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Look at history
Since 2001 federal revenue has decreased because of the Bush tax cuts and losses caused by the financial meltdown and resulting recession. Spending has increased due to multiple wars, bailouts, the prescription bill and, of course, the Department of Veterans Affairs for our returning warriors, to say nothing of the rebuild of Iraq and Afghanistan.
There was little outrage about any of this until 2008 when President Obama was elected. Since then the only focus of the Republican Party has been to defeat him or oppose anything he proposes.
Health care reform has been a priority of both political parties for some time, and the ACA has become law. If we can afford the above we can afford health care. To shut down the government and cause a default on our debt is proof of insanity.
We are no longer governed by common sense and integrity. The Republican Party is controlled by greed and spin.
A.V. Rawl
Preakness Stakes
Money isn't free
Melanie Balog wrote in her Oct. 6 column, "But it's still perplexing that all those (mostly Republican) states would turn down the federal government's offer of free money for three years."
Where does this "free money" come from? That "free" money is collected from that ever-shrinking number of us who pay federal taxes.
Ms. Balog suffers from the typical left-winger mentality that feels the Treasury can just keep printing money without consequences since there seems to be no requirement to balance the books.
William Trippe
Colonel, U.S. Air Force (Ret.)
W. 9th North Street
Racial insights
Brian Hicks is a perceptive journalist who often targets important yet difficult subjects. One of his latest was regarding the "perception of racial trouble that lingers today."
It is difficult for me to imagine what African Americans dealt with in the past. Although I like to think race relations are infinitely improved, I wonder how we get to the point where we can, as Hicks writes, "remember our history, and do everything we can to distance ourselves from its uglier attributes."
One thing I suggest is for everyone to see the movie "The Butler." We found it enlightening, disturbing and beautifully acted by a host of talented actors. It also serves as a powerful opportunity to spark conversation.
After the movie, I spoke with a young African-American woman, and she shared that what struck her about the movie was the need for African Americans in the past to put forth two faces — one for whites and one "for their own." It seemed like an affirmation to her, and when I asked her if she felt the same way, she said she did.
I felt disappointed for us all, and so I hope everyone who cares about our history and our future sees this movie. Then I encourage you to engage in conversations and see if you can reach minds and hearts in a way that will continue to move race relations forward in a positive way.
Our young people more than deserve the right to be "judged by their character and not by the color of their skin." Perhaps this young woman will be her generation's version of Louis Gaines (played by David Oyelowo), striving to improve life for all Americans and African Americans in particular.
Thank you to Brian Hicks for his efforts to encourage us to be better citizens.
Kay Ciganovic
Carmel Bay Drive
Mount Pleasant
Fix the greens
I have been told that the City of Charleston is scheduled to close the Charleston Municipal Golf Course for nine holes starting Nov. 4. This is so that new irrigation can be installed. I know this is probably needed; however, what is needed far more is a redo of the greens.
That they are in sad shape is not a reflection of the course superintendent and his staff but more a reflection of total neglect over the years due to an inadequate budget for the required maintenances. The soil is so compacted under the greens that even plugging the greens (aerification) offers little relief or a chance for growth. The greens are almost unplayable in the summer months and right now they are very spongy.
I grew up on this golf course, and in 53 years I do not believe I have ever witnessed the greens being reworked. This is with the exception of holes No. 3 and No. 10 being done a few years back. If the number of folks who play and practice at this facility is any indication, this golf course has to be a revenue producer for the city; therefore, it deserves to be taken care of.
I can tell you firsthand that many of us who love playing this golf course do it much less than we used to simply because of the poor condition of the greens.
While the golf course is closing nine holes for irrigation, doesn't it make sense also to address that which makes every golf course unique — the greens themselves?
Extra water will help but not if the foundation is so old the grass can't rejuvenate and grow deep healthy roots to help survive the hot summer months in the Lowcountry.
Ron Karst
Evans Road
'Let's talk'
October is Let's Talk Month, a good time for parents and teens to start or continue crucial conversations about sex and sexuality.
Communicating about sex and relationships is a wonderful way for parents and teens to connect and learn about each other's lives and feelings. Studies have shown that teens who report having meaningful conversations with their parents about sex wait longer to begin having sex and are more likely to use condoms and other birth control methods when they do become sexually active.
Teens need to know that talking with parents and asking questions about sex doesn't have to be awkward. Teens may worry that parents will react negatively, but most parents welcome the chance to talk about these issues.
Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest provider of sex education, offers resources, guidance and encouragement to teens and parents who are unsure about how to start a conversation about sexual matters and relationships. For more information visit their website at http://www.plannedparenthood.org/ or contact the local office at (843) 628-4380.
P.B. Travis, Ph.D.
East Cooper Street
Folly Beach
Good job
I was happy to see positive information regarding exam scores for South Carolina students. Credit is due to our fine students in Dorchester 2 and their top scores for the area.
We don't hear enough about this district and its accomplishments. Congratulations are due Dorchester 2 students and especially the hardworking, dedicated teachers.
We recognize and appreciate the important work you do.
Marilyn pearcy
Renau Boulevard
Cruel rule
I'm glad to know who is behind the no-smoking effort at MUSC. The health promotion director shows utter disregard for a small but very significant courtesy to extend to family and friends of patients.
These people are in duress over their loved one's need for care. Putting another stressor on them by banning smoking is galling. If I saw anyone crying, the last thing I would respond with is "you just need to quit smoking." That's what she seems to suggest.
Instead of supplying a small area for these folks, she chooses a policy that is insensitive to those who are already suffering.
I will make sure to wear a sign around my neck instructing emergency personnel not to take me there, no matter what.
Debbie Sueverkruepp
Piccadilly Circle
Vote them out
My mantra on this whole government fiasco is: I will work for the next few years to defeat every incumbent in Congress. They are destroying our country for their own benefit.
Mary E. Gallagher
Turnmill Drive
Goose Creek


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This was a day that U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin had been waiting for. The nation's first openly gay senator was a witness to history as the same-sex marriage debate played out in the U.S. Supreme Court.
"It was amazing to be able to watch a bit of history unfold live in the courtroom today," Baldwin said.
Baldwin said she wanted to appreciate the historic nature of the day. On Twitter, she had posted a photo of herself walking into the Supreme Court. And minutes after she left the court, she talked with WISN 12 News reporter Kent Wainscott from her Senate office building about her personal reaction to what she had witnessed.
"It's personal on all sorts of levels, whether it's because of my status as the first openly gay member of the U.S. Senate or because of my training as an attorney and having studied some of the cases that were cited in court today," Baldwin said.
"This is a state in which voters several years ago voted overwhelmingly to ban same-sex marriage. So if the court issues a ruling that trumps the Wisconsin Constitution and that decision by Wisconsin voters, what do you say to voters, and what do you expect the reaction to be?" Wainscott asked.
"Well, I'd say a couple of things. One of the issues that came up repeatedly in court today was how much opinions and attitudes have changed on the issue of marriage equality in recent years," Baldwin said. "There's also a responsibility of the court not just to follow the majority opinion all the time when it comes to minority rights. Both of these cases are, in my mind, about the United States becoming more equal, not less," Baldwin said.
The senator told Wainscott she was struck by the mood in the room -- the formality of the Supreme Court, but with several lighthearted moments during the oral arguments.
Still, she said, no one lost track of the seriousness of matter.
Baldwin told Wainscott she kept a close eye on their reactions and the questions they asked, but she wouldn't try to guess how they might rule.

