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Tagged: Tyler Chatwood
An Angels Season Highlights Review – Don't Leave 2011 Without It
So, 2011 is drawing to a close and it is my tradition to take a few moments and write up my top Angels Baseball moments for the 2011 season. It should be noted that, as this blog is now just over a year old, tradition means I am doing it for the second time. Hey, traditions have to start somewhere, right? …But I digress. These are not the Angels only highlights for the season or even necessarily the ones that folks who get paid to analyze this kind of stuff would point out. There are enough articles about that floating around out there already. No, these are the highlights, both Angels and personal, that made my baseball season, in no particular order:
Jered Weaver! Both the season he had – which, were it not for Verlander's even more amazing season would have easily been a Cy Young season – and the fact that he signed a contract with the Angels through 2016. I loved every minute I spent watching this homegrown dynamo on the mound and look forward to many more in the seasons to come.
Being Wrong. Yes, sometimes being wrong is a great thing and I am thrilled that I was wrong to have worried about Mark Trumbo taking over at first base. My concerns were based on his rookie call-up outings and the issues he had getting into position for plays during Spring Training. But the AL Rookie of the Year runner up worked hard to improve quickly at first and was a bright spot in an offense that was otherwise anything but. None of this guarantees that Trumbo will also be good at third base, but he has more than earned my interest in seeing what he can do in yet another new position.
Ervin Santana's No Hitter. A former on one season then wild as all get out the next pitcher, Santana showed he has gained considerable consistency following up on his excellent 2010 season with another quality season, and how! The no hitter was merely the most obvious indicator of thischange, but what an indicator it was.
Dan Haren's 1 hit shutout. And we were there!! Having a full season with Haren on the team would have been a highlight in and of itself, but getting to see this game, live and in person, with a great view of every nasty pitch going over the plate was absolute baseball magic.
Young Angels' feats. I said it many times throughout the regular season, the Angels rookies and practically rookies made my season. Whether it was watching Peter Bourjos' dramatic plays in center, Tyler Chatwood's development on the mound or Mark Trumbo slowly make opposing pitchers start to take notice, the Angels "kids" made the game a lot of fun to watch and gave me significant hope for future seasons.
Personal Game Attendance at an All-Time High! So I tallied it up and we went to 22 games this season, two of which were the Angels/A's double header. Wow! So. Ummmm…Hon, when you read this, remember how that fact of that being absolutely (Wonderfully!) crazy is tempered by my folks and your boss giving us tickets. 😉 Being at the game so often gave us the chance to catch a lot of season highlights. Bourjos' first home run of the season. Trumbo's first big league homerun. A couple of flying Bourjos catches. An I can't believe he caught that Torii Hunter catch…and that was just during the Haren 1-hit shutout game, no kidding. There was even more than that over the course of the other 21 games. I only hope that tickets are not so expensive this season that we have difficulties getting to the game. I don't have to go to 22 games (Though I will never turn it down!) but if I don't get to the ballpark every couple of weeks or so, crankiness is likly to ensue. 🙂
Travelling for Baseball. Seth and I have talked about eventually seeing a game in every Major League stadium for years, but it has also been years since we've been able to do any real travelling. This season we finally got started on our plans and while we may have started small we started well, travelling up to the Bay Area to visit with friends and watch games at the Coliseum and AT&T Park. So. Much. Fun! This coming season, the way things look, I think we may only be able to make it down to Petco Park in San Diego, which is local but still progress.
And last but not least…I hesitate to include this winter's signings only because at the moment Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson have not had the opportunity to take a single swing or deliver a single pitch for the Angels. We suspect they will be strong, difference making additions to the team but while it's all still just on paper, it's only highly probable, not actual. But I will add this to my list: last year at this time I was writing about Hot Stove Grief (Hey, this is a serious disorder. Wipe that smirk off your face!) and feeling like the front office was just phoning it in. Today I feel like the front office is really working to put the best team on the field they possibly can and I am hopeful and excited for the season to begin. What a difference a few months make!
The Angels May Still Have Problems, But A Mendoza Line Hittin' Catcher Ain't One…
…Or is it? Oh, I don't mean are the Angels still keeping Jeff Mathis. Jerry Dipoto made his first personnel move as the Angels manager on Wednesday, trading rookie pitcher Tyler Chatwood to the Rockies for catcher Chris Iannetta and, by all accounts, one of his next moves will be to non-tender Jeff Mathis and I am beyond okay with this. I think Mathis is a good guy and the pitchers love him. And he is rather good at take down plays at the plate. But there are also all of the mental errors in throw down situations and, ugh, that batting average. Yes, Mathis has a pretty swing to be sure but, after this many seasons, I've stopped waiting for the pretty swing to become a productive swing and just reflexively cringe whenever the guy steps into the batter's box.
Suffice to say, I'm not going to miss Mathis much and would be thrilled to get an actual bat in the catcher's position. And, initially, I was quite seduced by Iannetta's lifetime .238 average and typical double digit season homeruns numbers…okay, so they're just barely double digit and .238 isn't that great a batting average for anyone who isn't a catcher but compared to the lifetime .197 average and "he holds the record for most home runs…hit on opening day…on his birthday" stats that I'm used to? Please, that there is a hitting dynamo.
…But then I slowed down my ridiculous happy dance and began to think, hmmm. Rockies player. Batting in the land where balls hit with a stick fly freely into the upper deck and pitchers fear to tread. What are this guy's road splits like? Ugly, as it turns out. Looking up to Mathis' .197 most seasons, in fact. And the happy dance is slowing down. Sllloooooooowing down. And we're stopping now. Well, yuck. And by yuck I really mean something that rhymes with yuck and has more of a Van Halen album title-ish vibe to it, but this is a family blog, or something like that.
I'm not crying foul on this trade yet. Maybe I've just been scarred by Vernon Wells' last season and the home/away splits that preceded it. Maybe Iannetta's splits have more to do with really feeling comfortable with the home crowd, the home clubhouse, home cooking, home anything but the Earth's yellow sun like properties that Coors Field has on the would-be Superman bats of hitters ranging anywhere from mediocre to awesome. Maybe?? Or, maybe my pessimistic thoughts are more akin to realistic thoughts in this case.
In an interview today on Clubhouse Confidential Jerry Dipoto was asked about this very thing and chose the more optimistic interpretation of the splits. On the one hand, of course he would, he just made the deal! On the other hand, he did work for the Rockies and has some insight into the players. Then again, when asked what primary characteristic sold him on Ianetta, Dipoto said, He walks. A lot. Okay. So, what then? Iannetta is the Italian demi-god of walks?
Anyway, National League folks, or anyone else who knows a lot more about this player than I, lay it on me. What do you think of this acquisition?
And as for the trading away Tyler Chatwood, I don't mind it terribly. I thought he was good, poised beyond his tender years, and showed promise as a bottom half of the rotation starter. I was less than thrilled with his strikeout to walk ratio and with how early and how well and thoroughly he sputtered out during his rookie season. I know that it will take another season to determine if that's indicative of a long term flaw or just rookie stretching out and growing pains, but I still don't view trading him as a bad thing, not that I would have minded keeping him either. Of course, if the Rockies turn around and trade him to the Rangers tomorrow and Chatty proceeds to take revenge on the team who scorned him by having a career year and sitting our asses down one by one all season long, I may revise my opinion somewhat.
Scarred, who? Me? 😉
Stomped by Texas for Three Games Straight, Is There Any Hope For Our Boys in Halos?
The 2011 Angels can't score to save their lives and they can't hit when it counts. Veteran bats have only come alive in alternating streaks all season – much like Torii Hunter's slumbering bat waking with a vengeance into his current 15-game hitting streak – and the rookies and the gap hitters are pretty much carrying the line-up. The problem with that is that we can get guys on base, but we can't bring them home, facts I haven't shied away from mentioning all season.
And yet, the Angels have been in the thick of the division race, winning series and beating top teams all season long pretty much on the strength of their pitching and fielding alone. Two weeks ago, we were a mere game out of first place! So what happens when the pitching inevitably falters for a few games? Last week happens, with the disastrous road trip to Toronto and the Bronx. And if the fielding gets lax too? Well, then you have what could have been a season making series against the Texas Rangers turn into what we've seen on the field instead the last few days – something that could very well be season breaking if the Angels don't pull it together and play their hearts out from tonight on through the rest of the season.
Another end result is that I, consummate baseball optimist, constant cheerleader and the self-proclaimed Pollyanna of Angels baseball actually started to despair for a few minutes Tuesday night. Tuesday was my husband's birthday and his boss gave him the company seats, the OMG! company seats, on the field, in the first section on the dangerous side of the home plate screens, 10 rows back from the action. Awesome boss, yes? But sitting there, seemingly inches from the field, watching Erick Aybar lazily glance at the second playable line drive in as many innings shoot uncontested into the outfield for extra bases, in a game where our young starter was clearly struggling and needed all the backup he could get, I thought, "Well, that's it then. If the Angels have just given up, the season is over."
In fact, I think I waited this long to post our photos from the game, indeed anything about the Rangers series, in the hopes that Wednesday would give me something more cheerful to talk about. No dice. At least the lollygagging fielding was over by Wednesday, but not the gaffs. Balls were being thrown all kinds of places that weren't anywhere near a glove. Erick Aybar decided to make an effort again for us Wednesday, but alternated between not being able to keep balls in his glove and not being able to get them out in time to actually throw them – which given the throwing situation might, in hindsight, have been a blessing in disguise, I don't know – all night. Santana pitched a great game, but with the usual insufficient run support, and now with insufficient defense, it's no surprise we lost.
So, are we done? The commentators all seem to think so. This was an important series, no doubt about it. We could be. If we can pull tonight off, we're still six games out of first place in mid-August and that's a tall order. But I did say my moment of despair was brief and, like it's underlying message, I'm not giving up unless the Angels have given up…and even then I probably won't give up unless winning becomes a mathematical impossibility, not a mere improbability, an impossibility. I'm stubborn like that. Monday and Tuesday notwithstanding, I don't think the Angels have given up. Wednesday they still played badly but there were improvements – our pitching was back on track and the defense was at least hustling. And, here's the thing. We were only one game out of first two weeks ago with only a handful of head to head games against the Rangers under our belt. We have seven more coming up including tonight. So, come on Angels, this division just got a whole lot tougher, but it's still winnable.
So, tonight and going forward through August and September, we need to see a lot less of this – big bats taking knocking our pitching for extra bases -:
And a lot more of this, namely Angels in scoring position who then actually score and Angels on the base paths who just earned RBIs. And, I know I'm being extra, extra demanding here, but how about in several of the innings leading up to the 9th inning too?:
We need to start hitting pitchers who are hittable, and not right into double plays either. Derek Holland pitched a good game, but he was hittable:
No more injuries please!!! Everyone stay healthy:
It's unfair to but so much pressure on our starting pitching, but that's just the way things are this season, especially with the #4 spot in the rotation in such a state of flux, the rest of the rotation needs to be lights out as often as possible. With Garrett Richards unfortunately timed injury, they're reinstating Joel Pineiro as a starter…oooooh boy. I just don't know about that one. Prove me wrong, okay Joel? And the bullpen needs to be equally spot on. So why did we send this guy back to AAA?:
And why do we keep putting this guy in, in crucial situations? Tuesday was fine. Fernando Rodney pitches best when we're already behind and don't want to fall further behind, but I still don't like seeing him take the mound:
And the fielding needs to be error free and full of hustle:
Mistakes Can Be Costly. Let's Try to Be Accurate in Our Work.
I was eight years old when I caught gymnastics fever. It was the summer of 1984. Los Angeles hosted the Olympics. Mary Lou Retton was America's sweetheart. And NBC must have re-aired the Nadia movie 10 times that summer. My sister and I begged and pleaded so, of course, my parents let us start lessons. The first gym wasn't what we expected. They never let us do any real tricks, we couldn't use the whole beam, only the part over the giant fluffy mat and we vaulted onto a large upholstered box. However they had large pit full of foam squares, just like in the Nadia movie, and a lot of the kids taking classes there were "Industry," including the younger siblings of a then rising sitcoms and afterschool specials star with a child-of-hippies first name and a state capitol for a last name, so you'd better bet classes were expensive.
Eventually we switched to youth classes at the local community college. No Nadia pit "full of bouncy things" but plenty of encouragement to try difficult tricks at a reasonable price. And the gym in which the classes were held announced it's more serious work ethic when you walked in the door with a large poster of a young gymnast in the middle of a giant swing on the uneven bars with her toes just brushing the floor, a major points deduction, and the saying I used for my headline: Mistakes Can Be Costly. Let's Try to Be Accurate in Our Work.
Watching the Angels play this season, this poster comes to mind fairly often. Mind you, the team is doing well in many ways and they're only two games out of first, even with the last two losses. But when the Angels do lose, all too often, they've really beat themselves with some sort of costly mistake. Walking batters, sometimes several in a row. Errors on what would have been the third out. Meatball pitches. Base running gaffes. Swinging for the fences to the point of detriment when a nice hard knock into the gap would suffice. Mental vacations at inopportune fielding moments…I could go on, but you get the general idea.
