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Discussion in 'Odds & Ends' started by Ross K, Aug 10, 2008.
Got to be honest, re Everton and Spurs game later today, I'm fearing the 'fro... Fellaini's been storming the PL and it surely can't be long before a mega-offer has him heading towards La Liga, or Utd, City or Chelsea.
I'm not sure where he'll go, maybe Man Utd? I can't see Madrid or Barcelona going for him. He would improve Chelsea, but the price it would take to get him doesn't make much sense.
I'd prefer to get a cheaper player who would fit into the team. Capoue, Benat etc.. A destroyer or a classy ball player, ideally both. Fellaini isn't really either.
Talk about frustrating... just a few minutes really away from winning and then get sucker punched - twice. :cry: Ah well, I can't say Everton didn't deserve it actually.
Didn't see the City Utd game. A deserved win for the reds was it?
Any price would be worth it to improve Chelsea, because it would also mean that Mikel wouldn't play anymore, which is a prospect worth infinite sums of money. Just think of how much better off we'd be without such a liability wandering around aimlessly on the pitch, just waiting to get carded or concede a penalty or free kick.
Maybe! I just think we could get two players for the price it would take to bring Fellaini in. Capoue is around £9 Million, Benat or even Banega (who I know you're a fan of) are around £16 Million. If it's a choice out of two of those, or Fellaini.. I know which option sounds better to me
Diame has a 3.5 million buy out clause and Ba 7.5, they'd be good January transfers.
They would, neither of them would pass a medical though I wouldn't of thought. They're a risk of sorts, but would be great for Arsenal. Steel and strength in midfield, a striker who can replace van Persie's goals better than anyone they have at the moment.
I think i feel your pain!
Man u were prob a bit better but I was sitting next to a utd fan who was very animated today!
Can't believe all 3 of their goals were scored by hammers academy players.:shock:
Wasn't Chelsea linked with Ba as well? He'd provide depth upfront and competition for Torres.
Glad to see Wenger having a say in the outcome of the Manchester derby.
RvP (ex Arsenal)'s free kick takes a wicked deflection off the boot of Samir Nasri, another Emirates product.
I'd rather have City stumble instead of Utd. With Mancini, they're much more fragile mentally down the stretch and that's better for ars, spurs and chelsea fans.
Fergie's boys rarely choke at the end.
And with the free kick resulting from Clichy needlessly giving the ball away on the edge of the City area.
Re City being more likely to slip up down the stretch - I don't think what either of the Manchester clubs are doing is anything to do with us unfortunately. :cry:
In spite of our terrible results / form / play, the fact that we're only two points behind Everton / Spurs in 4th / 5th is really a positive. To have been as atrocious as we have been and not have been made to pay for it by the pretenders for 4th place leaves Arsenal with a bit of optimism.
Yeah, this morning it was in the papers again. If Sturridge goes then absolutely, someone with Ba's record would be a huge upgrade.
I also think the red half of Merseyside might come into things... call me insane but I just have a sneaking suspicion Liverpool are starting to get going under Rodgers.
I do too, top 4 this year might be a bit of a stretch though. The way things are going with everyone dropping points regularly, it could be possible.
Just a bit of fun...
Who might be your top foreign PL players of all time?
I'll kick it off... Cantona, Bergkamp and Zola.
Good choices! I'd add Henry, Drogba, Hasselbaink, Pires, Viera, Makelele, van Nistelrooy, Ronaldo and Schmeichel.
I see Romeu is out for the season after a nasty knee injury, Mikel and Ramires are going to be pretty busy for the next 7 months!
Does that mean we're going to ship him back to the Nou Camp now, becuse that two-year option is up?
I don't think that's how it works with this one, we signed him outright for €5 Million, so he's a Chelsea player. Barcelona had the option to buy him back last year for €10 Million, or €15 Million next summer. I don't think he has shown enough for them to do that, now he won't kick a ball again before the summer, it seems even more unlikely.
Yes, Henry was just sensational. Also have to say the same for Viera. Of 'the Invincibles' though, my personal fav is Dennis Berkamp... stunning touch, highly skillful, consistent, could always find the back of the net, and hard and niggly without quite entering into Roy Keane mode...what a player!8)
Oh I agree, Bergkamp and Zola are my favourites. I don't think they scored a bad goal between them!
I remember Bergkamp scored a hat-trick against Leicester, you couldn't wish to see 3 better goals. Zola's flick between the legs, direct from a corner was probably my favourite of his, although he made Schmeichel look silly only a few months into his first season.. I remember Ferguson calling him a "clever little so-and-so", pretty sweet to rub it in to the school full of Man Utd fans the day after, most of which hadn't even heard of Chelsea at the time!
Great choices, Ruud was superb on his day and was a regular in my fantasy side back then.
Henry is the one for me though, I am biased though.
Fena, your new avatar keeps throwing me off
Nani to Arsenal? Not sure how I feel about that.
Bergkamp was just as capable of putting in dirty tackles as he was trapping a ball exquisitely.
Whereas Gervinho, Walcott, Arshavin et al hardly have a b*ll*ck between them, and they certainly aren't rock 'ard!
Someone in our team needs to step up and 'do a Keown' on a contemporary van Nistelrooy (van Persie at the Emirates springs to mind) and teach the younger players that beyond their years of one touch passing training you need to play on the edge physically to win this league.
I don't off all time, but from 2000 onwards I would say Bergkamp, Henry, Pires, Ljugnberg, Van Nistelrooy, Giggs, Drogba, Cech and Aguero. I'm probably forgeting someone important though.
Xabi Alonso?
How about Essien? Makalele? And yeah Alonso at Liverpool was dynamite, and when he had Masch alongside him they were awesome.
And someone should mention Liverpool Torres before Aguero. Aguero is great but at Liverpool Torres was amazing.
Yes, that's a good pick.
Roy Keane too.
I see the Falcao rumours are starting up again, same with Walcott. Why are all the top teams chasing him? He wants to play central, I can't see him getting into the team at any of his prefered destinations.
Will be interesting to see Paulinho in the finals on Sunday, with Mikel going off for the African Cup of Nations and Romeu out for the season, he could be a great option.
Paolo DiCanio.
anyway choosing the best that's no fun, what about the worst, not just in terms of cost but attitude, ability to play a full game etc.
Marco Boogers, Florin Radiciou, Paolo Futre (fantastic ability but so past it it was untrue) Dumitrescu,(they were all from one Redknapp spending spree-i feel or QPR) Ali Dia (southampton lad said he was Weahs; cousin IIRC)
Messi. ....
The best thing to come out of today? Listening to Piazon express his disappointment in his team mates. We just didn't want to be there, it was dire, going through the motions would of been a step up from that crap.
If they all had the attitude of Luiz, Ramires and Piazon today, it's hard to imagine not getting the win.
Yeah the Brazilian contingent took it quite seriously. The rest of the team? Not so much. Torres in particular was dogshit.
A step up from his usual form then.
Tell you what we can do a straight swap Torres for Balotelli, at least your games will be entertaining then
Haha, great 'worst ever PL foreign players' ... yes, West Ham/Redknapp have a pretty dire record.
I don't get why Mancini goes down the tough love route with him. Some players you have to make them feel loved and let them do their own thing, Di Canio, Cantona etc..
Prandelli did it in the Euro's and we saw it was good for him. Mancini seems to be looking for things to lay into him over. With characters like Balotelli, that's like a red rag to a bull.
Yeah - I don't understand why the European team doesn't put more effort into winning the Club World Cup, especially if you are a team who has just won the European Cup for the first time in your history and thus have never won this title. Surely most clubs would want the title of 'World Club Champion' in their history, and most players to have it on their resume, even if most of the competition within the tournament is not considered to be the most prestigious.
Tim Vickery is always talking about how it is considered a huge deal in Brazil and South America, being a focal point of the entire club season, as it is seen as an opportunity to confound expectations and beat the moneyed European giant.
Obviously it's a distraction from the toil of a domestic season, but how many of the Chelsea squad have that title to their name, which can only be obtained by the best-of-the-best in a given year?
Also, it would have provided the Chelsea fans with a new twist on their "we know what we are..." chant now that they've been knocked out of the CL.
I think Rafa sent the team out to loose, last time he was at that stage he was with Inter, he won the match, he called for money to spend in his post-match presser and was sacked a day later. He didn't want history to repeat itself.
Very good choices. Tevez has saved one side from relegation and won the PL with two others.
Ross, here we come, only two points back
Everton should def drop points with the Fro out for 3 games: Christmas comes early.
Chelsea TV are showing the 1970 FA Cup final against Leeds, both games. If I didn't have work, watching those again would make for a good 4 hours
Hopefully the players take tomorrow's game more seriously than they did on Sunday, putting in a poor performance against one of our most hated rivals won't go down well.
Yes, you're definitely still in the hunt and it's all to play for with a number of sides. Anyhow, I've learnt through bitter experience (last season being maybe the worst example of this I can remember :evil, to never underestimate Wenger and Arsenal.
On a wider note about my lot, if only...
IF ONLY Levy could make a very good signing or two this upcoming transfer window, it could make all the difference. Last season we were in a similar boat and he went to bolster our attack with the goal scoring demon and fit as a fiddle five-times World Player of the Year nominee that is... Louis Saha... (Okay, the nominee stuff is not quite true LOL)... Plus, who can forget Levy's other massive winter transfer window signing - the defensive colossus and titan that is... Ryan Nelson? :grin:
If Levy is truly ambitious, the money need to spent on the likes of a Moutinho, Ericson, Willian, etc, and not these cut-price aging PL players whose time has been and gone.
That is such paper made up nonsense, he got 7 goals at the end of a season that he just didnt do much in the previous 26 games of.The Tevez saved them was only started because A) he scored at the end of the season (If he'd of gotten them in Aug and SEpt then not scored again would anyone of claimed he saved them?) and B) SEan BEan and Mccabe the Sheff Utd chairman who claimed it was our fualt they went down.
If we hadn't of had them (Tevez and mascharano) plonled into the side into an attempt to appease another shady buyer from joining the owners then we'd of had a side that played well togther like the year before not one that got all jealous divided and didn't talk to each other at all.
I still don't mind Tevez but that agent Jorabcahin there is something about his dealings.........
Oh and Messi has signed a new contract, guess there goes my hopes of him turning out for us then
Not sure that I follow all this but I think Tevez was the difference between West Ham staying up and going down that season. It wasn't the goals alone that I was thinking of, more his all round play. My feeling is that Tevez is an underrated player. Not as flashy as Ronaldo at United, nor as flashy as Aguero at City, but what an influence he has on the game. He would be one of the first names in my PL XI -- current or past.
^ Agree. City seem a different proposition when he's in the side.
I fully agree he does add something different and aids the city side no end.I (and any hammers fans i know) would welcome him back any time as he is a class player who likes to have the ball and looks like something will happen when he has it. However, we had a Tevez and mascherano who spoke no English, had a manager who was ordered to play them both as soon as they arrived when neither had done a pre season because of Masch' strike t get a move and Tevez being on holiday. The formation the hammers had done so well with previously and in pre season was ditched to accomodate two unfit players, it is said that the others resented this so wouldn't pass the ball to them etc.(childish)
I meant, we would of been better off without them from the start, we wouldn't of needed the wins in the last few matches without all the upheaval.
Ignoring the fact that Masch asked for a move not long after arriving then when their agent didn't buy the club for his people (a very good thing) they were both being touted everywher.Masch went to 'pool in Jan and Tevez only really started playing well when it was apparant that the big 4 in England were not convinced they wanted to offer him a contract as he'd done nothing by Feb.
Arsenal to go on a spending spree in January? Would be fun to see Ba there.
I'm sure Arsenal will spend, i've been hearing about Ba and El Shaarawy. Newcastle are supposed to be close to getting Remy, which suggests Ba is on his way.
I don't think Sturridge will play for Chelsea again, he should move to Liverpool for £12 Million in the opening days of the window, i'd of thought.
Ramires and Lampard the only two midfielders in the squad, until Mikel gets back from Africa and his ban, with Torres the only striker. The cupboard really is bare.
So I saw Twitter was blowing up earlier, some Spanish TV station had said Falcao was talking to Chelsea all day and it was pretty much a done deal.
I didn't really think much of it at the time, these crazy stories come out all the time before transfer windows open. Sky Bet now have him at 1/1 to join Chelsea before the end of January though. AS, one of the big papers in Spain have talked about it too, saying he will be in London to look around the facilities and the city next week.
No wonder we're trying to get Sturridge sold to Liverpool as soon as possible!
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© 2007 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved.
Neshek needs boost up from third
Twins reliever trails two candidates for Final Vote
By Kelly Thesier / MLB.com
NEW YORK -- Most people would be disappointed to see themselves still sitting in third place of a contest that would earn them a bid to this year's All-Star Game. But Pat Neshek has a different theory. Before Tuesday's results showed Neshek was still in third place in the voting for the 2007 Monster.com All-Star Final Vote, the Twins' right-handed side-armer said he didn't want the results to change. At least, he said, not too soon. "I hope I'm not in first, I'd rather be in second or third," Neshek said. "You don't want to get in first too soon and have people get lazy." Neshek has still been trying to round up the votes of fans on his Web site, and he will need a surge to get back into what has been deemed a tight race. Red Sox reliever Hideki Okajima overtook Tigers pitcher Jeremy Bonderman for first place in the voting. Neshek trails behind those two with Angels right-hander Kelvim Escobar and Blue Jays right-hander Roy Halladay rounding out the voting for the final American League spot in this year's All-Star Game in San Francisco at AT&T Park. Fans have the opportunity to vote online at www.twinsbaseball.com, and fans can also vote for Neshek from a mobile phone by texting A4 to 36197 (with standard rate messaging fees being applied). Voting is taking place now through 5 p.m. CT on Thursday, July 5. The winners will be announced on MLB.com shortly thereafter. Neshek's teammates who arrived at the ballpark for early batting practice on Tuesday donned the shirts that have emblazoned the slogan of the Twins' campaign for their reliever -- "Pitch in for Pat: Vote Neshek!" It was a sea of gray on the field, with so many players wearing the T-shirts, and Neshek admittedly is amazed by all the attention and support. "I've been touched by how the players are pumping me up," Neshek said. "And people on my Web site are going crazy."
Neshek will need those fans to keep going crazy as he battles some stiff competition.
Besides just having the faithful of Japan behind the Boston reliever, Okajima also has the support of another nation -- Red Sox Nation. And Bonderman has had the help of a campaign by the Tigers called "Bondo '07," playing off the James Bond theme.None of this is lost on Neshek, who is continuing to stump not only on his blog, but also is making the television rounds. The side-armer is scheduled to do a TV appearance on ESPN on Wednesday morning, and will also be a guest on the "Mike and Mike Show." The push for votes won't stop any time soon, but Neshek admits that just being a part of this vote is something pretty special. "It's pretty neat for a regular guy to get in this position," Neshek said. "I'm just having fun with it."
Kelly Thesier is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

