text: It's extremely long, but it's worth the read if you want to avoid being the toy of other people intellectually speaking. ***If you want to skip to the advice, read only the last two paragraphs. I will **** off many people, but I owe to you all more than an hypocritical respect that would mean nothing without honesty. As I read posts, I often fell unto the sort of things we would find in corner store books that sit on shelves, far -- and rightly so -- from the psychology section of a big U's library. I must say that they do have the hang of being convenient with their claims as using words and sentences that are prone to equivocation does leave something for everyone to see whatever they want into it -- and that whatever being often what they themselves think, the authors generally get praises for being "so right"... of course, everyone in that line rather mean "I am so right," but that's an other topic altogether. Let's then clear the issue we have at hand and let's draw a line between and science and the rest. I know that many people upfront won't like what I have to say, but bare with me for a moment as I will try to dismantle the myths you have compiled over the years about what constitutes science. What is science? A scientific answer is not very hard to understand in its making: you make a statement and you verify its validity empirically. Generally, as you're not the first one to work that way, you read a bit before making up an hypothesis so that you have a sort of idea of what should happen once you verify if your call was right or not. An opinion I often came across was as if science was a series of fixed answers and positions... well, no. Science is the method, not the results. An other problem we see is rather semantic and specific to the US: a theory, in scientific terms, is an established hypothesis. It's not assumed to be true; it's something we tested so often that the community agrees to say the results are reliable. If it's not proven, we'll call it an hypothesis. Now, why would we trust these things? Well, let's get an analogy. If you were to enter a store where they sell cloths and the salesman would always find that what is in store suit you. Shorter, longer, bigger or smaller; whenever something doesn't fit, he makes up an excuse such as "tailoring does wonders," "you will grow into your stuff as you age," "looseness ensures comfort"; etc. Would you trust his judgement? Of course no. But do you know why? Because he cannot potentially say no; the bidding term is his answer and he re-interpret every empirical detail so as to confirm the answer he gave. Well, the same is true when you are looking for any answer: it's the possibility for a person to say that "no," to change their mind or disagree that grants value to their agreement, to their position, to their "yes." Scientific answers are worthy of thrust because they can be tested anew, people work at dismantling each others idea, work at finding if they could be that one person who disproves the whole thing and replace it with something else. Doing so means fame, glory and money. Worthy of trust or not? Now what are these books you find that are put into the psychology section of corner stores, but not of big Universities? Why can't you thrust them? Because they do like the annoying salesman who's looking after his commission: they re-interpret events so as to confirm their position. It's not very hard to do; I omit a few detail, use exceptions to make hasty generalization and blend in a few terms that are prone to equivocation (let's say we'll use the word "energy") and, suddenly, people are nodding their heads when reading it. But we can't trust them because they do not rigorously put to the test their claims. An example of how perception plays trick on us so often Say that you had troubles with services offered by the government and you have seen a guy exploiting this service dishonestly to steal money. If you were to use only these two facts -- because they are facts -- to make your conclusions, wouldn't you say that the service the government offers only serves thieves and normal people can't benefit of it? Even if these two instances were one in a million, if you generalize it, it puts a bad look over what actually works. But you highlighted the wrong part and weren't rigorous. That's what most of our judgments look like, except those were we bothered opening up serious books, researching and perhaps even testing systematically all solutions. Something could spare us from doing it too much: they are called lessons of philosophy -- you know, these long boring classes were you have to use abstract ideas from dead men to answer questions as if you were them? Well, that's how you avoid being dumb: by remaining logical and rigorous. The usefulness of theories and tennis You might wonder what it has to do with tennis, but it has to do with everything, including tennis. There's a saying that goes as "there is nothing more practical than a good theory" and I think we should seek to apply that in its most literal sense to discuss and think, regardless of the subject. A theory is a general notion that tells you how a given thing works in principle; it lists relationships between different components and tells you what does what and how it does it. It's an abstract model of reality, a simplified version that highlights certain things to give you some hold over it. The difference between that and a practical understanding of the thing is that the theory applies in all conditions and to countless compositions and the practical knowledge doesn't (and by practical, I mean like knowing how to make sums, place plates in the dishwasher so the water can have some space to work in between or how to use a broom). If I grasp the principle, I can figure out what's the answer, regardless of the conditions in which I apply the theory, but if I only know how to proceed mechanically, I will only know how to figure out the answer in one specific case -- and I'll need a new procedure each time the case is changed. Are there theories that apply to tennis? Yes. If you look up for some of my posts, I used Vigotsky's principles of learning several times to explain how we prevent ourselves from hitting a wall or why we can't go for stuff that is too hard, nor too easy. I can use this same piece of knowledge to teach a 2 years old, as much as a 15 years old; to teach as much geography or psychology as tennis... And what I explained above -- the notion of what's a theory; I understand the concept of "theory" in a formal way, so I can even come up with examples on my own such as this one. There are also theories on emotional development, as well as emotions. And I here talk directly to "Kyteboard" (I hope I spelled it right) who used corner store books, called it knowledge and expressed an idea that was in short baseless, without any empirical foundation... That's saddening and harmful as well, my friend, because, now, there are people who will read you and believe what you wrote, except that it's not reality you described; it's just a big bunch of New Age nonsense you spewed over the net. Want to know why you have certain emotions? Well, there's a scientific way to proceed, to figure out the basis for them, as well as how they develop so that you can teach yourself out of the issue and that will give you control over yourself; just telling people that they can start to think differently and it will change their life is pretty dumb as well as false. However, if they were to have an idea of, say, what is their self-concept and how their emotional development might relate to their behavior on the court, that could help solve the issue -- the theory tells you how it was built, but if you know how the mistaken component was built, you can use the same process to change it into something else. The self-concept theory in action Want and example? Okay. Within the self-concept (that's the mental representation you have of yourself), we find self-knowledge and self-esteem. The first one is made of two things which are how much you know of yourself and how much of this corresponds to reality; the second one contains valence (that's if you have a generally positive or negative evaluation of yourself) and, again, realism (do you exaggerate -- such as considering yourself a poor player when you are statistically exceptional). Let's say you have a relatively negative valence and feel that, generally, it's not so cool to be yourself -- you'd rather be someone else. The self-concept isn't a thing that pops into existence: it's a socially-determined construction; well, it's the result of dialectical process that operates between each of your former self with the perception others had of it. You're basically the product of what other people have seen of you. If you feel bad, the solution isn't very hard then: you need to be put into a social condition within which you are likelier to be valued. After a while, you will feel like you are so much better than you thought you were. The advice to be really specific is to find constructive critics -- people who will improve the valence and realism of your self-esteem. Ever lacked confidence in your forehand? Well, you need to put yourself into situations where you are likelier to succeed and seeing yourself making it, slowly building up the difficulty, will solve the issue. Of course, if your technique is poor, fix it first (and as your consistency improves due to better movement, so will the emotional value you grant to it)! See the difference? Real advice and real science -- it also gives real results. If you understood what I just did properly, you can do that with just about anything.


text:
Gap Promo Code – 25% off your purchase
Gap is offering discount code for select styles. Get the latest gap coupon and online promo code to save on tops, pants, pjs, accessories and shoes for men, women, kids and babies. Gap.com offers the latest styles in shirts, jeans and jackets for the whole family.
25% Off your purchase!
Enter code GAP25 at checkout. 4/24/13
FREE Shipping on $50!
Receive everyday free shipping on orders over $50 or more at Gap.com. Promo code not required.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Cagle nearing end of stellar run as Pilot Point leader
Before Tuesday's practice in a gym filled with colorful banners and softball players in black, Pilot Point senior Skylar Cagle looked over the rows of players seated on the hardwood.
The downpour outside may have created a lake in front of the school and washed away outdoor practice, but on this day and all other days, Cagle assumed her duty of checking roll before practice began.
It's the consistency of the task that marks Cagle's time at Pilot Point — time that will conclude whenever Pilot Point's season ends and she moves on to pitch at Northwestern State in Louisiana.
If Cagle keeps pitching the way she has been all season, that time may not be this weekend when the Lady Cats (37-2) face Brock in the best-of-three Class 2A Region II finals. The first game is at 7 tonight at Saginaw Chisholm Trail, with Game 2 on Friday and a potential Game 3 planned for Saturday at the same location.
Pilot Point coach James Ramsey said he's never had somebody as consistent as Cagle for four straight years.
"I've had some good ones, but there's usually been some off years and some good years, but she's been pretty consistent," Ramsey said.
Her statistics from this season not only attest to her consistency but to her dominance in Pilot Point's first year back down in Class 2A.
Cagle has a record of 24-0 with an earned run average of 0.79. But the statistic she known for — the number that best tallies her dominance — is the 221 strikeouts she's piled up this season.
With glitter and eyeblack smeared on her cheeks, Cagle pitched a no-hitter against Commerce last weekend and struck out 22 batters over the course of the two-game sweep. The series victory propelled the Lady Cats one round further than they went last season.
This year, she has struck out a little better than one out of every three batters she has faced. Ramsey said her strikeout total is lower than it was during her freshman and sophomore years because she wasn't splitting time in the circle back then.
"She definitely did not play like a freshman," Ramsey said. "Everybody I think was kind of blown away by the success she had early. I mean, she's had some struggles, but she's had a lot of success."
When she was younger, her father, John Cagle, put her in a bunch of sports. One of her father's friends suggested that Skylar take some pitching lessons when she was about 9.
She got more serious about softball, and her pursuit of perfection began.
"She loved it, and we would have to make her take breaks in summer and winter," John Cagle said. "She just didn't want to quit. We didn't really ever push her. That's just what she really wanted to do. She loved it."
Both her head coach and her father commented on Cagle's work ethic. Cagle drug her father back to the family's storage barn to work on pitching. John Cagle built a batting cage at the end of the barn to work on her swing.
"She pretty much wanted to pitch every day and practice pitching," John Cagle said. "There were several nights I wasn't up to it and she dragged me out there. We spent several nights up at the barn."
Cagle has a team-high batting average of .612 and is second on the team in home runs (five) and RBIs (37).
"A lot of kids say they want to be better but they don't really put in the time, and she does," Ramsey said.
No matter how much time she's put in and how much she's improved, the nerves she carried onto the field as a freshman have stuck with her at the end of her senior year.
Cagle remembers the nerves she had for her first playoff contest against Burkburnett, a game Pilot Point won easily. She can't remember how many strikeouts she piled up.
She said she enjoys it when Ramsey chooses to be the visitor to start a series because it calms her nerves. The nerves have subsided since her freshman year, but they still linger before starts.
"There were times when she was really nervous, and she still gets nervous," Ramsey said. "It's just different than playing select ball."
When Cagle steps into the circle before each inning, she kneels, swipes a cross into the dirt and prays. Some prayers are longer than others, depending on the score, the inning or what she's worried about.
Cagle said that she's gotten better about reeling in nerves that stem from the weight of pitching for her team, her coaches and her town.
"I've gotten better controlling them, but I think it's just the fact that you're playing for something so big," Cagle said.
Sophomore pitcher Preslee Galloway, who's a solid pitcher in her own right, said Cagle has helped her transition to the circle and has been a great leader and role model.
"It was hard at first, just me being a freshman," Galloway said. "And then she helped me be confident in myself. If she was at shortstop, she'd say, 'Come on, you got this!' Even though she was at [shortstop], she wouldn't be standoffish. She'd be helping me. And that just made me feel more confident, saying I got this."
After this season, the circle will be Galloway's to preside over. Ramsey will lose his best hitter, his best pitcher and a player he's grown to trust over four consistently strong seasons.
"I look at her almost like my daughter," Ramsey said." I'm looking forward to seeing her play at the next level, and hopefully she'll do well. And I know she'll do well and move on in whatever avenue she chooses later on in life."
BEN BABY can be reached at 940-566-6869 and via Twitter at @Ben_Baby.


