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Department of Ecology News Release - January 18, 2013
OLYMPIA - The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) has issued a Stage 1 burn ban in Stevens County. The ban takes effect immediately.
Ecology's Stage 1 burn bans for Stevens County will continue until at least 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2013, when it could be extended or called off. A Stage 1 ban applies to the use of uncertified wood-burning devices (including wood stoves, inserts and fireplaces) and to all outdoor burning.
Ecology's burn bans do not apply on tribal reservations, where the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has jurisdiction.
Smoke from outdoor burning and wood-burning devices builds up where cold air is trapped near the ground. Fine particles in smoke are so small they can easily get into your lungs. Once there, they can cause heart and breathing problems, and even death. Children, people with asthma and respiratory illnesses, and adults older than 65 are most at risk.
Under a Stage 1 ban:
A 2009 Ecology analysis estimates that fine particles contribute to about 1,100 deaths and about $190 million in health-care costs each year in Washington.
For burn ban updates:
The Washington State Department of Health recommends that people who are sensitive to air pollution limit time spent outdoors, especially when exercising. Air pollution can trigger asthma attacks, cause difficulty breathing, and make lung and heart problems worse.
Ecology recommends that people limit vehicle trips, combine errands or use public transportation to reduce air pollution.
You can track air quality in your area by using the Washington Air Quality Advisory (WAQA) at https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/enviwa/Default.ltr.aspx. This is Ecology's tool for informing people about the health effects of air pollution, including fine particles. It uses color-coded categories to show when air quality is good, moderate or unhealthy.
For more information about WAQA, see this Ecology fact sheet: https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/publications/publications/0802022.pdf.
Media Contact: Brook Beeler, Ecology communications manager, 509-329-3478; 509-290-0855 cell; email@example.com
For more information:
List of certified wood stoves and other information (http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/indoor_woodsmoke/wood_smoke_page.htm)
Tips on getting the most heat from your firewood (http://burndryfirewood.com/)
Check for Ecology burn bans (http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/outdoor_woodsmoke/Burn_Ban.htm)
Washington Air Quality Advisory (https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/enviwa/)
WAQA fact sheet (https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/publications/publications/0802022.pdf)
Ecology analysis of fine particles and health (https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/publications/publications/0902021.pdf)
Ecology's social media (www.ecy.wa.gov/about/newmedia.html)
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.htm


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How dashing!
Have some story updates!
Story: Loss (Update Chapter 7!)
Author: Caffum
Description: The Elements of Harmony are six of the closest friends in all of Equestria. But when a sudden tragedy strikes down one of the elements, how will the other five be able to handle their lives? Will they find the strength in themselves and each other to live on, or will their inability to cope cause more tragedy for group?Loss
Labels: Author: Caffum, Everypony, Incomplete, Sad, Star-5, Story
Story: Envy and Arrogance (Update Part 17!)
[Adventure] [Tragedy]
Author: Mindblower
Description: With the help of forces beyond their control, six friends discover their true importance in Equestria's timeline. With this new knowledge in hoof, they must try to figure out whom or what has crosshairs on their foreheads. The Elements of Harmony aren't the only weapons of mass destruction in Equestria.Envy and Arrogance
Labels: Adventure, Author: Mindblower, Everypony, Grimdark, Incomplete, Scootaloo, Star-5, Story
Story: The Princess Bridle (Update Part 4!)
[Crossover] [Adventure] [Comedy] [Light Shipping] [Light Grimdark]
Author: SonGoharotto
Description: A reluctant princess finds herself a pawn in the schemes of wicked ponies, but her salvation may come from the least likely source.The Princess Bridle
Labels: Adventure, Author: SonGoharotto, Big Mac, comedy, Crossover, Cutie Mark Crusaders, Grimdark, Incomplete, Prince Blueblood, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Shipping, Star-Needed, Story
Story: A Heart of Stone (Update Part 9!)
[Shipping] [Dark] [Comedy] [Sad]
Author: BorgiaBrony
Description: Before The Mane 6, before Nightmare Moon, before the all chaos, there was a little alicorn and a young draconequus. After a chance meeting one summer morning, they begin a relationship that spans millenniums, and its not always a happy one.A Heart of Stone
Story: Divergence (Update Part 9!)
Author: Seattle_Lite
Description: A different approach to Rainbow Dash's story in Episode 2. The most loyal of ponies faces the most difficult test of her virtue; does she hold the greater loyalty to her friends wishes and esteem for her, or their safety and wellbeing?Divergence
Labels: Adventure, Author: Seattle_Lite, Everypony, Incomplete, Luna, Normal, Rainbow Dash, Star-5, Story

