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Chapter 29 - Appeal, Grievance and Administrative Review
4.2901 Appeal-Right of career employees.
Career employees may file appeals on matters concerning their suspension, involuntary demotion, or removal.
4.2902 Appeal-Procedure.
(a) Form and Deadline. All appeals must be made in writing and state clearly the basis for appeal to the chairman of the board and must be filed within 10 calendar days after the effective date of the action appealed, except in the case of a reduction-in-force. The appeal should also include the employee's request for a hearing if he or she desires and is entitled to one.
(b) Scheduling Hearing. The written appeal shall be on the agenda of the board's next meeting. If the appeal involves a removal, suspension, or demotion, however, the appeal hearing shall be arranged so as to effect a board decision within 30 days after appeal. However, the chairman of the board may deny a hearing when a hearing is impractical by reason of unusual location or other extraordinary circumstances.
(c) Hearing Procedures. Hearings before the board shall be conducted in accordance with the procedures promulgated by the board.
(d) Counsel and Openness. Attendance of other interested parties and/or counsel may be limited by the chairman of the board of directors if good order, justice, and fairness will be promoted.
(e) Death of Appellant. A proper appeal filed before the death of the employee must be processed to completion and adjudicated. If appropriate, the board may provide for amendment of the employee's records to show retroactive restoration and the employee 's continuance on the rolls in an active du ty status to the date of death.
(f) Adverse Action Appeal. If the decision is to take adverse action and the employee appeals this action, the appeal must then go to the director of the chairman of the board for a final decision at the administrative level.
(g) File Access. Prior to the hearing the entire appeal file shall be made available upon request to the employee and his or her representative except when a file contains medical records concerning a physical or mental condition of which a prudent physician would hesitate to inform the person concerned.
(h) Notice of Hearing. All parties shall be served with notice at least 10 days before the date set for the hearing. The notice shall state the time and place of such hearing.
(i) Depositions. A party who desires to take the deposition of any person in an oral examination shall give reasonable notice of not less than 3 days in writing to the board and all parties. The notice shall state the time and place of taking the deposition and the name and address of each person to be examined.
(1) The deposition officer shall be a person who is authorized to administer oaths by the laws of the territory of American Samoa.
(2) The officer shall certify on the deposition that the witness was duly sworn by him or her and that the deposition is a true record of the testimony given by the witness. He or she shall then securely seal the deposition in an envelope endorsed with the title of the proceedings and marked "Deposition of (here insert name of witness)" and shall promptly send it by registered or certified mail to the Chairman of the Board for filing. The party taking the deposition shall give prompt notice of its filing to all other parties.
(j) Case Presentation and Testimony.
(1) The employee shall present his or her case first. Evidence may be either documentary or by affidavit. The employee must not use affidavits to exempt persons from cross-examination. The employee should not accept an affidavit in lieu of personal testimony from a witness who is present at the hearing.
(2) All persons appearing in proceedings before the board in a representative capacity shall conform to the standards of ethical conduct required of attorneys and witnesses before the Court of American Samoa. If any such person does not conform to such standards, the board may decline to permit such person to appear in a representative capacity in any proceeding before the board.
(3) Witnesses shall be assured freedom from restraint, interference, coercion, discrimination, or reprisal in presenting their testimony. Employees are in a duty status during the time they are made available as witnesses.
(k) Conclusions. Within thirty days after the original notice, the board shall make and fully record in its permanent records findings of fact and reasons for the action taken and its order based thereon which shall be final, subject only to further action if the employee appeals the decision in court. At the same time the board shall send a copy of the findings and conclusions to the employee at his or her address as given at the hearing or to a representative designated by him or her.
(l) Restoration of Rights. Any employee, when fully reinstated after appeal, shall be guaranteed all employee rights and benefits, including back pay, sick leave, annual leave accrual, and retirement.
(m) Correction of Performance Evaluation. A correction of a performance evaluation shall not affect a certification or appointment which has already been made from the register.
(n) Correction of Classification. Correction of a classification decision which results in a promotion or demotion shall be handled as stated in the chapter in these regulations on recruitment and placement, specifically the section on "Promotion-Lateral movement Transfer-Detail-Demotion." The board will determine the effective date of any such action.
4.2903 Grievances.
(a) Filing. Grievances may be filed orally or in writing by any person, at any point of contact within ASPA. If the grievance is misdirected (complaints about another department) the grievant shall be properly directed. The following types of action are typical of those which may be grieved, but is not all inclusive;
(1) Performance evaluation;
(2) Leave (denial);
(3) Promotion;
(4) Letters of reprimand;
(5) Reassignment;
(6) Increment (denial);
(7) Hours of work;
(8) Discrimination or bias.
(b) Procedure. ASPA shall have a three-part grievance procedure, as follows:
(1) Each grievance shall be placed in writing, and resolution attempted by the appropriate supervisor at the lowest level.
(2) Failing resolution, the. grievance shall then be elevated to an uninvolved higher level in the agency and the grievant allowed to present testimony in his or her behalf in an informal hearing.
(3) If the recommendation of the informal hearing fails to satisfy the grievant, the case will be forwarded to the Executive Director for final decision. If the case is carried beyond this point by the grievant, it must be as an appeal to the board.
(c) Exception. In cases involving suspension, demotion, or dismissal of a career service employee, no grievance is filed. The only appropriate and allowable employee response IS an appeal to the board.
4.2904 Administrative review.
The Executive Director has responsibility for the recruitment, examination and certification of eligibles, and for the proper classification of positions to titles, grades and pay. Any person who believes his or her application to have been improperly evaluated and/or any employee who believes his or her position to have been improperly evaluated, may request in writing that his or her case be reviewed.
(a) The request must indicate the person's basis for the belief that the application or position was improperly evaluated.
(b) The request, to be acceptable, must be filed within 10 calendar days of the official notice to the employee.
(c) The Executive Director shall cause the case to be reviewed and notify the person, in writing, of the findings upon review.
(d) If still dissatisfied, the person may file an appeal, following the procedures outlined in these regulations.


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Here's my prediction for where the Iran situation is going. Israel has a more limited ability to strike, and so the United States can wait longer. On this basis, the U.S. will persuade Israel to wait, and the U.S. will then be the only force that could stop Iran from getting the bomb. The U.S. will say that all options are on the table, and say that sanctions need more time, et cetera. Then Iran will do an above-ground nuclear test, Obama and Panetta will say "oops we waited too long", and the head of the CIA or NSA will be fired.
That seems like the most likely scenario to me. It's not a very pretty scenario, nor is it a complete scenario, inasmuch as it omits what happens next (e.g. nuclear arms race in the Middle East, possible Iranian attack on Israel, possible handoff of nukes to terrorists, etc.). The other alternative scenarios look kind of scary too, such as a pre-emptive war with Iran.
Syria is a close ally of Iran, and it's hard to believe that what's happening in Syria now is merely coincidental with the confrontation with Iran regarding nukes. If Assad were forced out, that would probably have a bigger impact on Iranian decision-making than any sanctions placed on Iran.
Leon Panetta and Hillary Clinton seem competent, and General Petraeus (DCI) is extremely competent. But competence may not be enough in this instance. I'm not making any specific suggestions or recommendations here, because I don't have all the facts.
Among the pertinent facts are what exactly the Iranian leaders have said they want to do to Israel, and vice versa. If the Iranians are clearly making unprovoked threats of annihilation, then it would be foolish to not act preemptively against Iran. But the costs of preemptive action could be pretty staggering.
Forget about economic sanctions and negotiations. I doubt they'll make any difference.
President Obama has not been prepping the American people, nor has he been insisting on much action by the United Nations. So, the costs of action against Iran have not even been factored into the stock market, much less into Iranian decision-making.
Iran has said that it would be sinful to develop nuclear weapons, but doubtless they could rationalize doing so based on others (like Israel) having done so.
There are about a dozen wildcards here, ranging from a possibly imminent attack by Israel, to use of nuclear weapons by the U.S. or Israel to adequately penetrate underground Iranian facilities.
Iran would be smart to allow full transparency. They have no immediate need for nuclear weapons. Their arch-enemy Sadaam has been removed from Iraq, and the US has left Iraq too. Israel is a tiny country that poses no threat to Iran if Iran sticks with conventional weapons. But don't count on rationality in Teheran.
The situation in North Korea is a troubling precedent for proliferation. China seems largely responsible for that fact, and China (with Russia) has also blocked UN action against Syria. I don't see why China thinks it is in its interest for lots of unstable countries to have nuclear weapons. And journalists in China are not likely to press their leaders for answers on that score. Maybe what we need here is for Anderson Cooper and Brett Baier to go camp out at the Forbidden City until they get some answers.

