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Sisters Hospital Ranks #1 in New York State for the 2nd Consecutive Year for Bariatric Surgery
Home » About Us » News » 2010 News » Sisters Hospital Ranks #1 in New York State for the 2nd Consecutive Year for Bariatric Surgery
June 8, 2010
Sisters of Charity Hospital, a Catholic Health hospital, has been ranked #1 in New York State and among the top five percent in the nation for bariatric surgery for the second year in a row, according to a new study issued today by HealthGrades, the leading independent healthcare ratings organization.
Based on this ranking, Sisters of Charity Hospital is one of only 48 hospitals in the nation to receive the 2010/2011 Bariatric Surgery Excellence Award™ from HealthGrades.
"We provide a full complement of services that support patients before, during and after surgery," explains Joseph Caruana, MD, Chief of Bariatric Surgery at Sisters Hospital, who founded the program in 2000. "You have to have a life-long commitment to the weight-loss process, and we provide the resources patients need for long-term success."
The fifth annual HealthGrades Bariatric Surgery Trends in American Hospitals Study is the largest annual study of its kind. The study of objective patient outcomes evaluated hospitals in 19 states over the years 2006, 2007 and 2008. In all, nearly 200,000 surgeries were evaluated for major complication rates at 481 hospitals (out of more than 2,500) that perform bariatric surgeries in sufficient enough volumes to be rated.
Bariatric surgery can produce dramatic weight loss among the morbidly obese, who comprise about five percent of the national population according to the Centers for Disease Control. In many cases, individuals undergoing the procedure lose the equivalent of one-third of their body weight or more. Bariatric surgery has also been shown to significantly improve or cure a variety of major health problems including diabetes, high blood pressure and sleep apnea in morbidly obese patients.
Sisters of Charity Hospital had 43% fewer complications, on average, and shorter hospital stays than hospitals performing at an average level, according to the HealthGrades study. "This study shows, quite dramatically, that for bariatric surgery, it is important for patients to evaluate hospitals using objective information as they make their choice," said Rick May, MD, a vice president with HealthGrades and a co-author of the study.
The fifth annual HealthGrades Bariatric Surgery Trends in American Hospitals Study is available at www.healthgrades.com.
Sisters Hospital is also a designated Bariatric Center of Excellence by the American Society for Bariatric Surgery. This designation is awarded to surgeons and programs with a demonstrated track record of favorable outcomes in bariatric surgery. The Bariatric Program is also a Blue Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery™ as a result of its positive outcomes.


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Wild play helps Walden get season on track
By Joe Morgan / MLB.com
ATLANTA -- Braves reliever Jordan Walden needed something to go his way. With two outs and runners on first and second in the seventh inning of a tie game against the Nationals on April 11 at Turner Field, Walden got exactly what he needed.
Walden threw a wild pitch to Bryce Harper that bounced all the way to the Nationals' on-deck circle. Braves catcher Evan Gattis retrieved the ball and threw it to Walden, who tagged out Adam LaRoche at home to preserve the tie in an eventual 7-6 victory.
"That was a huge play right there for me," Walden said. "Got me out of the inning and didn't give up a run there. It gave me confidence."
Walden's recent outs have been a little less nerve-wracking. He has dominated out of the bullpen since April 11, striking out 11 batters in 7 1/3 scoreless innings and lowering his ERA to 1.93. He credits his recent success to mixing his pitches well.
"I'm just attacking, just attacking, trying not to let them get in their count," Walden said. "Just trying to stay ahead and throw my slider and changeup."
Walden's recent resurgence helps put behind him a late-season swoon that had carried into 2014. Dating back to Aug. 10 of last season, the right-hander had surrendered 13 hits and owned a 9.00 ERA in his previous 11 appearances before April 11.
He had seemingly turned the tide when he struck out Anthony Rendon and Jayson Werth to lead off that seventh inning, but his struggles resurfaced as he gave up a single to LaRoche and walked Ryan Zimmerman.
His luck seemed to take a turn for the worse on the wild pitch to Harper as Gattis had no idea where the ball had gone initially. But LaRoche's gamble to try to take two bases and perhaps the best defensive play of Gattis's young career paid off for Walden.
"I was just praying Gattis was going to get the ball to me quicker, and he did," Walden said. "That was a crazy play."
Slow start not causing Johnson to panic
ATLANTA -- When Braves third baseman Chris Johnson steps into the batting box for his second at-bat of home games, the chorus of the Macklemore and Ryan Lewis song "White Walls" blares over the loudspeakers at Turner Field.
When asked about the song before Saturday's 4-1 win against the Reds, Johnson blamed the Grammy Award-winning duo for his current slump at the plate.
"It's my walk-up song," Johnson joked. "That's the problem."
After placing second in his quest for the National League batting title last season with a .321 average, Johnson has not reached base quite so regularly to begin his second season in an Atlanta uniform.
He is batting .250 (21-for-84) but has walked only twice in 88 plate appearances entering Sunday. Additionally, his BABIP (batting average on balls in play) has expectantly slipped from the dizzying heights of .394 last season to .328 this April.
After recording three hits against the Mets on April 18 to up his average to .293, Johnson has hit .154 (4-for-26) with five strikeouts in his past seven games.
"I just need to get my bat path a little bit better," Johnson said. "I'm a little in and out of the zone right now."
Johnson said his bat path has resulted in more popups when he is trying to hit to the opposite field. According to FanGraphs, Johnson's fly-ball percentage on batted balls has increased from 27.5 percent last year to 33.9 percent, and his ground-ball percentage has slipped from 45.5 percent to 38.7 percent in 2014.
Despite an increase in the rate of pitches he has both seen and swung at in the strike zone this season, his contact on those pitches has slightly dipped from 88.6 percent to 86.6 so far this season due to his struggles with bat path.
"Once my bat path is right, then it doesn't really matter about my timing," Johnson said. "If I get a little beat, my bat's still in the zone."
Although Johnson has not started his season the way he envisioned, he is not worried about his performance at the plate. In the end, he said, "I'll be all right."
"I'm not really pressing the panic button or anything like that," Johnson said. "I know my swing, and I know I've just got to get my bat path back and my bat in the right spot and then everything will start to come."
Joe Morgan is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

subset: commoncrawl


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NEW YORK (AP) — Will.i.am says his heart is connected to Britney Spears' upcoming album.
He's the executive producer of the pop star's untitled eighth album, to be released Dec. 3.
"This Britney record is like a piece of me, no pun intended!" will.i.am said, referring to Spears' 2007 single, "Piece of Me."
"I appreciate Britney — how she is as a person, all that she's accomplished, how down to Earth and humble she is, sweet, but at the same time fierce. She don't play. She wants to win."
Spears' will.i.am-produced first single, "Work B–tch," is currently No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. They recently collaborated on the hit "Scream & Shout."
"It's really fresh. I'm really passionate about this Britney record," he added in an interview Thursday. "I'm a music-aholic, so when it comes to … my appreciation for people's passions, and when I collaborate or contribute or consult … I can't separate myself."
The Black Eyed Peas leader also called the song he's producing for Lady Gaga "fresh." He was tight-lipped about the singer and her "ARTPOP" album, to be released Nov. 11.
"It's really good. Really good," he said of her new music. "I loved Lady Gaga even before I worked with her, and I love her even more now."
Will.i.am — who has produced for Justin Timberlake, John Legend, Nas and Usher — also produced the song "Do My Thang" for Miley Cyrus' album "Bangerz," which was released this week.
"It was fun doing that song with her," he said before singing some of the song's lyrics. "I love the whole freakin' thing."
Follow Mesfin Fekadu at http://twitter.com/MusicMesfin


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One Book One Bloomington Voting! [1]
What if everyone in our local community all read and discussed the same book? Earlier this spring we read the excellent Room [2] by Emma Donoghue and I am certainly looking forward to next year's selection as well.
As in the past, we are asking the community what they want to read together in 2013. It's time to vote!
Anytime before December 15, you can cast your vote for one of six titles that are nominated for the 2013 One Book One Bloomington and Beyond [3] community read. All of the nominations this year are books that have been banned or challenged. The winning title will be announced in January and book discussions and related programs will happen throughout the Spring of 2013. Read about each nomination and cast your vote [4] on online!


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There's a First Time for Everything: Director Loves Press Junket!
Morgan Spurlock, director of Sundance documentary darling Super Size Me, in which he eats nothing but McDonald's for an entire month, enthusiastically blogs about his first press junket:
In this room of the hotel, they had cleared out all the furntiture and set up a betacam, lights and two chairs. This is where I would be for the next six hours, churning out a TV interview every fifteen minutes for a variety of media: local, national, cable and international[...]
I left the room energized and ready for my next sit down interview.
NOTE: It's hard to get tired when you're talking about a movie you've poured your life into for the last year.
He loves a press junket? Everyone knows you're supposed to carp about the repetitive questions from nobody reporters from the Akron Coupon Clipper, who are only there because of the free shrimp cocktail. Rookies are so cute.


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by Fran Golden at AOL Travel News
Alaska Airlines has agreed to reimburse a Canadian couple after they were bumped from a flight in an incident that started with a smelly diaper, and that the carrier calls "rare."
Colleen Roberge and Dan Blais had just gotten married in Las Vegas and were on their way home to Edmonton, Alberta. But when they were about to board the plane their baby son had an explosive dirty diaper.
Roberge tells CTV Edmonton she left the gate to change the baby's diaper, leaving her husband behind to explain the situation. But when she returned she was told her ticket had been given to another passenger on standby.
The couple was not allowed to board the flight, and Roberge says a customer service agent even told her she should have boarded the plane before changing the soiled diaper.
After being bumped, the couple was left with the option of spending up to two days on standby for another Alaska Airlines flight or paying about $1,000 for tickets home that day on another airline. The couple chose the latter, and got home on WestJet.
The upset couple blogged about the incident, and Alaska Airlines left a comment explaining its stance. "Reservations are subject to cancellation if customers aren't ready at the gate within specified times," the carrier says. "If we accommodate people who arrive late, we risk arriving at the destination late."
But the carrier now says it will pay for the couple's flight home.
"It goes to show that one employee's actions doesn't always represent the whole company and it seems Alaska Airlines didn't thoroughly understand exactly what happened at the gate that day," Roberge and Blais say on their blog.


