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The Mystery Of God's Willby Charles R. Swindoll
View All Available Formats & Editions
We all face difficult decisions. How can we know that the decisions we make are in God's will? Even popular author, pastor and Dallas Seminary President Charles Swindoll says at times he's not been so sure. In The Mystery of God's Will, Swindoll examines this long debated subject from a balanced, biblical perspective regarding his own doubts and experiences. For anyone who's ever doubted God's will, or for those who are convinced of it in every situation, this book will be a real eye-opener.
Editorial Reviews
Product Details
- 9780849911330
- Publisher:
- Nelson, Thomas, Inc.
- Publication date:
- 10/12/1999
- Pages:
- 222
- Product dimensions:
- 6.46(w) x 9.58(h) x 1.05(d)
Read an Excerpt
Chapter One
A Process and a Puzzle
The flag of sorrow flew at half mast over many an American heart in mid-July, 1999. Another tragedy. Another in a long line of familiar names from the famous Kennedy clan tasted death much earlier than anyone would have predicted ... and in a way most would never have guessed.
Ironically, this one happened seven short miles off the same shore of the same sleepy resort island where young John played as a lad. Will the sadness never end for this grief-stricken, shock-stunned family? The list is a litany of tragedies and surprises that reads like a modern-day book of lamentations. Horrible assassinations, sudden deaths, carnal scandals, tragic and life-threatening illnesses, and now a desperate search at sea for the remains of three lives that ended as strangely as any of us could have imagined. There are some who have suggested it is some sort of "curse" that haunts them. To be sure, unanwered questions swarm all over the Kennedys.
Regardless of where you and I may stand politically, ethically, and morallyin spite of whether we agree or disagree with their lives and lifestylesevery one of us turns the same three-letter word over and over in our heads: Why? We find ourselves wondering how much longer the plague, if that's what it is, will remain and who of their number will be next. It's a mystery.
Even as Christians, who firmly believe in a God of order and compassion, One who "tenderly cares for His own," we cannot deny the reality that much of what He does and most of why He doesit falls into that category ... at least from our vantage point. And it isn't just one family's mysterywe all live with mysteries, not just the rich and famous. They surround all of us through all of life. The healthy and hearty as well as the sick, the handicapped, and the dying. The young and the old. The godly and the godless.
It's time to say it: More often than not we face life in a quandary. Searching, disturbing questions far outnumber absolute, air-tight answers. Even though we love the Lord and are committed to His plan. Even though we obey His Word and seek His will. If we're honest enough to admit it, there are daysno, there are even months when we simply cannot figure out what God is up to.
The longer I live, the more I believe that one of the most profound subjects in the Christian life is the will of God. The deeper we dig into it, the more we realize how little we know. When we stop and think deeply about the way He leads us along, we must conclude that it is one of the most mysterious subjects in the spiritual life. Yet I've observed that we use words like "It's the will of God" or "We hope God will have His will and way in this" rather glibly.
Someone has said that getting an education is going from an unconscious to a conscious awareness of our own ignorance. When we do a serious study of the will of God, we go from an unconscious to a conscious awareness of how mysteriously He leads us along. Perhaps this explains why our walk with our Lord is often inconsistent and why it is sometimes more of a struggle than a relief. Let's face it: Much of His plan simply doesn't make sense ... not to us.
So much of understanding this is a matter of the willnot God's will, but our will. I certainly know that in my own heart I do not always really want to do His will.
We say we do, of course. If we were asked to respond with yes or no to the question, all of us would say, "Yes, I want to know His will." But doing God's will is another matter entirely, because almost without exception it requires risk and adjustment and change. We don't like that. Even using those words makes us squirm. Experiencing the reality of them is even worse. We love the familiar. We love the comfortable. We love something we can controlsomething we can get our arms around. Yet the closer we walk with the Lord, the less control we have over our own lives, and the more we must abandon to Him. To give Him our wills and to align our wills to His will requires the abandonment of what we prefer, what we want or what we would choose.
So as we approach this "archaeological study" of the will of God, let's recognize that we dig into it knowing that everything within us will at times resist doing what He wants us to do.
What is God's will and what is not God's will? How can we know God's will? Is it common to miss God's will or is that even possible? How did God reveal His will in biblical days? Is it the same way He reveals His will today? Are there prerequisites for knowing God's will? Can I really know that I am doing God's will? That I am in His will? If so, how? And if I'm not doing God's will, how do I know that? Can anyone else help me discern God's will? If I do His will does He always reward me?
All these and more are common questions every thoughtful believer grapples with at one time or another in life.
I jokingly say to people at times, "It's easier for me to know God's will for my wife than it is for me to know God's will for my life. "The reality is, of course, that we often operate on that principle. We believe we know what our spouse ought to do, or what our child ought to do, or what our neighbor ought to do, or what our friend ought to do. But the tough thing is knowing what I ought to be doing.
Who can help us discern that? Who can we lean on, rely on? Are there any examples of those who have walked in His will? Or, what about the opposite? Are there any examples of those who have strayed from His will? Is God's will ever a surprise? And if so, why would He choose to surprise us? Is that fair?
In the following pages, I want to grapple with many of these questions in one form or other. But before we begin, I need to make an admission, which will in some ways be a disclaimer. I admit: This subject is inscrutable. Please read those four words again. During my years in seminary, one of my mentors used to say, "One of your problems as young theologians is trying to unscrew the inscrutable." So there are times I will say, without reservation or hesitation, "I do not know the answer." It is a profound, unfathomable subject. Although we have been given so much direction and clarification in the Word of God, there is far more that is beyond our human understanding. So determine, right now not to let that trouble youeven you perfectionist types who want to sweep every corner clean and get every part of the subject covered and clearly understood. You will never, ever be able to do that with this subject. Benjamin Disraeli put it well: "To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge."
But don't take my word for it. Let's learn from Scripture. Look at Job 9, where Job is answering Bildad, who, along with Eliphaz and Zophar, has come to bring a bit of comfort to his suffering friend, Job. I write that with tongue in cheek, of course, because these guys really came to accuse Job. As Job himself says later on, "Sorry comforters are you all. What a sorry lot of counselors you have been?
If you take the time to read Job 8, you'll see how Bildad unloads a major guilt trip on Job. Then in 9:1-12 Job responds. You can almost picture him as he throws his arms in the air and cries,
In truth I know that this is so, but how can a man be in the right before God?
If one wished to dispute with Him [God], he could not answer Him once in a thousand times.
Wise in heart and mighty in strength, who has defied Him without harm?
It is God who removes the mountains, they know not how, when He overturns them in His anger;
Who shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble; who commands the sun not to shine, and sets a seal upon the stars;
Who alone stretches out the heavens, and tramples down the waves of the sea;
Who makes the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south;
Who does great things, unfathomable,
And wondrous works without number.
Job is awed by the Creator who "shakes the earth out of its place." Californians know that feeling wellthat uneasy, insecure feeling of the earth shaking beneath them. He speaks of the One who "commands the sun not to shine, and sets a seal on the stars." We can set our watches by these heavenly lights God put in motion from the beginning. He does "great things," says Job, things that are "unfathomable." When it comes to God's workings and plans, we will never be able to say, "Finally, I've got it! I've figured it all out!"not until we get to heaven, when we will know as we are known.
"The first sound we will hear from every throat when we get to heaven is `Ahhhh,'" says my good friend Jay Kesler. "Now I see it! Now I realize why. Now it all makes sense before my eyes, this great once-mysterious panorama of events."
My mentor, the late Ray Stedman, had a helpful description of this. I can still remember his talking about moving from earth to heaven: "We move from the very restricted and limited realm to this massive panorama of the whole scene. And it will be good." It all will have worked together for good, including the tragedies and the calamities and the heartaches, the illnesses and diseases and what we call premature deaths, the terrible deformities and birth defects and congenital illnesses. All will unfold, and we will see that God's plan was right. But not until then. That is Job's point:
[He] does great things, unfathomable, and wondrous works without number.
Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him; were He to move past me, I would not perceive Him.
Were He to snatch away, who could restrain Him? Who could say to Him, "What art Thou doing?"
(Job 9:10-12)
Who hasn't been tempted to shake a fist at God and cry, "What are You doing?" A child is kidnapped and brutally murdered. "God, what are You doing to us?" A husband drives to the hardware store on Saturday morning and is hit head-on and killed by a drunk driver. Just that quickly he is taken from his wife and family. "What in the world is God up to?" A young mother has routine surgery, develops unforeseen complications, and dies. "God, what are You doing?" It is unfathomable.
So many things that happen in this life are past searching out. I can't explain His plan. I can only unfold from the Scriptures how unfathomable it really is.
The psalmist gives voice to this eloquently in Psalm 139:1-2:
O Lord, Thou hast searched me and known me. Thou dost know when I sit down and when I rise up; Thou dost understand my thought from afar. Thou dost scrutinize my path and my lying down, And art intimately acquainted with all my ways.
Before I ever have a thought, You know it's on its way. You know when it strikes my brain and what's going to come as a result of it. You know it long before I have the thought. Yet we still have the freedom to think that thought and follow through on that action. This is part of the unfathomable nature of our God. "You know it from afar. You scrutinize my path."
For Christmas one year we bought our children what was called "Ant City." This consisted of clear plastic plates on either side, filled with sand and ants. From our vantage point outside and above, we could see what these busy little creatures were doing underground. We watched as they tunneled their way around, leaving a maze of trails.
In a similar fashion, God scrutinizes our paths. From where we are, tunneling along, all we see is the sand immediately ahead, behind, and beside us. But from His vantage point, He can see exactly where we've been and precisely where we're going. "He is intimately acquainted with all my ways."
I know my wife, Cynthia, very well, but I am not intimately acquainted with all her ways, even though we have been married almost forty-five years. As well as I may know my wife or my children or a friend, I will never be "intimately acquainted" with all of their ways. My finite nature hinders such knowledge.
God, however, knows each one of us individually. He numbers the very hairs of our head (which is a bigger challenge for some than for others). The hopes, the wayward thoughts, the directions, the decisions, the indecision, the motives, the words we think but don't say ... He knows all of those.
Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold O Lord, Thou dost know it all.
You have enclosed me behind and before,
You have laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is too high, I cannot attain to it.
(Psalm 139:4-6)
"I may be Your son," David was saying, "and I may write Your music, Lord, and I may be the king of Your people, but, Lord, Your ways are still beyond me. They remain unfathomable to me. I can't understand or explain what You're doing. Such knowledge is too great for me. I can't reach it. I can't attain to it."
Why is it that in the same family one child will go one direction and one another? "It is too high, I cannot attain to it." All of us are sinners. So why does one couple break up in six months and another stay together for sixty years? Why are some individuals called to serve in small, obscure, and difficult places while others serve in comfort in a large arena, surrounded by support. Why, why, why? "It is too high, I cannot attain to it."
So let's settle this point right at the outset. All of these things and so many more we will never understand in this life. Despite all of our searching and all of our study of the Scriptures, we'll never be able to see everything clearly, to fully grasp and understand and answer all the questions. They are beyond our comprehensiona puzzle, a mystery.
In Keep a Quiet Heart, Elisabeth Elliott says, "Today is mine. Tomorrow is none of my business. If I peer anxiously into the fog of the future, I will strain my spiritual eyes so that I will not see clearly what is required of me now."
Much of what happens in life we simply have to take by faith. Answers will not be forthcoming. These are the tensions of reality, and if we get marooned on the tensions, we will not be able to travel further. That is as our heavenly Father planned it.
Who can ever explain the events that occurred at Columbine High school in April, 1999, in Littleton, Colorado? The tragedy is beyond our comprehensionfourteen teenagers and one teacher dead, most of them Christians. How could that be? Why would a loving, caring, gracious Godwho does all things welleven permit such an event? In our minds, none of the above squares with our understanding of goodness and grace. How could it?
Was all that a part of His plan? could it be that, in this strange unfolding of His will, we have failed to leave sufficient room for His permission of evil? Job asked his wife what I now ask you, "Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity" (Job 2:10)? It's a mystery ... based on how we see things and how we evaluate fairness and how we gauge goodness.
God is the Potter; we are the clay. He's the Shepherd; we are the sheep. He's the Master; we are the servant. No matter how educated we are, no matter how much power and influence we may think we have, no matter how long we have walked with Him, no matter how significant we may imagine ourselves to be in His plans (if any of us could even claim significance), none of that qualifies us to grasp the first particle of why He does what He does when He does it and how He chooses to do it.
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways My ways," declares the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9)
Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor?" (Romans 11:33-34).
In an old work by Origen, On First Principles, the great church father underscores what the apostle of grace meant when he wrote that statement:
Paul did not say that God's judgments were hard to search out but that they could not be searched out at all. He did not say that God's ways were hard to find out but that they were impossible to find out. For however far one may advance in the search and make progress through an increasing earnest study, even when aided and enlightened in the mind by God's grace, he will never be able to reach the final goal of his inquiries.
As I think about God's unfathomable ways and the theme of this book, I am reminded of the six-year-old boy who had been given an assignment to draw anything he wanted to draw. But when everyone else in the class had finished drawing, he was still sitting there working on his picture. Finally the teacher walked back and looked over his shoulder.
"What are you drawing?" she asked.
"I'm drawing a picture of God," said the boy.
"You need to remember, Johnny, no one has ever seen God. Nobody knows what He looks like."
"Well ... they will when I'm through," said Johnny.
That's what I would love to think about this book: that when I have finished writing and the printer has finished printing and all my readers have finished reading, that people will at least know what the will of God looks like. But even though I think we will all have learned some things together, in all humility and reality, I know that you won't find it all, or see it all in these pages. So, don't get your hopes up!
What I hope we will do is learn how to turn to God and rely on Him to work out His will in our lives. Hopefully we will realize the enormity of our own ignorance and our need to trust Him and then let it be. Just let it be. If His plan for you is a surprise or, perhaps, a disappointment, let it be. I urge you to come to terms with the disappointment and accept the surprise. Go ahead ... call it a mystery. Let Him have His way with your life, for nothing is worse than resisting and resenting the One who is at work in you.
The amazing thing is that even in the midst of disappointment, surprise, and mystery you will discover how very reliable and trustworthy God isand how secure you are in His hands. And oh, how we need that in this day of relativism and vacillation, filled with empty talk and hidden behind a lot of semantic footwork. In the midst of "spin city," it is the Lord who talks straight. It is the Lord who has preserved Truth in black and white in His Word. And it is the Lord who has the right to do as He wishes around us, to us, and in us. He's the Potter, remember. Puzzling as the process may be to us, He stays with His plan. There is no need for us to know all the reasons, and He certainly doesn't need to explain Himself. Potters work with the clay, they don't fret over it ... or ask permission to remake the clay into whatever they wish.
And if we're going to let God be God, then we're forced to say He has the right to take us through whatever process He chooses. The journey may be painful as well as puzzling ... including a tragedy at sea seven miles off Martha's Vineyard and a massacre in a school in Littleton, Colorado.
Meet the Author
Charles R. Swindoll has devoted his life to the clear, practical teaching and application of God's Word. He currently pastors Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas, and serves as the chancellor of Dallas Theological Seminary. His renowned Insight for Living radio program airs around the world. Chuck and Cynthia, his partner in life and ministry, have four grown children and ten grandchildren.
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If you are trying to find an answer to why things happen in this world you will not find the answers in this book or any other book for that matter. However, I believe God inspired Chuck to write this book with all of us in mind. This book will give you a new sense of God¿s greatness and power. It will make you realize that God, above everything, is in ultimate control of what happens in the universe. And as mysterious as His ways are, He always does what is best for His children. If you read this book and don¿t come to the realization that God loves you so much you simply cannot put it in words, you probably did not really stopped to understand what was in the pages. However, if you do read the book with great care you will praise God for His unfathomable care and love for you and me.


