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Like any wildlife lover, I have 2 bird feeders in the backyard. The feeders are cheap types - plastic tubes with plastic perches crisscrossed in several places through the tubes. This afternoon I discoverd the perches were cut off clean so that all which remains of it are those stuck in the tubes. On close inspection of the cut off pieces, it looks like a bird or birds nipped off the perches -- but why? I don't know where to post this question or which website to consult over this rather odd behaviour. I provide food for finches - but the feeders have been visited by black birds and by a small woodpecker. I can't imagine those finches capable of cutting hard plastic perches in half and think it's the black birds. These are not the work of a naughty squirrel either because squirrels have damaged my feeders before and I've taken steps to prevent repeat.
So any thoughts ideas where I can post the question. I must say I am rather amused and yet perplexed. Now the birds cannot eat the seeds - not even the black birds. |
Follow-Up Postings:
Are you sure it wasn't a squirrel? They're unbelievably cunning! |
The feeders are hanging on a couple of sheppherd's hooks -- they've never been able to get up that skinny pole. In a previous attack by squirrels those feeders tubes were ripped off the hooks and they gnawed large holes in the tubes. These newer feeders have no such gnaw marks. The only thing affected are the perches and the marks look more like they were made by beaks rather than teeth. |
- Posted by hosenemesis SoCal Sunset 19 USDA (My Page) on Thu, Aug 5, 10 at 1:19
Rats gnaw ours off. We had to put cat-food-can tops into the bottoms of the feeders too- rats were gnawing through the plastic base as well as the perches. Renee |
not rats in this case. Definitely birds did this. I hate having to get a more expensive bird feeder but it seems that's what I'll need to do. |
Well, I can't help you with what (or who!) caused it, but I can tell you the same thing happened to me. I went through about three of those feeders before I finally gave up and switched to another kind. In the end, it was the squirrels who got to mine. Now, I'm not arguing that it is a squirrel in your case, but FYI - after a whole summer of the squirrels not being able to climb the skinny pole my feeder sits on, I went out yesterday and what do I see, but a squirrel sitting on top of the feeder happily munching away. I put the squirrel baffle back up and that stopped him. (Then I threw out some peanuts for him. haha. I'm a sucker.) |
Scully, ask Santa for one of these. |
- Posted by hosenemesis SoCal Sunset 19 USDA (My Page) on Sat, Aug 7, 10 at 0:29
Ha ha ha! Take THAT! you nasty squirrel! Renee |
haha... that's funny. I like it sooo much better than the ones that shut the feeding holes. Don't ever buy that kind! I have read quite a large number of complaints from people saying birds have been decapitated by them. This one looks harmless. |
- Posted by midnightsmum 4b ON (My Page) on Sat, Aug 7, 10 at 13:08
Ianna - I'm just letting my mind wander here, but: you say they came off clean - how old are the feeders?? I am wondering if it was plastic fatigue....some types of plastic break down in the sun, and possibly the heat, something we have had in great quantity this summer. If it is, then the weight and/or force of a larger bird landing could have caused it/them to snap off. You could buy new ones, or retrofit the one you have: take a drill to where the perches were, and find similar sized twigs (green would be stronger) and drill a similar sized hole. I'd use a good waterproof glue which can freeze. You could be creative with this!! My old wooden feeders had their perches knocked off in the ice storm, and this is how I solved the dilemma. It took me a few tries to get it right. Just btw, I have never seen any animal purposely chew or knock a perch down.....that's my 2˘ worth!! Good luck with your diy project. Nancy. |
Hi Nancy, I bought new birdfeeders today. I was in the States for the day (I'm from Canada) and so I decided to checkout Lowes and got feeders with metal perches. Funny thing about animals - you really can't tell what's on their minds when they do what they do..so for me to make sense of this is probably futile. And you are probably right in that large birds may have caused the damage -- yet I cannot explain why the cuts occur at the point the perch enters the tube and why the rest of the perch do not have any bite marks. These are relatively new tubes. One a year old and other just recently purchased. The perches are pretty strong I can't snap them in half. If it had been squirrels, the tubes by now would have been damaged. They remain intact and for added protection I had greased the poles. Mice, raccoons or squirrels will have to do heck of a pole dance to make it up that pole. I won't throw away my older feeders. I would like to still use them if I can locate rods of similar width to replace the perches. or as you said, enlarge the holes by drilling and get branches. |
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My overly talented and beautiful sister-in-law, Kylie, has started a DIY instagram with her sisters that is so creative and cute...you can follow them @warpaintweekend on Insty.
Since I am craft challenged, as I like to say, I have asked them to showcase a little of their craftiness for this Valentines Day.
Hi, we are Warpaint Weekend.
Three sisters who grew up in a family who crafted for a living. Our parents, mostly our mother, crafted since we were little. I guess it's not a surprise that we all have the crafting gene as well. One of our favorite memories was that our dolls had clothes to match ours when we were little. Our Mama is a sewing genius!
Warpaint weekend is a place where we can express our passion and share with you guys fun, inexpensive and functional ways to recreate something you love! Each of us bring our own style to the group.
Jen, the oldest, has a fun, eclectic, chic-ness to her style, and comes up with awesome kid crafts and party decor! Maddie, the youngest, has a passion for the old fashion. She brings in a unique, 60's, wild and gutsy style to the plate! And Kylie, the middle sister, expresses herself through her passion for good food, fashion and fun!
Here is a few ideas for your valentines Day breakfast.
Surprise your lover, a friend, or your family! Even let the kids help!
Heart and arrow pancakes- pancake mix of your choice, blend in blender to make sure there are no clumps. Use a condiment bottle and squirt batter onto the pan making shapes.
Pink syrup- 1 1/2 cups sugar, 3/4 cup water, 1 tbsp butter, dash of salt, 1 drop of red food coloring and a half tsp of your choice of flavoring. (We recommend almond or lemon so it stays clear for food coloring.) Boil on stove till sugar is dissolved and serve warm.
Strawberry heart and arrow- whole strawberry, pull off stem, cut V in the top of strawberry, slide toothpick through, put a chocolate chip on one end and mini marshmallow on the other.
Heart omelette- 2 eggs, choice of meat and veggies, mix in bowl and pour into a metal cookie cutter or a heart pancake mold. Flip to cook other side and top with cheese. Purple milk- 1/2 cup of milk, 1 drop of blue and 2 drops of red food coloring.

subset: commoncrawl


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Beyonce had a nail-biting encounter with an overexcited fan as her Mrs. Carter Tour made a stop in Sao Paulo, Brazil on Saturday night. During her performance of her 2007 hit "Irreplaceable," the 32-year-old diva was nearly yanked off stage at Morumbi Stadium by a shirtless man standing in the front row. Security quickly stepped…
What Do You Think of Beyonce's Dramatic Haircut?
No more flowing locks for Queen Bey! Beyonce, whose almost as famous for her showstopping hairpieces as she is for her charttopping dance hits, debuted a drastically different haircut in a series of Instagram photos currently heating up the search engines. The singing mom has donned numerous variations of wigs, weaves and extensions over the…
Beyonce invites Boston Bombing victims backstage during concert
Beyonce made the day of three victims from the Boston Bombings yesterday. Bombing victims, Mery Daniel, Adrianne Haslet and Heather Abbott all suffered an amputation during the attacks and have since learned to walk again. These three women were several of the victims who were honored in a recent article by people magazine, chronicling their…
Beyonce Unharmed After Getting Hair Caught in Fan During Show in Montreal
They don't call a Sasha Fierce performance hair-raising for nothin'. Singing superstar Beyonce was unharmed after getting her infamous hair extensions caught in a fan.
Beyonce Honors Trayvon Martin with Moment of Silence
Beyonce's Mrs. Carter Tour was scheduled to begin its stop in Nashville about 30 minutes after news broke that George Zimmerman had been acquitted in the February 2012 slaying of Trayvon Martin. The singer took to the stage as planned, but didn't immediately start the show; instead Bey asked the audience to join her in…
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NAGPUR: The number of patients walking into Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) has constantly been falling over the last few years, so have the number of surgeries being performed in the hospital. This was revealed in the answers to an RTI query by the hospital authorities.
An RTI application was sent to the authorities by the Central India Surgical Dealers Association questioning them about the number of patients in the hospital in the last four years. GMCH, Asia's largest government-run medical college, was once a glorious institution but several such revelations have marred its image in recent times.
The patient flow in OPD has reduced significantly in these years. In OPD (new) there were 4,74,882 patients in 2008 which rose to 5,17,407 in 2009 but fell to 3,83,525 in 2010 and came further down to 2,61,860 last year. Similarly in OPD (old) in 2008 there were 1,81,111 number of paetients. The number rose to 2,42,102 in 2009 and 3,56,389 in 2010 but in 2011 it reduced to 3,03,948.
As far as major surgeries are concerned the number fell to 11,412 in 2011 from 12,701 in 2008. Similarly in 2008, 33,275 in minor surgeries were performed which reduced to 27,912 in 2011.
Insiders ascribe this fall to the persistent insufficiency of supplies, including essential drugs as well as surgical goods in the hospital. "A hospital that receives such a heavy flow of patients is expected to be well equipped. Most times, we have to tell the patients to buy things like syringes, plasters and many important medicines from outside despite the fact that the hospital is supposed to provide these to the poor patients who come here," said one of the doctors of the hospital.
"Due to outstanding bills amounting to more than a crore of rupees, the surgical dealers had decided to stop supplying goods to the hospital, some dating back to a couple of years. Despite several promises made in this regard, Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) failed to pay us back," said Prince Uppal, president of Central India Surgical Dealers Association. The RTI reply, though, states that there are no outstanding bills to be paid to the dealers. "This has also forced one of our dealers to serve a legal notice to GMCH," he added.
Recently, the hospital's chapter of Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) had gone on a strike for various insufficiencies, one of which was the lack of life-saving drugs in the hospital. "It is common knowledge that the hospital has an insufficient stock of several essential medications, even the most commonly needed ones like syringes, saline and antibiotics. Though we are not the ones responsible for this insufficiency, we are the ones who have to face angry relatives who often resort to violence," said Dr Parag Kinage, MARD president at GMCH.
In reply to one of the other questions raised through RTI, the hospital said that it does not have enough syringes, formalin, plaster of Paris and other material needed for surgeries.
Stay updated on the go with Times of India News App. Click here to download it for your device.
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Snowmass Village, CO, USA
July 2-5, 2015
Our lineup and schedule of activities will be announced in February. Voyager (8-day), Sage (4-day), Seeker (3-day) and Pilgrim (1-day) tickets will be released throughout Spring 2015. Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date with the latest and greatest from Wanderlust.
More questions? Check out the info in our Ticketing FAQ. Read our terms and conditions here.


