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I don't actually want to discuss specific Hall of Fame candidacies, but I will present career Runs Anything figures for predominantly post-1900 Hall of Famers (not including those selected in 2010, as I wrote this a week before the results were announced) and a number of players who often come up in Hall of Fame debates. While I don't care for many of the Hall's selections, using membership as a standard is a convenient way to keep the player pool to a reasonable size.
First, here is a list of the top ten Hall of Famers in R+. They are mostly the usual suspects, but I think there is one name that will surprise you--it certainly surprised me:
Frank Chance scored 60% more runs per out than the average player in his day. He did have a short career and he was on a historically great team, but his is still a surprising name to have pop up on a list of this type.
Here is a similar list for RBI+:
Willie Stargell is probably the most surprising name on the list (and perhaps Cobb if one fails to account for context in setting their expectations), but for the most part these are exactly the players you would expect to see: middle-of-the-order studs.
There are five players who crack the top ten in both R+ and RBI+ (Cobb, Gehrig, Hornsby, Ruth, and Williams)--it is thus no surprise that they make up the top five in Runs Anything:
A natural question to ask is "what is the degree of agreement between Runs Anything and a sabermetrically-approved context-neutral measure of the same thing, on the career level?" With the release of wRC+ on Fangraphs, it is very easy to compare ANY to such a metric. I did so for the Hall of Famers.
Of course, this is a very biased sample--it is only those players selected as the greatest of all-time, and there may well be a tendency for players who excel in R and RBI to a greater extent than context-neutral statistics to be voted into the Hall. The players in the sample all have long careers, there is a higher representation of players that excel in both runs and RBI than one would observe among the general player population, and there also bound to be more middle-of-the-order hitters, who are placed in a much better position to excel in both categories than leadoff hitters, for instance. wRC+ includes a park adjustment; ANY does not.
With all of the obvious problems with restricting the comparison to this group, why am I bothering? Because players of this group are the only ones for whom mainstream fans really examine career statistics closely. Ordinary players are hardly ever placed in historical perspective; the Hall of Fame debates are really the only time careers are given any sort of through examination. Ordinary players are talked about each season, but when their useful playing careers end, they are forgotten by and large. Few people are particularly concerned about Jeff King's career batting performance and how it compares to that of Al Martin. Those that are probably aren't using R and RBI anyway.
In fact, as a brief digression, the fact that HOF debates are the only time that players are really placed into historical context is what might make it seem as if I care about them. If you read this blog, you'll note a few posts tagged "Hall of Fame"--despite the fact that I do not think the current Hall of Fame structure is capable of being salvaged and don't care which players are chosen. But if someone like me (interested in both statistics and the history of the game) chooses to ignore the discussion surrounding the Hall altogether, they are basically shutting himself out from comparing players' careers. It's really the only time that the topic gets any sort of mainstream play (one could talk about top 100 lists, and comparisons between Aaron and Bonds when the home run record fell, or what have you, but those are in a certain sense subsets of the Hall debate--examining the records of no-brainer Hall of Famers).
If you want to skip the last two paragraphs, the takeaway is that I am only looking at the relationship between ANY and wRC+ for great players because that is the only situation in which ANY would be used in practice (in fact, it won't be at all, but that's besides the point).
So, for the Hall of Famers, the correlation between ANY and wRC+ is +.94. The average absolute value of the difference between the two is 7, and the average difference (ANY - wRC+) is -1 (in other words, the average player has a very slightly lower ANY). The players that ANY favors the most:
It's pretty interesting how close both rates are for the three catchers (Bench, Berra, Campanella); they all have ANY of 141-143 and wRC+ of 130. Traynor, Medwick, Klein, and Wilson can be tied into their own group as thirties hitters (although the others, as corner outfielders, form a tighter group than is made if Traynor is included).
The players for that ANY doesn't like:
A lot of high-OBA, top of the order types in this group, highlighted by Henderson and Morgan. It's interesting that two Hall of Famers who would probably be considered in the bottom half of the Hall show up here (Carey and Combs), and that a player often put forth as one of the very worst (Ferrell) is here as well.
The correlation between R+ and wRC+ is +.87; between RBI+ and wRC+ it is +.78. At least with this very biased sample, runs are more closely related to estimated context-neutral production than RBI. The next logical step is to run a regression to estimate wRC+ from R+ and RBI+ (then to never actually use it for a myriad of reasons, as this the type of mathematical gyration that would drive me crazy if it was being used for serious purposes):
wRC+ ~ = .616(R+) + .287(RBI+) + 14.7
This equation estimates that a player with average R+ and RBI+ would actually have a 105 wRC+, which is not quite satisfying; it also puts a double-weight on runs scored. We could try a regression without an intercept:
wRC+ ~ = .710(R+) + .302(RBI+)
This equation puts a R+ = RBI+ = 100 player at 101, which is more in line with what we'd expect, but produces less accurate estimates for this group.
To get back to the point of these posts, one can use runs scored and RBI to derive a decent estimate of a player's productivity, particularly over a career. I'd never use it and even when dressed up it retains the drawbacks present in looking at R and RBI in any event, but I think that it could have some limited persuasive value with mainstream fans if you could get them to accept the key premise (productivity must be expressed in relation to outs). Of course, if you can get one to accept that premise, they are probably open to further sabermetric indoctrination, and that would obviously be preferable.
This spreadsheet includes career totals in these categories for all of the predominantly post-1900 Hall of Famers as well as a few other selected players (the others are not in any way intended to be a comprehensive list of the most productive non-HOF players).
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Runs Anything and the Hall of Fame
I don't actually want to discuss specific Hall of Fame candidacies, but I will present career Runs Anything figures for predominantly post-1900 Hall of Famers (not including those selected in 2010, as I wrote this a week before the results were announced) and a number of players who often come up in Hall of Fame debates. While I don't care for many of the Hall's selections, using membership as a standard is a convenient way to keep the player pool to a reasonable size.
2 comments:
- terpsfan101March 19, 2010 at 6:09 AM
There is a flaw with the way Fangraphs calculates linear weights for seasons where there is no CS data. Players who stole a lot of bases during these years are going to have inflated LW. This also has the affect of deflating the LW of players who didn't steal a lot of bases. They also don't discount 19th century stolen bases. Take Hugh Nicol and his 138 stolen bases in 1887 for instance. Fangraphs credits Nicol's with 28 RAA and RC for his 138 steals. Looking at my SB/CS estimates, I have Nicol with 86 SB, and 28 CS, which Fangraphs would translate to approximately 6 RAA, a difference of 22 RAA.ReplyDelete
I wasn't aware of that. However, I'm sort of in their camp on the 1880s numbers. The most accurate BsR equation I could muster up gave an intrinsic weight of .175 runs for a SB in the 1887 AA, and I didn't make any attempt to estimate "true" SB or CS. So I have the 138 steals as worth 24 runs, and Nicol as 20% above-average despite a 215/341/267 batting line.ReplyDelete
That's not say my approach is correct either, but I was able to get more accurate estimates of team runs scored by treating SB in that manner.
Comments are moderated, so there will be a lag between your post and it actually appearing. I reserve the right to reject any comment for any reason.


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While California gasoline remained at its lofty average retail price of $4.67 a gallon for regular unleaded on Tuesday, wholesale prices have been volatile. Although the run-up appears to be over at the pump, it still costs car owners more than $100 to fuel up in some cases.
Sensing an opportunity, Honda said it's offering a $3,000 fuel debit card with the purchase of its 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas Vehicle, which runs on compressed natural gas. That covers more than half of the roughly $5,650 extra cost of the natural gas Civic over traditional, gasoline-burning models. Honda is currently the only manufacturer to offer a factory-built, compressed natural gas sedan in the U.S., although it's also possible to convert a vehicle to run on the fuel.
Of course, the catch is that it's tough to find a place to fuel up in many areas. Clean Energy Fuels Inc. , which is is teaming up with Honda in the program to honor the fuel debit cards, lists 35 stations in the greater Los Angeles area.
All told in California, 108 local filling stations in 83 cities offer compressed natural gas, according to an industry site.
"With a combined EPA fuel economy rating of 31 mpg and a fuel cost savings of up to 40% compared to a typical gasoline-powered compact car, the Civic Natural Gas Vehicle can significantly reduce the pain at the pump," Honda said on Tuesday.
The nationwide average price of natural gas fuel for vehicles in July was $2.05 per equivalent gallon of gasoline, according to the most recent available data from the U.S. Department of Energy. That's less than half the gasoline cost in California, where refinery outages and other issues have caused prices to be jacked up.
After a move by the state to allow refiners to sell cheaper winter blends of fuel and additional refinery capacity coming on line, the worst appears to be over for now.
Tom Kloza of the Oil Price Information Service said the latest statewide average appears to be, "within a penny or two of representing the highest price that Golden State residents will see for the remainder of the autumn and winter." Prices may fall back to the $4 level in a few weeks, he said.
On the wholesale level, however, Los Angeles spot prices jumped 21 cents on Tuesday to about $3.56 a gallon. On Monday, prices fell sharply to $3.19 a gallon before ending the day at $3.31.
"It is still an irregular heartbeat on the West Coast," said Kloza. While the spot wholesale prices remain volatile, he doesn't expect them to have a major impact on retail prices.
Gasoline prices may soon cool off, unless there's another refinery outage, fire, earthquake or explosion, of course. And then Honda will be waiting.
-- Steve Gelsi
Follow The Tell blog on Twitter @thetellblog

