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Already a classic, ALCS heads west to Detroit
Lackey squares off with Verlander with series knotted at 1-1
DETROIT -- Game 1 was crazy and Game 2 was even crazier, so if the American League Championship Series keeps this up, there's no telling what kind of full-on insanity might take place on Tuesday afternoon in Game 3 at Comerica Park.
A perfect game, maybe?
A team coming back from a 12-run deficit?
A position player hitting a go-ahead home run in the 24th inning and then pitching the 25th for the save?
Hey, don't roll your eyes. There's simply no telling the direction in which this thing is headed other than about 700 miles west of Boston to Detroit, where this knotted-up insta-classic will resume at 4 p.m. ET on FOX, with Detroit's Justin Verlander going against Boston's John Lackey.
Monday's Game 2 in Fenway Park looked like a foregone conclusion after seven innings. Max Scherzer had exited with a four-run lead and 13 strikeouts, and the Red Sox continued to look lost at the plate just one night after being one-hit by Anibal Sanchez and a quartet of Detroit relievers.
Then the eighth inning happened, with the Red Sox loading the bases and David Ortiz hitting a game-tying grand slam with two out.
Then the ninth inning happened, with Jarrod Saltalamacchia singling in Jonny Gomes to pull off a near-miraculous win.
In other words, it's a brand-new series, folks, best of five, starting at zero. The engines have been fired up for the trip to Motown, the players are on the ground, and we'll see if the Red Sox took that "mo" onto the charter and stuffed it into the overhead compartments.
"Complete change of momentum," Red Sox third baseman Will Middlebrooks said. "That's exactly what it is. That just shows what this team is made out of, and it all goes to these veterans who have pushed us to be great every day."
Added Red Sox catcher David Ross: "This is the playoffs. You're not down. That's not an option, to be down. This is a fighting group. We're not getting down on ourselves. We're going to keep battling."
So are the Tigers, who vowed not to let this incredible swing of events get them off task.
"We came away with the split," Scherzer said. "You have to see the glass half-full. This [loss] stinks, but guess what? The sun comes up tomorrow, and we're going to be playing these guys at home in front of our fans. It's up to us to choose if we're going to come out and compete. I think we will. I don't think this is going to deter our effort. I believe in this clubhouse. I believe in everybody in here, all 25 guys here. I still believe in us."
On that front, it helps to have Verlander leading the charge.
The Tigers had to wait until Game 3 to send their ace to the hill because they used him in the Game 5 Division Series masterpiece in Oakland, in which he gave up two hits in eight shutout innings while striking out 10.
It was a great sign for the Tigers, who had been waiting for the dominant Verlander they'd been accustomed to watching show up on a consistent basis.
Verlander was good during the regular season, going 13-12 with a 3.46 ERA and 217 strikeouts in 218 1/3 innings, but it wasn't the same Verlander who won the AL MVP and Cy Young awards in 2011 and finished second in the Cy voting in 2012.
"Obviously, that was a tough one," Verlander said. "At the same time, you know this series is going to be a dogfight. Nobody is going to walk over anybody.
"These are the two best teams in the American League. We've made it to this point. When we played each other during the regular season, it was a dogfight. At this point in the season, nobody is going to give in. Nobody is going to give an inch, even down, 5-1. Those guys battled. It was a heck of a ballgame. Obviously, it [stinks] to let it slip away. This is baseball. You've got to reset and come ready to play the next game."
Lackey is well aware of this. He enters Game 3 with plenty of postseason experience and a chance to prove himself in October once again. He missed all of 2012 following a tough 2011 campaign in his first season in Boston after signing a five-year deal, came off Tommy John surgery this year and entered camp in good shape.
He ended up contributing 189 1/3 innings, striking out 160 and finishing with his lowest ERA (3.52) since 2007, when he finished third in the AL Cy Young voting.
The big right-hander has a decorated postseason resume, having won Game 7 of the 2002 World Series for the Angels as a 24-year-old rookie and pitching in the playoffs for the Angels in 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009.
"It was fun," Lackey said of the 2002 whirlwind, in which he started two games of the seven-game Series win over the Giants and also made a relief appearance. "I was just kind of a young guy trying to help out a group of veterans that year, staying out of the way, being quiet and doing my job.
"I've done it a few more times since then and been a little bit more involved as … more as the leader of the pitching staff."
The Red Sox will be leaning on that presence as the ALCS scene shifts to a new venue.
Red Sox: Ortiz's October legend grows
Ortiz's grand slam was the first of his postseason career, the fourth in the postseason history of the Red Sox and the third Boston grand slam in the ALCS.
Ortiz also tied Jason Varitek's club record of 63 postseason games. Ortiz has appeared in every Red Sox postseason game since 2003 and is Boston's all-time leader in postseason runs (44), hits (67), doubles (16), home runs (15), RBIs (50), walks (47) and extra-base hits (33).
Lackey said that Ortiz is one of those rare players who was born to perform on the biggest stage.
"He genuinely likes it," Lackey said on Monday. "He likes being up there in those spots. He enjoys all the lights on him. You saw last night, he didn't get that fired up about it at the end. It was almost like he expected to do it.
"He's a special player. He's fun to play with."
• With his plunking by Scherzer in the first inning of Game 2, outfielder Shane Victorino became the first batter to be hit by a pitch five times in a single postseason. He had been sharing the record, four, with Miguel Cairo of the Yankees (2004) and Carlos Ruiz of the Phillies (2010).
"I've seen some pitches that he got hit on that were strikes," Verlander said. "So … I don't think you can worry about that. I think just whoever is the home-plate umpire needs to be aware that he's up there."
• This marks the third time in Red Sox history that the team has dropped Game 1 in an ALCS and then come back to win Game 2.
Tigers: Starters still stingy
The Tigers became the first team in postseason history to post three straight games in which their starting pitcher opened with at least five no-hit innings. Verlander pitched 6 2/3 no-hit innings to open Game 5 of the AL Division Series vs. Oakland; Sanchez and relievers Al Alburquerque, Jose Veras, Drew Smyly and Joaquin Benoit no-hit the Red Sox through 8 1/3 innings in Game 1 of the ALCS; and Scherzer opened Game 2 with 5 2/3 no-hit innings. The Tigers also allowed no hits in the first five innings of their last three ALCS games, dating back to Game 4 of the 2012 ALCS.
• Miguel Cabrera's homer in the sixth inning extended his streak of reaching base safely in postseason games with the Tigers to 31, a big league postseason record. He has reached base in 46 of his 48 career postseason games with the Marlins and Tigers via hit, walk or error.
• Tigers pitchers have struck out 11 or more batters in three straight postseason games dating back to Game 5 of the ALDS against Oakland. That ties the 2010 Giants for second most all-time in the postseason.
Worth noting
• The Red Sox lead the Majors with a team-record eight postseason stolen bases. The previous club high was eight, set in 2004. Jacoby Ellsbury (four stolen bases), Quintin Berry (two) and Victorino (two) are the only players with multiple steals this postseason. Ellsbury's nine career postseason steals are a club record, breaking Johnny Damon's mark of eight.
• With 17 strikeouts in Game 1 of the ALCS and 16 in Game 1 of the ALDS, the Tigers became the first team to record two games of 16-plus strikeouts in a single postseason. There have been only 13 games in postseason history that have featured at least 16 strikeouts by one team.


text: I was watching a singles match and one of the guys had very squeaky shoes. Also, it definitely looked like he was purposely taking small dragging steps while getting back to the center after a shot. This resulted in lots of annoying noises while his opponent was getting ready to hit. It seemed very obvious to me that he was trying to distract his opponent. However, it did not seem to phase his opponent at all. What is the rule on this? is this allowed?

subset: commoncrawl


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One of the latest jewelry trends that I love love love is spikes! I've always been attracted to the edgy look of spikes but they were often found in biker-like looks that weren't very feminine. I'm ecstatic that jewelry designers have brought this rocker look to us with a much more polished take.
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What do you think of the spike jewelry trend? Would you rock this look?


text: mrtg has worked for my needs. Mitch Anderson wrote: >I was wondering if anyone has or knows of any server resource >monitoring/trends script? I'm looking for something that will create a >log of memory/swap usage, cpu, load, disk usage total and per file >system. Possibly with an easy way to create a graph out of. I've been >searching online for a while and nothings really jumped out at me for >what I want. I really don't want to have to configure something to poll >the systems remotely, i would like it self contained to the system. If >all else fails I'll probably hack one up myself... but any info would be >great. Thanks, > >Mitch > >.===================================. >| This has been a P.L.U.G. mailing. | >| Don't Fear the Penguin. | >| IRC: #utah at irc.freenode.net | >`===================================' > > -- Benjamin Schmuhl MingleMatch, Inc.


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Audie Sherrod
Newly appointed warden at CCA America, Audie Sherrod is now responsible for the 2,400-bed North Fork Correctional Facility in Sayer, Okla. Sherrod has spent the last 25 years working in the corrections profession. Most recently, he served as chief executive officer and complex warden, with 700 professional staff under his supervision, at the Federal Bureau of Prisons Federal Correctional Complex and United States Penitentiary in Pollock, La. After attending Oklahoma State University, Sherrod began his career as a correctional officer in Fort Worth, Texas. He went on to become a warden for various BOP facilities in Colorado, Illinois and Louisiana. In 2007, Sherrod became a member to the United States Senior Executive Service, until his retirement from the BOP in 2011.


