text:
Variety of crimes lands five more on Shasta's Most Wanted
Shasta's Most Wanted, a Record Searchlight program presented in cooperation with the Redding and Anderson police departments and the Shasta County Sheriff's Office, targets people who have been convicted in court but have failed to appear for sentencing.
Authorities urge fugitives on the list to turn themselves in to local law enforcement agencies or at the Shasta County Jail.
Shasta County Secret Witness offers a $250 reward for information leading to the arrest of Shasta's Most Wanted.
Anyone with information is urged to contact SHASCOM at 530- 245-6540 or Secret Witness at 530-243-2319.
Those apprehended through the program will be held at least until sentencing, and many of those featured in weekly updates are facing state prison time.
Authorities say they have seen an increase in criminals failing to appear in court since the onset of Assembly Bill 109. Also known as prison realignment, the state program shifted certain state prison inmates to county supervision.
The feature appears Sundays in the Record Searchlight's Northern California section and online at Redding.com.


text:
TRAVERSE CITY, MI — Five people were arrested from a home Thursday with police acting on tips that illegal drugs were being bought and sold there.
Authorities with the Traverse Narcotics Team investigated a home at 1002 Barlow St. following reports of suspicious activities. Police found "significant quantities" of heroin, marijuana, pills and suspected packaging materials, according to the Michigan State Police.
An unspecified amount of cash, believed to be directly related to the drug trafficking, was seized in addition to the narcotics. Police also discovered drug paraphernalia scattered about the home.
Seven individuals were identified during the execution of the warrant, with five of those arrested and lodged in the Grand Traverse County Jail. Two people had outstanding warrants for their arrest and three were lodged on charges of drug trafficking.
The Traverse Narcotics Team, in addition to the Traverse City Police Department, Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Office, Elk Rapids Police Department and the Michigan State Police, conducted the investigation.
Andrew Krietz covers breaking and general police/fire news for MLive | The Grand Rapids Press. Email him at email@example.com or follow him on Twitter.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Treasure of Lost Canyon
Release Date: January 1st, 1952
Not Yet Rated|1 hr. 22 min.
Plot Summary
An Old West doctor (William Powell) and an orphan boy get their hands on a chest full of gems and coins.
Cast: William Powell, Julia Adams, Charles Drake, Henry Hull, Rosemary DeCamp, Tommy Ivo, Chubby Johnson, John Doucette
Director: Ted Tetzlaff
Genres: Western


text:
For the Hill Country homeowner who wants an amazing outdoor living space RA Nursery, Materials, Landscape will provide you with knowledgeable service and quality products that will give you and your family a lifetime of moments to cherish.
Unlike other landscaping companies, we will exceed your expectations for quality products and friendly service to create a sustainable landscape solution that will be treasured by all.
As you navigate our site you'll see examples of the many things RA Nursery can provide to meet small or large projects. Our goal is to not only provide you with the best products, but also the information you need to make your landscape your own.
If you have any questions along the way, let us know.


text:
Religious beliefs and worrying
A person's religious beliefs can have a bearing on how much they worry about certain situations, new research has suggested. Published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, the study found those who believe in a benevolent God often have less concerns than those who think God is indifferent or punishing.
Investigators at Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital - established in 1811 - discovered people who think the higher being they believe in is charitable tend to worry less and are more tolerant of life's uncertainties.
They noted the findings should urge mental health professionals to take a person's religious beliefs into consideration whenever determining their treatment regimes.
David Rosmarin, Assistant in Psychology at McLean Hospital, said: "Most practitioners are unprepared to conceptualise how spiritual beliefs may contribute to affective states and thus many struggle to integrate such themes into treatment in a spiritually sensitive manner."
The investigation consisted of two separate studies - one focusing on Christians and the other considering Jews.
Chartered Psychologist Dr Dorothy Rowe commented: "There are as many kinds of religious beliefs as there are people to hold them. For me each of these beliefs falls into one of three groups.
"First, there are the beliefs that lead the person to feel guilty, in fact to become an expert in feeling guilty. The way to turn ordinary sadness into depression is to blame yourself for the disaster that has befallen you.
"Second, there are the beliefs that lead the person to feel that he or she is superior to those who do not share these beliefs. Such beliefs are dangerous because those who hold these beliefs feel that they are entitled to punish those who do not share their beliefs.
"Third, there are the beliefs that lead the holder of these beliefs neither to feel guilty nor to want to punish those who do not share these beliefs. Rather, those who hold these beliefs are humane people who enjoy courage and optimism."


text:
This program has been approved for 6.0 Continuing Education Credits for Maine Guardians ad Litem.
Topics to be discussed:
Moderator: John R. Lorenz, Ph.D.
Dana E. Prescott, Esq.
Toby H. Hollander, Esq.
Dawn M. Pelletier, Esq.
The Hon. Warren M. Silver
Dawn M. Pelletier, Esq.
Toby H. Hollander, Esq.
John R. Lorenz, Ph.D.
The Hon. John B. Lucy
The Hon. Robert M. Laskey
Armanda Beal Day, Esq.
Geoffrey J. Parkin, Esq.
Parking: The most centrally located parking lot for this program is the top two floors of the Hollywood Casino parking garage. Guests should use the Main Street exit from the garage, and proceed through the provided crosswalks on Main St. to enter through either the Rotunda or Paul Bunyan entrances of the Convention Center. Guests parking in the Arena main lot are encouraged to walk down the hill to the South East or Clock Tower entrances.
© 2013-2014, Maine State Bar Association.
Home | Website Problems
| Privacy Agreement |
Site Map


text:
The Forest and the Trees
with Melinda Tuhus
Melinda Tuhus is an independent journalist with 25 years' experience in print and radio, including In These Times, The New York Times, Free Speech Radio News, public radio outlets, and four years' experience reporting for on-line publications, including Womens e-News, and the New Haven Independent. She has been a producer for Between the Lines for the past several years, as well as her own monthly show on WPKN, The Forest & the Trees: Global and Local Perspectives on the Environment. Over the years she has developed special interests in environmental coverage, women's issues, and criminal justice/prison issues. She is based in New Haven, Connecticut, and has won several state, regional, and international awards for her work.
More about Melinda Tuhus
Upcoming Shows
Archived Shows
Listen to the archive of past shows.
Click here to hear Melinda Tuhus's past episodes.
Click here to hear Melinda Tuhus's past episodes.


text:
With flu numbers on the rise across much of the country, Dr. Barbara Carroll, medical director of Boradmead, explains why seniors are especially at risk and the importance of taking a proactive approach to their health.
No email address was supplied by
To complete your registration on this site, please supply an address.
Please confirm or modify the email address to which you will have subscription offers sent.
For a more personalized experience, please supply the following optional information.


text:
The Productive Garden
Everything Grown on Dirt Road Farm in Weston Makes Its Way to the Table
(page 1 of 2)
Driving north into Weston, one feels farther and farther removed from twenty-first-century speed and stress. When your car reaches a part of the road that disappears into hard-packed dirt and gravel, you know that you have come to a different place. Such is the journey to admire the garden of Phoebe Cole-Smith.
It's a part of town where the trees make a canopy over the road, and many of the houses date from another time. It's quiet, except for the birds and the gentle clucking of Phoebe's chickens, their coop positioned at one corner of her growing area, close to the vegetable patch and a cutting garden for flowers. One border near the house is accented with a row of boxes containing active beehives and, she says, at certain times of the year sap buckets hang from dozens of maple trees in the woodland area of the property. This hub of nature's creative activity welcomes friends and family to Dirt Road Farm.
Phoebe's relationship with growing things and raising food began early. "My mom was a great cook, and when we were small she introduced us to dandelion greens from our backyard in suburban Illinois, way before the words 'local' and 'organic' were even thought about," she recalls. Her parents later moved to a 120-acre farm in Illinois.
"We had bees and chickens, and my mother cooked from the garden. Later on, they realized that the local high school wasn't working out for me, and sent me to the Putney School in Vermont."
It was there that Phoebe's lifelong connection to food and farms solidified. Part of the program included working in the school's barn and caring for the animals; she was hooked. Although she moved to the city for a publishing career after college, her passion for food remained unquenched.
In 1992, when the older of her two children was ready for kindergarten, the family moved to Weston. She was drawn to the rural character of the old farmhouse and the dirt road that led to it.
"I have to confess I was a little anxious about moving to the suburbs, but I loved this place," says Phoebe. This "productive gardener," as she calls herself, grew flowers, as is common here in Fairfield County, but she also made produce part of the plan. As her children approached high school age, she pondered the imminent empty nest, and enrolled in the French Culinary Institute (now the International Culinary Center). As luck would have it, she served her internship at the newly opened Blue Hill at Stone Barns, a pioneer, and now a legend, in the farm-to-table restaurant movement. Inspired, she stepped up the productivity of her own garden.


text:
Prayer for Hope 1.0
Sponsored Links
Prayer for Hope 1.0 Ranking & Summary
RankingClick at the star to rank
Ranking Level
User Review: 0 (0 times)
File size: 1.46 MB
Platform: Win98,WinME,WinNT 3.x,WinNT 4.x,Windows2000,W
License: Freeware
Price: $0
Downloads: 120
Date added: 2009-07-30
Publisher: power of prayer
Prayer for Hope 1.0 description
Prayer for Hope 1.0. Home & Shell & Desktop
Prayer for Hope 1.0 Screenshot
Prayer for Hope 1.0 Keywords
Bookmark Prayer for Hope 1.0
Prayer for Hope 1.0 Copyright
WareSeeker.com do not provide cracks, serial numbers etc for Prayer for Hope 1.0. Any sharing links from rapidshare.com, yousendit.com or megaupload.com are also prohibited.
Featured Software
Want to place your software product here?
Please contact us for consideration.
Contact WareSeeker.com
Related Software
A fully customizable screensaver which displays your own JPG amd BMP photos, and comes with over 50 special effects. In addition, Screensaver Composer can generate any number of unique special effects Free Download
Run all of your favorite screensavers, organize them, and even add music. Free Download
Build your own screensaver in a few seconds, without any skills. Free Download
Do you want to stand near the beautiful waterfall, feel the power of falling water and hear its enchanting noise? With this screensaver you even do not need to leave home to experience all these! Enjo Free Download
Are you fond of cartoons? Then this screensaver is just what you need. It is a whole cartoon network which includes the funniest scenes from your favourite toons! Download it now absolutely free! Free Download
Mosed is a free program that helps you choose ringtones, screensaver, themes, games for your mobile Free Download
This free desktop utility allows you to manage multiple screensavers on your computer. It has two main goals. Start installed screensavers randomly from a custom selection. Prevent temporarily a screensaver from starting when you need to maximize your processor or memory resources. For example, defragmenting your hard disk. Free Download
You want to express your feelings to your sweetheart? Free Download
Latest Software
Popular Software
Favourite Software


