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I first got word in the fall about Affiliated Monitoring's Security Summit '13, and the event caught my attention then because it was designed around a very focused topic which I've covered more frequently of late: video monitoring.
Tomorrow I depart for Affiliated's headquarters in Union, N.J., where I'll partake in several seminars developed to educate dealers about the best way to incorporate video monitoring into their business.
While the summit bears the title "Earn more money with Video," that doesn't totally do justice to the breadth and scope of the seminar topics. There's a session on making the transition from analog to IP video. There's a roundtable discussion on interactive services as it pertains to video monitoring, and how dealers can take advantage of video to bolster the usefulness of home automation packages.
The other seminars deal with video monitoring success stories, featuring companies that have boosted RMR from the offering, and an "ask the lawyer" section in which dealers can ask an alarm industry attorney the legal questions that could have a bearing on how they run their business.
I hope to be active on Twitter throughout the day, and to pen a blog or two about the most resonant discussion points that unfold amid the seminars.
Security companies often use as a selling point the fact that insurance companies give discounts to homeowners who have a security system. But ADT announced this week that it is leveraging that insurance company relationship in a new way: by partnering with State Farm to give that leading insurer's customers special deals on Pulse. And the customers who get Pulse can also end up with a discount on their State Farm home insurance.
Seems like a pretty smart way to get customers to sign up for a smart home solution—and one that benefits both of these big companies.
Here's more from ADT's Dec. 3 release:
ADT today announced it is teaming up with State Farm to help its customers better manage and control their homes. ADT will provide special offers on its ADT Pulse home security and automation solution to State Farm customers, who may also qualify for home insurance discounts. The special offer also includes a free in-home security consultation, 24/7 professional monitoring by trained ADT security specialists and custom installation with a six-month money-back guarantee. … "The average insurance claim for a home burglary or fire can cost thousands of dollars," said Don Boerema, chief corporate development officer at ADT. "Through home automation capabilities and enhanced security features, ADT Pulse is the ideal solution to help State Farm customers connect to their families and homes to mitigate loss." "As the leading provider of homeowners insurance in North America, State Farm has a keen interest in helping customers prevent loss," said Jack Weekes, operations vice president at State Farm. "By teaming up with ADT and other home control and monitoring providers, we are helping customers protect their family and property in today's high tech world."
ADT today announced it is teaming up with State Farm to help its customers better manage and control their homes. ADT will provide special offers on its ADT Pulse home security and automation solution to State Farm customers, who may also qualify for home insurance discounts. The special offer also includes a free in-home security consultation, 24/7 professional monitoring by trained ADT security specialists and custom installation with a six-month money-back guarantee.
… "The average insurance claim for a home burglary or fire can cost thousands of dollars," said Don Boerema, chief corporate development officer at ADT. "Through home automation capabilities and enhanced security features, ADT Pulse is the ideal solution to help State Farm customers connect to their families and homes to mitigate loss."
"As the leading provider of homeowners insurance in North America, State Farm has a keen interest in helping customers prevent loss," said Jack Weekes, operations vice president at State Farm. "By teaming up with ADT and other home control and monitoring providers, we are helping customers protect their family and property in today's high tech world."
The deal caught the attention of Insurance & Technology magazine, a business trade publication for insurers, which says in an article that it's "the latest sign that the smart device revolution is poised to shake up the insurance industry." The article wonders if insurers can "find the right tone and offering to capitalize" on the new trend. I'm wondering what other security companies will team up with insurers to better promote their security products.
Buoyed by the $487 million acquisition of Security Networks, Ascent Capital, the holding company that owns Monitronics, posted some sterling numbers for the third quarter of 2013—numbers that underscore why investment firms continue to find the RMR model attractive (long-term contracts, high margins, cash flow predictability). The list goes on.
Ascent's net revenue for the three and nine months (ended Sept. 30, 2013) increased 36.8 percent and 27.4 percent, respectively. The growth was fueled by an increase in subscriber accounts and "the related increase in monthly recurring revenue," according to an Ascent news release.
Security Networks was no small acquisition; when it was purchased in July it was the fourteenth largest residential alarm monitoring company in the United States. In addition to bringing in 225 dealers, the move brought another 195,000 accounts into the fold.
Ascent also reported that Monitronics' adjusted EBITDA for the three and nine months intervals increased 35.2 percent and 27.1 percent, respectively. They also saw a modest increase in RMR per subscriber (6.3 percent).
The news release would suggest this isn't the last we've heard from Ascent Capital on the acquisition front in the alarm space. Ascent chairman and CEO Bill Fitzgerald stated, "Looking ahead, we remain committed to identifying accretive acquisition opportunities, making certain that we continue to put shareholder capital to work in an effective and productive manner."
Mike Haislip, president and CEO of Monitronics, noted that the near-term goals include further integrating the Security Networks business, and positioning the combined company for future growth.
Avigilon now has $69 million (Canadian) at its disposal for "general purposes and strategic acquisitions."
The HD surveillance provider, which got into access control last May with the $17 million purchase of Red Cloud, today announced that it closed a $69 million bought deal equity financing.
So what will Avigilon do with the funds? I called Avigilon this morning to ask about plans for the funds. In an email response Alexander Fernandes, Avigilon president and CEO said: "... we look forward to growing Avigilon even further and will continue to consider potential opportunities as they arise. Although we are not presently considering any specific acquisitions, we are regularly presented with opportunities. The proceeds of our recent bought deal financing will allow us the flexibility to act upon any strategic opportunities that could complement Avigilon's original focus on video surveillance."
I asked Avigilon CEO Alexander Fernandes about possible acquisitions in an interview one year ago. This was prior to the Red Cloud acquisition, and he said that an access control purchase was possible.
Here's an excerpt from that interview.
With money in the bank, Avigilon will continue to add employees. The healthy balance sheet provides "stability and a better cushion," Fernandes said. And while Fernandes emphasized that the company is "focused on internal growth," it is in a position to make an acquisition if it sees fit. What might fit? "Something outside of video but complementary and related … like analytics," Fernandes said. Or access control? "That's possible," he responded
With money in the bank, Avigilon will continue to add employees. The healthy balance sheet provides "stability and a better cushion," Fernandes said. And while Fernandes emphasized that the company is "focused on internal growth," it is in a position to make an acquisition if it sees fit.
What might fit? "Something outside of video but complementary and related … like analytics," Fernandes said. Or access control? "That's possible," he responded
Think it might acquire some more analytics capabilities now? We'll see.
AVigilon is also pouring money into its growth plan. Its recent investor presentation outlines the following steps to get to its goal of $500m in revenue in 2016. 1. Expanding its sales reach (in North America, South America, EMEA and the UK; expanding into APAC with a dedicated sales force; growing the business development team to target enterprise opportunities) 2. Building brand awareness; and 3. Accelerating innovation by investing in R&D team; improving product development structure to get products to market faster.
Avigilon had another rosy quarter—doubling its revenues since Q3 of 2012. Last year it reported $25.5 million in Q3 revenues. This year is reported $51.1 million. It reported $12.7 million in EBITDA in Q3, up from $4 million one year ago. And, it reported Q3 net income of $8.6 million, compared to $2.1 million one year ago.
The company announced the offering earlier this month. It issued 2,863, 270 common shares in Canada, for a price of $24.10 CDN. The offereing was underwritten by syndicate of underwriters led by GMP Securities L.P. and including BMO Capital Markets, National Bank Financial Inc., CIBC World Markets Inc., RBC Capital Markets, PI Financial Corp. and Cantor Fitzgerald Canada Corporation
The ADT Corp. reported yesterday that it was buying back 10.24 million of the shares of its third-largest shareholder, Corvex Management. Keith Meister, the hedge fund's founder, who had been on ADT's board since late 2012, also announced his resignation as director.
ADT's stock price plunged early yesterday morning shortly after the news and while it recovered somewhat, was still down .59 percent this afternoon.
Meister said in a prepared statement, "We initially invested in ADT because of its leading market position and its potential for creating long-term shareholder value. The board and management have achieved admirable results over the past year."
Now, Corvex will have less than 1 million shares in ADT, The Wall Street Journal reported. The WSJ said ADT bought Corvex's shares at $44.01 each, so Corvex got a return of about 20 percent on its investment.
What does it all mean? A WSJ report yesterday sheds some light:
Within weeks of ADT's debut as a public company in October 2012, Corvex began pushing the company to buy back 30 percent of its stock with borrowed money. The hedge fund at that time said the stock was worth at least $61. Corvex criticized ADT's conservative approach to debt, calling the company's capital structure "indefensible" during a presentation that accompanied Corvex's disclosure of a 5 percent stake in ADT at the time. ADT's board has followed much of Corvex's strategy, including financing stock purchases with debt. The company recently announced that it will accelerate the purchase of $400 million of stock under an agreement with J.P. Morgan Chase. Once the purchase of the Corvex shares is completed, the Boca Raton, Fla., company will have spent $2.4 billion to retire about 20 percent of its stock.
Within weeks of ADT's debut as a public company in October 2012, Corvex began pushing the company to buy back 30 percent of its stock with borrowed money. The hedge fund at that time said the stock was worth at least $61.
Corvex criticized ADT's conservative approach to debt, calling the company's capital structure "indefensible" during a presentation that accompanied Corvex's disclosure of a 5 percent stake in ADT at the time.
ADT's board has followed much of Corvex's strategy, including financing stock purchases with debt. The company recently announced that it will accelerate the purchase of $400 million of stock under an agreement with J.P. Morgan Chase. Once the purchase of the Corvex shares is completed, the Boca Raton, Fla., company will have spent $2.4 billion to retire about 20 percent of its stock.
