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LC-MS Gains Favor Due To the...
As Immunotherapy Revolutionizes the Cancer Treatment...
Process Development Jobs Still the Most...
Quadruple Helices Appear To Have Role...
Choosing the optimal time to develop a companion diagnostic alongside therapeutic products can feel like aiming at a moving target. To hit the bull's eye, one must select the appropriate assay platform for the early validation of predictive biomarkers.
This requirement and several related challenges will be discussed at CHI's conference on "Clinical Biomarker Assay Development." Besides taking up the issue of choice of assay platform, presenters will discuss analytical validation strategies, reimbursement requirements, and regulatory compliance issues.
Many pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies employ biomarker analysis for pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) modeling. Often, companies do such evaluation utilizing commercially available assay kits. "The problem is, whether they use home-brewed or commercial kits, groups must be aware of and plan for controlling lot-to-lot kit or assay component variability. This is critical for accurate bioanalysis in support of both preclinical and clinical studies," says Afshin Safavi, Ph.D., svp of bioanalytical operations and founder, BioAgilytix Labs.
According to Dr. Safavi, even if groups have a validated assay, it is important to establish processes for sample analysis that minimize the effects from the kit and/or reagent variability to see the drug effectiveness. "When assessing the impact of a drug, if you are looking for 10–20% change in the biomarker, then a higher degree of assay rigor is required as opposed to expecting to see a three- to fourfold difference."
Controlling lot-to-lot variability is even more critical when dealing with multiyear studies. "The concept of applying correction factors between different lots of assay kits should be discussed and planned before the initiation of the project to generate quality data so the clinicians and statisticians can make the correct conclusions and decisions."
Since there is no standard for such control factors, each lab must set up its own quality control strategy. "Labs need to check the expiration dates of kits and have enough for studies that are expected beyond that date. At BioAgilytix Labs, we anticipate more than three months prior to changing kits or to kit expirations. We have conducted studies lasting more than three years and have found that even the same manufacturers can have lot-to-lot variations greater than 200%."
Dr. Safavi says the bottom line is the need for communication among scientists, clinicians, and statisticians on a project. "Groups need to spend more time in development to work out the kinks. If you do not have a robust assay, the project will suffer later."
In drug development, biomarker assays may serve purposes other than the ones they serve in clinical studies. This possibility has been explored by John L. Allinson, vp of biomarker laboratory services at ICON's development solutions service division. "While diagnostic assays are used for the purpose of routine safety or efficacy assessments (under recognized global clinical laboratory accreditation schemes), there are many other uses that their versatility lends them to," says Allinson. "These include, but are not limited to, drug candidate attrition and refinement, protocol design, dose selection, PK/PD modeling, patient stratification, companion diagnostics, post-approval surveillance, and market differentiation.
"With such a wide range of applications, often the biomarker assay may not require as much development or long-term robustness (sometimes known as 'exploratory' markers and assays), while other uses may actually require more intensive attention to things like precision in parts of the analytical range not associated with significant diagnostic assessment but where more subtle changes need to be characterized, for instance, due to pharmacodynamic effects of specific drugs."
Allinson says that, therefore, in drug development biomarker assays, more or less attention can be applied to certain assay performance characteristics such as precision and limits of quantification. This leads to a tiered approach to assay validation in drug development assays versus a very well-established and standardized approach to diagnostic assays, which is required for their accreditation.
Biomarker assays are not usually off-the-shelf services. "To be absolutely certain that assays are fit-for-purpose, that is, appropriate for their intended use, there must be people in the service provision who understand the assay's clinical utility. Matching assay and technology choice to attain a suitable assay performance that enables the correct interpretation of the results to be made is absolutely critical to providing a suitable biomarker assay service. Once these decisions are made, applying a suitable fit-for-purpose validation approach to each assay is the next critical component."
When these careful and methodical approaches are not followed, trouble can ensue. "During my 20 years in contract research, I personally acquired knowledge of the many ways laboratories may produce data that leads to incorrect clinical decisions," recalls Allinson. "Laboratories may modify diagnostic assays without understanding how those assays were developed.
"An example is the replacement of calibration reference material with substances that are not recognized international reference materials. If the substances behave differently from the appropriate reference material, they can give rise to different concentration data. Depending on the use of the results, erroneous data can have very serious consequences."
The pharmaceutical and diagnostic industries are rapidly moving toward a more proactive precision medicine approach that stratifies patient populations. "Precision medicine differs from personalized medicine," notes Shane Weber, Ph.D., director of diagnostics, clinical research, and precision medicine at Pfizer.
"Personalized medicine seeks to help each individual patient, such as when creating a personal vaccine for a cancer patient. On the other hand, precision medicine is an approach that stratifies and segments patients into highly responding groups. An example would be KRAS mutations that underlie a variety of cancers. The use of biomarkers, diagnostics, and endo-phenotype stratification strategies are opening the door to faster and less expensive precision medicine clinical trials that will lead to therapies dramatically benefiting patients."
Dr. Weber says that a key question is whether early biomarker assay verification needs to be done during upstream development or in parallel with companion diagnostic clinical validation. "The answer is that both are valid. Sometimes it is possible to stratify patients early into segments. At other times it is a catch-up game—when patient trial studies reveal subsections that unexpectedly responded extremely well, while most others in the population did not. The issue is that the FDA wants biomarker verification in Phase IIa and IIb and companion diagnostic validation in Phase III."
The importance of correctly navigating regulatory compliance with the FDA is critical. "For example, under the FDA's investigational device exemption process, the biomarker assay analytical verification process requires that the assay in U.S. clinical trials comply with use as an investigational use only (IUO) assay within a CLIA laboratory."
Ultimately, there are three major considerations to the successful development of a companion diagnostic. "The first is to coordinate with various groups at your institution to interact on the project, Dr. Weber says. "At Pfizer, for example, our biobank and diagnostic groups frequently need to interact."
"A second consideration is partnering. We partner outside the company with diagnostic companies that have the appropriate technology platform for the given biomarker and preferably a global commercial medical system footprint. Third, as the clinical data is generated, we continue to modify and/or stratify patient segments within the constraints of the clinical trial process in order to keep the program moving along so as to benefit patients as soon as possible."
The FDA defines a companion diagnostic device as one that provides information that is "essential for the safe and effective use of a corresponding therapeutic product." When selecting the best platform for validating a companion diagnostic, one must weigh several key considerations. In addition, "…the approach for the development and approval process is dependent on each specific program," says Ron Mazumder, Ph.D., global head of research and product development at Janssen Diagnostics. "This means that the type of biomarker and selected assay must be considered for each individual approach."
One key factor is assay sensitivity. "It is important to choose an assay that reflects the needed level of detection. A number of assays may show concordance, but one may be better than the other, such as TaqMan, mass spectrometry, or next-generation sequencing (NGS)."
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Alaska U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski traveled to Hawaii on Monday to lend her support to former Gov. Linda Lingle's bid to succeed Democrat Daniel Akaka in the U.S. Senate.
"I'm looking for help in the U.S. Senate," said Murkowski, a Republican, in a phone interview. "We need someone who can come to Washington with passion for the people that she represents" and an "ability to work across the aisle."
Murkowski's endorsement comes on the heels of Lingle's endorsement by Alaska U.S. Rep. Don Young, also a Republican.
In July, Young had appeared in a side-by-side television commercial called "Opposites Attract," endorsing Democrat Mazie Hirono in her primary contest against former Hawaii Congressman Ed Case.
When asked for comment on Young's endorsement, the Hirono campaign released a statement from campaign manager Betsy Lin.
She said: "Republican Linda Lingle should be proud to have the support of national Republicans in their quest to take control of the U.S. Senate. It's impressive that 26 Republican U.S. senators have publicly backed her. What the people of Hawaii continue to be confused by is how this in any way demonstrates that she would be a bipartisan or independent member of the U.S. Senate."
Murkowski said she believes that by being elected as a Republican governor in a strong Democratic state and working for eight years with a Democrat-dominated Legislature, Lingle has shown the ability to work with people to "bridge differences and find common ground."
"That's exactly what we need in Washington," the senator said.
Murkowski said she's viewed as a more moderate Republican in Congress, and there isn't necessarily a Republican or Democratic way to solve problems. She said it's necessary to find common ground on issues to "help bust out of the gridlock" in Congress.
"It takes an individual who's not afraid to make the tough decisions and who can move out of the political confines of party to find consensus," she said.
* Brian Perry can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.

subset: commoncrawl


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quote: Mr. Anthony Hayward thought that this past weekend was an excellent time to take a mini-vacation and go watch the yacht races
quote: Fine example there, Tony.
quote: What Obama should be doing is putting the Army Corp of Engineers in charge of preventing the oil from getting to the shore and the clean up.
quote: While President Obama thought it was a fine time to go golfing....again. Stop being a hypocritical asshat.http://www.livinglakecountry.com/blogs/communitybl...
quote: I guess it annoys be because of the way the media plays things. In the aftermath of Katrina they were yelling and squawking about inadequate federal response. This go around, they are conspicuous in their silence, with far less federal activity in sight.
quote: BP should be in crysis mode


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Last week we needed a win vs. the Minnesota Swarm and we did it in a big way winning 18-8. Our captain Colin Doyle put up a ridiculous thirteen points. When we need a goal he always seems to be involved by either dishing the apple or just doing it himself. It's amazing to watch.
We are playing with a sense of urgency that wasn't there in the beginning of the season. Instead of sitting in last place we are now in a three-way tie for third, a win against the Mammoth this weekend guarantees us a spot in the playoffs. This weekend is another big one for the Stealth.
We have two games remaining in the regular season, one in Colorado at the Pepsi Center, and another in Toronto vs. the Rock. It's always exciting playing in Colorado in front of 17,000. It's just packed. Their fans are nuts!
Colorado needs to win this game to keep their playoff hopes alive as well. The Mammoth are coming off a two game losing streak, so they're coming into this one ready to go. This is a huge rivalry game, which will be one of the best games to watch this weekend. Playoffs are right around the corner and after this weekend we will finally know where we sit.
Game time is 6p.m, 8p.m Eastern Time, tune into www.nll.com to watch it live.