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Notation basée sur
10 Avis
4,6 sur novembre 27, 2013
I was WOWED from beginning to end during my stay at the Elephas. It is quaint, charming, and cozy with large rooms. Also, it is perfect access to wineries, culture, and splendid waterfalls. The innkeeper, Robert Colston, is a gracious host and pure gentleman who is extremely helpful and friendly.
4,8 sur novembre 23, 2013
I had the most fantastic stay in the Finger Lakes region, thanks to my host, Robert at the Elephas B&B. There were warm, elegantly staged rooms with character and style. Robert was one of the most enjoyable host I've ever encountered. A semi-retired actor who gives you a performance with every discussion. Well worth the investment !
3,6 sur octobre 18, 2013
The best thing about Elphas was Robert who was a gracious, interesting host. The house was pleasant and the room large.
5 sur septembre 03, 2013
The caretaker, Robert is the nicest person you will meet. He is very well educated, well spoken, mannered and friendly. We enjoyed his company and the stay. We even visited for hours on the back deck talking about a wide variety of topics. Very nice house, clean rooms, lots of room, and quiet. Great value for the money and love to return there at a future date.
5 sur septembre 17, 2012
I am a B&B girl, but the Elephas B&B in the Finger Lakes recently broke my heart…. Because I had to leave! It's my new home away from home! It brought back so many memories of my country roots. I got organic greens from the Amish market, and escaped the heat wading in Watkins Glen waterfalls pool, and strolling along the Seneca Lake shore. The Elephas stole my heart and I'm going to get it back. Gerri – Yonkers, NY
5 sur septembre 17, 2012
The Elephas is the best kept secret in the Finger Lakes, but not for long. The rich, antique decor of the Elephas is a perfect metaphor for the fertile region where it resides. Culture and history abound and is no further than a 30 minute ride in any direction. Theaters; The Hangar, The Geva, The Kitchen, and Syracuse Stage to name a few - and historic homes; Harriet Tubman House, Susan B. Anthony House, Elizabeth Cady Stanton House, Frederick Douglass House, and The Eastman Estate for starters. Nobody can do it all in a weekend... or a week. The Elephas is centrally located to doing it all, or a relaxing get-away to do nothing at all.
5 sur septembre 11, 2012
Friends and I stayed at the elegant Elephas B&B over the July 4th weekend and had a ball! The hardest thing was settling on which of several wineries to visit. We wound up on the outdoor terrace of the Standing Stone Winery listening to a live band, munching on BBQ, and sampling luscious homemade fudge. Robert Colston was a divine host and guide for our virgin voyage to the Finger Lakes Region. We're looking forward to another Elephas getaway soon. Marjorie (Bronx, NY)
3,2 sur août 19, 2012
Robert is a very interesting host. Glad I was able to meet him. Would stay there again.
4,0 sur juillet 27, 2012
Interesting and friendly host, beautiful home - thanks for the enjoyable stay Robert!
5 sur juin 19, 2012
This was a very wonderful get-away for me. The Innkeeper, Robert is the best -- very informative and makes sure you have a great time. Very relaxing and friendly atmosphere. I would recommend this place to everyone!


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BlackBerry Curve 3G T-Mobile 360-Degrees View
RIM BlackBerry Curve 3G is an addition to the popular BlackBerry Curve series of smartphones. This is the version which has 3G support compatible with T-Mobile USA. Specs wise the phone offers nothing spectacular, 2MP camera, Wi-Fi, GPS, microSD slot for memory and compatibility with the new BlackBerry 6 OS.


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Degrees and Certificates
We offer several vocational programs leading to certificates or degrees. Massage Therapy is our largest vocational program. Students may earn a certificate or continue their studies for an A.A. degree. Our winter quarter massage clinic is extremely popular with students, staff, faculty and the community.
Also we offer a variety of Physical Education courses that may be applied toward General Education (GE) requirements. View our listing of GE requirements below to see which Physical Education courses fit into your academic plan.
General Education Requirements
The curriculum guides above are in Adobe Reader PDF format. If you don't have Adobe Reader, download and install the free program.
Although care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the certificate and degree information, there may be errors or changes without notification. Please confirm requirements for a specific program.
Take a look at De Anza's Degree and Certificates Programs at-a-Glance chart to learn more about programs offered. Visit our Counseling Web site to review specific requirements for all our degree and certificate programs.
Physical Education
Building: PE
Contact: Susan Ho
Phone: 408.864.8751


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On Fold3.com we arrange all of our documents by collection, and then by increasingly specific categories, down to the individual document level. This structure is visible to you in Browse, and in the Viewer filmstrip. Both of these are available from the viewer page. You will notice that any time you are viewing an image in the Viewer, toward the top of the page you will see a "breadcrumb" of the categories that the document is in. For example, in this image you will see a breadcrumb that tells you that the image is found in Photos > Vietnam War - Army > Boats > Barges, and is named Page 1.
Each of those categories in the breadcrumb can be clicked to show the entire browse tool that you can find on the regular Browse page, but without leaving the Viewer. By scrolling and clicking on different categories in browse, you can access any other image on our site.
Understanding the browse structure is also helpful when using the Viewer filmstrip, which shows the image you are viewer along with neighboring images, arranged according to the same browse structure.


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From Official Website
Bianchi takes commanding win
Jules Bianchi took a dominant maiden victory in the opening Formula Renault 3.5 race at the Nurburgring.
The Ferrari junior driver led the race from start to finish for Tech 1, getting the gap up to nearly 10 seconds by the end ahead of second place finisher Nico Muller.
Draco driver Muller, who leapt from fourth to second at the start, kept Bianchi honest in the early laps as he sat on his tail, but once the leader picked the pace up nobody could live with him.
While Bianchi put in a sequence of fastest laps, Muller had to turn his attentions to defending his position from championship contender Robin Frijns (Fortec). The Dutchman dropped back for a few laps in the middle of the race, but he was right on Muller's tail by the finish as the Swiss driver's pace started to fade.
Frijns was also coming under pressure in the closing stages, as Arthur Pic took chunks out of the gap to the third place man. The DAMS car seemed to get stronger as the race went on, but he just ran out of time to mount a proper attack for a podium place.
Behind the tight battle for second, Danes Kevin Magnussen (Carlin) and Marco Sorensen (Lotus) completed the top six. Sorensen pulled off one of the few passing moves in the top half of the field, when he stole sixth from P1's Walter Grubmuller at the start of lap two.
Sam Bird, who went into the race as championship leader, mounted his own attack on Grubmuller in the laps that followed, but he eventually dropped back a little from the Austrian and had to settle for eighth for ISR.
Series newcomer Antonio Felix da Costa (Arden Caterham) marked his debut as a Red Bull junior with a points finish in ninth, while Carlin's Will Stevens inherited the final point when Carlos Huertas (Fortec) and Cesar Ramos (Lotus) collided as the latter tried to pass for 10th around the outside of Turn 1 on the penultimate lap.


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Image: Boomerang E048482 (front)
This wooden boomerang is from the Peak Hill region of Central West New South Wales. It is made from a single piece of dark brown wood, the surface of which is divided into segments by incised bands. The segments are decorated with lines, zig-zags and jelly fish-like designs. As noted on the sticker glued to the back of the boomerang, it was donated to the Australian Historical Society by Miss Georgia King in 1916 before being donated to the Australian Museum by the Australian Historical Society in 1940.
- Photographer:
- Finton Mahony
- Rights:
- © Australian Museum
Last Updated:


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Textbook Orders for Winter and Spring Terms 2013
- The textbooks which have been ordered for your course sections will be available on CUNYfirst: you can find the textbooks in the Search for Classes (Class Schedule): when you find the course and section, click on the Section link and this will take you to the textbook information as well as availability (enrollment).
- Students may check this list, or go to the Lehman College Bookstore website and click on the upper left Books link.
- Beginning with the Winter 2013 term and the Spring 2013 semester, faculty will be able to order textbooks for their classes using CUNYfirst.
- The courses for the Winter and Spring 2013 terms are available, and faculty can enter the textbook information now.
- To enter a textbook for your class, go to your Faculty Center and My Schedule on CUNYfirst. Select the correct semester or term (click on "change term"). Select the section you wish to identify texts for, and then click on the top or bottom link "my textbooks." Here you can provide specific information regarding books, articles, films, etc. The "search" function should help you find current book information and will populate the fields. You can also use any online search for book information and copy and paste the information. You can also copy texts that have been entered for other sections. The price must be entered in order to save the data (any price will do, but the bookstore will use its own price when providing textbooks). You can also include course material notes. For each additional instructional material entry, click on the + icon to add new information. If no textbooks are to be assigned to the course, please check that box. Once you have finished, click on the "Textbook entry complete" and then make sure you click the Save button.
- Use this Book Ordering Guide [PDF] for illustrated instructions.
- The Bookstore will use the CUNYfirst information that you provide to order textbooks for your courses and sections. You may also use the Bookstore website to make orders, but these will not appear in the CUNYfirst materials and will not be available to students when they register. Department chairs, program directors and course managers will be able to enter textbooks for courses in their respective areas.
- 19 November: General deadline for winter session classes, or ASAP.
- 3 December: Custom, packages and foreign titles for spring term need to be ordered eight weeks in advance
- 14 December: General deadline for all spring orders. The Bookstore can buy books back from students when the textbooks are ordered by this date. The earlier the orders are submitted, the easier it will be for the Bookstore to get used texts.
21 December: Last day before the holiday break, when the Bookstore needs to order books in order to have textbooks on the shelves two weeks before the semester begins. Please keep in mind that the bookstore can only order current editions.
Last modified: Nov 12, 2012


