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Martha Inc.
Inside the growing empire of America's lifestyle queen
It's a taping day at Martha Stewart's Westport (Conn.) studio, and the spotless halls are humming with activity. Helen Murphy, the new chief financial officer at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc., nervously gets ready to tape a presentation to investors. Crafts chief Hannah Milman fusses over terra-cotta-tinged roses for the new MarthasFlowers.com Web site, while Stewart's 85-year-old mother, Martha Kostyra, waits to make date squares with her daughter. The scene is festive, if slightly Orwellian. Permeating every part of the building is Stewart herself, chairman, CEO, and founder. Her husky voice rises from the speakers as dozens of screens show her juggling beanbags for her daily TV show.
It's a fitting image. Anyone who spends more than a few minutes with America's most famous homemaker learns that she is one heck of a juggler. On a recent day, Stewart, 58, rose at her usual 5:30 a.m. to work out in Westport before zipping into Manhattan to prepare Greek food with a guest chef, meet with her magazine staff, share dessert with restaurateur Warner LeRoy for the TV show, make a cookie tree on Letterman, and attend a party for her publisher--before jumping in her chauffeur-driven Chevy Suburban for the 90-minute drive back to Connecticut.
The dizzying routine seems to be working. Stewart's Web site racked up record Christmas sales, while her holiday TV special reached 7.8 million households. Recently, the former caterer pulled off her best party yet: a hot initial public offering on Oct. 19. Shares of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia opened at $18 and quickly doubled, to about $36--as Stewart herself served brioches and freshly squeezed orange juice from a striped tent near the New York Stock Exchange. The stock price has since dropped to about $27, in part because of worries that the company relies too heavily on its driven founder. Even so, the offering made Stewart a billionaire on paper.
BLUE LIGHTS. Not bad, considering that Stewart's empire is still in its infancy. The domestic queen gained control of her crown jewel, Martha Stewart Living magazine, only in 1997. That's when she bought it for an estimated $75 million from Time Warner Inc., which launched it in 1991. Since then, Stewart has served up impressive gains on her modest base. In 1998, the company made $24 million, on revenues of $180 million--a 71% jump over 1997 net income. Sales for 1999 should exceed $225 million, and analysts expect her to near the $400 million mark by 2003. Last year, Kmart Corp. sold more than $1 billion worth of Martha Stewart Everyday products. Kmart's new BlueLight.com e-commerce venture with Yahoo! Inc., in which Stewart's company has a minority stake, could make those numbers grow.
But Stewart isn't ready to rest on her carefully cultivated laurels. The workaholic homemaker wants nothing less than to teach the masses how to create the good life, then sell them all the gear they'll need to do so. "Our market could be as big as everyone who has a house," Stewart asserts, knocking back a shot of vodka after taping a show at New York's Russian Tea Room.
While she is famed for esoteric tips such as how to make tinsel teardrops, Stewart's biggest lesson may be in how to build a true multimedia empire. Walk into any color-coordinated corner of Martha Inc., and it's clear that Stewart has turned the traditional business model on its head. She has created a brand that's equally at home--and equally recognizable--in a multitude of forms, from books to bedsheets. None of her rivals, from entrepreneur B. Smith to Meredith Corp.'s Better Homes and Gardens, has been able to match her reach.
So how has a woman who looks most at home wearing matching work gloves and galoshes pulled this off? For one thing, her view of her role is decidedly different from that of most media moguls. Stewart sees herself primarily as a purveyor of information rather than as a publisher or merchandiser. Her how-to advice, organized around a handful of core content areas, can show up as magazine articles, Web chat topics, or products on Kmart shelves--and preferably all three. Holding the enterprise together is a rising army of mini-Marthas, experts in their areas, who skate across different media and merchandising channels with the ease of their famous boss.
But now, Stewart is facing her toughest challenge since building her business. She must ensure that Martha Stewart the brand can outlive Martha Stewart the person. For a woman who has spent her life pursuing both fame and perfection, stepping back won't be easy. Stories of her obsession with details abound. At CBS, set builders still recall her wrath when she discovered that they failed to follow her specifications for cabinet hardware in her TV kitchen. But with the roaring growth of recent years, Stewart can no longer oversee every detail herself.
The problem goes beyond the usual management challenges of a maturing business. Stewart's smiling image dominates her TV show, magazine, and product packaging. If Martha Stewart Living is to outlast her, that has to change. While the company is now playing up other talent--and taking out massive insurance policies on its ubiquitous chief--Stewart remains the walking, talking personification of her brand. No wonder investors are worried about the fate of their stock if Stewart should, say, choke on a bad batch of buttercream. "That's a big risk," says Kevin R. Gruneich, an analyst at Bear Stearns & Co., who still likes the stock. Stewart herself is well aware of the problem and says the changes she's making will take her company to a new level. As she puts it: "We're just getting started."
LOYAL FANS. But my, what a start. Not counting the weekly "askMartha" newspaper column, her media properties reach 88 million people a month. Thanks to good demographics and extraordinary fan loyalty, they also command premium ad rates, according to the Publishers Information Bureau. Books and magazines still bring home the bacon, generating 65% of the company's sales, while TV and radio account for 12%. But merchandising royalties have risen to 10% of revenue, up from almost nothing a few years ago. The three-year-old Martha Stewart Everyday line of bedding, bath, paint, and garden supplies is also exploding as new items are introduced. Then there are the other retail deals, the catalog business, and a new kitchen-and-tableware line.
What really has investors salivating, though, is Stewart's fledgling Web business. Organized around the core content areas, the site, with more than 1 million registered users, offers traditional how-to advice, chat rooms, and related merchandise. Internet and direct sales accounted for roughly 13% of revenues in 1999. This year, online sales should surpass catalog sales. Still, the Net remains a money-loser because of heavy investment in staff and site development. Also, critics say it's thin on fresh content. But even detractors admit that MarthaStewart.com is a hit with advertisers and consumers.
It's a recipe that appeals to fund manager Zack Shafran of Waddell & Reed Financial Inc. in Overland Park, Kan. He savors the "real dot.com flavor" of her business, although he won't say how much he owns. Stewart is also getting key support from Silicon Valley venture capitalists Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers, which invested $25 million and holds a 5% stake. Partner L. John Doerr, who sits on Stewart's board, argues that the Web will finally let "Martha create the perfect, personalized how-to experience in a direct way with her audience." Besides helping to lure fans to the Web, Doerr's company could be critical in finding West Coast talent--cyber-Stewarts who can translate her vision online.
Even those who scoff at Stewart's perfect-housewife image admit that she's a stunningly savvy entrepreneur. Her company, which raised $149 million in its IPO, posted record sales of $49.8 million in the third quarter, although the investment in e-commerce shrank profits to $1.9 million, down from $4.7 million a year earlier. Stewart controls 60% of the shares and 96% of the votes. Company President Sharon Patrick owns 5%, and a further 12% is in the hands of hundreds of employees or "founders" who have worked for the company at least a year. Rewarding staff was, Stewart says, a primary motive in going public.
Foremost among those founders is Patrick, who along with Stewart sets the strategy for the empire. The duo met while climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in 1993 and quickly became inseparable, plotting Martha Inc. as they scaled the final peak. "I admired her ability to put everything down in a clear business plan," says Stewart. While Stewart may have seen a synergistic domestic-arts empire as her destiny from the start, outsiders credit Patrick with helping to package the vision for investors and execute it. "She complements Martha's strengths," says Don Logan, chairman and CEO of Time Warner's Time Inc., who dealt with Patrick in the protracted negotiations to sell Stewart majority ownership of her magazine. "What Sharon does is chase the details and do the deals." Not that she's a Martha clone. One merchandising executive calls her "a wild woman, this whirlwind who talks in sentence fragments and is hell-bent on getting product on the shelf."
But Patrick, a former McKinsey & Co. consultant and Cablevision Systems Corp. executive, does share Stewart's vision for creating original, high-quality content that can cascade through various media, retail outlets, and cyberspace. They believe the result will be shared costs, cross-promotions, and ultimately higher revenues and earnings. "If you're committed to content instead of the vehicle, you can do so much more," says Patrick, excitedly flipping through charts from the company's recent pre-IPO road show.
The trick is translating that rhetoric into an actual business. Each of the core content areas that make up the Martha Stewart brand is managed by its own team. Each leader must be equal parts writer, product designer, and--increasingly--TV personality. Margaret Roach, who joined as garden editor five years ago, points to a magazine article on Martha's rose garden. Roach used that as the basis for a TV segment, to help design garden tools for Kmart, and as how-to information on the Web. Like her boss, Roach thinks big, saying: "We want to change the way America gardens."
"NOT ABOUT ATTITUDE." Team Stewart also relies on an army of marketers, designers, and other professionals who can carry their skills across the different media and merchandising outlets. "The culture is pervasive," says Lauren Rich Fine, a media analyst at Merrill Lynch & Co., who sees Stewart's depth of talent as a key to her long-term success. Indeed, staffers are inculcated with a sense of both the brand and the customer. Stephen Drucker, editor-in-chief of Martha Stewart Living magazine, visualizes the typical reader as a supremely confident 40-year-old woman with a part-time job, a nice house, and a family in the suburbs. "One of the things about Martha is self-reliance," says Drucker. He says that you'll never find articles in the magazine about getting a man, dieting, or fixing your hair. "[Martha Stewart] doesn't remind you that you're 10 pounds overweight." And like a starched schoolmarm, she has no time for urban sophistication or overly clever prose. "It's not about attitude," says Drucker. "It's about information."
Stewart believes the real key to capitalizing on that content, though, is to own it. She realized from the start that Martha Stewart could live up to its Omnimedia potential only if it controlled every piece of information passing through its universe. She had long produced and owned rights to her TV show, broadcast specials, books, syndicated column, and radio spots, but Time Warner controlled the flagship Martha Stewart Living magazine. As a mere editor--albeit a highly paid one--she couldn't mine the magazine for content to repackage or leverage for cross-marketing deals. "They owned it, but they weren't interested in funding anything else," recalls Stewart, whose references to Time Warner seem tinged with "I told you so" bitterness. "Our whole business plan started with how to buy the magazine back."
Time insiders say that forays into merchandising and other areas simply weren't part of their plan for Martha Stewart. Logan says that the split was amicable and that he had long suspected Stewart might one day want control. "When we were originally discussing the idea, we assumed that could be one of the outcomes," says Logan, noting that Time Inc. now has a 5% stake in Stewart's company.
FLOOD OF MAGIC. What gave Stewart the capital to buy her independence was a new arrangement with Kmart, which guaranteed millions in royalties. She had joined the discounter in 1987 as a consultant, but the deal spawned only a few sheet patterns and intense frustration. "They were very Midwest," says Stewart, cringing at the memory. "This was Kmart. This was maroon and black and dark green. It was bad." In 1995, just as Stewart was broaching the idea of a buyback with Time Warner, the retailer brought in Floyd Hall as chairman and CEO. Hall met with Stewart days after coming on board to try to forge a new relationship. "The word for Martha is `coordinate,' and a lot of our shoppers are looking for assistance in that area," says Hall.
Kmart wanted to flood key corners of its store with Martha Stewart magic, and it was willing to give her control over her product to do it. Instead of consulting on a few floral sheet patterns, Stewart's people could produce thousands of different products and get astounding play with Kmart shoppers. About 60% of the chain's bed and bath section, for example, is now devoted to the brand, with other parts of the store being converted as product comes out, according to Steve Ryman, vice-president for merchandise. He says Stewart's attention to details such as stitching and fabric weight have pushed up overall quality, but he notes that the chain still has final say over what hits its shelves. The store rejected sage green for the three-month-old Baby Baby line, preferring to stick with the standard pink, yellow, and blue. "The typical American doesn't go to Kmart to find avant-garde baby colors," says Ryman.
Maybe not, but an awful lot of them go to find Martha Stewart-branded merchandise. On the strength of the Kmart deal, Stewart was able to buy control of her magazine--and to concentrate on expanding her empire's reach. To do so, she has had to give staff members, who number in excess of 400, more leeway to dream up and execute ideas on their own. After all, they quickly learn her color palette and style. The veterans know what Martha would say on most subjects, and how she would say it. Stewart splits her time between plotting strategy and keeping up her high-profile TV spots and guest appearances. She no longer reads every line of copy before it appears in the magazine, but she still keeps a close eye on her empire's operations through weekly staff meetings and doesn't hesitate to parachute in if necessary.
"If there's something really bad, I'll step in to fix it," says Stewart. Recently, she nixed a "Peter Rabbit" cake that was set to appear in the magazine as "way too fancy" and asked staffers to come up with something simpler.
Think picky rather than perfectionist. While Stewart may revel in her image as the ultimate homemaker, she doesn't always look like a finishing-school ideal. Standing on the set of The Early Show on CBS, she'll take a spoonful of pumpkin bread pudding, pour on some rum sauce, and pop it straight into her mouth. If her assistant drops a fork while serving up barbecued turkey, she'll hand a guest the serving utensil to use instead of demanding new cutlery. She worries about her waistline and frets to her mother about eating several pierogi one night after work. She doesn't even have a place to stay in Manhattan because daughter Alexis Stewart and son-in-law John Cuti have crashed at her one-bedroom Fifth Avenue apartment for the past year while they renovate their own place--although Stewart could certainly afford a hotel room.
In many ways, the country-club image is undeserved. Stewart grew up one of six children in a Catholic family in New Jersey, modeling to pay her way through Barnard College before marrying, becoming a stockbroker at Monness, Williams & Sidel, and then a caterer. "What bothered Martha about the stock market was that there was an aspect she couldn't control, and that was stock prices," says former boss Andrew Monness. "She was a terrific businesswoman."
But the business of being Martha really began when Alan Mirken, former president of Crown Publishing Group, was so impressed by one of Stewart's catered parties in 1979 that he persuaded her to let his company publish her landmark Entertaining book three years later. The elaborate guide to good hostessing has since sold more than 500,000 copies and is now in its 30th printing. After attending her parties, Mirken is not surprised. "She created the most amazing ambience and food I'd ever seen," he says.
In 1989, he helped Stewart arrange a meeting with magazine titan S.I. Newhouse Jr., who helped her develop the prototype for an upscale how-to magazine but later abandoned the project because it didn't fit his group. Time Warner bought into the idea--but not without resistance. During one meeting, an executive leaned across the table to ask: "What if I find out on Page Six that you've run away with a rock star with a bone through his nose?" The curt response from Stewart, then fresh from a bitter divorce from book publisher Andy Stewart: "I don't have time for such silliness."
FAMILY AFFAIR. She has rarely had time or interest in anything but the company, and indeed it's hard to tell where the person ends and the brand begins. She stages photo shoots at her homes and claims actually to cut trees, repair deer fencing, and do the other heavy chores listed in her monthly calendar. Her idea of relaxing is to come home and tackle a project like taking the Chippendale legs off an antique stool to make a new base for her 18th century Japanese lacquer trays. On vacation in Egypt, she took time out to visit factories that made fabric for her line. Her only child, Alexis, 34, who has started helping out informally on the product side of MarthaStewart.com, admits to having been "vaguely irritated" when her mother devoted a Martha Stewart Weddings magazine column to her 1997 nuptials. Having grown up steeped in silk flowers and three-tiered gateaux a l'orange, the younger Stewart kept the affair to a distinctly un-Martha-like five-person lunch. "I can't remember 10 seconds where Mom wasn't immersed in the business," says Alexis. Mom doesn't see the problem and has a look of wistful excitement when her daughter's name comes up. "I think she's getting warmer about coming to work with me full-time," says Stewart, who brushes off the notion that she's made any personal sacrifices for the sake of her business.
Stewart has already brought in plenty of other family members. Her mother cooks for the show, nephew Christopher sings on holiday specials, and sister Laura writes radio scripts. But outsiders form the heart of her enterprise. She wooed Marc Morrone to be her expert on pet-keeping after seeing him work with animals on late-night cable TV. She worked long and hard to bring in the widely admired Helen Murphy, who had helped build the Polygram label and then take it public, as her new CFO. "I expected to walk in, roll up my sleeves, and dig for figures and facts," says Murphy. But, in true Martha Stewart style, even the balance sheet was crisp and clean.
The next step is to give the company a life of its own. Stewart rarely appears on magazine covers anymore and is trying to groom some of her lieutenants as media personalities. She is even negotiating two TV shows this year that will not be hosted by her. But Stewart remains the lifeblood--the magic touch that forced Josefina Howard of New York's Rosa Mexicano restaurant to put marinated lamb shank in parchment paper on her menu because so many customers ordered it after seeing her prepare it on Stewart's show.
Despite her close identity with the brand, Stewart argues that her business can live on without her. "I have imbued this company with a tremendous amount of my spirit and my artistic philosophy," she says. "So much that emerges here now is a combination of that and other people's creativity." Not everyone agrees. Clay S. Timon, chairman and CEO of brand consultancy Landor Associates, says that Martha Stewart Living has already become a truly mass-market brand. He describes it as "very middle-American, with a slight aspiration--not to reach Rodeo Drive, but to live life a little better." Can it survive without her? "Maybe," he says, "but not yet."
In any case, Stewart certainly has the means to start living life a little better herself. She earned about $5 million in pay and bonuses from her company in 1998 and is guaranteed at least $1.2 million this year. With stock that's now worth almost $1 billion, she can also afford a place in Manhattan that's big enough to house her cherished cats and dogs--and even her daughter, if need be. She'll still have five other houses: two in Westport, two in East Hampton, N.Y., and her favorite retreat--in Seal Harbor, Me. With all this activity in the home office, though, the windswept icon of country chic is planning to move to New York City full-time. Despite her massive net worth and a booming business, she'll no doubt arrive with her garnishing kit and glue gun in tow.


