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Republicans give Obamacare advice
Republican lawmakers have spent the past three years blasting Obamacare, but now they have a new role: helping people sign up for it.
It's a role reversal that puts party politics at odds with constituent service. Even Obamacare's most strident opponents say that if people call their offices looking for help when enrollment starts in October, they'll direct their staff to assist.
Story Continued Below
"We always provide people with the best information that's available to us. We always try to cut red tape," said Rep. Steve King of Iowa, perhaps the House's most vocal Obamacare critic. If someone asks for assistance, "we're not going to shut people out of information. We're not going to make their life more difficult. Obamacare's bad enough to have to live under."
( Also on POLITICO: CBC to launch Obamacare tour)
Obamacare is at a turning point. For three years it's been an abstraction. But enrollment starts in October, and come January, millions of Americans will be covered. And members of Congress expect the phones to start ringing with confused constituents.
Republicans are anticipating even more questions now that the White House has delayed enforcement of the employer mandate for one year, which may make a confused public even more confused.
"It's going to be hard to answer questions with the kind of uncertainty that these delays create. That's why it would be better if you had a permanent delay," said Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), who added that his office will help constituents the best it can back home — while he joins a reinvigorated Republican drive in Washington to halt it.
( Also on POLITICO: Blue Cross, Walgreens explain ACA)
GOP lawmakers won't go out and sell Obamacare. But they'll answer questions.
To prepare, Republican congressional staffers have been participating in calls and meetings hosted by Obama administration officials to inform them about the basics of the law, such as how enrollment will work, who will be eligible and how to sign up. The events have been open to Democrats, as well.
Republican lawmakers have not had the regular sessions the Democrats have had with administration officials on how to roll out the law most effectively. Nor have they requested help with public education events from organizations like AARP, which did a lot of bipartisan outreach when Medicare drug coverage began, said David Certner, the legislative policy director of AARP.
Unsurprisingly, Republican lawmakers interviewed by POLITICO didn't talk about hosting educational events or town halls to advertise the benefits as many Democrats plan to do. They won't do anything that proactive. But they aren't going to slam down the phone if a constituent wants to know how to get to the right website or phone number. They'll help, just like they do when constituents ask about Social Security or Medicare.
( PHOTOS: Supreme Court upholds health care law)
It's a far more muted approach than the one Democrats took in 2006, when the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit kicked in with a dizzying menu of choices that confused seniors. Many Democrats who opposed the Medicare law enacted under former President George W. Bush left their political sentiments in Washington and went back home to teach their constituents about the benefits, which include subsidies for low-income seniors.


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The wedding cake is the most delicious aspect of your wedding. It is one of the things that the guests take a look at in the wedding reception thus, it should be one of the things that the couple should look into. If the couple wants to get the best cake adorned with the best decoration for their guests to marvel at, below are some useful tips.
Before you decide to buy a wedding cake for your wedding, know your budget. There are actually many cake decorations to choose from such as Square Silver Wedding Cake Stand Cake stores have a wide array of types and designs when making a custom-made wedding cake but keep in mind that the prices vary as the base and the ake decoration vary.
There are many types of wedding cake bases available in the market today. Of course, it is important that the cake taste delicious but aside from that it is also important to make it attractive and marvelous. So, you need to be meticulous in choosing decorations suitable for your chosen wedding theme, your taste and your budget.
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leorira11 wrote:Lydia - maybe I missed it, but what's the new baby girl's name?
WeHaveHope wrote:Lyd-how are you and Ellie doing? Post some pica when you get a chance.
kerpupples wrote:Hi all. I'm back in the hospital with fluid on my lungs due to my severe preeclampsia. My husband & his mom are home with the babies, and we have a community of wonderful friends who are pulling together to help until I get better. I'll post some pics of the babies as soon as I'm home and better. They are very healthy and so wonderful.
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From the creator of "The ReinCARDnation", Kris Nevling once again proves why he has become one of Magic's most creative thinkers. Never has there been an easier or more deceptive card link. It's the most practical linking card effect in existence.
Also included is Kris Nevling's "Million Dollar Card Trick." People asked if a card can be ripped up, completely restored and handed back to the spectator in one piece. Kris teaches you just that with his "Million Dollar Card Trick." The method is ingenious.
Do you own this product? Write a review.


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Division Process Debut Album The Jesus Horses Due May 20
When lead guitarist Eric Clausen left West Coast heavy rockers Snail last summer, he did so with the announcement of his new project, Division Process and its debut album, The Jesus Horses. Recorded by his former bandmate Matt Lynch at his Mysterious Mammal Studios, Clausen is now ready to release The Jesus Horses on May 20 through Dragonwolf Records.
The long-player takes a decidedly darker, more metallic direction than did Snail's last outing, Terminus, and as Clausen explains in recapping some of the themes of the record below, that's no coincidence when it comes to his influences and the point of view from which he was working.
The PR wire has it thus:
DIVISION PROCESS to Release "The Jesus Horses" May 20th
The debut album by DIVISION PROCESS, "The Jesus Horses", is a narrative of one man's decent into, and eventual rise out of, his own darkness.
Division Process is the creation of one man: Eric Clausen. Formerly lead guitarist of Snail, Clausen has been a studio heavyweight for years, and now he's unleashing his fever dream of crank and nicotine on us all. "It's about drugs. Or, rather, it's about my journey through heavy drug use."
It's a black portrait of personal loss and disassociation including the inevitable spiral into self destruction. Clausen elaborates: "It's a very personal record for me as it deals with my former drug use and my excuses for using — disillusionment with my surroundings, the loss of my mother to disease and just how everything suddenly seemed to fall apart. While there is no 'happy ending,' there is hope by the end when our hero decides to follow a better path rather than seek his own demise."
The result is an album that is at once heavy, melodic and dark with big guitars and expansive, layered vocals. Says Clausen: "I'm a huge fan of bands with big vocals, be it Queen, ELO, Alice in Chains or whomever. I also love the guitars of TOOL, High on Fire and Cheap Trick and the writing of Trent Reznor." This eclectic mix comes together in a potent stew of crushing rock.
Enlisting the help of drummer Darby Todd (Gary Moore, The Darkness) and bassist Collyn McCoy (OTEP, The Ultra-Electric Mega Galactic) ensured that the album's impressive musical prowess would be evident while retaining musicality. "It was important to me that the music groove and swing and be listenable but still have some moments that just drop your jaw. I wanted it to be aggressive on all fronts, including the players' abilities, without it being a shredder thing. Those boys definitely pulled that off."
The first release from Dragonwolf Entertainment's new label, Dragonwolf Records, "The Jesus Horses" is officially released on May 20 on CD and digital and is available on Amazon.com, iTunes, CDBaby and all the usual digital outlets.
Division Process, "Annex Mecitrocity" from The Jesus Horses
Tags: California, Division Process, Division Process The Jesus Horses, Dragonwolf Records, Snail, The Jesus Horses


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President Obama not only tackles the nation's most pressing problems, he also takes on demons and demi-gods—all while sporting nothing but a loincloth in new comic books that imagine the commander in chief in some pretty wild adventures.
Two new comics feature a weapons-wielding Obama on epic journeys to save our country and planet.
"Drafted: 100 Days," offers a poignant look at a man who "never got to achieve his true greatness when a race from beyond the stars drafted our planet into intergalactic war," according to Devil's Due Publishing.
It gets even weirder.
In "Barack the Barbarian: Quest for the Treasure of Stimuli," a ridiculously muscular president is joined by an all-star cast, including Sorceress Hilaria, her demi-god trickster husband Biil, Overlord Boosh and Chainknee of the Elephant Kingdom.
"Who can the lone barbarian trust, if anyone?" the tagline reads.
"Bush, Cheney, McCain, Blago, Pelosi, Steele—they are all in there," Devil's Due president Josh Blaylock told the New York Post.
Sarah Palin, a barbarian bad girl in a bikini and wolf cape, will play the president's nemesis.
Obama has said that's he's a big fan of comic books, particularly Spiderman and Conan the Barbarian.
The comics were thought to be an April Fool's joke, but Devil's Due insists they are nothing but serious. The comic books are due out in June.


