text:
Press Conference Statement By Congressman Jesse L. Jackson, Jr.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Attached please find legislation – the Catching Up To 1968 Act of 2012 – that I will introduce in the House of Representatives today regarding raising the minimum wage to $10 per hour. That may sound like a hefty wage increase but it doesn't fully equal the purchasing power of the minimum wage in 1968 – which today would be closer to $11 per hour. The bill is really only allowing American workers a degree of "catch-up." Thus the name and theme around the bill: "Catching Up To 1968." Of course, the current federal minimum wage has been $7.25 per hour since 2007.
The Catching Up To 1968 Act of 2012 contains four basic elements:
It raises the minimum wage to $10.00 per hour;
The minimum wage is raised immediately – not gradually as in the past – beginning 60 days after the date of enactment; and beginning one year after the $10.00 per hour minimum wage takes effect, and each year thereafter, the minimum wage will be indexed in proportion to the increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
For workers earning their living on the basis of tips, the cash wage paid to such an employee is to be 70% of the minimum wage when the law takes effect, but in no case less than $5.50 an hour, adjusted annually as necessary thereafter.
The bill will affect more than 30 million workers and give the economy an immediate boost by significantly increasing aggregate demand. Most economists that I've talked with said there was no economic reason to increase it incrementally over a couple of years.
Raising the federal minimum wage and indexing it to keep up with inflation has been supported historically by 70% of the American people. The AFL-CIO, National Council of La Raza, civil rights organizations, Ralph Nader, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and many others have all supported raising it and indexing it. Even Rick Santorum (until recently) and Mitt Romney believed in raising the minimum wage and Mr. Romney wanted to index it to inflation. If Mr. Romney had put it into effect during his time as Governor of Massachusetts it would now be around $10 per hour in that state.
$10 per hour at 40 hours per week is $400. $400 times 52 weeks equals $20,800 annually. As of 2010, the average income in the US per person was $40,584 (per capita personal income).
A $10 minimum wage, after years of windfall price increases and executive compensation windfalls at labor's expense, would annually pump tens of billions of dollars into greater consumer (or aggregate) demand by low-income families in this depressed economy.
The federal minimum wage, covered by the 1938 Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), operates as a floor. States and communities have the leeway to set higher livable wage standards and cover more workers – and a few do. Ten states have indexed the minimum wage to inflation.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s the minimum wage represented nearly 50 percent of average wages for private-sector, non-supervisory workers. But in 2010, that figure had fallen to only 38 percent. The purchasing power of the minimum wage plummeted in the 1980s when Congress did not increase it from January 1981 to April 1990.
In 2007, Congress raised the federal minimum wage by $2.10 per hour—from $5.15 to $7.25 per hour—as a first step toward restoring its historical value, providing an additional $1.6 billion annually in increased wages. It's now time to complete the job and index it into the future.
Research has shown no job loss resulting from reasonable minimum wage increases, even when the economy is struggling. On the contrary, to fix the underlying weakness of our economy, we must boost aggregate demand and increase the purchasing power of millions of low-wage workers—and one proven and effective way of doing that is to raise the federal minimum wage.
In conclusion, I want to especially thank Ralph Nader for encouraging me to introduce this legislation. While he has not been able to secure the presidency, he has been right on the issues and for his vast contributions to the betterment of our country, every American should be grateful.


text:
FO: Franny Cardigan
Posted on November 23, 2009 - 7:13pm
Franny Cardigan
FO: Franny Cardigan
(I listened to two audiobooks by totally different authors while knitting this sweater. Both featured characters with the unusual name Franny. So I figured it was destiny that this cardigan should be so named.
Yarn: Shokay Orient (organic yak/bamboo blend), colorway Peony, 5 skeins (about 1250 yards)
Needles: US Size 3 32 inch, US size 5 9 inch and 32 inch.
Construction: I knitted this sweater seamlessly from the bottom up, starting with a provisional cast-on on size 3 needles. I worked for a couple of inches, then switched to a size 5 needle. I also started working an i-cord edging at this point. When the fabric knit on the larger needles was the same length as that knit on the smaller, I carefully undid the provisional cast-on and placed the live stitches on a spare needle. I then knit one stitch from the main needle and one from the spare needle together, all the way across the garment, creating a folded hem. Next I knit a ton of rows of stockinette stitch with no shaping whatsover. When the fabric was the right length from my underarm to where I wanted the hem to hang, I started the sleeves. I began with an i-cord cast on, and then increased rapidly over several rows to form the billowy shape of the sleeve. I worked in stockinette with no shaping until the sleeve reached the underarm, then transferred the sleeve to a spare needle and worked the second sleeve the same way. Next I joined the sleeves and body together, leaving a few stitches on waste yarn for the underarm. I worked a few rows, decreasing rapidly, and then began the smocking pattern. I won't give away the secret of how it's done, but a cabling needle is involved. Incorporated into the smocking are decreases for the neckline. Finally, I worked an i-cord bind-off. I made sewn button loops on one side of the yoke and sewed the buttons to the other.
This is the sweater I thought would be great as a maternity garment, because it is open from the sternum down, so it could be worn during pregnany or at any other time. Also, like a lot of maternity clothes, it's loose, comfy, and a bit billowy.
The yarn was one of the most luxurious (and, naturally, one of the most expensive) I've ever worked with. In all those yards of yarn I did not find one flaw or knot. However the sweater grew a lot during blocking, due to the bamboo content. I ended up having to shrink it in the dryer to make it fit. But it does fit now, and I adore it.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Carrie Fisher
• Here's Why 'Star Wars: Episode VII' Will Totally Kick Ass
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• Star Wars Trivia - 20 Fun Star Wars Details You May Not Know. May The Facts Be With You!
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Birth Name: Carrie Fisher
Born: 10/21/1956
Birth Place: Beverly Hills, California, USA
Born: 10/21/1956
Birth Place: Beverly Hills, California, USA
Born Oct. 21, 1956 in Beverly Hills, CA to "America's Sweethearts" of the era, actress Debbie Reynolds and crooner Eddie Fisher, the future star was Hollywood royalty long before she donned the infamous slave girl outfit years later. When Fisher was two years old and her brother Todd an infant, her father left her mother for a recently widowed Elizabeth Taylor, culminating in the biggest Hollywood love triangle dustup of the 1950s. Raised by her single mother under intense public scrutiny, Fisher decided to join the family business, as she knew no other reality. At age 12, she joined her mother's Vegas nightclub act and at age 15, appeared in the chorus of Reynolds' award-winning Broadway re... Continue Bio >>
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text:
Plan B: Gavin FloydBy
Everyone knows the Yankees are looking to add a quality starting pitcher to their rotation this offseason, and everyone also knows the team wants Cliff Lee to be that guy. He's proven to be an elite pitcher at the top of his game, and the Yankees have both the need and financial wherewithal to bring him aboard. The Rangers, the team that last employed Lee, also want to keep their ace and are fully expected to make a competitive offer to retain him. This won't be a CC Sabathia situation, where the Yanks' offer far exceeded everyone else's. Given that heightened level of competition, the Yankees no doubt need to have a backup plan and a backup to that backup plan to shore up their rotation.
We know the Yanks have already expressed some interest in Jorge De La Rosa, but another interesting name hit the market yesterday: Gavin Floyd of the White Sox. The ChiSox have multiple needs this offseason, including adding a hitter or two and strengthening the pitching staff. GM Kenny Williams has obliterated the team's minor league depth over the last two years, parting with a total off eleven prospects (eight pitchers) for Mark Teahan, Edwin Jackson, Juan Pierre, Tony Pena (the reliever), and Jake Peavy since the start of the 2009 season. Although we don't know what kind of return KW is seeking for Floyd, there's a good chance that he's looking to fill multiple holes with one deal similar to what he did when he sent Javy Vazquez to Atlanta.
Floyd is still just 27 years old (28 in January) even though it feels like he's been around forever. Philadelphia made him the fourth overall pick in the 2001 draft out of a Maryland high school (Mark Teixeira went fifth overall), and three years later he was in the big leagues. The right-hander made 19 starts (and five relief appearances) for the Phightin's from 2004 through 2006, pitching to a 6.96 ERA that matched his ugly peripherals (6.17 FIP). Frustrated by the ups-and-downs that come with a young pitcher, Philadelphia traded him (and Gio Gonzalez) to the White Sox for Freddy Garcia before the 2007 season.
The South Siders exercised a little more patience than the Phillies did, having Floyd make 17 starts in Triple-A (3.65 FIP) before calling him up to start the second game of a doubleheader in early-June. To say Floyd struggled initially would be an understatement. He allowed ten (!!!) home runs and 25 runs in his first 24.1 innings in Chicago, so the team shifted him to relief for a month or so before giving him another crack at the rotation. The move paid off, as Floyd finished the season with a 3.41 ERA (4.20 FIP) in five starts. Chicago gave him a rotation spot out of Spring Training the next year, and the rest is history.
Since the start of the 2008 season, Floyd has pitched to a 3.99 ERA (4.02 FIP) in 94 starts, throwing at least 187 innings in each season. It's been nearly a decade since he was drafted, and Floyd has developed into a rock solid middle-of-the-rotation workhorse for Kenny Williams' team, eclipsing the 4.0 fWAR mark in each of the last two seasons. That performance earned the righty a four-year contract extension worth $15.5M. That deal will pay Floyd just $5M in 2011 and $7M in 2012 before his 2013 option comes into play ($9.5M with no buyout). Even if he doesn't improve one bit and remains the same guy going forward, that contract is a steal.
So then why, if Floyd is so young and so productive and signed so (relatively) cheaply, is he on the market? I'm guessing part of it has to do with a lack of other trade pieces. John Danks is off-limits as one of the game's best young lefties, Mark Buehrle and Peavy are untradeable given their contracts (and in Peavy's case, his injury), and Edwin Jackson is decidedly mediocre. Like Danks, Gordon Beckham should be off limits. That leaves Floyd as pretty much the only piece on the team's roster that has legitimate trade value, meaning he's not overpaid or under-producing or straight up old. Presumably, that's why he's available, because the ChiSox really don't have anyone else to trade.