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How long we have all waited, fellas. Finally, a peak at the new roster in game action.
STAT will not play bruised knee
Jonah Ballow @jonahballow
Important to note - @Amareisreal would play if this was a regular season game #Knicks
Jonah Ballow @jonahballow
Woodson says Kurt Thomas will start for @Amareisreal tonight #Knicks #NBA
Jonah Ballow @jonahballow
.@Amareisreal will not play tonight due to a bruised left knee #Knicks
Let STAT rest. Has anyone noticed on 2K13 how they rattle on about his vast repertoire of injuries?
They said he'd play if it were the reg season, so it's all good.
Not expecting too much out of our bigger names tonight, but I'm keen to see how Felton and Novak are looking first and foremost.
Woody being strict on JR; no starting role whatsoever.
Him and Melo need to be on the court together as much as possible so they can get this chemistry excuse out the way..
I don't know, I want Amar'e to get at least 10 minutes. I didn't hear of any injury, why can't he come in for 10 minutes? He's one of the top guys for our team.
I will be at this game tonight. I will take as many pictures as possible and post them after the win! Everytime the Knicks come to D.C. we rep harder than the Wizards fans. Expect to see a sea of O & B with the Nationals playing a playoff home game against the Cards ( NATS will lose lol ) we will run the Verizon Center again tonight!!!
^ Good stuff Rob.
Man, Kurt Thomas starting already...not a good sign for Amare. KT is the type of dude who doesn't lose his job, he's a coach's dream.
will the game be broadcast on msg?
Image hotlinked from a malware website // removed
I'm so freaking hyped... Knicks basketball is BACK!


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The Log Cabin Democrat reports (http://bit.ly/V1Ja1G ) that the 10-12 week old kitten was found on the grounds of the Conway the Conway Human Development Center.
State health officials say anyone who came into contact with a wild cat or kitten should contact their doctor for an evaluation.
Rabies is a virus that attacks the brain and spinal cord and is fatal. It is most often found in skunks, bats and foxes.
Health officials say there have now been 130 confirmed rabies cases in Arkansas this year with 101 of the cases in skunks. The other cases involve 22 bats, two cows, three dogs, one horse and now one cat.


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Dejan Kovacevic chat transcript: Nov. 1, 2012
Dejan Kovacevic: Hello, one and all. Apologies for tardiness. I'd tell you what the punishment will be for that, but that joke's probably a little stale at this point ...
Zack: Is it possible Nutting has made decisions already and is searching for replacements?
Dejan Kovacevic: I don't have reason to believe that either one of those is the case. I wrote about a month ago that he goes slowly with these things, and you're seeing it now. Last week, he flew to both San Francisco and Detroit -- alone -- in trying to ask questions of baseball people he knows, and he still has work to do in that regard on the Pittsburgh end.
Bladen: Dejan, thanks for doing the chat. In your honest opinion when Bob Nutting talks about his investigation, what do you think will be the final result? Coonelly gone? NH gone? Stark/Broadway gone? Nothing?
Dejan Kovacevic: I do my best to give an honest opinion on all topics, and this isn't any different: I'm not sure Nutting has made up his mind yet, plain and simple. Again, he's not done.
Brock: Any truth to the rumor that was mentioned on the Pirates message board about Tony LaCava sitting with Bob Nutting at the World Series?
Dejan Kovacevic: I don't know which message board you're citing, but no, that isn't true. LaCava did not attend any of the World Series games.For those who don't know, LaCava is the Oakmont native -- and still resident -- who is Toronto's director of baseball ops and has been a finalist for a handful of GM jobs around the league. That includes right here in Pittsburgh when Frank Coonelly decided on Neal Huntington. I haven't communicated in any capacity with Tony since we shared a flight out of Nashville about five years ago, but I'd have to think he's still interested in being a GM somewhere.
Guest: Can this be the year we recognize Ben as the greatest Steelers QB of all time?
Dejan Kovacevic: Well, winning Sunday would at least make for a fine argument starting point, right?No, really, that's never going to be a clean argument, so long as anyone can count up Super Bowl rings. I know it's not that simple. I know Dan Marino's still Miami's greatest QB, not Bob Griese. But when having arbitrary discussions like that, it's a really easy place to lay your chips and call it a day.More relevant to the moment, I think, Ben's playing some of the best football of his career right now. Thanks in no small part to Todd Haley's life preserver of a playbook. And, as noted above, beating Eli Manning certainly bolsters that argument.
kevnj: DK, great column recently on the idea of Mario inserting himself into the negotiations for the agreement between the NHL and the NHLPA. Have you heard anything new on this?
Dejan Kovacevic: You mean Mario getting involved?Ha! Well, he's a wealthy man, but I strongly suspect even he would feel a missing $1 million in his wallet for talking about such stuff. It's been intriguing to me in the past week that three Canadian pieces emerged discussing -- or speculating -- how some NHL owners are getting tired of having the process dictated by the Flyers, Bruins, Flames and usual suspects. I could very much see that being the case especially with a team like the Penguins. But when I raised the point with Winnipeg Free Press columnist Gary Lawless on my radio show Tuesday, he had a far different take: He believes the owners in places like Florida, Nashville and others have been VERY vocal in maintaining this stance, even to the point of being angry that the league conceded 50/50 on revenues.What a mess.
Janet: It's not a question, just a suggestion... How about a campaign for hockey fans to donate the $$$ they would have spent on the NHL this year to the Red Cross (or other organizations helping the victims of Hurricane Sandy). Seems like a much better use of our hard earned cash!
Dejan Kovacevic: I'll bet the citizens of coastal New Jersey, Long Island and Virginia would find better use for that $3.3 billion pool of money, that's for sure.
Eric Majeski: There is plenty of blame to go around on both sides for the current state of the NHL, but are there harsh enough words to describe how bad it would be for the Winter Classic to become the latest casualty if the league and players' association refuse to meet face-to-face again before doing so?
Dejan Kovacevic: There really aren't, Eric. That issue, to me, isn't just about the money involved. It's about damaging the league's brand. The NHL has made significant strides in turning that into THE event of its regular season, in the mold -- if not the scope -- of the NBA's Christmas doubleheader. To just toss that out shows a disregard for ... well, you're right, there aren't harsh enough words.
Kyle: Dejan, so much has been said about the challenges Bill O'Brien faced when we became the head football coach at Penn State. Once the season ends, he has to recruit not only future signing classes but also his current team. Do you expect guys such as Carter, Barnes, and Robinson to stick with the Nittany Lions or take the path of Redd, Brown, and Fera and bolt to what they consider greener pastures?
Dejan Kovacevic: Only those athletes and their parents can know that. To me, Allen Robinson would be of particular concern because he remains BY FAR Penn State's best individual playmaker. The Lions have fared OK in replacing Silas Redd through Michael Zordich and a banging-style running game, but there isn't anyone else who can make Robinson's plays downfield. That said, without a doubt the greatest benefit to O'Brien's early success is that he's stabilized the program in all facets, now and for the recruiting season. When you watch the energy and emotion this team plays with, you can see there's a togetherness among the players, as well. I'd have to think that's more important to players such as Robinson than whether or not they're in a bowl game, but only time will tell.
Tim in Kentucky: DK - James Harrison's recovery from surgery is remarkable. His play...slightly more human. Your assessment of how healthy he is (say, 85%), and if he can continue to get more healthy (and play better) while playing essentially every snap?
Dejan Kovacevic: Mike Tomlin last season once invented the adjective "James Harrison-like" to describe Harrison's play, and I dare say that doesn't apply yet.I think Harrison has added more than most people will notice, especially in the area of cutting off runs to that side -- remember when teams were just killing Brett Keisel to that side? -- and with some pressure. But Harrison-like in terms of getting to the QB and extinguishing all heat patterns in his sight, no, not yet.
carisi_99: Are you surprised that with his elite speed that Mike Wallace doesn't take more of those short throws and turn them into long gains? Is that run after the catch ability just something he doesn't have, or is it that the throws are not super accurate to the point he is perfectly in stride?
Dejan Kovacevic: Straight-line speed doesn't always translate into quickness or elusiveness or being able to read the field. To his credit, Wallace has gotten more effective at those plays, I think, as the season has gone on. Well, everything but those end-arounds. The quick pitches are working.Wouldn't mind seeing those go to Antonio Brown, though.
dillonerd: Dejan - For Pitt to beat Notre Dame they must...
Dejan Kovacevic: Run like a house ablaze. In your toughest situations, you need your best players to be your best players. I'm writing a column on this game for Friday's paper, partly to look back at Pitt's amazing 13-9 ... well, if you're a Pitt fan, you hear that score and you know the game. Star that night was Shady McCoy. Star in this game would have to be Ray Graham.Should be a blast. Hope you can check out the column tomorrow.
Kirk: Your thoughts on the hiring of Jay Bell as hitting coach?
Dejan Kovacevic: Honestly, I've been busy with football this week and haven't really had the time to check into Bell's background as hitting instructor. I'm not one of those to hear of a coach hiring and think back to how they played and try to apply it. If you ask again next week, I'm sure I'll have a better answer.I do know that Bell earned a tremendous amount of respect for his fundamentals during his playing days. It has to be welcome, especially in an organization like this, to hire people who have actually done it.
Guest: Dejan, Do you think the cancelation of the Winter Classic--which many people think is imminent--will sound the death knell for the NHL season?
Dejan Kovacevic: Let's put it this way: I'll be calling United Airlines shortly after it happens about a certain mid-December flight to Manitoba.
DC: Curious as to the impact of the blogs, chats, etc since you have been at the Trib site traffic wise. The fact you were discussed on a chat multiple times last week at your old place seemed 'big'.
Dejan Kovacevic: Honestly, that's not the kind of stuff I've talked about ever since the switch in June 2011, and I'm not about to start now. All of us in the Trib sports department are working to gain and/or keep your trust in reporting on the Pittsburgh scene, from our Steelers work with new beat man Alan Robinson, to all of the rest of us. That's in print, on the Web, all night long on the blogs or Twitter, or however else you want it. It's an energetic group that's passionate about its work, and I'm proud to play one small part in it.And I thank you, specifically, for reading us.
John: Are there any prospects in the Pirates system that could be impact rookies for the team next year?
Dejan Kovacevic: I like Kyle McPherson. He's another Dave Littlefield draft pick, by the way.
Eric: Do you think this may be Troy's last year in football? With all of the injuries of the past few season and how much he enjoys his life outside of football I could see him walking away after this year. Your thoughts?
Dejan Kovacevic: There is no chance, as I see Polamalu's current state, that he's done. It's a calf injury. He'll be back, probably within a month or so, and questions like this will fade away. His motivation, as best as Robinson and our staff can tell, hasn't changed at all.
John: I heard Ta'amu had a terrible camp but he must have potential if they kept him around after trying to run down cops. How does his style of play compare to McClendon's and how do you see the future of the NT position playing out?
Dejan Kovacevic: See, I usually hate to get into player performance when discussing whether or not a player should be punished for something legally. But it really does look relevant in this equation. The Steelers, to this point, have looked pretty silly in handing Ta'amu a nothing suspension, then reinstating him, after he did next to nothing in Latrobe. Seems like it's more damage than it's worth.I have more about Ta'amu in today's blog , actually.
It's Tampa Bay ... uh, what was the name of their NHL team again?Oh, yeah. Lightning round. Quick Qs, quick As ...
DK: Why do you think McClendon's playing time has gone away (I believe 1 snap versus Bengals and don't remember playing v Skins)? Is this because of more dime/nickel? He was the darling of Preseason but cannot get on the field, for whatever reason
Dejan Kovacevic: It's been the head-scratcher of the season, as far as I'm concerned. No one who's watching McLendon, including experts, sees any fatal flaw in his play. The positive is that he did play nine snaps Sunday, which is way up.
NYJohn: The Meadowlands have power?
Dejan Kovacevic: Yes, but the bigger concern would be transportation to and from Met Life Stadium, especially as it relates to trains and cars out of Manhattan. Every indication right now is that the game will go on.
JohninOshkosh: By chat time next week, the American electorate will have decided our President for the next 4 years. What happens first before Inauguration Day 2016? Steelers World Championship, Pens Stanley Cup or Pirates in the playoffs?
Dejan Kovacevic: Riverhounds join MLS.
Absolute Locke: Does Karstens get non-tendered?
Dejan Kovacevic: Insanely, yes. At least if this management team stays intact. If new faces are brought in, then no, he'll be tendered and part of a rotation that very much could use him.
Guest: Better Coordinator - Haley or Arians?
Dejan Kovacevic: Bruce Arians won Super Bowls. Let's not lose our minds here.
DC: I read you because you are a great read with a personal style. I read Peter King for the same reason. Thanks for the work you do. And I have to believe you are making a difference for the Trib, keep it up.
Dejan Kovacevic: Thank you.
Mike H: Steelers starting running back once they are all 100%?
Dejan Kovacevic: I really don't see how Jonathan Dwyer isn't the default choice. Hope you had a chance to check out the Monday column on that topic.
Joe: Is there anything beyond the obvious- his being a 4th rd. pick- behind the decision to keep Ta'amu for now?
Dejan Kovacevic: Not that I can see. Tomlin and Kevin Colbert hate to see those picks go to waste.
Guest: Timing of upcoming Ravens / Steelers games - good or bad?
Dejan Kovacevic: If the Steelers win Sunday, it'll be spectacular timing.
NYJohn: Who is playing their last season as a Steeler?
Dejan Kovacevic: Casey Hampton, you'd have to think.
PirateApologist: How close is Bettman to becoming the all time leader of work stoppages for an acting commisioner or any sport?
Dejan Kovacevic: In this narrow a timeframe, I'm pretty sure he's already the king. But then, that's what happens when canceling games is your FIRST resort in negotiating.
c-man: Are ther any speed bumps in the Pitt hoops non-conference schedule prior to Big East play, or are they simply going to manhandle these cupcakes?
Dejan Kovacevic: I believe the kids at Long Beach State and Wagner would like to have a word with you.No, really, this is a different Pitt team, one I think is going to be as exciting as any we've seen here since the DeJuan Blair group. And not just because of Steven Adams. The guards are outstanding, and Lamar Patterson is ready to go to another level. Neat group.
JohninOshkosh: Why do people, me sometimes included, get on Nutting for his careful due diligence? Has he totally lost trust that he can make a wise decision? He is running a large company, after all.
Dejan Kovacevic: We'll see.
dillonerd: More likely to be a Steeler next year, Mendenhall or Wallace?
Dejan Kovacevic: Wallace.
Napper: How concerend are the owners that they have star players playing in other leagues? What happens if Malkin gets a serious injury while playing in the KHL?
Dejan Kovacevic: It's a significant concern. But team execs also know that, if this gets settled, training camp will last about a week. Players will have to come in with 100 percent game readiness.
Jerkstore: Would it be fair to say that Bob Nutting has been the most effective part of this management team? From what we are told he has funded every request for draft picks and free agent signings that Huntington and Coonelly ever made. He also provided money to sign long term extensions to Tabata and Cutch. It seems to me that Bob might be the least of the teams problems.
Dejan Kovacevic: To date, yes, Nutting has been better than any of them. But he's still, for reasons I'll never really understand, the one that ELECTS to take all the arrows for the mistakes of those under him.
NYJohn: Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams MVPs at the halfway point
Dejan Kovacevic: Offense: Ben. Defense: Ryan Clark. Special teams: Shaun Suisham.One more today...
Vinqtin: Why do people care about the Ta'amu situation? I enjoy Pop Tarts but they may have some peolpe with sketchy backgrounds working in their factory. I will still eat them and be entertained by Steeler games.
Dejan Kovacevic: I think people care because they like to think of "The Steeler Way" or the "The Rooney Way" as some higher ideal than what we've seen from the Ravens, Browns and especially Bengals. And people are disappointed to see it really isn't all that different if you're sticking by a fourth-round pick who went on a vehicular rampage that nearly injured several policemen.
Thanks to all for participating.The column runs Monday, Wednesday, Friday. The radio show is Tuesday. The chat is Thursday. And the blog is like a Jonathan Dwyer carry: Makes something out of nothing all the time.


