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Plans for O-level-style exams to replace GCSEs
By Angela Harrison
Education correspondent, BBC News
- Published
England's exam system needs further changes, Education Secretary Michael Gove has told MPs, amid reports of plans to return to O-level style exams.
Mr Gove is reported to be preparing to replace GCSEs for England from autumn 2014 and also to bring in a simpler exam for less academic teenagers.
He was summoned to the Commons to answer urgent questions after details were leaked to the Daily Mail.
The Liberal Democrats are angry they were not told about the plans.
A senior figure told journalists: "We are very, very hostile to something that looks like it is going to return to the two-tier system of the past."
Mr Gove did not confirm the plans directly with MPs but praised many of the ideas, saying action was needed because the current exam system was letting children down.
"Children are working harder than ever but we are hearing that the system is not working for them," he said. "We want to tackle the culture of competitive dumbing down."
He said rigour needed to be restored to the system if England was to keep pace with educational improvements in some other countries.
Documents setting out the proposals for change were leaked to the Daily Mail and government sources told the BBC they were broadly correct.
The ideas, if introduced, would amount to the biggest change to the exams system for a generation. They are going to be put out for consultation.
The plan is for students to begin studying what the leaked document says will be "tougher" O-level style exams in English, maths and the sciences from September 2014. They would take their exams in 2016.
Less academic pupils would sit a different "more straightforward" exam, like the old CSE.
Labour's education spokesman Kevin Brennan told Mr Gove such a move would take the exam system "back to the 1950s".
"GCSEs may well need improving, but a two-tier exam system which divides children into winners and losers at 14 is not the answer," he said.
The Liberal Democrats said the plans appeared to set too low an aspiration for young people.
And a senior figure said changing the secondary exams system within two years could "lead to massive upheaval".
Curriculum scrapped?
GCSEs replaced O-levels and CSEs in the mid-1980s. Under the previous system, the more academic teenagers took O-levels while others took CSEs (Certificates of Secondary Education).
News of the plans come as tens of thousands of teenagers across England, Wales and Northern Ireland finish taking their GCSE and A-level exams.
The leaked document also apparently shows plans for the national curriculum at secondary level to be scrapped altogether, so that heads would decide what pupils should study.
Already new academy schools, which are state-funded but semi-independent, do not have to follow the national curriculum.
And the government is said to be planning to scrap the traditional benchmark on which secondary schools in England are measured - the number of pupils getting five good GCSEs (grades A* to C), including maths and English.
Schools would continue to be measured on the government's new benchmark - the English Baccalaureate - which counts how many pupils in a school have good GCSEs in English, maths, two sciences, geography, history and a foreign language.
Another change suggested is that one exam board would be chosen to set the O-level style papers for English, maths and science - with all pupils taking the same exam.
Currently, six exam boards design GCSEs and schools choose which board to use.
It is this situation which Mr Gove believes has led to a "race to the bottom".
He told MPs: "We want to tackle the culture of competitive dumbing-down, by making sure that exam boards cannot compete with each other on the basis of how easy their exams are".
The suggestion that that has happened has always been roundly rejected by the exam boards and by the previous Labour government.
Critics of the existing system point to the year-on-year rises in the numbers of pupils achieving top grades as a sign that GCSEs have become easier, but supporters say teenagers are working harder than ever and teachers are getting better at preparing them for exams.
The government had already announced that it wanted to shake up GCSEs by returning to the system where most exams were taken after two years, rather than in modules, and those changes were already planned to affect pupils beginning their GCSE studies this autumn.
The big teaching unions have echoed Mr Brennan's warnings about a two-tier system.
Russell Hobby, the general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, welcomed the move towards having a single exam board per subject, which he said was sensible and would "remove a lot of concerns about the system".
"But a move to a two-tier system does not sound a good step forward," he added, saying such a change would mean choices about children's futures being taken at too young an age.
As control of education in the UK is devolved, Mr Gove's plans are for England only. It would be up to Wales and Northern Ireland to decide whether to follow suit. In Scotland, pupils take Standard Grades, Highers and Advanced Highers rather than GCSEs and A-levels.
The Education Minister for Wales, Leighton Andrews, has said Wales will not return to O-level-style exams.


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CVS Health Jobs
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As the largest pharmacy health care provider in the United States, we are constantly working towards helping people on the path to better health and better careers.
Because we're present in so many moments, in ways that are more affordable and effective, we're able to positively influence health behavior and shape the future of health care for people, businesses and communities.
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Each and every day, in moments big and small, CVS Health is shaping the future of health care. As a colleague, you'll receive a competitive benefits package that connects you with affordable, flexible and personalized programs for managing your overall wellbeing.
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We know our success depends on the diverse talent, skills and experience of our colleagues. We work with organizations around the country in all communities to help us discover, attract, and retain new people to join our team.
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As a company that is on the front line of public health issues such as opioid abuse, diabetes care and tobacco cessation, we actively encourage our colleagues to take care of their own health. CVS Health provides programs and tools to improve financial, emotional and physical wellbeing to all colleagues, not just those enrolled in benefits.
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I've worked at CVS Pharmacy the last 2 years. I love working because I meet new customers daily, and make new friends. I enjoy the environment in the Pharmacy when there is low work-load; and, the best part of working in Pharmacy is when majority of employees are working together to finish pending works. I love helping customers and getting positive feedback for myself.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Optometrists, also known as doctors of optometry, or ODs, are the main providers of vision care. They examine people's eyes to diagnose vision problems, such as nearsightedness and farsightedness, and they test patients' depth and color perception and ability to focus and coordinate the eyes. Optometrists may prescribe eyeglasses or contact lenses, or they may prescribe or provide other treatments, such as vision therapy or low-vision rehabilitation. They also diagnose conditions caused by systemic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure, referring patients to other health practitioners as needed.
Most optometrists are in general practice. Some specialize in work with the elderly, children, or partially sighted persons who need specialized visual devices. Others develop and implement ways to protect workers' eyes from on-the-job strain or injury. Some specialize in sports vision, head trauma, or ocular disease and special testing. A few teach optometry, perform research, or consult. (From the online Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-2011)
A degree in Optometry is a four-year professional degree. More than 80% of pre-optometry students begin optometry school after completing a baccalaureate degree. A few optometry programs permit entry to highly qualified students after 90 semester hours of undergraduate coursework. There are 20 Colleges of Optometry located elsewhere in the nation (five are in the Midwest).
Application Process
Academic Guidelines
For the 20 optometry schools nationwide, the cumulative average GPAs for the entering classes ranged from a 2.88 to a 3.66. Some schools require at least a "C" in each of the prerequisite courses (see prerequisite list at the end of this Guide). Students whose academic records fall significantly below the averages are unlikely to be accepted to optometry school. A bachelor's degree is not required at most optometry schools, but is typically preferred, and most students will have a bachelor's degree prior to entry. A summary of the student profile at U.S. optometry schools (and application deadlines) may be found at the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) website: www.opted.org. Follow the links "About Optometric Education" and then "Student and Advisor Information."
Non-Academic Guidelines
Important non-academic factors include good moral character, excellent interpersonal skills, a deep commitment to optometric health care, evidence of leadership potential, and service to others. Most optometry schools want evidence of a candidate's exposure to the field of optometry. Successful applicants will likely have worked, or volunteered, in an optometrist's office. Since some schools require a letter of evaluation/recommendation from an optometrist, it is important that students investigate opportunities for working/volunteering in such a setting early in their undergraduate years.
The Application Process
The centralized application service, OptomCAS, enables students to apply to multiple schools with a single application. Candidates should check with their pre-optometry advisors for the most recent information. The application is available beginning July 15th each year and should be submitted in the year preceding the year for which a student is seeking admission. Since many optometry schools have rolling admission, it is in a student's best interest to apply early (in late summer or early September). Application deadlines vary; check the student profile section of www.opted.org, as noted above, for a roster of the deadlines at the individual schools.
Early Entry/Early Admission
Some optometry programs accept students for entry after 90 semester hours of undergraduate coursework. Students entering at 90 credit hours are typically very strong academically and extremely well prepared. Most programs prefer a bachelor's degree, and a few require it. Students may check the ASCO website, noted above, for the preferences at the schools in which they are interested. Additionally, a few schools have an early admission (or early decision) cycle for well-qualified applicants. This cycle typically begins in the fall or early spring of the year before matriculation. Grade point averages are usually higher (3.5 to 3.6) for successful students in early admission.
Diversity in Optometry
ASCO and its member institutions have embraced the concepts of diversity and multiculturalism in optometric education and in the profession. ASCO bases its diversity program on several assumptions including: (1) Greater diversity among health professionals is associated with improved access to care for our diverse society, greater patient choice and satisfaction, better patient-provider communication, and better educational experiences for all students, which will prepare them for the diverse communities they will serve in practice; (2) Diversity is good for optometric education and the profession; and (3) It is the right thing to do (from ASCO website).
Entrance Examination Requirement (OAT)
The Optometry Admission Test (OAT) is required for admission to all colleges of optometry in the United States. The OAT is a standardized, computer-based exam that consists of four tests: Survey of the Natural Sciences (Biology, General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry); Reading Comprehension; Physics; and Quantitative Reasoning. The scoring range is from 200 to 400. OAT average scores increased at the schools in 2007, with averages ranging from 283 to 368 (averages may be found at www.opted.org under the "Student Profile" section). Students typically take the OAT after courses in mathematics, biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry and physics. In addition, students prepare by self-study using online or OAT study guide materials (available at major bookstores) or by participating in a formal OAT test preparation course. A candidate may retake the OAT but only after a 90-day waiting period.
Letters of Evaluation/Recommendation
Applicants typically obtain letters from science faculty members, faculty members from their major department, their pre-optometry advisor, etc. At least one letter from a practicing optometrist is required as part of the application at some schools. The mix of required letters varies by school; students should check the specific requirements for each optometry school to which they wish to apply. UI does not have a committee process for letters of evaluation; instead, students request letters from their individual evaluators.
Optometry schools usually require personal, on-campus interviews. Selected candidates will be contacted to arrange an interview. The interview is an important part of the selection process, and candidates should prepare well for the interview.
Criminal Background Checks
The issue of criminal background checks (CBCs) for students applying to optometry school is rapidly changing. Students should check with the individual optometry schools for information about whether a CBC is required. Certain hospitals and optometric placements will require a CBC, regardless of whether an individual school requires one. Students should make careful decisions, since charges or convictions may have later negative consequences.9
Citizenship/International Students
Some optometry schools accept non-U.S. citizens. Fluency in the English language is important, and some schools require a financial affidavit confirming sufficient financial resources. Non-citizen students should carefully consider such a decision and explore the options with the individual optometry schools, and their pre-optometry advisors, early in their undergraduate years.
- Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO): www.opted.org
- American Optometric Association: www.aoa.org


