text:
Cleveland Lighting, Lyndhurst, OH
After a fire destroyed its original showroom in 2009, Cleveland Lighting came back from the ashes with a facility that set a new standard for modern showroom design. Its ability to rebound and its vision of a new retail environment won the family-owned operation Showroom of the Year awards in 2010 and 2011. Cleveland Lighting remains a destination for customers who want to see the store up close and personal, but much of the excitement this past year happened behind the scenes in the area of online marketing.
Revamping the Cleveland Lighting brand with modern marketing tools has required letting go of tried-and-true business models, including the radio spots the showroom ran for years. A large percentage of the marketing budget was shifted from conventional to online media. Monthly search engine campaigns now boost website traffic and the company's growing e-commerce business, while also driving store sales.
A small team handles the big job of managing the various components of the new marketing program. Knowing the actual number of hits, conversion rates and the like gives the company keen insight into shopping habits, what customers are searching for online and which items catch their eye. Being able to quickly change course in real time when a particular item or campaign is not gaining much traction is a huge advantage.
While seemingly less personal, the company's new approach to marketing has also improved its ability to form relationships with new and existing customers, including those who live out of state or even in a different country. Monthly e-blasts keep customers connected and informed about Cleveland's latest product introductions, sales and in-store events. These communications, plus the website, are building a large, loyal fan base for Cleveland Lighting and the impact is benefitting both sides of the business. Breaking the marketing mold is indicative of the company's desire to be innovative and stay ahead of the curve. Yet some things never change; a motivated, dedicated staff continues to deliver the high level of customer service that made Cleveland Lighting what it is today.
Colonial Lighting, Sugar Hill, GA
From the day it opened its doors, providing excellent customer service has been a top priority at Colonial Lighting. The golden rule the company follows: Treat each customer the way you would want to be treated and get the job done right the first time. That credo has served Colonial Lighting well, earning this store the loyalty of many customers, and allowing it to grow and prosper.
Employee training is ongoing and six sales associates have earned ALA certification. Two are trained in interior design. The entire team is friendly, courteous and always willing to help, taking extra steps to prevent service issues. For example, each delivery is checked three times on paper before it leaves the showroom.
Walking through the 7,500-square-foot showroom, customers will find a wide array of lighting options and styles, including traditional, transitional and modern looks. There are many vignettes to see, each artfully arranged with lighting and accessories. Overhead fixtures are thoughtfully merchandised to enable customers to better see the product. As an example, a grouping of eight foyer fixtures was moved from a 16-foot-high ceiling to a 10-foot ceiling, bringing the lights down to eye level. The change drew positive comments from customers, who appreciated being able to take in the finish color, style and special details of these large-size lights.
Colonial Lighting is a one-stop shop, a source for not only lighting of all kinds but also fireplaces, garage doors, appliances and insulation. Outdoor living products are a relatively new addition, and the assortment includes items such as outdoor fans, grills, fountains, furniture — and lighting, of course. On the appliance side of the business, Colonial has expanded its offering with well-known brands including Viking, Whirlpool, KitchenAid, JennAir and Fhiaba, a high-end line from Italy. Colonial is the only retailer in the metro Atlanta market to carry Fhiaba's luxury refrigeration products. Adding these categories has paid off handsomely; Colonial Lighting's sales have grown by 50 percent in the past year.
Dulles Electric, Sterling, VA
Serving one of the wealthiest markets in the United States, Dulles Electric is the kind of lighting showroom where a $190,000 crystal chandelier really does not seem out of place.
In business since 1985, Dulles Electric operates an electric supply house and showroom that were relocated to the current location in Sterling, VA, in 2009. Immediately adjacent to the company's massive electrical counter and 25,000-square-foot "green" warehouse, the 12,000-square-foot lighting showroom attracts customers from throughout the National Capital Region and beyond. Many travelers flying in and out of nearby Dulles Airport stop by and buy goods. Stocking basics as well as extravagant designs, the showroom truly can serve every taste and budget.
The showroom's 3,000-square-foot Schonbek Gallery gives it bragging rights to the country's largest selection of Schonbek lighting. The gallery is also a staging ground for Swarovski fixtures; Dulles is Swarovski's sole dealer in the Mid-Atlantic. While not as large, the Hubbardton Forge Gallery also attracts homeowners and interior designers.
The company has worked hard to enhance its appeal to and relationships with the trade. Daytime classes that can earn interior designers and architects CEU credits are often held in the company's own training room. An elegantly catered meal is always served on these occasions, just another way Dulles Electric expresses its appreciation to these esteemed clients. Last October, the company and Home & Design magazine co-hosted "Designer Night Gala," a posh event in the showroom that provided cocktails, a fancy feast and a fabulous magician.
To serve its wide audience, Dulles Electric counts on its experienced, knowledgeable staff. With an average tenure of 15 years, the staff can help advise on design, selection and more. A fleet of trucks provides free delivery to the greater Washington, D.C., area. With a total facility that's 50,000 square feet, the showroom is able to stock a huge inventory, another customer benefit appreciated by homeowners and professionals alike.
House of Lights and Home Accents, Melbourne, FL
Even in the face of change, House of Lights and Home Accents has retained its motivation and enthusiasm as one of the area's oldest and largest lighting retailers. The company recently celebrated its 50th anniversary with a special sale that was promoted in ads — and on Facebook, a sign that an "old" dog can truly learn new tricks.
Marketing itself as Central Florida's premier home décor provider, House of Lights' 10,000-square-foot showroom carries a wide selection of lighting, portables, home accents and ceiling fans. It's a charter member of Lighting One, giving it the buying power of a larger operation. A new e-commerce option gives customers a look at
the showroom's full complement of products in the convenience of their own home or business.
With a staff comprised of many individuals who have been part of the team for 20 years, House of Lights is able to service Melbourne's residents with a high level of expertise. The staff can help customers make important decisions about their lighting, from where a fixture will be installed, how large or small it ought to be to suit that space and choosing the best materials for the area's humid sub-tropical climate. Delivery and installation services are available. An on-site shop makes repairs to lamps and chandeliers of all shapes and sizes, including precious heirlooms.
Product knowledge sessions are consistent and ongoing. Like many showrooms in the country, House of Lights has been adding more LED lighting to its merchandise selection and has invested in additional staff training to help its associates better understand this emerging new technology. To help customers get a better grasp of LED illumination, the showroom erected an educational display that compares solid-state lighting options with traditional light sources. The goal is to show LED's advantages and help soften the blow of the technology's higher price tag. As it says on the company's professionally produced website, "Our primary objective has always been to exceed the customer's expectations in everything we do. Our passion for this business is visible in everything we do."
The Lamp Outlet, Bono, AR
No other lighting showroom in the Mid-South region has a larger offering than The Lamp Outlet. The company also believes it has the region's friendliest, most knowledgeable staff, too. Eager to please and armed with a vast amount of information and experience, The Lamp Outlet staff is able to assist the wide variety of customers who visit the showroom daily, from homeowners to interior designers to builders to tourists just passing through on their way to an Ozarks vacation. A destination showroom of sorts, The Lamp Outlet does business with homebuilders located far beyond the Arkansas border. To launch the company's new commercial division, a specialist was hired to handle estimates.
The retail business is also strong, supported by 100 product vignettes in the showroom that express themes of quality and style. Always looking to be "on trend," the company asks vendors to recommend new products for its displays. Coordinated lighting and accessories featured in the vignettes make easy work out of creating the desired look. Salespeople are on hand to help in any way possible. Thanks to years of experience and ongoing training, they are able to answer nearly every lighting question. The team is diverse; some are technical experts, while others are talented designers. A separate service team takes care of items that arrive damaged or prove to have defects. The team also handles installation problems.
For those who prefer to shop at home or are just too far to come into the store, The Lamp Outlet maintains a robust e-commerce website that ships orders within 14 days or fewer. Orders of $75 or more are shipped free. Defective items are replaced at no cost to the customer. The same policy extends to The Lamp Outlet's close-out sale website.
An aggressive marketer, The Lamp Outlet also uses Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter to remain in the public eye. Television commercials, radio spots and print ads convey sharp pricing, vast selection and friendly, expert service. Located off a major highway, The Lamp Outlet has had good success with billboards, which bring in customers from near and far.
Lighting Designs, Loveland, CO
The company name tells the story: Lighting Designs & More sells a wide array of lighting and much more, including landscape lighting, furniture, decorative accessories, central vacuum systems, whole-house dimming systems and home theater equipment.
Locally owned and operated for 18 years, the company has been in its current location since 2004. It is the largest lighting showroom for miles around. With 16,000 square feet of selling space, the showroom is spacious, capable of displaying lines from more than 200 manufacturers and five complete demonstration rooms.
Customers walking through the Lighting Designs showroom encounter a life-size kitchen, home theater, media room, dining room and a landscape lighting area, each fully appointed to mimic the real thing. Merchandise displays throughout the showroom are updated every Saturday morning before the doors open, giving customers a nice weekend surprise 52 times a year.
From basic lighting design packages to lighting an entire custom home indoors and out to handling commercial projects, Lighting Designs is known in its market as a bona fide lighting specialist. Owner Frank Gale is the only Certified Lighting Consultant (CLC®) in the area and is leading the way toward greater energy efficiency in both homes and commercial settings. Gale recently received Lutron's coveted Radio RA2 Award for best residential and best commercial jobs of the year. He recently sent his staff to 15 military bases to help reduce each one's energy consumption by 50 percent. The company is also known for its compassion, offering discounts and donations to local families affected by wildfires last summer.
Lighting Designs is a strong believer in connecting with customers on many levels. It sends gift cards to people who have applied for building permits, participates in home shows, sponsors fun in-store events such as Las Vegas Night and maintains a large electronic billboard. The company's Facebook page has a lot of personality, complete with March Madness brackets, product photos and contests that encourage customers to post comments. The feedback is reviewed and synthesized to help Lighting Designs continue to improve all the more.
Northwest Lighting and Accents, Mount Prospect, IL
While most lighting showrooms worth their salt want to sell retail, commercial and trade customers, Northwest Lighting and Accents approaches these segments by analyzing and addressing the needs of each customer type.
The affiliate program, as one example, caters to interior designers, architects and builders. Benefits of taking part in the program include referral benefits and a personal login to the company website, where the professional can keep track of pricing and invoices. The program offers the use of a professionally designed office stocked with the latest lighting catalogs, a computer and telephone.
Going the extra mile seems to come naturally to Northwest Lighting and Accents, which has been in business for 13 lucky years. The two-story, 16,000-square-foot showroom has ample space to display a wide array of lighting, fans and accessories in a variety of styles and price points. Organized in sections by style and finish, the showroom is designed to make lighting selection easy.
In the past year, Northwest Lighting has focused on enhancing the customer service aspect of its business. The goal is to create the best possible experience for every customer, from the time he or she walks through the door to well after the project is complete. Feedback from online reviews, particularly any negative comments, was taken into account.
Customers said they were not being greeted fast enough, so a reception desk was positioned at the front entrance and staffed by customer service personnel who welcome and direct customers. A seating area furnished with designs customers can purchase turn the two-story entry into a cozy spot lighted by foyer fixtures. During busy hours, hand-held pagers let customers know when a salesperson is available. This has encouraged more browsing, which in turn has translated into more sales. The reception desk is now used for retail customer pick-ups rather than being the contractor counter. The pagers come in handy here, too, and are used to let people know their order is ready as they peruse the showroom.
Pace Lighting, Savannah, GA
This two-time Showroom of the Year Award winner believes its 18,500-square-foot showroom represents the future of all brick-and-mortar lighting showrooms. Intended to provide a one-of-a-kind shopping experience, Pace takes care to display each fixture on the ceiling or on a wall as it would be used in a real home setting. A lighting control system allows sales associates to isolate any fixture, helping customers envision its beauty and illumination. Displayed in themes or meaningful vignettes by room type, the 2,500 fixtures featured throughout the showroom can be appreciated individually, a vast departure from the "sea of fixtures" image of lighting showrooms in the past.
Even behind-the-scenes aspects of the business are leading-edge, from the free wireless internet service available throughout the store to the geothermal heating and cooling system. Priding itself on being the only full-service lighting showroom in southern Georgia and coastal South Carolina, Pace Lighting provides an integrated shopping experience. The company designs, selects product, installs and repairs fixtures of all types, and provides free delivery to homes and commercial job sites. From lamps and ballasts to decorative fixtures, smoke alarms and chimes, Pace has every lighting-related type of product, plus the know-how to help customers solve any lighting challenge.
This past year has been a time to re-group, re-focus and re-establish. Lower pricing went into effect in early 2013 to combat internet sellers. A super-discounted Close-Out Corner moves aging inventory quickly. The company dropped the words "Designer Showroom," rebranding itself simply Pace Lighting, to remove any impression its goods were strictly high-priced.
The moves seem to be working; Pace Lighting feels it has emerged from the recession ready to grow and prosper as the market returns to normal levels. Sales have increased 18 percent, enough to move the company into a higher Showroom of the Year dollar-volume category. The turnaround has brought new energy and vigor to the entire staff, which in turn will surely continue to help the business grow.
Passion Lighting, Grapevine, TX
Winner of the 2012 Showroom of the Year Award in this category, Passion Lighting entered again this year with news on a number of fronts. Yet the 9,000-square-foot showroom's "passion for everything lighting" is firmly in place, reflected in a vast product selection, innovative displays, creative marketing and sales professionals who are talented, enthusiastic and highly knowledgeable.
Finding new and creative ways to expose the company to new customers while meeting the needs of existing customers is a daily mission for the people of Passion Lighting. This year, the company is implementing the most comprehensive marketing plan in its six-year history. With funds that represent a 50 percent increase over last year's marketing budget, Passion Lighting is investing in Web communications, print advertising, signage, online videos and events. Already it has started to use Facebook, Flickr, Pinterest and Houzz, with a goal to boost its e-mail database by 100 percent over the next year or so. Traditional print media is also part of the mix, destined to help launch Passion Lighting's new ad campaign. New brochures and a new store signage program round out the effort.
Passion Lighting changes at least 75 percent of its displays within a year. A new Media Center area gave the showroom a new look and feel, while adding a functional work area to boot. It is now being updated to include LED lighting displays.
Thanks to these and other innovations, last year Passion Lighting had record sales. But even in its early days when it was losing money, the company donated a percentage of sales to Cook Children's Medical Center and continues to do so. Other causes Passion funds are two national organizations, Wounded Warriors and Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The company also supports roughly 25 charity auctions with product donations, including two very significant items for the Cattle Baron's Ball. The items raised well over $1,000 that went to the American Cancer Society. The feedback from customers who attended the event was so positive, the company plans to repeat the donation again this year.
Uni-Lite, Anaheim, CA
Whether you come in to buy a single flush mount or enough lighting to fill an entire house, you will be treated the same way at Uni-Lite. Employees go out of their way to make sure customers are satisfied in every way. Even if the decision results in a smaller sale, Uni-Lite sells what the customer truly needs. Everyone on the sales staff makes a point of following up on a sale, which seems like a no-brainer but is increasingly rare in the busy lighting retail world.
Quite large for a Southern California retail operation, the 9,000-square-foot showroom and adjacent 32,000-square-foot warehouse have been home since 1978 when the company first opened. Back then, the customer base was tract builders; today the base has broadened to include homeowners, interior designers and high-end homebuilders. The company maintains a large inventory so customers can see and touch product and then, in most cases, take it home that day.
Known for having the freshest mix of new lighting designs, Uni-Lite is constantly moving around displays and adding new products as soon as they become available. The very newest goods are placed near the front door for all to see. Fabrics and wallcoverings used in displays are changed regularly to keep the colors and textures up-to-date. In recent months, the company has invested in updating the showroom with new displays and new carpeting. New motion sensors save energy and enhance the showroom's "green-ness."
Behind the scenes, Uni-Lite is in the process of improving its website with new colors and graphics, and a shopping cart option. The updated website will be accessible in the store, but not relied upon exclusively as a sales tool. "We have been told by customers, 'I am here to see the product, I can look at it at home online,'" the company's entry statement explains. To prime the pump, the company has updated its Google and Yelp pages and has been working on search engine optimization tactics to draw customers to its existing website and the showroom itself. Print ads in Luxe magazine's Orange County edition are consuming budget dollars formerly allocated to Yellow Pages ads.


