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Tagged: Branyan
Over here in the Emerald City….
It's hard to sit with a cup of coffee, maybe a cookie and find time to write a new entry when your life is chaotic. I won't bore you with my latest antics but we'll leave it at this; my life has been crazy.
Even that sounds like an understatement.
Over here in the
rainy beautiful Emerald City, more specifically at 1st Ave and Edgar Martinez Dr, lots have been happening. The Mariners organization has been busy. Busy dealing with arbitrations, busy signing new and old players, busy inviting players to Spring Training, busy having photo shoots with new players, busy mourning the departure of Branyan and Johjima….
….ok the last one is just me.
Like I said on my Twitter, I have waited too long to update my blog that I have no idea where to start. I'm going to machine-gun my way through some Mariners updates but please note that they are in no particular order.
1. Felix Hernandez is staying! For FIVE more years! I expected 2 or 3, but 5? I'm beyond ecstatic and I'm sure a lot of other Mariners fans are too. The exact number for Felix's raise is not disclosed, but I'm guessing it'll be a chunky amount compared to his 3.8 million salary last season! When you're a Cy Younger runner-up, you deserve it.
Wow, I'm pretty confident when I say we have the most vicious 1-2 punch for our starting rotation in the entire Major Leagues. Sorry Angels, we'll be dethroning you this season.
2. Mariners closer David Aardsma and relief pitcher Derek Lowe signed a one-year extension and both a raise in their salaries. They certainly both deserved the raise after their outstanding (especially Aardsma) performances in the '09 season. Aardsma was 38 for 42 save opportunities, and Lowe was one of the only consistently dependable RPs for us last season.
3. Say hello to our new 1st baseman Casey Kotchman from the Red Sox. Please don't ask me how I feel about this or I'll start crying. I would like to ask our GM one question; why wasn't Branyan a good candidate? Sure, he was injured but he did his job as the team slugger hitting 31 HRs and manned 1st base extremely well. Ok fine, I guess the M's offered him a 1 year deal and he rejected it. Let me pout for a few seconds.
Ok I'm done. As a faithful Mariners fan, I should welcome Casey Kotchman with a smiling face and open arms. Casey, I wish you success in our amazing team but please don't do anything that'll make me regret the smiling face and open arms. Mmmkay?
Russell, I will miss you dearly and I wish you the best. I highly doubt that anyone in our lineup (so far) is going to blast 31 homeruns like you did last season. What are we going to do without a slugger like you? Eeep!
4. The Mariners welcome Brandon League as a result of a trade with Brandon Morrow. I don't have much to say about this trade because it kind of feels like an even exchange. Both their ERA's are kind of high, both had an unstable season. I do like his glasses though.
There you go, a quick update of what the
2010 AL West Champions Mariners have been up to. :] I can't believe Spring Training is right around the corner; it feels like it's been ages since I've watched baseball. Now that I'm back in the Pacific Northwest, I plan on going to a ridiculous amount of Mariners game this season. Besides, I have my game shirt ready and everything:
It was a gift from Santa! ♥
Post Season Mariners Update 2
How dare I get numb to the notion of a cold, baseball-less season?
I have such amazing news about the Mariners….
….which I'm sure everybody and their brothers know about already but what the hey.
No exciting build-ups, no beating around the bush….
Can I just say, WOW? I knew we had plenty of money this off-season to acquire some great players but Cliff Lee? I'm almost overwhelmed by the news. Lee rocked the World Series beating the Yankees not only once, but twice, and not only that, but Lee has a 5-1 3.49 ERA at Safeco Field! This Cy Young winning southpaw with a Cy Young contender (Felix, of course), both backed up by one of the league's best defense, we are going to have a vicious starting rotation.
Watch out AL West, we're gonna take all of you down.
Oh and to put the cherry on top of this wonderful Mariners sundae, we acquired Chone Figgins (he'll be sporting a No.9 jersey) last week from the Angels. He is the guy I always get nervous about when we play the Angels…gosh, not having to worry about him is going to be awesome. Figgins signed a four year, $36 million deal with a vesting option for 2014. Figgins was a third baseman for the Angels which brings up the question as to where he'll be defending next season if Beltre chooses to stay. Personally, I think he would own second base but I would hate to have to see Lopez benched for that. As far as I'm concerned, the only spot available right now is left field and with his third baseman arm, I figure he would excel. With his above-average batting and last year's career high runs and doubles, I have no doubt he'll be sending Ichiro home more often than not.
Our starting lineup will consist of Ichiro batting first (duh), Figgins, Lopez/Gutierrez, Branyan (still crossing my fingers for that one)….
…and of course our deathly pitching rotation.
Fellow Mariners fans, my baseball itch is worsening as we speak! The 2010 season is going to be…enthralling, captivating, engrossing, and riveting; I can hardly wait!
Now for all non-Mariners fans, you should probably be afraid.
Very much afraid.
I end with an evil laugh.
Post Season Mariners Update 1
Everyday I think, 'I must blog today!'…but of course don't due to the fact that I'm working late or hanging out with friends or watching TV….pretty much everything but.
However, with an eggnog latte in one hand, I've finally sat my butt down tonight to update everyone on what's going on here in the already rainy Emerald City.
Seriously though, my eggnog latte consumption these past few weeks have been beyond ridiculous.
You're welcome, Starbucks!
Back to the point. Points, actually. 5 of them.
1. Ichiro receives his 9th Gold Glove Award. He's 1 Gold Glove Award away from tying the franchise record which is held by Ken Griffey Jr with 10 Gold Gloves. Not to toot my own Mariners horn but am I surprised about this? Not really. Toot toot! Congratulations anyway, Ichiro! This just adds to how amazing you are!
2. Branyan declines a one year offer from the Mariners. Personally, I'm actually pretty depressed about this. If you've read my previous entries, you know I am a huge fan of Russell. I'm crossing my fingers no other team offers him a 2+ year deal or else he's leaving the Mariners! Am I truly this selfish? Yes I am. Sorry, Russell.
3. Griffey returns for one more year. As a Mariners fan, I am ecstatic that he's returning for the 2010 season. As a practical baseball fan, I feel like maybe it's a gamble. Terms of the deal wasn't disclosed but could the salary have been used more wisely towards someone else? Maybe. Please though, don't get me wrong. I think Jr truly brings the team together and has a great impact on the organization; I do ♥ him!
4. Ichiro receives his third Silver Slugger Award. Just like his 200+ hits, it seems like the awards keep coming too! For those that are not familiar, this award goes to the best offensive players voted on by MLB managers and coaches. Again, am I surprised? Well, if I'm talking about how I'm surprised he doesn't have more than three, then yes, I'm surprised. Really? He only has 3? Hmm.
5. Jack Wilson signs a two-year deal with the Mariners. Woohoo! I'm very excited about this although I knew the Mariners didn't acquire him just for the last few months of the '09 season. Matt, aren't you excited? You can keep wearing your M's jacket around with pride :] What I was unaware of was that Wilson had won the Fielding Bible Award as best fielding shortstop this past season. I'm definitely not surprised but I feel horrible as a self-proclaimed baseball fanatic that I didn't know about this "Fielding Bible Award". Is that bad?
Well, I'm beyond pleased with the progress the Mariners are making already and definitely excited for some more to come!
I don't think I congratulated the Yankees for winning the World Series this year. I know, really belated but congratulations anyway! Congratulations to the Phillies too, Both teams made the WS so fun to watch ♥
Does someone have any advice or an anti-itch product for my baseball itch? :]
For godssake, baseball season ended like five seconds ago and I'm already having withdrawals. Perhaps there are therapists out there for off-season baseball withdrawals? Maybe that's my calling; getting a PhD specializing in Off-Season Baseball Withdrawal Therapy. Sounds amazing already.
I don't watch football (more like I don't understand football) so I suppose I'll have to settle for the NBA. I generally only watch the 4th quarter of an NBA game but I suppose I really should start supporting my boys. Much love to the Portland Blazers ♥
I hope all you Yankees fans are still enjoying the delicious after-taste of the WS Championship and for all other fans, I hope your teams are conjuring up something good for 2010. I'll be back soon for more Post Season M's updates!
Thank you boys…♥
I'm slowly adjusting back into the working girl life (thank you for the wishes, I got the job!) in the best coast…I mean, west coast, while I, together with my Grandpa, sulk that baseball season is practically over.
For Mariners fans anyway.
Now call me cheesy but I got teary-eyed watching the final game of the Mariners season. The boys won 4-3 against the Texas Rangers and so much happened in the game. Not one player gets honorable mention because practically everyone did. Felix got his 19th win this season while he vies for the Cy Young, David Aardsma closed the game, Ichiro had a hit and a run, Griffey had a hit, Guttierrez scored some runs, Lopez scored the winning run, Batista had a perfect 8th inning and Wakamatsu led the team for their 85th win of the season.
I cannot believe the Mariners had such a great rebound year after last year's 101 game loss. With Bavasi gone, that should have been a good sign anyway, but when the new GM chose Wakamatsu, there were definitely some speculation as to how he was going to perform as the new skipper for a disconnected 40-man-40-cab team after the 2008 season. I hate to say it but the 2008 Mariners were plain sad to watch. No player chemistry or respect, no smiles or hugs….and of course barely any wins. I am a Mariners fan through thick and thin but no season was as tough as the '08 season.
Hiring Jack Zduriencik (GM) and Don Wakamatsu was truly the best change the organization could have made.
Now only if they would hire me as the assistant coach, right? :]
Actually, I've always wanted to organize a dance team for the Mariners. I admit, one of the many things I like about baseball is that there are no cheerleaders or dancers dressed in close-to-nothing making provocative moves. However, as a former dancer (jazz/hip hop) and a Mariners fanatic, I would have so much fun making up a dance team for the M's! It would consist of dancers of all ages, we'd wear Mariners jerseys and have dance moves that everyone in the stadium can learn! Oh I wish ♥
As the Yankees and Phillies compete for the World Series Championship, I truly wish the best for both teams! I'm going to have to jump on the Phillies band-wagon though, because I'm assuming the Yankees have enough intense supporters and I think the Phillies can use some DG oomph ♥ Good luck to both teams, though!
Also, I'd like to say a special farewell to my favorite catcher, Kenji Johjima. The news came as a surprise when the fans were informed that he was breaking his 3 year contract to return to Japan. In a nutshell, there was some controversey with the reason of breaking the contract. Joh had told the Mariners he was leaving due to the fact that he wasn't close to his family. However, Joh told the Japanese media that he was leaving because he wasn't going to get any playing time next year with Johnson taking most of the spot-light this season. Joh had told them he wanted to be their main catcher, not their back-up. According to a Japanese article I read, you can't opt out of a contract just because you aren't satisfied with your position or playing time; yet you can opt out if it's for a family issue. Apparently Mariners management are not happy with Johjima and his communication discrepancy between the Japanese media and the U.S media. Ah well. As a fan, none of that matters. I just have to say I'll miss him and wish him the best back home in Japan. I'm sure he'll continue to play amazing baseball.
But jeez, now I have to buy a new Mariners t-shirt. I'm starting to accumulate ex-Mariners t-shirts in my bottom drawer. It's kind of a dilemma for a Mariners fan to choose whose t-shirt they should buy without it becoming unwearable after a season. I'm guessing I'm good to go for a few years if I buy an Ichiro t-shirt.
As far as next season….
……will the Mariners go for 85+ wins next season? Is Griffey returning for perhaps one more season? Is Johnson's hip surgery going to affect his performance next season? Is Moore going to be a sufficient enough catcher to fill the shoes of a departing Johjima? Will Ichiro keep breaking his own record and go for 10 years in a row to hit 200+ hits? Will Felix get 20 wins? Will Aardsma have 45+ saves once again? Is Beltre coming back to man third base? Which J.Wilson (Jack or Josh) will rise above during the off-season to dominate as SS? Will Gutierrez continue to build on his successful season? Is Branyan signing with the Mariners and will he lead in HRs again despite his back? Will Zduriencik and Wakamatsu find an efficient third-base coach?
As you can see, fans and I have a lot of questions. Yet, all I want to do now is sit back and reminisce on the fantastic season the Mariners have given us this season.
Thank you boys for giving me a reason to be passionate!
Rest up though, because spring training will be here before you know it ♥
If I were the GM…
Let this be the first "real" entry I've written since…oh, a month ago? Either way, too long ago! Not only do I finally feel settled back in the Pacific Northwest, but I even have internet! I haven't been up to much, just working from home and waiting for a response from the interview I had last week (crossing my fingers!). No offense to any Michiganians but I am truly glad to be back here where I'm surrounded by friends and family and am extremely excited to see how my life pans out from here on!
First of all, congratulations to all the teams (and their dedicated bloggers) that are competing in post-season! I only wish I could say the same for my boys but it's alright because this season has been such a huge turn-around for them; who would have thought we would go from 101 losses to 85 wins? I definitely didn't! I believed in baby steps but apparently the Mariners are making much bigger steps than that!
Now speaking of making big steps into a successful season, I'd like to present to you the 2010 Mariners lineup DG style.
Skipper: Don Wakamatsu – No brainer here; as a first-time Major League skipper, he invented the "belief system" for the then-40-man-40-cab team of 101 losses in the '08 season and with the help of Griffey Jr and Sweeney's amiable nature, Wakamatsu (aka Wak) made a family out of the team. ..and not to mention a winning season with 85 victories.
1st Base: Russell Branyan. Yes, this poses a couple problems. 1, he has been out of the active roster for the past month and a half with a herniated disk in his back. Apparently his back had been an issue for almost the whole season despite leading the team with 31 homeruns (none of the Mariners caught up to that even after he was placed on the DL) and setting career highs in RBIs and doubles…but that's probably because Wak gave him a chance to play (also a career high) 116 games. Of course the other problem is his number of strike outs. 149 of them this season but perhaps it comes with swinging for the fences? Oh and another thing…Branyan was a gamble for the Mariners and only signed him for a year. Now he's a free agent and although he's expressed his intentions of returning, I suppose we'll just have to wait and see.
2nd Base: Jose Lopez. Another no brainer, especially after this season where Lopez reached his career high in doubles (42), homeruns (25) and RBIs (96). He's even nominated for the Heart and Hustle Award after his performance and improvement this season. With this years' stats, he was one of the most productive AL second baseman.