subset: commoncrawl


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Peyton Manning is the Denver's starting quarterback, but if the Broncos get into the desperate position of needing to connect on a long pass to win a game this season, it would be rookie Brock Osweiler under center.
Osweiler told the Denver Post if that situation had arisen in Monday night's 27-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, the Broncos would have gone with his big arm over Manning's.
"I was going in for the Hail Mary," Osweiler said. "I'm not sure what the dividing line was as far as me going in, but I was getting ready to go in."
There have been questions all year about whether Manning's arm strength following a 2011 season lost to neck surgery. Watching Manning struggle with three first-quarter interceptions against the Falcons and not complete a pass for 20 or more yards stirred up those concerns.
The Broncos used a second-round pick on the 6-7, 242-pound Osweiler because of his potential to develop into a booming passer while learning behind Manning. The Arizona State product ended up being Denver's backup over Caleb Hanie.
For their playoff chances, the Broncos should hope Osweiler doesn't take the field this season -- whether it's throwing one pass in a likely loss or needing to sub for Manning in one or more games.


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OVIEDO, Fla. - Oviedo police said they arrested a man who attempted to meet and have sex with what he believed was a child under the age of 16.
Police said investigation began about three weeks ago when an Oviedo officer, posing as a minor, posted an ad on Craigslist.
Police said 48-year-old Mark Thorpe responded to the ad and his messages with the suspected juvenile quickly turned sexual in nature.
Police said after emailing and texting the suspected child, Thorpe arranged to meet for the purpose of watching porn and having sex.
When Thorpe arrived at the arranged location, officers were waiting and took him into custody, police said.
Police said they found two pornographic DVDs and candy in Thorpe's pockets.
Police said they learned that Thorpe works for Seminole County Public Schools as a Food Service Manager. School Board officials were notified of Thorpe's arrest and said they would take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of the students.
Thorpe was arrested and booked into the Seminole County Jail with no bond.
Copyright 2013 by ClickOrlando.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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A mother and her two children were rushed to hospital after being injured in a head-on crash in Birstall.
A Mini collided with another car in Cambridge Road at around 4.50pm on Saturday August 9.
All three people in the Mini - a woman driver and her two children - were taken to Pinderfields Hospital.
A police spokesman said enquiries were ongoing.


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John Nunn's Chess Puzzle Book
Test and Improve your Over-the-Board Decision MakingProduct Code: B0111GB
Publisher: Gambit
Author: John Nunn
Year of Publication: 2009
Pages: 335
Notation Type: Figurine (FAN)
Book Description
Most chess puzzle books put you in an artificial situation: you are told a combination exists, what the theme is and what you are required to achieve. This one is different. In a real game, a player may sometimes need to find a combination. On the other hand he may have to reject a tactical idea and simply find a good positional move. His task is to find the right move, whatever it may be. The 300 puzzles in this book put you precisely in that situation. Spectacular ideas abound in these positions, but it is for you to decide whether to go in for them, or whether you would be falling into a trap. If you need them, there are hints to help you on your way. The book ends with a series of tests to measure your skills against those of other players.
For this new edition, John Nunn, a top-class grandmaster and a solving world champion, has added 50 new puzzles (with hints and detailed solutions) to test your skills to the full. For ease of following, extra diagrams have been added to the solutions throughout. Overall the book is 60 per cent bigger than the first edition.
Dr John Nunn is one of the best-respected figures in world chess. He was among the world's leading grandmasters for nearly twenty years, winning four gold medals in chess Olympiads and finishing sixth overall in the World Cup in 1989. He is a much-acclaimed writer, whose works have won 'Book of the Year' awards in several countries. In both 2004 and 2007 Nunn was crowned World Chess Solving Champion, ahead of many former champions.
Media Mail Eligible
Media Mail® shipping from the US Postal Service is the cost-effective way to ship Books, Software and DVDs. With shipping rates starting at only $5.00, it's the most affordable shipping method available.


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Out that wasn't proves big in Liriano's no-no
By Scott Merkin / MLB.com
With pinch-runner Brent Lillibridge on first and one out in the eighth for the White Sox, Gordon Beckham swung at the first pitch from Liriano and hit a one-hopper to third baseman Danny Valencia. The ball was handled cleanly by Valencia, who made a perfect throw to second baseman Alexi Casilla for the force.
Casilla took a little extra time to make sure his throw was on target to first baseman Justin Morneau, but in the process, Casilla's throw pulled Morneau off the bag and toward Beckham. Morneau took a swipe at Beckham and looked as if he missed him, but first-base umpire Paul Emmel called Beckham out to end the inning.
Replays showed Morneau missed the tag on Beckham's shoulder. Liriano finished the 1-0 victory at 123 pitches, and who knows how many more pitches he would have thrown if Beckham was ruled safe.
"He called him out, and we'll take it," Morneau said. "Those plays are close. You try to tag him and you hope that you get him and sometimes you do and sometimes you don't. You try to make your reaction like you got him."
"That was a huge play," Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said.
Beckham argued briefly with Emmel, but quickly gave up the fight. White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen came out of the dugout and went as far as the third-base line before turning around and walking back.
After Liriano completed the no-hitter, Beckham didn't rush to watch the replay. But he knows what he felt and respectfully disagreed with Emmel.
"I got that being wrong," said Beckham of the call. "I haven't looked at it, but I didn't feel him tagging me on the shoulder. That's the only reason I was upset. I didn't argue long. What's the point?
"It is what it is. I was upset, because that extends the inning and maybe gives someone else a shot."
Give Liriano credit for his wildly masterful performance, featuring six walks. Give the Twins' defense high marks for support behind Liriano. And give Morneau Major League Baseball's version of the Oscar for selling his performance on the back end of the double play to end the eighth.
"You try to sell it," Morneau said. "You try to get outs for your pitchers whenever you can."
"Mornie made a great play at first base," said Gardenhire, before pausing with a bit of a faraway look. "Made a great catch I thought."
Scott Merkin is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Being Ozzie Guillen, and follow him on Twitter @scottmerkin. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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<drags self in, collapses>
We've done 9 cleans in 2 days, we typically do 6 in that time period. My boss wasn't kidding when she said she was loading up the schedule! I think after tomorrow the schedule evens out to a more normal work load which is a relief I'm looking forward to the weekend though, where I should have some down time, not to mention Easter. It's typically a day where we don't go to church just to avoid the crowds, but we'll be having lunch with Jason's family at least.
Lynne-how'd your hot cross buns go? Are those sweet or just like normal bread? I hadn't thought about making a themed/traditional dessert for Easter dinner! Were you able to get The Reign uploaded to Amazon?


