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February 15, 2013
Arbitration Showdown
Mock Hearing: Dexter Fowler
It's salary arbitration season in Major League Baseball, and here at Baseball Prospectus we're holding mock hearings, arguing for or against the actual team/player filing figures before a three-person panel of certified arbitrators. We've selected 10 of this winter's most intriguing, highest-dollar cases to cover in depth over the first two weeks of February (regardless of whether the players' real-life cases remain unsettled). After each side's opening argument and rebuttal/summation below, we'll give you a chance to vote on what you think the result should be before seeing the panel's decision. For more on the arbitration process, read the series intro by Atlanta Braves Assistant GM John Coppolella, listen to his appearance on Episode 35 of Up and In, or check out the BP Basics introduction to arbitration.
In Part Nine of this 10-part series, we'll tackle Colorado Rockies outfielder Dexter Fowler, who sought $5.15 million and was offered $4.25 million. Unbeknownst to our arbitrators, Fowler and the Rockies reached an agreement on a two-year, $11.6 million contract, avoiding arbitration.
The complete procedure for salary arbitration is available in the Basic Agreement.
The Case
Rockies center fielder Dexter Fowler had a great 2012 season by the standards of any service class. For a player with just over three years of major-league service time, however, his season was exceptional, and worthy of the $5.15 million he is seeking over the $4.25 million the Rockies are offering. His 2012 platform season produced career-high marks in a number of categories. He played in 143 games and batted .300 with a .389 on-base percentage and a .474 slugging percentage. His hitting against both left and right-handed pitchers was the best of his career, as he batted .315 (45-for-143) vs. LHP and .293 (91-for-311) vs. RHP in 2012.
Fowler's Career Stats
Relative to the league, Fowler's numbers were impressive.
Against peers from his service class and position, Fowler ranks high. Indeed, he matches up well with one of the game's best hitters.
* Midpoint
Josh Hamilton settled with the Texas Rangers in advance of filing for arbitration, so it is unknown what the exact midpoint between the player asking and club offering figures would have been. For comparison, the midpoint between what Fowler is seeking and what the Rockies are offering is used here, as Hamilton's salary for 2010 would have been negotiated around the midpoint. While a difference of $1.45 million might seem large, when accounting for inflation, Hamilton's salary would be closer to $3.4 million, or a difference of only $1.3 million. Fowler's platform-year batting average was 32 points higher. He also has more RBIs, home runs, and stolen bases than Hamilton did.
Compared to his peers in this year's salary arbitration class for center fielders with between three and four years of service time, Fowler does exceptionally well:
Fowler has the highest batting average and the most RBI, ranks second in hits, and smashes the field in triples.
Fowler continues to mature as a major-league player and has become one of the game's best center fielders. Therefore, based on the numbers, Fowler warrants the salary he is seeking. —Maury Brown
Dexter Fowler is a fine player who has helped the Colorado Rockies win games by leading off in the lineup and playing center field. He is not, however, a star-level player who has single-handedly altered the fortunes of the Rockies through his play, yet his salary request values him that way. The Rockies feel he is a good player who deserves a raise, and they have offered him an additional $1.9 million for the 2013 season, an 80 percent raise on his salary last season. His request for $5.15 million, a 219 percent raise, is excessive.
There are three reasons the Club feels as it does.
1. The effect of Coors Field has made the Player appear better than he really is.
Closer inspection of Fowler's 2012 season shows that much of his production can be attributed to advantages provided to him by his home ballpark. The Rockies play their games at Coors Field, a stadium located a mile above sea level. The thin air at that altitude allows the ball to travel much farther and faster than in any other ballpark. This provides a sizeable boost to hitters and made Coors Field the most extreme hitter-friendly park last season by a wide margin.
Fowler took advantage of that home field assistance by hitting many more home runs and recording many more RBIs at Coors Field than he did in a similar amount of at-bats away from Coors.
Even with the all the help from Coors, Fowler's stats still don't compare favorably with those of his fellow center fielders. To his credit, Fowler came in tied for third in batting average and second in triples among qualified center fielders, but he was 17th in hits, 16th in RBIs, 20th in doubles, and 18th in stolen bases. Those numbers show he was not an exceptional player, and certainly not one deserving of a 219 percent raise.
