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US Open To Be Aired on ESPN
I knew that something bugged me when I heard that ESPN was to broadcast the entirety of the US Open (taking over from USA Network), starting in 2009. And it wasn't just the annoyance of the :18 and :58 banners and breathless coverage of Clemens-gate on the bottom line banner.
But access to all the games will be a worry. From a Connecticut Post editorial:
You know what else makes the USA coverage outstanding? It's always on. The matches start at 11 a.m., and that's the time the USA theme song begins, a great start to every weekday until CBS takes over late in the tournament. There's only a two-hour break in coverage from the first serve until the final point, and that break is often blown off if the matches are interesting enough. One of the first things I noticed with ESPN2's coverage is that it will start at 1 p.m. during the first week. That's two hours of tennis uncovered. Sigh.
It turns out that tennis will be covered. It'll air on The Tennis Channel, which generally costs extra. Perhaps I'll order TTC during that time span, but perhaps not; I pay more than enough for cable television as it is. To add insult to injury, the middle weekend night sessions — which have featured such matchups as James Blake vs. Roger Federer in past years — will be on TTC. That means a whole bunch of regular viewers will miss those matches, and possibly lose interest in the tournament as a result.
And there are other issues. The USTA made it clear it wants ESPN and tennis to become synonymous. The network already handles the other three Grand Slam events, often ruining them by focusing way too much on Americans, even in blowouts, ignoring live matches to show the American routs on tape.
The worst thing a network can do in showing a sport where Americans are not entirely dominant is… showing mostly Americans. Makes the sport look boring. If you watch the World Cup and only see the Americans, you think soccer is a slovenly, boring sport that sucks 90 minutes out of your life.
And those midweek matches are the most fun – late evening, watching two players who can't break that top-ten ceiling fighting and struggling to win a 3 (for the women) or 5 (for the men) set match on pure grit and sweat, on an 85 degree night in Flushing? That's the joy of the US Open right there. Those are the tickets I used to get and enjoy. And the AM games? When I was in high school, I'd go to any of those games I could get tickets to (okay, they were free. I didn't have that kind of loot in HS!) and watch minor players try to prove they belonged.
And I am NOT buying the tennis channel for a month.
I can see the finals and semis drawing a strong crowd to ESPN, but otherwise, they're just burying the early round matches to tennis fanatics, and there aren't many of those anymore.
Photo above is of the great Gabriela Sabatini (purr); below is video of her 1991 US Open win over Steffi Graf.
Rating Coaches
Fox Sports columnist Jeff Goodman recently posted his list of top college basketball assistants, polling head coaches, assistants, and those close to assistants. His names are broken into BCS conferences and mid-major conferences (would Xavier and Gonzaga have landed in the mid-major area? We don't know, none of their assistant coaches were on the list). There are a few former head coaches (Larry Shyatt (Florida), Joe Dooley (Kansas), Donnie Daniels (UCLA)), some up and comers, some people with pedigree/ former player resumes (but no major ex-pros), and some guys who started out on the high school level.
This list, however, focuses on recruiting achievements. For an assistant coach, that is a somewhat quantifiable metric – how well a coach can lock down a recruit who is interested in their school. That focus, of course, doesn't necessarily tell us how that coach is on a comparative level – in a good situation with a good product (some combination of a competitive team, tv exposure, playing time, an attractive campus, big booty hoes, a well-regarded head coach), many people can recruit the names we come to know in college ball. When he was hired, St. John's coach Norm Roberts was advertised as the man who brought Russell Robinson to Kansas and got a verbal from Charlie Villanueva.*
Being associated with great college basketball names will get an assistant coach a job. But should it? Those recruiting achievements are not the coach's alone; they belong to the head coach, to the quality and style of play, and perhaps to the institution. Believing that these recruiting wins are the coach's alone is questionable; and the game isn't won on the number of 4 and 5 star Rivals or Scout.com recruits a coach gets. It certainly helps, but that's not the end-all.
Answering some of this is Yet Another Basketball Blog's Coach Ratings by Dan Hanner. Admittedly, I don't know all of ratings' methodology. For example, the recruiting ratings might be from the aforementioned basketball player rating sites or some other source. And does this model account for players who have transferred (probably not, since he does not penalize for players going pro early)? How does one measure expected wins? What if talent is overrated? Otherwise, this is a sharp look at what ingredients constitute what we think of as a good coach. The ratings for recruiting and coaching come from regression analysis of the impact on talent on wins. The main point is that the numbers give a comparative look at a coach's recruiting and regular season performance at each school.
Some light numbers, and of course chatter about St. John's, after the jump.
Read more…
Sports Links 05.12.08
And a wholly unnecessary Emanuelle Chriqui photo.
+ Lenny Dykstra's high end mag for pro athletes is stuck in legal/ monetary disputes, as former Ram defensive back Ryan McNeil's is. That "Nails never fails" article in the New Yorker is getting old already. Move it to the "fiction" section, people.
+ More of a peek into the private life of Marvin Harrison after the shooting near a bar that he owns.
+ Mike D'Antoni is the Knicks coach! Holy Crapcakes!
The beauty of NYC is such that the first article I read is "Bringing in Mike D'Antoni wrong move for the Knicks". And it may be true, if only for the dead wood on the roster that needs to be dumped. This article is a little wrong though; the roster is missing a credible point guard, for certain, but the idea that the Suns put up good shots all the time because of their IQ is questionable. Their speed and spacing allowed them to get good looks early in the offense, and unlike other basketball coaches, D'Antoni has no problem with early shots. Jamal Crawford loves to take jumpers with 20 seconds left on the shot clock! He'll be a freaking natural! (I'm not joking. I actually think that Nate Robinson and Crawford might be good in this system. Starbury, however, needs to be bought out.)
Though D'Antoni would have KILLED with the Bulls' roster, no doubt. But they would never play defense, and GM Paxson wanted assurances that there would be defense played at the United Center.
+ Yesterday I glanced at the score of the Mets game and.. what the hot hell? It's Oliver Perez' good day! Which ended with a bad hiccup. From the Journal News:
The unsolved mystery that is Oliver Perez was back on display yesterday at Shea Stadium. There he was, sweeping breaking balls past the lefty bats of Adam Dunn and Joey Votto. There he was firing five innings of one-hit ball. Yet there he was giving up three runs in the sixth.
Suddenly, it was a Day at the Improv. He dropped his arm lower, trying to change speeds because he was tiring. It turned out to be a wild pitch, skipping past Brian Schneider to allow one of the runs to score. Perez also surprised the Reds with a bunt single. Before that, he walked and stole second.
"How crazy are you, Ollie?" manager Willie Randolph playfully asked, turning toward the 26-year-old lefty entering the interview room. "Do you have a full deck? They want to know. Inquiring minds want to know. I'll take you anyway. I'll tell you what, you can play on my team any day."
Perez is good. Perez is bad. Sometimes in the same game. Good luck predicting the unpredictable. But after throwing three straight losing duds, the Mets will take the three-run, three-hit, eight-strikeout, four-walk, one-hit-batter work he gave them over six innings in beating Cincinnati 8-3 in the rubber game of the series.
+ Meanwhile, like me, Mets' minor leaguer Fernando Martinez is allergic to lobster.
+ Uni Watch has lots of the Mother's Day pink paraphernalia that MLB players and umps rocked.
+ Cablevision is buying Newsday? Isn't there a limit to local media synergies? I guess not.
Will Long Island become one giant Cablevision bubble, where Jim Dolan is a cuddly teddy bear and the Knicks are everyone's favorite? If I want to reach Long Island… will I have to go through Dolan? Will he manage Long Island's media future?
+ The Devil Rays are winning baseball games? What is this world coming to?
+ Florida State player plans to play all 9 positions in today's game. If the game goes extra innings, he should offer to umpire the game, just to add another layer of gimmick.
+ The 4 armed robbers accused of killing safety Sean Taylor will not face the death penalty.
+ One Droo Hill makes edits to the United Countries of Baseball region map, which was perhaps influenced by this unscientific but interesting attempt from 2007. The map does not reflect certain sports teams that roll deep in every city they go to like the Yank-These and Mets.
Willie Randolph In Trouble?
The team is 71-71 since last June 1st and the management plans to sit down and evaluate Randolph's performance at the end of the month. I am sure other teams do that, but ownership might just have a quibble. From Dan Graziano's article at the Star-Ledger:
Where Randolph comes up short is in his failure to recognize what kind of team he has and manage accordingly. Randolph is a decent man who cares deeply about his team and his job and believes strongly in himself. But he's also stubborn, and that's what has him in trouble.
Randolph came from the Yankees, where the championship teams of the late '70s and the late '90s were packed with hard-nosed winners. He believes he shouldn't need to motivate or fire up big-league players, because his teams never needed that.
In principle, he's right. He shouldn't need to remind major-league players that it's important to raise their games in big spots, or not to take games or at-bats off.
But unfortunately for Randolph, his players are soft. His players are the types who don't raise their games in big spots, who do take at-bats off. His players coast through long stretches of the season, assuming their talent will carry them through without any extra effort or emotion on their part. His players are not self-motivators, and they are a group that might respond well to being scared every now and then.
That's not to say they need a Larry Bowa/Lou Piniella type of screamer. "Scaring" players like this would be as simple as letting them know their playing time isn't guaranteed — that a long, languid slump by the $17 million-a-year center fielder isn't going to be tolerated when there's a hungry, energetic Angel Pagan around to man the position while Carlos Beltran gets his head together on the bench.
Randolph doesn't do that. He does what Joe Torre used to do when his veteran players slumped. He tells them he believes in them and will stick by them until they come out of it.
But in the case of these particular Mets, it doesn't work. These Mets get too comfortable. They can keep mailing it in at no threat to themselves or their lifestyle. You went 0-for-5 again, Carlos? No problem. You'll be back in there tomorrow, have no fear. We'll never embarrass you.
By now — after the playoff flop of 2006, the historic meltdown of '07 and the sleepy start to '08 — Randolph should understand this, and he should be doing something about it. He is not.
But does scaring players with the threat of losing playing time work? Or does it alienate the player? I hate watching Carlos Beltran's at bats as much as anyone, but playing time is a blunt instrument to effect change. I think Beltran might be served by taking fewer stinking pitches, myself. How does one build the desire to get pissed off at each failed at bat like Paul O'Neill? And do the Mets want players that tightly wound?
Don't get me wrong, I think Willie needs to do something more than sitting back in the cut. or the dugout, as it were.
This weekend: The Cincinnati Reds. Analysis here from Amazin' Avenue.
Is Richard Jefferson Gonna Have to Choke a Bitch?
Apparently not. The New Jersey Nets star disputes the account of the man who accuses Jefferson of assault at a Minnesota nightclub:
Speaking on Sirius satellite radio late Wednesday, Jefferson said he was attending a birthday party for teammate Vince Carter when he was approached in the hotel bar by an individual he described as "very rude and very disrespectful."
Jefferson said "an altercation broke out" but no punches were thrown.
"They were saying there was choking. It was more of a getting your space," he said. "This individual doesn't have a scratch on him. There was no mark. There was no blood. There was no anything."…
The documents say Jefferson entered the area and got angry when he was asked to leave. He is accused of grabbing the victim, shoving him to a bench and choking him with both hands.
"You know, it is unfortunate," Jefferson said. "I've never been involved in an incident in my life. I don't even think I've ever been thrown out of a basketball game. But some drunk individual wants to come up and, you know, then, of course, when they start telling their side of the story we're the big bad athletes that think they can get away with everything and then they're some innocent individual that has never made a mistake in their life."
Your Atlantic Yards Update
Less ambitious than previous designs, and missing that Green Roof and public space so lovingly touted in the initial brochures (pdf), Bruce Ratner's Atlantic Yards development seems to be hitting some… snags, like every other large scale development in the sputtering economy.
…concerted efforts [to stop Bruce Ratner's Atlantic Yards development] proved largely unsuccessful, key components of the development are now on hold — not because of public outrage, but rather due to increasing construction costs, a slowing economy sliding toward recession and a tightening credit market.
To different degrees, the very same economic challenges facing Atlantic Yards confront real estate projects both big and small throughout the five boroughs.
As the economy turns toward recession, developers, community groups and city officials alike are questioning whether these projects will go through at all — or at least in the way many had previously imagined.
While much of Atlantic Yards project is sliding to the back burner, the $950 million arena is moving forward and slated for completion in 2010 for one main reason: The financing for it is already in place. Unlike the private financing needed for the commercial and residential buildings, Forest City Ratner already has secured $670 million in tax-free bonds to cover the costs of the arena's construction beyond the $200 million in subsidies already in place ($100 million from both the Empire State Development Corporation and the city).
Additionally, unlike the commercial tower centerpiece known as Miss Brooklyn, the stadium already has its anchor tenant lined up (the Nets) and Barclays has ponied up a reported $400 million specifically for the stadium's naming rights.
Miss Brooklyn has been redone and renamed "B1″; it now looks like lego blocks, all twisted:
Furthermore, investors are generally wary of mixed-use projects as the Atlantic Yards was designed to be – arena, high and middle-income ("affordable") housing, and commercial space. Sole use properties are easier to get loan funding for; the easy money, fast-development days are over.
Where are the tenants for these buildings going to come from? The athletic part of the equation is easier to figure out; the funding is pretty much in place. But is the stadium a viable project for the developer without the money-making residential and commercial space? Let alone new Governor David Patterson's opposition stance on eminent domain when he was a state senator.