subset: commoncrawl


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It's Saturday and you might be hankering for some new music for the weekend. Check out these free downloads from a few new exciting Indie artists.
Torres – A Strange Hello – download – TORRES knows the darkness. The Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter otherwise known as Mackenzie Scott waits until anything—an idea, an emotion, a memory—gnaws at her, tearing at her fingers and throat until she releases it in song. Her husky voice strains against its human biological constraints like a wild-eyed horse, whispering desperately "Don't give up on me just yet" on one end and yowling about jealousy with unnerving intensity on the other. Following her self-titled debut in 2013, TORRES pushes herself to even noisier extremes on Sprinter, a punishing self-examination of epic spiritual and musical proportions.
Claws – Feel It All – download – CLAWS is an American alt-pop duo from Atlanta, GA comprised of sultry siren Amber Renee and four-time Grammy-winning producer & multi-instrumentalist Graham Marsh (Cee-Lo Green, Bruno Mars, T.I.). After a decade of working at the highest levels of the music industry with stars like Cee Lo Green, Bruno Mars, and T.I., Graham Marsh became disillusioned with the pop music world. At the height of his commercial success in 2012, he quit his job as Cee Lo Green's right-hand man to pursue a music career that would fulfill him creatively.
Ellie Swisher – Right Back at Ya – download – Ellie Swisher is an up and coming new pop artist. Influenced by both the new and the old, she is boldly bringing a fresh take on the modern pop song. From quirky to retro to electronic to classical, this notable newcomer has a bit of everything in her arsenal. She is shaping up to be a prime candidate for the next Billboard chart topper. Keep an eye out as she quickly ascends, this is one artist you won't want to miss.
Alpha Rev – The Promise – download – Above all else, Alpha Rev is a journey into the depths of the human experience. Frontman Casey McPherson's gripping, emotional songwriting dares others to search out hope in the bleakest of circumstances and the unique instrumentation pays homage to the classical music that gave him his love for the art. While McPherson's songwriting and rock-inspired vocals form the core of Alpha Rev's music, he is supported by a unique cast of musicians that fill Alpha Rev's songs with as much classical beauty as American rock.
Chelsea Burns – City Mess – download – Chelsea Burns' debut EP, City Mess, was inspired by experiences during her first four years living in Chicago. These personal songs about love and loss, finding inspiration and staying true to who she is as an artist, showcase her songwriting style while her beautiful vocals bring the songs to life.