subset: commoncrawl


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Particles from Comet 81P/Wild 2 viewed by ALS microscopes
Nature and origin of the cuprate pseudogap
In Memoriam: Gary Krebs
Director's update at all-hands meeting
First light for ultrafast Beamline 6.0.1
COSMIC/MAESTRO reviewers enthusiastic
Users' Meeting, October 4–6
General user proposals submission deadline
ALS Fellowship Program: doctoral deadline and new postdoctoral fellowship
News Links
Carbon joins the magnetic club
'Racetrack' memory could gallop past the hard disk
Model of cancer-preventing enzyme studied
A magnetic hippodrome
Moving walls with current
A crystal with a story to tell
Hotel on a hill: 60 rooms, suites for Lab's 'Guest House' plans
For the user runs from April 24 – May 13:
Beam reliability*: 93.9%
Completion**: 84.5%
There were no significiant interruptions.
*Time delivered/time scheduled **Percent of scheduled beam delivered without interruption
Questions about beam reliability should be sent to Dave Richardson (
Requests for special operations use of the "scrubbing" shift should be sent to Rick Bloemhard (
More Info
To subscribe/unsubscribe, email
EDITORS Julie McCullough Lori Tamura Liz Moxon
DESIGNER Greg Vierra
This work was supported by the Director, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, of the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231. Disclaimer.
Particles from Comet 81P/Wild 2 viewed by ALS microscopes
Contact: S.A. Sanford,
NASA's $200-million, seven-year-long Stardust mission returned to Earth thousands of tiny particles snagged from the coma of comet 81P/Wild 2. Four ALS beamlines and the researchers using them were among the hundreds of scientists and dozens of experimental techniques in facilities around the world that contributed to the preliminary examination of the first samples. Adding to recent advances in cometary science showing the important role played by mixing of materials in the accretion disk where the planets of the Solar System had their birth, the first round of Stardust results suggests that the mixing started earlier in the planetary formation process and is more extensive than previously thought. Read more...
Publications about this research: D. Brownlee et al., "Comet 81P/Wild 2 under a microscope," Science 314, 1711 (2006). S.A. Sandford et al., "Organics captured from Comet 81P/Wild 2 by the Stardust spacecraft," Science 314, 1720 (2006); L.P. Keller et al., "Infrared spectroscopy of Comet 81P/Wild 2 samples returned by Stardust," Science 314, 1728 (2006); G.J. Flynn et al., "Elemental compositions of Comet 81P/Wild 2 samples collected by Stardust," Science 314, 1731 (2006).
Nature and origin of the cuprate pseudogap
Contact: Tonica Valla,
The workings of high-temperature superconductive (HTSC) materials are a mystery wrapped in an enigma. However, a team of researchers from the ALS, Brookhaven National Laboratory, and Cornell University has taken a major step in understanding part of this mystery—the nature and origin of the pseudogap. Using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), they have determined the electronic structure of La2–xBaxCuO4 (LBCO), a unique system in which superconductivity is strongly suppressed and static spin and charge orders develop near a doping level of x = 1/8. Read more...
Publication about this research: T. Valla, A.V. Fedorov, J. Lee, J.C. Davis, and G.D. Gu, "The ground state of the pseudogap in cuprate superconductors," Science 314, 1914, (2006).
In Memoriam
Gary Krebs, the popular leader of the ALS User Services Group, passed away suddenly on the evening of May 22 in the midst of travel to Long Island for his annual visit to attend the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS) user meeting at Brookhaven National Laboratory. When he missed his nightly telephone call home, his worried wife asked his hotel to check on him. The security manager entered his room and found Gary sitting peacefully in a chair with no sign of distress. In addition to his wife Kathy, he leaves behind one son, Matthew, and in Vancouver, British Columbia, a brother, Dennis, and his parents.
Since arriving at the ALS in 1993, Gary had major impacts in several important areas: bringing the nascent accelerator survey and alignment system into adulthood as a functioning, productive tool, leading the first Users Services Group as it evolved to serve an ever-larger user community, playing a significant role as the ALS representative (and recently becoming chair) to the Berkeley Lab Best Practices Diversity Council, and as the ALS representative to the Lab group that has been formulating plans for an on-site 60-room Berkeley Lab Guest House. For the last two years, he also served as Deputy Scientific Director to the late Neville Smith and then as Deputy Science Advisor to Janos Kirz.
ALS Director Roger Falcone remembers, "Gary had sincere dedication to the people of the ALS. His enthusiasm was palpable for important projects that could benefit both users and staff, such as the Guest House, the Lab diversity council, and support for visiting students, and we shared in his pleasure in his successes in this work. I will miss his ability to generously welcome users to the ALS, his skills in shepherding our review processes, and his wisdom in helping to lead the ALS for many years." Former Director Janos Kirz echoes these sentiments, "Over the past three years I had the privilege to work closely with Gary, and I learned a lot from him. He was devoted to the ALS, and in particular to the users of the ALS. He worked hard to make the Guest House a reality, and his efforts are now bearing fruit. His passing is a great loss to all of us, and to me personally." Read the full article here.
At an all-hands meeting on Thursday, May 17, ALS Director Roger Falcone gave a comprehensive overview of the past nine months, the status of the ALS today, and its future direction. The meeting began with a safety update by Jim Floyd, ES&H Manager. Most of the Radiation Safety Committee corrective action items have been completed, and the rest will be finished by October; two new floor operators have been hired; and there are ongoing health and safety initiatives in many areas, including waste management, laser safety, and hazardous gases.
Roger announced a major organizational change—the addition of Peter Denes as ALS Deputy for Engineering, allowing for tighter coupling between ALS and the Engineering Division. He then reported on several significant upgrades—ultrafast Beamline 6.0.1, which achieved first light in April; Beamline 7.3.3 (SAXS/WAXS), whose initial data are very clean; and the Sector 5.0 mirror upgrade, bringing a five to tenfold flux increase to the side stations. The top-off upgrade team completed a successful technical review of the open shutter injection safety issue in April 2007. MERLIN is scheduled for installation this summer, and will provide the highest resolution capabilities for photoemission and inelastic scattering experiments. Two new projects will soon be underway: the Guest House, which begins construction this October, and the User Support Building, which begins construction in March 2008.
Roger pointed out that some of the most important science in new materials involves key research done at ALS beamlines. Recently, pure samples of carbon were made permanently magnetic at room temperature. Researchers used Beamline 11.0.2 to obtain images of the magnetized portions. At ALS Beamline 7.0.1, a team led by Eli Rotenberg characterized the electronic structure of and controlled the band gap in a bilayer of graphene. ALS Beamline 9.3.2 was involved in the discovery of a platinum-nickel alloy that is 90 times more active than existing state-of-the-art platinum catalysts. In conclusion, Roger emphasized that safety and frontier science remain the ALS's top priorities, and that the renewals and upgrades will ensure that the ALS continues to grow and the users continue to have a premier facility.
Contact: Phil Heimann,
Beamline 6.0.1, the hard x-ray femtosecond beamline, passed its readiness review in early April. It had first light on April 23 during an accelerator physics shift. The beamline is based on a double-crystal monochromator and extends the photon energy range of Beamline 6.0 from 2 to 10 keV. Following first light, three weeks were devoted to beamline commissioning. The flux, energy resolution, spot size, and background for the electron-beam slicing technique were measured. During the May/June shutdown a chopper is being sent back to the manufacturer, Rigaku, to improve its vacuum performance. Also, chopper synchronization electronics are being tested. After the shutdown, one further week of commissioning is scheduled as well as a first experiment to observe the mixing of infrared and x-ray photons in a diamond crystal. Ernie Glover (ALS) will lead the experiment.
Beamline 6.0.1 team. Left to right, front row: Bruce Rude, Phil Heimann, and Roger Falcone. Back row: Robert Schoenlein, Marcus Hertlein, and Ernie Glover.
Beamline 6.0.1 (hard x rays) and 6.0.2 (soft x rays) are undulator beamlines, which are dedicated to time-resolved experiments on the femtosecond and picosecond time scales. They have 100 times the intensity/pulse, 10 times the repetition rate, and 10 times the energy resolution of bend magnet Beamline 5.3.1. Beamline 6.0.1 is designed for electron-beam slicing, which generates 200-fs x-ray pulses. On Beamline 6.0.2, picosecond dynamics have been observed in the x-ray absorption spectrum of a manganite crystal by a team including Matteo Rini and Bob Schoenlein (Materials Sciences Division, Berkeley Lab) and Andrea Cavalleri (Oxford).
Reviewers enthusiastic
Contacts: Tony Warwick,
Tuesday May 1st saw the first technical review for the MAESTRO and COSMIC projects, which together will lead to the rebuilding of ALS Sector 7.0. Reviewers came from Berkeley Lab, ALBA in Spain, NSLS, and the Swiss Light Source, and were very enthusiastic, stating "We are unanimous in our belief that these conceptual designs will be turned into high performance, robust . . . beamlines."
COSMIC, which stands for Coherent Scattering and Diffraction Microscopy, will require two new beamlines for coherent imaging and scattering. These lines will deliver maximum coherent flux at modest spectral resolution and will employ horizontal dispersion. The spherical grating monochromators will select only the coherent fraction of the beam and operate independently for two separate endstations. Coherent imaging is being developed to employ x-ray illumination for lensless imaging using iterative techniques for phase retrieval and inversion of diffraction patterns to generate high-resolution images of objects microns in size. Coherent scattering is a related development with temporal and spatial correlations of speckle patterns used to watch phenomena such as phase transitions in magnetic materials, through scattering from domains. The experimental group includes Chris Jacobsen from Stony Brook University and Steve Kevan from the University of Oregon.
MAESTRO, which stands for Microscopy and Electronic Structure Observatory, will require a new high-resolution low-energy beamline for angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). The experimental group, led by Eli Rotenberg, will upgrade the current Electronic Structure Factory at Beamline 7.0 and add a new capability for ARPES with a zone plate focusing to smaller than 50 nm. The MAESTRO beamline will have a high-resolution collimated SX700 monochromator. This design offers high resolution without entrance slits, with an adjustable degree of tolerance for source size, thermal deformations, and polishing errors of the optics. Its use will be particularly appropriate following the implementation of top-off operation, when the vertical size of the source will be reduced. See the ALS Strategic Plan for more information.
The Users' Meeting will be held on site at Berkeley Lab—from Thursday, October 4, to Saturday, October 6—and will offer a variety of invited talks, workshops, and selected science highlights. Meeting organizers are delighted to announce that this year's plenary sessions will be held in conjunction with the Molecular Foundry's annual meeting. In addition, three of the twelve workshops planned for the meeting will be joint ALS/Molecular Foundry events designed to provide opportunities for future collaborations. Ongoing facility projects such as top-off mode and the construction of the new ALS user support and the ALS user housing buildings will be discussed. The topical workshops are great opportunities to network, discuss recent successes, and combine efforts to address shared experimental challenges. Please contact the meeting chairs Peter Fischer (
General user proposals submission deadline
The User Services Office is accepting general-user proposals from scientists who wish to conduct research in the general sciences at the ALS during the running period from January through June 2008. The deadline is July 15, 2007. (This deadline does not apply to protein crystallography proposals, which have a separate process and schedule.) To submit a new proposal, go to "ALS General User Proposal and Request for Beamtime." If you have an existing proposal for which you would like to receive beamtime during the January through June 2008 cycle, you must submit a Proposal Renewal Form. Scientists with active proposals have received instructions on how to submit proposal renewals. After review, the numeric rating of each proposal will be communicated to the PI, along with any comments from the external reviewers and the Proposal Study Panel. The cutoff rating for each beamline in the previous proposal cycle is published on the Web (see link below). The following resources are available for further information:
ALS Fellowship Program: Doctoral deadline and new postdoctoral fellowship
Contact: Adriana Reza,
The ALS offers two types of research fellowships: the Doctoral Fellowship in Residence and the newly instituted Postdoctoral Fellowship.
ALS Doctoral Fellowship in Residence. These fellowships enable students who have passed their Ph.D. qualifying or comprehensive verbal and written exams to acquire hands-on scientific training and develop professional maturity for independent research. Applicants must be full-time, currently enrolled students in a Ph.D. program in the physical or biological sciences pursuing thesis research based on the use of synchrotron radiation. The fellowships are offered as one-year appointments with the possibility of renewal. Successful applicants will be compensated with an $18,000 annual stipend. Additionally, fellows will be matched with an on-site mentor and have access to ALS resources, including beam time. Fellows are expected to present their results at a meeting or as a seminar at the end of the fellowship year. Applications for the 2007–2008 academic year are due by June 30, 2007. For more information, go to the ALS Doctoral Fellowships Web page.
ALS Postdoctoral Fellowship. The purpose of this new ALS fellowship program is to identify outstanding individuals in new and emerging scientific and engineering research fields and provide advanced training in synchrotron radiation science. Fellows become integral members of ALS research teams. Applicants must have received a doctoral research degree from an accredited academic institution in an appropriate scientific or engineering discipline within three years of the appointment start date. Applications are reviewed on a quarterly basis. Awards are initially for one year with the possibility of renewal for a second or third year, contingent on satisfactory annual performance reviews and funding availability. Salary is competitive with current ALS/Berkeley Lab postdoctoral fellows, ranging from $60,000 to $66,000 per year, depending on the number of years since receipt of the doctoral degree. Postdoctoral fellows are also eligible for midlevel career benefits. For more information on the fellowship and application requirements, go to the ALS Postdoctoral Fellowships Web page.