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I just found this in my bed and i also found another one this morning. What is it? Currently changing my bedsheets again and cleaning my room. Dont like the idea of sleeping with a family of these things. They were both about 7cm long and black in colour.
If anybody could please help me identify this and alos explain how to get rid of them i would really appreciate it.
I mean 7mm. I think if it was 7cm i would be moving out. Your help would be much appreciated.
Thanks again.
Its general shape and apparent "elbow" in the antennae suggests to me a weevil of some kind, but the picture isn't clear enough for me to say what type.


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One of Case Western Reserve University's defining strengths is its unique ability to balance the arts and humanities with science and technology; classroom time with experience-based learning; and academic rigor with extracurricular activities.
The University achieves this balance through intentionally designating its resources to enhance the student experience. In addition to raising general operating support through the Annual Fund, the university also pursues funding for the following areas:
For more information about university funds, please call 1-800-304-4483.


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Indians confident in Reynolds despite slump
By Jordan Bastian and Mark Emery / MLB.com
CLEVELAND -- The Indians are aware that Mark Reynolds is capable of sending baseballs over the fence and runners across home plate. They just haven't seen a whole lot of that ability lately.
Reynolds did not start on Friday, when Cleveland hosted the Rangers for the first of a three-game series. In his last 16 contests, Reynolds is batting .098/.207/.098 with one RBI and no extra-base hits. He's been in the starting lineup in just four of Cleveland's last nine games.
"He's obviously been in the midst of a tough stretch for him, but we continue to be confident in the person and that Mark's working to try to get out of it," general manager Chris Antonetti said.
The Indians knew Reynolds' primary temperatures were piping hot and freezing cold when they signed him during the offseason. Through his first 28 games of 2013, Reynolds posted a .300/.376/.650 line with five doubles, 10 homers and 27 RBIs.
In that stretch, Reynolds had 13 walks and 27 strikeouts. In the 66 games that followed, Reynolds racked up 90 strikeouts while taking 28 walks.
"As we've seen first-hand, going back to April, Mark can go through stretches where he can carry a team," Antonetti said. "Hopefully, that hot streak is right around the corner."
Bevy of buyers complicates things for Tribe
CLEVELAND -- Chris Antonetti is actively pursuing multiple avenues for upgrading the Indians' roster, but the general manager is running into the same issue as many clubs: The trade market is flooded with buyers and the asking price for available players is extremely steep.
That is the reality of the market's landscape as Wednesday's non-waiver Trade Deadline approaches.
"As we've looked at the 30 teams," Antonetti said, "you can make the argument that there are 24, or maybe even 25, teams that are either buying or at least holding on to players, and only a select handful of teams that are willing to trade off Major League players.
"It's further complicated for us that at least one, if not more, of those teams that are willing to sell players are in our division."
The addition of a second Wild Card team in each league -- implemented last season -- has created a situation where more teams remain in contention in July. Also complicating matters is the fact that players who are eligible for free agency at season's end no longer come with Draft-pick compensation attached to them.
The latter situation, which is an element of the most recent Collective Bargaining Agreement, has made teams more hesitant to part with top prospects.
"It has an impact on the value equation for a team," Antonetti said. "In the past, if you were to trade for a player who's approaching the end of his contract, you knew there was an opportunity at the end of that year to offer arbitration and potentially get a Draft pick to help back-fill some of the talent you may have traded.
"Obviously, that's no longer in place, so it affects, as a team that's buying, it affects maybe your tolerance for the caliber of young players you might be willing to give up."
Given the market's altered landscape, Antonetti said the idea of shifting the non-waiver Trade Deadline to a later date in the regular season will likely be discussed again in the offseason.
"We've talked about that a lot," Antonetti said. "We've talked about it at each of the last two GM Meetings, that exact topic. So I imagine it'll be a topic for discussion again this fall, especially now that we have two years with the new CBA rules. I anticipate it's something we'll talk about again in November."
Indians want to tighten things up on defense
CLEVELAND -- After watching his club commit nine errors during the recent road trip, Tribe manager Terry Francona figured some extra fielding practice was in order.
The Indians put in more work than usual on Friday before opening up a three-game weekend series with Texas. In the six-game road swing through Minnesota and Seattle that followed the All-Star break, the club went 2-4, with each loss being decided by a run.
Francona wanted to begin the seven-game homestand on a familiar note, hoping to take advantage of players' routines and the comfort they can instill.
"It doesn't mean because we took grounders today, we're going to have a flawless game," the manager said. "But getting back into the routine should certainly help.
"You want to reinforce good habits. We all need to do that. That's just part of the game. You can't just get to a point and quit. You have to get to a point and then continue to do it to stay at that [point]."
Over the last six games, third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall totaled four errors and Jason Kipnis was charged with two. Nick Swisher, Asdrubal Cabrera and Mark Reynolds each committed one.
The Indians have 17 errors in July, tied with five other teams for the second most in baseball, trailing only Toronto (19). On the season, Cleveland has piled up 64 errors and compiled a .983 fielding percentage, fifth and 11th in the American League, respectively.
Despite all that happened in the last week, the Tribe is still 18-13 in one-run games.
"When you're playing one-run games, you have to play very clean if you want to win," Francona said. "Teams go through stretches where you don't hit or you don't pitch. We've actually been pitching pretty well. We've gone through a little bit of a streak here where we're not finishing plays, or missing plays. Hopefully, that will change, because that's a big part of winning, in my opinion, is playing clean baseball."
All the recent mistakes aside, the Indians understand that errors are part of the game. It's not as if anyone on the team has played himself out of a roster spot as a result of sloppy defense.
"I feel really good about the group of position players we have," general manager Chris Antonetti said, "offensively, defensively, on the bases, the ability to score runs and prevent runs, despite what happened on this past road trip. I'm confident that will be more of a blip than a continuing trend."
Quote to note
"The other day in Seattle, we swung the bats and we had a couple errors, but nobody asked me about them because we swung the bats real well. When you're playing one-run games, you have to play very clean if you want to win."
-- Francona
Smoke signals
• It is a small sample size, but Francona has liked what he has seen from Swisher and Cabrera since moving them to the lineup's second and fourth spots, respectively. In three games since the switch, Swisher has hit .333 (4-for-12) with one home run and Cabrera has hit .364 (4-for-11) with one homer and four RBIs.
"I like it," Francona said. "Teams are so aware when [leadoff man Michael Bourn] is on ... and we've seen a few instances where they've left fastballs up that have led to rallies. Swish is taking pitches, and Cabby's got a couple big hits hitting fourth. I like it."
• Antonetti confirmed what Francona mentioned earlier this week: Cleveland has not ruled out using starting pitching prospect Danny Salazar as a reliever later this season. The Indians are closely monitoring Salazar's innings in his third season removed from Tommy John surgery.
"We expect, if there's a need, that Danny will impact our team in the second half," Antonetti said. "In fact, our expectation is that he'll impact our pitching staff. That could be in the rotation, if there's a need, or it could be in the bullpen, if that's a route we decide to go."
• Indians top prospect Francisco Lindor has hit .441 (15-for-34) with five stolen bases, four extra-base hits, six RBIs and 10 walks through 10 games since being promoted to Double-A Akron. Multiple teams have inquired about the shortstop in trade discussions with the Indians.
"I think the industry recognizes how special a player Francisco is," Antonetti said. "I think that aligns with how we feel about him."
• Prior to Friday's game with the Rangers, Indians All-Star second baseman Kipnis was named one of 30 preliminary winners of the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association's Heart and Hustle Award. The award honors active players who demonstrate a passion for the game and best embody the values, spirit and tradition of the game.
Jordan Bastian is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Major League Bastian, and follow him on Twitter @MLBastian. Mark Emery is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Climate Change
Experts gauge fallout from G8 nations' nonbinding decision on global warming
At the G8 Summit in Scotland last week, world leaders opted for a nonbinding resolution about the need to combat global warming. Was the G8 effort on climate change a failure for British Prime Minister Tony Blair and other proponents of the Kyoto Protocol? Or was President Bush's acknowledgement of human-caused warming a step towards middle ground for the United States and other nations? Dan Lashof, deputy director of the climate center at the Natural Resources Defense Council and Myron Ebell, director of global warming programs at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, look ahead to the next stage of the international climate debate.