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September 5, 2009
Yummy Kellan and PFach at LAX
A lil' hunky vamp to start your Saturday :D
Thanks AshleyTWA via TwiFans
- Lorabell
Update: According to CullenBoysAnon Peter went on to Atlanta for Dragon Con :)
4 comments:
It's no secret that I find Mr. Lutz uber sexy but the more I see pics of him I kind of just want to take him aside and be like, "So, where you get that bag? Um, those sweats you wore the other day were rockin' where did you pick those up from?"ReplyDelete
Oh, Lawd I'm more interested in his fashion choices than his beauty.
@TJB: Lol, I really like that bag too - random!ReplyDelete
- Lorabell ;)
hahahaha TJB you are cute xDDReplyDelete
I can't even concentrate on his fashion,i just can see lips and arms and chest and *droooool* xD
- twilightislifeSeptember 5, 2009 at 10:04 PM
hmmm... im more interested in la fach ;)ReplyDelete
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Pelletier's review found that the office-supply chain has routinely changed prices on supplies without properly notifying the city. OfficeMax representatives said that they had communicated any price changes to the city in writing and that these changes were never questioned, according to the report. But the auditor's office "did not find evidence that contract-price list changes were appropriately authorized or communicated."
The audit recommends that the city request a reimbursement from OfficeMax for these overcharges.
The city takes part in the "America Saves" program, which allows agencies to get high discounts on certain items. But the report notes that the city has in fact been spending more on office supplies since it joined the program in 2007. Whereas before it entered the program, Palo Alto had been receiving an overall discount of about 58 percent, the discount dropped in each subsequent year, to about 45 percent in 2011.
"If the City had continued to receive an average discount of about 58 percent for all its purchases subsequent to entering the America Saves program, it would have saved at least an additional $67,302 from Nov. 1, 2007 through May 31, 2011," the audit states.
The audit's other recommendations are broader in scope. After finding that the city does not have "effective processes and procedures to ensure the City receives contracted discounts," the audit recommends that the Administrative Services Department "develop formal procedures" to effectively administer the office supply contract and to properly account for its unusually high office expenditures.
In fiscal year 2011, the city had spent about $425 per full-time-equivalent employee, far more than other comparable jurisdictions. Mountain View, for example, had expenditures of $225 per employee. Sunnyvale's were $225 and Santa Clara's were $131.
But while the audit acknowledged that the city has spent "considerably more for office supplies than other local jurisdiction sampled," it also noted the difficulty of linking many of these expenditures with vendors. Furthermore, the audit found that nearly half of all city contracts are exempted from competitive bidding, which may also keep the city from getting the most for its money. The review also concluded that "about 38 percent of expenditures coded as office supplies in the City's financial systems could not necessarily be associated with office supplies vendors."
The audit recommends that the Administrative Services Department "ensure contract administration roles and responsibilities are defined and appropriately communicated." In reviewing the existing operation, the auditor's office "did not find any evidence of a defined documented, or effective process" to administer its contracts. Lalo Perez, the city's chief financial officer and director of administrative services, called these recommendations "reasonable."
"While we have saved significant dollars in other areas such as refinancing our long-term debt, we can make improvements in the contract services area," Perez said in a statement. "We feel that the audit recommendations are reasonable, and we have already begun making process improvements."
City Manager James Keene said the city appreciates the audit and will make improvements to the procurement process based on its recommendations. Some of the opportunities lost, he said in a statement, "may have been generated by staff cutbacks made to save the City money."
"These tradeoffs will be examined more deeply in the ongoing audit response," Keene said.
While Pelletier's audit is sharply critical of Administrative Service Department's procurement policies, Pelletier lauded the department's effort in addressing the problems uncovered by the audit.
"I feel confident that the City can make process improvements in contract administration that will save money and positively impact the entire organization," Pelletier said.
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18 June 2013 - 18 June 2013
Abbotsford Campus
What is Parent Orientation?
UFV believes that parents, guardians and family members are valuable partners and coaches in their student's academic journey. The UFV Parent Orientation event is designed to answer your questions and address any concerns about your student's university experience. Furthermore, we will provide you with valuable information about campus departments, programs, and services which will make it easier for you to guide your student as well as encourage your student to seek assistance when needed.
Who is Parent Orientation for?
Please note that the UFV Parent Orientation Event is specifically designed for parents, guardians and family members of first-time UFV undergraduate students.
For driving directions please visit ufv.ca/contact_us. Please note that pay parking is in effect.
UFV Student Life


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Since Dave and I generally go on trips together, he has my spare and I have his. I also keep the flat keys for both of mine in my wallet.
Since Dave and I generally go on trips together, he has my spare and I have his. I also keep the flat keys for both of mine in my wallet.
" I have a spare set of keys in a pouch in the saddlebag."
So how do you open the saddlebag?
Key on a chain from a hardware store around my neck with the spare key. Last thing off at night and first thing on in the morning. Never without my key. Simple.
Bob Rippy
Tour of Honor Missouri State Sponsor
I utilize 3M double sided trim tape cut into 1/2" squares and tape the heads of the spare keys to the inside of one of the triangular black (removable) side panels. Keys have been there for years and the tape doesn't give them up easily.
What happens if the topcase key is a flat key and I lose that and the ignition key has not been rekeyed to fit the case
any suggestions on rekeying the Topcase for my ignition key
oh ya my Bike is a 2005 Rt
Friend of Bill W. Kiss the Wife.Love the Kids.Live the Day.
When I bought my RT, I had the dealer insure that the ignition key works all the locks.
When I'm a thousand miles (1600 km to you, eh) from home I need to think only about 2 things: having fun and ONE key!
It's a tough job but somebody's gotta do it.
I carry both spare keys with me when I go on the road. One in my left pocket clipped to a belt loop and the other in my overnight bag which I take in the motel room with me. I've never lost a key but have watched others in misery when they lost a key without a spare. You are in a hard spot when this happens as it takes days to replace a BMW key.
When on a trip with SWMBO, my spare EWS key goes in her trunk, and her spare key goes on mine. I figure that if we ever both lose our keys at the same time, we deserve to be stranded!
When on my own -- I need to figure that out, as I've decided to make Sedalia, and will be going solo. I must say I like Ted's idea of a zipper pull, but I'd have to be careful to not lock my 'stich up in a saddlebag!
My own semi-embarassing story, from which I learned the value of an on-bike spare key: On Sunday morning after the '09 Tennessee MOA rally, I was in a great mood, packing up the tent/gear/bike. Got all done, and realized I had lost my key. I spent at least an hour combing the grass, walking down the hill and back up to the lost-and-found desk, etc. -- basically checked every place I could think of.
After finally giving up and getting on the phone with my wife to start arranging for an overnight shipment of the spare key down to me (*not* a happy camper by this time), as I'm talking to her my eye fell directly on the key. As some of you have probably guessed by now, I had an R12RT -- the key was safely in the seat lock, well out of view under the taillight!
I instantly learned why experienced R12RT owners say "Lost your key? Check the seat lock FIRST." That's actually helped my find my missing key in my own garage a couple times since then!
Mark Neblett
Fairfax, VA
Thanks for telling all the good hiding spots. Now I have to find a new one.
This is what i do... i realized after reading this thread that i don't have a spare key, and contact a dealer to get one...
on my trip last weekend i kept it with me, separate from the other...
so thanks for reminding me...
Ich Fahre Nicht Zu Schnell, Ich Fliege Nur Niedrig
Oklahoma Adventure Trail
+1 on carrying the spare plastic key on a lanyard around your neck. That's what I do. You don't have to worry about it falling off the bike, being locked in the top case, or remembering where you put it, since it is always with you.
I keep the spare metal key at home. The worst that could happen if I lose the lanyard key is that my wife would overnight the spare metal key to me.
Alpine White
Spare key on a lanyard around my neck. Probably will never need it until the one time I don't bring it.
At the tender age of five, a bear told me that only I could prevent forest fires. Why I was chosen, I'll never know.
If we're travelling together, Diann carries the spare key to my bike with her, and I carry hers.
If I'm travelling alone, I keep the spare key in the storage bag that slides into the main frame tube on my bike (airhead).
regards, Rod.
Work is the curse of the riding class
Spare key for bike and cases on a lanyard, then I give it to my riding buddy. I, in turn, carry his.