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This election, the names at the top of the ticket may be the least important consideration as US economic conditions deteriorate.
The truly vital decision is who will become Treasury secretary and Fed chief. Both presidential candidates should offer a bit of transparency on whom they would place in these pivotal positions, so voters can make an informed choice.
The Democrats have Tim Geithner in Treasury and Ben Bernanke as the central banker, but both men have expressed interest in getting out of DC sooner rather than later. So who will replace them?
Lawrence Summers, the perennial White House insider, served as Treasury Secretary under Bill Clinton and was an economic adviser to President Obama until 2010. But Summers oversaw and championed the repeal of Glass Steagall Act, which had kept banks' balance sheets safe and separate from investment banks. Many feel the repeal led to the collapse or near-collapse of Lehman Bros., Citi, AIG and Fannie Mae.
Jared Bernstein, who was economic adviser to Vice President Joe Biden from 2009 to 2011, is well-liked on both sides of the aisle, even though his economics are left of center.
A particularly interesting candidate is BlackRock head Larry Fink, who got huge benefits from quantitative easing and who reportedly is interested in either spot.
In Mitt Romney's corner, you have Glenn Hubbard, his chief economic adviser and dean of Columbia's business school; Gregory Mankiw, a Romney economic adviser and Harvard professor; and John Taylor, a Stanford economics professor, ex-undersecretary of state and the creator of the Taylor Rule — an interest-rate tool that helps central banks globally. All are very competent Washington insiders.
An outside-the-box pick would be the well-respected Sheila Bair, the former head of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. who claimed Geithner's selection for Treasury "was like a punch in the gut."
The voters need to know the economic QB before the vote. Will it be Joe Namath or Mark Sanchez?


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Merkel: Eurobonds would repeat old mistakeJune 27, 2012: 10:30 AM ET
As European leaders gear up for a two-day summit in Brussels, German Chancellor Angela Merkel made her anti-eurobond stance crystal clear.
"To force one single interest rate by means of eurobonds politically, which already have not worked on the markets, would be repeating of an old mistake and not the lesson learnt from experience," said Merkel, speaking in front of Germany's Lower House of Parliament Wednesday.
The idea of eurobonds, which would essentially pool the debt of the 17-nation eurozone, has been floated around since last fall. And Merkel hasn't wavered in her opposition to the bonds, which would likely lower rates in the more troubled sovereigns but result in higher rates for stronger countries like Germany.
Still, the stakes are pretty high for leaders to come to some sort of a consensus and put a plan into action to once and for all to get Europe back on solid footing.
Related: EU summit: 'No quick fix'
"There are no hard and fast solutions," said Merkel. "There is no magic formula or a decisive strike to overcome the sovereign debt crisis."
Germany, the largest and strongest eurozone country, has been under pressure to take the lead in solving Europe's crisis, but Merkel says the country can only do so much.
"The strength of Germany is not without limits," she said. "If we can overcome the crisis for good, we can only understand it as a challenging process of small steps and measures, which will tackle the problem at its roots.">
Analysts say it's not just Merkel who appears unwilling to budge. "Her insouciance is characteristic of a more widespread complacency among euro area leaders," said Chris Scicluna, head of economic research at Daiwa Capital Markets, in a research note.
The EU summit, which begins Thursday, will not likely yield the silver bullet Europe's debt crisis needs. Coincidentally, Germany will play Italy in the semifinals of the Euro 2012 soccer tournament on Thursday as well. Germany has already vanquished Greece on the pitch and if it beats Italy, it will play another member of the debt-laden PIIGS (either Spain or Portugal) in the finals on Sunday.
Here's hoping that the EU summit will at least move the ball forward, rather than kick it out of bounds.


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nonhocapito wrote:Vigilant Citizen points out a new horrific commercial ad by Visa, showing once again humankind as a mass of coordinated individuals that must do everything alike otherwise the world goes to pieces (which is the whole new morality of this age I guess, spelled out to the masses by TV back in the 90s with the creation of the show "big brother", where the non-conformist kids are "eliminated"...)
full link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3xStKYjQKc
From http://vigilantcitizen.com/latestnews/v ... ss-society
Anyway, this was only to note how the last tag price showed at the end of the ad is "11.90".
Sigh. Will they ever stop submitting us those numbers....? especially when they need to hint to the "brave new world" we are now supposed to live in?
Dcopymope wrote:Out of all the legion of doom material I've read that these psychos publish, Brave New World was the one book that really made me feel uncomfortable; it was very hard to read through. Only a psychopathic control freak like Aldous Huxley could write the kind of stuff that he wrote in that book. The book will give you a very clear picture of what the Brave New World Order will look like when all is said and done.
Comparisons with George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four
Social critic Neil Postman contrasts the worlds of Nineteen Eighty-Four and Brave New World in the foreword of his 1985 book Amusing Ourselves to Death. He writes:
What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture, preoccupied with some equivalent of the feelies, the orgy porgy, and the centrifugal bumblepuppy. As Huxley remarked in Brave New World Revisited, the civil libertarians and rationalists who are ever on the alert to oppose tyranny "failed to take into account man's almost infinite appetite for distractions." In 1984, Orwell added, people are controlled by inflicting pain. In Brave New World, they are controlled by inflicting pleasure. In short, Orwell feared that what we fear will ruin us. Huxley feared that our desire will ruin us.
Journalist Christopher Hitchens, who has himself published several articles on Huxley and a book on Orwell, notes the difference between the two texts in the introduction to his 1999 article "Why Americans Are Not Taught History":
We dwell in a present-tense culture that somehow, significantly, decided to employ the telling expression "You're history" as a choice reprobation or insult, and thus elected to speak forgotten volumes about itself. By that standard, the forbidding dystopia of George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four already belongs, both as a text and as a date, with Ur and Mycenae, while the hedonist nihilism of Huxley still beckons toward a painless, amusement-sodden, and stress-free consensus. Orwell's was a house of horrors. He seemed to strain credulity because he posited a regime that would go to any lengths to own and possess history, to rewrite and construct it, and to inculcate it by means of coercion. Whereas Huxley ... rightly foresaw that any such regime could break but could not bend. In 1988, four years after 1984, the Soviet Union scrapped its official history curriculum and announced that a newly authorized version was somewhere in the works. This was the precise moment when the regime conceded its own extinction. For true blissed-out and vacant servitude, though, you need an otherwise sophisticated society where no serious history is taught.[21]
nonhocapito wrote:It would be great to have a link to a video or a screenshot. In any case on their website, what I think is the same campaign (although I haven't seen their commercial obviously, since I don't live in the UK and I don't have a TV ) is indicated to expire on the midnight of august 31st rather than on the 1st of september. Strange. Maybe the "subliminal message" (or whatever it is) is valid only via TV?
http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/pages/ ... nkpos=row2
[since this "9/11 reminding" business on part of the corporations is probably a frequent occurrence, I thought we could merge two recent findings together and start a more general thread on the subject, where we collect similar cases as we approach the 10th anniversary.]
pov603 wrote:http://www.tellyads.com/show_movie.php?filename=TA12910
This has an ad with the shop in question [9-11] but you have to be quick at the start to see.
Not sure if this is the same ad as you are on about as i don't get UK tv where i am.
marilynthomson9 wrote:The topics discussing is one of the necessary topics about advertisements. The advertisements remain unchanged in the format of 9/11, as it is the most used and using one. Most of the companies played it safe, taking a somber approach. But the tenth anniversary is risky. One of the farms brought some mew steps to use instead of this sad old number. The new approach consists of total six steps for better improvement of the ads. Observing and Reflecting the Market with positive voice and the spirit of a city and a nation that emerged from the dust and smoke more connected to the values that makes us where we are
Burningame wrote:marilynthomson9 wrote:The topics discussing is one of the necessary topics about advertisements. The advertisements remain unchanged in the format of 9/11, as it is the most used and using one. Most of the companies played it safe, taking a somber approach. But the tenth anniversary is risky. One of the farms brought some mew steps to use instead of this sad old number. The new approach consists of total six steps for better improvement of the ads. Observing and Reflecting the Market with positive voice and the spirit of a city and a nation that emerged from the dust and smoke more connected to the values that makes us where we are
This post is nonsensical and looks like a contender for the "most incomprehensible post" award. Due to your atrocious errors in grammar and syntax, noone can understand what the hell you're on about. When you learn to construct a sentence, get back to us.
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Hi, have you ever thought to buy your pet a gift in Christmas time? I have some tips for you
If that person is a cat lover, though, it is something you are probably aware of however often you may see them. There is every chance that choosing a cat lover gift of some sort will be well received.
Cat lover gifts fall into two categories. The first is something the cat itself (or themselves) can use; the second is something for the cat owner which is adorned by something feline.
It is probably better to opt for a gift that belongs and stays in the home. For example:
Cat Blanket
There are some very warm, comfortable and attractive cat blankets around, and they make nice cat lover gifts. We all know how cats love to curl up in front of a fire in the winter; with a warm fleecy blanket to lie on, they will be in heaven. You can add a personal touch to this gift by having the blanket personalized with the cat's name. The cat won't care about that, but it's a nice touch for the owner's pleasure.
Cat Basket
Something a little bit more elaborate as a cat lover gift is a cat basket. I am referring here to a basket to sleep in, not something that is simply for carrying a cat to the vet. Remember, though, that cat's can be very choosy. It would not be surprising if the cat turned it's nose up at a new basket, at least initially. If you spend a lot of money on the basket, then that can be a disappointment, even if the cat owner is very appreciative.
Cats, though, have moods. One day it may take to the basket, especially if you tell it not to get inside!
There are, of course, other things you can buy for the cat itself. Small toys, food treats (fresh salmon may go down quite well), but what is it in the home that cats enjoy most? Sleeping. That means that a cat blanket or type of bed could be a popular gift. We all know, however, that the cat will be the one to decide if they want to use it or not. Never mind, the cat lover recipient will appreciate your gift.
Gifts For The Cat Owner
The choice of gifts that are cat related, and may be suitable for the cat lover, is much greater than for the cat itself. If you think about it, just about anything in the home could have a cat theme to it. Many of these gift items have cat pictures on, or are cat shaped.
Some examples of what you can buy include plates, place mats, coasters, clocks, fridge magnets, ironing board covers, doorstops and a whole lot more. Many of these types of items will be appreciated by a cat lover as a gift.
One good idea is to find a gift that you can personalise, with a picture of the owner's cat. If you have a digital camera, it should not be difficult to get a picture of the cat while visiting before Christmas, without arousing too much suspicion of what you're up to. Once you have the picture, then you can probable find somewhere to add that picture to mugs, place mats and other household items.
If that person is a Dog lover
It is possible to find just about anything with a dog motif pajamas, mugs, t-shirts, statues, etc. but that does not mean that your dog lover will appreciate any or all of these things. So, what should you get for a dog-lover?
Before getting a gift for the dog, make sure that you know what sort of dog it is. For instance, a small dog will not be able to handle large toys or bones, and a small dog bones could pose a threat to a large dog. Also be aware that a puppy has different health requirements than an older dog. Depending on the ailments of an older dog, he may not be allowed to eat protein, may only be able to eat soft food, or might have other requirements that must be followed. A good dog gift is one that does not cause harm to the dog! Also, be ware that while a dog might love a toy that sings or beeps, his owner may not!
So, what should you get for a dog? One great idea is to sign him up for a stuffed animal of the month club. Every month, the dog will receive a brand new stuffed animal, just in time to replace last month's old, ratty, and chewed-up one.
Consider baking your own dog treats for the dog (again, be aware of the specific health guidelines that that particular dog might have to follow). There are great dog treat recipes on line or in doggie cookbooks that you can follow.
Anyone wants to add another gift for your pet?
We Provide Kinds Of Party Christmas Gifts. Cheap Prices & Good Qualities. Guaranteed!


