences and health sciences, the entire learning-living community spans boundaries across disciplines, nations and cultures to build powers of observation, challenge the status quo, and connect discovery and engineering innovation with enterprise.


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Special to the Daily World
Big Bethel AME Church Women's Day Worship Services Sunday, August 26, with Rev. Viola Roundtree Parker, Senior pastor at St. John AME Church in East Point, speaking at 7:45 a.m.
At ll:00 a.m., the speaker will be Rev. Nicolene Durham, Senior pastor at Amanda Flipper AME in Decatur. Guest Psalmist will be Min. Niomie Bren-Wilson.
Viola Parker was born to the late Rev. and Mrs. Frank A. Roundtree in Coffee County, Douglas, Georgia. Her father was an (AME) African Methodist Episcopal Preacher and Presiding Elder. She is the youngest of four children and was the first black person to graduate from Coffee High School in 1966. She has one daughter and six grandchildren. In 2004, she united in holy matrimony with Terry Parker of Saint Louis, Missouri. They are now full time parents to four of her grandchildren, ages 17, 16, 13 and 10.
A LICENSED SOCIAL WORKER, PASTOR PARKER has over thirty years of work experience in Clinical Social Work. She was bi-vocational until she faced health challenges such as cancer in 2001 and a complete hip replacement in 2003. She became a full-time pastor in 2003. Her life experiences and dedication to the work the Lord has called her to do keep her steadfast, unmovable and always abounding in the work of the Lord.
"Sister's Cultural Fellowship" is Saturday, August 25, from 11:30-3:30p.m. Attendees can view art exhibit "Rising Up" at the High Museum of Art…enjoy an afternoon of food, fellowship and art. Guest lecturer will be Montonaet Jones. For more info contact the church office 404 827 9707 or email: firstname.lastname@example.com.
The Trinity/Big Bethel Fellowship Dinner will take place Friday, August 24, along with the Laura Turner.
Women's Emphasis Bible Study every Wednesday at 7p.m. in the month of August. Presenters will be Dr. Lena Flowers, Dr. Marie Metze, Rev. Charmaine Purvis and Sis. Evelyn Jones. For more info contact the church office. Big Bethel AME Church is located at 220 Auburn Ave., N.E.


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I always wonder if part of it comes from the resentment that many in the country have towards NYC.
I've had 4 people in my life say "New York sucks why would I go there?" -twice in Boston (morons), but twice in San Diego of all places. Kinda surprised me, especially bc being a New Yorker, I don't waste my time even thinking along such lines. (everyone already knows Boston sucks )
I'm sure many have stories similar to this.
My reply to these statements was a dripping with sarcasm "Youre right, I can't think of one reason why you'd ever want to go to NY."
Everyone forgets that a year ago the media was slamming the Giants, just slamming Reese for the terrible offseason and crushing Coughlin for failing to make the playoffs while praising the Jets to the high-heavens about being ready to make the move and get to the Super Bowl with that stocked roster.
Media can't stop talking about how meaningless preseason is...yet, they're pointing to how awful the Jets are because of....wait for it....preseason games. The 180 is coming, believe it.
When we put an NFL caliber offense on the field.
If we went into Pittsburgh and won convincingly, starting out 2-0 with a bang, that would probably change the perception of this year's team with the media. That said, it seems to be a highly unlikely scenario given the roster and performance to date
If we started 5-0 this year, that would include wins over Pitt, Hou, and SF, 3 SB contenders. We'd probably be considered a top 3 team in the league if that happened. I'd give the odds of it about .01%
The majority of Jets fan think that just getting to (and losing) 2 AFCCG's is some sort of significant accomplishment that deserves respect.
Hell, the Jets haven't even won an outright AFCE title in 14 years.
Add to that all of Ryan's outlandish claims, it's no wonder the Jets are treated as they are in the media.
In 2009 all he said was he wasn't here to kiss BB's rings
In 2010 He wrote "soon to be champs" on the ESPN bus. He later clarified and said he thinks they will win soon, not necessarliy this season.
2011 was the only year he flat out said "I guarantee the Jets will win the Superbowl this season"


