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Watch for these signs and symptoms if you think you or someone else may be having a stroke. Note when your signs and symptoms begin, because the length of time they have been present may guide your treatment decisions:
Seek immediate medical attention if you notice any signs or symptoms of a stroke, even if they seem to fluctuate or disappear.
Think "FAST" and do the following:
Call 911 or your local emergency number right away. Don't wait to see if symptoms go away. Every minute counts. The longer a stroke goes untreated, the greater the potential for brain damage and disability.
If you're with someone you suspect is having a stroke, watch the person carefully while waiting for emergency assistance.
A stroke occurs when the blood supply to your brain is interrupted or reduced. This deprives your brain of oxygen and nutrients, which can cause your brain cells to die.
A stroke may be caused by a blocked artery (ischemic stroke) or the leaking or bursting of a blood vessel (hemorrhagic stroke). Some people may experience only a temporary disruption of blood flow to their brain (transient ischemic attack, or TIA).
About 85 percent of strokes are ischemic strokes. Ischemic strokes occur when the arteries to your brain become narrowed or blocked, causing severely reduced blood flow (ischemia). The most common ischemic strokes include:
Hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel in your brain leaks or ruptures. Brain hemorrhages can result from many conditions that affect your blood vessels, including uncontrolled high blood pressure (hypertension), overtreatment with anticoagulants and weak spots in your blood vessel walls (aneurysms).
A less common cause of hemorrhage is the rupture of an abnormal tangle of thin-walled blood vessels (arteriovenous malformation) present at birth. Types of hemorrhagic stroke include:
Intracerebral hemorrhage. In an intracerebral hemorrhage, a blood vessel in the brain bursts and spills into the surrounding brain tissue, damaging brain cells. Brain cells beyond the leak are deprived of blood and also damaged.
High blood pressure, trauma, vascular malformations, use of blood-thinning medications and other conditions may cause an intracerebral hemorrhage.
Subarachnoid hemorrhage. In a subarachnoid hemorrhage, an artery on or near the surface of your brain bursts and spills into the space between the surface of your brain and your skull. This bleeding is often signaled by a sudden, severe headache.
A subarachnoid hemorrhage is commonly caused by the bursting of a small sack-shaped or berry-shaped outpouching on an artery known as an aneurysm. After the hemorrhage, the blood vessels in your brain may widen and narrow erratically (vasospasm), causing brain cell damage by further limiting blood flow.
A transient ischemic attack (TIA) — also known as a ministroke — is a brief period of symptoms similar to those you'd have in a stroke. A temporary decrease in blood supply to part of your brain causes TIAs, which often last less than five minutes.
Like an ischemic stroke, a TIA occurs when a clot or debris blocks blood flow to part of your brain. A TIA doesn't leave lasting symptoms because the blockage is temporary.
Seek emergency care even if your symptoms seem to clear up. Having a TIA puts you at greater risk of having a full-blown stroke, causing permanent damage later. If you've had a TIA, it means there's likely a partially blocked or narrowed artery leading to your brain or a clot source in the heart.
It's not possible to tell if you're having a stroke or a TIA based only on your symptoms. Up to half of people whose symptoms appear to go away actually have had a stroke causing brain damage.
Many factors can increase your risk of a stroke. Some factors can also increase your chances of having a heart attack. Potentially treatable stroke risk factors include:
Other factors associated with a higher risk of stroke include:
A stroke can sometimes cause temporary or permanent disabilities, depending on how long the brain lacks blood flow and which part was affected. Complications may include:
Pain. People who have had strokes may have pain, numbness or other strange sensations in parts of their bodies affected by stroke. For example, if a stroke causes you to lose feeling in your left arm, you may develop an uncomfortable tingling sensation in that arm.
People also may be sensitive to temperature changes, especially extreme cold after a stroke. This complication is known as central stroke pain or central pain syndrome. This condition generally develops several weeks after a stroke, and it may improve over time. But because the pain is caused by a problem in your brain, rather than a physical injury, there are few treatments.
As with any brain injury, the success of treating these complications will vary from person to person.
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Ryen91 wrote:I never said nuclear power was clean, It is alot cleaner the fossil fuels that is mostly used today. Solar Power is the Cleanest, Although if we could get cars running on nucelear power it would be awesome, except for the fact when there is an accident would cause an explosion that would be a half mile diamater and give out radiation that could get people to die from radiation poisoning. Nuclear power has its place but solar power is free, why pay scientiest millons of dollars to figure out something which we could get for FREE. WE should be paying scientiest to make solar panels that that will power the entire United States.
Actually you could build a completely safe car that would last for 10+ years with so little material that it'd shock and amaze. Why we aren't doing it is anyone's guess, but likely includes the usual excuses and adds "people would think what you just said is accurate." People are oddly freaked out by nuclear power.

subset: commoncrawl


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Earth First, a four-year-old waste disposal firm, is adding the 20,000-square-foot facility near its headquarters at 4429 Allen Martin Drive. In addition to recycling construction materials such materials as brick, concrete, drywall and wood, the center will also recycl plastics, metals, glass and paper.
Earth First currently serves more than 12,000 customers and has about 25 employees.


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Kelowna RCMP officer stands trial in kicking incident
Buddy Tavares, the man kicked in face by a Kelowna RCMP officer in an arrest that was caught on video, describes the moment he was stopped at gunpoint by Const. Geoff Mantler as "most unnerving moment I've ever had."
Tavares was recounting the moments of his arrest on Jan. 7, 2011 in a Kelowna courtroom yesterday during the opening day of Mantler's trial on a charge of assault causing bodily harm to Tavares.
That January morning, Tavares, who had recently been released from hospital after a motorcycle accident he was not expected to survive, stopped by his former workplace.
Tavares stopped in at the Harvest Golf Club and chatted with an employee before going to the second fairway to fire off a shotgun to scare the geese away.
It is something Tavares had done many times before, he testified.
After completing the task, Tavares drove toward the courthouse to deal with an issue related to his marital separation when he noticed a police vehicle do a U-turn at Gordon Drive and KLO Road.
Soon after, as he neared Pandosy Street, he spotted police lights in his rear view mirror and pulled over to let the vehicle pass, Tavares testified.
"I thought he was going where the other cops were going," the now 53-year-old said.
Instead, he found himself staring at a police officer who had trained his gun on him.
The officer told him to keep his hands on the wheel. "If one comes off, I will shoot you," Tavares recalls the officer saying.
"I froze, I did not move," said Tavares.
"Had you ever had a gun pointed at you before?" asked Crown counsel William Burrows.
"Never," said Tavares. "[It was the] most unnerving moment I've ever had."
"I asked him, 'what did I do?'" testified Tavares.
The officer did not respond to the question and soon asked Tavares to take his right had off the wheel and unfasten his seat belt--a command Tavares found to be a "loaded statement" in light of the officer's earlier command to not move.
Tavares said he was "not quick" as he got out of the vehicle.
The officer told him to get on the ground and Tavares said he got on his knees before placing his hands on the ground.
"What's your next recollection?" asked Burrows.
"Being placed in the back of a police car."
Earlier, the court heard from video journalist Kelly Hayes, who captured video of Tavares' arrest.
Hayes testified that as Tavares was about to put his hands on the pavement, Mantler "took some steps toward him and then he kicked him in the face."
Prior to the kick, Hayes testified that he heard Mantler tell Tavares to "get on the ground...at least five times."
Hayes testified he couldn't recall the content of Mantler's commands to Tavares prior to him getting out of the truck.
Under cross examination, Hayes was also questioned about whether he saw Tavares raise or lower his hands at any point during the arrest.
Looking at still frames from the video, Hayes said Tavares' hands appear to come down a bit while while in the truck, and appear to rise for a moment when he is in the process of dropping to all fours, just prior to the kick.
Outside court, Tavares indicated he wasn't confident that the truth would come out during the trial.
"This is a dog and pony show," he said.
Mantler's trial is expected to last two weeks. He is currently suspended without pay.


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By Jessi Loerch
Over the weekend, cake artists showed off their skills at a show in Everett. The results are stunning. These cakes are so spectacular it almost seems it would be a sin to eat them. The creations cover the scale: whimsical, elegant, charming. Some even seem to defy gravity. The show was put on by the Washington State Sugar Artists.


