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The Month That Was in Baseball: April, 2015
Yo, Yordano—Looking for a Fight? • That Empty Feeling at Camden Yards
Josh Hamilton Goes Home Again • Are the Mets for Real?
The Online Book of Baseball Home Yearly Reader Teams Ballparks Lists Interviews Opinions FAQ IndexFive Greatest Royals Hitters 1995 Joe DeMaestri PNC Park
The Month That Was in Baseball: April, 2015
Yo, Yordano—Looking for a Fight? • That Empty Feeling at Camden Yards
Josh Hamilton Goes Home Again • Are the Mets for Real?
Nelson Cruz, Seattle Mariners
So much for the theory that, between fragility and Seattle's deadened marine air, the veteran slugger would disappoint those expecting a reprise of his marvelous 2014 campaign in Baltimore. In fact, Cruz's sterling April may well prove that his best is yet to come. He's the majors' co-leader in homers (ten) and RBIs (22), and his .337 average is eye-opening given he's been consistently in the .260s over the last four years. Sure, he's less impressive at Safeco Field (.271, three homers), but when he's hitting as good as he is on the road, the Mariners will surely accept the composite.
Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks
The disgraced former MVP had one of the best weeks of his post-Biogenesis baseball life, reaching safely each night with his usual balance of power, speed and clutch game. (He could have done without the moment where he and All-Star teammate Carlos Gomez collided, but what can you do.) Braun doesn't have the numbers to parallel his superstar, pre-suspension years, but maybe that'll change if he can leverage this run of success to the second half.
Chris Iannetta, L.A. Angels of Anaheim
Josh Hamilton said that the Angels should have known what they were getting into when they signed him—and the same could be said of Iannetta, the veteran catcher who spent his first six years at Colorado where he hit just .235 in ideal, mile-high hitting conditions. He had hit about the same in his first three seasons at sea level in Anaheim, but now the bottom has dropped out with a horrendous April. "It's early in the season," Iannetta told reporters, "but for me, it feels like it's been six years."
Drew Stubbs, Colorado Rockies
We normally wouldn't go after someone who averages one at-bat per game, but a few things to point out about the veteran outfielder: One, he went hitless in 20 at-bats…playing for Colorado? (even Chris Iannetta, above, was never that bad at Coors Field.) Second, he strikes out 12 times in those 20 at-bats? And third, even when he somehow manages to reach base, he has second base stolen…and then gets tagged out because he stumbles and loses control away from the bag? One word must be floating within Stubbs' mind: Mulligan.
Dallas Keuchel, Houston Astros
The Tulsa-born Dallas playing for Houston— almost sounds like a 1960s country song—outdueled reigning AL Cy winner Corey Kluber on Opening Day and hasn't let up since, confirming that his breakout season of a year ago (12-9, 2.93 ERA) was no fluke. It's a shame that the 27-year-old southpaw hasn't won each of his five starts; his very best effort of the month came at Oakland when he threw nine innings of two-hit shutout ball before being taken out of a 0-0 game. He's a principal reason the Astros are looking so surprisingly good to start the year.
Johnny Cueto, Cincinnati Reds
Some would argue that the Cincinnati ace wasn't even the best Reds pitcher this month, given Anthony DeSclafani's 1.04 ERA and 0.77 WHIP. But Cueto gets the nod from this end because, simply, no other NL pitcher looked more dominant. He only lost two games because the Reds scored a mere run in each; if the team really hopes to retain him through free agency, they'd better butter him up with more run support.
T.J. House, Cleveland Indians
This House is not in order. We originally had the Orioles' Brad Norris slotted for this dishonor, but then the second-year Cleveland pitcher stunk things up—again—with his fourth loss in as many starts and finished a month where he was lucky to even reach the fifth inning (only once did he manage to do that, and barely). People making their preseason picks were really riding high on the Tribe, but this is not the Indians' idea of bringing down the House.
David Buchanan, Philadelphia Phillies
We knew the Phillies' rotation would be soft on opponents past Cole Hamels, and the 25-year-old Atlanta native seems to be confirming the darkest fears of Phillies fans who were already bracing for some bad times this season. Buchanan started five games in April and lost them all, allowing almost as many runs as innings pitched, racking more walks than strikeouts; he's the first Phillies pitcher in 23 years to stumble out of the gate with a 0-5 mark in five shots.
Kansas City Royals (15-7)
Introducing the angriest team in baseball. Even after K.C. grabbed the AL pennant, most everyone in the prognosticator industry (except us) figured it was all a fluke and had the Royals settling back in below .500 this season. That ticked this team off. And so, they have taken it out on everyone, from Mike Trout to Brett Lawrie to all the other opponents they've talked trash to; if they're going down, it won't be without a war. And by the record, they've proved their point—at least for the first month.
St. Louis Cardinals (15-6)
Everyone was talking up the Mets this month—and believe us, the Amazins' did surprise—but the Cardinals just can't help being the Cardinals. The status quo is just fine in St. Louis; Matt Carpenter (.372, 13 doubles) continues to pester opponents, Yadier Molina continues to throw out baserunners, and although the season-ending injury to Adam Wainwright is a big blow, the Cardinals have comfort in the fact that the rest of the staff is throwing quite well, as exhibited by a 2.43 team average that's easily the majors' best. We said it in our season preview last month: Don't be fool to leave the Redbirds out of the NL Central conversation. They continue to prove that.
Texas Rangers (7-14)
There's good luck, there's bad luck and then there's the Rangers—synonymous with double secret hard luck. Last year's kings of the disabled list are defending their title quite well; no other team has more guys currently on the shelf than the Rangers' dozen, including three of their top starting pitchers. Speaking of disabled, that pretty much sums up the Texas offense, dead last in the majors with a pathetic .210 mark (and they're supposed to play in one of baseball's most generous hitters yards). With averages like that, Josh Hamilton will always look good.
Milwaukee Brewers (5-17)
Circa Opening Day, Brewers GM Doug Melvin was offered a contract extension—with the length of the extension totally up to him. In the name of job security, he hopefully acted fast—because the Brew Crew have stunk up Miller Park worse than the foulest smelling brats. The Brewers lost on Opening Day, 10-0 (at home to Colorado, the majors' worst road team last season), haven't had a winning streak of more than one and, when they produced a season-high ten runs against Cincinnati on April 21, they still lost by six. After losing first place last August following a totally different (as in great) start to 2014, the Brewers are 14-39. Hurry up and decide, Doug; it may soon be too late.
Yes, They Can't Believe This Really Happened
(April 2015 Edition)
Retractable Lapse of Memory
Somebody was asleep at the retractable roof switch when rain infiltrated Marlins Park for Miami's home opener against Atlanta. That somebody was Marlins President David Samson, whose job is to tell the guys to close the roof when necessary. The ensuing rain delay lasted some 15 minutes.
So That's What it Looks Like Outside
The Tampa Bay Rays didn't play outdoors until their 20th game of the season, after performing indoors at their home base in St. Petersburg as well as road series in Toronto and Miami (where the roof, this time, was not accidentally left open).
Plush, to a Fault
While visiting Toronto, the Rays would have found the new turf at Rogers Centre to be very, very slow—and they weren't the ones most displeased about it. The Baltimore Orioles actually considered boycotting a game there. For now, the Blue Jays say all is well and that nothing will be done to tweak the turf.
No Shard Feelings
After having three of his bats broken by pitches thrown from Los Angeles of Anaheim's C.J. Wilson, Texas third baseman Adrian Beltre sent Wilson a bill for the bats.
The Whole Urine
The Chicago Cubs installed 74 port-a-potties within Wrigley Field after several upstairs restrooms "went down" on Opening Night, leading to long lines elsewhere within the ballpark.
Close Shave
Milwaukee infielder Scooter Gennett went on the disabled list after slicing his hand on the edge of a shower gel dispenser in the visitors clubhouse at Pittsburgh's PNC Park. The injury required five stitches to sew up.
Should Have Kept Going, Alex
ESPN the Magazine released its annual poll of major league players on various baseball topics and discovered this: Bryce Harper is far and away the game's most overrated player, 41% are happy to see Alex Rodriguez back —29% are not and 30% don't give a damn—90% believe Bud Selig deserved a B or better grade as commissioner and 41% believed Alex Gordon should have gone for an inside-the-park home run in Game Seven of the 2014 World Series.
Frivol Disobedience
One guy—not a player—who wasn't happy with Rodriguez's return was a middle-aged fan sitting in Oriole Park at Camden Yards who, when the Yankees visited, stood up and turned his back away from the action whenever Alex Rodriguez came to bat. Wonder how he acts when Chris Davis comes to the plate…
Stop Making Nonsense
Three former ushers for the Washington Nationals sued the team for violating their religious beliefs. The three all belong to the Seventh Day Adventists, which forbids working on Friday nights and Saturday afternoons. Perhaps a hint for this trio: Try something that's Monday-to-Friday, 8.a.m-5 p.m.—like most of us do.
That Took a Lot of Gumption
There were many benches-clearing scrums during April, but the strangest had to take place in San Diego when San Francisco's Angel Pagan tossed his gum away while at the plate and hit Padres' catcher Derek Norris. The two exchanged words and the benches briefly emptied before everyone realized how ridiculous it all was. Norris, after the game: "(Pagan) was just being kind of a d**khead."
Wednesday, April 1
A week after Brady Aiken, last year's #1 pick in the amateur draft, announced he was going under the knife for Tommy John surgery, it's learned that this year's possible #1 pick, Duke's Mike Matuella, will also have to undergo the ligament replacement procedure.
It's getting to the point where, someday soon, a little leaguer is going to announce an appointment with Dr. James Andrews.
For all of you who picked Boston catcher Christian Vazquez as the American League's breakout player in 2015, here's hoping you have a back-up plan. The 24-year-old sophomore is also due for Tommy John surgery after complaining of a bad elbow. He will miss the entire season.
After Vazquez threw out 15 of 29 attempted basestealers in 2014, the Red Sox were really looking forward to a full year out of him.
Friday, April 3
Pitcher Ervin Santana, signed by Minnesota before the season to a four-year, $55 million contract, tests positive for the steroid Stanozolol and is banned 80 games by Major League Baseball. It's a huge blow for the Twins, hoping Santana would stabilize a rotation that was baseball's worst in 2014.
In a statement, Santana pleads ignorance: "I am frustrated that I can't pinpoint how the substance in question entered my body."
