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AAS 197, January 2001
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[Program listing]
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All findings are
until the time of presentation at the meeting.
Session 87. Innovations in Teaching Astronomy II
Joint Display, Wednesday, January 10, 2001, 9:30am-7:00pm, Exhibit Hall
Research Experience for Teachers at NRAO-Green Bank: Measuring HI Luminosity-linewidth Profiles of Faint Galaxies\\
T. S. Spuck (Oil City Area Sr. High School), J. R. Fisher (NRAO)
Research Experience for Teachers at NRAO-Green Bank: Predicting Good Observing Periods for High Frequency Radio Astronomy
A.A. Maciolek (Grosse Pointe North High School), R.J. Maddalena (NRAO)
Research Experience for Teachers at NRAO - Green Bank: Measuring the Opacity of the Sky at 86 GHz
J. N. Ford (Spencer Middle School), J. A. Braatz (NRAO)
Research Experience for Teachers at NRAO-Green Bank: HI Clouds in the Ursa Major Region of the Milky Way
T. A. Boyd (Garaway High School), F. J. Lockman (NRAO)
Research Experience for Teachers at NRAO-Green Bank: Comparing the Galactic Plane at 8.35 GHz and 14.35 MHz
R. H. Welsh (Carver High School of Engineering and Science), G. I. Langston (NRAO)
A Radio Astronomy Curriculum for the Middle School Classroom
J. Davis (Cloudcroft Schools & NRAO), D. G. Finley (NRAO)
A Virtual Tour of the Radio Astronomy Process
S. B. Conrad (Espanola Public Schools & NRAO), D. G. Finley, M. J Claussen, J. S. Ulvestad (NRAO)
Molecules in Space: A Chemistry lab using Radio Astronomy
M. J. Lekberg (Chelmsford High School), P. Pratap (MIT Haystack Observatory)
Real Research In The Classroom - Solar Active Longitudes
T. Stagg (Girard College), M. Gearen (Punahou HS), S.H. Jacoby (NOAO/EO), H.P. Jones (NASA/GSFC), C.J. Henney, F. Hill (NSO)
Using Stardial in the Classroom
R. D. Dietz (U. of Northern Colorado), P. R. McCullough (U. of Illinois), M. W. Richmond (RIT), J. N. Heasley (U. of Hawaii)
Light Pollution in Lowndes County, Georgia: An Observational Project for Introductory Astronomy Students
K.S. Rumstay (Valdosta State University and SARA), VSU Astronomy Students Team
An Urban Remote-Control Observatory
H.O. Thurman III, G. E. Copeland, D. B. Hanna (Old Dominion University)
Reaching towards 20th Magnitude from a Central Campus Observatory
D.T. Durig (The University of the South)
Some Astronomy 101 Activities Using Internet Resources
M.L. West (Montclair State University)
Immersion Astronomy Education at Biosphere 2
C. D. Garmany (Columbia University: Biosphere 2)
The SARA REU Site Program
M.A. Wood, T.D. Oswalt (Florida Inst. of Technology and SARA Observatory), SARA Collaboration
Research Experiences for Undergraduates at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory
D. W. Hoard, R. C. Smith (CTIO)
21-cm Observations with the Morehead Radio Telescope: Involving Undergraduates in Observing Programs
B.K. Malphrus, M.S. Combs (Morehead State University), J. Kruth (Kruth Microwave Electronics)
Computer Spreadsheet Recreations of Historical Astronomical Observations
M.H. Slovak, M.I. Kingham (LSU)
"The Search For Object X", a Capstone Laboratory Exercise from Project CLEA
G.A. Snyder, L.A. Marschall, P.R. Cooper (Gettysburg College)
The Little Thompson Observatory
A. Schweitzer (Little Thompson Science Foundation (LTSF)), K. VanLew (Front Range Community College), T. Melsheimer (LTSF; Meridian Controls), C. Sackett (LTSF; Johnstown-Milliken school district)
StarTeach Astronomy Education: Building a Comprehensive Educational Outreach Program for K-12 Students
L.A. Welser, D.H. Bennum (University of Nevada, Reno)
Telescope Technology for Teachers
M. K. Hemenway, B. J. Armosky (Univ. TX - Austin)
DOING Astronomy Research in High Schools.
M. A. Nook (St. Cloud State University), D. L. Williams (St. Cloud Apollo High School)
Bringing Pulsating Stars Into the Physics Classroom
B. W. Carroll, D. A. Ostlie (Weber State University)
Update on the Haystack Observatory Undergraduate Education Program
P. Pratap, J. E. Salah (MIT Haystack Observatory)
A Small Radio Telescope for Education
M. L. Cobb (Southeast Missouri State University), P. Pratap, A. E. E. Rogers (MIT Haystack Observatory)
Observational Astronomy for Undergraduate Majors: A Hands-On Approach for Learning Professional Techniques
G. Doppmann, M. K. Hemenway (Univ. TX - Austin)
A Global Network of Astronomical Telescopes (GNAT) Node as a Tool for Student Research Projects
R.B. Culver (CSU, GNAT), E.R. Craine (WRC, GNAT)
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[Program listing]
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Derek Jeter, who is hitting .500 (19 of 38) over the past nine games, opened the game with a walk off O's starter Brad Bergesen (3-3, 5.96). He moved to second on a 4-3 groundout by Nick Swisher and advanced to third on a 4-3 groundout by Mark Teixeira. A-Rod couldn't get him across as he was called out looking.
Phil Hughes, who has lost just once in his last 13 starts dating back to last season, began the game by getting Corey Patterson on a fly ball to short and then struck out Miguel Tejada and Nick Markakis to breeze through the inning.
First Pitch: 7:09 p.m.
Game Time Temperature: 79 degrees

subset: commoncrawl


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NEWARK — Flanked by more than 100 excited and chattering supporters, Luis Quintana promised to unify Newark's fractured City Council as he was sworn in as council president this afternoon.
Quintana, the city's longest serving council member, was elected council president earlier this month, after a battle to shift the governing body's balance of power led to a near riot and an arrest inside council chambers.
Speaking to delighted supporters, who rushed alongside him and posed for pictures for nearly an hour this afternoon, Quintana said the council needs to unify in spite of any political allegiances.
"That page is over," Quintana said of a battle to replace Donald Payne Jr. on the council that led to several people being stung with pepper spray during a fracas at a November 2012 council meeting. "This is the beginning of a new day."
With North Ward Councilman Anibal Ramos, South Ward Councilman Ras Baraka and Central Ward Councilman Darrin Sharif all vying to replace Mayor Cory Booker next year, and most other council members aligned with one of the candidates, Quintana was considered the best choice because he is not running for mayor.
Quintana, 53, was a near unanimous choice for the president's seat during the Sept. 19 vote. He has served as an at-large councilman since 1994.
"It's a great feeling. I feel that what they always say about Newark, that people can't come together," Quintana said. "A day like this proves that we can come together."
• Luis Quintana voted Newark Council president and possible interim mayor


