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Results tagged ' Carlos Gomez '
Yes, I kind of ripped this little "musical coincidence" off from a FOX pre-game show a little while back, but the song sure does fit the player, doesn't it?! Ben Revere, since his everday play earlies this month, has really energized this team in a way only seen twice in recent(ish) seasons:
At the All-Star break of 2003, the Twins acquired Shannon Stewart, put him in the OF, and batted him leadoff. He began spraying hits all over the field and turned a big Twins deficit into a relatively easy division title.
Then, in 2008, Carlos "Go-G0" Gomez was quite a spark plug before proving that his raw athletic gifts far outpaced his mental faculties.
Now, I realize that the Twins' pitchers have (more than anyone else) facilitated this dramatic turnaround, but the correlation with Revere's presence isn't just a coincidence, either.
Of course, it helps to channel the "ghost" of Jacque Jones in position (OF), number (11), batting stance (straight legs, hunched over on top), and just general "coolness".
Preview (31-39, 4th, 2.5 GB CWS): Carl Pavano (4-5, 4.20) vs. Madison Bumgarner (3-8, 3.21)
As a Minnesota Twins fan, one of the moments I will never forget is Opening Day of the 2008 season, when young Carlos Gomez got the start in centerfield directly opposing his predecessor Torii Hunter. Gomez completely dominated that game both in the field, at the plate, and on the basepaths, and it looked as if he would be one of the most exciting young players to put on a Twins uniform in quite a while.
Unfortunately, it was all downhill from that point (at least so far in his career), and a few weeks ago he was traded to the Brewers for SS J.J. Hardy.
My first reaction to the trade was that we were giving up the cornerstone of the Johan Santana deal, but (looking back) we were really just desperate to unload Johan once he refused our offer in search of a bigger payday, so it's not like Gomez was the most coveted prospect in the world.
At times, Gomez could be the most exciting player on the field…
He had incredible range out in centerfield, he was lightning-fast rounding the bases, and (come September) he was always good for a few huge hits against the White Sox down the stretch. At times he showed good power, and if he dropped down a good bunt it was nearly impossible to throw him out.
At the same time, though, Go-Go could also be the dumbest player on the field…
I don't think I've ever seen a player crash into the wall, take a bad route to a ball, strike out badly on three pitches, or completely lose himself on the bases like Gomez. Ultimately, that proved to be his undoing here in Minny, land of Ron Gardenhire Fundamental Baseball. Plus, he didn't seem to be making any strides after too full seasons in the major leagues. He was making the same dumb mistakes in the '09 playoffs that he made at the beginning of 2008.
But let's take a moment to look at his "ransom"…
J.J. Hardy had been a fan-favorite in Milwaukee (kind of like Joe Crede in Chicago) for his hustle and bat, but suffered through a horrendous 2009 campaign, at one point even being sent down to the minor leagues. The Twins are hoping that he can regain the form of his '08 year (.283, 24 HR) and anchor the SS position, as Orlanda Cabrera priced himself out of our range.
I guess I would have to say that this is a good trade for the Twins, although there is risk involved in both sides. Hardy could be the next Bret Boone (a sickening thought) while Gomez could star in Brewtown, or Hardy could bat .300 and Gomez could continue to overrun balls and crash into walls. We'll see what happens.
On a more humorous note, I will perhaps miss this combination most of all:
Greatest interview ever!!
Why We Lost, Theory #2: We Were Overmatched From The Start
In the previous post, I made the point that the Twins have nobody to blame but themselves for the ALDS sweep at the hands of the Yankees. But is this really true?
This is kind of a touchy issue, at least for me, as it implies that the Twins (or any small-market "David" vs. a big-market "Goliath") really never have much of a chance to compete against the "big boys" of the league.
Any competant baseball fan knows that the economic system of the game is messed up due to the fact that no salary cap is in place. Teams like the Yankees, Red Sox, and Angels (in the American League) have such a huge advantage over the Twins and Royals of the world that its a wonder any other team ever represents the league in the World Series (I guess that is the crapshoot of a playoff structure that features a 3-of-5 first round). Sure, Bud Selig's supposedly brilliant luxury tax system (where, much like Robin Hood, the league robs from the rich to give to the poor) helps a little bit, but in reality all it ends up doing is narrowing the free agent pool each year (as the middle-market teams are able to lock up a few key players to long-term deals). It most definetly, however, does not prevent teams like the Yankees from nabbing the best free agents year after year (case in point: C.C. Sabathia and A.J. Burnett brought in before the start of this season). The Twins could never have dreamed of signing guys like that.
Of course, baseball will likely never changed (at least not with Selig at the helm), as the success of the Yanks, Sawx, and Halos fuels the revenue machine, especially in the World Series. Though it might provide some sanctity back into the game, nobody wants to see the Twins and Athletics, to use two examples, duking it out in the ALCS. If the MLB execs had it their way, it would be New York and Boston every single year.
The whole situation kind of reminds me of the infamous "You can't handle the truth" speech from the movie A Few Good Men:
"My existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives…You don't want the truth. Because deep down, in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that wall. You need me on that wall."
While more parity would be great for baseball, it will never happen because admittedly it would weaken the short-term (until new rivalries are formed, at least) revenue stream of the league.
Thus, can the Twins even be expected to compete with the Yankees in any series? They have Sabathia and Burnett, we have Baker and Blackburn. They have the best middle of an order (Teixera, A-Rod, Matsui) since Ruth, Gehrig, and Lazzeri batted consecutively, while we have one stud (Mauer) and two others (Kubel, Cuddyer) that are by and large overmatched by quality pitching. They have guys like Melky Cabrera and Robinson Cano at the BOTTOM of the order, while we have Carlos Gomez, Nick Punto, and Jose Morales because they are all we can afford. They can throw arms like Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes at us, while he have Matt Guerrier and Jose Mijares. No comparison.
So, those are the two theories as to why our beloved Twins were brutalized by the hated Yanks. Which one is more valid? I think it is a mixture of both. The Twins would need to play a perfect series to even give themselves a chance to beat the Yankees, and instead we choked in every big opportunity.
Why We Lost, Theory #1: We Beat Ourselves
Now that a bit of time has passed and my initial reaction to the ALDS sweep has lessened a bit, I wanted to take a look back and see why the Twins got the broom. Here is one theory, with another to follow in a later post:
We beat ourselves. Plain and simple. No B.S., no excuses. Each and every game the Twins gave their all against a very tough Yankee ballclub, yet there was one key collapse and enough mistakes to go around that the only entity to blame for the sweep is staring us in the mirror.
Game 1: As expected, young starter Brian Duensing had trouble containing the big bats of the Yankees, and C.C. Sabathia was mowing us down like a shiny new Briggs & Stratton. However, in the middle innings, the Twins were just down by a pair of runs and manager Ron Gardenhire decided to go to the bullpen in a key situation to retire Hideki Matsui. Twins fans expected Ron Mahay, but instead Francisco Liriano trotted into the game. My reaction: OMFG. Matsui poked one into the seats and the Yanks never looked back. Poor managing, plain and simple.
Game 2: Too many mistakes to count, really. First was the now-infamous rounding of the base from Carlos Gomez (him being in the lineup in the first place could also be viewed as another Gardy Gaffe), where he allowed himself to be tagged out before Delmon Young could cross home plate and thus erasing a potential early lead and key run for the Twins.
Next, was the complete and utter implosion of closer Joe Nathan. Way too many times down the stretch of the regular season (and in this game, obviously), Joe would come into games with no life on his fastball, the pitch that sets up his nasty breaking stuff. Thus, he would be forced to throw the breaking stuff (which rarely gets over the plate) early and, when the patient Yankee hitters would lay off, he would then have to groove a fastball, exactly what happened to A-Rod.
The thing that sticks in my (and Gardy's, I bet) craw the most, though, was the debacle when the Twins loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the eleventh inning. Both Gomez and Delmon Young proceeded to swing at the first pitch of each at-bat (proving that they still just don't "get it", yet) and record outs en route to no runs coming in at all. I bet that Gardy could have wrung their necks at that point. Thus, the walk-off from Mark Teixera was all but imminent (if we can't score with the bases loaded and no outs, when would we ever?).
Game Three: The Nick Punto baserunning blunder was the deflation-point of this game, as Punto got a little too excited when he heard the roar of the crowd and decided to round third with his head down at full speed, completely ignoring (well, not even seeing, actually) the "stop" sign that was clearly given from Scotty Ullger. Jeter snagged Span's bouncing up the middle and easily doubled Little Nicky off. The Yankees then went on to dominate us (especially our bullpen once again) in the later innings.
Not only were those blunders quite apparent, but also present was the fact that the Twins left about a week's worth of runners on base throughout the entire series. Basically, we rarely got the big hit, and when we finally did we found some way to screw it up. Kubel, Cuddyer, and Young (the hot hitters who propelled us to the AL Central crown) were downright atrocious in nearly every at-bat.
So, grouse all you want about a botched fair-foul call that went the Yanks' way or the fact that their payroll triples ours, but the sad truth may be that we lost this one all by ourselves.
Cookin' With Gas
Now THAT's the Scott Baker I like to see! Against the Texas Rangers earlier tonight, Baker turned in what might have been his best start of the season thus far, allowing just one run and six hits over eight innings and striking out eight. Like I said in the previous post, the Baker-Liriano tandem will be paramount to the Twins' second half success, so it was good to see at least half of that combo start off on the right foot.
