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Inland Empire | Long Beach | Los Angeles | Pasadena
Inland Empire
What: A Hanukkah dinner and magic show by magician Paul Cash When: Sat. Dec. 8, 6 p.m. Where: Temple Sholom, 963 W. Sixth St., Ontario. Cost: $10 for adults and $8 for children under 12. Info: 909-983-9661 Inland Empire | Long Beach | Los Angeles | Pasadena | Top
Long Beach
What: Hanukkah Festival When: Sunday, Dec. 9 from 4-6 p.m. Where: Del Amo Fashion Center at Outdoor Promenade, 525 West Carson Street, Torrance Activities: A giant Lego menorah, latkes, decorate a donut, hot chocolate, crafts and live music Cost: Free Info: 310-634-4516, www.chabadsb.org
What: Rock the Dreidel When: Saturday, Dec. 15 at 8 p.m. Where: Sababas Restaurant and Lounge, 6527 East Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach Activities: Isreali DJ and dancing, drinks, donuts, hookahs, menorah lighting Cost: $10 presale, $15 the week before the event, $20 at the door Info: Tickets at https://www.alpertjcc.org/ Inland Empire | Long Beach | Los Angeles | Pasadena | Top
Los Angeles
What: Chabad of the Valley presents Hanukkah at CityWalk: When: 6-9 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9 Where: Universal CityWalk, 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City. Activities: Live entertainment and menorah lighting Cost: Free Info: www.citywalkhollywood.com
What: Hanukkah at Burbank Town Center with Temple Beth Emet When: Saturday, Dec. 8 through Dec. 15, 7 p.m. each night Where: Burbank Town Center, Burlington Coat Factory Wing, level three, 201 E. Magnolia Blvd. Activities: Menorah lighting plus different activities every night Cost: Free Info: 818-843-4787. www.burbanktowncenter.com
What: Hanukkah Festival with Thousand Oaks Chabad Jewish Center When: Sunday, Dec. 9 from 4-6 p.m. Where: Janss Marketplace, 275 N. Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks Activities: Children s activities, latkes, music and menorah lighting. Cost: Free Info: 805-493-7776, www.jewishto.org/chanukah
What: Hanukkah on High With Chabad of Chatsworth, Northridge and Porter Ranch When: 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 11 Where: Porter Ranch Town Center, northwest corner of Corbin Avenue and Rinaldi Street Activites: Menorah lighting, latkes, crats, raffle, tight-wire act and live music Cost: Free Info: www.chanukahatporterranch.com Inland Empire | Long Beach | Los Angeles | Pasadena | Top
What: Festival of Jewish Music When: Sunday, Dec. 9, 3-5:30 p.m. Where: Jewish Federation of the Greater San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys, 550 Second Avenue, Arcadia Activities: Hanukkah concert featuring the rabbis, cantors, choirs and community musicians Cost: $10 (12 yrs and under) / $12 Adults / $36 Family Info: 626.445.0810 or firstname.lastname@example.com
What: Hanukkah Family Festival When: 5-7 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 12 Where: Westfield Santa Anita, 400 S Baldwin Ave., Arcadia Activities: Crafts, activities for kids, latkes, dreidels, jelly donuts Cost: Free Info: www.chabadpasadena.com
What: Pasadena Menorah Lighting When: Sunday, Dec. 9 3-5 p.m. Where: Pasadena City Hall, 100 N. Garfield Avenue, Pasadena Activities: Lighting of the grand Lego menorah, latkes, music, crafts, dreidels, face painting Cost: Free Info: www.chabadpasadena.com Inland Empire | Long Beach | Los Angeles | Pasadena | Top
Storify: Oh Hanukkah, Oh Chanukah? How do you spell that anyway?
During Hanukkah, Jewish family kitchens overflow with potato pancakes, jelly donuts and chocolate coins, and kids light the menorah and play dreidel.
But when it comes to music for the Festival of Lights, what's a Jew to do?
Traditional holiday music playlists usually include generous portions of standards by Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley and Bing Crosby.
Hanukkah tunes, however, haven't enjoyed a wide interest.
"How do you make Jewish music appeal to the general audiences? ... I feel that never happens," said Leeav Sofer, 23, co-leader of the Jewish Youth Symphony Choir for the Jewish Federation of the Greater San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys.