subset: commoncrawl


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Saturday, March 16 started like any other day. Anita Rhodes, excited about becoming a grandmother and thrilled when she learned her son and his wife were expecting twins, was taking bulletins to church when a tree fell across the road and struck her car.
Saturday, March 16 started like any other day. Anita Rhodes, excited about becoming a grandmother and thrilled when she learned her son and his wife were expecting twins, was taking bulletins to church when a tree fell across the road and struck her car.
When first responders arrived at 11:17 a.m., Rhodes could not be revived. She was 51 years old.
"When I received a call that she had been killed, to say I was devastated would be an understatement. ... There was no time to prepare for it," said her pastor, Bryan Melton of Mount Moriah Baptist Church. "She had just sent me a text. We had been texting Saturday morning about church the next day."
Rhodes let him know that she was dropping by to finish the bulletins for church. Her last text message to him came through at 11:02 a.m.: "Thank you for letting me serve the church and the Lord."
It's a message, Melton said, he'll probably never erase from his phone.
Family and friends are struggling with the sudden loss of a lady who often went that extra mile for someone in need, who cheered up the office with her infectious laugh, who bragged on her children when she got the chance and touched the lives of so many.
Anita Rhodes fed friends and strangers alike with vegetables from her garden. She loved her church and proudly served as its secretary.
"She was a blessing to everybody there, especially a blessing to me personally," Melton said. "She was on fire for the Lord, especially the last few years. She just couldn't get enough. ... Even when the doors weren't open (at church), she was there ... doing the bulletins, the new church directory, weeding the flowers in the flowerbeds. ...
She helped me do so much."
Anita Rhodes worked in various departments at the Henderson County Public Schools central office, helping countless people in her 20 years with the district. And although none of her loved ones doubt where she is today – in heaven – they can't help missing her in the void she left behind.
"She was really the backbone of our family. She was the backbone for me," said her husband, Kevin Rhodes. "She was just always there when you needed her for anything."
Kevin met Anita while working one summer at the former DuPont plant in Transylvania County. She was attending Brevard College at the time. He was 22. She was 18. They dated for about a year before he proposed, and they were married June 19, 1981.
"It would have been 32 years this June," he said.
"I truly loved Anita and miss her greatly. Each day that I go to work, I still expect to see her walk through the door and say something sarcastic and cute to me," said Debbie Pryor, purchasing agent in the finance department at HCPS. They worked together for 15 years.
"Anita was outgoing, happy, and had a laugh that was unlike any other person I have ever known," Pryor said. "When she laughed, which was often, everyone around could hear it. She loved her family and was crazy about her children."
Anita and Kevin's 29-year-old son, Bryan, is married to Jessica Rhodes of Henderson County, and their 26-year-old daughter, Lori Rhodes, lives in Charlotte. Bryan Rhodes works for the school system's maintenance department. He graduated with a biology degree from UNC-Asheville in 2007.
"We were expecting our first grandchildren – twins - the first of October," Kevin Rhodes said about his son and daughter-in-law. "She was just looking so forward to that."
Lori Rhodes is a high school math teacher at Central Cabarrus High School. She graduated in 2009 from UNC-Charlotte with a bachelor's degree in mathematics.
"She dearly loved her whole family," Kevin Rhodes said about his wife. "She was so proud of both of her children and looking so forward to the first grandchildren."
He said his wife was always willing to help anyone.
"Whenever I asked Anita for information or help, she was willing and able. She truly had a 'can do' attitude," said Susan Williams, who worked with Anita in the schools' finance department before Rhodes moved to Title I, which administers federal funds for schools with a high number of students from low-income families.
"Anita expressed her faith openly and truly enjoyed God's creation, as is evident in the many beautiful plants she nurtured here at the office," Williams said. "To say we will miss Anita is a vast understatement."
Dr. Kathy Revis, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, said that whenever her administrative assistant was absent, Anita would take on the extra duty.
"I feel blessed to have known Anita and to have her as part of our team. She was a hard worker, a team player, and there was no task that she felt was beneath her. She saw things that needed to be done and she did them," Revis said. "I will miss her smile, her laughter and her friendship."
Rhodes graduated from Rosman High School and then Brevard College, when it was a two-year junior college. Later in life, she went back to school and earned her bachelor's degree at Western Carolina University. She completed her student teaching at Edneyville and became a certified teacher in elementary education.
"Anita was my office assistant for four years," said Sharon Ashe, director of Secondary Education. "She kept me organized, made me laugh, and cared for me. Her sense of humor was a blessing each day."
"Five years ago when I started working for the school system, Anita was one of the first people to welcome me," said Brenda Mathers, administrative assistant for human resources. "She was more than just a co-worker – she was a friend. She was always willing to help with a work project, bake a cheesecake for someone's birthday, share the extra crops from her garden, give out gardening advice, make you laugh when you were having a tough day, or just plain be there no matter what the need. She had a kind heart, loved God, her family and friends. She was a role model for others to follow on how to live your life – making every day count. I will truly miss her, but I know she is watching over us."
"Anita and I shared a lot through the years as our lives changed, and as we watched our children grow up," Pryor said. "The past few years, Anita shared her love of God and her church family with me. I truly believe she was at one of the happiest and most peaceful times in her life, since I have known her, when she went home to be with God."
Reach Weaver at email@example.com or 828-694-7867.


text: @ARTICLE{AICPub170:1992, AUTHOR={Ruspini, Enrique H. and Lowrance, John D. and Strat, Thomas M.}, EDITOR={Bezdek, James C.}, TITLE={Understanding Evidential Reasoning}, JOURNAL={International Journal of Approximate Reasoning}, PUBLISHER={North-Holland}, PAGES={401-424}, MONTH={May}, NUMBER={3}, VOLUME={6}, YEAR={1992}, ABSTRACT={We address recent criticisms of evidential reasoning, an approach to the analysis of imprecise and uncertain information that is based on the Dempster-Shafer calculus of evidence. We show that evidential reasoning can be interpreted in terms of classical probability theory and that the Dempster-Shafer calculus of evidence may be considered to be a form of generalized probabilistic reasoning based on the representation of probabilistic ignorance by intervals of possible values. In particular, we emphasize that it is not necessary to resort to nonprobabilistic or subjectivist explanations to justify the validity of the approach. We answer conceptual criticisms of evidential reasoning primarily on the basis of the criticism's confusion between the current state of development of the theory---mainly theoretical limitations in the treatment of conditional information---and it potential usefulness in treating a wide variety of uncertainty analysis problems. Similarly, we indicate that the supposed lack of decision-support schemes of generalized probability approaches is not a theoretical handicap but rather an indication of basic informational shortcoming that is a desirable asset of any formal approximate reasoning approach. We also point to potential shortcomings of the underlying representation scheme to treat general probabilistic reasoning problems. We also consider methodological criticisms of the approach, focusing primarily on the alleged counterintuitive nature of Dempster's combination formula, showing that such results are the result of its misapplication. We also address issues of complexity and validity of scope of the calculus of evidence.} }


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Date: Nov 06, 2012
Press Release Number: 189-2012
Approximately 84,000 customers served in first day
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will continue to operate limited Port Authority Trans Hudson (PATH) service tomorrow, November 7, in both directions between Journal Square in Jersey City and 33rd Street in Manhattan, with the exception of Christopher and 9th streets in Manhattan.
Stops will include Journal Square, Grove Street and Newport in Jersey City and 14th, 23rd and 33rd streets in Manhattan. Service will remain suspended between Newark Penn Station and Journal Square, Hoboken, Exchange Place, and World Trade Center as recovery efforts continue. Disabled passengers will continue to have access to the platforms only at Journal Square and 33rd Street as clean up and restoration work continues.
The first trains to operate since last week's storm departed from the Journal Square and 33rd Street stations at 5 a.m. this morning. Trains ran without disruption through the morning commute and it is expected that the system will carry an estimated 84,000 passengers through 10 p.m. this evening.
To minimize delays in operations, the Port Authority waived PATH fares today, but will reinstate regular fares beginning tomorrow, November 7. The Port Authority cautions passengers to expect extended waits and potential service delays as PATH personnel and third-party contractors continue to safely return the entire system to normal service.
The PATH system suffered unprecedented and widespread flooding in the tunnels and at multiple stations, as well as power outages that shut down signals and switches. Crews continue to work to restore power and to pump water that is remaining in some of the tunnels.
Currently, PATH engineers, safety officials, and third-party contractors are working around the clock to restore the Newark to Journal Square line as well as the Hoboken and World Trade Center lines.
In 2011, the PATH rail system reported nearly 77 million commuter trips in 2011. We appreciate the patience of our loyal passengers during this difficult time and pledge our continued efforts to return other stations and lines back to safe operation. For up to date information please visit our website at http://www.panynj.gov/path/ and follow us on Twitter @PATHTweet.
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Founded in 1921, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey builds, operates, and maintains many of the most important transportation and trade infrastructure assets in the country. The agency's network of aviation, ground, rail, and seaport facilities is among the busiest in the country, supports more than 550,000 regional jobs, and generates more than $23 billion in annual wages and $80 billion in annual economic activity. The Port Authority also owns and manages the 16-acre World Trade Center site, where construction crews are building the iconic One World Trade Center, which is now the tallest skyscraper in New York. The Port Authority receives no tax revenue from either the state of New York or New Jersey or from the City of New York. The agency relies on revenues generated by facility users, tolls, fees and rents as well as loans, bond financing, and federal grants to fund its operations. For more information, please visit http://www.panynj.gov.


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Support ASDOH
A gift to A.T. Still University is an investment in the quality of healthcare. At ATSU, we are committed to educating the most innovative and compassionate physicians, dentists, and healthcare providers. Your support will play a critical role in maintaining ATSU as a national leader in healthcare education.
The reasons for making a gift to ATSU are personal and varied. Perhaps you are grateful for your ATSU education and want to give something back. Maybe you would like to leave a legacy to benefit the next generation of students interested in healthcare education. Perhaps you have received compassionate care by one of our faculty members or graduates. Whatever the motivation for giving, we thank you for your investment and are committed to be exceptional stewards.