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Wells out 6-8 weeks; Accardo also shelved
CLEVELAND — Well, here we go again. Last year, the Jays had 12 players undergo 13 separate surgeries. This year, the injuries are starting to pile up once again, though only Casey Janssen has had to go under the knife.
The latest blow came on Saturday, when the Jays' learned center fielder Vernon Wells would miss six to eight weeks after fracturing his left wrist on a diving catch a night earlier. Wells also tweaked his right hammy, but that issue is moot now.
Toronto also placed reliever Jeremy Accardo on the 15-day DL with a strained right forearm. Wells decided to stick with the club on this road trip, while Accardo has already left for Florida, where he'll begin treatment in preparation for a rehab assignment.
Mighty Joe Inglett never got on his plane out of Cleveland. He's was optioned and recalled without ever leaving Ohio. With Accardo out, the Jays purchased the contract of Armando Benitez. To clear room on the 40, Tracy Thorpe was designated for assignment.
For now, Alex Rios assumes center field and Brad Wilkerson and Kevin Mench can handle left and right field. Shannon Stewart will also be worked into left field on occasion, though he was serving as the DH on Saturday.
Progressive Field has been a nightmarish destination for Toronto. The Jays have gone 1-12 at the Tribe's home park, dating back to 2004. Now, Toronto loses arguably its best offensive performer and a Gold Glove center fielder in Wells in Cleveland.
"This place hasn't been real kind to us," manager John Gibbons said.
Aside from the necessary lineup tweaks in light of Wells' injury, Gibbons also gave a day off to slumping second baseman Aaron Hill.
Today's lineups:
TORONTO (17-20) at CLEVELAND (17-18)
at 7:05 p.m. ET at Progressive Field
Alex Rios, CF
Brad Wilkerson, RF
Scott Rolen, 3B
Kevin Mench, LF
Shannon Stewart, DH
Lyle Overbay, 1B
Marco Scutaro, SS
Gregg Zaun, C
Jorge Velandia, 2B
PITCHING: RHP Dustin McGowan
Grady Sizemore, CF
Jamey Carroll, 2B
David Dellucci, LF
Victor Martinez, C
Ben Francisco, RF
Travis Hafner, DH
Ryan Garko, 1B
Asdrubal Cabrera, SS
Casey Blake, 3B
PITCHING: LHP Aaron Laffey
COUNT 'EM: 32 different Jays lineups in 38 games
53 Comments
Well, that wasn't the best first inning we've seen this year.
I don't mean to be negative, and I know that it is still early in the year. But with Wells gone for a while now, and the others still not able to hit, I think I am going to start looking foward to next year. I do really hope the Jays change my mind though. Preferably sooner than later in the year.
Just got back from fishing my god what happend 12-zip, We need more guys like Mench and Wilk, why not bring all of the garbage thats out there to TO,Maybe we can build a MLB team out of them and get rid of the -A TEAM That we are playing now.
Since Thomas left and went to Oakland his OBP is 407 and his AVG is 271 did we make a mistake oh no not JP right. Now with all the players getting hurt we are out of luck no more money for good players.
Last night's exhibit was pathetic. The team played with no intensity, simply mailed it in, feeling sorry for themselves. McGowan, feelng he had to be perfect in order to win, was trying to be too fine in the first inning and paid the price.
However, we're only 5 back in the wild card race, which is the only race we've ever had a chance to win this year, so it isn't quite over yet.
We play 3 in Minnesota and 3 in Philadelphia after this Cleveland series. In order to have a chance, we need to "stay close" until either we start hitting or get some guys back. Is that going to happen-who knows?
For me, one thing is for sure. This team either contends this year or we have to blow it up. If that's the case and I was Mr. Ted Rogers, I'd start at the very top and bring in a real baseball guy to replace Godfrey and let him make the changes below. I would do this the moment we're out of the race. From a player perspective, I'd have a nucleus of McGowan, Litsch, Marcum, Rios, Hill, Diaz, Lind, Purcey, Cecil and Snider. Everyone else is available and I'd trade for high level prospects and rebuild this team.
You have to keep Doc every team needs a class A ace and Doc is our best bet.
Why-If we explode this team, by the time we contend will be 3-4 years away and Doc will be 34-35. Right now he has maximum value and we could likely get two or three top quality prospects for him, guys like Jed Lowrie of Boston as an example. Hopefully from trading Halliday and Burnett, we can get tops prospects for 1st, 3rd, ss and possibly a young starter.
Our new ace will be one of McGowan, Purcey or Marcum with Litsch and maybe Cecil completing the rotation.
Injuries, injuries, injuries!!! I don't want to hear that word again. I think that our main priority, if we were to give up on this season and start shaking things up (which i wouldn't be ready to do quite yet), is aquire guys that will not get injured. Tough guys! I really can't wait for our guys from two A to get up here.
Before I dismantled this team I would look at replacing managment from the top to the bottom the only ones I would keep is Butterfeild as third base coach and Arnsberg.
You can't help injuries but JP leaves no money in the till to aquire new players with and we have no quality back up players in the minors.
Batters have a hard time getting used to batting in different positions in the lineup…Hill was hitting the ball well…Gibbons moved him up in the order…his avg dropped…moved back down in the order. Same thing with Rios…always moving him around in the lineup. This happened all last year as well. Good call with releasing Reed Johnson!! A true leadoff hitter is now gone, Stewart is old and hear come the injuries…I agree with Gary: Mench and Wilkerson are wasted moves…lastly, while Gibbons is on the way out, dump anyone involved in hitting. Not scoring a single run off of average starting pitching is pathetic! I didn't sign up for MLB Extra Innings to watch these horroble displays of wated talent–I get more excited when the Jays are in the field, at least I can watch some decent pitching and defense.
You're right we have a lot of talent on that Lansing ( A-) team. There's 9 pitchers with era's under 2.0 and 7 guys hitting .280 and over. But these kids are likely 3 years away. If we keep playing like we're playing this team needs to get exploded in early June, while we still have high value in some of the veterans. With the right GM ( not JP), we should be able to get some top prospects and these kids coming up could be backup or final contender tuneups.
Garry-agreed. The first go go is Godfrey, we need a real baseball guy running this team who replaces JP, Abner and everyone else..
Problem is, I just don't think Mr. Rogers will take this plunge and of course Godfrey won't fire JP and JP won't fire Abner. So maybe we'll become the Toronto Maple Leafs of baseball and not win for 50 years.
Theres always the chance that we could go on a winning streak other teams do it so why not us we still have 125 games left so who knows, Nobody is happy with the way they are playing now and you can't blame the fans but maybe this team will surprise us and start winning.
One thing for sure if the rain keeps up we can't lose today.
actually a rain-out should help these guys out. give all the starters an extra days rest and time for everyone else to reflect on what they need to do.
No it's not over yet. They need to win 75 or so of the remaining 125 games to get to 92 or more wins-likely the minimum to contend for a wild card. that's .600, which is very achieveable, but isn't the way they're currently playing
Crap, it looks like they've set up a double header for tommorrow. Today is rained out.
A doubleheader might give the starters extra rest, but if they struggle – Gibby will ride the bullpen like a rented mule and screw us for the next series. Wonder if Paul Beeston would come back if Godfrey was turfed out.
We can only dream.
I would love to see Beeston come back and replace Godfrey, that's the kind of move we need.
I think we need a turnover too (like i mentioned before)
keep these players:
WELLS (cause noone wants to pick up his contract)
We do need to give up some good players so thats why we can put in litsch for a good deal when his value is high and i think everyone else is fair game…
and i basically agree with what everyone is saying…
Two games tomorow the starters will go 8 inns.We will win the first one 5 to 4 the second one 4 to 3 my wife picked these scores remember you heard it here first.
Harry-both Doc and Ryan will be past their prime by the time we contned again, so they should be traded and Wells needs to be dumped. Trading Litsch is, in my opinion not a good thing. He's young, getting better each time out and low cost.
i don't see us getting alot in return if we give up players that are old and not that much needed…we would need to give up some good arms (sell high) to get good prospects
frankly i don't see litsch doign that good in the long run
I think Litsch will be a solid #5 starter and I would still keep Doc because he will pitch the same at 42 as he is pitchen today pitchers like him are rare and he can help any young pitchers we aquire in the future.
Does anyone think that the Rays will be able to keep up their great season so far. After all they still have Cliff Floyed a Al Reyes on the Dl. I don't know if Kazmir is back yet either.
I think both Ryan and Halliday would garner some great prospects; Burnett to a lessor degree.
Freedom-I think the Rays are for real. I see them getting stronger throughout the season. Remember, they also have the number one pitching prospect in baseball from the 2007 David Price coming.
Who would you trade then, since you want to keep everyone who has any value???
The trouble with the Jays is they have too many players no one wants and too many players they don't want. The only players worth trading are the ones we should probably keep… Rios, Hill, Snider and some of our arms. Everyone else is essentially worthless. Wells contract look AWFUL
apparently once they page FINALLY loads it automatically submits my post….
Anyways… Wells contract is awful right now and he would be impossible to move unless we feel like paying for another player to go help another team win (Thomas).
We are basically stuck with what we got!!!
I think the Rays are for real as well. I think they will contend for the wild card. The biggest reason for there success is the bullpen. There bullpen has been great. They have won 9 in a row at home. That is where a young team has to win first, at home. They have swept the Red Sox and Angels at Tropicana Field and the Jays at Disney. A big series for the Rays this week, the dreaded N.Y. Yankees come into town for a 4 game series. Kazmir shut down the Angels last night and Floyd had a good game today. Floyd came off the D.L. today. Floyd always seems to get hurt.
They have won alot of games near the end of the game this year. Last year they lost a bunch at the end.
At the beginning of the year, I thought the Rays could finish with a .500 record. Right now, I think they could win 85 games. The Rays have stuck to there plan. I give the front office alot of credit. A solid nucleus they have and it is young. They are playing with alot of conifidence and they expect to win now. Unlike years past, they expected to lose.
Yo G,
What happened to your boy Lind??? Still want him over Bonds??? LOL
