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Lemonthyme cottage provides that exact mix of modern comfort and quiet country charm. A two-bedroom cottage accommodating 2-6 people.
Ring for more details and help with pricing
Access is available to extensive bush walks and the property abounds in native flora and fauna.
There are 1/2 and 1 day guided walking tours in the Yengo and Wollemi National Parks on weekends. Bookings essential.
The Broke Fordwich area is becoming the place to be for those seeking a quiet rural getaway
All towels and bed linen provided as well as tea and coffee.
A comfortable cottage with reverse cycle airconditioning, TV, video and CD player. The well-equipped kitchen has cooktop and oven with microwave. An undercover gas BBQ with picnic table for your use. A games court suitable for volley ball or boules is included. Situated in a natural bush setting there is a park like garden with flowering trees, rose garden, irises, hippeastrums and shrubs.
There is wheelchair access with grab rails in the bathroom.
Mini buses available to wineries for small groups. Bookings essential.
What our guests have to say
Martha & Ali Croydar, September 2011
"Very beautiful location. Went walking + met mad bull! Great vineries.
Singleton Show was a hoot! Thanks (Hope to be back)"
Kate Wallace + Cat Maluish 6-9 JUne 2014
We stayed here + celebrated our engagement with friends - wonderful to all be together.
Eden is a pleasure to work with. Thank you!
RATES and CONDITIONS
Min Stay: 2 nights 2 people
Max Stay: 34 nights
- Bookings made using GIFT or PRIZE VOUCHERS are subject to ALL of our terms and conditions
Ring 65 79 12 59 for more details and help with pricing
Children under 5 years of age free
Children 5 - 12 years of age half price
The rate for Friday & Saturday is $95 per person per night
Sunday - Thursday is $85 per person per night.
WEEKEND RATE Friday & Saturday $380 Up to two people for 2 nights
Minimum number of people 2
$95 per extra guest 6 guests maximum
WEEKDAY RATE Sunday - Thursday$340
Up to two people for 2 nights
$85 per extra guest 8 guests maximum
Minimum number of people 2
Bookings are not confirmed unless a deposit has been received
A deposit to the value of 30% of the booking fee is required to confirm the booking - refundable if the booking is cancelled 2 weeks or more before the booking date.
Full payment - non refundable - required 1 week before the booking date
Full refund available if cancelled 2 weeks or less before the booking date only if the accommodation let to another guest.
Split payments not accepted (Split payment means each or several guests paying portions of the cost - please arrange for one person to collect funds from other guests to make one payment)
Airconditioning, Wheelchair Access
- Airconditioning
- Barbeque
- Cooking Facilities
- DVD player
- Ironing Facilities
- Linen Supplied
- Microwave
- Non-Smoking
- Playground
- Stereo
- Wheelchair Access
Pricing based on a minimum of two people per night
Last minute deal!
Stay before 30 Jul 2014 for 15% off.
Note: Pricing is subject to change, and a minimum stay period and other conditions may apply. You should confirm pricing with the property owner.
Prices listed based on 2 adults. Property has 4 beds and can sleep a maximum 7 people.
Request a booking or make an enquiry
* indicates a required field


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About This School
Creme de la Creme is located in Alpharetta, GA. It is a preschool that serves children ages 0-7+. Creme de la Creme has a capacity of 300 children.
Sponsored Link
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Private / PK, K-12
471 Mt Vernon Hwy & 510 Mt Vernon Hwy
Atlanta, GA 30328

subset: commoncrawl


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Member Discussion & Survey
According to the AAAAI, allergies affect more than 50 million people in the United States, making it the 5th leading chronic disease among all ages.
Allergic rhinitis alone is responsible for approximately 16.7 million physician visits annually!
The media frequently reports a rise in allergies and asthma, with possible causes ranging from excessive hygiene, to dietary changes, to pollution. We'd like to hear YOUR thoughts on this topic. Are you seeing more patients with allergies? What do you think is the cause?
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I am loving this scarf bag by Cathy from Trinkets in Bloom made! The large scarves create a floaty, drapey effect, while an inner bag of stronger fabric holds your belongings. She shares a tutorial showing how she did it. Get the how-to.
[photo from Trinkets in Bloom]
By Anne Weaver


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By John L. Ross / Staff Writer
A man facing murder charges after the beating death of a Corinth Community man appeared in Whitley County Circuit Court Monday.
Samuel E. Plotnick, 36, is still expected to face a jury Sept. 11. He was indicted on several charges related to the January death of 55-year-old Jimmy D. Peace.
According to the circuit court clerk's office, Plotnick is represented by the public defender's office.
The clerk's office explained the attorney had motions, but that all motions offered were overruled.
Whitley County Sheriff Colan Harrell said deputies and Corbin Police officers descended on Peace's home in December and found Plotnick, Peace and Plotnick's girlfriend, 39-year-old Theresa Burnett, on the front porch.
Both Burnett and Peace had "visible injuries," Harrell said, with Peace's marks mostly on his head.
Plotnick was arrested for assault and resisting arrest charges that night.
Harrell said he kept in contact with Peace's sister after the assault and said Peace was treated at Baptist Regional Medical Center (now called Baptist Health Corbin) and released.
Days later, it was discovered Peace had suffered "very severe" internal injuries. According to Fayette County Deputy Coroner John McCarty, Peace "was brought back to BRMC with complications from his injuries."
McCarty said Peace was transported University of Kentucky Medical Center and "was admitted just after midnight" on Dec. 21. Peace's sister told Harrell that Peace had been on life support for several days.
Peace died Jan. 2, "from multiple blunt-force trauma injuries sustained during the assault," according to McCarty.
Plotnick's charge of murder came that same day.
Besides murder, the other charges in Plotnick's seven-count indictment include four counts of third-degree assault, one count of fourth-degree assault, and one count of first-degree persistent felony offender.
Plotnick was convicted in 2001 for first-degree sodomy in Whitley County, and was convicted in December in Oldham County for third-degree assault.
Plotnick was under a half-million-dollar cash bond, but the bond has been reduced to $100,000 fully-secured, with an ankle bracelet. He remains jailed in the Whitley County Detention Center.


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Cathryn C. Nunlist
Assistant Director of the General Practice Program, Associate Professor of Law
JD, Vermont Law School, 1990;
BA, Brown University, 1970
Phone: 802-831-1304
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Awards and Affiliations
Teaching at VLS:
- Assistant Professor of Law and Assistant Director of the General Practice Program, since 2001.
- Assistant Professor of Legal Writing, 1993-97.
Leadership and Service:
- Member, Lebanon, NH School Board, 1993-96.
- Host Parent, Youth Through Understanding, 1992-93.
- Host Parent, American Field Service, 1989-90.
- Board Member, Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, 1983-90.
- Board of Lebanon Opera House Improvement Corporation.
- Associate, Stebbins Bradley Harvey and Miller, Hanover, NH, since 1997.
- Associate, Black, Black and Davis, White River Junction, Vt., 1991-93.
- Law Clerk, Windsor Superior Court, Woodstock, VT; Windsor District Court and Windsor Family Court, White River Junction, VT, 1990-91.


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Dennis Johnson finally enters the Hall of Fame tonight! Please join us in the Chat for the ceremony.
Here are some memories and thoughts from the CelticsBlog staff. Please share some of your own in the comments.
Bent: DJ slowly scraped himself up from the floor and wiped his forehead with his sweatband. It didn't help much, as he headed to the line, pouring with sweat and half-looking like he was about to keel over. On receiving the ball from the official, DJ spun it through his hands, then bent forward and started bouncing the ball low to the ground. As he reached the last few of his twelve bounces - for it always had to be twelve bounces, at least until next year, when he'd increase the number of bounces by one like he always did - he straightened up and you could almost hear the creaking of his back over the noise of the fans. He took a deep breath and calmly sunk the free throw.
It didn't matter that all of the Big Three were playing through pain, or that Danny Ainge was mired in a slump and had failed to score and the bench had combined to produce zero points in regulation. Dennis stepped up. That was DJ's role. Stepping up. Whether that be to knock down a key jumper or take on a defensive assignment, DJ always knew when to step up. Maybe that's why Larry called him the best he'd ever played with.
On this occasion, the Celtics were a beaten team, but DJ kept fighting, almost single-handedly willing his teammates into overtime with some inspirational plays. It wasn't to be, as the Celtics lost the game and headed back to Detroit, facing elimination. It would take them another 20 years to get back to the Eastern Conference Final.
It might seem an odd abiding memory to hold, but the way DJ did absolutely everything he could for the cause, and refused to accept defeat until the final buzzer sounded, increased the love and respect I had for someone that was already one of my favorite players.
While DJ will always be remembered for all that other stuff - and rightly so - here was a guy that embodied everything that is special about Celtic Pride.
A true Celtic will go into the Hall of Fame today. While it's sadly too late for him to step up to the podium, he richly deserves all the tributes that will mark this occasion.
More after the break.
Redz: Some moments that stick out:
The way he calmly beckoned Larry over for a hug after Bird stole the ball to save the `87 series vs Detroit in the Conference Finals. Everyone was going nuts, and DJ was still composed. It was like a Dad calling his son over to tell him he was proud but he didn't have the proper words to express it.
The super clutch buzzer beater to beat LA in the `85 Finals. The Celts were outmatched that year, bit DJ's game winner gave the Lakers a good scare, and the Celts some serious hope.
One other random memory was the game he refused to take a shot. I forget what he was protesting. DJ was 0-for-o from the field that night.
Jeff: I just remember that patented poke-away-move he did on defense. The guy with the ball would start to drive on DJ and after a step he would find himself without the ball because DJ poked it behind him. It was like DJ told the ball to stay still while the offensive player's momentum made him overrun the ball. At that point, DJ would calmly pick up the ball and start a fast break going the other way.
I also remember that he wasn't the greatest assist guy, but he always made the right pass. He wasn't the greatest shooter, but he always made the clutch shot. He was the perfect compliment guy. Or as Doc calls him, a Hall of Fame role player.
Edgar mostly wanted to share this video:


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Exclusive Marvel Details You Can't Miss
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USENIX Announces Open Access to Conference Proceedings
USENIX conference proceedings now available free of charge to general public.
In 2008, USENIX will present more than 20 conferences and workshops, including the upcoming 5th USENIX Symposium on Networked Systems Design and Implementation, the 2008 USENIX Annual Technical Conference, the 17th USENIX Security Symposium, the 2008 USENIX/ACCURATE Electronic Voting Technology Workshop, and the 22nd Large Installation System Administration Conference.
USENIX conference proceedings can be found at: http://www.usenix.org/publications/library/proceedings/
Issue 166/2014
Tag Cloud
Password Management Services Vulnerable to Attack
Should you trust an online service to store your online passwords?
New Raspberry Pi Adds Two USB Ports
New B+ board lets you build cool things without the complication of a powered USB hub.
Microsoft Grabs No-IP.com Domains
Redmond rushes in to root out alleged malware haven.
Firefox Steps into 3D
New initiative will bring futuristic virtual reality effects to the web surfing experience.
New Trojan Targets Online Banking
Dyreza malware launches a man-in-the-middle attack that compromises SSL.
HP Rolls Out Massive Cloud Network
New cloud combines worldwide access with local attention to data security.
New Attack Targets Wireless Logins
A first cousin of the recent Heartbleed attack affects EAP-based wireless and peer-to-peer authentication.
Geeks Petition for Free Lenovo BIOS
FOSS community acts to protect freedom of choice for laptop devices.
Firefox Says Yes to DRM
Quintessential open source browser shores up its market share with a step toward the proprietary dark side.
Webcam Hijackers Busted
Authorities in 16 countries take action against users of the imfamous BlackShades malware tool.


