text:
Many discussions have broken out around the Android Police e-offices about tablets and whether they're productive, valuable products. Some team members are of the opinion that they're really just expensive toys, good as a minor luxury but not really worth the high cost.
While not entirely unexpected, Verizon and Samsung have pulled a bit of a ninja act with the LTE Tab 10.1. We haven't heard a word about it lately, yet an official announcement has just landed in our inbox announcing it will go on sale in two days. The ubertablet will run from $530 for the 16GB model to $630 for the 32GB model, a $30 premium over the WiFi version. As an added bonus, Tab 10.1 purchasers will get a free $25 credit for the Samsung Media Hub.
I've been thinking about writing this editorial for some time now. And today, with the announcement of Panasonic's upcoming Toughbook Android tablet, I finally decided to go for it. The point this article is trying to make may not be abundantly clear in the title, so let me see if I can get it across as a question: Is it just me, or are there a suspiciously large number of companies in or planning to enter the Android tablet market?
CrunchGear is reporting that the Italian site HDblog has received exclusive details on Samsung's least-publicized new tablet product: the Galaxy Tab Seven (aka, the Galaxy Tab 2). The Seven will be the successor to the wildly unpopular Galaxy Tab, which debuted last fall to almost universally poor reviews (though our own Aaron Gingrich thoroughly enjoyed it). The Galaxy Tab was the first major-manufacturer Android tablet, and it seems based on the new tablet's specifications, Samsung learned a lot from the Tab's less-than-successful run.
Android's hottest new tablet - the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 - is now available for pre-order at Best Buy. As we've heard before, New Yorkers have an especially sweet deal: Best Buy will be opening up sales today at noon at their Union Square store, and the first 200 purchasers will also get a free leather pouch. For the rest of us, the Tab is slated to go on sale on June 17.
Could Samsung have learned a lesson from the Galaxy S Froyo update shenanigans? The company will be shipping their hottest new device, the Galaxy Tab 10.1, with Honeycomb 3.1 rather than 3.0. No shipping with out-of-date software here - and pretty speedy turnaround, given that Honeycomb 3.1 probably hasn't been available to manufacturers for too long. Then again, the 10.1 doesn't have TouchWiz yet and won't until after release, so there was no custom UI to slow the update.
The O.G. Samsung Galaxy Tab (7") may not pack quite the same horsepower as the Viewsonic gTab, but it's still a damn fine piece of kit, and today Woot is selling it for just $260 + $5 for shipping. Even better, it's the 16GB Sprint 3G + WiFi model, meaning those of you who want to sign up for a service plan can do so. The catch: it's a refurbished model.
That's right, folks - HTC's much-anticipated first Android tablet is up for grabs at Best Buy stores across the U.S. right now. You can pick one of the Wi-Fi only tablets up (note: no stylus included) for a mere $500. A stylus will costs you $80 (yikes), should you so desire one. But consider yourself warned - the Flyer doesn't support handwriting recognition at this point in time, though you could still presumably do all sorts of fun artsy things with it.
If you've been looking for a full, 5-row keyboard experience on your Android device, then look no further - Hacker's Keyboard may fit the bill perfectly. HK is really designed to be used with apps like ConnectBot for SSH since it features working Tab, Ctrl, Alt, Esc, and arrow keys, but it's worth noting that this keyboard may not work properly with all apps. The reason for this is because some apps may not recognize the additional keys, as they weren't built to handle that type of virtual input.
Well, we all saw it coming. After giving away phones the past two years (HTC Magic G2 in 2009, HTC Nexus One/Motorola Droid and HTC EVO 4G in 2010), Google I/O attendees will be leaving with shiny new Limited-Edition Samsung Galaxy Tabs. Here's our little (big) guy:
The Tab 10.1 will be available to the masses on June 8, but I/O attendees will be receiving it first. The Tab 10.1 of course will be running Honeycomb (and will be getting the upgrade to 3.1 in a few weeks), have a 10.1'' screen, 1Ghz dual-core processor, and sport 32GB of onboard memory.


text:
Central has long been noted for its unique offerings in the art department. The college is one of only two in Iowa to offer glassblowing courses. And the department is a leader in campus sustainability efforts, with faculty taking novel steps to reduce the environmental impact of their courses.
Recently, three innovative updates were made to Lubbers Center for Visual Arts, increasing its reputation as a creative haven for Central students of all majors.
Glassblowing Studio
Central's glassblowing program, begun in 1975, was the first in the state and featured equipment handmade by a glassblowing professor. The time had come for an update, however. The outdated gear was replaced by state-of-the-art equipment last spring.
The upgrades include a new furnace that melts glass powder or pellets to a molten state and two glory holes for reheating that glass to a workable temperature. Also included is a small unit for preheating the blow pipes and two annealers, which are used to cool finished pieces gradually, preventing cracking or breaking—a constant threat when working with glass.
The new furnaces use fuel much more efficiently, and the high-tech safety features on each furnace prevent accidents. The first class to try out the new equipment will begin in January.
"Glassblowing is hugely popular," says Mat Kelly, assistant professor of art. "Everybody wants to take it."
For more information on glassblowing at Central, read the article in Civitas.
Ceramics Area
The next update took place in the ceramics studio in Lubbers, where a former lecture hall was converted to expand the work area. Central's facilities team enlarged an existing doorway between the former classroom and the ceramics studio. "It created more room to work," says Kelly. Classes now have a space dedicated to each phase of the process.
In addition, the studio added six new metal pottery wheels, replacing older wooden models. The faculty opted for human-powered kick wheels rather than an electric equivalent. "We wanted to stay with kick wheels to keep the process as sustainable as possible," says Kelly. The wheels have the option to be converted to run on electricity in the future, however.
Bob Andersen, adjunct instructor of art, says his students have taken to the new equipment. "We've had a great response," he says. "These new wheels could last 50 to 60 years."
Of course, sustainability isn't the only benefit of the kick wheels. "You get a little exercise when you use them," jokes Andersen.
Papermaking Lab
The final upgrade was one more step toward sustainable studio practices, and it brought another remarkable offering to the department. A fledging papermaking lab began with the addition of a Reina Hollander beater.
Not surprisingly, art classes use a fair amount of paper. "A lot of that was just getting thrown in the recycling bin," says Kelly. He began to remedy the problem a year ago by buying two restaurant blenders he used to pulp down old paper into new sheets. But the equipment wasn't efficient, and one batch would yield an average of only six workable sheets of paper.
With the Hollander beater, Central's papermaking process has seen big improvements. The 17th century Dutch invention can pulp down paper, cotton clothing and even organic plant materials. Students collect the pulped material on screens, drain it and allow the material to dry into usable paper. One batch can produce as many as 35 sheets. "It means that we're not buying new materials all the time," says Kelly.
The process allows students to make paper according to their own specifications, combining different materials to create the texture, color and quality required by their projects. "The process works so well," says Kelly, noting that students need dedicate only 90 minutes to the process. Already, students have found the equipment and process approachable.
Although individual students used the equipment last semester, Kelly will formalize the papermaking studio this spring when he teaches a papermaking and book arts course. The class will allow students to use the equipment to craft their own books using only handmade material. Because of the high interest, Kelly is already considering making the course an annual offering.
"It's unique for a college of this size to have this piece of equipment," says Kelly. "It will up the quality of our programs. All of these updates will.
"It's been a huge upgrade for us," he adds. "It's a fantastic set of improvements."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Shaping the future – showing responsibility today
We have our sights set on the future: our energy and heat generation installations are our contribution to the energy revolution and against climate change. As a founder member of the watt_2.0 initiative, we are also working on a political level to help shape this transformation.
But as a company, we also see ourselves as responsible for helping people here and now. For this reason, we support regional, national and international institutions, associations and projects with targeted donations and sponsorships. This also includes gift donations comprising technical components for use in standalone photovoltaic systems in Africa as well as for school projects and the national JES! youth competition.


text:
You know what really drives me crazy about the Colts? We don't have the ability to win if our starting QB can't play.
Note to Management: You can cut Painter and hire him as an special assistant to the associate assistant head coach so he can continue to carry the clipboard and review film with Manning. Then you can bring in an actual NFL grade QB who can win games to fill Painter's roster spot. You don't have to put non-player personnel on the roster.
Here's why Colts fans (me being one of them) are not happy about the QB situation. Your backup QB needs to actually be able to play QB in the NFL. Who cares if they are Manning's best friends or concierge. Who cares if Peyton Manning likes his backup? It's not like the backup has to be on the field with him. It doesn't matter.
With Curtis Painter you have a track record of sucking that is unparalleled TV era of sports and everyone except a few Purdue die-hards know it. Orlovsky clearly was out to make Painter look good. Nate Davis, who apparently had no clue what was going on, put up the best line we will see out of a Colts backup QB this season unless we make a change. With $7 Million plus in cap space, why not get someone who can at least give you a shot at winning...
Argh. Ok back to your regular schedule of wild-ass speculation and Polian basshing.


