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Friday January 21st 2011
Come and join us for an American Whisky tasting evening.
The evening will be hosted by Nick Griffin (Managing Director, Pleisure Ltd).
Suitable for Ladies and Gentlemen
Places are limited to 20 and the tasting session with food is only £10
After tasting a selection of Bourbons, Rye's and Sour Mash we will serve a buffet of American Soul food, think Jambalaya, Buffalo wings and BBQ ribs.
Book early on 01903 820972 or Email email@example.com


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I'm here in Arizona now, watching the Royals. Saw both ends of the DH yesterday. Here are some observations:
1. Alex Gordon was hitting in the batting cages during the 1st SS game, I'd say for about an hour. I'm predicting a HUGE year for Gordon...nobody works harder at his game.
2. Chris Getz was also hitting in the cages during the first game. I predict Getz will win the 2B job. Both Gordon and Getz played in the night DH game and did well.
3. Johnny G will not win the spot unless he tears it up over the next 2 weeks. He is making errors in the field. The SS game I saw featured him missing a throw from the catcher to him at 2B on a steal attempt. The ball was thrown directly to him but tailed off at the end. He still should have caught it. That led to the Padres scoring 3 runs.
4. Yasiel Puig of the Dodgers is playing at another level than everyone else on the field, except for Alex Gordon. Puig drove an opposite field HR off a 98 MPH fastball from Yordano Ventura in the 2nd DH game. He also stole a base, added two more hits, and scored on a heads up play after a bobble in the OF after a bloop hit.
5. Luke Hochevar worked consistently at 94 MPH in relief in 2 innings with his FB. His offspeed stuff was 10 MPH less, keeping hitters off balance. The first two hitters against him tagged balls hard hitting his FB, but both lined out to Cain CF.
6. Billy Butler is still not "with us" yet...he's a tick behind. I have no doubt, however, that he will turn it on when we get closer to opening day.
7. Butler took a nasty fall into the Padres dugout trying to catch a foul ball. However, after falling down the steps, he popped up quickly and was OK to continue. By the way, there was a drunk guy in the stands calling him "Country Breakfast" and "Billy" very loudly every time he came up!
8. Christian Colon looks pretty good to me playing SS...hitting the ball good as well.
9. Sal Perez still is not with the team yet. I don't know why, but I hope he plays before I have to go home Tuesday. I also hope to see Hosmer at Monday's game, if he makes it back.
10. I see no difference in Jeff Franceour's approach at the plate. In addition, in the OF he sparked an early game outburst by the Dodger's Friday night be missing a very catchable ball in the gap. I've heard now that he said he lost it in the lights...I guess that is a possible explaining However, I also saw Alex Gordon not catch a gapper that he would usually dive for, so perhaps they are avoiding injury by not diving for balls in ST?
11. Brandon Wood was absolutely horrible at 3B Friday. I'd say he has virtually no shot at breaking with the team, and if Moose ever gets hurt, Wood will not be called up to replace him. He's really bad....really.
12. David Lough is absolutely raking. Every ball he hits is hard, including the few outs I have seen him make so far. He should beat out JF because he is a catalyst on offense. David trains hard and takes great care of
himself nutritionally and physically...I'm a big fan. At worst, he should platoon with JF, but I understand the roster constraints and options (and the fact that JF is owed millions of $$ and, of course, they have to get their money's worth out of him).
13. Wil Smith did not get beat up by the Padres on Friday. First, the defense behind him was AWFUL. Brandon Wood committed 3 errors and another that wasn't called an error. Smith gave up a 3 run HR to Nick Hundley that never should have happened has his defense behind him not sucked.
That's all for now...more to come as I watch the Sunday and Monday contests.

subset: commoncrawl


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By now you've probably seen obituaries and tributes to comedienne Phyllis Diller. I want to share a personal memory that speaks to one facet of her personality you may not have read about: her kindness. Many years ago I appeared on a handful of TV game shows, just for a lark. When I taped a week's worth of Password Plus, Phyllis was the other celebrity guest.
Naturally, we changed wardrobe for each day's show, and by the second or third episode she noticed that I had a different lapel pin on each jacket I wore. She asked me about it and I explained that I collected them. For the next ten to fifteen years, every month or so I would receive an envelope in the mail with a pin from a city she had visited or an event in which she'd participated. She would always attach a card wishing me love. I still can't get over this extraordinary gesture of thoughtfulness for someone she barely knew.
If you've never seen Gregg Barson's 2004 documentary, Good Night, We Love You, I recommend it. It's a love letter to Phyllis built around the filming of her final nightclub gig (in Laughlin, Nevada) before her retirement. It ought to be required viewing for anyone hoping to launch a career in show business, as it chronicles the performer's professionalism, attention to detail, and upbeat outlook on life.
Here's the kicker: she was still funny, right to the end. Not too many years ago, I saw her at a benefit where she received an award. She wasn't supposed to perform, but she came prepared with material just the same—and every line she uttered got a laugh. A big laugh.
Phyllis Diller had a great run and quit when she wanted to. We should all be so lucky.
Gary McMaster | August 26, 2012 2:32 PM
What a scream she was! And what a sweet, sweet lady. She will be dearly missed.
Stephen G.Baer | August 24, 2012 4:16 PM
Among my most favorite memories of Phyllis Diller is when she appeared on The Gong Show in 1976 and while on the panel and of all times when her Impressionist was a contestant and no sooner Did her Impressionist/Impersonater see her that she said to her "Well we do appear twice in a while." Later when by the Host Barry Owens Phyllis was asked "And Phyllis what did you think of your look alike?"Then she did give some positive response But I can't remember it specifically.
Walt Mitchell | August 24, 2012 12:16 AM
Wonderful memory, Leonard! Here's one of my favorite gags of hers from decades ago--I laughed so hard when I heard it that I never forgot it!:
"I bought one of those peekaboo dresses to surprise my husband, Fang. He took a peek and said, 'Boo!--BOOOO!'" :-D
Randy Skretvedt | August 23, 2012 6:12 PM
What a wonderful remembrance. Thank you for sharing this, Leonard.
Michael Kantor | August 23, 2012 4:02 PM
When I interviewed her for "Make 'Em Laugh: The Funny Business of America" she was equally kind -- she gave each and every member of our crew a set of a dozen or so cards she had designed, each featuring a wonderful painting of a shoe or another interesting object. It was remarkable -- she was thanking us! Classy lady...
Jerry | August 23, 2012 3:51 PM
The documentary is on Netflx streaming.
mike schlesinger | August 23, 2012 3:42 PM
God, was she funny. I recently watched part of a stand-up comedy special featuring a woman comic (I won't say her name, but her uncle is a Senator) in which virtually all the "jokes" were, shall we say, gynecological.
A favorite Phyllis joke, from the early '60s: "Like my new dress? It's the Jackie look." (pause) "Gleason."
Norm | August 23, 2012 5:09 AM
Remember Phyllis from her appearance on "You Bet Your Life" or the Groucho Marx show, really the 1950's...then saw her at Six Flags outside of St. Louis in the 1980's...quite a Comedienne...
Karen Snow | August 23, 2012 12:27 AM
Lovely and heartfelt tribute. Thanks for sharing !


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Long-standing Brighton record store closes today (From The Argus)
Get involved: Send your news, views, pictures and video by texting SUPIC to 80360 or email us.
Long-standing Brighton record store closes today
11:29am Sunday 29th July 2012 in News
A music store that has been in Brighton for nearly 50 years will close today.
Rounder Records in Brighton Square will close its doors for the final time at 6pm after announcing earlier this month that it could no longer carry on.
The store's owners said their business had been decimated by downloads, VAT avoidance by the big online retailers, a double dip recession, and the decline of the high street.
The store is looking to sell off all its stock before it closes and has a sale on with 40% off all DVDs, 30% off all CDs, and 20% off all vinyl.
Any customers who bought tickets with the store are being asked to try and collect them before the store closes.
Comments (3)
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4:02pm Sun 29 Jul 12
Lady Smith says...
9:43pm Sun 29 Jul 12
BHAupnorf says...
20 years back i used to get my Interdance Sterns mix tapes from Rounder about a week after the event, Priceless, Respect to Rounder, Happy days!
11:19am Mon 30 Jul 12
Crystal Ball says...
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Movies about Taxes or the I.R.S.
Taxing movies! No, not movies which are strenuous to watch (such a list could be endless), but films which feature a tax issue as a key part of its plot and/or has an Internal Revenue Service agent as a prominent character. I decided to further refine my criteria to exclude popular historical tax references - Roman collections (like those at the time of Jesus's birth), Robin Hood, the Boston Tea Party, Al Capone, etc. - to keep this list from getting too long. While most classic movie fans can readily recall at least one version of The Merry Widow, I found it difficult to remember more than a handful of films whose storylines related to this uniquely American "holiday":
© 2007 Turner Classic Movies - this article originally appeared on TCM's official blog
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2009 Mercedes-Benz SL600, Rare performance sports vehicle, as these were the last year MB made the SL with air-suspension and V12 engines. A true... More
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Performance up grades: VR PERFORMANCE, suspension lowered & performance SS exhaust. AMG MB wheels with Michelins The CLK is in excellent original, no accident, original paint condition.... More


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Office Max Coupon
Print off this Office Max Coupon to Save 20% off your purchase. This coupon is valid in-store and online at OfficeMax.com. There are some exclusions on this coupon, be sure to read them first. Hurry, this coupon is good this week only & expires on Saturday, March 2, 2013.
Thanks, For The Mommas!


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What could be more feminine and lovely for a girl's bedroom décor than a butterfly theme? Butterflies fall into the same category as fairies, princesses and flowers for girls bedroom décor as some of the top themed to choose from.
There are many different ways of decorating a room with butterflies. One can go all out, or very subtle. Here are some lovely examples of butterfly decorated bedrooms for you to look at for ideas and inspiration.
This nursery has been beautifully yet subtly decorated with butterflies. I love the purple, pink and red colour scheme and the little gold accents. Very rich and sumptuous! There is a beautiful pale butterfly night light on the wall above the cot and a few lovely gold butterfly silhouettes to complete the subtle butterfly themed look.
This butterfly princess themed little girl's room is just gorgeous and very contemporary eclectic! The main feature is the little four poster canopy bed with curtains covered in a beautiful multitude of brilliantly coloured individual butterflies. Against the sky blue walls it looks like a hundred butterflies have just alighted on the bed. The butterflies are echoed in the lovely floor cushion and the colours in the colours of the eclectic mix of patterned materials of the bed linen and scatter cushions. The simple blue and white colour scheme makes the room feel clean and fresh and allows all attention to remain on the gorgeous hand painted bed with its beautiful butterfly canopy.
Another lovely way to use butterfly décor in a contemporary way can be seen here. Ordinarily I wouldn't think that black would be a good choice for a child's bedroom wall, but in this instance, as an accent wall with the gorgeous stark white bed and brilliant pops of vivid pink and soft purple really work for a young lady's bedroom. The neon pink butterfly silhouettes would otherwise be lost against an all white background, I think, but don't they look stunning against the darker background?
Soft purple, white, pale pink and a lovely gentle green really is the most wonderful colour combination for a young girls bedroom. In this image, the décor choice is a clean, slightly vintage eclectic approach. The mixed pattern bed linen is gorgeous, but what really makes this room lovely and special is the flutter of soft white butterfly silhouettes on the wall and the exquisite butterfly mobile above the bed. This room is very beautiful.