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Research in Motion (RIM) announced the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet this week. The device will do battle with Apple's iPad and the Samsung Galaxy Tab early next year when it becomes available.
Meet the BlackBerry PlayBook
The BlackBerry PlayBook, which debuted at the BlackBerry developers conference DevCon, will have an immediate advantage over the iPad and Galaxy Tab when it comes to wooing business users who already are familiar with the BlackBerry mobile operating system.
Follow along this slideshow to learn more about what RIM hopes will be the BlackBerry PlayBook's competitive advantages.
Specs: ready for work or play
- 7in LCD, 1024 x 600, WSVGA, capacitive touch screen, multi-touch/gesture support
- BlackBerry Tablet OS with support for multiprocessing
- 1GHz dual-core processor
- Dual HD cameras (3Mp front facing, 5Mp rear facing)
- Supports 1080p HD video recording
- Video playback: 1080p HD Video, H.264, MPEG, DivX, WMV
- HDMI video output
- Wi-Fi – 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
- Connectors: microHDMI, microUSB, charging contacts
- Measures 130x 93x10mm
- Weighs 0.9lb
- RIM intends to also offer 3G and 4G models in the future
NEXT PAGE: Core features


text: Boehner Claims Obama Is Not Serious About Cutting Spending 12/13/2012 2:43 PM ET House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, continued to blame President Barack Obama for the lack of progress on a budget agreement Thursday, claiming that the president is not serious about cutting government spending."More than five weeks ago, Republicans signaled our willingness to avert the fiscal cliff with a bipartisan agreement that is truly balanced and begins to solve our spending problem," Boehner said at a press conference. "The president still has not made an offer that meets those two standards." He added, "While the president promised the American people a balanced approach, his proposals have been anything but. He wants far more in tax hikes than in spending cuts."Boehner's remarks continue a recent line of attack from Republicans, who have accused the president of focusing only on tax hikes rather than offering a serious plan to reduce spending.Members of the GOP have pointed to Obama's recent campaign-style events focused on increasing public support for his proposal to extend the tax cuts for the middle-class but raise rates on income above $250,000 a year."Now it's clear the president's just not serious about cutting spending," Boehner said at his weekly press conference. "But spending is the problem."The House Speaker pointed to a chart from Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and the House Budget Committee indicating that the president's proposed tax hikes would not address the sharp increase in government spending in the decades ahead."Listen, Republicans want to solve this problem by getting this spending line down," Boehner said. "The president wants to pretend that spending isn't the problem. That's why we don't have an agreement."He added, "We made a reasonable offer, it's now up to the White House to show us how they're going to cut spending and give us the balanced agreement that the president has talked about for weeks."Meanwhile, Democrats continue to put the blame for a lack of an agreement on Republicans, noting that the GOP leadership continues to oppose raising tax rates on wealthy Americans.Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday he is "mystified" that there hasn't been movement from the Republicans on the issue of taxes."Speaker Boehner can't ignore the American people forever," Reid said at a press conference. "At some point, reality should set in."Reid suggested that Obama would be willing to take significant action on spending once Republicans agree to higher taxes on the wealthy.Republicans claim their plan would raise $800 billion in revenues over ten years by closing loopholes and capping deductions rather than raising rates.Unless Congress takes action, approximately $600 billion in automatic tax increases and government spending cuts are due to take effect at the end of the year. by RTT Staff WriterFor comments and feedback: firstname.lastname@example.com News A Rundown of Dravet Syndrome Drugs In The Pipeline New Drugs approved in December 10 Biotech Stocks You Should Watch In January


