text:
Fine whine? Billionaire cries foul in vintage sale
The Associated Press
Aspen, CO, Colorado
NEW YORK – As experts can testify, super sleuths in the wine business must study the cork, glass, sediment, wrapping, labels and how full a bottle of wine is to ascertain whether it's the real deal. And as two uber-wealthy wine collectors can tell you as they square off in federal court over some questionable bottles, even that sometimes is not enough.
Testimony began Wednesday in a civil trial six years after Florida energy maven and part-time Aspen resident William Koch, a yachtsman and collector, sued onetime-billionaire California businessman Eric Greenberg in U.S. District Court in Manhattan over $320,000 he spent in 2005 on two dozen bottles of wine that turned out to be duds.
The trial threatens to pop the cork on the dirty secrets of the wine-auction world, which, like the art market, has been stung in recent years by a proliferation of fakes.
At the opening, there was plenty of talk of how difficult it is to be sure a bottle is real and how good a fake can be. It's heartbreaking for a true collector to learn that wine is inauthentic because it's more than just a bottle and a flavor, Koch's attorney John Hueston said.
"Koch will say these are links to history," he said, adding that great wines transport people to another era. "It's not just the juice in the package."
Greenberg – a former billionaire who built two Internet-consulting companies before the 2000 collapse of those stocks reportedly reduced his net worth by as much as 90 percent – asserted his innocence as he took the stand as one of the trial's first witnesses.
"I wouldn't sell a fake wine," he said. "I've never intentionally sold fake wine in my life."
Koch, the brother of famous industrialists and conservative political supporters David and Charles Koch, is seeking compensation for the $320,000, along with unspecified damages. The trial might yet end in a settlement.
Greenberg years ago capitalized on the growing interest in the sale of alcohol for investment purposes, becoming one of the world's top owners of vintage wine, with a collection of more than 70,000 bottles.
According to court documents, Greenberg earned about $9 million when he sold 17,000 bottles of wine at the sale where Koch made his purchases, reducing his collection by about a quarter.
Koch paid as much as $30,000 for some bottles, including several purported to be from the 1800s. Those included a $22,542 bottle of Chateau Lafite Rothschild from 1805, a $29,172 bottle of Chateau Lafite Rothschild from 1811 and a $33,150 magnum of Chateau Lafite Rothschild from 1870. The oldest bottles are no longer part of the court case.
Unscrupulous wine dealers have been known to put fine-vintage labels on cheaper bottles and try to pass them off as the real thing. Greenberg is not alleged to have done that himself, but Koch's lawyers say he should have known something was amiss.
An investigation revealed that Greenberg had been warned by experts that bottles in his collection were not authentic and decided to push them on unwitting buyers at his auction rather than toss them, Hueston said.
Greenberg is not to blame for any bad bottles of wine Koch bought, said Arthur Shartsis, one of the defendant's lawyers.
A catalog for the sale warned buyers that the wine was being sold "as is" without any promises as to its authenticity.
Further, Greenberg tried to remove bogus bottles himself before the sale and he exposed the corks on bottles so buyers could examine them prior to the sale, Shartsis said. He also used an established auction house with a good reputation that inspected the bottles to aid the pursuit of authenticity, the lawyer said.
On the stand, Greenberg explained how he quickly refunded money to a buyer once who claimed he had sold fake wine.
"I stood behind my wine as I always do and gave them a refund," Greenberg said. "I have nothing to hide."
Greenberg maintains through his lawyers that the ultimate test is to taste the wine itself, a luxury that also can devalue bottles that can cost thousands of dollars.
"The only way to know … is to taste what's inside the bottle," Shartsis said.
Shartsis was not permitted to tell jurors that Koch is a billionaire, but he dropped some hints.
He noted that Koch spent $3.7 million buying 2,600 bottles of wine from Greenberg and paid a man more than $75,000 daily for two days to make his bids for him at the auction. He criticized Koch for failing to hire people to inspect the bottles he intended to purchase before the auction.
The dangers of trading in rare wines was already apparent to Koch, who learned in 2005 that four bottles of French wine he believed had been once owned by Thomas Jefferson were fake.
Since then, he's been on a bit of a crusade against wine fakery, having sued wine companies, auction houses and Greenberg, saying in court papers that counterfeiters for years "have duped wine collectors into paying millions of dollars for near worthless bottles of wine."
Aspen Police secure arrest warrants in 2021 Louis Vuitton burglary case
Aspen Police Department have secured arrest warrants for two men in connection with the 2021 burglary at Aspen's Louis Vuitton store, located at 206 South Mill Street.


text:
Rico Illinois Fighting Illini Blue Laser Tag License Plate
Sports Team: Illinois
Product Information
Leave no one guessing which team you root for when on the road with the Rico® Illinois Fighting Illini Blue Laser Tag License Plate. This standard size acrylic license plate with laser-engraved logo shows off your favorite team to everyone you pass. The mirrored design will catch everyone's eye as you show your pride and passion with the Rico® Laser Tag License Plate.
- Acrylic license plate with laser-engraved logo
- Standard size license plate with mirrored design
- Dimensions: 12" x 6"
- Officially licensed product
- Model #: LZC400101
- Country of Origin : Imported
- Brand : Rico
- Web ID: 16RICUNCLLNSBLLSRHDG

subset: commoncrawl


text:
New 2023 FordEdge SEL SUV EcoBoost I4 GTDi DOHC Turbocharged VCT
- Exterior Color
- Blue
- Interior Color
- Ebony
- Body/Seating
- SUV/5 seats
- Fuel Economy
- 21/28 MPG City/Hwy
- Transmission
- 8-Speed Automatic
- Drivetrain
- Engine
- EcoBoost 2.0L I4 GTDi DOHC Turbocharged VCT
- Stock Number
Highlighted Features
- Lane departure
- Automatic temperature control
- Emergency communication system
- Wireless phone connectivity
- Parking sensors
- Exterior parking camera rear
- Front dual zone A/C
- Auto high-beam headlights
Detailed Specifications
- 1-touch down
- 1-touch up
- Air conditioning
- Auto-dimming rearview mirror
- Automatic temperature control
- Driver door bin
- Driver vanity mirror
- Emergency communication system: SYNC 4 911 Assist
- Front beverage holders
- Front dual zone A/C
- Illuminated entry
- Overhead console
- Passenger door bin
- Passenger vanity mirror
- Power windows
- Proximity key: doors and push button start
- Rear beverage holders
- Rear door bins
- Remote engine start: smart device only (subscription required)
- Remote keyless entry
- Speed control
- Telescoping steering wheel
- Tilt steering wheel
- Alloy wheels
- Four wheel independent suspension
- Front anti-roll bar
- Front tires: 245/60HR18.0
- Power steering
- Rear anti-roll bar
- Rear tires: 245/60HR18.0
- Wheel size: 18"
- 1st row LCD monitors: 3
- AM/FM radio: SiriusXM with 360L
- Primary LCD size: 12.0"
- Satellite radio trial duration with new vehicle purchase (months): 3
- Smart device integration: SYNC 4 AppLink/Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
- Speakers: 6
- Steering wheel mounted audio controls
- Wireless phone connectivity: Bluetooth
- Basic warranty: 36 months/36,000miles
- Corrosion perforation warranty: 60 months/ unlimited distance
- Powertrain warranty: 60 months/60,000miles
- Roadside assistance coverage: 60 months/60,000miles
- Front center armrest: w/storage
- Front seats: bucket
- Heated front seats
- Max seating capacity: 5
- Power 2-way driver lumbar support
- Power driver seat
- Power passenger seat
- Rear seat center armrest
- Rear seats: bench
- Rear seats Folding position: EasyFold fold forward seatback
- Seat Upholstery: leatherette ActiveX
- Split folding rear seat
- Compressor: intercooled turbo
- Cylinder configuration: I-4
- Drive type: all-wheel
- Engine liters: 2.0L
- Engine location: front
- Fuel economy city: 21mpg
- Fuel economy combined: 23mpg
- Fuel economy fuel type: gasoline
- Fuel economy highway: 28mpg
- Fuel tank capacity: 18.5gal.
- Horsepower: 250hp @ 5,500RPM
- Hybrid traction battery type: none
- Limited slip differential: brake actuated
- Manual-shift auto: SelectShift
- Mode select transmission
- Number of valves: 16
- Recommended fuel: Premium Unleaded
- Torque: 280 lb.-ft. @ 3,000RPM
- Transmission: 8 speed automatic
- Variable valve control
- Approach angle: 19 deg
- Departure angle: 22 deg
- Ground clearance (max): 203mm (8.0")
- Ramp breakover angle: 17 deg
- Bumpers: body-color
- Door mirrors: body-color
- Heated door mirrors
- Power door mirrors
- Rear cargo: liftgate
- Spoiler
- Compression ratio: 10.00 to 1
- Curb weight: 1,871kg (4,124lbs)
- Engine bore x stroke: 86.4mm x 83.1mm (3.40" x 3.27")
- Engine displacement: 2.0 L
- Engine horsepower: 250hp @ 5,500RPM
- Engine torque: 280 lb.-ft. @ 3,000RPM
- Exterior body width: 1,928mm (75.9")
- Exterior height: 1,735mm (68.3")
- Exterior length: 4,796mm (188.8")
- Front headroom: 1,021mm (40.2")
- Front hiproom: 1,420mm (55.9")
- Front legroom: 1,082mm (42.6")
- Front shoulder room: 1,532mm (60.3")
- Interior cargo volume: 1,110 L (39 cu.ft.)
- Interior maximum cargo volume: 2,078 L (73 cu.ft.)
- Passenger volume: 3,225L (113.9 cu.ft.)