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The Decision That Changed Jennifer Aniston's Life Forever
No, nothing in her personal life. In her professional life. It was a big decision! Also today: news about The Avengers, a Vampire Diaries catastrophe is saved, and Julia Roberts is really really jealous of someone.
Jennifer Aniston, the miserable old spinster who lives alone in a mansion on a hill and is always madly cackling or crying or both, apparently turned down a spot on Saturday Night Live in the early '90s, choosing to do Friends instead. Can you imagine! It's funny when "choosing to go on SNL" is the thing that would have made a career worse. Nice options you got there, Aniston. I guess in the end, though, none of it matters. Friends, SNL, what difference does it make? The fact of the matter is that no man will ever love Jennifer Aniston, she's old and ruined now, so she is lonely and miserable and wanders her house, touching the cobwebs lightly with her fingers, allowing herself to whisper his name only once. [E!]
Oh NOOOOOOOOOOOO. Kevin Williamson, who wrangles big words and then stuffs them in teenagers' mouths, has indefinitely shelved his planned Vampire Diaries spin-off. Bwahhhhhhh. 2011 is ruined! What are we going to do now that we can't look forward to a whole new Vampire Diaries series about cute boipires named Defan and Stamon (instead of Stefan and Damon, get it)?? I'm going to go cry in my room and listen to Muse. Hm? What's that? Kevin Williamson is going to work on a new series by the same author as VD, about a teen girl who moves to a town called New Salem and discovers she's a witch?? Ohhhhh. Will their be cute warlocks, I mean boilocks??? Will their names be cool and sexy, like Tryder and Stig? Or Newsom and Derm? Nolyn and Wagner? Zanely and Hantch? Come up with the boys' names! What should the boys on Secret Circle, the new witch show, be named? Jaxyl and Moritz? Palson and Grig? Freeman and Xavian?? [Deadline]
It had long been rumored by now it seems confirmed. Julia Roberts, terrible mouth-demon from Laughsylvania, will be playing the Wicked Queen in The Brothers Grimm: Snow White. This is not to be confused with Snow White and the Huntsman, in which Charlize Theron is playing the Queen. It'll be kind of interesting to see Julia Roberts play the villain. Has she ever done that before? I mean, other than in Runaway Bride? Jules Robert isn't the most versatile of actresses, and period stuff has never been strong suit (See: Collins, Michael; Reilly, Mary), so this should be an interesting uphill climb to watch her attempt. Anyway. What about Ristan and Wylan?? [EW]
So Sam Jackson was on Jimmy Fallon last night and he mentioned that he is going to do a screen test with five actresses up for the role of Nick Fury's sidekick in The Avengers, the Marvel superhero super mash-up. The list is: Morena Baccarin, the V star who was also on Avenger director Joss Whedon's Firefly; Jessica Lucas, who has already won the Academy Award for her performance in the upcoming Big Momma's House 3: Bigger and Momma-er, Cobie Smulders from How I Will Never Meet Your Mother As Long as This Show Is Profitable for CBS; and Mary Elizabeth Winstead, from Scott Pilgrim vs. Too-High Box Office Expectations. But that's only four! Who is the fifth one??? It'll be the one who gets it, I bet. I bet it'll be Jennifer Aniston. [THR]
Thane and Brazer? Dixon and Fife?
It seems that Amber Heard, the actress who's been up-and-coming for like five years now, is in talks to star in the new NBC pilot Playboy, about the Playboy Club in 1963 Chicago. The pilot is apparently being directed by Alan Taylor, who did the pilot for Mad Men, so that's good. Though the script was written by a guy whose biggest credit is that CW show Runaway, the one with Donnie Wahlberg that was canceled after a few episodes, so that's bad. But it comes with a free frogurt! That's good! [Deadline]
Barry Watson, one of the forgotten Camden kids of 7th Heaven (they only had so much thunder and Biel took it all when she left), is signing on to costar in the TV Land pilot Rip City, a comedy about an Oregon cola company. .... Uh, well, at least Christine Taylor is in it! She's great and doesn't need to take a job for the money, so maybe the script is actually quality! Frankly I'd rather watch them in R.I.P. City, and it'd be about a town of ghosts where, I guess, the R.I.P.D. would patrol. Frankly, I'd rather see Christine Taylor on her own HBO or Showtime show. I have an idea for you, Christine. Email me! [TV Line]
Pampton and Gliff? Ewing and Rafely? Quint and Soren? Thratch and Ivens? Help!


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I recently sold my K11LT and bought an 06 R12RT. Love the bike but the reflection on the instrument panel keeps me guessing as to how fast, what gear (I forgot how to keep track - too many beemers), what rpm, can't read crap. Wunderlich has a bezel reputed to keep the reflective glare down. For only $150+ I can buy a plastic bezel (unpainted).
Any experience out there with this.


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[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
So it looks like Indy is trying to deal T.J. Ford and as a Knick fan I am excited about this fact!
Look if Mike Dantoni's offense has made Chicago's 3rd string PG Chris Duhon into servicable PG then for sure TJ would do well in this offense. His numbers suck this season -1 for 28 from 3, yikes!-, but if you look at last season there is plenty to get excited over.
Last season Duhon put up 11 pts 7 ast .9 steals in 37 minutes and 78 starts, Ford last year put up 15 pts 5 ast and 1 steal in 30 minutes and only 49 starts of 74 games played.
As a full time starter w/ Toronto he put up 14 pts 8 ast 1.4 stls on a playoff team
Point being if given an oppotunity by Mike Dantoni he would put up legit PG numbers. I am not saying he would be Steve Nash, but I think Rajon Rondo would be a fair expectation and that is a hell of an upgrade from what we have now.
Duhon is a better shooter, but for sure Ford is quicker - its like comparing Shaq in 94 to Shaq now- and is a much better finisher going to the rim -like comparing Melo to Jefferies-.
So How do we get him....
One scenerio is Donnie approaches his agent about giving Ford a two year 10 million dollar deal next season. Why would TJ and his agent take that....because he is currently buried on Indy's bench and is in all likelyhood going to sit next season while making 8 million, so maybe playing while making 10 million over two may be a bit more intriguing. Hell if I were him I would take a one year 5 million dollar deal in Dantoni's offense just to boost my stock
Ok scenerio two.....First We trade Jefferies for an expiring by the trade deadline -key-. We then offer Indy Cuttino's contract for Ford and a top 3 protected pick this year or unconditional next year. Indy wants him off the books like we want Curry or Jefferies off the Books, we would for sure give up a pick in the draft if someone offered us an expiring contract like Mobleys for Jefferies. Indy is lottery bound this would be a great deal for The Knicks, get a starting PG and a lottery pick in the same deal. Now, even with moving Jefferies this would still cut into our cap by 1.7 million, but, we would have paid more than that for a starting PG anyways, plus the obtained lottery pick could be used to move Curry or packaged with Wilson to fill voids
Donnie has Indy connections and I would get in their ear about this one.


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The son of Paul and Margaret Sleigh Lamb, he was born Nov. 18, 1937, in Amity. He was a 1955 graduate of Amity High School and attended DeVry Institute of Technology. He served four years in the United States Navy during the Cold War as an aviation mechanic working on the F-4 Phantom Jet. He was a resident field engineer with Burroughs Corporation for 25 years. He enjoyed driving stock cars at the Tri-State Speedway in Fort Smith and also league bowling. Tom learned to play the guitar, Dobro and lap steel guitar and was a long-time member of the Clear Creek Country Band. After moving to Russellville in 1979, he met and married Judy Thomas on Oct. 26, 1979. He enjoyed working at the Camp Caudle Christian Camp at Scottsville when there were no roofs on the cottages. He was a member of the West Side Church of Christ.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Margaret Pauline Alexander; and nephew, Paul Andrew Alexander.
He is survived by his wife, Judy Lamb, Russellville; children, Timothy Owen Lamb, Fort Smith, Cynthia Ann Long (Jeff), Russellville, Heath Allen Thomas (Laura) Conway, and Keith Edward Thomas (Robin), Russellville; two brothers, Bobby Lamb, Nashville, Tenn., and Charles Lamb, Houston, Texas; a sister, Betty Price, Houston, Texas; grandchildren, Tony Lamb, Fort Smith, Micah, Tori and Eli Thomas, all of Russellville, Kacie and Chloe' Long, of Russellville, Blake Thomas, Conway, and Deanna Arivett, Hamilton, Ohio; and a great-granddaughter, Bella Arivett, Hamilton, Ohio.
A life celebration service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 4, 2013, at West Side Church of Christ. Dan Lightfoot, Bruce Grice, Heath Thomas and Blake Thomas will officiate. The family will receive friends following the service at the church.
Memorials may be made to Camp Caudle Christian Camp, P O Box 1311, Dover, AR 72837 or Arkansas Hospice, 2405 East Parkway, Suite 3, Russellville, AR 72801. Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Humphrey Funeral Service. Internet obituary and online guestbook are available at www.humphreyfuneral.com.


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Werth: Nats have talent, heart to be special club
By Bill Ladson / MLB.com
Werth sounded like a man who believes Washington is the team to beat. It helps that the club has a dominant pitching staff and an offense that has been solid since May.
"Going into the postseason, you need a lot of weapons, and this team possesses a lot of weapons," Werth said. "Postseason experience doesn't matter. You gain experience by experiencing it. That's the only way. ... [Almost] everyone is going into this situation with no experience. We'll see who stands at the end of the day. I like where we are at. I like our mindset. I like how we come to the park every day ready to play. Once the game starts, I really like the way we play the game."
Werth played on the 2008 Phillies, who won the World Series. When asked to compare that team to the current Nationals team, Werth favored the Nationals.
"This team is way younger," Werth said. "This team has dominant pitching. [I'm not saying the Phillies] didn't have dominant pitching, but -- I don't want to say the wrong thing here and make everybody mad -- but Jordan [Zimmermann] is not regarded as one of the top pitchers in league, but he is. He is, hands down. So is E.J. [Edwin Jackson]. Ross [Detwiler] goes 95 mph from the left side. Those guys are dominant pitchers. The lineup -- one through seven -- can hit you 20 home runs. That's different. I see the heart. That is similar. That's one thing coming into last year, I didn't see. I didn't see the heart until September of last year.
"When I was in Philly ... a player signed there because they felt like the team would rip your heart out and stand there and eat it in front of you. I totally agreed with them. I think the Nationals are the same way."
Werth is one of the reasons the Nationals have a lot of heart this season. After coming off the disabled list on Aug. 2, Werth batted .306 with two home runs, 19 RBIs and 31 runs scored in 53 games.
For most of that time, the Nationals didn't have to worry about a leadoff hitter -- at least for this year. He hit over .300 and had an on-base percentage over .390.
Is Werth satisfied with the way the team has progressed? You bet. But he wants another championship ring.
"I'm a little bit satisfied with the way we play the game," Werth said. "It's a lot easier when you win, relax and have fun. When you don't see things done the right way, it's hard to be happy, it's hard to be satisfied. Here we are a year later, we are the best team in baseball.
"We have a great clubhouse, we have a great group of guys, we have a manager [Davey Johnson] who is tough as nails, but also is real easy to play for. We have a great support staff with our coaches and trainers. We have kids coming up from the Minor Leagues helping us win ballgames. We have a group of guys ... who have more heart than maybe any other team I ever played on."
Bill Ladson is a reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog, All Nats All the time. He also could be found on Twitter @WashingNats. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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National Multiple Sclerosis Society
Every connection counts when it comes to increasing awareness and support of our cause.
Multiple sclerosis and the MS movement – everyone engaged in addressing the challenges of MS today while moving toward long-term solutions for tomorrow – become better known each year. But more must be done. Together we are stronger when it comes to increasing awareness and support for our cause.
For MS Awareness Week 2016, March 7-13, people in the MS movement will lead the effort by sharing the solutions and experiences they've uncovered to live their best lives, and inspiring others to become more powerful than the challenges of MS.
The MSconnection.org online community was a focal point in 2015 – both for people already engaged there and those not yet engaged. During this week alone, more than 33,000 visitors representing 133 countries visited the community and nearly 600 new members joined.
Thousands of people created, shared and had conversations about personalized connection images that convey the diversity, determination and passion of their connection to the MS movement. See a few of our favorites in our Facebook album, or browse them all and create your own at MSconnection.org. You can share your own image with your network on social media.
During MS Awareness Week we garnered highly visible media coverage across the country, securing coverage in Times Square in New York City, on the TODAY show and hundreds of additional print, radio, television and online promotions and stories around the country to share the stories of the MS movement.
Coordinated social media efforts leveraging the power and passion of people who care about MS resulted in a huge social media impact during MS Awareness Week 2015. In just one week, three million people viewed MS-related posts and more than 25,000 people shared these posts with their own networks. More than a million people viewed videos shared on social media and 200,000 people engaged directly in the conversation on social media.
For MS Awareness Week 2015, the MS movement received celebrity shout outs from personalities like Alessandra Ambrosio, Courtney Galiano, Shemar Moore, Julie Roberts, Lauren Bedford Roberts, Robin Roberts and Noah "40" Shebib – all of whom extended awareness through their networks. Hundreds of other influential individuals – from sports stars to media personalities to online bloggers – in communities around the country pitched in too!
A multitude of activities took place in hundreds of communities across the country during MS Awareness Week 2015. Some of the most visible efforts included lighting up – in orange, of course – buildings and bridges in places like Cleveland, Chicago and Boston; live news coverage and other media coverage, social media campaigns supporting awareness activities; and lots of in-person community activities like programs for people with MS, Walks MS fundraising events, and other opportunities to educate and create awareness.
World MS Day unites MS organizations globally and raises awareness of multiple sclerosis and those living with MS to improve public understanding and support that will move us closer a world free of MS. For World MS Day 2016 we're recognizing all the ways that people affected by MS maintain independence and get on with their lives.
The 2015 World MS Day campaign was focused on finding positive ways to celebrate both the big and small things that people and organizations have done that help to make life less difficult for people affected by MS – things like:
The idea was that by saying "thank you" and celebrating positive examples of change, we could encourage others to do more as well. To speak up more, to fundraise more and to make changes that remove barriers to access.
Stay tuned for more details about how you can take part in World MS Day 2016.
Helping others better understand this complex and unpredictable disease is critical to fueling the progress that changes lives for people affected by MS and ultimately will end the disease forever.
You can view and share the videos below, and many other videos available on the Society's YouTube channel, to help others better understand MS.
This video shows what happens in the central nervous system when a person has multiple sclerosis.
Creating awareness is something each of us is committed to -- and can act on today. By lending our individual voices, each and every one of us can lay the groundwork for the most viral MS awareness activity to date -- by simply sharing.
Multiple sclerosis destroys connections. It disconnects the mind from the body and people from each other. Defy this disease with the very thing it seeks to destroy: connections. Every Connection Counts: why do you connect? www.MSconnection.org
More than 20,000 researchers go to work to create a world free of MS every day. We can stop the disease in its tracks, restore what's been lost, and end this disease forever. Our commitment to people with MS isn't to just get it done, but to do it NOW.
Walk MS
Bike MS
Challenge Walk MS
Muckfest MS
DIY Fundraising
Become an MS activist
Connect online
Stay informed
For local opportunities to connect with others to raise awareness about MS, identify the area where you'd like to connect and find an opportunity that matches your passion.


