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Tagged: A-Fraud
An Interesting Day…
Where do we go from here?…
December 6th. For years, this has been the anniversary of my graduation from Air Force Basic Training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas. But on December 6, 2013, it may have been the most tumultuous day in Yankees history in terms of arrivals and departures…or at least in recent memory.
The day started with news that talks had broken down between Robinson Cano and the Seattle Mariners. It stirred renewed hope that Cano would find his way back to the Bronx, but as quickly as the reports had come about the Mariners' CEO blowing a gasket at salary demands from the Cano Camp and ending talks, the reports came that Cano had accepted a ten year deal from the Mariners for $240 million. Cano never called the Yankees before taking the offer, but it was a given they would not match.
It's hard to watch your team's best player walk away for nothing. But in this situation, I think the Yankees made the right call. After the fiasco of the Alex Rodriguez contract and what an albatross it has become, it is clear that extended contracts are not good for baseball. I saw one writer yesterday who wrote that the only player worth a ten year deal, right now, would be 22-year-old Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout. I think that's a fairly accurate statement.
When the Yankees signed CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira to long-term deals in 2009, both of those players were significantly better players than they are today. They can continue to perform at a high level but at this point, it is equally possible for them to continue performance regression.
I can remember how painful Jason Giambi's had become by the end. Even David Winfield's ten year contract, regardless of how great the player was, had been a mistake as the player and the owner were bitter enemies by the time the contract expired.
I thought the Yankees' offer of 7 years for $175 million was fair. If the Cano Camp (Team Jay Z or rather, CAA) had been more sensible in their meetings with the Yankees, I am sure that Cano probably could have squeezed out an additional year. However, Cano was dead set on getting a ten year contract, so that clearly nailed the coffin on his Yankees career. Of the two organizations, the Yankees and the Mariners, I feel strongly that the former would be more willing to take care of Cano at the end of the contract. In other words, at the end of 7 years, if the player was continuing to play at a high level, the Yankees would pay a new contract commensurate to performance with a premium paid for past accomplishments such as they've done with Derek Jeter. I know the Jeter negotiations were very tense a couple of years ago but this off-season's re-signing was at a higher dollar amount than any other team would have paid. As for the Mariners, I highly doubt that Cano will be in Seattle at the end of the ten years. When he begins the eventual downward trend as he ages, Seattle will be looking to move the contract, even if they have to pay cash, to cut their losses. The odds that Cano would have been in New York at the end of 7 years would have been substantially greater.
I am not sure that Cano has fully comprehended how he has trashed his Yankee legacy. I personally have no desire to ever see the player honored in Memorial Park and have absolutely no qualms with the team re-issuing #24 to another player. Maybe time will heal the feelings, but Cano showed no loyalty or respect for the fans of New York and simply took the money and ran. He was a good Yankee, but he was not a great one. For a player who enjoyed being a star in New York City, it will be interesting to see how he adapts to being out of the spotlight. The crowds attending Seattle away games will be smaller and will have far fewer "home team" fans in attendance. With the Yankees, it's like being a rock star as Jason Giambi once said. Nothing against Seattle, it is a beautiful city and a great ballpark, but it is a team that is, and will continue to be, inferior to the much stronger Los Angeles Angels, Texas Rangers, and Oakland A's. They do not have a history and tradition of winning and I do not expect that to change. Cano has his money. Good for him. But his days of playing for an organization that wants to win every year and considers missing the play-offs to be a disaster are over.
With Friday's flurry of activity, it was almost an afterthought that the Yankees also lost outfielder Curtis Granderson. Grandy has a good player for most of his Yankees career, but of course, he missed the majority of the 2013 season due to injuries. He leaves the Yankees for a tougher park to hit with the New York Mets. Maybe his game will play well for the Mets, or maybe he becomes the next Jason Bay. The Yankees did not show a strong desire for Grandy's return after he rejected the team's qualifying offer and had more preference for guys like Jacoby Ellsbury, Carlos Beltran, Shin-Soo Choo, or even the Dodgers' Matt Kemp. At the moment, with the signings of Jacoby Ellsbury and Carlos Beltran, there wouldn't have been any room in the crowded outfield for Granderson. While the Yankees have stated they intend to keep Brett Gardner and move him to left field (pushing Alfonso Soriano to DH), I still suspect that Gardner will be expendable in the team's pursuit of quality starting pitching. I see the DH role being better utilized for guys like Derek Jeter and Brian McCann as ways to rest them than moving the admittedly defensively challenged Soriano there on a full-time basis. My feelings about Granderson's departure are significantly different than those of Cano. I felt that Granderson made the best decision for him both personally and professionally. I am thankful he was a Yankee and I wish him well with his new team. I am sure that he has a few more productive years ahead of him.
Friday also saw the return of starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda and the addition of outfielder Carlos Beltran. It's apparent that Beltran's arrival is tied to Cano's departure since the team finally acquiesced to Beltran's desire for a third year, but both signings are essential for the 2014 Yankees. With only CC Sabathia and Ivan Nova holding down spots in the starting rotation, Kuroda is a key anchor for the rotation. He may be no more than a #3 starter next year, but he is a strong stabilizing force. The Yankees still need more starting pitching besides the hope that Michael Pineda and/or some of the Triple A arms will be able to take spots.
I really was unsure if Kuroda would return. It has been said that he wants to play a final year in Japan before he retires, and there was talk that he might be interested in returning to Southern California since his family still lives there. But Kuroda is an honorable man, and it was so telling in his final year with the Los Angeles Dodgers when he didn't want to be traded because the Dodgers were the team he started the season with and he didn't want to go elsewhere. I did wonder if the pull off the Dodgers, assuming they were interested, would have been too much. But I think Kuroda has enjoyed playing for the Yankees and his sense of loyalty led him back to the team for one more year. It's a pleasure to have him back in the fold.
Welcome to the Bronx, Carlos Beltran! Granted, the Yankees have more to do if they want to return to October baseball, but Beltran is one of the post-season greats. Some guys thrive when the pressure is on (unlike Alex Rodriguez) and Beltran is a leader in that category. It has always been said that he wanted to play in the Bronx and had been willing to sign for a discount when he ultimately signed with the Mets. He finally gets the chance at the latter stages of his career. He is an offensive upgrade over Ichiro Suzuki and Vernon Wells, and helps to offset the loss of Cano's production.
It is interesting that the 2014 Yankee outfield will be comprised of two guys who played for the opposing teams in the 2013 World Series. One with a ring and one without. At the moment, they'll be joined in the outfield by Brett Gardner and Alfonso Soriano although, as previously stated above, I think Gardner will be moved for pitching help.
December 6th will long be remembered as the day the Yankees lost Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson, but brought in Hiroki Kuroda and Carlos Beltran. There is much work yet to do with Cano's loss, but the arrivals of Beltran, Brian McCann, and Jacoby Ellsbury bring guys with something to prove. Kelly Johnson is also a Yankee and the starting second baseman at the moment, although I do think he'll be the super-sub by the time the team breaks camp next spring. I do not know who will be the second baseman in 2014 but the Yankees will figure it out. As David Robertson said, they always do.
From Beantown to the Bronx…
I have heard many Yankee fans voice frustration about Jacoby Ellsbury's contract (primarily the length, not the dollars). I know that he has had his health challenges, but I like the move. I respected Ellsbury during his days in Boston and I like the elements of his game. It can be argued that he is Brett Gardner, but he is a better version. As a player who once said that he'd never play for the Yankees, it is nice to see that the history and tradition of the organization were overriding factors, in addition to the monetary reasons. The Red Sox weren't going to extend the years to Ellsbury so it was inevitable that he'd leave. There is a sting with the Red Sox Nation that he went with the Yankees, and there are probably parallels to the Cano situation (dollars over loyalty), but at the end of the day, I am glad that Ells is a Yank.
And then there's next week…
As the baseball winter meetings loom on the immediate horizon, there should be more activity for Yankees fans. This winter is so dramatically different than last year's status quo approach. After missing the play-offs and the retirement of a few players, there were more holes to fill. Brian McCann solidifies the catching position, and Francisco Cervelli will return, after now that he's completed his 50-game suspension and is healthy, to be McCann's caddy. McCann gives the Yankees a better catcher than they had in 2012 starter, Russell Martin, and the strongest offensive threat at the position since the retired Jorge Posada.
Jacoby Ellsbury gives the Yankees options. He strengthens the team up the middle, and like McCann, has a swing that tailored for Yankee Stadium. He may not hit a lot of home runs, but he'll be a terror on the bases. His presence, despite what the team says publicly, makes Brett Gardner expendable. For a team with weak prospects at the upper levels, it will take a Brett Gardner to bring a quality return. The Yankees need better starting pitching, a second baseman, and some help in the bullpen. They also need to cover for the expected absence of the Loser, Alex Rodriguez. So, if there are any certainties, it is that the Yankees will be active next week. I am sure that the website, MLB Trade Rumors, will be busier than Grand Central Station over the holidays.
Ala The Walking Dead, let's say goodbye to those that we've lost…
- Robinson Cano, Seattle Mariners
- Curtis Granderson, New York Mets
- Phil Hughes, Minnesota Twins
- Chris Stewart, Pittsburgh Pirates
- Mike Harkey, bullpen coach, now pitching coach, Arizona Diamondbacks
Thanks for the memories, but rest assured, we'll be okay.
Go Yankees!
Parting is such sweet sorrow…
I was never a fan of good-byes…
Sadly, the 2013 Major League Baseball Season has come to an end. Well, at least for the New York Yankees. It was an eventful final week that saw a farewell to the great Mariano Rivera that was unmatched by any I have seen in recent years or even during my lifetime. Mo's final game at Yankee Stadium turned out to be the final game of his professional career as he chose not to pitch during the season-ending series in Houston to preserve his Bronx goodbye as the final exit for a storied and soon to be Hall of Fame career.
I have been a Mariano Rivera fan since the days when he set up John Wetteland in the bullpen. His 7th and 8th inning appearances before the cardiac appearances by Wetteland were electric. The ball seemed to come screaming with blazing speed yet Mo seemed so effortless in letting the ball leave his hand. He made it look easy, and for the length of his career, he proved he was just a little better than everyone else. Sure, there were a few hiccups along the way. A couple of key blown saves in critical games, but these were few and far between. His success rate was far superior to any failures, and in those failures, you knew that Mo had left his all.
Looking back, I certainly have no regrets. It was an honor and privilege to be a Yankees fan and to witness the career of the latest Yankees legend. He'll be someone that my grandchildren will be talking about, and I can say that I saw him pitch from the beginning to the end. Mo showed how special it was to play for one team, and he is forever embedded into Yankees lore. Ichiro Suzuki will be immortalized in Cooperstown one day as a Seattle Mariner, but Seattle will never be able to call Ichiro exclusively their own. They may have had his best years, but he still is playing his final years as a Yankee, not a Mariner. Fortunately, we never had to see Mo in another uniform or his former catcher, Jorge Posada.
I have been a Yankees fan since 1974 when free agent Jim "Catfish" Hunter, then my favorite pitcher, signed with the Yankees. I had grown up very intrigued by the Yankees with their great history and tradition. Those early 70's were still a tough time for the Yankees organization, but they were about to turn the corner following the acquisition of the team by George Steinbrenner and his partners. To digress, I always loved the quote "There is nothing in life quite so limited as being a limited partner of George Steinbrenner". This quote is attributed to former Yankees minority owner and later Houston Astros owner John McMullen. The first baseball biography I recall reading when I was little was a book about Lou Gehrig, and I've been a fan of his ever since. So, when Catfish made the decision to join the Yankees, it was very easy for me to follow.
During the course of my Yankees fandom, I've considered the following players to be my favorite Yankees. Hunter, Thurman Munson, Rich "Goose" Gossage, Don Mattingly, and Mariano Rivera. All those years and I can still count my favorite active Yankees on one hand, well until today with Rivera's retirement. That doesn't mean I don't respect other Yankees over the years, these guys just happened to be my personal favorites at the time they played.
Being someone who appreciates history and tradition, I've always felt that Rivera was the perfect man to take Jackie Robinson's number to retirement for the final time. Mo proved that he had the character to stand with greatness, and he served the legacy of Jackie Robinson very proudly and understood its significance. I am glad that the last guy out of baseball with #42 wasn't some thug just trying to hang on to a lost career, with rumors of a steroid past. He wears #13. Okay, sorry, I didn't mean that, or maybe I did, but you get the point. Jackie Robinson was a great man who dealt with more adversity than any of us will ever knew. He did it while turning the other cheek and proving he was the better man. He did this while carving out a Hall of Fame career on the field. If there was a man who deserved to have his number retired across baseball, it was Robinson, and if there was a man who deserved to be the final one to walk off the field with it, it was Mo. The Baseball Gods made sure this one played out like it was supposed to.
Mo, we thank you for simply being you. You did it your way, and you never strived to be anything other than what you were. You proved better than most in shaking off the game's failures and you never gloated in its successes. You were proud of your teammates and respectful of your opponents. Baseball needs you, and I hope that this is just the beginning as you move into the next phase of your career. I am proud, very proud, when I say that I am a Mariano Rivera fan. He exceeded my wildest expectations and he leaves as the best ever at his position. He deserves to be a first ballot entry to the Hall of Fame. Anything less is unacceptable. He was ours and he proved he belongs to the Hall like no other that I've personally witnessed during my lifetime. Farewell, Mo. This is not the end, but simply the closing of one chapter and the opening of the next.
AP Photo (courtesy of LoHud Yankees Blog)
The gaze from under the brim of his cat…
While the focus of this post is Rivera, I would be remiss for not saying thanks to Andy Pettitte. Time and again, he stopped losing streaks and he was clutch when it mattered most (October). He never had the brilliant stuff of Felix Hernandez or Roy Halladay, but he was a winner. His passion showed and he was a champion. It was tough watching him leave via free agency for those three years in Houston, but I am glad he came back. Even during his time in Houston, you'd hear stories about how Andy still followed the Yankees. He is part of the Yankees family and history and always will be. It was so very fitting that his final game was a complete game win in his hometown of Houston. A bit ironic that the opponent was named Clemens (Paul Clemens, no relation to Roger). For the final game of the season, Roger Clemens did make an appearance to wish farewell to Mariano, and he gave Andy a hug. There has been a lot of mudslinging between the former close friends and regardless of what Roger may have or have not done, I was glad to see the small reconciliation. Baseball is greater than any one of us, and at the end of the day, Clemens, Pettitte, and Rivera were teammates and they represented the our team. I fully expect to see all three at future Old Timer's Day games and I am hopeful that old scars can be healed and that the game itself can move forward.
Back to Andy, he will be a hard act to follow. When you look at the Yankees pitching staff, there is not one that can match Andy's heart. CC Sabathia appears to be on the downside of his career, Hiroki Kuroda could very well head to Japan for his final season or two, Phil Hughes has worn the pinstripes for the last time, Ivan Nova is a roller-coaster and the jury is still out on David Huff. Next season will be one of transition and it is unfortunate that we'll no longer have Andy as an anchor to the rotation. Andy's ceiling was never as a #1 pitcher. He came to the major leagues with question marks, but he left as one of its greatest post-season performers. We were lucky to call Andy one of our own, and I am glad that he was never dealt away in one of those knee-jerk type of trades that we saw during the George Steinbrenner regime. Sorry, George, I miss you but you gotta admit that some of those trades left a little bit to be desired…
Getting back on track, Andy leaves the game being able to stand shoulder to shoulder with the greatest lefty in Yankees' history, the Chairman of the Board, Whitey Ford. The Core Four (Rivera, Pettitte, Jorge Posada, and Derek Jeter) did an excellent job in reaching the pinnacle of their positions in franchise history. Posada may not have matched Yogi Berra, Bill Dickey or Thurman Munson, but he can stand in the same room. DJ is obviously one of the greatest shortstops in the team's history (along with Phil Rizzuto). For a team so stacked in history and tradition, four contemporary players reaching the upper echelon is amazing. It is the end of a terrific Yankees era, and as much as I hate to see Derek Jeter go out with an injury filled career, I would prefer for him to leave now rather than to come back next year for what most likely will be a year of reduced relevance on the roster.