Shortstop: This one is a complete tossup. Do I want solid defense and poor quality offense, or do I want mediocre defense in such a crucial position and a matching level of offense? I'm talking about Jack Wilson (mid-season addition from the Pittsburgh Pirates) and Josh Wilson (also a mid-season addition but from the San Diego Padres). Jack Wilson's defense is stunning but it seemed as though he was having a hard time maintaining the same average from his Pirates days. As far as Josh Wilson, his defense is not as great as Jack's yet his batting average is a lot better. I've talked to a lot of Mariners fans and interestingly they all fall 50/50. Who will climb to the top and take on the daily role of SS in '10? Only the off-season improvements will tell.
3rd Base: This will largely depend on Beltre's return to the team or the lack thereof. Beltre is a management and fan favorite at third base which mean if he returns, he'll be back manning the territory. However, the base is empty if he chooses to leave. Who would be able to fill Beltre's shoes as far as defense goes? Jack Hannahan has played third base while Beltre was on the DL and did a phenomenal job, yet his batting average of .213 is not all too impressive. Perhaps Bill Hall, one of our newest members of the family from the Brewers can attempt to take on the role. However it's the same issue as Hannahan; batting average issues.
Right Field: I've got 3 syllables for you and no explanation; I-CHI-RO.
Center Field: Franklin Gutierrez. Wow what a great idea to acquire Gutierrez from the Cleveland Indians! Not only can he play center field seamlessly, but this man can hit! He's played very well batting after Ichiro with an average of .283 and 70 RBIs which are both career highs.
Left field: Oh boy, what a tough one. The most interchanged position of the season. We've had Bill Hall, Ryan Langerhans, Mike Saunders. We've already discussed Hall so onto Langerhans hailing from the Washington Nationals. He had a couple walk-offs which was memorable, but two walk-offs and a .218 average isn't going to get you a permanent spot on the daily lineup. Now Mike Saunders seems like another management favorite although his batting average is .221; sure a little better than Langerhans but he did play more games than he did. Actually, I'm going to go on a limb and say Saunders. This is because my Grandpa loves Saunders and thinks he'll succeed. But mostly because I love my Grandpa.
Catcher: Putting aside my bias for favorites, I'm going to call up Rob Johnson as next season's daily catcher. He was Felix's personal catcher all season and obviously he was successful. His offense struggles but are there many catchers with great batting averages with the exception of Joe Mauer? Johnson is such a fan favorite and I think I'm alright with Kenji Johjima being back-up. At the end of the season, we were introduced to Adam Moore. I can't judge much considering he played only a handful innings but as far as watching him bat, I'm not too optimistic. Perhaps he'll be back next season and prove me wrong.
Well there we go, If I were the GM, I would have it this way. A team mostly full of newbies but just enough veterans to keep them together. After this successful season, I can't imagine them doing anything but get better, and it's never been more exciting!
Major League Studlies ♥
Now that I'm done moving out of my apartment for the most part (I'm living with my boyfriend till this weekend when I really leave Michigan for good), and Ichiro has reached his 200+ hit and all that the Mariners are doing now are playing the spoiler role (really well, if I say so myself), there's so much wiggle room in my personal life and topics I can write on.
Then I remembered a guy commenting on one of my first entries ever. With the support of other bloggers (you know who you are), he was reported and blocked from commenting on any MLBlog ever from that point on…but anyway, I was thinking about what he had said. He was talking about (all in capslock) how I was writing this blog to get male attention, how I didn't know smack about baseball, how females should never talk about baseball because we'll never understand it as well as males do, how females only love baseball because of the tight uniforms and the players….
….and so I dedicate this entry to that guy.
I think it's ridiculous that he thinks I can't talk baseball, but mostly because he was such a sexist oink-oink. Sure, the ratio of men to women that can straight talk baseball or fill in a score-card properly is unbalanced but look at this blogosphere, what a great example! There are a lot of ladies that write fantastic blogs that can talk baseball for days and discuss stats with the best of 'em.
Another thing. I don't think it's unprofessional at all that the ladies like what they're looking at. Puh-lease! You can't tell me that guys watch beach volleyball or football or basketball or tennis without checking out the athletes or the cheerleaders! So for anyone to tell me that I can't appreciate eye-candy when I see one? Boy, just build a bridge and get over it because I see it as just another way to appreciate the game of baseball aside from the stats, competition and pride for your team.
And last but not least? Trust me when I say I don't watch 160-something games or learn the athletes names or keep up with stats or waste money on over-priced garlic fries and stadium seats just for male attention. You know why I say that? It's because I've actually scared more than a few guys off with my baseball knowledge. Correct me if I'm wrong but that's definitely not attracting male attention.
So that's all the ranting from me…and now on to the good stuff (that'll make that guy want to jump off a cliff). This is a compilation (in no specific order) of what I call : "My FHH List" [FHH=Future Husband Hopefuls]
1. David Wright (New York Mets)
2. Gil Meche (Kansas City Royals)
3. Russell Branyan (Seattle Mariners)
4. Jack Hannahan (Seattle Mariners)
5. J.J Hardy (Milwaukee Brewers)
That is all….for now ♥
M's sign Dustin Ackley
Today the Mariners announced the signing of Dustin Ackley, our 1st pick (2nd overall) this year.
Ackley signed a 5 year Major League contract and will be headed here to the Emerald City next season bleeding navy and green. Financial information was not disclosed due to club policy.
Post surgery on his right elbow, Ackley has primarily been playing first base at the University of North Carolina. Apparently he has experience playing OF also.
I realize that most players that are drafted do not play their first year but assuming Ackley does, I wonder which position he'd be taking.
I'm going to go ahead and say LF, partially because we've been alternating our newbies to play that position but mostly because I can't see him replacing Russell Branyan. I adore him too much.
I know, I know. If only he would stop striking out so much.
Either way, WELCOME TO THE CLUB DUSTIN!
On a personal note, the reason of my inactivity is due to the fact that I am indeed still on vacation and have little to no access to the internet where I'm staying. Oh Grandpa…maybe I should start teaching you how to use the computer.
My Numb Booty
Was that title a little vulgar? Hopefully not, since it was a harsh fact last night while I sat through what felt like 14 innings…
…oh wait, IT WAS!
Where do I even start? It's been almost a whole year since I was at Safeco Field last and I definitely got goosebumps when I walked up to it. My favorite seats are in the left field bleachers, 1st row. I'm right above the bullpen (my friend and I debated whether we should fall on top of the White Sox pitchers to prevent them from going out there) and only costs $15. They're my favorite place to sit in Safeco Field so if any of you are ever around, trust me and give those seats a try :]
The weather was amazing; sunny yet low humidity, a cool breeze passing through beautiful Safeco Field. It was raining earlier but we didn't even need the retractable roof.
My friend and I got there around 5:30, just walking around and enjoying the festivities. I was this close to getting the infamous garlic fries (heart burn anyone?) but I think I'll wait till I'm with my family and won't have to worry about spreading garlic breath towards anyone :] Instead, I got me some Ivar's clams 'n' chips.
Um, yum! A White Sox fan was sitting next to me and was complaining about how horrible our food selection was. I've been to a few Major League parks and I can appreciate anything they have and definitely don't have the image that Safeco has poor food selection. If they're right though, I'd love to go to whatever park they go to!
My friend insisted I have a beer but as some of you may know, Asians scientifically are not capable of breaking down alcohol as rapidly as other races so there was no way I was risking getting sick and not fully enjoying the game in lieu of an over-priced beer. :]
Last night's game was the ultimate pitcher's duel. Felix Hernandez vs Mark Buehrle. Both two digit game winners with low ERAs. I'm sure everyone knew this was going to be a low-scoring game but when it was 0-0 in the 13th inning, boy did it truly hit me that this was a pitcher's duel, even way after Hernandez and Buehrle were gone! Sheesh!
They were both absolutely amazing. Felix went 7, Buerhle went 8, both giving up exactly 6 hits. As a biased Mariners fan though, I also would like to mention that Felix had 10 strike outs while Buerhle only had 3. It definitely felt like Felix was getting himself in more of a jam than Buerhle was, though. Felix almost put me into cardiac arrest a few times, that's for sure!
It's always a great game when you get to watch Ichiro in his zone. You always see his excellent offense on TV but it's truly a treat when you get to witness his ninja-like defense in person. In the top of the fifth, Nix was on third base while Alex Rios (his frist start as a White Sox) hit a medium deep fly to right field.
Ichiro ran up to the ball, caught it and within a split second (literally), he threw the ball to Johnson to tag Nix out at home base.
It seriously sent chills up my spine. Johnson didn't even have to move one bit because of Ichiro's accuracy in locating the ball.
That's some serious stuff. :]
After the grueling 14 innings of play, the grand total of hits for each team was 10 for the White Sox and 9 for the Mariners. Of course the only hit that amount to anything was the one that came in the bottom 14th. With Beltre on 2nd base (from a single, then a walk), the lights dimmed in Safeco Field as they played the inspirational yet stressful music while Griffey stepped up to bat. Everyone stood up nervously and was praying furiously (
oh wait, maybe that was just me).
Can you imagine? Everyone's hands over their heads nervously while Griffey swings at a pitch…just watching the ball go deep into the very corner of right field….and as soon as the ball lands, it's over. The insanely lengthy 14 inning game was over. I had to be careful not to fall off the ledge into the visitor's bullpen! We were screaming, shouting, dancing, hugging, shimmy-shimmy-ing, in-your-face-ing the White Sox fans that were on my right, left and behind (why is it that I always end up surrounded by opposing fans whether or not I'm at Safeco?).
Ah, who cares? We won!
On the drive back, I was pretty determined that that game had to have broken some sort of record. I was right! After some minor research before I wrote this blog, I found out I was a part of the longest scoreless game in Mariners franchise history! Nothing to be particularly proud of, but it's a good feeling :]
I tip my (pink) Mariners cap to the White Sox. Just like the Tampa Bay Rays (which unfortunately I missed blogging about :[), it's a great, strong team to beat, the type of team you can really feel good about beating. That's not trying to be rude, it's actually a twisted compliment.
Besides, the White Sox broke my heart (thanks also goes to Aardsma) the night before when they won in the top 9th (3-1) so last night makes up for it, right? :]
P.S Here are some extra pictures taken at Safeco Field last night. Enjoy! ♥
Our famous and awesome retractable roof ♥
"Russell Muscle Power" – from a funny poster ♥ Love him ♥
I can't believe I've been so m.i.a in the past week. I'm constantly thinking about when and what I can blog about but I haven't been able to even get an hour to myself. My trip to Portland, Oregon has unfortunately come to an end, but I took the Amtrak yesterday….
and hauled my butt to…….
where the…….
are playing the…..
…and so far, we have won the first game. Go Mariners! Johjima and Branyan both hit homeruns last night and lifted the Mariners. I feel sorry for French that he got a no decision but he'll get more wins to come :]
See! I have to go now again, I can't wait to have some real time to write decent blogs again. Sorry, so lame!
Oh, but I'm going to the Mariners vs White Sox game tomorrow night with my best friend so I'll have some amazing Safeco Field pictures!
Royalty Unswept
After losing our last series to Texas, I was optimistic about facing the Royals. Not only because they have the worst record in the American League but the Mariners generally have done well against them. As I wrote in my last entry, the first game went well. Too close for comfort, but well.
It's been two games since then and I'd much rather talk about the second game of the series :]
The results were:
8/5: 11-6 Mariners
8/6: 2-8 Royals
Let's start with 8/5:
Our second game against the Royals was a batting clinic game that was much needed for the Mariners. We haven't scored 2 digits in so long yet we've lost by 2 digits plenty of times in the last couple weeks. So that night felt good for us Mariners fans.
It must have felt great too for the new member of our family, Luke French. It was his debut as a Mariner after being acquired from the Tigers for the Jarrod Washburn trade.
I admit, he wasn't exactly superb (5 innings, 4 ER and 2 SO) but the combination of Royals SP Davies horrible night (8 ERs in 3 IP) and his new teammates helping him out, French was able to earn his first comfortable win as a Mariner. Congrats and welcome Luke!
As far as offense, it's one of those games where everyone contributed and each person on the lineup had at least one hit. Our first 3 men in the lineup did an outstanding job each batting at least 2 hits (Branyan had 3), Branyan and Lopez with 3 RBIs each, Ichiro with 2 runs and 1 RBI.
By the end of the night, the Mariners had 16 hits and reached a season high in runs.
Mmmm….felt so warm and fuzzy inside watching (
forcing them to watch) that game with my girlfriends ( that had no clue about what was going on) under the blankets drinking a bottle of Apricot Ale.
If only that carried over to the next night……
…the warm and fuzzy part actually did carry over. Apart from the fact that the Mariners had to put away our brooms pretty much after the 1st inning, it was a memorable night for our Mike Sweeney.
Sweeney, a former and long-time Royal hit his 100th career homerun in Kauffman Stadium that night in front of all his former and current teammates and fans.
How memorable is that? It really pulled me aside from being livid with Vargas.
I'm a crazy ball of emotional and almost cried when the Royals fans gave him a standing ovation.
Awwwwww, warm and fuzzy. ♥
We lost 2-8 yes, and it was rather disturbing because Chen was 0-6 with a 5.28 ERA and I think we all assumed we would be alright. True, Vargas was not all that much better with a 3-5 record with a 5.08 ERA but it was slightly better.
Another Mariner that deserves special mention is Adrian Beltre. It was his second game after returning from the DL and he went 4 for 4 scoring the other run of the game. If only the rest of the team could have helped him out!
Of course it would have been nice to sweep the Royals, but it was a great series all-in-all.
Our next series is against the much anticipated (personally) Tampa Bay Rays! We're putting Felix (12-4) out on the line today against Niemann (10-5).
I'm upset I won't be able to make it up there to sit right by third base :]
On a non-Mariners note, I was glad to see Brad Thompson suspended for three games and fined for throwing a pitch near New York Mets 3rd baseman David Wright's head.
"Major League Baseball vice president Bob Watson said Thursday the pitch in the sixth inning a day earlier was intentionally aimed near Wright's head. It came one inning after the Mets' Nelson Figueroa hit Cardinals star Albert Pujols near his elbow, loading the bases.
The suspension had been set to start Friday, when the Cardinals play at Pittsburgh, but the players' association appealed and any penalty will be delayed until after the disciplinary process." -ESPN
This is a picture of David Wright getting beaned against the St.Louis Cardinals in late June 2009. Poor David, please stop trying to ruin his pretty, pretty face.