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The latest issue of Science for Environment Policy has highlighted a paper by CEH scientists Dr. Danny Hooftman and Prof James Bullock, "Mapping to Inform Conservation: A case study of changes in semi-natural habitats and their connectivity over 70 years". Their findings have particular relevance as an important first step for those engaged in habitat restoration work at landscape and regional ... read more
The California Tahoe Conservancy has just released a report on the outcomes of active restoration of 40 acres of Conservancy lands where all trees were killed by the 2007 Angora fire in South Lake Tahoe. That fire burned 3,100 forested acres. Post-fire Conservancy goals were to re-establish a native forest, reduce hazards posed by dead trees, and avoid water quality impacts. The report's author... read more
Whether used to clean up a polluted site, restore a land for pasture or fight forest fires, Ecological Engineering helps improve environmental management. CNRS International Magazine investigates the work being carried out by French researchers in this exciting new field.
For more information, click here. read more
River Wiki is a tool for sharing best practices and lessons learn for policy makers, practitioners and researcher of river restoration. It is an interactive source of information on ricer restoration schemes around Europe which works similar to Wikipedia.
read more
To aid landowners in the middle Trinity River basin and similar areas, the Texas AgriLife Extension Service has produced a publication with step-by-step instructions on how to restore native grasslands. Topics addressed in the publication include the use and benefits of native grasslands, site selection and preparation, establishment of native vegetation, seed selection, reseeding methods, seed... read more
Society for Ecological Restoration, Science & Policy Working Group
(Version 2, October, 2004) (1)
copyright 2004
The SER Primer is available in ten languages: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Chinese, Thai and Arabic. The Society thanks Carolina Murcia (Spanish); Christelle Fontaine and James Aronson (French); James Jackson Griffith, Elias Silva, ... read more
Society for Ecological Restoration International
Andrew Clewell, John Rieger, and John Munro
(2nd Edition, December 2005)
copyright 2005
The SER Guidelines are available in English, Portuguese, and Italian.
1. Preface to the Second Edition
2. Introduction
3. Conceptual Planning
4. Preliminary Tasks
5. ... read more
A call to action by the ecological restoration joint working group of SER International and the IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management
George D. Gann & David Lamb, editors
PDF Version in English
Versión PDF en Español
Many of the world's ecosystems have undergone significant degradation with negative impacts on biological div... read more
read more
Restoration Ecology is the Society's bi-monthly scientific and technical peer-reviewed journal published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. The journal publishes on all aspects of ecological restoration, defined as "assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed" (SER Science and Policy Working Group, 2002). Restoration Ecology fosters the ... read more
1133 15th St. NW, Suite 300
Washington, D.C. 20005 USA
Tel: 202.299.9518


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MARTINSBURG - Habitat for Humanity of the Eastern Panhandle is seeking volunteers for the following areas:
Family Mentors: Both men and women experienced in household management and family living are needed to help families new to the homeownership process with planning and accepting the responsibilities that go with owning a new home. Family mentors support, guide, advise and teach families strategies for success. Training is provided.
Homebuilders and critical repair volunteers: Both experienced builders and those willing to learn are encouraged to join us in an effort to repair existing homes and/or build new homes for families in need.
ReStore volunteers: Our ReStore at 650 W. Race St. is a recycling center and thrift store for gently used and new building materials and home items. Volunteers are needed to clean and sort donations, customer service, pick up donations and help get the word out.
Committee members: Even if you don't want to swing a hammer, Habitat for Humanity may be the place for you. Numerous committees help Habitat for Humanity with planning and advancing of its mission.
For further information, contact Elizabeth Granzow at email@example.com or 304-263-3154.
- From staff reports


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Many salon owners center their "New Year" planning around sales and growth objectives. However, human resource issues, particularly around maintaining compliance with the law, can create major hurdles to meeting those goals. Take special care not to neglect your HR department at the start of the year by attending to the following:
Training Calendar: Many trainings are mandated by state and federal laws. Add mandatory training such as sexual harassment, safety and a review of company policies and procedures - be sure to update these as necessary and do you best to make them fun so your team stays engaged. Start off with an overview of 2014 and what to expect during your January meeting.
License and Certification Check: When licenses and certifications lapse, companies risk fines by governing agencies while also opening themselves up to civil and criminal liabilities. Create a calendar of all expiration dates that also send alerts to employees both 60 days and 3 days prior. Outlook is a great tool for this. Let the employee know via their renewal reminder that if their license or certification expires or lapses they will not be able to work until they are current.
Employee Check-In: Not only is it critical to conduct performance reviews so everyone can get off on the right foot, it's also a good time to have your team update their contact information.
Workers Comp: Check your workers comp insurance for expiration dates and prepare for renewal. A lapse in insurance puts you at risk for state fines for violating mandated laws to provide coverage. Also, many underwriters will not insure a business if they have a lapse in coverage. Worst of all, a business owner risks liability if an employee is injured while there is no coverage.
IRS: Those initials make every business owner shudder. Miss or incorrectly prepare W-2's and you may be penalized up to $75,000 for a small business per year. Also, be sure to prepare all needed audit or compliance reports such as payroll for tax purposes.
Review the Law: It's in your best interest to get up to speed on all new laws or changes to existing laws for both federal and your state. One of the obvious ones is the Health Care Reform (HCR). There are 12 new requirements for businesses with over 50 employees that go into effect on January 1, 2014, which will require updating all policies.
Service Providers: If you are planning on changing service providers for things such as payroll or benefits, the beginning of the year is the best time to make these changes. Begin vetting potential candidates before the New Year hits so you can make a smooth transition.
It's much easier to prevent fires, than put them out, so prepare ahead of time by incorporating HR into your 2014 planning.
Jennette Pokorny, VP of Marketing & Communications for EverNext HR, the first company to offer small businesses a virtual human resources assistant who is supported by a state of the art, proprietary HR knowledge base use online system. Jennette has 12 years of corporate and nonprofit management experience and understands the challenges business owners face with their day-to-day operations, particularly with personnel. With more than a decade of experience providing solutions for small business, Jennette hopes to alleviate some of the human resources difficulties business owners lose sleep over.


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Review: High School Money Book by Don Silver
Many folks in the personal finance community, both bloggers and mainstream media writers alike, have complained that our high schools should be teaching personal finance along with home economics and shop class. High school students aren't being educated on the intricacies of dealing with credit cards and their fifty page T&C's or preparing their taxes or even the fundamentals of saving. Well, Don Silver probably heard those calls and, through Adams-Hall Publishing, put together a book called High School Money Book.
The book itself is quite basic but comprehensive in its coverage of personal finance topics. While it's targeting high school students, it really applies to anyone who is clueless about the breadth of personal finance topics. It discusses things on how to be frugal, handling debt and credit, being philanthropic, preparing for college, banking, paying bills, etc. It's more a breadth type of book than a depth type of book. By this I mean it covers a lot of topics at a shallow level without going deeply into any of them. While it has been many years since I was in high school, I think this book hits the mark by educating the reader to the keywords they need to know and the processes they need to become familiar with once they start handling money on their own.
The only concern I have is whether high school students care, which is outside the scope of the book, and whether they'd sit down and read it in book form. With as much information as there is on the internet and the younger generation's savviness with it, I would think anyone proactive enough to want to read something like this would go directly to the internet; those who are less proactive will probably skip it.
Either way, at a little over 150 pages, it's a good brief primer on personal finance for anyone.