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I have read thru this forum and cannot find help for my question.
I have been using ZA free for several years without any problems.
Several days ago, I tried cleaning out the "logs".
At one point, it asked me if I wanted to modify the registry.
I ignored it as I was only cleaning out log settings (so I thought)!
I tried to use the firewall after that.
It would not work.
I uninstalled it via add/remove programs, and then tried to reinstall it numerous times, including re-downloading the installation several times, and it hangs up during installation saying:
ZA-1025-ENGL has to close, kernel32.dll missing.
The app name is glb1b5.tmp.
I tried the windows sfc/ scannow, and it still won't install.
Can anyone help?
Operating System:Windows XP Pro
Software Version:7.0
Product Name:ZoneAlarm (Free)


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Strange fruit: 8 tempting ideas from the orchard to brighten your week
Fruits are the jewels of any kitchen garden, but if you like unusual edibles then you're in for a treat, because many of the most productive and unusual plants produce delicious fruit that you'd be hard-pressed to find anywhere else.
Take the medlar, for example. Once upon a time it used to be a popular fruit tree, but now it is rare to find one outside of a botanic garden. Why? Because the medlar's fruit needs processing before it can be eaten. Once mature, the fruit is harvested from the tree and stored so it can 'blet' - rot, essentially - to the point where the flesh is soft enough to eat with a spoon. Although it may sound yukky to those who are accustomed to shrink-wrapped and perfect supermarket produce, the medlar is supposed to be a gourmet treat that tastes like spiced fruit and needs no added sugar.
The medlar (Mespilus germanica) makes quite a large tree, growing up to 6m tall, but there are plenty of unusual fruits suitable for smaller spaces.
The Japanese wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius) is in the same plant family as raspberries and blackberries, but while it grows in a very similar manner, with long arching stems, it has several differences. The first is the lovely red colour of its stems, which are spiny but not as sharp as a blackberry: they scratch rather than prickle. The fruits are encased in a calyx until they're ripe, protecting them from both birds and maggots, and are another almost unheard-of treat.
Article continues: http://www.theecologist.org/green_green_living/food_and_drink/590496/strange_fruit_8_tempting_ideas_from_the_orchard_to_brighten_your_week.html


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October 3, 2012
Cheyney University National Alumni Association (CUNAA) President Junious "Rick" Stanton took to the airwaves Sunday morning, September 23rd, to sing the praises of his alma mater on Power 99 FM. Award-winning host, Loraine Ballard Morrill asked the former probation officer a wide range of questions, giving him the perfect platform to highlight CU's history and legacy, impressive programs, educational benefits, and promote the upcoming 175th Anniversary Gala at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
Stanton told listeners that Cheyney alumni committed to raising $1 million in three years and that the Gala proceeds, which will go to scholarships for Cheyney students, should help them reach that goal.
In the more than 12 minute-long interview, the CUNAA president shared his personal Cheyney experience, including a glimpse at how he met his future wife on campus. He also acknowledged a number of alumni who've gone on to big achievements and shed light on some of Cheyney's hidden secrets, including the new science center currently under construction and Dr. Stephen Hughes' accomplishments with the acquaponics program at CU.


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Find us on:
Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause a range of lifelong disorders, known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders(FASDs). Learn about the characteristics and behaviors of children with FASDs and how much alcohol is too much to drink during pregnancy.
Review Date: Tuesday, February 01, 2011
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, CDC
For persons with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), daily activities, such as working, managing money, and maintaining a home, present huge challenges. Learn about assistance and support to help overcome these challenges.
Review Date: Tuesday, March 22, 2011
SAMHSA Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Center for Excellence
Note: Documents in PDF format require the Adobe Acrobat Reader®. If you experience problems with PDF documents, please download the latest version of the Reader®.
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1. Use the pick for solid bench;
2. No need to "rush" new player (or Val);
3. Can use 2012 draft choice + existing player(s) for another major signing/trade (Eg Calderon+1st for Parker or Rondo or Mayo or ?????????);
4. IF we make solid improvements (& a lot stars align -Eg Howard to LA or GS) -would this appeal to Deron Williams?
I know I am dreaming, but beats the hell out of planning for 2013 lotery.
Nash from 5 years ago for sure. Nash in 2012 at the age of 38, not really. Also is it really fair to Nash to put pressure on him (at 38) to lift this team to a playoff team. I think Nash deserves to go to a contender (if he wants to).
Last edited by Mapko; Thu Mar 1st, 2012 at 12:33 AM.
So now that we're out of the WC race we shouldn't expect anything to happen today right?
Somebody wake me up on march 15
Calderon is a great person, a loyal teammate, a consummate professional, and all those rosy stuff, but since this is a business, they're not reasons to hold onto an aging $10 million man in the final year of his contract, while fully knowing he's not the PG of our future. If there are offers of 2012 first round picks involved with Calderon, we need to seriously consider them.
You can eventually have too much youth on a team, to the point where it is a detriment to the development of said youth. (See Washington Wizards)
A Top 20 pick could net us a quality player. Or it could net us a complete bust, and then we traded our second best player for nothing. Bummer.
I'm not saying don't trade Jose. And I'm not saying not to trade him for a pick.
What I am saying, is make sure we get the absolute best deal possible for a Guaranteed Starter in the NBA. And a Top 20 pick is NOT the best deal we can get for him. I promise you that.
If we wait until next season to address Calderon's future in Toronto, I would assume he'd be worth less in trade talks since he'd be considered a rental player. Or if we don't trade him at all next season, we run the risk of losing him to free agency for nothing.
I definitely agree with Joey that he's worth more than a mid/late 1st-rounder, and I think it's pretty obvious that Raptor management feels the same way, or he'd have been gone long ago.
Definition of Statistics: The science of producing unreliable facts from reliable figures.
Bosh's situation was horribly mishandled by Colangelo (in hindsight, of course). I'd hate to see that happen again.
A sign-and-trade on Joses expired contract is always an option as well. So even once he's expired and we get the Cap Space, we can still capitalize on his leaving. If that is the situation.
To just move him for the sake of moving him will NOT do justice to what Jose means to this team, nor will it do justice to what Jose is as a player.
Bosh and Calderons situations can't even be compared, in my opinion.Bosh's situation was horribly mishandled by Colangelo (in hindsight, of course). I'd hate to see that happen again.
But yes, in Hindsight, thats VERY easy to say.
man i was so pumped for today and now its just dragging on zzzzzzzzzzzz
The difference with Bosh's situation is that I personally believe Colangelo wanted him to re-sign. But in Calderon's case, it seems obvious that Colangelo doesn't see him as our long-term PG.
As for the quality of the draft, I heard about some scouts recent opinions, but I wouldn't call it a league-wide consensus opinion. There is still a TON of college ball left to be played before any concluding statements can be made. But based on the influence of the lockout alone, it's fair to assume that the 2012 draft will be deeper than 2011 and 2013.
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What moments stand out to you in Disney Movies - I can only assume more than one.
Beauty and the Beast - when Belle Is trying to get back home through the forest and the wolves attack her only to have Beast come and save her.
Mulan - when she takes the weights meant to impair the ability to climb the pole and uses them to her advantage - bringing discipline and strength together was the way to reach the arrow.
Of course "Ice skating" in Bambi and Mary Poppins!
There's a start.