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News: Machine Gun Kelly Reveals Bad Boy Records Debut Release Date
Wednesday, Aug 8, 2012 9:30AM
Bad Boy Records rapper Machine Gun Kelly has finally penciled in a release date for his long-awaited Lace Up solo debut.
If all goes accordingly, MGK's Bad Boy Records LP will land in store shelves this October.
""Lace Up" the Album officially releases in stores October 9th!!! Pre-order at http://www.mgklaceup.com !! LTFU," he tweeted August 7th.
"This is the first time I've ever seen Lace Up trending. I feel like a proud dad or something http://instagr.am/p/ODMgcjCtXo/"
"Aliens rage heavy to Wild Boy. I'm witnessing it right now. Space nuts!!!" (Machine Gun Kelly's Twitter)
This week, MGK's new Young Jeezy-featured "Hold On (Shut Up)" collaboration premiered online.
Machine Gun Kelly and Young Jeezy are throwing up the stop signs on their new collaborative track "Hold On (Shut Up)." "I don't gang bang hoe/I just gangbang these h*es/ And I keep like 8 j's rolled/them I face them after my shows," raps Machine Gun Kelly. Young Jeezy follows up spitting, "All bark no bite/all rap, no white/she want her friends to get with my friends so we can be friends, well alright/Machine gun we got one/machine gun I got one." (Global Grind)
The October release date will give Kells time to record a dream collaboration alongside rap star Eminem.
Now that he's collaborated with DMX ("I Don't Dance"), he hopes to one day work with another one of his idols, Eminem, who he calls the best rapper alive. "That would be a fan favorite if an MGK-Eminem song ever went down," says the "Invincible" rapper. "If those two [DMX and Eminem] could be knocked off, I won't have any more on my bucket list really." (Rap-Up)
Last summer, MGK talked to SOHH about inking a record deal with Bad Boy.
"I think the state of mind right now is I don't really feel anything until I put music out," MGK told SOHH. "Once I see my first bullet point, God-willing, on the Billboard charts, then I'm going to freak out. But until then, it's the new generation of Bad Boy." (SOHH)
Check out a recent Machine Gun Kelly interview below:


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"The clock is ticking…"
"The clock is ticking…"
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Faculty: Professors Blanchard (chair), Bisognano, Bonazza, Drugan, Fonck, Hegna, Henderson, Hershkowitz, Kammer, Kulcinski, Lakes, Moses, Pfotenhauer, Plesha, Smith, Waleffe; Associate Professors Crone, Sovinec, Witt; Assistant Professors M. Allen, T. Allen, Wilson; Affiliate Professors Bier, Deluca, Mackie, Thomadsen, Vanderby
The master of science and doctor of philosophy degrees in engineering mechanics are offered within a graduate program covering contemporary areas in both theoretical and applied mechanics. With the guidance of a major professor, a program can be designed to meet an individual student's needs and interests.
The program is broadly structured into several main areas of instruction and research interests in mechanics of materials and astronautics: continuum mechanics, computational mechanics, dynamics and vibration, experimental fluid mechanics, nanomechanics, solid mechanics, and biomechanics. Related fields in which minor work may be done include civil and environmental engineering, chemical and biological engineering, electrical and computer engineering, materials science, mechanical engineering, nuclear engineering and engineering physics, physics, geological engineering and geology, mathematics, statistics, and computer science.
Current faculty research interests include adhesive-bonded joints; composites; failure criteria; analytical and computational solid mechanics; analytical and computational dynamics; multibody dynamics; analytical and computational active and passive space-structure control systems; dynamic stability; nonlinear fracture mechanics of traditional and advanced materials; continuum mechanics; modal analysis; nanomechanics and nanotribology; fluid-structure interaction; non-Newtonian fluid flow; structural mechanics; viscoelasticity; viscoplasticity; and biomechanics.
Laboratories are well equipped for experimental testing and research; these include holography, Moire, and other optical methods for experimental mechanics research. In addition, a scanning probe microscopy laboratory for nanomechanics research is being developed. The department has access to college-wide facilities. The Wisconsin Laboratory for Structures and Materials Testing has facilities for testing large structures, fatigue and vibration labs, and complements the department's laboratories. The Wisconsin Center for Space Automation and Robotics is a valuable resource for development of space-related structures and designs. The Materials Science Center provides state-of-the-art instrumentation, support facilities, and expert technical assistance for research and education in materials. Its facilities include scanning and transmission electron microscopes, image processing and analysis systems, surface and thin film characterization facilities, and x-ray diffraction facilities.
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Laurent Robinson meeting with the Jaguars
This scares me a bit. The Jaguars have tons and tons of cap room, lots of motivation to acquire a receiver, and Robinson would instantly be a starter (as their depth chart stands now). I think it would be a poor fit for Robinson, but I'm afraid that he'll just have to go with the largest contract that gets thrown his way. Here's hoping he stays a Cowboy.


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Front Page Headlines
U.S. Ban on Gay Blood Donors Examined: A ban instated in the 1980s which prohibits gay men from donating blood is being re-examined by the Department of Health and Human Services. "This is a matter of life and death and we are turning away over 50,000 healthy men who want to donate blood," reported Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL), who led a coalition of 64 legislators to encourage HHS to consider ending the ban. HHS promised to conduct studies to determine if the gay male population poses a threat, if any at all, to the nation's blood supply. [CNN].
Marriage Equality Debate in Minnesota Gaining Attention: On November 6, Minnesota voters will decide whether they want the state Constitution to define marriage as being between a man and a woman. Though the definition is already in state law, it will become much more difficult to overturn if the definition is included as a constitutional amendment. While the debate has not been at the forefront of most Minnesotans' attention, the issue is rising as both sides have raised millions of dollars and plan to spend much of it on TV commercials advocating for their respective causes. [Inforum].
U.S. Supreme Court Faced with Marriage Equality Appeal: The Republican-led Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group filed a petition to the Supreme Court on June 29th, asking it to say that a law defining marriage as a union between a man and a women is consistent with the fifth amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which calls for equal protection under the law. The petition is the first on gay marriage to come before the high court. The nine justices are currently on vacation and will reconvene in late September, and could decide any point thereafter whether they want to take up the case. [Agence France-Press].
House Democrats File Brief Against Defense of Marriage Act: On July 10th, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and at least 130 congressional members filed an amicus brief opposing DOMA. "The filing is in Golinski v. Office of Personnel Management, a case before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that the Justice Department wants fast-tracked to the U.S. Supreme Court." Oral arguments are set for September 10th. As the Justice Department has refused to defend DOMA, House Republicans have hired attorneys to defend the law. [Wisconsin Gazette].
Congressman Frank Continues to Break Barriers for LGBT People: U.S. Representative Barney Frank (MA-D) married his longtime partner, James Ready, on July 7th, becoming the first sitting Congressperson to enter into a same-sex marriage. Frank and Ready, who have been involved since 2007, join more than 18,000 other same-sex couples who have been married in Massachusetts since 2004. Frank, a former Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, was an architect of the reforms in the Dodd-Frank Act following the collapse of the sub-prime mortgage market. He was first elected to Congress in 1980 and plans to retire at the end of the current term. [MSNBC].
Celebrities Coming Out: Last week, talk-show host and CNN anchor Anderson Cooper came out in an email to his friend and fellow news anchor, Andrew Sullivan, who is also gay. Hip-hop artist Frank Ocean also revealed his bisexual orientation last week in a Tumblr blog post. The current trend of celebrities "casually" coming out is said to demonstrate shifting views towards acceptance of LGBT equality. [Agence France-Presse].
Technology Becoming More LGBT-Friendly: Last week Facebook updated its marriage icons to include men marrying men and women marrying women. The social networking site has developed a taskforce with LGBT groups, including PFLAG National, to address issues sensitive to them. Apple recently updated its system to include text-message "emojis" of same-sex couples, and last summer Google displayed a rainbow feature to its search engine. These and other online sites are becoming more inclusive of the LGBT community. [CNN].
Policy Watch
New Massachusetts Anti-Discrimination Law Protects Gender Identity: The Massachusetts Transgender Equal Rights Act, which bars discrimination in employment, housing, education, and lending, came into effect July 1st. This law makes Massachusetts the 16th state to enact a law protecting the rights of transgender residents. [The Boston Globe].
La Raza Expects Marriage Equality Discussion: The National Board of La Raza, the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., unanimously endorsed marriage equality last month. Ron Estrada, vice president of marketing for the National Council of La Raza, said that LGBT equality has been "positively received" among La Raza members, but that he expects more discussion on marriage equality and other issues that affect the LGBT community. [National Public Radio].
Denver Changes Policy Regarding Transgender Inmates: The Denver Sheriff's Department recently implemented a new policy that would subject the placement of transgender inmates within Denver jails to the decision of a review board to determine the most appropriate gender segregated housing facility meeting the best interests of the inmate's safety and security. Prior to this change, the most likely housing for transgender inmates was solitary confinement, lock down for 23 hours a day. Denver is one of only a few cities to enact such a policy. [KUSA].
Presbyterian Church Rejects Redefinition of Marriage: The Presbyterian General Assembly voted 338-308 on July 6th to reject redefining marriage in the church constitution from "a civil contract between a woman and a man" to a "covenant between two people." Other mainline Protestant churches have approved gay ordination or have permitted individual congregations to celebrate same-sex unions in recent years. [Associated Press].
Episcopal Church Makes Strides for LGBT Equality: On July 9th, the Episcopal General convention authorized a provisional rite for same-sex unions and approved anti-discrimination language for transgender ordination. The House of Bishops voted 111-41 with three abstentions in favor of the amendments. The New York-based Episcopal Church, which has 1.96 million members, consecrated Bishop Gene Robinson, the first openly gay bishop in the Anglican world, in 2003. [Washington Post].
NY Court Rejects Arguments Against Marriage Equality Law: The Appellate Division of State Supreme Court in Rochester, New York ruled unanimously on Friday that the State Senate did not violate New York's Open Meeting Law last year as it considered whether to legalize same-sex marriage. The court refused to nullify the marriages performed under the law. The lawsuit was brought by the conservative group New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms. [New York Times].
Question from the Field:
Dear Policy Matters,
It is refreshing to see news in the last few weeks that reports the growing public support of LGBT equality and policies that reflect this shift in public opinion. As a resident of Jacksonville, Florida, however, I have been a bit frustrated by my community's hesitation towards equality. I feel very fortunate that my employer has anti-discrimination policies in place so that I may be completely comfortable at work without fear of being fired because of who I am. However, I have a friend who is fearful of her coworkers finding out that she is a lesbian because her workplace lacks an affirmative non-discrimination policy protecting an employee's sexual orientation or gender identity. She hears anti-LGBT jokes at work and feels extremely uncomfortable and unsafe. Do you have any suggestions to help make all businesses and work environments safer and more supportive atmospheres for all employees?
Thank you,
Dear Robert,
Thanks for writing to Policy Matters! We are glad to hear that your employer has an LGBT inclusive non-discrimination policy ensuring that all employees are valued and respected! It is very troubling that not all work places, including your friend's, offers such protections that help foster more diverse and inclusive workplaces. Despite the absences of such protections at certain workplaces in Jacksonville, there are several ways you can help make your own work environment and that of your friend more welcoming for all.
Within the next week, the Jacksonville City Council will vote on Human Rights Ordinance 296, a provision that would update an existing Jacksonville anti-discrimination policy to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in housing, employment, public accommodations and credits. There has been much debate surrounding the bill and it has been stalled and altered several times. It is imperative that you express your support for the ordinance by clicking here and telling your council member that you are against LGBT workplace discrimination and expect them to support equality for all residents living in Jacksonville.
In addition to Human Rights Ordinance 296, the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) would prohibit employment discrimination against LGBT people across the nation. ENDA has been introduced in every Congress since 1994 but has not yet been passed. Please read more about ENDA and click here to contact your Members of Congress to let them know why a federal anti-discrimination policy is critical.
While policies, at the local, state, and national levels, are very important, there are other ways to create a more welcoming work place where human diversity is celebrated and equality is ensured. You, your friend, and others in your community can request equality training where your coworkers and friends learn about the importance of LGBT equality and mutual respect. Such training can add to existing policies, or work to create a more diverse and inclusive workplace in the absence of such laws.
For example, Straight for Equality, a national outreach and education project of PFLAG National, is offered to workplaces to empower allies in supporting and advocating for LGBT employees. In addition to this training, there are supplemental Straight for Equality resources that invite allies to speak up and participate in supporting equality for all. Hosting a Straight for Equality training in your workplace would help open up dialogue about how everyone in the workplace can help foster a more supportive environment for LGBT employees.
Through supporting each other, educating our community, and advocating for progressive laws and policies, we can work together to create an environment that fosters full equality for all in the workplace. We would love for you to take advantage of these resources and share them with your friend. We look forward to progress in your community of Jacksonville and throughout the nation!
If you have not already done so, find a PFLAG chapter near you for further support and resources.
Thanks for the great question!
Policy Matters
P.S. – Click here to join our PFLAG action e-list to stay informed of when your involvement can make a huge difference!