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Found April 23, 2012 on Fox Sports Detroit:
PLAYERS: Ivan Rodriguez, Carlton Fisk, Nolan Ryan
TEAMS: Washington Nationals, Minnesota Twins, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers
TEAMS: Washington Nationals, Minnesota Twins, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Ivan Rodriguez was back in Texas again. This time, the 14-time All-Star catcher said he has played his last game. Calling it a very hard day after a great run, Rodriguez fought back tears Monday as he announced his retirement at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. It came nearly 21 years after the fan favorite known as Pudge made his major league debut as a 19-year-old with the Rangers before later playing with five other teams. Surrounded by his wife and their three children, including his 19-year-old son who is a prospect in the Minnesota Twins organization, Rodriguez's eyes glistened and he spoke slowly at first when announcing his retirement. He thanked his parents and brother who sat in the front row for supporting him since he started playing baseball at age 5 in Puerto Rico. Rodriguez said he planned to remain in baseball in some capacity. Ryan said the Rangers have already had some preliminary discussions with him about what that might be. "I'm always going to be in baseball the rest of my life," Rodriguez said. "I'll be in baseball, and I'll be active and I'll be doing things, you'll definitely see me around." Rodriguez caught a major league record 2,427 games, surpassing Carlton Fisk's record of 2,226 during a game for the Houston Astros three years ago at Rangers Ballpark. It was later that season that Pudge returned briefly to the Rangers, the team he played for the first 12 of his 21 seasons. "It was interesting to have witnessed Pudge's career and be involved in it at the start and see the player that he grew to be and the impact that he had on our organization," said Rangers president Nolan Ryan, the Hall of Fame pitcher who was still playing when Rodriguez made his major league debut on June 20, 1991. Rodriguez hit .296 with 311 home runs and 1,332 RBIs in 2,543 games overall with Texas (1991-2002, 2009), Florida (2003), Detroit (2004-08), the Yankees (2008), Houston (2009), and Washington (2010-11). His 13 Gold Gloves were the most for a catcher. "The first time I threw to Pudge and saw him, I really thought he was going to be a good receiver, and he had a great arm, we all knew that," Ryan said. "I never anticipated or expected, I don't think, for him to have the career that he had and have the impact on the organization that he had. It was really exciting and fun to watch." Rodriguez, who didn't take questions during the news conference, was part of the Rangers' first three AL West titles in a four-year span in the late 1990s. He later appeared in two World Series, with the champion Florida Marlins in 2003 and Detroit in 2006. Texas won its first three AL West titles in a four-year span in the late 1990s, but didn't win a playoff series then. Rodriguez hit .332 with 35 home runs and 113 RBIs in 1999, when he was the American League MVP. The two-time defending AL champion Rangers have no immediate plans to retire his No. 7 jersey, but have discussed the possibility.
Original Story: http://www.foxsportsdetroit.com/04/23...
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Pudge Rodriguez retires in Texas
Ivan Rodriguez back in Texas, this time to retire
Three Big Ones From Ivan Rodriguez
Pudge Rodriguez Retires as a Texas Ranger
Three Big Moments With Ivan Rodriguez
So Long, Pudge
Ivan Rodriguez Showcased Incredible Durability for a Catcher That May Never Be Seen Again
Ivan Rodriguez throws ceremonial 1st pitch...to 2nd base
Where does Pudge Rodriguez stand in history?
Let the Pudge Rodriguez Firestorm Begin
Jim Knox Has Seen Fat Babies & Little Pudge Might Be Fattest Of Them All
Was Pudge the Greatest Catcher of All Time?
Game 2012.17: Mariners at Tigers
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O'Dowd on trading Jimenez: It wasn't a time to be timid
In Alex White and Drew Pomeranz, acquired in the deal for Ubaldo Jimenez, the Colorado Rockies believe they have acquired two elite young pitchers who can be mainstays in their rotation — and soon. True, left-hander Pomeranz has yet to pitch above the Double-A level, where he has made three starts, the same number White has made in the big leagues.
However, general manager Dan O'Dowd said White, who turns 23 on Aug. 29 and is about to begin a rehab assignment following a finger injury, and Pomeranz, 22, who will join the Rockies organization after he finishes a mandatory one year in the Indians organization on Aug. 15, could be pitching in the Rockies rotation in September. And O'Dowd said Joe Gardner, whom the Rockies will shift to the bullpen, could move quickly as a reliever.
"We've had some draft issues as it relates to some of the pitching and those holes have started to show up a little bit now," general manager Dan O'Dowd said. "And if we want to stay and maintain our competitiveness with an opportunity to win, every year, we had to be bold. It wasn't a time to be timid.
"So as difficult as it might have been to pull the trigger (on trading Jimenez), I think it would have been more difficult not to do it and put our franchise in the position of facing some kind of major rebuilding process in the near future."
In a conference call with local media members, O'Dowd said, "If we were 10 games up and not 10 games back, (this) still would have been a difficult deal to pass up." He called the trade "a reloading deal" rather than "a rebuilding deal."
When pondering whether to trade Jimenez, O'Dowd drew on some advice from Hank Peters, his mentor in the game and the general manager of the Baltimore Orioles and Cleveland Indians when O'Dowd was working in those organizations early in his career.
"Hank Peters always taught me I think you do something sooner rather than later," O'Dowd said, "because when you wait until later, you're going to end up getting nothing."
The cumulative effect of pitching at Coors Field, which has resulted in injuries to the likes of Jeff Francis, Aaron Cook and even Pedro Astacio near the end of his run with the Rockies, was something O'Dowd said factored into the decision to trade Jimenez, 27.
"We weighed that a lot," O'Dowd said.
Ultimately, O'Dowd opted to trade Jimenez to the Indians on Saturday. In return, the Rockies received White, who was scheduled to begin his rehab assignment from a finger injury Saturday and will be in Denver on Monday, Gardner, who had been starting at Cleveland's Double-A Akron affiliate but will pitch out of the bullpen at Double-A Tulsa, catcher-first baseman Matt McBride, who will also report to Tulsa, and left-hander Pomeranz, shrouded as a player to be named later until Aug. 17, one year after he signed his first professional contract.
Because the latter can't officially be included in the deal until Aug. 17, one year after he was drafted, he is officially a player to be named later at this point. How Pomeranz and White, both potential front-of-the-rotation starters, perform will determine whether this is a successful deal for the Rockies.
"When we went into this, we looked at this as an opportunity to strengthen our ballclub both in the short term and the long term," O'Dowd said. "We weren't looking for deep projections. We felt like we accomplished our goals. Obviously with young players, you never know. We feel like we added a few guys back that have a chance to be top of the rotation or very close to that type starters."
The Rockies have those needs because of their barren drafts in 2006, 2007 and probably 2008. In 2006, their first five picks were pitcher Greg Reynolds, outfielder David Christensen, pitcher Keith Weiser, pitcher Craig Baker and infielder Helder Velazquez. Reynolds has been up and down with Rockies, including three stints this season. The only other player from the 2006 draft to reach the majors is catcher Mike McKenry, a seventh-round pick playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
In 2007, the Rockies took pitcher Casey Weathers, outfielder Brian Rike, catcher Lars Davis, pitcher Isaiah Froneberger and pitcher Connor Graham with their first five picks. None have played in the majors, although Graham yielded reliever Rafael Betancourt in a trade with Cleveland in July 2009.
The only players from the 2007 draft to reach the majors are relievers Bruce Billings, who appeared in one game for the Rockies this season and was traded to Oakland in the deal for second baseman Mark Ellis, and Matt Reynolds. Pitcher Parker Frazier (eighth round) and catcher Jordan Pacheco (ninth), both drafted in 2007 appear to have a chance to play in the majors.
In 2008, the Rockies top picks were pitcher Christian Friedrich, outfielder Charlie Blackmon, pitcher Aaron Weatherford, pitcher Ethan Hollingsworth and unsigned third baseman Chris Dominguez. Blackmon reached the Rockies in early June but broke his left foot on July 7. Hollingsworth was traded to Oakland over the winter for pitcher Clayton Mortensen.
Friedrich could pitch in the big leagues, more likely as a back-of-the-rotation type, as could Dan Houston, whom the Rockies took in the seventh round in 2008. Both are at Tulsa, with Houston a recent arrival after beginning the season at high Class A Modesto. Also at Tulsa is infielder Tommy Field (24th round), a grinder who could end up as a utility type in the majors.
O'Dowd said the Rockies considered two other deals for Jimenez that might have addressed the team's need to acquire a bat.
"Those deals might have been a little deeper and they had some positions players (coming) back that would have been impactful players," O'Dowd said. "But I've made deals in the past when I've gotten quantity. I'm not a big believer in quantity anymore.
"I think we're a big believer in quality, impactful quality. No deal out there gave us more impactful quality than what this deal has a chance to do. Obviously, time has to tell but (it) has a chance to be an impactful deal. The other deals may have affected more needs, but they would not have given us the impactful quality that this one did."
Because Pomeranz can't be officially traded for two weeks, he will remain with Double-A Akron but not pitch in games. O'Dowd didn't refer to Pomeranz by name because he couldn't at this point but said in such instances the acquiring club can send in scouts to see how a player in this "hypothetical situation" is doing until the trade is completed.
O'Dowd didn't go far as to say Gardner, 23, will be as effective as Sergio Romo of the San Francisco Giants (who is 3-1 with a 1.78 ERA in 49 games with a fiendish 51/4 strikeout to walk ratio) but said Gardner has a "very similar arm action and body type and late sink and cut action to his ball." Gardner made 19 starts for Akron but will be moved to the bullpen at Tulsa, which the Rockies feel can facilitate his rise to the majors.
"We think the velocity's going to jump a little bit," O'Dowd said. "We had him up to the mid-90s anyway. This kid has a very good arm, very good sink, very unorthodox arm action. When we looked at him, we saw a bullpen guy."
McBride's position is his bat, but O'Dowd said, "we're going to work real hard to make sure he can play a functional position." He has played catcher, first base and the outfield. McBride, 26, comes on the recommendation of professional scout Ty Coslow, who did a lot of work on this deal.
"When you get down to a fourth player in the deal, it's always a gut-feeling guy for the scout," O'Dowd said. "We had exhausted a lot of different names with them, and we got down to talking to Ty. And Ty has a good gut feeling on this guy, so we'll see how it pans out."
On Friday, McBride suffered an eye injury that could have been of far greater concern. He was doing a flip drill in the indoor batting cage, O'Dowd said, and a ball he hit into the screen bounced back and hit him in the eye, causing swelling on his eyelid. McBride went out that night and hit a double, and O'Dowd said while McBride will be "down for a little bit," the injury isn't serious.
O'Dowd said he didn't think the Rockies could have made a better deal had they waited until the offseason to trade Jimenez. And as a player gets closer to free agency, O'Dowd said, his return diminishes. The Rockies had Jimenez, 27, under control through 2014 for $17.95 million. Because he was traded, Jimenez can void an $8 million club option for 2014 and become a free agent after the 2013 season. By then, the Rockies should know whether it's thumbs up or thumbs down on the one-for-four trade.
"This deal will be judged upon not the last two players in the deal," O'Dowd said, "but it'll be judged upon Mr. White and the player to be named later."
28 Comments »
Thanks, Jack, for the best analysis of the draft from the Rockies' perspective that I've read. I wish you wrote on a daily basis.
I don't like getting rid of Ubaldo but from the GMs standpoint I think I understand it. Based on his performance this year, it would be tough to give a big contract to Ubaldo. Add in the altitude effect and its hard to bank on the return of 2010 Ubaldo. Hopefully this works out for all parties. Ubaldo should do better with some humidity and hopefully will stay healthier and get a nice extension.
I agree, good writeup. The trade thread had too many comments to go through but my 2 cents are it's sad to see him go, aside from any analysis of the merits of the trade. Ubaldo was a good egg. That said, I don't think any of us believe the Rockies could stand pat and expect things to get substantially better. Sometimes that means trading the good guys.
Fantastic article Jack Etkin. A pleasure to read. That was deeply informative.
Deja vu.Like reading the Rocky Mt.News,which I still miss and lament every morning.Thanks for helping clear the smog a little Jack.
Outstanding job, Jack. Biggest point to me is the repeated draft failures, which always catch up with you, in this case costing the team a reasonably priced top of the rotation starter just to make amends. I think it's high time to re-examine the process and the individuals who contribute to such unacceptable draft results and change the system and remove the individuals if necessary. It's time for a scouting purge.
It does seem we have had a lapse in player development, particularly as Stewart has not yet taken hold, and Fowler appears to have been rushed to The Show. I seem to remember a continual progression of Rockies farm talent five years ago. What happened?
"The cumulative effect of pitching at Coors Field".
I've seen this phrase, and others to the same effect, mentioned quite a bit lately. Can someone please explain what it means? Does pitching at altitude place extra stress on the arm, elbow or shoulder?
With the recent failures of the scouting dept., one name we seldom hear is that of Rolando Fernandez. Where would this organization be without this guy and the scouts and development coaches under him? I had an opportunity to meet him in spring training and had a brief conversation with him on one of the minor league fields. I found him to be a very articulate, engaging, and down to earth man. I would love to see him become more involved in the overall scouting dept. and not just the Latin America operation.
Steve or Jack- do you know if a position in Denver has ever been offered to him or is he content staying down in the Dominican Republic?
I am sure DOD had many sleepless nights the past couple of weeks as he pondered whether to trade Ubaldo. Overall, I think this will be a good trade for the Rockies. Ubaldo was one of franchise faces for sure, but his performance has been at the level of a #2/3 starter for over a year now. He could definitely rebound, but at some point, a GM has to go with a decision. My biggest issue with the Rockies right now is with Tracy. When Ubaldo said JT was like a father to him, I thought that was nice. However, maybe what JT needs to be is more like a drill sergeant and light a fire under some players. They play with very little emotion it seems to me, other than Cargo and Todd. Even Tulo can seem like he is going through the motions at times.
DOD said…"We've had some draft issues as it relates to some of the pitching and those holes have started to show up a little bit now," (talk about an understatement, btw… you can add Tyler Matzek to the list of flops;)