"Nobody hears Jewish music that isn't really searching for this kind of music," added Sofer, who has his own music group called Mostly Kosher.
Hanukkah, the traditional Jewish Festival of Lights, began Saturday night and continues through Dec. 16. It celebrates the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem after the Jewish rebel army, called the Maccabees, defeated the Greek-Syrian army in the second century B.C.
Ron Wolfson, professor of education at American Jewish University, said the social networking revolution fostered by Facebook and YouTube have made sharing Hanukkah spirit much easier.
"I think the Internet and YouTube have really become vehicles for sharing that sort of stuff. In the past unless you were Adam Sandler you didn't get a Hanukkah song on the radio," Wolfson said.
Now, Jews have more of their own holiday hits to choose from.
In recent years, Grammy-nominated Hasidic reggae artist Matisyahu's rising success in the music industry has elevated Jewish sounds to a new level in pop culture.
Matisyahu first became popular among Jews and non-Jews alike with the 2002 release of the hit song "King Without a Crown."
In 2010 Matisyahu's "One Day" became a theme song for the Winter Olympics. Later that year he released "Miracle" on the first night of Hanukkah. This year he's given Jews another holiday gift entitled "Happy Hanukkah."
Matisyahu said his intention is to make hip Hanukkah music and convey the meaning of the holiday to a wide range of listeners.
"I figured there really aren't any fresh, young, modern, kind of cool Hanukkah songs out there. I decided that was the kind of Hanukkah song I wanted to write, and ... that was called `Miracle,"' said the singer, whose real name is Matthew Paul Miller. "I played for a lot of people. A lot of people loved it and my Jewish friends got it. But my friends that weren't Jewish didn't necessarily know it was a Hanukkah song.
"This year, I decided I was going to do another one and try to actually incorporate Hanukkah into a song and still make it sound cool."
Matisyahu said he hopes his songs, which resonate even across religious boundaries, can give Jews a sense of pride in their religion.
"I think that they are songs that make kids feel good to be Jewish, and that's one of the elements of what I believe I've accomplished or what I've hoped to do," he said.
Matisyahu, who lives in Los Angeles with his wife and three sons, said though the holiday in America is about celebration, for him the story of the rededication of the temple and the miracle of light resonate on an even deeper level.
"They say the body is a temple, it's healthy body healthy mind, it's all connected. The idea is about rededicating yourself to spirituality ... that's kind of what Hanukkah is for me," he said.
And Matisyahu's not the only artist spreading Hanukkah cheer these days. Yarmulke'd YouTube a cappella sensation The Maccabeats, which originated at Yeshiva University in 2007, have made Hanukkah hip, at least for their fellow "tribesmen."
"We get messages from people saying, I live in a town where I'm one of the only Jewish people and I never thought it a cool thing to be Jewish, but now that I saw your video and how successful it was I'm a lot more openly proud of who I am and my heritage," said group member Joshua Jay, 25, who a student at Yeshiva University's Albert Einstein College of Medicine. "We are very happy to be able to provide that to people."
The Maccabeats, whose name comes straight from the Hanukkah story, released their first Hanukkah song and music video "Candlelight" in 2010. The song, a parody of Taio Cruz's "Dynamite," went viral with more than one million hits in just a few days.
Jay said the group hoped to bring the story to life in a fun way with its holiday songs.
"We were trying to write a fun video that people would enjoy in its own right, we were trying to provide a way to tell the story of a holiday that is relatable and accessible," he said. "And also we were trying to come out with more Hanukkah music because there really isn't much out there."
This year, the Maccabeats released their first original song "Shine," which touches on the Hanukkah theme of light and "finding light and meaning in someone's life," Jay said.
Jackson Block, 17, president of the Pacific Western Region B'nai B'rith Youth Organization, said he and his peers are grateful for these new, fun and modern songs, which help make the holiday more special.
"It shows the vibrance of the Jewish people and the younger generation taking ownership of our community," said Block, who lives in Santa Clarita.
And that, Wolfson said, goes to the heart of the "miracle" of Hanukkah, a holiday that celebrates the Jews' refusal to assimilate into Greek-Syrian society.
"The message of Hanukkah is to stand up for your religious beliefs and to kind of assert your identity and for families," said Wolfson, who wrote "Hanukkah: The family guide to spiritual celebration."