text:
Inbox: Who will occupy No. 2 spot in batting order?
Beat reporter Bill Chastain answers questions from Rays fans
By Bill Chastain / MLB.com
How could you pencil in Kelly Johnson in the second slot with his miserable strikeout record? Yunel Escobar makes contact and doesn't strike out much. He should bat second.
-- Scott C., Jackson, Tenn.
I like your thinking about Escobar being the No. 2 hitter and that will likely happen a lot this season. But I don't like him hitting second against Jason Hammel, whom I suspect will be the Orioles' Opening Day starter -- which I pointed out while making up the lineup. Not only is Escobar a right-handed hitter, he also is 2-for-15 (.133) with three strikeouts against Hammel in his career. Conversely, Johnson is 6-for-20 (.300) with a home run, a double and two RBIs against Hammel. Your point about Johnson's strikeouts is proven in these numbers, as well as Johnson's eight career strikeouts against Hammel.
In addition, I also like putting the left-handed-hitting Johnson in front of Evan Longoria because Johnson can hit for power, which might give Longoria a little protection. But again, as I pointed out in my answer to the question in my last Inbox, manger Joe Maddon is likely to do anything with his lineup. He might like the way Escobar's swing path is suited to Hammel's pitches and put Escobar in the second spot. So I'm just guessing and such guesses make this time of year fun, don't they?
The Rays are usually a good fielding small-market team. Last year they struggled a little with defense because of injuries. Do you expect Tampa Bay to be able to get back to where its defense used to be when it was a postseason team?
-- Taylor L., Bradenton, Fla.
Have a question about the Rays?
E-mail your query to MLB.com Rays beat reporter Bill Chastain for possible inclusion in a future Inbox column. Letters may be edited for brevity, length and/or content.
Last season, the Rays became the first team since the 1945 Washington Senators to lead the American League in ERA (3.19) and finish last in fielding (114 errors). Tampa Bay went from first in the AL in fielding in 2011 to last in '12. The last team to do that was the 2005-06 Angels. So yes, there was a profound decline on the defensive side last season. Now, having noted that decline, I think it's fair to point out that much of that decline could be attributed to injuries, which forced players to play out of position more than they normally would have.
In particular, not having Longoria at third base for much of the season really hurt the defense. Looking at this year's team, the infield appears to be shored up with the additions of Escobar at shortstop and James Loney at first. And the outfield looks good with Matt Joyce, Desmond Jennings, Ben Zobrist and Sam Fuld. So I believe the team can see a return to the defensive excellence it has enjoyed in the past.
I had the good fortune to call a game behind the plate when Jamey Wright was in high school in Oklahoma. Ever since that day, I have been a huge fan. What do you think of his chances are in earning a spot in the bullpen this season?
-- Joe M., Kansas City
In January, the Rays signed Wright to a Minor League contract with an invitation to Major League camp in Spring Training. The 38-year-old right-hander is a 17-year Major League veteran who has a 4.89 ERA over 592 career appearances (246 starts). In 2012, he went 5-3 with a 3.72 ERA in 66 relief outings for the Dodgers.
Wright transitioned to a full-time role in the bullpen in 2008 and has compiled a 4.15 ERA in 357 2/3 innings pitched since then, the second-most relief innings in the Major Leagues in that span. Now, what do I think his chances are of earning a spot in the bullpen? I would answer that Wright has a decent chance based on the history of Maddon's bullpens. Seems like every year, a veteran arm signs a Minor League deal and leaves camp as a member of that season's bullpen. In almost every case, that pitcher has done well, too.
Many of my fellow Rays fan friends feel that Jeff Niemann is a bust and should somehow be traded for whatever they can get for him. I have always been in awe of Jeff's pitching performances when he is healthy. He has so many good pitches and seems to have the movement to make batters look foolish at the plate. I feel if Jeff could put together a full healthy season, he could be a Cy Young candidate. What do you think?
-- Nick G., Bradenton, Fla.
Based on what I've seen of Niemann, I'm more on your side of the fence. While last year's injury can be considered plain old bad luck when he got hit on his right leg by a line drive and came away with a fractured fibula, he has been injured a lot during his career. But like I said, I'm with you on this one since I have seen Niemann dominate on many occasions. I can't think of another pitcher in the Major Leagues who can create the downward angle that Niemann does with his pitches -- it's almost like he's releasing his pitches from the top of a mountain. Of course, he's got to be able to pitch to do that. So Rays fans just have to hope Niemann will be healthy this season. He's about due to have a pain-free season.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Digital Juice announced today that it has released Juice Drops® Collection One: clearINTENT, the first in a series of new and expanded layered Photoshop® graphics collections. These new Collections will each contain over 400-layered images delivered in a wide variety of styles, themes, looks and size formats. This first offering, Juice Drops Collection One: clearINTENT, takes its inspiration primarily from the existing Digital Juice Fonts library with many of its illustrations designed to support the addition of DJ Fonts headlines and text layouts. The resulting collection contains more than 400 original customizable images in a useful text template format. "Our focus the last three years has been on rapidly developing our motion design and compositing products," says David Hebel, Founder and CEO of Digital Juice. "That's why you haven't seen any new print and graphics products lately. We are now getting back to our roots and plan to release a host of new video and print graphics products starting with the relaunch of the Juice Drops line." What are Juice Drops? The Juice Drops library is a collection of royalty-free layered backgrounds and illustrations that are completely customizable. Often described as "Art You Take Apart" each background is a finished complete graphic, delivered with all the original layers intact for easy customization for any type of design use — from billboards to web pages, from motion graphics to print advertising and packaging applications. Artists can use the graphics flattened in their original composition or they can mix and combine layers from different backgrounds to create new and unique looks. The new Juice Drops layered Photoshop files are at least 20"x11.25" at 300 DPI so even the smallest element is shown in great detail. Each individual Juice Drop image contains an average of 10-20 layered elements so designers can tweak, delete, rearrange, colorize, scale, mix and add layers as needed. Video editors and motion graphics artists can use Juice Drops as full screen backdrops or as scrolling and panning backgrounds to support other motion elements. They can also take individual layers from the illustrations to animate and use as hero elements in show opens or promotional spots. New and Expanded Unlike the older Juice Drops volumes, which had up to 100 layered images per volume, each new Juice Drops collection will contain 400 or more brand new layered files. The previous incarnation of the line also focused each volume on a specific style or theme, whereas the new collections contain a wider variety of styles, themes, looks and size formats (landscape and portrait, square and rectangular) within each package. To make the images even more useful, image sizes were increased and the illustrations are now delivered at resolutions up to 6000 x 3375 pixels (20" x 11.25" @ 300dpi). This makes them perfect for billboards, vehicle wraps and other large format printing projects. In Collection One: clearINTENT, artists will find an impressive collection of stylized backgrounds and illustrations that are aesthetically pleasing and conveniently organized into 36 completely useful themed categories such as Culture, Concept, Emotion, Material, People, Music, Industry, Nature, Food & Drink, Sports, Entertainment and Season, to name a few. The range of artistic styles used to render these illustrations includes Watercolor, Sketch, Airbrush, Crayon, Pen & Ink, Stained Glass and more. Many of these new backgrounds were inspired by Digital Juice's DJ Fonts product line. The company even includes a matching font texture file that artists can add to their DJ Fonts' texture library, thereby expanding their custom font options at the same time. "One thing you can be sure of is that the new Juice Drops Collections are designed with just as much care for quality and usefulness as ever," says Digital Juice Senior Creative Director, Jacqui Dawson. "These illustrations come from the same talented team of artists that worked on over 70 volumes of the original Juice Drops and 10 volumes of Digital Juice Fonts." Browse, Search & Select Digital Juice® provides a free Windows® and Mac® utility, Juicer™ 3, that makes it easy to browse, search, and select from any of the Juice Drops™ Collections. Juicer™ 3 layered preview technology allows users to preview the layers within the Juicer™ 3 browser without having to load the full resolution file into Photoshop® to see the layers. In addition to using the layered Photoshop® files right off the disc, Juicer™ 3 technology allows users to render an image from disc to hard drive into most major file formats including JPEG, PNG, TGA, TIF, PSD, and BMP. Pricing & Availability The new Juice Drops™ Collection One: clearINTENT can be ordered through Digital Juice's online store (http://www.digitaljuice.com) or by calling the company's customer service center toll-free at 800-525-2203. Individual collections retail for $349.95 each but can often be purchased in special promotions for as much as 40% off. Check the website for details on specials. The company's free Juicer™ 3 software can be found at http://www.digitaljuice.com/juicer/