yep, I'd take Lind over Bonds any day and I'd expect we see him back up here shortly. In case you haven't noticed, we do not have a lot of outfielders who hit RH pitching well. The main reason, though, is one way or the other Bonds isn't going to play here or anyplace else ever again, he's history. You guys dreaming about him coming here is simply something not going to happen.
Hopefully, this nexdt time Lind gets off to a better start, although it seems a disease of not hitting has infected the entire lineup.
You are right, hopefully next time Lind gets off to a better start. In my books he has two strikes against him, last year and this year and you know what sport we are playing. I don't see Lind having any impact on this team this year, he is obviously not ready. What happens in 09 when he is still the fourth or fifth outfielder on the major league depth chart and Snider's locker is beside his in AAA???
His bat is not good enough to make up for the rest of his game.
I also agree that Bonds probably won't play again, but it's not because he can't, it's because no team has the guts to sign him and his bad PR. I also say that the Jays are the perfect fit for him… We are terrible, he is good. We can't hit, he can. Who cares about the rest
How many of you people still think we have a chance and if so why. Do any of you think we can get there with Abner and JP at the helm.
What players do you think can help us and what players should we get rid of if we can.Who should we bring up from the minors.
I wouldn't compare the Jays to the Leafs quite yet, although we do have a lot of veterns on the team right now that are just not getting the job done. I can't wait 3 more years personally, I've already been waiting for 13. J.P. promised this team would be contending by now, they are not, its that simple. We need a playoff appearance, desparately.
I think Godfrey does a good job getting people in the stands, despite our poor team performance. Attendance has been gradually, little by little, increasing and we've been pretty disappointing as a team. He, J.P. and the front office have just not put together a winning ball club (although im still not giving up on THIS year).
A dismantlement looks, from what im seeing, imminent for the future, in the same spirit as the A's or Marlins.
I'm not sure one can make a decision about a player after 6 games. I remember last year and the year before when I supported McGowan a lot and no one else here did. The only reason he's as good as he is now, is we were forced to play him last year and when we did he responded after 5-6 difficult games. Now we all love him.
Lind hits rh pitching very well, and he's a good clutch hitter, he does not hit Lh pitching well. He is not the fastest LF in the bigs, but he seldom makes errors. So I don't see him as the 4th or 5th outfielder. I see him playing one corner outfield, Rios in center and Snider in the other corner. I see Lind being our LF against RH pitching and platoon with someone who hits LH's-much like the Johnson/Cat platoon that worked so well in 2006. The guy is hitting .393/.433/.643 in AAA against RH pitching. Yes, there is a difference between there and here, but it's not that much. We just need to bring him up and keep playing him until he gets comfortable. The fact is, what do we have to lose.
I don't think it's the bad pr on Bonds that is holding back teams from signing him. I think it's either they think he's done or so close to it and the distruptions he causes in the cluhouse aren't worth what he brings to the party.
But one way or the other, he's not coming here-that's been stated over and over again by The Jays, so it doesn't make a lot of sense to keep wishing he were coming, regardless of anyone's opinion on him.
No, no and all of them except the ones I named in an above post.
My comparison to The Leafs was about the management. lol I disagree with you on Godfrey. I think he's a good administrator, but let's face it Beeston & Gillick put 4 million in the stands. Fans here will support this team in a huge way, if there's a winner in the stadium and the team is managed well. I just feel this team needs a major shakeup, and to date Godfrey is standing behind JP who's standing behind Gibbons, so it doesn't appear anything is going to change to signficantly improve the management and thus the performance of this team.
Remember as well, we're all starting to know JP better and his style of pathelogical lying to fans is not something Blue Jays fans ever had from anyone in a Jays management group before. I don't ever remember Gillick, Beeston, Cito and others ever getting caught up in a lie. JP treats fans as if he thinks they're all stupid and didn't remember the BS he told them a month ago. That depicits a management style that is unbecoming to Canadian sports fans and Godfey knows fully well what JP's style is and does nothing about it-what the hell does that tell you about Godfrey.
The other thing I'd say about Godfey, is I've never in my life as a sports fan seen a home team give an out of town fan from Boston preference and first rights on tickets like we did this year. That was the stupidist move I've ever seen in sports marketing. Obviously it pissed off numerous fans and the team is paying for it in attendance and will for some time. Godfey had to approve that promotion.
If Godfey doesn't want to make changes and I was Mr. Ted Rogers, I'd sack them all. Attendance is falling, and it's going to fall a lot more because this team is pathetic to watch-almost painful. They play with no intensity or spirit, it's like they mail it in each game. I remember 2006, if I didn't see the game, I watched one of Mr. Rogers channels to see the game highlights and fully expected to see a highlight reel of a spectacular play by ether MacDonald, Hill or Johnson. Even when we lost, the highlight reel was enjoyable.
We had this great young team that was exciting to watch. All that's now gone. We went out of our way to sign old has been players, dumped Johnson and leave Macdonald on the bench. It's not only that we're losing, it's that the games themselves are now boring as hell to watch and I see nothing happening except the signing of more "has beens" as our saving grace or at least the BS story of the day.
Hey just noticed the paragraph spacing. Much easier to read!!!
The question for the rest of this year is…. Where are we going to find some power??? We are missing that big bat in the middle of this lineup.
Apparently it doesn't work for me… Yo G, how did you get your paragraph spacing?
Who would i trade?
Wells (noone wants his contract though)
Lind (still has some value)
Ryan (ya i see what you guys are saying)
Tallet (I still don't like him much)
League (doesn't seem like we would use him much and he does have most of his velocity back)
Rolen (he does have some value still)
Burnett (in the recent struggle for goood arms i am sure ppl would want him)
Litsch (just cause i need to trade someone good to get someone good)
I think i have enough ppl on there you can also add JMAC if you want but i think he is a good defensive player and a cheap player to not keep.
rmatty. hit enter twice instead of once.
I'd pass on the power if we can get the RISP stat to where it should be. With the pitching we have 4-5 runs will win most games, but we need to take advantage of the opportunities when they're available and that is what we haven't been doing.
matty I have to hi enter three times for it to work.
like this.
Maybe it is 3 times. Here's what two looks like.
And here's what 3 looks like
I think your right Garry-now how do we get these guys hitting with RISP.? lol
Sorry try hit.lol
The only players I would keep if they do nothing this year are- Doc-McGowan-Marcum-Litsch-Downs-Carlson-Wolf-Rios-Hill-Wells if the yankees wont take him because no one else will-and any minor leaguer who shows better than average potential at the -AAA-level
Take a bat and hit them three times lol.
Isn't it time for you to give us a report on whats going on in the Minors it's been awhile.
Do you know if sportsnet is going to carry both games or how about you JORDAN.
As I said previously, I'd only keep Rios, Hill, Marcum, Litcsh, Purcey, Cecil, McGowan, Diaz, Lind and Snider. Guys like Ahrens and others in A ball would be kept although avialable if the right deal came around. All others would be available, although I would be tempted to keep Rolen because of his leadership qualities and winning attitude-which I'd expect he could teach to the young guys.
No idea. But you can follow them here on game day
Let's see if Jays management make the right decision. With a double header today, the next time Burnett's start (16th) comes up, he'd have to go on 3 days rest instead of four. The right decision would be to bring up Purcey for another single outing.
However, the real right decision is to bring up Purcey to pitch on the 15th instead of the 16th. The reason being is that would be Purcey's day to pitch and it would give an additional day for all the starters other than Burnett who would go on his normal 4 days rest. Of course it's so sensible, they likely won't do it. lol
Who knows maybe Abner reads this post and you just told him how to do it.
By the way where is gnorman, at Abners having dinner lol.
Naw-its too sensible, so it likely won't get done. lol
There is always a chance that Bonds might wind up in TO. if JP gets desperate enough even though one bat will not make the rest of these guys hit,Denbo is a waste of skin branttly was a good hitting coach and was nothing but a scapegoat now we are stuck with a moran a Yankee reject.
Why not go the trade route and get a good hitting shortstop and left feilder instead of playing around with hasbeens who in the long run will do us no good.
Some of you think JP has drafted well but if he has where are those good players if you look around the league you will see most teams have a solid structure in the minors I don't think we have maybe in -AA- only so my question is how do we rebuild look around who do we have to trade that anyone wants.
Our real strength in the minors is at Lansing ( A-), there's little potential of position players above that level who could immediately help out.
In left field, we could bring Lind back up to bat against RH's and either keep one of the 3 now here or bring up Ryan Patterson from AA who's hitting .382/.417/.706 against LH's.
At SS, we're 3 years away from our own in-house developed solution. The only option earlier I see earlier than that is in AA with a kid named Scott Campbell, who's hitting .343, but he's a 2nd baseman, meaning Hill would have to move to ss. I don't see them doing a deal at this position unless the team is exploded. If that happens there are numerous options via trade. My favorite is still Jed Lowrie who just got sent back down by Boston. He's still a bit rough, but going to be a good one-as Bosox will tell you.
Does the Well's injury now mean that we are going to have to listen to JP blaming the failure of his team on injuries? He was fast to do it last year, and some might say rightly so, but the team obviously lacked the right talent and chemistry from the start. The same thing is true this year. I have been saying for a long time that this team does not have the type of tier 1 talent to compete with the best teams in the division, never mind the league. Even without injuries this team is not good enough, and I hope that JP will start making decisions in the long-term interest of the ball-club, rather than his own short-term interests as manager.


