text:
There was never any doubt among the Phillies that Jimmy Rollins would be named the National League's Most Valuable Player by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
"He's not only my MVP," manager Charlie Manuel told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "He's the MVP of the National League. Rollins is a guy that played every day. I've never seen so many hard-hit balls in my life. ... If you watched all those balls he caught that he turned into double plays, that right there creates a winning team."
In a season during which Rollins batted .296 with 38 doubles, 20 triples, 30 home runs, 94 RBIs, 41 stolen bases, 212 hits, and 139 runs scored, there was good cause to believe that he could win the award.
"This guy took us on his shoulders from day one," said left fielder Pat Burrell. "He's done things in this game that have never been done before."
Rollins was the first player in Major League history to record at least 200 hits, 15 triples, 25 home runs, and 25 stolen bases in a season. The 28-year-old from Oakland also started all 162 games of the regular season at one of the game's most demanding positions.
Holliday in same company as Yaz, Torre, Helton: In the closest vote for the NL Most Valuable Player Award since 1991, Matt Holliday fell just short of winning, earning 336 points to Jimmy Rollins' 353.
The Phillies shortstop received 16 of 32 first-place votes in balloting conducted by the Baseball Writers' Association of America, while Holliday had 11 first-place votes. Prince Fielder of Milwaukee had five first-place votes and finished third.
"I was a little bit disappointed, but at the same time, I was happy for Jimmy," Holliday told the Rocky Mountain News. "That's a great award, and obviously I'm happy for him."
Holliday led the league in hitting with a .340 average and topped the league in RBIs (137), hits (216), doubles (50), total bases (386) and extra-base hits (92) as well. He became only the third player since Carl Yastrzemski, who won the American League Triple crown in 1967, to lead either the National League or American League in both batting average and RBI. The others were Joe Torre with St. Louis in 1971 and Todd Helton with the Rockies in 2000.
"You look at Matt Holliday's numbers and I looked at them myself and I'm just amazed," Rollins said on a national conference call. "I've said that. It's sick what he's done. The man hit .340, 36 home runs, 137 RBI, something like that. He produced. He was the reason why his team went as far as they did. He put the team on his back and he carried them all the way to the World Series. And that's what an MVP player does."
Rollins hit .296 this past season with 30 homers, 94 RBIs and led the league in runs scored (139), triples (20) and multi-hit games (63). He was second to Holliday in hits (212) and extra-base hits (92-88) and fifth in stolen bases (41). In the field, Rollins made only 11 errors and won a Gold Glove for the first time.
Ordonez gets high praise from Tigers: While Magglio Ordonez fell short of winning the American League MVP Award -- that honor went to Alex Rodriguez -- he did earn high praise from teammate Ivan Rodriguez.
"What Magglio did for us, what Alex did for the Yankees, it was amazing," Rodriguez told the Detroit Free Press. "They both deserved it."
With a .363 batting average, 28 home runs, 54 doubles and 139 RBIs, most agree that in any other year Ordonez would have more than likely brought home an MVP.
"In normal years," said Tigers president and general manager Dave Dombrowski, "those are MVP numbers."
Pudge Rodriguez, meanwhile, says the best may still be yet to come for Ordonez.
"That's why they signed him to that long-term contract," he said. "They know he can hit. That's the Magglio we're going to see for years. I'm just very happy for him. He's our MVP, after what he did. He was everything for us."
A-Rod joins Maris with MVP season: Alex Rodriguez earned his third American League Most Valuable Player Award, easily beating out Magglio Ordonez of Detroit for the honor. Rodriguez earned 382 points and 26 of 28 first-place votes while Ordonez had 258 points and the other two first-place votes.
Rodriguez had a season to remember at the plate for the Yankees in 2007. He batted .314 with 54 homers, 156 RBIs and 143 runs scored, becoming the first player to lead the Major Leagues in home runs, RBIs and runs since the Yankees' Roger Maris did so in 1961 (61 home runs, 142 RBIs and 132 runs). Rodriguez also led the Majors with a slugging percentage of .645 and an on-base-plus-slugging percentage (OPS) of 1.067.
"For me, it was a magical season both on and off the field, coming together with my teammates in the clubhouse," Rodriguez, who also won with the Rangers in 2003 and the Yankees in 2005, told Newsday. "It was a type of year that I'll never forget."
General manager Brian Cashman said it was a no-brainer selection of Rodriguez as the MVP.
"Tremendous year, I mean well-deserved. The obvious choice. We don't make the playoffs without that type of performance. We obviously owe him for getting us there."
Rodriguez, a free agent, now wants to concentrate on winning a World Series title with the Yankees, though he has not officially signed a new contract with the team yet.
"I have tremendous faith that I will be a world champion," Rodriguez said, "and what better place to do that than in New York. So hopefully, everything works out for everyone."
Club president Randy Levine said the Yankees and Rodriguez are working on the "language" in the contract.
Blum to get a chance at second with Astros: While a member of the Astros in 2002 and 2003, Geoff Blum was a fan favorite in Houston. Now he's back after agreeing to a one-year deal with the Astros. The club has an option for a second year.
"We're happy to have Geoff back in an Astros uniform," general manager Ed Wade told Astros.com. "He is a very versatile player who can fill a lot of defensive roles and he swings a very good bat. While his versatility is a big plus, Geoff also has the ability to go out and play one position on a regular basis, giving us a lot of protection on the field. Plus, he's got great makeup and will bring energy to our club."
Blum hit .252 with five home runs and 33 RBIs for San Diego in 2007. He played in 122 games last season at five different positions -- second base (61 games), third base (13), shortstop (12), left field (9) and first base (1). Blum started 55 games at second base last year and has a chance to become the starter at second this spring with the Astros.
Blum, who hit a game-winning home run against Houston for the Chicago White Sox in the 14th inning of Game 3 of the 2005 World Series, owns a .251 career average with 71 home runs and 344 RBIs in 1,022 games since 1999.
Mets add Brewers' catcher Estrada: The New York Mets ended their offseason search for a catcher by acquiring Johnny Estrada from the Milwaukee Brewers. The Mets sent reliever Guillermo Mota to Milwaukee.
"Johnny adds depth to our catching situation," Mets general manager Omar Minaya told Newsday. "He's a former All-Star who switch-hits and has hit over .300 three times in his career [counting 2003, when Estrada had only 36 at-bats and hit .306]."
Estrada hit 10 home runs and had a .403 slugging percentage in 120 games for the Brewers last season. Expected to split time with Ramon Castro next season, Estrada, a switch-hitter, is recovering from arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn medial meniscus in his right knee, and he also had a bone spur removed from his right elbow. His elbow bothered him for much of the season.
Cardinals sign catcher LaRue: Longtime Cincinnati catcher Jason LaRue, who spent last season with the Kansas City Royals, has been signed by the St. Louis Cardinals to back up Yadier Molina. Like Molina, LaRue is among the best in baseball at nailing would-be base-stealers.
"In Jason, we've added a guy with a superior arm and significant experience in the National League," St. Louis general manager John Mozeliak told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "He's a good fit for us behind Yadi."
Mozeliak also talked with manager Tony La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan before bringing LaRue on board.
"He's somebody both Tony and Dunc believe should make us better," said Mozeliak. "We also want to get him with (hitting coach) Hal (McRae) and get him back to where he's more comfortable at the plate."
Last season while with Kansas City, LaRue threw out 35 percent of runners who tried to steal on him.
Lidge likes Phillies' chances: Newly acquired Phillies pitcher Brad Lidge had some great years in Houston, but said last week that coming to Philadelphia has made him realize that his new team has the potential to do something very special.
"I'm thrilled to be here," Lidge told MLB.com. "I get more excited every day thinking about the prospects of what we can do here. I feel lucky to go from an up-and-down team to a winning team. Hopefully, I can have one of my best seasons next year."
Taking the place of a former closer that's on his way back into the rotation could have it's pitfalls, but Lidge says he's glad that everyone is taking it all in stride.
"Brett Myers did a fantastic job last year, and I'm real happy that he's on board with going back to the rotation," said Lidge. "Obviously, I hope to help the team go further than last year. I'm coming to an outstanding team."
All is good with Glavine back in Atlanta: After five years with the Mets, Tom Glavine returned as a free agent to the Braves. The veteran left-hander signed a one-year contract with Atlanta, the team he played for the first 16 years of his career.
"I'm not sitting here telling you I'm going to win 20 games -- but I'm not going to sit here and tell you I won't, either," Glavine told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I pitched a lot of good games last year, and still feel like I can do that. And looking at this [Braves] team, there's a lot to like."
Glavine went 13-8 for the Mets last year, but turned down a one-year option to return to New York. He took significantly less money to return to Atlanta.
"We're thrilled to have Tommy back -- as a manager, you have to understand what that means to the team," said Braves manager Bobby Cox, who got 30 wins and 430 innings from aces John Smoltz and Tim Hudson last season, but no stability from the rest of the rotation. "It gives us so much depth in our rotation, to have an established guy like Tommy and the innings he can give us every outing."
Garland brings stability to Angels' staff: The Angels traded Gold Glove Award-winning shortstop Orlando Cabrera to the White Sox for starting pitcher Jon Garland. The Angels hope to pick up a power bat in the offseason and the addition of Garland may make trading one of their young pitchers easier.
"This gives us opportunities to strengthen our club in other areas," general manager Toney Reagins told the Los Angeles Times. "It's a positive step forward. It gives us flexibility to do some other things. ... We're looking at every opportunity available to make the club better."
Manager Mike Scioscia looks forward to having Garland on his staff.
"We're at a point where there is a lot of young leadership emerging on the club," Scioscia said. "Certainly, O.C. brought a direction, but the presence of Vladimir Guerrero, Garret Anderson, Lackey, Mike Napoli, Mathis ... there's no leadership void.
"And a guy like Garland will lead by example. He's pitched in big games, and he will bring a piece of that to the clubhouse. O.C. was one of the most popular guys, a terrific player, but it's time for these younger players to get into their game. They're very talented."
Garland has recorded 10 wins, 30 starts and 200 innings in each of the last four seasons.
"He's proved he's going to take the ball, get 30-plus starts, pitch deep into games, and that constant is very important for us as we move forward," Scioscia said. "He threw the ball well last year."
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
In order for our site to remember you, cookies must be enabled on your browser. To enable cookies access your browsers preferences and set your browser to accept cookies. Please note that if you clear cookies when you log out the site will forget any locations you have entered.
You can also retrieve your password at any time.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Watch These Dogs Who Love Playing in Leaves — Daily Distraction
[onescreen item="5141009″]
Ah, fall. Football, pumpkin-flavored drinks and, of course, leaves.
Lots of leaves. Leaves that need to be raked into piles. Huge piles. And that's where the action is, at least for these dogs, who absolutely love to dive right into huge leaf piles.
The Daily Distraction is your Internet break from reality. Whether you're eating lunch at your desk or avoiding high school exes on Facebook, you might just laugh, say "aaahhh" or not believe what you just watched.