The San Francisco Giants announce contract extensions to manager Bruce Bochy and general manager Brian Sabean through the 2019 season. Sabean is promoted to executive vice president of baseball operations, officially ending an 18-year run as the team's GM; assistant GM Bobby Evans takes over his role.
Sabean had been the majors' longest active tenured GM.
Saturday, April 4
Two of the American League's best young pitchers are given contract extensions even before their arbitration years kick in. Kansas City signs Yordana Ventura to a five-year deal worth $23 million; meanwhile, Cleveland gives reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber a five-year deal worth $38.5 million. Montreal continues to show that it can support major league baseball after all.
A day after drawing 46,000 for an exhibition contest between the Toronto Blue Jays and Cincinnati Reds, an even larger gathering of 50,231 show up to watch the same two teams at Olympic Stadium, the former home of the Expos.
The games serve as a homecoming of sorts for Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips; he was the Expos' first-round draft choice in 1999, but was traded away before he ever got a chance to play in Montreal.
Sunday, April 5
The 2015 regular season begins with the St. Louis Cardinals shutting down the Chicago Cubs at an under-construction Wrigley Field, 3-0. Adam Wainwright throws six shutout innings and outfielder Jason Heyward, traded to the Cardinals from Atlanta, collects three hits including two doubles.
Mike Olt, keeping third base warm for rookie-to-be Kris Bryant, goes 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
Just when you thought the San Diego Padres were done improving their roster, they deliver a shocker—trading outfielders Cameron Maybin, Carlos Quentin and two minor leaguers to the Atlanta Braves for elite closer Craig Kimbrel and outfielder Melvin Upton Jr.
When you think about it, it's a no-brainer solution for both teams; the Padres had no set closer and a surplus of outfielders, with Maybin nor Quentin the odd men out; the Braves, meanwhile, all but solidify their status as a team reloading for the future.
Lon Simmons, the Hall-of-Fame broadcaster who did nearly 50 years' worth of play-by-play split between the Giants and Oakland A's, dies at the age of 91. He began his major league career in 1958 when the Giants arrived from New York, pairing up with Ross Hodges (he of the legendary "The Giants win the pennant!" call in 1951.)
Washington is awarded the 2018 All-Star Game, the first time the Nation's Capitol will hold the Midsummer Classic since 1969. This also means that NL cities will host the game four straight years—and like the 2016 game in San Diego, the American League will serve as the official "home" team and bat last.
Monday, April 6
If the first full day of the season is any indication, the pace-of-game rules put into effect to speed up games will be a success. The 14 games average two hours and 48 minutes—15 minutes shorter than the typical 2014 contest. For the entire month of April, the average game will last 2:54.
If MLB is looking to increase offense as well, then it still has some work to do. Among the 15 "first" games (the Cardinals' 3-0 win at Chicago on Sunday included), there were six shutouts—the most in major league history, according to Elias.
Oakland's Sonny Gray has the best effort of the night, taking a no-hitter into the eighth inning before Texas' Ryan Rua ends the bid with a single. The A's easily coasts to an 8-0 win.
Alex Rodriguez has a walk and a deep single in three trips to the plate in his first regular season action since the end of 2013, but it's a weak silver lining in an otherwise lousy day for the New York Yankees, who are pounced on early by the visiting Toronto Blue Jays and suffer a 6-1 defeat.
The Boston Red Sox get two home runs each from Dustin Pedroia and Hanley Ramirez—the latter of whom caps an 8-0 whitewashing of the Phillies with a ninth-inning grand slam at Philadelphia.
While the performance of first-year Red Sock Ramirez is grand, that's not the case for another Boston newbie, Pablo Sandoval—who is 0-for-5 with three strikeouts.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox announce a four-year contract extension for pitcher Rick Porcello worth $82 million.
Porcello is still only 26, and the Red Sox sense that his best years are yet to come—but that a pitcher with a career 4.30 ERA has joined the $20 million-a-year club must have general managers across the majors recoiling with a case of heartburn.
Tuesday, April 7
Mat Latos' debut for the Miami Marlins is one he'll try best to forget. The visiting Atlanta Braves pile up seven runs on the Former Cincinnati hurler in the first inning, and he's removed after just two-thirds of an inning. The Braves coast from there to a 12-2 rout.
For the second straight night, the Colorado Rockies knock out six doubles on the Brewers at Milwaukee; the last time that happened in a team's first two games was in 1912 when the New York Giants accomplished the feat. The Rockies use the two-bag muscle to defeat the Brewers, 5-2.
In the A's 3-1 loss to Texas, Oakland infielder Brett Lawrie strikes out four times in four at-bats—on 12 total pitches. All four times, he goes down swinging on the third strike.
Wednesday, April 8
The Dodgers' Adrian Gonzalez launches three homers, giving him five for the first three games and setting a major league record to start the year. Gonzalez's four hits overall and four RBIs lift Los Angeles over the visiting Padres, 7-4.
The Rockies, who lost 60 games on the road in 2014, match the total number of series sweeps away from Coors Field last season with a 5-4, 10-inning win over Milwaukee at Miller Park.
Thursday, April 9
Cleveland pitcher Trevor Bauer has a no-hitter through six innings at Houston—but has to be removed because he's thrown 111 pitches, with five walks and 11 strikeouts. The Indians' bullpen takes the no-hitter into the ninth when, with one out, Jed Lawrie smacks a home run off Nick Hagadone. The Indians still prevail, 5-1.
Proving that his terrific spring camp effort was no fluke, Matt Harvey—making his first regular season start since mid-2013—throws six shutout innings and strikes out nine as he and the New York Mets easily outduel Washington ace Stephen Strasburg at Nationals Park, 6-3.
Alex Rodriguez hits his first home run of 2015 in front of 32,152 home fans at Yankee Stadium, but again his contributions are not enough as New York falls to Toronto, 5-2.
Meanwhile, the Yankees are still intent on denying Rodriguez his $6 million bonus payments for passing Willie Mays on the all-time home run list, as well as future home run milestone achievements.
The Detroit Tigers sweep the Minnesota Twins with an easy 7-1 victory at Comerica Park; the Twins' lone run of the game, in the seventh inning, is their only tally of the entire series. The 24 scoreless innings to start a season is the longest in AL history.
Friday, April 10
Leave it to the Yankees and Red Sox, who historically entangle one another in marathons, to wreck havoc on the new pace-of-play regulations. The two teams spar for 19 innings, 658 pitches and six hours, 49 minutes—not including a 16-minute delay in the 12th when the Yankee Stadium lights go out—but it finally comes to an end when Mookie Betts' sacrifice fly gets the Red Sox in the win column by a 6-5 count.
This is the longest game, by time, in 115 years of Red Sox baseball.
It's like a bad nightmare that just wont end for the Texas Rangers, who last year were decimated by injuries. In their home opener against the Astros, starting pitcher Derek Holland leaves after just one inning with a shoulder pain that will land him on the disabled list for two months; the Rangers also lose outfielders Shin-Soo Choo and Ryan Rua during a 5-1 loss, but their injuries are not expected to be as significant.
Saturday, April 11
New York Mets closer Jenrry Mejia is suspended 80 games after testing positive for the steroid Stanozolol. As with others who recently have received similar bans for the same drug, Mejia releases a statement saying he had no idea how the drug ended up in his system.
This recent rash of similar steroid usages prompts MLB to investigate whether the cases are more than just coincidental.
Arizona pitcher Archie Bradley, making his major league debut, stymies the visiting Dodgers on a hit through six shutout innings and easily outduels Clayton Kershaw (who allows six runs on ten hits over 6.1 frames) as the Diamondbacks easily slide away with a 6-0 win.
Sunday, April 12
The two teams who battled for the AL Central title last year end the majors' first week of regular season action as the only who remain undefeated.
In Cleveland, the Tigers move to 6-0 as Miguel Cabrera hits his first two home runs, doubles, singles and is given an intentional walk in an 8-5 win over the Indians at Cleveland.
Cabrera's 11 hits (in 14 at-bats) set a career high for any three-game series; he's the first Tiger to earn 11-plus hits over three straight games since Walt Dropo in 1952.
Meanwhile out in Anaheim, the Kansas City Royals also reach 6-0 with a 9-2 rout of the Angels and, so far, are proving wrong many of the prognosticators who declared them a one-hit wonder a year ago and have passed on them for 2015.
Starring for the Royals is rookie Paulo Orlando, who legs out two triples; with a three-bagger for his lone hit of the year coming into the game, he becomes the first player in major league history whose first three career hits are triples. He'll later add two more triples to become the first player with five in his first seven games.
Despite the loss, the Angels' Albert Pujols moves into sole possession of 18th place on the all-time home run list with his 522nd career shot in the first inning.
The Atlanta Braves' bid for 6-0 is stopped by the Mets and 41-year-old Bartolo Colon, who picks up his second win of the year and his first RBI since 2005 (on a fourth-inning bloop single), giving New York a 4-3 victory.
Colon will add another RBI in his next start with a sacrifice fly.
For the second straight day, the Colorado Rockies rue letting go of outfielder Dexter Fowler. The former Rockie, who tripled twice the day before for the Cubs at Coors Field, drills a two-run homer in the top of the ninth to give Chicago a 6-5 victory.
Colorado closer LaTroy Hawkins, who blows his second save opportunity in as many chances to start the year, is relieved of his ninth-inning duties following the game.
Monday, April 13
The Red Sox' home opener is a peach. Second-year outfielder Mookie Betts knocks in four runs on a three-run homer and infield single, steals two bases on one play (because the shift is on for David Ortiz and no one's covering third) and robs Bryce Harper of a home run as Boston clobbers Washington, 9-4. The losing pitcher is Jordan Zimmermann, who the Sox coveted during the winter—and for whom they wallop today for eight runs in just 2.1 innings.
Detroit's frantic ninth-inning rally falls short at Pittsburgh, as the Pirates hand the Tigers their first loss of the season with a 5-4 win. This leaves Kansas City as the majors' lone undefeated team after jarring the Twins in their Target Field home opener, 12-3.
The Twins had the worst ERA among starters in 2014, and after six games this year are posting a 6.87 figure—a full run worse than 29th-ranked Seattle. Why Ervin Santana, Why!
The New York Mets win their home opener against Philadelphia, 2-0, behind 6.1 shutout innings from Jacob deGrom. The locals do not lack for hubris; a fan throws a beer through a chain-linked outfield fence at Phillies outfielder Grady Sizemore, while two billboards just outside Citi Field implore Mets owner Fred Wilpon to sell, with one paraphrasing Tug McGraw by stating, "Ya gotta leave."