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Gusman Concert Hall
by Michael Daugherty and Wayne Koestenbaum
ALAN JOHNSON, music director, conductor
BEN KRYWOSZ, stage director;
LAURIE OLINDER, projection designer
APRIL SOROKO, set and costume designer
Frost Opera Theater's season concludes with a staged production of the opera Jackie O by Michael Daugherty and Wayne Koestenbaum. Opera and American musical theater come together in this pop operatic collage in which the private and public life of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis encounters Maria Callas, Liz Taylor, Ari Onassis, Grace Kelly, and Andy Warhol. Jackie O is an opera in two acts in which events are based on history, but are largely imaginary or metaphorical. American composer Michael Daugherty (2011 Grammy Award winner for Best Classical Composition—Metropolis Symphony) and librettist Wayne Koestenbaum (author of The Queen's Throat and Jackie Under My Skin) capture the mystery, tragedy and glamour of an American icon.
Opening night will include a post-performance talk back with composer Michael Daugherty, and librettist Wayne Koestenbaum.
Adults / Seniors / UM Students
$20 / $15 / Free with valid ID, subject to availability on concert night
PARKING: Valet parking is available for $8 in front of UM Gusman Concert Hall, or free self-parking is available at the Pavia Garage. For map and more information please click here.
« Back to Frost Events Archive


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Michael Symon's Plain Tater Tots
An all-American classic
- Ingredients
- step-by-step directions
Michael Symon's Plain Tater Tots
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup mashed potatoes
- Canola oil for deep-frying
- Panko bread crumbs for breading
- Kosher salt
- In a small saucepan, combine the butter with ¼ cup water over high heat. When the water comes to a simmer and the butter is melted, add the flour. Reduce the heat to medium and stir until the resulting paste pulls away from the sides of the pan, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Add the egg to the pan and stir vigorously until the egg is incorporated into the flour mixture. Stir in the mashed potatoes and let cool.
- Pour enough oil into a medium pot so that the oil comes 3 inches up the sides. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F.
- Using two soup spoons, shape the mixture into quenelles, or 2-inch footballs. (You should end up with about 35.) Roll in the panko. Deep-fry, working in batches and turning once, until crisp, brown, and heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season with salt.
Similar categories: Dinner Courses & Meals Lunch
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The MP for Braintree and Halstead has become embroiled in a row after telling charities to "stick to their knitting" and keep out of politics - less than two months since he was appointed minister responsible for the Government's Big Society drive.
Brooks Newmark, who was appointed Minister for Civil Society in July, used his first major intervention to criticise organisations that "stray" from their core functions.
He is said to have told a conference on social action: "We really want to try and keep charities and voluntary groups out of the realms of politics. Some 99.9% do exactly that.
"When they stray into the realm of politics that is not what they are about and that is not why people give them money."
He added: "The important thing charities should be doing is sticking to their knitting and doing the best they can to promote their agenda, which should be about helping others."
Alexandra Runswick, director of campaign group Unlock Democracy, said his words were "condescending", and Frances Crook, chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, wrote on Twitter: "Incredibly insulting for charities minister to tell civil society to 'stick to its knitting' & I think sexist too."
A number of Tory backbenchers criticised Oxfam earlier this year for "political" opposition to benefit cuts and zero-hour contracts.
But charities have insisted they are entitled to take positions on issues related to their work.
After his comments yesterday, Mr Newmark clarified that charities "absolutely have right to campaign but should stay out of realm of 'party' politics".


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Detroit's newly-elected emergency financial manager Kevyn Orr has some tax trouble himself, according to reports. What do Facebook users think about this?
Look who has led Detroit's City Council in recent years. He's one of the real shady characters who would do anything for a buck.
-- Dave Majkowski
I couldn't care less so long as he roots out all the corruption and liberal mismanagement in the city
-- Jason Henwood
It is entirely possible he did not know about the back taxes. It has been brought to his attention and he is now paying it. I was not aware that my ex-husband did not pay a tax bill until three years after our divorce. I was not notified because the government only contacts the first person on a tax return, which is always the husband in the case of a married couple. I found out when I pulled my credit report, made a couple of phone calls, paid the bill and moved on with my life. It sounds like Orr is doing the same thing.
-- Cheryl Ardis
It does seem to a trend with elected officials when they owe money or just steal it like Kwame Kilpatrick did. If you could get back all the money that Kilpatrick took from Detroit, they wouldn't need an emergency financial manager. Getting rid of at least half of that city council would help, too.
-- Deborra L Swain
It's no surprise there. The secretary of the Treasury had unpaid taxes, as well. It seems to be a trend.
-- Ron Kerns


text: "PeopleMatter has an understanding and focus on our industry that is unparalleled," says Roadrunner CEO. Roadrunner Markets, a nearly 35 year-old company operating more than 92 convenience stores throughout the Southeast, today announced a partnership to implement the PeopleMatter Platform. The PeopleMatter Platform is an integrated software system that helps employers manage all of their