subset: commoncrawl


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When the NBA's offseason began a few weeks ago, the general consensus seemed to be that the Raptors were poised to be a 7-8 playoff seed in the East if they chose to return the bulk of their lineup from last season. This was largely based on the Raptors potential for internal improvement, mixed with the assumption that the bottom half of the Conference would be jockeying for ping pong balls in the lottery process instead of regular season wins. However after watching the first week of free agency play out, that no longer appears to be the case.
A quick rundown of next year's playoff picture...
New York
In barring a major surprise:
The Hawks seemed like a good candidate for a rebuild with the departure of Josh Smith looming over their heads this offseason. However they've replaced him in the starting lineup with Paul Millsap and are reportedly close to adding Monte Ellis or Brandon Jennings in exchange for Jeff Teague. Some would argue that they're actually an improved team heading into next year, and I have them as a playoff team barring a major injury or an internal meltdown.
Playoff Contenders:
Most people, myself included, expected that at least two of these teams would be content with toiling near the bottom of the standings for at least one more season for a shot at one of the big prizes in the 2014 draft. Think again.
Washington is a quickly improving roster that is already getting some sleeper buzz going into next season. Cleveland has added more top end young talent (Bennett) and a veteran presence (J. Jack, Earl Clark, maybe even Andrew Bynum) to their already impressive young core. Milwaukee doesn't seem deterred by the potential loss of Reddick/Ellis/Jennings as they're on the market signing players (Delfino, Pachulia, Mayo, Teague) with an eye on staying competitive. Detroit is adding Josh Smith and the 8th overall pick to their lineup and rumours continue to swirl that Dumars isn't finished.
You also have the Raptors in this group, who as of now, have made the least amount of on-paper improvements compared to the teams that they will be battling for the last two playoff spots.
Not impossible, but not likely:
Tanking and Proud of it:
I think we can all agree that the worst case scenario for 2013-14 would be another 9-11 finish in the East, which of course would equal another 8-15 pick in the draft. The chances of the Raptors landing in that range has gone up significantly in just the last week and a half.
With a lot of teams bucking the prediction that they'd be actively trying to lose games next year and the road to the 2014 post season a lot more crowded than many expected, I'm maintaining that the Raptors best course of action is to sell off as many pieces as possible in exchange for picks, prospects and financial freedom. Watching other teams improve all around us only reaffirms this for me.
I don't want this to diminish into another tinkering vs. tanking debate. It's more to discuss the playoff picture for next season and where you feel the Raptors fit in. Also, for those who were advocating that Ujiri "stay the course" with this group... has the last week of free agency shifted your opinion at all?


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FCA last Friday reported a first-quarter net loss of $6.9 million, or 58 cents per diluted share, on revenue of $56.1 million. That compares with a net loss of $2.6 million, or 22 cents per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2013, on revenue of $87.6 million.
"We had a disappointing start to 2014 with a harsh winter weather significantly impacting operations at all of our facilities," McNeely said on the conference call. "The inclement weather led to a shutdown at our plans for more than 20 shifts and caused supply disruptions and production and efficiencies. This combined with production line changeovers resulted in railcar deliveries that were 30% lower than we had planned in the first quarter.
"This severe winter weather also had a significant unfavorable impact on our Services segment," he continued. "The harsh weather led to a higher coal train utilization which reduced the number of coal trains released for maintenance across the industry. This lowered volume through our shops and sales of repair parts. We do expect a rebound in repair and parts demand as the railroads improved our operating performance and coal trains to come available for maintenance."
McNeely did cite "a positive note" as FCA "received a significant order for new Eastern service coal cars during the quarter."
As well, FCA delivered 753 railcars in the first quarter of 2014, which included 363 new and 390 rebuilt railcars. The new car deliveries included 75 cars added to the lease fleet. This compares with 1,073 railcars delivered in the first quarter of 2013, including 448 new cars and 625 rebuilt cars. There were 1,101 railcars delivered in the fourth quarter of 2013, of which 190 were new, 99 were used, and 812 were rebuilds. Total manufacturing backlog was 7,727 units at March 31, 2014, compared with 2,082 units at March 31, 2013 and 6,826 units at December 31, 2013.
In a note to clients late Monday, KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc. analyst Steve Barger observed that FCA's rail sector performance was strong enough to merit his recommending a "Hold" rating on the company's stock, in part because "RAIL ended the quarter with a backlog of 7,727, which is the company's highest since 4Q11.
"Railcars under lease ended the quarter at $62 million vs. 4Q13 of $53 million," Barger said. "RAIL does not provide earnings guidance, but did maintain its 7,000 car delivery expectation for FY14. Overall, we remain cautious on RAIL shares given the low visibility and inconsistent operational performance."