"And at this time of year that's an important message because our culture is inundated with messages of Christmas and it just so happens that Hanukkah happens at the same time."


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Carolina Alliance Bank and Forest Commercial Bank merge
Published: Thursday, August 8, 2013 at 11:00 a.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, August 8, 2013 at 11:06 a.m.
Carolina Alliance Bank and Forest Commercial Bank announced today that they have signed a merger agreement, according to a Carolina Alliance Bank news release.
The proposed combination will create a community bank serving customers principally in Upstate South Carolina and Western North Carolina. Forest Commercial is based in Asheville, and Carolina Alliance is based in Spartanburg, S.C.
The combined bank will have three offices in Spartanburg, Asheville and Hendersonville, a loan production office in Charlotte and a proposed branch office to be located in Seneca, S.C.
All of the offices will operate as Carolina Alliance Bank. The bank will be headquartered in Spartanburg with senior management personnel operating from both Spartanburg and Asheville.
On a combined basis, the bank will have approximately $385 million in assets, approximately $277 million in loans, approximately $314 million in deposits and a capital position of approximately $50 million. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2014, subject to receipt of regulatory approvals and the approval of the shareholders of each institution.
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.

subset: commoncrawl


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So you can see how a simple design like the cantilever brake can have a multitude of ways in which it can be set up and why proper set up can make a huge difference in the performance of the brake.
Posted by VeloOrange at 11:58:00 AM
Very interesting post! I know there are a number of seasoned riders who frequent this blog, so I'll put a question out there about wider profile canti brakes.
I've got some of the generic Tektro canti brakes with the wider profile. I have noticed that when lowering the yoke (in order to gain mechanical advantage), I tend to lose the ability to easily remove the straddle wire. I'm guessing this has to do with a shorter straddle wire (since it's moving closer to the canti studs). With that issue in mind:
**is there a way to gain mechanical advantage on wide profile brakes while having easy removal of the straddle wire?
**is there a sequence used to properly adjust, or set up, your canti brakes? I generally tend to set the orientation of the pads, followed by the height of the yoke, and then I finish off by fine tuning with the straddle wire. Perhaps there is a better way to do it.
Doesn't a longer yoke give you greater modulating control of your braking as on a descent?
There is an inverse relationship between pad travel and mechanical advantage. The higher the mechanical advantage the lower the distance traveled by the pads. The problem your running into with not being able to release the brake is probably caused in part by needing to have your pads very close to your rim in order to compensate for the lowered travel range of the pads. The Tektro aero brake levers have a pin to release some cable and allow you to easily release your brakes. The Dia Compe 204 non-aero levers also have a similar quick release.
Compressing the brake pads? That is some mechanical advantage! Good post. If you are interested in brakes and cantis in particular, I'd suggest tracking down Jan Heine's articles on brake, a good addition to this post.
Are the two lines in the diagram reversed? I expect the high-profile cantilever to have flatter curve, but the diagram (as of 2012/08/02) has a flatter curve for the low-profile cantilever.


text: I just installed Ubuntu 12.04 (64-bit) on my Dell Inspiron 1501. I can't use the wireless. From what I have found on the internet I need to install the Windows drivers and then use NDISwrapper. But I don't know where to find the drivers. Any help would be greatly appreciated.


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Apologies, but no results were found for the requested archive. Perhaps searching will help find a related post.
I AM RUTH, a lover of words and of silences. I write with at least one foot in memoir, most of the time, and I seldom argue with what wants to be written.
Please note: unless otherwise specified, all materials posted on this site are ©gospelwriter (RAD) 2007-2013 All Rights Reserved.


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Where Japanese Schoolgirls Rule
High school. For many girls, it represents a time of awkwardness and cringe-worthy crushes.
In Japan, however, schoolgirls are seen as style mavens. A symbol of youthful freedom, they are a widely exalted as fashion and pop-cultural icons, featuring in manga such as "InuYasha," anime like "Sailor Moon" and Hollywood movies such as "Kill Bill."
But they're not just an object of fascination. They also have tremendous power as consumers. Thanks largely to their parents, they often wield a decent disposable income, and they have an uncanny ability to instigate new trends.