text:
The Seattle Seahawks announced Tuesday, June 18 the formation of a "President's Fan Advisory Council" to assist team executives in the evaluation and enhancement of the overall Seahawks fan experience.
Members of the President's Fan Advisory Council will have direct access, both online and face-to-face, with team executives in addition to an open forum to share their thoughts and ideas with those who can implement change.
"The Fan Advisory Council will play an important role in our efforts to maintain and enhance the Seahawks fan experience," said Seahawks president Peter McLoughlin. "We will hold quarterly meetings to discuss and focus on a variety of fan related issues including: in-stadium fan experience, game presentation and in-stadium technology."
The President's Fan Advisory Council will be composed of 12 season ticket holders from varied backgrounds and cities, applicants must be at least 21 years of age and will be asked to commit to a two-year term. Applications are due by July 12 with the first meeting planned for the fall.
McLoughlin serves on two NFL committees, Stadium Security and Fan Behavior.
For more information and to apply visit seahawks.com.
© Sound Publishing, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Our Titles | Work With Us


text:
One killed in Barbour County accident
Tucker County Commission supports community center
The Tucker County Commission voted Wednesday to donate $25,000 to the Thomas Community Center to help with the cost of installing a new heating system.
Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the allocation because the center is used as an emergency shelter, officials said.
"I am here as the mayor of Thomas to ask for help with the gymnasium at the Thomas Community Center," Matt Quattro told commissioners before the vote was taken. "The center serves as an emergency shelter and currently we lost our furnace. If we repair the system, it would cost $50,000 and there is no guarantee how long that will last."
Quattro said they also looked at a gas forced-air furnace, which would cost $75,000.
"We are asking for help in the amount of $25,000," Quattro said. "I asked the governor and the state for $40,000 and the city will raise the last $10,000."
Sherry Simmons, the Tucker County clerk, said she spoke with officials in the treasurer's office to see if the project would qualify for coal severance money.
"Back in July of 2012, the state of West Virginia provided a certain percentage from our coal severance money," Simmons said. "Since we are a coal-producing county, we received that percentage. But there is special guidelines we have to follow to the letter.
"This is not taxpayers' money," she said. "I spoke with the treasurer's office and they said this is a fine line, but since it is for the betterment of the community, we can use the money for this. The reallocation money will qualify to pay for your request."
Also during Wednesday's meeting, voted to support a trip by the Tucker County High School Future Farmers of America club.
The group gathered donations to attend the National FFA Conference in Louisville, Ky.
Commissioners voted to donate $1,500 to the group for their trip. Club members shared a video about the conference and their trip with commission members Wednesday during their regular meeting.
Senior Tyler Hebb, the president of the Tucker County FFA group, said the trip represents a huge opportunity for the club. Students talked about what they learned during the conference, including communication skills. They said they were told about the importance of face-to-face communication by coaching legend Rick Pitino.
He told the group about two life skills they needed to learn, including never answer a cell phone while talking to someone else, and that they need to listen four times as much as they speak.
The next meeting of the Tucker County Commission is slated for 8 a.m. Jan. 2.


text:
Junior guard, 6-1, 160
JUST THE STATS: Anderson is enjoying a breakthrough junior season, averaging 23.3 points, six rebounds and four steals per game. The guard has scored 18 or more points in every game, highlighted by his 36 points (28 in the first half), seven steals, six rebounds, five assists and four blocks in a 77-72 victory at Bayonne on January 10. Behind Anderson, Newark Vocational is 5-3 with the three losses coming to Newark East Side, Linden and St. Anthony. In those games against Top 5 teams, Anderson has averaged 21 points per game.
COACH'S COMMENT: "We could see flashes of brilliance, but it's amazing how he's developed. He's the type of kid that never misses any practices so I could see the work ethic and desire to get better. I'm definitely amazed at how quickly it's happened and it couldn't happen to a greater kid. It is well deserved." – Akbar Cook, Newark Vocational.
IMPROVING FROM SOPHOMORE TO JUNIOR SEASON: "It started off in the fall league we were playing in and I was putting up good numbers. I just carried it over into the regular season."
MY BIGGEST IMPROVEMENT: "I would say my mindset and getting rebounds."
FRIDAY'S 36-POINT GAME AT BAYONNE: "I believe that is (the best I've ever played). I was feeling good and I've never been like that before, scoring 28 in the first half."
ON PLAYING THREE OF THE TOP FIVE IN THE STATE: "It was good because even though we lost, our confidence is building from playing the top teams."
WHY I WEAR THE NUMBER 2: "I've had that number since I was little. I really like it because of Kyrie Irving. He's my second favorite player."
OTHER SPORTS: Alfonzo played football in Pop Warner through eighth grade and was a wide receiver.
FAVORITE T.V. SHOW: "SportsCenter"
FAVORITE MOVIE: "Rush Hour 3"
FAVORITE MUSICAL PERFORMER: L'A Capone
FAVORITE CARTOON CHARACTER: SpongeBob SquarePants
FAVORITE FOOD: Baked ziti
FAVORITE SPORTS TEAM: Miami Heat
FAVORITE ATHLETE: LeBron James
IF I COULD PLAY ONE-ON-ONE: vs. LeBron James
FAVORITE TEAM TO PLAY AGAINST: Newark East Side
ONE SUPERPOWER: To fly
GOALS FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON: "I want to win and go far in states."
DINNER FOR FOUR: Michael Jordan, L'A Capone and Beyonce


text:
The Los Angeles Dodgers are one of MLB's premier franchises and one of two located in the country's second largest market. As such, its viability should be important to Bud Selig. However, it is clearly not a healthy franchise at this point, and it can point to a number of factors.
Los Angeles Dodgers: 5 Most Critical Issues Heading into the 2012 MLB Season
By Seth Victor ,
This has been well-documented and is the most obvious. Frank McCourt split the different aspects of the team—the team, the stadium, the parking lots, etc—into several companies, thus enabling him to hide what exactly he was doing with the team's money.
When the front office cannot spend the same amount of money that other big market teams' front offices can, the Dodgers are at a clear disadvantage. This issue appears to be almost over, but if McCourt can somehow hold on to the Dodger Stadium parking lots, Dodger fans will be unhappy regardless of who the new owner is.
Ned Colletti has not gotten enough blame for the direction the team has gone. The Manny Ramirez trade really just fell into his lap, and his best deals after that have been re-signings or utility men (such as Jamey Carroll). He whiffed on several big-money acquisitions, namely Jason Schmidt and Andruw Jones.
More significantly, he gutted what was a promising farm system by trading high-ceiling prospects for aging veterans or low-upside minor leaguers—Trayvon Robinson for Tim Federowicz, Lucas May for Scott Podsednik, and Carlos Santana for Casey Blake. More recently, he has inked below-average major leaguers such as Juan Uribe, Mark Ellis and Aaron Harang to multi-year deals when young players on rookie contracts such as Ivan DeJesus would have been cheaper and have higher upside.
The Dodgers do have several high-upside young pitchers in Zach Lee and Ethan Martin, but they lack any position players that are close to big-league ready. The graduation of Matt Kemp and Clayton Kershaw to stardom is a testament to the abilities of their scouting department, but a lack of resources has cost them the ability to go over slots in the draft and hamstrung their attempts to bring in high-upside Latin players.
Somehow, a team with the NL Cy Young Winner and MVP runner-up finished last season with only 82 wins. The major league team is completely bereft of above-average regulars after Kemp and Kershaw, with the only player close to that label being Andre Ethier.
In recent years, the farm system has stopped producing big league talent, and after James Loney, Jonathan Broxton and Russell Martin failed to reach their potential, the Dodgers have been forced to field a team of average to below-average players. With Colletti signing several aging veterans to two-year contracts instead of allowing young guys like Justin Sellers or Nate Eovaldi to win starting jobs, the future does not look bright either.
Dodger Stadium Bleachers
Dodger fans are so unhappy with Frank McCourt's ownership reign that they have stopped turning out to games. Between 2010 and 2011, attendance at Dodger games dropped by an average of 7,743 people per game, which was the largest in baseball by over 3,500. In a county of nearly ten million, this is unacceptable. Dodger fans will continue not supporting the team until the organization proves that it is going in a different direction than it is currently traveling. That begins with ownership, but it does not end there.


text:
The Skaneateles YMCA and Community Center is offering a 5-hour babysitting course from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Sept. 12 and 14 at the center.
The course will teach boys and girls age 11 to 15 CPR and First Aid as well as the skills necessary to care for children in a safe and responsible manner. A representative of the Skaneateles Police Department will also discuss how to recognize hidden dangers and how to react in an emergency.
Participants who successfully complete the course will receive a babysitting goodie bag and a certificate. The registration fee is $35 for YMCA members and $55 for non-members, and pizza and a beverage are included in the fee. Contact the Skaneateles YMCA and Community Center at 685-2266 for more information or to register for the course.