text:
Romik Side Carriage Protectors
- Add protection and subtle style to your Smart Fortwo or Kia Soul with Romik Side Carriage Protectors
- Crafted from tough stainless steel, these protectors act as a sort of non-stepping nerf bar to protect your small vehicle's sides
- Polished finish
- Custom-designed to your exact vehicle for a perfect fit and easy installation
- Lifetime Warranty
Guard your Kia Soul or Smart Fortwo from kicked up rocks and debris with Romik Side Carriage Protectors. These bars run along the bottom of your ride's side panels, like nerf bars you don't step on. They're built from durable stainless steel tubing and polished off to a gleaming bright finish.
With Romik accessories it's all about the fit, and the Romik Side Carriage Protector is no exception. These bars are custom-cut and bent to your exact vehicle, ensuring a perfect fit and seamless good looks. The Romik Side Carriage Protectors' custom fit also makes for an easy installation.
Just because your car is small, that doesn't mean it's immune from accidental damage. Protect against such degradation with Romik Side Carriage Protectors. Backed with a Lifetime Warranty.
Note: Because every vehicle is different, your exact Romik Side Carriage Protectors may not look exactly as pictured. Certain features like bends, mounting locations, and end caps may vary slightly from the product descriptions. If you have any questions about Romik Side Carriage Protectors for your vehicle, feel free to call us at 800-663-1570."


text:
Welcome home and thank you for your service to our Country!
You served us, now it's our turn to serve you. Veteran Services is here to assist you in achieving your educational and career goals.
Gateway Community College is committed to providing high quality services to our Veteran students. The Veteran Services office, located Room N213H, serves as the point of contact for all Veteran students. Veterans are connected to both internal and external resources aimed at making their experience at the college a success.
All New Veteran should contact the Veteran Services Office to begin the enrollment process (203) 285-2146. New Veteran should follow the college's admissions process as outlined on the Admissions page. New Veteran, even those using GI Bill benefits, should follow the student financial aid process as outlined on the Financial Aid page.
The VONAPP (Veteran Online Application) is available at www.gibill.va.gov. New Veteran can complete the application on their own or receive assistance during their scheduled intake (see below).
What to Bring:
Veteran Intake:
New Veteran Orientation:
Contact the Connecticut Department of Veteran's Affairs


text:
You are hereHome ›
Florence Graham Taxi Service | Florence Graham Yellow Cab Service | LAX Taxi | Los Angeles Taxi
Florence Graham Taxi
Need a taxi fast?
When you need a taxi cab in the South Bay area, trust All Yellow Taxi. We are fully licensed and insured for your peace of mind. We have provided Florence Graham and the South Bay community with fast reliable taxi service for years. We are your favorite LA yellow cab, so trust us to get you where you need to go! Our taxi services include:
- 24/7 service - call anytime!
- Fast reliable service to LAX - always on time!
- $5 discount coupon for reserving your ride online
- Seniors & disabled riders get an automatic 10% discount every time they ride
- All Passengers Ride for the Price of 1
- Wheelchair accessible vehicles
- Se habla Espanol
- Fully licensed and insured vehicles
3 Convenient Ways to Book Your Ride
- Click here to book your ride online - and get a $5 discount coupon
- Text your complete address starting with the word TAXICAB TO 878787
- Call Now - 1-800 900-0033
Local Events
Taxi Rates for
Florence Graham
- $2.85 flag drop (first 1/9 mile or 37 seconds or fraction thereof)
- $0.30 each additional 1/9 mile or part (2.70 per mile)
- $0.30 for each 37 seconds of waiting time and/or traffic delay. ($29.19/hour wait)
- $29.19 hourly waiting time
* required field


text:
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Trevor Bayne will defend his Daytona 500 championship.
Bayne, whose No. 21 Ford didn't have enough owner points to guarantee a starting position in the season-opening race, locked up one of the 43 spots during pole qualifying Sunday. Bayne posted the fastest lap (193.615 mph) among 14 drivers trying to get into The Great American Race, securing a spot along with Tony Raines and David Stremme.
Bayne did it on his 21st birthday, too.
"It's a lot of relief," Bayne said. "We're in the show for good now. We don't have to worry about that or lose some sleep at night."
It could pay off down the road.
Bayne doesn't have a full-time ride in NASCAR's Sprint Cup series. Wood Brothers Racing plans to run him in 14 Cup races this season. He doesn't have a full-time Nationwide Series ride, either. Roush Fenway Racing plans to run him in the first three races of the season, hoping to attract potential sponsors with good results and run more races.
The exposure he should get in NASCAR's premier event could be beneficial.
"Certainly it helps," team owner Jack Roush said. "Trevor is the reigning Daytona 500 champion and we have not managed to put together full sponsorship for either the Cup program or the Nationwide program. But we do have ongoing conversations. And I don't know that there'll be any great improvement in our prospects based on this, but it certainly would have been a downer if we had failed to qualify."
Bayne believed his Daytona 500 victory last February would catapult him into a full-time ride, but little has worked out quite like he expected.
Bayne missed several weeks last season after being diagnosed with a mystery ailment that turned out to be Lyme disease. Bayne feels fine now, good enough to take a mission trip to Kenya in the offseason.


text:
Will China Conquer MEMS?
9 comments
By 2011, Xie, over 50 years old, was getting jittery to start up his own company. "I was once told by my boss at Intel that I was nobody if I had not worked for Intel," he said. "I felt I needed to start up a company, just to prove to my old boss that I can stand on my own."
Xie set his sights on MEMS. While he's no expert, he liked MEMS because he initially saw little competition in the field.
While doing his due diligence, Xie stumbled across the Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology (SIMIT), which appeared to have good gyroscope technology.
Almost anywhere in the world, research institutes in general have "no sense of manufacturability, footprint, and cost necessary to turn their technology into successful products -- especially for the consumer electronics market," Xie observed.
Xie initially talked SIMIT into giving QST the research institute's gyroscope technology and its related patents in exchange for shares in QST. "No money changed hands," said Xie.
Xie got another break when he was able to obtain "exclusive, worldwide and perpetual license of Honeywell's world famous Anisotropic Magneto-Resistive (AMR) magnetic sensor technology."
By leasing a manufacturing line at Shanghai Huahong Grace Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (HHGrace) and working with the foundry, QST was able to announce its first product last fall, the AMR magnetic sensor QMC6983. QST developed the three-axis single chip magnetic sensor based on Honeywell's technology. The startup has sold 700,000 units of its first product since two months ago.
Pressure sensors in smartphones tend not to work well for indoors GPS largely due to interferences. Xie said his company's AMR magnetic sensor solves this problem, offering high accuracy and better reliability because of its built-in self-checking function and temperature drift compensation module. Touting this advantage, QST says its AMR magnetic sensor can be used in wearable systems and a variety of other applications.
Xie, however, acknowledged that there's still a long way to go before his company and other Chinese MEMS companies can catch up with such leading vendors as Bosch and STMicroelectronics. Startups not only have to play catch-up with the leaders, but they also need long-term plans that enable them to respond quickly to the evolution of sensors.
MEMS' new paradigm
Yole Développement's recent report pointed out, "Inertial MEMS have been subject to dramatic market & technological evolution." Along with "stand-alone" MEMS devices, "6 and 9-axis degree of freedom (DOF) sensors are creating a new paradigm in the combos business," the firm wrote. Emerging is a combination of several inertial sensors integrated in a single package. Main applications for such sensors are consumer, said the report. They include accelerometers with a magnetometer or accelerometers with a gyro.
Casual observers of MEMS say that the Chinese are interested in it largely because MEMS is a block that won't get integrated by a big SoC in a handset, thus giving them enough breathing room to stand on their own.
That, however, is far from the truth.
Next Page: Barriers to entry


