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This book depicts my travels through South India with my two close friends, Govardhan & Krishna Priya. The photos show a wide variety of what South India has to offer. In particular the states of Karnataka, Kerala & Tamil Nadu. All shots were taken from the dates March 9, 2006 to April 8, 2006 when I first experienced South India.
Dustin Ellison is a San Diego native who currently lives in South India. His passion for art, culture, and nature comes to life in his dedication to provide unique and explorative photography. Dustin, now 29, has a degree in graphic design as well as many years experience with other mixed media art forms. In the last four years that Dustin has immersed himself in traveling and photography his creativity has grown and come to life as seen through the images he has captured. Dustin's love for surfing and his eagerness to travel the world have helped him to produce art that becomes a realistic journey into each place he visits. He attributes his success and passion for life to his family and friends who are always supportive of him. India is a long way from sunny San Diego, but Dustin has bridged that gap with tasteful and colorful images that bring you one step closer to the other side of the world.
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Mahaprabhu - El Santo de la India Published August 14, 2013
Facing East Published December 02, 2010
The Bali Express Published December 01, 2009
Surfer Grinds Published November 26, 2008
D-Trip '08 Published September 03, 2008

subset: commoncrawl


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Lasseters is the centre of entertainment in Alice Springs with four restaurants, four bars, a sports lounge, pool side cafe, night club and an international standard casino with tables and electronic games as well as free Wi-Fi property-wide. Stay in our 4 ½ star hotel rooms & suites and enjoy access to a resort-style pool & spa as well room service, concierge services and complimentary bikes to explore Alice Springs.
Catch all the sporting action live at Stadium 93
Enjoy 6 courses of ultimate indulgence at Tali Restaurant
Don't miss the world greatest ABBA tribute show!
Poker tournament June 26th starting at 3pm. $220 buy-in Maximum 27 entrants Register at the Lasseters cash...
WIN up to $200!!!
Register with the table games from the 1st of June and receive your 'Check In' Card.
Be playing a Blackjack table during the promotion period, you will receive a prize...
Bundle up for the night in one of our Luxurious Premium Rooms with unlimited movies, and Spa Voucher to enjoy a pampering treatment of your choice.
One night is never enough, so why not make a treat of it and stay longer?
Book a stay during June/July, present your voucher + your Lasseters Rewards card and we...
Come down and watch the BIG game on the BIG Screen in Stadium 93 or at Juicy Rump this year! Spend the night celebrating and treat yourself with this great package!
Live life on us with Lasseters winners choice
Mondays and Sundays in April 7pm - Midnight Be playing on any table from 7pm...
$9 coffee and cake, how sweet is that!
Bucket of Prawns and Beers (12pm-5pm)
Friday 501 is the perfect place to celebrate the end of the working week!
Crack the safe will now be running Monday, Wednesday and Friday... More ways to win at Lasseters!
Lasseters Free Play Promotion!
Every Thursday at 7pm, 8pm & 9pm!


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Bond set at $1M for Pender man charged with attempted murder
Published: Wednesday, January 22, 2014 at 11:40 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, January 22, 2014 at 11:40 a.m.
Bail was set at $1 million Wednesday for a Pender County man charged with attempted murder in a December assault, according to a news release from the Pender County Sheriff's Office.
Tommy Wayne Smith, 51, is charged with attempted first-degree murder, assault by strangulation, first-degree sex offense, assault on a female and communicating threats, Sgt. John Leatherwood said in the release.
The charges against Smith stem from a Dec. 9 incident involving a woman in Pender County. He was arrested on the night of the assault on a probation violation in connection with an impaired driving conviction in Scotland County. Leatherwood said Smith was transferred to Scotland County where he eventually pleaded to the charge and was sentenced to serve three months.
Smith was jailed on the Pender County warrants in Burgaw on Tuesday where he'll remain awaiting trial, Leatherwood said.
– F.T. Norton
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.


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Oct 20, 2010 8:28 AM
Are you like us, always searching for attractive ways to store things? While the Iron Scroll Storage Basket ($48) is pretty ornate, it would be a nice way to store fruit on the dining room table or small hand towels in the bathroom.
If you've got a product or service that you'd like to promote on Outblush, click here to find out about our advertising opportunities.
Outblush is a blog for girls who love to shop. Our staff digs up the best clothes, home stuff, beauty items, and more. New items are posted every day — bookmark us and check out:


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Nov 21, 2007 11:04 AM
Bring the spirit and smell of the holidays into your home this season with these Evergreen Holiday Trees ($38-$62) from RedEnvelope. Offered in three combination sets, you can add a little festive flare to your entryway, mantel, or table centerpiece.
If you've got a product or service that you'd like to promote on Outblush, click here to find out about our advertising opportunities.
Outblush is a blog for girls who love to shop. Our staff digs up the best clothes, home stuff, beauty items, and more. New items are posted every day — bookmark us and check out:


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Furniture fanatics
Are you clueless when it comes to furniture? Do you want style, sophistication but don't know where to start? Or do you just need some helpful hints on particular styles and themes you would like to incorporate into your home? Whatever the reason this is the site for you.
We love furniture and in turn we went to share our love with you, so if you want a site full of ideas, inspirations and reviews look no further. If you want to know how to choose a colour scheme? How to set the right tone with lighting? Or even a guide to buying furniture online? Whatever your decor desires are we the people to help, take a look around our site and see what we have to offer. A review site with a difference, and the difference is you. We aim to bring everything you would need to create your perfect living space. With helpful hints and tips, as well as looking into the history of different designs.
Here are just some of the questions we can answer for you today.
- How to choose a colour scheme
- Which modern style is right for me?
- How to maximise storage space
- Creating the perfect living space
- 5 pieces of furniture which will overhaul the look of your property
- How to use soft furnishings to create a stylish impact
- What to consider when buying a bed online
- Guide on how to use light to brighten up your house
- Guide to buying furniture online
- Choosing the right style of furniture for your house
- An introduction to Scandinavian design
- Planning for a living room, dining room, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen makeover
- How to brighten up your living room
- 5 things to consider when choosing sofas, coffee tables and chair designs for you
- Decorating tips
Everyone can create the perfect living space, it's just about having a little know-how and a few hints and tips. So grab yourself a cuppa and let your hidden designer raise their heads. Let's make your perfect home be just that… Perfect!