text:
Have you closed? Would knowing make a difference? The time to ask is during negotiation. Ask your agent for the laws regarding multiple offers. They should be outlined in the listing agreement and the buyer agency agreements. In Illinois, the listing agent must follow the direct and specific instructions of the seller and must also follow the NAR code of ethics guidelines. No matter where you are, ask agents for written documentation of both license law and code of ethics.
A couple of comments below said they thought it was suspicious that a dollar amount was used -- how is that suspicious? In northern Illinois, negotiating multiple offers is directed by the seller, period. If the seller tells me to reveal the terms of the another offer (price, close date, financing etc), then I do. If the seller says "ask everyone for best and final, closed bid" then that's what I do. No lying or deceit is intended nor does it occur.
This may be hard to hear, but the process is not necessarily intended to be fair. The bank has a singular product -- there is only one of that particular house -- and they presumably want the best deal for it's sale. It is so hard to explain to people that "best deal" may not be highest price. An asset manager may select the offer with the best financing and the quickest close. In fact, security of the financing and therefore security of the closing frequently trumps price.
To Dan, George and some of the others below, if you are pursuing a complaint, you should probably straighten out whether you are making making a complaint on a license law violation or an ethics complaint. They are different and require different evidence.
"How many hoops do I need to jump through?"
Agents always discuss Services, protecting the client in this forum and how they like Doctors/Lawyers have value because ect.
How many hoops do you want your lawyer to jump thru for what you pay? How many hoops do you expect the Doctor to jump thru to make sure your operation is successful...How bout your mechanic when he tells you the repairs cost $2500..do you get a second opinion make a few calls, get a little verification? Or do ya just trust them cause they are professionals....
Maybe the real question is...How many Hoops do Agents not jump through or avoid in representing their client?
If your client pays more money than necessary to purchase because it's to much trouble to avoid that or not finding a solution to problems like the one being discussed....What are they paying for?
Time for many to think less like Realtor IMO and more like the Consumer who's suspicious, scared and signing up for a Gigantic financial obligation....Same as you'd expect from a Lawyer or Doctor.
It's a difficult problem so let's ignore it or downplay the importance. LOL
"but why do we need to run around proving that we are not guilty " Because you are charging people for Services and claiming you protect your clients interests above all else...Otherwise why do people need you? Just to fill out paperwork?
If I told another agent there were 3 offers coming in on my listing, and that agent wanted verification, my manager, and I would be happy to oblige.
Now, Mack.taking your scenario a step further...........if, at the closing the seller turns to the buyer and says, "Boy I am sure glad you came along as your offer was the ONLY offer we got".................then a call could be made, and a compaint filed.... as what was suspected became a reality. A whole different ballgame.
You will not (although you could) complain about anything you do not have absolute proof about.
You will not have absolute proof unless this kind of behavior is investigated. Since it is all done in house and no details escape about the agent involved unless found guilty I dismiss that assertion.
I just heard I am unwilling to place my concerns in front of the board because I am only 98% sure I am right.
If we apply the same 98% sure of something wrong we could get rid of most calls to the police. It should be a reasonable suspicion, not absolute proof. The court decides beyond a reasonable doubt. The person making the complaint should not and does not need to be 100% sure to file a criminal complaint.
Once the report is made it is up to the ethics dept. to decide if it is correct or not. It can be a closed process No one else would know about any complaints filed unless the person accused was found guilty. Saying you can not make a complaint without 100% proof in my view is unethical and against the realtors creed. You know, put the interests of your buyers first.
Are realtors afraid to share their concerns because they are more fearful of being wrong than the population at large when reporting possible fraud? If so, why?
Charlie's ides of "full disclosure of everything" will certainly never happen. Is it anyone's business, other than the seller's how qualiafied a buyer is? how much they are putting down? whether they are an FHA buyer or a 40% down buyer? whether they want to close quickly or not? whether they have any contingencies or not?
The above items are all part of an offer, and can make a difference as to which offer a seller ultimately accepts...........they are private for the buyer and seller's eyes only (along with their agents), and can involve fine tuning as part of the negotiation process.
It is overly simplistic to say, "just "show everything" to everyone.
The notion of "full transparency" of the above information, is just that - a notion, and it is neither practical nor fair to any buyers involved...nor should it, or will it, ever happen.
That brings us back to the simple acknowledgement of other existing offers..........details ommitted.
At the risk of being attacked for what I am about to say - I see this particular issue (verification of multiple offers) as much ado about nothing. It has never been an issue in my personal experience. ..........but.....................as a solution to what others see as a problem......a simple call to the Broker, asking for verification and confirmation that their agent truly has multiple offers should put anyone's mind at ease.
Now, if one is going to suggest that the Broker might be be in on the "scam", too......I'll just wave my white flag and give up.
Opening up all offers like an auction isn't going to happen , as too much personal information is involved .....when one is buying a piece of art at an auction, the price being offered is all that matters,.,....when one is buying a home - there are many more variables involved in having the offer accepted. It's all in the details, which can be , and are, just as important as the number.
I am truly sorry that people have felt it was okay to assail you with emails and bring your intelligence into question, and that of your family.
In my opinion, your intelligence has never been in question. You display a lot of knowledge, and your ability to bring it across. We may not agree, but I strongly value your contribution.
If you have an opinion about Dunes comments, please feel free to post them here. Feel free to agree or disagree... but please don't bother him offline. It just isn't right.
I would be curious to know what my Trulia friends think of that. It's just an idea for a solution to this problem. I realize that we will still not know the terms of the other offer, but you'll know there is competition.
I was once told I could get a loan for all but $300 a month of my income by a bank mortgage person. That alone stopped me from buying as it set off huge alarm bells. I knew it was not realistic or affordable to me.
It doesn't matter if the buyer can afford a million dollar purchase. Just because they can afford to pay much more doesn't mean they want to or should.
Ron and Debbie Albert
Coldwell Banker Residential
Yes, Dunes, that's exactly right.
- You see or suspect then you confirm, pursue the issue, report, turn in, complain you do not sit on your hands
Really? Dunes, I don't know what you're thinking, but here's my analysis:
Listing agent says, we got an offer in for 220. You say, show me. They say no. So far, this is not a reportable action, is it? It's not criminal, it's not unethical. You say, we'll do 220 if you show me. They say, no, we won't.
So, we suspect. We then call the Board.
"They wouldn't show me the other offer they said they had."
Really? Call the Licensing Department.
"They said they had a higher offer but wouldn't show it to us?"
Well, did they agree to do so in writing?
"No, I asked them, and they said, buzz off."
Oh, gosh, Mr McCoy, we'll get right on it.
The Consumer does, in fact, get to take responsibility as to whether they want to proceed, or not, given the information at hand. In this case, the information consists of: "The listing agent SAYS they have an offer for 220." In addition to, whatever advice their agent provides.
Debbie, here in the Great Northwest, our brokers don't know that we're looking at offers. Call my broker, who is very helpful and always forthcoming, he doesn't know how many offers came in last night. If you call him, he'll call me. So, we're still back at, "the Listing Agent said . . . "
Well, I think I offered a "solution" for the question of how to verify there are other offers..........
."......a simple call to the Broker, asking for verification and confirmation that their agent truly has multiple offers should put anyone's mind at ease........"
To me............that addresses the specific question that was asked, and is an easy solution - George asked what proof there was that another offer really existed...............and is why I felt a lot of the ensuing discussion was above and beyond the question......now, as for the concept of complete transparency with details of all offers...............that is another topic.
Sorry... full disclosure is NOT the only solution. And we're not playing games, in trying to protect the interests and privacy of our clients... both buyers and sellers.
We walk a fine line, in trying to protect the interest of our clients, and trying to maintain their rights and interests... We're damned if we do, and damned if we don't.
I don't know what the solution is... but I'm working on it...
We're not going to set up a Bureau of Confirming the Existence of Competing Offers.
There's not going to be any Independent Verification Agency where Sellers can have the existence of competing offers validated.
At the point of friction, we're going to have to take the other agent's word for it, or not.
Perhaps we're still out there, and still hunting for a home... your disclosing that information might telegraph how much we're willing to pay, to one of the other buyer's agents who was involved in the transaction. That agent might just have a listing that my client was interested in.
If we, now, brought an offer to that property... that agent has an advantage since they know what we're willing to pay. I'm not okay with releasing all of that information.
I'll reiterate what I stated originally... and what George S. was looking for in the first place. All I want is a reliable way to confirm, when told we are in a multiple offer situation, that there actually IS an offer! I don't want to be able to see ANY of the details of the offer... I don't even need to know who the agent or buyer is, what the price, closing date, mortgage amount or any of the confidential information is.
I just want to be able to 100% believe that when an agent tells me that there is another offer, and we have to bring in our highest and best... that there actually IS another offer, and that this isn't just a scare-tactic designed to fleece extra money out of my client.
Look. There's no point in arguing with me whether Sellers will or won't disclose offers; argue it with THEM! I'm just telling you the way the world is. What if Sellers would guarantee the home free from defects for five years! Wouldn't that provide a wonderful peace of mind for the buyer!
I'm not against the idea, mind you; some are. Some absolutely think that it undermines the Seller's position to disclose the content of other offers.
In the days before title insurance and escrow companies and bank appraisers, there were real estate transactions. More than a few were fraudulent. Sometimes, there was no "there" there; sometimes, you were just one of several buyers who had paid for the property; quite often, defects were hidden, rather than disclosed.
Things are better now for both buyers and sellers. There's room for improvement, and your suggestions are welcome.
Deborah Madey...Thank-you
From now on please assume all are appreciated (I did learn some new words and word combinations lol so it's all good....Mostly I mentioned the emails to point out what I was saying was not to gain popularity LOL
Alan, thank-you...I received out of all the emails, (yes I actually scan/check all my emails or have the kitten do it) and I did receive 1 (one) from a Trulia member who mostly writes elsewhere who said some very kind things.....
Matt Stigliano...Thank you for your email, it was very very appreciated.
I am all for a system where all deception, including false multiple offer claims, is eliminated and punished to the fullest extent. Zero tolerance for unethical and/or unprofessional behavior.
Now, once again:
Tell me how to affect that change beyond my little part of the world.
I mean, I just want to be a good RE agent. I need to help pay bills (not happening yet). There are countless things in this world that sadden and enrage me but I can't save the world and I doubt very much I can single-handedly make the RE profession more respectable. I can just hope to affect positive change in MY interactions with people.
If an opportunity arises, that I can widen the scope, I will take it.
I'm discouraged that this is not good enough for some people.
I wasn't trying to be patronizing Dunes. I know that I didn't tell you anything that you don't already know.
I'm just explaining things how I see it.
You know- the whole making our own little corner of the world better thing. Its being proactive, intolerant of bad behavior and holding ourselves to the highest ethical standards.
Agents here have expressed their disdain for deception, tried to discuss ways to offer proof of competing offers, and, what do you know, we have yet to come up with a perfect solution.
Now, I would suggest instead of stating the obvious- that there are lousy agents out there- that you tell us a way to purge the industry of all bad people. And while you're at it, feel free to let me know how to purge humanity of all bad people.
I want suggestions- not just pointing out how we are all working in an imperfect profession with imperfect people because I think we already know that.
However, this doesn't prevent the Seller from simply countering the best offer, which brings us back to, "How do I know what the other person's bid was?"
Which brings us back to, not every problem has an elegant solution which results in a win-win situation.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Some things are intractable, and believe me, we're open to suggestions.
Washington State Law already provides that agents can have their licenses revoked or suspended for
Knowingly committing, or being a party to, any material fraud, misrepresentation, concealment, conspiracy, collusion, trick, scheme, or device whereby any other person lawfully relies upon the word, representation or conduct of the licensee
The reward for an agent conspiring with their seller to cheat the buyer out of $15,000 is . . . commission rate is x% . . . not so very darned much, isn't it.
Risk vs reward. Now we can be as cynical as we want, but that's a pretty strong disincentive to pull that sort of nonsense.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The problem is that the potential solutions are useless. No seller is going to sign up for a system where they can't negotiate offers. Nor should they.
Sellers are not always going to want to show their other offers to buyers, and so long as that's the case, the buyer's only options are to take it, or leave it.
Complaining about it hasn't gotten anybody closer to a workable solution.
Plus 4!
From what I've seen, agents are blamed, rightly or wrongly, for almost everything that goes wrong in a deal.
We are continuously held accountable, even for things we really have no control over.
In NJ, there's a website(I think run by the Banking Commission?) that all offending agents are listed on that states what their penalty is- anything from fines, to suspensions to expulsions.
Do all offending agents get caught or punished? Of course not.
Just like life, things are rarely black and white. This profession seems to have a lot of gray and sometimes the lines are a little blurry.
There's always room for improvement and I can't stand the idea that some agents give us all a bad name but as much as I would like to transport each of them to a desert isle where they only have each other for company (a hell of their own making so to speak and fit justice as far as I'm concerned) it obviously isn't that simple.
Real estate agents, it is often reported, do not have a high standing in the eyes of the public. Yet. Do we really think that the General Public is more honest in their real estate dealings than real estate agents, and that we agents corrupt the public into acting immorally and dishonestly?
I couldn't agree more. In this situation, one size does not fit all. In my market, lower prices homes will virtually always have multiple offers and a peach of a home, that's priced competitively, will sell very quickly. When working with first time buyers, it's common for us to make offers on 10 or more properties before getting an acceptance. This can take months. Similar to Jay's strategy, I instruct my client (and confirm with a pre-qualification) what their price point is and use that as a benchmark. When a seller comes to me with "highest & best" I often tell them that our original offer IS highest & best.
Time on market, overall inventory, buyer's wants and needs, and many other factors come into play when crafting a strategy. As a former contractor, I can relate with Dune's mindset. I always look for the diamond in the rough. As a Realtor, I learned quickly that I cannot visit my mindset on a client. We all have different perspectives regarding what we want in a home. Every buyer is different.
Dan, even I'm not suggesting that they should "show me the offer" (that was my best Jerry McGuire imitation). I'm only asking for a way to confirm that there IS an offer. I actually don't want any of the details of the offer, I just want to be able to rely on the fact that when a listing agent tells me there's a competing offer, that there really is.
Talk about wanting to know what the other offers were.........I sure do!
I'd love to know how much higher the winning bid was, and what the terms were.........but, alas, I can't find that out at this time.
Now, understandably, my buyer is frustrated.....but....he didn't listen to my advice, and offered less than I suggested (he offered $7,000 over asking price - that's how competitive my market is now). He now has second thoughts, and is wondering, "if only I went a bit higher", what would have happened".
The irony is................had his offer been accepted.......I can bet that he'd be wondering whether he went too high or how much he might have "overpaid" for the home to have the winning bid!
Sometimes, no matter how it works out, there is bound to be a level of frustration and second guessing.
What's that mean, point, potshot or humor I fail to comprehend..Alan and I have disagreed a number of times, agreed a number of times but I have always appreciated what I see as his honesty and approach to his Profession. I think Alan May is an excellent representative of your Profession in this Forum and every Agent should be glad he participates. I am when he does.
If it was humor...then never-mind.
"Thank you for giving me an opportunity in this discussion to address the General Public."
And thank you Mack for setting me straight ;)
You guys are just different sides of the same coin the way I see it.
Dunes is (I think) calling for improvement and is frustrated at the laissez-faire attitude.
Mack is just telling it like it is.
Both of you have well thought out, very intelligent posts.
I don't know what George thinks, but I happen to agree with both of you, for what its worth.
I am taking this discussion to heart and will consider working with a buyer's agent on helping his/her client believe what I say. The reason why I am considering this is because I appreciate the work buyer's agents put in and I treat buyer's agents with respect. Without buyer's agents, my listing inventory is meaningless because I can't possibly sell all my listings myself. This is not to say that I don't also respect the buyers, but I don't have direct interaction with the buyer. I also think that it matters how I am being asked. If a buyer's agent asks nicely and with respect, it's one thing, but if the agent is rude and offensive, it might not do the trick.
We have 2 competing views.
1 buyers should be able to see whatever offer they are against
2 no way a buyer should be able to see other offers if they even exist.
Since some realtors would not even admit their client had made an offer let alone what that offer was $$
I have to come to one conclusion.
If I am ever told there are competing bids on a property I am interested in I tell my realtor to tell the other realtor to shove it. My offer is all there is.
If they are unable or unwilling to show me competing offers I assume none exist.
In essence I am being told you are now in an auction, you can not see if anyone else is actually bidding BUT you have to bid higher or you will lose it.
Fuggetabautet I see everything, or walk away.
Transparency is needed in politics, it is also needed in any bidding or business transaction. I can not understand why people are afraid to show what is going on, unless it is all pure B.S.
... as a consumer, when my agent tells me that the seller says there's another offer... so give us your highest and best... your prior 97% offer "might" not cut it anymore. I don't think it's too much to ask that you "show me" there's another offer.
... I'm not saying I have come up with the best "way" to prove that... but I am saying that it's not right to tell our clientelle, "you'll just have to trust us... if you want this house you're going to have to pony-up another 15 large".
... yes, the best proof is if my client decides to back out, and finds out that the property DID indeed go pending, and close in 30 days... and it closed for $2,000 less than I was willing to pay. Damn!
... I'd suggest that there should be a way to "prove the veracity of a 2nd or 3rd offer", and we should be working hard to figure out a way to do that, rather than insisting that our clients just "trust us"...
HOW ABOUT... as a suggestion... upon request by the buyer's agent... the listing agent would send a copy of the full offer to the Board to be "certified", as a bona fide multiple offer.
and unequivocal and resounding YES... because that IS the crux of this matter. Is there, or is there not, another offer? The fact that they "want" to know how much... is irrelevant.
... and I beg to differ. My managing broker IS an impartial third party... she's as honest as the day is long, and would keep the confidentiality of the offer with her to her grave... but as I said "or an agree upon impartial third party".
Send a copy of the offer, with only the buyer's name & contact removed... as well as the purchase price, to my managing broker. Not to me. (or some agreed upon impartial third party).
the version you'd offered to send me would still be better than nothing... and it would have the buyer's agents' information, and I could contact them to verify an offer.
There should be some accountability... instead of just having to "trust the system".
I'd like to see a copy of that competing contract sent to my managing broker (or some acceptable third party)... with the buyer's name and contact information redacted, if necessary. But I'd want the other agent's information, so that I could call and confirm that, indeed there was another offer.
It's not enough to say "be happy you got the house"... because it actually cost George, in this case, an additional $15,000 (no small potatoes in today's market). Whether that's supported by comps or not.
For the record..........Any agent would be foolish to play that game..........as buyers can and do walk away if told there is another higher competing offer. It's a gamble no agent would want to take.especially with the bank calling the shots.
Hope that makes you feel better............in the meantime.............enjoy your new home!
Best wishes!
The purpose of a brainstorming session is to come up with ideas, and, again, I was wrong not to acknowledge that your idea was, in fact, quite creative.
I still don't think the world is ready for it, but it's a good idea, nonetheless.
Please accept my apology.
Frankly, I'm exhausted with, "oh, our image!" Somehow, the Industry will survive this blow to our reputation.
Bellyaching or not, I'm still wondering how anybody thinks the world is ready for a "multiple-offer" registry. And, what would be the penalty for not participating? Ultimately, who was going to do what to George's seller?


