text:
December 2008
Goodbye 2008, you will not be missed…
on the kind of fun and excitement generated by press conferences like
the one above, there was no way that I could (in good conscience) call
yet another to wish this calender year a fond farewell. But, believe
me, I wanted to. This visual aptly sums up the theme of this season in
Atlanta Braves history – perhaps more swiftly and soundly than the glut
of words to follow. A simple theory (if you will note the pictures) would be to blame all of this on those dreaded new blue alternate road jerseys. Suffice it to say, good riddance 2008!
There was a palpable excitement when the Braves reported to Spring Training this season. The return of Tom Glavine gave Atlanta a rotation that boasted four former 20-game winners. Unfortunately, Glavine, John Smoltz, Tim Hudson and Mike Hampton were unable to complete one full turn through the rotation at any point during the season.
and Smoltz could not provide the vintage Cy Young magic of their pasts,
both falling to injury in April and combining for just 18 starts
between them. When Hampton tore a pectoral muscle just prior to his
first start of the season, Atlanta found themselves operating without
three of their five regular starters. Hudson was not far behind. Those
losses would prove to be crippling to Atlanta's play-off hopes.
rotation could have been viewed as a complete blackhole by the end of
July, were it not for the sparkling work of rookie right-hander Jair Jurrjens.
Acquired in a trade from the Detroit Tigers, Jurrjens finished his
first full season in the majors 13-10 with 3.68 ERA in 31 starts. Not
bad for a guy who was battling for the fifth spot in the rotation in
Grapefruit League play.
Hampton would eventually make it back,
returning in late July – just as Hudson's season was being cut short by
Tommy John surgery. Settling in after a few rocky outings, Hampton
contributed solid work and quality innings over the season's final
months. It was the first work for the left-hander since August of 2005.
suffered a shoulder injury and was shelled in seven starts before a
demotion to Richmond. Atlanta did see some quality work from Jorge Campillo, who gave the club 25 much needed starts and proved to be the only capable fill-in.
The Braves bullpen performed admirably in the face of overuse and injuries. Projected closer Rafael Soriano was a non-factor for much of the season with a mysterious elbow ailment. A success story in 2007, Peter Moylan was out by mid-April with Tommy John surgery of his own. Mike Gonzalez returned midway through the season to assume the closer's role and re-established himself as a late inning force. Will Ohman, Jeff Bennett and Blaine Boyer provided the majority of the middle relief work, all making more than 70 appearances.
When it came to the offensive side, it would have been a good pre-season indicator to know that Chipper Jones
was going to win the NL batting title. As Chipper goes, so goes the
Braves line-up. However, poor indicators would have been to reveal that
Jeff Francoeur would regress to the point of being banished to the minor leagues and Mark Teixeira would be traded away prior to the July deadline.
struggles were just a microcosm of the Braves season. His average
dropped 54 points to .239, home runs fell from 19 down to 11 and RBI
plummeted from 105 to 71 as compared to 2007's numbers. The quick
decline have put contract extension talks on hold and put Francoeur's
young star status in question.
Lost at the plate, Francoeur was
sent to Double A Mississippi in hopes it would jump start his bat.
Problems arose from the demotion, as Francoeur voiced his disapproval
to several media outlets in the days that followed. It made little
matter, because the trip down only lasted for three games. Francoeur
was back to his regularly scheduled struggles.
With Teixeira
traded to the Angels and Francoeur trying to find himself, the Braves
lineup hinged on the health of Jones and the production of catcher Brian McCann, who earned his third consecutive All-Star appearance.
batted .301 with 42 doubles and a club-leading 23 homers and 87 RBI.
His strong work may have been one of the only factors that kept the
Braves line-up from coming apart at the seams. I would rattle off a few
more statistical accomplishments of other members of the supporting
cast, but Jones and McCann fill the star character roles nicely for this end-of-year
Pressing through a variety of injuries for the fifth season in a row,
Jones average climbed for the fifth campaign as well. Jones grabbed the
batting crown he had just missed in 2007, hitting .364 and belted his
400th homer to boot. That wasn't the only time the number 400 and Jones
would be mentioned in the same sentence last season. Flirting with a
.400 average through most of June was hardly what most teams expect
from their 36-year old third baseman, but it seems Jones is simply
getting better with age.
Though the season was a 72-90
disaster, a record which was a reversal of what many predicted the
Braves to finish with at worst, there was hope that resonated through
the off-season. General manager Frank Wren came into the winter
with more than $40 million to work with in re-tuning the
rotation and adding a power-hitting left fielder.
Trade talks for Jake Peavy fizzled, as did subsequent attempts to sign free-agent starter A.J. Burnett. Despite this, Wren was able to strike a deal with the White Sox to bring middle of the rotation stalwart, Javier Vazquez, into the fray. His track record of durability was something Atlanta was without in 2008.
have deemed the off-season a complete disappointment, with no bigger
exclamation point than that of the negotiations that turned into a big
game of Deal or No Deal with Rafael Furcal. What ever
happened, intent to sign or not, the Braves came up short in yet
another off-season pursuit. The pains of those dealings may carry on
for years to come, as the Braves have vowed to never do business with
the Wasserman Media Group again.
that 2008 has mercifully come to a close, there is reason to hope that
the next two months will see Wren make improvements to the club for
2009. It may not be a year of contention and World Series hopes, but
with top prospects remaining in the system rather than heading to San
Diego, the Braves could return to their play-off ways by resuming the
tradition of cranking out young talent and promptly supplementing them
with the right veterans.
Here's to 2009!
Till then,
Hey Fookie, don't forget to RSVP…
If you thought the Jake Peavy saga was enough to sour the Atlanta off-season… And if you thought it was frustrating when A.J. Burnett chose the Yankees over the Braves… then you must have loved the drama that unfolded when the Braves were scorned in their pursuit of free-agent shortstop Rafael Furcal.
Monday morning, it was the Oakland Athletics running out in front of the pack with a four-year offer for Fucal's services. There was a mystery team in the running, with the Kansas City Royals, Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers all believed to be interested to varying degrees. That msystery team, as we now know, turned out to be the Atlanta Braves, who offered Furcal a three-year deal worth a reported $30 million and included a vesting option for a fourth season.
Everything seemed to be beautiful for a fleeting couple of hours if you're into the homecoming story of Atlanta's not-so-long-lost lead-off man. Frank Wren and the Braves front office believed a deal was verbally agreed to and went as far as to schedule a flight and physical for Wednesday. As reports trickled out, it turned out to be news to Dodgers GM Ned Colletti, who stated that his club was still in negotiations to retain Furcal. That is where we come off the tracks.
This story has twisted and turned and finally landed in the completely bizarre. Furcal's Atlanta-based agent, Paul Kinzer, managed to thoroughly upset the apple-cart as it comes to the Braves front office. Atlanta believes that Kinzer took a signed term sheet (a binding agreement that would have put into motion a full contract following the physical) and shopped it openly to the Dodgers. Is it any coincidence that the Dodgers jumped from luke-warm interest (having made it clear that a 2-year deal was all they were interested in) to making a 3-year deal with a fourth year vesting option for… $30 million?
That raised a few eyebrows and more than a few red flags in my book. The fact that the Braves say they were lead to believe that they had an verbal agreement with Kinzer is hard to comprehend. How could they think they had a deal? How do you misunderstand a player agreeing to a deal in principle? I still don't know how each side can state so fervently that they are in the right. Somebody is lying here folks. And I'm not even going to get into the debate regarding a position switch that may have been a deciding factor working against the Braves.
Personally, I don't mind Furcal returning to the Dodgers. His major back surgery is not something that would lead me to believe he is fully recovered after just one week in late September and a handful of post-season games. Back injuries are tricky, and the Braves may have dodged a bullet (much-pun intended) by allowing the Dodgers to step up and "steal" Furcal away for a multi-year deal.
Wren and Braves President John Schuerholz have gone on the record as calling the moves made by Furcal's agents "dispicable" and have stated they will never do business with the Wasserman Media Group again. Who knows if cooler heads will eventually prevail, but this thing has turned into a full scale fued.
The Braves have work to do, most notably, they need to acquire a front of the rotation starter and one more hitter to solidifty the rotation and the line-up. The free-agent pool offers a few options but it seems logical that one of these needs will be filled by a trade. Could it possibly be Jake Peavy after all this time?
Things are slow in Bravesland, but there's still time on the clock for Wren to make it happen.
Till next time,
That's just Manny being… a Yankee?
It is not hard to imagine that the New York Yankees still have money to spend and needs to fill. The question is, how much money and on who will with they spend it? How about Bronx native Manny Ramirez?
Keep in mind, this is the same Manny Ramirez who was reportedly mulling retirement if he did not receive an offer which matched the criteria he is seeking this off-season. Perhaps that is just Manny being ridiculous (thanks Ben K. from RiverAveBlues.com). This is the same Manny Ramirez who was suspected of feigning injury in his final days in Boston. This is the same Ramirez who was reportedly involved in some kind of altercation with a clubhouse attendant over ticket requests. Keep all that in mind.
And keep this in mind. Ramirez is a game changing, clutch-hitting, power machine that can strike fear into the heart of any opposing pitcher. This is the Ramirez who carries a career .314 average, 527 homers and 1,725 RBI in 2,103 contests (that's an average of 41 homers and 133 RBI per 162 games). This is the Ramirez who hit .396 and drove in 53 runs down the stretch to lift the Dodgers into the play-offs. This is the same Ramirez who may be the greatest right-handed hitter of his generation.
So which one of these scenarios is truly, Manny being Manny?
Agent to the stars, Scott Boras, has at least one interested suitor in the L.A. Dodgers. Negotiations there have been somewhat of a mini-soap opera, with Dodgers GM Ned Colletti spending some time pondering over why the team did not hear from Ramirez and Boras regarding the offer they extended in mid-November when clubs had exclusive rights to their free-agents to be. That deal was reported to reach up to $60 million, if a third year option was exercised.