Floyd's skill set is pretty simple. He misses a fair number of bats (9.5% swings-and-misses over the last two years, league avg is about 8.5%) and puts up solid strikeout rates (7.4 K/9 since 2009) thanks to a true four-pitch repertoire. Floyd's fastball has settled into the low-90′s and he throws both a big breaking curveball and a slider. A changeup serves as his fourth pitch, but he only throws it about six percent of the time. The two breaking balls allow Floyd to handle both lefties (.337 wOBA against) and righties (.322) fairly well. His ground ball rate is trending upwards, going from 41.2% in 2008 to 44.3% in 2009 to 49.9% this year, and sure enough his homerun rate is trending downwards as a result: 1.31 HR/9 in 2008, 0.98 in 2009, and 0.67 in 2010. Remember, US Cellular Field is a homerun park, so those homer rates are a bit inflated. The only real concern is that Floyd missed the last two weeks of the season with tightness in his throwing shoulder, but he didn't need surgery and the ChiSox shut him down as more of a precaution than anything.
The problem I see is that the two teams don't really line up for a trade. Williams asked the Rockies for third baseman Ian Stewart in return and the Yanks simply don't have that kind of bat to give up. The ChiSox already have a speedy singles hitter in Pierre so Brett Gardner doesn't do much of anything, and you know they won't want Nick Swisher back. That leaves Curtis Granderson, but I can't imagine the Yanks will cut bait on him so soon after all the progress he made late in the season. Based on the present construction of their team, the White Sox are trying to win now, so a bunch of prospects probably won't cut it. I just don't see how this would work from where I sit, but KW likes to do crazy stuff, so maybe he figures out a three team trade or something. I'm not sure if the timing will work out either, meaning the ChiSox might want to act and make a trade before Lee is ready to sign, but that's the nature of the beast.
We know the White Sox are at least willing to listen to offers for their young right-hander, and we also know the Yankees need to pick up at least one starting pitcher this offseason. The fit might not be there in terms of trade pieces, but Floyd makes a ton of sense for the Yankees and he's a great Plan B should they be unable to land Cliff Lee for whatever reason.
86 Comments»
If they get Lee and Pettitte retires I still think they should go for Floyd. We'll see a lower BABIP this eya rbut a probable increase in homers but he should still be a 3.70-4.00 FIP pitcher.
And the Yankees defense can certainly help him out. I go for him unless the cost is Montero.
AJ (he just needs a change of scene Kenny) straight up.
This is Kenny Williams we're talking about. Some combination of Nova, Pena, and Wilson Betemit should be enough.
Is this the mystery pitcher post that we have all been waiting for?
Trading Grandy for Floyd, signing Crawford, and moving Gardner to CF doesn't make some sense Mike?
I'm not Mike, but:
It makes some sense, but I don't think the Sox are looking for an outfielder. They already have Pierre, Rios, and Quentin penciled in for 2011 (with Pierre the only non-long-term fixture). Two of their top 5 prospects are also outfielders (Jared Mitchell, Jordan Danks).
They need infielders. That's why they asked for Stewart. Flipping Floyd for Granderson would simply necessitate a second move of Quentin (or a benching of Pierre), which probably won't get you as good of an infielder.
We probably don't have what they're looking for, as Mike said. We're not trading Cano, and our other infielders (Nuñez, Laird, Miranda) are either too raw or not positions of need for the Sox.
hadn't analyzed their roster, tsjc, but your assessment makes sense….thanks
The White Sox have been offering Quentin in a deal, so he doesn't seem to be part of their long term plans. Mitchell is only in low A at this point so he too far off to be a major factor in the White Sox's plans. Jordan Danks really isn't very good, he hasn't shown much power, patience, or contact skills. Danks only OPSed .685 in 502 AAA PA (at age 23) and .693 in 330 AA PA (at age 22). His K/PA rate is 3.3 in AAA.
I don't think they should be against adding a good OF, especially if they get a decent IF prospect with him (e.g. Nunez or Laird).
I was going to suggest Adams, but then I remembered what position Gordan Beckham usually plays. That and the whole ankle thing.
I could still see a 3-team deal involving Gardner or Granderson moving and Crawford being brought in, but that only really makes sense if the Yankees miss out on Lee due to the contract that Crawford will require.
why is everyone basing AJ like hes not a good pitcher does everyone forget how good he was in the beginning of the season he just had a down year i can almost guarantee that he will bounce back and will bounce back lovely to shut all the AJ haters up
why is everyone basing AJ like hes not a good pitcher does everyone forget how good he was in the beginning of the season he just had a down year i can almost guarantee that he will bounce back and will bounce back lovely to shut all the AJ haters up
I didnt know that this was an english class sorry professor
The reason they taught you English in class was because they wanted you to use it in the rest of your life to speak clearly and intelligently.
They taught you so that you wouldn't sound like an uneducated simpleton, and your points and opinions would be communicated effectively in a manner that is easy to understand.
I'm not asking you to develop cold fusion, I'm asking you to mix in the occasional comma and capital letter.
Are you serious? This is a Yankee blog, he is not writing a paper for college.
Can you ask the person, who inserted the stick, to kindly remove it?
Again, I'm not asking him to cite his sources in MLA format.
Asking for a fucking comma shouldn't be an impossibly difficult request.
just another example of the RAB cyber badass tommie. the creators and writers complain about the website and the comments but let this guy constantly attempt his poor keith law impression all day every day. it's like when you're on a team where the coach has a son that plays too. Except, when you show up 5 minutes late you're running poles, and when he shows up late, nothing. Nobody will respect your guidelines if you continue to let your friend be a total douche.
ya a lot of people say stupid shit on here….but you don't have to be such a snarky asshole 24/7. I know damn well i'm not alone in this sentiment. If you REALLY want your comments back and for "outsiders" to get more involved in your site, maybe you should make it so it's actually an enjoyable experience to talk about your favorite team with other fans of the Yankees.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, your writing and analysis is impeccable but this double standard of the comments is inexcusable. They're your friends. You should treat them differently than strangers…just not here.
Asking for a fucking comma is not being a douche. Refusing to insert a simple comma into your comment makes you a douche.
Gimme a friggin break here.
I think the point is that you don't have to be a dick about it.
Dude it's f*ckin comment. If you dont't like it then don't read it. I didn't know that if I didn't use proper english in a comments section I'd be crucified.
Well I'm obviously in the minority, but I'm with tommie on this one. He's not even making an exorbitant request. Punctuation exists to break up long blocks of text to make it more readable and understandable. It's much more difficult to make sense out of a long run-on sentence with no breaks, so even if you have a good point in there, it's much harder to find.
It's not even like you're texting and don't have easy access to all the necessary keys.
Look at your writing and look at Joey24′s writing. They have major differences.
TJSC isn't asking for Dicken-esque prose, just punctuation. It makes the comment much easier to read and makes it much easier to understand the commenter's point. It also makes the commenter look smarter.
It helps people take you seriously.
Gavin Floyd seems like a decent pitcher to take a chance on. Don't like his ERA being about 4, but I can learn to live with it because the Yanks have great numbers on offense.
Joey24 Burnett is going to have to convince me last season was a fluke. Another season like last year will not be tolerated by Yankee fans.
The Yankees outfield is fine with Grandy, Gardner and Swisher for another year. Anyway, I think Crawford is going to the Angels.
Thats exactly what I said i understand that this is NY but I mean come on the guy can't have one down season he did just help us win the world series. If he does have another down year then you consider moving him.
At this point, AJ Burnett is unmovable. No one would take on his contract. But, if they had a chance to dump him on a team like the Sox AND get a guy like Floyd in return, it's a no-brainer.
They would take Jose Lima straight up for AJ Burnett in a New York minute.
Seems like a good fall back option should Pettitte retire, if Cliff Lee doesn't sign it's probably the best chance they're going to get.
I'm confused, the article says that the chisox moved a starter into the bellpen then back into the rotation, and the universe did NOT implode upon itself. How is this possible? Only teams that can't develop pitching would ever do something so crazy and unorthodox.
Did they do it midseason? No?
Did they give up on him the moment he struggled in the rotation and move him back to the bullpen permanently? No?
That's what I thought.
Yes, they did move him mid-season. In fact, he went starter bullpen starter bullpen starter all in the same season.
To be clear, I wasn't trying to defend Joba's move to the pen in 2010 and beyond. I was more just making light of how teams use young starting pitchers in relief fairly frequently, but it's not the media shitstorm that the Joba situation created in 2008-2009.
I was also poking fun at the "yankees can't develop pitchers" meme from yesterday's shitshow.
You are preaching to the choir on your second point, sorry that wasn't clear.
Apologize in advance if this gets double-posted, didn't go through the first time
Yeah, not for nothing, but Gavin Floyd and Phil Hughes are strikingly similar. The only difference being that Hughes is doing at 24 what Floyd is doing at 26 and 27.
We're talking about a 4th overall pick. If you would have told me that Phil Hughes would turn into Gavin Floyd, I would have been happy. But Hughes is going to be better than Gavin Floyd.
The key is the part where they moved him back into the rotation.
I would give our AAA guys a chance before trading anything of value for Floyd or any other mediocre starter. We can wait until mid season to see how our rotation is doing before making a trade like this.
I would give our AAA guys a chance before trading anything of value for Floyd or any other mediocre starter.
The past three years, Floyd has put up a 114 ERA+. That's not a "mediocre starter". Mediocre starters aren't 14% better than league average.
For reference's sake, Andy Pettitte's ERA+ over the past two seasons (the two good ones, not the injury plagued 2008 season) was 117.
Not a huge fan. Would not expect him to be a reliable starter on the Yanks. If you like him, thats cool too. I just would not give up anything for him. If he was a free agent, he would be a solid plan B. Not as a trade in my opinion.
Then say "I'm not a huge fan" and don't call him mediocre. He hasn't been mediocre recently, he's been a pretty damn good starting pitcher.
A 1.37 whip last year in the AL Central is mediocre in my book.
His WHIP was high this year, because of his H/9 based off of a high .327 BABIP. In 2008 and 2009, his WHIPs were 1.260 and 1.228, respectively (though his BABIP were .259 and .285,, which might be too low).