text:
August 30, 2009
Why we heart PFach
10 comments:
I can't believe I didn't try to go to this signing. I LIVE IN PORTLAND for cryin' out loud!! Stupid stupid stupid.ReplyDelete
And Doernbecher is a wonderful hospital here in Portland that helps so many children and their families. Peter is an amazing person for flying down here just to raise some money and sign autographs. I love him even more now... :0)ReplyDelete
I knew about it and couldn't make it myself. I was Bummed ALL day yesterday, but I adore Doernbecher. My daughter has had to go up to OHSU many times, they're wonderful. Peter is so inspiring, even though I couldn't make it to the singing I still donated my $40 dollars to the hospitial!ReplyDelete
Peter is a very good and generous man!!!!!ReplyDelete
Fantastic!! He is a truely compassionate human being. I have said it before, but it is a wonderful thing when someone gives back. I love how he is always so generous and doing what he can to support causes. xoxo Peter!ReplyDelete
Seriously such a good guy! I love that he's using this opportunity to share the love to not just fans, but people (big and small) who need it.ReplyDelete
I swear he has a second home here...ReplyDelete
(I live in Oregon) He's always here! Yet, I never here about it until he's long gone.
But that little story was great to read. :)
- AnonymousAugust 31, 2009 at 7:38 AM
eeek!! I was there!! He was sooo Nice, funny, and VERY HOT! eeek!ReplyDelete
P.S. and an amazing hugger!
I really respect Peter F. Seems like a grounded guy who can handle everything with dignity and style.ReplyDelete
- twilightislifeAugust 31, 2009 at 1:43 PM
and the crush gets bigger...ReplyDelete


text:
ZANESVILLE, OH - OCTOBER 19: A barn stands on the property from where exotic animals escaped a wildlife preserve October 19, 2011 in Zanesville, Ohio. Muskingum County Animal Farm owner Terry Thompson was found dead Tuesday evening after deputies received calls reporting wild animals on the loose west of Zanesville. Authorities suspect that Thompson set the animals loose and then took his own life. Approximately 30 of the animals from the farm were shot and killed as a team of more than 50 officials patrolled the area Tuesday night in search of exotic animals such as lions, tigers, cheetahs, wolves and bears. (Photo by Jay LaPrete/Getty Images)
ZANESVILLE, OH - OCTOBER 19: Muskingum County Sheriff deputies patrol the entrance to the property where exotic animals escaped from a wildlife preserve October 19, 2011 in Zanesville, Ohio. Muskingum County Animal Farm owner Terry Thompson was found dead Tuesday evening after deputies received calls reporting wild animals on the loose west of Zanesville. Authorities suspect that Thompson set the animals loose and then took his own life. Approximately 30 of the animals from the farm were shot and killed as a team of more than 50 officials patrolled the area Tuesday night in search of exotic animals such as lions, tigers, cheetahs, wolves and bears. (Photo by Jay LaPrete/Getty Images)
ZANESVILLE, Ohio - The owner of an exotic animal farm who killed himself after setting his menagerie of tigers, lions, bears and other beasts loose in the Ohio countryside was deep in debt, records show.
Terry Thompson and his wife had money problems dating to the 1990s, but their debt had escalated in recent years and they owed at least $68,000 in unpaid income and property taxes, according to the court records obtained Thursday.
Thompson's collection of black bears, grizzlies, mountain lions, leopards and other exotic creatures was no secret to neighbors or authorities who were called many times over the years about animals wandering away. But their escape this time was no accident.
Thompson, 62, unleashed them from his private Muskingum County Animal Farm near Zanesville, then shot himself. Authorities had to hunt down and kill or capture the animals as they roamed the rural area, and only one monkey is unaccounted for.
The man's body was found near the empty cages with a bite wound on the head that appeared to have come from a large cat, such as a Bengal tiger, county Sheriff Matt Lutz said Thursday. Investigators have refused to speculate on his motive.
Thompson and his wife owed $56,000 in unpaid income taxes to the IRS and $12,000 in property taxes to the county. He also had two federal tax liens filed against him last year around the same he was sentenced to a year prison for possessing unregistered guns. Thompson got out of prison just last month.
He had rescued some of the animals at his preserve and bought many others, said Columbus Zoo spokeswoman Patty Peters. The couple spent much of their time and money caring for the animals, neighbors said.
Most of the big cats and bears were declawed and had been bottle-fed by Thompson and his wife since the animals were babies, said Judy Hatfield, a family friend who visited the farm many times and said it wasn't unusual to have a monkey jump on your lap.
"I know how much he cared for them, and he would know that they would be killed," Hatfield said.
The sheriff said that he spoke with Thompson's wife and that she was distraught over the loss of her husband and the animals.
"You have to understand these animals were like kids to her," Lutz said. "She probably spent more time with these animals than some parents do spend with their kids."
Sheriff's deputies shot 48 animals -- including 18 rare Bengal tigers and 17 lions. Animal rights advocates agreed there was little local authorities could have done to save the dangerous creatures once they began roaming the area.
"What a tragedy," said veterinarian Barb Wolfe, of The Wilds animal preserve sponsored by the Columbus Zoo. "We knew that ... there were so many dangerous animals at this place that eventually something bad would happen, but I don't think anybody really knew it would be this bad."
As the hunt winded down on Wednesday, a photo showing the remains of tigers, bears and lions lined up and scattered in an open field provoked visceral reactions among viewers, some of whom expressed anger and sadness on social networking sites.
Some local townspeople also were saddened by the deaths. At a nearby Moose Lodge, Bill Weiser said: "It's breaking my heart, them shooting those animals."
Authorities said the slain animals would be buried on Thompson's farm.
Will Travers, chief executive of the California-based Born Free USA animal welfare and wildlife conservation organization, said police had no choice but to take the action they did.
"It's a tragedy for these particular animals, for no fault of their own they've been shot, and I can see how difficult that decision was for the police," he said.
Jack Hanna, TV personality and former director of the Columbus Zoo, also defended the sheriff's decision to kill the animals, calling deaths of the endangered Bengal tigers especially tragic.
Six animals -- three leopards, a grizzly bear and two monkeys -- were captured and taken to the Columbus Zoo. A wolf was later found dead, leaving a monkey as the only animal possibly still unaccounted for in the mostly rural community of farms, widely spaced homes and wooded areas about 55 miles east of Columbus.
While the sheriff's office said early Thursday that the search for the monkey was still active, Lutz said the animal may no longer be a concern. It's highly likely the monkey was killed by one of the big cats, Lutz said.
Officers were ordered to kill the animals instead of trying to bring them down with tranquilizers for fear that those hit with darts would escape in the darkness before they dropped and would later regain consciousness.
Veterinarian Wolfe had tried to save a tiger in a heavy bramble by using a tranquilizer dart, but the animal charged her then tried to flee. It had to be shot and killed by sheriff's deputies.
"I was about 15 feet from him and took a shot, and it didn't respond too much, and I thought we were OK, but within about 10 seconds he roared and started toward me," she said.
Sheriff's Deputy Jonathan Merry, among the first to respond on Tuesday, said he shot a number of animals, including a gray wolf and a black bear who charged him from 7 feet away. He said he's an animal lover and only took pride in knowing he was protecting the community.
"All these animals have the ability to take a human out in the length of a second," he said.
Ohio has some of the nation's weakest restrictions on exotic pets and among the highest number of injuries and deaths caused by them. Born Free USA says it has tracked 1,500 attacks on humans or other animals, and escapes by exotic animals since 1990, with 86 in Ohio.
The Humane Society of the United States criticized Gov. John Kasich for allowing a statewide ban on the buying and selling of exotic pets to expire in April and called for an emergency rule to crack down on exotic animals until the state comes up with a permanent legal solution.
"Every month brings a new, bizarre, almost surreal incident involving privately-held, dangerous wild animals," Wayne Pacelle, president and chief executive of the Humane Society, said in a statement.
Kasich spokesman Rob Nichols said Wednesday that the governor had called Lutz to commend his work and to ask him to be part of the process of putting into law what the executive order failed to do.
"Clearly, we need tougher laws. We haven't had them in this state. Nobody's dealt with this, and we will. And we'll deal with it in a comprehensive way," Kasich said earlier in the day at a meeting of Dix Communications editors at which The Associated Press was present.
Associated Press writers Andrew-Welsh Huggins in Zanesville and Ann Sanner, Julie Carr Smyth, JoAnne Viviano and Doug Whiteman in Columbus contributed to this report.