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Versatility is key in battles for final roster spots
By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The rash of injuries -- including infielder/outfielder Skip Schumaker's dislocated left shoulder on Friday -- has forced the Reds to improvise and contemplate different roster decisions.
That explained why players fighting for roster spots are being used at multiple positions lately. On Sunday vs. the Brewers, outfielder Jason Bourgeois started at second base. On Saturday vs. the Cubs, Chris Nelson played both third and first base and Kristopher Negron was used at both third base and center field.
Bourgeois played a lot at second base in Minors, but has not played there much in the Majors.
"When you lose one of your most versatile players, well actually you could say two because [Jack] Hannahan is a guy that can play all of infield positions and left field … versatility takes on a completely different importance," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "That's where you look at [Neftali] Soto and [Ramon] Santiago and Nelson and …. Negron, there's a lot of versatility in those guys. I think the good thing is that they've had that opportunity, or if they haven't -- they're getting it now."
Injuries to starters delay Reds' Opening Day plans
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Reds starting pitcher Homer Bailey -- who is recovering from a strained right groin -- was originally slated to throw in a Minor League game Sunday. That was pushed back to Monday, however.
"He threw on the side. It felt good," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "He played his game of catch. It's kind of like that whole protocol. He said he felt good. I guess we felt one day was better."
Bailey has not pitched in a game since March 10 and he suffered the injury while playing catch March 14. His start the following day was scratched.
The Reds are being extra cautious with Bailey but are hopeful he can begin the season without needing to go on the disabled list. The same is true for Mat Latos, who is also expected to pitch a Minor League game Monday. That would be his second outing since returning from Feb. 14 left-knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus.
Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto is expected to work a Minor League game Tuesday. Cueto missed his last big league game start because of irritation in his right scapula.
"In all of these situations, we are really trying to avoid a recurrence," Price said. "You have no idea if you're going to have a recurrence until you throw these guys out there to perform, even if they feel 100 percent. You can't simulate game speed in the bullpen or in [fielding drills]. We're just trying to do the best that we can to make sure that he's as ready as possible."
Price is still trying to determine who can start on Opening Day. Before the recent string of injuries, it was between Cueto and Bailey. Now, it's totally up in the air.
"We'll have someone show up to pitch Opening Day. We just don't know who that guy is yet," Price said. "Hopefully if we can get through the middle of this coming week here, we should be able to set our rotation. It's unbelievable that it won't be until the 26th that we actually know who our 1-2-3 starters are going to be."
Mesoraco unsure if he'll be ready by Opening Day
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco, who strained his left oblique in the batting cage Wednesday, has not played a game for the Reds since March 17. While Mesoraco has been undergoing therapy, he has not been permitted to resume swinging a bat.
With Opening Day a week away was Mesoraco nervous about the timing?
"It's definitely getting close," Mesoraco said Sunday. "With this being maybe the first Opening Day I would play, I definitely want to be ready. I think right now I'm just focused on getting better and trying to improve that oblique every day."
Even as he is taking it slow under medical advice, Mesoraco felt like if he could return to games this week, that it would be enough time to get his swing ready for the regular season.
"I feel like when I did it, I was really close to being where I want to be," Mesoraco said. "As far as catching, I was ready to go within the first week or two. Swing-wise, maybe after I see a couple of at-bats, I feel like I will be ready. But we'll see. I'm all for the plan."
If Mesoraco, the Reds regular catcher must open the season on the disabled list, backup Brayan Pena would play more regularly. The club could recall prospect Tucker Barnhart from Triple-A to be the backup. Veteran Corky Miller is also an option but he is not on the 40-man roster. Manager Bryan Price wants to see Mesoraco get into an exhibition game before he clears him for the season.
"I'd like to see him in a game, yes. I think if it's here, Pensacola, Louisville or wherever it is, there has to be some verification that he's OK," Price said. "He's missing some time. It's hard at this time of year to miss five or seven days without seeing live pitching and expect the guy to be right on time to start the season with his swing."
Worth noting
• Third baseman Todd Frazier returned to the club Saturday night and started Sunday morning. Frazier had been at home in New Jersey to be present for the birth of his first baby. Son Blake, who weighed 10 pounds, seven ounces, and Frazier's wife Jacquelyn are both in good condition.
Mark Sheldon is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Mark My Word, and follow him on Twitter @m_sheldon. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Ground broken on Yanks' Triple-A home
By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com
Representatives from the Yankees, the Lackawanna County Commissioner's Office and Mandalay Baseball joined the Multi-Purpose Authority, the construction team, state officials and Moosic and Riverside officeholders for the event.
With its home field shuttered, the Triple-A club is mostly calling upstate New York home, having been temporarily rebranded as the Empire State Yankees. Thirty-seven of the club's home games are being played in Rochester, N.Y., with other "home" contests also played in Batavia, N.Y., Buffalo, N.Y., Syracuse, N.Y., Allentown, Pa., and Pawtucket, R.I.
Swisher remains out, but DL stint unlikely
NEW YORK -- Nick Swisher may have to wait a week to see if he can keep his hot start going, as the Yankees right fielder has been sent to the bench with a mild strain of his left hamstring.
Swisher said that he felt his hamstring "bite a little bit" as he took a swing against the Tigers' Max Scherzer during Sunday's 6-2 New York win. An MRI exam taken after Swisher's third-inning exit revealed the strain.
Manager Joe Girardi said that he is expecting Swisher to be sidelined until next Tuesday against the Rays, but Swisher is hoping to beat that timetable, more optimistically shooting for Thursday against the Royals in Kansas City.
"We all decided to be smart, take a couple of days off and get this thing 100 percent healed up," Swisher said. "I'm that type of guy that I like to take pride in being on the field every day. When you get banged up like this, it's kind of frustrating."
The Yankees believe they can get by without placing Swisher on the disabled list because Brett Gardner is expected to rejoin the club from his right elbow strain on Thursday in Kansas City.
Swisher is off to a blistering start, with his 23 RBIs ranking second in the American League only to the Rangers' Josh Hamilton, who has 25. Swisher is batting .284 with six homers in 21 games.
"This season is so important to us in that locker room," Swisher said. "I'd like to get it 100 percent healed up and get back in. Hopefully, it will be sooner rather than later."
Yanks trust Nunez's athleticism in left field
NEW YORK -- The Yankees believe that Eduardo Nunez is athletic enough to handle left field without much difficulty, and the utility man got his chance to prove it on Monday.
Nunez started in left field as the Yankees began a three-game series with the Orioles, making just his sixth appearance (third start) in the outfield as a Major League player.
"When we put him in games in Spring Training, nobody hit the ball to him," manager Joe Girardi said. "So maybe that'll happen tonight. As a shortstop, you're used to catching fly balls and going out and getting balls. We think he's going to do fine."
Nunez's only appearance as an outfielder this year wasn't really in the outfield. He played one-third of an inning on Opening Day as part of a five-man infield behind Mariano Rivera, though technically he was the Yankees' right fielder.
"If they need me to play one week or two weeks in left field, I'll do it," Nunez said, adding, "If they need me to catch, I'll do it."
Backup catcher Chris Stewart, who lockers next to Nunez, overheard the comment and chimed in: "Tomorrow."
Catching isn't exactly in the cards for Nunez, and the Yankees still believe that his future is in the infield despite a rash of errors to begin his big league career.
"We have him targeted as being an everyday shortstop someday," Girardi said. "He's athletic, he has a lot of speed and there's a lot of different things he can do. We're going to find out."
The Yankees may need Nunez to get through only the Orioles series as a capable outfielder, with Raul Ibanez filling in as the right fielder and Andruw Jones on the bench on Monday. Nick Swisher is out with a left hamstring strain, but Brett Gardner is expected to come back from the disabled list on Thursday.
"We've talked a little bit about playing the outfield, especially here in this park," Gardner said. "You just kind of learn the corner and have the idea of what the ball is going to do coming off that corner. He has played there before. He's a good athlete, and it's left field -- that's where they put people that can't play anywhere else. He'll be fine."
Bombers bits
The Yankees entered play on Monday leading the Majors with 36 home runs and were second behind the Rangers (120) with 118 runs scored. New York had homered in 12 of its last 13 games and in 18 of 21 games overall.
Yankees right-hander David Robertson entered Monday having thrown 10 scoreless innings, recording 15 of his outs via strikeouts. He has not allowed a run in his last 23 1/3 innings, dating to Sept. 1, 2011, the longest active scoreless stretch for any Major League pitcher, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
On this date in 1939, Lou Gehrig played the last of his 2,130 consecutive games, going 0-for-4 in a 3-2 loss to the Senators at Yankee Stadium. It was Gehrig's last Major League game, as he asked manager Joe McCarthy to remove him from the lineup on May 2 at Detroit. Coincidentally, it was also on this date in 1923 that the Yankees signed a 19-year-old Gehrig to a professional contract out of Columbia University.
Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Its not a chicken-and-egg scenario: quality comes before sales
When it comes to driving growth in your restaurant, you may find yourself asking a lot of chicken-and-egg questions. Do you need increased sales before adding a new concept? Or do you add a new concept so that you can increase market share? Do you increase marketing spend to drive sales? Or do you focus on sales so that you can increase marketing spend?
The good news is, there's one linear approach that always yields bottom-line results. When you focus on quality, sales will follow. Two areas where quality can really drive sales are your front-line staff and your approach to process development and training. But what does quality really look like in these two areas, and how can you build it? I'll outline a few approaches and introduce you to Pal's Sudden Service, a QSR that has gotten it right.
A better front line
Your hourly employees are the front line of your business. They interact with customers more than any other employee group, so if they deliver a less-than-stellar first impression, you stand to lose a lot of repeat business.
According to a Right Now and Harris Interactive study, 82 percent of Americans have stopped doing business with a brand after just one bad customer service experience. When customers have the one-and-done mentality, you can't afford to have anything less than top-quality employees representing your restaurant.
But recognizing quality can be easier said than done.
When sifting through a pile of applications, you may be inclined to look only at those with previous restaurant experience, operating under the notion that if the applicant has the right experience he/she will fit your business. But maybe that applicant is sticking with QSR, for example, because it's all he/she has ever known, not because it's the right-fit job. Maybe an applicant with experience in retail has the characteristics that separate a quality hire from a future ex-employee.
The answer to finding quality employees lies in looking past the basic information on an application and assessing applicants for their behavioral preferences.
By assessing applicants for their behavioral preferences as part of your online application process, you can find out if an applicant has the energy to provide a great impression at the drive-thru, the propensity for customer service to work the cash register or the trustworthiness to cover the late shift.
Employees who naturally fit their positions will be more engaged in their work, stick around longer and provide better customer service. And it's no coincidence that when customer service scores go up, so do sales.
A better process
Loading your front line up with top-quality employees is a critical first step to boosting customer service and growing sales. But to keep the customers smiling, your processes have to be better than par.
Think of it this way: welcoming cashiers can lessen customers' frustration over a long wait, but they can't erase it. In the same way, a friendly face and attitude at the drive-thru may be forgotten if the customer drives away and finds an incorrect order later.
Start by taking a good, hard look at your processes. Are they the most efficient way to accomplish tasks, or are you doing things this way because it's how it's always been done? If there are things you'd like to change about your processes, think of a grid with the X axis showing the degree of impact the change could have and the Y axis showing how difficult it would be to change the process. Everything that lives in the high-impact, easy-to-change quadrant should be your first priority.
Once you've thought through your processes, look at your staff and ask yourself if you're expecting enough from your front line. If you've assessed each hire for fit, the chances are that your employees can deliver more than you're asking.
There are many resources at your disposal to help you streamline your processes and improve employee training. But when it comes to the industry, it may be best to take advantage of the advances of one of your peers: Pal's Sudden Service.
Pal's, a 23-location QSR in Virginia and Tennessee, was experiencing industry-average turnover around 100 percent and was seeing mistakes and shrinkage starting to add up on the bottom line. By revamping its approach to hiring, training and process develop, the company now sees:
- Employee turnover that sits at 43 percent,
- Service speeds that are four times faster than competitors,
- Order accuracy that is at least 10 times better than the closest competitor, and
- Just one complaint per 3,500 orders – 10 times better than the competition.
Pal's efforts were nationally recognized with a Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, not to mention 31 consecutive years of sales and market share growth. To help fellow restaurant owners see the same results, Pal's established the Pal's Business Excellence Institute that outlines best practice approaches to process development and training and gives you a behind-the-scenes look at quality at work.
Whether you reach out to a partner, like Pal's, or push the quality bar higher on your own, establishing processes that will deliver consistent results sets you up for success and getting your employees on board to execute your approach on a daily basis can turn a first-time customer into repeat business.
If you find yourself wondering where to focus your energy to boost your bottom line, focus on the quality of your front line and your approach to process development first and worry about the rest of the eggs after you've boosted sales.
Topics: Customer Service / Experience, Hiring and Retention, Human Resources, Operations Management, Staffing & Training
Jason Hamilton Jason Hamilton serves as Snagajob's vice president of product and marketing. In this role, he is responsible for creating products that instantly connect workers and employers. He also leads Snagajob's marketing strategies – from customer acquisition and retention to marketplace development and growth. Oh, and he had a cameo in a Bollywood film. www
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"I finally found what we have in common — we're attention whores"
Hold on to that feeling! MySpace attempted to feign bubbliness last night with a Lionel Richie-headlined party at San Francisco's Old Mint. They even let in the competition: ubiquitous Facebooker Dave Morin is pictured here with iJustine, aka Justine Ezarik, the lifecasting personality, and, as commenter BowenDunlop helpfully notes, GeekSugar editor Heather Dale. Can you think of a better caption? Leave it in the comments. The best one will become the post's new headline. Yesterday's winner: Shadowlayer, for "Adidas: Run from your investors." (Photo by Brian Solis/Bub.blicio.us)