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State House lawmakers overwhelmingly approved a bill at the end of January allowing magisterial district judges to impose an animal care fee on suspects facing cruelty charges. It's an option, the bill's sponsors said, to keep that expense from falling on nonprofit shelters with little money to spare.
While 163 voted yes on House Bill 82, local and area representatives were among the 34 voting no.
"We all want to see our animals protected, but there are too many questions with this bill," state Rep. Jerry Stern, R-Martinsburg.
Article Photos
Mirror photo by Gary M. Baranec
One of two chihuahuas who was allegedly neglected by their Lakemont owner are now being housed at the Central Pennsylvania Humane Society. Lawmakers say a new bill designed to help fund shelters holding animals has too many questions.
For instance, Stern said, it contains no language allowing someone cleared of criminal charges to recover money paid.
State Rep. John McGinnis, R-Altoona, identified the same concern.
"Just because you're suspected of something doesn't mean you're guilty," McGinnis said. "This bill seems to fall short on the legal side of due process."
The bill has been forwarded to the Senate where state Sen. John H. Eichelberger Jr, R-Blair, expects the judiciary committee will work on the language. Eichelberger, who is on the judiciary committee, said he noticed the names of the local House members among those casting no votes.
"I think their concerns will be remedied," Eichelberger said.
Rep. Brian Ellis, R-Butler County, said he introduced the legislation because the cost of care for seized animals is most often falling on shelters run by private, nonprofit organizations that rely on donations to operate.
As presented, the bill permits the filing of a petition in district court, which, if granted, will require someone accused of animal cruelty to pay as much as $15 per day, plus veterinary care, while their seized animals are sheltered and their court case proceeds.
McGinnis said he understands the desire to help the sheltering agencies.
"If they have to take care of your animals, I understand the desire to recover the cost," McGinnis said. "But first, let's get a conviction."
The American Kennel Club, which is objecting to the bill, points out that the risk is more than monetary.
"If the person accused of animal abuse fails to pay the amount mandated by the court at any time during the trial, they will permanently forfeit all ownership rights for their animals - even if they are eventually found not guilty, or charges are dismissed," the club concluded.
Eichelberger said there is interest in addressing this language, and if addressed satisfactorily, he would support the legislation.
"You just can't assume everybody is guilty when they haven't been given due process," Eichelberger said.
Meanwhile, the cost of caring for animals seized because of cruelty or neglect adds up, Central Pennsylvania Humane Society Police Officer Paul Gottshall said.
"We've had animals here for months with little money coming in to pay for their care," he said.
When pursuing cases in court, the humane society will make an effort to seek restitution for the money spent on care, but that often depends on the person's ability to pay, Executive Director Mary Anslinger said.
Altoona Police Department Dog Law Officer Mike Daversa said he's not sure that the proposed bill will make a difference in the end. While some animal owners will fight to get their animals back, he said others won't have the money to pay that kind of fee.
"Even now, we try to get them to sign their animals over us," Daversa said.
For those who decline, the humane society houses the locally seized animals and cares for them while the owner's case goes through the court system. Until the case is resolved, the animals cannot be adopted, fostered or euthanized.
"They have to be kept here, and they have to be cared for," Gottshall said.
Besides Stern and McGinnis, state representatives Mike Fleck of Huntingdon County, Dick Hess of Bedford County and Gary Haluska of Cambria County voted against the proposed bill.
Haluska said he based his no vote on a request from the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau.
"The farming community is afraid that this is going to lead to other things," he said.
In other states, animal seizure laws have been linked not only to domestic animals but also to farm animals and their welfare. While House Bill 82 excluded "activity undertaken in normal agricultural operations," Stern agreed with Haluska about the Farm Bureau's concern.
"They see this legislation as a harbinger of other things," Stern said.
Altoona Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 946-7456.


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Top Definition
An extremely unattractive woman with ridiculously effective (almost supernatural) powers of manipulation. Nastier and more powerful version of a hag.
Wow, that chick is a real Swamp Hag!
de PixieFish69 21 mai 2010
Trending Now
Can you define these popular missing words?
A person (typically female) who is of abnormal physical unattractiveness.
Woah man, check out that swamp hag in the first row!
de CrimsonGhost 14 juillet 2004


text:
on January 24, 2013 - 11:55 PM
, updated January 24, 2013 at 11:56 PM
Nathaniel Hackett's enthusiasm knew no bounds Thursday in his first meeting with the Western New York media.
The Buffalo Bills' new offensive coordinator offered a 690-word answer to the first question he faced from reporters.
While there were still a few topics he shied away from, Hackett spoke at length about his upbringing as a football coach's son, and how he's prepared himself for the position he's in at just 33 years old.
"When I was 8 years old, I remember being a ball boy with the Dallas Cowboys, just being in awe of Tom Landry," he said.
Hackett's been fortunate to be around brilliant football minds basically all his life, from coaches like Landry and Marty Schottenheimer, to intimate familiarity with the offensive system of his father, Paul.
"I think the big thing is, you have to always want to learn. You have to be a historian of football," he said. "Technology these days, I can go back and look at 1984 cut-ups in black and white and try to learn how plays evolved. Watching the K-Gun with Jim Kelly from when I was here, looking at all that video. Joe Montana playing, who's a friend of our family, I mean you look at all those different things. You just want to keep pushing yourself to learn and learn. Almost like get your Ph.D. in football. I think that's something I've been very lucky to be a part of."
Hackett's first job in the NFL came with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers under coach Jon Gruden, as offensive quality control coach in the 2006 and '07 seasons.
"My two years there, they were very extreme. I like to think about it as it was the Harvard of football," he said. "When you're there and you have two years of NFL experience, I mean, it's amazing. The amount of pass drawings I drew, I want to say I drew up about 15,000 pass plays."
Hackett then served as offensive quality control coach with the Bills for two seasons in 2008 and '09.
"I got an opportunity to work with protections, with all kinds of different things, run game. As a quality control guy, a lot of people say, 'what is that?' I kind of looked at it as a coordinator in training, because you're responsible for making sure every single thing is perfect," he said. "From scripts, schedules, all the drawings. You can't just know the pass game, you can't just know this technique or that technique, you have to understand how the line works, how they draw things, how they're going to be looked at. Because if you draw something wrong, they're going to look at you and say, 'well that line was right there, that's what you wanted me to do.'
"So I think when you're doing that and you're doing that every week, watching all the film, breaking it down, getting everything ready, you understand the pressure to get it ready for those coaches."
If there is concern about Hackett's age among the team's fans, it's not shared by the man whose opinion counts most, head coach Doug Marrone.
"On paper, yes, you may look at that and say it's only four years in this league at this level and what he has done, but for me, I looked at it as a lifetime of experience," he said.
Marrone didn't interview anyone else for offensive coordinator with the Bills after he was hired.
"I knew right away that if this was the situation, Nathaniel was the one I wanted to be with," he said.
Marrone also explained why he's comfortable with Hackett calling the plays on offense.
"We worked through that all when we were at Syracuse and I was extremely happy with where we were going and where we were developing," he said. "For me, personally, with my beliefs on offense, it was very easy for me to make the decision that I wanted Nathaniel here because we've gone though three years together of the growing pains of what we want to do and where we want to be."
Hackett, though, wouldn't get pinned down on what exactly that system will look like with the Bills.
"When I first got to Syracuse, Coach Marrone and I, we had experience in so many different systems. What we wanted to do is take all those systems and take all of our things that we love the best and combine them into one and really learn how to teach it," Hackett said.
"So we kind of created this system from all the different systems we've done and we wanted it to be very multiple. You always want to be able to attack in certain things, you never kind of want to limit yourself."
As to whether Ryan Fitzpatrick is the right quarterback to lead the team, Hackett said: "I think right now I have to continue to evaluate. I have to see what everything is across the board. Watching him, watching all the other quarterbacks out there, watching all the draft guys, that's really what I'm doing right now. I'm trying to look and get the best evaluation on everybody."
email: email@example.com


text:
Garden Accessory Storage Box
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Exclusive | Versatile, Customizable Storage Box for Grab-and-Go Gardening Accessories
- Keep accessories and supplies organized and ready when you need them
- Carrying handle makes it easy to carry back and forth to the garden
- Internal panels can be arranged to vary the size of the compartments
Tired of walking back and forth to your storage shed or wasting time hunting for twine or garden snips? Store accessories like these, plus seed packets, Earth Staples, plant markers, trellis ties, and so much more in this handy grab-and-go box. You can quickly and easily configure the internal panels to create 18 small compartments or fewer larger ones. Long-lasting polypropylene box has two secure latches and a convenient handle. We also offer the Garden Accessory Kit and Storage Box, which includes Earth Staples, Garden Twine and 2-in-1 Plant Ties.
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- Polypropylene
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There are no special shipping restrictions or charges associated with this item. For detailed information about our delivery methods and charges, click here.
We're proud of the fact that this item is shipped to you directly from our warehouse in Vermont, by one of our 250 employee-owners. In-stock items are packed with care and shipped within the next business day to ensure prompt delivery to your home and garden!