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Frequently Asked Questions About Celiac Disease 09/30/2015This Celiac.com FAQ on celiac disease will guide you to all of the basic information you will need to know about the disease, its diagnosis, testing methods, a gluten-free diet, etc. Subscribe to Celiac.com's FREE weekly eNewsletter What are the major symptoms of celiac disease? Celiac Disease Symptoms What testing is available for celiac disease? Celiac Disease Screening Interpretation of Celiac Disease Blood Test Results Can I be tested even though I am eating gluten free? How long must gluten be taken for the serological tests to be meaningful? The Gluten-Free Diet 101 - A Beginner's Guide to Going Gluten-Free Is celiac inherited? Should my children be tested? Ten Facts About Celiac Disease Genetic Testing Is there a link between celiac and other autoimmune diseases? Celiac Disease Research: Associated Diseases and Disorders Is there a list of gluten foods to avoid? Unsafe Gluten-Free Food List (Unsafe Ingredients) Is there a list of gluten free foods? Safe Gluten-Free Food List (Safe Ingredients) Gluten-Free Alcoholic Beverages Distilled Spirits (Grain Alcohols) and Vinegar: Are they Gluten-Free? Where does gluten hide? Additional Things to Beware of to Maintain a 100% Gluten-Free Diet What if my doctor won't listen to me? An Open Letter to Skeptical Health Care Practitioners Gluten-Free recipes: Gluten-Free Recipes
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Could There Be Something Else? (Long- Sorry)
kvanrens1 replied to kvanrens1's topic in Celiac Disease - Parents of Kids or Babies With Celiac DiseaseWell, after having a discussion with her and her Dad, we (they) decided now was not the time to try eliminating all dairy. It probably is the culprit. We will restart the probiotics. We had her on them the first year of being gluten free. Compared to where we were, the gluten free diet has been nothing short of a miracle for her and us She says her stomach aches and other issues are not a big concern for her given how she felt before going gluten free. If it gets to be a bigger issue, we will revisit. Thanks for all your comments and suggestions!!!
Could There Be Something Else? (Long- Sorry)
kvanrens1 replied to kvanrens1's topic in Celiac Disease - Parents of Kids or Babies With Celiac DiseaseThanks Stephanie. That is a very good suggestion. I think that is where we should go next but the girl LOVES cheese in any and all forms. She will not be very happy. I have also been wondering about the FODMAPS diet. I wonder if that would help her.
Could There Be Something Else? (Long- Sorry)
kvanrens1 posted a topic in Celiac Disease - Parents of Kids or Babies With Celiac DiseaseIt has been a while since I posted. Our daughter is doing great on the gluten-free diet. We recently celebrated her two year anniversary of being gluten free. Just to catch you up on her history (sorry this is long). She was diagnosed as growth hormone deficient when she was around 7 years old. She was too underweight to start growth hormone treatment. Endocrinologist suspected a food absorption issue so we were referred to ped GI. Endo did basic celiac panel (not full panel) in her initial testing and it was negative. Ped GI put us on an aggressive eating schedule with pediasure supplements. Feeding tube is suggest but I decline. She gained weight but her stomach pain got worse and worse during this time. She was diagnosed with mild pancreatic insufficiency (fat malabsorption). Since pancreatic insufficiency is rare in children, they suspected cystic fibrosis. She had a sweat test that was not a clear negative (borderline range) so she had a cystic fibrosis gene test which thankfully ruled out that diagnosis. She starts missing school due to stomach aches. She often curls up in a ball in school and home due to stomach pain. She starts having behavior issues - grumpy, moody due to near constant pain. She is on 4 GI medications (omnezeprole, creon, mirlax, periactin) at this point and nothing is working. We switch Ped GI. She has an MRI of her pancreas and all is normal. Later, she has a upper GI scope that shows chronic gastritis and is negative for celiac disease and h.pylori. Ped GI suggests it is "functional abdominal pain" but given evidence of pancreatic insufficiency, gastritis, constipation, and almost constant stomach aches, I did not accept that diagnosis. One day I just googled all her diagnosis together (added the individual diagnosis together) and got celiac disease. I know there is not medical basis their testing methods but I needed a piece of paper to show we needed to try a gluten-free diet for her and used Enter*lab testing. Her numbers were very high for gluten sensitivity and she has DQ7 and DQ9 genes. We put her on a gluten-free diet. Within a couple of weeks, stomach aches were much better. Her mood improves. We stopped the periactin. Constipation was better. She gained a couple of pounds. Within 5-6 months she was retested for pancreatic insufficiency. No longer an issue so we were able to stop the creon. We switch back to our original Ped GI. He did not "believe" she could be gluten sensitive and suggested that we put her back on gluten to have her retested for celiac disease. I declined. At her next follow up appointment, he suggested that I put her back on gluten because she is still underweight (she is finally at a healthy level BMI for the first time in her life and at the 3% level on weight charts). He said that I was omitting a food group without a medical reason to do so. He gets very frustrated with me because I "seem to have all the answers." He told us to call us if we needed to but did not schedule a follow up appointment. So she is without a Ped GI at this point. After two years on the gluten free diet, we have seen so many positive changes. She takes an OTC omnezeprole daily. Stomach aches occur once or twice and week and are mild. She still has occasional constipation, painful gas, and loud painful belches. While she is finally at the 3% level on weight, her weight gain has tapered off and still a concern (10.75 years old and weighs 52 lbs). She is adopted from China and I believe she is genetically going to be small. We are very strict with the gluten-free diet. We usually take food with us to restaurants. I prepare her lunch and snack for school. She knows how to read labels to look for wheat, rye, and barley. She is also lactose sensitive so she is lactose free as well but we are a little lenient with the lactose free part. We will let her have ice cream when she takes lactaid. We try to only use the Kraft cheese that says 0g lactose or cheese that has 0g sugar. Since she is still having some GI issues, could there be something else still going on? I would have thought we could give up the acid reflux (gastritis) medicine at this point but the couple of times we have stopped it, her stomach pain and burping increases so we put her back on it. Is there something we are missing? Should we find another Ped GI?
We don't drink sodas and rarely give her orange juice because of the acid reflux. She does not like spicy foods so that is not a culprit. I do feel it is probably another food intolerance. She eats lots of lactose free cheese - wonder if it could be casein? She could also eat her weight in fruit. Fructose could be another consideration. She has had to give up so many of the foods she loves, I would hate for her to have to give up cheese and/or fruit. She is underweight (50 lbs at age 10) and it is already a challenge to feed her with the gluten free and lactose free diet.
Thanks everyone. I will try some of the suggestions.
Help With Gerd/acid Reflux
kvanrens1 posted a topic in Celiac Disease - Coping WithOur NCGI daughter has been gluten free since March 2012. She is doing so well since going gluten-free. She has gained weight, no more painful stomach aches, she is growing, and most importantly she feel fantastic. She has been able to stop so many medications but we can't seem to get over the GERD/acid reflux that results in painful, loud burping. She is on omnezeprole (spelling?). I would love to get her off this one last medication. Any tips? It is such a puzzle to me because all her other GI issues have resolved since going gluten-free. Thanks! K
Pf Changs - Gluten Or Other Ingredient
kvanrens1 replied to kvanrens1's topic in Gluten-Free RestaurantsHer stomach was still hurting this afternoon so it was probably gluten. Just disappointed for her because we are so limited in our small town that we usually take food for her when we eat out. We have a PF Chang's and Mellow Mushroom around an hour drive from us. She does fine at Mellow Mushroom so guess we will have to stick to Mellow Mushroom. Hate to see her in pain and miserable. Thanks!
Pf Changs - Gluten Or Other Ingredient
kvanrens1 replied to kvanrens1's topic in Gluten-Free RestaurantsHer plates did not have tofu (soy) and she is not sensitive to soy that I am aware of. I requested gluten free soy sauce and like last time they brought it out separate, in its own container.
Pf Changs - Gluten Or Other Ingredient
kvanrens1 replied to kvanrens1's topic in Gluten-Free RestaurantsYes, it was the same PF Chang's both times. I told the server that she had gotten sick the last time we ate there and he said his wife eats gluten free too. He was sure to point out the signature plates when he brought out the food. Just a puzzle because I know PF Chang's is one of the "good guys" that really try with the gluten-free preparation. I was just wondering if it could be something else. She eats egg all the time so that should not be it. Anyone know what types of oil they use? Do they use MSG?
Pf Changs - Gluten Or Other Ingredient
kvanrens1 posted a topic in Gluten-Free RestaurantsMy 9 year old NCGI daughter ate at PF Chang's in August 2012 for lunch. By that afternoon, she was so sick that she did not make it to the toilet on time. Very embarrassing for her. We have not been back until yesterday. She ordered the same thing as last time. gluten-free fried rice and gluten-free singapore noodles. She did not eat much of the noodles mostly the fried rice. I leave her at the table with breakfast while I go get ready and this morning, when I checked on her she had not finished her breakfast. When I asked why it was taking her so long to eat breakfast, she broke out into tears (she gets very emotional on gluten because her stomach hurts) and said that she had been in the bathroom for a while. Since she had the exact same foods as last time and they came out on the signature plates indicating gluten free, is it gluten or could she be sensitive to another ingredient that they use in their foods? Any BTDT? Just trying to figure out if PF Chang's is yet another place that she cannot eat Thanks, Kristy
Just saw this on Yahoo - thought I would share. Great idea if your child is in the care of others. http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/dont-feed-t-shirts-calm-parents-allergic-kids-100406887--abc-news-health.html Kristy (by the way, not endorsing in any way)
Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity
kvanrens1 commented on jebby's blog entry in The Patient CeliacMy daughter is one of those that is non celiac gluten senstivity. Her blood tests (incomplete panel several years ago and never retested), endoscopy, and genetic tests were all negative for celiac yet she was very, very ill and in near constant pain. She has been diagnosed with failure to thrive, pancreatic insufficiency (fat malabsorption), lactose intolerant, unexplained growth hormone deficiency, constipation, and chronic gastritis. The GI doctors were stumped and prescribed more medication with each new symptom. Out of desperation and wanting our daughter to feel better, we tried the gluten free diet last March. She looks and feels so much better. It has been amazing to see the changes in her over the past year. So many of her medical issues have resolved. I really believe that if she continued gluten in her diet her health would have deteriorated. Thank you for this article.
Enterolab Gene Test
kvanrens1 replied to mamamonkey's topic in Celiac Disease - Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & SymptomsWe have had the gene testing for our daughter through Enterolab. It was helpful for us to know that she does not have the main celiac genes and fits with her negative celiac tests. Her official diagnosis is non celiac gluten intolerance. The test is a quick swab of the inside of the cheek and not invasive. Enterolab does not provide subunit info. Our daughter is DQ7 and DQ9. Some research indicates that DQ7.5 may be a celiac gene but we did not get that level of information from Enterolab.
6-Month Follow Up Test Results
kvanrens1 replied to rami's topic in Celiac Disease - Parents of Kids or Babies With Celiac DiseaseWonderful news about the test results. My daughter grew around 4 inches on her first year of growth hormone injections and this was prior to going gluten free. Kristy
Nonceliac Gluten Intolerance - Follow Up Care?
kvanrens1 replied to kvanrens1's topic in Celiac Disease - Post Diagnosis, Recovery/Treatment(s)Agreed IrishHeart. Given how bad she felt and how her little body was reacting (pancreatic insufficiency is very rare in children; pain so debilitating that she would get disoriented), I just don't want to miss anything important in her follow up care. I no longer trust the docs to be experts and want to go in educated. If she needs a CBC and CMP, I want to know that going into our next appointment. The last appointment we only saw the GI nurse and this time we see the GI Doc. Thanks everyone!


