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His works resemble modern art, his style is unmistakable and his clientèle reads like a who's who of international football stars: Spanish architect Joaquín Torres is regarded as the most renowned architect of world famous footballers such as Zinédine Zidane, Sami Khedira or Luis Figo.
Even the most expensive footballer in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo, is one of Torres' customers. "I am not interested in football," the architect admits in an interview with Spiegel Online. Some of the villas of the football stars are located in the famous celebrity village "La Finca" in Pozuelo de Alarcón, a suburb of Madrid. The villas are mostly single-storey and kept in bright colours; and although they look similar, each has an individual design. Torres' style focuses on high-quality materials and a unique interplay of form and design. Currently, one of his most famous villas is up for sale at Engel & Völkers.
Nestled in Cascada de Camojan, Marbella´s most exclusive gated community, this luxurious jewel has been described as a work of contemporary art and creates a living experience unmatched anywhere in the region. Masterfully designed by Joaquín Torres, who has created homes for top Hollywood stars, the exemplary design of this masterpiece emphasizes an amazing continuity between indoor and outdoor living. The main level boasts spectacular reception rooms with impressive floor-to-ceiling glass and breathtaking sea views. Four master suits are situated on the upper floor, and a luxury spa and gym on the lower floor. In all rooms the clear volumes, straight lines and simple shapes harmoniously define the modern architecture. Other joys include an indoor pool, sauna, hammam, gym, tennis court guest apartment, lift and ten-car garage.


text: Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums :: View topic - What is fav indoor games? Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!" FAQ Search Memberlist Usergroups Register Profile Log in to check your private messages Log in What is fav indoor games? Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Sports View previous topic :: View next topic Author Message rachard1583Joined: 15 Aug 2010Posts: 10 Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 4:24 am Post subject: What is fav indoor games? My favorite indoor games is chess and carom. I am having record for both when in school and in college, I have similar certificates. Some times i love playing cards too. What about you?_________________College Students & Recent Grads Resource Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Sports All times are GMT - 8 Hours Page 1 of 1 Jump to: Select a forum Student Forums----------------ComputersCurrent NewsCultureEnglish SchoolsFamilyFilm and CinemaFoodHealth and FitnessHelp CenterHobbiesHolidaysLearning EnglishLiteratureMaking FriendsMusicOpinionsPetsScienceSportsThe Strange and MysteriousTOEFL and Other English ExamsTravel You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forum Dave's ESL Cafe is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling. Banner Advertising | Bookstore / Alta Books | FAQs | Articles | Interview with Dave Copyright © 2018 Dave's ESL Cafe | All Rights Reserved | Contact Dave's ESL Cafe | Site Map Teachers College, Columbia University: Train to Teach English Here or Abroad Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group

subset: commoncrawl


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NWSB Editor and Writer Chris Anderson previews today's Timbers match against Toronto FC. The Portland Timbers will be taking on Toronto FC North of the border today at 4:30 pm PST. This will be the only 2012 meeting between Portland and Toronto and pits the two lowest ranked teams in the MLS. Key matchup includes Donovan Rickets, Portland's newest goalie.
MLS Matchup report: Portland Timbers vs. Toronto FC
August 15, 2012 By


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Ok, I recently injured my right wrist on a motorcycle trip out to West Texas. I haven't been able to hand quilt since, and it was really taking a long time to heal. I've tried the wrist braces, all kinds, and had just about given up.
In a desperate attempt to return to hand quilting, I bought this lady's kit, shown here....
I was pretty skeptical, but willing to try anything.
But I gotta say that I was absolutely shocked. I watched the DVD, and sat down today to try it out.
NOT ONLY was I able to quilt ALL DAY WITH NO PAIN, I did some of the best hand quilting that I have ever done so far. Tiny, perfect stitches are starting to grow on my needle, and I can't wait for tomorrow so I can practice some more! I really had to make my hand relax, and think about how to do it, because it is so different than how I was hand quilting before. I LOVE the little thimbles, and they work perfectly just as described. The hoop is very easy to assemble and work off of.
If any of you are having any kind of pain in your hands from quilting, I can highly recommend Liuxin's method. Or, if you want to hand quilt but have been unsuccessful, this would be a great thing to try. I know it is pricey, but the thing is worth every penny if it means I can quilt again.
Worked wonders for me.
Oh, and one more thing. The quilting thread that Liuxin sends with the package is WONDERFUL. It is YLI Corp, made in the USA, cotton. Best I have ever tried.


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Aviator Nation
Disco- Zip Hoodie
Sold Out
- Hand sewn in our own factory in the heart of Los Angeles
- Tri-Blend Fabric: 50% Cotton, 37% Polyester, 13% Rayon
- Machine wash cold with like colors. Hang or tumble dry on low.
Here at MoAthletix our goal is complete satisfaction. If you are unhappy, we are unhappy.
MoAthletix offers a 14 day refund or exchange on most products. To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it with the original tags attached.
Gift certificates are not refundable. All SALE items are final sale.
To complete your return, we require a receipt or proof of purchase. Please do not send your purchase back to the manufacturer.
Please email email@example.com with your invoice number, the description of the item you will return, and the reason for your return. Include whether you wish to exchange the product or receive a refund. We will respond within 24 hours with instruction on your return.
Once your return is received and approved, we will process your exchange or return.
You will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs on return items. Shipping costs are non-refundable.


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A single-unit: is only ONE unit (e.g., apartment, villa, studio, etc.). You add the description of the unit and it is booked as a single entity.
A multi-unit: is a group of units sharing the same address and amenities (e.g., a number of apartments in the same building or chalets in the same resort). You add the common features of the units followed by the distinguishing characteristics of each).


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Remember when Office was Office 95? In a couple of steps it became Office XP and now it is Office 2007, soon to be obsolete. All that time the Web was just the good old Web 1.0… Or was it?
It's my belief that we have gone way past web 2.0 and throughout the years development has jumped faster than from 1 to 2 in the last 10 years or so. If that is not the case at least going from 1.002 to 1.035 and from there to 2.0 might it be that 2.0 is actually still just a part of 1.0 and we have reached something around 1.0345. Is everyone confused yet?
This all started with the appearance of PC's, file systems, FTP , email and USENET . Then came SQL, Gopher, HTTP, Java, Flash and from there emerged AJAX and Mashups among other technologies, not to forget the little matter of the whole social spectrum and all that jass. Really, what's the real development now? I mean Flash was a great addition and, giving us the option to do real interactive animations and so on, may have been the first step to 2.0.
What will the future bring us? Is it the Semantic Web, semantic databases as Tim Berners-Lee predicted? Will the web become "Machine readable"…intelligent even? Probably, but I belive that this will be more an integrated part of the whole. How? That's for the "Nostradamuses" of the Ineternet world to predict and for the "Edisons" to show us.
I do agree that the web will continue to develop at a fast pace for the next year, but I am not sure that anything monumental will happen in the next two or three years and we should focus on mastering what we have.
It's my feeling that we're wasting too much energy trying to foresee what cards will be dealt in the future while we are not playing well enough with the hand we already have. The web 2.0 and web 3.0 are fad words and in fact have no actual meaning in the minds of most "experts", let alone "regular people".
Just when the marketing sector is learning the ropes with the internet as a marketing medium, do we really have to go and complicate it all by telling everybody that we have passed static sites? That everyone should be using Ajax and looking into social search?
At least I know what I'm going to do. There's life in the old dog yet and I am going to bet on traditional Internet Marketing for at least the next year or so. Let's still focus on the real world, because in real life the majority of "normal folks" aren't inflicted with our constant desire to upgrade to the latest software. Most end users are not technically savvy and when we market our products and services on the internet we need to bear that in mind.


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Clashes between Yemeni army, militants kill 30
SANAA, Yemen -- Al Qaeda-linked militants staged a surprise attack on a Yemeni army base in the south Saturday, setting off clashes that left 30 dead on both sides before air strikes forced the militants to retreat, military officials said.
The attack reflects how Al Qaeda's branch in Yemen has exploited the political and security turmoil following the country's yearlong uprising, managing to take control of large swaths of land in the south and staging increasingly bold attacks on the military.
The militants have overran cities and towns as the government focused its efforts on protecting the regime in the capital during protests against former President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Saleh's replacement, Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, has made fighting Al Qaeda one of his top priorities, but many Yemenis accuse the ousted president, whose loyalists are still influential in the military and in government bodies, of undercutting security operations and the new president's authority.
In Saturday's clashes, army officials said the militants attacked the base in al-Mallah town in southern Lahj province. The town is close to Abyan province, an Al Qaeda stronghold.
The army fought back and by the time fighter jets were called in and forced the militants to retreat, 17 soldiers and 13 militants were dead. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. Al-Mallah is adjacent to Abyan province, an Al Qaeda stronghold.
The latest clashes come as Washington appears to be increasingly involved in fighting Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, as the Yemeni branch is known and which is believed to have plotted two failed attacks on American soil.
On Friday, unmanned U.S. drones targeted Al Qaeda positions inside Shabwa province, another militant hideout, killing four militants, Yemeni officials said.
There was no immediate comment from U.S. officials, but Washington has carried out deadly airstrikes in Yemen in the past. Last year, a U.S. drone strike killed U.S.-born militant cleric Anwar al-Awlaki and a second American, Samir Khan, an Al Qaeda propagandist.