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BP Comment Quick Links
|Strength of Schedule Report
December 13, 2009
Transaction Analysis
AL Action
Non-tendered RHPs Jose Arredondo and Dustin Moseley, and 3B-R Matt Brown. [12/12]
For the arbitration-eligible Arredondo, his was after it was confirmed that he'd be out for all of 2010 recuperating from Tommy John surgery. Moseley and Brown are in contrast elective decisions, and a reminder that clubs can non-tender even those players not arbitration-eligible if they decide that they'd rather employ the 40-man roster spots in other ways. You can wonder about the timing, since the Angels lost two players in the Rule 5 draft, but they're now down to at least 35 players, which suggests plenty of activity to come, without even getting into some of the more questionable choices from among the kept.
Acquired RHP Kevin Millwood and $3 million to help pay him with from the Rangers for RHP Chris Ray and a PTBNL (Rule 5 pick LHP Ben Snyder). [12/9]
I love the decision to add Millwood not simply because of the atmospherics-the meme about the veteran workhorse joining a talented young rotation, etc.-or his relative track record, but because it's exactly right in terms of adding that guy for just a single season. Maybe this is a reflection of the past premiums the Orioles have had to pay to get someone to choose Baltimore, but adding Millwood for a single season at roughly $7 or 8 million (the $12 million he's due, less the $3 million, less Ray's arbitration-boosted payday to come) is an outstanding adaptation to a market that wasn't likely to yield his combination of good work and reliable turn-taking at that price. For a year, the organization can let Brad Bergesen, Chris Tillman, Brian Matusz, David Hernandez, Jake Arrieta, and Jason Berken earn turns in the big-league rotation behind Millwood and Jeremy Guthrie, perhaps phase out or deal Guthrie, and then let Millwood walk away, leaving 2011 draft picks in his wake. It's just one more reason why the Orioles won't be a fun matchup for the favored three atop the division, which should make for the most interesting Orioles team to watch in more than a decade.
Claimed RHP Ramon Ramirez off of waivers from the Rays; signed LHP Fabio Castro to a split contract. [12/9]
There isn't really much that's news-worthy news here. There's the decidedly trivia-oriented development that they now have both Ramon Ramirezes, of course, creating comparisons to the days when teams simultaneously employed the Bobby Joneses, or the Bob Millers, or the truly trivial Mike Smiths. I'd put the decisions to employ both Ken Griffeys and both Tim Raineses into the category of deliberate father/son publicity stunts, but we'll have to see if Theo Epstein's essentially doing no better with this movelet, in that he's been a reliable recycler of roster spots, and I wouldn't bet on Ramon Ramirez the Lesser being on this team's 40-man in February, let alone April or May.
The more interesting decision was getting the arb-eligible and surgically repaired Boof the Magnificent from the Twins before the market got its shot at him. It might prove a canny little move, but assuming Bonser's in full operating order, the real question then becomes whether or not the club thinks it can teach him something to a career-long 200-point swing in OPS in terms of his platoon split, as lefties have tattooed him at a .316/.375/.516 clip, while he's held righties to a ROOGY-worthy .247/.296/.404. That makes him more like the first Ramon Ramirez than the lastest Ramon Ramirez in terms of utility, although whether that makes him an honorary RamRam remains to be determined. If he winds up as the notional sixth starter ahead of Junichi Tazawa and Michael Bowden, it'll be a modest move with value beyond his performance, assuming Tazawa needs the time as a PawSock and Bowden needs to be used as a bargaining chip.
Signed RHP J.J. Putz to a one-year, $3 million contract. [12/11]
I love this move for the White Sox, not simply because it helps put the burden of earning his keep directly back on Bobby Jenks' shoulders, but because if he does show up in better shape and ready to deal, this could wind up being a bullpen every bit as nasty as the 2005 unit. Sort of like Dustin Hermanson from that squad, Putz is a post-surgery project, but with Herm Schneider's training staff, the Sox are in a particularly good position to accept such risks. If they wind up with a late-game quartet of Jenks, Matt Thornton, Putz, and Scott Linebrink, with Tony Pena and/or a lefty-to-be-named later in supporting roles, that's potentially outstanding. Add in the likelihood of Daniel Hudson stepping into Carrasco's long-relief role (while awaiting a shot at the rotation behind a fine front five), and it's a pitching staff that could go toe-to-toe with anybody's. As Kenny Williams already knows, it's also still a potentially outstanding unit without Jenks in it, there's still every opportunity to make the right move, especially if Jenks yields a useful veteran outfielder at the tail end of his contract.
Designated RHP Adam Miller for assignment; non-tendered RHPs Anthony Reyes and Jose Veras. [12/12]
Designated RHP Freddy Dolsi for assignment. [12/9]
Released DH-L Mike Jacobs and LHP John Bale. [12/10]
Buck's been such a paragon of stagnation you might wonder how the Royals might have worked up the nerve to ditch him and provide a powder-blue Valhalla for Kendall at the tail end of the worn-down warhorse's career, but I think it's fair to say the distinction's mostly going to be cosmetic. Keep in mind, Kendall's .243 EqA last year was lower than either Buck's or Miguel Olivo's (.261 for both), which makes any notion of offensive improvement improbable. Whether Kendall's reputation as a better framer of pitches and all-around receiver helps will probably end up being more readily suggested anecdotally, in that if hurlers like Bannister or Davies or Luke Hochevar all turn corners, that's something that only suggests Kendall's importance, sort of like the massive failures of Jeff Suppan or Manny Parra or Braden Looper with Kendall there to help them suggests that there are reasons to not get really worked up over the data. The best you can say is maybe it'll matter, and if this move helps the careers of the young pitchers who are the best cause for hope in Kansas City, so much the better.
Of course, there is the snaggy/nasty matter of Dayton Moore's track record, with Jacobs representing a particularly spectacular example of why hope's all well and good, but faith might be misplaced. There's no real tap-dancing to be done here-picking up Jacobs last winter was a bad move that turned out badly, so tossing him back out on the market might at least have the beneficial effect of lowering the price on any lefty-batting alternatives for next year's DH duties by adding a rivulet of near-mediocrity to a free-agent pool already awash in Aubrey Huffs and Jack Custs and the like. Of course, they could always just help the pitchers that wee extra bit by getting Jose Guillen out of the pasture, and employing an outfielder who outfields, but that creates the new burden of having Guillen in the dugout most of the time, and will Trey Hillman sign up for that? I suppose there's also the question of whether, between Alberto Callaspo and Chris Getz at second, Alex Gordon, Josh Fields, and Callaspo at third, and Kila Ka'aihue on the 40-man, they might see themselves as sufficiently set with overlaps in the infield that they'll skip on adding another second-division slugger, and just parcel out the DH at-bats by rotating everyone through the slot. As long as they add outfield help and avoid another 400-plus PA season for Willie Bloomquist, it might resemble progress.
Traded RHP Boof Bonser to the Red Sox for a PTBNL. [12/10]
Since it seemed certain that the Twins were going to non-tender Bonser, getting something for nothing's not the worst play on the planet. Province isn't a major prospect, throwing in the high 80s from a three-quarters delivery, but he induces a ton of wormkillers, with 3.3 grounders to every fly. Picked in the fourth round of the 2007 draft out of SE Louisiana State, he took a shot at starting in 2008, perhaps predictably got strafed in Lancaster's hitters haven, but was better in the Sally League, so he isn't automatically marooned in a relief role. He'll be 25, but won't need to be added to the 40-man, so there's no additional complication in adding him; the Twins get a year to see whether he's a keeper and what he's for. They also got back Bonser's roster spot and spared themselves the expense of investigating whether or not he'll be a contributor. Whatever the Minnesota legacy of Boof may be, they've already long since won the Pierzynski trade, just on the basis of Joe Nathan alone, but if Francisco Liriano comes around, they're even further into brag-worthy rip-off territory.
Received Rule 5 pick OF-R Jamie Hoffman from the Nationals to complete the Brian Bruney trade. [12/11]
Ditching Wang to avoid an uncomplicated payout via arbitration, and keeping the chance to work out an incentive-laden deal, makes good sense-canny financial management's worthwhile, even in the mega-market, big-money behemoth category of franchises. The real question's over why the Yankees would tender Sergio Mitre a contract, because as long as you're being pound-wise, why keep that roster bon-bon on the plate? The only team that finds that suggestion sweet is the team the Yankees face on the days they employ him. Perhaps we can consider this a Joltless Joe Girardi roster tax, as he gets to keep a designated Marlin, no differently than Joe Torre was permitted his Bellingers and his Grimsleys as a matter of convenience.
Released RHP Santiago Casilla. [12/10]
Ditching Cust after three years and 309 walks and 84 homers and 546 strikeous might be cause for mourning among those of us who belonged to the original Rob Deer Fan Club and kid around about Three True Outcomes, but it's also a reflection that the real lessons of Moneyball weren't about OBP, they were about money management and identifying undervalued assets. Cust can obviously hit in the major leagues, and it takes teams as occasionally maladapted as the Orioles to not notice. But Cust's hitting isn't valuable enough to be worth more than the $2.8 million he was paid last year, and arbitration was sure to secure for him a higher annual compensation rate than that. Headed into his age-31 season, he also isn't exactly your average arbitration-eligible, since he's already past his 25-29 prime. As a free agent, he's an example of why not every player does better on the market, and that arbitration is not a salary-suppression device for all. Now he's a DH looking for a shot at one of the very few gigs available for a player of his type, which only lowers his value in a market that features Jim Thome, Hank Blalock, Jason Giambi, Matt Stairs, and Gary Sheffield, not to mention guys like Chad Tracy or Eric Hinske, who might be able to play multiple positions and the like. If Cust or his agent is smart, he'll gun for a DH job in a hitter-friendly park sooner rather than later, seeing if the White Sox or Blue Jays or even the Royals might nibble. Thome's going to get one of the few DH slots open, so it's better to move fast than to hope somebody leaves their dance card open.