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Did You Know? The Fearrington House
The Fearrington House has award-winning gardens that meld the informal qualities of Fearrington's farm heritage with the romantic landscape details of the European countryside. The grounds include about 60 garden beds, an herb garden used by the chefs at the Fearrington House Restaurant, several cutting beds used by our florists, and several greenhouses. A experienced year-round team of seven maintain the grounds, and they're delighted to answer questions.
Fearrington's gardens celebrate seasons, holidays, and special occasions and North Carolina's rich horticultural traditions and plant diversity. The mild climate of the Piedmont region means our gardens are attractive and engaging throughout the year.
View rates, details, and more images of The Fearrington House >>
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Item: 2018555
| Model: 626210M
(32 reviews)
Your little ones will be flying high when they play with this complete airport from Little Tikes. It features a tower and ramp for launching airplanes into the sky, an airplane hanger for storing airplanes and a landing pad on top of the tower with lights and sounds.Product Features:
(based on 32 reviews)
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Ratings Distribution
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Reviewed by 32 customers
Displaying reviews 1-10
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By Emmanuelle
from Québec, QC, Canada
Comments about BJs Wholesale Club Little Tikes Big Adventures Action Fliers:
Very disapointed, pieces don't stay together i have to rebuild it everytime my son is playing whit...........he would have so much fun because he love it but can't play more than 5 minutes before it's falling apppart
Bottom Line No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Was this review helpful? Yes / No
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(0 of 1 customers found this review helpful)
Fun toy, held up great for us!
By Amerel
from Chicago, IL, United States
This was bought for my 21 month old and he loves it! I got on this website to see exactly how to work the flying planes and make sure we were doing it right because that actually doesn't do work so great. But after seeing some other reviews, I decided I needed to tell people that we have not had a bad experience with this toy. It has not fallen apart at all and both my 3 year old and 21 month old have climbed on it and sat on the launching ramp part. Who knows why ours has held up so well but we have had no problems (besides that truck not really launching the planes so well). It's a toy they both love and play with every day.
Shoddy Construction
By hbryant219
from Iowa
Very poor construction. We've only had this product since Christmas and the track keeps falling apart, and one of the planes has ripped wings. My child definitely doesn't play rough with it and it falls apart all the time. It didn't snap together well and the roof keeps popping up off of the hangar part. Very disappointing, because when it does work my son love playing with it, but we spend more time reconstructing it than we do launching the airplanes.
Buy Something Else
By Kate09
from Pennsylvania, United States
You're probably better off buying something else. It's such a cute toy and a unique idea, but it does not work well. As the other reviewers have noted, the track constantly comes apart and the launching does not always happen well so the kids lose interest. It's not ideal that this large and more expensive toy sits idle while the kids play with $5 toys.
Don't buy, just falls apart!!
By Raylan
from Illinois, United States
My son received this for Christmas and was so excited to play with it but it doesnt stay together and he gets frustrated. And in turn I get frustrated because I have to put it back together again!
Great Concept. POOR DESIGN
By Gink
from SC, United States
We purchased this as a gift for our grandsons. They loved how the airplane launches and actually flies however the ramp is poorly constructed and does not hold up to normal play for this age group. Not what I expect from Little Tykes.
Poorly designed
By Marcelle
from Lone Star State
I purchased this for my grandson because he loves airplanes. I am very disappointed in the quality. It is obviously poorly designed as it will not stay together at all. Although both of my grandkids love what it will do, it simply falls apart! The spiral part is the worst! Rather than send it back, my husband is going to try and rework it somehow so it can be salvaged. Little Tikes should give a full refund. I may be contacting them about it. Don't buy this!
Don't Buy! Does not work!
By Michiganfan
from Jackson, MI
Poor instructions. Goes together difficult, then comes apart after assembled. Once it is assembled correctly it does not do what the picture implies. You send the truck down the ramp with the plane and the truck is suppose to hit the end stopper and trigger the launch of the plane. The truck just crashes and does not release the plane. Out of approximately 25 attempts it launched once. There is no way a toddler would be able to have the patience for this poor engineering. Again, pictures were very deceiving. Little Tikes should recall this toy and give our money back! I am very surprise a good company like Little Tikes allowed this to be manufactured with their name it.
By kgritz
from wisconsin
The Durability of this toy is so bad...my son has had it for a day and already does not want to play with it. it keeps falling apart. more work than fun!
fun toys
By Bran4
from Jacksonville Beach, FL, United States
My son got this for Christmas 2013... Please don't waste your money. It is so flimsy comes apart every time he tries to play with it. The lights work fine , but the sound is very low and could hardly hear it. He enjoyed the truck and copter but I could have bought 4 or 5 of them instead of this.
BJs.com uses several different shipping methods to best serve our Members. More than one shipping method is available for certain items. Please be aware that not all shipping methods are available for all items.* By clicking on the "Change" button in the "Shipping Methods" section of the "Final Order Review" page, you will be able to see a list of available shipping options. If a certain shipping method is not displayed, we regret that it is not available for that item.
* Shipping information is always approximate and may be based on information given to us by manufacturers and vendors.
Orders placed via these shipping options are not guaranteed to be delivered within a certain time frame. Standard Ground is generally the least expensive option.
Standard Ground: Standard Ground includes delivery via U.S. Priority Mail®, United States Postal Service®, UPS® Ground and FedEx® Ground.
Expedited Ground: Items upgraded to Expedited Ground will ship via UPS®, FedEx® Ground or a similar carrier. Expedited Ground is not available for all items.
2nd Day Air: Items upgraded to 2nd Day Air will ship via UPS®, FedEx® Ground or a similar carrier. 2nd Day Air is not available for all items.
Overnight: Items upgraded to Overnight will ship via UPS®, FedEx® Ground or a similar carrier. Overnight shipping is not available for all items.
Priority Overnight: Items upgraded to Priority Overnight will ship via UPS®, FedEx Ground® or a similar carrier. Priority Overnight is not available for all items.
BJ's selects the highest quality Merchandise for our Members and stands behind the products we sell. If you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, you are entitled to a refund or exchange subject to the following guidelines. Please return your product to the nearest BJ's Club location or by following the instructions here.
Proper Conditions for Return and Credit
Returned merchandise must be in new condition with its original packing and accessories intact. Items purchased over 1 year ago will not be considered in new condition. If you are returning a product please check to make sure your return meets the following conditions:
We regret that BJ's cannot cover the cost of shipping for products returned due to buyer's remorse.
*Bulk online sales are final and cannot be returned; reference Terms of Use available on BJs.com by clicking here, or contact your BJ's business partner with questions.
If you have ordered one of these non-returnable items, please inspect the item carefully and if possible, refuse delivery of incorrect or damaged products. Once the item has been accepted it will be deemed to be the correct item and in good working condition. Any issues that arise after the item is signed for must be resolved through the manufacturer's warranty.
Please see BJs.com's return policy before initiating a return.
You may return your item at any BJ's Club location or by following the instructions below.
PLEASE NOTE: you will not be allowed to initiate a return beyond 30 days from your date of shipping. After 30 days, please contact member care for return instructions.
Damaged Orders
If a signature is required please inspect your package carefully before signing for it. If after accepting the package you determine that there are damaged or defective parts, please contact the manufacturer for replacement parts. For further assistance, contact BJ's Member Care. Do not discard the boxes or packing materials, as they may be needed to ship the item back.
Shipping Error
If you receive an incorrect product, please review your order information to be certain that there were no errors in the order process. If you determine that you received an item you did not order, please return your product to the nearest BJ's Club location or initiate a return online (see "Returning an Item" above for instructions).
Return Shipping Costs
If you refuse your delivery without inspection, miss your delivery appointment(s) or return a non-defective or undamaged product, you will incur original shipping charges along with actual return shipping fees. In the event that your returned merchandise was mis-shipped, damaged or defective, BJ's Member Care team will be happy to reimburse you for return shipping costs. Please contact BJ's Member Care and we will be able to assist you.
Item: 150032287 |
Model: 626210M


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Lucas Irwin, a 25-year old who doesn't live with his parents but who makes a point of visiting them once or twice a year, gave the folks a real shock at the start of their last reunion.
According to MSN Canada on Jan. 8, when he arrived at their home for the holidays, Lucas was 130 pounds lighter than he was when he left the last time he visited. A year elapsed, starting when Irvin weighed a whopping 300 pounds and ending when he weighed 170 pounds. No surprise Irwin was barely recognizable when he turned up trim and fit.
The shocking reveal, which happened over the holidays, was caught on tape and now that video has gone viral.
To tell his tale, Lucas Irwin and his parents told on "Today" on Wednesday that he managed to stay away from his dad and stepmother for an entire year in order to execute this astounding surprise.
To lose the weight, Lucas Irwin reportedly ate a mere 1,350 calories a day. He kept a food diary to help keep track of what he was putting in his mouth and to remain attuned to his eating patterns. He did this for a year and he stayed true to his drill.
In addition, Irwin did exercise,but not until after after seven or eight months of staying with his strict diet.
Meanwhile, another course Lucas Irwin took in order to keep on going with his weight loss regimen and to not falter was to chat with the Reddit "LoseIt" community who gave him the support he needed at the time.
And so, after a lifelong struggle with weight, Lucas Irwin slyly lost 130 without telling his dad or his stepmother he was aiming to do this. Then, he shocked his parents in an emotional family reunion that was caught on tape in a video that went viral.
Talk about a smooth move.
A huge congratulations goes out to Lucas Irwin, a determined young man who truly pulled off a magic trick that required very hard work on his part.
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CBCA Appreciation Breakfast
Calvary Baptist Christian Academy is pleased to announce its fourth annual Businessmen's breakfast. Each year CBCA likes to thank those businesses that have supported them and introduce new businesses to what goes on at the academy. The breakfast will be on Friday, February 22, 7:30 AM at Perkin's Family Restaurant, 18276 Conneaut Lake Road, Meadville, PA.
Calvary Baptist Christian Academy is a private Christian school whose mission is to educate students who will serve God and Impact the world through biblical thought and action. It is celebrating its 45th year and has 179 students in kindergarten through twelfth grades and a three and four year old preschool of over 30 students. Day care is also provided.
Business owners are invited to attend the breakfast and are asked to RSVP to Brian Williams, the school's Director of Development at email@example.com or by phone at 814-724-6606.


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You missin' kissin'? How about puckering up for one of the Fab Four, say Sir Paul McCartney? Maybe even a smoochie for Ringo Starr?
Perhaps a Greek god is more to your taste? Zeus or Aphrodite anyone?
These and other kissing options abound at the sixth annual Pups in the Park, set for Saturday, May 31, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at McKinley Park, 601 Alhambra Ave., Sacramento, 95816.
A kissing booth full of kittens are ready to give love for just $1 as a fundraiser for the Sacramento's Front Street Animal Shelter. Their names? why, Sir Paul, John Lennon, and siblings Ringo Starr and George Harrison, of course!
The kittens are part of the neonatal rescue program at the shelter. Shelter staff write on the Facebook page that they have been working with the kittens to prepare for their pucker-up duties with kisses and tummy tickles. Sneak a preview, courtesy of foster parent and Pups in the Park organizer Joyce Thompson-Pierce, of the kitty cam
A dozen kittens are slated for the "Kitten Kissin' Booth." Other activities scheduled include a pups promenade, a dog custom contest, a raffle, food from SactoMoFo, and of course, the chance to meet adoptable pups and kitties. Each has been health-checked, behavior tested, vaccinated, micro-chipped and fixed.
Mark your calendar and set aside some time to:
- Dine! Assorted Sacto MoFo mobile food trucks are vendors at the event. There is sure to be something tasty to tempt your buds! Sacto MoFo will donate a percentage of sales to the shelter — so bring an appetite,
- Play! Enjoy carnival-style games, vendors, photo booths, agility demonstrations, a raffle with a bounty of prizes, and more,
- Compete! Participate in a 1K Pup Promenade or the annual Doggy Costume Contest — all for the low price of $20 per dog. All proceeds benefit the animals at the Front Street Animal Shelter,
- Visit! Meet adoptable dogs from the Front Street Animal Shelter and other rescue organizations and find a new furrrever friend.
Pups in the Park takes place at McKinley Park, on Saturday, May 31, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. For more information, see the shelter's Facebook page or the event page. All proceeds benefit the Front Street Animal Shelter veterinary surgical unit.


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Here is my recipe for chili.. slow cooker style! What better way to kick off the cooler months than to celebrate my all time favorite kitchen gadget? Although it isn't true Texas Chili like my … [Read more...]
Slow Cooker Beer Barrel Turkey Chili
November 6, 2012 1 Comment
White Bean Chicken Chili
October 28, 2010 Leave a Comment
In case you haven't noticed (and read from my frequent mentionings..), its that time of year. The time of year when the one-pot wonder is at the heart of both the weeknight dinner and entertaining … [Read more...]
No Need to Miss the Cut
July 20, 2010 1 Comment
Let's get the skinny on beef. Don't be so quick to cross out red meat from your grocery list--just as long as you are selecting the healthier cuts. For instance, 3 ounces of lean sirloin steak has … [Read more...]