All teams have these moments, make these mistakes. But, for whatever reason, timing is not on the Angels side this season and when mistakes are made, they quickly prove costly with even greater frequency than normal. And just what can a team do to prevent this situation? Nothing, other than work harder to keep the mistakes in check. This is why I love this particular poster so much that it has stayed with me all these years. It doesn't yell, or point fingers and it doesn't suggest for a second that anyone can live an errorless existence. It just states a simple fact, mistakes can be costly, and suggests a valuable action plan. I've already seen improvements in the Angels play this season. If they can avoid more of the costly errors, mental and otherwise, in the next few weeks, I expect they will still be playing in October.
* * * * *
So, were there any high points we can take away from the series in the Bronx? Yes, indeedy. Dan Haren for one. He pitched most of a great game (Bringing in Fernando Rodney against Jeter with two on and two out was a moronic decision. Coaching staff, see previous conversation about mental errors.) and was an excellent mentor to young Garrett Richards, chatting him up and keeping him positive after his first game. Richards himself. Yes, he had a terrible first inning and a terrible fourth inning. But the kid fresh up from AA making his major league debut in the Bronx also pitched two 1, 2, 3 innings and a third near 1, 2, 3, inning (except for that little solo homerun thing, D'oh), striking out Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira in the process. Was it an awe inspiring debut? No, but I do think the kid shows promise. Tyler Chatwood's debut was much the same and he was another bright spot in this series.
Angels bats were a frequent high point – Bobby Abreu, Peter Bourjos, Torii Hunter, Maicer Izturis, and Mark Trumbo all hit well throughout the series and others had hits. If only they could have hit consistently with runners in scoring position throughout the series, this could have been a different post. But at least the fought back this series. No, we scored our three runs in the first two innings and couldn't possibly score any more until tomorrow. That was a positive…that and two homeruns off Mariano Rivera. Hey, we take our giggles were we can. 😉 Angels fielding was also stellar this series and errorless, except for that one really, really big one…see previous conversation. *sigh*
Busy Angels News Weekend – As the Starting Rotation Turns
Jered Weaver and the Aftermath of the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad, Day
Since receiving official word of the expected six-game suspension following the "fireworks" at the Tigers game last Sunday, Jered Weaver has been adamant that he was not only appealing MLB's decision, but would do so in person. As recently as Friday evening, there was word that Weaver's agent Scott Boras would get involved with the appeal at Weaver's side. Then, quite unexpectedly this evening, Weaver announced that he was dropping the appeal and had begun serving his suspension that day (Saturday).
I could not be happier about this decision. The chances of Weaver getting any sort of reduction or dismissal in the suspension were practically non-existent and appealing it only accomplished making Weaver's availability for the next several series, many of them tough, a giant question mark. Certainly this was not helping the Angels any. Weaver's decision to drop the appeal was motivated by a conversation with Mike Scioscia and a desire to do what's best for the team. I applaud the decision, which will have him miss his next scheduled start against the Jays by only one day. This is especially helpful considering the next item.
The Unsinkable Joel Pineiro
It's official. Joel Pineiro's sinkerball just won't sink. And what do we call an unsinkable sinkerball boys and girls? Well, the A's, Orioles, Tigers and Twins called it a big fat meatball so let's go with that, shall we? After Wednesday's terrible start against the Twins, Pineiro's fourth bad start in a row with no sign of improvement, the Angels moved him to the bullpen. It was time. He seems to do okay for the first inning or two, so maybe a few weeks of bullpen work will help him build confidence and find the right arm slot, or whatever, for an eventual return to the starting rotation? I don't know, but I hope so. Pineiro was very classy about the news, fielding the press' questions while admitting to his difficulties and accepting the bullpen move gracefully. It sounds stupid, but I was kind of proud of him. That couldn't have been easy. I'm glad to see him out of the starting rotation for now but I wish him well and hope to see him regain his old form.
The Starting Rotation — We'll Think About it Tomorrow, We Can Stand it Then?
So what in the heck are the Angels going to do with Pineiro's spot in the rotation, especially this coming week against the Yankees? Ervin "No Hitter" Santana will take the mound tomorrow and from what I have heard, Dan Haren will dive in for Pineiro on Tuesday in New York…but what happens after that? With Weaver suspended until Saturday in Toronto? That's a very good question. Supposedly we're not in the market for arms and will solve the delimma in house with Hisanori Takehashi or Trevor Bell assuming the role for one start with a slight possibility of calling up one of the rookies, though none of them are quite ready it would seem. We'll see how it goes, but if this is the case, then Tyler Chatwood definitely needs to buckle down and get outs more quickly than in his last few starts. I've noticed considerable improvement in his number of base on balls, so I'm sure he's up for the task.
The Angels and the Curse of the AM830 Cooking Challenge
The Sports Lodge, the morning show on AM830, our local Angels and general sports radio station, began sponsoring an Iron Chef-lite style cooking challenge for charity last year. Various Angels players, coaches and their assistants – wives, SO's, family members – compete to create an original dish with the winner earning a check for the charity of their choice. It sounds like an absolute blast, complete with a lot of silliness and banter, and even controversy – last year, pitching coach Mike Butcher won with the assistance of his professional chef sister-in-law, leading to the age old question, should there be an asterix next to his title? 😉 One of these years, I have to go. But in the meantime, I can't help but notice the appearance of a curse hanging over the whole proceedings.
Last season, the player competitors were Joe Saunders, Kevin Jepson, Brandon Wood and Kevin Frandson. What else do these gents have in common? You guessed it. Not a one of them is still playing with the Angels, though Jepsen is at least with the AAA team. This season the cooking challenge winner was Pineiro. Very, very interesting. I actually don't believe in curses or anything of the sort, but the coincidence seems so obvious to me and no one else is talking about it so I figured I would stir the pot a little…so to speak.
The Return of Friday Gourmet, Wine and Angels
This is the first Friday Seth and I have both been home, not prepping for a trip or some such and not still working on Friday night in weeks so, of course, the return of the Friday Night Ritual (wine, "gourmet" dinner and the Angels game) was in order. The game itself was a nail biting mix of the wonderful – Jered Weaver was very much on his game and our defense was stellar – and the frustrating – our offense was pretty much D.O.A. after Mariner's rookie Trayvon Robinson, in his major league debut no less, made a stellar play robbing Torii Hunter of a two run homer. That kid is going to be something else! Thus the win went to closer Jordan Walden in walk-off fashion – way to go Torii and Vernon Wells! – instead of to the very deserving Weaver, but I'll take that over a loss any day and I can't think of anyone who would disagree with me on this front, including, I would imagine, Weaver. So, this week's spread? Pan roasted salmon salad with dried cherries, feta and a homemade blackberry balsamic vinaigrette, accompanied by Bianchi's Syranot, a lightly peppery pinot noir, syrah blend. Yum…my.
The Angels Return to Sunny SoCal for Two More Wins + I Return to Dodger Stadium
The Angels returned home, in order to play three more away games up the 5 freeway against former stadium mates the Los Angeles Dodgers. So far the Angels have taken two of two and will try for the sweep with Jered Weaver on the mound on Sunday. We got tickets to Saturday's game and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves at Dodger Stadium.
First, a brief re-cap of Friday. Friday's game was an extremely odd affair with the Angels managing to win 8 to 3 despite six base running errors and a number of odd plays, including a questionable pick-off attempt by Jeff Mathis. Here Bullpen Coach Steve Soliz works with Mathis before Saturday's game. Perhaps they are working on remedial throws in case Mathis is called in and needs to throw a runner out at second. Second, Jeff, second, not first. He may live that down by next season…or he may not. Though in all fairness the man had two stellar take downs at the plate on Friday too, which more than evens things out in Mathis' favor for the game in my opinion:
Dan Haren shown in the Angels Dugout during the Saturday game. There were plenty of heroes to balance out the odd plays on Friday. Dan Haren (or the scruffy looking nerf herder as my husband calls Haren because my reaction the first time he said it was, apparently, priceless), for example, pitched a good game and went one for two at the plate with one RBI and a pretty sacrifice bunt that moved Mathis in position to score off Maicer's hit:
Saturday's tickets were my hairdresser's season seats. Her family has had these seats almost as long as the stadium has been in existence and she is gracious enough to share them with friends and clients from time to time…even Angels fan clients. Truly, they were excellent seats and we took advantage of the view to take some photos. Given my Dodger fan-family origins, I can't help but feel waves and waves of nostalgia just walking into Dodger stadium. Memories of games we attended, places we sat and goofy things my sister and I said or did cling to the darndest nooks and crannies of the stadium. And can I just tell you how wierd it feels to walk through the stadium in opposing team colors. Still?!:
Tyler Chatwood pitched a great game. He got into a few problems but was able to work his wait out of them, holding the Dodgers to one run over seven innings. Sadly Chatwood walked that one run in after loading up the bases, but that was in the 5th inning and he recovered sufficiently to pitch two additional scoreless innings:
One of the biggest things Chatwood was able to do with his pitches today was to keep the Dodgers dynamic one, two punch of Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp off the bases. Chatwood helped keep Ethier 0 for 4 and Kemp 0 for 2. (Kemp was ejected from the game in the 5th inning):
Chatwood takes a leadoff at first. But was "Big Bat" Chatwood content to confine his daring deeds to the mound? Of course not, this is interleague where, as our announcers are fond of saying, pitchers prove they are athletes too. With two outs, Chatwood hit a solid single into centerfield, temporarily maintaining his 1.000 batting average from the series against the Mets. Yes, this is somewhat tongue in cheek, but I am very American League and it tickles me to see our pitchers at the plate:
Erick Aybar at bat in the 3rd. Chatwood's single allowed him to score off of Aybar's two-out third-inning triple:
Mark Trumbo takes a pitch before knocking the next one into the Dodgers' bullpen. Trumbo had a busy, fruitful day defensively at first and hit a two-out homerun in the 4th inning, his 13th of this, his rookie season:
Pitching Coach Mike Butcher calls a meeting on the mound. Chatwood got himself into a spot of in the 5th, allowing two singles, then walking the bases loaded:
Casey Blake takes a pitch. Immediately following the meeting on the mound, Chatwood walked in a run before facing pinch hitter Casey Blake. With brilliant catch from Howie Kendrick at second, Blake lined to double pay:
Bobby Abreu at bat. Bobby and Howie walked in the 8th to set the table for Vernon Wells. Bobby was in right field today, which I prefer to left for him. He did a decent job, with one good catch and one missed catch that Torii would have made. I can't wait for Torii to be back in the lineup!
Vernon Wells crosses the plate after hitting a two-out, three-run homerun. Wells bat continues to heat up and I could not be more pleased to see it. This was his 8th homerun of the season:
Don Mattingly calls a Dodgers meeting on the mound. Following Wells' homerun, Guerrier is pulled and the Dodgers move deeper into their bullpen.
Overall the Angels Bullpen was fantastic! Scott Downs locked them down in the 8th and Trevor Bell held them in the 9th:
Jordan Walden warms up in the Dodgers visitor's bullpen. After getting Ethier to ground out, Trevor Bell allowed a single and walked a batter. Even though it all turned out just fine – he got the next two out for and Angels victory – it was comforting to look across the diamond into the Dodger's wonderfully old school visitor's bullpen and see Jordan Walden warming up…you know, just in case. Right?
There (and there and there too) and (finally!) Back Again: Final Thoughts on the Marlins Series + Angels Return for Freeway Series
So the Marlins. Well they sure are nice and heating up now, aren't they? This is just one more service we provide here at the Big A. Blah. But it did make for a pretty good game, really, and in the end the Angels were victorious…victorious and shocked out of their "okay we scored in one early inning, now we're done for the game" habit so I am pretty happy out here in California. And Wow! Mark Trumbo is a beast, and rapidly becoming a clutch beast at that. I miss Kendrys, but Trumbo's season is helping to keep me from completely pining away.
There are but two real flies in my ointment. Torii. Oh Torii! Speaking of beasts. If you haven't seen the highlight reel yet, Torii Hunter made a spectacular Torii Hunter catch against the Marlins right center wall…running as hard as he could into the Marlins right center wall. This wasn't a situation of Torii forgetting where the wall was. You could tell from his expression as he began his running jump into the wall, that he knew right where it was. But that was what was required to catch the ball. So he caught the ball, slammed into the wall and crumpled to the ground, writhing in pain, all while holding his glove up with the ball displayed so there was no doubt. He even argued with Mike Scioscia to stay in the game. Some nights, Chuck Norris wears Torii Hunter pajamas.
Understandably, Torii is now day to day. The x-rays were negative but he bruised up the same area he bruised going over the wall against the Yankees and took a pick-off attempt throw to in one of the earlier Marlins games. Hey, I know. Maybe we should ban outfield walls and pick-off throws, because players could get serious bruises and stuff… </ sarcasm > The other fly? We have several very consistent reliable arms in our bullpen but have also regained a few inconsistent arms through DL-necessitated player transactions and it's starting to show. Something to work on. And now it's back to California to conclude the Four Corners Road Trip against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium:
I am excited. Freeway Series games have such energy and are a ton of fun. My husband and I are making the trek out the 5 freeway for Saturday's game. Tyler Chatwood will take the mound for the Angels and Hiroki Kuroda will take the mound for the Dodgers and I will take a ton of photos. Hmmm, two pitchers with chronic lack of run support. This could get interesting. We're even supposed to meet fellow blogger Emma from Crzblue's Dodger Blue World, so much fun is in store…provided my sore throat gets the message that it is on serious notice and at least improves. I see my future and it involves more black tea, honey and lemon juice. It is a truly vile, syrupy, acidic concoction whose vileness, alas, is only exceeded by its effectiveness…and did I mention that it makes me whine? 😉
