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Prepare for an off-season overflowing with Alex Rodriguez. He was benched in the ALCS against the Tigers, starting just two of the four games, with an appearance as a pinch-hitter in a third. He didn't play at all in the decisive Game Five against the Baltimore Orioles in the ALDS. Alex Rodriguez, in case you forgot, was paid $29 million by the New York Yankees this season.
This has (understandably) riled up just about everyone, in a will-they-or-won't-they-trade-him discussion. That conversation also includes what will happen to the Yankees and Rodriguez if he isn't traded, with many feeling that it's inevitable he -- and the five years, $114 remaining on his contract -- are sent elsewhere. That all works under the same assumptions, though: that the time of Rodriguez as a productive player has ended.
Is that because it's true, or is it at least in part because Rodriguez, as the game's highest-paid player and something of an enemy of the people over the years, is fun to kick when he's down? Not that Rodriguez lacks reasons for concern, but the din of the crowd has all but silenced the positives that remain for him.
Alex Rodriguez would not be the first superstar to have his game slide in his late-30s. It's expected that will happen, and that's the reason someone like Ted Williams, Hank Aaron, or Barry Bonds is so special: when they're in the twilight of their career, who they are is still who they were. After winning an MVP in 2007, Rodriguez has seen his performance dip slightly each year, from that season's 1067 OPS to this year's 783 mark, his first-ever under the 800 threshold in a full season.
There are two important items to take away from this, other than that it's a performance in decline. The first is that Rodriguez was still well above-average for the hot corner. Your average third baseman hit .266/.327/.427 in 2012, Rodriguez was at .272/.353/.430, and while that might not seem like a huge difference, the extra 26 points of on-base percentage are huge in terms of value. His OPS+ was 112, wRC+ 114, and True Average .280. Both Baseball-Reference and Fangraphs rated him as two-win player despite his appearance in just 122 games. Over a full season, he'd contribute more, but if he stays in the 120-plus range he's developed over the last five years, he's still capable of being a productive member of New York society. Just 27 third basemen (defined by playing over 50 percent of their games at the position) played in at least 100 games in 2012, and Rodriguez ranked 13th in OPS+ among them.
On to reason two: Even though this was his worst season to date, there are reasons to think he'll be better going forward, at least temporarily. For one, look to Rodriguez's left, at Yankees' shortstop Derek Jeter. In his age-36 and 37 seasons, Jeter hit a combined .282/.347/.378. That's more than enough at shortstop, but it still represented lows for Jeter: 2010 was his first campaign with a below-average bat, and 2011 was exactly average. In 2012, though, Jeter surged to a .316/.362/.429 line, his best since he was 35. While Jeter isn't Rodriguez-level expensive, he still pulled in over $53 million in those three campaigns.
Much of the credit for Jeter's return to form came through his being healthy. He dealt with hip, foot, and ankle problems in the last two years, and was mostly healthy except for the occasional day-to-day pain throughout 2012. Rodriguez deserves the same benefit of the doubt, as he had his hand fractured in late July. Through the start of the year until the time of the injury, Rodriguez was at .276/.358/.449, roughly where he was in 2011. Upon returning in September, his bat looked slower, and he had a hard time driving the ball for power, resulting in a .108 Isolated Power and a strikeout in one-quarter of his plate appearances. Prior to the injury, Rodriguez whiffed 21 percent of the time, his worst since 2006, but just a couple of percentage points above his career rate.
Rodriguez isn't likely to post another 900-plus OPS campaign anytime soon, but given it takes time for injuries that can damage a swing to heal, the better idea of what Rodriguez will be going forward will come from 2013, not the last month of this season. He deserves some slack here, to return to the form he had before the injury, though he's going to be expensive regardless.
And that brings us to the real issue with Rodriguez: cost. He's owed $114 million over the next five seasons, but there are some important points to bring up here. Inflation alone will help, but Rodriguez's deal is also front loaded: He makes $28 million in 2013, but that scales down all the way to $20 million in the last two years of the deal. The Yankees aren't exactly short on cash, and more money comes into the game every year. The Yankees could pay for Rodriguez with the increased revenue from new national television deals alone, never even opening their own reserves.
The new collective bargaining agreement is why they might not want to. At the time Rodriguez initially signed, the Yankees had to know this day would come, when his value didn't match what he would be paid. But New York's resources are as close to unlimited as you can get in baseball, so if anyone could survive overpaying him, it was the Yankees. The new CBA allows a luxury tax penalty break that the old CBA did not, though. In the past, avoiding the luxury tax and then crossing it again would have meant the same penalties, but there's something of an amnesty clause built-in now that resets the tax from 40 to 17 percent. The Red Sox will achieve said amnesty following their massive August trade, and the Yankees want to follow suit. Rodriguez's $27.5 million average annual value makes it tough to get under the luxury tax threshold, even temporarily.
Any trade of Rodriguez is going to involve shedding the man, not the money. That makes it unlikely that he'll be moved in a way that benefits New York'x luxury tax aspirations, especially since they would then need to replace him at third base -- baseball players aren't free, you know. That might be okay, though, as we've seen: there are reasons to still think Rodriguez can be useful for the Yankees, despite his contract, and despite how people feel about him.


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A 32-year-old Racine man was arrested Dec. 5 after he attempted to blackmail an Oak Creek woman with nude photos he received from her through a "personals" website.
According to the Oak Creek police:
At 6:40 p.m. Dec. 5, a 29-year-old Oak Creek woman called police to report a man she met on Craigslist personals was threatening to post nude photos of her online and share them with her family and co-workers unless she paid him money.
The woman admitted exchanging hundreds of emails with the suspect, and least one nude photo of her breasts and several other photos including pictures of her face, between Nov. 29 and Dec. 5. The victim told police the suspect began sending her numerous emails on the morning of Dec. 5 demanding she give him $2,000 in cash or he would tell her husband, post the photos online, place photos on her co-workers' cars and various other threats.
To catch the suspect, Oak Creek police placed a bait envelope at a predesignated location. A white Buick was later stopped in the parking lot at Woodman's, 8131 S. Howell Ave., with the bait envelope inside.
The suspect, a 32-year-old Racine man, admitted sending the threats and stated he picked up the envelope to "teach the victim a lesson." He was arrested on a state charge of threats to communicate derogatory information, which is a felony.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Danny L. Hubbard, 49, of Panama City, was sentenced today to serve 30 months in federal prison for committing wire fraud by stealing approximately $91,600 from the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 1380.
AFGE Local 1380 is a labor union that represents federal employees who work at the Naval Support Activity in Panama City, Florida. Hubbard became the acting president of AFGE Local 1380 in or around November 2006 and served as the president through 2008. While president, Hubbard wrote checks to himself or to cash, a local convenience store, and Boomtown Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi. Additionally, he conducted other numerous financial transactions and withdrew $6,650 from the union's savings account. The funds disbursed as a result of Hubbard's actions were not used for AFGE Local 1380's official business or for the union. He did not obtain approval from AFGE Local 1380's executive board or membership before disbursing the funds to himself, cash, or other third-party entities. He was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $91,600 as a result of his scheme to defraud.
Hubbard was also sentenced to serve a 3-year term of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $2,400 special monetary assessments.
This conviction results from an investigation by agents of the U.S. Department of Labor and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kathryn Risinger.
Information provided by the U.S. Justice Department
Evangelist Franklin Graham prayed on a sidewalk outside the Pentagon Thursday after his invitation to a prayer service inside was withdrawn because of comments that insulted people of other religions. More>>


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I'm trying to insert a record into a dbm file. One of the fields that I'm inserting contains a single quote, which seems to be causing an error.
An example of working and not working code:
The second doesn't work with 1-4 backslashes.Code:>>> db.execute(u"INSERT INTO cardsets (title, description) VALUES ('a','b')") 1 >>> db.execute(u"INSERT INTO cardsets (title, description) VALUES ('a','\'')") Traceback (most recent call last): File "<console>", line 1, in ?
This also doesn't work in the sports diary example that came with the sdk.
Any ideas on how to insert a single quote into a database?
Thanks, Ed


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Your #lovecapetown weekend: What's on from Friday 22 to Sunday 24 August, 2014
Fazielah WilliamsLet's hear it for the weekend, Mother City lovers!
Welcome to Cape Town, South Africa's Mini-Hollywood
Fazielah WilliamsBest we start searching for a prime location for Cape Town's very own Hollywood Walk of Fame – especially since this August, our cinematic Mother City is filled to the brim with Tinseltown's finest actors!
Flower Power Specials: 4 Amazing Discounts on the Cape's Gorgeous Wild FlowersPrime flower viewing season is from August to September, as Spring blooms in tapestries of kaleidoscopic gorgeousness throughout the West Coast. You've only got a few more precious weeks to see this miraculous natural phenomenon, so if you've always wanted to see the stunning flower field, here's how to do it at a discount!
5 Amazing Sightseeing Experiences for Mini-Travellers in Cape Town
Fazielah WilliamsWhoever said sightseeing was just for grown-ups? In beautiful Cape Town, we love welcoming little globetrotters too and offer some of the most amazing scenic experiences at great prices for families to enjoy together.
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"Tweede Nuwe Jaar" - It's a Cape Town thing
The Cape Minstrel Carnival is a tradition that dates back to more than a hundred years ago, otherwise also known as "Tweedenuwejaar" (2 New Year). Though this year, the carnival was moved to the January 4, the celebrations were still as big and bright as ever.
Lazy nights at the Cape Town Summer Market
Spend the last few days of the year at the annual Cape Town Summer Market at the Company's Garden. It is open every day from 12pm to 11pm until Monday, December 30 2013.
The Festival of Lights marks the four-week countdown to WDC2014
What better way to kick off the holiday season than with the Festival of Lights to kick off the four-week countdown to WDC2014