The Yankees may just choose to let the Angels, Red Sox and Nationals have a spending frenzy over switch-hitting first baseman Mark Teixeira. We know Teixeira will get his money from some club, but is anyone really pondering giving Ramirez a 5-year pact north of $100 million? He would certainly provide significant power to a Yankees line-up that is in state of flux. Not many teams would look forward to going through an A-Rod and Manny 1-2 punch.
In many ways, Ramirez's fate is inextricably linked to that of former Brave and fellow Boras client, Teixeira, who is looking to land the kind of contract Ramirez did back in the winter of 2000 (8-years $160 million). In fact, it is believed that most teams who are seriously looking into Teixeira's services are probably only viewing Ramirez as a fall-back option – with one notable exception, the Boston Red Sox. For them, it is Teixeira or bust.
Ramirez has shown to be both a lightning rod and a clutch-performer, a defensive liability and an offensive power-house. These night and day qualities are all part of the package that a team is getting when they sign Manny Ramirez. It's up to the club to decide if the headaches (and there willbe headaches) will be worth the pay-off
Until Boras can line up a potential match, it looks like Manny will have to spend more time working out, playing video games and watching cartoons. Or maybe selling another grill on Ebay?
Now that is just Manny being Manny.
Till next time,
Yankees strike again, sign A.J. Burnett…
Well, I will say this for the free-spending kingpins of sports in the
free world: When they want somebody, they go out and get them. The New
York Yankees made another bold move to rebuild their rotation, agreeing to a 5-year $82 million contract with righty starter A.J. Burnett on Friday.
This means the Yankees have spent about a quarter of a billion dollars on starting pitching in less that 72-hours. That's right, billion.
And you thought we were in a recession? Given, they cleared some
salaries (Jason Giambi, Mike Mussina, Andy Pettitte, Carl Pavano, Bobby
Abreu and Kyle Farnsworth), but that is still more spending that any
other club in baseball could possibly imagine. And it comes roughly
one-year after giving Alex Rodriguez a contract that will be worth over
another quarter of a billion (that's $250,000,000 for those needing
another illustration of the dynamic we're talking) by the time it's
said and done.
Now Atlanta and general manager Frank Wren will
have to find a plan B. Whatever that may be is anyone's guess, but I
would say it starts with the second tier free agent starters – lead by
left-hander Randy Wolf et al. Perhaps the Braves seek a shorter term
agreement for much less overall money with Ben Sheets, who is the only
real power pitcher left in the free-agent market. Let me go ahead and
say, I don't think this is going to do anything to revive the very dead
Jake Peavy to Atlanta talks.
But now soon-to-be 32-year old A.J.
the same pitcher who has won more than 12 games only once
(last season) and the same pitcher who has pitched 200+ innings on just
three occassions, is going to be raking an average yearly salary of
million for the next five seasons in the Bronx. His history of injury
doesn't swallow like a bitter pill in New York, since they are the only
team in baseball that could afford to
lose him for a significant amount of time and feel little-to-no effects
on their October aspirations. They can simply buy a new one if he
breaks down, again.
This signing allows the Braves to save what
I believe will be a tremendous amount of money on an arm that already
comes with more than a few red flags attached. The trade market is
still an option, even if Peavy is not the answer. Atlanta lost the
ability to deal Yunel Escobar when Brent Lillibridge was dealt to the
White Sox in the Javier Vazquez deal. There are still other possibilities though, many of which have proven to be off the radar when it comes to the Braves.
the Braves went to
Las Vegas and essentially left the table with nothing to show for it,
having been unable to get their ace in Burnett and the power hitting
outfielder they were seeking. But there could be some bargains out
there if the markets
don't develope for some of the free agents still lurking. The Braves
came into the off-season with more
money to spend than perhaps any other time in the club's history and
they may be running out of priority players to spend it on.
In other news:
Atlanta non-tendered left-hander Chuck James
on Friday, making him a free-agent. James, 27, went 11-4 as a rookie in
2006 and 11-10 in 2007 before injuries and ineffectiveness put his
career with the Braves in question. Shoulder surgery performed in
September is expected keep James out for most of 2009. Last season,
James went just 2-5 with a 9.10 ERA in seven starts and allowed 10
homers in just 29.2 innings of work. James was sidelined for much of
spring training and spent the majority of last season in Triple-A
Richmond, where he went 5-5 with a 2.92 ERA in 15 starts.
Till next time
Winter Meetings: Day 4
I'd like an official count on the number of articles and blog entries posted about the "inevitable" trade of Jake Peavy to the Chicago Cubs. Now that deals is reported dead. Congratulations, Kevin Towers, you have completely ruined what should have been a textbook exercise in trading a much sought after star pitcher for some promising young talent as you rebuild an organization. More words were spilt over that debacle than almost any of the deals that actually came to pass at these meetings. And it may not be over yet.
As all the execs and agents boarded a plane and headed back to their respective cities, some departed with big needs filled while others went home empty handed.
Day 4: Recap — Coming Soon.
Till then,
Winter Meetings: Day 3
If you haven't heard ad nauseum that CC Sabathia agreed to a 7-year $161 million contract with the New York Yankees today, then you just haven't been paying attention. The good folks at ESPN have had everyone but Steven A. Smith (thank God) weigh in on Sabathia's decision and the fact that the New York Yankees successfully outbid every team… including themselves.
Quite frankly (to steal it from Steven A.), this should come as a suprise to absolutely no one. After sitting on a 6-year deal worth a reported $140 Million, it took a trip to the Sabathia home by Yankees general manager Brian Cashman (if there was ever a more appropriately named GM) to get the deal done. And now we have the first premier signing of the winter, setting the bar rather high for starters and sending other teams scurrying to secure their prize acqisitions. Speaking of which…
Braves attempting to top market for Burnett…
This has been our lead topic since the Jake Peavy talks took a turn toward Chicago's Northside and hasn't veered South again. Honestly, if the Yankees can outbid themself for a pitcher, then I can certainly argue with myself over whether or not the Braves should be letting this A.J. Burnett bidding hit astronomical numbers. With all the rumors swirling around, there is a chance that the report is exagerated – as Mark Bowman pointed out. in contrast to the Fox Sports report that had Atlanta offering $80 million guaranteed over the next five seasons.
For the sake of my argument and the content of this blog, let's say the Braves are offering Burnett a 5-year $80 million contract. No, it's not Sabatha money – which trumps Santana money, which trumped Zito money, which trumped Hampton money – but we are still talking about the same pitcher who has been in the majors for parts of 10 seasons now and has won more than 12 games on exactly one occassion… last season's 18.
Injuries sapped his performance in 2006 and 2007, limiting him to 21 and 25 starts respectively. While his numbers from a year ago (18-10, 4.07 ERA, 231 K) in a career high 34 starts are for the most part impressive, the idea of signing a guy who has shown such a history of injury to a five year contract at age 32 (in January) just doesn't thrill me. In fact, it doesn't even make me excited to about next year, because all I think about is what Atlanta was going through last season. Injuries. And so, am I to assume that to fix a rash of injuries that one is to go out and sign one of the more injury-plagued talents in the game?
When the Yankees and Red Sox began expressing serious interest and serious dollar amounts, the Braves may have found themselves on a slippery slope with an off-season checklist that still lacks that ace pitcher. The Yankees can afford to miss with Burnett and not feel the financial effects, but Atlanta is in a rather different boat. They paid $40 million for 9 wins from Carl Pavano and large sumes for Jarret Wright, Kevin Brown, Kei Igawa and others who never produced to expectation.
And as soon as I finished this entry, the Yankees went and did this
Maybe Atlanta should concentrate on another target and allow themselves the financial flexibility of persuing other options both this winter and down the road. The Braves may have to find themselves getting more and more creative when it comes to reloading and competing. The days of spending the big money on free agents, and the days of Maddux-Glavine-Smoltz are both things of the past. But, on the other hand, I will say that a deal for Peavy would have been the best scenario to fill the needs.
Smoltz just got really popular on the rumor mill…
All of a sudden, the name John Smoltz started appearing on the boards everywhere. I noticed the initial post that Ken Rosenthal put up on Tuesday, citing if the Braves are yet to offer a contract then what is to stop other teams from taking a chance on the 41-year old righty? Essentially, I guess there's nothing to stop it. Next thing you know, Peter Gammons is reporting that Smoltz's medical records and recent throwing session videos are being handed around to interested teams and the Red Sox are among those to recieve them. then Rosenthal is back at it with a source telling him the Braves are prepared to lose Smoltz if it comes to that.
Bobby Cox was absolutely thrilled with the way Smoltz looked last week in his first throwing session. "I've never seen John so fired up about something in my life," said Cox. "He loves
challenges, and he's got a big one ahead of him. But what I saw for the
very first time out off the mound was incredibly good."
He even remarked that Smoltz is planning to pitch at least two more seasons during his scheduled press conference in Las Vegas. That was news to me, but one thing at a time I guess. So Bobby must have really seen everything he could have ever hoped for from John, who threw his entire assortment of pitches for the first time since undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery in June. The Braves would love to have him back, but at a rate that would allow them to maintain budget and give Smoltz a chance to earn bonuses based on performance.
This story will probably develop rather slowly, but I'd be somewhat shocked to see Smoltz trotting out to the mound at Fenway Park or anywhere else for that matter. And come on people, Smoltz pondering the Mets?! Really? I doubt that very seriously.
Wednesday's top rumors and done deals:
- CC Sabathia ended weeks of speculation by signing a 7-year $161 million deal that includes an opt-out clause after three seasons with the New York Yankees.
- Mets add J.J. Putz to their bullpen in a three-team 12-player trade that involved New York, Seattle and Cleveland. New York parted with Aaron Heilman in the deal. Putz will be the set-up man for Francisco Rodriguez, who signed a 3-year deal with New York Tuesday.
- The Tigers traded for Tampa Bay starter Edwin Jackson, giving up prospect Matt Joyce.
- Scott Boras updated the status of several of Mark Teixeira, stating that Tex has received long-term contract offers. Washington and Boston are believed to be the two top contenders for his services, and the contract could be for up to 10-years and exceed $200 million.
- Baltimore agreed to terms with shortstop Cesar Izturis on a 2-year $6 million contract.