For his part, Bruce Ratner will not speak of how the project might be scaled down. Instead, in this editorial in last week's Daily News, he chooses to speak of difficulties and obstacles:
In recent weeks, some have rushed to write the obituary of Atlantic Yards, the multi-billion dollar, 22-acre development my company is building near downtown Brooklyn.
But rumors of Atlantic Yards' demise, stirred by opponents, have been greatly exaggerated. The project is moving forward in its entirety, and in the coming years it will bring jobs, housing and an improved quality of life to Brooklyn.
…the delays have pushed us into a time when the economy has slowed, and both financing and tenant commitments are more challenging to obtain. But contrary to rumors, large deals are still getting done, and in the past year alone we have closed on the two largest construction financings in our company's history, totaling over $1.3 billion. Atlantic Yards will be no different.
The stakes are high. As other major developments around the city face challenges, Atlantic Yards has become even more important to our economy than when we first announced it. That's why we have tried so hard to work through each obstacle we've confronted. If more unforeseen hurdles appear, we will tackle them with the same resolve. Working with our public sector partners, I am confident we will continue to overcome all obstacles to complete this project.
So, what's next?
Our first goal is to break ground on the Barclays Center later this year. Shortly after that, we will break ground on the first residential building, which includes a significant amount of affordable housing.
An aside on rhetoric: I like how he uses "rumors… stirred by opponents." You're either with us, or with the economic terrorists (who live in Brooklyn and have issues with the project).
As for the project; breaking ground doesn't mean "finished" by 2010? The infrastructure – covering the existing train yards – hasn't even been done yet! Opponents call his time estimates "not credible." And let's talk about the costs of the Barclays Center:
…the estimated cost of their proposed new building — the Barclays Center in Brooklyn — has soared to $950 million, or more than twice the price of any pro basketball or hockey arena ever built in the United States.
And where in the world would they find much of the money to build that arena?
Europe, it turns out.
Nets Chief Executive Officer Brett Yormark has just returned from London and Turin, Italy, where he has begun attempts to entice foreign companies into becoming major contributing sponsors for the new Brooklyn arena.
Yormark already stunned the sports business world last year, when he persuaded British-based Barclays Bank to pay an unprecedented $20 million annually for naming rights to the Nets' planned new home. That's four times the amount that Prudential is paying for naming rights at the $380 million home of the Devils hockey team in Newark.
Renowned architect Frank Gehry — who is designing the Barclays Center — is revered in Europe, Yormark said. Gehry's creations include the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, and the "Dancing House" in Prague, the Czech Republic.
"We've never pitched this as an arena — we've pitched it as a landmark," Yormark said.
That sounds like some wishin' and hopin' to me. What would entice foreign sponsors to invest? Because the dollar is weak? The "landmark" building? Outside of Barclay, where will their names be seen and spoken? As far as landmarks go, they are nice to have – and if there is an arena, it would be interesting to have an architecturally interesting one – but that landmark isn't going to pay anyone's bills, is it?
And in fact, the Nets might move a little closer to their Meadowlands home…
Nets are currently losing an estimated $40 million a year playing in the Meadowlands, and are stuck there at least another two seasons before a Brooklyn arena could be ready. And they're facing an increasingly tougher financial road there as well, despite heavy public subsidies. As George Zoffinger, former head of Jersey's sports authority, told the Star-Ledger: "When you start to spend north of $500 million for an arena, you can't generate the cash flow necessary to generate a decent return on the investment. If the number is $900 million, it's absolutely, positively not viable from an economic standpoint."
The NJ Sports and Exposition Authority might waive the penalty in the Nets' contract that previously did not allow them to move within the Garden State. But a NY arena might bring in more fans (more central location than Newark's Prudential Center, where the Nets would move if they stayed in Jersey), and more importantly, might attract more investors and luxury box purchases by simply being in NY and close to the financial district.
By the way, about that architect Frank Gehry… the incoming head of the Port Authority has some misgivings about sticking with him.
Chris Ward, due to take over the Port Authority this month, suggests to us that he thinks Bruce Ratner should consider recruiting architects other than Frank Gehry for the Atlantic Yards. "Flatbush and Atlantic is a totally underused area and a major transportation hub, and I hope we don't lock ourselves into a design that does not allow other architecture or public space," says Ward. That design is entirely Gehry's; even after Ratner admitted his multi-tower vision might not attract financing, public officials have kept the architect front and center…. this warning should hearten the project's opponents: Ward will have a lot of influence over state spending if the developer needs a cash influx.
I highly doubt that this scale of project will come in under budget. And the aspects of the plan that are not being talked about – dealing with traffic and congestions, water provision and electric load issues, will probably be costly as well… and those will come out of the state's pocket in one way or another; Forest City Ratner is already asking for more subsidies.
AY Renderings from the New York Daily News
Mets 11, Dodgers In Hiding
The Mets are out in LA taking out some frustrations on Brad Penny, Joe Torre and their mediocre record. David Wright is the only regular who hasn't crossed the plate, including starting pitcher John Maine, who knocked in 2 runs and is working on a
1 2 hitter in the 5th.
Your Team Needs Zach Feinstein
I think Washington University's Zachary Feinstein should be a late second round pick. Prediction: he will dominate in China before returning as a defensive specialist and some team's resident 5'8″ engineer. Teams out there – you want his rights. Kudos to you, man, for continuing to put my alma mater, the WU, on the map.
But Zach, you should show them your athleticism. Dunk more. And why weren't you on the D-III national championship squad this year?
(photo from http://www.draftfeinstein.com/)
Understanding the NCAA Academic Progress Reports
The NCAA's Academic Progress Rate report is the organization's attempt to hold sports teams – especially in the revenue generating sports of football and basketball – accountable for the graduation rate/ good academic standing of their teams. Myles Brand has been a crusader for academic reform in schools, and as president of the NCAA, has been working to penalize teams for their problems in providing 4 years of schooling for their scholarship players. The numbers put out by the NCAA are an average of a 4 year period. The press release:
The most recent multi-year Academic Progress Rates indicate nearly all 6,272 Division I teams are achieving or exceeding the standards for academic performance based on four years of data, said NCAA President Myles Brand.
Every Division I sports team calculates its APR each academic year, based on the eligibility, retention and graduation of each scholarship student-athlete. An APR of 925 projects to an NCAA Graduation Success Rate of approximately 60 percent.
Teams that score below 925 and have a student leave school academically ineligible can lose up to 10 percent of their scholarships. Known as immediate penalties, these scholarships can be lost each year and not awarded until the following year. Teams can also be subject to historical penalties for poor academic performance over time.
Those harsher penalties can go up to being booted from Division I (in that sport or in all sports, I did not find out). From Sports Illustrated:
The scores were based on academic performance from 2003-07. Athletes earn one point for remaining academically eligible each semester and another point each semester they remain at the school, accumulating a maximum of four points each year. The scoring is altered slightly for schools on a quarters-based calendar.
Teams are not penalized if a player transfers but leaves in good standing. And scores are generally up. From the USA Today:
There were 507 teams that posted APRs beneath 925 but didn't draw sanctions because they had no athletes who left school while academically ineligible or their schools sought and received waivers — granted by the NCAA when there are mitigating circumstances and the institution has an acceptable academic improvement plan.
Among the sub-925 programs not hit: six in men's basketball that have made the Final Four since 2002 (Indiana, Maryland, Ohio State, LSU, Oklahoma and Florida); 16 in major college football, including Arizona, Purdue, Oregon and South Carolina; and 54 in baseball, including No. 8-ranked Oklahoma State, No. 18 Coastal Carolina and five-time College World Series champion Arizona State.
"That raises the question: How can so many schools avoid sanctions?" said Nathan Tublitz, a neuroscience professor at Oregon who co-chairs the Coalition on Intercollegiate Athletics, an alliance of faculty senates at Division I universities. "One can understand a few exceptions. One can understand that some schools have good reasons. But for so many schools to have so many good reasons raises the question of whether there's really any bite to this academic performance package and the sanctions that are supposed to be issued."
Tublitz is a "very strong supporter" of the overall package, he said. "It's just that if you're going to set up a program that has a cutoff score, you have to stick to that cutoff score and not continue to give schools a free ride. If they don't make it after four years, what's going to happen after five? What's going to happen after six? How many times does a school get an exception?"
Your list of NCAA penalized schools.
And an earlier published report from the University of Central Florida on Graduation Rates for NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Sweet Sixteen teams (pdf)
Nearly a quarter of the penalized teams were in men's basketball, and most of those schools were the non-Bowl Championship Conference schools. HMM. Pat Forde delves a little deeper into the rich mouse- poor mouse issue:
On the football list, the schools are either members of the Mid-American Conference (Western Michigan, Toledo, Buffalo, Northern Illinois and, starting next year, Temple), the Western Athletic Conference (New Mexico State, Hawaii), or the Sun Belt (Middle Tennessee State). Those happen to be the bottom three leagues in the Sagarin Ratings for 2005.
On the basketball side we have schools from the Big West, Mid-Continent, Conference USA, Mid-Eastern Atlantic, Big East, Atlantic Sun, MAC, WAC, Southland, SWAC and Sun Belt. Most of those leagues rank among the bottom half of America according to the current conference RPI, and many rank among the bottom third. The Big East is the only league among the top eight.
Toledo: $8 million in the hole.
Kent State: $7.9 million.
Western Michigan: $7.2 million
Northern Illinois: $6.2 million.
Texas State: $4.1 million.
New Mexico State: $4 million.
And so forth. There are some among the these two-dozen schools who say they're breaking even or turning a small profit, but you wonder how they balance their books. Is it really possible that Temple took in $17.9 million in revenues in 2003-04, while spending that exact same amount?
Now compare those figures with, say, Tennessee. The Volunteers' operating budget for '03-04 shows $62 million in revenue (more than 20 times what Western Michigan pulled in) and $31 million in expenses.
Do you think it's any coincidence that Tennessee put out a release Wednesday afternoon trumpeting its success in the APR?
Above is a picture of Tennessee's Thornton Athletics Student Life Center.
The money of the bigger conference schools allows for the hiring of counselors to hand-hold athletes and make sure they go to class, for funding of housing, classes, and tutoring through summer school, to perhaps establish a few more easy-A classes, and hire tutors who "help" with the completion of work and the writing of papers (even if that help includes doing the typing and the research). These progress reports, of course, do not go into the school and measure available resources or the quality of that schooling, though Brand made a statement that schools should make sure their priorities are on education and less on new facilities.
The Big East's penalized school was Seton Hall. Note that St. John's APR was 918, slightly below the cutoff (pdf) …; schools can apply for waivers if there are extenuating circumstances. I bet those transfers over the past 4 years extenuate as well as any other circumstance… I can't imagine that every one of those guys was all that motivated to bust their tails in the classrooms after they were asked to not return or chose to move on.
In basketball, below St. John's and Seton Hall are South Florida and Cincinnati. Those high first semester grades that Norm Roberts alluded to before conference season better stay high, or else the team is going be docked a scholarship.
Links – A Slow St John's News Day
We must be close to summer. Not so much to blog about.
* Did Paul Pierce throw up an LA gang sign or a Boston hood sign?
"Those of us from L.A. know that Paul Pierce went to Inglewood High, and we also know that means that B probably didn't stand for Boston," writes the Fourth Quarter blog.
Bostonians have another answer, whether it be accurate information or convenient homerism defending the Celtics star. "Paul was simply throwin his '3's up' – i.e. reppin Boston," writes Sons of Sam Horn poster "Brookliner." "Not reppin the bloods, not Ingelwood, not calling Horford names. I know most of us are 'from Boston', but nobody living in the 'burbs will be familiar with the practice. The whole '3's up' thing is used by kids from the hood to rep Boston – simple as that."
Indeed, an entry in Urban Dictionary defines "Throw them threes up," as "a hand symbol representing Boston," likely derived from the song, "3's Up," by local rap artist Stein. Ironically enough, another local artist, Benzino, lays claim to the song, "Throw Them 3's." It was Benzino bodyguard Trevor Watson who was convicted of stabbing Pierce in 2000.
* Karl Malone… you knocked up a 13 year old back in the day? Whoo-eee, Louisiana rolls dirty. The resulting child is Demetrius Bell, a draft pick of the Buffalo Bills. Even at age 20 and in college… that's some ill sh*t.
* Speaking of drafts, here is an early peek at what the New York Jets will look like next year as the offensive line spending spree is designed to afford the skill position players more opportunities.
* As a fantasy owner, Yovani Gallardo-NOOOOOO! Not the ACL!
"Gallardo is probably out for the season, meaning you can drop him in all seasonal leagues. No chance he comes back and is effective this year after that type of injury, especially when you consider that he will likely have two surgeries — one on each knee — within the course of two months."
* Dwyane Wade gets roasted for hanging out with Star Jones.
"Are y'all close friends?" [TNT's Kenny] Smith asked.
"We're good friends," Wade responded.
"Are you the kind of friends that drink out of one cup with two straws?" Smith persisted.
Even if Wade is doing some dirt behind his wife's back… I think he can get someone less cougar-esque.
* Eli Holman – way to counteract talk that you're a headcase (or "volatile" or "emotional" or any of those other euphemisms for "we don't know wtf he might do") with a temper tantrum as you announce your transfer from the Indiana basketball program. I smell junior college for you.