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Video: Drum Machine demo for Symbian (S60 5th) Drum beat sequencer available at Ovi Store
When I first looked at the video, I wasn't actually sure it was meant to be a phone app due to the mass of detail on screen but it is. And it's for you, S60 5th Edition users.
This is a drum machine – essentially what you're doing is arranging a pattern of beats/instruments to make a song i.e. pattern based music sequencer, like FL Studio, but just for drums.
It's surprisingly VERY feature packed,
- create your pattern,
- arrange them into a song time line
- very helpful zoom buttons
- Can pan left and right (to make long songs)
- Pattern play preview
- Song play preview
- Extensive Mix and Tools View
- Help section in
Check out the video below and if you're interested, you can get it from the Ovi Store
Programmable Drum Machine with pattern, song and instrument editors, mixer and tools view, including several professional quality, royalty free drum sample sets.
I hope this gets ported to Qt. I'd love this on a bigger tablet.
Category: 5th Edition, Nokia, S60, Symbian, Video
About the Author (Author Profile)Hey, thanks for reading my post. My name is Jay and I'm a medical student at the University of Manchester. When I can, I blog here at mynokiablog.com and tweet now and again @jaymontano. We also have a twitter and facebook accounts @mynokiablog and Facebook.com/mynokiablog. Check out the tips, guides and rules for commenting >>click<< Contact us at tips(@)mynokiablog.com or email me directly on jay[at]mynokiablog.com
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New prospects
Katie Estrella dances, Dat Nguyen plays guitar and Alex Calvo scuba-dives. Estrella, a Cal State Fullerton student, can't walk. Nguyen, a Vietnamese immigrant living in Garden Grove, can't see. Calvo, an Army veteran from Westminster, is a quadriplegic. The three took part in adaptive demonstrations during the Aquarium of the Pacific's Festival of Human Abilities over the weekend. Groups included a sign-language choir, people who paint with their mouths and others who create art with their wheelchairs. The annual event spotlights the creative ways people adapt to life-changing disabilities.
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|Contest Rules | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | RunOregon Blog | About the Movie
From Emmy-nominated filmmaker Judd Ehrlich comes this remarkable story of how one man ran New York and inspired millions to do the same. Chronicling Fred Lebow's revolutionary creation of the New York City Marathon, Ehrlich uses archival footage of Lebow himself and couples it with a myriad of exclusive interviews including: Mayor Ed Koch, Manhattan Borough President Percy Sutton; Lebow family members Moshe Katz, Sarah Katz and Mike Lebowitz; New York Times reporters Neil Amdur and George Vescey; original marathoners Norb Sander and Gary Muhrcke (winner of the first NYC Marathon in 1970); and other notable athletes including Bill Rodgers, Alberto Salazar, Grete Waitz, Nina Kuscsik, Frank Shorter and Kathrine Switzer. The film also includes the last known interview with Olympian legend Ted Corbitt.
Credited as the mastermind behind the New York City Marathon, Fred Lebow is now one of the most influential American icons. He fled his Orthodox home in war-torn Europe and found his calling when he brought together a group of runners for the first NYC Marathon in Central Park. In 1976, Lebow took the race through all five boroughs, uniting a divided city and sparking a worldwide fitness boom. Lebow lived for the NYC Marathon, yet he only ran through the five boroughs once, as the world looked on, in an unforgettable race against the odds.
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In March 2012, the seasonally adjusted rate was 8.5 percent. Yet in at least one respect, the region might be better positioned for economic growth now than at the turn of the century.
Economic prosperity of the late 1990s masked divisions among businesses and governments within the region. The fissures came into broad public view in 2001, when Columbia Sportswear moved its headquarters from the Portland area to unincorporated Washington County. It was a seminal moment, repeatedly cited in this year's Portland mayoral race.
The mayor's race will be narrowed to two candidates next Tuesday. The winner will inherit an unemployment rate much higher than 4.5 percent but a regional operating environment that is more conducive to growth.
Over the past four years, the level of cooperation among various entities has improved significantly. Rather than poaching each other's businesses, communities within the metro area now collaborate and pool resources in an effort to attract new employers.
Perhaps the signature achievement of this collaboration was the late 2010 merger of Greater Portland Inc. and Portland Vancouver Regional Partners, the final step in a process bringing together the efforts of various public and private economic development groups.
We view this accomplishment, and the dialogue it has helped foster among local leaders, as a major reason for optimism that Portland can make long overdue economic gains as the recovery progresses.
In the evolved model, the Portland Development Commission acts as a clearinghouse, managing the intake of economic development inquiries. It then broadcasts opportunities to the region, gets responses and coordinates the response to the companies.
"We're more in tune now to what our companies need and how to respond to it," said Patrick Quinton, executive director of the PDC.
The recession focused public attention on the need for greater attention to economic development. A new lineup of regional leaders understood that they could better address economic problems together.
"We're now figuring out we can't do this stuff ourselves," said Beaverton Mayor Denny Doyle.
Since 2008, there has been significant turnover in key Washington County and Multnomah County leadership positions. Doyle, Hillsboro Mayor Jerry Willey and Portland Mayor Sam Adams were elected in 2008. In 2010, former Hillsboro Mayor Tom Hughes was elected Metro Council president. The Multnomah and Washington county commissions have also seen significant turnover.
The region's mayors meet on a regular basis, and talk in between. Economic development officials also communicate regularly.
"We have relationships with each other; we all know each other," said Quinton, who has been with the PDC a little more than four years, the last 15 months as executive director. "That's half the battle, having personal relationships and working well together."
Hughes has seen the evolution from two important vantages. Hillsboro is home to some of the region's most important employers and some of the best sites for future businesses. Metro plays a central role in determining land available for development.
"There's greater hope now that we can put together a unified strategy on economic development in the region than we've ever had before," Hughes said.
If this all sounds basic, it is. But, for a region sometimes defined more by what it opposes than what it supports, it is important. Shared goals can be a powerful thing.


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'Studio Wrap Pack' Yoga Training Shoe (Women)
Product not available
HideDetails & Care
Enhance your barefoot yoga and studio workouts with the adjustable support and protection of a three-part shoe system. The stretchy foam Wrap gives you just-right silicone traction and a keep-it-clean barrier, while the Ribbon adds custom support wherever you need it. A flexible, grooved Flat slips over the Wrap for around-town wear, so you can go seamlessly from studio to street.
- Includes mesh garment bag for washing.
- Wrap: Textile upper and lining/textile and synthetic sole.
- Ribbon: Textile.
- Flat: Synthetic and mesh upper/synthetic lining and sole.
- By Nike; imported.
- BP. Shoes.
'Studio Wrap Pack' Yoga Training Shoe (Women)
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text:
US President Barack Obama will visit become the first sitting US
president to visit Hiroshima later this month, but he will not offer an apology
for the United States' use of an atomic bomb on the city during World War II,
the White House said on Tuesday.
The bomb that US warplanes dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, killed between 60,000 and 80,000 people instantly. The final death toll from injuries, radiation, and other fallout was 192,020. Hiroshima was the first time that an atomic bomb was ever used in war. The bombing of Nagasaki three days later killed 38,000 to 80,000 people, including about half who died on the first day. Japan surrendered six days later..........


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The rivalry will be renewed this weekend at Fenway Park as the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees battle in a crucial American League East series.
If their recent matchups are any indication, the Yankees are in for a long weekend --- and not the type of long weekend we all enjoy.
Heading into this weekend's series, the Sox and Yankees enter in a dead heat, tied for first place in the division. They share baseball's second best record, trailing only the red-hot Philadelphia Phillies.
But the season series has been anything but even. In nine games, the Red Sox have eight wins over their rivals. Plainly put, the Sox have dominated the Yankees.
Much of the reason for Boston's success has been offensive production, and more particularly, the production of their top three hitters.
Dustin Pedroia enters this weekend's series with a .550 average against New York this season. Adrian Gonzalez has 11 RBI against the Yankees and David Ortiz has hit three of his 20 home runs against them, including one complete with what has become a notorious bat flip. All told, the Red Sox have an impressive .293 average in their nine games against the Yankees, who have hit just .223.
Throw in the fact that Jacoby Ellsbury is as hot as he's ever been and it appears a perfect storm is brewing in Kenmore Square this weekend.
Still, it seems as though one thing is missing.
Despite the solid production from the majority of its lineup, Boston is missing an impact from its high-priced left fielder. Carl Crawford is hitting just .125 with five hits in 40 at-bats against the Yankees this season.
Crawford had career highs in RBI, home runs and runs scored last year but has struggled in his first season with the Red Sox. After missing nearly a month with a hamstring injury, he is hitting just .245 with seven home runs and 12 stolen bases.
If he hopes to turn things around, there's clearly no better time than this weekend's series against the Yankees.


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The Alternative Investment Management Association
Alternative Investment Management Association Representing alternative asset managers globally
04 August 2009
The Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA) – the global hedge fund industry association – has warned that the European Commission's draft directive on Alternative Investment Fund Managers could cost Europe's pension fund industry up to €25 billion a year if implemented in its current form.
Andrew Baker, CEO of AIMA, said, "This is an estimated figure but it shows the potentially enormous impact that the directive could have on Europe's pension funds and in the longer term, Europe's pensioners.
European pension funds have been increasing their allocations to alternatives over recent years because of the good returns, lower correlations with traditional asset classes and low volatility they provide. With Europe facing strong demographic pressures as a result of an ageing population, pension funds will need strong growth and reliable returns over the coming years in order to meet future demand. If they suffer lower returns as a result of the directive, it's not only Europe's pensions funds but Europe's pensioners of both today and tomorrow who will suffer.
It is because of consequences like this that there needs to be a proper full impact assessment conducted to determine whether the uncertain benefits of the directive justify the certainty of massive costs.
As it is currently drafted the directive will result in a major reduction in choice for Europe's institutional investors and a big increase in costs and hence a significant reduction in returns. None of this is good for the competitiveness of the European financial services sector or indeed the economies of Europe as whole."
AIMA produced the estimated figure based on the estimated assets under management of the European pension fund industry, the estimated allocation to alternative investments by European pension funds, and the estimated reduction in returns they could face if the directive went through in its current form.
- Ends -
For media enquiries, please contact Christen Thomson, AIMA Director of Communications, on +44 (0)2078228380; email – email@example.com
Notes for Editors
The total size of assets under management by the European pension fund industry is $7 trillion or €5 trillion. We presume an approximate allocation to alternatives (hedge funds, private equity, real estate funds etc) of about 20% of that, ie €1 trillion. We estimate that the directive could reduce returns by 2.5% for that €1 trillion. 2.5% represents the approximate reduction in performance an investor could expect if because of the provisions of the directive (reduced choice through exclusion of non-EU funds and managers) they were forced to reallocate from alternatives to traditional asset classes like equities and bonds. 2.5% (at least) is also the approximate reduction in returns that alternative investments would deliver under the directive due to leverage restrictions and increased compliance costs. Therefore, regardless of whether European pension funds continued to allocate to alternatives or were forced to switch to traditional investments we think the reduction in returns they would face would be approximately 2.5% of €1 trillion, or €25 billion. This is an estimated figure but we hope it is illustrative of the scale of the consequences if the directive were to be passed in its current form.
About AIMA
As the only truly representative global hedge fund association, AIMA, the Alternative Investment Management Association, has more than 1,100 corporate members worldwide, based in 40 countries.
Members include leading hedge fund managers, fund of hedge funds managers, prime brokers, legal and accounting firms and fund administrators. They all benefit from AIMA's active influence in policy development, its leadership in industry initiatives, including education and sound practice manuals and its excellent reputation with regulators worldwide.
AIMA is a dynamic organisation that reflects its members' interests and provides them with a vibrant global network. AIMA is committed to developing industry skills and education standards and is a co-founder of the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst designation (CAIA) – the industry's first and only specialised educational standard for alternative investment specialists. For further information, please visit AIMA's website, www.aima.org.