2. Fowler's defense in center field leaves much to be desired.
According to UZR, a statistic that measures fielders against their peers while adjusting for the difficulty of their opportunities, Fowler cost the Rockies 13.9 runs through subpar defense last season. (Baseball Prospectus' fielding statistic, Fielding Runs Above Average, put the total at 10.7 runs.) That was the second-worst UZR of all center fielders in baseball. This is consistent with his career, in which he has cost the Rockies almost 40 runs (39.1) over the last four seasons. Further, Fowler ranked 15th in assists (throwing runners out) but had the second-most errors of any center fielder in baseball. The award voters agreed unanimously that Fowler's fielding left something to be desired, as he did not receive any votes for the Gold Glove award.
3. Injuries make Fowler's future unpredictable.
Fowler missed time due to injury on nine separate occasions last season. This is not a one-year issue, either. In his career, Fowler has never reached 500 at-bats in a season. This makes the Club less able to count on him for the future and reduces his value.
The player is requesting $5.15 million, yet no center fielder in the last six years with Dexter Fowler's service time has made more than $4 million, and only one has made exactly $4 million.
The one who made $4 million was Matt Kemp, who hit twice as many home runs, stole almost three times as many bases, and got almost twice as many RBIs. Last year, Colby Rasmus, a center fielder coming off a much better season than Fowler's 2012, received a salary below the midpoint of Fowler's asking price and the Club's offer.
While Fowler has boasted better numbers at Coors Field, the ballpark has been less of a boon to offense since the start of the 2002 season than it was prior to that point. Why? The addition of a climate-controlled chamber—a humidor—for baseballs used at Coors in 2002 has altered how the ball travels in the Mile High City.
This unique change to address the dryness of the ball has acted to "level" the playing field at Coors Field and renders the Club's argument about Fowler's performance at home less persuasive.
Beyond the statistical prowess demonstrated in our opening presentation, we offer these additional points:
The Club's attempt to undervalue Fowler's stats due to Coors Field altitude does not take into account changes that were made more than a decade ago with the advent of the humidor. As the statistics clearly show, Fowler is the class of NL center fielders and ahead of his peers by service time. Dexter Fowler is deserving of the salary he is seeking. —Maury Brown
To make the case that his accomplishments last season were not significantly aided by his home ballpark, the Player cited the decrease in scoring at Coors Field since the installation of the humidor. However, the correct comparison is not between recent scoring and prior scoring at Coors, but scoring at Coors and scoring in the National League as a whole. The following table shows how scoring at Coors compared to National League scoring (including Coors) from 2001-2012 and in 2012 alone.
Despite some decrease in scoring at Coors in the post-humidor era, offense remains elevated there relative to the rest of the league. The Player's argument that Coors is not providing a massive boost to run scoring, and thus all of Fowler's offensive statistics, is simply incorrect.
The Player also cites Josh Hamilton as a comparable without mentioning that Hamilton's platform year was an anomalous, injury-plagued season for the former MVP outfielder. Hamilton's stats through that season dwarf Fowler's through 2012.
In addition, while the Player mentions the career highs Fowler set last season, it overlooks the fact that his increased home run total came at the cost of his lowest full-season doubles total:
As well as the fact that Fowler's increased power also evaporated after the All-Star break last season:
In conclusion, Dexter Fowler is a fine player, but one whose statistics benefit significantly from his home ballpark. Further, his salary request amounts to over a 200 percent raise, an unprecedented request for a player in his position. The Club feels that its offer of a significant raise is both generous and well within the bounds of precedent for a player of Fowler's accomplishments. —Matthew Kory
Before scrolling down to read the three-person panel's decision, record your own decision here:
Burt Fendelman is an attorney with more than 45 years of experience, initially in corporate finance and securities laws working as inside counsel for several major securities brokerage firms. He has performed as an arbitrator for FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority), the American Arbitration Association, and currently as an arbitrator and mediator for the New York County Lawyers Association in fee dispute-related matters. He is presently a self-described "work in progress", working with clients in areas related to art and antiques. He attended Washington University in St. Louis and NYU Graduate School of Tax Law, and he now lives in Manhattan.
Doris Lindbergh is a retired lawyer who is an arbitrator with FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) and its predecessor forums, the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) and the New York Stock Exchange. She also arbitrates for the National Futures Association (NFA). She attended Washington University School of Law and has a Master of Arts from Fordham University. Her employment history includes stints at Wall Street investment banks and, most recently, the MTA New York City Transit Authority, but her most challenging assignment was raising a future Editor-in-Chief of Baseball Prospectus.