text:
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - Huntsville's biannual Gallery Tour will kick off Dec. 1 from 5 to 9 p.m. featuring the Huntsville Museum of Art, 16 Main Gallery, Artistic Images, the Huntsville Art League and more.
To promote the Gallery Tour and the visual arts in the Rocket City, two new websites and a Facebook page have been created.
Gallerytour.org will include general information about Huntsville's Gallery Tour, including maps and links to participating galleries at this year's tour. Huntsvillegalleries.org will serve as a hub linking all the local galleries participating in the Gallery Tour. Finally, facebook.com/huntsvillegallerytour will contain the latest information on the upcoming Gallery Tour.
Webmaster Walt Schumacher says "we are hoping these websites will help Huntsville residents stay informed on what is happening at local art galleries."


text:
Share on TumblrI've never been a dog person. Let me rephrase… I've never been a pet person. I might be able to handle the occasional betta fish or hamster, but I don't want a bird or a ferret in my house and Keep. That. Stupid. CAT. Away from me!! I realize I'm probably hurting the feelings of [Read On]
Friday Favorites #10
May 25, 2012 by Leave a Comment


text:
Free shipping in the USA (lower 48) when your order is over $89 (excluding gift certificates and sales tax, if applicable).
Jeff Taylor s Reminiscin is another distinctive chart from the William Allen Publications Stage One Series. It s a full ensemble ballad for developing bands with a mellow sound and it s playable with limited instrumentation. A perfect tool for teaching. Here is a listing of related products.Related Audio CD(s):
� 2016 Music44. All rights reserved.


