text:
I was a teenager during a great time in rock history, the 80's. I saw the start of MTV, the premier of the Michael Jackson Thriller video, my sister learning the dance moves to Prince's 1999 and Madonna singing Like a Virgin.
I remember working at some little clothing store and going into the record store next door to see if they had the 45 for Like a Virgin. He gave me the record, saying she was a one-hit wonder, she won't go anywhere. Ha! (I got Wham!'s Wake Me Up Before You Go Go the same way)
What surprises me lately, is that my children are listening to some of the greatest rock songs from the 80's, mostly due to Guitar Hero, but even though that fad has gone away, they still pull out their dad's "old" CD's and listen to them.
Let me know who/what you are listening to:
For me, it's Indie Rock. I listen to a lot on The Sting, 88.3 Berea. Artists like fun., Gotye, Imagine Dragons, and Alabama Shakes; I wouldn't have known about them if I hadn't been listening. Of course, with Gotye's rise to fame, I'm sure I would have heard of him by now! I like discovering new artists and bringing their CD's to the library for you to discover as well, come take a listen.
I don't know why I'm on a Paul Simon kick lately, most likely due to a patron looking for classic 80's songs. One of my favorites is Call Me Al with Chevy Chase, a classic in my book, also I'm crazy about Obvious Child.
Who are your favorites:
Mine? The Decemberists, Billy Bragg & Wilco, Mumford & Sons, Five for Fighting, First Aid Kit, Jason White (formerly of The Janglers), Hooters, Jimmy Buffett, and yes, embarrassingly enough, Enrique Iglesias (I know).
But what's next? What's your new favorite genre of music? New favorite artist?
It's all up to you.


text:
|GM Goblin King
|2 people marked this as a favorite.
Convenient link to OOC thread, for OOC-type stuff!
It's been 2 weeks since your routing of Vorka the cannibal. Early-early spring is giving way to early spring, and with it, the usual threats begin to emerge from the forest, hungry for Licktoads.
Your celebrity seems to have waned. As life in the village goes on, goblins, with their short memories, seem to have forgotten your life-risking heroism, your derring-do, your "charasma."
Now, the mundane is again the norm. Goblins hunt and gather, get distracted by the weirdest things, and practice their psychotic ways on all and sundry. The weaponworks which keeps your tribe in good stead is busy cranking out reliable dogslicers and other items for whoever can trade for them, and business is brisk. Thanks to you, all is well in Licktoad Village.
Yet, though you've been of inestimable service, you've forgotten, too. Each day brings little challenge, and past glories fade quickly in the warped minds of wicked goblins.
Tark, strolling through the woods with his fine earthbreaker, was gathering mushrooms, when the urge to bash overcame him. He swiftly destroyed the 'shrooms, along with the basket he carried them in, shattered some rocks, then pounded an anthill until he was covered in them. Finally, the painful biting of the flying ants brought him out of it. What was this feeling he was feeling (besides the pain of ant bites)?
Klepy? What you call it when there's nothing fun to do? And where my hammer?
Klepy was hunched over, staring at the hammer he'd pulled out of Tark's belt, entranced by the shiny. His basket had almost no mushrooms in it, he'd been so distracted.
Klepy forgotteds. Thassa good question, Tark. Mebee we aks Bucko or Velag. They smarts!
And so Tark took his hammer back, and the 2 clinical psychopaths went to find their friends, to ask them what the feeling was called when you had nothing fun to do.
They encountered Velag on their way back to the village. He was busy casting acid splash on every bug that flew by, and though his aim was improved, it just wasn't much of a challenge any more. They just didn't dissolve with the same panache as they once did.
Velag knew exactly what they were talking about, but couldn't remember the word, either.
Less ask Bucko! He know lotsa words, and he don't write 'em down! Velag chirped, and joined his friends to look for the witch.
They found Bucko in the middle of the village, drinking the last of the whiskey they'd found in Vorka's ship, and a little tipsy. He'd putrefied so much food in the last few weeks, the other goblins kept away from him, lest their food be spoiled, too.
Ah can'n'remember. Dis hooch gone straight to mah haid! the little spoiler hiccupped.
They conferred awhile, when Slorb suddenly walked by.
Hey, Slorb! What you call it when you feel like there nothing fun to do? they inquired, sort of in unison, but not.
Slorb know, came his answer. It called "patrol." You goblins come with me. We talk to His Mighty Girthness. He fix you good.
"Patrol?" Tark asked, mulling it over. That don't sound right...
With shrugs of their collective shoulders, the 4 goblins followed Slorb to the Chief's big hut. Surely, they would remember the word there.
|Bucko Rackingclaw
|GM Goblin King
"Bucko smartest goblin!"
Abandon plan!
|Bucko Rackingclaw
|GM Goblin King
** spoiler omitted **
Klepy follows the party. He taps Tark on the shoulder. "Is patol shiny?
|Tark Bashflat
|GM Goblin King
Once all the honorifics, rigamarole and obligatories are out of the way, Chief Gutwad gets down to business.
You good goblins. Got experience. You go on patrol, keep Licktoads safe. Train tha n00bs. Try not to get dem killed.
You are instructed that you will split up. Two of you will take the "dayshift," riding a loop that goes around the village in the surrounding woods, looking for anything that might be a threat if it were to wander closer, or if it's more intelligent, might decide to raid the village, enslave you, and all that rot. This time of year, newborn and immature versions of various creatures are very common, and it's common goblin wisdom that you "kill it before it gets bigger," which is good advice, particularly when you're 3 feet tall.
You will take with you two young, less-experienced goblin warriors, also riding goblin dogs, or "ratdogs," as your tribe calls them.
The "nightshift" is a little different. Again, it's two of you training two idiot goblins, but mounts are rarely used in night patrol. You stay much closer to the village, ready to use your stealth and darkvision to take out threats before they even see you. The n00bs with you have longbows instead of shortbows, but are otherwise bestiary issue goblins, with these weapons:
Goblin warrior 1
NE Small humanoid (goblinoid)
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception –1
AC 16, touch 13, flat-footed 14 (+2 armor, +2 Dex, +1 shield, +1 size)
hp 6 (1d10+1)
Fort +3, Ref +2, Will –1
Speed 30 ft.
Melee dogslicer +2 (1d4/19–20) or
Horsechopper +2 (1d8/x3, reach, trip)
Ranged short bow +4 (1d4/×3)
Str 11, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 6
Base Atk +1; CMB +0; CMD 12
Feats Improved Initiative
Skills Ride +10, Stealth +10, Swim +4; Racial Modifiers +4 Ride, +4 Stealth
Languages Goblin
If you don't wanna do patrol, we put you cleaning baby cages. Safer work. I just don't wanna see big heroes sit around bored, Gutwad says.
Bored! Tark shouts. Bored! Bored! Bored! HAHAHAHA! BOOOOOORRRREEED!
Gutwad looks at him like he's an idiot. You can go now, he says, rolling his eyes at Slorb.
Your particular dayshift goes from noon to 6 PM, and your nightshift from midnight to 6 AM. You wait in the village until the previous patrol comes back from their rounds, then you go out, returning to the village in 6 hours.
Buddy system, gobbies! Pair up for patrol!
|Tark Bashflat
Tark thinks about who to partner up.
Tark considers Klepy's question for a moment. What him mean not bash flat? There no other way to bash. Him try'n to confuse me!
Then Tark looks towards Bucko. Him good at kill'n stuff, but him always try'n to take Tark's kills.
"Oki Velag, lets go on patrol. Waits until yous meet Fangz. Him da bestest howler in da village!"
|Bucko Rackingclaw
"I right we teach non A-dolt goblins tah pat an roll."
How do we want to do new spells, did i get to meet a witch in the tribe or will I need to make a journey to find one?
Or just handle it as flavor.....
"Awe crap klepy is de-fault, maybe less shinies at night, no waits tha moon is shiny, crap."
|GM Goblin King
|GM Goblin King
Okay, here's your chance at a free cool point. Come up with a good name for your little group. Best one wins. We select a few from the suggestions, you 4 vote, and if there's a tie, I break it.
A kewl point! It could be yours!
|Tark Bashflat
Well, assuming that Tark's suggestions will likely not be acceptable:
* The Mighty Tark and Chums
* Ultimate Non Stupid Tark and Best Licktoads Ever (which can be abbreviated as "UNSTABLE")
Answering to a voice in the back of his head, Tark utters forth "So Tough Licktoads of Doom". Tark blinks and looks around for a bit, wondering why that came out of his mouth, and more importantly why it did not make any mention to Tark.
|GM Goblin King
Efesti- The goblin word for "moonless night," when they have the advantage over their lesser-sighted foes. I can make this bs up all day... lol We waits for efesti, then we gets our revenges!
|Tark Bashflat
|Bucko Rackingclaw
The goblin vanguard.....
......I guess first we would need a van
Can't catch us we riding fast goblins......
theme song (MC hammer can't touch this)
.....duh duh duh,
can't catch this....
.....duh duh
..can't catch this
Ridin dirty might be a better theme song.....
Bucko Patrol
swamp patrol
Are we lost yet
Are we there yet
Hey is it dead
|GM Goblin King
Let's post our ideas in the convenient OOC thread, conveniently linked at the top of the page, for your convenience. My bad for not thinking of that in the first place.
Midnight arrives, and Bucko and Klepy report for duty, where they're met by a pair of young goblin warriors eager to learn from the two heroes. Bucko should have his spells picked out.
The first nightshift comes in, and other than the usual smashing of some egg cases laid by various giant insects, nothing big happened. They seem relieved, and go to sleep in their huts.
As you patrol, Klepy demonstrates how to move silently and hide, even in difficult things like bushes and mud. The n00bs aren't nearly so stealthy, but they hope to someday put a skill point in it.
BTW, I forgot to mention that there's an XP award for not getting the n00bs killed on these outings!
You quietly circle the camp, never farther than 2 or 300 feet from the perimeter, alert for signs of trouble.
High above the canopy, you hear the beating of giant wings. You can't see what's making the noise, but it sounds as if, whatever it is, it's heading right for the village.
|Bucko Rackingclaw
Spells prepared, listed under typical spells prepared spoiler
"Steady young goblins, dark wings headed to tha village, prepares tah defend mushy-mushy."