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Torre sings praises of mending Wang
By Bill Ladson / MLB.com
"He is capable of trust. That is probably the most important thing," Torre said. "He will go out there and do something very quickly in a very reasonable number of pitchers. He sort of makes you hit the ball. He is not a strikeout guy. You'll hit the ball early in the count, so he really doesn't take long to do what he does. He has a great demeanor. He is very responsible. You want him on your side."
Wang, recovering from right shoulder surgery, is scheduled to start a Minor League rehab assignment sometime in June and is expected to join the Major League club soon thereafter.
Zimmerman takes BP, may return Monday
WASHINGTON -- Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman was out of the starting lineup for the fourth consecutive game on Sunday after tweaking his right hamstring against the Rockies on Wednesday night.
However, Zimmerman was able to jog and take batting practice prior to the game without feeling any discomfort in the hamstring. The next step for Zimmerman is to run the bases, which he hasn't done yet.
While he was available to pinch-hit in Sunday's game against the Dodgers, the Nationals were hoping he could start in the series against the Cubs in Chicago, which starts Monday at Wrigley Field.
There isn't any talk about putting Zimmerman on the disabled list, according to manager Jim Riggleman.
"I'll see how it feels [Monday]," Zimmerman said. "It's looking better and better each day. Like I said about the [first hamstring injury], you have to be sure that you are ready to go."
Harris scratched due to ailing right knee
WASHINGTON -- Nationals outfielder Willie Harris was scheduled to start against the Dodgers on Sunday afternoon, but he was scratched from the lineup because of a sore and swollen right knee.
After Saturday's game, in which he made two great catches, Harris had an MRI on the knee, which revealed inflammation. The Nationals hope he can play against the Cubs in Chicago on Monday.
Harris originally hurt the knee on April 10 against the Mets. In the ninth inning of that game, he made a great diving catch to end the game, securing a 4-3 victory for the Nats. It turned out that his spikes were caught on the ground when he made the catch. He didn't feel pain in the knee until the next morning.
Harris never complained and continued to play until manager Jim Riggleman decided to give Harris the day off on Sunday.
Hurlers have cooled Dodgers' hot bats
WASHINGTON -- The Dodgers scored 28 runs in their three-game series against the Reds before coming to Washington, but entering Sunday's action, they had been stifled by the Nats, scoring only five runs in their first two games.
Manager Joe Torre said the Nationals' pitching staff has been the big difference compared to last year.
"You look up at the scoreboard and we're in another town, and you see they are in all the games, and the big reason for it is that pitchers have kept them in the game," Torre said. "The first two games here, their starters [Luis Atilano and Craig Stammen] have done a great job."
With experience, Clippard has found his niche
WASHINGTON -- Dodgers skipper Joe Torre managed Nationals reliever Tyler Clippard when they were with the Yankees in 2007. That year, Clippard started in six games for New York and gave up 19 runs in 27 innings.
Now, Clippard is arguably the Nats' best reliever, and Torre believes Clippard has found the role best suited for him.
"Experience," said Torre when asked why Clippard has enjoyed so much success with the Nationals. "You realize it takes time to develop your skills."
Norris to begin rehab assignment Monday
Minor League catcher Derek Norris, on the seven-day DL because of a sore left wrist, is going to Viera, Fla., on Monday. He hopes to swing a bat that day and play in an extended spring game Wednesday.
Norris has had problems with the wrist since having the hamate bone removed.
"The issue isn't really from my hamate, it's some bruising that's caught in between two different bones that surround the hamate," Norris said. "They did the nerve tests that hide under the hamate bones, and there's nothing wrong with it. There's just some bruising that's got to work itself out."
Bill Ladson is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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For some teachers, they feel great reward when a student finally "gets" a task. For other teachers, rewards come from the smiles and the laughter of their students. And for others, watching their students grow and mature is an big reward.
But each year, one teacher's reward is being named teacher of the year. For the 2012-13 school year, the Russellville School District's teacher of the year is Julie Ann Hilton who teaches fourth grade at London Elementary School.
According to all who were asked, she is prized by her students, parents and her fellow staff members,
Tami Chandler, principal at London, said Hilton is a blessing to the school.
"She really cares about her kids," Chandler said. "She takes a lot of interest in them, not only academically, but personally. She's a leader in our school and in our district. She spends a lot of time here working on things to make sure that she gives her kids the best educational experience."
Hilton said she is honored by the award.
"This is my passion. I love it," Hilton said. "It's what I was meant to do. It's my calling, for sure."
Hilton is a fifth-generation teacher who said teaching is a family tradition.
"I think that it's pretty cool that it runs in my family," she said. "It's in my roots."
Hilton has taught elementary school for 14 years. This current school year has been Hilton's second year at London. Previously, she taught at Rena Elementary School in Van Buren and at Oakland Heights Elementary School in Russellville.
"I love it here in London," said Hilton. "It is such a community-oriented place. The parents are all close to the teachers and we all know the kids by name. It's special."
In Hilton's first year at London, she taught the third grade. This year, because of school expansion, Hilton made the move to the fourth grade and was able to stay with her students from the previous year.
Chandler said as soon as they knew adjustments were going to be made in order to accommodate the school's growth, Julie immediately volunteered.
"She knew where the kids were at academically," Chandler said. "And the parents loved that she was going to continue teaching their kids."


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Posted at 7:02 AM
The President's Fiscal Year 2012 budget proposal requests $32.3 million, a increase of $822,000, for MBDA to expand its services and assistance to our nation's 5.8 million minority businesses. Currently, MBDA funds 46 minority business centers located in 26 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. These Centers receive partial funding to provide services to minority-owned firms through a grant program administered by MBDA. The modest increase requested in the FY 2012 budget proposal would allow MBDA to fund two additional minority business centers and push the Administration's travel and tourism initiative in concert with Native American tribes. Read MBDA Press Release and President's Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Request.
Over the last decade, the number of minority-owned businesses has grown significantly faster than non-minority owned businesses and they are more likely to create jobs during an economic downturn and generate sales from exports. Minority-owned firms present a unique competitive advantage with the potential to have a tremendous impact to our national economy. To win the future for America and our communities, we must unleash the ambition and innovation of our entrepreneurs. MBDA supports the businesses who are leading us out of the recession and the Administration recognizes the results of its programs as one of the best ways to reduce our deficits and debt.
Proposed Budget Cuts for Remainder of Fiscal Year 2011 Unveiled by House Appropriations Committee.
On February 9, 2011, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (KY-05) released a partial list of federal agencies and programs to receive cuts under an upcoming spending bill.The Continuing Resolution (CR) legislation will fund the federal government for the seven months remaining in fiscal year 2011.
A number of entities within the Department of Commerce are on the list of proposed budget cuts including the International Trade Administration (ITA), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA). As of press time, under the proposed legislation, MBDA would see a $2 million reduction from President Obama's FY 2011 budget request for the agency.
MBDA has been working aggressively to expand the growth and development of minority-owned firms in order to assist the nation's larger economic infrastructure. In 2010, MBDA generated nearly $4 billion in contracts and capital for minority-owned firms and created over 6,000 new jobs for all Americans. The CR is scheduled to be debated in the House before being considered in the Senate.
Members of the Tri-Caucus Elect Leaders for the 112th Congress.
Members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), and Hispanic Caucus (CHC) have elected their leaders for the 112th Congress. U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05) was elected to chair the CBC. Congressman Cleaver represents the Kansas City area and is currently serving his fifth term in the House.U.S. Rep. Charles A. Gonzalez (TX-20) has been elected by his colleagues in the CHC to serve as their chair succeeding U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez (NY-12). Congressman Gonzalez represents the San Antonio area and is in his seventh term in the House.The members of CAPAC have elected U.S. Rep. Judy Chu, Ph.D. (CA-32) to be their chair taking over from fellow Californian Congressman Michael Honda (CA-15) who served in this capacity for the past seven years. Congresswoman Chu represents a portion of Los Angeles County and is currently serving her second term in the House.