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* This was intended to post a month ago and somehow slipped through the cracks. It is a yummy meal though, so we thought we would share it anyways!
There has been a minor hiccup with our Monday night cooking sessions as my cooking partner has taken a second job for the tax season and is missing cooking time and yes, The Bachelor. Gasp! If you know her this is a true and heartfelt Gasp!
I do have a few recipes to post and will link to the Recipes Ala Bachelor tab above, but tonight I wanted to share our dinner on the fly. It was a "not inspired", I hadn't planned for dinner, "what do I do?" type of conundrum that was quickly solved with a bit of this and dash of that. The result was a festive fall meal that even our toddler enjoyed.
Roasted Acorn Squash, Chicken with Apples, Red Bell Peppers
and Grapes with a Brown Rice Medley
and Grapes with a Brown Rice Medley
The steps are for the entire meal, rather than by dish.
1/3 cup "ish" for marinade, 2 spoonfuls for sauce(to taste), Dark Berry Jam/Preserve
1 Chicken Breast
1 Acorn Squash
1 Red Bell Pepper
2 Apples
2 Cups Chicken Broth
1 1/4 cup Brown Rice Medley
1 Large bunch of red seedless grapes
1-2 TBS Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste
- Add a "dollop" of jam, preferably a blackberry, blueberry, Marion berry type, to chicken breast and return to fridge to marinate.
- Preheat oven to 375.
- Slice Acorn Squash in half. Scoop out and discard seeds.
- Place squash hollow halves down in pan with edges, add 1/2 inch or so of water to the pan. Put in oven.
- Begin to heat saute pan with either a little butter or olive oil, your choice.
- Slice Red Bell Pepper and Apples into similar sized chunks.
- Add to pan and saute until still slightly firm, about 5 mins. Cover and reduce heat to medium low.
- Start boiling broth for the brown rice medley. Add rice when at a boil (follow directions on package).
- Remove chicken from fridge and marinade and add to pan with pepper and apple. Cook covered until cooked through, 5-7 mins. or so.
- While chicken is cooking rinse and halve grapes.
- Remove chicken from the pan and let rest.
- Add jam, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to the pan. Mix until smooth.
- Slice chicken and add back to pan. Add grapes as well. Stir and cook for about 3-5 minutes.
- At this point the rice should be almost done. The squash should be done, so turn off the oven and remove from pan and water. Serve all quickly so the grapes keep their crisp crunch. Enjoy!
Dinner is served!
Labels: Cooking, Recipes 0 comments |


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Media January–March 2007
|News Release: March 1, 2007
|View Printable PDF Version
|Docket Nos: EL00-95-000, et al. EL00-98-000, et al.
Commission approves multiparty APX Settlement resolving matters related to western energy crisis
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission today approved a comprehensive settlement among APX Inc. and approximately 30 other entities resolving claims arising from the parties' participation in the California Power Exchange (CalPX) and California Independent System Operator (CAISO) energy markets from May 1, 2000, through June 20, 2001, using services provided by APX.
The settlement will be funded largely by an anticipated payment of approximately $53 million from the CalPX settlement escrow to APX.
"Commission-related settlements have produced more than $6 billion for consumers," Commission Chairman Joseph T. Kelliher said. "We are committed to resolving the lingering issues from the Western energy crisis of 2000-2001 and returning money to the consumers. Settlements have produced this beneficial result, prolonged litigation has not. I encourage the remaining parties to settle their disputes."
The parties to the settlement participated in the CalPX and CAISO markets through APX, an independent supplier of market and energy trading services.
The Commission approved the settlement finding it is fair and reasonable and in the public interest. As a condition of the settlement, the Commission approved the return to Enron Power Marketing Inc. of approximately $142 million in collateral held by the CalPX. These collateral funds will be applied to Enron's bankruptcy estate for payment to EPMI's creditors.
The settlement also provides that approximately $14.5 million will be set aside by Enron to protect non-settling parties in the Enron Settlement Reserve, an account available to settle the claims of Enron non-settling parties that did not settle under the Enron-California Parties Settlement filed with the Commission on August 24, 2005.
The settlement is a final resolution of Commission proceedings and cases pending before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, as they relate to actions and transactions of APX and its participants.
Parties to the settlement include: APX Inc.; American Electric Power Service Corp.; Avista Energy Inc.; Calpine Energy Services LP; El Paso Marketing LP (f/k/a El Paso Merchant Energy LP); UC Davis Medical Center, owned and operated by the Regents of the University of California; Merrill Lynch Capital Services Inc.; BP Energy Co.; Tractebel Energy Marketing Inc. (n/k/a Suez Energy Marketing NA Inc.); Aquila Merchant Services Inc.; Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District; Allegheny Energy Supply Company LLC; TransAlta Energy Marketing (US) Inc.; Sempra Energy Solutions LLC; Constellation NewEnergy Inc.; Commonwealth Energy Corporation (n/k/a Commerce Energy Inc.); Sacramento Municipal Utility District; Morgan Stanley Capital Group Inc.; Enron Energy Services Inc. (EESI) and Enron Power Marketing Inc. (EPMI, and together with Enron Energy Services Inc., Enron or Enron Parties); Sierra Pacific Industries; ACN Power Inc.; Consumer Telcom Inc. (f/k/a Clean Earth Energy Inc.); Duke Energy Shared Services Inc. (f/k/a Cinergy Services Inc.); FPL Energy Power Marketing Inc.; Midway Sunset Cogeneration Co.; NRG Power Marketing Inc.; Preferred Energy Services Inc. (d/b/a GoGreen); Powersource Corp.; Torch Operating Co.; and Turlock Irrigation District. Coral Power LLC, Puget Sound Energy Inc. and Avista are Supporting Parties.
|View Printable PDF Version


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Moderator: pablo
amazon princess wrote:Thats my sex life in short. I think we should use this topic to talk about our sex life and to speak of problems if we have some. I know all of you are not necessarely open to talking about sex but still would be great if you could. I did my part so now its your turn people.
Mravac Kid wrote:I am in almost the same position as Doc Brown there, only sans goatee and 7 years deeper in debt... :-/
And I don't even need pointers, I know everything... in theory.
But approaching a girl, and asking her out... that terrifies me. I only managed to do it once, and that was for my prom.
Feel free to laugh at me. I'm way past worrying at this stage...
As for advice, I know the solution to my problem is easy: Just talk to them and ask them out. Now I just need to get around to doing just that.
azalea2 wrote:Yes, it is scary to approach someone, but the worst I've gotten is "Thanks, but no thanks," (not the "Oh ick gross no way never talk to me again" response that fear conjures).
Ryalyn wrote:25 year old virgin!! Whooohoooo!!!
Runs out of the thread again.
Ryalyn wrote:25 year old virgin!! Whooohoooo!!!
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by Chris Chandler, Sports Information Assistant
MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – The Georgia College golf team will still be participating in "Meet the Bobcats" night at Zaxby's, but the date has been changed due to scheduling conflicts. Originally scheduled for this Wednesday, the event is now slated to take place Monday April 21 from 5-8 p.m.
In addition to being the hosts of "Meet the Bobcats" night at Zaxby's, the team will be on-location to take part in the Bobcat sports radio show, "The Prowl", which airs on 1450ESPN. Head coach Jimmy Wilson will be interviewed live on the show, among others. The team will hang out to sign posters for fans in attendance.
The Zaxby's in question is on North Columbia Street, north of Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. During the occasion, Zaxby's is committed to donating 10 percent of all sales toward sponsoring the GC sports program. Furthermore, as a special offer, kids meals will be free with the purchase of any adult meal.
The Georgia College Department of Athletics, two-time winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup, sponsors 11 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' multiple appearances in post-season competition as well as documented academic success and community-service involvement. Sign up at @GCBobcats on Twitter and Facebook for up-to-the-minute reports, and visit GCBobcats.PhotoReflect.com to purchase photo prints from home athletic contests.


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To Rome with Love
With To Rome with Love, Woody Allen puts another stamp in his filmmaking passport in a gorgeously shot homage to the art, architecture, and people of the historic city. Unfortunately, the film's four story lines are not created equal; jam-packing the movie with so many characters leaves them all just a little underdeveloped. The most interesting is a blossoming love affair between Jack (Jesse Eisenberg) and his girlfriend's best friend Monica (Ellen Page). While his girlfriend Sally (Greta Gerwig) is given short shrift in this scenario, the most entertaining part is the ongoing dialogue between Jack and John (Alec Baldwin), an architect who remains delightfully mysterious. Is he simply revisiting his past and advising a young man amid a position in which he himself once found himself, or is it more literal? It's hard to say, but his brusque advice "Go ahead, walk into the propeller" is always as entertaining as it's true.
To Rome with LoveAs far as the other plot threads go, we have the inevitable culture clash between American and Italian future in-laws; Leopoldo (Roberto Benigni), a dorky normal guy who finds himself at the eye of an inexplicable media hurricane; and a newly married couple that get separated in the big city and end up learning all sorts of sexy lessons about themselves. Allen also wedges Penélope Cruz in as a prostitute who schools the young married man on the reality of the culture around him (turns out her clientele are just as, if not more, powerful than his uptight relatives, who will determine the boy's professional future) . She's also there to wear a tight dress (Woody's yen for including random sex workers in his movies is well documented, but remains baffling).
None of these characters is given enough screen time to be fleshed out, which is frustrating, as many (though not all) are quite interesting on their own, and could even had their own feature-length stories. Instead of just one character who's acting as a proxy for Allen, we get a dizzying array of them: Jack as the young and hungry Allen (Eisenberg's hyper-literate New York upbringing makes him a perfect surrogate); John as the middle-aged Allen, full of regret and struck with Ozymandias melancholia in the face of such history; the young newlywed who has an opinion on everything; Leopoldo as the guy who finds the media attention aggravating and enjoyable in equal turns; Allen playing himself, an older father who fears retirement just as much or more than he fears death. While it's an interesting idea in theory, it's not handled dexterously enough to completely fit together.
To Rome With Love is a charming trifle that won't necessarily sate Woody fanatics but will please the Midnight in Paris crowd. It's still a better choice for theatergoers than plenty of other summer movie options.