text:
Hello patient friends!
It's done! The final installment in my extremely late international tour videos from early 2012! This one is from our time spent in Brazil and Chile back in March with The Ready Set. It was the end of our month long international tour so we were all a little worn out but the excitement and spirit of the fans that greeted us down there was more than enough to put the pep back in the step. I always love going to foreign countries for a number of reasons, but a main one is because of the energy fans show us the second we walk off the plane. Brazil and Chile were no different. That kind of unconditional love from new faces truly warms the heart. So thank you South America for such an amazing experience that none of us will ever forget.
|January 17, 2013
Hello patient friends!
|January 17, 2013
Last night, twenty | one | pilots performed at MTV's Artists To Watch showcase at the Highline Ballroom in New York City. Check out some of the photos from the concert HERE!
photos by Amy Willard
|January 17, 2013
Sierra and Blake of VersaEmerge are over in London continuing work on their next album. Follow their adventures on the duo's Instagram! Search for user: VersaEmerge.
|January 16, 2013
Sublime With Rome have announced a Brazilian Tour with the Dirty Heads for March. Find the dates below and check back for tickets!
3.20 - Rio de Janeiro @ Circo Voador (TICKETS)
3.21 - Porto Alegre @ Pepsi Onstage
3.22 - Sao Paulo @ HSBC Brasil (TICKETS)
3.23 - Curitiba @ Curitiba Master Hall
3.24 - Belo Horizonte @ Mix Garden
3.28 - Florianopolis @ Stage Music Park (TICKETS)
3.30 - Vitoria @ Arena Vitoria
|January 16, 2013
Last week twenty | one | pilots released their debut album Vessel. To celebrate, the band held a secret show in Ohio for 300 of their fans! Check out some great fan photos from that night HERE.
Nick Santino of A Rocket To The Moon sat down with PureVolume.com for a Q+A interview session to discuss the band's next album, Wild & Free.
"We're all grown up and ready to come back to work," said Nick. Read the rest of the interview HERE.
|January 16, 2013
Learn more about the history of our label in the Fueled By Ramen 15th Anniversary Book & DVD available in our webstore HERE!
|January 16, 2013
|January 15, 2013
Tyler Joseph of twenty | one | pilots recently sat down for a Q+A session with Mike Ragogna of The Huffington Post about their new album Vessel!
"A lot of people might listen to [the album] and think that we're kind of confused. I love it when people say that, even when they use it in a negative way. You're not going to know where it's going after this." - Tyler
Read the full interview HERE!
|January 15, 2013
Santigold's new video for 'Girls' from Girls - Volume 1: Music from the HBO Original Series is now on YouTube! Watch the video above and click HERE to download the soundtrack featuring new music from Fun., Tegan And Sara, Grouplove and more!