Till next time,
Winter Meetings: Day 2
Here are the most interesting tidbits of Braves news today. There was no major move, but plenty of speculation that Atlanta would be among the major movers at the meetings. With Day 3 still ahead and the race for free-agent pitcher A.J. Burnett heating up, the Braves have plenty of work still ahead of them in Sin City.
Zack Greinke for Jeff Francoeur? Not so fast…
If you thought there might be renewed life to the previous rumor that a Greinke-Francoeur trade may have been discussed between Frank Wren and Kansas City Royals GM Dayton Moore, you can essentially disregard that line of thinking. ESPN's Steve Phillips plays the role of rumor killer. A reprised story surfaced this morning, courtesy of the Boston Globe's Tony Massarotti, but never showed up on the radar of any Braves scribe. The post also said that this deal was contingent on what the Braves are able to accomplish in regards to signing Burnett. So please note that this rumor was apparently just that and/or the product of idle hands – which as we know are the devil's workshop.
Francoeur, 24, saw his career came off the tracks somewhat last season. Batting average (.239), homers (11) and RBI's (71) were all down significantly from his previous two seasons. Even a trip back to the minors did little to bring things back around.
Greinke, 24, went 13-10 with a 3.47 ERA in 202.1 innings of work last season, striking out 183 hitters in his 32 starts. It makes sense from the standpoint of young players, but the Royals have put a significant amount of time and devotion into Greinke's career, which was plagued by inconsistency and breifly saw him sidelined with an anxiety disorder. His potential is unquestioned though, and it appears Greinke is staking his claim as one of the best young hurlers in the game. He looks so good in fact, that Dayton Moore personally debunked the rumor later in the afternoon.
Outfielder from the Cardinals
Ken Rosenthal certainly stays busy over at Fox Sports, chipping in a new spin on an old topic. The Braves and Cardinals had previously been rumored to be working a deal, with the post popular version involving Kelly Johnson (or perhaps Yunel Escobar) heading to St. Louis for Ryan Ludwick. While that one never came to pass, the Cardinals made moves to solidify their infield for next season, trading for Khalil Greene and retaining the services of second baseman Adam Kennedy.
The lastest buzz according to Rosenthal involved a potential swap of Rick Ankiel for Mike Gonzalez and, secondarily, Joe Mather for Blaine Boyer. The Cardinals are seeking bullpen help and opted not to bring closer Jason Isringhausen back (at least not yet), so Gonzalez makes sense for them. However, these deals don't seem to merit a great amount of discussion (again, at least not yet).
Top rumors and done deals for Tuesday
- Francisco Rodriguez signs 3-year worth at least $37 MM deal to close games for the New York Mets.
- Kerry Wood is close to a 2-year to join the Cleveland Indians bullpen. The deal likely contains an option for a third year.
- Baltimore Orioles trade catcher Ramon Hernandez and cash for super utility man Ryan Freel and two prospects.
- Third baseman Casey Blake resigned with the L.A. Dodgers for 3-years and $17.1 MM.
- The Philadelphia Phillies extended the contract of manager Charlie Manuel through 2011.
- Infielder Mike Lamb re-signed with the Milwaukee Brewers, agreeing to a 1-year deal.
Till next time,
Winter Meetings: Day 1
The Winter Meetings are usually the time where there is much to report,
but Day 1 has not seen anything major. You know it's a slow news day
when the biggest signing of the day may be Mark Loretta inking a $1.4 million deal with the Dodgers, or Adam Everett heading to Detroit for $1 million. The most substantial trade? Well, that involved Gerald Laird
heading to Detroit. There was more news talking about where people were
not going, than deals getting done. Then again, it's only Day 1.
Frank Wren headed to Las Vegas with one piece of the puzzle already having been acquired, with the Javier Vazquez
last week. While that does leave quite a few other things on the list,
it allows the Braves to turn their focus to acquiring the ace starter
they've been searching for in A.J. Burnett. Should the Braves be able to broker that deal in Vegas, then it would mark a new chapter for the team.
as we all know, when one door closes, another door opens. With that
said, Monday marked the official retirement of four-time Cy Young
winner Greg Maddux. We may never see another pitcher who racks
up the number of wins (355) as Maddux finishes with. And while his
style was not one of sheer power pitching dominance, his control was
unbelievable and his ability to carve up a line-up was always a
pleasure to watch. If you needed nine innings, Maddux could get you
there in two hours and less than a hundred pitches. He was that good,
and then some.
Speaking of Hall of Fame bound right-handers, the Braves were encouraged by what they saw in a recent throwing session from John Smoltz. In fact, it was so good that Braves manager Bobby Cox could hardly contain his excitement when talking to the the AJC's David O'Brien:
"Oh, he'll be back — no doubt in mind," Cox said after he and pitching
coach Roger McDowell watched the 41-year-old pitcher throw off a mound
for the first time since career-threatening shoulder surgery in June.
"Roger was impressed, and John's on cloud nine. No pain at all. None.
Zero pain. Man, he's way ahead of schedule."
fact that Smoltz is on the mend and throwing without pain fits in
nicely with a time table that should have him ready to go this spring.
An offer certainly seems forthcoming if Smoltz has sold everyone that
his comeback is actually not a comeback at all, but just another
chapter in a storied career. A healthy Smoltz would be another piece of
the rotation solved.
While 300-game winner Tom Glavine is
taking slower steps, having just undergone his surgery in mid-August
(as compared to Smoltz' June procedures), and is now throwing from flat
ground to begin his road back. Glavine's season was a disappointment
for both the lefty and the Braves, with just two wins in 13 starts. A
decision for Glavine will likely come after the new year, but the
Braves certainly won't be extending the $8 million offer they handed
him last season.
Stay tuned, Day 2 of the Winter Meetings is just a few hours away…
Till next time,
The pieces are starting to fall…
The Braves are beginning to fill out next year's squad…
Javier Vazquez and Boone Logan acquired from the White Sox:
Let me say this: This is not the
trade of the off-season. I am starting to wonder why many people are
reacting as though, this deal is a disappointment based upon the Braves
inability to pry away certain other pitchers in trade this off-season. Javier Vazquez
is a 32-year old innings eater who has been coveted by Atlanta for
years. Just a few seasons ago, Vazquez may have been on the ace track
before being sent to New York prior to the 2004 season. His very public berating at the hands of ChiSox skipper Ozzie Guillen
last season probably doesn't inspire the masses that Vazquez will lead
the Braves to October. Well I am here to tell you that you are
absolutely right. Vazquez alone will not lead the Braves to post-season
glory, so fear not, reinforcements are surely on the way.
Here are some facts you may not know about Vazquez:
- He has logged at least 198 innings every season since 2000
- Has not walked more than 61 hitters since his rookie season of 1998
- Has not been on the DL in 11-year career
- Has made at least 32 starts every season since 2000
it doesn't belie the fact that his command can falter (forcing him to
come over the plate and get hammered) and his poise has come into
question on numerous occasions with Chicago and at other stops during
his career (specifically New York), those four points speak to exactly
what the Braves did not have last season. No starter threw 200 innings,
only one of the projected five avoided the DL, and only one made at
least 30 starts. At the very worst, Vazquez can throw innings and keep
the bullpen from having to make up for all those short outings we saw a
year ago. And, for the record, no one in the Braves organization is
content with their off-season simply because they acquired Vazquez.
It's one piece of a larger puzzle.
Oh, and if the $23 million
over two seasons for Vazquez bothers those of you who have buried your
heads in the sand on the escalating starters' salaries of the past five
years, then chew on these names we could have for around the same price
in recent years: Carl Pavano, Vincente Padilla, Kevin Millwood, Carlos
Silva, Barry Zito, Adam Eaton and Kei Igawa. I'll take Vazquez and put
him in the middle of my rotation over any of those hurlers and the
mega-millions they cost.
As for the lefty reliever, Boone Logan,
his season came unhinged last year after a good start – judging solely
by his first half splits and word of mouth of Sox scribes. The numbers
don't look good, but at 24-years of age, Logan is young and could be a
piece of the bullpen puzzle. The Braves appear to have active interest
in bringing back Will Ohman to serve as the primary left-hander in relief.
Tyler Flowers had a pretty solid season at High-A Myrtle Beach and he did destroy the ball in the AFL, but with Brian McCann
in Atlanta there was little chance he would be cracking the line-up
anytime soon. His catching was somewhat lacking (12 errors and 11
passed balls in just 86 games behind the plate), with many projecting
he would see more time at first base as his career evolved. In that case, the Braves have top prospect Freddie Freeman (.316-18-95 in Rome) blocking him there. Flowers can hit, but I have never heard more noise about the Arizona Fall League making a star.
Brent Lillibridge
was an exciting prospect before flopping at Richmond (.220 in 90 games)
and looking somewhat over-matched by major league pitching in Atlanta.
Still, his speed and the fact he should bounce back somewhat project
him to be a potential utility type player. The kid doesn't lack
confidence and his conditioning can't be questioned.
Both Jon Gilmore and Santos Rodriguez
are too far off to serve the White Sox anytime soon. Gilmore is a
soft-hands third baseman and first round pick from 2007 who graduated
from Danville (.337 in 67 games) to hit just .186 in 27 games with Rome
last season. He should develop some power (only four homers in '08), but is still years away
from the majors. Rodriguez is a lanky lefty-hander who has good
velocity and could become a valuable reliever down the line.
Remember folks, they are called "prospects" for a reason. There are no guarantees in life, or in baseball. For all the moaning and complaining about the inclusion of players who were not even atop the Atlanta depth chart, I find it funny that after all the starting pitching deficiencies last season that anyone would complain about adding a veteran to the middle of the rotation.
Braves are close to signing back-up catcher David Ross:
Reports have been confirmed by Braves.com's Mark Bowman that veteran catcher Dave Ross has agreed to a 2-year contract worth $3.5 million.