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UMass Boston's Rob Florentino (West Roxbury, Mass.) and Travis Daniel (North Brunswick, N.J.) have been selected as two of the 20 semifinalists for the 13th annual Joe Concannon Award, presented each year to the best American-born Division II/III men's player in New England. The award is given out annually by the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston.
The Beacons are just one of three teams to have two nominees, joining #1 Norwich University and #7 Bowdoin College, and the multiple semifinalists are a program first.
Florentino is one of the top scoring defenseman in the nation this seasons and leads the Beacon blue line core with five goals, 19 assists and 24 points on the year. In three seasons as a Beacon, Florentino stands fourth all-time in program-history amongst defenseman with 60 career points. The senior defenseman was named to the 48th Annual Codfish Bowl All-Tournament team last month, after helping the Beacons earn their first tournament title since 2007.
Daniel has been one of the top forwards in the nation this season leading UMass Boston with 25 assists and 35 points for the year. The junior right-winger ranks seconds in the nation with his 25 assists and 1.09 assists per game and is tied for fourth in the nation with four game-winning goals. After strong freshman and sophomore campaigns, Daniel has a chance to go down as one of the top forwards in UMass Boston history, needing just 16 points to become the 13th players in school history to record 100 points.
The Gridiron Club plans to announce the finalists and winner of the award in March, prior to the start of the NCAA Division III Frozen Four. The presentation of the honor will come at the New England Hockey Writers' Association dinner in April.
The Gridiron Club established the Joe Concannon Award in 2001 to honor the late Concannon, a lifelong devotee of college hockey and, as a journalist, a staunch advocate for the amateur athletes he knew and covered. A native of Litchfield, Conn., Concannon graduated from Boston University in 1961 and served as sports information director at the College of the Holy Cross before joining the Boston Globe in the late 1960s to cover college sports.


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Today, 19 august, we celebrate World Humanitarian Day. The day honors those, who have lost their lives in humanitarian service and those, who continue to bring assistance and relief to millions. Every day humanitarian aid workers help millions of people around the world, regardless of who they are and where they are. This year's campaign "People Helping People" is about inspiring the spirit of aid work in everyone.
In 2008 the 63rd session of the United Nations General Assembly designated 19 August as World Humanitarian Day, the date on which a brutal terrorist attack on UN headquarters in Baghdad in 2003 killed 22 people, including UN envoy Sergio Vieira de Mello. Serving the cause of peace in a violent world is a dangerous occupation. Since the founding of the United Nations, hundreds of brave men and women have lost their lives in its service.
In the last decade, the UN has been the target of terrorism: its premises attacked in Baghdad in 2003, Algiers in 2007, and Kabul in 2009. Natural disasters also claim the lives of those serving the UN. The Haiti earthquake in 2010 resulted in 102 deaths, the largest single loss in its history.
On the UN's Remember the Fallen website we remember those often forgotten – those who have died in the service of peace.
The Brussels based United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe - UNRIC provides information on UN activities to the countries of the region. It also provides liaison with institutions of the European Union in the field of information. Its outreach activities extend to all segments of society and joint campaigns, projects and events are organized with partners including the EU, governments, the media, NGOs, schools and local authorities.
United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe (UNRIC Brussels)
Residence Palace, Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 155, Block C2,7th and 8th floor, Brussels 1040, Belgium
Tel.: +32 2 788 8484 / Fax: 32 2 788 8485


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Tech Places 10th in Robotics Contest, April 28, 1999
SOCORRO, N.M., April 28, 1999 -- Four teams of New Mexico Tech electrical engineering students recently competed in an international robotics contest, proving once again that Tech-designed robots can "put out fires" alongside the best of them.
One of the teams New Mexico Tech fielded placed tenth overall in the senior division of the Sixth Annual Fire-Fighting Home Robot Contest, held recently at Trinity College in Hartford, Conn. The international competition pitted 75 robots designed by individuals and teams from throughout the United States, Canada, Israel, Switzerland, and Thailand against each other in a time-dependent challenge.
[New Mexico Tech's electrical engineering department will host a similar contest this weekend on the Tech campus: Just who can lay claim to having the "best fire-fighting robot" on campus will be determined at the university's fifth annual fire-fighting robot competition on Saturday, May 1, at 1 p.m. in Workman Center, room 101. The contest is free and open to the public.]
A team from Tufts University took first-place honors in this year's competition, while two teams from New Mexico Tech placed tenth and 23rd. The two other Tech teams did not qualify during the robotics contest.
Contestants were challenged to build a computerized, autonomous (not remotely controlled) robotic device which could move through the hallways and rooms of a scaled-down, one-story house, detect a lit candle, and then extinguish the flame. The robot which accomplished the task in the least amount of time was declared the winner.
New Mexico Tech's tenth-place entry, affectionately dubbed "Sparky," was a team effort designed and developed by Tech students Monica Chavez, Ben Esparza, Will Levin, and Khan Ngo. All are juniors majoring in electrical engineering at the state-supported research university.
The other New Mexico Tech fire-fighting robots entered in this year's international competition included:
- "Jerry-Rig" (which placed 23rd), team members were Ben Hoover, Ryan Schmidt, Ben Silva, and David Tu;
- "Pi-Rho," team members were Meisha Collins and George McCone; and
- "Trixie," team members were David Bonal, Mike Davis, Jacob Dunken, and Robert Niemand.
Faculty advisors to all four Tech teams were Stephen Bruder and Kevin Wedeward, both assistant professors of electrical engineering at New Mexico Tech.


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Well, now we know why the 49ers were looking at kickers this week.
Their current kicker, David Akers, was limited in practice on Wednesday with a pelvis injury. (Brandon Marshall has a suggested treatment plan for that.)
Though the Niners have yet to sign a replacement, they may need to clear a roster spot for a kicker as they prepare for Sunday's continuation of the five-quarter draw with the Rams from earlier this month.
Also limited on Wednesday was sackmaster Aldon Smith, who has a shoulder injury. Tight end Delanie Walker missed practice with a ribs/hip injury, and several other players fully participated despite injuries.
Off the injury report, and out of the starting lineup, was quarterback Alex Smith, whose concussion has fully healed. His pride, however, currently is bruised.


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CMS-MITACS Joint Conference 2007
May 31 - June 3, 2007
Delta Hotel, Winnipeg, Manitoba
|About CMS | About MITACS | Conference Home
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Support from these sponsors is gratefully acknowledged.
Student Support
We strongly encourage the participation of students at the CMS-MITACS Joint Conference. Towards this, we are allocating significant funds to help defray the cost of poster preparation, travel and accommodation for graduate students and post-doctoral fellows.
Subsidies are available for graduate students or postdoctoral fellows who are studying at a Canadian University and who are undertaking research in which mathematics plays a central role. Student subsidies will only be granted to those students who have paid their registration fees by April 1, 2007, and who actively participate in the conference. Such participation could include presenting a poster, giving a talk in a session, joining the MITACS student council, or volunteering to help during the conference. For the latter, a limited number of volunteers are needed and are available on a first-come first-serve basis by using the on-line registration form.
UPDATE: We are pleased to announce that Student Subsidies have been extended to include those students who register after the Early Bird deadline. However, you must still actively participate in the conference in one of the four ways listed above.
These funds are intended to subsidize travel costs (air fare, car rental, mileage) and dorm-style (shared) accommodations. The Place Louis Riel offers suites that are suitable for shared accommodations. (Students may register at the CMS Studc Forum to discuss sharing arrangements with other attendees. Account verification may take up to 24 hours.)
Students should discuss additional travel subsidies with their supervisor. The conference organizers will not book accommodation or travel for you. Please make your own arrangements, and apply for reimbursement after the conference.
To maximize cost efficiencies, we encourage students from the same school to travel together where they are in driving range of the conference. Students are expected to participate fully in all aspects of conference, and reimbursements are at the sole discretion of the conference organizers.
Reimbursement Forms will be sent out electronically immediately after the conference. You must submit original receipts, including boarding passes for submission. Claims must be submitted within four weeks of the conference. Claims postmarked after July 4, 2007 will not qualify for reimbursement. Please allow four to six weeks to receive your payment.


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Osborn Projects
Biology • Culture • Education • Facilities & Administration • Land & Water Management • Technology
The Center engages students, faculty, partnering organization, and community members in all aspects of running preserves. Projects emerge from the needs and opportunities of each Preserve and are made possible with funding through grants, contracts and donor generosity. For more projects and independent research, see Info Hub.
Weed Management Planning at the Osborn Preserve
Maintaining natural processes on 4,200 acres of wildlands at our preserves requires a careful assessment of risks, opportunities and resources. SSU Restoration Ecology students, under the direction of Professor Caroline Christian, drafted weed management plans for the Fairfield Osborn Preserve.
Osborn Oral History Project
Spring 2013
William and Joan Roth donated lands for the Osborn Preserve. This collaborative project with Steve Estes and students in his History 500 class gathered information about Osborn Preserve land use and the factors leading to the transition of these lands into and educational and research site.
Osborn Cultural Resource Plan
Archaeology Master's student, Kyle Rabellino, is working with Preserve staff to draft a Cultural Resource Plan for the Fairfield Osborn Preserve.
Osborn Camping Facilities
2013 - present
We are exploring opportunities for overnight camping facilities at the Osborn Preserve and are seeking faculty and students interested in working with us to design carbon neutral low-impact facilities.
WATERS Collaborative
2012 - present
Copeland Creek runs from the Osborn Preserve, down Sonoma Mountain, across the SSU campus and into the Laguna de Santa Rosa. We are working with faculty and students to study sedimentation, water quality and biodiversity in the watershed. These projects (participants, methods, and data) are described in detail on the WATERS Collaborative website.
Osborn Weather Station
Environmental monitoring is at the heart of Preserve research and educational activities. Senior Engineering Science students modified, constructed, and programmed weather sensors to create a wireless weather station for the Osborn Preserve. Resulting data includes temperature, solar radiation, wind speed and direction, and rainfall.
Osborn Environmental Sensor Network
Sensors networks are an emerging field in the environmental sciences. Master's Student Sen Guan worked with the Center to develop a series of telecommunication towers allowing sensors to collect and transmit data from remote locations on the Preserve. Resulting data include recommendations for transmission efficiency for a permanent network and a Master's Thesis.
Osborn Solar Power Monitoring System
Field facilities are an opportunity to demonstrate new approaches to energy conservation. In this engineering science capstone project, students developed a system to monitor solar power generation, electrical use, and back up generator activity to assist SSU Facilities in monitoring energy consumption of the Osborn facilities.