Bucko mounts up and tries to get back towards the tribe......
|GM Goblin King
The n00bs, looking a little scared, follow Bucko towards the village. As you get closer, the sound of the flapping wings does not abate, but grows louder.
|Bucko Rackingclaw
Klepy bounces with excitement. "And Klepy getsta hides!" Klepy turns to the other goblin recruits. "Klepy gonna teech youses howsta be sneaky. You watch! Learn!" Klepy attempts to show them how to disappear.
Stealth:1d20 + 21 ⇒ (19) + 21 = 40
|GM Goblin King
I'll let Klepy save that roll for later.
As you ride into the clearing of the village, you see, near the center, a large bat-like creature circling the baby cages.
The cages are situated in an area surrounded by a 40' circular hedge of thorny bushes and weeds, about 10' thick. Goblins can pass easily through a few spots in the hedge, and it works as a natural barrier to most predators, but is open to the sky.
The baby cages are small and fragile, made to keep mischievous goblin kids in, rather than keep anything out. The bat, with its 15' wingspan, has no trouble dipping down and breaking open one of the cages. The hapless, screaming baby inside is silenced in a crunch and swallow. The bat circles and hovers, looking for yet another screaming, easy mouthful. It pays no attention to you.
You and the noobs may stop as close or far from the hedge as you like and dismount, if you want. You can get through the hedges fast, but the dogs are too big to do it at a full move.
Init: Klepy, Bucko, big honkin' bat, noobs.
Fast dismount as a free action is a DC 20 ride check. Fail, and it takes a move.
|Bucko Rackingclaw
"Archers readies fer when tha bat flees..."
"Non-archer gets in there."
On my turn!
Bucko casts cause fear upon the bat hoping his scare tactic makes the invader leave and gives archery an oppotunity away from the goblin cages.
Klepy will dismount I guess.
1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26
He will then proceed to do the post above, explaining his sneak and then disappear using the results from above. He will then move stealthily towards the bat, throwing daggers at the ready.
Correct me if I am wrong but it is a Standard action to go stealthy right?
|GM Goblin King
Correct me if I am wrong but it is a Standard action to go stealthy right?
It's part of your move, so not an action in itself. If you throw a dagger, stealth to hide again is a move action (at -20). If you throw 2 daggers, both attacks are at -2.
Klepy dismounts and goes into the hedge, hiding from the baby-hungry bat. If he throws a dagger (or daggers), it's a sneak attack.
Once he attacks, Bucko's spell is next, at which point I will reveal the result!
Klepy will throw two daggers. "EAT STICKIES!!" The daggers fly.
Attack 11d20 + 8 - 2 ⇒ (13) + 8 - 2 = 19 For:1d3 + 1d8 ⇒ (3) + (1) = 4
Attack 21d20 + 8 - 2 ⇒ (15) + 8 - 2 = 21 For:1d3 + 1d8 ⇒ (3) + (8) = 11
Stealth to rehide:1d20 + 21 - 20 ⇒ (6) + 21 - 20 = 7
|GM Goblin King
Actually, I think you need quickdraw to throw multiple weapons. Oh, well, it's not a biggie. You did it this time, anyway.
Klepy's daggers pierce the abdomen of the creature, drawing its attention to him.
Bucko's spell seem to have had no effect, since, rather than fly away in fear, the creature instead lets out a horrid screech, so loud that you must all make a fortitude save or be stunned!
The first of your two associates makes his save and fires his bow, but misses. The second drops his horsechopper and looks stupidly at the ground, shaking his aching ears. The babies, which were screaming a moment ago, fall silent.
The mobat flits towards Klepy, its wolf-like fangs bared for attack!
Saving throws, gobbies!
edit: Your daggers were drawn, so no, you don't need it. You'd need it to throw more than two as part of a full attack action, since you can only have one in hand at a time.
|Bucko Rackingclaw
|GM Goblin King
I said "stunned," but I should have said "staggered." Klepy is staggered for the next round (He can take a move or a standard action, but not both. Not as bad as stunned!). This also means that the other gobbie didn't drop his horsechopper.
That, and forgetting that you can move through a friendly square are my worst mistakes so far. Sorry! Also, for ease of play, let's just say that if you and your mount both have to make a save, you just roll once for you, and if you make it, your mount does, too. Not RAW, but simpler for everyone. So right now, Klepy's ratdog is stunned, too, but if Bucko makes his save, both he and his his mount can act normally. As you level, this will be more to your advantage. Are we cool w/ that?
Bucko has to roll a fort save, then we start round 2. The party will reunite very soon!
edit: Ninja'd by Bucko in mid-type! He made it. Ok, Klepy's turn. Move or standard. He can go back in the bush to avoid the bat, or count on his awesome AC and attack it.
|GM Goblin King
Are we gonna assume Klepy has a weapon in hand or do I need to make a move action to draw it? Last turn I had two daggers out but he threw them both.
Ah, that is a problem. You moved and attacked last round, so you couldn't draw fresh knives, too. You can draw your weapons as part of a move, but can't also take your standard move and attack. You can draw your weapons and move back a bit, and risk the AoO, or draw and stand your ground, and attack next round. I'd probably go with the second option, since it can attack you either way, but you can easily attack right back next round.
|GM Goblin King
OK. Bucko is next, and can see the bat just fine, though it's just over the hedge.
|Bucko Rackingclaw
|GM Goblin King
The bat takes a vicious snap at Klepy, but misses, and flies upward, where it is hit by arrows from the unnamed redshirt goblins for 6 more damage.
Klepy gets an AoO at +2. It seems the hex worked beautifully! He may then act normally as he starts round 3.
So, a single attack, then a normal round for the little rogue.
Is this single attack against a flatfooted or flanked creature?
Klepy attacks with a single stab as the creature passes by. 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21
For:1d3 ⇒ 2 if precision damage is possible, add:1d8 ⇒ 6
does Klepy start this round in base contact with the thing?
|GM Goblin King
does Klepy start this round in base contact with the thing?
No, no sneak, but you can move to either side of the hedge and still throw two daggers at its new armor class. It's taken a lot of damage.
Klepy will draw his second dagger and hurl both at the monster.
Attack 1:1d20 + 8 - 2 ⇒ (2) + 8 - 2 = 8 For:1d3 ⇒ 1
Attack 2:1d20 + 8 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 8 - 2 = 25 For:1d3 ⇒ 3
ADD: Confirm Crit:1d20 + 8 - 2 ⇒ (20) + 8 - 2 = 26 For an additional:1d3 ⇒ 3
|GM Goblin King
One dagger flies wide, but the other hits with brutal force. The bats squeals its displeasure, still circling in search of an object on which to vent its anger.
Bucko! Kill this thing!
|Bucko Rackingclaw
Bucko raises his crossbow and nods toward the recruit who was told to ready for an arrow attack.....
Crossbow, light
Attack 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
Damage 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
"Fire now!" he yells at the recruit
1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
Damage 1d4 ⇒ 4
|GM Goblin King
The beast falls from the sky with a loud thump. Bucko's hex made their jobs much easier, and Klepy did a whole lot of the damage.
Now that the fight's over, many other goblins show up, marveling at the size of the thing. Slorb even makes an appearance and commends you on only losing one baby to the monster.
The rest of your shift is uneventful, and you return at dawn safely.
|GM Goblin King
After the previous night's excitement, Velag and Tark spend the morning hearing about the mobat, and seeing goblins excitedly skinning and butchering it.
Not to be outdone, they prepare for their shift, putting the barding and gear onto their fearsome mounts, and instructing the noobs on how to not get killed.
There's just one problem... The prior shift is late. Very late. Slorb is notified and after a couple of hours with no sign of them, he has Klepy and Bucko rousted from their huts.
You two go with Tark and Velag. Leave these noobs behind. Patrol not back, it could be trouble. Gutwad wants his best patrol goblins to find them and fix trouble.
So, rested but not expecting it, the 4 of you are called to solve the mystery of the missing patrol. Mounted and ready, the riders of the moonless night take the day shift.
|GM Goblin King
So all of us on patrol together?
Yep! 4 mystery solvers and 4 Scooby Doos. There may be trouble a-brewin'!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Walter Philip Reuther appears in the following:
Headliners Speak for the United Nations
Sunday, October 18, 1953
This episode is from the WNYC archives. It may contain language which is no longer politically or socially appropriate.
American Association for the United Nations and the American Jewish Committee.
Prepared for United Nations Week - October 18-24, 1953
Spots for the UN:


text:
Enjoy the colour and drama of India's festive pageantry
Nagaur Fair, Rajasthan
Nagaur bustles with life during the annual cattle fair, one of the largest in the country, usually held from 30 January to 2 February. The Nagaur bulls are renowned for their fleet footedness and attract buyers from all over; however, livestock such as camels, goats and cows are also on display. A highlight of the fair is performances by folk dancers and musicians and exciting games such as tug of war, camel races, horse races, etc.


text:
Jackson went to the pediatrician last week...weighed in at 19 lb 4 oz at 6 months and 2 weeks. The doctor is very happy with his weight gain as am I...BUT...he wants me to add more solids into his diet. Cereal & fruits or veggies THREE times a day! I thought the majority of his caloric intake up to 12 months of age should be breastmilk (or formula). Am I wrong???
He is currently eating a small bowl of baby cereal and 2-3 tablespoons of fruit or veggies in the evening and nursing on demand (usually every 3-4 hours/24 hours a day).


text:
Attendees can enter the FREE raffle to win the one-of-a-kind custom-painted skateboards by Sean Spoto the day of the event (one skateboard per winner - entrant must be present to win). We will also be giving away a FREE Lost hat with the purchase of ANY Lost product during the event from 12 – 4 PM, while supplies last.
Follow Ron Jon Surf Shop


text:
Craig Calcaterra of NBC Sports is reporting that a source has told him that the Phillies and center fielder Shane Victorino have agreed to a three-year, $22 million extension.
The report continues a flurry of contract news for the Phils, who just announced the extension of pitcher Joe Blanton earlier today. Victorino, 29, hit .292/.358/.445 with 10 homers in 2009. This was his second year of arbitration eligibility.
With extension talks in progress for Carlos Ruiz, the Phillies would likely have seven of eight positional starters under contract for at least 2010 and 2011.
UPDATE, 10:10 am: The Victorino press conference will be today at Noon at Citizens Bank Park.
130 Comments
Wow. So there goes Jason. Just trade him now.
The Dipsy
Money, Homey.
The Dipsy
Nah, trading Werth would be a bad move.
I just mentioned in the Blanton comments that the Phillies seem to spend about $1M/yr than I would like on these longer deals, hoping the players would give a 'championship club' discount.