text:
The Walking Dead 3.06 "Hounded" - RATE IT!
Hey you! Reader! Want to be a part of the GREATEST COMIC BOOK AND GEEK COMMUNITY on the web?! Well, they're not accepting new members, but we'll take anyone here, so why not sign up for a free acount? It's fast and it's easy, like your mom! Sign up today! Membership spots are limited!*
*Membership spots not really limited!
by Wally Brando » Mon Nov 19, 2012 3:07 pmGuy just wants some strange.
by Miracloman » Mon Nov 19, 2012 3:39 pm
Ah,I somehow missed that,thanks.
by Windom URL » Mon Nov 19, 2012 3:43 pmDid anyone watch the Talking Dead show? Who was the idiot on there with Sarah Silverman? He had a lot of dumb theories.
by Miracloman » Mon Nov 19, 2012 3:49 pm
For whatever measure of "normalcy" Andrea may represent.
by Royal Nonesuch » Mon Nov 19, 2012 4:14 pmThis was the best episode of the series yet.
by Grayson » Mon Nov 19, 2012 4:19 pm
Eh, I agree with you but I guess normal in this situation would mean that Andrea is a female that isn't dead?
by holtom2000 » Mon Nov 19, 2012 6:38 pmI liked it. They can't all be like 5stars but lots was set up
by Windom URL » Mon Nov 19, 2012 7:45 pmI watched it again tonight, I could see going to a 7.
Still hated the guilt phone.
by xshane666x » Mon Nov 19, 2012 10:08 pm
He's from that shitty Good Charlotte band. I'm stunned that 2 people gave that episode a 10. What was extra amazing?
by Wally Brando » Mon Nov 19, 2012 10:17 pmThe fact that so many gave a very good episode a 6 made me bump mine up to a 10.
by xshane666x » Mon Nov 19, 2012 11:40 pmIt deserved a 6 haha and if you really didn't think it was a 10 cheating to make it seem like people liked it better seems very politician esque of you.
Seriously though, why try to rig a vote? Let's have an honest result. There's a reason so many (myself included) rated it low. It was mediocre for this show. Every other episode this season I've given a 10 or 9 but this episode was not anything fantastic or even very good.
by GiveWarAChance » Tue Nov 20, 2012 12:41 amI'll make up for it by bringing my score down by one next week.
by Wally Brando » Tue Nov 20, 2012 12:59 am
I gave it a 9 originally. I liked it a lot.
by 3MJ » Tue Nov 20, 2012 6:12 am
You are such a little girl.
by Wisdom000 » Tue Nov 20, 2012 9:01 amLoved this episode... The beginning of Rick going apeshit, just going all murderdeathkill on some zombies. I didn't even mind the phone bit, because it looks like they got it completely out of the way in one episode, rather than drag the stupid out over 3 issues like the comic.
Daryl as always is the ultimate survivor, though he is now tied for first place with Michonne for best character on the show...
Oh Michonne, you terrific sweet badass... even covered in rotten entrails you are beautiful. At first I thought you were just ok with the sword, because you were just fighting slow ass zombies with it... but christ girl, you are absolute badass. Sexy I would say if I wasn't afraid saying so would get my head cut off.
Hershel has come a long way to being one of my favorite characters, and the inmates are coming along nicely. Oddly enough, I wasn't even upset to see Carol still alive. Though of the core cast, she is the one person I think is the most expendable. Its probably the hair.
Andrea, you stupid stupid fool... what is it with you and your willingness to let the most fucked up men you meet fill you with their yogurt? I know its the whole "bad guy" thing... but fuck, crazy is like spanish fly to her. I would say she is weakly written, but I have known far too many women who act just like her. Still, Andrea cannot die fast enough for me... with Lori gone she is my new most hated character... and really the only female left on the show I just can't stand... which means she will probably be around forever.
There is no secret as to why the Governor wants to keep her, and Michonne for that matter around. They are breeding stock to him. Which while evil as fuck, makes sense. Michonne was too strong, too wild, so he had to let her go, but Andrea was never gonna leave and he knew that. The actor playing him is doing a brilliant job with the character nice guy exterior just seething menace and evil underneath the surface... I can't imagine thats an easy thing to pull off, but he does it well.
Dammit, what the governor did to Rick and Michonne better not happen to Glen and Maggie. Behind Daryl and Michonne they are the reason I watch the show, and they are the only couple I can stand. Glenn needs his hands... and Maggie... As horrible as it is to say, what happened in the comic was horrible, but that was to Michonne, who was strong enough to overcome it. I do not think Maggie is strong enough, and I think if the same thing happens to her, it will shatter her completely. Hopefully the producers learned something from the backlash when it happened in the comics and plan to go a different route for both characters. Something like that isn't really something that needs to be on the show anyway. Yes its a horrible future full of horrible people, but this is still television. When it happened on SOA it was horrible enough, that's not a line that needs to get crossed again on television anytime soon.
Regardless it will be interesting to see how Rick deals with Michonne after the distrust he showed the prisoners, and the recent events that stemmed from that.
leave a comment with facebook
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: BarrySagittarius, FaceBook [Linkcheck], Google [Bot] and 24 guests