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My domains expired mid November. Its early January, shouldn't i be able to register it again? There appears to be a redemption period (do i need to pay extra? i think the last host i was with i didnt have to pay extra) which is 30 days + 5 for deletion. Its definitely been more then 35 days and i still can register it. Whats going on?
closed as off topic by Iain, jscott, Scott Pack, sysadmin1138♦, Ward Jan 4 '11 at 19:56
Questions on Server Fault are expected to relate to server, networking, or related infrastructure administration within the scope defined by the community. Consider editing the question or leaving comments for improvement if you believe the question can be reworded to fit within the scope. Read more about reopening questions here.If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
Contact your registrar directly. Only they will be able to tell you the exact status of your domain names.


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Inc. magazine's 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies
list is, according to Inc., the most comprehensive look at
the most important segment of the economy: America's
independent-minded entrepreneurs. So it's no surprise that several
companies in the entrepreneurial world of luxury ground
transportation are continually on this list.
"For 32 years, Inc. has welcomed the fastest-growing private companies in America into a very exclusive club. Make no mistake: The Inc. 5000 was harder to get into this year than ever in its history," said Eric Schurenberg, editor-in-chief of Inc.
Limo Digest applauds the companies in our industry—no less than three this year—who were named on the 2013 Inc. 5000. Complete results of this year's list, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000.
Congratulations to our industry's honorees!
A leading technology provider of GPS fleet tracking software for fleet-based companies, GPS Insight was ranked number 3,294 on the this year's Inc. 5000, with a three year sales growth of 97 percent. This is the fourth consecutive year that the GPS tracking company has made the list. "GPS Insight is thrilled to have experienced the growth it has over the past eight years, which has earned us a place on the Inc. 500 and Inc. 5000 for four years in a row," said Robert Donat, CEO of GPS Insight. GPS Insight utilizes high-quality GPS hardware and adds the customization and enhancements which fleet-based companies demand. GPS Insight provides highly flexible solutions, which include a wide range of customized reports, alerts, and other innovative features that can be tailored to meet specific customer requirements and ensure maximum return on investment. Using the GPS Insight solution, companies realize a significant increase in efficiency, and gain insight into all aspects of their fleet operations. For more information on GPS Insight, visit www.gpsinsight.com.
Teddy's Transportation System, a global ground transportation company based in Norwalk, CT, has been named to the Inc. 5000. "We were very excited to make the inaugural Inc. 5000 list in 2007, and are honored to repeat our success in every succeeding year," said Charles Wisniewski, president and CEO. "With business travel continuing its steady growth in our region, I'm delighted to report that we have continued to turn in a solid performance in 2013." Teddy's revenue grew 25% between 2009 and 2012, ranking the company number 4,579 on this year's list. Teddy's is the only chauffeured ground transportation company in Connecticut and the Tri-State region to make the 2013 list. Founded in 1932, Teddy's Transportation System has redefined "professional transportation solutions" by forging a strategic network of premium global partnerships and utilizing innovative technology that provides corporate purchasers, event planners and travelers with access to immediate, real-time information. For more information, visit www.teddyslimo.com.
This is the second consecutive year that James River Transportation, a full-service transportation provider and event planning organization, has made the Inc. 5000—ranked this year at number 4,521 on the list. "Our success is due to dedicated employees who are committed to serving our clients," said Stephen Story, president of James River Transportation. "Our Airport Service, Transit Service and corporate shuttles are major contributors to our growth." James River Transportation has facilities in Richmond, Williamsburg and Norfolk, VA, as well as on-site operations at Richmond International Airport and Norfolk International Airport. Services include motorcoach and minicoach transportation, airport transfers, transportation management, contract services and convention shuttles. Additional information on James River can be found at www.JamesRiverTrans.com. The company is a certified member of the International Motorcoach Group (IMG). The IMG is an invitation-only group of the top operators in North America, dedicated to providing premier ground transportation through elevated standards of performance. For more information, visit www.imgcoach.com.
Update: A belated congratulations for the following company, which also made the 2013 Inc. 5000.


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Author Archives: Jonny Hankins
On a personal note: I would very much like to see such a survey like this conducted in other countries. I have recently spent 3 years in the USA and I think the results would be very different, as I found a lot less caution and more bravado involving innovation than I've come across in Europe. Continue reading
On May 21 – 22, the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) will host the Third International Conference on Responsible Innovation in The Hague, The Netherlands, and Innovation Excellence's Jonny Hankins will present during the poster session. Continue reading
Jonny Hankins from Milan-based Bassetti Foundation spoke with Arizona-based Dr David Guston about the newly published Journal of Responsible Innovation, his aims and objectives, and the Journal's relevance to the IX community. Continue reading
How public policy addresses the issue of responsible innovation. Continue reading


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First impressions can be a slippery slope as you begun to get to know an individual and perhaps their true personality is revealed to you-intenationally or not! There are individuals that immediately strike a person as marvelously decent and well rounded human beings. The same rule can be applied to interviews and is brought up in the case of actor and teacher, Bruce Gerard Brown Jr. This Examiner.com writer was given the opportunity to interview this remarkably well adjusted and wonderfully intellectual actor and teacher about his career, his life and perhaps a shot at playing the iconic Marvel Comics character known as Black Panther as the comic book character is rumored to be on track to make his appearance in a Marvel Films production that is soon to be announced. He could also comfortably fit into the Star Wars universe as a character of his own creation called Kaanan Ardaare.
Bruce Gerard Brown Jr. is a handsome gentleman of African-American descent who is in incredible shape due to his decision to take up martial arts training. Beyond his peak physical condition, Brown's intellect matches and surpasses his striking exterior visage and this fact did manifest itself during the course of the interview! Introductions are needed and Brown begins, "I was born in New Orleans and my immediate family and I left New Orleans in the early 80's and relocated to Inglewood, California. I remained in Southern California for several years. From Inglewood we moved to the Inland Valley-the Pomona and Claremont area where I attended all of my schools from Philadelphia Elementary to St. Joseph's and then Claremont High School." Brown continues to reminisce, "I began my Master's at actually Cal-Poly Pomona and finished it at the prestigious University of Phoenix!" It was and is quite evident that this is a man who has a thirst for knowledge and is justifiably proud of that fact. Brown continues, "I taught high school, ran the drama program at two school sites and returned to New Orleans in 2010. I have just recently returned to Los Angeles about a month ago."
One of the most endearing personality traits that Bruce Gerard Brown Jr. honestly exhibits is that he is incredibly humble. It is immediately evident when he discusses the martial arts in relation to his skill level. Bruce candidly speaks, "I don't know if I have mastered anything. That is a title reserved for women and men who absolutely and unequivocally dedicated their lives to that form of discipline. I will never be able to call myself that, but I will say that I have become proficient in some styles. I began wrestling towards the end of middle school and then in high school. I wound up wrestling freestyle and Greco-Roman style. It was a great way to maintain discipline and remain in good shape." Brown continues, "by the time I got in college, two upper class-men introduced me to the idea that there was an Afro-centric form of martial arts that existed called Capoeira which originated in Brazil by way of West African slaves. I eventually picked up Muay Thai at nineteen years old, but I wasn't that good with my upper appendages so I began to cross train and eventually learn to box. I morphed those styles and that was before M.M.A. was even a term because I was always interested in multiple forms of martial arts." Brown adds, "every martial artist I know will always give respect to Bruce Lee because he was one of the first people to publicly say that synthesizing martial arts is the best way to come up with the ultimate form or style."
If there was one defining moment in the life of a very young Bruce Gerard Brown Jr. that had paved the way for the rest of his life it was perhaps this incident that Brown remembers quite vividly. Bruce states, "if it weren't for Star Wars, I probably would not be in the industry! When I was a kid, my mom took me to see a double feature of Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back. I had a lot of questions for my mom. I asked her what are we going to do? I said to her that the empire had won and Darth Vader got away, Han Solo was frozen in carbonite and Luke Skywalker had his hand cut off! My mom had told me that it is make believe and all we could do is wait for the next movie to come out. What we saw was a story being told on the screen and those people aren't real, but there are people who play those parts! She said they were actors that get paid to be those people and hell I immediately thought that what I want to do!" Bruce continues with a joyous laugh, "Star Wars has been the my entire reason for continuing to exist in a place where I can tell stories."
Many continue to dream of being involved in the Star Wars franchise and these dreams do not go past that stage and then there are others like Bruce Gerard Brown Jr. who continue to break down barriers to make such dreams a reality. A tale must be told about how Brown created his own opportunity in the Star Wars universe through the creation of a character by name of Kaanan Ardaare and it is best told by the storyteller himself. Brown speaks, "there is a character that I have been working since I have been an undergrad that started off as a what if. A friend of mine named Vincent Nanni and I had created these Star Wars characters. I was having a very difficult time coming up with a good concept, but I did know I wanted the characters to exist around the great Jedi Purge. At that time the prequels hadn't been released yet, but we had already known from expanded universe comics and the Ballantine Books in the 70's and 80's that the Jedi were hunted down and killed. I like biblical references when I come up with names so I wanted a name that alluded to someone that doesn't have the best genealogy or maybe he came from a place that was a little bit darker, but that doesn't dismiss the fact that he is a Jedi." Bruce continues, "I liked the fact with Star Wars that you could tweak things, so I decided that it would be interesting if I used the name with a K. Names as you know sometimes describe the essence of a character. The last name was thought by Vincent and I believe it is a Latin derivative of fire, although I am not entirely sure. He was going to be a good guy and that much I decided."
What is the character's relation to Star Wars and what has become of him? How and why did Bruce team up with development producer, Erik Von Wodtke and artist, Douglas A. Sirois to create what is essentially a pitch? Bruce Gerard Brown Jr. fills in the blanks. Bruce speaks, "I have been essentially researching Star Wars ever since I was born pretty much-expanded universe and otherwise so I was asked to create these stories. Erik is very good at coming up with ideas and he has been real good at that. I'm a little bit more practical. I am the realist and that is why we make such a great team. It worked out so we knew we had a pitch and we needed someone that could illustrate them visually. That's where Doug came in because we had both enjoyed his art. Erik and Doug had established a business relationship and he suggested that Doug should be the artist. He invited me to be the one to embellish the art by creating stories with those subplots and basically treatments."
Bruce Gerard Brown Jr. had worked on the concept and storyline with Erik Von Wodtke and it should be noted that the character of Kaanan Ardaare appears to be Brown himself which must surely have been a dream come true for a lifelong Star Wars fan such as Bruce. Brown comments, "Erik has said that if the character is going to be in your likeness-we should use some poses so Douglas could use them as a template!" Bruce continues with an enthusiastic laugh and responds,"I said of course!" Brown continues, "my cousin, Sean Ellis did some poses over at the Claremont College one night and used Kali Sticks as a stand in for light sabers."
The stories and images that were created had come to fruition in the year, 2008 and also gave Bruce a unique opportunity to possibly run with the pitch that he and Erik had crafted. Brown speaks, "I remember when, Megan(Erik's wife), Erik and I attended the Star Wars breakfast at the 2008 Comic-Con. At the time, Mary Franklin and Steve Sansweet were the heads of fan relations and we wanted to make sure they had a copy of what we had done because we were super damn excited. We wanted to get it into George Lucas' hands and we were a person or two away from that there. Ultimately we wanted to get it into the right hands and I think we did!" It is this thought that can be justified because of recent developments in the new Star Wars series called Star Wars Rebels that has caused this columnist and perhaps many others to pause for a moment. Could Dave Filoni have been inspired by the story treatment that was handed to Franklin and Sansweet or is the inclusion of similarly named character in Star Wars Rebel be a mere coincidence? Bruce addresses this with remarkable aplomb! Brown speaks, "I am actually very excited to see Star Wars Rebels. I will tell you this that it would be beyond flattering to know that our work was the inspiration for something that has been made. Of course I would also like to see something closer in tone to what I have created." It is yet another admirable quality that Bruce Gerard Brown Jr. exhibited which was that of an artist that can see that inspiration can be a factor in properties that are eventually transformed into products that can be seen by the general public and that he is does not blindly point an accusatory finger against others. Brown continues to be supportive of new Star Wars incarnations that are released and he enthusiastically states, "we are happy for him and anything remotely Star Wars. As a professional I don't plan on ever stopping until I am involved in some kind of way and whether I will be carrying a blaster or light saber I know there is something for me!"
The incredible amount of superhero films that have been released and will be released might present Bruce Gerard Brown Jr. with another opportunity to portray an iconic character. The very well established Marvel Comics character named the Black Panther became the subject of much discussion as this reporter brought up the notion that Brown would be a brilliant choice to portray T'Challa. Bruce's enthusiasm is contagious! Brown speaks, "T'Challa from Wakanda! That would be bad-ass! I have been wanting to see a Black Panther film for a long time." Bruce speaks about the character with reverence and knowledge that goes far beyond fanboy adulation. He speaks of the seminal Marvel Comics character with the gravitas of the learned academician that he is. Brown illustrates, "there was an episode of the animated series where Captain America ends up dropping into Wakanda(Black Panther's country) and the Black Panther addresses him by saying that we take care of our own business here. They proceed to go toe-to-toe and he taught Steve Rogers a lesson." Bruce continues with the most remarkable approximation of the Black Panther's accent, "one day you will be to your country what I am to mine!" Brown punctuates his quote with a hearty laugh and states, "I thought it was the most brilliant line I think I have ever heard in an animated series!"
What does the immediate future hold for this dynamic actor who has appeared in such high profile television dramas such as 24 and The Unit? Bruce details, "I am always on the lookout for a project, but for the time being one of my mentors, Mr. Bill Cobbs and I are working on a short of which I don't want to divulge too much of at this moment. I hope to release it before Halloween. I will continue to teach and thankfully I have a principal who understands that as a working actor sometimes I need to jump ship for a few days. That has yet to be a problem." Bruce Gerard Brown Jr. is a remarkable realist who continues to juggle two full time jobs as a teacher and as an actor. He concludes with a wonderfully optimistic statement that is grounded in reality. Bruce Gerard Brown Jr. happily states, "there will be a time when I won't be able to do both and that time will be a blessing and not a curse!"