text:
What is difference between 'install_requires' and 'configure_requires'? Isn't 'configure_requires', 'test_requires' and 'requires' enough to represent all possible dependencies?
No. The kinds of dependencies you list are determined dynamically by executing
Makefile.PL or
Build.PL. The meaning of
configure_requires is that this is what's required to successfully run
Makefile.PL or
Build.PL in the first place. In other words, without the
configure_requires dependency installed you cannot even determine the rest of them.


text:
Then look no further than "Fright Night" on Saturday, Oct. 27 at 7:30 p.m. at the Hughes Community Center on East Parkway Drive. Event organizers said the evening promises to be "spooktacular."
The Arkansas Center for Music Education (ACME) community band is performing its first concert of the season and band members will be dressed in costume and playing Halloween themed pieces.
The concert is free and open to the public and even the public is invited to join the fun and dress up in family friendly costumes.
The concert is actually the first performance of its kind by the 25-member community band. In the past, the band has played at community functions such as the Memorial Day celebration. The Halloween concerts marks the band's debut performance in a new concert series that will feature several free performances open to the public throughout the year.
The ACME was founded by Brian and Shirley Faulkner to provide more music education to members of all ages in the community who are interested in learning to play an instrument or sing in choir. The couple also wanted to bring more free and easily accessible musical concerts to the public.
The community band is open to anyone in the ninth grade and older and plays at special community events, and regularly scheduled concerts throughout the year.
Band member Linda Crawford said the community band is a great resource for those who wish to play in a band and also a great resource to the community.
"We'd really like for more people in the community to know that we're here and hope there might be more band enthusiasts who wish to join," Crawford said. "The concert next Saturday should be fun for everyone and a family friendly Halloween option. We look forward to performing more in the community in the future."
For more information go online at www.ac-me.org or call (479) 264-9107.


text:
Dutch Apple Cake Recipe
- 3 medium peeled tart apples, sliced 1/4 inch thick (3 cups)
- 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- In a bowl, combine the apples, 3 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon; let stand for 1 hour. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and remaining sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add vanilla. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and beat until smooth. Pour into a greased 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pan. Push apple slices vertically into batter, placing them close together. Bake at 300° for 1 hour and 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes on wire rack. Remove from pan. Serve warm. Yield: 10-12 servings.
Reviews forDutch Apple Cake
My Review
Average Rating
"I diced the apples and stirred them into the batter. It came out very moist. I baked it at 300 degrees as stated, but then I made it again , stirring in the apples and baking it at 350 for 55 minutes. It came out just as good."
"I love this recipe just as is! I've made it way too many times since I've discovered it. I do have to admit still learning how to get apples to stay in the bottom but getting better with each loaf.For who add this and that, or complain it is too bland - look for another recipe or post your own recipe. This one is true to its source!"
"Very delious, thank you Holland!! I will make it many times. I followed the recipe to the letter. Didn't know how to drizzle the apple/cinnamon juice without wasting a drop, so I boiled it then simmered it till it reduced to a syrup. Just before taking it out o f the pan, I poured it on the cake and spread it all over the top. Now it has a beautiful glaze on it. It's too beautiful to eat, but I couldn't resist a slice! Sonya Kinaschuk"
"Excellent! The whole family loved it."
"This recipe worked really well! What I did do was use 3 Tbsp. cinnamon-sugar for the sliced apples and 1 cup regular granulated sugar for the cake batter. I used 1 tsp. salt with the 2 cups of all-purpose flour, sifted together. The eggs, vanilla and butter, I kept the same. I greased and floured 9x5" loaf pan. For me, this works much better than just greasing it. I've found that I can get the loaf out much easier. I allowed the apples to stand the whole hour, then stirred apple mixture together. The juicy syrup was poured over the slices of apples and I did place the apples close together, vertically. My maternal grandmother used to make a Dutch Apple cake and had baked it in a square pan! But the technique was pretty much the same! I did bake at 300o F. for 1-1/2 hours total and the cake tested done. I ran a knife around the loaf to loosen from the loaf pan and I cooled cake 15 minutes to allow the cake to settle! The extra 5 minutes enabled me to turn the cake out of the pan much easier! This is a really great recipe and I know I'll enjoy preparing it time and again-it's a real keeper! delowenstein"
"Putting the apples vertically, as the recipie calls for, is different than many recipies and it works. Being from vermont, I couldn't help adding a splash of maple syrup and a dash of vanilla to the apple mixture. Also added a pinch of lemon zest for brightness. The low temp. And loaf style of this cake is what makes it! Pour the rest of that great apple liquid over the out of the pan cake while cooling. Fall season perfection. Great twist since pies, crisps, tarts, and round cakes are the usual."
"I love this recipe. Simple , not to sweet and a Fall favorite in our home.I would rate this a 4.5"
"This was decent. It's easy and the ingredients come together quickly. I was also skeptical with the lack of baking powder or soda, but it comes together! It's a very dense cake, like an eggey pound cake. After the cake was done baking I poured the cinnamon apple juice over the cake. If I make this again I might add some orange zest to the batter for a brightness."
"Very yummy! easy and fluffy."
"Thank you for sharing your recipe! This has become a new favorite! The only thing I've done different is folding the apples into the mixture and pour it into a Bundt pan. I also have made this with blueberries instead of apples following the same recipe and it came out fantastic!"


text:
Review – PowerBook Accessories
Read More
About John Nemerovski
John "Nemo" Nemerovski is MyMac's Reviews Editor. He is a private and small group personal technology tutor in Tucson, Arizona, USA, with an emphasis on iPad and iPhone training, plus basic computing, digital photography, and Photoshop. Nemo is an accomplished music instructor on keyboard and guitar, and an expert artisan bread baker. If you are interested in writing reviews or requesting a product review on MyMac, contact him: nemo [ a t ] mymac [ d o t ] c o m.
- Web |
- More Posts (843)


text:
Bars represent ad views. The scale is shown on the left side. (Each ad is counted individually, so if you are
showing an Ad Buttons ad block with 4 ads in your sidebar, you should see numbers four times as high as your page
view count)
Lines show the number of ad clicks for each day. The scale is shown on the right side of the graph.
Stats are a work in progress, stay tuned for updates! You can help speed things up!


text:
The saving of our world from pending doom will come, not through the complacent adjustment of the conforming majority, but through the creative maladjustment of a nonconforming minority. - Martin Luther King
A combo of Jose/Davis doesn't make much sense to me from a Memphis point of view. From what I hear they would want a SF to replace Gay and/or shooters. Unless they are interested in AA/Fields or Pietrus there is really not much to offer. They are probably also looking at first round picks which Toronto can't offer.
I like that Bryan is throwing his hat in the ring, but if I was Memphis I would be looking elsewhere unless if Toronto can get a third team involved.
Jose, DeMar and Anderson for Gay and Selby(throw in).....
I think a Gay/Ross wing tandem works better than a Gay/DeRozan one.
Ross is already far more developed than DeMar was in his rookie year, and given Ross' athletic ability, there's no reason to think he can't improve his handles (and add some weight) in a couple years, and provide us with what DeRozan is providing now.
We can move anderson to SG until the youngin' ross is ready to start.
If I'm Memphis, I would demand DD or Ross in any trade with Toronto. If the Raps could only give up Calderon, and Bargs, + maybe draft picks for Gay, then I would be all in.
If memphis are willing to do it then they must be hoping Demar continues to improve dramatically while Rudy has hit his ceiling. They dump some salary too. The concerning bit for raps is Rudy's injuries over the last three years. The way he is built I can see Demar having a solid and very long career.
Why would Memphis want DD? they're going to trade Gay to shed some salary so why would they take on DeMar's contract? doesn't make sense.
Anyway, the rumour on ESPN is Davis + Calderon + future picks for Gay. ABSOLUTE STEAL for Toronto if this happens.
As for the draft pick talk.. Toronto can only offer a 2nd rounder since the 1st rounder was sent to OKC via Houston. They cannot offer any future first round picks because of the way that Lowry draft pick was engineered. If Memphis insists on a 1st rounder than Toronto has to get one from a third team.
I read somewhere today that the Grizz may actually be interested in Calderon as a suitable backup to Conley. I know there is quite a bit of Bayless love around here but if you check his games thus far this season, he is not performing.
The key for Toronto to get Gay will be multiple teams entering the mix.
What a sweet wet dream it would be to have the Lakers and Minnesota enter the mix with Memphis and Toronto. Adding more stimulus to this wet dream, I did read somewhere today that the Wolves/Grizz were speaking about Gay but the Wolves are looking for a big man more than another wing and they have also made it clear Derrick Williams is not a part of the future (or present).
Well, looky here. What did Hollinger have to say about Williams this past summer:
John Hollinger John HollingerVerified @johnhollinger
@kevinarnovitz but I'd s&t for Derrick Williams in a heartbeat
So what about this?
Lakers get stretch 4 and back up PG. By shedding $2M they actually save about $6M in salary and tax.
Memphis get under cap and shed salary with a SF (Williams), PF (Davis), backup PG (Ridnour), and versatile wing (Anderson) in return. Toronto, Minnesota can send picks to Memphis (Raps 2nd round picks, Wolves have Memphis 1st as it is so send it back).
Raptors get the infamous missing wing in Gay. Pekovic becomes starting C as JV is brought back after injury (he could be traded again, resigned this summer). Raps are thin at PF but Amir becomes new starter with a platoon of Fields, Kleiza, Acy doing back up (after January 15th Arthur and Speights can be traded too). Duhon gives a PG but his contract is only guaranteed for $1.5M next season (ie. cut him this summer).
Wolves want Gasol and get Jamison as the big 3 or stretch 4 for their efforts.
just think if we get gay, we could have (possibly) 3 starters from the infamously shitty 2006 draft. lowry,bargnani,gay.
Not part of the trade forum (and I'm sorry) but because some trades are posted here, let me add another one:
Trade 1:
Toronto gets Gay, Selby
Toronto sends Jose, Amir
Memphis gets DWilliams, Jose
Memphis sends Gay, Selby
Minnesota gets Amir
Minnesota sends DWilliams
Simple 3 way trade.. Minny wants a big (don't blame them with KLove's injuries). Memphis/Hollinger gets DWilliams and an expiring PG. Toronto gets Gay and a backup PG.
Trade 2:
Toronto gets Millsap, Dalembert
Toronto sends Bargnani, DeRozan
Utah gets Ellis
Utah sends Millsap
Milwaukee gets Bargnani, DeRozan
Milwaukee sends Ellis, Dalembert
I love Millsap. He's an expiring but I believe Toronto will have his Bird Rights so could resign even if they went above the cap. Dalembert would be a great backup for JV and is an expiring contract. Utah wants a dynamic guard that can score (fits Ellis to a tee). DeMar can play with his buddy in Milwaukee.
After the two trades, Toronto's roster would look like this:
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)