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Nightlife Photos
Party Pics: High design and rooftop views at 1400 Hi Line's Summer in the Sky party
Photo: Jerry McClure/Special Contributor
Jon and Nicolette Harper attended the Summer in the Sky party Thursday at 1400 Hi Line in the Design District. The event, held in two of the penthouse condos overlooking the Dallas skyline, showcased art, furniture and design.
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Wednesday, July 17, 2013
When he first met his wife nearly four decades ago, David Smith would tease her and say she owed him 1,000 kisses for giving him a hard time. "I haven't collected them all," the 57-year-old says as he smiles at her at their Summerville home. "Not yet."
With his successful quadruple bypass this April, he still has a chance. For that, he thanks the Lord and the heart team at Trident Medical Center (TMC) and Palmetto Cardiovascular & Thoracic Associates.
In fact, TMC has a proven record for quality in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery and was recently awarded the highest possible rating for the procedure – three stars – by the prestigious Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) as a result of its analysis of the 2012 data.
"The STS results are based on clinical outcomes and place Trident Medical Center in the top 15 percent of hospitals in the country with heart surgery programs," says Dr. James Benner, Trident Health's medical director of cardiovascular surgery. The rating reflects the "excellent work and commitment to patients" shown by the entire heart team, which includes the surgical nurses and support staff, the intensive care unit, cardiac catheterization specialists, respiratory therapists and many others.
Last fall, Trident Health recruited Dr. Charles Roberts to the Lowcountry from Virginia to join Dr. Benner and the TMC heart team. The hospital where Dr. Roberts' previously worked also received a three-star rating for CABG surgery for 2012. Each program had a 100 percent patient survival rate for the year.
"The operation has been done for over 50 years, so the techniques are very well established," says Dr. Roberts, who operated on Mr. Smith and who has been doing heart surgery for nearly two decades. "There are always risks in heart surgery, but you have to minimize the risks, and that's where experience helps."
Mr. Smith openly discusses the habits that led to the blockages in his coronary arteries. He smoked his first cigarette at age 7 and was hooked by 13. And while he has stayed physically active through the years as a martial arts instructor, home painter and comedian, he and his wife admit that their diet became heavy with fried restaurant food once their children were grown.
Three people in his immediate family had died from heart attacks, and there were times when he would be short of breath. Yet, Mr. Smith didn't realize the extent of his own heart problems until other medical issues surfaced. By the time he had a cardiac work-up, he had unknowingly experienced a small heart attack. Even so, Mr. Smith was reluctant to go through with bypass surgery. It took Dr. Roberts' confidence to convince him. "He said, 'You can live a long life if you get this surgery done.'"
Dr. Roberts also remembers their talk. "He had life-threatening blockages in his heart and coronary bypass was the best treatment of that. Naturally, he was apprehensive, but he did beautifully through his surgery, and his recovery was very rapid."
A man of faith, Mr. Smith told his wife, Mellie, that he wanted her to be reading the Bible to him after surgery. She was there with their three children in the hospital room, reading Psalm 23 when he woke up. He checked out of TMC four days later, and that Sunday, the couple was at their church, World Overcomers Ministries in North Charleston, to the surprise of Pastor Thomas Riley's wife, Annette, who teased that she didn't have time to get a card.
"I was walking around like a time bomb that could go off at any time," says Mr. Smith, who stopped smoking and now strives to take care of his body. "I feel like a 7-year-old now. I don't have any problem doing things I want to do."
To contact Palmetto Cardiovascular & Thoracic Associates, please call 843-553-5616.
"I was walking around like a time bomb that could go off at any time."
-David Smith, Cardiac Patient
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Distance doesn't separate the tragedy of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting from the hearts, minds and fears of local parents, children and school officials.
The Upshur County Board of Education officials took time during a regular board meeting Tuesday to outline what safety procedures are in place for county schools and to have a preliminary discussion about what safety procedures are being studied in response to the shooting.
Because the recent tragedy continues to weigh heavily on the minds of many board members, teachers, staff and parents, superintendent Scott Lampinen wanted to address some of the safety programs and procedures already practiced by the county.
After the events in Connecticut, Lampinen said, "We should start sharing a little bit more." He doesn't want to outline intimate details about safety plans to the public to avoid someone using those details to plan an attack.
"There's are some things we don't want the bad guys to know," Lampinen said.
The county's response to the tragedy was immediate. Lampinen met with school principals during the weekend following the shooting and plans to meet with them again this week. He will also meet with school counselors who are available to help students come to terms with the tragedy. By Monday, he had written a letter to parents in response to the tragedy that included a supporting article to enlighten parents about ways to help children cope with tragedy.
"Like communities and school districts across America, we are heartbroken and devastated by the events at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut that took place last Friday," Lampinen stated in the letter.
The letter stated that Upshur County Schools consider safety and security a priority. The county school system has safety and security plans in place. Those plans include staff training, access security systems and emergency drills.
"We felt that this was so important to get it out that we literally made a copy and hand-delivered it to all our schools (Monday) so they were in the hands of parents (that evening)," Lampinen said, adding that the letter also is available on the school board's website.
Nineteen drills that have followed various mock scenarios have already been conducted this school year. Some of the drills have addressed staged scenarios such as weather, lockdown, bomb threats, a missing person, evacuations and medical emergencies. One scenario taught the staff how to handle a situation where a teacher sees a gun in the backpack of a student. All of these scenarios can help train staff and students about what to do in various emergency situations. Schools conduct drills each month.
On the reverse side of employee identification cards is a list of codes used in the access safety plan. Those codes identify what the emergency situation is by using plain language instead of color codes. This helps to eliminate any confusion about the situation.
Teachers and staff receive extensive training at the beginning of the school year and are reminded about contents of that training every few months. Every school is visited at random every month for "door checks," a study conducted by safety consultant Jeff Harvey, who checks every school building door to make sure that all of them are closed and locked. The monthly report is given to the school board and school principal detailing exactly what doors were locked or propped open.
Many school employees have a new digital radio. The radios have a button that can be pressed if an emergency or threat should arise. The school principal and county Office of Emergency Management can then listen in through the device. Not all employees have the new digital radios this year, but the school board will consider the purchase of additional radios to extend to all employees in the future, as well as other helpful improvements.
"We constantly are looking at our safety procedures," Lampinen said, adding that there is an Upshur County Schools Safety Committee that encompasses school employees, first responders, law enforcement and the Office of Emergency Management. The committee meets a minimum of twice a year to review safety procedures. New ideas and additions to procedures may be discussed by the committee and the board.


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Man Shot During Lancaster Robbery Attempt
54-Year-Old Victim Treated For Lacerations
UPDATED 11:46 AM EST Feb 23, 2012
A man was shot during an attempted robbery in Lancaster early Thursday morning.
The robbery attempt happened about 1:15 a.m. in the 100 block of South Prince Street, police said.
The 54-year-old victim told police he was walking when two men approached him and demanded money.
The victim struggled with one of the men and the other man hit the victim in the head with a handgun and fired it, hitting the victim in the shoulder, police said. The would-be robbers ran away.
The victim was taken to a hospital for treatment of lacerations to his shoulder and head, police said.
Copyright 2012 by WGAL.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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BEDFORD - A Hollidaysburg man with a lengthy corrections resume is set to take over the Bedford County Prison next week, county commissioners revealed Friday.
David Kessling, 51, will arrive at the jail Monday before a Tuesday vote makes his approval official, Commissioners Chairman Kirt Morris said.
Kessling, who sports decades of experience in the state prison system, will be assigned the task of tightening the 180-bed jail's operations and making the expensive facility run more smoothly and cheaply, county officials have said.
He takes the helm in Bedford County after a roughly 18-month stint as deputy warden in Monroe County, where he had earlier been assigned as interim chief by the state Department of Corrections. He officially left the Monroe job this week.
The Bedford County job comes with a substantial pay cut: a roughly $48,000 salary, down from a reported $70,000 at his Monroe County position.
Kessling had commuted more than three hours to the jail, situated near the New Jersey border, from his family's Hollidaysburg home. He worked long shifts over multiple days before returning to Hollidaysburg each week.
"It's far away from home, obviously," he said. "I was looking to do something else."
Kessling's resume impressed the commissioners. They said he spent 24 years in the state system, rising in the ranks from corrections officer to statewide chief of security, he said.
For a year, Kessling oversaw and trained the state prison system's Correctional Emergency Response Teams, the armed units that respond to hostage situations.
He ended his state career at the state prison in Houtzdale, Clearfield County, where he served as deputy superintendent overseeing 2,500 inmates. Kessling retired from the Department of Corrections at age 50 before taking the job in Monroe County.
"He has a lot of experience in the areas we need," Morris said. "References were glowing; they couldn't say [enough] good about him."
The Bedford County jail has been under Sheriff Charwin Reichelderfer's control for nearly a year, since Warden Donald Orr resigned amid a secretive personnel investigation. County officials described the reason as a "security breach."
The jail has caused headaches for the county government, with accusations of prisoner mistreatment and alleged workplace sexism dogging the county during and after Orr's tenure.
Kessling has experience picking up after scandals. His appointment in Monroe County followed a lengthy scandal, in which guards were investigated for soliciting sex from prisoners, seeking contact with ex-prisoners after their release and smuggling contraband into the facility, according to the Pocono Record newspaper.
In recent commissioners' meetings, Morris has expressed confidence that the new warden could turn the Bedford County Prison around and prevent a possible closure.


