text:
Tramontina Restaurant Fry Pan Set
- Summary
The Professional cookware collection from Tramontina is designed to stand up to the rigors of restaurant kitchens—and offers an excellent value for home cooks. These commercial-grade fry pans feature thick aluminum construction for superior heat conduction, combined with a high-performance nonstick coating that releases all textures of food and allows for low-fat cooking. The handle comes with a silicone grip that stays cool and soft to the touch.
- Set of two includes 8" and 10" fry pans.
- Heavy-gauge aluminum alloy construction for efficient, even heat conduction and superior durability.
- Reinforced PFOA-free nonstick interior for effortless release of foods and fast cleanup.
- Cast stainless-steel handle with removable soft-grip silicone sleeve.
- Rivetless handle for easier cleaning.
- NSF certified to meet the standards for cookware used in professional kitchens.
- Dishwasher safe.
- Dimensions & More Info
- 8" Pan: 8" diam., 1 3/4" high; 1 lb. 7 oz.
- 10" Pan: 10" diam., 2" high; 2 lb. 2 oz.
- Made in the USA with imported components.
- Use & Care
- Ideal for gas and electric cooktops.
- Oven safe to 400ºF. Remove handle grip before placing pan in oven.
- For best results, use low to medium heat.
- Use wood, plastic or heat-resistant nylon tools to avoid scratching the nonstick surface.
- Allow pan to cool before washing.
- Dishwasher safe.
- Avoid using steel wool, steel scouring pads or harsh, abrasive detergents.
- Shipping
Shipping Information
UPS can deliver most in-stock items within 4-5 business days.
Shipping Rates
The shipping rate varies depending on your order total and shipping destination. View Shipping Options and Charges.
Next Day Delivery
For an additional charge of $17.50 per address, we can expedite delivery to most destinations. This service is not available for some oversize items, items shipped directly from the supplier (including perishable and custom-manufactured items), out-of-stock items and items to be shipped outside the contiguous 48 states.
Orders received by 9:00 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Thursday will arrive the next business day; orders placed Friday through Sunday will arrive on the following Tuesday.
Return Policy
At Williams-Sonoma, we take great pride in the quality and craftsmanship of our products. Attention to design, materials, safety and construction are our priority. Upon receipt, please inspect your purchase and notify us of any damage; we will arrange for a prompt replacement.
If within 30 days, you are dissatisfied for any reason, you may return your purchase for a refund of the merchandise value. An original receipt or gift receipt is required for all returns and exchanges. Returns with a gift receipt will be refunded in the form of a Merchandise Credit for the amount indicated on the gift receipt. Returns with original receipt will be refunded in the original form of payment, cash and check refunds over $100 will be issued as a company check (may take 14 business days from time of request).
For all cutlery returns (knife sets, single knives, cutting boards, knife sharpeners, and knife storage) please contact us at 888.922.4108 to initiate the return.
We cannot accept returns on monogrammed, personalized, special-order items, custom upholstery, food, items shipped direct from the vendor, or on items damaged through normal wear and tear. Final sale items ending in .97 or .99 cannot be returned.
Made to Order and Final Sale Furniture items are non-returnable, and cannot be cancelled once the order is placed.
For returns of items purchased from your Williams-Sonoma Gift Registry, we will gladly provide a refund or exchange for the merchandise within 90 days of your event or within 90 days of purchase, whichever date is later. View Full Return Policy.


text:
Trusted, quality service with 40 years experience in furniture
Mon - Sat 9.30AM-5PM Sun 11AM-4PM0845 519 8589
Recently added item(s) ×
You have no items in your shopping cart.
Mid Week Sale
Now On!
Up to 50% OFF Selected Items
|Shop By Range
|Devonshire Torridge Pine Furniture
|Some Assembly Required
|Shop By Wood
|In Stock
|Available To Order
|Delivery Time
|8-10 Weeks (Approx)
|Shop By Brand
|Devonshire Pine & Oak
|Dimensions (Depth)
|535mm / 21 inches
|Dimensions (Height)
|1790mm / 70.5 inches
|Dimensions (Width)
|1350mm / 53 inches
FAQ content
We have many finance options available.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Your favorite '90s boots are back and better than ever. Still as comfortable as always these boots have gotten an updated look. The signature stitched pull-loop at back provides for easy on and off. Eight metal eyelets lace-up two different ways for an ever-changing fresh look. Wear with everything from a dress to jeans for a stylish grunge cool.
We are not perfect but we try to be! If you are not satisfied, please let us know how we can improve your footnotesonline experience!
Most orders ship within 24 hours of being placed, Monday-Friday. Please refer to the Shipping map below to estimate your delivery date.
Visit US Shipping Page or the International Shipping Page
Please enter your information and we will alert you when your request becomes available!
Note: Due to their popularity, some sizes may not be available from the manufacturer. However we will do our best to accommodate you. Thanks!
Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.


text:
INGREDIENTS:¼ cup + 2 Tbsps. red wine vinegar ¼ cup + 1 ¼ tsps. granulated sugar ¼ cup + 1 ¼ tsps. dark brown sugar, packed 1 tsp. fresh garlic, minced 1 Tbsp. + 1 ½ tsps. ginger root, peeled, minced 1 cup diced tomatoes in juice, undrained 2 ½ oz. spanish onions, sliced ½ inch thick ½ tsp. salt ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper 2 Tbsps. + 3 /4 tsp. golden raisinsDIRECTIONS:1. Combine all ingredients except raisins in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, lower heat then simmer 30 minutes. 2. Add ...
Register to view this Article
WhyRegisterfor FREE?
Registering for Premium Content on Food Management will give youINSTANTaccess to invaluable articles and media content that industry professionals rely on. You will have access to our special reports, feature articles, and industry analysis. It'sFREE, easy and quick.


text:
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
Name of Product: Roman Shades
Units: About 290,000
Distributor: All Strong Industry (USA) Inc., of Ontario, Calif.
Hazard: Strangulations can occur when a child places his/her neck between the exposed inner cord and the fabric on the backside of the blind or when a child pulls the cord out and wraps it around his/her neck.
Incidents/Injuries: In February 2007, a 16-month-old boy in Painesville, Ohio died after becoming entangled in the exposed cord on the backside of a Roman shade and strangled. The child was found face down under a corner of the shade pulled into his crib.
Description: This recall involves Roman shades distributed by All Strong Industry that are made of a white-on-white striped fabric and measure about 64 inches long and the width ranges between 23 and 39 inches. The head rail has a strangulation warning and a label stating "CF" (Ching Feng Fashion Home Fashions Co., Ltd.), "52% Cotton/48% Polyester", and made in either Taiwan, Thailand or China. "RN 103984" is printed on another sewn-in tag near the bottom back side of the fabric.
Sold at: Walmart stores nationwide and other retailers from January 2003 through May 2005 for between $10 and $20.
Manufactured in: Taiwan, Thailand, and China
Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled Roman shades immediately and contact the Window Covering Safety Council for a free repair kit.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact the Window Covering Safety Council at (800) 506-4636 anytime or visit www.windowcoverings.org
Note: Examine all shades and blinds in your home. Make sure there are no accessible cords on the front, side, or back of the product. CPSC recommends the use of cordless window coverings in all homes where children live or visit.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of
thousands of types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the
nation more than $1 trillion annually. CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical or
mechanical hazard. CPSC's work to help ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters and household
chemicals -– contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 40 years.
Federal law bars any person from selling products subject to a publicly-announced voluntary recall by a manufacturer or a mandatory recall ordered by the
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury go online to www.SaferProducts.gov or call CPSC's Hotline at 800-638-2772 or teletypewriter at
301-595-7054 for the hearing impaired. Consumers can obtain news release and recall information at www.cpsc.gov, on Twitter @USCPSC or by subscribing
to CPSC's free e-mail newsletters.
Times: 8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. ET; Messages can be left anytime
Call to get product safety and other agency information and to report unsafe products.
Please use the below phone number for all media requests.
Phone: (301) 504-7908
Spanish: (301) 504-7800
View CPSC contacts for specific areas of expertise
We are still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product.
Report a Product on SaferProducts.gov
The link you selected is for a destination outside of the Federal Government. CPSC does not control this external site or its privacy policy and cannot attest to the accuracy of the information it contains. You may wish to review the privacy policy of the external site as its information collection practices may differ from ours. Linking to this external site does not constitute an endorsement of the site or the information it contains by CPSC or any of its employees.
Click Ok if you wish to continue to the website; otherwise, click Cancel to return to our site.