What does the future hold?…
I really do not know what to expect next year. At the moment, it is uncertain if Robinson Cano or Curtis Granderson will be back. Joe Girardi is talking about needing time to decide if he wants to come back which is not a good sign in my opinion. Mark Texeira will be back next year, but he is deteriorating as he ages. I am not sure that CC can get back to being the dominant pitcher he once was, and the line-up is filled with age and injury-susceptible players. The farm system at the upper levels is weak, at best. While many of said that this has been a great year of managing by Joe Girardi, I'd argue that it has not been one of Brian Cashman's best years. I do not know how much he has been constrained by ownership, but the 10 wins that the team could have used this season could have been acquired through smart and strategic moves. The farm system is very lacking at the upper levels and I know that injuries have played a part, but at some point, Cashman has to be held accountable. Like fine wine, it is harvest season except the Yankees do not have anything to harvest. They'll have to overpay and to give up too much young talent to field a championship squad next season. Unfortunately, neither makes sense even for the Yankees, so it feels as though we are in the midst of an era of transition. Hopefully, greatness will be waiting on the other side…
A sad day, indeed…
Sadly, the fear is confirmed…
Today brought the news that this is the final season for Andy Pettitte. I knew we were getting close to the end and of course, a disappointing season does not help. If the Yankees were a cinch to make the play-offs, this might be a different story. Winning seems to make those aches and pains hurt a little bit less. Nevertheless, I am grateful for the time that Andy gave us. I missed him those three years he was in Houston and of course the prior year of retirement. But I am glad he came back both times and there's no doubt that he's a Yankee for life.
As much as I dislike and disrespect a certain third baseman on the active roster, I forgave Andy for the mistakes in his past. He came clean (unlike the "Fraud" or Roger Clemens) and he proved to us that his words were truthful and from the heart. Andy may never get into the Hall of Fame due to the steroid use, but he deserves a place in Memorial Park. Like Mariano Rivera, I truly enjoyed Andy in pinstripes and knew that he gave us his "all" with every performance, win or lose.
I hope the team is smart enough to give him an invitation to come to spring training as an instructor and of course his presence at Old Timer's Day is a must. With Sunday being Mariano Rivera Day, it is so appropriate that the scheduled starting pitcher is Andy. There would be nothing better than to watch Andy hand the ball to Mo with the appearance of no other Yankee relievers. Hopefully, the game plays out to that form. I love that Andy's final two games are the aforementioned Mo Rivera Day and the final game against his former team, the Houston Astros. There's probably not a better away city for Andy to pitch his final game in than his home city. As George Strait would say, "The Cowboy Rides Away"…
Thanks, Andy. You gave us very memorable years and we always, without exception, were pleased when you took the ball. You brought your heart and soul to every game and as a fan, there is nothing more that I could ask for. Time and again, you stopped losing streaks and you were money in October. The pickoff move was simply the best. The guy from Deer Park, Texas proved that he bled pinstripes and you'll always be remembered as one of the greatest lefties in Yankees history. There will never be anything that we could give to you that would approach what you gave to us. We will be forever your fans.
On the other hand…
While I was glad the Yankees emerged victorious against the defending World Champion San Francisco Giants (as a Bay Area resident, I might add), it was disturbing to see Alex Rodriguez eclipse the legendary Lou Gehrig for the all-time record for career grand slams. Man for man, there is no way that A-Fraud could even stand in the shadow of the Iron Horse. This is a travesty and in my opinion deserves an asterisk.
I will be glad when the day arrives that A-Fraud is a "former" Yankee. I never want to see this loser on Yankee Stadium turf ever again when that happens. Too bad the Yankees can't trade the Fraud back to Seattle so that they can disassociate themselves from the worst mistake of the post-George Steinbrenner regime.
Looking forward to A-Rod's "Going Away" Party!…
He's a fraud but wait for the hearing…
My position on Alex Rodriguez has not changed. I do not like A-Rod, the player, and I do not respect "A-Fraud", the man. I am anxious for him to begin serving his suspension as he represents everything that is wrong about baseball. But I have to side with those who think the actions of Ryan Dempster to throw at A-Rod in a recent Red Sox-Yankees game was wrong. The players do not have the right to be the judge, jury and executioner. There is a process and A-Fraud is properly following his right to appeal. It is unfortunate that an actual hearing is so far off, but it is what it is. At the end of the day, A-Fraud will be suspended and he'll be banned from games while those currently serving their 50-game suspensions have returned and hopefully have learned from their past mistakes.
Each day that A-Fraud plays, it sickens me. It bothers me that with each home run, he inches ever so closely to the great Willie Mays in career home run totals. A-Fraud will never be the man that Willie Mays is, and I will never recognize A-Fraud as a better home run hitter or player for that matter than Mays. Alex Rodriguez is where he is in career stats because he cheated. He was fortunate that the rules of baseball, at least those written, did not prohibit him from his actions for the majority of his younger days. But morally, he was wrong then and legally, he is wrong now.
I am not sure what the 2014 Yankees will look like with A-Fraud on the sidelines (assuming that he serves his full 211-game suspension). But then again, that's for GM Brian Cashman and the Steinbrenner family to figure out. As much as I wanted him to succeed, Kevin Youkilis is not the answer. Maybe as a role player, but not as the starting third baseman. The Yankees are in trouble if they are forced to use a mix of Jayson Nix and Eduardo Nunez.
The Boston Red Sox got better quickly because they were able to blow up the roster and unload some heavy, excess baggage. The Yankees really need to do the same thing, but of course, the opportunity may not be there. I am not sure that 2013 has been Brian Cashman's best year, and it's always possible that the Steinbrenner family moves in a different direction this off-season. Cashman's inability to bring anything more than cast-off's from other rosters to the team could be directly the fault of the Steinbrenners. But they are not going to sever ways with themselves. It would not surprise me at all to see Cashman in some place like Seattle next season.
I've missed Soriano's excitement…
Alfonso Soriano may look and act like an old man next season, but for this season, he has been one of the few bright spots. I have enjoyed to see his resurgence in the Bronx, and he is very deserving of the accolades that he has received. While I want to see Soriano back next season, it is time for the organization to begin making some hard decisions on the older players. Plus, they need to "fatten" CC Sabathia back up again (okay, just kidding, but there might to something to the belief that the change in weight has adversely impacted his mechanics). I don't think there is an easy solution on how to re-build the Yankees quickly. There are too many holes and not enough major league ready talent in the farm system.
The Yankees should be free to catch the season premiere of "The Walking Dead"…
I still do not believe the Yankees will make the play-offs this year. The hill is too steep and they just do not have the pieces to pull off a September charge to chase down the other wild card contenders. As I wrote this post, the Yankees lost to the team that they have generally beaten this season, the Toronto Blue Jays. The Jays were up 6-0 after 2 innings so it was clear that it was not going to be their night. But it was worse that the Yankees had arguably their best pitcher on the mound in Hiroki Kuroda. This game is a microcosm of the season. The Yankees have built too large of a hole to overcome.
Why does A-Rod get a free pass?…
The opening game of the Yankees-White Sox Series was a loss before the first pitch was thrown…
I am a Yankees fan and I've been one since 1974 but today, I am disgusted. It is revolting to see Alex Rodriguez take third base for tonight's game against the Chicago White Sox on a day when he was suspended for 211 games. All other 12 PED users who were suspended accepted their fates and are serving their 50-game sentences. But the guiltiest of all (thus, the longer penalty) is playing baseball because he chose the appeal process. He has blood on his fingers and the gun was in his hand, yet as typical A-Fraud, he refuses to take personal responsibility for his actions. I am sure that somehow his cousin or maybe bad advice he received from Francisco Cervelli will ultimately be to blame for his latest problems, but for now, he only blames Bud Selig and the people who really know and understand what a miserable human being he is.
Even if it means counting A-Rod's scheduled salaries against the Yankees for the purposes of the salary cap, I want this guy gone. He disgraces the Yankee pinstripes and he tarnishes the great storied franchise. Tonight, I actually found myself cheering for the Chicago White Sox because it was too hard to root for a Yankees lineup that features A-Fraud in the middle of the order. My lifelong idol has been Lou Gehrig. He wore the pinstripes very proudly and he was a true Yankee from start to finish. A-Fraud is the anti-Gehrig. He has disgraced the uniform since the beginning and the end can't get here soon enough. I had truly wished that I had seen the last of A-Fraud in a Yankees uniform, yet here he is playing third base tonight.
Per the YES Network's website, the Yankees released this statement:
"We are in full support of Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. We also recognize and respect the appeals process. Until the process under the Drug Program is complete, we will have no comment. We are confident that the process outlined in the Drug Program will result in the appropriate resolution of this matter. In the meantime, the Yankees remain focused on playing baseball.
However, we are compelled to address certain reckless and false allegations concerning the Yankees' role in this matter. The New York Yankees in no way instituted and/or assisted MLB in the direction of this investigation; or used the investigation as an attempt to avoid its responsibilities under a player contract; or did its medical staff fail to provide the appropriate standard of care to Alex Rodriguez.
Separately, we are disappointed with the news today of the suspension of Francisco Cervelli. It's clear that he used bad judgment."
Where does it say that the Yankees had to start Alex Rodriguez tonight? Why does this guy get a privileged card? Less guilty players are done for the year yet A-Fraud is on the field. It makes me sick, disgusted and angry. If I were Hal Steinbrenner, I can tell you there's no way that A-Fraud would have been swinging a bat tonight. He'd be picking splinters out of his derriere.
Interesting that the Yankees call out Francisco Cervelli, yet sound like they are posturing with Alex Rodriguez without any condemnation. You can never convince me that Cervelli is as despicable and dishonest as A-Fraud.
I am a Yankees fan, but admittedly it is out of protest until the team does the right thing and separates themselves from the most dishonorable and narcissistic player in franchise history.
The White Sox are still throttling the Yanks in tonight's game (8-0 in the bottom of the 6th inning). Good. Now, if Robin Ventura could take a bat and stick it up A-Rod's…
When Does the WBC Start? Not Soon Enough…
A-Rod – What else are we going to talk about?
I found it somewhat humorous Alex Rodriguez said that he will be under intense scrutiny for "the next 18 months to 24 months". Interesting how one can predict the exact time frame involved in the 'post-confession' period. Does that mean we are guaranteed of no reference to A-Rod in March 2011? Looking forward to it!
Personally, I don't blame Alex for not wanting to talk about his past drug use following the press conference earlier in the week. If he talked, he'd run the risk of contradicting his previous comments…
Wallace Matthews of Newsday wrote a great piece today about how GM Brian Cashman wanted to 'move on' when A-Rod opted out of his 'drug-induced' $250 million contract in 2007. Cashman's position has gone largely unnoticed until now, but he could have saved the organization from much embarrassment. A-Rod's return only came about when A-Rod bypassed agent Scott Boras and dealt with the Yankees and Hank Steinbrenner directly.
Credit: Altaffer/AP
It should come as a welcome relief when A-Rod joins the Dominican Republic World Baseball Classic team early next month. Egads! The reporters in Yankees camp will have only baseball to talk about! Of course, there might be mention of the scandalous time that Mark Teixeira took a couple of Advil for a post-game headache…
More Yankees in the Headlines?
I have to admit that I was startled for a moment when I saw the headline about the frozen assets belonging to Johnny Damon and Xavier Nady. Of course, it is clear that they are innocent victims. The government's freeze of a company affiliated with Robert Allen Stanford impacted accounts owned by Damon and Nady.
Neither Damon nor Nady invested directly with Stanford funds but rather they invested through broker dealers whose accounts were with a Stanford company.
It was reported that Damon complained of being unable to pay his bills and Nady could not put down a deposit on a New York apartment. I find it surprising that both would wrap up their assets through a single source. I guess diversification is not something they are concerned with. I also find it interesting that both players are represented by agent Scott Boras. Thanks for the sound financial advice, Scott! And, oh by the way, Jason Varitek sends his love!
Credit: Branimir Kvartuo/AP
The Return of Bernabe Figueroa Williams
Enjoy camp for a few days, Bernie, but don't get used to it!
I have to admit that it was both strange and exciting to see Bernie Williams wearing Yankee gear with number 51 on his back. However, that does not mean I would want to see him make a comeback with the team. At this point, I'd clearly prefer Nick Swisher over Bernie. I thought Bernie was a great Yankee but time has moved on.
Credit: Antonelli/New York Daily News
Then again, Phillies pitcher Jamie Moyer won a world championship at age 45, winning 16 games in 2008. But c'mon, this guy just doesn't age…
Bernie had begun a significant decline by 2006, and there is no chance that future years will be any better. He played more and better than expected in 2006, but it was time to turn the page. His presence on the roster would potentially prevent the presence of a younger player with more potential.
Upon completion of the WBC, Bernie should focus on his musical career. His latest CD, Moving Forward, is scheduled for release on April 14, 2009. The CD includes a special live performance with Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa.
In A-Rod We Trust…or Not…
A day later, I am still stunned by the developments revealed on Saturday regarding Alex Rodriguez and his apparent steroid use in 2003.
The last thing I wanted to see was vindication for Jose Canseco but here it is for him with A-Rod's name smeared across every sports page in America.
I am troubled that A-Rod knew he had tested positive and he had to have known there was always the possibility the information would be leaked one day (particularly considering the ongoing government investigation and the case against Barry Bonds). He had over five years to think about this day, yet none of A-Rod's subsequent statements has given any hints of possible drug use.
When the "A-Fraud" comments came out through Joe Torre's book, The Yankee Years, Johnny Damon and Derek Jeter came to A-Rod's defense…even Larry Bowa. It will be interesting to see if they are so quick to come to A-Rod's defense this time.
Alex needs to be honest about his past drug use, giving us some insight into why. An apology for all concerned is expected, and it is up to him to convince us that the drug use did not continue.
The next few days will be very critical for A-Rod, and they will shape the future perception of him. He has a chance to right the "wrong". Alex, it is up to you…
On the bright side, Yankees camp open on Friday for pitchers and catchers. It will be great to see CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett arrive in Tampa. The first photo of Sabathia and Burnett together with Chien-Ming Wang, Andy Pettitte, and Joba Chamberlain will be a classic.
It's unfortunate that Joe Girardi will be beseiged by A-Rod questions, but hopefully, he'll have the time to enjoy the presence of the greatest Yankee pitching staff in years.
Andruw Jones is clearly seeking a pressure-free environment. By signing a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers, he'll avoid the media glare that would have accompanied a signing with Boston or New York. But his chances of actually making the team are no less secure.
Andruw is a mystery to me. In 1996, he looked like he was poised for a Hall of Fame career. But by 2008, he looked tired and worn out. He was offered an invitation to go to camp with the Yankees, which he declined. When asked about Boston, he said "it's too cold". That sounds like someone who clearly wasn't up to the task of 'trying to be the best, with the best'. Good luck in Texas, Andruw…well, at least until you get the pink slip in late March…
Good for the Phillies in re-signing arbitration eligible first baseman Ryan Howard to a three-year, $54 million contract. Ryan succeeded in achieving his desired annual salary of $18 million and the Phillies locked up one of their young stars through 2011. It is going to be fun watching the Mets and Phillies slug it out this year…
Jane Heller wrote a great article for The New York Times today. When all else fails, visit a psychic! A very funny approach about predicting the Yankees' 2009 season…
I have started reading my copy of 'Confessions of a She-Fan'. So far, so good, except for the natural physique reference about A-Rod in the prologue in comparison to "those 'roid guys with their cartoon muscles…". Oh well, he fooled all of us. Jane's book has that great, refreshing 'we're right there with you' feel to it. I am definitely re-living my emotions and feelings about the 2007 Yankees as I read the book…
And for the prediction? I'll go with Jane's "Nope, I'm good"…