Just about one year after The ADT Corp. split from Tyco International and became a stand-alone, publicly traded company, the company reported today that its RMR climbed 4.7 percent in Q4 and that the rise was helped by its acquisition of Devcon Security this summer.
Boca Raton, Fla.-based ADT, which officially became independent Sept. 28, 2012, reported its Q4 and fiscal year 2013 results today. It added 100,000 subscribers in 2013, bringing its total customer based to 6.5 million, the company said.
ADT also reported average revenue per user (ARPU) had climbed to $40.31, an increase of 3.7 percent, and said that helped increase RMR. The company also said its ADT Pulse overall take rate was at 32 percent in Q4, up from 13 percent last year due to new customers and price escalations to existing ones.
In the earnings call, ADT CEO Naren Gursahaney said, "We recently passed the 500,000 mark with Pulse customers. Just to put that into perspective for you, if Pulse was a stand-alone business, it would be the sixth largest security provider in North America. While this a major milestone for us, it still only represents about 8% of our total customer base, so we still have a tremendous opportunity to further grow our Pulse customer base."
Gursahaney also said that in Q4, "Net attrition increased by 10 basis points sequentially and 40 basis points year-over-year to 13.9 percent, with more than 100 percent of the increase attributable to higher relocation disconnects as a result of the continued recovering in the housing markets." The company is launching new programs to address attrition, which it plans to announce soon, he said.
The company's revenue increased in Q4 by 4 percent to $846 million from $812 million, higher than the $843.8 million analysts expected. EBITDA was $431 million in Q4, up 7.5 percent compared to the previous year.
Much of ADT's total revenue is recurring revenue, the report said. RMR was $777 million in Q4. The company also said small business RMR growth for fiscal 2013 was 7 percent, up from 3 percent in 2012.
Just before its Nov. 20 earnings report, ADT announced this week it was defending its turf by suing Utah-based Vision Security for the second time over Vision's alleged deceptive sales practices. The new lawsuit comes shortly after Vision and Security Networks, of which Vision is an affiliate, "settled with ADT for $2.2 million and agreed to a permanent injunction [from] engaging in similar practices," according to an ADT news release.
Vision told me it denies ADT's allegations and intends to fight them.
The AP reported ADT's shares closed at $42.81 yesterday, Nov. 19. Shares are down 8 percent for the year to date, the AP said.
Gursahaney predicted positive results for fiscal 2014, with revenues and RMR climbing 4 percent to 5 percent. "I'm confident the momentum we have built, coupled with the improvement programs we have implemented to address our challenges, will position us for continued revenue growth and operational improvements in 2014," he said.
Security Partners has hired Richard Bosley III, formerly of AlarmWATCH, to be its new operations manager, a position in which he will oversee the company's development in the wake of acquiring its second central station.
Bosley held multiple positions over an 18-year stint at his former company where he said, at one time or another, he worked "every position," doing everything from service calls, IT and data entry to marketing and dealer support.
Bosley said his top priority at Security Partners remains on track: to get the Lancaster central station and the San Antonio facility, which it acquired in August, "fully, 100 percent hot redundant." This involves switching both centrals to the Tadiran phone system and adding Bold's Manitou servers to the San Antonio central. The two-fold process is scheduled to be completed sometime in January.
Beyond the primary goal of redundancy, Bosley hopes to use his experience in a diverse range of positions to strengthen the critical relationships between Security Partners and its dealers, and between dealers and end users. "When [dealers] grow, we grow," he said, adding that Security Partners plans to "refocus the central station to give some customer service training and backup support, and be able to offer services that Security Partners might not have thought about in the past."
Another major area of emphasis, he said, will be helping dealers grow and market themselves, thereby forging stronger relationships with customers. "If you're not reaching out to your customers we almost guarantee another alarm company is," Bosley noted. "We really want to help dealers become more acquainted with end users instead of just installing alarms and collecting checks each month."
Weeks after the announcement that Hank Groff, formerly the director of the dealer program at Guardian Protection Services, was tapped to run the partner program at Dynamark, Guardian has made a hiring of its own.
The super-regional, based in Warrendale, Pa., hired Brian Helt to be its new VP of the authorized dealer program, a newly created position, according to a company statement
A 15-year veteran of the industry, Helt comes to Guardian from Interlogix, where he held several sales leadership positions and managed departments dedicated to acquiring and developing business relationships with dealers.
Prior to Interlogix, Helt served in management roles at UTC Fire and Security and GE Security, while being the owner and operator of his own security business in Kansas City.
Helt has experience growing dealer programs, so it will be worth tracking what kind of impact his hiring has for the company, and to see what responsibilities he takes on in the new role. I'm also interested to see what the move means as far as Guardian's national footprint is concerned.
The Honeywell Connect2013 event, which took place November 8-10 in Los Angeles, was declared a success by all the dealers I spoke to.
Of course, dealers generally enjoy themselves at these conventions. There are networking events and parties, educational sessions and parties, awards and parties, speeches and more parties. You get the idea. Honeywell works hard to ensure that its dealers are treated well.
But this particular event was new; It's the is first time the manufacturer gathered all three dealer programs for one convention in one place: First Alert Professionals, CSS Dealers, and HIS dealers. So you've got resi-focused dealers, commercial installers and systems integrators. Honeywell pulled it off—that's what I heard.
The two general sessions featured Honeywell executives talking about priorities, trends, new products and initiatives. A handful of dealers from all three programs also gave 10-minute talks during the general sessions. Here are some highlights:
John Loud of LOUD Security, spoke about the builder market. It was something LOUD was heavily invested in pre-recession. Business dwindled during the recession, but has since been revamped and revived. Loud talked about the "LOUD way" his company rebuilt the new LOUD Builder Program. In the past 12 months, that program has generated $1 million in new revenue for LOUD Security and also helped generate a 72-percent increase in interactive services revenue.
Dave Hood of First Alarm sounded the alarm about going with the all-in-one L5100 panel. Tradition is good, but staying traditional means losing business, he said.
RFI's Brad Wilson, a systems integrator, does business in Silicon Valley with some of the most tech-savvy customers in the country. Wilson obviously has some insight into how security technology—and Honeywell dealer attitudes and priorities—need to progress. He talked about the importance of "building your bench" in the workplace, the advent and affect of the cloud on the security business, importance of RMR even in large systems integration projects, and how many technologies are coming down market, and fast.
Honeywell Security president Ron Rothman talked about sales and advised attendees to spend more time figuring out why you won the someone's business than analyzing why you lost another job. Think about this, he said, and then share what you learn with your employees.
Keynote speaker Roy Spence, of Southwest Airlines fame, talked about the need for thosein the room to reenergize their "entreprenuerial drive to get the 75 percent of the market [that does not have home security.]" He advised the group to think about "where your talent [in security] and the needs of the world intersect." That intersection, he said, is "peace of mind." The same way Southwest Airlines "democratized air travel," the security industry can "democratize peace-of-mind." He warned that if the security industry doesn't take this task to heart, someone else will.
Arturo Ramirez Jr. received the Honeywell Life Safety Award this year for rescuing a woman and four children from a fire. The award is always given by Larry King via video presentation. This year, Larry King presented the award in person. King said: "I couldn't be here in spirit, so I thought I'd come in person." Yup, it was Larry King Live this time.
Jeremy Bates of Bates Security talked about social media. It's part of the company's overall marketing plan. Bates Security engages in a number of social media but focuses its efforts on Facebook, and it hired a marketing specialist to oversee company efforts. A couple of interesting statistics: 46 percent of consumers turn to social media before making a purchase; 70 percent of people on social media don't post, they "lurk." Bates says he wants to ensure that those lurkers have plenty of information about Bates Security available to them via social media.
Todd Bertocchi of Safeguard Security discussed the benefit of managed and hosted service, making the analogy of security dealers moving "from being peddlers [of products] to partners." He said that "hosted systems create RMR, standalone systems do not."
Other product annoucements and initiatives announced at the show:
Total Connect with Voice. Honeywell had a little clubhouse outfitted like a livingroom with "Total Connect with Voice" at the Thursday night cocktail party. In a demonstration for some members of the media, Honeywell's David Gottlieb would say a command for the room to go into nighttime mode: Instantly shades drew shut, the television shut off and lights dimmed. When he issued the command for daytime mode, it all reversed. Very George Jetson.
Honeywell announced that it will have a Casi-Rusco migration solution. There's "a huge installed base, it's a huge opportunity for you," Honeywell's senior director of marketing, Alan Stoddard said.
Stoddard gave these details on the soon-to-be-released Honeywell LYNX Touch 7000/L5200: You can view video on display and connect 84 zones. It has a 7-inch display; two-way voice over wifi, and a number of other newer features.
Honeywell's Marek Robinson talked about how the manufactureris helping FAP, CSS and HIS dealers with demand creatioin. He said that in 2013 year to date, the Honeywell website has "generated 2,000 plus leads that its given to dealers. His goal is to "double that in 2014."
Robinson also described two new partnerships. Honeywell is launching a partner program in Atlanta where it will sell alarm systems from kiosks at Sprint stores. The pilot project will commence next month with Ackerman Security in Norcross, Ga. Honeywell declined to comment further on the deal at this point. I saw Ackerman's Jim Callahan at the event, and he promises to fill me in on details at a later date.
The other partnership is with LifeWay Christian Stores. The goal of this program, according to my notes, is to generate a whopping 40,000 leads for commercial facilities.
[UPDATE ON NOV. 14: I heard back late yesterday from SolarCity, which confirmed that Vivint Solar COO Brendon Merkley has joined SolarCity. Molly Canales, a communications associate with that company, told me in an email, "Brendon has accepted an offer to join SolarCity and we're excited to welcome him aboard." So my report below is no longer speculative.]