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We warned you that Dwayne Johnson's hockey player turned tooth fairy movie was on its way. Now the trailer has arrived and you can watch the Rock sneak into kids' bedrooms, battle cats, and get taunted by Billy Crystal.
In the vein of his recent slew of family comedies, The Tooth Fairy star Johnson as a minor league hockey player known as "The Tooth Fairy" for his habit of knocking out his fellow players' teeth. Being the nasty guy he is, he of course has no inner child, and nearly spills the beans to his young daughter that there's no actual tooth fairy. Turns out he's wrong on the whole tooth fairy issue, and his nasty demeanor has earned himself a week working as a fairy, complete with the wings and home invasion bit.
Julie Andrews, Billy Crystal, and frequent Ricky Gervais collaborator Stephen Merchant all co-star as fellow fairies, but the trailer still looks a bit too much like the mock movie clips from Funny People:


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Apparently, "cleared to practice" is quite different from "cleared to play."
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, it would still qaulify as "a major surprise," if Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III plays in a preseason game.
Schefter cited Redskins coach Mike Shanahan's "coaching history" and the thoughts of others in the Redskins organization.
Shanahan worked Griffin out Monday after team doctors cleared him, the latest step in RG3's return from last year's knee injury.
Preseason snaps for starters have become so limited in recent years anyway, that limiting them won't change that much. And as an added benefit, it reduces any amount of tape other teams have to study. While no one's tipping play-calling trends in the preseason, any amount of visual coaches have to see how Griffin reacts on the field will help them when it's time to make a regular season plan.


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It's one of the biggest questions in investing: "How do I divide up my money between all the different kinds of investments out there?" There are stocks, bonds, and real estate. Gold, pork bellies, and even mayonnaise jars. What to do?
Robert Brokamp, author of the Motley Fool Rule Your Retirement newsletter service, has some simple advice that nearly everyone can follow:
Rule No. 1: If you need the money in the next year, it should be in an interest-bearing savings or money market account.
It's extremely hard to predict short-term movements, especially in the stock market. For instance, let's say you own Cisco Systems or ExxonMobil
When even seemingly solid companies can drop precipitously over a short period, it's not really investing -- it's gambling.
Rule No. 2: If you need the money in the next one to five (or even seven) years, choose safe, income-producing investments such as Treasuries, certificates of deposit (CDs), or bonds.
Now, with a little more time on our hands, we'll move slightly up the risk ladder. In order of "safest" to "still safe but technically riskier," we have Treasury notes and bills, CDs, and corporate bonds -- each providing a bit higher yield than the one before it.
Rule No. 3: Any money you don't need for more than seven years is a candidate for the stock market.
We believe the stock market is the best choice for your long-term money, and so does Jeremy Siegel. As he explains in Stocks for the Long Run, not only have stocks easily outperformed bonds over the past 100-plus years, they've also beaten bonds in 80% of all rolling five-year investing periods since 1802 (i.e., 1802-1807, 1803-1808, etc.). Stocks also won in 90% of all rolling 10-year periods, and essentially 100% of all rolling 30-year periods.
To further illustrate the power of time on good companies, here are some stocks that dropped at least 30% in the past seven years, along with their seven-year total return:
What it returned
Research In Motion
Valero Energy
Toll Brothers
Southern Copper
Abercrombie & Fitch
Freeport McMoRan
Rule No. 4: Always own stocks.
Even if you're at or near retirement age, stocks can help your portfolio beat the debilitating effects of inflation. Sure, at that point you'll have plenty of short-term money in safer Treasuries or CDs. But these days, the average 55-year-old still has another quarter-century of life ahead of her!
But ... which stocks?
There's still much to consider, including which money market accounts, bonds, CDs, and stocks are best for you. We have a free report called Perfect Your Portfolio With Asset Allocation that gives specific recommendations in each of these categories. It's available to anyone taking a no-obligation free trial to Rule Your Retirement.
This article was originally published Jan. 11, 2006. It has been updated.
Rex Moore has 0.00014% of his portfolio in baseball cards. He does not own shares of any company mentioned. The Fool's disclosure policy sponsored this message.


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Daniel PowersLicensed Sales Representative
About me:
- Resident of Alva, FL
- Graduate of Widener University School of Business
- Certified to sell UnitedHealthcare® Medicare Products for 8 years
- Currently serving more than 600 local members
Daniel's information OFFICE ADDRESS:
22160 Tuckahoe Road
Alva, FL 33920
Monday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
EMAIL: email@example.com
I'm here to help
When it comes to Medicare-related plans, one size does not fit all. From plans that help cover out-of-pocket costs to comprehensive plans that include additional benefits, you're sure to find an option that fits your health care needs and your budget. I'm here to help you find a plan whether it's in person, online or over the phone.
Call me directly to set up a time for an in-person session. 239-728-6221
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why should I choose UnitedHealthcare?
A: At UnitedHealthcare we listen to your needs and offer you many different plans to choose from. Because feeling good about your health starts with feeling good about your health care coverage.
Q: Can I bring a friend, neighbor or relative to a neighborhood meeting?
A: Yes. You are encouraged to bring a friend, neighbor or relative to neighborhood meetings. If you are bringing additional guests, please RSVP as space is limited.
Q: How long does a neighborhood meeting last?
A: The duration of a neighborhood meeting can vary by location, attendance and time of year. A typical neighborhood meeting may include a 45-minute presentation completed by a licensed sales agent and a 15-minute question-and- answer session.
Q: Will food be served at neighborhood meetings?
A: Refreshments may be served dependent on the location. Some locations may provide a light snack and/or refreshments.
Q: When can I enroll in a Medicare Advantage or Prescription Drug plan?
A: There are two basic times to enroll. Open Enrollment Period (OEP) runs from October 15 through December 7. Some individuals may qualify for a Special Election Period (SEP), where they can enroll throughout the year. Reasons for qualifying for a SEP include:
- You become eligible due to age or disability
- You recently moved to a new service area
- You qualify for extra help with your prescription drugs
- You are on Medicare and Medicaid
Q: What happens if I request a consultation?
A: You will be given the opportunity to learn about your Medicare plan options through face-to-face interaction with a UnitedHealthcare Medicare Solutions licensed sales agent. During these meetings you can explore your options and receive advice from a local agent who can help you enroll in the plan that may best meet your needs.


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Until April 15th, Easterns pledges that it will MAX YOUR TAX. Don't wait for a rebate check; it's tax season and we are teaming up with Vantage Tax & Accounting Solutions to help you get into the vehicle you have been waiting for.
Easterns will not only pay for your tax preparation fees, we will put 110% of your tax refund towards a new car. Just bring in your W-2 and we have tax professionals on site to do your taxes! If you already paid someone to do your taxes, bring in the reciept and we will refund your tax preparation fees when you purchase a vehicle.
Learn more about Max Your Tax:


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Call 0455 555 621
Quality Mould Cleaning Services
One360 Property Services is a locally owned and operated company with years of experience in mould removal, water damage restoration and carpet cleaning services.
Our comprehensive 24hrs a day, 7 days a week emergency call-out and care service will take away the worry and stress and get you living comfortably back in your home as soon as possible.
Our team of Mould Removal and Water Damage Specialists restore homes, properties and possessions that have been damaged by mould, damp, wet rot, dry rot,and leaks in roofs, windows and doors.
No matter how big or small the job is, you can count on us to deliver you the best possible service when it comes to mould removal, flood and fire damage restoration.
Musty smell around the house? can you see some damp patches in your carpets? Or noticed the mould on your walls, floors and ceiling?
One360 Property Services - Mould Removal Cheltenham decontaminate and clean every item or surface that is suspected to have mould. Our services will eradicate mould from your home and prevent future occurrences.
Call One 360 Property Services for an inspection on 0455 555 621 for mould inspection, detection, removal, and remediation services. We want to help you restore the safety and comfort of your home by dealing with the mould issue once and for all.
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Mould Removal Cheltenham by One360 Property Services. Removing the toughest mould in you homes and carpets.
If you're looking to treat mould removal in Cheltenham, One360 Property Services delivers highly effective cleaning and hygiene solutions. Our dedicated team of fully trained technicians are experts in removing mould from floors, walls and ceilings as well as contents such as furniture, blinds and clothing.