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Results tagged ' Yadier Molina '
Game 85: Cardinals-Angels …
Cardinals (50-33)
Matt Carpenter, 2B
Carlos Beltran, RF
Matt Holliday, DH
Allen Craig, LF
Yadier Molina, C
Matt Adams, 1B
David Freese, 3B
Daniel Descalso, SS
Jon Jay, CF
SP: RH Adam Wainwright (11-5, 2.22 ERA)
Angels (40-44)
J.B. Shuck, LF
Mike Trout, CF
Albert Pujols, DH
Josh Hamilton, RF
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Mark Trumbo, 1B
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
Hank Conger, C
Erick Aybar, SS
SP: RH Joe Blanton (2-10, 5.07 ERA)
- Mike Scioscia still won't reveal who the Saturday starting pitcher is, but it's still leaving heavily towards left-hander Michael Roth. Roth, once again, was not listed in the lineup sheet under the bullpen. He threw one inning on Wednesday, which would qualify as his bullpen day, and Scioscia said they won't be calling someone up from Triple-A to make that start. "We have a couple contingencies we're looking at," Scioscia said, "but we'll have a group of guys we can choose from for Saturday." Billy Buckner worked 4 1/3 innings in Wednesday's 12-2 loss, throwing 71 pitches, so no chance he gets the start. Garrett Richards pitched two innings, throwing 40 pitches. He could be a candidate, but Richards hasn't been stretched out past three innings since moving back to the bullpen. Roth's last seven appearances in Class A have been starts.
- Conger is starting back-to-back games. He and Chris Iannetta now have the same amount of starts since June 12: 10.
- Ryan Madson threw another bullpen session today. This is his fourth since he began getting off a mound every three days after a long stint of merely playing catch. Asked how many more bullpen sessions he needs before venturing out on a rehab assignment, Scioscia said: "It's tough to say. We've tried to guess along the way and I think we're past that. We just have to see how he comes out of it and we'll go from there."
- Scioscia has been in awe of what Yasiel Puig has done with the Dodgers. He's in agreement with a lot of others in that Puig many not have as much time in the big leagues to be All-Star worthy, but believes he may get in anyway, saying: "I think he's got to go a little further to earn it. I don't think Major League Baseball will discount what he's done, even though it's a limited amount of at-bats. There's a pool now to bring the best talent into that game because of the bearing it has on getting home-field advantage for the World Series. That's going to give him a deeper look than maybe it would've been in any other situation."
- Trout had 290 plate appearances in the first half last year; Puig has 116 with 11 games left. As for how their situations compare, Scioscia said: "These guys are doing things you very rarely see young players come up and do. He's played to his potential at a young age. A lot of parallels you can draw in that regard."
- In case you hadn't noticed, Trout has been wearing a shinguard on his left foot during plate appearances after fouling a ball off there on Tuesday. He said the shin is fine now, but he's wearing the guard for extra protection because it doesn't bother him when he hits.
— Alden
Game 84: Cardinals-Angels …
Cardinals (49-33)
Matt Carpenter, 2B
Jon Jay, CF
Carlos Beltran, RF
Allen Craig, LF
Yadier Molina, C
Matt Adams, 1B
David Freese, DH
Daniel Descalso, 3B
Pete Kozma, SS
Pitching: RH Shelby Miller (8-6, 2.79 ERA)
Angels (40-43)
J.B. Shuck, LF
Mike Trout, CF
Albert Pujols, DH
Josh Hamilton, RF
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Mark Trumbo, 1B
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
Hank Conger, C
Erick Aybar, SS
Pitching: RH Jerome Williams (5-3, 3.21 ERA)
- Is Hamilton dipping again, after quitting in the second half of last season? Video has shown what appears to be smokeless tobacco coming out of his mouth in a few at-bats, which might have been a route Hamilton took towards getting right at the plate again. Approached by reporters before Wednesday's game, though, Hamilton wouldn't comment. "I just don't have any comments on it. It's one of those things where if I give you guys any kind of story, your story's going to be different from his story, your story's going to be different from his story. And then other people who aren't in this clubhouse, with you guys, are going to take your story and it's going to be an absolute mess. No, nothing is coming from these lips [in terms of confirmation or denial over smokeless tobacco use]. … Until you actually see me reach in a bag of chewing tobacco, and pull it out, and put it in my mouth, then what's in there?"
- Asked about how much quitting smokeless tobacco might have affected him in a rough second half with the Rangers last year, Hamilton said: "I don't know if you know this, but before I quit, I started sucking. That has absolutely nothing to do with it."
- Conger is back behind the plate, with Chris Iannetta sitting. Since June 12 (including today), Conger has started nine games. Iannetta has started 10. Asked if this was a platoon, Mike Scioscia said: "I think when you're talking about a platoon, you're talking more about offensive matchups, lefty-righty, things like that. There's a bit of a time-sharing that's been going on here in the last month and I think it's been beneficial to both players. Both players want to be out there as much as they can, and it's taken a little pressure off of Chris and given Hank a chance to contribute."
- Scioscia on the Rangers signing Manny Ramirez to a Minor League deal: "Manny still loves to play baseball. I don't think you can argue that he's gone to great lengths to show that he can still play. … We just saw some video on him, and that swing looks the same as it did when he was 30. He's going to get another opportunity at some point, I'm sure."
- Scioscia wouldn't say who's starting on Saturday. He knows who he is, but he isn't saying. "We have a plan," is all he said. Michael Roth was not listed on the bullpen sheet today, so it could be him.
- The Angels signed 16-year-old left-hander Ricardo Sanchez to kick off their international signings.
— Alden
Pujols, on seeing his ex-teammates: 'It's weird."
In case you hadn't heard, the Cardinals are here. You know, that team Albert Pujols played a really long time for (11 years) and did a lot of things for (two World Series, three MVPs) and then left departed somewhat bitterly (eventually taking a 10-year, $240 million deal with the Angels).
Oh, so you knew already.
Well, it's today. In a few hours. And a lot of media showed up to Angel Stadium to ask Pujols about it. Below are the highlights (for more info, here's my story on the unavoidable storyline and Jen Langosch's, on how the Cardinals have moved on so well) …
On his initial thoughts of facing the Cardinals: "Really exciting. I was able to hang around with my little brother, Yadier [Molina], yesterday and a couple of the guys. You can't forget the success that you've had with those guys over the last 11 years there in St. Louis. To be able to win it in 2011 and have an opportunity to talk to them in the offseason, that's something pretty special. That's something that nobody can take away, how those fans in St. Louis treated me and everybody in the community, through my foundation. To have the success that I had there, that's something nobody can take away from me."
On seeing the Cardinals on the other side: "I was telling Yadier yesterday, it's weird. These are three days that I won't be able to root for them, because any time that I have an opportunity and I watch, I root for them. Some of them are my good friends. … I stay in touch with a lot of those guys. I faced those guys for 11 years in intrasquad in Spring Training, and now it's just going to be a little bit more competition. They're going to do their preparation to try to beat us today, and I'm going to do my preparation to try to beat them. I think it's going to be a fun three-game series here."
On what he regrets from his time in St. Louis: "To tell you the truth, I don't really want to open those doors. I think we need to talk about our organization. I'm an Angel now, we're playing really good over the last week or so, and I think my main focus is that, to think about what I can try to do today to help this ballclub win and not to open those doors of what happened two years ago. Because that's over. There's nothing I can do to flip the page and go back. I just need to move forward. They moved forward and I moved forward. I'm excited. Arte Moreno made a big commitment to bring me here to hopefully the success that I had there, to bring it to the city of Anaheim. And that's my goal over the next nine years, including this year."
On whether it gives him a competitive edge to see his old teammates: "They're having a great season, we're playing great, and it's going to be a great week. But I'm just going to go out there, have fun, do what I have to do and play this game. I'm blessed to be able to play this game and I think God every day for the opportunity he gave me. But just because I have friends on the other side, that doesn't add an extra chip on my shoulder to try to go out ther enad play the game, because you shouldn't have that. You shouldn't ever have that chip on your shoulder. You should play this game the right way because you love it, because you are blessed to have this opportunity to play, and that's how I look at it every day."
On the Angels honoring Stan Musial (by having his grandson throw the first pitch, wearing a patch on their BP jerseys and playing a video tribute): "I'm really excited. Stan was my buddy. I wish I would've had more of an opportunity to talk to him. .. .When he walked into that clubhouse, it was like the light was so bright. Everybody would stop what they're doing."
On the reaction from St. Louis natives when he visited the city in the offseason: "I think I ran into like 30,000 fans this offseason, and they were praising me, blessing me, and I was telling them the same thing. I was thankful for the support during my career there. My home is still there during the offseason, my foundation is still there, and I'll be there until they kick me out."
On whether he expected a bad reception in St. Louis: "Never in my mind that came through, because I knew what kind of fans St. Louis has. They're true fans, they're legit, and they respect what I did. Never in my mind. I walk in there in the offseason, I go all over. I'm not going to hide anywhere. I work out there. Nothing has changed. I know they were probably disappointed, but they have to learn to move on and they moved on without me and I'm here, to have hopefully the next 8 ½ years and bring as many championships as I can to this city."
On the Cardinals doing well and the Angels struggling: "Trust me, it could be the opposite. They could be where we are, if you look records-wise and numbers-wise. This is more than just a game, you know. At the end of the day, it's about my relationship with God and knowing that I'm in a good place. I told you guys, when I made my decision two years ago, I don't have to look to the right or the left. I just need to look forward and know that I have peace with where God has put me. … I'm blessed to be able to play this game, and I was blessed to be in St. Louis for 15 years, now I'm here, and my goal is to try to continue to have the success that I've had there. There's nothing I can do."
On stepping into the box with Molina squatting behind him: "I can't read the future, I can't tell you what's going to happen. I'm human. I can tell you one thing, I'm going to do my routine. I'm probably going to hit the umpire and I'm going to hit him on the shin [with the tip of his bat]. Hopefully he tells me not to do it and maybe we can start a fight [jokingly, of course, a la Brandon Phillips]."
— Alden
How Angels' 'Big 3' stacks up in 2013 …
I wrote recently about the Angels' own prestigious "Big Three" of Mike Trout, Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton — how they could potentially hold up historically and in this era.
But how do they hold up in 2013? There's little debate that the Angels now have the most talented and celebrated lineup trio in baseball, giving them arguably the game's most potent offense. But I was a little stunned that their 2012 stats didn't show it.
In fact, when combining each of their OPS from 2012, the Angels' trio ranked third, behind those of the Tigers and Reds. Below is the top 15, based on combined OPS of the top three current players in each lineup (minimum is 400 plate appearances) …
- Tigers (Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder, Austin Jackson): 2.795
- Reds (Joey Votto, Ryan Ludwick, Jay Bruce): 2.759
- Angels (Trout, Pujols, Hamilton): 2.752
- Brewers (Ryan Braun, Aramis Ramirez, Corey Hart): 2.729
- Red Sox (David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, Mike Napoli*): 2.635
- Blue Jays (Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Reyes, Melky Cabrera): 2.627
- Cardinals (Matt Holliday, Allen Craig, Yadier Molina): 2.627
- Rangers (Adrian Beltre, David Murphy, A.J. Pierzynski): 2.607
- Rockies (Carlos Gonzalez, Dexter Fowler, Tyler Colvin): 2.602
- Pirates (Andrew McCutchen, Garrett Jones, Pedro Alvarez): 2.569
- D-backs (Aaron Hill, Paul Goldschmidt, Jason Kubel): 2.565
- Yankees (Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson, Mark Teixeira): 2.547
- Twins (Josh Willingham, Joe Mauer, Ryan Doumit): 2.532
- Giants (Buster Posey, Pablo Sandoval, Brandon Belt): 2.527
- Dodgers (Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, Adrian Gonzalez): 2.524
* Napoli's deal still hasn't been finalized.
** A special thanks to all of you for making this blog the 10th-most popular among MLB.com beat writers in 2012. You're the whipped cream on my sundae.
— Alden
6 Divisions in 6 Days, Day 3 …
Leading up to Opening Day, I'll roll out an All-Star team for each of the six divisions in baseball — that includes a manager, a starting nine (with a DH also for the National League), three starters and two relievers. One catch: Each team must have at least one representative, and the skipper doesn't count. Feel free to submit your own lineups below. I'd love to see how yours differ.
Day 3: NL Central
Probably the most wide-open division in baseball (except you can probably count out the Astros).
Manager: Dusty Baker, CIN
Andrew McCutchen, CF (PIT)
Starlin Castro, SS (CHC)
Ryan Braun, LF (MIL)
Joey Votto, 1B (CIN)
Matt Holliday, RF (STL)
Aramis Ramirez, 3B (MIL)
Carlos Lee, DH (HOU)
Yadier Molina, C (STL)
Brandon Phillips, 2B (CIN)
Chris Carpenter, STL (if healthy)
Yovani Gallardo, MIL
Adam Wainwright, STL
Joel Hanrahan, PIT
John Axford, MIL
— Alden
A look at some struggling stars
Maybe the world did end on May 21 and this is some Twilight Zone-ish parallel universe we're living in, because there's plenty about the first two months of this baseball season that just doesn't seem too, well, Earth-y.
Carl Crawford has a .269 on-base percentage?
Adam Dunn's batting average is .180?
Albert Pujols sports a .745 OPS?
Hanley Ramirez is hitting .210?
Dan Uggla is following it up with a .175 clip?
I can't figure it out. But I did find it interesting that almost all of these guys — with the exception of Hanley — are either in the first or final year of their current deals. With a new contract comes pressure, with an expiring one comes uncertainty. Could that be to blame?
Nobody can know for sure. But here's a closer look at The Mystifying Five …
We've seen spurts, little flashes in the pan that the Red Sox's new left fielder is getting back to being the electrifying player he was for so long in Tampa Bay. There was an 11-game hitting streak at the beginning of May that saw him bat .356, a few walk-offs sprinkled in, and back-to-back four-hit games on May 25 and 26.
But still, the consistency has lacked for one of the most consistent — and now richest — players in baseball.
Terry Francona has protected Crawford a bit by keeping him away from the top of the order since his dreadful start, batting him sixth recently. Upon being named American League Player of the Week on Tuesday, Crawford sounded upbeat, saying: "I'm feeling a lot better. I'm feeling a lot more comfortable at the plate. Things are slowing down for me a lot. I feel like it's definitely gotten better for me from the way I started off."
But after May 26, Crawford has notched just three hits in a span of 20 at-bats, and thus the inconsistencies continue.
From 2003-10, Crawford hit .299 with a .340 on-base percentage and averaged 50 steals per season. But heading into Thursday, he had drawn just eight walks (though he's not really known for that anyway), had stolen just seven bases and had notched just 50 hits in 224 plate appearances.
I thought he'd be a perfect fit for Fenway Park and that lineup (and still do), and I know he's one of the hardest-working players in baseball. Is playing in a big market and with a big contract for the first time a factor?
It's at least a fair question.
Dunn (pictured up top by The Associated Press) has struckout an AL-high 71 times, has hit just five homers (he had 10 at this time last year) and has batted just .088 — yes, .088 — against lefties.
Because of that, the man who was supposed to be that big lefty bat the White Sox have been missing since Jim Thome left has been sitting against tough lefties and has jumped around in the batting order.
Dunn, a real standup guy and one of my favorite players to talk to, said this recently: "I'm normally pretty good at not letting things affect me too much. This has been one of the tougher things for me. I don't know why it is. I know I'm coming to a new team, we're not playing very well, and I feel I'm a big part of why we're not doing well. I think that weighs a little more on me than in the past."
Two Sox teams, two star players acquired in the offseason, two unexpected records largely because of their struggles.
Who knew. Even with Adam Wainwright missing the season with Tommy John surgery, the Cardinals are in first place thanks to the contributions of Yadier Molina (.320 batting average) and Lance Berkman (1.044 OPS), and not Pujols.
Considering Pujols is insanely focused, is in a walk year and is the greatest hitter on the planet, I was expecting numbers like .782 batting average, 91 homers, 256 RBIs this year. But, by Gosh, he's human!
Pujols — he who has averaged a .331 clip, 41 homers and 123 RBIs every year heading into this one — is hitting only .262 with nine homers and 31 RBIs. I mean, they're not terrible numbers. But they're nowhere near Pujols-like.
I keep waiting for him to break out, but it just hasn't happened yet. Is it possible that future uncertainty has impacted the production of a man nicknamed "The Machine"?
Possible. But I still think his numbers will be solid by the end of the year, and I still wouldn't be surprised if he signed for record money somewhere.
Ramirez is off to the worst start of his career, and now that he's nursing what seems to be rather serious lower back pain, it may only get worse.
Ramirez, out since Sunday, has only a .306 on-base percentage, has hit only four home runs and has been caught stealing six times. Meanwhile, he continues to get dinged up, and he gets a little bigger every offseason.
I'm wondering how this affects talks of him switching positions.
Hanley wants to continue to play shortstop for obvious reasons — because he loves it, because it's pretty much all he's ever known, and because it makes him even more valuable when he hits free agency again. But the Marlins have too much invested and too little revenues to not try to get the most out of the $70 million deal they signed him to two years ago.
Ramirez's 2010 season — when he batted .300 with 21 homers, 76 RBIs and 32 stolen bases — was solid, but a disappointment for him. Would Hanley be able to produce more if he moved to a less-demanding position? He's never been great defensively, and the Marlins — with no disrespect meant to the fine season Greg Dobbs is having — have a hole at third base.
Just a thought.
And that brings me to Ramirez's teammate, who signed a five-year, $62 million contract with the Braves I never thought he'd land.
Look, Uggla has always been a slow starter (.440 career batting average in April, his lowest for any month) and besides last year, he's never really hit for a high batting average (.257 from 2006-09).
You'd think Uggla would've gotten hot by now, though.
But he seems to have been getting progressively worse.
Over his last 12 games, Uggla has gone just 3-for-40 while striking out eight times and walking only once. Now, his batting average is the lowest it's been since April 16.
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez knows about Uggla's early-season struggles very well. But recently, upon batting him seventh after giving him a couple of mental days off, Gonzalez admitted Uggla's previous slow starts have been "nothing like this."
"The thing he needs is a couple of balls to fall in," he added. "For me, that's all he needs. He's unlucky at times. You hate to say he's unlucky because he's hitting [.175], so how unlucky can it be? But sometimes [the unluckiness] just starts piling on."
I'll leave you on this note: I've been getting the feeling that Uggla has never really thrived with the attention on him. He's always been an under-the-radar guy as a Rule 5 product, always played in a small market in Florida with a reasonable contract; then he had that dreadful All-Star Game performance at Yankee Stadium in '08, and now he's struggling under the weight of a big contract.
I hope I'm wrong.
— Alden
** What I wrote recently: The talent pool at catcher is growing awfully shallow; and Mets manager Terry Collins faces a kind of challenge he never foresaw.