text:
WASHINGTON -- Back in 2011, Sens. David Vitter, R-La, and Jim DeMint, R-S.C. organized a letter from 20 GOP senators urging House Speaker John Boehner to block any resolution allowing the Senate to recess for more than three days.
Vitter was upfront about his rationale. He wanted to block Democratic President Barack Obama from making recess appointments when the Senate was recessed.
And Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously, in effect, that the strategy outlined by Vitter and DeMint was valid -- that the Senate really wasn't in recess when the president used his recess appointment authority to name three members to the National Labor Relations Board in 2012.
After Vitter's letter, Boehner heeded Vitter's suggestion, refusing to authorize any recesses over three days. So, the Senate, like the House, held regular pro-forma sessions, even during usual recess months in August -- basically gaveling the start of the session, having a minster read a prayer and quickly adjourning without any legislative action.
In 2012, with his nominees for the NLRB blocked by Senate Republicans, the president said he had little choice but to make recess appointments to allow the board to meet and rule on a back-load of cases. He argued that the Senate wasn't really carrying out any legislative business when he made the appointments.
But the Supreme Court said the pro-forma sessions, though lacking in legislative substance, still counted. And therefore, his appointments, none of which received Senate confirmation, were improper.
The decision likely will force a revote by the NLRB on the decision overturned by the Supreme Court -- involving Noel Canning, a soft-drink bottling company, that had been found by the NLRB to have engaged in unfair labor practices.
Vitter hailed Thursday's High Court ruling.
"Today's Supreme Court ruling affirmed what we've known all along: President Obama made unconstitutional recess appointments to the NLRB," Vitter said. "This decision serves as the most significant check thus far to Obama's abuse of authority in what has been termed an 'Imperial Presidency.'"
The White House reacted much differently, noting that Obama has made far fewer recess appointments than other presidents. He's made 32, compared to 232 for President Ronald Reagan, and over 100 each for Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.
"We're of course deeply disappointed in today's decision and are still reviewing it. We are, however, pleased that the Court recognized the President's executive authority -- as exercised by Presidents going all the way back to George Washington -- to fill vacancies when the Senate fails to act," said Obama's Press Secretary Josh Earnest.
"I should note that the decision, which we're still reviewing, does preserve some important elements of the President's executive authority, and he will not hesitate to use it to move the country forward," Earnest continued.
Indeed, the ruling didn't go as far as some conservative Supreme Court Justices wanted - in terms of limiting recess appointments.
The ruling, in effect, said recesses of more than 10 days could enable a president to bypass the Senate and make a recess appointment.
The issue isn't as important now because the Senate is allowing confirmation votes to move forward with a simple majority of senators voting yes, thanks to a Democratic engineered rules change. In 2011, Republicans were demanding 60 votes on many nominees, enabling them to block the president's choices.
The National Relations Board now has a 3-2 majority, with no members chosen by recess appointment, and is likely to reaffirm the ruling challenged by Noel Canning.
But if Republicans win back the Senate majority in the 2014 mid-term elections, it could make it very hard for the president to fill vacancies in his administration.
Former Rep. Jeff Landry, R-New Iberia, volunteered to preside over some of the House pro-forma sessions in 2011 and 2012 before he lost his re-election bid to Rep. Charles Boustany, R-Lafayette.
"The Founding Fathers clearly intended the Senate to handle Presidential nominees through a vetting process," Landry said. "However, when liberal lobbyists, unions, and community organizers directed the White House to subvert the will of the Senate, I took extraordinary steps to return transparency to our government and sanity to our political appointees."
Bruce Alpert is the Washington-based reporter for NOLA.com/Times-Picayune. He can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
January 2012
Lugo, contracts and more
A little over a week ago, it was reported that the Indians had agreed to terms on a Minor League contract with veteran infielder Julio Lugo. He was to join the long list of non-roster invitees in camp with the Tribe this spring.
The deal is now apparently off.
Cleveland did indeed come to terms with the 36-year-old Lugo, but the contract is not going to come to fruition. The specifics behind why the deal fell apart are not known.
Considering the sides reached an agreement on terms (he would've earned $650K plus incentives if on the Major League roster), I'd speculate that it had something to do with his physical. All that really matters is that Lugo will not be heading to Arizona for Spring Training with the Indians.
For those keeping track at home, that means the Indians have 20 non-roster invitees in the fold for this spring. Lugo would've competed for a bench job — given his experience around the diamond — but his chances of cracking the Opening Day roster seemed slim from the start.
Moving on…
Jeremy Accardo: The righty will earn a base salary of $825,000 if he makes the Major League roster. His deal includes incentives: $50K every five games from 50-65 appearances and $100K for 70 games. If Accardo isn't on the MLB roster by June 1, he must be released if requested or added to the roster within 72 hours.
Fred Lewis: The outfielder would earn $725,000 if he makes the MLB roster. Incentives: $50K each for 350, 400, 425, 450, 475, 500, 525, 550, 575, 600 plate appearances. If he's not on the MLB roster by June 1, he must be released if requested.
Chris Ray: The reliever will earn $900,000 if he's on the Major League roster. His incentives include $50K every five games from 40-70 games; $50K for 35 games finished, $75K for 40 games finished and $125K each for 45/50 games finished. If Ray isn't on the 40-man roster by April 3, he must be released if requested, or added to the roster within 72 hours.
Dan Wheeler: The reliever's contract is nearly idententical to the one handed to Ray. Same salary ($900K) if on MLB roster and same incentives (games/games finished). His only out clause, howeveer, is that he can sign with a foreign team for $100K if he's not on the MLB roster, or he must be added within 48 hours.
Andy LaRoche: Would earn $600,000 if he is on the Major League roster. If he's not on the MLB roster by June 1, he must be released if requested.
Matt Pagnozzi: Would make $550,000 if he's on the Major League roster.
Gregorio Petit: Would earn $500,000 if he's on the Major League roster. If he's not on the MLB roster on June 30, he must be released if requested.
Robinson Tejeda: Would earn $825,000 if on the Major League roster. His incentives include $50K every five games from 50-65 appearances. He would make $100K if he appears in 70 games.
Michel Hernandez: Would make $425,000 if on the Major League roster.
The arbitration hearing dates are set for Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera and left-hander Rafael Perez. When exactly the hearings are scheduled to be held has not been made public, though. Cleveland hasn't gone to a hearing with a player since 1991, and that streak could still remain intact.
Cabrera's camp asked for a $5.2 million salary for 2012, while Cleveland countered with an offer of $3.75 million. Perez asked for $2.4 million, while the Tribe offered $1.6 million. In both cases, the two sides can settle with a contract at any point prior to the start of their respective hearing.
I broke down both cases in THIS previous blog post.
Photo of the Week:
Manager Manny Acta reunited with Slider during the Tribe on Tour (AP photo)
Some links from the last week…
Today's Indians.com Inbox
Story from Friday's Town Hall Meeting
Gaylord Perry leads Indians 2012 Hall Class
Story from Thursday's Tribe on Tour stop
Indians place Carmona on restricted list
Lindor among baseball's top prospects
Prince news doesn't sway confident Tribe
Indians.com Inbox from Jan. 23
Around the Horn: Outfielders
Twitter Power Rankings (Week 2)
As noted last week, I do not have a formula for picking my Indians player Twitter Power Rankings. If I'm entertained, or I find something funny, it will help a player's position in the standings.
This last week, reactions to the Prince Fielder signing played a role and there were plenty of twit pics (see: closer Chris Perez, pictured here) to stir conversation among Tribe fans.
CP changed his avatar to a decidely more intimidating photo and did plenty in the last seven days to make sure the #BullpenMafia regained its footing as the Twitter leaders. Second baseman Jason Kipnis had a typically strong week, but CP's resurgence stood out from the crowd.
That said, Vinnie Pestano was solid as always, doing nothing to lose the top spot.
Indians Player Twitter Power Rankings (Week of Jan. 30-Feb. 5)
1. @VinnieP52 (Vinnie Pestano). Last week: 1
Tweet of the Week: "… I like being an underdog, I like proving people wrong been doing it my whole life. If you're scared get a dog #neverbackdown" (in wake of Fielder signing)
2. @ChrisPerez54 (Chris Perez). Last week: 3
Tweet of the Week: "@TheJK_Kid maybe you should worry about keeping a different kind of spot…" (after Kipnis tweeted that he was gunning for No. 1 in the Power Rankings)
3. @TheJK_Kid (Jason Kipnis). Last week: 2
Tweet of the Week: "The bigger they are, the harder they fall #alcentral its still #TRIBENation" (shortly after new broke that Fielder signed with the Tigers.
4. @thethree8 (Joe Smith). Last week: 5
Tweet of the Week: "Brant cabby choo Santana g haff kipp hanny dunc or Lou mar. Who says we can't hit. We can hit. We stay healthy we're going to be right there" (after Fielder news broke)
5. @L_wash (LeVon Washington). Last week: Sixth Man
Tweet of the Week: "SORRY BUT U GONNA HAVE TO BAT 1,000 WITH 7,000 RBI'S AD 120 HR'S THE FIRST MONTH OF THE SEASON BEFORE U WORTH 200 MILLION TO ME.. #WashTime" (after Fielder news broke)
Sixth Man: @JackHannahan9. Last week: NR
Hannahan is an early favorite for Indians Twitter Rookie of the Year. He recently signed up and was a frequent tweeter this last week during the Tribe on Tour. A fan twit pic'd a photo of a Hannahan autographed baseball that said "Supermanahan." Quality.
Receiving votes: Shelley Duncan (@shelldunc), Trevor Crowe (@tcrowe4), Ubaldo Jimenez (@UbaldoJimenez22), Frank Herrmann (@FrankHerrmann56), Lou Marson (@LouMar6), Tony Sipp (@SippTony), Thomas Neal (@TDaddyNeal), Cole Cook (@C_M_Cook), Tony Wolters (@TonyWolters).
The Motor City Surprise
My wife asked me last week if Tuesday was a good day to drive to Michigan to meet up with one of her good friends. Such questions are impossible for a journalist to answer with certainty, especially baseball writers in the offseason.
Sure enough, after having our two-hour drive turn into a five-hour disaster due to an accident, news broke that Prince Fielder had reached an agreement to sign a nine-year, $214 million contract with the Tigers. The Tigers!
It was news that stunned the baseball world and surely sent some shockwaves of defeatism Cleveland's way. Naturally, this warranted a reaction story, while I stood stunned in the parking lot of an IKEA in the middle of a small Michigan town.
My wife dropped me off at a local Starbucks, she and my son went and met up with her friends, and I worked my phone an pieced together a quick story. One day later, the news isn't any easier for Indians fans. Prince freakin' Fielder signed with Detroit. Of all the teams, it just had to be Detroit, didn't it?
My Twitter feed was immediately flooded with the usual cries against Indians ownership and the team's relatively quiet winter. I say "relatively" because there certainly hasn't been a shortage of moves — they just haven't been megadeals for power bats like fans so desperately want.
I try to be a voice of reason within the angry mob. My job isn't to bash anyone, but to present facts and to report the news. Everything else is reserved for columnists. I'll continue to point out that the Tribe HAS raised payroll significantly this year — by roughly $20 million. It's mostly been spent on the team's own players, though, so that doesn't seem to count for many fans.
I'm not trying to defend the Indians' approach to this winter — only to point out what the team has done. Would I personally prefer to see someone of Fielder's ability added to Cleveland's lineup? Who wouldn't? But reality does not always align with wishful thinking, or with the exercise of patience.
The way I see things, this current Indians team could be a 70-win ballclub or a 90-win ballclub. There are just so many variables and questions heading into the season. If everyone stays healthy — a huge "if" as you all know — this is a young team loaded with talent that could make things interesting.
I'd still warn against crowning the Tigers the division champs already, though. Didn't everyone think the Red Sox were going to cruise to another title after their recent megadeals? We all remember what happened there. Once the season starts, so many things can happen. You just never know.
The Indians were a very entertaining and competitive team last year when they had the bulk of their roster healthy and contributing. They were even holding on to first place in light of very slow starts for Carlos Santana and Shin-Soo Choo. Who's to say the Tribe can't make things interesting again in 2012? I'm not going to sit here and say that.
The Indians players I spoke with last night after the Fielder news broke all said what you'd expect them to say. And it's what they should say, too. They're still confident in the team that's in place and — given the way the AL Central is right now — they have a right to believe they can make a run.
Are the Tigers the favorites to win the division? Definitely. Without a doubt. They're coming off a 15-game clinching of the AL Central, have the reigning MVP and Cy Young winner on the mound, and now there's Prince hitting behind Miguel Cabrera. Detroit enters 2012 as the sexy pick — no question.
Tigers billionaire owner Mike Ilitch owns Little Caesars Pizza as well as the Detroit Red Wings. He has a reputation of treating his two sports franchises as his personal play things and, at 82 years old, he's willing to throw down big cash to try to bring a World Series title to Motown.
That's the Tigers' situation, and it isn't fair to compare that to the Indians' situation. Detroit as a city might be dealing with its share of issues, much like Cleveland, but what Ilitch has built between the Tigers and Red Wings is incredible. It is a different reality than the one the Indians are working within.
A few more thoughts…
About that Fielder contract: We all knew Prince was going to get a blockbuster deal, but uberagent Scott Boras still managed to shock the baseball world again. Detroit loses Victor Martinez to a knee injury last week and the Tigers are convinced to plug that hole with the biggest bat left on the market (with the fourth biggest contract in baseball history).
It'll be interesting to see how the playing time is handled over the next two years, especially when V-Mart returns. I know… it's a good problem to have. But if Miguel Cabrera indeed returns to third base as rumored, that's a defensive boost for the rest of the division. That said, the bats of Cabrera and Fielder can make up for anything lost in the field.
When it comes to Fielder's reported deal, am I the only one that is reminded of the contract given to Mo Vaughn? Granted, Vaughn was 30 when he received his six-year, $80 million deal from the Angels in 1999 (Prince is 27 right now), but there are definitely similarities between the two hefty first basemen.
At the time of Vaughn's contract, his career line looked like .304/.394/.542/.936 with 230 homers and 752 RBIs in 1,046 games (8 seasons covering ages 23-30). At the time of Prince's deal, his career line is .282/.390/.540/.929 with 230 homers and 656 RBIs in 998 games (7 seasons covering ages 21-27).
Vaughn's three years prior to his contract (1996-98) looked like .326/.414/.579/.993 with 119 homers and 354 RBIs in 456 games (152 per year). Prince's last three years: .287/.409/.547/.956 with 116 homers and 344 RBIs in 485 games (162 per year).
Both contracts ran through their age 36 season.
What did Vaughn — another big man who was durable early in his career — do over the course of his new deal? He hit .267/.356/.481/.838 with 98 homers and 312 RBIs over the next five years. He broke down and was out of baseball after the 2003 season.
A six-year deal was a big risk for him at the time. Prince — three years younger at the time of his contract — received three years more than Vaughn did. That's a similar gamble (a huge gamble) on the part of the Tigers, and one they can only hope turns out better than the deal Vaughn signed with the Angels.
Counter punch: Yoenis Cespedes, anyone? To me, this would be the best move the Indians could make to show Indians fans they mean business. He's young, controllable and could be a star in the Majors. He fits within what the Indians are trying to do and is, really, the only thing left on this winter's market that would send a strong message to the fans. The Indians definitely have interest, but this could turn into a bidding war.
About that Carmona situation: Count me among those that does not think the Indians should just void the contract of pitcher Fausto Carmona, who was arrested last week on charges of using a false identity. If he's really Roberto Hernandez Heredia, and is really 31 years old, he's still only under contract for one year.
No matter his name, Carmona/Hernandez (I've been told by a Spanish expert that his last name would be Hernandez — not Heredia) was signed for a fair-market price when the Indians picked up his $7 million club option for 2012. And there's no guarantee he'll see a penny of that deal this year.
His legal and visa woes could drag on through Spring Training and into the regular season. Let's say, hypothetically, that he's not back in the United States and available to the Indians until May, June or July, he would only be given the pro-rated portion of his salary the rest of the way. If he's on the restricted list, he does not receive pay.
Beyond that, Cleveland does not have the pitcher under contract beyond this year. So, hypothetically, if he remained on the restricted list all year, the team does get $7 million of salary relief. He could then be let go at the end of the season as a free agent. That being the case, what's the point of cutting him now?
Let's say Cleveland gets into May or June, is contending in the division, but suddenly loses a pitcher or two due to injury (hey, it happened last year). If Carmona does become available, that's an experienced arm (one that has had success in the past) available to help out. That could be better than forcing one or two Minor Leagues up a level or two before they're deemed ready.
Carmona/Hernandez is essentially under contract on a one-year deal. Shoot, he could be under contract on a three-month deal when it's all said and done. His future in Cleveland is cloudy, but I don't think the Indians need to make the kneejerk reaction of voiding his deal right now.
As for the pitcher's deception, to me, that's more of a legal matter than a baseball matter. And I'm not about to act like judge and jury because I can't put myself in his shoes some 11 years ago (The Indians' blog The DiaTribe had a good post on this). This is not a unique situation in baseball history and it's something teams will continue to battle.