text:
Events » Adult Education Classes » Drawing Class
Drawing Class
An Arrangement of Flowers, c. 1620
Jan Brueghel the Younger
Flemish, 1601-1678
Oil on panel
21-15/16 x 16-7/8 in. (55.7 x 42.9 cm)
The Norton Simon Foundation
Nature Morte and the Significant Objects Exhibition: Brueghel and Dutch Still Life
Date: Friday, October 19, 2012
Time: 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Teacher: Cole Case
Type: Drawing Class
Los Angeles–based artist Cole Case leads an in-depth investigation of the still-life genre. The four-part course examines the formal compositional elements of works from the Museum's collection and the exhibition "Significant Objects: The Spell of Still Life." Using the techniques discussed, students create original compositions inspired by the work of the masters.
Brueghel and Dutch Still Life
The precision and hyper-realistic renderings found in Dutch still-life painting have their roots in a culture that was flourishing both economically and politically. Participants draw a still-life arrangement using Conté pencils on colored paper, based on works by Brueghel and Bosschaert. The class focuses on observation, detail, value and precise line quality.
Special Exhibition Galleries | All levels of experience are welcome. Each class is $20 ($16 for members), and space is limited to 18 participants. All materials and admission to the galleries on the day of class are included. | Online registration is required. For further information, contact the Education Department at (626) 844-6980.


text:
My daughter s 18 months and although she´s now only feeding at night before bed I´m beginning to think its time for me to stop. She self weaned herself from all her other feeds (last one to go was her morning feed about 2 months ago) and I now finding it exhausting and starting to resent feeding her at this time. Also I think the association with bed time needs to be dropped and maybe start introducing a glass of milk instead.
Any advise or wise words would be greatful - is it better for me to give her goats milk than cows - I heard this??


text:
Electronic Collection Management
Your users want access to as many electronic resources as possible, quickly and conveniently. And you want them to succeed. OCLC works with libraries, publishers and other partners to get e-books, licensed e-resources and digital items directly into the workflows of both librarians and information seekers. Many OCLC services already enable the management, discovery and access of e-resources right alongside physical materials. Read the white paper, below, to learn more.
Meeting the E-Resources Challenge
Is it possible to centralize the management of licensed resources and maximize their exposure within one seamless workflow? Case studies and findings from the E-Resource Advisory Council provide a set of challenges and related recommendations. The goal? Put electronic materials into the hands of library users more quickly, regardless of where they start their online information search.
Unified acquisitions for physical and electronic collections
All acquisitions functions are available in one service. You'll save time since there's no need to go back and forth between multiple systems for different formats and related activities.
Reduce the complexity of managing licenses
Manage license agreements, rights, access and resolution to full text from the same interface, eliminating the need to synchronize data across multiple interfaces.
Get metadata and automatic updates for all of your subscriptions
Get automatic delivery of WorldCat records and holdings maintenance for your licensed, digital and physical materials. Data for all titles and access URLs is continuously updated, enhancing discovery of your e-content.
Ensure users can access everything anywhere
EZproxy helps provide users with remote access to Web-based licensed content offered by libraries. It is middleware that authenticates library users against local authentication systems and provides remote access to licensed content based on the user's authorization.
The integration of electronic resources into every part of libraries' workflows is accelerating. While offering services that address specific functions, OCLC is also working to incorporate the management of e-resources into every service it provides. For example:
- WorldCat Local is a single-search-box discovery service that allows libraries to connect users directly to the full text of electronic content they subscribe to.
- The popular Article Exchange service allows WorldShare Interlibrary Loan and ILLiad subscribers to share digital articles using a single, secure location.
- The WorldCat knowledge base provides comprehensive data about the e-collections of member libraries, complementing the data in WorldCat. This supports streamlined collection management, discovery and delivery applications.
Take the next step
Get in touch with a member representative today to find out how OCLC's electronic collection management services can help free your library from the restrictions of local hardware and software to provide more time to focus on serving users and communities.
Contact us or call 1-800-848-5878


text:
10 year anniversary — our wedding day in a 2min video.
When I am incredibly busy and stressed, I like to compound it all by beginning extensive projects other than that which I am supposed to be working on. I award myself extra points if they are unnecessary, irrelevant, and totally unimportant to anyone but me. And because I am compulsive, I MUST START THEM IMMEDIATELY.