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A woman accused of pushing a man to his death in front of a subway train was charged Saturday with murder as a hate crime.
Police arrested Erica Menendez on Saturday after a passer-by on a street noticed she resembled the woman seen in a surveillance video.
A woman accused of pushing a man to his death in front of a subway train was charged Saturday with murder as a hate crime.
Police arrested Erica Menendez on Saturday after a passer-by on a street noticed she resembled the woman seen in a surveillance video.
A spokeswoman for Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown said Menendez told authorities she hates Hindus and Muslims.
Subway shoving victim Sunando Sen was from India, but it's unclear if he was Muslim or Hindu.
Sen, who lived in Queens and ran a printing shop, was killed Thursday night. Witnesses said a muttering woman pushed him on the tracks as a 7 train entered a Queens station and then ran off.
Menendez was in custody Saturday and couldn't be reached for comment. It was unclear if she had an attorney.
It was unclear whether the woman who pushed Sen had any connection to him. Witnesses told police the two hadn't interacted on the platform as they waited for the 7 train, which runs between Manhattan and Queens.
Police released security camera video showing the woman running from the station where Sen was killed.
On Saturday, a passer-by noticed a woman who resembled the woman in the video and called 911. Police responded and confirmed her identity and took her to a police station, where she made statements implicating herself in the crime, police spokesman Paul Browne said.
The attack was the second time this month that a man was pushed to his death in a city subway station. A homeless man was arrested in early December and accused of shoving a man in front of a train in Times Square. He claimed he acted in self-defense and is awaiting trial.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Friday urged residents to keep the second fatal subway shove in the city this month in perspective. The news of Sen's horrific death came as the mayor touted drops in the city's annual homicide and shooting totals.
"It's a very tragic case, but what we want to focus on today is the overall safety in New York," Bloomberg told reporters following a police academy graduation on Friday.
But commuters still expressed concern over subway safety.
"It's just a really sad commentary on the world and on human beings, period," said Howard Roth, who takes the subway daily.
He said the deadly push reminded him, "the best thing is what they tell you — don't stand near the edge, and keep your eyes open."
Such subway deaths are rare, but other high-profile cases include the 1999 fatal shoving of Kendra Webdale, an aspiring screenwriter, by a former psychiatric patient. That case led to a state law allowing for more supervision of mentally ill people living outside institutions.


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The Morgan Motor Company got its start by building three-wheeled motor vehicles in 1910. By 1935 it had entered the four-wheel market, and 1950 saw its first sports car. In this article, you'll find that, with a few exceptions, Morgan styling remained in the 1930s no matter what year a car was built.
The Morgan 4/4 Series II arrived in 1955, already looking like a throwback to a bygone era. Mechanicals would change, and performance would be upgraded over the years, but for more than three decades, the 4/4 (four wheels, four cylinders) would retain its distinct styling and hand-built, steel-over-wood-frame construction. Not quite as long-lived, the 1950 Morgan Plus 4 was a more-powerful, more-sporty iteration of the 4/4, though it too looked like it rolled straight out of the 1930s.
In the early 1960s, Morgan experimented with a more modern-looking car, with less than stellar results. The clumsily-named Morgan Plus 4 Plus deviated from many Morgan norms: It had a curved windshield, hardtop roof, fiberglass body, and hidden spare tire. In the end, its non-traditional styling managed to alienate Morgan enthusiasts and drive off would-be converts. Fortunately, Morgan got back on track with the Morgan Plus 8, and continues to blend modern performance with classic design.
Learn more about the history of this fascinating company, who to this day build each of their cars by hand. We'll get started on the next page with the classic Morgan Plus 4.
To learn more about Morgan and other sports cars, see:


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Restaurants in Rangiora
Known for their diverse cuisine, Christchurch restaurants like to celebrate their local produce. From succulent lamb and fresh fish, to juicy fruit and veg, you'll find dishes to die for, both in the city and out across Canterbury.
Christchurch restaurants has changed dramatically since the 2011 earthquake, with a new brand of fine-dining eateries now adding a dash of modern class to the once traditional type dining establishment . In th edowntown area the Re:Start Mall has creating a thriving food scene with 'pop-up' shipping containers,proving to be ideal temporary shops and restaurants. So, while new, permanent eating premises are being built or restored, these shipping containers are gladly providing some welcome culinary respite. The long stretching Riccarton Road is packed full of cafes and restaurants with plenty of casual dining options. For a bite to eat by the sea, the beach resoirt of Sumner is well worth a visit. Outside Christchurch, Kaikoura is one of the best places to grab some prime seafood dishes, as is Akaroa in the Banks Peninsula. On the Canterbury Plains, Rangiora makes the most of local lamb and beef, and the towns to the south of Christchurch (Geraldine, Timaru) can be quite Mediterranean in the way they love to use home-grown fruit and veg.


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Women's Rowing Places Second at Kerr Cup
By ODU Athletics
April 18, 2010
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The Old Dominion women's rowing team placed second at the 44th Annual Kerr Cup Regatta held on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia.
Old Dominion was second overall in team scoring with 35 points, ahead of Army (29), Villanova (28), Philadelphia (17), VCU (13), and Robert Morris (6). Drexel lead all teams with 61 points.
The day started with the Freshman/Novice 4 showing continued improvement finishing in third place ahead of Villanova B and VCU. ODU finished in a time of 8:18.
The varsity schedule was extremely competitive with CAA rival Drexel.
The Second Varsity 8 outpaced Villanova by 24 seconds but managed to place second in a time of 7:02.3, just behind Drexel in 6:59.5.
The race for the Lela Kerr Cup with the Women's Varsity 8 proved to be one of the most exciting races of the day with several lead changes throughout. In the third quarter of the race, Drexel made a strong push to get ahead of the Lady Monarchs. ODU pushed back into Drexel's lead in the final 500 meters but Drexel prevailed by two seconds. claiming the title in a time of 6:55.03. The Lady Monarchs crossed the finish line with a time of 7:02.3.
"This weekend was a successful one for the whole team," noted head coach Dan Garbutt of his team's performance. "The women executed their races well and are very excited about the final championship races of the season."
The Old Dominion women's rowing team returns to action at the Colonial Athletic Association Championships (April 25th) and the Dad Vail Regatta (May 7-8).
Final Team Standings - Women
Drexel 61
Old Dominion 35
Army 29
Villanova 28
Philadelphia 17
Robert Morris 6
Women's Novice 4
Drexel 7:58.79
Villanova A 8:00.41
Old Dominion 8:18.61
Villanova B 8:45.12
Women's Novice 8
Army 7:36.27
Drexel 8:11.04
Women's Second Varsity 8
Drexel 6:59.5
Old Dominion 7:02.3
Villanova 7:26.87
Women's Varsity 8 - Lela Kerr Cup
Drexel 6:55.03
Old Dominion 6:57.60
Villanova 7:04.53
Philadelphia 7:09.53
Army 7:29.14


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- Latest Industry Standards
- Professional and friendly staff
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You should be knowledgeable concerning Ductworks in Dutch John, UT. You shouldn't go into it without consideration, and it is best to learn what to expect. You're not going to encounter any sort of unexpected surprises whenever you hire Ductwork Guys. The first step is to give us a call by dialing 844-244-6320 to begin your job. We'll reply to your questions and schedule the initial appointment. We are going to work closely with you throughout the whole process, and our team can appear promptly and organized.
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By Judy Reed
Just two more weeks and Main Street in Cedar Springs will be filled with red as far as the eye can see! This year's theme is "Deeply rooted in tradition," and the tradition extends back to 1939, when the first Red Flannel Festival was held. The festival continued in 1940 and 1941, but was not held again between 1942 and 1947, according to The Cedar Springs Story, by Sue Harrison and the late Donna DeJonge, due to the government asking that such activities be curtailed during WWII. They resumed again in 1948. That was the year that a new congressman in the third district, Gerald R. Ford, was on hand to crown Jean Townes as the new Red Flannel Queen.
The Festival has grown and changed over the years, and this year is no different. You'll find many of the same events you've come to know and love, some things new, and some things changed. It's part of what makes our Festival a new and exciting experience every year!
New this year will be the Vietnam Memorial Traveling Wall, which will be escorted in by motorcycles Red Flannel morning; a Euchre tournament; and the Grand Valley State University Marching Band will march in the annual parade. Changes include the children's parade and the bed races moving to Red Flannel Day morning, and the Grand Lodge moving to the American Legion parking lot. Returning this year is an all-time favorite, the All-American Lumberjack show. Gone, however, is the firefighter parade and the fireworks.
Watch the Post for the next two weeks for more Red Flannel info and be sure to check the Red Flannel Post section of the site for upcoming events!