text:
Dog Urine Odor Removal Products? Read This First
If you're looking for some sort of dog urine odor removal product, then it's important to make an informed decision before merely going for the first product you come across. When it comes to anything that you will be applying to your dog, be it a soap, conditioner or some other sort of odor remover, you want to make sure it won't harm your dog in any way. And don't make the mistake of presuming that just because a particular product is readily available, that it isn't potentially harmful. Some of the most popular and leading brands of dog care products contain chemicals that would certainly make you think twice if you knew the truth.
With that being the case, what are the most effective dog care products, whether they're shampoos, deodorizers or dog urine odor removal products? The easy answer to that question is: eco friendly dog care products. best dog urine odor remover reviews Not only are they environmentally friendly by consisting of completely natural ingredients, but they offer the best solution for effectively caring for your dog and dealing with problems such as dirt and odors.
Here are some things to consider before using any old odor removal solution:
The Product Should Be Safe: If you're applying any sort of solution to your dog to remove odor, then you want to ensure that it is safe, right? The problem is, is that a lot of readily available products that are used to remove odor are great at getting rid of the smell, but they're potentially harmful to your dog. Many odor removers contain chemicals that irritate your dogs skin, resulting in flakiness or itching. Your dog might smell nice, but it sure won't feel too comfortable. By using a "green" dog odor remover, you can ensure that the product is 100% safe and not only effectively removes any odor, but does so without harming your dog.
Feedback From Other Dog Owners: The hard thing about buying regular dog care products from the store, is that you don't really have any feedback on what other dog owners think of a particular product. However, many of the eco friendly dog care product ranges are available online, so not only can you find out more about what is actually in the products you're using on your dog, but you can see what other people think about them. Many good suppliers will have testimonials that you can read from other happy customers, ensuring that you're onto a winner.
The Product Should Be Natural: Undoubtedly, you also want the product you use to remove odor to only contain natural ingredients. Be sure to know what's in the products you use. You'd be shocked at some of the – frankly unnecessary – chemicals that are used in mainstream dog care products.