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Trainwreck From Team Tenenbaum
from the really? dept
There are numerous economic experts out there who could clearly point out that there's no causal evidence that file sharing does any damage at all. There may be a correlation with a decline in CD sales, but not with any other aspect of the music industry -- and recent research is showing that the overall industry is growing. Even some of the music industry's own research is showing the overall industry is growing -- it's just that spending has shifted. It would have certainly been possible to make a strong case that file sharing alone doesn't cause any significant damage to the industry. They could have shown the recent economic studies, along with evidence of many, many, many artists who have embraced file sharing and used better business models to take that attention to make more money than they had in the past. At that point, they could make the case that it's not piracy that's causing harm to the plaintiffs, but their failure to adapt and embrace better business models. And, from that, show that Tenenbaum's actions didn't cause any direct harm.
But Nesson went on a wild goose chase pursuing "fair use" -- an argument that never really made much sense, and did so in a way that annoyed the judge and pretty much everyone associated with the case. He also screwed up getting the witnesses lined up for the case, only requesting that the author of one of those recent studies be allowed to testify long-past the deadline to do so. And, of course, with fair use being knocked out before the case started, and without any experts to present on damages, and a (so far) defense of "everyone's doing it," you have a recipe for disaster. Nesson seems much more focused on putting the whole RIAA strategy on trial, and seemed to forget that there were specific legal questions that had to be dealt with in this case. As with Jammie Thomas, I think that Tenenbaum is a bad case to go to trial, and I dread the results. At this point, the "best" result may be that they flub the case so badly that super high damages are awarded, and you end up with a repeat of the bad PR that came out following the Jammie Thomas trial (though, things are so twisted so far, I wouldn't be surprised if the RIAA themselves to do their best to convince the jury to keep the award low).


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Tarleton Physics Program Accelerator Facility
1. 3-SDH Tandem Accelerator From National Electrostatics Corporation
This accelerator was obtained by Dr. Marble from CalTech and professionally installed by NEC. Dr. Marble and his research assistants have installed several improvements upon the original machine including dual ion sources, improved vacuum system, and a new electronic charging control system.
- 1.0 MV Terminal Rating
- Alphatross Gas Ion Source
- RBS/Channeling UHV Research Line and Chamber
- UNH Teaching Beamline and Chamber
- Beam Chopper For Beam Normalization
- Performing NRA, PIXE, RBS, RFS, etc.
- Oxygen Detection Using 3.04 MeV He++
- Wide Range of Detectors (HpGe, Si(Li), NaI, Surface Barrier, etc)
2. Data Acquisition
The accelerator facility contains a wide range of NIM electronics, detectors, and several Spectrum Techniques US-30 Multichannel Analyzers. PC based Canberra Multichannel Analyzers operating under Genie-2000 are also available to provide remote and local access to data acquisition in real time over both the Tarleton LAN and the Internet.
3. Building
The Tarleton Physics Program's accelerator facility is located on the second floor of Tarleton's $28,000,000 science building. Data from the facility is connected to the Advanced Physics Lab for teaching larger groups. The facility can also be connected to a state-of-the-art classroom for distance learning and video conferencing to other institutions in the Texas Physics Consortium. The room provides compressed video to other Texas A&M System Campuses over the Trans-Texas Video Network (TTVN).


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fit with the Montessori cirriculum. There are numerous
titles by this author, so check him out at your
favorite online book seller!
Here is a blurb:
Roger Priddy left school at 16 with just one qualification – in art. He went to Berkshire College of Art and Design and trained as an illustrator. His first job in children's books with working with the publisher Peter Usborne, at Usborne Publishing. After that he continued his education with Peter Kindersley at Dorling Kindersley, where he spent 16 years. Roger became Creative Director of DK's Children's Division and was Managing Director of the Children's mass market publisher Funfax when it was acquired by DK.
In 2000, Roger set up Priddy Books with John Sargent at St Martin's Press to create innovative and imaginative titles for children, from first books for babies through to early reference titles for older children. Since then, over 30 million copies of Roger's 200 plus books have sold worldwide, with five of his books – My big Animal, My Big Truck, Happy Baby Words, Happy Baby Colors and Puppy and Friends each selling over one million copies. His creativity has been recognised with numerous industry awards. Roger is happily married to Zena, they have four children, aged 3, 8, 16 and 20, and lives in London, England.


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Golden State Waives Roberson
5th January, 2007 - 1:17 pm
Press Release -
The Golden State Warriors have waived guard Anthony Roberson, Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Mullin announced today.
Roberson, who was originally signed as a free agent training camp invitee on October 2, 2006, appeared in 20 games for the Warriors this season, averaging 5.6 points and 1.0 rebound in 11.4 minutes per contest
well, i would have liked to see mcleod released rather than roberson. i thought roberson was a very good shooter. but with all the guards that we have and the arrival of matt barnes (wtf??!!) i can see why we released him.
Roberson Released
Discuss anything related to Golden State Warriors basketball here
Moderators: Mr. Crackerz, JREED, Guybrush, 32
- Posts: 2557
- Joined: Thu Mar 23, 2006 8:53 am
All Star
roberson=will bynum
maybe now robersonshouldstart will leave the forum
maybe now robersonshouldstart will leave the forum
- Posts: 2956
- Joined: Mon Jan 30, 2006 8:41 am
All Star
Of course Roberson will sign on with an eastern division team and make several all-star teams.
- Posts: 3040
- Joined: Thu Mar 09, 2006 5:42 pm
All Star
TMC wrote:tHe_pEsTiLeNcE wrote:maybe now robersonshouldstart will leave the forum
Or change his name. He can be robersonshouldhavestayedandstarted.
cabarkapa wrote:migya wrote:cabarkapa wrote:he will obviously change his name to "cabarkapashouldstart" because he should.
So maybe Zarko should go to the NBDL team and start then
no way man he ONCE scored 26 points, hes starter material =P
So has about 1400 players in nba history
- Posts: 334
- Joined: Tue Aug 15, 2006 1:21 am
Role Player
Atleast now I won't have to see Migya call him roberTson anymore....
roberson dude, say it with me....
roberson dude, say it with me....


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Editor's note: The following story and photos are by Jessica Ford.
My name is Jessica Ford, and I work for Heifer International as the Communications and Research Officer for Heifer Peru. Heifer has relocated me from the headquarters in Little Rock, where Im from, to their office in Lima, Peru, for one year as part of a pilot development program. This is the first of two blog posts about a one-day visit to my very first Heifer project in Peru! I had two reasons for visiting the project. The first was to visit some families there that Heifer is working with for the general monitoring and evaluating that comes with all Heifer projects. The other reason was to attend a Passing on the Gift ceremony. Anyone who knows anything about Heifer (and if you dont, then you will after reading this post) knows that Passing on the Gift (POG for us seasoned Heifers) encompasses the essence of Heifers entire approach.
Its cold. Really, really cold in this corner of the world. The temperature during the warmest part of the day peaks at about 42 degrees or 5.5 degrees Celsius. We were visiting communities near Puno, where elevations reach 13,000 feet - at night, it is well below freezing. And this isnt the coldest part of the year. I visited, with some Heifer colleagues and a local NGO partner called Red Social, the community of Chojna Chojnani about an hour from Juliaca, in the Puno region of Peru. To the locals, the weather feels just fine. To this US transplant, now residing in the mild, humid conditions of coastal Lima, its downright frigid.
Puno is known for touristy stuff. It was pretty crowded there. So I didnt need to look far for other gringos like me. It seemed like there were way more tourists here than near my home in Lima. And everything seemed to be more expensive the food, hotels, bottles of water, everything. There were lots of crafts and goods sold in local shops that come from local artisans.
Another adjustment I had to make was to the altitude Puno is at 3,860 meters (12,420 feet). I was encouraged to take all kinds of different medicines and chew on coca leaves to help with altitude sickness.
I only had a little trouble breathing and had just a slight headache. But, I was clear headed enough to know, though, it was a very important day. The day of my visit was bigger than the weather, worth more than the price of a tourist trek and reached higher than the altitude. That day, we Passed on the Gift.
We arrived at our first community at about 10:30 in the morning. The community of Chojna Chojnani is part of a larger Heifer Project called FEED. At the beginning of this project, families, specifically women, received building materials, training, and other agricultural inputs like vegetable plants and seeds. In Spanish, Pass on the Gift is Compartir de Recursos, and this community was pumped up about passing some stuff on. While the men and women of the community put the final touches on the big celebration, I had the chance to visit a couple of families part of the Heifer project.
The first folks I visited were Edith and her son, Ramon. Talk about impressive. Both of them blew me away with their technical knowledge and passion. Edith knows her stuff. She received roofing materials and supplies and extensive training for her small plot of land. The roofing materials were especially critical. They allow the sunlight to come through and keep in the warmth. She basically has her own greenhouse for guinea pigs. She and Ramon have been cultivating guinea pigs for over a year, and both are getting very good at it. They had guinea pigs prior to the project, but the animals were kept in their home and were only used randomly for consumption. The training Edith and Ramon received from Heifer taught them more sophisticated methods of breeding and technical animal care so they could rapidly increase their quality production for market and consumption. And, because of the fiercely cold weather, winter can be dangerous for anything that breathes (sadly, it is not uncommon for many infant deaths a year to be attributed to the cold weather). But now, thanks to the Heifer project, through training and building supplies, and Edith and Ramons commitment, that isnt a fear for them anymore.
I was particularly impressed with Ramon, who is 13 years old. First of all, I dont know any 13-year-olds with this level of commitment to anything. But Ramon has taken to raising guinea pigs. When it comes time for Edith and Ramon to show us their animals, he takes over. It has become his passion, and he is so good at it. Ramon calculates birth rates, mating seasons, meat and breed quality standards, how long to keep them isolated, when theyre best to eat, when theyre best to show, you name it. He keeps meticulous records. I never knew so much went into raising guinea pigs.
He has even entered local livestock competitions. He won second place for his prize guinea pig seen here.
For his prize, he won a special type of fence to expand his pens for this particular breed of guinea pigs. Edith and Ramon use their guinea pigs for consumption (increasing their protein) and to sell at the local markets (increasing their income). Thanks to some very simple inputs from Heifer and with all the training theyve received, as Ramons breeding improves, he can get more and more money for his guinea pigs. Some are sold for meat, others for breeding. He is trying to breed guinea pigs with a calmer temperament those do better for both... Not an easy task. But Ramon is well on his way.
After visiting Edith and Ramon, I visited another family who has guinea pigs and a vegetable garden to display. I met Gregoria (on the left) and her daughter and grandson, Lillian and Lenin. This family also received roofing supplies, training and seeds, but their personal specialty is in organic gardening. In their greenhouse, much like the guinea pig housing that Edith and Ramon built, they grow various vegetables including cilantro, lettuce, beets, radishes, carrots, broccoli and beets. We tried some lettuce right out of the ground, and it was sweet and delicious! Gregoria and her family primarily use the vegetables they raise for consumption. Gregoria is currently sending Lenin to a school in another city. He comes home every two weeks, and she sends him back with loads of vegetables. This allows him to save lots of money on food, and his diet is so much healthier.
However, like many of the families in this community, they still have one big problem: access to water. They have to walk very far and carry heavy loads of water for them to drink and for their vegetables and animals.
They are so proud of their produce. And rightly so. In this cold, dry weather, their vegetables are flourishing. They identified each plant and a sample of seeds for us to identify them. So amazing.
Pretty cool, huh? It really doesnt take much to transform lives. With Heifers help and with just a tiny bit of creative initiative and their own passion, theyre not just feeding themselves day by day, theyre flourishing. This is how you end hunger and poverty.
After visiting these two inspiring families, it was time for our crew to head back to the community building to attend the big event of the day, the Passing on the Gift ceremony. Check back tomorrow to read about and see pictures of the POG ceremony.