Vivint Solar has been making headlines of late regarding the rapid success of the 2-year-old business and the new round of financing it just secured. Now here's more about the company: The COO of Vivint Solar—a division of home automation/home security provider Vivint—has reportedly jumped ship for SolarCity, Vivint Solar's larger competitor.
If true, COO Brendon Merkley is following in the footsteps of former Vivint Solar CEO Tanguy Serra, who bailed for SolarCity last spring.
Last month, Vivint Solar announced it had secured $540 million in new financing. And this month, the success of Vivint Solar—based in Provo, Utah—was the topic of Reuters feature story titled, "Knock! Knock! Solar company wins converts going door to door." The story says that Vivint has quickly captured a 9 percent share of the residential solar installation market in the United States.
Interestingly, the Nov. 8 also extensively quotes COO Merkley on some of the secrets of Vivint Solar's success. Vivint Solar also announced in June that Merkley had been elected as the executive committee's state policy committee chair for the Solar Energy Industry Association.
But Reuters reports that SolarCity remains the market leader, with a 26 percent share.
And yesterday, Greentech Media reported that Merkley had defected to SolarCity.
I have reached out to Vivint Solar and SolarCity but Greentech Media says in its Nov. 12 report that it has already done that. "Vivint has confirmed that Merkley has left the firm. SolarCity has confirmed that Merkley is joining the firm," the site reported.
Greg Butterfield this fall took over Serra's old job as CEO of Vivint Solar. Who will replace Merkley? Stay posted!
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In this first video, Davey Johnson reveals that Wilson Ramos will be the catcher for Opening Day. You will then see reaction from Ramos himself on hearing the news.
In this second video, Opening Day starter Stephen Strasburg talks about the significance of entering his first full season as a major league player.
- MicheleS - Mar 30, 2013 at 12:25 PM
Chase, Thanks for all the coverage yesterday. Putting up with us can't be easy. Loved all the tweets as well.Also, Finally got to watch the Baseball Show.I really enjoyed you all bringing in other folks from the Other CSN Affiliates. Like hearing about other teams and what is going on with potential competition.
- natsfan1a - Mar 30, 2013 at 12:54 PM
Seconding MicheleS. Additionally, now I sometimes read a post by Chase and don't realize that it's not by Mark until I see the byline. Nice to see Chase spreading his wings on the blog and on tv. Atta way, kid. (No offense, but you're all kids to me. :-))
- natsfan1a - Mar 30, 2013 at 12:56 PM
And atta way for the Buffalo, too.
- Section 222 - Mar 30, 2013 at 12:58 PM
So I'm eager to hear how things went at the Park yesterday with the new STH cards. Did anyone use one? See any problems at the gate? Were the ushers up to speed with the new program? I haven't seen anything about a disaster on the SportsBog, so I assume things went ok, but would love some reports.Someone asked about a meetup on Opening Day. I remember from the playoffs that Insiders gathered either an hour or a half hour before game time on the Infield Gallery level at the picnic tables behind Section 312. We could do that again if folks want to.
- Joe Seamhead - Mar 30, 2013 at 1:15 PM
I'm up for meeting at the Sec.312 tables around 12:00-12:30.
- MicheleS - Mar 30, 2013 at 1:25 PM
222.I used mine cards yesterday, Things went fine, no wait, no hang ups for me. Usher just looked at the card and took me to my seat.The only thing I want to know about is aren't we supposed to get discounts on food with the cards or is that my memory failing? My Nephew went to get some food with the card and he said the cashier's were clueless about the card.Wish I was going to OD, but work calls.
- Mac - Mar 30, 2013 at 1:46 PM
The STH cards work just like a Metro SmarTrip card. Walk up to the gate, stick the card into the gap in the ticket reader (same ones as last year) where you would otherwise put a ticket, green light flashes, and boom, you're in. Just like a Metro SmarTrip card, only with no annoying Metro on the other end.
- NatsLady - Mar 30, 2013 at 1:50 PM
Here is my post on the game yesterday. It's Almost Game Timehttp://ladyandthenats.blogspot.com/2013/03/almost-game-time.html
- Mac - Mar 30, 2013 at 2:11 PM
I believe Feffer's letter said cardholders would be offered discounts on food, along with other offers. Not an automatic discount like in the team store. And eventually we are supposed to be able to load cash on the cards and use them in the food lines. But first there would need to be card readers in the concession stands. Did anyone see those yesterday? I imagine that once they have all the cardreaders up and running we'll start getting notices about special offers that are available. Probably we'll have to pay with the card to get the special discounts. That way the clueless workers in the food lines aren't involved in the financial transaction. They hand you the food, punch into the register what you ordered, and you flash the card to pay and get the discount.
- baseballswami - Mar 30, 2013 at 2:12 PM
Andy Pfeffer ( of Take Back the Park and Natitude fame ), was interviewed during the broadcast. He said the discounts and special lines will start later in the season. Apparently they are multi- phasing things. He is almost as energetic and intense as Bryce.
- MicheleS - Mar 30, 2013 at 2:19 PM
Swami/Mac, thanks for the info on the cards.I did run into another STH who would have prefered paper tickets b/c he was having a hard time assigning tickets in his group, Luckily for me, I am the group, so I just have to email people tickets it they can't come with me to the game
- Doc - Mar 30, 2013 at 2:21 PM
Hey Chase, where's Henry's interview?? Let's have a little respect for the backstop bouncers! LOLGooooooooooHenry GooooooooooooNats!!!
- MicheleS - Mar 30, 2013 at 2:24 PM
Also, Highly recommend Amanda's Stuff in the times the last few days. Excellent stuff and the preview section was really great to have from the Actual Paper. WaPo's preview section comes out tomorrow
- Doc - Mar 30, 2013 at 2:25 PM
Hey Chase, where's the Henry video?Even backstop bouncers deserve a little respect when they make the team! LOLGoooooooooooooHenry!!!! GooooooooooooNats!!!
- Section 222 - Mar 30, 2013 at 2:39 PM
JoeS — I guess if there are two of us, that's a meetup. See you, and anyone else who wants to say hello to some of their virtual friends behind Section 312 starting from 12:15 to, say, 12:45.
- natsfan1a - Mar 30, 2013 at 2:44 PM
Agreed on Amanda's stuff the other day.222, would be fun to see Insiders but my husband is going into work first and I don't know how early we'll get there. Also, I don't want to miss the OD ceremonies, which are supposed to start around 12:09, according to an email from the Nats.
- Ghost Of Steve M. - Mar 30, 2013 at 2:47 PM
Nothing has popped up about Chris Young and you have pitchers like Freddy Garcia who was in a similar situation just signed a MiLB deal with the Orioles. My guess is we will hear something soon as Young's agent is probably negotiating with someone(s) now.Rizzo could get very lucky here as the Nats would appear to still be in the mix. Ken Rosenthal confirmed that there were at least 8 teams that scouted Chris Young on his final Spring start. The biggest question mark I think is who is the presumptive 6th starter on this team? I know there has been talk about Zach Duke and Craig Stammen which is in the realm of possibilities but who would come out of AAA as the 1st man if Davey needed someone?
- Unknown - Mar 30, 2013 at 2:50 PM
With all this talk about Justin Verlander's signing and his 100 mph pitches, It got me to wondering.Strasburg hitting 100 mph pre-surgery wasn't a big deal; I seem to recall it happening fairly often with 99 mph all the time.He's not coming close this year. Is this because he can't or he's learned how to pitch without stressing his arm to that extent?Anyone know?Farid @ Idaho
- Section 222 - Mar 30, 2013 at 3:00 PM
Tconstant posted the other day about the Nats new market based pricing for tickets to hot games like O.D. I went to the website and was able to find 2 seats together in only a few of the available sections. So the Nats are basically trying to get rid of the remaining scattered singles at inflated prices. Some different sections are available today compared to the other day, but again, few pairs if any can be found.At first I was pissed that the Nats were going to interfere with the secondary market (and they already get a hefty cut of StubHub sales) by inflating the price of remaining seats. But now I think they are helping sellers, which is fine with me. For example, why would someone pay $105 per ticket plus service fees (at least $5 per ticket, plus a steep per order charge) for two scattered Infield Box seats, if they were even available, when they could pay $116 per ticket on StubHub (all service fees included) for two seats together in Section 116? Or $65 plus service charges per scattered Outfield Reserve seat when you can get two together on StubHub for $49.30 each, all charges included?It looks like the Nats are adjusting the prices to match the lowest available price for that section on StubHub. But they can't keep up in real time, and the seats they have left to sell by definition aren't going to be as good as those in the secondary market. So thanks Nats, for your greed.I'm sure Feel/Tony/Mac will have some thoughts on this, and I'm interested in the reaction of others who use StubHub.
- Section 222 - Mar 30, 2013 at 3:02 PM
We'll miss you 1a. By the way, I expect we'll be able to watch the O.D. ceremonies on the big screen from the meetup.
- Sec. 3, My Sofa - Mar 30, 2013 at 3:04 PM
Farid, IIRC most of the spring games don't get a gun, at least not officially. Some scouts, and the team, would have one, but they aren't putting those data on the scoreboard.Plus, he would be ramping up.
- MicheleS - Mar 30, 2013 at 3:04 PM
Farid, check out Buster Olney today, Stras was tied for 3rd I think on the 100 mph counts. Now as for this spring, don't read to much in the numbers on the radar guns online, not sure if those are accurate. Unless you have access to the scout or official team guns, then everything down in ST is suspect.
- Candide - Mar 30, 2013 at 3:07 PM
I'll be at the NI section 312 meetup, bringing a non-NI friend. You'll be able to recognize me; I'll be the guy wearing a Nats cap and dugout jacket…(That should be a unique enough description…)
- baseballswami - Mar 30, 2013 at 3:09 PM
It is my understanding, based on more than one interview, that Stras wants to go deeper into games, be more pitch – efficient. Throwing 100 all the time is not the sign of a great pitcher. Getting hitters out is the priority and does not require the full 100 on every pitch.
- Ghost Of Steve M. - Mar 30, 2013 at 3:14 PM
baseballswami, BINGO, we have a winner. Velo with movement is more important than 100mph and flat.
- Candide - Mar 30, 2013 at 3:15 PM
Henry regularly hits 100 mph, so I guess we can conclude he's now a better pitcher than Stras…
- MicheleS - Mar 30, 2013 at 3:25 PM
New Post!
- Doc - Mar 30, 2013 at 3:48 PM
Speed is exciting to watch, and something you want your relievers to have so the team can get a K with men on base, late in the game.But unless you're $Justin Verlander$, you normally can't throw 'speed' for 9 innings.One of my favorite pitchers of all time–Greg Maddux. 355 lifetime victories with a fastball in the high 80's-low 90's–a won-lost record primarily garnered with LOCATION first, and late-breaking action 2nd, and speed 3rd.Henry's or Stras' speed means very little without location.
- natsfan1a - Mar 31, 2013 at 12:21 PM
Thanks, sec222, but I'm hard of hearing, and if I'm surrounded by people who are chit-chatting, I'll hear them rather than the P.A. announcer. Will look forward to the possibility of a future gathering, though.Section 222 said… We'll miss you 1a. By the way, I expect we'll be able to watch the O.D. ceremonies on the big screen from the meetup. March 30, 2013 11:02 AM