"general manager Dan O'Dowd said. "And if we want to stay and maintain our competitiveness with an opportunity to win, every year, we had to be bold. It wasn't a time to be timid."
Is DOD calling 10 games out, and 6 under .500 competitive? That's the real root of the problem. A GM who considers winning just enough to keep his job, and the beer flowing at Coors Field to be competitive. Is he living in a different universe? What part of this season hasn't been a disaster? Why can't he just say that? Instead he sprays a little more perfume on this pig he's created and calls it good.
Maybe Jack knows the answer to this question. But are the scouts who recommended the draft picks who have not panned out (Or to be a glass half full guy, not panned out yet) the same scouts who are so high on the guys we received in the trade. And I guess in all cases O'Dowd has made the final decisions. Perhaps that it where the fault lies.
I'm not sure. I've always liked O'Dowd but frankly I don't believe for a second that he would have made this trade if the Rockies were 10 games ahead instead of 10 games behind. What also made be left was the suggestion by O'Dowd that he would rather trade someone too soon, then too late. I'm sure I'm not the only one who wonders how Garrett Atkins (and others) fits in that mold.
But I am also not yet adding Tyler Matzek to the list of flops. He's 20 years old and in his 2nd year of pro ball. I know this is the era of instant gratification but players (especially pitchers) can take 3 to 5 years to show their true abilities. This isn't the NBA or the NFL when guys can come into the League and make a difference in their first year. And in the NFL players usually have at least 3 years of college and in the NBA most of the 18, 19 and 20 year old kids still take 3 to 5 years to really contribute. The Koby Bryants and Lebron James type guys are the exception, not the rule.
"We've had some draft issues as it relates to some of the pitching and those holes have started to show up a little bit now," general manager Dan O'Dowd said."
Great article, Jack. However, you are too kind. You missed the obligatory mention that O'Dowd drafted:
Greg Reynolds when Evan Longoria and Tim Lincecum (and Brandon Morrow, and Clayton Kershaw, and Max Scherzer) were still on the board. Signability issues may explain Kershaw, but they don't explain the inexplicable — the decision to take Reynolds above Lincecum and Longoria.
Casey Weathers when Madison Bumgarner and Jason Heyward were still on the board. (O.K., that was a bust of a draft overall, and lots of other teams whiffed, too. But the 7th pick overall on a limited/reliever-only guy was just bizarre).
I used to give O'Dowd a big pass on the draft since lots of "experts" thought he made a mistake taking Tulo in 2006 over some others on the board (Cameron Maybin, Andrew McCutchen, Jay Bruce — who actually turned out to be a pretty damn good picks too). But that free pass has an expiration date.
The odd thing about the deal is that O'Dowd is trying to build depth by trading away 3 years of one ridiculously affordable cost-controlled true ace for the chance to get 3 years each out of two cost controlled potential aces. (Plus, of course, their arbitration years, which won't come nearly as cheap as Ubaldo's next 3 years if they actually perform at Ubaldo's level, which is very unlikely.) I'm not sure that really repairs the damage of the bad drafts. In fact, there's a reasonable argument that giving away the one true ace your system has ever developed for perhaps a 50/50 chance on two different guys actually exacerbates the problem. Quick math: if each guy has a 50/50 chance of being a high-quality (think: #3 starter or better) MLB pitcher, then combined there's a 25% chance that you'll get TWO MLB quality starters. That ain't so great, is it? You can quibble with the percentages, but look at some of the other guys drafted high during those bad O'Dowd draft years — guys like Brad Lincoln and Andrew Miller.
O'Dowd is right about one thing: it's a gamble. A gamble that BOTH Pomeranz and White will turn into quality (and durable) starters. Indeed, the deal won't pay dividends unless you get a Jorge De La Rosa quality starter and an Aaron Cook (prime years) quality starter. And it won't pay big dividends unless you get a new Ubaldo + a new Cook. That's a longshot Gambler Dan was willing to take — the kind of longshot that only a guy who thinks his job is in jeopardy unless he scores big will take.
It will be interesting to see how high they reach, but assuming both become Chacin or DLR level pitchers I think its about a wash to be able to drop either Cook or Hammel from the rotation.
The question I have is will this move make Hammel, Cook, or some of the minor league pitchers expendible…and what can we get for them?
I think I would have been happier with this trade if Hammel, Iannetta and/or Stewart were packaged in there and we received a very good hitter in addition to the pitchers.
Short term, the pitching situation is more muddled than ever. De La Rosa's best case scenario is for a mid-year return. Cook's contract expires and he won't be back unless he takes a major paycut. (He'll take a major paycut wherever he signs.) So you'd think next year will start with:
White was rushed at Cleveland, and by the sound of it the Rockies are planning to keep it that way. But who knows whether he'll need more time in the minors? Pomeranz hasn't been rushed, but the talk is of rushing him now. Part of the problem seems to be that the Rockies have given up on the idea of grooming pitchers — in fact, of grooming pitchers or position players — at the Springs. That probably makes sense since the ultra-extreme hitting environment there can only breed bad habits and loss of confidence (pitchers) or overconfidence (hitters), but if that's so, isn't it time to reconsider having the Sky Sox as our AAA affiliate?
I guess I'm starting to understand the interest in Kevin Slowey …
I think one source of disagreement between me and other posters is to define the term "ace" of a pitching staff. To me, an ace is Roy Halladay, Tim Lincecum, CC, or Pedro Martinez and Curt Schilling back in the day. An ace is someone who you want on the mound in a must-win game and are 100% confident he will give you a strong outing. Does Ubaldo fit that definition for me? No. Was he the ace of the Rockies staff? Yes, in the terms of him having the best stuff. But, to me, being an ace is about much more than hitting 96 on a radar gun. It is about guts, determination, and having the mental willpower to beat the opponent. I don't think Ubaldo fits that criteria. This explains why I feel he was expendable if the players received in return were outstanding prospects which Pomeranz and White are. I think Gardner could be a surprise here btw if moved to the pen. Just my two cents worth when it comes to defining an ace of a pitching staff.
Dear Rockies:
Please do not ask Pomeranz/White/Gardner to change mechanics and take them two steps backwards.
Marcel, the accumalated impact of Coors is two-fold. First because of the larger field and the sometimes issues of throwing breaking balls, pitchers end up having to throw more pitches, more high pressure pitches to get through 6 or 7 innings than in just about any other park (any park, aside from maybe Texas). Second, there is an argument which I have seen from a physiological level that says that players due to the limited O2 supply end up taking longer to recover, so they are tired earlier in the season, have to push through that tiredness, use up muscle mass sooner, and likely shorten their careers (more so with pitchers because they have to use their key muscles more in their one day every five than everyday players other than catchers in that same time). This was the issue raised this weekend by SI, which said that pitchers at Coors after 700 innings begin to show wear, and that in their insight this was probably the time to move Ubaldo. Its a good argument.
Agbayani, I am going to give DOD more allowance on the draft issues 06-08. Yes, Reynolds was taken before Lincecum, but many people were scared off of Timmy becasue of his size and weird motion. As for Longoria, they had Stewart coming up, Tulo drafted the year before, and Evan said he didnt want to come here (would he have come only for a huge signing bonus?). We must remember that Reynolds was not poorly though of. He was on most people's boards in the top 10. The Rox figured his arsenal would fit well here. And it might have but that call up in 2008 led to a confidence crash and then he has battled major injuries. You never know, especially with pitchers, how injuries will hit, and Reynolds was a shoulder. Were it an elbow that would be different.
Wheathers was on the fast track, probably heading here by 2009 at the latest, and would have been cristened the closer for the next decade. He looked great, hard thrower, good everything. And then he blew out his elbow. While 70% of guys come back strong from Tommy John, obviously not all do, and may never make it back at this point. Again, injury came out of nowhere, as so many pointed that he had been an outfielder so he had a lot less stress on his elbow for a college pitcher.
Friedrich again looked like a great pick, was moving on the Francis plan and then he took got injured, tried to throw it, and has gone from being a potential #2 who would already have been here to a maybe for the back end of the rotation in 2012 or 2013.
Matzek is a wait and see. When he was drafted and signed everyone in the baseball press complimented the Rox for taking the risk and indeed graded the Rox class that had Matzek at the top as an A. You always take a risk with a high school pitcher. His arm and being a lefty makes him a potentia #1. Will he make that potential? We can still hope so, and now the team can afford to be more patient with him
Where I feel the hit is not the misses on the #1s, its the fact that none of #2-5 guys in those drafts aside from Blackmon have done a thing, aside from getting us decent pitchers in trade. Someone asked about where is the stable of players like we had come up in the early part of this past decade. A lot of those players were 5s, and such. Holliday was a 5, I think Atkins was a 7, forget what Hawper was, think a 4. That is where you hope to get lucky and get guys who can be big bats, even guys who can be your home grown versions of Wiggington. Aside from Blackmon and perhaps Fowler, neither of whom are power guys, have come from the last 1/2 of the decades draft later classes. Lets follow these past two drafts for their position players taken after #1.
So, yep, the drafts have killed us. Pitchers it has been largely injuries. Hitters…I think he have just blown it picking hitters, period. The good news on Pomerantz and White is that they were highly rated by the Indians already, and they have shown tremendous growth already in their young careers.
But I think it is time for DOD to take some of the lower level depth in pitching to sned off and bring back an impact bat – a David Wright or the like. That will be key for the future.
That's a good post, Dr. Christopher. Nice to see someone articulate an alternative view.
Agbayani, one advantage of White and Pomeranz over draftees is they're further along, so it's a little safer projecting them. Still definitely a risk though. Chances of *one* of these guys being as good as Ubaldo is definitely not 75-100%, I'd have to think. You could definitely have an injury before either is arb-eligible, but then I guess part of fear about Ubaldo was the chance of injury before his contract was done.
"Hitters…I think he have just blown it picking hitters, period."
Yes, lots of misses 2006-2008. But overall, the Rockies in the O'Dowd years overachieved; it's what made the two playoff teams possible.
Tulo of course. And really, with Fowler, Iannetta and Stewart. People see Fowler and Stewart as failures but they have both been major league regulars as draft picks out of high school. Hard to see that as a failure if you look at how the 1st round tends to go.
It's pretty unusual to see the success after the 1st round that the Rockies had with the GenR crowd (Holiday, Hawpe, Atkins, Spilborghs, Baker, Barmes).
So while it's bad that 2006-2008 seems to have had no hits besides Blackmon, I wonder if some of that is luck evening out.
Doc, I've heard the same theory about the limited oxygen supply here in Denver. Jason Jennings mentioned it more than once and several visiting pitchers have said it takes them a full 24 hours longer to recover from a Coors Field start than it does anywhere else. Over the course of a season, and certainly a career, that fatigue obviously adds up.
Alex, now you that you remind of that, I remember that as well. Baseball has been played at high altitudes for a long time, but that has always been minor leagues, so a pitcher would never be here for than maybe 2 years. It is possible that the effect on Rockies pitchers is going to be more pronounced. I have seen a lot of people talk about a huge increase in the number of innings on young guys from one year to the next and how taht shows up the following year. Maybe we should all start watching those whoe move into that 500-700 innings to see if this is something the team has to begin to factor in. You know Oakland has had a policy of pitching their young guys hard in their early years and then dealing them off, and few of them have been able to maintain after that.
Ryan, thanks for the compliment. I have my own frustrations, but I never imagine that the guys running this club are stupid or ignorant. The one thing no one is a future teller. If you had told me Timmy Lincecum would not have been on the DL yet I'd have bet you $20 on that.
Maybe we should have an oxygen tank available, or maybe go with a 6 man rotation so that they have the extra day to recover.
So…the "answer" to the Rox seems to be in place. You've got your humidor (MLB regulated, of course) and you've also got to have your hyperbaric chamber (how long before the McCovey-cove dwelling Gnats complain about that?).
No question Coors Field used to eat up starters and spit them out. We used to hear a lot about the oxygen/recovery effect, but I think the last half dozen years have pretty much dispelled that theory. My main theory is that you just reached a level of extreme offense from '95-'07 based on PEDs and other things, such that adding the additional Coors effect was just too much for starters to handle. Pitch counts went up, there were men on base in virtually every inning, etc. The humidor (introduced in 2002 I think?) has probably helped some with keeping balls in the park, but the main effect has been that Coors (given that league-wide offense is way down) is no longer past that tipping point at which pitchers simply can't keep pace. Interestingly, although offense is way down, Coors this year is — relative to the league — right back up there as an outlier. Right now it looks like this (park factor for runs scored, from espn; 1.00 is neutral):
Rangers stadium: 1.507 (wow)
Coors: 1.399
Fenway 1.216
Those numbers are really high. In the crazy run scoring days, here's how the Coors park factor looked:
2001: 1.458
2002: 1.440
2003: 1.243
2004: 1.412
2005: 1.276
Then things leveled off
2006: 1.149
2007: 1.160
2008: 1.126
Then they started jumping up again:
2009: 1.247
2010: 1.364
2011: 1.399
Again, the latest rise in the Coors park factor is more about run scoring at Coors declining less than it has declined in other parks. But the 2010 and 2011 jump to more (relatively) extreme levels has correlated with some seriously disappointing performances. Was the Rockies' success from 2007-2009 partly a function of Coors playing more like a "normal" ballpark? Do these new more extreme park factors suggest the return of the Coors problem? If so, I think it has more of an effect on hitters now than on pitchers, quietly teaching hitters bad habits that are rewarded at Coors but punished on the road.
On the Coors Park Factor thing, I should say that there's kind of a chicken and egg thing too. The park factor will go up if the Rockies have a bunch of players who mash at Coors and wilt on the road. And here's some really shocking splits:
Iannetta: home .987 OPS, road 569 OPS
CarGo: home 984, road 669
Meanwhile, Tulo has been a model of consistency, actually hitting a tick better on the road than at home.
As I was saying, we'll never win a World Series with Huston Street as our closer.