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CranBarry Falcon Field Hockey StickItem Number: 12238346
Price: $34.99
Take $10 Off Orders of $50 or More!! Discount Applied in Cart. (See Promotion Details)
Product Information
Customer Reviews
Buying Guide
Size Chart
Dominate the field with the CranBarry® Falcon Field Hockey Stick. This durable composite stick features a midi toe for increased maneuverability, making it a great choice for beginning players. Additional features include a well-balanced and weighted design coupled with extended concept sport-grip.
- For beginner players
- Bow: 20 mm
- Toe: Midi
- Materials: Fiberglass reinforced Mulberry Wood
- Well-balanced and weighted
- Shorti toe provides increased maneuverability idea for high speed, close control and stick skills
- Extended concept sport-grip
- Reliable stick used by many middle school athletes
- Vendor Colors: Magenta / Pink / Orange
- CranBarry
Country Of Origin: Pakistan
Customer Reviews
Rated 5 out of 5�by 1 reviewer.
Rated 5 out of 5�by Rita Good quality for low price. my daughter likes her hockey stick. She says the quality is really good and price is also not bad. September 25, 2013
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X.org Rethinks Release Strategy
The X.org project has some discussion ahead of it, instigated by developer Peter Hutterer's call for an ordered release strategy. The current rather unpredictable release schedule makes the work and test process harder, according to Hutterer.
In Hutterer's entry on the X.org mailing list he identifies some problems in the current development process leading to the current unpredictable release schedule. The most recent example was version 1.7 with its currently changing milestones and a code freeze and final release "out of nowhere."
Hutterer's suggestion is to introduce a three-stage model similar to that used in kernel development: feature merge, bugfix, and release freeze. Every stage should have its distinct milestones, thereby achieving predictable releases. The predictability should enable project and external developers to test their code more easily. Hutterer's suggestion is corroborated by others and discussion is likely to follow.
Issue 167/2014
Buy this issue as a PDF
Tag Cloud
Tool Predicts Which Websites Will be Compromised
Carnegie Mellon researchers say 3 million pages could fall down the phishing hole in the next year.
SSH Key Management Guidelines
The US government rolls new best-practice rules for protecting SSH.
Knoppix 7.4 Released
Klaus Knopper announces the latest version of his iconic Live Linux system.
PHP Attack Puts WordPress and Drupal at Risk
All websites that use these popular CMS tools could be vulnerable to denial of service attacks if users don't install the updates.
Heartbleed Bleeds On
According to a report, many potential victims of the Heartbleed attack have patched their systems, but few have cleaned up the crime scene to protect themselves from the effects of a previous intrusion.
Drone Brain Goes Open Source
DARPA and NICTA release the code for the ultra-secure microkernel system used in aerial drones.
Password Management Services Vulnerable to Attack
Should you trust an online service to store your online passwords?
New Raspberry Pi Adds Two USB Ports
New B+ board lets you build cool things without the complication of a powered USB hub.
Microsoft Grabs No-IP.com Domains
Redmond rushes in to root out alleged malware haven.
Firefox Steps into 3D
New initiative will bring futuristic virtual reality effects to the web surfing experience.


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The offseason for the A's was a busy one. They got outfielders, pitchers, more pitchers, and a Manny Ramirez. But one of the bigger moves was a trade for Seth Smith, a left-handed outfielder/DH who was a popular target for a lot of teams this winter. He was supposed to be a middle-of-the-order presence, at least by A's standards.
He didn't do a whole heck of a lot during the regular season, though, and the middle-of-the-order slots went to surprises like Josh Reddick and Brandon Moss.
But in the playoffs, all it takes are a few well-timed hits to justify your existence, and Smith boomed a solo homer to center against Anibal Sanchez:
The shot put the A's up 2-0, and on the other side, Brett Anderson hasn't allowed anything to the Tigers, getting through the sixth inning in his return from an oblique tweak that sidelined him for the end of the regular season.


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Sign of the Times
This might be considered slightly off-topic in that the article we are linking doesn't directly mention oversigning, but the point we want to illustrate is that college football recruiting has become as big of a game as the actual game played on the field; it even has its own National Championship ranking on National Signing Day. We have written about this in the past and this video of Randy Edsall is one of our all-time favorites.
Today, Matt Hinton takes a look back at Lane Kiffen and Ed Orgeron's recruiting class of 2009 which paints an ugly picture of the recruiting "game." Oversigning is a byproduct of this game, as is the medical hardship issue and the greyshirting issue, and the one thing they all have in common is that they lead to the exploitation of kids by coaches. Not all coaches are this way; for every one scumbag coach that only cares about jacking up the recruiting rankings and landing a bonus or another gig because "he's a great recruiter," there are probably 3-4 or more coaches that are really sincere and really care about the future of their kids.
That's all for now, back to working on the cup standings.
Update: Here is another quick read about some of the craziest recruitment stories this year. Just another example of how much the recruiting process has turned into the game. Pretty sickening.


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I'm planning on heading up to Granite Peak this labor day and came across this guidebook option on Amazon when looking for a good topo. My only concern is that it is almost $100 and I'm having a ridiculously tough time justifying the expense. If someone has one used I could buy or just some thoughts on the need for the item I'd love some feedback. www.amazon.com/Granite-Montanas-Highest-Point-Climbing/dp/19>>> Just to provide some background....I've spent plenty of time on Froze To Death in the late fall/winter during hunting trips and I feel very comfortable with all of the necessary routefinding up until passing Tempest. If anyone has been up to Granite recently and has some tips or tricks they're willing to share I'd be very appreciative. Thanks, Justin
I appreciate the link. Guess I thought this was just the map and not the whole thing when I looked at it before. Thanks for the link. J
We climbed Granite a couple years ago and just took this description.... www.jackieandalan.com/graniteroute.html
i have that first accent map/guide, and i live in Denver. if you'd like to look at it / copy it, i don't have a problem with it. PM me.
If you can get to Tempest col no problem then you probably won't find a map much of a help past there. There are some cairns on route if you pay attention, but for the most part you're just following your nose. There are a few pitches that you must find but other than that there's multiple variations in between. Probably the most important thing to consider is getting an early enough start to be off the peak when the inevitable afternoon lightning storm blasts through. I would highly recomend a rope is at least available for going up and definitely for the decent especially if you get weather, we seem to be getting a lot of it this summer. There is a granite specific map out there though, pretty sure you can buy it in Red Lodge at the gear store on your way. have fun


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SeaSide Villas - Luxurious - Upscale - Elegant Townhouse in Siesta Key
- bedrooms 3
- baths 3
- sleeps 8
- pool yes
- hot tub yes
- pets allowed no
- type Villa
- community Siesta Key Village
rates (USD)
/ week
vacation rental description
Situated close to Siesta Village, and with 700` from the ocean, this
3 br property with pool is completely furnished, nicely decorated
and very comfortable. Kitchen is full equipped and laundry
facility is on-site.
You will find living-room with marble fireplace, dining room and
kitchen on the main floor, and the 3 bedrooms upstairs. The master
suite is 25 X 19 and the adjacent master bathroom, equipped with
Jacuzzi and bidet is spectacular. Additional touches include heated
pool, gas grill, etc. This unit covers 1,900 s.f.
We also have a 1 br connecting unit. Located on the ground floor
and next to the pool, this unit is also fully equipped and very
For larger groups, units can be combined to offer anything from one
bedroom up to 8 bedroom, all in the same building!
vacation rental location
property availability
- dates with deals
- unavailable dates
Last modified on 09-1-2014 at 8:29 AM.
email owner view full calendar
Lisa. 888-786-6979
villa rental amenities
Dishwasher, washer & dryer, Jenn-Air, compactor, Cable TV, VCR,
beach chairs, heated pool, gas grill, etc.
activities and attractions in Siesta Key Gulf Coast Central
Nearby golf courses, parasail, bike, tennis, restaurants, boutiques,
shopping mall, etc.
vacation rental rates
3 br townhouse
Season Dec 24 - Apr 22 $2095
Off Season Apr 22 - Dec 24 $1545
1 br unit Season Dec 24 - Apr 22 $ 925
Off Season Apr 22 - Dec 24 $ 650
LAST MINUTE DEAL - 20% Fall Discounts, 30% January Discounts
First come first served! It's your chance for a beach getaway at low
cost. Don't miss it!!
Lisa. 888-786-6979
accepted payment methods
Prior to paying a reservation deposit, always verify payment instructions by calling the phone number displayed on this listing page. By contacting the owner directly and paying by an approved method - credit card, paypal, check or bank transfer - your reservation payment will be protected up to $1,000.Learn more in our Security Center


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NADH is an energy-rich coenzyme of vitamin B-3 that is essential for the production of ATP, the primary energy carrier in our cells. The brain, the nerves, the muscles and the heart require a constant supply of ATP energy in order to function. Source Naturals now brings you ENADA, the only patented, stabilized, absorbable form of NADH available.
Other Ingredients: D-mannitol, sodium bicarbonate, microcrystalline cellulose, magnesium stearate, and vitamin C (as sodium ascorbate).
Warning: If you are pregnant, may become pregnant, or breastfeeding consult your physician before using this product.
Do not use if either tamper-evident seal is broken or missing. Keep out of the reach of children.
Suggested Use: 1 tablet daily in the morning, on an empty stomach, with water. Wait 30 minutes before eating.