The Cubs thrill the Wrigley Field faithful with a 7-6, ten-inning win over the visiting Cincinnati Reds thanks to rookie Jorge Soler's first two home runs of the year and a walk-off hit from Alfonso Alcantara, his first safety after an 0-for-16 start.
Soler also bails out Cubs starting pitcher Jon Lester—who painfully shows why he hasn't tried a pickoff attempt in two years—by firing a strike to third and nabbing Cincinnati baserunner Zack Cozart, trying to advance from first on the play.
Tuesday, April 14
Another wild day at Fenway Park between the Red Sox and Nationals sees Boston jump out to a 5-1 lead, only to lose it in the fifth when Washington tallies six times; but the Red Sox rally in the seventh with three runs without the benefit of a single hit to win, 8-7.
The Nationals are 2-6 with the NL's worst offense and defense, by the numbers. Small sample size to be sure, but the Nats are the prohibitive favorite to win it all.
It's a rough night for the Indians—and scary in the first inning when Cleveland starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco is nailed in the jaw by a line drive from the White Sox' Melky Cabrera. Carrasco will leave the game with nothing more than a bruised jaw, but the Indians' offense looks even more battered in a 4-1 loss with just three hits and 14 strikeouts.
Max who? The Tigers get back on the winning track behind the unlikely excellence of Shane Greene, who in his second start of the season does exactly what he did in his first: Throw eight innings without an earned run. Detroit etches out a few late runs to win, 2-0.
Rookie Kendall Graveman and four Oakland relievers combine to blank the Astros at Houston, 4-0, giving the A's their fourth shutout win over their first nine games of the year; only the 1910 White Sox, among AL teams, can vouch for a similar start. The Astros certainly have their chances to score, but leave 11 men on base.
Apparently not all medical care for major leaguers goes right. Or you certainly don't think so if you're Nolan Reimold. The once-and-current Oriole, stuck at the Triple-A level, sues John Hopkins Hospital for negligence, saying he was prematurely discharged after spinal surgery in 2012—leading to continued problems trying to stay healthy.
Wednesday, April 15
On Jackie Robinson Day—celebrating the 68th anniversary of his first day in the majors—the Dodgers announce they will erect a statue of Robinson, the first-ever sculpture at 53-year-old Dodger Stadium. On the field, the Dodgers sweep the visiting Mariners with a 5-2 victory—despite the fact that Seattle DH Nelson Cruz homers in his fifth straight game. The Dodgers' Adrian Gonzalez also extends a streak of nine straight games to start a season safely reaching base at least twice; he's one shy of the team record—held by Robinson, in 1952.
Gonzalez will tie Robinson's mark but not break it.
The Colorado Rockies finish off a three-game sweep of the defending champion Giants in San Francisco with a 4-2 victory, improving their 2015 road record to 6-0. That matches their win total over their last 45 games played away from Coors Field last season.
The Giants, now 3-7 and losers of their last six games, are likely to influence the rules committee about mandatory off-days to start the season as they continue a 14-day stretch without a day off.
The Royals finally lose—and the Twins finally get some strong starting pitching courtesy of Kyle Gibson's quality effort in a 3-1 win at Minnesota. Oswaldo Arcia's two-run homer in the fourth inning is the difference.
Thursday, April 16
The New York Mets overcome an early 3-0 Miami lead—partially fueled by a first-inning home run from Giancarlo Stanton to give him sole possession at the top of the Marlins' all-time list—and bounce back with a 7-5 victory at Citi Field for their fifth straight win.
Stanton, who's still just 25, had been tied with Dan Uggla.
Friday, April 17
All eyes are on Wrigley Field and top prospect Kris Bryant, finally making his major league debut for the Cubs after being controversially held back in the minors to start the year for contractual reasons. But it's not a stellar debut for the 23-year-old slugger, who swings and misses at all three pitches he sees in his first at-bat from San Diego's James Shields—and then strikes out in his next two at-bats before finishing an 0-for-4 day with a force out. The Cubs lose to the Padres, 5-4.
Mike Trout becomes the youngest player ever to accumulate 100 home runs and 100 steals when he goes deep twice at Houston, aiding the Angels in a 6-3 win over the Astros. Alex Rodriguez, who was an older 23 in 1999, held the previous mark.
Eric Davis reached 100/100 in fewer games (459) than Trout (503) but was older.
As for Rodriguez, it's becoming increasingly apparent that reports of his demise have been greatly exaggerated. The two-time steroid cheat nails two home runs, including a mammoth 477-foot shot that's a mere foot shy of the longest ever hit at Tropicana Field; but it's his eighth-inning single that finally puts the Yankees in the lead to stay as they defeat the Rays at St. Petersburg, 5-4.
Rodriguez is hitting .344 with four homers and 11 RBIs through his first ten games.
Baltimore's Ubaldo Jimenez has a slim 1-0 lead and has yet to allow a hit in the fourth inning when, with two outs, he hits Boston's Pablo Sandoval in the back—and is ejected by home plate umpire Jordan Baker. A perplexed Jimenez pleads his case—as does equally perplexed Orioles manager Buck Showalter, who argues that no prior warnings have been issued. The Red Sox tally twice in the next inning and score a walk-off knock in the ninth on Xander Bogaerts' one-out single to win, 3-2.
Baker's contention is that Jimenez was retaliating for a harsh slide by Sandoval into second base earlier in the game.
Saturday, April 18
Perhaps inspired by receiving their 2014 World Series rings in a lavish pregame ceremony, the Giants end an eight-game losing skid by defeating the Diamondbacks at San Francisco, 4-1. It's the first home win for the Giants after an 0-5 start—the worst by a defending champion.
After not allowing a run over five appearances and 3.2 innings to start the year, past-and-current Tampa Bay reliever Grant Balfour has a meltdown in the Rays' 9-0 loss to the Yankees—allowing three runs on a hit (a grand slam by Chris Young), three walks, a hit batsman and a wild pitch—and just like that, he is summarily designated for assignment after the game.
There will be no takers for Balfour, and the Rays will be responsible for the $7.5 million owed to him for the rest of the season.
In a situation somewhat similar to the Sandoval-Jimenez duel a day before in Boston, the A's and Royals clear the benches after Kansas City pitcher Yordano Ventura plunks the A's Brett Lawrie, who the previous night had slid hard—over-aggressively from the Royals' point of view—into second base trying to break up a double play. Ventura is quickly ejected, the often intense Lawrie avoids a confrontation, and the A's move on to a 5-0 victory. It's Oakland's fifth shutout win over its first 12 games, setting a modern major league record.
Between this and an earlier brush with Mike Trout, Ventura is quickly earning a reputation as an over-intensive pitcher—and he's not done for the month. See April 23.
The Texas Rangers have been something akin to kryptonite to Seattle ace Felix Hernandez, but on this night King Felix finally gets the lone star monkey off his back with a masterful performance at Safeco Field. He allows a run on two hits while striking out 12 through seven innings, producing a 3-1 win that's his first after nine straight winless starts against Texas.
He'll make it two in a row over the Rangers 11 days later.
Sunday, April 19
The Royals just wont let it go. Still fuming over the Brett Lawrie slide from a few days earlier, they're irate when A's starter Scott Kazmir clips Lorenzo Cain on the foot in the first inning—and when the umpires issue warnings to both benches, Kansas City manager Ned Yost erupts (because he won't get a legitimate chance to strike back) and is ejected. When Lawrie later has a 100-MPH pitch sail behind his upper back from Royals reliever Kelvin Herrera, the benches again clear, Lawrie does his best to avoid trouble—though he gets irate when Herrera points to his own head—and four more Royals are ejected. Kansas City gains some satisfaction when it overcomes a late 2-1 deficit with a three-run, eighth-inning rally capped by a two-run double from Kendrys Morales to prevail, 4-2.
Herrera will be suspended five games for his actions.
The A's and Royals reconvene in Oakland on June 26-28. Get your tickets now.
A seven-run outburst in the fourth inning is enough—barely—for the Mets to secure their eighth straight win, outlasting the Marlins at Citi Field, 7-6. With victory comes cost: Rising star catcher Travis D'Arnaud breaks his wrist after being hit by a pitch, and reliever Jerry Blevins fractures his arm after being nailed by a comebacker.
The Mets have the NL's best record at 10-3, but with today's injuries coupled with a DL stint for veteran slugger David Wright and PED suspension for closer Jenrry Mejia, the road to maintain the fast start might be a bit bumpy.
Trailing 10-5 after the seventh-inning stretch, Seattle rallies for six runs over the next three innings, capped with a ninth-inning, two-out RBI single from Nelson Cruz—who earlier in the day belts two homers to reach eight on the year—as the Mariners clip the Rangers, 11-10.
Cruz's eight homers on the year have come over the last eight games—but not consecutively.
Detroit's Yoenis Cespedes drills two homers and drives in six runs in the Tigers' 9-1 rout of the visiting White Sox. Cespedes has now homered in his last four-at-bats against Chicago starting pitcher Jose Quintana.
Monday, April 20
A game at Pittsburgh between the Pirates and Cubs is halted for 22 minutes when the Cubs' Starlin Castro lines a foul ball to the backstop—knocking unconscious the head of a woman returning to her seat when she was too close to the netting that flexed from the drive. She is carted off on a stretcher and taken to a local hospital, where she undergoes tests before being released.
Kris Bryant has three hits and three RBIs in a 5-2 Chicago win; since his inglorious 0-for-4 debut last Friday, the Cubs' ballyhooed phenom is 6-for-10 and will end up batting over .300 for April—albeit without a home run.
Trevor Bauer (seven shutout innings) and the Indians give closer Cody Allen a 3-0 lead to preserve in the ninth inning—but after striking out his first batter, Allen allows the next seven batters to reach safely, and four of them score, handing the White Sox a 4-3, walk-off victory. Melky Cabrera's deep-fly single brings home the inning run.
It's the first time in ten years that the White Sox have overcome a three-run lead and won in the ninth. The victim back then: Also the Indians.
Tuesday, April 21
The Brewers score a season high ten runs but still lose—and badly, 16-10 to the visiting Reds, who tally two or more times in five consecutive innings for the first time in franchise history while blasting five home runs, including grand slams from Jay Bruce and Todd Frazier. The 26 combined runs are just one shy of the Miller Park record; the Brewers slump to 2-12, the majors' worst record.
Cincinnati is now 2-0 since manager Bryan Price went on an Ed Harris-as-Dave Moss five-minute tirade with the media consisting of 77 F-bombs.