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Availability: Hotel Boccaccio
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Family-friendly hotel in Florence (Santa Maria Novella) near Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
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Dining options at the hotel include a restaurant, a coffee shop/café, and a snack bar/deli. A bar/lounge is on site where guests can unwind with a drink. A complimentary breakfast is offered each morning. A computer station is located on site and high-speed wireless Internet access is complimentary.
A business center is on site at this 3-star property. This family-friendly hotel also offers a terrace, tour/ticket assistance, and multilingual staff. For a surcharge, the property provides a roundtrip airport shuttle (available on request) and an area shuttle.
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DescriptionPlay video poker with that old handheld look and feel!
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Josefina Vázquez Mota: Book Presentation of The Dream that United the Border (El sueño que unió la frontera)
March 04, 2014 // 9:00am — 10:30am
The Mexico Institute hosted a presentation of a book by Josefina Vázquez Mota, El sueño que unió la frontera: Mexicanos que triunfan en Estados Unidos (The Dream that United the Border: Mexicans who Triumph in United States).
Book Launch: The History of Drug Trafficking in Mexico (La historia del narcotráfico en México)
February 26, 2014 // 9:00am — 10:30am
The Mexico Institute is pleased to invite you to the presentation of a new book by Guillermo Valdés Castellanos, The History of Drug Trafficking in Mexico (La historia del narcotráfico en Mexico). Mr. Valdés will present an inventory of the people involved in drug trafficking organizations and the mechanisms they have employed to build their networks.
A Conversation with Gustavo Madero: Mexico's Changes and Challenges
February 25, 2014 // 1:30pm — 2:30pm
Over the past few months, Mexico's PAN party has emerged as the pivotal ally for President Enrique Peña Nieto's PRI government. In December 2013 it was the PAN which supported the government's constitutional reform of the energy sector. The leader of the PAN, Gustavo Madero, was instrumental in not only achieving that consensus, but in shaping the legislation itself.
(PRIVATE MEETING) Discussion of the North American Leaders Summit
February 25, 2014 // 10:30am — 11:30am
Is Geography Destiny? North America on the Eve of the Leaders Summit
February 18, 2014 // 9:00am — 10:30am
Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto will host President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Stephen Harper for the North American Leaders Summit on February 19. On the eve of the summit, the Wilson Center's Mexico Institute and Canada Institute will host a discussion of the key issues facing the region.
Media Briefing: Obama, Harper, Peña Nieto at the North American Leaders Summit
February 14, 2014 // 10:00am — 11:00am
Wilson Center experts preview the upcoming trilateral North American Leaders Summit taking place in Toluca, Mexico on February 19th, 2014.
Michoacán Fights Back: Crime and Response in Mexico
January 31, 2014 // 11:00am — 12:00pm
As Mexico's president Enrique Peña Nieto begins his second year in office, the country is facing rising security concerns brought about by armed vigilantes in the southwest state of Michoacán. These groups are increasingly militarized to the point they are willing to engage in gun battles with organized crime for control of cities. While the government has agreed to work with them in a limited capacity, it is unclear what their role will be, or how they fit into Mexico's fight against organized crime.
The State of Citizen Security in Mexico: The Peña Nieto Administration's First Year in Review
January 16, 2014 // 9:00am — 11:00am
To provide a careful examination of the Peña Nieto administration's handling of security matters and the state of citizen security, the Mexico Institute at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars will host a workshop with leading policy analysts from the United States and Mexico.
The End of an Era: Why Mexican Immigrants are Returning to Mexico
January 14, 2014 // 9:00am — 10:30am
The Wilson Center's Mexico Institute in conjunction with Mexicans and Americans Thinking Together (MATT) cordially invite you to a presentation of the findings of a new study on return migration to Mexico.
PRIVATE CONFERENCE: High-Level Innovation Forum for Policymakers
November 21, 2013 // 8:30am — 12:30pm