text:
SeawaySensFan wrote:DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:I've had Kodi for 2+ years. Don't have cable. I'll admit sometimes it's difficult to find good Sens feeds but aside from that, it's pretty perfect.
Yeah I had a great add-on that gave you HD hockey from most leagues, including AHL without fail but it crapped out after a couple of weeks... My son pays for NHL.Tv but I would have no problem getting my games, even if I had to settle for SportsDevil.
I'll have gone without cable for one year come May.
Sportsdevil has gone down the crapper. Try downloading the phoenix repository, they include live sports streams as well and decent quality.
EDIT: also if you want another option which requires a subscription, try this: http://hdsports.online/live/
I've tried some of their free streams and the quality is amazing. Am contemplating signing up myself. And if all else fails, I usually just go on reddit and find a great stream there.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Watch This Unique Vehicle Morph Into Any Car You Can Imagine
It can often be expensive and complicated to shoot video—specifically for a commercial—when a car is involved. Take into account the cost of securing the vehicle and making sure everything is perfect for filming. Thankfully, The Mill has come up with a solution in the form of its new Blackbird morphing car.
The Blackbird eliminates the need to secure a vehicle, and instead is just one vehicle that can be morphed into whatever you want digitally. It can alter its chassis to be the right length and width of pretty much any car, whether it's an off-road SUV, a compact, or a luxury sedan.
The magic comes from CGI that adds a skin to the car that looks identical to whatever the producer had in mind. You'd never know that the car you see isn't the car that was really on set. It's a great solution to a very expensive problem with applications that extend far beyond creating exterior shots of the vehicle in motion. The Blackbird can create a 3D version of its environment using 3D laser scanning and high-dynamic range imagery. It even has an AR application to put the CGI on top of the Blackbird so users can see how the finished product will look. This morphing car took its name from the Balckbird SR-71 supersonic jet and was even handmade in the same hangar over the course of two years.