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01915-Sarasota, FL
5864 Bee Ridge Rd
Sarasota, FL 34233
Map It!
Years Labeled (Rating):
2011 (76)
Facility Type:
Supermarket/Grocery Store
Total Floor Space:
Year Constructed:
Building Owner:
Food Lion LLC
Property Manager:
Food Lion LLC
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Winter blues have you salivating for some fun events? Hungering for a good meal at a great price? Want to help push a Maine chef to the top of the Best New Chefs column? Well, it's time to eat, drink, and make merry in Maine.
If you haven't been checking the updates for Maine Restaurant Week , here's the scoop: This twice-yearly event is taking place March 1-12, 2011, and more than 80 restaurants, from Kittery to Searsport along the coast, and inland to Auburn/Lewiston, Hallowell, and Greater Bangor, are participating (although the greatest concentration is in Greater Portland). Participants will be serving three-course meals priced at $20, $30, 0r $40. Menus are online, and those with food issues have sorting functions for vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free. A number of accommodations are providing special pricing, so be sure to check the lodging links.
Kick off for Maine Restaurant Week is The Signature Event, a cocktail and dessert competition/party on Monday, Feb. 28. The five finalists for the Art of Dessert, a juried competition, have been chosen. At the competition, a winner will be named, based on taste, presentation, and creativity, by a judging panel comprising: Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram food writer Meredith Goad, Down East Magazine Food Editor Kathleen Fleury, cookbook author and Maine hospitality specialist Dana Moos, cookbook author Kathy Gunst, and former "Top Chef: Just Desserts" competitor and Maine native Zac Young. Finalists are: Bevin McNulty, Bam Bam Bakery; Kristin Fuhrmann Simmons; Geoffroy Deconinck, Natalie's at the Camden Harbour Inn; Patrick Tubbs, Salt Exchange; Karen Turn, Sea Glass at the Inn by the Sea (bios at end).
In addition, guests will be able to vote for "the People's Choice: How Sweet it Is" from 14 competitors. You also get to vote on the cocktail portion of the event, featuring 13 mixologists, who can create their special drinks using any ingredients they choose. Both full event and dessert only tix are available online. The event is a fundraiser for Maine Harvest Lunch.
Facing off against The Signature Event is the Maine Bartenders Bash (sigh, was it really necessary to have both events on the same night? Winters are looonnnggg in Maine, a bit of space would have made everyone much happier. Maine is too small a state, and Portland too small a city for such petty bickering; end rant). This is a repeat of last year's event. Same sponsor, Cold River Vodka, but it's not officially part of Maine Restaurant Week. All cocktails featured at this event will be made with Cold River vodkas or gin. Fifteen bar-meisters are competing for first, second, third, and people's choice awards.
VOTE NOW: Maine chef in running for Best New Chef award
A tip of the toque to Chef Geoffroy Deconinck, of Natalie's at the Camden Harbour Inn, in Camden, who has been named a contender for the title of 2011 People's Best New Chef, a new national award from Food & Wine magazine in partnership with CNN's Eatocracy. Voting is online now.
The background boilerplate: A native of Belgium, Chef Deconinck was selected to participate in this prestigious competition because of his innovative approach to traditional French cuisine, honoring the principles of local and seasonal availability. He graduated with high honors from CERIA Culinary Academy in Brussels, and has worked in highly-regarded kitchens such as Restaurant Alain Ducasse in Paris, and Café Boulud, Restaurant Daniel, and Bouley Restaurant in New York City. Chef Deconinck joined Natalie's last fall.
FYI: The Camden Harbour Inn has a nice package for Maine Restaurant Week, but space is limited, so you might want to act quickly. Rate is $198 (plus tax and grat), and includes overnight, welcome Prosecco, three-course Maine Restaurant Week menu dinner, turndown with chocolates, champagne breakfast, and room upgrade, if available, upon check-in. Details, call 207-236-4200.
Art of Dessert bios (provided by event organizer):
• Bam Bam Bakery, Bevin McNulty. McNulty graduated from The Natural Gourmet Institute in 2008 and began baking immediately. By early 2009 Bam Bam Bam Bakery was born offering Portland delicious gluten-free treats. Everything is made from scratch and special attention is given to accommodating allergies and dietary needs. Bam Bam Bakery is now offering a wide variety of products including breads, cookies, custom cakes, pies and more. Bam Bam Bakery is in Portland, Maine.
• Kristin Fuhrmann Simmons, owner of her own self- named custom cake and pastry business. Fuhrmann, a pastry chef, handcrafts desserts for special occasions using local, natural and organic ingredients. Over the past 14 years, Simmons has worked in her home state of Maryland as a baker and pastry chef and has travelled world-wide, living in both Puebla and DF in Mexico, as well as in Florence, Italy studying linguistics, art, and culinary traditions. She and her family settled in Maine in 2003, opening their own business in 2008. She writes as a columnist for Seacoast newspapers and chronicles the food scene of Southern Maine. Simmons is based in Kennebunkport, Maine.
• Natalie's, Geoffroy Deconinck. A native of Belgium, Deconinck is known for his innovative approach to traditional French cuisine, honoring the principles of local and seasonal availability. He graduated with high honors from CERIA Culinary Academy in Brussels, and has worked in highly-regarded kitchens such as Restaurant Alain Ducasse in Paris, and Café Boulud, Restaurant Daniel, and Bouley Restaurant in New York City. Chef Deconinck joined Natalie's last fall. Natalie's is located in the Camden Harbour Inn, Camden, Maine.
• Salt Exchange, Patrick Tubbs. Born and raised in South Portland, Tubbs studied classic French culinary arts at the French Culinary Institute in New York City. After traveling south to Charleston SC to broaden his regional knowledge, he returned home to pursue his culinary dreams. The Salt Exchange is located in Portland, Maine.
• Sea Glass, Inn by the Sea, Karen Turner. Turner has been employed as the pastry-chef at the Inn by the Sea's restaurant Sea Glass for the last three years. Prior to that, she owned a wholesale bakery serving many greater Portland area restaurants and caterers. Sea Glass is located in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.


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That depends largely on what state you're in. NSW has HSCs in Year 12, and I think they have some kind of exam in Year 10 as well, but you might want to check that.
QLD doesn't have major exams, because we're awesome. We have QCS (Queensland Core Skill) but it doesn't actually count to anything, it's just a way for the Queensland Board of Education to compare different schools. You have to do a writing task in response to stimulus, two multiple choice exams on English, Maths and Science, and one Short Response task with slightly harder questions on English, Maths and a little bit of Science. These tests are sat over the same two days, usually a Tuesday and a Wednesday, at the same time in every school in QLD. They are very very easy, unless you get a bad topic for your writing task. My year got circles, the year before got essence which is way harder.
I just realised that I'm not entirely right about the no exams thing - I should have said that we have no standarised testing for the entire state - our teachers set the exams.
If I remember correctly, however, your fic isn't actually set in QLD so I'm going to stop now.
Oh, and in primary school they have the Three Five Seven tests, which I think might be nation wide. As you can tell from the name which I don't think is the correct name, they're taken in years 3, 5 and 7.
I highly doubt any of this helped, but whatever.


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Until very very recently, I would have expected the competition for the worst comment piece published by the Guardian in 2010 to have been easily been won by one of the innumerable post-May 'How dare the Liberal Democrats decide not to agree with me on everything' articles.
But then, out of left field on the last day of the year – which they must have been storing it up for, so Toynbee or Milne wouldn't have the time to come up with a competitor of equally moronic depth – came this piece of spectacular asshattery.
According to Stephen Kinzer, it seems the people of Africa – and Rwanda in particular – aren't in need of any human rights, because they're perfectly happy without them. Yes, we should stop complaining about anything anywhere because he's been to Rwanda and he thinks that the people there are happy with their lot. The Guardian has published many bizarre articles in the past – I can recall very odd pro-Milosevic articles finding a home there – but I never thought I'd see them publishing an argument like this:
The question should not be whether a particular leader or regime violates western-conceived standards of human rights. Instead, it should be whether a leader or regime, in totality, is making life better or worse for ordinary people.
which sounds like the sort of thing even the Chinese government might regard as a bit extreme to make as a public statement.
The thought that comes to mind from reading that statement is whether people would feel better if the law allowed them to assault – without any consequences – Stephen Kinzer or anyone else espousing similar views. Surely then, if that was the case, Mr Kinzer would agree that he has no need of his 'western-conceived standards of human rights' that stop him being assaulted in the street as the government would be making life better for ordinary people? Or can such trade-offs only be made in the name of other people, living in far away lands of which we know nothing?
(story originally found via David Allen Green – aka Jack of Kent – on Twitter)


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Red Sox Instrux 2010
I swear, every time I go to a baseball game, I don't really have any idea what I'm doing. I go to baseball games with the sole purpose of interacting with at least one player, but it's not like I have some strategic plan that I follow each time I go to a baseball game. To be honest, going to baseball games has become kind of a stressful experience (in the absolute best of ways) for me because I never know what to expect going in. The outcome is certainly worth the uncertainty.
The Fall Instructional League is essentially a rookie league populated by guys from the Dominican Summer League, the Gulf Coast League, and the Lowell Spinners (short season Signle-A ball). In other words, there are a lot of draft picks. This is absolutely raw, unrefined baseball talent, and this league serves to refine essential baseball fundamentals. Many of the draft picks signed late, so they have little to no experience in professional baseball–maybe nine games in the Gulf Coast League (a rookie league).
Here is a brief look at the 2010 Red Sox Draft:
First Round:
-Kolbrin Vitek (20th overall)
Compensatory Picks
-Bryce Brentz (36th overall)
-Anthony Ranaudo (39th overall)
Round 2
-Brandon Workman (57th overall)
Round 3
-Sean Coyle (110th overall)
Round 4
-Garin Cecchini (143rd overall)
-Round 5
-Henry Ramos (173rd overall)
Round 6
-Kendrick Perkins (203rd overall)
Round 7
-Chris Hernandez (233rd overall)
…Round 10
-Jacob Dahlstrand (323rd overall)
Round 11
-Lucas LeBlanc (353rd overall)
The only guys who weren't at the Fall Instructional League on Sunday when I was there were Anthony Ranaudo and Brandon Workman. Workman was to arrive the next day for a slightly different strength conditioning program.
There was very little information regarding the Fall Instructional League. There were some rumors regarding who would be there. Casey Kelly, Ryan Dent, and Ryan Westmoreland all confirmed via their Twitter accounts. An actual roster was posted a few days before the league began by Sox Prospects. This helped me out because I was able to do some basic research, and perhaps more importantly, figure out where these practices (and games) were taking place. The only thing it didn't tell me was what time everything was taking place. I basically had to blindly assume that the practices would start some time between nine and ten. All I could hope was that I was not embarking on a five hour round trip for nothing.
As I drove into the Red Sox Minor League Complex–a place I had not been to for five months–I noticed a sea of red uniforms a couple of fields over. The grueling two-and-a-half hour drive over boring alligator alley suddenly became a small price to pay.
I was absolutely enthralled from the moment I set foot upon the complex. The majority of the players were gathered on one field, focused on an intricate drill that focused on what I would call situational fundamentals. The coaches would yell out a situation. "One and two with two outs," for example. The pitcher would pretend to throw home, and then the coach would hit the ball somewhere. It was up to the players to adjust accordingly, and make the call as to what should happen.
The coaches would get angry if the players weren't communicating with each other. The players would switch out nearly every play, and then would wait in line until next time. This was far from fundamentally sound. In fact, first base was overthrown more than once, and the cutoff man was occasionally missed. This observation is not meant to criticize–far from it. This observation made me realize the point of this league: to refine the fundamentals. As I said before, a lot of these guys have little to no experience with even the lowest level of professional baseball. This league is to prepare them for it.
On the other fields, the pitchers were working on pick-off drills. This was perhaps my favorite drill of the day because I had never seen anything like it. Even though I have heard from more than one pitcher that pitching from the stretch is something that is far from natural, I had no idea that this was how they learned. I assumed that it just came from in-game practice, but these guys were working on both how they turned and their pick off throws. It was absolutely fascinating.
I was very patient when it came to talking with players. I did not want to be rude and interrupt their practice, so I waited until they were at least en route to another field. I was familiar with names, but unfortunately I was not as familiar with faces. I decided not to risk embarrassing myself by addressing somebody by a name that was not his own, so I ended up asking for everyone's name. I hope that they weren't offended that I didn't know exactly who they were or what they had done up to this point. Most of them were extremely friendly. I suppose the chocolate peanut butter cupcakes didn't hurt.
The first guy I talked to was Garin Cecchini. I did not get a chance to talk to him for a long time because he was en route to another drill. He said he was really happy to be there, and I could tell that he was absolutely thrilled. He had only played about nine games in the Gulf Coast League, so he was clearly there to get more experience under his belt. He was wearing a brace around his knee, and I noticed that he was experiencing some pain during the infield drills. He said that he had had surgery recently, but he felt fine. I'll ask him more next weekend.
Then I talked to Lucas LeBlanc. He hasn't played in any GCL games because he signed so late, but he had played in a summer league. He was committed to LSU following the draft, but chose to play professionally. He said that he still had some angry voice messages and text messages saved on his phone. He had no regrets, and he said that he was really happy with his decision so far.
I had the longest conversation with Sean Coyle, and we spoke for about five minutes. He is a utility infielder, but projects to play second base in the organization. He likes to hit first or second in the batting order, and is confident with his speed on the base paths. He is projected to go to Greenville next year, and played very briefly in the GCL. I asked him the biggest thing he has learned so far and he said to just stay relaxed. He said that he anxious a lot this year (understandably so) and that he just needs to relax and take it easier. He also mentioned that he had played in summer leagues for the past four or five years with wooden bats, so the transition hasn't been too hard. His brother is currently at UNC-Chapel Hill, which is one of the schools I'm applying to.
I missed a couple of the players going in after batting practice, but some stayed behind to kill a snake and tie it to a bat. Miles Head was kind enough to pose for a picture with his prize.
The last guy I talked to was Bryce Brentz. He is a pretty funny guy. Since he was drafted out of college, I also brought up the difference between aluminum and metal bats. He said something to the effect of that the outfielders are able to position themselves better when it comes to hits off wooden bats. That's something I had not heard before.
On my way home, I f
ound it kind of odd that I had bought an audio recorder the day before, yet I didn't use it once that day. I didn't even ask for a picture with any of these guys. I guess it just did not feel right at the time, and I'm glad that I didn't. Sunday was a day for me to put myself out there, and merely introduce myself to the players. It would have been awfully awkward to whip out a recorder and tape these informal interviews. I've decided that I only want to use the recorder during a formal interview or a press conference. Otherwise, I feel like the presence of a recorder would take something away from the conversation.
Overall, I was impressed–not with their fundamentals, but with their attitudes. From what I could tell, they were all very driven and ambitious. I could tell that it was absolutely surreal for the guys who didn't have professional experience yet. I'm sure this feeling wares off after a while, but it was just a pleasant ambiance to be a part of.
They have a game against the Twins (at the Twins) next Saturday, and I will be going back. I plan on scoring the game, and I will sit next to somebody with a radar gun and track pitches. I would also like to conduct a formal interview with one of them (or all of them), if they oblige. Hopefully I'll get a chance to look into the strength conditioning program as well.
I am also hoping to get a chance to say hello to Ryan Westmoreland, who is also rehabbing. I didn't see him on Sunday because I think he had gone in relatively early. I think it is absolutely remarkable that he is there, but I have to say, I'm not surprised. The second he got out of surgery, he pretty much had himself convinced that he was going to be back on a baseball field, and he has worked hard to make it happen. Judging from his tweets, he seems absolutely thrilled to be there, and that's all that matters.