subset: commoncrawl


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Washburn to Yanks
Jarrod Washburn
has been was almost traded to the Yankees and still will be – this deal was contingent upon the Yankees completing the Nady/Marte deal to get themselves an outfielder, which they did last night.
No official word on who will be coming to Seattle in exchange for Washburn, but it sounds like it's an outfielder. If the M's got either Melky Cabrera or Brett Gardner, do back flips.
Actually, Washburn's gone – do back flips anyway.
123 Responses to "Washburn to Yanks"
Swungonandbelted on
July 26th, 2008 12:49 pm
CC03 on
July 26th, 2008 12:52 pm
FSN saying Washburn/Vidro for Cabrera/Igawa. Not official though.
Ninja Jordan on
July 26th, 2008 12:53 pm
I like Gardner, seems like a high OBP guy. Maybe a career #2 hitter. Lefty too.
Borat4President on
July 26th, 2008 12:56 pm
Melky is in the lineup for today's game. Pull him now!
Colm on
July 26th, 2008 12:56 pm
Hurrah! Oh, Igawa. Oh well, hurrah anyway.
galaxieboi on
July 26th, 2008 12:57 pm
Benne on
July 26th, 2008 12:58 pm
Farewell Bus.
joser on
July 26th, 2008 1:00 pm
Hey, Johjima could go to the Yanks to as Washburn's personal catcher. Oh, wait.
Steve Nelson on
July 26th, 2008 1:01 pm
According to Jayson Stark, the Mariners have adopted Dave's recommended valuation of Raul Ibañez:
With Xavier Nady and Casey Blake off the market, the Mets will turn their attention to Seattle's Raul Ibanez, whom they believe is their only remaining realistic option to acquire an outfield bat.
Even Ibanez may not be affordable, however. Seattle hasn't asked interested teams for specific names yet. But the Mariners are one of many clubs saying that, because Ibanez projects as a Type A free agent, they would want the equivalent of a first-round pick and a sandwich pick for him.
Carson on
July 26th, 2008 1:01 pm
Dave – Should I still do backflips if the TurboBus for Melky/Igawa talk is true?
My gut tells me yes. I'd be happy just to see the both of them gone in exchange for a bag of peanuts.
galaxieboi on
July 26th, 2008 1:03 pm
Hey, Johjima could go to the Yanks to as Washburn's personal catcher. Oh, wait.
galaxieboi on
July 26th, 2008 1:05 pm
But the Mariners are one of many clubs saying that, because Ibanez projects as a Type A free agent, they would want the equivalent of a first-round pick and a sandwich pick for him.
If this is true I'll be shocked, in a very happy kind of way.
Robo Ape on
July 26th, 2008 1:06 pm
You know, I realize Washburn's not particularly popular around here, but I always liked watching him pitch. Sure he was a little overpriced, but he had some FANTASTIC games last year where you could tell he was working hard. He also seemed like a gutty mound presence. Maybe I just like that soft-tossing lefty style.
I'm glad this trade is happening, it's best for the team, but I'm a little sad to see him go, if only for purely illogical reasons.
Gerald on
July 26th, 2008 1:11 pm
I'm not doing a back flip if they took Igawa off the Yankees' hands.
DAMellen on
July 26th, 2008 1:11 pm
Is that still true if we got Igawa back? I really don't want Igawa.
SteamingPileOfMojo on
July 26th, 2008 1:14 pm
Looks like Igawa was DFA'd today by the Yanks…..so not him??
joser on
July 26th, 2008 1:15 pm
I'm glad this trade is happening, it's best for the team, but I'm a little sad to see him go, if only for purely illogical reasons.
That's completely reasonable — it just means you're fan. Fandom is often about illogical, irrational, passionate attachment to something or someone that doesn't love you back (just ask any fan of any sport in Philadelphia). Being of mixed feelings for precisely those reasons is entirely healthy. Even if some of us have no mixed feelings whatsoever
joser on
July 26th, 2008 1:18 pm
Well, Seattle might just be a stopping point for Igawa on his way back to Japan, which would ultimately make it a pure salary dump unless the M's really do get Melky (which seems possible if the whole Pirates thing was hanging up on getting an outfielder for the Yanks)
G-Man on
July 26th, 2008 1:23 pm
Melky is in the lineup in Boston right now, so it can't be him.
cdowley on
July 26th, 2008 1:24 pm
Hearing lots of talk that it looks like the outfielder is Melky (yay?), we are getting Igawa, and there is a second Mariner involved. What's unclear is the second Mariner. It's either Vidro or a catcher, likely Burke or Johnson. The Yanks apparently wanted a catcher, and we wanted to make them take Vidro for us taking Igawa.
Either way, the deal is finished and has been sent to the league office.
EDIT – Apparently even though the deal was finalized this morning, the players involved were still allowed by their receiving teams to play today as both teams had day games and the deal won't be formally announced until this evening. Or so I'm told anyhow.
pygmalion on
July 26th, 2008 1:25 pm
It would be awesome if the FSN report was accurate. Even if we do get Igawa back, the Yanks take Vidro off our hands.
14limes on
July 26th, 2008 1:25 pm
As a Red Sox fan, I love watching the Yankees run up their payroll with mid-season acquisitions. I just hope we get something useful in the deal. Or, hope against hope, that the P-I was right that they're looking at Vidro.
Though I do kind of wish they hadn't acquired Nady. I liked him. But now I have to root against him as long as he's in pinstripes.
joser on
July 26th, 2008 1:30 pm
So this Ibañez thing: I'm trying to figure out who the Mets have in the minors that (a) they might be willing to give up and (b) could fit into the M's plans for next year. That probably means guys who are blocked by Reyes/Wright/Castillo… which is fine, because we know the M's could stand to upgrade the middle infield. I'm going to assume the Mets don't want to lose anybody destined for 1B, because even though Delgado seems to have found his form they have a team option on him for next year that they might choose to not exercise. So that probably eliminates Val Pascucci (who is a righty anyway). So…Argenis Reyes? Andy Green? I'm just eyeballing position and offensive stats here, I have no idea who these guys are or if they're decent defenders or whatever.
Am I crazy or is everybody on the Mets AAA team really freaking old? And could someone explain to me how the hell the New Orleans Zephyrs are in the Pacific Coast League?
galaxieboi on
July 26th, 2008 1:30 pm
Rotoworld is reporting the M's have signed Jorge Sosa.
galaxieboi on
July 26th, 2008 1:33 pm
Am I crazy or is everybody on the Mets AAA team really freaking old?
It's not just you. Several organizations are that way. Hell, it used to be AAA was simply a holding pen for 'break in case of emergency' help. AA is where all the prospects hung out. Some teams still do things that way, especially ones with oddball park effects the differ from their ML parks.
cdowley on
July 26th, 2008 1:34 pm
Rotoworld is reporting the M's have signed Jorge Sosa
Carson on
July 26th, 2008 1:34 pm
I've never been so excited to sit and watch a Yankees/Red Sox game.
Oh wait. There's Rosenthal.
galaxieboi on
July 26th, 2008 1:35 pm
And could someone explain to me how the hell the New Orleans Zephyrs are in the Pacific Coast League?
Oh, and here's your explanation:
The Zephyrs joined the PCL after the 1997 season, when the American Association was disbanded. The Zephyrs were one of five clubs from the AA to join the PCL, with three joining the International League. Triple-A baseball was also expanded at that time, concurrent with the expansion of Major League Baseball.
cdowley on
July 26th, 2008 1:36 pm
Ignore this, my browser freaked out and double posted.
Gerald on
July 26th, 2008 1:38 pm
What good does trading Vidro do? That's completely ridiculous if they took Igawa because they were so desperate to save a few million this year on Vidro. We get stuck with another albatross for three more years just to save a couple million that won't be applied to future payroll anyway?
Bullpen Joe on
July 26th, 2008 1:42 pm
I believe that Igawa recently was DFA'd by the Yankees and has been removed from their 40-man roster. If he is involved in the trade, at least the Mariners won't have to carry him on their 40-man.
Ralph_Malph on
July 26th, 2008 1:42 pm
Melky Cabrera's #5 most similar player is Johnny Dickshot. In case anyone is interested.
CC03 on
July 26th, 2008 1:43 pm
Jonathan Niese from the Mets would be interesting.
cdowley on
July 26th, 2008 1:44 pm
I think it was meant as an appeasement for the growing number of fans who have been calling for Vidro's head, and wondering why he's in the lineup every day. Now, there's no temptation to stick his "veteran grit" in there.
Besides, there was some furor to try and get Igawa a couple of years ago before the Yanks out-bid us. Maybe to FO is hoping none of us has noticed how atrocious he's been and can prop him up as getting a "real" piece back.
dw on
July 26th, 2008 1:46 pm
Picking up Igawa isn't really that bad. 3 more years at $4M per.
If the M's pitching coaches can undo the damage the Yankees did to his mechanics, then he'll be better than Silva and cost less than half what Silva cost.
If he's not, well, the M's lose about $10M on this deal. But if the Yanks take Vidro and remove the $7M vesting threat, well, it's a net loss of $3M. Compared to their recent financial debacles, it's a drop in the bucket.
RoscoJW on
July 26th, 2008 1:46 pm
Gardner is the better upside guy, if I'm not mistaken. He's a better speed threat, too, which IMO, we need pretty badly. That said, I'd be happy with Melky as well, as long as Washburn is gone. If we aren't eating much of his salary it's a double bonus. If Vidro is in the deal–triple bonus. Double backflips here I come!
The Ancient Mariner on
July 26th, 2008 1:46 pm
Or maybe, as others have suggested, they're hoping he'll retire from MLB and go back to pitching in Japan, thus taking that money off the board.
BigJared on
July 26th, 2008 1:47 pm
If this is accurate, I'm a bit saddened.
We won't have Jose Vidro to kick around anymore. We never even made it to the Vidro Burger. We won't have a powerless DH who can't H batting cleanup! The whole thing was just so surreal.
The Yankees now have Suxson and The Baconator. How funny is that? Did they pick up Bavasi as a 'consultant' or something?
kentroyals5 on
July 26th, 2008 1:48 pm
Would the Yankees be going with the "Win
now4 years ago" method with taking Vidro and Washburn?
galaxieboi on
July 26th, 2008 1:49 pm
The Yankees now have Suxson and The Baconator. How funny is that? Did they pick up Bavasi as a 'consultant' or something?
Nope, Hank's in charge over there now. I kinda feel sorry for Cashman.
dw on
July 26th, 2008 1:50 pm
The key thing is getting Igawa to remember how he used to throw the baseball. He'll never be more than a back-of-the-rotation guy at best, but we we paying Ryan Franklin about what Igawa's getting paid, and we did manage to squeeze something out of him.
joser on
July 26th, 2008 1:51 pm
Johnny Dickshot
Ha! That's one of the greatest names of all time. So great it sounds apocryphal. "I don't want some Johnny Dickshot out there messin' up the situation any further…"
I'd be kind of surprised if the Yanks wanted Burke or Johnson, actually. A couple of days ago the Star Ledger said
There was some talk at Thursday's meeting of Yankees executives in Tampa, Fla., about pursuing a catcher, and there are some concerns about Jose Molina's durability. But the sense in the organization is that the Molina/Chad Moeller combo can get them through the season and the only way they'll pursue catching help is if they find a clear upgrade
Neither Johnson nor Burke look like an upgrade. Damn that Johjima contract (though given the way he's been playing this year, the Yanks wouldn't consider him an upgrade either). Though I have to say, as bad as Joh has been for the M's, he can't match what a wonderful job Posada has done screwing the Yankees at that position: have a career year going into contract talks, land a long, fat contract, then have your arm fall off and leave you good for nothing but DH, the spot that has already collected every other aging, injured player on that team (which at times seems like every position player except Jeter).
joser on
July 26th, 2008 1:55 pm
Vidro's option is not going to vest, and he's already a sunk cost this year. So other than taking one of Riggleman's (inexplicable) toys away (and freeing up a roster spot), it's really not a cause for backflips.
I kinda feel sorry for Cashman.
Maybe Cashman is entertaining ideas of the Seattle GM job, so he's doing his best to exchange rosters before coming over
cdowley on
July 26th, 2008 1:58 pm
Maybe Cashman is entertaining ideas of the Seattle GM job, so he's doing his best to exchange rosters before coming over
Hey, that sorta makes sense… he's trying to tank the Yanks' chances for the playoffs so he gets canned and can come here
14limes on
July 26th, 2008 2:03 pm
So, how long before the Yankees designate the Mariners as their AAA affiliate? Sexson, Washburn, (hopefully) Vidro, Nelson… hell, Marte came up with the M's…
Carson on
July 26th, 2008 2:05 pm
Nice hit, Melky! Let's hope it is your last as a Yankee!
G-Man on
July 26th, 2008 2:13 pm
It does see silly to worry about getting rid of Vidro. However, it does save a couple million.
As for Igawa, there is a least a chance that the change of scenery will help.
I can imagine this conversation:
Yanks: You have to pay $___ of Washburn's salary.
M's: We won't, but we'll take Igawa and his $10 million off your hands if you'll pay ____ million of it.
Yanks: OK on Igawa, but we won't pay anything. Instead, we'll take Vidro and his salary off your hands.
Or heck, maybe the NYY have already ralized that Sexson is useless against righties, so they want to try Turbo as their backup 1B now.
As for Melky playing with a trade about to drop, isn't that unusual? Maybe not, especially when it's head-to-head with the Sox.
Saberfan on
July 26th, 2008 2:15 pm
Igawa was just taken off the 40 man and Gardner sent to AAA. Makes me wonder if they are the two coming back to us.
RoscoJW on
July 26th, 2008 2:18 pm
Getting rid of Vidro means less ABs taken up by a guy who's power went out years ago. It means a better shot at finding improvement at the DH position instead of running a black hole out there on a consistent basis. It also opens up the possibility of shifting Ibanez to DH and calling up Wlad again. It's not that I'm worried about Vidro not being in the deal, it's the fact that getting rid of Vidro helps the team out, which is what everyone is/should be the most worried about. A side note/question…when is Cairo going to go away? Seriously. What.A.Waste.
bergamot on
July 26th, 2008 2:19 pm
If the M's finish one game behind the Yankees for this year's Wild Card playoff spot, they'll regret trading Washburn.
Colm on
July 26th, 2008 2:23 pm
It's funny that the Yankees are trying to make themselves better by picking up some of worst players on the worst team in baseball. I'd expect Yankees fans to be apopleptic about this.
cdowley on
July 26th, 2008 2:24 pm
I just had a random thought about why we're trading Vidro…
What if ownership went to the FO and said "any money on the payroll for the remainder of this season that you don't spend, you can have next year on top of what you already would have gotten".
What FO wouldn't want to have an extra few million kicking around?
Hardly saying this is the case, just another theory to toss into the hat.
galaxieboi on
July 26th, 2008 2:32 pm
It's funny that the Yankees are trying to make themselves better by picking up some of worst players on the worst team in baseball.
I'm hoping that with Hank in charge now we'll be seeing some more of the antics of George from several years ago.
Karen on
July 26th, 2008 2:36 pm
#45 14limes, I don't know how long you've been a Mariners fan, but from what I remember, the Mariners have ALWAYS been the Yanks' AAA affiliate…
pygmalion on
July 26th, 2008 2:39 pm
It's funny that the Yankees are trying to make themselves better by picking up some of worst players on the worst team in baseball.
Washburn isn't really one of our worst players. He is one of our most overpaid players.
Thus: A perfect fit for the Yankees.
G-Man on
July 26th, 2008 2:40 pm
51, I think you may be onto something, but it's more like this:
FO is told that ticket sales revenue is terrible this year, so dump some 2008 salary to help offset it.
This may be way too clever (especially for the Mariners), but maybe they knew that Vidro had an ounce of value to some team, so they did NOT dump him like they did Sexson. Instead, they tried to raise his trade value by batting him in the heart of the lineup, protecting him with Beltre behind him, so that they'd have a better chance to find a greater fool GM to trade him to.
kevjones on
July 26th, 2008 2:40 pm
didn't we get buhner from the yankees
joser on
July 26th, 2008 2:43 pm
Getting rid of Vidro means less ABs taken up by a guy who's power went out years ago.
Which you could also accomplish by telling Riggleman to believe the stats, not his "feelings," and to just not pencil Vidro into the damn lineup every damn day. Which is what I meant by "taking his toy away"
Colm on
July 26th, 2008 2:45 pm
Pygmalion – fair point. I was thinking more of Sexson and Vidro.
G-Man. Vidro can be nothing more than a salary dump. Nobody in baseball thinks he has an ounce of value. There's no measure you could use – either traditional or Bill-James-adbstruse – that doesn't tell you he sucks.
RoscoJW on
July 26th, 2008 2:46 pm
Ah see, now that would just be too easy. Heaven forbid the Mariners do anything that makes sense…
thr33niL on
