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Published author? Here's how to get a free drink
So a funny thing happened when I called up the Stoneleigh P last week to confirm some details about an appearance by author Joe Nick Patoski on Friday.
Joe Nick, whose Dallas Cowboys book just got reviewed by some New York newspaper, had initially described the event as the "Stoneleigh P Book Festival," and suggested a few authors who might be attending. I called up Tom Garrison, an owner of the longstanding Dallas hangout (Alan Peppard knows a few stories about it) and heard a rather relaxed Garrison promise that he would buy a round for any published writer who shows up Friday between 5 and 7 p.m.
My first thought was to the number of local writers we've reviewed over my tenure as book reviews editor, and thought of the drinking capacity of some of them, and I immediately feared for the bar's solvency. So I waited a few days, and called Tom back again, just a few minutes ago, just to make sure he meant what he said.
He confirmed: "I'm inviting all published authors to come have a toast," he said. He even put it on the bar's Facebook page. Although it's not stated there, he repeated to me on the phone: "I'll buy 'em a drink."
Now, there are some caveats here: He told me the free drink offer was good from 5 to 7 p.m. The Facebook page says 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Joe Nick said he would be there from 3 to 7 p.m. And I'm not sure what kind of proof of publication he'll be looking for. So — go at your own risk.
But I would also say: This sounds like fun. If you make it — let me know how it turns out. (The bar is located at 2926 Maple Ave.)


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Taiwan's Hello Kitty-themed planes are coming to the U.S. Take a look inside what some call the world's cutest airliners.
Go inside Taiwan's Hello Kitty planesPublished 9:09 AM PDT Aug 29, 2013
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subset: commoncrawl


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on June 7, 2013 - 4:00 PM
, updated June 8, 2013 at 12:50 AM
Kaleida Health is planning an expansion of Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital that includes a 10-bed neonatal intensive care unit, according to documents filed with the Town of Amherst's Planning Department.
The hospital system plans three projects encompassing 33,940 square feet of new space, said Eric Gillert, the town's planning director.
The one-story neonatal ICU will be built on top of an existing three-story building behind the main hospital building on the Maple Road campus.
A project that includes an expanded operating room and an angio center covers 12,692 square feet and will wrap around the southwest corner of the main hospital building.
And a one-story, 5,525-square-foot central sterile unit will be built in a courtyard area between the main building and the building housing the new neonatal ICU.
Kaleida spokesman Michael Hughes declined to provide further information on the projects, including the cost or the construction timeline, pending a meeting with community members set for 5:30 p.m. Thursday in Millard Fillmore Suburban's ground- floor conference room.
The neonatal ICU project requires a height variance from the town's Zoning Board of Appeals, and the site plan for the entire expansion must be approved by the town Planning Board. Kaleida's request is on the agenda for the Planning Board's June 20 meeting.
Also, Kaleida announced Friday that it has received from the state Health Department the certificate of need required to move forward on its plans for the new John R. Oishei Children's Hospital of Buffalo.
Kaleida is planning to move Women & Children's Hospital from its longtime home in the Elmwood Village to a 12-story, $229 million structure on the grounds of the downtown Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, with a planned opening date of 2016.
Kaleida needed the state certificate to proceed with planning for the project. The Health Department's approval was expected.
email: email@example.com


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Evening Storytime and Crafts - Ellettsville
Tuesday, March 11, 2014 | 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Bring the whole family for an evening storytime, movie, and craft. Craft supplies provided. All ages.
Stephanie Holman
- Event Type:
Ellettsville Children's Program
- Location:
Ellettsville Program Room
Notify me about similar events


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This course is designed to enhance the skills of current fleet professionals and provide a comprehensive overview of state-of-the-art principles and practices for managing todays government fleet operations.
Training package includes:


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Penn State's new offense offers a major selling point to recruits, assistant head coach Stan Hixon said, and top skill position prospects who might not have considered the Nittany Lions in the past now could be more intrigued by the new Patriots-style system.
"That's been a great selling point for wide receivers, also to tight ends and even to running backs, especially to receivers and tight ends," said Hixon, who coaches the receivers. "The players have really gravitated to it, and the recruits seem to like it because of what we're doing."
In the back of every recruit's mind, Hixon said, he wants to "have a good college career, graduate and go off to the NFL." O'Brien, Hixon and running backs coach Charles London all have worked in the NFL, and Hixon believes that fact and the new offense will make Penn State attractive to recruits, even with the NCAA sanctions.
"It's been a good selling point, and it will be used in recruiting as we move forward," Hixon said.
Having receiver Allen Robinson enjoy such a big season -- 57 catches, 689 yards, eight TDs -- should only help with recruiting receivers. While many people have been surprised with Robinson's big season, Hixon has not.
"Working with him through the spring, we kind of knew and I kind of knew right off the bat he was really one of our better receivers," Hixon said. "When we came in, Allen was really playing behind Justin Brown. ... And by the middle of spring, Allen was improving so much we decided to put him at the starting receiver where he's at now and put Justin Brown on the other side."
Brown eventually transferred to Oklahoma, and Robinson has emerged as a standout. But Hixon says there's much more to come.
"He's nowhere near as good as he's going to be, but obviously he's off to a great start," he said of Robinson.
Here's a Q&A with Hixon from his teleconference Thursday.
Q: Do you still have aspirations to get back to the pro level as a coach?
A: I really like Penn State the short time I've been here, and the reason why I came back [was] to get back to coaching college players. Right now at this point in time I don't have any aspirations to go back. I just want to do a good job here on this staff and get the players better and obviously get the program back to where it was before things went down.
Q: How did O'Brien sell you on coming to Penn State?
A: I was at Buffalo, and New England, we played each other twice a year. We continued to talk during the year. And the opportunity really to learn this offense ... the offense really works. ... I'm a 30-year veteran coaching college and pro, but still, as a coach you want to learn and get better. ... It was a good thing for me to do.
Q: You and the other new coaches didn't know the severity of the potential sanctions when you took the jobs. How difficult was it for you personally when the sanctions came down, and did you have to go through some self-evaluation things?
A: To be truthful, yes it was difficult. But it is what it is. You come here with some expectations and you get handed something else. But in my mind and my wife's mind, we've just got to move forward with what we've got here and just make the best of the situation. It's not going to last forever. Penn State is still Penn State, when you talk about Penn State academics, Penn State football.
We just try to keep as many players as we can here because we've got good players, and we're recruiting good players. So everything's going to be OK. It obviously hurts that I'm not playing for a championship and not going to a bowl game, but that's out of our control. We'll just do the best with what we have, and all the players work hard and the coaches work hard, we should be OK. We've adjusted to it, and it's kind of water under the bridge and just kind of moved on from that right now.
Q: How far has Brandon Moseby-Felder come?
A: He's playing faster, and really his route-running has really improved from spring. In spring ball he might have been there for like five to eight days and then pulled a hamstring, and then in summer he wasn't full speed when we started camp. ... One thing about Brandon, he's probably one of the older guys we have at that position. ... He's been telling me all along how good he was. And with me, it's, OK, we'll see. We'll just give you the opportunity to show what you can do. And I think he really has taken advantage of the opportunity.
Q: How will your receives fare against Nebraska's secondary, which is one of the strengths of the defense?
A: It's going to be a tough challenge. They're big, and a lot of them, you'll see them on Sunday [in the NFL]. ... We just try to tell our guys just do what you've been doing, continue to play physical as much as you can and we've just got to be able to accept the challenge and make what we call contested catches because they do a really good job of playing man coverage.


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Arrhythmia Program Ask the Expert Series
Learn important information about Emory's Arrhythmia Program in the Ask the Expert video series. Emory Healthcare's heart experts talk about various arrhythmia topics and how to best manage your condition. If you have further questions after viewing the videos please call Emory HealthConnection℠ 404-778-7777 to speak to a nurse.


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Top Definition
Past tense of making a major mistake
"Man, I really screwed the pooch when I talked to my boss while I was druck last night."
Quentin tarafından 31 Temmuz 2003, Perşembe
Trending Now
Can you define these popular missing words?
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Another way of saying "blew it" or "messed up".
"You really screwed the pooch on that one dude".
Barb tarafından 9 Eylül 2004, Perşembe
The act of really messing things up.
Damn, i really screwed the pooch on that one.
madmanmarx tarafından 10 Ekim 2007, Çarşamba
A way in which to describe a mistake or blunder.
"That computer's a lemon, I really screwed the pooch on that deal!"
c. Wallace tarafından 21 Mayıs 2004, Cuma
To commit a blatant heinously humiliating error.
When he got drunk and took on the ninja, he really screwed the pooch.
postmachoguy tarafından 3 Ocak 2009, Cumartesi
to screw up
Boy who ever approved the new Big Tex design really screwed the pooch!
screwedthepooch tarafından 4 Ekim 2013, Cuma
Screwing the pooch is a nonsensical action that is being done while a major fuck up is occuring or has occured.
Management have screwed the pooch while the competition gained the upperhand.
ANTZILLA tarafından 13 Temmuz 2014, Pazar


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The best performance of the night – and according to Randy Jackson, "one of the greatest performances in the history ... of American Idol" – came at the very end of the two-hour show.
Candice Glover, who first earned a standing ovation for her soulful take on "Don't Make Me Over," sang "Lovesong" by The Cure. The crowd exploded in a raucous uproar, Keith Urban literally bowed down in front of her and Mariah Carey walked up on stage and showered Candice in glitter. The enthusiastic response brought Candice to tears. Watch her performance below.
But back at the beginning ... Angie Miller kicked things off with the ballad "Anyone Who Had a Heart." Although she did her best to sing it with attitude, the judges just weren't feeling it.
"You can make it look too easy and feel too easy and I'm missing the humanity in there," Keith said. Nicki Minaj agreed, calling the performance "old-fashioned." Mariah wondered if maybe Miller's attempt to be perfect in her lyric pronunciation was holding her back.
For her second performance, Miller chose "Love Came Down" by Kari Jobe and sang it while playing the piano. The result? A standing ovation.
Amber Holcomb started her night with "I Say A Little Prayer." Although a few notes probably went astray, she got excellent marks from the judges.
"I am bowing down right now for you, little girl," Nicki said. "You have become my favorite girl in this competition." For her follow-up, Amber took on the up-tempo Beyoncé hit "Love On Top," which kept the judge (and audience) love-fest going.
Lazaro Arbos – a.k.a. "the only dude left in the competition" (as host Ryan Seacrest put it) – came out for his first performance wearing what looked like a blue-green lava lamp suit. He attempted the song "Close to You" made famous by the Carpenters, but it was overwhelmingly panned by the judges.
"No, no, no, no – that was horrible," Randy said. "That was the worst performance you've ever had on the show."
Although Arbos did a much better job singing his follow-up song, "Angels" by Robbie Williams, the judges all agreed that the female contestants were still leaving him in the dust.
Another favorite, Kree Harrison, continued her streak of delivering knock-out performances with her first song, "What the World Needs Now," which started off slow but built into a powerful, full-throated anthem.
"It was perfect for your voice," Mariah said. Urban thought it was the best performance she'd ever given. And Minaj said she seemed "hella cocky" and would be surprised if she wasn't singing at the Country Music Awards next year.
For her second song, Kree picked "Help Me Make It Through The Night," which proved to be another crowd pleaser. "That was a buckle polisher right there," Keith said, which, for those of you who don't speak country, apparently is a very good thing.
Janelle Arthur chose "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" as her first choice and earned middling reviews for her effort. Randy found it "lackluster," and Nicki called it flat-out "boring." Her second song of the night was Garth Brooks's "The Dance," which brought her more positive feedback but not exactly overwhelming praise.
Thursday's show will bring the results – and someone will be up for elimination.