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Committee gets testimony on tar sands pipelineFebruary 19,2013
The Associated Press
MONTPELIER — A committee of the Vermont House is hearing about the possible shipment of tar sands oil on a pipeline that crosses northern Vermont.
The CEO of the Portland Pipeline Company, which owns the line, is due to appear Tuesday before the House Committee on Fish, Wildlife and Water Resources.
Larry Wilson said in recent legislative testimony that he would welcome an opportunity to reverse the flow of the Montreal-to-Portland pipeline, but he currently knows of no plans to do so.
Environmental groups have been warning of the likelihood that tar sands would be shipped through Vermont.
The committee is weighing whether Vermont's Act 250 land-use law should apply to the shipment of heavy oil through the state.MORE IN This Just InBURLINGTON As part of a federal effort to dismantle drug trafficking organizations in Vermont,... Full StoryMONTPELIER A new net-metering program is in the final stages of being revised by the Public... Full StoryMIDDLESEX The Agency of Transportation is set to begin replacing a bridge on Route 2 that spans... Full Story
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Politics Craig: Not Gay, May Stay
posted by September 4 at 17:48 PMon
Here's the headline of the day:
Craig rethinking resignation, spokesman says
Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, is reconsidering his decision to resign after his arrest in a Minnesota airport sex sting and may still fight for his Senate seat, his spokesman said Tuesday evening.
"It's not such a foregone conclusion anymore, that the only thing he could do was resign," said Sidney Smith, Craig's spokesman, in Idaho's capital.
"We're still preparing as if Senator Craig will resign September 30, but the outcome of the legal case in Minnesota and the ethics investigation will have an impact on whether we're able to stay in the fight—and stay in the Senate."
Yes, yes: Larry! Stay and fight, Larry! Stay and fight! Don't let them shove you out—did Trent Lott go quietly when they tried to shove him out? No! So why should you? Stay and fight, Larry!


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Music at Noon
Music at Noon concerts are free performances held on the second Tuesday of each month. Generally 45 minutes to 60 minutes, most Music at Noon programs take place in Dagwell Hall, where audience members are welcome to eat a bag lunch during the concert. In instances where a concert is held in the Cathedral, Room 107 is available beginning at 11:00 am for audience members to eat before the performance.
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"Beauty in the Nature without pollution" Top 5 Page for this destination Mackinac Island by BruceDunning
Mackinac Island Travel Guide: 188 reviews and 384 photos
This island is still as it looked many years ago. In the early 1900's, a great deal of wealth had roots on the island and the old hotel was the place to be. Now that many tourists frequent, more things are availbe to see and offer to folks to do. But no CARS.
There are plenty of places to choose from to stay and eat. The rest of the time you can walk up and down the lane, or take a hike in the outlying section away from town. The whole town is set to cater to the tourists and do so in great fashion.
This is one of the longest bridges in the area, if not the longest.
- Pros:A quiant spot to reflect on the old times
- Cons:In certain months-way too many people
- In a nutshell:Once you walk the main street -then what to do?
Reviews (18)
There are some older type homes from 1920's-50's, and some newer ones to see. The unique architectural styles are what... more travel advice
The fort was formed in 1715 by the French who traded from here for decades. They built a sturdy fort and it stood to... more travel advice
The history is fabulous and a much needed bridge for decades. It finally got completed in 1957 and ended up being 1846... more travel advice
This site is 3 miles north of St. Ignace and we did not stop, but it looks like a nice place to spend some money. The... more travel advice
Comments (7)
Mackinac Island certainly looks interesting to visit and explore. Thanks for sharing those tips and the photographs. Thanks also for visiting our Estonia travel pages. ~ho & pang
A very interesting page. Visiting the great lakes has been high on my wishlist for some time, I hope eventually I'll make it there.
Nice pages, nice on Mackinac Island. Always wanted to visit, never have yet!
Hi, Bruce! Thanks for your virtual tour! ><><><
my niece, who lived in Detroit till last year, suggested this place for us to explore with her husband. but then they moved to Oregon and our plan for 2009 got cancelled.
The era of the majestic old Grand Hotel! It does look grand & reminds me of similar places in New England and the Maritimes where the Ocean airs were the only summer escape in pre-air conditioner days! FDR had a cottage on Campobello Is., New Brunswick.
What to do? we suggest renting bikes and pedaling around the island. lots of fun, if the weather is agreeable.
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CARSON, Calif. (AP) -- Drivers near Southern California's notorious Interstate 405 had reason to tone down their road rage when it was revealed the thing stopping traffic was a baby seal on city streets several miles from the ocean.
Sheriff's officials said Monday that deputies were called to the scene when a driver said he had to swerve to miss the seal at a busy intersection in Carson between the 405 and the Home Depot Center stadium.
The deputies cornered the seal and did their best to keep it out of the street until representatives from Marine Animal Rescue arrived to take it to a shelter for examination.
The seal was believed to be less than a year old and most likely got to Carson via the Dominguez Channel, which runs alongside the 405.
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text: October 17th 6:30-8:30 Purchase Tickets Price: $30 per person/ $50 per couple /$120 for an entire lane (this can have up to 6 bowlers & includes a pizza) *shoes are included with all tickets Where: Stone Lanes Norwood 3746 Montgomery Road Norwood, OH 45212 Registration: 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm Bowling: 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm FAQ Flyer The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden has been instrumental to numerous in-situ and ex-situ conservation efforts for the rhinoceros. Bowling For Rhinos is a night of bowling to raise funds and awareness for the plight of all 5 species of rhinos (Javan, Black, White, Sumatran and Indian). Participants will bowl for 2 hours and have the opportunity to participate in several other "supplemental" fundraisers including a silent auction, raffle, and more! Additional Fun! In addition to bowling, we will have t-shirts for sale, a silent auction and a raffle to meet a rhino at the Cincinnati Zoo! Have questions? Contact Jenna Wingate or Wendy Rice! Sponsorship Opportunities Would you or your business like to become a lane sponsor for just $100? Please email Danielle Swopes or Jenna Wingate to find out how!


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Jets Weekly Preview #10: Before the Storm
Kevin McCartney
December 08 2014 02:57PM
It's week ten of the season already, and the Jets are off to their best start in history at 14-9-5. The Jets took five of a possible six points out of their home stand this past week, finally reaching a positive home record on the year at 6-5-2 and ending week nine with an even goal differential for the first time all year. In other words, who is this team?!
Inside we'll look at the week up-coming.
JGD #28: Taking the Positive
Kevin McCartney
December 07 2014 12:49PM
With a 6-2 win over the Avalanche, the Jets have managed a positive goal differential for the first time since game 3 of the season. Huzzah!
It's been a well earned return to the black, with two wins on this home stand coming on top of an 8-4-3 November record. The Jets' defensive work has them 4th in the league for goals against, bolstered by rookie Michael Hutchinson's stunning 1.62 GAA and .943 sv% through seven starts. The promise of this hockey club - to be a competitive, playoff level team in the West - is being realized under a more patient set of tactics.
Still, strength of schedule has played a large part, as the Jets have played just 15 of their 27 games against teams currently in a playoff position. In those games, the team has a 4-8-3 record, going 10-1-1 against lesser opponents. Collecting points when they are available is a must for any team trying to make the playoffs, but beating the top 15 clubs is the next test. Even without Corey Perry, the Ducks represent another opportunity for the Jets to show their mettle against the league's best.
First Star, Worst Star: December 7, 2014
December 07 2014 07:30AM
Death, taxes, and the Oilers never winning a game. Some things in life are certain, just like I'm certain that it's time once again for another edition of First Star, Worst Star.
Well, I guess I was wrong
Trin Potratz
December 06 2014 07:46PM
Oh my good friends here at JetsNation, how I have missed you.
During the move to a new city (the city of
champions losers), I found myself working mandatory overtime leaving me too exhausted to get internet and TV at my new place. Well, I finally ponied up and accomplished that goal.