Also, Pettitte's WHIP the past two years 1.271 and 1.382.
This. He's trending into a GB pitcher. Groundball pitchers will tend to have higher BABIP (sorry I didn't spell it out Bill James). Even though the White Sox infield defense good, he's subject to have years with a .327 BABIP especially when it coincides with a career high GB %.
I expect similar high BABIP and H/9 rates if he's traded to the Yankees.
Seeing as the 2010 average WHIP for the AL Central was 1.38, Floyd was once again better than average. If Mediocre = average to below average and Floyd = better than average, then Floyd =/= Mediocre.
I agree. Pretty much by definition "mediocre" starter are average to slightly below average.
Oh no! I just talked about the definition of a word!!! Did I just make this an English class?
I live in the Yankee universe where things are compared to the top 4-8 teams in the league. Even slightly above average for all of MLB is mediocre for a Yankee starter.
And yes, I am not getting into a definition debate right now either.
And yes, I am not getting into a definition debate right now either.
1- I wasn't expecting you to.
2- I didn't know that there was such a thing as a "definition debate" seeing as definitions are pretty, forgiving the redundancy, definitive.
They are not as definitive as you think.
Look at that. I guess we did end up having a "definiton debate".
In case you haven't noticed I am a bit of a…
Even without Andy, we'd have CC-Lee-Hughes-Burnett in our front four. That's a pretty good front four when you consider that AJ probably will be closer to 2009 than 2010, and we are letting his contract blind us from the fact that he's a fourth starter on this team.
Unless we're getting a big arm like a Zack Greinke (don't start, I know it's unlikely) in a trade, I'm a lot more keen on seeing what Ivan Nova can do out of the fifth spot. Maybe take a chance on someone like Rich Harden (who could be a bullpen guy?), Justin Duscherer, Scott Olsen, or Jeff Francis.
Well for one Lee isn't signed and the nature of this post is plan B for Lee not signing. So when you consider that the rotation is:
CC: Rock solid
Hughes: Good season, should build on, but ERA ~5 past mid-may
Burnett: Which AJ will we get?
Personally all for bringing in a quality, proven arm like Floyd.
I´m all for it too, but I don´t think he is worth a Montero or even a Banuelos everyone else is on the table.
My bad, i was thinking Plan B if one of Lee and Pettitte doesn't sign.
I think this Upton thing is going to take off. Until that finishes, you can't really say anything about a Floyd deal. Also, it's too early to write AJ off — I don't understand last year at all. How can the loss of a pitching coach cause such a collapse? He didn't even have a history with the guy. I don't get it. Upton signs on and Gardy becomes key for Floyd deal.
None of what you just said makes sense.
I wouldn't say none of it makes sense. Here are a couple of points he made that I can agree with
1- I don't get it.
2- …
That is all.
True. Depending on if the Yanks are serious about getting Upton, they should hold off on trading any possible players that could be included in that deal. They can't wait forever though. They need to make a decision if they have not already so they can move on with their off season.
And if they do trade for Upton, then one of their outfielders all of sudden become trade bait.
I don't see the Yanks getting Upton in reality though, so it is probably moot. You never know though.
As for Burnett, you are obviously right. That pitching coach narrative was a bunch of bullshit. Gimme a break.
Would love some Gavin Floyd, but unfortunately does seem like there isn't a ton of match there without a 3rd team involved looking for prospects for an infielder. If only David Adams were ready for prime-time.
Floyd is good but this is the guy we should get and who Mike will tell us about.
/unfortunately no longer available
Floyd would be nice option for the Yankees, but I think that price of Granderson and prospects would be too high at this point considering that Granderson is coming off a down year where he was injured and still put a WAR of 3.6 in 530 PAs. The only way this deal gets done is if a third team can give the White Sox the MLB ready help while the Yankees give up top 5 prospect plus an upper level decent prospect.
When Texas makes their offer to Lee. Can or will Lee's agent lie about the years and dollar amount of the deal to drive up the Yankees offer? Does this happen often during the free agency process?
Trading for Floyd will just prove once again the inability of the Yankees to develop their own pitching.
c montero
1b teix
2b cano
3b arod
ss jeter
of upton
of swisher
of grandy/gardy
dh posada
upton -> grandy/gardy, all 3 killa b's
floyd -> joba, laird
get it done cash.
how silly of me. swap joba, with grandy/gardy, sign carl crawford.
"so the team shifted him to relief for a month or so before giving him another crack at the rotation."
They had no plan!!!!! (Runs around wildly like head was just chopped off) They ruined his life and have no idea how to develop pitchers!!!!!!!
Basically the reaction when the Yankees put a struggling prospect in the pen…
I've noticed a disturbing trend over the last decade or so. When the Yankees actually set out to acquire a middle of the rotation or back of the rotation starter, the guy they get almost never lives up to even those lofty goals. The 2000′s are littered with Jaret Wrights and Carl Pavanos and Kei Igawas and Javy Vazquez (the second time)
Because middle of the rotation guys for almost every other team in MLB baseball is not middle of the rotation for the Yanks. The AL East is a whole nother ball game, and even further, the Yanks are another ball game on top of that. I think the Yanks have started to realize that these past couple of years which is why I highly doubt they trade for this guy.
With Javy last year, they thought they were getting the guy who was 4th in the Cy Young voting the year before, and Cashman obviously had a thing for the guy evidenced by the fact he traded for him two different times. I hope Cash does not have the same man love for Gavin.
I'm assuming this still isn't our mystery pitcher…
I would be on board for Gavin if Lee/Pettitte do not sign, but it all depends on what we have to give up. Does anyone know what the White Sox are in need for, what they would be interested in return? I know you mentioned a Power Bat like Granderson, but what other areas are they looking to fill that we know of?
THERE WAS A HOPEFUL NOTE IN THERE SOMEWHERE to the effect that Cashman can't allow the team to age gracefully into being uncompetitive. The team is aging rapidly and the process is not reversible with players like Cervelli, Gardner, or even Montero if he has "Fists of Stone", so at best he is an experiment, possibly more use in a trade for UPTON e.g., than as a keeper. IF THE TEAM WAS YOUNG PRODUCTIVE AND FILLED WITH POTENTIAL (SEE 1996 YANKEES) IT COULD CARRY JEETS into his dotage. CANO at 2B pinching, a Brooks Robinson, or Clete Boyer 3B pinching, with shallow playing CF would do the defensive trick supported by a high K rate pitching staff. Then just find some swing speed and change his plate approach so he doesn't jam himself. BEING HARSH IF JEETS showed up today without the 16 year history HE WOULD NOT PLAY. Cashman can't do anything about AROD – his 3B prowess allowed JEETS to win the first 2 Gold Gloves (along with Jeter's agility work). NOW AROD'S HIP has stolen his range — he can't help Jeter — the keftt side is a sieve that will get worse AND the OFFENSE will also get worse –
WHAT TO DO – Press Release – "DJ is the ultimate winner and team player — The YANKEES are delighted to offer $20M a year for 3 years with 2 option years HELD BY THE TEAM. All will be well if JEETS finds the fountain of youth or can learn to lift and pull the ball as a plate approach, making him DH capable — he is NOT SCRAWNY – it is technique. Assuming he remains DJJ 2010 version with further decline he won't burden the team by moving to the bench. The Yankees win the PR war; and very hopefully secure the player by creating a golden parachute. NO YANKEE FAN will be upset if JEETS turns it down.
WITH THAT DONE –CASHMAN CAN OVERPAY MO for 40 appearances and 35 saves–
WITH THAT DONE – get some young talent begiining with C and OF cause with AROD JETER locked in for the next year at least there is nowhere else to get YOUNG – PLEASE FORGET GARDNER he is part of the problem – he is a delight, even a useful part of a potent lineup — he is a luxury on a team that grows less potent every day.
Put aside the 16 years as ICON — compare age and stats — start with J. DAMON — not a SS but offensively equally productive — and I am sure there are closer better comparisons. CREATING A BOTTLENECK AT SS and 3B will build the BALTIMORE RIPKENs that from 1996 onward became the present day Orioles
IF JEETS doesn't take the deal then he won't get his 3000 hit as a YANKEE but that is a personal stat.
i think Floyd is a splendid idea.. I would like to add Cliff Lee and Floyd if possible, and team with CC, PHIL and AJ, if andy's not to return… If Andy is 2 return, then whatever, i guess theres no room for him…
I think the yanks have as loaded a Minor League System as we've had in yrs, and a Package of Brandon Laird, Adam Warren, Austin Romine and David Adams should at least be a place to start from…


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Ordering wine at a restaurant can be intimidating—like you're being thrown into a complex ritual without knowing the rules. No one likes looking foolish in any type of social situation (and ordering wine at a restaurant IS a very social situation!) but if you know the basics, it's pretty straightforward.
Bottle or Glass?
The age-old question—get a bottle or order by the glass? In general, ordering by the bottle is more cost-effective. But there are reasons to order wine by the glass:
- If your table won't drink a full bottle
- If you want more than one wine during your dinner
- If you and your dinner companion(s) are ordering foods that are difficult to pair with a single wine
Ordering Wine
Restaurants typically serve two different categories of wine: house wines and list wines. Very high-end restaurants may also have a reserve list you can ask to see if you're feeling like a big spender.
House Wines
The house wine is what you get when you just ask for red or white wine without any further specification. While house wines at quality restaurants are usually perfectly acceptable, they're never extraordinary. The house wine has to appeal to many people, which means it can't be too interesting. Besides, even the best restaurants choose house wines that are as cheap as they can get away with. House wines are usually available by the glass or carafe, a wide-necked vessel that holds a bottle's worth of wine.
The Wine List
A restaurant might have 15 wines on its list—or 150. Every entry on the list will tell you the name of the wine, the winery that produced it, the vintage, and the price. If a wine is available by the glass and by the bottle, the wine list will show prices for both. All wine lists, long or short, organize wines by type (white, red, etc.). Some lists may also organize by:
- Country of origin
- Varietal
- Price
- Body (light-bodied wines on top, full-bodied below)
One good way to choose wine from a list is to pick one that you've never had before but that's made from a grape variety you know you like. Another is to describe to your waiter what you like in a wine and ask for a recommendation. To get more expert advice, you could ask to speak to the person at the restaurant who manages the wine list. Higher-end restaurants may employ a fulltime wine manager known as a sommelier.