July 26th, 2008 2:52 pm
I'm kind of hoping they can snag Gardner instead of Cabrera. Gardner looks like he will be Podsednik part 2. Good OBP, lighting fast. Cabrera seems like a more well rounded player but doesn't really dazzle in anything.
Karen on
July 26th, 2008 2:56 pm
Peter Abraham from over at LoHud Yankee Blog just posted:
TRADE UPDATE, 5:41 p.m.: Jarrod Washburn might not be a Yankee today, but it could happen as early as tomorrow. The Yankees appear willing to absorb the $14 million he has left on his deal in return for not sending Seattle any player of significance. No, not Kei Igawa.
Washburn will either waive his no-trade right or get compensated by Seattle in some way.
It's a lot of money, but Washburn would be an upgrade on Ponson or Rasner. Having him around also would cushion the blow if Andy Pettitte and/or Mike Mussina retires after this season or go elsewhere.
joser on
July 26th, 2008 2:56 pm
So I see it as kind of emblematic of the season that a thread that is mostly about getting rid of a player (rather than acquiring one) generates 20% more posts (and counting) than that day's game thread (and a game thread that was inflated by a minor pissing contest revival from a previous thread at that).
Man, once the trade deadline passes there isn't going to be much excitement to post about… I may have to leave town in search of South Pacific lager.
Rtheb on
July 26th, 2008 2:57 pm
Why is everyone so excited? We're not dumping Washburn because we will have Igawa under contract for three more seasons at $4 million a season. As far as Vidro, he's already been paid $5+ million of his $8 million salary this season. The Yankees won't let next season kick in. They'll probably release him. And Sexson? We're the ones on the hook for almost the entire contract. New York is paying around $150K for the remainder of the season. It's a cheap flyer for them.
RoscoJW on
July 26th, 2008 2:59 pm
I think I'd much rather see us eat some of Washburn's salary and get at least someone back…But hey, beggars can't be choosers.
Ninja Jordan on
July 26th, 2008 3:00 pm
Is anyone excited about the prospect of netting Igawa? The Mariners essentially WANTED him in '07, before they were outbid by NY. According to Peter Gammons, Igawa's never been the same since Yanks coach Ron Guidry screwed up his delivery. At 29, I still think he has time left to reform himself, and Seattle may be a friendly confine for him (e.g. Kojima as catcher). Anyone think Stottlemyre could bring him along? As a #5 starting lefty, I see no harm in trying.
scott19 on
July 26th, 2008 3:04 pm
Nope, Hank's in charge over there now.
Yeah, and hopefully Hank completely sinks that franchise right into the next Yankee "Dark Age" and takes them out of viable contention for a few years. (Probably not going to happen, but wishful thinking!)
We won't have Jose Vidro to kick around anymore. We never even made it to the Vidro Burger.
But, hey, all hope's not lost…maybe Kenji can bulk up an additional 30-40 pounds and give us the next great taste sensation — the JOH BURGER!
Go Felix on
July 26th, 2008 3:15 pm
I really hope that we don't end up with Igawa. If we do I'm sure the higher ups will offer him an extension deal making him the highest paid player on the M's.
G-Man on
July 26th, 2008 3:17 pm
Is anyone excited about the prospect of netting Igawa?
I wouldn't say I'm excited, but I think it could work out. A change of scenery, away from the NY pressure, couldn't hurt. And we need more candidates for the 2009 rotation.
I may have to leave town in search of South Pacific lager.
That's good for another 50-100 posts.
J.L. White on
July 26th, 2008 3:18 pm
I don't know how long you've been a Mariners fan, but from what I remember, the Mariners have ALWAYS been the Yanks' AAA affiliate.
That may be true to a degree (see: Tino Martinez), but being a feeder team for the Bombers did work out well for us once….Ken Phelps for Jay Buhner.
Okay, I don't want to jinx anything, but I am very excited about this rumored trade, for many reasons, but perhaps the best part of it is…
Dammit, I gotta remind myself that the trade isn't official yet. Until then, I'll just sit on my hands.
CC03 on
July 26th, 2008 3:20 pm
"Peter Abraham is now reporting that the deal could happen as early as tomorrow and that the Yankees are willing to pay all of the salary remaining on the contract "in return for not sending Seattle any player of significance. No, not Kei Igawa."
A+. Great salary dump.
Not bad Lee.
G-Man on
July 26th, 2008 3:22 pm
The other thing that I can hold out hope for with Igawa is the same thing that I am hoping for with Kenji – the old Sasaki "Retirement" Maneuver. The player goes back to Japan for a visit, has a meeting with Mr. Yamauchi, and suddenly realizes that retiring to the Land of the Rising Sun beats the old USA.
bonesbarry on
July 26th, 2008 3:26 pm
WHA??!? They took Washburn and VIdro?? Am I dreaming……
I know Melky isn't doing much this year, but jeez…..
Do the yankees even have scouts?
Tim1701 on
July 26th, 2008 3:28 pm
Re: 66/69 –
I'll be thrilled to get Igawa. As a fan of his old team in Japan, I thought he'd be the better bang-for-the-buck than Matsuzaka, and then the Yankees got hold of him and who knows what they did to him. He might be a lost cause now, or he might revert to his old form. It's a decent gamble, I think, potentially a big upside for comparatively little salary (I'd start Igawa over the $8M+ Silva or Batista anytime).
RoscoJW on
July 26th, 2008 3:28 pm
Nothing is a done deal yet. And a lot of the serious rumors don't even involve Vidro. I'm still holding out hope, though.
scott19 on
July 26th, 2008 3:30 pm
The other thing that I can hold out hope for with Igawa is the same thing that I am hoping for with Kenji – the old Sasaki "Retirement†Maneuver.
Maybe when the team's on the road some of the guys will sneak into his room and fill his suitcases with cement.
scott19 on
July 26th, 2008 3:33 pm
Do the yankees even have scouts?
Yes, but apparently they're all off earning their merit badges in the Catskills this weekend.
Go Felix on
July 26th, 2008 3:36 pm
I don't really see why they would take Vidro unless there was a stipulation in the trade to take both The Bus and Professional Hitter or neither. Anyway, it's not official so it's nothing to get excited about.
Sentinel on
July 26th, 2008 3:41 pm
What?!? Washburn's leaving?
Carson on
July 26th, 2008 3:49 pm
Sentinel – Your link leads to a web hosting site.
Carson on
July 26th, 2008 3:56 pm
Nevermind. I lost track of what was happening.
Jeff Nye on
July 26th, 2008 4:09 pm
Any update on this yet, as to the players involved?
I need to go fence more often, since exciting things only seem to happen when I'm there.
kevinzelko on
July 26th, 2008 4:10 pm
Its funny that Washburn is holding out for his clause to be waived. Like going from a team in full rebuilding last place mode to heavily favored team in the playoffs would be a tough decision.
Jeff Nye on
July 26th, 2008 4:15 pm
Honestly, the no-trade is just something for the writers to talk about when they don't know any actual details.
I'd give it about a 1% chance of actually holding up any trade.
RB in NYC on
July 26th, 2008 4:16 pm
Ken Rosenthal just reported that the deal is being held up because the M's want a top prospect and for the Yankees to take all the cash. So it seems like this trade will happen but there's 12 different versions of it floating around.
Karen on
July 26th, 2008 4:21 pm
This Ken Rosenthal FoxSports report was updated today at 2:51 EST:
The deal with the Pirates might not be the Yankees' last before Thursday's unrestricted trade deadline. The team also is pursuing Mariners left-hander Jarrod Washburn for its rotation, and the Mariners spoke with Washburn on Friday about waiving his no-trade clause to the Yankees, according to a major-league source.
The Yankees have indicated that they will not give Washburn a contract extension or cash bonus for waiving his no-trade rights, but the source said that Washburn would not necessarily require either inducement, saying, "There are ways around that."
RBinNYC, you can say that again, about the number of permutations of the deal being rumored…
abender20 on
July 26th, 2008 4:31 pm
I wish this deal would be announced officially, as I am going crazy waiting to see who is coming back
snapper on
July 26th, 2008 4:33 pm
Why does it seem the Mariners are trying to hold up the Yanks?
Shouldn't they just be happy to get out from under the majority of next year's salary?
abender20 on
July 26th, 2008 4:33 pm
The Dream Trade:
Washburn, Vidro, Lopez, and Balentien + Oswaldo Navarro -> NY
Robby Cano, Melky, Igawa -> Seattle
Odds of this happening – 0.0000%
Colm on
July 26th, 2008 4:35 pm
Hey Jeff – what are you fencing? Stolen laptops? Because I'm looking for an upgrade.
Jeff Nye on
July 26th, 2008 4:35 pm
Colm on
July 26th, 2008 4:41 pm
Okay, sorry, that was a dreadful pun.
abender20, can't we dream of shipping off Yuni "The Refrigerator" Betancourt as well?
G-Man on
July 26th, 2008 4:45 pm
The Yankees have indicated that they will not give Washburn a contract extension or cash bonus for waiving his no-trade rights, but the source said that Washburn would not necessarily require either inducement, saying, "There are ways around that.â€
When Vidro was traded here from the Nats, he got an option year (2009) added to his contract. We worried that it would vest until we found out the number of PA's needed, which made it remote. Someone said that the Player's Union wants palyers to get something for waiving a no-trade, so Vidro settled for this.
So maybe Wash will get an option for 2011 which vests if he pitches 220 innings in 2010.
JMHawkins on
July 26th, 2008 4:51 pm
RBinNYC, you can say that again, about the number of permutations of the deal being rumored…
No kidding. I'm expecting to hear that Washburn is flying to Venezuela for a physical.
PaulMolitorCocktail on
July 26th, 2008 4:52 pm
Maybe we can give Silva an option that vests if he stops eating.
abender20 on
July 26th, 2008 4:54 pm
Colm, I'd love to send Yuni too, but there is a problem with that: the ever present lack of organizational depth. Who starts at short from then on? Oswaldo Navarro? (resounding no, he's not a big leaguer) Willy Ballgame? (One large bag of sick, please, no ice)? Carlos Triunfel? Not yet.
Steve T on
July 26th, 2008 4:57 pm
@32, @42: Johnny Dickshot's nickname was "Ugly". Ugly Dickshot. Yes, really. Greatest baseball name ever.
"Melky" isn't too shabby, though.
terry on
July 26th, 2008 5:00 pm
Im not a big fan of Melky.
joser on
July 26th, 2008 5:13 pm
Yeah, but we like his name. Nothing like trying to pronounce initials. Imagine if his parents were fans of Robert Kennedy — Arfkie? Or Lyndon Johnson — Ellbjee? (Doesn't he play outfield for Boston?)
Shouldn't they just be happy to get out from under the majority of next year's salary?
When they trade a guy for nothing (Carlos Guillen), we bitch. When they try to not trade a player for nothing, we bitch. Might as well see if you can get something. I don't see the problem as long as it doesn't scuttle the trade altogether.
Mike Snow on
July 26th, 2008 5:17 pm
When you trade a sixth starter, it's not a disappointment to get a fourth outfielder in return.
Matt the Dragon on
July 26th, 2008 5:43 pm
And could someone explain to me how the hell the New Orleans Zephyrs are in the Pacific Coast League?
They used to play in the PCL as the Denver Bears before moving to the American Association.
When the AA disbanded, as galaxieboi noted above, they moved back to the PCL rather than the International League, pretty much because of the historic connection even though they had moved to Nawlins a few years earlier.
Karen on
July 26th, 2008 5:44 pm
That would be Miguel Batista, Mike…
Karen on
July 26th, 2008 5:48 pm
Latest from Peter Abraham of LoHud, as of 20 minutes ago:
Everybody and their brother is reporting that the Yankees are close to as deal with Seattle for Jarrod Washburn.
It would seem to make sense. Washburn is in Toronto at the moment and is scheduled to pitch tomorrow against the Blue Jays. Put him on a plane and send him out against the Red Sox tomorrow night.
But Brian Cashman said just now that no deal is imminent. "You can sleep easy tonight,†he said.
So there you have it.
Jeff Nye on
July 26th, 2008 5:50 pm
That would be Miguel Batista, Mike…
Really, you could apply that description to everyone but Felix and Bedard, and not be that far off.
But yeah, you have to realistic about what Jarrod Washburn is going to get you; it's not going to be a player you really, really like.
abender20 on
July 26th, 2008 5:52 pm
Jeff, you'd have to qualify that. For instance, if Justin Christian's mom is a Mariner's fan, then she'd probably think that the M's were getting somebody she really really liked.
I, however, don't care for him as a baseball player
G-Man on
July 26th, 2008 6:12 pm
Here is the best place I've found today to follow the Washburn story.
scott19 on
July 26th, 2008 6:14 pm
92 & 96: Not to mention, you couldn't include Yuni in that particular deal to NYY, anyway. After all, he'd have nowhere to play for the next several years while The Captain continues to pad out his numbers for the HOF.
G-Man on
July 26th, 2008 6:20 pm
I was hoping to ship Yuni to the Dodgers, who were shopping for a SS, but they say that they're no longer after one since they acquired Casey Blake to play 3rd.
msb on
July 26th, 2008 6:21 pm
Baker earlier today on the possible trade
mark s on
July 26th, 2008 6:34 pm
I am simply glad I can root against Washburn again and not have any conflicts.
msb on
July 26th, 2008 6:34 pm
so the rotation would be Felix,
Bedard, Silva, Batista,Dickey ….
scott19 on
July 26th, 2008 6:40 pm
…RRS (after recall), the Moose, Mel Stottlemyre…
Tom in Edmonds on
July 26th, 2008 7:03 pm
We do love the rumor mill…
Too Wash or not to wash…
north on
July 26th, 2008 7:42 pm
forwardflip too
jephdood on
July 26th, 2008 7:49 pm
So are we really demanding some high prospect in addition to the Yanks covering Wash's whole contract??
We'll find SOME way to F this up..
edgar for mayor on
July 26th, 2008 8:04 pm
Well…if we only got Melky or Gardner out of the deal I would have pooped my pants. Pelekoudas is digging his own grave be demanding a top tier prospect. He has to be upsetting GM's by asking for the sun and the moon for all everyone he tries to trade.
Jeff Nye on
July 26th, 2008 8:06 pm
I wouldn't get freaked out about any of the reports that are flying around.
cdowley on
July 26th, 2008 9:25 pm
There's WAY too much flying around right now to be sure of what exactly is going on, but the one certain is that it seems like a deal is either done, or very near to it.
msb on
July 26th, 2008 11:06 pm
stuff flying is so entertaining … the S-L has the Mets kicking the tires on just about every one on the M's
TumwaterMike on
July 27th, 2008 12:48 am
I don't know if it means anything but Brett Gardner is listed as Reserve status on the S-WB Yankees. Does that mean he may be moving soon?
terry on
July 27th, 2008 5:02 am
stuff flying is so entertaining … the S-L has the Mets kicking the tires on just about every one on the M's
Dumping Washburn and Batista in the same week? Lee P. Might be the only interim general manager to win GM of the year…
Really, if Pelekoudas wanted to make a big immediate impression even though struggling for a cohesive plan which might impress the bosses, the road map is pretty clear-just start undoing just about anything that bares the Bavasi brand…..
Paul B on
July 27th, 2008 9:02 am
Who woulda thunk the Yankees would have any interest in players like Sexson and Vidro.
Maybe the M's should rummage around in the bottom of the ball bags for any random flotsam and offer it to the Yanks.
"Hey, look, here's Miguel Cairo! He's just like Luis Sojo!"
"Ooh, look at the shiny pizza crust! Want it?"
cdowley on
July 27th, 2008 9:07 pm
I don't know if it means anything but Brett Gardner is listed as Reserve status on the S-WB Yankees. Does that mean he may be moving soon?
Could be. Could also be that he just got demoted and hadn't made it back to the team yet. I will say that I have seen minor leaguers get moved to their squad's reserve list a day or so before they get traded.
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text:
Town may show future impact
N. Dakota town may mirror area
March 3, 2013
MARIETTA — Thanks to North Dakota's oil-laden Bakken shale deposits, the economy is has grown 30 percent since 2010 in Dickinson, N.D., a community about the size of Marietta....
Some areas across the country where fracking has boomed have noted an increase in crime -- including domestic violence and sexual assault. In Dickinson, North Dakota, there has been at least a 300% increase in assault and sex crimes over the past year. The mayor has attributed the increase in crime to the oil and "natural" gas boom in their area.
Fracking may be putting North Dakota on the map — but not for the best reasons.
For a less biased view of the impact of the oil and gas boom in western ND, I suggest the cover article in the March issus of National Geographic.
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A quick check of hotels shows plenty of rooms available at various chains with prices starting at $100 per night. According to Gas Buddy, gasoline prices in Dickinson ND are the same as Parkersburg. I'm not too sure how the locals can cross the border into Wyoming since the two states do not share a common border, althought it is true that Wyoming gas prices run about 50 cents cheaper on the gallon.
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Showing 2 of 2 comments