text:
'50 Shades Of Grey' Boosts Sign-Ups On Sugar Daddy Dating Site
Readers of "Fifty Shades of Grey" are flocking to "sugar daddy/sugar baby" online dating site Seeking Arrangement, the company reports.
Brandon Wade — founder of Seeking Arrangement and similar sites like SeekingMillionaire.com, WhatsyourPrice.com, and MissTravel.com — told us that of the 1.6 million Seeking Arrangement profiles, the term "Fifty Shades" is mentioned on them 28,382 times; Christian Grey is mentioned 23,102 times; and Anastasia Steel is mentioned 18,281 times. He claims that 186,000 female members are actively seeking a "Christian Grey" type arrangement.
Click here to see other companies that have benefited from the "Fifty"-craze>
"All of these keywords were popping up when my staff was approving profiles, so we started wondering what this Fifty Shades of Grey thing was all about," Wade said. "I think when you start reading the book, there are many aspects we find similar to what people on our sites are looking for."
In "50 Shades of Grey," virginal Anastasia Steele meets bazillionaire Christian Grey who, after making her sign a non-disclosure agreement, gives her a hefty allowance, a car, and a new penchant for whips, chains, and handcuffs.
Seeking Arrangement has an economically similar mission: to connect young women with rich dudes who will pay for their lifestyles.
Thanks to Seeking Arrangement's nifty tool that makes members complete polls before logging in—"We love getting data on our millionaires," Wade explained, "like what airlines are they most likely to fly"—since January 2012, almost 42,000 sign-ups (both male and female) attributed signing to "Fifty." That's 12.6 percent of all sign-ups in that period.
While Wade believes that members primarily want to recreate the beneficiary relationship that is depicted in the book, he is also quick to list off members' interest in BDSM:
- 79 percent of female members found the idea of succumbing to a 'dominant' male like Grey a turn on
- 90 percent of male members said they found the idea of woman being a 'submissive' like Steele exciting
- 43 percent said they were more likely to use handcuffs in sexual role play
- 47 percent wanted to experiment with blindfolds and other bondage gear
Here are 13 other "50 SOG" companies selling products people can't stop buying > »
Puerto Rico is taking a big step toward revamping how it gets power — and it could be a model for the rest of the US
The former Gilt Groupe CEO has let the same guiding principle take her from developing 'The Bachelor' to running Martha Stewart's empire to challenging Silicon Valley
Advertising Emails & Alerts
Get the best of Business Insider delivered to your inbox every day.Sign-Up


text:
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
Ive worked in about 3 or 4 different places and they all made sauces differently, just thought i would share some of them with you guys1. cans of Full Red Fully prepared pizza sauce and a little bit of water. This was the simplest sauce i have ever seen(so far) from my jobs. for such a busy pizzeria, i can understand why they used this route. its not exactly the greatest sauce by any means, but its also not the worst. their pizza is good,and they have won many awards for it, but i can only imagine what it would be like if they created their own sauce.2. Full Red pizza sauce(not prepared), 7/11, little bit of water,basil(sometimes we used pesto), salt, and olive oil. I loved this sauce and is probably my favorite out of all them, it was so simple but tasted really good.
1. Is full red fully prepared pizza sauce2. Is 7/11 ground tomatoes, and full red pizza with fresh basil
scottoant93,Just wanted to make sure you knew that Pizzaiolo is made by Stanislaus. The same company that makes Full Red, 7/11, Al Dente, etc... So, you know that a can of Pizzaiolo will be good!!!TomN
Scott, thanks im going to try this soon cant wait sounds very "high end" with the minimal ingrdients did you like the sauce better when you had fresh basil available or with the pesto instead Or no noticible difference?
Where I am currently working we use canned Italian whole plums, I believe the brand in Solaris, and they have a couple of basil leaves in the can. We run them through a food mill and add 1 tbsp. of sea salt/#10 can. The sauce is decent, but I truly prefer the Sclafani crushed tomatoes that I use at home that DMCavanagh got me hooked on. It's brighter and sweeter--no sugar, but also no calcium chloride. I'll look at work tomorrow to make sure I've got the name right and see if they have any calcium chloride.In the past we made our own pesto at work, but of late they've been using a purchased product. The basil we've been getting of late kind of sucks. I'm always picking through it and trying to avoid the wilted stuff for the margheritas. Soon, the growing season will be in full tilt in CNY and we will once again have some awesome produce!


text:
This item is currently not available.
This plush chenille lumbar wrap provides warm or cold muscle therapy whenever you need it. Wraps comfortably around the waist, neck or diagonally across the back. Includes both a rice/flaxseed insert for warmth, and a gel pack for cold.
(based on 123 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
5 Stars
4 Stars
3 Stars
2 Stars
1 Stars
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Best Uses
Reviewed by 123 customers
Displaying reviews 1-10
Back to top
Previous | Next »
By lizm
from Sayville, NY
Comments about : Lumbar Wrap:
I love it. It stays put and delivers the heat where I need it
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
Was this review helpful? Yes / No
- You may also flag this review
Like a visit to a spa
By Doghairs
from Asheville
About Me Budget Buyer
Love being able to wear it
My daughter will love this
By Mom
from Michigan
I bought this for my daughter who sometimes has severe back pain. She has been told she has a bulging disc, but won't do anything about it. I'm hoping this will help, but I just gave it to her, so don't know yet. I bought a neck one for myself a couple of years ago and I still love it.
replacement seed inserts needed
By cici
from pittsburgh, pa
I have purchased several lumbar wraps because I like the design but the seed inserts disintegrate after a couple months of daily use in the microwave. The stitching and cotton material rot too quickly and there are no replacement inserts available. The cover and gel pack are still fine but the seed inserts rot. Tougher material should be used for the seed inserts and then the product could be perfect.
Merchant response: We're glad to hear that you are enjoying the lumbar wraps and we appreciate your feedback about the inserts! We are happy to stand behind our satisfaction guarantee on this product. Please don't hesitate to call our friendly customer service team at 800-876-5520 so we can make this right.
good for lower back
By Pat from Maine
from Maine
I had back surgery a few months ago. The Lumbar Wrap works very well on those days that my back tightens up again.
By Texas
from Texas
Husband uses after he gets home from barn. Loves it.
Works Great
By Judy
from Marietta GA
It works great to relieve my discomfort.
Lumbar Wrap
By Barbara the garden lady
from Newport, NH
After a spring cleaning day your back can really hurt and the lumbar wrap was a great tool to easy that pain.
By Laurie
from Charlotte, NC
Product works well, but wish it weren't so hard to remove and replace it in its cover.
Comfortable & Comforting
By Irishmists
from Syracuse, New York
I use this after a day of work of moving and shifting books in a bookstore. I have disc degeneration and arthritis, so I appreciate the warmth which I can apply directly and still move around with. I also appreciate it does wrap and tie and is long enough for those of us built for comfort instead of speed. My only suggestion is that the insert material could be more substantial and sewn with double stitching.
Gardening Success Guaranteed
Garden Lab Designed & Tested
Support a Community that Cares
Expert Garden Advice