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April 15, 2014
PECOTA Takes on Prospects
Introduction: I Now Pronounce You Scout and Stat
When I reread Nate Silver's PECOTA Takes on Prospects series, three themes emerged. One, minor-league statistics are pretty damn good at predicting future performance. Two, so many factors can derail a prediction, particularly for young prospects. Three—which doubles as a disclaimer for this series—I'm not Nate Silver. Apologies in advance.
In the two-year run of his series, Silver, using stats alone, attempted to quantify the future value of prospects with rookie eligibility. He rated each prospect with a metric named UPSIDE and parsed his rankings, explaining why, for example, Dustin Pedroia deserved no. 4 prospect status in 2006, after just 538 (whoa) plate appearances above High-A. Or why UPSIDE projected Alexi Casilla for an excellent five years at shortstop and Troy Tulowitzki for just a decent future. We'll be doing the same during the next few weeks, aided by Rob McQuown's revival of Silver's models.
UPSIDE was conceived to provide a complementary perspective to scouting rankings. It's not necessarily a better perspective (in fact, it's not a better perspective)—it's simply a process that chooses to rely solely on rigorous calculation. Obviously, we should avoid numbers-only approaches when evaluating players—prospects are far more nuanced than their stats and quantifiable attributes. But this extreme approach does provide some benefits. Scouting valuations, while comprehensive, might overweight certain factors. They might say, misadjust on league and level effects. We know the California League is a hitter's league, but how much of a hitter's league is it? How much better is the competition in the Eastern League? And consequently, how much do we debit and credit batters and pitchers within our rankings?
This isn't the fault of scouts, of course. It's just humanly impossible to consider park, league, and competition-level effects for every player. We know the effects exist, but the adjustments we apply in our head are rarely precise. This is the primary argument for a statistically driven prospect ranking. PECOTA weights such factors objectively, while incorporating additional calculi like position, aging curves, and major-league equivalencies (Davenport translations). PECOTA digests all of these inputs, generates an UPSIDE value for each prospect, and forms a ranked list.
This stat-driven approach not only offers a different perspective, but prompts further questions that may lead to our better understanding of a prospect. The presentation of UPSIDE will be a single figure—which, by the way, is available on the player cards—and when that figure defies the prospect's scouting diary, we'll delve into the machinations behind UPSIDE. Is he performing especially well for his age at a high minor-league level? Will his skillset falter against better competition? Does PECOTA project a flat development curve for him?
Models have flaws too. They miss certain attributes. They are emotionless machines that do not discriminate between players (or more accurately, player IDs). This is where scouting comes in: Why, for example, do 185 players rank above Austin Hedges in UPSIDE, who ranks 18th on Jason Parks' Top 101? While PECOTA considers age, body type, handedness, past performance, environment, and much more, variables like pitch mix, position flexibility, mental acumen, injuries, and makeup have yet to be incorporated. Models can be powerful, but they're just simplified versions of reality. We can reference BP's prospect experts to explain the complexities that PECOTA misses. Together, we hope they'll provide the most complete view of today's prospect landscape.
Prospects have upside, but how much UPSIDE?
With PECOTA as its backbone, UPSIDE calculates these peaks by first finding the prospect's top 20 Comparable Players. The grittiest calculations arise from here: Each prospect is compared to every baseball player season in our database based on baseball attributes and performance. Each comparison is given a similarity score; we take the 20 highest. The higher a player's overall Similarity Index, the more confidence we can have in his UPSIDE rating.
Once UPSIDE determines those 20 comparables, it takes the sum of their PEAK above-average WARP values, doubles it, and weights them by similarity (higher similarity score, higher weighting). Basically, UPSIDE determines prospect upside by looking at similar players' peaks. It disregards below-average performances as they contradict the definition of upside. Here's Nate again:
We've modified the definition of UPSIDE from our initial release, which used the sum of PEAK non-negative WARP values. Above-average reflects the UPSIDE definition better than above-replacement: It takes much more skill to clear an average WARP than zero WARP, and that skill would indicate the presence of upside.
With the methodology covered, let's turn to the rating scale. We interpret UPSIDE by the following chart, borrowed from Nate (and Kevin Goldstein) once more:
With that in mind, let's jump into PECOTA's Top 100. This ranking is generated solely by PECOTA and its UPSIDE algorithm, with no qualitative adjustments applied. It's comprised of rookie-eligible players under age 27 and excludes Japanese imports. Jason Parks' rating of the prospect is listed for comparison, and pitcher rows are shaded.
PECOTA rates seven prospects as "Excellent" and 52 as "Very Good," cutting off the fallen Jonathan Singleton as its first "Good" prospect. No surprise up top: Byron Buxton takes the number-one UPSIDE rating, which tends to happen when Mike Trout is your primary comparable. Oscar Taveras follows him, with Colby Rasmus, Wil Myers, and Adam Jones as his first three comparables. As indicated by the rating scale, PECOTA expects long major-league careers out of Buxton and Taveras.
Overall, PECOTA's top 100 contains 60 position players and 40 pitchers. Of the position players, UPSIDE, as it has in the past, rates shortstops and center fielders quite well. It may actually be overrating them, if we contemplate the trajectory of minor leaguers. PECOTA tends to compare players to others at the same position, but a shortstop in Low-A today might not be a shortstop in the major leagues, because he might not have the range for the position. Nevertheless, teams will keep that potential shortstop at that position in the minors, in hopes that he'll develop at the position—he has positional upside, after all. That raises the UPSIDE of some shortstops and center fielders, because PECOTA doesn't necessarily know who will eventually be forced to second base or right field. Attrition at the position happens slowly, and those who make it—the Starlin Castros, the Austin Jacksons—become comparables for current minor leaguers.
PECOTA projects 213 prospects, starting with Singleton, as "Good," giving them a "reasonable chance at a meaningful major-league career, but only an outside chance at stardom." Forty-one of them close this top-100 list, and the names are a mix of young and old, hitters and pitchers, scout-adored and not. By its definition of "Good," PECOTA tells us that a few of these prospects will become stars. Scouts have their eyes on a few, but PECOTA has its inclinations too—prospects it nearly pushes into "Very Good" territory without much scout support, for instance. Here, UPSIDE becomes a diamond-mining tool: Of these scout-neglected prospects, who have the best arguments for stardom based on their stats? This is perhaps the most interesting application of UPSIDE—to speculate about which of the relative no-names will eventually become big names.
But aside from analyzing PECOTA's likes and dislikes, we're also interested in comparing its rankings to qualitative ones, such as Jason Parks' Top 101. This exercise can reveal what the model misses, which prospects may be underrated scouting-wise, and which both scouts and stat agree on. With two lists, let's observe how they overlap:
Here we observe the nature of a purely stat-driven prospect ranking: It disagrees with a scout-based ranking two-thirds of the time. I appreciate this large figure—it shows how naïve a stat-driven list can be, given that scouts have access both to stats and to their own insight about players. It stresses that PECOTA thinks certain players aren't getting enough credit, leading us to ask why. It also pushes us to consider how to improve PECOTA as a model.
We'll examine the disagreements between PECOTA and BP's Prospect Staff throughout the series, position by position and player by player.
The Hybrid Top 60
I also capped PECOTA rankings at 150, so anyone exceeding that number receives a PECOTA ranking of 150. This minimizes any outlying factors PECOTA couldn't account for. For example, Lucas Giolito has a PECOTA ranking of 3,409 because of limited playing time; we'd rather not dock him for that. So for the purposes of the Hybrid Top 60, he sits in a 6,669-way tie as 150th on PECOTA's rankings (that's about how many players we ran PECOTAs for).
The formula in mathematical terms:
While the inclusion of Parks' grades balances this list into a respectable ranking, the influence of PECOTA is hardly lost. Note, for example, Mets' catcher Kevin Plawecki, whom PECOTA quite likes; he retains the no. 11 ranking despite missing Parks' top 101. Small-sample pitchers like Giolito and Mark Appel surface on this list too.
We'll talk more about Plawecki when PECOTA takes on catching prospects next time.
Andrew Koo is an author of Baseball Prospectus. Follow @akoo
35 comments have been left for this article.
BP Comment Quick Links
How does Bubba Starling get ranked as 29th by Pecota? I used to be a true believer in him but no longer am. Does Pecota heavily weigh, or include at all, high school stats? Starling's performance in the minors has been unremarkable.
Apr 15, 2014 03:56 AM
Yes, it seems that both he and Bauer have had pretty dismal performances so far but rank quite high on Upside...can you elaborate? Thanks, this was a good read.
Apr 15, 2014 08:43 AM
Thanks for resurrecting Pecota Takes on the Prospects. I always thought it was a fun alternative take on prospect evaluation. Taken for what it is, it is useful. The depth and quality of writing you have given to this subject is impressive. I guess Pecota is a sucker for catching prospects.
Apr 15, 2014 04:02 AM
Thanks--I hope that message does come across, that it's an alternative. By no means do I think PECOTA's prospect opinions supersede scout work, especially the great stuff Jason Parks does here.
Apr 15, 2014 09:46 AM
It feels like there is a systematic bias in the PECOTA rankings against pitchers (12 of the top 13 are position prospects). Is that a function of TINSTAAPP or some other bias inherent in the system? Surprising to see the large gaps in the ratings even in pitchers in the high minors like Heaney or Taillon, let alone down to guys like Giolito ranked #3490 (!) by PECOTA.
Apr 15, 2014 04:10 AM
Telvin Nash?
Apr 15, 2014 05:07 AM
Is there an unintended bias towards catchers in UPSIDE? Perhaps not factoring that many comparables move out from the plate?
Apr 15, 2014 06:28 AM
Andrew mentions this when discussing the bias towards SS and CF (2nd paragraph after the PECOTA Top 100 table). Certainly it's easy to assume that catchers, as part of the same side of the defensive spectrum, are treated the same way.
Apr 15, 2014 06:54 AM
Interestingly Andrew points out that there are 11 catchers in Pecota's top 100, and 8 in Jason Parks. But only 2 appear in both.
Apr 15, 2014 11:46 AM
Thanks, Andrew and BP. This is fantastic, and I appreciate the various elements -- description of the stat and process, review of the old results, comparison with a scouting-based prospect list -- that you've woven together. Looking forward to the rest of the series, and perhaps eventually a further exploration of your line "It also pushes us to consider how to improve PECOTA as a model."
Apr 15, 2014 06:30 AM
Thanks! Rob McQuown deserves major credit for reviving UPSIDE. We're happy to bring it back at BP.
Apr 15, 2014 11:10 AM
There's something wrong with the way PECOTA prejudices catchers. And what gets Michael Roth such upside? Is PECOTA chuffed about players who have the same name as novelists?
Apr 15, 2014 06:38 AM
There's a slight favoritism on catchers, but not a huge one (Jason Parks has 8 in his top 101, PECOTA has 11, albeit ranked higher). It's something to explore in next week's piece.
Apr 15, 2014 10:38 AM
Can you do a similar table of the players that BA rated highly and were not included on Pecota's list in 2006 & 2007. It would be interesting to see if there were comparable Warp totals on those players.
Apr 15, 2014 08:17 AM
Yep! So in 2006, Nate Silver named 10 BA players that PECOTA weren't as high on:
Apr 15, 2014 13:46 PM
PECOTA on prospects is exactly why I started subscribing to Baseball Prospectus. It is the most valuable and unique feature BP has to offer. Thank you for resurrecting it! I hope this is relaunched next year two months sooner so that we can use this information in our fantasy drafts.
Apr 15, 2014 09:02 AM
Wow, PECOTA really hates Archie Bradley. Hope the scouting take is the accurate one, since I have him stashed in my roto league.
Apr 15, 2014 09:09 AM
Really excited about this series. One question about the calculation of UPSIDE - you say it's "above-average" WARP. Above-average relative to what?
Apr 15, 2014 12:34 PM
Thinking about this a little bit more, here's a guess:
Apr 15, 2014 12:55 PM
To continue talking to myself here what happens with this example:
Apr 15, 2014 13:18 PM
Yep, these are the main steps of the process. In regards to Buxton, UPSIDE is the composite of above-average WARP values, so subtract a little over 10 WARP (5 x 2) to sum the "Wins Above Average," assuming an average player produces ~2 WARP.
Apr 15, 2014 13:16 PM
Oh, so average really is league-average, then, not average of the comps?
Apr 15, 2014 13:21 PM
Yes. Comparables that produce below league average are zeroed out.
Apr 15, 2014 13:24 PM
Interesting. And does it use projections for the comps, or only players who had actual production that could be compared?
Apr 15, 2014 15:03 PM
dREaDS Fan
How come no sidebar authored by Prof Parks slagging off the PECOTA prospect approach?
Apr 15, 2014 12:48 PM
I'm an Astros homer and I don't even know who Jason Martin or Kyle Smith are.
Apr 15, 2014 13:12 PM
You should. Great prospects. Martin = highly-touted HS CF that was drafted in 2013, and Smith is a #1-#2 ceiling SP that was traded from KC last year for Justin Maxwell, I believe.
May 01, 2014 09:24 AM
Matthew W
80 WARP is a lot of value for players that could have been acquired on the cheap. I miss Nate
Apr 16, 2014 05:13 AM
Nathan Aderhold
This was fun! Thanks, Andrew.
Apr 17, 2014 19:00 PM
Telvin Nash, #100. Sure, he's probably got 40+ HR power. But that 40% strikeout rate below AA...yikes.
May 01, 2014 09:25 AM
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Being an investment contrarian can have a huge payoff. Buying at the end of 2008 and 2009, investing in financials, and most recently betting on housing, have all been contrarian moves that have paid off well for patient investors. But like all things in investing, simply pursuing an investment angle because it sounds like a winning move is very foolish and often costly.
Each January, one of the most popular contrarian strategy kicks into gear and is known as the Dogs of the Dow trade. Basically the bet involves investing in the 10 worst performers of the Dow Jones Industrial Average (or S&P, or whatever index you choose) of the preceding year. Similar to a coin flip, over time the Dogs of the Dow theory has worked and, in some cases, worked very well. As a value investor, I can attest to the intrigue of investing in a business that has seen it share price drop by 50% or more in a year or less. In 2011, one of the Dow's worst dogs was Bank of America (BAC), which was down over 50% in 2011. BofA was top pick in 2012 as a result of the incredibly attractive stock price that was created by the 2011 decline. As it turned out, BofA took top honors in 2012, climbing 104%.
But some dogs have fleas that just won't seem to go away and instead of getting baited into the Dogs of the Dow hook, line, and sinker, I would examine the list very closely before salivating over the potential for big gains.
Looking at the S&P, the biggest dog is online education provider Apollo Group, down 62% in 2012. Trading at $22, Apollo shares are up nearly 10% already in 2012. With a P/E ratio of 6, it's tempting to think the company a huge bargain. In fact, with little effort Apollo shares could end the year at $30 more and turn out to be a big winner in 2013. Unfortunately, one of Apollo's and online education's biggest tailwind -- federal student loan funding -- has turned into a headwind with seemingly permanent repercussions. The net-net is greater competition from traditional universities and a slower rate of growth in online enrollment. So, from where I sit, Apollo may not yet be the contrarian opportunity it appears to be.
Best Buy (BBY), down 51% in 2012, also doesn't interest me for similar reasons affecting big box brick and mortar electronic retailers.
But other 2012 members appear quite intriguing. Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) declined 45% in 2012 but that didn't sway shareholders like Seth Klarman, who still owns a good chunk of the company's shares. Shares also pay a tidy yield of 3.5%. Previous comments from HPQ management indicate that 2013 won't be a spectacular year operationally as the company works to turn itself around. Nevertheless, with such a battered equity price, Mr. Market won't wait for tangible results, but will send shares higher in anticipation.
Two other 2012 dogs with intrigue are retailer J.C. Penney (JCP) and iron ore producer Clifffs Natural Resources (CLF). JCP's largest shareholder is Bill Ackman, who has installed former Apple (AAPL) retail guru Ron Johnson as CEO. Cliffs has been battered due to decline in steel demand. China, the largest consumer of steel on the planet looks set to establish its appetite again.