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A&T basketball games headed to ESPN Radio
from the North Carolina A&T Aggies' Athletics web site:
GREENSBORO – North Carolina A&T will bring the New Year in by expanding its basketball coverage for its two teams. North Carolina A&T Athletics has entered a deal with ESPN Radio/Triad Sports Network to broadcast all A&T men's basketball regular-season road games on 1200 WSML, 1230 WMFR and 1320 WCOG AM for the remainder of the 2013-14 regular-season. In addition, the radio network will also broadcast any postseason games that involve the men's and women's A&T basketball teams.
There will also be a weekly coaches' show for men's coach Cy Alexander which will air each Saturday on all three stations from 9 a.m.-10 a.m. Alexander's show will also include interviews with coaches and players from other A&T varsity sports.
The first show will be Saturday, January 4 and the first live broadcasted game will be later that evening when the Aggies face the Charlotte 49ers in Charlotte at 7. The pregame show for each game starts 30 minutes prior to tip-off.
Fans can also listen online by going to triadsports.com and clicking on the listen live button.
"We see this as a great opportunity for North Carolina A&T to begin a solid working relationship with ESPN Radio," said A&T Director of Athletics Earl Hilton. "As we look to build championship-caliber programs for men's and women's basketball, there is an understanding that a part of that goal is having a media and marketing presence for both. Our partnership with ESPN and the Triad Sports Network will enhance what we are able to offer our fans, community and sponsors."
The radio deal means every remaining A&T men's basketball for the 2013-14 season will be broadcasted. Every men's and women's basketball home game can be seen on ncataggies.com via webstreaming thanks to Triad Entertainment Network.
Spencer Turkin will provide the play-by-play for the radio broadcast. Turkin has been with Curtis Media for 14 months, where he has done play-by-play for high school football and basketball games. He also has experience conducting pregame, halftime and postgame shows for IMG College.
Spencer Gwynn handles the Aggies' webstreaming play-by-play. Gwynn has broadcasted A&T events for six decades, more prominently the A&T football games aired on WNAA 90.1 FM. Terry Cooper, a former A&T men's basketball player who played on the Aggies 1995 NCAA tournament team, is the color analyst.


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The interfaith chapel in this northern prison is a quarter of a mile walk from the first of the series of locked gates. With each one clanging behind us, we walk down bare corridors with inmates' art displayed bleakly on the walls. At each stage you feel more cut off from the outside and more controlled by the world coming into view on the inside.
'Total institution' is an apt term – it was first coined in the social sciences last century to describe places where peoples' needs are met impersonally through a bureaucratic system and where full information is denied them in order to enforce stricter control. Home - and all the needs that it addresses - is cut off. What comes to mind, apart from prisons, are certain kinds of hospitals, schools, even religious houses of the past, cults and, interestingly, cruise ships or holiday camps. Overall the sociologists speak of such institutions as constituting a 'mortification of self'.
This was a popular term in mystical theology for a while although St Benedict never uses it preferring obedience and the surrender of self-will. Mortification has a deadly ring, closer to what Simone Weil meant by affliction – a state in which one not only suffers physically but one's very identity is degraded. There are very good and enlightened people working in the prison service who, one feels, have a calling to help the inmates survive their ordeal; but how anyone could think of these generally as places of rehabilitation is mystifying.
Yet you never know.
The Spirit lives in every human heart and so can be smuggled into prisons more easily than drugs. A small group of prisoners, a deacon and a prison officer standing at the back to keep an overview and protect the visitors should need arise, all gather in the chapel, their different worlds temporarily merging. A brave attempt has been made to furnish and decorate the space as a sacred area. The prison can't get mass on Sundays so although it's Friday we will say the Sunday mass and listen to the gospel story of Jesus meeting with the doubly outcast and marginalised Samaritan woman. The story and the theme of thirst in all the readings fit the moment.
Emotionally and religiously it is has a normal appearance but it feels like coming to a disaster zone where the obvious damage has been cleared away but the people are still in trauma. The pain is hidden but palpable and perhaps this is why the prisoners seem to carry the dignity of those who have had their dignity taken from them.
The mass and meditation both speak to this place of human poverty. We speak about meditation and they learn about their fellow prisoners in jails around the world who have been able to turn this inhumane environment into a pattern of spiritual growth. Meditating in a total institution is difficult for many reasons but it's possible. They seem to listen, some more intently than others and I notice that the prison guard who is sitting now on his own in the back row is also paying attention.
Everyone shares in communion, including the officer who is a Catholic like most of the inmates of the prison. Then we meditate in silence for fifteen minutes. There is a deep stillness in the group and the sacramental presence seems to have opened up – just as it is meant to – into an interior communion. We are, for these moments at least, a community. The Council document on the liturgy said that the purpose of the liturgy is to cultivate a 'contemplative orientation among the people of God'. Here perhaps better than in some parishes it seems to have worked.
After meditation I open my eyes and sound the bell three times. As usual, everyone continues with their eyes closed for some moments including, I notice, the prison guard who has been meditating with us. His silence shows what unity we had just been blessed with and by. The peace that unity – and only unity – can bring had entered even this institution where everything is double-checked and screened and nothing is fully trusted.
The day before I had meditated with a class of thirteen year-olds where the teachers and deputy principal were also present. All institutions run on some form of hierarchy and their distinctive roles inevitably create power patterns. As the Arab Spring is testifying uninterrupted power corrupts the institution as a whole and erupts in violence. One day perhaps enlightened statesmen may find a way to try targeted oases of silence during times of conflict as well as airstrikes and trade embargoes.
The prison guard resumed his role – actually he had never betrayed it, just contextualized it more humanly. He happily gave us a few extra minutes to say goodbye.
Laurence Freeman OSB
The World Community for Christian Meditation, of which Laurence Freeman OSB is director, has recently opened a new outreach program – "Meditatio" (www.wccmmeditatio.org)