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Father claims gunman's body
The body of Adam Lanza, who killed 20 children and six adults at a Connecticut elementary school, has been claimed by his father, a spokesman for the family said.
The remains of Lanza - who took his own life after going on an armed rampage at Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown on December 14 - were reportedly removed from a funeral home some days ago to be transported to an undisclosed burial site.
Earlier this month, a private funeral took place for Nancy Lanza, the gunman's mother and the first of his 27 victims.
She was killed in bed at the home she shared with her son. The 20-year-old gunman, armed with weapons legally purchased by his mother, including an assault rifle, then travelled to the nearby Sandy Hook school.
Peter Lanza, who was divorced from Nancy Lanza and lived at a separate location in Connecticut, claimed his son's body at some point over the past few days. A family spokesman did not say what plans the family might have for a funeral service.
Authorities have yet to offer a motive for the killings.
On Sunday, US President Barack Obama said he hoped to get new legislation on gun controls through Congress by the end of 2013.
Shortly after the Newtown massacre he assigned Vice-President Joe Biden to lead a task force looking at new legislation.
''I'd like to get it done in the first year. I will put forward a very specific proposal based on the recommendations that Joe Biden's task force is putting together as we speak. And so this is not something that I will be putting off,'' he told NBC's Meet the Press.
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I wonder what kind of shortening was used back in the 50s at pizzerias.Norma
Hey all you pizza town lovers!Just reporting another data point here...ordered a pie last night (1.5 toppings) and bake time was 5 minutes almost on the dot. This is of course consistent with what we know already, but since I usually just order slices, I took out the stopwatch so we could all gain a little from the pie I enjoyed.
Thinking of slicing my cheese like they do ( I know Scott123 cautions me!).
Mark, Grande/Grande clones have superior meltability, so, if you're using Grande, then it might be more forgiving of slices, but I think the most critical aspect of this approach is that the slices are as thin as potato chips. If you have access to a commercial meat slicer, then that would give you the necessary thickness- the square slices you get from using a grande loaf and a meat slicer work well.
How about partially frozen and sliced on a mandolin?
Yes, Bob, a good idea, and I have sliced the mozzarella using a V cutter mandoline. It is a bit cumbersome, a bit dangerous, and laborious. It does work, but I need something better. I did pick up a microplane cheese slicer, but it is just OK. The handle came loose even though I got the "commerical" stainless steel model. In the past I have partially frozen my mozzarella for use in the Cuisinart cheese grater, but I am concerned that freezing the cheese may make it water out and change the meltability. Any thoughts on that? Thanks Mark
How about partially frozen and sliced on a mandolin?https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000DAQ8B/?tag=pmak-20
The crunch! Beautiful JT!
Thanks! I thought you would enjoy that Ponzu!