So far, they have been responsible for cell-phone charms, loose socks, Pikachu onesies (as street wear, no less), purikura photo booths, Cheki instant cameras and a plethora of kawaii character goods, to name just a few. In fact, even back in the Taisho era (1912-1926), it was schoolgirls who were the first consumers of kawaii items such as prints, cards and umbrellas adorned with designer Takehisa Yumeji's feminine illustrations.
While researching my book on Japan's kawaii culture, I saw hordes of immaculately made-up schoolgirls on the streets of Harajuku or Shibuya's 109 department store after school. Toyoko Yokoyama, vice president of Conomi, a Harajuku-based brand that makes "fashion school uniforms" for girls to wear on the weekends, told me that "Japanese schoolgirls are iconic because they are good at expressing themselves. They know the brand power of being a schoolgirl." In fact, one of Conomi's corporate advisers is Shizuka Fujioka, who travelled to places like Thailand as a "kawaii ambassador." Dressed in Conomi's preppy outfits, she spread the gospel of Japanese cute culture as part of a soft-power diplomacy project by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2009.
Nowhere is the consumer power of young Japanese girls more visible than at the biannual Tokyo Girls Collection show, the biggest fashion event in Tokyo, which takes place this Saturday. It counts more than 60,000 attendees a year, who pay between 5,500 Japanese yen ($56) to 15,000 yen (around $150) per entrance ticket. On this weekend's lineup are catwalk shows, entertainment by all-female pop group HKT48, comedians, a Miss TGC beauty contest, and a stage by fashion director (and former Lady Gaga stylist) Nicola Formichetti.
The carnival-esque atmosphere is amplified by the frenzied enthusiasm of a squealing teen audience. It's in stark opposition to the traditional Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Tokyo, which is largely attended by po-faced buyers and press.
Most of the brands at Tokyo Girls Collection are casual labels like the hyper-girly Cecil McBee and Jouetie. Rather than showcasing next season's designs, the brands allow the audience to buy the clothing shown on the runway in real time. The girls make their purchases on their cell phones via the event's website, which has over half a million subscribers and 2 million unique visitors per month, according to organizers. The purchased items arrive on the girls' doorstep the following day.
Many of the 80-plus models and celebrities at this season's show are half-Asian, such as Japanese-Polish singer and actress Anna Tsuchiya, and Bengali-Japanese-Russian model Rola. Instead of the intimidating fashion models that strut the catwalk at orthodox fashion events, the look at Tokyo Girls Collection is decidedly kawaii – many of the models are no taller than 165 centimeters, and step onto the runway dressed as cheerleaders, carrying giant lollipops or sporting Minnie Mouse-size ribbons in their hair.
It is a loud, extravagant six-hour affair that can frankly be overwhelming. But it can't be beat for a glimpse into Japan's schoolgirl culture, in all its bedazzled glory.
Manami Okazaki writes about the more colorful aspects of Japanese contemporary culture. She is the author of five books on Japanese pop culture, including most recently, "Kawaii, the culture of Cute" (Prestel UK).


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Fancy pie crusts in the blink of a... pie! Nordic Ware's® 2-sided pie crust cutters make creating intricate pie crusts as easy as pie! With the Lattice & Hearts Cutter you can create darling hearts using one side and a beautiful lattice design using the other. The Leaves & Apples Cutter creates beautiful leaves on one side, and a sweet circle of apples on the other. Just roll out your dough and press! Dishwasher safe polystyrene. Made in USA. (12¼"-Diameter)
The Lattice & Hearts Cutter is no longer available.
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"Revolution" Ends, "TMNT/Batman:TAS" Begins in IDW's November 2016 Solicitations
Comic Books
One of the Monkeybrain Comics titles debuting this week on comiXology is the fourth issue of Wander: Olive Hopkins and the Ninth Kingdom, a series by Kevin Church and Grace Allison about an NYU student who goes on a bender only to awaken the next day in a fantasy realm. To mark the release of the new issue, Allison provided ROBOT 6 with a glimpse into the creative process.
Wednesday marks the release of the second issue of writer Chris Roberson and artist Rich Ellis' IDW miniseries Memorial, which centers on Em, a women recovering from amnesia only to have a magical shop with unique transportation abilities enter her life. The story also features a talking cat, an element that captured my interest (and as I learned, the cat talks like a comics associate of Roberson's [your guess who it is as good as mine]). Last week I caught up with the Roberson and Ellis via email to explore their collaborative process. In addition to delving into the six-issue miniseries, I briefly learned about the advantage that Ellis finds in being part of Portland's Periscope Studio. Once you've read the interview, avail yourself of IDW's preview of Issue 1 and Roberson's November interview with CBR's Josie Campbell.