text:
Evidence indicates that the Pleasanton man found injured and unconscious outside his home on Middleton Place last September was the aggressor in the altercation, according to Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley.
O'Malley, in an interview with the Pleasanton Weekly, discussed the circumstances around the injuries sustained by David Lamont and why her office opted not to prosecute the teens at the scene.
"If the case is not legally provable, then it would be improper for the prosecutor to file charges," O'Malley said.
Lamont was struck outside his home early Sept. 21 after confronting teens about making noise in the quiet cul-de-sac where he lived. He was found lying in the street, bleeding and comatose, when he didn't return inside following the altercation. Police said four teens were cooperating during the investigation, and that they had identified one, an 18-year old from outside the area, as a "person of interest."
On Feb. 7, police announced that the case had been closed and no charges would be filed. The DA said her office worked closely with Pleasanton police before deciding not to pursue a criminal charge.
"The evidence shows that Mr. Lamont confronted the young men who were across the street or in the area of his house. The evidence also shows that Mr Lamont headbutted or hit the young man in the face, and the injuries that the young man received are consistent with that," O'Malley said. "And the evidence also tells us that in response to being hit, the young man hit Mr. Lamont back in the face and he fell down. The medical findings are consistent with Mr. Lamont hitting his head on the ground."
Lamont's wife, Agnes, told the Pleasanton Weekly that she disagreed with the conclusions made by the DA's Office.
"We have never been contacted by the DA's office," Agnes Lamont said. "However, given what I heard that night, I cannot give credence to claims of self-defense made several days after the incident by the four young people who drove off leaving David critically injured and unconscious."
O'Malley said under California's "stand your ground" law, a person who is attacked is permitted to use similar force in response.
"In California, the law does not require a person to retreat from an attack," she said. "That person who's attacked has the right to, as they call it, stand his ground or her ground and defend himself or herself."
She said only one person at the scene Sept. 21 was involved in the altercation with Lamont, and evidence showed that person acted to protect himself.
"It was clear to us and I believe it was also clear to the police, because of this law of self-defense, and (that) there's no evidence we have to overcome that law of self-defense in this particular case," O'Malley said.
Agnes Lamont said her husband is the only other person who could provide details of the event, but that's unlikely to ever occur.
"After emerging from a long coma, several surgeries and intensive rehabilitation, David had no memory of what occurred so cannot describe the events himself," she said. "We know he went out alone and unarmed after midnight and did not come back. He was the person who was hurt, and I was the one who called emergency services."
O'Malley also responded to residents who wanted to see a case against the teens move forward.
"We have to look with an independent eye and we have to look at what the law says. People don't know what happened. They don't know what the actual facts are," she said.
O'Malley also noted that her office is barred from considering public pressure in filing charges.
"(A) prosecutor has to have a reasonable belief that the case can be proved beyond a reasonable doubt, and that standard, of 'beyond a reasonable doubt' is what we have to prove to find someone guilty of a crime."
Agnes Lamont gave thanks to the medical teams at Eden Medical Center and Kaiser and repeated her thanks to the community for its support during her husband's recovery.
"Knowing we are surrounded by such good people has given us hope and determination to embrace what is positive and be thankful for the miraculous recovery David is now working towards," she said. "I would appeal to all parents to know where your children are, with whom, and what they are doing."
A transcript of the Pleasanton Weekly interview with O'Malley can be found here.


text:
I have managed to get ACC working in XP by loading windows ME into Microsoft Virtual PC. A bit of a pain but I always was rather fond of ACC.
My issue now is that it is rather out of date. I have downloaded the editor but I think something is amiss as there is no save buttons on the player details screen or team screen. As such, only adjustments to the player statistics work when you save the database. In the help screen, there appears to be a save button on both screens but it does not appear when I actually load the editor.
I realise this game is rather dated but I was hoping someone might remember how to get the editor functioning so that I might make some changes to the DB. I mean Bracken a batsman and North a SLA, always seemed a little odd to me!


text:
.Tripwire. wrote: »Uh, aren't you Torontonian? I thought it was legal all over Canada
squidbunny wrote: »Could be good or bad but I'm cautiously optimistic.
.Tripwire. wrote: »Uh, aren't you Torontonian? I thought it was legal all over Canada
Nah I'm a US citizen in Texas at the moment.
squidbunny wrote: »Well, Bethesda's only publishing it, not developing it. Arkane's making it, and I guess they've got former Deus Ex and Thief creative?
Ugh. Stupid US government shutting down poker sites.
Bleh. I could really use the bankroll they stole from me right about now.
Its just a dude up on stilts with a bow.
Angel_of_Bacon wrote: »Its just a dude up on stilts with a bow.
Backstory in a nutshell: What happens when circus performers go nazi?
The day before they froze the US accounts, I final-tabled a tournament with 60,000 entrants and won $8000. I had a total of $8300.something in there.
Prospicience wrote: »When will Fez be on steam... this is a thing that needs to happen.
Wow DDV that's really terrible luck, you think they could have given some warning. At least you didn't lose any money, right?
No silver lining, I guess.
Oh! By the way, I have a spare Dota 2 invite. Does anyone want it? Or for that matter, does anyone already play?
Oh hey it's my birthday. I didn't even realize until my brother tested me just now.