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On Sunday, May 11 this large black lab named Fats went missing at the middle falls area of Wallace Falls State Park. Fats was wearing a black leather collar and a pinch collar. If sighted contact Ranger Tobin at Wallace Falls State Park, 360-793-0420 .
9 comments
From Fats owner,
Update – End of day three and still no clue as to what has happened with my boy Fats, but I have learned a lot about humanity. There are a ton of amazing caring and wonderful people out there. I didn't get to witness the droves of people who descended on Wallace Falls today, but I heard from the rangers that there were a ton of people there with the same thing in mind . . . they all wanted to see Fats returned home safely. While all of this was going on at the Falls I was getting a guided tour of the trails on the south side of the river . . . Wait did I say trails? Yeah, if they exist they are long gone, because all I experienced was traversing the dangers of amazingly beautiful rotting old growth.
As a photographer I can appreciate the beauty, as a man with a mission to get his dog back, fearing the possibility of being impaled on some rotting tree or worse yet getting an old growth enema (which came close to happening several times), I was suffering for the love of my dog, but I was lucky enough to share this with my very good friend Greg, who was my roommate when I first got Fats and was actually there when I had to put down my boy Griffin at 18 yrs old. He knows how much my dogs mean to me, so it was amazing to have him there helping me today.
As I was traversing the south side of the river with Greg, I was getting spotty txt msgs and phone calls about the possibility that someone may have heard a dog barking at the cliff and that someone had called in Search and Rescue which were deployed right away. I was very surprised at this seeing as I had spent much of the previous two days hearing nothing and seeing nothing. But I was happy to get any positive results.
Later after my trek on the other side of the river I found out that the rescue operation was canceled because they believed that the report was false. I did however, receive a call informing me that due to all of the media attention (Yes I was surprised by that as well) and all of the amazing concerned people and friends who have made my posts viral on Facebook, they are going to repel down the face of the cliff tomorrow to ensure whether or not Fats is below or on a ledge. I of course am happy to hear this, but also concerned enough to make sure everyone knows that as much as I want Fats back, I do not want this to be at the expense of anyones safety. So please let the experts do their job. By all means keep coming to the Falls to look for Fats, but know that the authorities are doing what they can to eliminate any possibility of a well meaning friend or acquaintance from harming themselves in the search for Fats.
Lastly, thank you for all of you who have done so much, I have a huge amount of thank you cards I will need to write when this is all done, but it has made my heart soar at the outpouring of love for Fats and his safe return. I do my best to keep my composure and good humour through all of this in front of others, because there is a mission at hand, but when everyone is gone and I allow myself to feel it all I am brought to tears over all of this. Not just the sadness of missing Fats, but that there are so many genuinely caring people out there. Thank you so so so much. Truly!!!
Another from Matthew McSheehy:
This is the big question many have had. A lot of people have walked the trail along the falls. And there has been a large focus on the cliff where we lost saw Fats. WASART and the park rangers will be getting into the basin from an access road on the opposite side of the river and will be able to finally put to rest any concerns that he is stuck on a ledge or fallen below into the basin below the falls. If they see something they will immediately spring into rescue mode.
IN THE MEAN TIME – There are other trails and areas to search. Wallace State Park is a large place. There is a couple trails that lead to Wallace Lake and two others lakes past that. The first trail is along the Woody Trail before you get to the Lower Falls. The second is an unmarked trail above where I lost Fats that leads north to the lakes. I suggest that trail for the more experienced hikers. I don't want anyone to get lost. Finally for those looking for a place to take their bikes there is an access road that starts off of Kellogg Road at the east end of the town of Startup. That road is closed to vehicles but not to bikes. If you want to bike along this road that would be extremely helpful. I gave my bike to a friend in need last year and haven't replaced it yet. So please pass this along.
What to do if you see Fats –
1. – Take a picture with your cell phone. This is the most important thing you could do. If he runs away from you at least you can document that you really did see Fats and not some other dog. I have had two bad reports already.
2. – Contact me right away (425) 246-3475
3. – Don't yell his name just slowly approach him. He will more than likely be weary, tired and afraid.
4. Be aware of your own dogs. If you have an aggressive dog it is not wise to approach Fats with your dog. He is the most loving dog in the world and loves to play with other dogs, but he has been attacked in the past and has learned to protect himself at the sign of aggression from any other dog. This along with the fact that I don't know what state of mind he may be in after 4 days in the backcountry it is important to be careful if you have dogs.
5. – If you have children no worries. He lives with a 6 year old and loves kids. Again he is the most loving dog you could ever meet. So any help you can give please please please do.
Please pass this along!!!
Have you had the opportunity or chance to speak with somebody from WDFW to get a key for the gate off of Kellog Lake Road? That road goes all the way up to Wallace Lake.
I have not. I have hiked the road a few times. I was under the impression it was private property – logging. I will try WDFW for a key though. If anyone knows who owns the property so I can contact them about a key and vehicle access that would be very helpful. Thanks
Thanks Chris! I sent a message to the region 4 office.
Matthew McSheehy: Update . . . End of day four beginning of day five without Fats. I started yesterday with a great deal of hope. I have been so blown over by all of the support and help from so many amazing and wonderful people that you can't help but feel the need to maintain that level of excitement and hopefulness.
We started the day with the WASART team and the park rangers going into two or three main locations to locate Fats in the area below the falls where we last saw him. I waited anxiously for word from Zoe to hear that they were starting the decent. I got the first message around 11:30 telling me that they had closed the park while they were headed out to descend down the cliff since there was some fear that there would be both media and other well-meaning people interfering with the operations.
I waited patiently for word as I took meetings working from home. I was packing up my backpack and filling my platypus with water and running a load of laundry as all my hiking gear was dirty from the last few days of being up there. I was feeling the stress in my body just walking down the steps to the basement to run the laundry and walking around the house, but I was keeping a vey hopeful attitude, trying to visualize a scenario where Fats was found below waiting for rescue.
At 12:48 I received the call that they had been to the ledge and cleared that and were sending people down about 50 feet to get a closer look at the bottom. I had been this far so new that wouldn't see anything till they went lower, so I wasn't surprised.
A half hour later cam the next msg that they had cleared the upper half of the Middle Falls and were certain that there was no sign of Fats on a ledge of in the area below. They were now headed down to the next area below were they would descend all the way down to the river and search that area for any sign of Fats. This was the area I had also been down to on the first day. I didn't have ropes and was not able to get all the way to the river, but was hopeful still to hear what they would find.
I finished up my last meeting and packed up everything in the Jeep and sent a meg that I was on my way out there. They asked me to check in with the WASARt support tent when I got there. When I got there they had just completed their sweep of the river below the second drop in the Middle Falls and said that it was all clear. I had been to two of the pools for the lower falls the day before from the other side and was certain there was no sign of Fats there and had been in the area between the falls above the lower falls both days previous so I put the idea that Fats was in the river out of my mind as I decided to hike up to the lake and sweep back down to the falls along the old DNR road and back down the Woody trail. This is just under about 10 miles of hiking. Luckily I had a friend (Dylan) there to help keep my company with his dog. Thank you Dylan!!!!
I started of the trail with high hopes that I would have Fats running out of the woods wondering where the hell I had been the last four days. As we made it to the Lake that hope was starting to dwindle, but hey there was the long road between the Lake and the top of the falls to go. I continued that walk with Dylan and now started to really feel the wear on my body. We stopped half way on the trail where I had to put the ace bandage back on my knee as I was feeling the pain with ever step. As we got to the top of the Woody Trail that pain was beginning to take all of my attention. We made it down to the Upper Falls and called for Fats and still nothing. Then down to the area above the middle Falls where I had camped out Monday night and had left some clothes and personal items. I opened up my back pack and placed the items in there and walked down to the ledge above the falls and showed Dylan where we searched.
As we went back up to the top of the steps leading to the ledge where I last saw Fats just ahead of me the emotions really started to hit me. I tried to stuff them down as I made my way back to the trailhead over the last two and half miles we had to go. The only thing keeping me from loosing it was the pain I was feeling with every step. I had to focus n each step to make it top the trailhead.
When we broke out to the clearing under the powerlines I told Dylan how much I had appreciated his help and that he could go ahead, that I needed some time alone. He gave me one of the big bear hugs he his best known for. This is where I was having a very difficult time holding back the emotions and I know he knew it to.
I sat there on the bench listening to the dogs from the neighbors off in the distance barking incessantly and thought about the fights I have had with my neighbors as I had learned to find ways to keep Fats from barking when I was gone during the day at work or on a trip. Thinking about the cameras I had put up around the house to keep an eye on them while I was away and the fact that the last trip was incident free.
I thought about each day on my trip to Peru and Easter Island where I would log in to these cameras and watch fats and Ceili (Kaylee) walking the yard or sleeping in the kitchen realizing how much I missed him and just let the feelings go.
I am emotionally and physically spent. I don't want to give up, but getting home to a message from the dog tracker telling me he won't be able to go out there and the only hope I have to turn to are the plethora of dog mediums and psychics who have been calling me and leaving me messages . . . I just took off all of my sweat stained cloths and curled up on the coach in the basement and tried to watch the latest episode of Game of Thrones while I tried not to think about the fact that this is where Fats would jump up on top of my legs and rest his head just staring at me.
I fell asleep thinking about that. I have no plans at this point, emotionally I have given all of my energy to the search and now I just have to hope that maybe somehow there is hope that instead of falling to his death and getting washed down the river that somehow he either managed to survive this 265' fall and the rest of the falls and then made his way out. I have a very very difficult time seeing a scenario where he ran off up above and no one saw him. The park was packed that day and there is only one way out of the park and Tos and I had that covered. So I want to have something more hopeful to share, but this is the honesty of what I am feeling and the facts of what I have done so far.
Thank you to all of the amazing people and all they have done. You are all so amazing really!!! For now I will leave his doggy bed at the front door and try to keep hope that there is a scenario where he returns home. Now I just need to take a shower and get to work and get back to the daily routine.
This just breaks my heart. I am Sending you strength, hope , endurance and love.
The Sky Valley community has been amazingly supportive. The search is ongoing. Please find more information at https://www.facebook.com/FindFats
We have black lab running around Goldbar Nat. Trails. He's been here for awhile. Cannot get close to him. He will growl at u turn and walk away. 425 263 0383. Not sure if it's Fats there are no collar on.


