text:
VOICE OVER: Each Performer Takes a Risk for NBC's The Voice!
The Knock-Out Rounds on NBC's The Voice continued tonight as the last performers from Teams Blake Shelton and Christina Aguilera took the stage, hoping to be passed on to next week's Live Playoff Rounds. Tonight, it seemed like every single contestant had thought before choosing their songs, "What do you say to taking chances?"
Missed any episodes? Get caught up here!
For the first hour of the night, Christina had to pare her ten down to five. So to kick it off, Devyn Deloera made a daring song choice with, "I Have Nothing," by Whitney Houston. In their rehearsals, Christina said, "That's beautiful. I just wanna hear your powerful voice." She was concerned that Devyn's nerves would interfere with her performance. But when she got on stage, everything else went away. This awesome girl, who actually looks like Amanda Seyfried, seemed completely comfortable and carried a commanding presence as she sang. This was a magnificent performance. Laura Vivas clearly had a hard act to follow, but she chose, "I Need to Know," by Marc Anthony. Her coach thought this was a good song choice, right in her comfort zone, and Laura felt challenged in a good way. She added her own flair by singing a bit in Spanish and throwing some Latin dancing in there too. Following their performances, Christina was very excited about her mentees, "Laura, you surprised me! Bam! You did it! Devyn, you are an ambitious vocalist. I thought it was honest, sincere, and real. I feel like one of you can use my coaching more than the other, and I gotta go with Devyn."
Yet more girls from Team Christina, Adriana Louise and Celica Westbrook, went next. Adriana chose Kelly Clarkson's, "Already Gone." Coach Christina thought Adriana had a great voice, but warned her to not stick too closely to a script. Christina demonstrated exactly what she meant vocally for Adriana, and sweet Adriana was in awe. Right from the get-go, all the audience could think was, "This chick's going to win!" Her incredibly supported voice really sealed the deal. Celica went with the Justin Bieber hit, "Never Say Never." Her reasoning was that it fit her because she, like the Biebs, was young. "Celica needs to lose herself in this song. I think that comes with time," her coach advised. This young, confident girl was fun to watch because she seemed to have a great time in this intense, fierce performance. Christina told Adriana, "Nerves are an issue for you, and you relaxed yourself, and that's the best I've seen you perform. Celica, you gave that feistiness I asked you for, and it shows that you grew. Both of you have showcased such tremendous talent, and I'm so happy for both of you. I'm going to have to go with Adriana."
Christina stole Alessandra Guerico from Adam in the Battle Rounds, so she felt like she definitely had something to prove to show Christina why she stole her. Alessandra sang, "Take a Bow," because she said she could just feel the emotion in the music. Christina said, "I just want to hear that passion in your voice." Yet again, Christina's girl delivered a passionate performance. After her, The Voice's resident male heart-throb, Dez Duron, sang "Stuck on You" by Lionel Ritchie. "It's more about connecting with the song and making people feel something," Dez said. Christina noticed he had some breathing issues, which he would have to really work on. And his hard work showed. His voice was just pure. And it was very evident that all the girls in the audience were falling in love with him as he sang. This knock-out was just unfair, because both of these people were incredibly good and charismatic, that to see either of them go would just be heartbreaking. None of the judges envied Christina's task of deciding between these two. With much deliberation, she made her final decision, "Dez, your runs that start up here and go all the way down are so accurate, and that's really hard to do. This one I'm really torn about, actually. Moving forward, on my team I gotta go with Dez." You could just hear all the girls out in the audience heave a sigh of relief as this ridiculously attractive guy with a beautiful voice left the stage, preparing to return next week on the live rounds.
Christina's one-name singers, Chevonne and De'Borah faced off following what Blake called "the battle of the heart-throbs." Chevonne chose to sing "Dancing with Myself" in celebration of her surviving the Battle Rounds. Christina saw this as a challenge for Chevonne, "She's definitely got her work cut out for her." This wild-card singer just had fun on that stage, went crazy, danced around, and gave it everything. In contrast, De'Borah sang, "You Found Me" by The Fray. "The biggest challenge in the song is to not hit the sky," De'Borah said before getting very into it this performance. When it came time to knock someone out, Christina said, "You guys are natural performers. Chevonne, you're not afraid to go to that ledge and just jump off. De'Borah, you controlled it, and I think you rehearsed finding your parts and sticking with it. I have to move on with De'Borah."
Christina's last duo was Aquile and Sylvia Yacoub, who respecitvely selected a Bruno Mars hit, "Grenade," and took a huge risk by singing a Christina's own "Fighter." Christina said, "Aquile's song choice is full of emotion, and he needs us to feel the passion. Get a little Michael Jackson on it." He got very into it, and did his best to get his Michael Jackson on. Sylvia admitted, "It was definitely nerve-wracking going up and singing 'Fighter' in front of her." But one advantage was that her coach could identify with the difficulty of the song, "'Fighter' is an intense song to sing live. She runs the risk of blowing her pipes." When commenting on their performances, CeeLo channeled his inner Randy Jackson and naturally addressed the performers as, "Dog," much to everyone's amusement. But Christina had to make the final judgment for real, "These were very ambitious songs to sing. Aquile, you were asking for a challenge. You did a great job. Sylvia, I know that 'Fighter' is very hard to sing live, but man, when you got down on that knee, it was a hard thing to execute live. It's very difficult; I have to go with Sylvia on this one."
After Christina's team was complete, Team Blake Shelton's performers took the stage for the last hour of the show. Gracia Harrison competed against fellow country singer Liz Davis. Gracia took a big risk and strayed from her country roots singing, "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" by Aerosmith. This worried Blake, and he guided her, "Keep a good grip on your pitch. Be sure you hit it with as much power as you can." Liz Davis also took a risk by singing a Miranda Lambert hit, "Gunpowder and Lead." Blake coached her, saying, "Make sure you're singing those lyrics with a punch. Liz has big shoes to fill. I'll have my expectations pretty high." Both of these girls left their mark on these songs and took advantage of the risk they took. Blake seemed a little disappointed, "It's confusing to know the Gracia who auditioned. I'm a little confused by the song choice. Liz, it seems like you have a better grasp on who you are as an artist. No doubt about it. I gotta go with Liz Davis."
Blake's next pair was Rudy Parris and Terry MacDermott. Rudy, who is now a grandfather, took a chance by singing the very young-style song, "Forever." Blake acknowledged that, "It's a very young song; I, at age 36, would have a hard time. It's a song that 15 to 16-year-olds are singing, and he needs to sell a Chris Brown song." Rudy agreed, "I've gotta tap into the spirit of this song." Unfortunately, he had a hard time channeling his inner teenager. Scottsman Terry MacDermott sang "Maybe I'm Amazed," and an impressed Blake told him, "Anytime you can, go for it, because this is where you step out and get not only the knock-out round, but be that guy everyone is tweeting about." I must say, considering how much America is obsessed with European accents, especially Irish and Scottish, it probably would not take much for him to gain the approval of the masses if he sang his heart out. And he did just that. With his clear voice, he wowed the audience into a standing ovation during the song. By the time he was midway through it, audience members just seemed to think, "He so has this in the bag." After their performances, Blake had to determine which one he wanted to send through to next week. He said, "I see Terry going along that normal rock path, and Rudy bravely just did his own thing. I'm gonna have to go with Terry."
Blake put more young people, Collin McLoughlin and Michaela Paige together. Collin performed the Script's big time summer hit from a couple years ago, "Break Even." Blake coached this performer meticulously on his dynamics and the flow of the song. Michaela sang the powerful '80s tune, "Love is a Battlefield," for its emotional quality and because she really felt like she could connect to it more so than any other songs she had performed thus far. She took Blake's advice to heart when he said, "Approach this selfishly. Get lost in that moment." On the performance stage, they both sang the best they had sung so far on the show, and most of the coaches, including Blake, chose Michaela as the winner.
Yet more risk-takers, Julio Cesar Castillo and Marissaann were some of the last ones to sing tonight. Julio went out on a limb by also singing a Justin Bieber hit, "Somebody to Love." Julio realized, "It's a big risk, because that's not what I normally sing." Blake coached him primarily on enunciation, telling him frankly, "You've got your work cut out for you." Surprisingly, he was able to transform this song from a young teen's seemingly trivial call for attention to a real lovesick appeal to the world. Marissaann surprised Blake in rehearsals with her performance of "Lady Marmalade." Since Blake stole her from Christina, he wanted to rub it in her face, "I want it to be something that when Christina hears you sing this, Christina goes, 'I can't believe I let Marissaann go!'" She brought it big time and fiercely. She really killed it, giving Blake another close to impossible decision. Blake told them, "There's a reason both of you have made it to this point in the show. Since it's so dead even, I think I know what the right thing for me to do is. I have so much time invested in Julio, I've gotta go with Julio."
The last knock-out round of Season 3 was between Hey Monday's former lead singer Cassidy Pope and former music teacher Suzanna Choffel. Cassidy chose to make Maroon 5's, "Payphone" into her own special version. "It's a little different than from how Adam does it," Cassidy said, which was the point. Blake pointed out, "You tend to not focus as much the first time you said 'payphone.' It just made me think, 'She's thinking past that word.' And you're doing some things they don't do on the record, which can be risky." She sounded a little shaky throughout the song, but strong on the chorus. After her performance, she really looked like she thought she had totally just failed. Suzanna Choffel chose the simple, "Could You be Loved." She acknowledged, "It's a slight risk, because it doesn't have a stand-out vocal moment, so I have to create that on my own." Blake cautioned her to try not to, "overpower the band; what everyone loves is that rasp in your voice. Approach it like Suzanna. That's what I'm interested in." Her song choice added an interesting dynamic, because given Cassidy did not sing her absolute best, Suzanna could have swooped in and taken it without question. But, since her song did not show off her range, there was not necessarily anything to distinguish her as better than Cassidy. The other coaches' consensus was that Cassidy won. Cassidy of course was eager to hear what Adam thought of her version of his song. To her relief, he told her how much of a fan he was and said she really impressed him. Blake was astounded by his girls, "This is a war! It's like another battle. Suzanna, I really think that your song choice hurt you here; it was too laid back, Cassidy took a chance and knocked it out of the park, and I gotta go with Cassidy." With his team assembled, Blake confidently told the other coaches that he really thought he could win this whole thing.
Next week, America gets to start weighing in on the show by voting for the top twelve singers on The Voice. Because of the more important voting event in America next week, though, The Voice will not be on Tuesday, but instead, will air on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 8/7c on NBC!
Visit www.nbc.com/the-voice/artists/ to view the full list of Season 3 contestants (those eliminated and those still in the competition) plus their stories, videos, and more. You can download your favorites from tonight's performances at www.iTunes.com/thevoice, or watch them on The Voice's YouTube channel: www.Youtube.com/NBCthevoice. Keep up with The Voice through the week and during the show on Twitter: @NBCTheVoice, #TheVoice.