text:
F. Harris, Horton, R. Harris and Tripp voice opinions
Compiled by Cara Bailey
Incumbent Freddie Harris and her opponent, Randall Horton, are vying for the Ward 2, Position 1 seat on the Russellville City Council. Richard Harris and Mark Tripp are contending for the Ward 1, Position 1 seat on the council. All Russellville aldermen hopefuls run as nonpartisan candidates.
Early voting begins Monday at the Pope County Election Commission headquarters, 1509 E. Main St. from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday until Election Day on Nov. 2. The headquarters is also open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 23 and Oct. 30 for early voting. A final day of early voting will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 1.
Courier: Do you believe the city's zoning code, as it provides regulations for things such as required landscaping and signage, needs revision? If so, in what way; if not, why?
F. Harris: "Yes, I think the regulations regarding green space and signage need to be addressed, brought up-to-date and become a standard as you see in any other town. For some time, since July 2009, our city planner has been presenting such plans to the Planning Commission; however, nothing has been approved and brought before the council. I think the mayor should step up and suggest to the commission that this is a priority with changes (that need to be) made and action taken."
Horton: "Parts of the zoning code do need a review and revision, particularly (those parts) which deal with the video display signs. The use of this type (of) signage will proliferate in the future as they are a very effective promotional medium. But many business locations border closely with residential areas. Russellville needs clear, effective and fair guidelines that allow sign owners enough latitude to adequately promote their business while simultaneously protecting the citizens and visitors from so-called nuisance signs."
R. Harris: "City zoning is important to ensure that the quality of the city promotes community pride, entices businesses to locate in the area and leaves a legacy for future generations of citizens to appreciate. Recent discussions by the city council relating to ordinances regulating litter, rubbish, garbage and overgrown grass is appropriate, and those ordinances should be enforced. In general, I am opposed to spot zoning and variances from the zoning regulations."
Tripp: "Yes, I think the city's zoning codes and regulations need revisions. We need a comprehensive plan working with our community groups, Planning Commission and our city government working together to ensure we have consistency and forethought in our regulations and provide a 'proactive' approach to our existing developments as well as future developments. As a city, we must have a 'can do' approach toward economic growth for our existing businesses as well as our future opportunities."
Courier: Describe your idea of an ideal downtown. Are there any specific plans for the area you'd like to see come to fruition, and why do you believe they will be vital to the city's future?
F. Harris: "An ideal downtown (that) would first come to mind is the town that was there in (the) late 1800s and early 1900s, where all of the shopping was done on Saturdays and residents would gather and visit, chew tobacco and tell all they knew. Today, (what) I vision as downtown (is) an area that consists of businesses in the same buildings from previous times, open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closed on Sundays (with) banners hung from the light poles and flower boxes. Often, I see that most downtowns now consist of professional offices gently placed between the businesses ... a place where festivals are held and parks are created and small businesses and cafes exist to service the surrounding courthouses and city government patrons and, of course, local shoppers. The thing that is most needed in our downtown is public restrooms. When we gather in our park around the Depot, the public is unsure where the restrooms are. There is space downtown for such a relief center, and I would like to see the city purchase property and build one with handicap and children accessibility. I believe you would see more activity in shopping and attendance of the activities."
Horton: "(I envision) a historic downtown (that's) thriving with locally-owned dining places, specialty shops and offices of professionals in buildings, including well-maintained original buildings or new buildings that are designed to look like classic, historical buildings. We should continue to support Main Street in whatever way we can that reflects the vision of our Main Street Program. It's important for the city to support downtown because it is a model of our identity and our small town values that make Russellville a desirable place to live instead of in a metropolitan area."
R. Harris: "When I think of an ideal downtown, I think of a picturesque town square. Although Russellville doesn't have this type of town square, we do have the Depot that serves as a great focal point for the city. As my wife and I walked through the downtown area near the Depot recently, I was impressed with the architectural design of the buildings in the area. Russellville should continue focusing on the development of this area for community activities like Fall Fest. I would like to see Russellville host more community activities around the Depot to facilitate a sense of community for the citizens of Russellville. This sense of community will be an asset for Russellville's future prosperity."
Tripp: "An ideal downtown consists of a redesigned, revitalized and rejuvenated historical district that we all can be proud of. The historic downtown district should always be the heart of the city. The downtown area is a crossroad of local market place, commerce, community interaction, social activities and government. Our downtown area has been overlooked for many years and has been very deserving of the hard work that has gone on in recent years, and we strive to continue the work that has been started."
Courier: In the current economic climate, what raise, if any, should city employees receive in 2011? Specifically address in your answer how the Johanson Group study and subsequent salary plan factors in to your position.
F. Harris: "I strongly believe the employees are deserving of a raise. Our employees have great benefits - paid insurance, paid vacations, paid holidays, paid overtime or comp time equal to overtime, paid sick time with the ability to accumulate sick days in case of catastrophic demands and a great retirement plan; however, some of the wages are below and some are well within the range of this area and our tax base. I hope to see overall at least a 3.5 percent raise with some exceptions to employees that have taken on additional responsibilities."
Horton: "The men and women employed by the city work hard at their jobs, and they are good at it. They deserve to be paid appropriately for their efforts. Without having knowledge of current pay rates for employees, I am not in a position to give a specific figure for raises. Russellville is in good fiscal condition, this in part to efficiencies derived from a talented and dedicated workforce. In 2011, I would support a raise to city employees that reflects cost of living increases and the current finances of Russellville. As I understand things, the city council discontinued use of the Johanson Group Study more than a year ago. The results of the study may be interesting as a guideline, but an employee's value to the city workforce and the fiscal health of city finances are more relevant."
R. Harris: "The Johanson Group Study focuses on assessing equitable salary for city employees in relation to salaries in comparable cities and organizations. This is not a new concept and has been used by many companies to ensure that employee compensation is on par with what the market bears. Since the salary for Russellville employees was noted as being below the market average, it makes sense to ensure that employees are equitably compensated; however, as good stewards of Russellville's finances, we first have to ensure that the money is available to provide the type of raises needed. We want to employ the best and brightest. Therefore, we need to pay equitably; however, it may take some time to bring salaries up to par."
Tripp: "Employees are essential in keeping our city operating day-to-day. They are the ones on the street, the ones answering the phones and the ones dealing with the residents of the community. They carry out the policies, procedures and daily activities of the city, which enables all of us to enjoy our community. Raises are always a tough issue, especially in today's economic climate. As a council, together we must prioritize taxpayer money and provide the best judgment for the future of our community. Raises are a way of reinvesting in our most important resource and asset - our city employees. The salary plan is an important tool in establishing where we are and where we want to go, and it's important that we bring all existing salaries in line with the plan that has been adopted as quickly as possible."
Courier: Do you support continued investment/involvement in pursuit of the proposed Intermodal facility and, alternately, the convention center? Why or why not?
F. Harris: "The Intermodal/slack harbor project has progressed over the years very slowly and, to date, doesn't have a definite location. (It also) still has obstacles with the EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) studies, and there is the possible dispute with our neighbor, Dardanelle. Having said that, I still think if it can be accomplished that it would be great for this area. It is not costing our taxpayers any money at this time and hasn't since 2000, when the city gave it $25,000. It is only taking the energy of the volunteers that meet monthly to keep on trying. I say keep on trying until we hit. We have already ventured, so maybe we will gain. (For) the convention center, the money has been allocated. We must just be patient for a short period (of time) and then put demands on our alliance director to make it happen."
Horton: "The proposed Intermodal facility offers tremendous possibilities for development for Russellville. When the convention center project was announced, I welcomed the news as enthusiastically as anyone. A lot has changed in the past two years and fiscal responsibility is the order of the day. Neither project should be shelved; however, both need to be completely reviewed and revised under the light of the new economic realities of not only Russellville, but the global economy as well."
R. Harris: "In order to promote the development of jobs and opportunities in Russellville, we must support and invest in those efforts like the Intermodal facility. Therefore, we should continue pursuing this issue. In relation to the convention center, I was originally in support of this facility; however, the economic environment has changed and obtaining a developer willing to take the risk of building and operating this facility has not been successful. The people of Russellville approved the development of this facility in good faith, and I believe that the city should evaluate, in good faith, whether we should continue collecting tax dollars for a convention center that has no other investors."
Tripp: "Yes, I believe the proposed Intermodal facility and convention center are projects that are vital for our future, and we should continue to focus on them. The Intermodal facility is a project that will have a tremendous impact on not only Russellville's economy, but the entire River Valley as a whole. This project would create many jobs, as well as business and development opportunities and would help our economy and ensure our viability for many years to come. This project is currently going through a long and slow process, but we've made progress and need to see it through completion. After completion, we will all realize the value of the hard work and wait that has gone into this project. The convention center is also a major project and opportunity for our community. Russellville has so much to offer. The proposed project would have everything it needs to be successful and something that all of us would be proud of and benefit from."
Courier: What drainage and/or flooding issues does Russellville need to examine? How can the city plan, fund and accomplish these changes?
F. Harris: "Our five-year capital improvement presented to me dated (from) 2006-2010 and addressed a lot, if not most, of our drainage issues, which consisted of cleaning and maintenance of the tributary ditches throughout our city that handle our water. We are way behind on such progress and we need to get this job done. Some of our drainage issues have been caused from poor development designs and the lack of the city enforcing our development codes. I think this is the mayor's responsibility to work with his department heads because these things are already in place and (the) damage is done by the time it reaches the council. We can correct both, but only God controls the five to six inches of rainfall that can sometimes hit us without warning. As we build streets and developments occur, we must make sure that our wastewater underground system can handle our average rains and runoffs. Most funding for such improvements is sitting in a bank account - some $12 million dollars are past due improvements."
Horton: "In the campaigning that I have done in Ward 2, the No. 1 issue that comes up is drainage, especially in the neighborhoods along South Inglewood and in Deer Run. We have all witnessed problems with pooling on roadways and standing water at intersections. Some homeowners have spent many thousands of dollars on their own to mitigate problems caused by storm water runoff, just to protect the foundations of their homes. Drainage is a big problem in our city, it has been for a long time, and it will be up to the next city council to take action to correct these problems where we can. The good news is that Public Works is already working with professional engineers on a master plan to alleviate the worst of these issues. Russellville needs to aggressively pursue as much federal and state matching funds as are available to help fund this vital improvement. A modern, new drainage system that corrects the problems discussed in question No. 5 without invading on people's property, tying up traffic routes, or costing a fortune."
R. Harris: "There has been much discussion lately about the flooding issues in some of the Russellville neighborhoods. The city has taken steps to address some of the concerns and to assist those in need. This is a good first step in meeting the immediate needs of the citizens affected; however, a long-term plan for addressing Russellville's drainage issues is needed. It has been brought to my attention that federal matching funds may be available to assist in addressing these long term needs. If this is the case, Russellville should consider taking advantage of those funds, if available."
Tripp: "We have had a Flooding and Drainage Master Plan, but as with any plan, it needs to be continually updated and revised. The city has completed some of the plan, but we are behind. It's very important that we catch up and move ahead. Our revised and updated plan should take into account existing issues and needs as well as looking ahead with a 'proactive' approach. As a council, we should evaluate the plan and establish the course of action to implement our master plan on a yearly basis."
Courier: If you could wave a magic wand and gift Russellville with a capital project of any size and scope, what would you offer?
F. Harris: "If I had a magic wand, I would grant a new district court building with additional office space for other government offices that would be shared by the county and city jointly. Then I would build a new fire station which adequately accommodates the current fire department that allows for growth. I would place it downtown. If my wand and gift still had money, I would build a new library meant for the future of technology, and I would gift a large shopping mall to include numerous shops."
Horton: "No magic wand, but there are solutions. We need to be working on finding them."
R. Harris: "I do not believe in magic wands any more than I believe in investing my hard-earned money in winning the lottery. Russellville will succeed through hard work, good city planning, a city with leadership and citizens that are willing to do what it takes to ensure that we are successful."
Tripp: "A magic wand for Russellville - picking and prioritizing one project for our community - would be hard. We have existing infrastructure improvements that need to be addressed as well as many potential or proposed projects that we need as well. The previously mentioned projects of the Intermodal facility and convention center would have tremendous economic impact to all of us. Other projects such as a shopping mall and a complete revitalization of our downtown district would also enhance economic climate."
Courier: In your mind, who is the CEO of the city? What is the role of an alderman?
F. Harris: "The alderpersons are the legislative body of the city. We act on things presented to us. Over the past two terms, the only items presented to this council have been presented by an alderman, with the exception of the handicapped van and it was returned to the Department of Transportation. I have thought that the CEO should be full of ideas and progress reports from our departments; however, I have only heard from other aldermen as liaisons to the departments. Do you know that the current mayor does not hold department head meetings and the council does not get department head progess/problems unless we ask the department head themselves?"
Horton: "I think the mayor is the CEO of the city. The role of the council is more like a member of a board of directors. The council sets the policies and practices for the city based on the wishes of the citizens. The mayor is responsible for the day-to-day implementation of those policies."
R. Harris: "It is the job of the mayor and staff to run the city and (to) run it efficiently. As the head of the executive branch, the mayor is accountable to the citizens of the city and the oversight of the aldermen. As the city's legislative body, the council holds the reins over policy and funding. Like a corporation's board of directors, aldermen must balance the city's need for efficiency with the residents' right to accountability. City aldermen have little authority as individual elected officials; however, collectively the council has authority to act in the best interest of the citizens to ensure that there is no possibility of waste, fraud and abuse."
Tripp: "Under our current form of government, the mayor/council form, as set forth by the (Arkansas) Municipal League: The mayor is the CEO of the city and is responsible for implementing policies and procedures set forth by the council; responsible for department heads of the city; and is ultimately responsible for all city employees. In conjunction with these responsibilities, the mayor should also provide leadership and direction toward the council. The council is responsible for all assets of the city, property, buildings and etc. They set policy and procedures as well as setting guidelines for which the city to operate. All elected officials, mayor and council, have a responsibility to the citizens of our community. We should all represent ourselves in a manner in which we all can be proud."
Courier: Name one specific action the current Russellville City Council has "gotten right" - and, conversely, one it has "gotten wrong," explaining why you believe as you do.
F. Harris: "Alderman Cliff Kirchner was determined and it took several months, but we passed a workable single-dwelling weekly trash and recycling (program) (and a) yard waste and two times annually bulk item pickup program for our city at a lesser cost than residents were paying. We are currently hauling over 50 tons of recycle out of our town monthly. We have also approved grants and subsidized the grants to build the best small-town airport in this state and maybe in the South. We have made great improvements in our computer department, (and) our parks all got facelifts and modernization. We promoted and the citizens approved the one-cent sales tax. I can't think of anything we did totally wrong ... sorry. I guess I am proud."
Horton: 'Gotten right' - managing the city's finances through what has been described as 'the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.' When the nation's economy began to unravel, there was only bad news on top of bad news. Fear and panic ruled the day and the knee-jerk reaction would have been to reduce services, cut funding and lay off employees. Instead, our city's directorate focused on our unique fiscal positions and acted appropriately. So I applaud them for it. 'Gotten wrong' - the emergency meeting called on a Sunday afternoon to fire an employee based on a dispute with the mayor. I won't debate the rightness or wrongness of the action here, rather the manner it was conducted. It was way too publicized and far too confrontational. It was embarrassing to the citizens of Russellville. They got it wrong."
R. Harris: "After a review of the Russellville City Council activities over the past year, I found no legislative actions taken by the council where I felt they had 'gotten it wrong.' While there may be issues that I may have voted in opposition, were I on the council, second-guessing those actions without full knowledge of the specifics would be unjustified. I believe that the council has taken actions with a sincere desire to 'get it right' at all times."
Tripp: "Right and wrong decisions of the council are all based on perception. Sometimes the decision that is made is the best decision considering the circumstances and may not always be the decision we prefer. The council, for years, has worked diligently on the budget and has made cuts when and where necessary. These cuts are not always the most popular, but have been necessary. The council has done an incredible job of providing leadership when and where needed, as the city has gone through many changes in recent years. As with anything, there is always room for improvement, and we can always do a better job. The responsibilities of elected officials are not always popular and often require tough decisions to be made, decisions that require a lot of thought and concern for the benefit of our community."
Courier: Discord has at times stalled the city's directorate almost entirely. Will 2011-12 be different? Why?
F. Harris: "I am not aware of anything that got stalled because of discord. While this council has been vocal, I deny discord. I believe this council has worked well together and passed by majority many times. I have wished for more leadership from our CEO; however, discord to my knowledge has not been carried over from meeting to meeting, and I can't think of a project that was held up. I learned quickly on that I had one vote and to use it wisely."
Horton: "The new city council will absolutely be different in 2011. As previously reported by The Courier, only one current alderman is guaranteed to return. The other positions are either contested by all new candidates or by incumbents challenged by very legitimate candidates. Some of the 'discord' comes from long-standing differences between different members. With an influx of new aldermen many of those long standing differences can be eliminated. But we need to take steps to prevent those situations from recurring. I have many close contacts that are either city managers, aldermen, mayors or county judges around the country. They have all commented at one time or another that Russellville needs to make better use of the committee system to work out differences of opinion. I know that worked when I was a quorum court member in Jefferson County years ago, and I would urge the city council to better practice it here."
R. Harris: "The citizens of Russellville deserve a better climate of governance over the next two years than was seen over the past two years. While canvassing a neighborhood recently, a frustrated citizen told me that she was embarrassed by the conflict between the city council and the mayor's office. She also stated that Russellville could not move forward as long as this type of conflict was going on. It is hard to argue her point. She and all of the citizens of Russellville deserve better. If I am elected to serve, it is my goal to facilitate a sense of teamwork in order to advance Russellville's agenda."
Tripp: "Positive and thorough discussions of the issues are always good. As elected officials, we must continually push ahead for progress and to make our community a better place. In this process, there may be discord, but it's imperative that we agree or agree to disagree and move forward because that's what we are elected to do."
Courier: What prompted you to run for Russellville City Council?
F. Harris: "I want to continue to work on the projects like the library, cleaning up of our neighborhoods and code enforcement. Just maybe there will be that magic wand, and I will be around to work in an active role to see that district court building, library, convention center, Intermodal facility, shopping malls, better and bigger streets, drainage with sidewalks in needed neighborhoods and major streets completed. This is why I love this town and its people, I like my job. Do I think 2010-11 will be different? You bet I do. The council will have at least four new voices and maybe more, most of whom (will) have strong convictions and will place demands on the mayor, department heads, management of the funds (and) work toward progress will probably not always agree; however, this is not bad. In fact, it is sometimes good. Each will have one vote. Change, there will always be change. When people change, things change."
Horton: "The city of Russellville and her people have been very good to the Horton family for nearly 20 years. I feel obligated to pay that back by service, and at this time the city council affords me the best opportunity to do that. I believe that I possess the right skills, experience and, especially, the temperament to effectively work with the other council members, city employees and the citizens of Russellville. I also truly believe that with the right leadership Russellville is poised to enjoy some the most exciting and dynamic changes in it's history. I look forward to representing the citizens and the city of Russellville at this time."
R. Harris: "Although I have always been interested in politics, both locally and nationally, I had never seriously considered running for office until asked by an outgoing city council member if I would be interested in running for a vacated seat on the Russellville City Council. After some consideration, I felt that I would like to bring my experience of dealing with complex issues and budgetary restraints to the council. It would be an honor and privilege to serve."
Tripp: "I decided to run for city council because I love Russellville and have a passion to do what's best for Russellville. Russellville is and always will be home to me. I was fortunate to grow up in our community, and after graduating from Russellville High School and Arkansas Tech University, I had opportunities to stay in Russellville to raise my family. I want to provide future opportunities for our kids here in Russellville by planning for tomorrow. By working together and making the right decisions today, we will ensure opportunities for our kids for their future. I have always been very involved in the community and have seen what makes Russellville one of the best places to live - the people, the people that have worked to make it what it is today. By continuing to give back to our community through civil service and volunteerism, we are paying forward our service to future generations. As your alderman, I will bring leadership, dedication and communication to our city government. I will be accessible to anyone and everyone and want to hear your opinions and concerns. It takes all of us working together today so we can move Russellville forward tomorrow."