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Manson Fire District 5's water rescue training turned into swift water training last night as crews battled 10-15 MPH winds at the Manson Marina.
Personnel from the fire department, EMS and the ChelanCounty Sheriff's marine patrol were on hand to put their hours of classroom instruction into hands-on training as we head into the summer and the boating season.
In WashingtonState, an average of 25 children and teens drown every year. Most of them are swimming, boating or just playing in or near water.
Manson Fire Chief, Arnold Baker, says it is an important element that his department has access to water training right at their fingertips.
KOZI was on hand for last night's water rescue training and will have those photos posted on our Facebook page and our website at kozi.com."CLICK HERE" for Audio


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Fell In Love With the Bully~~Fell In Love With the Bully~~Fell In Love With the Bully~~ by IxLOVExBOTDFxBITCHHH
Dahvie's p.o.v
I woke up to the sound of the shower, URGH, why is it the bathroom is right next to my door!
I stretched and groaned.
Mum walked in.
"Chop chop, the shower is ready, have a shower and get dressed, you have school today" she smiled
"Mum, we just moved in! I don't wanna go to school!" I groaned
"Dahvie, listen, I'm sure there won't be any bullies, we're in San Diego! I remember when I was a kid, there weren't any bullies!" She said rubbing my back after sitting on the bed besides me
I looked at the ground and nodded.
"Besides, if they hate you, it's their loss" she laughed
I smiled and hugged her
"Thank you" I whispered
She then got up and gave me a towel, this house is pretty awesome.
I had a shower and wore my normal outfit, zebra cut-offs, LINKIN PARK t-shirt, converse boots, goggles on my spiked up purple and black hair, and my usual makeup, unity stripes, purple lipstick and black nail varnish.
I took my bag and walked downstairs.
"Mum, I
Dahvie's ConfessionHow am I going to do this. I hope he doesn't reject me. I've heard from other guys he's slept with say that he was a sex god and judging by the delicious moans coming from his room when those guys are over in there, I'd say that they weren't lying. Breathe in and out, in and out. Okay, I think I'm ready to tell him. I started walking down from my room to see Jayy dancing shirtless in his booty shorts and fishnets. I dropped my mouth in awe. I just stood there watching him shake his ass. I could feel myself hardening. Shit! I tore my eyes off of his ass and walked towards him. I decided to sneak up on him. I carefully and quietly walked up behind him.Dahvie's Confession by LoveforJayy
I wrapped my arms around him in a hug. In my arms I felt him jump a little. I dropped my arms from around him. He turned around in my arms and smiled at me hugely. "You scared me a little. What's up Dahvs?" I looked at him and smiled shyly. "I have something to tell you." He


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|A Basic Guide to Exporting: Satisfying Intl Product Certification Requirements --
|Register for this event
|Event Summary:
Products tested and certified in the United States to American standards may have to be retested and re-certified in other markets. Learn when this might be the case, what resources exist to confirm such information, and how to go about international product certification for international sales.
A Basic Guide to Exporting Webinar on "Satisfying International Product Certification Requirements"
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
2 - 3 PM Eastern
Fee: $15, payable by credit card.
For more information, please contact email@example.com.
|Douglas Barry, TPP
Senior International Trade Specialist
Phone: 202-482-4422
|Linda Abbruzzese, TPP
International Trade Specialist
Phone: 202-482-3787


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Highs today will reach the low to mid 80s with mostly sunny skies.
Overnight, we remain dry and lows drop to the the to mid 60s.
Friday, highs hit the upper 80s… and by Saturday we may see temps in the low 90s. There's a very slight chance for rain early Saturday morning.
There's not much to talk about… as we stay dry for much of the forecast. But, get ready to feel the heat again. Starting next Monday temps remain in the 90s, and we could possibly hit the mid 90s by Wednesday.
If you're hoping for rain, the chances don't look good. So far this month we've picked up .11″ of rain, that's more than an inch and a half below average for the month.


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BJ Thompson, Co-Founder
BJ was born and raised in Dallas, Tx and came to know Jesus at 19. He and his beautiful wife Vanja have been married for a decade and have 3 children. For 3 years he served with recording artist Lecrae at Reachlife and completed a 3-year Pastoral Residency at Fellowship Memphis church, under Bryan Loritts. Over the past 10 years he has partnered with several churches and ministries to help develop marriages, form small groups, and train leaders globally. Currently BJ serves as the co-founder (2008) of Build a Better Us. He has a Bachelors degree in Sociology from the University of North Texas and a Masters in Christian Studies from Union University.
Hassan Saleem, Co-Founder
Hassan is a native of Memphis and co-founder of Build a Better Us. He met the Lord at the age of seven, but didn't get to know Him intimately until the age of 22 and has been devoted to teaching and ministering his Word ever since. As a young adult, he began ministering to youth and his peers through coaching various athletic teams and being involved in Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Through many years of training young boys in their individual sporting events, the Lord revealed to him, that it was his calling to train them to become godly young men and teach them the gospel of Jesus Christ.
He has been happily married and committed to his wife Tiffeny since 2001. With this union, the Lord blessed them with three wonderful sons. After being away for his college matriculation since 1998, the Lord lead Hassan to move back home in 2006 from Frankfort, Kentucky to minister to inner city youth as a teacher in the Memphis City Schools. In addition to his Bachelor of Science in Physical Education and Health from Kentucky State University, Hassan has a Masters of Education Administration from the University of Cincinnati. He uses his gifts and abilities to mentor men in his community and multiple married and engaged couples, serving as an advocate for faithfulness to the Lord and also faithfulness to their respective spouses in everyday life. Hassan is most passionate about prayer, Christ-centered family and authentic biblical community.
Hassan currently serves on the elder board at Fellowship Memphis Church with numerous shepherding ministries within the congregation involving small group leadership and also as chairman of the Downtown Outpost Advisory Board. As a passionate, prayer warrior he and his wife serve as the Memphis Weekend to Remember Marriage Conference Prayer Team Directors. In his spare time, he enjoys spending quality time with his wife and three sons.
Jeff Howard, Lead Shepherd
Jeff is originally from Harlan, Kentucky where he was born and raised. In the fall of 2007 the Lord saved him from living a selfish and prodigal life. Shortly after this time Jeffrey felt called to serve the Lord with his life by working in vocational ministry. He studied at the Memphis Center for Urban and Theological Studies pursuing his degree in Biblical Ministries with an emphasis on Biblical Counseling. He has been working with DownLine Ministries since the spring of 2009 where he works with their Emerging Leader program. In May of 2010 Jeff married his beautiful wife Christina and they are expecting their first child in August of 2012. He serves on the Building A Better Us team as a Lead Shepherd. He is honored to be a part of such a great ministry that has a focus on restoring Gospel centered marriages.