subset: commoncrawl


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It's almost as if the leftover evils from last contest are here to strangle us or something.Anyway...
Single Player:
Mario Land 1-1 by Simsmagic: 3/10
Eh, I can tolerate a good little map if it's fun, but this was TOO little for it's own good. 15 seconds and BAM! Done. This idea would have had a little chance to actually rise into something decent if it was longer, but even that is a small possibility since 2D Mario maps just don't translate well.
Chemical Facility Zone by KO.T.E : 10/10
I....oh wow.This is certainly brilliant. I loved every single moment of it. The alternate paths, the gimmicks, the platforming that was fun, that "race against time" section in one area, the custom enemies, EVERY.SINGLE.ONE OF THEM. Keep up the good work.I'm totally disappoint with that secret and I will haunt you for the rest of the voting
Multi Player coming when I actually get a chance to play a netgame....and survive.
The Tortured Planet guy
Mario Land 1-1 by Simsmagic - 3/10
Under normal circumstances this map might be worth more like a 4/10. And by "normal", I mean "I didn't release a map that had all this and more in the previous contest". It's really not possible for me to point out how derivative this map is without coming off looking like an arrogant jackass, but that is exactly what it is. You're quite entitled to make a Mario level just after someone else does the same, of course, and I positively welcome the possibility that my work could inspire other levels, but little details in this stage make it painfully obvious that you had no unique ideas for how to take things in an original direction.
First off, you used precisely the same combinations of textures that I used for much of the background scenery in Pipe Towers Zone. Using things like GRASS2 and SHROOM1 in a Mario level was a highly unusual move when I did it, since they look nothing like what you'd find in a classic Mario stage. Why you would parrot something like that is a mystery to me.
I'll concede that you did invent those hills with eyes in the background. That was all you. But here's the thing: I actually considered doing that in PTZ, and decided not to for precisely the reason that is vividly demonstrated in this level: the lack of slopes in SRB2 makes them ugly as hell.
Besides that, most of the scenery and gameplay was pretty underwhelming. The pipes were squarish, and the black centers were ugly. The whole level consists of jumping around from platform to platform. When I saw the brick block above all those springs, I thought maybe it was going to be a Spin Bust Block...I considered but rejected doing that in PTZ, and sort of regret it, so I thought you might have beaten me to the punch with that concept, which would have slightly redeemed this level. Unfortunately, it was just a disguised ? Block, which I don't find impressive, especially since the flats remain brick even when the block's true nature is revealed.
Let me finish with some more general flaws. The level is too short, it fails to use 2D mode in any interesting way, and the extra sound effects don't really add anything to the experience. Oh, and nice job not forcing the skin to Sonic; I first tried it as Knuckles and couldn't jump high enough to hit the blocks.
What happened to that nifty jungle level you were planning to submit to the previous contest? I would have been eager to try that one out.
Chemical Facility Zone by KO.T.E - 8/10
In general, I like what I see. This level has a lot of original ideas and challenging puzzles wrapped up in a sweet, crunchy coating of great visuals. Nevertheless, there are a few things that I have to complain about.
First of all, a lot of places felt a little too compact. It wasn't cramped enough to seriously hinder gameplay, but it made the level feel a tad restrictive. In general, I'd widen a lot of the hallways and make certain rooms slightly larger, or perhaps shift around some of the scenery to create more room to breathe.
Second of all, you ought to present your gimmicks in a more intuitive manner. I get the feeling that some gimmicks get introduced on path splits in such a manner that "tutorial" rooms can be skipped over, and the player doesn't see the gimmicks until later, when they present more of a challenge. Don't let there be a golden path of discovery interspersed with avenues that deprive the player of crucial information...make it easy for players to discover what to do no matter what path or combination of paths they take. It's absolutely essential in a level like this, which relies so heavily on differently-colored chemicals that exhibit a multitude of behaviors when the player is submerged in them.
Another thing: the blue spheres. Sometimes they're clever, sometimes they're just a nuisance. I like the complex structures in the middle of hallways which emit little chains of orbs; they're good because they force the player to plan ahead, while giving him enough warning so that it's not an unfair challenge. They also have the added effect of breaking up what would otherwise be stretches of monotonous running. On the other hand, I really didn't care for the outdoor section of blue goop that sprayed massive player-seeking swarms of spheres; it may not have been that dangerous, but it was visually distracting.
And while we're on the subject of that particular room, it's very easy to get confused on how to proceed. I ran right past the mechanism that opens the door at the far end, and found myself at a loss for how to get into the next area. Finally, I backtracked and discovered that it was controlled by a glorified button-push all the way back at the start of the room. If you have to use a button at all, you ought to place it in some part of the room that isn't too far away from where the player will be when he really wants it...or at least in a location that will be obvious to the player at that time.
Now, the custom enemies. The squat little things with caution stripes were...okay, I guess. But they really didn't seem to be anything other than Crawlas with a fresh coat of paint. If I'm wrong, and they do exhibit some form of unique behavior that I didn't pick up on, I apologize, but to me they seemed totally generic. I actively disliked the tall, skinny, green things...or more specifically, the way you chose to place them. It seemed as though they were always lying in wait on the edge of a platform to push me back off, which I found annoying.
Finally, I see that you paid attention to my furious rant about file names and typed out the whole name of the level. Thank you so much.
Magma Temple Zone by blahblahbal - 6/10
I was kind of surprised, actually...this isn't half bad. The differing sky heights are visually unpleasant, and that one staircase that uses a different texture for each riser was pretty awful-looking, but the level itself has a pretty competent layout and plays decently.
Eggmatchsion Zone by KO.T.E - 8/10
I don't know why, but I kinda assumed it was a collaboration map while I was playing it. In a good way, I guess. The level is rather large, but it has a nice layout and a vibrant theme. I would recommend that you lower the ceiling height of that big outdoor area, as it makes the giant outer wall of stone slabs look oppressively monolithic and ugly.
Arctic Facility by Kuba11 - 6/10
Another level with a well-executed theme, and it has a solid layout to boot. The side paths were a mite too cramped, but that's my only real complaint here.
Uninspired Name Zone by Scizor300, KO.T.E, and Simsmagic - 0/10
Interesting. Apparently, three collaborators does not make it three times as likely that they won't forget to place Player Starts in the map.
by Charybdizs - 3/10
I adore this level visually, but it just doesn't work. I didn't really have any sense of direction, which is a death knell for a CTF level. If I were you, I'd repurpose it as another gametype...literally any other gametype would be more appropriate.
Dread Valley Zone by Blade - 8/10
Oh my, what a creepy level this is! I love it. The only thing I might change would be the fences; I don't think the player has enough time to avoid them once he sees them.
Spring Factory Zone by KO.T.E - 4/10
I hopped around the blue grids for a while before realizing that they weren't dangerous. In general, the level is pretty to look at, but it makes for a poor race. There are too many sharp turns, and like CFZ, it feels too enclosed in places.
obnoioxies mym litltle pnony refenrence znone by RedEnchilada - 0/10
what the shit
Just another indie game developer...check out my website, Chapman Games!
Last edited by Fawfulfan; 11-14-2011 at 12:57 PM.
Probably Responsible
Spoiler: PROTECTED FOR GENERATIONS
Possibly THE GREATEST POST OF OUR GENERATION
Anyways, I may vote later. I dunno. this contest is pretty shitty, so these 0s and 1s gotta go somewhere.
My awful Twitter account
My also awful YouTube channel
Single Player
Mario Land 1-1 - 3/10
Not much to talk about here. It's too small, nothing but jumping, and no real challenge. The sound effects save this from being a 2.
Chemical Facility Zone - 10/10
My favorite part was where I died at the beginning my first time through and then I saw the
Pinkie Pie ending screen
Magma Temple Zone - 6/10
One section of this map seems like a Singe-player section. Also, some textures need to be aligned, and aforementioned SP-esque section has a texture problem with it's Sky. Otherwise it's cool bro
Eggmatchsion Zone - 10/10
Oh god this map
Capture the Flag
Arctic Facility - 8/10
The only problem I have with this map is that it's much too small, otherwise great fun
Uninspired Name Zone - 9/10
Not enough player starts in this map!
The Map With No Name - 7/10
Too dark, too hard to navigate with Sonic or Knuckles, and broken with Tails.
Dread Valley Zone - 6/10
Beautiful map. It really is. If we were judging solely on look, I would give this a 10/10. But that's only half of the score, the other half is gameplay. No interesting gimmicks, not much varying difficulty, and one almost useless secret path for Tails/Knuckles brings the score down to 6.
Spring Factory Zone - N/A
Did I mention I also made this?
Anyways you guys should totally check out the groovy Knuckles' shortcuts.
obnoxiuos pnoy referinse Zone - 3/10
You can't even complete a lap as Sonic sadface
Other than that, no comment.
Last edited by ThunderNova; 11-02-2011 at 10:56 PM.
So he used the same textures as you did. I don't see why that's so bad. Mystic's texturing job for Aerial Garden has become a staple in this community, and I never saw him complain about people ripping him off. When somebody rips you off in this community, it's a sign that you did something fundamentally right, and as long as it's only a texturing scheme and not some elaborate gimmick, I see no reason to complain.
As far as I see it, Simsmagic only ripped off your texturing because it was good. In fact, it looked so natural that it probably didn't even occur to him that you invented the texturing scheme. So I doubt he was consciously trying to steal your texturing, he just used what he thought looked good. Maybe your map planted this idea in his head, but that's something you should be proud of.
And I don't see how he ripped you off beyond that. The only other things you mentioned were things you considered doing in PTZ but ultimately didn't. It's not a ripoff if he does these, is it?
The Tortured Planet guy
Just another indie game developer...check out my website, Chapman Games!
Last edited by Fawfulfan; 11-01-2011 at 08:11 PM.
i 2 i
ms reflec beat stan
Anyway, I guess I should explain myself. There was a discussion about driving off mappers that might have had potential in the IRC channel (spoilers: we don't do it) and the discussion eventually turned to my maps. SpiritCrusher said I never made an extremely terrible map... which I took as a challenge. Sorry.
Also, there are invisible platforms in the obnioxoius tiwlihgt srpakel rfenencre section, so it's not as annoying as you think it is.
I'm not sure if I should hate you forever for submitting that level, hate myself for giving you the idea or start a huge conspiracy where everybody gives this a 10 so you win the division.
Emblem Radar Ready
No, don't start a huge conspiracy. It will just cause a mass disqualification with people making similar maps, on purpose.
Welcome to my Dimension
ms reflec beat stan
No, don't listen to glaber. START THE CONSPIRACY. I would love it.
Failing that, blame yourself. I'm never the one at fault.
I, the great genius Doctor Ivo Robotnik have decided to grace this OLDC with my magnificent presence to give my verdict on the creations you aspiring level designers have brought forth this contest.