Bringing Your Own Wine
Many restaurants allow you to bring your own wine, which the waiter then uncorks and serves to you. For this service restaurants typically charge a corkage fee that typically ranges from $10 to $25.
If you want to bring wine to a restaurant, ALWAYS call first and make sure it's okay—some restaurants don't allow patrons to bring their own wine. When you call, make sure that the restaurant doesn't already carry the wine you want to bring. It's bad form to bring a wine that a restaurant carries on its list.
The Wine Serving Ritual
When wine is served in restaurants, the waiter usually follows a specific procedure:
- The waiter presents the bottle to you: This allows you to check that the wine is actually what you ordered. Really do check—waiters can make mistakes, so the bottle could be the wrong vintage or even the wrong wine. Also take the chance to touch the bottle and test its temperature. The bottle should be cool to the touch (white wines slightly colder than red).
- The waiter removes the cork and presents it to you: The condition of the cork can hint whether a wine has spoiled. If the cork smells bad or seems either shriveled or wet, the wine may be bad.
- The waiter pours a little wine into your glass: Sniff and taste the wine to see whether it's gone bad. If it has gone bad (and wines sometimes do go bad), be kind but not too apologetic and send it back. Swirl it around a bit and notice if it sheets down or if the wine comes back down in streaks. Sheeting isn't good and is usually indicative of a cheap wine. Streaks (also called "legs") indicate a little higher alcohol content and usually mean a better quality wine.
- If the wine is fine, tell the waiter to proceed: The waiter will fill your guests' glasses first, then yours.
The most important thing to remember is that although you may not be an expert, you can express what you like and the price range you'd like to stay within and then let the waiter or sommelier make a suggestion. You're in control. Sample their recommendation and if you don't like it, speak up. If you do like it, enjoy your selection!


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Bryan Elementary School students will be able to wear their healthy habits as a badge of honor during the upcoming school year.
Thanks to a "Fuel Up to Play" grant from the Southeast United Dairy Industry Association, Inc. (SUDIA) and America's Dairy Farmers, the school now has $1,016 to spend on programs for health education. The school can reapply throughout the school year for more grant money.
At the core of the school's plans are T-shirts that students wear on the last Friday of each month, called wellness T-shirts. The students can earn merit badges for doing healthy things and for participating in school events, and can sew the badges onto their wellness shirts.
"My kids play Upwards sports, and they get badges for things like good sportsmanship. And the Boy Scouts have been doing it for years. Sometimes you have to think of new ways to motivate kids," said Rebecca Recke, a physical education teacher at Bryan Elementary who helped write the grant proposal. "I mean, high fives are great, but let's jazz it up a little, right?"
Recke said the school tries to frequently implement health-education programs, including Recke's "Math and Muscle" class that combines mathematics and physical education.
Students can earn badges for participating in events like "Breakfast with the Coaches," which is exactly what it sounds like: Students enjoy a healthy breakfast with coaches from local schools (and perhaps beyond in the future).
"The coaches just come talk to them, chill out with them," said Recke.
The students can also earn badges by running at the school before the schoolday begins on Tuesdays and Thursdays and by participating in a school-wide 5K race with their families. Recke said the school is even trying to get a live milking cow to come to the school.
"We're trying to stress healthy living this year," said Bryan Elementary School principal Debra Campbell.
The grant supplies funds for programs as well as promotional materials, such as fliers the students can take home.
"If we hadn't gotten this grant, we would have had to go in a completely different direction," said Recke.
Bryan focuses on healthy habits
Bryan Elementary School students will be able to wear their healthy habits as a badge of honor during the upcoming school year.
- Features
Progress 2012: Teacher loves life in Morris
Shelly Crumley is a teacher at Bryan Elementary School in Morris and has been in the field of education for around 20 years.
Progress 2012: Morris center popular with senior set
Christi Blankenship, director of the Morris Senior Center, has deep admiration for the town of Morris.
Progress 2012: Gas station a boost for Morris
Morris is a small but sturdy town, according to Mayor Craig Drummonds, who sees a lot of potential for growth.
Progress 2012: McAlpine loves city of Warrior
J.D. McAlpine has lived in Warrior for most of his life. Things have changed a good bit during his time — sometimes good, sometimes not.
Progress 2012: Warrior a growing city, outgoing mayor says
Warrior mayor Rena Hudson is confident that the city will continue to grow after her term is over in October this year.
Progress 2012: Library, senior center sites of activity in Warrior
The staff of the Warrior-Evelyn Thornton Public Library is looking to expand into a bigger building.
Progress 2012: Staci Glover keeper of Brookside's history
Staci Glover may be one of the best known figures in Brookside, even though she doesn't live there anymore.
Progress 2012: Creek major part of Brookside's life, income
The town of Brookside continues its slow recovery after the devastating floods of 2003, and now is doing its best to take advantage of Five Mile Creek — the body of water that swept away a large portion of the older part of the town center.
Progress 2012: Future Interstate 422 key to Brookside's economic life
Roger McCondichie has seen the future, and it has a number: 422.
Progress 2012: Gooch winning people over to soccer
Donnie Gooch is winning the battle for soccer.
- More Features Headlines
- Progress 2012: Teacher loves life in Morris


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Archive for November, 2011
Engagement Rings for Men?
Woohoo! Here's the new, new thing:
Engagement Rings for Men
Engagement rings are a symbol of commitment and they're not just for brides-to-be anymore. Although it's not a common tradition, modern men who want show their devotion prior to the ceremony can take a cue from Brazilian and Argentinian couples who typically have a plain band for both the future bride and groom. Men's engagement rings are also great for same-sex couples who both want to wear a ring.
See the "Best Men's Engagement Rings" here.
Geez Louise. There's no end to the things the corporatocracy wants us to think we ah, "need." Ka-ching!
Ron Paul Destroys Newt Gingrich
Ouch, ouch, OUCH! Ron Paul is out with a new ad that eviscerates Newt Gingrich. (I agree, the word eviscerates is used too often and too loosely, but not in this case.) Wow, as political ads go, this is a masterpiece.
LA Mayor Villaraigosa Puffs His Chest Over LAPD Removing American Citizens From Property They Own
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa issued this statement today regarding the Los Angeles Police Department removing American citizens — OccupyLA protesters — from City Hall Park, which they own:
Last night, we witnessed perhaps one of the finest moments in the history of the Los Angeles Police Department.
After 58 days of the Occupy LA protest, 1,400 officers enforced the closure of City Hall Park. The closure, conducted in a professional and restrained manner, was meticulously planned and involved coordination with multiple city departments. Over 200 people were arrested with a minimal use of force and with no major injuries to the police or to protesters. The activists' fundamental rights were respected. This was a peaceful and orderly conclusion of the encampment at City Hall.
Today, the LAPD stands as a shining example of constitutional policing.
Although we expect further protests as Occupy LA works to broaden its movement, we will work hard to ensure that the City handles these actions with the appropriate restraint. I hope that the Occupy LA activists will do the same.
The movement's message of restoring the balance to American society is too important to be lost amid clashes and conflict."
"Restoring the balance to American society…?" Why don't you send the LAPD to the Citigroup offices and arrest them? That would restore some balance.
I heard someone say the other day that Villaraigosa, a Democrat, has gone over to the side of the 1%ers.
Oh, and what the hell is "constitutional policing?" A new, Orwellian phrase we'll no doubt be hearing more of.
Don Imus Not Helping the Fox Business Network's Ratings
Back in the fall of 2009, the honchos over at the Fox "Business Network" hired Don Imus to do a weekday morning show in the hope that he would attract more than the 300-some regular viewers. Seems that people who want business news see CNBC as far more credible than Fox. Gee. I wonder why.
Anyway, that grand plan isn't working:
Don Imus's morning show has never been on more radio stations than it is today — more than 80.
But the cowboy boot-wearing jock is having a hard time finding his footing on TV. In the just finished November ratings period, "Imus in the Morning" was the least watched FBN program in A25-54 viewers, averaging 6,000 from 6-9am. An improvement from the 5,000 who watched last month, but down -50% from the 12,000 average in Nov. 2010, when the mid-term elections were the big story.
By comparison, CNBC which is available in 40 million more homes, had more than 10x the A25-54 viewers with 70,000 watching "Squawk Box". The gap narrows in total viewers as Imus drew 92,000 to CNBC's 175,000: and both shows grew their Total Viewer numbers year-over-year.
Since May, (5/5/11 – 11/25/11) when Connell McShane took over for Charles McCord, the show has seen an -18% drop in A25-54 viewers. And despite crowing about an occasional win against "Squawk Box", Imus has not logged a win in the 6-9am block this year, in either Total Viewers or the demo.
It seems to me that adding Imus to the lineup only reinforces the notion that FBN isn't a "real" business news network. (His show airs for three hours beginning at 6:00 a.m. ET and ending at 9:20 a.m. ET, ten minutes before the "opening bell" at the NYSE.) I'm not surprised the show is a dud. The non-business audience (Imus' potential viewers) is watching Fox News and people who want business news are watching CNBC.
Poor FBN. They just don't get it.
You Won't Have to Know What You're Talking About to Be on Fox
During a town hall-style gathering last night in Newberry, South Carolina, an audience member asked Newt Gingrich a question about insuring that everyone with HIV gets treatment. He wasn't prepared to answer the question so he asked the questioner to forward the information to his staff. Then he concluded with this:
I'm certainly sympathic to what you just said but one of the real changes that comes when you start running for president as opposed to being an analyst on Fox is I, you know, I have to actually know what I'm talking about. It's a severe limitation.
Here's video:
I've always said that Fox thinks its audience is stupid — throw anything at them and they'll buy it — and this pretty much proves it.