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The Month in Sports Gaming--December 2004
A look at the sports releases heading our way in the final month of 2004. Mobile and handheld gamers rejoice!
A look at the sports releases heading our way in the final month of 2004. Mobile and handheld gamers rejoice!
We test-drive the latest work-in-progress version of Namco's handheld racer.
With the Nintendo DS set to launch this weekend in the U.S., we take a look at the handheld system's upcoming sports titles.
Five GameSpot editors tackle sports gaming's toughest topics. This time out: wrestling online, a DS driving game, the NHL lockout, and why Billy Crystal is a liar.
We clock in some more hands-on time with Namco's upcoming DS racer.
We try out Namco's upcoming DS racer, complete with touch screen steering.
Super Mario DS, Spider-Man 2, Madden, the Urbz, and Mr. Driller will be in the first wave of titles for Nintendo's portable.
Namco releases the first information on the Nintendo DS version of its arcade racer.
Super Mario 64 DS and Spider-Man 2 highlight a US launch lineup that will consist of 10 to 12 titles. Also, Japanese launch details, Final Fantasy III confirmed.
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Losing bonus point for Blues
Haverfordwest 13
Aberystwyth 20
HAVERFORDWEST had to settle for a losing bonus point against a determined Aberystwyth side who set off out the traps quickly in the first half.
In a one sided first half, Aberystwyth were the strongest and rushed off to a 20-3 lead, as Rhodri Richards and Gethin Rees both crossed the whitewash as Jason Rees added the extras along with two penalties.
It was after Aberystwyth went 20 point ahead that the Blues began to play, and their first points came from the boot of Steve Williams, as he struck a penalty.
After the break, Haverfordwest pushed the tempo and looked the stronger of the two sides, as Scott James sped over for an unconverted try. This was followed by John Mason, who powered his way over for another unconverted try.
Haverfordwest looked to close the gap even more, but some strong defensive play from Aber kept the Blues at bay, restricting the home side to just a losing bonus point.
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Six Nations finale with Scotland sold out
Wales' final Guinness Six Nations clash of the 2020 Championship – against Scotland – has sold-out.
The tournament climax for incoming head coach Wayne Pivac on Saturday 14th March, will be played out at a full capacity Principality Stadium in front of a 73,931-strong crowd baying for Welsh success.
Pivac opens his first Six Nations campaign, after taking over the head coach reins from incumbent Wales boss Warren Gatland, in Cardiff against Italy on Saturday 1st February with limited tickets (including U16s tickets at £20) still available for this game.
In all over 200,000 tickets have been sold for Wales' three home matches in the competition and the round three meeting with France, on Saturday 22nd February, is set to follow Scotland in posting up the sold-out signs in the next few days.
The last time Wales faced the Scots, the Azzurri and Les Blues at home following a Rugby World Cup was the 2016 Six Nations, when all three matches sold-out before a ball was kicked, a factor directly influenced by a successful run in the tournament.
In Pivac's first game in charge he leads Wales against a Barbarians side which will be led by his predecessor at the helm for Wales, Gatland, at Principality Stadium in November.
The Barbarians match has sold over 40,000 tickets to date, but also still has availability for U16s, at £10, with remaining adult tickets starting at £30.
Remaining tickets for Italy and France in the Six Nations and for the Barbarians game are available now from a Welsh rugby club near you, online at www.wru.wales/tickets, in person at the WRU ticket office or by phone 0844 847 1881 (calls to this number cost 7p per minute plus your company's access charge) – maximum purchase limits apply.
Principality Stadium Official Hospitality Packages are available for all matches from 02920 822309 or visit www.wru.wales/hospitality, with Premium hospitality available for the Barbarians game and limited availability in The Players' Lounge for Italy.
The WRU's offsite hospitality partner Events International also has availability www.eventsinternational.co.uk and official travel packages can be purchased from the WRU's official travel supplier, Gullivers Sports Travel by visiting www.gulliverstravel.co.uk and some member clubs may also still have tickets.
The WRU strongly advises all supporters to make sure they always 'buy official', only tickets bought from official sources (member clubs, official partners or the WRU direct) are guaranteed by the WRU – with tickets sold via unlicensed operators often cancelled and entrance regularly and regretfully refused on void tickets.
FIXTURES ON SALE NOW (includes ticket availability by category):
Wales v Barbarians, Saturday 30th November 2019, Principality Stadium, Kick-off 2.45pm (Double header with Wales Women v Barbarians Women, Kick-off 11.45am) Prices: £10, £20 (both sold-out to adults but £10 concession remains for U16 – with over 40,000, more than half capacity, available) , £30 *AFZ, £40, £50
Wales v Italy, Guinness Six Nations Championship, Saturday 1st February 2020, Principality Stadium, Kick-off 2.15pm. Prices: £30, £50 (both sold-out), £60 *AFZ, £60 (£20 U16), £65 (£20 U16), £75
Wales v France, Guinness Six Nations Championship, Saturday 22nd February 2020, Principality Stadium, Kick-off 4.45pm. Prices: £40, £65 (both sold-out), £90, £90 *AFZ, £95, £105 (sold-out)
Wales v Scotland, Guinness Six Nations Championship, Saturday 14th March 2020, Principality Stadium, Kick-off 2.15pm ALL SOLD-OUT
Wales make two changes for Fiji clash
Wales have made two changes for their third RWC Pool D encounter against Fiji on Wednesday (October 9 KO 18.45 local / 10.45 UK).
Both changes to the starting XV come in the back row with Ross Moriarty and James Davies coming into the side at number eight and openside flanker respectively with Josh Navidi switching to blindside flanker.
The front-five remains the same from Wales' opening two victories with Wyn Jones, Ken Owens and Tomas Francis packing down in the front-row with Jake Ball and captain Alun Wyn Jones continuing their partnership in the second-row.
The backline for Wales remains unchanged with Gareth Davies and Dan Biggar named as the half-backs with Hadleigh Parkes and Jonathan Davies partnering in the midfield.
Josh Adams, George North and Liam Williams line-up as the back-three.
Elliot Dee, Rhys Carre and Dillon Lewis provide the front-row cover on the bench with Aaron Shingler and Aaron Wainwright completing the forward contingent. Tomos Williams, Rhys Patchell and Owen Watkin are named as the backline replacements.
1. Wyn Jones (Scarlets) (17 Caps)
2. Ken Owens (Scarlets) (69 Caps)
3. Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs) (45 Caps)
4. Jake Ball (Scarlets) (38 Caps)
5. Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys) (130 Caps) (CAPT)
6. Josh Navidi (Cardiff Blues) (21 Caps)
7. James Davies (Scarlets) (5 Caps)
8. Ross Moriarty (Dragons) (36 Caps)
9. Gareth Davies (Scarlets) (46 Caps)
10. Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints) (75 Caps)
11. Josh Adams (Cardiff Blues) (16 Caps)
12. Hadleigh Parkes (Scarlets) (20 Caps)
13. Jonathan Davies (Scarlets) (78 Caps)
14. George North (Ospreys) (88 Caps)
15. Liam Williams (Saracens) (60 Caps)
16. Elliot Dee (Dragons) (24 Caps)
17. Rhys Carre (Saracens) (1 Cap)
18. Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Blues) (17 Caps)
19. Aaron Shingler (Scarlets) (22 Caps)
20. Aaron Wainwright (Dragons) (14 Caps)
21. Tomos Williams (Cardiff Blues) (11 Caps)
22. Rhys Patchell (Scarlets) (15 Caps)
23. Owen Watkin (Ospreys) (17 Caps)
35-strong squad named for bumper autumn series
WALES Women head coach Rowland Phillips has named a 35-strong squad for his side's five matches in November – their biggest autumn series to date. Hooker Carys Phillips will continue to captain the squad which includes 14 uncapped players.
Wales begin the series with three away matches – against Spain, Ireland and Scotland before returning to Wales for the first match against a women's Crawshay's team coached by new WRU Council Member Liza Burgess and the first professional female coach in Wales – Rachel Taylor.
That game will take place at Eugene Cross Park, Ebbw Vale on Saturday, November 23, and Taylor will also be part of the opposition coaching team a week later for Wales Women's first match against the Barbarians in the Principality Stadium double header.
Phillips said: "Our focus hasn't changed. We are already qualified for the 2021 Women's Rugby World Cup and our key aim is to build a squad of young players with significant experience under their belts.
"This autumn series is a huge opportunity to do that. All players will gain from the experience of travelling away for three testing encounters against Spain, Ireland and Scotland – all of whom still need to qualify for the World Cup. And to be part of two historic encounters in Wales at the end of November against the Crawhshay's and Barbarians is something we will all look forward to and enjoy.
"We finished the Six Nations on a high with a dramatic win over Scotland and then a pleasing win and performance against Ireland and we want to build on that momentum this season.
"There is excellent quality coming through – that was evident in the regional programme again this summer and some of those players are rewarded with squad places today. We have a responsibility to continue to develop those players, maximise their potential and also manage them well. We will expose them to an international environment and give them game time when ready. The likes of Lauren Smyth, Manon Johnes, Alex Callender and Gwen Crabb all earned their first caps last autumn and have gone on to become key players in the squad. The opportunity is there for others to do the same if they apply themselves.
"We are clear on where we need to develop to become consistently competitive. There's a better understanding now from players of what is required of an international player in terms of fitness, skill levels, attitude and everything else that goes with being an international rugby player.
"We aren't looking beyond the first game. Spain are making significant progress and will provide a tough challenge especially on their home turf. We are looking forward to locking horns with our Six Nations adversaries Ireland and Scotland who both have a point to prove and we want to engage as many home fans as possible in our journey and be part of our home matches at Ebbw Vale at Principality Stadium."
WRU international skills coaches Geraint Lewis and Chris Horsman have joined Rowland Phillips and Gareth Wyatt in the Wales Women coaching set-up and will provide specialised input throughout the autumn campaign.
Phillips welcomed the addition of the former Wales international forwards. "Geraint and Chris are excellent coaches. With their wealth of experience working with young international players, they understand the need to adapt styles and management skills accordingly. It's hugely encouraging for the women's programme to become a more integrated part of the WRU performance structure. I know I've learned a lot from coaching female athletes and Chris and Geraint have already shown they will add value to the programme."
Wales Women autumn series squad:
Forwards: (5 uncapped*)
Alex Callender (Scarlets), Gwen Crabb (Ospreys), Amy Evans (Ospreys), Georgia Evans* (Cardiff Blues), Abbie Fleming* (Cardiff Blues), Cerys Hale (Cardiff Blues),
Sioned Harries (Scarlets), Cara Hope (Ospreys), Jordan Hopkins* (Cardiff Blues), Gwenllian Jenkins* (Scarlets), Natalia John (Ospreys), Manon Johnes (Cardiff Blues), Kelsey Jones (Ospreys), Bethan Lewis (Scarlets), Siwan Lillicrap (Ospreys), Robyn Lock* (Ospreys), Carys Phillips (Ospreys), Gwenllian Pyrs (RGC)
Backs: (9 uncapped*)
Keira Bevan, (Ospreys), Angharad Desmet* (Scarlets), Alecs Donovan (Ospreys), Lleucu George (Scarlets), Courtney Keight* (Ospreys), Kerin Lake (Ospreys), Caitlin Lewis* (Scarlets), Ffion Lewis (Scarlets), Rebekah O'Loughlin* (Cardiff Blues), Kayleigh Powell* (Ospreys), Paige Randall* (Cardiff Blues), Catherine Richards* (Cardiff Blues), Lauren Smyth (Ospreys), Elinor Snowsill Ospreys), Niamh Terry* (Ospreys), Megan Webb* (Cardiff Blues), Robyn Wilkins (Cardiff Blues)
Wales Women fixtures November 2019:
Spain v Wales Women, Estadio Nacional Computense, Madrid, Sunday, November 3, 12.45pm local time
Ireland v Wales Women, The Bowl, UCD, Dublin, Sunday, November 10, 1pm
Scotland v Wales Women, Glasgow, Sunday, November 17, 3pm
Crawshay's v Wales Women, Eugene Cross Park, Ebbw Vale Saturday, November 23, 2.30pm
Wales Women v Barbarians Saturday, November 30, Principality Stadium 11.45am
Tickets for the Barbarians double-header on sale via wru.wales/tickets
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Have You Discovered Everything the Hopper 3 Can Do?
The power of watching TV throughout your entire home begins with one award-winning device.
With the Hopper 3, TV is just the beginning.
Learn how you can enjoy a house full of entertainment for friends and family.
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Running your business is your job
Our job is making sure we protect it
LoPriore Insurance Agency helps you to keep your business running smoothly
As a business owner, protecting your business is part of your job, we would welcome the opportunity to make that job as easy as possible. We have been providing Business Insurance coverage in Stoneham MA for years and know it is necessary to protect you and your business from liability as well as offer you protection for your business. There are several ways the policy can be structured to make sure that the coverage is relevant and tailored to your specific insurance needs. LoPriore Insurance Agency is here to offer a consultation on your needs as a business owner.
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Find out what volunteer opportunities are offered to you!
Tuesday, 16 January 2018 - 11:00 am to 2:00 pm
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Do you want to get involved but don't know where to start? We have a number of interesting volunteer opportunities. Do you have an idea that you would like to turn into action? We can help. Getting involved is a great opportunity to develop new skills, to expand your contact network and to have a positive impact on your community! Your community engagement activities can also boost your résumé! Ask us how you can obtain your Co-Curricular Record (CCR)! Come to this information kiosk for more information or to chat with us! *The Centre is an on-campus one-stop shop for information on volunteer opportunities.