Coming up: I'll be heading to the first stop on the Tribe on Tour event on Thursday night. On Friday, I'll be covering the team's Town Hall Meeting for season-ticket holders. Check Indians.com for stories on both events in the coming days.
1st-ever Indians Twitter Power Rankings
Funny things can happen to a baseball writer on a Monday in January. While Mrs. MLB is downstairs keeping up with the Kardashians, and MLBastian Jr. is down a for a nap, and all's quiet on the Hot Stove front, strange ideas can float through a ball scribe's head.
Ideas like compiling Twitter Power Rankings for Indians players. It seemed like a good break from the "Fausto Carmona" mess at the very least.
The idea really was spawned from the photo here, showing ESPN's Steve Berthiaume holding up a "Bullpen Mafia" shirt on set. The shirt was sent to him by Indians reliever Vinnie Pestano, who has been on fire all winter on his Twitter account. Pestano seemed a lock to hold the top spot among current Tribe tweeters.
I thought about trying to devise some sort of formula involving number of followers or average tweets per day or something, but then I just decided I'd rank them however I wanted. In the end, I had to ask myself the same question that Maximus once bellowed: "Are you not entertained?"
The Indians are well represented with more than 30 players (if you count Minor Leaguers) on Twitter. For my rankings, I decided that Major Leaguers should get more consideration than Minor Leaguers (hey, you gotta climb the ranks, even on Twitter). That said, if a Minor League is entertaining enough (see: LeVon Washington), exceptions can be made.
Without further ado, let's get to the list.
Indians Player Twitter Power Rankings (Week of Jan. 23-29)
1. @VinnieP52 (Vinnie Pestano), 10,900 followers: The man has been on a roll on this winter, offering humorous dating advice, his take on movies and other funny observations. He's been known to throw in the occasional Twit Pic and recently started giving away "Bullpen Mafia" shirts. His impressive and hilarious Twitter avatar was also created this winter, which helped his case. A shoo-in for the top seed in the first rankings.
2. @TheJK_Kid (Jason Kipnis), 15,845 followers: The Indians second baseman isn't shy about his love for his hometown, Chicago. He regularly tweets about the Chicago Bulls, but always in good fun. Kipnis is a young up-and-comer on the field and has been embracing Cleveland's fans on Twitter, especially this winter. He's thrown some good one-liners out there throughout the offseason, too.
3. @ChrisPerez54 (Chris Perez), 29,961 followers: Cleveland's original King of Twitter and lead man in the bullpen, CP has seen a sudden increase in competition from the wave of teammates joining Twitter. Perez isn't afraid to speak his mind on his page and he's been reliable for offering a "Song of the Day" each day. CP could easily regain the top spot, but the work of Pestano and Kipnis this winter knocks him down to No. 3.
4. @tcrowe4 (Trevor Crowe), 9,271 followers: Crowe has been a consistent tweeter since joining the site, offering his take on a variety of topics. He's big on interacting with the fans. That was especially evident last year as he worked his way back to the field from injury. He cracks the top 5 for now due to consistency.
5. @thethree8 (Joe Smith), 7,420 followers: Smith might not tweet like crazy, but when he does he'll probably have you laughing. Have to respect that comedic timing. Funny comments that go along with twit pics are definitely his stength.
Sixth Man Award:
@L_wash (LeVon Washington), 1,176 followers: IN HONOR OF HIS ACCOUNT, I WILL COMMENT IN ALL CAPS. HE ONCE TWEETED THAT HE TWEETS IN ALL CAPS CUZ HE THINKS IN ALL CAPS. THE CREATOR OF #WASHTIME, LEVON HAS UPPED HIS TWITTER GAME TO THE POINT WHERE HE'S COMPETING WITH THE BIG LEAGUERS. 2012 MIGHT BE #WASHTIME. OTHER INDIANS TWEETERS BE WARNED!
Honorable mention (in no particular order): Ubaldo Jimenez (@UbaldoJimenez22), Frank Herrmann (@FrankHerrmann56), Jack Hannahan (@JackHannahan9), Lou Marson (@LouMar6), Tony Sipp (@SippTony), Shelley Duncan (@shelldunc).
Others (in no particular order): David Huff (@theREALdavehuff), Thomas Neal (@TDaddyNeal), Rob Bryson (@RBryson21), Nick Bartolone (@NickBartolone), Matt Pagnozzi (@MattPagnozzi), Corey Kluber (@CKluber), Tony Wolters (@TonyWolters), Cole Cook (@C_M_Cook), Tim Fedroff (@fedheems), Jerrud Sabourin (@J_Sabo), Eric Berger (@EBerger18), Cody Allen (@CodyAllen28), Scott Barnes (@ScottyB_38), Beau Mills (@BMills504), Luke Carlin (@CarlinsCorner), Nick Weglarz (@Wegz33), Zach McAllister (@ZMac34), Nick Hagadone (@NHagadone).
And then there's @RaffyPerez53, which might be the most fitting account on this list.
For a larger grouping of Indians-related tweeters, including manager Manny Acta and team president Mark Shapiro, be sure to check out my Cleveland Indians List on Twitter. All the links to the tweeters listed above can be found on there.
Have already had some early reponse to my rankings, which were posted on Twitter prior to this post. Chris Perez said, "How many times were the NY Giants number 1, or even 2, this season?" Pestano added, "im perfectly fine tweeting with a bullseye on my back, gotta stay on top."
Washington first responded with, "i feel honored to be part of the power rankings." Then he added "TWEET GAME MICHEAL JORDAN IN SPACE JAM.. #WashTime" and "TWEET GAME ALBERT PUJOLS WITH A 2-0 COUNT.. #WashTime" and "TWEET GAME GERARD BUTLER IN 300 THE MOVIE.. #WashTime."
Not sure these rankings will be weekly. They'll probably be more sporadic. Will probably plan on updating the rankings as I see fit right around the time Spring Training begins.
In the meantime, CLICK HERE for the latest Indians Inbox from Indians.com.
Money matters
I'm a huge film buff. My wife was thrilled when we moved into our house here in Ohio, because our family room has cabinets big enough to contain (and conceal) my massive movie collection.
Here's the thing about being the dad to a 2-year-old bundle of energy, though… you don't often make it out to the movies. Mrs. MLB and I typically have to wait until a movie is released on DVD, or available via on-demand, for us to finally see it.
Such was the case with "Moneyball." I've been wanting to see it for months, but only this week did it pop up in my on-demand section. We watched the movie on Sunday afternoon before I headed downtown to cover the Ohio State-Michigan Frozen Diamond Faceoff at Progressive Field.
It just so happened that Indians president Mark Shapiro — depicted briefly in the movie — was at the ballpark to discuss the unique outdoor hockey event. OK, fine. Full disclosure: I knew Shapiro would be there, so I watched the movie that afternoon so I could ask him about it more accurately later that night.
As it happens, Shapiro has been hit with a lot of questions about the movie recently. He has been receiving a wave of texts and e-mails about it, which initially caught him by surprise. I mean, the movie was in theaters months ago. Then, he realized what was going on…
"I figured it must have just come out on DVD or something," he said with a laugh.
Now, I liked "Moneyball" the movie, and I enjoyed the Michael Lewis book that the film was based on. Being a baseball writer, I was able to spot plenty of inaccuracies or factual embellishments in both, but that did not stop be from appreciating the story that was being told.
The movie has more flaws than the book, but it's easy to imagine how difficult a task it was to turn this particular subject into a compelling movie. As a bit of entertainment, the movie worked. And it showed some behind the scenes aspects of baseball that fans rarely get to see. It also shed some light on the statistical movement that took place within front offices a decade ago.
All of that said, some of the scenes were a little laughable. In one scene, A's GM Billy Beane — played superbly by Brad Pitt — wanders through the Indians' executive offices alone, seeking out a member of the Tribe's front office. First off, GMs don't fly across the country for face-to-face meetings to discuss trades (the reason for his visit). On top of that, since when would a rival GM be allowed to roam freely in another team's offices?
As a matter of fact, there was little truth to any of the scenes involving the Cleveland Indians. Rather than go into it all right here, I'll just refer you all to the article I wrote about it for Indians.com today. CLICK HERE for more on the scenes involving the Indians and Shapiro's thoughts on the film as a whole.
Moving on…
FIVE SIGN: The Indians reached agreements on 2012 contracts with right fielder Shin-Soo Choo ($4.9M after he made $3.975M in 2011), closer Chris Perez ($4.5M after making $2.225M in 2011), starter Justin Masterson ($3.825M after $468,000 in '11), reliever Joe Smith ($1.75M after $870K in '11) and third baseman Jack Hannahan ($1.135M after $500K in 2011) prior to Tuesday's 1 p.m. ET deadline for exchanging salary figures with arbitration eligible players.
Last season, those five players earned $8.0384 million combined. They'll earn $16.11 million as a group this year, marking an increase of $8.0716 in payroll. Masterson — a firs-timer for the arbitration process — earned the biggest raise, netting $3.3566 more than he made a year ago.
EXPLAINED: For those unfamiliar with how the arbitration works, eligible players are those who have between 3-6 years of service time in the big leagues. The exception would be a player who earns Super Two status, but I won't go into all that right now since it does not concern the Tribe this year. In short, an eligible player has the right to request a salary figures that he believes is fair. The club can counter with their own offer. If an arbitration hearing is necessary, arguments are made by both sides, and a panel chooses either the player's figure or the team's figure. These one-year deals do not mean a player will become eligible for free agency the following season. They remain under club control until reaching six years of service time. Each player has the right to three arbitration years before becoming a six-year free agent.
TWO REMAIN: The only arbitration eligible players remaining for the Indians are shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera and lefty reliever Rafael Perez. Cabrera is seeking $5.2 million while the Indians have offered $3.75 million. Perez has requested $2.4 million, but the Indians are offering $1.6 million. Arbitration hearings are scheduled to be held from Feb. 1-21 in St. Petersburh this year. Teams can settle the contracts at any point prior to the hearing. Considering that Cleveland has not gone to arbitration with a player since 1991, there's a good chance Cabrera, Perez and the Indians find away to find some common ground in their respective negotiations.
CLICK HERE for a recap of Tuesday's arbitration happenings.
CABRERA'S CASE: I went through a list of shortstops, trying to come up with some comparables for Cabrera's arbitration case. I essentially looked at three-year periods of production to try to determine whether the Indians' perceived value or Cabrera's salary request seemed more fair.
The closest in offensive production seems to be shortstop Jhonny Peralta. Cabrera is seeking $5.2 million, which is just under the $5.25 million Peralta earned last season. Over the past three years, Cabrera put up a slash line of .286/.340/.424/.764 with 34 homers, 90 doubles and 189 RBIs in 379 games. In the three years prior to earning $5.25 million, Peralta hit .260/.319/.414/.734 with 49 homers, 107 doubles and 253 RBIs in 453 games. One could argue that Cabrera's run production and games played total would warrant a salary slightly less than Peralta's from last season.
As for someone closer to the Indians' request of $3.75 million, Angels SS Erick Aybar earned $3 million in 2011. In the three previous years, he hit .280/.325/.377/.702 over 373 games. Aybar is a different style of player, so the slash line is the better comparison than the homers and RBIs. Obviously, Cabrera boasted better run production and a better slash line. Along those lines, a $3.75 million offer seems warranted if you use that comparison.
I think a better comparable would be shortstop J.J. Hardy, who earned a $4.65 million salary at the age of 26 (Cabrera's age). He picked up that salary after hitting .283/.343/.478 with 24 homers, 31 doubles and 74 RBIs in 2008. Last year, Cabrera hit .273/.332/.460 with 25 homers, 32 doubles and 92 RBIs.
The median for Cabrera's arbitration figures is $4.475 million. If the Indians up their offer to around $4.5 million, that seems like a fair offer in my book (I'm hardly an expert here, however). There is always the chance that Cleveland might still explore a multi-year contract with the shortstop.
RAFFY'S CASE: Rafael Perez's case is interesting in the sense that the best comparable I can come up with seems to be lefty Craig Breslow. The thing is, Breslow is also eligible for arbitration this winter and the salary figures he exchanged with Arizona are very similar to Raffy's figures. Breslow asked for $2.1M and the D-backs countered with a $1.5M offer. As noted earlier, Perez's salary figures were $2.4M/$1.5M.
Once one of those lefty relievers signs, I'd imagine the other might soon follow.
Consider that over the past three years, Perez is second in the AL in appearances by a left-handed reliever with 195. Breslow ranks first with 219 (he was with Oakland before being dealt to ARI this winter). Raffy's 172 innings rank fourth in that group. Breslow is first, with Matt Thornton and Darren Oliver next on the list. Perez's 31 holds rank ninth. Breslow isn't too far ahead at 39. Perez's 21.8 inherited runners scoring percentage was second in the AL, while Breslow wasn't far behind at 22.3.
As for some other comparables, well, there's lefty specialist Randy Choate, who will earn $1.5 million in 2012 after appearing in 200 games (105.1 IP, 1.164 WHIP, 3.41 ERA) over the past three years. Lefty Tim Byrdak made $1.6M in 2010 after appearing in 174 games (161.2 IP, 1.318 WHIP, 3.45 ERA) in the previous three years.
Over the past three years, Raffy Perez has appeared in 195 games with 172 innings, a 1.547 WHIP and a 4.29 ERA. These numbers are admittedly skewed by his abysmal 2009 season (7.31 ERA/1.896 WHIP). Over that three-year span, though, he did lead all AL lefties with 313 groundballs created. His 2.24 grounder/flyball ratio was second among his AL peers over that span, too.
Another example to compare to Perez might be lefty Sean Burnett, who will earn $2.3 million in 2012. This after appearing in 213 games (177.1 IP, 1.190 WHIP, 2.99 ERA) over the past three years. I'd argue that Perez isn't worth the $2.4 million he's seeking, but he might be worth more than the $1.6 million offered by the Tribe.
This seems like a good case for splitting the difference.
PAYROLL: Are you overwhelmed by all these numbers yet? Hang with me here…
As of right now, the Indians have 10 contracts settled for the 2012 season. There is $50.31 million locked up in those deals ($54.31 million if Grady Sizemore hits on all his incentives). For the sake of projecting the payroll, let's just use the median salaries in play for Cabrera ($4.475M) and Raffy Perez ($2M). Under that scenario, Cleveland would have $56.785M ($60.785 with Grady's incentives) in the fold for 2012.
If we use the 2012 league minimum to project the final 13 spots ($6.24M at the very least), the Indians would project to be at $63.025M ($67.025M) for 2012. Obviously that's before any more additions to the Major League roster (a first baseman, perhaps?) prior to Opening Day. Since some players will likely make more than the league minimum, that means the payroll will probably fall in the neighborhood of $70 million before any other signings.
QUICKLY: Sizemore (right knee) was cleared last week to begin baseball activities. He has resumed running and throwing and is on pace for a relatively normal spring. He's way ahead of where he was a year ago, which is great news for the Indians. … The Indians will see a financial loss for "Snow Days" for the second year in a row, forcing the club to re-evaluate the offseason initiative. … The Frozen Diamond Faceoff was a success, though. CLICK HERE to read more on both winter events. … GM Chris Antonetti met with reporters earlier on Friday and the hot topic, understandably, was first base. CLICK HERE for a recap of our sit-down. … If you didn't click that story, included was this tidbit: Antonetti shot down the idea of a reunion with Manny Ramirez. The GM said it was not a "positional fit" for the Tribe. I agree with this non-move for the Indians. … I caught up with recently-acquired outfielder Aaron Cunningham at the Indians' Winter Development Program. CLICK HERE For the story. … CLICK HERE for the latest Indians Inbox. Lots of issues covered, including why another left-handed bat might not be as bad as some people think.
That's all for now. Wasn't that plenty?
Also, one month from today, I leave for Spring Training.
Indians interested in Pena, Kotchman
It has been well-documented throughout this winter that the Indians have checked in on just about every available first baseman not named Prince Fielder. As spring approaches, two names high on Cleveland's list are Carlos Pena and Casey Kotchman.
On Thursday, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that Indians GM Chris Antonetti has approached ownership about potentially providing the necessary funds to afford the likes of Pena. The Scott Boras client is a coming off a season in which he slugged 28 homers and it is believed that he is seeking a multi-year deal.
The more realistic option might be Kotchman, who could improve the Tribe's average, on-base percentage and strikeout rate. A year ago, the Indians whiffed 1,269 times, marking the most in team history and the fourth-highest total in American League history. Kotchman hit .306 with 66 strikeouts in 500 at-bats last season, while Pena hit .225 with 161 strikeouts in 493 ABs.
With only 10 homers a year ago, though, Kotchman obviously does not boast Pena's power potential.
Pena netted a one-year, $10 million contract with the Cubs last offseason after hitting .196/.325/.407 with 28 homers and 84 RBIs in 2010 with Tampa Bay. This past season with Chicago, he improved in batting average, OBP (.357) and SLG (.462), while offering his typically sound defense.
Another consideration is Cleveland's current situation at first base. Regular catcher Carlos Santana (a switch hitter) figures to see some playing time at first — most likely against left-handed pitching. While the general thought has been that the Indians could benefit from a power-hitting, right-handed first baseman (to replace a struggling Matt LaPorta), Cleveland's decision-makers believe a lefty-hitting first baseman such as Pena or Kotchman might make more sense.
On days when Santana does not start behind the plate, the Indians project to feature catcher Lou Marson, who hit .297 against left-handed pitching last year. So having Santana (1B) and Marson (C) in against a left-hander and a lefty-hitting first baseman paired with Santana (C) against right-handers is something the Tribe is evaluating.
One unanswered question is whether Pena or Kotchman would be willing to accept that kind of playing time situation. It seems more likely that Kotchman — coming off a year in which he earned $750,000 after signing a Minor League contract with the Rays — would be open to a platoon-like scenario. Kotchman is also more affordable for an Indians team that does not have much financial flexibility.
If the Indians do not add a first baseman before Opening Day, the team's top internal candidates currently consist of LaPorta (who has a Minor League option remaining) and Shelley Duncan (who is out of options).