Mike Bloomberg Brags About Having His Own "Army"
Wow, this is a revealing statement by 1%-er Michael Bloomberg, the mayor of New York:
"I have my own army in the NYPD, which is the seventh biggest army in the world. I have my own State Department, much to Foggy Bottom's annoyance. We have the United Nations in New York, and so we have an entree into the diplomatic world that Washington does not have," Mayor Bloomberg said.
The moto of the New York Police Department, as inscribed on the side of NYPD police cars,
is: Courtesy, Professionalism and Respect. It, like all other police departments around the country, was established to protect and serve the people. The department is funded by tax dollars paid by the people of the city of New York.
Mike, you work for and are paid by the people of the city of New York too. The NYPD is not your personal army. You should disabuse yourself of that notion inmediatamente.
Sheriff's Deputies, Movers Refuse to Evict 103-Year-Old-Woman
I love this story:
A 103-year-old woman and her 83-year-old daughter were just moments from being evicted from their home Tuesday, when sheriff's deputies and the moving company hired by the bank decided not to go through with the action.
At just three weeks shy of her 104th birthday, Vita Lee has shared her home on Penelope Road in Northwest Atlanta with her daughter for 53 years.
"I love it. It's a mansion," Lee said about her house.
Fulton County sheriff's deputies and movers showed up at Lee's home Tuesday after Deutsche Bank planned to kick the two women out.
The moving company and the deputies took one look at Lee and decided that would not happen.
"I saw the sheriffs, who came to put them out, take off and leave. I gave all glory to God," community activist Michael Langford said.
The house and case have been in the court system for years. Possible eviction seemed too much for Lee's daughter Tuesday. She was rushed to the hospital.
Bravo to the sheriff's deputies and the movers. Nice to know there are still people in this world who have blood in their veins, not ice.
The Washington Post's Bully, Dana Milbank, Calls Barney Frank a Bully
This would be the Washington Post's Dana Milbank in June, 2009:
This morning, Dana Milbank, Amanda Carpenter, and I appeared on CNN's Reliable Sources, hosted by Howard Kurtz.
It was a spirited affair and folks can draw their own conclusions. Here's the video.
The only thing that surprised me was when Dana turned to me after our initial sparring and called me a "dick" in a whispered tone (the specific phrase was, I believe, "You're such a dick").
And this would be be Milbank in August, 2009:
Ridiculous, panty-raiding Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank is partaking in further jackassery on behalf of the legendary paper yet again, now making videos where he's calling Hillary Clinton a "mad bitch."
Being the arrogant, insulated, inside-the-beltway egomaniac that he is, this would be Dana Milbank today:
LA's "Democratic" Mayor Launches a War Against People Who Want to Be Heard
This is happening in the United States of America on November 29, 2011 @ roughly 7:12 p.m. PT:
Follow Kevin Gosztola here.
Ed Schultz Says "Krystal Ball" is a "Democratic Strategist"
When I worked on Outfoxed and at the Newshounds for lo those five years, I watched Fox "News" claim that every Tom, Dick, Harry and Jane it slapped up on the screen was a "strategist."
You wouldn't believe how pitiful the credentials of some of those "strategists" were. I.e., they had no business whatsoever being sold to We the People as experts.
So when I happened upon The Ed Show tonight on MSNBC and I saw Ed talking to a woman named Krystal Ball — who he billed as a "Democratic strategist" — I had to know more.
Krystal Ball? Seriously? Didn't that name alone make Ed's bookers just a teeny weeny bit suspicious?
Guess not.
This is from KrystalBall's website:
About Krystal
Krystal Marie Ball is a 29-year-old former Congressional candidate and current Democratic Strategist; in addition to being a Certified Public Accountant, software engineer, small business owner and mother. Krystal was recently named by Forbes Magazine as number 21 on the magazine's "Most Powerful Women in the Mid Term Elections" list.
So, Krystal Ball has been a lot of things in her 29 years and one of her proudest accomplishments is ingratiating herself into the 1% club with bazillionaire Steve Forbes (a 1%-er extraordinaire).
Ed Schultz claims to be a man of the people but he touts a "Democratic strategist" with a dubious background who's on Steve Forbes' — Steve Forbes'! — favorites list?
Hey Ed: Read this to learn more about your gal pal Krystal.
Schools in the United States Are Literally Falling Apart
Yesterday we learned that the United States of America's 2012 discretionary budget allocates 59% to defense spending and 6% — 6% — to education.
That said, schools in the United States are literally falling apart:
FORT COLLINS, Colo.—Timnath Elementary School is closed after a ceiling collapsed over the Thanksgiving holiday.
School district crews and a structural engineer are working Tuesday to determine the cause.
Poudre School District spokeswoman Danielle Clark says teachers discovered the collapse when they returned to school on Monday, an extended holiday for students.
Thank God this happened over the Thanksgiving weekend. What if it hadn't?
America: We get what we pay for.
Newt Gingrich Says We Should Address Climate Change
I'm posting this video of Newt Gingrich cozying up to Nancy Pelosi and climate change "for the record."
As Newt rises in the polls, I fully expect him to distance himself from not only his climate change concerns (can't have that in winger world!) but his having ever met Nancy Pelosi:
455,000 Public Sector Jobs Lost in the Last Two Years
First a reminder: The "deficit" wasn't an issue between 2001 and 2009 while the Bush administration was running it up. It became an issue on November 4, 2008, the day after Barack Obama got elected. Why? The Republicans (1) were even then strategizing for 2012 and (3) they needed to blame someone for the state of the economy, and that someone was Obama.
Unfortunately, the financial crisis hit at the same time and Democrats and just about everyone else who wielded power around here bought the Republican hysteria about the immediate need to reduce said deficit.
So here we are,
States Face Bleak Economic Forecast, Report Says
State and local governments have cut 455,000 jobs since the beginning of 2010, and public-sector jobs account for the smallest share of the nation's employment since the 2008 financial crisis, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Is it any wonder (that "states face bleak economic forecast")? Lay off almost a half a million people who probably haven't been able to get new jobs. Cut their income by who knows how much and then cross your fingers and hope the economy, which relies to the tune of 70% on "consumer" spending, picks up.
Good luck with that!
Let's worry about the deficit later.
What we need now are jobs and money in people's pockets.
This drives me crazy. Chances are I'm handing food out to some of these same laid off government workers when I'm at the food bank on Fridays.
Baghdad Is the Worst Place in the World to Live
So America, after hundreds of billions of dollars and roughly 100,000 lives lost, this is Baghdad today (thanks George!):
Vienna's excellent infrastructure, safe streets and good public health service make it the nicest place to live in the world, consulting group Mercer said in a global survey which put Baghdad firmly in last place.
German and Swiss cities also performed especially well in the quality of living rankings, with Zurich, Munich, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Geneva and Bern in the top 10.
The Austrian capital, with its ornate buildings, public parks and extensive bicycle network recently reduced the cost of its annual public transport ticket to 1 euro a day.
Serious crime is rare and the city of around 1.7 million inhabitants regularly tops global quality of life surveys.
Baghdad's political turmoil, poor security enforcement and attacks on local people and foreigners made it the worst place to live in 2011, both in terms of life quality and safety.
America, I'm ashamed of us.
If you'd like to see the full list of most livable cities based on (1) quality of life, and (2) personal safety, go here. The highest ranked U.S. city in the quality of life category is Honolulu at #29. There are no U.S. cities in the personal safety category.
It Looks Like Herman Cain is Done
This says to me Herman Cain is done.
GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain–who is said to be reassessing his campaign–canceled dinner with a bevy of New York media bigwigs scheduled for Sunday, according to NY1.
Among the attendees: Fox News hosts Bill O'Reilly and Greta Van Susteren (Van Susteren's husband John Coale organized the meeting), NBC's Matt Lauer, ABC's Barbara Walters, CBS' Lesley Stahl and Senator Chick Schumer.
Thank God. The guy was his own worst enemy. But I have to say, I haven't seen an ego as big as his in quite a while. That he thought he could be seen as a viable candidate given all the baggage in his past was something to behold.
Then again, his ego might be huger than that. He might think he's such a desirable stud, the women he
sexually harassed blessed with his presence or had affairs with rescued, appreciated what he did for them so much, they'd never complain.
Regarding CNN's Obsession With Conrad Murray
This would be our Tweet of the Day:
I remember when CNN was an actual news channel.
"Teddy Bear" the Porcupine Doesn't Want to Share His Corn
OMG, the noises this little porcupine, "Teddy Bear," makes are so darling (turn your volume up):
Disabled Senior Citizen Tasered to Death By Police
This is both infuriating and heartbreaking:
A 61-year-old Halifax County man died Tuesday, a day after police shocked him with a stun gun while he was riding his bike, family members said.
Scotland Neck [North Carolina] Police Chief Joe Williams said they received a call Monday night about a man who fell off of his bicycle and injured himself in the parking lot of the BB&T bank, 1001 Main St. The caller was concerned that the man was drunk.
When Officer John Turner arrived, he saw Roger Anthony pedaling away along 10th Street. He followed Anthony in his patrol car, briefly put on his sirens and lights and yelled out of the window for him to stop, but Anthony continued to ride away, police said.
Williams said Turner then saw Anthony take something out his pocket and put it into his mouth. At that time, Turner got out of the car and yelled for Anthony to stop. When Anthony didn't stop, the officer used a stun gun on him, causing him to fall off of his bike.
Anthony was transported to Pitt County Memorial Hospital, where he was declared brain dead, his sister Gladys Freeman said. He was taken off of life support on Tuesday.
Freeman said her brother was disabled, suffered from seizures and had trouble hearing.
I wish the Justice Department would look into the over-use of stun guns, tasers and pepper spray. It's out of control.
Rescued Beagles Feel Grass and See the Sun For the First Time in Their Lives
What a great way to start the day:
Our second rescue from beagles who have lived their entire lives inside a research laboratory. These beagles have known nothing except the confines of metal cages. They have known no soft human touch, no warm bed, no companionship, no love. They have never been outside or sniffed a tree or grass. Finally, after years of being poked and prodded, these beagles are FREE!
Stay Classy Tea Party
Again, Emma Sullivan is my new hero, especially when compared to the behavior of the Tea Party folks who sent this tweet out about Barney Frank retiring today:
Oh, and BTW, "POS" means Piece. Of. Shit.