Offensively, Cuddyer led the way tonight with a dinger and an RBI double. The streaking Carlos Gomez and Justin Morneau also added run-scoring hits.
Basically, it was just a solid win for the Twins, especially on the road.
That is all.
Preview (47-44, 3rd, 0.5 GB CWS): Francisco Liriano (4-9, 5.47) vs. Derek Holland (3-5, 5.97). Time for Cisco to follow in Bakers' footsteps.
We Are Spoiled
The Twins killed the White Sox today. Denard Span, Brendan Harris, and Carlos Gomez all homered, and Mark Buehrle was finally brought to justice. A good win to close out the unofficial "first half" of the 2009 regular season. Yet, while watching Sportscenter tonight, it was brought to my attention that this is the sixth straight season that the Twins have finished above the .500 mark at the All-Star Break. Though none of those clubs ever made it out of the first round of the playoffs, that is still quite an achievement nonetheless, and one that should be appreciated. I remember watching Twins baseball back in the late 1990s and wondering if the team would ever get back to this sort of excitement:
Of course, once the Twins DID become competitive again, yet never reached a World Series, we are now all spoiled because they don't do it every single season:
Sure, the Twins may not win the division this year, but we will (barring a complete collapse) be one of only a handfull of teams with real playoff aspirations come September. Just think about being a fan of the Royals, who are all but mathimatically eliminated each All-Star break, or the number of other teams mired in the bottoms of their respective divisions. At least our Twins have something exciting to play for.
Preview: Tomorrow night is the annual Home Run Derby, including these participants…
American League: Joe Mauer, Nelson Cruz, Brandon Inge, Carlos Pena
National League: Adrian Gonzalez, Ryan Howard, Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder
Though the NL seems to have the stacked field in this competition, I'm going to go with Pena to win the whole thing. Mauer is my guy, and Pujols is the home-town boy, but that swing of Pena is just made to blast home runs.
A Team Loss, If Such A Thing Exists (But Thanks, Brad)
Before the game earlier tonight, the Minnesota Twins inducted former starting pitcher Brad Radke into their Hall of Fame, an honor I believe he rightly deserves. Although he was just a smidge over .500 for his career winning percentage, he also played on a bunch of terrible Twins clubs early in his career, and then for few teams that didn't score him many runs at all. About the only run support he got was in his final year, 2006, when he was essentially pitching with a torn-up shoulder. Yet, even during that '06 campaign, where he showed more heart and guts than any pitcher in a long time, he was still more reliable than any Twins starter this season, save for perhaps Nick Blackburn. Deep down I wished he could have just stayed out there on that mound in place of Glen Perkins and set down the ChiSox order with his pinpoint control and pull-the-string changeup. He looks like he could still do it!
After the ceremony, however, the game was nothing but a slow spiral into another notch in the right-hand column of this season's winning percentage. During his inning in the TV broadcast booth, Radke kept talking up the fact that baseball is a team game, giving all the credit to his success to his former teammates. The Twins proved him right on the field, but unfortunatly it was in the opposite way he intended. Basically, all areas of the Twins' game stunk in some way, shape, or form:
Starting pitching: Perkins just didn't have it tonight. Maybe he wasn't still fully recovered from his recent illness, but he just wasn't hitting his spots or making good pitches. Thus, the Sox battered him around accordingly.
Bullpen: Brian Duensing and Jose Mijares were solid, but R.A. Dickey was just a complete pain to watch. He didn't throw strikes, couldn't get batters to chase the knuckler, and walked three batters in an inning and a third. Of course, his outing wouldn't have been nearly as bad if not for…
Defense: With the bases loaded with Sox in the sixth inning, Jim Thome busted his bat and hit a little bloop to left-center that Gomez pursued with his usual reckless abandon. The ball bounced once on the turf, vaulted Go-Go, and Span got all turned around in trying to back up the play. When all was said and done, the bases were cleared.
Hitting: Yes, the Twins did eventually put seven runs on the board, but WAY too many at-bats earlier in the game were just give-aways. The reason Gavin Floyd was able to last as long as he did in the game was because we had such weak at-bats in the first innings. Michael Cuddyer especially got on my nerves tonight, as he is such a sucker for that low, sweeping slider down and away. Makes him look like an idiot when he flails at it.
Preview (44-44, 3rd, 1.5 GB CWS): Mark Buerhle (9-2, 3.14) vs. Scott Baker (6-7, 5.31). The wait for Baker to develop into any sort of consistent starting pitcher continues on Sunday before the break.
House of Horrors
When the White Sox come into the Metrodome, do you think that songs like that are running through their brain?! Amazingly, after looking like a glorified Double-A squad against the Yankees, the Twins were able to put together a strong effort and inch back towards that runner-up slot in the AL Central.
Of course, in the first inning it helped when Chicago starter turned the game into the rough equivalent of one of these:
Danks walked the first four batters of the game and a big hit from Jason Kubel gave the Twins an early lead. Of course, since nothing is easy with this year's bunch, the White Sox kept pecking away at the defecit until finally tying it in the sixth inning (only a tremendous leaping catch from Michael Cuddyer at the base of the baggie prevented the Sox from taking a lead). I was a bit nervous at this point, but Blackie was still pitching well and the pen did their job the rest of the way. This should come as no surprise, but this guy…
…got the big two out hit in the seventh inning that put the Twins in front, while a perfect squeeze bunt from Carlos Gomez an inning later scored Matt Tolbert (pinch running for Kubel after his third hit of the game) with a big insurance run that allowed Joe Nathan to do his thing in the ninth:
Preview (44-43, 3rd, 0.5 GB CWS): Gavin Floyd (6-6, 4.33) vs. Glen Perkins (4-4, 4.38). Ozzie Guillen juggled his rotation to have his Big Three horses face the Twins this weekend. That went well (at least so far).
The last time the Twins and Yankees met, earlier this season in mid-May at Yankee Stadium, the Twins got owned, plain and simple. We played tough in every game, yet the Yanks always found a way to come back and beat us in the late or extra innings.
However, things have always been a bit different at the Metrodome (save for the '03 and '04 ALDS series') for the Yankees. While they haven't exactly struggled at the park, they also haven't come in too many times and waltzed all over us, either. If the Twins are on their "A" game, they can compete with anybody, but the difficult part is doing it for all nine innings against the Bronx Bombers. With other teams you can have easy outs or innings, but against New York it is easy for things to spiral out of control at any time, what with the cavalcade of hitters they send up to the plate one after another (no Buscher-Punto-Gomez combination in that lineup).
As you can probably tell, I'm pumped for tonight's contest. Maybe we'll even see some of this…
Mean? Yeah. Deserved? Absolutely!
Preview (43-40, 2nd, 1.5 GB DET): C.C. Sabathia (7-5, 3.85) vs. Scott Baker (6-6, 4.99). All things considered, there really couldn't be a more fitting way for this series to begin. Baker is, rather mysteriously, a historic Yankee killer, while the Twins will be reacquainted with old nemesis C.C., who either owns us or gets rattled in the early innings.
Thoughts From The First Two Games
A few random thoughts from the first two games of the current Twins-Tigers series:
-Though going 16 innings and losing is bad enough for players and fans alike, I really can't pin the blame on anyone in particular. The Tiger bullpen was just throwing gas, and the Twins' batters were (by and large) having decent at-bats. They just couldn't string enough hits together to get that elusive run across the plate.
-The Twins showed a little moxie today after Liriano gave up the big fly to Magglio Ordonez to give the pinstriped ones their short-lived lead. In a game that needed to be won, the Twins came up with some clutch at-bats and were able to get the job done. Now, we just need to take care of business tomorrow and things will be okay again.
-I never like to see a pitcher like Kevin Slowey go on the disabled list, but hopefully this will give him some time to either: A. get his wrist checked out, or B. get his mind right and back in that groove he had been in until a week or so ago. Swarzak can probably fill in decently for Slowey, but we need Kevin back to his Brad Radke-esque form, where he can pitched deep into games and always give us a chance to win.
-I really think that Denard Span and Carlos Gomez need to stop fighting over outfield assists. Eventually there is going to be a nasty train-wreck out there if they don't get on the same page. I think the problem is that both players, being center fielders by natural position, are used to calling off all other fielders (usually the CF's perogative) to catch the ball. However, Span is playing out in left alot recently, and in the back of his mind he probably knows that Gomez doesn't take the best routes to balls but will scream for the catch anyway.
-Former Cubbie star Mark Grace was showing some serious love for the M&M boys today in the FOX TV broadcast. Well-deserved, too, as they contributed to most of the scoring. I look forward to watching them in the All-Star Game (which the roster for will be released tomorrow, by the way).
-Finally, today's Fourth of July holiday also marks the 70th anniversary of Lou Gehrig giving what is now famously known as his 'Luckiest Man" speech. I know that the Iron Horse was second-banana to The Babe for so many years, but in that moment he showed what was truly in his heart all that time…kindness, gentleness, yet a competitive spirit that made him choked up over being taken out of a lineup when he was actually dying. It still gives me goosebumps every time I see it. Greatest first baseman of all-time? Yes. Is there really any other serious competition?!
-Of course, for a little lighter holiday fare, you could check out the annual SciFi Channel Twilight Zone marathon. Still a creepy show all these years later!
Preview (42-40, 2nd, 0.5 GB CWS for 2nd): Rick Porcello (8-5, 3.90) vs. Nick Blackburn (6-4, 3.10). Need to win this series…that is all.