- Rear headroom: 1,024mm (40.3")
- Rear hiproom: 1,461mm (57.5")
- Rear legroom: 1,031mm (40.6")
- Rear shoulder room: 1,537mm (60.5")
- Towing capacity: 680kg (1,500lbs)
- Turning radius: 6.0m (19.6')
- Wheelbase: 2,850mm (112.2")
- Appearance: digital/analog
- Auto high-beam headlights
- Blind spot: BLIS (Blind Spot Information System) warning
- Compass
- Configurable
- Delay-off headlights
- Exterior parking camera rear: Ford Co-Pilot360 - Reverse Camera yes
- Front fog lights
- Front reading lights
- Fully automatic headlights
- Lane departure: Lane Keeping Alert active
- Low tire pressure warning
- Outside temperature display
- Parking sensors: rear
- Rear reading lights
- Rear window defroster
- Rear window wiper
- Speed sensitive wipers
- Tachometer
- Trip computer
- Variably intermittent wipers
- 4 wheel disc brakes
- ABS brakes
- Brake assist
- Dual front impact airbags
- Dual front side impact airbags
- Electronic stability
- Forward collision: Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) mitigation
- Ignition disable
- Knee airbag
- Occupant sensing airbag
- Overhead airbag
- Panic alarm
- Pedestrian detection: prevention
- Rear collision: Cross-Traffic Alert warning
- Traction control
Dealer Notes
Chenoweth Ford is pleased to offer you this New 2023 Ford Edge SEL.This Edge SEL is equipped with Convenience Package (110V/150W AC Power Outlet, Fog Lamps w/Iconic Silver Bezel, Power Liftgate, Remote Start System, and Universal Garage Door Opener (UGDO)), Equipment Group 201A, AWD, 3.80 Axle Ratio, 4-Wheel Disc Brakes, 6 Speakers, ABS brakes, ActiveX Seating Material Heated Bucket Seats, Air Conditioning, Alloy wheels, AM/FM radio: SiriusXM with 360L, Auto High-beam Headlights, Auto-dimming Rear-View mirror, Automatic temperature control, Brake assist, Bumpers: body-color, Cargo Net, Compass, Delay-off headlights, Driver door bin, Driver vanity mirror, Dual front impact airbags, Dual front side impact airbags, Electronic Stability Control, Emergency communication system: SYNC 4 911 Assist, FordPass Connect, Four wheel independent suspension, Front & Rear Floor Liners w/o Carpet Mats, Front anti-roll bar, Front Bucket Seats, Front Center Armrest w/Storage, Front dual zone A/C, Front reading lights, Fully automatic headlights, Heated door mirrors, Heated front seats, Illuminated entry, Knee airbag, Leather steering wheel, Leather-Wrapped Steering Wheel, Low tire pressure warning, Occupant sensing airbag, Outside temperature display, Overhead airbag, Overhead console, Panic alarm, Panoramic Vista Roof, Passenger door bin, Passenger vanity mirror, Power door mirrors, Power driver seat, Power passenger seat, Power steering, Power windows, Radio: AM/FM Stereo/MP3 Capable, Rear anti-roll bar, Rear Parking Sensors, Rear reading lights, Rear seat center armrest, Rear window defroster, Rear window wiper, Remote keyless entry, SiriusXM w/360L, Speed control, Speed-Sensitive Wipers, Split folding rear seat, Spoiler, Steering wheel mounted audio controls, SYNC 4A w/Enhanced Voice Recognition, Tachometer, Telescoping steering wheel, Tilt steering wheel, Traction control, Trip computer, Variably intermittent wipers, and Wheels: 18" Sparkle Silver-Painted Aluminum.
KBB.com Consumer Reviews
- 5.0
Ford Has Really Stepped Up Its Game
By Craig on Friday, September 22, 2017Went from a 2008 Acadia SLT to a 2017 Ford Edge Titanium because we are empty nesters and didnt need the extra space anymore. We were going to test drive an Explorer but spotted the Edge on showroom floor while we waiting and fell in love with its spaciousness and comfort but without the bulk. Have had it two months now and can honestly say, I wont drive anything else ....ever. The 2.0 Eco Boost 4-banger has a ton of low end torque and very little turbo lag with excellent acceleration. Its quiet, smooth tranny, and is much more nimble in heavy traffic than its size would suggest. The interior fit and finish is very solid and is packed with quality materials with soft touch surfaces everywhere you reside - luxury on a budget. The new Sync 3 system is one of the easiest head units to operate on the market. Ford has a huge winner in the Edge - simple yet elegant without the import price tag. The Edge punches way above its weight class.
- 5.0
Better than any "luxury vehicle" I've owned
By KHavelka on Thursday, November 12, 2020I absolutely love my Ford Edge. I've owned 3 different Lexus models, this vehicle is just as nice, more features. I own a loaded Titanium with ALL of the extras. We bought it gently used for a fraction of what a Lexus would cost with so many awesome features. 2 toned leather interior with cooled seats, heated seats (front and back), heated steering wheel, panoramic sun roof, ambient lighting, V6 motor with tow, parking assist, sensors all over, gorgeous interior, comfortable and quite ride, beautiful exterior and interior... Want me to keep going? I LOVE this car. Best vehicle I've owned. I've been driving it for over 3 years, normal maintenance. Would definitely recommend it.
- 5.0
Great travel vehicle
By Jason on Monday, August 24, 2020Having owned the car for 6 months it has turned out to be one of the best vehicles I have owned. Two kids (one in a car seat) have plenty of room in the backseat. Seats are comfy and the rear doors open wide enough for easy access to the car seat. Headlights and safety features are best in the class, kids love the interior lighting that you can change colors. Remote app on the phone and hotspot you can active for a month we're great for our family vacation this year. Got 31.3mpg which is great for a vehicle this size. Heated wiper area will be nice to stop the wipers from snow buildup in winter. We looked at the Passport and Blazer when we purchased it, Passport interior was lacking a features. Blazer was too expensive to get safety equipment and just had random cheap feeling pieces around.
Exterior Color: Blue
Interior Color: Ebony
Vin Number: 2FMPK4J93PBA04125
Stock: TP168
View this 2023 Ford Edge SUV SEL for sale in


text:
If you have something to offer to our customers
we are opened to your suggestions. We are working
to satisfy the needs of most demanding travelers
and we believe you too. Let's do it together. >>
Here at BB72.com we are working for your travel.
Through our partnership with world-known lodging
companies and independent hotel groups we can
offer you really competitive rates in a huge
number of hotels all over the world. You can
choose from over 40000 properties of different
categories. Use BB72.com and travel with pleasure! >>
home | aboutĀus | forĀhotels | termsĀ&Āconditions | helpview/cancel reservation | customersĀsupport


text:
Do you have 30 seconds to spare?
Your participation in our short survey will help make this website better.
Call 08000 194 007
Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm
Fast Delivery 3 to 5 days ã Depending on chair selection. Standard delivery is 10 to 14 working days ã depending on chair selection.
If your chair is a special size it can take a little longer (14-21 days and is free). Your chair is set up for you by our trained engineers and you are given a full explanation / demonstration on how the product works. We do not leave it boxed outside your door for you to set up like most of our competitors
|Click here to read what our customers are saying about us...
|Click here to watch our chairs in action!
These are just a few of the testimonials Laybrook receive every month, we hope you find our product and service to be as good and have a similar experience.
18th December 2010ô
Dear Sir/ Madam, managing director of LAYBROOKô
Hi my name is Julia Dent, I am emailing to thank Sarah and Debbie and your delivery driver Tony for all the help through the whole process of my order from start to finish everyone was very kind and helpful.ô I cannot thank Tony enough for risking his own well being travelling on Friday in such severe weather conditions to make sure that I would get my delivery. He was kind and helpful and brave to drive here let alone home again in snow blizzards and ice ã hats off to himã I do so hope LAYBROOK acknowledge him as a great member to the finishing touches of such a good firm.ô
I would recommend LAYBROOK to my friends.ô Please can you confirm Tony got back safely?ô Many thanks happy Christmas.ô
Kind regardsô
Julie Dent.ô
June 2010ô
Hello Sharonô
Here is my deposit on the Barden bed we discussed.ô Thank you for all your help, I have enjoyed talking to you.ô Thank you to your company for giving us the opportunity to get the bed with their great finance options.ô It make all the difference to people whoãs lives are filled with pain and discomfort.ô ô
God blessô
Jean Reynolds
Milford haven
Novô 2010ô
Dear Sir,ô
I am writing to express my thanks for the way in which your company has dealt with our order.ô The lady from the sales department was extremely helpful to my wife who was placing the order at a time when she found placing the order very stressful.
Your delivery was prompt and the engineer who installed the bed could not have been more helpful.
I am very pleased with what we have received and your employees do your company credit.
Thank youô
Bob and Anne Webster
( Ellon)
4thô November 2010ô
Dear Debbieô
Just a quick note to say that I lurve my new bed.ô ô The soft mattress was certainly the right choice and far more comfortable than I expected.ô It also looks fab. Iãve put a pelmet (or whatever those frilly things are called) around the base.ô ô
Iãm still going through the playful phase, spending quite a bit of time eachô night adjusting the bed.ô
So many thanks.ô
Kind regardsô
Fiona Kitchen
30 October 2010ô
Dorchester dual bed and headboardô
Thank you so much for the above bed delivery to my friends Shirley & Del Ives at XXXXXXXXXXXXXX, Norfolk.ô Firstly please pass on their thanks for the excellent customer service provided by your deliveryman.ô They had their first nights sleep last night in 6 months and Del didnãt stop breathing or move from his comfy position once!ô Shirley said a great stress has been lifted from her mind.ô So a big thank you all-round to your companyô from the sales lady Sharon to all in the dispatch, you offer excellent service and a quality product!ô
Kate Burton
1 October 2010ô
Dear Sirsô
My wife and I now have our LAYBROOK ã Bardenã dual bed since the end of June and we should like to record our appreciation, not only of the product itself which is doing everything claimed and making life so much easier but also of the very high standard of customer care we experienced.ô The kindness and understanding of everyone made the whole experience a pleasure rather than another stress in a difficult situation.ô The warmth and patience of the ladies on the telephone and the pleasantness of the representative who delivered and set up the bed made everything easy and friendly.
We have had no hesitation in recommending Laybrook to everyone including health visitors and Macmillan nurses, emphasising that there is no pressure or awkwardness just quality and consideration.ô
Your Faithfullyô
Stuartô Mackenzie
One of many older ones!