Emma Sullivan is My New Hero!
I keep thinking about Emma Sullivan.
Ms. Sullivan is the 18-year-old high school senior who attended an event in Topeka, Kansas last Monday which was billed as a "Kansas Youth in Government" forum. Ms. Sullivan pissed off Kansas Governor Sam Brownback — the keynote speaker — when she sent a tweet about his speech that Brownback's staff didn't like.
(Apparently Brownback's staff is sitting around in pajamas in their parents' basement, eating Cheetos, trolling the web for negative tweets about Brownback instead of creating jobs.)
Sullivan tweeted that Brownback "sucked" and "blowsalot."
How dare she?!
Sam — Fidel Castro — Brownback's office (don't forget, Brownback sets the tone for what his office does) contacted the principal at Sullivan's school, who (being the tool that he or she is) demanded that Sullivan write a letter of apology to Brownback by today (11-28-11) or face who-knows-what kind of discipline.
Sullivan refused, and today Brownback backed down, saying his staff "overreacted."
Overreacted? Ya think?
Anyway, this incident got a lot of press and I'm willing to bet Ms. Sullivan received some ugly tweets and possibly even death threats so her decision not to apologize can't have been easy. That's why I want her to know how proud I am that she stood up for her fundamental right to freedom of speech. I respect her guts.
Oh, and as for that principal — you're a pathetic example to the kids in your school.
You are my new hero Emma!
The Hypocrisy of the New Hampshire Union Leader
The publisher of the New Hampshire Union Leader (it's a newspaper, not A. Union. Leader.) made an appearance on Fox today to talk about the newspaper's endorsement of Newt Gingrich:
"I think — and this is crazy, but so are we — that Gingrich is going to have a better time in the general election than Mitt Romney," publisher Joe McQuaid told FOX News. "I think it's going to be Obama's 99% versus the 1%, and Romney sort of represents the 1%."
Whoa! Yep, those 1%-ers are bad people, right?
The thing is, the Union Leader endorsed Steve Forbes in 2000 so McQuaid isn't entirely opposed to 1%-ers.
The 2012 Federal Budget
Take a look at this:
59% to the military, a pittance to housing, education, health and human services, energy and transportation.
The amount spent, or rather NOT spent, on energy is particularly infuriating to me. We should be pouring billions into putting solar panels on the roof of every building in the country. How 'bout we take three or four or eight billion from the military and do that? Not only could we decrease our dependence on oil, we could put thousands of people to work. Seems like a no brainer to me.
Maybe This is What The 1% Has in Mind For Us
I learned something new today: I learned about "cage homes."
A cage home is essentially a 6′ x 3′ x 4′ cage, inside of which lies a mattress. Cage homes are common in places like Hong Kong, where they rent for approximately $140 per month. The cages are entered through a sliding cage door. When the tenant is inside, they can lock themselves in with a padlock. When they leave, they can lock their possessions inside.
Here is a video about cage homes produced by Journeyman Pictures (embedding has been disabled). It includes a bit about this 80-year-old woman,
who has lived in a rented cage home for — this is horrific — 30 years.
Here is a picture of cage homes stacked three-high:
I've often wondered what the 1% have in mind for us; what their endgame is. Not to make light of this horrible situation, but maybe this is it.
Fox News Hires…Another Blond!
The big boys at Fox News in New York City have hired another…blond! Her name is Anna Kooiman and she moves up from the local Fox affiliate in Charlotte, NC.
I can't tell the women at FNC apart anymore. They all look the same. Here's Anna:
Email Sent Directly to Your Eyeballs?
Next-Gen Contact Lenses Could Send Emails Directly to Your Eyes
Computers are getting smaller and smaller every day, and many people can now do most of their online work via their phones. However within a few years devices could get much smaller – and we could have contact lenses that project our emails directly onto our eyeballs.
Hey, It's Only the Global Food Chain
This is something the corporate media will probably ignore (until it's a pants-on-fire crisis) but I think it's worth knowing about:
Deadly Virus Found in Wild Pacific Salmon
Killer virus which spreads like wildfire is causing concern among US scientists and fishermen.
In the Pacific northwest of the United States, salmon is the king of fish, supporting a multi-billion dollar industry.
However, Canadian scientists have recently discovered a deadly virus infecting the ocean's salmon.
The virus has caused concern among US scientists and fishermen.
Please, Give Me More "Wasteful" Government
My state — Colorado — is doing this:
The Courtesy Patrol program begins on Friday, November 25. Drivers of passenger and other smaller vehicles are provided free roadside assistance for services such as flat tires, fuel or water transfer, jump starts, short-distance towing, accident scene protection and minor mechanical assistance. Three pickups and a tow truck patrol I-70 between the top of Floyd Hill and Vail, looking for disabled vehicles. Truck personnel also respond to requests from the Colorado State Patrol, local police or the Eisenhower Tunnel.
Courtesy Patrol operates primarily on weekends (Saturdays 6 a.m. to 8 p.m./Sundays 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.), including the holiday weekends of Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, Martin Luther King Jr. Day and President's Day. Following the holidays, patrols will run every weekend through April 1, 2012.
"These programs have been effective at reducing congestion and delay times on the I-70 Corridor," added DeVito. "But we're also reminding drivers to do their part by keeping their vehicles ready for winter travel, including having adequate tire traction, carrying an emergency kit with items like water, food, blankets, a shovel and ice scraper. Also, be prepared by knowing what road conditions to expect."
Republicans say we should drown government in the bathtub.
I say thank goodness for this program. It makes total sense and I love that (some of) my tax dollars are being spent on a thing that HELPS WE THE PEOPLE.
I just freakin' love this kind of "waste."
Union Leader Endorses Gingrich!
By now you may have heard the "big" political news of the day: The New Hamphsire Union Leader endorsed Newt Gingrich for president this morning (what are they smokin' up there?).
The Union Leader is a newspaper:
But, guess what? OMG, I don't know whether to laugh or cry: Some in the Twittersphere have totally misunderstood this news; they think Newt was endorsed by a union leader, as in a person:
See more hilarious tweets here.
Dumb is cool!


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Friday, November 9, 2012 —
A bike ride to support the local Toys for Tots program will be held Nov. 17.
Registration starts at 10 a.m. and the ride begins at 11 a.m.
The event will begin at Tailgators in Locust and the cost is $20 per bike or vehicle.
All proceeds of toys and donations will benefit chidren in Stanly County.
For more information, contact Mark Shue at 704-202-1308.
Around Stanly County
Toys for Tots
Friday, November 9, 2012 —
A bike ride to support the local Toys for Tots program will be held Nov. 17.
- Around Stanly County
Stanly County Senior Center has many activities
The following is activity information from the Stanly County Senior Center 283 N. Third St., Albemarle.
SCC Chorus to perform free concert
Stanly Community College (SCC) Chorus will perform at 7 p.m. May 2 in Dennis Auditorium in the Kelley building on the Albemarle campus.
Locust to observe National Day of Prayer
There will be a National Day of Prayer observance at 12 p.m. May 2 at Locust Town Center.
Red Cross launches 'Heroes' Campaign
The American Red Cross, Stanly County Chapter, will conduct its 10th "Heroes" Campaign with individuals who sign up to be Heroes for the American Red Cross by raising $1,000 for the local chapter.
SNAP holds fundraiser for Newspapers In Education Program
The Stanly News & Press will hold a call in auction tonight from 5pm to 7pm.
Esther House promotes No More Abuse Bike Tour
Cyclists have an opportunity to bike for a local non-profit April 27.
- Big Al's Pub and Grubberia may open by late spring
Chamber will host Legislative Breakfast
Stanly County Chamber of Commerce will have a Legislative Break-fast from 7:15-9 a.m. April 15 at Stanly Re-gional Medical Family & Education Center.
Forrest Oakes to host luncheon
Forrest Oakes will host a free chicken 'n dumpling luncheon at 11:30 a.m. March 25 for the elderly.
The event will take place at Morrow Chase Apartments in Albemarle.
Egg hunt at Locust Town Hall
Mission Baptist Church, Stanfield and First Baptist Church of Locust will sponsor a egg hunt at 10 a.m. March 23 at Locust Town Hall in Locust. Rain date will be March 30 at 10 a.m.
Children 1 year to fourth grade are invited to participate. Bring a basket and a friend.
- More Around Stanly County Headlines
- Stanly County Senior Center has many activities


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In an August 2010 commentary about JPMorgan's losses in coal trades I wrote: "The commodities division isn't the only area in which JPMorgan is vulnerable. Credit derivatives, interest rate derivatives, and currency trading are vulnerable to leveraged hidden bets. Ambitious managers strive to pump speculative earnings from zero to hero."
At issue is corporate governance at JPMorgan and the ability of its CEO, Jamie Dimon, to manage its risk. It's reasonable to ask whether any CEO can manage the risks of a bank this size, but the questions surrounding Jamie Dimon's management are more targeted than that. The problem Jamie Dimon has is that JPMorgan lost control in multiple areas. Each time a new problem becomes public, it is revealed that management controls weren't adequate in the first place.
JPMorgan's Derivatives Blow Up Again
Jamie Dimon's problem as Chairman and CEO -- his dual role raises further questions about JPMorgan's corporate governance -- is that just two years ago derivatives trades were out of control in his commodities division. JPMorgan's short coal position was over sized relative to the global coal market. JPMorgan put this position on while the U.S. is at war. It was not a customer trade; the purpose was to make money for JPMorgan. Although coal isn't a strategic commodity, one should question why the bank was so reckless.
After trading hours on Thursday of this week, Jamie Dimon held a conference call about $2 billion in mark-to-market losses in credit derivatives (so far) generated by the Chief Investment Office, the bank's "investment" book. He admitted:
"In hindsight, the new strategy was flawed, complex, poorly reviewed, poorly executed and poorly monitored."