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Mission District
San Francisco, CA, 94110, United States
Limon serves up Peruvian cuisine to diners in the Mission district. Chef-owner Martin Castillo works in an open kitchen and is well known for his innovative dishes, such as the leche de tigre ceviche, cubes of fish, oysters, and sea urchin in a citrus marinade. Another signature item is the lomo saltado, with strips of steak, peppers, onions, soy sauce, and side of garlic fries. The citrus colors of the walls and seats and the modern art add to a lively ambiance.
Insider Tip:
The mezzanine offers a nice spot for intimate conversation and people-watching. It can be reserved for private dining and holds up to 50 diners.
Open / Closes- Accessible by Public Transportation
- Brunch
- Bar Dining
- Dress Code
- Dinner
- Full Bar
- Hot Spot
- Lunch
- Private Room Available
- Private Dining/Party Space
- Take-Out Available
Cuisine Type:: Latin American


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Back up in Boulder, Sherpa's Restaurant and Traveler's Lounge (825 Walnut Street) is now open and will host a grand-opening party sometime later this month. The restaurant, owned by Pemba Sherpa (himself a Himalayan mountain guide and frequent visitor to places in excess of 20,000 feet above sea level), will feature authentic Nepali, Indian and Thai food served either as "sample portions" (for one) or "family style" (for many). The Traveler's Lounge will also feature maps, books and artifacts of Sherpa culture, and while Pemba plans to someday open a Sherpa museum in the area, for now he promises to donate 10 percent of his profits to the Himalayan Explorers Club, a nonprofit group based in Boulder.
Russian Palace debuted earlier this month in the lower level of 1800 Glenarm Place, in the former digs of Vartan's Jazz Club. Empty since Vartan Tonoian closed the doors in May, the space has been reinvented (and remodeled) as an upscale, traditional Russian restaurant with a full bar, live entertainment on Fridays and Saturdays, a dress code after 6 p.m., and chef Sali Nasimov serving the spicy, Eastern Russian cuisine he grew up with in addition to your classic beet-and-potatoes Iron Curtain comfort food. The Palace is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, with weekend hours until 2 a.m., and while jazz fans still miss Vartan's, at least it wasn't replaced by another contemporary Latin/Asian/French fusion sushi bar and fish taco stand. Or a Starbucks.
Tommy's Thai (3410 East Colfax Avenue) -- a longtime favorite with Capitol Hill residents, as well as Thai-food lovers who live much farther afield -- has reopened after a remodel that should have been done in August but somehow stretched on until the beginning of October. I called to see how things were going, and if the roar of the crowds in the background were any indication, things are going just fine. When I started asking questions, whoever I'd gotten on the phone actually apologized, said he was very busy, requested that I call back in a few hours and then hung up on me. Frankly, this was totally understandable behavior for a man with a full house on his hands -- and not rude at all considering that I was just being nosy. What surprised me was that the place was rocking so hard at two on a Friday afternoon.
Roy's (3000 East First Avenue), which keeps drawing crowds to the Cherry Creek Shopping Center with its unique Hawaiian-fusion menu of Pacific rim and Asian flavors, has added Yamaguchi sushi to the lineup. Chef Amy Yamaguchi (owner Roy Yamaguchi's cousin and former sushi chef at Sushi Zanmai in Boulder) offers new twists and tastes to classic sashimi, nigiri and maki rolls, adding ingredients from around the globe, including avocado and truffle. Throw in Yamaguchi's formal training in both the fine arts and classical sushi presentation, and you get an eclectic eating experience that goes to show that when I start bitching about how the word "fusion" is overused these days, I should really just shut up and eat more.
The Irish Hound is set to open any day now in the old Fu Lin Cafe space at 575 St. Paul Street (don't let all that plywood over the windows fool you). Chris and Lisa Carley (a former bartender at the Cherry Cricket) have purchased the second Cherry Tomato (at 5575 East Third Avenue; the original East 23rd Avenue location remains unchanged) and plan to convert it into the Hillcrest Grill, your basic all-American neighborhood spot. The menu will feature burgers, steaks and pasta -- the three basic food groups of American dining, the fourth being chocolate -- and have hired Dave Gombar (recently of Piatti's) to manage the kitchen. Look for Hillcrest to open sometime around the end of the month.
Farther from home, Chap's Grill and Chophouse -- Vail's only four-diamond place for steak -- has a new menu to go along with its new executive chef, Michael Beck, who came on board in May. It's a big menu, and I'm not going to try to squeeze it all in here, but how's this for a sampler? Portobello fries; plateau de fruits de mer with ahi sashimi, crab legs, chilled oysters and shrimp, lemon, wasabe and ponzu; onion gratinée; harissa-glazed ahi tuna with roasted jalapeño-lime vinaigrette; grilled venison chops with chanterelle risotto; pepper overload with a pepper-crusted hanger steak in peppercorn-brandy sauce; a 35-day dry-aged, bone-in ribeye; and Key lime pie served with coconut sorbet. Damn, that makes me hungry...


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The Official Fee Schedule provides fee information for daily entrance, museum and overnight accommodation fees for all 160 state parks. Fee ranges for activities are provided. For specific information, visit the individual park's webpage or call the information line at (850) 245-2157.
*Fees are subject to change without notice.
- Daily Entrance Fees
- Overnight Accommodation Fees
- Overnight Accommodation Discounts
- Activity Fees
- Official Fee Schedule (PDF)
All fees are per vehicle with two to eight occupants. More than eight people in a vehicle requires additional per person fees, unless otherwise noted. County surcharges may apply. Please contact the park for additional information. Please be advised there may be additional fees for the use of certain park amenities, such as camping, special tours or equipment rentals. Children under six are free at all state parks.
Overnight accommodations in Florida's state parks are offered at 55 parks with campgrounds, 19 parks with cabins and one park with a lodge. To make reservations up to eleven months in advance, visit http://floridastateparks.reserveamerica.com or call 1-800-326-3521 or TDD 888-433-0287.
A 50% discount on the base camping fee is available to Florida citizens who are at least 65 years of age and Florida citizens who are 100% disabled. Recipients must provide proof of eligibility at the time of registration.
Recipients must provide proof of residency by showing one of the following:
- Florida Permanent Drivers License;
- Florida Permanent Identificaton Card;
- Voter Registration Card; or
- Other official document that will serve as a declaration of residency.
Recipients must provide proof of age by showing one of the following:
- Permanent Florida Driver License;
- Florida Permanent Identificaton Card;
- Birth certificate; or
- A Florida resident fishing or hunting license.
Recipients must show proof of disability by showing one of the following:
- Social Security Administration disability award document;
- Current document from a federal agency stating the bearer is 100% disabled;
- A signed statement on a medical doctor's letterhead naming the bearer, stating they are 100% disabled;
- A Florida Totally and Permanently Disabled Person Hunting and Fishing Certificate;
- Florida Department of Veterans Affairs Disabled Veteran's Identification Card;
- Civil Service Retirement System approval letter showing 100% disability; or
- Department of Revenue Form 416, Physician's Certification of Total and Permanent Disability.
Some activities in state parks require additional fees. Instructor's certification diving, launching boats, renting picnic pavilions and other facilities, renting equipment such as canoes and kayaks, and participating in some tours are examples of activities that may require additional fees.
Call the state park directly or visit their webpage for more information.
Photography is permitted without fee for all purposes except where normal park operations are disrupted or for resource protection. Work with park staff when photography permits are required.