text:
I dehydrate meats for snacks, which are perfect for me being low carb / keto most the time. (they last for up to a week or so) I also like celery for late night snacks. Just curious, what do you have to eat every 3 hours?
I have to eat every three hours, but not while I'm asleep. As a result I tend to try to eat something small at the very most a couple of hours before sleeping. I know that dehydrated veg works nicely as evening/night-time snacks, but I'm rarely able to make batches of these with my dehydrator. Can anyone suggest any snack ideas?
I dehydrate meats for snacks, which are perfect for me being low carb / keto most the time. (they last for up to a week or so) I also like celery for late night snacks. Just curious, what do you have to eat every 3 hours?
~ Chris
You are probably not enough enough fat if you are needing to eat every 3 hours.
Why do you need to eat every 3 hours? If you can go 8 hours without eating while you're sleeping, you can go 5 or 6 hours while you're awake.
*My obligatory intro
There are no cheat days. There are days when you eat primal and days you don't. As soon as you label a day a cheat day, you're on a diet. Don't be on a diet. ~~ Fernaldo
DAINTY CAN KISS MY PRIMAL BACKSIDE. ~~ Crabcakes
Coffee makes me sleepy, especially with cream or coconut milk in it. So I usually have that with a few carbs, like carrot sticks or turnip slices.
I can eat anything within paleo every 3 hours (paleo foods digest better), but I have to eat because of a stomach condition. I like dehydrated meats but really I need an alternative which is easy and fast to make. I'm a student and I leave my dehydrator at home so I don't spend on the electrics!
Some fruit, a handful of nuts, a piece of cheese, an avocado, etc. Dehydrated vegetables sound...nasty. I'd rather have my vegetables fresh or cooked, the thought of rehydrating them is not so appetizing.
F 28/5'4/100 lbs
"I'm not a psychopath, I'm a high-functioning sociopath; do your research."
Hard-boiled eggs can be mashed up with primal sauces (like guac) and nibbled at near bedtime, to keep your stomach easy until you fall asleep.
Nuts and sliced apples are good too.
Basically anything you can pick at, so you don't have to eat a large meal, but can keep your stomach full until you fall asleep.
Perfection is entirely individual. Any philosophy or pursuit that encourages individuality has merit in that it frees people. Any that encourages shackles only has merit in that it shows you how wrong and desperate the human mind can get in its pursuit of truth.
I get blunter and more narcissistic by the day.
I'd apologize, but...