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MARTINSBURG - The West Virginia Commuter Rail Access Act would not only give the state a seat at the table, but make the state a player in the MARC commuter rail service, state Sen. Herb Snyder, D-Jefferson, said in a telephone interview Thursday.
Snyder introduced the legislation, labeled Senate Bill 103, Wednesday, the first day of the 2013 legislative session.
"I'm very serious about this bill," he said. "We must protect our commuter rail service."
Article Photos
Journal file photo by Ron Agnir
Passengers step off MARC Train P879 after it pulls into Martinsburg Train Station.
The Maryland Transit Authority's MARC Brunswick Line operates commuter service between Union Station in Washington and Martinsburg with stops in Harpers Ferry and Duffields Monday through Friday. About 500 West Virginia passengers ride the Brunswick Line to and from work daily.
SB103 would do two things: mandate that West Virginia sign an agreement with Maryland to provide commuter rail operations in West Virginia; and give CSX Transportation a tax credit for the tracks that the MARC commuter train uses in West Virginia.
Between Harpers Ferry and Martinsburg, MARC uses CSX tracks, for which MARC must pay a rail access fee. Per SB103, CSX would apply the tax credit to the fee it charges MARC to use the tracks, dramatically reducing MARC's cost of running commuter trains into West Virginia and CSX's tax bill.
Snyder feels confident that CSX and the Maryland Transit Administration would welcome the plan.
Currently, West Virginia contributes no financial support for the MARC commuter rail service in West Virginia.
The State Rail Authority maintains the Duffields and Harpers Ferry train stations. A surcharge is added to tickets sold in the state to help offset the cost for providing commuter service in West Virginia.
Snyder estimates the tax credit would be about $800,000 a year. "This is a bad year for tax credits," he said. "(Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin) wants to cut the budget by 7.5 percent. It will be a heavy lift."
This is the second year Snyder has introduced the bill.
"We're better prepared this year," he said. "Over the summer, we built coalitions. There is a lot of support for commuter rail service in the Morgantown area, where people come from Pennsylvania to West Virginia to work."
SB103's provisions would apply to any state involved in providing commuter rail service in West Virginia.
State Sen. Robert D. Beach, D-Monongalia, is a co-sponsor of SB103. He also is chairman of the Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which would have to approve the bill before it goes to the full Senate for a vote. Morgantown is in Monongalia County.
"This act would encourage commuter rail service in West Virginia," Snyder said. "Mass transportation, commuter rail is essential to a modern society. This would show West Virginia's commitment to commuter rail service, that it's important to the state."
- Staff writer John McVey can be reached at 304-263-3381, ext. 128, or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Hey, it seems far fetched that Malkin would be traded, but its not like its out of the realm of possibility.
Nice oxymoron.
Jordan Staal isn't even in the same conversation as Malkin.
I'd love to see Malkin in a Wings uni too ... but I can't see any GM trading a player of that quality while still in a playoff position.


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Remember that Walden's Title IV Code is 025042.
Call us now toll-free on1-866-492-5336 or
Do you live outside the US?
Call us now using these toll-free numbers or visit our International Students area.
Gloria Noyes: An effective leader, really, is someone who is knowledgeable of the current trends and issues that are going on in education, but that they're also, they see beyond the academic piece because all learners are multifaceted just like administrators are and everybody is. And you really need to be aware of every facet of your learner, and this experience through Walden has enabled me to go in and do the research I need so that I can be that effective leader, so I can know about what constitutes an effective leader through the research that I do.
Deborah Tonguis: Yeah, I'm very aware now of even just educators within my building, not just the new teachers that come in. I just look at them in a different way. We're practitioners, but at the same time, I think a lot of them think that their scholar days are over, that they've learned enough. And that really bugs us because I know she's in a leadership position at her school, I am in my school, and as a department head, I feel a responsibility, almost, to get a little closer to those teachers who are kind of turned into paycheck-takers. Drives us crazy. Because we know that they still have so much experience and knowledge, but becoming … being a lifelong learner is job No. 1 of a teacher. Because as you continue to learn, you can continue to grow, and students see, they feel that growth in you. My students treat me completely differently since I have started the Ed.D. program at Walden. They really feel a sense of, that they're growing with you. And they're so proud of me. I'll come in and I'll say, "Oh, I just turned in this big paper," and they'll want to know about it, and I try and translate it into something they can understand. And I know even your little sixth graders or fifth graders…
Gloria Noyes: My fifth graders love it. They love to see me do the homework. They love to see me get a good grade, which I just checked, and I did really well on my last paper. I'm so excited … it's fun. It's fun. My passion comes from my students. Watching them every day just inspires me to be better. And so, one of the things I can do for them is to be a lifelong learner and to get a, you know, obtain a degree that will benefit them as learners. And not just them, too, my colleagues, because they can see me as a role model.
Deborah Tonguis: I think the same thing. I mean, what makes me so passionate about … I mean, I have a story about why I became a teacher. Gloria has an amazing story. We all have those stories, but at the end of the day, it's looking into the face of these kids and wanting the best for them. We know that, sometimes the teacher is the most important element in a successful education experience for a student. And if you have a good teacher experience, and you know from your own lives, you know, "Oh I had a terrible math teacher, so I'm not good in math." Sometimes one teacher can really turn things around in a negative way and in a positive way. So as we start to work with teachers, because in Teacher Leadership we're there to develop and create opportunities for teachers to become better teachers and to empower them. We know it's going to translate into a better life for our students. So, we've done a lot of work, you know, in the grind, in that classroom, and so it's kind of nice to be able to stand back and say, "Wow. Let's see if we can start to operate in a different level." And that's what this Ed.D. is going to do for us. It's going to give us a little bigger stage. It's going to allow us to, instead of micro-manage, kind of macro-manage what's going on in our own field. And teachers don't usually have an opportunity, in our profession, to become involved in change. It's usually up higher. So it's exciting.
Gloria Noyes: Taking it by storm.
Deborah Tonguis: Yeah, we are.
© 2016 Walden University


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Former judge accuses 9 Dallas doctors of 'massive' fraud
A group of Dallas surgeons fired one of their billing experts because she refused to aid them in a "massive and pervasive health-care fraud scheme," according to a lawsuit filed this morning.
Cortez Mills is suing Texas Vascular Associates and its nine doctors, saying they pressured her to commit "criminally illegal acts" against patients, insurance companies and Medicare, the federal insurance program for seniors. Among the alleged practices: double billing (charging two insurers for the same thing), "upcoding" (charging for a more expensive service than is performed), "balance billing" (charging patients for the difference between what doctors want and what's allowed by Medicaid, the federal-state insurance program for the poor), and "drive-by billing" (charging patients when a doctor merely watches another doctor work).
Mills says that when she balked, doctors cursed at her and found other employees who followed orders.
Texas Vascular Associates declined to comment this morning. The group is based in the Baylor Hamilton Heart and Vascular Hospital, on the Baylor Dallas campus near downtown. Its doctors are all on the medical staff of Baylor Health Care System hospitals.
The lawsuit, filed in Dallas County court, does not accuse any Baylor entities of wrongdoing. It seeks back pay, compensatory and punitive damages.
Mills is represented by the Dallas law office of Joe Kendall, a former federal and state judge. He was appointed to the federal bench by President George H.W. Bush, and later to the U.S. Sentencing Commission by President Bill Clinton. Continue reading