With my stunning portfolio consisting of 20 years of original base designs and arbitrary traps placed in naturally formed ruins, I am fully qualified to make the insightful and informative comments I am about to grace you with.
Single player
Mario Land 1-1 - 3
While I appreciate the gesture in placing the accursed blue hedgehog in the territory of his rival from the 1990's, a Mario stage is simply not designed to accommodate the style of Sonic game and as a result the level suffered.
Flawed concept pushed to one side, the effort put into executing the visuals of this level is certainly commendable, but it isn't enough to rescue what is otherwise an uninteresting port of a level from an old game.
But I suppose with all these time travel antics since the Time Eater went on a rampage, I should expect more old levels being ported to SRB2 in the following months. Confound this Sonic Generations; it will drive designers to make terrible ports of my failed base designs!
Chemical Facility Zone – 8
This concept is relevant to my interests, I do quite enjoy to see bases constructed using the examples and techniques I provide. I am also very pleased to see that certain areas of the factory had my beautiful face on, an excellent touch indeed. However, I am truly baffled to hear the music I placed in Chemical Plant Zone in Sonic Generations is being used here. The adventure hasn't even happened yet! How in the name of 'the planet' did you steal the music before I installed the speakers that would play the music throughout Chemical Plant Zone Modern? Oh, wait, time travel. Confound it.
The various different chemicals used in the facility amused me greatly, however the light blue chemical functions exactly like water. For the sake of clarity, replacing this chemical with water is a good idea. You may argue that letting the hedgehog know exactly what the liquid will do before he touches it is helping him, but water is his weakness and it will strike terror and fear into his very soul!
At the mid-point of the facility, the path splits two ways. There is a problem here as one path is vastly more interesting than the other. To be more specific, the path with creeper-bots is both more varied and enjoyable than the alternate path which only has a short waterslide to keep it fresh and original. In future iterations of this stage, you may want to expand on the path with a waterslide in.
I found the mice badniks in this stage to be excellent pieces of handiwork, especially the way the green mouse works in conjunction with other robots. Good job there, good job indeed. Similarly, the creepers were a great addition to the facility as well. However the placement of the first creeper needs to be changed, it often runs directly into the player instead of pausing and giving them time to react before exploding.
Oh, by the way. I found your little Pony secret room. I hate ponies.
Magma Temple Zone - 2
I am not sure how I should respond to stairs that crazy.
I must say, I found it most peculiar to see that in many cases you had no problems in harming the player with lakes of lava. But many of the lava falls had see through rock barriers in place to keep the confounded animals from burning themselves? How odd and inconsistent.
Some of the areas in this stage are gigantic, while this isn't a problem in of itself, I found there was a frequent issue where the empty spaces made it almost impossible to hit other players. For example, it is possible for a Sonic player to thok with reckless abandon and be almost impossible to hit, without any obstacles for him to avoid in the process.
Oh, and sometimes players spawn in the lava. I have no words to describe how absurd that is, but part of me is also jealous that I have never done that before and roasted the pesky hedgehog on the spot.
Eggmatchsion Zone - 8
Meanwhile, in Mystic Mansion.
The visuals in this stage are nothing short of fantastic, I am quite the fan of the effort you put into making this place appear to be a haunted house. Oh, of course, I also like the statues erected in my honour. That is a nice touch indeed.
The vertical variation in the outside areas of this map were very appealing to me. Giving Tails and Knuckles users a distinct way of approaching the room and travelling that is separate from their spikes and thok happy partner.
You know, I would say this map is nothing short of fantastic! If it wasn't for one little detail… MORE PONY REFERENCES! Confound it!
Arctic Facility – 4
In this map, the detail is tightly packed to the point of it being quite a significant problem. The wide girth of your lord and master, Robotnik, was unable to fit through some of the cramped corridors to be found here and I frequently found myself getting caught on the various crammed together computers and pipes. On the topic of those pipes, some of them block the players path by being ever so slightly too high to step over, when they appear to be fine to simply walk over.
I also found it very difficult to see where I was going when surveying this map and participating in the game. As a result of the blue colourmap casting a dark hue on everything and the blinding use of textures.
This map also contains various nooks and crannies that make it extremely easy for the flag carrier to camp in and be very difficult to take the flag from. For example, behind the decorative water tubes near the conveyor belts.
Uninspired Name Zone - 0
It crashes, genius! A spectacular feat by only the most advanced super villain! Sonic dies as soon as he arrives!
The Map With No Name – 5
What immediately strikes me, is that while your presentation is unique by placing the player an empty void without identity or any unique characteristics. You also rob the stage of any interesting theme beyond "It's in a void without description." Using one of the special stage skies and a choice of music that fits the theme could have averted this problem; even something simplistic such as the outer space theme improved the map vastly for the esteemed Doctor.
The concept behind the map is certainly interesting, but it is also incredibly confusing for a new player and takes several minutes of painful trial and error to understand. While I fully endorse the demise of these red and blue furry recolours, I am unable to enjoy the gladiatorial sport CTF mode provides if they keep dying before they get to fight each other!
Another problem that needs to be addressed is that as the players must climb upwards to reach the flag, but drop down to return it. It makes escaping with the flag trivially easy as the other team have no choice of chasing the flag carrier down, and in terms of reaching the flag the balance is vastly tipped in favour of that accursed two tailed fox thanks to his ability to fly up the level.
This was entertaining after the player learned how the map works, but before that, there was a horrible brick wall learning curve that impeded my experience.
Dread Valley Zone - 7
The use of frequent but small obstacles such as the fences that Sonic must go around while Tails and Knuckles can go over them, along with the use of a shortcut that only Tails or Knuckles can take did a decent job at balancing out the different characters in race mode for this map.
The use of hazards is good, as it succeeds in forcing the participants of the race to be on their toes at all times without becoming cheap. So when they are hurt, it is entirely their fault. Which makes watching a pesky echidna be smacked in the face by a swinging mace all the more satisfying.
I couldn't help but notice the Nightmare Moon insignia used as a decorate object as well. I find myself forced to begrudgingly acknowledge that this is a nice touch that fits the festive Halloween theme, even if I hate these confounded colourful equines.
Spring Factory Zone - 6
At first glance, the blue floors appear harmful to the player and while I appreciate electrocuting or frying those numerous woodland critters invading my factories and facilities, you have made parts of the race course appear harmful when they are not.
The first Knuckles/Tails shortcut in this map needs to be immediately obvious for the racers to notice, it is hidden around a corner when the players attention is focused on the springs and rings directly ahead of them instead.
Ideally, the map should naturally loop around. However, when teleports are used like in this map, you should at least make the teleports appear seamless (for example, a fall similar to the seamless teleport in ERZ2's vents or the infinite falling sections in Ice Cap Zone)
obnoioxies mym litltle pnony refenrence znone - 0
Last edited by Dr Ivo Robotnik; 11-01-2011 at 11:08 PM.
KartKrew Dev
Dr. Ivo Robotnik, you are now my favorite poster on this forum.
Kart Krew Workshop Thread
SRB2 Top Down & SRB2 Kart
it's lamp for supper, kids
But after reading that last sentence... I'm given to the opinion that you didn't play the level with other real players.
You obviously don't know what the gimmick is if you think it would work better in any different gametype. The only reasons you would not know it, are these.
#1: Because you didn't spend any amount of significant time in a game.
#2: Because you didn't play it with other people.
The gimmick is entirely team based, and without people to play against, you're not getting the point.
Still confused? Let me tell you this:
Blue Team is always right side up.
Red Team is always up side down.
The map is the same for both.
Planning ahead is for ninnies who think they can predict every possible outcome. The future is mutable! Go with the flow!
I'm giving it a 10 until I see my name next to KOT.E.'s on the side of Spring Factory Zone.
How did I know it would be there before I posted this
Official Community CoatRack
The Genocide Pack, "MADE IN THE STYLE OF THE 8 AND 16 BIT CLASSICS!"
Graphic & Sprite Modder.
Well... time for me to vote...
> Video < *Features both maps due to how short it was.*
Single Player
*Mario Land 1-1 by Simsmagic - 3/10*
While as Mario level is fine for some, I think it doesn't fit that well as it ends very quickly. And the visuals... while nice, doesn't really do much.
*Chemical Facility Zone by KO.T.E - 7/10*
Well... a fun & decent map although there was a few things that bothered me in a way.
In the video at 0:59, that rising Red Water Room which... can be a dead end if you happen to jump back through the doorway before it fully closes, thus you have to take another route. Seeing how it takes away 10 Rings upon contact with the water can make this room annoying to bypass if you have lots of rings. While "there" are springs in the water to escape, it doesn't help when your near the surface only to get damaged in the air and send you back into the lower area due to the Red Water. Tackle this room with 0 rings and you don't have to worry about that, just don't let a turret snipe you.
At 2:35 in the video, the floor in the water here is uneven, and being that the water is not clear enough to see... you can't really tell of how far you are from the gap where you have to jump over a pit. I lost a good 3 lives there mainly due to ether being too late, or jumping too early. *Not shown in video* If only it was like the DSZ water slides... at least with those you know when to jump at the right time.
Oh, and I found that secret room... which of course scares me... and the Game Over staring into my soul and such.
Overall... it's a fun map, although it still needs some work. I'm sure others can explain it better than me, anyway.
I'm tempted to do the Mutiplayer division as well, mainly due to one map that just had me go... "What were you thinking?" I'll give you a hint... it's has a lot of misspelled words and it's a race map.
Currently thinking of something to put here.
Last edited by SonicX8000; 11-04-2011 at 03:06 AM.
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text:
Hi Guys,
Just a quick one. Has anyone got a link to a good website or guide of different types of knots. My friend is going camping next week and I think it may be useful as they are hiring a boat as well and it is the first time they have done either. It would be useful to print off something that shows them how to tie them. He is not very internet savvy.
Thanks in advance,


text:
In this article you will learn how to add Heading to any chart or tabular report with the ability to customize it. Now, Open the tabular report or visualization where you want to add Label, add the javascript code as shown. Text can be defined in that javascript. Here we have used a "Step Chart". You can also used other charts like bar chart, bubble chart, area spline chart, spline chart, and so on.
Default View of a Chart
Javascript Code :
In Javascript code you can customize the text content for heading. Also, you can use CSS code for defining font-color, font-size, text-alignment so on.
CSS Code :
hi_container.set("postExecution", function () {
$('#main').prepend('