text:
Blum comes off DL; McDonald goes on
By / MLB.com
Blum only had 11 at-bats to start the season before going on the DL on April 18 with a strained left oblique. In 12 rehab games for Triple-A Reno, the 39-year-old hit .237 with three doubles, a homer and eight RBIs. In eight games with the D-backs this season, Blum was 1-for-11 with an RBI.
Blum joined the team in Phoenix on Monday and despite not being in the starting lineup, was available against the Padres.
"If the game calls for it, he'll pinch-hit for sure," D-backs manager Kirk Gibson said. "We've been short with McDonald out, that puts a strain on what you can do to create a matchup. With Blum and a full-roster, we can plan ahead."
McDonald was originally in the D-backs' lineup on Saturday in Milwaukee, but was scratched beforehand. Because he hasn't played in more than a week, the 37-year-old could only miss another week's worth of games if all goes well in his rehab.
"He came to me on Saturday and said he couldn't play," Gibson said. "It had been bothering him."
McDonald was batting .267 with seven doubles, four homers and 12 RBI in 33 games this season.
Hill's grab saves D-backs at least one run
PHOENIX -- D-backs second baseman Aaron Hill didn't drive in any runs on Monday, but the National League All-Star Game Final Vote candidate certainly saved at least one.
In the third inning with two outs, Padres catcher Yasmani Grandal hit a sharp grounder to the right side with runners on first and second, but Hill made a sliding stop to his left and threw out the runner to end the threat.
Hill also hit his NL second baseman-leading 35th extra base hit of the season with a double in the sixth inning. The double extended his home hitting streak to 17 games, tied for the fifth-longest in team history.
The 30-year-old is now batting an even .300 with 11 homers and 38 RBIs.
Hill, a candidate in the All-Star Game Final Vote sponsored by Firestone, is competing against Michael Bourn (Braves), David Freese (Cardinals), Bryce Harper (Nationals) and Chipper Jones (Braves) for the final spot on the NL roster.
The D-backs will wear t-shirts to support Hill on Tuesday during batting practice with the All-Star logo and the second baseman's Twitter hashtag, #FinHillVote, printed on them.
Bauer bracing for Chase Field debut
PHOENIX -- Don't get him wrong, D-backs pitcher Trevor Bauer is more than excited about making his home debut on Tuesday at Chase Field, but the 21-year-old wouldn't mind fast-forwarding to when the storyline isn't about him anymore.
"It's more people talking about the pitcher first, but after a couple starts, it wears off and it's more about the team," Bauer said. "It'll be nice when that goes away, so then the attention goes away and gets to where it should be, and that's on the team."
Bauer made his Major League debut last Thursday against the Braves, tossing four innings and allowing two runs before being lifted early, in part because of a minor groin injury. The right-hander said that is no longer bothering him.
"I dealt with it all season, it's nagged," he said. "I thought I had gotten rid of it, then it kind of popped up again. I don't feel it at all today."
The other reasons Bauer left the game early was due to his having pitched briefly three days earlier and the high temperatures in Atlanta during his outing.
"When I looked down the bench, he was very disappointed in himself, but we talked to him about it, there was no disappointment for us," D-backs manager Kirk Gibson said. "He busted his tail, it was just time to get him out of the game. He's got great stuff, we know that, we just have to get him to apply it correctly.
"He's very competitive. I feel good about the way he'll figure things out."
Even though he didn't pitch as far into the game as he would have liked, Bauer came away from his first start encouraged with the experience.
"It was good to get my feet wet, I'd never played in a stadium that big with that many people," Bauer said. "I wasn't out there a whole lot, I didn't get a chance to learn a whole lot, but I'll be more comfortable with the energy and the routine this time."
The D-backs' top prospect will likely again be on a pitch count when he takes the mound on Tuesday, but if it was up to him, that number would be extremely high.
"Hopefully it's 250 pitches," Bauer joked. "Probably not realistic, but Nolan Ryan threw 244 pitches in a complete game 16-inning win. Most in MLB history. It hurt him so much, he quit pitching 15 years later."
Saunders to throw simulated game
PHOENIX -- Currently on the disabled list with a shoulder injury retroactive to June 17, D-backs pitcher Joe Saunders will throw a simulated game Tuesday at Chase Field in hopes of skipping a potential rehab assignment and moving directly back into the rotation.
"I feel like I'm good enough to come back, but it's up to [the team]," Saunders said. "I want to get back on the bump before the All-Star break, but they're waiting to see how I come out of it."
D-backs manager Kirk Gibson is a bit more cautious about predicting when Saunders could potentially return to the mound.
"We'll talk about it and see how he throws, let's not get ahead of ourselves," Gibson said. "We'll always be conservative, we're looking long-term. Guys want to get back in, but I'm more cautious, I want to make sure he's fully recovered."
Saunders would likely replace Josh Collmenter in the rotation, but as of now, Collmenter is scheduled to make his third start in two weeks on Friday against the Dodgers.
But Gibson hasn't decided for certain who will make that start, or what to do with Collmenter once Saunders is healthy. Since May 5, Collmenter has allowed five earned runs in 32 2/3 innings.
"He's done masterful at a job," Gibson said. "Overall we'll look at what's best for the team. We'll consider it all."
Worth noting
D-backs pitcher Daniel Hudson will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery on July 9 in Anaheim. Dr. Lewis Yocum will perform the surgery.
Hudson was with the club on Monday and will continue to be with the team throughout the season when the D-backs are home.
Gibson said relief pitcher Takashi Saito had another setback during his last bullpen session. The 42-year-old reported that his shoulder hurt after throwing.
D-backs outfielder Jason Kubel, who was not in the lineup Monday, was available to pinch-hit after fouling a ball off himself over the weekend. Gibson said the day off was planned.
The autographed Justin Bieber card that was put up for auction by the D-backs ended with a winning bid of $2,760.00. J.J. Putz, Brad Ziegler, Craig Breslow, Kirk Gibson and the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation will also donate $2,500 each of their own money to Pastime For Patriots and the Strike 3 Foundation.
Tyler Emerick is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
I have heard a rumor from a reliable source, although I think it really will come into fruition since plans are already on the drawing board. The area between Zone 4, possibly the reclamation area, will be the location of two new buildings and establishments that will liven up Cadiz City as we move on with the new City Slogan "Bilis, Ugyon Cadiznon!" which was originally coined by the City Mayor Patrick Escalante simply as "Bilis Cadiz"
These businesses will namely be Gaisano Mall, and SM Savemore. However, some relocation and displacement will be implemented to squatters on the area to make way for these investors. The location was chosen due to the proximity it has with the new Cadiz City Port which is now in the early operation stages, currently only light boats that travel between Cadiz and Bantayan Islands is in place and fully operational.
This will be good news for mall rats and small businesses in Cadiz, we hope that the small businesses that already exist wont get affected by this development. Although this will probably be finished in the next three years.