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Kelly returns to Coors Field to pitch, not watch
By Corey Brock / MLB.com
Well, sort of.
Last September, after he had completed his season with Double-A San Antonio, Kelly and fellow pitchers Joe Wieland and Robbie Erlin joined the team in Colorado for the final two weeks of the regular season -- not on the roster, but as bystanders charged with taking in as much as they could while watching veteran players go about their business.
"I think it was valuable for those guys," said Padres manager Bud Black.
No more so than for Kelly, who tossed six scoreless innings in his Major League debut on Monday against the Braves. His second start will come at Coors Field, where he tossed a simulated game last September.
Asked about his experience last September, Kelly said it was beneficial for him to learn and watch.
"I think it was a great experience, because you didn't come in here having to worry about playing that day," Kelly said. "You could see how everyone goes about their business. And with the starting pitchers, you could watch whoever was starting for the whole day, when they go into their meetings, going over scouting reports ... really just how they go about preparing themselves.
And while he was still nervous before his start against the Braves, he felt better prepared for what might occur, thanks in large part to his unofficial time in the big leagues late last season.
"It was huge. You learn so much by watching," Kelly said. "You get to sit and listen to the veteran guys who have maybe faced a hitter hundreds of times. You watch what the hitters are doing, too. And you start thinking about what you want to do to them."
Headley sorry to see hot August come to end
DENVER -- It's not the number of hits, home runs or RBIs that Chase Headley will remember most about his torrid stretch at the plate during the month of August.
It was more those opportunities he missed out on, in what was easily the most productive month that he has had in his big league career.
"It was funny, I was talking to [hitting coaches Phil Plantier and Alonzo Powell] about it and to be honest with you, I feel like it could have been a bigger month," Headley said.
"I felt like I've squared up a lot of balls that didn't end up being hits. That's going to happen when you're hitting the ball well."
After Friday's 5-4 victory over the Rockies, Headley finished with at .306 with 33 hits in August. He led the league in RBIs with 31 and tied for the league lead in home runs (10). Headley's RBI total is the best by a Padres player in one month since Ryan Klesko had 40 in May, 2001.
"I felt pretty good for most of the month," Headley said.
The most hits Headley has had in one month is 33, which occurred in August, 2009. He had 32 hits last August and last June. But he wasn't nearly the run-producer that he's become this season.
"I have had months where I've had the same amount of hits, but I don't think that in the big leagues I've put together a month like that," Headley said.
Stauffer undergoes surgery on right elbow
DENVER -- Pitcher Tim Stauffer, limited to five innings this season because of a balky right elbow, had surgery on Friday to repair the flexor tendon.
"It was what the doctor anticipated, reattachment of muscle to bone," Padres manager Bud Black said Friday. "The doctors expect a full recovery. He'll be ready to go by Spring Training.
The procedure was performed by Dr. Heinz Hoenecke and Dr. Lorenzo Pacelli at Scripps Clinic.
Stauffer was working his way back to the big leagues and was set to make his second rehab start with Triple-A Tucson earlier this month when he experienced soreness in his right shoulder. Stauffer then returned to San Diego to be reexamined.
Stauffer was in line to start on Opening Day until the final week of Spring Training, when he first started to feel discomfort in his elbow. He started the season on the disabled list, but he was activated on May 14 in time for a start in Washington.
Stauffer experienced soreness in his elbow -- in his flexor tendon bundle -- late in that outing against the Nationals. He allowed four runs (three earned) in five innings and eventually landed on the disabled list again on May 18.
Stauffer will likely be a non-tender candidate this winter. He made $3.2 million this season and was the sixth-highest paid player on the team behind Huston Street, Carlos Quentin, Orlando Hudson, Jason Bartlett and Chase Headley.
Short hops
Street was to pitch Friday for Single-A Lake Elsinore, but he was scratched after he experienced pain in his strained left calf while jogging. It doesn't appear like much of a setback for Street, who will meet the team in Los Angeles on Monday.
"We'll talk about his status then," Black said.
Corey Brock is a reporter for MLB.com. Keep track of @FollowThePadres on Twitter. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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I don't know what it is, but I have been in a foul mood all week. Perhaps it's the inevitable 'coming down' after having a really, really good week or it could be the earthquake-with-a-shot-of-hurricane natural disaster cocktail Mother Nature is serving up to my little corner of the world, but I am not a happy camper.
I have accomplished nothing this week (unless reading the Regretsy archives, scowling, and dropping a lot of f-bombs can be considered worthwhile accomplishments). And being unproductive makes me very unpleasant to be around.
So, why am I telling you all of this? Well, because Cranky Ruth is extremely hard to please. And yet, Cranky Ruth found the following Illustration Friday submissions worthy of her crabby/grouchy/I-want-to-punch-everybody-in-the-face approval. And that's a feather in your cap!
So, here it is, this week's Friday Favorites : Crankypants Edition.
Influence by Sophie Corrigan
Chaos and a bird. Cool.
Rain Maker by Helen Wheeler-Shaw
Another nicely rendered bird.
Influence: Thank You Jack by Hazel Ang
A very lovely tribute.
Influence by Adrienne Trafford
Such a gorgeous, rich color palette.
Influence by Moira Birch Swiatkowski
The heavy lines and limited use of color make this a very striking image.
Influence by Jennifer Orkin Lewis
A great interpretation of the topic.
Influence by Tanya
Check out the animation. So cool.
Influence by Rod MacGregor
Warning: Naked people. Heh.
The Queen's Influence by Eric Barclay
Awesome and adorable.
Influence by Pat
To see more great illustrations check out IllustrationFriday.com. And if you'd like to see past Friday Favorites, just click here.
all images © their respective owners – if you wish to have your thumbnail removed for any reason, please contact me.


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Separate names with a comma.
Discussion in 'Americas' started by 1Bonehead, Nov 30, 2012.
Anyone going West from Md. area next summer? looking for a summer route
The thing is my boy want ride across the US but his buddy backed out. Any ideas?
To where/what area and for how long?? The 'West' is a very large area
Across the upper states to California and back
ride route 50 from Ocean City to Sacramento. It's on my to do list.
June 2013
The plan is to leave Omaha and get to colorado, then ride Trail Ridge, Mount Evans, Pikes peak, million dollar highway, visit mesa verde, ride the north side of grand canyon, to Los Angeles. From LA go north on pacific coast highway and some mountain roads to San Francisco. See some Giant Redwoods, head East to lake Tahoe, then along highway 50, across the great salt flats and then make our way back to Omaha. Total mileage around 3700. Plan to make the trip in 10-11 days.
The more the merrier. Currently, it's 2 guys riding sport bikes.
Just ride it solo. Or talk to dynamick, i'm sure he'll need a lot of convincing to want to go.
Looget all my buddies in here....
Matt, ride to the NM CO border, do the Divide in CO and WY and head home.
I could spend a lifetime riding the Rockies and the Cascades.
This is my 17 yr old son. He is a little reluctant to go solo. I am going to Canada DAMN rider style . Maybe I can convince him to come along? He sounds more and more like he is going solo anyway .
Really none of my business, but I'll throw my 2-cents out here anyway.......I would really caution him against riding solo across the US as a 17 year old. Not because of worrying about him getting into trouble, but because of his age restrictions. IF he DID have a problem, as a 17 year old would he be able to legally handle it? He would possiblh not be able to get medical treatment without an adults consent, wouldn't be able to rent a hotel room as a minor, or rent a car or truck if he had to because of a breakdown. IF he had any legal problems, he would still be considered a minor as well...very limited legal rights as a 17 year old.
The year of my 50th birthday was also the summer my son turned 18.....we did a 2400 mile/10 day road trip that May when my son got out of HS. Still one of the best times of my life. Even though we haven't done any other really long trips like that since, we still have done several weekend trips together, and I still enjoy them quite a bit. Try to get him to go along with you instead of doing the solo thing.....hopefully it will be a lifetime memory for BOTH of you.
Interesting points.I cant believe my parents let me hitchhike home from Colorado the year I graduated from high school(1971).I was 17.Things were different then I guess.
i'm from Delaware way back when.
Appalacians south > NW Alabama > cross Mississippi > toward Little Rock > ride a few days in the Ozarks (we have a map) > exit out of SE Oklahoma.
at this point either slab it across to New Mexico or ride down into the Texas Hill Country (we have a map)
the northern alternative is RT 2 at the top of the country.
Google Maps - terrain view is a great way to look for terrain change and thus fun roads.
He will be 18 in early May. I figure this way he can legally get a room, campsites and such
That does make a big difference...tell him good luck and have fun!
Well, My son has graduated and just got his new tires mounted and balanced. He is preparing to leave for his trip early next week. I have almost done all i can do to ensure this goes well.
Enjoy son!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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San Francisco Giants 8, Los Angeles Dodgers 0: Go figure, Giants win
Baseball is a funny game.
Fresh off a tough loss Sunday in Oakland — wasting an outstanding performacne from Matt Cain — the Giant fans entered Monday matchup with the Dodgers with low expectations with Barry Zito on the mound.
So what does Zito do? He shut out the Dodgers on three hits over seven innings of work, leading to an 8-0 victory that pulled the Giants within two game of first place.
Even Zito admitted that he wasn't facing the same Dodgers lineup that led L.A. to a strong start. Yet, these are games the Giants need to win.
"They're pretty banged up over there, and we've got to capitalize on that," he said.
We mentioned last week that every time the Giants lose a game started by Cain, Madison Bumgarner and Ryan Vogelsong, they need to win a game started by Zito and Tim Lincecum.
Giants fans are hoping more wins will come in Freak starts, but they are never sure about Zito.
But the Giants lost to the Angels when Vogelsong started Wednesday, then won a Lincecum start Friday in Oakland. They lost a Cain start Sunday, then won a Zito a start Tuesday.
Now Vogelsong returns to the mound to face off with Clayton Kershaw in what figures to be a low scoring game. The Giants beat Kershaw the last time they faced him in L.A. Let's see if they can make it two in a row.