text:
This date in MMA history four years ago - 6/23/2007 - UFC held its TUF 5 Finale.
The card featured the traditional mix of Ultimate Fighter competitors, the show's finale, and various stylistically TV-friendly bouts. But the highlight of the card for most MMA fans had nothing to do with TUF itself (except that the two combatants had coached season 5) - the main event was "The Prodigy", BJ Penn, in a rematch against former (and inaugural) UFC lightweight champion "Lil Evil" Jens Pulver.
The two men had fought before - five and a half years before, at UFC 35. Pulver had won the UFC's first-ever lightweight championship at UFC 30, defended it once, and faced undefeated (3-0 with 3 stoppages) hot prospect BJ Penn for his second title defense. The course of events that night would remain a part of the narrative surrounding BJ Penn for years to come - that he was insanely talented and athletically gifted, but lazy, unfocused and undisciplined. Withstanding a strong start from Penn, the underdog Pulver survived to claim a close 5-round decision and retain the title, handing BJ his first loss.
Years later, Penn was still very bitter about this. The bad blood became mutual as Pulver reacted to his perception that Penn was questioning, if not the validity of Pulver's win, then his viability and legitimacy as a champion. Both men agreed to coach season 5 of The Ultimate Fighter, with the two coaches contracted to square off in the live season finale on Spike TV.
On the night, it was all BJ Penn in a one-sided drubbing of his old nemesis. Penn outstruck Pulver on the feet, took him down multiple times at will, passed guard, achieved mount, threatened Pulver with multiple submissions - and that was all in the first round. The second round was no better as Penn again took the fight to the ground, securing Pulver's left arm with his own leg in a hallmark Penn maneuver, and sank in a deep rear naked choke. BJ famously held the choke long, not letting go immediately following the tap and the referee attempting to extricate him from the submission hold.
This fight stands in retrospect as a hallmark fight in MMA history because it represented the return of Penn to the UFC's lightweight division for the first time in over four years, and marked the start of one of the most intimidating displays of divisional dominance in recent memory.
Up next for "the Prodigy" was a lightweight title fight against Joe Stevenson at UFC 80. Champion Sean Sherk had recently been stripped of his title after testing positive for steroids in his title fight at UFC 73, so Penn vs. Stevenson was for the vacant lightweight title. Stevenson was on a four-fight win streak with three early stoppages heading into the title tilt with Penn.
With Sherk commentating alongside announcers Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan, Penn put up another devastatingly one-sided performance, taking Stevenson down immediately, transitioning from dominant position to dominant position on the ground, and opening Stevenson's forehead wide with a huge elbow with less than a minute remaining in round 1. With Joe bleeding as though from a "broken fire hydrant" (Rogan), BJ landed more shots from top position as the round ended. A determined Stevenson came out to start round two, but after getting outboxed on the feet for a couple minutes, BJ put Stevenson down with a left hook, jumped on him, and in short order trapped Stevenson's left arm in the same fashion and sank in a rear naked choke. A shockingly bloody Stevenson was forced to tap out. With this victory Penn had won two UFC titles in two weight classes (he won the welterweight title at UFC 46) and now possessed the lightweight championship that he had coveted for years.
The obvious followup chapter was to fight the returning Sean Sherk, who after serving his mandated suspension, challenged BJ for the title at UFC 84. With Sherk typically implementing a strongly wrestling-based style of takedowns, positional control, and grinding punishment, this title fight followed a course surprising to most. Sherk attempted a takedown early, which was stuffed, and following that the fight was conducted entirely on the feet, essentially a kickboxing contest. Sherk displayed impressive in-and-out quickness, but it was Penn landing the more numerous and effective shots through one round, two rounds, three rounds. Then, with under 10 seconds remaining in round three, Penn knocked Sherk down with a right uppercut-left hook-flying knee combo, punctuated by some hammer fists as the bell sounded. The flurry left Sherk unable to rise to return to the corner between rounds, and the fight was stopped. Penn had now avenged his first loss, won the title, and defended it, all in crushing fashion.
But his reign of terror at 155 pounds wasn't finished yet. Following an unsuccessful one-fight return to welterweight against champ Georges St. Pierre, which with a win would have awarded Penn two belts simultaneously, BJ returned to lightweight to face top contender Kenny Florian at UFC 101. Florian was red-hot, having won 6 straight with 5 stoppages over the likes of Joe Stevenson, Roger Huerta, Joe Lauzon. Kenny was the first man in Penn's streak to put up a decent fight. The first round was contested relatively evenly on the feet until the closing seconds, when Penn staggered Florian with an overhead right and flying knee that buckled him as the round wound down. The story of round two was Florian trying repeatedly without success to take BJ down, making him work along the fence, while BJ connected much cleaner in the striking exchanges. The third round was similar to the second. The fourth round proved to be Kenny's last stand, as Penn took him down early in the round and, after dishing out ample ground and pound from half-guard, Penn mounted Florian, quickly took his back and sank in the mata leao.
But if Florian had provided Penn his stiffest test during the run, BJ's next fight - a title defense against Diego Sanchez - was one-sided from the opening bell to the end. Penn came VERY close to finishing Diego in the first minute of the fight, dropping him with a right counter and knee to the body and jumping all over him with a series of vicious unanswered shots to the head. By a miracle Sanchez kept his consciousness long enough to survive that flurry, but the night didn't exactly improve for him. FightMetric had Penn outstriking Sanchez a lopsided 150-8 over the course of the fight and stuffing 27 of 27 takedown attempts, resulting in an overall Effectiveness Score of 466-59. Diego was simply outclassed in every way in one of the most one-sided title fights in recent memory. While the outcome was never in doubt, BJ put the exclamation point on in the fifth round, finishing Sanchez via cut stoppage that began with a monster head kick, opening up a huge gash on Diego's forehead.
Nothing, as they say, lasts forever, and nowhere is that truer than the sport of MMA. Frankie Edgar finally put a stop to Penn's reign of terror at 155 pounds with two consecutive decision wins over The Prodigy, the second much more decisive than the first. Since then, BJ has returned to welterweight, starching his old nemesis Matt Hughes in 21 seconds at UFC 21 and fighting top contender Jon Fitch to a hotly-debated draw at UFC 127.
Whatever the future may hold for Penn, though, he treated MMA fans to a heck of a ride with his championship-level 5 consecutive dominant victories at lightweight - a run which began four years ago today.