subset: commoncrawl


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Emotional Currency: A Woman's Guide to Building a Healthy Relationship with Money
May 1, 2012
Whether rich, poor, or somewhere in between, most people are unaware that their relationship with money is fraught with an emotional charge that colors their financial dealings. By...
Peeps Diorama Contest Winner
Apr 26, 2012
The Civic Center Peeps Diorama Contest has a winner! Library visitors voted on which of the 17 diorama entries was their choice for the Peeple's Choice Award. Winning dioramas were also...
Begin to Experiment---Get a library card!
Apr 26, 2012
Afraid to experiment or try out a new idea? Check out this great encouraging article in the Handful of Salt Blog----if you've got a library card you're already on your way!Read more in...
Great cardboard prom dress!
Apr 26, 2012
USA Today reports that prom spending is averaging $1,078 this year, up from $807 last year...
El día de los niños/El día de los libros at the Point Reyes Library
Apr 26, 2012
Mariela Herrera, who comes from Chile, played the guitar and sang with children at West Marin School and at the Point Reyes Library on Monday to help us celebrate one of our favorite days - El día...
Drift: The Unmooring Of American Military Power
Apr 25, 2012
New book reviewed on NPR - Fresh AirDrift: The Unmooring Of American Military Powerby Rachel MaddowIn her new book, Drift: the Unmooring of American Military Power, Rachel Maddow, ...
Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake
Apr 25, 2012
New book reviewed on NPR - Fresh AirLots of Candles, Plenty of Cake by Anna QuindlenAnna Quindlen is a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer whose new memoir, Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake, explores her...
Seen the Movie Think Like a Man? Why Not Read the Book?
Apr 24, 2012
Think Like a Man took over the #1 box office spot this weekend, stopping the Hunger Games four-week streak. I saw it this weekend and was very impressed. If you like romantic comedies...
Happy Birthday, Golden Gate Bridge
Apr 24, 2012
On May 27, 1937, after four years of construction, the completion of the Golden Gate Bridge was celebrated. 200,000 people walked or roller-skated across the span linking San Francisco...
No hay nada como un buen culebrón
Apr 24, 2012
Buenas noticias...llegaron varias cajas de películas y vídeos en español a la biblioteca. Entre ellos hay varias telenovelas. De las buenas, eh? nada de porquerías por aquí. Tenemos Pasión de...
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(expected in the future ....)
No official release date is available yet.
(the random date at the top of this entry is not representing an actual release date)
Less bugs ...
New features ...
Right now we are working on the first changes for FL Studio 12.
Mainly a new vector based GUI so all current and future screen formats are supported in the best possible way.
FL Studio 12 alpha preview news item
Want to find out first which new features FL Studio 12 includes?
You own an official FL Studio registration?
- FL Studio 12 alpha preview installer forum thread
- Once FL Studio 12 is further developed, you will be able to test the latest additions to FL Studio in the latest FL Studio beta.


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In Bellevue, a high school football player had an unexpected run-in with a referee.
Sgt. Javelle Crowder surprised her son, Jovan, a Bellevue West senior just before kickoff Friday. Crowder was dressed in stripes and on the field, standing in front of her son.
"I can't believe you didn't recognize me," she said. "Give me another hug."
Crowder just completed a ten-month tour in Afghanistan. Before that, she served two tours in the region.


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Wellness in Geriatric Dogs
What is wellness testing?
Wellness testing is the term given to a group of tests that is performed specifically to detect signs of early or subclinical disease in a pet that is apparently healthy.
Why do wellness testing?
"...steps can often be taken to manage or correct the problem before irreversible damage occurs."
Pets cannot tell you how they are feeling, and as a result, disease may be present before you are aware of it. If a disease or condition can be detected before a pet shows signs of illness, steps can often be taken to manage or correct the problem before irreversible damage occurs. Wellness testing is particularly important in the geriatric pet, since there is a greater chance that underlying disease may be present.
When is wellness testing done?
Wellness testing should be done on a regular basis, and many pet owners combine wellness testing with their annual visit to the veterinarian for their dog's physical examination, vaccination, and heartworm testing. Your veterinarian may recommend more frequent testing depending on your dog's age or specific health concerns. Monitoring your pet's health status on a regular basis makes it easier for the veterinarian to detect minor changes that signal the onset of disease.
What is involved in wellness testing?
There are four main categories of wellness testing for the geriatric dog: complete blood count (CBC), biochemistry profile, urinalysis, and thyroid hormone testing. Within each category, your veterinarian will advise you about how extensive the testing should be. In younger dogs without noticeable health complaints, relatively simple testing may be adequate. However, in the geriatric dog, more comprehensive testing is recommended.
Complete Blood Count -
This simple blood test analyses the cellular components in the bloodstream. These include red blood cells, which carry oxygen to the tissues, white blood cells, which fight infection and respond to inflammation, and platelets, which help the blood to clot. The CBC provides details about the number, size, and shape of the various cells types, and identifies the presence of any abnormal cells. (See handout Complete Blood Count).
Biochemistry Profile -
This is a series of tests performed on serum, which is the liquid component of blood. These tests provide information about how well the various organs of the body are working, and help to detect the presence of some metabolic diseases. There are tests to assess the liver and kidneys, tests to identify the presence of diabetes, and so on. (See handout Serum Biochemistry).
"In some cases, a more extensive diagnostic workup may be recommended..."
If minor abnormalities are found on the biochemistry profile, the veterinarian may simply request that you repeat the tests at a later time; depending on the abnormality, this may be in a few days, a few weeks, or a few months. In some cases, a more extensive diagnostic workup may be recommended, including an expanded biochemistry profile, or special tests and/or imaging (x-rays, ultrasound).
Urinalysis -
Urine evaluation includes an analysis of the chemical components in the sample, as well as a microscopic examination of the cells and solid material that may be present (see our handout "Urinalysis"). Urinalysis provides information about how well the kidneys are working, identifies the presence of inflammation or infection in the kidneys and urinary system, and may detect the presence of underlying metabolic disease such as diabetes. Urinalysis is necessary for a complete assessment of the urinary system. It should be performed routinely as part of wellness testing, and is particularly important in the geriatric dog because of the increased rate of kidney disease in the older pet.
Thyroid testing -
The thyroid gland is like a "thermostat", which "sets" the metabolic rate of the whole body (See handout Thyroid Testing). The most common thyroid disease in the dog is hypothyroidism, which occurs when the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone. The function of the thyroid gland should be tested routinely in older dogs, especially if there is unexplained weight gain, lack of energy, recurring skin or ear infections, or hair loss on the body and tail,
Wellness testing is a simple and effective way of monitoring your older dog's health. Early detection and correction of medical problems help to ensure that your pet will be healthy and active for as long as possible.