Enough about me, how about your Winnipeg Jets??? The team I pegged to draft Connor McDavid is looking like a legitimate threat at taking a Western Conference playoff spot.
To say I was wrong may be an understatement. Let's look at my early season predictions and do an assessment now…
Changing of the guard: Is it time to switch to Hutch?
Andrew Halipchuk
December 06 2014 04:03PM
It appears that there may be a change between the pipes for the Jets at some point this season, perhaps even sooner than some would have thought.


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Hi all, hope someone can help me. Not sure if it is related to the upgrade, but believe it was working prior to 3.0.2.
When I try to add new pages to the menu, in site admin, the pages are shown but they can not be selected to be added.
The actual menu (existing) works fine, but I need to change.


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A plant valued as a cheery native wildflower often seen along Arkansas byways has a kissing cousin, tickseed coreopsis, which is a problem weed for some Jefferson County, Ark., rice producers.
тАЬThe past two days, I have had samples brought in of a тАШnew weedтАЩ in a rice field,тАЭ said Don Plunkett, Jefferson County Extension staff chair for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. тАЬTurns out that it is probably tickseed or plains coreopsis тАФ a hard weed to kill in fields.тАЭ
Plunkett said Bob Scott, an Arkansas Extension weed scientist, has received a flurry of calls about stray coreopsis.
тАЬAlthough this weed will not survive in the flood, it is difficult to control and can hinder efforts to get a stand established,тАЭ Scott said.
тАЬGlyphosate products will not work and paraquat only burns the weed back temporarily,тАЭ Plunkett said. тАЬAnd when given the recommendation to use a shovel and dig them up, growers frown.тАЭ
Thistles are also raising their spiky violet heads in fields.
Plunkett has received calls and e-mails from people who are seeing thistles pop up in pastures, ditches and pastures where they hadnтАЩt seen them last year.
тАЬтАШToo late to killтАЩ is the response I have to give at this time,тАЭ he said. тАЬSo many of these weeds have bloomed and are maturing. Herbicides will have a difficult time killing them.тАЭ
Plus, the thistles are at the seed-dispersal stage. Thistles spend one year growing, then the next making seed. This year is a seed year for many.
A shovel is an effective tool, but tedious, Plunkett said, adding that constant mowing can help keep the seed heads from forming.
Plunkett recommended Extension publication MP44, тАЬRecommended Chemicals for Weed and Brush Control,тАЭ available online at www.uaex.edu, or it may be ordered online at the same address.


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In This Section
Journal Forum
A Meta-Analysis of High Resolution Audio Perceptual Evaluation - June 2016
2 comments
Synthetic Reverberator - January 1960
3 comments
Sound Board: High-Resolution Audio - October 2015
4 comments
AES E-Library
On the Study of Frontal-Emitter Headphone to Improve 3-D Audio Playback
Virtual audio synthesis and playback through headphones by its virtue have several limitations, such as the front-back confusion and in-head localization of the sound presented to the listener. Use of non-individual head related transfer functions (HRTFs) further increases these front-back confusion and degrades the virtual auditory image. In this paper we present a method for customizing non-individual HRTFs by embedding personal cues using the distinctive morphology of the individual's ear. In this paper we study the frontal projection of sound using headphones to reduce the front-back confusion in 3-D audio playback. Additional processing blocks, such as decorrelation and front-back biasing are implemented to externalize and control the auditory depth of the frontal image. Subjective tests are conducted using these processing blocks, and its impact to localization is reported in this paper.
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Ive been wrecking my mind trying to figure out why my URL rewrites wont work!
Im currently using
RewriteEngine On
Options +FollowSymLinks
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with no affect whatsoever, I have checked to see mod_rewrite is on which it is. If I use
RewriteRule ^rdr\.html http://www.google.com/? [R=301,L]
Im redirected to Google so I know it must definitly be something im doing.
The url im trying to rewrite is...


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when you set aside a day to drink from morning until evening. It is best used when a day of the week, such as a Wednesday is set aside, rather than the weekend.
"We should both take off this Tuesday and do a day load!"
by Kevin June 18, 2006
Trending Now
Top Definition
the act of drinking all day to achieve a long-lasting state of drunkenness
We often dayload on football Saturdays.
by Geedey September 06, 2007


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Post 77 notches comeback win against Inman
Published: Monday, June 21, 2010 at 11:05 p.m.
Last Modified: Monday, June 21, 2010 at 11:05 p.m.
EAST FLAT ROCK — Henderson County Post 77 got clutch relief pitching Monday night from Dylan Parris and timely hitting in the middle of the lineup to pull out a 14-10 win over Inman (SC) Post 45. Both teams were hot with the bat on another humid evening, but it was Parris who shut down the visitors by striking out seven of the last 11 hitters he faced.
"Dylan came in and did a great job," said Post 77 coach Ray Gill, " and I thought [starting pitcher Daniel] Ballard did a good job as well. Dylan settled us down [in the fourth inning] after a shaky start and gave us what [we needed]."
Trailing 10-6 entering the seventh, Henderson County scored three times in the bottom half of the inning to take the lead for good. Doubles by second baseman Evan Hyatt and designated hitter Tyler Coan combined with walks to catcher Taylor Reeves and center fielder Bryce Danielson to put the home nine in front. Coan scored the go-ahead run from third on a wild pitch and throwing error by the Inman catcher.
After Parris shut down Post 45 in the top of the eighth, Post 77 added three insurance runs, highlighted by Reeves' two-run single with one out to drive in shortstop Thomas Waddell and Hyatt.
"We talked about this Friday (after a 4-3 loss to Cherryville)," said Gill in reference to his club's late-game run-scoring situations. "With runners on we just need to get a good pitch you can drive. We did that tonight and it worked out."
Third baseman Connor Cope had a big night for Henderson County, going 4-for-5 with a double. Reeves had six RBIs and scored two runs in a 3-for-5 evening, and Waddell, hitting leadoff, had two hits, reached base four times, and had three stolen bases.
"I felt pretty confident coming in," said Reeves. "I didn't have a good day Saturday, and came in today and worked on my hitting."
Henderson County spent Saturday morning at Asheville's Mann Food Bank distributing food to needy organizations.
"It was fun," Reeves said. "I'm an Eagle Scout and it was good to put some extra [service] time in."
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.


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Greek neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn has seen a jump in its approval rating despite the indictment of several of its members following the murder of an anti-fascist rapper, a poll showed Sunday.
In the survey by Metron Analysis for the Ethnos daily, 6.7 percent of respondents said they would vote for Golden Dawn were elections to be held.
After taking into account the 32.5 percent of respondents whose vote intentions are currently unclear, Metron Analysis said Golden Dawn would probably pick up 10 percent of the vote.
Golden Dawn's support took a dive after leftist rapper Pavlos Fyssas was fatally stabbed by a neo-Nazi supporter in September.
But then the fatal shooting of two Golden Dawn members outside a party office earlier this month, an act claimed by leftist extremists, appears to have increased sympathy for the group.
So far, six of the party's 18 elected members of parliament have been charged with belonging to a criminal organisation. Three are in pre-trial detention including party leader Nikos Michaloliakos, who is charged with running a criminal organisation.
Court documents have linked the party to two murders -- including that of Fyssas -- as well as three attempted murders and numerous assaults.
In past surveys by Metron Analysis, Golden Dawn's voter support had reached a high of 13.1 percent in July but then dropped to 7.6 percent in October, following the murder of Fyssas.
The findings are consistent with those of other survey companies, in which Golden Dawn has held onto an approval rating of around 7.0 percent, making it the third most popular party in spite of Fyssas'a murder and subsequent judicial crackdown.
Three more Golden Dawn lawmakers are to appear before magistrates on Monday to face criminal charges.
Golden Dawn won nearly seven percent of the vote in last year's elections, capitalising on anti-austerity anger and long-running fatigue with unchecked immigration.