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|Biosequences .. Software .. Molbio soft .. Network News .. FTP
Hello Everbody I am looking for addresses of international organisations that are interested in funding plant biotechnological research in developing countries. I will appreciate it if responds to this request is sent to me by Email <okyere at molbiol.uct.ac.za>, or via this address, John Okyere 211 Harwill Crt 61 Tongogara Ave Harare, Zimbabwe Please help me help the African Farmer. John.


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When your skin is at its most dried-out, pale, and tired, a steam treatment can bring back an unseasonably healthy glow. How? Moist heat hydrates skin, boosts circulation, and brings oxygen to the facial area. It also promotes skin clarity, but not because steam opens pores. "That's a common misconception," says Barbara Close, founder of New York's Naturopathica Spa and author of "Pure Skin: Organic Beauty Basics." "Pores don't open and close -- they're a set size." Steam loosens debris and softens skin, she says, so pores can unclog and appear less prominent.
Together with Close, we've created an at-home herbal steam suitable for most skin types. Dried lavender, calendula blossoms, and geranium essential oil tone and balance the skin, while their light, floral aromas calm the senses. Of course, the beauty of an at-home treatment is that it can be customized. Add dried chamomile flowers to your herbal infusion to soothe irritated skin, fresh rosemary to balance very oily skin, or fresh parsley to help heal acne. If skin is severely broken out or inflamed, however, avoid steaming, as steam may aggravate these symptoms.
Herbal Steam Tools
1/3 cup dried lavender blossoms
1/3 cup dried calendula blossoms
4 to 5 drops geranium essential oil (Pelargonium graveolens)
Herbal Steam How-To
1. Add dried lavender and calendula (plus any additional herbs of your choice) to a large French press or teapot. Pour 2 cups of boiling water over the herbs and steep for about 10 minutes.
2. When the herbs are finished steeping, fill a clean bathroom sink halfway with very hot water. Pull up a chair that will allow you to hang your head over the basin, about 6 to 8 inches from the water. Press or strain the herbs, then add the herbal infusion to the water. Add geranium essential oil.
3. Drape a large bath towel over your head and shoulders to create a "tent" over the sink and steam your face and neck for 3 to 5 minutes. If the water cools, add hot water as needed to produce more steam.
4. After steaming, splash your face and neck with lukewarm water and pat dry with a clean, fluffy towel.
5. All skin types, especially mature skin, will benefit from a post-steam facial massage to keep skin moist and soft. Simply apply a few drops of a light oil (such as avocado or apricot kernel) to your fingers, then gently massage your forehead, cheeks, chin, and neck using small, inward circles.
Text by Donna Garlough; photo by Victoria Pearson