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Well, it wouldn't be NedFest without a little rain and a lotta Vince Herman. As the first hopeful few sauntered on to the grounds last Friday, we dared the sky to open up wider and keep pouring down on us. It hadn't stopped us Nedestrians before (we're no fair-weather fans) and it certainly was not going to now that Whitewater Ramble, leaving tradition behind, plugged in and opened up the weekend with some lively tunes.
Famed slide guitar player Sally Van Meter and Nederland's best performing guitarist Jon Ridnell, more commonly known as Blackdog, have teamed up with the amazing bassist Kerwin Brown and drummer Dean Oldencott lately for some great music as RIDNELL VAN METER, and we're looking forward to what they have in store for us this year on Sunday at
It's surprising that Tea Leaf Green hasn't ever been to NedFest, since they would have fit well with so many of our artists over the years. So we are very pleased to finally get this mainstay of the jamband world up to a new venue in a state that they dearly love. For this band, the word "jamband" only describes the way they play, not what they play.
We are excited to announce that some of the founding fathers of funk will be coming to Nederland for NedFest's Saturday headliner! George Porter, Jr. has been our guest a few times, but this year he will return with his buddies Art Neville, Brian Stoltz, and Russel Batiste, the funky Meters.
Art and George: Playing together for 48 Years
As I arrived at the festival grounds Sunday, August 26th, I regrettably walked in right as Grant Farm was playing their closing chords. I heard their forward-flowing jamgrass sound from the walk down. This Nederland and Front-Range mainstay band led by National Flatpicking Champion Tyler Grant is one of the hottest local bluegrass acts to catch.
Saturday saw some true veteran acts of NedFest returning for the 14th year. San Francisco jam-band New Monsoon returned to Colorado after an extended hiatus from national touring (people get married, have kids, you know?) I used to see New Monsoon a few times a year in Colorado back in the mid 2000s.
Us Coloradoans are blessed with the summer opportunity to attend so many wonderful destination music festivals. From Telluride to Lyons, from Aspen to Nederland, the amount of music and fun available is really endless. Anybody considering moving from their ordinary neck-of-the-woods to Colorado could assure himself or herself that the music scene out here is at a peak in the summer months. I have two summer favorites that I never miss.