text:
One sentence introducing you to this format. While at The Phrontiersman, I identified the ten teams that pose the greatest threat to the Phillies' World Series run in 2010 and decided to see how they're doing in relation to each other this offseason; the rules are here, and we've already covered the Braves, Mets, and Rockies. If something seems odd, or if you have questions about the methodology, odds are you'll find it in one of those posts.
This isn't really a war story, but I find it interesting. English singer-songwriter James Blunt was actually a Royal Army captain before making it big as a musician. While serving in an armored reconnaissance unit during the NATO peacekeeping mission in 1999, Blunt kept his guitar strapped to the outside of his tank and played in his free time. It was there that he began writing his album Back to Bedlam, which, of course, contained his international No. 1 hit, "You're Beautiful." But I hate that song, so I'm not going to link it here.
Interesting fact about the Cardinals: they're not named after the bird. Nope—according to Bill James, St. Louis had three professional baseball teams in the late 19th century. The Cardinals were actually founded in 1882 as the Brown Stockings (later the Browns). In 1885, the St. Louis Maroons joined the National League from the Union Association before moving to Indianapolis. Finally, in 1900, the Browns, after a year as the St. Louis Perfectos (I'm sure whoever thought of that moniker lost his job immediately), the team decided to continue the city's baseball tradition of adopting progressively lighter shades for its team names—cardinal refers to the color (much like Stanford University), not the bird.
Incidentally, in 1902, the American League set up shop in St. Louis with another team called the Browns. In 1954 they moved to Baltimore and became the Orioles. Don't worry. They are named after the bird.
Total WAR continues after the jump. With some Madcon, for your listening pleasure.
2009 Roster
C1: Yadier Molina (3.4 WAR)
C2: Jason LaRue (1.7 WAR)
1B: Albert Pujols (8.4 WAR)
2B: Skip Schumaker (1.2 WAR)
3B: Mark DeRosa (0.4 WAR), Joe Thurston (0.2 WAR), Brian Barden (0.4 WAR)
SS: Brendan Ryan (3.2 WAR)
INF: Khalil Greene (-0.8 WAR), Julio Lugo (0.2 WAR)
OF1: Matt Holliday (2.7 WAR),
OF2: Colby Rasmus (2.3 WAR)
OF3: Ryan Ludwick (1.8 WAR)
OF4: Chris Duncan (-0.5 WAR)
OF5: Rick Ankiel (0.1 WAR)
SP1: Chris Carpenter (5.6 WAR)
SP2: Adam Wainwright (5.7 WAR)
SP3: Joel Pineiro (4.8 WAR)
SP4: Kyle Lohse (0.8 WAR)
SP5: Todd Wellemeyer (-0.3 WAR)
CL: Ryan Franklin (0.9 WAR)
SU: Kyle McClellan (0.3 WAR)
RP: Jason Motte (-0.3 WAR)
RP: Trever Miller (0.5 WAR)
RP: Dennys Reyes (0.2 WAR)
RP: Brad Thompson (0.0 WAR)
RP: Mitchell Boggs (0.6 WAR)
RP: John Smoltz (1.1 WAR)
2009 Total WAR: 44.6
I know I've got a fantasy sports problem because I've got an English Premier League fantasy team. Yes, I play fantasy soccer. With a limited budget to spend on players, I decided that it would be best to load the team up with as many superstars as I could, and fill the rest of my roster with reclamation projects and mediocre defenders (I have three Stoke City defenders on my team—that should tell you everything you need to know). So while I have Cesc Fabregas, Nicolas Anelka, Andrei Arshavin, and Fernando Torres on my team, I have to rely on solid-but-unspectacular players like Ivan Klasnic and Vedran Corluka or feast-or-famine types like Leighton Baines to fill in the gaps.
This Cardinals team is much the same. I've been fascinated by this team since the summer. The total WAR of 44.6 is a decent number for a playoff team, if the first few Total WAR posts have been any indication. I think it just illustrates how truly incredible a ballplayer Albert Pujols is. Essentially, there are only 3 other position players besides Pujols (Holliday, Ryan, and Molina) who are anything other than mediocre. Last year, Nick Stavinoha got 91 plate appearances for this team and put up a WAR of -0.7. This illustrates two things: first, how truly terrible Stavinoha was (almost as bad, per plate appearance, as Pujols and Holliday were good). Second, it illustrates how desperate the Cardinals were for position players that they gave someone that bad 91 plate appearances.
Likewise the pitching staff, anchored by two of the three best pitchers in the National League last year and one of the best third starters in baseball. But apart from the first three rotation spots, the cupboard is bare.
This team really indulges the fantasy of seeing if one man can, in fact, win a baseball game on his own. Apparently he can—I thought for sure the Cards were going to the World Series last year.
Also, I'd like to put Kyle Lohse in a group with Dwyane Wade and Brett Favre—people who need to transpose two letters in their names so they can be pronounced the way they're spelled. Ok, I've said my piece.
2010 Roster (Note that I've listed an extra catcher and an extra infielder because, according to MLB.com, the Cardinals' fourth outfielder is their starting second baseman. I think this connotes a move for outfield help before Opening Day, so take this prediction with a grain of salt).
C1: Yadier Molina (3.6 WAR)
C2: Jason LaRue (0.7 WAR)
C3: Matt Pagnozzi (-0.5 WAR)
1B: Albert Pujols (7.2 WAR)
2B: Skip Schumaker (1.6 WAR)
3B: David Freese (1.8 WAR)
SS: Brendan Ryan (2.8 WAR)
INF1: Julio Lugo (0.4 WAR)
INF2: Tyler Greene (0.9 WAR)
OF1: Matt Holliday (4.8 WAR)
OF2: Colby Rasmus (3.0 WAR)
OF3: Ryan Ludwick (2.1 WAR)
SP1: Chris Carpenter (4.7 WAR)*
SP2: Adam Wainwright (5.4 WAR)*
SP3: Kyle Lohse (0.8 WAR) 4.29 FIP, 158 IP
SP4: Brad Penny (2.1 WAR)*
SP5: Mitchell Boggs (0.6 WAR) 4.83 FIP, 148 IP
CL: Ryan Franklin (0.4 WAR)*
SU: Kyle McClellan (0.3 WAR) 3.89 FIP, 63 IP
RP: Jason Motte (0.7 WAR)*
RP: Trever Miller (0.5 WAR) 3.81 FIP, 42 IP
RP: Dennys Reyes (0.2 WAR) 4.05 FIP, 40 IP
RP: Brad Thompson (0.0 WAR) 4.77 FIP, 52 IP
RP: Josh Kinney (-0.3 WAR) 4.46 FIP, 39 IP
RP: Blake Hawksworth (0.1 WAR) 4.82 FIP, 54 IP (Bill James)
2010 Projected Total WAR: 43.9
Out: Ankiel, DeRosa, Thurston, Barden, Pineiro, Smoltz, Wellemeyer, Duncan, Khalil Greene
In: Pagnozzi, Freese, Tyler Greene, Penny, Kinney, Hawksworth
Feel free to insert your Tyler Greene joke here.
Ah, Dennys Reyes. My last day at The Phrontiersman, MLB Trade Rumors linked a what-if piece I wrote about the course of the Phillies since 2003 if they had never traded Scott Rolen. In it I incorrectly identified the Reyes I thought pitched Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS (I thought it was Al, then someone said it was Anthony, then it turned out that it was Jeff Suppan and we all felt really stupid. And by we all, I mean I felt really stupid).
So I have a hard enough time keeping the pitching Reyeses straight as it is, and as of last spring they had completed their collection.
Apparently the fans are high on Jason Motte, which is good because as Phillies fans, we know the roided-up enigma that Ryan Franklin can be as well as anyone. The Cards are going to be in need of a closer soon enough. If Boggs can't nail down the fifth starter spot, look for Hawksworth, who posted a 2.02 ERA in 40 IP last year, to get a shot if he's at all effective in spring training. But after only posting 4.5 K/9 IP, Hawksworth might be a Kyle Kendrick-style flash-in-the-pan. If not him, then Rich Hill, who followed up a 3-WAR season in 2007 with two roughly replacement-level campaigns, is coming to spring training as a non-roster invitee.
Also, there isn't a better solution at third base than David Freese? Are you sure? No one? After the past two years, I'm wondering if I might have to write a Rolen Back History, Part II, for the Cardinals.
I think they're going to miss Pineiro, as well. Yes, everyone talks about him being an extreme ground ball pitcher and not striking that many guys out, but with that exceptional infield defense (even in spite of Schumaker, a converted outfielder), he was a perfect fit for the Cardinals. Will he do as well for the Angels? Mayhap, but with Chone Figgins having absconded up the coast, I wouldn't bet money on it.
I'm a big Brad Penny fan. I always have been, since he and Nate Bump went the other way when Livan Hernandez was traded to San Francisco. Up until last year, he had also been a pretty solid fantasy bet. For whatever reason, he always slid to the mid-to-later rounds, and I always picked him up, plugged him into the lineup, and by the time I checked on him in July, he had 10 wins and 82 strikeouts and was starting the all-star game. Ok, this happened twice, but whatever. I'm pulling for him after what happened to him last year in Boston.
I raved in my last post about Colorado's depth and how it was going to be their greatest strength. Well, the Cardinals are the exact opposite—they've got two of the best position players in the league and two of the best starting pitchers in the league and precious little else. Counting on Pujols to put up MVP caliber season after MVP caliber season has worked so far, but this is a seriously flawed team, and after bidding against themselves for Holliday, and with the specter of Free Agent Pujols and Free Agent Wainwright looming in the next couple seasons, the Cardinals have no money left to fix those flaws.
Given that the Cardinals make the playoffs (and I think they will, because no one else in the NL Central has a pulse, much less a clue), having both Wainwright and Carpenter means they might only need 3 or 4 runs a game to win, which Pujols can provide by himself. That makes them dangerous.
But if one of those four big players gets hurt or has a down year, the Cardinals' front office, to paraphrase Emperor Palpatine, will pay for its lack of vision.
79 Comments
Pingback: hotstove.com / archive » Early Wednesday Afternoon Hot Stove Notes: Phillies, Yankees, Tigers, Cubs, more
I tried to read this. I really did. First this history lesson. The the rugby players. I don't know what WAR is or what it means. If someone can explain it to me, I would appreciate it. The I went to one of the links that gave the Phils top 10 prospects and they were describing players performances with stats I've never heard of: wOBA, FBIAB, I mean wtf? HR, RBI, AVG, R, SB. What else do you need? Has the game passed me by?
The Dipsy
Unlike The Dipsy … I did not try to read this. I really didn't.
Because all this crazy stats business takes away from hustle-players … guys that use their brains, heart, and hustle to make a play… extend a play… force their opponent to make a bad play/quick decision , etc..
Apparently the biggest selling album of the decade was that James Blunt album. Makes me ashamed to be British, and a person…
All I can do is effing laugh….
(I "half-read"…sort of "skimmed" it)
I will smoke a blunt but I will never listen to a James Blunt album. Can I be any clearer?
The Dipsy
War, huh yeah what is it good for? Apparently the economy… NOT baseball.
I wish someone who smoke James Blunt, wonder if anyone in the game has used any of his songs as entrance music…
The off-season is one of the two reason why we have sabermetrics to give some way to to make predicts based on more than "your gut." yes, wins above replacement means nothing one the actual game start but does BA or HR or RBI? All stats are predictors – more data better indicator. But until we can get them on the field it's a nice way to analyze things.
As for the Cards in general, Michael is right. they have a few great guys and then a lot of "huh?" They become dangerous if they have one of their rookies hit but there is a higher chance of them competing for a while and then falling behind when an injury puts Pujols, Molina or Holliday down for a few weeks.
Once they make the playoffs though (who else wins the central?) they are one Ryan Howard sized hot streak from rising the trophy (although the longer breaks during the playoffs can really cool down a guy on a hot streak).
I actually read this. I haven't made any sense of it, though, and have given up, because it's too disjointed to be worth the effort.
I also read that thing about Rolen. I should have known from that not to trust this. At least it was a tiny bit more organized.
I hope Mr. Baumann hasn't quit his day job, and even gets tons of overtime that takes up all his "writing" minutes.
I also hope this statement is "Blunt" enough.
You guys are close-minded and bordering on stupid… but i already knew that based off of some arguments I've seen on here.. WAR is a pretty simple statistic.. Wins Above Replacement, aka, how MUCH better is this guy that just your average major leaguer. it's not some kind of fancy crap that isn't real… look at alber pujols.. hes an 8+ war player while everyone else on the team except carpenter and wainwright are more like 1-2s… if that doesn't make sense to you you just haven't opened up your brain in a while…
Peasant! The audacity! But maybe you're right. I will give it a shot. As soon as I'm done figuring out how many angels can dance on the head of a pin I'm gonna dip right into this WAR business and get to the bottom of it. But I must tell you that, based on this representative sample of WAR materials, at this time I'm gonna have to continue to agree with George Patton (I think) who maintains that "Understanding WAR is hell".
The Dipsy
Albert Pujols only wins you 8 more games (of 162) than your Average Major League player??
That stat sucks ass.. and balls
why would you even let this guy post on here?
this is beyond stupid
I've read about WAR, and find it a bit stupid. If it really means wins above replacement, who is the replacement it's figured on? "peasant" says it's the "average major leaguer" but if that's the case, why do so many players come out above that, and so few below? Averages don't work that way.
I've also read that the replacement is a minor leaguer who would be called up in place of a veteran. If that's so, then how does one figure out someone like Ryan Howard, who came up mid-year when Thome got injured and proceeded to eat NL pitchers alive, or Kyle Kendrick, who went 10-4 after being called on to replace some other guy whose WAR was probably about 3 or 4? Are those two to be considered mere replacements?
I agree that the more stats you have, maybe the better decisions you will make. But WAR is too arbitrary and artificial. At least 100 RBIs is always 100 RBIs, and a 2.98 ERA is just that. Zone ratings are a good stat, and so are K/9 and K/BB.
Also, there are a lot of intangibles in the game, and I think WAR doesn't tell anything about them. For instance, that previously mentioned 100 RBIs could be produced by some locker room pariah, and others around him who may have driven in 90 are so discontent they only drive in 75. Their WARs would then suck. I'm dead sure Milton Bradley had a very good WAR when he signed last year with the Cubs. After just a couple of months, that teams clubhouse was about to explode. Everyones's stats went down.
"close minded and bordering on stupid"
Yeah…I always knew that I wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed..
I guess just trying to understand someone's batting average and ERA isn't good enough anymore.
I agree with joe. This is beyond stupid. "One sentence introducing you to this format." is not even a sentence, let alone an introduction. The "Blunt" story is totally unrelated, and should have been left out. The team he's rating doesn't show until the third paragraph, and with the earlier "Blunt" thing, the reader is still left wondering if the Cards are the true focus of the piece. If the Cards are the focus, he blurs even that with the inane name thing. (By the way, Maroon is NOT a lighter shade of Brown, nor is Cardinal red a lighter shade of maroon-they're different colors.)
Never, really, does he get to the point.
Welcome to Phillies Nation you two… where old people learn how to use the internet on a daily basis.
Seriously all of these negative comments it sounds like most of the people would prefer another round of "classic phillies plays from '09" instead of soe meaningful analysis of our own and other good teams in the league. it might have been circumspect in it's point-making, but it was INTERESTING and CREATIVE. good lord.
I for one haven't read an article here aside form scanning a few until this one came up, thank you MIchael, it is hard to find good sabre-slanted stuff on the phillies.
To Paul Boye:
This piece is being criticized not just for WAR, but because it was so badly written. I, for one, can relate to new stats and give them a chance. But I cannot and will not abide such horrible writing.
George – Replacement is not average. Replacement level is the fringe major league that is right on the edge of AAA/MLB, who can be had for the league minimum salary. There are a lot of complexities to the way it is calculated, but for shorthand purposes you can think of it as 80% of league average. Here are some position players that were right around replacement level in 2009: Jeff Francouer, Vernon Wells, Alex Rios.
This is part of what makes replacement-based stats like WAR tremendously useful – you can take a look at what GMs are paying guys and compare it to other players of the same value, and see the obvious disparities. Hell, there are some replacement level guys that get paid millions.
I know a lot of you have probably never heard of it, but at least be open-minded to it. The statistic was developed over a period of years by the best statistical minds in the business. The components it integrates are measured by companies founded for the very task, and often contracted by MLB front offices for their valuable data. Most of the standard statistics were invented along with the box score by a 19th century Cricket reporter, and RBI was almost done away with in the 20's because readers realized its obvious flaws. Why not use the most accurate of our resources?
Oh and by the way, compiling numbers as Michael has here for the purposes of accurately projecting the Phillies' 2009 competition (which I think you'll all agree is a worthwhile pursuit) takes hours of time and effort so why not show the barest amount of respect for it?
The title of this article is perfect, seems like the comments could become total war of modern stats vs old… in a perfectly calm world… stats all work together and we can learn to accept all of their values… IF we take the time to understand them…
A quick note: replacement level and average level are very different. An average baseball player is usually worth something like1.5-2.5 WAR, while, by definition, a replacement level player is worth 0 WAR. The idea behind replacement level is that a team could, at almost anytime of the season, go out and find a player at the league minimum salary to play any given position. These are basically quad-A guys. Think John Mayberry last year, or Kyle Kendrick circa 2008.
Feel free to ridicule WAR all you want, but other posters are correct: this is quickly becoming a very powerful and rather well accepted stat. Go check out fangraphs if you want to learn more. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/glossary/#winvalues
I would say that even if this stat isn't perfect – and it's not – you will be seeing a lot more of stats exactly like this. Bill James has his win shares, a similar concept. There will be better and more advanced ways of doing this in the future, but this is a great start on player performance evaluations. It's these types of tools that helped give the As an advantage early last decade, and it's currently one of the things that keeps the Red Sox a step ahead of almost every other club.
Honestly, I thought he was saying that Albert Pujols would be better in a real WAR than James Blunt, eventhough James Blunt is a former Army captain
Is that not the arguement he makes?
and you're surprised we would rather talk about the great plays from last year??
Teams don't even have their full rosters yet.. many things will still change due to injury, etc in Spring Training.. Minor League players will win starting jobs, Closers will emerge. etc..
I understand the value of Sabermetrics.. I just honestly think people sometimes make too mcuh of these numbers.. You can tell a good baseball player just by watching the game.. and too many people in baseball now look at only the numbers ….
as i said earlier, this blog has never leaned towards quality sabre-projections etc, people who read it are not generally familiar with the style of writing that is even associated with it commonly, i would imagine you will continue to get abrasive responses from armchair authors, just keep up the good work and leave it "for the birds", i will be reading.
Dude, please…we talk about "meaningful analysis" EVERY DAY on this site..
If we want to poke fun at something that someone wrote we're gonna do that. Nothing malicious was intended…nor ever is with us.
Paul, Michael…welcome to Phillies Nation!!
As a new comer to this space, I'm really happy to see this kind of write up and series. I actually have a couple of questions: What was the Phils' WAR last year, and what is their projected WAR for 2010? These might also give other posters a better foothold on how to understand and use this stat.
Also, what record would a team with 0 WAR have? I think it's something between 40 and 50, right?
don m
and you're surprised we would rather talk about the great plays from last year??"