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Smith: Close calls spell doom for top seeds
Beware Louisville, Kansas, Gonzaga and Indiana — not only must you win against the No. 16 seed you face in the 2nd Round of today NCAA men's tournament, but you might also want to do so in spectacular fashion while you at it.
Those who don't can kiss their national title hopes goodbye.
Since the NCAA expanded the men's Div. I tournament to 64 teams in 1985, No. 16 seeds are 0-112 against No. 1 seeds. But, there's a silver lining for the little guy ... in a spiteful sort of way.
You see, no top seed that went to overtime or won in regulation by less than 13 points against a No. 16 seed has ever gone on to win a national championship.
The region with the most close calls is the East Region with six thrillers, including the signature almost-upset from the 1989 tournament when No. 1 seed Georgetown escaped Princeton, 50-49. Interestingly, the 1989 tournament featured two other less ballyhooed 1 vs. 16 close-calls as Oklahoma slipped past East Tennessee St, 72-71 and Illinois outlasted Murray State, 77-71.
But it's the East Region's proclivity for the near upset and the struggles of five other Big Ten No. 1's since 1985 (Michigan in 1985, Illinois in 1989, Michigan St. in 1990, Ohio St. in 1991 and Purdue in 1996) that puts top-seed Indiana on red-alert for this year's tourney.
Despite their seemingly harmless matchup with James Madison (20-14) on Friday, the Hoosiers still have to overcome a little history to prevent the Dukes from pulling off a Constitution-sized upset and making some history of their own — in the men's tournament that is.
The big, history-making upset already happened 15 years ago on the Women's side when No. 16 Harvard bounced No. 1 Stanford in the 1998 tournament's West Region opener, so it's far from impossible in the men's tournament and will happen eventually.
In the meantime, a close call in the first round doesn't always guarantee an early exit.
Duke made it all the way to the championship game in 1986 after allowing Mississippi Valley State to hang around a little too long in the first round while Illinois (1989), North Carolina (1997) and Kansas (2002) all reached the Final Four before going down.
On average though, teams with close calls make it to the Sweet Sixteen and start falling off there.
So maybe it's not some curse or bad luck, but rather a harbinger of things to come as the competition always gets tougher the further you advance into the tournament.
So good luck Louisville, Kansas, Gonzaga and Indiana — history awaits you.
But it may not be the history you want ...
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JACKSON - Jackson State linebacker Ryan Griffin has received College Football Performance Awards recognition for his stellar play last weekend against Tennessee State. Against TSU, Griffin returned an interception 78 yards for a touchdown, which was JSU's first of the game. He also had six tackles and half a tackle for loss.
Jackson State (1-2) returns to action Thursday, Sept. 19 to take on Texas Southern (0-2) in a SWAC matchup at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium. Kick-off is set for 6:30 pm.
Watch the video to see Griffin's pick-six and other highlights from the Tigers 26-16 loss Saturday in the Southern Heritage Classic in Memphis.
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THE SQL Server Blog Spot on the Web
For some time now I have been intending to put some material together relating my blogging experiences since I began blogging in 2004 and that led to me submitting a session for SQLBits recently where I intended to do just that. That didn't get enough votes to allow me to present however so instead I resolved to write a blog post about it and Simon Sabin's recent post Blogging – how do you do it? has prompted me to get around to completing it. So, here I present a compendium of tips that I've picked up from authoring a fair few blog posts over the past 6 years.
Feedburner.com is a service that can consume your blog's default RSS feed and provide another, replacement, feed that has exactly the same content. You can then supply that replacement feed on your blog site for other people to consume in their RSS readers. Why would you want to do this? Well, two reasons actually:
It also tells you what your most viewed posts are:
Web stats like these are notoriously inaccurate but then again the method of measurement here is not important, what IS important is that it gives you a trustworthy ranking of your blog posts and (in my opinion) knowing which are your most popular posts is more important than knowing exactly how many views each post has had.
This is just the tip of the iceberg of what Feedburner provides and I recommend every new blogger to try it!
If for some reason Feedburner is not to your taste or (more likely) you already have an established RSS feed that you do not want to change then Google provide another way in which you can monitor your readership in the shape of their online RSS reader, Google Reader. It provides, for every RSS feed, a collection of stats including the number of Google Reader users that have subscribed to that RSS feed.
This is really valuable information and in fact I have been recording this statistic for mine and a number of other blogs for a few years now and as such I can produce the following chart that indicates how readership is trending for those blogs over time:
[Good news for my fellow SQLBlog bloggers.]
[Good news for my fellow SQLBlog bloggers.]
As Stephen Few readily points out, its not the numbers that are important but the trend.
SEO (or "How do I get my blog to show up in Google") is a massive area of expertise which I don't want (and am unable) to cover in much detail here but there are some simple rules of thumb that will help:
That's probably enough for now - I hope this blog post proves useful to someone out there. If you would appreciate a related session at a forthcoming SQLBits conference then please let me know.
UPDATE 2011-01-08: Paul Randal has written an excellent post sharing some more tips for would-be SQL Server bloggers at So you want to blog about SQL Server?.
This will likely be my last blog post for 2010 so I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that has commented on, linked to or read any of my blog posts in that time. 2011 is shaping up to be a very interesting for SQL Server observers with the impending release of SQL Server code-named Denali and I promise I'll have lots more content on that as the year progresses. Happy New Year.
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Awesome stuff, Jamie, you have given me lots to think about. Thanks!
Thank you Jamie for the tips.. Need to check out the SEO toolkit now itself :D
PingBack from http://sqlblog.com/blogs/jamie_thomson/archive/2010/12/21/blogging-tips-for-sql-server-professionals.aspx
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text:
It's been a month since a powerful tornado slammed into Carteret
County, damaging more than 100 properties and injuring several people.
The cleanup effort is still ongoing in Atlantic Beach and
Morehead City, but these communities have come a long way.
"If I hear the word 'watch' or 'warning' now, I move
then, because it can be at your back door. It was at my back door," said Mel
Hoard, who witnessed the tornado first hand.
Hoard says he'll never forget the day the twister
destroyed his home, damaged his car, injured his leg, and put him out of work
for five days.
But now he has a new place to live, his car is repaired, his leg
is healed, and he's back at work.
Still, the tornado is hard to forget.
"It's just like it happened 10 minutes ago," said Hoard.
It only took a few minutes for the twister to cause $6.5
million in damage to both towns.
"It was a very different noise, and I'm glad when it went
away," said Sally Hart, who witnessed the tornado.
The condos at Island Beach and Racquet Club are still
being repaired. Several condemned buildings at Ocean Sands Condos are still
Over in Morehead City, repair work continues at Carteret Community
College. Debris is mostly clear from Carteret General Hospital property. Life
is mostly back to normal in hard-hit areas.
"This neighborhood has done a 360 degree turnaround,"
said Vince Santoro, whose home at Country Club East was damaged in the tornado.
But life is not back to normal for all. Vince Santoro's family
has to live in a rental home while their house gets repaired.
"Pretty much every aspect of a renovation has to be done
here to make it livable," said Santoro.
For these folks, the storm's lasting impact was not the damage it caused, but
the lesson it taught.
"Just knowing how fortunate we are to have everyone healthy and safe," said
"I look at life a little differently now," said Hoard. "The grass is a little
greener. The sky is a little bluer. It's good."
The Red Cross helped 16 families displaced by the
tornado. They say one person is still looking for a permanent home.
3221 South Evans StreetGreenville N.C. 27834
Telephone: 252.355.8500
Fax: 252.355.8568
Email: email@example.com