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Remembrance Service at Kenmore Mercy Hospital Honors Deceased Patients and Staff
Home » About Us » News » 2011 News » Remembrance Service at Kenmore Mercy Hospital Honors Deceased Patients and Staff
May 24, 2011
Kenmore Mercy Hospital, a member of Catholic Health, will hold a special Candlelight Remembrance Service on Wednesday, June 8 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. to remember recently deceased patients and staff.
The service will be held in the hospital's Community Room, located at 2950 Elmwood Avenue in Kenmore.
Community members, together with families, friends, and hospital staff, are invited to attend the service in a spirit of gratitude and support to celebrate the lives and memories of their loved ones who have died at Kenmore Mercy. The service will include celebrations of life through offerings of prayer, music and messages of hope.
"The remembrance service gives our hospital family, our patients' families, and our friends and neighbors, the opportunity to reflect on, remember and celebrate the people they have lost in their lives," said Rev. Nancy Lindberg, a chaplain at Kenmore Mercy Hospital. "What the heart has once known it shall never forget."
For more information, call 447-6388.


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BAYAMÓN, Puerto Rico -- Landon Donovan was well-aware that it was never going to be easy when the LA Galaxy traveled to the Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium on Wednesday. It certainly wasn't.
The Galaxy battled not only an extremely eager and active Islanders side desperate to stay in the CONCACAF Champions League, but the intense humid conditions and less than ideal field at the JRL Stadium. Despite the scoreless draw, the match was a back-and-forth affair with both sides trading chances throughout as both goalkeepers were repeatedly called in to action to preserve the shutout.
One of the primary offensive catalysts for the Galaxy in the second half was Donovan, who came on in the 60th minute for Pat Noonan -- his first appearance in the CCL this campaign -- and proceeded to spark several scoring chances for LA. Donovan became even more effective late as he was able to move from a free ranging role in the center to a position up top once Juninho and Marcelo Sarvas entered the match, but ultimately LA was unable to get the tying goal.
Below are Donovan's thoughts from the match...
DONOVAN: "We wanted to win, but we knew this would be a different game from the one a few weeks ago. Give them a lot of credit, they played that game like it was a World Cup final. They did a good job defensively, they created a couple chances and I think in the end, we needed one good play, one special play to win the game and we couldn't find it today."
(On the conditions…)
DONOVAN: "Yeah, I think that our guys wore out a little bit at the end. You can tell that they're a lot more used to playing in this then we are, they had some good energy still at the end. I think that Bruce did a good job of getting some of us fresh guys into the game to try and make a play, but on the night it just wasn't going to be."
(On the play of Perk…)
DONOVAN: "Perk was great, he made one good save early and one good save late and was really solid in between. I thought our back four did a good job, Kenney and Rafa did a good job, it's just a shame that we let that performance go without winning because they played well and Perk played well."
(On the result's implications on Group 5…)
DONOVAN: "Well, we'll see if Puerto Rico beat Metapán here then it's over and even if they tie, it's going to make it really difficult. We'll do a little scoreboard watching and hope that it is all wrapped up, but if not then we have to go in there and win, which we're prepared to do."


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Suns set with a victory
Berkshire Eagle Staff
LEOMINSTER -- Ryan Deitrich belted three home runs and had six RBI to lead Pittsfield to a 9-6 win over the Wachusett Dirt Dawgs, and end the Suns' inaugural Futures League season in style.
Pittsfield snapped a three-game losing streak with the win. The team finished the year at 27-25, two games behind fourth-place Brock ton. The regular season ends today, and the Suns finished out of the playoffs.
Shane Beauchemin picked up the win, tossing a three-hitter for five innings. Four more Pittsfield pitchers went an inning each to preserve the win.
Deitrich, who was carted off the field in a game with Martha's Vineyard, returned and smacked his first round-tripper in the first inning. Teammate Michael Rueger belted a double, and Deitrich brought them both home with the four-bagger. Travis Smith added an RBI single and it was 3-0, Pittsfield.
In the top of the fifth, Deitrich smacked a solo shot to give the visitors a 4-1 lead.
The Suns blew the game open in the top of the ninth. Rob McLam and J.J. Elseser singled, and Deitrich unloaded his third homer.
But Pittsfield wasn't done, as Jimmy Ricoy and Smith also hit home runs to give the visitors a 9-3 advantage. In the bottom of the inning, Wachusett's Joe Cronin hit his second home run of the year, a three-run shot, to cut the margin to 9-6.
Deitrich's three homers were almost half his season's total of eight, and he led the Suns in that category.
Smith was 4-for-5 to push his average to .298.
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us. We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.


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Name: Joy
House: Ravenclaw
Title: Debt Repaid
Ratings/Warnings: 1st-2nd Years, none
Word Count: 466
Favourite Founder: Rowena Ravenclaw
A/N: I have wondered since DH came out what exactly made the Founder's items so special... And this was the perfect way for me to explain it! :]
"You must hide it well. No goblin will let this slip past without putting up a valiant fight."
A creature, no more than half of the height of the man standing before him, ran his hand over the blade once more, admiring his handiwork. His every instinct told him to run away from the man, taking such a prize with him. Unfortunately for the creature, he was a goblin – a goblin whose life was indebted to the wizard standing before him.
"Thank you, Ragnuk," the man replied, his fingers curling around the rubies at the hilt. "I will take care of it."
The sound of a horse trotting by outside – most likely from the Muggle village down the road – faded in and out as it passed the little shack on the side of a hill. The two in the room fell quiet as they waited for all noise to cease. There could be enemies anywhere.
After the two were sure that they were once again alone, Ragnuk watched the wizard carefully pull a hat out of the pouch at his hip. The man quietly cast a spell on the hat that let him slip the sword easily inside. The goblin observed the name GRYFFINDOR disappear, letter by letter, between the folds of the tattered fabric.
"You are a very noble wizard," the goblin added before the man turned to leave. "Not every man is willing to rescue a goblin from the reign of a fellow man."
The man paused, locking his gaze with that of the goblin.
"The tension that Muggles feel towards those of magical blood are stronger than the forces that separate wizard from creature," Gryffindor replied carefully, as not to rock the delicate balance of their relationship. "We must set aside our boundaries if we want to preserve the magical world."
Silence grew between the two.
Words of peace aside, Ragnuk knew this man still did not trust him. No matter, the feeling was mutual. A goblin was not made to rely on a wizard. However, he knew that his debt would never be truly paid until he provided the dueler with compensation for such bravery. A goblin does not leave debts unpaid – Ragnuk was no exception.
"Well, then, good luck, fellow warrior," Ragnuk bowed his head slightly, one eye still on the pouch. "Take care of my work."
Godric Gryffindor smiled, "I will. Only those truly worthy of the price it took to receive this shall be able to acquire its power."
With those words, uttered in such concrete confidence, the young man strode out of the shack. A few mutterings later, and his frame disappeared into the sunlight streaming through the door.
Only time would tell if the wizard that had saved Ragnuk's life would actually hold true to his assurance.


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California Desert Peaks > Orocopia Mountain > Climber's Log
Orocopia Mountain Climber's Log
[ Sign the Climber's Log ]
|2nd Ascent
Date Climbed: Nov 21, 2017
|Black Butte in the morning, then here. Took the ridge route this time. Very pleasant.
|Posted Nov 23, 2017 3:05 pm
|28 Peaks in 15 Days
Date Climbed: Dec 12, 2016
|Orocopia is a boring mountain with good views of the Salton Sea. Probably our least favorite of this trip. We couldn't understand why this peak is on the DPS list.
Other peaks we did during this trip include; Potosi, Cheyenne, Muddy Mountain, Muddy Peak, Virgin, The Orphan, Silica Dome, Cairn, The Sentinel, East Redstone, Redstone, Mystery Cairn, Vista, Hayford, Clark, McCullough, Spirit, Stepladder, Big Maria, False Maria, Black Butte, Chuckwalla, Pinto, Toro, Santa Rosa, and Thomas.
Click here to see the trip report with photos.
|Posted Dec 20, 2016 12:41 pm
|One of Many
Date Climbed: Feb 14, 2014
|The first of four DPS peaks this weekend.
|Posted May 12, 2015 6:21 pm
|Nice morning's stroll
Date Climbed: Mar 31, 2013
|With out a map or route description, took a circuitous route to the top, snaking up, down and all around. Did get to see a desert tortoise, 8 big horn sheep, and numerous flowers. Followed a more direct route back down, so all in all, not a bad morning's stroll! (BTW, the Prius was a bit challenged to get to the end of the 2WD bit of road....sandy!)
|Posted Apr 2, 2013 11:55 am
|From the North
Date Climbed: Apr 29, 2012
|Relatively easy hike after hiking to Mastodon Peak and Eagle Mountains H.P. in the morning. It got a little warm in the afternoon, but not too bad. Great views of the Salton Sea from the summit.
|Posted Apr 30, 2012 10:22 am
|Nice hike
Date Climbed: Mar 26, 2010
|Nice day but windy. I followed the north approach except I left the wash below 3,000 ft and climbed over pt 3509. This avoided the 25 ft dry waterfall in the main wash. CA P2k 9/163.
|Posted Mar 31, 2010 7:19 pm
|Dennis Poulin
|From the north
Date Climbed: Jan 23, 2010
|Nice hike after all the rain this week. The dry waterfalls weren't all dry...
|Posted Feb 14, 2010 4:28 pm
Date Climbed: Dec 29, 2009
|Dayhike to this CA P2k peak. Good views of the Salton Sea area.
|Posted Dec 30, 2009 11:45 pm
|Bob Burd
|From the north
Date Climbed: Feb 21, 2008
|Climbed with Evan Rasmussen, combined with Black Butte in the afternoon. Easy climbing, yucky driving. Trip Report
|Posted Apr 23, 2008 10:35 am
|From the north
Date Climbed: Oct 20, 2007
|Did this with a Sierra Club group. Nice view of the Salton Sea and Joshua Tree.
|Posted Apr 22, 2008 3:32 am
|March 2002
|Carried over on a 3-day trip with Desert Survivors - started from near Sheep Hole Oasis and I believe we came up from Orocopia Canyon then descended into another canyon and finally hiked out cross-country to Chiriaco Summit. Great dryfall scrambling and desert hiking.
|Posted Jan 14, 2008 4:24 pm
|Nice winter climb
Date Climbed: Jan 8, 2008
|Came here a few days after a big storm - ground still soggy and some green on the slopes. Nice easy hike, great views and a lot of fun! My report
|Posted Jan 14, 2008 1:44 pm