At Toronto, the Blue Jays get two homers from Edwin Encarnacion and one from Jose Bautista—a seventh-inning shot right after rookie Jason Garcia throws a pitch behind his back—to thump Baltimore, 13-6. Bautista's homer is the 250th of his career, but he's in no mood to celebrate, verbally lashing out at several Orioles as he rounds the bases.
Blue Jays pitcher Mark Buehrle becomes only the second pitcher since 1900 to win his first three starts with at least 12 runs of offensive support in each.
The A's get flattened in Anaheim by the Angels, 14-1—but a silver lining is provided from first baseman Ike Davis, who relieves a totally ineffective Oakland bullpen and pitches a 1-2-3 eighth inning on just nine pitches. He's the first position player to pitch for the A's since 2000.
Wednesday, April 22
Barry Bonds is no longer a felon. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals overturns the one charge the disputed home run king was convicted of related to the BALCO scandal—that of obstruction of justice—putting all of his legal troubles totally behind him after ten-plus years.
It's curious to wonder how much less the Department of Justice spent on BALCO—they racked up $50 million alone going after Bonds—than they did going unsuccessfully after the crooks on Wall Street who swindled the American public and plunged the country into its worst recession since the Great Depression. (And the Feds are still thinking of appealing the court's ruling to the Supreme Court.)
In a game at Detroit's Comerica Park played at times amid snow flurries form a late winter storm, the visiting Yankees pile up on Tigers starter David Price, scoring eight runs on ten hits and three walks before the veteran ace is finally removed in the third inning of a 13-4 rout.
Price's performance is hauntingly similar to his last appearance against the Yankees last August—when he allowed eight runs on 12 hits in two innings.
The Phillies gift the visiting Marlins a 6-1 win as Miami scores five of their runs on two errors and a balk. The Fish' one RBI on the night—on a Martin Prado double that caps the scoring in the eighth—represents the first time in 40 years that as many as six runs have been scored by a team while netting only one official RBI.
Thursday, April 23
Another Yordano Ventura start for the Royals, another melee. In Chicago, the young Kansas City firebrand—who early in the game plunks White Sox star Jose Abreu with a 99-MPH pitch—fields a wicked comebacker from Adam Eaton and, while throwing to first, shouts out an unprovoked expletive toward Eaton that leads to another clearing of the benches. Several pockets of brief fighting ignite from the ensuing scrum, and five players are ejected, including Ventura.
Baseball puts its foot down on those involved, most heavily with a seven-game suspension upon Ventura—who wasn't directly involved in the physical fighting but instigated the whole thing. Also penalized is Royals pitcher Edinson Volquez (five games), reliever Kelvin Herrera (who adds two games to the five he received from last week's confrontation with the A's Brett Lawrie) and outfielder Lorenzo Cain (two games); suspended on the White Sox' side is their two best starting pitchers, Jeff Samardzija and Chris Sale—who reportedly tries to continue the dispute by attempting to charge into the Royals' clubhouse—at five games apiece.
Not since Albert Belle in 1995 has someone been involved in a rash of confrontational events as has Ventura, who—by design or not—has established himself as baseball's new bad boy. Perhaps it's helping to keep the fire hot under a Royals team out to prove it's not the one-year wonder many believe it was in 2014, but it begs to wonder if the Royals have the mental and physical capacity to maintain this caustic edge over 162 games.
The Mets finish a 10-0 homestand—the first such undefeated, double-digit occurrence since Minnesota did it in 1991—and tie a franchise record with their 11th straight win as they defeat the visiting Braves, 6-3. Bartolo Colon picks up his fourth win in as many starts.
The Angels are outhit by the visiting A's, 8-1, but win—thanks to a two-run, third-inning homer by Kyle Calhoun that gives them a 2-0 victory. It's only the third time in franchise history that the Angels have won with a single hit.
Pete Rose has been given the green light to participate in official activities during the upcoming All-Star Game at Cincinnati, where he's still embraced as a hero. Those hoping that this may be the first step in Rose's inclusion back in the game may want to pump the brakes, as this is hardly the first time the all-time hit king has been allowed within MLB's ropes—having been a part of the All-Century team celebration in 1999.
Veteran closer Joe Nathan, on a minor league rehab assignment, tears several elbow ligaments and is told he'll need Tommy John surgery, the second of his career. At age 40, he would not return until mid-2016—and although he vows to continue playing when recovered, the question is whether anyone will want him; the Tigers will likely spend $1 million to buy out the final year of his contract rather than pay him $10 million in 2016.
Friday, April 24
Josh Hamilton is going home, of sorts. The troubled ex-MVP, who over the last three months has suffered a drug relapse, been handed divorce papers and put his Orange County home on the market, is traded from the Angels back to the Texas Rangers, where his career hit peak form in the early 2010s. The Angels will eat most of his remaining $83 million salary, as the Rangers will pick up the tab for, at most, $7 million of it.
Several days later, Hamilton will have this to say about the Angels and owner Arte Moreno: "He knew what the deal was when he signed me. Hands down. He knew what he what he was getting, what the risks were. Under the JDA (Joint Drug Agreement), it is was it is."
C'mon, Josh—really? That's like a parolee who is allowed into a halfway house, does something criminal and then tells the judge, "The landlord knew the deal when he brought me in." Granted, the Angels haven't followed the P.R. playbook to perfection in publicly dealing with Hamilton, but he should at least try and take some responsibilities for his failings of the last three months and not put all of this on Moreno.
Just when the Angels thought they were done paying out $20 million to players no longer on their roster (see Vernon Wells), now they'll have to dole out roughly that amount to Hamilton each year through 2017.
The Mets' bid for a franchise-record 12th straight win falls across town at Yankee Stadium, as the Yankees' Mark Teixeira belts a pair of two-run homers through the first three innings to lift the Bronx Bombers to a 6-1 victory.
Teixeira has 12 hits on the year—11 of them for extra bases.
The Indians rack it up on the Tigers at Detroit, 13-1, as Brandon Moss goes deep twice and, with a double added, knocks in seven runs. His two homers both come with men on base for the Tribe, who had come into the game with 11 dingers—all solo—to start the year.
After going scoreless through the first nine innings at Oakland, the bats for both the Astros and A's finally wake up in extra innings—exchanging two runs in the tenth, followed by a three-run 11th-inning Houston outburst; the A's two runs in the bottom of the frame are one two few and the Astros survive with a 5-4 triumph.
With the win, Houston is currently the only above-.500 team in the AL West.
Saturday, April 25
The Orioles survive a pair of late Boston rallies and defeat the Red Sox in ten innings, 5-4, on a David Lough home run. The game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards is played all but adjacent to a march consisting of several thousand protesters who rally, sometimes violently, against the death of a black citizen allegedly at the hands of Baltimore police a week earlier.
The crowd of 37,000—aware of the turbulence outside as sirens blare and helicopters buzz nearby—is not allowed to leave the ballpark during the ninth inning as a safety precaution; when the game ends an inning later, it is allowed outside but warned to be careful. No postgame incidents are said to occur.
It will get worse in Baltimore before it gets better.
The Cardinals defeat the Brewers, 5-3, and drop Milwaukee to a major league-worst 3-15 record, but the win comes at great cost. Ace Adam Wainwright, with four shutout innings in the book, bats in the fifth and, after popping up, stumbles in pain out of the batter's box. It will later be discovered that he has torn an Achilles muscle and will miss the rest of the year.
The Wainwright injury, coupled with a sore thumb for Washington ace Max Scherzer days earlier while trying to bunt, amplifies the chatter from fans and reporters who think it's time for the NL to adopt the DH.
The sea breeze is blowing out hard at Petco Park. Seven home runs are hit—one shy of the ballpark record—with four of them belted by the visiting Dodgers, who bludgeon the Padres by an 11-8 count. Former Padre Adrian Gonzalez hits his seventh homer of the year and knocks in three for Los Angeles.
Sunday, April 26
Free agent pick-up Evan Gattis, mired in a .136 start with one RBI through his first 15 games, wakes up with four RBIs, two on a ninth-inning double that puts Houston ahead to stay of the A's in Oakland, 7-6, finishing a three-game sweep. It's the first time in franchise history that the Astros have swept the A's in a series.
All is peaceful in Baltimore—for the moment—and the Orioles take advantage, scoring in six straight innings to rout the Red Sox, 18-7, behind 20 hits. It's the highest run count the Orioles/Browns franchise has ever posted against Boston.
Monday, April 27
It gets scarier in Baltimore. Full-scale riots break out around the city as the Orioles are scheduled to begin a week of home games, including tonight's contest against the White Sox—which is postponed. Oriole Park at Camden Yards, some two miles from the worst of the violence, is safe. With a 10:00 p.m. city curfew set for the rest of the week, it will be difficult for the Orioles to get in any of their night games.
Tuesday's game will also be postponed due to the continued unrest, but a Wednesday afternoon contest is on—behind closed gates, as no fans will be allowed in the ballpark. A weekend home series with Tampa Bay will be switched to St. Petersburg.
There had been talk of moving the rest of the Orioles' homestand 40 miles south to Nationals Park in Washington, but that might have been scuttled due to the ongoing dispute between the Orioles and Nationals over regional TV revenue.
Eight days after a Pittsburgh fan is hit and hospitalized from a foul ball, the Pirates and Cubs cringe again as a Wrigley Field fan is struck from a bat accidentally flown into the stands from Chicago rookie Addison Russell. The fan is personally cared for in the stands by Cubs owner Tom Ricketts (among others) before being taken, conscious, to a hospital. On the field, the Cubs defeat Pittsburgh, 4-0.
Russell, yet another highly-touted prospect in the Cubs' organization, has played four games for the parent team thus far—and has lost his grip on the bat three times.
Tuesday, April 28
This was a night the Atlanta Braves could have used Craig Kimbrel—and Dan Uggla, of all people. The visiting Nationals, trailing 10-2 after four innings, mount the second largest comeback in franchise history, capping a wild 13-12 victory with a three-run, ninth-inning homer from Uggla, the former Brave who fell quickly on hard times last year. Uggla also has a single, triple and knocks in five runs.
The real irony is that the Braves were beat by the player who's currently the highest paid on their payroll; Uggla was released by the team in early 2014 with a year-plus left on his contract.
Arizona blasts the Rockies at Phoenix, 12-5, but the Diamondbacks watch in horror as stellar rookie pitcher Archie Bradley takes a Carlos Gonzalez line drive off the left side of his face in the second inning. Bradley walks off the field with a swollen bruise, but X-rays otherwise reveal no major damage.