text:
My "unique" take on life, world affairs and yes my wonderful interesting (cough) life! What else would you want to read????
Thursday, November 4, 2010
"Erection Day" quote from Bobby Subgum via Jimmy Krenn from WDVE Pittsburgh PA!
Howdy (Texas greeting this morning!) Dear 3 1/2..now darlings, we know that Pammy doesn't like really deep thoughts but I really feel the need to share how much I enjoyed this last "Election Season" It seemed a bit like deer hunting to me, you stalk your prey and then shoot right between the eyes and try to drop that sucker! Now this is not about my political views as they are really fairly boring, but about Election Tactics..I adored, no lived for every new commercial endorsed by some political candidate. I loved it almost and my weekly "Supernatural" fix as it had as much drama, and as much as "The Big Bang" cause I laughed my ass off. I adore the mud slinging. Now during all this mud slinging I often though WWALD, What would Abe Lincoln Do??? Now poor honest Abe had much mud slung at him, we just didn't have TV and the Internet to enjoy it on. I adore Abe, what of my favorite presidents (yes, I'm old, but I don't remember that election!) and one of my favorite historical icon's. They called his wife a "Southern Sympathizer" and accused her of "dabbling in the Occult" . Now what prompted this for me was the commercial against Joan Orie Melvin (I think that's her name) well, as well as talking about her legal problems and what a nasty ass person she was because she supposedly used her office phone for personal gain they also said she basically delved into the Occult. Now, perhaps in her life she attended a slumber party as most young girls do, and there in a darkened basement or family room we all sat with a candle trying to contact the spirit of JFK or Marilyn Monroe!! I wonder who kids today try to contact, Anna Nicole Smith or Kurt Cobain? Now personally I always thought we should have tried to read Elvis and ask why he decided to kick on the white wishing well. Anyway, how do they know she dabbled in the occult. Did someone from that last slumber party talk? I guess that makes us all dabblers in the occult! The only commercial I loved better than that was one that I saw from the Canadian election and it talked about how rotten this poor schmuck is but then they ended it with a clip of kids playing soccer and some poor boy got smacked in the face by the ball and then the statement was made ...so or so "kicks children in the face" Lordy I fell of my chair laughing, something gentle readers our Canadian friends are used to. P.S. there I love Canadians, some of my best friends are Canadian, I like their Bacon and their Falls. Back to the mud slinging...they did that to poor Nancy Regan in the 80's or "Balloon Head" as Jimmy Krenn and Scott Paulsen used to call her. She "consulted" her psychic for important decisions. She also talked to Frank Sinatra...did that make her a "supposed" member of the Cosa Nostra?? Now again I loved Frank and have no idea how he conducted most of his personal business, I just know he was a shit to poor Mia Farrow in the 70's! So now dear 3 1/2 election season is over and all I have to look forward to is Thanksgiving and Christmas and to be honest the commercials are not as good. Well...I must give you a fun fact that ties into election day...did you know why we vote on a Tuesday in November??? here's the answer " As for Tuesday, people used to have to travel overnight to their polling location. (In 1845, horse was the preferred method of transport.) In an effort to avoid religious days of rest, Congress chose Tuesday, leaving Monday and Wednesday as travel days. Tuesday was voting (and horse-resting) day"! So we got where we were going, everyone rest their horses. My random thought for the day is so random that I can't hold onto it! Perhaps that is my random thought...write things down. So love ya all (still channeling Texans who still get a bum rap cause young Georgie Bush was their Governor!) Everyone have a great weekend....see ya on the flip side....xoxox Pammy (aka Abe Lincoln's biggest fan!)
Posted by Pam at Thursday, November 04, 2010
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Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Monday, Jul 04, 2005
Stock Markets
Columns - ADR Watch
HDFC Bank, VSNL steal the limelight, Wipro declines
K.S. Badri Narayanan
AMID firm oil prices and increase in the rate by 25 basis points by the US Federal Reserve, the US market finished on a flat note. The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished the week marginally higher by 0.1 per cent at 10303.44 while the S&P-500 and the tech-focussed Nasdaq inched up 0.2 per cent to 1194.44 and 2057.37 points respectively.
But there was no let down in the bull run, as the BSE and the NSE continued to record their new historic high levels. Backed by fresh funds from Japanese investors, the BSE Sensex soars to all-time high of 7228.57 during the week before settling at 7136.39, a gain of 0.87 per cent over the week. The NSE's S&P CNX Nifty registered a gain of 0.8 per cent.
Most of Indian ADRs fared well and among them VSNL and HDFC Bank witnessed noticeable appreciation.
HDFC Bank has been witnessing a steady buying interest; even during last week too, 12.56 million shares changed hands. It gained 6.75 per cent at $47.89 against the previous week close of $44.86.
VSNL jumped 8.12 per cent to $11.11 ($10.58) on announcement that it has completed the acquisition of the Tyco Global Network (TGN) undersea cable network that spans 60,000 kms (37,280 miles) and the continents of North America, Europe and Asia. With the acquisition of TGN, VSNL is now one of the world's largest providers of submarine cable bandwidth. VSNL acquired the network for $130 million.
Among IT counters, Infosys gained 4.8 per cent at $76.47 (72.95) and Satyam 2.92 per cent at $26.4 ($25.65) amidst reports that Pfizer Inc has plans to use these firms for some computer and technology-related services, as part of a plan to pare expenses by $4 billion. Besides, Pegasystems and Satyam Computer jointly announced the extension of their successful North American Business Process Management partnership into Asia.
The other IT major Wipro, however, finished lower at $20.58 ($20.75). The quitting of its Vice-Chairman, Mr Vivek Paul, to become a partner at private investment firm Texas Pacific Group, seemed to have affected the sentiment for the counter.
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NEW YORK (MainStreet) – Most online shoppers have been there: You find a product you like online, you add it to the shopping cart and proceed to checkout… and then, at the last minute, you have second thoughts and close the window, telling yourself you'll sleep on it and come back later.
It's the online equivalent of abandoning your shopping cart in the middle of a grocery store, and indeed, e-commerce professionals refer to it as "shopping cart abandonment." And it's no small problem for online retailers: In an environment where backing out of a purchase is a simple matter of clicking "X" on a browser window instead of clicking "Buy," approximately 72% of online shoppers abandon their shopping carts before consummating a purchase. And shopping cart abandonment looks to be on the rise as people get savvier about comparison shopping before making a purchase.
Related Articles
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"This is the number-one area that e-commerce sites are focused on right now," says Ken Wisnefski of e-commerce marketing firm WebiMax. "When you're looking at online retail you look at two key components: There's just getting the user base to the site and involved, but then the big key component is conversion into sales."
With so much money at stake in solving this problem, you better believe that online retailers are pulling out all the stops to figure out how to make shoppers follow through and make a purchase. Here are some of the tactics they use.


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Any gun nut who doesn't readily admit to loving James Bond is either in denial or living under a rock. Every Bond film is a cavalcade of firepower, a plethora of pistols, rifles and shotguns, old and new. Beyond Bond's witticisms—and of course, his way with the ladies—007's arsenal is really what keeps us coming back to the theater.
So with his latest film, Skyfall, just around the corner, we here at G&A thought it appropriate to go over our 15 favorite Bond guns. For the sake of practicality, we'll leave out the more outlandish guns; no lasers, car guns, and no, not even the famous Golden Gun on this list. What follows is a roundup of the coolest real-life guns used by 007 throughout his adventures.
Of course, we'd be remiss not to start the list with Bond's famous sidearm, the Walther PPK. Making its debut in 1962's Dr. No, the PPK has become a 007 staple since it was first used by Sean Connery; one could even argue that the PPK owes much of its popularity to Bond, and with its sleek, compact design, we really can't fault Bond for making this his weapon of choice.
The Bren light machine gun was without question one of the most successful long arm designs of the 20th century. Designed by Czechoslovakia the 1930s, this top-loading LMG served the British Commonwealth until 1991; it only makes sense that such a successful design should make an appearance alongside Connery's Bond, though in Dr. No, the Bren was used by Dr. No's men trying to take Bond out—their efforts, of course, were unsuccessful.
The ever-popular 1911 has made countless big screen appearances, and Dr. No marked the first time 007 came face-to-face with Ole' Slabsides. Since then, the 1911 has appeared sporadically throughout Bond's adventures in numerous variations, but to us, nothing beats a classic M1911A1, the standard to which modern semi-auto handguns are held.
Granted, Colt revolvers aren't the first piece of weaponry that spring to mind when Bond's name is brought up, but in 1964's Goldfinger, we were treated to a beautiful gold-plated Colt Official Police, the weapon of choice of the film's namesake villain. Maybe it's a little more well known in gangster and mobster settings, but this particular revolver pointed in Connery's face is one of the prettiest we've seen.
Of course, the PPK wasn't the only Walther brandished by Bond. The P38 made a brief appearance in Goldfinger, first used by one of Goldfinger's guard before making its way into Connery's hands. The P38 is similar in design to the famous Luger P08, which is really no coincidence; the P38 was originally designed to replace the P08, the service pistol of the Wehrmacht, which was scheduled to end production in 1942.
In real life, the Sterling SMG was a British submachine gun designed in 1944, serving the British infantry through the Gulf War, but in many of the earlier Bond films, it was to henchmen as the Walther PPK was to Bond. Chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum—or 7.62x51mm NATO in the battle rifle variant—the Sterling was weapon of choice for the bad guys, though Bond was finally able to get his hands on one in 1969's On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
Granted, the Smith & Wesson Model 29 is probably more well-known in the hands of a certain SFPD inspector, but Roger Moore also picked up a nickel Model 29 in 1973's Live and Let Die. In .44 Magnum, the Model 29 was—at the time—one of the most powerful handguns available, and with its sleek good looks and reliability, it's everything you'd come to expect from a classic Smith & Wesson.
The beautiful Holland & Holland Royal side-by-side shotgun made an appearance in 1979's Moonraker, first used by Bond to shoot pheasants before turning his attention to bigger game, namely a sniper in the trees. This ornately decorated 12-gauge is a break from the more modern weaponry Bond is more commonly associated with, but it's not the last time 007 will pick up a side-by-side.
Simple yet authoritative, Ingram's MAC-10 proved to be an effective machine pistol in the hands of U.S. Armed Forces—and it served 007 well too. Though originally wielded by the hitman Jaws in 1979's Moonraker, Bond finally got his hands on the MAC-10 in 2002's Die Another Day (left), and in classic Bond fashion, uses it as he pursues his adversary in a hovercraft. Maybe not the most realistic use of the MAC-10, but we can't help but be in awe of this fine pistol.
As was typical with most films, AKs were hard to come by in Hollywood, being something of a rarity on movie sets, though producers were able to pass off variants and copycats as the real thing with some minor cosmetic changes. The Kalashnikov—the real one—first made an appearance in 1983's Octopussy and was used by Soviet soldiers and East German guards. The AK-47 popped up again in 1987's The Living Daylights, this time in the hands of Soviet, Czech and Mujahideen fighters. It was in the same film where Bond first got his hands on anything close to an AK, the AKMS. For its use by both bad guys and 007, we'll give the AKMS a spot on our list.
Walther's WA 2000 sniper rifle has only appeared in a handful of movies—one of them being 1987's The Living Daylights, in which Timothy Dalton briefly uses one fitted with a custom night vision scope. With its radical bullpup design, the WA 2000 offered the same barrel length with a shorter overall length than conventional sniper rifles. However, production costs doomed the WA 2000 early on, with only 176 produced. Though only briefly used, the WA 2000 was still enough of a treat to catch our eye in Bond's hands.
Another radical design, the FN P90, made its big-screen debut in 1997's Tomorrow Never Dies, but it wasn't actually fired in a Bond film until 1999's The World Is Not Enough (left), in which it is used by Bond and enemy henchmen alike. With its unorthodox top-feeding magazine, this nonconventional bullpup certainly keeps up the 007 tradition of futuristic-looking weaponry—the only difference is this one actually exists.
The Heckler & Koch MP5 has a long history with 007, with variants appearing in numerous James Bond films and video games, but it's the MP5K with PDW folding stock from 1997's Tomorrow Never Dies that really wins us over. This submachine gun, an upgrade of the original MP5, features a folding stock and tactical foregrip for more accurate fire, plus the capability to quickly attach flash hiders or suppressors—given James Bond's propensity for silencers, this SMG's appearance should come as no surprise.
Used by the Cigar Girl (Maria Grazia Cucinotta) in 1999's The World Is Not Enough, the Cobray Street Sweeper appears as a last-ditch effort to take Bond out. Based on the South African-designed Armsel Striker, the Street Sweeper features a 12-round shell capacity in a rotating drum magazine. Unfortunately, its designation as a destructive device by the ATF makes it very difficult to obtain in the U.S.
In Bond's latest adventure, he wields a gorgeous Anderson Wheeler 500 NE double rifle during a gunfight at his ancestral home. Chambered in .500 Nitro Express, the Anderson Wheeler sure does pack a whallop, but in the hands of an experienced shooter like Bond, recoil is hardly a concern. Aside from its tack-driving capabilities, this British-made side-by-side is certainly a treat for the eyes—certainly fitting of a shooter as dapper as 007.