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Product Spotlight: 3DLP9000 UV Light Engine
With access to 4 million pixel resolution in a DLP® light engine capable of 3D printing down to the 365nm range, researchers and developers using DLi's 3DLP9000 .9″ WQXGA Light Engine can speed up their work like never before. The 3DLP9000, the first of the 3DLightPro family, is a high efficiency light engine designed specifically with the professional-grade DLP® 3D printer in mind. This unique light engine is easy to assemble and service while giving innovators access to the entire 3D printing UV spectrum. The 3DLP9000 is centered around the 4 million pixel 0.9" WQXGA 2560 x 1600 Type-A DMD, giving users the largest build area. The 3DLP9000 is compatible with the DLP® LightCrafter™ 9000 Software.
The 3DLP9000 can be configured with either a 365, 385, or 405nm LED, however, other wavelengths are available. The universal light source interface design supports non-LED light sources such as lamps and lasers. The optics are optimized for 3D printing wavelengths between 365-405nm to maximize the power delivered onto the curing resin.
The 3DLP9000 was designed with high uniformity and low distortion to help maximize power delivered to the resin and maximize use of the build area. The pixel size projected onto the vat was selected to provide fine resolution while maximizing build area. However, we did build adaptability into the projection lens, giving customers yet another way to differentiate their printer.
Anticipating that the 3DLP9000 may be used for both R&D and production, we designed two focus modes. A simple, flexible focus mode ideal for R&D. And, a fixed focus mode that locks in the field of view for easy assembly and field support once in production.
For easy assembly and field support, we designed a symmetrical linear stage to make it easy to set up in either a top-down or bottom-up 3D printing projection orientation.
The 3DLP9000 offers optimal UV efficiency, world-class distortion and uniformity, focus flexibility, and mounting options to benefit applications with even the most stringent accuracy and precision requirements.
- DLP® Digital Micromirror Device (DMD)
- DLP® Chipset
- DLPC900 Digital Controller
- Resolution
- WQXGA (2560 x 1600)
- Pattern rates
- 1-bit – 9,500 Hz
- 8-bit – 247 Hz
- Video – 60 Hz
- LED Illumination:
- 365nm, 385nm, 405nm, Blue
- Projection Width 192-320mm
- Throw Distance 320-530mm
- Throw Ratio 1.6
- On-Axis, 0% Offset
- Pixel Size at Image Plane 100µm +/- 25µm
- Size / Weight
- 15in x 11in x 5.9in
- 12.1lb
- Up to 3W (405nm)
- Uniformity >90%
- Streamlined design to maximize efficiency
- Unlocks access to high energy UV spectral range
- Supports large build areas
- High uniformity, low distortion optics
- Supports multiple mounting options
- Reversible linear stage for top-down or bottom-up configurations
- Adjustable projection lens for maximum flexibility during R&D phase
- Convertible to fixed projection lens ideal for production
- Easy to install, service and maintain
- 3DLP9000 .9″ WQXGA Light Engine
- LED Block Assembly (365nm, 385nm, or 405nm)
- Linear Stage
- DLP® LightCrafterTM 9000 Firmware & Software Bundle
- Power Supply / USB Cable / DisplayPort Cable
*Optional Add-Ons:
- 45 Degree Mounting Bracket
- Additional Linear Stage
- Additional LED Block Assemblies