text:
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - As a new legislative session begins, committees will hear dozens of bills, some of those proposals would change Florida's current gun laws.
With Marissa Alexander, Michael Dunn and George Zimmerman's trials on the minds of many, Florida's "stand your ground" law is being put under the microscope.
""Stand your ground' is fine the way it is," said lead counsel for Florida Carry, Eric Friday.
Friday told Channel 4 that the problem is not with the law but the fact that some people are failing to recognize what the law does.
"Some law enforcement officers don't like the idea of self-defense and will do everything they can to hold responsible the citizen who was attacked by a violent criminal," said Friday.
Jacksonville attorney John Phillips disagrees. He is not sure how "stand your ground" could be changed, but points to the previous Florida law, which states that a person who could safely turn back should.
"It's not saying that every rape victim or every potential victim of violence must retreat. It's saying if you can get out of there, consistent with your own safety, you need to do so," said Phillips.
Another bill lawmakers will look at Tuesday is the so-called "warning shot" bill. If passed, it would give a defendant a legal defense if they were found by the court to have fired a warning shot. Some say the bill was inspired by the Marissa Alexander case, who was found guilty of firing three shots in the direction of her estranged husband and his children in 2012.
"It's needed to mark clear that people who, in a traumatic moment of their lives, feel the need to fire a warning shot because they don't want to take a life, shouldn't be treated as if they were trying to take a life," said Phillips.
Alexander was initially offered a plea deal in the 2012 case against her, but she refused that deal. Instead, Alexander was convicted on three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and sentenced to 20 years behind bars under Florida's mandatory sentencing laws.
Alexander's case was overturned on appeal, but she is being retried, and under new interpretation of the 10-20-Life sentencing statute, she could be sentenced to 60 years if found guilty.
One bill to be considered this session would allow flexibility for sentencing in gun crime cases when there is a claim of self-defense.
Copyright 2014 by News4Jax.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text:
Altuve not short on talent, desire to be great player
Astros second baseman taking game to another level as he makes push for ASG
By Richard Justice / MLB.com
HOUSTON -- David Price asked Jose Altuve for an autographed baseball a few weeks ago, and if that doesn't sound like a big deal to you, it might be because you haven't traveled the road Jose Altuve has traveled.
Altuve has come a long way to position himself for his second career All-Star berth. He's currently fourth in the fan balloting to earn a spot on the American League team, but Astros fans still have time to cast their votes for their guy, who is leading the AL in hits, stolen bases and batting average.
Fans can cast their votes for starters at MLB.com -- online or on a mobile device -- using the 2014 All-Star Game MLB.com Ballot Sponsored by Experian until Thursday, July 3, at 10:59 p.m CT. The 2014 All-Star Game will be played at Target Field on Tuesday, July 15 on FOX.
Now about the way this journey began. If autographing a ball for an opposing player doesn't seem like a big deal, it certainly is to a guy who has been told again and again that he's never going to measure up and that it's time to give up on the only dream you've ever had. Get on with the rest of your life, kid. Altuve heard those words almost constantly when he began going to tryout camps in his native Venezuela.
"When I was 15 or 16, scouts would tell me, 'You can play a little bit,'" he said.
That's the weird part of his story. Almost everyone thought the kid could play. That is, he had a terrific skill set.
"His hand-to-eye coordination is second to none," Astros hitting coach John Mallee said. "His ability to manipulate the barrel of the bat is amazing."
Scouts saw that gift and were impressed. They knew they were seeing the kind of talent they don't see every day.
On the other hand ...
"They'd say, 'You look good, but we don't think you can play, because of your size,'" Altuve said.
Ah, that.
He's 5-foot-6.
You probably already knew that. In fact, it was once the only thing a lot of people knew about the Astros' second baseman.
In the end, scouts who saw him back in Venezuela couldn't get past that.
At the time, Altuve couldn't imagine that being the shortest player in the big leagues would eventually increase his fame.
ESPN would measure home runs in "Altuves." If he'd been 6-foot-1, he'd be just another ballplayer.
Again, though, that's not how he took it back in the beginning.
"It just made me work harder," he said. "I didn't care about that. I just needed an opportunity."
Enter the Houston Astros. In 2007, three different scouts from the Astros agreed that Altuve was worth taking a chance on.
"They said, 'OK, if you play like this, you're going to have a chance to be in the big leagues,'" Altuve said.
Thus began the pursuit of a dream. There probably were plenty of his managers and scouts in the Minor Leagues who wondered if his size would keep him out of the big leagues.
He proved them wrong right from the start. He began hitting from Day 1, and kept on hitting.
Midway through his fifth season, in 2011, when he was hitting .361 at Double-A Corpus Christi, the Astros summoned him to the big leagues.
Maybe he was a novelty at the start of his career, because he's 5-foot-6. That's the first thing people notice.
He's OK with that.
These days, there's so much more to his game. In his third full season in the Major Leagues, he has emerged as a special talent.
He leads the big leagues in hits (107) and multihit games (32). He leads the American League in batting average (.334) and stolen bases (30).
On Thursday afternoon, he contributed two singles, two stolen bases and a diving catch of a Freddie Freeman liner as the Astros defeated the Braves, 6-1, at Minute Maid Park.
He's playing so well that he could join Ichiro Suzuki (2003) as the only players to lead their leagues in hits, stolen bases and batting average at the All-Star break, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
"I feel really good about that," he said. "When you're doing good, that means you're helping your team, and that's what I care about."
He's recently made a push in All-Star voting, jumping up to fourth among American League second basemen in the latest round of All-Star Game balloting totals released Sunday.
That's why Price asking for an autographed baseball struck a chord. It was a symbol that others were seeing that he'd arrived as an impact player.
"He's a Cy Young pitcher, one of the best in the big leagues," Altuve said. "To have a guy of that caliber come to you means a lot. That makes me want to work even harder."
Altuve hit .283 last season, but when it ended, he decided he could do better. He got himself into better shape and focused on getting more disciplined in the strike zone. Already a good player, he decided he wanted more.
"You look at the end of last season," Astros manager Bo Porter said, "and he felt he had a lot to prove to himself. That he left a lot out there. He changed his diet, changed his workout habit. He reported to Spring Training 10 pounds lighter, and more determined and more focused than he's ever been. He has always been a committed player. He took a look at where he was at and felt like he can go to another level. It's good to see him be rewarded with the success he's enjoying."
Richard Justice is a columnist for MLB.com. Read his blog, Justice4U. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
Hey, just like what we discussed
Username: princessbipolar/immunity
What you prefer to be called: Jane
Title: Haven't decided yet.
Ratings, Warnings: Probably 3rd-5th Years or 6th-7th years. Character Death. Mild Sexual Situations (possibly) and some others.
One-Shot, Chaptered, or Drabble: Chaptered but knowing that you don't have much time lately, probably just the 1st or 2nd chapter.
Word Count: Chapters range on around 2,000+ words each.
Is It a Competition Entry, Y/N: Yep, it's for the GH challenge.
Would you like a Permanent Beta, Y/N: Probably no, if you don't have the time.
Summary (will edit later):
Ships: Well, there are but it's OC.Detective Arthur Aesalon sets out to find out the murderer responsible for Portia Nott's death -and the theft of the Cordalis Jewels. Rounding up the suspects, there's a bizarre cousin, an overly-friendly housewife, a heartless mother, a self-centered father, an arrogant sister and a mysterious brother. But the trouble was, who dunnit?
Yet, as the story unfolds, it turns out that the murder wasn't the killer's ultimate motive. Lies and deceit are unfolded and a tragic past is revealed. Detective Arthur Aesalon finds out that things don't always seem the way they are...
Genre: Mystery
The Style You would like Me to Beta your Fic in: Brutally Honest. Seeing as how this is my first time writing on a challenge fic, I need all the help I can get.
Anything in Particular You want Me to Watch out for? Just... Everything.


text:
ACParadise Network: American Cosplay Paradise American Cosplay Experience American Cosplay Snapshots
Konnichiwa! I'm the AnimeCat, graphic arts and animation student at UCA, and otaku extraordinaire! I got into CosPlay last year when I was dragged to AWA6. My very first attempt was a body-size fursuit! Have a look! Comments are welcome!
Recent Updates
Newest Favorites
Newest Fans
Recent Comments
- Miri says, "This is so darn adorable, the head looks great! :D"
- For Ein from Cowboy Bebop