text: A is for Assimilation. Achieved through means of nanoprobes. B is for Beard. Presumably, no Borg has one. (Anything to avoid saying the obvious 'Borg') C is for Cube, their ships are. D is for Delta Quadrant, the primary residence of the collective. E is for Eye, you can count on one of them being replaced or enhanced. F is for FULL REVERSE! Often yelled by the XO of a starship once the Borg has it within a tractor beam. (note: it never works) G is for Green. The color of Borg cutting beams. H is for Humanoid, which all Borg seem to be. I is for Icheb, once a drone, not always a drone. J is for Jeri Ryan, who played another former drone. K is for Killing Federation starships at Wolf 359. L is for Locutus, Resistance is futile....Numbah One. M is for Mammaries. Seven of Nine had them. N is for Nanoprobes. Produced by the trillions. O is for Omega Molecule, or Particle 010. They want it. P is for Prosthetic Enhancements, the Borg have plenty. Q is once again for Q. If the Borg somehow assimilated one, it'd be quite a big problem. R is for Resistance. It is futile. S is for Species 8472, arguably the Collective's greatest enemy. T is for Transwarp Conduit. U is for Unimatrix Zero.


text:
Some years ago Ben van der Pluijm and I set about to create an alternative to clickers for the geosciences. While Ben got called away to do Provost's work I persevered and created LectureTools, which offers a far greater variety of question types (like image-based and free response) that are great to use in class (plus a bevy of other tools designed to increase student engagement and learning).
My presentation on Thursday (at 11:00 CDT) will illustrate how Ben and I (and instructors at over 700 colleges and universities) use LectureTools in class. In preparation for this please create a student account as follows so you can play along:
1. Go to https://www.lecturetools.com/user/pickSchool
2. STEP 1a => Enter special 'zip code' = "LECT"
STEP 1b => Select "LectureTools University" from drop-down menu
STEP 2 => Click "Proceed"
3. STEP 3 => Click Calendar Term "Summer"
Choose course "LectureTools 101"
STEP 4 => Enter your data BUT USE A BOGUS EMAIL ACCOUNT (i.e not your normal e-mail address as you're allowed one account per e-mail and you may want to attach your real e-mail to the account you'll use at your institution)
4. On subsequent page pick "LectureTools 101."
5. Pick the lecture on June 24
3591:12596Share edittextuser=227 post_id=12596 initial_post_id=0 thread_id=3591


text:
British royals tour the London Underground
The Queen in a public tube station? No, you're not imagining things. Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, along with Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, paid a royal visit to the Baker Street Underground station in London on Mar. 20 to mark the 150th anniversary of the London Underground.