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Traveling on Tobacco Road – November 2015, Canadian Packaging
South Ontario manufacturer of tobacco products uses top-flight conveyance systems to keep the production line flowing smoothly.
December 17, 2015
by Andrew Joseph, Features Editor; Photos by John Packman
Caption: Grand River Enterprises director of technical services Michael Martin stands beside some of the tobacco products produced at the 600,000-square-foot facility in Ohsweken, on the Grand River Territory of the Six Nations.
While Canada's Federal government has spent vast quantities of money in anti-smoking campaigns, it was still allowing farmers to grow tobacco as a cash crop.
In 2008 in an effort to change the status quo, the government created a $300-million program that would allow tobacco farmers to move into other crops, but for those that accepted, a return to tobacco farming would not be allowed.
But a funny thing happened. Rather than a decline in tobacco production, it increased by 144 percent through 2013 and the number of acres of tobacco fields doubled.
While there may be numbers to indicate that smoking proliferation in Canada has declined over the years, Canadian tobacco globally has not.
The global tobacco industry is a high-stakes business, and operating within one of the most competitive markets in the world isn't easy even for those that have been around for decades, with few newcomers entering the world of multi-national tobacco production being successful.
Bucking that trend, however, is a Canadian company—Grand River Enterprises Six Nations Ltd., headquartered in Ohsweken on the Grand River Territory of the Six Nations about 100 kilometers southwest of Toronto—that first opened its doors in 1997 as a small company producing cigarette products with a single packer and the overall capabilities of producing 800 cases a month, now producing millions of cigarettes daily with global concerns.
Fully-native-owned—led by chief executive officer Jerry Montour and president Steve Williams, Grand River Enterprises is fully-licensed by the Canadian federal government as a tobacco manufacturer, and has become big business for the Six Nations community, bringing both employment opportunities as well as a healthy economy on the Reserve, with some 1,000 jobs being spun off for First Nations people.
The Six Nations of the Grand River Territory is a league of nations consisting of the Cayuga, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca and Tuscarora bands.
"We are the largest First Nations manufacturer of tobacco products in Canada, with Grand River Enterprises having about 450 employees working here at the Ohsweken facility," Grand River Enterprises director of technical services Michael Martin told Canadian Packaging magazine during a recent visit to the tobacco processing facility.
Globally, Grand River Enterprises manufactures over two dozen product lines with unique flavor profiles catering to specific audiences, including cigarillos, loose tobacco leaf and chews it tends to concentrate its production on producing a few select cigarette brands: Oakdales; Putters; Sago; DK'S, Golden Leaf; Menage; Seneca; Westport, 38 Special, Opal, Couture and Scenic 101, all available in various sizes and strengths—all popular enough that the plant has its production lines humming along 20 hours a day, five-days-a-week helping make it one of Canada's most successful aboriginal businesses.
"Our strengths are in the development of brands that provide our customers with a large variety of choices, value and quality tobacco," relates Martin. "We have a strong and well-balanced portfolio that we feel will enable us to continue growing both our Canadian and international markets."
According to Martin, the founders believe that the First Nations peoples had trade routes worldwide before Europeans came to North America, and now the company is merely retracing those routes and rebuilding international trade partners while building an economic base with North American indigenous communities.
Says Martin, "There's a certain degree of spirituality involved in the production of tobacco, as we believe it is a sacred plant that comes from our Mother Earth."
According to aboriginal lore, after Sky Woman fell to earth on to the back of a turtle representing North America, it was after her own pregnant daughter died after giving birth to twins. After Sky Woman buried her daughter, from her body grew the Three Sisters of Corn, Beans and Squash, and from her grew the tobacco plant. This daughter is known as the Earth Mother.
Along with rebuilding trade routes, Grand River Enterprises says its goal continues to be a responsible, effective and respected producer and marketer of consumer products for adults while ensuring it produces the highest-quality tobacco products.
Martin and the folks of Grand River Enterprises are proud of the aboriginal roots of the company.
"Along with being one of the largest First Nation workforces in Canada, Grand River Enterprises believes that as its employees grow, so too does the business," notes Martin.
As Grand River Enterprise has grown over the years adding more tobacco processing machinery to its production line arsenal, it has repeatedly utilized the transportation capabilities of FlexLink Systems Canada headquartered in Burlington, Ont. to supply them with conveyor systems to move the individual packs of cigarettes over to the cartoner equipment.
"Fifteen years ago," relates Martin, "I bought my first conveyor line from a company that FlexLink eventually purchased. It was robust and never any trouble to run—never even had to replace a chain in it.
"FlexLink continued that tradition admirably. That's why I love FlexLink, and that's why all of the conveyors we use at Grand River Enterprises are FlexLink conveyors."
FlexLink is part of the COESIA group of innovation-based industrial solutions companies operating globally, headquartered in Bologna, Italy and fully-owned by Isabella Seràgnoli.
In operation since 1980, FlexLink is a leading provider of high-end solutions to manufacturing industries such as: food, beverages, personal care, healthcare, automotive and electronics, and is per- haps best known for its high-quality, high-performance conveyor systems.
FlexkLink general manager Jeff Jones says: "Because of the way Grand River Enterprises has expanded since it opened, it has had to place its case packaging equipment a long way from the packers—up to 400 feet (120 meters) in some instances.
For Grand River Enterprises, it was imperative that they maintained as much floor space as possible in the working environment—just in case it needed to expand again.
To resolve that issue, FlexLink looked up to the sky and moved the product in the free space above through eight fast-moving X85 wedge elevating conveying systems in conjunction with horizontal conveyance lines.
"While some of these systems have long and winding conveyor routes, we worked with them to ensure there was a conveyor route planned that was both efficient for their production line and safe for all of their workers throughout the entire facility," Jones explains.
The wedge conveyor utilizes two conveyor tracks facing each other to provide fast and gentle transportation of product—both horizontally and vertically—thanks to the X85's use of powerful SEW-Eurodrive drive unit motors.
"The X85 gets product up in the air quickly so it can travel through the planet where space is much more abundant," says Jones. "There is no log-jam at the wedge either, as the X85 can run at the same speed as the rest of the production line—up to 80 meters per minutes, though admittedly we don't run it that fast. The wedge makes a difficult transfer an easy proposition."
According to Flexlink, it has been able to use a few different methods in order to raise product from one level to another: a small five to seven- degree incline with a standard chain; via cleated links that positively pushes the product up a much steeper incline up to 90-degrees; and via the wedge, which squeezes the product from the side with flexible fingers built into the chain.
The FlexLink chain used on the X85 is designed for smooth running, low noise levels, and as Mar- tin has attested, minimum wear and tear.
Adds Jones: "We're also very proud of the strong extruded aluminum structure of the X85 at Grand River Enterprises, though we do offer a stainless steel version, too.
"The beams and the slide rails were all designed for a long service life, rigidity, smooth running, low-noise and capable of handling high speed movement."
According to Jones, there are a couple of factors that determine the load capabilities of the X85: the basic load capacity of 2.5-kilo- grams per link of chain with a maximum working tension of 400N; and the tension applied to chain by elevation, but each X85 is designed for maximum efficiency on the production line.
The Flexlink standard chain is actually made of three components: chain link; pivot; and pin, with the product riding smoothly on an acetal resin chainlink.
Other equipment and options for the conveyor lines supplied by FlexLink include:
- Multiple S-configurations and C-shaped configurations and even a Sledge—a wedge with a guide rail. Jones says that, depending on the situation, the cost of a wedge can be reduced by using specific types of chutes to bring the product back down to floor level;
- Pneumatic pushers and breaks; Control systems for the system;
- Also provided installation and supervision for the conveyor projects.
After tobacco comes in from various sources around the world, it is stored, processed through various levels of curing and fermentation, flavoring and processing.
While coy about revealing just how much equipment it has at its Canadian headquarters, suffice to say that Grand River Enterprises is a well-oiled production facility with multiple industry-standard Hauni Protos 90 cigarette making machines that are direct linked to Focke F5 Packer carton wrapping complexes.
The finished product cartons utilize the FlexLink conveying systems to move over to Supercase casepackers manufactured by MonTrade S.r.L.
The Protos 90 cigarette makers at the Ohsweken facility generally run at speeds up to 10,000 filtered smokes per minute. Martin calls them fast, safe, easy-to-operate, and very robust.
"Our operators can easily work with the Protos 90's via integrated industrial touchscreen," notes Martin. "It's virtually hassle-free."
All control and quality monitoring systems on the Protos 90 are bus-linked modular units using the Siemens S7-400 PLC system.
According to Hauni, its Protos 90 inspects all cigarettes for total ventilation and pressure drop; has spring-mounted pressure rollers to provide a neat and clean printmark; performs on-line laser perforation with LASER 300S or 400S-1; has a spilt-rolling unit to give spot-on laser perforation; uses a MIDAS weight control system that also detects non-tobacco related materials.
Henkel's Technomelt adhesive is applied during the manufacture of the cigarette packs, applied via Baumer hhs model Xmelt adhesive melters to provide a strong, tight seal to help maintain cigarette freshness.
The Focke & Co. F5 carton wrapping units, while an older Focke model, is still under 10 years of age, but according to Martin performs as robustly and as
Quickly as the day they were first installed. Grand River Enterprises was also quite pleased with the performance of its multiple Supercase horizontal carton feeding casepackers.
Mechanically, the Supercase operates at speeds up to five cycles per minute within its small footprint.
Other equipment utilized at the Canadian facility includes:
- Uline stretchfilm to secure palletloads of product via a Lantech stretchwrapper or manually;
- Atlantic Packaging manufactured corrugated cases.
While the goal of every business is to obviously be a successful and profitable company, Grand River Enterprises is no different, but it does take pains to ensure it gives back to its communities.
The Dreamcatcher Charitable Foundation was created by Grand River Enterprises to provide grants and donations to First Nations communities and people, focusing on youth, education, health and cultural development for future community leadership.
"For Grand River Enterprises, and according to the mantra espoused by the company owners, we will continue to move forward in the future as we look to the past to reestablish trade routes around the world," sums up Martin.
"Grand River Enterprises is one of Canada's most successful aboriginal businesses, but we are always looking to grow our business. So far, our business model, excellent products built around the consumer, and high-tech manufacturing principles conducted by our well-trained employees has all contributed to our success, and there's no reason why that won't continue for the foreseeable future."
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1 Comment » for Traveling on Tobacco Road – November 2015, Canadian Packaging
i live in Medicine Hat ,AB. Canada & i have tried your Scenic 101 RED PACKAGE & i have enjoyed them & I WAS HOW I COULD PURCHASE HERE & WHERE I CAN BUY THEM ? HOW MUCH WOULD THEY BE A CARTON ? ARE THERE ANY STORES IN MEDICINE HAT , AB. THAT I COULD BUY THEM ? THE TASTE OF THE CIGARETTE ARE NOT MUCH DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I AM SMOKING NOW . PLEASE NOTIFY ME EITHER BY PHONE AT 403-487-0596 OR BY MY MY E-MAIL email@example.com