text:
Finding Marc's Family: At the Border Crossing
As thousands of Haitians flee the capital of Port-au-Prince, Marc Henry Bigot of Miami is going in to rescue what is left of his family. Wall Street Journal reporter Gina Chon is accompanying Marc on his journey. Follow his story here on Dispatch, and on Facebook.
On the road leading to the Dominican-Haitian border, there was no sign of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that devastated Port-au-Prince less than a week ago. Trees, shrubs and palm trees filled the landscape, and every now and then there was a home. Cows grazed on patches of grass.
Marc got excited when he saw Étang Saumâtre, Haiti's largest lake, which lies just on the Haitian side of the border. "Look, it's the lake!" Marc said as he pointed to the right. "That means we're getting close" to the border crossing.
Just before the border was a lone gas station where a makeshift parking lot had formed as people waited in line to buy fuel, so precious and scarce in Haiti. Small stands on the side of the road sold water and other supplies.
Marie Cherie, an old acquaintance of Marc's who is also seeking her own relatives, began alternately clapping her hands and singing a tune. Marc just strained his neck to look out both windows, not wanting to miss anything.
The border crossing sits along the shore of Étang Saumâtre, and there passengers saw their first possible sign of the temblor. Some of the cement structures were half under water, while parts some wooden shacks had collapsed.
On the narrow road, a steady stream of pickup trucks, sedans and SUVs that had just left Haiti tried to navigate past Marc's bus. The area teemed with buses, trucks and cars, and Marc's bus constantly honked, trying to get by. Crowds of people gathered in pockets, while boys hawked snacks, drinks and cell phone scratch cards.
At the border crossing gate, a line of cars waited to get into Haiti. Many of them carried supplies purchased in the Dominican Republic. Soldiers carrying machine guns stopped each vehicle to ask questions.
Rachelle Sienthelie sat on some gauze-like cloth on the ground near the gate, her right leg in a cast. She was on the top floor of a building when the earthquake hit, she said, and she broke her hip. She had heard doctors in Santo Domingo would help her, and, indeed, they put her leg in a cast. Now she waited for a taxi to take her back to Haiti.
On Marc's bus, the passengers were led off and sent to the immigration office. It was hot, crowded and chaotic. Dozens of people waited in line, and passengers asked each other what they should be doing.
After a few minutes, one of the bus employees handling the immigration process for the passengers told everyone to return to the bus. "It's too busy in here and it's better for everyone to get back on the bus," she shouted in Creole.