Fan Hide and Seek Night at the Sun Life Stadium
For the last several seasons, I have been hearing how low attendance is at Marlins games, but I had to see it for myself to really understand it. I realize that it was a weeknight and they had recently lost 11 in a row, but I swear there were more fans in the field box sections bordering the infield alone, at Fenway Park at 2am near the end of that marathon, extra innings, multiple rain delayed game we played in Boston in early May. I was flabbergasted.
And I mean this in no way as mockery of Marlins fans. The Marlins fans that were at the game were loud and passionate sounding…and you could hear every word each individual fan was saying, the stadium was so empty. And I am sure there were many more Marlins fans watching the game on TV. No, this is just my way of saying, wow. That visual, as much as the years-long abandoned construction projects, blocks with multiple foreclosure vacancies and acquaintances in the double digits who have been unemployed for a year or more, reminded me that while we are seeing signs of economic improvement, we are still stuck in this thing and we are going to be for a long, long time.
Four Corners, Angels, Mets, Marlins, Dodgers, Oh My! …Or, Not a Slow News Week
So let me get this straight. Tyler Chatwood is batting 1.000 (In addition to pitching a great game!). Jered Weaver is a beast even with precious little run support – six punch outs and 20 first pitch strikes on 28 batters! Torii Hunter is the run support – both RBIs on Monday were Torii! The bats are waking up, including Vernon Wells' – he's batting .292 with seven RBIs and three homeruns on this road trip so far! And Maicer Izturis is the Rally Monkey. Well, it sounds like everything is working out alright to me.
The Angels redeemed themselves against the Mets in game three and then, in their next stop on the Four Corners Road Trip, went on to win game one against the Marlins. Things seem to be falling back into place again in the sense that each component of the Angels' game has been strong enough that some of the parts are able to take the slack for another part, when that part fails. No offense on Monday? Weaver's pitching, the bullpen and the defense carried the day. Scary bullpen on Sunday? No problem. Again, starting pitching, this time Chatwood's, and the offense, also including Chatwood not to mention Wells, Peter Bourjos, Jeff Mathis and several others – built up enough of a lead that it all worked out. Keep it up guys and we might have ourselves a pretty good streak going!
However, I was amused to look at headlines on MLB.com last night and discover that somehow, we may have beat the Marlins but somehow we also lost to the Braves last night:
Hmmmm…what exactly are they saying here? That Tim Hudson is so good, he single handedly beat the Blue Jays and a team the Braves weren't even playing? Or is this a Freudian commentary on the Angels chronic lack of run support? The headline was corrected this morning, and possibly even moments after I noticed it. But notice it I did, and it was too funny to to share with you all…and now I sincerely hope MLB never takes a comedic look at the typos and crimes against commas I have committed on this blog, LOL.
Bud Selig Tells Frank McCourt "No" and "Bad Dog" and Rubs His Nose in it…So He Learns
Actually, as you all probably know, it went a bit beyond that. The deal with Fox that Bud Selig rejected yesterday was the last possible call from the governor that Frank McCourt had any hope of hearing. And even though it makes things a little rougher still for the Dodgers right now, I could not be happier. Selig, as quoted in the MLB.com article really said it best: Critically, the transaction is structured to facilitate the further diversion of Dodgers assets for the personal needs of Mr. McCourt. Given the magnitude of the transaction, such a diversion of assets would have the effect of mortgaging the future of the franchise to the long-term detriment of the club and its fans.
As a baseball fan, and as a lady who rooted passionately for the Dodgers in childhood, the last few seasons under the Mommy Dearest like affections of the McCourts have made me ill. The Dodgers are one of the most storied franchises in baseball and their fans are great people. I may give my friends and family good-natured crap and about leaving the game before the 8th inning, but Dodger fans are a passionate, knowledgeable, blue-bleeding bunch and they do not deserve the past few years' treatment any more than the players do. The only hope the Dodgers have of full and lasting recovery from this particular abusive relationship, is if the McCourts are no longer in the picture.
So, citizens of Dodgertown, (hey, I get your emails and read your billboards from time to time) I tip my glass to you with the sincerest hopes that this is the beginning of much, much better things to come for you. Perhaps even eventual ownership by Steve Garvey and Orel Hershiser, which is the rumor I most hope is true. My glass is full of coffee, mind you, because it's the middle of the day and all that. But, really, it's the thought that counts! I even wish you a long and fruitful winning streak…starting in about two weeks. 😉
Post Tuesday Game Edit:
Okay. Granted the Marlins had just lost 11 in a row. Rationally there were going to win one eventually. But why do I feel like the Angels are the slump buster team of the American League, temporarily on loan to the National League? Overreacting? Just a tad. Which is why I typically don't post immediately following a game. We'll get 'em tomorrow. But still! Five to two? Shut out until the ninth inning? Really? Guys. When I talked about keeping it up and getting a streak going, this is pretty much the antithesis of what I was talking about…and by pretty much, I mean exactly.
Kaz, Rookie Pitchers and Moneyball: an Angels Off Day Potpourri
Scott Kazmir – The Final Chapter?
A final decision regarding Kaz came even sooner than I thought. On Tuesday, the date of my last post, Angels GM Tony Reagins and former Angels GM Bill Stoneman attended a Salt Lake City Bees game to assess Scott Kazmir's performance and it was terrible. Six earned runs on five hits, three walks and one hit batsman in 1.2 innings terrible. Wednesday morning, the Angels put Kaz on waivers with the intention of unconditionally releasing him if he remains unclaimed. While I'm sad that a young pitcher who had a lot of early success lost all speed and control and seemingly can't regain it, I think this was a good decision. The Angels have been patient, but it was time to release him. More than time.
However, I had not anticipated the rumors that the Mets are considering claiming Kaz or signing him after his release. I suppose it makes sense, if it is indeed anything more than a rumor. Kaz was the Mets draft pick. Maybe they think they can get him back in the proper headspace to pitch like he used to again? If they can, more power to them and best wishes to all involved, but I don't see any improvement happening for a very long time if ever.
Tyler Chatwood
Mike Scioscia is taking advantage of this off day to adjust the starting rotation slightly, flipping Dan Haren and Tyler Chatwood's starts in order to push Chatwood back and give him a little more rest. The Angels are starting to monitor Chatwood's innings count and do not want to see it climb much over 170 innings for the season. Future off days are likely to be used in a similar fashion. I think the Angels should use the innings count as a guideline and monitor how Chatwood himself seems to be performing and how his arm is wearing through those innings more than a setting a strict numerical guideline. There is ample anecdotal evidence both for and against such handling of rookie pitchers and I really think that in the end the personality, physical makeup and style of pitching of the individual are what determines if such an innings limit is beneficial or detrimental in the long run.
Moneyball Trailer!
The Moneyball trailer is up, and included below. It passed the goosebumps test for both my husband and me, and after seeing it I am jonesing for the movie release even more than before. Goosebumps test you ask? I tend to get goosebumps whenever I see something I love done beautifully, wonderfully right, such a movie adaptation of a book I adored that absolutely nails the book. Thus trailers must pass the goosebumps test in order to ensure my complete anticipation. The trailer for the Shawshank Redemption where I could tell exactly what it was they had adapted from second one when the warden slaps the bible on the table? The scene from the Watchmen trailer where Jon Osterman becomes Dr. Manhattan? The first glimpse of the Ents in the Two Towers trailer? Or, more recently, pretty much every split second flash in the American remake of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (which I was planning on passing on as unnecessary until I saw the trailer)? Killer goosebump generators all.
So, Moneyball the movie. Is it going to contain factual inaccuracies, oversimplifications and overly romanticized details? Yes. Will some scenes frustrate the historically knowledgeable baseball fan? More than likely. Will it leave some non-baseball fans with the mistaken impression that the Oakland A's have gone on to sweep the division time and time again? Actually, I have some hopes on this front. Aaron Sorkin did work the modern consequences of Charlie Wilson's War into the end of the movie in a poignant way, so maybe not. But, alas, it is possible.
However, will Moneyball include Aaron Sorkin's typically gorgeous dialog waxing poetic about one of my favorite subjects? Absolutely. And this, more than anything else, is the reason I am dying to see this movie. The baseball equivalent of the 'Two Cathedrals' soliloquy, the "May we have it back please" debate sarcasm, or Gust Avrakotes' rant? I'm getting chills just thinking about it. Old baseball scouts and other staff discussing how they first fell in love with the game (the 'how did I get here' speech being a Sorkin staple)? Oh. Yes. Please. …And the by now de rigueur Gilbert and Sullivan reference? I have absolutely no idea how Sorkin is going to work one into a baseball movie, but somehow I am sure he will manage. (Yes, Seth. They're all about duty. 😉 )
Wrapping up the A's Series with a Photo Finish
I suppose I should add an addendum to my Support Your Starting Pitchers plea from the other day. Run support that doesn't materialize until the 9th inning a) typically does not qualify as supporting your starting pitcher, though I do applaud giving plenty of love to the bullpen too and, b) only really counts if you can actually pull off the win at that point. Scoring early and often is the better way to go – it supports the whole pitching staff equally. I know, I know. If only it were that easy!
So, Thursday. Ugh. What to say? Brett Anderson was on. The Angels' bats were off. Joel Pineiro didn't have his greatest start. And the A's bats were on. It wasn't a terrible game, but it was hardly a recipe for a win. And so we split the series with the A's, Texas and Seattle did similar things with the ends of their week and less than two games separated the last place team from the first place team in the division heading into Friday's games. And that's just the way it is in the Wild, Wild AL West this season – a little frustrating and very, very exciting! Praise the Angels and pass the defibrillator.
And because I didn't like Thursday's game and I'm not liking this evening's game much at all so far – which we are watching on delay so Seth can see every pitch too per the Friday Night Ritual – Let's take a step back to Wednesday's game. I was there. It rocked! Games like Thursday where things are okay but just not quite good enough are going to happen a fair number of times in a season. Here's hoping that the Angels can play more like they did on Wednesday for the rest of this road trip!
So, Wednesday Ervin Santana was his controlled, nasty best – six strike outs and only one earned run (with six hits and two walks so many thanks to the Angels stellar defense too!)…
…Which means that a lot of A's batters looked like Daric Barton here, looking back almost confused as the umpire prepares to call a strike:
…Here Josh Willingham finds himself in similar straights:
Of course, Willingham did walk that at-bat and then successfully stole second base, but it was a close play – short stop Erick Aybar waits for Hank Conger's throwdown:
Our seats were front row of the upper deck again but only a section behind 1st base this time, so I could see into the Angels dugout which was fun for a change. I didn't take too many pictures of that. I prefer to watch the game, but I did like this one – Jered Weaver and Dan Haren obviously sharing a joke about something, with Tyler Chatwood intent on the game beside them. Perhaps they are saying "Wow, run support. I thought that was only a myth.":
Of course, this means our seats were right above the A's dugout. I like this one too because it makes one wonder what they're talking about. "Hey, Coco. How far did Torii hit that ball?" "It went far Andy. All the way over there.":
Mark Trumbo dives back to first to avoid the tag from Daric Barton. I'm of two minds about the recent acquisition of Russel Branyan and Trumbo is the reason. On the plus side, Branyan fits in well with the team and could be a nice big bat in our lineup – though based on his batting average it does seem as if he hits homeruns or nothing at all. And he's cheap, so if he doesn't work out we can easily release him. But I don't want to see Trumbo get any less playing time. He's slumping a little bit at the plate at the moment, but he'll heat up again and I really, really like his reflexes, glove and intelligence at first:
This game also saw scrappy utility player Reggie Willits get his first hit for the season (two swings after this one) and a crucial early sacrifice bunt as well. Reggie spent most of Spring Training and part of April on the DL for hamstring issues and has taken awhile to get back into the swing of things…so to speak. Peter Bourjos, in the on deck circle behind Reggie, also snapped a hitless streak Wednesday:
Rookie Alexi Amarista takes a nice swing. Playing second for the evening, Amarista had a heck of a game too. He went two for three at the plate and his uniform is quite clay covered in this photo from diving all over the field playing a very acrobatic human ball trap all night – yet another Angels rookie I am thrilled to have on the team this season. I wish I had photos of his diving catches at second:
Jordan Walden and Rich Thompson warm up in the bullpen. Hats off to the bullpen this game! Scott Downs had another great outing. I love having him on the team this season and am instantly reassured when I hear 8 Second Ride start to play and know he' striding up to the mound. Rodney also had a nice outing. Apparently the key is to start warming up another reliever the second he walks someone:
Jordan Walden on the mound. Believe it or not, this was the first time I have seen Walden pitch live. For better or worse depending on the game, I have not been present for any save situations this season. Very, very impressive! Walden changed his walk-up music for this homestand. He used to emerge from the bullpen to the classic guitar riff from Smoke on the Water now it's Robb Zombie's Dragula. I love Deep Purple, but I have to say I approve. Robb Zombie is a little more bad ass, which is what this young closer is rapidly becoming:
I don't have any good Torii Hunter photos from the game itself, which is a shame because he had a great game between the homerun (immediately followed by a homerun from Alberto Callaspo!) and a couple of great plays in right that are just so many blurs on my camera. So we'll go with this photo of his much deserved post-game interview:


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On The Day
For those who have never experienced the thrill of a skydive before, here is a quick intro guide to what will happen on the day. All you have to do on the day is to enjoy every second!
For those who have never experienced the thrill of a skydive before, here is a quick intro guide to what will happen on the day. All you have to do on the day is to enjoy every second!
Welcome to your adrenaline adventure! Your skydiving experience starts here with some paperwork to do.
We will give you some safety instructions and brief you all what you need to know to get the most out of your skydive. Together we will take some ground training.
You will get a suit over your clothings to protect yours, and you will get a frap-hat and some goggles. We will strap you and put you into your harness. Now we are ready to ensure you have the best skydive in around Munich!
We will have 15-20 min plane ride in a spacious jump ship. You can soak in the awesome view while we are climbing to altitude.
Finally we move toward the plane's open door, ... last pause on the edge, ... then, ... we are outside ... You are accelerating up to 200kph! Not falling, but flying! - Yor adrenaline is pumping as your senses try to process the intensity of the experience.
Up to 200kph! We are flying for up to 60sec. You can scream, smile for the camera, or just enjoy the feeling as you enjoy the view. You skydiving instructor or personal camera flyer captures every moment of your skydiving adventure available to you on USB drive. Video or photo.
At about 1500m your tandem master activates the parachute. You enjoy the view as you float towards the ground.
Your feet touch ground again. You are savely back to earth after a smooth landing. Take a moment to take in what you just did. Did You really jumped out of a perfectly good flying aeroplane? When will we see you?
If you have further enquiries or want to know more, just give us a call or send us an email, or contact us via the contact formular. We are looking forward to seeing you soon.