Signed OF-L Corey Patterson and INF-R Josh Wilson to minor-league contracts. [12/10]
Acquired RHP Rafael Soriano from the Braves in exchange for RHP Jesse Chavez; signed Soriano to a one-year, $7.25 million deal; sold Rule 5 pick LHP Armando Zerpa to the Dodgers. [12/11]
There's plenty in play here, which is what makes this Rays' after-party in the wake of the Winter Meetings so interesting. Getting Soriano at this price for a single season's a better play than almost anything they stood to gain in the open market, and Soriano has to be relatively happy about what this means in terms of winding up with an organization that's less likely stuck in an auto-ambush escapade next winter. Add in that they effectively got him with their previous decision to deal Akinori Iwamura, having flipped Chavez to get Soriano. Even with Chavez's mid-90s heat, he isn't a great bet to grow up to be a quality reliever, so the Rays fortuitously got a surprise benefit from being budget hawks with Iwamura early, and then not having to give up anything they'd really miss to wind up adding a modest amount of salary.
The decision to trade Iwamura was a ripple effect, of course, of the determination that they had preferred options at second base. That's still relevant now that they've non-tendered Gross, because with Ben Zobrist on the roster, they're in an interesting situation as far as who might get lineup time, and where. It would be easy to expect that they've finally created an opportunity for Matt Joyce to earn at least a portion of the job in right field, splitting time with Gabe Kapler. However, because Willy Aybar and Reid Brignac both have their uses, Zobrist could still be in play as a semi-regular right fielder, effectively landing Joyce into a competition with an established veteran and a fellow prospect for at-bats, because wherever he plays, Zobrist seems set in a lineup slot. Non-tendering Gross is just another ripple, but who gets washed up versus washed out by Zobrist's flexibility should make for an interesting job battle in spring training.
The backstop solutions are interesting, because it's especially interesting that Navarro essentially chose security over arbitration hard-ball, since he made $2.1 million last year, and wasn't guaranteed to lose his case given the system's idiosyncrasies. So he gets a chance to see if he can bounce back while sharing the job with Kelly Shoppach, a reasonable enough combo if the Rays elect to retain Navarro and not deal him, this agreement notwithstanding. Non-tendering Riggans seems sensible enough, since he's broken down repeatedly despite the team's attempts to make him their backup backstop. The question now is whether or not he'd be willing to re-up as a minor-league free agent, but given the market for catching of any flavor, I could see how he'd be better served to shop around and see if he can find a circumstance that doesn't involve a locked-in pair of big-league catchers already set for the Opening Day roster, as the Rays are with Navarro and Shoppach.
Finally, there's the decisions to re-up with Cormier and Choate. Choate's only making a wee bit above the minimum, and since they've already let Brian Shouse slip away via free agency, as second lefties go, there's not much cause to quibble about a cheap choice. Cormier's a little bit more odd, since he wasn't hugely effective as an middle-innings sponge, posting just a 0.618 WXRL, and his less win-sensitive Adjusted Runs Prevented mark was a similarly mediocre 9.7, and his BABIP was a cooperatively low .264, which we can't bet on seeing in 2010. Still, he was useful, and it isn't like we're talking major money. It's worth wondering if they couldn't do better, but it's also small beer.
Traded RHP Kevin Millwood and $3 million to the Orioles for RHP Chris Ray and a PTBNL (Rule 5 pick LHP Ben Snyder). [12/9]
Because so much of the Rangers' bid for the AL West is an upside play, it might seem a bit surprising that they decided to raise the stakes even further by swapping in the unpredictable, fragile Harden for Millwood. However, it's worth noting that however reliably Millwood took his turns, he's also provided his share of disappointments, as his SNWP has bounced around from from .514 in 2006 to .443 in 2007 to .452 in 2008 to .547 last year. Not that Harden was not himself a disappointment last year (.488 SNWP with the Cubs), but it was a strange season in Wrigley, and maybe his park-independent power assortment will play well enough on the Ballpark in Arlington grill that has burned so many men on the bump before. However much buy-in you might have for the conditioning program and what that meant for Millwood, the track record's sufficiently inconsistent (to be polite) that it made more sense to bank his 2009 and see if you could find someone more capable of sustaining next year's rotation. Since they're also going to have to determine who's in the front five beyond Scott Feldman and Tommy Hunter, the exciting possibility is that Neftali Feliz will be back in the mix, although with Derek Holland, Brandon McCarthy, and Matt Harrison, there's no end of immediately ready candidates, with Omar Poveda, Luis Mendoza, and eventually a recovered Eric Hurley all coming into the picture as well. As Jamey Newberg suggests, the wild card is whether or not their off-season discussions with C.J. Wilson about rotation work bear fruit; if those go beyond interesting theoreticals, and become a going concern, that might leave Feliz in the bullpen mix as one of may talented hard throwers, keeping his workload under control.
As is, Snyder's another worthwhile addition to that kind of relief crew, and could become the power situational lefty that makes moving Wilson into the rotation that much easier to absorb. Ray's the ex-(briefly) famous person, but he might wind up being little more than a token right-handed veteran, assuming last season's thumping isn't a signal that his upside's going to be missing for a while yet. Between biceps tendinitis and utter hopelessness versus lefties, there's not a lot of cause to cut Ray any additional slack, even in a pen where only two slots seem set: closer Frank Francisco and ROOGY Darren O'Day, last season's free-talent find.
Non-tendered C-R Raul Chavez. [12/12]
With Rod Barajas already a free agent, this move thereby created the immediate impression that "the Blue Jays have no catcher!" That's assuming that with Barajas and/or Chavez in the fold, they had one, because if that's the standard, you can always pay Box O'Rocks the big-league minimum and come out about as well. It's a pity they can't fuse J.P. Arencibia and Brian Jeroloman into one player, since they each have two of the Three True Outcomes going for them; Jeroloman walks or strikes out, while Arencibia homers or strikes out, and neither of them does their one good element well enough to get beyond the fact that what they really do is just strike out. Pickings on the market are universally drab, so it's really in the Jays' interest to just wait it out and see who on the market is willing to settle for the available service time at the right price.
Thanks to Kevin Goldstein for his insight into all things prospect-related.
Thanks to Kevin Goldstein for his insight into all things prospect-related.
Christina Kahrl is an author of Baseball Prospectus.
17 comments have been left for this article.
BP Comment Quick Links
For Pedro Feliz to contribute to Texas' pitching staff, they'd first have to trade for him, then convert him into a pitcher. Seems a lot of work, when they have a Neftali Feliz who already fits the bill :)
Dec 13, 2009 14:05 PM
Lets see ... the Rays traded Edwin Jackson and Akinora Iwamira and got essentially one year of control over Rafael Soriano and the headache of still trying to find a spot for Matt Joyce ...
Dec 14, 2009 08:30 AM
I'm a little surprised that the non-tendering of Reyes received no comment. Has he really sunk so far?
Dec 14, 2009 09:18 AM
He's hurt, and has already been re-signed, so there's not really a lot to say. He's still in the organization, and still figures to miss much of the year.
Dec 14, 2009 09:39 AM
I thought I had seen on ESPN that the Jays had signed John Buck. But I can't find it now.
Dec 14, 2009 09:45 AM
The signing of Kendall is beyond dumb. Well, actually it isn't. Just another bad move by GMDM. I wish Atlanta would take this goober back.
Dec 14, 2009 10:52 AM
Mike Smith
"or the truly trivial Mike Smiths"
Dec 14, 2009 14:35 PM
Perhaps I should have specified my Michael Anthony Smiths, 'Texas' versus 'Mississippi.' Back in the '30s, they'd have nicknamed one of them 'Wang Dang Doodle' Smith, the other 'Smitty,' and been done with the confusion.
Dec 14, 2009 15:37 PM
Richard Bergstrom
Anything is better than the Alex Gonzalez nightmare... both played shortstop and both were tempting and frustrating fantasy options (for different reasons).
Dec 14, 2009 18:19 PM
Mike Smith
The decline in quality baseball nicknames is quite appalling. Perhaps a new BP featurette?
Dec 14, 2009 21:11 PM
RE The Rays' middle infield options: Sean Rodriguez also is an option at second base when Zobrist is in right field. I'd like to see what he can do with extended at-bats at sea level, but he's at least interesting to me.
Dec 15, 2009 03:27 AM
Absolutely, but in the same way that the Rays didn't just shunt Gabe Gross aside and run with Matt Joyce, I wouldn't necessarily bet they'd lock in on Rodriguez before first looking at the men ahead of him. It'll definitely make things interesting if Rodriguez has a big first couple of months at Durham.
Dec 15, 2009 14:40 PM
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Have Ford Questions? Ask a Mechanic for Answers ASAP
Can you tell me if the rear brake lights are working when you step on the brake pedal?
ok- You are going to need to replace the Brake Light Switch. THis switch controls both the brake lights, and the Shift Interlock (which allows you to shift from Park when the brake pedal is depressed). This switch is located at the top of the brake pedal arm.