I am not surprised at all, in fact, i brought that up, as it makes sense that someone who doesn't appreciate or research these statistics and philosophies in depth would not be interested in them. I am more concerned with the present and future of this team personally, and I enjoy the projections of other teams that we will compete with as well… '10 is just around the bend… coaches, gms, even players are probably more interested in reading this information than about a year's past glories. PROGRESS MY BROTHER.
chuck –
i've been on this site as long, maybe longer than you, and i have yet to see consistent modern statistics play a major role in it's content. i think if you asked pat gallen if this website was generally a "populist" type blog, he would blush and say "yes". I've been reading it since Tim was here, love his enthusiasm, and everyone else's for that matter… but please don't tell me it's known for it's "meaningful analysis". I've seen more blow ups and ridiculous trade passed around it's comment sections you could fill a 24 hour news network with all of the crap. I viewed this article as a diversion from that, and apparently I missed a few others. If you are like me and you read Beyond The Boxscore, The Hardball Times… you know what I meant when I said "meaningful" analysis…
It's hilarious. People trash something they simply don't understand. While we're at it let's ditch doctors and healthcare and go back to going to the barber to have leeches placed all over our bodies to cure any sickness.
Just because it is new and you don't understand it doesn't mean it has no value.
and… you probably don't.
Peasant. Where did you come from? Never mind, just be quiet.
Mike – I appreciate the effort that you put into the piece, historical, pop cultural and english soccer references not withstanding. I know a very little about WAR and I guess its kinda like plus/minus in hockey and hoops but harder to understand. About the stat itself: I don't understand why WAR is NOT based on EVERY player, other than the guy your are actually analyzing, that played an inning and/or had an at bat at the position your player is playing for specific year you are looking at. I agree that using minor league players as the comparison is stupid simply because these guys are not major league players. Its like apples and oranges. Further, how can you even draw a sample of how the average minor leaguer would fare in a season? Its kinda like asking me to compare rate my girlfriends of the last ten years by comparing them to a mythical girl I would never date in the first place because they're not good enough to play in the Dipsy's (digging the third person?) league. Isn't it?
Baseball is a stat driven sport. No question. But I think its getting to the point where every single time a players blows his nose or takes a piss, some sabrematrician is out there trying to measure it, quantify it, and draw conclusions from it. That said, this WAR thing may be the best thing since sliced bread. But is it possible that, at present, WAR is just a little too esoteric for general consumption, even for the baseball degenerates that frequent the Nation? I'm used to reading the back of baseball cards for my stats.
The Dipsy
If you really want to learn about WAR a great article to read is this one
Wait a second, Dipsy…I resemble that remark!!
peasant…I don't even know how to begin to respond your remarks..
dipsy –
i make comments when they are needed, unlike you, in fact, i am done, so don't mistake the fact that i'm goign to go back to living my life for being quiet… you however… will be here… as i've always noted you are always here… so have fun with… that..
You seem like a very disturbed and angry person.
Yes Peasant. Life is slow in the Dipsyland. I am sure that you have just made a couple hundred thousand dollars trading rubles on the Forex and you are, as we speak, communicating from your iTablet on your way to a Parisian discotheque. The only way to know that I am "always here" is because you're here with me, soooooo…don't hate me cuz you ain't me and I'll do my level best to live a more complete life so I can reap at least %10 of the benefits from living life as you do. Wait a second. I think I know who you are now. Aren't you…."The Most Interesting Man in The World". Stay thirsty, my friend.
The Dipsy
In re: "varied readership at PN"
I found this site a few years ago (so I'm not all that new compared to some)…and I immediately began to appreciate what it brought to my life..
A place to comment on, share with, question, agree with …other Phillies fans…about something that's obviously a source of tremendous passion
for all of us….THE PHILLIES..
I certainly appreciate the efforts of you and Michael to bring "something else" to the table….even if some of us can't fully grasp it or totally appreciate it.
As i said earlier…Welcome to PhilliesNation..
Paul Boye:
Please point out where I made ANY statements with the word "absolute" in it. I didn't say anything was absolute, and I even indicated that I found some of the more modern stats useful.
I think more people would have had less difficulty with this piece had it been written in an organized manner, without the pop music, soccer game, and Cardinal team colors references. There was no attemp to explane WAR, and one can't rely on everyone knowing everything about it. There was also no real explanation of what the piece was about except links to some other articles.
That said, I still feel that WAR is the most arbitrary new stat around. Replacement players are not all created equal, either, and averaging them, you can still reach the point where your head's in the refrigerator and your ass in the oven, but you still have an average temperature of 98.6.
The only thing you can maybe achieve is a comparison. But it still doesn't have the accuracy of a comparison of zone ratings, OBPs, K/9, etc, etc.
And Chris: Some of us DO understand. Mark Twain said it best when speaking of the Bible: It ain't those parts of the Bible I can't understand that bother me, it's the parts I do understand."
George, I'm not sure I understand your criticism of WAR. It pulls together hitting, baserunning (in some iterations), and fielding contributions into one number, so you can compare players with different modes of contribution – say a fantastic defender/terrible hitter and an awful defender/great hitter – on an even playing field (wins above replacement). I don't get what you mean by "replacement players are not all created equal."
I really need to read up on this Sabermetrics thing. Any good book recommendations?
Maybe George feels like me. WAR would be the greatest stat EVER if you could could plug in variables that have a degree of some numeric certainty. For instance, I would imagine that assigning a numerical value to how good a baserunner a player is can be very difficult, perhaps impossible. Lets say we're working on scale from 1 to 10, 10 being highest. Alright, we all know that Chase Utley is a 10 for second baseman. Thats not the hard part. Its the difference between Jeff Kent and Dan Uggla thats the problem. Does Uggla take an extra base more than Kent? Is Kent better at tagging up from third on a fly than Uggla? How often does each one break up double plays? I mean, you can't assign a number to this. The same goes for fielding I would guess. I guess that hitting is hitting. Sooooooo…my problem with the stat is not the structure of the equation, but the speculative nature, and consequently, inherent unreliability of the numbers that get plugged into it. Thats why the stat doesn't do that much for me.
The Dipsy
rob5000: this is the greatest, most comprehensive, accessible, and generally fun to read books on the topic: http://www.amazon.com/Baseball-Between-Numbers-Everything-About/dp/0465005470/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1264643491&sr=8-1
It's one of my favorite baseball books.
Paul and Michael are bringing a new angle to this blog and I for one, am excited. I guess I'm just not sure what is so confusing about this article.
Oh, and Baseball between the Numbers is a great book.
Dipsy: you actually can assign a number to most things. Baseball is unique among sports in that there is a ton of data because the game can be broken up into discreet units (pitches, plate appearances). It's a bit complex to explain here, but I'll attempt it. Please bear with me and hopefully I can be clear enough.
There are 27 base/out situations in baseball. By this I mean 1st and 3rd 2 outs, bases loaded 0 outs, man on 2nd 1 out, etc etc. Since we have data on these situations for every game for pretty much the entire 20th century, we can (and have) measure the average number of runs a team scores from that point to the end of the inning given a certain situation (you end up with a table like this:http://www.tangotiger.net/RE9902.html) So for example, a team on average (using that table) scores 1.243 runs in the remainder of the inning when they have 1st and 3rd and 1 out. Obviously bases empty 2 outs has very low expectancy, bases loaded 0 outs very high. Make sense? These percentages are based on years of data, and they fluctuate only the slightest bit from [x] range of years to [y] range of years, so we know they're reliable.
This is extremely handy to know, for this reason: you can measure the increase in run expectancy caused by every thing a player does. Let's say Shane Victorino is up with Rollins on first, nobody out. Refer to the table I linked – the Phils can expect to score .953 runs from this point until the end of the inning. Shane then hits a single, and Rollins advances to second base. 1st and 2nd, nobody out – the run expectancy is now 1.573. By hitting that single, Shane has increased the Phils' run expectancy by .62 (1.573 minus .953).
Now to connect this to base running, say on that play Rollins got a great jump, busted his ass, and made it to third on a single (say a sharp one to center) that should've only gotten him to second. With 1st and THIRD and nobody, out, the run expectancy is 1.904. If he had stopped at second, as we said, it would've been 1.573. So simply by being a good base runner, Jimmy has increased the run expectancy by .331 (1.904-1.573).
Nowadays they track things like taking an extra base on a single, tagging up on a sac fly, stealing bases (obviously), and stretching singles into doubles. You can take the run expectancies added for each of those acts, see how many times in a season a player has done each, and add them up the appropriate amount of times to see how many runs a player has added above the average player with their baserunning (and that's what matters: runs). Baseball Prospectus does this, and the resulting number is called Baserunning Runs Above Average (BRAA). Here is a link to a table of all Major Leaguers, sorted by BRAA: http://www.baseballprospectus.com/statistics/sortable/index.php?cid=69261 It shows that Chase Utley, as we know is one of the best baserunners in the league, second only to Michael Bourn. That famous dash to home that spurred Harry's "You're the man!" call? That's the sort of thing that gets credited to you with BRAA.
So, in fact, we CAN assign a number to it, and compare different players with such a number.
Maybe this whole WAR thing pulls me out of my mental rut regarding how I view baseball statistics. I like to drive a car, not work on the engine. At this time, I choose to maintain an intense but pedestrian knowledge of baseball, based on the fundamental statistics that I grew up with. Some ruts are comfortable. This brings me to the soul song of the late 1960″s "WAR. What is it good for? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING !"
But thank you for trying to bring this old fart into a new era. Maybe I will catch on, but I seriously doubt it at this poing.
DudleyMonk, you obviously don't have to know jack about sabermetrics to enjoy baseball. SABR in general is not as much about the statistics as it is properly valuing the things that go on on the diamond. To take all the data we have (and there is so, so much) and figure out – what are the things a player does that correlate most with the ultimate goal – scoring runs and preventing opponent runs?
The initial, most basic conclusions when one gets into the data with this question in mind are quite surprising, because they challenge convention – batting average and RBIs don't correlate with offensive production as well as OBP and SLG do, pitching wins don't correlate with pitching performance, striking out a lot isn't a big deal if you still get on base 40% of the time, etc. For that reason, it turns a lot of people away, and it's not a big deal. I'm sure we both enjoy having a beer and watching a baseball game just as much.
And obviously advanced statistics are only valuable when combined with proper scouting, but they are both equally important, as a lot of organizations are now figuring out. You can't use one without the other and build a good team.
So, i was curious and checked out your previous place, and must say, i've been reading it off and on with my free time at work today. each time i get a few minutes i check another entry out. kinda pissed that i missed it earlier.
but the stats and numbers are mind-numbing.
WAR is another measure, great for evaluating free agents, not as useful during the season, not a great indicator on how a player impacts the rest of the line-up (the Cardinals would be lucky to win 70 games without Pujols). I have to agree that the post is very poorly organized, makes it appear to be much more complicated than it is. One the bright side, James Blunt has had a great impact on my health – I haven't been in an elevator since that song came out.
I have to say I was a frequent visitor to The Phrontiersman and am thrilled that you have joined Phillies Nation. I love the deep SABR analysis that you guys will bring to Phillies Nation. I look forward to much more of your postings.
I would agree with a lot of what has been said… SABR numbers are a great way to look beyond the boxscore, etc..
but the problem was the extra-lenghty article which hhad 5,000 words about James Blunt …… so I didn't read the rest . . .
One of the things that turned me off of WAR numbers is that it really doesn't show like I said before "Heart-Hustle-Brains, etc" … One of the articles I read before tried to say that Chase Utley is better than Albert Pujols ??? I like Utley, he's a very good player.. But he's not close to Albert Pujols . . so I discounted a lot of "WAR" talk just based on that one report
I could be missing a lot.. or I could be saving myself a lot of time and effort reading nonsense? Im still not sure
Don M, you didn't read that article right. WAR doesn't say Utley's production is better than Pujols.
James Blunt makes me say thank god for Slayer
no stat. sabermetric or traditional measures "heart-hustle-brains"…
my bad… it says that Chase Utley is more valuable than Pujols "because of the comparative value of their defensive positions and team contracts."
Like Dipsy said.. soon they'll start measuring how much Gatorade a player drinks up until the 4th innings, and how that compares with his base stealing success rate in the 5th-7th, if the wind is blowing out to RF, with a Left-Handed starter still in the game, a Full Moon in the sky, and 3rd base coach wearing sneakers instead of cleats … I would imagine Utley would be among the best in that situation
WAR is useful.. so are WIN SHARES… etc … but present it in a way that its understandable .. when the post starts off with 5,000 on James Blunt.. and then talks about the dudes' Fantasy Soccer league.. you lost me
I like the post… a lot of unneccessary fluff but we're probably a simpler audience than you're used to.
WAR is really not that complicated (as was evidenced by Phylan's attempt to explain BRAA) and it can be a good measure of many things… I think that it's a better evaluator than it is a predictor… I mean, I know you're putting your own bias into 2010 WAR values but what is that based on? How can you justify a 2.1 WAR for Brad Penny? That's your gut feeling…
HOWEVER, if you maintained a WAR database for a number of years, you could then mine the data to help determine the likelihood that certain player types/positions will meet/exceed/lag their predicted WAR value. That type of information could be extremely valuable… crafting a team requires planning and the less unexpected events, the better.
Curious, what's a team of replacements worth? I mean the 2009 Pirates won 62 games so if the Cardinals are +43.9, a team of replacement players would have to be pretty bad (and Keanu made it look pretty easy so… there's my fluff).
I am of the age where the only offensive numbers that count for me are: HR, RBI, AVG, SB. Pitching: W,L,ERA,SVS. These were on the back of baseball cards through the 70's and 80's and were also the sole criterion used for all my fantasy leagues (with WHIP replacing Losses for pitching). When my fantasy league, made up of all close friends, decided to add Runs for the hitters and SOs for the hitters, I quit in protest. If it ain't broke , don't fix it, I said. In essence, I'm a purist. Baseball SHOULD be played on hard Astroturf because thats what I remember growing up. Stadiums should be perfectly round, lifeless spheres, like the Vet. The Phillies are wearing the wrong uniforms and Managers should NOT be interviewed during games. How would you like it if you were removing some guys spleen in an operating room and some shmuck with a toupee stuck a microphone in your face? I hate technology. I hate innovation. I hate progress. The sport should be locked into 1975 forever. Sabre this!
The Dipsy
Hey Dipsy…how many baseball cards did YOU ruin in the spokes of your bicycle..???
I agree…simpler is better.. And actually WATCHING the game and looking at the players is best.
Stats are cool… I enjoy them… I understand the value of WAR…and I guess I am now convinced that Chase Utley is the greatest player of all time…
Yeah..I guess we are a pretty "simple audience"…..That's not such a bad thing.
…but when I feel as though algebra or trigonometry class was actually easier than trying to understand some of these stats…that's when I have a problem.
^ Last two parapraghs should be switched….
I guess that's because ….like "peasant" said earlier..Some of us are learning to use the "internet on a daily basis."
The Original Chuck P – a team full of replacement level players would have a win% of about .280, or about 45-117. Truly awful. So the Cards are probably an 87 to 89 win team per these projections. The 2010 WAR figures here come from one of many projection models that incorporate factors like age and previous production to predict figures for each player.
Other Chuck, I really sucked at trig, and simply by reading some stuff (particularly the book I linked above, which I can't recommend enough) I picked up the most important stats easily.
After trying to understand this I was" baffled by science" I guess.
Sure picked a bad day to quit painkillers.
Phylan, I was actually being a wiseass when I compared trig and algebra to these stats…
I'll check out the book. Thanks for the link.
I meant no offense with that "simpler" comment… it's not that the regulars on this site don't appreciate stats, they just don't care for statistical analysis as much as Baumann might be accustomed to at The Phrontiersman. Stats aren't everything and projections aren't worth much – that's why they play the games – but if you're going to make statements like, "We are the team to beat" it's nice to have some statistics to back it up.
I like stats because they serve as a barometer… especially in historic context. For instance, with marginal improvement, the 2010 Phillies could become the 8th team in NL history to end up with four players with 100+ RBI in a season… that tells me something about the historical significance of the team we all root for.
I, for one, took no offense to the "simpler" comment.
I think all of us here appreciate stats…as long as it isn't the "all that ends all" of trying to see what you have in a player or a team.
And you're right…having at least a few statistics to back up any argument is good.
Chuck – Thats "end all and be all". I correct because I love.
The Dipsy
Oops…yeah you're right. Sorry….and thanks.
I like the advanced analysis – thanks Michael. To the nay-sayers: if you don't like the article, or the writing, then don't read it. Srsly. No sense in making a big deal of it.
Maybe we should start adding in a BLUF statement for "War and Peace novels" like this one. BLUF Meaning Bottom Line Up Front. In other words, what is the freakin' point! I couldnt even read the whole thing. The the BLUF should be, "The Cardinals are a formidable threat the Phillies World Series Run" or they arent. The Cardinals start the season far better then they started last season. Holliday will play the who season this season, unlike last season. Granted the Phillies dont hit injuries or someone doesnt have a massive slump, the Cards will be in the running for the top spot. I dont really think the Cards are any weaker at all than last season.
Pingback: The Total WAR Project, Part V: Los Angeles Dodgers | Phillies Nation
Pingback: The Total WAR Project, Part VII: Seattle Mariners | Phillies Nation
Omg – what a tremendous victory for USA Soccer.