subset: commoncrawl


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❤ The Gift of Self-Time ❤❥ Awww... Downloads! What a wonderful gift for someone, tuning them into themselves and connecting them with their Spirit. Lovely. We have over 200 audio downloads to choose from. (Ha! There's something for everyone!) The great thing about the downloads is that once you buy them, you can download and share them. Click here to Find your Way Around.
Gifting doesn't have to be expensive!It's important to take care of yourself while you're trying to be kind and help other people. And, taking care of yourself comes in all shapes and sizes. That's one of the reasons we have such a variety of products at different prices (many of which are free) so that you can always be taking care of you and getting what you need.
❥ Gifts that are Free ❤❥ We also have a plethora of affirmation image eBooks and positive affirmation diary sets. The positive affirmations and diaries are [always] free. Click on the link for the blog article about the Positive Affirmation Images and where to get them all [here]. Click on the link to the blog article about the Affirmation Diary Sets and where to get them [here].
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|Click here to Visit the Streaming Store
Pick Out the Perfect Gift Card! We have a plethora of colors to choose from. We have two designs (they are shown above~without the discount text on them) for you to choose from. Pick the one you like and click on the picture. At the top of your screen [above the picture] click on the three dots ( ... ). This will give you bunch of options. You may share it on social media or email, save the link if want to do it all later or save it to your device. If you save it to your device, you can photoshop or write on it or email and/or share it later. It's completely up to you! Have Fun!
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There's nothing kinder than giving someone peace of mind when they're worried about one of their fur-babies. That's why our gift certificates are always at a discounted rate. ♥ And, no worries, they'll never know how much you paid for them. They'll get a pretty gift certificate cover (it looks just like the one in the shop without any pricing on it) and instructions to where to call and information about their session.
When you check-out, you'll be able to download everything and email it to them. A little love and support goes such a long ways. Thank you for thinking of them and their babies. ♥
Here's the link about the sessions. (http://jmcveyc.ht/PetSessions) Look at it first to be sure it is something that they'll like and be comfortable with.


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Contact us at 209-556-6160
Thank you for your application!
B & H Labeling is an equal opportunity employer.
Due to the volume of inquiries we receive, we regret we are unable to respond to calls asking about the status of an application. Please be assured that we will contact you if you are selected for an interview.
Thank you for your interest in career opportunities at B & H Labeling.


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The last time friends saw Damien Falgoust conscious was about 1:30 a.m. Friday, when he was sharing post-game drinks with his kickball teammates at the Knox Street Pub. He left the bar, got into a taxi and set off for his condo near the intersection of Matilda Street and La Vista.
He never made it. An hour later, Falgoust, 39, was discovered in front of The Crown and Harp on Lower Greenville, severely beaten. He was taken to Baylor Hospital with multiple skull fractures and brain trauma. According to his friend Marisa Hettinger, he has been in an induced coma ever since and will be so until doctors deal with the pneumonia they think he's developed.
There is no record of the incident the Dallas police public access system, and spokesman Gerardo Monreal said a search of Falgoust's name pulled up no incident reports. The detective who Hettinger says is investigating the case has not returned calls seeking confirmation.
There's no question, though, that Falgoust was beaten and that DPD is investigating, Hettinger said.
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So far, there are no leads. Hettinger describes her friend as a mild-mannered, 38-year-old attorney who doesn't back down from political debates but shies away from physical confrontation. And there didn't appear to be a robbery, seeing as Falgoust still had his wallet on him.
For now, friends are trying to raise money to help cover Falgoust's medical costs. On Sunday, his kickball team will have a fundraiser starting at Uptown's Griggs Park before moving to the Nodding Donkey. They've also set up a CrowdTilt account.
Update on December 11: DPD's media relations team sent out a release yesterday evening acknowledging they are, in fact, looking into Falgoust's injuries.
The Dallas Police Department Crimes Against Person's Division is investigating a report that involves Mr. Damien Falgoust. Detectives are investigating the circumstances leading to injuries sustained to Mr. Falgoust on December 7, 2012, at 2:30 am, in the 1900 block of Greenville Avenue. Detectives continue to keep Mr. Falgoust's family abreast of the progress of the investigation. Anyone having information concerning this case should contact the Dallas Police Department - Detective D. Singer at 214-671-3854 or 214-671-3603.


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CaiGuoJie's Exhibition on Ox Exhibitions
In 2013 during my first visit to New York, a hub of important cultural phenomena, I visited many museums and galleries. Looking back at my experiences there, I discovered that my creative verve is closely associated with exhibitions as a platform, which prompted me to take on 'exhibitions' as a creative theme.I combed through my thoughts and plunged myself into the first creative effort inspired by an exhibition, namely, SHIMMERING. GRAND.AQUATIC, held at MGM Macau. I created paintings, using a typical personal vocabulary to reinterpret this colorful, enchanting, special exhibition. Thesepaintings were later showcased for the very first time in AFA's exhibition New York, New York, also at MGM, in 2013.
After this, I always wanted to explore the theme of 'exhibitions'. Thanks to Ox Warehouse's support, I have the opportunity to host this Exhibition on Ox Exhibitions. As suggested by the title, my exhibition tries to observe and reflect on various exhibitions and performances organized by Ox Warehouse in 2014, to explore the significant behind exhibition.
開幕Opening Ceremony:
21/12/2013 (星期日 Sunday)下午4時 4:00 P.M.
展期Exhibition period:
21/12/2014 –2/2/2015 (逢星期二休息 Closed on Tuesday)
主辦Organization:牛房倉庫Ox Warehouse
贊助 Sponsors:澳門特區政府民政總署 IACM 澳門基金會 Macao Foundation
No CruzamentoentroaAvenida Do coronel Mesquita e a Avenida Almirante Lacerda Macau
開放時間Opening Hours:12:00 ~19:00 (Closed on Tuesdays)
查詢 For enquiry : 28530026
電郵 E-mail:email@example.com
網址website: http://


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According to the Copenhagen post, Denmark will definitely hold a referendum before joining the unified patent court. The unitary patent requires 13 states to ratify the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court. Denmark is one of the 25 countries that is currently eligible to ratify.
The referendum could have been avoided if an 85% majority had been found in the parliament, but finding such a large majority proved not possible. According to minister, Henrik Sass Larse, "I had hoped that we would find a solution in parliament, but with the feedback we received it will not be possible to obtain a five sixths majority as the constitution requires."
The referendum will be held together with the May 25 election for the European Parliament.
As far as I know only Denmark and Ireland have announced plans for a referendum on the unitary patent.
If I count the countries, it look fairly certain that the unitary patent will be reality though, with or without those two countries. Out of the 28 member states, three did not sign the agreement (Croatia, Poland and Spain). That leaves 25 states.
Let's separate the 3 required states that need to ratify in any case from that number (Germany, France and the United Kingdom). We also have one state that already ratified (Austria). That leaves us with 21 states, two of which will hold a referendum. Even if we assume, pessimistically, that both states will reject the unitary patent, we are left with 9 states to ratify out of 19 states. To me that seems quite plausible.
2015 is looking to be a decisive year for the unitary patent.