On a day when good pitching mostly has the day off—seven teams score ten or more runs and there are no shutouts—there's always Madison Bumgarner vs. Clayton Kershaw. Bumgarner, the reigning postseason hero and Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year outduels reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Kershaw with eight terrific innings as the Giants edge the Dodgers in Los Angeles, 2-1.
The 9-12 Giants might still be in last place in the NL West, but they're now 4-1 against the Dodgers.
Wednesday, April 29
In the first major league game closed to the public, the Orioles run up a 6-0 first-inning lead and coast from there to defeat the visiting White Sox 8-2 at an empty Oriole Park at Camden Yards, closed off out of safety concerns after recent riots around Baltimore. Staffers and those with media credentials are allowed in, and the public address announcer introduces the players when they come to bat, but the only ones listening are several dozen fans standing outside the outfield gates with a partial view of the action.
Some players have difficulty focusing on the action amid total silence, as the game takes on the feel of a spring scrimmage. It also lasts just two hours and three minutes, perhaps because there are no usual in-game sideshows such as player intro music.
Aha, says commissioner Rob Manfred, there's our solution to speeding up the games—don't let anybody in to watch!
It's so quiet at Oriole Park, viewers watching the White Sox broadcast can hear Baltimore play-by-play man Gary Thorne, in the next booth, shout out "Goodbye!" when Chris Davis belts a first-inning home run.
James Loney's 13th-inning single brings home Steven Sousa to give Tampa Bay a 3-2 overtime win over the Yankees at New York. Of note is Alex Rodriguez's performance, which isn't good; he's hitless in six at-bats with four strikeouts and a grounder turned into a double play. After a strong first few weeks, he's now hitting .232.
After falling behind at Minnesota 7-3, the Tigers score seven unanswered runs thanks to four home runs, including two from Miguel Cabrera and the first career shot, an inside-the-park job, for catcher James McCann (no relation to Yankees catcher Brian McCann). The 10-7 win improves the Tigers' record to 15-7, best in the AL.
Thursday, April 30
The Astros are back home in Houston, but they're still playing like they're in orbit. After tying the Mariners in the sixth, Houston nabs victory in the 10th on Jose Altuve's run-scoring double for their seventh straight win, 3-2. The Astros finish the month at 15-7—their best showing since August 2008.
After spotting the Mets to an early 2-0 lead, the Nationals power up and score eight unanswered to hand New York its first loss at Citi Field this season, 8-2. The Mets had won their first ten games at home.
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Donald Trump is in the news (no surprise there) for his recent super creepy, very sexual comments about women. Since then, multiple women have stepped forward with allegations of facing exactly the kinds of behaviors he boasts of in the video — groping, forcibly kissing and other unwanted sexual contact. But his gross misogyny and… [Read More]
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After a lot of thought, time and hard work we finally launched our new Personalized Short-Sleeved Onesies! We are thrilled knowing that lots of babies will be sporting these in the coming spring and summer months. We can't wait!
They are made out of organic cotton and come is 6 different colors. We are so proud of them and we know that you'll love them, too!


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Why FSGS patients' creatinine increases from 3.2 to 8.2 in one week and more importantly, is there anything we can do to relive it? Now, this article will explain it in details and you also can add WhatsApp/Wechat+008618395615012.
In case of FSGS, the glomeruli that is responsible for eliminating wastes products and toxic substances are damaged and only a part of glomeruli are involved in. Since glomeruli is damaged, lots of toxins and extra water will build up in blood, resulting in high creatinine level. Creatinine 3.2 increases 8.2 in one week means that there is severe damage with cells and tissues on glomeruli.
When FSGS patients suffer form high creatinine level, dialysis seems the direct way for patients to deal with it. At some point, dialysis can help patients relive some poisoning symptoms and avoid some complications. But, it also makes patients many adverse effects, such as fatigue, headache, low blood pressure.
Because of this, more and more patients are wondering is there any alternative treatments to deal with high creatinine level with FSGS?
In China, Beijing Tongshantang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine provides patients a natural treatment to deal with kidney disease problem. There are numerous herbs containing in this therapy, besides, herbs are often refined into powder to improve its efficiency. The powder is collected into two medicated bags for about 40-50 minutes. Through a way of connecting osmotic machine and two medicated bags, the active substances will come out and then penetrate inside kidney lesions directly. The active substances in herbal medicines also can be delivered inside kidney lesions directly. Do you want to know more details about the natural treatment, please send your present condition to firstname.lastname@example.com or leave a message below. We will try our best to help you.
Leave your problem to us,You will surely get the free medical advice from experts within 24 hours!


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Nov 14: Acorn
Nov 13: Leaves
Nov 12: Apples
If there's one thing the November Sketchbook Magic teaches me aside from the daily practice, is to pause and look, really observe what a thing is and what makes it so. This is the 3rd apple I've painted since October and I don't think I've paid attention to apples that much even if we have an apple tree, and not even from the fact that I've sorted, peeled and cooked hundreds of them.
Nov 11: Tea
Went to Victoria, BC with my mom almost 10 years ago and it was our first time to have Afternoon Tea at the Empress Hotel. This was the teacup we had during the service.
Nov 10: Chill
I just realized I have to get started making holiday cards to mail. Testing out some ideas.
Nov 9: Seasons
Catching up on the challenges. I was going to draw something else, but it seemed more appropriate to draw a poppy on Remembrance Day. Lest we forget the battles fought for our freedem, then and now.
Nov 8: Gathering
Gathering almost always includes food, and there's no better way than to sit down for a relaxing, no-time-limit meal with good company.
Also, forks are hard to draw.
Nov 7: Home
Vancouver, my home.
Nov 6: Bonfire
More like a firepit, from the same feast from yesterday. I discovered I'm really bad at painting fire. Eep.
Nov 5: Feast
I started sketching a photo I took from one farm-to-table feast I attended last summer and pretty quickly I realized just how many wine glasses there were so it's taking a while to finish it, but I'm posting what I have so far.
Nov 4: Hay
As soon as I started working on the details of the face I regretted picking the horse eating hay to draw. I'm barely threading through the scary waters of working with facial proportions. The mind knows exactly how they should look like and the hand needs to catch up on how to do it. I finally arrived at an acceptable sketch I am happy with. That sounds awful, I know. I'm letting my inner critic speak.
Nov 3: Color
I love color and I love doodling the same thing with variations. Sometimes they're fluffy commas.
Nov 2: Gourds
I'm still learning how to not mess up my pencil sketches once I start adding watercolour. The little grooves and bumps did not translate well into the finished sketch. Oops.
I used to hate eating squash as a kid and I've since turned to a more positive outlook about them since then.
Nov 1: Fall
We have a backyard apple tree that stresses me out in the fall, when Vancouver turns into the rain central of the Pacific Northwest and cleaning/sweeping fallen leaves becomes futile. Yard work is hard work and while I love apples, seeing the mess leaves me (pun!) even bluer on a gray day. It's times like this that I focus on the beauty of what causes me grief and turn it into something good. Something better. These are some of the leaves taunting me. I turn apple leaves into apple drawings.


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Just how much do our Stroller Geeks nerd out about our jobs? Sometimes, we just start talking about how cool a feature on a stroller is and it turns into a whole blog. Nat took all of the fabric off of a Baby Jogger City Mini GT Stroller just to demonstrate this cool feature for a customer, and she was ... Read More »
Tag Archives: stroller review
Cybex Priam review: the latest in stroller luxury
Where do you even begin with the Cybex Priam Stroller? Just look at it! The stroller is so truly and completely elegant in its design that it blows me away, transporting me to a magical land of luxury. And when I say luxury, yes, that does also refer to the price tag – but the Priam does a lot of ... Read More »
Eli reviews the new Orbit O2 jogging stroller!
Orbit Baby strollers are a major favorite among our gang of Stroller Geeks, due to their versatility and clever, practical design. So we've been bursting with excitement for the last year waiting to get our paws on the Orbit O2 Jogging Stroller, which takes all of that terrific attention to detail and applies it to the world of running. The Orbit ... Read More »


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patterns > Mary-Ann Lammers' Ravelry Store
> KISS Cowl Cascade
KISS Cowl Cascade
For a limited time buy 2 or more of my patterns and automatically receive a 25% discount. No coupon code needed.
Cascading colours of simple mosaic stitches and a blending of softly flowing stripes all combine to give a touch of classic elegance and fun all at the same time.
Mosaic stitches are knit one colour per row and are as simple as knitting one stitch and slipping the other. If you are new to mosaic style knitting this is a great pattern to start with. There are no charts to follow because each row is clearly written and simple to remember (and because I myself prefer following written instruction over charts).
Here is an excellent YouTube video about Mosaic Stitch knitting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bTrBsUCiC8
The mock cables in the border are knit by slipping a stitch instead of working with cable needles, so much simpler! The pattern clearly explains how to create the mock cables which makes it great if it's your first attempt knitting them.
Making mock cables:
Mock Cable: MC3
Mock cables are made by following these four steps.
1.Slip the first stitch knitwise (as if to knit) with yarn at the back.
2.Knit the second stitch.
3.Bring the yarn forward between the needles as if to purl and then hold it over the right hand needle. Knit the third stitch. (this creates a stitch).
4.Pass the slipped stitch over the two knit stitches and the yarn that was held over.
The look is intricate and detailed but the methods are simple. Just don't tell anyone how truly easy they are, let them be impressed.
Add some interesting closures to wrap it up and to keep it where it needs to be….beautifully settled on your shoulders.
Be prepared for compliments!
This pattern used Berroco Vintage Chunky: 100 gr./ 124.4 meters
1 Skein White # 6101
1 Skein Smoke # 6106
1 Skein Lilacs # 6183
1 Skein Cracked Pepper # 6107
5 mm/us 8 Circulars minimum 32"
7 mm Circulars minimum 32"
The cowl is knit flat, the circular needles are for the volume of stitches.
Stitches used in this pattern:
PM…………….place stich marker.
SM…………….slip stitch marker.
BM…………….before marker.
( )………………repeat stitch instructions between brackets.
SL1KW………slip 1 stitch knit wise (as if to knit with yarn in back)).
SL1PW………slip 1 stitch purl wise (as if to purl with yarn in back on right side, in front on wrong side).
K2tog…………decrease by knitting 2 stitches together.
Special thanks to H.Waitte for tech editing.
Questions? Come join my group Mary-Ann Lammers Designs.