He should fit in pretty nicely behind McCann, perhaps even allowing
the Braves to give their regular backstop a few more days off next
season. Ross has some power (21 homers in 2006 and 17 in 2007), so it's
not hard to say he will certainly be more of an asset than Corky Miller
was. That went without saying though. Ross hit .225 with three homers
in 60 games with the Reds and Red Sox last season.
A.J. Burnett rumblings are starting to get louder…
Burnett watch took an interesting turn on Wednesday, with reports
running rampant that the Braves are ready to guarantee a fifth year. My
thinking is that it will be at least a 5-year pact worth between $75-80
million. It makes me somewhat nervous to see Burnett getting that kind
of guarantee, considering his injury histories. His 18 win season and
AL-leading 231 strikeouts, do show that he has all the potential in the
world to front the rotation.
deal with San Diego for that pitcher, we'll call him "X" for the sake
of not littering this blog with references, don't seem to be in the
offing. Atlanta would have to recoup a shortstop if Yunel Escobar went away, and it appears the market is about to be light of Edgar Renteria. Reports state that Renteria has already taken a physical and will sign a two-year contract with the San Francisco Giants. Meanwhile, expect Rafael Furcal
to get a healthy pay day, so I doubt that homecoming is going to
happen. Atlanta still needs an outfielder who can provide the power to
the middle of the line-up. The Braves outfield production last season
was horrendous, and that may call for a new blog at a later date.
I'm going to go ahead and thank Bowman, again, for shooting down Atlanta's interest in Adam Dunn.
I don't have a real problem with the Braves getting another left-handed
bat, but I don't think Dunn is anything special. Call me one of those
people who isn't thrilled about the non-defense, epic number of
strikeouts, empty walk numbers coupled with a low batting average that
somehow make others believe his value his high because he is "on base
all the time." He is a .247 career hitter who will never be mistaken for an impact player, no matter how much you shine those two things he does well.
Yeah, he hits some long home runs, but Dunn is not the
answer to the Braves outfield problems. How can a guy who has hit 40+
homers for five straight seasons never knock in more than 106 runs while playing in that tiny
Cincinnati ballpark?
Till next time,
Not so long ago, in a division not so far away…
lucky team this winter has turned into a sprawling saga that seems to
make for sequel story, after sequel story, after – you guessed it –
sequel story. So I have decided to make this particular period in the
storyline that dark middle chapter that every great trilogy makes use
of. Call it whatever you like, but I prefer to craft it after my
favorite portion of another great trilogy. I'm guessing you already see
the theme here.
For the sake of the theatrics, here's a plot synopsis to catch you up:
Episode 1: A New Hope
I'm not stretching here. Synopsis: The announcement that the Padres
intend to trade Jake Peavy ignited hopes that Atlanta would be able to
add an ace to the front of a rebuilt rotation next season. The length
of contract and a price tag relative or better than any comparable
pitcher that has hit the market made Peavy a sought after commodity for
any number of clubs. The plot twisted and turned a bit, showing who the
players in the Peavy Sweepstakes are before leaving a cliff-hanger
ending that saw the Padres unable to find a trading partner and the
Braves publicly calling off the hunt. It brings us to where we are
Episode 2: The Padres Strike Back
quietly wondered if Peavy's no-trade clause was going to be an issue that
would ever come bubbling to the surface of these trade talks, but eventually was able to come up with a rationale
that goes something like this: If the Braves are seeking Peavy, then they know
full well he has a no-trade clause and will thereby be assuming the
responsibility of their first talent to have such a clause. If they
want his services bad enough then Atlanta will end up granting this
contractual caveat.
Then Padres GM Kevin Towers brought us back to reality with this little nugget of joy courtesy of Tom Krasovic and The San Diego Union-Tribune:
"Atlanta has a club policy that's been in place that no one will have
full no-trade protection," he said. "I don't see them bending the rules
for Jake. At this point in time, that's not going to happen unless Jake
changes his position on that."
further opined what we have heard from sources close to Peavy, that he
would prefer a trade to the Chicago Cubs because they seem more ready
to compete. That runs in direct conflict with the rumblings that
Atlanta is the attractive destination, since it is closer to his
Alabama roots. The Orioles are now mentioned as the illusive third team
needed to broker any deal between the Padres and Cubs, but the finances
may not be there after Ryan Dempster signed his 4-year deal. If there
is anything that seems clear to me, it's that the Padres are determined
to trade Peavy, but the manner in which they accomplish it seems to be
far from orthodox. It strikes me as odd that Towers is kicking this stone up the street again, and mentioning the Braves on a semi-regular basis. We still have the exciting conclusion to look
forward to, and I can't even begin to figure out where this story will end and where this pitcher will land, but I can tell you it will not be on the forrest moon of Endor.
In other, non-Peavy news…
There are some less whimsical things going on in Braves country,
including losing out on Mike Hampton's services for next season. This move is hardly an intergalactic bombshell (but I guess nothing in this entry really is), because no one was mentioning his name as one of the major moves that would solidify this rotation. Hampton was seldom there over the past three seasons, but the Braves saw
enough of him from the end of July through September to get the idea that he could be a steady back of the rotation starter. The $2
million deal (with another $2 million worth of incentives)
was reportedly less than what the Braves offered the lefty. And just
like that, Atlanta can strike through Hampton's name (in a different way
this time) on their list for 2009.
As a pledge to you, my readers, there will not be another Jake Peavy inspired blog until there is something substantial to report. So tune in for the epic finale… some day.
Till next time,


text:
In compliance with our President's call for a nationwide 21-day lockdown, Mango Airlines will be suspending all flights from 27 March up to and including 19 April 2020. Provided the lockdown works as intended, we will resume flying on Monday, 20 April 2020.
Guests who have bookings and intend to change their existing bookings to fly before 27 March 2020 or intend booking with Mango for travel from 20 April until 30 April 2020 will still be able to change their flight dates. Mango will waive the change fees applicable when making this date change. Please go online, or contact us for assistance.
Guests who are unable or unwilling to make use of our once-off booking change offering, we will be issuing vouchers equal to the value of the fare and all applicable taxes. Mango has now extended the validity period for these vouchers to 24 months from the date of issue. The voucher will take up to 7 working days to be issued. For all voucher requests, Guests will be required to email firstname.lastname@example.com
These are extraordinary times which require never-before-implemented extraordinary measures. We call for all South Africans to adhere to the 21-day lockdown, maintain good hygiene and social distancing. Together, we will get through this and once again return to the skies to get our Guests where they need to be.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Annenberg-Oxford Media Policy Summer Institute
The Annenberg-Oxford Media Policy Summer Institute, held annually since 2004, brings together young scholars and regulators from around the world to discuss important recent trends in technology and its influence on information policy.
The objective of the program is to help prepare, motivate, encourage and support students and practitioners who aspire to pursue a career in a media-related field, may it be in academia, business or in policy-related fields. Applications are welcomed from students and practitioners working in communications, media, law, policy, regulation, and technology.
A long-term goal of this program is to help broaden and expand the pool of talented young scholars committed to careers in media, law and other disciplines in our global network.
More than an intensive summer study program in media law and policy, the Annenberg-Oxford Summer Institute is a way for students in different disciplines to be exposed to a group of their peers hailing from a variety of backgrounds bringing with them an array of life experiences.
The 2017 Annenberg-Oxford Media Policy Summer Institute will be held at the University of Oxford from Monday, June 26 – Friday, July 7, 2017. Click here for more information.
For a list of frequently asked questions, please click here.


text:
Aviation, automobiles, and architecture are among the popular activities taking place this Saturday. Gayle Anderson has some suggestions in today's 'Gayle On The Go' report.
2014 Planes of Fame Airshow @ 10am
A Salute to the Mighty Eighth
Planes of Fame Air Museum
7000 Merrill Avenue, # 17
909 597 3722
A SALUTE TO THE MIGHTY EIGHTH, the 8th Air Force in World War Two is the theme of this year's Planes of Fame Airshow in Chino.
Spectacular event also features panel discussions, more than 50 historic aircraft as well as flight demonstrations and air acrobatics.
Mustang Madness Weekend
Petersen Automotive Museum
6060 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles
323 930 2277
Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Ford Mustang at the Petersen Automotive Museum. This is MUSTANG MADNESS WEEKEND at the museum.
Enjoy a full weekend of Mustang fun! See the 2015 Mustang up close before its release, meet Vaughn Gittin Jr., world champion drifter and founder of Mustang RTR, there's a Mustang car show, relax in the Mustang Lounge, and the new exhibit: 50 years of Mustang.
The World's Greatest Sports Coupes
Petersen Automotive Museum
6060 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles
323 930 2277
Sports coupes and celebrities share the limelight in the exhibit THE WORLD'S GREATEST SPORTS COUPES. In a rare change of pace, the Petersen Museum has asked celebrity automobile enthusiasts to choose what sports coupes they would most like to own. The museum then scoured the collector community to secure the finest example of each to place on display. See what else they chose, and pick your favorite in this exhibition of style and personal taste.
The vehicles featured are the favorites of:
-Adam Carolla, Comedian
-Patrick Dempsey, Actor
-Tanner Foust, Adam Ferrara, Rutledge Wood, Top Gear USA Hosts
-Nick Mason, Pink Floyd
-Angus MacKenzie, Motor Trend
-Bruce Meyer, Car Collector
-John Lasseter, Pixar
-Bobby Rahal, Indianapolis 500 Winner & Team Owner
-Brian Johnson, AC/DC
-James Hetfield, Metallica
-Francis Ford Coppola, Director, Producer, & Screen Writer
-Ian Callum, Jaguar Design Director
Junior Blind Olympics @ 7:30am
Junior Blind of America
5300 Angeles Vista Boulevard
Los Angeles
800 352 2290
Celebrate the spirit of achievement at the Junior Blind Olympics.
Cheer on and support visually impaired youngsters ages six to 22 as they compete for gold, silver, and bronze medals in variety of Olympic style events.
Youth Air Fair & Legacy Gala
Tomorrow's Aeronautical Museum
961 West Alondra Boulevard
310 618 1155
Tomorrow's Aeronautical Museum in Compton, famous for teaching youngsters to fly, invites us to their Youth Air Fair and Legacy Gala.