text:
I know people must have done this hundreds of times, but without instructions I just don't get it. It would seem that a simple walkthrough for newbies is not too much to ask?
The whole point of this little exercise is to be able to write the current date in a file. In Notepad2 the shortcut is Ctrl+F5. Being just a teeny bit more ambitious, I wanted to have the date at the top of the file with the cursor in a blank line underneath - sort of a LOG file system. And my keyboard shortcut would be Ctrl+Shift+F5. So here goes:
Using the menu command 'Tools - New Plugin' I created a plugin and saved it under 'C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Sublime Text\Packages\User\InsertDateAtTop.py'. Here's the code:
import sublime, sublimeplugin
from datetime import date
# This simple plugin will insert the current date/time at top of the buffer when run.
# To run it, save it within the User/ directory, then open the console (Ctrl+~),
# and type: view.runCommand('InsertDateAtTop')
# See http://www.sublimetext.com/docs/plugin-basics for more information
class InsertDateAtTop(sublimeplugin.TextCommand):
def run(self, view, args):
now = date.today()
view.insert(0, now.strftime("%Y.%m.%d %a %H:%M") + "\n\n")
view.runCommand("move line -1")
This is my first try at python, so there's bound to be some bugs in it!
Anyway, I saved the file, and the console panel says:
So that sounds good.
Following the instructions in the HelloWorld sample, I opened the console and typed:
Nothing. No output. Now I assume if there's an error in the code it would spit it out in the console. But the console is helpfully silent.
OK, that's one issue. The other is setting up the keybinding.
The Plugin Examples page says:
This information is also very terse. It doesn't say in **which ** 'Default.sublime-keymap' file to add the binding. It could be Packages/Default or Packages/User. I assumed since I put the code in the User folder, that's where the keybinding would go. So I wrote this code there:
<binding key="ctrl+shift+f5" command="InsertDateAtTop"/>
You guessed it, nothing happens, no text in the console. I tried putting the binding in Packages/Default, same result.
What is wrong here? And why is a $60 product not being documented?
I don't consider the 'Support' section to live up to that name. Everywhere on the site I see 'documentation is in progress .' Opensource projects for the most part are very lively with screenshots, tutorials and even screencasts. I guess they have to try harder.
Looking through the forum I saw one of you guys ('sublimator') is busy creating screencasts with camtasia. Kudos to you! Unfortunately I can't make head or tails of what you are trying to say. There's no narration and the mouse and letters just rush all over the place. I tried installing the 'Persistent Shell' package and type 'ls -lah' in a file, as seen in the screencast http://blogdata.akalias.net/console3/console3.htm. An excercise in futility. Mainly because I don't know how sublimetext works!!
I know this post sounds ranty, but I *really * would like to use the product. It has the greatest interface on the market (Monokai!), and with just a little more effort with the docs people will be really happy and make you rich.
So pullease Jon, Nick et al. write a simple help file for people to get started, OK?
Oh yeah, what's wrong with my code?
I actually ran into a similar problem the other day.
Your command name can only have 1 capital letter in it. So 'MycoolpluginCommand' is fine but 'MyCoolPluginCommand' is not fine.
Kind of a silly point and should be easily addressable with a patch.
Agreed, the documentation isn't all that great, so why not play with it and write a tutorial? That'd help everyone out! Or post it on the wiki at sublimetextwiki.com/
OK, I got it to run. I changed the class name to 'insertDateAtTop' and changed the file name and key binding entry to match. Now the keyboard shortcut works. The code:
import sublime, sublimeplugin
from datetime import date
# insert current date/time at top of file
# followed by two blank lines,
# placing cursor in first blank line
class insertDateAtTop(sublimeplugin.TextCommand):
def run(self, view, args):
now = date.today()
# Move the cursor to the beginning of the file
view.runCommand('moveTo', 'bof'])
# --- my try ---
# Insert the date and two blank lines, then move up one line
#view.insert(0, now.strftime("%Y.%m.%d %a %H:%M") + "\n\n\n")
# why doesn't this work??
#view.runCommand("move lines -1")
# --- sublimator ---
# insert snippet - this works, but what's the $1 doing there?
view.runCommand (
[now.strftime("%Y.%m.%d %a %H:%M") + "\n$1\n\n"] )
I don't understand why my code to move the cursor doesn't work.
When I finally figure this out, I'd like to put it in the wiki. Is there an easy way for me to do that, Jon?
Interesting that names can have more than 1 capital letter in them. I ran into no end of trouble the other day with a plugin and changing the name was the problem, at least for me.
Oh well.
Another question on creating plugins...
I want to make one that saves the current file and exits the app.
import sublime, sublimeplugin
class saveAndExit(sublimeplugin.TextCommand):
def run(self, view, args):
# Save the current file
# Quit Sublime
Doesn't work. I thought you can use commands like that?
BTW can anyone make a new forum category like 'tutorials'? I'd like to write this up so that people can find it right on the forum page without searching...Would be a good place to put tips and stuff scattered around the forum and the user blogs (sublimator, EJ12N) too, eh?
I'll get back to you in a week, I'm offline on vakay... ta ta
That doesn't work is because you have sublimeplugin.TextCommandyou are using windows commands so you have 2 ways of accomplishing what you want...
replace:sublimeplugin.TextCommand with: sublimeplugin.WindowCommandin the above code and instead of view use now the arg is window.
import sublime, sublimeplugin
class saveAndExit(sublimeplugin.WindowCommand):
def run(self, window, args):
# Save the current file
# Quit Sublime
The other solution instead of doing all those changes is to use view.window().runCommand instead of view.runCommand, this is what I personally use when doing window commands
**** I have added saveAndExit to my PowerUser package ****PS: as a bonus, if you use hotExit instead of exit command you preserve the session when quitting sublime
Great!! That did it! Now I have a simple Notetaking system:
Open Sublime Text using a windows keyboard shortcut (Ctrl+Shift+S).
Session data is automatically restored with the last open file, in my case the 'notes' file.
Ctrl+Shift+F5 starts the 'insertDateAtTop' plugin, ready to type another note.
Ctrl+Shift+F4 saves the file and quits the app.
Whew! [wipesweat /] That was quite a journey! At every step another nuance was presented by the helpful gurus, showing me how to get it done.
Again, there is absolutely no information on the website, explaining these intricate ins and outs of writing a plugin.
I sure would like to write this up so people can have it all in one place. Could an admin please create a 'Tutorials' section in the forum?
Good job on the notetaking implementation


text:
A Novel
The Queen's Fool
A Novel
Winter, 1553. Pursued by the Inquisition, Hannah Green, a fourteen-year-old Jewish girl, is forced to flee with her father from their home in Spain. But Hannah is no ordinary refugee; she has the gift of "Sight," the ability to foresee the future, priceless in the troubled times of the Tudor court. Hannah is adopted by the glamorous Robert Dudley, the charismatic son of King Edward's protector, who brings her to court as a "holy fool" for Queen Mary and, ultimately, Queen Elizabeth. Hired as a fool but working as a spy; promised in wedlock but in love with her master; endangered by the laws against heresy, treason, and witchcraft, Hannah must choose between the safe life of a commoner and the dangerous intrigues of the royal family that are inextricably bound up with her own yearnings and desires.
Teeming with vibrant period detail and peopled by characters seamlessly woven into the sweeping tapestry of history, The Queen's Fool is a rich and emotionally resonant gem from a masterful storyteller.
- Touchstone |
- 512 pages |
- November 2004
Browse Related Books
Reading Group Guide
Reading Group Guide
The Queen's Fool
1. What kind of tone does the novel's opening scene instantly set, and what does it tell us up front about Hannah's and Elizabeth's characters? If you've read other fictional accounts of Elizabeth's life, how does this portrayal of her compare?
2. In public, Hannah plays the fool to Mary's queen, but in private their bond is more intimate. Why is the relationship valuable to each of them, both personally and politically? How is Hannah's connection to Elizabeth different?
3. Hannah is smitten with Robert Dudley from the moment she spots him in her doorway, an angel at his shoulder. How would you describe the bond that develops between them -- and how does it change over time?
4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of being the queen's fool instead of a normal courtier?
5. Haunted by the Spanish Inquisition, Hannah describes her Judaism as "some sickness that we pass on," claiming that Jews are condemned to "a lifetime of fear, not Chosen so much as cursed." How do her feelings toward her faith change over the course of the story and why?
6. In the grip of her Sight, Hannah delivers this prophecy: "There will be a child, but no child. There will be a king but no king. There will be a virgin queen all-forgotten. There will be a queen but no virgin....[Dudley] will die, beloved by a queen, safe in his bed." Ultimately, how does history unravel her cryptic prediction?
7 see more
Articles About This Book
Posted on Off the Shelf
Posted by Emma Volk
Intrigue, scandal, and powerful women. Nobody does courtly drama quite like Philippa Gregory. From the dynastic Wars of the Roses to the rise and dramatic fall of the House of Tudor, Philippa brings fresh passion and depth to Britain's most...


text:
GAFFNEY, SC-- John Jacob Huffstetler, 91, of 510 S. Limestone Street, passed away on Friday, March 8, 2013 at Upstate Carolina Medical Center.
Born in Gaffney, he was the husband of Eunice Blanton Huffstetler and was the son of the late Jacob Andrew and Mammie Moore Huffstetler. Mr. Huffstetler retired from the City of Gaffney after serving for 50 years as a fireman, was a Mason, Shriner and was the oldest member of the Cherokee Shrine Club. He was a U.S. Army veteran and attended North Point Church.
In addition to his wife, also surviving are two sons, Jay Huffstetler and wife, Vicki of Gaffney and Jed Huffstetler of Gaffney; a sister, Juanita Pettit and husband, Niles of Gaffney; a grandson, Phillip Plaxico Huffstetler and wife, Tiffany. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Clarence (Tiger) Huffstetler and Herman Huffstetler and three sisters, Sara Clary, Patsy Richardson and Lucille Mosley.
The family will receive friends from 6:00 until 7:30 PM on Monday, March 11, 2013 at Blakely Funeral Home. Graveside services will be held at 3:30 PM on Tuesday, March 12, 2013 at Frederick Memorial Gardens with Rev. Jack Phillips and Dr. Clyde Thomas officiating.
Memorials may be made to North Point Church, P.O. Box 1334, Gaffney, SC 29342 or Cherokee Shrine Club, 151 Shrine Club Road, Gaffney, SC 29340.
The family will be at the residence, 510 S. Limestone Street, Gaffney.
An online guest register is available at www.blakelyfuneralhome.com.
Blakely Funeral Home
& Crematory, Gaffney
Johnny Huffstetler
GAFFNEY, SC-- John Jacob Huffstetler, 91, of 510 S. Limestone Street, passed away on Friday, March 8, 2013 at Upstate Carolina Medical Center.


text:
Meeting on local health care slated for Manchester
The forum will be held at the Maple Street School in Manchester on July 10 at 5 p.m. The event is free.
A similar forum was held in Wilmington earlier this year at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center's Deerfield Valley Campus. This forum will be geared towards the hospital's Northshire Campus in Manchester, and according to Marquis there will be another forum held in Bennington.
Marquis said the public can ask questions at the forum but presentations will also be given on topics known to be of interest, such as the changes to state and federal health care payment systems, Dartmouth-Hitchcock's affiliation with SVHC, and the expansion of services at the Northshire Campus. She said both the Northshire Campus and Deerfield Valley Campus are certified "medical homes," which many have confused with nursing homes. She said medical home means a wide variety of medical services are under one roof, so rather than a person's doctor sending them somewhere else to see nutritionist or diabetes specialist, they can point them to th office down the hall.
The forum in Wilmington attracted a fair-sized crowd, Marquis said, about 80 people representing a wide range of interests from retired attorneys, to small business owners, to other health care workers.
Speakers at the event will include SVHC President and CEO Thomas Dee, Dr. Trey Dobson, the health care system's chief medical officer, as well as Dr. Robert Schwartz, a physician at the Northshire Campus, the campus' medical director, Dr. Joshua Samuelson, and Scott Erickson, SVHC director of satellite operations.
Marquis said the Northshire Regional Advisory Board is the event's main sponsor and is being helped by the Manchester and the Mountains Chamber of Commerce, and Equinox Village.
Southwestern Vermont Health Care is the parent company of Southwestern Vermont Medical Center, the local hospital in Bennington. The Deerfield and Northshire campuses are satellites of SVMC. The SVHC Foundation is it's own corporate entity that manages marketing, public relations, grants, for SVHC.
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.


text:
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text: Cl21 at IU is a contemporary course in the ancient and practical art of rhetoric. It is founded on the premise that rhetorical action ( including the focus of our course, public speaking) is public action. It is a course designed to help you recognize situations in which your rhetorical action can contribute to the well-being of a community. Cl2l provides you with the tools (both of speech and composition, and of delivery) you need to responsibly prepare a variety of effective presentations. Each assignment and speech is an opportunity to engage a rhetorical situation in order to create an audience out of a collection of individuals and invite that audience to understand something in a particular way or motivate them to help resolve some problem about which you think they should be concerned.