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Litigator of the Week: David Boies of Boies, Schiller & Flexner
Unlike Boies's most famous cases, most Americans will never hear of Halliburton Co. v. Erica P. John Fund. But for corporations, or anyone whose bread is buttered litigating securities class actions, Halliburton was the big news at the Supreme Court this week.
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Crystal Ballin'
I would expect the following to happen over the next few weeks:
1. FIRST 15 DAYS AFTER CONCLUSION OF WORLD SERIES: Window during which MLB Article XX free-agents can file for free-agency.
Cubs free-agents Chad Fox, John Grabow, Kevin Gregg, Rich Harden, and Reed Johnson will file for free-agency, bringing the Cubs Reserve List (40-man roster) down to 33 players.
2. 4TH BUSINESS DAY FOLLOWING CONCLUSION OF WORLD SERIES: Deadline for clubs to add their own Rule 55 minor league free-agents (so-called "Six-Year Minor League Free-Agents") to the 40-man roster by selection. (Clubs retain exclusive negotiating rights with their own Rule 55 minor league free-agents through the end of the MLB Free Agency Filing Period).
Probably the only Cubs post-2009 Rule 55 minor league FA who is a candidate for selection to the 40-man roster prior to the deadline is RF Brad Snyder, who could be another Garrett Jones or Casey McGehee (an apparent "4-A guy" who gets written off but is in reality just a "late bloomer"). The Cubs claimed Snyder off waivers from Cleveland in September 2008 (he was the Indians #1 draft pick out of Ball State in 2003, and was rated a perennial Cleveland Indians "Top Ten Prospect" by Baseball America 2004-07), and he remained on the Cubs 40-man roster until he was outrighted to AAA Iowa at the end of Spring Training. Along with Kyler Burke and Nelson Perez, Snyder has one of the top three OF arms in the Cubs organization, has plus-power (he was on a pace to hit 50 HR for Iowa before he broke his wrist in May), runs well for a big guy (he looks like he could play TE in the NFL), and is a decent defender who can play all three OF positions (although RF is best position). His only negative (and it's a big one) is an inability to make consistent contact.
The 27-year old Snyder is presently playing for Mexicali in the Mexican Pacific League (LMP), where he is 11th in the league in SLG and 4th in walks (and tied for 10th in strikeouts). He is out of minor league options, so adding him to the 40 would mean he would be exposed to waivers again at the end of Spring Training if he doesn't make the Cubs Opening Day 25-man roster. If the Cubs don't add him to the 40, they could try and re-sign him to a minor league contract with an NRI to Spring Training, but if given the chance to be a free-agent, I would think he would probably take the opportunity to sign with another organization where he would get a better chance to play in the big leagues next year. My guess is the Cubs let Snyder walk.
3. NOVEMBER 20TH: Deadline for adding minor league players who are eligible for selection in next month's Rule 5 Draft to the MLB 40-man roster.
I believe the Cubs will add C Welington Castillo, LHP John Gaub, and RHP Blake Parker to the 40-man roster, and they will also outright RHP Marcos Mateo to the minors (presuming he isn't claimed off waivers). This will bring the Cubs 40-man roster up to 35 players.
It's possible that the Cubs will also add 21-year old RHP Rafael Dolis and/or 25-year old "supersub" IF-OF Matt Camp to the 40-man roster on 11/20, too, because if they don't, Dolis and Camp are good candidates to get selected in the Rule 5 Draft. (Dolis showed a lot improvement at Instructs, and Camp is presently playing for Mexicali in the LMP where he leads the league in stolen bases, is 6th in the league in hitting, and is tied for 6th in doubles). Adding Dolis and Camp to the MLB Reserve List would bring the Cubs 40-man roster up to 37.
4. DECEMBER 1ST: Deadline for offering salary arbitration to MLB Article XX free-agents.
I believe the Cubs will offer salary arbitration to Type "A" FA John Grabow, but not to any of the other four. Because Grabow is a Type "A" FA, the Cubs would get a 1st or 2nd round draft pick plus a "sandwich" pick between the 1st and 2nd round if Grabow signs with another club, which would mean most clubs wouldn't be interested in signing him because signing him isn't worth losing a 1st or 2nd round pick. That should drop Grabow's value down and the Cubs should be able to sign him for below market-value. (I say the Cubs should be able to sign him for below market-value, not that they will). But one way or another, I believe Grabow will re-sign with the Cubs. This will bring the Cubs roster up to 38 players.
Reed Johnson might get re-signed eventually, too, but I doubt that he will be offered salary arbitration on 12/1. Before they re-sign Johnson (or offer him arbitration), the Cubs need to know whether they will be exchanging Milton Bradley for a CF or another RF (presuming Bradley even gets traded during the off-season). Because if the Cubs trade Bradley for a CF (like Aaron Rowand, for instance), I doubt that the Cubs would re-sign Reed Johnson to platoon with Kosuke in RF. In fact even if Fukudome plays CF again in 2010, the Cubs might opt to try and make a trade for a cheaper RH hitting OF like Rajai Davis (A's), who is eligible for salary arbitration as a "Super Two," but still won't be getting "Reed Johnson money" ($3M per year). I suspect the A's would take Sam Fuld back for Davis.
5. DECEMBER 7TH-10TH: MLB Winter Meetings in Indianapolis.
The Rule 5 Draft will be held Thursday morning 12/10, and is the last order of business at the meetings, While the Cubs have not selected any players in the Major League Phase of the draft for themselves in recent years (the Cubs selected OF Josh Hamilton from Tampa Bay in 2006, but then traded him to Cincinnati for cash), they have had other clubs select players by proxy in each of the last two years, and then acquired the players via trade after selection. In 2007, RHP Tim Lahey was selected by Tampa Bay from Minnesota and then was traded to the Cubs for cash, and last year RHP David Patton was selected by Cincinnati from Colorado, and then was traded to the Cubs for cash. Lahey did not make the Cubs 2008 25-man Opening Day roster and was claimed off waivers by the Phillies (and then was subsequently re-claimed by the Twins later in the season), but Patton remained on the Cubs 25-man roster (or 15-day DL) for the entire 2009 season, and so he is no longer a Rule 5 player, and can be optioned to the minors in 2010 (and he will have three minor league options)
While the Cubs have dabbled in the Major League Phase of the Rule 5 Draft the last couple of years, Cubs minor leaguers have been selected in each of the past seven drafts (ten players total). OF Jason Dubois was selected in 2002 by Toronto, but was re-claimed by the Cubs when Dubois did not make the Jays Opening Day roster in 2003. LHP Andy Sisco was selected by Kansas City and LHP Luke Hagerty was selected by Baltimore and then traded to Florida in December 2003, and while Sisco had an outstanding rookie season working out of the Royals bullpen (he was a contender for A. L. Rookie of the Year) and remained with the Royals for the entire 2004 season, Hagerty (who was still not 100% recovered from 2002 TJS) was re-claimed by the Cubs during Spring Training 2004. RHP Jason Szuminski was selected by Kansas City and then was traded to San Diego in December 2004, and Szuminski did make the Padres 2005 Opening Day 25-man roster, before being re-claimed by the Cubs midway through April when the Padres tried to send him to AAA. RHP Juan Mateo was drafted by St. Louis in 2005, but was re-claimed by the Cubs during Spring Training 2006. In December 2006, INF Jason Smith (who had been signed by the Cubs as a minor league FA just a month prior to the Rule 5 Draft) was selected by Toronto, RHP Lincoln Holdzkom (acquired earlier that year from Florida in the Todd Wellemeyer deal) was selected by Houston, and LHP Edward Campusano was selected by Milwaukee and then traded to Detroit. Holdzkom was re-claimed by the Cubs during Spring Training (but then was released prior to Opening Day 2007), but Smith remained in the big leagues throughout the 2007 season (he was claimed off waivers by Arizona in May, and then was claimed off waivers again by Kansas City in July), and Campusano had a very good Spring Training with Detroit and reportedly had made the Tigers 2007 25-man Opening Day roster, before going down with an elbow injury that required Tommy John Surgery. Campusano spent the entire 2007 season on the Tigers 60-day DL, and then was re-claimed by the Cubs when the Tigers tried to outright him to the minors after the season. RHP Randy Wells was selected by Toronto in December 2007, and he made the Blue Jays 2008 25-man Opening Day roster, before being re-claimed by the Cubs when the Jays tried to outright him to the minors in April. And LHP Donald Veal was drafted by Pittsburgh last year and spent the entire 2009 season on the Pirates 25-man roster (or 15-day DL) and so he is no longer a Rule 5 player. (Veal is presently one of the top 5 starting pitchers in the AFL).
So if history is any predictor of the future, expect one or more Cubs minor leaguers to get selected in the Major League Phase of the 2009 Rule 5 Draft, with about a 70% chance that any Cubs player who is drafted will return to the Cubs. The top ten Cubs minor leaguers most-likely to get selected in the Major League Phase of the Rule 5 Draft this year would probably be (in this order): C Welington Castillo, LHP John Gaub, RHP Blake Parker, RHP Rafael Dolis, IF-OF Matt Camp, C-1B Steve Clevenger, C Chris Robinson, LHP Jeremy Papelbon, OF James Adduci, and RHP Alessandro Maestri, although W. Castillo, Gaub, and Parker are virtual locks to get added to the Cubs 40-man roster by 11/20, while Dolis and Camp are both probably 50/50 at this point (with the final decision on Camp dependent to some extent by how he performs over the next couple of weeks in the Mexican Pacific League)
6. DECEMBER 12TH: Deadline for clubs to tender 2010 Major League contracts to unsigned players on their 40-man roster (auto-renewal guys and arbitration-eligibles).
I believe the Cubs will probably non-tender only one player, and that is LHP Neal Cotts (who is at Fitch Park rehabbing from July 2009 TJS). They then will try and re-sign him to a 2010 minor league contract with an MLB split ($150K while he rehabs, then a prorated $900K if and when he is ready to pitch in the big leagues in 2010 and gets added to the 40-man roster). And I believe Cotts would probably take such a deal, too, partly because he isn't likely to get a better offer elsewhere, and partly because I doubt that he would want to uproot his family and change trainers and facilities in the middle of his off-season rehab.
Non-tendering Cotts on 12/12 would bring the 40-man roster down to 37, and would clear a roster-slot that could be made available for any FA the Cubs might sign (or re-sign) after 12/12.
It's possible that the Cubs will also non-tender Andres Blanco on 12/12, but only if they know for sure in advance that they can sign him to a 2010 minor league contract. To do this, the Cubs would probably have to offer Blanco at least $250K plus an NRI to ST. That way, if he makes the Cubs 25-man Opening Day roster, he can be added back to the 40 at the end of Spring Training. And if he doesn't, he can be sent to Iowa (and be available to get called up if needed later in the season) without having to clear waivers at the end of Spring Training (Blanco is out of minor league options).
While I think Neal Cotts will be the only Cubs player eligible for arbitration to get non-tendered, I would not be surprised if Aaron Heilman gets traded before Spring Training (as happened with Michael Wuertz last off-season). Heilman was reportedly claimed by the Giants off Trade Assignment Waivers at the end of August (and then was pulled back by the Cubs), so trading Heilman to San Francisco (possibly as part of a Bradley for Rowand swap?) might be a possibility.
I also expect Jake Fox to get traded sometime prior to Opening Day, since he is out of minor league options and does not appear (at this point) to have a spot on the Cubs projected 2010 Opening Day 25-man roster. Any American League club looking for a RH platoon DH would be foolish not to have an interest in acquiring Fox.
As for Aaron Miles, because he is guaranteed $2.7M in 2010 and coming off a horrendous 2009 season (185/224/242 in 74 games with the Cubs), he is virtually untradeable, and so I believe he will still be on the Cubs roster come Spring Training. I expect him to be given every opportunity during Spring Training to show he is back to 2008 form (317/368/409 in 134 games with STL), and he will compete with Jeff Baker, Mike Fontenot, and Andres Blanco for a middle-infielder job. But if he continues to suck, Miles will almost certainly get released at the end of Spring Training and the Cubs will just "eat" his contract. So unless the Cubs desperately need his roster slot during the off-season (and that's not very likely), don't expect anything to happen with Aaron Miles until the end of Spring Training.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
I undrstand that Fox is not a defensive wizard out there, but the Cubs had sure better decide on a better backup to A-Ram, D-Lee, andSoriano than Aaron Miles and Bobby Scales. Fox at least can hit, and he make most of the plays. Yes, of course long-term he'd get exposed, for a few games here and there...filling in he'd be a valuable player.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
You know, that phrase would be one of those things that I wish they had gone over in "the book". "long-term he'll get exposed".
I don't understand it. Possibly it could mean that they would find out a guy can't do something - like field bunts or catch throws from the catcher (if we're talking specifically about 3rd), but I don't think Fox is all that bad at either of those things.
But in general - a guy is likely to get 1 out of 12 (or whatever) balls hit at him playing third base over the course of one game, or over the course of a season. Is there any real logic that supports that it's OK to play a guy in a position for a day or two, but to do it for two weeks or two months it will make your team more likely to lose?
Re: Crystal Ballin'
I asked Mikey Fontenot, and he said the point was that Fox's bat might get exposed long term, not his glove. His glove is exposed before he gets off the bench, but personally I don't care. Having said that, I'm betting Billy Beane loves him some Jake Fox.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
I think Fox looked more than acceptable at 3b. He's not a gold glover, but he had barely played the position before last year. And for the people complaining about his defense in LF, he's better than Soriano. Even if Fox played everyday, I don't expect him to be a superstar, outrageous AAA numbers aside. But he can be a valuable and inexpensive piece of the puzzle, especially in the NL where he can spot start at multiple positions. I just think that trading him is a mistake unless you get a more productive player back.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