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Please enter listings at www.fosters.com/calendar. Send longer articles, photographs to email@example.com.
DOVER -- Annual Holiday Craft Fair, Friday, Nov. 16, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Riverside Rest Home, 276 County Farm Road, Dover; Crafts, Baked Goods, Chance Table. Free.June McLaughlin, 603-516-4108, email@example.com.
ELIOT -- Crafts and Cocktails, Friday, Nov. 16, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., The Regatta Room, 28- Levesque Dr., Eliot, ME; A Holiday Craft Fair featuring local artists and business owners. firstname.lastname@example.com, 207-351-4623, firstname.lastname@example.com, www.regattaroom.com/.
DOVER -- Saint Mary Academy Holiday Craft Fair, Saturday, Nov. 17, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saint Mary Academy, 222 Central Ave., Mercy Hall, Dover; This is an annual craft fair showcasing many local artisans. Free.Dawn Duffy, 603-742-3299, firstname.lastname@example.com.
DOVER — First Parish Congregational Church, 218 Central Ave., will be holding their annual Church Fair Saturday November 17 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Enjoy 30+ various vendors, cookie walk, craft tables, organ pipe music, handmade quilt raffle, 100+raffle table, children's shopping and activities and lots more. Lobster Stew Luncheon will be served 11-1pm; $11 per person. For more information call 603-742-5664.
KENNEBUNK — Saturday, November 17, is the date for the annual Pine Cone Fair at Christ Church, 6 Dane Street, Kennebunk, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be a variety of Christmas decorations and crafts for sale, local craftspeople offering homemade tree ornaments, quilts, notecards, jams and jellies, baked goods, kitchen linens, and an array of other gift items. The much-loved Cookie Walk will offer the opportunity to assemble an assortment of your favorite homemade cookies. There will also be a Silent Auction.. More information www.christchurchkennebunk.org
KITTERY, Maine — Kittery Estates will be hosting a weekend open house at 220 State Rd. on Friday, Nov. 16 through Sunday, Nov 18.
At 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov 17 they will be having a pre-holiday Shopping Extravaganza featuring tables from local business.
They will also be a drop off site for the Toys For Tots campaign.
There will be fresh treats and coffee made on site by the Kittery Estates Chef.
If you have any questions, please call Kittery Estates at (207) 438-9111
KITTERY -- 3rd Annual Traip Academy Athletic Booster Craft Fair, Saturday, Nov. 17, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Traip Academy, 12 Williams Ave., Kittery, ME; Crafts, raffle, concessions, to benefit the Pamela Hoyt-Sanborn Memorial Scholarship. Alicia Cuttle, firstname.lastname@example.com.
LEE — Kickoff the holiday season in Lee, at the 29th Annual Lee Holiday Festival on Saturday, Nov. 17. Beginning with a 7:30 a.m. breakfast with Santa at the Lee Safety Complex, 20 George Bennett Road. Breakfast will be $5 for adults, $4 for children 5-12 years of age, four and under are free. Then, hop a ride with Santa to the Lee Church Congregational, 17 Mast Road (Route 155) in Lee. From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., the following events will be offered in Fellowship Hall: Fresh holiday floral arrangements, wreaths and garlands created by our Master Gardeners; A bakery table filled with freshly baked cookies and breads; A Child's Room, where children can go shopping for their own special gifts on their Christmas list: affordable and gift wrapped for them. Help will be available, if needed; Gifts for your pets; A Book Room filled with gently used books; A Craft Room filled with handmade items; A white elephant room will include great bargains on very interesting items. Special handmade general greeting cards will also be offered.
From 9 a.m., homemade donuts and coffee will be served in Fellowship Hall.
Homemade soups and sandwiches will be offered from 11 a.m. on.
For further information contact Marian Kelsey at 659-3996 or Barbara Mariacher at 659-6428, Co-chairs.
LEE -- 5th Annual Holiday Shopping Bazaar, Saturday, Nov. 17, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Mast Way Elementary School, 23 Mast Rd., Lee; Holiday Shopping Bazaar with over 34 local vendors, craftsmen, and artisans. Join us. Free.Laura DiMeglio, firstname.lastname@example.com.
NORTH BERWICK, Maine — The First Congregational Church of North Berwick, located at High Street in North Berwick, will host their Christmas Fair and Cookie Walk on November 17 from 9:00 to 3:00 pm.
There will be a baked goods table, books, knitted items/ sewn items, attic treasures, Xmas items/ornaments and Christmas Swags made by the Ladies Fellowship. Refreshments will be available.
Join in this fun event, with something for everyone.
PORTSMOUTH -- 28th Annual Holiday Craft Fair, Saturday, Nov. 17, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Masonic Temple, Middle St., Portsmouth; Craft and gift items, huge raffle table, silent auction, pie and bake sale, & Santa's Attic. Free.Pat Barbour, 603-659-5161.
PORTSMOUTH -- Dondero Tokin Craft Fair, Saturday, Nov. 17, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Dondero Elementary School, 32 Van Buren Ave., Portsmouth; Fine crafts sale to benefit Dondero Tokin (Toward Our Kids In Need). $1 Tickets at the door.Linda Carter, 603-436-2231, firstname.lastname@example.com.
PORTSMOUTH — The First United Methodist Church on Miller Ave. (Rt.1A) will be having a Bell Bazaar on Nov. 17 from 9:00 a.m. till 2:00 p.m.
Homemade Cinnamon Rolls, Bid Table, Craft Table, Baked Food Table, and much more ...
Any question - please call me at 436-6038.
ROCHESTER — Christmas keepsake fair will be held at the Rochester manor on Nov. 17, from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. at 40 Whitehall Rd. Raffles, white elephant, penny sale. Homemade food and baked goods, punch boards, hourly turkey raffles.
ROCHESTER — Knights of Columbus Ladies Auxiliary is having their 37th annual Christmas Holiday Craft Fair at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Columbus Avenue in Rochester. It will be held on Saturday, November 17. The fair will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Doors will open to the crafters to set up displays at 8 a.m. Tables measure 2.5 x 8 and rent for $25.00 each or 2 for $45.00, chairs will be supplied. Please contact Emma Caplette at (603) 332-3005 anytime.
ROCHESTER -- Annual Holiday Fair, Saturday, Nov. 17, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 34 South Main St., Rochester; Handmade crafts, baked goods, cookie walk, attic treasures, used books, toys, games. Info: 603-332-4170.
ROCHESTER -- Bake Sale/Fair, Saturday, Nov. 17, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Trinity Anglican Church, 180 Rochester Hill Road, Rochester; There will be a craft fair, bake sale and raffles. Free. Maryanne Digilio Or Sue Fleig, 603-332-1376, email@example.com.
ROCHESTER -- Lions Bake Sale, Saturday, Nov. 17, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Lilac Mall, 25 Lilac Mall, Rochester; There will be a large Thanksgiving Basket Raffle and many delicious baked goods to be purchased. Free.Karen Lucht, email@example.com.
ROLLINSFORD — St. Anne's Guild Annual HOLIDAY FAIR to benefit St. Mary's Church will be held on November 17, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the American Legion Hall, on Foundry Street, in Rollinsford. Country Store, Penny Table Crafts & Ornaments, Homemade Baked Goods & Treats, White Elephant Table, Hair Feathering and Extensions, Children's Activities, Candy Wheel.
Sit and enjoy a fantastic lunch of homemade soups, sandwiches, hot dogs, chili and assorted pies.
Silent Auction, where there is sure to be something for everyone. Take a chance on a Raffle. Prizes include cash, food baskets, and the popular basket of cheer.
For more information call 603-742-8198
STRATHAM — The Exeter Area G.F.W.C. brings the 35th Annual Yuletide Fair to the Cooperative Middle School at 100 Academic Way, Stratham, on Saturday November 17. Hours: 9:00 – 3:00pm.
The Fair features over 100 crafters, the famous cookie & fudge table, breakfast breads, and Raffle Table. Refreshments available in the cafeteria. $1.00 Donation at the door to support local Food Pantry and club service projects.
SOMERSWORTH — The Somersworth Festival Association is holding its second annual Penny Sale Fundraiser at Somersworth High School on Saturday, Nov. 17. Help support SFA's family-oriented activities like the Children's Festival, Kids Koncerts, Breakfast with Frosty, and the Pumpkin Festival AND win great gifts! Prizes include Kindle Fire HD, Xbox 360 with Kinect, quilts, rounds of golf, Adirondack chair, cord of wood, $100 Amazon gift certificate, UNH Hockey jersey signed by the 2012 team, jewelry, home décor, gift certificates to area businesses, clothing, gift baskets, pet items, games, toys, and much, much more — there will be something for everyone!
Doors open at 10 a.m., with hourly series raffles. Penny Sale items will be drawn starting at 4 p.m.
For more information or to become an event sponsor call (603) 692-5869.
UNION — Annual Union Schoolhouse Craft Fair/fundraiser. Will be held on Saturday, Nov. 17th, 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Featuring a variety of hand crafted items from local artisans. Food concessions also available. The quaint, 2-room schoolhouse, built in 1903, was reopened this Fall as a resource center for area home schooling families. We are raising funds to assist a local family in need of adaptive equipment for a handicap van. 80 Chapel St. Union, NH. www.unionschoolhouse.org.
KITTERY, Maine — The Second Christian Congregational Church of Kittery, 33 Government Street, will hold its annual Evergreen Festival this year on Saturday, Nov. 24 from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Highlights of the fair will include a Country Store with baked beans, cheese, homemade pickles, relish, sweet jams and jellies, and much more. Also featured will be home-baked goods, fudge and candy, hand-made gift items, jewelry, holiday arrangements, wreaths, ornaments, theme baskets, and attic treasures. The Coffee Shoppe will offer coffee, tea and home baked treats throughout the afternoon. Prizes for the raffle include a gourmet gift basket, an oil pastel painting from Marginal Way in Ogunquit by Bradford Sherman, a handmade quilt by Denise Baran, and $50.00 cash. Raffle tickets are $1.00 each or 6 for $5.00. The raffle drawing will be at 2:00 p.m. (attendance not required).
A luncheon will be served from 11:00 to 1:00 p.m. and will include a choice of lobster roll, chicken pot pie, or soup, all served with chips or roll, dessert, and beverage. The luncheon prices range from $6.00 to $8.00.
For further information call the church office at (207) 439-3903
NORTH BERWICK, Maine — The 5th annual Neighborly Craft Fair is being held to benefit the local food pantry and fuel assistance fund of North Berwick. It will take place at the North Berwick Primary School on Saturday, Nov. 24 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Amongst the holiday hustle and bustle, it is also a time when people think of the needs of others. Once again there will be raffles and an outstanding Silent Auction with works from renowned Artists. An application for table space is available at townofnorthberwick.org. For further information email firstname.lastname@example.com or call Linda at 207-676-9063 or Rindy at 207-676-4414
WOLFEBORO — Christmas is just around the corner and it's not too early to be thinking of gifts for those special people in your life! The public is invited to the Holiday Craft Fair on Saturday, November 24 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The location is the Harriman-Hale American Legion Hall at 142 Center Street. This is an indoor fair held rain or shine, featuring many hand-made items to satisfy your shopping pleasure. The American Legion Auxiliary is a non-profit organization, whose mission is to help the needs of veterans, their families, and the community.
Contact Rachel Chamberlin at 603-569-4296 for more information
DURHAM -- Four Durham Churches continue tradition by holding their Annual Christmas Fairs the first Saturday in December. This year the four downtown Durham churches will simultaneously celebrate the holidays on Saturday, Dec. 1st, 9am-2am. Fairgoers can visit The Durham Community Church and St. George's Episcopal church located across the street from one another at 17 Main Street. Around the corner shoppers will enjoy St. Thomas Moore and The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at 6 and 20 Madbury Road. Each church situated close together features its own specialty. Come to Durham to experience carolers and music while finding wonderful homemade gifts, swags, wreaths, partridge berry bowls, felt bird ornaments, cookie walk, jewelry, raffles, Santa shop, silent auction, lunch, soups, baked goods and more.
For more information: Contact Bryn Burns, 603.743.1813.
NEWMARKET — On Saturday, December 1st, the Annual Christmas Fair at the Newmarket Community Church at 137 Main Street, downtown Newmarket, will open its doors with open arms at 8 a.m. — snow or shine — in the church vestry until 2 p.m., and admission is free!
You can come and eat, shop, visit with new and old friends and buy some good old-fashioned Christmas cookies, cakes and pies and lots of other goodies. It's a great way to get in the spirit of Christmas and get a head start on your shopping. There will be something for everyone — from grab bags for the children to Christmas decorations to our two new booths selling vintage items and man cave "stuff" — all in a warm, cozy and inviting setting" said Pam Boutilier, one of the NCC Christmas fair committee members.
Other highlights for the fair include a visit from Santa, door prizes, a raffle and auction, kids games & toys, and many other surprises! To make a donation to, or for more information about the fair, please call the church office @ 603-659-3892.
SOMERSWORTH — The 20th Annual Holiday Craft Fair on Saturday, Dec. 1 from 9 a.m to 3 p.m. at Somersworth High School is sponsored by the Somersworth Festival Association. The SFA hosts one of the areas largest and best holiday craft fair in the region. A full kitchen is provided by the SFA board members so you can stay and browse to your heart's content.
For more information please call Sue at (603)692-5869. Check out our website for the applications nhfestivals.org
ROCHESTER — Even Santa's elves will find plenty of gifts at The Homemakers Health Services' Day Out Holiday Craft Fair being held on Friday and Saturday, December 7th and 8th at The Homemakers Health Services, 215 Rochester Hill Road, Rochester.
The Holiday Craft Fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, Dec.7th and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, December 8th. Proceeds will benefit the Day Out program's Activity Fund.
GREENLAND — Greenland Community Congregational Church will hold its Annual Christmas Fair on Saturday, Dec. 8 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Greenland Parish House on Post Road/Route 151 in Greenland Center. There is no admission for this community holiday event and it will feature two floors of merchandise and activities. The fair's Silent Auction will be at the center of the event, featuring artwork and handmade items, restaurant gift certificates, passes to area attractions, gift baskets, and more. For more information contact the church at 603-436-8336 or visit www.communitychurchofgreenland.org.
EXETER — This year's Rotary Holiday Auction is Monday, December 10th from 5:30 p.m. — 9 p.m. It will be held at the Hampton Inn & Suites, 59 Portsmouth Avenue in Exeter. Tickets $20 in advance and $25 at the door include complimentary hors d'oeuvres, champagne toast and a cash bar. Some of the auction items this year include: 2 Front Row Floor Celtic tickets with passes to private TD Gardens Club, Mystery Plane Trip from Pease to ??? for lunch, golf packages, wine, jewelry, art, furs, designer luggage and purses, cosmetic dental packages, vacation packages to Moose Head Lake Tomhegan Resorts, Attitash Mountains and Lake Winnipesaukee and more ...
Please contact Ann Schieber at firstname.lastname@example.com or call (603) 770-2744 if you wish to purchase a tickets, contribute an item for the auction, or become a sponsor.
PORTSMOUTH — Time for some holiday crafting with your family. Come for our holiday Green Families Field Trip on December 11, at the Green Alliance Office, 75 Congress Street, Suite 304, Portsmouth, from 5 p.m. — 6 p.m.
With many fun craft stations, make your holiday gifts both special and green. Pixels & Pulp will be here with a card making craft activity. Mary's Dogs will also be here with a station to make bandannas for adopted dogs and the special dog or cat in your life. Artist Lynne Szymanski will work with kids to help them make unique sculptures with recycled wood. This event is free for Green Alliance Green Families Club Members. Join at www.greenalliance.biz/join and then rsvp to firstname.lastname@example.com. Call 603-817-4694 for more info or visit www.greenalliance.biz
Fairs and saleS
Please enter listings at www.fosters.com/calendar. Send longer articles, photographs to email@example.com.