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Wind Power
Cape Wind President Gordon pitches plan for first offshore wind farm in United States
Since 2000, an energy company in Massachusetts has been trying to build a 130-turbine wind farm in the waters off Nantucket, the first such project in the United States. Jim Gordon, president of Cape Wind Associates, discusses the lengthy approval process for the turbines, which he says could help alleviate high energy prices in Massachusetts. Gordon also examines the changing landscape for federal approval of offshore turbines, where the wind industry is headed next and why there is so much political resistance to wind farms from some lawmakers on Capitol Hill.


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(Courtesy of Epic Records)
By Shannon Carlin
Sony promised fans they would get a taste of Michael Jackson's posthumous album XSCAPE (out May 13) all this week, and today they get to hear the new track "Loving You."
The track– a sweet bass-heavy song about unrequited love–was recorded during the 1987 Bad sessions at Red Wing Studio in the San Fernando Valley and later completed the song at Hayvenhurst.
Related: Hear Michael Jackson's New Song 'XSCAPE'
Yesterday, fans got to hear "Chicago," a Timbaland-produced track that was originally known as "She Was Lovin' Me," and was slated for the 2001 full-length, Invincible, but didn't make the cut. Last week, they debuted two versions of the track, "Love Never Felt So Good," one which features Justin Timberlake.


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About the Book
This book was written , by my mother Evelyn Patten, who recently passed away. I compiled this book after finding a collection of poems written throughout her life as a tribute to her. They are beautiful pieces that brought a flood of memories and tears and I hope that others will enjoy as they give that beautiful touch of humanity as only mothers can. I hope it inspires others with their life as well.
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About the Creator
Evelyn Patten
I began life in Vermont where I wrote my first poems. One receiving a national poetry prize. I traveled west, where I became a mother, married a man in the Air force where we then went to Australia. Where I raised my family and began my adventures in other areas of life. I wrote spasmodically throughout my life and this is a collection of some of my poems. My Daughter compiled them into a book after I passed over with me keeping a watchful eye. I hope you enjoy them too!
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I've always said Melo needs to be the number 1 option. He is a volume shooter whose effectiveness very much depends on being able to get X number of shots. I am almost positive that Lin is well aware of that fact.
Give them a chance to develop that chemistry. There is only so much Melo can do on his own.


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Sequoia/Kings Canyon NP > Mount Spencer > Climber's Log
Mount Spencer Climber's Log
[ Sign the Climber's Log ]
|SE Ridge from Sapphire Lake
Date Climbed: Jul 16, 2014
|Camped at Sapphire Lake on JMT and went up the SE ridge on an off day from the JMT. Did not quite make it back to camp after lunch before the rain came. All of the comments about the view from this peak fail to do it justice; the views are simply incredible. You can see all of Evolution Lake and all of Evolution Valley from the peak, and this is definitely worth a visit just for that reason alone. The summit still had the old Sierra Club metal box with the register.
|Posted Aug 15, 2014 2:30 pm
|Vitaliy M.
Date Climbed: Aug 12, 2010
|Tough day. Col was higher than the peak itself.
|Posted Jul 29, 2011 4:26 pm
|Bob Burd
|From Haeckel Col
Date Climbed: Aug 12, 2010
|Day 7 of the 2010 Sierra Challenge, moderate day overall. Trip Report.
|Posted Sep 27, 2010 3:16 pm
|Princess Buttercup
|Back again for the dayhike...
Date Climbed: Aug 12, 2010
|Long-ass day, really felling fatigued from the SC. But I made it back. Sorry to not spend very much time in EVO basin this year: my fave place in the Sierra.
|Posted Sep 2, 2010 11:04 pm
|From Haeckel Col
Date Climbed: Aug 12, 2010
|Moderate Sierra Challenge day
|Posted Aug 16, 2010 3:12 pm
|Princess Buttercup
|Traverse from Warlow
Date Climbed: Jul 4, 2009
|Up the south slopes from the Warlow Glacier, then descended the north ridge and down to camp at EVO Lake. Oh yeah, still had the full pack on.
|Posted Dec 1, 2009 6:28 pm
Date Climbed: Aug 10, 2009
|I know it is not as high as its neighbors, but what a view! This log I am prouder to sign than for some higher peaks!
Great cross-country stroll via the benches below Mt Darwin, crossing the lake basin between Darwin and Spencer, going over the saddle, keep going in the lake basin south of Spencer, what a relaxing and inviting off-trail terrain! Unbelievable!
|Posted Aug 15, 2009 12:55 pm
|Brian Frederick
|Route Climbed: East ridge Date Climbed: October 2003
|Despite being the lowest peak around, the views were fantastic. Absolutely worth the side trip. Easy class 2 from the basin to the south
|Posted Jan 21, 2006 10:08 pm
|Tom Kenney
|Route Climbed: Arrowhead Date Climbed: AUG-1994
|Easy climb, kinda fun, wish we had taken a longer technical route on the north face. Excellent views, especially of nearby Mount Darwin and Evolution Basin.
|Posted Apr 1, 2003 6:02 pm