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by Tom Utescher
School's out, but that doesn't mean the end of softball action for a group of current and former players from Springside Chestnut Hill Academy and Penn Charter. Together, they make up almost half of the team roster for the Roxborough Fillies, a 21st Ward fast-pitch travel team.
Recently embarking on a summer schedule that consists largely of tournaments sanctioned by the USSSA (United States Specialty Sports Association), the Fillies finished second at the June Hustle tourney in Quakertown two weekends ago. They did not fare as well at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School last Saturday and Sunday, emerging from the Battle on the Hill with a record of 0-3-1.
The SCH players in the line-up are rising junior Michelle Cybularz, and recent graduates Alexis Giovinazzo and Aly Markey, who just received their walking papers at last Wednesday's graduation ceremony. Giovinazzo will be playing for Muhlenberg College, and Markey will continue her career at Albright College.
One of Penn Charter's Fillies, Mackenzie Kramer, has just finished her freshman year at Muhlenberg, and her former classmate Katie Brock is attending Duke University. The other PC athletes on the team are rising juniors Jess Drossner and Molly Mornhinweg.
SCH standout Giovinazzo, who was a five-year varsity player for the Lions, plans to make good use of the summer competition as she prepares to ascend to the collegiate level.
"It's going to be a different game," she pointed out, "so you just want to keep playing to stay in shape and get ready for college ball."
Breaking down the aspects of her game, she noted, "I want to hit line drives consistently. I've been getting under the ball too much, so I'm focusing on staying on top of it and hitting solid drives. I've been fielding pretty well, so I'm just trying to stay sharp and keep everyone together on the field."
In the tourney at Quakertown on June 9-10, the Fillies swept the three games in their team pool on Saturday, winning the closest of these contests by five runs. Four more games (including one 11-inning affair) would follow on the second day of the uncomfortably hot weekend.
The Fillies opened up with a 4-3 win over the Lehigh Valley Thunder, then topped Elite, 8-2. A 3-1 victory against the Montgomery County Shock put the team in the finals, where they succumbed to a Bucks County Club, Blue Thunder Premier, 8-0.
After a week that included Springside Chestnut Hill's graduation and accompanying celebrations, the Fillies participated in the tournament at P-W last weekend. They were playing without Markey, Mornhinweg, and other team members, and they had trouble producing at the plate, scoring a total of seven runs in four games.
Three of those runs came in a tie game at the start of their Saturday agenda. After that deadlock with a Maryland team called the Angels (games had to be completed in a timely manner due to the packed schedule), the Fillies fell to the Hillsborough (NJ) Hustle, 4-2, and the Doylestown Dragons, 9-2. In the team's final go-round on Sunday morning, they were blanked, 4-0, by the Odyssey, a local outfit based right in Plymouth Meeting.
"It wasn't working this weekend," Giovinazzo commented. "None of us were really 'on,' and we were also missing a couple players. We did so well the weekend before that I think everyone was a little complacent."
Although the Fillies were unable to score in the final outing at the Battle on the Hill, Giovinazzo played well at shortstop, leaping both vertically and horizontally to make a pair of impressive grabs in the field, and hitting a double down the left field line.
She's also engaging in off-the-field training to prepare for the step up to college softball.
"I'm working at the fitness center at school (SCH) this summer, so I'm going to be lifting every day and doing conditioning," she explained.
Giovinazzo said that Muhlenberg coach Marisa DiStasio has been very encouraging.
"The shortstop position's open, so she said if everything goes according to plan that I'll be starting there."


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The Walrus Says
The Colts will try the run first. If that doesn't work, they'll attack the secondary. When that opens up, they'll burn'em deep."
That's Chris Crawford's formula for the Indianapolis team to take home the Super Bowl Championship on Sunday.
Chris cautions, however, that his team's opponents, the Chicago Bears, "have a good defense and their offense will try the run against the Colts."
The 14-year-old has been a Colts' fan since he was 8, when his dad brought home from a convention a helmet with the famous horseshoe logo on the sides.
Surrounded at home by Patriots' fans, Chris had some dark moments during the AFC Championship game when New England went up 21-3. "I couldnt'd believe it. I wouldn't take any phone calls."
A true fan, he stuck it out and was rewarded with the win. "I ran to answer the phone then," he said.
His dad, also Chris, an ardent Patriots's fan, was "unhappy" with the outcome. Mom, Maryann, although not as ardent a fan was rooting for the local team. His siblings, Meghan, 16, and Austin, 11, complete the family fan base that Chris has been up against all these years.
When he would mention some achievement by Colts' quarterback Peyton Manning, he often got the comment, "How many rings does Peyton have?"
But Chris thinks that's over."I'm hoping he can pull it off and get that ring. At least I have bragging rights over the Patriots until next season," he bragged.
We asked if his family would take him out to dinner if the Colts win the Super Bowl?
"I should hope so," he replied. Good luck, Chris!
Boy Scout Troop 1 will finally go on its ski trip to Ragged Mountain in New Hampshire on Feb. 9 to 11. Its original trip scheduled for last month was warmed out.
Terry Horsley will play the role of Mr. Van Dan in the Jamestown Community Theatre's production of "Yours, Anne" to be staged at the Central Baptist Church March 2 and 9.
Artistic Director Mary Wright said that Terry moved recently from Newport to this island and has an interesting threatrical background.
"I am so happy that Terry has joined the cast. He has a wonderful singing voice, and he loves the music in "Yours, Anne."
Welcome to the island, Terry.
And, as a newcomer takes the stage for the JCT, a veteran of the company is moving from her usual responsibilities as stage manager to take a role in the JCT's upcoming production.
Iris Bohensky, whose involvement with the company goes back to "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," will play the part of Margot, Anne's oldest sister.
"Margot is a quiet, studious girl who, though older, looks up to Anne. She wants to be more outgoing and have as many friends as Anne.
"Margot is considered to be a good, well-behaved girl, who does as she's told," Iris explained.
Iris has appeared on stage before in the JCT's "Oliver" and "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat."
With not much backstage work required for the small musical, Iris decided to audition "so I'd have something to do."
A junior at URI, she's majoring in business management with a minor in music. As Margot, Iris sings a solo entitled "I Want Something" and also sings with the ensemble.
"It's great working on a play with the actors again. It's nice to get to their side now and then.
"I'm having a good time. It's fun."
Rep. Bruce Long says that the name of the committee pursuing the issue of homeowner's insurance is the "House Ad Hoc Committee on Insurance and Reinsurance."
Bruce, who is a sitting member of the committee, told us there is a meeting scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 6, at the rise of the House (about 4:30 p.m.), room 35, in the basement floor of the Statehouse. "The purpose of this hearing is to seek testimony from citizens affected by changes in their home insurance rates, renewals, or other changes. I have received several calls from my constituents from Jamestown as well as Middletown. Because of the size and shape of Jamestown, virtually the entire island may be adversely impacted by what I consider totally arbitrary guidelines. The testimony from our friends, neighbors, and constituents is important to the committee's deliberations. We, on the committee, wish to hear firsthand about the experiences our constituents are having with their insurance companies."
Bruce went on to say constituents who would like to present testimony to the committee should call Deborah Lavender at 222- 2259 and give her your contact information.
If you cannot get to the Statehouse, the hearing will be broadcast on the interconnect, channel 15, following the House and Senate daily sessions.
Bruce can be reached at 423- 0700, or e-mailed at repbruce74@ aol.com.
Dr. Joshua Hatch of the Jamestown Animal Clinic says that an older new pet may fit more comfortably into your family rather than scrappy, younger critters.
"When it comes time for a new pet, a new puppy or kitten is not the only option. Many adult or even senior pets are available at local animal shelters and rescue groups, and these older pets may better fit into your lifestyle and needs than a very young pet.
"The financial responsibilities of caring for an older pet is a concern, but these can be comparable to the many puppy or kitten vaccines and spaying or neutering that are necessary for young pets. Older pets tend to be a little calmer, are usually already housebroken, and are typically fixed and vaccinated before you bring them home.
"Most of these older pets already have a 'personality' that can better help you decide if they are right for you before bringing them home. So, do not forget about these great pets as options when considering adding a new member to your family."
The Archibald brothers are making their racing marks in skiiing circles.
Eric, who is 13, returned home last Saturday with a second-place trophy from a ski race at Neshoba Valley in Massachusetts.
His mom, Diane, said the family is "very excited" because Eric is racing in the J3 level, which is for 13- and 14-year-olds. He has been racing for four years and this is his first trophy from the United States Ski & Snowboard Association. Eric is an eighth-grader at the Jamestown School.
He first got on skiis when he was 3 and skiing with his family in New Hampshire.
His brother Ian, 9, and a fourthgrader at the Jamestown School, raced in the J5 group (9-10 year olds) and came in 5th out of 36 comptitors.
"This was only his second time racing, and we are very proud of him as well," mom said.
Kudos, guys!
The word is that Dr. Murray is leaving the Jamestown Family Practice.
Last Friday, with the temperatures in the teens, a beautiful, huge robin, apparently attracted by its image reflected on the storm windows, tried desperately to get into our dining room.
Or maybe he was just cold and wanted inside.
Must have something to do with global warming.
Remember when people used to say, "toodleoo?
The art room in the Jamestown School on Melrose Avenue is in need of newspaper, large cool whip or margarine tubs without the lids, small Country Time Lemonade-type containers,and wax paper.
With St Valentine's Day on the horizon, we took a peek to see how love has been perceived in the past.
Sinclair Lewis in "Elmer Gantry" in 1927, said, "What is love? . . . It is the morning and the evening star."
Ralph Waldo Emerson in his 1841 Essays wote, "All mankind love a lover."
In Don Quixote de la Mancha in 1605, Miguel de Cervantes opined, "Absence, that common cure of love."
William Shakepeare writing "Love's Labour's Lost" said "And when love speaks, the voice of all the gods makes heaven drowsy with the harmony."
Tomorrow is Ground Hog Day.
It is also the full moon, the Snow Moon and Wolf Moon.
Call in your stuff for this column to 423-0383 or 829-2760. You can email us at firstname.lastname@example.com, or drop your items off at the Jamestown Press office.s