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Java Draw Created Aug 06, 2009 470 x 338px Unless noted Copyright 2009 leostarx.
We encourage you to submit a comment and let the artist know what you think of this drawing. Please log in or join to post a comment.
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beautiful flower, very nice effect! 5/5
Oops, I meant nice work...
Lovely composition and colours. Nice wrok!
Very pretty! I love the shading!!!! I can't draw like that. Good job! 5/5


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Bubblegum bonanza: Top 5 '80s teen idols
When it comes to drooling over the teen heartthrobs of the '80s, Sherrie Williams admits she has no shame. So she was drafted to write today's guest blog entry. Please, no kissing the computer screen.
Female fans of '80s nation may remember waiting breathlessly for the next issue of their favorite teen poster magazines to arrive so they could paper their bedroom walls with the smiling (and sometimes snarling) faces of their beloved heartthrobs.
Alarmingly, photos exist of myself and friends at a sleepover subjecting a completely innocent Rick Springfield poster to some inappropriate touching. We're sorry, Rick; we were under the influence of Tiger Beat glossy pinups and Jolt Cola! Here are my ...
TOP 5 '80s TEEN HEARTTHROBS:
5. TOM CRUISE: While we may not want to fess up to adoring Tom Cruise now that he has crossed over well into the land of pure crazy, he was red hot in the mid to late '80s. Tom Cruise highlights include the Old Time Rock and Roll dance in Risky Business and the ultimate cinematic moment of '80s bubblegum culture - the volleyball scene in Top Gun.
4. JOHN STAMOS: John Stamos was on the cover of dozens of teen magazines in the early '80s during his run as Blackie Parrish, the tough street kid with the heart of gold on General Hospital. While he may have become more famous as Uncle Jessie on Full House near the end of the decade, his picture was plastered on millions of teen girl's walls as Blackie Parrish.
3. ROB LOWE: First hitting many of our radars as Soda Pop in The Outsiders, Rob Lowe just got bigger as the decade progressed. A 1988 sex tape controversy dimmed his appeal as a teen idol, but he will always be remembered as member the Brat Pack. His highlights in the decade include About Last Night and St. Elmo's Fire.
2. PICK THE DURAN DURAN MEMBER OF YOUR CHOICE: Simon Le Bon and John Taylor seemed to lead the heavily moussed and eyeliner clad pack back then, but each member of DD had their loyal supporters.
1. RICK SPRINGFIELD: I declare Rick Springfield the number one teen heartthrob of the '80s; even as he speeds toward 60 he makes many hearts go into palpitations when he appears on stage. Between his television role as Dr. Noah Drake on General Hospital, a handful of hit albums and top 10 hits and the forgettable (but totally inspiring at the time) film Hard to Hold, Rick was the king of all media to '80s teen girls.
Those just missing the list include Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio (and the most of the rest of the cast of The Outsiders), John Schneider, Val Kilmer and the wretched but once loved Coreys, Corey Haim and Corey Feldman. Do you have other suggestions? Take a trip back to those bubblegum days and remember these and other '80s teen heartthrobs.