text:
Submitted: January 31, 2012 - 2:01pm
Last updated: January 31, 2012 - 2:33pm
Last updated: January 31, 2012 - 2:33pm
Source: Hill, The
Author: Amie ParnesCoverage Type: reporting
The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20500, United States
President Barack Obama is finding ways to get his message to the public without going through the White House press corps.
On Jan 30, he held his "first completely virtual interview" as part of an event hosted by Google+, the social network the President called "a newfangled thing." The President joined a so-called "hangout"— a chat room of sorts on the social networking site — and took questions through YouTube on everything from unemployment to streamlining the federal government. The event took place in the White House's Roosevelt Room without the presence of television cameras or reporters. The virtual interview is part of a larger effort by the White House to connect directly to Americans without going through the news media.
- Login or register to post comments
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- The first tech moment of the State of the Union happened before President Obama started speaking
- Do voters even need the media anyway?
- White House Promotes Title II Via Social Media
- White House press pool losing scoops to Twitter
- Technology and the Imperative of Citizenship
- President Obama uses Univision, Telemundo to press case for immigration reform
- When The People Speak Is Anyone Listening?
- White House Marshals Social Media for Obama Address
- Who's Going to Blink First on Cyber – Obama, or the House?
- Telecom petition calls on President Obama to fire Brennan
- White House promotes 'My2k' Twitter hashtag in tax-rate debate
- This White House petition on Internet privacy now requires a response
- The First-Ever Virtual "Big Block of Cheese Day" – The White House is Open for Questions
- Few News Conferences, but Still Taking Questions
- More Than Gimmicks: How Obama's Tech Tools Are Shifting the Debate