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The Summer Sales are in full swing! Continue to watch for additional sales as our most popular products, as well as many of our hot new products, will be on sale at some
point this summer! Look for sales on Press Printed Books, Standout and Framed Prints!
Please visit our website to get all the specifics on our Summer Sales!
All Float Wraps are 25% off! Float Wraps have become a very popular 'ready-to-hang' product that creates a unique look with the focus
on the image. With a variety of sizes available on lustre or metallic photographic paper, or on Fine Art or Metallic Canvas, you can easily design and order the look you want. Add additional
depth by using both 3/4" and 1-1/2" depth Float Wraps in the same display! Now is the time to order Float Wrap samples for your studio walls!
There is no limit to the number of sale priced Float Wraps you can order. The sale is only valid on orders placed through ROES. Sale pricing will automatically
be applied to qualified orders but will not show up in ROES when ordered. Orders must be received with a valid order confirmation between 12:00am CDT on Thursday, July 29th and 11:59pm CDT on Monday, August 2nd.
More info on our Float Wraps.
Just in time to increase your summer revenue, WHCC is offering special pricing on PickPic ProofPro! The system offers fully branded, feature-rich online proofing that empowers you with the tools to control
your own image galleries and shopping experiences -- without the frustration of dwindling profits at the hands of high fees and commissions. Included with your ProofPro subscription is a custom design,
robust web hosting, unlimited gallery space, personalized domain name, and access to a powerful web-based control panel to manage virtually all aspects of your e-commerce environment.
Through August 2nd, the $129 set-up fee will be waived for WHCC clients. Visit the PickPic sign-up page
and enter the Promo Code WHCC72010 to take advantage of this very special offer.
Visit PickPic.com for more information.
WHCC is proud to be sponsoring JoyLIVE next Monday, August 2nd from 12:00pm - 1:00pm Central (10am PDT, 1pm EDT)! Join Sarah Petty, Rod Evans, and Lori Nordstrom LIVE on the phone providing you with
3 great marketing ideas to build your business right now! The live call is FREE! Tweet your questions live using the #JoyLIVE hashtag during the event and they'll answer as many as they can.
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Register now for the FREE JoyLIVE event!
Want more information on all of our products?
All the information you need on all the products we offer is available in our 2010 Pricing and Services Guide available at pro.whcc.com.
2010 Pricing and Services Guide
Interested in becoming a WHCC client?
Fill out our New Client Questionnaire and we'll send you information on opening an account. Don't worry, the process is quick and easy!
Fill out our New Client Questionnaire


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601 West McKinley Avenue • Pomona, California 91768 • United States • Map • Contact Us • Phone: (1)(909) 622-2220 • Fax: (1)(909) 622-3577 • Visit Our Site
Our Pomona hotel is conveniently located minutes from the Los Angeles/Ontario International Airport and by nearby Los Angeles County freeways. Our all-suite Sheraton hotel is situated in a park-like setting featuring the 534-acre Fairplex Exposition Center, home to the Los Angeles County Fair. The Sheraton Fairplex Hotel & Conference Center provides upscale amenities, spacious guest rooms, farm to table dining and is the ideal Pomona hotel whether traveling for business or leisure.
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Tomorrow is looking up - for every night you pay regular rate, you can get the next for 40% off. Simply stay 2 nights or more and your tomorrows will be that much better.
Book online or call 866-716-8134 and ask for promo code ZB4.
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Book your stay for the 92nd L.A. County Fair, August 29th - September 28th! Make your trip to the fair a relaxing one with a stay at Sheraton Fairplex Hotel & Conference Center. With an entrance gate just steps from the hotel, you won't have to walk far to get a good night's sleep after a day full of excitement.
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Book right here, at sheraton.com and you will find the best rate - guaranteed! If you do find a lower rate, we'll honor that rate plus give you an additional 10% discount or 2,000 Starpoints®. Guaranteed.


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Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. WorldNow and this Station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you have any questions or comments about this page please contact email@example.com.
Daily competitions and cash prizes, autograph sessions with X Games athletes and filtration done right on display June 5-8 in sponsor village at Circuit of the Americas
AUSTIN, Texas, June 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Officially sponsoring the X Games for the first year, FRAM®, a leading U.S. oil filter brand, today announced its plans for X Games Austin fans. During the four days of competition, FRAM will host autograph signings with action motorsports legend and 15-time X Games medalist Brian Deegan as well as X Games veterans Ronnie Faisst and Jackson Strong and newcomer Mitchell DeJong. Fans will have the chance to compete in head-to-head competitions at the FRAM sponsor tent to win daily prize packages and one grand prize from FRAM brand ambassador Brian "The General" Deegan.
FRAM's activation is located in the galleria area near the Grand Plaza Entrance of Circuit of the Americas (COTA). This is the first time Austin will host the X Games, a full weekend of competition by more than 200 athletes across skateboard, BMX, Moto X, Rally and Stadium SUPER Trucks disciplines, plus entertainment and music from world-renowned artists.
"FRAM is thrilled to be part of the inaugural X Games hosted in Austin," said Josh Gordon, marketing director for FRAM. "Our filters are all about getting the job done right, and I think fans at X Games will see we've put that same mindset to work planning an entertaining lineup of athlete appearances, contests and giveaways for all those in attendance in Austin."
Brian Deegan will be signing autographs at the FRAM sponsor tent throughout the weekend. X Games Austin athletes Ronnie Faisst, Jackson Strong and Mitchell DeJong with also be signing. Exact appearance times are subject to change; check the FRAM Facebook page for the latest updates.
With a combined 15 X Games medals, Brian "The General" Deegan is the most decorated freestyle motocross rider in X Games history and the only rider to compete in at least one event each year since X Games' inception, including his gold medal run in X Games 17 RallyCross®. Deegan currently competes in Motocross, Freestyle Motocross, Rally Car and Short Course Trucks.
Deegan will also have his competition bike on hand at the FRAM activation area for photo opportunities.
Jackson Strong is a two-time X Games Moto X Best Trick gold medalist after making history with the first-ever front flip in competition.
Ronnie Faisst entered the X Games limelight in 2008 as the fifth person in X Games history to cleanly land a 360. Faisst also won bronze in Moto X Speed & Style at the 2010, 2011 and 2012 X Games.
At age 15, Mitchell DeJong made history as the youngest RallyCross driver to start, compete and medal, taking home the silver at the 2013 X Games Los Angeles.
For X Games fans searching for competition of their own, FRAM will offer a head-to-head rally kart competition featuring rally karts used in competition and competitors' fire suits. Daily winners in the timed contest, which can be viewed on the leaderboard in FRAM's activation tent, will claim prizes including the following:
Brian Deegan's 2013 RallyCross fire suit will be awarded to the fastest competitor from all three days of competition at the conclusion of X Games Austin on Sunday, June 8.
The FRAM experience at X Games Austin will also feature entertaining DIY automotive tips and information about the importance and ease of regular filter maintenance.
For the latest updates on FRAM activation at X Games Austin, like the FRAM Filtration Facebook page at facebook.com/framfiltration or follow @FRAM_Filters on Twitter.
About FRAM Filtration
Headquartered in Lake Forest, IL, FRAM Filtration is the leading consumer choice for oil filters in the United States. FRAM Filtration markets a variety of quality oil, air and fuel filters, as well as many automotive accessories such as PCV valves, crankcase filters and transmission modulators. For more information about FRAM, visit FRAM.com. Follow FRAM on Twitter @FRAM_Filters and on Facebook at Facebook.com/FRAMFiltration.
©2012 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved.


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SIZE 0.5 oz
The perfect introduction...Indulge in your favorite Tocca fragrance in miniature.
Violette evokes the whirlwind romance between a young soldier on leave and a young girl at the fragrance counter of Le Bon Marche in 1940s Paris. It is Springtime in Paris, vibrant blooms along the Champs-Elysees awaken the youthful spirit of first love.
• Travel-friendly and perfectly giftable
• Tocca means 'touch' in Italian, meaning a touch of luxury
• Old World inspired, beautifully collectible bottles
TOP NOTES: Italian Bergamot, Ginger Oil, Coriander Seed Oil
MIDDLE NOTES: African Violet, Bulgarian Rose, Black Currants
BASE NOTES: Creamy Cedarwood, Cashmere Musk, Benzoin
This item is in stock and ready to ship.
All orders shipped complete, when all merchandise is in-stock; no partial orders shipped. You will not be charged until your order is shipped.
FREE standard shipping within the contiguous U.S. on orders of $75.00+.
Standard - UPS Mail Innovations - 2 to 7 days: $5.95
UPS 2 Day - $16.95 (Order by Noon Pacific Time)
UPS Next Day - $25.95 (Order by Noon Pacific Time)
USPS Priority Mail - 1 to 3 days: $9.95
APO/FBO Addresses: b-glowing proudly ships to our military. Please specify USPS during check out.
Please see Customer Service-Shipping for more information.
Fragrance has the ability to bring back memories, evoke emotions, and even remind us of exotic places once traveled. How many times do we smell something and say, 'this reminds me of…." Tocca Beauty develops scents that are reminiscent of bygone times and beautiful, exotic locations. It's renowned worldwide as a fragrance house of distinctive and exquisite scents.
Tocca's highly covetable fragrances are made even more luxurious by their vintage inspired bottles that look stunning on any dresser. Each unique fragrance is a celebration of femininity, indulgence, and lovely reminder of familiar places close to the heart.