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WOW... great newsSupport for VDPAU hardware video decoding on Linux.
SMplayer is also fantastic though... using it with Kernel 3.11 and Mesa 9.2 for movies on my Radeon 6370M works wayy quieter than XVBA in FGLRX ever ever did
Phoronix: Features Coming For The VLC 2.1 Media Player
The VLC 2.1 media player update is due out in the coming weeks and with it will come several new features for the open-source program...
WOW... great newsSupport for VDPAU hardware video decoding on Linux.
SMplayer is also fantastic though... using it with Kernel 3.11 and Mesa 9.2 for movies on my Radeon 6370M works wayy quieter than XVBA in FGLRX ever ever did
Don't hold your breath, from what I read a while ago and even today on the forum - vdpau support in vlc is gonna require a lot more CPU for some (most?) people for unknown (to me) reasons, which screws the whole point of using vdpau.
That's why I stay with Gnome Mplayer, its vdpau support is better than in SMplayer and consumes almost no CPU when video is paused, unlike SMplayer.
For the curious, mark is referring to... this: http://phoronix.com/forums/showthrea...908#post342908
And I wouldn't say it completely devoids the point of using VDPAU, it just devoids the power efficiency point. The decoding and displaying of the video will still be smoother (less choppy) than with CPU decoding. I'm not sure WHY VLC uses more CPU usage, but apparently it does. Interesting.
Hmm, color conversions with GLSL. Am I the only one who want to show it to that Xvideo-on-GLAMOR guy? He had writing exactly that on the agenda.
The what? Those must be pretty small improvements...Blu-ray module improvements
You're saying Blu-ray is already perfect or you've tried a pre-release and didn't notice much difference? I hope it's better than mplayer at least. Although the framerate holds up with low CPU usage, I get some tearing, which I thought VDPAU was supposed to eliminate. The audio sync isn't terrible but it could be better. Finding the right episode can be a challenge and it often starts playing with the wrong language. Not much fun when you're trying to chill out in front of the TV.
I'm aware Awesomeness, I was more directing my comment to the linked post where the user stated the VLC has ALWAYS used more CPU than other movie player-- regardless of hardware acceleration or not. That its idling was just higher than others. Maybe its a generic bug, maybe its a bug due to architectural design of VLC, who knows.


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As the premier conference for the design and automation of electronic systems, DAC offers outstanding training, education, exhibits and superb networking opportunities for designers, researchers, tool developers and vendors.
DAC is the place where industry leaders meet, get a feel for the pulse of the industry, find new trends, and network with colleagues across the industry. |
DAC 2014 will be held in San Francisco, California, at the Moscone Center. Get details about travel, hotels, and area attractions in one convenient spot. |
DAC provides many opportunities for in-depth learning. |


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Lapua ammunition is known by shooters all over the world. They are please to partner with the world's top shooters, and to be an example copied by other manufacturers. Lapua's extremely accurate target shooting cartridges are loaded with the best target bullets. Numerous world championships, Olympic championships and other top competition gold medals, as well as many official world records in different disciplines are shot with the Lapua cartridges. A great performing 99% copper bullet retains up to 100% or its weight. The valve at the tip of the bullet opens immediately on impact, leading the bullet to expand symmetrically and without shattering. This high tech bullet design gives a maximal shock effect and it workds perfectly within terminal velocities of 1640 fps to 3280 fps. The Naturalis is extremenly effective by giving a clean shot and minimizes meat loss. Unique Lapua technology.
Mfr Part: LAPN317202
Cartridge: 30-06 Springfield
Bullet Weight (Grains): 170
Muzzle Velocity (feet per second): 2725
Application: Target
Rounds per Box: 20
Brand Style: Naturalis, ...
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Mfr Part: N317106
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Mfr Part: LAPN316201
Cartridge: 243 Winchester
Bullet Weight (Grains): 90
Muzzle Velocity (feet per second): 2985
Mfr Part: LAPN317203
Cartridge: 300 Winchester Magnum
Muzzle Velocity (feet per second): 2625
Rounds per Box: 10
Mfr Part: LAPN317201
Cartridge: 308 Winchester
Muzzle Velocity (feet per second): 2597
Mfr Part: LAPN318020
Cartridge: 338 Lapua
Bullet Weight (Grains): 235
Brand Style: Naturalis
Mfr Part: LAPN316101
Cartridge: 6.5 x 55 mm Swedish Mauser
Bullet Weight (Grains): 140
Mfr Part: LAPN319203
Cartridge: 9.3 x 62 Mauser
Bullet Weight (Grains): 220
Muzzle Velocity (feet per second): 2624
Application: Hunting, Target
Rounds per Box: 20, ...
Mfr Part: LAPN319202
Cartridge: 9.3 mm x 74R
Bullet Weight (Grains): 270
Mfr Part: N318009
Cartridge: 8 x 57 mm JS
Bullet Weight (Grains): 180
Mfr Part: N319204
Bullet Weight (Grains): 250
Mfr Part: N317105


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Dobsonian Telescopes
Orion - XT12g 12 " GoTo Dobsonian
Bang-for-the-buck value meets state-of-the-art technology in this 12" fully motor driven GoTo Dobsonian Automatically locates and then tracks any of 42,000 celestial objects in the GoTo controller's database Big 12" aperture parabolic.
... Learn MoreModel#: 10136
$1,799.99 -
Orion - StarBlast Astro Telescope 4.5"
Here is a fun and compact telescope that's sure to inspire the whole family's natural inclination to explore. The Orion StarBlast 4.5 Astro Reflector Telescope is no toy - it's a real reflecting telescope that is wonderfully simple to set up and use.
... Learn MoreModel#: 10015
$199.99 -
Orion - SkyQuest XX12 IntelliScope Truss-Tube Dobsonian
Maybe the idea of a big-aperture telescope appeals to you, but the portability issue has kept you on the fence.
... Learn MoreModel#: 10023
$1,299.95 -
Orion - SkyQuest XX14i IntelliScope Trust Tube Dobsonian
Colossal 14"-aperture parabolic optics open up the heavens to new visual adventures!Enhanced reflectivity (94%) aluminum mirror coatings for brighter images14" optics collect 36% more light than a 12" mirror, and an amazing 96% more
... Learn MoreModel#: 10024
$1,979.99 -
Orion - SkyQuest XT6 Classic Dobsonian Telescope
Ample light grasp...Check. Portable...Check. Stable mount...Check. Quick setup and take-down...Check. Easy to operate...Check. Affordable...Check.
... Learn MoreModel#: 08944
$299.99 -
Orion - SkyScanner 100mm TableTop Reflector
Under darker skies, the SkySkanner has enough light-gathering power to reveal objects as deep as the Milky Way.
... Learn MoreModel#: 10012
$119.99 -
Orion SkyQuest XT12 Classic Dobsonian Telescope
Orion SkyQuest XT12 Classic Dobsonian Telescope305mm aperture & 1500mm focal length for jaw-dropping views of galaxies, nebulas, and star clustersParabolic primary mirror is made of BK-7 glass and center-marked for easy collimationThe ult ... Learn More
Model#: 09709
$899.95 -
Sky-Watcher USA - 8" Sky-Watcher Collapsible Dobsonian
Sky-Watcher 8" DOB - Join the Ranks of Serious ObserversCorresponding to the escalating "aperture fever" that has gripped amateur astronomy for several decades, an 8" diameter is now generally regarded as the minimum entry-level apert
... Learn MoreFREE SHIPPINGModel#: S11700(48 States)
$449.00 -
Sky-Watcher USA - 10" Sky-Watcher Collapsible Dobsonian
This is a big, friendly horse of a telescope you can ride off into the sunset with, and then thrill to well resolved celestial views when twilight fades.
... Learn MoreFREE SHIPPINGModel#: S11720(48 States)
$699.00 -
Orion - StarBlast 6 Astro Telescope
The Orion StarBlast 6 Astro Reflector Telescope exemplifies the perfect combination of well-rounded performance and convenient portability.
... Learn MoreModel#: 10016
$299.95 -
Orion - SkyQuest XT6 IntelliScope with Object Locator w/ FREE Starry Night
* Locate more than 14,000 fascinating celestial objects with pushbutton ease with included controller * 150mm aperture and 1200mm focal length (f/8 ... Learn More
Model#: 27138
$489.00 -
Orion - SkyQuest XT12 IntelliScope with Object Locator w/ FREE Starry Night
The XT12 IntelliScope takes big-aperture astronomy to a new level of performance and user-friendly fun.
... Learn MoreModel#: 27137
$1,079.95 -
Orion - UP16 Premium UltraPortable Truss Dobsonian
A Premium, Portable Design - About half the weight of traditional Dobsonian telescopesA Quantum Leap in Performance - The UP16's huge 16-inch diameter primary mirror gathers 400% more light than popular 8-inch reflectors and 250% more light than ... Learn More
Model#: 08935
$5,199.95 -
Orion - UP18 Premium UltraPortable Truss Dobsonian
A Quantum Leap in Performance - The UP18's huge 18-inch diameter primary mirror gathers over 5 times more light than popular 8-inch reflectors or over twice the light grasp of a 12-inch telescopeOutstanding Views - Premium quality, diffraction l ... Learn More
Model#: 08936
$6,499.95 -
Orion - UP20 Premium UltraPortable Truss Dobsonian
A Quantum Leap over Traditional Reflectors - The UP20's huge 20-inch diameter primary mirror gathers over 6 times more light than popular 8-inch reflectorsOutstanding Views - Premium quality, diffraction limited Newtonian optical systems are in ... Learn More
Model#: 08937
$8,299.95 -
Orion - SkyQuest XT8 Classic Dobsonian Telescope
For the intrepid beginner to the veteran skygazer, the classic SkyQuest XT8 lives up to its billing by Astronomy magazine as a "work of art." Get this masterpiece now at its new lower price! One-year limited warranty.
... Learn MoreModel#: 08945
$399.95 -
Orion - SkyQuest XT10 Classic Dobsonian Telescope
It's no wonder customers heap 5-star ratings on these "gentle giants." For not only do their jumbo-sized optics and uncomplicated design bring a "new level of joy to simple observing," raved Astronomy magazine, but they're also the most affordable quality Dobs on the market.
... Learn MoreModel#: 08946
$579.99 -
Orion - SkyQuest XT4.5 Dobsonian Telescope
Without spending a fortune you can get a telescope that will not only satisfy the kids, but the kid in you! Our SkyQuest XT4.5 is a quality telescope, with point-and-view simplicity that makes it easy to use and makes stargazing fun!
... Learn MoreModel#: 10014
$259.99 -
Orion - SkyQuest XT8i IntelliScope Dobsonian Telescope
The Orion 8" Dobsonian reflector telescope serves as a great optical instrument for amateur astronomers of any kind. Included is a computerized object locator, enabling the user digital and automatic access to over 14,000 objects in the night sky, including solar system and deep sky.
... Learn MoreModel#: 10018
$649.99 -
Orion - SkyQuest XT10 IntelliScope with Object Locator w/ FREE Starry Night
The SkyQuest XT10 continues its dominance over all other 10" Dobsonians worldwide by virtue of its dazzling optics, a contemporary new design, and most exciting of all, the ability to locate any of more than 14,000 fascinating celestial objects with pushbutton ease!
... Learn MoreModel#: 10019