Sub-Heading

');
$('#main').prepend('

Heading

');
}); // you can customize heading and subheading
How to apply a Javascript and CSS code
text-align : center; // alignment is customizable
color: green; // color is customizable
font-size: 20px; // font size is customizable
text-align : center;
color: green;
font-size: 20px;
When you edit any existing or create report, you will be in Adhoc report edit page. Then, go to Custom tab, click script to Inject a Javascript Code and to apply CSS code click Style button.
After applying the code the output will be
In addition, you can add other CSS and Javascripts code for more customizations. Currently, the customization is applied on a chart also you can follow same steps to apply it on a Table and Cross-Tab.
For more info, contact us at email@example.com


text:
Weekend misc. newsBy Julio Franco
More than just a design win for NVIDIA thanks to a strong relationship with the software giant, according to the Inq, every US PC that comes with Microsoft Media Center Edition will also ship with an Nvidia graphics processor.
Intel discontinues i850E and i860 chipsets, goodbye RDRAM.
Hackers use Xbox for more than games, some users increasingly view the Xbox as a cheap appliance easily rigged to operate as a fully functioning personal computer.
ATI may be facing some chip shortage... let's blame NVIDIA for its 'unsuccessful' NV30, ATI attributes the shortage to a huge demand for its products and not lack of supply.
Roxio is near a deal to buy the online music service Pressplay from its owners, Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment. Let's remember Roxio bought what was left of Napster last year and is planning to launch an online music service this year.
Now two news bits from slashdot:
Unlike most "Hacks" in film, The Matrix reloaded actually has an ounce of reality where other films would rely on fancy 3D graphics. You can see more at Insecure.org where they have screenshots. It's only on screen for a split second, but Tritnity uses Nmap to find a vulnerable SSH server, and then exploits it using the SSH1 CRC32 exploit from 2001.
Also a guide to BitTorrent, a newcomer in P2P programs looks to be a work in progress with strong niche potential (that niche would be us, not the average PC user so take a look).


text:
The Pikes Peak Workforce Center will receive $1.4 million from The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for its Summer Work Experience program.
Youths, ages 16 to 24, can gain paid work experience, from May 1 to September 30.
"We hope to create 300 work experiences this summer," said Jeanne Cotter, spokeswoman for PPWFC. "Three hundred young people will get paid and their experience will hopefully lead to future employment."
One caveat of the program, she said, is that employers cannot replace a paid position, nor displace a current employee.
But, in this economy, what's not to love?
Youths get paid to gain experience, and employers gain workers without the usual costs.
Participating employers may be eligible for incentives such as partially subsidized on-the-job training or tax credits, and wages and workers' compensation costs, of course, are covered by the program.
Certain businesses, such as zoos, casinos/gaming facilities, aquariums, pools and golf courses are not eligible for the program.
And high-demand career fields, including health care, applied sciences/engineering, computer systems/technology and green industries are especially sought-after for the program.
Interested employers should submit a job description to Michelle Graham, director of youth programs, at email@example.com.
Youths can visit the PPWFC Web site www.ppwfc.org for more information.
"It's an exciting program," Cotter said. "It's a win-win for employers and youths.
"And it will help youths develop soft skills in a work environment."


text:
With Google I/O in full swing and a mass of exciting new products and features being announced, the company are not letting this get in the way of getting updates pushed out to its current Android OS.
One of the latest updates see Google Search 3.5.14 arrive which brings two very major enhancements, the first of which giving the ability to use the "Ok Google" hotword from not only any screen on your device but also running apps and the lock screen.This is nothing new for users of the Moto X as this has been a key feature of that phone since it launched but it should come as a welcome addition for the rest of us.
Along with the new hotword detection, the update also gives Google Search an Audio History feature which will learn the sound of your voice and the pronunciation of words to help make searches more accurate, although this feature could raise some privacy concerns, Google will let you opt out if you like.
Both implementations can turned on by diving into the settings in Google Now once you get the update but if you can not wait, the folks over at Droid-Life have a download link for the apk.
Source: droid-life


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by Chris Haire
For a while there, the only bad thing about Hello My Name is ... BBQ was finding out where their food truck would be on any given day. And on many occasions, we'd get to thinking that there was nothing we'd like more than a Boss Hog (BBQ pork, slaw, grilled jalapeños, tomato, and, BBQ bacon) from Hello and then discover that the truck wasn't where we needed it to be. Fortunately, thanks to owners Ryner and Cody Burg, Hello now has a worldwide HQ for their barbecue on Meeting Street. On a recent visit, we actually mixed it up a bit and didn't go with the Boss Hog. Instead, we ordered the BBQ sriracha tacos, and, well, they were every bit as awesome as we thought they'd be.
© 2020 Charleston City Paper


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I've only done this small part of Catherine Parr's body and her arms instantly reminded me of the marshmallow man from Ghostbuster's. I'm hoping the further on I get with her torso the less I will stop thinking of the theme tune whilst stitching. It can be off putting 🙂
Tag Archives: history
Above Parr
I have tried to do some stitching over the past few days so thought I would share an update. This is the last of Henry's six wives, Katherine Parr, the only one not to be 'dismissed' in a less than horrible way. Good for her for managing to outlive him and also be a loving and devoted Stepmother to Henry's 3 children. Bit of an odd piece of trivia, but in my opinion an interesting one, her mother was a lady in waiting to Catherine of Aragon and so the king's last wife was actually named after his first! Parr ended up marrying the brother of Jane Seymour (Henry's third wife who died shortly after Edward VI was born) and he was supposedly another bad penny. Gossip circulated that he was carrying out an illicit affair with the teenage princess and future Queen Elizabeth I, who often stayed with her Stepmum and her hubby. With her being twice widowed before her marriage to the king and then the weddings that followed, she sure could pick them! 🙂
Kissing cousins
After I've been a bit awol (I won't go into the boring details of illness), I have a new Henry update showing his fifth wife, Katherine Howard. She is the wife who 'innocently' had numerous affairs and was apparently an all round bit of a flirt, that being eventually blamed on her youth and naivety. 30 years her senior, the increasingly more gluttonous Henry clearly wasn't quite her cup of tea and her lusty ways led her to the same fate as her cousin, Anne Boleyn. Maybe Henry should have just avoided that family, more for their sake than his 🙂
Dorian Gray
Yay! Back to the characters and no more roses for a while! This was the only queen who was no longer wanted and yet managed to stay in favour with the ever mood-swinging Henry. Anne of Cleves was a bit of an anomaly, her beauty in the flesh did not live up to her portrait's depiction, so Henry being Henry, after marrying her to uphold the political alliance with her German home country, decided she wasn't quite as pretty as he would like, even going so far as her being cruelly dubbed as 'Flander's mare'. Despite the jibes and the huge embarrassment of being shunned by the increasingly obese and grotesque king, Anne managed to stay in favour enough to still be welcome at court and be known as 'the king's sister'. Obviously her main calling card was her lack of opposition to their divorce and the alliance with Germany, but she still remained astute enough to still be invited to Palace parties. She certainly had her head screwed on, literally, which is rare in the presence of Henry! 🙂
I don't be-leaf it!
This is a couple of days worth of stitching and I am very pleased to say I have finished the majority of the border and the rest I can only really do once some more of the characters are done. So I'm really glad about that so I can get off the more boring repetitive sewing and back to my more favoured figures. Sod's law will probably say that I will miss doing the roses now I have said that 🙂
Deceptive appearances
With every commenter agreeing with me about needing to restitch the 'Henry VIII' banner, I did, despite it still looking unnoticeable. This time, it is just the monitor distance and photography rather than it being too thinly sewn as it was before and in person looks a lot better. I'm not making excuses, pinky promise! 🙂
Under the banner
I haven't finished the banner yet, but I have already decided that I will be back stitching the written 'Henry VIII' again because I can barely see it. If anyone disagrees and thinks it would make the text too prominent then I would appreciate the thoughts. As far as my own mind says, I will be relining it later on, but I may be swayed if opinions vary 🙂
Three's not a crowd
This is the latest update, with the third rose and I have got some wind beneath the sails with the border now so am not so hating of the metallic and the white, which is also a thread I'm not keen on. I'm just getting on with it so I can concentrate on the nicer more colourful bits. A bit like eating all your veg on a roast dinner and leaving the Yorkshire pudding until last 😀
Two of a kind
getting the ball rolling
Last night I started the humongous task of stitching the border to the Henry scene. This is the first of many roses so I just thought I'd do some of them instead of concentrating on the rest of the bodies so it wouldn't feel so labourious if I left it until last. The inner rose has a metallic gold bud, so my arch nemesis in the sewing world is back to get my goat once again! Another good reason to start the border sooner than later… 🙂