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Senior Lecturer
Director of the Japanese Language Program
M.S., University of Pennsylvania
Phone: 610-896-1109
Office: Founders 126
"In my classes, I aim at helping to create a learning community where students appreciate different viewpoints and different ways of expressions. In this environment, students often learn through interaction. We limit the use of English to a minimum in class to help students become speakers of Japanese as early as possible. I am pleased that many of my students are involved in a language partnership with Japanese residents in the area from which they learn invaluable lessons. Especially in the intermediate and advanced classes, students receive rigorous training in reading authentic texts. My goal for teaching is to help students work both autonomously and collaboratively while enjoying its process, for I believe that is essential in an effective learning."


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Main Content
Order today, receive no later than
Order today, receive no later than
Thursday, August 28th
Some limitations apply
You have a favorite NBA team that you follow with total devotion; but ultimately, you just love the game of basketball. Wear the NBA Pop fleece hoodie from Majestic every time you watch a hoops game. This hoodie sports a screen printed NBA logo with vibrantly colored accents to show off your love for the game. With a soft fleece lining, drawstring hood and a front pouch pocket, this sporty hoodie will enable you to enjoy any game in comfort.
- 60% Cotton/40% Polyester
- Front pouch pocket
- Hood with drawstring
- Imported
- Officially licensed NBA product
- Rib-knit collar & cuffs
- Screen print graphics
Knicks Customers also liked:
Special event items are produced by manufacturers only after the outcome of a game or event. These are advanced sale items and will ship immediately after they are received in our warehouse.
Manufacturer direct items are shipped directly from the manufacturer. These items are not available for international or expedited shipping.
Customized items can be personalized with options such as your name, your favorite number, and/or designs. Some options may be limited by league rules.


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Stories We Like: A Guide to the Comma
as a mark of hospitality (Gen. 19:3; 2 Sam. 3:20; 2 Kings 6:23); on occasions of domestic joy (Luke 15:23; Gen. 21:8); on birthdays (Gen. 40:20; Job 1:4; Matt. 14:6); and on the occasion of a marriage (Judg. 14:10; Gen. 29:22). Feasting was a part of the observances connected with the offering up of sacrifices (Deut. 12:6, 7; 1 Sam. 9:19; 16:3, 5), and with the annual festivals (Deut. 16:11). "It was one of the designs of the greater solemnities, which required the attendance of the people at the sacred tent, that the oneness of the nation might be maintained and cemented together, by statedly congregating in one place, and with one soul taking part in the same religious services. But that oneness was primarily and chiefly a religious and not merely a political one; the people were not merely to meet as among themselves, but with Jehovah, and to present themselves before him as one body; the meeting was in its own nature a binding of themselves in fellowship with Jehovah; so that it was not politics and commerce that had here to do, but the soul of the Mosaic dispensation, the foundation of the religious and political existence of Israel, the covenant with Jehovah. To keep the people's consciousness alive to this, to revive, strengthen, and perpetuate it, nothing could be so well adapated as these annual feasts." (See FESTIVALS.)
day or period of time set aside to commemorate, ritually celebrate or reenact, or anticipate events or seasons-agricultural, religious, or sociocultural-that give meaning and cohesiveness to an individual and to the religious, political, or socioeconomic community. Because such days or periods generally originated in religious celebrations or ritual commemorations that usually included sacred community meals, they are called feasts or festivals.


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For enquiries and reservations, please contact our office to speak with one of our friendly and professional staff.
Our reservations and enquiry telephone number is:
Email: email@example.com
Outback Spirit is a licensed Travel Agent. (License no. 2TA4575).
We do not accept bookings through other retail travel agents. We only deal directly with our clients.


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Meet East Lancashire's 2014 Winter Olympic medal contenders: Skier Ryding high for Sochi (From Blackburn Citizen)
When news happens, text LT and your photos and videos to 80360. Or contact us by email or phone.
Meet East Lancashire's 2014 Winter Olympic medal contenders: Skier Ryding high for Sochi
4:00pm Saturday 1st February 2014 in News
DAVE Ryding will be flying solo for Britain when he begins his first run down the Sochi slopes next month.
The 27-year-old Pendle Ski Club ace is the only male skier selected in Team GB having also been in the squad for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.
Ryding will compete in the slalom event and will hope that a series of impressive results over the past two years will give him a chance of improving on his 27th place finish four years ago.
Ryding said: "It's a great feeling to be represented to select Team GB in Sochi, after four years of hard work since the last Olympics I look forward to putting my best skiing out there on the day of the race."
Colne's Ryding first took to the slopes aged just six when he followed his dad Carl down to Pendle Ski Club.
And with his mum Shirley also a keen skier, Ryding admits that he was following in something of a family tradition in taking up the sport.
"If I wanted to go on the family holidays I had to be able to ski," said Ryding, "So I started skiing when I was about six to make sure I could go."
Comments are closed on this article.


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First look at national tour of Marvel Universe LIVE!
Get ready for the first live-action tour of your favorite Marvel superheroes. And this one's not just for kids.
Marvel Comics live-action series to film in New York
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Wednesday that the state will play host to four live-action series based on Marvel Comics.
Get to know the new Marvel superheroes being prepped for Netflix
Marvel recently announced they will be doing new superhero shows for Netflix. Here's a breakdown of who each one is.
Train Spotting: Talking fascism, comics and Batwoman at the Anarchist Bookfair
Metro talked to 2013 Boston Anarchist Bookfair panelist Nick Ford about what's up in the world of superheroes and comic books.
PHOTOS: What if your favorite superheroes used Instagram?
What if you could see a "selfie" of Iron Man or check out Batman's sweet new ride?
Mia Grace Montross, a true avenger
"Between 'The Super Hero Squad Show' and the comics I read her, she's just a comic freak," says the father of 4-year-old Mia Grace Montross.
Superman who? Meet, Yves Rossy, a flying human
Rossy has invented and patented a series of jetpacks.
'Nerdist' podcast creator Chris Hardwick on why Superman must be sensitive
And why the Internet started this shift.


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Set wt_dc_dcsid in code rather than plist on iOSPaul Lawbaugh Apr 20, 2011 9:30 AM (in response to Sven Resch)
There is no programmatic method for changing/settings these values. You can, of course, change the plist values and when we execute, we'll use whatever value is found in the current plist. But what it sounds like what you would prefer is a method for get/set on each of these values.
Sounds like a reasonable feature to add I agree.
Set wt_dc_dcsid in code rather than plist on iOSSven Resch Apr 20, 2011 11:42 AM (in response to Paul Lawbaugh)
Thanks Paul.
Re: Set wt_dc_dcsid in code rather than plist on iOSyannick.compernol Mar 19, 2012 6:51 AM (in response to Paul Lawbaugh)
do you have any idea whether this feature is going to be implemented at all? Being able to set the DCSID from code is something that I could use too.
One obvious use case would be for universal iOS apps, which would enable using 2 different DCSIDs, one for iPhone & one for iPad. Something that isn't possible with the current .plist implementation.
Set wt_dc_dcsid in code rather than plist on iOSSireesha Cinthala Dec 11, 2012 4:35 PM (in response to yannick.compernol)
I am using the static library and trying to set the DCSID from code. I've universal app with same code base and 4 DCSIDs (iPhone - test and prod, iPad test and Prod).
Is there a method in the framework to set the DCSID runtime instead of writing custom code to reset the DCSID setting from plist file based on the device and runtime environment?
other alternative i am thinking of is, instead of using static library, directly using the rest API for posting data.
Since the URL needs to be formatted manually, right DCSID can be set from the code.
if anyone has already run into this scenario, can you post your feedback?
Re: Set wt_dc_dcsid in code rather than plist on iOSyannick.compernol Sep 19, 2013 1:04 AM (in response to Sven Resch)
This is possible as of version 1.3.125 (June 2013).
The release notes contain extra info: Mobile SDK for iOS – Release Notes On Demand


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CVs, Resumes and Applications - UsingEnglish.com ESL Forum
- Home
- Members
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I have written my statement of purpose for graduate school. I am entering a physics Ph.D. program in the USA. I was wondering if someone could help check if there are some notable mistakes, or any other advice regarding continuity perhaps.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH IN ADVANCE, this is very important to me.
I guess the best way to do this is by sending you a private message with the essay in it. It is not very long by the way.
I hope someone can help me!
CVs, Resumes and Applications - UsingEnglish.com ESL Forum