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News The Morning News
A new poll finds Darcy Burner running neck and neck with Dave Reichert on the eastside, drawing praise from Kos and notice from the P-I.
Two new polls show McGavick gaining on Cantwell.
And another poll, this one in Iraq, shows six out of ten Iraqis support attacks on U.S. troops.
In the world of sexy images, there's news of a Bob Dylan teenage guitar-playing tape.
There's more news on the Screech sex tape. (Plus actual footage!)
And there's word that the Mars rover photos of Victoria (crater) are hot.
Plus: Police Academy XIV: Baghdad.


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Summer Sale
Hundreds of new releases, exclusive editions and last copies added to the summer sale. Up to 50% and when they're gone, they're gone.Shop Now
Record of the Month
Metronomy make July '16 sound like Summer '08 with the new retrospective and autobiographic LP.more
Drift's New Festival
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Ryley Walkers 'Golden Sings That Have Been Sung', a sonic shift, a rich and woozy take on jazz, minimalism and psychedelia.more
Various Artists
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Zomby & Burial
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Yerself Is Steam
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Viola Beach
Fuller Beans Records£11.99Debut album of music by Viola Beach, released via the band's own label Fuller Beans Records.The band's family members said,... View Details
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Run EP
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Galactic Zoo Dossier #10
Drag City£19.99Exclusively available to the indie shops (natch), the tenth edition of the Galactic Zoo Dossier, this time with an accompanying tape.After a four... View Details
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Take Her Up To Monto
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Edge of a Dream
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Heroine: The Wild Pop...
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text:
Welcome to NorCal Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction
On behalf of the NorCal Jurisdiction, First Lady Vanessa Macklin and I are honored to extend to guest and friends a very special welcome. We considered ourselves blessed and favored of the Lord that you have chosen to view our website. The doors of our Jurisdiction as well as the doors of our heart are open and we are there to assist you in anyway that we can. Additionally if, you have any special prayer request, please click on the link that states "Prayer" . At NorCal we consider everyone who visits a special guest and welcome the opportunity to worship, share and grow together with them.


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Tiger plays role of myth buster at Cog Hill
You're off the hook. If you barely watched any golf Sunday, if you saw more from the Bengals and Lions than Tiger, I'm giving you a one-time-only free pass.
Even though the PGA Tour was playing its third of four playoff events, it's tough to neglect the NFL's opening weekend -- one reason the tour adopted a playoff format to shorten its season in the first place.
BMW Championship highlightsTiger clinched his 71st PGA Tour win Sunday by a whopping 8-stroke margin at Cog Hill. Watch highlights
So here's what you missed while creating that butt-sized crater in the couch cushions catching all the gridiron action:
Jiyai Shin further bolstered her case for the LPGA's Rookie of the Year award with a playoff victory at the ludicrously named P&G Beauty NW Arkansas Championship Presented by John Q. Hammonds James Kingston prevailed on the European Tour over a leaderboard littered with Hansens and a Hanson the United States team rolled en route to a third consecutive Walker Cup triumph at Merion
Oh, and some guy named Tiger Woods romped by an 8-stroke margin at the BMW Championship.
This edition of the Weekly 18 begins by examining how Woods disproved a few recent myths about his game.
If there's one thing Tiger Woods enjoys more than winning, it's winning when others are starting to doubt him.
Just in case you can't recall popular public opinion about Woods' performance in the month since failing to turn the 54-hole PGA Championship lead into his 15th career major title, allow me to refresh your memory: Confidence in the No. 1-ranked player started wavering for maybe the first time in a half-decade, as skepticism about his skills ran rampant on both sports talk shows and at the Monday morning water cooler.
Harig: Setting The StageYes, Tiger retook the lead in the FedEx Cup points race with his 8-shot win, but he's hardly clinched the $10 million prize. No one knows that better than the bevy of players who were jostling for position behind him at Cog Hill this week. Bob Harig
And yes, this is the very same guy who had returned from knee surgery to win five times in 15 starts entering this past week and was fresh off two straight wins before losing at Hazeltine.
None of that seemed to halt the conjecture, however, as the runner-up finish at the PGA, T-2 at The Barclays and T-11 at the Deutsche Bank Championship were met with increasingly fervent support for the notion that TW either lost his edge or could no longer "intimidate" his fellow players.
By winning in runaway fashion at Cog Hill, he likely dispelled any such thoughts. Well, let's hope so, at least. Here are three recent myths should be busted with his decisive victory:
• He doesn't win like the "Old Tiger" anymore.
Some of Woods' greatest victories came when no one else was within shouting distance. He won the 1997 Masters by a dozen strokes, the 2000 U.S. Open by 15 and the 2000 British Open by 8.
In recent years, though, when gaining an early advantage on the field, Woods seems content to simply play mistake-free golf over the weekend and cruise to another trophy rather than pile onto the differential and further deflate the psyche of his opponents.
Really, he employed the same strategy at the BMW, extending a 7-shot margin through 54 holes to 8 by the end of Sunday's round. Yet there was never one second during the day when there was any doubt as to who would claim the hardware when it was all said and done.
"There are certain times when I get rolling and I can make some birdies," Woods said. "You have to have the right golf course, first of all, to do it on. You're not going to win by big margins on some of the easier venues because everybody is going low."
After wins of 1, 1, 1, 3 and 4 strokes this season -- a combined differential of 10 shots -- Tiger once again proved that overwhelming victories weren't confined to earlier in his career.
• He plays too conservatively with the lead.
With a 4-shot cushion at the halfway point of the PGA, Woods admittedly took a conservative approach to the third round, aiming for the fat part of the greens and happy to lag putt and make par rather than pressing the pedal to the metal.
Of course, by the end of that round, his lead had shrunk in half, which in turn led to a loss one day later.
In a topic that received plenty of airplay in the days after the tourney, there was a prevailing sentiment that Woods is at his best when firing at flagsticks and trying to jar every single birdie putt. Those making this claim, though, failed to notice Tiger's near-flawless record when playing in front during the latter half of his career. Whereas the "conservative approach" often holds negative connotations, he has used this strategy to win on dozens of occasions in the past.
On Sunday at the BMW, he was often playing simply to limit his mistakes -- he posted 14 pars with an eagle, two birdies and a bogey in his round of 3-under 68 -- rather than trying to run up the score.
No, this strategy wasn't successful last month at Hazeltine, but that doesn't mean he's of the wrong mindset.
• His putting stroke looks terrible.
Following those recent losses at Liberty National and TPC Boston, Woods admitted he didn't make enough putts to win, but he never confirmed that was the result of a poor stroke. Instead, he pointed to the gimmicky greens at the former venue and his numerous lipped-out putts at the latter as his reasons for failing to hole more of 'em.
On newly renovated greens at Cog Hill, those putts started dropping.
"I made a few more putts this week and got some momentum," Woods said afterward. "As we all know, you have to make putts to win championships. This week I certainly made my share."
For the tourney, Tiger averaged 26.5 putts per round -- and never more than 27 on a single day -- which left him in a share of second in the field. And he owned a putting average of 1.640, good for fifth.
The secret to his success? Keeping the status quo.
"I didn't change anything," he said. "You know, it's just one of those things where I was hitting a lot of lips, they just weren't going in. That's the way it goes. You're not going to make every putt. You're going to have stretches where that happens. I kept telling myself through those stretches, I was hitting good putts, they just didn't go in. So be it. As long as the ball starts off on line and I've got my pace right, that's the way it goes. You read the putts better, eventually they'll start going in. It's just a matter of time. I was patient, and here we are."
And here is Tiger Woods, erasing any myths about his game that had been floated in the past month, thanks to a convincing victory at the BMW Championship.
"Absolutely, it's one of my best years. There's no doubt about that. You know, I haven't won as many times as I did in 2000, didn't win any majors this year, but I've never had a year where I've been this consistent, either, this many high finishes and the number of events I've played."
Those were the words of Tiger Woods, discussing where this season ranks among his best as a pro.