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Friday, October 11, 2013
Spending Crane's Money
We're doing this keeping in mind what Crane said about Luhnow's process:
"We're not going to make a move unless it fits into the plan, and we're not going to rush the plan. [Luhnow] a very systematic formula and we do have some good players coming up. You add three or four key positions and bring in a couple of guys that are ready, this team is pretty competitive pretty quickly with the starting pitching we've got. We're deep in pitching.
Jason Castro: $2.2m
Max Stassi: $500,000
Castro is eligible for arbitration for the first time this season and, after a breakout year in 2013, is poised for a pretty significant increase over his 2013 salary of $496,600. MLB Trade Rumors suggests a $2.2m arbitration figure for Castro, but the Astros could sign him to a longer-term deal in the three-year/$8-9m range. Given Castro's late-season knee/cyst issue, I could see the Astros waiting another year to sign him to that type of deal.
It looks as though the Astros are ready to get Stassi more playing time, or at least they were before Tanner Scheppers couldn't figure out how to not hit him in the face with the ball. Stassi will be making around league-minimum.
Jose Altuve: $1.25m
Chris Carter: $500,000
Matt Dominguez: $500,000
Jonathan Villar: $500,000
Brett Wallace : $500,000
The infield seems pretty much set. In a perfect world, Chris Carter will cut his strikeouts by, say 30-40% and Brett Wallace will finally figure it out. But I just don't know. If the Astros are looking to free agency for a first baseman, here's your list of available free agents:
Jose Dariel Abreu, Jeff Baker, Corey Hart, Mike Napoli, Paul Konerko, Casey Kotchman, Adam Lind, James Loney, Casey McGehee, Kendrys Morales, Justin Morneau, Mike Morse, Lyle Overbay, Carlos Pena, Mark Reynolds, Kevin Youkilis.
Abreu is a 26-year old Cuban player who was recently declared a free agent by MLB. The Giants and Red Sox have shown a lot of interest in Abreu, and word is that his deal could eclipse Yasiel Puig's 7yr/$42m deal. If the Astros splurge like that on Abreu, they'd be effectively conceding that Jon Singleton isn't - and won't ever be - ready for the Majors. Are you comfortable betting that Singleton is the guy who had a .687 OPS in 73 games at OKC in 2013 - a level at which he had not yet experienced - and not the guy with an .893 OPS for Corpus in 2012? I don't see Abreu happening.
Aside from Jose Abreu, do any of those guys blow your skirt up? Missouri City native and Elkins graduate James Loney turned in a .778 OPS for the Rays on a sweetheart $2m deal with Tampa Bay. He was hitting .331/.392/.531 heading into June, and hit .283/.328/.382 from June 1 through the end of the regular season. You can bet he'll want a raise and a longer-term deal, and the Rays are interested in re-signing him, anyway.
Unless Singleton hits .800 in Spring Training, I think the Astros will let him spend some more time at Oklahoma City, even if 2013 was lost thanks to that 50-game suspension. So the Astros could be looking for a guy who is on the rebound from a lost 2013 and would sign a one-year deal to rebuild his value. Is that Casey Kotchman? He missed almost all of 2013 to injury, and while he posted a .229/.280/.333 line in 142 games for the Indians in 2012, he also did it with an abnormally low .233 BABIP (his career BABIP is .271). The Astros could bet on that regressing back to a more normal number, but would that provide much more value over Carter or Wallace? Because I don't see Carter playing in the outfield much in 2014.
Given that the Astros are bringing in a new coach with infield experience to help out Altuve and Villar, they're staying. Dominguez showed enough pop and defense to stay at Third for 2014.
Brandon Barnes: $500,000
Robbie Grossman: $500,000
L.J. Hoes: $500,000
George Springer: $500,000
The Astros do need another outfielder, and this is where it gets interesting. Provided George Springer opens 2014 in the outfield at Minute Maid, this, combined with a free agent signing, could push Barnes and/or Grossman to a 4th-outfielder role. Keep in mind Domingo Santana is 20 years old and just put up 25 homers and an .842 OPS at Corpus in 2013. Springer looks like he's going to be The Man for the next 100 years, so he's locked in. Santana may be ready in 2015, and would just be in his Age 22 season.
But that doesn't help the Astros now, does it? Might the Astros look at Shin-Soo Choo, the 31-year old outfielder represented by Scott Boras...who thinks $100m is "low" for Choo. Boras also had to settle on 4yrs/$48m for Michael Bourn, so Boras is likely doing what Boras does. But, given what you know about the organization and the front office so far, would you expect them to throw $50m at a 31-year old free agent outfielder? And we need to consider what the Astros are right now: a franchise that has been the worst team in baseball for the last three seasons. Will a player sign with Houston if he has a comparable offer somewhere else? If a player has a $10m offer from, say, the Giants, would the Astros have to throw $15m at him to get him to sign in Houston?
What the Astros need is a player who can hit right-handed pitching. The Astros, as a team, hit .235/.295/.374 against RHPs. That's...basically a better-hitting, less-patient Carlos Pena. As Trostel pointed out to me this morning, Robbie Grossman hit - and this is a small sample size alert - .322/.351/.466 in 157 second-half plate appearances, albeit with a .413 BABIP. In the first half, he hit .198/.310/.243 with a .275 BABIP. So he's likely somewhere in the middle of those two halves, but does have some patience and has a decent glove.
Grady Sizemore? Reclamation-project type, but hasn't played a game since 2011. Carlos Beltran? He'll be 37 next season and would likely want a shot at a ring, not to play for a team whose fanbase would go streaking down Crawford if the Astros won 80 games in 2014. Ken Rosenthal said yesterday that the Mariners were getting ready to give Ellsbury 6yrs/$126m. Not Jeff Francoeur. Anybody but Jeff Francoeur. So let's look at some actual possibilities...
Curtis Granderson
Granderson will be 33 on Opening Day 2014, and is coming off a 6yr/$43.25m contract. He only played in 61 games due to getting hit by pitches early in the season. Problem is, the White Sox - who are also looking for offensive help - are expected to try to lure the Chicago native back home. Yankees blog It's About The Money (linked in the previous sentence) said that $15m/year is a reasonable estimate for Granderson's next deal, with the length of the contract in question. But he's hitting .274/.357/.519 in his career against RHP. The question is whether the Astros would give him 3yrs/$54m, and if he'd take it. No, and no. Probably. Who really knows?
Chris Young
Likely more in the Astros' price range, and he's a Bellaire guy, so there's a connection to Houston, if that ever actually means anything. Young just turned 30 and is coming off a 5yr/$28m deal. But he was pretty awful in 107 games with Oakland this season - .200/.280/.379. That's J.D. Martinez with a lower batting average. He can't hit righties, either - his RHP splits were almost 100 points lower (.614 OPS) than his LHP splits (.712 OPS). BUT (and I know we're dealing with sample size) he hit .333/.412/.733 at Minute Maid Park. Three of his 12 homers came at Minute Maid, and while the A's probably aren't interested in bringing him back, he just might fit what the Astros are looking for. Add to that his .237 BABIP in 2013 was almost 40 points lower than his career average. Young has a .725 OPS from 2011-13. Would a 1yr/$5m deal get it done (given that he was worth $2.3m in 2013)? Or would the Astros go crazy and offer 3yrs/$12m and hope that he reverts back to his 2010 form?
Coco Crisp
Crisp will be in his Age 34 season in 2014, and he's not technically a free agent yet - the A's have a team option on 2014 where they can either pay him $7.5m or buy him out for $1m. He killed the Astros this season and doesn't strike out much - 65 times in 584 plate appearances. That's, like, a month's worth of strikeouts for Chris Carter. He provides a lefty option, and hit righties to the tune of .290/.362/.505. Away from Whatever Oakland Calls Their Stadium, he hit .288/.353/.488. And in 15 games against Houston, he hit .339/.471/.768 - though that may say more about Houston's pitching than it does Coco Crisp. In nine games at Minute Maid, he hit .395/.511/.868. Here's where it gets tricky: Crisp's value (as assigned by FanGraphs) over the past two years averaged about $15m. Now, given that his 2014 contract would call for $7.5m, the Astros may have to offer 3yrs/$24-27m. Of course, it doesn't matter if the A's don't buy him out.
Corey Hart
Another injury reclamation project. Hart, who will be 32 on Opening Day 2014, missed all of 2013 due to multiple knee surgeries. Hart made $10m to not play in 2013, and has said that he wants to stay in Milwaukee and would be willing to provide a discount to make that happen. As of September 19, there had not been any discussions about a new deal with Milwaukee, so there's the possibility they'll move on from Hart. From 2010-12, Hart hit .279/.343/.514, and has a career line vs righties of .267/.320/.478 (with an .896 OPS against LHP). In 2012, Hart hit .265/.326/.499 against RHP, and had an OPS of .827, .814, and .825 from 2010-2012 against righties. Given his desire to stay in Milwaukee, it's the Brewers' play to move on from Hart. If the Astros can swoop in and get Hart at 3yrs/$25m - a pay cut from his 2013 salary, but not a significant one - would you make that commitment to Hart's knee surgeries?
Nelson Cruz
Oooh this would probably piss off some Rangers fans, which is worth at least $1m. Cruz, who will be 34 in July 2014, of course missed 50 games in the middle of the season thanks to his Biogenesis suspension. He was hitting .269/.330/.511 before the suspension hit and made $10.5m in 2013. He hit RHP to the tune of .262/.316/.521, striking out 89 times in 339 PAs. Now he's a free agent, and the Biogenesis suspension will play a factor in his next contract. It's hard to say how much, but you can bet he's not going to get an annual average value over $10m...for now. He brought $7.5m in value to the Rangers, would 3yrs/$25m get the job done if the Rangers don't pull the trigger on Cruz?
David DeJesus
DeJesus is another on this list who has a team option for 2014, so the Rays can either exercise his option for $6.5m or buy him out for $1.5m, and would be one of a signing that would by default require him to sit against LHP. He's a lefty, which would be nice for the lineup, and hit well in the lead-off spot (which would allow Porter to bat Altuve 2nd). Against RHP, he hit .266/.345/.427 in 379 PAs with 65K:37BB. Trying to hit lefties would be a mistake, since he was 9x56, with a .161/.217/.250 line. DeJesus hasn't posted an OPS over .800 since 2010, in his final year with the Royals, and so I doubt the Rays pull the trigger on that 2014 option. He'll be in his Age 34 season, so maybe 2yr/$8m would get it done?
Starting Pitching
Jarred Cosart ($500,000)
Brett Oberholtzer ($500,000)
Brad Peacock ($500,000)
Jordan Lyles ($500,000)
The Astros desperately need another starting pitcher...for now. Yes, there is a lot of pitching coming up through the system: notably Asher Wojciechowski and Mike Foltynewicz, but the Astros do seem to want a veteran presence on the staff and I doubt that Jordan Lyles fits the mold, even if he is the longest-tenured starting pitcher on the team. This is where they need to commit some dollars. There are A LOT of free agent pitchers (check the entire list) on the market, but some names immediately stand out as possibilities for players looking to rebuild some value, or that might be interested in a short-term deal...
Masahiro Tanaka
No, the Astros have not yet been linked to the 24-year old Japanese pitcher expected to get posted to join Major League Baseball this winter. The Red Sox, Yankees, and Diamondbacks have, though. As have the Dodgers and Angels. In seven seasons in the JPPL, Tanaka is 95-35 (24-0 this season) with a 2.32 ERA. The LA Times suggested that $25m would win a bid for Tanaka, but then a team would have to sign him to a contract. Think Yu Darvish's 6yr/$56m deal. Is that pricy? Yep. But if the Astros want to spend a lot of money, make a splash, and land the guy MLBTR calls the Top Free Agent pitcher in baseball, Tanaka would do it. In conclusion: Please please please pretty please sign Masahiro Tanaka.
Scott Kazmir
Cy-Falls grad Scott Kazmir will be 30 in January and enjoyed a career resurgence in 2013. Having only thrown 151.2IP since 2010 and missing all of 2012, Kazmir went 10-9 for the Indians with a 4.04 ERA/1.32 WHIP, and all of his peripheral numbers were better than hit career average. Even better, Kazmir's FIP was 3.51 and his xFIP was 3.36, all with a .324 BABIP. Kazmit hadn't averaged over 92mph on his fastball since 2007, watching his velocity fall to 91.7 in 2008, then 91.1, 90.5, and 86.5 in 2011 with the Angels. In 2013, his fastball averaged 92.5mph. The Pitch Values on that fastball aren't as kind, though PITCHf/x says his two-seamer was well above average, as was his changeup. Given his left-handed nature (of which I approve), he would be a marked upgrade from Erik Bedard in the rotation. FanGraphs notched his value at $12.7m in 2013, but given the injury history, would you give Kazmir 3yrs/$25m?
Phil Hughes