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Recent studies put the makers of a popular supplement called Craze on the defensive after tests showed the ingredients were a chemical cousin of methamphetamine. Now, a local sports medicine doctor is warning users about the risks these supplements pose.
Here are a few things to know about it:
The supplement craze is not new, but a lot of people recently seem to be jumping on the pre-workout bandwagon.
At the River North Gym, owner Bernie Lecocq says he gets countless samples sent to him all the time.
"Most of them are for strength, energy, people want to get a pump," Lecocq explains. "They want to get bigger stronger faster, so these supplements, they will give you all of that."
Kyle Krueger says he's been using supplements before working out for about a year now, and has never felt any adverse effects.
"I find that generally they give me more energy and I just feel I get better pump, better workout when I take them in comparison to just taking water," says Krueger.
The most common energy boosting ingredient is these mixes is caffeine, but what makes them potentially dangerous is that the supplement industry is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, so users can't always tell what they're taking or how much of it.
The boost you get is from the increase in blood pressure and heart rate. And, that's where the potential problems lies according the Sports Medicine Doctor Jeff Mjaanes.
"In most people they might be able to tolerate that well, but there are some people that may have an underlying heart condition that they never knew about, and this could precipitate a very dangerous arrhythmia or heart rhythm problem and that could even be fatal," Dr. Mjaanes warns.
Lecocq says he regularly uses supplements, but it careful before recommending any to his members.
"I ask them if they've had any caffeine, ask them if they have high blood pressure, if they're pregnant, if any of the major health issues," Lecocq says. "I want to make sure they're clear before the start taking any of these products."
Many people will swear by supplements, but the key is knowing what you are taking and, according to Dr. Mjaanes, making sure you don't assume the listed dosage on the back is one size fits all. What might be fine for a 250 pound weight lifter might not work for a 130 pound woman.
Follow @fox32news
205 N. Michigan AvenueGround FloorChicago, IL 60601Station Operator: (312) 565-5532Newsroom: (312)565-5533


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Costa Rica News
News on Costa Rica continually updated from thousands of sources around the net.
40 min ago | Journal
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica Peter Morew, 62, of San Jose Costa Rica, passed away Friday, Aug. 29, 2014 at his home in Ciudad Colon, Costa Rica.
13 hrs ago | Broward-Palm Beach
Blowfly's Tour Diary: Part One
The following is an account of the strangest routed tour in my 10 years with Blowfly through San Jose, Costa Rica to Baltimore, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Long Branch, New Jersey, Seattle, and in Canada, Victoria and Vancouver.
Nicaraguan remittances from Costa Rica total $282 million per year
September 1st, 2014 A recent study by the Costa Rican government reveals that Nicaraguans living in Costa Rica send $282 million in remittances per year to their native country.
Layer on heaps of buttercream frosting to any flavor of cake using a medium spatula.
Adventure on two wheels: A 100-miler in tropical heat
The Rincon de la Vieja MTB 100 Challeng is Latin America's very first and only 100-mile mountain bike race.
Kidneys for sale: Brokers in Israel lure desperate patients
Ophira Dorin, here in Jerusalem, two years ago turned to Israel's underground kidney market and ultimately traveled to Costa Rica for a transplant overseen by Dr. Francisco Jos Mora Palma.
Few Nicaraguans among Central America's exodus to U.S.
Nicaragua has many of the same problems as much of Central America. Extreme poverty.
Solis presents gloomy 100 days report focused on corruption
August 29th, 2014 President Luis Guillermo Solis presented his "first 100 days" report to an audience of about 1,000 invited guests yesterday evening, in which he painted a dark picture of corruption, impunity, waste and inefficiency throughout Costa Rica's government and public institutions.
Obama again faces Congress question on Syria
White House press secretary Josh Earnest briefs reporters during the daily press briefing at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2014.
Costa Rican plastics company to move to Nicaragua, cites high utility, labor costs
August 27th, 2014 Yanber S.A, a Costa Rican producer of plastic bags and packaging, has announced it will relocate to Nicaragua, laying off all 180 of its staff in Costa Rica.
I thought we were just stopping for breakfast but was surprised when our van drove through the gate at Rancho La Botija Mountain Hotel & Spa.
Medina schools briefs: Gardens in full bloom; students visit Dominican Republic, Costa Rica
School gardens at the high school and at Heritage and Blake elementary schools have flourished this summer, thanks to the green thumbs of community volunteers, school staff members and students.
$54+ O/W JetBlue Sale for Sunny Destinations
Fall is almost here, which means it's the perfect time for JetBlue's latest airfare sale - which discounts flights to sunny Caribbean and Latin American destinations, including Nassau; St. Croix; Santiago, Dominican Republic; San Jose, Costa Rica; and Cartagena, Colombia.
'Visiting an Organic Pineapple Plantation'
Our tour of the Corsicana Farm's Organic Pineapple Plantation began in the fields with the pineapple pickers.
Some Alaskan politicians are upset that the Polley Mine disaster near Likely, British Columbia could be repeated at the Red Chris Mine located "in the Stikine watershed , which is shared with Alaska" and BC.
Costa Rica police seize cocaine, $1.5 M in cash
Costa Rican authorities say they have seized a small plane carrying $1.5 million in cash and 880 pounds of cocaine.
Costa Rica police seize cocaine, $1.5 M in cash
Costa Rican authorities say they have seized a small plane carrying $1.5 million in cash and 880 pounds of cocaine.
Kelly: A love of good coffee led Montgomery County woman to an unusual sideline
I'm sure you love your coffee, but it's unlikely you love your coffee as much as Ligia Moss loves her coffee.
INDUSTRY: Philip Wynn Invests in Costa Rica
While it seems that so much of the premium cigar industry is turning to Nicaragua for its tobacco, Philip Wynn, owner of the Felipe Gregorio cigar brand, is looking to Costa Rica.
Bananas: An A-Peel-ing History
According to one legend, the fruit that Eve found irresistible in the Garden of Eden was not an apple, but a banana.
Please Sit Down And Enjoy The Best Beer Commercial Ever.
This Cat Has Figured Out A Hilariously Gross New Way To Poop
The 25 Funniest Times People Thought The Onion Was Real
Should minors be allowed to handle semi-automatic weapons?
Soft Landing for Defeated House Majority Leader - Joins Investment Bank
THE EMOJI CHALLENGE (w/ Shane Dawson)
Which 'Brady Bunch' Character Are You?
Updated: Tue Sep 02, 2014 11:52 pm
Copyright © 2014 Topix LLC


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Denver Broncos
Knowshon Moreno - #27 - RB
|5' 11"/ 200 lbs.
|Belford, NJ
|Years played
|2009, 1st round, 12th pick by Broncos
AFC West Spin cycle: Broncos dominate, Raiders rising
The rest of the division should be worried after watching the Broncos dominate on Sunday night, routing the Saints 34-14.
Change, desperation in air for three teams
The Eagles, Jets and Chargers might have reached the point of no return; examining the Cowboys' losing culture; and more from Week Eight.
Could management path be in store for Manning?
How hard would it be to imagine Peyton Manning as an NFL owner? The way we hear it, not too hard at all.
Manning leads Broncos past Saints
Peyton Manning passed for 305 yards and three scores to lead the Broncos to a 34-14 victory over the Saints.
Expect more from Broncos RB Hillman down the stretch
The Broncos hope the bye week came at a good time for rookie RB Ronnie Hillman, who is expected to continue getting more snaps going forward.
AFC West Spin cycle: Raiders regress and still win
With the rest of the division's teams on bye, the Raiders represented the AFC West with an ugly win over the shorthanded Jaguars.
Report: NFL investigating Chargers for using stickum
NFL security is investigating the Chargers for allegedly using a banned, "stickum" type substance, according to Fox Sports' Jay Glazer.
Broncos favor Brooking in middle over Mays
Broncos MLB Joe Mays appears to have been demoted from his starting spot in favor of Keith Brooking, though it may be a fluid situation.
Thursday's 60-second rant: A tale of three MVP-caliber QBs
PFW executive editor Dan Arkush reflects on the winning trifecta in Week Six courtesy of Aaron Rodgers and the Manning brothers.
AFC West Spin cycle: Manning's miracle on Monday night
Analyzing the fallout of Monday night's stunning Broncos comeback and the rest of the AFC West action in Week Six.
Tuesday's 60-second rant: Change coming in San Diego
On Monday night we saw vintage Peyton Manning and the fate of Norv Turner and A.J. Smith in San Diego sealed.
Manning's three TD passes spur Broncos' comeback
Peyton Manning threw three TD passes in the second half as the Broncos overcame a 24-0 halftime deficit to stun the Chargers 35-24.
Friday's key matchup: Chargers RB Ryan Mathews vs. Broncos defense
The spotlight will be on the quarterbacks on Monday night, but Chargers RB Ryan Mathews could be the difference.
Chargers lift blackout for Monday night
The Chargers sold enough tickets to life the local television blackout for Monday night's game against the Broncos.
Broncos' back seven misses Williams, Carter
Some of the Broncos' issues on defense can be attributed to not having LB D.J. Williams and S Quinton Carter.
Moreno carried 22 times for 78 yards Sunday in a 34-12 rout of the Browns.||||||| Moreno had gone for over 100 in his last two games.
Moreno finished with 118 yards rushing and a score on 22 carries in Sunday's win over the Ravens.||||||| Moreno has gained 237 yards and scored twice in the last two games.
Moreno proved a capable replacement for the injured Willis McGahee in the Denver Broncos' 17-9 win over the lowly Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.||||||| Moreno had 85 yards on 20 carries after rushing for a combined 15 in two previous games this season.
Moreno is a healthy scratch for the Denver Broncos' game against the Houston Texans.||||||| Moreno had a touchdown in the Broncos' opener and drew praise from boss John Elway for his newfound patience following a season that was cut short by a knee injury. He won the backup job to Willis McGahee with a strong training camp.
Moreno has been charged with drunken driving and careless driving after getting pulled over in south Denver.||||||| Denver district attorney's spokeswoman Lynn Kimbrough said Tuesday that Moreno is also charged with failure to have proof of insurance and is due back in court March 2 after police issued a summons. Denver police Lt. Matthew Murray says Moreno was pulled over on Feb. 1 after allegedly driving 70 mph in an interstate construction zone where the speed limit was 45 mph.