text:
17 First Kisses by Rachael Allen (ARC)
A Beautiful Distraction by Kelsie Leverich (ARC)
After The End by Amy Plum (ARC) (Audiobook)
The Alchemy of Forever by Avery Williams
Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter (ARC)
Alienated by Melissa Landers (Audiobook)
All Of You by Christina Lee (ARC)
Always You by Shilpa Mudiganti (ARC)
Angel Eyes by Shannon Dittemore (ARC)
Any Man of Mine by Rachel Gibson
Archer by Debra Kayn (ARC)
The Art of Lainey by Paula Stokes (ARC)
Astarte's Wrath by Trisha Wolfe
Avoiding Commitment by K.A. Linde
Avoiding Responsibility by K.A. Linde
Bad For You by Abbi Glines (Audiobook)
Bad Rep by A. Meredith Walters
Bad Things by R.K. Lilley
Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren (Audiobook)
Beautiful Disaster by Jaime McGuire (ARC)
Beautiful Oblivion by Jamie McGuire (ARC)
Beauty From Pain by Georgia Cates
Beauty from Surrender by Georgia Cates
Before You by Amber Hart (ARC)
Better When He's Bad by Jay Crownover (ARC) (Audiobook)
Between the Cracks by Helena Hunting
The Benson by Karina Halle
Best Kind of Brokens by Chelsea Fine (ARC)
Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg (ARC)
Biggest Flirts by Jennifer Echols (ARC)
Biting Bad by Chloe Neill (ARC)
Biting Cold by Chloe Neill (ARC)
Bitter Sweet Love by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Black City by Elizabeth Richards (ARC)
Blind Faith by Rebecca Zanetti (ARC)
Blue By You by Rachel Gibson (ARC)
Blue Notes by Carrie Lofty (ARC)
Bloodlines by Richelle Mead
The Book of Blood and Shadow by Robin Wasserman (ARC)
The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler (Audiobook)
Boomerang by Noelle August (ARC) (Audiobook)
Born Wicked: The Cahill Chronicles Book One by Jessica Spotswood
Boundless by Cynthia Hand (ARC)
Breakable by Tammara Webber (ARC) (Audiobook)
Breathe, Annie, Breathe by Miranda Kenneally (ARC)
Broken At Love by Lyla Payne (ARC)
Burning by Elana K. Arnold (ARC)
Captive In the Dark by CJ Roberts
Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
Charade by Nyrae Dawn
Cinder by Marissa Meyer (Audiobook)
The Cirque by Ryann Kerekes (ARC)
Clash (Crash #2) by Nicole Williams
Clipped Wings by Helena Hunting (ARC) (Audiobook)
Clockwork Angel (TID #1) by Cassandra Clare (Audiobook)
Clockwork Prince (TID #2) by Cassandra Clare (Audiobook)
The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden by Jessica Sorensen (ARC)
The Collector by Victoria Scott (ARC)
Come Away With Me (With Me #1) by Kristen Proby
Come Back To Me by Mila Gray (ARC)
Confessions of an Almost Girlfried by Louise Rozett (ARC)
Confessions of an Angry Girl by Louise Rozett (ARC)
Courage by Carrie Butler (ARC) (Audiobook)
Cracks in the Armor by Helena Hunting (ARC)
Crash Into You by Katie McGarry (ARC)
Crash by Nicole Williams (ARC)
Crazy On You by Rachel Gibson (ARC)
Cress by Marissa Meyer (Audiobook)
Crossed by Ally Condie
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas (ARC)
Cupcakes and Ink by Helena Hunting (ARC) (Audiobook)
Cursed by Jennifer L. Armentrout (ARC)
Daimon: A Covenant Prequel by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Dangerous Territory by Emmy Curtis (ARC)
Dangerous to Know & Love by Jane Harvey-Berrick (DNF)
Dare You To by Katie McGarry (ARC)
The Darkest Part by Trisha Wolfe (ARC)
Darkhouse (EIT #1) by Karina Halle
Dark Kiss: Nightwatchers Book One by Michelle Rowen (ARC)
Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel
Deadly Little Games by Laurie Faria Stolarz
Deadly Little Lies by Laurie Faria Stolarz
Deadly Little Secret by Laurie Faria Stolarz
Deadly Little Voices by Laurie Faria Stolarz
Dead Sky Morning by Karina Halle
Death Sworn by Leah Cypess (Audiobook) (ARC)
Deeper by Robin York (Audiobook)
Defect by Ryann Kerekes (ARC)
Deity (Covenant #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout (ARC)
Derailed by Alyssa Rose Ivy (ARC)
Desert Heat by Elizabeth Reyes (Audiobook)
Destiny's Fire by Trisha Wolfe
Destroy Me (Shatter Me #1.5) by Tahereh Mafi
Die For Me by Amy Plum
Dirty Red by Tarryn Fisher
The Distance Between Us by Kasie West
Divergent by Veronica Roth (Audiobook)
Divergent Movie Review
Don't You Wish by Roxanne St. Claire (ARC)
Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige (Audiobook)
Down For The Count by Christine Bell
Drain You by M.B. Bloom (ARC)
Drawing the Line by Kimberly Kincaid
Easy by Tammara Webber
Embrace by Cherie Colyer
Entice by Jessica Shirvington (ARC)
Escaping Me by Elizabeth Lee (ARC)
Everneath by Brodi Ashton (ARC)
Every Day by David Levithan (ARC
Existence by Abbi Glines
Extinguished by J.M. Darhower
Facade by Nyrae Dawn (ARC)
Falling by Jolene Perry (ARC)
Fallen Too Far by Abbi Glines
Fall For You by Cecilia Gray
Faking Normal by Courtney C. Stevens (ARC) (Audiobook)
Feel the Rush by Kelsie Leverich (ARC)
The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead
Fight With Me (With Me #2) by Kristen Proby
Five Ways To Fall by KA Tucker (ARC) (Audiobook)
Flight by Alyssa Rose Ivy (ARC)
Finders Keepers by Nicole Williams (ARC)
Finding Joy by Jenni Moen (ARC)
Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott (ARC)
Flat Out Love by Jessica Park (Audiobook)
Flirting In Italian by Lauren Henderson (ARC)
Fracture by Megan Miranda (ARC)
Focus by Alyssa Rose Ivy (ARC)
Foreplay by Sophie Jordan (ARC)
Foretold by Jana Oliver (ARC)
Forever My Girl by Heidi McLaughlin
Forgiven by Jana Oliver (ARC)
Forgotten Sins by Rebecca Zanetti (ARC) (Audiobook)
Found by Alyssa Rose Ivy (ARC)
Four Seconds to Lose by K.A. Tucker (ARC) (Audiobook)
The Girl in the Clockwork Collar by Kady Cross (ARC)
The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross
Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake (ARC)
Glimmer by Phoebe Kitanidis
Glitch by Heather Anastasiu (ARC)
The Goddess Hunt by Aimee Carter
Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter (ARC)
The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter
The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead
Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley (ARC)
Grave Mercy: His Fair Assassin Book One by Robin LaFevers (ARC)
Gravity by Melissa West (ARC)
Greta and the Goblin King by Chloe Jacobs (ARC)
Guns by JA Huss (ARC)
Guy In Real Life by Steve Brezenoff (ARC) (Audiobook)
Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Halflings by Heather Burch (ARC)
Hallowed by Cynthia Hand (ARC)
Harder by Robin York (ARC) (Audiobook)
The Hazards of Skinny Dipping by Alyssa Rose Ivy (ARC)
Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock (ARC)
Hopeless by Colleen Hoover
Holy Frigging Matrimony by Emma Chase (ARC)
House Rules (Chicagoland Vampires #7) by Chloe Neill (ARC)
How To Meet Boys by Catherine Clark (ARC)
Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
Hushed by Kelley York (ARC)
If You Stay by Courtney Cole (ARC)
Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi (ARC) (Spoiler-free)
Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi (Audiobook) (Spoilers!)
The Immortal Rules: Blood of Eden by Julie Kagawa (ARC)
Incarnate by Jodi Meadows (ARC)
The Indigo Spell (Bloodlines #3) by Richelle Mead (ARC)
Inked Armor by Helena Hunting (ARC)
Insurgent by Veronica Roth (Audiobook)
Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi (ARC) (Audiobook)
Just One Day by Gayle Forman (Audiobook)
Killing Sarai by J.A. Redmeski
The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting
Lengths by Stephanie Campbell and Liz Reinhardt
Life is but a Dream by Brian James (ARC)
Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins (Audiobook)
Lonely Souls by Karice Bolton (ARC)
Losing It by Cora Carmack
Lost & Found by Nicole Williams
Luminosity by Stephanie Thomas (ARC)
Lying Season by Karina Halle
Magnolia by Kristi Cook (ARC)
Make It Last by Bethany Lopez
Manic by J.A. Huss (ARC)
Masquerade by Nyrae Dawn (ARC)
Maybe One Day by Meliisa Kantor (ARC) (Audiobook)
Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover (Audiobook)
Mesmerize by Artist Arthur (ARC)
A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger
Misbehaving by Abbi Glines (Audiobook)
Music of the Heart by Katie Ashley
My Heart For Yours by Stephanie Campbell and Jolene Perry
My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
Nash by Jay Crownover (ARC)
Near and Far by Nicole Williams (ARC)
Nerve by Jeanne Ryan (ARC)
Never Too Far by Abbi Glines
New Girl by Paige Harbison (ARC)
No Attachments by Tiffany King (ARC)
No One Else Can Have You by Kathleen Hale (ARC)
Of Darkness and Crowns by Trisha Wolfe (ARC)
Of Silver and Beasts by Trisha Wolfe (ARC)
Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Of Neptune by Anna Banks (ARC) (Audiobook)
Of Poseidon by Anna Banks (ARC) (Audiobook)
Of Triton by Anna Banks (Audiobook)
Off Sides by Sawyer Bennett
On Demon Wings by Karina Halle
On Dublin Street by Samantha Young (ARC) (Audiobook)
One to Hold by Tia Louise (ARC)
One Week Girlfriend by Monica Murphy (ARC)
On the Fence by Kasie West (ARC)
Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout (ARC)
Open Road Summer by Emery Lord (ARC)
The Opportunist by Tarryn Fisher
The Other Fish in the Sea by Jenn Cooksey
Out of Control by Sarah Alderson (ARC)
Out of Play by Nyrae Dawn and Jolene Perry (ARC)
Panic by J.A. Huss (ARC)
Panic by Lauren Oliver (ARC) (Audiobook)
Partials by Dan Wells (ARC)
Perfect Kind of Trouble by Chelsea Fine (ARC)
Pivot Point by Kasie West (ARC)
Play With Me (With Me #3) by Kristen Proby
The Pledge by Kimberly Derting
Point of Retreat (Slammed #2) by Colleen Hoover (ARC)
Poison Princess by Kresley Cole
Predestined by Abbi Glines
Premeditated by Josin L. McQuein (Audiobook)
Pretending She's His by Kelsie Leverich (ARC)
Pretty Amy by Lisa Burstein (ARC)
Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig (ARC)
The Professional: Part One by Kresley Cole (ARC) (Audiobook)
Pure: A Covenant Novel by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Pure by Julianna Baggott (ARC)
Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry (ARC)
Racing Savannah by Miranda Kenneally (ARC)
REAL by Katy Evans (ARC)
Reaping Me Softly by Kate Evangelista (ARC)
Red Fox (EIT #2) by Karina Halle
Reflection by Jessica Roberts (ARC)
Remembering Joy by Jenni Moen (ARC)
Replication: The Jason Experiment by Jill Williamson
Rescue Me by Rachel Gibson (ARC)
Resisiting Her by Kendall Ryan
ReVamped by Ada Adams
Rock With Me (With Me #4) by Kristen Proby (ARC)
Rome by Jay Crownover (ARC)
Rouge by Leigh Talbert Moore (ARC)
Ruined by Jus Accardo (ARC)
Rule by Jay Crownover
Run To You by Rachel Gibson (ARC)
Rush Too Far by Abbi Glines (Audiobook)
Rusty Nailed by Alice Clayton (ARC)
Ruthless People by JJ McAvoy (ARC)
Safe With Me by Kristen Proby
Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (Audiobook)
The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay (ARC) (Audiobook)
Searching For Perfect by Jennifer Probst (ARC) (Audiobook)
Searching For Someday by Jennifer Probst (ARC) (Audiobook)
Second Chance Boyfriend by Monica Murphy (ARC)
The Secret of Ella & Micha by Jessica Sorensen (ARC)
The Secrets of Lily Graves by Sarah Strohmeyer (ARC)
The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers by Lynn Weingarten
Seduced In the Dark by CJ Roberts
Seven Day Fiance by Rachel Harris (ARC)
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (ARC) (Audiobook)
Shadowlands by Kate Brian (ARC)
Shadows (A Lux Novella) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Shark Bait by Jenn Cooksey
Shattered Promises by Jessica Sorensen
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo (ARC) (Audiobook)
Silver Heart by Victoria Green
Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead (Audiobook) (ARC)
Simple Perfection by Abbi Glines (Audiobook)
Sins & Needles by Karina Halle (ARC
Slammed by Colleen Hoover (ARC)
Slide by Jill Hathaway (ARC)
Split Second by Kasie West (ARC)
Soar by Alyssa Rose Ivy (ARC)
Something Sweeter by Candis Terry (ARC)
Soul Stripper by Katana Collins (ARC)
Sovereign Hope by Frankie Rose (ARC)
Spell Bound (A Hex Hall Novel) by Rachel Hawkins
Spin by Catherine McKenzie (ARC)
Splintered by AG Howard (Audiobook)
Starters by Lissa Price (ARC)
Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally (ARC)
Stir Me Up by Sabrina Elkins (ARC)
Strength by Carrie Butler (Audiobook)
Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead
Succubus Dreams by Richelle Mead
Succubus Heat by Richelle Mead
Succubus On Top by Richelle Mead
Succubus Revealed by Richelle Mead
Succubus Shadows by Richelle Mead
Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols
Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins
Sweet Filthy Boy by Christina Lauren (ARC)
Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins (ARC)
Sweet Reckoning by Wendy Higgins (ARC) (Audiobook)
Sweet Revenge by Rebecca Zanetti (ARC)
Take Me On by Katie McGarry (ARC)
The Taking by Kimberly Derting (ARC)
Tamed by Emme Chase (ARC) (Audiobook)
Tangled by Emma Chase (Audiobook)
Tangled Up In You by Rachel Harris
Taste the Heat by Rachel Harris (ARC)
Tears of Tess by Pepper Winters (ARC)
Tease by Amanda Maciel (ARC) (Audiobook)
Tease by Sophie Jordan (ARC) (Audiobook)
Tempest by Julie Cross
Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins (ARC)
Tempting the Best Man by J. Lynn (ARC)
Tempting the Player by J. Lyyn (ARC)
Ten Tiny Breaths by KA Tucker (Audiobook)
Thief by Tarryn Fisher
Things I Can't Forget by Miranda Kenneally (ARC)
The Things You Kiss Goodbye by Leslie Connor (ARC) (Audiobook)
This Is Not a Test by Courtney Summers (ARC)
This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales (Audiobook)
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas (ARC)
Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi (Audiobook)
Through To You by Lauren Barnholdt (ARC)
Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson
Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone (ARC) (Audiobook)
Timepiece by Myra McEntire (ARC)
Touch by Jus Accardo (ARC)
Touched by Cyn Balog (ARC)
Touch of Death by Kelly Hashway (ARC)
Toxic by Jus Accardo (ARC)
Tragic by J.A. Huss (ARC)
Trophy Husband by Lauren Blakely (ARC)
Truly Madly Yours by Rachel Gibson
The Truth About Faking by Leigh Talbert Moore
Twisted by Emma Chase (ARC) (Audiobook)
Twisted Perfection by Abbi Glines (ARC)
Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover (ARC) (Audiobook)
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin (Audiobook)
Unbreak My Heart by Melissa Walker (ARC)
Unbroken by Melody Grace (ARC)
Under Different Stars by Amy Bartol
Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
Unhinged by AG Howard (ARC) (Audiobook)
Uninvited by Sophie Jordan (ARC)
The Unloved by Jennifer Snyder (ARC)
Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris
Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi
Unspoken by Jen Frederick (ARC)
Until I Die by Amy Plum (ARC)
Untouched by Jus Accardo
The Unquiet by Jeannine Garsee (ARC)
Uses For Boys by Erica Lorraine Scheidt (ARC)
The Valentine's Arrangement by Kelsie Leverich (ARC) (Audiobook)
Veer (Clayton Falls #2) by Alyssa Rose Ivy (ARC)
The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines (ARC)
The Vincent Brothers by Abbi Glines
Wait For You by J. Lynn (ARC)
Walking Disaster by Jaime Mc Guire (ARC)
Wallbanger by Alice Clayton
Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard (ARC)
What a Boy Needs by Nyrae Dawn
What a Boy Wants by Nyrae Dawn
White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout (ARC)
The Wicked We Have Done by Sarah Harian (ARC)
Wild Cards by Simone Elkeles (ARC)
The Wild Ones by M. Leighton (ARC)
Wild Things by Chloe Neill (Audiobook)
Witch Way to Turn by Karen Y. Bynum (ARC)
Wrecked by Alyssa Rose Ivy (ARC)
You Against Me by Jenny Downham
Discussion Posts:
Favorite Male Narrators
Where is the Love for Beta Males???
Let's Talk About: Audiobooks!
Let's Talk About: Instalove
Let's Talk About: Cliffhangers
Let's Talk About: New Adult
Let's Talk About: Real Life vs. Books
Book Blogger Test