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HHH: Inside the Game
by, 10-19-2013 at 08:45 AM (4394 Views)
The Attitude Era. Often defined as the introduction of sex, violence and unexpected plot twists in the world of professional wrestling. It is in the Attitude Era that one of the most influential figures in professional wrestling history had his greatest success as a performer and laid the groundwork for what would become today's WWE. We are talking about none other than The Game; HHH.
To truly understand the story of HHH, or Hunter Hearst Helmsley, and how he became who he is today we have to look back on not only what he accomplished in the ring as a performer for so many years, but also the relationships he forged while doing it. Sure we all know the stories of the Kliq and then DX. HHH and his real life friends (Fellow wrestlers Shawn Michaels, Scott hall, Kevin Nash and Sean Waltman) were able to place themselves at the forefront of the wrestling world in its most successful era. Behind the scenes HHH was said to be the glue of the group. Level headed, smart and well spoken, he paid his dues in the ring while learning how to make things happen behind the scenes. It was during this same time that he began the most important relationship of all; his dating and subsequent marriage to the boss' daughter. The Cerebral Assassin had fallen in love.
The Game had his setbacks as a wrestler. The was the infamous Madison Square Garden incident where he, Shawn Michaels, Razor Ramon (Scott Hall) and Diesel (Kevin Nash) met in the ring and hugged it out before the latter two departed for WCW. Someone had to take the fall for this group breaking "kayfabe" and in this case the Assassin took the bullet. Looking back on this defining moment of HHH's career it is most likely the first piece of the puzzle leading to his current role as Executive Vice President of Talent and Live Events. (He appears in character on WWE television programming as acting Chief Operating Officer.) As punishment during this time he was subjected to matches in hog pens filled with mud and various other debacles not fitting of his talent as a performer. Had he not endured and even prospered through the hard time we may not know the same man we see today. However, once this period of pain was over, HHH helped form DX and was catapulted into much more worthy and intriguing storylines. One of which led to the eventual marriage of none other than Vince McMahon's (Owner of WWE) daughter, Stephanie. In this case drama mirrored reality and Paul Levesque (The Game's real name) fell in love with the younger McMahon, married her and they now have three beautiful children together.
Looking at the unforeseen twist of Hunter marrying Vince's daughter in real life people often tend to think he is a manipulative, greedy person who was only trying to get ahead for himself. Let's break it down at this point and really look at the bigger picture. Vince is known to be hyper-controlling as the WWE majority owner. He has his fingers on the pulse of every aspect of the business. Knowing this, one can conclude he would have a similar approach in life. Certainly he never thought his own daughter would grow up and marry one of the 300 pound monsters he so proudly presented as barbarians ready to tear each limb from limb each week on RAW, right? Only the Cerebral Assassin could prove that theory wrong. Think about it; who else would have the guts to look in the eyes of THE MAN in this business and say "Boss, I'd like to marry your daughter." We can only imagine the look Vince gave him, the knot in his stomach, but Vince said yes. That alone says more about the man HHH is both personally and professionally than anything else he has done or ever will do in his career.
Vince had a long and storied falling out with the legend and longest reigning WWF/WWE champion of all time Bruno Sammartino. It was only HHH's ability to garner respect from all generations of performers and his love of the sport's rich history that brought the two stubborn men together after over 30 years of bickering. He's also brought back many past WWE greats to play integral parts in current storylines. This has been done to make the current roster more relevant and to give the young group a boost from the Attitude Era to the PG Era the WWE is currently in. Rob Van Damm, Mick Foley, Paul Heyman, JBL, Booker T, Goldust just to name a few.
Balancing an on screen role and an executive role is difficult. The Game does it and makes it look easy. I am sure there are many, many storylines we don't realize he has touched creatively backstage, but sometimes you can almost feel it. While the WWE has decided for financial reasons to remain a PG rated product, you can often spot the thumbprint of HHH if you look close enough each week on RAW and Smackdown. Whether it's a few carefully placed words during a promo, a chair shot, kendo stick, table, ladder or just a good ol' mudhole stompin'; the Attitude Era that The Game flourished in is surely gone but not forgotten. Just check out the crowd reaction of CM Punk and Daniel Bryan these days. ECW! ECW! ECW! Anyone?
I could go on in volumes as to how HHH has helped shape and define the WWE for over twenty years. He has done more than we could ever mention here. But, if you take away one thing from this I hope that it is a greater respect for what he has accomplished. Personally, I was never a big fan. I often felt he had some great matches with people that made the match great with their performance more than he did with his. It is certainly a hall of fame career in the ring though no doubt. But we weren't really talking about that here were we? This is the story of Paul Levesque's Game and how he played it.


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- love quotes
love your body
Childhood emotional neglect is both simple in its definition and powerful in its effects.
5 Horrible Things Jim Carrey Allegedly Did To His Ex-Girlfriend Before She Committed Suicide (According To Her Therapist)
According to her, he lied about having herpes.
He will be obsessed (in the good way)!
His marriage to Beyoncé wasn't built on "100% truth."
As L'Oréal says: You're worth it.
1,458 days to be exact.
Meredith Salenger Opens Up Exclusively About Her Engagement To Patton Oswalt, How They Fell In Love & Her Relationship With His 8-Year-Old Daughter
"To see him happy again makes her immensely happy."
The time has come for the truth to be revealed.
Awful New Details About The Missing Pregnant Teacher Found Dead In A Field — And Why Police Arrested Her Boyfriend
He's been charged with her murder.
Expert advice
The best relationships start right here.
If you can recognize this pattern, you can handle your favorite narcissist more effectively.
Are you still single and you don't why?
You love him, but it just feels different.
You constantly feel like you're walking on eggshells.
Must-See Videos
Dr. Helen Fisher explains what we can ALL learn from the brains of people in love.
Don't lose your head.
It's about more than just toilet seat preferences.
We need to change the conversation.
The 3 steps you need to stay sane and happy.