Ahh, Phil Hughes whom I routinely mistook for Phil Humber (before this year, anyway). Despite the fact that it seems like he's been pitching, and getting hammered by Yankees fans, since 1974, Hughes will be entering his Age 28 season. He's coming off a 1yr deal with New York in which he made $7.15m. This would be one of those possible 1yr deals that could really pay off for both sides. Why? He's a fairly consistent pitcher. In 2012 (when he went 16-13 for the Yankees), his FIP/xFIP was 4.56/4.35, respectively. In 2013, when he was 4-14? 4.50/4.39. He's not going to walk many batters - his career average is 7.4%, and it would be interesting to play out how potential home run rates would be affected by the Crawford Boxes, but he would at least not get rattled by Yankee Stadium's short porch. Seventeen of the 24 homers he allowed in 2013 came at Yankee Stadium, where he allowed a .909 OPS compared to a .735 OPS on the road with a 3.88 ERA. 1yr/$7m? Or would the Astros need to go to 2yrs/$15m?
Ricky Nolasco
Nolasco will be 31 in December and is coming off a 3yr/$26.5m deal that he signed with the Marlins before SHOCK AND SURPRISE they traded him. He's an innings-eater, throwing at least 190IP in each of the last three seasons, and with FIPs under 4.00. His career BB/9 is 2.10, and he hasn't average more than 1HR per 9inn since 2010. Nolasco has a good two-seam fastball to go with a pretty great slider and a middling cutter. Thing is, he may be wanting a longer commitment than the Astros are willing to give out given their depth, however prospective, at starting pitching.
Gavin Floyd
Floyd, who will be 31 this winter, is coming off a 5yr/$25m contract in 2013. He missed almost all of 2013 after having surgery to repair his elbow flexor and UCL. There's the very real possibility he won't even pitch in 2014, which means he's probably off the Astros' radar. But he's a pitcher whose peripheral numbers are slightly better than his ERA indicate.
This is where the Astros need to just back up an armored car to a player's house and say, "Have at it." Chapman, Zeid, and Lo were the only three relievers to have a positive WAR, according to Baseball-Reference. FanGraphs wasn't that kind, saying that only Josh Zeid had a 0.0 WAR. This is where it gets tricky and the fanbase comes into question. Do you spend money on a bullpen with the idea that at least your fans aren't going to want to drink bleach in the latter-third of games? I hope so. After all, it's not my money and, after the last three seasons, winning 70 games would send me on an October-long bender. We had debates on whether or not the Astros' 2013 Goatpen was the worst relief corps in the history of baseball. Maybe they were, maybe they weren't. Point is, we spent a lot of time thinking about the possibility, which means changes have to be made here.
Kevin Chapman: $500,000
Jorge De Leon: $500,000
Josh Fields: $500,000
Chia-Jen Lo: $500,000
Josh Zeid: $500,000
Jesse Crain
UH grad Jesse Crain will be 33 next season, and is coming off a 3yr/$13m contract with the White Sox. After throwing 60+ IP in five seasons between 2005-2011, Crain threw 48IP in 2012 and 36.2IP in 2013. He has a career 3.05 ERA/1.23 WHIP and from 2010-13 has posted a 2.39 ERA/1.17 WHIP with a 2.6 K:BB ratio. Walks are an issue, but he tends not to give up too many hits. From 2011-13 he has stranded 85.7%, 84.8% and 86.1% of baserunners. His fastball sat in the mid-90s in 2013, with a 72mph curve to go along with it. His fastball and slider are above-average, as is his changeup. That said, he has been dealing with a strained shoulder and pitched his last game of the 2013 season on June 29. Could he be had for 2yrs/$10m? 3yrs/$12m?
Ryan Madson
Madson would fall under the Reclamation Project category, seeing as how he last pitched in the 2011 season. He made $6m to not pitch for the Reds in 2012, needing Tommy John surgery. And he got $3.25m to not pitch for the Angels in 2013, beyond a single rehab appearance from that Tommy John elbow before getting shut down again, and released in August. From 2008-11 Madson threw in 109 games (273.2IP) with a 2.86 ERA/1.18 WHIP and a 3.66 K:BB ratio. If he looks like he's healthy, I wonder if the Astros might offer him a 1yr/$2m deal to pitch in Houston.
Mike Gonzalez
Pasadena native Mike Gonzalez is a free agent this season after having signed a 1yr/$2.25m deal with the Brewers for 2013. He wasn't terribly effective, with the 4.04 BB/9 and all, but he did strike out 9.47 batters/9. He also suffered from a .348 BABIP (career BABIP: .292), though his BABIP has risen in every season since 2007. His 4.68 ERA isn't going to ring anybody's bell, but his xFIP was 3.88 (even if his 4.87 FIP isn't impressive, either). If the Astros are looking for a veteran presence in the bullpen, they may be able to get Gonzalez - a lefty - to face LHBs. Righties posted a .929 OPS against Gonzalez, but he was much more successful against fellow lefties (.780 OPS - .352 BABIP). It'll either work out great, or it won't, for not much money either way.
Boone Logan
Logan made $3.15m in 2013, his final year of arbitration, and will be a free agent for the first time in his career. He'll be in his Age 29 season in 2014, and over four seasons with the Yankees posted a 3.38 ERA/1.32 WHIP with 202K in 176IP. He's a lefty who held lefties to a .650 OPS in 2013 (and righties to a .780 OPS). Logan also had surgery this week to remove a bone spur in his left elbow and will resume throwing in December. This website puts his possible contract in line with Sean Burnett, who got 2yrs/$8m from the Angels last season. Given how solid Logan has been for the Yankees over the last four seasons, and with the retirement of Mariano Rivera, they may push hard to re-sign him. But maybe 3yrs/$15m (and honestly, wouldn't you rather Logan get that contract than Brandon Lyon?) gets the job done.
Joba Chamberlain
Ahh, Yankee reliever talk. Over the last three seasons, Chamberlain has thrown just a shade over 90IP in transitioning to the bullpen, and has seen his ERA+ drop from 154 in 2011 to 98 to 83 in 2013 (while his xFIP rose from 3.02 to 3.55 to 4.60). He gave up eight homers in 42IP (18.2% FB/HR rate) and walked 26 batters in 42IP. So the Astros would really be taking a flyer on Chamberlain benefiting from a change of scenery. He made $1.875m in 2013, so the price wouldn't be terribly expensive...if you even want him in the first place.
Eric O'Flaherty
How about taking a flyer on a player who was injured in 2013? The Braves' Eric O'Flaherty will be 29 in February and in his time with the Braves (2009-13), posted a 1.99 ERA/1.16 WHIP (200 ERA+). But he went down in May with a torn UCL and had Tommy John surgery that month. The Astros may be able to come in with an incentive-laden deal, but it all depends on that elbow.
Joel Hanrahan
Hanrahan's 2013 season was ugly. After getting traded to the Red Sox following the 2012 season, he got just over $7m in his 3rd year of arbitration...and only threw in nine games for the Red Sox before tearing the flexor tendon in his pitching arm and needing Tommy John surgery. Seeing as how he had TJ surgery in May, it's unlikely he'd be ready for Opening Day, if in 2014 at all...just like O'Flaherty.
Drew Storen
Storen is the lone player on this long list who would have to be acquired via trade, since he's in his 2nd year (of four years, he is a Super-Two). After squabbling with the Nationals and getting sent down, he dominated upon his return. The problem is that he'll be expensive, since he's still under team control (though at a growing salary in arbitration) until 2017 and the Nationals have their own bullpen issues.
17 comments:
One glaring omission: Dan Haren. He's a gutsy veteran who would be willing to take $8-$10 mil on a one year deal. And he was looking more like his old self towards the end of the season...
- October 11, 2013 at 12:16 PM
Way to not answer your own question.
- October 11, 2013 at 12:49 PM
- Astros County said...
I was all ready to leave a snarky response to Anonymous2's comment, and then I read my introduction again and saw that you're absolutely right. So here's how I would spend $40m (and this is all contingent on the player/agent accepting. Think of this as Luhnow with blackmail material against every party)
If we think of Base Payroll as $13m, and there are 20 players on the list:
Nelson Cruz: 2yrs/$18m
Masahiro Tanaka: $25m posting + 6yrs/$60m
If that's too unbelievable for you, then Scott Kazmir: 2yrs/$20m
Jesse Crain: 3yrs/$12m
Boone Logan: 3yrs/$15m
Drew Storen: Trade Carlos Corporan and the promise not to Nancy Kerrigan Bryce Harper's knee for Storen, give him 4yrs/$20m*
*Unlikely to happen, but I definitely would try to trade for Storen.
- October 11, 2013 at 1:49 PM
- MJ said...
I don't understand the fascination with Matt Dominguez. Most fans and the Astros brass just says his name like it's an after thought to plug him back in at 3B. He's never consistently hit/walked enough to think he's a top prospect. He's not Scott Rolen defensively either. Do you really think he's the 3B of the future?
- October 11, 2013 at 2:18 PM
I like Crisp for the OF.
Hughes as SP, I think Kazmir has reality check in 14.
Crain, Gonzo, & Logan in the pen. Question, whose going to close? Feilds or Crain or committee? I like Chapman & Zeid got better. Lo showed potential too.
I woukd lije a Billy Speirs type vet for the IF. Wallace's September swoon soured me a lot.
- October 11, 2013 at 2:25 PM
I'm cool with most of this. But I'm just not sure C-Car can cut down on the strikeouts.
And Brett "The Whiff" Wallace has proven he can't do anything but swing at pitches in the dirt and hit air (wow, I just had flashbacks to Kevin Bass).
I don't know how you upgrade these for the short term, because Singleton needs some more bus time at AAA until he's ready...
But I cringe at the thought of 300 strikeouts sitting between these two so-called heart of the lineup players; especially when they occasionally overlap positions, sharing duties at 1st and DH.
I like the Kazimir idea, beefing up the bullpen, and signing a corner outfielder.
And I think a bit of consistency from Dominguez and a full season out of Villar should help.
- October 11, 2013 at 2:26 PM
Excellent read!
- October 11, 2013 at 2:55 PM
- Lyle said...
Dominguez is the future until probably Correa becomes the third baseman.
Dominguez isn't an Astro lifer probably, but he fits on the team really well right now. He's very good defensively and he has some pop in his bat. He also should improve since this past year was his first full year in the majors playing regularly.
- October 11, 2013 at 3:47 PM
- Lyle said...
I don't think the Astros should spend money to just spend money. So I agree with the Luhnow and Crane process. More power to them.
I do think the bullpen has to be upgraded with some veterans. I'm not sure they need to bring a veteran starter though. Maybe or maybe not.
I also think they need to bring in a power bat that can hit RHP.
If they can't find it, they should just stick with what they have and rely on Springer and Singleton to improve the offense, along with whoever progresses out of the others.
- October 11, 2013 at 3:50 PM
Hey, I think the powersticks of Adam Everret Brad Ausmus can be bought at a reasonable price.
- October 11, 2013 at 4:17 PM
- Reuben said...
My thought was maybe a bargain deal for David Murphy to platoon with Barnes in RF. Had a down 2013, so he might not have offers from good teams, but if the Astros luck out and he regains old form, he has I think an .814 career OPS vs RHP. And Barnes kills lefties.
I think a vet SP and 2-3 good RPs are an absolute must.
- October 11, 2013 at 7:23 PM
Sign Jose Abreu and trade Singleton and a pitcher for Storen.
- October 11, 2013 at 9:07 PM
- OremLK said...
I would like a Tanaka signing quite a bit. I don't agree that signing Abreu would signify giving up on Singleton, however. The way I see it, in that scenario we've got three guys to fight it out for two positions (1B and DH)--Abreu, Singleton, and Carter. Actually, you could even potentially put Carter or Singleton in left field, although I think that would Carlos Lee level bad defensively.
- October 11, 2013 at 10:33 PM
Will take a big chip to get Storen, and Singleton is the biggest we could live without with Abreu.
- October 12, 2013 at 9:32 AM
Coco Crisp or David Murphy 3yr/$27 mil
Jose Veras 2yr/$12mil
Joe Nathan or Brian Wilson or Grant Balfour 1yr/$6 mil
Jesse Crain 2yr/$10 mil
Bartolo Colon or Dan Haren or Scott Kazmir 1yr/$7-9 mil
- October 13, 2013 at 5:18 AM
- Fai Mao said...
A couple of other names from the Rangers you forgot.
Joe Nathan there is a mutual opt out clause in his contract for next year. It is a good bet that one of the Rangers or Joe will opt out.
David Murphy was "Over Exposed" this year. He went from being a solid platoon player to bad everyday player. There is really no reason to believe that if used in a platoon he'd not return to being a guy who hits .270-.280 with 12 to 15 HRs
The nice thing to those guys is they do not cost draft picks because they won't get qualifying offers and they could potentially be flipped at the trade deadline for more prospects
Getting cheap free agents that can be flipped at the deadline is what the Astros need to do
- October 13, 2013 at 6:40 PM
A bit more on Abreu:
"In his last 916 at-bats (four seasons) in Cuba's Serie Nacional de Beisbol, he hit .407/.557/.845 with 111 home runs."
Granted, this is not MLB, but that still puts him in some rare company.
- October 15, 2013 at 6:00 PM