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Desktop Chaos Photoshop files
I've finally gotten around to cleaning up the master photoshop file for this theme and it's now available for download. You can grab it here, or on the theme download page. Enjoy!
Download Layered Photoshop file of index/home page (.psd 9.7mb)
P.S. handwritten fonts were all hand drawn – no type face was used


text: I heard of B.O.B a few years back and I thought the kid was hot...I just thought his timing was bad...What I mean by "Timing being bad" meaning the times of the year he dropped his singles werent the best times to release particular singles. I still think he has potential to take the top 40/crossover market by storm. How do you feel???


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Vox's range of Night Train G2 amps provide Vox's traditional full-tube sound for a variety of needs. They now also feature a built-in high-quality reverb effect and they sound great! Don't believe us? Come into our Bournemouth pro-music superstore and take the Tone Test! CLICK HERE to find us. The Night Train G2 series is made up of the Night Train NT50H-G2 & V212NT-G2 cab, Night Train NT15H-G2 & V112NT-G2 cab and the Night Train NT15C1 combo amplifier.
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From now until Friday 31st January, Vox are giving you the chance to claim a FREE set of Dean Markley Blue Steel guitar strings simply for coming into our store and trying out either a Night Train G2 amp or Tone Garage pedal!


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Freeing the Spirit of Change
We believe that at the core of each of our three Abrahamic faiths is the clear recognition that our spirituality must express itself through ethical and socially responsible behavior. So why does the world appear as it does? Why are we still attempting to solve conflicts violently? Why is there such economic disparity in our society? Why are we fighting each other?
I believe that there are two major reasons for the failure of our faiths to motivate loving action in the world. One is the struggle by religious institutions for their own survival and expansion; the other is the struggle of our personal institution, our ego identity, to support its own survival through a focus on fleeting self-satisfactions. As long as our religions confuse their spiritual mission with their institutional success, spiritual teachings will suffer. As long as we pursue our individual desires as if we are not in fact interconnected to each other, we will at best only mouth words of spiritual wisdom but never truly express them in our lives.
The political polarization in our country reflects this same confusion of ideals and institutions. Instead of a language of caring, we are party to the constant rhetoric of attack: It's Us versus Them, and We are always right. Out of this polarization comes frustration and anger, helplessness and hopelessness, and a loss of the spiritual awareness that alone can help us escape the Us and Them battles taking place everywhere—in our homes, in our families, in our communities, in our country, among our countries and, perhaps most essentially, within ourselves.
How can we awaken to the greater context of our lives? How can the self-centered focus of our separate selves expand to include a vision of our common humanity? How can our religious institutions step into the authenticity of their teachings, and our personal institutions walk paths of mutual cooperation and support?
Perhaps we must first acknowledge that our world reflects our confusion of priorities and accept the challenge to create climates of remembering within ourselves. This is one of the deepest functions of all spiritual traditions: to support inner environments of awareness from which effective and loving action in the world can be born.
These lines from the 8th century B.C. prophet, Micah, are among my favorites:
It has been told you, humankind, what the Eternal One asks of you: Only to act justly, to love lovingkindness, and to walk with integrity in the Presence of your God. (6:8)
The last injunction is often translated "to walk humbly," but we are also asked to discover and share the authenticity of our being. We are not to pretend that we are more than we are, but we are also not to pretend that we are less. Living with honesty allows us to share our gifts with our world, while at the same time welcoming the authenticity of others.
From a significantly earlier literature come these injunctions, appearing in a section of the Book of Leviticus called the Holiness Code:
And when you reap the harvest of your land, thou shall not completely reap the corner of thy field, nor shall you gather the gleaning of your harvest. And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and for the stranger: I am the Eternal One your God. (19:9-10)
These lines urge us not only to provide for those in need, but to support their dignity as well. For those who do not own their own land, but are able to reap, the corners are provided. For those not able to reap but able to gather, the fallen produce is available. Such injunctions follow from the spiritual awareness that we are all interconnected parts of One Life. Such regulations supported what later came to be called the Golden Rule, formulated in Judaism by Hillel, who taught between 30 B.C. and 10 A.D.:
That which is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor. This is the whole of Torah, all the rest is commentary. Go now, and learn. (Babylonian Talmud, tractate Shabbat 31a)
In Christianity, this same Rule was spoken by Jesus and found in the Sermon on the Mount in the Book of Matthew:
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. (7:12)
And in Islam, this teaching appears in a hadith, a saying of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him:
No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself. (Hadith of an-Nawawi 13)
Look into your own tradition for guidelines in meditation and prayer. If you have no traditional identification, look to literature and to guides whom you experience as paths of open hearts and loving minds. And then practice. Remember always the teaching of the Hopi Elders: We are the ones we've been waiting for.
Here are some simple focus phrases that you can practice in moments of silence today. You can also repeat them at those times when you are caught in the polarization that denies the reality of our Oneness. Remember:
I am One with all that is.
Lovingkindness expresses through me now.
I act to make things better.