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Case Study - Harmonix
Harmonix Performs Load Testing on GoGrid Cloud Infrastructure
Harmonix Music Systems is a videogame development company that specializes in music-based games. Based in Cambridge, MA, the company was founded in 1995. The core principle at the heart of all Harmonix products is to share the joy of creating and performing music with everyone, regardless of their musical experience.
The Rock Band series has brought the company's mission of bringing the joy of making music to living rooms, garages and practice spaces around the world. They are full-blown band simulation games that combine guitar, bass, drum and singing gameplay as well as online multiplayer competition and co-op play.
Harmonix continues to live and grow in Cambridge, expanding the Rock Band franchise, developing new titles and searching for new and unique ways to bring the joy of music to the world.
With the successful releases of Rock Band and Rock Band 2, Harmonix became a well respected name in the gaming market place and helped revolutionize the way music is shared and experienced. Launching a successful product is no easy feat; it takes collaboration and very detailed planning. And with each release there are a lot of lessons learned. One item that Harmonix learned was that significant spikes in network traffic occurred with each new release and traffic further increased during the holiday season.
Harmonix needed a load testing solution that was able to simulate not only the expected load of a new release, but also an influx of heavy usage during a holiday season. While planning for the release of Rock Band 3, load testing became an even more critical component of the release process. John Eskew, Networking Technical Team Lead, said that "one of our biggest challenges is designing the systems to handle peak loads that we know are going to come. We always have our eyes on that. It is during the launch of a new game that we see our largest loads. During these peak periods, loads can be twenty times more than on a normal day."
"For Rock Band and Rock Band 2, we performed load testing on our servers using an inhouse solution. This configuration created security concerns and resource issues. Also, we could not launch as many instances as we wanted to in order to scale the load testing. These issues combined with the desire to save money on load testing led us to look at cloud computing options for load testing when launching Rock Band 3."
A scalable cloud architecture: Reliable support for peak period load testing tied to product launches and seasonal traffic spikes.
As innovators in the gaming industry, Harmonix was quick to use the benefits of cloud infrastructure such as scaling on-demand and paying for only the resources/compute consumed. As savvy consumers, they also realized that using GoGrid's cloud infrastructure could be leveraged in many other ways as well. Harmonix uses GoGrid's cloud infrastructure to ensure successful new product launches by:
Scaling hundreds of cloud servers on-demand, allowing them to simulate peak traffic loads.
With the use of the GoGrid API, Harmonix can programmatically run scripts to provision cloud servers on-demand, and then automatically upload the necessary software and testing scripts.
Performing simple login/logout tests, simulating more than 60,000 concurrent users at a time.
The results were automatically reported to a centralized reporting server back at Harmonix. After testing one activity for several hours, the GoGrid cloud servers were automatically instructed to initiate the next test.
Creating new standards and robust testing into existing procedures.
Harmonix pushes their back end networking systems to the point of failure which was previously not possible due to the enormous cost and infrastructure required to make the test run properly. Now, with the use of GoGrid cloud servers, this test is not only plausible, but has become a standard part of their testing procedure. Harmonix then analyzes the results, makes the necessary changes, and can run the test protocols again as needed. When testing is complete, the cloud servers are quickly decommissioned until they are needed again.
Harmonix has realized significant benefits from using GoGrid's cloud infrastructure to perform peak period load testing.
Lower total cost of ownership
"Using GoGrid has reduced the total cost of ownership for the load testing infrastructure. Since we require around 100 servers, the economics of doing this in-house does not make sense."
Brand protection and improved user experiences
"The online component is critical to the user experience. Players use the online site to view leader boards, find other players to team up with, and listen to new song snippets. If the service is not available, our customers do not have a good experience and potentially lose confidence in our service."
Revenue assurance
"One of the ways we make money is through our online store. Players can download additional songs for a fee. If the store is down, we don't make any money off of downloadable content. So, it is important that our online services stay up."
Reduced effort and stress for the networking team
"If the network services don't work the way we intended, we have to scramble to fix them in the live environment. Therefore, we want to be 100% certain that we can handle launch day traffic before that day arrives. Otherwise, the impact on our team is significant in terms of effort and stress."
"We need significant computing resources for very short periods of time. We can spin up GoGrid Cloud Servers on-demand and scale down when we no longer need them."
– John Eskew, Senior Networking Manager
Download Case Study
Using GoGrid, Harmonix has been able to:
- Reduce the TCO of the load-testing infrastructure
- Improve the user experience on the online site
- Ensure its eCommerce store is always available
- Reduce the networking team's effort and stress
- Welcome to GoGrid!
- I'm a Cloud Infrastructure and Big Data Solutions expert.
- What questions do you have today?
Is intuition more important than big data?Read more
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I have fought it as long as I could. I never viewed myself as stodgy, unwilling to try new things, or fearful of technology, but something about this media server business planted my feet with determination not to embrace the dark side. Has creativity been reduced to a QuickTime preview pane? This summer, I found myself staring at a Martin Maxedia touchscreen (www.martin.com), wondering where it all went.
Much to my surprise and delight, I found that my world opened up. The thing I most feared, I now love. The media server has opened up tremendous doors of creativity: new directions, new opportunities, and limitless ability to create a visual picture to support the work. Instead of a flashy toy, I have a powerful new tool in the box.
— Seth Jackson
Lighting designer
Visionering, Inc
The fifth generation Apple® iPod® (www.apple.com) now plays back video. It's officially become my favorite media server for small applications that just require looping playback of video content. We simply create a Playlist of video clips exactly as we would songs, set it up to repeat all of them, and walk away. With a 60GB hard drive capacity, you can cram a decent amount of eye-candy on it.
— Patrick Dierson
Lighting designer/programmer
DiersonDesign/Idyll Hands Imagery
New technologies invade our world on a daily basis for better and for worse. We always feel compelled to "take advantage" of them, usually at great time-expense. One of my colleagues and I tend to remark, "Why do we need to live on the bleeding edge all the time? Can't I just do a show with gear that works!?"
That having been said, there is one technology, simple though it may be, that has indeed made my life better without all the bloodshed. It is software that exists in many forms, but its fundamental purpose is to create a virtual KVM switch (minus the "V," for video). This allows the user to have multiple computers in use and switch between them simply by moving the mouse pointer to the edge of the screen. The pointer then moves over to the next computer. The brilliant part of all this is that it works between Macs and PCs, copies the clipboard between the computers on the network, and, of course, works wirelessly. The caveat, small as it may be, is that all computers must be on the same network — not a big deal at all.
— Rodd McLaughlin
Prelite NY, LLC
In the last several months, I have been seeing more and more integration of video and media being played back over DMX-controlled LED fixtures. Many video servers such as High End Systems Catalyst™ V.4 (www.highend.com) and Martin Maxedia have started adding this as a native feature, and it seems to be becoming more standard on consoles as well, in limited varieties. My personal preference is the Pharos architectural controller (www.pharoscontrols.com), which is essentially an offline programming software with a stand-alone, solid-state playback device. It has fully integrated DMX-LED mapping ability, including pre-built 2D and 3D video effects and the ability to run video clips, as well as full control over moving lights. Its second strong point is its trigger functionality, which includes MIDI, SMPTE, RS232, as well as other architectural protocols, which allows it to act as a show control device. Another key feature is its remote connectivity over Ethernet, allowing it to be configured and updated remotely via a built-in web server. There are many situations where a full-scale console just isn't necessary, and most consoles just don't meet the kind of complex permanent installation requirements for which this box was specifically designed.
— Cory FitzGerald
Ignis Incorporated


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It is unclear why 16 percent of Benicia High School students were absent from school on Halloween though some in the community are speculating it could be a Giant flu outbreak.
According to principal Damon Wright, 263 high school students were absent today, October 31, 2012. The previous day 60 students were absent. "You could definitely tell the difference," said Wright.
Did you have a high school student who didn't make it to school on Halloween?
Do you subscribe to the Benicia Patch newsletter? It brings our latest stories, blogs, announcements and the day's calendar events to your in-box early each morning. Follow Benicia Patch on Facebook and Twitter.
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|Landeck CLC hosts area councils
|Saturday, October 05, 2013 1:05 AM
Forty-one members and guests from Cloverdale, Delphos and Van Wert helped Landeck Catholic Ladies of Columbia Council 84 open its Sept. 10 meeting with prayer.
A pot luck was served by all the members.
The purse party was a huge success with much laughter. A special thank you to the ladies who donated purses.
Prayer and birthday wishes were sent to appropriate members for September.
The Pot of Gold winner was Rosie Moenter. She was not present. Club 25 winners are Amanda Siefker. She also was not present. The September gas card winner was Marshall Dempsey.
It was reported members earned $70.87 from the Chief Community Cash program.
Members who attended the 2013 convention informed the rest of the members of upcoming changes.
The meeting was closed with prayer.
The next meeting will begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the CFO hall in Landeck.
Members are to wear pink for Breast Cancer Month.
Military Mail is coming up for November. Committee members are Kathy Courtney, Rosie Hilvers, Bert Schimmoeller and Stacey Ricker.