I have serious problems with trading Jake Fox to make room for Aaron Miles or similar "proven vet" garbage. Lefthanded or not
Re: Crystal Ballin'
Lou seems an awful lot like Larry Brown (NBA Coach) in terms of how he views his players.
He always seems to have someone in the dog house. Always seems to want to ship somebody out at all times.
You can have a guy like this managing a team. It would just be more effective if they have a strong GM who tells them "No" every once in awhile.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
If the manager doesn't want to play someone, and the GM wants to keep him, he usually ends being a wasted spot on the roster. Do you expect the GM to go the matt on which bench player to use on a given day?
Re: Crystal Ballin'
Jack Jones really helped in the 2nd half of 2007. Scott Eyre has been light out in Philly.
Lou is a proven manager. Not so much a proven talent scout.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
It's a shame, because the Cubs don't have much power in the pipeline to replace him. We can sure load up on light hitting middle infielders though!
Re: Crystal Ballin'
Re: Crystal Ballin'
I will still be pissed if Hendry doesn't at least offer arbitration to Harden. There is about a 5% chance he would take it, especially with him projecting as a Type B FA.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
Hendry doesn't really understand how to balance arbitration offers against what's available in the FA market.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
I would agree with that, and throw it to Az Phil:
why again aren't the cubs going to offer Harden arb? No one's talking about it. I understand we have a tentative starting 5 without him, but how big a paycheck are we talking? There's a team somewhere who'll pay him $10 mil per, maybe guaranteed and maybe for 2 years. And if we did offer, how long til we could trade him? Are arb players stuck til May/June?
Re: Crystal Ballin'
My understanding is that you can trade them at any point. Since it is a re-signing as opposed to a new signing.
Also, if it goes to arbitration (Harden will decline surely) they Cubs can cut him 15 days before opening day and only have to pay 1/6th of his salary. So there really isnt a downside to offering Harden arbitration.
Basically we are just giving away the comp picks. Why develop guys when you can overpay for Free Agents?
Re: Crystal Ballin'
Pretty much. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Jason Kendall the only guy we have gotten a compensation pick for during Hendry's tenure? That turned out great. We selected Ryan Flaherty, who looks to be the left-handed version of Mark DeRosa. I am just sick and tired of Hendry being allergic to compensation picks. Does he even truly know how the process works? I don't think he does.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
I count 3...
Kendall - turned into Flaherty
Pierre - turned into Donaldson which turned into Harden/Gaudin
Clement - turned into Mike Billek
Re: Crystal Ballin'
However Alou and Garciaparra turned into zilch
Re: Crystal Ballin'
As did Kerry Wood
Re: Crystal Ballin'
I completely forgot about Pierre. Man, do I wish we still had Nolasco. That was a horrible, horrible deal. Hendry is about 50/50 when dealing with the Marlins. D-Lee and Clement deals were decent, but the Pierre and Gregg deals sucked. Obviously, the Clement deal looks good now that the D-Train has been derailed.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
Pierre did his job for us when he came here. I don't know what people were expecting but i was perfectly happy with his 200 hits, 32 doubles, 13 triples, and 58 SB's. The man was constantly in scoring position, what more do you want from a lead off hitter? 50% of the time he got a hit he was in scoring position.
The only thing i didn't like from Pierre was that his OF arm was pathetic, I would take him back right now to play CF for us. But he is a tad more expensive now.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
50% of the time he got a hit he was in scoring position.
what was the math that got you there?
Re: Crystal Ballin'
a hit can be a single, double, triple, or home run
out of those four, 2 of them result in you being in scoring position
2/4 = .5 = 50%
come on, rob
Re: Crystal Ballin'
What more do I want from a leadoff hitter? How about an OBP that isn't .330, with .292 of it coming from batting average? Essentially, he was putting up Soriano-type OBP with about 200 less points of SLG%. How about a slugging percentage that is higher than .388? He OPSed .718 for us. Why should we be giving the most AB's to a player that is below average at the plate? How about a better caught stealing rate? Yes, he swiped 58 bags, which looks nice, but he was also caught 20 freaking times. That rate is just under 75%, which means he about breaks even on the basepaths. Yes, he had 204 hits, but he had 699 at-bats that year, only 6 off of the then-record of 705. He broke the record for most outs recorded that season, and as you already mentioned, had an absolute pop-gun arm in the field. All things considered, Pierre was not good at all for us, and dealing Nolasco+ for him was stupid.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
Pierre did as well for us as he did for the Marlins, he didn't crater off into oblivion. We got exactly what we thought we would get from him.
He isn't a power hitter or an OBP guy, his game is all about speed. And i don't care how many AB's you get in a season getting one 200 hit season is hard enough much less 4 of them. No one can say Juan Pierre can't hit a baseball. But most importantly he was healthy enough to get those AB's as compared to Bradley who sports a wondeful OBP but slugged .397.
Its just that he isn't a big old power hitter hitting lead off is what the problem is with him. Hence why the Cubs signed Alfonso Soriano, but he hits for toooooo much power so he can't be a lead off hitter anymore.
We went from two opposite ends of the spectrum and people are still not satisfied. The only player in baseball that fits the bill that would maybe make everyone happy is Grady Sizemore. But the funny thing is baseball isn't littered with 30 Grady Sizemore's that can hit lead off for you in MLB. You have to go with imperfect options in MLB. And Juan Pierre did his job for us, and I believe he did a good job. He wasn't brought in to be the middle of the order threat and be a power hitter like Bradley was.
(Rob G. - yeah i probably flubbed that comment up, i was trying to say out of his 200 hits he was in scoring position with his doubles, triples and SB's around 50% of the time, and i know about his walks and his caught stealing, but i was lazy and didn't feel like typing out a whole explanation like now. Its fuzzy math at best. Pierre did manage to get in scoring position a whole lot, and that shouldn't be forgotten was the main point)
Re: Crystal Ballin'
Where did I say that he tanked it for us? He simply sucked, plain and simple. I don't care if he similarly sucked for the Marlins, the point is that we gave up 3 really good looking prospects for one crappy year of Juan Pierre and the rights to select Josh Donaldson. My original point was that the trade was terrible at the time, and nothing has changed since then to alter that.
Yes, his game is all about speed, which is the problem. If you can't get on base, which is Pierre's problem, you have to at least hit for some power to counter it. Pierre has never done that. Why the hell should we put a guy who never gets on base and has no power in the leadoff spot, just on the off chance that he actually gets on base and represents a threat to steal a base? It is moronic, and Hendry should have known it from the get-go.
As for the 200 hits debate, I will give you the point about Pierre being healthy. However, what does it matter if he gave us 162 games of crap? He only hit .292 to go along with the horrendous OBP and SLG. Any of our better hitters could get 200 hits if they were the leadoff batter and received 690+ ABs.
Where did the Pierre/Soriano talk come from? Both are miserable leadoff men. They can't get on base. I don't care about slugging percentage out of the leadoff man if he can do his job and get on safely at a good clip, around .370 or more. The #1 goal for the leadoff man is to get on base for the big bats to knock him in. Any other thinking is straight from the Dusty Baker handbook of "base-clogging". Pierre is a #8 hitter and Soriano is a #5 hitter. To think otherwise of these two is foolishness.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
And I will pile on with the words of the esteemed CRUNCH, "Pierre is one leg injury away from being useless..."
Re: Pierre's in "scoring position"
And yet he only averages 80 Runs Scored per 607 PA's over his ten year career, in part because he never drives himself in, and in part because he's on base so little.
Re: Pierre's in "scoring position"
Pierre has played seven full seasons, between 2001 and 2007. He has averaged 96.7 runs, not 80. That's (108+90+100+100+96+87+96)/7 = 96.7. The 87 runs were in 2006 with the Cubs. That was the year that Derrek Lee got hurt. Who was hitting behind Pierre?
Rollins seldom gets caught stealing, but Reyes gets caught at a similar rate to Pierre. The difference between Reyes' 110-120 runs and Pierre's 100 is home runs and triples. Pierre does hit triples--he had 13 twice--but Reyes usually leads the league.
The problem with Pierre is that he doesn't play middle infield like Rollins and Reyes. A CF is supposed to have speed and power.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
Pierre's arm was awful but I'd still take his offense over most of the other choices being thrown around. And as for him being a crappy leadoff man, the Marlins won the World Series with him and his career obp is .348, 22 points better than Soriano. Pierre has actually averaged 97 runs scored per year when he's been a full time starter, not the 70-80 someone else said.
The only problem about bringing him back, besides the contract, is that as others have pointed out, Pierre isn't that selective at the plate and doesn't take many walks. His only real plus tool is speed, and he's 32 now and that speed should start dropping off at some point. And if he has a leg injury like Soriano did that robs him of his speed, well, I'd hate to have his contract on the books when he no longer can steal many bases, because then he's just a $10 million singles hitter. Then again, so are Bradley and Fukudome.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
But his OBP hasn't been above .331 as a full-time starter since 2004, when his BA was .326. The Marlins might have won with him as their leadoff man, and that was likely because he had a pretty decent year for them. He had a line of .305/.361/.373. He got on base at a respectable rate that year, but let's not forget the rest of their offense before you give a bunch of credit to Pierre. They had a better leadoff man batting 2nd that year in Luis Castillo (line of .314/.381/.397, which gave them a lot of lee-way when Pierre didn't get on base. Miguel Cabrera, Mike Lowell, Derrek Lee, etc, were all behind them knocking in a good amount of runs. Then on top of that they had a very good pitching staff and good defense. But like I said before, Pierre was decent that season for Florida. If he would have had that good of a year for us, I wouldn't be so hard on him.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
Bruce Levine does his Arizona Phil imitation and offers an update on Vitters and Castro on his blog:
Re: Crystal Ballin'
Though mathematically I encourage it, baseball lingo-wise I just have to think 'Huh?' when I read this:
Baseball scouts rate tools of players 1-7, with 7 being the best grade for any particular tool.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
did the 20-80 scale disappear?
Re: Crystal Ballin'
I don't know - it makes as much sense as a 1-7 scale, but I sure as hell haven't heard of the 1-7 scale before. Maybe AZ Phil and crunch have heard something?
Maybe it's like when ESPN tried to get everyone to say 80 RBI instead of RBI's. (You're pluralizing the abbreviation, in case anyone is confused as to why RBI's is correct).
Iwamura to Pirates?
Re: Iwamura to Pirates?
The "one that got away"?
Re: Iwamura to Pirates?
if it costs a jesse chavez to get him, they can have him, imo.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
Don't be modest, AZ Phil. You have more original and interesting content in one sentence than most beat writers produce in an entire season.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
Now he's got me waiting for his F-bombs, though!
Re: Crystal Ballin'
I think we need a new TCR glossary term: Phillacio. For any overt heaping of praise on Arizona Phil (even if the praise is deserved! ;-)
Re: Crystal Ballin'
That's hysterical, Phillacio it should be!
Re: Crystal Ballin'
Thanks AZ Phil
Re: Crystal Ballin'
From the Cubs standpoint a Bradley for Rowand deal makes a lot of sense. The Giants would probably be alright with trading that contract and adding the offense of Bradley. The main sticking point is that the Giants would then be in need of a center fielder, wouldn't they?
Re: Crystal Ballin'
Fred Lewis could probably handle it.
If not they can resign Randy Winn fairly cheaply.
Or we can send them Fukudome along with Bradley. Maybe Dempster as well if they send back Matt Cain?
Re: Crystal Ballin'
Throw in Neal Cotts and Chad Fox. I can't imagine the Giants passing on all that talent. It's not like the just need to give away pitching.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
As much as I am a fan of shipping Bradley out of town, I am not really exactly willing to do it at all costs. I understand that this organization is handcuffed financially, but I am not sure if I would be willing to take on a 32 year old Aaron Rowand and an additional $15 million. Then again, I am not sure what the options are. I do know that I would rather keep Bradley then take Pat Burrell. That would lead to an outfield accounting for 2/3 of the team's total strikeouts in 2010. On another note, I do not believe that Soriano is going to bounce back from an aweful 2009. In the end, this is a contract that will have to be stored away under the "depreciation" ledger. Marc Silverman should attempt another return before the season starts.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
There's not really a big difference between Bradley's and Burrell's K rates. Rowand can still hit a bit, and plays average center field defense.