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So without further ado, here are eight corporate subsidies in the fiscal cliff bill that you haven't heard of.
1) Help out NASCAR – Sec 312 extends the "seven year recovery period for motorsports entertainment complex property", which is to say it allows anyone who builds a racetrack and associated facilities to get tax breaks on it. This one was projected to cost $43 million over two years.
2) A hundred million or so for Railroads – Sec. 306 provides tax credits to certain railroads for maintaining their tracks. It's unclear why private businesses should be compensated for their costs of doing business. This is worth roughly $165 million a year.
3) Disney's Gotta Eat – Sec. 317 is "Extension of special expensing rules for certain film and television productions". It's a relatively straightforward subsidy to Hollywood studios, and according to the Joint Tax Committee, was projected to cost $150m for 2010 and 2011.
4) Help a brother mining company out – Sec. 307 and Sec. 316 offer tax incentives for miners to buy safety equipment and train their employees on mine safety. Taxpayers shouldn't have to bribe mining companies to not kill their workers.
5) Subsidies for Goldman Sachs Headquarters – Sec. 328 extends "tax exempt financing for York Liberty Zone," which was a program to provide post-9/11 recovery funds. Rather than going to small businesses affected, however, this was, according to Bloomberg, "little more than a subsidy for fancy Manhattan apartments and office towers for Goldman Sachs and Bank of America Corp." Michael Bloomberg himself actually thought the program was excessive, so that's saying something. According to David Cay Johnston's The Fine Print, Goldman got $1.6 billion in tax free financing for its new massive headquarters through Liberty Bonds.
6) $9B Off-shore financing loophole for banks – Sec. 322 is an "Extension of the Active Financing Exception to Subpart F." Very few tax loopholes have a trade association, but this one does. This strangely worded provision basically allows American corporations such as banks and manufactures to engage in certain lending practices and not pay taxes on income earned from it. According to this Washington Post piece, supporters of the bill include GE, Caterpillar, and JP Morgan. Steve Elmendorf, super-lobbyist, has been paid $80,000 in 2012 alone to lobby on the "Active Financing Working Group."
7) Tax credits for foreign subsidiaries – Sec. 323 is an extension of the "Look-through treatment of payments between related CFCs under foreign personal holding company income rules." This gibberish sounding provision cost $1.5 billion from 2010 and 2011, and the US Chamber loves it. It's a provision that allows US multinationals to not pay taxes on income earned by companies they own abroad.
8) Bonus Depreciation, R&D Tax Credit – These are well-known corporate boondoggles. The research tax credit was projected to cost $8B for 2010 and 2011, and the depreciation provisions were projected to cost about $110B for those two years, with some of that made up in later years.
Conveniently, the Joint Committee on Taxation in 2010 did an analysis of what many of these extenders cost. You can find that report here.
Read more at http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2013/01/eight-corporate-subsidies-in-the-fiscal-cliff-bill-from-goldman-sachs-to-disney-to-nascar.html#xrxeryugsu6xMxIo.99


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When the rainy weather finally broke Sunday, many people went to local parks to swim or boat, not knowing they were sharing the water with more than 550,000 gallons of raw sewage.
When the rainy weather finally broke Sunday, many people went to local parks to swim or boat, not knowing they were sharing the water with more than 550,000 gallons of raw sewage.
It took almost two days before the public was notified about two sewage spills that leaked into the water during heavy rains Saturday.
Swimmers and boaters at Liza Jackson Park in Fort Walton Beach, Marler Park on Okaloosa Island and Lincoln Park in Valparaiso were not notified until Monday morning that the water there possibly was contaminated.
Dr. Karen Chapman, director of the Okaloosa County Health Department, said Tuesday that she was seeking answers as to why all the measures in place to get the public informed after a spill had failed.
�I am trying to figure out why we didn�t know until Monday morning,� she said. �We are working to fix it.�
An estimated 500,000 gallons of raw sewage flowed Saturday onto Fort Walton Beach roads and into two homes and Santa Rosa Sound near Liza Jackson Park.
A second spill Saturday dumped about 58,000 gallons of sewage into Tom�s Bayou and Boggy Bayou in Valparaiso.
Chapman said her office received emails about the spills Monday morning, but no one in her office or in the county�s Emergency Management Department was notified by phone over the weekend.
She said there is an emergency call system in place, but no one used it.
Fort Walton Beach and the regional treatment plant that serves Valparaiso also did not directly notify the public. Instead, they relied on a state notification system that sent the emails, she said.
Sewage in the water can expose people to high bacteria levels that can cause illnesses or infections.
Chapman said that while those types of medical problems are not typically reported to the Health Department, she has not received any indication from local hospitals that they have seen an increase in reports possibly connected to the spills.
People do not need to see a doctor simply because they were exposed to the water. If they do seek medical attention, they should tell the medical staff that they potentially were exposed, she said.
The Health Department advises against swimming, boating or having other contact with the water in Santa Rosa Sound and the bayous around Valparaiso until further notice.
Chapman said this is the first time such a large spill has occurred without her department being notified by phone.
�Email is not a reliable way to get to somebody in an emergency situation,� she said. �In this day and age we�ve gotten used to not talking to each other. We need to fix that.�
She said she will hold meetings in the coming weeks to figure out how to avoid a similar situation in the future.
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Lauren Sage Reinlie at 850-315-4443 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow her on Twitter @LaurenRnwfdn.


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Country music icon Dolly Parton is pitching in to help the victims of the Great Smoky Mountain wildfires in Sevier County, Tennessee, where she grew up.
The fires have killed at least seven people and another six are still missing, NBC News reported.
"I've always believed that charity begins at home," Parton said in a video, announcing that she will provide $1,000 a month for six months to displaced families affected by the deadly fires in the area. Her Dollywood Foundation has established the My People Fund and she invited fans to donate to it online.
"I know it's been a trying time for my people, and this assistance will help," she added.
Approximately 300 buildings have been destroyed in Gatlinburg and 14,000 people had been forced to flee their homes, according to The Associated Press.
Many families are still separated and have not heard from their loved ones. Wolf McLellan, who was staying at a nearby motel, lost his dog, Kylie, to the disaster.
"She was too scared to move with the smoke and sirens and she just stood there. I didn't want to drag her. I couldn't drag her," he told the AP. "I figured the humane thing to do would be to just cut her loose."
Meanwhile, first responders, some of whom have been personally affected by the fires, are conducting a search and rescue mission. While they've found bodies, they've also been able to rescue people who were initially unable to evacuate.
Parton lauded organizations like the Red Cross for their efforts in Gatlinburg this week. "The support, as always, has been overwhelming," she said.


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Certain dishes are like going home. They're the ones that wrap you up in a big, warm hug after a long day. They're the ones that take you back to cooking alongside your grandmother, or whoever did the cooking in your house. They can be pick-me-ups, cool-me-downs, and maybe even take-me-backs. They're pure comfort masquerading as food.
I've been waiting on this post for several days now. I've been far removed from cooking, writing, and, in general, communing with the food world I so often refer to as my therapy. Two months ago, I started a fantastic and exciting journey. I took the reigns of a morning newscast, learned how to get up every morning at 1:15 a.m., and I learned a lot about myself in the process.
I discovered I had resolve. I uncovered a creativity I had forgotten I had. I learned that old dogs can learn new tricks, and more importantly, they definitely should. Change, for better or worse, in the end, makes us all a little more open to the world. I made new friends, learned from new colleagues, and encountered challenges I had not yet stumbled across. And yes, I learned I could live, and be happy on (a lot) less sleep.
I learned home is where you make it.
So, now I embark on another journey, back to where I started, but with new challenges. You see, I've been charged (promoted) with taking the reigns of my old friend, the night news. Instead of hearing the alarm at 1:15am, instead, that's when I'll be crawling into bed alongside a loving husband, and two snoring pugs once more.
It's a bit like going home, but missing the new and exciting adventure you've been living thus far. I'm excited to again be with old friends, but certainly will miss the new ones. This however, is a new adventure in an old place. I've learned an immense amount to bring back to the table at which I once sat. It also brings me back to food and my writing, something I hadn't quite been able to figure in as of late.
But again, home is where you make it, and no one said it has to be in only one place. If you miss it, make one of those dishes I was talking about, like this tomato soup, and you'll be right back there.
Fresh Tomato Soup
Adapted from: Ina Garten
Serves: 5-6
If you still have the last of your garden tomatoes, or if they're still all over your local market, this is a perfect use of them. I used black, beefsteak, heirloom, and orange tomatoes in this soup. It's forgiving, use whatever you'd like. Pair it with a grilled cheese, and smile from ear to ear. Note: if you don't have a food mill, simply peel and seed all the vegetables below before cooking, and puree in a blender or food processor in batches at the end.
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups chopped sweet onions (about 2 onions)
- 2 carrots, unpeeled, and chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
- 4 pounds ripe tomatoes, any variety, coarsely chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup milk
- Parmesan cheese (for serving)
- Heat your olive oil in a large pot, I use a dutch oven, over medium-low heat.
- Add your onions and carrots to the pot, and cook until tender.
- Next, add your garlic and cook for about a minute.
- Now, dump in your tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, basil, chicken stock, salt, and pepper and stir.
- Bring the soup to a boil, and then down to a simmer, and simmer, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes until tomatoes are tender.
- Finally, add your milk to the soup and process it through a food mill into a bowl, throwing away the pulp left behind.
- Reheat the soup in your large pot and serve with plenty of freshly grated parmesan cheese.