Learn about aircraft, engineering, and meet the legendary Tuskegee Airmen.
2014 Pasadena Showcase House of Design
Celebrate Spring by getting some home improvement ideas at the 2014 Pasadena Showcase House of Design. Proceeds and donations fund three annual music programs, plus grants to nonprofit organizations that provide music programs.
Electric Lawn Mower Exchange Program
Residents living within the South Coast Air Quality Management District's jurisdiction are eligible to register for the 2014 Electric Lawn Mower Exchange Program.
SCAQMD residents have an opportunity to help clean the air by exchanging an old, operable gasoline-powered lawn mower and purchasing, at a discounted rate, a new electric lawnmower. This year, you have five models to choose from, with your cost being from $100 to $250 depending on the model you choose. Pre-registration is required There will be four exchange locations scheduled. Visit the website www.aqmd.gov registration and location information.
16th Annual Butterfly Pavilion
Natural History Museum
900 Exposition Boulevard
Los Angeles
See more than 30 native North American butterfly species and an array of plants that butterflies love at the Butterfly Pavilion at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.
The museum is looking for volunteers to help with their work to stop the decline of the Monarch Butterfly by monitoring the Monarch Waystation at the Pavilion. This is where the California Native Milkwood has been planted. It's a Monarch Butterfly favorite, which will help the butterfly survival predators and urban habitat destruction.
Gayle, Gayle on the Go
KTLA 5 News
5800 Sunset Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90028
Also, Twitter, Facebook & Instagram: ktlagayle
So, what's going on in your world? Let us know! Please be sure to provide video with your request. The deadline for your information is Tuesday 5pm.
Have a GREAT Saturday!
Gayle Anderson, KTLA 5 News.
This story aired on the KTLA Morning News on Saturday, May 3rd 2014.


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The Apostolic Succession:
We have seen earlier that the claims of apostolic authorship of the New Testament and the closeness of most of the apostolic fathers to the apostles are spurious. Despite all the propaganda, early (second century) Christian tradition was able to make only two claims of apostolic succession: that of Polycarp of Smyrna and Clement of Rome. These two were the supposed links the proto-orthodox had to the original apostles of Jesus. We will examine these claims here.
Against Heresies 2:22:5
those who were conversant in Asia with John, the disciple of the Lord, [affirming] that John conveyed to them that information. And he remained among them up to the times of Trajan.
Then he mentioned that Polycarp was "instructed by the apostles" and was appointed bishop of Smyrna "by apostles in Asia". Although he mentioned apostles in plural, the only one he explicitly named was John.
Against Heresies 3:3:4
But Polycarp also was not only instructed by apostles, and conversed with many who had seen Christ, but was also, by apostles in Asia, appointed bishop of the Church in Smyrna, whom I also saw in my early youth...There are also those who heard from him [i.e. Polycarp-PT] that John, the disciple of the Lord, going to bathe at Ephesus, and perceiving Cerinthus within, rushed out of the bath-house without bathing, exclaiming, "Let us fly, lest even the bath-house fall down, because Cerinthus, the enemy of the truth, is within." ...Then, again, the Church in Ephesus, founded by Paul, and having John remaining among them permanently until the times of Trajan, is a true witness of the tradition of the apostles.
In a letter to Florinus, Irenaeus revealed that he was a student of Polycarp as a child and again mentioned Polycarp's "intercourse with John."
Letter to Florinus [quoted in History of the Church: 5:20:5-6]
For when I was a boy, I saw you in lower Asia with Polycarp...I am able to describe the very place in which the blessed Polycarp sat as he discoursed, and his goings out and his comings in, and the manner of his life, and his physical appearance, and his discourses to the people, and the accounts which he gave of his intercourse with John and with the others who had seen the Lord.
In the three excerpts above it is quite clear that according to Irenaeus, Polycarp (c69-c155) was appointed bishop of Smyrna by the apostle John and that he, Irenaeus, was a disciple of Polycarp.
As for Tertullian, he too wrote that Polycarp was appointed by John.
Prescription Against Heretics 32
For this is the manner in which the apostolic churches transmit their registers: as the church of Smyrna, which records that Polycarp was placed therein by John...
These then are the earliest witness to Polycarp's appointment by the apostle John[2]
However before commencing our analysis we should note that we have here not two, but only one early witness; that of Irenaeus. Tertullian's witness is dependent upon Irenaeus; which means that his is not an independent attestation of the tradition of Polycarp's appointment of John. As B.H. Streeter commented long ago:
|Tertullian had read Irenaeus. Whenever I have had occasion to compare their statements, I have noticed that the relation of Tertullian to Irenaeus, in the matter of all statements concerning the Apostles or their writings, is almost exactly comparable to that of Jerome to Eusebius. Each 'dots the "i's" and crosses the "t's"' of his predecessor's statements. The two Latin writers [Jerome & Tertullian-PT] have a fine style and a keen sense of the effective; the more dingy Greeks give the statements in a more original, if less embellished form. [3]
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Ignatius (c35-c117), as we have seen above, passed through Asia Minor almost about the same time John was supposed to have died. Indeed while he was in Smyrna (Polycarp's residence), he wrote a letter to Ephesus. If there is ever an occasion to talk about John (who according to Irenaeus appointed Polycarp bishop of Smyrna and lived in Ephesus until the "times of Trajan" (98-117)) this would be it. Yet he only mentioned the "apostle" Paul! [4]
Ignatian Epistle to the Ephesians 12
You are the initiates of the same mysteries as our saintly and renowned Paul of blessed memory...who has remembered you in Christ Jesus in every one of his letters.
Ignatius was writing around 110. Paul would have been dead for around 50 years while John, if Irenaeus' statement are to be believed, was either still alive or had just recently passed away in Ephesus. Furthermore Ignatius mentioned the names of Peter and Paul in connection with Rome in his epistle to the Romans (Romans 4). That he did not mention John while writing from Smyrna to Ephesus cannot be explained if the tradition had been true.
Polycarp (c69-c155 CE) himself wrote an epistle to the Philippians. He mentioned Paul twice, both times in connection to Paul's letter to them:
Polycarp's Epistle to the Philippians 3, 11
For neither I, nor any other such one, can come up to the wisdom of the blessed and glorified Paul. He, when among you, accurately and steadfastly taught the word of truth in the presence of those who were then alive. And when absent from you, he wrote you a letter
"Do we not know that the saints shall judge the world?" as Paul teaches. But I have neither seen nor heard of any such thing among you, in the midst of whom the blessed Paul labored, and who are commended in the beginning of his Epistle.
Again it strains credulity to think that Polycarp would have refrained from making any reference to John had he actually been appointed by the apostle. [5]
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Against Heresies 5:33:4
And these things are bone witness to in writing by Papias, the hearer of John, and a companion of Polycarp, in his fourth book; for there were five books compiled by him.
Thus according to Irenaeus, Papias, like Polycarp was a disciple of John.
Although Papias' original work entitled Interpretation of the Oracles of the Lord is no longer extant, Eusebius (c260-c340) preserved some excerpts from this work in his History of the Church. In one excerpt there is a revealing passage from Papias own work about his actual relationship with John:
History of the Church 3:39:4
[Papias Wrote] "...If, then, any one came, who had been a follower of the elders, I questioned him in regard to the words of the elders,-what Andrew or what Peter said, or what was said by Philip, or by Thomas, or by James, or by John, or by Matthew, or by any other of the disciples of the Lord, and what things Aristion and the presbyter John, the disciples of the Lord, say. For I did not think that what was to be gotten from the books would profit me as much as what came from the living and abiding voice." [Italics mine-PT]
It is important to note what Papias is saying here. [6]
The two Johns, one of whom was still alive, and whose teaching could have been "heard", second hand, by Papias is very likely the root of Irenaeus' confusion. Papias heard the teachings of the Presbyter John, not the apostle John, son of Zebedee. Recall that Irenaeus himself said in his letter to Florinus (see above) that he was "a child" (Greek : pais) when he was taught by Polycarp. It is highly probable that Polycarp (like Papias) told him that he had heard "John and the rest of the followers of the Lord are saying", meaning the Presbyter John which the young boy Irenaeus mistook for the apostle John. [8] [a]
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Yet we find some evidence that there existed an alternate tradition regarding the succession of Smyrnian bishops and the immediate predecessor of Polycarp. To evaluate this we have to first get acquainted with two late fourth century documents: The Apostolic Constitutions (c370) and the Life of Polycarp (c400). The former is a collection of regulations of church practice and Christian morals while the latter is a work (spuriously attributed to the mid third century Smyrnian presbyter, Pionius) outlining the life of Polycarp.
First it is important to note that both documents, typical of many Christians documents produced during that period, are not generally reliable. The authors normally had no scruples in preferring edification to fact. Having said that, we do know that both works incorporated earlier sources into their accounts. Among others, The Apostolic Constitutions incorporates almost all of the Didache (c90-c110), the early third century Didascalia Apostolorum and a list of early bishops consecrated by the apostles. Similarly we know that the Life of Polycarp incorporated some earlier documents including the whole Martyrdom of Polycarp, a work written not long after the death of Polycarp in 155, Polycarp's epistle to the Philippians (c117) and also a list of the early bishops of Smyrna. [10]
We are interested here in the respective lists of the succession of bishops. The Apostolic Constitutions 7:46 gives a list of bishops ordained during the lifetime of the apostles.
The Apostolic Constitutions 7:46
Now concerning those bishops which have been ordained in our lifetime, we let you know that they are these:-James the bishop of Jerusalem, the brother of our Lord; upon whose death the second was Simeon the son of Cleopas; after whom the third was Judas the son of James. ... Of Antioch, Euodius, ordained by me Peter; and Ignatius by Paul. Of Alexandria, Annianus was the first, ordained by Mark the evangelist; the second Avilius by Luke, who was also an evangelist. Of the church of Rome, Linus the son of Claudia was the first, ordained by Paul; and Clemens, after Linus' death, the second, ordained by me Peter. Of Ephesus, Timotheus, ordained by Paul; and John, by me John. Of Smyrna, Ariston the first; after whom Strataeas the son of Lois; and the third Ariston. ... These are the bishops who are entrusted by us with the parishes in the Lord
The list of bishops for Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria and Rome agrees closely with that given by Eusebius in his History of the Church. In particular the list of bishops for Rome can be traced back to Hegessipus who was in Rome in 165. This tells us that at least some of the list of bishops are based on older sources.