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US lawmakers to Europe: Don't break up Google
U.S. lawmakers want their counterparts in the European Parliament to back away from a resolution that would split up Google by separating search engines from other online services.
U.S. lawmakers want their counterparts in the European Parliament to back away from a resolution that would split up Google by separating search engines from other online services.
New patent reform legislation introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives Wednesday aims to make it more difficult for so-called patent trolls to file infringement lawsuits.
A group of U.S. lawmakers has introduced legislation that would require law enforcement agencies to get court-ordered search warrants before obtaining a suspect's mobile phone location or GPS data, instead of using prosecution-issued subpoenas.
The U.S. Congress needs to shut down so-called patent trolls whose infringement lawsuits are diverting company resources from hiring and research, a group of technology companies told lawmakers Thursday.
Two U.S. lawmakers have introduced legislation that would require a losing plaintiff to pay legal costs in many patent infringement lawsuits, in an effort to discourage so-called patent trolls from filing court cases.
The U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee has postponed further debate on the controversial Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) until after Congress' holiday break.
The U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee slowly moved toward approval of the controversial copyright enforcement bill Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), although the panel was able to debate only a handful of amendments Thursday.
The U.S. Congress should focus on voluntary incentives, instead of new regulations, as a way to encourage companies to improve their cybersecurity efforts, although some changes in current laws are needed, a group of Republican lawmakers said in a re...
Affiliates of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in 31 states have filed 379 information requests, demanding that state and local law enforcement agencies tell how they use location information from mobile phones to track U.S. residents.
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First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.
For work use, Microsoft Word and Excel programs pre-installed on the device are adequate for preparing short documents.
The Fujitsu LifeBook UH574 allowed for great mobility without being obnoxiously heavy or clunky. Its twelve hours of battery life did not disappoint.
The screen was particularly good. It is bright and visible from most angles, however heat is an issue, particularly around the Windows button on the front, and on the back where the battery housing is located.
My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions.