subset: commoncrawl


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SPOKANE – Washington State athletic director Bill Moos, who has long maintained that he makes decisions about hiring and firing coaches only at the end of the season, said Monday his policy applies to embattled basketball coach Ken Bone.
Asked point-blank if he has decided if Bone will be retained or let go after this season, Moos said, "No."
He added, "At the end of the day, I'm the one responsible for making those decisions, and it's never easy."
Asked if money alone will impact his decision on Bone's future, Moos said, "No."
Bone is owed $2.55 million — $850,000 per season — on the three remaining years of the seven-year contract he signed with former Cougars athletic director Jim Sterk in 2009.
Bone has drawn criticism from fans this season in particular. He has yet to post a losing record at WSU and has guided the Cougars to postseason tournaments two consecutive years — although he's never taken them to the NCAA tournament — but his current team's record is 11-13.
Washington State is tied for last in the Pacific-12 Conference at 2-9. Attendance and general fan enthusiasm have been modest.
Greg Rankich, a WSU alum who made the largest donation in Cougars sports history ($3 million) to help fund last year's upgrades to the Martin Stadium football facility, regularly criticizes Bone on Twitter. His messages often end with #FireBone.
Moos said he was unaware of Rankich's Twitter messages.
"I don't let those things sway me too much," Moos said with a laugh.
Bone, a highly successful coach at Seattle Pacific and Portland State before WSU, owns a 68-59 record in four years with the Cougars. His conference record is 24-41, peaking with a 9-9 mark and sixth-place finish in the 2010-11 season.
WSU's current four-game skid is the longest active losing streak in the league.
"I wish we had more wins," Moos said. "I wish we had a true point guard."
Senior point guard Reggie Moore, a three-year starter, was kicked off the team prior to the season for violation of unspecified team rules. Natural shooting guards Michael Ladd and Royce Woolridge, who had little point guard experience, have split time at the point.
Moore was one of three WSU basketball starters cited by police for marijuana possession during the 2010-11 season, when the Cougars played in the NIT Final Four. Moos wouldn't say specifically why Moore left the team.
"I'm not going to say it," Moos said. "He violated our rules and policies. He knew what they were."
Ikenna Iroegbu, a point guard at nationally respected prep power Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., has signed a letter of intent with the Cougars for next season. Demarquise "Que" Johnson, a highly touted wing player, is being counted on for next season after being ruled academically ineligible this season by the NCAA.
"He's got some pretty good players coming in," Moos said of Bone.
The Cougars have seven conference games remaining, so they will again fail to post a winning league record. WSU's only winning conference records in the past 18 seasons came in 2006-07 (13-5) and 2007-08 (11-7) under the man Bone replaced, Tony Bennett, who left for Virginia after the 2008-09 season.
NOT MANY WinS AT WSU
A look at Ken Bone's coaching record at Washington State:
2010-1122-139-9NIT semifinals
2011-1219-187-11CBI finals
2012-1311-132-9To be determined


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Parishioners were promised that they would be back home for Christmas and contractors working on a major renovation at Saint Patrick Church kept that promise.Saturday's 5:00 PM mass was the first to be celebrated in the restored sanctuary. Every pew was filled.
The church had been closed since August for the $1.4 million dollar project. Workers restored marble and golf leaf, completed extensive plaster work and painting and installed new pews, lighting, carpet and air conditioning.
Msgr. Henry Kriegel has overseen other renovation projects but says raising the money for the project was not difficult, because parishioners love Saint Patrick Church. Sunday morning mass is set for 10:30 AM. Christmas Eve services are scheduled at 5:00 and 9:00 PM. Christmas Day mass is set for 10:30 AM.


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I saw that Philthyanimal had an idea for a blogroll/website list jd where everyone lists their favorite "guilty pleasure" websites or most visited websites. I'm kinda boring as far as that stuff goes. When I get to work I usually check e-mail, then rottentomatoes.com, then rogerebert.suntimes.com, then oregonlive, then my fantasy baseball team, then espn.com, then on to blazersedge. and throughout the day I'll go to some flash game sites, maybe newyorker.com and theatlantic.com also.
Time to give EvilKaramazov a break from JD duty.
Floyd Landis is a dirty rat snitch.
I like this song. It's on a commercial right now and when it comes on I watch the whole commercial.
Carrying on from the discussion of western movies a few days ago, does Kill Bill (vol 1 and 2 as one movie) count? I think it does and it makes my top 5 favorite westerns.


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He's cute. He's happy. He's Skippy Dimpledot the Christmas elf.And now, Lufkin's favorite elf is home for the holidays.
Mother and daughter Margie and Claire Brody created the book series "Skippy Dimpledot the Christmas Elf" eight years ago when claire made a wish to Santa to have her very own elf."She came home and wanted an elf and an elf magically appeared and she asked him his name and it was Skippy Dimpledot," Margie Brody said.The Brodys wrote the book when Claire was only in fifth grade, sharing the story of a little girl named Annie and her magical elf Skippy. Since then, the duo travels nationwide to share Skippy's story with children of all ages."Skippy has become a tradition in our family and comes back and stays with us after Thanksgiving until Christmas," Margie Brody said.On Tuesday, Margie visited Central Elementary to read her book to kindergartners and first graders."I think my favorite part about coming to read is to see the children, is to see their reaction," she said. "It's just a magical time, a magical experience."Margie likes to remind children that Skippy will return to the North Pole soon. But she encourages kids to write him letters while he is away."I love hearing the stories from parents about the experiences their children have," Margie Brody said. "We have stories about elves that children have written to, about fun things, about things on their Christmas list."No matter how old the kids get, Margie says Skippy will always hold a special place in their heart.
Copyright 2012 KTRE. All rights reserved.MICHELLE REED, EAST TEXAS NEW
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Pollok TX 75969
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Pymatuning Lake Tour
There are many exciting places to visit at Pymatuning Lake, the place "where the ducks walk on the fish."
Starting at the Andover Square go East on Rt 85. Go through the red light and about 100 feet on the left you will find an entrance to:
At the Causeway, swimming, bathhouse, picnic area and playground.
Continue driving down Rt 85 and you will find yourself on the:
There is a boat livery, natural beaches, camping, picnic areas, and water depths up to 28 feet.
While on the causeway Rt 85 will turn into Rt 285 when entering Pennsylvania. Continue along Rt. 285 until you come to a yellow blinking light. (If you find yourself at a stop light you have gone about a mile to far.) This will be Church Road. Turn right and travel down Church Road until it comes to a stop sign. At the stop sign turn right onto Hartstown Road. Continue traveling North on Hartstown Rd. As you cross the Pymatuning Reservoir, before entering Linesville, you will find:
This is "Where the ducks walk on the fish." Thousands of carp gather here every year to be fed by on looking tourists. There is a concession stand where you may purchase bread to feed the fish and the water fowl. This is a you must see it to believe it sight.
Approximately 1/2 a mile from the Spillway on the left is:
The grounds are open to the public sunrise to sunset year round. There is a two story aquarium showcasing fish from the area.
The center of the Pennsylvania Game Commission activities. There is a water fowl museum; trees, shrubs, vines on the ground, animals and birds; free parking and picnic areas. Bald eagles nest in the area and there are stationary binoculars that may be used to view these beautiful birds.
From here turn around and head back to Rt 285. Turn right onto Rt 285. Approximately 2 miles down after the stop light you will find the:
Geese and ducks in their natural habitat. Nesting is in the spring and resting is in the fall.
From there go back head West on Rt 285. Turn right onto Church Rd at the yellow blinking light. Church road will turn into East Lake Road. Continue heading south on East Lake Rd. You will come to Dam Road on the left. If you pass Walnut Creek Golf course then you have just passed Dam Road. Dam road will take you across the Pymatuning Dam into the Pymatuning State Park.
Department of Forest and Waters Administration building, camping, beach, boating, picnic areas and playgrounds.
To head back to Andover head out of the park and turn right onto Rt 322. You may either:
Turn right onto Pymatuning Lake Road approximately 1 mile after reentering Ohio. This will take you along the west side of the lake. Continue north on Pymatuning Lake Road until you come to a red light. At the red light turn left onto Rt 85 and continue west until you have reached Andover.
Continue down Rt 322 until the first red light. Turn right onto Rt 7 and head north until you reach the Andover Square.
Spillway Concession
Where the ducks walk on the fish.
Huntington National Bank
Full Service banking institution.
J & D Electronics
Sell & install DirecTV, TV's, DVD players and other small electronics, Verizon cell phones, computer accessories, etc. UPS Shipping - Dry Cleaning drop-off - Bill Pay Service.
Country Neighbor Program, Inc.
Human service organization providing home delivered meals, served onsite meals, transportation, home health aides/homemaker, prescription assistance, emergency assistance (food, clothing, shelter). Service area southern Ashtabula and northern Trumbull counties.
Twigs and Crows
We have home decorating items including pictures, furniture, curtains, rugs, etc.
Huntington National Bank
All Consumer and Business Products including loans, insurances, and investments.


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SIMSBURY, CT. — The Champlain Valley Elite Junior A Developmental Team dropped a 5-2 decision to the host Northern Connecticut Wings Premiere in Sunday's championship game in the Hartford Junior A Hockey Tournament.
"The Wings Premiere is the equivalent to our Junior A team," said Elite general manager/head coach Justin Frechette. "I'm proud of our team — the score was not indicative of the type of game it was.
"They're an older team and have a few more guns than we do. We ran out of gas."
It started out well for the Elite A Developmental Team when Landon Lavictoire scored 10 minutes into the contest, with the assist on the play going to Kevin O'Connell.
"We got off to a good start and it was a 1-1 game after the first period and a 2-1 game in their favor after the second period," Frechette said.
"But, we didn't finish on some chances we had and they scored five unanswered goals, with three of them coming in the third period. We had trouble staying with them in the third."
Eddie Slade tallied the second goal for the Elite, with Justin Houle assisting.
Patrick Bilan was in net for Champlain Valley.
"Bilan played very well and had three or four good saves early on for us," Frechette said.
The Elite finished the tournament with a 2-1-1 record.
"I never like to see us lose, but it was a long weekend and we learned a lot," Frechette said. "We showed growth.
"The Wings will be coming to our tournament, the Warren Tire Shootout, on July 18-20, and we'll get another shot at playing them."