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Tuesday January 11, 2005 5:57 pm
Mac mini Ports Up Close
Posted by Andru Edwards - Categories: PC / Laptop
Check out all the ports crammed into this tiny PC! I am certainly feeling the DVI connection. Oh, and just when I was bummed when I realized that I would have to use ethernet if I wanted to pick up one of these, Apple calmed my fears with the announcement that you can get one of these with 802.11g built-in! If that isn't your thing, you can also have Bluetooth built-in, or upgrade the optical drive to a SuperDrive to burn DVD's. Microsoft, you are in trouble.
Read More | Apple Mac mini
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March 10 Board of Supervisors Meeting Features 7 Presentations
Fairfax County Office of Public Affairs
12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 551
Fairfax, VA 22035-0065
Contact: Merni Fitzgerald, Director of Public Affairs
703-324-3187, TTY 711, Fax 703-324-2010
Media Pager: 703-324-NEWS (6397)
March 6, 2008
March 10 Board of Supervisors Meeting Features 7 Presentations
Note to editor: A downloadable photo and synopsis of each presentation will be posted on the county's Web site at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/opa/presentations.htm on Monday, March 10.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, at its meeting on Monday, March 10, scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m., will recognize residents and issue proclamations. For more information, call 703-324-3187, TTY 711.
March 9-15 Is Girl Scout Week
The Board of Supervisors will designate March 9-15 as Girl Scout Week in Fairfax County. Currently there are more than 15,000 registered Girl Scouts in Fairfax County. These young ladies perform a wide range of community service projects to make life better for older adults, children who are hospitalized or in foster care, as well as others who may need a helping hand. The first Girl Scout troop was founded on March 12, 1912, by Juliette Gordon Low in Savannah, Ga. Girl Scouts now exist throughout the United States, U.S. territories and more than 90 countries.
Herndon High School Teacher Wins Award
The Board of Supervisors will recognize Doug Graney, a political science and philosophy teacher at Herndon High School, for being named a national finalist for the 2008 National Education Association Member Benefits Award for Teaching Excellence and receiving the Horace Mann Award for Teaching Excellence. Graney is known for his creative instructional expertise, attention to diversity, community engagement, advocacy for the teaching profession and leadership in professional development.
Including Each and All
The Board of Supervisors will designate March as Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Inclusion Month in Fairfax County, noting that the most effective methods for promoting inclusion are public knowledge and understanding. The Arc of Northern Virginia, the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board and their network of nonprofit service provider agencies are committed to supporting people with disabilities to achieve self-determined lifestyles. In recognition of the potential of people with developmental disabilities, the Board of Supervisors urges everyone to include these residents in all aspects of life in Fairfax County.
April Is Child Abuse Prevention Month
The Board of Supervisors will designate April as Child Abuse Prevention Month in Fairfax County. The focus for this year is to raise public awareness that shaking a child has severe consequences including brain damage, blindness and death.
March Is Women's History Month
The Board of Supervisors will designate March as Women's History Month in Fairfax County marking the 160th anniversary of the Women's Rights Movement. Women of every culture, class and ethic background have made historic contributions to the development and growth of Fairfax County. Women's History Month highlights these advancements and accomplishments.
Tuberculosis Awareness Day
The Board of Supervisors will designate March 24 as Tuberculosis Awareness Day in Fairfax County. This year marks the 126th anniversary of the discovery of the organism that causes tuberculosis (TB). In countries worldwide, this day is set aside to raise awareness of tuberculosis and its effects on public health. There are 2 billion people in the world infected with the TB organism, 8 million people develop the disease each year and every 20 seconds one person dies of the disease.
March 10-17 Is MS Awareness Week
The Board of Supervisors will designate March 10-17 as Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week in Fairfax County. Multiple sclerosis, also known as MS, is a chronic and often disabling disease of the central nervous system that affects more than 1,400 people in Fairfax County, nearly 10,000 in Virginia and 400,000 nationwide. Researchers continue to seek a cure while contributing to the development of improved treatment options that enhance the quality of life for those with MS. All residents of Fairfax County are urged to increase their understanding and awareness of multiple sclerosis and those who have this disease.


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Dear Nancy...My nephew and his boyfriend are getting married soon and I was looking for a really nice wedding card for a gay couple. Needless to say, the local stores don't cater to this need. I Googled and found this web site and I found your beautiful card. So appropriate. There were a few of them I could have easily chosen but I bought the one with the 2 men holding hands in suits. I had their names put inside as well...something you don't get at the big name card stores. I told my daughter about this site. She is also invited and will be needing a card. I am sure to pass this site on to my co-workers as well. Thank you for a lovely card that I can be proud of to present to my nephew and husband-to-be. Joanne Scranton, PA.
guest | September 15, 2014
Awesome cards my friend!
Janet | January 13, 2014
This has got to be the best greeting card store I have seen by far. Very creative mind you have there Nancy.
guest | May 09, 2013
I love your cards! Wish you plenty more sales! Jeannette Goff/ Netta's Art.
Jeannette | April 25, 2013
Cute store Nancy.
Best Wishes Inkflo @ Chez Inkflo
Best Wishes Inkflo @ Chez Inkflo
Inkflo | October 13, 2012
These are absolutely the cutest cards ever! Thank you for having such great cards! I look forward to more on your site! Great Job!
guest | February 26, 2012
very creative! great job.... look forward to more! keep up the good work...
guest | September 26, 2011
wow! These cards are cool! I love them! Great work!
guest | September 07, 2011
Very imaginative, very creative! Love these cards! Can't wait to see more!
Nancy | August 27, 2011
Nancy is a wonderful artist very creative, just give her a suggestion and she can run with it, many of her friends and family have seen this talent first hand you will not be disappointed. Linda B.
guest | April 15, 2011


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Topic: Father "Diagnosed"- Don't know where to start
Hello everybody! My name is Danielle and I am a 19 year old optimist. Around Thanksgiving, my family had all come down with a stomach virus, which my father had seemed to catch. We realized he was losing weight very quickly and became very fatigued and tired. However, even after Christmas, the "virus" had not seemed to go away. My father, only 44 years old, is very frightened by the whole doctor/hospital atmosphere so he would not get checked out, claimed he just needed some time to rest to get rid of the virus.
The day before New Year's Eve, he had collapsed 3 times. Although we begged and pleaded for him to go to the hospital, he refused. He said he "had a feeling in his head of what this could be" and that "he had not made his peace with God yet." Finally, he agreed to go on New Year's Eve (We took him to Stony Brook University Hospital, on Long Island, thinking they would have the best technology- it is a teaching hospital). Besides being EXTREMELY dehydrated, test had shown that he had a mass on his liver. The Attending ER doctor immediately said it was liver cancer, but the oncologist said we needed to do a liver tissue biopsy. After the biopsy, he was told it was lymphoma. Then, after another look, we were told it wasn't lymphoma but it definitely IS cancer. Within a course of a week and a half, they changed the type of cancer 6 times. Finally, they said they were "calling" it stage IV bile duct cancer, with a large tumor that was pushing on the stomach making it almost impossible for him to eat. One gastro oncologist doctor came in and said "for your type of cancer, chemo does not work, it only prolongs life. If he lives 5 more years it will be pushing it" while an oncologist said "as long as you are willing to fight, I have a good feeling I can help you."
My problem is after all of the run around we have gotten, I don't know how much I can trust these doctors. I was wondering why they were "calling" it this and not diagnosing him. How do I know if the treatment they are suggesting is really the best way to go? My father's spirits are pretty low because of the uncertainty that these doctors are showing. As you may be able to tell, I am just so overwhelmed and confused because everyone seems to contradict each other at the hospital.
When I found you guys, I felt a great deal of relief. I know I want to transfer my father to a cancer center but I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice as to where to look. If anyone could recommend an oncologist, cancer treatment center, treatments/remedies that seem to be helping you or your loved one, any type of advice, I would greatly appreciate it. We are willing to try ANYTHING.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Please feel free to ask me more about his situation if it will help you at any way, I am open to sharing anything that could potentially help not only my father but other people who have to deal with this scenario. I wish nothing but a complete recovery to everyone!


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Today, Governor Bobby Jindal signed a pair of pro-life bills into law that increase penalties for coerced abortions and strengthen protections for pregnant women across Louisiana. The bills are part of the Governor's 2013 Legislative Package.
Governor Jindal said, "In Louisiana, we think it is incumbent upon us to promote a culture of life and to protect those who cannot protect themselves. We also believe that we must protect the health and welfare of our pregnant women by ensuring they receive the care they need."
HB 278--by Representative Valerie Hodges--adds the coercion of a female child to undergo an abortion to the definition for child abuse.
The bill defines "coerced abortion" as the use of force, intimidation, threat of force, threat of deprivation of food and shelter, or the deprivation of food and shelter by a parent or any other person in order to compel a female child to undergo an abortion against her will.
SB 90--authored by Senator Fred Mills--creates protections for women who are administered a drug or chemical to induce an abortion.
The bill requires that a physician licensed in obstetrics and gynecology be physically present when a patient is administered a drug or chemical to induce an abortion. It also requires that the doctor give the patient instructions to return for a follow-up appointment to assess the woman's medical condition.
Any person who knowingly or negligently performs or attempts to perform an abortion without complying with proposed legislation will be subject to a fine of no more than $1,000, per incident, imprisoned for not more than two years, or both.
Source: http://www.gov.state.la.us/index.cfm?md=newsroom&tmp=detail&catID=2&articleID=4104&navID=3


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Cycling UK has evidenced that cycling can play a major role to address the impact of social, economic and health inequalities across the United Kingdom.
Cycling UK believes that to get more people cycling across the UK there is need to deliver tailored projects that can introduce cycling to communities across geographical regions in an inclusive and sustainable manner.
A Community Cycle Club represents a group of people who organise and participate in a regular cycling activity for the benefit of their existing members or as a service to the wider community.
The cycling activity can be on-road, off-road, cycle maintenance or even arts based. The group of people may already meet for reasons specific to their local needs e.g. a youth support group, or have formed as a result of their desire to establish a regular cycling activity for benefit of the local community.
For more information on Community Clubs please email Head of Development for England Laura Hales.