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Media whitewash yet another 'honor' killing
by Pamela Geller:
Last Thursday, Fox News Detroit aired a revealing segment on my AFDI/SIOA Jessica Mokdad Human Rights Conference on honor killing and Islamic law, which will be held on April 29 in Dearborn, Mich. The segment was originally supposed to air last Sunday, the day that the multiple first-degree murder verdict came down in the Shafia mass honor killing in Canada, but was inexplicably delayed. The segment focused on the fact that Mokdad family members, one in particular, are livid that we are using Jessica's name in connection with "honor killing." Various female Mokdad family members, including Jessica's "stepmother," Cassandra Mokdad, alleged that Jessica's murder was not an honor killing, despite the overwhelming evidence that it was.
The report was typical for the mainstream media and unworthy of Fox, which, while not perfect, is generally much better than its competitors:
Clint Eastwood's Chrysler Super Bowl Ad: The Untold Obama Connection
Clint Eastwood's Chrysler Super Bowl Ad: The Untold Obama Connection
The Catholic Church Has Launched A Fight Against Obama That's Unprecedented In American History
The Catholic Church Has Launched A Fight Against Obama That's Unprecedented In American History
Proposed Explanation For Repeated Jewish Persecution Throughout History
by John J. Xenakis:
Throughout my lifetime, one historical question I've heard raised over and over again involved the Nazi Holocaust: How was it possible that ordinary Germans participated in the genocide of millions of perfect nice, loyal German citizens, simply because they were Jewish? One might attribute the attitude of Adolf Hitler himself to some kind of psychosis, but how is it conceivable that ordinary Germans apparently had no "moral compass," and willingly proceeded in this genocide? More broadly, why is it that Jews in particular have been persecuted in many countries throughout history? Generational Dynamics theory provides a proposed explanation for all of these questions.
From the point of view of generational theory, there is a catastrophe in progress in the current time that is equivalent to the Holocaust: The financial crisis, caused by "financial engineers" in banks and other institutions around the world that purposely created highly complex but fraudulent synthetic securities, and then paid off peers at ratings agencies to give them AAA ratings. How could so many ordinary professionals, including lawyers, accountants and regulators, consistently abandon their professional ethics to create such a massive fraud that's destroyed so many lives, with the worst yet to come?
The Holocaust is a uniquely violent event in human history, and no Gen-Xers have killed Boomers in the financial crisis. But the two events share the same kind of underlying generational behavior, differing only in degree.
You may be a suspected terrorist if you oppose 'taxes and regulations'
Rick Moran:
Yes, yes, I know…the FBI isn't saying here that ALL people who oppose taxes and regulations are terrorists. But I can imagine them spying on tea party members just to make sure.
'Germany's George Monbiot' turns climate sceptic
By James Delingpole:
"Seit 12 Jahren ist die Erd-Erwärmung gestoppt!"
When the Germans start running headlines like that in their biggest tabloid newspaper, you know that for the eco loons Der Krieg ist Verloren. It means "Global Warming stopped twelve years ago," and it's part of a serialisation being run by Bild (circulation: 4 million) of Germany's newest surprise bestseller – a climate sceptical book called Die Kalte Sonne (The Cold Sun). (H/T Jay)
What's even more surprising is this: one of the authors, Professor Fritz Vahrenholt, is a former environment minister and well-known green activist. P Gosselin at No Tricks Zone has the story:
Romneycare Required Anti-Catholic Regulations Like Obamacare's
By Jim Meyers:
Mitt Romney is vociferously attacking a provision in Obamacare requiring religious employers to cover birth control in employee health plans — but the healthcare bill he enacted as governor of Massachusetts also contained that requirement.
C.J. Doyle, executive director of the Catholic Action League of Massachusetts, told the Boston Globe that Romney's criticism of President Obama is hypocritical because as governor he did not lift the state-level requirement of contraception coverage.
"The initial injury to Catholic religious freedom came not from the Obama administration, but from the Romney administration," Doyle said.
The Fallout from Christian Legal Society
By Robert Shibley:
Since the Supreme Court's sharply divided and startlingly wrongheaded decision two years ago in Christian Legal Society v. Martinez, those concerned about religious liberty on campus have known that the fallout was on its way. At Vanderbilt University, it has arrived — and it's as bad as anticipated.
In Martinez, the Court determined that public institutions like the University of California's Hastings College of the Law could require all student groups — even those based on shared belief, such as religious and political organizations — to admit members and even leaders without regard to their beliefs. Groups like the Christian Legal Society (CLS), whose constitution required students to have traditional Christian beliefs (such as in Christ's bodily resurrection) and morals (no sexual activity outside heterosexual marriage), could be required to remove those provisions from their constitutions and admit "all comers," or else face "derecognition" and the corresponding loss of access to meeting space and other benefits that all other groups enjoyed. To lack recognition is basically not to exist at all on today's college campus.
Justice Alito, writing for the minority in the 5–4 decision, warned that the decision would be used as a "weapon" against groups with viewpoints that are unpopular among the vast majority of college administrators, since the immediate negative impact of the decision would fall mostly upon the religiously and politically conservative groups those administrators already disfavor. Other critics such as the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE, where I work) warned that an all-comers policy would sweep within its ambit political groups as well, and invite takeovers and spying by members of opposing groups who wished to cause mischief or even destroy their rivals. At minimum, such a policy guarantees that a group will have no mechanism to maintain a consistent message.
Non-Worthwhile Canadian Initiative
By Mark Steyn:
Since John J. Miller got the ball rolling at dawn, the NR bigwigs have spent the day weighing in on that New York Times story about how the U.S. Constitution is now as pitifully déclassé as a 2006 Blackberry:
In a television interview during a visit to Egypt last week, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the Supreme Court seemed to agree. "I would not look to the United States Constitution if I were drafting a constitution in the year 2012," she said. She recommended, instead, the South African Constitution, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms or the European Convention on Human Rights.
As it happens, I have been on the receiving end of the "Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms," a characteristically modish piece of Trudeaupiana foisted on the country in the early Eighties. As I wrote here:
Since this magazine and I were ensnared in the "human rights" machinery, I've come to regard Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms as—what's the legal term?—oh, yeah, a worthless piece of crap.
If that's insufficiently legalistic, I've also described it as "a worthless piece of junk." By design, it excludes property rights, which Locke, Montesquieu, and other irrelevant dead guys all saw as an indispensable condition for liberty. It embeds identity-group preferences as a constitutional principle. And it empowers hack bureaucrats to determine the appropriate balance between genuine rights such as free speech and the pseudo-"rights" doled out by the state's social engineers. It represents, as do many of the more fashionable constitutions admired in the Times piece, a precise inversion of the definition of "rights." As I put it to one of the Charter's many admirers:
Girls as young as 13 have been fitted with contraceptive implants at school without their parents knowing
Girls as young as 13 have been fitted with contraceptive implants at school without their parents knowing
Palestinians seem to have an economic interest in perpetuating conflict with Israel
Palestinians seem to have an economic interest in perpetuating conflict with Israel
The High Price of Telling the Truth About Islam
by Eric Allen Bell:
[Editor's note: The article below is written by Eric Allen Bell, a filmmaker who was recently banned from blogging at the "Daily Kos" because he wrote three articles that ran afoul of the mindset there, specifically naming "Loonwatch.com" as a "terrorist spin control network." Frontpage invited him to tell his story, which he does below.]
A strange thing happened to me the other day when I was driving past the Federal Building in Los Angeles. There were a crowd of people assembled there with signs which said that Israel is an aggressive force in the Middle East and that Iran is being picked on. As I stopped at a red light I heard a man with a mega phone lead the protesters in a chant charging Obama with genocide. I saw many young people and several Muslim women with their heads covered. It was an anti-war demonstration that probably a year ago I would have supported. But although I am not in favor of military action, I know that Iran is not another Iraq, and that in fact there is more going on here than the overly-simplified picture that the protestors were painting, as cars drove by honking in support. As the light turned green another sign caught my eye – a picture of the Twin Towers burning which read "911 Was an Inside Job". As I looked at a sea of Palestinian flags and college kids banging on drums I felt a certain frustration – frustration based on a series of events that have changed my world view.
Trashing the Constitution
by Joseph Klein:
Every Supreme Court justice is required, under Article VI of the United States Constitution, to be bound by his or her oath or affirmation "to support this Constitution." Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has just broken this commitment by insulting, in front of a foreign audience, the very document she is sworn to support.
In an interview during her visit to Cairo, which aired January 30, 2012 on Al-Hayat TV, Justice Ginsburg advised the Egyptian people to ignore the U.S. Constitution in preparing their own new constitution. It's just too "old," she said. Instead, Justice Ginsburg lavished praise on several post-World War II foreign documents such as the South African constitution, Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and the European Convention on Human Rights.
"I might look at the constitution of South Africa," Justice Ginsburg said. It is "a great piece of work that was done."
"You would almost certainly look at the European Convention on Human Rights," she continued.
Economic Chaos Ahead
by Walter Williams:
Let's think about the kind of mess that we're in. Federal 2010 Medicare and Medicaid expenditures totaled $800 billion. The projected annual growth of both programs is about 7 percent. Social Security expenditures are more than $700 billion a year. According to the 2009 Social Security and Medicare trustees reports, by 2030, 49 percent of federal revenues will go for Social Security and Medicare payments. The unfunded liability of both programs is already $106 trillion.
But not to worry. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that it's possible to sustain today's level of federal spending and even achieve a balanced budget. All that Congress would have to do is raise the lowest income tax bracket of 10 percent to 25 percent and the middle tax bracket of 25 percent to 66 percent and raise the 35 percent tax bracket to 92 percent. That's a static vision that assumes that people will have no response and they'll work just as hard and send more money to Washington. If Congress did legislate such tax increases, it would be the economic equivalent of committing national hara-kiri.
NY Times: Anti-American
'Terse, Old' Constitution Outdated for Failing to Guarantee 'Entitlements' Like Health Care, Says NYTimes
Europe Moving Even Farther Left
by Peter Martino:
What will happen if the euro collapses? Politicians such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy say it will be an unmitigated disaster. They depict a gloomy future in which complete chaos follows and the nations of Europe go back to their past habit of waging war on each other.
Swiss professor Bruno S. Frey of the University of Zurich, however, is not impressed. Last week he published an article in which he called these scaremongering statements "careless" and "totally misleading." The euro, the EU, and Europe are far from being identical, he points out. Not all the countries in Europe are members of the European Union – Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, Ukraine, and a number of others are not. Nor do all the EU member states use the euro as their currency – such as Britain, Sweden, Denmark, Poland and a number of others.
Obama appointee muzzled Army chaplains, forbade reading of anti-Obamacare Catholic Archdiocese letter
Obama appointee muzzled Army chaplains, forbade reading of anti-Obamacare Catholic Archdiocese letter
Democrats to continue Internet coup with new cyber bill
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Herman Cain Brags About Ties to Koch Brothers
Herman Cain, the ever-unconventional Republican White House hopeful who is besieged by allegations of sexual harassment during the 1990s, welcomed fresh scrutiny Friday for his ties to a pair of conservative billionaires who fund grassroots efforts to unseat Democrats across the country.
Speaking at the Defending the Dream Conference, Mr. Cain touted his relationship with Charles and David Koch, the brothers who run Koch Industries and fund numerous conservative groups, including the organizer of Friday's event, Americans for Prosperity.
"I'm proud to know the Koch brothers," Mr. Cain told the crowd of about 2,000 activists gathered at the Washington Convention Center. "I am the Koch brothers brother from another mother…and proud of it."
His remarks spawned a wave of applause in the convention hall and prompted cheers from David Koch, who attended the event. Mr. Cain referred specifically to a Friday story in the New York Times that outlined ties between the candidate and his campaign to groups funded by the Kochs. Pointing to the article, he said the Times makes "it sound like we had time to go fishing together, hunting together, skiing together, golfing together."
Mr. Cain didn't directly address the controversy that erupted this week when Politico reported two female employees had accused him of sexual harassment during his tenure as the head of a prominent Washington trade group in the 1990s. But he did joke about his week in Washington.
"You know I've been in Washington all week. I've attracted a little bit of attention," Mr. Cain said. "That's kind of what happens when you show up near or at the top of the polls. It just happens that way."
Under fire all week, Mr. Cain ducked out of the event without addressing a swarm of reporters who gathered outside the ballroom where he spoke.
Mr. Cain's campaign has come under additional fire after the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Mr. Cain's chief of staff, Mark Block, used money from a tax-exempt, nonprofit to pay for travel and equipment for the campaign. Such organizations cannot make contributions to federal campaigns.