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Cups & Balls - Brass
Item Number: MB3619
The perfect cups for this classic effect. These brass Cups and Balls are spun from brass and designed with a larger load capacity than most.
Comes with three cups, four crochet balls, heavy cloth carrying bag and instructions.
4 inches tall
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Connecting with Your Higher Self to Manifest the Realities You Desire
This post is inspired by a question from Irina, and her question was inspired by our following thought for the day post:
"It is the spirit's job to create the perfect life you want to live and to provide you with all the challenges and joy you want to experience. Spirit knows exactly what you want."
–The Council
Irina comments that she's pretty good at manifesting, but it's much easier for her to help other people manifest what they want than it is for her to know what she wants and set an intention to manifest it in her own life. Irina wants to know how she can connect with her higher self and get the information The Council says her spirit knows about what she wants.
Audio recording
The black bar below plays a 6½ minute recording of the segment of a session with The Council to answer Irina's question.
Play: Click triangle (►). Pause: Click icon (||) that replaces the triangle while the recording plays. Fast Forward/Rewind: Click to the right/left of the play bar during play. Mute on/off: Click speaker icon. Volume: Click bar to the right of the speaker icon.
Highlights of The Council's comments
The Council says they see that Irina is able to help others manifest their desires, and they encourage her to take a good look at beliefs she may have that prevent setting her intentions on manifesting her own heart's desires.
Here are some highlights of The Council's answer to Irina's question. You can hear their comments in the context of the session by playing the audio recording (available at the beginning of this post when viewed in a web browser).
Spirit's Availability in Your Human Experience
It's one thing to go along with the idea you're a spiritual being in a physical body, but to what extend do you believe spiritual reality is available to you in your day-to-day human experience? This is an issue for a reader named Bobby, who says she believes it's important to reach for her connection with spirit. But she seems to rely on psychics and mediums when she wants guidance from relatives and spirits no longer in their physical body, and she wants to know why spirit doesn't seem to come forward to help her in those sessions.
You Are Never Cut Off From Spirit
As I (Bob) read Bobby's question to The Council they were quick to point out spirit's availability, and they emphasized this throughout the session.
"They [spirits] are always available."
"You are always in touch with these people you believe that have passed on. And while you are waiting for them to appear during a session, you have visits with them constantly. Most [visits] are when you are asleep in the physical body. You connect with these people.
"And we would like to say here that if you have gone many times to other psychics and mediums, and you believe these people [spirits] are not coming forward to speak to you…, maybe it is in part for you to know that these other people, these other psychics, are not necessary for you to connect.
"And so if you meditate, if you ask for signs, in one way or another these spirits (who you believe have passed) will come. And while they may not come and sit down and have a cup of coffee with you, they will come and show you that they are around. But you are constantly in conversation, and you are constantly meeting with these spirits that are passed."
"When you sleep, when you are what you call unconscious, the beliefs of time and space do not constrict what you can do, and you can, with your thoughts, be in communication with the spirit world, and you can be with the others that have passed. You are never cut off from spirit."
"Spirit is always willing to communicate, so perhaps…the psychic is not hearing the communication. But usually that is so you can on some level become more determined to have a communication, and know (and here we go again back to you are a spirit in a physical body) you can have this communication yourself."
"This desire to communicate with others that have passed on, it is important that Bobby understand they are always around her; they are always communicating with her."
–The Council
Continue reading
A Question about Portals – an Answer About Creating Your Reality
During a recent session with The Council, at the end of a discussion on ancient historical records that were predicted will be found near the Sphinx in Egypt, I (Bob) asked why people who've been looking for these records for a century or more have not been able to find them. The Council gave 2 interesting reasons. First:
"Because much of what will be discovered will be powerful information that, at this time in history, we are not ready for; it would be misused.
"And so as spirit evolves and brings what it has planned – more love – and peace begins to be more present, and [there is] more understanding and more unity between all of the peoples, all of the nations that are here, then the documents will be released."
–The Council
(The formatting above throughout this post represents The Council's comments during our session. Text [in brackets] in these quotations has been added to improve readability and clarity when this seems useful.)
When I asked for clarification about the process of releasing these documents, and how something that doesn't appear findable can be found, The Council gave the second reason.
"We believe our friend, Esther [Hicks], that channels Abraham, has explained it very nicely when she lost her gold pen, and yet it was there all the time.
"So when the belief that it is not lost, and that this information is there and it is ready to be discovered… when someone feels they will make this great discovery and work towards it, it will be discovered. It is all there."
Powerful Information
In a session a few years ago, The Council suggested Atlantis was destroyed by the misuse of power (this seems consistent with other sources of information on Atlantis), and I asked if the potential for misuse of the power in the undiscovered records is anything like what contributed to the destruction of Atlantis.
"Yes. It was suggested because that also needs to be recognized.
"When the information [is discovered] on how to utilize this power, and how the power is not just in these crystals or in this form of vibration that is conjured up, the truth will come forward that the power comes from within, in each person.
"And so that is, as what would be said in your time, very heavy information."
The Council imitated the way people sometimes exaggerate their voice in a low tone when they refer to heavy information, which I found very humorous. Ordinarily I'd be probably be interested in asking for more information about the power of the information in the undiscovered records, about the crystals, and about conjured vibration, but the thought that came to me was a conversation with Cynthia earlier in the day about a client of hers who had lived in a house he described as seriously haunted.
What is a Portal?
Cynthia mentioned she received guidance for her client that the house was some sort of portal for disturbing energies that were coming into his physical reality from other dimensions. But neither of us understood this very well, and I found myself asking The Council what they can tell us about portals. The rest of this post describes a highly informative discussion that touches on the subjects of multiple realities, evil, rituals for protection, love, Satan, and most importantly, how your vibration brings what you experience into your reality.
Pain – A Spiritual Perspective
In this post we look at The Council's spiritual point of view on the subject of human pain. The post was inspired by two questions about pain from two different readers. Robert's question is a philosophical one about the purpose for pain in our human experience. And Lee Ann's question is a personal one about a spiritual agreement she thinks she made to 'take on' the emotional pain of other people.
Robert's Question – The Purpose of Pain
If you're open to the idea there's a spiritual explanation for things that happen in your human experience, sooner or later you're likely to wonder what the spiritual explanation is for pain that might be in your life or other peoples' lives. Robert concludes pain is an anchoring tool that serves the purpose of slowing down your spiritual vibration enough for you to "embody the human density and to have a flesh body," and he asks The Council's opinion about this.
"We would like to say here… how many spirits do you think would want to come back and experience this life in the physical body if they knew they had to have pain to anchor themselves into that physical body?
"There is nowhere where we want to come into this physical experience and suffer, and be in pain, and have many, many challenging experiences. It was our belief to come in to make things lighter… more loving, no matter what situation you are in.
"There was never a belief that you must have pain to anchor yourself into a body.
"The spirit decides when to enter [and] when to leave the body; and what its tool is… what its vibration is… is to be in the vibration of love, and happiness, and compassion.
"And there is nowhere where we would want to experience pain, or anyone else's pain, because that would not help anyone, anywhere, ever."
—The Council
(Text [in brackets] in these quotations has been added to improve readability and clarity when this seems useful.)
Spiritual Near Death Experiences
Anita Moorjani's Spiritually Uplifting Near Death Experience
Reports of spiritual near death experiences (NDEs) seem to have been around for a long time, but we didn't give the subject much thought prior to seeing Anita Moorjani on Wayne Dyer's public television special, Wishes Fulfilled, earlier this year. Anita described a remarkable experience she had when her body went into a coma and her organs began to shut down after a 4 year struggle with cancer.
Although doctors said she wouldn't live more than a few more hours, Anita described having a transcendent beyond-the-physical-body experience of her magnificence as powerful eternal energy and consciousness able to quickly heal her body of cancer. She emerged from her coma remembering her magnificence and her power, and 4 days later medical tests revealed that 70% of her previously detected cancer was gone. Within 5 weeks doctors were unable to find any cancer in her body.
Recently after learning of a local personal appearance by Anita, which coincided with The Council's first-time suggestion to read about near death experiences, we both felt inspired to read Anita's book, Dying To Be Me, about her experience. We decided to skip over most of Part I (described by Anita in her Introduction as an explanation of how growing up full of fear led to her "descent into the prison of cancer.") But the rest of the book is some of the most uplifting and spiritually inspiring writing we've come across in a long time.
Reading Anita's description of her near death experience and her resulting understanding of a greater reality beyond physical reality is a transcendent experience in itself, and a wonderful reminder of who you are as a spiritual being living simultaneously in a spiritual reality and a physical reality; something The Council reminds us often. If you're interested in learning more about who you are as a spiritual being, we encourage you to read Anita's book.
In addition to sharing our enthusiasm for Anita's book with you, we did a session with The Council on near death experiences and we'd like to share transcribed highlights from that session with you.
The Human-Spirit Relationship and Free Will
This post is inspired by a question from a reader named Jose, who has read in some of our blog posts (links at the end of this post) that humans are spiritual beings in a physical body, and that spirit sometimes chooses to have human experiences that we (as humans) find undesirable. Jose wants to know how it's possible for humans to have free will to choose our human desires, if who we are as spirit is choosing human experiences that feel unwanted from our human point of view.
Lots of people have become interested in the spiritual teaching that you are the creator of what you experience, which has been around a while and has become more popular through the teachings of Abraham and other spiritual teachers. Jose's question suggests he's aware of lots of things in his human experience he doesn't want, and after reading in our posts that who you are as spirit sometimes creates human experiences that feel unwanted from your human point of view, he came to the troubling conclusion that spirit is preventing him from having more of the human experiences he desires.
Topics Covered in this Post
Even if you don't believe spirit is keeping you from manifesting more of what you desire in your life, and you're not particularly interested in the subject of free will, if you're interested in ideas to help you feel an increased level of well-being in your human experience, we're finding the information and guidance from The Council in response to Jose's question has been a big step for us in that direction. Topics covered in our sessions on Jose's question and in this post include:
- The relationship between who you are as a spiritual being and who you are as a human being.
- Why the spiritual part of you might desire to have human experiences in a physical reality.
- Why the spiritual part of you might desire to have human experiences that feel undesirable to you as a human being.
- The validity of your human free will to choose your human desires, even if who you are as spirit is choosing to have different human experiences.
- Why you may be having difficulty manifesting your human desires in your physical experience.
Nothing Going On That Spirit Hasn't Planned For
The Council began our first session on Jose's questions by emphasizing there isn't any separation between spirit and human.
"The spirit works through the body it [spirit] has created.
"So there is nothing that is going on that the body wants, that the spirit hasn't planned for.
"Is that understood? It is all one – the mind, the body, and the spirit – it is all one."
–The Council
Continue reading
How is It Possible There is No Separation Between Spirit and Human?
Jose's Comments and Questions
Several months ago after reading one of our blog posts about how every human being – as a spiritual being in a human body – creates every aspect of their human experience (pleasant and unpleasant, wanted and unwanted), a thoughtful reader named Jose asked The Council whether humans have the free will and power to create a better-feeling human reality when we feel spirit is creating a reality we'd rather not experience. Jose also asked some additional questions about the nature of spiritual reality and it's relationship to our human experience.
In response to his questions we did a session with The Council and published 5 separate posts describing The Council's information and guidance for Jose and other readers interested in this information (links to these sessions at the end of this post). Recently Jose posted a comment expressing appreciation for the information in those 5 posts and how they opened his mind to some new questions. This post is the first in a series that describes two new sessions with The Council on Jose's recent questions. This post was originally published on July 5, 2013 and has been revised several times as our understanding of these sessions evolved.
Feeling Separate From Spirit
Jose says The Council's teaching that spirit sometimes creates challenging or difficult human experiences leaves him feeling like a slave or a pet; and spirit seems like an uncaring master who creates negative human experiences (like pain, loneliness, fear, lack, desperation, etc) to satisfy a selfish desire for spiritual expansion. Jose compares spirit to a matador who enters the bullfighting ring for the adrenalin rush, but has no compassion for the bull (which he equates with his body/mind/ego) that is physically hurt, humiliated, and is ultimately killed in the process. Jose concludes, "the mind/body has no choice but to follow blindly and painfully without knowing what the lesson or purpose was, is, or will be" in physical reality.