Tim O'Shea: In a recent CBR interview, Chris described this project as using "mythological tropes that are somewhat familiar but twisted." Who had more fun twisting the tropes, Rich (from a visual perspective) or Chris (from a writing perspective)?
Chris Roberson: Rich may claim that he had more fun, but he's clearly wrong, as I am having a BLAST.
Rich Ellis: If Chris is having more fun, then I am the person who benefits most from his enjoyment. The fun for me has been in the challenge of getting my head into the complex characters and wonderfully intricate world of Memorial.


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An online prank show in Serbia went straight to the top for their latest "Mission Impossible" gag, targeting the country's Prime Minister, Ivica Dačić.
Dačić, leader of the controversial Socialist Party of Serbia, was ostensibly invited to a television studio to be interviewed on matters of Balkan politics, but in reality he was merely the mark for a Basic Instinct-style lark involving a clandestinely panty-less model posing as an interviewer to ensnare the premier's wandering glance.
The prank worked like a charm, with the randy Dačić unable to help sneak a peek at the femme fatale's drawers (or, rather, her lack thereof).
Truly, the only thing impossible about this mission would be failing it.
[video via Nemoguća Misija]


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Ludwick leaves season opener with injured shoulder
Outfielder undergoing surgery
Reds outfielder Ryan Ludwick left Monday's season opener with a dislocated shoulder.
The left fielder hurt his right shoulder while sliding into base in the third inning against the Los Angeles Angels.
Shin-Soo Choo opened the inning with a double and advanced on a groundout. Ludwick walked with two outs. Choo scored on Jered Weaver's wild pitch, sliding home just ahead of the tag, and Ludwick continued on to third base while catcher Chris Iannetta argued the call.
Ludwick's right arm caught in the dirt on a headfirst slide. He was safe at the base, but immediately grabbed the side of his shoulder. He left the game for an examination. Chris Heisey took his place.
Ludwick got a two-year, $15 million deal last December to stay with Cincinnati.
The Reds said he'll undergo surgery Wednesday to repair torn cartilage. No timetable was given for his return.
The team will make a corresponding roster move before Wednesday's game.
Copyright 2013 by WLWT.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi men's basketball team hosts three games in three days in the round-robin portion of the Holiday Inn Downtown Marina Islanders Basketball Tournament this weekend at the American Bank Center. The Islanders will face IPFW Friday at 7:30 p.m., Tennessee Tech on Saturday at 5:30 and Texas-Pan American on Sunday at 3:30.
• Senior Zane Knowles had a monster night in the opener, posting his first career double-double with 12 points and 18 rebounds. The 18 caroms were the second-most in school history.
• Junior John Jordan was named Preseason First Team All-Southland Conference by the league's coaches.
• The Islanders took part in a 10-day, four-game tour of Italy in August, a trip that allowed them 10 extra days of practice prior to the tour.
• Redshirt sophomore Jake Kocher had a triumphant return to the court on Friday, going for 10 points, six rebounds and four steals. He missed all of last season after having double labrum surgery.
• Freshman Jeff Beverly had a tremendous night at Iowa State, with career highs in points (14) and rebounds (8).
• Though Coach Wilson has his most experienced team with the Islanders, only five players have more than one year of Division I playing experience (Ali, Knowles, Jordan, Douvier, King).
This will be the first meeting between Tennessee Tech and the Islanders in program history, but A&M-Corpus Christi faced IPFW and Texas-Pan American on several occasions early in program lore. The Islanders are 4-2 against IPFW all-time and 11-5 against the Broncs.
The Holiday Inn Downtown Marina Islanders Basketball Tournament is in its first year of existence, though Texas A&M-Corpus Christi has a long history of hosting multi-team events. From 2000-02, the school hosted the Koch Petroleum Islanders Classic, and from 2003-07, the team hosted the Flint Hills Resources Islanders Invitational. The Islanders went a combined 12-4 in those tournaments.