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"Breaking Barriers in Every Field"
President Obama spoke at a National Women's Law Center event last night honoring the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Riders and celebrating strides toward equality for women:
But even after all this time, my wish for my daughters and yours remains the same. I want them to go out into a world where there is no limit on how big they can dream or how high they can reach. And being here with all of you gives me hope. Because although this journey is far from over, today our daughters live in a world that is fairer and more equal than it was six years ago—a world where more doors are open to them than ever before.
Today, for the first time in history, our daughters can see three women sitting on the bench of the highest court in the land. They can come to the White House and see that the top four lawyers on my staff—some of the sharpest legal minds I've ever come across—are women. They can read about the extraordinary leadership of a woman in the House of Representatives who went by the title "Madame Speaker." And they can turn on the news and see that one of the most formidable presidential candidates we've ever seen has become one of the best Secretaries of State that this country has ever known.
Today, women make up almost half of our workforce and the majority of students in our colleges and graduate schools. And women are breaking barriers in every field, from science and business to sports and the armed forces.
Today, thanks to the health care reform that many of you helped pass, insurance companies can no longer deny coverage based on pre-existing conditions like breast cancer, or charge women more because they are more likely to incur costs for things like childbirth. Those same companies must cover the cost of preventive services like mammograms, domestic violence counseling and contraception. And we're making sure that women in the military and veterans get the care they need.
Today, thanks to the tireless efforts of people like Lilly Ledbetter, it's easier for women to demand equal pay for equal work. We passed tax credits that are keeping more women out of poverty and helping them reach the middle class. Companies are being encouraged to make workplaces more flexible so women don't have to choose between being a good employee and a good parent. And one of the first things I did after taking office was to create a White House Council on Women and Girls to make sure that every agency in the federal government considers the needs of women and girls in every decision they make.
This is progress. But if there's one thing we've learned from the women's movement in this country, it's that there is always more work to do. There are always more challenges to meet.
Click here to learn more about the ways President Obama and his administration are working to support equal rights for all Americans.


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To better serve the Henry County community and improve their skills, Henry County EMS participated in a 2.5-hour training module, Pre-Incident Training: Protecting Our First Responders.
In the aftermath of a critical incident, natural or manmade, stress reactions are normal response of a healthy person to an abnormal situation. The training received by Henry County EMS helped prepare them to cope with critical incidents and the reactions that may experience.
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(5-9) The Cowboys held off the Redskins last week 33-30 and look for another win, in a season that hasn't given them much to celebrate about.
(4-10) After beating the Broncos a few weeks ago 43-13, the Cardinals only put up 12 in a loss against the Panthers. The Cardinals hope to get their offense back and hope for a win.
Time: 7:30 PM ET
Location: U of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ


text: Tall Ludlow Slim-fit spread-collar shirt Item 02510 Color: WHITE Size: All sizes are US sizes. TALL SMALL TALL MEDIUM TALL LARGE X LARGE-TALL Size Charts Quantity: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Prices do not include taxes. Add to Bag Wishlist Add to Bag Add To Wishlist share: size & fit Ludlow fit. For the taller guy, this shirt is 2" longer in the body and sleeves. Product Details Introducing the perfect shirt for the perfect suit. Featuring a trim, tailored fit, this shirt was specifically created by our design team with the proportions of the Ludlow suit in mind. Crafted in two-ply 120s cotton—a fine weave with natural lustre and a luxurious handfeel—it's finished with bespoke-inspired touches like a split back yoke (a made-to-measure detail that ensures a clean drape) and darts at both shoulders for a streamlined silhouette. Cotton. Spread collar. Machine wash. Import. Online only. Item 02510.


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American Honda today reported March 2013 U.S. sales of 136,038 units, an increase of 7.1 percent compared with March 2012 (up 11.1 percent based on the Daily Selling Rate, or DSR*). The Honda brand posted March 2013 sales of 121,938 units, an increase of 5.3 percent compared with March 2012. Acura U.S. March sales of 14,100 units increased 26.3 percent compared with March 2012.
"Our core models, Civic, Accord, CR-V and Odyssey, continue to lead the industry where it counts, in retail sales," said John Mendel, executive vice president of Sales at American Honda. "It's particularly rewarding to see Accord and Civic winning new customers against a headwind of competitor incentives and value-reducing fleet sales."
"As we close in on a full year of sales, it's clear that the RDX is an undisputed success," said Jeff Conrad, vice president and general manager of Acura Sales. "With the all-new RLX off to a great start and a redesigned MDX coming soon, expect great things from Acura this year."
*The daily selling rate (DSR) is calculated with 27 days for March 2013 and 28 days for March 2012. Year-to-date, the DSR is calculated with 76 days for 2013 and 77 days for 2012. All other percentages in release are unadjusted; see table for adjusted DSR figures.###


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Questions raised
Questions raised
In Don Bye's commentary of June 27 ("Dayton approval"), he asserts that those who will pay the additional 2 percent income tax, championed by DFL Gov. Mark Dayton and Mr. Bye, are "the fortunate ones (who) can well afford the minor added assessment" and trusts that "enough of the fortunate few in the covered category hopefully sense the fairness of it."
In reply to Mr. Bye, I offer two queries posed by Dr. Thomas Sowell, a highly respected economist from Stanford University's Hoover Institute:
"What is your 'fair share' of what someone else makes?" and, "... why it is 'greed' to want to keep the money you have earned, but not greed to want to take somebody else's money?"
"Hopefully," Mr. Bye will "sense" the underlying truths raised by Dr. Sowell's questions.
Jan Moe,
Lake Shore


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A more mature Schafer proving valuable to Braves
ATLANTA -- The Braves surprised many when they announced on Nov. 1 that they had claimed outfielder Jordan Schafer off waivers from the Astros. Fifteen months earlier, the former top prospect had been traded from Atlanta to Houston, where he endured a horrible 2012 season.
When Schafer hit .211 with a .591 OPS in 106 games with the Astros last year, there was reason to wonder how much longer his career would last. But showing some of the maturity that he lacked in the past, the 26-year-old understood his situation and committed himself to making changes.
"You only get so many opportunities," Schafer said. "I kind of [dumped] on the other ones. So it's about time I take advantage of the opportunities. I'm just going out there, having fun and letting the game come to me."
The Braves' decision to bring back Schafer to serve as a backup outfielder has proven wise, as he is getting regular playing time in right field while Jason Heyward recovers from an appendectomy. A highly talented defender, Schafer entered Wednesday hitting .346 with a .869 OPS and five stolen bases.
"He's worked hard changing his approach more than his swing," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "He's one of those guys that has enough power to hurt himself. He runs into one, and then all of a sudden, he thinks he's going to hit 20. We need to make sure he goes back to his game of walking, bunting, hitting the ball on the ground and hitting the ball the other way."
Schafer's production earned him the chance to provide the Braves with the consistency they have lacked from the leadoff spot of the lineup. Wednesday marked the third time in a span of four games that he was used in this role.
"I feel way more comfortable," he said. "I really don't have any anxiety playing the game any more. I think I'm letting the game come to me. I'm not trying to force things. I think sometimes, when I was younger, I tried to force stuff to happen."
Mark Bowman is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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This was asked on the "Best Damn Sports Show Period" [BTW I miss Tom damn it, every team needs a fan like Tom.] and it was which career would you rather have, Reggie Miller or Robert Horry?
Well as much I love to watch Reggie play, and play in the heartland of basketball, I can't say you can go wrong with 5 rings and a possiable 6th one coming very soon.
Of course though one thing Reggie will always have over Horry is playing in the greatest basketball play in the whole world for 18 awesome years.


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6 Diseases Back from the Dead
Researchers at Oxford University and South Africa's University of Cape Town tapped into cellphones' existing microphones to develop this mobile stethoscope. The app allows patients to record their own heartbeats, and then forward along the audio to doctors who can track the development of conditions, such as tuberculosis pericarditis. A small clinical trial of 150 patients showed that a Nokia 3100 Classic could estimate patients' heart rates more accurately than a pricey electronic stethoscope, though the quality of the audio needs improvement. The team is now developing an Android application and refining its algorithm to better process the recordings.
Hailing from MIT's Media Lab, the Near Eye Tool for Refractive Assessment, or NETRA, transforms smartphones into low-cost, portable diagnostic devices that can detect a host of vision disorders, including nearsightedness and farsightedness. The $2 clip-on eyepiece exploits the increasing resolution of smartphone screens to deliver a prescription for the appropriate corrective lenses in a few minutes. More than a half-billion people live with undiagnosed eye disorders, 90 percent of whom in the developing world, and NETRA is a promising alternative to the costly diagnostics that have dominated the field for decades.
11 Brilliant Innovators: Breakthrough Awards 2011


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Welcome, skip to the content.
Ideally located at the 'Paris End' of little Collins the Stamford Plaza Melbourne offers a luxurious, welcoming home away from home for corporate and leisure travellers, with self contained spacious apartment-style one, two or three bedroom suites. Stamford Plaza Melbourne is situated in the heart of cosmopolitan Melbourne, providing easy access to the bustling city, business district, shopping, theatre and restaurants.This five star all-suite hotel comprises of 283 elegantly-appointed suites, each with a fully equipped kitchen, private ensuite bathrooms for each bedroom, high-speed internet connectivity, Harry's Restaurant and Bar, new gymnasium, heated indoor swimming pool, spa and sauna and business centre. Stamford Plaza Melbourne also offers first class conferencing, wedding and event facilities with a fantastic team on-site to help create your perfect event.Harry's Restaurant is the place to start your day with a selection from the breakfast buffet, enjoy the many delicious choices on offer for lunch and dinner where only the finest fresh, seasonal local produce available. Take in the relaxed and comfortable surrounds of Harry's Bar anytime during the day, from great coffee made-to-order, an extensive wine list to the delights of some creative cocktails.
Each of the luxury Melbourne hotel accommodation one bedroom suites has a separate kitchen with all-modern facilities, including microwave, hot plates and dishwasher, dining room, lounge, separate bedroom and en-suite with bath-spa.
The luxury Melbourne hotel accommodation two bedroom suites contain all the features of the one bedroom suite but with two separate bedrooms with two separate en-suite bathrooms, one with shower only and the other has the bath-spa.