The numbers don't lie -- and neither does Tiger. The Tour Championship notwithstanding -- which will almost assuredly be his final PGA Tour start of the 2009 season -- let's investigate where this campaign falls in comparison with the best of his career.
Starting with his first full season in 1997, we can look at each one individually. First, we should eliminate all others in which he didn't win a major. There shouldn't be much doubt as to whether this year is better than 1998 (one win), 2003 (five wins) or 2004 (one win). This is absolutely his best major-less season.
Next, let's be realistic and call this year somewhere below any season in which he claimed two or more majors. That means 2000, '02, '05 and '06 should remain, in some order, as his four best seasons.
But has 2009 been better than any of his one-major years? It might be.
Woods won the Masters in 1997, but had only three other wins. I still maintain that victory was among the most important in the history of golf, but I'll take this year over that one.
In '99, he won eight times and had 16 top-10 finishes. Those are some pretty gaudy numbers. Even though he's coming off injury this year, I'm inclined to give the nod to that season of a decade ago when comparing 'em. In 2001, he "only" had five wins and though it included the Masters, he was more consistent this season. In '07, his seven victories were led by a PGA triumph and the inaugural FedEx Cup; that year trumps this one -- barely. And his U.S. Open victory in '08 was one for the ages, but a half-season doesn't beat a full one.
So there you go. I'd put Woods' 2009 campaign somewhere behind 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2007, but in front of 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2008, making this the seventh-best season of his 13-year PGA Tour career, right in the middle.
Pretty average, huh?
Now this is the way to close out an amateur career.
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The world's No. 1-ranked amateur, Fowler helped lead the United States team to a 16½-9½ victory over Great Britain & Ireland at the Walker Cup this past weekend.
"The whole reason I waited around [to turn pro] was for this weekend," said Fowler, who joined Peter Uihlein as the only U.S. players to go 4-0 at Merion. "The days leading up to it and the practice we had was just an awesome experience, and to go 4-0 and get the Cup back, it can't get any better. It's going to be tough to top this weekend."
His wait won't last much longer, as the Murrieta, Calif., native by way of Oklahoma State University will turn professional in advance of this week's Boise Open on the Nationwide Tour.
Don't be surprised if the kid remains unblemished there, too.
Last month, Fowler posted rounds of 66-66-70-68 at the Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational, only to lose in the second hole of a playoff to Derek Lamely. With only a half-dozen events remaining on the schedule -- including the season-ending Nationwide Tour Championship, for which he isn't qualified -- the newest pro will have to make up a lot of ground in an attempt to finish among the top 25 on the money list and earn full PGA Tour playing privileges for the 2010 season.
Then again, even if that doesn't happen, there's always Q-school. It won't be long before we're hearing about Fowler in the big leagues.
4 Jim Furyk.
With a tie for second with Marc Leishman at Cog Hill -- or a tie for first in the "B" flight, as the case may be -- Furyk moved into third place in the FedEx Cup standings entering the Tour Championship. With a win at East Lake in two weeks, he would clinch the Cup no matter where anyone else finishes. Same goes for the other four players in the top five, too.
Of course, that's easier said than done.
Furyk hasn't won a PGA Tour event since the 2007 Canadian Open. That means 52 appearances without anything in the W column, the longest streak since starting his membership with 60 consecutive starts before his first victory in 1994-95.
Of course, if he does prevail at East Lake, expect plenty of questions in regard to the FedEx format. Should a player be able to win it all without previously winning this year? Should there be more weight placed on the regular season than the four playoff events? Should he profusely thank commissioner Tim Finchem for implementing the new system before this season?
In order, I say yes, no and maybe.
If this is going to be a true playoff system, then the final four events need to be worth a lot more than those over the first eight months of the season. Though Furyk may be a surprise champion after another year in which he continually kept coming close but couldn't break through to the winner's circle, he will have earned it by winning when it counted most.
Isn't that what playoffs are all about?
5 Jiyai Shin.
The LPGA's 2009 rookie class was quite possibly the most heralded in tour history, with a quartet of players garnering most of the expectations.
Michelle Wie owns six top-10 finishes in 16 starts, Vicky Hurst had made the cut in all but three of her 16 appearances and Stacy Lewis currently ranks in the top 50 on the money list.
The accomplishments of those three, however, pale in comparison with those of Shin, who now appears to have the ROY award -- which is based solely on points -- all locked up.
With her playoff win Sunday, the 21-year-old from Seoul now has three victories this season, matching her total from last year, which begs one question: How is she still considered a rookie?
It's because Shin won each of those titles -- including the Women's British Open -- as a non-member in 2008, and didn't take up LPGA membership until before this season.
How impressive has she been? Consider this: Even without those three victories, Shin would probably still be leading the ROY race, with seven top-10s and no missed cuts since the season-opening SBS Open. Wie, Hurst and Lewis have each been successful in their own right, but Shin has shined as the tour's top freshman this year.
Harig: Monumental MistakeBrandt Snedeker broke what must seem like every mental rule of golf when he 4-putted the 18th green Sunday to miss out on the Tour Championship and all the perks that go with it. Bob Harig
Before the final round of the BMW Championship, Snedeker discussed his Sunday tee time opposite Woods, with whom he had never before played, even in a practice round.
"I've got to do something spectacular," he contended, "and he's got to maybe have a heart attack out there for me to have a chance."
It was a humorous line at the time, but one day later, it looked like Snedeker was the one gasping for air on the final green.
Though he never did anything spectacular, Snedeker was 2-over-par for the round and in solo sixth place when he came to the final tee box. That meant he needed just a bogey on the par-4 18th hole to remain inside the top 30 on the points standings, thereby qualifying not only for the Tour Championship, but next year's Masters, U.S. Open and British Open, as well.
Perhaps his biggest mistake was knowing exactly where he stood at that point.
Snedeker flared his drive to the right, where it landed precipitously in the rough bordering a fairway bunker. From there, he was forced to lay up into the fairway, then knocked a wedge shot to 13 feet.
Easy two-putt bogey, right? Uh, not exactly.
He slid the par attempt about 3 feet past the hole, then missed the come-backer. Knowing his fate was then sealed, he missed another tap-in for good measure, then finally cleaned up for triple-bogey.
If you're scoring at home, that's a 4-putt from 13 feet, dropping him from inside the number to 33rd on the list, losing out on all of those aforementioned perks.
So maybe Snedeker did accomplish something spectacular Sunday. It just wasn't the kind of spectacular he was hoping for.
7 Paul Casey, Tim Clark, Ryan Moore, Ian Poulter, John Rollins and Rory Sabbatini
There were exactly 24 players who completed the BMW Championship in both the top 30 on the money list and the top 30 on the FedEx Cup points list, meaning that if no playoff system was ever implemented (with the Tour Championship just being moved up six weeks and still taking players via the money list), each of these guys would have qualified anyway.
That means six players currently outside the top 30 on the money list were able to earn enough points over the past three weeks in order to reach the festivities at East Lake. Those players are Ernie Els, Marc Leishman, Steve Marino, John Senden, Heath Slocum and Scott Verplank.
Of course, with a half-dozen players moving up, that means there are six guys who finished up there in the money, but won't be making the trip to Atlanta.
Casey gets a free pass. Due to a rib injury, the world's No. 4-ranked player was unable to compete in any of the first three playoff rounds.
With not altogether terrible results of T-24, MC and T-30 in the playoffs, Clark dropped to 36th on the points list.
After winning the final non-playoff event of the regular season in Greensboro, Moore never finished better than 30th in any of the final three and fell to 47th.
If anyone is kicking himself for failing to reach East Lake, it's Poulter, who fell one point shy of Senden at No. 30. A final-round 75 on Sunday, including a bogey on the last hole, proved to be his undoing.
In 10 playoff rounds, Rollins -- the winner in Reno last month -- posted only one sub-70 round and never finished better than 38th.
As the opening-round leader at Cog Hill, Sabbatini was clearly inside the number, but subsequent rounds of 70-72-74 left him in 34th on Sunday evening.