text:
Running back Caleb King has been ruled academically ineligible and will not play for the Bulldogs this upcoming year, UGA officials confirmed.
A senior, King rushed for 430 yards on 80 carries with two touchdowns for the Bulldogs last year.
The announcement appears to be the final chapter in what's been a career of speed bumps for King, who was suspended for two games last season for failure to appear at court date in Walton County to answer a traffic violation. He later missed the Liberty Bowl because of academic issues.
"It's unfortunate Caleb will not be with us this season," said head coach Mark Richt in a statement. "We wish him the best in whatever he decides to do; however, we have to move forward and this will provide more opportunities for others to step up."
A press release from Georgia said King will consider available options before deciding what to do next.
With King - who was listed atop the depth chart following spring practice - no longer in the picture, it puts Georgia's situation at running back certainly looks much different than it did three months ago.
The Bulldogs were already without Washaun Ealey, who was granted his release and since transferred to Jacksonville State leaving Georgia with touted freshman Isaiah Crowell, redshirt freshman Ken Malcome, junior Carlton Thomas and walk-on Brandon Harton who impressed coaches with his performance during the spring.
King finishes his Georgia career with 255 carries for 1,271 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Anthony Dasher is the managing editor for UGASports
and he can be reached via email at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Follow Anthony Dasher on Twitter


text:
Discussion in 'General Pro Player Discussion' started by jorel, Jan 25, 2013.
was anyone at the match can tell us???
I don't know what he said but it rattled Murray.
Fed : "Keep this point kid, i m taking this set".
Andy : "Keep this set oldie, i am winning the next"
Your mother was a hamster!
Roger: Give me some of your PEDs!!! This isn't fair.
Andy: Sorry, mate. That's me private stash.
Correct, he just didn't have time to shout the entire thing:
"I don't want to play with you no more, you empty headed animal food trough wiper. I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!"
Murray and class can not be used in the same sentence. Murray is the most notorious foulmouth on tour. So Fed loses it once. Can't compare.
i think murray was messing with him with his gestures after winning some points. thats what pumped federer up.
Haha, and if Murray did something similar to Federer, we'd never hear the end of it from you.
Your hero is a mug and a sore loser.
How do we know he wasn't talking to the crowd, or someone in the crowd? "****ing stop" can mean numerous things. Maybe muzza misinterpreted him
... miserable git ?
Haha, I didn't know about this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRGhtzKrdoo until this thread. Thanks!
Lendl's bringing the entertainment back!
Yeah, I remember that episode with Del Potro where he was pissed about Del Potro going at him with the ball. But it's all right, it's all fair.
Not when you have other/better options. It appeared to be a vindictive play in this case against Federer. I can't recall Roger ever doing this to another player.
I think in feds mind, he thought Murray was playing games with him
"Im going to challenge….no im not"
No I don't think so- whilst it was definitely heated up there tonight (quite odd tbh) Murrays been going for headshots quite often since he hooked up with Lendl
From Murray's presser :
Classy Murray is classy
From Sexi's presser :
Ridiculous blind speculation is ridiculous... We don't know what fed said.
There are also like 50 words that look like ****ing just by lip reading...
Tom Perrotta on Twitter:
Nope. But basically, "play the ball, not the call." RT @PiaCatton: @TomPerrotta did you figure out what was Federer was saying to Murray...?
I couldnt even imagine the criticism Nadal would have got here,if he done such a thing.
Ever heard of trash talking?
This ain't the first time. Fed full of class??
Against Djokovic's box in Monte Carlo: Roger: "Be quiet"
Against Del Potro at USO '09 final: to the umpire: "...I don't give a 5h1t what he said"
Against Roddick at Wimbledon '09 final: Wearing that 15 jacket
After winning the Australian Open 2010 SF, interviewed by Jim Courier: "Yeah no brit has won a slam in 10,000 years..."
Against Delpo at Roland Garros 2012: Telling the crowd to shut up.
Yeah class in a glass our Roger is
i can't believe the comments that paint fed in a bad light .....so he got pissed and shouted at murrah ... now he is a villian? Have any of you ever competed at a high level in tennis and not gotten angry at some point I'm not talking your pathetic 3.5 4.0 crap! go watch a college tennis match sheesh
Nice post sbngte! True, Andy dealt with the confrontation well. It was just in the heat of the moment.
Fed's worst by far were his pressers against Berdych and Djokovic. All of those you listed are next to nothing. Not excusing what Fed did, but those examples are not great ones.
None of those are bad at all...
Djokovic box deserved much more than a be quiet (his parents used to be obnoxious).
If you can only name one or two instances when he has cursed, I think he is doing alright.
The 15 jacket was not even fed's idea. It's not like he was thinking how he could hurt roddick's feelings. 15 slams was and is a huge deal!
Federer was kinda joking with the British thing. He was also directly asked about it, so of course he is gonna answer it some way and he chose a humorous manner to address it.
Federer and Nadal, especially, get picked at for every little thing they do on these message boards. Both guys are great competitors with good attitudes. Anyone can pick out a statement said by someone with no context and make them look bad.
so the conclusion is fed is human after all
Exactly. I don't know why people put him (or any other player) up on a pedestal.
He's just a regular guy. Difference is that he gets paid a lot of money to play a game, but he has his flaws just like any one else.
Andy handled the incident greatly. He atleast agreed that Fed said some nasty thing. I am sure Fed did that to get into Andy's mind as he cannot accept losing in Majors to a guy to whom he never lost before. We can all act like good humble human being by supressing our envious nature but it comes out at times. Fed's true greed came out. We all witnessed it. It is great that Andy played it cool in press. There is a reason why Andy is celebrated by press.
Fed fought with a brave heart until that moment. He could not have done anything better against Andy today. Andy was differnt animal. Fed did well in hanging in the match by winning 2nd set tie break. Finally Andy showed Fed what he deserved by some ass kicking stuff in final set. Hope Fed now gets the reality about his skills.
Andy has matured into a really classy guy, I'm starting to like him a lot. Good response to the interviewers question, he seems to have a great sense of perspective and how to deal with these guys.
As for Roger, he's always been a poor loser and not really the most "mature" guy, despite his image. This incident wasn't too big of a deal, he was just frustrated that Murray stopped to look at the ball mark in the middle of the point.
Yea, Murray could have easily won this match in straight sets
The reason no one knows what Roger said is his speech impediment.
I agree. He lost those 2 sets to toy with Federer and to add extra challenge for his next match.
It's called a Swiss accent, thankyouverymuch.
You mean he's not from Bangladesh?
Fed is a chump and a journeyman.
This is what I read on Twitter...that Fed said "you f-ing stopped". In other words, that Murray was going to challenge but then hit a winner (I guess, as I didn't see the point).
I didnt mean that he gave Fed those 2 sets to toy with him. Was meaning he was really in control most of first 3 sets and was just a point or 2 from winning in straight sets.
Acoording to Steve Tignor - Roger yelled "You fuc kin stopped" at Murray.
Murray was asked 4 times in his presser what was said and refused to make anything of it.
If my memory was right Murray had zero challenge remaining at that time.There is no reason for Fed to think that he is challenging. In the flow it appeared that the shot hit by fed before that was going out. Andy had a look at it, but there is no means for him to challege. There is no reason for Fed to get upset with it.
So you think Murray remembered in a split second that he had no challenges left?
Yeah thats what it sounds like! PMac said he saw it countless times but couldnt make out anything.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEprAqJ_UAM no clue what he said there
The lines person called out then changed her mind had something to do with it.
It seemed like someone called out during that point.
LOL Just cause Murray didn't intentionally lose those sets doesn't mean the score wasn't flattering towards Federer. The two he won were the closest of the match, and it could have easily been a straights victory if Murray has been luckier.
Why do people say Fed is classy? Everyone is classy when he wins and wears expensive clothes and watches and eats fancy chocolates. How you behave in a loss is what counts.
You want to go back 6 years to when he was 19 and judge him today? Really?
"Bet you can't appear as wooden as I did in that Lindor ad"
Separate names with a comma.


text: I agree, Crusher was the worst doctor of all the Treks. McCoy, Bashir, the EMH and even Phlox were all better characters and played by far more watchable actors. Granted, Pulaski and Voyager's EMH were basically riffs of TOS McCoy character, but I'd rather have that then boring as Dr. Crusher and her stupid ass kid Welsey. Gates McFadden was dull as dishwater and her character sucked.


text:
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text:
Rays sign top pick Sale, Vettleson
Tampa Bay also inks sixth-round selection Hahn
By Adam Berry / MLB.com
The Rays reached agreements with Josh Sale and Drew Vettleson late Monday night, officially announcing the deals at 2:20 a.m. on Tuesday morning. By the time it was all said and done, Tampa Bay signed 35 of its 53 total selections from June's First-Year Player Draft, including eight of its first nine.
"We're pleased to announce the signings of Josh Sale and Drew Vettleson," Rays executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. "We feel like both players add a lot to our system in terms of their advanced feel for hitting. We're anxious to get both guys out in Rays gear and get the process started on them becoming Major League players."
A baseball source said that Sale's bonus is worth $1.62 million, while Baseball America reported that Vettleson was signed for $845,000.
The Rays managed to sign both of their first-rounders, who were ranked in Baseball America's top eight high school prospects, just a year after not agreeing to a deal with first-round pick LeVon Washington. Catcher Justin O'Conner, the 31st overall pick, inked a deal with the team on June 20.
Sale, the 17th overall pick in the Draft, is an 18-year-old outfielder from Bishop Blanchet High School in Seattle. The left-handed-hitting Sale batted .520 with five homers, six doubles, 20 RBIs and 27 walks during his senior season and was named the top high school power hitter and outfielder by Baseball America.
After drafting Sale, who had a scholarship offer from Gonzaga, Rays scouting director R.J. Harrison said he had the potential to be a middle-of-the-lineup bat.
Friedman said the 6-foot, 215-pounder has "an uncanny feel for the mechanics of his swing, what goes into being a successful hitter" after selecting him on June 7.
"With most high-school guys that we draft, it's a process for us at the player-development side to educate them on that," Friedman said. "And he's coming in extremely advanced on that front.
"We feel very good about the fact that he'll be able to reach his max potential because of who he is -- the makeup, the work ethic -- and we are thrilled to get him where we did."
Vettleson, a switch-pitcher drafted with the Rays' sandwich pick at No. 42, is also a high school prospect from the Seattle area. Like Sale, he projects to be a power-hitting corner outfielder. Vettleson also has good size at 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, and he hit .490 with seven home runs and 29 RBIs during his senior season at Central Kitsap High School.
The 18-year-old Vettleson had signed to play at Oregon State next year. Harrison spoke highly of Vettleson's potential after selecting him with Tampa Bay's compensation pick.
"[He's] another corner power-hitting outfielder, a kid we scouted pretty good over the last year," Harrison said. "He's just one of those kids where at every event where we've gone, you walk away and you go, 'Boy that guy can really hit.'
"Like an old scout once told me one time after I asked him, 'What are you looking for in a hitter?' And he said, 'Hitter's hit.' And this guy is one of those guys. And he's a unique kid. We watched him pitch with both arms."
The club also agreed to a deal Sunday with sixth-round pick Jesse Hahn from Virginia Tech. Hahn signed for $525,000, according to his agent.
Hahn went 5-4 in 13 games for Virginia Tech in 2010, posting a 3.70 ERA while striking out 76 batters, walking 20 and holding opposing hitters to a .257 average. Though the right-hander's strength is still his mid-90s fastball, he developed into a more complete pitcher during his junior year with the Hokies.
Fourth-round pitcher Austin Wood from local St. Petersburg College and seventh-rounder Michael Lorenzen were the team's highest unsigned selections.
Adam Berry is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
My laptop (Vista Home Premium, SP2) started crashing today. Other than email, nothing was downloaded or installed today and it was running fine overnight.
I finally noticed ZA (ZA Extreme Security 9.3.014.000) was starting a scan just before it crashed. On the next reboot, I turned off the scheduled scan and initiated the scan myself and it crashed. Since re-booting from that crash,with no scheduled scan, the computer has run normally.
I noticed one post mentioned ZA doesn't play nice with other virus programs. I have Prevx (monitoring only) and SuperAntiSpyware running. They've been installed since August 29 (ZA since August 18).
Could one of these taken this long to cause a problem? If not, what else should I look at?