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Here at Ultimate Howrse, we will be bringing you all you need to know about this groundbreaking new game which will be launched on 24th July 2012.
The game is a limited time game. That means it will only exist for a few months, before the servers are closed. This is because Howrse Cup is a group competition game where the focus is on competing against other teams of players, rather than spending time breeding and training your horses.
The aim of the game is to be the team who win the world championship in December.
A team has up to 15 members and the top 25 teams who collect the most diamonds in the next few months qualify to compete in the world championship for the Howrse Cup. The players of the team that win the Howrse Cup each get 100 passes and a new and exclusive Divine which they can activate on any server they wish.
To earn diamonds on Howrse Cup your horses need to win races. Every race you enter and place 1st - 4th brings you diamonds. The player and team rankings are all based on how many diamonds you have.
You can also enter challenges against other players to try and win their diamonds off them. For a challenge each player enters 2 horses into a Trot, Gallop, Showjumping, Cross Country and Dressage head-to-head competition. Whoever wins overall gets the diamonds.
However, it's not as easy as it sounds. On Howrse Cup you cannot see the skills or GPs of any of the other players horses - so you have no idea what you're up against!
UPDATE: The game is now live. Enjoy!


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8/16/2012 3:41pm, #1
CEO: Alan Belcher MMA Club
- Join Date
- May 2012
- Location
- D'Iberville, Mississippi, United States
- Posts
- 67
- Style
Interview with Daniel Moraes, discussing Vitor Belfort + a special bonus technique
Hey everyone,
Here is a video interview with multiple time IBJJF world champion Daniel Moraes. Daniel is also one of my coaches for my up and coming fight against Vitor Belfort. I'm real excited for this fight, and Daniel discusses it in this interview along with how he got his start in BJJ, defining career moments, and a plan to return to MMA in 2013 at lightweight!
also another reason i wanted to post this up was to show you guys this sick new kimura trap system by my friend david avellan. watch these now so you won't tap tonight in class!
Check it out: http://www.kimuratrap.com/referral.html?w=plv0&p=alanb
And as always if you ever find yourself in the Biloxi area of Mississippi stop by my club and train, or just say hi: http://www.alanbelchermmaclub.com/Dedicated to your success,
Alan Belcher


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OCC's Curry Replaces NCUA's Matz as FFIEC Chair
The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council announced Monday that Comptroller of the Currency Thomas J. Curry has been named chairman for a two-year term.
He succeeds NCUA Chairman Debbie Matz as chairman of the combined regulatory group.
This marks the fifth time the OCC has led the council. The FFIEC also named Daniel K. Tarullo, member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, as its new vice chairman for a two-year term.
"It's truly an honor to be named to the chair of the FFIEC," Curry said. "I want to express my appreciation to Chairwoman Matz for her service to the FFIEC over the last two extraordinary years in our industry.
"As the FFIEC looks to the future, I will continue to work with my colleagues to help ensure uniform examinations and standards that balance the financing needs of families, communities and businesses while preserving the safety and soundness of the banking system."
The FFIEC currently consists of six voting members: the Comptroller of the Currency, FDIC chairman, NCUA chairman, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau director; chairman of the State Liaison Committee; and a member of the board who is appointed by the chairman.


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Amazon has announced that
it is closing one of its distribution centers and canceling operation
expansions in Texas due to a dispute with the state's comptroller over millions
of dollars in sales taxes. However, Governor Rick Perry (R-Texas) isn't letting
the internet retail giant go that easily.
made the decision to close a suburban Dallas distribution center after Texas
State Comptroller Susan Combs told the company that they were responsible for
$269 million in sales
taxes that were not collected on online sales in the
regret losing any business in Texas, but our position hasn't changed: If you
have a presence in the state of Texas, you are required to pay sales tax just
like any other business that has a presence in Texas," said Allen Spelce,
a spokesman for Texas Comptroller Susan Combs.
But Perry
disagrees with Combs' decision to charge Amazon millions of dollars in sales
taxes, and to let the company leave the state of Texas. Amazon's decision to
close its Irving distribution center and cancel plans to expand operations in
Texas will result in job losses as well as the loss of tens of millions of
investment dollars to the state.
is a problem and I would suggest to you that we need to look at that decision
that our comptroller made," said Perry. "The comptroller made that
decision independently. I would tell you from my perspective that's not the
decision I would have made."
added that Combs shouldn't have pinned the sales taxes on Amazon's Dallas
distribution center, since it doesn't have a storefront and is not responsible
for such matters.
couldn't go in and buy anything out
of that store, and that, historically, has been the way we defined whether you
pay taxes or not - if you had a storefront," said Perry. "This
obviously didn't have a storefront. It was specifically there to manage
products that need to be shipped out."
Perry is
looking to get the legislature involved to keep Amazon in
Texas, but it may already be too late. Amazon's Dave Clark, vice president of
operations, has announced that the company will close its Irving distribution
center on April 12, and will cease all plans to expand operations in the state
of Texas, which will eliminate 1,000 potential jobs and cut tens of millions of
potential investment dollars to the state as well.
don't want to be onerous on tax policy where businesses and I would say I'm
having a hard time getting my hands around this one," said Perry. "Texas should be a bastion for businesses, not one
where they're sitting there going 'we'd rather go over to Oklahoma where we
could get a better deal.' Texas doesn't want to make itself less competitive
with its tax decisions."
to Spelce, Texas loses about $600 million in online sales taxes annually.
Currently, a case is pending before
the State Office of Administrative Hearings regarding the $269 million in sales
taxes from Amazon.