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NCAA winner
by Rick Eymer
With one little tap of her forehead, Palo Alto High grad Teresa Noyola gave the Stanford women's soccer team its first lead in an NCAA championship contest. That goal was all the top-ranked and top-seeded Cardinal needed to win its first national soccer title.
"You don't get that many opportunities at this stage," Noyola said. "Camille (Levin) played a great ball and that shows how connected we are. I knew exactly what she was going to do."
Stanford topped Duke, 1-0, on Sunday at Kennesaw State and then celebrated as years of frustration melted away. The senior class finally did it, after four straight trips to the Women's College Cup.
"This win caps off four tremendous years at Stanford," said Cardinal coach Paul Ratcliffe. "The last four years this team has been incredible, and they're shown such great character to have all those setbacks and come back and fight through and achieve our goal of winning a national championship."
"Since we lost last year we have been working so hard for this," added Levin, one of four seniors. "I've never been on a team that worked so hard for each other and wanted to win for each other like we did this year."
Levin's brilliant crossing pass from just outside the penalty box near the end line set up Noyola's soaring header inside the near post. It was Stanford's first score in a championship game following 1-0 losses the past two seasons. The Cardinal also dropped a 1-0 contest in the semifinals when Noyola and Levin were freshmen.
"The confidence I felt before this game wasn't there before," Levin said. "I think that was a huge factor."
Stanford earned its 102nd NCAA team title and extended to 36 years its consecutive year streak of at least one NCAA team crown.
"What I feel right now is such thankfulness to my teammates that we finally did it," said Noyola, who was named the tournament's Most Valuable Offensive Player. "This team deserves it. We've worked extremely hard."
Stanford seniors Noyola, Levin, Kristy Zurmuhlen and Castilleja grad Lindsay Taylor finished their college careers with a record of 95-4-4, including a 53-0-1 mark at home and a 25-0-1 record just this season.
The seniors' last three losses came in a 2008 national semifinal to Notre Dame, to North Carolina in the 2009 championship match and to Notre Dame in last year's final.
Noyola scored in the 53rd minute after Levin won a ball at the goal line about eight yards right of the goal. She crossed to the far post, where Noyola headed it from one yard.
"I went to cross it initially and the girl slid," Levin said. "I got up as fast as I could. I saw someone run into the box but I wasn't exactly sure where she was and I just tried to get it in there."
The Blue Devils had two players on Levin when she was tackled.
"I think we had two players on the ball wide. The ball popped out right to her feet so she had a second look at a service," Duke keeper Tara Campbell said. "It was perfectly placed back side. I got across my goal and I think I covered up as much of it as I could and Noyola put it in the corner."
Duke (22-4-1) had several scoring opportunities after that.
Stanford (25-0-1) carried action in the first half with seven shots, three on goal, while Stanford goalkeeper Emily Oliver did not have to make a save on the Blue Devils' five wild shots.
"We haven't played a team that played their style all year," Duke's Laura Weinburg said. "Their center backs get forward and their outside backs are great players. Their two center backs are also great players. I think we did get some good looks, but props to their defense they played a great game."
The Blue Devils out-shot Stanford 9-5 in the second half and, although Oliver had to make just two saves, they were both on legitimate chances.
"We were close a couple of times," Duke coach Robbie Church said. "Emily Oliver played fantastic. She made two big-time saves."
Oliver was named the tournament's Most Valuable Defensive Player.
Weinburg just missed a shot two minutes later for Duke, and forward Kelly Cobb sent a line drive at goal in the 78th minute from about 25 yards only to have Oliver leap and tip it over the cross bar.
"She's very mobile," Church said of Oliver. "She's one of the best at controlling the top part of the box. If you play any straight balls at all, she's going to come up. She supports her back four really well.
"The ball that Kaitlyn Kerr hit, that was a big-time save," Church said. "I thought that was in the corner and she pushed it over. I was very impressed."
Oliver seemed to play better under the pressure of the final 20 minutes.
"It was the longest 20 minutes of my life," Oliver said. "I think it's a stage that we've been before. The whole team handled it well. I think we played a really smart last 20 minutes."
Palo Alto High grad Alex Kershner is a freshman reserve goalkeeper at Duke.
Stanford has not lost since 2006 when it scored a goal, a record of 123-0-5 that dates to a game against Wake Forest early in the 2006 season.
The Cardinal became just the second Pac-12 team to win a national title, joining USC, which won in 2007. UCLA has been the national runner-up on three occasions.
Duke reached its first national title game since 1992, when it lost to North Carolina.
Stanford also becomes just the eighth program to win a women's soccer title, as North Carolina owns 20 titles, Notre Dame has three titles, Portland has two while USC, Florida, George Mason and Santa Clara also own titles.
"I'm really proud we broke through and won the national championship," said Ratcliffe, who finished his ninth season. "Stanford has a tradition of excellence in athletics and academics, so we want to keep that going on the soccer stage. So I'm really proud. Now, the pressure's on and we have to keep this rolling."
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|SANDY J JULSING <firstname.lastname@example.com> (by way of histonet)
|histonet <email@example.com>
|text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
--------- Begin forwarded message ---------- From: SJRUGBY To: email@example.com Subject: Thanks and Yowch!! Date: Thu, 4 Feb 1999 18:25:25 -0600 Message-ID: <firstname.lastname@example.com> Histonetters, A belated thanks to all who responded to my query on IHC controls, it was very helpful. I would have e-mailed my gratitude earlier but I had to have my appendix out tuesday. Like a good histotech I did go to work first with a stomach ache and bravely cut as many blocks as I could, started a run on the immuno stainer and coverslipped the first batch of slides before one of the pathologists dragged me off to E.R. "Don't forget the D.A.B.!" I cried, as the E.R. doc pushed something in my I.V. line that suddenly made the over head light the most interesting thing I had ever seen.... It took them a day or so to figure out it was my appendix, so in the meantime I lived every hospital employee's nightmare... Being wheeled through every major corridor in the hospital on the way to get yet another orifice probed for diagnositic purposes, looking like hell, (I gave "bad hair day" a whole new meaning), wearing a lovely gown where at least two of my usually covered parts were hanging out, and being recognized by EVERY employee I encountered. (I think some of my histology work mates paid the volunteer who was wheeling me around to go the long way so that everyone could get a chance to see me at my finest.) Finally I went to surgery and the next thing I knew someone was waving a reddish swollen vermiform object over my face in recovery. At first I thought I died and was reincarnated as a baby robin! But no, the recovery room nurse assumed that since I worked in pathology the first thing I wanted to see on regaining consciousness was my former appendix. Anyway, thanks again for your input on IHC controls, sorry this is so long but I know some of you can relate! Sandosis --------- End forwarded message ---------- ___________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]