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Tyler Police Arrest Woman for Impersonating an Officer
Officers have in custody a woman accused of pretending to be a Tyler Police officer on at least two different occasions.
Investigators have identified and arrested Jennifer Louise Cowser, 39 of Tyler for Impersonating a Public Servant. She is charged with two counts of impersonating a Public Servant - a 3rd degree felony.
Cowser is accused of stealing a man's wallet at the D&N Grocery on W. Bow Street on Sunday, October 7, 2012. The suspect asked for 10 dollars and when she was told no she presented a badge and identified herself as a police officer. The suspect took the victim's wallet out of his pants and then left in a small grey Nissan car.
On October 14th, Cowser is accused of impersonating a police officer at a car wash at 5030 Highway 31 West.
The victim stated that a white female approached him as he was parked near the car vacuums.
She presented a badge that led him to believe that she was a police officer. She informed him that she was going to search his car or he was going to be arrested. After searching his car, she stole a few unknown items from him. She then left in a dark colored compact vehicle.
Cowser is jailed on a $150,000 bond for each charge. Investigators will be securing additional charges against Cowser.


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Washington and Lee rushed for 438 yards and five touchdowns in posting a 35-34 victory over Bridgewater in ODAC football action on Saturday afternoon at Jopson Field.
The game was tied four times and the lead changed hands six times, including a 35-34 W&L (5-2, 4-0) lead on an 8-yard touchdown run by junior quarterback Charlie Westfal (New Canaan, Conn./New Canaan) with 8:31 remaining in the game. The Eagles (5-2, 1-2) proceeded to march 49 yards on 13 plays and attempted a potential game-winning 39-yard field goal by junior Will Davis with 1:37 remaining, but the ball sailed wide left and the Generals ran out the clock for their fourth-straight win.
The teams were tied at 21-21 entering the break and W&L began the second half with the ball. However, the Generals fumbled on the third play from scrimmage and the Eagles took a 28-21 lead eight plays later on a 1-yard touchdown run by senior running back Darrin McKenzie. W&L responded with an 8-play drive that covered 48 yards and was finished off with a 7-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Luke Heinsohn (Charlottesville, Va./Covenant) to make it 28-28 with 5:21 left in the third quarter.
Bridgewater scored again just 3:15 later on a 12-yard run by McKenzie, but the PAT failed making it a 34-28 game with 2:06 left in the third quarter. W&L strung together another promising drive at the start of the fourth quarter, but a fumble at the BC 24-yardline ended the scoring threat with 12:17 to play. The Generals forced an Eagle punt with 11:13 remaining and drove 47 yards in six plays for the game-winning score.
Junior running back Harrison Hudson (Salem, Va./Salem) led the Generals' ground game with a career-high 204 yards on 18 carries. Heinsohn rushed 19 times for 99 yards and a career-best three touchdowns. It was the first time he was held under 100 yards rushing in five games. Westfal carried 14 times for 62 yards and a touchdown and completed 3-of-6 passes for 36 yards. Sophomore Brett Murray (Lookout Mountain, Tenn./Baylor) notched 59 yards and one touchdown on 10 carries. Defensively, sophomore linebacker Jesse Jenkins (Roanoke, Va./William Fleming) totaled a team-high 10 tackles.
Bridgewater was paced by McKenzie, who totaled 126 yards and three touchdowns on 26 rushes. Senior quarterback Hagan Driskell completed 9-of-19 passes for 119 yards and one touchdown, while senior wide receiver Tyler Beiler posted three catches for 58 yards and a score and ran once for 46 yards. Senior linebacker T.J. Montague and senior defensive back Darrin Stephenson paced the BC defense with 11 tackles each.
Washington and Lee returns to action on Friday as it travels to Catholic University for a 7:00 pm contest.