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Today I have a very happy polish for you! Yes, that's right, yellow ♥. I'll admit, a few weeks back you could literally hear me say "I hate yellow". I am still not yellow's number 1 fan. But, it is starting to grow on me. My best friend has a gorgeous cabinet she painted yellow and it looks so cheery! And that's when I stumbled upon this polish. ULTA Cha Cha, it came from a set of 4 mini's, I won this in a giveaway from Polly Polish once. It was still untried burt all of a sudden I was holding this and thinking to myself: "Hey girl, how about using that yellow polish?" (yes you can picture Ryan Gosling with that). So I did!
I needed 3 coats and it didn't completely level until I used topcoat. Yeah, it's yellow, I was expecting it to happen. My middle and ring finger got stamped using a Bundle Monster plate and Wet 'n Wild Black Cremé. I filled in the little spots with H&M Golden Treasure. Wearing these was fun but they did come off after a day. It's growing on me, yellow.
What do you think of yellow as a nail color? And which yellow polish would you recommend? Tell me in the comments!


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We walked along the beach to get to the evening reception venue atop a cliff over looking the sea. It was going to be a long night full of food, dancing and celebrations so I needed an outfit that would last me until the sun came up!
Those of you who watch my you tube videos may recognise the shoes and dress from two different Primark hauls and the Primark obsessives amongst you may have an inkling...but I can confirm...this whole outfit is from Primark!
Dress - Primark £12
Clutch - Primark £2
Cuff - Primark £3
Shoes - Primark £12
Partying with members of the Italian and Greek elite and fashionistas in head-to-toe Primark is a risky move as it may not be a "dirty little secret" but it's not really classed as a revered fashion house! But no one rumbled me and a couple of guests even commented on how much they liked my outfit...*smug smirk*...mwahahahaaaa if only you knew!
One of my favourite outfits EVERRRRRRRRRRRR I know this dress will be a staple for this summer! It's one of the most beautiful printed items I own and the shape is divine, Primarni I salute you!
Daddy S rocked a traditional dapper English gent look in a linen suit and blue shirt.
The party was incredible! Elegant, glamorous and stylish complete with personalised cocktails, suprise fireworks, an amazing soundtrack and mouth wateringly good food...nom nom lobster risotto...nommmmm. We had a whale of a time and didn't get home until breakfast time!
T x


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11373 Folsom Blvd.
Rancho Cordova, CA 95742
New 2018 KZ Venom V4113TKBLOW OUT PRICING!
If you have been searching for the ultimate toy hauler fifth wheel then take a look at this KZ Venom V4113TK to find a curb side raised patio, loft bed, a bath and a half, and a fireplace to mention a few of the "must have" features.
As you enter the main entry to your left you will see the living and kitchen area, and to your right you will find a full bath and front master bedroom.
The side aisle bath includes a residential shower with seat, linen storage, a sink with medicine cabinet, and a toilet.
In the front bedroom you will find a queen size bed or choose an optional king if you would like more sleeping space. You can store your camp clothes in one of the two bedside closets, or the slide out wardrobe.
Back in the main living area you can relax on the slide out theater seats for two along the curb side wall while watching the TV in the opposing slide out. Also within that slide there is a fireplace, pantry, refrigerator, and three burner range. You will find the kitchen double sink and extra counter space in the center island. Next to the TV there is a hide-a-bed sofa with overhead storage. A second TV along the interior wall is located next to the patio entrance.
The exterior curb side raised patio provides an outdoor space to entertain friends, relax in the great outdoors, or even store a few items. You may also enter the patio from the garage.
Inside the garage you will find 13' of cargo toy parking space, a half bath, a side man door, and an optional power bed. There is a loft above the front of the cargo area with access from the inside living area.
Don't forget about the 14' awning allowing more outside time, and optional 18' second awning if you would like more coverage along the curb side. There are plenty of exterior compartments for your outdoor gear, plus much much more!
Stock# 7687
|43 ft 7 in
|Ext Width
|8 ft 5 in
|Ext Height
|13 ft 4 in
|Int Height
|8 ft 6 in
|Hitch Weight
|2820 lbs
|Gross Weight
|19000 lbs
|Dry Weight
|15160 lbs
|Cargo Weight
|3840 lbs
|Fresh Water Capacity
|100 gals
|Grey Water Capacity
|97 gals
|Black Water Capacity
|97 gals
|Tire Size
|Furnace BTU
|35000 btu
|Number Of Bunks
|Available Beds
|Refrigerator Size
|8 cu ft
|Cooktop Burners
|Number of Awnings
|Axle Weight
|12340 lbs
|Garage Size
|13 ft
|LP Tank Capacity
|30 lbs.
|Water Heater Capacity
|12 gal.
|Water Heater Type
|Gas/Electric DSI
|15000 btu
|TV Info
|LR HD LED, BR Flat Panel, Garage HD Flat Panel
|Awning Info
|14' Electric & 18' Electric option
|Axle Count
|Number of LP Tanks
|Shower Type
|Shower w/Seat
|Electrical Service
|50 amp
K.Z. Inc., a subsidiary of Thor Industries Inc., is headquartered in Shipshewana, Indiana, and was founded in 1972. We have been earning our reputation as an outstanding recreational vehicle manufacturer – largely through our commitment to quality and our attention to meeting the unique needs of customers like you.
Our mission is to continue to strive for the highest quality in our products and services, to develop new concepts and competitively priced products; applying courtesy, integrity and fairness in dealing with our customers.


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Bringing up a contract negotiation can make the most fearless people sweat. While most people have to broach the subject at some point, they also make a good number of mistakes.
One way to make things a little easier is to make sure the new deal works for both sides. The employer and employee should feel good about the situation at the end of the day as to avoid fighting and awkwardness later on. We will try to explain some pitfalls you can try to avoid when going in for a contract negotiation.
#1 – Not Being Prepared
A lot of people go into a bosses office asking for a raise without knowing what they want, and what they are worth. This is the biggest mistake you can make during a negotiation. If you know what you are worth, the employer will see your confidence and understand that if he or she doesn't give you the raise, you may be smart enough to move elsewhere. Do a lot of research and if you are being underpaid, GET THAT RAISE!You will also want to practice your talking points before speaking with the boss. Rehearse like you would for an acting part. This may sound silly, but it could make you a lot of money in the end. #2 – Factor In Everything When picking a job, or deciding whether to take another job, you really have to look at a lot of factors. Make sure to think about the cost of living, the commute, benefits, and the work environment. Those probably seem obvious, but a lot of people get caught up on the dollar amount. Often times the lower paying job could be the best option either for your wallet or your happiness. #3 – Be Decisive Don't drag things out. When you have to make a decision, make sure you make it quickly. First of all it can put off the employer if you do take the job, and if you don't take it, it may put them in a bad position. We aren't advising to rush a decision, but you should be prepared when you go in, and know the terms you want. If they can't reach it, don't be afraid to turn them down on the spot. These are just a couple of tips I have come across that have been helpful in my own life so hopefully they can help you as well. In future articles we will cover these steps in more detail.


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In February 2017, the improved Adams Street Bascule Bridge was ready for prime time. After completion of the reconstruction project that commenced in April 2015, motorists will experience a smoother ride and Metra passengers will have a sound platform from which to catch their rush hour trains.
Located just east of Chicago Union Station, the Adams Street Bridge is one of two primary crossings serving the station between the west side of the Chicago River and Chicago's Loop. The viaduct to the west of the bridge spans across the north terminal tracks of Chicago Union Station. Supporting more than 40,000 pedestrians and 20,000 cars and buses per day, the bridge was last rehabilitated in 1996 and was due for a major overhaul.
Built at the same time as the bascule bridge, the viaduct was well beyond its useful life and needed to be replaced as well. In late 2015, Walsh Construction was awarded a $34 million contract to rehabilitate the bascule bridge and replace the viaduct over Union Station to the west. Milhouse Engineering & Construction, Inc., with a wealth of experience in bascule bridge design, was retained by Walsh to perform construction-related engineering services. Milhouse is one of only a few firms in Chicago that perform this kind of intricate and comprehensive bridgework.
Chicago's Adams Street Bascule Bridge over the South Branch of the Chicago River was built in 1927 by the Fitzsimons & Connell Dredge & Dock Company of Chicago. The bridge is officially classified as a Chicago-style trunnion bascule bridge — or Chicago-Type, Double Leaf, Trunnion Bascule Bridge — and is owned and maintained by Chicago's Department of Transportation.
The Chicago-style trunnion bascule was developed by the Chicago Department of Public Works at the turn of the 19th Century. The two movable bridge leaves pivot about a fixed trunnion, or fulcrum, much like a teeter totter. The word "bascule" is French for "seesaw." The leaves on each side of the river have large counterweights to balance the span across the river (see Figure 1). Each leaf of the Adams Street Bridge is 120 feet long, weighs more than 3 million pounds, and measures 240 feet trunnion to trunnion.
The bascule bridge rehabilitation work was extensive due to extensive deterioration of many of the main structural elements of the bridge.
Milhouse's work included:
- evaluation of the existing bridge structures to support equipment loadings, including a crane weighing more than 400,000 pounds to remove viaduct girders;
- temporary earth retention — often the first stage of construction — at track level of Union Station to allow for replacement of the viaduct support columns;
- development of the sequence of demolition for all major structural members;
- review of the balance of the bridge to allow removal and replacement of floor beam 0-0 at the center break between the leaves;
- design of temporary construction, such as temporary centerlocks between the leaves, to provide continuity of load transfer between the leaves to allow vehicles to cross the bridge; and
- design of alternative repairs that simplify construction.
The Milhouse team's greatest challenge was development of a procedure to allow replacement of the west leaf's longitudinal girder. The longitudinal girder is used to support the bridge leaf's trunnion bearing. Each longitudinal girder supports more than 1 million pounds of load.
To allow replacement of the longitudinal girder, Milhouse developed a shoring and jacking system to support the bridge leaf's counterweight. Shoring is a supporting structure that carries the load of the counterweight and maintains safety for workers while construction proceeds. The shores support the counterweight, which allowed Milhouse to raise the counterweight to remove the load from the longitudinal girder. More than 1.2 million pounds of jacking force was used to lift the counterweight. With the load removed, the existing longitudinal girder could then be removed and the new girder installed.
One of the last items of work Milhouse designed for Walsh was a procedure to open the movable leaves without the use of the electric motors. Typically, the bridge is operated with a 50-horsepower motor. Because Walsh was replacing the bridge control and electrical system, there was no power to open the bridge leaves. Milhouse devised a procedure using chain falls to pull on the counterweight to open the bridge. Since the bridge leaf is balanced to within 5,000 pounds of being balanced, the leaf can be moved easily using this method. The same procedure was used to lower the leaf.