text:
The Rollercoaster Year of Scott Kazmir
Kazmir did have some good news in the first half of the season as he was selected to his second All-Star game. But the Rays sent strict directions to American League All-Star team Manager Terry Francona that Kazmir was not to pitch extended innings and be kept out of the contest at all costs. That seemed to work into Franconas favor when in the top of the 15th inning, with everyone else used in the Bullpen and the bench as pitchers, he had to call upon Kazmir to throw at least one inning for the American League. Kazmir came in and on 14 pitches got one strikeout and give the American League a chance to win the contest. For his efforts, Kazmir became the first Rays pitcher to record a victory in the All-Star game. With that positive momentum, you would think it would have worked in his favor to boost both his confidence and his ability on the mound.
Rays Manager Joe Maddon gave Kazmir a couple of extra days off after that All-Star game appearance before finally using him for his first start of the second half on July 21st. In his first start after the All-star game, Kazmir went 7 innings in a 2-0 shutout of the Oakland A's at home. In the contest, Kazmir only gave up 2hits, but he also posted 9 strikeouts and gave up 4 walks in the contest. He was not back yet with his control, but the contest helped him boost his record to 8-5 for the Rays. Kazmir then went 3 starts with a no-decision before finally losing on August 12th against the Oakland A's. Over his next 4 starts he averaged only 4.5 innings of work and gave up a total of 21 hits, but only surrendered 11 runs in those games.
Kazmir was also starting to show signs of sporadic pitching in which he was exiting the game earlier than usual and not hitting his spots again. He was trying to hit the outside corners more, and the umpires were not giving him the corner and the frustration was evident on his face during his time on the mound. Finally in his 3rd start of the year against the Rangers, Kazmir got back on the winning side by throwing a 4-hit, 2-run 7 strikeout game on August 17th. But in that contest Kazmir again was showing a wild side as he also surrendered 4 walks to the Rangers in the game. Kazmir again took the mound on August 23rd against the Chicago White Sox and was rendered a no-decision after only going 6 innings in the game.
Kazmir finally got back on the winning horse when he won on August 29th in Baltimore with a 5.1 innings stint that produced a 3-hit shutout on 102 pitches. Also important on this day was the fact that it was the Rays 63rd victory of the year and it secured their first winning season in history. Kazmir seemed to be riding the upward slope on his roller coaster year as he again blanked the New York Yankees on September 4th in a 1-hit shutout. Kazmir only lasted 6 innings in th contest, but again he posted 7 strikeouts in the game to go along with 4 walks. But it was the September 9th start against Diasuke Matsuzaka in Fenway Park that set the stage for the Rays claiming the American League East title.
In the contest, both pitchers showed early dominance until after 6 innings and surrendering 5-hits and only 2 runs Kazmir left the contest. The significance of this game was that it was the game in which Rays pinch hitter Dan Johnson took Jonathan Papelbon deep into the Red Sox Bullpen in the 9th inning before Dioner Navarro hit a double to win the game for the Rays. This victory snapped a win less streak in Fenway that had eluded the Rays all season long. With the curse at Fenway now lifted, the Rays ended up securing the series and keep their lead in the A L East race.
5 days later Matsuzaka and Kazmir again squared off at Tropicana Field and Kazmir lasted only 3 innings giving up 9 runs on 6 hits and only surviving 72 pitches in the contest. This was by far the worst appearance for the young leftie this season for the Rays, and it dropped his record to 11-7. For one of the first times in his Rays career, Kazmir gave up as many walks as he got strikeout in the game…..4. But it was his start on September 20th that he showed the big game presence and confidence for the Rays. In this contest against the hard charging Minnesota Twins, Kazmir threw 6 innings of 5-hit ball and shutout the visiting Twins to secure the Rays first playoff berth. Not only did he improve his record to 12-7, but Kazmir looked amazing in the game starting to use his slider more and confused the Twins hitters at the plate.
In his last start of the regular season, Kazmir again had the chance to put his name in the Rays trivia book as he took the mound on September 25th against the Detroit Tigers in Comerica Park to secure the A L East for the Rays. Kazmir was not sharp and got handed a loss while going 5 innings and posting 6 strikeouts in the game. The Rays would have to wait another day before finally securing the AL East title, but Kazmir was visibly upset after the game. But with the playoffs staring them in the face, the Rays knew that they needed their young ace confident and ready to handle almost anything.
He got his first postseason start in the American League Divisional Series against the Chicago White Sox on October 3rd and posted his first postseason win in a 6-2 victory over the White Sox to take a 2-0 lead in the best of 4 series. Kazmir went 5.1 innings and threw 98 pitches while surrendering 8 hits and 2 runs in the game. The Rays took their 2-0 series lead to Chicago and came back with a ALDS series victory. Kazmir then began to get ready for a rematch against divisional foes, the Boston Red Sox in the American League Championship series. Because of Tampa Bay's securing the A L East title, they got to host the Red Sox in the first two games.
Kazmir again got to face the Red Sox hitters on October 11th. But in this match up, it was the Red Sox who dominated Kazmir who only went 4.1 innings and threw 98 pitches before bowing out of the contest. He had given up 3 walks in the game and only posted 2 strikeouts, one of his worst pitching statistics of the season. His ERA skyrocketed to 10.38 for the postseason, but the Rays did come back in the contest to score the winning run on a B J Upton sacrifice fly to right in the 9th inning to win 9-8.
On October 16th, Matsuzaka and Kazmir met again and this time it seemed as if Kazmir had the upper hand in the game. In the game Kazmir did his part by going 6 innings and throwing only 2 hits in shutting down the Red Sox offense. But after he left the contest, the Rays Bullpen had troubles and Kazmir ended up with a no-decision for his efforts that night en route to a 8-7 Red Sox win. Kazmir did get to lower his ERA to a more respectable 4.35 with the outing. Kazmir did not get to pitch again in the ALCS, but with the Rays clinching a victory in Game 7 at Tropicana Field, they were heading to their first World Series berth.
Kazmir got the call for Game 2 at the Trop., and he proved up to the occasion as he go the start during the first game of the series. He was pitted against Cole Hamels, and the two pitcher were throwing a fantastic game until the Phillies broke loose in the game after Phiilies catcher Carlos Ruiz grounded out to Jason Bartlett to score the third run of the game and put the Phillies up 3-0 on the Rays. Kazmir ended up throwing 6 innings of 6-hit, 3 run ball, but he also had control issues in the contest as the Phillies were waiting for his pitches outside and took advantage of his wildness. He ended up posting 4 strikeouts and 4 walks in the game on 110 pitches. That was the last time he took the mound for the Rays in 2008.
After starting his season later than usual, Kazmir did end up starting 27 games and going only 152.1 innings. He did end up giving up the least amount of earned run on the staff with 59 for the year, but also threw less innings in the season. Kazmir did not have a banner year or post season, and people were beginning to question his pitch selection and placement at the plate. Some even thought that he lost his confidence in his slider, and that he might not get it back in time to save a great career. But in the last two post season series, Kazmir did indeed use his slider more and more and it was pretty effective against hitters once again.
In the off season, Kazmir went to work on a strength program where he added about 20 pounds to his frame to help him endure the rigors of pitching more in 2009. When he came into camp earlier in the year there was a sizable difference to him in that his forearms and shoulders did have an added depth and his overall body core looked more lean. He was also selected to be a member of the Team USA squad for the 2009 World Baseball classic. Kazmir was looking to represent his country and maybe even pitch during the first round action against Team Canada in Toronto. But the Rays expressed their desire that he not participate in the WBC because of the workload he endured in 2008.
Even if he did throw less innings, they were worried that the short off season might have after effects on his pitching. So yesterday it was announced that the WBC was taking Kazmir off the Team USA roster because he spent 44 days on the disabled list in 2008. Tampa Bay had filed a request with Major League Baseball that would effectively prevent him from playing in the classic. Players who were on the disabled list for 45 days can be blocked from playing. Rays executive vice president of baseball operations, Andrew Friedman told Bill Chastain of MLB.com that, "We felt with the health issues he had at the beginning of last season, coupled with playing the extra month, we felt the prudent thing to do is to push him back a little bit this spring."
I am going to tell you how it is in my world about this revelation by the Rays to prevent him from playing in the classic. I am appalled that the Rays will not let this guy participate. The WBC has pitch counts set, and also have precautions in place to help prevent injuries and problems that could linger into the regular season. you might only get one chance to represent your country, and it is a great honor to even be considered, much less told you will be a valued member of the staff. The Rays took a huge opportunity from Kazmir here that would be a highlight of his career.
Ken Griffey Jr, and even Chipper Jones have stated in the past that this is one of the most memorable honors of their careers. For the Rays to take that from Kazmir is showing that management is not afraid to overstep the boundaries to secure their wishes. Considering that the Rays are going to split their pitching staff into two groups during the Spring Training games shows that they plan on monitoring their pitching staff and also giving them minimum innings before the regular season. Why not let Kazmir play for Team USA, you are letting Rays reliever J P Howell play without any reservations to your Bullpen setup guy maybe getting hurt in the classic.
Photo credits for today's blog go to RRCollections and the Associated Press Corp photo pool.
6 Comments
I hope that Kazmir has a healthier year this season. {I can't say better year because we have to play the Rays too many times! ;-)} The whole issue of the WBC is a troubling one. I can see why owners/managers would be hesitant to let their players play. Fear of injury, shorter time in training camp. But I think I agree with you – the WBC seems like they have enough safeguards in place to do what they can to protect the players. Heck – the players run the risk of getting hurt in training camp! I say – Let 'em play ball!
I had a friend who was very big into soccer in the Tampa Bay area back in 1980. He had played a few " friendly" matches for the US Soccer team and because of his age ( under 21 ) was considered for the 1980 Olympic team.
As we all know, President Jimmy Carter took us out of the Moscow 1980 Olympics, but he is still wearing that old Levi Strauss inspired jacket any chance he gets. He proud to have been picked for the squad and feels it is the ultimate honor besides serving in the military to show his civic pride.
I know that if Kazmir would have even wore that jersey for one game, you would of had to rip it off his body to get it. It can mean that much when you finally step on the field.
Rays Renegade
I've been watching Scott play since he got to Tampa, he has really come a long way! I have no idea where they get off not letting him play. Give me a break these are lame excuses. Mere words cannot decribe my reaction to this news. At least Boston had a good reason not to let Josh Beckett pitch, but that's a horse of a different color. Scott said so himself that he would have loved to wear the team USA jersey. Renegade – you have it right. You couldn't have ripped it off him.
Julia – Ready for Opening Day at Fenway? I would love to see a Beckett/Kazmir matchup. They are always my favorites!
Thanks, I just think that sometimes teams try and force their agendas on players when they should respect the players wishes. Kazmir will be fine, but as for Opening Day, that might be a James Shields vs Josh Beckett rematch.
For some reason those two guys throw awesome games against each other. Kazmir will probably be matched up most game against Daisuke Matsuzaka. Those two also have a good time pitching opposite each other……with both havning success in 2008.
Rays Renegade
Those pitching matchups are probably going to be the norm all season long. Don't get me wrong, those will be great games. It's also nice to see the two Texans duke it out too sometimes. Who would they put Price up against?
He will by must standards be doing at least a month in Triple-A Durham before he set foot on a major league mound again. That will roll back his arbitration clock and also give him some more Triple-A starts.
I honestly see him up about May 1st if all goes well. He would then either be popped in the 4 or 5 slot to give him a chance to face basically the other team's rookie, or their least effective pitcher. Might not seem fair since the press have anointed him, but it will give him a boatload of confidence for 2010.
Rays Renegade


text:
HI my name is morgan and i am really into harry potter, lord of the rings, stronghold and runescape.
Which HP Kid Are You?
my favorite character is sirius
my nickname is talon
my animagi form is a hawk
and i do belive that sirius will come back in some way shape or form(hence my sn)
if you cant tell due to their amazing information, necromancer345, twigs, and deatheater0000 are my best friends.


text:
I'm having an issue with the hover state for some links. The first image is the normal link state, and the second is hovered. For some reason the left tip of the T and the right tip of the r are staying the original green color. I thought maybe it was because I'm not using a Web safe font, but I tried it with Arial, and it did the same thing. I've never seen this before, and have no idea how to fix it.
Any ideas that might help?
Hi, TriciaJoy, and welcome to the forums.
The attached images are awaiting approval before we can see them.
Sending a screen shot alone is like sending your doctor a picture of you and asking him/her why you don't feel well.
In other words, we need to see the actual web page or a cut-down working example that demonstrates the problem before we can offer accurate advice.
Please read the following guidelines and get back with us with some code that will help us help you.http://www.sitepoint.com/forums/showthread.php?1041498-Forum-Posting-Basics
Thanks for the reply. Sorry about that. The site isn't live, so I didn't know how else to show it.
Hopefully my code isn't too confusing. It is only my second site, so I'm still getting the hang of it, and organizing my code.
Here is a CodePen of it. I left out the images, but the problem is most visible with the link to Tumblr near the bottom, above the footer. It also happens on the tip of the descender of the Js in the e-mail address at the top and bottom.
Also, I just noticed that it doesn't do it in Firefox. Just does it in Chrome and Safari.
This is a speculative answer...
This seems to be a webkit issue. The anomaly happens in Chrome and Opera, but not FF nor IE8.
The pixels that smooth those outer-most points at the edges of the text box are outside the box and are not being re-colored when hovered. I added one pixel to the anchors (line 23) and worked around the issue. You might turn up something more definitive by googling.
Interesting problem.
It seems to be a webkit bug with the way its sub pixel antialiasing works in certain circumstances which also occurs in transforms and rotations.
For transformations the fix is to trigger the 3d rendering mode which cures the problem so the same fix could be applied here.
Add a class to the anchor concerned and add these styles.
-webkit-transform: rotate(0) translate3d( 0, 0, 0);
Be careful with rules like this:
* {
margin: 0;
padding: 0;
border: 0;
font-size: 1em;
font-style: normal;
text-decoration: none;
font-family: "Helvetica Neue", "Arial", sans-serif;
That will kill inheritance and sidestep the purpose of the cascade. Only apply properties that are not inherited via the blanket use of the universal selector otherwise inner elements will not inherit the font-size of the parents. Margin,padding and borders are ok (as they are not inherited) but font size, family and other properties should be applied to the body element instead so that they cascade in the normal way.
Thanks guys! I'll try that in the morning.
The universal css was on the code my boyfriend gave me so I just left it there. I will look into that.
Still haven't figured out how to fix it.
Can you explain what you mean by "added one pixel to the anchors", please?
Paul's solution didn't fix it? Are you sure you implemented it correctly?
All I meant was that I added 1px of padding to the anchor.(That was oddly worded, wasn't it :-\ )
I tested the solution again (just in case) and it seems to work fine for me on that codepen example.
As you say adding a 1px horizontal padding should work also
How do I add 1px horizontal padding when the width isn't set? Can you show me? I am confused.
Either give a class to the troublesome element or in your exampe you could do this.
#sketchbook a {
padding-right: 1px;
You can add horizontal padding to most anything. You don't need a width to do it.
Omg duh. Sorry I am braindead lately. Thanks! That fixed it.