Jose also asks 3 questions related to these comments: one about why spirit would chose to be born as a child without limbs, one about why a buffer of time is needed between our human desire and our manifestation of what is wanted, and a question about whether it's possible for spirit and its mind/body/ego to both simultaneously have free will to do what is wanted. Jose politely ends his comment with an apology if his questions sound too harsh, "but would love to know The Council's opinion on the matter."
The two sessions on Jose's questions generated a lot of thought-provoking information and guidance from The Council – too much to comfortably include in one post. In this first post of the series, we focus on The Council's advice regarding Jose's feelings that spirit doesn't care about the difficulties humans experience, and we address aspects of his question about a child born without arms and without legs.
We plan to follow this post with additional posts on Jose's questions, and in each post we'll focus on how you and Jose can feel more connected to spirit's unconditional love when you feel like spirit, or something else out there, is giving you a hard time.
Praise for Jose's Questions
Although Jose's question may seem harsh, The Council offered the following praise for Jose:
"And we applaud him for his thinking, and how he is trying to explore different ideas. And so we hope, as he comes to the reading of this material, that he will begin to let [in] the feelings that will come with the words."
Mind/Body/Ego is One with Spirit
If you're looking for some uplifting spiritual reading and you're not particularly sympathetic to Jose's point of view, you may be wondering if you made a wrong turn with this post. But The Council says that from the point of view of who you are as an eternal spiritual being, there are no wrong turns in your human experience, only opportunities to use your free will and power of choice to find better-feeling ways of focusing your attention, and allowing more of the feeling of love you are in spirit into your human experience. And that's a big part of what this post is about.
Every Question is Important
This is the first of several posts describing a 1-hour session with The Council on Saturday, March 30, 2013 to answer recent questions from Jose, Michelle, and D.
Jose's Question #4
We began the session with Michelle's question about whether to move to Barnstaple, Devon or Glastonbury (both in England), and when I (Bob) was about to ask The Council D's question about what she describes as a broken soul contract, The Council interrupted:
"There is a number 4 that we keep seeing; what is that, Bob?"
—The Council
(This formatting throughout the post represents The Council's comments during our session. Text [in brackets] in these quotations has been added to improve readability and clarity when this seems useful.)
I explained that we have four very interesting questions from Jose and that we answered his first 3 questions based on our understanding of The Council's teachings because they seemed related to guidance we've written about in other posts. It was our intention to ask The Council about Jose's fourth question in this session and when they asked about a number 4, I assumed they were referring to the Jose's fourth question. I asked if they'd like me to read Jose's fourth question to them and they said, "Yes."
Jose's Question #4: "If we come to this incarnation to have fun and remember who we really are, why do most people, if not all, fail at this attempt?"
Maria's Plan for a Great Spiritual Leap
This post is about a question Maria asked after reading a Thought for the Day from The Council titled 'Everyone In Your Life Was Invited By You'.
Maria explains her best friend is on his deathbed and she's experiencing a lot of emotional pain about this. She is asking The Council if it is also with her permission that her friend is exiting her life, because she's having difficulty understanding why she would agree to 'loose' him at this time and in this way.
There is Agreement
"No one comes into your life unless you invite them. Their departing your life is something that they plan along with you, so there is agreement for both of you that when it is time, when you feel you have concluded what you needed to do together, one or both [of you] exit [the physical body].
"And so, although you find this very painful, it has been discussed and planned while you were still in the spirit world."
What You Believe is What You Create
How everything works in your existence;
how everything is created;
if you need a law
it is called the law of your beliefs.
If you believe in the law of attraction
it works for you.
If you believe in Murphy's Law:
anything that can go wrong will go wrong–
it's going to happen.
If you believe in the law of karma:
that in some lifetime you've been very good
and now you will be rewarded,
or you've been very bad
and you've got a debt to pay–
that is what is going to happen.
The only law we feel you will eventually get to a point of understanding
— and this is for the entire physical existence that you have all created —
you will eventually get to the law of beliefs.
What you believe
is what you will create.
And that is what we wanted to get across today.
There are no restricting laws.
There is no must-have, must-do, must-feel.
What you believe,
what you truly believe,
is what you will create.
So we are taking you
from kindergarten to college.
We are saying it is wonderful;
you can do these things,
read about them,
practice them,
but when you graduate
it will be to the law of beliefs.
Follow these other laws
if they help you,
if it is needed.
But in…we don't want to say the end
because there is no end…
it will come to: what happens in your life,
to yourself, to the people around you, to your nation,
is what you believe.
You create everything
that you hear,
that you see,
that you experience.
—The Council
Excerpt from a session on July 8, 2012
Trusting You are Spirit in a Physical Body
Jaqueline's Question
This is the first of two posts answering questions from Jaqueline, who asks The Council how to follow her inner guidance and find inner peace "even when things seem to be so messed up" in her life.
Jaqueline writes that she understands and sincerely believes in teachings like The Council's and other teachers she's familiar with who say, "We shouldn't worry about anything ever because everything is gonna be just fine," and, "We should enjoy life and think about whatever we want in our future in a positive vibration." "But sometimes [it] is really hard to put this in practice."
We like Jaqueline's question because it frankly addresses a dilemma faced by many of us who are trying to follow teachings like The Council's. In our saner moments these teaching make a lot of sense to us; they inspire us and lift our spirits. But sometimes, despite our best efforts, life can feel like an insurmountable challenge. When this happens it can feel equally challenging to remember and put in to practice these teachings about who we are as spiritual beings.
At the time Jaqueline wrote her questions for The Council she commented that, "All the time my head seems to be full of stressful thoughts about my future…about my present…if I'm going in the right direction…if I should do something…or nothing at all. Sometimes I get trapped in some drama and get very emotional about everything. Resuming, I have a hard time going with the flow."
Stressful thoughts, feeling trapped, and feeling other unwanted emotions can be a challenge. When we feel this way and we also believe we're not supposed to ever worry about anything and we should always be enjoying life, these expectations can sometimes add to the challenge of turning the situation around so we can 'go with the flow'.
On July 24, 2012 we had a conversation with The Council (non-physical spiritual guides speaking through Cynthia) to get their advice on how to feel more in touch with well-being on a day-to-day basis when life seems to make this difficult.
This session contains many helpful insights, but for us the highlight is the reminder to meditate regularly on the idea that each of us is a spiritual being in a physical body. The Council advises that this type of regular meditation will help us feel more trusting that we really are spiritual beings, and this trust will help us through difficult times.
Interestingly, The Council says that as spiritual beings we actually look forward to these challenging human experiences because we view them as desirable opportunities to expand who we are as spirit into a physical reality.
This post relates the details of this session with The Council, and also includes some information on two meditation techniques they recommend. We plan to publish separate posts describing these meditations in more detail and eventually we plan to include audio recordings of these meditations as guided meditations.
This session also included The Council's answer to Jaqueline's question about whether she is going in the 'right direction' career-wise, and how career choices relate to experiences we have in other lifetimes. We feel this information is better suited to a separate post and we plan to publish that post in the near future also.
What is the Purpose of a Decades-long Strained Relationship with a Twin Brother?
This post is a response to a question for The Council from Margot about a strained relationship she has with her twin brother. Margot says her question was inspired by a post on our blog that answers questions from a reader named Joe about a strained relationship with his children. On June 18, 2012 we did a session with non-physical spirit guides, The Council, to get their perspective on Margot's question.
Margot's Question
Margot's question suggests she and her twin brother are 70+ years old and they've had a strained relationship most of their lives. She asks, "What is the purpose of both of us being from the same womb, sharing that very intimate space for so long, and living as 'twin' brother and sister only to live two very different emotional, physical and spiritual lives?"
Margot says she knows that The Council says in our post on Joe's question that the purpose of all relationships is to bring the love we are as spirit into physical reality, but this guidance "just seems too vaporous and vague" for her to apply in a practical way to her relationship with her brother and she'd like additional input from The Council on this.
My Other Half
In the first part of Margot's question she describes her twin brother as "my other half," and The Council quickly offered the following comment:
Isn't it interesting that someone would think that just by being a twin, the other one is their other half, and they are not whole and truly all that they need to be?
—The Council
(Similarly formatted text throughout the post represents The Council's comments during the session. Text [in brackets] was not spoken by The Council, but has been added to make it easier to follow the conversation.)
Reincarnation, Part 2 – Why We Incarnate in a Physical Body
This post is the second part of our response to two thought-provoking questions on reincarnation and past lives (one from Bari and one from Rachael) and an inspired second question (from Bari), about the impact our thoughts and feelings can have on other people's experience.
In our most recent post, Reincarnation, Part 1: All Past Lives are Present Lives, we write about The Council's response to Bari's question on past life experiences and on the impact they have on our current lifetime. Here's one of the more interesting things The Council had to say about the subject while answering Bari's question:
"All of your lives are present lives. They are all going on at the same time. And you may wonder: how is this possible?
–The Council (similarly formatted text below indicates quotations from The Council)
A large portion of the Part 1 post is devoted to additional comments from The Council on this point. The information on reincarnation in Part 1 can also help with understanding the material that follows in this post.
Why Are We Here?
Rachael wants to know why we, as souls, repeatedly return to Earth, and specifically why she is here…again. She wants to know, "What is the purpose of being here?" And she wonders if learning lessons has anything to do with this purpose. The Council began answering Rachel's questions with the following comments.
For Love and Expansion
"First of all, you would never be here if it was not your choice. So even though perhaps at the present moment you feel you don't want to be here, we have to really tell you: yes you do. Otherwise this would not be going on. So it was your choice to come here.
July 13, 2011 Thought for the Day
When you say
That you don't know
What your beliefs are,
We ask you to look at your life
And it will tell you.
Your life
Is the result
Of your beliefs.
—The Council
July 1, 2011 Thought for the Day
The universe will only bring to you
What matches your vibration.
What you feel,
What you think,
What you believe,
What you say,
What you give your attention to
In any moment;
All of these things
Influence your vibration,
And what the universe
Is bringing into your life.
—The Council
June 30, 2011 Thought for the Day
All pain and suffering
Comes from a belief
You are only your body.
When you can go within
And experience
That you are really spirit
In a physical body,
Your identification
With pain and fear
Will end.
It is in your quiet times
That this will be revealed to you.
—The Council
June 10, 2011 Thought for the Day
When you believe
In your connection to the universe
You are limitless.
You are aligned with source
And your true self.
—The Council
How Do You Recognize True Inspiration from Spirit?
A Question from Chris
This post is a response to a question from Chris, who asks The Council, "How do you really know when messages from meditation are really what to follow?" Chris explains she often gets excited by ideas to go in a certain direction with her life, but when she considers these inspirations in the light of her day-to-day experience, they don't seem so inspirational any more. Chris gives the following two examples: ideas about new people coming into her life that never seem to come, and ideas about a direction she should take for work that maybe don't turn out the way she hoped.
Chris's questions seem relevant for many readers, even if you're not a meditator. If you ever felt good about an inspiration to take your life in a particular direction, only to end up feeling confused when the inspiration ends up feeling like an impractical and unattainable desire, you may find The Council's guidance helpful.
This is an introduction to this post. Click here to read the full post→
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You are currently browsing the tag archive for the 'parkland' tag.
Montreal's elevated highways take some getting used to. When I first moved here, I admit it, I was scared of them. I'd heard about the collapse of the Laval overpass that killed five people. I eyed the crumbling cement structures — in some places seemingly held together only with wire sutures — and imagined a chunk falling on my head as I walked by underneath. When I started driving in the city, I imagined an elevated highway giving way beneath my wheels, sending me plummeting to my death or dismemberment.
But lately, I've come to see the highways as having a particular kind of beauty of their own. In their stark but sinuous way, they slice through Montreal, marking borders between neighbourhoods, north and south, east and west. They mark psychological boundaries between communities of very different means and cultures. When I lived in Verdun, the 15 and the 20 were inescapable; they fenced off the neighbourhood from Montreal and gave it the feel of some small market town in the countryside.
I have a dream for Montreal's elevated highways. One day, when automobiles and trucks have ended their brief empire over our cities, I imagine them reverting to wilderness. Helped along by humankind, they would become mile after mile of parkland, allowing a pastoral retreat above the city, but serving forever as a reminder of Montreal's post-war growth. I admit, this is not an original idea. New York City's soon-to-be-open High Line Railway is the first park in this model. But if Montreal one day dedicated every mile of its elevated highways to parkland, we would outstrip the High Line at least one hundred fold.
Meanwhile, back in the real world (!), this blog provides some great insights into what is actually going on with one section of the highways — the Turcot Exchange.