text:
Last Saturday, UCLA already held a commanding 31-0 lead when one of its receivers took a big hit.
On second-and-10 in New Mexico State territory, Bruins quarterback Brett Hundley whipped a pass toward Shaq Evans. Aggies safety Anthony Edwards shot toward the wideout, cracking him near the head and drawing a penalty for targeting.
Under the new rules instituted this offseason, that meant an ejection as well as a missed half next game. Many college head coaches have at least expressed ambivalence about the change, which puts an additional burden on officials to make correct calls mere seconds after a play.
"It's a tough rule, but it's the rule," UCLA's Jim Mora said. "I think ultimately, it's a good rule because it's about player safety. I think it's a tough rule to judge as an official, and it's a tough rule to adhere to as a player when you're playing so fast."
But problems sometimes arise even regarding the older rules. Four plays after Edwards' ejection, officials flagged UCLA linebacker Anthony Barr for roughing the passer when he landed a huge tackle on quarterback King Davis III. On video replay, however, Barr looked like he led with his shoulder, and made impact about a half-second after Davis let go of the ball.
After reviewing the video, Pac-12 officiating coordinator Tony Corrente told Mora that Barr appeared to lower his head at last second, creating the impression that he led with the crown of his helmet.
That's not the only part that mystified Mora, however. Just as in Barr's infamous sack of USC quarterback Matt Barkley, the linebacker was completely untouched by the opposing offensive line when he tackled Davis in the eventual 59-13 win.
"I'm trying to figure out why you wouldn't block Anthony Barr. … So rather than penalize Anthony Barr for no one blocking him and him hitting the quarterback, I think you should probably, you know, block Anthony Barr," Mora said. "He's a pretty good player."
Morris transfers
Offensive lineman Christian Morris announced his intent to transfer this week, citing a desire to be closer to his home and family in Memphis, Tenn. Ranked the 10th-best tackle of the 2013 class by Rivals.com, the true freshman was far down the depth chart of a line that has surprised many so far this season.
"We're just hoping that he finds happiness in his life and has success," Mora said. The coach wasn't sure if Morris had officially been released yet, but said it would happen soon.
Early risers
With classes finally starting this Thursday, the Bruins shifted their practice schedule up by four hours. After a morning session, players will be free to attend class before returning for afternoon work. The bye week also gives them some extra time to adjust.
"I think it's a good way for us to practice," Mora said. "They seem to enjoy it too, getting out here early. We're kind of an early-morning team anyway."
Injury report
Running back Roosevelt Davis, who wore a walking boot on his right foot last week to protect a sprain, returned to light action in Tuesday's practice. Defensive linemen Eli Ankou (knee), Ian Taubler (concussion) and Brandon Tuliaupupu (ACL) also participated.


text:
A Badersfield teenager's family and friends are raising thousands of pounds in his memory
PUBLISHED: 09:17 01 February 2013 | UPDATED: 09:17 01 February 2013
The family and friends of a teenager who died in a car crash are raising thousands of pounds in his memory.
Matt Meacham-Roberts from Badersfield died on June 20 last year after the Peugeot 106 he was driving lost control and veered into an oncoming Citroen C3 near Norwich Rugby Club.
Speaking after the inquest yesterday into the 19-year-old's death his father, Dale, said his son had been good friends with Ryan Sweatman – the 19-year-old from Coltishall who died in his sleep from meningococcal septicaemia at his home in January last year.
Both the teenagers were huge Norwich City fans and had season tickets at Carrow Road.
Matt had played in a memorial match at the ground in his friend's memory in May – less than a month before he died.
His father, a paramedic, said: "It has been a difficult time for their friends. Matt was very considerate and had a great passion for Norwich City." And the family and their friends have raised around £6,000 for Help for Heroes and the East Anglian Air Ambulance since his death.
Matt's sister Samantha will run the London Marathon on April 21 – the day her brother would have celebrated his 20th birthday.
Ryan and Matt's friends, as well as Mr Meacham-Robert's former armed forces' colleagues, will also take on a 12-mile assault course in May called Tough Mudder for charity.
The student worked at the McDonalds restaurant at Hoveton, near Wroxham and studied for a public services national diploma at City College Norwich.
He wanted to follow his father's footsteps and join the armed forces.
At the inquest yesterday, motorist Dennis Stratton described the moments before the crash.
Just before 10am he was travelling out of Norwich on the B1150 North Walsham Road between the junction of Crostwick Lane, Spixworth and the Norwich Rugby Club.
"He (Matt) was going close to the verge," Mr Stratton said: "I looked away from him and the next thing I knew there was a flash of car and it came across the front of me."
Giving the cause of death as multiple injuries caused by a car crash, coroner William Armstrong said: "He must have been subject to some distraction or a momentary lapse of attention."


text:
Righty Ondrusek joins Reds to replace injured Marshall
By George Von Benko / Special to MLB.com
PITTSBURGH -- Lefty Sean Marshall landed on the 15-day disabled list with shoulder issues Wednesday. The former Cub pitched just one game before being shelved, working a scoreless inning in Sunday's win over Washington.
An MRI exam revealed no structural damage for Marshall, but afterward, manager Dusty Baker was quoted as saying: "He's not right."
Right-hander Logan Ondrusek was recalled from Double-A Pensacola of the Southern League to replace Marshall. Ondrusek, who worked 2 1/3 scoreless innings in three outings with the Blue Wahoos, pitched an inning Wednesday and gave up a two-run homer to Matt Carpenter.
"It's good to be back," Ondrusek said. "I had a little bit of time down at Double-A, and unfortunately Marshall got hurt, which you never want to see, but it's good to be back up here and try and help the team out.
The 6-foot-8 Ondrusek spent most of the past three seasons in Cincinnati's bullpen logging 174 2/3 innings with a 3.45 ERA.
"I was throwing pretty well," Ondrusek stated. "My last two outings of the spring I was starting to get back on track, and I went down there and threw a couple of bullpens and threw in a game three times, and everything seemed to line itself back up."
Frazier, Hanigan rest for series opener vs. Pirates
PITTSBURGH -- Third baseman Todd Frazier and catcher Ryan Hanigan were given the night off as the Reds opened a three-game series against the Pirates Friday. Jack Hannahan got the start at third base and Devin Mesoraco behind the plate.
"Frazier is OK," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "I just wanted to give him another night off, because we are going into a stretch of 20 straight games, and we will be facing some lefties, and I want to use him then, so I wanted to give another day.
"Hanigan was going to get another day as well. Mesoraco gets another game. Plus, Mesoraco's family is here, Chris Heisey's family is here, and they get to play in front of their families."
Worth noting
• In Monday's 13-4 win at St. Louis, the Reds became only the fifth team in Major League history to score at least nine runs in the ninth inning of a game that was tied entering that frame. They joined the 2002 Mets at Atlanta, 2001 Tigers at Texas, 1950 Braves at Philadelphia and 1939 Indians at Philadelphia.
• Mike Leake's 46 career hits are the most by a Major League pitcher over the last four seasons.
George Von Benko is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
Quick Views
Quick reports are reports that are available in the context menu's of person, family, ...
They are easy to make by users, even with limited coding knowledge.
Many users want to produce a report quickly for their specific needs, but are hindered by the fact they do not want to learn python fully, nor the intricacies of a complicated program like GRAMPS.
For them, starting in GRAMPS 3.0 a new tool has been constructed: the quick reports. These reports are short textual reports that the user can register with GRAMPS, so they automatically appear in the context menu's. Accompanying this, a simple database access and simple document interface has been constructed, so as to hide as much complexity as possible.
Where to store my quick report
A quick report is one single file. You can store it in your plugins directory. Go into your home folder and go to the hidden directory .gramps. In this directory you will find the plugins directory. Just add your plugin there, and it will appear within GRAMPS.
For the terminal users, you can get there as follows:
cd ~/.gramps/grampsxx/plugins
Example 1
How better than to learn something than using an example?
Here it goes. We want a report to show all siblings of a person.
That is, brothers and sisters from all families the person is part of.
The quick report is then the following:
# File: Siblings.py #------------------------------------------------------------------------ # GPL licensed, written by Don. # # #------------------------------------------------------------------------ from Simple import SimpleAccess, SimpleDoc from gettext import gettext as _ from PluginUtils import register_quick_report from ReportBase import CATEGORY_QR_PERSON # define the formatting string once as a constant. Since this is reused __FMT = "%-30s\t%-10s\t%s" def run(database, document, person): """ Loops through the families that the person is a child in, and display the information about the other children. """ # setup the simple access functions sdb = SimpleAccess(database) sdoc = SimpleDoc(document) # display the title sdoc.title(_("Siblings of %s") % sdb.name(person)) sdoc.paragraph("") # display the header of a table sdoc.header1(__FMT % (_("Sibling"), _("Gender"), _("Birth Date"))) # grab our current id, so we can filter the active person out # of the data gid = sdb.gid(person) # loop through each family in which the person is a child for family in sdb.child_in(person): # loop through each child in the family for child in sdb.children(family): # only display if this child is not the active person if sdb.gid(child) != gid: sdoc.paragraph(__FMT % ( sdb.name(child), sdb.gender(child), sdb.birth_date(child))) #------------------------------------------------------------------------ # # # #------------------------------------------------------------------------ register_quick_report( name = 'a_unique_name_with_no_spaces', category = CATEGORY_QR_PERSON, run_func = run, translated_name = _("Siblings"), status = _("Stable"), description= _("Display a person's siblings."), author_name="your name", author_email="your email" )
Analysis: registering the report
The above code is GPL licensed, written by Don. Let's analyse this. We start at the bottom where the report is registered with register_quick_report. This is the function GRAMPS will look for in your file. You need to give:
- name = a unique name: a name GRAMPS identifies the plugin with, don't use spaces or strange symbols.
- category = a special constant indicating where the report will be shown. You can use CATEGORY_QR_PERSON to see the report on person editor and view, or CATEGORY_QR_FAMILY to see the report on family editor or view.
- run_func = the function you create in this plugin and that GRAMPS will execute when the user selects your quick report in the menu
- translated_name = the name of the report as it will appear in the menu
- status = is your report Stable or Unstable. Not used at the moment. On distributing GRAMPS we only include stable reports.
- description = a description of what your plugin does. This appears in a tooltip over the menu
- author_name = your name
- author_email= your email, so people can congratulate you with your work, or ask for bug fixes...
Analysis: the run function
If the user clicks in the quick report menu on your report, the run function is executed with three parameters:
run_function(database, document, handle)
So, your report received from gramps the database on which to work, the document on which to write, and the handle (=unique identifier) of the object the user is on. For a person quick report, this is a person handle, for family, a family handle.
In this example, the function called is
def run(database, document, person):
Analysis: accessing the data
Now that your plugin runs, you need to open the database, start the document, access data, and write it out. We do this using the Simple Database API. So,
41 # setup the simple access functions 42 sdb = SimpleAccess(database) 43 sdoc = SimpleDoc(document)
prepares everything. Then we write a title on the document, an empty line under it, and a header, with the title, paragraph and header function:
45 # display the title 46 sdoc.title(_("Siblings of %s") % sdb.name(person)) 47 sdoc.paragraph("") 49 # display the header of a table 50 sdoc.header1(__FMT % (_("Sibling"), _("Gender"), _("Birth Date")))
Note that we use _ for every string for translation, which comes from the line
27 from gettext import gettext as _
You can replace this by
46 sdoc.title("Siblings of %s" % sdb.name(person))
to just try it out for yourself, without a translation option.
As we will write a list, it is usefull to define the structure of your text one time, and reuse this. That is the __FMT constant, defined as
33 __FMT = "%-30s\t%-10s\t%s"
So we have 30 spaces for the Sibling field, then a tab (\t), then 10 spaces for the Gender, another tab and the last stringfield for the birth date.
Everything is set up, now we write out the lines with all the siblings, leaving out the active person himself, as he is in the title field!
52 # grab our current id, so we can filter the active person out 53 # of the data 54 55 gid = sdb.gid(person) 56 57 # loop through each family in which the person is a child 58 for family in sdb.child_in(person): 59 60 # loop through each child in the family 61 for child in sdb.children(family): 62 63 # only display if this child is not the active person 64 if sdb.gid(child) != gid: 65 sdoc.paragraph(__FMT % ( 66 sdb.name(child), 67 sdb.gender(child), 68 sdb.birth_date(child)))
Here, the easy access classes from the Simple Access API have been used to quickly achieve what we want.
Example 2
A second example can be found in the GRAMPS code. See all_events.py. In this report, all events for a person are printed, and all events for a family. Two quick reports are hence registered, one for person, and one for family.
The possibilities are enormous. If you are an experienced hacker, there is no need to limit yourself to the simple database API. Also, if you make a real report, you can at the same time register a quick report with default settings.