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Illustrated Lives of the Saints II by popular Catholic Book Publishing author Rev. Thomas J. Donaghy is an updated collection that includes, for each day of the year, a short biography of a Saint or Blessed along with a prayer. This companion volume to Illustrated Lives of the Saints accords with the 2004 Roman Martyrology and the United States liturgical calendar. Illustrated Lives of the Saints II contains more than 60 full-color illustrations. A ribbon marker makes it easy to keep one\'s place in this rich treasury of Saints\' lives.
Read More


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Thursday, October 29, 2015, 01:40 PM:
It's chilly today, especially with the breeze coming in every now and then. For a late October afternoon however, it is a modest 61 degrees Fahrenheit. In a long sleeve cotton shirt and a fleece vest I am warmer than I would like, and due to the inclement weather of yesterday I was not expecting this warmth upon leaving my dorm room. With that being said, I am not complaining, because I say we should savor the last few warm days we have before the winter hits.
Ash has officially lost all of his leaves. Not a single stem clings onto any of the empty branches protruding from his trunk. However there are two clusters of dead leaves situated in notches where two branches meet. Both of these clusters are a mix of brown and grey, and are not the prettiest part of the view of the tree for certain. They almost look like a nest of some sort, and when I think about it, that is the only logical answer for how the clusters could have appeared in the first place. Maybe there are special types of birds who do not migrate south for the winter, and they utilize the plentiful resources that appear as autumn leaves fall to the ground for their nests. It is also possible that by some miracle of wind and rain these leaves stuck together and appeared in a notch in a tree. As I look at these ugly clusters I hypothesize the nature of their existence, but I may never know the truth.
The leaf bed below Ash's trunk on the foreground is not as soft and airy as it was days before. Rain has washed out the area creating mud and wetness and because of that, many leaves were displaced. In lieu of the disappearing ash leaves covering the ground, Ash's neighbor has taken over the property with his mammoth leaves. Across the ground, leaves the size of Frisbees lie damp and droopy. They are greenish-yellow with spots of brown scattered all over.
One leaf trumps the rest in size. It is folded lazily in half and is camouflaged by the surrounding leaves. However, I notice the leaf as my spotlight gaze scans over the area. I walk over and it unfolds into its full size as I pick it up. It's thick, leathery and damp. Alongside a few of Ash's lemon sized leaves, it looks monstrous. If I hold it up to my face it covers every feature and could hide my identity from onlookers. Really it is just massive, the biggest leaf I have ever seen.
Ash looks down on all of these leaves that are seemingly on steroids, and beside him sits the tree from which they originated. This tree, still standing tall with many leaves covering its branches, stares at Ash from across the path. The two trees juxtapose anyone who would walk through their arches. The only thing is, one has leaves and the others do not. It appears that it was an early end to the leaf season for Ash as many other trees still have leaves to account for. Despite his lack of leaves, he looks elderly and wise next to all of the leaf bearing trees. He is ahead of the game, preparing for the winter as if he knows something that all the others do not.


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Learn more about Island Mirror Maze.
Get LOST. Come be a part of a family's adventure long ago on a tropical island where a weekend at sea turned into a much longer adventure. Shipwrecked and without a means off the Island, the Campbell and McManus families had to improvise. You will explore fun areas of the island that the stranded kids discovered themselves. While the Dads built tree houses to sleep in and a swinging bridge to get to the rest of the island, the kids were out exploring the mystical island. They discovered caves with long, twisting, and turning tunnels that created hiding places in every direction. They also found a strange ancient ruin that they were certain were more recently used for hiding treasures.
We offer THREE great attractions for One Low Price! Our Do It All includes Unlimited Mirror Maze trips for that day as well as single attempts on our Lazer Maze Challenge and Atomic Rush!
Atomic Rush combines Simon Says in a High Tech setting. Your agility and coordination is hilariously tested as you compete against family and friends in three fun game selections.
Lazer Maze Challenge is a "Mission Impossible" style setting that has four different skill levels to appeal to all ages. The object is to navigate the laser maze as quickly as possible reaching your checkpoints without breaking a beam. Jump, crawl, climb & twist your way through an obstacle course of highly sensitive lasers.
131 The Island Dr.
Building A, #2102
Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
10.99 Child (4-6) Do It All
- Group Discount
- Military Discount
- Local Resident Discount


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I got a year back in btech means i will be completing btech in 5 years. I am eligible for govt job specially bank po nd civil services nd if yes will i be facing a serious rejection in interview of govt jobs. Please honest reply
I got a year back in btech means i will be completing btech in 5 years. I am eligible for govt job specially bank po nd civil services nd if yes will i be facing a serious rejection in interview of govt jobs. Please honest reply
Related Questions:
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- Will B.Tech student from private university which are not recognized by UGC face problem on getting jobs in future?
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- Terms and conditions to get job in IBM
- Is M.Tech from AMIE eligible for an Assistant professor post in Engineering college?
Hello Dear
See there is nothing to worry on this matter because you are already having the graduation certificate in your hands now.To be honest, No one really cares about the graduation dates and all. In govt sector, you will not face any problem.However if you are attending a off-campus drive of any IT company then you may have to face some serious questions with regard to this matter. So be prepared for that.But you should also get ready with an answer ,for this probable question in any interview you face.If you are able to give justifiable answer for the cause then you may not face rejection.Now lets come to banking sector and Civil service exam.
Banking Sectors : -
Yes this is very much true,even an Engineering graduate can also apply for clerical,PO/MT,AO,Technical officer types of posts in the banks.What you need here is just a degree certificate from a recognized institution or university with 55% marks which I am sure you have it.This sector is gaining a lot of momentum as far as modernization is concerned.Also the number of candidates to hired by the end of this year would likely cross 2 lakhs.So there is a hell lot of opportunity in banking sector.This kind of exams are also not that difficult.Just solving few model questions will really help you get a good rank.But yeah speed is an important criteria in the exam.Hope you understand.
If you want a dream job,probably the best paid and prestigious job in our country then you should go for IES or IAS civil service exams.These are central govt exams conducted by U.P.S.C under the mere guidance and supervision of Ministry of Human resource Development.You may also apply for the technical jobs conducted by staff selection commission or state public services commission to be able to join some respectable jobs in your own state.The jobs that you will be given after qualifying IES / IAS will comprise a mixture of both managerial decisions and technical supervision.The perks and emoluments after salary is really the best.So try to crack these exam.But remember the difficulty level and syllabus for both the above mentioned exams are appreciably high.You need to have indepth knowledge regarding the subject.
I hope you would surely get benefited by this post.Anyways best of luck for a bright future.
Regards Saurav
Dear Aspirant,
-->> You would have to face problem if you will apply for PSU's.
-->> They need 60/65% in B.tech with no backlogs.
-->> But you have one backlog.
-->> It is good that you want to apply for civil services exam and bank po job.
-->> In both these jobs candidates who have backlog are eligible.
-->> If you perform well in written exam of these posts then you will not get negative influence of your backlog in interview.
-->> Age limit for both exams is 21-30 years.
-->> For civil services exam UPSC website is given below:
Dear Aspirant,
As a Graduate Candidate, you are eligible for all type of Govt job for which a graduate degree is require.
State PSC
Police Forces
Army, Airforce and Navy
and all other departments and post.
Friend, you cleared your graduation in 5 year, it shows bad educational record. You may face the problem in interview, so you should prepare a genuine answer of this question. Why you failed in exam?
with all good wishes
yes ofcourse you will face problem but dont worry about that.
the only thing that you have to do is :
1) prepare well for the interview
2)you will get the guidekines how to prepare for the interview
3)During interview show your confidence level high
this will help you to select in interview
Hello dude!
You will really face a problem dude,because a 1 year gap in b.tech means a lot and if you don't have proper reason for that issue,then surely it's a big problem.
Even though in the government sector,you clear the written test and when you appear for the interview then straight away the question would be 'What is the reason for your 1 year gap?'.It doesn't matter if it's because of health problemr then they may consider.
But if it's due to backlogs in the semesters or due to shortage of attendance then it matters a lot.Then they may reject you and the first reason they would say is irregularity or lack of concentration.They may get a bad impression on you that you are irregular and not so aggressive.
So having a 1 year gap in b.tech is always dangerous.Even it is applicable for private companies also.
However as you have completed graduation you are eligible for the bank exams and civil services as well.The details of these exams are mentioned below:
There are two types of posts in the banking sector.They are:
- Clerk posts.
The Eligibility details of the P.O posts are as follows:
- P.O posts.
- Candidates must have completed graduation from any recognized university.
- Minimum 21 years of age.
- The maximum age allowed is 30 years.
- Age relaxation is provided for reserved categories.
- 5 years for SC/ST Candidates.
- 3 years for OBC candidates.
The above mentioned are the eligibility details of the P.O Exam.
- 10 years for physically handicapped candidates.
The Eligibility details of the CLERK exam is as follow:
- Candidates must have completed 10th or 12th standard with atleast 55% of marks.
- Minimum 18 years of age.
- The maximum age allowed is 28 years.
- Age relaxation is provided for reserved categories.
- 5 years for SC/ST Candidates.
- 3 years for OBC candidates.
- 10 years for physically handicapped candidates.
The above mentioned are the details of the clerk exam.
In the clerk exam,there will be 5 sections.They are as follows:
APTITUDE-50 Marks.
MATHEMATICS-50 Marks.
BASICS IN COMPUTERS-50 Marks.
ENGLISH-50 Marks.
GENERAL KNOWLEGE-50 Marks.
The total marks is for 250 marks and all the questions are objective type questions.Coming to the p.o exam paper,for the P.O exam,there will be a descriptive paper which tests the writing skills and English skills of a candidate along with objective paper.
The Eligibility details of the I.P.S Exam is as follows:
- Candidates must have completed graduation from any recognized university.
- Minimum 21 years of age.
- The maximum age allowed is 30 years.
- Age relaxation is provided for reserved categories.
- 5 years for SC/ST Candidates.
- 3 years for OBC candidates.
- Physical Requirements: MALE - HEIGHT-165 cm,If ST Category-160 cm.
Female-155 cm,If ST Category-150 cm.
- CHEST: MALE:84cm,Expansion-5 cm.
FEMALE:79cm,Expansion-5 cm.
- Good Eye Sight i.e; 6/6 or 6/9 vision.
The above mentioned are the eligibility details of the I.P.S Exam.
- Blood Pressure-
Age 23-123,