text:
Find a Program
USU Study Abroad
Study Abroad opportunities at USU are affordable. USU has a varied menu of program offerings. With our partner consortium International Student Exchange Programs (ISEP) or our partner institutions, most program fees are based on the exchange model. A USU student exchanges places with an incoming exchange student from a partner university abroad. Exchange Program costs are based on USU tuition, fees, and housing. Some competitive locations, affiliate provider, or short/term summer program, prices will vary based on direct program costs. See a summary of all our partner programs.
All programs (except certain volunteer programs), earn credits toward an academic degree at USU. Financial aid and scholarships apply nearly 100% of the time. See our scholarship sheet for more information regarding additional scholarships for Study Abroad. Financial information is available in the how to begin section of the site.
Interested in a short-term study period? Consider summer programs which run 4-8 weeks. Earn USU credit on faculty-led programs, or earn transfer credit on most other programs.


text:
This 1964 Lincoln Continental Converible is a true Barn Find, (We washed off all the dust and had it detailed) The car has been... More
1994 Lincoln Town CarBeautiful 1994 Lincoln Town Car model in mint conditionMidnight-Blue metallic exterior with a White Vinyl top plus an all White leather... More
Here is a Very Nice 1987 Lincoln Town Car 4-Door Black Vinyl Top 20,000 Original Miles!5.0 L V-8 Engine 4-Speed Automatic Overdrive TransmissionBoth Engine and Trans are... More
A truly outstanding example with 29,000 miles. 1977 Continentals are uniquely special as it is the first year for the tall vertical grille and... More
The Mark III was created when Lee Iacocca, president of Ford Motor Company at the time, directed Design Vice President, Gene Bordinat, to ''put... More
1975 Lincoln Continental Mark IV VIN: 5Y89A873511 This '75 Lincoln is as close to the phrase 'just as nice as when it rolled off... More
Lincoln Continental is a model name for a luxury car marketed by the Lincoln division of Ford Motor Company for 50 years. The Continental is a Lincoln nameplate that has... More
For Sale in our Detroit Showroom is an absolutely stunning 1978 Lincoln Continental Mark V. This beautiful land-yacht has less than 11000 original... More
This vehicle just arrived. A complete description is coming soon. Please call us for full details.... More
1957 Lincoln Premiere 2D Hardtop CoupeThe 1957 Lincoln Premiere is a very elegant classic car from the 50s and is very beloved for its... More
1972 Lincoln Continental VIN: 2Y89A894817 This outstanding Mark IV was a first place primary division winner at the Eastern Region Lincoln Continental Grand National... More
1963 Lincoln Continental ConvertiblePremiere Yellow with Black Leather Interior Completely redesigned for 1961 the Lincoln Continental represented a significant departure for the company. Not... More
Low miles, Great condition at an exceptional value. Have you wanted to own a piece of American history, Well here is your chance to.... More
1961 Lincoln Continental 4 Dr. Convertible. Here is a very rare 1961 Lincoln Continental (4 door) convertible. It is only 1 of 2857 Continental... More
1966 Lincoln Continental for sale in our Tampa Showroom. It doesn??t get much cooler than a 60??s Lincoln and this car is even cooler... More
Just arrived, this lovely car was sold new in Illinois in 1977 and remained with the original owner until sold to Owner #2 in 2013.... More
All the great big personality of the 1970s in a cool limited edition package. This 1979 Lincoln Continental Mark V Givenchy Edition is... More
Just arrived, this lovely three owner car was sold new in Melrose Park, Illinois in August 1987. Remained with the original owner until 2004. Been... More
Suicide DoorsAir Conditioning460 V8 340-HP Engine1 of 3,180Folks, this is an extremely rare find! Our 66 Lincoln is absolutely beautiful all around! The paint... More
GR Auto Gallery is pleased to present this 1978 Lincoln Continental Town Car Sedan for purchase. The Continental is a full-size flagship car for... More
Wow !! talk about a land yacht !! This 1959 Lincoln Continental convertible is the longest standard production car ever produced !! This continental... More
One owner for 33 years! Rare Bill Blass edition with optional carriage roof, white leather interior and blue piping - just like the brochure... More
The Versailles was Lincoln's answer to Cadillac's Seville. Powered by a 302 ci V8 and loaded with options! The Versailles also features four... More
1966 Lincoln Continental convertible - Rare triple white color combination. A very original car with one repaint and completely original leather interior. Odometer indicates... More
Very clean South Carolina car. 430 V8, automatic, air conditioning, ps, pb, power windows, power seat and unique power breezeway rear window which lowers... More
Here's an inexpensive sports sedan that has good power and some nice creature comforts. This LS is equipped with a 3.9L V-8, rebuilt automatic... More
You're looking at America's Rolls-Royce. Representing the crown jewel of the post-WWII Ford Motor Company, the 1956 Continental Mark II was a hand-built... More
2007 Lincoln Town Car Royale Stretch Limousine for sale in our Tampa Showroom. This beautiful Lincoln only has 18632 actual miles and looks great... More
Lincoln Continental Convertible, 1965, V8 big Block, suicide doors in good condition The Lincoln Continental convertible was the most luxurious Lincoln. The model got its... More
For Sale in our Orlando Showroom is an absolutely stunning 1978 Lincoln Continental Mark V. This beautiful land-yacht has less than 63000 original miles... More