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THE DOZENS: ESSENTIAL GARY MCFARLAND by Bill Kirchner
Gary McFarland's life could be the subject of a movie screenplay. Until he was in his mid-20s, McFarland (1933-1971) was a musical illiterate. By the age of 27, after two summers at the Lenox School of Jazz and a short stay at the Berklee School of Music, he had moved to New York City to pursue a career in music. In the next decade, he became one of the most acclaimed and recorded new composer-arrangers in jazz; writer Gene Lees called him an "adult prodigy." But suddenly, he was gone—the tragic victim of a prankster in a bar who furtively poured liquid methadone into McFarland's drink.
Gary McFarland, artwork by Suzanne Cerny
For years thereafter, McFarland was a virtually forgotten figure: his recordings were out-of-print, and his music was (and still is) mostly unavailable for performance. But in recent years, that situation has improved. A number of McFarland's records have been reissued on CD, albeit often only as imports. A comprehensive, labor-of-love website maintained by Doug Payne is now devoted to his work. And in 2006, filmmaker Kristian St. Clair released This Is Gary McFarland, a 75-minute documentary.
At its best, McFarland's music is a rare blend of simplicity and sophistication, with melodies and harmonies that stay with the listener. He's been a profound influence on my own work as a composer-arranger, and when I expose students to his music, I invariably find that they are startled by its enduring freshness. At least in this respect, time has been kind to Gary McFarland.
Gerry Mulligan Concert Jazz Band: Weep
Gerry Mulligan Concert Jazz Band
Gerry Mulligan Verve Jazz Masters 36 (Verve)
Gerry Mulligan (baritone sax),
Nick Travis, Doc Severinsen, Don Ferrara (trumpets), Bob Brookmeyer, Willie Dennis, Alan Raph (trombones), Gene Quill (clarinet), Bob Donovan (alto sax), Jim Reider (tenor sax), Gene Allen (baritone sax, bass clarinet), Bill Crow (bass), Mel Lewis (drums).
Composed & arranged by Gary McFarland.
Recorded: New York, July 10 or 11, 1961
Rating: 95/100 (learn more)
After Gary McFarland arrived in New York City in the fall of 1960, he met Bob Brookmeyer, who invited him to a rehearsal of Gerry Mulligan's new Concert Jazz Band. "Weep" was McFarland's entrée into the CJB and, as it turned out, the New York recording scene. It has all of the elements of McFarland's best work: lyricism, harmonic sophistication, orchestral colors reflecting the influences of Ellington and Gil Evans, and a trace of melancholy. The ending is unforgettable.
Reviewer: Bill Kirchner
Gary McFarland: I Believe in You
I Believe in You
Gary McFarland (leader)
The Jazz Version of How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Verve 314 527 658-2)
Gary McFarland (leader), Clark Terry (flugelhorn), Hank Jones (piano),
Bernie Glow, Doc Severinsen, Herb Pomeroy, (trumpets), Bob Brookmeyer, Willie Dennis, Billy Byers (trombones), Ed Wasserman (clarinet), Phil Woods (alto sax), Al Cohn, Oliver Nelson (tenor saxes), Sol Schlinger (baritone sax), Kenny Burrell (guitar), Joe Benjamin (bass), Osie Johnson (drums).
Composed by Frank Loesser. Arranged & conducted by Gary McFarland.
Recorded: New York, November 15, 1961
Rating: 94/100 (learn more)
Gary McFarland's first album as a leader was a collection of Frank Loesser songs from the then-hit Broadway show How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. That McFarland was able to put a distinctive stamp on material not especially conducive to jazz treatments proved a major boost for his career. "I Believe in You" is the show's song that came closest to becoming a standard, and McFarland made it a perfect vehicle for Clark Terry's lyricism and humor. Hank Jones is also heard to (as usual) fine advantage.
Reviewer: Bill Kirchner
Anita O'Day: I Want to Sing a Song
I Want to Sing a Song
Anita O'Day (vocals)
All the Sad Young Men (Verve 314 517 065-2)
Anita O'Day (vocals),
Bernie Glow, Doc Severinsen, Herb Pomeroy (trumpets), Bob Brookmeyer, Willie Dennis, Billy Byers (trombones), Walt Levinsky (clarinet), Phil Woods (alto sax), Jerome Richardson (bass clarinet), Zoot Sims (tenor sax), Hank Jones (piano), Barry Galbraith (guitar), George Duvivier or Art Davis (bass), Mel Lewis (drums).
Composed by Gary McFarland & Margo Guryan. Arranged and conducted by Gary McFarland.
Recorded: Englewood Cliffs, NJ, October 16, 1961; Los Angeles, November-December 1961
Rating: 93/100 (learn more)
After Gary McFarland's debut with Gerry Mulligan, producer Creed Taylor began giving album projects to the young arranger—one of the first being with Anita O'Day. The repertoire was an interesting mixture of non-hackneyed standards and a few originals. This song by McFarland and lyricist Margo Guryan should be better known—once you hear it, it sticks with you. The band tracks were recorded in New York, and O'Day later overdubbed her vocals in Los Angeles, but that's not at all apparent. (The singer and arranger met for the first time several years later.) Overall, this album is widely regarded as among O'Day's best.
Reviewer: Bill Kirchner
Gary McFarland: Reflections in the Park
Reflections in the Park
Gary McFarland (leader, vibes)
The Gary McFarland Orchestra – Special Guest Soloist: Bill Evans (Verve V/V6-8518)
Gary McFarland (leader, vibes), Bill Evans (piano), Jim Hall (guitar),
Phil Woods (clarinet), Spencer Sinatra (alto flute), Julian Barber, Allan Goldberg (violas), Aaron Juvelier, Joseph Tekula (celli), Richard Davis (bass), Ed Shaughnessy (drums).
Composed & arranged by Gary McFarland.
Recorded: New York, December 18, 1962
Rating: 98/100 (learn more)
There are three Gary McFarland albums that I regard as his masterworks, and this is the first. (The others are The October Suite and America the Beautiful: An Account of Its Disappearance.) It's a collection of original pieces for an unusual chamber jazz instrumentation, featuring soloists Bill Evans, Jim Hall, and McFarland. (McFarland was a capable vibraphonist who worked well within his technical limitations.) "Reflections in the Park" captures the gentle mood of the album as a whole. Evans, around whom McFarland built this project, plays beautifully, delivering masterly interpretations of music that he reportedly saw for the first time in the recording studio.
Reviewer: Bill Kirchner
Gary McFarland: Hello to the Season
Hello to the Season
Gary McFarland (leader, vibes)
Point of Departure (Impulse A-46)
Gary McFarland (leader, vibes), Willie Dennis (trombone), Richie Kamuca (tenor sax), Jimmy Raney (guitar), Steve Swallow (bass), Mel Lewis (drums).
Composed & arranged by Gary McFarland.
Recorded: New York, September 6, 1963
Rating: 94/100 (learn more)
Here is a band that one wishes had lasted longer. As it was, Gary McFarland gathered some of his favorite players and constructed a whole greater than the sum of its considerable parts. "Hello to the Season" is one of the album's best tracks, with a customarily memorable McFarland melody that is skillfully developed in his arrangement. The group sounds bigger and more orchestral than six pieces—not surprisingly.
Reviewer: Bill Kirchner
Stan Getz: Entre Amigos (Sympathy Between Friends)
Entre Amigos (Sympathy Between Friends)
Stan Getz (tenor sax)
Big Band Bossa Nova (Verve 825 771-2)
Stan Getz (tenor sax),
Nick Travis, Doc Severinsen, Joe Ferrante (trumpets), Willie Dennis, Tony Studd (trombones), Ray Alonge (French horn), Ray Beckenstein (flute), Eddie Caine (alto flute), Walt Levinsky, Babe Clarke (clarinets), Romeo Penque (bass clarinet), Hank Jones (piano), Jim Hall (guitar), Tommy Williams (bass), Johnny Rae (drums), Carmen Costa, Jose Paulo (percussion).
Composed & arranged by Gary McFarland.
Recorded: New York, August 28, 1962
Rating: 94/100 (learn more)
A follow-up to Stan Getz's remarkably successful Jazz Samba album, Big Band Bossa Nova is a frequently inspired partnership between the saxophonist and Gary McFarland. It contains four bossa nova mainstays and four McFarland originals, and the arranger gives Getz room to explore the subtleties of this idiom. "Entre Amigos" is my favorite of the McFarland pieces—an invigorating performance by Getz and an equally "up" ensemble.
Reviewer: Bill Kirchner
J.J. Johnson: Winter's Waif
Winter's Waif
J.J. Johnson (trombone)
J.J.! (aka The Dynamic Sound of J.J.! with Big Band) (Mosaic MCD-1004)
J.J. Johnson (trombone),
Ernie Royal, Jimmy Maxwell, Joe Wilder, Thad Jones (trumpets), Jimmy Cleveland, Tony Studd, Tommy Mitchell (trombones), Jim Buffington (French horn), Bill Stanley (tuba), Jerry Dodgion (alto sax, flute), Harvey Estrin (reeds), Oliver Nelson (tenor sax), Budd Johnson (baritone sax), Hank Jones (piano), Bob Cranshaw (bass), Grady Tate (drums).
Composed & arranged by Gary McFarland.
Recorded: New York, December 9, 1964
Rating: 93/100 (learn more)
One of two Gary McFarland contributions to this album, "Winter's Waif" shows a tougher side of bossa nova. And a darker side, as the title would lead one to expect. After a solo alto flute introduction (by Estrin?), J.J. Johnson sets up the melody and then soars over an extended vamp by the band. An eat-'em-up-and-spit-'em-out rendition.
Reviewer: Bill Kirchner
Steve Kuhn & Gary McFarland: St. Tropez Shuttle
St. Tropez Shuttle
Steve Kuhn (piano) and Gary McFarland (co-leader)
The October Suite (Impulse A-9136)
Steve Kuhn (piano), Gary McFarland (co-leader), Ron Carter (bass), Marty Morell (drums),
Isadore Cohen, Matt Raimondi (violins), Al Brown (viola), Charlie McCracken (cello).
Composed, arranged & conducted by Gary McFarland.
Recorded: New York, October 14, 1966
Rating: 100/100 (learn more)
This is one of my "desert island" records—I've loved it for 35 years. It's the second of a triumvirate of Gary McFarland's recorded masterpieces, bookended by The Gary McFarland Orchestra – Special Guest Soloist: Bill Evans and America the Beautiful: An Account of Its Disappearance. The first half of the album comprises three pieces for piano trio and string quartet, and "St. Tropez Shuttle" is my favorite of these (though reluctantly so—it's a hard call). Kuhn and McFarland were good friends, and McFarland wrote with deep understanding of the pianist's gifts—particularly his often austere lyricism. Carter and Morell (the latter subsequently with Bill Evans for six years) complement Kuhn beautifully throughout. What's amazing about the writing on this album (and I've looked carefully at the scores) is how simple the individual parts are, and yet how dense the music sounds collectively.
Reviewer: Bill Kirchner
Steve Kuhn & Gary McFarland: Childhood Dreams
Childhood Dreams
Steve Kuhn (piano) and Gary McFarland (co-leader)
The October Suite (Impulse A-9136)
Steve Kuhn (piano), Gary McFarland (co-leader), Ron Carter (bass), Marty Morell (drums),
Joe Firrantello (Farrell), Don Ashworth, Irving Horowitz, Gerald Sanfino (woodwinds), Corky Hale (harp).
Composed, arranged & conducted by Gary McFarland.
Recorded: New York, November 1, 1966
Rating: 100/100 (learn more)
The second half of The October Suite was written for piano trio, four woodwind doublers, and harp. It's a wonderful contrast to the three piano-trio-and-string-quartet pieces on the album. "Childhood Dreams" was originally written by Gary McFarland (as "Jacques' Theme") for the score to a 1967 film called 13 (later retitled Eye of the Devil); the mood here is bittersweet—almost heartbreakingly so.
Reviewer: Bill Kirchner
Gary McFarland: Theme from 13
Theme from 13
Gary McFarland (vibes, vocals)
Soft Samba Strings (Verve V/V6-8682)
Gary McFarland (vibes, vocals),
unknown piano, guitar, bass, drums, strings, voices.
Composed & arranged by Gary McFarland. Conducted by Jack Parnell.
Recorded: Englewood Cliffs, NJ, October 27, 1966; London, November 8, 1966
Rating: 90/100 (learn more)
Gary McFarland's main theme for the 1967 film 13 (later retitled Eye of the Devil) is one of his most recorded pieces, though under several different titles (e.g., "One I Could Have Loved," "Eye of the Devil," "Death March"). Here we hear it in a relatively straightforward version with strings, voices and rhythm (the former two overdubbed in London). Many of McFarland's recorded efforts later in the '60s reflected his interest in current pop-flavored music, often with him singing wordlessly in unison with his vibraphone. We hear a sample of that here. In a sense, it's unfortunate that his efforts to reach a wider audience went mostly unfulfilled—he was a charismatic, strikingly handsome figure, a natural for pop stardom.
Reviewer: Bill Kirchner
Zoot Sims: Does the Sun Really Shine on the Moon?
Does the Sun Really Shine on the Moon?
Zoot Sims (tenor sax)
Waiting Game (Impulse A-9131)
Zoot Sims (tenor sax),
David Snell (harp), plus eleven violins, four violas, two celli, oboe/English horn, three French horns, classical guitar, bass and drums.
Composed & arranged by Gary McFarland. Conducted by Jack Parnell.
Recorded: London, November 28, 1966
Rating: 94/100 (learn more)
This is one of my favorite jazz-soloist-with-strings albums, despite certain flaws. The usually impeccable Sims plays a bit sharp at times, and there's a decidedly out-of-tune oboe player. Regardless, Gary McFarland's scoring is gorgeous, and Sims's playing is consistently direct and moving in his best Lester Young/Ben Webster manner. "Does the Sun Really Shine on the Moon?" is one of three McFarland themes on the recording, and is among the composer's best melodies. The gifted British jazz harpist David Snell adds some unusual ingredients.
Reviewer: Bill Kirchner
Gary McFarland: On This Site Shall Be Erected . . .
Gary McFarland: On This Site Shall Be Erected . . .
Gary McFarland (leader)
America the Beautiful: An Account of Its Disappearance (Passport 1054 [2006 reissue])
Gary McFarland (leader),
Bernie Glow, Ernie Royal, Snooky Young, Marvin Stamm (trumpets), Garnett Brown (trombone), Jim Buffington, Ray Alonge (French horns), Harvey Phillips (tuba), Jerome Richardson, Romeo Penque, Joe Farrell, Wally Kane, Danny Bank (reeds), George Ricci (cello), Warren Bernhardt (piano), Eric Gale (guitar), Jerry Jemmott (electric bass), Bill Lavorgna (drums), Warren Smith (percussion).
Composed, arranged & conducted by Gary McFarland.
Recorded: New York, October 16, 18, 21 or 22, 1968
Rating: 98/100 (learn more)
Following The Gary McFarland Orchestra – Special Guest Soloist: Bill Evans and The October Suite, the third of Gary McFarland's recorded masterpieces, America the Beautiful: An Account of Its Disappearance, is a series of musical portraits of a country in the midst of vulgarization—as meaningful a statement now as it was when recorded 40 years ago. It's at times elegiac, at other times satiric, and always deeply felt. "On This Site Shall Be Erected …" captures these varied moods perfectly.
Reviewer: Bill Kirchner
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4417 Main St. Send to Phone
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OpenLunch & Dinner daily
Open late
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Kildare's Restaurant Review: Owned by a local entrepreneur, Kildare's draws the college and young professional crowd thanks to its convivial setting that nods to Irish music, brewing traditions, literature and sports. Irish cuisine is served with such notable items as Guinness stew and Bass Ale-battered fish 'n' chips. DJs spin Thurs.-Sat. Other locations.
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The Russian docking and airlock module for the International Space Station. The Stikovochniy Otsek No. 1 (SO1, Docking Module 1), article 240GK No. 1L, was built by Energia and derived from Soyuz hardware. It had a mass of around 3900 kg and was a 4.1 m long, 2.6 m diameter ovoid. The SO1 was named Pirs (Russian for "pier") and was delivered to the station by Progress M-SO1 in a completely automatic rendezvous and docking operation. Pirs provided extra clearance from the Station for ships docking underneath Zvezda, and was used as an airlock for spacewalks using the Russian Orlan EVA suits.
Gross mass: 7,250 kg (15,980 lb).
Payload: 3,900 kg (8,500 lb).
Height: 6.40 m (20.90 ft).
Diameter: 2.60 m (8.50 ft).
First Launch: 2001.09.14.
Last Launch: 2009.11.10.
Number: 2 .