text:
WOO HOO, FOOTBALL HAS ARRIVED! Enough BS let's get to it!
Release: Tyler Thigpen
FA's to consider: Kyle Orton, Vince Young, Marc Bulger,
UFDA's to consider: Pat Devlin
QB is obviously the most important position heading into next year. However I am torn between trying to sign the best guy this year or leaving it up to Henne to either sink or swim. Both scenarios seem to make sense, I can see Miami being a serious force with solid QB play as soon as this year, however we have already invested so much in Henne and I don't see Miami abondoning him this early. However, I am almost 100% positive that Miami will bring in atleast one VETERAN QB to compete with Henne. This is a good move folks, even if you see this 'piece' as a washed-up has-been. Henne needs to earn this position, and alot of fans, myself included, are not satisfied with his recent performance. Henne needs to earn his spot as captain of this offense if that's what he wants. I don't mind him starting, but he needs to prove to us fans that he's ready to take that role.
If we are looking to immediately improve our QB position, no doubt, we only have one to make. We attempt to acquire Kyle Orton. Let me let you in on Kyle Orton. I understand he is not an ELITE QB, I get that. But he is a smart, solid, underrated QB who is in the second tier along with guys like Eli Manning, Joe Flacco and Matt Schaub. He may never be a Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers but with a good enough team, you can win a Super Bowl with a guy like Orton... it's been done before. Kyle Orton is the only FA that is young, proven and has put up very good numbers in the last 3 years. Orton put up probowl numbers on the worst team in the AFC last year, and he turned an average Brandon Lloyd into the NFL's top fantasy WR. Combine that with his connection with Brandon Marshall and I'm sure we can all agree that he is an instant upgrade. But here's the stats to prove it.
Not even a challenge. However, even though I can sit here and guarentee our offense would be better with Orton, I CAN see why this may NOT be the best move in the long run. First off, he won't come cheap. Denver has yet to say he's completely available, but I'm not buying it. The Broncos are balls deep in Tebow over there and if we made an offer they'd look into it no doubt about it. But it would likely cost a 3rd/4th round pick. Also, if we made a move this would pretty much mean the end of the Chad Henne project, which I'm not sure Miami is ready to go with yet. If Orton struggles to make an immediate impact with a new offense, the fans could get unruly and a cause a complete FO revamp in 2012 which could bring our team back a bit.
Realistically, although I think Kyle Orton is the best QB we can get in FA, I'm beginning to sway towards a cheaper option and letting Henne compete with another QB. If at worst case this fails to solve our problems, we should consider ourselves lucky; 2012 is supposedly the best rookie QB class since 1984, and Miami will have plenty of options including Luck, Jones, Lindley, and Barkley.
So what should we do?
My choice: Sign Vince Young.
Why? High Reward, Low Risk. He'll be cheap as he'll likely be released by Tennessee and he is the only FA QB young enough to have a legitimate chance at a comeback. Does anyone actually believe we can win a super bowl with a guy like Palmer, Hasselbeck or Favre under center? Vince would come cheap and is young and athletic. He has shown flashes and would be able to compete immediately with Henne for the starting job. If he is erratic, he won't start. If both guys progress than we would have 2 solid options at QB: this is not a bad thing.
RECAP: Unless we can get an ultimate steal for the gem of this FA class, Kyle Orton, I am beginning to think it is better to use our money elsewhere and save our draft picks. I do like Tyler Thigpen, but I don't think anyone here thinks he can legitimately start 16 games so it doesn't make much sense to resign him and lose a roster spot, no offense to Tyler. As far as UFDA's there are a few interesting names but nobody good enough in my opinion to waive Tom Brandstater, who seems to have a higher ceiling than most (Read Kdog's awesome analysis on him here). Marc Bulger would be an interesting option considering price, but his age and recent performance (aka he hasn't played well since 2006) scares me. Vince Young would be relatively affordable and his athleticism alone would at worst put some pressure on Henne to step up and finally take control of this team. I like this option because if our QB play absolutely sucks we atleast get to salivate over our new rookie QB toy in 2012.
Release: Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams, Patrick Cobbs
FA's to consider: Deangelo Williams, Ahmad Bradshaw, Reggie Bush, Jason Snelling, Darren Sproles, Kevin Smith, Joseph Addai, Michael Bush
UFDA's to consider: Noel Devine, Derrick Locke
It's beginning to look like an absolute complete revamping of our RB position. As much as I will always show love to the R&R Express wherever they DO end up (Please don't go to the Jets though, seriously!?) I believe it is time to bid them adieu. I am again almost 100% confident that a marquee FA back will take his talents to south beach. I think this was apparent when the Dolphins selected grinder Daniel Thomas in the second round. My bet is the Fins will throw some cash out and go after Williams, Bradshaw or Bush this offseason. Honestly, as long as we don't completely overpay, I'd be happy with any of the 3. All three are gamechangers and will instantly provide a HUGE spark to our offense and I believe would be a HUGE help to Thomas by not only mentoring him but taking alot of pressure off him during his rookie season. Deangelo is the key FA back despite injury question marks and will demand top dollar. Reggie Bush will look for big money as well even though he has never truly been a #1 back. This is why I believe Miami needs to make a play for Ahmad Bradshaw by outbidding the NY Giants. I also think we need to add even more explosion while Kory Sheets is coming off injury by grabbing a top scat back as a UDFA. Derrick Locke or Noel Devine, which of you would like to come to Miami?
My choice: Ahmad Bradshaw & Derrick Locke
Wow, talk about an upgrade. We take an aging backfield and completely revitalize it with all new fresh legs. Ahmad is a dangerous runner who like Thomas, is skilled in pass catching; a skill that is important for Henne to be able to rely on while under pressure. Locke is a back who can make a difference even if he touches the ball 3 times per game. More than likely he will be stashed on the PS but he will be a hell of a backup and offers that big play ability at RB which we haven't had since as long as I can remember. Ahmad will be cheaper than Deangelo and comes with less injury concerns therefore I think it is the smarter pick as I believe he will be just as valuable to his new team.
Release: Pat McQuistan
FA's to consider: Justin Blalock, Marshal Yanda, Alex Barron, Davin Joseph, Tyson Clabo, Jared Gaither, Robert Gallery
UFDA's to consider: Jake Kirkpatrick, C
With the conservative, but sadly predictable pick of Mike Pouncey at pick 15 in this year's draft, Miami has quietly made the safe pick to try and bolster their trenches and provide better protection for the QB and more holes for the RB. With the best tackle in the game, we are looking for more consistency at our interior line and from Carey over at RT. I really hoped we addressed RT in this year's draft as an insurance policy for the aging Carey, but sadly this did not happen. I think we should look to improve our interior line with a solid guard and sign him early enough to get comfortable with his new teammates. Having Pouncey at C means we can get a FA guard left of him and have a choice between Incognito, Garner and Jerry to go for the RG spot. Jerry could also fill in for Carey at RT if need be to keep him from getting fatigued and becoming a major liability. Although going after a RT does make sense I think Carey has ATLEAST one more year in him, and I think we will be fine this year until we have to consider RT as a top need in next year's draft.
My choice: Sign Marshal Yanda and Jake Kirkpatrick
Yanda has put up solid numbers in Baltimore and I believe would be a huge addition to bolster our offensive line. I was a big fan of Justin Blalock but what I like about Yanda is he has played well at both guard and RT, which our two biggest weaknesses. His toughness and versatility would be one of our biggest offseason pickups.We failed to grab a top tier OL last year so this would be a HUGE move. However, I am perhaps more excited about the possibility of picking up center Jake Kirkpatrick as well, who has been compared to former all-pro Jeff Saturday. Kirkpatrick may be highly sought after but the truth is the kid is an absolute beast and may prove to be the better TRUE center on the team when compared to Pouncey. Stashing Kirkpatrick on our PS squad would be great because if he does excel we have the option of moving Pouncey to guard where he would be unstoppable. With Long and Pouncey next to each other, I think I could run for a first down. I like grabbing a solid FA by the end of the month and look to sign Kirkpatrick who could be the next best steal since Devone Bess. Yanda and Kirkpatrick would be an A+ by our FO in terms of addressing our offensive line for the upcoming season.
Release: Daren Mastraud, Dedrick Epps
FA's to consider: Kevin Boss, Bo Scaife, Dante Rosario, Zach Miller,Todd Heap
UFDA's to consider: Wesley Saunders
I think Anthony Fasano is honestly one of our most UNDERRATED players based on his blocking alone. You can never have enough solid blockers, and I'm guessing the FO recognized this when they re-signed him during last season. However, one thing Fasano can't give you is that vertical speed and we could use a QB-friendly target at TE. The best option is Zach Miller and if the cash is right, he is definetly your first option. However, I feel that RB, OL and even QB for that matter are more important positions and the dumbest thing would be to spend a ridiculous amount on a TE. I think some team will pay good money for a guy like Miller, so Miami should look for a servicable replacement.
My choice: Sign Bo Scaife
Scaife is a guy who has flown largely under the radar however is prone to making that remarkable catch that will often make ESPN's Top 10. Scaife has good success against Miami, so we will probably remember him more than other teams. Scaife may NOT be Zach Miller, but I feel would be a good target for Henne or even to reconnect with Vince Young if he happens to find his way south. Wesley Saunders is an interesting option as an UDFA but it's not his talent that is the concern. He has had multiple RED FLAGS and it seems if 32 teams passed on him then he is not the player you want in your locker room. Don't expect anything from him at the next level.
Release: None
FA's to consider: Santonio Holmes, Jacoby Jones, Randy Moss, Braylon Edwards, Mike Sims-Walker, Brad Smith
UFDA's to consider: None
My Choice: As-is.
Our WR core, for the first time in years, is stacked. Although, it would be a luxury to get a solid proven speedster such as Santonio Holmes, this would merely be a luxury. A wildcat/ST specialist like his teammate Brad Smith would be a better option, but still I don't think it's necessary. Our WR's are solid. I think Gates will slowly evolve to be that missing piece we need and in the meantime Marshall, Bess and even Hartline will prove to be more than enough targets for whoever our QB is. I think we should move Roberto Wallace to PS to save roster space and keep Marlon Moore as our 5th wideout behind Marshall, Hartline, Bess and Gates,
Release: Austin Spitler, Tim Dobbins
FA's to consider: Stephen Cooper, Paul Posluszny, Tavares Gooden, Rocky Macintosh, Brandon Siler, Takeo Spikes, H.B. Blades,
UFDA's to consider: Mario Harvey
Although there are quite a few options to upgrade our ILB, I feel for the time being the Dansby/Crowder combo will do just fine inside. Say what you want about Crowder but he is a good compliment to Dansby, who is by far the better playmaker. In due time I'd like to upgrade Crowder's spot, but I don't think this is the year. This is why we will see what A.J. Edds can do off his rookie injury and I say we make one small pick up to complete this position.
My choice: Sign Mario Harvey
Harvey is may be short but he's got plenty of bulk, range and burst to be a premier inside linebacker, especially in a good defensive scheme. The guy reminds me of a Zach Thomas for some reason and I can see him thriving in Nolan's D and eventually saving us money by becoming an upgraded Channing Crowder. Bring Mario to camp, I guarantee he will be THAT guy to make a bonejarring hit in preseason and open a few eyes.Having Edds & Harvey back up Dansby & Crowder makes me feel VERY confident about this inside group in Nolan's scheme.
Release: Ike Alama-Francis
FA's to consider: Keith Bullock, Thomas Davis, Justin Durant, David Hawthorne, Thomas Howard, Manny Lawson, Ernie Sims, Jason Taylor
UFDA's to consider: Mark Herzlich
This is the ultimate wild-card position in my opinion in which really NONE of us know what will happen. This all depends on Mike Nolan's confidence on our pass-rush going into 2011, mostly which depends on his confidence of Koa Misi taking over the starting job. I am a big fan of Misi and I feel like he would be good opposite of Wake, but for some reason I would like to see Miami aim for greatness at the OLB position. Don't be surprised if Miami goes after a player like Bullock or brings Jason Taylor back on a short contract. However it would be unbelievable if Miami can pull off a big name and turn this defense into one of the league's best.
My choice: Sign Manny Lawson and Mark Herzlich
A player like Manny Lawson or Justin Durant would instantly make Brady, Sanchez and Fitzpatrick stay up at night. It may seem unlikely, but Miami did pay the top FA ILB last year. Manny Lawson opposite Cameron Wake would possibly cost us some cash, but the end results leaves us with a frightning LB core. Wake is still on his affordable contract so perhaps Miami can pull this off. As far as Mark Herzlich, what's not to say about him? This guy's story alone should make him a candidate to compete on ALL 32 teams. A guy like Mark will be worth it just for his captain presence alone. He never quits, which is what you want from a pass-rushing OLB and in situations I feel he could help out Misi immediately and help increase Wake's stellar first year. Let's see if Miami makes a big splash at OLB this year, it could be a move to make our defense turn ELITE.
Release: Al Harris
FA's to consider: Nnamdi Asomugha, Antonio Cromartie, Chris Houston, Jonathan Joseph, Lito Sheppard, Ike Taylor
UFDA's to consider: None
My Choice: As-is.
The top FA is of course Asomugha but the main reason I'd pay the crazy amount he will get, is to solely keep him OFF the Jets. He will instantly upgrade one team's secondary but I think we are molding such a great young secondary already in Miami; feel like we would rather get a TOP RB, QB or OL then spend all our money on ONE key guy for a position we don't necessarily need. Besides, I see him playing in Houston so hopefully we don't have to worry about playing him twice a year. Guys like Taylor or Joseph really do make sense but I think our #1 and #2 is set with Davis and Smith, and I can't see any of those guys playing nickel. I think we stay put and hopefully between Allen, Sapp and Carroll we can hang tough while Wilson pays his dues on special teams.
Release: Jonathan Amaya, TRADE Yeremiah Bell
FA's to consider: Darren Sharper, Michael Huff, Eric Weddle, Donte Whitner, Atari Bigby, Melvin Bullitt, Dawan Landry, Michael Lewis, Brodney Pool
UFDA's to consider: Deunta Williams
Trade our former pro bowl captain at Safety? I'm a firm believer in buy low/sell high. Bell is already on his way down and I think this would be the time to trade him to get any value. We have a young secondary and Chris Clemons and Rashad Jones are two young guys who have both shown plenty of promise. However, with our upgraded pass rush we need atleast one vet ballhawk to capitalize and make plays, as well as to mentor the young guns. Enter Michael Huff.
My choice: Sign Michael Huff.
Huff replaces Bell and instantly provides speed, bruising hits, and most importantly a knack for making big plays. Plus, he's had the experience to provide that veteran leadership that is important at the safety position. Clemons and Jones would play opposite and battle for the starting SS position. UNC's Deunta Williams is a solid UDFA but I think another team will find him more valuable, we already have 2 stellar young safeties.
Key Offseason FA Additions: Vince Young, Ahmad Bradshaw, Bo Scaife, Marshal Yanda, Manny Lawson, Michael Huff
Key Offseason UFDA Additions: Derrick Locke, Jake Kirkpatrick, Mario Harvey, Mark Herzlich
Key Offseason Departures: Tyler Thigpen, Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams, Patrick Cobbs, Yeremiah Bell, Pat McQuistan, Daren Mastraud, Dedrick Epps, Austin Spitler, Tim Dobbins, Ike Alama-Francis, Jonathan Amaya
Obviously this is an IDEAL situation and although Miami will unlikely get every player at this caliber, this is merely how I would attack each off-season position of need. Besides, who would have thought we would have gotten Brandon Marshall AND Karlos Dansby last year; Miami has money and an isn't afraid to break out the checkbook. Anything can happen.
Tell me what you think. leave comments and vote!