As to Soriano... the Cubs in 2010 are probably not going to be too good without a decent Soriano. He had a couple of hot streaks this year, so hopefully that shows he, when healthy, can still get it done. Matt Murton can be had on the cheap if you're ready to cut and run on the remaining $82 million, or whatever we owe Soriano.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
Say what you will about Matt Murton. None the less he would/is probably the 4th or 5th best offensive guy the Cubs would have rostered last year, if he was still in the organization.
Shame that some guys never really get a real shot. He was never "toolsy" enough for Hendry or "Lefthanded" enough for Lou. Now he is a failed prospect 4A guy wherever he goes because teams are promoting their own prospects.
If he was Japaneese Hendry would give him 5/65 NTC, one way player option, and a private jet. Tough break for him.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
I was half serious about Murton, but if he could play a passable center field like Fukudome he'd have a lot less trouble staying in the bigs.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
If Fukudome was as good of a hitter as Murton then he wouldn't be such a flop.
If Bradley hit as well as Murton did in 2005-2007 then he would be more justified in being such a C^%KS$2CKER.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
i've got wOBA of .345 for Bradley in 2009, and .381, .353, .349 for Murton in 2005-2007.with a .342 BABIP in 2005 to account for that one really good year. He also hit a HR on 24.5% of his flyballs, most guys are around 10-11% which is exactly what he regressed to the following years.
Fuku had a .328 last year, .345 this year...
Re: Crystal Ballin'
the matt murton who couldn't even get a job playing bench in COL in 09 even though he was healthy?
oh yeah, that's way better than fuku. fuku only hit 38 doubles and 11 homers on a .375 ob% clip. what a f'n bum.
overpaid isn't the same as sucks...except that it sucks he's overpaid.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
That would be a real sight: Matt Murton as a CF Bwahahahaha!
What a classic outfield with effectively one of three starting OF that could ACTUALLY play their position.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
Re: Crystal Ballin'
ya know...for all the bitching about bradley...
even if the cubs had to take a bath on him and "give" him away...
let's say they gotta pay 1/2 and get crap in return.
so that's a 6m hit on a 140+million club and it ends up freeing up 6m for a shot at some replacement that's off the payroll...
anyway, back to the offseason.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
Even though the President is a White Sox fan, maybe there is some stimulus money for pot hole fixin' for the next two years to help this Hendry headache? Call it reverse spread the wealth. Burris might be able to slip it in on the pretext to avoid MB becoming homeless. There's got to be a Goldman Sachs corner office that can take care of the paperwork.
OR...make MB a rehab project. Assign Brenley to him 24/7, do a "Bradley Minute" daily Comcast report, then as soon as the game is over the two B's (Brenley and Bradley) are joined to Rudy at the hip for hitting tips and PR work.
After a full season of "wax on, wax off," we should know if the third year is doable.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
If the Cubs cant find a new home for Bradley you do with him what you do with any child. You make him earn his way back into the lineup by being on the bench. For Bradley he should like that, he still gets his money by doing the least amount of work as possible. Plus he will spend a little less time on the field since he is so frightened to play more than 9 innings in Chicago.
Besides he is only good for 120 games max a year anyways and roughly 50 RBI, its not like he is Cal Ripken JR. who plays full seasons or Manny Ramirez who puts up numbers year in and year out.
You are not benching a future hall of famer or even a guy who puts up any serious kind of stats. Its fucking Milton Bradley who at age 31 hasn't even cracked the 80 RBI barrier, and has one 70 RBI season to his credit. He is a joke impersonating a middle of the order threat.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
"...you do with him what you do with any child. You make him earn his way back into the lineup by being on the bench."
Yup, that's what I do with my daughter. "You're only 2, but you better learn!"
Hope Springs Eternal
The Cubs Convention sold out in 17 minutes!
Re: Crystal Ballin'
GM meetings are next week near O'Hare. Bradley trade rumors will be going for volume discounts.
Which TCR poobah will be stalking the hallways?
Bruce Levine chat transcript
and summary
cliff notes...
Lee and Lilly extensions definitely a possibility
plenty of minor league talk
Reed's degenerative back condition
Ankiel has been discussed...
Burrell/Bradley talk
Figgins, Orland Cabrera and Hudson talk...
Re: Bruce Levine chat transcript
Thanks ROB G.
Re: Bruce Levine chat transcript
With Soriano's contract being virtually untradeable and if he continues to decline in the field, isn't it possible that the Cubs may have no choice but to move him to 1B after Lee's contract expires?
Re: Bruce Levine chat transcript
Moises Alou played LF until he was 40, Soriano's brainfarts are going to just be a bigger problem at 1b...
rather move Aramis to 1b anyway...
Re: Bruce Levine chat transcript
Lee and Lilly extensions? Huh?
Re: Bruce Levine chat transcript
huh? as in those are dumb ideas or huh? as in where did I get it from?
first I can't answer, second just came from this...obviously nothing definitive...just a possibility
Phil (Chicago )
Do you feel the Cubs will offer extensions to Lee and/or Lilly this off-season?
Bruce Levine
good question. Very intuitive of you. I believe Lee will be the first
one they approach. He has one year left on his deal at $13 million.
Look for the Cubs to make some type of offer to him before the 2010
season. Lilly has been the most effective pitcher for the Cubs, he'll
be playing at age 35 in 2011. The Cubs will have plenty of time toward
late in the season to broach a contract for him.
Re: Bruce Levine chat transcript
Huh? as in dumb ideas. In particular Lee. Why is it that he only wants to give Lee extensions when he's coming off a good year? How much would 2011 have cost us last off-season with the market tanking and Lee coming off his .733 OPS second half? Even that bit of stupidity aside, can the plan really be to have Ramirez and Soriano play 3rd and left for four more years?
Re: Bruce Levine chat transcript
I think I put it in another thread, but if you go by Fangraphs value and dollars tools (hardly perfection I know), but Lee has been worth or exceeded his contract value even in his down years...
I'm more worried about the where to play Ramirez or Soriano and Lee staying on the field than a drop in production so significant that he wouldn't be worth it. (of course it would all depend on the money and years)
Re: Bruce Levine chat transcript
I'm concerned with both.
I'm not sure if that's how I would look at the value and dollars in that way (coming into this year he had underperformed since his extension) - because you should already build some performance/pay risk into what you offer him. So if he's healthy you would expect even a guy who's hit free agency to over perform his salary, particularly a hitter. The hitters have to cover the busts you get due to your pitcher volatility.
Re: Bruce Levine chat transcript
Why should we have any urgency to extend DLee? Who would be bidding against us next offseason? All the big market teams have legitimate first sackers already. Most of the small market teams will be not looking to spend on a 35 year old.
Let him play out, coax the contract year from him. Then go year to year.
Re: Bruce Levine chat transcript
Lee and the Giants are a very good fit. They need a 1B and he lives down the road in Sacramento.
Re: Bruce Levine chat transcript
Plus he's old.
Re: Bruce Levine chat transcript
Derrek Lee for J. Sanchez and Bumgarner?
Bumgarner's probably a reach, but maybe another top 10 prospect closish to the majors...
Re: Bruce Levine chat transcript
I hope Ricketts has the guts to tell Hendry to sell at the deadline, if 2009 repeats itself.
Ted Lilly
All looking at Free Agency, should bring back value.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
greg maddux in ATL ruined it for everyone. heh...
Re: Crystal Ballin'
what a shame the Cubs couldn't pawn Harden off in August...
oh that's right...
Re: Crystal Ballin'
If he accepts arbitration we could still trade him, correct? That is what I was alluding to.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
no, he gets no-trade rights as soon as he hits free agency even if he resigns with his previous team, whether through arbitration or a normal deal. If the Cubs resign him in that 15-day exclusive period, they could trade him I believe...
Re: Crystal Ballin'
Thank you as always, Sir.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
The Cubs biggest problem right now is their ever aging run producers. D. Lee, Aramis and Soriano are much closer to the back end of their careers then the front end. With any aging athlete injuries become a problem....sound familiar. If Geo can play next year like he did his rookie year and Jake Fox gets more time maybe the Cubs won't seem so old next year. But I'm afraid in the next year or two we won't have any young bats to replace the ones we have now that will be well past their prime.
Man I wish we had gone after Texeira last year. And he's a switch hitter too we could have avoided the Milton Bradley fiasco.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
Where would Texeira have played? And where would the Cubs have come up with that kind of money?
Re: Crystal Ballin'
I would glady have taken Texiera and traded D. Lee. I love Derek but he's getting older and Texeira has more years left. As far as money with the ownership situation at the time I know it wasn't possible but if the Cubs want to break this little 101 year streak of no title then they are going to have to become the Yankees of the NL as far as spending is concerned. Lets be honest if the Cubs really opened the pocket books like they can no team in the NL could compete monetarily.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
Lets be honest if the Cubs really opened the pocket books like they can no team in the NL could compete monetarily.
like they can is intriguing....
they were 5th in revenue, but 2nd in payroll last year
the Yanks show making over $130M more than the Cubs, but the payroll disparity was just $65M, exactly how much more are they suppose to open it up?
Re: Crystal Ballin'
I don't know, maybe...ALL THE WAY.
101 Years!!!
Say it out loud. When its been 101 years you open it up all the way. Whatever it takes, no matter how much.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
clearly you're a reasonable fan that is in tune with the real world of baseball economics...
Re: Crystal Ballin'
When you say "you"...you're referring to someone else, right? What exactly is "all the way" anyway? Is it possible to spend infinity dollars?
Re: Crystal Ballin'
it looks like Michael Brenly homered in his second at bat this afternoon.
(How do you like my new boilerplate disclaimer?)
Re: Crystal Ballin'
(How do you like my new boilerplate disclaimer?)
like a bitter Internet poster that can't handle debate....
Ted Lilly is broken
Cubs pitcher Ted Lilly underwent a left shoulder arthroscopy and debridement on Tuesday by noted orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Lewis Yocum in Los Angeles. During the surgery, Yocum found no major damage to Lilly's shoulder and the procedure consisted of a washout and clean up of the shoulder. The procedure took approximately one hour to complete.
Re: Crystal Ballin'
So - are Dwight Yocum and Dr. Lewis Yocum related?
Re: Jake Fox
Bobby Scales was getting playing time ahead of Fox down the stretch, that's all we need to know about his future as a Cub.
Recent comments
J-Hey not finishing with an offensive onslaught.
If Geoff Blum could be a Playoff hero, there is hope still...
Giants scare me. I think you're wrong about Bumgarner, he would pitch on short rest for Game 2 and then full rest for Game 5. Cueto would go Game 1, then short rest in game 4. Add in some really tough outs in that lineup and I want nothing to do with them. With that rotation they can easily steal a series.
Cards are a tough matchup. The rivalry evens out their comparable lack of talent. And like someone said, they love HRs, which is how to beat the Cubs. The upside is that I would feel really good about Lester twice against STL.
j.buchanan with a nice start...5ip 2h 1bb 3k, 0r/er
zobrist with 2HR and a double through 8
heyward 0-4 :(
Mark Gonzales @MDGonzales
Soler likely to return Sunday, Maddon says
Right now, I'd like to see the Mets first, Giants 2nd.
I believe that since most of the team from last years' NLCS is on the squad this year, they will really amp their game up even more to kick their ass in payback for 2015.
The Giants just do not have the depth in years past, and I think all things equal - and at Wrigley - they could handle them.
I do not want to see the Cards, period. Or their fans, media, or Joe Buck.
I don't want to play Braves in the first round. Any friggin team in the league can win 3 of 5..I hate the first round. Furthermore, I wanted to play the Marlins in 2003 and the Mets over Dodgers last year.
With that said in reverse order:
3. Cardinals: It will be devastating to lose in the first round, but even worse to their main rival. It is increased incentive for the Cardinals, especially after last year. Cards would have nothing to lose, Cubs have everything to lose.
2. Giants: Rotation in the playoffs scare me a bit, but what a lousy team.
1. Mets--because of the losses in the rotation
2. Giants--because they're not the team they were BUT they maybe have bullshit even-year magic?
3. Cardinals--because rivalry and not making the playoffs hurts them more than losing in the NLDS plus getting eliminated by them in the playoffs would make for horrible sports commentary next throughout next season.
Who's asking?
CLE/DET rained out last night already, possible rain-outs in New York (vs. Baltimore), Boston(vs. Toronto) and Philly(vs. Mets) this weekend too.
Not only games involving playoff spots that would need to be played, but any that involve home field advantage.
I got the first one! Second one I'm not even sure what even/odd betting is.
any opponent preference for NLDS?
Mets are down to 1 great pitcher instead of 4. Syndegaard may pitch Sunday which means if Mets win the WC game, he'd be set up for Game 1. There's a chance they clinch a spot by Sunday so he'd pitch the WC and then we'd probably get Colon for Game 1. They've certainly had the hottest bats over the last week and month out of the WC options.
A couple of Cub related puzzles.
Can't teach height and thinness
Hopefully Pirates don't call up A. Lincoln.
j.buchanan going friday...should be...baseball...or something like it.
Wow. I didn't know they could do that.
Nice for Willson, not so much for Addy.