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December 2012 IndustryWeek Magazine
IndustryWeek connects C-level decision-makers within manufacturing enterprises to share ideas and tools that inspire action. Hear from thought leaders, learn best practices, and keep up-to-date on manufacturing excellence.
In this issue, check out IW's 2012 Hall of Fame inductees, the uncertain future of organized labor, and much more!
To subscribe to IndustryWeek magazine, click here.


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Criminal kingpin, Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames) orders one of his hitmen, Vincent Vega (John Travolta), to take his wife, Mia (Uma Thurman), out to dinner when Marsellus is out of town. Vincent finds himself in a real jam when Mia overdoses and nearly dies.
Butch Coolidge (Bruce Willis), a boxer, is ordered by Marsellus to throw a fight. Butch double crosses him and must disappear before Marsellus' men catch up with him. The only problem is that he must retrieve a treasured heirloom before he can get out of town, and Butch is willing to risk his life to recover it.
Vincent and his fellow hitman, Jules Winnfield (Samuel Jackson), need help real fast when an accidental shooting turns the back of their car into a bloodbath and leaves the hapless duo with an unwanted corpse.
Check your P.C. at the door
Welcome to the world of Quentin Tarantino, an elevated terrain where political correctness cannot survive and where a love for movies supersedes all else. In Pulp Fiction we are taken on a wild ride through the colorful and violent underbelly of Los Angeles. It pulls no punches, and the language the characters speak is second nature to them. Tarantino does not make the mistake of using the word nigga (spoken mostly by the black characters) once or twice as a signpost to show this is how these people speak. Instead, he litters their speech with the epithet and we accept it as a natural part of their everyday lives.
Only in the movies
Where else but in the movies are you going to get the glowing "MacGuffin" in the briefcase? Where else can the lure of heroin be both seductive and repugnant at the same time? Where else can two thugs be talking about fast food in Europe one minute and later have a philosophical discussion about the meaning of life and how one might go about fulfilling that meaning?
We are speaking, of course, about the language of cinema. What's in the mysterious briefcase (with the combination 666 to unlock it) is not really important to the audience; what matters is that we understand it is important to the characters. Later, in the scene where Vincent takes a hit of heroin, it's the music and cinematography that conveys both the allure and the revulsion of the drug.
Another example: There's a moment when Vincent comes to Marsellus' home to pick up Mia. A note on the door tells him to come in and make himself a drink. But we do not actually see him enter the house. Instead, there is a flash of white and in the next shot he is inside--a tipoff that this is not going to be a normal night. Vincent has just crossed a threshold and is about to embark on one hellish adventure.
Talk talk talk talk talk
And thanks to Tarantino's dialogue (to this writer reminiscent of early David Mamet), full of surprising and entertaining digressions, we get both a glimpse into the minds of this motley bunch of characters as well as hints of moments that pay off later in the film. For example, toward the beginning when Jules and Vincent are retrieving the briefcase from the unfortunate young men who thought they could scam Marsellus, Jules goes on a rant and asks one of them if he thinks Marsellus looks like a bitch; and if not, why does he think he can fuck Marsellus like a bitch. He's speaking figuratively, of course, but it pays off later when we do see Marsellus in that unfortunate position (literally).
Christopher Walken's nearly four minute monologue about the gold watch is bizarre, hilarious and hypnotic (while watching the film at home I thought there might be a glitch on my DVD because there were a couple of moments when Walken would stop talking and would not move; but those are deliberate pauses--eerie, brilliant). It sets up Butch's willingness to risk his life to retrieve the watch.
A macabre wit
Tarantino has a macabre wit that never ceases to entertain. In one scene, when Butch is on the verge of escaping from redneck perverts, he decides to go back and help Marsellus, who is still held captive. While searching for a weapon, his succession of choices, as he replaces one thing for something more destructive, almost always elicits a giddy response from an audience.
It's happening at the cemetery
This Friday, July 11, you can catch Pulp Fiction at the Sunnyside Cemetery, on Willow St. Lola's Outdoor Retro Cinema and Long Beach Cinematheque have teamed up to present a series of summer screenings at the historic graveyard. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
Enjoy this review? Receive e-mail alerts when new reviews and articles are available. Just click on the "Subscribe" button above.
To read more reviews and articles by Michael Ballard, CLICK HERE.