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Lakers News: Matt Barnes Arrested For Suspicion Of Domestic Violence & Ron Artest Plans To Sell His Championship Ring! [Fixed]
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BrandCentralStation needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 173 designs submitted by 62 freelance designers.
A specialty dentistry practice (pediadontists and orthodontists) wants a new logo and color palette for their new practice. Logo will be used on everything from identity material to web site to premium items and advertising.
River View Dental Specialists
This is a new dental practice consisting of non-competitive specialists (pediatric dentists, orthodontists, etc.) who will service patients in the Midwest. We need a logo (consisting of an identity mark and logo type) that can be used for everything from identity material (e.g. letterhead, biz cards, etc.) to promotional give aways and advertising. The color scheme selected for the logo will be the primary decorating color scheme used in the office (which is currently under construction).
- The name "River View Dental Specialists"
- Use a standard type font (something available for both Macs and PCs) for logotype
- Final files should be compatible with Adobe's CS 3
- Please submit alll logo concepts in B&W (for evaluation) and color
- Please specify colors using PMS numbers - I will use CMYK, RGB an HTML equivalents drawn from those colors
- The doctors in the practice will be listed in alpha order under the logo. Please specify/recommend a typeface for this listing, as well
- Non-standard or non-PC compatible typefaces for logo type or the listing of the doctors under the logo
- Designs submitted in color only
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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NBC veteran Frank Comerford who plays a key role in televising the St.Patrick's Parade in New York has been named 2012 Grand Marshal of the parade IrishCentral.com has learned.
His name will be announced today. He is a member of the St.Patrick's Parade committee.
Frank Comerford , originally from Long Island is the Chief Revenue Officer and President of Commercial Operations for NBC Owned Television Stations.
In this role, Comerford oversees all commercial efforts for the division's 10 television stations, online properties and digital out-of-home division and is responsible for developing new partnerships and business ventures that align the group's growth with the needs of its clients.
Comerford has worked in the television industry for more than 30 years, including over 15 years with NBC. Before being promoted to his current role in April 2008, he was President and General Manager of NBC's flagship station, WNBC-TV, beginning in 2002. During his tenure he oversaw the station's conversion to high definition, expanded its community partnerships and increased locally produced content. Comerford was also instrumental in bringing LX.TV, a lifestyle program production company, to the NBC family.
Mary Higgins Clark will be 2011 St.Patrick's Grand Marshal
Newly unearthed remains at Duffy's Cut offer new information on Irish laborers
Prior to his role at WNBC, Comerford served as Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the NBC-owned stations group from 1999 through 2002. He joined NBC in 1994 and held various positions of increasing responsibility within the sales group, culminating with his 1996 promotion to Vice President of Sales for WNBC. Prior to joining NBC, Frank was with WSBK-TV in Boston from 1986 until 1994, serving in several different sales management positions. He began his career in the television industry in 1981 with Storer Television Sales in New York City.
Comerford is very active in the community and serves on many charitable boards, including the Lutheran Medical Center, the Association for a Better New York, the Executive Board of NYC & Company, the Archdiocese of New York Catholic Charity, Xavier High School, the St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee, The John A. Reisenbach Foundation and the Diocese of Brooklyn's TVC. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Television Advertising Bureau and is the immediate past Chairman of that organization's Board. He has been honored by several prestigious organizations, including CAPP, Abilities School, the Diocese of Brooklyn, the Friends of AHRC Autism Program and New Yorkers for Children.
Comerford holds a B.S. in business administration and finance from Georgetown University. He resides in Brooklyn and Long Island with his wife, Maura, and their son.


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Relieve some stress and hit the golf course before the Philadelphia Eagles game in this Emfielder Polo from Tommy Bahama!
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Upbeat, catchy, fun, positive and uplifting ukulele based track with bouncy and melodic percussion, memorable piano, a stomping kick drum, rhythmic bass guitar and a joyful accordion. This full and energetic ensemble sound has elements of folk rock and blues. Delightfully friendly and charming, this piece will make you think positive and feel good.
Perfect for adverts, commercials, radio jingles, corporate videos, business promo's and presentations and much more.


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Now that I have a 7-month-old daughter who likes to grab everything in sight (and then pull really hard!), I know why moms cut their hair. If I'm holding my daughter, and my hair is down -- yank! -- it's a fist full o' hair for the little lady. She's even gone in for a sneak attack swipe when my husband's holding her and I'm just walking by. The girl, like all babies, loves hair.
Actually, I now realize there are a million reasons moms cut their hair. In addition to it being an obvious preventative measure against bald spots, short hair is quicker to dry and style, and generally just easier.
But still. I'll never cut my hair.
I've had long hair my entire life. Until one day when I didn't. I had been toying over the idea of cutting my hair into one of those cute bobs that's longish in the front, shortish in the back for about two years. Every time I would leave for the salon, I'd say to my husband (then my boyfriend), "I might come back with short hair." (To which he'd say: "Do it!") Always, I'd come back with hair that was half an inch shorter. But eventually, after years of talking a big game, I grew a pair and chopped it off.
I liked it for about 45 minutes.
Ugh, the bob. It's an adorable haircut that looks good on so many women -- but I am not one of those women. And the maintenance of a bob, for me at least, was far more time consuming than my regular styleless below-the-shoulder hair. You see, you can't just wash and go with a bob. (Especially when you have bangs.) There are serums involved. Round brushes, and such. At the time, I wasn't cutting my hair as a means of a morning short-cut; I was cutting it because I was tired of looking at the same 'do for god knows how many years. But when I met myself in the bathroom mirror each morning, ends flipping out, bangs all frizzy, I cursed the stylist in my head for not warning me about the upkeep involved in an actual hairstyle.
But it wasn't just that. Like I said, a bob just wasn't "me." Sometimes, in my head, I like to pretend I'm a super sophisticated, put-together woman, who wears a watch and always looks like she's got a fresh blow-out. But in reality, I can usually be found in yoga pants with chipped nail polish on my toes. Long, stringy hair just seems to go with that lifestyle more.
So, no. I will not be cutting my hair now that I have a baby. I will brave hair tugs and finding dried spit-up in favor of the convenience a flowing mane brings.
But really, I just like the way I look better with long hair.
Did you cut your hair after having a baby?
Image via mikebaird/Flickr