text:
Aren't we all feeling just a little bit foolish?
All that talk about the end of an era. The long, emotional so-long to the Celtics Big 3.
What a waste of newsprint and blog space. After all that, here we go again.
Kevin Garnett will be back. That means Paul Pierce won't be traded, or why else would KG return?
Ray Allen, come on down! Danny Ainge wants you, too - wants you bad.
This is great. Or is it?
The 2012 playoff run would have been a memorable way to say good-bye to this nucleus. Bringing back Garnett, Pierce and possibly Allen means this team could be one of the NBA's best again.
It also renews the risk we thought we had dodged with the inspired curtain call of the 2012 playoffs. It's still not too late for this aging team to break down, right before our eyes.
Allen, who turns 37 on July 20, might not want Boston. He might join up with Miami Thrice and have a better chance to win another ring.
With or without Allen, not much will change at TD Garden, where birth certificates are treated with the same reverence as baby wipes.
Celtics fans were justifiably elated that Garnett is coming back. The reaction is natural, but a little irrational.
A month ago, this team was on fumes and we were preparing a heartfelt good-bye. Thanks for everything, guys, but it's time to turn the page.
Now, we're saying, forget everything we just said. Hit it, guys, one more time!
Extending a three-year window into six (or seven or eight) can be interpreted in many ways.
One is that even if the Old 3 doesn't win it all, this group will still do a lot better than a team that got "blown up'' for no reason and got sent on a rebuilding road to nowhere.
The more discouraging view is that Ainge is either too attached to these guys, which would be understandable but not very good business, or he looks at the daunting task of rebuilding and doesn't know where to start.
At least we won't have to find out if Rajon Rondo has the patience to handle a rebuilding situation.
Ainge in banking on the C's late-season run as more than just a stirring last hurrah. With Garnett, there was not a lot of decision-making involved.
If Garnett wanted to come back at reasonable money, Ainge would have been crazy to say no.
And if Garnett is back, that's a signal this team still thinks it can compete at the highest level, pretty much as is.
Maybe it can. The Celtics gave the champion Heat a better series than Oklahoma City did.
But bringing everybody back is not the surefire jackpot it's being made out to be. For one thing, it puts the legacy of the team's architect to the test.
Ainge has been at his job since 2003. In all that time, he has reshaped the team only once.
It is easy to forget all the stops, starts and missteps he had before 2007, when he traded for Allen in June.
That made Garnett look at Boston, a team that had never interested him, in an entirely new light. He came by trade in July, and a doddering franchise was rescued.
Since then, Ainge has stood pat on the big stuff. It is a valid way to run a team.
Sometimes, you've got to know when to hold 'em. But he is pushing his luck now.
Rather than help their aging legs by knocking 16 games off the regular season last year, the Celtics think the lockout hurt them by disrupting their development and routine. For half of last year, Garnett looked old and so did his team.
Doc Rivers moved Garnett from forward to center, and like magic, he was KG again. His team followed his lead.
Bringing back Garnett is a no-brainer, but chasing Allen is a different story. If he's healthy, he is still a useful role player, but he is no longer of Big 3 caliber.
Ainge is convinced the removal of bone spurs will matter more to Allen, in a positive way, than his advancing age.
The Celtics seem prepared to double Miami's best offer with a two-year, $12 million deal. They will try to win with this group one more time, or two, or three.
Let's hope the stand-pat approach is the plan, as opposed to doing it as a stalling tactic because there is no plan.
You might think Celtics were getting too old, but Danny Ainge doesn't
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on July 03, 2012 at 8:09 AM, updated July 03, 2012 at 8:25 AM
Aren't we all feeling just a little bit foolish?


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SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio - Notre Dame College has received a $500,000 donation that it can use any way it wishes.
"The mission of Notre Dame College resonates with us in many ways, including the percentage of students needing financial aid and the number who are the first in their families to go to college," the donors, who wish to remain anonymous, said in a news release. "We are delighted that we are able to help the College continue to move forward by providing the best academic and extracurricular experiences it can for capable and deserving students."
Since July 2013, the private liberal arts college has had significant growth, including the addition of two all-weather athletic fields and the renovation of the south wing of Regina Hall for the division of nursing and the college's Academic Support Center.
Part of this most recent gift will go toward completion of the $3 million Regina upgrade project.
Program to help women begins at Tri-C: The Women in Transition program at Cuyahoga Community College will begin a new session of classes the week of Aug. 25.
The eight week program will be held at the Eastern Campus in Highland Hills, the Metropolitan Campus in Cleveland and the Western Campus in Parma. It is free and open to the public.
Participants build confidence and self-esteem through classes on personal development, career exploration and financial and computer literacy. The course is designed to assist women in transitional periods of their lives, such as a career change or return to the workforce.
Classes are offered several days a week at each campus and meet from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Classes are also offered from 6 tp 8:30 p.m. at the Eastern Campus.
Registration is required. For more information or to enroll, call 216-987-2272 (Eastern Campus), 216-987-4187 (Metro Campus) or 216-987-5091 (Western Campus).
ACT scores stagnant: A record number of students are taking the ACT but average scores remain stagnant, according to its annual report.
The report said 1.84 million high school students who graduated in 2014 took the college readiness test.
But for many test-takers, succeeding in postsecondary education might be an empty hope, Inside Higher Ed reported.
Only 39 percent of test-takers met three or more of the ACT's college readiness benchmarks in English, math, reading and science – a percentage that's unchanged from last year. And striking racial gaps persist. As in previous years, African Americans and Latinos scored much lower, on average, than their Asian-American and white peers.


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We are sorry but the FDA and FTC will no longer allow us to post related scientific research. For years, there was little research available on essential oils. Now that there is a growing body of research on essential oils, it is not allowed to appear on the same website that promotes essential oils in any way.
You are advised to go to http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed and enter whatever you are searching for in the search box.


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© Cornwall Hospital Foundation
Campaign Co-Chairs Roy Perkins & Angela Bellefeuille, in front, along with CH Foundation Board Chair Allan Wilson and Honorary Chair Jim Brownell and look through Cornwall's first MRI machine.
The Cornwall Community Hospital Foundation has reached its fundraising goal.
Officials announced that after 10 months of work by 20 volunteers and hundreds of donors, the To Your Health! Campaign reached its $3.5-million goal to purchase an MRI scanner and digital urology table for Cornwall Community Hospital.
As of today, $3,524,000 have been raised.
"This week is a proud moment for our donors and everyone involved in the campaign, said Roy Perkins, co-chair of the campaign. "I never doubted that we'd reach our $3.5-million objective and we couldn't have done it without the commitment of a lot of people.
"We thank all the volunteers and the donors who stepped up to the plate and generously supported this campaign. It's amazing what people can do when they band together."
"This was my first involvement in a fundraising campaign of this magnitude," said co-chair Angela Bellefeuille. "It was interesting to see how approaching an individual, a group or a business could snowball into donations coming from several unexpected directions."
Campaign honorary chair Jim Brownell said he knew that the communities would rise to the occasion.
"It was clear to me and to everyone I spoke with that the MRI and the digital urology table were needed in our region," he said. "Because this equipment will benefit so many people in Cornwall, S.D. & G. and Akwesasne, boundaries and borders didn't matter for donors and volunteers. The entire region came together for this one cause and made it happen."