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Roundup: No agreement between Texas, Beltre
By T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com
Here's a look at Sunday's other news from around the league:
The Phillies haven't started negotiating a multiyear deal with 2008 World Series MVP Cole Hamels, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported Sunday. Hamels' current contract will expire after next season but he won't be eligible for free agency until after the 2012 season.
After the Orioles added Derrek Lee, it became unlikely that they'd add another full-time designated hitter, MASN.com reported Sunday. With Lee and Luke Scott on the roster, there doesn't seem to be a possible fit for a player like Vladimir Guerrero or Jim Thome.
The White Sox may be interested in adding Rafael Soriano to the back end of their bullpen, but a big offseason has likely left them without enough cash to add the right-hander, SI.com's Jon Heyman reported on Twitter late Saturday night.
T.R. Sullivan is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Postcards from Elysian Fields and follow him on Twitter @Sullivan_Ranger. Bailey Stephens contributed to this report. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
Hi Norma,I didn't get the manteca that I usually get, but the market that I went to today is just as good if not better, so I bought there manteca. I'm trying NY style for the first time in my WFO, making dough tonight for Saturday pizza.Thanks,Vince
Norma,Here are the result of my first NY pie recipe in my WFO. I used the same one you did with your UBM recipe and I followed Peter Reinharts work flow. The manteca was in liquid form, so I just mixed it with a spoon to get everything looking consistant then mixed in with all the ingredients as Peters requires.My oven temp was anywhere from 550 to 590, it seems as though the bottoms did not get done as much as I would have liked, but it was my first time, so I will forgive myself. The dome was around 850, it just seems like the cheese was just bubbling too much and I had to remove the pizza or it would have burned, even though the bottoms weren't where I wanted them to be.OK, so the picture of the crumb shot did not come out that great, but the flavor was good, it had subtle rich flavor going for it with a very, very slight crunch. I was looking for something with more of a crunch to it, but no too much, just a little more than what it had.Everyone loved the pizza! they went on, and on about it, so I didn't want to tell them I have a long way to go to get it where I want cause they would have thought I'm crazy. but believe me I know I will get there.Vince.having problems loading pictures, doing it on tablet maybe that's why?
What's happened to lard? I haven't bought any since they started hydrogenating it and have not seen manteca (isn't liquid lard an oxymoron?)
Has anyone tried using bacon grease?


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Start Slideshow
- Posadas AmazonasThe gorgeous eco-retreat, Posada Amazonas, in Peru is a beacon of sustainable tourism. Set amidst the lush forest of Madre de Dios, guests can spend their days in a lush natural setting that is filled with native plants and animals. The beautiful lodge has been named one of the ten 2012 Sustainable Standard-Setter Award winners by the Rainforest Alliance.1
- Posadas AmazonasGuests begin their Amazonian adventure with a 45 minute boat ride from Puerto Maldonado to the lodge, getting the first taste of the rich wild life they will experience during their stay.2
- Posadas AmazonasThe 30 guest rooms of the eco-lodge are divided into five wings, which are connected by raised wooden boardwalks that suspend visitors above the forest floor. Each room, made from local wood, palm fronds and clay, connect visitors to the forest at their door, through ample windows and openings covered with drapery.3
- Posadas AmazonasThe rustic lodge uses kerosene lamps and candles for light at night, creating a truly magical experience, and retreat from the modern world.4
- Posadas AmazonasGuests sleep under a canopy of mosquito nets, falling asleep to the sounds of the rainforest.5
- Posadas AmazonasDuring the days, guests can take river tours on the Tambopata River, hike through the forest, or tae in views from the lodge's Canopy Tower, which gives a birds eye view of the local monkeys, toucans, parrots, macaws and hundreds of other birds indigenous to the area. Meals are provided by a local sustainable vegetable farm, Peruvian delights, and filtered water.6
- Posadas AmazonasGuests of the Posada Amazonas are in for an unforgettable and breathtaking experience, combined with tours by Rainforest Expeditions, for a truly escapist vacation.7


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Reader share their opinion on Syria, Mitt Romney and the city commissioner.
An embarrassment
Where to begin. I am a 70-year-old senior who served my country well in the 1960s. Not since the Carter years have I ever been embarrassed of my country. Mad, yes, many times.
Today I am embarrassed of what our president has done. I always thought he is over his head, but as our president I always showed support. His actions showed his true colors — he does not care about our nation, only his legacy
A military strike on Syria should have been quick and fast, not lip service. He never intended to make that decision. If it did not work, and he had to put "boots" on the ground, his legacy would have suffered.
He wanted Congress to make the decision, so if it failed he could blame them, a Republican Congress matter of fact.
Here is how we stand now. The world is laughing at us, Syria has put their thumb on us, Russia is now the leader of the world, Putin will get a Nobel Peace Prize.
God help us.
Vince Alessandro
Ahead of his time
This president is much ahead of his times. He echoes the future generations' questions: Why did the world stand by while the Middle East was becoming a chemical and biological wasteland? Why was a policy of benign neglect endorsed as the Middle East succumbed to a nuclear waste site?
We have asked the same of the European Holocaust, genocide in Bosnia, Cambodia, Rwanda and Darfur. Why did the world do nothing, as Jews were being taken into gas chambers, and today, in this tech aware age, witnessing the same chemical extermination?
At least this president has brought it to the world stage.
What of the Arabs that have been silent and offered no political solutions to the civil war in Syria. After all, it is their land, their people and culture. It is not enough to say "let Allah sort it out."
This appeasement attitude, putting their heads in the sand, will not stop the escalation to greater weapons of mass extermination. The winds will blow their way.
It is not operationally impossible to remove these chemical weapons. It is the lack of will and consensus of the world leadership that build bunkers of immoral consent.
In ethics, "ought implies can." They can remove the weapons.
There are always potential harms in attempting to change the world but also unrealized good.
Like Martin L. King said, we cannot fight darkness with darkness, but with light. This president has shed light on this recurring genocide. Will the world see it for what it is?
Joseph Vidal
McClain's mistake
I read with dismay that County Commissioner Stan McClain toured the Marion County Jail with representatives of CCA.
As a retired correctional worker, I have insight into private jails. Instead of the private vs. public argument, let's look at it from a community and local business perspective.
Let's assume the jail is privatized. Then the main goal becomes profit vs. punishment or rehabilitation. Private prisons run with the bare minimum of everything. That is how they make money. How many staff will lose their jobs? How much will salaries be cut? How many benefits will be eliminated? How many staff will have to move out of the area to make a decent living?
Do you think that jail staff do not spend their money here in this county?
Of course they do. They buy houses, they buy cars, and they eat at restaurants and do all of their shopping here. Currently, the jail spends its money in the local economy: food, health care, equipment, training and fuel.
Now privatize the jail by contracting with a private prison corporation. Now where do all the tax dollars go? You lose all of the tax dollars from the staff that lose their jobs, and possibly leave Marion County. Those staff who remain will have their salaries and benefits reduced, thus dramatically curtailing their spending power.
The profit from the jail would also not remain exclusively in Marion County either. These corporations are based elsewhere, and that is where the lion's share of the profit would go. I could go on.
So what initially appears to be a smart financial move, in reality is not. Long term, you lose more than you gain.
Bad choice Mr. McClain!
Brian Reinblatt
A big thank-you
Concerning Keith Mahabirsingh's fiery dump truck accident on I-75 in June, I want to thank all of you for your prayers, expressions of sympathy through cards, visits, offers of help, gifts to the Shands Burn Center, and attendance at Keith's memorial service.
And this is a special thank-you to staff writer Austin Miller for his sensitive, in-depth coverage and follow-up on Keith and his accident, especially the articles on the "Miracle Team," as they called themselves. I called them "Keith's Angels."
I received many remarks of appreciation for those articles. There are still those among us who will reach out and risk their lives to help others. We should not have to commit a crime to get our names in the paper. Roy Graham and Judy Servidio attended the memorial service, and both spoke.
Keith's burns were so bad, covering 70 percent of his body. God was gracious to take him.
So thanks, again.
Lydia Mahabirsingh
Romney and Russia
During the presidential debates one short year ago, President Obama chastised his opponent Mitt Romney for claiming the biggest geopolitical threat facing the U.S. was Russia. I wonder if he would do that today?
Howard Glassman