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PHILADELPHIA — Phillies General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. didn't see a reason to wait until the offseason to explore other possibilities.
The Philadelphia Phillies removed the interim tag from Ryne Sandberg, signing him Sunday to manage the next three years.
"I think this is the right person to take us forward," Amaro explained on the decision not to wait. "I know his philosophy on the importance of cohesiveness throughout the organization, and that's exactly what we're looking for. I know he understands the importance of player development and scouting, he's got an idea and a vision of what's necessary to move this organization forward."
Sandberg had been serving as interim manager since the Phillies fired Charlie Manuel on Aug. 16. He entered the season as the Phillies' third-base coach after managing the team's Triple-A Lehigh Valley club for two years previously.
The move was not a surprise, but Sandberg expressed his relief that it finally became official.
"I think there's been a very large weight lifted off of me," Sandberg said. "I'm still focused on the last eight games – still focused on today's game to tell you the truth – but I'm looking forward to not only the eight games left but to 2014 and getting the wheels turning in that direction."
Before joining the Phillies' organization, Sandberg managed in the Chicago Cubs' minor-league system for four years. As a player, Sandberg spent 15 of 16 major-league seasons with the Cubs. He left the organization in 2010 shortly after Chicago named Mike Quade its manager to join the Phillies, the team that originally drafted him and ultimately traded him to the Cubs in 1982.
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005, Sandberg hopes to overcome the notion that Hall of Fame players can't make good managers.
"I don't know too many Hall of Famers who went to the minor leagues for six years to work their way up," Sandberg said. "I thought it was necessary. It was also the only job that was offered at the time – that had something to do with it. As it turns out, it was the right path."
The new skipper also believes he can succeed because he's a great communicator.
"Communication is one of my strengths, which is ironic because as a player I think I wasn't strong at all at communicating. I was focused on catching the ball and hitting it, and it kind of stopped there," Sandberg said. "That was all part of going to the minor leagues and aging a little bit and maturing.
"And I think raising five kids in the house, all teenagers at once, I think the communication skills really developed then too, and it's continued."
Since Sandberg took over in mid-August, the Phillies have gone 18-16. They were 53-67 at the time he took over the ballclub.
"Based on the body of work that he did for us, we had to kind of take that into account," Amaro said. "It was very, very clear to me right from the get-go the way he handled the transition, which was a very difficult period, having to take over for an icon of sorts in Phillies history in Charlie (Manuel).
"It was a very difficult circumstance, and he handled it well. He handled the players well and he handled the clubhouse well. I really liked the instincts and how he handled things."
Sandberg signed a three-year contract, taking him through 2016 with a club option for 2017.
Varsity Maine
Local roundup: Hall-Dale boys basketball downs Boothbay
Boston Celtics
Irving leads Celtics to fourth straight win
Trump's proposal remains in limbo
Varsity Maine
Lawrence girls basketball pulls away from Messalonskee in KVAC A action
New England Patriots
Gronkowski remains the tight end for tight spots