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I've Been There
The decision to practice purity until marriage was one of my immediate struggles when I first considered following Christ. Sexual purity was a cross I knew I must be willing to bear as a Christian. Unfortunately, relationships go hand-in-hand with sex today. To announce that you are practicing abstinence, refraining from sex until marriage, for most people is to narrow your prospects down to little or none. As opposed to God's guidelines for relationships, today sex is considered a "given" in love relationships. The tension I felt between my desire to please God and my fear of sexual and romantic isolation was unbearable. The woman who desires to live for Christ cannot ignore the role purity plays in her affections toward Him.
Before Christ takes the throne in our hearts, we (women) tend to be ruled by our strongest desires–to unveil our beauty, to be loved unconditionally, and to be engaged in something bigger than ourselves. These desires and legitimate needs are not bad in-and-of themselves, but when they are pursued in our desire to please self and reject God they become self-destructive.
We think we've got relationships all figured out, but by the time we realize we don't we're too skeptical to ask God how we should do "romance" and "relationship." We ask ourselves: "Can I trust God to give me a spouse? Will God's way really work?" I'm not reading your mind, girl. I've been there. I was so doubtful that I could have a God-fearing, handsome, and reliable husband if I did things God's way. But trusting God –not myself– paid off, and it can pay off for you too if you're willing to prioritize your relationship with Jesus and trust Him for your future spouse.
Why Should I Practice Purity When I Feel So Lonely?
Romantic relationships influence you from the inside out. This is why God told the Israelites not to intermarry with pagan peoples. Our romantic feelings for someone tend to make us dumb at times. Just ask Adam. Even the serpent in Genesis 3 recognized this vulnerability when He first tempted Eve, who then turned around and tempted Adam to eat the forbidden fruit. Purity will help you keep your good sense when it comes to spiritual matters.
If you think you can date someone who doesn't love the Lord, engage in something as intimate as sex, and emerge with your faith and affections toward God unscathed then you need to wake up, Sister! Here's a short list of Bible dudes that have messed up BIG TIME because of the influence of their sexual partners:
- Adam: He allowed his wife Eve to persuade him to disobey God, and introduce sin into the world. Ouch. (Note that Eve is not foreign to who God is. Even Christian women –and men– can influence their love interests to sin.)
- King David: He had Uriah killed so that He could take his wife, whom David was having an affair with Bathsheba. (2 Samuel 11)
- King Solomon: He started worshipping idols, and building temples for them thanks to the persuasion of his pagan lovers. (1 Kings 11)
Adam was born perfect, Solomon was the wisest man to ever live, and King David was a man after God's own heart, but they all fell! Face it. You don't stand a chance! Your best bet is to avoid sexual sin altogether.
Sometimes our feelings of loneliness are misinformed. We think all of our problems will be solved if we are in a relationship. Sex and romance are glorified as soul fulfilling. Because of this we often have a tendency to equate being in a relationship with our personal worth and satisfaction in life. This attitude sets you up for the okey-doke in 2 ways:
- You're held hostage by your relationship status.
- You devote yourself (physically and spiritually in sex) to a relationship that can neither fulfill you nor make you feel unconditionally loved.
Just because you're in a relationship with someone now, doesn't mean you'll always be together. Speaking from my own experience, just because you have sex with someone –even if it's the first time for both of you– it doesn't mean you'll get married. In fact, statistically speaking, you increase your chances of not getting married or ending your marriage in divorce as your number of sexual partners increase.
The world practices false advertising when it comes to relationships. Pop stars, poets, and movies sell you romance with the promise of security, unconditional love, and fulfillment, but in the end our way of romance fails to deliver. As long as two people are together, you can guarantee that at some point pain will be involved –because people are not inherently good or perfect. As soon as one of you doesn't feel adequately stimulated or becomes bored, you'll hit that ole dusty trail and be looking for the next victim.
Practicing purity is a practical way to remember that your worth and identity are found in Christ, not your relationship status (Colossians 3:1-3). Once this becomes a reality in your life, the world's unachievable standard for relationship loses its power in your life. God designed relationships to flourish as we grow in our understanding of Him and His love and grace towards us (Ephesians 5:21-33). Your relationship with God equips you to demonstrate the grace your spouse will need in marriage. Likewise, your future husband's relationship with God will help him store up the grace you'll need in marriage. (Think of showing grace like your capacity to forgive wrongs and love each other despite your flaws.)
5 Ways God Makes His Love Felt As You Practice Purity
Instead of solidifying our relationship, having sex with my boyfriend only intensified the pain I felt after we broke up. The pain felt like a boulder that had crushed my heart into millions of tiny unrecognizable pieces. My first reaction was to replace that broken relationship with a new one, so I'd forget the pain. God rescued me in my depression and loneliness by making His love feel as tangible to me as the person I used to sleep beside. Here are 5 ways that God makes His love felt as we practice purity.
Through answered prayer, I could see in measurable ways how God was changing my heart and perspective about "relationships" and boundaries. Speak privately with God about any pain, loneliness, anxiety, temptation, or depression you feel as you seek to do relationships His way (Psalm 61:2). (I encourage you to pray these things out loud in a private place. This will help you work out your feelings and let out some of the pain.) Ask God to comfort, delight, and satisfy you with His love. Ask God to educate you on how to do "love" and "relationships" His way through His Word. Pray that He will provide female friends that will support you, hold you accountable, and encourage you as you practice purity.
Reading God's word was like reading His own proclamation of His love for me, which He demonstrated in Jesus Christ. The gospel is God's standard for love, which exceeds the standard of the world. The Bible also instructed me on God's design for relationships, and Biblical womanhood and manhood. When I started focusing on becoming a mature Christ-follower, I naturally became more like the woman that would attract the godly man I desired. And with my identity in Christ, I could call off my search for a Messiah, which vastly increased both my pool of prospects and future relationship's survival rate.
Meditating on God's Word protected me from me (Psalm 19:7–9). Instead of focusing on how you feel or how things seem bleak for your romantic life at the moment, why not focus on God's promises? Don't waste your time having a pity-party or engaging in bad self-talk. The worst time to rehearse your thoughts is when you're depressed about something. Break the cycle and start focusing on solutions by conditioning yourself to remember God's word when you're tempted sexually.
Let's say you're lonely, so you start thinking about calling up that guy (or girl if you're struggling with same-sex attraction) that will help give you some sexual relief. Well instead of lingering on that thought, whip out God's truth and start meditating on it. Like 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 for example:
"God's will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor— not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and His ways."
Redirecting our hearts to God's truth when we feel tempted helps us avoid pulling the trigger on sexual sin. Download the worksheets and print out some scripture cards to help you start doing this immediately.
Did you know that having a support system could double your chances to reach your fitness goals? Just having a buddy running with you doubles your chances to reach the finish line. Well, the same is true for spiritual fitness (Proverbs 27:17; Job 16:20-21)! You're more likely to succeed in practicing purity when you have someone in your corner, encouraging you and even relying on you too!
God blessed me with two Christian friends that were going through breakups at the same time as me. He used the college pastor at my church to link us up, and we've been best friends ever since. We were able to encourage each other, go out and have fun together, to pray for each other, cry with each other, study God's word together, and even just sleep over each others' houses when our pain became too much for us to bear alone. Their Christ-like love for me is one of the major ways God kept me from slipping into sexual sin and really made me feel loved despite my pain.
Shortly after I became a Christian God blessed with the opportunity to go and live in Japan—this was a dream come true for me. It was a sweet, sweet, blessing for me after going through a painful breakup and heavy depression. Thinking back on all of the road trips I could've taken, countries I could have visited, time I could've spent honing my skills, and people I could've made time to help and encourage, I get irritated at how wasteful I was!
One of my biggest regrets concerning my singleness is the amount of time I wasted moping around because I didn't have a boyfriend. There is more to life than sex and romance! They're great gifts—I'm a witness to that—but don't have tunnel vision! Start writing out your bucket list and knock some of those things out girl—before you have kids and before you're clearing debt for two people (Ecclesiastes 11:9)! Ask God to lead you in your decision making, to show you which goals He wants you to accomplish and which He doesn't, and to bless you as you endeavor to please Him and have fun in life!
Purity When It's All Said and Done
The object of this article is not to learn how to pimp God and get a spouse. You've got the wrong gospel, my friend. The point is that purity is a safeguard designed to lead us into God-planned and God-centered relationships that delight us and leave us in awe of God's ingenuity! God wants you to enjoy sex. Sex is a good thing, but only when we enjoy it God's way—in the context of a God-centered union between a man and woman. When you commit to practicing purity because you're fulfilled in Christ, sex becomes more than a three-letter word, and that's what you really want, isn't it?


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Shell Julep Strainer
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Winds were forecast to increase to high teens Saturday afternoon and Sunday was forecast to be in the high teens gusting to mid twenties. Most folks decided to cross Charlotte harbor mid day Saturday before the winds increased. The return trip to Placida was a beat into unpleasant Charlotte Harbor chop for the first hour or so then the water smoothed out in the lee of Little Cape Haze and the rest of the sail was great. Ron, Chris, Tim and I holed up behind Dog island and had a good dinner at The Fisheries followed by a great night's sleep in a gentle mid sixties breeze. Sunday morning I dawdled around with kite-cam just a little too long and ended up stuck on the falling tide. Had a very nice day just relaxing and piddling about the boat. Floated free around 5pm. Retrieval at the ramp was super quick as Egret was already de-rigged and road ready.
Great shot by Ron Hoddinott of Egret and I approaching Pelican Bay .
Pelican Bay Saturday afternoon.
Ron and the fleet.
Elcapitan Gerry arriving. Gerry prepared delicious steamed dumplings for the whole group. How he fits all that in the canoe is as impressive as his sailing that open canoe through some pretty rough Charlotte Harbor waters.
Saturday morning, Sun Cats preparing to motor back to Pine Island.
Tim Webb in Red Wich and I on the way to Dog Island.
Tucked in out of the wind behind Dog Island
Chris ferrying us to The Fisheries for dinner.
Bellies full, happy bunch.
Sunday morning, after a good night's sleep, it was time to play with kite-cam.
The sky looks like winter in Jersey but it actually was perfect temperature.
That's not a selfie stick. THIS is a selfie stick.
Winds aloft were so strong that I enlisted Chris's help to winch the kite back in.
Ron leaving for Eldred's.
Chris preparing to leave.
Had all day so after talking things over with Wilson we decided to fly kite-cam some more.