David Marcus is a retired lawyer and serves as an arbitrator with the Financial Advisory Regulatory Authority (FINRA). He lives in Metuchen, New Jersey. He attended Columbia College and Yale Law School, after which he served as an enforcement attorney with the SEC. His subsequent career includes working for the New York Stock Exchange heading its regulatory division, and working for several broker-dealers as a regulatory attorney or General Counsel.
3-0 in favor of the Club
The Sabermetric Perspective/Additional CommentaryTest
This case came down to quantifying the Coors effect. Were Fowler's stats inflated by his ballpark? If so, what was the rate of inflation? And how much does his salary deserve to be docked?
There are (at least) three important things to remember when considering the impact of a park on a player's performance:
1. Park effects don't apply equally to all players.
Take a look at this list of home and away splits for every player who made at least 1,000 plate appearances for the Rockies during the Humidor Era of 2002-2012. (As Maury and Matt pointed out, scoring has been a little less crazy (but still kinda crazy) at Coors since the humidor was installed.) "Raw" TAv is TAv without the park adjustments—in other words, it's what a player's TAv would have been had he done what he did in a neutral park.
All of these players made at least 500 plate appearances at home and at least 500 on the road while wearing a Rockies uniform, but their Home Raw TAv:Road Raw TAv ratios ranged from barely break even (Brad Hawpe) to over 130 percent higher at home (Carlos Gonzalez). The average ratio among these hitters, weighted by plate appearances, is 1.18. Fowler's ratio is 1.24, which means he's hit a bit better at home, relative to his road performance, than the typical long-tenured Rockie.
2. The ability to take advantage of a particular park is a meaningful skill.
The answer probably differs depending on the day. Whether he's uniquely able to handle the high altitude or has an approach at the plate that's especially well-tailored to Coors, Gonzalez has hit not only much better at home relative to the road, but much better than the typical Rockie hits at home relative to the road.
Plenty of interested parties, from BP authors to Chipper Jones, have cited Gonzalez' splits as evidence that he's not as good as his overall stats would suggest. And there's certainly some truth to that. But the ability to exploit a ballpark better than most batters is worth wins and dollars to the team that plays there. Not every league-average hitter at sea level can mash like CarGo has at Coors.
Granted, Gonzalez' true-talent splits probably aren't as huge as his observed ones—we're talking about roughly the equivalent of two seasons at home and two on the road, so we still have to regress to get an estimate of how high his ratio really is—but they're probably bigger than the average batter's, and that's worth something to the Rockies. Being a beast in one park isn't necessarily the most useful talent to have—ideally, you'd want a skill set that plays well anywhere, if only to make yourself attractive to every team and increase the demand for your services.
(It's worth pointing out that Gonzalez wouldn't necessarily hit just like he has on the road if he were traded to a new team. It could be that playing at altitude half the time affects his approach in such a way that he struggles away from Denver more than he would otherwise. Matt Holliday has the second-highest ratio on that list, with a raw road TAv nearly identical to CarGo's (.272) in almost a thousand more plate appearances as a Rockie. But Holliday hasn't struggled since leaving Colorado: his .317 TAv in over 2,500 PA since his trade to the A's easily tops that .272 figure.)
There's some reason to think that Fowler is similarly configured to make the most of Coors. As a switch-hitter, Fowler usually hits from the left side, and Coors is especially well suited for magnifying southpaw power; 20 of Fowler's 28 homers have been hit at home. Some research by Rany Jazayerli and Nate Silver (warning: old articles) suggests that playing in Colorado disproportionately benefits high-strikeout hitters, who record fewer Ks at Coors; Fowler has struck out in 25.3 percent of his road plate appearances and only 19.9 percent at home (roughly the same split enjoyed by Andres Galarraga, who also got a big boost in Denver).
3. When we're trying to determine what a player's past value was to a team, we don't need to know whether the park he played in affected his stats more than the average player's.
When we're looking backwards, though, we don't need to get that granular. Here I'll quote from Colin Wyers:
One last note: Pierre is often cited as an example of a player who wasn't helped by Coors, but Pierre's Home Raw TAv:Road Raw TAv ratio as a Rockie was 1.13 (.273 to .240). He might not have been helped by the ballpark as much as most Rockies hitters, but he did see a boost in his stats. The Rockie who was truly beyond the help of a ballpark was the man Fowler succeeded in center field: Willie Taveras. Taveras is the only Rockie to hit worse at Coors than he did on the road in any sizeable sample. He just missed qualifying for the 1000-PA club in my table, but in 946 combined PA as a Rockie, he had a .239 Raw TAv at home and a .246 Raw TAv on the road. The moral of this story: Willie Taveras could make outs anywhere. —Ben Lindbergh
Thanks to Ryan Lind, Colin Wyers, Hudson Belinsky, Jonah Birenbaum, and Andrew Koo for research assistance.