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J-P wrote:Pufferpunk wrote:I want to keep this site ad free.
The ads don't have to be as intrusive as a banner
LilGreenPuffer wrote:My understanding is that it will. But Dad can give us more info when he's got time. Poor guy, he's at work on Thanksgiving! I guess we all need to be thankful for the health professionals that staff our ERs during the holidays.
LilGreenPuffer wrote:Keep it up, guys! We still need at least another $215! Thank you so much!
sarahsedaii wrote:I know I am new, but you guys have already helped me bunches (even on posts I don't reply to) I can't wait to use the library, etc. Not to mention.... someone has to help me when I get a marine tank! I think I can do 5 right now, I will check again after pay day.
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Dr. Megan Hunt (Dana Delany) was in a class of her own, a brilliant neurosurgeon at the top of her game. But her world is turned upside down when a devastating car accident puts an end to her time in the operating room. Megan resumes her career as a medical examiner, determined to solve the puzzle of who or what killed the victims. Her instincts are sharp, but she's developed a reputation for graying the lines of where her job ends and where the police department's begins. It turns out her career isn't the only thing that will need to be rebuilt; Megan's family has taken a backseat to her ambition, and now she's discovering there's a lot of work to do when it comes to dissecting her relationships with the living.
Dana Delany stars as Dr. Megan Hunt, Jeri Ryan as Dr. Kate Murphy, Geoffrey Arend as Dr. Elliot Gross, John Carroll Lynch as Detective Bud Morris, Windell Middlebrooks as Dr. Curtis Brumfield, Nic Bishop as Peter Dunlap and Sonja Sohn as Detective Samantha Baker.
"Body of Proof" is from ABC Studios. Christopher Murphey wrote the pilot, which was directed by Nelson McCormick. Murphey and Matt Gross serve as executive producers.
What does it take to be a detective on America's most dangerous streets? Get ready to be part of the action when a documentary crew rolls with some of Detroit's finest, offering an insider's glimpse behind the curtain of a Homicide Unit. The cameras unearth the crisis and revelation, heartbreak and heroism of these inner city cops — moments of raw exposure when they address us directly, as well as private moments when they forget they're being filmed.
There's the damaged but driven Detective Louis Fitch, a wily homicide vet who is the most respected — and most misunderstood — man in the division; Detective Damon Washington, Fitch's new partner, who finds the first day on the job is a trial by fire, complicated by the imminent birth of his first child; Detective Ariana Sanchez, sexy, edgy and beautiful, who has emerged from a rough background to become a rising star in the department; Narcotics undercover cop John Stone, a streetwise smooth talker, clever and quick with a smile made for the movies, who is teamed with Sanchez — a combustible pairing rife with conflict and sexual tension; Sergeant Jesse Longford, a 30-year veteran struggling with his impending retirement from the force and the city he loves, who, together with his partner, Detective Aman Mahajan — a fully Americanized son of Indian immigrants — form an amusing mismatch of experience and enthusiasm, intellect and instinct, old school and new world, but whose combined skills have never encountered a case that couldn't be cleared; and all are headed by Lieutenant Maureen Mason, a strong-willed single mom struggling to balance home and work.
The men and women of Detroit Homicide are as smart and tough as they come. They have to be, working the neighborhoods of the once and future Motor City, a rebounding bastion of middle America still saddled with the highest murder rate in the country.
"Detroit 1-8-7" stars Michael Imperioli ("The Sopranos") as Detective Louis Fitch, Jon Michael Hill as Detective Damon Washington, James McDaniel ("NYPD Blue") as Sergeant Jesse Longford, Aisha Hinds ("True Blood") as Lieutenant Maureen Mason, Natalie Martinez as Detective Ariana Sanchez, D.J. Cotrona as Detective John Stone and Shaun Majumder as Detective Aman Mahajan.
The series is produced by ABC Studios. The pilot was written by Jason Richman. Executive producers are Richman, David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman and David Zabel. Jeff Nachmanoff directed the pilot.