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El Paso artist, Mitsu Overstreet, has designed a special edition t-shirt to commemorate El Paso's historic demolition weekend.
The shirts feature the Smelter Town Boomers vs Sun City Haulers
Shirts are available for purchase at Hello Day Cafe, 209 S. El Paso Street, and at Manchot, 518 W. San Antonio, Suite D. Shirts are $20 each or two for $30. Proceeds from shirt sales will benefit up and coming El Paso Artist Guild (EPAG), whose mission is to provide affordable healthcare for local musicians and artists.


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INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. - In last week's column, I initiated a review of public school performance to understand where we are on the education journey to excellence. Thanks for the conversations and e-mails of support and sorry to those who were displeased to see the stark data.
This column aims to help us transcend the discomfort of current reality as we work to support unquestionably exceptional education. How exciting to count four other articles in last week's issue that all spoke to education system change needs. I'll briefly recap each one in the context of our local situation and opportunities.
Ed Gurowitz described a central reason for the "dumbing down" of our US public education system: "teaching to the test" of outdated minimum proficiency benchmarks. As he and our education leaders are now acknowledging, current measures reward mediocrity, so that's what we've been getting. Teachers and administrators can't be blamed for diligently trying to meet measures that don't reward "excellence."
To address this problem, WCSD and state education leaders have adopted new measures based on individual learning growth rates, combined with percentage of students achieving above-minimum proficiency levels. In addition, the Common Core State Standards have set higher bars for "proficiency" while adding new 21st century learning goals such as critical reading, thinking, communicating, and problem solving that are harder to teach and assess.
Since performance data shows teachers struggling to get all students to meet existing standards, how can they push them to higher levels, at a faster rate, and teach and assess the new skills?
In Jim Clark's column, he advised the GOP to be more concerned about inclusivity and equal opportunity for Hispanic citizens. Translated to education, I believe he endorses the closing of ethnicity performance gaps found in many public schools - including ours. The great news is that we have a growing number of schools and districts around the country which have eliminated such gaps and we can and should be one of them.
In fact, one of the goals of the proposed Nevada charter school here was to close the gap (DL1) through English language mastery and learning customized to the developmental needs of each student.
According to Kathryn Kelly's interview on the withdrawal of the NV charter application, she said that the majority of input she has received supports re-submitting the application next summer. Sounds like there will be further pressure on the Nevada Department of Education to allow for the kinds of innovative teaching and learning approaches that inspire and enable stronger student outcomes for all.
Then in Stacey Cooper's article, she describes how the high school's distance learning lab is enabling our rural school students to connect real-time with peers, professionals and teachers anywhere in the world. I very much appreciate her and the district leadership's awareness of how broader, deeper uses of technology in learning and assessment will be essential to all students being able to achieve the new performance expectations.
In fact, my research reveals that the only way to close performance gaps and challenge and engage each student at the growth edge of their passions and abilities is through "blended learning" with one-to-one use of technology and individuated learning paths. This paradigm means that every student has a dedicated device at school and/or home for self-paced content learning and assessments complemented by face-to-face engaged learning labs, projects and workshops with peers and teachers.
On the NV DOE website, I saw that all of IHS computers are 5 or more years old. With no capital budget for upgrades for another 3 to 5 years, community support and partnering will be essential to implementing blended and 21st century skills learning.
As I think we all agree, this community has outstanding potential to become a hub for truly exciting, world-class education for all ages and backgrounds. But are we capable of working together to support and realize such potential? Or by continued inaction will we let alternatives (such as an NV charter) fill the void while current schools fall behind the tsunami wave of education change?
Stay tuned for the next column in this series: How can we evaluate and discuss these and other education-related ideas to move forward as a community instead of stagnating? How can we collaborate to help all students achieve their greatest potentials?
- Mary Alber is an Incline Village resident with two children in local schools and an advocate for 21st century learning opportunities. She holds a PhD in Transformative Learning and Change. She may be reached for comment at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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When do you need a financial adviser?
Not everyone needs a financial adviser or planner, but there have been a couple of times during my financial journey when a guide would've been nice. So when do you need a financial adviser necessary? I wasn't sure, so I asked one.
"Everyone is different, so I can't say yes or no to everyone having a financial planner," says Matthew Watt, financial consultant at Heymont & Company in Los Angeles. "I would like to think everyone should want a financial planner, but that's naive and biased of me. I provide value for people who are too busy to manage things on their own or need a second opinion."
(Click to continue reading…)