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Electronically controlled automotive safety systems contribute significantly to vehicle safety, and they present a unique set of engineering challenges as well. Software interacts with hardware such as electronic control units, hydraulic modules, and motor controllers, often behaving dynamically under real-time conditions. Unexpected interactions among software, hardware, and the environment may lead to situations of concern.
Discovering and managing such unexpected interactions helps determine the potential safety risks associated with system design and identify factors that minimize or eliminate these risks. This process is known as hazard analysis. It has qualitative and quantitative aspects, and the results of these analyses are typically confirmed and strengthened by engineers employing precise simulation models.
Using tools from The MathWorks and third parties, we developed a modeling and simulation method that supports a safety program for a critical vehicle subsystem. This method accurately models the vehicle and subsystem behavior in a cosimulation environment, and was successfully used during preliminary hazard analysis and hazard testing.
Simulation Model and Environment
The subsystem considered in this article is critical to the safety of vehicles equipped with it, and consists of a software component that resides in an electronic control unit (ECU), and a hydraulic actuator component. The ECU receives signals such as vehicle speed, vehicle attitude, and driver intent from on-board sensors, using the input signals to compute an actuator command.
To build a simulation model that depicts a real-time system involves simulating the actual dynamic conditions to which the vehicle's subsystem is exposed. As such, the simulation environment should include:
- A simulated vehicle that closely represents the actual vehicle in which the subsystem will be active
- A subsystem model that captures the functionality of the actual software logic and is able to closely imitate the software behavior
- An actuator model that emulates the actuator dynamics
To achieve fast, high-fidelity simulation of all components, and to perform an accurate control system simulation that includes legacy models or codes, we decided to concurrently link and run several simulation packages. In addition to MATLAB, we used:
- Simulink, to facilitate cosimulation among the different simulation tools and to model the subsystem control algorithm
- CarSim, to model the vehicle environment
- AMESim, to model the actuator system
Simulink provides a platform that can integrate the three system blocks of the simulation model into a single environment. Simulation models from third-party applications can execute within the Simulink shell as S-functions (system functions that you compile to run in the Simulink environment, see Simulink documentation). On a Microsoft Windows platform, you can compile S-functions into dynamically linked libraries (DLLs). CarSim and AMESim provide DLLs to represent the vehicle model and the actuator model, respectively. We included these DLLs in the Simulink environment as S-functions.
By cosimulating the three applications we were able to perform closed-loop modeling of the vehicle control system, validating the individual blocks of the simulation model against real test data. Figure 1 shows a high-level view of the cosimulation model components.
Vehicle Model
We based our vehicle model, which closely matched the actual test vehicle, on a default CarSim model, relying on CarSim software to provide the equations for simulating vehicle dynamics. To acquire test vehicle data, we tested the actual development vehicle's performance, including lateral and longitudinal tire characteristics, suspension characteristics, brake and steering system parameters, vehicle measurements such as sprung and unsprung vehicle mass parameters, vehicle linear measurements, and aerodynamic characteristics.
We tested the vehicle with average drivers to measure driver response time, and used this time factor in the simulation model to simulate the driver steering delay time.
We validated the vehicle simulation model against real test data during steady-state and transient maneuvers on surfaces with different environmental conditions. The validation process compares the simulation results to the actual vehicle data. Throughout all maneuvers and surfaces, the simulated results were very close to the actual vehicle behavior, so the model is considered valid. Figure 2 shows some of the vehicle validation results we obtained, showing an overlay of actual vehicle data against simulation data.
CarSim provides vehicle DLLs for different axle configurations and lets you create custom DLLs. Any changes to a CarSim data set are exported as vehicle and/or driver parameters in a configuration file that the CarSim DLL reads. For example, CarSim provides predefined S-functions usable in Simulink. All vehicle and driver settings and inputs are passed to the DLL as parameters and interfaces in a configuration file, so there is no need to change the design of the current DLLs. To use the appropriate vehicle configuration DLL in the Simulink model, we associated it with a user-defined S-function block. In this article, we refer to the vehicle model in Simulink as the vehicle S-function.
Subsystem Software Model
To accurately capture the behavior of subsystem software in real time, we modeled the software in the simulation setup using Simulink, and converted the C-based software into custom S-functions. As the software was in fixed-point format, we converted the model inputs from Simulink to appropriate fixed-point data types and, similarly, converted the model output from fixed-point to floating-point engineering units. We then compiled and built a DLL for the software component using the MATLAB MEX Function library. We associated the DLL with a custom S-function, which we here refer to as the subsystem software S-function.
Actuator Model
To model the actuator system, we used the AME-function block, which is similar to the subsystem software S-function. We refer to this actuator simulation model as the actuator S-function.
Validating the Closed-Loop Simulation
After connecting our three S-functions in Simulink to provide a closed-loop simulation model of the target subsystem (Figure 1), we validated the model's operation by comparing simulation outputs with real data from the test vehicle. The plots in Figure 3 show our validation results.
System-Safety Analysis
Preliminary Hazard Analysis (PHA) helps researchers identify potential high-level system hazards and determine the criticality of potential mishaps that may arise, so that safety requirements for controlling identified potential hazards can be determined and incorporated into the initial design [1, 2]. In the early stages of system development, engineers analyze potential hazards by the following steps:
- Brainstorm or review existing lists of potential hazards to identify potential hazards associated with the system.
- Describe potential hazards and the potential mishap scenarios associated with them.
- Identify potential causes of the potential hazards.
- Determine the risk of the potential hazards and mishap scenarios.
- Determine whether system hazard-avoidance requirements must be added to the system specification to eliminate or mitigate the potential risks.
- If time is a factor for a potential hazard or potential mishap occurrence, investigate the timing constraints that the potential hazard places on the design.
The qualitative aspect of hazard analysis involves determining the severity and assessing the risk of each potential hazard identified during PHA. This process also involves evaluating concept design configurations for instances of decreased or increased risk posed by system parameters or architecture components of a configuration [1]. Quantitative analysis involves determining the magnitude of a potential system fault and the length of time the potential fault can be safely tolerated in the system before the potential fault leads to potential hazard.
Simulation-Based Hazard Analysis
During the concept design phase of the subsystem, we conducted a preliminary PHA during which we identified the following system-level potential hazards:
- Unwanted system activation
- Incorrect system activation
- Excessive system activation
- Inadequate system activation
Following the identification of these potential hazards, we used the simulation model to determine the severity, and hence, the risk posed by each potential hazard. We then introduced faults into the subsystem to trigger system behavior that produced each of the identified potential hazard conditions in simulation. This process helped us understand the behavior of the system and the vehicle under failure conditions, and helped determine the metrics for evaluating acceptable unwanted system behavior.
We then quantitatively analyzed the potential hazards identified above in a process engineers refer to as hazard testing activity. It involves evaluating the test vehicle under several subsystem failure conditions, and leads to determining the magnitude of a potential output error from the subsystem actuator and the time that potential error can be safely tolerated by the vehicle before the it leads to a potential system hazard. When available, we adopted as safety metrics for hazard testing existing industry standards and government regulations for vehicle-level safe tolerances. For example, FMVSS 135 [3] specifies the allowed stopping distances for US vehicles. For those situations where standards or regulations do not exist, we initially based our safety metrics on published safety studies and past experience. The metrics can then be refined in accordance with hazard testing results for the specific vehicle and subsystem. In the case of our example subsystem, we used a "maximum allowed path deviation of 25 cm" safety metric, basing it on published safety studies and past experience [4].
We next simulated unwanted system activation in the vehicle, based on the vehicle-level safety metric, and measured the magnitude and time of the unwanted activation pulse that the subsystem could safely tolerate. The safe duration of this unwanted pulse was the subsystem's worst-case fault response time. This fault response time is typically a function of vehicle speed and actuator response time: the faster the actuator response, the shorter the subsystem fault response time must be.
Figure 4 shows the hazard test process results, with the lateral offset produced in the vehicle when we simulated unwanted activation of the subsystem.
Figure 5 shows an animation snapshot of the hazard test in a turning maneuver. As shown, the vehicle with diagnostics not enabled violates the path deviation requirement, while the vehicle with diagnostics enabled does not.
This article discussed the development of a simulation model for a vehicle subsystem safety analysis. Simulation-based engineering tasks, such as those for robustness studies and system-safety analyses, require a simulation model of high fidelity and precision.
A significant advantage of simulation-based vehicle analysis is the ability to perform vehicle tests at various limit-handling conditions. Performing such activities in a real vehicle may involve risk to the driver and can increase costs due to the needed additional vehicle safety devices. In these cases, substituting simulation for in-vehicle testing can greatly reduce associated risks and costs.
Selecting the appropriate tools for development of a cosimulation platform can be a challenging task. Using Simulink and flexible third-party products, however, we were able to integrate simulation and modeling tools without requiring additional development.
The authors thank Aleksander Hac, Edward Bedner, Chester Gryczan, Kevin O'Dea and Nicole Anderson from Delphi for their support in the development and validation of the simulation model.