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I would estimate (based on my very unscientific cafe observations) that at least two-thirds of every conversation in LA revolves around diet. What makes this figure even more alarming is the rampant misinformation people possess and proliferate when it comes to healthy eating. These conversations inspired me to come up with a list of the top five most widespread myths about nutrition.
MYTH #1: A calorie is a calorie"Losing weight is simple math! If you eat 1500 calories a day, and do 1500 calories a day of exercise, you'll never gain weight." WRONG!
Different foods have different effects on our body beyond their calorie count. Our metabolism, hunger, blood sugar and hormones respond differently to different types of foods. That means that 100 calories of broccoli, is not the same as 100 calories of licorice, just as 3 oz. of salmon is not the same as 3 oz. of cupcakes.
Foods with protein or fiber or healthy fats (or all three) will rev up your metabolism and keep you feeling fuller longer than simple sugars or starches, which will not only leave you still hungry but also will cause your blood sugar (and energy) to spike and then crash.
Let's look at an example. One piece of white bread has the same calories as three egg whites scrambled with peppers and onion. Which option do you think is better for you? If all calories were created equal, these two options would have to be nutritionally equivalent.
MYTH #2: Going gluten-free will help you lose weight"OMG! My spiritual homeopath did a saliva test on me and discovered I was overweight because I'm allergic to gluten" WRONG!
These days everyone seems to be going gluten-free. From entire gluten-free grocery aisles to gluten-free pizza crust at your local pizza place, it seems everyone is scared of the G-word. Gluten-free product sales reached more than $2.6 billion by the end of 2010 and are now expected to exceed more than $5 billion by 2015.
So how is it possible that an entire nation (somehow only Americans) has been simultaneously affected by gluten sensitivity? The truth is that we haven't. Gluten sensitivity, which is defined as a gastrointestinal reaction to ingesting gluten (a simple protein found in grains like wheat, barley and rye), has notoriously vague symptoms that can range from fatigue and "foggy mind" to diarrhea, depression and joint pain.
Now before you shout, "That's me!" – only six percent of the population has gluten sensitivity and even fewer (one percent of the population) have a true allergy to gluten, or celiac disease. Celiac disease is an immune response in the small intestine triggered by gluten, which produces inflammation that damages the small intestine's lining and prevents absorption of some nutrients (malabsorption). Interestingly, one of the major symptoms of celiac disease is actually weight loss due to malabsorption.
If you think you really are having a reaction to gluten, I encourage you to see your doctor who can perform tests and rule out other culprits of similar symptoms (irritable bowel syndrome, for example.)
Where people "succeed" by eliminating gluten from their diet lies in the fact that many of the foods that we overeat (breads, pasta, pastries, crackers) are wheat-based. Wheat contains gluten, so by eliminating gluten, you coincidentally eliminate the foods you were overeating.
MYTH #3: Juice fasts and cleanses rid the body of toxins"I heard that a juice cleanse can detoxify your liver, clear up you skin and burn fat." WRONG!
If I had a nickel for every time I've heard someone saying they're doing a juice fast or a cleanse to "detox" their bodies, I'd never have to work again. I've got news for you: The idea of limiting yourself to a regimen of liquid sugar (devoid of fiber, protein or healthy fats) to "flush out toxins" is not only pointless, it's actually dangerous! I can safely say that the vast majority of us in the scientific community agree that the notion of a nutritional scrub is nothing more than profitable fiction at best, and fraud at worst.
Our bodies have a finely tuned built-in detoxifying system: It's called our liver and it can detoxify our bodies better than any cleanse or fast without the unpleasantness and danger of muscle cramps, dehydration and diarrhea associated with artificial cleanses.
Fruits and vegetables are loaded with nutrients and fiber. Most of the nutrients, and almost all of the fiber lie in the skin and seeds. When you juice (regardless of the method), you separate the water and the sugars and you throw out the skin and seeds (where most of the good stuff is found). Moreover, an apple has approximately 75 calories and 4 grams of fiber. A large glass of fresh-pressed apple juice has in excess of 300 calories, 80 grams of sugar and zero fiber!
MYTH #4: Eating fat makes you fat"If I don't have fat in my diet, I won't have fat on my body." WRONG!
Some antiquated diet books will tell you to shun all fats if you want to lose weight but, in reality, it's not healthy to eliminate fat from our diets altogether. Fat is, along with protein and carbohydrates, one of the three categories of macronutrients that our bodies need to function. Fat's a major source of energy helps us to feel "full," is essential in hormone production and helps the body absorb vitamins. It's also important for the proper function of nerves, our reproductive system and our skin. Our brains need fat, too, especially the ones found in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which we can get only through food; the body does not produce these essential nutrients on its own.
Though fats are essential, they're not all equally beneficial. There are good fats and bad fats, and we should strive to optimize the levels of healthy fats in our diet (like those in avocados and almonds) while steering clear of the bad fats.
If we limit saturated fats (most of which come from animal sources), entirely cut out trans fats (found in processed foods and hydrogenated oils), and up our intake of monounsaturated fats (found in nuts and vegetable oils) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (derived from vegetable sources and fish) we'll be doing the most good for our health. These good fats can even help fight Alzheimer's disease and prevent the brain from shrinking.
MYTH #5: Carbs are bad for you"I can have a bacon double cheeseburger, and as long as I don't eat the bun or the tomato, I'll lose weight." WRONG!
In the past decade, carbohydrates have gotten a bad rap. Self-proclaimed celebrity diet gurus have shunned them, fleeting diet fads have banned them, and sensationalist magazines have villainized them. But did you know that vegetables are carbs? That's right. Broccoli, cucumbers, spinach and celery are all carbs.
The carbohydrate category includes fruit, vegetables, whole grains and other foods essential to a healthy diet. Most carbohydrates are absorbed into the system much faster than protein is, so eating a mixture of protein (and or healthy fats) and the right carbs gives you a feeling of satiety and an even release of energy throughout the day. So how can we tell the difference between a good carb and a "less good" carb?
One good general rule of thumb is that the closer the carb is to its original form, the better it is for you. When we get into refined starches and processed ingredient, that's where we get into trouble. An example is rice; unlike whole-grain brown rice, white rice has been stripped of its bran and germ during processing, taking out 83 percent of the fiber, 16 percent of the protein, 75 percent of the iron, 70 percent of its B vitamins, and nearly all of its healthy fatty acids.
Another good measure of a carb is its glycemic index (GI), which is a system that rates carbs based on how quickly your body absorbs them and subsequently how quickly it affects your blood sugar levels. Foods that break down rapidly – starchy foods such as white rice, regular pasta and sugar – release quickly into your blood and rank higher on the index. Foods that break down slowly – such as veggies and whole grains – slowly release glucose into your blood so they rank lower on the index.
Try to choose foods with a GI under 80. These foods can give your body enough all-day energy without causing an insulin surge that will lead to storing excess body fat.
Do you have any nutrition myths you would like debunked? Tweet me @harleypasternak.
RELATED: How to Eat Well and Lose Weight Shopping at a 99-Cent Store (No, Really!)
RELATED: Why You Shouldn't End Your Love Affair with Chocolate
MORE: All Harley's Blogs and Training Advice


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COLUMBIA — Steve Spurrier listed the accomplishments out loud, so everyone could hear. Maybe he was trying to get his point across to the media throng Tuesday afternoon. Perhaps he was trying to believe it himself.
Just a season ago, Florida was near the pinnacle of college football. The Gators capped an 11-1 regular season with a win over hated rival Florida State. They represented the SEC at the Sugar Bowl. Coach Will Muschamp was the SEC Coach of the Year, and nobody was surprised.
"They were No. 3 in the nation in the BCS poll," Spurrier said, pounding his message home. "If Notre Dame had lost to Southern Cal, they were playing Alabama for the national championship."
Just a season ago, all was right in Gainesville. The way it should be. The way legions of Gators fans have come to expect over decades of dominance.
Spurrier reminded everyone this week, because everyone needed to be reminded. Last season feels like a long time ago.
What is the recipe for a collapse? First came Florida's shocking upset loss to Louisville in the Sugar Bowl last January. Then, this season, came an injury plague so devastating it depleted a team that was ranked No. 10 in The Associated Press preseason poll.
Seven Florida starters have been lost for the season with injuries, including starting quarterback Jeff Driskel and star defensive tackle Dominique Easley. Driskel's backup, Tyler Murphy, is questionable this week with a shoulder injury.
Rest assured, there will be no pity for a program that has kicked around much of the SEC since Spurrier coached there in the 1990s.
"At the end of the day, they're still Florida," USC senior cornerback Jimmy Legree said. "They're still a great team historically, and we've just got to prepare well and get ready."
As the injuries mounted, so have the losses.
The Gators have dropped four straight games, sinking to 4-5 this season. When South Carolina hosts Florida for a 7 p.m. kickoff Saturday on ESPN2, it will be the first team in 21 years to play the Gators when they've had a losing record.
Florida had held the SEC's longest streak without a losing record going back to Oct. 10, 1992. Now, every SEC East team has been below .500 in the past two seasons, except South Carolina. The Gamecocks have the SEC's third-longest streak without a losing record, behind LSU and Alabama of the SEC West.
"It's weird to see that number," USC defensive line coach Deke Adams said of Florida's record, "but it's not weird because in this conference you've got to play week in and week out. There are no weeks off. I don't care what type of situation they're in, there are no weeks off."
Every program has its bad stretches, even the great ones. It's more than the losses that have made Muschamp's seat uncomfortable this fall. It's the way they've lost.
The Gators were embarrassed against Vanderbilt, 34-17, on Saturday inside The Swamp, only the second time in program history Florida lost to Vandy at home. The first came in 1945.
"I think a lot has been made that Vanderbilt beat them," Spurrier said. "You know, Vanderbilt did beat Georgia this year. It is not a disgrace to lose to Vanderbilt. They're a pretty good team that plays smart and usually don't beat themselves."
Maybe there's no disgrace in losing to Vanderbilt, which has built a solid reputation under coach James Franklin. For Florida, there's plenty of shame in finishing a season with a losing record, which hasn't been done in Gainesville since 1979. There's plenty of disappointment in missing a bowl game, something the Gators haven't done since 1990 — Spurrier's first season at his alma mater.
With three games left, both scenarios are likely. Florida must beat No. 11 South Carolina and No. 2 Florida State in order to avoid those negative milestones.
Spurrier, for his part, didn't take the bait when asked about Florida's struggles this season. He remembers last fall, the drubbing his team took at The Swamp, and what could happen if South Carolina doesn't fully focus on its opponent.
"We don't really look at their record too much," Spurrier said. "We look at their team, their players, what kind of scheme they have, and so forth. We know they are very capable of coming in here and beating us. We've struggled at home against most all the team's we've played, as we all know.
"That's the only thing we need to worry about, how we play and how we prepare this week to play Florida. It is as simple as that. That is all we need to worry about."


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Some 160 vendors will be on hand Friday through Sunday for the annual West Branch Susquehanna Home Builders Association show at the Lycoming College Recreation Center.
Patrons will have the chance to visit many of the vendor booths representing custom home building, remodeling, masonry, landscaping, carpet and flooring, real estate, banking, plumbing and heating, green energy and many other types of businesses.
Marion Nyman, co-executive officer, said once again the event is sold out.
"We have been sold out for 10 years," she said. "We fill out all the space that is available to us."
Ribbon-cutting ceremonies are set for 2:30 p.m. Friday.
Show hours are 3 to 9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Fact Box
WHAT: West Branch Susquehanna Home Builders Association Home Builders Show
WHEN: 3 to 9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 4 p.m.
WHERE: Lycoming College Recreation Center
ADMISSION: $4 ($1 off with a canned good)
For the first time a few vendors, including a wood carver, will be outside, Nyman said.
"They will be there regardless of the weather," she said.
Nyman said there's always a lot of enthusiasm for the show as area residents are eager to shrug off the long cold winter and dive into home improvement projects.
She called the event a great venue for vendors to network with potential customers.
This marks the seventh year that the show will be held at Lycoming College.
In past years, the home show has taken place at venues such as the YMCA Pickelner Arena, Lycoming County Fairgrounds and the Penn Street Armory
The House of Cans, constructed by Williamsport Area High School Career and Technical students, features donated cans of food for the American Rescue Mission. Last year, the public gave more than nine large barrels of food, which benefited St. Anthony's Center.
Three grand prizes of $500 each will be given out each evening of the show. In addition, there will be prize drawings from individual exhibitors.
Pennsylvania College of Technology Construction Association students will oversee the treasure chest. Those attending the show will have a chance to open the chest and win a prize.
A concession stand will be operated by West Branch Builder's Association Women's Council with proceeds going to a scholarship fund.