Maury Brown is an author of Baseball Prospectus.
9 comments have been left for this article.
BP Comment Quick Links
Bleck. I like Fowler.. and on top of that, the reason he never gets 500 AB is the Rockies keep demoting him to the minors and/or benching him for a one week slump just like they did with Tulowitzki, Iannetta, Rosario, etc.
Feb 15, 2013 19:06 PM
Heck for those 9 total injuries, he missed a total of 10 games with day-to-day injuries. In 2011, he missed 15 games, 14 to the DL. One game in 2010, 17 in 2009. We're not talking Nick Johnson here.
Feb 15, 2013 19:09 PM
Matt Kory
BP staff
Don't you DARE talk bad about Nick Johnson!
Feb 15, 2013 20:08 PM
Sorry, I didn't mean to offend Nick Johnson. I'd apologize to him personally, but he probably strained his ego.
Feb 20, 2013 20:28 PM
Something is definitely warped about his bad UZR defensive ratings. Same for Carlos Gonzalez. When I see the UZR numbers for those two it makes me think that all UZR ratings for outfielders are a complete joke and worthless.
Feb 15, 2013 21:53 PM
Maury Brown
BP staff
Dexter's filing number was insane. That was fun to try and get around.
Feb 17, 2013 18:30 PM
I agree that his filing number was insane, but needing a raise of 2.35M + $1 to get over mid point is there a reason why you avoided using adam jones? his raise was 2.9M from 2011 to 12 (3.25 to 6.15). Obviously his statistics such as HR and RBI are better, since he predominately was a 3 hole hitter as opposed to being primarily a leadoff hitter, but fowlers 2012 statistics overall show fowler as the better hitter in 2012. By looking at jones, even if you concede that Jones might have better production fowler still comes out extremely favorable and while maybe not deserving of the 2.9M raise Jones received would surely deserve 2.35M + $1. All this brings me back to my original question, was there a reason Jones wasn't used as a comp?...Just wondering. Thanks!
Feb 20, 2013 23:25 PM
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The time around December 21 or 22 is a pivotal day for our planet and its relationship with the sun. It is one of two solstices, which are days when the tilt of the Earth's axis is most inclined toward or away from the Sun, causing the Sun's apparent position in the sky to reach its northernmost or southernmost extreme. Winter solstice is the most common name of this event that occurs in December. However, Winter can be ambiguous since seasons of the northern hemisphere and southern hemisphere are opposites, and the summer solstice of one hemisphere is the winter solstice of the other. Winter solstice is also referred to as Southern Solstice or December Solstice.
During the Winter Solstice, there are 24 hours of daylight south of the Antarctic Circle (66.5° south of the equator) and 24 hours of darkness north of the Arctic Circle (66.5° north of the equator). The sun's rays are directly overhead along the Tropic of Capricorn (the latitude line at 23.5° south, passing through Brazil, South Africa, and Australia).
Why do we have a Winter Solstice? The Earth spins around its axis, an imaginary line going right through the planet between the north and south poles. The axis is tilted somewhat off the plane of the earth's revolution around the sun and always points to the same point in the universe. The tilt of the axis is 23.5 degrees. Thanks to this tilt, we enjoy the four seasons.
And what about the Earth's distance from the Sun? Does it effect our seasons? The distance to the Sun varies, because the Earth's orbit around the Sun isn't an exact circle. This variation does make a contribution to the Earth's seasons, but is small compared with the effects of exposure because of Earth's tilt. We are closest to the Sun -- would you believe it? -- in the cold wintertime, around January 3-5.
Worldwide, interpretation of the Winter Solstice has varied from culture to culture, but most cultures have held a recognition of rebirth, involving holidays, festivals, gatherings, rituals or other celebrations around that time.
To learn more check out the following resources:
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subset: commoncrawl


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When counting sheep just won't cut it, milk may be the answer.
Yahoo! recently featured an article from Fitness magazine, looking at the best foods to eat before bedtime.
Milk was named twice -- as "warm milk" and "cereal and milk."