This year's tournament is slightly different, in that it is a true multi-team event, more commonly known as an "exempt tournament." Teams can take part in one such event per year, and in doing so are allowed to play a total of 31 games during the regular season rather than 29. As part of this event, the Islanders and UTPA faced Huston-Tillotson, while Tennessee Tech and IPFW faced IU-Kokomo.
A&M-Corpus Christi also took part in the Corpus Christi Challenge in 2004-05, though the city of Corpus Christi, rather than the Islanders themselves, were the host.
John Jordan is only a junior for the Islanders basketball team, but he's the most experienced player on the roster and one of the favorites for Southland Conference Player of the Year. The Houston native was named Preseason First Team All-Southland Conference by the league's coaches.
He showed his worthiness for that selection in the Islanders' season opener. The Houston native scored 21 points and added six rebounds and six assists in just 25 minutes of work. He struggled against Iowa State, though he was still able to put together 11 points, six rebounds and four assists to just two turnovers, but shot just 4-of-14 from the field and only mustered four free throw attempts - a stark contrast to his career-best 13 free throws made and 17 attempted against HTU.
The honor is no surprise when looking at the numbers that the 5-foot-10 Jordan put up last season and has amassed in his two-year career. Jordan was second in the league in assists (5.5 per game) despite the fact that the Islanders only shot 40.6 percent from the field. He was 12th in the league in scoring at 12.8 points per game.
Only two players in the nation – South Dakota State's Nate Wolters and Louisiana-Lafayette's Elfrid Payton – had better numbers than Jordan in points, assists and rebounds last year. (See chart below.) His 5.5 assists per game placed him 39th in Division I.
Jordan has already etched his name in the school record book. He broke the school record with 138 assists as a freshman, then bested his own mark with 159 as a sophomore. With 307 career assists, he is already half way to the school record of 493, held by Brian Evans.
Jordan is also someone who is rarely seen on the bench. He averaged a Southland-leading 36.6 minutes per game and is on pace to enter the career top 10 in minutes.
The Islanders' most physically notable player is without question senior Zane Knowles. The native of Nassau, Bahamas, stands 6-foot-10 and 240 pounds and is expected to be a force inside for the Islanders this year. He has improved significantly in the weight room, and his soft touch should help him be a scoring force inside.
He showed up in a big way in the season opener, scoring 12 points and snaring 18 rebounds for his first career double-double. The 18 rebounds matched the second-highest total in school history, and were the most for an Islander since Corey Lamkin grabbed 18 at Air Force on Jan. 21, 2004. It more than doubled his previous career high, as his prior best was eight boards vs. Lamar on Feb. 7, 2013.
A year ago, Knowles was just hitting his stride when an injury against UTSA sidelined him for five games. He got back into form late in the year, matching his career high with 12 points against Southeastern La. in the second-to-last home contest of the season. He averaged 9.3 points and 3.5 rebounds in the last four games of the year, shooting 17-for-26 (.655) in that span.
Knowles came to the Islanders after a year at Pearl River (Miss.) Community College and a season at Grambling.
Though Knowles was the ringleader, several other Islanders had strong games on the glass. Six players snared at least three boards and 12 of the 13 players who logged minutes had at least one rebound. The 53 rebounds for the team were the most by an Islanders squad since Ronnie Arrow's crew snared 53 against Longwood on Feb. 4, 2006. The plus-20 rebound margin was the highest for A&M-Corpus Christi in the Willis Wilson era. The Islanders followed that up with an impressive 39 rebounds - 14 on the offensive glass - at Iowa State.
In addition to the other newcomers, the Islanders will have a welcome face back in the fold that was missing last season. Redshirt sophomore Jake Kocher, who sat out 2012-13 after double labrum surgery, was back in the starting lineup on Friday night.
His return to the court was a triumphant one, as Kocher poured in 10 points to go along with a career-high six rebounds and four steals against HTU. He was 4-for-5 from the field in 20 minutes of action.
Kocher played in 29 games as a freshman, averaging 3.2 points, but the main attribute he provides for the team is a toughness and work ethic that goes well above the norm. He is also one of the team's top outside shooters – an attribute that the Islanders struggled in last year.
In 2011-12, he did most of his damage down the stretch, including a career-high 15 points in the season's penultimate game at UT Arlington. He averaged 4.6 points in 17.0 minutes over the season's final seven games. He is the city of Austin's all-time leading scorer from his days at St. Michael's Academy.