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Carl F. Lotz, of Brockport, NY, formerly of Medina, NY, husband of the late Mary Lotz, entered into rest Wednesday, April 24, 2013.
He was born in Wrights Corners, NY August 19, 1923, the son of the late Carl F. Lotz, Sr. and Clara Hoeffner Lotz. He married Mary October 3, 1942. She died June 18, 2011. He was a US Army WW II veteran who served his country from 1943-1945.
Carl worked for Lockport Felt Company in Newfane as a foreman for 46 years, retiring in 1985. Member of Nativity of Blessed Virgin Mary, Brockport, NY, and past member of St. Charles R.C. Church, Olcott, NY.
Father of Wayne (Julie) Lotz of Canmer, KY, Faye (Richard) Lotz-Withrow of Okatie, SC. Brother of Betty Lotz Ramming of South Colton, NY, and the late Elsie Wright. Also survived by five grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Friends may call on FRIDAY from 2-4 & 7-9 PM at the Rutland-Corwin Funeral Home, Inc., 2670 Main St., Newfane, NY 14108. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on SATURDAY at 10:00AM at St. Brendan on the Lake, Main Street, Olcott, NY. Burial in St. Charles Cemetery, Newfane. Memorials to Honor Flight Rochester, Inc., P.O. Box 23581, Rochester, NY 14692.
Please visit www.rutland-corwin.com to send a condolence to the family.
Carl F. Lotz
Carl F. Lotz, of Brockport, NY, formerly of Medina, NY, husband of the late Mary Lotz, entered into rest Wednesday, April 24, 2013.