In the comments on the arbitration posting I proposed a 3yr $19M deal for Victorino (should have guessed 4.5, 6, 8.5). But apparently could not add since my guess came to $21M. Most likely he will get (5,7,10) which again seems like reasonable market value.
I agree that means bye to Werth or Howard next year. Arbitrate Werth. If he accepts then they have to shop Howard. A lot will depend on Dom Brown.
Werth has no Arb.
The Dipsy
I'm guessing Phx means offer and accept the draft picks..since Werth would be a FA
As of the end of the season Werth ended with type A ranking, so it's almost a certainty he'll be an A or B FA
Werth is a beast with the bat and he has a cannon arm! And if he ever learns to attack that 1st pitch fastball he always seem to get along with laying off the low junk he'll be unstoppable. I guess we'll see what he does for an encore in 2010 1st. I do realize his trade value is white-hot right now. But this dude plays with no fear. I'd hate to see him go. Ibanez/Vic and a Werth replacement?? I don't know about that one unless we get a helluva starting pitcher out of a potentisl trade. Remember that moon-shot he hit off Andy Pet in Game 3?
i know everyone is hating the blanton signing, but he is a bulldog. and this team hits, all we can ask for.
i think blanton took less to sign. now all 4 locked up through 2012
shane at 22 for 3 year? thats great news, i jumped outta my chair just like i will all summer, hes a hell of a ball player and my best glove on the team if u ask me.
halladay on opening day? great rotation, same team, get it back raullll and lets go phils
I would have rather seen Vic traded at some point…to make room for Werth…this doesn't look good for Jayson as a Phillie…past this year.
What are your continued thoughts on that 4/45 idea for Werth..??..
And…what now about Ryan…think we can pull off a 5/100 extension??
Seems to me that the Phils are gonna have to choose one or the other…
Will Dom Brown be ready to take over RF in 2011? I'm not sure he will be.
This means the end of Werth but I think the Phils knew that re-signing him would be impossible. At least they'll get 2 draft picks.
Assuming Victorino and Ruiz make $10M total in 2011 the Phillies have ~$134M in obligations. That only includes 3 relievers (Lidge, Madson, Baez), with a $4.5M option on Romero, and Kendrick as the 5th starter.
I do not see Werth fitting in that <$6M window.
For this season, I estimate Ruiz and Victorino at $7M combined with Halladay cash and Jenkins, Eaton, Feliz buyouts that Phillies are at ~$138M now with an open spot for one relief pitcher.
My 2009 estimate (with buyouts + acquisition of Cliff Lee) was ~$140M.
Everything I've heard is that Brown is to take over in LEFT…meaning that Ibanez could be traded next offseason…or if Brown isn't ready for the beginning of the 2011 season…then Ibanez could be traded at the deadline in July 2011..
If Ibanez is traded in the offseason…that could make room for Werth financially??
If your talking 2011, then I would assume that the payroll would be a little higher than $140MM…??
Before we are all ready to say good bye to Jason Werth we should keep in mind that Ruben has been really good about signing players to extensions over the last two years. Madson signed for three years when it was not expected, Howards signed, and now Blanton and Victorino.
What Ruben can do next year if offer Werth a contract with a low pay figure for the first year and then increasing his pay in the following ones. That way we turn part of what we are currently paying Ibanez into a raise for Werth then bring in Brown to replace Ibanez.
Hey I can try to be optimistic right?
This is why I wouldn't have given Ibanez that 3rd year, but that's a whole other story.
I think both of today's signings are solid.
Hey, maybe Werth will be the one that's signed and Howard goes. That would not be out of the question, IMO. Look at it this way. The total cost of the remaining salary problems guys for this year is:
Werth 7m
Howard 19m
Ibanez 12.7m
So that's 33.7m. If Jason would sign a 4/45 extension and Ryan would take a 3/66 extension, then 2011 could look like this, when Ibanez drops off: (God, if we could just trade Ibanez for ANYTHING, we could probably sign them both. Hell, trade him for a prospect and sign Dye for 4 mill or whatever.)
Werth 10m
Howard 22m
Dominic Brown $400,000 or whatever.
That 32.5. Does it seem doable? I think so. Shane took a really low number. So did Blanton. I think altogether the Phils saved about 7-9m combined between the two contracts. Work your magic Ruben.
The Dipsy
This doesn't even definitely effect Werth..
The payroll has gone up each of the past 5 seasons or so… I'd imagine it will increase next year as well
There is a chance Domomic Brown is ready for the Majors next year, and with Ibanez in the final year of his deal, the Phillies could look to move him to an AL team in the offseason
Also.. Victorino's extension just clears up the arbitration situation.. you would imagine he would get AT LEAST .. $5-6 M this year, $7-8 M next year, if he were still arbitration eligable.. now he's locked up longer, and you know the exact amount. Teams LOVE knowing their payroll in advance, AND they love not dealing with arbitration.. which is why so many players are inked to 2-3 year deals that buy out arbitration + a year or two of Free Agency
Great moves today if the Blanton and Victorino things are really done-deals
Griffin.. again …. if you didn't give Ibanez that 3rd year.. he probably doesn't sign here. And without him in the 1st half last year, we would've been behind in the NL EAST .. who knows about a playoff appearance again??
Phillies can't just walk around and play "hardball" with every Free Agent.. they need to come to an agreement. there were like 7 teams interested in Ibanez last year, and the Phillies made sure they got the guy that fit this team/lineup best . I would say they made the right decision with Ibanez
The way the phils are attacking these arbitration eligible players with contract extensions is showing a commitment to the "core" of this team. With the exception of Howard, Werth is the only one needed to lock up. Don't forget moyer will be off the books to help ease the impact of what Jason is gonna be getting. They can't roll the dice and hope that Brown could fill his shoes quickly. Plus the phils with this "price limit" they have on the franchise is total bs! Merchandise alone off of the Halladay items could pay to keep Werth here! My prediction some point this season, Jason gets locked up and hopefully they can persuade Ryan into taking some sort of discount to stay with a true contender…
Don – If Ibanez doesn't sign here last year we still win the divison. He did nothing the second half of the season. AND we would be 30somethingmillion richer.
The Dipsy
Another thing the oranization fails to always add to their money situation is ticket sales raising every year and more and more sell outs each season. Also, don't forget you receive money for postseason appearances. If the phils come out and say to the fan base, "tickets are being raised $2-4 to help sign players….." would I be the only one to be on board with that? I know that'll never happen…..but one can dream…
wow alot goin on today…i like the blanton deal better, to be honest. i really really thought/wanted the phils would go year to year with victorino, just to see where they stand with jwerth next offseason. if werth walks, THEN sign victorino to the 3year 22-24mil deal. if werth stays, phils have plenty of cheap OF alternatives with the speed attribute of victorino. i like the guy, but his skills are easier to replace than those of werth. but i guess we shall see…i mean i really think this adds fuel to the argument that howard probably wont resign here after his current deal is over. and that sucks. ps–howard, being 32 at the end of this contract, i think we would be lookin more like 100mil for 4 years, not 5. if another team in the AL offers him 5 he ll prob change cities
ibanez is a great ball player, better than pat the bat and he was my favorite in the vet days. i went to the citi field foggy 10th inning game, sat in utleys corner and was hoping he'd end it but raul grooved that one justtt out of the park. great game, great to rub it in my mets cousins faces. we got a ring! i was yelling it, 2009 was a great year, 2010 WE LOOK SO MUCH BETTER!
nobody is gonna take a 38 year old making 12mil per season. raul ibanez is here till the end of the contract. i see his production noticibly decreasing by early/mid of 2011, which is when brown would be definitely ready for MLB action
Dipsy..I disagree..
Ibanez helped this team last year to win the division…I'm not sure how it would have looked with out him..
I would assume as well that Ibanez is moved if Brown is ready to take over in left.
Just a thought……depending on what Pujols does with the cards, that could me a model for what Howard could do with us.
By mid 2011…if Brown is ready…THAT'S when Ibanez is moved…maybe to an AL team..
We get what we can for him…and thank him for his services as a Phillie.
yeah them dropping Moyer after this year will free up a lot of money going toward Werth's signing
Let's say Ibanez is traded next offseason…that frees up…what?…$11.5 Mil
That's $18 million available for guys like Werth, etc..
Backloaded contract to Werth, say 10,15,15,15 and the all important Amaro year 15. $3.00 avg ticket increase=10million. 150 million budget going forward. Brown plays extra year in minors ( that's their style anyway). Brown takes over for Ibanez in 2012. Ibanez and Lidge walk after 2011 freeing up enough for raises to Howard, Werth, Hamels, maybe even Rollins. Or hope Ibanez has a good year, brown is ready and trade ibanez to an AL team to play LF/DH. Phils still might have to eat 4-5mill though. What becomes a problem is if Brown is not ready, or age catches up with ibanez making him untradeable and 140mill is the budget ceiling going forward. Now they might be forced to trade Howard.
We can't convien. take bits and pieces of one player's numbers and combine them with another former player. Simply makes no sense. Pat the Bat stay here was over. Period. RAUUL was a demi-god here who was well on his way to the NL MVP until the injury. Ibanez did not have a history of getting hurt before signing w/Phils. As some one mentioned earlier, no way Ibanez comes here for less than three years. He would've ended up as a NY Met otherwise. Now that's a thought! Ibanez, Beltran(i know about his injury) and Jason Bay all Muttts. I personally think the Phils should've given him an abrab deal of 9-10mill. High yes, but may have saved Phils a cool 14=15mill. This will be the 2nd straight season Blanton and the other starters (minus Roy) will be pitching following a short off-season. Not complaining because it meant we made it back to the WS, but it could have an effect. I like Blanton. I hope he pitches well and he probably will. But after Eaton and now Lidge and Moyer, I'm very skpt. of more potential dead weight pitchers on the payroll. I really hope he doesn't become that.
And wear do the Phillies go get a starting LF fielder good for 25-30hrs & 90+ rbi for $10mill in 2011?? Let's give Ibanez a chance to play healthy again before we bury him alive. No way some kid fresh up from the farm puts up those kinda numbers… Not even close…
I just pray the Phillies can work something out with Werth, and it's still possible that they may. The Phillies took him in when everyone else had given up on him, took a chance and turned him into one of the BEST all around outfielders playing in the game today. There's a fair chance that Werth realizes this as well, and it could influence him to try and stay here.