When it comes to Smyrna we are told this: "Ariston the first; after whom Strataeas the son of Lois; and the third Ariston" . There are two things to note here. Firstly, unlike many of the other bishops, the author refrained from mentioning that any one of the bishops of Smyrna had been appointed by an apostle. Secondly the list stands in clear contradiction to the statements of Irenaeus and Tertullian. This is all the more surprising as we have noted, the "tradition" that Polycarp was a follower of John quickly gained currency in Christendom after Irenaeus' writings. [11]
As for the Life of Polycarp, the author certainly asserted that he made use of ancient sources for his work:
|Tracing my steps further back and beginning with the visit of the blessed Paul of Smyrna, as I have found it in ancient copies, I will give the narration in order, thus coming down to the history of the blessed Polycarp. [12]
This is what the work says about the succession of bishops in Smyrna:
|After the departure of the apostle [i.e. Paul] Strataeas succeeded to his teaching, and certain of those after him, whose names, so far as it is possible to discover who and what manner of men they were, I will set down. But for the present let us proceed at once to Polycarp. One whose name was Bucolus being bishop of Smyrna at that time, there was in those days...a little lad called Polycarp.[13]
Since some portions of The Life of Polycarp had been lost, we never get to see the whole list of the bishop of Smyrna from Strataeas onwards. But from the passage above we can tell that Bucolus was not the immediate successor of Strataeas but that he (Bucolus) was the one who preceded Polycarp. Furthermore Bucolus was not mentioned as though he was related in any way to the apostles.
As in the case of The Apostolic Constitutions, this is surprising. For the work as a whole sang high praises to Polycarp as a faithful saint and martyr. If the author of The Life of Polycarp (who seems to be familiar with Irenaeus' work) was even slightly convinced that Polycarp was associated with the apostle John, this would surely be the place to put this one piece of edifying information.
Let us reflect on what we have found so far. Both authors were writing more for edification than for achieving scientific historical accuracy. Yet it was certainly much less edifying Polycarp not to be associated with any apostle than if he was to be appointed by John. The tradition of Polycarp being a hearer of John must also have been known to these authors. We would expect that if there was any ambiguity in the tradition available to them with respect to Polycarp, they would certainly have opted for the tradition of apostolic appointment. The fact that they did not can mean only that they had access to an earlier tradition which they consider to be much more reliable.
Thus with certainty we can say that there was an alternate tradition, that survived until the fourth century, in which there was no connection between Polycarp and the apostle John.
Furthermore it can easily be seen that the tradition underlying both The Apostolic Constitutions and The Life of Polycarp are independent of one another. This means that there were at least two independent attestations in the fourth century to this tradition. Between these two we have a point of contact in the name Strataeas. Another point of contact is that Polycarp was not the first bishop of Smyrna.
It is also highly likely that the appearance of the name Ariston twice in the list of The Apostolic Constitutions could be due to dittography - a scribe copying the same name twice. If this is the case we can establish another point of contact, that Strataeas was the first bishop of Smyrna. We can thus tentatively construct the chronology of the bishops of Smyrna thus: Strataeas-Ariston-Bucolus-Polycarp. [14]
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Irenaeus-Against Heresies 3:3:2-3
[The] tradition derived from the apostles, of the very great, the very ancient, and universally known Church founded and organized at Rome by the two most glorious apostles, Peter and Paul; as also [by pointing out] the faith preached to men, which comes down to our time by means of the successions of the bishops....The blessed apostles, then, having founded and built up the Church, committed into the hands of Linus the office of the episcopate. Of this Linus, Paul makes mention in the Epistles to Timothy. To him succeeded Anacletus; and after him, in the third place from the apostles, Clement was allotted the bishopric.
We know nothing about Linus and Anacletus and, as we have seen above, precious little about Clement.
This is the other early testimony, from Tertullian:
Prescription Against Heretics 32
For this is the manner in which the apostolic churches transmit their registers...as also the church of Rome, which makes Clement to have been ordained in like manner by Peter.
It should be noted at the onset that there is a glaring contradiction between these two traditions. Irenaeus said that Clement was third in line from the apostolic appointment, while Tertullian said that Clement was directly appointed by Peter.
Now, as we have seen above in the tradition with respect to Polycarp, Tertullian had read Irenaeus. So why then, did he favor a different tradition? Streeter's suggestion makes sense:
|[I]t would seem that he [Tertullian-PT] was attracted by the more vivid and picturesque narrative of the spurious letter of Clement to James (now in the Clementine Homilies) which described the actual ceremony of Clement's consecration by Peter. Of the rival statements, that of Irenaeus (and Hegesippus) has clearly the prior claim to consideration...[16]
Again we have here one stream of tradition to analyze, that of Irenaeus.
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Thus for Rome we can say with some certainty that at the very beginning, in the first century, it could not have been possible to appoint anyone as the bishop of Rome, simply because such a hierarchical structure has yet to exists! Indeed we have strong evidence that, even during the time of Clement, the mon-episcopacy had yet to take hold in Rome. This evidence comes from the letter of Clement itself. For we are told in this epistle that it is the body of elders which are the "duly appointed" ruling body of the church:
I Clement 4:2
the flock of Christ be at peace with its duly appointed presbyters.
In his description of what is happening in Corinth, he used the term bishops and elders interchangeably
I Clement 44:4-5
And our apostles knew through our Lord Jesus Christ that there would be strife over the bishop's office...For it will be no light sin for us if we depose from the bishop's office those who offered the gifts unblameably and holily. Blessed are those presbyters who have gone before for they have no fear lest anyone should remove them from their established place.
Other examples of this episkopos-presbeteros equivalency can be found in I Clement 42:4 and 54:2. Thus we can say that both Rome and Corinth, circa 96 CE, had yet to develop the mon-episcopacy. [18]
Another poignant example is from Ignatius' epistle to Rome written about 15 years later (c110). From his writings to the various churches, we know that Ignatius was the bishop of Antioch. The idea of a single ruling bishop was prominent in many of his letters:
Ephesian 6
It is manifest, therefore, that we should look upon the bishop even as we would upon the Lord Himself. ...
Magnesian 6
Ignatius referred to the singular bishop of each in his epistles to the churches in Asia Minor (See Ephesians 2, Magnesian 2, Philadelphians (Salutation), Smyrneans 8:1, Trallians 1:1, and, of course his letter to Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna). Yet in his epistle to the Romans, Ignatius did not mention the single-bishop but spoke of the church of Rome as "presiding" over the district of Rome:
Romans (Salutations)
[T]he Church which is beloved and enlightened by the will of Him that wills all things which are according to the love of Jesus Christ our God, which also presides in the place of the report of the Romans
He also asked the church to pray for his Antiochene church (Romans 9:1). The failure of Ignatius to refer to a Roman bishop, in the way that he referred to the singular bishops in the rest of his epistles, provides strong evidence that at the time of the writing (c 110), there was simply no monarchial bishop in Rome. Most scholars think the mon-episcopacy came to Rome only around 140-150.[19]
Our main conclusion from here is this: the claim that Peter (and/or Paul) could have appointed the bishop of Rome is simply an historical anachronism. The system of a single ruling bishop for the city was simply non-existent at that time! This then is the first problem with the traditional claim with respect to Clement.
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Against Heresies 3:3:2
"of the very great, the very ancient, and universally known Church founded and organized at Rome by the two most glorious apostles, Peter and Paul"
Yet this is demonstrably untrue.
First let us look at the case of Paul. [b] We know from his epistle to the Romans, written around 57 CE, where Paul explained to his readers that the reason for his delay in visiting the city was that he "did not wish to build on another man's foundation":
Romans 15:20-23
Thus I make it my ambition to proclaim the good news, not where Christ has already been named, so that I do not build on someone else's foundation ... This is the reason that I have been so often hindered from coming to you. But now with no further place for me in these regions, I desire, as I have for many years, to come to you...
I have italicized the portions above to show this clearly: Paul did not want to come to Rome because someone else had already preached there. Furthermore, his desiring for many years to come to Rome can only mean that the Roman Christian community had already been there for quite some years already. Thus Paul, could not by any stretch of the imagination, be said to have "founded" the Church in Rome. [20]
The tradition that Peter visited Rome early is found in the apocryphal Acts of Peter, a document composed around 180-190. The story is told of Peter who visited Rome to combat the teachings of the arch-heretic Simon Magus. This visit took place twelve years after Jesus' death and resurrection: which would mean that he went there circa 42 CE. [c] [22]
We have seen elsewhere that the Acts of Peter was part of a genre of acts of the various apostles that were written chiefly to entertain and to edify with very little that can be considered historical. Apart from this spurious source there is no early evidence that favors Peter being in Rome that early.
In fact there is evidence that Peter did not go there at least up to the point of Paul's imprisonment. Paul in his flattering letter to the Romans, did not mention Peter in connection to the church there. This would be surprising if Peter actually was in Rome during that time. The epistle to the Romans was Paul's dress rehearsal in his attempts at reconciliation with the Jerusalem Church. Remember that in Galatians Paul had called Peter a "hypocrite" (Galatians 2:13) and had referred to James, Peter and John as the "so-called" pillars (Galatians 2:9). Now Paul had resorted to calling those in Jerusalem as "saints" (Romans 15:25). It would certainly be to Paul's advantage to mention the connection of the Church in Rome with Peter had that been the case.