text:
The Perfect BlendTimothy Seelig - Shawnee Press
The Perfect BlendTimothy Seelig - Shawnee Press
From the basics of posture and breathing to the final bow of your concert, The Perfect Blend takes you on an entertaining ride through vocal and choral technique. The book is full of warm-ups, old and new. It is organized in two parts: The Voice and The Choir. Its fresh, physical approach to singing focuses on vocal and choral tone; vocal and choral technique. The author asks, "Who should read this book? Anyone who sings; anyone who conducts; anyone whose warm-ups need a B-12 shot; anyone who is interested in new ways to approach vocal study; anyone looking for rehearsal tips; anyone who is open to new programming ideas; my Mom." Timothy Seelig's humorous writing style is an absolute delight to read!
Select a Product
My Library
This item appears on the following festival lists:
Powered by Rating-System.com


text:
No Hidden Fees - No Credit Card Surcharges - Low Shipping Rates
Images shown may not be an exact representation of the actual product.You may contact us if you have questions about the exact specifications of this item.
The CZ Sporter is the first shotgun from CZ-USA specifically designed for Sporting Clays and FITASC competition.
The CZ Sporter is CZ-USA's most beautiful gun, equipped with a grade 3 Turkish walnut stock from the factory. Don't let the looks fool you though, this gun was built for action!
Purpose-built for Sporting Clays, this fine gun offers everything a clay shooter would want in a competition gun. The adjustable comb on the full-size target stock provides a wide range of adjustability to fit most shooters. The Sporter is completely engraved by hand and has a deep black chrome finish. The trigger is set to break at approximately 4-5 lbs., making it perfect for precision shooting.
Impact Guns is the gun shop for all your shooting needs. We offer a wide selection of firearms, including: handguns, shotguns, rifles, ammunition, rifle scopes and optics, as well as collectible machine guns and other NFA/Class 3 guns. Impact also services the needs of law enforcement and military with our wide variety of tactical weapons and accessories. Shop online through our 256-bit Secure Sockets Layer encrypted online gun store 24 hours a day!


text: If he does leave via free agency we are sure gonna miss this guy. IMO when he's healthy he is one of the best young safeties in the game. I like Rolle also, but if it were a choice to keep one or the other I would keep Kenny. KP and Stevie Brown would be fine as the starting safeties with Will the thrill Hill coming in on 3 safety sets. Sash is a good special teams player and reserve safety. Here's a quick highlight vid I found on youtube...I didn't realize KP hit that hard. whoever makes these highlight vids if your on these boards great job!


text:
Losing pounds & gaining happiness
O'Neal Hampton remembers the nights he used to spend lounging on the couch at his Richfield, Minn., home with a bag of potato chips by his side and "The Biggest Loser" playing on the television in front of him.
Little did he know at the time, he would eventually become a contestant on the show alongside his daughter, SunShine Hampton.
The pair was featured on the ninth season of the popular NBC reality television series, which aired from January to May in 2010.
Two years later and 285 collective pounds lighter, they're anxious to share their success stories with others who have struggled to lose weight. They do so by traveling throughout the country speaking to crowds of people who may be in the same boat they once were.
During one of their most recent public discussions, O'Neal stressed that he and his daughter don't judge people with unhealthy lifestyles -- not even five years ago they were in the same position -- and instead offered tips and encouragement to people who may be interested in losing weight and improving their health.
"The quickest way to get out of a hole that you've dug for yourself is to stop digging," he said.
It took several hundred pounds of weight gain before O'Neal was able to understand that fact. He said when he weighed 250 pounds he thought he'd never get to 300. Then, when he reached 300 pounds he never thought he'd see 350. O'Neal eventually found himself tipping the scales at 420 pounds, and he knew that food wasn't completely to blame.
"Four-hundred twenty pounds is a byproduct of something else going wrong in your life," O'Neal said, mentioning things like relationships and jobs.
When he finally realized it was time to start making positive changes in his life, O'Neal became a contestant on "The Biggest Loser" with then-24-year-old SunShine. Her weight loss journey began at 275 pounds, a number she wasn't proud to see.
"It was my ultimate low when I stood on that scale," SunShine said about her first weigh-in on the show. "That was by far the hardest thing I've ever had to do."
Still, she's glad she did because the strict exercise routine and limited diet the Hamptons stuck to during filming has influenced their lifestyles long after leaving the "Biggest Loser" ranch house.
In addition to daily trips to the gym for hour-long workouts or more, O'Neal and SunShine fill their diets with protein and vegetables, and control their portion sizes to maintain healthy lifestyles.
"Lean and green is what they say on the ranch," SunShine said, adding that she and her dad do a lot of their own cooking so they know exactly what's going into their bodies.
But that's not to say the pair has completely eliminated junk food like their favorite desserts. The two simply tack on extra exercise to make up for additional calories consumed.
"Temptation is just as common as a cold," O'Neal said. "When I don't eat healthy food I pay for it the next day in the gym -- and I pay hard."
Exercise and nutrition are primary factors in getting on the path to a healthy lifestyle, but overall, both Sunshine and O'Neal agreed it's the support from each other that has gotten them as far as they are.
"We all need someone who will fight with us through thick and thin no matter the situation," O'Neal said.


text:
McCartney left disappointed by foot skills
The Western Bulldogs' start to the preseason did not satisfy coach Brendan McCartney, who was disappointed with his side's foot skills in both of its matches of the NAB Cup on Friday night.
McCartney was pleased with his players' work rate and willingness to play-on during the second match against Collingwood, but thought they had used the ball poorly, especially towards the end of each quarter.
The Bulldogs lost by 26 points to Essendon in their first match, with midfield recruit Nick Lower among their better players. They led Collingwood by two points at half-time in game two, but fell away to lose by three goals.
"There was some good and some bad. I think if you were sitting there watching the game you would have been disappointed with how we kicked the ball at times," said McCartney.
"When fatigue set in and the opposition put defensive pressure on us we didn't use it that well. We gave up goals late in quarters. Sometimes you've just got to hang in there for the last three or four minutes and that's something we've go to get better at."
McCartney stressed that it was very early in the pre-season, but said that while the Dogs had found a way to create more scoring opportunities by playing on with greater haste and improving their defence in game two, they needed to learn how to hang in games for longer periods.
"I don't like making mistakes. I don't like seeing our players make mistakes and nor do they. At times it's technical craft, at other times it was decision making with what the opposition were doing, but it is early," he said.
"It's probably not a night to read too much into anything, apart from that we want to be better with the ball and we've got to be stronger and more competitive late in quarters.
"We wanted to play better than we did. We were disappointed with the end of the first game, especially the end of the quarters. We wanted to play better and we'll need to."
Get the Morning Edition
Sign up for our daily wrap of the news you need to start your day.


text:
Accused rapists to testify against others
DELHI: Two of the five alleged Delhi gang rapists have tried to turn police informant in order to lessen any sentence that they might receive.
Pawan Gupta and Vinay Sharma refused legal aid and offered to ''turn approver'', appearing as prosecution witnesses in the case.
They have said they will testify against their fellow accused in their trial, which is expected within days. But even if they did testify against the other three men - Ram Singh, his brother Mukesh and Akshay Thakur - it appears unlikely it will win them any mitigation.
Indian media quoted a senior policeman associated with the case: ''Even if they turn approver, it does not change our position right now, nor would it affect the outcome of the case vis-a-vis their culpability. They will be awarded commensurate punishment if held guilty along with the others.''
Police have asked for the death penalty for all five men.
The five men - a sixth alleged attacker is a minor and will appear before a juvenile court - were expected to appear in court for the first time on Monday afternoon, Delhi time.
Their case will be the first sent to a newly inaugurated ''fast-track'' court, created to hear sex assault cases more swiftly than India's overburdened and bureaucratic criminal courts.
The six are accused of luring the 23-year-old woman and her boyfriend onto a bus before locking the doors and beating the boyfriend unconscious with an iron bar. They then turned on the woman, bashing her with the bar and taking turns gang-raping her for more than 40 minutes.
Get the Morning Edition
Sign up for our daily wrap of the news you need to start your day.


text:
I've got June 19 circled on the calendar because that's when we begin our Interleague series with the Texas Rangers, my younger brother Willie's team.
The fact that Willie and I are pitching in the big leagues brings a lot of pride to our family. Our parents are both tremendously proud, but it's also exciting for me, as the older brother, to see Willie in the big leagues.
He's with Texas this year and he's pitching really well (2.92 ERA over 24 2/3 innings). I can't wait to play them.
Last year, when he was with Minnesota, we had some special Eyre jerseys made up when we played against each other. Literally, the jerseys were half Twins and half Cubs and it had both of our numbers on the back. This time it will be half Rangers and half Cubs. Otis, our clubhouse guy, got me two jerseys, they cut them in half, and a lady at Majestic Athletic was really nice and offered to do it. That helps make it fun.
Last year was Willie's first season in the Majors after a lot of years in the Minors. He earned a spot in the Twins' bullpen coming out of Spring Training. I found out about it by reading a report on the Internet, but he hadn't been told yet. When he did finally call to tell me, I asked if he was traded. It took a minute for him to realize that I was goofing around, then we had a real nice moment. I shed a tear or two.
I asked Greg Maddux how it was with him and his brother Mike, and he told me it was pretty special for them, too. After all, you grow up together playing Wiffle Ball in the front yard and then all of a sudden I get to watch him on TV pitching against the Yankees. I ordered MLB.TV so I could watch him all the time on the Web.
As pitchers, our biggest difference is that he throws right-handed and I throw left-handed. Or, as I tell him, I throw with the right hand and he throws with the wrong hand. Seriously, I'm not sure how that happened. My dad maybe tried to make me left-handed as a kid, but I don't do anything else left-handed. I kick right-footed, I bowl right-handed and I shoot a gun right-handed. It's weird.
My dream now is to play on the same team as him. Even if it were for one game, I wouldn't care. I would love to sit in the bullpen with him. To do something like that for a whole or even a part of a summer would be incredible.
My ultimate brother scenario would be to pitch back-to-back. Last year when he was with the Twins we got to pitch in the same game, but to throw in the same inning on the same team -- where he would be asked to get out a right-handed batter and then I came in and go after a left-handed better -- would be as good as it can get.
Scott Eyre is a veteran of 11 big-league seasons with four teams. Last year, his first with the Cubs, he posted a 3.38 ERA over 74 contests. Willie, who is six years younger than Scott, pitched in 42 games last year with the Twins and now is in his first season with the Rangers.
MLBPLAYERS.com is the official Web site of the Major League Baseball Players Association. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
i saw the new tinkerbell movie and it was adorable. Did anyone else see it.
I loovvvee disney i still watch disney channel.. even though i hate hannah montana.. mostly miley cyrus.. but yeah i love selena gomez and demi.
well yeah from classic disney my fav movie is sleeping beauty and my fav princess is belle lol random yeah


text:
Name: princessbipolar
House: Ravenclaw
Title: Wedding Anniversary
Ratings/Warnings: 3rd-5th years
Of all days, it had to be today. For once, Harry had planned a superb party for their wedding anniversary coupled with some tennis games just to make up to her.
It had been wonderful until the dreaded rain arrived. Ginny silently wondered if this was a sign that her marriage was failing lately- the cycles of fights, the refusal to share a bed together and the endless arguing.
Maybe this was a sign. A really bad one. Ginny sighed forlornly.
Rain or no rain. She still has to go down and face her husband all the same.
Oh bother.