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Packers one game away from the Super Bowl
by Troy Sparks
Lots of eyes will be glued to their TV sets, Jan. 23, to watch the final four of the NFL Playoffs with storylines and the drama included.
I think the most exciting and anticipated matchup without a doubt will be Green Bay and Chicago at Soldier Field for the NFC Championship at 2 p.m. The New York Jets at Pittsburgh for the AFC Championship is another game to watch.
Can you imagine the traffic being tied up in downtown Chicago on championship Sunday? The city will need extra security and police officers to hold down that side of town for at least 10 hours because it will be wild. It's not very often that we get to see the Hatfield's and the McCoy's of professional football battle for a trip to the Super Bowl.
Somewhere in that wild atmosphere, I will be a part of the experience as a member of the media. Since there's a pecking order among the media hierarchy, I should get a media credential to attend the game.
And with the press box at Soldier Field being so small, I was told that I would be assigned in another room to watch it on TV. With priorities in the Wisconsin media going to local and state TV and radio stations and daily newspapers, a weekly paper like ours is at the bottom of the totem pole. Then there's the Chicago and national media as well.
Should I get upset about watching the game in another room? Heck no. I have a feeling that other media types will be in that same room as me. But here the difference between watching the game there and another NFL stadium with a small press box: It's the NFC Championship, and just getting inside and having the opportunity to share that experience with our readers and getting player reactions in the locker room is worth the trip.
The Super Bowl is on the line. Who knows if the Packers will ever get back to playing in the conference championship game within driving distance? I think I will take the bus or train down there.
These two teams have never met in the NFC Championship Game. Since 1970, Green Bay and Chicago played in a total of seven games with the Super Bowl on the line. This will be the Bears' third appearance in the championship game and the Packers' fourth. Both teams are 2-2 in all-time conference championships against other teams. They're playing for the George Halas trophy, which is given to the NFC Championship winner.
How fitting is the trophy, which is named in honor of one of the pioneers of the NFL. "Papa Bear" himself might rise up from the ground and give the trophy to the Bears if they win the game. If the home team loses, the stadium might rumble like an earthquake.
The NFL's oldest rivalry is not only fierce in the regular season, but now you can add the postseason to that list. On that day, in the Western Division Playoffs 70 years ago, before 43,425 spectators, Curly Lambeau's Packers lost to Halas' Bears, 33-14.
The last time Chicago hosted an NFC Championship Game was in January of 2007. Green Bay last held the championship game at Lambeau in January of 2008. This will be the 44th playoff appearance for the Packers, including NFL Championships and Super Bowls. The Packers' overall record in playoff games is 27-16. The Bears are 17-16 in their playoff history and will make their 34th postseason appearance.
Between Green Bay and Chicago, there's no comparison of Super Bowl appearances. The Packers won the first two Super Bowls and Super Bowl XXXI. They lost Super Bowl XXXII. Many Bear fans will rate the 1985 Super Bowl championship team as the best in team history. The only other Super Bowl appearance for Chicago was in Super Bowl XLI, which they lost.
Other than that, it doesn't take a lot of motivation for fans of the two teams to get hyped. It will be the 182nd meeting between Green Bay and Chicago. The Bears lead the all-time series, 92-83-6.
One of the first things on the agenda for Chicago coach Lovie Smith when he took the job was to beat Green Bay. So far, that experiment has produced mixed results. He will go over the top if the Bears beat the Packers in the championship game.
Image of Black Athlete Town Hall
Recently, ESPN aired a town hall meeting that took place in Atlanta at the Ebenezer Baptist Church with a panel of guests. The topic was on the image of the black athlete today. On that panel were Spike Lee, John Calipari, Jalen Rose, Michael Wilbon, Marion Jones and Randy Shannon. I thought it was an interesting topic. I'll give you my take on what they said in the panel discussion and how it may affect the black athletes of the present in a future column.
Bucks and Marquette Teams Back Home
After returning from the road, the Bucks, Marquette men and women are glad to get a taste of home cooking again. The Bucks' three home games to close out the month of January include Washington, Jan. 19, Memphis, Jan. 22, and New Jersey, Jan. 29, teams they should beat. They're not too far behind in the eighth and final spot in the Eastern Conference Playoffs. Maybe the team needs another boost like they got last year. If you're thinking what I'm thinking, a trade could be in the works for immediate help.
Meanwhile, the Marquette men should have their hands full with DePaul at home on Jan. 18, UConn on Jan. 25 and Syracuse on Jan. 29. The women's game against Louisville, Jan. 26, is worth watching.


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what was you water %? maybe you should lower the Hydration...
And will a 6 hour rise with an Ischia Starter dough be sufficient for it to be airy?
Kermit, I like Ischia with tiny amounts (like .5%) and a 24 hour RT rise. Light and airy. I never fiddle with re-balling. I've had bad experiences with a faster "second rise" and then over-fermented too extensible skins. I've also had Ischia give me the finger and not rise much at all. But then two days later, while making sourdough bread with Ischia, the loaf practically explodes out of the oven with massive risingsheesh...!
It all depends on the quantity of starter and the temp. With enough starter and a warm room, you could probably get a 6 hour rise out of Ischia. This is a complete guess, but I'd say something on the order of 17% for a 6 hour rise at 85F or so.
maybe the starter is a "little" to acid, this makes the gluten break down faster, and looks like the dough is over hidrated. make the same dough only with CY and see if the results are the same. what flour are you using?
Gorgeous pies. I really like the look of the Margherita. It just looks tender and delicious. I'm happy to see your success with the tiny amounts of natural yeast and long room temp ferment.CL
One of the things we are discussing as of now is the whole salt/yeast debate. I've always been told to mix yeast, flour and water, and then add salt later on as the salt will inhibit the yeasts ability to ferment. According to him it's a myth, and there have been numerous studies to verify this. As of now I don't know if he's right, but he's basically saying that salt will only kill yeast if it's in direct contact with each other, sounds pretty plausible. What's ya'lls 2 cents on this matter?


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The runway shows! Who will win? Will any of them win?
Please keep all discussion in here until 10:30PM PT / 1:30 AM ET.
Enjoy the show!
The runway shows! Who will win? Will any of them win?
Please keep all discussion in here until 10:30PM PT / 1:30 AM ET.
Enjoy the show!
"Whatever you are, be a good one." Abraham Lincoln
What is an "MFWalkoff?"
Hoping for lots of details from the east coast!!!
Dimitri - so happy for him
OMG Tim is bawling - he's making me cry too. I really liked Dimitri's collection best & I really like his personality as well. Congrats to him!!!
Whew, exciting finale!
I had a similar experience to Season 1. In that season, I was rooting for Jay after Austin was eliminated and couldn't stand Wendy Pepper's outfits. Then at the final runway show, to my shock my favorite collection was Wendy's.
This season, I started off rooting for Nathan, then hitched my wagon to Dmitry when Nathan was eliminated. In the final show, I liked Fabio's collection the most. He was the only one who used a lot of color, and I liked that his outfits could fit women of different shapes and sizes. Melissa and some of the other designers made clothes that would only look good on ultra-thin model types. I'd never be able to wear her clothes even if they did appeal to me.
Chris reminded me of Michael Costello. At least I think that was him who used to whip out like 5 outfits for a challenge and then choose his favorite one to show the judges instead of working thoughtfully to perfect one outfit. I didn't understand Chris making a ton of thrown together outfits instead of going back and tailoring his existing outfits to fit. He just threw a lot at the judges hoping something would stick and sadly, it didn't.
I was frustrated with Dmitry's collection because while I loved the idea of it, it was crying out for color. I wanted to slap him when Tim took them back to Mood with $300 to spend and he bought more black fabric. Grrrrrrrrrr!!! If his collection had included color, it would have been my favorite but as it was, I had to give it to Fabio for having the best collection.
I'm not at all disappointed with Dmitry's win, though. He's been consistently strong throughout this season and he does have an established signature look that I like. Fabio peaked in the show right at the right time. If he had started the season at the level he is now, he might have ended up the season winner. I think being on Project Runway benefitted him immensely, helping him refine his vision and learn better how to articulate it to his clients so I have no doubt Fabio will go on to a successful fashion career. He should be proud of his growth as a designer.
Yearbook Title, Spring 2016: Consummate Overachiever Whos Most Likely Reminiscing About The Florida Keys
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The show started with Tim telling the designers they would have an additional $300 to spend on accessory pieces they needed to finalize their collections. Christopher and Melissa were scrambling to complete final pieces all the way up until time was called at the end of the last day. Dmitry and Fabio, on the other hand, had been pacing themselves all along and were ready well ahead of time so they were "chill", as Dmitry put it.
They met with hair and make-up to discuss their models' looks for the runway. Chris agonized over which hairstyles to choose, Dmitry took a risk and on the advise of the L'Oreal Paris guy desided to try a silver leaf applique on his models' hair. Melissa decided to make her makeup fresher instead of darker. Fabio changed the hairstyles on his look after the judges dissed his awful bowl-cut look last week.
Tim brought them champagne when he called time on the last day so the designers could enjoy a toast together.
Christopher was the first to show, then Melissa, followed by Dmitry, with Fabio showing last.
Nobody got ripped up too much by the judges in the final critique. The judges liked Christopher's looks but didn't think they were cohesive enough to form a collection. They wondered if he needed more time to refine his look. The judges enjoyed Melissa's collection because it was young, trendy, and represented her point of view well. They just thought she didn't take enough risks and presented looks they've seen before. The judges decided Fabio and Dmitry were the top two. Jennifer Hudson (the guest judge) argued that Fabio needed the exposure of Project Runway more to be successful while the judges felt Dmitry was more ready right now to be a successful designer.
Yearbook Title, Spring 2016: Consummate Overachiever Whos Most Likely Reminiscing About The Florida Keys
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I watched the last 25 minutes because I was.so.f'ing.bored by this season. I'm glad Dmitry won; if Fabio had, I'd be 100% done with this show. That collection looked like something out of a skewed universe J. Jill catalog from some freaky spring beach collection.. I don't have a problem with the lack of color in Dmitry's collection, as I don't enjoy wearing bright colors. But that's the great thing about fashion--everyone can find something they like. (Whether it fits or is actually wearable, well that's a whole other kettle of fish. )
My thoughts...
I was rooting for Christopher- I liked him the whole season and I liked most of the clothes he put out. He has just been very consistant throughtout the competition...sadly, until this finale. I agreed with the judges last week when they said his stuff was too tight and too short and I was hoping he would remedy that for the finale. Unfortunately, there was much too much 'short and tight' in the finale as well. The shorts just looked too thin and to my untrained eye, they also looked oddly unfinished. I wasn't a huge fan of the print, but I appreciated that he at least made a print- and it was interesting once you found it is was actually an xray. I liked his gown (more before he had to rip the hem off) and the blue jacket was nice too. I pegged him for a collection with color, and aside from a dark blue, it was pretty neutral. I placed him #3 out of 4.
Fabio: I've never been a fan of his asthetic- that whole hippy dippy vibe just isn't my thing, but I will say he surprised me in the finale. I agree with the judges that after 3 collections of mostly black it was a breath of fresh air to see the pastels come marching down the runway. I liked his first outfit with the blue beachy shorts and shirt and there were a few others that I didn't mind, but overall it just wasn't my cup of tea, but he gets the 'most improved' award as well as the 'biggest surprise' award. Unfortunately I just don't like that particular style...and I HATED the shoes. #4 out of 4
Melissa: I've always wanted to like her clothes, but all the last minute drama and 'almost rans' she has put down the runway put her near the bottom of my list before the finale. After her reworks from last week- she came out #2 for me tonight. I think her clothes looked polished, clean and crisp, and well made. I really loved the 'blood orange' dress that came down last- I think it really put an exclamation point at the end of her show and I think it made the whole collection pop.
Dmitry: He was my #2 going in and my #1 after the show. His clothes looked expensive, well-made, and worthy of the win. I loved that he reworked some of his looks (although I wasn't a fan of the heavy eye make-up) and the new looks he showed were fabulous. I loved the dress with the fringe and the zigzag middle section as well as the dress on his winning model. I liked that he used some yellow for pop, but it didn't scream bumble bee. I think the judges knew that they could put those clothes online, in a store, or in a catalog tomorrow and sell them and I think that is what gave Dmitry the win.
Even though it was kind-of a ho-hum season, I am pleased with the final result.
I know All Stars 2 starts next week and I already miss Tim! :-(
Oh, I hadn't thought about that tonight's the last time we'll see Tim until future seasons of Project Runway, since he won't be on All-Stars. That seems like a huge mistake for them to do that. Nobody knows the designers better than Tim and since he's not involved in the judging, why not let him continue on as mentor to the all-stars even if they don't have the usual judges there??
Yearbook Title, Spring 2016: Consummate Overachiever Whos Most Likely Reminiscing About The Florida Keys
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pikachuFL
I love color and rarely wear black, but I've loved Dmitry's designs from the first episode. I'd like to see him add color, but otherwise, he's not made a garment I can think of that I wouldn't wear. I agreed when they called him a gentleman, too. I'm delighted with his win.
Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
-- Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759