text: As you climb up here, with a difference in altitude of 220 metres, the view over the Rhone valley will take your breath away. This via ferrata high above Sion is accessible to all, provided you have the right equipment. Depending on your climbing experience, the tour takes between 1 and 2 hours. The starting point is 30 minutes' walk from the village. There is an information notice and exercise point in the village.


text:
CONYERS, GA, April 14, 2015 (Press Release) - Pratt Industries has announced a major expansion into California with the acquisition of the Salinas-based food and agricultural packaging company, Robert Mann Packaging.
Pratt paid $60 million for the privately-owned RMP group which has $150 million in annual sales and more than a dozen facilities in the western U.S. and Mexico, including a 350,000 square-foot box-making plant in Salinas.
WASHINGTON, DC, April 20, 2015 (Press Release) - The American Forest & Paper Association released its March 2015 U.S. Paperboard Report.Read more
NEW DELHI, April 20, 2015 (The Hindu Business Line) - Fair trade watchdog CCI has cleared the proposed merger between US companies MeadWestvaco Corp and Rock-Tenn Company after finding that the deal is not likely to adversely impact competition in the Indian market.
Rock-Tenn is into packaging solutions as well as manufactures container board and paperboard. MeadWestvaco provides corrugated packaging solutions and speciality chemicals for automotive and other industries. Both entities are present in India.


text:
Top Definition
the act of shopping at Sam's Club
Hey Jimmy, i'm going "sammin" this weekend, would you like me to pick you up a 3lb box of cheeze its, or a 5 gallon drum of mayonaise?
di donkinick 09 novembre 2010
Trending Now
Can you define these popular missing words?
SAMMIN - Adjective - When somebody is a douche and is a super tryhard at everything (especially cross country running). Example: Stopping to ties his/her shoes and or use restroom.
That douche over there sure is sammin it up! He already fell... back during the easy workout and says he 'got lost'. What a fag.
di evencoolernow 06 febbraio 2011
when youre just going with the flow and chillin. pronounced like "salmon"
-"yo, what up mang?"
-"not much man, just sammin it up over at dubR's place"
-"not much man, just sammin it up over at dubR's place"
di Shakey Jake 02 marzo 2007


text:
on November 6, 2012 - 5:24 PM
Two men are accused of smashing glass panels at a dozen East Side bus shelters, causing more than $14,000 in damage, Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority police said today.
Quentin Sims, 30, of Roebling Avenue, and Jakeen S. Glenn, 26, of Bird Avenue, were charged Monday night with second-degree criminal mischief and second-degree criminal nuisance for creating hazardous conditions to others.
Shortly after 10 p.m., transit officers responded to a complaint of two men smashing bus shelters at East Utica Street and Jefferson Avenue. Officers took the pair into custody and were able to charge Sims and Glenn after a witness identified them as the individuals responsible.
A video from a nearby police surveillance camera was used to further assist in making a case against the men. Officer Casey Coggins, in searching the area, found a hammer with shards of glass stuck in its claw that had been discarded in a parking lot adjacent to the shelter at 1330 Jefferson.
Others transit police assisting in the arrest were Officers Thomas Dewey, Vincent Mancino and Rick Russo.
email: firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
To ensure academics are utilizing STAR-CCM+ to its fullest extent, we have developed five teaching modules for easy integration into your CFD course curriculum. These modules have been developed under the guidance of Professor David Gosman and Milovan Peric, author of the widely used book, Computational Methods for Fluid Dynamics.
These modules or "virtual flow labs" are targeted to complement existing curricula for typical theory-based and experimental courses in fluid mechanics. They are designed to help students gain deeper insight into the complex field of fluid dynamics through visualization of flow physics, to obtain a better understanding of CFD methodology and to gain experience with a world-class CFD solver.
The virtual flow labs currently available are:
CD-adapco's Planar Motion Mechanism (PMM) Tutorial
A special THANK YOU to our global academic community for their hard work in developing and sharing the following modules, tutorials and curriculum.
Feel free to browse and download material that best suits your needs. Please contact your local Academic Program Manager if you have any material you wish to share.


text:
Monday, May 20, 2013
The Wando High School DECA Chapter, which is an association of Business Students, competed in the International Career and Development Conference in Anaheim, Calif., April 23-28.
Twenty-six Wando business students joined more than 13,000 students from nine countries to compete in business role play, written business plans, team scenarios as well as leadership and management institutes.
Kirk Beilke, Wando DECA Advisor is proud "to have a diverse and dynamic DECA chapter that utilize what is learned in the classroom and compete in real world business situations."
This year Wando was honored with a gold certification for The Warrior Shop, Wando's own student run student store. The gold certification is a rigorous series of qualifications which was awarded to only 75 student-based enterprises nationwide. Seniors John Li and Haley Sabados and sophomore Elizabeth Clayton represented the Warrior Shop in promotional competition in Anaheim.
Additionally, Beilke and co-advisor Sharon Ansley are proud to announce that senior Brenna Lauer won an international award for accounting. "Brenna has worked especially hard to attain success at Wando in volleyball and academics. She has proven over and over that hard work reaps dividends" states Beilke. Now she can add an international business award to her list of accomplishments.
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text:
Top Definition
to feel as tho everything is going fine, then to have your heart rip out so fast you cant even cry about it. its as tho your heart and mind cant synch up long enough for you to know how to feel.. until much later
(you)-hey baby, how did your interview go?...
(them)-its over
and BAM!! breakup wiplash
(them)-its over
and BAM!! breakup wiplash
додав damian thy vampire 27 Жовтня 2011
Trending Now
Can you define these popular missing words?