text:
Sun 26 Jan 2014
Wine of the WeekPosted by Fredric Koeppel under Cheap Wine , Sauvignon blanc , Sonoma County , Wine of the Week
1 Comment
Perhaps you seared a fillet of salmon or tuna crusted with pepper for a simple dinner, served (again perhaps) with rice, a green vegetable and lemon wedges for squeezing over all. Here's a terrific inexpensive accompaniment, the Dry Creek Vineyard Fumé Blanc 2012, Sonoma County. David Stare founded the winery in 1972, a few years after Robert Mondavi created the name Fumé Blanc, modeled on the Loire Valley's Pouilly-Fumé region where the sauvignon blanc grape reigns supreme. Sauvignon blanc wasn't selling as a varietal wine in the United States, and Mondavi thought that "fumé blanc" might entice consumers to try it. He was right. One finds both names in California, with some producers, including Dry Creek Vineyard, making a fumé blanc and a varietally-labeled sauvignon blanc. There was a tendency, in those days, to make a fumé blanc wine — "smoky white" — in a supposed Loire Valley style, while sauvignon blanc wines were made in a supposed white Bordeaux fashion, often with some semillon blended in and a bit of oak-aging; those modes even extended to the bottle shape, but such distinctions disappeared years ago. Anyway, the Dry Creek Valley Fumé Blanc 2012, made all in stainless steel, offers a pale straw-gold color and fresh clean aromas of lemongrass and celery seed, lime peel and grapefruit pith, with notes of green pea and thyme and hints of lilac and lavender. Pretty attractive stuff. Lemon and grapefruit flavors are highlighted by touches of mown grass, caraway and limestone in a bright thread that travels down a line of vibrant acidity. 13.5 percent alcohol. Drink through the end of 2014. Very Good+. About $14, representing Great Value.
A sample for review.
One Response to "Wine of the Week"
Modern Kitchens Burton Upon Trent Says:
February 26th, 2015 at 3:41 am
Modern Kitchens Burton Upon Trent…
Bigger Than Your Head » Wine of the Week…


text:
(Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
Since the tragic events at the Boston Marathon finish line on Monday (April 15), Boston's Mix 104.1 has been playing a tribute version of fun.'s "Carry On."
The montage of music and news clips was put together by Karson Tager from Karson and Kennedy, and has been played a number of times over the past few days. The song is now available after numerous requests from listeners.
Listen below.


text:
notiFLY subscription via SMS
This service is currently available to mobile phone users in more than 20 countries / territories including: Australia, Bahrain, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, USA, Vietnam.
You can subscribe this service by sending a SMS text with your flight number and date to +852 6450 0888. You may skip +852 if you are using a Hong Kong mobile number in Hong Kong. Requests can be submitted as far as 6 days ahead of your flight arrival / departure date. Check out more details about notiFLY subscription via SMS.
You will receive an acknowledgement SMS reply with a Request Number after a few seconds. You can use this number to retrieve and/or amend your notiFLY Flight Paging on our website.
You can only subscribe notiFLY Flight Paging up to two flights for the same departure/arrival date regardless of how many sectors of each flight.
No, you cannot. Please go online to update your current request simply by going to the "Update an existing request" page. You can also cancel an existing request on the same page.
Yes, please remember to add +852 in front of the number i.e. +852 6450 0888. Note that your mobile plan should have an international SMS service when you want to subscribe notiFLY abroad via SMS.
The SMS text is the same as you subscribe one sector flight. Instead, we will help you to subscribe notiFLY Flight Paging with all sectors. In the acknowledgment, different request numbers will be shown. You may go online to delete the unwanted notiFLY Flight Paging by request number.
If you make more than 5 errors in the SMS input per day, for system security reasons, you will not be able to subscribe again. You may try to subscribe again at a later date or via our website.
You will not be charged for every notiFLY subscription message from us. Please note that certain mobile phone operators may charge you for receiving SMS messages. Subscription via SMS requires you to send a SMS to us. Hence, you will have to pay an additional cost for it to your service provider. If you are unsure about the cost, please contact your mobile phone operator.
Please note that our current subscription via SMS is not available for CDMA network.
For most countries, we suggest to send add "+" sign before 852. However, for sending SMS from SK Telecom in Korea, due to local network requirements, please add dialing prefix 00700 before 852 (i.e. 00700 852), instead of +852.


text:
Tri-State Speedway would like to welcome a new sponsor to the 2013 season - SYKES Enterprises.
SYKES is a global leader in providing Customer Contact Management solutions and services in the business process outsourcing (BPO) arena. At SYKES, their people are their greatest asset! With 41,000+ employees worldwide, their company prides itself on having a highly skilled and diverse employee base supporting their clients' customers' one call at a time. Together they are setting the standard for comprehensive customer service globally. You can visit their website at www.sykes.com.


text:
Since no one seems to have started a thread for the Gryffindor Head of House and Deputy Headmistress, I will.
Because I have a quick erm, question, that I want some opinions on.
Minerva McGonagall appears to be an enthusiast when it comes to Quidditch and her Gryffindor house team playing in the sport: She supports Potter and gives him some leniency, she admits she was ashamed she lost at Quidditch to Snape in the past, she's upset when Umbridge won't let Harry play, and she does Quidditch commentary.
Yes, she does still follow the rules. Like when she suspends Harry from Quidditch in 'Half-Blood Prince' because of what he did to Draco. Or when she insisted to inspect Harry's Firebolt in 'Prisoner of Azkaban'. But she is still zealous about the sport, and lenient to those who play it.
Ex.: She discussed having Harry on the team in his first-year, even when it was against the Hogwarts' rules.
So, my question is, do you think she actually was on the Gryffindor Quidditch team when she was a student at Hogwarts? Or do you think she was a spectator of the sport? Or perhaps, like Lee Jordan, and just did the commentary?
If she was on the Quidditch team, what position do you think she'd play in? What position would best suit her skills, personality, and interest?
Beth: 10 points off for not reading rules


text:
Alvarez wows Bucs, Crew with monster smash
By Tom Singer / MLB.com
MILWAUKEE -- Pedro Alvarez's seventh career two-homer game, and his third against Milwaukee pitching, came in two flavors on Saturday: Loud, and long.
Alvarez's first crank, a two-run blow off Mike Fiers in the second inning of the Bucs' 5-2 win, was a laser into the right-field corner. The second shot, off Alfredo Figaro in the ninth, soared over the last row of the right-field second deck, scattering vendors on the concourse beyond.
Men in Pirates uniforms are accustomed to having their jaws dropped by Alvarez, but Saturday's experience was a new one for the Brewers' Carlos Gomez. He had two homers himself in the game, but nothing like what he saw off Alvarez's bat, estimated by Miller Park personnel at 459 feet, and by ESPN at 433 feet.
"In games, I think that's the first one I've seen," said Gomez, making a distinction from batting-practice displays. "It's amazing. It's not fun to see one of your pitchers get hit like that, but after everybody cools off, you are reminded it's really awesome."
Pirates manager Clint Hurdle would just like to be awed a little more regularly.
"We've gotten that in spurts," Hurdle said, "but not consistently. [Saturday], his swing looked like it's in a good place. We need him. We're a much better team when he can have some consistency to his offense."
Alvarez has spent most of this season deep in the lineup, hitting either No. 6 or No. 7. Hurdle still regards him as most ideal cleanup hitter in his clubhouse, but that is a role he must still grow into.
"Pedro will let us know when he's ready to hit in the middle. He hasn't yet," Hurdle said. "I've tried that twice, and had to back away both times."
Alvarez began this season in the cleanup spot but was dropped after going 2-for-11. In an extended trial last season in the four-hole, he hit .140 with one homer and 35 strikeouts in 24 games.
Cole shows resilience in latest Triple-A start
MILWAUKEE -- Gerrit Cole had an interesting outing Saturday night for Triple-A Indianapolis in Buffalo. The Pirates' top pitching prospect allowed singles to the first three men he faced -- two of whom wound up scoring -- then pitched hitless ball for the rest of his six-inning stint.
Baseball talent evaluators are always looking for little telltale signs, and Pirates manager Clint Hurdle considered the experience a good one for Cole.
"On a night that could've punched him in the eyes and knocked him sideways, he was able to hold on, fight through and finish," said Hurdle, with Indianapolis manager Dean Treanor's report on his mind. "So that turned out to be a good night, and he showed some growth.
"He's improving. He's still been challenged. The fastball command has been a little erratic. But he's continuing his development."
In 10 starts with Indianapolis, Cole has split six decisions with an ERA of 3.67 in 54 innings. He has struck out 39, but has his highest walk rate as a pro, with 4.3 per nine innings.
First number/Last word
10: Home runs by Pedro Alvarez since April 18, most in the National League and fourth most in the Majors, trailing Detroit's Miguel Cabrera (12), Toronto's Edwin Encarnacion (11) and Texas' Nelson Cruz (11).
"It's something to talk about in May. It's OK. I'm more into the fact we've backed up 15-win months. We had not done that in a while."
-- Hurdle on the fact all three NL clubs with 30 wins -- his Pirates, the Cardinals and the Reds -- reside in the Central.
Worth noting
• With one start remaining this month -- on Thursday against Detroit at PNC Park -- Jeff Locke has a 2.10 ERA in five May starts, allowing only 19 hits in 30 innings. It is a long shot, since he has only two wins and three no-decisions, but the young lefty has to be considered a candidate to become the Pirates' first NL Pitcher of the Month since Randy Tomlin in June 1992.
• Garrett Jones is likely to serve as the Pirates' DH in both Interleague games in Detroit, allowing for Gaby Sanchez's better glove to be stationed at first base and for Travis Snider to remain in right field. In 20 career games as the DH, Jones has hit .269, with a homer and four RBIs in 67 at-bats.
Tom Singer is a reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog Change for a Nickel. He can also be found on Twitter @Tom_Singer. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
Servings: 6
2 pounds white boiling potatoes
½ clove unpeeled garlic
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 ounces grated Swiss cheese (emmenthaler and Jarlsburg work well, too)
1 cup boiling milk
Preheat oven to 425 F. Rub a 10-by-2-inch baking dish with the cut garlic and 1 tablespoon of the butter.
Peel the potatoes and slice them 1/8-inch thick (the slicing blade of a food processor makes short work of this). Rinse in cold water and dry them in a towel.
Spread half in the bottom of the dish. Divide over them half the salt, pepper, cheese and butter. Arrange the remaining potatoes over the bottom layer and spread the rest of the salt, pepper, butter and cheese over them.
Pour in the boiling milk and set the baking dish on low heat on the stove until the milk returns to a simmer. Place in the upper third of the hot oven and bake for 20-30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender, the milk is absorbed and the cheese is nicely browned.
Recipe from Julia Childs Mastering the Art of French Cooking.