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News: Roscoe Dash Stands By Yung Berg, "People Let The Little Things Destory Their Perception Of Somebody"
Monday, Oct 11, 2010 6:00PM
Rap newcomer Roscoe Dash has come to the defense of rapper Yung Berg in light of his recent media woes after getting one of his chains stolen earlier this month.
Roscoe said Berg's issues outside of music have not had an effect on his ability to make quality records.
"Yung Berg actually gave me one of the hottest songs I've [ever] recorded. It's called "Put It On You" and it's with Berg and Dawn from Dirty Money. I'm gonna put it on my next album, it's that next level Roscoe Dash. When asked if he felt any skepticism about working with the fail-frequent rapper, Dash showed no doubt. "If somebody makes good music, they make good music. Even if you don't like Yung Berg, you can't deny good music. All that other stuff is nonsense, man. People let the littlest things destroy their perception of somebody and that's not me." (VIBE)
Berg also recently defended his rap image and said losing materialistic items was irrelevant to his career.
"Nothing has been taken from me that has any real value to me. Unless they take my vocal chords, my ability to make a beat, or hum a melody than I feel like I haven't lost anything. Anything that's materialistic I can get back...I don't even want to talk about that because this shall pass, too. My music is what is going to stick around, and I don't want anything to take the focus off that. As far as anything else, I'm just not going to talk about it because people are going to believe whatever they want. I don't get into the WWF side of things. I'm trying to be like Smokey Robinson with a catalog of hit records. I can't be worried about what goes on Internet sites. That doesn't generate any money for me." (VIBE)
Last week, robber/rapper Rowdy-T taunted Berg over taking his chain.
"I heard your little interview on the station today, which was ridiculous. You said that this chain was going to be given to a 10-year-old for charity case, that's the only reason you're pissed off about it. Come on now, come on," Rowdy-T calmly stated. "You got stuck. You're going to give this to a 10-year-old boy for what, so he can get robbed and stuck up everyday like you? I know you been on the phone, I know you told the FBI. They contact my people and start harassing people. That's not how gangsters do business, tell the truth man. Stop being on the b**ch a** level and come see me." (All Hip Hop)
Last year, Berg made headlines after being assaulted on-camera.
Poor Yung Berg can't win for losing. In the video underneath the hood, a heated discussion and small fade is caught, but when Yung Turd attempts to flee into a store to get away...a white boy catches fade with the back of his head. (Bossip)
Yung Berg also had one of his former chains worn by rapper Soulja Boy Tell Em and he made headlines after being publicly slapped by New York rapper Maino in 2008.
Check out some recent Yung Berg footage below:


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About the year 713 stone workers began to carve the image of Maitreya Buddha out of a cliff face in Sichuan, western China. The work was finished 90 years later, in 803.
The giant buddha sits at the confluence of three rivers -- the Dadu, Qingyi and Minjiang. According to legend, a monk named Hai Tong decided to erect a buddha to placate water spirits that were causing boat accidents. Hai Tong begged for 20 years to raise the money to carve the Buddha.
The great Buddha's shoulders are about 92 feet (28 meters) wide. His fingers are 11 feet (3 meters) long. The large ears are carved wood. A system of drains within the figure has helped preserve the Buddha from water erosion though the centuries. Even so, the figure is currently under renovation.
Maitreya Buddha is named in the Pali Canon as the Buddha to come in the future. Maitreya is the embodiment of all-encompassing love. He often is depicted seated, with his feet planted on the ground in readiness to rise from his seat and appear in the world.


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|Home | Software downloads | Submit | Drivers | Codecs | Linux | Scripts |
LifeLog is powerful tool to help you keep a detail
LifeLog is powerful tool to help you keep a detailed time log. It can dramatically increase your personal effectiveness by logging your daily activities and analyzing where time goes. Keeping a detailed time log is very practical way to increase your effectiveness and productivity. Peter Drucker said "written account of how you spend your days is essential to mastering your time". But only with pen and paper, keeping a time log is not easy job. LifeLog makes it simple to log and analyze your time. What Can I Do With LifeLog? * Keeping a detailed time log easily. * Categorize your time log. * Analyzing your results by daily/weekly/yearly or any duration you want. * Charting your results easily. * Tracking certain category. * Export daily log to excel/HTML/XML or plain text.
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For your own safety, we recommend that you always have an antivirus, with virus definitions up to date, installed on your computer when downloading and installing programs from the web.
Audio : Business : Desktop Management : Developer Tools : Drivers : Games : Graphics : Home & Education : Internet : Network Tools : Security : System Utilities : Video : Web Authoring


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A little historical work by Michigan Jim deserves promotion. -- Kurt
After Jim Leyland's comments over the weekend about a possible roster surprise there have been comments about how rare a Spring training trade is. I'll agree it doesn't happen often but there was a memorable trade at the end of Spring training in 1984,
The Tigers had a solid team anchored by the likes of Kirk Gibson, Alan Trammell, Lou Whitaker, Chet Lemon, Lance Parish, Jack Morris and Dan Petry. The missing component was a closer. Aurelio Lopez had done an adequate job in the bullpen saving 66 games after coming to Detroit, from the Cardinals, prior to the 1979 season. But Tiger Brass did not have faith in Lopez as a closer and all Winter there had been talk of trading for that missing piece.
On March 24 Bill Lajoie pulled of the trade that would help the Tigers start 35-5 and go wire to wire in first place. The Tigers sent fan favorite back up catcher John Wockenfuss and 1980 #1 draft pick, outfielder Glenn Wilson to the Phillies for a journeyman first baseman, Dave Bergman and a former Cubs pitcher Willie Hernandez.
I (and a slew of Tiger fans) thought it was a terrible trade. Wockenfusswas the charismatic and funny back up catcher witha flair for an occasional dramatic home run. Wilson had shown promise as an outfielder of the future and was the 1980 #1 draft pick. Coming to Detroit was a first baseman Dave Bergman who was on his 4th team in 7 years and he had never really experienced League success along with the centerpiece of the deal Willie Hernandez, the journeyman reliever that had spent 7 years with the Cubs and 1 in Philadelphia.
Wockenfuss played two years for the Phillies playing in 108 games before he retired after the 1985 season. Glenn Wilson had a solid baseball career, but he was only in Philly through 1980. The Tigers fared much better.
Dave Bergman was one of the 1984 heros's playing a defensively stellar first base and having one of the most memorable at bats of the season against Toronto. I forget how many pitches he fouled off before hitting the dtamatic home run but it was truly amazing to watch and for me was one of those highlights they will talk about whenever the 84 guys get together. Willie Hernandez was the relief pitcher version of Justin Verlnder in 1984 whenhe won both the Cy Young and the MVP awards. His appearances as closer after Aurelio Rodriguez had pitched the 8th inning were things of beauty and he ended up saving. He appeared in 80 games, finished 68 and saved 32. He wasn't perfect but he was damned close to perfection as a reliever.
Spring training trades are indeed rare but that March 24, 1984 trade with Philadelphia may have bee one of the top Tiger trades of all time. The 1984 season is now one for the ages and it would probably not have happened if Bill Lajoie hadn't decided to make a roster surprise 10 days before the season began.