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Marisnick tough cut after fine spring season
By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com
JUPITER, Fla. -- From the outset, Jake Marisnick's objective was to make a strong Spring Training impression, and create a tough decision for the Marlins.
The decision became official on Thursday morning when Marisnick was optioned to Triple-A New Orleans.
In many ways, the decision was predetermined because all along the Marlins wanted Marisnick to continue his development in the Minor Leagues. So in that regard, the call wasn't unexpected.
Marisnick's objective was to give the team something to think about. He certainly did that. Even while working on refining his swing, the speedy outfielder batted .432 (19-for-44) with five doubles, a triple and four RBIs.
Sending Marisnick down was especially tough for manager Mike Redmond, who previously managed the outfielder in the Minors in Toronto's system.
"Jake is a more personal one for me because I've had him since he was 19 years old, and we've gone through a lot," Redmond said. "It's been fun to see him develop. At the same time, too, it was tough to tell him he was going to the Minor Leagues after he had such a great spring. I really believe this is the right thing for his development. He looked great. He looked a lot better. "
The hope is Marisnick keeps making the necessary adjustments to not just make it to the big leagues, but to make him a future star.
With his speed, power potential and defensive skills, Marisnick can become a game-changer. It's all about making his shortened swing second nature.
"I think the important thing for us is he goes down there, gets his at-bats, so when he comes back, when don't have that conversation again, because he's out there forever," Redmond said. "I really believe he's going to be a great Major Leaguer for a long time. He's made some swings and had some at-bats I'd never seen before."
Marlins finalize rotation for start of '14 season
JUPITER, Fla. -- Everything fell in line this spring regarding the Marlins' rotation, and there are no surprises with the final outcome.
The way manager Mike Redmond and pitching coach Chuck Hernandez set the order the first week of Spring Training games is how they will stack up when the season starts on Monday against the Rockies at Marlins Park.
As previously announced, Jose Fernandez will start on Opening Day. The 21-year-old sensation is the reigning National League Rookie of the Year, and he already has achieved All-Star status.
Following Fernandez will be Nathan Eovaldi, Henderson Alvarez, Jacob Turner and Tom Koehler.
All five are right-handers, and Koehler won the spot over lefty Brad Hand, who will make the team as a long reliever.
"I'm excited," Redmond said. "Jose, obviously, is our main guy and our Opening Day starting pitcher. For me, all the other guys are young guys with good arms. I know everybody makes a big deal about where they fall in line. But after Opening Day, it doesn't really matter.
"It's the guys' jobs to go out there and give us a chance to win ballgames. They always talk about battles for rotations' spots, or fourth or fifth spots. For me, it's more of a battle to get into the rotation. That's what we saw."
A year ago, the Marlins finished 62-100, but the team featured strong pitching. In fact, the pitching staff of 2013 set a franchise ERA mark of 3.71.
"I feel like everybody is picking up where they left off last year," Eovaldi said. "The first few games this spring, we were getting everything back. I feel like everybody is ready for the season to start. I feel like everything is the same. I really feel like we're going to pick up where we left off last year."
Hand, who is out of options, made his final spring start on Thursday, throwing four scoreless innings in Miami's 6-4 win over the Cardinals at Roger Dean Stadium.
As expected, the lefty will move to the bullpen.
"I'll do whatever they ask me to do," Hand said. "It's a lot different than starting. You just have to come in there and be ready to go right away. You don't have an inning or two to kind of get things going. You've got to get it rolling right away, and come right after people."
Koehler, 27, is the oldest on the staff. He's also shown the most improvement from a year ago. The right-hander impressed all spring, posting a 1.50 ERA in 18 innings.
"It really doesn't matter if it doesn't carry over into the season," Koehler said.
"I'm excited about this team. It's a good group of guys. We've really come together over the last six weeks. It's a talented group, and a hungry group. When you mix those three things together good stuff tends to happen. Hopefully, we'll just go out there and play hard every night, compete and hopefully things will take over and the results will be where we want."
Lucas struck by pitch, sustains hand fracture
JUPITER, Fla. -- Marlins infielder Ed Lucas sustained a fracture to his left hand after being struck by a pitch on Thursday in Miami's 6-4 win over the Cardinals at Roger Dean Stadium.
In the morning, Lucas was informed he made the club as the utility infielder. His injury occurred in the eighth inning when he was clipped on the back of his hand by a Scott McGregor fastball.
After immediately coming out of the game, Lucas had an X-ray, which showed a non-displaced fracture.
Now that Lucas will open the season on the disabled list, Donovan Solano will rejoin the team hours after he officially was optioned to Triple-A New Orleans.
Lucas and Solano were in competition for the utility infield spot.
"It's sore," Lucas said.
Lucas and the Marlins initially were hopeful that the injury wouldn't be serious.
The Marlins rallied with five runs in the eighth inning. During the rally, Lucas was pegged by a McGregor pitch. He was checked by trainer Sean Cunningham and immediately replaced for a pinch-runner.
Earlier in Spring Training, Lucas missed about a week due to a strained left hamstring. He has impressed since his return.
The final days of Spring Training are always reason for concern regarding freakish injuries.
"These last three days are torture," manager Mark Redmond said. "You're trying to get the guys through it. At the same time, too. Some of those guys you're trying to get at-bats for, especially, your role players. We hope everything is all right."
Joe Frisaro is a reporter for MLB.com. He writes a blog, called The Fish Pond. Follow him on Twitter @JoeFrisaro. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Traditional Feuerzangenbowle
Our Annual Holiday Party Menu
Don't forget to share your holiday food photos with us! Here, CasaSugar's Elka Karl tells us about her annual Feuerzangenbowle.
Every year, we throw a cozy Feuerzangebowle at our home. My husband's family is from Germany, and this German holiday party is centered around a bowl of mulled wine. A Feuerzangenbowle (pronounced "Foy-err-song-en-bowl-eh," German for "tongs of fire punch") is a traditional fruity and mulled wine finished with flaming rum.
A Zuckerhut (sugar cone) is doused in Barcardi 151, and then set ablaze. The caramelized goodness then drips into the heady and seasonal brew. The lighting of the punch serves as a particularly festive kickoff to a cozy little holiday gathering. It's liquid Gemuetlichkeit (cozy kitsch).
In addition to the mulled wine, we also put out a pretty massive spread of food. There's a lot of German and Scandinavian foods: fresh baked rye bread, cold cuts, pungent cheeses, stollen, quark, and gravlax, among other selections. Every year my husband makes the gravlax at least a week in advance, letting it cure in the fridge in its mixture of dill, brown sugar, and salt.
To check out a photo of the punch and see what else she served at the party, read more.
This year I also made quark, and it was so easy I want to make it every week! It's actually good for you — the only ingredient, besides some sea salt (you can also add fresh herbs) is 1 percent milkfat buttermilk. To make it, you put the buttermilk in a covered pyrex bowl in a 150 degree oven for nine hours. Then, pull it out, line a colander with cheesecloth, and let the cheese drain its whey into a bowl beneath the colander. Refrigerate, salt, and eat. Yum!
Do you have an image of something gorgeous that you recently made or enjoyed? If so, be sure to upload it in our YumSugar Community!


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Campaign for Vermont to host public forum in Bennington
"We're hosting these forums primarily to listen to southern Vermonters who want to share their point of view, the challenges they face and their aspirations for the future of our state," Lisman said. "We also want to learn from the panel of local social service providers, employers and other experts."
Panel members will include Joseph Krawczyk, Jr., Chair of the Bennington Selectboard; Paul Carroccio, engineer and owner of TPW Management in Bondville; and Maryann St. John, Bennington County Supervisor for Community Services with BROC - Community Action in Southwestern Vermont.
The forums will highlight the effectiveness of current policy, as well as the need to support local organizations working to meet the increasing needs of the most vulnerable, Lisman said.
"My ultimate goal for these forums is to lead a discussion about advancing non-partisan policies that will help us fight poverty and build an economy where no one is left behind and everyone can prosper," Lisman added. "We think it's important to engage as many Vermonters as possible in this discussion because achieving real results will require real reform."
The free 90-minute forum will include short presentations by panelists describing their work, the challenges they face and suggestions for moving forward, followed by open public discussion. Refreshments will be provided.
"This inclusive statewide dialogue is another step toward building a larger, more diverse and independent grassroots coalition to advance much-needed, non-partisan reforms to build an economy where poverty steadily declines, wages steadily rise, and everyone has the opportunity to prosper," Lisman said.
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us. We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.


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A lump in the abdomen is a soft bulge of tissue or a small area of swelling in the belly.
See also: Abdominal mass
Abdominal hernia; Hernia - abdominal; Abdominal wall defects; Lump in the abdominal wall; Abdominal wall mass
Most often, a lump in the abdomen is caused by a hernia. An abdominal hernia occurs when there is an area where the muscles are weak. This allows the internal organs to bulge through the abdominal wall. A hernia may not appear until after you strain, lift something heavy, or have a long period of coughing.
There are several types of hernias, based on where they occur:
Other causes of a lump in the abdominal wall include:
Get treated for a chronic cough or constipation if you have a hernia. Straining from these conditions causes the intestines to bulge further into the hernia.
Call your doctor if you have a lump in your abdomen that becomes larger, changes color, or is painful.
If you have a hernia, call your doctor if you have:
The blood supply to the organs that stick out through the hernia may be lost (strangulated hernia). This is very rare, but it is a medical emergency.
The doctor will examine you and ask questions about your medical history and symptoms, such as:
During the physical examination, you may be asked to cough or strain.
Surgery may be needed to correct incisional hernias or umbilical hernias that do not go away by the time a child approaches school age. The surgery may be done through a large surgical cut, or through a smaller cut into which the surgeon inserts a camera and other instruments.
Emergency surgery is needed in the case of a strangulated hernia.
Malangoni MA, Rosen MJ. Hernias. In: Townsend CM, Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, Mattox KL, eds. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 44.
Turnage RH, Richardson KA, Li BD, McDonald JC. Abdominal wall, umbilicus, peritoneum, mesenteries, omentum, and retroperitoneum. In: Townsend CM, Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, Mattox KL, eds. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 43.
1000 Johnson Ferry Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30342
(404) 851-8000
450 Northside Cherokee Blvd.
Canton, GA 30115
(770) 224-1000
1200 Northside Forsyth Drive
Cumming, GA 30041
(770) 844-3200


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Skip to comments.Oil, Oil Everywhere
Posted on 01/30/2005 8:24:37 AM PST by Woodworker
The price of oil remains high only because the cost of oil remains so low. We remain dependent on oil from the Mideast not because the planet is running out of buried hydrocarbons, but because extracting oil from the deserts of the Persian Gulf is so easy and cheap that it's risky to invest capital to extract somewhat more stubborn oil from far larger deposits in Alberta.
The market price of oil is indeed hovering up around $50 a barrel on the spot market. But getting oil to the surface currently costs under $5 a barrel in Saudi Arabia, with the global average cost certainly under $15. And with technology already well in hand, the cost of sucking oil out of the planet we occupy simply will not rise above roughly $30 a barrel for the next 100 years at least.
The cost of oil comes down to the cost of finding, and then lifting or extracting. First, you have to decide where to dig. Exploration costs currently run under $3 per barrel in much of the Mideast, and below $7 for oil hidden deep under the ocean. But these costs have been falling, not rising, because imaging technology that lets geologists peer through miles of water and rock improves faster than supplies recede. Many lower-grade deposits require no new looking at all.
(Excerpt) Read more at opinionjournal.com ...
They can only manipulate the price so high until it becomes cost effective to extract it from shale. THEN the gig is up (and the mid-East becomes utterly irrelevent).
Neither do I, unless however, Quebec starts the race for the door. My prediction is that Canada as Canada would not last 5 years if Quebec left.
Might not be that great an idea. THe most conservative Canadian thinks like a Kennedy Lib. DO you really think that they'd be prepared to give up their "free" health care even if it meant that they'd finally actually get access to medical care.
Well, the Hunt Brothers.
The collapse of the silver market meant countless losses for speculators. The Hunt brothers declared bankruptcy.
By 1987 their liabilities had grown to nearly $2.5 billion against assets of $1.5 billion. In August of 1988 the Hunts were convicted of conspiring to manipulate the market.
Well, so much for cornering the market.
The Coming Oil Crisis
You say the price of oil will rise much higher than it already has. Why?
"The problem we have is that there are 2.3 billion people in Chindia," Leeb says, using shorthand for a combined China and India.
"Today, China and India use the energy-equivalent of 5.5 barrels of oil per person per year, while rich nations use 39. No matter how rosy your thinking is as to the global supply of oil, there is no way there is going to be enough to satisfy the demands of an extra 2.3 billion people coming online."
The National Debt.
Please take a look at the charts and see how printing money and Nixon's gold standard move makes gold and oil rise in price.
The Hunt bothers were hedging because Nixon took the US off the gold standard in 1971.
The National Debt doubled between 1971 and 1979 and is on the RISE today because of Bush's policies.
Because of a higher global demand for oil (remember oil prices are based on Dollars) and the US printing money to finance the war just like Vietnam era everything is priced higher.
Check housing prices lately?
One more thing about oil prices and Asia. 1998 was the last time I bought gas in Northern Virgina at .86 a gallon. I just came back from working in Europe and I couldn't believe my eyes when I pulled into the gas station.
How could fuel sell at that low, low price.
The 1997-98 East Asian financial crisis cause all of those oil tanks to turn around and headed to US ports with load of oil and gasoline that couldn't sell in Asia.
As the prices fell the cop layed off stop people from speeding on the highways in 1998. Well it looked that way in those days. Higher speeds burns up more gas.
WOW! look at those 1999 enforcement moving citations increase in Ohio.
Thanks to the IMF South Korean Union Sues the IMF in the wake of the 1997-98 East Asian financial crisis.
So Asia is back on line. Oil is in big demand all over the world and I'm out of here!!!
Yep, there's is enough for everyone forever
by Secret Insider
Half a century ago every car could have double mpg with higher pressure fuel injection.
At some point those who manage the in~dust~trial fleet mpg dial setting* will allow same.
HP FI allows each hydrocarbon molecule change into energy without waste.
You could breathe the exhaust & drink the distilled water that comes out.
It's no secret, look into it.
* A crude capacity & refining ratio formula.
Hint= after no jets flying in the days following 9-11 you should have seen all the JP-5 & JP-8 going up the flares because all the storage & pipelines were full.
Then you could breathe the exhaust & drink the distilled water that comes out.
Hint= after no jets flying in the days following 9-11 you should have seen all the JP-5 & JP-8 going up the flares because all the storage & pipelines were full.
What do you mean "going up in flares"?
If you meant "FLAMES" why should they go up
because all the storage & pipelines were full?
Nixon didn't have much of a choice but to take us off the Bretton Woods "gold standard." And the oil embargo just made the problem worse. The two combined were pretty much an act of war by France and OPEC, IMO.
Environazi's motto;
They prefer giving money to terrorists who care nothing about the environment than being more self sufficient.
So true.
Another point that is usually missed, is that oil is a global market. US does not have to be "energy independent" to seriously affect the global price. If we pumped 2 million barrels a day more (a fraction of our imports *and* a practical, obtainable goal) for our own use, that would, for all practical purposes, add the same amount to the open market. Bingo, oil prices take a serious dip.
40% of our domestic output comes from the North Slope. Drilling there passed the Senate by 1 vote. Where would we be right now without that one vote? Pretty scary to contemplate. Will we look back 20 years from now and wish we had tried harder to get those few votes needed to drill in ANWAR? Yep.
Didn't refit the Cit's because I was selling them as restored originals.
To make a real difference it has to be industry wide standard.
Fleet MPG has not really increased much beyond a minuscule factor of the formula stated above.
Radial tires made as much a difference as anything.
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.