While not the preparation of design documents used to bid for the rehabilitation of the bridge, construction engineering has unique challenges and is much more immediate in terms of the impact of our work on the outcomes of construction. Work crews depend on our quick response and solutions to solve construction issues. Often, delays mean that workers are not productive and waste valuable time.
The designs we develop are typically not found in any textbook and draw upon the collective engineering knowledge of our staff to develop and implement. Milhouse staff involved in the work include Stephen Long, Vince Scarpa, and Arturo Pereda, who prepared calculations, verified loadings, and developed plans for the work.
Stan-Lee Kaderbek, P.E., S.E., is vice president of Civil and Transportation at Milhouse Engineering & Construction, Inc. (www.milhouseinc.com). He has served in the industry for almost 40 years, in the public and private sectors. A former deputy commissioner bridges and commissioner of buildings for the City of Chicago for 12 years, he has been involved in "every moveable bridge in the city," which number in the thirties. Crystal Fencke is content writer for Milhouse.


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How can both the O.T. and Book of Mormon be compatible; one says that the Garden of Eden was in the Fertile Crescent, while the other says it was in Missouri? Dawkins says Joseph Smith was a felon and a confidence man; what do people think Saul/Paul the Tarsan was? (A Zealot. Zealots killed people. Duh!)
I've been to Missouri. The Garden of Eden isn't there.
It's about time that someone brought up the craziness in Mormonism. If you can believe that Jesus Christ came to America after his resurrection, you can believe anything at all.
Loved the part about digging up some "golden" tablets, translating them, then losing them. Isn't that convenient? Sorta like that scene in DeMille's Ten Commandments when he has Mosheh dashing the tablets on the golden calf being worshiped by his followers at the instance of Dathan. Hope he wasn't like Gov. Perry of Texas and could only name remember some of the Decalogue. Ron Paul wasn't there to sotto voce the others.
Christian mythology at least has the excuse that it was fabricated in a much earlier era when people knew far less about the natural world. Mormonism, coming at a much later date, ought to have been transparently false.
In praxis, Mormonism operates as a Ponzi scheme. Romney even asked the top dogs if they had any objection to his running for President in 2004 (or '08, I cannot recall when he first ran, but he admitted putting in a call to Salt Lick City to consult with the top of the pyramid). They have a top guy, then they have 12 people called the Disciples or Apostles. And these function as the decision makers. When JFK ran, he promised to make his decisions free of the Vatican. I don't think we can trust Romney to do the same thing vis-a-vis Salt Lick City. His tithes kept increasing as his income grew, which is why the 1040's and schedules have not been released. No mistake about it, Mormonism is a con cult.
I've been to Missouri. The Garden of Eden isn't there.
That's so funny. What's equally funny is, those were the exact words I was going to type until I saw yours! I don't know if that means we are both tapping into some sort of cultural gestalt, or are connected in some strange way. If so, my condolences to you.
Jung synchronicity raises its ugly head once again.
These beliefs are barking mad!
-- Richard Dawkins
Sums things up nicely!
Right Loren!
He states it like it is.
I thought mormonism was like some sort of big star trek Convention, only with Conastoga wagons and funny underwear. They don't really take it seriously, do they?
What? Trekism is a religion to?
Damn, people are strange!
True Melinda - you certainly don't want someone so delusioned to run the country. But it's happened before.
Im less bothered by Romney's religious "beliefs" (If he really believes them), than by his economic ones, opportunism, and lack of integrity. The country and the world are not ready for Rommunism.
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This is the new V2 extruder.
It handles 1.7mm filament.
All cables have been guided away from rotating parts.
The extruder is much more compact and lighter then V1.
It handles 1.7mm filament which is much easyer to push through the nozzle.
this results in much higher print speeds (currently testing 150mm/sec , no problemo)
The extruder works with a wormgear that has a ratio of 20:1
This has 2 advantages
- there are more steps per mm, resulting in finer print resolution
- the power of the motor is greatly reduced, and a smaller (read lighter) motor is required
Here is a clip where it`s printing at 75mm/sec
And one where it is printing at 150mm/sec, part 1 infill
Part2 topside


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Friday, December 28, 2012
The Best of the Worst 2012
2012 was a year full of life-altering changes and satisfying victories—for the TSB team, in any case. These personal triumphs will look great on our gravestones but reflect poorly on the blog. Still, we believe in quality over quantity, especially when it comes to justifying our frequent month-long hiatuses.
What say you dear reader, assuming there's any of you left? What content do you want to see from us in the new year? Throw us a comment and if it sticks we might humor you. Assuming our day jobs don't get in the way of what's truly important, that is.
Comiket 81: The High Cost of Fandom
Does joining the otaku club require you to sever ties with society and shun your parents? Comiket's ridiculous scheduling around national holidays leaves visitors with no other choice.
Making Sense of Dollers
Hovering between abject horror and bewildered respect, our look into the misfit world of the Dollers may be the most even-handed piece ever written on the subject, if only because no one else can be bothered.
History of Akihabara Part 3.5: 2.5D
Authenticity has evacuated Akihabara and taken its mojo with it. The creative elements of the crumbled otaku Mecca have melded with the youth culture of Harajuku and Shibuya, resulting in a new lifestyle that melts together 3D reality with 2D idealism.
Robot Restaurant
Robot. Restaurant. Kabuki-Cho. There's not much else to say, except that these are the finest photos of bikini girls riding mecha ever posted by us.
Screaming Mad George's Paranoiascape
Our game of the year wasn't some greasy broshooter or minimalist art school ploy, but an unpolished PS1 gem rescued from the recycle bin. Crafted by "Screaming" Mad George, punk rock monster and master of drippy VFX prosthetics, Paranoiascape blindsides the "games as art" debate with the possibility of "games as recreational drugs."
Creepy Kids Songs Part 2: Kagome Kagome
Traditional Japanese nursery rhymes are riddle boxes of cryptic lyrics where each stanza solved chips away another layer of the lies calcified over our eyes. Peer within, if you can handle the truth.
Wave Jack Series: Fighting Piracy With Pin-Up Girls
The Wave Jack series of games for the Famicom disk system is a case study in how not to run the media-mix sales model. Their deluxe packaging included soundtrack cassettes, comics, and strategy guides as pack-ins. A great way to deter bootlegs, but not enough to justify the deluxe price tag, even with smiling idols on the cover.
Just Say NO To Nukes with SKI
The doe-eyed darlings of SKI do their darnedest to swing right-leaning idol culture back towards a more moderate left with the help of Panta, role-model for the violent 70's student protest movement. They've already lambasted ex-prime minister Noda, nuclear power, and the TPP—I can't wait to see how they spin Abe's fiscal policy into a human rights violation.
Scummy Manga Reviews #7: Ressentiment
Written nearly 10 years ago, Ressentiment does for dating sims what Neuromancer did for the IT revolution—postulate a tomorrow that's familiar enough to be believable, yet so advanced as to be purely speculative. Unlike the retro-futurism of Golden Age sci-fi, much of its proposed technology has come into being, and not necessarily for the better.
4 comments:
Well, it definitely would be awesome if you could make more posts like the creepy Kagome Kagome post, imo.ReplyDelete
Or anything which gives some more insight in Japanese culture, especially anything strange/beautiful related. I love such stuff very much.
The other posts are cool too, though.
I would like to see a feature on elevator girls. Not in a "oh they are so kawaii" kinda way. More like, what's their deal? Why are they so idealized? Do they ever see weird shit?ReplyDelete
And laserdiscs. I like laserdiscs.
More exposées on cool hangouts in Tokyo and some more Scummy Manga to make me tear my hair out over my lack of moonspeak fluency.ReplyDelete
While I do have a soft spot for the Scummy Manga series I must admit that one can never go wrong with any article on any subject to be found here.ReplyDelete
So a steady stream is the proper thing called for I believe.


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In an effort to determine where Piping Plovers wintering in The Bahamas are staging during migration, and breeding, 57 birds were uniquely color-marked this winter in The Bahamas for Environment Canada by Sidney Maddock and Peter Doherty, with help from The Bahamas National Trust.
Each bird has a black flag (band with a tab sticking out slightly) on the upper left leg, nothing on the upper right, a single color band on one lower leg, and two color bands (which can be the same color on top of each other) on the other lower leg. Colors used included: red, orange, yellow, white, light green, dark green, dark blue, and black.
Please report all sightings to CHERI GRATTO-TREVOR, Prairie and Northern Wildlife Research Centre, Environment Canada, 115 Perimeter Road, Saskatoon, SK S7N 0X4 Canada (email), noting the color and location of each band on the bird, and location and behaviour of the bird (on nest or brood, foraging at migratory stop-over, etc.), as well as presumed sex of the bird if possible. Thanks for any assistance!
(Source: Jaywatch e-newsletter)
Monday, March 29, 2010
Banded Piping Plovers sightings
Posted by Blogwright at 7:26 AM
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Get your tissues ready and listen to this beautiful song by One Republic.
I have been deeply touched by this story ever since I first saw debut on Dateline several months ago.
I've tried keeping up to date with the case since then and it seems to just keep getting knocked down by the Brazilian Government. I can't even imagine what this Father must be going through. We need to spread the word. Tell everyone you know. Copy this video and share it with your friends and family.
To read more about the story of David Goldman and the fight for his son visit Bring Sean Home
Labels: My Opinion
I know, I know you're shocked because I've posted twice in one day right?
Well, I wanted to share that beautiful picture I got of Princess this weekend but I also want to tell you about something else going on...
We're trying to raise money to be able to attend Discover Camp, a camp for Neurosurgery patients at the University of Chicago. Our son Nicholas is a patient there. If you'd like to read more about Nicholas, please visit his Caringbridge page.
For a limited time I have slashed prices on my website:
All Bracelet's are now $5 (or less*)
*Cat's Eye Special- 3 for $10 (Not good on Swarovski Crystal Bracelets)
Please share this special with your friends and family. These make great gifts!
My Bracelets are excellent quality and last WAY longer than any store bought child jewelry. I started making them when Princess was just a baby. I had become frustrated when the cheap bracelet I purchased for her at Clai*res broke apart within hours. I knew there was a better solution and so I set off to make high quality, yet affordable bracelets for kids. You gotta trust me, these are TOUGH! As a toddler, she couldn't get them off no matter how much tugging she did. She gets so many compliments by people whenever she wears her Bella Bracelets.