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Detroit, MI 48202
The James Pearson Duffy Department of Art and Art History is pleased to host a GRADUATING SENIORS EXHIBITION at the Art Department Gallery, January 11 through February 15, 2013. This exhibition features works of art and design by undergraduate students who have graduated or anticipate graduation during the 2012-2013 academic year.
All events are free and open to the general public. The Art Department Gallery is located in the Art Building on the campus of Wayne State University, near the intersection of Cass Avenue and Kirby Street.
The James Pearson Duffy Department of Art and Art History is a division of Wayne State's College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts, educating the next generation of visual artists, designers and art historians. Wayne State University, located in the heart of Detroit's midtown cultural center, is a premier urban research university offering more than 370 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 29,000 students.


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Please call 800-633-7377 for a personal consultation between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
You can also call the appointment center to schedule, change or cancel an appointment or ask questions.
Pain is one of the leading reasons for seeking medical treatment and, if left untreated, can negatively impact the quality of one's life. However, there are safe and effective treatments that are available that may reduce your pain and restore your function.
We offer pain management services through our centers and also within the hospital. To receive care in one of the centers, ask your doctor for a referral to the Beaumont Center for Pain Medicine then you may call any of our locations to schedule your appointment.
The pain medicine team provides multidisciplinary and state-of-the-art care for pain. Services are available to help patients in acute pain, such as during medical procedures and after surgery, and for those suffering from chronic pain. The members of the pain medicine team includes anesthesiologists, physician assistants, pain psychologists, pain medicine nurses, and physical therapists. Treatment is provided from a holistic perspective and individually tailored to meet the needs for pain management for each patient. Interventions can be offered to reduce pain severity, improve coping and quality of life, and increase physical functioning. Family members can become involved in the treatment process through education and support for coping.
The pain medicine team will work with each patient's primary care physician to provide integrated and coordinated care. This care may also involve health care providers from other specialties.
Learn more about the pain medicine team values and read our Code of Ethical Conduct.
View and print our pain medicine brochure.
For more information,please call:
248-655-9600Royal Oak (outpatient)
248-898-1915Royal Oak (within the hospital)
248-267-5700Troy/Rochester (outpatient)
248-964-6463Troy (within the hospital)
313-473-1065Grosse Pointe
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TIP: The new Geograph Browser application, includes a Interactive Map feature - allows easy filtering of results shown
Style: Coverage Personalised Depth User Depth Interactive Draggable OS [Zoom first] Printable Recent Only About
Geograph Coverage Map, for edward mcmaihin
Here are a few tips for using our map:
- Click on the large map to zoom in on an area of interest. You can also use the + and - buttons to zoom in and out, or the keyboard shortcuts Alt+Q to zoom out and Alt+S to zoom in
- Pan the map using the links at the edges of the map, or the 'N' 'E' 'S' 'W' buttons. You can also use the keyboard shortcuts Alt+W, Alt+D, Alt+X and Alt+A to pan the map
- You can also pan the map by clicking the smaller overview map
- Use the tabs under the map to change map style
- The "Link to this Map" creates a nice accessible link to this map - which is tidier than many taken direct from the address bar.
Update 2015:
This map is starting to show its age, it was made over 10 years ago, with what is now old technology; which alas many modern browsers no longer fully support. In particular the "open in new window"/tab does NOT function propelly, nor normal left-clicking on the map at thumbnail scale for some squares. And using other than 100% page zoom can cause issues. For best results use Internet Explorer 10 or below (yes really!), or Firefox still seems functional.
We have started work on a new mapping interface: Experimental Coverage Map, which welcome to try, it still needs some work.
Maps on this page, © Copyright Geograph Project and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.


text: W.Va. colleges prohibit weapons on campus By Mackenzie Mays January 26, 2013 Story Share CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia law prohibits "deadly weapons" on elementary and high school property, with the exception of armed security guards or police, but the state leaves it up to individual colleges and universities how to handle guns on their campuses.None of West Virginia's four-year public colleges and universities permit weapons on campus, with schools outlining their own policies on the issue, according to the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission."When parents send their children to college, they are entrusting us with the most important people in their lives," said state higher education Chancellor Paul Hill. "Our colleges and universities have an obligation to not only educate students, but also keep them safe."About half of the 50 states specifically prohibit carrying concealed weapons on college campuses, according to an analysis this week by Mother Jones magazine. Five states -- Colorado, Mississippi, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming -- allow concealed weapons on campus, according to the analysis. In several other states, lawmakers recently have introduced legislation to permit college students to carry concealed weapons.West Virginia University prohibits possession or storage of deadly weapons anywhere on campus -- including in cars parked on school property. (The Mountaineer mascot, who totes his iconic muzzleloader at sporting events, is exempt under state law.) WVU also outlaws destructive devices of any form, such as fireworks, on campus.Marshall University's policy prohibits concealed and unconcealed possession or storage of any weapon, and even bans slingshots.Both major universities have campus police departments, with officers on patrol around the clock."Ongoing discussion regarding weapons on college campuses is an issue about public safety -- specifically student safety," Hill said. "It is critical that we all work together to provide a safe learning environment for current and future students across the state's educational system."The tragic events at campuses across the nation have made the issue of campus safety very real for all of us. Education leaders across our state have learned a great deal from these tragic events."'You have no idea what it's like' Brian Hemphill, president of West Virginia State University, has indeed learned from tragedy on college campuses -- he lived through one.Hemphill was vice president of student affairs at Northern Illinois University in 2008 when a gunman shot 21 people on campus, killing five, before taking his own life.When an intruder opened fire at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut last month, killing 20 children and six adults, Hemphill thought back to that day at NIU.Just last week, a gunman opened fire at a community college in Texas, again bringing the memories to the surface."Every time you hear about a tragedy striking a community, it really brings you back on multiple levels," Hemphill said. "If you've never responded to a scene like that, you have no idea what it's like and what impact it can have on you and your university community forever. "It's not just devastating on a personal level but, for me, it's a reminder that we have to make sure, as a university, that we're able to stop these things from happening."Hemphill said he believes guns do not belong in schools but that the discussion of campus safety is "critical."School officials should have thorough crisis-response plans in place, and Hemphill said he believes a college should have a "threat-assessment team." The team would meet on a weekly basis and evaluate any student, or campus presence, that has shown questionable behavior."There is one thing that is certain in all of this: Someone noticed something about that individual that was concerning before tragedy struck, but in many cases, it was overlooked," Hemphill said. "These teams can reach out to people who may have challenges in their lives by simply asking if they need help."The shooter at NIU was a former student who had a history of mental illness."You can't prevent somebody that's intent on hurting people -- it's almost impossible when universities are wide open communities -- but, you can make sure that you do things that reduce the likelihood of having people killed," Hemphill said. "This isn't just a serious concern for our universities, but for our country." One of Hemphill's students agrees that it's a serious concern, but sees a completely different answer.Keith Morgan, president of the West Virginia Citizens Defense League and a WVSU student, said he hears complaints from students all the time."Most universities have quite a large number of students that wouldn't be able to defend themselves, while violent crime happens on a regular basis on and near campuses," Morgan said. "School administrators are ensuring that college students are just fish in a barrel. On campus, I'm a fish in a barrel. I couldn't do anything to stop a violent attack."Morgan said that, while policies allow armed guards and police on campus, it's not enough."The presence of campus police doesn't matter. These things are over in seconds, and the damage is done. Even if an officer is just across campus, it's over," he said. "I can't say that these things would not happen if guns were allowed, but I can tell you that it would be ended quickly if a gunman entered a classroom that I was in."Next month, Morgan said, his group will meet with the Legislature, where he will push for legislation that allows guns on campuses, among other changes that he believes are now denying gun owners' rights.House Education Committee Chairwoman Mary Poling, D-Barbour, said that, while state lawmakers have focused on armed officers on school grounds, she's never discussed the issue of allowing students to carry guns on campus.She said that's a conversation she's willing to have but that she doesn't see the benefit."It's my belief that students wouldn't be any safer just because they would be allowed to carry guns. I'm not interested in opening that up to allow campuses to permit guns," said Poling, a former schoolteacher. "I know there have been campus shootings, but I don't believe students having access to guns would necessarily make them safer."Reach Mackenzie Mays at email@example.com or 304-348-4814. Story Share Story Share Trending Now 1 Facebook founder visits Charleston restaurant 2 Innerviews: Dual-identity surgeon riding high in horse racing world 3 Gazette editorial: Capito has second chance to do the right thing 4 Doug Smock: AAC not ready for Power 6 quite yet 5 WVU seeking improvements during off week Thousands march in Washington for gun control Previous Story Trying to unlock secrets of dead serial killer Next Story