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None still...
Quote from: HunterofThePegs on September 1, 2006, 11:41 AMNone still... Ditto.
KAY-BEE STANDARD RESPONSE: "All we have is 1990's 'Robocop' toys."WHICH MEANS: "Holy ******* ****, please shoot m
2 more today at TRU gives me 12. I think I'm pretty much done here.
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"Active political support is required at the highest level to implement essential reforms in Pakistan ... It will be worthwhile to consider the President for co-signing the letter of intent (for any future arrangement)," IMF's post-evaluation draft report for a new 11.3-billion dollar bailout programme was quoted as saying by The Express Tribune.
A letter of intent states the policies a borrowing country intends to implement with the help of its financial assistance.
It is a standard practice for a recipient country


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If you are just checking in with us here, I'm going through the book Practicing Hospitality: The Joy of Serving Others chapter by chapter and sharing what I'm learning as I go along.
Click here to read my thoughts on Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. We're over halfway done with this book, folks!
Chapter Six is entitled, "Hospitality and Others" and this chapter has me hoppin' with excitement! I thought this chapter ROCKED and I so wish you'd grab a copy of this book if only to read this one chapter!
For starters, they opened with the following scripture verse:
"What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?" James 2:14-16The rest of the chapter dealt with offering hospitality to particular groups of people who have need of fellowship, and offered specific suggestions as to how you can include these groups into your service of others.
The group I'm going to
The reason I want to hone in on the singles here is because I think they are a sadly neglected lot by those who are married and who have families. This is a big problem. When I moved away from home, I moved halfway across the country. I joined a new church and not one family invited me into their homes. (It wasn't because I refused to bathe either. I wasn't altogether odious.) They just...didn't think of it! But I was alone, lonely, next-to-friendless and definitely lacked family in the area. I would have said yes to anyone who asked me over for a meal but, in fact, no one did.
Part of this, I realize, is a West Coast thing. I moved from the South to the West Coast and there is a dramatically huge difference in the extent to which people offer hospitality to others. It's a lost art on the West Coast! However, let me drive this point home:
No matter where a single person lives, they crave fellowship, community and a sense of belonging.
A smile will take them a long way. Communication can move mountains. Inviting them to be a part of your family life and home is a blessing beyond description. So DO IT! Speaking from the perspective of a former single and very lonely new-person-on-the-block, make an effort to offer them hospitality.
I loved that the authors of this book called in Nancy Leigh DeMoss to address this topic. DeMoss shares the following in this chapter:
"When singles are assimilated into families, everyone benefits. The single adult can have a strong spiritual influence on children that reinforces the training provided by their parents. Singles can meet the needs of parents, such as to have time alone without the children. Families can provide friendship and encouragement to singles. Both families and singles can offer each other mutual support, counsel, accountability, and prayer." (Chapter 6, page 167)That is so true. You don't need to be a parent in order to know how to connect with a child. In fact, some of my favorite babysitters when I was growing up were some single gals that my parents had befriended. They would come to our home to be around our family and frequently my parents had an opportunity to dash out of the house for a bit on their own. I assume that they enjoyed that freedom because I know I would enjoy the same situation now that I'M a parent!
In fact, I clearly remember two college aged girls that helped my mom host my first slumber party. I thought it was SO COOL that they came and were a part of celebrating my birthday.
My own children absolutely adore their single aunt who loves on them fiercely. They are also quite the enthusiastic fans over an adopted aunt that is a wonderful part of our lives. (In fact, we're excited that this adopted aunt is marrying an awesome guy this summer and now we'll have an adopted uncle to boot!) We are looking forward to sharing our home for a month this summer with a single friend and I know that will be a fun adventure and one that I'm very much looking forward to. We've just had fabulous experiences including singles in our life and I never want to stop doing that! I never CAN stop doing that because I remember what it was like to BE a single and to be seriously alone - away from everything I knew - and sometimes just generally lonely.
Befriend a single. Keep an eye out for them. Bless them with your GOOD fellowship. Listen to them, talk with them, and remember to make time to have FUN with them. Let them be a part of your life and I think you'll find it a delight to be a part of theirs.
With appreciation for the points Ennis and Tatlock make here...