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Archive 2012 · Coin Photography C&C, setup, options, ideas?
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p.1 #1
· Coin Photography C&C, setup, options, ideas?
Aside from photography, one of my hobbies is collecting coins and bank notes from Vietnam (along with Laos, Cambodia & French Indochina). I would like to start meshing these two hobbies! I would like to get a setup and procedure for getting good high quality photos for cataloging my collection.
For a few reasons, many will be getting slabbed and I would like to get the pictures before they are forever encased in a plastic holder, to help assist me in estimating coin grades of raw coins after seeing what they graded as (many of the older coins are very crudely/primitively struck and can grade higher than what people would expect who are used to US coinage for ex.), and to possibly use for a future website focused on Vietnam coinage information, varieties and high quality photos.
All photos below are shot in the same manor with the same setup. A 5DII with a 150mm f/2.8 Sigma Macro, (2) diffused 430 EXII flashes from the top and with a 4 sided white poster board box around the coin that is sitting on a matt black plastic background.
I think this works for some and not for others. The biggest problem coins will be the many newer proof coins that I have in my collection, coins with mirror like fields. This method just turns the backgrounds black and Im thinking that these coins might need to be shot on angles and/or with the lighting at an angle?
After using the flashing, Im thinking that maybe a source of continuous lighting will be better? Perhaps there are some table top setups that would work better for this kind of photography?
Im wondering what you think of the quick pictures that I did take already and ideas on what I could/should do? I would like to also come up with a setup and method that is easy to repeat and keep consistent, which I dont think I really have right now. Of course I will have to practice and play around some, this was just a quick first try. Im now out of town working for several weeks so Im going over the pictures and thinking about it.
Each coin was photographed twice, front & back, then combined in photoshop.
Setup with (2) OCF's, 5DII, Sigma 150mm Macro, Tubes
(3) Vietnam 1946 5 hao KM2.2 Coins - (6) Shots Combined
1943 5 Cent French Indochina Rotated Die
Vietnam 1946 1 Dong Aluminum
Sep 17, 2012 at 02:50 AM
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p.1 #2
· Coin Photography C&C, setup, options, ideas?
Vietnam 1953 10 Su
Vietnam 1988 Silver 100 Dong Dragon Ship
Vietnam 1986 Silver 100 Dong Soccer
Vietnam 1989 Silver 20 Dong PROOF mirror finish fields
Sep 17, 2012 at 02:54 AM
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p.1 #3
· Coin Photography C&C, setup, options, ideas?
Can't help with the setup but suspect there are a few guides on the net.
Can only say the shots look very good to me but perhaps with too many highlights though. Guessing lower flash angles would help with that.
Brian v.
Sep 17, 2012 at 06:45 AM
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p.1 #4
· Coin Photography C&C, setup, options, ideas?
These look good.
I agree that softer light with less highlights might help.
Sep 18, 2012 at 02:50 PM
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p.1 #5
· Coin Photography C&C, setup, options, ideas?
Hi -
I tried a new penny - No luck - Seemed to have bad refledtions - Changed both camera and light locations - Didn't help - I think that you are doing very well -
Sep 20, 2012 at 11:24 AM
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p.1 #6
· Coin Photography C&C, setup, options, ideas?
Just a thought and maybe someone will have input on it. Do you think it's possible that a polarizing filter could be of any benefit in reducing highlights and glare from coins? Of course I have polarizing filters but for my Canon L's, not that would fit the Sigma 150mm Macro...
Sep 21, 2012 at 03:44 PM
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p.1 #7
· Coin Photography C&C, setup, options, ideas?
Maybe it is useful;
Sep 21, 2012 at 03:51 PM
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p.1 #8
· Coin Photography C&C, setup, options, ideas?
LordV wrote
Can't help with the setup but suspect there are a few guides on the net.
Can only say the shots look very good to me but perhaps with too many highlights though. Guessing lower flash angles would help with that.
Brian v.
Have you tried cutting holes in the sides of the box to allow the flash to bounce from a lower angle? That said, I think these look pretty darn good, but I think Brian's point about lower angles is pretty a pretty good one. One the tricks in shooting paintings is to fire the flashes from the sides to allow the texture in the paint to create natural shows, which in turn, crates depth. Just a thought....
As far the coins go, what a marvelous collection!
Sep 21, 2012 at 03:54 PM
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p.1 #9
· Coin Photography C&C, setup, options, ideas?
Not a coin collecter, but I shot a collection before selling it for a family member. I used a copy stand that had lights on either side that allowed a lower angle (45 degrees or closer to the table top). As Greg said, lower the angle of your light source. You shouldn't have to use a polarizer, but you always could if necessary.
I also took a large translucent Glad food container and cut a hole in the bottom of it and shot through it. The container acted as a diffuser, along with some white sheets of paper. I also used a gray cardboard to place the coin and slide it under the setup. The cardboard also was used for WB.
Edited on Sep 24, 2012 at 09:19 PM ·
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Sep 21, 2012 at 04:11 PM
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p.1 #10
· Coin Photography C&C, setup, options, ideas?
Sharks: Thank you! Even though I'm not shooting "Moist, soft bodied creatures", I think it may very well apply lol...and I'm going to read it now.
Greg: I agree, Brian's comments are useful and certainly something I will give a try. I'm also going to try continuous lighting, I have a feeling it may work out well and a setup that is more easily repeatable and constant. Part of my goal is to have a setup that is more consistent that what I used on this 'test' shoot. In the end, I want to be able to take pictures of new additions to my collection in a year from now that look like they were taken at the same exact time with the same equipment, not have it look like a mix and match of random shots.
As far as the collection, thanks! These are just the tip of the iceberg though!
I'm amassing quite the collection. compared to any US coins (that are obviously much more popular) these tend to be much more rare with mint runs as low as 110 and 500 but many many with only 1k-10k. As a comparison, the very famous 1909 S VBD Cent, that can be worth thousands, had nearly 500k minted! It's a hobby that I enjoy as much as photography and it's time to mix them! I just want to do it as best as possible, I've got the equipment, now I just need the knowledge and experience to go along with it. I'm planning to put together a website strictly related to the coinage (and notes/bills as I have several hundred of them also) of Vietnam mainly but also including Cambodia and Laos. Kind of a reference on these obscure and relatively rare coins with data and high quality photos.
Bernie, thanks for the input. I will certainly be testing out different ways to angle and diffuse the light. After the thought of using a polarizer popped into my head, I think I'm going to HAVE to play around with it even if not needed, I'm just too curious now lol.
Sep 21, 2012 at 07:05 PM
Nancy Asquith
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p.1 #11
· Coin Photography C&C, setup, options, ideas?
What you want is a light box or light tent kit. Although very much an amateur, I happen to have gotten one at a garage sale two days ago for $15. You can get something of the sort on Amazon for $37 [look up CowboyStudio Table Top Photo Studio Light Tent Kit in a Box - 1 Tent, 2 Light Set, 1 Stand, 1 Case by CowboyStudio]. Also check B&H and Adorama for options.
If you don't want to spend the $ just google using a lightbox and copy the setup.
Sep 24, 2012 at 07:49 PM
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p.1 #12
· Coin Photography C&C, setup, options, ideas?
Wondering if cutting holes in the side of the box shooting the flashes through there and covering the top with a white piece of cardboard with a hole for the lens would work. Nice coins!
Sep 25, 2012 at 11:08 PM
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p.1 #13
· Coin Photography C&C, setup, options, ideas?
Thanks to the last two for the input. Ambient, that is definitely something going to give a shot, to get the flash angle lower. I'm also going to play around with continuous lighting to see if it's a setup that I can make more consistent and controllable.
Nancy, I have been looking into setup like that also. My one issue with most of these set ups is, I want a solid black background which makes it a little more difficult with those. It's easiest to shoot straight down with a black background but that is not something that would be easy to do with most table top setups that I have seen...though I plan to research them some more.
Sep 26, 2012 at 01:48 AM
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p.1 #14
· Coin Photography C&C, setup, options, ideas?
Heres one I took that just sold on ebay. Nothing special, just my 105 Macro lens.
Sep 28, 2012 at 07:29 PM
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p.1 #15
· Coin Photography C&C, setup, options, ideas?
ambrola wrote
Heres one I took that just sold on ebay. Nothing special, just my 105 Macro lens.
Whoa, you're just showing off now lol. I'm more impressed with the coin than the picture though! The pictures not bad, certainly shows great detail but I'm looking for a little more of an artistic element to the pictures, if that makes sense. I think a big part of that is the lighting and boarders, I need more even lighting I think.
The coin is awesome though, the famous 1955 DDO. Is that a PCGS holder? and what did it grade, 63? That should be good for $3k all day long.
Sep 29, 2012 at 01:35 PM
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p.1 #16
· Coin Photography C&C, setup, options, ideas?
I had a thought of trying to make a background that will make my pictures standout a little more and be recognizable. I thought about trying to make them appear a little more 3 dimensional and as if the coin is floating in the air even thought they are photographed laying down flat. I am by no means a Photoshop expert or artist and felt like I was fumbling around a bit to make these but would like to know what you think about these?
I realize that this is not a Photoshop forum and you are most likely not graphic artists lol but I'm not sure where to even get input on this aspect of it? Perhaps I should join a Photoshop forum and get suggestions? Anyway, what do you think about these and do you have any input/suggestions? I think I like the red better and it would probably go better with 'Vietnam' since that is basically 'their' color...
1953 Vietnam 10 Su
1988 Vietnam 100 Dong Dragon Ship
Sep 30, 2012 at 01:21 AM
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Select Route:
High above Moraine lake sits Mt. Fay. Looking southwest of the lake, the alpine ice routes running down the north face just begged to be climbed. There are routes going up every side of the mountain, from classic north face grade III ice climbs to the technical Sans Blitz (V 5.5 WI 7).
Getting There
From the parking lot east of the lake, take the tourist trail to the back of the lake and follow the climbers trail to either the Perren route or the Shiessler Ledge route to the Neil Colgan hut if spending the night or do as the locals say, Fay in a Day!
Climbing Season
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The Classics
Browse More Classics in Mount Fay
Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Mount Fay:
Centre Ice Bulge Direct WI3 Ice, Alpine, 5 pitches, 1000'
Featured Route For Mount Fay
Centre Ice Bulge Direct WI3 North America : Canada : ... : Mount Fay
The second biggest strip of ice from the east (left) side of the mountain. Cross the 'shrund at the place of most convenience for you and start climbing this calf burner. The ice starts out at a low angle and ramps up the higher you climb, up to about 60/70 degrees depending on which line you take. There may be a cornice on the top, and definitely watch for rocks falling down along the sides of the route. When I did the route we simulclimbed all but the last vertical section, which definite...[more] Browse More Classics in International
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Went outside my comfort zone and tried a new food
Lost 30 lbs with Weight Watchers!
Supported equal rights for everyone
Passed my comprehensive licensing exam for my master's in counseling
Chopped 6 inches off of my hair
Moved away from our family, but closer to our jobs
Turned 26!
Started the dream job (ok, internship).
I was brave, I was proud, I was challenged, and I am so ready to take on 2014.


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Welcome to Advice From Brides Who've Been There, in which we share wedding-planning lessons from wedding gurus who have walked a mile (or, um, an aisle) in your shoes—and lived to tell about it.
Our first pro: Jenny Campbell, the inspired eye (and newlywed!) behind the always gorgeous Green Wedding Shoes. Jenny and Jason were married September 5, 2008, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, at the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center. Below, a few pics from their big day, along with her words of wisdom.
"Enjoy being engaged. Don't even think about the wedding for the first two months, just enjoy the excitement."
"Pick two or three things that are really important to you and spend the bulk of your budget on those; for us it was photography, venue, and food. The rest will fall into place."
"Your wedding day goes so fast! My favorite part of the day (besides walking down the aisle!) was the time my husband and I spent doing portraits around the venue before the ceremony. It was really the only time we had alone the whole weekend, so it was super special—plus we got some great photos!"
Anyone have great advice from veteran brides? Do share!
More miscellaneous wedding stuff:
* I Do or I Don't: Theme Showers
* Do You Care What Color You Mom and Future Mother-in-Law Wear to Your Wedding?
* I Love This: Super-Pretty DIY Centerpiece!
More Ways to Get Glamour
You could win $50,000 just for registering or logging in to Glamour.com!
Sign up for Glamour.com's Style Tips of the Week and Beauty Tip of the Day newsletters!
Add Glamour to your iGoogle homepage.
Follow Glamour on Twitter.