The same consideration holds for Acts. In Acts 12:17, it is written that Peter "went to another place" after his release from prison. Many have speculated that this means he went to Rome. However this is an unlikely interpretation. Luke was fascinated with Peter's missionary activities and indeed many scholars have pointed out that the whole theme of Acts was the spread of Christianity from Jerusalem to Rome. If Peter had gone to Rome, and if Luke had known about it, he certainly would have included this here, since it fits his theme so well. This applies similarly to the end of the account when Paul was in Rome, having Peter there with him would have made a fitting conclusion to Luke's whole scheme. Thus we can say if some certainy that if Peter did go to Rome, he went there after 62 CE (the estimated date for the end of the story in Acts). [23]
The tradition of Peter and Paul preaching and founding the Roman Church together probably stems from the earlier (and probably authentic) tradition of both of them being martyred together in Rome. We see this in the I Clement (c 96) where their martyrdom was hinted at (I Clement 5:4-7). Archeological excavations in Rome discovered a shrine for Peter dating to c160-170. Gauis (c 200) mentioned both this monument and another for Paul in Rome. Eusebius reported that both were martyred during the persecution of Christians by Nero in 64. [24]
Let us summarize the evidence. We are reasonably certain that neither Paul nor Peter founded the church in Rome. We also have confidence in asserting that Peter did not go to Rome (if he did go there) until after the end of the account of Acts; two years after Paul was imprisoned. This means, if Peter did go to Rome, he must have gone there after 62 CE. However since he was supposedly martyred in 64, the time he had in Rome must have been extremely brief. It is quite unlikely that Peter would have made any major impact on Rome in the short time he was there. [25]
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If one looks at the development of the founding myth of Rome, it is possible to see a move in the direction of utilizing the tradition of the apostles as an added weapon in its battle against heretics and for Roman hegemony over other churches. As the Walter Bauer remarked in his book, Orthodoxy and Heresy in Earliest Christianity, I Clement was an act of "enlarging its own sphere of influence" [27] by trying to resolve the problems in Corinth.
Thus I Clement was the earliest example of this strategy. Here only the barest of claim is made of the apostles; namely that both "Peter and Paul" were martyred in Rome (I Clement 5).
We can also see that it was the Roman church that actively spread this association. Thus when Ignatius wrote in his letter to Rome he associated "the apostles" with "Peter and Paul" (Ig. Romans 4:3). Now recall that all our evidence shows that Paul and Peter parted companies on extremely bad terms at Antioch (Galatians 2:11-14), we have no evidence of any reconciliation that took place there. Now for Ignatius, the bishop of Antioch, to make such an association between Peter and Paul could only mean that the idea was something exported from outside of Antioch-namely Rome.
We find a similar pattern evolving between Rome and Corinth. When Dionysius (c170), bishop of Corinth, wrote to the Romans, (his letter is preserved in Eusebius' History of the Church 2:25:8) he mentioned that "Peter and Paul" founded Corinth just like the way they founded Rome. Dionysius source could not be history: for we know from Paul's epistles and from Acts that it was he who founded the church in Corinth. (See I Corinthian 3:4-9; Acts 18:1-8) Furthermore the order of the names "Peter and Paul" rather than the other way round shows us that the source of Dionysius' information could only have come from Rome. We should also note that this order "Peter and Paul" was the one used by Ignatius, further confirming this source. [Rome was to later drop "Paul" from their apostolic justification, as Peter, being closer to Jesus was more helpful to their cause in fighting heretics such as Marcion.] [28]
Thus the tradition of "Peter and Paul" founding the church is Rome is not grounded in history but in the desire of Rome to acquire dominance over other churches and in its battle with heretics.
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|It should also be mentioned that there is an alternate tradition in the early Church that John the son of Zebedee died early, together with his brother James. The church historian Philip of Side (c. 380 - c. 439), in his thirty-six volume Christian History quoted from the second volume of Papais' now lost Interpretation of the Oracles of the Lord which goes like this:
We are told in Acts 12:1-3 that James the son of Zebedee was put to death by Herod Agrippa around 44 CE with no mention being made of John:
Interestingly, Acts stopped making any mention of John after Acts 8:25 which narrated his return, together with Peter, from a missionary trip to Samaria.
We find evidence to corroborate John's death, together with his brother James, in Mark's Gospel in the pericope which had the brothers Zebedee asking Jesus for exalted positions in the coming kingdom for themselves:
Jesus' reply that �You shall indeed drink the cup that I drink" is obviously a prophecy of their deaths as martyrs. Now we know that Mark generally put prophecies in the mouth of Jesus after they had come true - a couple examples of such a technique include Jesus prophecies about Peter's denial (Mark 14:54, 66-72) and about the fall of Jerusalem (Mark 13:1-2). This strongly suggests that by the time Mark is written, around 70 CE, the tradition available to the evangelist indicated that John was already dead. [30]
|Normally it would not matter , for our analysis, whether a church was founded by Paul. As I have shown elsewhere, Paul was not one of the original apostles of Jesus and hence, strictly speaking, churches he found could not be "apostolic" in the sense of being guaranteed the teachings of the historical Jesus. However in this case it is important to show the deceptive and spurious claim put forth by the early Christian theologians in Rome.
|The tradition, starting with Jerome (c342-420) [in his translation of Eusebius' Chronicon], that Peter stayed in Rome from 25 years can be traced to this apocryphal source (which provides the arrival date: 42 CE) and the, erroneous, date of the persecution of Christians by Nero given by Eusebius, 67 CE. [The actual date of the persecution of Christians by Nero is 64 CE]. Therefore the tradition of Peter being in Rome 25 years cannot be use as an independent attestation of this tradition. [21]
|The early Church fathers had no qualms replacing inference for facts. For instance from Papias' statement that Matthew composed "The Sayings" (ta logia) in Hebrew, Irenaeus inferred that it was the gospel of Matthew that was written in Hebrew. We have also seen above how Irenaeus, from his hearing that both Polycarp and Papias heard the words of John, erroneously concluded that Papias and Polycarp knew the apostle John when they in fact did not. These are mistaken inferences presented as facts by Irenaeus. [29]
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Staniforth & Louth, Early Christian Writings: p115-118
Ferguson, Encyclopedia of Early Christianity: p933-934
Livingstone, Dictionary of the Christian Church: p407
Culpepper, John: The Son of Zebedee: p123-125
Ehrman, Lost Christianity p192-193
Schneemelcher, New Testament Apocrypha, Vol II: p25-27
|Streeter, The Primitive Church: p93-94
|Culpepper, op. cit.: p108-109
Schnelle, The New Testament Writings: p473
|Culpepper, op. cit.: p108-109
Kummel, Introduction to the New Testament: p240
Schnelle, op. cit.: p473
|Culpepper, op. cit.: p109-111
Kummel, op. cit.: p240-242
|Streeter, op. cit.: p90
|Culpepper, op. cit.: p126-127, 299-300
Kummel, op. cit.: p240-242
Streeter, op. cit.: p91
|Schnelle, op. cit.: p473
|Ferguson, op. cit.: p92-93; p933-934
Streeter, op. cit.: p93-5, p266-267
|Streeter, op. cit.: p92-94
|quoted in ibid: p267
|quoted in ibid: p94-95
|Culpepper, op. cit.: p126
Streeter, op. cit.: p92-95, 266
|Ferguson, op. cit.: p264
Livingstone, Oxford Dictionary of the Church: p113
Staniforth & Louth, Early Christian Writings: p19
Streeter, op. cit.: p200
|Streeter, op. cit.: p186
|Chadwick, op. cit.: p45-51
|Brown & Meier, Antioch & Rome: p163-164
Chadwick, op. cit.: p46
Streeter, op. cit.: p214-215
|Brown & Meier, op. cit.: p163-164
Perkins, Peter, Apostle to the Whole Church: p168
|Brown & Meier, op. cit.: p99
Schonfield, Those Incredible Christians: p120
Streeter, op. cit.: p187
|Streeter, op. cit.: p13-14
|Goodspeed, The Twelve: p155
|Brown & Meier, op. cit.: p102-103
Schonfield, Those Incredible Christians: p120
Streeter, op. cit.: p188
|Brown & Meier, op. cit.: p124
Chadwick, The Early Church: p162
Perkins, Peter, op. cit.: p168-170
|Brown & Meier, op. cit.: p98
de Rosa, Vicars of Christ: p19
Schonfield, op. cit.: p120-121
Streeter, op. cit.: p188
|Streeter, op. cit.: p184-185; 288-295
|Bauer, Orthodoxy & Heresy in earliest Christianity: p97-98
|ibid.: p112-114
|Streeter, op. cit.: p186-188
|Culpepper, op. cit.: p170-174
Ranke-Heinemann, Putting Away Childish Things: p220-221
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News Archives - 2007
Wrestling coach Jeff Swenson steps down
Augsburg College wrestling head coach Jeff Swensonannounced on Tuesday, March 7 that he is resigning his coaching post in order to focus on his responsibilities as the school's Assistant Dean for Athletics and Recreation.
Swenson, a 1979 Augsburg graduate, has served as head coach of the Auggies for 25 seasons (1980-84, 1986-2007), building the squad into a national small-college wrestling powerhouse. Under Swenson's leadership, Augsburg has won a record-10 NCAA Division III national championships and produced a career dual-meet record of 321-44 (.879 winning percentage).
Sam Barber, who has served as an assistant coach on Swenson's staff for six seasons, will take over head coaching duties for the Auggies. Barber has served as associate head coach for the last two seasons. A 1995 Upper Iowa University graduate, he served as head coach for the Peacocks in the 1999-2000 season. During his Augsburg tenure, Barber has been a part of three national championship squads and two national runner-up squads, and has coached 46 All-Americans and 13 individual national champions. He was named Division III Co-National Assistant Coach of the Year by the National Wrestling Coaches Association in 2006.
In his role as Assistant Dean for Athletics and Recreation as a member of President Paul C. Pribbenow's staff, Swenson supervises the 18-sport Augsburg intercollegiate athletics program, the athletic facilities department, and the college's intramural athletic program. Swenson was named to the position on an interim basis in 2001, and his posting was made permanent in 2004.
"I look forward to working with Coach Swenson in the years ahead as we partner to make Augsburg one of the finest examples of NCAA Division III athletics in the country -- a college that honors the connections between academics and athletics, that celebrates both sportsmanship and competition, and that helps our students to grow as individuals and teammates," Pribbenow said. "I can think of no one better than Jeff Swenson to lead us in this vision for intercollegiate athletics at Augsburg College. His track record speaks for itself. His love for the college is unparalleled. And he has the passion, commitment and skills to guide our athletics programs into a bright future."