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New Mexico Horse Tests Positive for Rabies
- Aug 19, 2011
- Topics:
According to numerous news reports, the New Mexico Department of Health announced Aug. 18 that an unvaccinated New Mexico horse contracted rabies. The horse was from Eddy County, which is located in the Southeastern part of the state. The horse was euthanized as a result.
The reports also indicate that several people were exposed to the affected horse's saliva and will undergo testing to ensure they did not contract the virus.
Vaccinated horses have a significantly lower risk of contracting rabies than their unvaccinated counterparts. Horses that become infected with the rabies virus might show no clinical signs of disease for several days. However, during that time they can transmit the disease through saliva to other mammals, including humans.
When a horse contracts rabies the virus infects the central nervous system, causing brain disease and ultimately death. Clinical signs are extremely varied and can include colic, difficulty swallowing, depression, loss of appetite, a low-grade fever, lameness, incoordination, convulsions, increased sensitivity to being touched, abdominal pain, straining to urinate or defecate, odd behavioral changes, nervousness, irritability, muscle contractions, and death.
The American Association of Equine Practitioners includes the rabies vaccine in their four recommended core vaccinations for horses. Core vaccinations, as identified by the American Veterinary Medical Association, are vaccines "that protect from diseases that are endemic to a region, those with potential public health significance, required by law, virulent/highly infectious, and/or those posing a risk of severe disease. Core vaccines have clearly demonstrated efficacy and safety, and thus exhibit a high enough level of patient benefit and low enough level of risk to justify their use in the majority of patients."
About the Author
Erica Larson, News Editor
Erica Larson, news editor, holds a degree in journalism with an external specialty in equine science from Michigan State University in East Lansing. A Massachusetts native, she grew up in the saddle and has dabbled in a variety of disciplines including foxhunting, saddle seat, and mounted games. Currently, Erica competes in eventing with her OTTB, Dorado.
Related Content
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Rabies Danger, Exposure Cost Reinforce Equine Vaccination Need
World Rabies Day is Sept. 8, 2007
USDA Working to Reduce Wildlife Rabies
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Saddlebred Exhumation Under Way


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Marketplace for Friday, March 23, 2012
Starting Monday, all eyes will be on the Supreme Courts as it holds a three-day hearing on the Affordable Care Act -- and the event is the hottest ticket in town. Could Bank of America's plan to turn homeowners facing foreclosure into renters become an industry-wide model in which everybody wins? We explore why Nigeria is a hotbed for credit card scams. And, as the new season of "Mad Men" premieres, we look at how much the characters are like current ad men.