But lets get back to commodities. For several years, legendary investor Jim Rogers has expressed his concern to me about JPMorgan's balance sheet, credit card division and his belief that Blythe Masters, the head of JPMorgan's commodities area, knows so little about commodities. Jim Rogers is an expert in commodities and is the creator or the Rogers International Commodities Index. He also sells out-of-the-money calls on JPMorgan stock. So far, that strategy has worked out well for him. (Rogers gave me permission to publicly reflect his views and his trades.) Moreover, JPMorgan is still grappling with potential legal liabilities related to the mortgage crisis.
Is Jim Rogers justified in his harsh view of JPMorgan's commodities division? After he expressed his concerns, JPMorgan's coal trade made the news, and it appeared to me that Jim Rogers is on to something. For those of you who missed it the first time, my August 9, 2010 commentary is reproduced below in its entirety. Dawn Kopecki at Bloomberg/BusinessWeek broke the story wherein Blythe Masters' quotes first appeared:
JPMorgan's Losses from Indecent Overexposure - August 9, 2010
JPMorgan Chase's fixed-income revenue fell almost 28 percent to $3.6 billion in the second quarter, down from $5.5 billion in the first quarter, and down from $4.9 billion for the same period last year. JPMorgan blamed an interest rate squeeze and bad results in the credit markets and the commodities markets.
There were no details of its significant loss from unwise, gigantic, wrong-way wartime coal bets. The bank took a short position so enormous that it was oversized relative to the global coal market, and second quarter losses reportedly were in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
Financial Reform Failure
Blythe Masters, managing director in charge of JPMorgan's global commodities group, spent time lobbying in Washington to dilute financial reform. By her own admission, JPMorgan's recent speculation in coal wasn't client driven; the risk was taken on JPMorgan's behalf. The Dodd-Frank Financial Reform Bill does nothing to prevent a repeat -- or even a potentially worse -- debacle.
The commodities division isn't the only area in which JPMorgan is vulnerable. Credit derivatives, interest rate derivatives and currency trading are vulnerable to leveraged hidden bets. Ambitious managers strive to pump speculative earnings from zero to hero.
Instead of transparent and regulated markets, we have dark markets, hidden leverage, proprietary speculative trading, lax regulation and oversized risks.
"Scared Sh*tless" 1
Blythe Masters told her remaining employees that competitors are "scared sh*tless" of JPMorgan's commodities division. She claimed the layoffs of 10 percent of front office staff are not a sign of JPMorgan "panicking" and called the risk taking in coal trading that left JPMorgan wide-open to a massive short squeeze a "rookie error."
For individual traders, JPMorgan doesn't follow the Wall Street maxim: He who sells what isn't his'n, must buy it back or go to pris'n. The United States can count on JPMorgan to continue both long and short market manipulation and take its winnings and losses from blind gambles. Shareholders, taxpayers and consumers will foot the bill for any unpleasant global consequences.
Physical oil traders from JPMorgan's brand new RBS Sempra Commodities LLP acquisition (JPMorgan paid $1.7 billion) left of their own accord to join smaller firms with less capital. Masters said these were "very interesting career decisions."
The defections were all the more interesting, because Masters began her career as a JPMorgan commodities trader. RBS Sempra's oil traders gave Masters a vote of no confidence. Their flight was a loss of "key people," whom she said she needs to replace.
Masters is poised for more debacles:
"All it's going to take is a little pop to the upside. We could be producing a 30 to 35 percent ROE and looking like gods."
"We've got too many banks chasing too little volume and margins have compressed."
"I don't want us talking to the outside world, neither about successes nor about failures."
1 All words in this article in quotation marks are from Business Week's (Bloomberg News) major scoop after the leak of a tape of an internal JPMorgan July 22 conference call: "Blythe Masters Says 'Don't Panic' as Commodities Slip," by Dawn Kopecki, August 3, 2010.
2 Based on my reading of an advance copy of Arianna Huffington's new book: Third World America: How Our Politicians Are Abandoning the Middle Class and Betraying the American Dream, Crown Books, September 2010.
Endnote: Jane Wollman Rusoff interviewed me for Research Magazine's May 2012 cover story, "Finding the Culprits of the Crisis," about the deep monetary connections of Wall Street and Washington and the corrosive effect it has had on the economy and the Republic.
Dean Baker: Mortgage and Securitization Fraud: Where Is the Task Force?
Richard (RJ) Eskow: 40 Million Strong: Underwater Homeowners Can Fight and Win ... If They Get Organized


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Long one of Europe's great gay playgrounds, and - along with Prague - a top GLBT destination in Eastern Europe, the beautiful and culturally rich city of Budapest is hosts a 10-day-long Budapest Gay Pride in early July. The dates for 2013 are the 30th of June through the 7th of July, 2013.
After some initial controversy, when the Budapest police canceled the Gay Pride March in 2011, the festival and parade went as planned last year, in early June. This year, the Pride festivities take place a bit later, in early July, kicking off on Sunday and including a full slate of arts and cultural events, including film screenings, parties, workshops, art exhibits, political and LGBT rights discussions, women's pride and men's pride celebrations, and lots more.
The big event is on Saturday afternoon (6 July) at 4 pm when the Budapest Gay Pride Parade marches through the city, culminating in Olympic Park, where the Budapest Pride Picnic takes place from 6 pm onward. Following the picnic will be a Budapest Gay Pride Rainbow Party, from 10 pm until 4:30 am, at Durer Kert.
Expect gay-popular bars, restaurants, hotels, and shops in the area have more going on than usual during Pride week. Check online resources about the Budapest gay scene, such as the GayGuide.net Budapest Gay Guide and the NightTours Gay Guide to Budapest. Also take a look at the excellent visitor site produced by the city's official tourism organization, the the Budapest Tourism Services Center.


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Clay Aiken: 'Rihanna Would Get Kicked Off 'American Idol'' (Video)
March 28th, 2012 4:00pm EDT
Gene Simmons isn't the only musician that thinks that Rihanna is less than talented - Clay Aiken has taken a shot at the Battleship actress' bow, claiming she wouldn't make it on American Idol.
Clay was on Bravo's Watch What Happens, and host Andy Cohen asked the American Idol runner-up which pop star wouldn't make it past the first few rounds on the competition.
Apparently, Clay had a big list to choose from in his mind. "Oh God, there're too many. Too many...Current pop singer? I've stopped listening to them because they can't sing."
"Um...Rihanna has some pitch problems for sure. She does...Now I'm gonna get in trouble, too."
Aiken also confirmed rumors he had plastic surgery done, but it was during a surgical procedure to treat a jaw disorder. "I had surgery on my jaw for a TMJ thing and I had them suck the fat out of my chin while they were in there," he admitted. "I was like, you know what, while I'm already down, go ahead and take the vacuum in there and suck the fat out of my chin."
Related: American Idol, Battleship, Clay Aiken, Gene Simmons, Rihanna, Starpulse Exclusives, Video
© 2012 Starpulse.com
Photo Credits: © Universal Music Group
Next: Are Zac Efron & Michelle Rodriguez Getting Serious?


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Quick help please! What the heck is this roast?
I'm terrible when it comes to beef roasts. I find the names vary significantly from market to market and I'm never sure what I should pick up (plus I'm in a new area and my trusty butcher is now too far away). I wanted to make a pot roast today, and picked up this "rib oven roast" as I didn't see anything marked "chuck roast" which is what I would normally have grabbed. But now that I've got this at home, I'm not actually sure this is meant to be a braised roast.
Can anyone identify this roast for me and tell me whether I should do a dry roast instead of a braise?
Tj this looks like a rib roast to me. A prime rib without the bones. Because they are very tender by nature, you wouldn't typically braise this cut or, subject it too a prolonged cooking process. I'd give your supermarket a quick call to be certain but if this is a rib roast, you'd be much better off seasoning it w a nice crust and dry roasting it in your oven...or cooking it on the grill (but baby it's cold outside!!) ; )
ETA: Hah, JP and I must have been typing at the same time!
It was $21.99 a kilo.
I'm very sad if I just bought a prime rib roast. I was really, really in the mood for a lovely, saucy braised beef dish tonight.
Will it be terrible and a sacrilege if I braised this puppy?
re: TorontoJo
re: TorontoJo
re: TorontoJo
$22/kg sounds about the price of AA rib roast, too expensive to be chuck roast unless you got it at a specialty butcher, i.e. organic.
That's a pretty decent piece of meat, I roast much smaller pieces at times. Search for the user "Fourunder" he's got good tips, I'm sure he's got a post about rib roasts too.
Definitely don't braise.
With due respect to others, what you have here is a Boneless Prime Rib Roast.....it definitely should not be braised, but dry roasted with low or moderate heat for best results. Given that you have indicated you were really looking for more of a Pot Roast instead, if you choose to roast this, then I would suggest the low and slow approach and cook it to Medium temperature. Higher heat will result in varying temperature meat doneness throughout the roast...and possibly tougher meat from being dried out if over-cooked.
Some other options you may want to consider. (Freezing)
Save this roast for another family gathering. e.g., Easter Dinner....
You can cut into steaks, or split in half for smaller roasts for two people.
re: fourunder
Yep, I'm going to roast it using the Serious Eats method that you've posted about:
200 degrees until done, rest for 30 mins, then back in 500 degree oven to get crust.
Home Cooking Chowhounds are the best. I love you all!
re: TorontoJo
Rest for two hours and you will enjoy the results
much more.....I guarantee it....but short of that, give it at least an hour. The longer you rest, the less chance you have of the meat bleeding when sliced, but it also allows for the meat to tenderize after you pull it from the oven. With regards to Kenji and seriouseats.com....since he first posted about the Perfect Prime Rib, he has increased his recommendation for holding from 30 minutes to 60.
re: TorontoJo
re: fourunder
Just reporting back on my accurately identified boneless prime rib roast (thanks, guys!). I finished salting and peppering it and threw it into a 200F oven at around 12:30. I set the probe thermometer for 140, because we prefer medium or even a hair over. Probe alert went off around 5:30, I tested with an instant read and found it closer to 135. So back into the oven it went. Pulled it out at 6, tented with foil and put it in the warming drawer on low.
In the meantime, I made a sauce of red wine, beef stock, a smidge of tomato paste and pureed roasted garlics, shallots and onions.