Great call wfc…..let's hope his conscience plays a big role in his decision come the time
No championship team ever keeps all thier players. It isnt even common sense to keep them. Werth reminds me alot of Rowand. i love him great for the team etc etc but I could see another team grossly over paying him which means he will have to go. Trade Ibanez? No one else wants that contract.
Two thumbs up for the victorino deal. His glove alone is worth the money.
We gotta keep this dude here… Howard w/o Werth hitting behind him would not be a good situation….
Please don't compare Rowand to Jason Werth…. Werth is a rock star with 45hr potential…
Great signing. Along with Blanton. They made great strides today to shore up the team in key areas for some time to come. Next is Ruiz…I would have to think that Jayson Werth is 100% gone though, as they will go with someone young – Brown or Gillies – at that position when he leaves. Theyve got a LOT of money tied up and theyre going to try and save somewhere…
For now though. I love locking up Victorino and Blanton.
It seems like they're kinda bleeping up this potential Dynasty to me…. Ruben said we're trying to win for yrs to come??? Windows can close very quickly…. Werth/Howard one is probably gone may be be both. Are they secreting cloning them.?
I'm not sure Werth is gone. Some money comes off for 2011, mostly Moyer, and in 2012 Ibanez is no longer under contract. A back loaded deal with Werth is still possible. The contracts for Victorino and Blanton aren't all that high. The team would have to pay SOMEBODY to take their places, and all the recent "somebodies"–and a slew of "nobodies," have been signing for the same amount or more.
Re-signing Howard could be doable, too. He's making $19 million now, so $3-4 million more/year isn't impossible. It depends, of course on how much middle relievers and bench players cost, and how a contract is structured.
So far, Amaro seems to know what he's doing. I didn't expect multi-year deals for Vic or especially Blanton. The Victorino terms haven't been released yet, but the terms of the Blanton deal were far better than I could have imagined. With the constant increase in free-agent salaries, these two may look like real bargains in 2012, and a bargain is always good trade bait just in case.
Tom: Whatever Pujols signs for means absolutely nothing when considering Howard or anyone else. Pujols is in a class by himself and will be paid as such.
The Dipsy was definately sleeping the first half of the season. Like it or not, second half slump or not, Ibanez was a beast in the first half of the season, and one of the biggest reason we had such a substantial lead going into the All Star break was Ibanez. When Howard Utley and Rollins were sleeping the first half of the season, Ibanez was carrying the team. Lets just concentrate on Vic for now, when the other players come up, lets see what they do. I for one was surprised when the signed Howard for the amount of money they did. I couldnt believe they actually spent money. They may surprise us again with Werth or Howard. I dont think this definately knocks Werth out any more then what his contract demands probably will be anyway. If they went to Arbitration and he won, Vic would have gotten 5.8. Thats not that much of a difference between the 7.3 (average per year) and 5.8 to say Werth is gone any more than what Werth is probably going to want, but does anyone really know what Werth will want/ask for/demand/settle for? I doubt it. I also think that George brought up a great point about Moyers contract is up this year and Ibanez next. That does free up money, and if they say Brown is ready for Left, that sounds to me, they have the intention to keep Werth (if possible) and letting Ibanez walk after his contract. The question will be will they possibly over extend themselves for a year to keep this wicked team intact for the next few years.
Still working this one out in my head. I am absolutely convinced that the Phils knew they could sign Blanton to a three year deal when they traded Lee. 3 years of Blanton at a reasonable price is worth more than 1 yr of Lee (one year of each, Lee is certainly worth more).
A big part of me thinks that Shane is replaceable. He's fast, with a canon arm, but he really isn't a great defensive outfielder (reminds me a lot of Jim Edmonds in the field, gets a poor jump, takes bad lines, then recovers due to straight speed, gets the web gem, where Andruw Jones in his prime made the same play look easy). With that said, he makes the play.
He gets on base, but falls into periods of bad plate discipline, gets lost for a week a few times a year. When he has to go from one side to the other during a game, he is an easy out.
Seems like they overpaid. On the other hand, the only comparable centerfielders are Sizemore (who had a bad year on a bad team) and Kemp (Beltran has better skills, but who knows how much he's going to play, plus he doesn't seem to like baseball very much).
A three year deal at a reasonable price also makes him easier to trade next season if Brown is ready (we saw this year that even a stud like Lee is tough to trade when there is only 1 year left on a contract).
It appears to be a solid deal, but personally I would have gone after Werth first. My guess is they have already put feelers out there with Werth, and either are in progress on something, or are too far apart to continue.
DIPSY IBANEZ CARRIED THE TEAM IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE SEASON. I do believe the victorino signing is a sign that they will let werth go, they do need to get some kids to help them, the main concern that I have with brown is, he is not a good outfielder, and doesnt hit for power, to project him to be your left fielder or right you will lose a lot of power there. They must find a starter from the minors to take moyers place .to have any chance to sign howard.
Jim edmonds wasnt a great center fielder, did y say that?? shane isnt a top defensive outfielder? did you say that??????? or maybe I MISREAD
YES! Ibanez had a tremendous first half of the season. I like Raul. Not at 12.6m. To me, if you're getting paid that kinda money, you gotta be more than just a pro hitter. Poor fielder, poor speed. But he can hit. Love him at 7.5, hate him at 12.5. And he' 37, 38? He's sucking up payroll. And by the way, Jim Edmonds was a GREAT outfielder. Shane is a good one, too. An Amaro mistake in a thicket of successes.
The Dipsy
Mike, he did say that…
I'm supposing that bfo rates defense differently than the GG selection team. As a matter of fact, perhaps bfo has a system we all should be using. Shane has 2 GG's 2008 & 09.
There has been a little talk about Vic's defense and his going on cold streaks at the plate, thus leading to some minor complaints about this deal. "Trade Victorino" talk has been rampant on this site. Stats are stats, and this man led the team in BA last year and was third in runs scored. Not to mention back to back Gold Glove awards. I think his deal is an absolute STEAL.
Have no problem with victorino deal. Blanton deal is okay if he isnt counted on to be a two. As a fourth or fifth starter he eats innings, but dont think he is anything special, but in todays market 8 million for a starter isnt a lot.
Can we stop the "Mets were going to sign Ibanez if the Phillies didn't give him the third year" nonsense?
If the Mets wanted an OF last year, they would have signed Dunn or Abreu (who had to settle for $5 mil). The Phils signed Amaro early and misread the market.
And no team is going to take a 38 year-old Ibanez making an absurd $11.5 mil in 2011 unless the Phils eat at least half of it.
Can we all just stop with talking about how much Amaro "overpaid" for Ibanez…
At the time….that's what it took to get him here…and so far…he really hasn't disappointed… now has he??
Most likely by next offseason…or by the 2011 trading deadline…he's gonna be gone anyway…assuming Brown is ready????
So that $12.whatever million is either completely off the books for next year..or partially so if he's gone by the deadline…
George: there is no comparisson to Albert but if you were going to arbitration with Ryan who do u think his attorney makes a correlation to? Granted Ryan has only one MVP to pujols 3, but he does have a sliver slugger,rookie of the year and two all star appearances to go with his 222 hr and a slug%.586 and an ops around .961 but I guess that's not good enough to have even the slightest relationship between him and Albert made. Btw 08 Howard 2nd in MVP votes and 09 he was 3rd. Again he's not Albert, but c'mon he's our version! And if he keeps improving his d why would u just let him walk?
Ibanez is a career .290 hitter, with power… strong work ethic, good clubhouse presence… he was batting behind Howard for a good part of the season and he produced despite the L-L-L… He will come back strong this year, no questions asked.
Victorino deal: It seems like a good deal… and at 7.5M per year he can be traded later on if the Phillies need to. Though as the days go by, I think it's way more likely now that we stay with Werth + Vic + Ibanez, with Ibanez being replaced by Brown sometime during 2011. We should go after Werth before he hits FA…and then that would only leave Howard on the negotiation table. He'll have a whole All-Star team to play with, he'll decide if he wanna stays or not. Don't forget he already has a multi-year, million dollar contract… so it's not like this is his only chance to get a huge paycheck.
GG is the worst indicator of good defense (re Derek Jeter, looks like David Bell out there,not sure he can tie his shoes anymore). I'm not saying that Vic is a bad centerfielder, and I think this is decent signing. All I'm saying is the talk of his defense is based on web gems, not day to day playing.
Look up his zone rating. 2006 was his best fielding year, and he has dropped every year since. Same for range rating. Look up the stats, he is an average CF(can find them at any number of sites, fangraph is pretty easy to navigate). Don't believe in the stats? While not perfect, they are a whole lot better than GG voting.
The whole point is that going from Vic to Werth (or other replacement options) would not be a defensive disaster. If you are pinning this signing strictly on defense, it is a bad one. On the whole, what Vic brings: the energy, decent stick, gets on base, it is a solid signing.
Eating half of it would still clear half off the books.. so its still a doable contract
Dipsy.. you are way smarter and way more knowledgable on the Phillies to say something along the lines of Ibanez didn't carry the Phillies last year
He got hurt, and slowed down his production, but without him in the first half.. we would've had to battle like crazy.. probably never make the Lee deal, etc..
Who is counting on Blanton to be a #2 ?
He's most likely #3-4 depending on Happ's season… and even at #3-4 he's better than what pretty much every other team in NL would throw out there in that spot .. for $8 M he's a great contract
Chuck – C'mon with your "at the time" thing, please. "At the time" I thought it was a good idea to give myself a mohawk. "At the time" I thought that girl was good looking. "At the time" Hitler thought it was a good idea to invade Poland (he marched in backwards and told everybody he was leaving). "At the time" in Ibanez's case happened to be the wrong time and as one of the previous callers indicated, Ruben misread the market.
Ruben has a specific M.O. it seems when it comes to signing players. He sees one that he likes; stalks from afar; then swoops in early with a contract offer. He sees his man, he signs his man. SOMETIMES, and the Ibanez case is an example, it does not serve him well. In that particular year, he could have waited and gotten just as good a player at half the price. The Cubs and Phils misread and the Cubs paid off Milton Bradley (wince). In the vast majority of cases, Ruben has been fantastic. In the Ibanez case he wasn't. I would think that a "capped" team like the Phils would sometimes, depending on the availability of players and what position they are looking for, try to wait out the market a little, let thinks shake out, and do a little bargain hunting.
Does this make Ruben a bad GM? No. He's a good one. Did he make a mistake? Yes.