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It's the middle of March. The roster is thinning down, and the team's performance is moving up. As Opening Day nears, the pitchers especially are the players to watch. Wins and losses means nothing in Spring Training, when regulars routinely don't complete games, but a game is a game, and you can watch a pitcher's motion and see how comfortable he is with certain pitches and certain situations. Also pay attention to defense and injury in the field. These things won't necessarily predict our performance this year, but at least we'll be able to tell how ready this year's team is to face the music when the season starts. Honestly, I have to say, it looks pretty good.
Nava is surely going to win a spot on the bench now that he's proven himself at first, where he's seen playing time this spring. Drew has been out with a concussion that he sustained after getting hit by a pitch. Papi started running the bases a bit but, due to soreness in his right foot derived from his Achilles injury, he's had to take it easy as well. While he's sat out, Farrell's been rotating the DH spot. Unfortunately, he may very well start the season on the disabled list. So will Breslow, due to problems with his left shoulder, and Morales, due to problems with his lower back. Napoli actually saw action in consecutive days and managed to survive, which was a very good sign. Aceves returned to camp after Team Mexico was eliminated from the World Baseball Classic. Fortunately, he wasn't injured in the significant brawl that broke out between Team Mexico and Team Canada when the former got upset because the latter bunted with the game practically won already. Team Mexico didn't know about the Classic's tiebreakers, which use run differential, and thought it was bad form. So several Canadian players ganged up on Aceves and dragged him to the ground. Like I said, we're pretty lucky he wasn't injured. Victorino will also be heading back to camp now that Team USA is out. Steven Wright, the knuckleballer who may not be, since he's having some trouble getting a handle on the pitch, got cut along with Deven Marrero, Drake Britton, Justin Henry, Alex Hassan, Mark Hamilton, Jeremy Hazelbaker, Juan Carlos Linares, Pedro Beato, Rubby De La Rosa, Allen Webster, Christian Velazquez, Daniel Butler, and Alex Wilson. Ryan Westmoreland, once considered one of our best farmboys, is retiring. We traded cash to Baltimore for Mike Flacco, who plays first base. Yes, he's the brother of Joe Flacco. Yaz made his annual visit to camp, making the rounds with current Sox and former teammates.
Now let's talk action. We beat the Rays on March 4, 5-1. Doubront made his debut and tossed 1.2 shutout innings including a hit, two walks, and two K's. Carpenter also tossed a shutout frame to end the game. Iglesias went two for two with two doubles; Salty also had a double to his credit, and Overbay tripled. We were back in action Wednesday opposite the Pirates, who beat us, 9-3. On the bright side, Lester looked especially sharp; he hurled four comforting and relief-inspiring innings, during which he allowed one hit on two runs while walking three and striking out three. I wasn't a fan of the three walks, but it's more important that he slowly but steadily lengthens his starts without also augmenting his run total. Wright took the loss and gave up five runs on five hits; Tazawa pitched a shutout inning to end it. Ciriaco went two for four, and Gomes and Salty both doubled. We beat the Twins on Thursday, 12-5. For the first three innings, it was all Buchholz, who dominated with a shutout performance and issued two hits, no walks, and four K's. Hanrahan delivered a deflating fail of a third of an inning, during which he gave up four runs on four hits, but Bard pitched a shutout inning. Meanwhile, Pedroia and Napoli each collected two hits; Pedroia doubled and Napoli smacked a home run that seemed like he could really get used to the power again. The Twins bested us the next day, though, with a shutout performance. Dempster took the loss and gave up the game's only two runs. We lost to the O's on Saturday, 5-2. Doubront gave up two runs on four hits over three innings with a walk and five strikeouts; Hanrahan and Bailey both delivered shutout frames. Salty had himself two hits, and Overbay doubled.
We beat the Rays on Sunday, 6-2. Lackey worked three and two-thirds inning and gave up two runs on four hits, one of them a homer, while walking two and striking out two. It doesn't seem like much, but that start was better than most of the ones we've seen from him in recent memory; granted, it doesn't take much from him at this point to constitute a good sign, but you have to start rebuilding somewhere. Overbay went two for three, and Ross had himself a three-run jack. The Marlins beat us on Monday, 8-7; Lester delivered five beautiful innings, giving up one run on three hits while walking none and striking out four. Carpenter took the blown save and the loss, giving up two runs on two hits en route to recording the game's last two outs. Salty doubled, and Middlebrooks homered for the first time since getting injured! He looked mighty comfortable doing it, too. Like he could do it again. Repeatedly. We beat the Jays on Tuesday, 5-3. Buchholz kept up his strong performance with four shutout innings during which he issued one K and gave up three hits. Bailey turned in a shutout inning of his own. Nava, Napoli, and Sweeney each had two hits; Napoli, Sweeney, and Middlebrooks each hit doubles.
We had Wednesday off and bested the Twins on Thursday, 7-3. Dempster picked up the win with four innings of one-run, three-hit ball; Bard pitched a shutout inning. Ellsbury went two for three with a double; Iglesias smacked a double as well. Friday's game against Baltimore ended in a tie at three after ten; Mortensen started and tossed three shutout innings of two-hit ball, and no one had a multihit game. We crushed Tampa Bay on Saturday, 9-2. Aceves pitched four and one-third innings during which he gave up three runs, two earned, on six hits with one walk and five K's. Iglesias and Gomez both had two hits; Iglesias tripled, and Gomez doubled. We beat Tampa Bay again yesterday, 5-1, on the shoulders of a literally perfect performance by Lester. Six innings. No runs. No hits. No walks. Six K's, or an average of one per inning. Even Hanrahan got in the spirit and delivered a shutout inning. It was only Spring Training, but it was a glorious indication of things to come. Expect him to start on Opening Day for sure. Middlebrooks went two for three, and Gomes was perfect at the plate; both doubled.
In other news, the Bruins lost to the Caps in sudden death but then beat the Leafs, Flyers, and Sens. We lost to the Penguins and then beat the Panthers and Caps before losing to the Penguins again.