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Under the Radar SXSW 2012 Day Parties Announced Featuring of Montreal, Chairlift and The Drums
Under the Radar has just announced their three SXSW day parties! Friday's party will feature of Montreal performing their 2004 album "The Sunlandic Twins" in its entirety! There will also be some great bands, including Com Truise, Chairlift, The Drums, and Hooray for Earth. This list doesn't even scratch the surface so check the details after the jump!
March 14-16, Flamingo Cantina 515 E. 6th Street, Austin, TX 78701 Read more…
Posted in News


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63 Yarrbat Avenue, Balwyn
Complete the Work and Reap the Rewards
"Sold by Gail Logan and Jason Salan of Fletchers." With most of the hard work already done, it's up to the finishing touches to complete the renovation of this substantial 4 bedroom lifestyle home. The floorplan is geared towards family living and entertaining with alfresco spaces opening out from the generous family/meals/kitchen onto the front, rear and poolside decks.
In a premier position opposite Maranoa Gardens and Beckett Park, the home is entered via the secure front deck, also accessible through cafe doors from the living area, into the spacious entry hall. Bedrooms to the right, livings area to the left provide a practical division of space. Four large bedrooms, three with BIRS and the main bedroom with space for a WIR, family bathroom, utility room, two separate toilets and the site for a future shower room comprise the accommodation area.
The timber floored living space is flooded with natural light, the scenic northern backdrop is an impressive feature and the modern kitchen has scope for possible further development. The rear deck creates an outdoor room with both shaded and sunlit areas to enjoy, and the contour of the land allows for a solar heated pool and lower pool deck.
Features include split system reverse cycle air-conditioners in the living and bedrooms, under house storage and garage/workshop. Conveniently located close to the popular Whitehorse Road shopping strip, tram to the CBD and Kew private schools precinct, primary school and Fintona Girls School, this appealing home offers a unique opportunity to complete the intended work, convert to two storeys or even consider as a new home site (STCA).
- Unique opportunity to complete the renovation of this substantial family home
- 4 generous bedrooms and an impressive family/meals/kitchen area
- Front, rear and poolside decks
- Extensive potential for entertaining
- Sweeping northern views
- Close to shops and restaurants of Whitehorse Road and tram to the CBD
Terms: 10% deposit, balance 60 days
Land: 15.85m x 41.45 m - 657 sq m approx.
Balwyn Area Guide
For further suburb information including median real estate prices and more view our Balwyn real estate profile today.
Find Your Nearest Office
Gail Logan, one of Balwyn's leading real estate agents, is based at Fletchers Balwyn North.
Contact Fletchers Balwyn North Real Estate Office for appointments and more properties like this one today.
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text:
American Standard Version (ASV) | New International Version (NIV) |
2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath Jehovah, the God of heaven, given me; and he hath charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. | 2 "This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: " 'The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. |
The American Standard Version is in the public domain. (The American Standard Version Bible Online) | Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |


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A No. 9 seed beating a No. 8 seed isn't exactly an "upset" amidst all of the usual Madness of the NCAA tournament, but the way in which West Region No. 9 Wichita State absolutely plowed through No. 8 Pittsburgh certainly was.
Above all, the Shockers' 73-55 beat down of the Panthers reinforced the beauty and unpredictability of single game elimination tournaments. Pittsburgh, who finished the season as the 20th-ranked team, came into today's matchup holding the eighth-most efficient offence in the country and the 16th-most efficient defence. In the end, none of it mattered, as Pitt shot just 35 per cent from the floor and allowed Wichita State to get to the line 41 times, a huge amount even despite the fact that Pittsburgh did a lot of intentionally fouling in the final few minutes.
Malcolm Armstead and first team All-Name member Cleanthony Early were big for the Shockers in this one, combining for 43 points on 46 per cent shooting and 16 of 17 from the free throw line.
Again, it's not really much of an upset in the truest sense of the word, but it's a stark reminder of why we love single-game elimination tournaments and March Madness in general. All you need is one outlier of a game for a memorable upset for the ages to be 40 minutes of basketball away.


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At Clubhouse Fun Center, everything seems to be in motion. Go-karts zip and roar around an outdoor speedway, arcade games spit out streams of tickets, and dimpled balls roll over the greens of two 18-hole mini-golf courses. Visitors join in the commotion by hopping into single, double, or rookie go-karts to race each other or attempt to catch up with their own shadows on a track featuring a double-fly-over bridge. Nearby, the mini-golf courses lure putters with a sparkling cerulean waterfall, a giraffe stretching its neck high into the air, and the pink and purple towers of a lilliputian castle. Before hitting the arcade, guests can refuel with snacks or lunch at the Treehouse Cafe or the Sugar Shack, where they can plan out future birthday parties to take place in treasure-cove- or treehouse-themed rooms.
Balls hurtle down slick lanes toward clusters of pins at the family-owned Spencerport Bowl. Leagues duke it out at least once daily, and Friday and Saturday nights host the Famous Rockin' Bowl from 9 p.m. to midnight, when disco lights illumine an alley awash in fog. Revelry spills over to CJ's Pub & Grill, where frequent karaoke sessions supply a festive backbeat for burger-and-pizza feasts. Those who still have an appetite for entertainment after bowling can refuel at the on-site arcade.
Concealed by glowing dividers, combatants creep along the AstroTurf, hunting for a clear shot at an opponent's battle suit. Inside the 6,900-square-foot arena?one of the largest in Syracuse?lasers, black lights, and shadowy corners call to mind a real-life video game or a haunted discotheque. Skirmishes typically run for 15 minutes, pitting the red team and the green team against each other in a tactical contest. During cease-fires, laser combatants can fire quarters into an assortment of arcade games.
Metric readings show highs of fun and excitement at The Fun Junction, where a live-action laser-tag arena awaits universal soldiers and a massive arcade tests button-mashing mettles. After extensive combat debriefings, laser taggers are let loose in an ultraviolet arena with dynamic battle zones and pulse-pumping music. A light haze obscures walls glowing with fluorescent paint, as nimble warriors make their way through disorienting obstacles to capture opponents' bases. Enemy sentinels lurk around corners, eagerly anticipating laser-lit skirmishes and the perfect time to make "pew-pew" noises with their mouths.
Fairmount Glen has enjoyed over 60 years of bringing Syracuse Miniature Golf At Its Best. Dubbed the Augusta National of Miniature Golf by the Syracuse Sporting Times winner of the Best of The Burbs and voted Best Miniature Golf Course in Syracuse by the Syracuse New Times readers Fairmount Glen is one of the areas finest
Big Don is boredom's worst enemy. Located on a large chunk of land in Cicero, Big Don's Wild River Mini Golf wipes out monotony with nine different activities, including miniature golf on an 18-hole course that weaves through a wilderness setting. Groups can trade in their golf clubs for laser tag guns and charge into battle in a 40,000-square-foot arena, or attempt to navigate through the 5,000-square-foot Amaze'n Maze without help from GPS systems or cars that can smell their way home. Even treasure hunters can get their fix while panning for gems in the facility's mining sluice or digging through sand for keepsakes such as fossils, seashells, and exotic coins.


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Narrow your search
Lexus' new RC F coupe is a gorgeous ride. And while styling is subjective, its speed is absolute.
Pricing not available
We hit the road in the radically styled 2015 Lexus RC 30 F-Sport and then take to the track in the hardcore RC F.
Dripping in gold paint, the LF-C2 concept previews the next-gen Lexus IS C convertible.
It belches propane flame, flies 70 miles per hour, and can be yours if you're willing to forego a year's salary.
The Griffin Moto TC Rally is a surprisingly large, heavy-duty car that pairs with your iOS device. It normally sells for $99.99.
An experiment with two super-powered RC helicopters seems to show the machines are capable of lifting a full-grown person off the ground.
Flying, crawling, shooting and rolling: the best little moving vehicles and critters from the Toy Fair floor.
Spiders, planes, and dancing robots! Here's the best of what we saw in NYC.
An extrasolar planetary ring system discovered in 2012 has now been determined to be much more massive than the one orbiting Saturn.
Lexus' answer to the late, lamentable second generation SC is the much sharper RC coupe which evokes an IS in coupe form but far more curvaceously. The RC comes in the RC350 and the sleeker RC F which both debuted at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show


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In the fall of 2007, CPAP Distributors established itself as a trusted retail supplier of CPAP's and BiPAP's, as well as other sleep apnea equipments. Currently, our dedicated sales staff maintains the largest inventory of new and used CPAP machines in the Western United States.
CPAP Distributors routinely purchases large quantities of Respironics and Resmed brand CPAP machines and masks. We guarantee our new-in-the-box equipment to be "Factory Fresh" with full warranties. Our fully-staffed Service Department thoroughly inspects all previously-used CPAP equipment as it arrives to our facility and conducts any necessary repairs prior to it's sale and shipment to a waiting client. CPAP Distributors gladly provides immediate shipping of all CPAP machines and supplies via FedEx.
As your supplier of CPAP and BiPAP (Bi-Level) equipment, CPAP Distributors offers a wide range of machines to choose from. Though our Sales Department continually claims that our best selling machines are the Respironics DS-560HS (CPAP Auto w/ A-Flex and heated humidifier) and the Respironics DS-760HS BiPAP Auto w/ Bi-Flex and heated humidifier) followed closely by the Resmed 760HS AutoSet (CPAP Auto w/ Humidaire 5i heated humidifier), there are many, many fine equipment choices available.
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Website designed and hosted by Lake Tahoe On Line.


text: Wild Justice: Snake Shakedown Wardens on the California coast investigate the poaching of abalone, a seafood delicacy. Lt. John Nores uses his own bear rug to make a felony buy bust. After finding decapitated deer, a warden in Northern California uses DNA evidence to nab the suspect. A warden in the Southern California desert sets up a snake decoy in a dark canyon. Videos 2:59Troublesome Trespassers2:47Trophy KillerNo VideoNo Video


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I just downloaded the new SUSE 11.1 dvd. I was playing around with WINE HQ in GROME and all disc show. But I reinstalled and installed KDE and The only ...
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- 01-01-2009 #1
- Join Date
- Jan 2009
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dvd/cd problem with KDE 4 Please help
- 01-01-2009 #2
In a Konsole window type
this will show mounted volumes.
then the root password (note the password does not echo to the screen)
fdisk -l
(that is a lower case L not a 1)
This will list all the partitions.
Post the results and someone will help you mount the partitions.
You just need to mount the partitions you want and make short cuts on the desktop.