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The heir to the Roman civilisation and instigator of the most famous art movements, including the Renaissance, Italy is a land of culture, monuments and beauty of all kinds.
The empress, the grande dame, the bejeweled matriarch… Rome is one of the most awe-inspiring capitals in the world. No other city offers so many strata of beauty, from Roman ruins to medieval campaniles, Renaissance palaces, Baroque basilicas, 18th century steps and modernist buildings. And all of these jewels are set in a verdant showcase of parks, gardens, flower-filled terraces and historic villas, with the sun as its spotlight and the Tiber as an embellishing ribbon. To discover Rome in all its splendor, the visitor need only climb one of its seven hills, like Quirinal or Janiculum. Or enter any church to discover the artists who have immortalized the Eternal City: Caravaggio at San Luigi dei Francesi, Michelangelo at San Pietro in Vincoli, Raphael at Sant'Agostino. Out in the streets the spectacle continues with fountains by Bernini, façades by Borromini and Bramante's Tempietto. On the horizon, the dome of Saint Peter's Basilica, designed by Michelangelo, is balanced by the even older cupola of the Pantheon. In no other city in the world do the ruins feel so alive: a Forum nestled in greenery, a Colosseum as heavily frequented as in the gladiators' time, a Circus Maximus where visitors can relax on the grass or run with the ghosts of charioteers.
The focal point of one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world, the Gulf of Naples defies all comparison. Sun-drenched, edgy, elegant and down-home, the eponymous city takes center stage, with the majesty of Vesuvius as its backdrop. This is a multifaceted city, full of baroque churches and noble palaces, with the seafront on one side and the historic pizzerias and friggitorie of the Spaccanapoli district on the other. The charm of this ancient metropolis arises from the tension that energizes these two vital halves of its soul. The past is not forgotten - as a visit to the ruins of Pompeii, Herculanum or Paestum so eloquently demonstrates.
Restaurant in town. Agli Amici, which was thus named in the 1960s when it was a meeting place for a group of friends from the village, is a wonderful family adventure, which started in 1887 as a café-tobacconist. At present it is run by siblings: Michela ensures that the tradition of hospitality lives on and promotes wines from small producers and forgotten vineyards. In the kitchen, Emanuele reinvents traditional dishes and gives pride of place to the produce of this region which boasts both mountains and the sea – sea bass, sea urchins, pork, vegetables –, whilst wild herbs gathered in the surrounding area add an original finishing touch to meticulously produced dishes. ... Learn moreless
Restaurant in the country. You have to go back to 1815 to find the first Vivalda at the helm of this typical Italian restaurant whose reputation has been handed down from generation to generation for more than 200 years. Chef Gian Piero Vivalda is heir to this tradition. His cuisine, which is deeply rooted in the Piedmont region, draws on the very best of local ingredients: game and vegetables and herbs from the cottage garden, for traditional recipes such as foie gras with Madernassa pears and ravioli with ceps and white Alba truffles during the season, to which he gives a modern twist. The sense of family and the authentic ambiance of this historic property add to its charm. ... Learn moreless
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Norfolk and Norwich Festival highlights: 10-11 May
PUBLISHED: 10:00 10 May 2014 | UPDATED: 10:25 11 May 2014
Here are this weekend's events for the Norfolk & Norwich Festival
The weekend events
-The Forum, Norwich: The People's Tower. See a replica of St Peter Mancroft Church being built from cardboard bricks, Sat 10am-3pm, watch it topple at 6pm.
-The Garage, Norwich: Long Live The Little Knife. Dynamic, uplifting, absurd and boisterous caper, from theatrical maverick David Leddy, Sat 2.30pm and 7.30pm, £12.
-Norwich Playhouse: Ray Davies, Sat 7pm, sold out.
-St Peter Mancroft Church, Norwich: The Westbrook Blake. Rare chance to see Westbrook's legendary jazz settings of William Blake's powerful poetry, originally commissioned in 1971 for the National Theatre, Sat 9pm, £9-£18.
-Norwich Arts Centre: Klanghaus Midnight Feast. Art-rockers The Neutrinos create a 360-degree multi-sensory encounter, Sat 10.30pm, £7.
-Octagon Chapel, Norwich: The Jorgensen Trio. Violin, cello, piano. Music by Schnittke and Ravel, 4pm, £6, £8.
-Jubilee Hall, Loddon: Long Live The Little Knife. Dynamic, uplifting, absurd and boisterous caper, Sun 7.30pm, £12.
-Open, Norwich: Dave Okumu and the Invisible with Shingai Shoniwa. Noisettes singer Shoniwa and acclaimed singer-songwriter and producer Okumu's newly commissioned work Stars Align explores their African heritage. 8pm, £15.
-The Gallery at NUA, St George's Street, Norwich: Within. Film work by Tim Davies using the human body to explore aspects of architecture, Sat noon-5pm, free. To May 24.
-Upper Cathedral Close, Norwich: Stephen Brandes - The Last Travelogue of Albert Sitzfleisch. Billboard trail reporting time travel. Sat and Sun, all day, free. To May 25.
-The Undercroft, below the war memorial, Norwich Market: Tipping Point. Kathy Hinde's kinetic sound sculpture, Sat and Sun noon-6pm, free. To May 18. Performance, Sat 2pm, followed by talk.
For tickets and further information about the Norfolk and Norwich Festival, call 01603 766400 or visit www.nnfestival.org.uk