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church(redirected from churched)
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
darken a church door
To attend church or a service therein. I was raised Catholic, but I haven't darkened a church door since I was 15 years old.
broad church
1. A label referring to a group of 17th-century English theologians who adhered to some practices of the Church of England but disregarded other elements of the Church, such as doctrine and liturgical practice. Primarily heard in UK. The broad church movement in 17th-century England may have helped shape the more liberal views and practices of modern-day Christianity.
2. A group or organization composed of various types of people with differing views, opinions, or philosophies. Primarily heard in UK. The Independent Party is a broad church as its members hold wildly differing opinions on how to best solve the problems facing society today.
be as poor as church mice
To have little to no money. Now that we're paying a mortgage, we're as poor as church mice.
church ain't out till they quit singing
Something is not over yet. Yes, we've had some setbacks this season, but that's no excuse to give up. Church ain't out till they quit singing!
church key
A tool used to remove caps from glass bottles and puncture lids on cans. The phrase can also be used simply as slang for a bottle opener. Be sure to bring a church key with you so we can open up the bottles! Here, use this church key to open that can of soup.
Church ain't out till they quit singing.
Rur. things have not yet reached the end. Charlie: No way our team can win now. Mary: Church ain't out till they quit singing. There's another inning to go.
church key
a two-ended device used to remove bottle tops and to pierce a hole in can lids. I'm looking for the church key so I can open this beer. She opened the can of tomato juice with the church key.
nearer the church, the farther from God
Prov. Church officials, or people who live near the church, are not truly pious. Jill: I think our pastor is an evil man. Jane: I didn't think evil men could be pastors. Jill: Of course they can! The nearer the church, the farther from God.
*poor as a church mouseand *poor as church mice
very poor. (*Also: as ~.) My aunt is as poor as a church mouse. The Browns are poor as church mice.
a broad church(British)
an organization that includes many different types of people with different opinions The Congress remains a broad church with members from a diversity of backgrounds.
be as poor as church mice(old-fashioned)
to be very poor When we first got married, we were as poor as church mice.
poor as a churchmouse
Having little or no wealth and few possessions, as in She's poor as a churchmouse, so you can't expect her to donate anything. The reason for this long-used simile is unclear, but most believe that, since churches are not known for storing food, a mouse inside one would fare poorly. It has survived such earlier phrases as poor as Job. [Second half of 1600s]
See also: poor
church key
n. a beer can opener designed to puncture a can, leaving a triangular hole; a bottle opener. (Older. No longer widely known, but still in use. One type of bottle opener is formed from metal following the outline of a large keyhole. This may have contributed to the origin of this term.) Where is the church key when I need it?
See you in churchand CUIC
sent. & comp. abb. See you around.; See you where I normally see you. (Has nothing to do with an actual church.) Bye. See you in church.


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Courtesy of Loop 21
We all watched 'Basketball Wives' star Evelyn Lozada as she met, fell in love with, got engaged to, and planned her wedding to Chad Ochocinco. However, unlike fellow reality star Kim Kardashian's much-publicized proposal episode, what the cameras never caught with Evelyn and Chad was the moment he asked her to marry him.
And that could be because there never was one. Evelyn sat down with V-103 radio host Egypt to talk her new (and ex) fiance.
Evelyn, how did Chad propose to you?
I wish I had a really romantic story to tell you, but it's not so romantic. A jeweler came to the house, had a few rings, he had my ring in a separate box. I, of course, chose that one. [Chad] had a headset on and he was like, 'You like it?' and I was like, 'Yep' and I put it on and he goes, 'Okay cool,' and he started playing Call of Duty.


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Here is some links to on-line suppliers for high temp wire in 3 individual 5 foot cut lenght. The 12 AWG wire can be hard to find locally sometime.
or by the foot http://www.electronicplus.com/content/ProductPage.asp?maincat=wr&subcat=whi
pic of the side by side comparison of the factory 16 gauge high temp wire and the 12 gauge high temp wire.
Notice the strand count on the different gauges.There is a big difference.
Maybe using the 12 gauge is Little overkill but the again i only wanted to do this once.
Here is the specs on the Ma 12 Guage wire 600 Max Volts, Max Temperature 400ºF to 200ºC. 12 gauge UL Style 3074, CSA Type SEW-2.
pic of the Female flag push on high temp connectors i used.
High temperature push-on terminals are constructed of steel plated nickel.
Rated for continuous operating temperature of 482° C (900° F), intermittent rating of 649° C (1200° F).
The rings for the ground wire are made up of the same high temp steel plated nickel.
Side by side comparison completed wires with the new connectors crimped on and ready to install.
Notice I made the new wire 2 inches longer to allow for more play.
This is the factory 16 gauge wire. Their all black except the Green wire is used for the ground.
This is the new 12 gauge wire.
I used the white wire for the ground and the red wire for the connection from the heating element to the lower power control board.
Pic of the back of the MES with the old wiring installed before I removed it.
pic of the new wire installed on the back of the MES.
I had to take the connection box covers off and remove the grommets in them to get the wire threw.
I was able to do this with the new connectors installed on the 12 gauge wire.
Close up of the new wire push on end connectors installed on the heating element before the connection box cover where installed.
I used the white wire for ground wire.
Close up of the new wire push on end connectors installed before the connection box cover where installed.
This is the Snap-Action Thermostat on the upper Right hand side of the MES (looking from the back of the unit)
The new white ground wire installed on the lower bottom back side of the unit.
The other side of this white ground wire goes to the ground in between the heating element leads.
The green ground wire you see is from the power cord.
This is the lower power control board.Located under the MES with all the new connections and wire installed.