text: Taking a look inside the Biological and Artistic artworks of Lexi Ames. Illustrations that capture the simplicity, intricacies and connection of a human and/or animal body, reveal the anatomy and artistic expression of internal and external worlds. Ames is a student of Biology and Studio Arts at Lawrence University. Via news.upperplayground.com


text:
Wainwright's start shifted in line with NLDS
Cardinals righty will pitch on Saturday, Kelly set for Sunday's finale
By Chad Thornburg / MLB.com
ST. LOUIS -- Though the Cardinals have yet to set a postseason rotation, at least one piece of the puzzle appears to be in place.
Manager Mike Matheny announced on Friday that Adam Wainwright will start Saturday's game against the Cubs with Joe Kelly closing out the regular-season slate on Sunday. Starting Wainwright on Saturday will line him up to pitch Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Thursday.
Should the Cardinals squander their three-game lead over the Pirates in the NL Central, Wainwright would then be unavailable to start the Wild Card Game on Tuesday.
With Wainwright likely pegged for the NLDS opener, every other St. Louis starter would be available to pitch Game 2 on Friday, with all but Kelly getting additional days' rest.
The 32-year-old Wainwright leads St. Louis in innings pitched and has tossed a career-high 236 1/3 this season. His next start will match his 2009 career high of 34. If Wainwright earns his 19th win on Saturday, it will tie him with Washington's Jordan Zimmermann for the NL lead.
"What had as much factor of anything was sitting and talking with [Wainwright] about what he feels gives him the best chance to be successful, and just continuing to treat the ace of the staff and as if were the ace of the staff," Matheny said. "[We] continue to listen to these guys and how their body feels, and he feels good. He's been on regular rest for a while. I think he's ready to just stay here."
Worth noting
• After going 1-for-3 in Friday night's 7-0 win over the Cubs, Matt Carpenter is one hit shy of becoming the first Cardinals player with 200 or more in a single season since Albert Pujols' 212 in 2003. Carpenter's 199 hits are the most in the National League.
• The Cardinals can set the record for most wins at Busch Stadium III this weekend. Friday's win moved them to 52-27 at home, matching the previous high for wins in 2010. The club record will stand at 60-17, set by the 1942 Cardinals at Sportsman's Park.
• Matheny put former closer Edward Mujica back on the mound on Friday night -- a brief one-pitch appearance to retire Darwin Barney on a popup for the final out in the seventh. Mujica hadn't pitched since Sept. 20, after he blowing his third save opportunity in his last five chances. The Cardinals are hoping to allow the right-hander to build some confidence before defining his role going forward.
"Just get some confidence going again. It's huge in any role, but especially for a guy who has been pitching later in the game," Matheny said. "... When things start happening and going in the wrong direction and it just seems to snowball on you and it's hard to get it stopped and rolling the other direction, you just need to have a little bit of success to help you get going in that direction again."
Chad Thornburg is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
List of characters here
Prompt today is ...
I shall close at 7PM GMT on Sunday 22nd.PHP Code:
[B]Characters Used:[/B]
List of characters here
Prompt today is ...
I shall close at 7PM GMT on Sunday 22nd.PHP Code:
[B]Characters Used:[/B]
Name: Nagini
House: Lions, and tigers, and... lions. Oh my!
Title: Maybe (cont)
Characters Used: Lily Evans (no surprise), James Potter snr (breaking tradition!), and an allusion to Severus Snape
A/N: Several years later, Lily finds that she is still thinking of Severus...
Lily gazed out at the sky, tracing patterns of the stars with her eyes. With a heavy sigh, she moved away from the window and proceeded to place the glowing doe ornament on her tree.
Thats nice, a voice sounded from behind, and Lily found herself embraced by her husband. Its just like your patronus.
Yeah, Lily said softly, fingering the decoration. In an effort to erase her thoughts of him, Lily picked up the tree topper.
Ready to put the star up, dear? she asked.
And as James placed it, Lily couldnt help but stare at the silver doe.
Name: Oregonian
Characters Used: Lavender Brown, Padma Patil
A/N: I realize that Parvati, not Padma, was a Gryffindor, but Padma was in the character list, so I assumed that Parvati, being too busy, recruited her more artistic sister to help Lavender with the cards.
Padma and Lavender bent over the table, deeply occupied in artistry. Lavender was making Christmas cards for the Gryffindor classmates in her year; Padma was helping with graphic design.
She drew a prototype card with borders of holly, ivy, pine, stars, and red birds, and a central picture of four dogs looking up at a deep blue night sky with a shining star. A message in artistic script wished the recipient a blessed yuletide season.
"It's beautiful. Thank you so much, Padma. You're so talented."
Using the Gemini charm, Lavender reproduced ten more cards, then signed them in gold ink.
Last edited by Oregonian; 12-22-2013 at 06:20 PM.
Writer, Poet, Drabbler, Occasional Beta, Slytherin Cheerleader[center]
This lovely banner is a gift from my good friend Nagini Riddle.
Thank you.
The SDC was Bellatrix ... hence the allusion to her name in the prompt
List of characters here
Prompt today is ...
I shall close at 7PM GMT on Monday 23rd.PHP Code:
[B]Characters Used:[/B]
Name: Oregonian
House: Slytherin
Characters Used: Susan Bones, Amelia Bones
A/N: This drabble is set when Susan was a little girl.
Buster was still just a puppy, and during the holiday bustle all sorts of things had been carelessly left in places where he could get at them. He loved to chew, and already he had chewed up one of Susan's party shoes and carried it out through the doggie door into the back garden.
Now Susan came crying to her aunt, holding the pieces of her disarticulated doll and sobbing that Buster had done it.
"Good heavens, poppet, it looks like it's splinched. Here, let me repair it," her aunt said sympathetically.
"What do you mean, Aunt Amelia? What's 'splinched'?"
Writer, Poet, Drabbler, Occasional Beta, Slytherin Cheerleader[center]
This lovely banner is a gift from my good friend Nagini Riddle.
Name: Nagini Riddle
House: Gryffindor
Title: Maybe (cont)
Characters Used: Lily Evans, Severus Snape
A/N: I realize there isn't any Apparating in Hogwarts, so let's assume that Avery tried to Apparate somewhere he could try, like Hogsmeade, or maybe even the Forbidden Forest! JK. This drabble would come before the fairy lights drabble... *only two more days left!!!*
Severus was laughing rather hard when Lily showed up at his table to eat lunch. The minute he saw her, he quieted and tried really hard to blend in with the walls behind him. His Slytherin friends had been teasing him about the redhead he was hanging out with, and he did not wish to have more mean jokes thrown at him.
What is so funny? Lily asked.
Oh, nothing really, Severus replied. Just that Avery tried to show off and Apparate and he ended up Splinching.
Lily gave him a blank, uncomprehending look. Apparate? Splinch?
Never mind, Severus said.
Name: WeasleyMom
House: Hufflepuff
Characters Used: Ron, Hermione
A/N: Am I too late for this??
Ron woke in a haze, trying to speak over the burning pain in his arm. Then she was there, hovering above him looking extremely worried.
"I must be in bad shape."
She burst into tears.
Her hands were on his good arm and his chest, making it hard for him to concentrate on what she was saying… something about blood loss and Dittany and it all being her fault.
"That does it then," he said.
She sniffed. "What?"
"I'll never pass that Apparition test now." He'd hoped to cheer her, but her brief smile quickly gave way to more tears
Sorry I'm so late at closing.
Yes, Lori, you're late but it will count as I didn't close on time.
And Yay, the SDC was Susan Bones.
Bonus points to Oregonian.
Sorry this is so late.
List of characters here
Prompt today is ...
(Your character has to say this, and it's part of your word count)
I shall try to close at 8am GMT on Wednesday 25th, but I might be a tad busy!PHP Code:
[B]Characters Used:[/B]
Last edited by Equinox Chick; 12-24-2013 at 11:21 AM.