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- Fully hosted experience by a Jameson Brand Ambassador
- Jameson Whiskey Cask Draw and Tasting
- Up to 6 participants
- 20 minute Live Maturation Warehouse visit
- Available 7 days a week
- €20
A Cask Draw Experience at Jameson Distillery Bow St.
Visit our live Maturation Warehouse, where you'll learn about the Angel's Share and get the rare opportunity to draw – and taste a 14 year old, unblended single pot still whiskey straight from a Jameson cask. Magic!
Please note that this is a tasting & does not include a guided tour but if you'd like one, then be sure to check out our Distillery Tour options.
- This experience is not suitable for kids
- Please arrive 15 minutes early


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Feel the rhythm
Own the dance floor
Pump up the volume and get down with the hottest tracks to hit the Just Dance series. Show off your smooth moves and bounce to over 40 chart-toppers including Best Song Ever by One Direction, Summer by Calvin Harris and Happy by Pharrell Williams, plus classics such as You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) by Dead or Alive and Walk This Way by Run-DMC and Aerosmith.
Shimmy onto the World Dance Floor online multiplayer mode to dance with anyone anywhere in the world, join a virtual dance crew, compete on different themes and check fun stats and rankings. Then use the PlayStation Camera to record your performances in Community Remix, and become a global superstar or coach others with your massive moves.


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From Our Editors
With locations spanning the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, iLoveKickboxing.com has trimmed the waistlines of thousands of members while bolstering their confidence levels with engaging and varied total-body workouts. The program blends kickboxing techniques into a fat-burning, muscle-toning, and endurance-enhancing regimen. Limbs warm up with a quick jog before taking down imaginary opponents with a set of practice kicks and punches to drive home proper technique. The pummeling then switches to the one of many freestanding heavy bags, and incorporates ducking and weaving to boost heart rates. Teamwork drills help members tone up while cultivating camaraderie, which could lead to a partnership inspiring future buddy-cop-movie sensations.


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The I/O DLL kit provides a means for extending the functions of the simulator debugger in the High-performance Embedded Workshop integrated development environment (IDE). This kit supports the creation of I/O DLLs. The I/O DLL refers to a DLL (Note1) that operates in cooperation with the simulator engine of the simulator debugger.
Once the necessary settings are made, the simulator debugger allows you to load an I/O DLL and operate it synchronously with the timing at which instructions are single-stepped, memory is read or written or an interrupt occurs. That way, the operation of the input/output ports or the internal peripheral functions of the microcomputer can be simulated as a means of debugging the target program. Furthermore, linked operation with an external tool can be realized by, for example, sending and receiving data to and from that tool.
Any desired I/O DLL can be created by using C/C++ language. To create an I/O DLL, you need to have Microsoft Visual C++, a Windows application development environment available on the market.
- DLL is the acronym of Dynamic Link Library. This is a function of the operating system that allows you to save executable routines (routines that supply a specific function or a set of functions) to be saved separately as a file with the extension ".dll". These routines are loaded only when they are needed by the calling program.
Linkage Between the Simulator Enigine and I/O DLL
The simulator engine calls the functions that have been predefined on the I/O DLL side synchronously with the timing shown below:
- After executing one instruction (number of execution cycles)
- Before execution (PC value)
- When the target is reset
- When an interrupt occurs
- Immediately before memory read (address information)
- Immediately after memory write (address information)
Conversely, the following functions that have been made public for the simulator engine can be called from the I/O DLL side:
- Get memory contents
- Set a memory value
- Get a register value
- Set a register value
- Interrupt occurrence
- Confirm interrupt occurrence condition
- Inspect the total number of cycles executed
Supported Simulator Debuggers
This I/O DLL kit is available for the following simulator debuggers in the compiler packages :
- Simulator Debugger for M16C Series and R8C Family
- Simulator Debugger for M32C Series
- Simulator Debugger for R32C Series
Note: This I/O DLL kit is NOT supported by the M3T-PDxxSIM simulator debuggers. For M3T-PDxxSIM, use the PDxxSIM I/O DLL Kit.
Development Tools Used
To create an I/O DLL, you need to have Microsoft Visual C++, a Windows application development environment available on the market.
Sample Programs
The following sample programs are stored in a location at the hierarchical level below the directory in which this I/O DLL kit is installed. Refer to the release note for details on how to install the I/O DLL kit.
- I/O DLL to link with Excel from Microsoft Corporation
- I/O DLL to read/write data from a file
- I/O DLL to simulate the operation of a microcomputer's internal peripheral functions
Information supporting development tools
|My Renesas
|Create a My Renesas account to use our tool download services,receive e-newsletter/update notifications, and take advantage of our other services.
|Information for studying and learning about microcontrollers and microprocessors.
|Frequently asked questions and useful hints for development.
|A forum and community site to share technical information, questions and opinions with others who use Renesas MCU's.
|Tool News
|Tool release information and other important information.
|Operating Environment
|Information on system requirements and operating environment for the latest version of tools.
|Info on Discontinued Products
|A list of Renesas software and tools that have been discontinued and are no longer being offered for new projects.


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Discuss the first massively multiplayer online role-playing game in the Final Fantasy series and find your fellow players in the World of Vana'diel! This game is currently available for Playstation 2, Windows, and Xbox 360.
Use this control to limit the display of threads to those newer than the specified time frame.
Allows you to choose the data by which the thread list will be sorted.
Order threads in...
Note: when sorting by date, 'descending order' will show the newest results first.
Forum Rules


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Blog | Media | Shop
April 11, 2013
Worldwide, 15 million babies are born too soon each year. More than 1 million die each year, and the 14 million more struggle to survive. The March of Dimes needs your help to honor these babies and give hope to the more than half a million babies born too soon each year. Join Kiwanis members throughout the country as they take part in March for Babies, and walk together for stronger, healthier babies!
Sign up at marchforbabies.org/kiwanis to join or start a new team! Here you can find the date and location of your March for Babies and valuable information about getting started. If you register a new team, make sure to include Kiwanis, Key Club, Circle K or Builders Club in your team name! For more information on getting started, check out our School & Youth Team Tips: March for Babies – Getting Started video.
There are tons of fun ways to get involved. Your club can host coin collections, dances, and in-school challenges to raise funds. Remember, you can raise funds year-round to support babies. Host a carwash this Summer and then host an event at homecoming this Fall. No matter the event, your efforts are helping to give every baby a healthy start. For more fundraising ideas, check out our School & Youth Team Tips: March for Babies – Fundraising video. And this year, take the challenge to Be Your Best for Babies and become a Top Team.
For more resources and best practices to help your team be successful this year, check out the 2013 March for Babies Youth Toolkit.
You can also utilize the March for Babies iPhone App & Android App to track your fundraising progress on the go. Once you register online, we give you all the fundraising tools you need! And keep up with the latest tools on the March for Babies blog.
Kiwanis Key Club
A Key Club International program of
Kiwanis International
© 2011 Kiwanis International
All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy Site Map


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Angel Investment Network has been a valuable part of Soteria's overall cap raising and marketing strategy. As we prepare for our $12MM USD China roadshow we will continue to list Soteria/Natasha on the AIN as we are now building a community of investors many of which have originated from this platform.
William Nobrega @ Soteria


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Building on its geographic diversification strategy, Al Dahra has established presence in the Northern and Southern hemispheres of the globe. As a result, it is capable of supplying products all year round and across different seasons due to its access to different sources of production. Furthermore, Al Dahra is in a position to mitigate the various global risks affecting the agriculture industry including climate change risks, shortages of supply and low yields, international market commodity price fluctuations, currency variations and supply chain challenges.
Unlike common traders and importers, Al Dahra owns and operates its own lands, production facilities and factories, ensuring full control over operations and product quality. In addition, the unique business model spanning all stages of the supply chain from farming, processing, packing, storing, shipping, distribution and marketing creates increased value to end-consumers whilst eliminating intermediaries and middlemen.
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land portfolio including leased and owned land across various geographies
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annual group turnover
group average CAGR over the past 5 years
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Grain biggest trading hub in the Middle East, that can cater to 2.4 Billion people.
Al Dahra ACX number 1 forage exporter in the USA for 2015
Al Dahra Agriculture is ISO 9001:2015 certified.