text:
By ROGER ALFORDAssociated Press
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - Lawmakers will be trying to find a way to shore up the financially troubled pension plan for government retirees as they return to Frankfort.
Other big issues also are on the table, including tax reform.
The House is scheduled to convene Tuesday at noon EST and the Senate at 4 p.m. EST.
Lawmakers will remain in session through the end of March in hopes of resolving a $33 billion unfunded liability in the state's pension system.
Lawmakers want to put more money into pensions, but haven't yet identified where the cash would come from. Some proponents believe a separate proposal to reform the state's tax code could hold the answer.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
1306 N. Broadway NE Knoxville, Tennessee 37917
Telephone: 865.637.NEWS(6397)
Fax: 865.525.4091
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


text: Tomorrow starts our Season, a much long awaited New beginning but alas I must work so wont join in. I will DVR it and will avoid all Football media until I get to plant myself and watch game. I will join in later depending on outcome, thinking this is going to be a close one with a F.G. at last second determining Winner. No matter what the out come of tomorrows game or how the Season follows, want to say thanks to all of you fellow DNers for making this a great site to come and get Viking insight, views, cry and rejoice. Gonzo ya put a great Team of writers together and you didn't Jerry Jones it, we have a very diverse group here, hats off to ya, AND of course MRS.Gonzo for allowing you start this. I remember when I found this Site was doing the AOL thing and it just broke down, and got so crazy, I started searching, found this Site spent the First year just kicking back and reading. Don't have 20k posts but think I getting close to 1k lol. Either way has been great hanging with you Guys and Gals, my day always starts and ends here, even if I don't post. So tonight I raise a glass, a silent cheer to A.Ds goals, " May this year be of great excitement, let each game be so close, that win or lose, we come away breathless and inspired of things to come ".


text:
Webcasts Home
- Biography, History
- Culture, Performing Arts
- Education
- Government
- Poetry, Literature
- Religion
- Science, Technology
More Audio, Video Resources at the Library
TITLE: Poetry Out Loud: 2013 National Book Festival
SPEAKER: Various
FORMAT: Video + Captions
RUNNING TIME: 32 minutes
TRANSCRIPT: View Transcript (link will open in a new window)
The National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, with the state arts agencies of the United States, are the creators of Poetry Out Loud, a program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization and recitation. This exciting program helps students master public-speaking skills, build self-confidence and learn about their literary heritage. Award-winning students perform poems during this event.
Related Webcasts
SERIES: National Book Festival 2013


text:
If the season is off , what happen to the players' remaining contract anyway? This season suppose to be Dwight Howard's last year for the Magic, so if the NBA restart next season, will it meant Howard will automatically be a free agent?
and in our case of Pietrus, he exercise his option for this season, if this season is off...will that mean we will save $5 million on him? and he will leave without getting anything for next season?


text:
Nurses get 'mini-intervention' training for people with alcohol-related injuries
Wales has a problem with alcohol.
Each year binge drinking here costs the NHS £80m and now hospital staff are being encouraged to talk to problem drinkers about their habit.
The "Have a Word" campaign has already got underway in some Welsh hospitals and it's proving to be a success.
Pharmacists, midwives and dentists have already had the training. They learn to identify signs of alcohol misuse and how best to speak to those drinking at hazardous levels.
Around 1,600 have already been trained.
– Dr Paul Jordan, Cardiff University
How did it happen, where were you, how much did you drink... it basically leads on to a structured conversation about how they can manage their behaviour in future.
It's not a lecture, and it's not telling people how to drink either. It's basically just making sure they don't end up in A&E again.


text:
WESTVILLE —William Patrick Sr., 85, of Westville, passed away at 1:52 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4, 2013, at Presence United Samaritans Medical Center, Danville.
He was born Jan. 12, 1928, in Paintsville, Ky., the son of Carl and Rebecca King Patrick.
He married Ella Mae Griffith on Oct. 6, 1955, in West Liberty, Ky. She preceded him in death on July 10, 2008.
Survivors include five sons, Larry "Douglas" Patrick of Indianapolis, William E. Patrick Jr. of Heyworth, Franklin Thomas Patrick of Alexander, Iowa, Robert Eugene Patrick of Nashville, Tenn., and Charles Kenneth Patrick of Georgia; one daughter, Dedria "Dee" Raye Arnold of Osage Beach, Mo.; one brother, Clarence Patrick of Mize, Ky.; three sisters, Sue Hackworth of Defiance, Ohio, Yvonne Osborn of Royalton, Ky., and Tommie Jean Edwards of Westville; 11 grandchildren; and many great- and great-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by two sisters.
William was the owner and operator of Bill & Ella's Sandwich Shop & Dining Service. He was a retired coal miner and past mayor of Cuba, Ill. He had worked as a Civil Defense director and enjoyed helping people.
Graveside service will be 3 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7, 2013, at Stearns Cemetery in Fithian with Pastor Nancy Wilson officiating. Robison Chapel in Catlin is handling arrangements.
Online condolences at www.robisonchapel.com.


text:
This versatile wall mount now offers a newly incorporated screen leveling feature, allowing pitch and roll to be fine-tuned by hand at any position. Three pivot points allow for an infinite number of viewing positions.
Additional Documents
Weights & Dimensions
|Mount Type: Wall mount
|Color: Black
|Adjustability: Tilt; Articulating/Extending arm
|Weight Capacity: 200 Pounds
|Compatible TV Type: LCD; Plasma; LED
|Compatible Screen Size: 47" - 50"
|Compatible TV Brand: Universal
|Country of Manufacture: China
Still have questions about this product? We're here to help
Free Shipping
Ships to:
Ships via: FedEx/UPS (Learn More)
Delivery Estimates
Enter your shipping zip or postal code to calculate shipping estimates
Return Policy
We want you to love it. If you don't, you may return your purchase within 30 days of delivery. All you need to do is visit our Self-Service Return Center for instructions. Return credits are issued within 24 hours once the item is received and inspected. Please note that shipping charges are non-refundable. The cost of return shipping will be deducted from your refund.30-Day Return Policy
Customer Reviews
We are sorry, we have no reviews to display
Tell us what you think!
Tell us what you think about this product. It will help us provide you with better products in the future and help your fellow Wayfair shoppers make better purchases.Write the first review
OUR SKU # PE1110This item is also sometimes listed under the following manufacturer numbers: PLAV70-UNL, PLAV70-UNL-S


text:
The first QSL is from Paul, KB8ANY. He apologized for being so tardy, noting that he had intended to reply right away, but my card must have slipped under his printer. That's where he found it a couple of weeks ago while cleaning his shack. He returned my SASE, but it only has a 37-cent stamp on it!
No problem, Paul. I really do appreciate getting your card.
The second QSL is from Randy, KC0CCR. No, I haven't started to collect QSLs from stations whose suffixes are acronyms. I liked this card because of the cat and the caption, "When you use CW, no one knows you're a cat." This is, of course, a paraphrase of the famous New Yorker cartoon that shows two dogs, with one saying to the other, "On the Internet, no one knows you're a dog."
Thanks for the chuckle, Randy.


text:
For media inquiries or to request a LegalZoom press kit, please contact:
Johanna NamirLegalZoom.com, Inc323-962-8600 email@example.com
Sign up for our monthly newsletter, always packed full of helpful tips and informative articles.
i think teachers have a right to search lockers because it belongs to the school and they have the right to know what students have in their lockers!:)


text:
Live streaming video by Ustream
Remember, we are now on: Sundays 9 to 11pm EST.
Today on MMA Nation we'll talk to The Ultimate Fighter season 11 runner-up Kris McCray. We'll talk about his loss to Court McGee, a potential drop to welterweight and what's next for him in the UFC.
We'll also talk to the CEO of the Bellator Fighting Championship, Bjorn Rebney. We'll talk about the incredible performance of season two welterweight tourney winner Ben Askren, raising the profile of his organization and more.
I'll give an update on when UFC President Dana White will be on the show and talk about what happened on Twitter.
We'll also be looking ahead to UFC 116 including as well as:
- Live WEC 49 results
- The release of EA's video game.
- Strikeforce, Bellator, Ultimate Fighter, Sengoku Raiden Championship results.
And, of course, we'll go through all of the news from the week in MMA.
"MMA Nation" will air tonight 9:00pm EST to 11:00pm EST on 106.7 The Fan. To listen live over the Internet, go to The Fan's website and click "Listen Live".
I'm also on Twitter: @mmanation.
AS A NEW FEATURE: We'll stream the show live over UStream.tv. Here's my channel. I'll embed the live stream player in this post when the show begins. If you want to ask a question for us to answer on air, leave a question in the comments section. We'll get to all of them.
"MMA Nation" is also available by podcast on iTunes. For now, iTunes is disabled, but the show will be posted on the station's website soon afterward. I'll be sure to put a post up when they're ready to go. And when we're back on iTunes, I'll put up a link to that as well.
Number to call: 800-636-1067
Email here.
Talk to you then.