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I've been mulling over this post in my head for several days now.. And although I love a good challenge, I'm pretty sure you don't want to read through a book today. So, today I'm sharing some photos from Blissdom 2012. Stick around for the lessons I learned at Blissdom on Friday.
This year I drove to Nashville from North Carolina. Luckily I had some good bloggy buddies to keep me company along the journey:
Erin: Two Story Cottage, Sandra: Sawdust and Paper Scraps and yours truly.
At Blissdom, the best place to catch up and get to know other bloggers is through the meals! [Read more...]


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To inspire youth to live beyond their dreams by reminding them of their endless potential through motivational speaking and inspirational entertainment.The YBM mission and message is cross-cultural and not limited to the African American community alone.
YBM consists of notable and successful professional Speakers and Entertainers from diverse backgrounds who are committed to the intellectual progression and uplifting of young people.Our Members deliver charismatic, contemporary, and exciting presentations and performances! YBM Speakers and Entertainers are role models who can relate and motivate!
YBM is more than a Bureau… It's a Movement! We engage in communities across the country to promote the betterment of youth.We actively search community organizations geared toward youth and volunteer.We participate in social and political activism to support causes affecting youth.We build relationships with professional associations with likeminded visions.
Disclaimer:Young Black Minds LLC does not claim or represent itself as an exclusive agent of its bureau members, manager, publicist, assistant, PR firm, or management company.Young Black Minds LLC is a booking agency representing motivational speakers, athletes, celebrities, and entertainers for speaking engagements.Exact booking fees are determined by a number of factors, including location of event, schedule, desired duties, supply and demand and other market factors. Bios on this site are for informational purposes only and are reliable resources.


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By DIA Public Affairs | May 11, 2014
Depicted is General George Washington surrounded by members of the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, Pa., during which the secret committees were created. (Photo by Library of Congress)
Although the United States' first formal intelligence agency wasn't born until the creation of the Office of Strategic Services in 1942, American leaders had long recognized the need for intelligence, beginning with the Founding Fathers.
Even before signing the Declaration of Independence, the Second Continental Congress created the Secret Committee Sept. 18, 1775. Allotted significant power, the committee was tasked with covertly obtaining military supplies and then distributing them to privateers chartered by the Continental Congress. In order to hide the fact that the Continental Congress was the actual purchaser of supplies, the committed used foreign flags to protect its vessels and transactions were organized through intermediaries. The committee also sent agents overseas to gather intelligence about British ammunition stores.
On Nov. 29, 1775, the Continental Congress appointed another secret committee "for the sole purpose of corresponding with our friends in Great Britain, Ireland, and other parts of the world," called the Committee of Secret Correspondence. The objective of this correspondence was to collect intelligence regarding the extent of sympathy toward the American Revolution. The Committee of Secret Correspondence was lead by Benjamin Franklin, the only member experienced in foreign affairs. Arthur Lee, of the Lee family of Virginia and who was practicing law in London at the time, became the committee's first European agent. Franklin also corresponded with two of his trusted friends in Europe, Dr. Jacques Barbeu-Dubourg in Paris, and Charles W.F. Dumas in the Hague, asking them to sound out the possibility of an alliance with the U.S.
The French dispatched Julien Achard De Bonvouloir to America to study the situation there with respect to covert aid and political support, and the committee sent their own secret agent, Silas Deane, to France for the same purpose. Deane's mission resulted in the creation of a dummy corporation, Hortalez and Cie, through which the U.S. purchased French military supplies in exchange for commodities such as rice and tobacco.
Editor's Note: This article is the fifth in a series highlighting the origins of American military intelligence and how it led to the birth of DIA. The American military intelligence system during the Revolutionary War was an active and effective instrument that helped counterbalance British numerical and operational superiority by informing American generals about their movements while it also deceived the British into making strategic errors. From the Revolutionary War to the early years of the Cold War interest in and resources devoted to military intelligence surged during wartime and diminished or disappeared during peacetime. This lack of a sustained commitment to military intelligence contributed to several intelligence failures. These issues were not resolved until the establishment of DIA in 1961, which would serve as the centralizing hub of all military and defense intelligence.
DIA is the nation's premier all-source military intelligence organization.
It provides the nation's most authoritative assessments of foreign military intentions and capabilities. The agency's four core competencies -- human intelligence, all-source analysis, counterintelligence and technical intelligence -- enable military operations while also informing policy-makers at the defense and national levels.
DIA's mission is unique and no other agency matches its military expertise across such a broad range of intelligence disciplines.


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My nephew got salmonellosis from a pet water turtle. He probably forgot to wash his hands after holding the turtle. He might have kissed it too, we're not sure. But his test results came back and it's salmonella gastroenteritis. His parents are very careful about what he eats and the doctor said that it might be from eggs or meat. He didn't have eggs or meat recently, so we think that it's the turtle.
People with reptiles need to be careful about this. Hands should be washed immediately after holding them.


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Handkerchief Pedestal
Item Number: TA1807
A pedestal holding an empty glass is displayed. The glass is covered with a metal cylinder. When the cover is removed one or more silks appear in the tumbler.
Many many routines are possible with this versitle prop.
Powder Coated Paint
Spun Metal
Stands 11 inches High
Customer Reviews Write a review.
No reviews yet. Do you own this product? Write a review.


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Bliss, Texas, is gearing up for its annual Winter Wonderland festival, but when a mysterious Scrooge ends the merriment with murder, it'll take more than a ghost from Christmas past to set things right.
Designing a holiday fashion show set in the town's most prominent historic mansion seems like a job tailor made for dressmaker Harlow Jane Cassidy. But with the mansion's restoration still in progress and threatening weather on the horizon, she's feeling on pins and needles more than reveling in holiday cheer.
Having volunteered to play Santa in this year's festival, Dan Lee Chrisson was ready to move on after his divorce—until Bliss became his final resting place. Discovering his body puts Harlow at the scene of the crime. She'll need plenty of help from friends and even her late great-grandmother's spirited sleuthing if she's to have a ghost of a chance of catching a killer who's just jumped to the top of the naughty list….
"Cozy couture! Harlow Jane Cassidy is a tailor-made amateur sleuth."
—Wendy Lyn Watson, author of the Mystery à la Mode series
"Melissa Bourbon's new series will keep you on pins and needles."
—Mary Kennedy, author of The Talk Radio Mysteries
—Mary Kennedy, author of The Talk Radio Mysteries
A Dressmaker's Mystery


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Motel 6 Temple South is located near Scott and White Hospital, University of Mary-Hardin Baylor, downtown Temple and Bell County Expo Center. All guest rooms are Non-Smoking and include free Wi-Fi. Enjoy our outdoor pool April - November.
Local Business / Attractions Railroad and Pioneer Museum: 1.3 mi Maborn Convention Center: 1.7 mi Scott and White Hospital: 2.5 mi Texas A&M School of Medicine: 2.6 mi Temple Mall: 3 mi Leon Valley Golf Course: 5.9 mi Univ of Mary Hardin-Baylor: 7.1 mi Bell County Museum: 7.4 mi Bell County Expo Center: 9.3 mi Fort Hood: 25 mi
Airports Waco Regional: 35.2 mi
Motel 6 Policies Check-out time is 11:00 AM Check-in time is 3:00 PM Minimum check-in age is 21, or 18 with a valid military ID


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Private boat tours
There is no better way to experience our city while cruising on the Amsterdam waters with one of the luxurious antique Saloon boats. Perhaps you are considering a business lunch or a dinner with familiy and friends or you would like to surprise your partner? A private boat cruise is the ultimate setting to do so!
We offer several cruises:
* Dinner cruise
* High tea cruise
* Champagne cruise
Would you like to go on a private boat cruise during your stay in Amsterdam? Please complete the form below and make a request!