text:
Appointment in Samarra
The episode opens with the Impala pulling in front of a Chinese food market. Inside, Dean is directed to a back hallway where Freddy Kruger greets him by name! Okay, he's actually Dr. Robert and he's stitched up Dean's daddy more times than he can count. Money changes hands and Dean is noticeably nervous. If something goes wrong he wants a letter mailed to Benjamin Braeden, not Sam. Okay, just what the heck is Dean there for? He looks perfectly fine. The doc's assistant, Eva, who looks like someone out of Kat Von D's tatt shop, unceremoniously shoves an IV into Dean's arm. Biatch! Doc then administers an injection and tells Dean he's got 3 minutes.______ Flatline_____. The doc freakin' killed Dean! After peering at his lifeless body, Dean's spirit walks down to the shop and calls out for Tessa, our favorite reaper. Dean wants to talk to her boss. Death promptly shows up. Hmm, he showed up awfully quick and willingly. Dean asks the creepy old dude to get both of his bros outta Hell. Death tells him to pick one. Naturally, Dean picks Sam. Death warns him Sammy's soul will be "Flayed to the raw nerve." Dean wants to know if Death can hack the hell part out. Back in Kruger's clinic, paddles shock Dean's heart. Death tells Dean he can't erase Sam's hell, but he can put it behind a wall in his memory. Tessa warns it's not permanent. In exchange for retrieving Sam's soul Death wants Dean to put his ring on and be him for one day. Take the ring off before the 24 hours is up and Dean won't get back Sam's soul. Why does Death want Dean to do take over for a spell? Because…GASP…Dean comes back to life and we don't get the answer.
Dean tells Sam and Bobby his brilliant plan. Predictably, Sam isn't happy and Bobby wants to know what the catch is. Sam says he doesn't want to take the deal because it's not a permanent solution and he could still end up as pudding. He takes off in a huff, presumably to wrap his head around things. Instead he goes looking for Death's ring. Sneaky Sam. Dean catches him and swears he won't let anything bad happen to him. Sam says fine, he'll trust Dean. Big bro doesn't buy it—neither do I— and tells Bobby to keep an eye on him.
Dean slips the ring on. Tessa pops in and lays out the rules for his new job. She's got a list. Dean will touch those meant to die. She'll reap them. Easy peasy. Don't go getting any other ideas. Riiiight. This is Dean we're talking about.
Elsewhere, Sam's calling on Balthazar. Uh oh. This can't be good. Sam wants to know what he can do to keep his soul out forever. Really, I can't say I blame him. Who wants to cope with that kind of damage? But at the same time we all want our Sammy back. Balthazar says he'll help Sam for free, just to screw with Dean and put Sam in his debt. To stay soulless Sam needs to scar his vessel by committing patricide. Since his dad is gone a father figure will do. Eep!
A punk robs a convenience store, threatening to kill the owner's little boy. The father draws a gun from under the cash register and shoots the robber. Dean is all too happy to see the punk off to hell, even allowing for a little extra suffering. Next comes an overweight man chowing down on pizza. Heartattack hits. When he asks Dean "what it all means?" Dean responds with an unsatisfactory, but hilarious "everything is dust in the wind." Next Dean faces down a 12-year-old girl with a heart condition. She's in the hospital with her single father. Dean says there's no way he's killing her. Tessa argues with him, but he says he's Death so it's his choice. The girl's heart then miraculously heals. How's that going to backfire?
Meanwhile, Sam returns to Bobby's. They play a poker game, but there's some very tense subtext going on as they watch each other warily over the cards. Bobby offers Sam a beer and when he reaches into the fridge to get the bottle Sam grabs something out of a toolbox and tries to clobber Bobby who in turns grabs a pipe out of the fridge and clubs Sam. Ha! You gotta love that Bobby keeps a weapon in the fridge. Sam hits the floor. Bobby goes to get some rope and when he turns back Sam is gone. That's not good. Shotgun loaded, Bobby searches for Sam, saying, "let's not do anything hasty." Then—WTH?—he locks himself in a closet. Sam starts to axe through the door like Jack Nicholson and—ROTFL—Bobby says, "Don't say 'here's Johnny.'" Sam tells Bobby he's got to do this and he shouldn't have cornered himself. Bobby says he didn't and pulls a trap door trigger that sends Sam dropping to the basement. Ah, that makes more sense. The surrogate father and his soulless son talk through a "reinforced steel core, titanium kick plates" door that Sam can't break down no matter how hard he tries. Sam finally explains that he doesn't want his thrashed soul back in him and a spell cast with Bobby's blood will ensure that doesn't happen. He believes Dean just wants his little brother Sammy back at all costs and he'll kill "Sam" to get that other guy back. Bobby tries to reason with him, but it suddenly gets very quiet. Bobby bravely goes down to the basement to find that Sam's escaped through a grate in the panic room. Why would there be an escape route like that?
Back at the hospital the butterfly effect kicks in. Because Dean let the young girl live her nurse was sent home early. She in turn got into a car accident being somewhere she wouldn't have otherwise been and she needs the heart surgeon that's no longer there. Dean takes the nurse so he won't start another chain reaction, but she was meant to live for many more decades and have children and grandchildren. Tess then tells Dean he has to restore the natural order of things and also take the girl he spared, the girl who is now happily planning a vacation with her father. As Dean watches out a window he sees the dead nurse's husband leaving a pub drunk and climbing behind the wheel.
Bobby goes searching for Sam in the junkyard. Geesh, psycho Sammy is making me jumpy. And thwack, the idjit knocks Bobby's out.
Dean has hopped into the car with the grieving husband. The guy is clearly on a suicide mission, speeding up and trying to plow into a bus. Dean tries to shout warnings, but the guy can't hear. Dean yanks off the ring and steers the guy clear of death, saving the guy's life and costing Sam his chance at having a soul. Now Dean better hurry and help Bobby. But wait, he feels like he has to clear up unfinished business. He returns to the hospital with Tessa and kills the young girl. He figures no one really skates by and now agrees there's a natural order to things, even if that is stupid.
Sam's got Bobby bound to a chair in the basement. And even though Bobby pleads for his life, Sam is getting ready to stab him to death when Dean shows up and punches his lights out. Let me go on record now as saying that I officially hate soulless Sam.
An unconscious Sam's now handcuffed to a cot in the panic room. As Dean looks at him through the peep hole he tells Bobby he can't keep doing this anymore. What's he going to do keep tying Sam up everytime he tries to kill someone? Poor guy doesn't know what to do anymore. And neither does Bobby. So sad. Sam opens his eyes and I find myself hoping Death gave him back his soul because Dean went back and killed that young girl when he didn't have to.
Nope. Dean goes back upstairs and Death's waiting for him at the dining table. Guy really seems to like food. Dean confesses that he sucked at being Death. Death says Dean got a rare look behind the curtain. "The human soul is not irreparable. It's vulnerable, impermanent, but stronger than you know. And more valuable than you can imagine." Hmm, where are we going with this? Whoa! Death is going to retrieve Sam's soul because, although he and Dean keep coming back and disrupting the natural order of things on a global scale, they're on to something with their investigations…something having to do with souls. Dean asks him Death last question. Will the wall really work? About 75%, he answers.
Down in the panic room Death gets ready to reinstall Sam's soul. He says he's going to put a wall up and it'll itch, but Sam shouldn't scratch at it because he won't like what happens if he does. As Dean and Bobby watch on, Sam begs not to have his soul replaced. It's sad to watch, but the way he ignored Bobby's pleas makes me less sympathetic. The episode ends with him screaming as we—fingers crossed—get our Sammy back.
Whew! I'm glad we're going into the hellatus (Show returns Jan. 28) on a hopeful note. I thought this was a great episode, but missed the sharp one-liners. Weren't too many of those. However, I won't miss Soulless Sam. The moment he tried to kill Bobby he crossed an unforgiveable line. Are you glad to see Soulless Sam go and how long do you think it'll be before Sammy scratches that itch?