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Eye on the Enemy
I'd be shocked if Furcal got
I'd be shocked if Furcal got 4 yrs $36M.
as in shocked that he'd ONLY
as in shocked that he'd ONLY get 4/36 or shocked that he would get that much?
Rollins got 5/40 and it's expected he'd get less for signing an extension rather than going on the free market. Consider a bidding war of some kind, I'd expect Furcal to get at least that, with a possible 5th year option. Renteria got 4/40 last year (which was absurd), but Furcal, in this thin market, should get something in between those 2.
No, I'd be shocked if we got
No, I'd be shocked if we got him for that low.
a cheap stopgap
a cheap stopgap shortstop
What a perfect description of Neifi Perez.
I sure hope Dusty Baker read that.
He did - unfortunately he
He did - unfortunately he thought "We can get an all-star caliber SS like Neifi cheap! Get him now!"
I dunno what it is, but I'm
I dunno what it is, but I'm really kind of indifferent towards Furcal. Maybe b/c it would definitley mean no more T.Walker. I dunno, I would rather spend our money in the outfield.
GM's and agents
GM's and agents posturing...the calm before the trade.
Texas GM Jon Daniels indicated the team isn't looking to trade Mench, despite expected strong interest from a number of clubs according to the Dallas Morning News. "He's one of a number of our players who are attractive to other teams," Daniels said of Mench. "We are by no means looking to trade Kevin or any of our players." Mench is eligible for arbitration, and figures to get a significant boost from his $376,000 salary.
If I were Mench I'd start
If I were Mench I'd start packin'.
ESPN's Rumor Central is
ESPN's Rumor Central is reporting the Cards are most likely to land Brian Giles. The Cubs are not listed as ones in the hunt...He turned down 3 yrs at 21 Mil. I'd say he'll get 3 at 27M...
since we're tossing grist
since we're tossing grist for the rumor mill...Win one for the Kipper?
RotoWire.com Staff - RotoWire.com
The Pirates are believed to be shopping Kip Wells and reliever John Grabow in a deal for a power hitter, the Beaver County Times reports. Wily Mo Pena, Lyle Overbay, Aubrey Huff, Hank Blalock and Kevin Mench have all been mentioned as possibilities. Acquiring Blalock would fill the team's greatest need -- a lefthanded power-hitting third baseman, but it would be surprising to see the Rangers make the deal for just Wells and Grabow.
I'm predicting 4/40 for
I'm predicting 4/40 for Furcal. That is solid as a rock. I say offer it early, if he doesn't take it, move on to plan b.
Mench for Jerome? I wonder if they'd take Rich Hill and Dave Aardsma? I haven't read his scouting report-can he play rightfield? I wouldn't be surprised if the Cubs re-acquired Baby Sarge. He's the one yr stop gap they're looking for in center and probably wouldn't mind hanging out with his pops. He'd be a great 4th outfielder if Felix tears it up next yr in the minors...
From rotoworld.com
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is interested in buying his hometown Pittsburgh Pirates, but ownership told him the team isn't for sale.
Even if the Pirates were up for sale, it's hard to imagine MLB welcoming Cuban with open arms. It's a shame, because he'd likely be very good for the Pirates and the game as a whole.
From the previous thread, AZ
From the previous thread, AZ Phil posted this:
This is a summary of what Baseball America had to say about Kevin Mench in March 2002 when he was the Rangers' #9 prospect:
This was my reply[slightyl edited]:
So where's the power? Cause other than 2004, it's been seriously lacking in his game in an extremely friendly hitters park. And doesn't sound like he's much of a defender.
Other than SOME power, the only other redeemable part of his game that I could tell from his #'s is that he takes a lot of pitches and works the count. It doesn't seem to translate into a whole lot of walks, but I'm guessing if he ever realizes his power (and at age 27 I doubt it's coming) I assume pitchers would work around him more delicately.
And when the Pirates and Royals are the 2 other teams that have been calling about him (according to the Dallas newspaper article), shouldn't that be a sign that we should be running far away from Mench. I know both team have such an excellent track record at judging talent and all... :)
He's just another guy to plug in the lineup with an OBP below .350 AND he couldn't even get his OPS over 800 last year despite playing in Texas. We should be falling over ourselves for him. :) At least he doesn't strike out a lot which is par for course when it comes to most Hendry acquisitions. Other than the cost, I dont' see how he's any different than Burnitz.
Sounds like a hell of a bench guy, but just a mediocre starter. No more mediocrity!!! (Your new Cubs 2006 slogan)
The regular season for the
The regular season for the AFL ends Thursday, but there will be a round of playoffs.
Mesa Solarsox 17 Phoenix Desert Dogs 1
(17 runs on 28 hits)
MMurton 4-4, 3R, 2RBI, all singles (2 infield singles), .341
EPat 4-6, 3R, 1 RBI, 1SB; .312
BSing 2-6, 1R, 12B; .274
I'd say Murton's ready for spring training.
David Aardsma gave up the one Phoenix run, but it scored on a double play.
"Even if the Pirates were up
"Even if the Pirates were up for sale, it's hard to imagine MLB welcoming Cuban with open arms."
This... THIS is why we have Fidel Castro today.
When will we learn?
This week they are BLOWING
This week they are BLOWING UP the OLD BUSCH STADIUM...Hooray!
some more hot stove stuff:
Bernie Miklasz of the StL Post-Dispatch comments on how much payroll the Redbirds have to spend this off season. This has been discussed on previous TCR threads. Also note that he says the Cards had the highest payroll in the NL Central. I guess he added the Cub numbers without counting what they were paying to Sosa, Cub payroll in 2005 was $87M excluding Sosa payout.
So if the Cards do land Brian Giles(to replace Larry Walker), I'm not sure what else Jocketty will do for Replacing Reggie Sanders, Grudz and adding a #3 starter...and what if they don't land Giles, what is plan B? They did use John Rodriguez but is he their answer for LF?
from Bernie Miklasz of the StL Post-Dispatch...
Moving to the new Busch and into a new radio deal will only increase the revenue and the profits. The Cardinals had a payroll of about $90 million in 2005, the sixth-highest in the majors and tops in the NL Central. DeWitt is in position to grow the payroll and spend more, but that isn't his plan.
In a recent interview, DeWitt told me the payroll will remain at 2005 levels for 2006. This is disappointing. The owners don't have to be insane in handing out irresponsible contracts, but they certainly have the resources to give general manager Walt Jocketty some extra financial freedom this offseason.
The Cardinals already have committed about $65 million in salaries to eight players for next season: Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen, Jim Edmonds, Jason Isringhausen, Mark Mulder, Chris Carpenter, Jeff Suppan and David Eckstein. If the team keeps reliever Ray King instead of trading him, the figure increases to nearly $68 million.
The combined salaries of outfielder So Taguchi, catcher Yadier Molina and several other young backups and pitchers add up to approximately $4 million more, bringing the preliminary payroll total to about $72 million. That doesn't include starting pitcher Jason Marquis, who would make around $5 million if offered salary arbitration.
If Jocketty has only $18 million available to him, how can he possibly find true impact players to fill second base and both corner outfield spots, and rebuild the bullpen? La Russa would also like another top-three starter for the rotation.
The creative Jocketty could do wonders with an extra $5 million to $10 million in payroll space for 2006. But if DeWitt holds the line, it's hard to envision the Cardinals adding the pieces they need to finally win the World Series.
Headline: Cubs pick up options on Walker, Williamson
The Associated Press
November 7, 2005, 5:17 PM CST
Didn't this happen like two weeks ago?
Tomorrow's Cub Headline at
Tomorrow's Cub Headline at Chicagosports.com-
Garciaparra Tears Groin, May be Out for Season
Why is everyone so negative
Why is everyone so negative these days??
Here's the "Down on the Farm" report about Kevin Mench after his first three years in the minor leagues. Stickels, the author, correctly predicted that Mench would be starting in the Rangers outfield.
The only problem with Mench that I've read about is his questionable durability....which makes him a REAL POSSIBILITY for the Cubs. Hendry just can't stop himself from picking up brittle ball players.
Mench has completely dominated pro pitching. He has terrific bat speed, excellent strike zone judgment, shows power to all fields, and demonstrates no weaknesses at the plate. He hits everything hard. You might get him out on a pitch, but don't throw it again the next at-bat. He adjusts to pitch sequences very quickly and thinks along with pitchers. The combination of natural strength and an intelligent hitting approach has served him well.
Look at his numbers in the Florida State League. There are no holes ... indeed, he actually improved his strike zone judgment compared to his initial rookie ball experience. That's the mark of an outstanding hitter. Mench hit the tar out of the ball in the Arizona Fall League (more on that later in the week), and I have no doubts that he will hit at higher levels.
What about the other aspects of his game? Although Mench isn't especially quick, he is a good athlete, and is adept at reading pitchers and stealing bases. He could probably swipe 10-15 a year at the major-league level once he settles in. He is underrated as a defensive player. He led the Florida State League in fielding percentage, has a decent arm and adequate range. He'll be just fine in left field.
great he dominated Hi-A
great he dominated Hi-A pitching 3 years ago, good for him. He's stolen 6 bases in 3+ seasons and been caught 5 times.
His career line in 1486 major league at-bats is
all while playing half of his games in the friendliest hitters park not named Coors Field
But as it says, tough to strike out. If the plan is to plant him on the bench or be our new 4th OF, fantastic. If this is the solution for a starting left or right fieldert, I'm not a fan.
4+ years ago, I can do math.
4+ years ago, I can do math. Sorry
You can certainly do worse
You can certainly do worse than Mench. Mench is one of those complimentary players. Much like a David Eckstein. He will give you great value for what his salary is and he wont embarrass your franchise for having to trot out the Perez's and Hollandsworth's to get the job done.
Say we can't get Giles, say Damon to expensive, Furcal seeks more money. Maybe a deal could be swung to make Mench our new RF. We could do that or sign the more expensive Jaque Jones, or bring back the more expensive Burnitz.
This team needs to add players with good batting eyes. I wouldn't mind Murton and Mench together in the OF. It is not earth shattering compared to getting Giles but this team needs to find solid players for this lineup from top to bottom. Since 1998 atleast, this team has had 1-2 damn good hitters surround by some of the worst baseball players in MLB. Last season was no exception.
Build a fricking lineup that is tough from #1 hitter to the #8 hitter. Doesn't have to be all MVP/All-star players.
I'd rather have Kearns than
I'd rather have Kearns than Mench even though they are probably considered similar players right now. I just feel Kearns has a higher ceiling. He can also play 3B the next time Aramis tweaks his back and misses another 6 weeks. He injured his shoulder 2 years ago so I don't know if he still has the arm strength he used to but 2 years ago baseball "experts" were predicting that Kearns would contend for a batting title within a year or two and hit 35 HRs a year. That's why the Reds have been slow to deal him even though he's put up the worst numbers of their 4 OFs...well that and the fact that Jr Griffey tears his hamstring every other day. Kearns, like Corey Patterson is one of those guys who was rushed to the majors too soon and like Corey he would benefit from a new organization. I know the Reds would prefer to move Griffey and reportedly their new ownership should be going through over the next 2 weeks so maybe they'll finally address their OF situation but I'm with you Rob G, Ballpark in Arlington now has a higher HR rate than Coors so Mench's numbers are definately inflated and his OB% is very Burnitz esque. If we can't get Giles or even Kearns, I'd rather have Jacque Jones in RF than Mench...I know he'd cost more but he's also more proven...and at least we'd get a much needed lefty bat and some gold glove calibur defense.
If Hendry does trade for Mench it better not take Corey Patterson, Mitre and Novoa(as one poster is suggesting) to get it done. Corey and Mitre tops...Mench isn't worth 3 major leaguers.
A quick "guess the
A quick "guess the line":
Entity X: 273/352/462
Entity Y: 274/338/450
Entity Z: 276/339/496
X is the NL average for RFs from 2003-2005. Y and Z are the same figures for the AL and Kevin Mench respectively. As others have mentioned, the AL and NL don't get to play half their games at Coors Light.
I don't really see what makes Mench attractive relative to the money and players he'll cost. While it's good to fill out a lineup with competent players, competency is the extent of his upside. While I wouldn't mind signing him to a small-money one-year contract, that isn't an option: money *and* a useful trading chip is way too much to pay for a player of his caliber.
I don't have any better ideas; thankfully (in this case), it isn't my job to come with them. This is going to be a hard problem to solve, and it'll be a test for Hendry's creativity.
Rob, check your numbers. I
Rob, check your numbers. I think you mixed in last year's OBP and Slugging with his career BA.
Correct me if I'm wrong but...
Kevin Mench career is .272 .334 .484 (.818 OPS)
"I'd rather have Jacque
"I'd rather have Jacque Jones in RF than Mench."
.279/.327/.455- the career numbers for the soon to be 31-year old Jones.
.272/.334/ .484 for the soon to be 28 year old Mench.
Given the fact that Mench is younger and will at the very at least produce the same if not improve and being cheaper by a good margin Mench would be a better pick. Here is my RF prefernces based on avalibile options:
1. Matsui
2. Soriano
3. Kearns
4. Sanders
5. Mench
6. Monroe
7. Encarnion
8. Jones
9. Burny
10. Jenkins
Given the fact that Mench is
Given the fact that Mench is younger and will at the very at least produce the same if not improve and being cheaper by a good margin Mench would be a better pick. Here is my RF prefernces based on avalibile options ...
What's amusing about this is that you immediately proceed to rank Soriano three places above Mench, despite the fact that they're the same hitter--if I added Soriano to the list above, he'd be 280/326/508. An 85% steal rate is nice, but $8 million is a lot to pay for Kevin Mench, even if it is the Limited Edition Racing Model.
Kevin Mench career is .272
Kevin Mench career is .272 .334 .484 (.818 OPS)
Your right, my bad, I misread between the two lines(2005 stats and career stats). Not much of a difference though really.
Neifi is back... enough
"Neifi is back... enough
"Neifi is back... enough said"
Remeber he is good friends with Furcal so having him as a back-up is not bad if it helps get Furcal. Also Hendry seems adament about Cedeno playing alot this year and Baker has even said Cedeno deserves a shot at starting. Neifi will be the utilty guy where he is one of the best.
Neifi will be the utilty guy
Neifi will be the utilty guy where he is one of the best.
The above could be true, BUT...
Dustbuster is going to give Neifi too many AB's, hit him 2nd too much and double switch with him way too many times.
Nuf said.
Actually I'm surprised the
Actually I'm surprised the Neifi will be back. I think most of us were hoping he'd be gone and Ronnie Cedeno would be given the backup role Perez played last year. I'm not too happy about this as it gives Dusty a tool that he misuses/abuses to the detriment of the team. It's not Neifi's fault, (as mentioned above) he could be valuable is not overused/misused.
from the Venezuelan Winter league...
CHC R.Cedeno SS 4 1 2 0 0 0 .286 - 2B, CS
My concern with the Neifi
My concern with the Neifi signing is that if Hendry's fantasy of Furcal playing SS does not come true, which the Cubs track record with highly pursued FA's says will happen, is Neifi now our starting SS?
He apparently has made it clear to Nomar's agent that he does not want him back to play SS, so if we don't get Furcal that leaves Neifi and Cedeno at short.
Now given those two, there is not much doubt that Dusty will make damn sure that Neifi gets more than his fair share of at-bats.
I just hope this signing was done with the agreement that Neifi starts the season as a utilty guy, nothing more. You certainly have to be skeptical though...
'Cubs, Perez agree on 2-year
'Cubs, Perez agree on 2-year contract'
What is the differene between Burntiz and Neifi? We might as well trade for Clement and sign Farnsworth- I swear Hendry is really gormless. I'm officially no longer a Hendry supporter- what the hell is wrong with him? Why would you sign Neifi when you have Cedeno? Dusty proved to Hendry again and again and again that he'll play a crappy veteran over a kid with potential. I wonder if Hendry has some sort of learning disability...
So with Walker, Perez,
So with Walker, Perez, Cedeno, ARam...if they do sign Furcal, they might as well sign Nomar. All infielders, all the time. Kind of like a radio station that only plays Led Zeppelin. Maybe they can use one of em to play SHORT CF. Oops, wrong Chicago sport.
The all infielders team is built to be great for the double switch. So we got that going for us.
I can't believe they
I can't believe they resigned Neifi to two years. One I can partially understand, but what would make you think you HAD to lock this guy up for two years with Cedeno in the system.
Tomorrow's headline: Cubs
Tomorrow's headline:
Cubs lock up Macias for three years.
ADROSEN: You're right. And
You're right. And the next day's headline will be that the Cubs have reacquired Lenny F. Harris and Antonio Alfonseca in a trade for Carlos Zambrano, Mark Prior and Derrick Lee.
Cub's skipper, Dusty Baker, when asked about the trade, was thrilled: "I've got all my warriors around me now. I got all the guys I need to play line-up roulette. Plus, Alfonseca has been working on a new pitch, and we can use him in a variety of situations."
Additional headline to
Additional headline to accompany the trade:
TCR posters Chad and MannyTrillo are ecstatic.
"Whatever Dusty says and wants is OK with us. Lenny got some big hits for us before. And Alfonseca gives Dusty a lot of flexibility. We're really looking forward to seeing him in a Cub uniform again."
Jim Hendry: 'I've decided I
Jim Hendry:
'I've decided I like defense.'
Well Jim, everyone else in baseball has decided they like players who don't make outs 74% of the time.
Player Name Post..... BA....OBP..SlG.VORP
Carlos Zambrano p 84 .300 .286 .463 14.2
Neifi Perez ss 609 .274 .292 .383 12.9
How is OBP lower than BA?
How is OBP lower than BA?
I've heard talk that the
I've heard talk that the Neifi signing might be an indication of trade talks between the Cubs and the Marlins, who have expressed interest in Perez. Kinda like picking up the Walker option. Is Juan Pierre coming to town?
Plus, we can't piss off Furcal's (and Neifi's) agent. That would be dumb.
Signing Neifi to a 2 year
Signing Neifi to a 2 year deal is, IMHO, the absolute worst move Hendry has yet made. There is no reason to commit two years to him.
As far as Hendry deciding he likes people who catch the ball, that's great - but not as great as guys who catch the ball AND hit it.
Depending on the money, I
Depending on the money, I like the signing.
The problem is not Neifi; it's how Dusty uses him.
Fuck this team.
How is OBP lower than
How is OBP lower than BA?
any guesses on how much?
any guesses on how much? 3M, 4M? (total, not per year)
Check the records - I called
Check the records - I called this one before the season ended.
Watch - he'll be the starting SS too.
Bruce Levine on ESPN radio
Bruce Levine on ESPN radio said the Neifi Perez deal is $5 million for 2 yrs... Ouchie.
We can only hope he's trade bait, and also hope doing this gives Furcal's agent the goodwill to bring another client to Chicago. But I doubt either is true.
Methinks this offseason is off to an ugly start.
The Cubs are an incredibly
The Cubs are an incredibly stupid organization, and I was a fool to ever think they might be otherwise. Go Tribe.
So. Who wants to buy my
So. Who wants to buy my partial season ticket package? Nights, weekends and holidays, 2 seats in 528. I'm dead serious. You want 'em, they're yours.
what is the cost?
what is the cost?
I won't know the exact price
I won't know the exact price for a couple months yet. Depends on how many games are in the package, and how much they raise prices this year. Last year, it was around $1750 for the 2 seats, I think.
Its good to see that the
Its good to see that the Cubs organization continues to think square pegs are the perfect answer to round holes.
I wonder in Neifi's deal also assures him that he will at least platoon at 2nd base, keeping Todd Walker out of the lineup half the time? Not that a written deal is needed as long as Dusty is around.
Christ, how much money are the Cubs going to spend on back-ups this year? The occational 2 or 3 million dollar deal doesn't break the bank, but you've now got 2 backups (rusch and Neifi) taking up about 5 million dollars of your payroll. 5 Million dollars can go a long way towards sweetening deals for top tier free agents, particularly when you could get the same production from guys making the league minimum who are already in your system.
This pretty much clinches it: the Cubs need to totally clean house. Obviously McFail, Hendry, and Dusty don't care about winning, so what will it take to get a leadership team that actually has a goal of winning a world series?
Oh jesus Cubster if the Cubs
Oh jesus Cubster if the Cubs signed Neifi Perez to a $5 million dollar deal then Hendry needs his ass fired right away.
It looks like the Cubs are bringing back most of the roster that played in 2005 and expecting different results. That is a recipe for success.
And here comes the worst case scenerio. If the Cubs don't get Furcal, Neifi Perez becomes our starting SS for the next 2 years. Excuse me while I puke. Not to mention Perez will bat as our teams #2 or #1 hitter where he is just a complete train wreck at.
Better pray for Furcal now guys or it is going to be a long season watching Perez sport a sub .300 OBP from the top of the order. Did this organization learn nothing from 2005?
On August 1, 2004, Jim
On August 1, 2004, Jim Hendry was kidnapped and replaced with Bizzaro Hendry. There's no other explanation.
Every move prior to that date was brilliant, or at least defensible. Every move since that date has been utterly incomprehensible, if not directly counterproductive.
His handling of the Sosa situation was miserable. His handling of the Stone/Caray situation was worse. He gave away Farnsworth and Sisco for nothing, and held onto Jose Macias and Neifi Perez like they were made of solid gold.
He has adamantly refused to sign difference makers, preferring instead to spend over $20 million on middling talents like Glendon Rusch, Ryan Dempster and Neifi F***ing Perez.
Neifi Perez is turning 33. He's coming off a horrendous season with a sub-300 OBP. He gets a raise from $1M to $2.5M... and a 2-year extension? What kind of logic leads to this result?! It's insanity. I think that I'm going to vomit.
In one year, Hendry has gone from a very good GM, to, quite frankly, the worst GM in MLB. It defies explanation. Even Dale Murphy didn't fall apart this fast.
I'm going with the kidnapping/replacement theory.
And in all honesty, Hendry has the rest of this offseason to win me back, or I will never attend or watch another Cubs game until the end of the Dusty/Hendry reign of incompetence.
How can people who are so aggressively stupid rise to such positions of power and influence?
why not sign Grudz and
why not sign Grudz and Nomar, keep Ryan Theriot on the roster too!
I tell ya, a roster of all infielders will let Dusty double switch starting in the 2nd inning.
and while were at it, change the friggin team name to the:
Chicago Maci-ASSES
if the cubs payroll doesn't
if the cubs payroll doesn't increase enough to offset this signing, then you have to figure that the cubs brass is testing the elasticity of their customer base.
i hope they're severely disappointed.
Oh god the famous Dusty
Oh god the famous Dusty double switches. Even if everything goes perfectly in free agent signings Perez will be double switched into games at the most inappropriate times.
Also if Walker is trade bait and their is a position battle between Perez and Cedeno for 2nd base who do you all think will win? Do I really need to ask this question? Dusty will invoke the, "How can I just throw away Perez after what he did for us last season? I "OWE" it to him to play him."