Of course, for the true insomniac, the answer for getting to sleep may lie in Night Milk, a new product being developed overseas. Milk used in Night Milk is collected from cows during the night, resulting in an increased amount of melatonin. Read more about it here.


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Gavin is the Editor-In-Chief and founder of The Liberty Conservative, the former New York State director for the 2016 Ted Cruz presidential campaign, and a small business entrepreneur. He is a regular contributor to The Daily Caller, The Federalist, The Washington Examiner, The Hill and Newsmax.
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A DOOR into the past has opened thanks to workshops which help people explore history.
Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology Service is helping people discover more about the past through quarter sessions in the latest in their exploring archives workshops at the Hive in Worcester.
The sessions enable students, families and local historians the chance to delve deep into history and pull out information about crime and the poor laws of the time.
With an easy to use referencing system, visitors will have the chance to search back and identify their hometown or village and discover what went on there.
Paul Hudson, learning and outreach manager, Worcestershire Archive & Archaeology Service, said: "There are wide range of fascinating stories."
Places are limited and are priced at £6 each. These are always popular so need to be booked.
For more information call 01905 766352 or email firstname.lastname@example.com or visit the Explore the Past desk on level 2 in the Hive.


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Martinez set to come off DL, face Yankees
TORONTO -- After coming out of Saturday's bullpen session feeling strong, the Rangers announced that right-hander Nick Martinez will get the ball for Tuesday's contest against the Yankees.
Martinez, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a left side injury on July 8 -- retroactive to July 2 -- will be activated off the DL ahead of Tuesday's outing to make his 12th start of the season. Texas will be forced to make a move to add Martinez to the active roster, but the club has not indicated who will get shipped out to make room.
The 23-year-old last pitched July 1, when he allowed eight runs (six earned) on seven hits in a loss to the Orioles. In addition to Saturday's bullpen session, Martinez threw one on Thursday, and he feels prepared for game action.
"Even after my first bullpen, I felt pretty good," he said. "The only concern was how I was going to bounce back; that was the reason for the second bullpen. And I felt good.
"I ramped it up -- the first one -- to see if anything bothered me back there, and it didn't. The second one, I just tried to work on some stuff."
Martinez, who attended Fordham University in New York and will be making his Yankee Stadium debut, is 1-6 with a 5.10 ERA over 16 appearances.
Manager Ron Washington remains a believer in Martinez's ability, despite the rookie's struggles this season.
"He has stuff," Washington said. "Sometimes stuff takes a while to learn how to use it; that's where he is."
Right-hander Miles Mikolas will start Monday's opener against New York's Shane Greene.
Chris Toman is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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NEARLY 200 runners lined up for the Trowbridge 5K, organised by Stampede Sports – race four in the Wiltshire Road Race League, sponsored by Newsquest, the parent company of the Wiltshire Times.
While the event had a sci-fi theme for much of the field, Simon Nott, of Calne Running Club, won in a scorching new personal best of 15 minutes and 15 seconds.
He finished almost 90 seconds ahead of second-placed Gary O'Brien, of Swindon Harriers, and Gary Dunstone, of Chippenham Harriers in third.
Dunstone remains as the leading individual points scorer in the league.
John Crane, of Chippenham Harriers was the first male vet 40, with Robin-Mark Schols, of Avon Valley Runners, taking the male vet 50 prize.
Ruth Barnes, of Avon Valley Runners, defended her title in a time of 18.12.
Denise Grech, of Calne Running Club, was second, with Cordula Hurcum, of Chippenham Harriers next.
In fourth place, Fiona Price, of Avon Valley Runners, claimed the first female vet 40 prize and Aly Sloane, of Salisbury A&RC, the female vet 50 honour.
Securing seven positions in the top ten, Avon Valley Runners took full league points again and sit comfortably at the top of the league's first division ahead of Chippenham Harriers.
Calne Running Club remain at the top of Division Two, ahead of Bybrook Valley Runners.
The next race in the Wiltshire Road Race League is the Bath Hilly 10 on June 1.
The event was also the fourth in the Wiltshire Junior Race League, sponsored by Wiltshire and Swindon Sport (WASP) and again, Avon Valley monopolised the prizes.
Max Davis, Ollie Weedon and Alexander Tucker claimed the boys' U13, 15 and 17 prizes respectively, while Ellie Brown and Hannah Gibbs won the girls' U15 and 17 honours.