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Easter in Colombia
Editor's note: Celebrating Easter, including its preparation, is distinct to religious tradition and cultural custom. Candelaria, a World Vision community volunteer, and her daughters Martha and Mara describe how their family prepares and celebrates Easter according to Catholic tradition in Colombia. The following post was written by World Vision field communicators Ivon Curevo and Astrid Zacipa.
There is a Wednesday ever year in which Candelaria, 29, and her husband Carlos, 46, go with their daughters Marta, 11, and Mara, 7, to the nearest Catholic Church to receive from the priest the imposition of the "Cross of Ashes".
"You are dust and to dust you shall become," says the priest, while drawing the symbol of the cross on their foreheads with ashes. This day is known as "Ash Wednesday" and marks the beginning of Lent -- forty days of preparation for Easter.
"Lent is the time to get together as a family, to feel at peace with God. It is a time to reflect on the positive as well as the negative aspects of our lives and to repent ourselves," says Candelaria.
Candelaria with her daughters Martha and Mara outside their home in Colombia. (Zacipa & Cuervo/WV)
Especially at Easter, Candelaria and her family abstain from eating meat, except fish, like many of those of Catholic faith. "From what my mom taught me, we do not eat meat [so as] not to desecrate the suffering of Jesus on the cross," says Candelaria.
Because it is Easter, Carlos saves money from his bricklaying work so Candelaria can prepare a special meal for the family on Thursday or Friday. "Mom prepares fish from the river, beet salad, rice with beans and fresh fruit for dessert," says Mara.
As learned from her grandmother and her mother, Candelaria has taught her daughters the Catholic traditions of the Holy Week. The first Sunday of Easter recalls the day that Jesus entered Jerusalem at the beginning of Passover and was acclaimed by the people. That day the custom is to "take a bunch of palm to the church for the priest to bless it," says Mara.
In the days that follow it is customary to make the Way of the Cross, which is a representation of the path that Jesus followed, carrying the cross to Mount Calvary. The various stations in which this event divides guide the route of the procession on the streets of the neighborhood. "When the Holy Week ends, we go to church on Sunday of resurrection," says Candelaria.
The celebration of Holy Communion during mass, a rite known as the Eucharist, brings to memory the sacrifice of Jesus. "Jesus was put on a cross because he helped people… After that, Jesus rose up from the dead and [now] He lives in heaven and in our hearts," says Marta.
Candelaria and her family enjoy these moments in community while maintaining the experience of faith within their home. "Carlos and I pray with our children, we read the Bible. We read especially the Psalms often," says Candelaria.
She also encourage her daughters to have a personal relationship with God. "I teach them that we have to thank God every day for everything to be in good relation with Him and with ourselves," she says.
Happy Easter to you and your family from the World Vision international family. May celebrating Christ's resurrection remind you of the eternal hope it's given to our world.


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Viciedo's four-year pact finalized
White Sox willing to take time to work impact Cuban into mix
By Scott Merkin / MLB.com
After passing his physical on Thursday and officially agreeing to a four-year, $10-million deal with the White Sox on Friday, the 19-year-old now plans to start up his conditioning program in Florida with teammate and Cuban countryman Alexei Ramirez. Viciedo was not in Las Vegas for the recently completed Winter Meetings, but he heard manager Ozzie Guillen's comments addressing the need for the power-packed phenom to come into Spring Training in shape.
"I did hear Ozzie's commentary, and I have some work to do before Spring Training," said Viciedo, through translator Lou Hernandez, during a conference call Friday afternoon. "I'm starting a specific program to get me in the shape I want to be for Spring Training, the shape the team needs me to be for Spring Training.
"But I look forward to the hard work and doing what I have to do to get in my best shape possible. I don't have any doubt I can get there."
General manager Ken Williams recently informed the media that Viciedo needed to lose 10 pounds by the time players reported to Glendale in mid-February. Viciedo set the target on Friday at more like 16 pounds, weighing 246 pounds and wanting to get down to 230.
"That's the target weight for me, where I need to get," Viciedo said. "I feel like at 230 pounds, I can be at a very good weight and in shape."
Upon hearing his present weight, one reporter asked Viciedo if he could play football. Viciedo laughed and said it was not something he has the ability to do.
Viciedo certainly can play baseball, which is why the White Sox invested the time and energy they did scouting him and the money they did to bring him into the organization. Viciedo will receive a $4 million signing bonus and earn $1 million in 2009, $1.25 million apiece in 2010 and 2011 and $2.5 million in 2012.
It's a signing that actually is a by-product of the Nick Swisher and Javier Vazquez trades. With close to $17 million saved in salary through those departures, Williams explained how part of that money was re-invested in Viciedo. So, the White Sox actually picked up eight players to increase their young talent pool, as opposed to the seven coming over through the two trades.
Almost every Major League team had a representative at Viciedo's two-day, mid-November workout in the Dominican Republic, coming shortly after he was officially made a free agent. Going into that showcase, Jaime Torres, Viciedo's agent, said the White Sox had a slight edge because of Cuba countrymen Ramirez and Jose Contreras not only playing for the team but thriving in the on-field and off-field atmosphere.
That connection proved to be more than a slight edge in Viciedo's decision-making process.
"They were very influential," said Viciedo of Ramirez and Contreras, who also are represented by Torres. "They spoke with me and told me about playing for the White Sox. They said how they could help me and how I could help them on the team.
"This was the offer on the table. I saw it as the best offer and my best opportunity to play baseball. Overall, I'm happy to be in the big leagues, with two other Cubans and with the White Sox.
During three seasons with Villa Clara in the Cuban League, Viciedo batted .296 with 32 home runs and 123 RBIs in 233 games. He also put together a .500-plus slugging percentage in two of his three seasons playing in Serie Nacional, Cuba's top league. At age 15, Viciedo was named Most Valuable Player of the World Junior Championships in Villahermosa, Mexico. He hit .294 with 10 home runs and 38 RBIs during 57 games in 2007-08, and Viciedo was named to the Cuban League All-Star team during the 2005-06 season after hitting .337 with 14 home runs and 58 RBIs.
Those are quite the lofty credentials, especially for a 19-year-old.
When asked Friday to name his best defensive position, Viciedo said he felt most comfortable at third base. Josh Fields looks to be the current best bet as the White Sox starter at that spot, with veteran Wilson Betemit close behind, but Viciedo would be willing to play anywhere on the field if the big league opportunity arises.
"Center field, third base, wherever," Viciedo said. "If I get the opportunity to be with the team, I don't see a problem playing any position they ask me."
A strong possibility exists that Viciedo could start the 2009 campaign in the Minors, trying to get acclimated to Major League life and the raised talent level. Then again, some thought Ramirez needed this same lower-level indoctrination in 2008 and all he did was finish second in the American League Rookie of the Year balloting while emerging as one of the team's most clutch hitters.
Ramirez's first-year success motivates Viciedo as he approaches his first camp with the White Sox. This motivation needs to play out in better conditioning, though, for Viciedo to have a viable shot.
His first step to Major League success takes root in Florida next week.
"Like I say, he's got to come in shape," said Guillen of Viciedo. "Spring Training is not [the place] to get yourself in shape. I told Jaime, 'He's going to have a legit shot and I want to see him play.' We beat a couple of the teams that were fighting for him and the expectations were pretty high."
"Cuban baseball, I feel, is good baseball," said Viciedo, who has talked about living with Ramirez or Contreras during Spring Training. "Alexei motivates me to work even a little harder. With him, what he did as motivation, I know I can be successful."
Scott Merkin is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Howard returns in Phils loss to Braves
Ryan Howard walked up to the plate to a loud standing ovation and drove the second pitch he saw deep to right-center for a double.
With all their regulars back, it was just like old times for the Philadelphia Phillies. Except the end result.
Brian McCann hit a grand slam, Tim Hudson tossed four-hit ball over seven innings and the Atlanta Braves beat the struggling Phillies 5-0 to spoil Howard's season debut Friday night.
"It felt good, but the outcome didn't go the way we wanted it," Howard said.
Howard was 2 for 4 in his first game since rupturing his left Achilles tendon on the final swing in a postseason elimination loss to St. Louis last October. But the last-place Phillies generated nothing else on offense.
The five-time defending NL East champions are a season-worst 11 games under .500. Since five-time All-Star Chase Utley returned last week, the Phillies are 1-8.
"We still control our own destiny," Howard said. "We have to go out and win series. If we can do that, we'll find ourselves in the mix."
Hudson (7-4) nearly went pitch-for-pitch with Kyle Kendrick, who also threw seven scoreless innings and allowed four hits. Kendrick had five strikeouts; Hudson had none. But Hudson got the W.
"Today was probably the best I felt through this whole process," Hudson said. "I felt like my fastball, velocity-wise, was pretty close to normal. I know for the last three or four starts, I didn't have a whole lot of confidence to really let it go."
Antonio Bastardo (2-3) replaced Kendrick to start the eighth and immediately ran into trouble. Pinch-hitter Matt Diaz led off with a single and Michael Bourn walked. After Martin Prado hit a shallow fly and Jason Heyward popped out, Chipper Jones walked to load the bases. Freddie Freeman then walked to force in the first run.
McCann followed with a shot to straightaway center for his ninth career slam, giving the Braves a 5-0 lead.
"I love hitting with the bases loaded because they have to come at you," McCann said. "They really can't walk you. It's definitely a good feeling to stand in the box and know they have to come see you."
Kendrick warmed up to force Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez's hand. But manager Charlie Manuel went with Bastardo after left-handed hitting Juan Francisco was announced as a pinch-hitter.
"Bastardo's been our eighth-inning guy," Manuel said. "We wanted him on the lefties. It didn't work out."
Kendrick wanted to stay in.
"It's his move. I respect it," Kendrick said.
Bastardo left the mound to a chorus of boos from frustrated fans, who've watched the NL's highest-paid team underachieve all season. Injuries, of course, have been a factor.
Utley missed 76 games. Howard, the 2006 NL MVP, missed 84. Roy Halladay hasn't pitched since May.
Even with the addition of a second wild-card team, it'll take a monumental turnaround for these Phillies to reach the postseason for a sixth straight year.
Howard easily made it to second base standing after hitting a high drive to the warning track to lead off the second. But he stayed there. Carlos Ruiz flied out to shallow right, and Hunter Pence and Juan Pierre grounded out.
Hudson ran into trouble after needing nine pitches to retire Kendrick for the second out in the sixth. Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino followed with consecutive singles, getting a runner to third base for the first time for either team. But Utley hit a slow tapper to first to end the inning.
Kendrick worked out of a jam in the seventh after Jones and Freeman started with singles. McCann was called out on strikes, Dan Uggla fouled out and Andrelton Simmons grounded out.
Kendrick was 0-4 with a 7.67 ERA in his previous five starts.
NOTES: Jones extended his hitting streak to 12. … With Howard missing from the lineup, Manuel tried six different cleanup hitters. Pence (43 games) and Ruiz (23) were most used in that spot. … Kendrick remains 6-1 vs. Atlanta. … Howard has six homers in 55 career at-bats against Hudson. … Uggla, the NL starting 2B in the All-Star games, was dropped to seventh in the batting order. He went 0 for 3 and is hitting .223. … Howard isn't slated to start on Saturday, but should return to the lineup Sunday. Utley may start three straight games for first time since returning. … The Phillies had their 262nd straight sellout, counting postseason. … Tommy Hanson (9-5, 3.70) starts for the Braves against Philadelphia's Joe Blanton (7-7, 4.85) on Saturday night.