21 September 2009ô
My Name is Elizabeth Young I have just purchased your Thronbury bed on Saturday 19th September, I haveô no problems in fact I am really looking forward to the delivery.ô
Now for something very important I would like to say a special praise and thank you to Sharon who has been absolutely fantastic listening to my woes and giving all the advice and reassurance which I needed, what a wonderful envoy for your company.ô Helpful kind, funny and very very respectful.ô
SHARON A VERY BIG THANK YOU FROM ME, LOOK FOR YOUR BOTTLE OF BUBBLY COMING. (PROMISE) Xô
Betty Young
ãWe have no hesitation in recommending Laybrook to everyone, including health visitors and Macmillan nurses, emphasising there is no pressure or awkwardness, just quality and consideration.ã
Stewart Mackenzie
ãDear Sirs, Just a quick line to say how happy we are with our chair. The service was really good with special thanks to Craig and the fitter.ã
Ann Kerslake
ô ãcould you please pass on my gratefulness to all of them and congratulations on the staff you employ.ã
ô Ann Hall
ãfrom the advice we received through to the delivery and installation we were totally impressed with the professionalism of your staff and the quality of your product.ã
Jenny King
Call 0800 0194 007 to speak to an adjustable bed expert between 9am and 8pm 7 days a week.
You can pay with these cards** over the phone or online, which also means you are protected by the consumer credit act.
*Please see our terms and conditions for special offer terms.
** Please note that there is a 2% charge on credit card payments


text:
A dominant woman is looking for a naughty guy for a cuckold plan on Antelope
First name: Korydwen, Age: 18 yo, City: Antelope (CA)
I'm a frank libertine who's really into guys. What I like is to find myself with 2 dirty men because it turns me on to have two cocks just for me and my husband enjoys making me happy. We can see you one evening during the week. We don't mind inviting you to this event or giving you a date where you want it. I prefer guys who are well-endowed and tall, but don't worry, this is just a desire. But I'm waiting for a guy who's as ambitious as my boyfriend. I want to moan like never before. To conclude, we are on this dating site to enjoy life with libertines. You have the right to leave us a comment if you would like to see us. Kisses.
Couple without taboo for a torrid encounter candaulism on Antelope
Porn Escort Antelope, CA
First name: Satyne, Age: 24 yo, City: Antelope (CA)
Hello guys, We are a hot couple and we live in Antelope. My name is Satyne and I am 24 years old. My husband is 26 years old. I'm attracted to men who are well-endowed and rather small, but this remains a preference. However, I want a guy who's as hot as my boyfriend. I want to moan. We love a lot of libertine things. We're fans of orgies and especially voyeurism. There's no denying that outdoor sex is one of our favorite hobbies. We can meet up at night, but it's better if we do it at our place. We have a lot of accessories. So we're waiting for your proposals for this hot evening. We hope to see you on Antelope! I kiss you! See you soon.
Looking for a hot one night stand with a handsome, liberated man in Antelope
Porn Escort Antelope, CA
First name: Ludine, Age: 18 yo, City: Antelope (CA)
I don't care whether we meet at your place or the hotel, as long as the places are clean. I'm often free during the day. I can move around without any problem in and around Antelope. I don't really have a particular taste when it comes to one night stands. However, it is mandatory that the latter be especially naughty. I need foreplay because I love to build the heat before we fuck. A hot date should make me have an orgasm. I want a man who is a good licker. I'm also a fan of anal sex, but with tact. I'm not personally against meeting in a forest if you're up for it. I prefer a lover who likes to take charge during our sex meeting. I'm only here to get laid. So, I'm asking you to contact me right away if you want to hire me. I want a naughty guy who is quite macho. I'm leaving.
Couple into exhibitionism looking for a night of outdoor sex in Antelope
Porn Escort Antelope, CA
First name: Shehrazed, Age: 22 yo, City: Antelope (CA)
I am a pacsed woman, my name Shehrazed and I am 22 years old and my husband is 18 years old. We are libertines. We can do this on Sunday, but we prefer that it take place at our apartment. We have quite a few accessories. We do a lot of things in sex and all this tirelessly in dignity and cleanliness. We should note that we have a preference for candaulism with an experienced guy. If we post a naughty ad, it's with the intention of having some good time with a libertine couple during an evening of uninhibited sex. I'm a free-spirited woman who's good at getting guys hard. You have the right to leave us a message if you would like to meet up with us for a hookup. We kiss you.
A night of fucking for my slut who loves pretty machines
Porn Escort Antelope, CA
First name: Jeannina, Age: 21 yo, City: Antelope (CA)
I am a married woman, my name is Jeannina and I'm 21 years old and my husband is 18. We are without taboos. We are a really hot couple who loves to discover new things. We especially love exhibitionism and watching couples fuck in a swingers club in the company of other people. We would prefer to arrange a meeting at our place and during the week if that works for you. We're looking for a guy or couple without any taboo because we want to fuck as much as possible!!! Mr. will have to be strong, sorry but it's my fantasy right now. Now that you know what I want, you have the right to contact me. I'm sure to share a very moment with you. I'll talk to you soon. Big kisses.
My naughty girlfriend is up for some fun tonight in Antelope
Porn Escort Antelope, CA
First name: Guillaumette, Age: 48 yo, City: Antelope (CA)
Hi guys, I'm Guillaumette and I'm 48 years old. I am in a relationship with a man who is 53 years old. We are quite libertine. We are oriented towards BDSM. I love it when I'm tied up and my submissive can watch me while you hurt me and I come harder than ever. We would like to invite you over for a visit, preferably in the evening if that is convenient for you. If we make a sex announcement, it is in the hope of taking pleasure with a hot guy during an encounter without taboos. I'm a slutty girl and good for getting a penis hard. I hope to meet you soon. Kisses.
A meeting between three kinky people for my naughty wife
Porn Escort Antelope, CA
First name: Anne-renée, Age: 29 yo, City: Antelope (CA)
We would like to invite you over for a date at our place, preferably on Friday if that works for you. We are a pretty hot couple who loves to try new things. We especially love exhibitionism and voyeurism in public places with other people. We post a libertine ad with the intention of enjoying ourselves with a liberated couple during an evening of debauchery without taboos. I'm a hot chick who's good at making dicks hard. You can leave a little note, we will be happy to read it. In the hope of meeting you for a hot encounter. Kisses. See you later.
A hot encounter on Antelope for a very greedy student
Porn Escort Antelope, CA
First name: Marie-stella, Age: 19 yo, City: Antelope (CA)
Hello everyone, my name is Marie-Stella and I am 19 years old. I'm really friendly, and in reality it seems, according to my former relationships, that I would be a real nymphomaniac! Haha I love muscular bad boys. I also demand a guy who is naturally spoiled because otherwise I don't feel anything. I definitely want to fuck. I really enjoy outdoor naughty rendezvous. I've always been a naughty woman and especially fond of sex in swingers clubs. I love it when guys stare at me while I'm making love in a public place like a rest stop. We can meet at my house or the restaurant. I'm available in the early evening, I'm not complicated. So I'm here to have an intense night of sex with a nice guy. If you please, let me know. I would be happy to give you my email or phone number so we can talk. Big kisses.
Beautiful blonde girl would like to fuck a good fucker on Antelope
Porn Escort Antelope, CA
First name: Sawssene, Age: 27 yo, City: Antelope (CA)
You can set up a casual sexual encounter with me in the evenings. You can choose the address but only on Antelope. I am a beginner in the libertine lifestyle and I want someone who knows how to give me a good time. I want to be taken care of and be your object during this hookup so that you can play with me and reach extreme pleasure. I'm a girl who loves giving blowjobs so you can have a nice hard-on. Other than that, I don't say no when it comes to testing out unusual sexual practices like urolagnia. If you want to get to know me, let me know. I hope you understood me and that you will be able to satisfy me. See you soon.
Beautiful woman wants a no-strings attached hookup on Antelope
Porn Escort Antelope, CA
First name: Katarina, Age: 45 yo, City: Antelope (CA)
We can meet at my apartment for this future libertine plan. I am available mostly in the evenings and on weekends. I'm looking for an adulterous encounter with a libertine who plays dirty games. I actually need someone who is available and willing to go above and beyond. I am looking for a pig with a big, wide penis to give me pleasure during this fuck session. Besides that, I'm very docile as long as you make me climb the curtains and I have no limits. To conclude, I hope to have hot sex with you. But before anything else, you have to contact me. I hope to meet you soon! I kiss you.
- Porn Escort McGuire AFB, NJ
- Porn Escort Taylor, PA
- Porn Escort Brainerd, MN
- Porn Escort Herndon, VA
- Porn Escort Odessa, FL
- Porn Escort Tullahoma, TN
- Porn Escort Hamlet, NC
- Porn Escort Dixon, IL
- Porn Escort Mill Creek East, WA
- Porn Escort Clinton, SC
- Porn Escort Conway, SC
- Porn Escort Jefferson Hills, PA
- Porn Escort Kasson, MN
- Porn Escort Ilion, NY
- Porn Escort Silver City, NM
- Porn Escort Stuttgart, AR
- Porn Escort Miami Heights, OH
- Porn Escort Lake Shore, WA
- pjoutcallescort.com


text:
LOCK IN FREEDOM from knog on Vimeo.
Can someone who speaks Australian tell me what she said was sticking to her thighs?
(Much less interestingly, can someone explain to me how Australians manage to work the letter "r" into the word "home?")
By the way, don't accuse Knog of sexism for using the breasts and thighs of young Sheila women to sell their wares, because in the interest of gender equality they also use sweaty Bruce Fred cleavage in their promotional videos:
NO ORDINARY NIGHT from knog on Vimeo.
See? Bruce Fred cleavage:
I should also mention that I think I may be visiting Australia sometime towards the end of the summer, assuming everything works out, and provided I can find someone to drug me B.A. Baracus-style for the four hundred million hour flight there. I'll keep you posted, and hopefully it happens because I look forward to visiting the land of pugilistic marsupials, sticky Sheila thighs, and hairy Bruce Fred cleavage.
Speaking of places that aren't America but where something resembling English is spoken, I've expressed my disappointment in London for still clinging to the whole fixie thing, and now a reader informs me that they are finally relinquishing it just like their government finally relinquished all those colonies:
Bicycle gears do seem to be back, and in a in a big way. A couple of weeks ago, Tom Hipwell, co-owner of Fitzrovia Bicycles in the West End of London, told BikeRadar that road bike customisation was a line of work that was working well for the shop.
"I think people realise after a while that, if you want to do any decent riding, you're going to need some gears," he said, showing us the retro race frames and shiny titanium Van Nicholas bikes that adorn the shop.