The Dipsy
Dipsy, I totally agree. Amaro isn't terrible, but he made a mistake in giving Ibanez the 3rd year.
If the Ibanez contract is so great, why is everyone in this blog trying to trade him after 2010?
Victorino to Werth, wouldn't be a disaster by any means… but it would be a defensive downgrade
The Ibanez contract was "great" because it landed Ibanez… who carried our team in the first half of last season, and enabled us to take a lead in the NL EAST …. which we would later go on and win … which got us into the playoffs … and onto the World Series
Why is this hard to understand?
Would you rather have a professional hitter, who AL teams will want as a DH if you ever feel the need to trade him ….. or Pat Burrell/defensive replacement playing LF every game?
I know for a fact that Burrell wouldn't have carried the team the way Ibanez did
How else should Amaro have targeted ??? (Abreu isn't a legit answer since he didn't ever help this team win a thing… and doesn't fit into our clubhouse at all)
In a cc that doesn't involve me much. Just listening for my name. Too early to call the Ibanez signing a mistake. I like the way Ruben approaches things – looks for the guy that is the right fit, and signs him. Does that mean he is going to overpay from time to time? Sure, but it is far better than overpaying for a second choice less than ideal fit.
Gillick was great, but had his share of misses. Ruben has had one overpay in Moyer, a few others that are undecided, but hasn't made any brutal signings that killed the budget (no Pavano, Eaton,….). In his short tenure, he's the best Phils GM since Dallas Green. Looking forward to 2010 and beyond.
Things are great here in Phillies-land if people are trying to make arguements as to why one of 2009's best Free Agent signings may not have been a good one..
I hope all the people who hate the Blanton, Ibanez, Victorino, Polanco deals all stay home from the park this season.. while the rest of us go down and watch them dominate the National League again
Amaro should have targeted Ibanez…and offered a 2 year deal. No other team would have matched. Adam Dunn had to settle for a 2-year deal for less money and go to Washington.
And before you say "Adam Dunn strikes out a ton", check out his 2009. He was better than Ibanez. (Dunn had a .928 OPS and Ibanez had a .899 OPS despite playing in a hitters' park)
If you're somehow trying to compare Ibanez to Milton Bradley…don't even try…it's not even close..
And… AT THE TIME…with Ibanez's services being indemand from several teams….it took a 3 year 30 something million contract to get him here….and I'm sorry about it..
Remember…most people were on board ….after the 2008 season….all caught up in emotion…most people (including myself) were ready to hand Pat Burrell a three year deal worth 39 million (minimun)….
So what looks good now? Ibanez…a CLEAR upgrade over Pat…for less money than what Burrell would have cost…or would you have wanted Pat Burrell back.??
If you think Raul Ibanez' contract is an albatross…just imagine what it would look like if we were paying Pat Burrell all that money….and him being in WORSE physical shape than Ibanez.
Don M, let's not get carried away. Admitting Amaro made a mistake does not make someone ungrateful for the team we have.
Clarification: I'm NOT sorry about it.
Holliday, Bay, Ibanez, Werth, Pick who you want? The cheapest of the group got 3 years 39 mil. for age 37-39 seasons. I think Werth with his speed, defense and playing RF is better then Bay. That puts his price-tag in at least 4 years $65 mil price range (assuming he has another good year this year) on the open market. The only way they bring him back is if they trade one of their other big pieces and I don't see that happening.
Ask anyone in the baseball world and I can guarantee you that if you ask them for the best FA signings from last year, they'll mention Raul in a heartbeat.
How can anyone call the Ibanez signing a bad one? ESPECIALLY AFTER ALL HE DID IN 2009!??
It blows my mind.
But I don't understand what the mistake was??
Targeting the player that best fits your team, and then signing him before other competing teams do ??
Its not like he's making Soriano or Jason Bay money… IF IF IF the Phillies wanted to move him.. there would definitely be interested teams
but since he helps us win games, and we don't have a better option right now, he'll stay in LF, and help us win again this year.. at the cost of
He was an absolute STEAL last year at $7 M
and for $11.5 M the next two season, I wouldn't say that he's tremendously overpaid at all … Look at his production instead of his birthdate
Signing Raul Ibanez wasn't a mistake. Giving Ibanez the 3rd year was a mistake. The fact that everyone in here wants to trade Ibanez before 2011 proves that.
How can Ibanez be "the signing of the year" when Dunn had a better year for less money?
Hence forth can it be written into law that the 3rd year of any contract be known exclusively as the "Amaro Year"?
Thank you.
So if Brown isn't ready to play in the Majors.. and/or if Werth decides its best for his family to test the Free Agent market next season
Having Raul Ibanez still here, at $11.5 M is a mistake???
I wouldn't say that everyone WANTS to trade Ibanez.. we're all just looking at possibilities..
There is a decent chance that Brown is ready for the majors next year.. so you would take a $400,000 player in LF instead an $11.5 M player… IF Ibanez can get you some decent prospets in return
Adam Dunn had a nice year… wouldn't have helped our team though because he isn't a contact hitter, and he played MOSTLY 1b last year
Ibanez struck out less, and plays better defense in the position that we needed.. Left Field …. we should compare Apples-to-Apples
I'm not saying …nor is anyone else….that I WANT to trade Ibanez before 2011…
But that COULD happen…and maybe SHOULD….IF Brown is ready to take over….
Ibanez will still have trade value
IF that happens…we simply get what we can from him…thank him for what he contributed as a Phillie…and wish him well
How is that WANTING to trade him???
Dunn may have had a better year offensively, but he did not miss time due to injury. And, he is possibly the worst defensive player in all of baseball. In the OF or at 1B.
Was Ibanez's contract somewhat of a bad contract? Probably. Amaro paid more and gave out a contract longer than it probably should have been. But I don't think it is really fair to make a judgement on the contract yet. Ibanez far exceed his salary last year, and that was with missing time due to injury and having a miserable second half. For what he is being paid, if he can put up numbers like he did last year, but spaced out over the course of the year then I would consider it another successful season. Now, if after two years of good seasons Ibanez totally blows in the last year of his contract then feel free to say that his signing was bad. But at this point it wasn't. Not yet. Ibanez has done nothing but prove that he deserved the contract he got.
Actually I will go on record as saying I would like the Phillies to trade Ibanez after next season. It is the only possible way for the Phillies to have a chance at resigning Werth.
Trade Ibanez for prospects to an AL team so he can DH. Replace his 11.5 mil salary with Brown's 400,000k and there is roughly 11 mil you can use to resign Werth. Back load the crap out of his contract if you can so that you have a little more flexibility going into 2011 but that is the only way you are going to get Werth to stay.
Don M, Dunn can play LF (albeit terribly) so comparing his contract to Ibanez's is apples to apples.
More importantly, the Mets just traded for Gary Matthews Jr. Now THAT is a terrible contract! Sarge Jr. is due 23 mil over the next 2 years and is nothing more than a 5th OF. If the Mets are paying anything more than 2 mil of his salary, then this is a terrible move for them.
Moves like this make me realize how awesome it is to be a Phils fan!
This has nothing to do with Jayson in fact this and Blanton signing helps the chances of Jayson resigning.
If they go to arbitration I am sure Victorino wins and maybe even Blanton.
Next year they will have to pay even more. This way they control how much more next year now.
If they trade Ibanez or not is irrelevant, they have Moyer off the books after this year. That will save money
Ruben has done a fantastic job this off season resigning this team for several years. If we can win it all again I would say executive of the year!!
See I don't know that this signing means that Werth is more likely to come back. Yes the Phillies will save some money with the deals they made to Blanton, Victorino, and what will come with Ruiz's contract, I am thinking 3 years at 12-14 mil. But and this is a big but, I am talking Jennifer Lopez butt… but Moyer's 6.5 off the books is easily eaten up by the increases that will go to Howard and Hamels, as well as whatever goes to Francisco and Happ in arbitration. So you can pretty much kiss that 6.5 goodbye, you can't count that as 6.5 mil that will be able to be used towards Werth. The only way we can free up enough money to try and keep Werth is to trade Ibanez. Period.
He CAN play LF .. but he's a nightmare, which is why they played him at 1b more often……. with less range than Pat Burrell, I would imagine that Dunn is a 1b-DH for the remainder of his career
Sarge Jr…is a decent 5th OF option.. who should make slightly above the league minimum, instead, he makes MILLIONS of DOLLARS
His Agent must be the best in the business
Trading Ibanez after this season is great…and will work….but ONLY if Brown is ready..
If you start the season (2011) with Ibanez in left….and maybe trade him by the deadline (allowing for Brown to come up and get ready)…that's not the worst scenario either.
Let's not prematurely criticize all these "third years"…Ibanez, Polanco…until we actually see what the third year holds.
People are quick to assume that just because Ruben signs someone to a third year…that it's automatically a bad move..
I think Omar Minaya is doing a terrific job and I hope the Mets keep him for a long, long time.
Howard makes $19 M this season.. $20 M next season .. not a big jump at all
Not sure what Utley or Hamels makes as in increase next year though
I don't think Vic's deal makes a Werth extension MORE LIKELY.. but people yesterday were saying things along the lines of "Well that means Werth is gone.."
which isn't the case at all.. they realize they need him in the lineup. . .
Chuck – Under your premise, I banez should have been signed at almost any price. I don't recall teams banging down Ibanez's door to sign him to big money and big years last year. If I'm wrong correct me. So Chuck, lets say that Amaro signed Ibanez to a 3y/45m deal. He "carried" us the first half last year and you are of the opinion, which I respectfully don't share, that we wouldn't not have won the divison without him. If this is correct, would Ruben have done the right thing by giving him 15m a year?
The Dipsy
Hamels contract goes up by 2.8 mil. Rollins and Utley do not have a contract increase. But again, you have Happ and Frisco going to ARB so that is an increase there of at least .5 to 1 mil each.
Dipsy…I don't think anyone had a chance to bang down Ibanez's door. Amaro signed him pretty much when FA started. Amaro set his own market rather than waiting for the market to develop, had he done so, Ibanez would have obviously come cheaper.
Ibanez would have obviously cheaper …
He was the best fit for this team.. so bitch if you want, but Amaro got a difference maker, and the best piece to help complete the Phillies puzzle
Dipsy.. Chuck's arguement aside .. . .
You Don't Think Ibanez carried the team in the 1st half ??