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I have been researching for my ideas, and before I start to make purchases wanted to ask the knowledgeable folks on this forum for some advice, to make sure I am heading in the right direction.
Summary/Background: I want to start creating websites, I come from an entrepreneurial family and would like to manage the website for my family business, as I feel that I can make them better and bring in more business for them. I also plan on starting my own accounting firm in the future, and feel that having the ability to create dynamic websites will be crucial to my success, as people assume that if you are in the top spot on google - you are the best.
To reflect these goals, I am going to create a few websites - 2 to be specific:
The route I am going to be going is Adobe Creative Cloud. I read that Dreamweaver can be used to update WP, which is great.
When I go to host these two websites, I went to "justhost" as they were ranked #1 on a few places I looked. I'm willing to throw down cash if it will benefit me in the long run. I also noticed that wordpress will give me a domain name and host my website, for $13 per year which is significantly cheaper than justhost.
My main question: Are there any advantages to hosting a wordpress blog on a hosting service such as justhost over hosting a wordpress blog on wordpress?
This is where I'm at, and where I am going. I thank everyone who reads this, and anyone who is willing to give me words of wisdom! Right now I have a monthly subscription to lynda.com along with reading websites such as w3schools, codeacademy, etc. I love the internet, and look forward to starting this journey! I look forward to hearing what folks have to think as well!
There are a lot of advantages to hosting your Wordpress blog yourself instead of on wp.com.
When you setup an account on wp.com, its pretty much good for adding content and maybe some light customization. You lose a lot of control over what content you can post as well as the structure and functionality of the site.
The self hosted option however allows you access to the multitude of plugins available online for WP, you can post whatever content you want without the chance that Wordpress.com will consider it spammy and take it down, and you will have much more control over your site.
In terms of hosting, I wouldn't focus too much on price from major providers. They are all pretty cheap. Instead you want to look at the features they are offering. For a self-hosted wordpress solution, you are going to need a host with support for PHP and MySQL.
Here is a good comparison on self-hosted wp and wp.com,
Hope that helps,
The main advantage of self hosting your site is the freedon to post any content you want, and truly have your own site, instead just using a borrowed one.
webcosmo, thanks for your answer. I am going to go with self hosting.
smanaher, that link was very helpful in explaining the comparison between the two - a great article!
I am leaning towards JustHost, rather than GoDaddy. In terms of hosting - are they all basically the same? As you said smanaher, JustHost provides what looks to be great support for both PHP and MySQL. Are there any better hosts instead of JustHost?
A few Questions about Hosting:
How important are the following Add Ons that JustHost tries to sell?
Could I realistically use SEO to position my webpage manually better than they add on they offer. Or is it better to use the add on as a base and move forward from there.
For many bloggers, an overriding reason not to go with wp.com is that is does not allow you to carry adverts on your blog. This might not be relevant to you, Freefalling, but if any one is thinking of setting up a blog in order to earn money from PPC or affiliate advertising, stay away from wp.com.
Also, I agree with Shawn that you shouldn't worry too much about differences in hosting costs. With all of the main hosting companies, the cost will be pretty negligible compared to the other major costs (of which the most significant will be your time, of course).
Also, I agree with Shawn that you shouldn't worry too much about differences in hosting costs. With all of the main hosting companies, the cost will be pretty negligible compared to the other major costs (of which the most significant will be your time, of course).
Thanks Mike. I've gone ahead with JustHost, it seems to be working just fine
Definitely host it yourself and install wordpress rather than hosting on Wordpress.com. You will get a lot more flexibility that way. There are SEO benefits too. I just watched a Matt Cutts video about comparing blogger to wordpress. It's not the exact question you asked, but it touches on some of the points that will concern you.
Also, I'm not familiar with JustHost but you may want to read the reviews on them before proceeding. They aren't usually on the lists of the top hosting companies. Usually Hostgator, Bluehost, and Dreamhost are the top 3.
WebEminence, I looked at a few rankings and ended up going with them. Everything seems fine so far, but after following your suggestion I am reading some pretty bad reviews. I'm going to continue researching and see what I come up with, and if it is all bad then I'll get a refund and go with a more reputable company.
Anyone else have experience using JustHost?
Also, contrary to some very bad reviews there are some very good reviews too
There are many, many good hosts around, and many poor ones. Often Googling the host name plus 'sucks' weeds out the worse ones.
You don't need Adobe tools to build sites, and Adobe software is way over priced. All the tools you need are either free or very inexpensive.
It's also worth considering VPS web hosting if you are running multiple sites. Much better quality hosting.
Also, I prefer getting local hosting, as you get sick of the slow upload times to overseas hosts.
Providing web design services and accounting seems like a stretch to me.
Yeah, you'll find bad reviews for most companies so you have to use your judgement and way the good against the bad. I've used hostgator for 10 years and been very satisfied. There are a lot of bad reviews for hostgator though too.


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Today, the Concord Coalition released the first issue in our new Series on Health Care and Medicare entitled: "The Nation's Health Care Conundrum: Where Do We Go From Here?"This series is designed to illuminate how intertwined the health care challenge is with the nation's long-term fiscal challenge. As Congress and the President prepare to create legislation addressing health care reform, it is essential that this linkage is recognized in any reform package. The legislation must address health care cost control and Medicare cost control in a way that can work quickly to get the nation on a more sustainable fiscal path, especially since demographic changes by themselves will severely strain entitlement programs and the broader federal budget.The multi-issue series was written by David Koitz, a former analyst for The Congressional Research Service and the Congressional Budget Office. It will be released over the next two months and will also be accompanied on our web site by video briefs highlighting the issues discussed in the series.
Late Update: I was on C-SPAN's Washington Journal discussing our release of the series and health care reform issues in general, to watch click here.
--Josh Gordon