So what are they riding now? Touring bikes:
Nigel Brook, a director at Brixton Cycles, a workers' co-operative that see themselves as a destination for higher-end steel randonneurs, was more direct: "That wave [fixed gear] crashed against the beach about two years ago. Touring bikes are where it's at now."
This should come as no surprise, since cycle touring is in their DNA, just like drinking tea, or colonizing other countries in order to insure a steady supply of tea:
I'm not buying the whole "pump caught in my trouser leg" thing. He was probably undone by the "goofy tiller effect" of his egregiously long stem--though not as egregiously long as this one:
Anyway, I digest. Back to my main point, which was fixies, and that they're stupid. Yes, no self-respecting cosmopolitan urbanite would be caught dead on a fixie anymore. The only people you see riding track bikes in New York now are teenagers and the sorts of aging hipsters who think that by fighting coasting they can somehow also fight off adulthood. Everybody else is happily click-click-clicking away. And shifting isn't the only thing we cyclists have to be happy about here in New York City, since we're also beating pedestrians in the hotly-contested "not dying in February" competition:
they're not smart enough to remove their valuables from their cars, choosing instead to let thieves do it for them:
Police in the 76th Precinct, which covers Carroll Gardens and Cobble Hill, are frustrated with residents who are just leaving their valuables out in the open for thieves to steal. At a community council meeting last night, Captain Jeffrey Schiff announced that cops are taking pictures of cars that have iPads, iPhones or packages in the front seat and then letting the owners know they are, well, stupid.
According to the Post, cops will "try to find its owner — and if not, they will snap a picture from the sidewalk. Using the car's license place to track down the owner's address, the precinct then sends the owner a flyer that says 'if we spot it, so can thieves' — and the picture taken by the cops."
So let me get this straight: the police will go out of their way to find drivers in order to help them keep their cars from getting broken into, but they won't do it to punish them for intentionally running over a cyclist?
Yeah, sounds about right.
Meanwhile, in Saudi Arabia--women can finally ride bicycles, but only for "entertainment," and not for
"transportation purposes:"
The official reportedly specified that women aren't allowed to use bicycles for transportation purposes, "only for entertainment," and they are being advised to avoid places where young men may congregate "to avoid harassment."
I take this to mean that, while they can't do this:
They can do this:
Provided of course they wear the "full Islamic head-to-toe abaya," avoid any places where young men may congregate, and don't run an errand along the way.
Religion: always making sense.


text: « Back to Calendar Cocktail Tour - Amelia Island Downtown Tasting Tours 10/30/2021 5:30:00 PM Historic Downtown Fernandina Beach 4 North 2nd Street Fernandina Beach, Florida 32034 10/30/2021 7:30:00 PM Date: October 30, 2021 Time: 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM Venue: Historic Downtown Fernandina Beach Address: 4 North 2nd Street Fernandina Beach, Florida 32034 Age Range: Adults Cost: $45 Contact: Marisol Triana | email@example.com | 1-888-446-1712 It's a mobile cocktail party in beautiful downtown Amelia Island. On this 2-hour guided walking tour, you will enjoy the unique character of our local bars. Each Cocktail Tour has four stops. On each stop, our tour guests will enjoy a tour cocktail and find out about each bar's history. This local's experience is a fun and laid-back way to spend time with friends and meet new people. This is a great tour for birthdays, anniversaries, girls' weekend, bachelorette parties, pre-dinner drinks, staycations or date nights. Tour cost includes guided tour, 4 tour cocktails and bartender gratuity. Visit Website


text:
R.A. Dickey On 'Winding Up' As A Knuckleballer.
New York Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey is currently the only knuckleball pitcher in the major leagues. His new memoir, Wherever I Wind Up, explains how his life — and career — have mimicked the unpredictable trajectory of the difficult pitch he throws game after game.
Related Topics
Other segments from the episode on April 10, 2012
April 10, 2012
Guest: R.A. Dickey
DAVE DAVIES, HOST: This is FRESH AIR. I'm Dave Davies, in for Terry Gross. Our guest today, R.A. Dickey, is a baseball curiosity, the only guy in the big leagues who relies on the knuckleball, a pitch that dips, dives and swerves in ways that make it hard to catch and harder to hit.
Dickey explains how he mastered the pitch in a new memoir, but the book's more than a baseball story. He reveals his troubled youth and childhood sexual abuse, his retreat into the refuge of sports and years of struggle in the minor leagues, trying to become a quality big-league pitcher.
Dickey eventually got there, in part he believes because he got help in dealing with demons from his past and because he finally figured out that crazy pitch - the knuckleball. At age 37, Dickey is now in the starting rotation for the New York Mets and is one of the most effective pitchers in the game. In a stretch dating back to last July, he's had 13 straight quality starts, meaning he's pitched at least six innings, allowing three or fewer earned runs.
Dickey's featured in a new documentary, "Knuckleball," which premieres April 21st. His new book with writer Wayne Coffey is called "Wherever I Wind Up: My Quest for Truth, Authenticity and the Perfect Knuckleball." We spoke last week, and it began with a reading describing a turning point in his career.
R.A. DICKEY: (Reading) I'm 31 years old and darn tired of being mediocre. Anne and I have two young daughters and a baby boy on the way. I'm living in a Hyatt and getting around on a borrowed bicycle because I don't want to spend money on a rental car. One part retread, one part restoration project, I am a decade removed from my years studying English Lit at Tennessee, forgetting a lot of Faulkner and firing a lot of fastballs.
I have become the quintessential 4A pitcher, baseball code for a player who is too good for AAA but not good enough to stick in the majors. I had already spent two full, extremely undistinguished years in the big leagues. I know that I cannot reasonably expect to get another shot if this doesn't work out.
You want to know how desperate I am? I have turned myself into the baseball equivalent of a carnival act, maybe not a two-headed turtle or a bearded lady, but close. I am trying to make a living throwing the ugly stepchild of pitches, a pitch few in the game appreciate and even fewer understand.
Almost nobody starts out planning to be a knuckleball pitcher. When was the last time you heard a 12-year-old Little Leaguer say: I want to be Hoyt Wilhelm when I grow up? You become a knuckleball pitcher when you hit a dead end, when your arm gets hurt, or your hard stuff isn't getting the job done.
Tim Wakefield was a minor-league first baseman with a lot of power and a bad batting average. That's when he made the switch. I made mine when the Rangers told me in the middle of 2005 that I was going nowhere with my regular stuff, an assessment that I could hardly argue with.
DAVIES: Well, R.A. Dickey, welcome to FRESH AIR. Let's talk about the knuckleball. Not many people throw it. Now, you know, most - there are a lot of pitches that pitchers throw, conventional pitches that are designed to break or dip or dive. What distinguishes the knuckleball from all those other pitches?
DICKEY: Well, the knuckleball is very unique in that as a conventional pitcher, you throw a fastball, a curveball, a slider, a change-up, and those pitches are all thrown with a certain amount of spin on them. You're trying to impart spin on the baseball in order to manipulate the break whichever way you'd like.
With a knuckleball, you're doing the opposite. You're taking spin completely off the baseball, and you're kind of leaving it up to the physics of air resistance and seams on the baseball and the way that the air impacts the leather, and the indentations on the baseball make the ball move.
And so when you throw a knuckleball, a perfectly thrown knuckleball has a little less than a quarter-rotation from the time that it leaves your hand until the time that it gets to the catcher's mitt. And that's a very tough mechanic to get down. It's a very hard pitch to be consistent. And so that's why you don't see a whole lot of knuckleballers around, I think.
DAVIES: Right. And if you execute that well and get the ball started toward the plate without spin, how does it behave? Why is it effective?
DICKEY: Hmm. Well, I've heard it said that, you know, a knuckleball is like trying to hit a butterfly in a typhoon. You know, it shakes side to side, it may go straight left on one pitch. It might go down and in to a right-handed hitter on another pitch. It may stay on the very same plane the whole way on one pitch.
So the thing that makes a knuckleball effective is that you cannot predict which way the ball is going to move, which makes it an extremely hard pitch to hit, as well as a hard pitch to throw.
DAVIES: Right. Now, how do you grip it?
DICKEY: Well, I grip my knuckleball in the way that Joe, Phil - Joe Niekro, Phil Niekro and Tim Wakefield grip theirs, and I tutored under Charlie Hough, who was a longtime knuckleballer for the Dodgers and the Rangers, the White Sox and the Florida Marlins.
And I take my pointer finger and my middle finger, and I dig my fingernails beneath the horseshoe of the baseball. There's a seam on the baseball that runs over the circumference of the ball, and it makes a shape of a horseshoe on one particular part. I take my fingernails, and I dig them in the leather.
And I take my thumb, I put it on the side and my index finger on the other side, and I use those points as stability points, so that when I throw the baseball, I keep my wrist very stiff, and when I release it, I try to release it at the opportune moment where there's no spin on it.
And so if you can do that over and over and over again, then usually you're going to have a pretty good game. It's when the ball starts rotating a little bit or tumbling forward, and the hitter can pick up that tumbling and predict where the ball is going to end up and hit it very hard.
If you through a good knuckleball, you can make the best hitters in the world look very foolish.
DAVIES: Yeah, have you had particular moments that you enjoyed them flailing away at your - a good knuckleball?
DICKEY: Indeed, indeed. I've thrown a few times, a pitch, a knuckleball, to a left-handed hitter in particular where I've thrown the pitch and it had zero spin on it, and they've actually swung the bat, and the ball has broken after they've swung and actually hit them.
DICKEY: So they've swung, and it's hit them either on the back of the leg or the back foot. Or one time I hit a guy in the waist, and he swung at the pitch. And when they're swinging at the pitch, and it ends up hitting them, you know you've got some pretty good movement that day.
DAVIES: Yeah, and they often lose the bat, right? It's just so out of control?
DICKEY: Yeah, oftentimes they'll sling the bat into the stands, which has happened on a few occasions, as well.
DAVIES: Now, the conventional pitcher is always trying to hit a spot. I mean, you work the corners of the strike zone. You don't want to leave it in the fat part of the plate. The knuckleball is a pitch that, by design, is unpredictable. What do you aim for?
DICKEY: Well, I try to get it started at the right height. I think for me, that's what's most important. It's impossible in any knuckleball pitch - a true knuckleball pitcher will tell you it's impossible to, you know, be able to throw a knuckleball on the outside corner. You just simply get it started in the right direction, at the right height, and the ball's going to do what the ball's going to do.