text:
Refs: Meyer & Downing, chapter 5
Engel, chapter 6
The Java Virtual Machine Specification, Second ed., section 4.9
When a Java class file is loaded from an untrusted site, it is first verified. To insure system security --- to keep incorrect or malicious programs from harming the system --- it is important that Java programs be thoroughly checked. This checking could be done at execution time, but that would slow things down signficantly. The verifier tries to do as much checking as possible at load time, thus minimizing the impact on run time.
The verifier first checks that the structure of the Java class file is correct. Once that is checked, it applies the bytecode verifier to the code of each method.
The bytecode verifier makes some straightforward checks which can be applied separately to each instruction; for example,
For straight-line code, the process is straightforward. The verifier begin with the stack empty; the local variables that correspond to method parameters are initialized to the types of those parameters, while the other local variables are marked uninitialized. The verifier then steps through the instructions, first checking that the initial state is valid for the instruction, and then updating the type information for the stack and local variables appropriately. (For example, for an iadd the top two items on the stack must be ints; the iadd replaces this with a single int.)
For code with branches, the bookkeeping is more complicated:
mark the first instruction; annotate it with the initial stack and variable stateHere, matching generally means identity: if an instruction can be reached in two or more ways, the state of the stack must be the same regardless of the path. This excludes some potentially safe JVM code sequences, but this restriction is imposed to make verification feasible. [Two states can also match if they contain object types which are different but can be unified -- if they are subclasses of a common class.]
while some instruction is markedpick a marked instruction
check that stack and variables are valid for that instruction
update stack and variables
identify instructions which can follow this instruction; for each such instruction,if it is not marked, mark it and annotate it with stack and variable state
if it is marked, check that new stack and variable state match earlier annotation
In addition, the verifier checks that each newly created object is initialized exactly once, and is not used until it has been initialized.
Note that, because references to other classes (method invocations and field references) must carry their own type information, it is possible to verify each class separately, without loading other classes to which it refers. As a result, the loading of these other classes can be postponed until the methods are invoked.
The Java virtual machine stack is used to hold the local variables and stacks for active methods. When a method is invoked, a stack frame is created which has space for the local variables of that method (as determined by .limit locals) and the operand stack for that method (whose size is determined by .limit stack). This stack frame is placed on top of the Java virtual machine stack; when we return from the method, this stack frame is popped from the JVM stack.
Arrays and objects cannot be allocated on the stack because they may persist after the method which created them has exited. They are allocated on the heap. Unlike some languages (such as C and C++), the user does not explicitly allocate and deallocate heap space. However, if no provision is made for deallocating objects, the program can quickly run out of space, so most JVM implementations incorporate an automatic storage management system -- a garbage collector. A garbage collector identifies objects which are no longer reachable and deallocates them. This may be done by maintaining reference counts or by tracing paths in memory to see what objects are reachable.
If there are multiple threads, there will be one JVM stack for each thread.
For animated examples of JVM programs, see the following page prepared
for Inside the Java 2 Virtual Machine by Bill Venners:


text:
Alonso out on a popfly
Alonso out on a popfly
Lew Ford singles to CF
Frazier Ks looking
Bulls win 8-4
FIELDINGCode:Player AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG Heisey CF 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 .000 Alonso 1B 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 .000 Bruce RF 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 .000 Ford RF 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.000 Frazier 2B 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 .000 Francisco, J 3B 4 2 2 0 0 2 3 0 1 .500 Dorn DH 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .333 Valaika SS 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000 Denove C 4 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 2 .250 Bolivar LF 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 .250 Player IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Wood, T 5.0 6 3 2 3 5 0 3.60 Baez, Fe (L, 0-1) 0.2 5 5 5 0 1 0 67.50 Krebs, J 1.0 2 0 0 1 1 0 0.00 Atencio 1.1 0 0 0 2 2 0 0.00
E: Wood, T 2 (2, throw, throw), Frazier 2 (2, throw, missed catch).
Wrong Thread
Domo Arigato, Here Comes Joey Votto
"I do what I want to do and say what I want to say."
--Bronson Arroyo
Young guys really struggled in this one. Frazier and Wood can't field, Heisey, Alonso, and Frazier all struggle hitting.
Only Francisco shows up in loss.
"You can learn little from victory. You can learn everything from defeat."
-- Christy Matthewson
"Show me a good loser and I'll show you an idiot."
-- Leo Durocher
Give Hellickson some credit. He's been double digit Ks routinely lately. That was a game you'd have expected Durham to win, in my opinion.Young guys really struggled in this one.
How about Francisco? Getting pretty excited about the kind of offense he could bring to GAB. Needs polish, for sure, but he looks like he could be a HR hydrant some day.
"Baseball is a very, very complex business. It's more of a people business than most businesses." - Bob Castellini
Francisco's coming on fast, need to find him a position. 1b?
Juan Francisco was BA's prospect hitter of the day for this performance.
"There was like a softness to it, a glow to it. I felt... I felt warm."
-- Joseph Daniel Votto 7/10/2017
I've been touting this guy for the last two years because I'm not someone who gets too hung up on walk rate for a very young player. I see a guy who has produced with power at every level.
IMO, Francisco is as good a prospect as there is in the organization and is a very advanced power hitter. But since he'll be playing at age 22-23, the Reds can keep him at AAA to start next season and then see how things go.
His first major league stint could be as a backup player behind Rolen, Votto, and whomever the left fielder is. He'd need some practice at first base and left field. Then see how it goes from there.
I'll be absolutely stunned if RZ ranks him 8th after this year. He'll be in the top 5.I'm convincing myself not to follow this year's RedsZone prospect polls which will probably put Francisco about 8th behind Neftali Soto, Chris Heisey, and Pedro Viola.
KC, I've agreed with you about Francisco all along and I think you're right on target as to how they'll move him along. It's going to be very interesting to see how WJ deals with this trifecta of Votto, Alonso, and Francisco. I don't see the space for all three of those guys; I don't think we'll go back from Rolen to playing somebody at 3b or anywhere else who undermines the confidence of the pitching staff. So I think we've got 1b and LF for those 3 guys, unless Votto can play right. Will be interesting to see if all 3 are still with the club a year from now.
With Alonso, it seems more cut and dried. He only plays first and either Votto has to move positions or one of them has to be traded. I don't see Alonso hanging around as a pure backup first baseman lefty pinch hitter, like Barker is currently.
It would be nice, though, to have those bats in Cincy, one way or the other. It's a good thing that the big club's weakness is the AAA club's strength.
Last edited by Kc61; 09-10-2009 at 11:59 AM.
I'd like to see all those bats in Cinti, too, but among those guys may also be the key to getting real solutions at the toughest positions to fill: SS, C. Also, I never again want to see guys playing positions like 3b who manifestly cannot play the position. I think that's tremendously destructive to the pitching. My guess is we see Rolen at 3b for at least three more years so that's going to limit the ability to move other players around. I think we'll see some deals in the next year that will probably light up RZ: because they'll either involve current Reds players who are very much favorites or our very best prospects. But who else to move if you're to acquire the kinds of players at C and SS that you need to win a championship?
Board Moderators may, at their discretion and judgment, delete and/or edit any messages that violate any of the following guidelines: 1. Explicit references to alleged illegal or unlawful acts. 2. Graphic sexual descriptions. 3. Racial or ethnic slurs. 4. Use of edgy language (including masked profanity). 5. Direct personal attacks, flames, fights, trolling, baiting, name-calling, general nuisance, excessive player criticism or anything along those lines. 6. Posting spam. 7. Each person may have only one user account. It is fine to be critical here - that's what this board is for. But let's not beat a subject or a player to death, please.