text:
Product Information
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text:
Porsche is starting to boost fuel efficiency on its larger
vehicles through the use of hybrid technology. Porsche already offers a hybrid
version of its Cayenne crossover SUV, and now it is extending that
technology to its newest production model: the Panamera
S Hybrid.
The Panamera S Hybrid makes use of a supercharged 3.0-liter
V6 engine that produces a healthy 333hp. In addition, a 47hp electric motor is
mounted between the gasoline engine and the transmission (8-speed Tiptronic) to
provide additional power. Unlike some of the newer hybrids being introduced
today that feature more powerful and lighter lithium-ion
batteries, the Panamera S Hybrid still uses NiMH technology.
Even with a combined 380hp on tap, Porsche says that the
Panamera S Hybrid achieves 34.6 mpg on the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC).
The large sedan can also scoot to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds and features a top
speed of 167 mph. The Panamera S Hybrid can reach 50 mph on battery power alone
-- just don't expect to go very far, the battery-only range is a scant one
The Panamera S Hybrid will be made available later this year
in the United States at an estimated base price of $95,000. For comparison, the
base Panamera S lists for $74,400.
quote: Remove 2 doors.Remove Hybrid system.Put a big high reving flat six in the back maybe even turbo charge it.Add a little bit meaner lower stance with wider staggered tires and flare out the fenders some.You could sell a car like that..
quote: Sounds like a 928 revival :)


text:
on April 10, 2013 - 12:32 AM
WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Buffalo Sabres winger Thomas Vanek returned to the lineup Tuesday night against the Winnipeg Jets after missing six games with an upper-body injury.
The Sabres didn't practice Monday so there was some thought it might be tough for Vanek to return. But in reality, he probably benefitted from two days in a row off. Interim coach Ron Rolston kept him off the ice entirely Sunday for the pregame skate and the game against New Jersey.
Vanek entered Tuesday's game leading the Sabres in goals (16) and points (33). He moved back on the wing with Tyler Ennis and Drew Stafford, and Luke Adam was a healthy scratch.
Joining Adam as a scratch was winger Ville Leino and Rolston admitted for the first time he's not expecting Leino to return this season because of an upper-body injury. Rolston denied rumors Leino has had surgery, either for this injury or his ailing hip that kept him out nearly two months, but said the winger who has only played eight games is probably done for the year.
Said Rolston: "With our schedule and the number of games we have left, it's highly unlikely he'd be back."
Center Kevin Porter spent his off night here glued to the TV watching Michigan, his alma mater, lose the NCAA basketball tournament final to Louisville.
"That was a tough game to watch," said Porter, a former Hobey Baker winner as college hockey's top player for the Wolverines in 2008. "I thought they had it when they were up 12 points in the first half. It was a good game. They fought hard."
Porter had huge praise for Michigan coach John Beilein, the Burt native and former ECC and Canisius coach.
"Everyone knew he was going to turn it around," Porter said. "It was going to take some time but he was going to bring in some recruits and he has. He gets one step away from winning it. It's great that he's there and has turned that program around."
The Sabres will hold Fan Appreciation Night during the home finale April 26 against the New York Islanders. There will be numerous giveaways, a 50-percent off sale at the Sabres Store and family-friendly prices on arena concessions. Fans can sign up at Sabres.com to enter a contest for a grand prize of a trip for two Disney World.
Two winners will be selected on April 23 and will get tickets to the game. They will then participate in a contest to see who wins the trip. Two fans will be picked at the game to vie for the other grand prize, a year's supply of gasoline.
Sabres players again will give away their game-worn jerseys to select season-ticket holders after the game in the "Jersey Off My Back" promotion. There will be 2,000 balloons dropped from the rafters after the game's final buzzer and 500 will contain prize slips. The team will also announce its 7th Man of the Year contest winner from essays submitted on Sabres.com
email: email@example.com


text:
At ePestSolutions we offer a full line of professional animal control supplies, animal traps, and animal bait for the Do It yourself Pest Control homeowner, to control every type of pest including squirrels, birds, raccoons, feral cats, gophers, rats, mice, chipmunks, skunk and armadillos. These animal baits and animal traps once were not available to the general public, now you can use the same animal control products the professional pest control technicians use at a fraction of the cost.
We carry the full line of Havahart traps like squirrel traps, mole traps, rat traps etc. for all size trapping with easy to follow guidelines from the manufacturer for trapping all intruders and unwanted animals from your property.
End the noise, end the mess, finally you ll be able to rest! Pesky animals such as rats, squirrels, opossums, gophers, mice, raccoons, moles can be caught humanly with our Havahart Cage Trap. You just bate the trap with food and let it do the work. The smooth inside edges are for the protection of the animal, while the spring-loaded door has sensitive triggers to ensure a quick, secure catch. If you are in an snake prone area then Snake-A-Way is the product for you. It is the worlds only EPA approved, university tested, patented snake repellent.


text:
The Course Reserve Collection is located at the front Circulation Desk in the Library. Key course resources are generally held in this collection which includes: textbooks, lecture notes, journal articles, audio/video tapes and quizzes.
Most Reserve items can be borrowed for two hours.
Go to the Course Reserve to find your course materials.
Library Home Page


text:
Request A Song
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Ricky Van Shelton
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Ricky Van Shelton
was one of country music's biggest male stars during the late '80s and early '90s, prior to the emergence of crossover sensations like
Garth Brooks
Van Shelton
's smooth baritone croon made him especially popular as a country-pop ballad stylist, but elsewhere he incorporated elements of rock, gospel, and classic honky tonk.
Van Shelton
was born in Danville, VA, in 1952 and grew up in the small town of Grit. He learned to sing at church and discovered country music as a teenager, performing at local gatherings whenever he could. After high school, he played the area club circuit and worked a series of day jobs, and in late 1984 he finally made the move to Nashville to make it in the business. He performed in nightclubs until a local newspaper columnist heard his demo and helped arrange a showcase that landed
Van Shelton
a deal with CBS in 1986.
Van Shelton
released his debut album,
Wild-Eyed Dream
, in 1987, and his first-ever single, "Crime of Passion," hit the country Top Ten. Its follow-up, "Somebody Lied," went all the way to number one; so did the album, and so did another single, "Life Turned Her That Way."
Van Shelton
quickly recorded a follow-up album,
Loving Proof
, which appeared in 1988 and also topped the country charts; it spun off three number one hits in "I'll Leave This World Loving You," "From a Jack to a King," and "Living Proof," while "Hole in My Pocket" made the Top Five. While readying his third proper album,
Van Shelton
also completed two specialty projects: the 1989 holiday album
Ricky Van Shelton Sings Christmas
and the 1990 gospel record
Don't Overlook Salvation
. Meanwhile, his official follow-up to
Loving Proof
, was released in 1990 and became his third number one album. "I've Cried My Last Tear for You" gave him another number one single, while "I Meant Every Word He Said" and "Statue of a Fool" both topped out at number two; "Life's Little Ups and Downs" also made the Top Five. In 1991,
Van Shelton
teamed up with
Dolly Parton
for the chart-topping duet "Rockin' Years" and subsequently issued another album,
. Though it just missed the top of the country charts,
kept his hit streak going strong, producing two more number ones in "Keep It Between the Lines" and "I Am a Simple Man" (giving him a total of nine) and a number two hit in the title track.
Musical tastes can shift quickly, and by the time
Van Shelton
conquered the alcohol abuse that had begun to take a toll on his personal life,
Garth Brooks
was completely altering the contemporary country landscape. To hold fans over, he released
Greatest Hits Plus
in 1992, and its newly recorded track, "Wild Man," hit the Top Five. He returned in 1993 with
A Bridge I Didn't Burn
, but the album didn't spawn any huge hits, as had been expected; it went gold, but it was the only
Van Shelton
album to date that ultimately failed to go platinum. 1994's
Love and Honor
continued his commercial downturn, and tensions with Columbia led
Van Shelton
to part ways with his label a couple years later. He busied himself with, among other projects, a series of children's books centered around the character Quacker the Duck that he'd begun several years earlier. He also formed his own label, RVS, and recorded an album on his own called
Making Plans
, which he distributed via an exclusive agreement with the Wal-Mart store chain in 1997. The following year, Vanguard stepped in to give the record a wider release.
Van Shelton
subsequently signed with the Audium label, home to many veteran country artists, and recorded a new album,
Fried Green Tomatoes
, in 2000.
Steve Huey, Rovi
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text:
2014 Neiman Marcus fantasy gifts
POSTED: 08:58 AM MDT Oct 19, 2011 UPDATED: 10:30 AM MDT Oct 07, 2014
Check out some of the high-end "fantasy gifts" in this year's new Neiman Marcus Christmas Book.
The views expressed are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the Terms Of Service and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms.blog comments powered by Disqus


text:
In wake of shootings: A call to unity
July 28, 2013
A couple of dozen men gathered at a picnic pavilion in Memorial Park Saturday to speak out against the shootings that are claiming the lives of young blacks in Williamspor....
Another resource/opportunity but would cost some money to attend. Go to "www [dot] blackconservativesummit [dot] net"; they are have a several day conference near Chicago to focus on rebuilding the family.
I hope people of all color, gender, and economic status would join in support of these efforts. Prayer is a good way to start and all can participate in this.
1 Agrees | 0 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
sideliner, I think partly it's because they are acknowledging the problem the way it currently exists. They aren't making it about race, but they are acknowledging the reality.
z3ro, very glad the meeting went well, I wish I could have been there. Definitely looking forward to getting to the next meeting and meeting everyone involved.
0 Agrees | 0 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
Nobody wins when the city is besieged by violence and illegal drugs. City residents will become more fearful of each other. Businesses will lose customers. Companies will not bring jobs to Williamsport because there is a perception of high crime rates in the city.
The men of the African-American community should take the lead because black-on-black crime has reached epidemic proportions. The police can't do it alone.
But this is a battle that everyone can join. At stake is our quality of life. I would hope that people of good will can see mutual benefit in forming alliances to confront the twin problems of the drug trade and violence in our community.
4 Agrees | 0 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
Why is it only the black community that needs to come up with a plan of action???
2 Agrees | 4 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
their killing their own.
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As the day went on, the two community groups met and agreed to work together leveraging strengths and reach into the community. Although the groups will remain as separate entities they will have overlapping goals. This is where the two groups will draw on each other for support. More meetings will be scheduled and posted in the paper. Come out, support your community and enjoy change!
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Great!!!!!...This IS the answer to these problems...the ONLY answer....The black community now will need to put a plan into action....Keep up the positive focus...
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It's good to see a group of adult men trying to tackle this problem. The breakdown of the nuclear family has so much to do with the scourge of violence we face. We know what makes a successful family, and yet we excuse the behavior that hurts the family such as absentee fathers, women having multiple children to multiple men, romanticizing the "gangster" lifestyle, unwed mothers, lazy or nonexistent parenting and more. There is no shame in the community for doing things wrong, we just say that it is your life to live as you want and we should not judge. Standards that maintain good family units are not judgements, they are what make a successful family and community.
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