I aim for about two baseballs above the catcher's helmet, and if I can get the ball going on that trajectory, I know, more or less, if it's going to fall within the strike zone. And the key to throwing a knuckleball, and Charlie Hough told me the first day I ever worked with him, he said it took me one day to learn how to throw a knuckleball and a lifetime to throw a knuckleball for strikes.
So you've got to be able to throw strikes with the pitch so that the hitter can - will respect you. That's the rub. And so I start my knuckleball about two balls above the catcher's helmet.
DAVIES: Yeah, that's what I've always been puzzled by. That's what they always say, because a knuckleballer, if they're not throwing it for strikes, will walk many, many batters and get guys on base and lose the game. So you're actually trying to hit the strike zone, huh?
DICKEY: Well, certainly. You know, I better be because I'm not going to last too long if I can't throw strikes with it. You know, and it's taken me a long time to get to that place. You know, it's been a long journey for me learning the pitch and learning how to change speeds with the pitch and learning how to throw it in the strike zone consistently. All that's been a real journey, and it certainly didn't start that way.
I certainly was all over the place early on in my career as a knuckleballer, and, you know, I would have games where I'd walk five or six guys and have four or five wild pitches and three or four passed balls. You know, I actually set the Major League record for most wild pitches in an inning in the Metrodome in Minnesota one day. So it's a very unique, interesting pitch. It can be really ugly when it's ugly, but when it's on, it's fantastic.
DAVIES: How many of your pitches these days are knuckleballs? Do you still have other pitches, fastballs and sliders?
DICKEY: Yes, I do, and in fact, that's one of the things that helps me to pitch deep into games is when I have innings when I don't have a good knuckleball I can kind of rely on my sinker or my cutter or my change-up to help survive the innings when I don't have a good knuckleball going.
If I throw 100 pitches in a game, ideally I want 85 of them to be knuckleballs, and the other 15 will be other pitches; sinkers, fastballs, curveballs, change-ups, what have you. But it is important for me, and it can be a weapon for me, if a guy's thinking I'm going to throw a knuckleball, and I through an 85-mile-an-hour fastball inside. It's hard for him to pull the trigger, and that can be a weapon, as well.
DAVIES: Now, in addition to being hard to hit, the knuckleball is hard to catch. Do catchers hate having a knuckleballer on the mound?
DICKEY: Well, you know, if you're Bob Uecker, who said the best way to catch a knuckleball is to wait until it stops rolling and go over and pick it up, then yeah.
DICKEY: But I have been blessed with some really good catchers, that have hands. You know, the key to catching a knuckleball is to try to let it get as deep as possible. Because when you go out and try to catch it before it kind of gets to you, it'll break, and you'll end up chasing it to the backstop.
So I've had a couple of guys who have really struggled with it, but for the most part, the guys really accept it as a challenge, and I work really hard at trying to do it well, and so I've benefitted from that.
DAVIES: You wear a big, oversized catcher's mitt, right?
DICKEY: Yeah, the catcher has a kind of - I have a special glove by Rawlings that's made up, it's a knuckleball mitt, that's unique for the knuckleball, to give them a little bit better chance.
DAVIES: Now, can umpires accurately call balls and strikes with a knuckleballer? Is it harder?
DICKEY: You know, it is hard. But I have found that most of the Major League umpires really give me the benefit of the doubt because they don't want to miss a strike. It really reflects poorly on them if they missed a strike. So if there's a borderline pitch or a marginal pitch that could be a strike or a ball, a lot of times I will get that call because they think that they don't want to be the guy who can't call a knuckleball right. They really take it as a challenge.
And the guys up there are so good, the umpires are so good that most of the time, you know, they might miss four or five a game, but over the course of a 250-pitch game, that's pretty remarkable.
DAVIES: OK, so umpires, if you're listening, R.A. Dickey says you're great. So this season, give him a break.
DICKEY: Yes.
DAVIES: You know, there are only a handful of guys in the major leagues that have done this over the years. I think you're probably the only knuckleballer out there right now, is that right?
DICKEY: That's right. Tim Wakefield retired last year. He was the other one.
DAVIES: Are you guys a special club? I mean, do you get to know each other?
DICKEY: Certainly. I mean, we are a very tight fraternity. It's interesting because if I want to get better at my craft of being a knuckleballer, I can't necessarily turn to one of my peers and say, hey, how do you throw yours, or, you know, what am I doing on this pitch, or I can't turn to my pitching coach and ask him to help me. I have to lean on someone who's done it because it is such a specialized mechanic.
And so I will call or reach out to Charlie Hough, Tim Wakefield or Phil Niekro. Those are kind of my go-to guys that I really talk to quite a bit when I'm struggling. But it is, because it's something that's so seldom done, and it takes such a very committed, disciplined, longstanding time commitment to try to perfect.
There's not a lot of people who have walked a mile in your shoes. And so you definitely want access to those people, and for me, those guys have been incredibly generous with their acumen and their wisdom and really poured into me in a way that has made a difference in my life.
DAVIES: We're speaking with R.A. Dickey. He is a starting pitcher for the New York Mets, and he has a new memoir called "Wherever I Wind Up." We'll talk more after a quick break. This is FRESH AIR.
DAVIES: If you're just joining us, we're speaking with big league pitcher and knuckleballer R.A. Dickey. He's a starter for the New York Mets, and he has a new memoir. It's called "Wherever I Wind Up: My Quest for Truth, Authenticity and the Perfect Knuckleball."
The great knuckleballer Phil Niekro, you wrote in one of your conversations with him, he watched you throw, and he said you have an angry knuckleball. What did he mean?
DICKEY: Well, I throw - most knuckleballers, the velocity of the knuckleball is anywhere from 62 to 69 miles an hour. My knuckleball is anywhere from 69 to 81. And so I think he was speaking to that effect, is that, you know, when I throw mine with greater velocity, and I'm able to take spin off of it, you know, it comes in like a bucktooth termite trying to saw through that wood.
DICKEY: You know, and so that's kind of the image that I always took from it.
DAVIES: You know, baseball is such a team game, and there are hitting coaches and pitching coaches, and guys who are struggling, you know, will get advice and encouragement from other people on the team who do what they do. You know, knuckleballers are in a situation where nobody does what they do. I mean, you get the feeling that managers and pitching coaches run you out there and cross their fingers and hope for the best because they can't really help you. Does that make for kind of a different relationship in the dugout?
DICKEY: That's a great question, and the answer is yes, it does. And it's not necessarily a bad relationship, or it doesn't worsen the relationship. It's just different. It's very unique because the pitch is not thrown very often, and there's not a lot of guys out there, and a lot of managers don't really know how to manage a knuckleballer because it can be great one inning and then the next inning, you go out there, and you don't have a great feel for it, and you throw some tumbling balls up there, and they get hit around, and then the next inning you get it back, and all of a sudden nobody can hit you.
So, you know, Terry Francona had a quote where he said, when he was managing Tim Wakefield with the Red Sox, he would just sit on his hands and wait for Tim to tell him when he was ready to come out of the game. And I have found that same relationship with Terry Collins and the New York Mets.
He's fantastic, and we have a very open line of communication, and we over-communicate, which really enables us to have a good relationship and know when to put the relievers in, and I can be honest with him when my knuckleball is really not very good, and he can have somebody ready to go, and things like that.
But it's a very - and it can be a very lonely place, you know, because you don't have someone to turn to and say, golly, what am I doing wrong? It's up to you. You've got to be your own best coach. And so I've spent a greater part of seven years trying to figure out what makes me good and what makes me not so good.
DAVIES: A knuckleball is hard to master, but the one great thing is that it's less punishing on your arm, and you see some guys throw it into their 40s, right, I guess maybe even 50s?
DICKEY: Yeah, yeah, you can certainly throw it into your mid-40s, and a lot of knuckleballers, their best years come from ages 38 to 44, right in that area. Charlie Hough, Phil Niekro, Tim Wakefield all won a great number of games during that age period.
You're able to do that because I'm out there as a knuckleballer operating at about 75 percent capacity, whereas as a conventional pitcher, you're full-tilt all the time. As a knuckleballer, you know, it's much better for you to operate at 75, 80 percent capacity. That's when you get the most movement on your pitch.
So it enables you to recover a lot better. It's a lot easier on your body. So if the other parts of your body hold up well, there's no reason to think that you can't pitch as long as you want to pitch.
DAVIES: You grew up in Nashville, you tell us in this book, and your dad left your mom early, and your mom had a drinking problem, used to take you to a bar called Joe's Village Inn. And, you know, it's gotten a lot of attention in the book that you revealed that you were abused sexually in your childhood, you know, once - well, repeatedly by a teenage girl who was your babysitter when you were eight years old and then on another occasion more brutally by I guess a 17-year-old boy. This is tough stuff. Did you tell anybody about these incidents at the time?
DICKEY: No, I didn't. In fact, it wasn't for 23 years until I uttered a word of it to anybody. I think one of the tough things about being sexually abused is you - you know, right away you feel like you've been a part of something incredibly wicked, that you've had something to do with it even. I now know it has nothing to do with any fault of your own. But you certainly feel like it was partially your fault. And so, I always just stuffed it away and would build up mechanisms for dealing with that pain.
DAVIES: Yet you became a great athlete. I mean, you were a great athlete, and you played, you know, sports, many of them, well in junior high and high school. Did you think much about the abuse at the time, or had you repressed it or thought you'd repressed it?
DICKEY: Well, I certainly had repressed it, but there's not - you can't really repress something like that to the extent that you never think about it. And one of the mechanisms that I had developed was pouring myself into athletics. You know, on the baseball field, the basketball court and the football field were all kind of my refuges, places I would take sanctuary from the pain of feeling like, you know, I was a fractured, less-than-human person, you know? I mean, and that's when you're given.
When you're sexually abused, that's what you feel like. You feel like you're not worth anything. And so I would try to gain back some of that worth by pouring myself into athletics in a way that was, you know, at times probably pretty dysfunctional.
DAVIES: You went to live with your dad, I guess in your teenage years, right, because your mom's drinking was becoming more apparent to you. And we should say that she's been in recovery now for many years, and that's great.
DICKEY: Yeah, she's great.
DAVIES: But that was a rough time for you, and it's interesting that you say there became a point where you began sleeping at times in vacant houses. I mean, just tell - what made you do that? How did you figure out where to go?