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Welcome to Sale United Reformed Church
We are a Christian community worshipping in the centre of Sale in a Missional Partnership with other churches in the South Area of the North West Synod.
Our Mission Statement
As followers of Jesus Christ we commit ourselves to share and demonstrate God's love by -
- welcoming all;
- worshipping and praying together;
- studying, reflecting and learning;
- developing links with those who use our buildings;
- seeking opportunities to create relationships within our communities;
- working towards a greater unity of vision and purpose with other Christians;
- actively pursuing justice, peace and the integrity of creation
The United Reformed Church has brought together English Presbyterians, English, Welsh and Scottish Congregationalists, and members of the Churches of Christ. It has declared itself a multi-cultural church, rejoicing in the gifts of members from across the world and seeks to hold together a wide variety of theological understandings; the valuing of different insights helps the church understand the wonder of God. As such we always strive to be as inclusive as possible offering a welcome regardless of colour, ethnicity, gender, ability, sexual orientation, language, culture, and age.


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Chocolate Turtle Layer Cake
Unsweetened baking cocoa
1 box Betty Crocker™ SuperMoist™ devil's food cake mix
1 box (4-serving size) chocolate instant pudding and pie filling mix
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
1 cup canola oil
3 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules or crystals
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 oz)
1 cup chopped pecans
1 container (1 lb) Betty Crocker™ Rich & Creamy cream cheese frosting
1/2 cup canned dulce de leche (caramelized sweetened condensed milk)
1 box (7 oz) turtle candies
1 jar (12 oz) caramel topping
1/4 cup pecan halves, toasted
1 Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with shortening or cooking spray; sprinkle with cocoa.
2 In large bowl, beat cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, milk, oil, vanilla and coffee granules with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Fold in chocolate chips and chopped pecans. Pour batter into pans.
3 Bake 30 to 32 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans to cooling racks; cool completely. Wrap cake layers; refrigerate at least 1 hour.
4 In medium bowl, stir frosting and dulce de leche with whisk until well blended; set aside. Cut 6 of the turtle candies in half; set aside. Chop remaining candies.
5 Place 1 cake layer, top side up, on serving plate. Spread with half of the frosting mixture; sprinkle with chopped candies. Place second cake layer, top side up, on candies. Spread remaining frosting mixture on top of cake. Cover; refrigerate until serving time. Drizzle caramel topping over top of cake, allowing some to drip down side. Garnish with pecan halves and reserved turtle candies.


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HÀ NỘI – Fish sauce made in the country is generally safe for consumption despite recent public confusion and apprehension about its ingredients, a new report says.
The report, submitted to Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc on Monday by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), also says that a clear delineation of what constitutes "traditional" and "industrial" fish sauce will help clear the air.
Reputed international food safety research organisations and institutions have documented that arsenic occurs in both organic and inorganic forms, the report said.
Organic arsenic compounds are not harmful to humans, so there's little need to assess a safe limit for them, especially in fish sauce, which is not consumed in large amounts.
However, safe limits have to be established for inorganic arsenic, which is highly toxic.
Under current national regulations on heavy metal contamination of food products issued by the Ministry of Health, the allowed maximum amount of inorganic arsenic in sauces is 1mg/kg.
On October 22, the health ministry had announced that all 247 fish sauce samples – randomly collected from markets and supermarkets – of 210 brands from 82 manufacturers were tested and no amount of inorganic arsenic was detected.
The MARD report said Việt Nam and Thailand had jointly submitted a proposal to the Codex Alimentarius Commission (under the Food and Agriculture Organisation – FAO) on setting an international standard for fish sauce.
Under this proposal, 17 additives were deemed safe for use in fish sauce production.
A health ministry circular that lists 400 additives permitted in food production also mentions 17 that are allowed in fish sauce production, the report noted.
Fish sauce, a staple in Việt Nam, is traditionally made by letting a mixture of fish and salt ferment. It can be made with a variety of fish including anchovies, scads, herrings and mackerels.
However, the product has become more diverse of late, the report said.
"Besides the traditional fish sauce, many products involve mixing the traditional fish sauce with colours, additives, sweeteners, flavour enhancers and preservatives."
The report said existing rules and standards for fish sauce are quite comprehensive, as are national technical regulations on fish sauce production and product labeling.
However, they do not differentiate clearly between "traditional" and "industrial sauce" (derivatives of traditional fish sauce), and this has led to some public confusion, it added.
The MARD's inspections found that some manufacturers only state the total amount of nitrogen (grams per litre) contained in their products on the labels.
They do not carry any information on amino acids or ammonia nitrogen – which decides the quality/grade of the fish sauce, the report said.
It also said some fish sauce makers don't mention the additives they are using, and such deliberate withholding of information robs consumers of the ability to make well-informed buying decisions.
The MARD said it would carry out a thorough review of national fish sauce standards in order to "better suit current production and business practices, ensure consumers' rights and interests, and facilitate the work of management agencies."
The report said the differences between traditional fish sauce and its derivatives will be made more transparent, and specific regulations issued on classification and labelling, among other things, to ensure that local products comply with CODEX STAN 302-2011, the international standard for fish sauce.
The controversy, which was ignited by a Việt Nam Standards and Consumers Association (VINASTAS) report, had prompted the Prime Minister to direct relevant agencies to make official announcements and allay widespread concerns over toxicity in traditionally-made fish sauce. – VNS