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You know those days where your running doesn't make sense to the training you've been doing? Even running 4 miles (…)
Hello All! I am trying to get back into the swing of being a better blogger… One of the things (…)
Hi all. It's me. I'm alive. Much like Kenny Chesney. I've had a CrAzY busy couple of weeks and honestly, (…)
I could lie to you, but that title came just because I am slightly obsessed with Spotify and yep. I (…)


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Angry Birds™ Girls' Red Hooded Blanket
Girly bird! She'll love traipsing around in this hooded Angry Bird blanket, sporting bird face embroidered and bow embellishments.
Be the first to write a Review.
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- Dimensions: 34" x 36"
- Polyester
- Imported
This item cannot be gift boxed.
This item should only be returned to the warehouse from which it was originally shipped.
Use the pre-addressed return shipping label attached to the packing slip included with your shipment. In the event that you have misplaced your packing slip, this product should be sent to the address below:
The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc.
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Kitchen Remodeling los angeles
3D architectural simulation
Full architectural plans (los angeles only)
Fidelity General Contractors
18034 Ventura Blvd #109
Encino CA 91316
(818) 582-3717
Kitchen remodeling Los Angeles? The Kitchen as we know it is the heart of our home: The need for a place to gather as food is being prepared is an important part of our lives. At Fidelity General Contractors we are dedicated to have you welcome family and friend into your kitchen by creating a comfortable setting for all your needs.
Kitchen remodeling los angeles design today focuses on cooking and storage as well as on the entertainment aspect of it. In many kitchens, people park them-selves around the work area, leaning on countertops and cabinets that offer a good place to perch. In other kitchens, there's peninsula or island with two or three bar stools that provides a place to sit down. For gathering places to be successful, they must be designed to keep the distance between all functions to a reasonable minimum, therefore communication between cook and kitchen visitor should be taken in mind when designing your kitchen.
Storage solutions must be incorporated in today kitchen's design as it return your attention to preparing delicious meal while keeping countertops free of clutter, incorporating lazy susans and roll- out trays in your kitchen's cabinetry will give you the easy access to small appliances while other storage solutions will free up your countertop and will give you a well designed kitchen that answers all aspects.
The traditional work triangle is build around "Centers" anchored by three major appliances.
What goes into the triangle?
- Sink center: Focused around the sink, this combined food preparation and cleanup area also includes the dishwasher and recycling bins.
- Refrigerator center: Usually included in the "tall" area of the kitchen.
- Cooking center: Traditionally a unified range, the cooking center today is generally considered to be the stove top, even if the oven is elsewhere.
Kitchen Remodeling Los Angeles - What can I do?
As a tip it's good to know that if your present kitchen's triangle isn't working for you, your most economical option may be to move the electrical components. It's also good to know that a two –cook kitchen needs either an expanded triangle or, even better, a double triangle in which two or more people can cook in the kitchen simultaneously. In this configuration, the cooks share one leg of the primary and secondary triangles; but their triangles do not cross, so the cooks can work without bumping into each other. In less traditional kitchen's design the triangle is not always incorporated as it based upon personal preferences and style.
Light your kitchen Right: With wide range of activities taking place at all hours of the day, kitchens have lighting needs that are far more complicated than those of any other room in the house. That means when it comes to kitchen lights, more are always better than fewer. Only by spreading fixtures throughout the space and arranging them in layers from the ceiling down to countertop level can you ensure enough light to keep your kitchen pleasant, safe and hygienic place. Lighting categories to keep in mind are: ambient, task and accent.
Kitchen Remodeling in Los Angeles - At Fidelity General Contractors we attend all aspects when designing your kitchen, keeping in mind up-to-date design techniques adding relevant style and maximizing your return on investment. See More of Our Lead Services:
3D simulation kitchen Remodeling in Los Angeles
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Give us a call today for a free estimate - (855)855-8088.
Click Here For Our Kitchen Remodeling Gallery
Looking for somthing else? bathroom remodeling Los Angeles| Kitchen Remodeling Los Angeles| Water Damage Los Angeles


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Taller Lomography en Malaga
This photo was shot on film. Taken by imym with a Lomography Fisheye No. 2 loaded with Klick Max 24 film in malaga, Spain. These tags describe this photo: rosa, flores, color, fisheye, malaga, sol, gente, people, friends, and camaras. Date: 2012-06-02. This photo can also be found in the album Taller Lomography Malaga.Please login to get more out of this site
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Tuesday, April 5, 2005 - Page updated at 11:10 a.m.
Bad news in minors for the M's
By Christine Willmsen, Steve Miletich and Bob Finnigan
Seattle Times staff reporters
Ryan Christianson
Eight Mariners minor-league players — including former first-round draft choice Ryan Christianson — were suspended yesterday after testing positive for steroid use.
Thirty players from other teams also were suspended for violating baseball's minor-league steroid policy.
"We are disappointed and angry about it, but we support the program," Mariners general manager Bill Bavasi said yesterday. "Like everyone, we want this to be cleared up."
Two players reached yesterday, catcher Christianson and pitcher Damian Moss, denied taking steroids. Both players said they must have failed the tests by taking supplements containing banned substances.
The Mariners' eight positive tests were more than any of the other 12 teams whose results have been released so far. Bavasi said the Mariners wouldn't change anything they are doing to prevent steroid use.
Christianson hit .258 with six home runs last season for the Mariners' Class AAA team in Tacoma. He is expected to play for the Rainiers again this season but could miss about a month after injuring a finger late in spring training.
"I was very surprised, because I didn't know I was taking anything on the ban list," he said last night. "This is a big shock. I didn't want to be one of the guys to be looked down upon."
Christianson said he had been taking over-the-counter supplements that he believed included creatine, glutomine, glucosamine and some proteins. He said he had taken them for about a month before spring training and continued to take them during training to make himself stronger and to recover more quickly after workouts. He said he was tested several weeks ago.
Damian Moss
Christianson said he never checked the list of banned drugs. "It's my mistake for not knowing what's on the ban list," he said.
Christianson said he supports the drug policy and is leery of taking any supplements now. "You won't even see me eat a PowerBar."
He didn't argue with his suspension. "The rules are the rules and I didn't follow them."
Christianson said he was shocked to learn that eight Mariners minor-leaguers were suspended. "It was publicized last year ... You'd be stupid to do it because you know you are going to get busted," he said.
All but one of the 38 players were suspended for 15 games, the ban for first offenders. An Oakland Athletics minor-leaguer was suspended for 60 games, the penalty for a third offense.
Seven of the 38 positive tests came from the Chicago Cubs; five each from the Los Angeles Angels, Oakland and Texas; four from San Diego; two from Colorado, and one each from St. Louis and the Chicago White Sox.
Another prominent name among the Mariners players suspended was Damian Moss, who has pitched in the major leagues for Atlanta, Baltimore, San Francisco and Tampa Bay during the past four seasons. Moss pitched in one Cactus League game this spring with the Mariners and performed well.
Moss, reached last night in Arizona, said he had taken supplements during the recent offseason but didn't think they contained steroids.
"I don't take steroids, period. I bought supplements," said Moss, assigned to the Tacoma Rainiers.
Moss would not name the supplements or the manufacturer, saying he didn't want to get any companies in trouble. He said he bought supplements at a store and studied the labels to make sure they didn't contain steroids.
"I wasn't aware the supplement I was taking would give the results they gave," Moss said, adding that he "made a mistake trusting the label."
Moss couldn't describe what was on the label, he said, because he didn't have the supplements with him.
He said he learned of his suspension Sunday from a Mariners official.
"You learn from what happened and not do it again," Moss said. "It's frustrating, disappointing."
Moss said baseball officials have done a good job of educating players about steroids. He said he didn't plan to take any more supplements unless they are approved by Major League Baseball.
Dan Rohn, manager of the Rainiers, last night said he hadn't gotten official notice of the suspensions. Players on the Rainiers roster who tested positive include Christianson, Moss and Troy Cate.
Other Mariners minor-leaguers who tested positive: Omar Falcon, Renee Cortez and Darwin Soto from AA San Antonio; Jesus Guzman from Inland Empire (San Bernardino, Calif.) and William Hogan from Wisconsin, both Class A teams.
"I just take a pill, a milkshake," he said. Cortez said he drank milkshakes while spending the offseason in Venezuela and that someone he met at a gym had given him pills for his stomach.
"No more," he said.
Soto has been released by the organization.
"We are going to move on," said Rohn, in his fourth season with the Rainiers. "We will fill in the spaces."
"We knew they were going to be testing," Rohn said. "[Players] know it and it's been read to them. As an organization we've abided by the rules. We are trying to get them to conform to them. I have no control. We have to abide by the rules and if you don't ... things happen."
Benny Looper, the Mariners' director of player development, said, "We're really disappointed with the results. We're working with the players."
Major League Baseball began testing minor-league players for banned substances in 2001, with 11 percent of them failing the test. Since then the numbers have dropped, reaching less than 2 percent last year.
Baseball has produced a video in English and Spanish that minor-league players must watch each year. Also, baseball has a hotline that players can call to see which supplements and substances are allowed.
Yesterday's announcement came three weeks after Congress held a hearing on steroid use in baseball, during which former slugger Mark McGwire refused to tell a House subcommittee whether he had used steroids during his career. Several other players, including Sammy Sosa of the Baltimore Orioles, testified that they had not used steroids.
At the hearings, Francis Coonelly, the general counsel for Major League Baseball, told the committee that baseball developed a zero-tolerance policy on steroid use in the minor leagues in 2001.
"The most influential step that Major League Baseball can take to dissuade young people from using steroids is to demonstrate to them that steroid use is not tolerated in professional baseball and thus cannot be used as an effective steppingstone to the major leagues," he said.
Coonelly said baseball's list of banned substances had expanded beyond steroids to include steroid precursors, ephedra, human growth hormone, diuretics and other masking agents.
"They tested, they got results," Bavasi said. "I think this is going to go on through the year and hopefully the numbers are going to drop."
The Mariners players were among 925 minor-leaguers tested during spring training in Arizona.
"Could anybody have been surprised [that they were going to be tested]? The answer is no," Bavasi said. "What we are most concerned with is getting to the day where we test and we have no positive results."
Baseball officials weren't available for comment yesterday, leaving it unclear why minor-leaguers who testified positive this year were publicly named for the first time.
Copyright © 2005 The Seattle Times Company
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