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Nerf Alert: The Crane Style feat line has been nerfed. Thus, I can no longer advocate the selection of those feats at Levels 1, 5 and 11 as the solely optimized choices (though take them if you want to). I have, instead, marked these spots as Open Slots and have given one suggestion of feats that can go into these open slots. Great news is that the build would still rock even if you chose no feats to go into the open slots.
Character Name: Zenith, the Great – Friends call him Zen Gee
Race: Human
Favorite Class Option: Whatever
Stats (25 point build): Str (16), Dex (16), Con (16), Int (14), Wis (23), Chr (8), Fort (+14), Ref (+14), Will (+17), AC (30) (35 with Barkskin), HP (114.5), CMD (25), CMB unarmed (+12), Speed (50ft), Initiative (+5), Spell Resistance (23)
Note on AC: Remember, he can use 1 Ki to increase his AC +4 for one round.
Flurry Attack with Bow: +22/+22/+17/+17/+12 (1d8 +9) (19-20 x3) – assuming within 30ft for Pt. Blank Shot and assuming gravity bow. If using deadly aim, then +19/+19/+14/+14/+9 (1d8 +15) (19-20 x3). Using his Ki, he can add an extra attack at his highest BAB or increase arrow damage to 2d6 for one round.
Standard Bow Attack: +20 (1d8 +9) (19-20 x3) or with deadly aim +17 (1d8 + 15) (19-20 x3)
Standard Unarmed Attack: +17 (2d6 +5)
Feats/Abilities: Traits) Finding Helen and Dangerously Curious; 1) Point Blank Shot (human), Open Slot, Dodge, Flurry of Blows (with bows), Unarmed Strike (2d6), Weapon Proficiency with all bows, Normal Monk Proficiencies, Perfect Strike (12 attempts/day) (bows), Monk AC (+8 at 13th level); 2) Precise Shot, Weapon Focus (Longbow Comp); 3) Zen Archery, Speed +70ft at 13th level, Point Blank Mastery, Deadly Aim; 4) Barkskin (1 Ki) (Replaces Slow Fall), Ki Pool (16 points at 13th level); 5) Ki Arrows, Open Slot, Feather Step (1 Ki) (Replaces High Jump); 6) Improve Precise Shot, Weapon Specialization (Longbow Comp); 7) Gaseous Form (1 Ki) (Replaces Wholeness of Body), Combat Reflexes; 9) Reflexive Shot, Clustered Shots; 10) Improved Critical (Longbow Comp); 11) Trick Shot; Open Slot; 12) Shadow Walk (3 Ki) (Replaces Abundant Step); 13) Diamond Soul, Open Slot
Green = Human Feat; Red = Zen Archer Selection; Blue = Level Feat Selections; Black = Automatic Feats and Abilities
Open Slot Suggestion: 1) Skill Focus (Escape Artist), 5)Monkey Style, 11) Stealthy (+4 escape artist & stealth), 13) Skill Focus (Stealth); These selections give you answers to falling prone and being grappled, gives you outstanding stealth, gives you the ability to shoot from the prone position to gain a +4 AC verse ranged opponents. You will need to maximize the escape artist skill.
Skill Points (78): Acrobatics (13), Stealth (13), Perception (13), Sense Motive (10), Climb (1), Ride (1), Swim (1), Intimidator (13), UMD (13) – Note, only the skill points spent are shown. The final skill bonus has to be calculated add Stat Mod and others bonuses.
Items (140K): +3 Adaptive Longbow Comp (19K), Efficient Quiver (2.5K), Handy Haversack (2.5K), +2 Ring of Protection(8K), +2 Amulet of Mighty Fist (16K), +2 Belt of Str/Dex/Con (16K), +2 Headband of Int/Wis (10K), Winged Boots (12K), Ring of Evasion (20K), +4 Bracers of Armor (16K), +3 Cloak of Resistance (9K), Wands: 2 Cure Light (50 charges), 2 Gravity Bow (50); Remaining Money: 6K to be used for other helpful wands.
Share Our Golden Nuggets: Have a build to share with the rest of your Optibuild Friends? Submit them here. Hey, the comments everyone leaves will likely make the build even stronger.