text:
Featured performers include Ivan Adams and the Whiskey River Band.
The show also features the Jamboree Band, a seven-piece group that is loaded with experience.
The band leader and drummer, Rick Faircloth, of Yoakum and formerly of Victoria, has more than 40 years in the music business.
In the last 30 years, Faircloth served as leader of The Whisky River Band.
Sandwiches, desserts, freshly cooked hamburgers and drinks will be served in the concession area.
Admission is $5, and the show begins at 7:30 p.m.
For more information contact Rick at 361-293-5887 or Refugio Chamber of Commerce at 526-2835.


text:
Groundhog Day celebration planned
FRENCH CREEK – For the 36th year, French Creek Freddie, the state's official weather prognosticating groundhog, will be the star of the show on Sunday at the West Virginia Wildlife Center at French Creek in
Upshur County.
Every Groundhog Day, Wildlife Center staff awaken the grumpy rodent and bring him out of his winter hibernation hole to look for his shadow and predict the severity of the remaining six weeks of winter.
He's usually right, and after making his forecast before an audience of hundreds, he happily returns to the warmth of his bed.
Rob Silvester, District 3 wildlife biologist, said, "Everyone is invited to join in the fun of Groundhog Day at the Wildlife Center and take a walking tour of the native wildlife on display."
He said festivities will begin in the amphitheater at 9:30 a.m. with guest Appalachian storytellers "Granny Sue" and Judi Tarowsky.
Wake up time for Freddie is 10 a.m.
The second annual Woodchuckin' Contest starts at 10:30 a.m.
Exhibitors in the gift shop will include a potter, The Sheepherders Association and a blacksmith. Hot chocolate and cookies will be available, and there will be activity sheets for the children to take home.
"Granny Sue's" storytelling takes audiences back to a time when stories were part of the fabric of every day, when parents told children tales from their past and children shared daily adventures. Her repertoire includes Appalachian programs, world folktales, family stories, ghost tales and participation stories.
She is a graduate of West Virginia State College and the University of South Carolina, and she is state liaison to the National Storytelling Network. She also is a member of the West Virginia Storytelling Guild and several regional storytelling and writing organizations, and she is a published writer.
She maintains an active online journal, Granny Sue's News and Reviews, and writes columns for two regional publications, Two-Lane Livin' and the Jackson View. She also maintains several blogs.
Judi Young Tarowsky graduated from West Virginia University with a bachelor's degree in journalism and has worked at The Intelligencer in Wheeling, The Herald-Star in Steubenville, Ohio, and The Wheeling News-Register.
She received a Graduate Certificate in Storytelling from the University of North Texas School Of Information Sciences. She has written articles for "Firehouse" magazine, "Gun World," and "Pittsburgh Magazine."
Tarowsky was an adjunct instructor at West Liberty State University in West Liberty, where she taught public relations writing and public speaking.
Her credits include winning "The Golden Shovel" as the first-place winner in the inaugural Annual Strand Theatre Story Telling Festival Adult Amateur Liars Contest in 2006, and winning "The Silver Shovel" as second-place winner in 2007.
Her work appears online at www.courses.unt.edu/efiga/SpinningYarns/index.htm presented by UNT.
Tarowsky writes and performs tall tales and presents original family recollection stories, historical pieces and fiction. Her work includes stories for children and adults.
The West Virginia Wildlife Center, a modern zoological facility displaying native and introduced wildlife, is operated by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Section. The center is dedicated to presenting a realistic and factual understanding of West Virginia's wildlife.
Woodland wildlife can be viewed along a wheelchair-accessible, 1.25-mile-long interpretive trail through a mature hardwood forest. Species at the facility include whitetail deer, black bear, wild turkey, and formerly native species that no longer live in the state, including elk, bison and mountain
The spacious enclosures allow the animals to interact with their environment and exhibit more natural behavior patterns.
Interpretive signs help visitors learn more about each animal's life history, biology and its relationship with humans.
The center is 12 miles south of Buckhannon on State Route 20. More information can be obtained by calling 304-924-6211 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays or by going online and visiting www.wvdnr.gov/wildlife/wildlifecenter.shtm.