text:
Georgetown 73, Marquette 70 - Post-Game Observations, Likes/Dislikes
Like: Come-from-behind victories are always welcome. Obviously. This game was over multiple times last night, most noticeably when we trailed by 17 with under 13 minutes to play. And then, miraculously, the Hoyas outscored Marquette by 20 points in the most impressive "quarter" of a game all year. Didn't this game remind you of our huge come-from-behind win against UConn two years ago? Here's the recap of that game, in case you don't remember: http://espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=300090046. We trailed by 17 in the second half before Austin Freeman put the team on his back and netted 28 in the second half. Both wins were amazing. Both comebacks were unexpected. Both made me very happy.
Dislike: Turnovers. We had 17 turnovers, including 12 in the first half. Marquette's half-court sets weren't that impressive, but our mistakes on the offensive end kept leading to easy transition baskets. Errant passes and bad decisions allowed Marquette to run up and down the floor without having to grind. The turnovers proved to be a double whammy in the first half, as guys would get frustrated after turning it over and then wouldn't get back on defense with as much energy. For that reason, it was hard to tell which factor contributed more to our first half deficit: our turnovers or our shoddy defense. It was probably a combination of both.
Like: Yeah, so we shot 62.8% from the floor. And we shot 76.2% in the second half (16 of 21). There's not much more to say, but I'll keep going, because the box score and recaps don't really capture the whole story. During our super-fantastic run in the final 13 minutes of the game (in which we outscored Marquette 34-14), your Georgetown Hoyas missed a grand total of TWO BASKETS: a short jumper from Hopkins and Otto's air-balled three from the corner. Two misses in the last 13 minutes. One miss in the last 10 minutes. We played like that team in Philadelphia which won an important basketball game in 1985. Except our players didn't take any cocaine before the game.
Dislike: With a little under five minutes to play, Otto jumped after a loose ball and some Marquette player landed on his wrist. We were down by five points at the time. The refs called a foul on Marquette but didn't reward any free throws because it was a "team control foul" or a "dead ball foul". To me, it didn't seem like a player control foul. It was clearly a loose ball foul, and since we were already in the double bonus, Otto should've received two shots. At the time, it was significant because we didn't score on that possession. I'm still confused.
Like: I can't complain about 18 assists on 27 field goals. I love when that happens. A tip of the cap to our friends at Marquette for their 15 assists on 23 field goals. Passing is fun.
Dislike: ESPNU had some guy named Adam Amin doing the play-by-play. He sounded exactly like Sean McDonough. I assumed he was a Syracuse plant. He wasn't. He went to Valpo and is the former voice of the Somerset Patriots. He seemed to be rooting for our comeback. I enjoyed that, even if he did sound like Sean McDonough.
Like: Hollis Thompson. He was solid at the beginning of the game and the end of the game, and mediocre in between. I will always like a player who shoots six of seven from the field, including four of five from deep. Hollis now has two game-winning shots on the season. He was enormous for us down the stretch. After his disappointing effort against Providence, last night's game was a welcome development. The short hair can stay. Hollywood is back.
Dislike: Our free throw shooting. We made 13 of 23 (56.5%), which is just awful. Jason Clark, in particular, had a rough night from the stripe, converting on only six of 13 attempts. This game would have been a lot more enjoyable if we had just made a few more free throws. Marquette made 16 of 20 foul shots and we couldn't follow suit. I can't blame Jason too much because he ended up being our leading scorer. But still, I wanted to throw my shoe at the television every time I saw another miss.
Like: The freshmen. Again. Take another look at the last 13 minutes of the game. You'll remember Hollis' big shots and Hank's solid effort down the stretch, but don't forget about the freshmen. Hopkins played a pivotal role. His four points and two assists came at a crucial moment, and his effort sparked our huge run. The passes, in particular, are something we haven't seen before. Standing at the foul line, he delivered a pretty backdoor pass to Whittington and, just a minute earlier, he raced down the court for an easy two-point conversion after a Trawick steal. He looked more comfortable in our offense than he has all year. And don't forget about Otto and Whitt's defense. Otto was all over Jae Crowder in the second half, holding him to a lucky two points. And Cool Whitt made it difficult for Johnson-Odom and others to get shots along the perimeter. He also had a clutch steal when the game was tied with two minutes to go. Here's the bottom line: I love 18 year-old boys.
Dislike: Markel. This was easily his worst game of the season. In just 17 minutes, he was held scoreless on 0 for 5 shooting and he committed four turnovers. I'll give him a free pass, though, because he took an elbow to the head in the first half and never seemed to recover after that. Speaking of which, why did Markel get the Colt McCoy treatment? The dude could barely walk off the court; he looked woozy and needed assistance just to get back to the bench. He was just out of it after that. In the postgame press conference, JTIII said he was fine and dismissed any speculation that the elbow to the head affected his play. I'm glad he's okay, but there was definitely something wrong with him. I thought it was a concussion.
Like: Jason Clark. Is it possible to have a quiet 26 points? In between missed threes (he was two of seven) and missed free throws, Jason had one of his best performances of the season. Love the adjustments. The shots weren't falling, so he re-committed himself to the defensive end and, eventually, things started going his way. For a stretch in the second half, our lineup consisted of Jason and four freshmen, and we looked good. Kudos to Jason for turning things around after halftime and willing this team to a victory.
Dislike: Buzz Williams looks a lot like Hank from Breaking Bad. Because they're both white and bald and have short tempers. Or maybe I'm just a racist.
Like: Super Hank. After a terribly slow start, Big Henry discovered his sea legs in the last five minutes of the game. He finished with 13 points (five of six from the floor), five rebounds, five assists, and two steals. We'll overlook the four turnovers. Despite being ineffective in the first half, he was our go-to player at the end of the game. A step-back jumper, a drive to the basket, a backdoor pass to a cutter underneath, and a kick-out to Hollis for the game-winner. He was all over the place when we needed him the most. This has become a trend. When the game is on the line, we feed the ball inside. Henry does the rest. Way to get it done, big fella.
Dislike: Our perimeter defense in the first half was abysmal. I think we forgot how to rotate. Marquette hit eight of 18 threes, and early in this game, they got a lot of wide open looks. Todd Mayo killed us from deep.
Like: We had nine steals. We never have that many steals.
Dislike: Every once in a while, can we please get a fast break dunk after a steal? I mean, it's really not a big deal, but it would be nice. I'm looking at you, Jabril.
Like: Vander Blue and Junior Cadougan didn't do very much in this game. They combined for one basket.
Dislike: We gave up too many offensive rebounds.
Like: Duke lost.
Dislike: Syracuse won.
Like: Jae Crowder. He's just one of those players I wish we had on our team. I've been thinking about it for only a few minutes, but here is a non-exhaustive list of opposing Big East players from the last ten years who I remember liking a lot (and wishing that they played for Georgetown): Ryan Humphrey (whose middle name is actually "Ashley"), DeJuan Blair, Kemba Walker, Marcus Hatten, Da'Sean Butler, Randy Foye and Terrence Williams. I'm sure there are others.
Dislike: Andy Rautins. Just because.
Closing Thought: We're 3-0 in the conference. We're tied for first with Syracuse. We overcame a 17-point second half deficit to beat a very good team. We're nasty. I just wish we had a week off to fully appreciate and bask in the satisfaction of this victory.


text:
Richard Hamilton the Last Piece for the Knicks?
The Pistons bought out the Former NBA Champion shooting guard's remaining contract. I wouldn't mind the masked man on the Knicks, also allows Fields/Imam Shumpert to play off the bench at shooting guard do they get more time to develop, but aren't pressured to start


text:
Product Catalog > Manicure > Manicure Tools > Tweezers > Denco Easy-Grip Slant Tweezers
Denco Easy-Grip Slant Tweezers
SKU: DN03Price: $17.95
Product Description
These easy-grip personal tweezers give you more dexterity and strength, and are perfect for the elderly and arthritis sufferers. Large, comfortable ergonomic handles improve your grip. Pointed tweezers have a longer, more substantial handle for stability, with soft rubber finger and thumb grips.
Denco: A true innovation in personal grooming.
See other items in Tweezers:


text:
Last Updated: Wednesday, March 19, 2014, 10:31
Try this surprisingly easy and fibre rich Zucchini Muffins
Last Updated: Wednesday, June 23, 2010, 20:22
Try out these lip smacking cookies.
Last Updated: Wednesday, June 23, 2010, 18:56
Try this delicious mexican recipe and surprise your friends and family.
Last Updated: Tuesday, June 22, 2010, 22:37
Try out this lip smacking stuffed eggs.
Last Updated: Monday, June 21, 2010, 20:32
Try out this mouth watering sandwich to impress your friends and family.
Last Updated: Tuesday, June 15, 2010, 15:58
Try out this simple, easy to make recipe.
Last Updated: Wednesday, December 09, 2009, 10:11
Savour the sumptuous Italian Cassata ice cream.
Last Updated: Thursday, April 02, 2009, 16:06
Win over your valentine`s heart with this heart-warming, mouth watering recipe!
Relish the lip smacking french fries.


text:
As Tom Thibeault posted the above image on facebook, it had me immediately pondering over how life gives us so much to be so grateful for, and yet how often misery it seems is the best we can hold on too. As Tom cooks for his family in this outdoor kitchen set-up just for Thanksgiving, I hope we can all take a few minutes to be grateful for all that we have, knowing that nothing is a guarantee, and realizing another may not be as blessed.
I am thankful for life, friends and acquaintances, my large extended family, mentors and detractors, having a vocation that inspires, a farm and home that is beyond idyllic, and for food at the table.


text:
A few of our regular events
- Annual U.S. Army Soldier Show
- Annual Army Concert Tour
- Annual Block Party
- Annual Month of the Military Child
- Annual Holiday Tree Lighting
- Annual Salute to the Military
- Annual Oktoberfest
For information about programs, events and more contact our Marketing team at 256-876-5232
A Brief History of Army Entertainment
Soldier entertainment had its earliest origins in the American Revolution and the Civil War. Army camp shows were often spontaneously organized in companies, battalions or other units with volunteer soldier entertainers. In 1918, Irving Berlin's "Yip, Yip, Yaphank" and George M. Cohan's "Over There" provided rallying and rousing patriotic music for soldiers and civilians alike as troop entertainment became an essential morale booster during World War I.
During World War II, draftees provided the talent and inspiration for Berlin's Broadway soldier show "This is the Army." By 1942, Special Services companies of soldiers were formed to sustain troop morale. The Entertainment Section prepared scripts for musical revues in booklets entitled "Soldier Shows Blueprint Specials-By the Men…for the Men in the Service."
Celebrity draftees like Mickey Rooney entertained troops in stateside training camps, staging areas and overseas units. Soldier "Jeep Shows" and Special Service Company Shows took live entertainment to combat areas. The need for organized soldier entertainment programs led to the hiring of Civilian Actress Technicians. In 1945, these women served in the Pacific and European Theaters to organize, direct, perform in and present musical, variety and theater productions by and for soldiers.
From the 1950s entertainment platoons of the 10th Special Services Company in Korea to the shows in Vietnam base camps to the addition of children's programs in the 1970s, the Music and Theater program continued to expand and adapt to meet the needs of the changing Army. Entertainment has continued to play an essential role in the off duty lives of soldiers and families, providing outlets for creative expression and recreation.
Today, the Army Entertainment Division is the largest producer of live entertainment in the world. Army community theaters alone stage more than 900 productions annually worldwide for audiences totaling a quarter of a million. Since 1983, the annual U.S. Army Soldier Show, a high-energy 90-minute musical review is staged entirely by active duty soldiers who travel more than 25,000 miles performing for audiences totaling more than 100,000.
Soldiers carry on the tradition of "entertainment for the soldier, by the soldier" through the Army theater touring company BRAVO!, the Army Concert Tour, the USA Express top-40 show band, and the "Battle of Bands" and "Stars of Tomorrow" competitions as part of the Army's Morale, Welfare, and Recreation program.
We hope to see you soon !!