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How Local Networking Can Have a Global Impact
by Guest Author on November 28, 2012
Every person you know is a potential networking goldmine. Whether you work in a big city or a small town, always look to your network as a series of opportunities waiting to happen. Every connection can help expand your network and as your network grows, your global reach expands along with it.
Networking is one of the most important skills an entrepreneur can have. Without it, the valuable relationships that cultivate opportunities could never be made. Making business connections, especially local ones, is a fantastic way to discover new resources and receive insightful advice. Unfortunately, few small business owners understand the significance of local networking and how it often leads to contacts within a global market space. Practicing high value networking in your local area can help with this.
Why Local Networking Helps Create a Global Reach
Believe it or not, local networking can often be a straight path to international success for your business. It is at the various networking events that opportunities for meeting global players and customers are created. For instance, the owner of the business across the street may very well be selling their products overseas and could easily put you in touch with the right people to allow you to do the same. The wise entrepreneur looks beyond the obvious and recognizes the global potential that local contacts sometimes have.
Benefits of a Strong Local Network
Obviously, the stronger your local network, the better able you'll be to get your product or service to market. But what are some of the other benefits associated with having such a network?
Referrals – The more local business owners you connect with, the more you'll be able to get targeted referrals from your network. You may meet someone who doesn't have a need for your product or service, but chances are that they can put you in touch with a business owner who does, or even give you multiple leads you can run with. Remember that when this happens, it's extremely important to follow up on those leads as soon as possible.
Immediate Sales – Participating in local networking events will likely put you in touch with people who are looking for exactly what you have to offer. The more events you attend, the greater chances you have of increasing your sales and improving your bottom line.
Greater Visibility – Networking locally will help you become better known in your community and give your business greater visibility. The more you participate the larger your customer base will be and the longer you can be branded in your community.
Actionable Tips for Creating a Local Network
Now that you understand some of the reasons why you should work toward building a solid local network, let's discuss a few ways to help you get it done.
Define Your Goals – While you can join any and every business group out there, there are only so many hours in your schedule to commit to networking. A good idea is to first define your business goals so you can make an informed decision about which networking groups to participate in. Only become involved in the groups that will help you reach those goals.
Offer Your Time – Attending networking events is one thing, but volunteering your time is a great way to make you and your business stand out in your local community.
Have Your Elevator Pitch Ready – Throughout your networking life, you will be asked hundreds of times what it is that you do. Be ready to give an informed and succinct response that will organically open the door to further discussion. Take time to perfect your elevator pitch to make your networking efforts easier and more efficient.
Be Genuine – Networking means nothing if you are building relationships that are not based in trust. The more genuine and authentic you are, the more people will recognize you as trustworthy and someone they want to do business with.
Ask Questions – Be the person who gets the conversations started. Asking questions not only engages thoughtful dialogue, it shows a genuine interest on your part which is very attractive to people. As the conversation progresses, slowly work in how you can help them.
Make the First Contact – During networking events you will meet many people and collect many business cards. Don't wait for a week or more to pass by, make it a point to call or email your new contacts the following day to say how much you enjoyed the conversation. This will leave a great impression and one that will be remembered.
Local networking is the lifeblood of any business and offers strategies and points of entry to excel your product or service into the global arena. It may take some time and effort, but entrepreneurs who make a commitment to networking will see their business grow exponentially. Remember, the more trust you gain and the more genuine interest you have in others, the more potential your business has of outshining the competition.
About the Author
This guest post was provided by Erin Palmer. Erin is a writer and editor who covers topics related to SPHR certification programs. She also writes about PHR Certification for the University Alliance.


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Every day, I get e-mails with wines being offered at more and more outrageous prices. What you can get for $20 now astounds me, from Napa and Washington State Cabernet to Brunello di Montalcino. Hell, I got a 1978 Brunello di Montalcino for little more than $20 recently. That's just a little bit insane.
It's not just the flash sale web sites. It's everywhere. While the newspapers are printing stories about how the wine world is weathering the recession pretty well, the offers that I am getting (and I'm subscribed to maybe 5 or 6 retailer's e-mail lists) tell a slightly different story. Or they at least suggest that many top-tier wineries are not willing to sit around and hope that things get better. I'm seeing big name global wineries dip into their library stock to generate cash, I'm seeing wineries that would usually never attend large public tastings start to do so, and my conversations with insiders in Napa suggest many elite wineries are trying to broaden their distribution as much as possible.
The one thing I'm not seeing? Steep discounts on Champagne. Now maybe I'm not looking in the right places, but it's quite unusual that I keep running across wines from pretty much every other wine region in the world at crazy prices, but nary a top Champagne in sight.
This is quite amazing to me considering that the top Champagne houses make millions of bottles of the stuff. And I've seen some reports that say sales are down as much as 26% in America. Of course, you can find a report that says just about anything these days, but if the cult Cabernets are hurting, you can bet the $150-a-bottle Champagne crowd is hurting too, and they probably have in some cases literally 100 times more wine to sell.
The big Champagne houses have always had strong aversions to discounting. Forget recession, think about the last time you saw a top Champagne on sale at anything more than a nominal discount. Dom Perignon? Nope. Taittinger? Nope. Roederer? Nope. The Champagne establishment and their academics (who knew they had academics) think that discounting Champagne is tantamount to suicide. Like the Bordelaise these days , it seems that they think their prices should only ever go up, forgetting for a moment that of all the products we buy, fine wine is the one that we most expect to change in price from year to year.
So I've been doing a little asking around whenever I meet someone who knows a thing or two about French wine markets in general and Champagne in particular, and I've learned a little bit about how the big Champagne houses might be playing this particular swing of the market, given their fear of forever tarnishing their brands with the scourge of a discount.
Some of the houses will no doubt just sit on their stocks and try to ride it out. The nice thing about Champagne is that until you disgorge it and slap a label on it, it keeps pretty well. Especially the non-vintage stuff which doesn't have that pesky problem of being perceived as not the right current vintage in the marketplace.
The trouble with this strategy, however, is that you have an awful lot of money tied up in inventory that you would normally be able to spend on, say, paying your workers for the harvest that started last month, or buying more bottles, etc.
I had the chance to ask a wine broker that flies all over the world buying bulk wine for bottling under other labels whether there was a glut of Champagne wine for sale on the bulk market, and apparently there's very little. We (sadly) won't be seeing a $9 Cameron Hughes Champagne anytime soon.
It also looks like the Chinese are too obsessed with First Growth Bordeaux to buy enough Champagne to make much of a difference.
According to two industry insiders I talked to there does exist a way for Champagne houses to unload their stocks at reduced prices without damaging consumer perceptions of the brand. I was reminded of their predictions when I noticed the following line in Lettie Teague's recent blog post about luxury wines by the glass:
"...if you do want to buy a luxury wine by the bottle, there is a great deal at Landmarc Tribeca, where wine director David Lombardo has just started offering 2002 Roederer Cristal for $200- the same price as many New York retailers!"
According to the folks I talked with: Champagne houses will use the on-premise channel (that's fancy wine industry talk for restaurants and hotels) to sell their stock rather than discount it directly for the consumer. I have no idea whether this is what's going on at Landmarc, but I wouldn't be surprised.
It's not a bad idea as far as it goes -- it definitely allows the Champagne houses to sort of have their cake and eat it too, and I won't mind paying retail price for great Champagne in a restaurant if given the opportunity. But I really wish that the top Champagne producers would come off their high horses a little bit and join in the realities of the market. Restaurants with any sense of self preservation and accounting principles are probably dramatically cutting back their wine inventories for the same reason that the Champagne producers need to sell theirs. Too much dough tied up in bottles that are just sitting there. So while I'm sure it's appealing, it might not make enough of a difference.
The top Champagne houses need to take a little bit of a leap of faith. I'd jump at the chance to buy a bunch of really good bubbly at Flash-sale prices and I know a lot of other people would as well. They could sell a lot of wine. And I mean a LOT of wine. It would help with the cash flow and might even win them more customers that, once they got a taste of the good stuff, would have a hard time going back to $15.99 California Sparkling Wine.
And just like with everything in our lives it seems these days, from gasoline to the interest on our mortgages, to the price of oranges when there's a frost, we'll suck it up and pay more when the prices go back up when the market recovers.
Whaddya say? Do we have a deal?
A wine book like no other. Photographs, essays, and wine recommendations. 2015 Roederer Award Winner.Learn more.
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It's Time for American Wineries to Grow Up I'll Drink to That: Joy Kull of La Villana Winery Marin County Wine Celebration: June 26, Mill Valley Pursuing Balance in California No Longer Wine News: What I'm Reading the Week of 6/12/16 I'll Drink to That: Bruce Tyrrell of Tyrrell's Wines, Australia Vinography Unboxed: Week of June 5, 2016 Vinography Images: Vine Viewing Warm Up: Single Vineyard Expressions in Barolo I'll Drink to That: Alex Sanchez of the Brovia Winery
Wine Will Never Smell the Same Again: Luca Turin and the Science of Scent Forlorn Hope: The Remarkable Wines of Matthew Rorick Debating Robert Parker At His Invitation Passopisciaro Winery, Etna, Sicily: Current Releases Should We Care What Winemakers Say? The Sweet Taste of Freedom: Austria's Ruster Ausbruch Wines 2009 Burgundy Vintage According to Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Charles Banks: The New Man Behind Mayacamas Wine from the Caldera: The Incredible Viticulture of Santorini Why Community Tasting Notes Sites Will Fail Chateau Rayas and the 2012 Vintage of Chateauneuf-du-Pape A Life Indomitable: The Wines of Casal Santa Maria, Portugal Bay Area Bordeaux: Tasting Santa Cruz Mountain Cabernets Forgotten Jewels: Reviving Chile's Old Vine Carignane The First-Timer's Guide to Les Trois Glorieuses of Hospices de Beaune


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PriceGong comes in two different versions, as a standalone application or as a browser toolbar extension.
Standalone application removal
In case you have installed PriceGong as a standalone application, it can easily be removed using the "Add/Remove Programs" window as follows:
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Disable PriceGong on a browser toolbar
In case you have installed a browser toolbar that includes PriceGong as an additional service, all you need to do is disable it as follows:
If you installed PriceGong for Firefox browser only, you can uninstall it from the 'Add-ons Manager' dialog inside the Firefox browser by highlighting the PriceGong entry and selecting "Uninstall".
If you installed PriceGong for Chrome browser only, you can uninstall it from the 'Extensions' window inside the Chrome browser by clicking on the "Uninstall" link.
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WHAT do you do when it's a nice day on the Sunshine Coast?
If you're a surfer you grab your board and make the most of it.
Photographer Brett Wortman caught these action shots at The Pocket yesterday.
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Maximize your side table storage without sacrificing style. This two-tiered side table provides the optimal amount of shelving and storage in a small space. A streamlined base and square glass table tops provide an on-trend appeal to this fully functional piece of furniture.Dimensions18.8L x 16W x 10.5/21.3H inches / 18 lbsShips within 3-5 days
The modern Acqua Water Jug by Blomus is made with stainless steel and glass. It comes in two sizes that can either hold 1.0 liter or 1.5 liter of fluid. Enjoy a refreshing drink in your favorite glass and the view of this sleek carafe. Bottle Sizes: 1.0 liter (34 oz) H: 12" (30.48 cm) D: 3.5" (8.89 cm) 1.5 liter (51 oz) H: 13.6" (30.54 cm) D:...
Anodized Aluminum Wall system can be used as a single piece or multiplied to cover the entire wall. This highly versatile piece of modern furniture is useful in the kitchen, bathroom, library, or retail environment. Pieces must be drilled in to suit your installation. Screws are included for drywall or wood stud application. Aluminum Wall Shelves are Sold Separately and available in a choice of colors to allow for greater...