text:
Where Does Sanjay Gupta Register On The Quackometer?
Four weeks ago I wrote a blog post about Sanjay Gupta's nomination by the Obama administration as our potential new Surgeon General. Many of you voiced concerns about Sanjay's nomination, specifically because of his poor handling of the Raelians' Clonaid fiasco, his inability to counter Michael Moore's health statistics as presented in Sicko and his relationship to the pharmaceutical industry.
As I wondered about what Sanjay Gupta might be like as Surgeon General – and specifically how he might assist in "restoring science to its rightful place" – I decided to educate myself about his thought processes by purchasing his recent book "Chasing Life." The question I sought to answer was, "is Sanjay Gupta a crank?"
The short answer is: I'm not sure. Although I wouldn't go so far as to say that he is a crank, I think he's more likely to be a shruggie. For those of you who haven't read my post on shruggies, here's the definition:
Shruggie (noun): a person who doesn't care about the science versus pseudoscience debate. When presented with descriptions of exaggerated or fraudulent health claims or practices, their response is to shrug. Shruggies are fairly inert, they will not argue the merits (or lack thereof) of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) or pseudoscience in general. They simply aren't all that interested in the discussion, and are somewhat puzzled by those who are.
The longer answer involves an exploration of Gupta's disturbing insistence on flirting with cranks, if it gets him publicity. The back cover of Chasing Life caries an endorsement from Deepak Chopra – and the inside page a favorable review from Andrew Weil. Normally, I would assume that the author of any book endorsed by those two would contain an intolerable blend of science and pseudoscience and refuse to read it. But for the sake of the readers of Science Based Medicine, I stifled my gag reflex and purchased the book. I hope that my sacrifice will benefit you all.