text:
I have no issue with younger players playing for national team or Bosh playing for USA when he was here (threw Bosh in there to be clear this is not a 'euro' thing).
My issue is when players have a history of suffering from over use or fatigue injuries consistently playing and older players not getting the down time they need to recover and then train for upcoming competition.
Given BC's consistent talk on 'PG of the future' one could draw the assumption of the injury risk having crossed his mind - but that is speculation on my part.
This whole thing has been just that.
It could also very simply be the fact that Jose is nearly 31 years old, and though that is not OLD per se in the NBA, BC would be silly not to do his due-diligence, in finding an eventual replacement.
Bringing in a 'PG for the Future' does NOT mean that you give away the 'PG of the Present' for nothing.
Nor does it imply that Jose is not part of the plans going forward, even in a diminished role.
Please don't put words in my mouth. At no point did I ever say or imply I don't give a shit about these events. What I said is these events (Olympics, World Championships, etc.) should be limited to amateur athletes. Same goes for NHL players in the Olympics.
Regarding DeRozan, pick up games are nowhere near the intensity or physicality of international basketball - especially heated rivalries between countries.
Regarding Alabi.... what? I don't see the relevancy here.
Back to the original issue: Jose has a history of injury after competing in summer competition. Him injured is not in the Raptors best interest. I am a huge Raptor fan and very selfishly as a Raptor fan do not wish to have possible trade(s) or free agent opportunities limited by his contract - especially given, based on history, the large risk of injury next year. Jose is a great teammate and person but he is not going to be leading the Raptors when the time comes to matter in this rebuilding project. If his contract can be shed for cap space this summer and a draft pick in a deep lottery, sign me up.
Maybe the Raptors sign a player like Andre Miller who is a pass first PG with a very good history of longevity to a 2 year contract at half the cost of Jose plus draft a PG like Kabongo to learn the ropes behind him.
Maybe the Raptors make a trade for a known commodity with the extra cap space by shedding Jose or are able to take on a 'bad' contract or include a draft pick(s) thanks to cap space and asset received in a trade for him.
Maybe the Raptors make a play for a well known free agent with the cap space by shedding Jose.
The bottom line is, he is not going to be a part of the Raptors in the future and there is a strong possibility he becomes an injured liability next year. If assets can be acquired for him now, namely, cap space and draft picks, do it.
That is the point: your opinion is cap space and a 20-plus draft pick is nothing. My opinion is that is very valuable given where the Raptors currently are in their rebuild. Flexibility and assets provides opportunities that otherwise would not exist.
If the Raptors were a playoff team looking to make a deep playoff run, of course, you don't give away the 'PG of the present'. But the Raptors are not a playoff team and they most likely won't be one for another season at best and most likely 2 seasons.
And I do not think that that will be the best deal the Raptors can get for him.
So why take it.
(Thats speculation on my part, but should be fair game in this debate.)
But if cap space and a late pick is the best deal available for him, I take it.
If there is better out there for him, I take that too.
These basketball journalists and HoopsWorld.com 'experts' are a fickle crew - maybe even more fickle than the ficklest of us RR faithful. Up until mid-January, Jose was laughed regarding his talent, contract, and worth to another NBA team. They seem to have forgotten all the reasons why they felt that way.... or maybe not. Most likely they succumbed to group think which they continue to suffer from in my opinion.
Minus Calderon with no other salary coming back, they would also have upwards $21M dollars to address the PG obligation via trade or free agency.
It is clear Calderon is not the PG of the distant future. If he is injured next season, which is a distinct possibility based on history, he might not be the PG of the near future either.
As I've said throughout, if Jose was not injured next year then no doubt I would want him. But given his history after summer's with international play, I don't think this is highly probable - especially when he will be 31.
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text:
5A roundup (Week 10): Allen escapes Plano in final minute; Rowlett makes playoffs; Cedar Hill clips Midlothian
ALLEN — Plano failed on a two-point conversion with 35 seconds remaining, and Allen hung on to defeat Plano, 35-34.
Plano quarterback Richard Lagow led the Wildcats on an eight play, 60-yard touchdown drive to set up the two-point play. Lagow threw to Mitchell Hansen on a fade route, but an Allen defender broke up the play.
In a game between teams that had already wrapped up playoff berths, the Eagles escaped after leading for only the final nine minutes. Allen sealed the win when junior defensive back Mayomi Olootu recovered an onside kick after Plano's final TD.
Allen racked up 354 yards on the ground. Sophomore quarterback Kyler Murray led the team with 167 yards rushing, and senior running back Marcus Ward had 126 yards.
Plano, however, relied heavily on the passing game. Lagow finished with 283 yards passing and two touchdowns. Hansen had six catches for 127 yards and a touchdown.
Gar. Lakeview
GARLAND — After completing 19 of 27 passes for 217 yards and a touchdown, Carson Hyles rushed for the game-winning 5-yard TD with 2:27 remaining as Rowlett claimed the final District 11-5A playoff spot at Homer B. Johnson Stadium.
After Lakeview (5-5, 2-4) tied it 29-29 on Brent Davenport's 1-yard touchdown run with 7:01 remaining, Rowlett (4-6, 3-3) took over on its 34. Rowlett marched 66 yards and took 4:34 off the clock before Hyles barged into the end zone.
Tyler Lee
ROCKWALL — Chase Schultz had 343 total yards and three touchdowns as Rockwall-Heath clinched a playoff spot by defeating Tyler Lee.
Tyler Lee scored its only points on a 22-yard field goal by Lumi Kaba. Bryce Wilkerson led the offense with 164 yards rushing.
LONGVIEW — Tory White rushed for 56 yards and two scores as Longview dominated Rockwall in the teams' District 12-5A regular-season finale. Longview will represent the district as the top seed in the Class 5A Division II playoffs.
Longview scored on five consecutive series in the first half after punting on its opening possession. White scored on runs of 2 yards and 1 yard, and Jamycal Hasty ran 50 yards for another score.
Cedar Hill
MIDLOTHIAN — Laquvionte Gonzalez ran 15 yards to tie the score with 37 seconds to go, and Brooks Ralph overcame a strong wind to deliver the extra point that gave Cedar Hill the victory in a game between playoff-bound teams.
Gonzalez led Cedar Hill with 129 yards rushing.
Midlothian's Justin Seeton scored four touchdowns.
Rich. Berkner
Skyline rang up 620 yards, including 427 on 37 carries, to beat Richardson Berkner in a District 9-5A game at Forester Stadium.
Quarterback Devante Kincade threw four touchdown passes, and seven players scored for Skyline (9-1, 7-0), the No. 8 5A team in SportsDay's area rankings.
S. Grand Prairie
Grand Prairie
GRAND PRAIRIE — South Grand Prairie rode the hot arm of Elijah Wright and the triple-threat rushing attack of Landon Grant, Laquinton Bailey and Louis Dailey to defeat crosstown rival Grand Prairie at the Gopher-Warrior Bowl.
South Grand Prairie scored on its first possession, then made it 14-0 when Keith Machekanyanga intercepted a Jaylen Fails pass on Grand Prairie's first play and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown.
RICHARDSON — Quarterback Jack Brezette connected with Orion Salters on a 46-yard scoring strike just 30 seconds into the game, and Jesuit (8-2, 5-2 District 9-5A) went on to defeat Richardson (4-6, 4-3) at Eagle-Mustang Stadium.
Brezette threw for five touchdowns, bringing his season total to 31. Jake Oliver caught six passes for 169 yards and touchdowns of 57 and 37 yards. Oliver has 1,095 yards receiving for the season.
Salters also caught six passes, for 127 yards, and had three touchdowns, one on an 8-yard run.
Lake Highlands
W.T. White
LAKE HIGHLANDS — Lake Highlands scored touchdowns on its first six possessions at Wildcat-Ram Stadium, one week after clinching a berth in the 5A Division II playoffs.
Elbert Landry had seven carries for a game-high 126 yards and three first-half scores for Lake Highlands (8-2, 6-1), which won its fifth straight game and held W.T. White to 143 yards of offense.
Rich. Pearce
Rhett Svetgoff threw for 251 yards and Geoffrey Nwarie rushed for 162 as Richardson Pearce rolled to the victory at Wilmer-Hutchins Stadium.
Hwarie scored on runs of 18 and 64 yards in the first quarter as Pearce opened a 27-0 lead.
Mes. Horn
North Mesquite
MESQUITE — Treyvon Marsh ran for 118 yards to lead Mesquite Horn's 299-yard rushing attack at Hanby Stadium.
IRVING — Running back Jourdan McNeill rushed 8 yards for the go-ahead touchdown in overtime to give Irving MacArthur a 35-34 victory over Irving. With the win, MacArthur (7-3, 5-2 in 6-5A) clinched a playoff spot.
McNeill rushed for 199 yards and five touchdowns. Quarterback Tyler Petrillo added 163 yards on the ground.
Jacobi Perry scored a touchdown for Irving (3-7, 3-4) in overtime. Irving tried a two-point conversion, but the pass attempt failed. Perry finished with 246 yards rushing and three touchdowns.
Keller Tim. Creek
Keller F. Ridge
KELLER — Cedric Dale ran for 103 yards on 25 carries with two touchdowns as Keller Timber Creek (4-6, 4-3 in 4-5A) earned its first postseason appearance by defeating Keller Fossil Ridge (3-7, 3-4).
Touchdowns by Dale and Mark Russell brought Timber Creek from behind. Dale added another touchdown for the final points.
COPPELL — The No. 4 Coppell Cowboys capped an unbeaten regular season.
The Cowboys (10-0) had already wrapped up the District 5-5A title before Friday's contest, but their offense got a tuneup. Coppell piled up 324 rushing yards and forced an early interception.
Big scoring runs from Charles West, Luke Jenner, Boris Mulume and Eric Stevenson helped put Lewisville away.
Coll. Heritage
Hurst L.D. Bell
BEDFORD — Quarterback Cody Thomas capped a 98-yard, final-minute drive with a 77-yard touchdown pass to Nathan Crouch as Colleyville Heritage won.
L.D. Bell (7-3, 4-3in 6-5A) drove the ball to the Colleyville Heritage (9-1, 6-1) 19-yard line, but quarterback Colson Romano's final pass was intercepted in the end zone. L.D Bell took the lead on a 60-yard Bryan James Run with 6:59 remaining, but the defense couldn't hold Thomas, who had 403 passing yards and five touchdowns.
Despite the loss, L.D. Bell qualified as the second seed in the Division II playoffs. Colleyville Heritage will be the top seed in Division II.
North Crowley
FORT WORTH — Needing a victory to gain a playoff berth, Arlington (8-2, 5-2 in 3-5A) clinched the top seed in Division II by jumping out to a 17-0 lead at the half.
Arlington's defense held North Crowley to 48 yards of offense while forcing and recovering two fumbles, all in the first half. Senior running back Brandon Washington had 141 yards on 13 rushing attempts including a 38-yard touchdown run with 8:09 left.
FM Marcus
CARROLLTON — Flower Mound Marcus tailback Court Prescott rushed for a game-high 216 yards and a touchdown, leading Marcus to a convincing 17-point win over Hebron to close out District 5-5A play for both teams.
FM Marcus (4-6, 3-2) had clinched a playoff berth before the game and will be the district's second seed in Division I.
Prescott threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Blake Bowling near the end of the first half to tie the score, 10-10. Prescott's 2-yard scoring run late in the third quarter put Marcus up to stay.
Hebron (6-4, 3-2) could have clinched the district's top seed in Division II but had few answers against a dominating Marcus ground game that finished with 287 yards.
Irving Nimitz
GRAPEVINE — Grapevine was led by two big plays from Riley Albus: a hook-and-lateral play that delivered a 48-yard touchdown and a 66-yard touchdown run.
Euless Trinity
Carr. R.L. Turner
CARROLLTON — Euless Trinity scored three touchdowns in a 1:03 span in the first quarter at Standridge Stadium.
Trinity (8-2, 7-0 in 6-5A) didn't get much of a tuneup before it opens the state 5A playoffs against Flower Mound Marcus at 2 p.m. Nov. 17 at Cowboys Stadium.
Most of the starters were pulled after a flurry of touchdowns in the first quarter, including two touchdown returns of interceptions in the span of three plays. John Maumalanga took the first interception 26 yards for a score. Fifty-six seconds later, Jaz Watkins jumped in front of a pass and scored from 14 yards out to put Trinity up, 21-0.
Arl. Sam Houston
ARLINGTON — Logan Guest scored on a 62-yard run, his second touchdown, to lead Weatherford from behind.
Justin Northwest
Keller Central
JUSTIN—Justin Northwest set a school 5A record with its eighth win. Dakota Chavis and Dylan Stubbe scored on touchdown runs for Northwest, and kicker Cayden Ihrig tacked on two field goals (40, 35).