There was talk of Ibanez as MVP for a good while last year… without him I don't know that we runaway with the NL EAST last year.. and I think we only won by 5 games ? Clearly, everyone played a role.. but Ibanez in the 1st half, was just as valuable (if not more) than Howard in the 2nd half
This from ESPN.com, dated December12, 2008…Jayson Stark is the writer:
"Ibanez had drawn significant interest from a number of teams including the Cubs, Mets, Angels and Braves. But he had been sending signals through friends that the Phillies were his first choice. And the Phillies stepped up their efforts to sign him Thursday after it became known that the Angels were also negotiating the parameters of a deal
with Ibanez as their No. 1 alternative if they lost out in efforts to sign Mark Texiera."
Ok…so how does that NOT seem like teams were "banging down Ibanez' door"..
It's obvious that he was in demand and would have been paid AT LEAST what the Phillies paid him…maybe by the Angels….so is Ruben wrong for going out and getting his guy??..
If Ruben waits….Ibanez could have been gone…maybe, maybe not….and maybe or maybe we don't get off to the start we did last year…if we didn't have him..
Dipsy..to respond to your "Ibanez should have been signed at almost any price" comment….I don't recall anybody on here suggesting that he be signed for "almost any price."
There are limits…and I think Ruben knows that…
He considered what teams like the Angels may have been willing to pay Raul…and made him an offer to play here….and he hasn't disappointed yet.
Thanks Chuck. I stand corrected. Perhaps I am a bit jaded by the awful second half he had and I have a short memory. Good player no doubt, just a bit pricey. IMO.
The Dipsy
Tom: No matter if Howard has won an MVP, there is still no comparison. No matter what his agent says, there is no comparison. Owners, scouts, managers, and fans all know that. Pujols will get A-rod money, and be the better bargain.
Howard is a great player, but doesn't even come close to Pujols on defense or batting average. He strikes out way more times. Pujols is of another world, Howard isn't.
Finally, please reread my post. NOWHERE did I even hint that I'd let Howard walk; in fact I suggested that the Phils might even be able to re-sign him.
I'm hearing no chance on a Werth extension ….
so can Phillies Nation organize a petition to resign Jayson Werth??
Between the website, and Facebook .. I'm guessing we can get a couple THOUSAND people to let Amaro know we want him to stay in pinstripes!!!
Let's start that "4/45 Chant"
Three year contracts can't be evaluated until that third year, or until the player either falls apart or maybe gets trade for more than expected.
I really have no qualms about three year deals. If the player fizzles in that final year, your not out a whole lot. It's those 5-7 year jobs that I think are stupid. What happens if Holliday starts to crumble in his third year? The Cards are still on the hook for more. Or look at people like Mike Hampton, Vernon Wells, or Darren Driefort, or, yes, that new Met, Gary Matthews Jr.
Moyer for two years isn't even all that bad. He won 12 games last year, and proved mighty reliable in relief of Martinez. He may still have a good year in him. $6.5 million 12 game winners don't exactly grow on trees, even with good run support.
Amaro isn't stupid. Compared with many GMs, the contracts he offers are conservative.
I hope we can find a way to get Werth and Howard. I know it is un likely but in my eyes both of those guys are irreplaceable. Just look at all the times they won it late in the game or carried the team. The one thing we have going for us is both of those guys love playing in Philly. Maybe we can get some kind of discount.
4 years, $45 M might not cut it …. other teams have made whispers
Red Sox and Angels among others
I think the Yankees will set their sights on pitching again… Lee to match with Sabathia .. . .
I wonder if the Mets will try to improve their rotation, or if they would be interested in an everyday player like Werth
Reyes, Werth, Beltran, Wright, Bay… wouldn't matter who else they had.. but it would be expensive
The way Howard and Werth can get done, in my mind, is if the Phils make sure they have a guy making 425,000 in left. If Ibanez's replacement is Brown, then thats 12m dollars more a year that you can spread amongst Jason and Ryan because Brown makes zilch. Yet, something tells me that Ruben has a pretty good idea that one of these guys will not be able to be resigned or he would not have signed Victorino.
The Dipsy
I think it's a pretty straight forward situation. Some of Ibanez's money will go to lock Down Werth. The remainder of Ibanez's money + Lidges money will go to lock down Howard if Howard is priced reasonably. What is reasonable, I don't know. Should be enough left over with Romero's 4 to sign a good closer.
That crossed my mind last night as well when the Vic news broke…
I DO find it hard to imagine the Phillies being able to afford BOTH Werth and Howard…AND the fact that Victorino was signed….maybe that spells the end for Werth??
I don't know…I mean…you could spin this a whole bunch of different ways…and come up with different results…
I would agree that in order for Werth to be a part of the equation….Brown has to be ready.
If Jason puts up similar numbers to last year i think it's take more than 4/45.
Even if Brown isn't ready I would sign Werth. I would rather have Werth, Victorino and Fransisco or FA than Ibanez, Victorino, Francisco or FA.
I'll be pissed, because i really DO NOT LIKE Victorino all that much… I tolerate him because he's on the Phillies.. if he was on another team we would despise him
And Werth is one of my favorite players, along with Rollins…
4/45 was a number that was thrown out there by somebody about a week ago…
It probably DOES take more than that…especially with the Bay signing…
And can somebody please tell me why a team would pay Gary Mathews, Jr over 10 million a year?? … Makes the Ibanez signing seem CHEAP…..and Ruben a complete GENIUS.
This is Werth's shot at a big contract. He seems to like Philly, and appreciates the org, but I don't see him giving up the op for a big contract, and I can't blame him. Howard (along with Pujols) is perceived as being one of the clean post PED power guys. In the right AL park as a DH (Fenway, Yankee Stadium) with line-up protection, he has a shot at breaking 61, holding the "clean" HR King title. Neither the Yanks or Red Soxs have a lot of power from the left side, and are going to make it very tough on the Phils FO. I will enjoy them while they are here, but don't see either extending their contracts.
Mets need speed, pitching, defense to win at home (I think the play of Citifield caught them by surprise). Makes the signing of Bay all the more confusing to me. I would be very surprised to see Omar and Manuel make it to the all-star break.
Victorino is an immature baby….who's gotten away with a lot….BECAUSE he's a decent player… and the ladies and kids love him…he's "dynamic" I guess..??
Personally, I wouldn't care all that much if he wasn't here, either.
You never know, they could have signed Victorino for 3 years with the idea in their mind that they might trade him heading into year 3 and allow Giles to replace him. Now I have no idea whether Giles would be ready by then. Some say yes, some say no. But it is a thought.
The Mets are looking like the worst run franchise in baseball ….
Sarge Jr… and you're paying $21 M for him over the next two seasons?????
Thank God they are in the NL EAST so we have one less team to worry about this season
Werth's camp feels he's better all around than Jason Bay … I agree with that
In the beginning of the offseason, I suggested he would be slated between Holliday and Bay if he were a Free Agent this year instead of next..
Between him and Carl Crawford. . . there is a decent mix of guys out there next year too. i think Brad Hawpe and some others.. so maybe that will bring his value down
Actually from what I have read the Mets are only going to be paying about 2-3 mil a year for him. The Halo's are paying most of his salary just to get him out of the clubhouse. Yep, that is the type of guy I would want to bring in. A stud defensive CF who has shown once in his career that he can actually hit, has injury issues, is aging oh and apparently is miserable when he doesn't get to play. Meanwhile he was brought in to fill the void in CF until Beltran is back from injury.
The Mets are every bit the mess that their nickname says they are.
Mets are rumored to be only paying $3M for jr – not bad for what they are asking him to do – play center until (if) Beltran comes back, then be the 4th outfielder. Francouer and Bay are going to need rest also, so he'll probably start 50 games + pinch hit, get 250 ABs. I wouldn't be surprised if he gets more starts than that.
Mets need to fire their GM and start over. There's no method to there madness. Like it or not Rube has a philosophy, a plan if you will on what he's doing. Mets are just throwing stuff against the wall and hoping it sticks.
MLBTRADERUMORS said Phils offerred Lee a 3/60 extension. no word on if it was formally turned down.
Not sure where the disdain of Victorino is coming from. He has a stable skill set, is the epitome of consistency and in only 29. His UZR rating was down last year, but that was more than likely a one year anomaly. The guy is solid.
I knew that Sarge Jr thing had to be a typo … no way that would pay $10 M per season.. when they could probably get Johnny Damon for that much money instead
Victorino helps us win games.. he's just too "chippy" for me, personally.
I "like" him because he's on the Phillies, but he reminds me of Russell Martin, whom I despise ….always yapping.. not quite as good as he thinks he is. . etc..
I know this isn't really related to Victorino, but I read on MLBTradeRumors that the Phils offered Cliff Lee a 3 yr $60M extension. Although he never formally turned it down before he was traded, sources say Lee is seeking a long term deal in the 5 yr $90M range.
I wonder if this precluded the Halladay deal, or were the Phillies actually considering going all in, with Halladay and Lee locked in. IF that's the case, which I highly doubt it is, this oughta ease the pain of those who were hurt when Lee was traded. Can you imagine having Halladay and Lee locked up though? That would've been amazing, and it would'nt put us in a situation where we'd have to rely on MLB ready arms, where we could allow our young guys like Cosart, Colvin, and May to develop without any rush.
the one point I would like to make that at just over 7 million a year, Vic could still be traded after next year if that what it takes to keep Jayson, and/or Howard. This is a discount IMO because in three years if he stays productive he would get at least 10 million from someone. Now he would be a steal in a trade for 7.5 if Brown is ready and you re sign Jayson. I like locking up this guys to keep the core together, knowing they all will be here thru 2012 is key to keep this team rolling as the kids in the minors get more prepared to step up and play
I like these two extensions. RAJ is gonna have a tough time at the end of the 2011 season with Ryan Howard, Cole Hamels, Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Madson, Raul Ibanez, Danys Baez, and J.C. Romero (assuming his 2011 option is picked up) all becoming free agents at the same time. This gives some carry over to the 2012 season.
Agree Shag – I like the Vic signing more due to getting a guy for three years under his perceived worth, but don't necessarily think he is a key part of the future. He really doesn't have a natural batting positon, and while a good cf, his rep is based on web gems, not day to day consistency. In addition, it will make my daughter happy – after the Phanatic, Vic is her favorite Phil.
George: are you out of your mind or just have no idea what you are talking about? Strikeouts….yeah duh hiward's is worst but defensively are you for real? Pujols is .992 while Howard is .990, how can you say he's soooo much better? I'm not saying by any means that Ryan is better than albert, but take pujols out of baseball and who's next in line? RYAN HOWARD!