So, take advantage of this fabulous sale now. Also, don't forget about upcoming Birthday or Christmas.
Thank you!!!!
Labels: Chiari, Product and Company Reviews
Labels: BSM, Photo or Video, Princess
I was contacted and asked to review a brand new book by Ninni Holmqvist. Unfortunately, I just didn't have time to read it and passed it off to a friend of mine. I have posted her wonderful review below...
The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist
Holmqvist's novel which takes place in the near future is beautifully written; sometimes the language is almost painfully descriptive. At times; reading this novel is more like watching a movie, with ever single action described in extensive detail. The main character, Dorrit is a woman who has just turned 50 years old and is now deemed as a "dispensable," in her society; someone who is no longer needed in the community as a whole being. Women over 50 and men over 60 are required to move into the unit, where they are to participate in experiments of all different sorts, with their lives ending by making their "final donation," which means donating vital organs to those who are "needed," out in the community. The majority of needed people are parents, who are wanted to be kept alive to raise their children. The novel spans over two years, and at the beginning, other types of needed (or protected) people worked in professions such as in the government, are teachers or doctors and didn't necessarily need to have children. Nevertheless at the end of the novel, even those involved in those professions are no longer protected from having to make the ultimate sacrifice. Women and men, who do not produce children in the outside community, are seen as outcasts. Even though this novel takes place in Sweden, there seems to also be a stigma against people who do not have families in our own country. People with children and people without are considered worlds apart.
I find it interesting that the word community is relegated to more of a negative thing, even though everyone in the unit, ends up making the ultimate sacrifice to the community. There are negative and reciprocal feelings that the "dispensable" and the "needed" have for each other. I also found it interesting that people with children are rarely referred to as husband and wife. They are referred to as "partners," who do not have to necessarily be married or even be of opposite genders. Another issue that disturbed me is that the leap does not seem to be a very large one between our current assisted living centers or nursing homes for the elderly to places like the unit. One issue that bothered me about this book is that Holmqvist never seems to state whether the need for vital organs has increased dramatically due to a rise in cancer or other factors, or if it is just a natural progression. There is a huge movement in the U.S., for people to donate their organs if they die. In this state, you can check a box on your drivers' license that states you are a donor. My father thinks that everyone should have to donate their organs that die. He sees it as a waste when people do not. So in reality, how far are we away from places like units?
Dorrit is a writer who never has constant work and she was poor. In the unit, she never has to worry about buying food, clothes or any other necessities. She has access to state of the art exercise machines, gyms, classes, a swimming pool, a sauna as well as wonderful dining and entertainment. However, there is this constant underlying feeling of panic. People never know when their friends might disappear; they never know what negative effects they could have from the medical experiments in which they are forced to take part. The generations within the unit are very short. Living over 3 years in the unit is something of an anomaly. Within these walls with no windows but a domed ceiling that lets the "dispensable" look at the night sky, Dorrit finds friends that she never had out in the community and she also falls in love. The twists that happen at the end of the book are interesting but the decisions she makes because of what happens to her are remarkable. I recommend this book to people who enjoy fiction that may be closer to the truth, to those who enjoy friendship, love, but are willing to deal with disturbing issues that are raised within the pages.
--Review by Heather Cory
Barnes & Noble
Labels: Books, Product and Company Reviews
Princess really enjoyed the show (mentioned in previous post) but after a long day her world came crashing down. THIS is what we had the pleasure of listening to on the way home....
Labels: Photo or Video, Princess
Everyone knows who Thomas is! Thanks to Mom Select, Princess and I got the chance to go see him live on stage!
"The all-new 90-minute musical adventure Thomas & Friends™ Live! On Stage: A Circus Comes To Town is packed with audience singalongs, high-energy dancing and thrilling adventures.
When Thomas makes a big mistake, all the engines on the Island of Sodor must work together to prepare for the exciting event under the Big Top as Thomas proves he's a really useful engine once again. Along the way, Percy, James, Gordon, and of course Thomas, join with Sir Topham Hatt™ and the townspeople from the Island of Sodor to welcome a colorful cast of circus performers in an engaging story that demonstrates the importance of friendship and cooperation."
I must admit, I was a bit nervous to take Princess to a show like this. She barely sits through movies, and a recent trip to our local Theater to see Beauty and the Beast proved to be disastrous. In the end, I had absolutely NO problems. She loved every minute of it. The show was great and managed to keep the kids attention very well. (It does help that staying quiet is not a prerequisite, and dancing, clapping, singing along are encouraged!) I managed to take some adorable video. Sorry the quality is not real great on my cell phone camera but I digress...
If you're interested in taking your child to a show, I highly recommend this one!
Check out this AWESOME new website....
Adoption Voices
It's an Adoption Social Network!
Absolutely filled to the brim with support and excellent information.
If Adoption has touched your lives in any way, you'll find something there for you.
Labels: Adoption, Product and Company Reviews
Happy Saturday!
I know most of you are checking in to find out our winner of the LTDchix Giveaway. We had a total of 48 entries. (One person accidentally posted her entries under the wrong post. I'm understanding like that so I counted her entries as #47 and #48)
Sooo thanks to Random.org we have our winner!
#40 (Anonymous) said...
I'm all for the shopping mom!
If that's you, please get back to me with your name, address and phone number and we'll get you your awesome LTDchix shirt right away.
Thanks goes to all of you for entering and helping support a fabulous company.
**For all of you that didn't win, LTDchix is have a special promotion this weekend. Enter Promo Code: beach when checking out for 10% off!!**
Labels: Product and Company Reviews, Winners
I'm happy to announce I have a new giveaway for all my favorite moms out there!
I recently found out about a company...
It was started by a couple of moms just like us who are balancing full time jobs (whether at work or home) all while holding down the home front, day-in and day-out. They came up with a line of adorable illustrations that show a mom laughing at the less glamorous aspects of running a household. You'll find the mom (shown to the left) on all of their apparel. She's cooking, cleaning, doing laundry etc. Completely overwhelmed, and yet smiling her way through daily life. She truly is "Living The Dream" which is the slogan written beneath each illustration.
It's a great product, you're sure to get a chuckle from everyone. I absolutely L-O-V-E my "Laundry" LTDchix shirt. These shirts would make excellent gifts for your friends!
If you are interested in winning your very own LTDchix shirt, stop by their website and take a look around. Leave me a comment about which design is your absolute favorite!
***For additional entries you can blog about this giveaway or tweet about it. Be sure and leave a separate comment for each entry. Also, don't forget to provide a link to your blog or twitter entry, all will be verified.***
This contest will end at 10pm (Central time) June 12th. Good luck!
Oh and if you'd like, check out their blog to read some of their funny tales!
Labels: Product and Company Reviews
This sweet thing is...


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The first time I saw the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, I was provided with one of those amazing childhood memories you will never forget. I am of course speaking of the original Gene Wilder version, which is in my top three all-time favorite movies, right between American Physcho and I Still Know What You Did Last Summer.
In case you've been living under a rock, here is a quick recap of the story. Lovable little moppet Charlie Becket wins a golden ticket in a contest run by reclusive candy impresario Willy Wonka for a tour of his amazing factory. He is tempted to steal Mr. Wonka's secret formula by a rival candy maker, and contemplates this during the tour along with four other children. Of course, all of the other children are horrible. One is a gluttonous German and two are sassy pants Americans. The most memorable adversary by far, though, was queen of mean, destroyer of dreams, British Paris-Hilton-In-Training, Veruca Salt.
I have found always this ridiculous brat an entertaining caricature, but as the 2012 presidential election approaches, I'm noticing that more and more she resembles something far more frighteningly close to home: the American voter.
When we first meet Veruca, she tells her parents that her recently acquired toys should be thrown out and she demands instead a new pony. Seconds later she sees a Wonka ad promoting the aforementioned contest and she demands a golden ticket. Her complacent parents meet all of her complacent demands. Her father shuts down his entire factory and makes his entire labor force open candy bars until they find a golden ticket for Veruca. Moreover, once she enters Wonka's factory, Veruca's demands continue. She wants her father to buy her everything she sees, which he offers to do with Wonka refusing him at every pass. This culminates when she demands a goose that lays golden eggs. Once refused, she throws a tantrum of Kardashian proportions, singing the classic song "Don't Care How, I Want It Now!" She is then sent down a trash chute after stepping on a scale which deems her a "Bad Egg."
Just like Veruca, American voters demand answers for the economy and other extremely complex issues now, and just like her father, politicians on both sides promise they will fix them immediately. We vote with knee-jerk reactions based on who can make the most ridiculous promises. Americans seem to have forgotten that what is good for the country in the long-term isn't a quick fix, and more importantly, that the foundation of a strong nation, economically and otherwise, almost always requires some sort of sacrifice. What is good for the country isn't always going to be good for you personally. There is no "I" in America ... well, there is, but you get what I mean.
We say we are tired of the lies and the promises, but are we really prepared for the cold hard facts of what's going on? New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman vented his frustration in a recent op-ed, saying, "For once, Mr. President, let's start a debate with the truth. Tell us what you really think will be required to get us out of this stagnation, what kind of collective action and shared sacrifice will be needed and why that can lead not just to muddling through, not just to being OK, but to restoring American greatness."
This is great in theory, but telling Americans the whole truth about the economy would be like answering honestly when you're pregnant wife asks you if she looks big during the third trimester. We blame politicians for pandering, but in all honesty, pandering is what gets them elected. We need to educate ourselves about the problems at hand in order to distinguish an executable campaign platform from an unrealistic and impossible quick fix. That's how the GOP wound up with a front-runner who seems to think we can actually just pray away economic instability.
When we better ourselves, we will better our politicians. If not, we can just continue spinning our wheels looking for fast answers and end up like Veruca stuck in a trash chute ... which by the way led to an incinerator.
Photo Credit: majorvols


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Calvin Klein is a leading fashion house, designing women's and men's collection apparel and a range of other products, including shoes, hand bags, accessories, swim wear, rugs, bedding, bath, and more. Calvin Klein products can be found in high end department stores, specialty stores, and Calvin Klein retail stores found online and in malls under the names Calvin Klein Collection, ck Calvin Klein, Calvin Klein, Calvin Klein Jeans and Calvin Klein Underwear. Calvin Klein is owned by PVH Corp., one of the world's largest apparel companies. You can save on Calvin Klein merchandise by using coupon codes online from Grocery Coupon Network. Get designer clothing and goods without the designer prices with coupon codes from GCN.
Calvin Klein Coupons
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