text:
The Order of the Stick: No Cure for the Paladin Blues
by Rich Burlew
Cover Artist: Rich Burlew
Review by Paul Haggerty
Giant in the Playground Games Trade Paperback ISBN/ITEM#: 9780976658030
Date: 1 December 2006
Links: Read the Comic / Buy the Book / Show Official Info /
I waited far too long before purchasing this book. And the reason was purely selfish. The author, Rich Burlew, had signed and personalized my copy of the first book, and I was hoping to pick up the second the same way. But unfortunately, increased travel costs for the author to make it to a local convention apparently made this a dying dream. So I was forced to just buy it wholesale and laugh uproariously through it in its pristine state.
So the Dungeon of Dorukan is no more, Xykon the Lich is destroyed, Roy's quest is over, and all is right with the world. Except, of course, for those few niggling plot threads. Roy needs to get a new weapon to replace his ancestral sword. What remains of the Linear Guild wants revenge, Xykon is making a rapid come back, the "Creature in the Darkness" is still clueless but committed, Redcloak is still strangely competent and hard at work, and the mysterious cloaked figure is bent on retribution for crimes against the multiverse.
So what's new this time? How about three hundred pages of diversionary side quests, dragons, a dragon's hoard, a stuck up paladin, random and inexplicable encounters with bizarre monsters, a spiteful teenage sorceress, dirt farmers, assassins at the inn, more massive explosions, gender swapping, brigands, a senile patriarch, the creation of creation revealed, and a cat named Mr. Scruffy.
If you thought life in the dungeon was complex and dangerous, then wait till you see the peaceful countryside.
advertising index
/ info
© 2002-2018SFRevu


text:
Lake Tahoe Basin > Snow Valley Peak (NV) > Climber's Log
Snow Valley Peak (NV) Climber's Log
[ Sign the Climber's Log ]
|Spooner Summit
Date Climbed: Aug 29, 2009
|Nice climb from spooner summit, with Marney
|Posted Aug 30, 2009 5:17 pm
Date Climbed: Jul 25, 2009
|with david
|Posted Aug 19, 2009 6:58 pm
|3rd NV county highpoint
Date Climbed: Jul 25, 2009
|Biked to the top from Spooner Lake. The summit road is horrendously steep and loose, but it made for a fun descent. Took us 1.5 hrs to get up, about 20 to get down. Great views.
|Posted Jul 26, 2009 11:09 pm
|TRT north from Spooner
Date Climbed: Jun 17, 2009
|Sunny summer afternoon jaunt north on the (incredibly meandering) TRT.
Out and back in a little under 4 hours.
#6 on my OGUL list.
Pics and commentary are here.
|Posted Jun 18, 2009 12:40 am
|Spooner Lake Road
Date Climbed: May 31, 2009
|Took the road from the State Park, just because I took the TRT route years earlier. Went on to Marlette Peak afterwards. Thunder and rain early on, but cleared up nicely.
|Posted Jun 11, 2009 3:22 am
|Via Tahoe Rim Trail
Date Climbed: Jun 7, 2008
|It was a beautiful day today on the Tahoe Rim Trail. Skies were blue and views were impeccable. We reached the summit in a little less than 3 hours.
|Posted Jun 7, 2008 10:26 pm
|Brian Kalet
|North Canyon
Date Climbed: Jan 12, 2008
|Skied from the summit! Trip Report
|Posted Jan 12, 2008 11:59 pm
|Spooner Lake
Date Climbed: Mar 4, 2007
|Skied in from Spooner Lake up to the junction with the Tahoe Rim Trail, then switched to snowshoes for the last short bit to the summit. It saved a lot of time to ski in, since we followed groomed trails most of the way.
|Posted Oct 13, 2007 12:28 pm
|Route: via Spooner Summit
Date Climbed: Jun 16, 2007
|Hiked with ShaggyP.
After taking a few weeks off from hiking, this was a nice get back into the groove hike. Not punishing, but more like a walk in the woods; well, exactly like that. ;)
Stopped using the trail once we saw the correct peak, as the trail coming from Spooner summit isn't direct.
I believe our times were 2:45 up and 2:00 down.
|Posted Jun 26, 2007 8:28 pm
|not a bad hike
Date Climbed: Jun 16, 2007
|Not too bad of a hike thanks to the Tahoe Rim trail. Register had been replaced in 2006, wish they had left the old one up there but at least there was something there. All in all I would say the hike outshines the peak view.
|Posted Jun 18, 2007 3:05 pm
|Fun Ski
Date Climbed: Mar 6, 2005
|You have to time this peak just right if you want to telemark it, its not in good shape that often. Lots of people were X-C skiing on the trails to the base of the peak.
|Posted Feb 18, 2007 5:09 pm
|Matthew Holliman
|Froze my ass off
Date Climbed: Jan 21, 2007
|After hiking up Mt. Davidson earlier in the morning, I drove up to Spooner Summit. Hiked along the TRT for a way, before the tracks disappeared and I followed the peak's long, cold, breezy south ridge. It was even colder and windier up on the summit--the wind knocked me over once or twice--so I bailed off to North Canyon road to follow that around for a nice loop. The road would have been a much easier approach as it's been groomed; the ridge still had a good deal of unconsolidated snow through which I had to break trail. (I guess it's been too cold for the snow to consolidate at all over the past week or two.)
It was 22 degrees when I started around noon, and 18 degrees when I got back at 6pm. My Gatorade froze, and didn't melt to a semi-drinkable slush until I reached Placerville. My car heater never felt so good as it did this day.
Nice views from the ridge and summit. I'll have to come back to ride the Flume trail some day.
|Posted Jan 22, 2007 6:32 pm
|Cookie Addict
|easy summit
Date Climbed: Oct 7, 2006
|Climbed as part of the Big Blue 24 hour adventure race. It was dark cold and windy at the top. Also bagged the 9060+' peak to it's west - unnamed on any map that I have seen.
|Posted Oct 10, 2006 1:09 am
|Hike n Bike
|Biked the road, hiked to the top. A lovely day.
|Posted Sep 12, 2006 10:22 pm
|From Spooner Summit
|Larry S. and I hiked in from Spooner Summit and bagged the summit in extremely high winds. View from the top was okay, but some of the vistas along the trail were more interesting to me.
|Posted Jun 1, 2006 4:45 am
|Route Climbed: Tahoe Rim Trail to Peak Date Climbed: Sept 28, 2005
|Pretty easy summer/fall hike. Would probably be funner in the winter.
|Posted Sep 28, 2005 10:26 pm
|Route Climbed: Up TRT from Spooner Summit, Down Marlette Lake Trail Date Climbed: August 21, 2005
|Saw this on a map and decided to hike it. I didn't realize it was on SP until after I got back but a map was enough. Summit was okay though nothing special as views on the approach were much nicer. Great swim in Marlette Lake made it worthwhile. Here's a short trip report.
|Posted Aug 22, 2005 1:43 am
|Route Climbed: via Tahoe Rim Trail from Spooner Summit Date Climbed: July, 1991
|Did this by mtn. bike and downhilled into Washoe Valley.
|Posted May 10, 2005 5:13 pm
|Dennis Poulin
|Route Climbed: North Canyon Road Date Climbed: 30 May 2004
|Beautiful Day for a nice hike. Lots of mountain bikers on the road before the turn-off. About 11 miles round trip in 4.5 hours with 2,264 ft EG. The views of Tahoe and Sierra's are fantastic.
|Posted Sep 2, 2004 12:53 pm
|Date Climbed: August 2, 2002
|Pushed up mountain bike as the trail was quite steep. Downhill was nice, though. Can be done as a side trip to the Flume trail.
|Posted Aug 31, 2004 3:45 am


text:
Celebrities Wearing Snakeskin Trend 2012
7 Days, 7 Ways: Celebs Are Working Snake Motifs Into Their Outfits
7 Days, 7 Ways: Celebs Are Working Snake Motifs Into Their Outfits
With celebrities taking a walk on the wilder side, we're seeing everything from leopard spots to zebra stripes cropping up on the red carpet. To this point, we love the way Emma Stone dressed up a peachy Lanvin number with a quirky serpent collar, how Natalia Vodianova added sleek dynamic to her ensemble with the help of an olive-green python-print jacket, and how Revenge's Ashley Madekwe paired a sheer snakeskin top with cool-girl leather shorts. These slick reptilian accents inject a double dose of exotic texture and playfulness into any look. From subtle accessories to overtly embellished apparel, we've got seven celeb-inspired ways to style up your snakeskin pieces. Click through now and shop your favorites.
0previous images
-24more images


text:
Institute for Rural Health
The Institute for Rural Health (IRH) is housed within the College of Health and Human Services at Western Kentucky University. Most people know us for our two Mobile Units: The Mobile Health Unit and the Mobile Dental Unit. However, there is more to us than meets the eye.
Services currently provided by the Mobile Health Unit by Registered Nurse, Renea Watkins, include health care screenings for cholesterol, diabetes, blood pressure and bone density; and health education in the areas of heart health, diabetes prevention and control and hypertension. The Mobile Health and Wellness Unit also offers influenza vaccinations for our "Immunize Your Staff" program with Warren County Schools.
Services currently provided on the Mobile Dental Unit by Daniel Carter, DMD, and Bonny Petty, RDH, include the Dental Sealant Program, a service offered to 2nd and 7th grade students in our service area. The appointments are made with the help of the school in which the service is provided. Other programs currently offered by the Mobile Dental Unit are the fluoride varnish program and the Adult Dental Care Program. The fluoride varnish program is offered to Head Start Programs in and around Warren County. Appointments are made in advance with the help of the Head Start Program Coordinators at the school in which the service is being provided. The Adult Dental Care Program is offered to various community agencies including McCreary County Dental Blitz, Housing Authority locations, and other communities in the 27-county regional service area. Appointments for this program are made in advance with a liaison at the collaborating agency.
In addition to providing health and dental care in our regional service area, the staff at IRH work daily on research projects, community outreach projects, and grant opportunities. The IRH works in constant collaboration with several departments on campus and within the college including Public Health, Allied Health, Nursing, and many other departments. All of the staff at the Institute for Rural Health are very dedicated to providing quality health care and health education across the state.
Our first Mobile Unit was acquired in 2001 from funding attained through a federal Health Research and Services Administration (HRSA) grant. This unit served a dual purpose and housed both our Health and Wellness services and our Dental Health Services.
Upon arrival at WKU, the Mobile Unit looked like this:
After a renovation to make the unit fully compatible for a multitude of dental services, it currently looks like this:
In 2008, Anthem gave a very generous donation that allowed the purchase of a second unit that would be used for Health and Wellness purposes. That unit looks like this:
Note: documents in Portable Document Format (PDF) require Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0 or higher to view,
download Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Note: documents in Excel format (XLS) require Microsoft Viewer,
download excel.
Note: documents in Word format (DOC) require Microsoft Viewer,
download word.
Note: documents in Powerpoint format (PPT) require Microsoft Viewer,
download powerpoint.
Note: documents in Quicktime Movie format [MOV] require Apple Quicktime,
download quicktime.