text:
[Intro: Chris Wise]
[Verse 1: Chris Wise]
Look around
Blunt wrappers and crushed fillings
Became A blunt rapper just to crush villains
Come to our village
Behold slavery's effects upon our children
Plantation Politics!
Gave us all rocks, but no scholarships
We pop poison Ciroc to build our sorrows in
Got hung over, save ourselves tomorrow then
Turnin' tricks, clutching dicks
Told me she modeling?
Quicksand, tryna free my soul
Waterboards can't break our spirit
They said "Wise you was speaking too low"
Maybe y'all niggas just couldn't hear it!
Said "waddup" to death, couldn't fear it
Cuz that's the master plan
Copies of the new Blueprint?
I'm at the booth, cash in hand
Brooklyn: that's the home field
Bringing back that Attack of the Clones feel
My fam-lay sling rock and roll
No fronts when I'm talkin gold
Beast mode don't flinch
Talk slick, get pinched
See hawks stay watchin
The unwise get Lynched!
I remain at peace
But it's a war outside, don't sleep
Bodies drop, blood stain my cleats
Hi-steppin' in the primetime
I'm tryna stay clean!
Put my head down and just go
Put the lead down and just flow
Then I hope you can understand
These conflicts of a man
These conflicts of a man
These conflicts of a man
No pops there to hold my hand
No pops there to hold my hand
No pops there to hold my hand
When I stumbled out the gates
Now I'm picking up the pace
And my vision's getting clearer
Promised land getting nearer
Get my Swiss up, then jet to Geneva
Feds intercepting receivers
Trap crackers
But I'm Cam Newton
The Black Panther
And all my War Eagles is young bastards
Based in the struggle
To my Africans starving
I got you
And I love you
I got you
I love you
[Verse 2: Chris Wise]
One day I spoke with K-Dot
Other day built with Skateboard
Everyday build wit my grandmoms
Said "you only get what you pay for"
I never listened, and I'm paying for it
So many costly mistakes/
Ask Kobe how he lost that 8
Just a youngblood tryna find my way
Still broke but it's fine by me/
All this strife just temporary
Gimme til about February
I need that rent and I'm grind'n hard
Behind these bars is a boy still scarred
But The Man took charge and demanded some heart:
"It's war time, strap them boots on yo feet! Nigga!"
Whole hood smell like chitterlings
Gotta clean these guns up off the street!
And I'm off the beat 'cuz Plantation P is over
Bronx is burning, we got to leave
RIP Ramarley, we are you
And you are we
Still alive and I'm mostly free
Right on the frontlines, where I'm 'posed to be
No punchlines, no more jokes
Cleared my mind, no more smoke
You can't define this one of a kind
And I hate to rhyme but I gots to speak
I gots to be
I just got to be!
The man, the myth, the legacy
Spit recipes til the checks increase
And investments peak
I hope we see some brighter days
Playing in the streets, no right-of-way
Watch my brothers kill each other, tell me what the bible say
These are the survival days
Choose your side and find your way
You can follow me to Zion
Knowledge is the vital key
Knowledge is the vital key
Knowledge is the vital key