text:
In recent months, my role as Speaker of the House has allowed me to travel much of our great nation—including Indian country—and talk to Americans of all walks of life. Wherever I go, conversation quickly turns to jobs and the state of the economy. There's a clear sense among families and small business that we can be doing better.
I couldn't agree more. We don't have to accept painfully high unemployment as the new normal. And we certainly don't have to live with a president who accuses the American people of going "soft" while refusing to lead on the budget and the approaching fiscal cliff that threatens to destroy hundreds of thousands of additional jobs. We need a real recovery, and a president who understands how our economy works.
The president won't admit it today, but this election has always been about his handling of jobs and the economy. In 2009, just months after moving into the White House, President Obama acknowledged his presidency would be a "one term proposition" if he didn't turn the economy around by November of this year.
At the time, President Obama and Democrats had complete control of Washington, D.C., and they embraced policies including a trillion-dollar "stimulus" that ended up shipping jobs overseas to places like China and El Salvador, a costly government takeover of health care, and a "cap and trade" national energy tax that grew the size of government and the debt, but haven't helped bring about long-term growth. In fact, they've actually made things worse.
As a result, today America is buried in the worst economic recovery since the Great Depression. Families are bringing home less pay while shelling out more dollars for everything from gasoline to groceries. The national debt has increased $5.5 trillion under President Obama more than any previous president. And in all, 23 million Americans remain unemployed.
It's time to chart a new course for freedom and prosperity for all, and we can start by electing Governor Mitt Romney to lead this American comeback. Like me, Mitt has run a business and created jobs, and he and Paul Ryan are offering a common-sense plan to create a stronger middle class through energy independence, greater certainty for small businesses by stopping looming tax hikes, and a path to begin paying down the debt.
Of course Mitt and Paul will need support, and we have a strong crop of candidates for the U.S. Senate and House, including representatives Jeff Denham and Mary Bono Mack of California, Representative Ann Marie Buerkle of New York, Representative Paul Gosar of Arizona and Representative Tom Cole of Oklahoma, just to name a few. I couldn't be more proud of these people, and all of the members of the Republican House majority who've worked tirelessly to lead the way in offering solutions for jobs these past 20 months.
We've kept our 2010 "Pledge to America" and listened to the people across the states and Indian country who want to get government out of the way of economic growth by cutting government spending, shutting down the jobs-destroying red-tape factory in Washington, D.C., and repealing Obamacare and all its tax hikes, cost increases and its $716 billion in Medicare cuts. And despite Democrats still controlling the White House and the Senate, we've made some real progress.
Still, there is much to be done, and through this election we have a chance to elect leaders who share our commitment to a pro-growth agenda. So if you too believe we can do better than the status quo if you agree that the government exists to serve the people, and the people create jobs and small businesses please consider casting your vote for Mitt Romney and our Republican ticket next Tuesday, November 6. Together we will get our economy, and our country, back on track.
John Boehner is the current Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.


text:
Classic Accessories Veranda Patio Rocker Cover - Pebble/Bark/Earth
Fits rockers with backs up to 38 inches high
The Veranda Collection from Classic Accessories blends style and function in one upscale line. A customer favorite for its fashionable design, durability, and extensive collection of covers, the Veranda line features heavyweight Gardelle woven polyester fabric and special water-repellent and resistant undercoating. Other features include air vents to reduce inside condensation and wind lofting, padded handles for easy fitting and removing, elastic hem cord with toggle allows adjustment for a tight and custom fit, and Click-close straps to secure the cover on the windiest days.
- Dimensions (inches): 32.5L x 27.5W x 39H
- PVC Undercoating
- Color Block Fabric
- Click-Close Straps Snap Over Legs
WarrantyClassic Accessories warrants that this product will be free of defects in materials and manufacture for a period of 3 years from the date of purchase. To the extent that the law requires any implied warranty, such implied warranty is limited to the duration of the 3 year express warranty given above. Restrictions: This warranty covers normal consumer usage. It does not cover damage that occurs during shipping or damage that results from improper installation, improper maintenance, alteration, accident, misuse, abuse, vandalism, neglect or exposure to petroleum products or caustic chemicals.
Legal disclaimers and warnings
Product packaging, owners' manuals, installation instructions, and/or operating instructions may include more information than what is shown on our website. The content on our site is intended to be used for reference purposes only. Please fully read all included manuals and documentation before installing or using this product. WARNING for California residents: this product may contain chemical(s) known to the state of California to cause birth defects, cancer, or other reproductive harm.
- 052963709520
Overall Dimensions Height 39 Inches Weight 5 Pounds
Shipping Details
* Some orders received will go through our fraud prevention department. If your order is selected, you will be notified and your order may be delayed up to three (3) additional business days.
Shipping Price $6.95 ( Read Our Simple Shipping Policy ) Ship Time*Leaves our warehouse in 7-10 business days
Simple Shipping†
Subtotal Shipping
Simple Shipping applies to continental U.S. locations only.
Over $249 Free Under $249 $6.95
Free Shipping on orders over $249
Ship your entire order to your home for free, especially the big stuff!
$6.95 Flat-Rate Shipping
Anything under $249 ships at one low price. If your order increases, your shipping stays the same!
45 Day "No Hassle" Returns
We allow you to return all new, unused, unassembled, and resalable items in their original packaging for a full refund (minus actual shipping cost we incurred).
No Restocking Fee
Most companies charge a 15% or more restocking fee. We think that is wrong.
Shared Shopping Cart
One shared shopping cart lets you shop across our family of sites and reach free shipping faster.
Canada Orders
We do not ship items directly to Canada, however we will ship to your desired US-based freight forwarder.
Please call 1-877-743-2269 for more information.
45 Day No Hassle Returns
We want you to love what you buy! But if you don't, we offer a simple "No Hassle Returns" policy. We allow you to return all new, unused, unassembled, and resalable items in their original packaging within 45 days of delivery for a refund (minus the original and return shipping costs incurred by ShoppersChoice.com). Naturally, if your return is because of our error, you are not responsible for any shipping costs.
- If your return request is due to product defect or damage, we will first work with you to get the product repaired. If repair is not possible, then we'll work with you to get it replaced.
- If your return will be coming back via freight truck, we will require you to provide us a photo before your return will be authorized. This can be as simple as a cell phone pic! We just need a "before" picture in case there is any damage to the item on its way back to us.
- To expedite the returns process, before shipping the item(s) back, make sure they are clean, the packaging is sufficient to prevent damage, and (if necessary) you note all defects along with the photos taken.
Important information about refund eligibility:
To be eligible for a "No Hassle Return," items must be returned within 45 days of delivery in "Like New" condition. "Like New" condition is when a returned item is unused, unassembled, and has been returned in the original packaging.
- Full refunds do not apply to certain items, including clearance items, gift cards, gift certificates, items that have been personalized, and items clearly marked as "non-returnable," such as products sold as "Warehouse Deals."
- The costs of return shipping are deducted from your refund or merchandise credit.
- In many cases, refunds are not processed until the item has been inspected by us in our warehouse.
- Refunds must be applied to the same credit card, debit card, or other form of payment used in the original transaction.
- In many cases, refunds are not processed until the item is inspected upon return delivery.
- ShoppersChoice.com reserves the right to refuse a refund on a returned item if:
- The item that has been returned does not match the original item shipped to the customer.
- The returned item is missing parts or the original product's packaging.
- The item was damaged during the return shipment due to improper or insufficient packaging.
- The item being returned has been obviously heavily used (such as significant charcoal buildup inside a grill).
- The item has been assembled in a way that would impede proper packaging for return shipping.
In exchange situations, there are TWO options:
- If you need the product right away, you can purchase a replacement on a new order to get it shipped out as soon as possible. Then return the original item and we'll refund you for the original once we've received it back to our warehouse in "Like New" condition.
- If you can wait a little longer, return the original item and once we've received it back to our warehouse in "Like New" condition, we'll refund you for that purchase, then have you purchase the replacement on a new order and we'll ship the replacement as soon as possible.
Custom made-to-order/special order items are made to your specifications. Due to the custom nature of made-to-order/special order items, all sales are final. Made-to-order/special order items defective due to manufacturing will be repaired/replaced as long as the claim is made within the warranty period offered by the manufacturer. Custom pieces damaged in shipping will still follow all steps for a freight claim as previously listed here. All Custom pieces will be repaired or replaced with an item of the same nature as previously ordered. You will not be allowed to order an item that differs from the damaged or defective item.
Feel free to use our simple online form to obtain a Returns Authorization Number (also known as an RMA number) and let us walk you through our 45 Day No Hassle Returns process.
Customer Safety & Security
All purchasing transactions take place over a secure connection. This means that while theoretically someone could be listening to the conversation between your computer and our server, they could not understand it. It is encrypted with the highest standards and latest technologies possible.
Also, our site is checked daily to verify the security of our site and your transactions.
Customers Also Bought
Current ItemClassic Accessories Veranda Patio Rocker Cover - Pebble/Bark/Earth$44.99
- Shipping
- $
- Number of Items
- 1
- Total Price
- $44.99
Customer Reviews
Overall Customer Rating
4.819 Reviews
Customer Images
We don't have any customer images for this item yet.
Want to leave a review for this product?
Great fit, high quality workmanshipThe Veranda Collection Rocking Chair covers arrived today. As soon as we took them out of the shipping packages, we could tell they were well made and attractive. We recently bought two patio rocking chairs and wanted them protected from the sun and rain. We put the covers on the chairs and the covers were a perfect fit. The covers are well made, fit perfectly and are attractive. We would highly recommend this product.
Teak Rocking Chair Covers at Last!Having two teak rockers on our front covered porch over the winter always leads to quite a cleaning and teak oil application every spring. Now with these substantial covers, we are hoping to just remove the covers and begin our porch rocking and chatting in the spring through the fall with none of the work. What a relief!
Excellent Quality will last for yearsI purchased 2 rocking chair covers to fit my la-z-boy outdoor recliners and they fit perfectly. This is my fourth purchase of the veranda collection for our outdoor furniture .. the first was for our love seat 3 years ago and it is holding up great even though our deck faces the south and gets Sun the entire time and we live in "Hot-lanta" south! I also purchased a fire pit cover and a cover for my bar height table and chair set. Love these covers.
These covers are the best on the market.These covers are the best on the market. This is my fifth cover and I purchased this one for my new swivel rocker rattan chair. They look great and clean very easily. The toggles keep them secure and the vent feature allows air flow during long periods of covering. The myriad of size options make these even more remarkable. I am so glad I found these! The fabric is thick but flexible enough to allow for easy use. Thank you.
Report Review
Question & Answer
No Questions Asked Yet.
Have a question about the Classic Accessories Veranda Patio Rocker Cover - Pebble/Bark/Earth? Be the first to ask!
Want to ask a question about this product?