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It's Matt Capps Signing Day
The anticipation has reached a fever pitch as Pirates closer Matt Capps is expected to make his final decision today. Take the main set-up role and back-up closing duties in Chicago for a team that shouldn't completely suck...on the sale floor they like to say they're a team in contention.
Close for a team that has been the worst in baseball over the last two years and big acquisitions so far have been signing Ivan Rodriguez about seven years too late and signing Jason Marquis (insert own joke here). It would stand that as a closer for the Nationals, he'll probably get even less chances than he did in Pittsburgh.
The money being rumored is in the two year, $7-8M range, basically Grabow money. I wasn't overly thrilled with what they gave Grabow or how quickly they gave it to him. On the other hand, I think Capps is a better pitcher despite the hiccup last season, so it certainly wouldn't be the worst middle relief contract Hendry ever handed out.
If Capps decides he wants to close and signs with the Nationals, the Cubs could move on to rehab projects like Kelvim Escobar or maybe hope they can find enough money in the Ricketts sofa cushions to sign Jose Valverde if his price drops after mistakenly not taking the Astros arbitation offer.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
I always liked Valverde. When he was with Arizona we couldn't hit him...
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Jason Marquis...um..he..isn't a great pitcher?
Hahahaha....um, yeah.
I'd make more jokes about Marquis, but I'd take him as the fifth starter right now, at least with Lilly scheduled to miss April.
Marshall, Gorzelanny, Caridad, Atkins, Samardzija, Pitcher X?
2 spots to fill worries me.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Carlos Silva says "Hi".
He also says, "burp".
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Lol...yeah...there's a reason I didn't list him.....oof.
Well at least he'll...I got nothin'...
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Guess he'll get at least April to redeem himself.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Just as a point of information, because he is a non-tendered free-agent rather than an Article XX MLB free-agent, Matt Capps will not get automatic "no trade" rights through June 15th.
What's interesting about the Matt Capps sweepstakes is that apparently ex-Pirate teammates John Grabow and Tom Gorzelanny have been rushing Capps from the Cubs side, while ex-Buc teammates Sean Burnett and Nyjer Morgan have been pimping the Nats.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
How does one pimp the Nats?
"It's, um, low pressure here? You'll get to close on the twenty occasions a year when we have a 1-3-run lead in the 9th? Go to Chicago. Take me with you."
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Shuddup. Just the idea of pimping the Nats should be good enough for you, you cynical bastard.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Capps' wife is also close friends with the wives of Grabow and Gorzelanny.
Which strongly suggests to me that on the eve of Christmas Eve, Capps is not likely to tell his wife that he had every chance to fulfill her wish to go to Chicago, and still chose to go to D.C.
Any husbands out there disagree?
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
I heard the same information from Capps' interview with Bruce Levine on Talking Baseball this past Saturday.
I usually hate speculation but I did notice that Capps ended the conversation with Bruce by saying "I look forward to meeting you guys."
Maybe he gave us his answer right there. It would be nice to have him...especially for the three week stretch that Marmol will inevitably go through where he overthrows his slider and can't throw strikes.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Heard the same thing.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
FWIW Foxsports Rosenthal and MLB.Com's Ladson think Capps will sign with the Nationals.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
"If it's better suited for me to set up for the team in the seventh inning or eighth inning, that's what I'll do," Capps said. "If they sign me and tell me they want me to play shortstop, I'll play shortstop. I want to win. I want to be in an environment [where winning is important]."
-From Matt Capps in MLB.com's Ladson article (beat writer for the Nats). If anyone listened to the audio when he was on Bruce Lisspy Levine's Talkin' Baseball, he said the exact same thing about the Cubs.
He does add this tid bit "All signs are looking good with what they are trying to do so far."
The other interesting footnote is that he would still have to compete with Brian Bruney for the closer role (maybe competition to say its competition), but he still could end up playing for another team that ends up finishing last in that division and setting up, while making less money. The Braves and Phils have made upgrades, the Marlins are young and developing, and the Braves are trying to improve offensively. The Mets will do something, just a matter of time. But even if they just get healthy, I would not lock them in for last place.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
If we lose out to the Nats it just means the guy isn't motivated to win. How is that bad?
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Why was he holding a baseball bat in that photo? Was he supposed to have used that thing while he was here?
Did you catch this yesterday? Mesa, AZ says the Cubs have eliminated the Gila River indian reservation bid from consideration for the new spring training complex. The battle is down to Mesa vs Naples.
On the other hand, the Cubs have refused to tell Mesa which one or two of ~10 possible sites in Mesa they prefer.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
I feel pretty strongly that the Cubs should have spring training in a high crime neighborhood like florida.
Re: Did they choose a Florida site yet?
Nope. And, for that matter, the Naples group hasn't even figured out how to finance the project yet.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Is Florida still murdering their tourists?
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
mlbtr and rotoworld saying that Pirates, to replace Capps, are offering Octavio Dotel $3M, to sign as a closer.
...been awhile since Dotel closed and as I recall he had Hawkins disease (better in the 8th than the 9th).
starks' LVP of the decade
Stark only writes about his LVP, Juan Gonzalez, but lists 3 former Cubs as honorable mentions. #10 is Neifi. #7 is Bradley. And #3 is Corey Patterson.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
If Stark puts Pavano as #5, I'd suggest he consider adding the original 3/44 to his list. Also might consider Mike Hampton if you're talking value per contract dollar.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Aaron Miles.
Yes, I'm still pissed about Aaron Miles.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Randy was out in the sun too much if it took him 40 years to come to that conclusion.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
From the article.
"The Cubs had five regulars play over 150 games that season."
Of course the Yankees had over five regulars play 150 or more games this season, and the Phillips had six.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
and the Phillips had six.
Cincy's second baseman too?
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Levine has a new post re Capps; not much new here...
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Levine: the Cubs will contact Kinzer sometime Wednesday evening with either a proposal in hand or stating that they are bowing out of negotiations. Either way, Capps is expected to sign with a new team before midnight Wednesday.
This implies Hendry hasn't given Capps a proposal yet? But when he does get a proposal it will be an obvious decision?
Something smells here.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
What's taking Capps so long?! It's almost 4 PM in Washington D.C..
Damn drama queen.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
See the article above. The Cubs are supposedly going to send Capps an offer this evening or bow out. I think we're waiting on the Cubs, not Capps.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
He's picking up a Tiger scrap. Give him a few more seconds.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Fernando Rodney now an Angel @ 2/11, see it's not that hard to sign a reliever.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
This is such an odd feeling that we have been exclusively preoccupied with Hendry cleaning up his own pile of shit, then, waiting to see what scrap-heap players he can sign to small deals.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
the "cleanup" was a distraction.
from the minute the season ended all the cubs were looking for was relief help, a milton replacement, and maybe a low-end SP.
it seems all of that is falling into place so far...2010's money is not only mostly spent, but the team itself is pretty much ready-to-go as-is.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
and maybe a low-end SP.
lowest end. nicely played...synonym for Carlos Silva
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
seems that what the resolution is...
for those holding out hope silva can do something...the guy has 2 pitches, his sinker lost it's bite years ago, he throws everything in the zone, and it's not getting any better.
the guy had 3 things going for him...stamina to pitch, a ground ball pitch, and someone willing to pay him stupid loot to do it.
i'm not that thrilled about caridad, either. his stuff doesn't have much movement.
Coco Crisp migh have solved our problems?
I wonder how receptive the A's would be in trading Ryan Sweeney and/or Eric Patterson?
Both are cheap, under club control for at least 4 more years.
Potential upside is the answer for both CF and 2nd base.
Downside isn't much, other than what you'd have to trade to get them. Shouldn't be too high? Assume that a non-Castro SS prospect would be involved.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
cubs aren't looking any more OF bench help i'd imagine. patterson and 2nd base was a doomed thing even when he was a cub.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Aren't we looking for someone to platoon with Fukudome?
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
yeah, there is room for a RH bench OF'r...could see that happening. dunno about a platoon, though RF ability should be an attribute.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Gee ROB G, perhaps my eyes are really bad, but all I saw was the Nationals were "closing in...". And, more so, I saw nothing on length, terms, etc.
That is read from the link you embeded.
How do you get "...Nationals ON a one-year deal", out of that?
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Sorry, but "closing in..." is a much different implication than, "Olney 'says its Nationals on a one-year deal'", so my eyes are bad missing the one year deal, yet you may be a bit presumptuous on the interpretation from what's written.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Coco B Crisp's contract:
the deal with pay Crisp $4.75MM in 2010, with a $5.75MM option for 2011. The buyout for the 2011 option is $500K, making the one-year contract worth $5.25MM. (via MLBTraderumors).
:doesn't bode well for what we're going to give Byrd. I was thinking about a million a year less for Coco.
I am trying to ease the queezy feeling in my stomache I get whenever Byrd and the Cubs are linked... Come on trade or Ankiel!
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Funny, I get the same feeling whenever I see Ankiel and Cubs in the same sentence.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
I didn't get a chance to read comments about my Ankiel as CF idea but if you're making fun of me I wouldn't blame you. My gut tells me he is just a good hitting pitcher but my cubs side wants him to somehow pick it up and roll and beat the deadbirds down.
I wouldn't be a Cubs fan if I didn't have fantasies to roll with.
Re: just making fun
No, not making fun. Just the thought of Hendry signing another new outfielder makes me queezy.
He's so good at it, you see.
And.pass the dramamine, we could wind up with Ankiel.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
If Capps signs with the Nats - fuck him.
Same old same old - he states he wants to "Play for a contender." Yet, he'll sign with a last place team. Go figure.
Well, IIRC, they had the best "O" in the NL - or near the top, anyway.
And with MArquis aboard - they are guaranteed a Playoff spot.
He is the good luck charm.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Would you blame him? At this point, all things considered... Nats, Cubs... meh.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Nah i wouldn't blame him. Just, I find these guys hippocrates. Just keep your mouth shut and don't bullshit people on how, If they ask me to play shortstop, I will.".
That's the only thing that is just a fabrication.
Belly up to the bar and say, "I am happy to get the opportunity to close for a last-place team."
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
You find these guys to be the father of western medicine?
I think you were looking for "hypocrites" . . .
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
haha! very good! No doubt Cubster will get me on this! lol
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Nats Journal
Nothing official yet with Capps
[UPDATE, 10:30 p.m.] -- Just exchanged texts again with Kinzer. He said nothing new has solidified since we last talked. So deeper into the night we go...
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Missing out on Capps could prove crucial. Not to be one for the dramatic, but the Cubs bullpen is very much unproven. If this team thinks that going into the season and not getting a centerfielder is a problem, wait until the bullpen comes in.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
kiko calero's still out there and supposedly on the cubs radar most of the offseason.
per the Nats Carrie Muskat equivalent at mlb.com...shudders (Wm Ladson):
Matt Capps is not close to a deal with the Nats. His agent, Paul Kinzer, is still talking to GM Mike Rizzo.
same source says:
Capps may not agree to a deal until Christmas Eve or right after Christmas. Capps thought he was close to a deal early this evening.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Brian Roberts and Jake Peavy have agreed to represent Matt Capps in concluding these negotiations
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Nats Journal again
Posted at 11:54 PM ET, 12/23/2009
Still waiting on Capps
So as midnight comes and passes, here's where things stand: The Washington Nationals are still waiting to learn if Matt Capps, their latest free agent target, will agree to a contract offer and become their next closer.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
from Ladson on twitter:
Matt Capps has agreed to terms with the Nationals, according to his agent Paul Kinzer. One year deal, no $$ disclosed yet.
Kiko Calero here we come...
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
MAtt Capps, "Whatever it takes..."
Good luck on the last place team dude.
Hope you are able to make league average appearances.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
I see that the mlb.com writers have mobile web link pages...
or in Matt Capps case:
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Levine has more details
The deal is for $3.5 million for 2010, with a chance to make another $425,000 in performance bonuses. The performance incentives kick in at 40-65 games finished.
The deal went down to the end between the Chicago Cubs, New York Mets and Washington, Capps' agent, Paul Kinzer, said. The Mets were a late entry into the Capps pursuit, offering a similar contract to what Capps signed for with Washington.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
the detailed Capps story from the Nats mlb.com writer
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Well, he would have been a good fit, but if your off-season hinges on signing Matt Capps, then you were fucked to start off.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Agreed...of course, fucked is what the Cubs could be. It's gonna be a bumpy ride until the season starts...
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Nope..I have a feeling it might look a lot like last year...83-79..
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Honestly given the division, that might be enough to win it. The Cards are likely to lose atleast one of if not both Holliday and DeRosa. Their top 3 pitchers in the rotation (Carpenter, Wainright and Penny) while extermely talented are just as injury prone. Carpenter pitched like 95% of the season last year and I doubt he can repeat it. The Astros arent bringing back Tejada, did nothing to stregthen their rotation, though they did a decent job adding to their pen. Do you really think Randy Wolf is the cure to all of the Brewers pitching woes?
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
The only good that will come out of 83 wins next year will be the firing of Jim Hendry. I don't even think Teflon Jim would be able to survive an 83 win season with no playoffs.
I hate to say it, but long term for the organization the best outcome for them might be the situation above and get a real GM in here to properly build this team.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Agree 100%.
Can't blame Hendry on this one. Obviously playing for a contender was not that important to Capps. He wanted to stay a closer and hopefully up his value going into next offseason. It is a pretty bad sign for Cubs and Mets fans though that they couldn't land a guy like this even though it is not make or break.
I do give Hendry credit though, this offseason isn't as bad as last, mainly because he hasn't done anything really except unload his disaster from last offseason.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
I am not optimistic about this season at all.
There is no Plan B for Carlos Marmol, which I was hoping Capps would be.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Well, there's still a chance that Valverde winds up being the man left out and we can get him cheap on a one-year deal like Alou wound up taking last year.
There's also a chance Hendry decides to say "screw it, we'll use Blake Parker" and puts the money towards signing Hudson, which is probably what I would do at this point. If the bullpen faulters, trade during the season.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Capps would pitch more innings for the Cubs than he would for the Nats. Nevermind about CF our pitching is weak. Zambrano is streaky, Lilly is comming off shoulder surgery, Dempster isn't much more than a number 3, Lets see how Wells does now that hitters have faced him last year. The Bullpen is inexperienced and wouldn't strike fear in a AA team.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
I know that I have a biased opinion, but Capps is taking the Washinton job in hopes of closing. He signed a one year deal, so essentially he wants to close and then land a big deal the following year, and as we know, the market is soft for high priced closers (see Jose Valverde, but Capps will be 27 albeit). So, why not take a chance at setting up and have more innings pitched under your belt. We know that Hendry is not shy about tossing money to relievers (unless Capps knows something we don't about next year's offseason). I would like to see what the terms of Hendry's offer were. One year? Two years?
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
"But I really like the decisions the Nationals have made this offseason and their commitment to winning beyond 2010. I'm excited about what can be."
- Matt Capps on Washington's offseason. he must be refering to the aging Marquis signing who is with his 5th team and will have a great 1st half. Marquis should look into the Clemens 3 month work program.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Marquis is also on about a 8 year playoff run.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Nationals | Capps to take physical in January
Thu, 24 Dec 2009 09:59:42 -0800
Bill Ladson, of MLB.com, reports Washington Nationals RP Matt Capps will take his physical during the first week of January. Until then, the deal will not be official.
It will be interesting to see if he passes. Capps hasn't been the same since this...
Pirates | Capps to miss at least eight weeks
Wed, 02 Jul 2008 15:14:14 -0700
Rob Biertempfel, of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, reports Pittsburgh Pirates CL Matt Capps (shoulder) was placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday, July 2, and will miss at least eight weeks with a right shoulder injury. Capps returned to Pittsburgh Wednesday to have a magnetic resonance angiography which revealed bursitis and internal rotation deficit in his shoulder and it seems the muscles in his shoulder are not allowing him to fully extend when he throws. Capps will not require surgery but will spend four weeks in a rehab program and another four weeks in a return-to-pitch program. He is expected to return to the team in early September. Manager John Russell said RP Tyler Yates, P Romulo Sanchez, RP Damaso Marte and RP John Grabow would be in the mix to close games while Capps is out.
In dealing with his shoulder it looks like he screwed up his mechanics because in May he was out over a week with a bad elbow.
Pirates | Capps dealing with faulty mechanics
Tue, 19 May 2009 11:26:20 -0700
MSNBC's Keith Olbermann reports Pittsburgh Pirates CL Matt Capps has been over-rotating on the mound this year, according to pitching coach Joe Kerrigan. Capps' arm has been well behind his body and he is expending his energy way before his arm is fully extended and he is ready to release the ball. The problems with his mechanics may also be an explanation for his elbow bruising and discomfort.
Then, Mark Prior-like, he was hit in the elbow by a line drive(off Geo Soto's bat!) a few days after he returned to the mound.
Pirates | Capps exits after being hit by line drive
Mon, 25 May 2009 22:37:33 -0700
Jenifer Langosch, of MLB.com, reports Pittsburgh Pirates RP Matt Capps (elbow) left the game after being hit on the right elbow by a line drive. After acting in a reflex using his right arm to shield a liner hit by Chicago Cubs C Geovany Soto, Capps hunched over and eventually walked off under his own power after talking with Pirates manager John Russell and a team trainer. He was scheduled to be taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital for X-rays. P Sean Burnett recorded the final two outs for his first MLB save.
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
Heh, Heh...Ozzie on the replay playing cheecan and jelling the heff ward...
Re: It's Matt Capps Signing Day
If the Cubs really wanted Matt Capps at the exclusion of other free-agent RH relievers, they should have offered the Pirates a couple of minor leaguers (like the Cubs got from Arizona for Aaron Heilman) prior to the December 12th non-tender, so that the Pirates would have gotten something in return for losing Capps, and the Cubs wouldn't have to compete with other clubs to sign Capps.
That's why it's wsometimes better to give up a player or players to get a player who is going to be non-tendered instead of waiting until the player becomes a free-agent.
Recent comments
Giants scare me. I think you're wrong about Bumgarner, he would pitch on short rest for Game 2 and then full rest for Game 5. Cueto would go Game 1, then short rest in game 4. Add in some really tough outs in that lineup and I want nothing to do with them. With that rotation they can easily steal a series.
Cards are a tough matchup. The rivalry evens out their comparable lack of talent. And like someone said, they love HRs, which is how to beat the Cubs. The upside is that I would feel really good about Lester twice against STL.
j.buchanan with a nice start...5ip 2h 1bb 3k, 0r/er
zobrist with 2HR and a double through 8
heyward 0-4 :(
Mark Gonzales @MDGonzales
Soler likely to return Sunday, Maddon says
Right now, I'd like to see the Mets first, Giants 2nd.
I believe that since most of the team from last years' NLCS is on the squad this year, they will really amp their game up even more to kick their ass in payback for 2015.
The Giants just do not have the depth in years past, and I think all things equal - and at Wrigley - they could handle them.
I do not want to see the Cards, period. Or their fans, media, or Joe Buck.
I don't want to play Braves in the first round. Any friggin team in the league can win 3 of 5..I hate the first round. Furthermore, I wanted to play the Marlins in 2003 and the Mets over Dodgers last year.
With that said in reverse order:
3. Cardinals: It will be devastating to lose in the first round, but even worse to their main rival. It is increased incentive for the Cardinals, especially after last year. Cards would have nothing to lose, Cubs have everything to lose.
2. Giants: Rotation in the playoffs scare me a bit, but what a lousy team.
1. Mets--because of the losses in the rotation
2. Giants--because they're not the team they were BUT they maybe have bullshit even-year magic?
3. Cardinals--because rivalry and not making the playoffs hurts them more than losing in the NLDS plus getting eliminated by them in the playoffs would make for horrible sports commentary next throughout next season.
Who's asking?
CLE/DET rained out last night already, possible rain-outs in New York (vs. Baltimore), Boston(vs. Toronto) and Philly(vs. Mets) this weekend too.
Not only games involving playoff spots that would need to be played, but any that involve home field advantage.
I got the first one! Second one I'm not even sure what even/odd betting is.
any opponent preference for NLDS?
Mets are down to 1 great pitcher instead of 4. Syndegaard may pitch Sunday which means if Mets win the WC game, he'd be set up for Game 1. There's a chance they clinch a spot by Sunday so he'd pitch the WC and then we'd probably get Colon for Game 1. They've certainly had the hottest bats over the last week and month out of the WC options.
A couple of Cub related puzzles.
Can't teach height and thinness
Hopefully Pirates don't call up A. Lincoln.
j.buchanan going friday...should be...baseball...or something like it.
Wow. I didn't know they could do that.
Nice for Willson, not so much for Addy.
Game is officially called...also officially a tie.
Stats count, no make-up date of course.