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Follow an educational path that matches your interests - at Sanford-Brown College Online, anytime, anywhere. Through our career-focused degrees and student-centered support, you can achieve your personal vision of success. We believe you should enjoy the journey, so we foster a friendly, collaborative environment where everyone is ready to help and rooting for your success.
To ensure that you get what you really need to know in your field, our programs leverage input from industry professionals. You'll also have the opportunity to learn from experienced professionals who have been there and know what it takes.
We offer programs in Animation Technology, Building Information Modeling, Digital Media Production Graphic Design, Information Technology, Retail Merchandise Management, Software Engineering, and Web Design and Development, through the Schools of Sanford-Brown College Online:
· IADT School of Design
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Our training is personalized to fit your goals. You can develop essential skills, such as being a good communicator and team player. And when you're close to graduating, Career Services offers a range of support.
You can also develop confidence in your technical abilities because you'll have used quality software in school. In fact, just by attending our Online campus you'll have constant exposure to current interactive technology.
Sanford-Brown has been helping people reach for their goals since 1866. Through the years, our programs have been adapted to meet the changing needs. We look forward to supporting you on your path to success.
Meet your future at Sanford-Brown College Online.


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Fleece Beret and Glove Set
ITEM: 9676 This lovely set in double layered microfiber fleece by Betmar® is detailed with nubby yarns. Satin lined. Comes with matching gloves, too! Imported. One size fits most. Add the matching 60"x 8" scarf to complete the set.Learn MoreRegular Price: $60.00
Special Price $24.00
Ladies Wool Newsboy Cap
ITEM: 9685 Our cute newsboy-style cap is sporty and warm. Classic six-panel cap of a soft wool blend, lined in soft poly satin. Adjustable back buckle closure for a custom fit. Buy them in multiple colors to perk up every outfit. Imported. Spot clean.Learn MoreRegular Price: $45.00
Special Price $18.00
Leather Cross-body Fringe Bag
ITEM: 9886 Expertly hand-crafted by Minnetonka,® this mini bag features layers of fringe and accents, and inside zipper pocket and organizer. Adjustable strap makes it a great shoulder or cross-body handbag. Inside snap keeps items safely secured. 6"h x 5.5"w x 1.5"d. Imported. Leather clean.Learn MoreRegular Price: $85.00
Special Price $34.00
Leather Mini Handbag
ITEM: 9517 One chic little bag.This chic leather bag is perfectly designed with a popular wristlet strap, back zippered pocket, hidden front zippered pocket, magnetic snap closure. 7"w x 4"h x 1 1/2"d. Imported. Leather clean.Learn MoreRegular Price: $38.00
Special Price $15.20
Leather Shoulder Bag
ITEM: 9057 A shoulder bag or a clutch-your choice. It's large enough to hold your personal items, but small enough to work with any outfit. Crafted of beautiful, soft leather with a metal turn-key closure. Detachable shoulder strap. Convenient inside pockets and zippered compartment. 13"w x 6"h. Imported. Leather clean.Learn MoreRegular Price: $70.00
Special Price $28.00
Leather Shoulder Handbag
ITEM: 9037 The only bag you'll ever need, this roomy edition includes a handy attached change purse. Fully lined, it features an inner zip and two outside zip pockets. The shoulder strap adjusts to just the right length. 11"W x 7"H x 4"D. Imported.Learn MoreRegular Price: $70.00
Special Price $28.00
Shiny Patent Tote Bag
ITEM: 9054 Chic and big...the perfect tote! Our new studded shiny patent tote is soft and lightweight, with double handles, two side pockets, magnetic snap closure, and center zippered compartment for security. Three inside pockets. Wipe-clean lining. 16"w x 13"h x 4"d. PVC. Imported.Learn MoreRegular Price: $60.00
Special Price $24.00
The Large Quilted Tote
ITEM: 9084 The quilted tote. For all-around practicality, you can't beat the handiness of a tote. Crafted of soft quilted fabric with a printed croc double handle and detachable key fob with silver-tone charms and tassel. Full zippered top closure. Inside zippered compartment with two additional pockets. Wipe-clean lining. Approx. 15" W x 14" H. Imported.Learn MoreRegular Price: $48.75
Special Price $19.50
Woolrich Buffalo Palid Cap
ITEM: 9239 Designed for great style in the great outdoors in a warm wool blend, with adjustable slide buckle back tab, side vents for comfort, longer peak for warmth and protection. One size fits most. Made in the USA. Dry clean.Learn MoreRegular Price: $49.00
Special Price $19.60


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866-539-4278866-539-4278 - Shipping - FAQ
Our vast selection of board games, action games, strategy, card and dice games are all geared toward stimulating the minds of children through a bit of competitive play. Ranging from age 3 and up to teens, you'll find an array of fun and challenging games for any growing child.
Use the filters to the left or simply scroll down to begin viewing all pages.
Free shipping and flat rate offers for US only but excludes HI and AK.
Need to return or exchange a puzzle? It's easy. Simply call us at 866-539-4278 or email firstname.lastname@example.com to request a Return Authorization Number, and we will send you a prepaid return label for the item.
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Whether you're guiltily guffawing at an episode of "South Park" or quietly giggling at the latest New Yorker cartoon, laughing does you good. Laughter is a great form of stress relief, and that's no joke.
Stress relief from laughter
A good sense of humor can't cure all ailments, but data are mounting about the positive things laughter can do.
Short-term benefits
A good laugh has great short-term effects. When you start to laugh, it doesn't just lighten your load mentally, it actually induces physical changes in your body. Laughter can:
- Stimulate many organs. Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain.
- Activate and relieve your stress response. A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down your stress response and increases your heart rate and blood pressure. The result? A good, relaxed feeling.
- Soothe tension. Laughter can also stimulate circulation and aid muscle relaxation, both of which help reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress.
Long-term effects
Laughter isn't just a quick pick-me-up, though. It's also good for you over the long haul. Laughter may:
- Improve your immune system. Negative thoughts manifest into chemical reactions that can affect your body by bringing more stress into your system and decreasing your immunity. In contrast, positive thoughts actually release neuropeptides that help fight stress and potentially more-serious illnesses.
- Relieve pain. Laughter may ease pain by causing the body to produce its own natural painkillers. Laughter may also break the pain-spasm cycle common to some muscle disorders.
- Increase personal satisfaction. Laughter can also make it easier to cope with difficult situations. It also helps you connect with other people.
- Improve your mood. Many people experience depression, sometimes due to chronic illnesses. Laughter can help lessen your depression and anxiety and make you feel happier.
Source: http://www.mayoclinic.org/stress-relief/ART-20044456


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Covercraft Evolution Car Cover C17471GK
Free ShippingSelect your vehicle details above to ensure item compatibility.
- 10% Price Drop – Prices already reduced, ends May 8th!
- Protect your vehicle from dents, dust, and the elements with the next-generation Covercraft Evolution Car Cover
- Thick material offers great dent protection
- Breathable fabric vents moisture and dries quickly
- Includes tie-down and antenna grommets
- Available in Grey and Tan
- 4-Year Warranty
When it comes to vehicles that last and look great, it's all about survival of the fittest. Most car covers still leave vehicles vulnerable to moisture, dings, and other corrosive hazards that cause a paint job's untimely death. But the Covercraft Evolution offers thick, breathable protection to help your ride stand up to nearly every test of natural selection.
The Covercraft Evolution has a tough outer layer to stand up to pollution, acid rain, tree sap, and bird droppings. Its core layers filter out dust and other fine particles while venting heat and moisture from under the cover. The bottom layer of the Evolution cradles your vehicle with a soft touch. All of these layers add up to create a thick barrier to protect your ride from impacts.
Covercraft supports your Evolution Car Cover with a 4-Year Warranty.
Covercraft C17471GK fits:
- 2015 Mercedes-Benz ML250
- 2012-2015 Mercedes-Benz ML350
- 2015 Mercedes-Benz ML400
- 2012-2014 Mercedes-Benz ML550
- 2012-2015 Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG


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Made of Cordura and sturdy nylon packcloth, the Equinox Bottle Bag can be strapped directly to your belt or backpack straps for easy carrying and convenient access to your water bottle. A built-in drawstring closure adjusts for varied bottle sizes.
Click here to visit the official Equinox website. (Note: you will be leaving Backcountry Edge.)