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The table saw is a very impressive tool. This basic piece of machinery's design allows
us to make straight, accurate cuts every time, if the tool is properly maintained. Having
had to produce laborious cuts by hand in the field, I never take my table saw for
granted when I get back to the shop.
In short, I think there should be a basic respect and devotion to maintenance of all power tools. The difference between an amateur and professional, in my mind, is the willingness to understand why the tool does what it does, and then care for it.
This versatile tool is basically a motor driven arbor connected by a framework to a
table. The table remains in a fixed horizontal position and the arbor tilts. The size
of the saw is determined by the diameter of the blade that's recommended for use (10"
is the most common size found in the shop). The sawblade works in conjunction with
either a rip fence or a miter gage in normal operation.
The blade can be set for depth and angle (photo 1). There is also an angle adjustment on the miter gage which will slide into and along the slots that are milled into the table top (photo 2). The rip fence has an incremental lateral adjustment and can be locked once it has been set the desired distance from the blade (photo 3).
Photo 2: Adjust the miter gage angle.
Photo 3: Set and lock the rip fence.
We must always bear safety in mind. In addition, we must also be in tune with general
safety concerns related to each specific tool's set of cardinal rules. Never lose respect
for the fact that the table saw is designed primarily to cut wood. It's a wonderful tool,
but it will never have the ability to distinguish between wood and our fragile bodies.
It's the operator's responsibility to determine what is passed through the blade.
A well-adjusted and clean tool in a clutter-free environment contributes to safety. Sharp blades will certainly add to your proficiency and safety by diminishing the possibilities of binding or kickback. I've made it a habit never to stand directly behind the blade in case of kickback, but rather stand to one side or the other, depending upon the operation at hand.
One very basic rule is to use the guard provided with the saw or one designed to be used with your saw. Some operations require the removal of the guard, and we should be aware of the increased danger potential. Read and digest all of the information provided with the saw. Each one is a little different in terms of design. The fence, which way the blade tilts, size of the table and horsepower are just some of the variables that should be paid attention to.
I keep a checklist tacked up by my saw. A quick rundown before each operation increases proficiency. It also helps to remind me of any particular safety concerns that may be associated with that operation. A good insurance policy!
Cardinal rules are defined as rules of fundamental importance. The cardinal rules for the table saw are as follows:
There are basic rules of operation that should be practiced. Read all of the information
that you can regarding the operation and use of the table saw before using one for the
first time. With this good educational foundation, the rest will come with time and
The basic rules to remember include:
Make a maintenance schedule noting the date of purchase, and the parts to be oiled,
greased or changed (figure 1). This chart should be tacked up in some obvious place
where it won't be lost or forgotten.
I like to run my maintenance schedules according to actual hours of usage, with the exception of the belts. Being made of rubber, these drive belts are prone to deterioration. I change my belts once each year just to be safe. I clean and lubricate all moving parts after every ten hours of actual usage. While doing this, I also check to see if anything needs to be tightened or adjusted. It's a good idea to note these adjustments, and any parts that are showing signs of wear on your maintenance schedule along with the date.
Table Saw
Serial Number:
|Hours of operation
|Maintenance notes
For a permanent installation of an enclosed base saw, some sort of dust collection
system should be considered. Many relatively inexpensive options can handle this
The bottom line is to exhaust the dust away from the motor and moving parts each time the saw is used. The enclosed base is nice in terms of stability, but should never be allowed to fill with sawdust. All enclosed base saws provide a port somewhere at the bottom to attach the exhausting tool.
If a formal dust collector isn't affordable, a simple shop-vac with the proper adapter can be used. This can be wired directly into the switch of the saw so that it becomes operational each time the saw is turned on.
Because all table saws are made of parts which are bolted and screwed together, these
parts loosen and slip due to vibration. If not checked regularly, this will begin to
manifest itself as inaccuracies in the work. It's
a good idea to make some occasional spot checks for these inaccuracies along the way.
Methods of adjustment will differ from saw to saw, but the basic relationships of the parts to each other all remain the same. Carefully study the owner's manual for your particular saw. The basic adjustments are as follows:
Some important relationships will hold true for every table saw. First, the rip fence, the blade and the miter gage slots in the table must all be parallel. Second, the rip fence and miter gage must be at 90 degrees to the table. Third, the throat plate should be flush with the table top. The table top itself should be perfectly flat or none of this will work. I always check the table first with a long straight edge before beginning the alignment process (photo 4).
Once the table has been confirmed flat, I make sure the blade is parallel to the miter gage slots in the table. This is done by raising the blade all the way and placing a three foot ruler against it (photo 5). Make sure that the ruler is lying flat against the blade between the teeth.
Next I simply measure from both the back and the front of the ruler to either slot in the table. If these aren't parallel, refer back to your owner's manual to determine how this should be corrected on your saw. All other alignment is based on this relationship, so this must be correct. At this point, I check that the rip fence is parallel to the miter gage slots, and, consequently, to the blade. This can be done by placing a dimensioned stick into one of the slots in the table (photo 6). I move the fence within 1/16" of the stick, then lock it into place.
The space between the stick and the fence should be the same both back and front. If
not, this could cause binding or burning of the cut edge. Every fence and fence guide
system has a means by which this problem may be corrected.
Next I run a quick check with a square to see if the fence and miter gage head both are perpendicular to the table top (photo 7). If the fence tracking system is installed correctly, this shouldn't be a problem. If the miter gage isn't perpendicular, I check that the track is clear and that the bottom of the slide is clean. If these investigations don't point out the problem, then the tool may be bent. I might add that I've encountered this problem only once in my long career.
Along with this operation, I also check the relationship of the miter gage to the blade with the square. The 90 degrees stop on the gage should be adjusted and set.
The throat plate must be flush with the table top. This is checked by placing a straight edge across the table and plate (photo 8). Some manufacturers provide a screw type of adjustment either on the plate or in the table where the plate is inserted. If the plate is designed to fit flush without adjustment and doesn't, the culprit may be sawdust build- up.
Adjustable plate or not, the sawdust should be cleaned out of this area each time the blade is changed. A plate that isn't flush can cause a board to "snag" either before or after it has entered the blade.
The splitter, usually part of the guard assembly, is located directly behind the blade.
The space in the board which is removed by the saw blade is called a "kerf." The
splitter is used to keep the saw-kerf open;
this keeps the wood from binding.
To check the alignment, I raise the blade to maximum height and place the three foot ruler on each side of the blade and splitter. Make sure that the ruler is against the blade and not touching the teeth (photo 9). If the ruler touches the splitter on either side, it's out of alignment. I will then loosen the connecting bolts and realign the splitter. Once re-tightened, I will check again with the ruler.
An efficient blade is a sharp blade. Besides being dangerous, a dull blade can cause
some of the same symptoms as misalignment. As a matter of fact, a dull blade can
cause misalignment to occur.
I don't recommend that blades be sharpened at home, unless you have the specific equipment to do this job. Sharpening sawblades is a task for professionals with proper equipment.
I do recommend that you clean the blades between sharpenings. This can be done with fine steel wool and lacquer thinner. Make sure to dry the blade well after cleaning. Then store it in a safe place where it won't get dropped, banged or otherwise damaged.
Depending on your saw type, you will either have a motor pulley to arbor pulley
arrangement, or a motor arbor assembly (direct drive). If your saw contains the pulley
type drive, it's necessary to check the pulley alignment.
If alignment is needed, this will require the adjustment of the motor via the mounts. The pulleys themselves should be true. The reasoning here is to avoid unnecessary stress on the motor or arbor bearings.
If the bearings in the arbor are bad due to wear, they need to be replaced. This will become evident by the clicking noise produced by bad bearings. If you hear this unusual noise, check to see if there's any play in the blade that's mounted to the arbor. There should be none whatsoever.
If replacement is needed, check your owner's manual parts list and replacement instructions. The saw shouldn't be used until these have been replaced.
An arbor assembly consists of a threaded shaft with a fixed flange, a washer and a nut (figure 2). If the fixed flange isn't true, or has runout, the arbor should be replaced.
This would be evident while observing the blade as it comes to a stop after the
machine has been turned off. If the blade wobbles even slightly there's a problem. If
this is the case, it's a good idea to check this again with another blade. If the second
blade runs true, the first blade is probably warped and should be replaced.
The arbor washer distributes the force of the nut and must also be flat and free of any bumps. This washer should be worked over a flat sharpening stone if there's any doubt.
Once all of the adjustments are done, and as part of the ongoing maintenance schedule,
the tool should be cleaned and waxed. Use a light oil lubricant and fine steel wool to
clean the table top.
After this has been wiped clean, apply paraffin wax. I also apply this wax to the faces of both the rip fence and miter gage. Simply apply it to the surface and then buff it off. This will make the work glide across all surfaces, and consequently reduce burning and chattering. It also protects your tool surfaces from rust. They look good, too!
The material being cut also enters into the equation. For instance, wet lumber not only could cause binding and serious kickback, but may also damage your saw by rusting everything below the table top. Extremely warped or twisted wood may cause kickback or inaccurate cuts if not flat. This type of material can also be the cause of loss of adjustment. Good common sense should be applied before milling any material.
Excerpted from Tune Up Your Tools: The Woodshop Maintenance Handbook, c1996 by Sal Maccarone, published in March 1996 by Betterway books. Used with permission. This new book shows how to properly maintain every tool in your shop. Order with credit card by calling 1-800-289-0963 or contact Sal for an autographed copy of the book.
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Achtoon Baby
New U2 Album Info
NEW! @U2 Tours
"[Madonna's] music is a little off the shelf for me, but it's almost like the lack of personality in the music heightens the personality in her voice."
-- Bono
U2 released their follow-up to Achtung Baby in 1993
U2 Music and Lyrics published by Blue Mountain Music Ltd (for the UK)/Mother Music Ltd (For the Republic Of Ireland)/PolyGram International Music
Publishing BV (For The Rest Of The World) U2 Recordings owned by Universal International Music B.V. exclusively licensed to Island Records (ROW) and Interscope Records (USA)
October 31 2016
Larry's Birthday
Our favorite drummer turns 55 today.
November 4 2016
U2 2 at The Garage in aid of Mencap
Tonight in London
Full Calendar
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It doesn't happen every day when a 16-year-old can steal the spotlight from his 91-year-old record-breaking uncle.
But at the World Association of Benchers and Deadlifters in Reno, Nev. that's just what Meir Jablon did when he broke the deadlift world record for the 12-15 age group, lifting 397.8 pounds. He weighed in at 131.9. It was his first weightlifting competition.
"I feel like I was meant to do this," Jablon said, who broke the record on his sixteenth birthday. "It's my passion."
The deadlift is a weight-training exercise where a loaded barbell is lifted off the ground from a stabilized, bent-over position. A "deadlift" refers to lifting dead weight, or weight without momentum.
A sophomore at Mercer Island High School, Jablon started lifting weights almost by process of elimination. He was looking forward to participating in wrestling and lacrosse, when an autoimmune issue with his back forced him out of action. As he was missing wrestling season and part of the lacrosse season, he decided to try weightlifting. After all, he had a great-uncle making news in the world of weightlifting.
"My Uncle Sy is influential in my life," said Jablon. "He's kind of like a grandpa to me."
His 91-year-old great-uncle Sy Perlis, a WWII Navy veteran who began lifting weights at 60 years old, gained notoriety in June when he broke the WABDL world weightlifting record for the 90-and-over age division, lifting 187.2 pounds on the bench press. The previous mark was 135. At the world championships in Reno, Perlis broke his own record, benching 190.7.
"I wanted 195," Perlis said.
Perlis invited his grand-nephew to train with him in Surprise, Ariz. in October before the WABDL Worlds in Reno. "We took him over to the gym, and the coach looked him over and gave me the high sign," said Perlis.
"[The WABDL Worlds] was the first time he lifted," Perlis said. "I thought that was absolutely the greatest. He came in without any local contests. I'm very, very proud of Meir."
Jablon's mother, Vicki Rackner, said they're still figuring out what's causing Jablon's back pain. "What we do know is that he doesn't have any pain when he powerlifts, and he does have pain when he tries something else," Rackner said.
Jablon trains at Seattle Strength and Power in downtown Seattle three times a week with his trainer, Todd Christensen. While his dead lift record stands at 397.8 pounds, Meir maintains he has lifted 405 pounds in the gym. He is planning to compete in a Washington state meet in March, where he hopes to go for a world record in bench, squat and deadlift. He wants to keep competing and breaking records. But his main goal is spreading the word about weightlifting.
"I want to influence kids about weightlifting and show them something that excites them," Jablon said. "The records aren't as important, spreading the word out about how weightlifting can be beneficial, that's the important part."
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Andrews's paintings find a home at ChocMo
POULSBO — Thirty-nine years of painting currently hangs inside ChocMo. It's that same 39 years that have led to James Andrews's first art show. On July 19 from 7-9 p.m. at ChocMo, Andrews will present his paintings to the public.
Andrews has shown his work at festivals. This is the first time his paintings will be in a gallery exhibit of their own.
"If I sat around waiting to be discovered then I would be sitting around all my life, waiting to be discovered," Andrews said at ChocMo. "I just had to go for it."
Andrews set a goal for his work to be exhibited within two years. With the show at the Poulsbo business, he met the goal in half the time, he said. The art hanging on the walls, mostly acrylic, represents 39 years worth of painting. Not that the paintings themselves took 39 years, but its that time that brought Andrews to this stage in his work.
The gallery of Andrews work will be showcased through August at ChocMo. He precedes Marty Green (September to October), Greg McDonald (November to December) and work from Northwest College of Art and Design in 2013. The decision to start hosting galleries officially began in January. Mary Ryan, art space manager at ChocMo, said the owners of www.artistsedge.com recommended Andrews's art.
"When we saw his work, we thought it was really unique and thought provoking," she said.
Andrews, a Silverdale resident, said his work is about connections. It's about connecting people with the "why" or "why not." The work could be described as surrealist.
The decision to seek out a show of his own happened after his supervising and leadership responsibilities at Kingston High School were eliminated, which cut about $5,000 of his income. Instead of worrying about loss, he saw an opportunity. He began working to build his career as a painter. He's also been home more.
"It's been nice," he said. "I've been home for a lot more dinners."
Andrews began working in the North Kitsap School District 13 years ago. He started at Kingston Junior High and transferred to the high school when it opened. Students have their own influence on his work.
"That's probably the coolest thing about being an art teacher," he said. "You have that constant, yearly changing source of inspiration."
Working with about 150 students, he learns more from them than they do from him, he said. He teaches technique and work habits. He wants to help students "think and to see." The variety of work he sees as a teacher helps inspire his own work.
"I feed off of them all the time," he said. It's a symbiotic relationship."
The KHS teacher grew up in New York, where his father was an artist. Andrews went to college and studied theatrical design. He moved to Washington 13 years ago.
With his upcoming show, Andrews wants to show students that the people teaching them are also involved in their discipline. He said it's too easy for students to question material if they don't see an outcome outside the classroom.
Though it's difficult — say impossible — to say how much time he's put into the paintings, his wife and two children would say a lot.
Some work can "pour" out overnight. Take "Meditation," for example, which he did in one 14-hour stretch.
Other work could sit for a while, which he would "chip away" at.
Looking forward, Andrews said someday would like to have paintings in shops around Seattle.
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FLINT, MI – General Motors will make a $10,000 donation to the city of Flint to plant trees at the long-vacant Chevy in the Hole, a former GM site that was home to Flint's first Buick factory.
The trees are expected to mitigate the pollutants present in the soil and groundwater through a process called "phytoremediation," in which trees take the water from the ground, stabilize or reduce contaminants, and transpire the water as a neutral vapor.
Grants from the U.S. Forest Service – in the amount of $250,000 – and the U.S. Department of Agriculture – in the amount of $375,000 – have allowed for two previous tree-plantings at the site.
"For the better part of a century, this site played an important part in the growth of General Motors," said Terri Burden, plant manager at Flint Engine Operations. "Now, we – the men and women of GM in Flint – have an opportunity to help transform this former industrial site into an environmental remediation model."
The donation comes just days after Mark Reuss, president of GM North America, announced plans by GM to purchase the Durant-Dort Carriage Company Factory One on Water Street in Flint. The building is regarded as the birthplace of GM.
The automaker also pledged to become the curator of the Durant-Dort office building that is currently operated by the Genesee County Historical Society.
"The transformation of Chevy in the Hole into a place where visitors can learn about the site's rich history as well as utilizing its greatest nature resource – the Flint River – will enhance Flint's quest to become a destination place," said John Bradburn, GM waste-reduction manager.
The Chevy in the Hole site was home to the Flint Wagon Works from 1883 to 1913. It was also home to the first Buick plant in the city, producing Buick engines from 1904 to 1909 and the first production year for Buick Automobiles, the 1904 Model B.
While the collection of GM factories on the site was known by different names through the years, the property is commonly referred to as Chevy in the Hole. The last factory on the site closed about a decade ago.
The Flint Economic Development Corp. purchased the parcel in 2008 from Delphi Corp., the last operator of the site. The city of Flint has a plan to create a massive green space along the river, opening it up for recreational, educational and environmental uses.
According to projections from the two previous donations, the $10,000 grant should be enough to purchase 40 trees for the site.