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Author Comments
Rated 5 / 5 stars
that was the best thing since slcied bread
......................... alright its my playroom! i nearly shit my pants laughin
u almost went to far- i mean wit the evil republican stuff
i know its just for laughs and i dont wanna be a wuss. so just can u keep it at this lelvel
Rated 4.5 / 5 stars
Ok that shitty 'Inapropriate rave' animation got daily 1st place and this didn't? whats goin on?
Anyway great animation loved it!
Rated 5 / 5 stars
great as always!
funny as always. looking forward for the next one.
Rated 4 / 5 stars
For ParachuteFish
Protesting your government is the most patriot thing you can do????
uhm... wouldnt go as far as to say that lol but defending what you believe in is patriotic. If everyones idea of being patriotic was to protest their governments the entire world would be am anarchy in 3rd world.
Good flash though, I dont like the Bush administration either so this is a good comic relief but you better make another one quick since Carl Rove just stepped down.
Rated 4 / 5 stars
You're such a piece of redneck garbage. Protesting your government is the most patriotic thing you can do
Anyway, the flash is decent. It's not a very good Dubyah impression, but the animation was below par


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Guizhou Guotai Hotel - Guiyang
- Location:
- Address: No.55 Yanwu Street, Guiyang, Guizhou Province
- Tel: 0851-6861198 (Book this hotel, call 800-2682918)
- Hotel Name in Chinese: 贵州国泰大酒店(贵阳)
- Lowest Price: $61
Guizhou Guotai Hotel is located on Yanwu Street, just 3 kilometers from the city center and 5 kilometers from the railway station.
It has nearly 100 guestrooms and features central air conditioning, closed-circuit TV, broadband internet access and Alarm system.
Chinese restaurant, beauty/hair salon, café and business center are all available.
- Prices not include 18% service fee and tax.
- Payment Method: pay using our secure online payment service or pay at the hotel at some hotels.
- Triple/quad occupancy may require an extra bed at extra cost.
Hotel Amenities
|Hotel Services
|Luggage service, Car rentals, Laundry service, Room service, Express check-in/check-out, Currency Exchange, Wake Up Call, Parking Service, 24hr Reception, Permanent English-speaking staff, Business Centre, Copy Service, E-mail, Translation Service, Fax Service, Typing Service
|Room Amenities
|Air conditioning, AM/FM radio, Alarm clock, Color Television, Cable/satellite TV, Complimentary newspaper, Coffee/tea maker, Telephone, Hair dryer, In-room safe, Electronic Lock, Iron and ironing board, Refrigerator, Mini Bar, Bath and Shower, Non-smoking rooms available, In-house movies, Internet access,
Hotel Amenities: Elevator, Parking, Air-Conditioned Facilities, Beauty Salon, Sauna, Business Center, Gift Shop, Gymnasium , Meeting Room, Ballroom, Deposit Box at Front Desk, Airline Desk, Fire Detector
Dining Facilities: Chinese Restaurant, Western Restaurant, Cafe, Bar, Lounge Bar
Print the Taxi Directions
- Please drive me to Guizhou Guotai Hotel - Guiyang, thank you!
- 请送我到贵州国泰大酒店(贵阳),谢谢
- Address: No.55 Yanwu Street, Guiyang, Guizhou Province
- 地址: No.55 Yanwu Street, Guiyang, Guizhou Province
- Tel: 0851-6861198
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Check out the list of all 74 hotels in Guiyang


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Area news in brief
Published: Saturday, March 1, 2003 at 6:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Saturday, March 1, 2003 at 3:30 a.m.
Houma-Thibodaux parades continue
HOUMA -- Houma-Thibodaux's Mardi Gras parade season heads into its final stretch today.
Here's a schedule:
Today: Krewe of Mardi Gras, 6 p.m., east Houma.
Sunday: Terreanians, 12:30 p.m., west Houma; Montegut Children's Parade, 2 p.m.
Monday: Cleopatra, 6:30 p.m., west Houma.
Tuesday: Mardi Gras: Houmas, 11 a.m., west Houma; Kajuns, follows Houmas; Bonne Terre, 3 p.m., Montegut.
Today: Apollo, noon, Lockport; new Krewe of Atlantis, 1 p.m., Golden Meadow; Babylon, 6 p.m., Larose.
Sunday: Nereids, 6 p.m., Golden Meadow; Des T-Cajuns, noon, Larose; Cleophas, 1 p.m., Thibodaux.
Tuesday: Ghana, 10 a.m., Thibodaux; Gheens, 11 a.m.; Neptune, noon, Galliano and Golden Meadow; Chronos, 2 p.m., Thibodaux; Choupic, 3 p.m.
Mass to honor Catholic leader
HOUMA -- A farewell Mass honoring Bishop-elect Joseph Latino will be held this morning at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral.
The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m., with an outdoor reception following.
Latino, longtime pastor of St. Francis de Sales Cathedral, had served as the second ranking administrator in the Catholic Houma-Thibodaux Diocese under former Bishop Michael Jarrell.
Jarrell became Lafayette bishop in December. Latino will become bishop of Jackson, Miss., next month.
Monsignor James B. Songy has been named as apostolic administrator in Houma-Thibodaux until a new bishop is appointed by the pope, a process expected to take several months.
Floodgate closure to affect boaters
CHAUVIN -- The Bayou Little Caillou Floodgate will be closed Monday through March 8. Boat traffic will be affected.
Maintenance is being done prior to the start of hurricane season on the floodgate, which was constructed in 1990.
For information, call 594-4104.
Pass a good time with Cajun music
DULAC -- A jam session of Cajun, French and traditional country music is scheduled for 6-8 p.m. today at the KC Council 7722 home on Shrimper's Row in Dulac.
Admission is $1, and refreshments will be sold. Band members and spouses will be admitted free.
For information, call Cyrus Parfait at 563-4346 or Al Voisin at 872-6737.
Want to work with the Legislature?
HOUMA -- State Rep. Damon Baldone, D-Houma, is seeking people interested in a part-time position as a House page or sergeant at arms for the upcoming state legislative session.
The position would last from March 31 to April 27 in Baton Rouge.
To apply, call Baldone at 876-8872.
Ban on oyster leases proposed
BATON ROUGE -- A state board will discuss a proposed ban on new oyster leases Thursday.
The Oyster and Shrimp Committee of the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission will meet at 9 a.m. in the Fourth Floor Conference Room of the agency's headquarters, 2000 Quail Drive, Baton Rouge.
The panel will discuss the moratorium and make recommendations to the full commission.
The full commission is scheduled to meet immediately after the committee and will take up the proposed moratorium.
For information, contact Thomas Gresham at (225) 765-2923 email@example.com.
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January 9, 2014 | 117 38
Editor's note: The following letter is in response to an OpEd piece by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers that was published in the Dec. 15, 2013 issue of the Tri-City Herald
Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Tri-City Herald, Dec. 15, p. C1) writes that to get jobs we need to promote economic certainty, champion bipartisan compromise, and reduce regulations.
The fossil fuel industry, and politicians who support it, say that without coal, oil, and natural gas, our economy will collapse.
But we know we can't keep polluting our atmosphere with fossil fuels without causing a destabilized cli...
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Because of my early love of horror I'm drawn to anything weird. I buy
almost any romance with a mention of paranormal, vampire, ghost or faery in the blurb but that doesn't mean that I don't also enjoy straight
historicals and contemporaries in all of the various subgenres.
I'm 33 (and staying there!) and am married to a man who shakes his head
at all of my unread books but never complains when another pile topples
onto his stuff. I have a 7 year old son and a 5 year old daughter who
both enjoy books and already have huge collections of their own. I am a
slow reader, and work part-time as an office manager so I don't have a
lot of patience with books that aren't working for me. I'll never be a
prolific reviewer but do hope to get at least one or two done each month
because there is nothing I enjoy more than talking about books, whether
I loved them or not.
If you'd like to see my member page at amazon.com where I'm currently a
Top 500 reviewer, please click here. (This is a "jump" link that will open a new window in your browser.)


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CGI offers three different Graduate Certificates to currently enrolled graduate students. These Certificates are formal programs of courses and other related experiences designed to signify accomplishments, specialization, and achievement.
Please explore each one listed on the left side of this page. If you have any questions, please contact the relevant program director.
FedEx Global Education Center 301 Pittsboro Street Suite 3002 Campus Box 5145 Chapel Hill, NC 27599-5145 +1 919 962 3094 tel |
The mission of the Center for Global Initiatives is to expand global opportunities at UNC through collaborative programs + projects and competitive awards + fellowships that connect people across borders and disciplines.
We are especially interested in opening access to global opportunities to students, faculty, and staff traditionally underrepresented in this sphere.


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By Heather Lende
March 15, 2012 | Vol. 42, No. 11
Russ Murray
Haines Borough maintenance man Russ Murray was buried at Jones Point Cemetery March 9, which former co-worker Eddie Bryant said was fitting. Bryant said Murray told him that the best times of his life were spent "mowing the grass in the cemetery...
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Jim Gardner and Brian Whalen have been given the inaugural Silver and Blue Service Awards by the Nevada Wolf Pack athletic department.
The Silver and Blue Service Award honors individuals who have volunteered their time and efforts in all support areas to help Wolf Pack Athletics over the years. Any person who has volunteered in any capacity is eligible for this award.
Gardner, a member of the Wolf Pack baseball and boxing team in the 1950s, volunteered as the official timekeeper at Nevada basketball games for three decades. The former president and chief executive officer of Gardner Engineering and Gardner Mechanical Services is a long-time donor to the University of Nevada and has held his basketball and football season tickets for more than 35 years.
Whalen played on the Nevada baseball and basketball teams in the 1950s. He then went on to spend 34 years volunteering his time as the scoreboard operator at Wolf Pack basketball games. Whalen worked in facility services on campus for four decades, including 22 years as a vice president. A longtime donor and supporter of the University and Wolf Pack Athletics, he was instrumental in the construction of additional restroom and elevator facilities at Mackay Stadium.
"We're fortunate to have a number of volunteers to who devote countless hours to helping our program," athletics director Doug Knuth said. "Jim and Brian have been advocates and supporters of Wolf Pack athletics for decades and we're pleased to have the opportunity to honor them with this award."
The inaugural Silver and Blue Service Awards will be presented as part of Nevada's Hall of Fame weekend festivities Sept. 4, 5.