text:
Softly Salted
It's all about the corn. We select Baby White kernels (flower-shaped, rather than round) because they're more tender and flavorful. And we salt softly, enhancing the naturally sweet corn taste. So when we say with confidence that this is simple, subtle and scrumptious, our popcorn is as good as our word.


text:
You purchased this item onView this order
Jason Natural, Nutrismile, Anti-Cavity & Enamel Defense, Tooth Gel, Orange, Cinnamon & Mint, 6 oz (170 g)
- You earn loyalty credit for every order you place at iHerb!
- Loyalty credit is equal to 10% of the value of your order, excluding shipping charges.
- Your loyalty credit will be applied towards your next order as soon as your current order has shipped.
- Your loyalty credits are valid for up to 60 days from the date of your last purchase.
This product is already in your Wish List.
View Wish List
This product is now in your Wish List.
Expiration Date:?Feb 2019Expiration Date
The length of time for the expiration date or "best used before" date depends on the type of product, as well as the brand.
Perishable items (such as flax oils or certain probiotics) generally have shorter expiration dates. Although our warehouse is fully air-conditioned, these more fragile items are put in cold storage (freezer or refrigeration unit) for maximum freshness.
Our receiving department does its best to verify and then enter the correct expiration dates for all incoming products. However, discrepancies do occur from time to time. This being said, the exceptionally high turnover at iHerb ensures that our inventory is among the freshest in the industry.
Shipping Weight:?0.53 lbs (0.24 kg)Shipping WeightThe Shipping Weight includes the product, protective packaging material and the actual shipping box. In addition, the Shipping Weight may be adjusted for the Dimensional Weight (e.g. length, width & height) of a package. It is important to note that certain types of products (e.g. glass containers, liquids, fragile, refrigerated or ice packed) will often require protective packaging material. As such, these products will reflect a higher Shipping Weight compared to the unprotected product.
- Product Code: JAS-01545
- UPC Code: 078522015451
- Package Quantity: 6 oz (170 g)
- Dimensions: 1.8 x 7.3 x 1.8 in, 0.45 lbs (0.2 kg)
|Combo Discount:
|- $3.00
- Natural Pioneer Since 1959
- New Look Same Great Formula
- All Natural
- With Fluoride
- SLS-Free
- Anti-Cavity
- Antiplaque
- Tartar Control
- Fresh Breath
Nourish Your Smile and Defend Your Enamel, Without Irritating Chemicals
NutriSmile Toothpaste is a nutrient-rich, daily defense to keep your teeth and gums healthy and strong. High potency vitamin C works with CoQ10 to strengthen tooth enamel by helping rebuild weak spots on your teeth. Naturally derived fluoride helps prevent tooth decay, while a refreshing burst of natural orange, cinnamon & mint freshens your breath instantly. For enamel defense plus fresh breath, use Jason NutriSmile toothpaste and mouthwash twice a day.
Regular brushing in combination with routine dental cleaning helps prevent plaque and tartar buildup.
Born in 1959, Jason was one of the first to offer natural products without harsh chemicals. For over 50 years, we have delivered wholesome, no-nonsense, natural products that happen to really work. Our formulas don't contain petrolatum, sodium lauryl or laureth sulfates (SLS), parabens or phthalates. And we never test on animals. We invite you to try our entire line of safe, effective, body-loving products.
Use Prevention of cavities
Suggested Use
Adults and children 2 years of age and older: Brush teeth thoroughly, preferably after each meal or at least twice a day, or as directed by a dentist or physician. Instruct children under 6 years of age in good brushing and rinsing habits (to minimize swallowing). Supervise children as necessary until capable of using without supervision. Children under 6: Use a pea sized amount. Children under 2: Ask a dentist or physician.
Other Ingredients
|Drug Facts
|Active Ingredient
|Sodium Monofluorophosphate 0.76% (Fluoride)
|Inactive Ingredients: Glycerin, aqua (water), silica, sodium cocoyl glutamate, xylitol, aloe barbadensis leaf juice*, bambusa arundinacea stem powder, citrus grandis (grapefruit) fruit extract, daucus carota sativa (carrot) root extract, perilla ocymoides seed extract, stevia rebaudiana leaf/stem extract, citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) peel oil, cinnamomum zeylanicum bark oil, mentha piperita (peppermint) oil, ascorbic acid, calcium ascorbate, calcium carbonate, cellulose gum, dimethyl sulfone, menthol, tocopheryl acetate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium magnesium silicate, ubiquinone**
*Certified Organic Ingredient
**Coenzyme Q10
The Jason Natural Toothpaste Promise:
- No sodium lauryl/laureth sulfates
- No preservatives
- No artificial colors
- No artificial sweeteners
- No saccharin
- No propylene glycol
Keep out of the reach of children under 6 years of age. If you accidentally swallow more than used for brushing, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center immediately.
Avoid storing at high temperatures (greater than 100ºF). Protect from freezing.
Read the packet carefully on this one, as it says 'With fluoride, SLS free', which makes it look like it could be fluoride free as well, but it's not. I was so disappointed when it arrived, I used it, liked the taste and then read the packaging a little closer. Will not be ordering it again. It doesn't even clean as well as their other flavoured toothpastes. Their Seafresh one is SLS AND fluoride free, so get that one instead. SHAME ON YOU JASONS! You guys should know better than to put fluoride in your toothpaste. And I will be reading my packaging way more carefully from now on.
This toothpaste has a great taste, cinnamon not too strong and keeps teeth white!
Good fluoride toothpaste without triclosan. I love the flavor (flavour)
Posted by 5lanvianvil on Sep 13, 2015
I use fluoride toothpaste 2/3 days per week instead of my fluoride free toothpaste to prevent cavities, but I avoid everyday use because high amounts of fluoride additives may damage tooth enamel. This one is excellent for my purpose: it is anti-cavity and protects the enamel. Although this toothpaste is sulfate free, foams well and, in my opinion, has a citrusy flavour/flavor (like orange). The consistency and the quality/quantity/price ratio are good (it lasts for ages). The composition is excellent (without saccharin, parabens, sulfates, artificial colors, artificial sweeteners etc) but, above all, the most important fact for me is the lack of triclosan (which is easily found in fluoride toothpastes and is a dangerous compound with environmental hazard that wastewater treatment plants can't capture completely).
love this toothpaste
Posted by 5603951752989213904 on May 27, 2015
I love the taste and smell. i cannot identify orange and cinnamon, but it is slightly sweet with spices. I don't like mint flavor in toothpaste, so this one is a good option. The tube is huge so It lasts a long time.
natural tooth enamel support
Posted by 4721812213092508334 on Apr 20, 2015
I searched for a long time for a toothpaste to reduce tooth sensitivity that didn't have additives (I'm ok with flouride--but they make a non-flouride version as well.) I have found it effective, and the taste pleasant enough (although sometimes I miss basic Tom's Peppermint--so occasionally I swap that into rotation!)
Non minty fresh taste
Posted by 5302781962227936516 on Mar 29, 2015
Very nice toothpaste, loving it. It does not taste citrusy, minty or cinnamony, but just has a nice slightly herbal taste. I like the consistency of the gel.
not gentle enough
Posted by DropDeadGorgeous on Sep 21, 2014
The taste is strange, I liked it, my boyfriend didn't. This is not gentle tooth gel, not suitable for sensitive teeth. After using it for a while my teeth got even more sensitive so I have to switch to another tooth paste.