text:
Prior to the 2012 season, I did a post based on a methodology I developed to measure farm systems across two dimensions: depth and upside. With all the Top 20s done and having seen some other discussion in posts with different ways of valuing farm systems, as well as John's intention to release his rankings soon, I thought it was a good time to update mine. For reasons I'll further discuss below, I consider these rankings preliminary because at this point not all the information that I used last year has been published, Therefore, whereas my exercise last year was based on aggregation of multiple rankings, this ranking is just based on John's individual rankings in the Top 20 lists, as well as some necessary interpolation on my part.
I laid out the methodology in great detail last year, so if you're interested in the nitty gritty details, just follow the above link. My method is a little counter intuitive, so I suggest in particular looking at the chart showing how overall players ranks (ie, #1 vs. #100) match up relative to each other value wise as it provides a more integrated view of how the system values players. Otherwise, I'm just going to excerpt a small portion from what I wrote last year (updated slightly) to explain my approach:
When I think about ranking farm systems, I think along two dimensions: depth and upside. By depth, I mean the sheer number of players in a system with a reasonable chances of providing MLB value, with some differentiation on the basis of likelihood to contribute. By upside, I mean having potential impact players, or solid-average regulars with relatively higher chances of contributing. Essentially, this is a measure of having elite talent.
My rankings are an attempt to objectively analyze farm systems on both of these factors independently, and then to create an overall ranking by weighting both factors equally. I accomplish this by creating measurements for each factor, adding up them up for each team, and then standardizing the scores using Z scores. This means that the scores for a team one factor can be directly compared with the other factor score, and averaged to create an overall score and ranking. With Z scores, a score of 0 is average, a positive score of 1 represents one standard deviation (SD) above average, a negative score of 1 likewise one SD below average, etc.
One thing that's really interesting to note is that after the Mets at #12 overall, there's a huge step down to Colorado at #13 with a difference of one half standard deviation. That's a pretty huge gap, and there's also a pretty big gap from Wasington at #26 down to the truly awful systems in CWS, LAA and DET. Broadly speaking, things are pretty much in line with what I expected in terms of how teams stack up. Below, I've charted the upside value against the depth value for each of the teams:
Broadly speaking, there are the better farm systems in the upper right quadrant, with good upside and good depth. Likewise, in the lower left are the poorer systems on both dimensions. Towards the middle/along the axes are some of the more interest cases, the split decisions. There are teams like Houston, Chicago and San Diego with tremendous depth, but lacking in elite upside at this point. In a similar vein is a system like Philadelphia, which has decent depth but is largely lacking in elite talent. On the opposite end are systems like Baltimore and Cincinnati, with poor depth but anchored with some elite talent and therefore high upside. Below are some brief details on how the calculations were done, as well as rankings for each dimensions separately.
To measure depth (and depth only), I take John's rankings and assign a value of 2 for each player ranked a B or above. 1.5 for each B-, and 1 for each C+. The idea is that once you get to the level of straight C prospects, it's a pretty ubiquitous commodity. Essentially, I consider them replacement level prospects. On the flip side, there's no distinction here above B-level prospects, since this is really a matter of difference in upside. Based on John's grade distribution, the backend of the Top 100 is generally made of straight B level prospects, and that's loosely where I draw the line. With all the Top 20 lists published (as always, yeoman's work by John), this is just a matter of totalling things up.
Measuring the upside is a little more difficult at this point. Last year, I used a consensus Top 125 based on 8 Top 125 lists, assigning values to each spot based on inverse square root of overall ranking, with a smoothing factor. At this point, a number of those lists aren't out yet. Moreover, neither is John's list. So essentially, my upside measurements is based on a interpolated ranking based on John's grades. I did this by separating players according to grades, ordinality within team rankings, anecdotes that I recalled from John's writing and comments, as well as previous rankings (as a last factor). This obviously isn't going to be completely accurate, but it should be reasonably close, and given the inherent error in this type of exercise, not material at all. For 2012 draftees, I simply used the average value for their grade level.


text:
The Sioux Falls Pheasants could not hold an early lead and fell to the Kansas City T-Bones, 6-4, on Tuesday night at Community America Ballpark.
The loss snapped a five-game winning streak for the Pheasants (24-19), who remain two games out of first place in the North Division.
The Pheasants took advantage of a fielding error and a wild pitch to score three runs in the first inning on three hits, including Cesar Nicolas' run-scoring single that collected his league-leading 42nd RBI of the season. Cristian Guerrero had an RBI groundout, and Mark Shorey knocked in a run with a two-out base hit.
Shorey left the game in the third with an injury. Jake Taylor stepped up in his place with a pinch-hit triple and came home on Trevor Lawhorn's groundout one batter later.
The scoring ended there for the Pheasants while the T-Bones responded with six unanswered runs. Kansas City (25-20) tallied a run in the third and scored twice in the fifth. In the sixth, Rod Scurry's throwing error allowed Ray Sadler to score, and Jose Duran drove in the go-ahead run with a single to right field. Enrique Cruz' solo home run in the eighth extended the deficit to 6-4.
Pheasants starter Rod Scurry (3-2) lost for the first time as a starter, allowing five runs, three earned, in five innings. He walked two and struck out three.
Kansas City starter Shaun Garceau (5-0) stayed perfect with his fifth win in as many starts. He yielded four runs, one earned, on nine hits in six innings. He did not walk a batter and struck out one.
Four Kansas City relievers combined in the last three innings to shut out the Pheasants, who threatened by loading the bases in the eighth inning with nobody out but could not bring a man home.
Joe Anthonsen led the Pheasants at the plate with a pair of doubles and a 3-for-3 night.
Mike Mehlich pitched a perfect ninth for his third save of the year.
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2014 WorldNow and KSFY. All Rights Reserved.
For more information on this site, please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service or our EEO Report.


text:
» Posts Tagged 'grants'
Creative District Expands $5,000 Grants to Web Creators with the #CDWebSeries Contest
Creative District launched earlier this year as Technicolor's offering to the filmmaker social media space. With an emphasis on filmmaker to filmmaker connections, building collaborators online, and a simple and pleasing browsing experience, Creative Districts enthusiasm for connecting filmmakers doesn't stop there. They offer $5,000 grants monthly to users of the website who are working on interesting projects, but until now that grant was not available to YouTubers and Vimeo Creators. Read on for the full details of the contest, the winners will be announced on September 2nd, 2014. More »
More Money for Filmmakers: A Massive List of Grants Part II (Summer Deadlines)
Our massive list of grants is back, and for summer it's bigger than ever — more grants, more markets, and more opportunities for both US-based and International filmmakers to get funding! Looking to finance your next 3D feature? Develop your humanities documentary? Get your script picked up by a top agency? Yup, there's an app for that. If granting puns don't get you excited, this list of relevant opportunities with deadlines this summer just might. More »
A Massive List of Upcoming Grants All Filmmakers Should Know About
It seems like every week a grant deadline flies by, and you find yourself looking forlornly at the expired application for free money, mumbling "coulda been a contender." To give everyone more time to work on your films and scripts — and a little less time researching how to fund them — scroll through the list below to find relevant opportunities for your narrative films, documentaries, and screenplays with upcoming deadlines. More »
AbelCine Extends Documentary Grant Deadline for Chance to Win Three $33K Canon Rental Packages
AbelCine has extended their documentary grant deadline, giving applicants another week to upload a Vimeo pitch for the chance to win a $33,000 Canon C300 rental package. They've also added another prize to the mix: Unlimited DPX access to cloud-based rolling credits service Endcrawl, which includes all the 2K, HD DPX, and 1K H.264 renders your little heart could desire. Read on for the details. More »
2013 Documentary Grant from AbelCine Will Award $100,000 in Canon C300 Rental Packages
Film and video equipment and service provider AbelCine announced the 2013 AbelCine Documentary Grant yesterday, calling on filmmakers to submit 2-5 minute Vimeo videos pitching their longer documentary projects. Each of three winners will receive $33,000 which can be applied to their choice of a Canon C300 rental packages and lenses from AbelCine. US Residents 18 years and older are eligible to apply; hit the jump for deets. More »
Looking to Celebrate Humanity in Your Film? The SFFS/KRF Filmmaking Grant Wants to Finance It
The partnership between The San Francisco Film Society and the Kenneth Rainin Foundation has resulted in films like Beasts of the Southern Wild, Fruitvale Station, and A Fighting Season receiving the funding needed to be completed. If you're working on a film that explores "human and civil rights, antidiscrimination, gender and sexual identity and other social issues of our time," then you should seriously think about applying for the SFFS/KRF Filmmaking Grant. For details on eligibility and how to apply, hit the jump. More »
Film Grant Wants to Introduce You to 'The Greatest Industry Contacts You Could Ever Find'
Self-described as "a covert underground operation started by a gentle 76-year-old man who just wanted to help give passionate filmmakers an opportunity to be heard," the Roy W. Dean Film and Video Grant is no ordinary endowment. The large majority of the winner's reward is not in the form of cash – but if $30,000 in industry favors means anything to you, like getting your film's trailer edited by the trailer editor of The Usual Suspects, then read on. More »
Chicken & Egg Pictures: Open Call for Women Directors & Co-Directors of Nonfiction Films
Chicken & Egg Pictures doled out $2.8 million in funding for women making documentaries over the past eight years, and they're closing in on the big 3M this year with their three grants and two film funds. They've just sent out the open call for "women nonfiction filmmakers whose diverse voices and dynamic storytelling have the power to catalyze change, at home and around the globe." Grants range from $5,000-$25,000 and come with mentorship, creative collaboration and access to the dynamic Chicken & Egg community. If you're a woman making a non-fiction feature, short, hybrid, new media, or multiple-platforms piece (or if you're working as Co-Director with a woman on one of these projects) read on for Chicken & Egg's tips on snagging that cabbage. More »
Learn the Art of Film Grant Writing with Oden Roberts
This is a guest post by Director, Writer, and Cinematographer Oden Roberts.
Mantra: Grant writing is not filmmaking. Once again: Grant writing is not filmmaking. It's scholarly, tedious and political. Repeat mantra.
A few years back I began the arduous process of submitting my feature script A Fighting Season to the San Francisco Film Society for their prestigious KRF narrative production grant. The process, in a nutshell, parallels the scholarly disciplines guided by the Little, Brown Handbook than the craft I've been become familiar with known as "Indie" filmmaking. More »
Tribeca Film Institute Filmmaker Programs Now Open for Submissions, Deadline Nov. 5
Submissions for several of the Tribeca Film Institute Filmmaker Programs opened yesterday. If you've been following the site, our own Ryan Koo was awarded an All Access grant from Tribeca for his upcoming film Manchild. TFI programs now accepting submissions until Nov. 5 include: TFI Sloan Filmmaker Fund, TFI Documentary Fund, TFI Latin America Media Arts Fund, and Tribeca All Access. Got questions about the submissions process?
Tune in today at 4 pm ET/1 pm PT for a live webinar on USTREAM UPDATE: the webinar is archived and available below. More »
Great Opportunity: Cinereach Awarding Grants of Up to $50K to Fiction and Documentary Film Projects
Cinereach, who we've covered previously, is a not-for-profit film organization that awards grants and fellowships to filmmakers in addition to producing a select few films (the most prominent current example of which is the terrific and touching Beasts of the Southern Wild). Documentary and fiction films from anywhere in the world are eligible for their grants, which range from $5,000 – $50,000 per project. Since 2006 they've awarded close to $5 million in total funds, and they've just opened their 2012 grant cycle; if you're interested in applying for such a great opportunity (as am I), you've got a month. Here are the details of how to apply: More »
Celtx is More Than Just Screenwriting: Seeds Program is Giving Away $25,000 in Grants
We've been covering screenwriting software a bit on here, and plenty of you have probably heard of Celtx – but what you might not know is that Celtx has a program called Seeds that seeks to give back to the filmmaking community in the form of grants. It's not often that you see a free software company (excluding the mobile versions) giving money away for nothing. Here is a video explaining the program: More »
Creative Capital to Award Twenty $10,000 Film/Video Grants, Now Open for Applications
Creative Capital, according to their web site, is "the only national grantmaking and artist service organization for individual artists with an open application process." Their 2011 grant cycle — which will hand out 20+ grants of $10,000 — just opened on February 1st, and runs until March 1st. If you're a U.S. citizen (or permanent legal resident) 25 or older, check out the 2011 grant guidelines [PDF link]. Here are the details: More »
Cinereach Grant Submissions Open Until December 1st
Not-for-profit film production company/foundation Cinereach awards $500,000 to feature films every year, and their Winter grant cycle comes to a close December 1st. In the past four years Cinereach has disbursed $4 million to more than 80 projects "at the intersection of engaging storytelling, visual artistry and vital subject matter." If you've got a project that fits the bill, here's how to apply. More »
5 Upcoming Contests and Opportunities for Filmmakers and Photographers
I always make it a point to say "check out the fine print" when I post contests or other opportunities here, but I owe much of my career so far to grants and other awards. Thus I think many contests are overlooked by the larger filmmaking community – so here are five upcoming contests I've found recently (and be sure to read the fine print if you're planning on participating): More »