Just so many nasty scenerio's that Dusty will try and probably win, in getting Perez to play and get more than 300+ ab's in a season. If Dusty can squeeze out 200 AB's a year for the worthless Macias I am damn sure he can find 300-400 for Perez.
This is turning into one bad off-season.
If the cubs sign Furcal and
If the cubs sign Furcal and Neifi play 2B with Cedeno, its not the end of the world. Cause our D up the middle is pretty solid then. Walker is trade bait with Hill, Jerome Williams. Mench is available and they need pitching and like Walker. We need a Left Handed stick in the OF. Huff? Floyd?
Did this organization learn
Did this organization learn nothing from 2005?
Odds on this being the 2006 opening day lineup:
Furcal ss
Neifi 2b
Lee 1b
J.Jones rf
ARam 3b
CPat cf
Murton lf
Barrett c
I have an idea! Let's wait
I have an idea! Let's wait until the season starts before we start evaluating Hendry's moves. If we can get Furcal at shortstop, and trade todd walker, then we have two guys(Neifi and Cedeno) one of which will play second and the other be the substitute. I do not understand why all the rage, "cubs are stupid" talk all of the sudden. Neifi is a great backup for Cedeno. I think saying this is a stupid move is sort of like criticizing someones first or second move in a chess game. The first moves are sometimes just done to set something else up. Besides, if Furcal sees Neifi as a mentor, why wouldn't we do it? 5M for a decent backup to possibly secure a leadoff hitter? Great job. I have no problem with this move yet.
In case you guys don't look
In case you guys don't look at this site, this is a good article... A solid list of all the FA's this year, those with options, and 2006 FA's..
It also has predictions for who will sign where...
The two main signings that he has for our Cubs is FURCAL (five years, $47.5 million) and ENCARNACION (Cubs - three years, $16 million)
If we can get Furcal at
If we can get Furcal at shortstop, and trade todd walker, then we have two guys(Neifi and Cedeno) one of which will play second and the other be the substitute. I do not understand why all the rage, "cubs are stupid" talk all of the sudden.
The idea of preferring Neifi to either Walker (who's a far better player and makes the same salary with only a year's commitment) or Cedeno (who's at least as good a player now, has a much higher upside, and makes the league minimum) is stupid to begin with, and that's still probably a best-case scenario. If you think the "Cubs are stupid" talk is "all of a sudden," you're new here.
Neifi is a great backup for
Neifi is a great backup for Cedeno.
On what planet will Dusty allow Neifi to backup Ronny Cedeno?
The Cubs are now paying Todd Walker and Neifi Perez the same salary - and we're talking about Todd Walker being the one we need to trade!
That's what's wrong with this move.
Juan Encarnacion? Well,
Juan Encarnacion? Well, then. I take back everything bad I ever said about the Cubs.
The Cubs' payroll is not
The Cubs' payroll is not infinite.
Neifi signed with us for $1M last season, and played some terrible baseball. Plus, he's turning 33. No team in baseball would have given Neifi $2.5 million... and no team would *ever* have given him 2 years.
To recap, we more than doubled Neifi's salary, and guaranteed an extra year. His offensive *and* defensive statistics regressed across the board last season, and there is every reason to assume that trend will continue.
Neifi will be our starting 2B next season, he'll bat second, and he'll put up an OBP of around .290, or worse. Moreover, this signing gives us 5 infielders under contract, with no starting SS (6), and no backup 3B (7). As such, Cedeno's career with the Cubs is more or less over.
This isn't just a bad move... it is the worst move of Hendry's tenure and one of the worst free agent signings in the history of MLB. That isn't hyperbole - it's an objective truth.
To continue the thought--I'd
To continue the thought--I'd have no problem with Perez as a backup, but (1) on a Dusty Baker-managed team where the alternative's a kid, you know damn well he's going to be a lot more than a backup, and (2) there's no earthly reason to commit $5M and 2 years to even a good backup infielder.
The signing is confirmed,
The signing is confirmed, per cubs.com.
Optimistic prediction: Neifi's salary will be more like $1-1.5mm per year, but he'll have the chance to raise it up to $2.5mm if he becomes the regular starter.
So...now that we aren't
So...now that we aren't going to have Nomar play shortstop for us, we need to get a good SS. Neifi Perez is very good friends with a very good SS and leadoff hitter that the cubs would like to sign. Signing Perez means a substantially larger chance of signing said SS. Perez is a good backup, it isn't as though they are signing Jason DuBois to be the backup SS/2B/3B. This means that Neifi will possibly be the backup, and that Cedeno or Walker will start, with the other probably being traded(just my speculation, not a fact). A middle infield of Furcal and Cedeno or Walker with Neifi at backup isn't that bad. I understand you are saying Furcal and Walker with Cedeno at backup is better, but if this gives us a better shot at Furcal, I think it is a great move.
i've never wanted to see
i've never wanted to see furcal in a cubs uniform more than today...
"I have an idea! Let's wait
"I have an idea! Let's wait until the season starts before we start evaluating Hendry's moves."
If we want to evaluate moves, why should we not do that? If you don't want to evaluate the moves until the offseason is over, that's cool.
But here's the progression that I expect from some people
Nov. - Let's wait until the Spring Training starts to make evaluations.
February - Let's see what happens when they break camp.
April - Let's see how the team plays
May - Wait til the all-star break
July - We are only X games out - Look how many Houston closed in the second half in 2004!
August - We are X games out, we can still catch up.
September - It's still possible.
October - Wait til next year.
This has happened nearly every year of my life. I see no reason to believe it won't continue.
You can wait until whenever you want to analyze this team's moves. But to me, each move is very critical and I will choose to evaluate them when they are discussed, and moreso when they are actually made.
Committing to Neifi, only one year removed from the waiver wire for 2 years and X$ is a bad idea. I can't imagine we could not get the same production for much less and for a 1 year committment.
This means that Neifi will
This means that Neifi will possibly be the backup, and that Cedeno or Walker will start, with the other probably being traded(just my speculation, not a fact).
What in the world makes you think that Neifi would be a backup to Cedeno?
Walker, possibly (although I see Baker putting Walker and Neifi in almost a strict platoon at 2B if Walker is not traded). Cedeno, definitely not.
cubs get one of the best
cubs get one of the best SS/2nd bench gloves in the game for 2 years for the cost of 1 year of christian guzman (with loot to spare) and all of a sudden the world has ended?
its barely november. chill out. =p
this isnt the death of furcal, the death of cedeno, the mark of t.walker being traded, or the signal of garciappara going to LF.
when neifi was signed last year he wasnt expected to play for all the cubs wonderful starters who couldnt stay healthy.
neifi wanted 2m a year, the cubs got a utility glove/contact hitter. my hope is this signals the death of macias in chicago, honestly.
i've got to agree with billy
i've got to agree with billy here... i have no problem with this signing under two conditions:
1) Neifi does not start
2) It helps woo Furcal
believe me, i'm as stat-minded as the next guy, and Neifi's OBP is in the cellar, but sometimes you have to look beyond the stats. If Furcal is as good friends with Neifi as the stories would have you believe, then it's worth having him around as a backup and on the bench for $2.5M if it means we can sign Furcal.
And I know Dusty probably will start him more often than we'd all prefer, but in the instances where he comes into a game in the 8th inning as a defensive backup, he's the perfect person to use.
Not to mention having Walker on the trading block can only help us land a better OF or SP in a trade.
Also, there are two things I want to see on the 2006 Cubs: better defense up the middle, and fewer strikeouts. Neifi actually helps accomplish both these goals.
"if Furcal sees Neifi as a
"if Furcal sees Neifi as a mentor" that's like saying Charles Manson is your mentor. If thats true I don't want Furcal.
If Dusty had A-rod and Neifi who would start?
So you're happy with the
So you're happy with the team's on-base average, huh?
I've got to agree with Billy
I've got to agree with Billy on this one. I've got no problem with the Neifi signing as long as he doesn't start, at least not regularly. He's perfect as a late innings defensive backup, and more importantly, he'll help us land Furcal since the word on the street is that they're tight.
The opens the trade market for Todd Walker, who's a better bet to help us land a decent OF or SP. And Neifi, horrible OBP aside, doesn't strike out as much and that's one thing I really want to see change about the 2006 Cubs. The other thing I want to see is better defense up the middle, and Neifi's good for that as well.
And honestly, he seems like a very positive presence in the clubhouse. His attitude is always positive, he's always joking around with teammates and giving pitchers support during mound conferences. I'm as stat-minded as anyone else on this board, but sometimes you have to look beyond OBP.
sorry for the double post, i
sorry for the double post, i didn't think the first one went through, oops.
Also, there are two things I
Also, there are two things I want to see on the 2006 Cubs: better defense up the middle, and fewer strikeouts. Neifi actually helps accomplish both these goals.
You do realize Perez was a full-time player last year. As such, how the hell is Perez being on the '06 team going to result in "fewer strikeouts"? Not that strikeouts mean jack in any case, since Perez doesn't get on base regularly, but moving right along....
retro: i'm just pointing out
retro: i'm just pointing out that Neifi strikes out very rarely, I know in the big picture it's not that relevant.
Just for kicks, here's the "strikeout average" of some of the 2005 Cubs (K/AB):
Neifi: 0.082
Todd Walker: 0.101
Aramis: 0.130
Burnitz: 0.180
Lee: 0.184
Patterson: 0.262
why are people assuming
why are people assuming neifi is gonna start besides a need to see the negative in this signing?
do some of you really believe that's it and neifi is the man?
that as of nov. 8th the cubs have finished their SS search in neifi?
neifi wanted 2m a year to play...he got it (or close to it) along with some job security.
he's not a clubhouse cancer...he's a field leader. he's a future manager in the making. he's probally one of the smartest baseball men around and is capable of understanding his role in his signing.
yeah, if everything screws up and no furcal and no garciappara happens the big question will be "is it cedeno or neifi?", but we're not even that area of thought yet. its early and there's no indication neifi is anything but a bench backup at this point.
Neifi is crack to
Neifi is crack to Dusty.
The two must be seperated. There will be no good to come to the Cubs in 2006 with Neifi on the team.
cubs get one of the best
cubs get one of the best SS/2nd bench gloves in the game for 2 years for the cost of 1 year of christian guzman (with loot to spare) and all of a sudden the world has ended?
The Neifi signing is being compared to the signing of Christian Guzman. Talk about a telling sign of how bad this deal is.
The signing of Glendon Rusch is also a brilliant move when Eric Milton's contract is your benchmark.
he's not a clubhouse
he's not a clubhouse cancer...he's a field leader. he's a future manager in the making. he's probally one of the smartest baseball men around and is capable of understanding his role in his signing.
Since you have no evidence of this (other than perhaps Dusty's public fellating of Neifi), I'll assume you pulled it straight from your ass. If he's so damned smart, why doesn't he learn to take enough pitches to get on base more than 30 percent of the time?
And of course, even if it's true, it doesn't justify commiting $3M a year for 2 years.
retro: i'm just pointing out
retro: i'm just pointing out that Neifi strikes out very rarely, I know in the big picture it's not that relevant.
And my point, is (irrelevance of strikeouts aside) that since Neifi played every day last year, how is his playing every day THIS year going to reduce the team's strikeout totals?
I don't know what to say.
I don't know what to say. I'm devastated.
why are people assuming
why are people assuming neifi is gonna start besides a need to see the negative in this signing?
Because Dusty's the manager and he has made it very clear that he thinks that Neifi is second only to DLee as the most valuable player on his roster.
Its nice to say that Neifi only played because of injuries, but that's simply not true. Once Nomar came back, Neifi was getting more playing time than Todd Walker. Remember, Neifi and Walker were in a platoon for most of August, and when Neifi wasn't playing 2b, he was at SS giving either Nomar or Cedeno a day off. Why on earth would anyone think that Dusty would do something differently next year?
"Because Dusty's the manager
"Because Dusty's the manager and he has made it very clear that he thinks that Neifi is second only to DLee as the most valuable player on his roster."
"Because Dusty's the manager
"Because Dusty's the manager and he has made it very clear that he thinks that Neifi is second only to DLee as the most valuable player on his roster."
Um, yeah--exactly. You missed Baker's public statements that Perez was the "team MVP" during the first half?
"Since you have no evidence
"Since you have no evidence of this (other than perhaps Dusty's public fellating of Neifi), I'll assume you pulled it straight from your ass"
you ever see neifi set up on D?
you ever see neifi counsel the pitcher and IF on the mound?
you ever see neifi join the coaches on the mound?
you ever HEAR neifi talk baseball?
ive seen all 4 and way more than just a few times...and if you've watched the games you've seen at least 3 of 4 of those way more than just a few times, too.
neifi is well known for his baseball mind...yeah, its defense heavy, but that's where his natural tallent is.
Neifi doesn't strike out
Neifi doesn't strike out much but he sure loves hitting into double plays. 22 of them last year. I think that is towards the top in the league.
Why have 1 out when you can have 2! Neifi's only redeeming quality is he has a decent glove. And you don't pay 1.5-2.5 million for just a glove. Cedeno accomplishes that for 300k.
retro-shiite, if you really
retro-shiite, if you really believe a press conference or a blurb is 100% gold...you should really read daily what managers think of their players.
context rules.
there's only 1 thing clear
there's only 1 thing clear from this signing...
either t.walker/r.cedeno (1 of them) are likely to be traded or macias is gone.
until furcal/garciappara have left the FA market the very idea of neifi-the-starter is as weird of a mindset as it would have been last season.
Yet with all the intagibles
Yet with all the intagibles Neifi brought to the team Crunch the pitching was worse, the defense was clueless, and our hitting was laughable.
Yeah Neifi Perez really helps us to be a better team. That is why we finished under .500.
Wake up, Perez blows chunks and every Cubs fan knows it. He brings nothing to the team that helps us win but playing defense. And if that is all you can do you are not very valuable to a team. In fact you start hurting the team if your trotted out for more than 100 AB's in a season. 500 AB's?? You get 2005.
I don't have the magazine
I don't have the magazine anymore to pull the exact quote, but in Vine Line this summer (probably the July or August issue) Dusty said the Derrick Lee was having a great season, but the team wouldn't be anywhere if it wasn't for Neifi Perez.
until furcal/garciappara
until furcal/garciappara have left the FA market the very idea of neifi-the-starter is as weird of a mindset as it would have been last season.
Crunch, I think you're off assuming the rest of us think that Neifi will be the starting SS. I still think the Cubs will go and sign furcal.
What I do see happening is Neifi starting at 2b.
In fact, right now, the best case I can see happening is a platoon of Neifi and Walker, with Neifi padding his 300 ABs at 2nd with plenty of games to let ARam rest his groin and Furcal rest his liver.
its just fact that neifi is
its just fact that neifi is viewed as a leader...and that fact has come forth based upon how he handles himself as both a teacher and a leader on the field. none of us internet baseball pundits can take that away from him.
the furor over the issue distracts from the real issue that its nov.8th...and this signing endangers the longterm stability of cedeno/t.walker/macias as cubs. as of right now there's no reason to think of neifi as a starter.
i'd be more worried for you cedeno-supporters that he's not gonna be trade bait at this point.
its very likely cedeno or walker could be a casualty from this signing.
its very unlikely that neifi is our new starting SS/2nd just cuz its some people's worst fear or they think baker has a hardon for him.
if garciappara/walker could keep their bodies below their groins healthy the 05 cubs would have barely seen 250-300ab's of neifi most likely.
OK, I'm done here. Go
OK, I'm done here. Go Indians. I'll enjoy rooting for a team that doesn't have its head up its ass.
damn you walker for getting
damn you walker for getting leg-whipped. You brought this on us.
well, to disect that comment
well, to disect that comment in vineline...
without neifi the team would have had enrique wilson or cody ransom until ronny cedeno finally flashed his skills in late summer.
with injuries to 2nd/SS you got neifi...or you got e.wilson/c.ransom/j.macias.
that one comment by dusty doesnt cement his role on the team. its just reporter stuff and its pretty evident that dusty takes a press conference or interview as seriously as doing his taxes (har).
its very unlikely that
its very unlikely that neifi is our new starting SS/2nd just cuz its some people's worst fear or they think baker has a hardon for him.
Ok, in what sinerio do you see that Neifi WOULDN'T be a starter in 2006?
Do you really think Dusty will let Cedeno start over him?
Do you really think Dusty would STOP platooning Neifi with Todd Walker?
Ok, in what sinerio do you
Ok, in what sinerio do you see that Neifi WOULDN'T be a starter in 2006?
- if t.walker is still around and a SS is signed.
Do you really think Dusty will let Cedeno start over him?
- yeah, occasionally. you should realize im not a cedeno fan, also. i see nothing in his swing that says anything to me but "contact hitter with little plate judgement". i don't see cedeno-the-fulltime-starter like some do...and i dont think dusty does either no matter what hendry says.
Do you really think Dusty would STOP platooning Neifi with Todd Walker?
- if todd walker can stay healthy and his knees hold up...maybe. when a guy comes back from missing a month and gets platooned for occasionally or taken out of the #2 spot its not that alarming or uncommon.
yeah, neifi may end starting, but it most likely has a lot more to do with what happens to t.walker and how the SS FA market sorts itself out at this point.
my whole point is its a bit too early to freak out just cuz he's on board.
it does open up some odd POSSIBLE situations, though...ones where t.walker or r.cedeno may not remain cubs at the expense of picking up another player.
most of you don't want Neifi
most of you don't want Neifi Neftali Perez on the 2006 Cubs, but I would hazard a guess that most of the players are glad to keep him on the team, and that has to count for something.
a platoon of Neifi and
a platoon of Neifi and Walker wouldn't be bad if it was dependant on the type of pitcher the Cubs were throwing that day. Groundball pitcher (Z, Maddux, Williams) and Neifi starting is a decent strategy, flyball pitcher(Wood, Prior, Rusch) and you start Walker. Last year though it appeared Neifi started vs. lefties, Walker vs. righties. And although Neifi has a lot more power from the right side versus the left, Walker still trumped him against the southpaws.
when a guy comes back from
when a guy comes back from missing a month and gets platooned for occasionally or taken out of the #2 spot its not that alarming or uncommon.
Except that's not what happened.
Walker and Neifi were put into a platoon in August, after Nomar returned. Walker had been back from his injury and was playing everyday for weeks when Neifi played SS.
Todd Walker was placed on
Todd Walker was placed on the DL on April 11th and activated on May 25th after a rehab assignment.
Nomar was activated on August 5th.
The argument here seems to
The argument here seems to have gotten a bit disingenious - people are arguing over what Dusty/Hendry are thinking. Let's argue what we do know.
1) We know Neifi is better than most with the glove.
2) We know he was a free agent.
3) We know he's a bad bad hitter.
So is a good defensive shortstop with no hitting skills that is 33 years old worth 5 million over 2 years. To my mind heck no. You overpaid for him plain and simple. If he's used correctly on the roster he may not hurt the team - except he costs too much.
I don't buy the "friends with Furcal" argument. I think we could just give Furcal the 5 million rather than paying Perez to be his caddy.
At the end of the day I think most free agent signings can be simplified into performance-per-dollar. Could we have gotten a Neifi-like player cheaper? I think so - who were we bidding against exactly? I think a LOT cheaper. Crunch may argue I'm wrong and that's his perogative, because after all I can't prove it can I? Seems a better place to debate this rather than on a OH NOOH NOW WALKER IS GONNA BE TRADED platform.
"...its very unlikely that
"...its very unlikely that neifi is our new starting SS/2nd just cuz its some people's worst fear or they think baker has a hardon for him."
I don't automatically assume that Neifi's the 2B or SS for 2006, but make no mistake... Baker certainly has a hard-on for Neifi and will play him at every opportunity.
How many of ye posters out
How many of ye posters out there are women? B/c there a lot of fuckin whining going on. There is no way to tell if this is a good signing or not until the $ amount is made public. 2Y/$3M is good, 2Y/$5M is bad...I do have to admit that at the same salary of $2.5M I'd rather have Walker...If anyone has been checking out other teams sites, you'll see that teams like KC and Toronto have money to burn this year. Player salaries will go up. In Jan this signing, Rusch, and Demp will all probably look pretty good. It's better to get a deal done fast in this climate.
Recent comments
Meh, I messed that up. Mets are in.
Cards and Giants can still tie though.
Kershaw gets hurt by his defense and gave up 2 more runs. Blach has 8 shutout innings.
Mets already won as did Cards.
tomorrow is gonna be helluva fun if Giants hold on. We're all rooting for a 3-way tie I presume.
good news is now 5 K's for Lester through 4 (in a quest for 200 for season). Bad news is he's already at 86 pitches.
be curious how long Maddon sticks with Lester to try and let offense get back into it and get him the win (4-2 as I type, was 4-0)
Fwiw, he needed 2.1 IP to cross 200 for season so he got that at least. He also needs 9 K's for 200K's on season and he has 4 through 3.
cubs score 2 runs thanks to predictable reds pitching and horrible CIN defense...cubs only down by 1 now. heyward even got a gift 2rbi double out of an easy popout. neat.
something named Ty Blach has outpitched Clayton Kershaw through 6 innings (1-0 Giants).
not that finishing 2nd place will matter much nor did this game, but have to think if Hendricks pitches well tomorrow, he could leapfrog Lester in Cy Young voting. Don't see anyway Scherzer doesn't win it regardless and it doesnt' look like Lester has any incentive clauses that matter. Also might give Cueto some votes.
Rather remarkable how many teams have really good 1-2 options this year.
Nats: Scherzer and Roark (and Strasburg was great before injuries)
Cubs: Lester and Hendricks (and Arrietta is still damn good just not as consistently lately)
pretty much what I'm gathering from this thread is that it doesn't matter who you play in 5-game series, but no one wants to have to deal with Cardinal fans if we end up losing.
I can respect that.
first game for lester giving up more than 2 runs since july 24th. hell of a run.
doh, yes...dunno what happened there. jake arrieta is all "bro wut?"
lester going for #20...cubs haven't had a LH (thanks jpep for the correction) 20 game winner since d.ellsworth in 1963.
fwiw, all the games are free on mlb.tv
Short rest for MadBum would be 2 days. WC game is Wed., Games 1 & 2 are Friday/Saturday.
A left-handed one...
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.