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After 17 years, Helton to play final home game
Seeking home-field advantage, Red Sox turn to Peavy in finale
The Red Sox may have already clinched the American League East crown, but that will hardly matter Wednesday when they face the Rockies in Todd Helton's final game at Coors Field.
The first baseman, who has spent all 17 of his Major League seasons with Colorado, will retire following this weekend's series in Los Angeles and will be honored with bobbleheads given to the first 35,000 fans at Wednesday's game.
Helton ranks among the top 100 players all-time in hits, doubles, home runs, RBIs, walks, extra-base hits, total bases, batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
"What will I miss the most?" Helton said during his retirement news conference last week. "I'll miss the competition. I'll miss the anticipation of walking out of the tunnel and seeing the fans, and getting ready to play the game. That's going to be the toughest part to me.
"You hear all the time, 'Why didn't you smile more out there on the field? Why didn't you show more emotion?' Because I was out there trying my hardest. To me, when you're out there trying your hardest, it's hard to smile all the time. But let me tell you, I was enjoying myself. I was enjoying every minute that I spent out there."
Helton then choked up briefly.
"I'm going to miss walking out of the tunnel at night, walking past Charlotte [Johnson, who is in charge of the gate through which the players leave], saying goodnight, trying to figure out how I'm going to get a hit the next day or how we're going to win a game the next day," he said. "To me, that's going to be the hardest.
"The fans of Colorado, I'd like to thank them. I'd like to think that I've been the model of consistency, but ya'll have been the model of consistency for me. I don't know how those girls stand out there and hold that sign every time I come up."
In addition to honoring Helton, the Rockies will look to carry over the momentum they gained from hammering John Lackey on Tuesday when they face Jake Peavy in the series finale.
Jhoulys Chacin, one of Colorado's most consistent starters this season and a late replacement for Roy Oswalt, will look to close out the home schedule in style. In Chacin's only other start against the Red Sox, he threw 6 2/3 shutout innings on June 22, 2010.
Although his club is not playing for the postseason, Rockies manager Walt Weiss enjoys facing the Red Sox and then the Dodgers later this week.
"I like the way the homestand was set up with some of the better clubs this year coming through at the end," Weiss said. "I feel like our guys have really battled. We've lost some tough games here, but even the games we've lost, the guys have battled and competed. We're a little short, but guys are stepping up, some young guys are stepping up, getting the opportunities, taking advantage of them. But I like the way our club is fighting."
Wednesday's start comes at an opportune time for Peavy, who is looking to find some consistency after he recently changed his arm slot.
The Red Sox still have something to play for as they continue to battle for the right to home-field advantage in the playoffs.
Manager John Farrell likes the way his team's schedule has set up as they continue to play for the all-important right to play the majority of their postseason games at Fenway Park.
"We knew we were going to be challenged not only by coming out here to Colorado, but the teams that we were playing, where we were in relation to everybody else in the division and it's maybe kept us accountable to our daily work and preparation because of the opponents we were playing," said Farrell.
Rockies: Rosario may return
Catcher Wilin Rosario, who has been sidelined since Sept. 17 with a strained right calf, caught a bullpen session before Tuesday's game.
Weiss is hopeful Rosario can return for the final series of the season, a three-game set this weekend at Dodger Stadium.
Rosario brings an element of power hitting that has been missing from replacements Yorvit Torrealba and Jordan Pacheco. Rosario ranks third on the team with 21 home runs while Torrealba and Pacheco have combined to hit 21.
Red Sox: Ellsbury back in action
Sidelined since Sept. 5 with a compression fracture in his right foot, Jacoby Ellsbury will likely play part of Wednesday's series finale, probably taking three at-bats before coming out.
Boston was already preparing for Ellsbury's return Tuesday as Farrell moved second baseman Dustin Pedroia out of the leadoff spot. Pedroia led off in 11 of the 15 games Ellsbury missed.
Worth noting
• Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon is riding a career-high nine-game hitting streak.
• Since Aug. 9, the Red Sox have stolen 37 bases without a runner being thrown out.
Sam Strong is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Woman And White Horse
Art Print | by Paul Gauguin | #25328
Art Print | by Paul Gauguin | #25328
After being unable to conform to the life of a bourgeois gentlemen Paul Gauguin left his put upon wife, five children and job at the bank to pursue his dream of becoming an artist, travelling to Tahiti to paint the island and its community. Imagining an exotic paradise, the artist's hopes were dashed upon arrival to find a colonised, christianised community. In spite of this Gauguin's depictions of the place show a tropical paradise, free from the burdens of respectability and sexual restraint, with the focus of his work overwhelmingly the native women. In keeping with this ideal the works are painted in bold vibrant colours, signalling a clear break from impressionism. With infrequent trips made back to Paris Gauguin became an increasingly tragic figure, his work failed to make any impact and he became attached to the myth he'd created, unwilling to move back to France in fear of losing face. Despite being unable to sell his works during his lifetime, Gauguin's Tahitian paintings sell for tens of millions, considered amongst the most important of post-impressionist works.
All images contained on this website are copyrighted property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.


text: Rethink Education Academic Earth was launched on the premise that everyone deserves access to a world-class education. In 2009, we built the first collection of free online college courses from the world's top universities. The world of open education has exploded since then, so today our curated lists of online courses are hand selected by our staff to show you the very best offerings by subject area. We also make sure there is something for everyone: whether you want to explore a new topic or advance in your current field, we bring the amazing world of academia to you for free. Watch the Video Close Find an Accredited Online College Now I want to pursue a… 1. select your degree level I am interested in… 2. select your category I want to study… 3. select your subject Search Now Sponsored Find Online Courses by Subject Accounting Business Education Management Marketing Psychology View All Subjects Explore Free Online College Courses from Our Featured Universities Harvard University 17 Courses Massachusetts Institute of Technology 232 Courses Stanford University 161 Courses View All Universities Video Electives Practical Math: How to Take a Punch TL;DR Atlas Shrugged TL;DR Fahrenheit 451 Rethink Education View All Electives


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Discover Your Favorite!
Explore our coffees by:
Preserving indigenous Arhuaco lands in Colombia
Designing sustainable indigenous reforestation program in the Peruvian Amazon
Our women's loan funds in Guatemala and Peru increase family income and self-respect
Our hand depulpers increase coffee quality and farmer income in remote Papua New Guinea villages
Our innovative People-Centered Development projects help communities hold on to their customs and cultures, like the daily coffee ritual in Ethiopia
Our "Men and Women Overcoming Gender Violence" program has made a profound impact in Rwanda
Sports and computer training are at the heart of our Youth Violence Prevention
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Creating jobs and technical training for landmine victims in Nicaragua and Colombia
Confronting the Death Train in Chiapas, Mexico
We work with grassroots groups and on the world stage (here at the World Trade Organization) to advocate for social, ecological and economic change
Another busy day at the maternal health clinic we sponsor in Timor
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There were a lot of ups and downs this past year, as coffee price fluctuations and the Roya (fungal rust) epidemic hit our partners hard, especially throughout the Americas. Fortunately, our cooperatives are strong and dedicated to their communities, so ou... Read More
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EDITOR'S CHOICE -- SCOTT SUTTELL Local apartment titan sees strong market aheadBy SCOTT SUTTELL 12:07 pm, February 21, 2013
This will be quick today: "The fundamentals of the apartment-rental business are strong and solid," Jeffrey Friedman said in an interview with Dow Jones Newswires. He added that profitability should increase substantially when the economy returns to normal growth. "One factor favoring the business is the current strength of household formation, as children of the baby boomers enter the work force and leave their parents' home, driving up apartment occupancy, Mr. Friedman said," according to the story. Set against that, though, is an indifferent jobs market, which limits wage and salary increases — "and wage rates determine rents," Mr. Friedman said. The real estate investment trust "began 2013 with 96% of its apartments rented, essentially full occupancy, Mr. Friedman said, adding that apartment rents are rising moderately," according to the story. Mr. Gilbert, Reuters says, "has a vision for downtown Detroit that many would find hard to square with the long, painful decline commonly associated with this city: a vibrant urban core full of creative, innovative and talented young people." To that end, Quicken Loans "has invested $1 billion over three years, bought some 2.6 million square feet of commercial space in the downtown area and moved 7,000 employees there in a bid to make that vision a reality," according to the news service. The company "is in talks with 80 to 100 retail outlets and restaurants to open downtown space, and Gilbert and other business leaders have fronted most of the money for a $140 million light rail line in the heart of the city," Reuters notes. Quicken Loans' Detroit incubator for technology startups now has 17 companies. The company "expects the transaction to include a $630 million term B loan along with senior unsecured debt," according to a regulatory filing. "We're constantly monitoring the credit market and we'll look for opportunities to improve both our average cost of debt as well as extending tenor and improving covenants where we can," Brian Witherow, Cedar Fair's chief financial officer, said this week in an earnings call with analysts. Cedar Fair reported revenue of $1.07 billion last year, up 3.9% from 2011, while adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization increased 4.4% to a record $391 million in 2012. Similar to U.S. firms, the foreign companies "are seeking high returns by renting out the houses initially and eventually selling them into what they are betting will be an improving housing market," the newspaper reports. There's an added bonus, as investors from countries whose currencies are strong "can outbid U.S. investors because they also are hoping to make money from foreign-exchange rate fluctuations," according to The Journal. "It's really all about the strength of the Australian dollar," says Stuart Morton, finance director for Cashel USA Property Partners, an Australian fund that is buying single-family U.S. houses. "It makes the houses really cheap." The Journal says Mr. Morton, a former land investor in Australia, "paid $8,000 in 2009, along with 200 others, to attend a seminar and workshop in Sydney on how to buy a home in the U.S. Afterward, he and his business partner, a former car-rental executive, took a six-week bus and airplane tour of the U.S., looking at potential markets." Then, 18 months ago, "they became partners with an Australian investment bank and started buying homes in Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Cleveland and Tucson, Ariz.," according to the story. So far, Cashel has bought 200 homes, at an average price of around $65,000 each, spending an additional $10,000, on average, to renovate each one. Mr. Morton tells The Journal that his company is earning between 8% and 9% on the portfolio, which he hopes to expand to 2,000 homes in the next 2˝ years. You also can follow me on Twitter for more news about business and Northeast Ohio. PRINTED FROM: http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20130221/BLOGS03/130229938/0/newsletter06&template=printart&template=printart |