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Welcome to Parkers the parts people and our online webshop for all car parts and accessories.
The parts people are one of the UK's leading distributors of replacement car parts online and car spares for all makes of cars and light commercials. Parkers were founded in 1924 and therefore have over 80 years experience of supplying quality replacement car parts. We are also able to offer you a comprehensive range of car accessories from world renowned suppliers such as Thule, Mont Blanc, Coleman and Gelert to name a few. In the accessories department categories you will find a full range of Thule bike carriers, ski carriers, kayak carriers, Coleman and Gelert camping equipment including tents, sleeping bags and kitchen camping equipment.
Our overiding strength is the ability to supply from stock for all makes of cars, quality car parts and spares from quality OE manufacturers, many of whom are already manufacturing for all the main brands of car suppliers. Our aftermarket program caters for car parts and spares for the following brands, Audi, BMW, Alfa Romeo, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Citroen, Daewoo, Daihatsu, Fiat, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Isuzu, Jaguar, Jeep, Kia, Lada, Lancia, Land Rover, Lexus, LDV, Mazda, Mercedes, MG, Mini, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Peugeot, Porsche, Proton, Renault, Rover, Saab, Seat, Skoda, Smart, Subaru, Suzuki, Toyota, Vauxhall, VW, Volkswagon and Volvo. We are also able to suply car parts online and car spares online for some vintage vehicles so if you are stuck for a part then please call us if even if you cant find your parts listed!
We are able to supply car spares such as brake pads, brake discs, brake shoes, filters, clutches, alternators, starter motors, water pumps, radiators, brake calipers, steering racks, driveshafts, spark plugs, timing belt kits, fan belts, steering components, exhausts, catalytic converters, coil springs, shock absorbers and much much more.
Please remember that if you are stuck at any time in looking for your car parts for your car then please feel free to call our team of experts waiting to answer your technical enquiries or just to reassure you that you have found the correct car parts for your vehicle online!
We are experts in our field who have had years of experience supplying spares to local garages in our areas. We are able to supply replacement car parts online for all European vehicles, Japanese cars, Korean cars, Scandinavian vehicles, american cars and even Chinese brands! Please dont hesitate to call us.


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Estate Agents in Dublin 15
- Alliance Auctioneers Main St, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15 and C... Email
- Baxter Real Estate Main Street, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, Email
- Branagan Estates 1 The Rise, Main St, Blanchardstown, Dub... Email
- Brennan Property Consultants Unit 12, Rathborne, Ashtown, Dublin 15 Email
- DFM Village Shopping Centre, Castleknock, Du... Email
- DNG Phibsboro 138/139 Phibsboro Road, Phibsboro, Dubli... Email
- Duffy Auctioneers Letting Management & Letting Agent Main Street, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, Email
- Flynn & Associates Castleknock Castle Court, Castleknock, Dublin 15, Email
- Flynn & Associates Clonsilla Castle Court, Castleknock, Dublin 15 Email
- Lloyd Daly & Associates 6 Clonsilla Road, Off Main Street, Blanc... Email
- McPeake Auctioneers The Plaza, Tyrrelstown Town Centre, Tyrr... Email
- Molloy Estates Unit 12, Saint Brigids, Shopping Centre,... Email
- Murphy Mullan Estate Agents Unit 8, The Plaza , Main Street , Blanch... Email
- Newcombe Estates 6 The Mall, Ongar Village, Dublin 15, Email
- O'Connell Properties 1 North Street, Ongar, Dublin 15. Email
- Paul Tobin Estates Blanchardstown Village, Dublin 15 Email
- Perry Properties 5 The Paddock, Ashtown Gate, Dublin 7, Email
- Property Home and Away Unit 10, Coolmine Business Park, Clonsil... Email
- Sherry FitzGerald Castleknock Ashleigh Retail Centre, Castleknock, Dub... Email
- The Property Shop ( Ongar) 27 Main Street Ongar Village Dublin 15 Email
- Wilson Moore Estate & Letting Agents The Charlestown Shopping Centre, Dublin ... Email
Property in Dublin 15
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Low-Fat Chicken Fajitas Recipe
Submitted By:from Alexandria.
Low-Fat Chicken Fajitas Notes
Over the years, I've experimented with The Spice House Fajita Seasoning, using it to cook primarily beef fajitas. More recently, my wife and I have embarked upon a low-fat to no-fat approach to cooking. The recipe noted below proves that a person can enjoy robust flavors while incorporating virtually no fats. Particularly given the relatively recent trend toward low-fat and low-carb diets, this recipe seems particularly appropriate.
- 2 pounds chicken breast, fat trimmed and cut into thin strips
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 fresh limes, juiced
- 3-5 tablespoons fajita seasoning
- 2 medium onions, diced or sliced to your preference
- 2 bell peppers, cut into thin strips
- 3-4 yellow zucchini, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces and then quartered
- 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 can fat-free refried beans
- for garnish, chipotle based salsa
- for garnish, hickory smoked sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- for garnish, low-fat sour cream
- for garnish, fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 package flour tortillas (no-fat varieties available)
Serves / Yields
Preparation Instructions
- Mix the oil, juice from the limes, and fajita seasoning in a sealable container. I tend to use a large Ziplock plastic bag for this purpose. Add the chicken, coat thoroughly and marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
- Once ready to begin cooking, spray the inside of a large frying pan with PAM or Weight Watchers spray. Quickly begin to brown the garlic, stirring rapidly. Then add the chopped onions and combine with the garlic. Stirring often, cook until the mixture begins to soften and brown.
- After cooking the onions, set them aside. Use the same large frying pan to cook the chicken and marinade combination, again on high heat. Lowering heat, cook until mixture is essentially dry and set aside, keeping the chicken warm.
- Using either gas or charcoal, spray the grill rack with PAM or weight watchers spray. Using medium to high heat, grill the bell peppers and yellow zucchini until they take on grilling marks.
- In a cast iron skillet placed inside the grill, cook the tomato halves. Simmer uncovered until they become slightly dry. Stir occasionally so they don't burn.
- Heat the refried beans in an appropriate container and set aside, keeping them warm until ready to serve.
- Wrap medium or large tortillas inside a thin cotton towel. Place inside a microwave oven and heat just until well warmed so as not to cause them to become dry.
- Perhaps using a buffet approach to serving, each person can fill a warmed tortilla with whatever ingredients suit any person's particular tastes.
Helpful Hints
There are many options, variations and alternatives, more than I can really begin to address. The variation that most immediately comes to mind is forgoing the tortilla and simply creating a mound of whichever ingredients seem most desirable at the time.
This recipe has no comments. Be the first to submit a comment!