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Lauretta Dechert, 102, of Jersey City, passed away on February 1 in Holmdel. She was born and raised in Jersey City and lived there until this past November. Lauretta lovingly raised her eight children. She was an avid seamstress, cook, and baker. She baked every day of the week and all of the kids in the neighborhood loved to come over to eat her baked goods.
Surviving are her two sons and daughters-in-law, Henry and Dottie Dechert of Port Monmouth and George and Louise Dechert of Massachusetts; her daughter, Henrietta Dechert of Hazlet; her brother, Ralph Panza; and by her 17 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great-grandchildren.
Lauretta was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Henry Dechert in 1964, her parents, Antonio and Erminia Panza, her children, Alice, Joyce, Edward, Grace, and Loretta, and her deceased brothers and sisters.
Visitation will be held on Monday, February 4 from 4-8 pm at the John F. Pfleger Funeral Home, 115 Tindall Road, Middletown. Funeral services are scheduled for 8:15 am at the funeral home. A Funeral Liturgy will be offered Tuesday, February 5 at 9:15 am at St. Mary's Chapel, 26 Leonardville Rd., Middletown. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington, NJ.
For more information, to send condolences or for directions, please visit www.pflegerfh.com.


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Ministry in the Rust Belt: A Bishop's Perspective
April 19, 2009
Thank you for your presence here this evening. I am grateful to Father LoBiondo for inviting me to speak at this annual dinner. For nearly 40 years, the Woodstock Theological Center has engaged in theological and ethical reflection on issues of importance in our time. The Church in the United States, and beyond, has greatly benefited from the work of this institute of higher learning and I can only encourage you to continue your support for the Center as one theological response to the many complications of our multifaceted world.
The topic I want to speak with you about this evening is ministry in the Rust Belt and the best place to begin is in the Cathedral of St. Columba in Youngstown, Ohio. As you enter the Cathedral, one of the first things you notice is the huge mosaic that runs from floor to ceiling behind the main altar. The mosaic is entitled "The Blessing of the Nations." In the upper right hand corner is a depiction of the creative hand of God. In the center, is the Blessed Virgin Mary being spoken to by the Angel Gabriel. Saints Peter and Paul are presented as symbols of the early Church. Below them begins a procession of patron saints.
Saints Cyril and Methodius represent the Slavs; St. Boniface, the Germans; St. Stephen, the Hungarians; St. Louis, the French; St. Stanislaus, the Poles; St. Patrick, the Irish; St. Casmir the Lithuanians. At the time only blessed, now Saint Martin de Pores represents both African Americans and Hispanics and St. Thomas More the English. Saints Maron and Nicetas represent the Maronite and Romanian Rites. St. Nicholas Tavilic represents the Croatians and St. Francis Xavier Cabrini, the first American Saint, represents the Italians.
These 14 saints correspond to the first wave of newcomers who immigrated to what was called "The Steel Belt" during the late 19th and early 20th centuries and is now called the "Rust Belt." These were the people who historically formed the life of the local Church when Youngstown became a Diocese in 1943. They built our parishes, schools, charitable centers and health care institutions. They built our economic and social landscape. Today, new immigrants from the Middle East, Mexico and Guatemala continue that tradition, but it began long ago in a search for new opportunities and a better life.
The mosaic on the wall in St. Columba Cathedral captures an important reality. The Church in the Rust Belt is an ethnic church. It is not the "Irish dominated" Church of the east coast. In some respects, ministry in the Rust Belt is similar to ministry in every other part of the country. But in one respect it is very different because various economic forces have required the church to become intimately involved in the promotion of economic opportunity rooted in justice. Allow me to give you an overview of the Rust Belt region and then turn to the ministry of the Church in that region.
The area commonly known as the Rust Belt is defined broadly as beginning west of the Boston-Philadelphia-Washington corridor and continuing on into eastern Minnesota. The region extends southward to the beginnings of the coal mining areas of Appalachia, north to the Great Lakes and includes the manufacturing regions in southern Ontario and Quebec in Canada. The two factors which propelled the areas' economy for nearly 80 years were the steel industry and other heavy manufacturing
The term "Rust Belt" signified the collapse and restructuring of the steel industry with the resultant loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs. Contraction of manufacturing jobs dislocated workers particularly in Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Syracuse, Duluth, Milwaukee, Detroit, Toledo, Cleveland, Youngstown, Erie, Bethlehem, and Gary, forcing the area, which also had been central to the automobile industry, to either diversify or decay. Emerging technologies in this region, including hydrogen fuel cell development, nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology, polymers, and wind power, have shown some promise for revitalizing the economy, but widespread redevelopment is still unrealized, except in Pittsburgh.
In the center of the Rust Belt is Youngstown, Ohio, located in the Mahoning Valley. The city was named for John Young, an early settler from Whitestown, New York, who established the community's first saw and grist mills. Prior to the establishment of the State of Ohio, this area was part of the Connecticut Western Reserve, a section of the Northwest Territory designated for settlers from the state of Connecticut during the 17th century.
Youngstown's industrial development changed the face of the Mahoning Valley, which during the early 19th century was distinguished by farming. The community's burgeoning coal industry drew thousands of immigrants from Wales, Germany, and Ireland during the mid-19th century, and with the establishment of steel mills in the late 19th century, Youngstown became a popular destination for immigrants from southern and eastern Europe as well as Greece. As the 20th century began, the community likewise saw an influx of immigrants from non-European countries including modern day Lebanon, Israel, and Syria.
By the 1920s, the steady wave of newcomers had produced a nativist backlash and the Mahoning Valley became a center of Ku Klux Klan activity. The situation reached its climax in 1924, when street clashes between Klan members and Italian and Irish Americans in the neighboring city of Niles led Ohio Governor A. Victor Donahey to declare martial law. By 1928, however, the Klan was in steep decline and three years later, sold its headquarters and ceased to exist, at least in the public eye.
The growth of industry also attracted people from within the borders of the United States and from Latin America. By the late 19th century, African Americans were well represented in Youngstown and the first local congregation of the African Methodist Episcopal Church was established in 1871. A large influx of African Americans in the early 20th century owed much to developments in the industrial sector. During the national Steel Strike of 1919, local industrialists recruited thousands of workers from the South, many of whom were Black. This move inflamed racist sentiment among local Whites and for decades, African-American steelworkers experienced discrimination in the workplace. Migration from the South rose dramatically during the 1940s, when the mechanization of southern agriculture brought an end to the exploitative sharecropping system, leading onetime farm laborers to seek industrial jobs.
The city's population became even more diverse in the post-World War II era, when a seemingly robust steel industry attracted thousands of workers. During the 1950s, the Hispanic population grew significantly and by the 1970s, Santa Rosa de Lima Roman Catholic Church and the First Spanish Baptist Church of Ohio were the largest religious institutions for Spanish-speaking residents in the Youngstown metropolitan area.
For those who live in or near Youngstown, a day that always will be remembered is Monday, September 19, 1977, otherwise known as "Black Monday." The City of Youngstown was the second largest producer of steel in the nation, surpassed only by Pittsburgh. On that day, the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company announced the closure of a large portion of its operations. That event, widely regarded by historians as the beginning of the end of the old area steel industry, set off a chain reaction. U.S. Steel reduced production and laid-off thousands of workers in 1979 and 1980 and Republic Steel declared bankruptcy in the mid-1980s.
In the wake of the steel plant shutdowns, the community lost an estimated 40,000 manufacturing jobs, 400 satellite businesses, $414 million in personal income, and from 33 to 75 percent of school tax revenues. An overview of the statistics illuminates the depth of the problem.
In 1950, there were approximately 65,000 wage earners in the primary metals industry. By 1978, that number had dropped to 35,000 and by 2008 to 3,500. That is a 95% decline in the percentage of persons working in the steel industry between its heyday and today's world of mini mills.
Average household income in 1970 hovered around $44,500.00. Today the same average income is $36,200.00. In 1970, 82% of the population received its income from wages and salaries. By 2000, that number had dropped to 73%. There has been a marked increase in the percentage of people relying on social security or retirement benefits: from 25% in 1970 to 33% in 2000; and on persons relying on public assistance: from 4% in 1970 to 9% in 2000. Unemployment was low in the 1970s: 3%, but rose to 6% in 2000 and now stands at 13% as of February 2009. The poverty rate for our Rust Belt area also has increased from 6.8% in 1970 to 32.6% in 2007.
Obviously, the economy of the Rust Belt was in a downward spiral long before the present economic difficulties arose. Not surprisingly, given the ethnic heritage of Youngstown's people and their tradition of hard work, the Mahoning Valley found ways to survive.
A major participant in that effort has been the Church. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Youngstown is comprised of six counties in Northeastern Ohio. Two hundred and fifteen thousand registered Catholics are served by 113 parishes, 6 high schools, 35 elementary schools, 100 active and 50 retired priests, some of whom are still very active. Within the diocese are three "small industrial cities:" Youngstown, Warren and Canton. Also located within the diocese is the General Motors Lordstown Plant, the fourth largest GM plant in the world and the second most productive; Canfield, the Ohio town with the highest per capita income; and an expanding health care industry centered in Youngstown and Canton. In the southern part of the diocese can be found an abundance of agricultural enterprises ranging from meat packing to cheese production, mushroom and corn harvesting and, now, shrimp farming.
Ministry in the diocese has been focused on three important areas: traditional ecclesiastical ministry; collaborative social action; and health care for the poor. I am sure that you understand what I mean by the term "traditional ecclesiastical ministry." It is the ordinary and extraordinary ministry that takes place in any one of your parishes such as weekend liturgical celebrations, sacramental preparation, education, counseling, and ministry with youth as well as the emergency services provided by Catholic Charities.
These ministries give life and hope to the Catholics in the area as they raise their families and live their faith. But there are two other areas of ministry that have proven essential, especially given the economic challenges the areas faces. They are collaborative social action and health care for the poor.
My predecessor as bishop of Youngstown, Bishop James W. Malone, co-chaired an Ecumenical Coalition, that attempted to assist workers and the community to buy out the steel mills slated for closing in 1977. Other leaders of this movement included Bishop John Burt of the Episcopal Diocese, Bishop James Thomas of the East Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church, the Reverend John Sharik who was the executive presbyter of the Eastminster Presbytery of the United Presbyterian Church USA, and Rabbi Sidney Berkowitz of Rodef Shalom.
The Ecumenical Coalition released a powerful holiday season pastoral statement on December 12, 1977. With the announcement of mass layoffs and plant closures, these bold religious leaders called upon corporations to exercise social responsibility and declared that "the purpose of economic life is to serve the common good and the needs of people" (Origins, January 26, 1978, vol. 7, no. 32, page 507). One interesting note for future historians was that one of the ghost writers for this pastoral statement was John Carr, currently the Executive Director of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development, who was a staff person at the USCCB at that time.
The Ecumenical Coalition organized for emergency social services, advocacy and a new corporate approach to the crisis. It called upon community-based agencies to work together to provide food, rental assistance and job trainings to families affected by the layoffs and closures. The Coalition further started a technical group lead by Fr. Ed Stanton, who was the director of the Social Action office of the Diocese of Youngstown, to engage in a feasibility study and develop a worker-community owned company to take over the operations of the mill. This Coalition also developed an arm to organize the community to advocate for public policy changes in financial investment in the steel industry and to raise local capital to use as leverage for federal investment. The Reverend Charles Rawlings, a Presbyterian minister working for the Episcopal diocese, led this effort. Tying together the disparate pieces of this project was Attorney Staughton Lynd and others involved in the legal aspects of this creative approach to the new realities. Unfortunately, the project met with failure in April 1979 when the national government opted to invest in Chrysler, rather than Youngstown steel. Nonetheless, the effort was creative and groundbreaking.
While the Coalition's efforts failed to create necessary investment and a new worker-community owned mill, several positive outcomes resulted. Through the efforts of these teams of people, the federal government did make available money for a feasibility study led by economist Gar Aperowitz who worked for the financial investment firm of Lazard Freres in New York City. That study provided positive projections about various aspects of the steel industry. Further, the community organizing arm of the Ecumenical Coalition raised $4,014,927.26 in local investments for the new steel venture. This represented 4,138 individual pledges with 19 banks cooperating and 45 Churches and temples in the Mahoning Valley pledging their support to this local investment pool.
The cooperation initiated by the Ecumenical Coalition was a church lead response to the economic crisis which created the Rust Belt. Cooperatives and employee-owned businesses are now a fixture in Ohio and in many other parts of the Rust Belt. These types of businesses are a direct result of the social teaching and work of the Church.
Another area of Church involvement in economic opportunity is the Regional Chamber. During the past several months, members of our diocesan social action staff and I have been involved with an initiative planned by the Regional Chamber of Commerce of Mahoning-Trumbull counties. "Project 360" is designed to achieve a more vibrant economy and enhance the quality of life in the Mahoning Valley. Some of the goals of the Project include: 1) to retain and expand local business and attract new businesses; 2) to improve the community's image; 3) to achieve excellence in education; 4) to strengthen advocacy for Federal and State monies; and 5) to stimulate business start ups.
The project has made a number of important advances in recent years. One example is the expansion of the Youngstown Business Incubator that supports micro businesses in the high-tech industry. Another is an effort to engage bloggers to provide critical though positive news about the Valley in order to increase the community's profile and self-esteem.
Further, as a member of the Cabinet of this Project, I was able to secure diocesan membership in the Regional Chamber. My Catholic Charities Director represents my office at their non-profit Round Table dialogues which engage in planning for economic and social development. The Chamber staff person assigned to the non-profit sector has been a new ally in assisting Catholic Charities to negotiate the federal and state budget and regulatory systems, with special attention to the new opportunities found in the federal Stimulus Bill.
On a grassroots level, our Diocesan Social Action office assisted several parishes in the late 1990s to start a faith-based organizing effort called ACTION (Alliance of Congregations Transforming Our Neighborhoods). Action includes 12 Catholic inner city and suburban parishes, along with several other Christian congregations and community groups.
ACTION became an affiliated member of the national Gamaliel Foundation that trains local and parish leaders to engage in social analysis followed by social justice. The group uses funds from the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) to pursue its current agenda of organizing and advocating around issues of crime and violence, health care access, immigration, a new community college, and unemployment.
Based on new demographic realities, the Office of Social Action helped form a state-wide project which has been funded by CCHD. Centered in the Diocese of Youngstown, the Immigrant Worker Project trains, organizes and advocates for newly arriving Hispanic immigrants. The Immigrant Worker Project grew from a study commissioned in 2000 by the Catholic Conference of Ohio to analyze the assets and needs of migrant workers. As in other parts of the United States, the Bishops of the six dioceses of Ohio noted the rapid increase of newcomers from Mexico and Central America working in our fields, farms and small factories. The Immigrant Worker Project empowers these newcomers to become active members of their parishes and communities, advocates for comprehensive immigration reform, and protects workers from various labor violations.
The Diocesan Social Action Office is now leading a program at the parish level to deal with the current economic crisis related to the auto industry and its suppliers, as well as home foreclosures. Through our "Sharing Hope" initiative, we are assisting parishes to respond to the needs of newly laid-off workers and their families by piloting and developing job banks and work placement networks. Several pastors have provided homily hints to their brother priests, helping them preach about the current economic climate and the Church's teaching on human dignity, work and labor. At the same time, our Social Action staff continues to interact with local unions and retiree groups to find better ways to deal with unemployment and underemployment.
Catholic Charities social service agencies also work to prevent foreclosures. Our HUD certified agencies have obtained new federal stimulus monies to help place newly homeless families back into affordable housing and to serve a new round of families facing foreclosures due to unemployment. This work is a testament to the fact that even thirty years after the steel crisis, the Church in Youngstown remains engaged and committed to advancing economic justice.
Along with promoting economic development, the Church in Youngstown also strives to be of service to those members of the community who cannot afford health insurance. With many good manufacturing jobs gone and constant fears about the solvency of companies such as Delphi and General Motors, many individuals and families have lost access to health insurance. Similarly, many small businesses today cannot afford the cost of insurance and, thus, choose or are forced not to engage in a health care plan for their employees.
Our Catholic hospitals and Diocesan Catholic Charities have worked independently and conjointly to meet this problem. One response from our Catholic hospitals is their annual Charity Care program. In 2008, two Catholic health care systems in the Diocese provided over $60 million in uncompensated care and community benefits. In several counties, as well, our Catholic health care and Catholic Charities organizations have created a prescription drug program for low and moderate income persons. This program helps our client's access previously unaffordable medications.
This commitment to charity care, exemplified by the Sisters of the Humility of Mary and the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine and their collaborators, bears witness to the Church's believe that we must serve both the spiritual and the very physical needs of this Rust Belt community. It is characteristic of the how ministry is lived in northeastern Ohio, as well.
Beyond any doubt, the Diocese of Youngstown has been greatly influenced by an increase in poverty, an increase in unemployment, a decrease in household income, and a decrease in general population. But just as the Church was involved during the steel mill closings of the 1970s, it remains involved today, striving to bring Christ to our people and our people to peace and security. The ancestors of those found in the mosaic in our Cathedral are our greatest assets. Working with and through them, we can see the signs of a strong future, spiritually and economically.


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Stillwater NewsPress
STILLWATER, Okla. —
Former Cowboy basketball player Desmond Mason has been named grand marshal for Oklahoma State University's Homecoming.
Homecoming 2011: "Where Your Story Began" culminates Oct. 29 with a parade and football game against Baylor University.
The Oklahoma State University Alumni Association and the 2011 Homecoming executive team announced Mason's selection on Wednesday.
Mason majored in studio art at OSU and played basketball for Eddie Sutton from 1996 to 2000. Mason, who lives in Oklahoma City, was the 17th pick in the 2000 NBA draft. During his 10-year professional basketball career, he played for the Seattle Supersonics, Milwaukee Bucks, OKC/New Orleans Hornets, Oklahoma City Thunder and Sacramento Kings.
In 2004, he founded the Desmond Mason Art Show, which supports numerous local charities through the sales of his artwork.
As grand marshal, Mason will participate in numerous activities during Homecoming week, including leading the Sea of Orange Parade and awarding Homecoming trophies at the Baylor-OSU football game on Oct. 29.
"Being selected as the Homecoming grand marshal is a great honor, and I'm extremely humbled by the opportunity," Mason said.
OSU's Homecoming returns tens of thousands of alumni to Stillwater each year. Homecoming 2011: 'Where Your Story Began' will be Oct. 23-29. For more information, visit orangeconnection.org/homecoming or call the Homecoming hotline at (405) 744-5410.