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The man found dead was Kelsey Fowler of Rockford. An autopsy was performed on Monday, but results were inconclusive. The Winnebago County Coroner's Office is awaiting toxicology results.
Rockford Police are currently investigating the death of a 23-year-old man. Shortly after 8:00 AM Saturday morning, Rockford Police and Fire responded to the alley that runs west from the 2400 block of Edgemont.
When they got to the scene, the body of a white male was located. The name is not being released at this time, or any further details on the man's death.
Anyone with information should contact Rockford Police at (815) 987-5824 or CrimeStoppers at (815) 963-7867.
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2014 WorldNow and WREX. All Rights Reserved.
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Persons with disabilities who need assistance with issues relating to the content of this station's public inspection file should contact Administrative Assistant Trista Truesdale at (815) 335-7856. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, at 888-835-5322 (TTY) or at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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While watching the disaster of a main event at this past Friday's card on FX, I couldn't decide which was worse.....Clay Guida's performance, or Kenny Florian's commentary of his performance. I've always tried giving Kenny the benefit of the doubt as a commentator, considering he's competed at the highest level of the sport.....but even I couldn't ignore the his assessment of Guida's performance, which in hindsight made Carlos Condit look like an actual, natural born killer.
Like most sports that are televised, the commentary includes both a play-by-play commentator, along with a color commentator. For my money, I'd prefer that the color commentator not take an "agnostic" or "middle-of-the-road" approach. That's why we have guys like Goldie, Anik and Mauro. Considering the color commentators are typically ex-fighters (or comedians), I'd like to see a little more authenticity to their commentary. I realize this can draw as much criticism as it does praise, but considering they are either fighters or ex-fighters, it would be interesting to know what they are truly thinking as a fight unfolds.


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Simple Curves Tool & Patterns
Squedge Tools & Patterns
Ten Degree Tools & Books
Cut A Round Tools, Patterns & Books
Jewel Box Tools & Patterns
Other Books & Patterns
Gifts for Quilters
Serendipity Fabric
My Favorite Notions
The Rest of the Story
All Products
3-D Mariner's Compass
Attic Window
Bargello Color Wheel
Bronze Mosaic Pattern
Butterfly in the Round with 12 degree wedge
Calliope Pattern
Celestial Circles
Circle A Round
Drunkard's Path Stepping Beyond
Jewel Box Gem Thirty
Jewel Box Gems Five & Ten
Jewel Box Junior
Large Cut A Round 18" - 30"
New York Beauty
Quilts Without Corners Platinum Edition
Rings That Bind
Ruby Ring Pattern
Simple Bands Pattern
Spicy Spiral Table Runner
Squedge 15
Squedge 18
Squedge 22.5
Standard Cut A Round Tool 6" - 17"
Stargello Pattern
Ten Degree Extension Squared
Ten Degree Mini
Ten Degree Wedge Extension
Ten Degree Wedge Tool
Stellar Medallion Pattern
Bending The Line
Now available at Phillips Fiber Art!! Here are some samples of how we've used this wonderful fabric line!
The Ten Degree, Eagle, Phoenix and Quilts Without Corners Platinum!
Download the free Simple Garden Pattern here!!
Learn more about Phillips Fiber Art and our products
Your Bunny is hiding with the Squedge's newest book!
ORDERING INFORMATION1. When ordering, if you do not get a confirmation email, your order is not complete. All order confirmation emails will state a maximum $7.00 shipping fee USA only. For orders, such as single patterns the postage will be adjusted WHEN it is processed.


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What is a home-printable ticket?
A home-printable ticket is a new way of accessing your ticket. This system allows you to print your concert tickets on an ordinary printer (in A4 format, black or colour) at home, at the office, or elsewhere.
What's the difference between paper tickets for concerts and a home-printable ticket ?
The two types of ticket give you the same right of admission and contain the same information about the concert.
With a home-printable ticket, you can now print your Fes festival concert tickets at home, get them instantly with no risk of loss. It's a new service we're proposing for you.
When should I print my tickets ?
The home-printable ticket can be printed as soon as you have completed your purchase on the website, or later by going to 'my booking'. All you have to do is type in your booking code and your email address.
How does the home-printable ticket work?
Our home-printable tickets bear a unique bar-code and number. Validity of tickets is controlled and registered when you visit the Ticket Kiosk. The location and hours of opening of the Ticket Kiosks can be found on the ticket. You should visit the Kiosk with proof of identity to collect your tickets or pass. Only the person or beneficiary mentioned on the home-printable tickets can collect tickets or passes. Photocopies, imitations or forgeries are not accepted.
What are the advantages of a home-printable ticket ?
You can buy your tickets at home and obtain your concert tickets for the Fes Festival immediately, without having to wait to receive them by post. This is a new service we're offering you.
Delivery of tickets is guaranteed; loss is impossible.
You can access your tickets at any time, any day, anywhwere; all you need is access to the Internet and a printer.
You only have to print out one document which lists all the tickets or passes you've bought. You can also nominate a beneficiary so you can buy tickets for people who will attend an event without you.
What must I do if I lose my ticket ?
Your home-printable tickets are available all the time, right up to the date of the show, on the website where you bought the tickets.
To retrieve them :
Go to 'my booking'. Identify yourself by typing in your booking code and your email address. Click on the 'print' button. Your list of tickets can be downloaded in PDF format.
How do I ... ?
I'd like to give some tickets as a gift to a friend or child. How do I do that ?
When you purchase your home-printable tickets, we give you the option of either putting them in your name or in the name of a beneficiary, as you wish. This person can obtain their tickets by going to the Ticket Kiosk with their ID document.
Can I fold my home-printable tickets ?
Yes, treat your home-printable tickets as you would any other ticket. Keep them dry and clean. Do not fold your tickets across the bar-code. The bar-code and its numbers should remain legible.
What do I need when buying tickets ?
You must have a current email address and well as a credit card. Tickets must be printed on a laser or ink-jet printer.
Will the home-printable ticket option work with my browser ?
Our home-printable ticket service works with Windows 2000 and higher, as well as with Mac OS X. Compatible browsers include Internet Explorer 6 and higher, Firefox 1.5 and higher and Safari.
Your home-printable ticket is in PDF format. To read it, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader version 7.0 or higher.
Must I have a specific printer to print my ticket ?
You can print your home-printable ticket with a laser or ink-jet printer. Printing should be done at 100% in Portrait mode on a white sheet of A4 paper. You can use black or coloured ink.
Good quality printing is necessary. Tickets that are only partially printed, smudged, damaged or illegible will not be accepted and will be considered invalid. In case of problems or bad quality printing, please print your PDF file again.
To ensure good quality printing, make sure that the information found on the ticket as well as the bar-code and number are easily legible.
How does my ticket work at the concert ?
Present your home-printable ticket and a piece of identity at the Ticket Kiosk and you will be given your concert tickets. It's impossible to use your home-printable ticket more than once. You are responsible for your tickets - keep them in a safe place.
Is there a special Ticket Kiosk ?
Yes, our Internet Ticket Kiosks can be found at Bab al Makina and at the Batha Museum. These two kiosks are in the medina at the concert venues. Opening hours are as follows :
From June 3thto 12th : from 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm
(Closed June the 11th, 12th and 13th june 2012)
From June 9th to 12th: from 2:00 pm to
5:00 pm
June 14th and 16th: from 2:00 pm to 9:00 pm
What would happen if I photocopied my home-printable ticket and gave it to someone else ?
Only the person whose name appears on the home-printable ticket (the purchaser or a beneficiary) can collect the tickets or pass. Therefore you are responsible for your tickets and should keep them in a safe place.
Can I reproduce my home-printable ticket or buy one on the black market ?
Reproduction of a home-printable ticket is not allowed and brings no advantage. Only the person presenting the home-printable ticket corresponding to the ticket order can collect tickets or passes. The purchaser and/or a beneficiary are the only legitimate bearers of a home-printable ticket. This is why tickets should not be reproduced, duplicated or counterfeited in any way, or used in any other way. Keep your tickets in a safe place. Only use the official channels to buy your tickets - the festival website or authorised agency. Never accept a ticket from someone else you don't know.
Can the ticket purchaser be denied access to a concert ?
The organisers can refuse entry to a concert when multiple printings, reproductions, copies or imitations of a home-printable ticket are in circulation and when access to a concert has already been given to the holder of a counterfeit ticket using another identity. The organiser is not in any way obliged to verify the identity of the person presenting a home-printable ticket in order to verify that this person is indeed the purchaser of the tickets, nor to verify the authenticity of a home-printable ticket where the imitation or copy cannot be identified indutiably at the Ticket Kiosk. If the holder of a home-printable ticket is turned away for this reason from the concert venue, he has no right to a refund of the ticket price. The purchaser of the home-printable ticket is responsible for the utilisation of his tickets.
How do access my home-printable ticket ?
Your home-printable ticket is always available on the website www.fesfestival.com, right up to the date of the event.
To access it :
Go to 'my booking'. Identify yourself with your booking code and your email address. Click on 'print'. Your list of bookings will be downloaded in PDF form.
My home-printable ticket is damaged, has smudges or isn't legible due to lack of ink. What should I do?
Adjust your printer settings. If there is no improvement, print your tickets on another printer. You can access your tickets on any computer that has an Internet connection. It is important that the bar-code is complete and fully legible.
What must I watch out for when printing my ticket ?
It's essential that the bar-codes are complete and fully legible (no smudges), and that the name of the purchaser or the beneficiary (if applicable) must be complete and fully legible (no smudges). Print the home-printable ticket in Portrait mode, selecting the highest quality printing (in Print Set-Up). You can print your ticket in colour or in black ink. The ticket must be printed at 100% on a sheet of white A4 paper. It cannot be presented in any other way (electronically, on-screen etc).
Should I print my home-printable ticket in black or coloured ink ?
Whatever you wish. However, printing with black ink is often better and is more economical.
When I want to print my tickets, I just get a blank window. Is there an error ?
Try printing out a test page. If a blank window or an error message appears, Acrobat Reader has not been installed or is incorrectly installed. Download Acrobat Reader or manually open the Acrobat Reader programme and then close it. Try printing your ticket again. The latest version of Acrobat Reader can be downloaded and installed free of charge.
I've damaged my ticket. What can I do ?
Don't worry! Your home-printable ticket is always available on the website www.fesfestival.com, right up to the date of the concert. Destroy your damaged ticket, and reprint as follows :
Go to 'my booking'. Identify yourself with your booking code and your email address. Click on 'print'. Your list of bookings will be downloaded in PDF form.
How must I handle my ticket ?
Treat your ticket as you would any ordinary ticket. Keep it clean and dry. Make sure the bar-code is legible.
Generally speaking, tickets cannot be returned or exchanged.