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Strikers vs. Raiders – it's like the Trojans-Bruins, or Sharks-Jets of Southern California club soccer.
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By James F. Burns
Retired professor
University of Florida
Four family stories of endurance begin in the Ohio wilderness of 1798. A bone-chilling wind whipped through the forest, the howling harbinger of a driving snowstorm. John Hosbrook had run into a blizzard on his homeward hike from the fort where he had replenished his family's salt supply. That family and a warm cabin awaited him—if only he could get there.
When liberals first pointed out that American racists were now known as "the alt right," and calling themselves "white nationalists," conservatives said, huh, what? We've never even heard of that, they claimed.
Well, after last week's tragic events in Charlottesville, they know about it now, don't they? Or will they continue to bury their heads in the sand, and act as though Donald Trump wasn't largely elected by racists, the "angry whites" we've heard so much about.
North Korea has upped its level of threats against the United States. As of this writing, senior North Korean officials have threatened to simultaneously launch four ballistic missiles toward Guam sometime in the second half of this month. The missiles are to pass over Japan and land in the ocean near Guam.
Governor McAuliffe's statement on events in Charlottesville
RICHMOND – Governor Terry McAuliffe released the statement below regarding the next steps he and his administration will take following the events this past weekend in Charlottesville:
Jefferson Forest's boys golf team did it again.
The Cavaliers won their fourth consecutive team match by taking the Seminole District Match hosted by Amherst at Winton Country Club.
Once again, it was another blowout win for the deep six-man roster, who won by 25 strokes by collectively hitting a 139 (-1). The host school came in second with a score of 154 (+14), following by Liberty Christian Academy with 160 (+20) and Rustburg rounded out the district match with a plus 20, 167.
Bedford County's high schools (Jefferson Forest, Liberty and Staunton River) enjoyed their first taste of competition during scrimmages on Aug. 10-11.
Jefferson Forest was the first one to suit up and take the field with a scrimmage against the Louisa Lions at Sabre Stadium.
Matt Uselton, Liberty's new head golf coach, stepped into an unfamiliar role... or rather, sport, in June 2017. The English teacher has been coaching since the early 2000s, but is tackling the challenge of coaching his third different sport.
Uselton's athletic coaching career began at William Byrd in 2005 with boys varsity tennis. He also assisted with Byrd's JV girls soccer team for a season. He then moved into Bedford County where he assisted Staunton River's boys soccer team with former Liberty teacher, Kris McCoy.
When you think of athletic training, you might think of grit, sweat, hard work and pushing physical boundaries. When Hunter Allen, founder and CEO of Peaks Coaching Group (PCG), thinks about training, he thinks about the data.
The data that Allen uses to design tailor-made training programs for his clients comes from their bike's power meter.
For four weeks, Edmund Street Park was an oasis.
That's how MarTrey Stevens, one of Hoops-Kid three leaders, described the site of the newly revamped program that aims to teach youth participants important principles of life through basketball.
"Nothing else mattered to those kids on the basketball court," said Stevens. "They don't see color, they don't see sex, they don't see anything else. When we were at (Edmund Street Park), it was like our own little world... our perfect world of equality."
Copyright © 2017
The Bedford Bulletin is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Bedford County and Bedford, VA and the surrounding area.


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HES Innovations FP:NM-629 (10180067)Item#: 40215855 | Model#: 10180067
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- HES Innovations logos are registered trademarks of HES Innovations. All others trademarks and copyrights mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.


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News and culture through the lens of Southern California. Hosted by A Martínez
Today marks the one year anniversary of the devastating building collapse in Bangladesh that killed over 1,100 people and left thousands more injured. The building, Rana Plaza, was a massive garment factory that produced clothing and had already been deemed unsafe for workers the day before the tragedy.
Lively and in-depth discussions of city news, politics, science, entertainment, the arts, and more.
Reviews of the week's new movies, interviews with filmmakers, and discussion.
A weekly look at SoCal life covering news, arts and culture, and more.
Movies, music, TV, arts and entertainment, straight from Southern California.


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Product Description
Ore International 14-16 Inch Just Dazzle Candle Holder Set K-4259-C1
This elegant pair of candleholders is designed to a memorable home decor collection that accent your passion for design and comfort, part of the Just Dazzle Collection.
- Manufacturer: Ore International
- Dimensions: 5 W x 5 D x 16 H Inches, Weight: 6 Lbs
- Carton Dimensions: 11 W x 7 D x 20 H Inches, Weight: 8 Lbs
- Features:
- This elegant pair of candleholders is designed to a memorable home decor collection that accent your passion for design and comfort, part of the Just Dazzle Collection.
- This modernized and luxurious styled candle holder creates a unique effect to the environment and your room
- The shape and style of the holder has a very distinctive feature, comes with 2 scented candles included.
- The candleholders feature deep turquoise glass gemstone design of silver bejewelled studs finished giving it a conversation piece.
- Made of Polyresin and can be easily clean with a cloth
- A pair of votive vanilla scent candles included (diameter of 3 )
- The height of the candlerhodlers are 16 inchand 14 , base diameter of 5 inchand top diameter of 4
Additional Information
Additional Information
|Free Shipping
|Delivery Type
|Fedex/UPS Drop off Delivery (If bought alone ) without Appointment / For large quantity, LTL Curbside Delivery with appointment
|Delivery Time
|2-3 Weeks
|Ore International
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