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Gfarm is a distributed filesystem, generally used for large scale cluster computing. It's implemented in userland, and can be mounted by FUSE. It utilizes locality of a file to access a data node, and supports Globus GSI for Wide Area Network. Users can explicitly control file replica location on Gfarm. Gfarm can be used as an alternative storage system to HDFS for Hadoop, Samba, MPI-IO, and GridFTP. Monitoring via ZABBIX and Ganglia is also supported.
Marble is a Virtual Globe and World Atlas that you can use to learn more about Earth: you can pan and zoom around, and you can look up places and roads. A mouse click on a place label will provide the respective Wikipedia article. It's also possible to measure distances between locations or watch the current cloud cover. Marble offers different thematic maps: a classroom-style topographic map, a satellite view, street map, earth at night, and temperature and precipitation maps. All maps include a custom map key, so it can also be used as an educational tool for use in classrooms. For educational purposes, you can also change the date and time and watch how the starry sky and the twilight zone on the map change. Marble also features multiple projections: choose between a flat map ("Plate carré"), Mercator, or the globe.


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Beyond PR
Jul 16, 2012
Grammar Hammer: It's All Pun and Games
- Posted in Press Release Quick Tips
- Tagged in Writing Tips
- Leave a Comment
According to the book "Comedy Writing Secrets," a pun is "the intentional confusion of similar-sounding words or phrases" that is used as the basis of a joke.
In other words, a pun is humorous word play that allows for two possible interpretations at the same time.
Pro Tip: Because puns generally make word plays phonetically, they tend to be better when spoken or heard vs. being written or read.
Here's are some examples of puns: I recently read an article about a family that got lost in a corn maze for hours and couldn't find their way out — they actually had to call the police to be rescued.
- Being lost in corn maze at night must have been earie.
- I wonder if one of the search dogs was a husk-y.
- How earesponsible of the parents!
- What did they expect entering a maize?
- The poor kids were probably shrieking to Dad, "Pop, corn!" over and over.
- They had the feeling they were being stalked.
- Hominy idiots does it take to get out?
Puns can also take the forms of double entendres, riddles, and homonyms and near homonyms:
- A double entendre (literally "double meaning" in French) is the use of an ambiguous word or phrase that allows for a second interpretation (warning: frequently risqué!). The idea is that the listener assumes one meaning, and the speaker slips in another meaning. Consider these headlines, taken from YourDictionary.com:
- Panda mating fails: Veterinarian takes over
- Miners refuse to work after death
- New obesity study looks for larger test group
- Children make nutritious snacks
- Criminals get nine months in violin case
- A riddle according to Merriam-Webster.com, is a puzzling question to be guessed or solved that usually has a double or veiled answer.
- What kind of bird writes letters? A pen-guin.
- What do all inches follow? Their ruler.
- Why couldn't the strings ever win? They could only tie.
- What position does a cat play in baseball? A cat-cher.
- A homonym is two or more words that are spelled and pronounced alike but differ in meaning. A near homonymis two or more words that sound alike due to an intentional mispronunciation.
- Why was six afraid of seven? Because seven eight (ate) nine.
- What do you call a smelly chicken? A foul fowl.
- Do you want this pasteurized? No, just up to my mouth'd be fine!
What's your favorite pun?
Written by Grace Lavigne, senior editor of ProfNet, a service that helps journalists connect with expert sources. Grammar Hammer is published weekly on ProfNet Connect, a free social networking site for communicators. To read more from Grace, check out her blog on ProfNet Connect.
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Most Fuel Efficient Model Archive
New Civic Out Now!
February 21, 2012
The new 2012 Honda Civic is now on sale in the UK. It's the ninth generation of one of Honda's most popular cars ever produced. Since it was first made available in 1973, more than 650,000 Civics have been sold in the UK. Although the shape of the Civic hasn't altered dramatically from its predecessor,


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Hit the music, it's Papelbon time
Red Sox closer draws attention with arm, Riverdance
By Ian Browne / MLB.com
He's got a signature sprint in from the bullpen and a cold-eyed sneer before he throws each pitch. There isn't just one warmup song ("Wild Thing" by the Troggs) to mark his entry into a home game, but a second ("Shipping Up to Boston" by the Dropkick Murphys).
Then there's the mid-to-upper 90s heat that ends with pure explosion in catcher Jason Varitek's mitt. And the splitter that leaves hitters in a state of utter helplessness.
When he records the final out to pin down another save, Papelbon's whole body literally gyrates in excitement toward Varitek, and his knees bend with emphasis as he shouts words that probably aren't decipherable to the human ear drum. It is all part of what makes Papelbon tick.
And oh yeah, now Papelbon has a dance. When the Red Sox clinched the American League East title, Papelbon ran onto the Fenway Park field, stepped on to the mound and let a spirited rendition of the Riverdance. Much to the delight of his faithful fans, Papelbon broke it out again after the Sox rallied from 3-1 down to top the Indians in Game 7 of the AL Championship Series.
How did Papelbon come up with such a thing on such short notice?
"The voices in my head," Papelbon said. "It just kind of comes to you. That's it."
Perhaps there is one more dance in Papelbon's future, and this one would be the most jubilant one yet.
"We're hopeful he keeps dancing after this [World Series], too," noted Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell. "That means we're on the right side of things."
If the Red Sox can go on to win the Fall Classic, maybe Papelbon can earn an appearance on "Dancing With the Stars."
Fact of the matter is, Papelbon's a star, and the fact that he embraces it with a joyful swagger is OK with his teammates.
"You can have all that and do all those things, but if you can't pitch on top of it, it's going to be a tough situation for you," said Varitek. "He's well-talented to go along with the ability and the mind-set to do the job. If he's blown 40 in a row, I don't know how many people are going to clap when he's dancing."
What Papelbon is -- to the core -- is a closer. It makes it all so strange to think back to his Minor League years when he was a starting pitcher. There was even that time in Spring Training of this year, when Papelbon -- mainly because of concerns that the organization had about his health late in 2006 -- was ticketed for the starting rotation.
Huh? It's hard to picture Papelbon's full-throttle intensity playing out as a starting pitcher. Give him the ball in the ninth inning and watch him turn the lights out.
"I think this sport certainly allows the character of the individual to be attached to their position, and he's right in line with that," said Farrell.
What's important to note about Papelbon is, for all that adrenaline, he is remarkably locked in when the baseball is in his hand. It isn't until after the mission is accomplished that his adrenaline comes bursting out.
"The biggest thing is the adrenaline that the ninth inning and those close, tight situations generate," said Farrell. "He's able to most effectively channel those, and not allow those to cause him to come out of his delivery and otherwise lose command of his fastball. He thrives on those [situations]."
Papelbon, who is a southerner with a drawl, has found the perfect baseball home in Boston. The city is filled with fire and passion and so is he.
"No doubt about it," Papelbon said. "I think this place, you know, delivers an adrenaline and an intensity like none other. As a pitcher, you can either use that to your advantage or it can hurt you. I think that most of the guys in this clubhouse love that adrenaline, love that intensity and love playing here."
At 26 years old, Papelbon has been an All-Star in his first two seasons. Now, he's trying to win his first World Series.
"I think that championship teams make players great," Papelbon said. "Players are remembered to be great when they're on championship teams. It's just like all this stuff about football, Peyton [Manning] wasn't considered great until he won it all. It's the same thing with baseball. You're not really considered a great player until you're on a championship-caliber team and contribute to those championships."
If the Red Sox can close this thing out, Papelbon will be on the team's very top shelf of contributors.
After posting a 1.85 ERA and striking out 84 batters over just 59 1/3 innings during the regular season, Papelbon has allowed four hits and no runs in his first five outings in this postseason.
His teammates might laugh a little at some of his antics. But when he's closing out games, they're laughing with him.
"I don't really deal with pitchers, I think they're weirdos," quipped Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell.
Where does Papelbon rank on the weirdo list?
"Well, he's at the top of that list," said Lowell. "But you're very confident, because he has a little bit of Josh [Beckett's] mentality where it looks like he fears nothing on the mound. You want that out of your closer. You want a little bit of that wackiness. I think the closer needs to have a little bit of that different mentality, because you've got to be able to have a short-term memory -- just erase it, go on and go to the next one."
Perhaps Papelbon's personality feeds into how he does his job. Or maybe the job he does is what makes Papelbon so outgoing.
"His personality is unique," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. "I think the fact that he throws 94 to 97 [mph] with command, though, probably is more important, with a split. He's one of the best. I do think it's kind of rare to have a younger guy like that, and he's kind of carefree, in a good way. But you give him the ball in the ninth inning, and it's amazing the trust that we all have in him, and he's earned it. He competes, and I think it's kind of rare to be that young and that advanced."
Ian Browne is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.