text:
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
© Copyright 2014 Clayton News Daily
By Curt email@example.com A clerical employee, an insurance agent, three retirees, a professional fund-raiser, and a businesswoman form the new ethics commission for the Clayton County Board of Education. Four of the seven commission members were introduced to school staffers, school board members, elected officials and others from the community on Tuesday night during a reception at the school system's Professional Learning Center in Jonesboro. There was no indication as to why the other three members were not present. "It is my hope and prayer that we never have to use this commission," said state Rep. Mike Glanton (D-Jonesboro). "That would say to this community the board understands it's impact on the community." The commission was set up by local legislation signed into law by Gov. Sonny Perdue earlier this year. It established a new code of ethics for the school board after the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) threatened to take away the district's accreditation because of a dysfunctional governing board. SACS revoked the accreditation on Sept. 1, for the same reason. The commission was set up to enforce the ethics code, and the Clayton County Legislative Delegation was tasked with picking the review body's membership. The commission will meet four times a year, and the school system is responsible for paying the commission members $50 for each meeting. The district also is responsible for making sure commission members receive training to understand how to do their jobs. The commission will undergo its first training session on Saturday. The members are: Karolen Anetia Mazyck-Dowdell, 50, a clerical employee; Stephenie Turnipseed, 53, an insurance agent; Edda Rose Feimster, 63, a retired Georgia Department of Revenue employee; Robert Flournoy, 64, a retired Atlanta Public Schools teacher; Mike Barnes, 56, a retiree; Sam Burston, 51, a professional fund-raiser, and Deborah Jester, 50, owner of a transportation (minibus) business. Larry O'Keeffe, 58, a long-time board watcher, will serve as the lone alternate for the commission. He will join the commission if a member has to quit before his or her term ends. Mazyck-Dowdell, Turnipseed, and Reimster will serve four-year terms on the commission. Flournoy, Barnes, Burston, and Jester will serve two-year terms. Beginning in 2010, all members of the commission will serve four-year, staggered terms. Glanton said the staggered terms allow for continuous leadership on the commission. He also said members can only serve one term, because the delegation wanted to avoid having members become too comfortable in their positions. The commission will have an independent legal counsel to avoid a conflict of interest with the commission and school board relying on the same attorney. Jester, who was appointed by Sen. Valencia Seay (D-Riverdale), said improvement will not come overnight, but she also believes the improvements made in Clayton County schools will eventually spread throughout the state. "We've got to have a checks-and-balances system in place," Jester said. "There are rules that have got to be made, and followed." Turnipseed, who was appointed by Sen. Gail Davenport (D-Jonesboro), said she wants the commission to serve as a reminder to the board that the school system should be working in the best interests of the children. Turnipseed has three children who graduated from Mt. Zion High School, and she served on advisory councils for three former superintendents of Clayton County Schools. "I want Clayton County [schools] to be able to provide the best education possible," she said. Flournoy, who was appointed by Rep. Georganna Sinkfield (D-Atlanta), said the commission should be supportive of the school board, but also firm when it comes to enforcing the ethics code. "Good leadership is a blessing, and bad leadership is a curse," he said.
More like this story
- Lack of quorum derails ethics meeting ( November 14, 2008 )
- BOE ethics meeting set for today ( November 21, 2008 )
- Georgia House approves BOE ethics bill ( March 22, 2008 )
- Clock's ticking on King's BOE appeal ( February 28, 2009 )
- Flournoy, Burston are ethics commission leaders
BOE body sets complaints, sanctions procedures ( November 24, 2008 )


text:
What is Hadith?
What is Hadith?
Hadith are traditions relating to the sayings and doings of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Hadith collections are regarded as important tools for determining the Sunnah, or Muslim way of life, by all traditional schools of jurisprudence. The overwhelming majority of Muslims consider hadiths to be essential supplements to and clarifications of the Quran, Islam's holy book.
In the matter of what is called fiqh, or Islamic jurisprudence, the Quran contains many rules for the behavior expected of Muslims. However, there are many matters of concern, both religious and practical, on which there are no specific Quranic rules. Muslims believe that they can look at the way of life, or sunnah, of Muhammad and his companions to discover what to imitate and what to avoid.
In the matter of what is called tafsir, or exposition of the meaning of the Quran, Muslim scholars believe that it is useful to know how Muhammad or his companions explained the revelations, or upon what occasion Muhammad received them. Sometimes this will clarify a passage that otherwise seems obscure.
Hadith are a source for Islamic history and biography. For the vast majority of devout Muslims, authentic hadith are also a source of religious inspiration.
Muslims who accept hadith believe that trusted hadith are in most cases the words of Muhammad and not the word of God, like the Quran. Hadith Qudsi form a partial exception; this small minority of hadith purports to express words spoken by God to Muhammad but not included in the Quran, or the sense of them.
While both hadith and Quran have been translated, most Muslims believe that translations of the Quran into another language other than Arabic are inherently deficient, amounting to little more than a commentary upon the text. There is no such belief regarding hadith. Practicing Muslims cleanse themselves (wudu) before reading or reciting the Quran; there is no such requirement for reading or reciting hadith. Even for Muslims who accept the hadith, they are clearly of inferior rank.
How Hadith were collected and evaluated:
Traditions regarding the life of Muhammad and the early history of Islam were passed down orally for more than a hundred years after the death of Muhammad in 632.
Muslim historians say that it was the caliph Uthman (the third caliph, or successor of Muhammad, who had formerly been Muhammad's secretary), who first urged Muslims both to write down the Quran in a fixed form, and to write down the hadith. Uthman's labors were cut short by his assassination, at the hands of aggrieved soldiers, in 656.
The Muslim community (ummah) then fell into a prolonged civil war, termed the Fitna by Muslim historians. After the fourth caliph, Ali ibn Abi Talib, was assassinated, control of the Islamic empire was seized by the Umayyad dynasty in 661. Ummayad rule was interrupted by a second civil war (the Second Fitna), re-established, then ended in 758, when the Abbasid dynasty seized the caliphate, to hold it, at least in name, until 1258.
Muslim historians say that hadith collection and evaluation continued during the first Fitna and the Umayyad period. However, much of this activity was presumably oral transmission from early Muslims to later collectors, or from teachers to students. If any of these early scholars committed any of these collections to writing, they have not survived. The histories and hadith collections we possess today were written down at the start of the Abbasid period, more than one hundred years after the death of Muhammad.
The scholars of the Abbasid period were faced with a huge corpus of miscellaneous traditions, some of them flatly contradicting each other. Many of these traditions supported differing views on a variety of controversial matters. Scholars had to decide which hadith were to be trusted as authentic narrations and which had been invented for various political or theological purposes. For this purpose, they used a number of techniques which Muslims now call the science of hadith.
The most common technique consists of a careful examination of the isnad, or chain of transmission. Each hadith is accompanied by an isnad: A heard it from B who heard it from C who heard it from a companion of Muhammad. Isnads are carefully scrutinized to see if the chain is possible (for example, making sure that all transmitters and transmittees were known to be alive and living in the same area at the time of transmission) and if the transmitters are reliable.
Hadith that were not thrown out as clearly spurious (maudu') were usually sorted into three categories:
"genuine" (sahih, the best category)
"fair" (hasan, the middle category)
"weak" (da'if)
Some of the sahih hadith were further distinguished as mutawatir, or agreed upon. The sayings or events reported in these hadith were attested by so many witnesses, though different isnads, that it was thought inconceivable that these hadith could be forgeries.
More information on Hadith may be found at:


text:
Despite the victory on Saturday against Baylor the Longhorn defense continued a streak of lackluster defensive performances.
Over the last month UT has given up an average of 580 yards and 49 points a game.
Head Coach Mack Brown attributed the struggles to the high powered offenses they have been seeing.
"We've played some of the best offenses in the country," Brown said. "Four of the top five passing efficiency quarterbacks in the country are in the Big 12. We've played some great teams. And we've got to do better on defense."
"During that four game stretch over the past month Texas went two and two. While the defense has taken their lumps, Coach Brown had a little fun during his Monday morning press conference, talking about some of the great senior players they've faced this season."
"We're playing Heisman Trophy quarterbacks each week," Brown said. "I'm going up to every one of them. Geno Smith, Geno, glad you're gone. Thank you. Don't have to see you again. Landry Jones, great, great career, leave. Get out of here. I told Terrence Williams I was so sick of seeing him Saturday night. Terrence, great have a good pro career. I don't have to see you again. Nick Florence, gosh it seems like you've been at Baylor 12 years, leave."
However, despite playing some of the country's top offenses UT players feel like they're getting better each week
"We're making the stops that we need that are necessary," said junior UT defensive back Carrington Byndom. "It may not be the prettiest of the games that we've played and things like that. But at the end of the day when we come out with a win I definitely think we accomplished our goal."
Texas will face Kansas this Saturday at 11:00 a.m. in Lawrence.
Didn't find what you were looking for?
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2014 Fox Television Stations, Inc. and Worldnow. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy | New Terms of Service What's new | Ad Choices


text:
Spring to Summer Playlist
Before we dive into what lies ahead in the upcoming Summer, I decided to take a quick trip inland to enjoy the snow while it's in full force this Spring. But no trip would be complete without an essential playlist to set the tone! Here are some of my go-to picks when skiing — and when a little boost is needed to conquer any fear.
Tell us . . . what songs motivate the fearless side in you?
Hey Mama | Mat Kearney album: Young Love 2. Young Blood | The Naked and Famous album: Passive Me Aggressive You 3. Up Up Away | Kid Cudi album: Man on the Moon – The End of Day 4. I'm Not Ready | Surfer Blood album: Tarot Classics 5. We Are Young | Fun. album: Some Nights 6. Ray Charles | Chiddy Bang album: Breakfast 7. Bright Lights | Gary Clark Jr. album: The Bright Lights- EP


text:
The year 1939 was a long time ago but that's how far back the United States and Little League baseball go. And last Saturday, with a gorgeous, sun-drenched cool morning serving as a perfect backdrop, a long-standing tradition, albeit not quite up there with 75 years, took place at Prince Field in Miami Springs.
It was "Opening Day 2014" for the Miami Springs Area Little League and the 300-plus Miami Springs players showed up all decked out in their sharp clean uniforms and began the traditional pilgrimmage down Apache Street, past the Community Center, for their grand entrance at Prince Field.
Thanks to the efforts of league president Otto Camejo, his two vice presidents Alexis Nieto (softball) and Robert Gonzalez-Pino (baseball) along with Secretary Lily Camejo, the morning's activities came off without a hitch.
Included was the usual fanfare of interactive games over in the playground area afterwards, plenty of concession food, a live DJ with music and, of course, what would opening day be without an appearance by the two head umpires, Mark Johnston and Bob Best. Johnson took to the mound to have parents and coaches recite the "parent/coach good sportsmanship pledge" followed by Best, who had the kids recite the Little League pledge followed by the two words Best waits all year to holler: "PLAY BALL!!!"
"This is hometown ball," said Best. "This is what it's all about as Little League baseball celebrates its 75th year and is the only youth sport in the United States to have been sanctioned by the federal government to conduct business. You ought to be privileged to be playing for an organization of that stature."
After Miami Springs Mayor Zavier Garcia threw out the ceremonial "first pitch" with catcher Adriana Nieto on the other end, a very special guest was on hand to throw out the other pitch.
Two decades ago, Miami Springs resident David Yocum was a first-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers and even though his career didn't pan out due to arm problems (never good for a pitcher), Yocum was Exhibit A for the little ones to watch this day as it was he who wore those very same little uniforms back in the late '80s when he played his youth baseball on the very same field.
Yocum delivered a strike right down the middle to his catcher Ben Jerrell to officially conclude the morning's ceremonies.
"Little League in Miami Springs was such a really special part of my life and I had some wonderful times," said Yocum. "It wasn't just about going out there and striking everybody out and winning games but just all kind of part of growing up as a kid and making friends and just having fun.
"My parents were here with me today like they were here with me close to 30 years ago and walking out there on that very same mound I stood close to 30 years ago — it was all incredible.
"I think what I'm excited most about is, now that I'm 30 years removed from Little League, this is probably the first time in these kids' young lives where they're going to start to dream. And that to me is the most special team and I started to dream right here on this field and my dreams came true. How many of these kids will go home today and think about possibly taking their careers to the next level and it all starts right here?"
When asked if he had a favorite memory that stood out from his days playing at Prince Field, Yocum didn't hesitate.
"When I showed up this morning, Otto (Camejo) gave me this Dodgers shirt and I was telling a couple of people here this morning that one of my first little coaches was Mike Saladrigas, who was also my soccer coach and knew absolutely nothing about baseball," said Yocum. "So Coach Sal took his Under-10 soccer team and put us on a baseball diamond and all of our infield was left-handed, which is a no-no because that's not the way things usually are in baseball and guess which team we were — the Dodgers. So what happens, we wind up winning the whole thing that year with a bunch of soccer players. I guess being a Dodger was clearly an omen of things to come."
"Seeing David start to get emotional when I started reciting his bio out there in front of the kids, I think it really brought him back," said Camejo, now entering his fourth year as president. "When I looked at his face I could see it. He was nervous and he really felt like a kid for a second. I think I want to get this kind of a tradition going/ Some of those kids, as soon as they heard first-round pick of the Dodgers, they perked up and hinged on every word. Nothing like showing a kid a shining example of what's possible. Sure, the percentages are really low but the bottom line is the fact that they could have that thought in the back of their mind. I have it on my bumper sticker — where dreams are born and today was a perfect example of that."


text:
Earbuds falling out of ears. Is there a low-cost solution?
Hey everyone. I've got a dilemma on my hands... er, ears. I'm a cash-strapped college student but wound up with a used iPhone and brand new Apple earbuds w/ mic (I know I know, quality is crap). I can't afford a decent pair of headphones that'll actually stay on/in my ears. My right ear must be deformed because my left ear tends to hold the 'phone very well while the right one constantly causes the other one to slip out. -_-
Do any of you have a solution of some sort for this problem? I'd reeeally appreciate it. Thanks!


text:
Route Guide - iPhone / Android - Partners - Forum - Photos - Deals - What's New - School of Rock
Home of the super classic Heart of Glass. Pretty close to other good boulders and the warm up area. One of the shorter walks from the main parking lot.
Getting There
From the main parking area at the west entrance, walk north past the gate and take the left road. Follow the road and when it takes a hard right, keep following it and the boulder is ahead just as the road kicks back left.
Climbing Season
7 Total Routes
The Classics
Browse More Classics in Heart Boulder
Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Heart Boulder:
Heart of Glass V4 6B Boulder, 12'
Featured Route For Heart Boulder
Heart of Glass V4 6B Rhode Island : Lincoln Woods : Heart Boulder
This problem is fantastic, I have a hard time not throwing the pad down and getting on it every time I see it. Be warned though, in the summer it feels nearly impossible.Start with left hand on a sidepull rail and right hand on a sloper around the arete. Put your left foot on a very small/slippery hold and heel hook the arete with your right. Slap your way up the arete to the tough match and top out. Some people start with the right hand on a high pinch too, but I find it easier and more fun...[more] Browse More Classics in Rhode Island
Latest Regional Forum Messages
From Eastern States Go to Forum | What's New | Post New Topic


text:
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) — State health officials say a stomach virus is quickly spreading across South Carolina.
The Department of Health and Environmental Control says the state has seen twice the normal number of Norovirus cases so far this year.
The Norovirus usually causes vomiting or diarrhea for a day or two. It is spread easily, especially in places with a lot of people like schools and nursing homes.
Doctors say the best way to fight the virus is to frequently wash hands and make sure shared surfaces like doorknobs and handrails in public places are properly cleaned often.
DHEC says most people recover from the virus without medical treatment, but anyone with symptoms that persist should go to the doctor.
So far officials have not said whether the outbreak is related to a virus that sickened hundreds of people on a Charleston-based cruise ship.
Previous Story:
Copyright 2010 WIS. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. AP contributed to this report.
1111 Bull St.
Columbia, SC 29201
(803) 799-1010
FCC Public File
EEO Report
Closed Captioning


text:
Wigan had plenty of flashes of brilliance on Saturday and defended well for much of the match, but Fulham's attackers had too much quality for them on the day. The Cottagers are heading home with three points after a 2-1 victory, thanks to a couple of quality goals.
Hugo Rodellega scored the opener in the 31st minute, heading in a great chipped cross from Dimitar Berbatov. The pair terrorized the Wigan defense for the first half hour of the match, and it felt like only a matter of time before they would score in the minutes leading up to the goal. Just a couple of minutes later, Jordi Gomez nearly equalized for Wigan, but his shot bounced off the crossbar.
Fulham brought on Bryan Ruiz for Alex Kacaniklic in the 59th minute, which proved to be a decisive move. Ruiz set up Damien Duff in the 68th minute with a great pass into space, and the Cottagers' left winger hit a perfect finish.
Wigan fired themselves back into the match late through Arouna Kone, whose hard work and solid play throughout the match was rewarded with a goal on a corner kick. While the home side pushed forward for an equalizer, they never came close, and Fulham held on for the victory.


text:
Those who harbor secret online identities may not be as anonymous as they think. Determined snoopers can potentially uncover bloggers with a little legwork and the use of Google Analytics. [More]
Report: Google Analytics Can Reveal Identities Of Anonymous Bloggers
Erase Yourself From The Internet
Need to escape from a stalker or clean up your online identity before a potential or current employer finds out that you have a personality? Here's instructions on how to delete yourself from the internet, everything from erasing your profile from Facebook to "unGoogling" yourself. [More]
Wal-Mart Refuses Anonymity For Whistleblowers
I just love sticking it to Wal-Mart. What crime hasn't this mega-corporate SPECTRE-wannabe been accused of? Anyway, they may not have even done anything wrong in this case; after all, the accuser, Chalace Epley Lowry, is not yet entirely out of the company and the accused might actually be innocent. Nonetheless, shouldn't companies be required to allow anonymous reporting of ethics violations?


text:
Pewter Dog Collar Charm or Cat Collar Charm: Precious
Our Price $12.97
Item#: 656
Manufacturer: Big Paw Designs
Precious: For the pet who puts that warm place in our hearts. Precious heart shaped pewter pet collar charm with a paw print. Ring attachment included. Approx. 3/4"(Heart). Made in the U.S.A.