Bucking the trend was Poppy Crane, of Chippenham Harriers, who secured the U13 prize. Avon Valley Runners look set to claim the inaugural junior title at the Frome 5K on July 20.
- AVON Valley Runners' Peter Bryant won the latest Southwick Country Parkrun on Saturday.
Bryant clocked 17 minutes 52 seconds for his fourth win in eight appearances. Second was 14-time winner Jonathan Kermode in 18.17, with Dominic Beddis third a further four seconds back.
Avon Valley's Julia Green was first lady home in 12th overall in 20.07.
FOR MORE SPORTS NEWS, REPORTS & PICTURES SEE FRIDAY'S WILTSHIRE TIMES AND FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @WTSport


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Canele By Celine has been selling their delicious mini-canele and financiers at various New York markets for years. Now, they've opened a brick and mortar shop on the Upper East Side in the old Martine's Chocolate space. Though quite common in France, this is the first canele-only bakery in NYC. They're also the only bakery in the city that offers different flavors of canele, including savory options.
Canele are an eggy French pastry baked in special molds. They come with a caramelized, nearly burnt exterior and a soft, custardy interior traditionally with vanilla and rum. Canele By Celine offers 12 different flavors of sweet mini-canele, and they're all quite good. The entire line uses the same base recipe and meet good canele standards, including a fragrant aroma.
I personally prefer the dark chocolate, lemon, and gingerbread flavors, which are all nice change ups from the usual rum. The lemon balances the pastry's sweetness and the gingerbread adds a cake-like element that I enjoyed.
The savory canele is where things get really interesting. The Parmesan is my overall favorite of this group. It doesn't have a crust that snaps like a sweet canele, but the inside is moist and packs a sharp, cheesy flavor, like biting into a really good cheese stick. The Basil Pesto flavor with its dark green color is an intense expression of basil. Unlike the other savory canele, the Chorizo has a more fully baked interior and a very crisp, almost charred crust.
All this innovation comes at a premium, but I think the prices compare favorably to other fancy pastries. Canele pricing is as follows: Small sweet canele are 3 for $4.90, 6 for $9.80, 9 for 14.50, and 18 for 28.50; small savory canele are 3 for $5.90, 9 for $17.50, and 18 for $34.50. Large canele are $3.50.
About the author: Native New Yorker Niko Triantafillou is the founder of DessertBuzz.com his photographs of desserts and pastry chefs have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and Dessert Professional Magazine. He is an unabashed foodie nerdling. Follow him on Twitter at @DessertBuzz.


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Topic: New member introduction
Hi! I've been reading discussion boards for last few weeks since my mom's diagnose of Cholangiocarcinoma in early Feb. 2013. I thought I would introduce myself and share about my mom's CC. My mom is 72 years old and was relatively in good health except that she has been feeling tired, not having much appetite, frequent indigestion, etc for some time. She always suspected that something was up with her stomach. Her cancer did not show up in her blood work last fall. her symtoms were getting worse until she was admitted to an urgent care with severe pain in her abdomen early this year. While in the hospital care, they detected a large tumor in her gallbladder in her ultrasound. Her biopsy and PET scan show large mass in her liver, bile duct, gallbladder, some lymph nodes and metastasis to lung area, etc. Her surgeon did not recommend resection at this point. So she is on Gemzar and has had three rounds so far. She is a tough cookie but I know it is so hard on her.. She has lost weight due to her lack of appetite. Her oncologist has given her a break for two weeks due to her weight loss and she is trying to eat up to gain more energy and strenghth now. I'm learning more and more about CC so that I can be a helpful resource to her... any advise would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance. Best wishes to all of you.


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This post a guest blog courtesy of WAND
Did you know that in SharePoint 2013, you can use taxonomies in the Term Store to power your site navigation structure and automatically generate pages based on the taxonomy hierarchy? Instead of having database driven URLS in your SharePoint site (Library/forms/allitems.aspx), you can have easy to read URLs (ManagedMetadata/TermStore/Taxonomy). The new Term Store makes it easy and fast to create an intuitive site with user-friendly and search engine-friendly URLs.
SharePoint 2013 can now be used to automatically extract entities from crawled content driven by entity lists managed in the Term Store. A primary example is the Company Name entity which is set up by default in the SharePoint 2013 Term Store. By managing company names on the Company Name Inclusion and the Company Name Exclusion term sets, you can control which company names will be extracted and placed in a managed property field. Again, you are not limited to extracting company names; custom entities of any type can be set up in the Term Store.