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Ruiz rises to postseason challenge
Phillies catcher continues to get big hits in big moments
Carlos Ruiz has a knack for hitting in the postseason.
The 30-year-old Panamanian catcher batted .375 with two doubles in the 2008 World Series, and now he's picked up where he left off. He batted .308 with three RBIs in the NLDS against the Rockies and got a single and a key three-run homer to help the Phillies win Game 1 of the NLCS against the Dodgers on Thursday night.
"I'm just trying to relax," Ruiz told the Philadelphia Daily News. "I try to do that in the regular season, too, but now it's like whatever happened in the regular season is over. I put it in my mind that maybe I can help my team with my offense.
"So I just try to relax and think about one pitch at a time. That's what I try to do, and so far it's worked."
Ruiz is batting .296 with a .383 on-base average, two homers and 10 RBIs over 71 postseason at-bats for the Phillies in the last three years.
Hunter effective with football mentality: Manager Mike Scioscia believes there's a controlled type of aggressiveness with which a player like Torii Hunter can effectively play baseball. Hunter, who has a .306 average, four homers and 16 RBIs in 28 playoff games, reminds Scioscia of one of his former teammates with the Dodgers.
"You can't do some parts of this game with a football player's mentality, but the grind of the season, the grind of the playoffs, it's definitely something that can pull you through," Scioscia told the Los Angeles Times. "Mental toughness is important. Torii has a way to temper things when he gets into the batter's box, so he can let his swing happen.
"There wasn't anyone who played this game with more of a football player's mentality than Kirk Gibson, but when he got into the batter's box, he had a hitter's mentality that let him slow things down and put the swings on pitches he needed to."
Kemp wants to keep the power coming: Matt Kemp's two hits in Game 1 of the NLCS weren't enough for the Dodgers.
"The way we hit the ball tonight, we probably should have scored a couple of more runs than we did," Kemp told the Los Angeles Times. "We couldn't get it done today. In playoff games, we need to get those big hits. Against the Phillies, you can't just score one run and think you can beat them. They have the same type of lineup that we have. They have power throughout the lineup. You have to keep piling up runs."
Hamels sees excitement build with baby call: Cole Hamels left the Phillies' NLDS Game 2 against the Rockies early last Thursday to be with his wife, Heidi, who had gone into labor.
"When I'm on the field, I'm all about baseball," Hamels told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "Then ... after I was done, getting that call, the excitement level starts up. But still, I think you're just more nervous about the situation. You don't know what's going on."
Girardi expects Damon to thrive: Manager Joe Girardi figures the postseason is as good a time as any for Johnny Damon to emerge from his slump.
"I feel good about Johnny this time of year," Yankees manager Joe Girardi told Newsday after the Yankees worked out on Wednesday, "because Johnny has played before at this time of year at a very high level."
Phillies hope to get six innings from Pedro Martinez: Pedro Martinez, who hasn't pitched since Sept. 30, was selected to pitch NLCS Game 2 for the Phillies.
"He did enough work that I'm confident sending him out," manager Charlie Manuel told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "I think he is capable of throwing anywhere from 75-90 pitches, maybe 95, maybe even 100. But I think that gets us into the sixth inning or the seventh, and I think that's where we're at. With our pitching and everything, that would work -- he threw a simulated game yesterday, and, what I saw, I liked his stuff."
Martinez began his Major League career with Los Angeles and has fond memories of his time with the Dodgers.
"It's going to be special" pitching again at Chavez Ravine, Martinez told the Los Angeles Times. "I hope this is not the last [game] that I pitch here, but, if it is, it would be a great joy to actually do it in the same place I started."
Saunders prepared to throw strikes: Angels manager Mike Scioscia announced that lefty Joe Saunders, who went 16-7 this season, will start in Game 2.
"You have to throw strikes, get ahead of those guys and put them on the defensive, or they're going to hurt you," Saunders told the Los Angeles Times.
"We think we're one of the best teams in baseball, and they're obviously one of the best teams in baseball," Saunders said. "It's going to be a great matchup with a lot of intense moments. It's going to be a lot of fun -- good times."
Veal honing game in Arizona: As a Rule 5 Draft selection, Donnie Veal spent the 2009 regular season in the Pirates bullpen but rarely pitched, so he's in the Arizona Fall League preparing as a starting pitcher.
"It's been a long year," Veal told MLB.com. "[There was] a lot of sitting and learning, but I think it has been worth it just to soak up as much information as possible and just learn about how to go about being a big leaguer every day. It's frustrating at first, but, looking back on it, I get it now."
Guillen eyes full-time role: Versatile Carlos Guillen would like to have a more settled role than he's had in recent seasons with the Tigers.
"I've been doing a lot of moves for the last two years, trying to make this team better," Guillen told MLB.com. "But I would like to be an everyday player. I would not like to be a part-time player."
DeJesus glad to make life better for others: David DeJesus is taking the field on Sunday at the 2009 Kansas City Ability Day in suburban Grandview, Mo. The Royals left fielder also participated in the free event last year.
"They were playing softball, and I was the pitcher, and they liked seeing if they could hit against me," DeJesus told MLB.com. "It was fun, seeing the smiles on their faces and just having them run around and having a good time. I think that's the most important thing. Maybe their dream was to be a baseball player and now they're playing against me and getting hits off a professional baseball player, so that's just one of those things in their lives that they can say they've done."
Kouzmanoff feted for hot corner prowess: Kevin Kouzmanoff, the first third baseman ever with more than 300 chances to commit only three errors, gave his black glove to the Hall of Fame this week for display in Cooperstown. Kouzmanoff is wary of getting a reputation as a defensive third baseman, though.
"I didn't want to be known that way," Kouzmanoff told the San Diego Union-Tribune. "I have really worked hard on my defense. Third is a reaction position. The quicker you react, the more plays you make."
From July 5 to the end of the season, he hit .288 with 20 doubles, eight home runs and 48 RBIs in 62 games.
"I think the power is there, I think the bat speed is there," Kouzmanoff said. "I think I can be a 25-[homer], 100-[RBI] player."
Harrison looks to get healthy in Arizona: Rangers prospect Matt Harrison, who underwent surgery in August to alleviate thoracic outlet syndrome, will begin his comeback in the Arizona Fall League.
"The goal of having him out there is twofold," general manager Jon Daniels told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "First, so he can pick up some of the innings he missed this year, and, second and most importantly, so he goes home healthy and confident that there are no lingering issues health-wise. Right now, he's still rehabbing and getting ready to pitch. He likely won't get in a game right away."
Thoracic outlet syndrome causes neck and shoulder pain, a weak grip and numbness in the fingers.
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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I would like to address the comments and accusations made by Lindgren Johnson and Cory Shaman in the letter to the editor published June 27.
First, I do not see how anyone could view my comments as "scare tactics and excuses." I stated the facts about hurdles that would be faced to implement the program.
Also their opinion to not "placate" irate citizens who call us to enforce the animal control ordinances is absurd. We work for the citizens of Russellville and are required to enforce the ordinances and solve their problems.
As far as your concern about my doubts about volunteers, that is not what was said. Read the article again and I was quoted as saying, to implement this program "would take money and volunteers." We have several dedicated volunteers who show up on a regular basis and they are highly appreciated.
As far as the comment the shelter "has money," you have obviously been misinformed. Just as every other department in the city, the animal control department operates under budget constraints. All departments have to operate under the budget they receive for the year.
To comment that these funds need to be spent "sensibly" is totally without basis. Our budget has always been managed very well with as much money available used for vaccinations, spaying and neutering and vet care.
Come adopt some animals.
Director of Animal Control Russellville
Skyline Joint Ventures LLC led by Richard Peel paid over $5,000 to 17 canvassers to get a special election to try and stop the Walmart Market. WHY? To protect the property owners in the area? NO. Because they own the property where Cash Savers and Fred's is located. So residents and zoning issues has nothing to do with it. It is strictly for there own benefit. They don't want the competition' so I wonder why they don't offer to pay for the special election that they have created for there own personal benefits and not the citizens of Russellville.
What message are we sending other companies that look at coming to Russellville if we don't approve this market. It should have never gotten to this point. I think personal gains should not be a reason for a ballot vote. Our city went through all the legal and ethical procedures to open up this market, which had agreed to install traffic lights and money for other improvements. Don't let a select group stop progress in Russellville for there own profits and greed. Who knows ' you could be next.
The newest campaign to gather support for the proposed Walmart Neighborhood Market is the so called "Committee for Community Progress," a seemingly self-serving organization.
The committee urges the Russellville public to vote in affirmation of the rezoning of the property located on Vancouver. While a Walmart would perhaps bring in more jobs to this community (while bearing in mind that multiple studies have shown that Walmart destroys three jobs for every two created) the election to be held on Aug. 13 is not voting on the Walmart as a whole.
In fact, it is something much bigger than Walmart. The upcoming special election will be on whether or not the property located on Vancouver can be rezoned for PUD (Planned Unit Development).
This new committee hits hard on the fact that we need a Walmart and that a vote for Walmart is a vote for progress. However, they seem to be forgetting that the election is actually on the controversial rezoning issues in the proposed location.
The "Committee for Community Progress" stands strong on the issue that Walmart would produce more jobs and thus allow this community to "progress". However, one could argue that making the process required for an establishment to get a liquor license would bring in a multitude of jobs and progress to this community.
By making a liquor license something easier for establishments to obtain, many more restaurants would move into the community, bringing in more revenue in a form of taxes for the city of Russellville because restaurants, unlike a Walmart Market, would bring in people from all surrounding communities who don't want to drive all the way to Conway for good dinning.
If the ordinance to be voted on is passed, this would set a precedence which could potentially allow businesses to encroach on neighborhood property, thus impacting property values. Community progress should be something that is in the best interest of the community as a whole, not what is in the best interest of one business.
At one time we were told that if you find and prove who dumps on your land, maybe through an address on envelopes that have been thrown away, you would get half of the fine the court charges the culprits. The city could find who is behind this and make them clean up and collect on the fine.
I would just like to thank Eva Robinson of Dover for having the strength of will and character to stand up for the civil rights of us all in filing suit and following through with her legal action against Sheriff Aaron Duvall, Pope County, state police officers, and the city of Dover, even though the easier way would be to settle the case and forgo all the stress and anxiety that accompanies the legal process.
It is so easy to succumb to the fear and intimidation that most experience in interaction with the government and law enforcement authorities, and decide that their offer of settlement is enough. Most times these settlements include a non-disclosure agreement, and a finding of no fault on the part of officials. And even then, the Arkansas municipal league steps in and pays any fines and judgments against those offenders, and they go straight back on the street and do the same thing again. Sometimes it takes a plain disregard for the possible personal consequences, and an unwavering determination to expose wrongdoing to the public, to find the strength to proceed.
In my case against the county sheriff concerning the conveyance of public property, the communication I received from his attorney admitted the improper use of the felony seizure statute, and included the offer to pay my attorneys fees and any monetary civil judgment due me if I would drop the suit. And he promised he wouldn't do it again.
He won the suit based on the technicality that he 'traded' the public property, and did not 'sell' it. It didn't matter there was absolutely no independent appraisal, no authorization from the quorum court, nor was there any receipt or listing of the transaction whatsoever in the county record.
In my mind, the apparent lack of ethics is not changed. The taxpayer will always be left to wonder who might have gotten paid. And without the filing of that suit, the public would never have known what actually occurred.
Given the ASP Central Investigative Division's record of finding no fault in most incidents of this type, the only real oversight lies in the vigilance and action of common citizens, and again I thank Eva and her family for standing up for our civil rights.