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Thanks for dropping by.
I'm an Australian singer/songwriter, filmmaker, sound designer and world explorer who has been living in Canada since 2013.
My debut album A Thousand Days Beneath The Sun is now available on iTunes, Spotify, CD and as a free download through NoiseTrade.
You can find out more about it at my music page.
Follow me on Twitter, Instagram or YouTube for all the latest updates.
My creative projects:
Photos of interesting toilets I've seen around the world, featured on CTV News, CTV Your Morning, Lonely Planet and the Toronto Star! See where it all started on Instagram and subscribe on YouTube for the latest videos from my toilet tourism travels.
A growing list of Australian towns and locations that have been immortalized by song.
You can also browse the blog here at my website. I don't blog too much any more these days but here are some of my favourite posts from years gone by:
A trip to Montpelier, where there is no McDonalds
An adventure to the summit of a volcano
A milkshake made of mushroom
A day spent wandering the shady streets of Detroit
The aftermath of the Toronto ice storm
The aftermath of Amsterdam thoughtforms
A diary I've kept of my busking endeavours
An eye-opening couple of weeks in Ecuador & Chile
Making a new friend over pizza in Rome
Some cheeky cockatoos hanging out in Sydney gardens
A number of dates that have gone a bit wrong
A humongous filing cabinet
Seventeen days spent in Egypt (the happiest 2 weeks of my life)
A Polish translation of one of my songs
A piece of the Devil in everything you buy
A vote to Rodriguez for Prime Minister
A young woman's journey through years of abuse
A likely encounter with a ghost at Toowong Cemetery
I hope you enjoy your time here.


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Currently in Goodyear AZ (Low 41 Partly Sunny High 67)
From time to time we like to share tips that make our RV lifestyle more enjoyable. This time we want to share Staytion products for the shower.
RV showers are small and there is a need for storage within the shower for shampoo, conditioner, soap, etc. We have tried various suction cup products with not much success until we came across Staytion products. The great thing about these products is that there is a patented red line warning system. If you start to see more red you just push the button in and restore the great suction. The old style suction cups would fail about every month but the Staytion suction cups with red line warning have only failed once on us and that was because we ignored or missed the red line warning. There are other products that we have not mentioned here.
Here is the soap dispenser
Hooks for microfibers or squeege
Large bin for shampoo, etc.
We are very happy with these shower products that can also be utilized in a sticks and bricks.
Till next time,
Bob and Jo


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If your life is anything like ours, you're probably running around all day with multiple deadlines to meet. Don't you wish you could save a few minutes by using Microsoft Word more efficiently?
While you may know Word inside out, here are 5 great time saving features that might save you just enough time to have a cup of coffee.
1) Don't Fret About Headings and Fonts – Use the Design Tab Feature)
Rather than manually changing all headings, paragraph fonts and colours, make use of the Design tab feature. If you find something you like, you can select it as a design throughout your entire document.
You can even set is as a 'default' is you want to re-use it for other documents.
The quick styles memory in the top ribbon will help you choose headings without changing specific font sizes and colours. There are pre-designed styles you can simply select and apply.
So you won't need to spend time changing fonts on all headings and sub-headings.
2) Stop Typing The Same Words Again and Again
If you type similar words or sentences often, it's a great time saver to keep any often used words saved in AutoText. To save, all you need to do is select the text and press Save Selection to AutoText Gallery, you can paste them into your document as often as required.
3) Review Two Documents Simultaneously With Track Changes
To compare and contrast the content of two documents go to TOOLS > Track Changes > Compare Documents.
4) Select Text Quickly
You already know that double clicking a word will select that word.
Did you know that triple clicking will select the whole paragraph?
If you need to select a whole sentence, rather than using your mouse, simply press the CTRL key and click on a word in the sentence.
5) Use Portrait and Landscape in the Same Document
If you are trying to incorporate diagrams and flowcharts into a report, it helps to have both portrait and landscape views in the same document. Rather than creating a new document simply to accommodate a different orientation, there is a way to add both orientations within the same document.
Select the pages or paragraphs that you want to change to portrait or landscape orientation.
Go to Page Layout > Page Setup > Click Margins and select Custom Margins.
On the Margins tab, click Portrait or Landscape. Then in the section where it says "Apply To", just press "selected text" instead of whole document. By doing so, you will be able to incorporate a different layout within the same document.


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A classic corn chowder would have heavy cream and lots of bacon. Our 'neoclassic' version uses smart substitutions to give the original a health makeover: instead of cream, flour-thickened low-fat milk; instead of pork bacon, turkey bacon. Although turkey bacon is sometimes colored to resemble pork bacon, with its white streaks of fat, it's actually completely lean. So to cook it, you need to use a nonstick pan and sometimes a little oil. Here we "stretch" the oil by using some water to keep the bacon from sticking.
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 cups water
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 slices (1 ounce total) turkey bacon, coarsely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 pound red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup low-fat (1%) or fat-free milk
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels
- 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1. In a nonstick Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat the oil and 1/2 cup of the water over medium heat. Add the onion and bacon, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and the water has evaporated, about 7 minutes.
2. Add the bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the pepper is soft, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the remaining 1 1/2 cups water, the potatoes, salt, and black pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, blend the milk into the flour. Add to the soup, bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
5. Stir in the corn and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Stir in the sesame oil and serve.
Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition per serving: 214 calories, 5.4g total fat (1.4g saturated), 10mg cholesterol, 4g dietary fiber, 37g carbohydrate, 8g protein, 581mg sodium. good source of: lutein, niacin, potassium, riboflavin, thiamin, vitamin B6, vitamin C.