text:
Membership of 8ú Calafort is open to all regardless of race, creed, or fluency in the Irish language. However, because resources are limited (mainly human resources) and the growing popularity of scouting in general and 8ú Calafort in particular, the group is forced to operate a waiting list system for new entrants to most sections.
If you or someone you know is thinking of applying to join our Group please email our Membership Coordinator at membership @ 8ucalafort.org or fill out and return the application form: Application Form (DOC) Application Form (PDF).
Also important is the Consent Form (PDF) which needs to be completed before any activities are undertaken.
CUB waiting lists are now full for 2014,2015,2016,2017 and 2018.
Please do not send in application forms for any of the above years for Cubs.
Scout lists are not as full, but space is very limited and places cannot be guaranteed.


text:
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Scientific Publications
< Back to Publications
Comprehensive genomic characterization of squamous cell lung cancers.
|Publication Type
|Journal Article
|The Cancer Genome Atlas Research, Network, institution.)(Participants are arranged by area of contribution and then by, Genome sequencing centres: Broad Institute, Hammerman PS, Lawrence MS, Voet D., Jing R., Cibulskis K., Sivachenko A., Stojanov P., McKenna A., Lander E. S., Gabriel S., Getz G., Sougnez C., Imielinski M., Helman E., Hernandez B., Pho NH, Meyerson M., et al.
|Lung squamous cell carcinoma is a common type of lung cancer, causing approximately 400,000 deaths per year worldwide. Genomic alterations in squamous cell lung cancers have not been comprehensively characterized, and no molecularly targeted agents have been specifically developed for its treatment. As part of The Cancer Genome Atlas, here we profile 178 lung squamous cell carcinomas to provide a comprehensive landscape of genomic and epigenomic alterations. We show that the tumour type is characterized by complex genomic alterations, with a mean of 360 exonic mutations, 165 genomic rearrangements, and 323 segments of copy number alteration per tumour. We find statistically recurrent mutations in 11 genes, including mutation of TP53 in nearly all specimens. Previously unreported loss-of-function mutations are seen in the HLA-A class I major histocompatibility gene. Significantly altered pathways included NFE2L2 and KEAP1 in 34%, squamous differentiation genes in 44%, phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinase pathway genes in 47%, and CDKN2A and RB1 in 72% of tumours. We identified a potential therapeutic target in most tumours, offering new avenues of investigation for the treatment of squamous cell lung cancers.
|Year of Publication
|Date Published (YYYY/MM/DD)
|ISSN Number