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So former Heisman Winner and current QB of the National Champion Florida Gators has decide that one more year at Florida would be the best thing for his development – I do believe he can become a NFL QB. But it will take time and another year of seasoning would be best for him.
Archive for category NCAA
Hey folks
Here's my latest article on NFLDraftbible – Arizona OT Eben Britton declared for the NFL draft on Jan 3rd and this article covers why I think it was the right decision for him. Feel free to discuss in the comments here or on NFLDraftbible.com.
Also, my pick for tonight's game is Oklahoma. If the Sooners contain Tebow – and I feel they will – and if they get ahead…. well, it's going to be hard for Tebow, a great athlete but not a great QB (boy will I get hate mail), to throw them back into a game.
Should be a good game though. Dunno how people are calling for a Gator blowout.
Hey folks
Another edition of NFLDraftbible's Decision Time – this time I was talking about USC quarterback Mark Sanchez.
Check it and many other awesome articles over at NFLDraftbible.com.
For those of you waiting, Draftguys.com will be back up and moving forward soon, so I am told. Am already working on a few things for them.
God I love Draft season.
Hey folks. as we move into the non-playing season, we here at the Blurb (which would be me and…. well me – it's a small staff) shift into a college prospect place. I will be doing a ton of draft coverage for Draftguys.com, NFLDraftbible and various other outlets. So you'll be seeing a ton of links over the next months as I tell you where to find what i am doing.
First up is the beginning of a series of articles for NFLDraftbible about Underclassmen who may apply to enter the draft – it's called Decision Time. There will be a bunch of these by various writers over the next week to ten days, so make sure you check the site out often and not just when I link.
Most of my stuff is going to be on Pac-10 juniors – but there are many great writers covering the whole NCAA spectrum so head over there.
Hey folks – the breakdown on College Football Insiders went up while I was Christmas shopping and dropping the Blurbmobile off at the service center for a severe case of electrical issues.
Here is the breakdown for the Poinsettia Bowl!
Also you may have noticed that there are no top positional rankings for week 16. That's because we will be talking about the season rankings on tomorrow's extended Thundering Blurb News Stampede. Starts at 9am PST/noon EST and goes 60 Minutes!
Stop by, won't you?
And Happy Holidays to those unable to make it – thanks for making us a part of your Fantasy Footbal lSeason!
Here are a couple of previews I did for the NFLDraftbible and College Football Insiders -
New Mexico Bowl – Colorado State vs Fresno State
Las Vegas Bowl – BYU vs Arizona
All that and much more great content for Bowl games, draft prospects and much more over at NFLDraftbible.com!
Sam Bradford wins Heisman
Dec 13
As I said in my breakdown yesterday, all three finalists were outstanding this season but Sam Bradford stood out above the other two.
Nice speech, over-long ceremony, now we can get onto the field and settle this whole 'National Championship' nonsense.
Bradford is certainly a guy who might end up being a good NFL Pro if he continues to develop the way he has. As I said, he looks like he has all the tools.
Here are my thoughts on the three finalists for the 2008 Heisman Trophy. I think all three are excellent athletes and was very impressed with them over the course of this season. Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree and quarterback Graham Harrell were also two guys I thought highly of who did not make it – and there are several more players who were probably in the conversation, but did not make the cut. Here are my thoughts on the three finalists.
Tim Tebow –
Tebow has been here before, a fact that could prevent him from winning as much as help. Voters are just as likely to give someone else a shot since Tebow already became the first sophomore to ever win the award. Only one other player has ever won a pair of Heismans – Archie Griffin, running back for THE Ohio State Buckeyes won back to back in 1974 and 1975. Tebow's numbers aren't as gaudy as McCoy or Bradford's. 2515 yards and 28 TDs almost seem pedestrian next to their numbers. But while he may not throw often, he also rarely makes mistakes and has just a pair of interceptions to his name. Tebow is also dangerous with his feet, running for 564 yards this season and totaling 12 touchdowns on the ground. More than anything, voters have to be impressed with his leadership – after losing to unranked Ole Miss (at home no less), Tebow stepped up and took responsibility for the loss. "You have never seen any player in the entire country play as hard as I will play the rest of this season," Tebow said afterwards. "And you'll never see someone push the rest of the team as hard as I will push everybody the rest of this season, and you'll never see a team play harder than we will the rest of this season." And push he did, playing near flawless football the following nine games and capping the season with three touchdowns and 216 yards in the victory over then #1 Alabama. He did it all season long and did it against some of the top defenses in college football.
Sam Bradford –
His numbers speak for themselves – 4464 yards, 48 TDs and just 6 interceptions are nothing to sneeze at.
Colt McCoy –
There are a fair amount of people who are still lamenting
My thoughts –
I would not be surprised with any of the three walking away with the award. I think McCoy has the biggest hill to climb. He's tough and a gamer, but he faced very few top defenses and missing out on that Big 12 Championship game was unfortunate, especially with voters getting an extra look at Bradford and Tebow. He proved himself very tough, running the ball a ton, at what seems like half of Tebow's size. On the other hand, Tebow has been here before which is good and bad. I think history has shown that the voters like to see some new faces win and that makes it tough to predict the Gator quarterback winning. He's faced the toughest defenses of the trio and put the team on his back when needed.
As I said, no name called from that podium Saturday night will surprise me (Unless Graham Harrell wins. Which would be kinda odd.) and looking at this season I think all three have made excellent cases for themselves. If I had a vote – I think
Taking away nothing from the other two, I think Sam Bradford should be the Heisman Trophy winner for this season. I am excited to find out who the actual voters think should be the guy Saturday night.
Heisman Finalists
Dec 11
As I mentioned on the show this morning, the finalists for this years Heisman are Florida's Tim Tebow, Texas Longhorn Colt McCoy and Oklahoma's Sam Bradford. Winner is announced Saturday night (I was kidding when I said 'it's not like they hand the award out this weekend' on the podcasts, but I appreciate the multiple emails correcting me. My sarcasm is weak apparently. ).
I will have my thoughts on this Saturday morning for your perusal but I think it's Bradford or Tebow who are the frontrunners. But who knows? Analysis forthcoming on Saturday!
A little late – and the Bowl dance cards are all filled out but here it is nonetheless. We'll have coverage of the majors as we hit the end of the year. But for now, we wrap up the final non-Bowl week of the 2008 NCAA College Football season.
#4 Florida 31, #1 Alabama 20
In a hard fought and see-sawing match, Gator quarterback Tim Tebow threw a trio of touchdown passes and secured a spot for Florida in the National Championship game. It was a slugfest the whole way and both teams earned every yard. But in the end, Tebow showed why he's on the cusp of another Heisman Trophy with a gutsy, poised performance.
#2 Oklahoma 62, #20 Missouri 21
The Sooners romped all over the Tigers as they locked down their spot in the BCS Championship game and won the Big 12 in the process. Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford put in another example of why, like Tebow, he is in the thick of the Heisman race, throwing for 384 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The Sooners rolled the opposition, totaling 627 yards.
USC only dropped one game, and an early one at that. But a weak Pac-10 conference prevented them from making up any real ground and a final game against an entirely overmatched UCLA team didn't help matters. USC had little troubl with their crosstown rivals – Mark Sanchez threw for 269 yards, two touchdowns and an INT, while Joe McKnight led the ground attack with 99 yards and a 12 yard touchdown run. They will meet Penn State in the Rose Bowl, the fourth time in a row they have headed to the game. They also won their seventh consecutive BCS bid, completed their seventh straight 11-win season and and won their seventh Pac-10 Championship in a row.
#12 Ball State 24, Buffalo 42
Ball State just couldn't hang onto the ball last Friday, as they fell to unranked Buffalo and losing the MAC Championship. Five turnovers spelled doom for the Cardinals, all of which in some way shape or form came from quarterback Nate Davis. Buffalo scored after each of the fumbles and those turnovers overshadowed Davis' otherwise solid stats (351 yards and a touchdown). The Bulls ended Ball State's perfect season and became Bowl eligible for the first time since they joined the majors in 1999. The school had previously been invited to the Tangerine Bowl in 1958 but turned it down since their African-American players would not have been allowed to play. That team will travel to Toronto for the International Bowl with the current team.
#13 Cincinnati 29, Hawaii 24
The Bearcats had to surge late to overcome an upset in Hawaii, rallying with 19 points in the 4th quarter in a hard-fought battle in Aloha Stadium.
#25 Virginia Tech 30, #17 Boston College 12
Virginia Tech was able to turn turnovers into points and that was all the difference as they beat the Eagles, won the ACC Championship and locked themselves into an Orange Bowl appearence. BC has beaten the Hokies twice in the last two regular seasons but VT has now won it's second ACC title in a row (a first in the ACC) and their third in the five years they have been in the conference.
#23 Pittsburgh 34, UCONN 10
The Pitt Panthers are headed to the Sun Bowl o nthe strength of their first 9 win season since 1982. Running back LeSean McCoy turned in another good performance with 95 yards and a touchdown.