You can also improve your search by managing "Did you mean?" spelling suggestions in the Term Store using the Query Spelling Inclusion and Query Spelling Exclusion term sets. Terms that you include in the Query Spelling Inclusion list will be presented to users as "Did you Mean?" suggestions based on a closest match algorithm. So, if a user searches for "restrant", they will received a "Did you mean Restaurant?" message in the search results assuming that "Restaurant" is on the Query Spelling Inclusion List.
Along with these features, Wand is partnering with Microsoft, and has been providing a free General Business Taxonomy download for SharePoint 2010 users and will continue to provide this same free SharePoint Taxonomy for SharePoint 2013 and SharePoint Online users. This free SharePoint taxonomy has been downloaded by thousands of companies and is a great way to get started exploring the benefits of the Term Store in SharePoint. In fact, the first two levels of the taxonomy could be a great start for an intranet site structure using the new site navigation capabilities described in this post. If you've been looking at the term store and wondering how to get started building your taxonomy, the WAND General Business Taxonomy can help.
The Managed Metadata Service was first introduced in SharePoint 2010 and explained in an earlier blog post, Introducing Enterprise Managed Metadata. The Term Store continues to be an important piece of both SharePoint 2013 and SharePoint Online and comes with some exciting new capabilities.
WAND also offers other taxonomies that can be imported into SharePoint including Oil and Gas, Mining, Information Technology, Legal, Sales and Marketing, Records Retention, Real Estate, Building and Construction, Banking, Products and Services, Local Government, Higher Education, and many others.
Here are some additional resources that can help you learn about taxonomy and the SharePoint Managed Metadata Service and the Term Store.


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Sailing master Ashley Chapman was one of Australia's great dinghy sailing enthusiasts, and mentor for more than 40 years to hundreds of young NSW sailors. He raced his 4.8-metre Corsair class dinghy Sadie Too at Budgewoi Sailing Club until just 18 months before his death.
Chapman talked with the American pilot Amelia Earhart before her fateful take-off from Lae in the then mandated territory of New Guinea in 1937. After the Japanese invasion of New Guinea in 1942 he trekked to safety across the forbidding Bismarck Range in one of the epic escapes of the war.
However, it is as a passionate dinghy sailor after he and his wife Sadie retired to Budgewoi in 1968 that he is remembered.
Ashley Leonard Chapman was born on July 29, 1913, in Hounslow, London. His interest in sailing was first sparked by the fishing smacks he loved to use to explore during annual family seaside holidays in Kent.
His widowed mother emigrated to Australia in 1926 and her children joined her as opportunity and funds allowed. Chapman arrived in 1930 aged 17.
He became a cadet court reporter earning 12s/6d a week. When the Sydney Harbour Bridge opened for traffic in March 1932, his was the first bicycle through the barrier on his new Malvern Star, claiming cycle Ticket No 1 at a cost of threepence.
He graduated as a court reporter in 1933, then parlayed his excellent shorthand into a stenographer/clerk job at Burns Philp's trading post in Salamaua, on the north coast of New Guinea, at £18 a month, tax free.
When the Shell group separated its Salamaua petroleum agency from Burns Philp in 1934 to better meet growing demand for fuel following the discovery of gold inland, Chapman, just 22, became Shell depot manager. His new responsibilities still left time to develop his sailing skills in dug-out catamarans on the waters of the Huon Gulf.
At Salamaua he met (and had a crush on) the anthropologist Margaret Mead. He would swim with her, infatuated with both her beauty and her sense of independence. Feminism, when it arrived years later, always had an unalloyed supporter in Ashley Chapman.
In 1937, Chapman took a launch across the Huon Gulf to Lae to see Amelia Earhart as she passed through in her attempt at a record circumnavigation of the world.
He met her at her hotel and attended a dinner party for her that night. On the morning of July 2, 1937, he was in the small crowd that watched Earhart nurse her heavily laden Lockheed into the air, headed for tiny Howland Island in the mid-Pacific. She was never seen again.
Chapman met and married Russian-born Sadie (nee Romanov) in New Guinea in 1938. After the Pacific war broke out, she caught one of the last trading ships to Australia but Chapman stayed to help refuel RAAF aircraft stationed at Salamaua airstrip.
When the RAAF pulled out he destroyed his depot and struck out inland on January 25, 1942, the last civilian to leave. He watched the Japanese land from a coastwatcher's camp in the hills above.