Mets took a low risk on matthew, paying him next to nothing, so as bad as minaya is this move isnt bad yet, I like victorino dont understand the talk , plays good defense, fast and a nice hitter, Ibanez signing, when it first happen i hated it, but he carried this team and without him it would have been very hard to win, so if he isnt any good this year the contract was worth it because he won us a pennant, so the move was good in that respect, if they have to eat a year big deal they won because of him.not in spite of him a big difference.
Tom you must take range into account when you talk defense. Pujois is a elite defensive first basemen
Haven't heard that term in awhile..funny…I always equated it to a woman somehow..
Kind of fits him though.
Mikemike: understood all I am saying us don't put down Howard when he's the closest thing to pujols! You know just as well as I do Ryan keeps gettin better. I'm not saying they are equal but cmon comparrisons have to be made!
Let me go on record as saying that I am, for the first time, IN AGREEMENT with something mikemike said
it must be a Friday today…
Last year's postseason.. Vic always just running his mouth, because he knows its baseball and he'll never really actually have to fit anyone… there was one time (forget who the pitcher was) .. but the guy stepped off the rubber, Victorino was leading from 1b …. RULE #1 in baseball is that if the pitcher is off the rubber.. GET ON THE BASE!!! …. Instead Vic stands there half-creeping back and forth between taking more of a lead, and then moving back a little, taking another step forward, etc.. then just stands there staring
a large part of me wanted him to get picked-off just for being so cocky
man it hard to dislike this signing because its sucha great deal for the phils. but it does in my mind make it much harder for werth to resign. we can sit and analyze payroll, revenue, money on the books, money coming off the books, trades, FA signings, whatever…i honestly hope this move was made becaues werth is gonna be too expensive…if thats the case, and he walks, then thats more money to lock up the big man ryan howard. i am perfectly fine with keeping vic, lettin werth go, payin howard 25mil for 4 years. you cant keep everybody, guys.
I was checking out Ibanez's contract and realized that Amaro decided to give him a full no-trade clause.
So we can forget about trading Ibanez to save payroll for Werth.
But I guess everyone will say that Amaro HAD to give him the third year AND a full no-trade clause in order for him to sign with the defending world champions.
I would like to think, since Vic and Blanton did give somewhat of a discount to sign 3 year deals, that they are setting Wreth up to do the same thing. Blanton, if he has another Big Joe type of year would get 10 million from someone out there on the open market, so weather you think he is worth it or not, that would be his value. Same goes for Vic, there would be some team out there in two years to give him 9-10 million also. So can't you go to Jayson, and say "Your buddies just took money off the table to stay here, how about you take a back loaded contract at 12-14 million per instead of seeing if you can get 15-18 million per from some other team." And this could go for Ryan also take 21 million, 22 million, 24 million 25 million for four years so 4 years 92 million so we can keep all you guys together.
Now maybe they won't do that, and maybe the Phillies do not want to pay that. But right now on this team you have signed Doc to 4 years, Vic and Blanton for 3 years, and they took gave up money to stay here for those years. I know I am an eternal optimist, but maybe it is the start of a trend.
I think it's at least worth a try…reach out to Jayson….see where his head is at…same with Howard. Who knows?? But I have a hard time thinking that the Phillies will be able to pay for BOTH of them…
You figure Werth …right now…with his skills ….and the Bay and Holliday deals as examples…if he is anything CLOSE to last season…Werth probably is a $15 million guy..
And Howard…well…$19M this year and $20 next..I mean..he's probably AT LEAST a $25 million dollar player when it comes time to deal with his contract.
Unless payroll is figured to go up enough to pay these guys…and everybody else…I don't know..
I would love to see it happen too. Jayson Werth one of my favorite players, along with Carlos Ruiz…and if Howard is up to bat…I can't leave the living room til he's either out or on base..Just have to watch that at-bat!!


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|Back to Calendar » December 13, 2013 @ 7:30 pm – December 15, 2013 @ 4:00 pm
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|Community Events
NUACT is presenting "A Seussified Christmas Carol" by Peter Bloedel, a whimsical reinvention of Dickens' most beloved Christmas story in wacky rhymed couplets for three shows on December 13, 14, & 15.
Performances are Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2pm. All performances are at Martin Luther College Auditorium. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for kids. Tickets available at the New Ulm Chamber of Commerce, HyVee, Cash Wise and online at www.newulmact.com.


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When Loud Wins: Will Your Tax Dollars Pay For Prayer?
Today the LA Times described a bizarre and troublesome healthcare reform bill provision that would require Medicare to pay for Christian Science Prayer as a medical treatment:
…a little-noticed provision in the healthcare overhaul bill would require insurers to consider covering Christian Science prayer treatments as medical expenses.
The provision was inserted by Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah) with the support of Democratic Sens. John F. Kerry and the late Edward M. Kennedy, both of Massachusetts, home to the headquarters of the Church of Christ, Scientist.


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"Thank you for your great witness and ministry to Christ and His Church. I have enjoyed listening to Catholic Answers Live and your apologists for a number of years now. It has been very formative and inspirational in my journey towards becoming a well versed and devoted servant of Christ and His people on earth via His Church."
"If you should be in foreign cities, do not simply ask where is the church, but where is the Catholic Church, for this is the proper name of this holy Mother of all."


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we should win this. How can you hate Michael Jordan lol. I know he caused the Knicks alot of pain but man he was the best player with Magic. I admit he is a terrible GM though, your right 100%.
It will be interesting to see how mins Curry gets against a very bad team in Charlotte.


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Testimony to the U.S. House Committee on Small Business, Subcommittee on Contracting and Technology regarding the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses Program
Chairman Nye, Ranking Member Schock and distinguished members of the subcommittee: It's an honor to testify before you today on the SBA's deep commitment to veteran entrepreneurs and small business owners.
This past year, our Administrator has made veterans a priority in each of the SBA's core mission areas: the three Cs of capital, counseling, and contracting.
With regards to access to capital, the SBA hit a milestone on July 4th with nearly half-a-billion dollars in SBA's Patriot Express loans over just three years to veterans, reservists, service members and their spouses.
Within our counseling programs, the SBA has doubled the number of Veteran's Business Outreach Centers to 16. We also joined with six leading universities around the country to support an Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities who are returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Today, I've been asked to focus on the steps we've taken to help veteran and service-disabled-veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSBs) access Federal contracting opportunities.
As you know, the SBA works with federal agencies to increase contracting opportunities for small businesses. Our goal is to ensure that not less than 23 percent of the total value of all eligible prime contract awards for each fiscal year go to small businesses. Within that, the federal government has a number of additional sub-goals, including three percent of the total value of all prime contract awards for each fiscal year for SDVOSBs. In addition, the Federal government has a three percent subcontracting goal for SDVOSBs.
Agencies have made great strides in recent years. In FY07, 1% of prime contracting dollars went to SDVOSBs. That rose to 1.5% – or $6.5 billion – in FY08, and we expect that based on preliminary data from FY09, there will be yet another significant increase both in percentage and in dollar amount. Still, we know that we have work to do and are committed to ensuring that the federal government hits its goals for all small business groups – including SDVOSBs.
One of the reasons we know that we can improve further is due to our efforts with respect to Recovery Act Contracting. This time last year, the Vice President, Commerce Secretary Locke and our Administrator made a strong interagency push to ensure that Recovery Act contracts were going to veterans, minorities, women and other groups.
We've been tracking this data, and I'm very pleased to say that the federal government has awarded 5 percent of Recovery Act contracts to service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses. And I want to thank the other agencies represented here today for their contributions to that accomplishment.
Building on our success under the Recovery Act, we're examining which of our actions were most effective: from our 300 outreach, training, and matchmaking events in the course of 90 days… to our online contracting training modules that were used by tens of thousands in just a matter of weeks… to our close coordination with every agency receiving Recovery Act funding. Ultimately, we want to identify best practices and integrate them into our regular, day-to-day fiscal year contracting efforts.
More recently, this commitment to veteran-owned small businesses has been renewed by the President himself. In April, he ordered the creation of two task forces: one on small business contracting and another on veterans' business development.
Today's discussion lies at the intersection of those two efforts, and Administrator Mills and I – as well as others throughout the Administration – are working to create formal recommendations that should be delivered to the President in the coming weeks.
And I should note that we're building on the accomplishments that have already been made by our Office of Veterans Business Development.
For example, in FY2009, we provided training to 290 contracting officials at five major agencies as well as 2,000 service-disabled-veteran-owned (SDVO) small businesses. So far this fiscal year, we've trained 150 more contracting officials, 1,900 more veterans, and more training events are planned.
Overall, we've made progress over the past year, but as the GAO reminded us last year, there is more we can do. Our goal-related improvements must be accompanied by policies and procedures that root out any fraud, waste, or abuse in this important program. SBA is focused on ensuring that only legitimate SDVO small business concerns benefit from the SDVO small business program.
That's why we have developed a comprehensive approach to rooting out fraud, waste, and abuse. We are collectively focused on all three stages of the contracting oversight continuum: Certification, Ongoing Surveillance and Monitoring, and Enforcement. We have already made improvements in all three areas – even when, like in the case of the service-disabled veteran owned small business program, it operates via a self-certification process.
We are handling more protests than ever before, and the protest process is working. While the number of protests is increasing, the percentage of firms determined as ineligible through protests is declining.
We are also working more closely than ever with the Veteran's Administration (VA), our General Counsel's office, our suspension and debarment official, our Inspector General, the Department of Justice, and many other key stakeholders. I want to thank our partners at the VA who are here today who are critical partners in this effort.
I should also note that the President's FY11 budget submission asks for $2 million that will help us with eligibility and certification efforts across our contracting programs.
My commitment to you today is that we will continue to move forward with diligence and speed in strengthening our efforts to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse.
Finally, we share the concerns of many SDVOSB contractors on the issue of parity, which is perhaps the most pressing issue facing this community.
A recent court decision attempts to place the HUBZone set aside program above SBA's other small business contracting programs, including the SDVOSB program. If this decision were applied throughout our contracting programs, it could essentially re-direct billions of dollars away from SDVOSBs as well as 8(a) and women-owned small firms. Moreover, it could create confusion within the contracting community, which could result in all small businesses losing opportunities for Federal contracts.