text:
|Biomimetic Dye Molecules for Solar Cells
Pressing energy problems provide opportunities for solid-state physicists and chemists to solve a major challenge: solar cell adoption. Though solar cells can use energy directly from the Sun to produce electricity that can be converted efficiently into other kinds of energy, they are currently too costly to compete with traditional (polluting) energy sources. The most cost-effective solar cells are not high-end, high-efficiency single-crystal devices, but rather low-end cells based on organic molecules or conducting polymers. Vital information for making organic solar cells more competitive for widespread implementation was obtained using near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy performed at ALS Beamline 8.0.1. The relevant energy levels of biomimetic dye molecules were mapped out systematically by determining their unoccupied molecular orbitals and their orientation. Organic molecules in dye-sensitized solar cells exhibit great potential to increase the efficiency and reduce the cost of photovoltaic power generation by allowing a wide variety of chemical modifications and combinations with inorganic nanocrystals.
Researchers investigated the x-ray absorption spectra of two classes of candidate dye molecules for dye-sensitized solar cells: phthalocyanines and porphyrins. These cloverleaf shaped molecules have a metal atom at the center, surrounded by a ring of nitrogen atoms (in porphyrins, two rings in phthalocyanines). In each, the metal atom can be exchanged for other atoms among the transition metals. But, how does this substitution affect the energy levels of the molecule? Can these molecules be tailored to optimize their performance in solar cells?
The highest energy efficiency is currently obtained with dyes based on ruthenium, a rare and expensive metal. In nature, the chemically similar but much more abundant element iron facilitates electron transfer, for example in hemoglobin and cytochrome c. The active center of these dyes—the heme—is similar to that of porphyrin molecules, but it contains additional atoms that form a three-dimensional cage around the central iron atom. It would be advantageous to understand such biomolecules, what makes them so efficient, and how to mimic them with smaller, more robust molecules for use in organic solar cells.
In an organic solar cell, sunlight is absorbed by an optical transition between a molecule's highest occupied and lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (HOMO and LUMO). In the molecules discussed here, the nitrogen cage and the central transition metal atom form the HOMO and LUMO, whose close proximity and significant overlap facilitate electron transfer, which can be controlled by adjusting the orbital energies.
The absorption of sunlight produces electrons and holes, which are ultimately responsible for producing electrical power at the solar cells' electrodes. Biomolecules are particularly good at separating electron–hole pairs produced by sunlight in a dye molecule and pulling them towards their destination with minimal energy loss, enabling optimal use of solar energy.
X-ray absorption spectroscopy provides much more information than just that about energy levels: it monitors oxidation states, and when coupled with polarized synchrotron radiation, it reveals the orientation of the molecular orbitals.
The multiplet structure of the metal spectra reveals the oxidation state of the metal atom in a dye molecule, which is crucial for electron transfer. In the course of this work, researchers found that iron and manganese (two important transition metals in biomolecules) easily change between +2 and +3 during the preparation of thin films such as those used in solar cells. This requires close monitoring to obtain reproducible solar cells.
The polarization dependence of the spectra reveals the orientation of the molecules, which also varies depending on film preparation. This is critical for optimizing electron transport from dye molecules to electrodes. Molecular conductivity is commonly poor, but can be mitigated by orienting the molecular orbitals of neighboring molecules such that they overlap optimally.
Research conducted by P.L. Cook, F.J. Himpsel and X. Liu (University of Wisconsin Madison); and W. Yang (Berkeley Lab).
Research funding: U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation. Operation of the ALS and SSRL are supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences.
Publication about this research: P.L. Cook, X. Liu, W. Yang, and F.J. Himpsel, "X-ray absorption spectroscopy of biomimetic dye molecules for solar cells," J. Chem. Phys. 131, 194701 (2009).