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Snow Day, Coach of the Year
Monday, December 14, 4:00 p.m. PT
While Monday was a day off for students throughout the Eugene/Springfield area due to a rare December snowfall in the Emerald Valley, Oregon's student-athletes still had to take care of business - practicing, lifting, meeting, etc. - in preparation for their Holiday Bowl showdown with No. 13 Oklahoma State Dec. 30. The Ducks will have time to enjoy the wintry weather over the next two days, while coaches return to the recruiting trail, before resuming workouts on Thursday.
Native Hawaiian Pono Kam is a bit out of his element, running to make the start of practice in the Moshofsky Center.
Coach of the Year After All
The Sporting News released its annual college football awards today and named Mike Bellotti as its Pac-10 Coach of the Year. Of the four major conference awards chosen, coach of the year was the only one that differed from the Pac-10's choices released last week. Bellotti's 2008 charges finished second in the Pac-10 and won nine games (thus far) - a feat accomplished only 11 times in the 113 years of Oregon football. Seven of those nine-win (or more) campaigns have home during Bellotti's 14 years as UO head coach.
Kickin' It Cold School
Jim Radcliffe, Oregon's Strength and Conditioning coach, typically handles the kickers (punters and placekickers) and long snappers during football practices, and saw no reason today why his guys should workout indoors.
Who says kickers are soft? These guys didn't seem to mind the 21-degree temperature.
If it snows at the Holiday Bowl, Matt Evensen will definitely have an advantage over the opposition in the kicking department.
Easily one of the coolest pics ever posted on Duck Feed, courtesy of Ben Gese.
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Jan. 11, 2012
LOS ANGELES - Both the UCLA men's and women's tennis teams head to individual tournaments this week in preparation for the dual-match season, which is set to kick off in the next few weeks.
Eight UCLA men's players will be competing just up the road in Thousand Oaks, Calif., as the Bruins are one of four teams competing at the 2011 Sherwood Collegiate Cup at the Sherwood Country Club. In addition to UCLA, the tournamet features top players from Stanford, USC and Baylor. Senior Nick Meister is the lone seeded Bruin in singles, checking in at No. 5. He is also seeded No. 4 in doubles with partner Clay Thompson. The tournament begins on Friday and concludes on Monday.
Click HERE for complete Sherwood draws with match times. In addition, scoring updates throughout the day can be found on twitter.
The Bruin men open up the 2012 dual-match season at home on Jan. 20 against BYU.
On the women's side, UCLA is sending seven players to Las Vegas for the Freeman Memorial Championships at UNLV's Fertitta Tennis Complex. Freshman Robin Anderson is seeded No. 2 in the main singles draw. She is also seeded No. 3 with Skylar Morton in the main doubles draw. The tournament is scheduled to run from Friday to Sunday.
Freeman Memorial Draws: Flight-I Singles | Flight-II Singles | Flight-I Doubles | Flight-II Doubles
UNLV is the host school and will have updates on its women's tennis page located HERE.
The UCLA women open up the 2012 dual-match season on Jan. 25 against UC Irvine. That match will be at UCLA's Los Angeles Tennis Center.


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When you bleed the politics out of it, when you take our first black president and opposition to everything Obama out of the equation, when you look at it dead on, what you have when you look at what Republicans, and more specifically, tea partiers, are doing to this nation, it's really just a race to see who can be the biggest a-hole. And this race to the bottom of a-hole'ism is really, really not cool. Their policies affect people, and Republican a-holes are deliberately, casually, carelessly hurting them. And for these bible-thumping allegedly Jesus-loving types, it's far worse. In fact, a song by Collin Raye sums the Republican America up quite nicely (see video).
Many people - myself, as a yellow dog Dem and proud liberal, included - view actions through the lens of simple politics. But forget about politics for a minute, and look at the heart (or, more importantly, heartlessness) of this Republican mess. Look at it as one human being would view, and judge, another - based on his or her actions. Look at the Republican policies, and tell me what's worthy, in simply human terms, about any of them.
For instance, what would you call a person who looks at hungry people and, instead of feeding them, wants to snatch away more from what little they have? How would you view, in human, not political, terms, someone who wants to cut $5 billion from a food stamp program that will negatively impact, oh, about 900,000 of our nation's veterans? Tell me how cool you think it is that people like Ted Cruz paraded around in front of veterans memorials during the government shutdown that he caused, and lectured us that "our veterans should be above political games," while simultaneously supporting programs that will starve our veterans? A-hole, that's how most of us would view him.
How about Paul Ryan, who, in addition to other psychotic belief systems, wants the poorest of our population to be forced to choose between having a car and having food? In Ryan's world, if you have a car worth $5,000 or $2,000 to your name, you should be ineligible for food assistance. In Ryan's vision, the working poor should have to walk to work so their families can be fed. What an a-hole.
Let's look at the 2011 "Let Women Die" Act, which the House overwhelmingly passed. That Act - ironically named the "Protect Life Act" - would have allowed hospitals to literally let women die rather than allow them to have an abortion. And on that same note, what would you call someone who tries to pass a law that would prevent doctors from learning how to provide life-saving abortion procedures? A clown car full of a-holes, that's what.
And we don't want to even get started on the LGBT community and the Republican desire to see those individuals penalized and beaten down and treated as second class citizens. Tell me how noble it is to attempt to deny human beings the right to love and cherish whomever they choose? Let's talk about how you'd view someone who believes a business should be able to discriminate against someone based solely on who they love. Total a-holes, that's the view.
Would you appreciate the humanity of someone who thinks he can administer a transvaginal ultrasound before you, as a woman, can obtain a safe, legal, medical procedure? Hell no - you'd call him an a-hole. Tell me how much you'd admire, on a personal level, someone who works tirelessly so that millions of people without health insurance continue to go without? Forget the politics, forget the money, look at the fact of this massive Republican opposition to Obamacare: A bunch of a-holes will not stop trying to prevent uninsured Americans from getting much-needed health insurance; this same group of a-holes are even trying to convince young people that they're immortal, that they won't need it, shouldn't want it, and should - out of shared spite - refuse to obtain it. Capital "A" A-holes.
Watching this group of creepy people at work, watching the political discussions around all of these tea party policies that hurt Americans, watching the self-righteousness of a group of people who want to deprive, deny, take away, undo, and eliminate - a group who never, ever talks about building anything for our most needy citizens - is tiresome and maddening. People are going hungry and going without healthcare, women are being nearly forced to have children they don't choose to have, our veterans are only useful to this teabagging group of inhumane a-holes when they can use them as props to try to humiliate President Obama, women are practically begging for contraceptive coverage in the face of a group of white guys who self-righteously want to dictate others' sexual choices, and for some reason this is all viewed as politics. It's not. It's a group of stone cold a-holes, and it's time we call them what they are.
In the race to the bottom of Republican a-hole'ism, far too many of them are in a dead heat.