text:
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Bodybuilding has lied to you, and that's why you're still skinny.
2010 January 11
By Matt Perryman
Over the last say five, six years, I've pretty well managed to wall myself off from gym culture. I do lift in a commercial gym, though I have very little contact with the people there – unless you count staring in slack-jawed amazement at some of the antics and stupidity as contact. I don't, personally.
Most of the people I talk to in person are real lifters of some sort or another, guys that like powerlifting and strongman and Highland games. The manly kind of sports that you can drink beer with. We don't always agree 100% on the details, but we also know that the details don't matter and that in every way that matters, we're on the same page.
Online, I've almost entirely stayed away from sites like bodybuilding.com or the beloved T-mag precisely because they encourage so much of that Bro mentality – that faux-macho wannabe outlook that relies on being 'edgy' and 'hardcore' and 'latching on to the nuts of this year's popular guru'.
Since taking myself out of all that, I've developed what I can only describe as selective amnesia, because I've genuinely been surprised at some of the stupid that's out there – and it's layered, complex stupid. This can range from the mostly harmless repetition of Bro-mantras like the beloved 'shock the body to keep it guessing', right on up to full on 'I still weigh 60kg and can't put on weight but let me tell you how to do things'.
I've discussed the abstract concept of stupidity before, and it's an interesting thing. Stupidity isn't just the absence of intelligence or information; it's the active rejection of learning that works by convincing the stupid person that s/he doesn't need to learn in the first place. Of course stupid and ignorant are relative terms, but I'm of the firm belief that most anybody can be coached or trained in the gym if they're given enough guidance.
One thing that's always struck me about the guys that are 'stuck' – can't get over 75kg, bench won't go past 90kg – is their own lack of self-awareness. It should be simple to understand that, if your current behaviors aren't moving you towards your goals, then you're going to have to change your behaviors.
If what you're doing isn't working, you're going to have to do something else.
This is such a staggeringly simple concept that I just can't believe people don't get it. But it happens every single damn day. If you go to any of the big busy forums online, you'll see one question asked more than anything else: "why can't I gain weight?" This question will come in different flavors and styles, but it always remains.
You see it in any commercial gym. Next time you're in such a place, have a look at how many skinny-looking guys are walking around in the weights area. If you come back in a year, assuming they haven't quit, none of them will look any different.
I drew up a flowchart outline to give a quick rundown of the thought process that these guys go through:
1. Recognize that I'm underweight, out of shape, and weak. Make a commitment to be at the gym five days a week.
2. Read a magazine with a big muscular guy on the cover. Find his workout.
3. Do the workout from the magazine, as long as it's for: chest, shoulders, arms, or back. Skip legs because you run a lot.
4. Gain a little weight because of beginner gains. Don't change your diet to increase protein or calorie intake.
5. Stall out because you're not eating enough and because you insist on doing bodybuilder's routine. Body weight levels off around 70-75kg and bench is stuck somewhere between 60-80kg.
6. Decide that you're 'cutting' now, since you want abs for summer. If you're really determined to get big, skip 6 and go to 7.
7. Ask the big guy in the gym for some steroids. Go on a cycle of test and dbol even though you've been lifting for a year and have no idea how to eat or train.
8. Get 'good gains' on your cycle, which is really just water-bloat and not gains at all, but you believe it's gains because the scale goes up and all the other idiots tell you it's gains.
9. Come off cycle and lose all your gains the water weight. Strength and stamina in the gym go back to shit because the only reason you could sustain your workout was because of the juice.
10. Go back to 7. If you're now depressed and 'over it,' go back to 6.
That about sums it up I think. I'd guess that most every guy at your gym, with only a few exceptions that will be obvious, is stuck somewhere in this flowchart. Beginners seem to repeat steps 1-5 without fail, and guys that have more than a year or so under their belts are either bouncing between that or 'cutting for the beach'. A few more will go on to repeat the endless loop of steroid cycling without any real muscle gains to speak of.
Why does this loop keep happening, and why do so many, almost 100%, get stuck in it? There are two fundamental reasons:
1) You don't know how to eat. Popular bodybuilding wisdom encourages low-calorie diets of 'clean' foods, usually chicken and broccoli. That's all fine and dandy, but it doesn't add muscle to skinny bodies.
2) You don't know how to train. Popular bodybuilding and 'general fitness' wisdom encourages you to split your training into 3-6 days a week, with each session devoted to one body part. That's all fine and dandy, but it's kinda missing the point.
These are hard truths, but you have to accept them. If you're a skinny kid, the worst thing you can do is listen to what's in the magazines and listen to what gym-culture tells you to do.
Gym-culture says you need to split up your body and focus on each muscle group to grow. That's a load of horseshit, because for every guy you see that's big or strong and uses that system, the majority of guys following it fail completely and spectacularly. And then instead of thinking 'gee, maybe I should re-think this strategy,' they either give up or start popping dbol like candy.
Then they grow, mainly because of water retention; and then once they come off, they lose all their gains water. That's a productive strategy.
If you want the best gains, you need to focus on training regularly and training to get strong. Strength is size. Remember that. Repeat it. Say it out loud. Strength is size.
If you're a big guy that uses body-part splits, by all means keep at it. If you enjoy it and think it's productive, I'm not going to say you're wrong. If you're a skinny kid that's hit a plateau, I'm telling you there's a better way to do things.
The bodybuilding paradigm goes back to the 1970s and 1980s, stretching back to Joe Weider's philosophy on pumping up the muscle with endless volume. This only got worse in the 80s when everybody was on the juice and could grow on the super-high volume splits that are still with us today.
A bodybuilding session will have something like 4-5 exercises per muscle group, with the premise being that you must hammer and grind and ultimately defeat the muscle by bludgeoning it with set after set. That's not strength training; that's endurance exercise. It may work for you as a beginner, but the biggest effect this training has is 1) inflaming your muscles and pumping them up right after the workout; and 2) bloating them up by increasing the amount of water, glycogen, and other goodies stored in there.
Needless to say, if you don't have muscle to pump in the first place, this isn't going to work very well. Leave the volume-training to big guys with a strength foundation.
Muscles respond most favorably to heavy, high-tension movements; and no, you do not have to work every muscle directly for them to grow. This is because muscle groups overlap and fill many of the same roles. Yes, this means that once you've worked the hell out of your bench press, your triceps probably don't need that much work.
Bodybuilding has so poisoned the well that most people don't even realize that they can train with any other system. If someone wants to grow, then they default to the five-day body-part split. I'm telling you right now: any 'bodybuilding' training should be secondary to your basic strength training; and only then if you're really convinced you need it. If you're 75kg and bitching that you can't get any bigger, you probably don't need it.
What you need instead if a basic program that focuses on getting stronger. 'I don't want to be a powerlifter,' you say. 'I want to build a good physique with mass and symmetry.' The funny part is that most people that say that have no idea what it even means as it comes out of their mouths.
Strength is size. If you want 'mass', you need to get stronger with the big lifts. If you want 'symmetry', well, you need to talk to your parents. Anything else is a function of leanness. To many would-be bodybuilders just don't realize this, and they stay both small and weak as a result. At least until they go on the sauce.
If you've already got a decent base of strength from years of training, you might benefit from this lighter bodybuilding stuff. You might even want to play with the split routines for a change of pace. You just have no business following that kind of routine when you don't have that foundation to build on.
Now what about diet? This is the other pillar of gaining muscle and body-weight, and it's just as much of a spectacular failure for most people.
The gym-culture says to eat every 2-3 hours to 'keep the metabolic fires burning'. Right. The diet itself revolves around lean meats (almost always chicken), green veggies (almost always broccoli), and 'clean carbs' with oats being the number one contender.
Okay look, that's fine if you're already big and trying to maintain some degree of leanness. If you're a little dude, just give it a rest. Seriously. I don't care about your damn abs if you're bitching about being stuck at 70kg for the last year.
Shut up and go eat a cheeseburger.
There's nothing wrong with eating lean meats and 'clean carbs' later on, once you've actually gotten strong and added some muscle. I want you to try eating enough to grow with that diet, though. Smaller guys will probably need to push 4000 kcals per day to grow. That's a lot of chicken and broccoli and oats. Really dedicated guys can do it, but I'm telling you it's pointless macho bullshit. There are easier ways.
Ways like pizza.
If you want a solid plan to grow without turning into a total fatass, a strategy to which I can relate, then set your daily calorie intake to around 18 times your body weight in pounds as a starting point. Set protein to at least 1 gram per lb first. Put carbs at maybe 2-2.5 times body weight, depending on your preference, and then make up the remainder from fat. The actual type of food doesn't matter so much; if you can fit in cheeseburgers, fit them in. Cheeseburgers want to be eaten. Just remember that the numbers come first.
As to how many meals to eat, if you're bulking you never want to be hungry. That sounds like one of those hard-liner absolutist statements, but there is truth to it. I'd make it a point to at least get protein every few hours to keep amino acid levels high.
Depending on how sloppy you want to get, you may find that you want to eat more than this. That's fine too. Just remember that to be realistic, it's probably not the best of ideas to add 50 lbs of fat in order to bump your squat 10 lbs. I'm all for bulking, but experience has taught me that bulking out of control is counterproductive. If you're going to do it, do it right – make sure you're actually adding strength and adding muscle.


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Cards have good problem with too much pitching
Matheny must whittle down eight starting candidates to five by end of spring
JUPITER, Fla. -- A year ago, the St. Louis Cardinals opened camp hopeful that they could find a strong fifth starter in one of their budding young pitchers. Now, they have too many.
That is a hint facetious, of course, as there is no such thing as too much good pitching. Depth is enviable in the business of baseball, and it is often critical to success, as the organization was reminded of in 2013. But it also makes for tougher roster decisions, something the Cardinals are poised to experience over the next six weeks.
Paring down the starting staff from eight to five remains one of the top priorities for the Cards as they begin the process of constructing a roster. These decisions have implications beyond the obvious, too, as the makeup of the bullpen partially hinges on the composition of the rotation.
The organization welcomes the opportunity for competition, believing that a push for positioning makes the whole group stronger in the end. That is why even Adam Wainwright approaches Spring Training with an eye at earning his spot in the rotation, even though, in reality, it is the most secure.
"I think it's a disservice for us to come in and say already that we have this set," manager Mike Matheny said. "We send them home [in the offseason] with a lot of things to work on to get better. We have to give them a chance to show what they've done. And then we have to give them a chance to come out here and go head to head. Realizing that we're all headed in the same direction, there is nothing wrong with that healthy competition."
The Cardinals' rotation will feature Wainwright on top and a collection of young pitchers below him. Lance Lynn, 26, has a resume that shows 33 wins over the last two seasons and a workload surpassing 200 innings in 2013. Jaime Garcia, 27, offers the left-handed look that the Cards lacked during the second half of last season. For the first time in two years, his shoulder is healthy and responding.
There is 23-year-old Shelby Miller, whose 15-win season earned him a finalist position in the National League Rookie of the Year Award balloting. And yet he would end the season overshadowed by another rookie, Michael Wacha, who had one of the best postseason runs by any rookie pitcher ever. He won't be 23 until July.
Joe Kelly, 25, remains in the mix -- and deservedly so after being St. Louis' best second-half pitcher in 2013. Carlos Martinez intends to make a splash, too, now that the 22-year-old right-hander has some big league relief experience under his belt. Lefty Tyler Lyons, 25, hopes not to be lost in the shuffle.
"It's a healthy competition between all of us," Miller said. "We know what we did last year, what we accomplished. We know at the same time that we have a bunch of guys competing for starting positions. I think that's good for a lot of things. It brings out the best in players, where you're competing and having fun at the same time."
The competition will last into March, though how deep into the month it goes will depend in some part on the Cardinals' ability to find innings for the pitchers to throw. That becomes an issue once the starters are able to cover four to five innings per start. General manager John Mozeliak said that some "B" games could be added to the schedule to open up more innings.
As for how this competition will be settled, Spring Training results will not dictate all. There is past performance to consider, as well as versatility. Kelly and Martinez, for instance, have shown an ability to fit well in the bullpen. If all else is equal in the competition, moving them back into relief roles (at least temporarily) would allow the Cards to keep other pitchers in a more preferred starting role.
The Cardinals are also cognizant of the fact that the Opening Day five will not remain unchanged through September. Injuries happen. Ineffectiveness prompts changes. That's why the organization welcomes the challenge of finding a way to settle a surplus.
"We have some very young guys, very talented guys, and they're going to have to step in and compete," Matheny said. "That's kind of that idea that we're just constantly going to be hounding on -- competing nonstop. No matter who you are, no matter what you've done, come here in Spring Training like you have something to prove. And show us what you can do to try to get better every day. It will be fun to watch some of these young guys continue to grow."
It is a competition that the pitchers seem ready to embrace.
"You have to perform whenever you're out there and get their attention," Wacha said. "Obviously, we have our ace Wainwright, and then it's a bunch of young guys fighting for a spot. It's a lot of fun, really, just looking through the clubhouse and seeing all the talent we have on this pitching staff. It's pretty crazy, and it just makes me excited about getting the season started."