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BLAINE -- In the spirit of '76 -- 1976, that is -- Canadians are swarming into Washington state to take advantage of the newly regained parity of the Canadian and U.S. dollars.
With the rising value of the loonie, a nickname based on the bird on the Canadian $1 coin, 50 percent more cars were recorded at Peace Arch crossing at this border town last month than in August 2006, according to figures from the U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection. The crossing at the northern end of Interstate 5 is the third busiest on the U.S.-Canadian border.
U.S. businesses from retailers to real estate firms are benefiting.
"Being equal gives them the last reason they needed to spend more time and more loonies here in the U.S.," said Mike Kent, who sells houses in nearby Birch Bay and Semiahmoo for Windermere Real Estate. "It's not just because you can get good spending power, it's the lure of being in a different country. You feel as if you've truly gotten away."
Bethany Lyons, manager at Target at Bellis Fair shopping mall just north of Bellingham, about a half-hour drive south of the border, said she expects more Canadian shoppers in the wake of the loonie achieving virtual parity with the greenback on Thursday for the first time since November 1976.
Canadians account for about half of the store's customers, rising as high as 75 percent on Canadian holiday weekends, Lyons said.
Last month, many business operators in Port Angeles, across Strait of Juan de Fuca from Victoria, British Columbia, began posting maple leaf signs in their windows to show they would take Canadian currency at par, a slight discount at that time.
Ryan Burles, vice president of Black Ball Transport Inc., said more Canadians were buying tickets on the company's car and passenger ferry MV Coho, which operates between Port Angeles and Victoria, but added there had been no decline in U.S. travelers yet.
"Older people especially seem to plan ahead for travel, and this is usually the best month for weather," Burles said.
Olympic National Park Ranger Jon Preston got a big show of hands Thursday morning when he asked if there were any Canadians at the visitor center in Port Angeles.
One of the visitors, Vaughan McIntyre from Regina, Saskatchewan, said he visited the U.S. even when the Canadian dollar was trading near 60 cents against the U.S. dollar five years, "but now I visit more."
He said he often pays the equivalent of $4.50 U.S. a gallon for gasoline at home, about 50 percent more than at the pump in Washington state.
"Things are ridiculously cheap here by our standards," McIntyre said. "There's all kinds of examples of how the cost of living is so much higher."
McIntyre hasn't seen more Canadian license plates in the U.S. than he did three years ago, but he has seen far fewer U.S. license plates in Canada.
Another effect of the dollar parity is rising prices for oil, copper, iron and other Canadian exports, said Paul Storer, an economics professor at Western Washington University in Bellingham.
Port Angeles City Council member Grant Munro, a logging company and retired Rayonier timber executive, said the stronger Canadian currency is helping the U.S. forest products industry compete with Canadian imports.
"They are hurting, but on this side that's good for us," Munro said. "The Canadian lumber industry had a great run a few years ago, but it's over. It's not just lumber, it's also paper, pulp and plywood."
The Canadian dollar is unlikely to rise much higher, however, and probably won't be as close to the U.S. dollar for more than five to 10 years because Canada's economy is insufficiently competitive in the long run to sustain such a high value, Storer said.
Nor should Pacific Northwest businesses expect the kind of gains they recorded in the early 1990s, the last time the Canadian dollar was worth more than 90 U.S. cents, said Luther H. "Hart" Hodges, director of Western Washington University's Center for Economics and Business Research.
The number of people entering the United States at the two border crossings in Blaine fell from more than 13 million in 1991 to 5.7 million people last year, Customs figures show.
"The role of the Canadian dollar is less significant than it used to be," Hodges said.
He noted that Canadian shoppers also have more choices at home than in the past, including many U.S. chains that have opened outlets there, and face tougher security checks and longer waiting times at he border, partly because of construction to prepare for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 2010.