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When you're the child of one of the most famous celebrities in the world, it's glaringly obvious when your mother – in Chaz Bono's case, Cher – is not present when you are hoofing your heart out on Dancing with the Stars.
However, that's all about to change Monday night, Bono tells PEOPLE.
Last week, "she texted me right before Monday's show and said, 'I wanted people to be able to feel your presence and not take away from that and I think you've made your presence known now,' " Bono, 42, says.
"So I texted her back and I said, 'Okay, so if I make it through this week that means you'll come to Monday's show?' And she said, 'Yes.' "
Despite having the lowest score last week, Bono and partner Lacey Schwimmer were buoyed by the fan vote and advanced to week four of the competition. That means Cher will indeed have a reserved seat to see her son perform the paso doble.
"It's very exciting," Bono says, noting that "my mom and my stepmom Mary Bono Mack are coming, along with my aunt and uncle and my brother. It will be a real family affair."
Though this will be Cher's first trip to the ballroom, Bono says his mom has been "incredibly supportive" of him doing the show.
When the aches and pains of rehearsals were wreaking havoc on his knee, "she sent her acupuncturist and physical therapist over and that really helped me heal faster." And, he adds, "She's voting!"
"Dancing in front of 20 million people on live TV is nerve-wracking," says Bono. But dancing in front of his mother? Not so scary, he says.
"The pressure of wanting to do good for all the people who are supporting me is so much more intense for me than having my family in the audience rooting for me," Bono says. "It should be a very fun night."
Dancing with the Stars: Cher to Cheer on Chaz Bono
Jim Ruymen/Landov