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Results tagged ' Mike Trombley '
One Joe Gone…
Well, it's official…Joe Nathan is now lost for the season due to Tommy John surgery. Wow.
You know, as good as Nathan has been since coming over to the Twins in 2004, he has always been somewhat under-appreciated by many Twins fans, I think. Part of that can be due to two heart-crushing blown saves against the Yankees in the '04 and '09 ALDS. But when you really think about, Nathan has been the best closer Minnesota has ever seen. Consider this lineage:
In the 1960s, before the term "closer" was even used, Al Worthington…
…and Ron Perranoski…
…"saved" games (often pitching multiple innings) for some pretty good teams. They were two great pitchers, but you can't really consider them "closers" in the traditional sense.
The next time the Twins were good enough to need a closer (mid-1980s), the great Ron Davis experiment failed miserably…
Thus, the emergence of Jeff "The Terminator" Reardon…
…seemed like heaven on earth, even though his stats (31 saves, 4.48 ERA) would be considered poor by today's standards.
Next in line was Rick Aguilera:
Aggie was really good for a short period of time (1990-1992) and pretty good for the rest of the 1990s, but during both those periods he was always susceptible to giving up baserunners and needing to pitch out of jams. He would usually do it succesfully, but not without a few heart-stopping moments nearly every night.
During the late 1990s, a closer wasn't really needed when the Twins would only win 70 games a year, so Mike Trombley…
…usually did the deed.
In 2001, the year the Twins jumped back into contention, LaTroy Hawkins…
…wowed fans with his live fastball, but his late-season meltdown was partially to blame for the Twins missing the playoffs.
Thus, the switching of Eddie Guardado…
…from "Everday" to "closer" was like another Davis-Reardon transition. Eddie was deceptive, but like Aggie he had a propencity for making things interesting since he didn't have electric stuff.
Then, Joe Nathan rode into town and dominated like no other before him:
He had the blow-'em-away fastball, coupled with an array of breaking pitches that kept batsmen confused inning after inning. Despite a few high-profile blowouts (but nothing worse than, say, Brad Lidge has gone through in recent years), he had joined the company of Mariano Rivera and Jonathan Papelbon as the best closers in the majors.
Now that he is gone for the season (and likely more, if not his career, at least with the Twins), the Twins have a complex choice for that crucial ninth inning. Pat Neshek would be my choice, but management is taking it slow after his own major arm surgery two years ago. Jon Rauch used to close games for the Nats, but his control is spotty. Guerrier would probably do okay, but his setup role is so valuable as not to be lost. Mijares/Crain would a disaster, Ron Davis-esque. Hopefully the Twins can find someone to fill that final frame.
For the time being, I will continue to call this blog "The Closer" until the fate of Nathan is more determined. He was always a favorite of mine (thus the blog title), and I am hoping (one day in the future) to hear this booming through the speakers at Target Field…
Twins Hall Of Fame
The other day, I was very excited to hear that former Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Brad Radke is being inducted into the Twins Hall of Fame in 2009. Radke was my favorite Twins pitcher of all-time, as I loved the way he was able to dominate batters with little more than a great changeup and pin-point accuracy. Though not quite as good, I always thought of Brad the Rad as the "poor man's" Greg Maddux. The big knock on Radke (what kept him from really becoming an elite pitcher) was his tendancy to give up the gopher balls at an alarming rate, but he still managed to be a very effective pitcher nonetheless.
A few years ago, while writing for the University Register (the student-run newspaper at the college I attended, the University of Minnesota-Morris), I penned a column about Radke that I would like to share on this blog. It was written it 2005 and thus is a bit dated, but I think it still manages to capture the essence of why I admired Radke so much. Here it is:
Over the years, starting pitcher Brad Radke has been the subject of much debate among Twins fans. Is he the glue that holds the pitching staff together, or just an average pitcher who has been overrated his entire career? Looking at his career statistics, the latter argument seems to win: 136 wins, 130 losses, 2,288.2 innings pitched, 2,446 hits, 302 home runs, 4.22 ERA. While those statistics are better than most who toe the rubber, they are definitely not what legends are made of. However, Radke's value to the Twins cannot be calculated on statistics alone. By giving his heart and soul to the Twins organization for the past eleven years, this sportswriter feels that Brad deserves a better legacy than ".500 pitcher".
After the 1991 World Championship season and a strong second place finish in 1992, the Minnesota Twins started disbanding the nucleus of those teams due to financial constraints. The area hit hardest was starting pitching. Jack Morris, staff ace in 1991, was let go amid concerns over his age, while Scott Erickson and Kevin Tapani (key contributors in '91 and '92) each faltered under the "ace" mantra. During the '93 and '94 seasons, such players as Willie Banks, Mike Trombley, Eddie Guardado (yes, Eddie!), Pat Mahomes, and Jim Deshaies tried to bolster the starting staff, but to no avail. Not one of those players made the rotation for any length of time and both seasons were losing efforts. It wasn't until the next year that the Twins would find a true ace–Brad Radke.
When Radke made his debut in 1995, he looked like another pitcher to be discarded to the scrap heap. In 181 innings, Radke was 11-14 with a 5.32 ERA and had a tendency to give up home runs, allowing 32 of them. Though he got battered around his inaugural campaign, he did have good control of his pitches and the Twins, having no better options, decided to bring him back for another try in 1996. In '96, he managed to give up 40 gopher balls, but pitched 232 innings (a team-high that season) and get his ERA down to 4.46. Now, while those numbers may not sound impressive, the Twins at that time had no other starter with an ERA lower than 5.00. Radke (in just his second year) was the "established" ace of the Minnesota Twins.
In 1997 (arguably his best season as a Twin) he posted a 20-10 record with a 3.87 ERA. To put his 20-win feat into perspective, he did it on a team that finished 68-94 with little offensive talent. On a winning team, Radke could have easily racked up even more wins and established himself as a premiere pitcher in the league. Instead, Brad was playing for the lowly "Twinkies" at the time and getting little or no attention from the press.
Over the next three seasons ('98, '99, and '00), Radke was 36-44 with an 4.17 ERA. For most pitchers, those stats would kick them out the door, but one must remember that Radke was playing for perennial cellar-dweller teams. Numerous times Brad would keep his team in the game and receive no offensive support (and consequently a loss), or leave the game with a lead and watch the bullpen squander it. He might have won 15-20 games every year playing for a respectable team. For those reasons, his value to the Twins could not be based on statistics. His dependability (pitching over 214 innings in each of those seasons) and willingness to take the mound every fifth day for a sink-hole of a team were vital for an organization trying to build a winning philosophy. In the ultimate show of loyalty to Minnesota, Radke signed a four year contract at the end of 2000.
Radke's confidence payed off in 2001, as the team finished with its first winning season since 1992. Brad was once again the leader of the pitching staff, going 15-11 with a 3.94 ERA and eating up 226 innings. The playoffs were narrowly missed that year, but better days were on the horizon.
During the 2002 season, Radke pitched only 118.1 innings due to injuries, but got his first chance at pitching in the playoffs. In two starts against Oakland he was 1-1 with a 1.54 ERA (winning Game 5 to clinch the series). In the ALCS against Anaheim, he won his lone start, going 6+ innings and giving up only two earned runs. Though the Twins lost that series, Radke had proven that he could perform well in the biggest starts of his career. He was the unquestioned ace of the staff, but competition was lurking.
In 2003 and 2004, Radke was his old reliable self (25-18, 3.99 ERA), but Johan Santana was getting all the attention. While Santana burst onto the scene in 2003 and won the Cy Young award in 2004, Radke kept laboring along every fifth day. He still gave up a startling number of home runs as well as more hits than innings pitched, but more often than not he gave the Twins a chance to win in his starts. The Twins made it to the playoffs each year (losing to the Yankees both times) and Radke turned in two more good performances, bringing his career postseason ERA to 3.19. In typically Radke fashion, however, he was 1-3. At the end of 2004, Radke's contract was up and he was being courted by the Yankees, Red Sox, and Angels. Signing with either of those teams would have meant better statistics for Brad (as a result of better run-support), but once again he chose to stay with the Twins, signing a two-year deal well under the $-value of the other offers. He was looking forward to another run at the AL Central division title.
This year, that "run" never materialized. Though Radke and the rest of the pitching rotation pitched well the entire year, an anemic offense doomed the Twins to a mediocre finish. Before being deactivated in late September due to soreness in his shoulder, Radke was 9-12 with a 4.04 ERA and ten no-decisions. For the first half of the season he was quite dominant, but after the All-Star break his shoulder injury pushed him back to mediocrity (he was not even able to throw in the bullpen between starts). He battled the injury for a month and a half, not succumbing to the pain until the season was all but over.
Next year will be the end of Brad Radke's current contract, after which he plans to retire. For ten years, Radke has given his competitive heart and soul for a team that has too often not given him much in return. While he will likely go down in Twins history as second-fiddle to Johan Santana (Brad didn't play for many good teams, didn't put together one spectacular season, didn't strike out many batters, or didn't pitch deep into the postseason often enough to get media recognition), he deserves better. Many fans will await his retirement after next year, chafing over his mediocre record and statistics, but I will applaud his every start. He deserves all we can give him.


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