DICKEY: Well, I was a high school student at Montgomery Bell Academy, which was an all-boys school in Nashville, and it was just lonely. It was lonely at home, and it didn't necessarily - it had to do with so much more than just, you know, being the only child in a house with a father and a step-mother. It was just loneliness that had probably gotten its genesis from the sexual abuse and other things that had happened along the way.
But I would go into the library and look at the classifieds in the newspaper, The Tennessean or the Nashville Banner, where the two newspapers at the time. And I would look at the classified and find houses that were for rent that were close to school. I always knew that I was going to be at school sooner or later because, you know, there was always some kind of practice or game that was going on.
And I would just tell my dad that I was spending the night out, and I would find a vacant home that I had found in the classifieds in the library and kind of scope it out, and usually there was always a key under a mat or under a flowerpot, something like that, and I would just let myself in. And at least, you know, it was a loneliness of my choosing, you know, at that point. I wasn't reminded of how lonely I was, you know. And that's kind of how I started doing that.
DAVIES: R.A. Dickey's new memoir is called "Wherever I Wind Up." He'll be back in the second half of the show. I'm Dave Davies, and this is FRESH AIR.
DAVIES: This is FRESH AIR. I'm Dave Davies in for Terry Gross.
We're speaking with R.A. Dickey, the only knuckleball pitcher in Major League Baseball. He has a new memoir about his struggles to overcome childhood trauma and make it in the big leagues called "Wherever I Wind Up."
Dickey was a great conventional pitcher at the University of Tennessee, where he pitched several games in the College World Series and made the U.S. Olympic team.
Now you become a first-round draft choice for the Texas Rangers. This was a big deal, right? I mean what did it mean to you to get that kind of an entree into the big leagues?
DICKEY: Oh, well, it was what - immediately what it meant was that I was going to be able to sign a contract that was at least on the frontend in the way of a signing bonus worth close to $1 million. And that was something that was, you know, we came from a low to middle income type situation when I was growing up, so I had plans for the money to do things with and that's what it meant right away. And then it certainly also, you know, I think I took for granted the fact that I was going to be a professional pitcher, which is something that I'd always, had always wanted to be from an early age. And when I was drafted I was the 18th pick overall by the Texas Rangers in 1996. And I'd made the Olympic team and we went to Atlanta in '96 to compete for a gold medal, we ended up winning the bronze, and then that's when I went down to Texas to sign my contract and get on with my big league career.
DAVIES: Right. And we say 18th pick. That's in the first round. I mean that is a really high quality - that's a prestigious place to be for a kid entering the big leagues. So your dreams are coming true. You're going to be financially secure in a way you never have been and then it all falls apart. What happened?
DICKEY: Well, when I flew down to take my comprehensive physical, which all first rounders do, they did this test called the Valgus stress test, where you put your elbow into this apparatus and they apply pressure from the back and they take an X-ray from the top. And it revealed that I had a little bit extra laxity in my right elbow in that joint than my left elbow. By the time I had left the doctor's office and got to the general manager's office to sign my contract in Arlington, Texas, the doctor and the general manager had talked and my agent was there and we were going up the elevator and, you know, I'm thinking I'm about to do the - you know, throw out the first pitch of the game, meet Nolan Ryan, who was my boyhood idol and sign my contract for $850,000. Doug Melvin was the general manager at the time called my agent into the office and I went on and stood out on the balcony and watched batting practice take place while my agent and the general manager talked.
Well, the agent comes out of the office and gets me and he's got kind of a pale look on his face and says, you know, we need to go in here right away. And I sit down across from Doug Melvin. And Doug Melvin commenced to say that they were going to take the offer off the table because they felt like there was something wrong with my arm. And, of course - and in that moment, you know, I was having a million different emotions, least of which was to jump over the table and choke him to death because I had spent a lifetime trying to get to that very point and he was taking it all away, at least that was what I thought. But I quieted my spirit, and thankfully I didn't burn a bridge in that moment and I went on to see Dr. Andrews in Birmingham, Alabama, the next day and he advised that I get an MRI.
So I got in an MRI and sure enough, the MRI came back that I didn't have the existence of an ulnar collateral ligament in my right elbow at all, which is the ligament inside the elbow that keeps that joint stable. In my mind I was thinking this is great, we should get more money. I'm never going to have to have that ligament replaced.
DAVIES: Because that's a typical injury...
DAVIES: That's a typical injury for pitchers, the...
DICKEY: That is â yeah - the Tommy John surgery is a typical injury for a Major League pitcher. But, of course, the Rangers did not see it that way. They thought they had drafted damaged goods. And I went back to Nashville, Tennessee, thinking that I may never throw for a professional team ever again because with that kind of hanging over you, you never know what's going to happen.
So my options became go back to school for my senior year. I had been drafted after my junior year of college, go back from my senior year and try to play well enough to get drafted again - albeit, it would not have been in a high round because of the condition that I had. And about 24 hours before my first class at the University of Tennessee, the general manager, Doug Melvin, called my agent and said we'll give him $75,000, take it or leave it. And I prayed about it and talked about it with Anne, who is my wife now, and felt led to take the contract. And so I did and started my professional career as kind of this freak that didn't have the ulnar collateral ligament.
DAVIES: So with this bizarre injury, I mean, your dream is shattered. You don't get the $850,000 signing bonus. In the end they give you I guess a $75,000 contract. And you go to their minor league system and you start there grinding away in the minor leagues, Port Charlotte, Florida, initially then you spent a lot of time in Oklahoma City toiling away in the minors. Do you remember when you first went up to the big leagues that first game? I'm sure you do. Tell us about that.
DICKEY: Oh, certainly. Certainly. I had spent parts of five seasons in the minor leagues and played everywhere from Port Charlotte, Florida, to Venezuela to Puerto Rico and Tulsa, Oklahoma, and then finally Oklahoma City before I got called up to the Texas Rangers in 2001 - was my first call up. And my first outing was against the Oakland Athletics in Texas and I just remember it being almost surreal kind of experience. So many people thought that I would never get there simply because of the condition I had in my elbow and I had made it and I was able to celebrate that with my family, and they were there in the stands. And I had a three up, three down inning against the Oakland A's in the ninth inning and it was just a fantastic experience all around.
DAVIES: But in the end it didn't go well, did it?
DICKEY: Well, not as a conventional pitcher. You know, I kind of was up and down for the next four years as a conventional pitcher and I was very mediocre by my own admission, you know, I never could get to that next place that I wanted to get to. You know, I wanted - I felt like I was capable of so much more but the guys in the big leagues are just so good, you know? If you're not pinpoint you're going to - your weaknesses will be revealed very quickly and mine were often revealed. And so I had to come up with something else if I wanted to hang onto the dream of being a Major League pitcher and that's in 2005 when I made the transition to being a full-time knuckleball pitcher.
DAVIES: You know, I was going to ask you about coming back to the minor leagues so many times because when you start the minor leagues it's exciting, right, you're a professional baseball player.
DICKEY: Sure.
DAVIES: And then there comes a point at which you're one of the oldest guys in the dugout and this place isn't exciting because you've been to a big league park and, I don't know, did you worry that you were going to be one of these guys who just has a minor league career and then moves on?
DICKEY: Certainly. Certainly. You know, and you hit the nail right on the head. The first couple of years of minor league baseball you're like all right, you know, you're here, you're chasing your dream, and then all of a sudden five years go by and you've had a child and you're married and you've been in Oklahoma City so long you could run for mayor, you know, and you're looking for that opportunity. And so when it comes you're certainly elated. And I got the call. I remember in 2001 when I first got my call to go to the big leagues, I was in Colorado Springs and I remember being so happy because it was the first time that I ever flew first class somewhere and that was a real treat.
DAVIES: We're speaking with R.A. Dickey. He is a starting pitcher for the New York Mets and he has a new memoir called "Wherever I Wind Up." We'll talk more after a quick break. This is FRESH AIR.
DAVIES: If you're just joining us, we're speaking with big league pitcher and knuckleballer R.A. Dickey. He's a starter for the New York Mets and he has a new memoir. It's called "Wherever I Wind Up: My Quest for Truth, Authenticity and the Perfect Knuckleball."
So you describe the moment that you made this transition to being a knuckleball pitcher, I mean two greats of the game, you know, Buck Showalter and Orel Hershiser tell you we think, you know, you've been fooling around with this pitch, you can do it well, and then you begin in a way in this second pitching career learning it. And it's a hard craft to master and you went up to the big leagues a few times and got - did well but also got knocked around plenty and when it isn't working it's a rough day on the mound.
DICKEY: Sure.
DAVIES: And you ended up back in the minors again. And there's this bizarre, I don't know if we could call it a turning point in your career, that involved you trying to swim across the Missouri River in Iowa. What happened?
DICKEY: Oh, man. What didn't happen? That's exactly right, what happened. Well, you know, I had been coming - like I said, I spent so much time in Oklahoma City one of the places we would always play was Omaha, we would play the Royals, and the Omaha Royals, which was the AAA affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. And I had been going through there for years and we always stayed at this hotel and overlooked the Missouri River. And for years I would go up the elevator looking out over the river thinking I wonder if anybody can swim across that. Well, in 2007 I thought I'm going to do it. You know, I've spent a lifetime of not taking any risks; I'm going to take one and try to do it. And so word spread around the clubhouse and all my teammates got out there and they watched me de-robe and get down onto the shallows of the Missouri before I took off and tried to traverse it.
DAVIES: That's a big, fast-moving river, right? What happened?
DICKEY: Well, it's - it is big, it's dirty and it's fast-moving, and it's - come to find out it has a significant undertow.
DICKEY: But I set out and I'd always been a pretty good swimmer. I felt like I was going at a pretty good clip. And, you know, I had gone about 100 yards upriver so that I felt like if I got across, you know, I would kind of be in the place I needed to be that would look right across the hotel to the hotel from the other side. And I thought after I had been swimming for about, you know, what seemed to be four or five minutes, I thought I'd come up and take a peek. And so when I did, I realized all of the sudden that the river had swept me very far down the river and I - my teammates who were once standing right in front of me at six feet tall just about, were now looked like little ants on the horizon. I mean it was a really scary moment. Well, I get out almost to the middle and by this time I'm thinking I have zero shot at getting to the other side. And so I turn around and I know at that point when I turn around that it's going to be a fight just to stay alive and things took on a much less jovial feel.