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A couple of weeks ago, I took a look at major conference coaching hires to date and graded them on a 30-point scale that included the following factors: Resume, Fit, Short Term and Long Term. Now seems like a good time to grade some more hires. The domino effect is basically done, though it could start again depending on who Penn State eventually hires (assuming they do, indeed, eventually hire somebody), so we will take a look at Arizona State's and Pittsburgh's hires, and we will throw in some mid-majors as well. Another update will come after Penn State.
Mike Leach, Washington State
Previous Score: 27
New Score: 27
Mike Leach was almost certainly the best, most accomplished coach available to Washington State, and they got him. In terms of location, prospects, etc., Washington State is basically the Texas Tech of the Pac-12, and it appears the fit couldn't be better. I'm not going to say that Leach is going to win Pac-12 or national titles for the Cougars, but the odds of him quickly establishing a rather high level of play are quite good.
Leach has quietly gone about his business in Pullman. His score could technically change if he makes a knockout defensive coordinator hire, but chances are, 27 is likely his final grade.
Urban Meyer, Ohio State
Previous Score: 26
New Score: 26
The one issue with Meyer, of course, comes in the long-term. ("It has been just 10 months since Meyer left for the second time at Florida, and questions about his health and commitment are perfectly legitimate since no one knows whether Meyer is up to the rigors of being a head coach again.") Meyer retired twice in about a year and barely took a full season off. He is a phenomenal coach, and there's no question that he looks healthier now than he did in his final days at Florida, but exactly how long does that last?
Granted, his hire of former North Carolina interim coach Everett Withers doesn't look particularly shiny after UNC gave up 300 rushing yards to Missouri yesterday, but it typically isn't smart to overreact to one hire. Give Withers an interested team and get him back to only worrying about the defense, and all should be well in Columbus.
Gus Malzahn, Arkansas State
Resume (1-10): 9
Fit (1-10): 9
Short Term (1-5): 5
Long Term (1-5): 3
Obviously mid-majors are going to get graded on a slightly different scale -- Malzahn going to a major conference team would have probably scored more like a 21-23 -- but this truly was a knockout hire by Arkansas State. Malzahn has a resume good enough to have gotten a Vanderbilt offer last year, he is a near-perfect fit (local boy), and he should certainly be able to make something of the talent Hugh Freeze has left him in Jonesboro. The only question is how long before he begins to get wooed by major conference teams again if he succeeds at ASU; with a Jimmy Sexton client, a '3' is about as good as you are going to score on the Long Term scale.
Rich Rodriguez, Arizona
Previous Score: 23
New Score: 23
If you pretend his failure at Michigan didn't happen, then Rodriguez possibly has an even better resume than Leach. Still, even though the Michigan and Arizona jobs are completely different, that failure did still happen. Nevertheless, Rich Rod has quite a bit of accomplishment upon which to fall back, including a move to within one game (one quarter, really) of a national title shot in 2007. His West Virginia teams were spectacular, and in terms of fit, he could find a comfortable situation in Tucson.
Like Leach, Rodriguez's score could get a boost if he nails the defensive coordinator hire.
Paul Chryst, Pittsburgh
Resume (1-10): 6
Fit (1-10): 9
Short Term (1-5): 3
Long Term (1-5): 4
Pittsburgh is a blue-collar city, so going after a blue-collar offensive coordinator like Wisconsin's Paul Chryst makes perfect sense. He faces a bit of a short-term issue with the fact that his offensive personnel has to basically forget everything it has been taught for the last 12 months and shift back to more of a grind-it-out mentality, but lord knows the players on hand were more likely to have been recruited by Dave Wannstedt to play this type of ball than whatever Todd Graham was attempting to do.
Watching Pittsburgh flail about from coach to coach has been very frustrating because, in the long-term, they seem very well-positioned to do well if they find the right man (and honestly, athletic director Steve Pedersen has never done a particularly good job of "finding the right man," whether at Pitt or Nebraska). They are leaving for ACC stability soon, and the shine has come off of dominant neighbor Penn State recently, which could mean decent things for recruiting. We have no idea what kind of long-term program builder Chryst can be, but he has a strong resume and seems like a really good fit here at first.
Norm Chow, Hawaii
Resume (1-10): 7
Fit (1-10): 10
Short Term (1-5): 4
Long Term (1-5): 1
If this were about 2006, Chow's hire would grade out around a 27 or so. Chow has extensive ties to Hawaii, he has long been seen as an offensive wizard, and he is highly unlikely to leave for a better job if he succeeds there. The problem: he has spent the last four seasons overseeing lackluster offenses in UCLA and Utah, and he is now 65 years old. Granted, he dealt with plenty of injuries in both Los Angeles and Salt Lake City, but still, his last four offenses have ranked 100th, 90th, 88th and 114th in Off. F/+. Hard to overlook either that, or his age. This is a good hire, but it isn't the great hire it may have been a few years ago.
Larry Fedora, North Carolina
Previous Score: 22
New Score: 22
It is easy to get the sense that Fedora's stock skyrocketed because of a single game -- Southern Miss' domination of undefeated Houston in the Conference USA championship. But that is a bit unfair to the rest of the resume he had compiled in his four seasons in Hattiesburg. He maintained the level of play set by long-time Golden Eagles coach Jeff Bower for his first two seasons, then took a step forward in 2010, and another in 2011. Granted, his team suffered one of the most baffling losses of the 2011 season (their random Thursday night stumble to lowly UAB), but they were still a legitimate Top 25 team from October onward.
Throughout Southern Miss' Christmas Eve win in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl, announcers made reference to Fedora undergoing an "audition" of sorts for North Carolina fans. That is a silly way to look at things -- just like the win over Houston in the Conference USA title game shouldn't be used as the sole reason for hiring somebody, a lackluster bowl performance shouldn't be used as means for questioning the hire -- but that tends to be how people react. Still, Southern Miss did win despite the fact that their offense was less than sharp, and there is something to be said for that.
Hugh Freeze, Ole Miss
Previous Score: 21
New Score: 21
The resume Hugh Freeze has is quite impressive. A high school coach until 2004, he may be best known for his involvement in The Blind Side (he was Michael Oher's high school coach), but in his three years as a collegiate head coach (two at NAIA's Lambuth University, one at Arkansas State), he has gone 8-4, 12-1 and 10-2. There's no denying the results he has produced. The only question is whether he needed to produce more of them before landing an SEC gig.
Tim Beckman, Illinois
Previous Score: 20
New Score: 20
It should not be ignored, however, that Toledo was crumbling when he took over. The Rockets went just 3-9 in 2008 and ranked 103rd in F/+ in both 2007 and 2008. With Beckman, they immediately improved to 72nd, then 68th, then 30th. We typically wait until a mid-major coach has a major breakthrough to decide he's ready, but Beckman has already proven quite a bit.
Both Freeze and Beckman have quietly gone about their business, giving me no reason to either upgrade or downgrade their scores.
Ellis Johnson, Southern Miss
Resume (1-10): 7
Fit (1-10): 8
Short Term (1-5): 3
Long Term (1-5): 2
Johnson is 60 years old and has a career 17-28 record as a coach. Obviously it is hard to give this too good a long-term score, but his incredibly extensive southern ties (virtually every year of his 35+ year coaching career has been spent at a Southern school, from The Citadel, to East Carolina, to South Carolina) make this feel like a solid hire regardless. He is a defensive coach, which is a shift from Larry Fedora's offensive background, but he should find quite a few toys to play with in Hattiesburg. Unfortunately, however, he won't have senior Cordarro Law, who was the best player on the field in each of Southern Miss' last two games.
Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M
Previous Score: 19
New Score: 19
Okay. I realize I might be completely off-base with Sumlin. He went 35-17 in four years at Houston, and I gave him the same resume rating as Beckman (21-15). But here's my issue: Sumlin inherited Case Keenum and hasn't proven he can win big without him; he could be just fine, or he could be Jeff Capel, the former Oklahoma basketball coach who basically inherited Blake Griffin, then saw his program fall apart when Griffin left). There is no question that he has recruited a fast, interesting set of players at Houston, but for now I cannot get past his record with and without Keenum. With: 32-10. Without (when Keenum was injured in 2010): 3-7. It's not that he can't win without someone like Keenum. It's just that he hasn't proven he can yet.
Sumlin could have bumped his score up by retaining defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter, but DeRuyter took the Fresno State head coaching job. You can't blame Sumlin for that one, but it failed to quell my concerns about his ability to field a solid defense. We'll see who he hires.
Todd Graham, Arizona State
Resume (1-10): 7
Fit (1-10): 5
Short Term (1-5): 4
Long Term (1-5): 2
Graham has made three different programs bowl-eligible in five years. That is a unique accomplishment ... and it's also the most positive thing anybody has said about Arizona State's hire of Graham in the last two weeks. Granted, this may turn into a Bobby Petrino situation, where open flirtation and jumps from job to job make him unhireable to a certain degree and forces him to establish long-term roots, but with the negative national reaction to the way he left Pittsburgh, it is difficult to give him too high a grade in either the "Fit" or "Long Term" categories.
Bob Davie, New Mexico
Resume (1-10): 6
Fit (1-10): 6
Short Term (1-5): 3
Long Term (1-5): 3
Honestly, Davie should reestablish solid discipline and a focus on the basics in Albuquerque, which is something that seems to have been eschewed in recent years. That alone could result in slight improvement from a suddenly moribund Lobos program. But it is difficult to get too excited about this hire until Davie shows that he can recruit reasonably well and that either a) the old-school offensive approach he has championed on ESPN for nearly the last decade can actually still work, or b) he can adapt some new offensive techniques. This hire could have more upside than I am acknowledging here, but I'm not exactly sold on The Bawb just yet.
Charlie Weis, Kansas
Previous Score: 15
New Score: 17
Unlike Mora, Charlie Weis does in fact have a track record at the collegiate level. The problem: said track record isn't actually any good. An incredible success as an NFL offensive coordinator, Weis won 19 games in his first two seasons as Notre Dame head coach, and he reeled in a series of highly-rated recruiting classes. But when Tyrone Willingham's recruits cycled out in South Bend, so did the wins. Weis went just 16-21 from 2007-09 and was fired. After a successful year as offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs, Weis went to Florida to coach for Will Muschamp in 2011, and an already disappointing offense tumbled from 53rd in Off. F/+ to 72nd.
Part of the upside of hiring Weis was that, at the very least, he might be able to pull in a pretty talented quarterback. Rumors were flying pretty quickly that he was going to try to bring in both Notre Dame's Dayne Crist for 2012 and BYU's Jake Heaps for 2013 and beyond. He did indeed, and for that bit of confirmed upside, he gets bumped ahead of Jim Mora, Jr.
Jim Mora, Jr., UCLA
Previous Score: 16
New Score: 16
There is a major leap of faith involved with this hire. Mora has certainly paid his dues -- he has been coaching since 1984, when he was a graduate assistant on Washington's 11-1 Orange Bowl squad. Starting in 1985, however, all of his experience has come at the pro level, and his career record as NFL head coach is just 31-33. This was a shot in the dark, and while this type of hire does sometimes work, it goes without saying that it usually doesn't.
This is still a high-upside, really-low-downside hire.