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Genoese towers in Corsica
The Genoese towers in Corsica (French: Tours génoises de Corse, Corsican: Torri ghjenuvesi di a Corsica, singular : torre ghjenuvese di Corsica) are a series of coastal defences constructed by the Republic of Genoa between 1530 and 1620 to stem the attacks by Barbary pirates.
Corsica had been controlled by the Genoese since 1284 when they established their supremacy over the Pisans in the naval Battle of Meloria. Towards the end of the 15th century the Ottoman Turks expanded their control of the Mediterranean westwards and became a dominant maritime power in the region. In 1480 they sacked Otranto in southern Italy and in 1516 they took control of Algiers. In the first decades of the 16th century Turkish corsairs in galleys and fustas often rowed by Christian slaves began attacking villages around the Corsican coastline. Many hundreds of villagers were captured and taken away to be sold as slaves. The Genoese Republic responded by building a series of towers around the coastline. Most were built to a similar circular design with a roof terrace protected by machicolations. Nearly one hundred were constructed before the Genoese decided in around 1620 that they were unable to defend the island and abandoned the building program.
In 1794, during the French Revolutionary Wars, British naval forces struggled to capture a Genoese tower in Corsica near the Punta Mortella, one of two towers guarding the entrance to the port of Saint-Florent. Impressed by their effectiveness and simple design, the British built many similar towers calling them Martello towers.
The ruined Genoese towers are now a prominent feature of the Corsican coastline. Many have been listed as official Historical Monuments by the French Ministry of Culture.
The construction of these towers started in the 16th century, at the request of village communities to protect themselves against pirates. In 1531, the Genoese Bank of Saint George sent two extraordinary representatives, Paolo Battista Calvo and Francesco Doria, to inspect the fortifications defending the island from the Barbary corsairs.[1][2] In 1531, the construction of ninety towers on the Corsican littoral was decided, thirty-two of them in the Cap Corse.
The work began under the supervision of two new Genoese representatives, Sebastiano Doria and Pietro Filippo Grimaldi Podio. The objective was to extend to Corsica the system of vigilance already in force on the Mediterranean circumference. The towers performed three functions: they defended the villages and ports, they acted as landmarks for navigators and they allowed news of an attack to be rapidly signalled to other communities along the coast.[3]
An inventory of the coastal towers produced by the Genoese authorities in 1617 lists 86 towers.[4] Two additional towers were constructed before the building program was abandoned. These were the Torra di Sponsaglia (completed in 1619) and the Torra di Sant'Amanza (completed in 1620) both in the south of Corsica between Bonifacio and Porto-Vecchio. Of these 88 towers, little or nothing survives for twenty of them. Two towers on the list were already in a ruined state in 1617: the Torra di Vignale and the Torra di Travo, both on the east coast.[5]
The towers caused multiple problems for the Genoese authorities; their isolated locations made them prime targets for pirates and constructional defects caused collapses. Several inventories of the towers were carried out but no precise number could be determined. The Republic of Genoa also had to deal with many financial conflicts, quarrels of communities, defection of guards, unpaid debts, and requests for supplies or weapons.
Consequently, from the end of the 17th century until 1768, the date of the conquest of the island by France, the number of maintained towers decreased considerably. When Pasquale Paoli was elected President of the new independent Corsican Republic in 1755, only 22 towers remained, some of which were occupied by the French troops. The continual guerrilla wars during the paolian period caused the destruction of several of these buildings, including the towers of Tizzano, Caldane, Solenzara. The battle for the landing of the British troops of the Anglo-Corsican Kingdom in 1794, ruined the towers of Santa Maria della Chiappella and Mortella. By the end of the 18th century, few towers were still intact.
Today the Genoese towers represent a considerable heritage. Of the 85 towers existing at the beginning of the 18th century, 67 still stand today. Some are in ruins; others are in very good state. Many of them are classified as Monuments historiques.
An important work of restoration, financed essentially by the local authorities although they are not owners, was produced to save some of them. Unfortunately, by lack of means and program of restoration, many of these symbols of the island continue to deteriorate.
The garrison of a tower consisted of between two and six men (Corsican: torregiani), recruited among the inhabitants and paid from the local taxes. These guards were to reside permanently in the tower. They could move away no more than two days, for the supply and the pay, and one by one. They ensured the lookout with regular fires and signals: every morning and evening they assembled on the platform, informed navigators, shepherds and ploughmen about safety, communicating by fires with the closest towers located in their sight, and supervised the arrival of possible pirates.
In the event of alarm, a signal was given on the terrace at the top of the tower, in the form of smoke, fire or the sound of culombu (a large conch), warning the surroundings of the approach of hostile ships. It was followed by the general withdrawal of the people and animals in the interior of the country. The two closest towers in sight were ignited and so on, which made it possible to put the entire island in alarm in a few hours.
Certain garrisons had to be defended against the invaders, and combatants' remains were found at their bases. Thus, the famous Torra di l'Osse took its name from the bones buried along its walls.[citation needed]
The towers were always insufficiently armed. They were used mainly as customs stations and daymarks. The torregiani often neglected their military role, to concentrate on the control of the maritime trade and the perception of various taxes. They were also trading wood and cultivating in the surrounding lands.
Although unjustified absence of a guard was prohibited under penalty of galley as well as the replacement by a person other than the titular guards, as times went by, some towers were deserted. They deteriorated, fell in ruins, or were destroyed for lack of defence.
The Genoese towers were constructed of stone blocks held together with mortar. Most of the towers were circular in plan although a few were square such as the Torra di Portu and the Torra di Pinareddu.[6] The circular towers were typically 12 metres (39 ft) in height and 10 metres (33 ft) diameter at the base reducing to 7 metres (23 ft) at the moulded string course marking the level of the first floor.[7][8] The base contained a cistern which was fed with rain water by an internal pipe from the terrace. The vaulted room on the first floor was connected to the terrace by a staircase built into the thick exterior wall and protected at the top by a small guerite. The terrace was surrounded by a low machicolated battlement. A doorway in the side of the tower at the first floor level was reached by a removable wooden ladder. A few towers were taller at around 17 metres (56 ft) in height and included a second internal vaulted room above the first.[6] Examples are the Torra di a Parata near Ajaccio and the Torra di Santa Maria Chjapella in Capicorsu.[9] The towers were manned by an officer and two or three soldiers who lived in the room on the first floor which had niches in the walls and a fireplace.[6][10]
See alsoEdit
- History of Corsica
- List of Genoese towers in Corsica
- Martello tower, similar structure in Great Britain and Ireland
Notes and referencesEdit
- ^ Graziani 1992, pp. 17-18.
- ^ Graziani 2000, p. 80.
- ^ Graziani 2000, p. 73.
- ^ Graziani 1992, pp. 134-137.
- ^ Graziani 1992, p. 135.
- ^ a b c Colombani, Philippe; Harnéquaux, Mathieu; Istria, Daniel (2008). "Les tours génoises". L'Alta Rocca (PDF) (in French). Centre Régional de Documentation Pédagogique de Corse. pp. 15–16. ISBN 978-2-86-620-212-5.
- ^ Fréminville 1894, p. 48. sfn error: multiple targets (2×): CITEREFFréminville1894 (help)
- ^ Istria, Daniel; Harnéquaux, Mathieu. "La protection du littoral : un enjeu majeur aux XVIe et XVIIe siècles". Sevi - Sorru Cruzzini - Cinarca (PDF) (in French). Centre Régional de Documentation Pédagogique de Corse. pp. 17–20.
- ^ Fréminville 1894, p. 51. sfn error: multiple targets (2×): CITEREFFréminville1894 (help)
- ^ Document d'objectifs NATURA 2000, Iles Pinarellu et Roscana, Zone spéciale de conservation FR9400585 (PDF). Conservatoire de l'Espace Littoral et des Rivages Lacustres. 2010. p. 31.
- Fréminville, Joseph de (1894). "Tours génoises du littoral de la Corse". Bulletin archéologique du Comité des travaux historiques et scientifiques (in French): 47–57.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link) The article was also published separately: Fréminville, Joseph de (1894). Tours génoises du littoral de la Corse (PDF) (in French). Paris. OCLC 494605587.
- Graziani, Antoine-Marie (1992). Les Tours Littorales (in French and Italian). Ajaccio, France: Alain Piazzola. ISBN 2-907161-06-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link) Source documents in Italian from the archives in the town of Genoa.
- Graziani, Antoine-Marie (2000). "Les ouvrages de défense en Corse contre les Turcs (1530-1650)". In Vergé-Franceschi, Michel; Graziani, Antoine-Marie (eds.). La guerre de course en Méditerranée (1515-1830) (in French). Paris: Presses de l'Université Paris IV-Sorbonne. pp. 73–144. ISBN 2-84050-167-8.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
Further readingEdit
- Braudel, Fernand (1995) [1973]. The Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World in the Age of Philip II. Volume 2. Renolds, Sîan trans. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-20330-3.
- Graziani, Antoine-Marie (2001). "La menace barbareque en Corse et la construction d'un système de défense (1510-1610)". Revue d'histoire maritime (2–3): 141–160.
- Mérimée, Prosper (1840). Notes d'un voyage en Corse (in French). Paris: Fournier jeune. pp. 163–165.
- Phillips, Carla Rahn (2000). "Navies and the Mediterranean in the early modern period". In Hattendorf, John B (ed.). Naval Strategy and Power in the Mediterranean: Past, Present and Future. Abingdon, Oxon, UK: Frank Cass. pp. 3–29. ISBN 0-7146-8054-0.
- Sutcliffe, Sheila (1973). Martello Towers. Cranbury, NJ: Associated Universities Press. ISBN 0-8386-1313-6.
External linksEdit
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Genoese towers in Corsica.
- Nivaggioni, Mathieu; Verges, Jean-Marie. "Les Tours Génoises Corses" (in French). Information on how to reach 90 towers. Includes 1,261 photographs.


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Froome survives scare to retain yellow jersey
Britain's Chris Froome brilliantly recovered from a puncture to defend his slender Tour de France lead from a blistering attack on stage 15.
Froome took roughly 30 seconds to swap a back wheel shortly after Romain Bardet's AG2R La Mondiale team had put the defending champion in difficulty.
But he rallied and managed to rejoin his rivals on the category one climb with a monumental effort aided by his fellow Team Sky rider Mikel Landa, before Bauke Mollema went on to claim stage victory in a daring solo break.
Mollema attacked from a leading group with over 30km to go on Sunday's 189.5km ride from Laissac-Severac l'Eglise to Le Puy-en-Velay, and the Dutchman held on for his first stage win at the Tour.
Diego Ulissi, Tony Gallopin and Primoz Roglic were 19 seconds slower, with the main rivals for overall victory over six minutes further back.
Froome, a three-time winner of the Tour, remains 18 seconds clear of Astana's Italian rider Fabio Aru. Frenchman Bardet stays in third, 23 seconds behind, while fourth-placed Colombia rider Rigoberto Uran of Cannondale trails Froome by 29 seconds.
After Monday's final rest day, there will be six further stages before the race finishes in Paris on 23 July.
- How Froome fought back to keep the yellow jersey
Froome digs deep to keep yellow
Froome had lost almost a minute on his rivals by the time he emerged from a wheel swap with team-mate Michal Kwiatkowski on the slopes of the Col de Peyra Taillade.
Team Sky had been in control of the peloton before reaching the foot of the climb – which included an 800m section at a gradient of 14% – but AG2R suddenly burst clear in an ambitious co-ordinated attack.
Froome and his team-mates were under severe pressure even before the puncture and many riders, such as Nairo Quintana, one of the pre-race favourites, were blown away by the pace.
Mikel Nieve, Vasil Kiryienka and Sergio Henao all dropped back to assist in Froome's pursuit, peeling off before the 32-year-old eventually bridged to Landa, who helped his team leader through the final charge required to meet his yellow jersey rivals, Aru, Bardet, and Uran, once more.
Froome said his forced wheel change "couldn't have come at a worse time".
"But all in all I am just happy to have got through without any major losses. I'm going to pass out tonight. I'm knackered," he told ITV.
- Tour de France stage-by-stage guide
- BeSpoke: Download the Radio 5 live podcast
Quintana drops down, Martin moves up
Quintana dropping out of the top 10 was the most significant movement in the overall standings.
The Colombian 27-year-old finished three minutes and 54 seconds behind Froome and fell from eighth to 11th. He now trails the Briton by six minutes and 16 seconds.
But Dan Martin finished strongly to move up to fifth in the overall standings, leapfrogging Landa.
The Irish Quick-Step Floors rider crossed the line 14 seconds ahead of the group led by Froome thanks to an attack inside the last 12km.
Martin lost one minute and 15 seconds a week earlier after crashing into Richie Porte – who was forced to abandon – on a hazardous descent, and has even been suffering from back pain ever since.
After the stage, he said the attack led by AG2R was "one of the hardest parts of the Tour so far".
"They were flying, and everyone was already in the red," he said.
"Chris is the only guy who could come back from a mechanical in that situation. They weren't taking advantage of the mechanical, but I'm happy he came back, because you don't want the Tour decided like that."
Stage 15 result:
1. Bauke Mollema (Ned/Trek-Segafredo) 4hrs 41mins 47secs
2. Diego Ulissi (Ita/UAE Team Emirates) +19secs
3. Tony Gallopin (Fra/Lotto-Soudal) Same Time
4. Primoz Roglic (Svn/LottoNL-Jumbo) Same Time
5. Warren Barguil (Fra/Team Sunweb) +23secs
6. Nicolas Roche (Ire/BMC) +1min 00secs
7. Lilian Calmejane (Fra/Direct Energie) +1min 04secs
8. Jan Bakelants (Bel/AG2R La Mondiale) Same Time
9. Thibaut Pinot (Fra/FDJ) Same Time
10. Serge Pauwels (Bel/Team Dimension Data) Same Time
General classification after stage 15:
1. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) 64hrs 40mins 21secs
2. Fabio Aru (Ita/Astana) +18secs
3. Romain Bardet (Fra/AG2R La Mondiale) +23secs
4. Rigoberto Uran (Col/Cannondale-Drapac) +29secs
5. Daniel Martin (Ire/Quick-Step Floors) +1min 12secs
6. Mikel Landa (Spa/Team Sky)+1min 17secs
7. Simon Yates (GB/Orica-Scott) +2mins 02secs
8. Louis Meintjes (SA/UAE Team Emirates) +5mins 09secs
9. Alberto Contador (Spa/Trek-Segafredo) +5mins 37secs
10. Damiano Caruso (Ita/BMC) +6mins 05secs
Article source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/40625279