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Shorting Eurodollars in a Zero Interest-Rate Policy World Has Proven Difficult
Kevin Ferry
Now investors and traders are trying to explain why the bond market is rallying.
This article was originally posted on the
Buzz & Banter
where subscribers can follow over 30 professional traders as they share their ideas in real time. Want access to the Buzz plus unlimited market commentary?
Click here to learn more about MVPRO+
Earlier this
[subscription required], I warned that shorting in a zero interest-rate policy (ZIRP) world was a difficult task. Most of the big institutions that opted for "rate normalization" had the good sense to hold long duration against it. Tapering and the Federal Reserve's forward guidance, or the Fed's expectations for monetary policy for the future, led to a historic shift where open interest shifted to the "greens" (contracts that expire two to three years from today) in eurodollar futures. Participants remained confused about tomorrow, but confident in their understanding of what would happen two years from now.
All that's being tossed in the boneyard now. The list of explanations for why the bond market is rallying is longer than Ryan Seacrest's to-do list. A short squeeze, Europe, Russia, Pimco, the weather -- they're all a mulligatawny of "This wasn't supposed to happen" analysis. It is what it is.
Two things stand out to me:
1. The calibration of Federal Reserve policy without large-scale asset purchases (LSAP) isn't overtly accommodating. Forward guidance works to harden the stasis in markets and attenuate the present environment.
2. Participant ideas of "normal" remain highly skewed by the experience of the 1970s to the 1980s. As the great disinflation apexed, people associated "normal" with levels attached to the correction of an anomaly. Prior to the 1960s, low growth and low inflation were common outside of global war. The cleansing that's ripping through the term structure now should provide fertile planting ground for new ideas about the level of rates this summer.
No positions in stocks mentioned.


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March 15, 2004
Press Conference Quotes
March 15, 2004
Head Coach Lorenzo Romar
On preparing for the NCAA tournament: "A lot of that preparation has already taken care of itself. We've played at N.C. State, at Arizona, the Pac-10 Tournament, the Stanford game, playing against the number one team in the country. It seems like for the past two months we've had to play every game with the intensity of an NCAA tournament game. I could go on and on, but if we had lost one game, maybe we're not here right now, so we've developed that mentality that we can't look back and it's going to help us going into this tournament."
On Brandon Roy's conservative nature: "Brandon has to be more aggressive, but you hesitate telling him that because he does so many good things for his team. He's kind of like the provider for our team. He just distributes, he sees that something's needed over there, so let me help there, he's talented enough to help out in every way. We've played a number of games this year, Luke Jackson on Oregon was one, where he stepped in and did a phenominal job defensively. There's been games when he's had eight assists, there's games when he's had double-digit rebounds, when no one could really get things going, he scored 30 on UCLA. I think there's times when he passes up an opportunity just to make a statement. He's showing his teammates that that's okay and maybe next time they'll pass up an opportunity for the good of the team. He has as high a basketball IQ as anyone I've been around, he just understands."
On UAB: "They're a very good team, they're a lot like Stanford in a different way. They're going to get their hands on a lot of balls, they're going to deflect a lot of balls, they're going to be right there with us, wherever we are on the floor. They're forcing 20 turnovers a game, they get almost 12 steals a game, their defense generates a lot of their offense. They're aggressive, their team is like having a floor full of Bobby's (Jones) and Nate's (Robinson), guys like that, they're just relentless. We're going to have to be strong with the basketball. They're not as much an up tempo team as they are a relentless pressure team. I think they're 12 deep, their leading scorer is right at 13 and then the next guy is at 10 or 11, other than that there's no one with double figures because they're not in there long enough."
On how getting into the tournament will help recruiting: "It's very important. It's great not having to say, 'this is what's going to happen', as opposed to, 'this is what has happened'. Whether recruits respond to it or not, time will tell."
On Mike Anderson, UAB's Head Coach: "I know what a competitor he was as a player, he was a great assistant at Arkansas and for him to do in two years what he's done over there shows that he's obviously a good head coach. Also, Conference USA has six teams in the NCAA tournament and then another one or two in the NIT, that means there's some good basketball being playing and they were right there with all of them. It's not going to be easy playing against them."
On Curtis Allen's playing time this season: "I know at times it's been tough, it was tough for him at the conference tournament, he would have like to play more. I have never, ever seen anyone handle it better than he has, I've seen guys who haven't played as much as they would have liked, but the consensus is that they shouldn't be, they haven't really accomplished much to deserve to be in there. Curtis Allen was on the All-Freshman Team, he's been the Pac-10 Player of the Week, he's hit shots at the buzzer to win games, he's scored 30 points in a game. I've never seen someone with those kind of accomplishments get their playing time cut considerably and have a great attitude, it's been inspiring to tell you the truth."
On the distribution of playing time with forwards and guards: "Hakeem Rollins played a phenomenal game against Arizona, he has been coming on. We're not as good a basketball team without Bobby Jones in the game and Mike Jensen has been playing good basketball. It's the same situation with the guards. Tre Simmons has helped win games for us, Nate Robinson has been an all-conference performer, and Will Conroy has been our floor leader. When guys don't play, it's not necessarily that they're not playing well, it's that the guys in front of them have stepped it up. It can be a problem, but it beats the alternative, when you don't have enough guys."
On experience with Conference USA helping UW on Friday: "My side of the conference didn't press very much, but the other side had Houston, UAB, Memphis, Southern Miss, Tulane, with the exception of Southern Miss, all of them pressured you and played every defense imaginable. I think that part will help us in dealing with the presses and that type of pressure."
On how to attack the press: "We feel like we have the quickness and the ball-handling skills to be able to be effective against the press. We have not played against UAB's press, so that remains to be seen what will happen when we're out there."
On how team's intensity dictates the outcome: "When we play kind of with a chip on our shoulder we feel we can be competitive with any team. It doesn't mean we'll win, but we'll be competitive. I think our team understands that."


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Being Self Employed, Starting your own business is not for everyone
Since 2006/2007 it is fair to say that I always wanted to be my own boss, run my own business, start an amazing business. It is also fair to say that although I have earnt some money doing these things, they have all pretty much been a financial disaster. After a strong sales career in estate agency winning many sales awards along the way, the market fell out of that business, I eventually found myself in medical sales.
After many years in medical sales again winning sales awards, I decided to leave when frankly the NHS ran out of money for buying medical products. I then found myself as a mortgage broker. Did my time learning the ropes in industry and then setting out for myself. I loved the work, all my clients got their mortgages but looking back I always found gaining new clients difficult. Then the mortgage broking industry collapsed in March 2008 when all those people were queueing outside the Northern Rock building society.
I then got going with Twitter in April 2008 and have been trying to make a good living from it ever since. But the warning signs for me were there. Gaining new clients, marketing myself were skills that I was not great at. In fact other than happy clients referring me and the use of Twitter to demonstrate my expertise and knowledge I did no other marketing activities.
Each year since 2006 I have tried new ideas, developed new things that I thought could be successful, all to see them all go to nothing. I am not blaming anyone other than myself. I am not strong at identifying money making opportunities and then executing those ideas. I relied too much on gut feel, how I felt about an idea, too much emotion rather than a strong and hard financial look at the idea and then considering it on that basis.
Its funny. When I look back at various jobs that I have had there were some similar characteristics about those jobs that lead me to be successful. I used to say many times.. Put sensible people in front of me and I will seal the deal. I Demonstrated this many times as an Estate Agent, mortgage broker and in medical sales. In fact my greatest sales triumph in medical sales, was when I was with a company where I was responsible for winning a huge new hospitals business. I then got head hunted by the losing company and within 3-6 months had won the business all back.
I also learnt in my medical sales career that one of the ways to sell more stuff was to train more people…I enjoyed having a packed room full of people who I regularly trained. But the best bit was that afterwards, they bought more of my products. I am a very good trainer with a good ability to communicate tricky things and ideas in a simple way so that people could just get it.
My key strengths are dealing with people, training, public speaking, keeping the deal alive and being a top negotiator. I used to say nothing ever went down on my watch. I recognised how hard it was to get sales and so all bar an end of earth asteroid hitting us would do everything in my powers to keep that sale on track. This was no more evident than when I was selling houses. I kept some sales alive with the most imaginative of thinking.
I am rubbish at being behind a desk, cold calling, not treating customers with respect and doing my best by them, finding new business, starting a new business that will make money and being my own boss. In general being self employed really is not for me. It has taken me years to come to that realisation as I kept on trying new ideas, new business ventures, always believing that 'this was the one'.
If your out there reading this and think that you might have an opportunity for a 47 year old who has been round the block a bit then please get in touch. I do have skills, have tons of different experiences and am simply looking for something where I can add value.