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Jenny Dial brings you live updates as three Houston-area softball teams try to win state championships Saturday.
Class 3A championship game
Needville vs. Celina, 2 p.m.
Class 4A championship game
Angleton vs. New Braunfels Canyon, 5 p.m.
Class 5A championship game
Smithson Valley vs. Pearland, 8 p.m.
Jason McDaniel follows Game 2 of the Brazoswood-Pearland 5A regional final baseball series. First pitch Saturday is 4 p.m. at Cougar Field. (Baseball blog is below, under the softball)
Live updates from state softball and regional baseball
Class 5A Region III baseball finals: Brazoswood vs. Pearland


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fo: Mom got her vest!
View Single Post
Instepping Out
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Rio Rancho, New Mexico USA
Posts: 3,432
Thanks: 2,543
Thanked 1,645 Times in 1,163 Posts
Thanks for all the compliments-she loves it.
yes it is patons sws-natural navy I think-took 5 skeins
the pattern was not really existant; I used my gauge and then followed the instructions out of The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns, but made it longer than they called for b/c she wanted it to partially cover her butt. so it's 16" from bottom to the beginning of the armhole decreases. And then I added a cable to the front sides b/c the straight st st was driving me crazy.
yes the pic in the avatar is me, about 2 months ago-should pop any day, though I'm not due until Dec. 4th. My babies are always early, first was 3 weeks and second was 4 weeks, so Tues will be 36 weeks and I'm keeping my legs closed, had lots of contractions yesterday 5-8 min apart for most of the day, finally settled down when I went to bed (& that's on meds to keep them from comming) :teehehe:
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Classic Checking Account
The Classic Account is a non-interest bearing club checking account. This is recommended for customers who are looking for the specific benefits that a club account offers.
Minimum to open:
Account Fees:
A maintenance fee of $8.00 will be imposed every statement cycle
Transaction Fees:
Pays Interest:
Online Banking & Bill Pay:
Debit Card:
Telephone Banking:
Senior Benefits (age 65 or better):
Senior Classic. A maintenance fee of $6.00 will be imposed every statement cycle
Additional Benefits:
- $5.00 discount on first order of checks
- No fee to purchase Cashiers Checks or Money Orders
- $10,000 Accidental Death or Dismemberment Insurance
- License Sticker Renewal (at participating locations)
- 1st year safe deposit box (3 x 5 x 24) rental fee waived


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The Pros:Immediately recognizeable as a rendition of the comic book character. Well inked details on the muscles, looks quality. Fits comfortably, well-cut design that doesn't hang too loose or tight.
The Cons:Colors fade dramatically after a few washes.
immediately recognizeable as a rendition of the comic book character
well inked details on the muscles, looks quality
fits comfortably, well-cut design that doesn't hang too loose or tight
colors are vibrant and deep, doesn't look washed out at all
100% cotton material is soft to the touch
just add a mask and you have a Halloween costume
colors fade dramatically after a few washes
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An Invitation to "Learn With Us"
The Oakridge International School –Newton Campus is seeking to recruit highly qualified, innovative, and learning-focused educators who are ready to play a significant role at one of India'sleading schools. We encourage you to take a look around our website as it is a window into what is happening on our bustling campus.
OIS offers myriad opportunities for professional growth in a collaborative and fun working environment. OIS educators direct the course of their own professional learning and growth within a forward-thinking and supportive framework. Professional development is a strong feature of the school and all members of staff are subject to annual performance management and appraisal.
If you desire the ability to direct your own professional growth and realize your true potential as an educator . . . then OIS is the place for you. If you are ready and eager to turn the page into a new and exciting chapter in your life and career, we warmly invite you to become part of our dynamic community and "Learn With Us!"
If there are no positions available that are relevant to you, please consult this section in the near future or feel free to contact us with your current C.V.


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IBM Settles With Justice Department Over Discrimination Allegations
By Brent Kendall
IBMreed to settle allegations some company online job listings expressed a preference for foreign workers with temporary visas over U.S. citizens, the Justice Department said Friday.
The department alleged certain IBM job application postings for software developers expressed citizenship preferences for foreign job candidates holding student visas or H-1B visas issued to foreign nationals with technical expertise.
Voicing such preferences violated an anti-discrimination provision of federal immigration law regarding both U.S. citizens and permanent residents, the Justice Department said.
IBM didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. A written settlement agreement with the Justice Department indicated the company denied "any and all allegations of citizenship status discrimination in its hiring process."
Under the terms of the settlement, IBM will pay $44,000 in civil penalties and revise its hiring and recruitment procedures to comply with the Immigration and Nationality Act. The company will also provide reports to the government for two years.
The Justice Department didn't provide details on how many job postings were at issue, but said the listings were for positions that would have required successful candidates to relocate overseas.
The settlement agreement said the department had "reasonable cause" to believe IBM committed violations from April 2009 to February 2013. The department said it opened its investigation of the company last December.
"Employers must give all eligible candidates the equal opportunity to compete for employment," said Jocelyn Samuels, the acting head of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.
See also:
Face-Off on Visas Pits U.S. Against India – WSJ


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Billing for cloud services: the impact on revenue management systems for operators
- June 2012
- 13 Pages
- Analysys Mason Group
The billing of these new services is a critical component in being able to compete against strong global competitors.
Communications service providers (CSPs) have been slow to build out their cloud service offerings and have adopted similar pricing models to those established for hosting services. Cloud services are similar in many ways to these services, but are they different enough to break current billing systems and do they help CSPs to compete against established global vendors, such as Amazon?
This Viewpoint provides:
- examples of CSPs' approaches to billing for cloud services
- an examination of the differences that may impact billing systems
- an analysis of the new parameters that CSPs may be able to bill against
- short- and long-term recommendations for cloud billing vendors and CSPs.


text:
This is an excerpt from EERE Network News, a weekly electronic newsletter.
April 09, 2003
California's Small, Clean Power Generators Avoid Extra Fees
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved a decision on April 3rd that will exempt customers using small, clean power generatorsincluding solar, wind, and fuel cell systemsfrom extra power surcharges. In creating the exemption, the CPUC noted that it was "removing barriers to installation of clean customer-owned generation and removing the cloud of uncertainty that has been discouraging customers from investing in systems."
In late 2002, the state instituted a surcharge on so-called "direct access" customerscustomers that had left their traditional utilities to buy power from independent energy suppliers. The surcharge was imposed to assure that these customers shared the financial burden of recovering from California's energy crisis of 2000 and 2001. Although some had argued that the same surcharge should be applied to self-generated power, the CPUC decided on April 3rd to exempt small, clean power generators "on the basis of broader public policy to encourage self-generation and the use of renewable resources." For specific rules regarding the exemption, see the CPUC press release, and for background on the surcharge, see the CPUC's November 2002 press release.


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Find It
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The Valley Library
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Unique @ OSU
Giving to OSU Libraries and Press
The By The Numbers boxes display points of pride for the OSU Libraries and Press. Each box highlights one of the wonderful services and resources that the OSU Libraries and Press provide to students, faculty, and beyond. These numbers reflect impact statistics reported to OSU University administration, Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL), and the National Center for Statistics (NCES). Images created by OSU graphic design student Andrew Gen.


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A Hong Kong Movie With China Appeal
When Hong Kong's film festival opened Wednesday, it was with a rom-com that tests the fidelity of mismatched lovers in much the same way that Hong Kong questions the motives of a dissimilar mainland China.
"Love in the Buff" reunites Miriam Yeung and Shawn Yue as Cherie and Jimmy, the chain-smoking couple in 2010′s "Love in a Puff" who found romance while flicking ashes into Hong Kong's outdoor trash cans.
5 to See at HKIFF
"Buff" picks up several months later, when their relationship has ended. Jimmy takes a job in Beijing, finds a new girlfriend, and that seems to end any chance of reconciliation. But fate pushes them together for another attempt at love after cosmetics-store manager Cherie is transferred to Beijing.
For nearly a decade, Hong Kong-China co-productions have become the new standard for Hong Kong's filmmakers. But local audiences often complain that the movie industry has ignored hometown tastes in favor of the much larger market in mainland China.
Hong Kongers, who speak the Cantonese dialect, are fiercely protective of their local culture.
"I think it's quite remarkable to have a Hong Kong film made in Beijing and still retain its Hong Kong flavor," said Li Cheuk-to, the Hong Kong International Film Festival's artistic director.
"Buff's" Hong Kong-born director, Pang Ho-cheung, and his producer-wife Subi Liang, themselves packed up and relocated to Beijing nearly two years ago for the promise of the Chinese market. "That's where the money is," Mr. Pang told the Journal at the time.
"Like the city itself, films made in Hong Kong must inevitably blend in with the China market," Mr. Pang said in a recent statement. "While I'm bent on keeping the core values, I must regularly adjust my positioning and thinking. To me, Jimmy Cheung and Cherie Yu are no longer characters in a film, but a record of the change of times."
Whether those times have come of age will be decided by audiences on both side of the border when "Buff" opens March 29 in Hong Kong and a day later in mainland China.
Follow Dean Napolitano on Twitter @NapolitanoWSJ
Like Scene Asia on Facebook for the latest updates.