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Hudson, Niese wrap up rain-shortened series
Braves righty coming off 200th win; Mets lefty has dominated Atlanta
After Saturday's game between the Mets and Braves was postponed thanks to rain pouring down on Turner Field all day, the two teams will square off in Sunday's series finale.
Tim Hudson will get the start for Atlanta after notching his 200th career win in his previous outing against the Nationals. The veteran right-hander allowed three hits over seven stellar innings and belted his third career home run in an 8-1 Braves win.
"He was about as good as I've seen him pitch," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said after the start. "I don't think he labored the whole game. It was fun to watch. I know Chipper [Jones] had some milestones last year. But this, for me, might have been one of the most fun ones I could sit back and enjoy."
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Bob Lemon in 1956 was the only other pitcher to hit a home run in the same game in which he notched his 200th win.
"It was a fun game all the way around," Hudson said. "I felt like I threw the ball well. I felt like I was in command of the game throughout the seven innings. You know what? Sometimes if you swing hard, sometimes you hit it. That was the case."
Meanwhile, Jon Niese gets the nod for the Mets looking to keep up his stellar statistics against the Braves.
Niese dominated the Braves last season, going 3-1 with a 2.00 ERA in four starts and holding them to a .175 average.
The left-hander had some of that same magic last Sunday against the Phillies, allowing three runs (one earned) on six hits in 6 2/3 innings of work. However, he took his second loss of the season in a 5-1 defeat.
While Niese is 2-2 on the season with a 3.31 ERA, he's managed to toss four quality starts in six outings this season.
Mets: Cowgill optioned
Trying to shake up their anemic offense, New York optioned struggling outfielder Collin Cowgill to Triple-A Las Vegas on Friday and promoted Andrew Brown.
After hitting a grand slam on Opening Day, Cowgill hit just .130 in 18 games. He had not recorded an extra-base hit since April 6 and made a game-changing mistake on defense that led to an extra-innings loss Monday in Miami.
"Maybe one of the worst things that could have happened was to have him walk right out and hit a homer on Opening Day," manager Terry Collins said. "As I told him, I just thought he was over-swinging. When he got on base, he was dangerous. He just wasn't getting on."
Brown has been heating up with Las Vegas, hitting .367 with two home runs in 25 games, with an .882 OPS against left-handed pitchers. He went 0-for-3 in Friday's game with a strikeout.
Braves: McCann does well in rehab game
Serving as the designated hitter for Triple-A Gwinett on Friday night, Braves catcher Brian McCann went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and a single in Gwinnett's 6-2 loss to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.
In six rehab games between Gwinnett and Class A Rome entering Saturday, he was hitting .364 (8-for-22) with four home runs, nine RBIs and five runs scored.
McCann was scheduled to catch Saturday and will DH on Sunday before joining the Braves in Cincinnati when they kick off their 10-game road trip at Great American Ball Park on Monday against the Reds.
Worth noting
• The Mets and Major League Baseball announced Friday that they will host private screenings of the movie "42" for New York City teenagers involved in YMCA programs. Screenings will take place May 6 at UA Kaufman Astoria Cinemas in Queens and May 13 at BAM Rose Cinemas in Brooklyn, with each showing accommodating 300 teens.
• Braves starter Brandon Beachy is scheduled to throw two more live batting practice sessions. If all goes well, he could begin a Minor League rehab assignment late next week or the early portion of the following week. There is a chance he could return to the Atlanta rotation in the middle of June.
Quinn Roberts is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Jeter makes final trip to Milwaukee in weekend series
Tanaka goes against Gallardo in Yanks' first visit to Miller Park since '05
Derek Jeter and the Yankees are coming to Milwaukee for the first time since 2005, and while 40,000-plus fans will fill Miller Park for all three games, one former player says there's no way this series will have the same juice as Yankees-Brewers games of old.
"It was always big when we played the Yankees," said Milwaukee's former scrappy second baseman Jim Gantner, who always seemed to be in the middle of the action when those old Brewers brawled. "The atmosphere was just different when they came to town."
In the five-year span from 1978-82, only the Orioles won more regular-season games (445) than the Brewers (431) and Yankees (430). When the Brewers made their first postseason appearance in the strike-interrupted 1981 season, it was the Yankees who denied the Brewers a chance to play for their first American League pennant.
There was no love lost between the teams. Gorman Thomas, the bushy-haired former Brewers center fielder, has said he remembers Yankees catcher Thurman Munson throwing pebbles at his shoes while Thomas tried to settle into the batter's box, just to break Thomas' concentration.
Gantner chuckled while telling of the time Yankees slugger Reggie Jackson, frustrated by his long personal struggles against Brewers left-handed ace Mike Caldwell, threw his bat halfway to the mound after a foul popup. Caldwell picked up the cracked bat, snapped it in half and sparked a brawl.
"Caldwell got back to the mound and Reggie came from first and just tackled him," Gantner said. "I think we had three fights with them that weekend."
In the third game, Gantner fielded a throw at third base and tagged out Lou Piniella, who delivered an elbow to Gantner's jaw. The two tussled, with Yankees third-base coach Mike Ferraro joining the action.
Gantner smiles.
"Lou apologized the next day," Gantner said. "We had great games against them. It was always a packed house when they came for a game. You could feel the electricity right when batting practice started. It was a lot of fun.
"To this day, I've never seen anyone swing and miss and get standing ovations -- on the road -- like Reggie Jackson. It was such a pretty miss, you know what I mean?"
At least two Yankees can count on standing ovations this time. Jeter is playing the last of his 20 seasons with the Yankees and will be honored in a pregame ceremony on Sunday. CC Sabathia will get his due on Saturday, when he makes his first regular-season start at Miller Park since his complete-game effort in the finale of 2008. Coupled with Ryan Braun's home run, it sent the Brewers to the postseason for the first time since the 1982 team reached the seventh game of the World Series.
The pitching matchup in the opener is just as intriguing: Yankees newcomer Masahiro Tanaka against Brewers Opening Day starter Yovani Gallardo. Neither pitcher has ever faced Friday's opponent.
Yankees: Tanaka riding long winning streak
The right-hander is undefeated in his six big league starts, and has not lost since Aug. 19, 2012, in Japan. Tanaka won his final 28 decisions in Japan before signing with the Yankees this winter, and he's yet to allow more than three earned runs against a Major League club.
"He's a top-of-the-rotation starter, and that's what you expect from guys like him," Yankees catcher Brian McCann said. "It's hard to believe he's only 25 years old. I feel like I keep saying that, but this guy's got some poise. He competes every time he's on the mound and gives us everything he's got."
Brewers: Praise for Jeter
The Brewers have not announced any specific plans but intend to recognize Jeter's contributions to the game during a pregame ceremony on Sunday. Gantner, who played all 17 of his Major League seasons for one team, is a big fan of Jeter, and he's not alone.
Brewers manager Ron Roenicke and third baseman Aramis Ramirez were among those expressing admiration this week for the Yankees captain, who announced during the winter that this season would be his last.
"All the games he played, the way he played, nothing fancy," Gantner said. "I love his instincts. I love the way he just does his job."
Roenicke saw it for all 11 years he spent on Mike Scioscia's coaching staff in Anaheim. Ramirez saw it in the occasional Interleague series, and in All-Star Games.
"I saw him for a long time, and he prepares himself well and plays the right way," Roenicke said. "A great leader on their team. It seems like I've been watching him forever."
"I never played in the American League before, but I know what kind of player he is," Ramirez said. "He's just a great player and a great guy."
Worth noting
• The Brewers are planning for a full house in the visitor's clubhouse and in the press box this weekend. The Yankees' traveling party includes three translators, multiple strength and conditioning coordinators, a massage therapist and their own security officials. The media contingent includes about 35 reporters from Japan.
• The Yankees own the all-time series between the teams, 211-182-1, and have won the last four meetings including a sweep at Yankee Stadium in 2011. The Brewers won two of three games the last time the teams met at Miller Park.
Adam McCalvy is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Brew Beat, and follow him on Twitter at @AdamMcCalvy. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Happy Monday! I had grand plans to show you a little home tour of our Christmas décor today but alas life got in the way. Our very loyal and hard working washer and dryer finally said goodbye. Well, they are technically still here and waiting to be picked up on Tuesday. Honestly, it's the very last thing I wanted to replace. I even busted out the leopard duct tape in hopes of taping anything I could back together. No such luck. So much of our weekend was spent researching and purchasing a new set. Boo. But we also tucked in a ton of snuggle time and cozy Christmas tree gazing due to the rainy weather we are having. No complaints here!
One of my favorite Christmas décor tricks is to use those cute paintings and drawings the kiddos do in school. Two years ago, my daughter painted a darling tree on a white gift bag using the sophisticated fork method! I love this bag and chose to cut the tree out and simply stick it on the wall so it is front and center. This frame normally stands empty on our gallery wall, but for Christmas we fill it up!
Oh, and avert your eyes from the naked garland. Work in progress. If you follow me on instagram {@athoughtfulplace} you will have seen a sneak peek of my colors this year! We are rocking around the Christmas tree with some fun pops of color this year! And the stripes just make me giddy {they are from Home Depot!}
While the laundry is piling sky high I am busy finishing up some Christmas crafts and décor. If you have a moment, pop in tomorrow so I can show you what I have been up to. Enjoy your Monday!