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| HP News
Under the agreement, Siemens will supply gas chromatographs along with related systems such as analysis cabinets and shelters to numerous Shell global energy projects.
The automation division of Siemens was recently awarded a
five-year deal from Shell to deliver process gas chromatographs
through an enterprise framework agreement that covers Shell
companies, subsidiaries and joint ventures across the
During the term of the agreement, Siemens will supply gas
chromatographs together with related systems such as analysis
cabinets and shelters, much of which will be manufactured by
Siemens in the US, the company said.
Additionally, Siemens will provide front-end engineering and
after-sales servicing.
Siemens manufactures the base hardware of their gas
chromatographs in Bartlesville, Okla. The base hardware of the
gas chromatograph is tailored to each application in
chromatography labs located in Oklahoma, Germany and
The Siemens facility in Bartlesville, employing
approximately 160 people, is the global hub for the process gas
chromatograph product line, the company said.
This includes not only product manufacturing, but also
technical support and research and development.
"This agreement allows Siemens to integrate and streamline
its operations and to improve engineering consistency among
Shell plants globally, thereby reducing Shell's process
analyzer costs," says Alfred Kania, business development
manager for Siemens.
"The oil and gas industry is an important business sector
for Siemens process analytics, and the combination of our
product portfolio, technology and innovation and
commitment to services allows us to continue to be a market
leader in this category, Mr. Kania added.
While the gas chromatographs will be manufactured in
Bartlesville, each unit is typically enclosed in an analyzer
shelter, manufactured in Houston, Siemens officials
The Houston facility supports customers located in North and
South America. The analyzer shelter protects the unit's
hardware from environmental conditions.
Siemens process gas chromatographs are used in all branches
of fine chemicals, refining and hydrocarbon processing industries, and
perform chemical composition analysis of gases and liquids that
are present in all phases of production, according to the
Built for harsh environments either directly online
or nearby in at-line process measurement laboratories, these
gas chromatographs maintain application flexibility that enable
the sample analysis of feedstock, partially processed
product stream, final products and process by-products,
including wastes and environmental hazards.
Gas chromatography is one of the most flexible of the
processes used for gas analysis, and is used to improve product
quality and increase the yield and energy efficiency of
processes, Siemens said.
Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
All comments are subject to editorial review.
All fields are compulsory.
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A searchable database of project activity in the global hydrocarbon processing industry
Engineers and designers are highly skilled individuals. Forcing them to enter design changes using tables, forms and spreadsheets is unproductive and uneconomical, and it increases the likelihood of human error—this is the way that most instrumentation software systems currently work. For too long, software vendors have denied engineers and designers the simple practicality of a graphical visual engineering interface with "drag and drop" capability and inbuilt intelligence, ensuring changes are automatically replicated into all the associated data and databases.
Is 2016 the peak for US gasoline demand?
Too soon to tell
June 2016


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Blog about playing Pickup Games and finding Activity Partners
Filed under Blog , Web
So yesterday Pickup Sports was featured on Bloggers.
"You have been featured on BLOGGERS as one of the Bloggers of the day. Your profile and Blog "Pickup Sports Blog" has been showcased in Bloggers Home page (http://bloggers.com). In addition to that you are awarded with Featured bloggers badge on your profile."
Bloggers is a community where all the best bloggers connect, communicate and share blogs with each other.
Thanks for everybody's contribution and let's try our best to keep up the work!
Filed under basketball , Pickup Games
This is an old news happened on 8/31/2009, but there is something interesting about it. Even the best players out there in NBA still have fun playing Pickup Games. They are not even doing it for health or to improve, but purely just for fun.
China has becoming a super power, not only in terms of economy, but also in terms of atheletic attention. After getting most amount of gold mdeals in Beijing Olympic 2008, China has proven itself as the top athletic country. This is one of the reason why citizens of China has also become more active. With players like Yao Ming being picked into NBA, basketball has become the most popular sport in China.
If you guys ever visit china, go to some basketball court and see whether you can find yourself a good game. And if you can't find games, Pickup Sports will be coming to China too!
Filed under
So I've gotten an email from the office giving us some health tips, which I'd love to share with you guys
Hey, everyone - this is not medical advice, in fact it is not advice at all, but I am sharing with you some things that have worked for me to avoid picking up illnesses while traveling and attending conferences (please, don't forward this outside the company, thanks!):
Zinc - Scientists are verifying what Moms have known for a couple decades - Zinc can reduce the severity and duration of colds and flu.
My own "do's and don'ts" for using Zinc:
*DO use Zinc lozenges while traveling on airplanes, or in meetings, anyplace where there are lots of people around
*DO take Zinc lozenges or Wellness Fizz drink, before bedtime each day while attending conferences
*DO take Zinc at the first signs of symptoms of colds or flu
*DO NOT take Zinc on an empty stomach, that can cause nausea
*DO NOT take large quantities of Zinc, nor take Zinc every day - too much Zinc causes other health problems
Some other hints:
-My doctor told me that the cold virus thrives at temperatures below 68 degrees; conversely the least hospitable environment for the cold virus is warm, humid air. He said that going to Hawaii is a great way to get rid of a cold, but if that is not an option then try keeping the bedroom warm at night while sleeping.
-Drinking plenty of fluids does seem to help, especially warm liquids like tea
-I do use hand sanitizer. It is great that some companies now have small containers of hand sanitizer as give-aways at their booths at conferences.
Filed under Other , Ski
I went to ski over the weekend, bad traffic and road blocks have stopped us from getting to Lake Tahoe Ski Resorts. After the car beings stopped for few hours and our body being fatigued, we ended up slept in the car. By the time we woke up, I personally had a sore throat and running nose.
Normally I'd take some OTC medication, drink chicken noodle, and try to recover for few days then go back to work. But I am already at the resort, might as well push my body a little further and enjoy it on the way.
After a cold day of ski, I thought I'd surely fall down and become really sick for next couple of days. Luckily the hotel had Sauna and Jacuzzi. I sat in sauna for half an hour, letting my entire body sweat out, then sat in jacuzzi for another hour. When I came out, my body was so hot that it was having water vapor coming out. My running nose was immediately cured, sore throat was going away little by little and by 2nd morning, I am completely cured.
Since I am an engineer, I always want to know how things works. So here is the theory.
Whenever we get a cold or flu virus, they are only used to our normal body temperature. Our body sometimes heats up to get rid of them which causes a fever. But by sitting in the Sauna, it heats up our body so all the bacterias and viruses dies off because it can't survive the heat.
So next time when you just got an cold, get in sauna and jacuzzi! Feel better and go back to play pickup sports!
Filed under basketball , Sports
Hopefully this sets some group for those who are looking for Pickup Basketball Rules. Now go post a pickup game.
Filed under Mobile , Android
So today Google released honeycomb and had a developer conference, the long waited web portal for the Android Market has finally arrived. The picture below shows what it looks like, we are very impressed and would love to work on improving the application, new update on android coming soon!!
You can now go to the market and check out the app at http://market.android.com/details?id=com.pickupsports
Filed under Mobile , Pickup Games , Pickup Sports , Sports , Web
This is the first blog post about Pickup Sports, below are the description for the application.
Pickup Sports makes finding pickup games, sports, fitness, workout and running partners in your local areas fun and easy. It is the grand prize winner of "Move Your App" challenge.Team sportsTrack & FieldRunning PartnersFitness WorkoutCardio WorkoutGym Workout PartnerBasketballBaseballFootballSoccerTennisFootballVolleyballBicycleHockeyweight training workoutother sportsPickup Sports are released on both iPhone, Android and Palm's WebOS, you can tell your friends with other phones to join you on those platforms.To create a new sports or workout, click on Add button and it will take you right there.To find other sports and workout activities, simply go into the application and you will find them. Since this application is still brand new, there might not be a lot of sports activities around, create one and share it on facebook and everybody will know.The app was inspired by inspired by Jamie Oliver's TEDPrize wish, to make this world a healthier place.
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While a city responsibility by law, the Emergency Management Plan is operated jointly by the city and Pierce County to avoid duplications of effort in carrying out its functions. The city maintains a comprehensive, all-hazards Emergency Management Plan which is reviewed and updated on a continual basis.
The program, in cooperation with the American Red Cross, maintains a capability to shelter up to 300 people at any given time in partnership with three facilities with an option for a fourth facility when emergencies and disasters occur. We either test the plans through annual exercises or actual events.
Emergency Management Plan Cover Sheet Emergency Management Basic PlanESF1 Transportation ESF2 Communication/Warning ESF3 Public Works/Engineering ESF4 Firefighting ESF5 Emergency Management ESF6 Mass Care/ Housing/ Human Services ESF7 Resource Support & Logistics Management ESF8 Health & Medical Services ESF8 Tab 1 Disaster Medical Control Center (DMCC) ESF9 Search and Rescue (SAR) ESF10 Hazardous Materials ESF11 Agriculture and Natural ResourcesESF12 Energy ESF13 Public Safety And SecurityESF14 Long Term RecoveryESF15 External And Public AffairsESF20 Military Support to Civil Authorities ESF21 Debris ManagementESF21 Appendix 1 Recovery Issues: Recycling and Debris Management ESF21 Appendix 2 Recovery Issues: Storage of Water ESF22 Law Enforcement ESF23 Damage Assessment ESF24 Evacuation and MovementAppendix 1 GlossaryAppendix 2 List of Acronyms


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Maidens Rd, TURNBERRY, KA26 9LT
For thousands of players of all nationalities, Turnberry is one of the finest of all golf destinations, where some of the most remarkable moments in Open history have taken place. The legendary Ailsa Course is complemented by the highly acclaimed Kintyre Course, while the nine-hole Arran Course, created by Donald Steel and Colin Montgomerie, has similar challenges such as undulating greens, tight tee shots, pot bunkers and thick Scottish rough. With the famous hotel on the left and the magnificent Ailsa Craig away to the right, there are few vistas in world golf to match the 1st tee here. The Turnberry Performance Academy is a teaching facility based on a holistic approach. The Open returned to the Ailsa in 2009.
Tel: 01655 331000
Send an email
Ailsa Course- 18 holes, 7211 yds, Par 70, Standard scratch score 76, Course record 63.
Kintyre Course- 18 holes, 6921 yds, Par 72, Standard scratch score 74, Course record 63.
Arran Course- 9 holes, 1996 yds, Par 31, Standard scratch score 30.
Green fees
Fees are for guidance only. Please contact the club to confirm prices.
Societies Booking required
Club membership 420
Professional Richard Hall
Course designer Mackenzie Ross/Donald Steel
Visitors Mon-Sun & Bank Holidays. Booking required Mon-Sun & Bank Holidays. Dress code.
Trolleys for hire. Motorised trolleys for hire. Buggies for hire. Clubs for hire. Club shop. Driving range. Putting green. Practice area. Changing rooms. Accommodation at club. Bar with snacks. Lunch. Dinner. Tea and coffee.
Corporate facilities including conferencing.
Private fishing. Indoor heated swimming pool. Solarium. Sauna.
15m SW of Ayr on A77