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Nike Air Trainer SC High Black/Pine Green
The Air Trainer SC High releases haven't been the same since the late 90′s/early 2000′s, but Nike made a lot of people happy last year by bringing back the Auburn Air Trainer SC High. Nike will release more Air Trainer SC's this year, and the black/pine green colorway is starting to arrive at Nike accounts. The black/pine green Trainer SC Hi will be sitting on sale racks soon, but you can get them now for $105. ATL heads can find them at Athlete's Foot.
About the Author (Author Profile)Lord G-Roc from the Great South. Twitter/IG: @GRocSmith
Comments (18)
G-Roc – you coppin? I am not feeling this CW but this is your ish
Theese are hot!!! I want to get my hands on these and as many colorways as possible. Good looking out TSG!!!
these aint it Homie!!
Why u say they are gonna be on sale racks soon g roc? I like the colorway bt Idk If I should buy them now or wait for the price to go down. Wt u think I should do?
These r just saying SALES RACK
since I don't have this colorway….considered COP'D….as an SC head, this is gonna be an AWESOME year…
I agree with G-Roc!! Whats up with the patent leather?!?! That is not what's up!! They really don't care. They are trying to do too much with a classic. If it aint broke don't fix it. I got the Auburn Colorway and the Beet Red ones, but these can stay where they at. I was just praising Nike for being on they job. this shoe=#epicfail
G-Roc, you hit the nail on the head, "It's like they don't even care anymore."
G Roc they dont care in a sense the materials have been off i admit they brought back alot for him in quantity i still wish they would bring back the SC Trainer 2s i think they were i might be wrong
Lovin SCs but this colorway is meh. Ill just get the Bo 2010s and call it a week. Picked up two pairs of auburns from the nike outlet tho
Anyone got any possible news / info on the SC trainer being released in the stealth/royal colorway that came out a few years ago? I NEED these in my life bad.
I don't like these as much as the ones I copped. A local chain store by me has the auburn ones, and the Raiders colorway. I may see if they have my size left one of these days before they take em off the shelves.
Yeah these are going to be sitting hard on the shelves. I will cop for the super low later. But that 105 is going on other things.
I just got some Raiders retro SC's with the swoosh on the back…..materials WERE better back then, but it makes no sense in crying about it now….given the choice between 30 pairs releasing that may look good, or ZERO pairs being made at all, I'll take the former. These, I like, so I'll grab em.
ehhh pass


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Here we are with an election year chugging along and billions being spent while ,for you and me there's an economy that one day we are told is recovering and the next is either stagnant or sluggish again. Both sides say their ideas to help pull us out of the economic hole are sound and strong. Each claims to have different ideas – the right ideas - about what to do regarding what comes after Election Day. But what about either a liberal or conservative strategy, if they would implement policies that in action were really that divergent, would put us back on track? Have we seen real differences?
The party that doesn't have control of the White House currently claims to be the party that would radically move in another direction, or at least enough of a different direction so as to correct the course we're on using what they describe as sound principles adhered to by their party. The party currently in the White House says they have implemented the kind of policies that will pull us out of our rut, and that their policies simply require a matter of more time to correct the economic issues faced by our nation.
For the party wishing to get into the White House – this year's party of the plan B candidate – to convince us they have the right solutions for our nation's problems, some honesty would be nice. I mean if they know how to pull us out of our current problems, they need to explain better why they got us into them. It's been a little over three years since the current president took office and when he did he inherited an economy shopping cart racing out of control downhill fast. The problems came from the house of cards built by financial firms on Wall Street over the course of eight years and never acted upon.
Heck, in some ways there really was no way to act on them as enforcement agencies had been drastically reduced and cut back making oversight of the myriad daily transactions impossible. If a financial daisy cutter bomb was being constructed there was no one to sound the alarm before it could be launched or dropped. Financial institutions would collapse and then we, the shrinking middle income and ever poorer lower income Americans, would have to pick up the tab in the way of a bailout to get those institutions out of their predicament.
I mean if someone were to plan a way to rob the taxpayers and get away with it, simply taking away all the financial cops and removing the laws that kept the most risky investment practices in check, while keeping in place rules stating that no matter what, US taxpayers like you and me would bailout those institutions were they to fail, they couldn't have thought up a better way to do it. And guess what? That's exactly what happened. It worked and we paid – not them.
While we were stuck paying the tab, losing jobs, which we're still losing many of us having given up on even trying to find any jobs in record numbers, these guys made billions on risky investment practices until they failed, knowing they would then get billions more in fresh cash to cover their losses. Who held them accountable? Not Democrats, not Republicans. When a grass roots conservative movement complained, they were co-opted, diluted, marginalized and kicked to the curb like a once useful MacDonald's bag. When a grass roots progressive movement complained they were beaten with batons, tased, pepper sprayed, arrested, infiltrated, portrayed as filthy, smelly, know nothing hippies in the media and crushed that way. (http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1111/15/pmt.01.html)
With those billions from our pockets the Wall Street financial firms that pulled off the caper simply kept on doing what they had done and increased their wealth by billions. All the while the rest of us that never involved ourselves in those practices lost out. This was done not merely by manipulating existing laws but by lobbying to set up the chain of events that was to make this happen.
That manipulation and removal of security guards happened primarily on the watch of a Republican administration and Wall Street even got the credit ratings agencies to rate junk stocks key to the scheme with a AAA rating. The guys that downgraded our national rating were in on it too.
That all happened, including the initial stimulus known as TARP, on the watch of the party wishing to get into the White House this election – the plan B party. They really should level with us and tell us how exactly their policies won't ruin us again.
The current party came into office saying they were going to instill policies that would put people back to work including public works projects like FDR's Works Progress Administration that literally created jobs and helped push America through the great depression. That did not happen. Instead they gave out more money to financial institutions – the same ones that they decried while running for office in 2008 - and even appointed people that worked for some of the worst offending companies, during the time the financial house of cards was being built, to major positions in their administration. Where was all that hope? There were no real economic policy changes with regards to insider access. Why the lies?
They have gone around the nation talking up how well things have gone and even going so far as to imply Detroit's roaring back and rocketing back to a new golden age or something. The fact is Detroit's finances are so bad they just nearly missed bankruptcy – just – and are negotiating the details of an outside financial oversight committee to oversee their finances. The city faces a state mandated takeover if they can't get it straight. (http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2012/0405/Detroit-and-Michigan-come-to-term...)
They have stopped public services to certain sections of the city and are encouraging residents to move away from certain areas to amalgamate people into certain sections – those people that haven't just left altogether – to save money. It is teetering on the brink of emergency state takeover. Roaring back? Better than ever? Did somebody forget to check their daily news aggregator? Now those are people that could have used a Works Progress Administration. Instead, entire sections of the city are left to go fallow some sections have seemingly regressed from Industrial Revolution to almost pre-agrarian.
Where were those jobs programs? I don't even see much infrastructure construction happening in my state. Anyone else? I know there are huge online lists of financial institutions that got stimulus money, but Works Progress Administration type programs? Many out of work college grads could have used those. I'm sure many people in general across the nation would love to get on board with those. Why did all those people from all those corrupt financial institutions get appointed positions in the current administration after being so vilified?
The two parties really aren't that much different. In fact it was outgoing Bill Clinton that started the ball rolling with the legalization of derivatives trading, believed to have been responsible for most of the financial damage in 2008 as most of the money was believed to have gone towards covering those derivatives (or bets which is what they were). Those bets on the idea the house of cards would fall could not be covered. This was because so many insiders bet so much of the money they got from the scam with legitimate financial giants like AIG, that the taxpayers were forced to bailout financial institutions when the bets taken were higher than the cash on hand needed to pay them off.
His party is supposed to protect, defend and stand up for the middle class through more than just lip service, yet when union rights to collective bargaining were under attack across the nation he and his party on a national level were more silent than mice on Christmas night that had been fed cheese laced with tranquilizers.
Truth is, for whichever party gets in, and the current party is the establishment favorite, it will most likely do what the current administration did when it got in and just continue the policies of the last administration. On the campaign trail they will say what they think the people in front of them want them to say, sure. But, once elected they do what the people behind them have told them to do. Same thing new faces.
To get real change we need real changes to the system. The two party system has failed us and only by opting for some fresh new choices at the level of Congress will we begin to see accountability and real change. With two or three new parties in addition to the two we are currently stuck with, holding significant percentages to sway votes and upgrading our system, will we see real action and changes? We just need to do the one thing we can to make it happen. That will be, over the next twenty years or so, to begin electing people from other parties to Congress. Hope and change; those are things that definitely should happen. Real hope and change – not the kind dreamed up as a marketing scheme meant to be slapped on bottles of the same old cheap cologne, but merely sold as new fancier stuff.
To read about my inspiration for this article go to www.lawsuitagainstuconn.com.