text:
Skip to comments.A word of caution for states invaders [Nashua (NH) Telegraph Editorial]
Posted on 10/03/2003 10:02:24 AM PDT by Living Free in NH
BACKGROUND: New Hampshire is the state that libertarians have
adopted for their project to revolutionize government.
CONCLUSION: This is an open country and libertarians may move
to the Granite State at will, but they shouldnt be surprised if their
far-out ideas dont go over with the rest of the population.
The libertarians are coming invited or not. New Hampshire by a vote of libertarians nationwide is their first choice for their Free State Project.
They aim to attract up to 20,000 of like-minded individuals to move to New Hampshire over the next three years to eventually revolutionize its government. By that, they mean to shrink government by privatizing many of its services and by expanding personal liberties. They are also highly tax-averse.
Does anyone remember being asked if we wanted our state government to be taken over in this fashion? Who is asking for this invasion?
How nice of the libertarians to attempt a takeover, even when they cooked up the idea without consultation with the non-libertarian inhabitants.
Many of us think our state government is already lean and we differ with the libertarians on what an essential service is.
Take schools. Some libertarians believe parents should pay tuition for their childrens schooling or home school them. They propose raising scholarships for those who cant afford to pay tuitions by collecting private donations.
Most New Hampshire residents, we believe, think that a public school education open to all up through grade 12 is one of the mainstays of a democracy. Nobody has to go without or beg for financial support because the schooling is paid through tax dollars.
Some libertarians also advocate decriminalizing marijuana use, prostitution and other victimless crimes. And theyre big on gun rights.
The Libertarians, many of whom can afford to be self-sufficient because of their upscale incomes, are part of a fringe political group.
The few libertarians who have run for high public office in New Hampshire in recent years have reaped slim support. So plumping up their numbers should, in theory, give them greater leverage at the ballot box.
America is an open country and the libertarians have a right to move to New Hampshire as well as any other group. Yet New Hampshire residents arent required to welcome them with open arms or to embrace their ideological form of escapism.
Whether 20,000 of them will actually pull up stakes and move to New Hampshire remains to be seen. The states motto, Live Free or Die, is a stirring one, but most of us who endure the daily grind to make do know it shouldnt be taken literally.
So while Gov. Craig Benson, who is working hard to pile up conservative credentials, may encourage the libertarians to relocate to New Hampshire, these newcomers should be aware that other residents of the state will view their many proposed changes with a broad streak of old-fashioned Yankee skepticism.
Its nothing personal just a difference of opinion over the role of government and individuals in an increasingly complex society.
To respond to this editorial e-mail the following: email@example.com or email@example.com Be sure to include contact information if you would like your letter to appear as a letter to the editor.
It is a telling sign of the times when Americans who believe in a limited government living within the bounds of the constitution are consider a fringe group.
Contrast the Democrats' version with that of the Portsmouth Herald
The Democrats have complained about that traditional Granite State aphorism, and are trying their best to replace it with the more modern and all-encompassing Arbeit Macht Frei.
A verse from the Hillary songbook. You'll hear some "conservative" FReepers singing the same tune when confronted by a consistent supporter of individual liberty.
"Politics of Envy" alert
All over. There are about 150 Porcupines already resident there, and they're advising and assisting the first batch of *pioneer porkypines* not waiting for the rest of the crew to jump on board. Some are going to try to make it before this year's early snowfalls [better hurry!] some are going to wait until early next spring, and a few others have set this coming News Year's as their deadline, weather not withstanding.
But you'll find such things as discussion and advice regarding hospitable NH locales, generally thought to be more in the northern portion of the state, at the New Hampshire FSP *NH Live Free or Die* discussion group webboard *here*.
Those racists!
Not so. They're already in third place in numbers, if you count the very numerous NH category of *Undeclared* as a *party*.
The emerging political arm of the FSP Porcupines may drive the Democrats' numbers even more clearly to the bottom of the deck and kick the Republicans into second place behind the *Undeclared*, or the newcomers may prefer to build their own political party [whatever it's called, look for the porcupine to be its symbol/mascot, just as the elephant and burro are for the Republicans and Dems. But it's a good bet that some new NH FSPers will register as Republicans, as well.] and knock the Democrats even further down into a fourth position last place. That should offer some interesting commentary during the 2008 NH primary....
But for a start, let's just see what can be done with just 20,000 Porcupines. And, of course, a quarter-million NH *Undeclared*:
NH State voter registration, September 02 2001
[after list purge]
Arbeit macht Frei translates to *Work makes freedom,* in English, the meaning of which approximately refers to *earn your freedom here in this labour camp*.
It was the slogan found above the gates and arches of several fairly notorious German prison and penal facilities, including most notably the one at Dachau, done in very ornamental wrought-iron lettering.
Following WWII, portions of that former Munich suburban facility were used by the US Army as the US Army/Europe criminal confinement facility.
Glad to assist. Also let me know if you'd care to be added to the FRee Republic FSP *PorcuPing* list for notification of FSP-related news stories or discussions.
If so, just post to that effect in response to this message, or feel free to send me a FReepmail.
Likewise, if you're interested in the continuing activities of the Western branch of the FSP, just let me know, and you can be similarly added to the Wyoming and/or Montana group lists, or to one of the fairly new FSPWEST groups, still in the sorting-out phase.
damn, I'm 23 and I sure as hell wouldn't call my income "upscale". Hmm, thinking about it, "downtrodden" might be a better adjective.
But, if by that they mean we are the character of people who have a drive to be self sufficient and prosperous, then yeah. Hey, I'm trying to start my own computer repair and internet consulting company.
I can't wait to check out your fine State and get a feel for where it looks good to settle in :)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


text:
All quotes tagged Edge
(546 quotes found)
"Kmart stands out in the retail market as a technology leader -- employing a cutting edge-kiosk technology that improves customer service, while at the same time reducing store operating costs. We are very pleased to be partnering with Kmart on this exciting installation. Penn Station is a hub of busy commuters -- a perfect location for consumers to take full advantage of this timesaving, error-avoiding technology. As more retailers begin to realize the numerous benefits of the APM technology, we are sure to see a major shift in the way refill prescriptions are dispensed."
"We didn't want to create a stir, ... so we drove up to the edge of the crowd where we could get a view and sat there and waited."
"Neil's effect on the band was immediate and very fulfilling. He adds a certain edge to the sound and, of course, he is an incredible musician. We became a better band because of the inclusion of Neil Young."
"I think the best pictures are often on the edges of any situation, I don't find photographing the situation nearly as interesting as photographing the edges."
"It's nice to have an impact player like that but it's a double-edged sword because if you rely on it too much you can become kind of one dimensional. If other teams see that and focus on defending him, it forces us to find other ways to score."


text:
The Atlanta Dream, making its third appearance in the WNBA Finals in four seasons, will open the 2013 WNBA Finals against the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday, Oct. 6, at 8:30 p.m. ET in Minnesota. Game 2 in the best-of-five series will also be played in Minnesota on Oct. 8 at 8 p.m. ET.
The Dream will host Game 3 of the Finals on Thursday, Oct. 10 at 8:30 p.m. ET, and if necessary, Game 4 on Sunday, Oct. 13 at 8 p.m. Both games will be played at The Arena at Gwinnett Center due to the unavailability of Philips Arena.
If necessary, Game 5 would be played in Minnesota on Wednesday, Oct. 16 at 8 p.m. ET. All games will be nationally televised by either ESPN or ESPN2.
Tickets for Dream home games for the Finals will be available on-line beginning Wednesday, Oct. 2 at 10 a.m. ET, but can be purchased immediately by calling (877) 977-7729.
Atlanta and Minnesota split the regular-season series, with each team winning on its home court. The Lynx finished the regular season with the league's best record at 26-8 and swept both Seattle and Phoenix to advance to the Finals.
It will be a rematch of the 2011 WNBA Finals, which was won by Minnesota. The Lynx swept the Dream in three games, although all three games were decided by just six points. Minnesota also reached the Finals in 2012, but lost to Indiana in four games.
The two-time Eastern Conference Champion Atlanta Dream is in its sixth season as part of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The Dream has qualified for the playoffs in each of the past five seasons, including back-to-back conference titles in 2010 and 2011.
2013 WNBA Finals Schedule
Game 1 – Atlanta at Minnesota, Sunday, Oct. 6 at 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Game 2 – Atlanta at Minnesota, Tuesday, Oct. 8 at 8 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
Game 3 – Minnesota at Atlanta, Thursday, Oct. 10 at 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
Game 4* – Minnesota at Atlanta, Sunday, Oct. 13 at 8 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
Game 5* – Atlanta at Minnesota, Wednesday, Oct. 16 at 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
*if necessary


text:
Two dear friends and I exchange Christmas gifts. I've been friends with them since 3rd grade MANY years ago. Today I went out hoping to find something nice for them so I went to TJMaxx. I saw this tall and beautiful Jim Shore Shephard figurine. They had only two of them and when I took one out of the box I knew it was what I wanted to get them!! I love them myself. They are 20 inches tall. I love the quilt designs he puts on them. I paid $19.99 for each one and here below they are listed for $70.00.
I have a nice collection of some of his figurines but these are not staying here...I have to fight the temptation to keep one!!


text:
Godus, the much-anticipated video game from god-game specialist designer Peter Molyneux and 22cans, is available now for iOS devices. Godus will let you play as your own private deity, letting you create and nurture a little island paradise on your iPad, iPod touch, or iPhone.
You'll get to carve out landscapes with the touch of a finger, placing mountains, rivers, and flora wherever you like. You'll also have the care and feeding of devout, worshipful followers of your very own.
"In Godus your hands will sculpt the mountains and carve rivers," said Molyneux in a statement. "Your touch will create pastures for your people. You will be loved by tiny worshipers that need your help to grow and your direction to progress through the ages of civilization."