You know, it was every stroke was, you know, a determined stroke to try to survive an experience where I may drown. And so I got close to the shore and I had kind of given myself over to the fact that this was it, you know, I wasn't going to make it. And I closed my eyes and started to sink. And I remember writing a line in the book the sensation of weeping underwater, it was a real interesting sensation and I was praying that God, you know, would protect my family and all that. I had come to grips with dying and started sinking.
And right as I was about to open my mouth and take in all this water just ended quickly, my feet hit the bottom of the river and it kind of renewed my adrenaline and I surged up and I was probably about 14 feet high. Of course, the water is so deep - I mean dark. You don't really know where you are. And I boosted myself up and did that repeatedly, dog-peddled a little more and then made one furious - more furious attempt to try to get to the side and one of my teammates had followed me all the way downriver, named Grant Balfour, and if it weren't for him I wouldn't be talking to you today, Dave. But he stuck out his arm and I reached up and grabbed it and he pulled me to shore and I survived.
DAVIES: Now this was a near-death experience. I mean you almost didn't get out of that river alive. And it's fascinating that after that experience you're pitching got better. Why do you think?
DICKEY: I know, you know, I certainly look at it as almost a baptism of sorts. You know, I mean I went into the Missouri River. I was hanging on by a thread professionally. I was like one in four at the time with a six something ERA, which is not very good in baseball at all, and I was one phone call from the general manager away from being released and never playing baseball again, maybe. And when I came out of the river, I ended up going 11 and two with like 2.80 ERA and became the PCL Pitcher of the Year.
DAVIES: That's Pacific Coast League. Yeah.
DICKEY: Yeah. The Pacific â yeah, Pacific Coast League.
DAVIES: Terrific season. Yeah.
DICKEY: Yeah. Terrific season. And I say that only to emphasize the point that, you know, I think when I came out of the river I was so consumed with just wanting to live in the present well that I think that carried over directly into my pitching and I just cared about each pitch singularly. And so, you know, if one pitch didn't go well, forget it. Here's this pitch. What am I going to do with this pitch? And when I did that over and over and over again, I was able to look back and all of the sudden I was putting together a pretty incredible run. And I decided that that's how I wanted to live my life.
DAVIES: You got therapy during this time. There were problems in your marriage, and you finally sat down with a therapist and opened up about things in your life, including the abuse. Was this the first time you'd ever talked about it?
DICKEY: That was it, Dave. Yeah. It was 2006, and it had been locked away for 23 years and had wreaked havoc on my life and the relationships that I had in my life, not only with my friends, whom I really wasn't even friends with. You know, I didn't trust anybody, obviously, and my wife didn't know the darkest things about me.
You know, I had kind of conned her into marrying me, almost, which is a tough admission. I loved her dearly. And so I projected who I wanted to be, but I would never let her inside, because I always feared that when someone knew the real me, they would want to run the other way.
And I think that's the perpetual darkness that you live in as a victim of sexual abuse. And when I met a guy named Steven James - he was my counselor at the time and who is now a really dear, close friend - he kind of helped me see a different way to live, and that you could trust people and that they could hold your story well and they could help you process through things that you thought you were going to have to deal with your whole life.
And it was then that, you know, Anne and I started to really work on our marriage, and I really started being honest with her and telling her the truth about things that were very hard to tell her the truth about and hope that she would love me despite those things. And she did.
DAVIES: And, of course, you've now become a quality big league pitcher. You had a great season in 2010 and a good season last year after a rocky start - a terrific finish. And I wondered - you know, this may be a reach, but when you were a man with these demons and a lot of, you know, maybe repressed anger and you were being a conventional pitcher, it was hard, and that being a knuckleballer means you kind of have to give in a little bit and throw a different kind of pitch, one that isn't - it's not power pitching. It's finesse pitching. It's letting the ball do what it's going to do. Do you think therapy is connected to doing that well in some way?
DICKEY: Oh, man, what a fantastic insight. You know, I think that's exactly what happened. You know, I feel like that there was something very divine about that, you know. I began throwing the knuckleball exactly when I really started working on my life and trying to become, you know, who God had authentically created me to be. And I think those things parallel each other.
You know, I feel like, one, trying to become a knuckleballer and work on something new and deconstructing what I once knew as a conventional pitcher and trying to relearn a mechanic, that helped me be a better human being. Going through counseling and trying to live in the moment well helped me be a better knuckleballer.
And so I think they coincide. I there's a real interesting relationship between the two that has, you know, really helped complete me.
DAVIES: So you're the only knuckleballer in the game now. I mean, is this a dying art, or is there somebody coming up who's going to throw this pitch?
DICKEY: Well, I think just by examining the sheer number of people who throw it, you have to admit that it's a dying art. But I have hope that someone's going to be coming up. There are a few guys, a couple of guys in the minor leagues, a couple of guys in independent baseball that are trying to get their knuckleball to a place where a big league team is going to be interested.
There's no one eminently about to come up, but I certainly feel like if I'm able to pitch for four or five more years, it will give someone somewhere enough time to get their knuckleball right so that I'm not the last one.
DAVIES: Well, R.A. Dickey, you know, we're speaking to you from Philadelphia, and I just don't think my daughter would let me wish a New York Met a successful season. But I am going to say I wish you the best, and it's been really interesting. Thanks so much for speaking with us.
DICKEY: Thank you for having me.
DAVIES: R.A. Dickey won his first start of the year Saturday, a 4-2 decision over Atlanta. His manager Terry Collins said trying to grip and throw the knuckleball on the 55-degree day was like throwing a piece of glass. Dickey's featured in a documentary, "Knuckleball," which premiers April 21st. And he has a new memoir called "Wherever I Wind Up: My Quest for Truth, Authenticity, and the Perfect Knuckleball."
Coming up, rock critic Ken Tucker reviews Bonnie Raitt's new album. This is FRESH AIR.
DAVE DAVIES, HOST: Bonnie Raitt has a new album out today. It's called "Slipstream," and it's her first since "Souls Alike" in 2005. Raitt produced most of the album herself, which is unusual. Rock critic Ken Tucker says this return to recording and her renewed control over her music has resulted in one of Raitt's finest albums.
BONNIE RAITT: (Singing) You know that I need your love. You got that hold over me. As long as I've got your love, you know I'll never leave. I wanted you to share my life. I had no doubt in my mind. And it's been you, oh, baby, right down the line.
KEN TUCKER, BYLINE: The warmth and vigor of Bonnie Raitt's voice throughout her new album "Slipstream," even when she's covering an oldie such as Gerry Rafferty's "Right Down the Line," is vital and fresh - urgent, even. Raitt has always possessed a gift for taking a familiar phrase and rendering it in a manner that compels a listener to think anew about what the words really mean.
Listen to the way she takes this song co-written by Joe Henry and Loudon Wainwright III and sings the lyric with all of the precision and emotion her father, John Raitt, might have given a Broadway show tune that was as well written as this.
RAITT: (Singing) I know that fan is moving air. I can see it in your hair. But I can't bear to breathe it in somehow. I'll rise and fall with you, 'cause you can't fail me now. I'll rise and fall with you, 'cause you can't fail me now. Salt is sweet upon my mouth, and dark throws sparks against my house. The stain of love's a smudge upon my brow. But you see through me, and you can't fail me now. You see right through me, and you can't fail me now.
TUCKER: Raitt has always mixed folk with the blues and rock and the sort of funk that she would probably link to Lowell George and Little Feat, and I'd say is as respectful of beat and groove as any of the R&B artists she admires. You can hear it in her slide-guitar playing throughout this album, and particularly the way she sets up the rhythm with her band and then slides her voice into it, like a letter going into an envelope addressed to you.
RAITT: (Singing) Well, love came and hit me straight on the lips. The longer the kissing, the better it gets. And baby, that's all right. You've got me standing beside myself. No, it ain't like me. It's like I'm somebody else. But baby, that's all right.
TUCKER: I know that if you're going to praise a Bonnie Raitt album, you're supposed to work in some comparison to her greatest commercial success, the multiple Grammy-winner "Nick of Time" from 1989. But my praise is more precise: This is Raitt's best album since her underrated 1975 collection "Home Plate."
I'm not just pulling that out for obscurity's sake, either. This new album "Slipstream" captures the kind of barnstorming fervor that can turn in the space of a song to a slow boil, the roiling storm of emotions contained within this cover of Bob Dylan's "Million Miles."
RAITT: (Singing) You took a part of me that I really miss. I keep asking myself: How can long can it go on like this? You told yourself a lie. That's all right. I told myself one, too. Well, I try to get closer, but I'm still a million miles from you.
TUCKER: I mentioned Bonnie Raitt's vocals at the start of this review, and I'm going to end there, too. It's not that I'm ageist enough to think it remarkable that someone in her 60s can sing as fluidly as Raitt does here - heck, her blues heroes were doing it a few decades beyond that.
But it is rare for a performer who's maintained a 40-year career to manage to sound so unfazed, so careful to avoid artistic short-cuts, so lacking in cynicism. She has the guile and shrewdness of a long-time pro, but it's the, yes, purity of this beautiful, mongrel music that gives it its great life.
DAVIES: Ken Tucker is editor-at-large for Entertainment Weekly. He reviewed Bonnie Raitt's new album, out today, called "Slipstream." It'll be streamed in full through tomorrow on the NPR website. You can find a link at freshair.npr.org, where you can also download podcasts of our show. You can join us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @nprfreshair.
Transcripts are created on a rush deadline, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of Fresh Air interviews and reviews are the audio recordings of each segment.


text:
For travel to the United States on a temporary basis, including tourism, temporary employment, study and exchange.
For foreign citizens who want to live permanently in the United States.
Alerts and Messages for U.S. visitors to Dominican Republic.
U.S. Citizens with emergencies, please call (809) 567-7775
Outside of Office Hours, contact: (809) 567-7775
Outside of Dominican Republic: (809) 567-7775
Learn more about quality higher-education opportunities in the U.S. that you will not find anywhere else in the world.
Av. Republica de Colombia #57
Santo Domingo
Dominican Republic
Phone: (809) 567-7775
VE – Edge – EN
By castilloc1 | 24 August, 2020 | Topics:
Footer Disclaimer


text:
By Serge Thorn, Architecting the Enterprise
This is the first post in a three-part series by Serge Thorn.