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Its not official yet, but according to Elliotte Friedman of CBC Sports, there has been a change in the rules governing hits to the head in the NHL. Old rule was:
A hit resulting in contact with an opponent's head where the head is targeted and the principal point of contact is not permitted.
Now the new rule declares illegal "a hit resulting in contact with an opponent's head where the head was the main point of contact and such contact to the head was avoidable."
If true, this is a significant change. It used to be that as long as the head is not an obvious target, its a clean hit. Now the players will have to avoid hitting the head if possible. To me, this seems a sensible step given recent news of long-term effects of concussions. And, of course, This should make life easier for players like Skinner.
Everything will depend on this will be enforces. The criteria for determining what "avoidable" is should be:
First, whether the player attempted to hit squarely through the opponent's body and the head was not "picked" as a result of poor timing, poor angle of approach or unnecessary extension of the body upward or outward.
Second, whether the opponent put himself in a vulnerable position by assuming a posture that made head contact on an otherwise full body check unavoidable.
Third, whether the opponent materially changed the position of his body or head immediately prior to or simultaneously with the hit in a way that significantly contributed to the head contact.
At any rate, an important change given discussions we had last season about hits to the head.


text:
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5 Reasons You Shouldn't Click on Those Nude Celeb Photos
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This Trekkie Selfie May Be the Best One We've Seen Yet
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Spice Up Your Relationship With This 30-Day Challenge
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The Pretty Little Liars Reveal Their Secrets For Staying Fit
What to Do When Your Child Doesn't Like Their Teacher
The Pretty Little Liars Reveal Their Secrets For Staying Fit
A Fantastically Fruity Pineapple-Themed Birthday Bash
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Watch This Baby's Epic Farewell to Her Pacifier


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Since Cowher, Grimm, and Whiz departed, the Steelers coaching staff have struggled identifying and developing quality offensive linemen. The question is should we be concerned? I think the answer must be yes. Here is the first of many reasons I believe this, these two are reasons just from this season:
According to many sources, the Max Starks resigning was pushed by the front office and Starks was not a coaching favorite. However, since his return, the line has played much better. Starks is not my idea of a LT, but is a far cry better than Jonathan Scott.
Kraig Urbik, former 3rd rounder of the Steelers, was lambasted by the Steelers and never really got going in the Steelers Office, being cast off last season as a bust. Signed by Buffalo, he started some games at center for them last season before going on the IR. This year he is at RG next to Eric Wood and Andy Levitre (all the same draft class and considered by the Bills the number 1, 2, and 3 interior linemen that year). The Buffalo Bills Offensive line that was supposed to be horrible has allowed the fewest sacks in the league this year with only 4.
Now lets analyze the OL draft picks since 2007 (Tomlin's 1st year) and current OL roster.
Rnd Name College
2 Marcus Gilbert Florida
Marcus Gilbert is currently starting at RT due to injuries. He is a good looking prospect but only time will tell.
Rnd Name College
1 Maurkice Pouncey Florida
The lynch pin of our OL, All Pro Center who will be a mainstay for the next 10 years, barring injury. However, not a hard pick, he was the consensus top Interior Lineman in the draft. However, after a great 2010 season, has not performed as well this season, although I attribute it more to injuries than regression.
5 Chris Scott Tennessee
Currently on the Practice Squad. May still develop into a strong RT or RG.
Rnd Name College
3 Kraig Urbik Wisconsin
See above, a starter having a strong season with the Bills.
7 A.Q. Shipley Penn State
Cut by Steelers, Bengals, and Eagles. Currently out of league, but was a long shot as a short armed center. A hometown favorite, but a 7th rounder none the less.
Rnd Name College
4 Tony Hills Texas
I pushed him as a future LT for us, but again, he never developed. Played up and down when given opportunities in past couple of years but ultimately cut this season. Currently backing up rookie Orlando Franklin in Denver.
Rnd Name College
5 Cameron Stephenson Rutgers
Couldn't even beat out former college teammate and UDFA Darnell Stapelton. Stephenson has also been a member of the Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints, Jacksonville Jaguars, and San Diego Chargers.
Current Roster (by position they are listed on Steelers.com roster page):
C - Pouncey and Doug Legursky
See Pouncey above. Legs has been a reliable backup since being signed as an UDFA following Tomlin's first draft in 2007.
G - Chris Kemoeatu and Trai Essex
Both are drafted by the former regime. Kemo is up and down and has regressed by many accounts in the last 2 years. Trai Essex was resigned due to injuries and serves as one of the Steelers most versatile back ups.
T - Ramon Foster, Marcus Gilbert, Jonathan Scott, Willie Colon, Max Starks, Jamon Meredith
Foster was an UDFA. Jonathan Scott was brought from the Bills when Sean Kugler signed on as the OL Coach last season. Gilbert see above, rookie starting at RT due to injuries. Colon and Starks are again from the previous regime, but as two of the linemen we have that Steelers fans worry least about. Colon is on the IR for the second season in a row, this time for a torn bicep muscle. Meredith was drafted by the Bills (Kugler anyone) and spent time also with the Giants and the Lions. A journeyman backup.
So our Starters right now are with all the injuries are:
Starks (Cowher), Kemo (Cowher), Pouncey (Tomlin), Essex (Cowher), and Gilbert (Tomlin). 3/5 of the starting 5 are Cowher picks, two of which had to be resigned due to injuries and to shore up a very tumultuous line.
What does this mean for the future of our line, who knows, but I thought it was worth mentioning. Additionally, I will be starting up my post A View from the SteelCage again, any topic ideas are welcome.
SteelCage is a longtime Steeler fan, former player and current coach. For previous Blog spots, see http://www.sbnation.com/users/SteelCage/blog


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Live view is exceptional on the 5dII, there is no reason to pass based on shallow depth of field.
You are right and Live view has saved quite a few shots. It is more usefull than I expected when I got the mkII. But most of the time live view is too slow and/or I have to look in the display making the camera less steady resulting in motion blur instead. A tripod is not a good idea on a dancefloor for instance.


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ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Minnesota Department of Natural Resource officials say Minnesota's fall-color season is gearing up for what's expected to be an impressive show.
The peak color is arriving a bit later than it did last year, thanks to a warm September. Pat Arndt of the Parks and Trails Division at the DNR tells Minnesota Public Radio it takes cool nights of 32 to 40 or 45 degrees and warm days to start the color changing.
DNR observers are reporting just pockets of color so far, such an area of Itasca and Koochiching counties in northern Minnesota. The North Shore is less than 75 percent turned because Lake Superior moderates temperatures, she says but the colors are starting to pop inland in cooler parts of northeastern Minnesota.
The DNR updates its fall color map Thursday afternoons.
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