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Hidan no Aria - Character Creation Thread
Welcome to the Hidan no Aria Character Creation Thread! Feel free to be as imaginative as you desire and share your creation with the community!
If you could have your own character in the Aria universe, how would you make it? What kind of powers, looks, personality, status, backstory, etc., would you have?
The only rule is that your creation must be your own. Please do not rip characters from the story or other forum members. Also, try and keep your ideas grounded in the setting/universe. :p
Well, to make this easier and for future referrences... Could one of you novel readers lay down the all the ground rules of the world of Aria, including everything one needs to know about being a Butei and the system they work with?
Team [EVEN]
The Boys
1. Minato Arisato - The Mysterious Bishounen
2. Saito - The Comic Relief Best Friend
3. Ryoushi - The Unexpected Hero
The Girls
1. Fuyumi Raimei - The Cute One
2. Ada - The Sexy One
3. ??? - The Sweet One
Spoiler for Butei Law / Charter:
Spoiler for Divisions from Wiki:
Since you can't create a character that is already present in the story, should we include what fictional / real characters already have descendants present so people don't use them for their characters? Also if so someone else can list them since I don't know them all.
well probably first Butei.
Spoiler for info setting:
Additional info
I decide to create a original character named Kureha Sarutobi :
Age : 15
Birthdate : August 16
Astrological sign : Leo
Blood Type : B
Height : 1m53
Weight : 42kg
Mensurations : 79-56-77
Occupation : Student
Rank : A
Division : SSR
Qualities : Nice, charismatic, enjoyable, helpful
Defects : Stubborn, childish, lazy, lonely
Weapons : Kunai, giant shuriken, kusarigama
Ancestor : Sasuke Sarutobi
Partner : Anya Marple (ancestor of Miss Marple)
Physical characteristics : She has carmine long hair. Her hairstyle is consisted of medium-sized highlights and single long mat which descending to the knees. Her eyecolor is hazel. Her uniform is the same as the other Tokyo Butei students, but her shirt has short sleeves. She's always seen wearing a traditionnal ninja armor.
Attitudes : Kureha is appeared to be a friendly and funny girl. She loves talking her friends and love to grab Anya's breasts. During battle scenes, she uses ninja inventory to fight against enemies. If there's an opponent which is hard to fight, she's either use a giant shuriken or using magic.
Spoiler for list of ancestors up to v9:
Yes! An Original Character thread! I shall submit my original character idea here from the General Discussion.
"Pardon. I seem to have this habit of ignoring incompetent people."
Élise Kujō (久城エリース)
Occupation: Student [Originally from Académie des Détectives Armés, France, temporarily transferred to Tokyo Butei High School]
Division: Inquesta
Rank: B
Ancestor: Victorique de Blois
Inventory: FAMAS F1, Emerson SARK
Physical Characteristics: She possesses the traits of members of the Gray Wolf bloodline: long blond hair, petite stature and green eyes. Élise is usually seen wearing long dresses in France, but is not as choosy as Jeanne when it comes to the uniform change; however, she wears a specialized trenchcoat over her uniform in her stay in Tokyo Butei High School.
Attitude: Élise is most usually snide in her remarks and does not prefer to interact with others, with a less hands-on approach in a number of cases. She is notable for "getting the right information at the right place at the right time" in France. Her prowess in investigative skills, however, is not complimented by her poor experience in handling firearms.
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
[The League of Extraordinary Butei]
The League of Extraordinary Butei, often shortened to The X-Butei, is the Tokyo Butei High School registered crime scene investigation team led by Athra P. Nakamura. As it consists entirely of SSR specialists from A Certain Butei Class, the team tackles cases of supernatural, paranormal, anything beyond the normal scope of Butei quests. Very often, Athra contracts the help of class handyman Jim Bean. Some times they have overseas quests, which they access with tech-whiz Captain Nemo, his hired help and the SR-79 Blackbird owned by their mentor, Professor Chen Fong Xie.
The X-Butei
Athra P. Nakamura of the Blue Sheath - "Blade"
Kobayashi Isara - "Valkyrie"
Elizabeth Alexander Crowley - "Crow"
Gertrude Freiherr Immelmann - "Red Baron"
Suzumeno Manami - "Wolfgirl"
Crysanthe Spyridoula - "Calypso"
Adara L. Reiniger - "Lancelot"
Hajime Yanko - "Darkstalker"
As canon. Doc. Coach. D-boy. Beverly Thresher (Ambulance). Prof Chen Fong Xie (SSR).
Jim Bean (Lezzad/Assault)
Captain Nemo of Ordo Ecchi (Amdo/Informa)
Akari Aoko (Logi/Assault)
Uiharu Kanagi (Connect)
Jin Yamazaki (SSR)
---Team Nightray---
Yamato Kyousuke (Assault)
Yamato V.H Alexandra (Repier/Inquesta)
Gabriel Michaelis (Dagula/Lezzad)
Miyamoto Yui (Connect)
Azai Asuka (Assault/Medica)
Adolph Whitman (Logi/Amdo)
Amaterasu Hisako Lucie (SSR/CVR)
Minato Arisato (Dagula)
Saito (Informa)
Ryoushi (Snipe)
Fuyumi Raimei (Assault)
Ada (CVR)
Siesta (SSR)
Ookami Ryou of the Green Hood (Assault/Snipe)
---The Virgins of... Justice?---
Aila W. Cairns (Assault)
Elise Kujou (Inquesta)
Kyoukou Z. Akechi (Inquesta/Amdo)
Alice V. Primrose (Informa)
Tomomi Okamura (Snipe)
Mara S. Bower (SSR)
---The Cheese Guy---
Jin Yamazaki (SSR)
---Hot Fuzz---
Jon. W Davis (Assault)
Rachel Lee Wei Ying (Assault)
Michelle H. "Meat" Winters (Assault)
Yukio "Derek" Yamakawa (Logi)
---Black Reaper---
Kirsten Vikernes (Assault)
Preston Lee Whitworth (Medica)
Amélie D'Artagnan (Inquista)
Fiorenza Diotallevi (Logi)
Sanae Noriaki (Amdo)
---The Moe Trinity---
Svetlana Dragovic (Snipe)
Naoko Kazami (Connect)
Erin Dee Kirishima (Informa)
---Inspector Adrian and co.---
Adrian Fletcher (Inquesta)
Viktor Hauptman (Assault)
Charlotte Johnson (Logi)
Kou Kusanagi (Connect)
Mary Hopkins (Repier/Amdo)
King Arthur/Sherlock Holmes
Morgan le Fay
The Scream Team
Morgraine Pendragon and the Knights of the Ebon Blade
They are attached to the SSR, having left the Church. :p
Though I'm in the process of rebalancing... The score so far:
- 5 ability users, possibly Sisters, of various themes gathered and raised by a Father of the Church instead of being put down. They are now part of Butei after conservative elements forced them out from his care. They are now part of SSR as both in training and research material. A bit like the Hellboy concept, though the similarity is skin-deep.
- 1 Assault
- 1 Inquesta
- 1 graduate who's a detective
- Several CVR entries. :3
- 1 protagonist, possibly another ability user from SSR
It's all up in the clouds at the moment, generated as I watched Red Shot Aria. Once I get some balancing done, I'll post them up.
But it will be certain that I'll be very SSR focused, having my expertise being in espers, supernaturals, magic and mythology. I'll leave the weapons to you guntakus.
Name: Sōkō Tateyama (立山 ソウコウ) Title: Sigismund (シギスムーンド)
Occupation: Student
Catchphrase: 傷つけさせない, あなた。あなたの盾になる。
Division: Assault
Rank: A
Ancestor: N/A
Inventory: Glock 77, Modified Uniform.
Physical Characteristics: Well built, but not broad. He is continually clothed in his modified Butei Uniform, which has been padded to reduce the impact of gunshots. Black hair and brown eyes.
Attitude: Quiet. Unassuming. He is a steadfast rock in battle. He has made the first law of the Butei Charter his mantra, his way of life. His reaction speed is legendary. However, his accuracy is only that of a normal C rank student. Often sought for his skills as a bodyguard.
Might as well, since BT is down.
Just an idea I've had brewing in my mind for a little while.
Name: Flynn B. Porter
Age: 26
Sex: Male
Nationality: English
Occupation: Freelance Butei, Graduate of London Butei High, Often preforms commission operations for the British Secret Service MI6 but has accepted a few missions from the American CIA and Japan Defense Agency.
Division: Lezzad
Rank: B
Ancestor: Edward "Blackbeard" Teach
Inventory: Webley Mark IV, Cutlass, Flintlock pistol (unused)
Abilities: Intimidation - inherited from his bloodline, when he stares at someone he is easily able to induce fear and/or nervousness within most, allowing him to avoid much confrontation and still get the information he requires
Physical Characteristics: To compliment his ability to intimidate he has a fairly large build with a think muscular structure, but not to the point where he could be considered "ripped". He has a small black beard, short black hair and hazel eyes. His attire is composed of a black sweater with a brown sweater vest over top, blue jeans, boots and a tricorne hat. Finally, he wears a skull earring that belonged to his ancestor Blackbeard.
I still got to get his personality down but I think this should suffice.
It's stupid when I have ideas I'm never gonna use. :heh:
I tossed and tossed and tossed my ideas around, but one idea remained. Historic characters, both fictional and true, have descendents in this show.
So gather a group of misfits, and put them together as a crime-fighting force, spanning descendents of real and fictional characters.
A class made up mostly of SSR members. Everyone dismisses them as [The Butei Freak Show].
But they prefer to name themselves after the greatest alliance against evil.
They are...
[The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen].
I really liked Valkyrie Profile, thus it inspired me in creating this character based on that game's main character.
Name: Alice V. Primrose
Rank: A
Ancestor: Lenneth Valkyrie
Weapons: undecided for range weapon, a sword named "Gram"
Department: Informa
Favorite Quote: 人の歩みを止めるものは絶望ではなく諦観、人の歩みを進めるのは希望ではなく意思。
Physical Characteristics: Red-iris on the right, pale grayish-blue on the left. Her left eye is blind. The color of her hair is black, with long hair that stretches up to waist. She's a bit small, with a height of 152cm.
- She's usually bright, funny and friendly during normal situations but she acts calm and composed during tight situations. She thinks through things calmly, leading to a sound reasoning, and making correct judgement/actions.
- Her mother language is English. She doesn't speak Japanese very well but enough for normal conversation. She has this weird "Japanese Complex" that she doesn't want to be made fun of Japanese people because she is from another country. So she usually tries to show off her Japanese skill by utilizing Japanese idioms and proverbs in normal conversation. She usually use it wrongly thus it ends up in comedic relief.
- Her favorite color is blue and she hates color black.
- She can speak at least 5 languages.
Spoiler for contains a system introduced in v5:
- Due to unlucky constitution, she always stay indoors most of the time except during morning training or classtime to avoid encounters of misfortune. She loves reading books. A fast reader as well. She can finish a 260-page light novel in one hour. People call her the "walking library". As such, people usually asks her for book recommendation. She actually recommended a school battle light novel to Kinji titled, "Shidan no Maria"(死弾のマリア Lit: Maria the Phantom Ammo), which he very much liked. Recently, Riko had successfully dragged her into the world of visual novel by influencing her into playing Otome games after recommending some games.
- Surprisingly, she has a talent for swordsmanship. It seems her bloodline used to serve as a knight during Middle Age period and somehow she inherited that trait. Shirayuki declares her a rival and she always challenge her to a duel in deciding "who has the right to become Kin-chan's wife" whenever Shirayuki sees her together with Kinji in a lovey-dovey atmosphere. (Yeah, this is part of her misfortune, I guess)
- Because of the color of her hair, she tried dying her hair blonde in past, but it always reverts to black the following day. She gave up trying to dye her hair.
1. Thanatos' Eye - Ability to detect the presence of imminent death. The red eye on the right gives her this ability.
There was a reason why her father was killed. I haven't thought up of a backstory for that but that was connected to irokane stuff. I'm not sure if I'm going to continue developing this character.
Still not finished at this time, and more ideas will be added in future if I have time.
Quote translations:
Sigismund: I will not let you be hurt. I will become your shield.
Alice: That which halts man's steps is not despair, but resignation, and that which continues man's steps is not hope, but purpose.
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
Edit: Dropped for complete overhaul because Keroko apparrently is making his own Keroko OC. I'll post something else up later.
...Kidding :heh: (:uhoh:)
Guess I better get started then :heh::uhoh: I'll edit this post later with my OC profile... Heh, I've got the perfect guy in mind... :D
One more question; just what is the gap between Butei ranks? How much more awesome is 'S' compared to 'A' compared to 'B' and so on?
~~~New Intelligence Data Updated~~~
Since he has the least balance issues, this supporting character from Class-X's "Delta Force" got finished first:
Quade Wilson
Affiliation: Assault.
Voice: Sakurai Takahiro.