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Commercial Appeal, The
The Commercial Appeal is the only daily newspaper distributed in Memphis, Tennessee.
1 article
Felice Brothers: Roots-Revivalist Wind Propels Earthy Band
Interview by Andria Lisle, Commercial Appeal, The, 2 November 2007
A FEW years ago, New York native James Felice was living in his car. Now, in a band called the Felice Brothers — which includes James' real-life ...
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text: LCJ Q&A: Stunt Coordinator Julie MichaelsMarch 10, 2019 By Jackson Murphy One of Hollywood's premiere stunt coordinators, Julie Michaels ("SEAL Team", "Titanic"), is behind a new campaign to get a Stunt Performance Oscar category: #StandUpForStunts. ——————————— The LCJ Q&A Podcast is hosted by Emmy award-winning film critic, entertainment reporter and media personality Lights Camera Jackson. Jackson interviews actors, directors, writers, producers, animators, TV hosts, comedians […]CONTINUE


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As the Internet becomes more complex, there's good money in being an online traffic cop.
Dyn Inc., which helps Web-based businesses speed up their applications and avoid crashes, has raised a $50 million private equity investment. With more than 400 employees, the Manchester company is one of the great hopes of New Hampshire's startup community. It expects to surpass $100 million in annual sales this year.
Dyn's main product connects an easily remembered name for a website, such as bostonglobe.com, to the numerical Internet protocol address that represents the site's actual location online. That allows Web users to quickly look up websites, social media accounts, or online software programs instead of memorizing a series of digits.
The company has made nearly a dozen acquisitions over the years and has added new product lines in an attempt to increase sales.
Dyn also sells Internet monitoring services that let IT managers identify traffic hiccups, and traffic-routing applications that send users' clicks to the closest or fastest data center in a network.
"You can think of it like building a Google maps for the Internet," said chief executive Jeremy Hitchcock, who cofounded Dyn in 2001 as a student at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
Dyn boasts prominent companies as customers, including Twitter, Visa, Netflix, British Telecom, and The Boston Globe.
Handling the Internet's digital plumbing has become more important as software programs and online services shift to cloud computing, or storing digital assets in a series of remote server farms instead of at a central data center or on the user's own computer.
"The market has run right toward them," said Steve Duplessie, founder of the IT analyst firm Enterprise Strategy Group. "The Internet slowing down today is the same as a server crashing yesterday — it negatively affects productivity, and causes customers to hate me. Dyn helps mitigate that from happening."
Dyn has several competitors in the field of managing how the Internet functions, including Neustar Inc., Verisign Inc., Amazon Web Services, and Akamai Technologies Inc. in Cambridge, said Jim Davis, an analyst at 451 Research.
Hitchcock said the new investment will help Dyn add employees and potentially acquire more companies, particularly amid signs that private investment for tech companies is slowing in response to a stagnant market for initial public offerings of stock.
"We think this will be a good time to pick up good talent and good companies if the opportunity arises," he said.
This is just Dyn's second round of investment since it was founded. It raised $38 million, led by North Bridge Venture Partners, in 2012.
Curt Woodward can be reached at email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @curtwoodward.


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Shane Warne says former AFL star Brendon Fevola is "too f--kin dumb to understand" after the pair clashed on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here.
The pair had a heated exchange of words on last night's episode of the Ten Network reality program as their fellow contestants watched intently.
The argument was sparked by the seemingly trivial matter of who should cook. Fevola suggested it should be someone other than the designated cooks, despite the rules saying only they should use the bush kitchen.
When Warne told the former footballer rules were rules, Fevola fired up.
"Don't f--king tell me to zip it," Fevola said.
"I'm not snapping."
"Mate if you are going to be picky every time someone picks up a fry pan there's going to be issues," Warne said.
The two retired sports stars then separated themselves from each other before sharing their thoughts on the tension with the TV audience.
"I was a bit disappointed with Fev for that," Warne said. ".
"I think he let himself down because he just let himself snap but I think Fev is really missing home today so it was probably something like that set him off."
Fevola said he was just sticking up for himself.
"It was just over rules. I was right and he was wrong," he said.
Warne was less diplomatic later in the episode when he was recorded discussing the clash with fellow contestant Akmal Saleh.
"It is a sign of weakness. He is just too f---ing dumb to understand," Warne said.
Reflecting on the incident later, Saleh said he was surprised the "alpha males" hadn't clashed earlier.
"You are under extreme conditions, you're not eating properly and you are living in each other's pockets. I commend everyone in the camp that no one has been stabbed in the eye with a fork," he said.


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Telephone: 01920 460511
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We believe your wedding should be as individual as you are so together we can create your dream wedding - our goal is to see your wedding day dreams fulfilled. Our dedicated team of professionals pull out all the stops to ensure we deliver the very best of everything.


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USTA and Deloitte Announce Wide-Ranging Relationship has been saved
Press releases
USTA and Deloitte Announce Wide-Ranging Relationship
Deloitte to Help USTA Grow the Game
New relationship includes sponsorship of the US Fed and Davis Cup Teams, US Open and US Open Wheelchair Competition
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Jan. 23, 2017 — Deloitte announced today a long-term and wide-ranging agreement with The United States Tennis Association (USTA). As part of the agreement, Deloitte will sponsor both the US Davis Cup and US Fed Cup teams, as well as become an official sponsor of the US Open and the first-ever sponsor of the US Open Wheelchair Competition.
As a sponsor of the Davis Cup and Fed Cup, Deloitte's logo will be featured on US team warm-up jackets; Deloitte will also support US Team Events in markets where the competitions are being held. The US Davis Cup team begins its 2017 Davis Cup campaign Feb. 3 in Birmingham, Alabama, against Switzerland. The US Fed Cup team begins its 2017 campaign against Germany in Maui, Hawaii, Feb. 11.
At the US Open, Deloitte will become the first-ever sponsor of the US Open Wheelchair Competition. The wheelchair competition is held annually, except in Paralympic years. This sponsorship is an extension of Deloitte's commitment to Paralympic sports.
"We couldn't be more pleased that our initial relationship with Deloitte has now expanded to this broader support of USTA properties and the sport of tennis," said Gordon Smith, USTA chief operating officer and executive director.
They have a world-class team and by collaborating to support world-class tennis events, Deloitte will help the USTA realize its mission of growing the sport of tennis in the US.
"We share the USTA's vision to promote and expand the game of tennis," said Cathy Engelbert, chief executive officer, Deloitte US. "I have been playing the game since I was six years old with my dad and five brothers, so I know firsthand how it teaches life lessons: integrity, dedication and competitiveness. It is also a lifelong sport that is important to the mental and physical well-being of so many people of different ages and backgrounds. We are proud to support the USTA with our innovative thinking and creativity. We're excited to do our part in helping make sure that the next generation of leaders continues to benefit from the enjoyment and lessons of the game."
Deloitte is also working with the USTA to revamp USTA's core enterprise digital technology and build the USTA's grassroots digital capabilities. A main initiative will be the development of a suite of products to help the USTA deepen its connection to tennis players. This suite of tools will also look to encourage more people, especially youth, to pick up the game of tennis. In addition to its professional services work with the USTA, Deloitte will support USTA initiatives and assets, including programs that celebrate community impact and promote inclusion, empowered well-being and innovation in and beyond the tennis community.
Deloitte's USTA sponsorship adds to its extensive sports sponsorship portfolio. While 2016 was a breakout year for Deloitte as a sports sponsor, the approach to sponsorships is Deloitte's true differentiator. As the world's leading professional services organization, Deloitte professionals work with sports organizations to help them innovate, to look again at unrealized opportunities, to adapt to change, and to more effectively pursue their missions. Since 2009, Deloitte's sponsorship efforts have expanded to include: the United States Olympic Committee, the United States Golf Association, USTA, USA Rugby, US Equestrian, US Speedskating, the Warrior Games, Dare2Tri Paratriathlon Club and Team Dimension Data (cycling). Visit Deloitte's sport sponsorships page for more information.
About Deloitte
Deloitte provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to many of the world's most admired brands, including 80 percent of the Fortune 500 and more than 6,000 private and middle market companies. Our people work across more than 20 industry sectors to deliver measurable and lasting results that help reinforce public trust in our capital markets, inspire clients to make their most challenging business decisions with confidence, and help lead the way toward a stronger economy and a healthy society. For more information, visit Deloitte's US website.
About The USTA
The USTA is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the United States and the leader in promoting and developing the growth of tennis at every level — from local communities to the highest level of the professional game. A not-for-profit organization with more than 715,000 members, it invests 100 percent of its proceeds in growing the game. It owns and operates the US Open, the highest-attended annual sporting event in the world, and launched the Emirates Airline US Open Series, linking seven summer WTA and ATP World Tour tournaments to the US Open. In addition, it owns approximately 90 Pro Circuit events throughout the US and selects the teams for the Davis Cup, Fed Cup, Olympic and Paralympic Games. The USTA's philanthropic entity, the USTA Foundation, provides grants and scholarships and helps under-resourced youth and individuals with disabilities, and supports wounded, ill and injured service members, veterans and their families. For more information on the USTA, log on to usta.com, "like" the official Facebook page, facebook.com/usta, or follow @usta on Twitter.
As used in this document, "Deloitte" means one or more of Deloitte USA LLP, Deloitte LLP and their respective subsidiaries. Please see www.deloitte.com/us/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte USA LLP, Deloitte LLP and their respective subsidiaries. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting.


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Recession: NCC reveals that the internet users in Nigeria declined to 91.2 million in January
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has revealed that the number of internet users in Nigeria's telecommunications networks declined to 91, 274,446 in January.
This was disclosed in its Monthly Internet Subscribers Data for January 2017. Internet users dropped to 91,274,446 in January as against 91,880.032 users recorded in December 2016, showing a decline of 605,586.
GSM service providers, according to the data released, lost 605,586 internet customers. For Etisalat, the data showed 13,564.284 customers browsed the internet in January revealing a decrease of 188.656 users against the 13,752.940 users recorded in December 2016.
MTN which had 31,015.45 subscribers browsing the internet on its network in January, had a drop of 737, 964 internet subscribers in January after recording 31,753.369 in December 2016.
However, Airtel had 19,618.485 internet users in January, adding 254, 94 customers to its December record of 19,363.545 and Globacom had 27,076,272 internet users in January, recording an increase of 66,094 users from the 27,010.178 users of the internet on the network in December 2016