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Several new movies open in theaters this weekend. Click on the links below for more information about these new releases and watch the trailers for a preview.
" The Apparition" - A young couple discover they are being haunted by an entity that was accidentally conjured during a parapsychology experiment gone awry. The movie is rated PG-13 and stars Sebastian Stan, Tom Felton and Ashley Greene.
" Premium Rush" - A routine, "premium rush" delivery turns into a life or death chase through the streets of Manhattan. The movie is rated PG-13 and stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Dania Ramirez.
" Thunderstruck" - NBA superstar Kevin Durant finds himself suddenly unable to make a shot after his basketball "powers" are magically switched with the less than stellar skills of a 16-year-old high school player. The movie is rated PG and stars Kevin Durant as himself. The movie also stars James Belushi and Brandon T. Jackson.
Which of these movies are you most interested in watching? Let us know in the comments.
You might also be interested in reading:


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A consumer product manufacturing and packaging company was fielding an excessive number of complaints about empty cartons without product being shipped to the stores.
Occasionally the fully automated packaging line would fail to fill a carton which was then sealed, stacked, wrapped and shipped without detection.
The company commissioned an engineering firm to ferret out and eliminate the problem at the final expense of over one hundred thousand dollars.
After the 3 month study of the packaging line and the subsequent generation of reports, the manufacturing company sourced a material handling firm to build the solution the engineering firm recommended.
Due to the complexity of the packaging process, the engineers suggested it would be more cost effective to catch the problem after the fact instead of eliminating the actual intricate carton filling problem at its source.
An automatic weight scale system was installed on the belt line after the cartons were filled and sealed but before the cartons were palletized and wrapped. When a carton crossed the scale weighing less than the target weight of a filled carton, the belt would stop and a pneumatically operated arm would push the empty carton off the scale into a bin. Per OSHA regulations, before the belt restarted, a brief alarm would sound signaling the line was again starting into motion.
The modification to the conveyor belt worked flawlessly and the CEO was pleased even though quite a bit was spent, the customer complaints immediately dropped off.
The packaging line was completely computerized and monitored so packaging reports could be generated upon request. The CEO studied the report from the first month the scale and carton rejection device was integrated into the packaging line to see how fast the huge expenditure would be recouped. He was shocked to find what seemed to be an error in reporting.
According to the report, the scale device's first day in operation caught about a half dozen empties an hour on their way to be palletized, consistent with the amount of prior complaints generated from the stores.
From the second day forward, the scale had rejected 0 empties. Knowing this was impossible, he directed maintenance to inspect the sensors and to look for a loose plug end or damaged cable.
The next day the CEO pulled another report after maintenance assured him everything was operational. The previous 24 hours was no different. Not understanding how this could be happening, the CEO went out into the plant to look for himself.
The CEO looked at the scale, looked at the wiring, looked at and wiggled the plugs but saw nothing out of the ordinary. He assumed it must be an internal sensor or a photo cell that must be causing the problem.
Upon returning to the office, he noticed about 10 feet before the new rejection station, someone had placed a table with a desk fan on it blowing across the belt. He summoned the closest employee asking what the fan was supposed to be cooling.
The employee stated someone from maintenance put it there to blow the empty boxes off the line so the annoying alarm buzzer wouldn't keep going off.


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- Boston starters having tough time in first inning
- Crawford's tweaked groin will delay return
- Buchholz to make rehab start Sunday for Pawtucket
- Middlebrooks out of starting lineup for Game 1
- Mortensen is Boston's 26th man for doubleheader
BOSTON -- The Red Sox swapped a pair of outfielders prior to Saturday night's game vs. the Yankees, activating Ryan Sweeney from the 15-day disabled list and optioning Ryan Kalish to Triple-A Pawtucket.
Sweeney started in center field and hit seventh in manager Bobby Valentine's lineup. He had been out since June 17 with left big toe inflammation, missing 18 games.
"Just one of those things where you need a little time off," Sweeney said Saturday morning.
He played in two Minor League rehab games with Double-A Portland, going 1-for-7. In 52 games before the injury, Sweeney hit .292 with 13 RBIs.
Kalish struggled at the plate in 17 games since he was recalled from Pawtucket when Sweeney went on the DL, hitting .217 with five RBIs. Kalish did well to make it back to the Majors, though, after battling numerous injuries in the Minors last season.
He played in 53 games for the Red Sox in 2010, but opened the 2011 season in Pawtucket due to a logjam in Boston's outfield. Kalish separated his left (throwing) shoulder in a collision in April of last year before undergoing surgeries on his shoulder and neck.
Boston starters having tough time in first inning
BOSTON -- The first inning often has been an issue for the Red Sox's starting rotation this season. The opening two games of a four-game series vs. the Yankees weren't an exception.
Red Sox starters combined to allow 64 runs (58 earned) in the first inning in the team's first 84 games this year, resulting in a 6.21 ERA. Entering Saturday's, action the American League average was a 4.61 ERA.
"That's not good," said pitching coach Bob McClure. "It happens some times."
Boston hasn't shown signs of stopping the trend in its final series before the All-Star break.
Josh Beckett allowed five runs in the first frame on Friday in the series opener against New York. In the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday, Franklin Morales surrendered four. The Sox lost both games.
"It's certainly not on purpose or by design," McClure said.
Entering Saturday's nightcap, Red Sox starters had allowed at least one run in the first inning in 10 of the last 12 games at Fenway Park dating back to June 10. Boston went 6-4 in those 10 contests, thanks in large part to a high-powered offense.
So what's the solution?
"If there was a solution, it would be solved," said manager Bobby Valentine. "Bob McClure is down there warming them up and bringing them in, and they have a game plan, and it just seems like a lot of guys have struggled in the first inning."
Is preparation the root of the first-inning issues?
"That's not the problem," McClure said. "The problem is missed location. It's not the preparation, it's maybe being too careful. I can't pinpoint it right now. Maybe trying too hard. Who knows? It happens sometimes."
In the last two games, Beckett and Morales failed to establish their secondary pitches in the first inning, and that was part of the problem.
"Sometimes you have to pitch backwards," McClure said. "That's one way to kind of solve it, be a little more aggressive in the zone, getting ahead in the count."
This isn't the first time Valentine has dealt with starters who continually struggle in the first inning, though.
"I had Nolan Ryan for years, and his first inning was always a problem," said Valentine, referring to the four seasons he managed the Hall of Famer with the Rangers from 1989-92. "I don't know if I ever corrected it or figured out a solution for it. Sometimes it just happens, I don't know. I'd rather it not."
Crawford's tweaked groin will delay return
BOSTON -- Red Sox outfielder Carl Crawford's rehab clock will be reset because of his left groin, and he will not be in the Major League lineup to start the second half of the season.
A team spokesperson said Saturday morning that Crawford had suffered a mild left groin strain. Manager Bobby Valentine later characterized the decision to stop Crawford's current rehab stint as preventative.
"He hit a triple [on Thursday] and when he turned second, he just felt a little twinge there," Valentine said. "Taking a couple days off from hitting and playing. He's going to go right back in and start hitting soon in a game. It's not a strain or anything. It's ice prevention. Or it's a little preventative thing to make sure it doesn't get worse."
Position players have 20 days to rehab in the Minor Leagues. Crawford's first rehab game came June 23 in the Gulf Coast League, which made Saturday the 15th day of his current stint. The groin situation gives the Sox and Crawford the benefit or more rehab time.
Crawford cannot go back into rehab games until five days have passed.
Perhaps more concerning for the Red Sox is that Crawford's left elbow still causes discomfort, but not while hitting, he said Friday. A UCL sprain in that elbow has kept him out much of the season.
"It's not 100 percent healthy, but I'm able to hit," Crawford said Friday, "so I said pretty much whenever I'm able to start hitting the ball and swinging the bat, then I'll play."
Valentine said the elbow is a situation that continues to require monitoring.
"A red flag?" Valentine said when asked if that's what Crawford's characterization of his elbow raised. "You mean a red flag that there's still something in his elbow? I think we have to manage that situation as he plays. And maybe it's just a caution flag."
Buchholz to make rehab start Sunday for Pawtucket
BOSTON -- Clay Buchholz will make a Minor League rehab start with Triple-A Pawtucket on Sunday, and he could return to the Red Sox in the first series following the All-Star break.
The right-hander last pitched for the Red Sox on June 19 before being sidelined with a stomach illness that was diagnosed as esophagatis, which required a short stint in the hospital and a trip to the disabled list.
"Buchholz is pitching tomorrow, maybe a 40-pitch stint just to get his spikes on the rubber and not go 24 days in between being on the hill," said manager Bobby Valentine.
Buchholz is on track to return to Boston's rotation during a three-game series on the road vs. the Rays that begins on Friday.
"If that goes well tomorrow, then he'll be able to pitch in the first series coming out," Valentine said.
In his last five starts before going on the DL on June 24, Buchholz was 4-0 with a 2.43 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 37 innings. This season he's 8-2 with a 5.53 ERA in 14 outings.
In other injury news, Jacoby Ellsbury (right shoulder) was scheduled to play with Triple-A Pawtucket on Saturday. Ryan Sweeney (left big toe) was not scheduled to play Saturday. Righty Chris Carpenter (right elbow surgery) was set to pitch for Class A Greenville on Sunday.
Middlebrooks out of starting lineup for Game 1
BOSTON -- As much as Will Middlebrooks would like to play in this weekend's series vs. the Yankees, the Red Sox are being cautious with the rookie's tweaked hamstring.
Middlebrooks was out of the lineup for the fifth consecutive game on Saturday in the first game of a doubleheader. Could the third baseman play in the nightcap?
"Probably not, but I don't know," said manager Bobby Valentine before Game 1. "He was in the office this morning with the training staff, and he's close."
The third baseman did some light running and fielded ground balls at Fenway Park on Saturday morning. He's progressing, but the Sox aren't rushing to get him back in the lineup.
"He hit for almost two innings [during Friday's game], in the cage, and felt nothing," Valentine said. "With those pulled muscles, I always like to give it a day after if someone thinks they feel fine."
Middlebrooks has not played since leaving last Sunday's game vs. the Mariners in the bottom of the ninth inning. Now, it appears likely that he will avoid a trip to the disabled list. With the All-Star break fast approaching, Middlebrooks will have extra time next week to recover without missing any games.
"Some of the madness in not [placing him on the DL] was to have him ready coming out of the break and not miss those five games on the other side of the break," Valentine said. "But if he's perfect today, he can pinch-hit today."
Mauro Gomez started at third base for the third straight game on Saturday in place of Middlebrooks. Entering Saturday, Boston was 0-4 this week without Middlebrooks.
Mortensen is Boston's 26th man for doubleheader
BOSTON -- The Red Sox's first 26th man under new rules that allow teams to have an extra player for a doubleheader is right-hander Clay Mortensen. The Sox and Yankees played a twin bill Saturday, Boston's first doubleheader since also playing the Yankees on Sept. 25 of last season.
Mortensen was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket on July 4, so he will have to return to the Minors after Saturday because optioned players can't be recalled to the Majors for 10 days -- except in the case of injury or, like Saturday, a doubleheader.
The Red Sox could've made other additions besides Mortensen but felt he was the best fit to help them for the day.
"Everything," manager Bobby Valentine said of what went into the decision. "There's a million ... There are conversations into the morning that, we're just guessing at what we might need, and what we might need the most. So we decided to go with Mortensen, who's a pretty durable pitcher, can pitch against both sides of the plate, and see if we can't have enough pitching to get through a doubleheader."
Evan Drellich is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @EvanDrellich. Austin Laymance is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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The AppleCare Protection Plan for iPod or Apple TV provides up to two years of expert telephone technical support and additional hardware service options from Apple.1
When you purchase the AppleCare Protection Plan, you get direct access to Apple Expert telephone technical support² for questions on a wide range of topics, including iTunes syncing and more. You can even get local repair service when you visit other countries around the world.
AppleCare Protection Plan benefits are in addition to any legal rights provided by consumer protection laws. For details, click here.
Because Apple designs iPod, Apple TV and iTunes, you get a truly integrated system. And only the AppleCare Protection Plan provides one-stop service and support from Apple experts whether you use a Mac or a PC, so most issues can be resolved in a single call.
- Direct access to Apple experts
- Local Apple hardware service when travelling around the world
- Use with a Mac or PC
The AppleCare Protection Plan provides local Apple hardware service options around the world, both parts and labour, from Apple-authorised technicians.
- Your iPod
- Battery3
- Included earphones and USB cable
What's covered — iPod
- Your Apple TV
- AirPort4
- Included Apple Remote and power cord
What's covered — Apple TV
Whether you're sitting in the comfort of your home or office or on the go, you can get direct access to Apple experts for questions on a wide range of topics.
- Using iOS and iCloud for iPod touch
- Syncing with iTunes
- Downloading video and podcasts from the iTunes Store
- HD video recording and FaceTime for iPod touch
- Connecting iPod touch to Wi-Fi networks
- Using Apple-branded iPod touch apps
iPod support
- Setting up Apple TV and connecting to your Wi-Fi network and iCloud
- Renting and purchasing movies from the iTunes Store
- Using AirPlay to play content from iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Mac on your HDTV
- Connecting to additional services such as MLB.TV and more