text:
Wilson bounces back after ailment changes routine
By Ken Gurnick / MLB.com
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Whatever undisclosed ailment kept Brian Wilson from pitching in Wednesday's exhibition game didn't keep him from appearing healthy while throwing in the bullpen on Thursday morning.
Wilson first played catch on flat ground with trainer Stan Conte before taking the bullpen mound for his session, with pitching coach Rick Honeycutt watching.
Earlier in the morning, bench coach Tim Wallach, acting as manager while Don Mattingly is absent due to a death in the family, was asked about Wilson and said, "As far as I know, he's fine."
On Wednesday, for the first time this spring, Wilson did not appear in the same game with Kenley Jansen, J.P. Howell and Chris Perez. Previously, all four appeared in the same game each of their five appearances.
Two days earlier, Wilson threw a pitch that alarmed Honeycutt, resulting in a mound visit by Mattingly and assistant trainer Greg Harrell.
Wilson remained in that game without taking a warmup pitch. He allowed two runs on two hits and was removed after two-thirds of an inning when he reached a 15-pitch limit. After the game, Mattingly said Wilson was fine.
Wednesday would have been the first time Wilson would have pitched on only one day of rest, as it was for Jansen, Howell and Perez.
Meanwhile, reliever Brandon League has gone three days without pitching in a game and is not listed to travel on Friday. The last time League pitched was with two days' rest. He was slowed early in camp with a strained lat muscle and has allowed five runs in 2 2/3 innings with four walks and one strikeout.
Arruebarrena arrives at Dodgers camp
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Erisbel Arruebarrena, the Cuban shortstop who signed with the Dodgers for $25 million last month, received his visa and arrived at Camelback Ranch on Thursday.
Wearing long-time coach Manny Mota's familiar No. 11 jersey, Arruebarrena posed for photos with Cuban teammates Yasiel Puig and Alex Guerrero.
"Wear that number with pride," Mota told him.
Arruebarrena deftly handled media questions, with answers focused on how happy he was to be with the Dodgers. He came to Arizona from Haiti via Miami, but would not discuss details of his departure from Cuba.
"I'm only worried about playing baseball," he said. "I'm really excited, not nervous. I'm going to get ready to play baseball. I'm happy to sign with the Dodgers."
Arruebarrena said he plays with a flair more like that of the theatrical Puig than the subdued Guerrero.
"It's typical of Latins," he said.
At the time of Arruebarrena's signing to a five-year contract, general manager Ned Colletti said he wouldn't be surprised if Arruebarrena arrived in the Major Leagues this year. But he also called Arruebarrena's offense "a work in progress."
He said he felt he was in shape to play now, but hasn't played regularly since the winter.
Arruebarrena, 23, posted a .276 batting average with 67 doubles, 25 triples, 27 homers and 171 RBI in 437 career games in six seasons for Cienfuegos in the Cuban Serie Nacional from 2007-13. He was a teammate of Puig's in 2010-11.
Dodgers vice president of international scouting Bob Engel compared Arruebarrena's defense to the late Mark Belanger, an eight-time Gold Glove winner with Baltimore.
Arruebarrena joins prospect Corey Seager and possibly Guerrero as another option for the Dodgers at shortstop if and when Hanley Ramirez gets a contract extension and moves to third base.
Arruebarrena is the latest of an ever-increasing emphasis by the Dodgers of signing international players, in general, and Cubans, in particular, especially after the stunning success of Puig. Because Arruebarrena has six seasons of professional experience in Cuba, he was not bound by international salary restrictions. The Dodgers now have one scout based in Florida, Mike Tosar, whose special assignment is Cuba alone.
The Dodgers last year signed Guerrero, who was penciled in to start at second base this year, although the natural shortstop has struggled in his transition to the other side of the bag.
Dodgers look to shore up defensive lapse
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The Dodgers were stung by delayed opponents pulling off stolen bases in back-to-back games, and acting manager Tim Wallach was glad to see it.
"That's two days in a row and I'm glad they showed us," said Wallach, who on Friday will hand the reins back to Don Mattingly, out for two days after a death in the family.
"Hanley [Ramirez, shortstop] knows. He said, 'That's me.' But it's not just Hanley, we all can look bad," Wallach said. "Obviously there's something out there, and they showed us that."
The stolen base on Thursday was by Reds catcher Brayan Pena, with Ramirez late to cover second base. On Wednesday, it was Arizona speedster Tony Campana.
Beckett plans to pitch through sprained thumb
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Dodgers pitcher Josh Beckett said he plans to make his Friday start against the Cubs despite a sprained right thumb.
"I don't want to fall behind," said Beckett. "I think I can get through it."
Beckett hurt the outside of his thumb when it was hit by an opening clubhouse door about 10 days ago. To that point, Beckett was having a healthy recovery from last year's thoracic outlet syndrome surgery.
In his last start Saturday night, Beckett was charged with five runs in three innings, allowing three home runs.
Beckett struggled through a bullpen session on Wednesday, restricted to throwing fastballs. As the fifth starter, Beckett is not expected to make the trip to Australia or a regular-season start for the Dodgers until the middle of April because of numerous days off in the schedule.
Kemp, Puig take hacks in intrasquad game
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Dodgers outfielders Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig, one rehabbing his ankle and the other working on his bat, played in a Minor League intrasquad game on Thursday at Camelback Ranch.
Kemp, continuing his comeback from ankle surgery, went 0-for-6 and played two half-innings in the outfield.
Puig went 4-for-10 with a home run and triple. Puig, who hit .517 last Spring Training, is hitting .176 without a home run in the Cactus League.
The pitchers they faced were Stephen Fife, Matt Magill, Chris Reed and Henry Sosa.
Ken Gurnick is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
(Today Case has its annual Martin Luther King celebration ceremony. Joan Southgate will be the speaker at Amasa Stone Chapel at 12:30pm. See here for more details.)
I have written before about the disturbing similarities between current US actions in Iraq and past US actions in Vietnam. Recently I went back and read the transcript of Martin Luther King's speech Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence delivered on April 4, 1967, at a meeting of Clergy and Laity Concerned at Riverside Church in New York City
The speech reinforced my sense of the similarities, both of the war and our responsibilities as individuals. Replace the names Vietnam with Iraq and China with Iran and the speech could be delivered today. It is quite eerie, really, showing how little we have learned from the past.
I have excerpted a few key segments below to give you a flavor of his ideas, but it was not easy because his whole speech reads like one long, smooth argument and to pick out bits is to destroy the flow of words and ideas that he had so carefully put together, so I urge everyone to read the whole thing.
I come to this magnificent house of worship tonight because my conscience leaves me no other choice. I join with you in this meeting because I am in deepest agreement with the aims and work of the organization which has brought us together: Clergy and Laymen Concerned about Vietnam. The recent statement of your executive committee are the sentiments of my own heart and I found myself in full accord when I read its opening lines: "A time comes when silence is betrayal." That time has come for us in relation to Vietnam.
The truth of these words is beyond doubt but the mission to which they call us is a most difficult one. Even when pressed by the demands of inner truth, men do not easily assume the task of opposing their government's policy, especially in time of war. Nor does the human spirit move without great difficulty against all the apathy of conformist thought within one's own bosom and in the surrounding world. Moreover when the issues at hand seem as perplexed as they often do in the case of this dreadful conflict we are always on the verge of being mesmerized by uncertainty; but we must move on.
Some of us who have already begun to break the silence of the night have found that the calling to speak is often a vocation of agony, but we must speak. We must speak with all the humility that is appropriate to our limited vision, but we must speak.
. . .
This I believe to be the privilege and the burden of all of us who deem ourselves bound by allegiances and loyalties which are broader and deeper than nationalism and which go beyond our nation's self-defined goals and positions. We are called to speak for the weak, for the voiceless, for victims of our nation and for those it calls enemy, for no document from human hands can make these humans any less our brothers.
. . .
At this point I should make it clear that while I have tried in these last few minutes to give a voice to the voiceless on Vietnam and to understand the arguments of those who are called enemy, I am as deeply concerned about our troops there as anything else. For it occurs to me that what we are submitting them to in Vietnam is not simply the brutalizing process that goes on in any war where armies face each other and seek to destroy. We are adding cynicism to the process of death, for they must know after a short period there that none of the things we claim to be fighting for are really involved. Before long they must know that their government has sent them into a struggle among Vietnamese, and the more sophisticated surely realize that we are on the side of the wealthy and the secure while we create hell for the poor.
Somehow this madness must cease. We must stop now. I speak as a child of God and brother to the suffering poor of Vietnam. I speak for those whose land is being laid waste, whose homes are being destroyed, whose culture is being subverted. I speak for the poor of America who are paying the double price of smashed hopes at home and death and corruption in Vietnam. I speak as a citizen of the world, for the world as it stands aghast at the path we have taken. I speak as an American to the leaders of my own nation. The great initiative in this war is ours. The initiative to stop it must be ours.
This is the message of the great Buddhist leaders of Vietnam. Recently one of them wrote these words:
"Each day the war goes on the hatred increases in the heart of the Vietnamese and in the hearts of those of humanitarian instinct. The Americans are forcing even their friends into becoming their enemies. It is curious that the Americans, who calculate so carefully on the possibilities of military victory, do not realize that in the process they are incurring deep psychological and political defeat. The image of America will never again be the image of revolution, freedom and democracy, but the image of violence and militarism."
If we continue, there will be no doubt in my mind and in the mind of the world that we have no honorable intentions in Vietnam. It will become clear that our minimal expectation is to occupy it as an American colony and men will not refrain from thinking that our maximum hope is to goad China into a war so that we may bomb her nuclear installations. If we do not stop our war against the people of Vietnam immediately the world will be left with no other alternative than to see this as some horribly clumsy and deadly game we have decided to play.
The world now demands a maturity of America that we may not be able to achieve. It demands that we admit that we have been wrong from the beginning of our adventure in Vietnam, that we have been detrimental to the life of the Vietnamese people. The situation is one in which we must be ready to turn sharply from our present ways.
Of course, even though the written words are powerful, Martin Luther King was famous for his oratory and one has to hear him speak to get the full effect. In the clip below of small excerpts of a similar speech given by him, you can sense why he was able to turn out hundreds of thousands of people to march for a cause.
The video clip begins with an annoying 30 seconds of Bill O'Reilly telling various people to shut up and that all of us who oppose the war should also shut up, before cutting to excerpts of MLK giving a speech on the Vietnam war and why it is the duty of everyone to not be quiet but to speak out against it.
Although that opening bit is annoying, the clip dramatized the sharp difference between the shallowness and meanness of people like O'Reilly and the deep and compassionate humanity of Martin Luther King.
I still cannot listen to King speak or read his speeches without feeling a deep sense of regret. That he was killed in 1968 at the young age of 39 has to be one of the greatest tragedies that the US suffered, because we missed the flowering of a great intellect. Who knows what he might have been able to achieve if he had lived a full life. He would have been just 78 now, younger than some of the people currently in public life.
King had a very rare combination of intellectual power, political activism (he was not a mere armchair theoretician), and a love of people and humanity. There is no doubt in my mind that he was the greatest American of the 20th century. No one else comes even close.
POST SCRIPT: The answer to the prayer question
On Tuesday, Mr. Deity explained why evil and suffering is necessary, on Wednesday he tried to explain to Jesus what the crucifixion was about, and yesterday, Mr. Deity finds that creating special effects is not as easy as it looks in the movies.
In today's final episode, Mr. Deity explains to Jesus what happens to all the prayers he receives. (Take a close look at the book Mr. Deity is reading at the beginning.)