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Published by source: 24 April 2019


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California Department of Transportation
December 20, 2010
Tamie McGowen (916) 657-5060
Holiday parties bring increased risk to Caltrans workers
Increased DUI drivers put motorists and
Caltrans workers at greater risk
Sacramento, CA – Holiday parties are a fun, enjoyable part of the season for many - but they also can bring increased danger and tragedy to the roadways. More parties mean more driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, and more car crashes. Not only is this a danger to motorists, but it also increases the risk to highway workers. Caltrans is responsible for cleaning up debris after traffic collisions, directing traffic, quickly repairing highway damage, and getting traffic flowing again so additional crashes don't occur. This puts Caltrans workers at risk of being hit by a drunk or otherwise impaired driver as they are directing traffic or cleaning up after a collision.
That is what happened recently when Caltrans highway maintenance worker Gary Smith was called from home to provide traffic control on State Route 99 in Chico when an earlier DUI crash killed two adults and one child. A suspected drunk driver then drove through the safety barriers, striking and killing Smith, a nearly 33-year veteran of Caltrans.
"It is everyone's responsibility to slow down when traveling through a highway work zone or when there is a roadside emergency," said Caltrans Director Cindy McKim. "By slowing down and driving responsibly, you can help ensure that highway workers will safely return home to their families this holiday season."
Caltrans, the California Office of Traffic Safety and the California Highway
Patrol remind all drivers to plan ahead to have a designated sober driver after
drinking, and to be alert for other drivers who may be impaired. Anyone who
suspects someone driving under the influence should immediately notify law
enforcement by dialing 9-1-1. Also, if you see a Caltrans or CHP vehicle
flashing their warning lights, slow down, watch for highway workers and be
prepared for sudden stops or lane closures. Be sure to follow the "Move Over"
law and try to switch to a safer lane when approaching highway crews or CHP
officers on the side of the road. Help us protect those who make our highways
safer everyday.
For additional highway and traffic safety press releases from the California Highway Patrol and the California Office of Traffic Safety, please click on the links below:
# # # #


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Housing Commission offering variety of loans for home improvement
ARENAC COUNTY — Homeowners in Arenac County may qualify for loans to assist with home improvements through the Arenac County Housing Commission.
Jill Eyre, director of the housing commission, said that a variety of loans are available to homeowners with low or very low income to assist them in bringing their homes up to housing standards, as well as loans available to those with good credit records for various home improvement projects.
According to information provided by the housing commission, households with incomes at or below 50 percent of the median income of the county may qualify for deferred loans, and households with incomes between 50 percent and 80 percent of the median income of the county may qualify for loans with scheduled monthly payments.
"People qualify for either a deferred mortgage … or if they (have) a little higher income, they can get a zero- to three-percent loan," Eyre said.
Eyre said the money for the loans comes from Community Development Block Grant funds, which are given to the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, which distributes the funds to nonprofits and municipalities across the state. She said loans through CDBG funding can only be used to bring a home up to current housing standards.
"We work with homeowners to rehab their homes to bring them up to housing standards," Eyre said, adding that a maximum of $35,000 can be granted to a single home.
She said that the housing commission currently has only $18,000 remaining in CDBG funding.
"I only get money from that every other year," Eyre said. "I will be applying again this summer."
According to Eyre, the housing commission also received funding through MSHDA for home improvement loans, specifically targeting the Wells Addition area in Standish Township, a subdivision off of Cedar Street, which she said has around 90 homes.
"That money can go toward the same types of things the CDBG grant money goes toward," Eyre said.
She said the housing commission continually applies for funding through the Saginaw-Chippewa Indian Tribe, which it uses to assist homeowners countywide ages 55 and older. She said funding also comes to the housing commission through United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development for loans available to homeowners countywide.
"I don't have a lot of money left there, but I will be applying again," Eyre said.
Eyre said she recently applied for funding through the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indiana, which is currently in the review process, which would allow the housing commission to offer a specific type of loan.
"It's what they call a five-year retention program," Eyre said. "If they are in their home for five years (after receiving funds), they don't have to pay anything."
She said the program would offer up to $7,500 loans, or a $10,000 grant requiring homeowners to match $2,500.
According to Eyre, those with good credit records may qualify for Property Improvement Program loans.
"The PIP is for people with good credit," Eyre said. "There are two programs, the PIP and the PIP Plus."
According to information provided by the housing commission, PIP loans are available to homes with incomes up to $44,000 annually. Loans can be for up to $35,000, and can take up to 20 years to repay. A PIP Plus loan is for homeowners with good credit, whose income is 80 percent or less of the county median income, and combines a PIP loan with CDBG funding, to make half the improvements to a home, up to $10,000, a five-year forgivable mortgage.
Eyre said that the PIP and PIP Plus loans can be used for improvements other than those needed to bring a home up to current housing standards.
"They're not restrained on what they can do, unlike the other grants, which bring the homes up to housing standards," Eyre said.
She said that, since she took the position as director of the housing commission a year and a half ago, she has not seen anyone who has applied for loans qualify for PIP of PIP Plus funding.
Eyre said that those seeking more information on loans available through the housing commission can go to the housing commission office in the Arenac County Building, or call 989-846-6651.
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HP Launches New HP Latex 300 Printer Series
Company also debuts new HP Designjet Z-Series Production Printers.
HP has announced a new HP Latex 300 Printer Series of printers, as well as two new Designjet printer models.
The new HP Latex 300 Printer Series comprises three printers aimed at the small- to medium-sized print service provider, as well as sign shops and quick printers. All three models utilize HP 831 Latex Inks designed for scratch-resistant output, as well as the company's HP Latex Optimizer, engineered to rapidly immobilize pigments on the surface of the print to allow for higher productivity, reports the company. All three Latex 300 models feature a CMYKcm inkset and a top resolution of 1200 dpi. The three new HP Latex 300 Series models include:
• The HP Latex 310 Printer: An entry-level 54-in. model, it features an SAi FlexiPrint HP Basic Edition RIP, front-media loading, and more. Top speed is 517 sq ft/hr (174 sq ft/hr Outdoor Plus Quality). A takeup reel is optional. List price: $16,449.
• The HP Latex 330 Printer: The 64-in. model is designed to handle larger, heavier media rolls, and is capable of printing at speeds up to 538 sq ft/hr (183 sq ft/hr Outdoor Plus Quality). It features the SAi FlexiPrint HP Basic Edition RIP and a takeup reel (standard). List price: $19,649.
• The HP Latex 360 Printer: A 64-in. model designed for higher volumes, it can print up to 978 sq ft/hr (248 sq ft/hr in Outdoor Plus Quality mode). It features an ink collector for porous textiles as well as automatic front-to-back registration for printing double-sided banners, takeup reel, and automatic cutter, plus an embedded X-Rite i1 spectrophotometer, Optical Media Advance Sensor, and custom substrate profiling. List price: $23,995.
The company's new HP Designjet models include the HP Designjet Z6600 Production Printer and the HP Designjet Z6800 Photo Production Printer. These new models replace the 60-in. Designjet Z6200 printer (the 42-in. Z6200 is still available). Both new Designjetss are 60-in. printers designed for speed and production – they're capable of hitting print speeds up to 1500 sq ft/hr (212 sq ft/hr in High Quality mode).
The Z6600 Production Printer features an inkset comprising CMY + a trio of blacks (light gray, matte black, and photo black), aimed at rich density and smooth transitions in black-and-white prints; it uses HP Vivid Photo pigment-based inks. Top resolution is 1200 x 2400 dpi. List price: $10,995, including automatic cutter and takeup reel. The Z6600 uses 30% less ink than the company's Z6100, reports HP.
The Z6800 Photo Production Printer is an 8-color model that bolsters the above HP Vivid Photo inkset with a Chromatic Red and light cyan, broadening the color-gamut capabilities. An embedded X-Rite i1 spectrophotometer is standard; other features include: HP Double Swath Technology; HP Optical Media Advance Sensor; a 320-GB hard disk; and more. Top resolution is 1200 x 2400 dpi. List price: $16,495.