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- Female,
- Height: 1.82m,
- Zabrak,
Related //
A massive Wookiee general, Tarfful helped defend his native Kashyyyk during the Clone Wars. A distress signal brought Tarfful and his most trusted warriors rushing to Chewbacca's help against the hated Trandoshans on the hunting grounds of Wasskah. Later, Tarfful and Chewbacca fought side by side with General Yoda on the battlegrounds of Kashyyyk.
Obi-Wan Kenobi
A legendary Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi was a noble man and gifted in the ways of the Force. He trained Anakin Skywalker, served as a general in the Republic Army during the Clone Wars, and guided Luke Skywalker as a mentor.
Hondo Ohnaka
A tough, pragmatic Weequay, Hondo Ohnaka leads a notorious Outer Rim pirate gang from his headquarters on Florrum. A former colleague of Jango Fett and a former lover of Aurra Sing, Ohnaka won fame during the Clone Wars when he kidnapped Count Dooku, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Anakin Skywalker and tried to ransom all three for a big payout. Since that incident, he maintained a peculiar relationship with the Republic -- respecting the Jedi Knights, but not being above robbing them blind or betraying them. He was, after all, a pirate through-and-through.


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Removal of Chris Coleman as 'manager' of Wales football team
Given the latest inept attempt at managing Wales, I'd like to gather enough names to present to the Welsh FA - before its too late.
This will hopefully give the FA time to remove Coleman and appoint a new manager who can take Wales into the Euro 2016 qualifiers where we should have our best chance in many generations to finally qualify for a major tournament.
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All the talk lately has been about the Giants and the Dodgers, and for good reasons: they're longtime rivals, and they're currently in a virtual tie for first place in the National League West.
But do you know who's only 3½ games back in the West? Do you know who's got the best run differential in the West? Do you know who finished in first place last season, with 94 wins?
That's right: the Arizona Diamondbacks. And while nobody's been talking about them since the Justin Upton rumors died down, they're apparently thinking about making a move before the deadline, and maybe a big one.
Here's Nick Piecoro (via ):
"I think the roster, as it is, is OK," Towers said, declining to go into specifics. "But if we feel we can improve it in other ways, we're certainly going to look at it. If that means moving one of our position players for pitching, we'll look at it."
With Drew, Johnson, Willie Bloomquist, Ryan Wheeler and John McDonald seemingly vying for playing time at third base and shortstop, Gibson acknowledged that his job has been made more difficult.
"Too many guys," Gibson said. "I don't really have it figured out. I know guys want to play every day. ... We'll utilize them all. I'll try to juggle them the best I can. There does come a point where too much time off becomes counterproductive. It's a fine balance."
With five players for two spots, the Diamondbacks obviously have infielders to deal, and there are a few teams that could really use a pretty good starting shortstop like Stephen Drew (who, by the way, is eligible for free agency after this season).
Today there have been Justin Upton-for-Matt Garza rumors, which were summarily shot down via official channels. Still, where there's smoke there's often fire. And it'll be a mild surprise if the Diamondbacks don't do something before the deadline.


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By ROGER SCHNEIDER
Steve Bachman's not sure just how many sports cards he has, he guessed they number somewhere between three and four million. But Bachman is sure of one thing — he wants Goshen-area residents to visit his new store and take a look at some of those cards.
The store is located on Main Street within the Home Again complex.
Bachman said he has been selling sports memorabilia for 17 years and was co-owner of a store in Elkhart until 2003. He then turned his attention to online sales, which he still does in partnership with his son Jesse. He was also operating a store on Saturday mornings in Bristol, but that has ended with his opening of the Goshen location.
"This space became available, so I thought I would give it a try," he said.
Inside the store are many tables filled with cards from three major sports, baseball, basketball and football. Bobble-headed dolls of popular sports figures line the walls and sports figurines hang in their packages on the back wall. More items, including pennants, will be added in the coming days, according to Bachman.
Bachman has been operating out of the store for the past three weeks and has been enjoying the change from his Internet stores. "What online doesn't allow is interacting with people," he said.
Having coached Little League baseball and still involved with coaching in a high school instructional league in South Bend, Bachman knows his baseball. And he is concerned that youngsters are not being exposed to baseball cards as much as they once were. So, he said he will always have some free cards available for children who visit his store.
"I want this to be a place where kids can come and enjoy sports," he said.
Cards from his collection are sold on the Internet around the world, according to Bachman, with many cards going to South Korea and Japan.
"The hobby has changed, there's no doubt about that," he said. There are still simple baseball cards with the player's career stats on the back, but Bachman said manufacturers are offering many new card lines. Now buyers have a chance to find an autographed card or a card with a piece of a player's game jersey or game bat in a pack of cards.
The store also offers some team packs, which Bachman assembles by spending time sorting through dozens of packs of baseball cards. Also available are packs of 20, 30 and 40 cards that feature the same player. He sells many of those to other dealers.
"I can tell you who had a good day on Sunday (in the NFL) because people are buying 20 packet lots," he said.
Bachman said he invites people who attend First Fridays tonight to stop in and meet him and check out the thousands of cards and other memorabilia on display.