text:
Ramos could return to Nationals by weekend
By Andrew Simon / MLB.com
WASHINGTON -- Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos caught nine innings for Double-A Harrisburg and went 0-for-4 in its 8-2 loss at home Monday night against Richmond, the latest step in his Minor League rehab assignment.
Ramos, out since suffering a left hamate fracture on Opening Day, spent time at extended spring camp in Viera, Fla., then played for Class A Hagerstown on Sunday. He served as the designated hitter and went 2-for-3 with a home run.
The Nats wanted to see Ramos get through nine innings behind the plate, with his left hand taking the pounding from catching pitch after pitch. If there are no setbacks, Ramos would stay on track to return sometime this week. Manager Matt Williams indicated that could be as soon as Friday, when the Nats begin a series in Oakland after an off-day.
"Catch nine innings and see where he is after that, that he feels good," Williams said. "Ultimately we would love for him to run the bases more, but the problem is he's been hitting them over the fence. That's a hard one. You'd like him to go first to third or try to score from first and make sure that he's done all those things that you normally do."
Barrett reconnects with family friend Mattingly
WASHINGTON -- When Aaron Barrett was growing up in Evansville, Ind., he spent a lot of time hanging out at his friend's house. It just so happened that the friend, Preston Mattingly, was the son of Don Mattingly, then a Yankees star and now the Dodgers' manager.
"He was just like everybody else," said Barrett, a rookie reliever with the Nationals. "That's what was so cool about Don, he was one of the most humble big leaguers I've ever met. He was so down to earth."
Barrett got to see Mattingly in a much different setting on Monday, when the Dodgers started a three-game series at Nationals Park. The two took a picture together on the field several hours before the game, with Barrett tweeting, "Great to catch up with Donnie! It's been a long time … Pretty surreal!"
Great to catch up with Donnie! It's been a long time... Pretty surreal! @Pmattingly30 #DonnieBaseball #Evansville pic.twitter.com/IrSsz5NRB1
- Aaron Barrett (@aaronbarrett30) May 5, 2014
"Growing up around him, obviously he was like a childhood idol. It was a big deal," Barrett said. "Obviously the biggest name to ever come out of my hometown, so it's pretty neat to now just be on the same stage and get to see him."
While Barrett estimated that he hadn't seen Mattingly in about three years, he spent a lot of time with him growing up, especially during the offseason and before Mattingly returned to baseball as a coach with the Yankees.
Barrett's older brother was good friends with Mattingly's oldest, and Barrett remains good friends with Preston Mattingly. The two played together at Central High School in Evansville, and Preston even served as a groomsman in Barrett's wedding. The two remain in touch and got to visit during the Nats' recent trip to Houston, as Mattingly -- who spent six seasons in the Dodgers' Minor League system -- now plays Division I basketball at Lamar University.
"We just grew up with that family," Don Mattingly said of the Barretts. "So we were at their house, and they were at our house. I remember him being kind of a funny kid, quiet, and the whole family's athletic. … Good kid, good to see him."
Being friends with Don Mattingly's son had its perks for Barrett over the years. Mattingly would help out with their Little League and high school teams, using his keen eye to tweak their swings. He'd do the same when big leaguers such as Derek Jeter came to visit.
"I still remember when Jeter came in one offseason," Barrett said. "They had a batting cage at their farm and so I'd go over and he'd break down their swing. I remember Jeter took a couple hacks and [Mattingly] was like, 'You need to do this.' It was unbelievable."
Several years later, Mattingly isn't giving Barrett any more tips, at least over the next few days.
"He said, 'Hey, I've been rooting for you, but I'm not rooting for you these three games,'" Barrett said.
Nats get Hairston back, send Souza to Triple-A
WASHINGTON -- The Nationals' disabled list remains crowded, but the team got one piece back on Monday, when it activated outfielder Scott Hairston from the 15-day disabled list. Outfielder Steven Souza Jr. was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse to make room on the active roster.
Hairston had been on the DL since April 6 with a left oblique strain. His return could be the first of three this week for Washington, which also expects to get pitcher Doug Fister and catcher Wilson Ramos back in the fold. Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman and outfielder Bryce Harper remain a ways away.
"I think we've been staying afloat, especially with all the injuries we have currently," Hairston said. "That's the sign of a good team. The depth of the organization, guys who are coming up and making contributions, it's been really helpful. I think once we piece things together, once we get everybody healthy, we'll be the team that we're expected to be."
Hairston played in only two games before the injury and went 1-for-2. He spent a three-game rehab assignment at Syracuse, going 1-for-10 with a double, two walks and four strikeouts.
"I played nine innings a couple of games and felt good," he said. "Just working out the timing as a hitter, that's always the biggest challenge."
With Harper out, Hairston could see some starts in left field against left-handed pitchers. That could be as early as Tuesday, when Washington faces Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw.
Nats manager Matt Williams has been using Tyler Moore and Kevin Frandsen as right-handed bats in left field, but Frandsen has played mostly infield in his career, and Moore could be needed at first base, with Adam LaRoche nursing a sore quad.
"It's a veteran right-hander off the bench," Williams said of Hairston. "It's power. He certainly matches up well against left-handed pitching."
In more than 1,000 career plate appearances against lefties, Hairston has posted a slash line of .269/.317/.498, with 49 home runs.
This was Souza's second short stint with the Nationals this season. The 25-year-old rookie got his first and only big league start last Wednesday in Houston but otherwise has come off the bench, going 1-for-8 with a walk.
Worth noting
• Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, on the disabled list since April 13 with a right thumb fracture, still hasn't progressed to being able to work on strengthening the thumb, according to Williams. Zimmerman is likely about a week away from that point, although Williams couldn't be sure of his progress until doctors evaluate X-rays of the thumb that were scheduled to be taken on Monday.
• Before Monday's series opener against the Dodgers, Williams still was not ready to name a starting pitcher for Tuesday night's contest. The Nats could use a reliever such as left-hander Ross Detwiler or call up a pitcher from the Minor Leagues.
• Catcher Jose Lobaton was out of the lineup for a second straight day on Monday with shin soreness. Lobaton was hit by a pitch there on Saturday, and Williams said the area remained swollen on Monday, although Lobaton was well enough to be available off the bench.
Andrew Simon is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @AndrewSimonMLB. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
An independent report issued by the
congressional advisory panel said some elite
groups of hackers are controlled by Beijing officials who issue
the groups orders on targets to attack.
The Chinese government
continues to build a cyber army aimed at attacking the U.S.
government and other western nations, the U.S.-China Economic and
Security Review Commission noted in its report. The Pentagon,
electric grids, and similar high-profile targets need to be better
protected from foreign-based threat.
Even without endorsement
of the Chinese government, independent hackers still pose a serious
threat. The U.S. military has created
a new cyber defense department to better protect military
computer networks, even though a recent report is pleading with the
government not
to spend a lot on cyberdefense. President Barack Obama also
is expected to announced a cyber security advisor who will discuss
cyber issues with officials.
Along with China, hacker groups
in Eastern Europe and North Korea have also reportedly attacked
western targets in the past. If the U.S. government cannot do a
better job protecting its infrastructure, cyber attacks that end in
compromised data, crippled networks and heavy repair costs will begin
to devastate victims.


text:
by ETFguide | July 20, 2012 8:00 am
Getting sick of the never-ending wash-rinse-repeat news out of Europe? It seems politicians just continue to buy more and more time as they try to survive their next election. Has anything really gotten done over the course of two+ years now? Will it over the next 2+ years?
Each week a new headline claiming that Europe is "on the right track" or meeting this weekend to discuss "austerity" comes out. And each week we peel back the onion and find nothing has really changed. Last week's headline was that the former Italian Prime Minister, Berlusconi, announced that he will run as the centre-right candidate in next year's general election. This, after he resigned in 2011, as a result of Italy's financial problems (as well as a few sex and corruption scandals). Wash-rinse-repeat!
Berlusconi's agenda likely would include a lot less austerity than the current Prime Minister's (Mario Monti) proposal. Berlusconi has also talked openly about Italy leaving the Euro. This is all a lot to digest if we were trying to make money based on the news headlines and potential fundamentals coming out of Europe. Where do you start!
I'm not an expert on European policy, nor do I need to be. All of the headlines, Italy's problems, and the Austerity potential in the PIIGS are really of little concern to me when it comes to investing and trading. I don't need to know all of these unnecessary details because I use a tool that allows me to tune out of the never-ending rhetoric and non-value-add news headlines – and to focus on what really matters. In fact, most people have access to this tool; a price chart, and here is what it is telling us.
The Euro is in trouble and has been for a while, however, now it is potentially in really big trouble. On July 1, with the CurrencyShares Euro Trust (NYS:FXE[1]) at $125.88, the ETF Profit Strategy update stated "The Euro, like the S&P (NYSE:SPY[2]), has set up for a wonderful risk/reward opportunity with Friday's (6/29) rally". We then identified a level to place short stops as well as a minimum profit target for shorts. On the evening of July 5 we recommended closing positions as the next morning opened at $122.61.
Our recommendation involved buying the EUO (NYSE:EUO[3]) when it was trading at $20.90 and the EUFX (NYSE:EUFX[4]) when it was trading at $39.49 as leveraged ETFs for aggressive traders looking to take advantage of the setup.
Another ETF available to investors is the ProShares Ultra Euro (NYSE:ULE[5]). This trade had nothing to do with news out of Europe. By using the right tools and analysis, we are actually able to ignore that noise and profit from what really is going on, a significant decline in the Euro.
The chart above shows some of the analysis that signaled this high probability trade setup. The FXE now is in an extremely important area with its five year low price point just below at $119. As the Euro flirts with a short term double bottom, it is currently getting a small counter-trend bounce. The shorter term bear move may be over, but that does not necessarily mean the Euro is any place for a bull to be. Whatever news comes out of Europe, our Euro analysis will show us the outcome well before any news agency reports it.
The ETF Profit Strategy Update[6] and Newsletter outlines critical supports, resistances, and price action to stay ahead of market moving events and point out high probability profit opportunities. Right now the focus on the Euro involves this counter-trend rally and the key price levels it must reach to change our outlook from negative to more neutral. Updates are provided every Sunday, Wednesday, and often in between.
Source URL: https://investorplace.com/2012/07/how-can-you-profit-from-europes-disarray-fxe-euo-ule-eufx-spy/
Short URL: http://invstplc.com/1fDVU8a
Copyright ©2018 InvestorPlace Media, LLC. All rights reserved. 700 Indian Springs Drive, Lancaster, PA 17601.


text:
via Twitter:
NJPanthers12 @NJPanthers12
· Open
The New York Football Jets are trying to find a way to offer HUGE contract to Mario WIlliams. Scrambling to restructure contracts
Last edited by SouthTown; 03-08-2012 at 05:37 PM.
How is it a rumor when one random person posts that on twitter? You do realize that anyone can post **** right?
Seems like a legit source, this NJPanthers12.
if this is true, ill the first to come back to this thread and eat crow
How did you even come up on this?
Hey Tavaru - if this comes to fruition, you get full credit, k?
anyone following scoops?