That's not fair, and it wasn't the intent of Congress. That is why the Administration supports a legislative effort currently underway to make the relatively simple clarification in statutory language: replacing "shall" with "may" in HUBZone's language. This would give contracting officers the discretionary authority to select, based on market research, the most appropriate small business program when reserving a procurement for exclusive small business participation. We urge Congress to act on this issue with urgency – especially given that a large portion of contracting dollars are obligated in the final quarter of the fiscal year and missing out on just 1% of contracting opportunities means $5B in lost revenue to Small Businesses.
Thank you for your time and I look forward to your questions.


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Silvertone Gray Crystal Convertible Earring
Style: 570084689
Out of Stock
Sparkling with every facet, cut glass beads in moon-glow gray and iridescent metallic slide off the top of a silvertone hoop to give you four ways to wear these earrings. Matches the Silvertone Gray Crystal Convertible Necklace and Convertible Bracelet.
- Bead charms slide off hoop.
- Four earrings in one: silvertone hoop, moon-glow drop, iridescent metallic drop or both.
- Glass crystal; nickel-free metal.
- Post back. 1.5" diameter hoop; 3.5"-4" drop with bead charm.
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text: In all fairness to the Secret Service, they have tightened security up a lot in the last forty years.But upon further reflection, the Secret Service agents probably handled this as effectively as possible. The guy was throwing shoes - although they probably could have shot him before he got that second shoe off, what do you have then? A dead guy with no shoes on, that's what, and then you're asked to leave the country and never come back. Considering how widely loved Bush is in Iraq (check back this time next year for the Iraqi's first National "Fuck Bush Day") it's probably a minor miracle that he's able to go there at all and come home alive, much less with a tread mark on his skull. Third reaction: Oh, good work Bundy. The Iraq war has kind of fallen out of the American public's consciousness the last year or so, mainly because it just leaves everyone feeling kind of bummed I guess. So this little stunt has, on the surface, brought it back to the forefront. But in a completely trivial way. Like every other type of protest, the only thing people talk about is the protest itself, not the message being raised. There are a lot of things about the Iraq war that deserve to be treated with a certain level of seriousness (all the dead people for one.) But instead of talking about that we've now got newsrooms across the country racking their brains looking for shoe puns. Fortunately this is a comedy site, where serious discussions are generally verboten, and blatant hypocriticism encouraged, so I'll move back to the shoe/dick jokes now. If I could offer a bit of friendly advice to the President - speaking as someone who has things thrown at him with great regularity - here's a handy list of responses I've developed for many common things that may get hurled at you in the future. With the help of a specially modified batting practice machine, you'll be able to hone your clearly already sharp reflexes further, which should be of some help in your future career, whatever it is you wind up fucking up next. Objects thrown at you: Pillows Example: You've just been asked to perform a minor chore by your spouse/boyfriend/girlfriend/long term same-gendered "roommate." You playfully respond "..." They throw a pillow at you, and repeat their request, punctuating it with an impolite suggestion. Response: Let it bounce off you harmlessly. Throwing something back would seem to be the logical response, but this is a path that quickly leads to broken lamps, televisions, granite counter tops and relationships. Objects thrown at you: Produce Example: You're at the supermarket picking up a tray of vegetables and dip to bring to a social function. While in the produce aisle, one of your past spouses/boyfriends/girlfriends/long term same-gendered "roommates" hurls one or more pieces of fruit or veg at you, accusing you of stealing their DVD player. Response: Simple one. Duck. Who looks crazier, the one throwing fruit, or the one who stole a DVD player and peed in the dishwasher during the later stages of a shattered relationship? The one who did it in front of witnesses. Leave in peace and let the cops handle Ol' Stinky Dishes. Objects thrown at you: Dirty Looks Example: At a social function of some sort, you've just pointed out to some new parents that they have an ugly baby. Now they're throwing dirty looks at you like you hit the damned thing. Response: Dirty Looks can't hurt you physically, so there's no need to deploy any avoidance maneuvers/chafe/flares in this circumstance. The only thing dirty looks can do is make you doubt yourself, so I suggest you ignore them. In this example, I'd ignore the dirty looks and blaze onwards, suggesting to the father of the aforementioned child that there's no way he's ugly enough to be the father of this abomination. Objects thrown at you: Gang Signs Example: Someone has taken slight at one of your patented hard hitting observations. You respond by forming a 'W' with your hands, while adding "Wu Taaaaaang!" in a high pitched voice. They respond by widening their eyes suddenly, rolling up their sleeves to reveal a plethora of crudely etched tattoos, and throwing a gang sign of their own. As someone who has made up several gang signs on the spot in your time, you recognize it immediately as one that was not made up on the spot. As if conjured by some dark magic, firearms appear in the hands of several other people nearby. Response: Cry as hard as you possibly can. You have pissed off the wrong people, again. Your only hope now is to diffuse their anger by replacing it with disgust. Don't expect sympathy - you won't get it. But being smacked around like a fat blubbering baby for three hours until they get bored and leave you in a puddle of your own fluids is better than being shot I would imagine. I note with no small amount of pride that I've never been shot.


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Book a holiday to Amsterdam and discover its thriving art scene and renowned nightlife.
Flight + 5 nights hotel
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Holidays in Amsterdam give you the best of both worlds – you can choose from a cultural trip filled with sightseeing and trekking around museums, or a vibrant weekend of bars, food and shopping galore.
Considered one of the best cities in Europe for a short city break. Amsterdam is compact, so grab a bike or walk along the canal paths, stopping to admire the 17th century architecture so revered in the city. Browse modern art in swanky contemporary galleries before heading off to see an old master at the Rembrandt or Van Gogh museums. Shop along the bustling P.C. Hooftstraat for luxury goods before stopping for a coffee and delicious waffle, or drop in for a well-deserved beer in the chic De Pijp area. Our flights to Amsterdam will have you there in no time.
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The great thing about luxury shopping in Amsterdam, is that you will discover hip neighbourhoods as you discover the latest trends. Head to Dam Square to find de Bijenkorf (beehive), a luxury department store with high-end brands in a familiar shop-in-shop layout. Wander down P.C. Hooftstraat, near Museum Square, to find luxury stores such as Chanel, Gucci and Louis Vuitton, among many others. Or head to the Oud-Zuid neighbourhood, a haven for affluent Amsterdammers, to find catwalk fashion boutiques – like the superb Ennu – amongst outstanding bistros and cafés ideally placed for a quick bite to eat.
Like any major city, Amsterdam has its fair share of spas and wellness centres fit for a luxury break. For over 30 years, the incredible Sauna Deco has been a haunt for the affluent crowd in Amsterdam. Its iconic Parisian stylings take visitors back to a more elegant time, when people were less rushed, offering massage, sauna, steam baths and a delicious light lunch. Or why not visit the stunning Guerlain Spa at the opulent Waldorf Astoria, whose spectacular holistic treatments are adapted for individual needs and wants. So sit back, be pampered in style, and enjoy a life of luxury in Amsterdam.
One of the most iconic cities in the world needs iconic hotels, and you will not be disappointed with the choice. With incredible views of the River Amstel, the beautiful 19th century De l'Europe offers elegant rooms and two fine dining restaurants, including the two Michelin-starred Bord'Eau. Owned by the Heineken family, it has recently undergone a €85 million renovation, ensuring guests comfort for years to come. For those looking for something a bit different, the stylish Sir Albert was once a diamond factory. It is now the epitome of contemporary cool, with a chic modern feel perfect for a city saturated with designers.
A luxury break in Amsterdam wouldn't be complete without visiting at least one Michelin-starred restaurant. Thankfully, Amsterdam has quite a few. The Bridges restaurant in the Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam is considered the best fish restaurant in the city, offering 'Dutch fish with a French twist' and a fantastic selection of wine. But if you are looking for something a little different, Yamazato in the Hotel Okura, serve Japanese Haute Cuisine. In a lavish space designed to represent a 16th century Japanese tea house, and staff dressed accordingly in kimonos, the food here is spellbinding.
Amsterdam has plenty to offer for those looking for a decent cocktail or good bottle of wine. Hotel bars are always a good option, but they sometimes lack the atmosphere of heading into the hubbub of the city. Try Bubble & Wines just near the Royal Palace, who sell 50 wines by the glass and 180 by the bottle – all in a stylish, low-slung bar oozing exclusivity. Or head to the De Pijp area, where you'll find hip cocktail bars on every corner. During the day, The Dylan hotel has an inspiring take on the afternoon tea called High Wine, with guests sampling delicious wine accompanied with perfectly suited appetizers.


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3/4 Sleeve Bottom Knot Top
Style: 570109690
Out of Stock
Knotted front gives this basic black knit top a gathered look that is both feminine and forgiving. Boatneck style and logo hardware give a sophisticated touch.
- Relaxed stretch fit.
- 3/4 sleeves. Knot detail at hemline.
- 95% polyester, 5% spandex. Machine wash, cold. May be dry cleaned. Imported.
- Hits at mid-hip. Length: 25.5" from shoulder.
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With WorldShare Collection Evaluation, you can:
Help staff make well-informed collection management decisions
Collection Evaluation provides easy-to-interpret data analyses and a task-oriented interface that helps library staff visualize the data presented, making it easier to make tough collection management decisions during the course of routine library workflows. Detailed title information, subject analyses, peer holdings and local circulation data are also provided.
Support new institutional programs and accreditation reviews
Determine if your collection can support accreditation curriculum by comparing it to other libraries with similar programs. Collection Evaluation allows you to answer:
- What content do other institutions with similar programs hold?
- Where do I have weaknesses to address?
- How current is my collection?
- How heavily are these resources used?
Compare your library's resources to peer institutions
Collection Evaluation provides analysis showing how your resources compare against:
- a single peer institution;
- a group of up to 50 peer libraries;
- a variety of predefined groups defined by library type, geographic location, specialization, ARL status, ranking and more; and
- authoritative lists that provide access to recommended or highlighted lists, such as Choice, Booklist, Doody's, Library Journal, Publisher's Weekly and School Library Journal.
You can choose the most appropriate comparison for the analysis you're doing. Collection Evaluation also provides flexible export options so you can use your data for offline analysis and reuse.
Integration with WorldShare Management Services (WMS)
WMS libraries will see a new Analytics tab, which automatically includes circulation and holdings to make data-driven decisions for deselection, accreditation and acquisitions.
Learn more
Download the WorldShare Collection Evaluation brochure
Learn more about how you can drive your collection decisions through cooperative intelligence.
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