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A Geordie Nativity and The Boxing Day Dip will be among the seasonal skits at a "Christmas Laffalang", which brings together local writers, actors and musicians in a bid to raise laughs, and cash, for charity.
The show is being hosted at The Stand comedy club in Newcastle on December 10 in aid of St Oswald's Hospice, which provides free care for those in the region with life-limiting conditions.
On the programme will be festive sketches written by Tyneside playwright Ed Waugh alongside stand-up comedy delivered by Geordie comedian Gavin Webster, while Lindisfarne's Ray Laidlaw and Billy Mitchell will be trying their hand at acting alongside old hands such as pantomime favourite Bob Stott. The idea for the fundraiser came about after Les Robson from St Oswald's Hospice saw Waugh's sketch, A Geordie Nativity, make its Newcastle debut last December at a night in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust.
He'd already worked with the playwright in organising a previous St Oswald's fundraiser – a music gig at The Cluny which attracted around 300 people and was, he said, "a fantastic night".
"I was looking to do another event and, after I saw Ed's wonderfully funny Geordie Nativity for the Teenage Cancer Trust, the idea of a Christmas sketch show came."
The Christmas Laffalang promises an ideal festive night out for friends or colleagues and also on the programme will be a Christmas club go-as-you-please; Christmas Crisis: The Musical; Alan Pardew Bingo; carol singers and Fenwick's Window. Meanwhile, Ray Laidlaw and Billy Mitchell from Lindisfarne will try their hand at acting and Bob Stott, the local panto legend, will dress up as Widow Twanky to perform three specially–written sketches.
Also among the performers will be Helen Russell and Gwen Doran, original cast members of Dirty Dusting, the comedy created by Waugh and writing partner Trevor Wood, and cast members from their play Alf Ramsey Knew My Grandfather.
Christmas Laffalang has two performances at The Stand, High Bridge, at 5.45pm and 8.30pm on December 10. For tickets, £10, call Les Robson on 0780 549 6518 or The Stand on 0844 693 3336. All profits go to St Oswald's.


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common name for the Moraceae, a family of deciduous or evergreen trees and shrubs, often climbing, mostly of pantropical distribution, and characterized by milky sap. Several genera bear edible fruit, e.g.
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Artocarpus altilis. An Indo-Malaysian tree, a species of the mulberry family (Moraceae). The tree produces a multiple fruit which is edible.
1. a moraceous tree, Artocarpus communis (or A. altilis), of the Pacific Islands, having large round edible starchy usually seedless, fruit
2. the fruit of this tree, which is eaten baked or roasted and has a texture like bread


text:
Most of us comes from a different background with unique experiences, but we all share in the goal of wanting to make a difference in Egypt. Join us as SOLAMISR continues to make solar energy an integral part of the world's energy mix.
Whatever your career path—whether it's working in our marketing and selling our solutions, designing and building or operating and maintaining our facilities.
SOLAMISR offers opportunities that will develop and challenge you every day.
Ensure the smooth running of an office on a day-to-day basis and manage a team of administrative or support staff.
work experience
- Organizing meetings, site surveys and managing databases.
- Dealing with correspondence, complaints and queries (Online & Offline)
- Preparing letters, presentations and reports.
- Follow up company social channels.
- Handle & routing company leads.
- Coordinate between teams and follow-up logistics
- Ordering stationery and managing office budgets.
- liaising with staff, suppliers and clients
- Assisting the organization's HR function by keeping personnel records up to date, arranging interviews and so on
Key skills
- 2-3 years of experience in administrative functions and project management.
- Strong competencies in application of Microsoft Office (PowerPoint, Excel, Word), Lotus Notes and Visio.
- Excellent communication skills, both written and oral; ability to work well in a team environment.
- Capability to interface professionally with senior officers and executives.
- Must demonstrate good execution and planning skills as well as possess the ability to strategically think through the planning, coordination and completion of responsibilities.
- Must be capable of organizing workload, demonstrate efficient time management, and adhere to business routines, exercising independent judgment and discretion.
- Must deliver timely results and quality work to the department.
- Must be willing to work independently with minimal direction, if needed.
- Communication, negotiation and relationship-building skills.
- Problem solving skills.
- Leadership and the ability to 'make things happen.
- Budgeting skills.
- Attention to details.
- الوصول إلى كافّة الزبائن في الأوقات المُخصّصة لذلك، وبشكل منتظم.
- عرض منتجات الشركة بصورةٍ مناسبة، والرد علي تساؤلاتهم.
- استقبال طلبات الزبائن، ومتابعة إدارة المشروعات لهم حسب المواعيد المتفق عليها.
- عقد اتفاقيات البيع مع الزبائن، وإرسالها إلى إدارة المشروعات في الشركة.
- الاستماع إلى شكاوي الزبائن، وإرضاؤهم من خلال مُعالجتها وتقديم الحلول المناسبة.
- القدرة على الترويج والتسويق والإقناع
- امتلاك مهاراتٍ عاليةٍ جداً في الاتصال والتواصل مع الآخرين.
- اللّباقة في التعامل مع الآخرين. القدرة على الإصغاء، والمُرونة في التعامل مع المشكلات، وحشد الجهود نحو حلّها بالأسلوب الأمثل.
A site engineer offers advice in the planning, co-ordination and supervision of technical aspects of solor projects. A site engineer's role is vital to a solar contracting project: they have a number of responsibilities including solving technical issues, providing advice, management and preparing reports.
Project Engineer Skills and Qualifications:
Analysis & Design Skills , Methods and Procedures, Process Improvement, Technical Understanding, Documentation Skills, Supervision, CAD
- Acting as the main technical adviser on a construction site for subcontractors, crafts people and operatives;
- setting out, levelling and surveying the site;
- checking plans, drawings and quantities for accuracy of calculations;
- ensuring that all materials used and work performed are as per specifications;
- overseeing the selection and requisition of materials and plant;
- agreeing a price for materials, and making cost-effective solutions and proposals for the intended project;
- managing, monitoring and interpreting the contract design documents supplied by the client or architect;
- liaising with any consultants, subcontractors, supervisors, planners, quantity surveyors and the general workforce involved in the project;
- liaising with the local authority (where appropriate to the project) to ensure compliance with local construction regulations and by-laws;
- liaising with clients and their representatives (architects, engineers and surveyors), including attending regular meetings to keep them informed of progress;
- day-to-day management of the site, including supervising and monitoring the site labour force and the work of any subcontractors;
- planning the work and efficiently organising the plant and site facilities in order to meet agreed deadlines;
- overseeing quality control and health and safety matters on site;
- preparing reports as required;
- resolving any unexpected technical difficulties and other problems that may arise.
- Contributes to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed.
- Contributes to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed.
Completes engineering projects by organizing and controlling project elements.
Job Duties:
- Conduct site survey and site data collocetion and anaylsis
- Develops project objectives by reviewing project proposals and plans; conferring with management.
- Determines project responsibilities by identifying project phases and elements; assigning personnel to phases and elements; reviewing bids from contractors.
- Determines project specifications by studying product design, customer requirements, and performance standards; completing technical studies; preparing cost estimates.
- Confirms product performance by designing and conducting tests.
- Determines project schedule by studying project plan and specifications; calculating time requirements; sequencing project elements.
- Maintains project schedule by monitoring project progress; coordinating activities; resolving problems.
- Controls project plan by reviewing design, specifications, and plan and schedule changes; recommending actions.
- Controls project costs by approving expenditures; administering contractor contracts.
- Prepares project status reports by collecting, analyzing, and summarizing information and trends; recommending actions.
- Maintains safe and clean working environment by enforcing procedures, rules, and regulations.
- Maintains product and company reputation by complying with federal and state regulations.
- Contributes to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed.
The Technical-Commercial Engineer (TCE) supports sales productivity and deal flow by securing the "technical close" in complex solutions. The TCE collaborates with sales, service, engineering, and technical support resources to ensure proposed deals include technical solutions that accurately address customer needs, and are appropriately supported by key customer technical decision-makers. The TCE is responsible for achieving a profit and productivity quota made up of the combined expectations of the sales resources, market, and/or channel supported. Reporting to the Engineering Director, the TCE reports on a dotted line to the sales manager or business line manager responsible for the sales team supported.
Job Duties:
- Pro-actively scopes the technical solution required to address customer requirements, assesses customers' met and un met needs, and recommends solutions that optimize value for both the customer and the firm.
- Secures input from all necessary solution stakeholders within the customer firm. Adapts solutions, as necessary, to ensure appropriate support.
- Coordinates closely with internal sales, sales support, and service resources to align solution design with customers' business requirements.
- Secures from customer technical staff commitments needed to ensure a deal's "technical close."
- Meets assigned targets for profitable sales growth in assigned product lines, market areas, channel, or teams supported.
- Provides coaching and professional development to team member sales associates in order to enhance their product knowledge, technical acumen, and technical sales skills.
- Opportunistically pursues additional business development opportunities within customer firms. Collaborates with sales to ensure these opportunities are effectively covered and advanced.
- Monitors customer support for technical solutions proposed throughout the sales process, and alerts the sales and account teams to potential risks of deal closure.


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India win Champions Trophy
India have won the Champions Trophy with a five-run victory over England in the final at Edgbaston.
Chasing 130 in a game reduced to 20 overs per side by rain, England were set for a historic triumph with 20 needed off 16 balls and Eoin Morgan and Ravi Bopara at the crease.
The home side though were struck by nerves and finished on 124-8 after James Tredwell missed the last ball of the match with six required for victory.
For India – who have been side of the tournament – they can add the Champions Trophy to the World Cup they won in 2011.
Image: © Getty
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