text:
If there was a statement that the Concord High football team was trying to make when it hosted College Park in the regular-season finale for both teams on Friday night, it was this: The defense is ready for the postseason.
The Minutemen stymied the Falcons' persistent running attack, holding College Park to just 169 yards of total offense and seven first downs in a 38-3 Diablo Valley Athletic League pasting.
The offense, meanwhile, was methodical — if not flashy — in amassing 379 yards behind Olito Thompson's 162-yard, two-touchdown rushing night. Thompson also caught a 14-yard scoring strike from Mitchell Daniels.
"It was good for our defense to establish itself before the playoffs," Concord coach Brian Hamilton said. "Our offense did some good things. We still have to fix our red-zone problems."
The Minutemen (8-2, 3-2 DVAL) are all but assured a berth in the North Coast Section Division II playoffs. The only question is where they will be seeded.
With Clayton Valley's resurgent move to the top of the DVAL, and upstart Northgate also having notched a win over favored Concord, the best the Minutemen could hope for would be a No. 3 seed.
The NCS seeding meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Sunday.
Concord scored 14 points before College Park (4-6, 2-3) had run an offensive play, capitalizing on back-to-back onside kick recoveries by Daniel Golden to set up scoring runs of 9 yards by Thompson and 3 yards by Uaisele Manoa.
The closest the Falcons got to the end zone was the Concord 14, where their drive stalled and ended in Tanner Utler's 32-yard field goal.
Clayton Valley 62, Mt. Diablo 6: Joe Protheroe ran for 138 yards and a touchdown in a token appearance, and the host Eagles clinched the DVAL title in convincing fashion.
Protheroe carried just three times, including a 63-yard touchdown on his second carry that put him over the 2,000-yard mark for the season and shattered the school's single-season rushing record, finishing with 2,091 yards.
Clayton Valley (9-1, 5-0) scored on every possession, with six players reaching the end zone. Tanner Wraa scored twice, on a 6-yard run that opened the scoring and a 50-yard pass from Mike Protheroe that gave the Eagles a 27-0 lead with 3:10 left in the first quarter.
The Eagles amassed 497 yards in total offense despite both coaches agreeing to a running clock from midway through the second quarter. Curtis Grant also scored twice for the Eagles, on runs of 3 and 47 yards.
Joe Protheroe came off the field after his final carry of 49 yards to the 5-yard line with a slight limp, but coach Tim Murphy said it was nothing more than a minor bruise.
The Red Devils (2-8, 0-5) avoided a shutout when Isaiah Barney outran Clayton Valley's defense for a 70-yard touchdown on the last offensive play of the game.
Barney finished with 108 yards on eight carries. Mt. Diablo had been held to 46 yards on the ground before that play.
Darneail Jenkins had nine catches for 59 yards for Mt. Diablo.
— Steve Dulas, correspondent
Northgate 70, Ygnacio Valley 16: The host Broncos made easy work of the Warriors in their final tuneup for next week's NCS playoffs.
Northgate (8-2, 4-1 DVAL) may have earned itself a home game for the first round after a dominating performance, racking up 527 yards of offense on the night.
Quarterback Joe Pelletier accounted for five Broncos touchdowns — three through the air and two rushing. Running back Fisi Tavake had 110 yards and two touchdowns on just 11 carries. Brandon Lee only touched the ball twice but ran for an 80-yard touchdown and caught a 63-yard scoring pass from Pelletier.
Ygnacio Valley (2-8, 1-4) moved the ball well at times but hurt itself with three costly turnovers.
Receiver Robert Foreman had six catches for 116 yards, including a 36-yard touchdown pass from Jamari Pope. Pope also ran for 114 yards.
The Warriors' only other score came on a 2-yard rush by Khalil Branch.
The Broncos went 8-2 in the regular season for the second time in three years.
— Nick Bender, correspondent


text:
Healthy Vitamin D Levels Can Decrease Mortality
Vitamin D is a vitamin that is commonly lacking for many people when they get their blood tested. The vitamin is essential in our diet, but it also can be synthesized from exposure to the sun, much like plants can photosynthesize chlorophyll. A new study looked at the mortality of humans who suffer from vitamin D deficiency. Low levels of the vitamin and high levels of parathyroid hormone have been found to increase mortality for African American and Caucasian older adults. However, there is a greater impact in African Americans due to a higher prevalence of insufficient vitamin D levels.
Previous studies have found that low vitamin D levels are directly associated with various forms of cancer and cardiovascular disease. However, most studies have focused on white test subjects only and have largely excluded blacks. The new study takes a closer look at how it affects both peoples.
"We observed vitamin D insufficiency (defined as blood levels <20 ng/ml), in one third of our study participants. This was associated with nearly a 50 percent increase in the mortality rate in older adults," said Stephen B. Kritchevsky, PhD, Professor of Internal Medicine and Transitional Science at the Wake Forest School of Medicine, and lead researcher of this study. "Our findings suggest that low levels of vitamin D may be a substantial public health concern for our nation's older adults."
The study examined 2,638 people of both European and African origin, ages 70-79. The participants were asked to fast for 12 hours, and then a blood sample was collected to determine vitamin D levels. Every six months following the blood tests, the participants were asked to update their medical condition.
From this data, the researchers could determine the proportion of deaths for people with different vitamin D levels. Other factors were also accounted for, including the time of year which would influence exposure to the sun. The conclusion was that a vitamin D level of 30 ng/ml was associated with significantly increased all-cause mortality.
"We all know that good nutrition is important to overall health and our study adds to a growing body of literature that underscores the importance of vitamin D and indicates that poor vitamin D nutrition is wide-spread," said Kritchevsky. "The good news is it's easy to improve vitamin D status either through increased skin exposure to sunlight or through diet or supplements."
This study has been published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (JCEM)
Elderly People in Sunlight image via Shutterstock


text:
Dallas Running Club Half Marathon attracts eclectic field of runners
Approximately 2,700 runners converged upon Norbuck Park for Sunday's Dallas Running Club Half Marathon. The event attracted the area's top runners, along with a mix of first-timers and old-timers, many training for the Dec. 9 MetroPCS Dallas Marathon and Half.
Kibet Cherop, a Kenyan living in Mexico, overtook early leaders Luis Rojas and Clint Bell in the sixth mile en route to victory in 1 hour, 13 minutes, 34 seconds. Runner-up Luis Rojas overtook Clint Bell late in the race to finish second in a personal best, 1:14:32.
Cherop, 38, was well off his personal best, 1:03:16, but said he was pleased to win. His time was the slowest winning time since eight-time winner William Moore's 1:16:33 finish in 2003.
In contrast, Melissa Cook, 32, posted the fastest women's time in recent memory. She captured her fourth DRC Half Marathon title, clocking a 1:17:21 to match Jody Hawkins' 2003 finish time. Only three women have run faster, dating to 1996.
Cook ran the first five miles with Moore and Jose Lopez, who finished fourth and fifth overall. She said she slowed down to conserve energy for the hills later in the course.
"Those hills are deceivingly hard," said Cook, the 2004, 2006 and 2011 winner. "My strength is there. My speed is not."
She overtook Lucy Kurgat, the early leader, in the seventh mile. Cook held off runner-up Ingrid Mollenkopf, who stayed close to her the entire race and finished in 1:17:35. Kurgat finished third in 1:18:41.
Dodging walkers, cyclists: Hills and heat weren't the only obstacles challenging runners faced Sunday. Many dodged walkers and cyclists. Approximately 185 participants started the half one hour early. The race offered the early start to anyone who anticipated needing at least three hours and 15 minutes to finish. Early starters were walking when half leaders approached them three miles into the race. At Mile 12, half leaders had to weave past 5K walkers. In addition, numerous cyclists sped toward and past runners.
Crowds cheer young phenom: Runners were perplexed when they saw 4-foot, 5-inch Kaytlynn Welsch of Alvin, Texas, on the starting line. Though she's 12, she could easily pass for 10 or younger. Once on the course, she earned cheers as she cruised along the 13.1-mile course, finishing in 1:33. She won her 14-and-under age group, finishing 93rd overall. In August, Welsch won the women's division of a major 13-mile Xterra race through Cameron Park in Waco. Her 10-year-old sister finished third.
Briefly: Jan Richards, 85, finished the half marathon in 3 hours, 47 minutes … Jo Ellen Washburn, 47, of Arlington ran Sunday's DRC Half a week after the Dallas 13.1 Marathon. "I always run well here," Washburn said. "I love the location." … Compiling results Sunday went more smoothly than usual for Racing Systems, said timer J.J. Kick. The Half and the ING NYC Marathon use the same ChronoTrack timing system and usually fight for bandwidth on the system's server. Dallas timers had no server issues this year with the cancellation of Sunday's NYC race. … McKinney Boyd sophomore Landon Burdette, 15, ran a personal best, 17:35, at Saturday's Region II-5A cross country meet in Arlington. On Sunday, he won the DRC's 5K in 18:03. He came out to Norbuck Park because his dad and stepmom were running the half. … Karyn Nyholm, 25, won the women's 5K in 20:01.