8 Vijay Singh.
Exactly one year ago, Singh was fresh off wins at The Barclays and Deutsche Bank Championship, then a T-44 at the BMW, which ensured he needed only to finish the Tour Championship upright and breathing in order to clinch the FedEx Cup.
Not only will he not win it all this year, Singh didn't even qualify for the final two playoff events.
In a season during which he turned 46 and underwent knee surgery, the Big Fijian never really got things going, failing to win a tournament for just the fourth time since joining the PGA Tour in 1993 -- and the first time since 2001.
Singh's major championship results were emblematic of his play throughout the year: not awful, but hardly great. He finished T-30 at the Masters, T-27 at the U.S. Open, T-38 at the British Open and T-16 at the PGA Championship.
Needing a strong couple of weeks in the playoffs to at least qualify for the BMW, he missed the cut at The Barclays and was T-54 at the Deutsche Bank to finish 11 places out of the final spot at Cog Hill, ensuring he wouldn't claim the FedEx Cup for a second straight year.
But hey, at least he finished while upright and breathing once again.
9 I wish PGA Tour pros wouldn't complain about the current schedule of FedEx Cup events.
I know, I know. These guys are only answering the questions being asked and simply giving their honest opinions.
And yes, I get the fact that playing so many events in a row, on a short week, with a hectic travel schedule, on one new venue and another with resurfaced greens (meaning more practice time is needed) can lead to some worn-out competitors.
That said, any grousing about being tired is often construed as callow whining, met by the public with a big, fat "Suck it up!"
When asked their opinions on the tight turnaround from a Monday finish in Massachusetts to a Thursday start in Illinois, many players countered with viable ideas that ranged from moving back the Deutsche Bank Championship to a Sunday final round to moving the bye week up, so it fell before the BMW Championship instead of after it.
Like I wrote, each is a viable idea. But lobbying for a change isn't going to help anybody's public image.
Baseball players compete in six or seven games per week, moving to a different city after each road series. NASCAR drivers don't have the luxury of sitting out selected events throughout the season, like golfers do. Even football players take part in only one game a week, but still show up for practice every single day, bruised and battered from their profession.
Whether it's a complaint or just a suggestion, PGA Tour players only help themselves fit the stereotype of the pampered athlete when contending that events in at least three consecutive weeks is enough to wear 'em out.
10 I wish Ryuji Imada wasn't getting such a bad rap for his edited comment that's been getting frequent airtime.
"It's bigger than winning a major."
Those are the exact words from Imada, as shown during a televised PGA Tour marketing campaign for the FedEx Cup.
Of course, you'd like to believe that the "it" in this comment represents Imada's career or his family or even life itself. But no, in this case, he really was talking about the playoffs.
And yet it's very much misrepresentative of his inner thoughts.
I had the chance to speak with Ryuji a few times during last week's Deutsche Bank Championship and he said the sound bite was part of a longer explanation, in which he explained how each of the four majors is only a four-round tournament, while the playoffs last 16 total rounds, thereby rendering them "bigger."
Get it?
He also told me while he has yet to catch the commercial spot, he's heard from a handful of reporters and fans who have questioned his sanity for such a comment. Imada would like to set the record straight, though: He'd much rather win a major.
11 I wish every professional golfer had watched the U.S. Open these past two weeks.
I'm not just talking about the matches, though. In this case, the really noteworthy stuff is what happened afterward.
Upon completion of matches, players signed tennis balls and whacked 'em into the stands. They chatted with fans. Heck, Novak Djokovic even called commentator John McEnroe down from the booth and knocked it around with him on center court.
Can you imagine Tiger Woods finishing up a round, then challenging Johnny Miller to an emergency nine?
In terms of entertainment value and fan appreciation, the folks with racquets just beat those with clubs in straight sets. Or, if you prefer, by a score of 9 and 8.
Don't get me wrong. It's not that the world's top touring pros aren't friendly and don't sign autographs. It's just that more of this can be showcased during the course of play and directly afterward.
Being the best in the world isn't enough. Golfers need to recognize they are also entertainers, whether they like it or not.
Maybe some of 'em will take a cue from the tennis players. Then again, Johnny shouldn't expect that call anytime soon.
Jason Sobel is a golf writer for ESPN.com. He can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.
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Believe me, players want to win the FedEx Cup. Maybe not more than a major, but that doesn't mean they're discrediting the idea of clinching this season-ending title.
In this week's edition of The List, let's examine the top five perks of becoming the 2009 FedEx Cup champion:
5. A 2010 Masters invitation. Heck, you don't even need to win. Even last place at East Lake takes home this nice parting gift.
4. Being able to say you beat Tiger Woods. Unless, of course, you are Tiger Woods.
3. No Fall Finish appearances. Sure, the winner can play some more ... but why? It's football season!
2. An undefiled trophy. Despite the inaugural season's marketing campaign, Woods never kissed the Cup -- and I doubt Vijay Singh did much smooching last year, either.
1. The $10 million first-place prize. It's like Nelly once sang ... hey, must be the money!
Greg Norman made the right call by naming Adam Scott as one of his captain's picks to the Presidents Cup team.
Usually in this section, I will discuss the topic, give my opinion, then declare whether the statement is fact or fiction in the final paragraph, but this time I just can't wait to shout out ... FICTION!
Heck, this one makes that old joke about the priest who aced a par 5 on a Sunday morning look like FACT.
As one of his two wild-card selections to the International team (Ryo Ishikawa was the other), Norman called upon his fellow countryman and mentee, who has played in each of the past three editions of the event, but has looked like a double-digit handicapper at times this year.
Since finishing in a share of second place at the Sony Open during the season's second week, Scott has missed the cut in 10 of 16 starts with a top finish of T-33 -- and that was only for losing in the opening round of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship. In doing so, he's dropped from No. 3 in the Official World Golf Ranking to 52nd.
As if those numbers don't paint an ugly enough picture, let's examine a few more. Here is Scott's rank in some of the PGA Tour's more notable statistical categories:
• Driving accuracy: 57.57 percent (151st)
• Greens in regulation: 62.27 percent (168th)
• Sand save: 46.67 percent (137th)
• Putting average: 1.838 (194th)
• Putts per round: 30.21 (193rd)
• Birdie average: 3.15 (168th)
• Scoring average: 71.76 (174th)
Maybe Scott will turn it around at Harding Park. Maybe the confidence shown in him by his hero will equate to some stellar play next month. Maybe he'll become the best story of Presidents Cup week.
Even if all of that happens, however, it won't mean that he was the right pick for the team. Norman didn't have many terrific options, but players like Jeev Milkha Singh, Rory Sabbatini, K.J. Choi and John Senden have performed much better this season.
I do think Scott still has a world of talent and will once again become one of the better players in the game. That hasn't been the case recently, though, rendering Norman's selection one of favoritism more than anything else. Based on the numbers, once again the answer couldn't be anything other than FICTION.
This week's e-mail comes from Scott in Strickerville -- er, Madison, Wis.:
As we wind down another year on the PGA Tour calendar, it still seems like the FedEx Cup ending is flawed. I know it is still a relatively new concept and being tinkered with on a yearly basis, but I am still not pleased with how the final will be played out.
After giving this some thought, I came up with a new idea: Having a match-play tournament end the season! All other major sports in the U.S. (with the exception of NASCAR) conclude their seasons with a bracket-style tournament, so why can't the PGA Tour make it work?
Allow me to answer your question with a few questions of my own: How much of the 2007 Accenture Match Play final between Geoff Ogilvy and Henrik Stenson did you watch? How about David Toms and Chris DiMarco two years earlier? Or even -- gulp! -- Kevin Sutherland and Scott McCarron back in '02?
The match play format is like the wrestling matches of ancient Rome, in which eye-gouging was the only foul, spawning the phrase, "It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye." In this case, the eye of the FedEx Cup storm is, of course, Tiger Woods. Watch him bow out in the second round -- as happened this past February at the Match Play -- and remote controls around the world will be clicked to something else faster than you can say, "Heath Slocum and Jason Dufner are all square through nine!"