text: It has been a bad year. It feels like something particularly noxious has been unleashed. Bigotry and hatred fuel violence across the world – spilling out from the foreign news section right onto the front page. Even democracy's safeguards appear to offer limited resistance to a wave of nationalism and ethnic and religious divisiveness that – while not new – seem to have grown particularly vivid in the brave new world of social media and fake news. Ethno-nationalism and religious intolerance – two sides of the same coin – have a long and savage history. When communism collapsed in Yugoslavia at the end of the last century, long simmering ethnic and religious tensions soon erupted into civil war, giving us the massacre of Srebrenica and arguably the birth of jihadism – as the world sent a clear message to Bosnian muslims that they were on their own. Simultaneously, the Hutus of Rwanda were systematically slaughtering their Tutsi neighbours in a genocide that the international community shamefully chose to largely ignore. 'Never again' said the world and then watched as it happened over and over. Fear and loathing of 'the other' is as much a driver of conflict today as it has always been. We see it in the civil war in South Sudan, where tribal and ethnic divisions have torn apart the world's youngest country and created a famine in one of the most fertile corners of Africa. The turmoil in Syria and Iraq, and the mass migration it triggered, has had repercussions far beyond that region. And in Myanmar we are witnessing the brutal ethnic cleansing of a small, victimized muslim minority by a military egged on by a fascistic movement of Buddhist nationalists. Meanwhile Aung San Suu Kyi fails to condemn it as her reputation for advancing the causes of peace and nonviolence implodes. But these conflicts are not the source of our instability and alarm. Those wars are happening in places where, frankly, North Americans expect that kind of thing to happen. No, what is disturbing about 2017 is that those same forces of ethno-nationalism have swung sharply into focus right here on our own doorstep. After years of dog-whistles from politicians appeasing their angry (mostly white) base, the darker corners of the internet finally took heed this summer and spewed forth a gaggle of racists and nazi wannabes onto the streets of Charlottesville, Virginia. Three people died to the chants of 'blood and soil' and 'Jews will not replace us'. That the President of the United States considered many of the marchers to be 'very fine people' means we are in danger of the prejudice and bigotry that led to Srebrenica, Rwanda and Myanmar becoming normalized in the biggest superpower on earth. And one thing we should be clear about – the end-game for ethno-nationalism is always violent conflict. September 21st was the UN's International Day of Peace. The internet was awash with peace signs and rainbows and Ghandi quotes. It was nice that people googled those thing but the rise of violent nationalism will require something a little more concrete if it is to be reversed. Perhaps a more fitting way to celebrate peace would be to commit to actively working towards it. To log off and engage in real life. If there is a protest in support of tolerance and inclusion, join it. If you have a vote, use it. If you have money, donate it. In Europe and North America we call white supremacists spouting half-truths and conspiracy theories 'populists'. We have a serious problem. We will all need to get off the couch if we hope to fix it. Share Tweet


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Columbia Design Challenge
Students can join as individuals or in teams. Students must attend the September 6th event in order to enter the design challenge.
The Census 2020 Design Challenge aims to generate innovative interdisciplinary technology solutions that could impact New York City's participation in the 2020 Census. The Census is one of the greatest civil rights issues we are facing right now.
As New Yorkers, our fair share of over $700 billion a year allocated by the federal government is at stake. This is funding for public education, public housing, senior centers and dozens of critical programs.
We invite students from all schools at the university to participate in this exciting opportunity to address a complex and future-facing problem. Individuals and teams from all backgrounds are welcome. Bring your passion for solving real problems!
Contact Ivy Schultz (firstname.lastname@example.com) with any questions.
Food will be provided.
Related Classes
Students in these classes will have the opportunity to incorporate the design challenge into their course work. Independent research with a faculty advisor is also encouraged.
- Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics: Applied Math Seminar (taught by Prof. Chris Wiggins)
- Computer Science: Advanced Web Design (taught by Prof. Lydia Chilton)
- Computer Science: Hacking for Defence (taught by Prof. Paul Blaer)
- Industrial Engineering and Operations Research/Mechanical Engineering: Human-Centered Design (taught by Prof. Harry West)
- Computer Science: User Interface Design (taught by Prof. Brian Smith)
Recording of Design Challenge Kickoff
Key Dates
Friday September 6
Kickoff, Computer Science building, Room 451, 11:00AM


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Antwan Jones
Director of Graduate Studies & Associate Professor of Sociology
|Phillips Hall
801 22nd St NW
Washington DC,
[email protected]
Trained as a social demographer, Professor Jones specializes in issues relating to race/ethnicity, social class and health. As an urban sociologist, he is particularly concerned about socio-environmental processes (e.g., segregation and neighborhood change) that affect health and well-being during various stages of the life course.
More information about Professor Jones can be found on his website.
Current Research
With Hiromi Ishizawa, Professor Jones received a publication grant from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for the project, "Parental Acculturation and Child Obesity Risk."
Professor Jones received a two-year Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant for the project, "Residential Instability and Adolescent Obesity: The Role of the Built Environment."
Professor Jones was selected as a 2011-2012 Policy Research Scholar at the George Washington Institute of Public Policy for the project, "Childhood Residential Stability and Health: The Role of Neighborhood Resources."
With Diana Grigsby-Toussaint (University of Illinois), Professor Jones received a publication grant from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to conduct a GIS spatial analysis of the areas around all childcare facilities in central Illinois to determine how the social and built environment elevates child obesity risk.
PhD Bowling Green State University, 2010
Forthcoming. Jones, A. "Parental Socioeconomic Instability and Child Obesity." Biodemography and Social Biology.
2018. Mamudu, Hadii M., Antwan Jones, Timir Paul, Pooja Subedi, Liang Wang, Arsham Alamian, Ali Alamin, Gerald Blackwell, and Matthew Budoff. "Geographic and Individual Correlates of Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Asymptomatic Rural Appalachian Population." American Journal of the Medical Sciences 355(2): 140-148.
2017. Jones, Antwan. "Book Review: Coming of Age in the Other America." City and Community 16(1): 120-122.
2016. Jones, Antwan. "Book Review: Essential Demographic Methods." Journal of Planning Education and Research 36(2): 261-262.
2016. Jones, Antwan. "Intergenerational Educational Attainment, Family Characteristics, and Child Obesity." Journal of Biosocial Science 48(4): 557–576.
2015. Grigsby-Toussaint, Diana S., Antwan Jones, Jessica Kubo and Natalie Bradford. "Residential Segregation and Diabetes Risk among Latinos." Ethnicity and Disease 25(4):451-458.
2015. Jones, Antwan, Marcus Andrews and Sara Policastro. "Neighborhood Racial Composition, Institutional Socialization, and Intraracial Feelings of Closeness among Black Americans." Urban Studies Research 1-12.
2015. Jones, Antwan and Raheem J. Paxton. "Neighborhood Disadvantage, Physical Activity Barriers, and Physical Activity among African American Breast Cancer Survivors." Preventive Medicine Reports 2(1): 622-627.
2015. Jones, Antwan, Gregory D. Squires and Cynthia Ronzio. "Foreclosure Is Not an Equal Opportunity Stressor: How Inequality Fuels the Adverse Health Implications of the Nation's Financial Crisis." Journal of Urban Affairs 37(5):505-529.
2015. Jones, Antwan. "Residential Mobility and Trajectories of Adiposity among Adolescents in Urban and Non-Urban Neighborhoods." Journal of Urban Health 92(2): 265-278.
2015. Jones, Antwan. "Residential Instability and Obesity over Time: The Role of the Social and Built Environment." Health and Place 32(1): 74-82.
2014. Jones, Antwan. "Depression, Race, Gender and Covenant Marriage: An Analysis of Newly Married Couples." Health Sociology Review 23(3): 190-207.
2014. Jones, Antwan, Danielle Mitchel and Franklin Goza. "Lifecourse Socioeconomic Status and Cardiovascular Illness in Latin America." Current Sociology 62(7): 1055–1078.
2013. Jones, Antwan. "Segregation and Cardiovascular Illness: The Role of Individual and Metropolitan Socioeconomic Status." Health and Place 22(1): 56-67.
2013. Jones, Antwan, Diana S. Grigsby-Toussaint and Jessica Kubo. "Black-White Residential Segregation and Diabetes Status: Results from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System." Open Journal of Preventive Medicine 3(2): 165-171.
2012. Jones, Antwan. "Disability, Health and Generation Status. How Hispanics in the US Fare in Late Life." Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health 14(3): 467-474.
2011. Jones, Antwan. "Income, Homeownership and Residential Assorting among Latinos in the US." Advances in Applied Sociology 1(1): 1-12.
2010. Jones, Antwan, Angelika Gulbis and Elizabeth H. Baker. "Differences in Tobacco Use between Canada and the United States." International Journal of Public Health 55(3): 167-175.
2010. Jones, Antwan. "Stability of Men's Interracial First Unions: A Test of Educational Differentials and Cohabitation History." Journal of Family and Economic Issues 31(2): 241-256.
2008. Jones, Antwan and Franklin Goza. "Rural, Urban and Suburban Differences in Coronary Heart Disease among Blacks and Whites in the US." Journal of Biosocial Science 40(6): 895-909.
2006. Jones, Antwan. "Race and the 'I Have a Dream' Legacy: Exploring Predictors of Positive Civil Rights Attitudes." Journal of Black Studies 37(2): 193-208.
Classes Taught
Undergraduate Courses:
SOC 1000 - Dean's Seminar: Healthy Cities, Globalization & Urban Policy
SOC 1001 - Introduction to Sociology
SOC 2101 - Social Research Methods
SOC 2102 - Techniques of Data Analysis
SOC 2169 - Urban Sociology
SOC 2179 - Race and Minority Relations
Graduate Courses:
SOC 6250 - Urban Sociology
SOC 6290 - Principles of Demography


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Aidsmap | Short course AZT for breastfeeding mothers: warning of viral rebound when AZT stopped
Michael Carter, Monday, September 27, 2004
"The use of AZT (zidovudine, Retrovir) by mothers to prevent the transmission of HIV to their babies lowers HIV viral load in breastmilk and reduces the risk of postnatal HIV transmission, according to a study published in the October 15th edition of The Journal of Infectious Diseases. However, the study also established that when women stop taking AZT prophylaxis there is a temporary burst in HIV replication in breast milk, increasing infant exposure to the virus and the risks of infection with HIV. Because of this fidning the investigators recommend that mothers should continue to take AZT prophylaxis as long as they breastfeed...."