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In Roads to Quoz: An American Mosey, William Least Heat-Moon saunters across America, looking for the strange and the true.
A short day's drive from where you live can you put in touch with local history and help you meet new people in fascinating small towns.
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Contact Information
Hours of Operation:
Mailing Address:
JConcepts Inc.
15370 CR 565A, Ste C
Groveland, FL 34736
Telephone Numbers:
352-241-4976 Office
352-243-5904 Fax
Date of the Event: 08.20.20112011 Short Course Showdown
Date: August 20th, 2011
Location: West Coast R/C Raceway – La Mirada, CA.
Brian Kinwald and Steven Hartson win 2wd and 4wd SCT with JConcepts at the Short Course Showdown Nation Wide Tour.
Coming off impressive 3rd place finishes at the ROAR Off-Road Nationals in SCT Modified and 4wd Modified, Brian Kinwald and Steven Hartson took their respective acts from Northern California to Southern California in search of more success.
Kinwald did his damage in the 3rd and 4th round of qualifying in Pro 2 modified taking the fastest time in round 3 giving him the overall TQ.
Steven Hartson took a slightly different route on his way to the A-finals. With very limited SCT experience Steven was on a steep learning curve throughout qualifying taking the long way to the A-main. In round 4 Steven got a great start and ran clean runs in both Pro 2 and Pro 4 putting him solidly into the A-mains.
Scotty Ernst pumped the crowd and the Pro 2 modified drivers took to the track and the tone sounded. Kinwald sat out front with Cody Turner in second and Frank Root 3rd. JConcepts drivers Steven Hartson and Paul Wynn climbed the ladder and got into the top 5. Steven charged hard and moved into the top 3 after Cody was forced to retire with mechanical problems.
Out front Kinwald, as the solid race leader he is known for, would not let anyone catch or get to the inside. Hartson made up more valuable space and overtook Frank Root for 2nd place. Steven was on the move and hunted down Kinwald turning a hot lap of 20.89 seconds and pulled within 2 seconds of the Dirtinator. Kinwald could not be shaken and crossed the finish line taking another big win in 2011. JConcepts / Team Associated teammate Steven Hartson finished 2nd and TLR driver Frank Root 3rd.
1st, 2nd, 3rd and 6th place drivers were all on JConcepts gold compound Bar Codes. Brian outfitted his truck with the JC Ford Raptor body and Hazard wheels while Steven chose the JC Ford Raptor body and Rulux wheels to top off the 1-2 punch for JConcepts.
Later, racers made their way to the drivers stand for the last race of the day. The Pro 4 modified main began with Mike Truhe getting an amazing start with Frank Root just a few seconds behind in 2nd. Frank made a small mistake which allowed Hartson to slip into 2nd place. Truhe traction rolled at the end of the main straight which allowed Hartson to take the lead. Running fast and consistent lap-times Hartson was tough to catch and after another mistake by Truhe, Hartson was checking out. Root and Truhe held a close battle between them and at the finish it was Root taking 2nd place. The final finishing order was Steven Hartson in 1st, Frank Root 2nd and Mike Truhe 3rd.
Steven's 1st place SC10 4x4 was decked out with JConcepts all weekend including Bar Codes in gold compound, Rulux wheels and JC Ford Raptor body topped off the winning ride. 2nd place, TLR driver Frank Root also ran the gold Bar Codes combination all weekend.
Congratulations to Scotty Ernst Productions and the entire West Coast R/C Raceway on another amazing event.


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First I have to gush about how nice it is to have authors writing more and more books about barefooting and barefoot running. Since Christopher McDougal's book, Born To Run, the interest world-wide has grown from a trickle into a stream.
Jason Robillard's book is another example of the great knowledge and enthusiasm the barefooting world has.
My first impression was surprise. It's a small book. The cover which pictures bare feet standing doesn't depict the running theme of the book and in total it is no more than 65 pages.
After reading the book I found myself feeling rather different. While it is no doubt a short book, it is well written. It has some humor to break up the pace, and it really dose an excellent job of not only covering all the bases and steps of barefoot running, but doing so in a straight forward and well organized fashion.
What it lacks in size it more than makes up for in its digestibility. You can read Jason's book easily in an afternoon and after having finished understand exactly what it is that you need to do to start running barefoot.
The book explains concepts well and links them to studies done on the subject. It then guides you through the process of barefoot running, starting from a pre-running perspective and taking you through to long distance barefoot running.
Each step is clear. Jason's approach is to explain concepts and goals rather than focus on too many details. He breaks the process down into 6 key principles, and then divides the progression of learning into: pre-running, starting to run barefoot, intermediate barefoot running, and advanced barefoot running. Each section has clear goals and drills to complete. Best of all he does a great job of explaining when you are pushing yourself too hard, and when you are ready to go onto the next phase.
After reading The Barefoot Running Book you will have a clear understanding of how to run barefoot and all the steps you need to take to get there safely.
The price of the book is high when compared to other paperback books of its size but It is important to keep in mind that this is a self-published work. All production costs have been absorbed by Jason. The printing cost per-book is also much higher. Given these facts I think it is a great value.
The short length adds to the attractiveness of this book. It is a pleasantly digestible and agreeable read (mush like a cookie!) that will leave you jumping out of your recliner and out into the streets running barefoot in an afternoon. After all, isn't that what you really want?
Click on the following link to buy Jason's Book: The Barefoot Running Book: A Practical Guide to the Art and Science of Barefoot and Minimalist Shoe Running
If you haven't already listened to Jason's interview than don't waste any time and listen to our interview with Jason Robillard on Episode 13 of The Living Barefoot Show.
As you read our reviews, please keep in mind that our reviewers review shoes in terms of their suitability for those looking to find the highest quality minimalist shoe products. All reviews are as factual as possible. In an effort to be transparent and ethical, we will point out any defects found, even if these do not affect the usability of the product. Not all defects will be present in final production shoes as we are sometimes offered "seconds" or pre-release products in an effort to provide you with reviews in a timely manor. In the event that serious issues are found with a review sample we will give every opportunity for the manufacturer to replace to explain the review samples before the final review is released. We never accept payments for reviews. We do not guarantee a good review for any products sent to us. We do not review products that do not claim to be minimalist or "barefoot like" unless we receive a significant number of requests from readers or listeners.
Should you have any questions about our review process or would like your product reviewed on our site, please do not hesitate to contact us using our contact page.
Buy His Book: Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
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[...] See our review of The Barefoot Running Book Here [...]
Jason sent me the book to have it reviewed on my … French website where I try to introduce French runners to barefoot/minimalism. I read it yesterday. Great work ! Informative, clear, full of practical exercises … I really enjoyed it.
I will post my review at the end of the week.
By the way, great website here
Hi Fred, Nice to hear from you! Thank you for comment. Make sure you add your site to BarefootFinder.com as well!
Everyone else, you can buy Jason's book on a link through our site – look for the review to find the link directly to the store.


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Things that are seen cannot be unseen: '72 Dolphins stomach tattoo
Nov 12, 2012, 11:38 AM EDT
On the same weekend that Atlanta sustained its first loss of the season, this Miami Dolphins fan proudly unfurled his allegiance to the last NFL team to complete a season undefeated: the 1972 Dolphins.
Yep, that's a permanent stomach tattoo … and if you look closely (I had too — I'm a journalist), nipple rings.
And here he is after hours. That tattoo is a chick magnet.
Oh, final score: Titans 37, Dolphins 3.
Fun fact: The '72 Dolphins are not the only undefeated team in NFL history, as is commonly believed. There are four others — the 1920 Akron Pros (8-0-3), 1922 (10-0-2) and '23 Canton Bulldogs (11-0-1), and the 1929 Green Bay Packers (12-0-1) — who finished their seasons with no losses … although they did each have one or more ties.
- tomtravis76 - Nov 12, 2012 at 11:19 PM
Yeah, he is a freakshow for all of the blacked out chicks to have their picture taken with, but then again if you have ever gone out in Broward County, you can find plenty of Florida girls who would love that.
- themediaisdumberthandirt - Nov 13, 2012 at 4:06 PM
Here's another fun fact: the tattoo says :undefeates, unforgotten. Unforgotten is not a word, do you think he knows that?
- nole567 - Nov 15, 2012 at 1:02 PM
@ themediaisdumberthandirt
Unforgotten is a word. You on the other hand can't put colons in the right place, spell "undefeated" or put together proper sentence structure. Don't rip on people when you're dumber than your targets. Better yet, just quit ripping on people altogether.
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