At 7, I put into into a 550F oven for 10 minutes (smoked the heck out of my kitchen -- next time I will swap out roasting pans so as not to deal with the burning juices). Sliced thin, sauced and served along with some sauteed veggies. The roast was uniformly pink and juicy throughout.
Holy crap. That was hands down the best roast beef my hubby or I have ever had, anywhere. And hubby actually is not very fond of roast beef (hence my inexperience with buying cuts!). He liked it so much, he went back for major seconds. It was amazingly tender and flavorful. And I love the no-fuss approach of this method.
So once again, hooray for HC 'hounds! Thanks again!
re: TorontoJo
re: TorontoJo
re: TorontoJo
"That was hands down the best roast beef my hubby or I have ever had"
As Breadcrumbs says, its nice to hear when things work out so well!
Just my post-show 2c....
The boneless rib roast may be called a spencer in some areas.
I think this thread is a great example of how cuts of beef are not all created equal. I'm guessing if you had braised that puppy, the results would have been mediocre and hubby would have continued his non-fondness for beef.
Also, a similar dry roasting with something like a cross-rib roast would have been terrible.
Some cuts are best suited for a dry roast, others a long braise.
re: porker
Also, a similar dry roasting with something like a cross-rib roast would have been terrible.
I would disagree.....strongly. Inexpensive cuts can be roasted Medium-Rare with very tender results.
re: fourunder
re: porker
thanks...and I should have included....*with due respect*, but we have had a few exchanges before so I maybe that's why I forgot to include the phrase....my apologies. : 0 )
There's been a big push in the restaurant industry since 2008 to to find cheaper cuts of meat....given the prediction for a significant price increase this year for beef due to last years drought and the corn crops.....it's even more important now than ever. There's a company out of Canada that has been making some nice strides in this direction....Beef Innovations Group, which has developed new value cuts from the Chuck and Round. Have a look and you will see some nice video tutorials.
I've been laying off beef for the new year, but my plan is to visit the restaurant supply house and purchase a shoulder clod, or a Knuckle and give those a try. The Shoulder Clod seems to be where most of these Beef Value Cuts (BVC) originate from. Since that Test Challenge, I have made two other Shoulder Roasts for others and both have been excellent....I have made two Chuck Roasts as well, but the results were not as favorable....if this trend continues, I may have to switch to the Cross Rib for my cheap roast beef.
re: fourunder
The sad part is once these cheaper cuts become popular, the price goes up...
As a kid, I remember free soup bones, free chicken wings, and pigs feet around 12c/lb.
Now, beef bones run a few bucks, chicken wing prices soared more than any other chicken part, and grocery stores are packaging pork shank as osso bucco and charging $5/lb.....
re: TorontoJo
Nice to hear you had an excellent and enjoyable roast. ....and to see you rested at least one hour. it does make a world of difference.
With regards t smoking...I find no need to switch out pans during the high heat blast to put a crust on the roast. I simply add water, wine or stock to the roasting pan and it takes care of any smoking issues. It also helps deglaze the pan as well. You can do this at the end of roasting...or just before the high heat blast.


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To the editor:
It is indeed fortunate for the voters in the 141sst District that State Representative Terrie Wood, a Republican, is seeking a third term in the General Assembly. It is especially important that we give Terrie, a long time Darien resident, our support this year. She has run unopposed the past two terms, but this year she faces a contested election .
For the 35 years that she has lived in the Darien and Rowayton, Terrie has been an active community advocate. Within the volunteer sector, Terrie has served as President of the Darien Land Trust, Co-Chair of the "YES…DHS" Referendum Committee, The Community Fund's Allocations Panel, and Co-Founder and first Chair of The Darien Environmental Group. She also has been a Darien Library trustee, served on the RTM, Person-to-Person, an ABC host family and worked as an active EMS-Post 53 and public school parent.
Her participation in these community organizations has given Terrie a thorough understanding of the issues that matter most to the 141st District as well as real experience in bringing people together to find solutions and to strengthen our communities.
In Hartford, Terrie has worked effectively to build bridges on both sides of the aisle to advance the concerns of our communities. Voters respect Terrie's open-minded, bipartisan approach to the legislative process. Her fiscally conservative, socially moderate ideals have served her constituents well.
Education, environmental issues including concerns about flooding, affordable housing and efficient use of the tax dollars that we send to Hartford are among some of Terrie's biggest concerns. She is the ranking member on the Assembly's Children's Committee and also serves on the Appropriations and Human Services committees and the Domestic Violence Task Force. On fiscal accountability, Terrie expresses her hope that through consensus building, excess and wasteful expenses can be identified and cut..
Terrie's interest in shoreline communities is at the forefront of her priorities. She was appointed to a bipartisan group of legislators to study the various effects of climate change. The outcome of public hearings on this subject can lead to legislation protecting our shoreline communities.
Because of her common sense approach and her willingness to listen to citizens' interests and concerns, Terrie has earned our support. As a great admirer of Terrie's many accomplishments, in particular her commitment to housing and education issues, I encourage all voters in District 141 to send Terrie back to Hartford. There is no one better for this position than Terrie.
For further information on where Terrie Wood stands on issues that will affect the future of our district, visit her website at http://cthousegop.com/terrie-wood/
Susan Spain, Darien


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The Colonials Touchdown Club recently received a $4,000 sponsorship donation from Barnabas Health.
Much of the donation, awarded earlier this month, will be used for the football team's pre-game meals, said Board of Education member Terri Murphy.
Michael Ostrowsky, a Florham Park-based lawyer and vice president of the Touchdown Club, contacted his brother Barry, who is CEO of the Livingston-based hospital. "He spoke to the board about it and they decided to make a commitment to be a supporter of the team," Ostrowsky said. "They take on causes they believe in. This is one they wanted to do and we're very thankful and appreciative."
Ostrowsky, whose son is a sophomore linebacker on the team, noted Barnabas would have banners at the field for the entire season.
"The timing of it was great," he said.
For a list of all Touchdown Club sponsors, click here.


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Delivery and returns
Collect in store
- Free next day delivery to store is available on certain products if you place your order by 12pm (noon). Your order will normally be available for collection from 12pm the next day.
Exclusions apply^
- Service terms may be amended during peak periods or sales. Please ask in store at the Customer Order point or see marksandspencer.com for full details.
- FREE Home delivery (within 5 working days) when you spend over £50
- Home delivery (within 5 working days)
- Next day UK delivery*
- Named day UK delivery
- Postcode restrictions apply
- More about your delivery options
- Free delivery exclusions^
- *Products are subject to availability. Please note some of our products may be sent from multiple warehouse locations and therefore some of your order may not be available for next day delivery. If this happens, we will simply hold back your order to the next available day.
Exclusions apply
- International delivery to 30+ destinations, from
- Free delivery over £30 to Australia, New Zealand, USA & Canada.
- International delivery information
Returns and refunds
- It's free to return your order to most of our UK stores (excluding Outlet, Simply Food and stores at service stations, railway stations and airports).
- Or you can post it back to us for free within the UK using the pre-paid label that came with your order.
- Some items, like bedding, lingerie and swimwear, can't be returned once the original packaging, tags and hygiene seals have been removed. This does not affect your right to return faulty goods.
Terms and Conditions
WEBSITE TERMS AND CONDITIONS - Standard
These website terms and conditions ("Website Terms") apply to your use of the Marks & Spencer website at www.marksandspencer.com (the "Website"). You must read these Website Terms carefully, and we recommend that you print and keep a copy for your future reference. By accessing, browsing, using or registering with the Website, you confirm that you have read, understood and agree to these Website Terms in their entirety. If you do not agree to these Website Terms in their entirety, you must not use this Website.
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These Website Terms supplement (and are in addition to) the terms of our Privacy Policy. Our Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect about you when you use the Website, and you can view our Privacy Policy online by clicking here. Please note that when you agree to these Website Terms you shall be deemed also to have read, understood and agreed to our Privacy Policy in its entirety.
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If you order a Marks & Spencer product or service through the Website, our General Terms and Conditions of Sale will also apply. Depending on the product or service ordered, our Additional Terms and Conditions of Sale may also apply. You can view our General Terms and Conditions of Sale and our Additional Terms and Conditions of Sale below.
If you are a corporate customer, then our Terms and Conditions of Sale for Corporate Orders may also apply. By ordering a Marks & Spencer product or service through the Website, you shall be deemed also to have read, understood and agreed to our General Terms and Conditions of Sale and (where applicable) our Additional Terms and Conditions of Sale.
Your use of this Website
You must only use this Website for lawful purposes, and you must not use it in a way that infringes the rights of anyone else or that restricts or inhibits anyone else's enjoyment of the Website.
You may use, download and print content on the Website solely for your own personal use or internal business purposes. Other than for your own personal use or internal business purposes, you may not without our prior written consent:
copy, reproduce, use or otherwise deal with any content on the Website;
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If you are a corporate customer and would like to request permission to use photography or other content from our Business Solutions website for corporate use, please contact our Business Solutions team on 0870 6080505.
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Cook up a storm with this comprehensive collection of everyday recipes. Beautiful photograph will guide you through from conception to completion. So that you can create mouth-watering meals that are bound to impress! Step-by step cook' encyclopaedia is the ultimate kitchen-aid-from classic home-style comfort cooking, to restaurant-worthy delicious dishes, the clear instructions and practical pictures make uninspiring eating a thing of the past.
Plus, learn the art of some simple kitchen staples, like freshly baked bread, tasty veggie alternatives and simple, scrumptious desserts, to add to your repertoire along the way.
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- Over 850 easy-to-follow photographs


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Charleston Police are looking for a pair of women that assaulted a West Ashley woman at her home with pepper spray last Friday.
Around 11:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7, two women knocked on the victim's front door and asked to speak with her when the victim's mother answered. After a brief conversation, the victim told police she told the women to leave and said she was going to call the police department, according to a Charleston Police Department report.
At that point one of the assailants called out the victim's name. As the victim turned around to face the pair again, one of the women sprayed the victim with pepper spray. The women then fled the scene.
The victim told officers she believed the incident was related to an argument the victim had earlier in the day with another woman. Descriptions of the assailants were not provided in the report.
For more West Ashley Crime check out .