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Dardenne wishes La. 'Pick Your Passion'
Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne's holiday message made use of Louisiana's "Pick Your Passion" tourism theme as he and his family wished all well.
"Pick Your Holiday Passion" the card beckoned. Making the list were Bonfires on the Levee, "Cajun Night Before Christmas," Christmas in the Oaks, Natchitoches Christmas Festival, Oyster Dressing, Vince Vance's "All I Want for Christmas is You," "Nutcracker: A Tale from the Bayou" and oh so much more.
Taking a little different tactic was Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell.
When he sent out holiday cards this year, Campbell took what he would have called during his days as a state senator, "a moment of personal privilege."
On the back of his greeting cards, Campbell put a photograph of Justified 101, a bull he owns. The information below the photo explains why Campbell is proud of Justified 101. The bull was named Grand Champion Angus Bull for 2012 at a number of livestock shows.
Veterans secretary Carson retires
Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Lane Carson is retiring.
Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration announced Carson's decision in a news release, which included no details on why he is leaving the job he's held since 2008.
Serving in the secretary's post on an interim basis will be David LaCerte, the agency's deputy secretary and executive counsel, the Governor's Office said. LaCerte has been with the agency since June 2010.
LaCerte will be paid the same $130,000 annual salary Carson has been receiving, according to the Governor's Office.
Carson is a former state legislator and Vietnam War veteran who was wounded in combat.
During Carson's tenure, veterans service offices were opened and maintained in every parish, eligibility was expanded for all Louisiana veterans and their spouses into the state's five veterans homes, and a program started to connect veterans with jobs and business opportunities.
Gov. Jindal grants extra days off
No one can accuse Gov. Bobby Jindal of being a grinch this time of year.
And no one can accuse Jindal of not planning ahead or adding a bit of humor to his official actions.
Jindal, who has been attacked by some as being a foe of state government workers, gave a sort of trifecta gift to state workers this year.
Jindal signed three separate proclamations declaring the days immediately following Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve as official state holidays.
The Friday after Thanksgiving was declared Acadian Day in honor of the contributions the Acadian people made to the state.
Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, both on a Monday, were declared holidays so that state employees and others would benefit from the extra legal holiday during a time given to counting blessings and promoting family values.
It was Halloween Day when Jindal issued the proclamations giving state workers three four-day weekends. Obviously, Jindal was given to treats rather than tricks this year.
Lens aanalyzes Jindal
rticle Gov. Bobby Jindal was portrayed as being less than tolerant of divergent opinions in a recent news piece done for The Lens, a Web-based news outlet in New Orleans.
Tyler Bridges, a former Times-Picayune reporter who covered state government and politics some years ago, talked to some former Jindal administration officials and others who were tossed from their jobs after making public statements the governor didn't like.
Bridges' story paints a picture of a governor who has little tolerance for those who don't hew to the official administration line and is quick to seek to muzzle those who disagree with him.
Bridges' article begins with an account of a meeting between former Gov. Kathleen Blanco and LSU professor Robert Mann, who holds the Manship Chair in Journalism and is the director of the Reilly Center for Media & Public Affairs. Mann once worked for Blanco and is a frequent critic of Jindal.
As Bridges tells it, Blanco was worried about Mann and asked him: "You do have tenure, don't you?"
Bridges reports that Mann does have tenure and is not planning to muffle his criticism of the Jindal administration.
Read the full article online at http://thelensnola.org/2012/12/21/jindal-gaining-reputation-for-punishing-people-who-stand-in-his-way.
Donelon to head NAIC
Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon will become president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners on Tuesday.
Through the NAIC, state insurance regulators establish standards and best practices, coordinate their regulatory oversight and have a critical role in the implementation of those measures as they impact the insurance markets and consumers across the nation and beyond.
Donelon, a former state representative, joined the staff of the Louisiana Department of Insurance in 2001 as chief deputy commissioner. He's been a member of the NAIC since becoming Louisiana's commissioner in 2006.
During Donelon's tenure, Louisiana abolished its Insurance Rating Commission, which he said eliminated an impediment to companies coming to do business here. He also pushed legislative initiatives that limit named-storm deductibles to one per hurricane season and increased the Louisiana Insurance Guaranty Association coverage to $500,000 per claim — a recently adopted NAIC model provision.
Board lists oversights in campaign finances
Unsuccessful state representative candidate Donald Menard is facing charges that he failed to accurately disclose information in his campaign finance report filings.
Menard, a Republican from the village of Cankton in St. Landry Parish, lost in a bid for the House District 39 seat which is now held by state Rep. Stephen Ortego, D-Carencro.
"Mr. Donald Menard failed to accurately disclose contributions from the following persons in connection with the November 19, 2011, election," according to the charges issued by the Louisiana Board of Ethics.
The list of oversights includes contributions from Health Agents PAC; a political action committee of House Speaker Chuck Kleckley, R-Lake Charles; state Rep. Joel Robideaux, R-Lafayette; state Rep. Nancy Landry, R-Lafayette; Leadership for Louisiana; La. State Medical PAC; Louisiana State Farm Agents PAC and La. Realtors PAC.
The Ethics Board forwarded the charges to the Ethics Adjudicatory Board for a hearing.
Kennedy: Save for college
As the new year approaches, state Treasurer John Kennedy is encouraging parents, grandparents and others to start investing in a Louisiana START 529 college savings account for the children in their lives.
"A START account is not only a generous and wise gift for a loved one, it also happens to be the best and last solid tax break available to families," Kennedy wrote in a message,
START accounts can be opened on behalf of a future student with the initial investment of as little as $10. When opening a START account, the investor can exempt up to $2,400 in deposits per account per year from income reported on their state tax returns. Married couples filing jointly can deduct up to $4,800 in deposits.
In addition, the state pays a match on deposits ranging from 2 percent to 14 percent.
Information on START accounts may be received by contacting the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance at (800) 259-5626, ext. 1012, or visit www.startsaving.la.gov.
Compiled by The Advocate's Capitol news bureau. Contact email address is email@example.com.


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The Artists Archives presents its traveling exhibition - "Art Interprets Alzheimer's" shares artist-couple Sue and George Roby's journey through Alzheimer's disease, using their unique tools: their profession and respective media and experience of the disease. On display are George's ceramic sculptures, expressing the journey and challenges as a caregiver. Also on view are Herbert Ascherman's photographs of Alzheimer patients and their caregivers. Reception Sunday, June 26th 1-2:30pm
Artists Archives of the Western Reserve


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Geoff Tate 'Won't Listen' to the Tateless Queensryche
Queensryche have enjoyed positive reviews for their first album with new singer Todd La Torre. But don't expect to hear any praise from La Torre's predecessor, Geoff Tate, who's touring and recording with his own version of Queensryche.
Speaking with Smashing Interviews about the pending court case that should untangle the long-simmering legal battle between Tate and his former bandmates when it reaches a judge early next year, he was asked for his thoughts on the La Torre-fronted lineup's album. And he quickly made it clear that he has no plans to hear it.
"I'm not interested at all," he said. "I haven't listened to it and won't listen to it. I really ripped off the rear-view mirror, and I'm speeding down the road. I'm not interested in what they're doing. I spent 30 years with those guys. I know what they're doing."
Lamenting that he spent those years "having to bend over backward and compromise and please everybody," Tate admitted he was initially pretty torn up about being fired by a group of guys whose livelihoods he insists he worked hard to protect. But he was quick to point out that he's landed feet-first.
"I feel completely freed now — artistically, creatively, spiritually — to follow my own path and participate in my art the way I want to do it without compromising with other people and their situations, whatever those convoluted situations were," he concluded. "So I'm very happy. I have an incredible support team of people around me that are happy to be there. I'm excited to work with happy and excited people who have ideas. That is breathtaking to me."


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Howard resumes role as full-time first baseman
PHILADELPHIA -- Ryan Howard is still struggling at the plate, but Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg is no longer talking about the possibility of a platoon at first base.
Howard was benched for three straight games July 23-25, when Sandberg said he wanted to see what Darin Ruf could do. Since then, general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. has said he expects Howard to be the club's first baseman in 2015, and Howard has started nine of the last 10 games, including Tuesday night against Astros left-hander Dallas Keuchel.
Howard entered the game 1-for-25 with one RBI over his last seven starts. But he showed signs of breaking out of that slump with a solo home run to left-center in his first at-bat on Tuesday night and then a walk-off single in the 15th inning as the Phillies won, 2-1.
Sandberg said before the game he had not been considering removing Howard from the cleanup spot. That decision worked to the Phillies' advantage on Tuesday.
"People forget what I've done," Howard said after the win. "Ryno has played the game. He knows. He knows the ups and downs of the game and he knows you're going to have good days and bad days. For me, I'm just going to go out there and grind it out. I'm going to hit balls that are unfortunately going to go into the shift and balls back up the middle that guys are going to make plays on. All you can try to do is hit it hard and hopefully hit it where they're not."
What happened to the notion of a platoon at first base between Howard and Ruf?
"Well, I didn't say it was going to be a platoon, I said it was going to be a possibility somewhere down the road," Sandberg said. "I want the best for both players and for Ryan Howard to get going and for Darin Ruf to get at-bats. It's a little bit of a process, but looking to help the players."
While the general manager has publicly supported Howard, Sandberg said the front office has not mandated him to keep baseball's highest paid player in the lineup.
"No, the reason for the rest was for him to regroup and make some adjustments, which he continues to search for and continues to do," Sandberg said. "So hopefully he gets it going."
Austin Laymance is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at @jalaymance. Erik Bacharach is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.