One of Class X's few non-SSR members. Specializing in Assault, Quade is a very powerful combatant, able to wield 2 nodaichis and 2 Deagles with ease. According to Quade, the only reason why he isn't "Quaddro" Wilson is because he is, "Mentally unstable first, a reckless loosecannon second, and a tireless motormouth third. Oh wait that's three reasons." Wilson also has a knack for breaking the 4th Wall, be it stealing attack names from other characters or talking to himself as though he is addressing the reader.
A rank deals with criminal and small time organization like those in drugs and probably smuggling though not clearly but clearly A rank goes under cover in a yakuza runned stores or shops.
B rank .... not sure because haven't seen much of it but probably robbers and such
C - E Rank. They do most support or small time request. Just look at Kinji's work on missing cat. Good example for E rank. C and D probably do body guards or police duty but in entitle to difficulty.
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Touched blood on a feminine product trashcan
Jun 23, 2014
I accidentally brushed a feminine product trashcan and got some wet menstrual blood on my finger. I immediately washed my hands. I am I at risk?
Response from Ms. Southall
Hi You cannot get HIV from sharing utensils, drinking after someone etc. You cannot get HIV as well at a hair salon, manicurist, sharing razors etc.
HIV transmission can only occur when there is a direct and prolonged exposure to body fluids, semen, vaginal fluid, blood or mother to child through breast feeding. This most commonly occurs through unprotected vaginal or anal sex and sharing of needles. Casual contact, sharing utensils, drinking after someone, etc are not way for HIV transmission to occur. If you go to this link HIV101 it will take you to our page that talks about the ways in which HIV is and is not transmitted. Also important to know is that once HIV leaves the body it begins to die and becomes unable to infect.
Be well and stay safe, Shannon
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Naomi Watts: Simon Baker's Walk of Fame Ceremony!
Naomi Watts supports her pal Simon Baker at his Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony on Thursday (February 14) in Hollywood.
The 43-year-old Mentalist actor received the 2,490th star on the Walk of Fame. He was also joined at the ceremony by his wife Rebecca Rigg and their kids Stella, Claude, and Harry, as well as his Mentalist co-star Robin Tunney.
In case you didn't know, Naomi is Claude's godmother!
Also pictured: Naomi spending time with her kids Sasha and Samuel the day before at the Brentwood Country Mart in Santa Monica.
FYI: Naomi is wearing a Roland Mouret dress. Samuel is wearing a Paul Frank tee.
30+ pictures inside of Naomi Watts and Simon Baker at the Walk of Fame…


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HOUSTON — If it wasn't Willie Green throwing down an emphatic dunk in the third quarter that turned the game in the Clippers' favor, it was Blake Griffin overpowering the Houston Rockets.
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In a game full of season highs in which five Clippers scored in double figures, Los Angeles turned its 117-109 victory over Houston around by playing strong defense in the third quarter Tuesday night at Toyota Center.
Green had 11 of his season-high 15 points in the third quarter, which included two for two on three-point shots and a big-time dunk.


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A little background for those of you in the dark, MDPeople is a reunion team of Pierre Minhondo and Justin Eeles. The two originally hooked up to produce Neoproto. Justin went on to film for KidsKnow while Pierre cranked out the Neoproto hits. This year, the dudes are back together, bickering, figuring, coordinating, filming, and editing under the banner of Mack Dawg. Yes, you heard right, it's a second Mack Dawg quality movie.
Justin and Shaun McKay checked in with us from "downtown" Whistler. They arrived with snowmobiles in tow, clocking miles on the mellow drive from Tahoe to Whistler at the first sign of a Canadian clearing on the weather Widget. Pat McCarthy got kidnapped from his cabin in Glacier, Washington, and Etienne Gilbert's place in Whistler proceeded to get crashed for the next week.
The film crew headed out for the consecutive sunny powder days. If you've ever hit Whistler resort when it's good, it's maybe the best place to be on this continent. The same is true of the Whistler backcountry. Unlike the backcountry spots down in the lower 48, Whistler's main backcountry area links up to the Pemberton Ice Sheet, which is a whopping 25,000 acres-plenty of breathing room. Anyway, we'll let the pictures do the talking, but check out People's blogs at www.mdp-people.com –they're throwin' scraps for you.
The MDPeople crew consists of riders: Stephen Duke, Bryan Fox, Etienne Gilbert, Justin Hebbel, Nima Jalali, Jon Kooley, Pat McCarthy, Shaun McKay, Jordan Mendenhall, Josh Mills, Mitch Nelson, Marius Otterstad, Robbie Sell, Jussi Tarvainen, Curtis Woodman, and Ryan Thompson, in locations as diverse as the riders. The filmers are Pierre Minhondo, Justin Eeles, Corey Kaniniec, and Gabe L'Heureux.
Check out the slideshow of a day (or two) in the life of a film crew.


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London Hackers Bring Home the Gold at API HackdayTim Falls
As Adria forecasted in a post last week, the API Hackday crew brought our hackety fun to the UK for the first time…and the London developer community did not disappoint!
A large group of excited hackers showed up bright and early on Saturday morning, ready for a full day of mashing APIs. It was an incredibly talented group of DOers, and the fruits of their labors were quite impressive. You can see a [mostly] complete list of the apps that were demoed on the HackerLeague page for the event, but a few projects came down to the wire and didn't have time to submit to the official site. So here's a list, with links to their specific HackerLeague project page and a brief description:
- Rotten Toms – mess with your friends ,by throwing tomatoes onto their screen while they're reviewing movies within the app
- txtnonymous – a gateway for anonymous text messaging
- Folks Video Player – create Youtube video playlists, by simply sending an email with your desired search keywords in the subject line – powered by the SendGrid Parse API
- LannyApp – peer to peer cashless tipping, via GoCardless
- TextMeIn – event-based group texting app with achievements and point scores
- Pusher2Talk – recreating the fun of Walkie Talkies in a browser
- Twilio Pusher Pong – the classic game of pong, remade using the telephone
- aGifts – like buying gifts, but don't know what to buy? let a game of Arkanoid make a choice for you!
- API roulette – uses Pusher and Twilio to place bets on a roulette table in real time
- Where in the World are Carmen San Diegos? – multiplayer, in-browser spycatching game
- Project Barhop – index of local foods, drinks and specials for college students
- Missed Alerts – use your mobile to transmit critical info quickly, through the magic of a missed call
- Compassion.app – uses multiple Mashery APIs to promote understanding of the plight of children in need around the world
- Good Mornings – single, with no one to greet you when you wake up? allow your Facebook friends to say "Good Morning" to you!
- Battle Blocks – play a friendly game of BattleShip in your browser…kablooom!
- ChattR – social streaming of Twitter on your mobile device – trending topics, sports, television and more
- Drinks on Who? – determine who's going to buy the next round at the pub, based on the lowest Klout score among your group of friends
That's a whopping 17 hacks! And they were built in just ~8 hours, among a group of ~70 developers, designers and all-around brilliant brains.
And the winners were…
Pusher Prize: Pusher Pong
Mashery Prize: Compassion.app
SendGrid Prize: Missed Alerts (with a consolation prize going to Drinks on Who?)
Twilio Prize: Pusher2Talk
Grand Prizes (we couldn't choose just one!): API Roulette & LannyApp
We all had an amazing time. This was clearly one of the finest hackdays I've attended, with mind-blowing level of quality in the work that was accomplished in such a short period of time. To be sure, this will *not* be the last API Hackday in London – so stay tuned and keep in touch!
Also, check out some of the photos from the action – if you find yourself, feel free to add a tag!
A special thanks goes out to our friends at General Assembly for hosting and providing the space, and to the London tech community for welcoming us into this fine city, even amongst the chaos of the 2012 Olympics!


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True to the classic spirit of Rock and Roll, and a hard hitting member of the so-called rock revival movement, Super 400 have rediscovered the beauty and simplicity of the power trio. Kenny Hohman's guitar work is at times deliciously thick and crunchy, and at others soaring and smooth, kind of like his voice. And he's got a killer rhythm section, with Joe Daley pounding out the heavy notes on the drums while the perpetually sexy Lori Friday pounds 'em out on the bass. Lori also does the artwork for the Super 400's albums, including their recently released third album called "3 and the Beast." Hailing from the state of New York and journeying all the way to the Great Divide, Super 400's show Friday night at the Boulder Theater was a welcome treat, even for a town that's been blessed with the likes of Rose Hill Drive, another purveyor of three piece, classic style rock. It's no coincidence either that Rose Hill Drive is at the top of Super 400's MySpace list of friends - they've got a lot in common.
Super 400 played many of the songs off their new album on Friday night, and worked in a cover of Zeppelin's "Moby Dick" near the end, drum solo and everything. Trios often have a hard time filling up the space on a large stage like the one at the Boulder Theater, and I often thought the band looked somewhat out of place - it was the kind of raucous, high energy affair that would have been perfect in the basement of some dingy bar. Few though their numbers may have been, Super 400 had no problem rocking the entirety of that high-ceilinged cavern, making excellent use of both physical and auditory space. And they kept kicking 'em out until after 1 am.
Despite the rock solid denouement that was Super 400, the event as a whole had its ups and downs. Denver area band Meniskus started the night off right with some high energy gypsy rock. Another trio, but with guitar, violin, and drums, Meniskus touches on elements of rock, pop, psychedelic and trance music with a little bit of 80's style song craft thrown in. They stuck mostly to the harder, louder, and angrier material on Friday, and the screaming violin work of Eric Ostberg was pleasingly accentuated beyond the levels you'd find on their recorded works. In fact everything was kicked up a notch, just the way live music ought to always be. Backed by the quasi-dance beats and occasional synthesizer work of Chris Wright, the haunting tone of the violin combined with the clean and clear notes of the Bryan Bardusco's acoustic guitar provided the elements of mood and atmospherics that define Meniskus's unique sound, and its no surprise that they are considered one of the Denver bands to keep a close eye on. It was a lot of sound for a three-piece departed from the traditional simplicity of three-chord rock. But the subtle complexity of Meniskus is part of what make's them fun to watch, that and the pleased-as-a-school-boy looks they get in their eyes when they know they're kicking ass.
The low point of the show was the middle, with a set by Denver's Goodbye Champion. Five obviously talented musicians, and masters of the song-long crescendo, theirs was not a problem of skill for me, rather it was one of atmosphere and aesthetics. After the high-impact performance by Meniskus, Goodbye Champion's songs seemed a little low key, and somewhat predictable. I mean, what's the point in having three guitarists and throwing in a ton of rising action into every song if you're not going to top it off with a blistering guitar solo? And if you're really hitting on something and getting into it, an 8-minute song really isn't that long, contrary to the proclamation made by singer/guitarist/keyboardist Steven Vidaic, who seemed to consider playing an 8-minute song some kind of feat of strength. A little too hypnotic, a little too many unpolished vocal harmonies, and a little too Emo, that was my take. But maybe it was just me. After all, their recorded music is pretty good (again, on MySpace), and a lot of people seemed to be enjoying them on Friday night. And to their credit, their performance was not totally devoid of killer solos. They worked one into the final three minutes of their last song. I saw potential in it, but I could have done with a few more of them. It was a good note to end on, however, and that one last song is definitely the one I'll remember. Too bad I can't remember what it was called.
But the absolutely sensational set by Super 400 more than picked me up again, and I left on a surge of adrenaline and pillow-ear syndrome. They had the crowd bouncing from note one, and didn't let up until they walked off stage. Although it wasn't in a bar, the intoxicated guy spilling his beer behind me and yelling about how much he loved "the bass player" made me feel like everything was in its right place. Its a long trip from NY, but I hope they make it again soon.
In summary: Meniskus = Good, Goodbye Champions = muh, and Super 400 = Super Fantastic!
To see more photos from this show, please visit the Gallery.