As if you needed more far-reaching analogies, it's as if Tim Finchem is starring in one of those Frosted Mini-Wheats commercials. The kid in me craves a volatile format in which anyone can win! But the grown-up in me wants to retain market share and annually increase revenue platforms!
Then there's this: Even if we forget about the business side of this equation, the simple truth is, match play is a more arbitrary way of choosing an eventual winner than the current format. If there's a problem with the points system right now, it's that it doesn't properly reward the top players over the season's first eight months. Determining a champion through head-to-head matches would only further devalue the regular season.
Wanna be considered for future W18 columns? Hit me at firstname.lastname@example.com or follow along on Twitter.
The writing was on the wall. We should have known this was coming.
With top-10 finishes in four of his past seven starts dating back to late June, Scott Verplank was on the verge of something special. At last week's Deutsche Bank Championship, he turned it up another notch, posting four rounds of 68 or better at TPC Boston.
Verplank's final total, however, left him a stroke shy of winner Steve Stricker on Labor Day afternoon in his search for a sixth career PGA Tour victory.
Prior to competing in this week's BMW Championship, Verplank sat down on the Hot Seat to discuss that result and more.
Q: I never know what to say to a guy after he finishes in second place. Should I go with, "Congratulations" or "My condolences"?
A: Well, a little bit of both. I mean, it was a good tournament to finish second in, because I moved up in the playoffs, but obviously I wanted to win. I guess it's kind of like the Arizona Cardinals getting to the Super Bowl last year. You know, great year -- but you didn't win.
Q: You moved up from 37th in the FedEx Cup standings to fifth. Is that too much? Too little? Or does it sound just about right?
A: I can't decide that. It may be a little bit much, but obviously I'm a happy recipient of that. I think it's better this year than it's been the first two years. They're probably always going to tweak the thing. They want to get it to where you reward the right guys and this year it's better. They've rewarded the full season more than they had, but they're also giving you a lot of extra zip for the playoffs.
Q: Is the point system itself too difficult to understand?
A: No, it's not for players and golf fans. I mean, you kind of know that you did your seeding going in. It's kind of like everyone is a wild-card team going into the playoffs. If you play well, everyone has a chance to go to the Super Bowl or the World Series. With that being the case, I think these tournaments have an added importance and I think last week kind of showed that a little bit. You know, Tiger wasn't really in the hunt and it was still a pretty compelling and exciting tournament.
Q: Based on getting into the Tour Championship, you've earned some pretty cool perks, including getting back into the Masters.
A: Absolutely. That's a great deal. You know, I missed the Masters and the British Open this year for the first time in about 10 years and I really missed 'em. You know, I missed 'em mentally. So I'm excited that I think I'm going to be exempt into all of those again and try to get back on my normal schedule.
Q: You're in Chicago this week. I know it's a different tournament name at a different course now, but does it still amaze you that you won this title as an amateur back in 1985?
A: A little bit. It's a pretty rare feat in golf -- or in any sport, really -- but it was a really interesting time and I was really playing good as an amateur player. I just played like I had been playing for a couple of years. It just so happened that I played well enough to get in a playoff with big Jim Thorpe. It was pretty compelling and probably pretty good TV, as well.
Q: Did you think the wins would always come that easy once you turned pro?
A: No, no, no. I never thought that. I've got a few different issues than most guys, being diabetic and having some health issues. I've got different priorities than most guys that are playing. So I never thought that I'd be winning every week, I can tell you that. If I hadn't gotten hurt two or three different times, then yeah, I would probably have expected to win a little bit more than I have.
Q: Through all of that, are you surprised that you're still playing such good golf at this point in your career?
A: No, I'm not surprised because that's how I am. I love to compete. I don't give up very quickly. I've kind of had to fight through things my whole life and I enjoy the fight, to be honest with you. It's a pretty good challenge for me to try to compete with guys who are literally half my age and have different skills and talents than I do. To be able to compete with them and sometimes beat them, it's a big thrill, but it's also a tremendous challenge. That's what keeps me motivated.
"It's hard to wipe the smile off my face at the minute. The Masters has always been a dream to play that. We used to set the alarm at 4:30 in the morning to get up and watch it when I was back at home as a kid.
If I'm home, I still do it now. To just go there would be great. But to play in the Masters is going to be amazing."
-- Marc Leishman on qualifying for the 2010 Masters, along with next year's U.S. Open and British Open.
A few years ago, the folks in green coats at Augusta National reinstated the rule by which any winner of a regular-season PGA Tour event automatically receives an invitation to the next Masters. When the FedEx Cup system was implemented, it was noteworthy that they also left in that which states any competitor at the season-ending Tour Championship also makes the field.
Before 2007, this meant that only the top 30 on the money list would benefit from such a bylaw -- and in most instances, these players were already qualified anyway. But with the increased volatility in the current system, a player can now get hot for a couple of weeks in early September -- Leishman being the latest example, joining the likes of Bubba Watson and Dudley Hart last year -- and earn his way onto the hallowed grounds seven months later.
I have no inside knowledge about this, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Augusta National officials rescind this rule after next year's Masters. A player should have to accomplish something special to receive entry into the field and, quite frankly, a few decent finishes and a trip to East Lake don't necessarily fulfill that goal.
Be happy for Leishman. Be very happy for him, in fact, as he will live a dream by competing in the Masters next year. But don't be shocked if his is one of the last stories about a player earning his way into the field via that rule.
A collection of my recent tweets (JasonSobel) on everything golf
• Updating last week's personal stat of 2009: In events I've covered this year, TW is 1-for-10. Of the six I haven't covered, he's 5-for-6.
• And in the one event I covered that he won (AT&T Nat'l), I didn't stay for the weekend. How long until TW pays me off to keep away from him?
• Prez Cup picks: Glover and Mahan. Ishikawa and Scott. Hey, didn't there used to be another golfer named Adam Scott? Oh, same guy? Uh-oh.
• Jason Dufner is in a bitter battle with Jason Bohn and Jason Day for the title of "World's Best Golfer Named Jason." I'm in 895,876th place.
• Today's jumbo bucket of range balls came with a side of f-bombs from the dude hitting next to me. No, it wasn't Tiger Woods.
• Tiger leads by 7 entering the final round. Troy had a better chance against Florida than the field does of catching him tomorrow.
• After opening with a 65 at the E Tour's MBC, Soren Hansen claimed, "It seemed silly easy." Not so silly easy? Avoiding tax evasion charges.
• Wonder why TW doesn't sign more autographs? Two little kids nearly got trampled in the stampede that went after him. Dangerous situation.
• Now I understand Greg Norman's logic! Rory Sabbatini tiring himself out by co-leading the BMW, while Adam Scott remains well-rested.
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
One day before he faced the nation, President Barack Obama -- along with Vice President Joe Biden -- faced PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem and Presidents Cup captains Fred Couples and Greg Norman just after the wild card selections were named at the National Press Club.
Yours truly wasn't invited to the Oval Office, but rumor has it Obama's first words in the meeting were, "Adam Scott? Really? Our nation thanks you for your generosity, Greg."
And supposedly Couples, who has struggled with career-long back problems, was very interested in the President's healthcare plan.
Obama will serve as honorary chairman for the Presidents Cup, which will take place Oct. 8-11 at Harding Park in San Francisco.


text:
CM Souris-perdue by ninjinshiruWatch
©2014-2016 ninjinshiru
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Thank you so much ! I know your busy these times !
That make me feel sooooooooo glaaaaaad, sooooooooooooo happyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy ! YIHAAAAAAAAAAAAA ! *I may have yell my happiness, but still in class, so ... ~~ *
Just amazing, more than ever !!! You've done very very well ! I'm in love with this draw !
Thank you so much again !
May I hug you ?!
omg this is amazing!! XD i love the way how theyre coming out of the mirror world! well done ^.^
crazy cute, hun. ^^ nice title, too.