Photo by Caleb Williams


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A Federal High Court sitting in Calabar on Friday, January 27, 2017, fixed trial for three consecutive days in the 'Calabar Carnival Copyright Case'.
Trial is scheduled to take place between February 15 and 17, 2017, in the copyright infringement action brought against the Calabar Carnival Commission and the Cross River State Government by Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON).
According to COSON, the dates were fixed by the presiding judge, Hon Justice I.E. Ekwo. Counsel to COSON, Mr. Justin Ige of Creative Legal, reminded the court that at the last adjourned date, it was recommended that the parties attempt an out of court settlement. Mr. Ige however stated that neither the Calabar Carnival Commission nor Cross River State Government (the Defendants) have since that date, made any known attempt to resolve the issues with COSON.
He further stated that COSON had made several attempts in the past to have the matters settled out of court but that the Defendants had not shown any commitment to such a resolution. According to him, COSON considers the matter very important and was ready to commence trial without any further delay.
Neither the Defendants' representatives nor their lawyers were present in court. Justice Ekwo ordered that Hearing Notice be served on the defendants.
The case arose after COSON filed a case against the Defendants with regard to the events annually organised by the them on behalf of the state government. COSON states that during the four-day 'Calabar Carnival', widely known as Africa's biggest street party, over 50 trailer loads of massive loud speakers, without any licence or authorization, communicate various musical works and sound recordings belonging to its members, affiliates, assignors and licensors , to millions of people. According to COSON, these activities take place on several streets of Calabar and inside UJ Esuene Stadium in Calabar.
As a result, COSON is seeking among other things, an injunction restraining the defendants, their agents, privies or servants from the unauthorized copying, communication to the public, broadcast and infringement of the copyright in the musical works and sound recordings belonging to the members, affiliates, assignors and licensors of COSON.
COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji, was present in court in Calabar. Speaking outside the courtroom, he stated that those who had thought that the law does not work in Nigeria should have learnt from the numerous successes of COSON that indeed the law works. He noted that since Nigeria is a democracy, no one in Nigeria should see himself as being above the law. According to Chief Okoroji, the same demand of the law that private individuals respect the intellectual property rights of citizens require that corporate organization and government institutions whether federal, state or local government do the same.
"Anyone expecting COSON to slow down in the defence of the rights of its members, affiliates or assignees must be dreaming. We are 100% committed to this course. If the matter in Calabar has to go to the Supreme Court, we are ready. It is that important to the Nigerian nation that badly needs investments, because in the new knowledge economy, respect for intellectual property rights is the epicentre of every successful economy", he said.


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Back in 2009 we started a pointing system for Men No-Gi divisions. The purpose is to reward competitors who reach 5000 points with an opportunity to compete for cash and prizes. Currently 24 competitors have reached the 5000 point mark with dozens more closing in. The 5000 point achievers are listed here on the results page.
Debuting later in 2015 any registered competitor from that list who competes in Men's Advanced NoGi, Purple or Brown/Black belt will automatically be entered in a No-Gi Elite division with cash and prizes going to the placers. Additionally those competitors will earn higher team points towards the annual Team Challenge.


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How can I show what I learned in library last year?
1 = Two or more required elements missing
2 = One required element missing
3 = All three required elements appear: alliterative title, author's full name, and correct call number
4 = All three required elements appear, in addition to exceptional creativity (i.e., does not repeat any of the pages from the original book or that of their friends)
AASL: 1.1.2 - Use prior and background knowledge as context for new learning; 1.1.4 - Find ...sources; 2.1.2 - Organize knowledge so that it is useful; 3.1.2 - Participate and collaborate as members of a social and intellectual network of learners. 3.2.2 - Show social responsibility by participating actively with others in learning situations and by contributing questions and ideas during group discussions; 4.1.1 - Read, view, and listen for pleasure and personal growth; 4.1.3 - Respond to literature and creative expressions of ideas in various formats and genres; 4.1.8- Use creative and artistic formats to express personal learning
Common Core: RI.2.1 - Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text; SL.1 - Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups; SL.2 - Ask and answer questions about/recount or describe key details in a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media; RL.7 - Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events


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Churchgoers out on the street in Shadwell push for railway arches land deal
PUBLISHED: 19:19 30 October 2017 | UPDATED: 19:28 30 October 2017
Florence Naluyimba
Worshippers took to the streets after their Sunday service in a London Citizens campaign for 'affordable' housing in the East End.
Churchgoers at St George-in-the-East were joined by their Muslim neighbours in a campaign for a community land trust in Shadwell.
They want a spit of land owned by TfL between Cable Street, Cannon Street Road and the Fenchurch Street railway arches.
"Making this land into a trust will guarantee affordable housing for ever," St George's Priest in Charge Fr Angus Ritchie told the East London Advertiser.
"Churches in east London are at the heart of the Living Wage campaign. Stories our people tell and teachings of the Scriptures inspire us to work for affordable housing as well."
The congregation returned to the church after yesterday's 'act of witness' at the site, where Muslim and Christian neighbours gave their reasons for being involved.
Selina Alam said: "I can see from my window that space which is green and empty. We'll have a building the whole community can benefit from if we work together."
Philip Hogan said: "I'm fortunate to have an affordable home near my work. That makes me realise how important it is to win this for others in the parish."
The campaign has already won backing from Tower Hamlets mayor John Biggs and his cabinet as well as opposition group leader and Shadwell ward councillor Rabina Khan.
A TfL decision on whether the land can be handed over for a land trust is expected in the next few weeks.
It could follow Britain's first urban land trust set up in 2011 by London Citizens civil society organisation, which got the go-ahead in 2014 for housing in the six-acre grounds of the Victorian St Clement's workhouse in Mile End Road, which closed as a mental hospital 10 years ago. The first showcase apartment was opened in March this year for prospective home-buyers.
A land trust retains the ground freehold while the homes are sold for a fraction of the property market. The homes are sold back to the trust at the same market ratio when householders moves on, to be sold to the next buyers on the same deal.
If you value what this story gives you, please consider supporting the East London Advertiser. Click the link in the orange box above for details.


text: A prepayment meter is what you'll have if you 'pay-as-you-go' for your energy. That means you pay for energy up front, and add money to your meter with your top-up card, online or through the Boost app. A credit meter is what you'll have if you pay for your energy after you've used it.


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August 1, 2015
Castle Fairy is the centre of all the magical world. If someone wants to become a mage, that person has to come here because this is where the best education can be found. All the famous mages who ever existed trained and lived here for years to master the basics. No matter what kind of mage you want to be, you'll find what you need. However, it's not a safe place to wander around alone in. Castle Fairy is a very crowded city, you can find here all kind of people. One of your classmates was captured by these people. Since she's a fairy, she couldn't put up a good fight and they took her away easily. Find her quickly! Good luck!


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Member since 2009
AEgis Technologies is a privately held small business headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama, USA. AEgis specializes in utilizing modeling & simulation (M&S) technology to support weapon systems development and create training solutions so our war fighters make it home safely. Our M&S products and services include simulation software and training simulators; geospatial databases; 3D models; warfighter exercise support; systems engineering and analysis; verification, validation, and accreditation (VV&A); test and evaluation support; and Hardware-in-the-Loop (HWIL) simulation.
Our engineers and scientists excel in advancing cutting edge technologies from concept to deployment with applications ranging from defense to energy to biotechnology. Our expertise includes system development and integration, mechanical and optical development, microelectronics, directed energy sensors and instrumentation, laser eye protection, advanced coatings, metamaterials/plasmonics and pharmacokinetic modeling
AEgis has received several awards including: Best Places to Work 2016, Large Business Category, by the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce; Top 20 Best Places to Work 2012 by the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce; and 2012 Small Business of the Year. AEgis' President & CEO, Steve Hill, was also awarded the 2012 Russell G. Brown Executive Leadership Award for excellence in leadership and entrepreneurship.
AEgis has enjoyed steady growth with revenues increasing to $60+ million in sales and employment of 325+ professionals. For more than 25 years, AEgis has been instrumental in the acceptance of M&S as a profession, as a graduate program of study and in the creation of an M&S standards and professional certification across the international M&S professional community-of-practice. Since its founding in 1989, AEgis is committed to honesty and integrity and has been recognized for its honorable business practices by receiving the Better Business Bureau's Torch Ethics Award. The company's highly skilled work force is dedicated to building lasting relationships and providing superior products and services to our customers.
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Are we human? Or are we microbe?
Microbes. EEK!!!
We spend a lot of time and money on antibacterial products. But despite our desperate scrubbing, we will never be free of microbes.
In fact, our bodies' microbial cells outnumber our human cells 10 to one! Which makes you wonder: If you have more microbial cells than human cells, are you human?
Of course! Humans play host to microscopic microbes, collectively known as the gut microbiome, that reside in the small and large intestine.
These microbial symbionts perform vital functions, especially during digestion.
Many of these genes encode enzymes that digest food, such as CAZymes, which break carbohydrates into compounds that the body can absorb or excrete.
If the composition of the gut microbiome changes, the body may lose the ability to perform certain functions, which could result in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Even from the deep regions of our intestines, our gut occupants can influence much more than our bowel health.
Studies report colonization of certain species of bacteria is more likely to be associated with depression and anxiety. Many researchers believe adjusting the composition of the gut microbiome may be a viable treatment for these disorders.
We may be human, but we are run by microbes, no matter how many times we wash our hands.
Check our facts!
1. Belkaid, Y. and T.W. Hand, Role of the microbiota in immunity and inflammation. Cell, 2014. 157(1): p. 121-41.
2. Cecchini, D.A., et al., Functional metagenomics reveals novel pathways of prebiotic breakdown by human gut bacteria. PLoS One, 2013. 8(9): p. e72766.
3. Forsythe, P., et al., Mood and gut feelings. […]