text:
Some codes are harder to enforce than others, but snow removal is one of the worst.
Altoona Code Enforcement Supervisor Kathy Westley said it's more of a problem this year because past winters have been milder.
The office fielded 75 to 80 complaints in January, and February is looking to produce the same.
"I've worked here for 19 years, and it's a continuous battle."
City code requires residents or property owners to clear an 18-inch sidewalk path within 24 hours after snow, sleet or ice stops.
If they don't, the first step is to use a door hanger to inform them of the code. Then, they give the owners 48 hours' notice before fining them $75.
But the chance of getting paid, Westley said, is about 50-50.
"I don't know why people don't want to shovel their walks," she said, not only as a common courtesy, but also because of the high fall risk for children or the elderly.
At a Feb. 14 Hollidaysburg Borough Council meeting, members responded to resident Ashley Sorge's concerns regarding snow removal, when he recalled an older man in a motorized wheelchair getting stuck on a snow-filled sidewalk.
Noncompliance with snow removal is a recurring and serious problem, he told them, and if someone hadn't been there to help, the man could have been stuck for hours.
Borough code requires residents, either property owners or tenants, clear a path of at least 30 inches on sidewalks. In C-2 commercially zoned districts, property owners must clear the entire sidewalk.
Borough Manager Mark Schroyer told council no matter what the code says, without a full-time code enforcement officer, it's difficult to make people comply.
The code empowers borough officials to have a sidewalk cleared if a resident hasn't done so within 96 hours. Then they can bill the resident for the cost, plus 10 percent. There's also the possibility of a $25 to $600 fine or up to 30 days' imprisonment.
Schroyer said by the time a resident receives a warning letter, often the snow has melted. And because each snowfall is treated as a separate incident, it's hard to build a case against any one person.
If the issue gets taken before the magistrate, sometimes people fight it and the cost to the borough of doing so offsets the fine, he said.
Councilman Tim Beresnyak proposed school students shovel sidewalks as a way of earning service hours. It could cut down on code violations and help elderly residents who are incapable of shoveling themselves, he said.
Councilman Joseph Pompa said it may be time to hire a part-time code enforcement officer. Schroyer said he would look into it for the March 14 meeting.
The one place where snow doesn't seem to cause much problem is in Tyrone, whose residents must clear a path of at least 32 inches.
Police Chief John Romeo said having a full-time code enforcement officer helps keep residents compliant with borough code, but most residents seem to be responsible when it comes to clearing sidewalks.
There's only been one complaint so far this winter, he said, and it was filed Feb. 20 by the parking meter attendant about a business owner's sidewalk.
More often than not, Romeo said, people take the time to shovel and salt because they know someone will call in about it if they don't and the ordinance will be enforced.
People in other boroughs aren't as proactive, however.
Williamsburg Borough Manager Dennis Clapper said there has always been a problem with people in winter, either not shoveling paths near the post office or not moving their cars for plow trucks.
Because the borough can't enforce the ordinance, Clapper will call the police chief to have officers knock on doors to make people move the cars.
Some people, he said, will even look out their windows and watch the plow driver struggling to clear the roads. A lone car can mess up plowing for three or four spaces.
"Then some people will call in and say, 'Hey I got my car out. Can you come back?'" Clapper said. "People aren't responsible enough, that's the problem."
The borough could charge for cleaning sidewalks, but "it doesn't mean we'll get paid," Clapper said.
Altoona's Westley said code enforcement officers do everything they can, but no amount of resources will make people change their ways.
Clapper said there is one way to ensure sidewalks are clean.
"If Mother Nature doesn't give us any snow," he said.
Mirror Staff Writer Kelly Cernetich is at 946-7520.


text:
Prevention of Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS) in Rural High-endemic South Africa (VIBE-FGS)
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- How to Read a Study Record
Schistosomiasis is a poverty-related water-transmitted parasitic disease affecting more that 200 million people world wide. Infection with Schistosoma haematobium may cause Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS) with pathological lesions in the female genital tract, especially the cervix. Findings indicate that FGS is a hitherto under-diagnosed illness of young women in endemic poor tropical countries, deserving further attention. A cross-sectional study from Zimbabwe indicated that the pathologic genital lesions were unchanged two years after praziquantel treatment in adult women whereas in those who had been treated with praziquantel in childhood the prevalence of genital lesions was significantly lower. Furthermore, a higher prevalence of HIV was detected in women with FGS compared to those without. The proposed project aims at achieving a better understanding of how annual distribution of praziquantel to pre- and post-pubertal schoolgirls may prevent FGS. This information can be of use in current schistosomiasis control programs in the near term resulting in improved strategies for treatment. Preventing or reducing the risk of FGS and genital lesions will lead to improved reproductive health among in women living in schistosomiasis endemic areas.
Project Goal: Contribute to a reduction of the global burden of female genital schistosomiasis (FGS) through improved knowledge about the prevention of gynecological lesions and through improved diagnosis of FGS.
Uro-genital Schistosomiasis
Other: praziquantel
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Observational Model: Cohort
Time Perspective: Prospective
|Official Title:
|Prevention of HIV and Improved Diagnosis of Adolescent Genital Disease in Bilharzia Endemic KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
- Clinical and laboratory indicators of urogenital schistosomiasis [ Time Frame: 31. December 2014 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
Biospecimen Retention: Samples Without DNA
|Estimated Enrollment:
|Study Start Date:
|April 2010
|Estimated Study Completion Date:
|December 2018
|Estimated Primary Completion Date:
|December 2014 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Assigned Interventions
|Girls ages 10-12
Other: praziquantel
One day, 40mg/kg standard mass rx as recommended by WHO and local authorities
|Young adult women
Detailed Description:
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|10 Years to 20 Years (Child, Adult)
|Genders Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
|Sampling Method:
|Probability Sample
Inclusion Criteria:
- Females in Schistosoma haematobium endemic areas
Exclusion Criteria:
- Boys
- Pregnancy
- Allergic to praziquantel
- Severe disease
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01154907
|South Africa
|University of KwaZulu Natal
|Durban, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, 4000
|Principal Investigator:
|Eyrun F Kjetland, MD, PhD
|Oslo University Hospital, University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN)
|Principal Investigator:
|Myra Taylor, PhD
|UKZN/ Child Development Research Unit (CDRU)
|Principal Investigator:
|Jane Kvalsvig, PhD
|Principal Investigator:
|Svein G Gundersen, MD, PhD
|Agder University Hospital / Sorlandet Hospital
|Responsible Party:
|Eyrun Floerecke Kjetland, MD, Oslo University Hospital
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT01154907 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|June 30, 2010
|Last Updated:
|March 20, 2012
|Health Authority:
|South Africa: Human Research Ethics Committee
Keywords provided by Oslo University Hospital:
Uro-genital schistosomiasis
South Africa
Sexually transmitted diseases
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Schistosomiasis haematobia
Trematode Infections
Parasitic Diseases
Urinary Tract Infections
Urologic Diseases
Antiparasitic Agents
Anti-Infective Agents
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 26, 2016


text: Business owners and managers understand paying everyone who works for them at the same rate just won't work. Some skills are in higher demand than others, so those possessing them earn more. And pay scales in some areas are higher than others so, to attract good employees, paychecks have to be larger there.


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Team SCE FCU fights back against cancer!
SCE FCU regularly promotes community assistance opportunities to employees, in an effort to encourage staff and their families to volunteer for local organizations and charitable causes. In recent years, employees have become passionate about the fight against cancer by participating in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life events within the Credit Union's branch communities.
Relay For Life is a fun-filled overnight fundraising event for the American Cancer Society, bringing together those who have been touched by cancer in our community. Each team vows to keep at least one team member on the track at all times during the 24-hour event, because cancer never sleeps. Relay for Life is an opportunity to celebrate cancer survivors, remember loved ones lost to cancer, and fight back against the disease by raising money for research, treatment programs, and education.
This year, forty SCE FCU employees participating in the Baldwin Park and Duarte Relay for Life events have raised more than $15,000 in donations for the fight against cancer! "Cancer touches everyone in some way," says Abby Ulm, manager of the Employee Volunteerism program. "We lost an employee to cancer a few years ago, and several of our employees are cancer survivors. Just about every person can say they know someone who has struggled with the disease. Our employees' commitment to walking the track and raising money for Relay for Life demonstrates exactly the kind of people we have working for the Credit Union – caring, generous, committed men and women – and we applaud their efforts."
Way to go SCE FCU employees!