text:
Hi everyone--it's so great to see folks from all over the world here-wow!
I have been a quilter pretty much all of my life and have been working on a book project about barn quilts for the last couple of years. Just got that to the publisher (for the second time), so now I have time to quilt again! I have missed it--will have three projects going on at once before you know it.


text:
A tasty trip down Memory Lane in old-time West Sacramento
Last week a longtime West Sacramento resident and family friend, Sharon Cuff, stopped by the News-Ledger office to give me a book she thought I would enjoy reading. The book was entitled "Lost Restaurants of Sacramento" and was penned by Sacramento natives Maryellen and Keith Burns. It almost lovingly tells about all the many Sacramento restaurants from the past 150 years or so which have been visited by countless patrons, many of whom left with lasting memories of their favorite eateries and the yummy food that was served there. I especially liked some of the colorful photos in the book, which showed everything from one of the first rough kitchens at Sutter's Fort that served about 30 men, to the soda fountains and ice cream parlors of the 1950s, to the fancy and popular downtown Sacramento restaurants of today. It was also fun to be reminded that a good meal once cost only twenty-five cents and to see old pictures of places I recalled from my youth, like Stan's Drive-In and Sam's Hof Brau.
I first met Sharon many years ago when she and her husband, Jim, lived right behind my West Sacramento home. One of their daughters, Janel, became very good friends with my daughter, Carrie, and when they were in grade school I would often find them out at the chain link fence which separated our two properties playing dolls or just talking endlessly about all the things that are important to young girls. And even though we are no longer neighbors, the Cuff's Christmas card is usually the first one that arrives in the mail each holiday season.
"So, what is it that you really like about this book?" I asked Sharon.
"Well, it takes a person down memory lane and after I read it, I found myself thinking about the Page from the Past that is often in the News-Ledger, and I thought you might want to put something in the paper about all the restaurants that have come and gone in West Sacramento over the years. In fact, I even decided to write down all the ones I could remember and see if you recalled some of them, too."
"I'm afraid my family didn't do a lot of eating out," I told Sharon, "although my dad liked to take us to the old Goose Club once a month or so because their prices were really reasonable, and of course going to the Pheasant Club was always considered a real big treat, too."
Anyway, as I started looking over Sharon's lengthy list of West Sacramento eateries and take-outs (past and present), I found myself recalling wonderful places like the old Country Maid drive-through where my mother would send me on my bicycle to get milk and bread, my reward being that I could buy myself one of the biggest ice cream sandwiches imaginable, especially compared to the ones you get in grocery stores nowadays that look like little chocolate pancakes with something that isn't even real ice cream stuck between them. In fact, those old Country Maid ice cream sandwiches were so huge I couldn't even get the whole thing in my mouth to take a bite out of it and had to always start at the edges first.
Other places Sharon had listed also quickly rang a bell, like Smorgy Bob's, A & W Root Beer, Sambo's, Kelly Jr.'s, Zeps, and of course Whitey's Jolly Kone, where I am still addicted to the same secret family recipe for their deluxe tacos that I fell in love with many decades ago. But the name of the long gone restaurant that really took me down memory lane was the El Rancho Hotel, since that is where you dressed up real fancy and went out to eat on West Sacramento rites of passage nights like the Junior and Senior Proms. And I can still remember the horror on my twin sister's face when her date, who was used to eating much bigger portions of food at home, started scraping everyone's leftovers from their plates onto his because he was still hungry, not to mention a very worried friend who thought that they had really screwed up his order because they were already serving him his dessert by bringing him a little cup of strawberry sorbet first, having of course never heard of the word "palatizer" before, much less seen one.
Some of the other restaurants that appear on Sharon's list of fun West Sacramento places to eat (past and present) include Vince's, King's, Emma's Taco House, Freddy's Gourmet, Carol's, Eppie's, and Don's Chuck Wagon, just to name a few. She even listed some of the wonderful old West Sacramento businesses that are no more, like Willie's Market, Gorman's Stationary, Hollywood Hardware, Homer's Florist, Miller's TV, and the old Last Chance gas station.
Anyway, since Sharon was kind enough to take me for a fun little stroll down memory lane, I think I will offer you the same opportunity, and if you would like to share some of your fond memories from eating out in our wonderful little town over the years, you can do so by going to our Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/TheNewsLedger. Just look for our post inviting comments. You can also write to me at firstname.lastname@example.com with any funny/tasty recollections you may have that I could use in a future follow-up column.
It's been my experience that in addition to delicious food, it's the interaction of great local restaurant owners, employees and patrons that make for a wonderful dining experience, and West Sacramento has always had more than its fair share of all three!
Do you like what you see here?
You can support local journalism, support this website, and see all the News-Ledger's articles every week! Subscribe to the News-Ledger newspaper. It's only $20 per year within West Sacramento – once a week, delivered to your mailbox.
You can even try it for free for two months if you live in West Sacramento. Just send your name and mailing address to firstname.lastname@example.com (offer open to new subscribers in West Sacramento ZIP codes 95691 & 95605).
Copyright News-Ledger 2014
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.


text:
Griffin's remarkable rise inspiring A's confidence
Righty's first Cactus League start curiously follows MLB and postseason debuts
By Cash Kruth / MLB.com
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- A.J. Griffin experienced another first Tuesday.
In a short career in which Griffin made his Major League debut in the Bay Bridge Series, won his first six decisions and pitched in the American League Division Series, the A's right-hander took part in a first more typical for that of a 25-year-old ballplayer: his Cactus League debut.
"It's quite a rise," A's manager Bob Melvin admitted after his club's 9-4 loss to the D-backs at Salt River Fields.
That Griffin pitched in the ALDS before the Cactus League is one way to measure how quickly he's arrived. So is his jump from Double-A Midland to Oakland's postseason roster last season. Another is to consider how far he's come in the eyes of teammate Josh Reddick.
Reddick has zero recollection of Griffin from last year's Spring Training.
Fast forward a year later, and the A's right fielder is talking about how a guy he didn't meet until Griffin's June callup inspires confidence in the guys behind him.
"He's proved he belongs in the rotation," Reddick said. "He lost only one game last year in his short stint, and he kept us in a lot of ballgames."
Whether Griffin makes the rotation will be decided in the coming weeks. He and fellow righty Dan Straily are battling to be the club's fifth starter, with Griffin's sharp two-inning performance Tuesday (one hit, three strikeouts) a nice first statement.
How Griffin earned confidence from Reddick and the rest of his teammates is easy to understand. He was nearly unhittable in his first 11 big league starts, posting a .202 average against with a 1.94 ERA, and it looked as though the A's had another young arm with superstar potential.
"He was so good," Melvin said. "And then your expectations are like, 'All right, this guy's going to go 40-0 in his career,' and that's probably not realistic."
It wasn't.
Griffin scuffled in his final four regular-season starts, making it out of the fifth inning only once, as opponents started hitting him (.342 average against) and hitting him hard (7.27 ERA).
"The numbers at the end weren't as good as they were in the beginning, but he's definitely somewhere between," Melvin said. "He's a good pitcher, and he's going to get better and better."
Which version of Griffin is legit is a valid question. For now, he's not thinking about those things; about living up to the expectations some have because of his early success. Instead, he's focused on what he feels he needs to do.
He wants to work down in the zone and stay on top of his pitches better. He hopes to pitch to early contact, go deeper into games and not throw as many pitches.
He's also focused on his workouts, and said he's 100 percent after an early spring issue that involved his hips being "kind of tilted a little bit weird."
"I just try to focus on what makes me good and how I'm going to help the team the most, instead of worrying, 'Oh everybody expects me to do this or everybody expects me to do that,'" Griffin said. "Just more about the process in trying to get on the right track and to be able to have another awesome year like we did last year."
With his hips a little less weird and his short-term goals in mind, Griffin is confident he and the A's will find success.
Cash Kruth is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at @cashkruth. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text: When the idea of pro players making our game look easy is considered, a certain Swiss player comes to mind. But while Stan Wawrinka does have an effortless looking western forehand, I think a few other players ought to be mentioned. I for one, as someone who was only just born in the 90s, find that when I look up matches from that time, Sampras makes the game look far too simple. Bomb a serve, a few easy strides, put away volley. Hey presto. Who else tricks you into trying extreme difficulty plays and shots at the club courts?


text:
Buel Wins 2012 Outstanding New Forensics Coach Award
At a meeting of the AFA-NIET committee in Orlando last week, UNI Director of Individual Events Rebecca Buel was awarded the 2012 AFA-NIET Outstanding New Forensics Coach Award. The award will be given at the national tournament in spring 2013, but the selection happened at this year's National Communication Association conference.
The award recognizes "A graduate student, assistant coach or team director of an AFA-NIET affiliated team who is in his/her first seven years of coaching; Leadership in innovations in forensics; [and] Qualities as a forensic educator."
Buel's award nomination focused one her team's rapid rise in national competitive success, her innovative coaching pedagogy, her
leadership in administering tournaments, and her commitment to educating the whole student. Speech team assistants Josh Hamzehee and Sarah Taylor who did the bulk of the work organizing the nomination packet. They contacted alumni and professionals at other schools for testimonials and compiled the awards Rebecca and the UNI team have amassed. They also drafted the nomination letter.
Buel is in her fifth year as Director of Individual Events at UNI, and has compiled an impressive record. In the 2011-12 season, the UNI Speech Team ended with a record performance at the AFA-NIET National Tournament, hosted by Texas State University-San Marcos. UNI Forensics sent 6 students with 24 events to the tournament. All six students who qualified to the tournament made it to elimination rounds. Overall, the team took 10th in Team Sweepstakes, improving on the previous year's result of 13th.