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Top Definition
"did you see the girls on American Idol? All of them were wack!"
dascripta tarafından 2 Mart 2005, Çarşamba
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a beer that is frost brewed then delivered in a cold truck...for ultimate cold taste..while other beers are heat pasturized
"cold wack fo shizzle indeed" announcer on coors commercial
Bobby tarafından 12 Aralık 2004, Pazar


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How do you rate Doctor Who: Vincent and the Doctor? (5=Fantastic)
The ending made it a solid 5. It pulled very hard on the heart strings. Very well filmed, great lighting and colouring. One major thing I have noticed since the RTD era is that when ever RTD needed any form of light, he used rediculously bright spotlights. Moffat has used lighting very expertly to create a great atmosphere in all episodes of this season.


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A band fronted by Ville Valo and popularized among 12 year old girls by Bam Margera.
They sound like a shitty version of Tiamet.
HIM can blow me and then take their Sweet 666 from my revolver.
af Ri 20. januar 2005
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A truly amazing and beautiful Finnish band that lyrics resemble an ongoing story: a Romeo and Juliet kind of undying love with blindingly sensual & romantic lyrics. Beautiful keyboard melodies and rockin' guitar riffs that go with the deep dark sensual voice of singer and lyricalist Ville Valo who happens to be the most sexiest, beautiful talented man in rock 'n' roll. They have a gothic, vampouric kind of look which makes ville and their music even more irresitable. They've created a new type of music, Love Metal which has a combination of darkness and light. Check out they're albums, Greatest Love Songs 666, Razorblade Romance, Deep shadows and brillinat highlights, Love Metal.
"HIM are the best band ever"
af Jennifer 9. april 2004
Finnish "Love Metal" group that is fronted by singer/songwriter Ville Valo. They have songs such as "buried alive by love", "your sweet 666" and "sweet pandemonium" in english, and songs such as "paratiisi" in finnish. They also do covers like Billy Idol's "rebel yell", Blue Oyster Cult's "(dont fear) The Reaper", but most recognizably, Chris Isaac's "wicked game" off of their "Razorblade Romance" Cd.
They have yet to tour the U.S.
They have yet to tour the U.S.
"HIM is the best band in the world"
"Ville Valo from HIM smokes quite a bit, yet still manages to have a great voice for someone who smokes three packs a day"
"HIM is my favorite finnish band"
"Ville Valo from HIM smokes quite a bit, yet still manages to have a great voice for someone who smokes three packs a day"
"HIM is my favorite finnish band"
af HisInfernalMajesty (amy) 10. september 2003
An amazing band from Finland. Their tracks are commonly used in CKY dvd's. They were famous before Bam Margera liked them, and a lot of people liked them before he started promoting them. No disrespect to Bam though, him and Ville are great friends, after all.
Tomorrow seems so far away
and the wait in vein'
<3 <3 <3
Tomorrow seems so far away
and the wait in vein'
<3 <3 <3
af Carmii 30. april 2005
Him is an amazing band from Finland. Not only does Ville Valo have an incredible voice, but he's also very hot. HIM's lyrics are beautiful. Their different from any other lyrics that bands make. Their genre is Love Metal.
HIM is an amazing band.
af x__used.xcore 19. november 2005
pn. pronoun that refers to a male.
Sumbuddy: wy iz dis red stuf al over me sirt?
Guy: You were stabbed by him in the chest.
Guy: You were stabbed by him in the chest.
af Ken R. 22. november 2004
The best band ever. They have a really good sound and i cant get enough of them. All their videos are great. HIM also has the sexy lead singer Ville Valo. Ville Valo smokes and drinks a lot but he is still the most sexy man in the world. Ville Valo also has a deep sexy voice thats sounds great.
"Circle of Fear"
"Sweet Six Six Six"
"gone With the Sin"
and a lot more. all of their songs are awsome.
"Sweet Six Six Six"
"gone With the Sin"
and a lot more. all of their songs are awsome.
af Taylor 2. februar 2005
The Band His Infernal Majesty.Vocals Ville Valo Born 11.22.76,Bass Mige Born 12.19.74,Guitar Linde Born 8.12.76,Drums Gas Born 2.8.71,Keyboard Burton Born 10.17.74. The Band uses the symbol Heartagram which is also used by pro skateboarder and production company owner Bam Margera
The H.I.M concert kicked ass!!
af Ryan Raycraft 9. december 2003


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Similar to what happens when you make payments on a house or furniture until you own it (rent to own), it's when people borrow your sh*t, and intentionally never give it back. It usually happens when you loan stuff you don't use anymore, so you forget you loaned it out.
No need to cop a 5-year-old cd. Just get it from your best friend and borrow to own it.
af Underdawg215 22. november 2010
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Pasión, even the way most Latinos say it, the word drips with desire or anger, or un otro tipo de passion, because passion is not just love, n'ombre, it is a strength added to every emotion. A life sin pasión? No manches! That is a life not worth living.
The passionate Latino – Is it a stereotype? Is it truth? I can only say what I know, and I know Latinos to be a passionate people. It is an admirable trait – one that produces heroes willing to fight and even die for a cause, unforgettable all-consuming loves, and fierce loyalty, but it can also override the prized Anglo virtue of "sensibility". Pasión is emotion, as puro as 100 proof Tequila, and it can burn in the same way. Pasión does not stop to think. Chale! Pasión acts, consequences be damned.
In a marriage, pasión can be at times romantic, and at other times exhausting. A passionate man is just as likely to be violently hot-tempered as he is to bring you flowers and then kiss you from head to toe. Sometimes you don't know which you're going to get.