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0:51 minutes
Leslie and Ben take charge of a charity auction to raise funds for the unity concert at the same time, April gives Andy a hand managing his schedule and Donna turns to Ron for help handling an ex-boyfriend.
0:51 min
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California Gold Rush
California Gold Rush Primary Sources
Historical documents. What clues can you gather about the time, place, players, and culture?
Commandments for Miners
"The Miner's Ten Commandments," published in a Placerville newspaper in 1853
And Commandments from Their Wives
"Commandment's From the Miner's Wife," published in a Cleveland newspaper in 1849
Official Report on California Gold
First official U.S. government report on the California gold mines, 1848


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di Sara Matteoli
After all the sweetness of Carnival (how to say "no" to Cenci, Frittelle di riso and Schiacciata alla fiorentina?) and the beginning of Lent, I suggest something light today, but very tasty. It is a colorful salad, maybe a bit unusual for Italians due to its combination of ingredients, but popular and appreciated in Northern Europe. I tasted it for the first time in Copenhagen at my Italian friend's place, and its delicate taste convinced me immediately (even though initially I was a bit doubtful, I am honest!).
Quick and easy to prepare, it can be served as a tasty appetizer, or as a side dish to your main course.
- 500 g fresh spinach leaves (or soft leaves of black cabbage)
- 100 g dried red fruit
- 100 g hazelnuts or pine seeds
- one pear
- balsamic vinegar
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
Wash spinach, cut the larger leaves and place them in a bowl.
Add the chopped hazelnuts or pine seeds, dried red fruit and diced pears.
Dress the salad with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper according to your taste.


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S&P Downgrades Avon Debt Over Bribery Probe, Weak Results
Updated below
S&P cut its debt rating on Avon Products Inc. by one notch over weak operating results and a long-running bribery investigation.
The downgrade, to triple-B from triple-B-plus, leaves New York-based Avon close to speculative grade. S&P's outlook remains negative. The reason for the downgrade, S&P said, was the company's weak results and expected margin "erosion" in 2012 due to, among other things, expenses related to an ongoing Foreign Corrupt Practices Act investigation.
"The bribery investigation and potential disclosure violation could be a distraction for management and could lead to fines and other regulatory action against the company," S&P said in a statement.
A spokeswoman for Avon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
UPDATE: Avon declined to comment.
Three sources told the Wall Street Journal for a front-page story in February that prosecutors looking into possible FCPA breaches presented evidence to a grand jury.
The sources said authorities are focused on a 2005 internal audit report that said Avon employees in China may have been bribing officials in violation of the FCPA. Avon has said it first learned of the allegations in 2008.
The company disclosed in October 2011 that the three-year internal investigation into possible bribery in China, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, India and Japan had gone external, with the Securities and Exchange Commission looking into it. The payments date back as far as 2004, and the investigation has thus far cost Avon hundreds of millions of dollars.
Avon has fired several executives amid its internal investigation, including Charles W. Cramb, vice chairman of the developed market group, who was let go Jan. 29.
The search for a new chief executive also contributed to the rating downgrade, S&P said.
"Without a clear longer-term strategy in place, we are uncertain about the company's ability to execute an operating turnaround over the next year," the statement said.


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Associated Academic Programs
Centers of Distinction are not the same as academic departments. They connect education to work. The programming and opportunities (speaker series, learning communities, internships, service learning, scholarships) derived from each Center are open to Hiram students from any major. Each Center does, however have academic majors and minors that are closely affiliated with them if students which to connect to them more intensively as part of their plan of study.
Related Academic Programs
- Ethics (minor)
- Biomedical Humanities
- Gender Studies (minor)
- Entrepreneurship (minor)
- Public Leadership (minor)
- Environmental Studies
- Neuroscience
- Individualized Major/Minor
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Biochemistry
- Computer Science
- Political Science
- English
- Creative Writing
- Philosophy
- Sociology
Students from all disciplines can and do engage in coursework and co-curricular activities sponsored by Centers.


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Self-reliance and sustainability in the 21st century.
By Anneli Carter-Sundqvist
home butchery, pork processing, Deer Isle Hostel, Maine, Anneli Carter Sundqvist
Though I don't actively practice any religion, this past Friday I did seek peace and comfort in the one prayer I know, minutes before our pigs got killed. Probably mostly for my own sake; I needed peace and comfort, they just wanted breakfast.
We kill our pigs right in their pen. With the right kind of gun and confident aim we ensure an instant and painless death for our pigs without hours of transport and fear. We also stay in control over the whole process taking care of the meat and can use the odd bits that otherwise would go to waste. Like the brain, for example, that we fried up for breakfast the next morning and spread on bread, or the heart, big enough for several meals.
We shoot them between the eyes, and cut the throat to bleed them out. When the pig is dead we attach a gambrel to the tendons by it's rear hoofs and with a rope and pulley we hoist it up and lower it into a barrel with steaming (160F) water. This is to scald the skin so we can scrape the hair. Usually the pig is too big to be submerged so after scraping the front half, we attach a hook in it's lower jaw and hoist it up to dip the rear half. Once clean we cut the head off and hoist it up again to take the guts out and hand saw the animal in half from top to bottom.
We use some old and tried techniques for how to process the meat, like curing and smoking the big cuts so they'll keep without being put in a freezer. The ham, shoulder, bacon, back fat, tenderloin and loin along the the jowls and the trotters (feet) get rubbed down with a sugar and salt (1:4) mix to cure and preserve them. We keep the pieces in plastic tubs and as water drains from the meat and accumulates in the tub we empty it out to keep the meat as dry as possible. Since the hams are so thick they are the hardest cuts to dry. We put weight on them, a board and some bricks, to press more liquid out of them. In a few weeks we'll get our smoke house going to seal the cure and add flavor by smoking them.
Not too long ago in the west livestock was too valuable not to use every bit of it, and still is, in many parts of the world. It's inevitable that some of the animal will always end up buried in our garden, or as bone meal fertilizer from charred and crushed bones or boiled down and fed to the chickens, but we're constantly striving to learn new, mostly old ways of utilizing and preserving more of the pigs for our own consumption.
Headcheese has nothing to do with cheese, but is usually enjoyed the same way, on crackers or bread. We make it by cleaning the head (taking out eyes and ears) and boiling the meat off the bones together with the tongue. After boiled until it's tender and well broken down, the meat is packed in jars or molds and covered with the gelatinous broth created while cooking. We also make confit, which is an excellent way to use the small bits of meat that accumulates while cleaning up bigger cuts. We chop the meat fine and put it in a Dutch oven with rendered lard and let it boil for a long time until all the water is gone. The mix is put in jars and cooled and covered with a layer of fat, as a preservative. Both the headcheese and the confit we keep in our root cellar during the winter. We make soup stock by boiling off all the bones thoroughly and saving the liquid in jars, and we render the fat to make lard that we use as cooking grease, skin lotion and to rub down our leather boots and mittens.
Still, we have much left to learn. The liver is a substantial part of the pig that could be processed and eaten, and the blood could be used for blood pudding and blood sausage. We'll try our hands on salami one of these years and we've already saved the ears and the tail for further processing and fearless eating experiences.
There is no more Louise and Clark, at least not out in the pen. Our pigs become part of our lives and daily routines but as with all life and death; we know the end will come, still we're so poorly prepared for how strangely deserted the yard suddenly feels. But to say that the pigs are gone is an ill-conceived statement, our pigs will live on, through us, in the many abundant meals they'll provide.
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Family Medical Leave Act Request Forms
*Effective Immediately*
Do not fax to HR or deliver a copy faxed to you, they will not be accepted.
Only the original completed certification will be accepted in HR.
Watch for the determination of your request on your official UT email address.
Employee FMLA Application and Certification
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Military Family Leave Forms
Certification of Qualifying Exigency (WH-384)
Certification for Serious Injury or Illness of Covered Servicemember (WH-385)


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|US & Canada: 1-800-752-1432 Europe: 00-800-11-20-11-40 Promo Code: 3778
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It is the responsibility of the hotel chain and/or the individual property to ensure the accuracy of the photos displayed. We are not responsible for any inaccuracies in the photos.
Hotel Description
Property Location
Located in Vermillion, Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Vermillion is convenient to University of South Dakota and National Music Museum. This hotel is within close proximity of Barstow Park and The Bluffs Golf Course.
Make yourself at home in one of the 56 air-conditioned guestrooms. Satellite television is provided for your entertainment. Bathrooms have shower/tub combinations and hair dryers. Conveniences include coffee/tea makers and irons/ironing boards, as well as phones with free local calls.
Don't miss out on the many recreational opportunities, including an indoor pool, a spa tub, and a fitness center.
A complimentary buffet breakfast is included.
Business, Other Amenities
Free self parking is available onsite.
Room Information
The following fees and deposits are charged by the property at time of service, check-in, or check-out.
The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.
Room Rates The room rates listed are for double occupancy per room unless otherwise stated and exclude tax recovery charges and service fees.
Area Attractions
University of South Dakota - 1.2 km / 0.7 mi
National Music Museum - 1.2 km / 0.7 mi
Barstow Park - 1.5 km / 0.9 mi
The Bluffs Golf Course - 2.7 km / 1.7 mi
Spirit Mound - 8.6 km / 5.3 mi
Cedar County Fairgrounds - 32.6 km / 20.3 mi
Hartington Golf Club - 33.6 km / 20.9 mi
Cedar County Historical Museum - 33.8 km / 21 mi
Riverside Park - 38.6 km / 24 mi
Westside Park - 39.8 km / 24.8 mi
Dakota Territorial Museum - 40 km / 24.9 mi
Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center - 46.1 km / 28.7 mi
Siouxland Surgical Center - 47.7 km / 29.6 mi
Tyson Fresh Meats Headquarters - 48.7 km / 30.2 mi
Lewis and Clark Recreation Area - 48.9 km / 30.4 mi
The preferred airport for Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Vermillion is Sioux City, IA (SUX-Sioux Gateway) - 62.7 km / 39 mi.
Driving Directions
Distances are calculated in a straight line from the property's location to the point of interest or airport and may not reflect actual travel distance.
Distances are displayed to the nearest 0.1 mile and kilometre.
Check-in Instructions
Abbreviations and misspellings:
Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites Hoilday Holliday Holladay Hollyday Holaday Holyday In Inns Ins Innns Inne Innn HI Holidayinn Holidayinns Ex. Exp. Expres Expresss Holidayinnexpress Holidayinnexp Hotels Hoteles Hoetl Hoetls Hotle Hotl Hotls Suit Sutes Siutes Suits Suite Sites Stes. Ste. Suite's Vermilion Vermillon VIrmillion S. Soputh Soutth Soath So. Dak. Dako. Dakotah S. D. So. Dako. SD Southdakota S.D. Vermillion South Dakota.
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Europe: 00-800-11-20-11-40
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text:
Latest Post:
Started By:
949 days ago.
by WVDOT70
new stadium
guess the chickens have come home to roost. as with most knee jerk programs the cost over runs are just surfacing. the shoe (visitor side) has yet to drop. the school board is liable..... next pie in the sky project that will blow up is newell's baseball stadium. after first couple of non winning seasons, won't be able to give seats away. the white horse for both; go to rapp and thornton in Vienna. have never seen a place to waste taxpayer dollars they didn't love.
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