text:
State of the Arts: Barre's arts are solid – like its graniteBy Jim Lowe Staff Writer | April 23,2013Stefan Hard / Staff Photos
Dan Casey, above, executive director of the Barre Opera House, stands on the catwalk above the 1899 building's stage. Sue Higby, below, is seen setting up a show recently at Studio Place Arts in Barre.This continues a series of interviews with Vermont's arts leaders.
Barre's arts organizations, like the Granite City itself, are survivors.
And more importantly, despite troubled times they are optimistic about the future. That's because overcoming financial difficulty is in the DNA of this gutsy central Vermont city.
"There's a palpable sense of optimism here in downtown Barre and I think the presence of another several hundred (anticipated state) employees can't help but increase ticket sales as we move forward. We hope to ride that wave with everybody else," said Dan Casey, the Barre Opera House's executive director of eight years.
"I think people want there to be a recovery," added Sue Higby, executive director of Studio Place Arts, the Barre-Montpelier area's major visual arts institution.
"They're feeling better about their own situation, so I do think art sales and participation, just in the last six months, seems to be stronger," she said. "But I think we're just sticking our toe into the recovery process and that we don't really have a complete picture of what people will be experiencing over the next couple of years."
Both institutions seem to be miracles in an area that just now seems to be recovering from the downturn in the granite industry.
Built in 1899 as part of City Hall, the 650-seat Barre Opera House lay fallow for years before being rediscovered in the 1980s. Efforts by area theater and music people led to an eventual multimillion-dollar historic renovation that created the region's most important concert hall.
Today, the Opera House is home to its own seven-event Celebration Series, the Vermont Philharmonic, the state's oldest community orchestra, and the state's largest professional opera, the Green Mountain Opera Festival.
Its $350,000 annual budget comes from events, memberships, sponsorships and some grants, with about a third from ticket sales.
"For years, we were primarily a rental facility," Casey said. "Since I've been here, we've kind of tipped the scales in the other direction a little bit. We're still doing rentals, but now we're doing 'Barre Opera House presents' shows. These are programs that, as the year progresses, often become available and we are able to negotiate really good fees."
Studio Place Arts opened in 2000 after a collection of central Vermont artists banded together to rescue one of Main Streets oldest buildings. The result was three galleries, one on each floor, classrooms and a series of studios to be rented to artists. Each year, SPA presents some 20 original exhibitions — free to the public, attracting 8,000 to 10,000 visitors — along with art classes, in addition to providing space to other arts efforts.
Today's $150,000 annual gross budget comes from individuals, grants, business supporters, tuition, a small number of art sales, and rents from artist studios. The budget seems smaller than presentation organizations because it doesn't charge admission to its exhibitions.
"Nothing is over 30 percent," Higby said. "You never want one sector to have too much play in your budget, or else you're cutting your feet off."
Unlike most of Vermont's arts organizations, SPA receives no government funding.
"We got some (Vermont Arts Council) funding about six years ago," she said.
According to Higby, visual arts receive nearly the smallest slice of the arts philanthropy pie after, perhaps, poetry.
"So there is very little money that is actually directed to the area which SPA occupies," Higby said. "In addition, we do not charge fees to come in and enjoy what we do — with the exception of very inexpensive tuition."
Education and community outreach are big parts of both organizations. SPA offers more than 120 individual classes that draw some 900 participants. Other groups use the space as well, including the Washington County Family Center.
For five years, Vermont ARC, for disabled teens and adults, has been meeting every week at SPA to create art, culminating in its annual exhibit at the Vermont Statehouse.
"We have free classes for children on Saturday afternoons throughout the year — and they can range from eight to 15 participants," Higby said.
The Barre Opera House recently instituted a formal student matinee series.
"In the past we've done them here and there but now we're doing a minimum of four of those a year," Casey said. "We also instituted summer camps last summer and they were a great success. We filled both of them — about 40 kids. So we'll be looking to increase our educational workshops in the summer and theater workshops in the winter. People have responded really enthusiastically."
The recession hit both the Opera House and SPA, but not immediately, and not in the same way.
"We did pretty well for the first years. I thought we had dodged the bullet," Casey said. "Finally, last year, we saw a dip in our ticket sales of 15 or 20 percent. And we saw a bit of a drop-off in rentals, particularly in the last two or three years."
Higby added, "The initial effect that was people weren't taking vacations so, for the first two years, people were staying home from vacations and taking art classes. But people have limited tolerance for recession so, by year three and four, people were drifting more from their traditional spending habits.
"That means we saw a drop in signing up for classes by year three and four," she said. "And people didn't renew their memberships as promptly as they did in previous years."
How Casey and Higby responded was also different, in part because of the different natures of their organizations.
"I would say, generally speaking, eight years ago, many fewer steps were needed to finalize any kind of funding relationship," Higby said. "What a recession does is it creates a setting in which a director spends a lot more time seeking out, trying to find paid funding. It's just a different mood."
Casey's approach was to revert to more mainstream programming.
"When people have less disposable income they're a little less likely to take a risk in what they spend money on tickets for," he said. "So one of the things we have done is programmed more recognizable names – unfortunately, especially for emerging artists.
"Somebody who already has a track record that's well known has the ability to draw more," he said. "So we've started to program more recognizable names in the last couple of years and it's served us well."
Higby's approach to programming was quite different — but, then, SPA doesn't sell tickets.
"Sometimes when you enter a recession, as an organization you start dumbing down programs or playing it safe," she said. "I'm really pleased to say we dug our heels in and remained very focused on doing the things that have to be done to be a solid organization."
She added, "We are the only art center that has a 'freedom expression policy' — that alone is a huge responsibility."
There are also challenges for the future. The Barre Opera House, after 20 to 30 years of wear and tear on its renovated facility, along with the need for some more modernization, will likely require a capital campaign. But Casey is optimistic.
"The big part of our mission is to create community, and I think we've been successful with that," he said. "We have about 300 members, we have a loyal cadre of business supporters who sponsor shows and participate in our banner program. We feel really fortunate that there's an appreciation in the community for what we do."
"I see our organization continuing to set the pace," Higby said. "I think Studio Place Arts is an outstanding model. We definitely work hard at including more great artists, and more people who want to learn about the arts. So I don't see this as being a static organization — we're constantly pushing."
SPA's success comes from the same thing as the Barre Opera House — its community.
"Everybody matters," Higby said. "We listen, we make adjustments, we produce really great programs. People always say SPA is the art center with a soul. I am really proud of that."MORE IN Vermont NewsMONTPELIER Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt. Full StoryVermont Attorney General Bill Sorrell plans to join the U.S. Full StoryMONTPELIER Gov. Full Story
- Most Popular
- Most Emailed


text:
Try remembering when the temperatures were much warmer as you check out the best swimsuits in the snow photos on u local!
Brrr, its cold out there. Rockin' swimsuits in the snow
Published On: Jul 01 2013 05:01:15 AM HST Updated On: Apr 30 2014 08:51:10 AM HST
The views expressed are not those of this site, this station or its affiliated companies. By posting your comments you agree to accept our terms of use.blog comments powered by Disqus