When introducing Enterprise Architecture as a program or initiative, it is regularly done from an IT perspective rarely considering what the costs will be and if there will be any return on investment. This presents a particular challenge to Enterprise Architecture.
Generally speaking, IT departments have all sorts of criteria to justify projects and measure their performance. They use measurements, metrics and KPIs. Going to the solution level, they commonly use indicators such as percentage uptime for systems from the system management team, error rates for applications from the development support team or number of calls resolved on the first call from the service desk, etc. These KPIs usually are defined at an early stage and very often delivered in dashboards from various support applications.
On the other hand, it is much more difficult to define and implement a quantifiable measure for Enterprise Architecture. Many activities introduced with appropriate governance will enhance the quality of the delivered products and services, but it still will be a challenge to attribute results to the quality of Enterprise Architecture efforts.
This being said, Enterprise Architects should be able to define and justify the benefits of their activities to their stakeholders, and to help executives understand how Enterprise Architecture will contribute to the primary value-adding objectives and processes, before starting the voyage. The more it is described and understood, the more the Enterprise Architecture team will gain support from the management. There are plenty of contributions that Enterprise Architecture brings and they will have to be documented and presented at an early stage.
There won't be just one single answer to demonstrate the value of an Enterprise Architecture but there seems to be a common pattern when considering feedback from various companies I have worked with.
Without Enterprise Architecture you can probably NOT fully achieve:
IT alignment with the business goals
As an example among others, the problem with most IT plans is that they do not indicate what the business value is and what strategic or tactical business benefit the organization is planning to achieve. The simple matter is that any IT plan needs also to have a business metric, not only an IT metric of delivery. Another aspect is the ability to create and share a common vision of the future shared by the business and IT communities.
With the rapid pace of change in business environment, the need to transform organizations into agile enterprises that can respond quickly to change has never been greater. Methodologies and computer technologies are needed to enable rapid business and system change. The solution also lies in enterprise integration (both business and technology integration).
For business integration, we use Enterprise Architecture methodologies and frameworks to integrate functions, processes, data, locations, people, events and business plans throughout an organization. Specifically, the unification and integration of business processes and data across the enterprise and potential linkage with external partners become more and more important.
To also have technology integration, we may use enterprise portals, enterprise application integration (EAI/ESB), web services, service-oriented architecture (SOA), business process management (BPM) and try to lower the number of interfaces.
Change management
In recent years the scope of Enterprise Architecture has expanded beyond the IT domain and enterprise architects are increasingly taking on broader roles relating to organizational strategy and change management. Frameworks such as TOGAF® 9.1 include processes and tools for managing both the business/people and the technology sides of an organization. Enterprise Architecture supports the creation of changes related to the various architecture domains, evaluating the impact on the enterprise, taking into account risk management, financial aspects (cost/benefit analysis), and most importantly ensuring alignment with business goals and objectives. Enterprise Architecture value is essentially tied to its ability to help companies to deal with complexity and changes.
Reduced time to market and increased IT responsiveness
Enterprise Architecture should reduce systems development, applications generation and modernization timeframes for legacy systems. It should also decrease resource requirements. All of this can be accomplished by re-using standards or existing components, such as the architecture and solution building blocks in TOGAF 9.1. Delivery time and design/development costs can also be decreased by the reuse of reference models. All that information should be managed in an Enterprise Architecture repository.
Better access to information across applications and improved interoperability
Data and information architectures manage the organization assets of information, optimally and efficiently. This supports the quality, accuracy and timely availability of data for executive and strategic business decision-making, across applications.
Readily available descriptive representations and documentation of the enterprise
Architecture is also a set of descriptive representations (i.e. "models") that are relevant for describing an enterprise such that it can be produced to management's requirements and maintained over the period of its useful life. Using an architecture repository, developing a variety of artifacts and modelling some of the key elements of the enterprise, will contribute to build this documentation.
The second part of the series will include more examples of what an enterprise cannot achieve without Enterprise Architecture.
Serge Thorn is CIO of Architecting the Enterprise. He has worked in the IT Industry for over 25 years, in a variety of roles, which include; Development and Systems Design, Project Management, Business Analysis, IT Operations, IT Management, IT Strategy, Research and Innovation, IT Governance, Architecture and Service Management (ITIL). He is the Chairman of the itSMF (IT Service Management forum) Swiss chapter and is based in Geneva, Switzerland.


text:
Birdbaths to Enhance Your Landscape
Prepare your bath
Cover the bottom of a standard cast-concrete birdbath with pebbles for a more natural look. The pebbles also provide traction birds need for sure footing. Make sure your bird bath is no deeper than 3 inches and has sloping sides and an edge to provide a place for birds to perch.
Hanging around
Meet birds half way by suspending a birdbath in a tree. Keep it low enough that filling and cleaning is still easy to do. (Bird baths should be filled with clean, fresh water every couple of days. When refilling, use a brush to remove any algae that may have grown.) This one has a wreath of branches to supply handy perches.
Free form
Make a birdbath of hypertufa and it can fill any spot in a yard. Positioned on the ground, it will have the added benefit of providing water for many small mammals, such as squirrels, chipmunks and rabbits. If cats frequent your yard, the bath should be off the ground and away from shrubs and brush. Different bird species like different bath heights, so provide a variety or experiment to see what works best for you.
Draw all eyes
This purple gazing ball echoes the colors in plants surrounding the birdbath. Choose a color that suits your setting.
Look lively
Perch a couple of statues in the water for a vibrant look.
Mosaic masterpiece
Personalize a preform birdbath and ball with a tile mosaic. Talk about enhancing the look of your garden.
Look of blooms
This mosaic flower mirrors the blooms in a garden.
Fresh fountain
Installing a simple fountain mechanism attracts birds and adds movement and sound to your garden for you.
Another fountain idea: Create a DIY invitation to birds by pounding a nail hole in the bottom of a container such as a bucket or jug; fill with water and hang above the bath. The steady drips will attract birds.
DIY delight
Birds don't care what you use as a birdbath—terra-cotta plant saucers, a garbage can lid with a few stones placed inside. Here a plastic plant saucer rests in branches. Glass rocks (usually used as vase filler) provides safe footing.
Give 'em a hand up
This original piece still functions as a birdbath. Let your imagination be the only limit to what you use.
Second act
Even if a birdbath can't hold water anymore, you don't have to pitch it. With a few added touches, it lives on in its role of garden helper. Or may we suggest filling it with birdseed? Click to the next slide for a clever idea on making a container garden in a broken birdbath.
Birdbath planter
Damaged and broken items may no longer be useful for their original purpose, but they make great art. A damaged birdbath becomes a succulent garden. Add a base of soilless potting mix, plant with succulents and finish with a mulch of Spanish moss. Decorate with your choice of accessories, such as this candy dish planter, compass and spoon.
Bountiful birdbath
A colorful arrangement blooms from this weathered concrete birdbath.
'Pink Champagne' rubygrass bursts like a fountain; 'Blushing Emily' chrysanthemums and Tiny Toes coleus offer pops of red. Green kale, yellow-green Golden Globes loosestrife and bronze 'Dolce Crème Brulee' coral bells round out the mix.
Birdbath mosaic
Tile and pebble embellishments sparkle in shallow birdbaths. Match the grout to the color of the bowl to show off your mosaic work.
Haute Halloween
Keep the birds happy year-round with a pumpkin treat. Though these are fake birds, the real things appreciate fresh treats.
Chill time
Just because the garden has gone dormant, doesn't mean a birdbath can't still add to the look.
Frozen color
Based on a French floral design technique called pavé, this one-dimensional winter arrangement is composed of natural ingredients squeezed close together, then frozen in place with water. In this example, Minneapolis garden designer Scott Endres used kumquats, polished stones, cranberries and pepper berries.


text:
Congressman Miller Announces Regulatory Relief Bill for Credit Unions
Rep. Gary Miller (R-Calif.), vice chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, said Wednesday he will introduce legislation to provide regulatory relief to credit unions.
Miller made the announcement during his opening remarks for a hearing on credit union regulatory burden.
In a release, NAFCU said the legislation is expected to include measures to implement a risk-based capital system for credit unions and give the NCUA flexibility in critical areas, such as the ability to grant parity to a federal credit union on a broader state rule.
"We appreciate Vice Chairman Miller's leadership in developing this legislation that incorporates recommendations in NAFCU's comprehensive five-point plan," said Dan Berger, NAFCU executive vice president of government affairs.
"We thank him and his staff for their commitment to easing credit unions' regulatory burden," Berger said. "
"NAFCU looks forward to the introduction of this legislation and in working toward its passage and enactment into law so that our nation's credit unions can continue to serve their 95 million members," he said.continue reading »


text:
Zack Greinke (3-1, 3.89) vs. Ian Kennedy (3-4, 5.72).
Hey girl, I know you're done with the Dodgers right now. You're sick of all the lavish multi-year deals Neddy hands out like candy on Halloween. You're tired of Donnie being so much a players' manager that he refuses to acknowledge the obvious. You're fed up with the Dodgers cornering the market on injured hamstrings.
But there's a reason to watch. And his name is Puig. Take it from the LA Times:
Yasiel Puig is not only breaking records on the field, but also in the team store.
The Dodgers sold more Puig-related merchandise from Thursday to Sunday than they had ever sold of any player over a four-day period -- more than even Manny Ramirez, Fernando Valenzuela or Hideo Nomo, according to a team spokesperson.
The team sold approximately 3,000 units of Puig-related merchandise in that four-day window, including 1,600 t-shirts ($28), 400 "Viva Puig" t-shirts ($28) and 600 jerseys ($225 for the authentic version, $110 for the replica ones).
There, feel better now? I knew you would. Now let's cuddle and watch the game.
UPDATE: Hey girl, here's an update:
#Dodgers today recalled Alex Castellanos and Chris Withrow and optioned Justin Sellers. Van Slyke placed on 15-day DL (L Shoulder Bursitis).— Dodgers PR (@DodgersPR) June 11, 2013
UPDATE: At laaaaaaaaaast:
Dodgers change closers: League out, Jansen in espn.go.com/los-angeles/ml…— Mark Saxon (@markasaxon) June 12, 2013