After a six-week trek across the mountainous spine of the island and an open-canoe voyage to Port Moresby, Chapman was repatriated to Australia, where he enlisted in the RAAF.
Because of his local knowledge and fluent pidgin he was then sent back to New Guinea as a coastwatcher and intelligence operative in the Milne Bay and Bougainville theatres.
Ashley and Sadie developed a pioneering self-serve general store at Malabar after the war and prospered, retiring early to the central coast, where he co-founded Budgewoi Sailing Club in 1972 and devoted the rest of his long life to imparting his love of sailing to others.
In a speech in 1990 he observed: ''Hundreds of youngsters have gone through my sailing classes over the years. I cannot recall one who became a social liability.''
Sadie died in 1997. Ashley Chapman was awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2000.
This weekend, from 11am on Saturday, there will be a regatta, Calling All Skippers, at Budgewoi Sailing Club in memory of Ashley Chapman.
Kathryn Bourkeand Tony Maiden


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THESE small, soft-bodied, pear-shaped insects cluster densely on tender new growth and the undersides of leaves to suck plant juices. Plants often can withstand some aphid feeding with no adverse effect, but badly infested plants develop distorted growth and leaves may turn yellow or drop off.
Sometimes it takes close inspection to discover an aphid infestation. They blend in so well with foliage that you may not spot them at first glance, even though hundreds are present. Many species of aphids feed on home garden plants; these insects range in color from pale green, pink, or black to red or yellow. Size is typically 1/16″–1/4″. Adult aphids are generally wingless, but winged adults will appear when overcrowded. Immature aphids (nymphs) closely resemble adults.
Both adults and nymphs feed on a wide variety of plants, including most edibles and ornamentals. In small numbers aphids do little damage, but they are able to reproduce rapidly and can quickly become a more serious problem. Also, as they feed, aphids secrete a sweet fluid called honeydew that can attract ants; sooty black fungus may grow on coated leaves. Aphids are common throughout the U.S.
Prevention and control
- When fertilizing your garden, avoid applying too much nitrogen, which can stimulate plants to grow too rapidly and produce a flush of exactly the kind of tender new growth that aphids love.
- Attract and release beneficial insects, such as ladybugs and lacewings, which will be happy to devour a bountiful supply of aphids.
- Use a spray with neem oil, which is derived from the seed of the neem tree. It controls a wide variety of common garden insect pests such as aphids as well as fungal diseases.
- Use a strong spray of water from your hose to dislodge aphids from affected plants. This will reduce their numbers dramatically. Recheck the plants a few days later and repeat the treatment if needed. (Keep in mind that water sprays will also kill beneficial insects.)


text:
Safety,Effectiveness and Acceptability of Sino-implant II in DR
This study is ongoing, but not recruiting participants.
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
First received: October 13, 2011
Last updated: April 14, 2017
Last verified: April 2017
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
Detailed Description:
A study to assess the contraceptive effectiveness of Sino-implant (II).
|Drug: Jadelle Drug: Sino-implant (II)
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double (Participant, Investigator)
Primary Purpose: Prevention
|Official Title:
|A Study to Evaluate the Contraceptive Effectiveness, Safety and Acceptability of Sino-implant II
Resource links provided by NLM:
Drug Information available for: LevonorgestrelU.S. FDA Resources
Further study details as provided by FHI 360:
Primary Outcome Measures:
- Pearl Index over 4 years of use of Sino-implant (II) [ Time Frame: 4 years ]
Secondary Outcome Measures:
- Pearl Index over 5 years of use of Sino-implant (II) [ Time Frame: 5 years ]Pearl Index over 5 years of use of Sino-implant (II) ; continuation & reasons for discontinuation in both groups.
- Pearl Index over 5 years of use of Sino-implant (II) [ Time Frame: 5 years ]annual and cumulative probability of pregnancy during 5 years of use of Sino-implant (II)
- Pearl Index over 5 years of use of Sino-implant (II) [ Time Frame: 5 years ]levonorgestrel concentrations measured by HPLC/MS
- Pearl Index over 5 years of use of Sino-implant (II) [ Time Frame: 5 years ]LNG concentrations and estimated PK parameters during the first 6 months of use in a sub-group of users; adverse events
|Estimated Enrollment:
|Study Start Date:
|January 2011
|Estimated Study Completion Date:
|July 2017
|Estimated Primary Completion Date:
|July 2017 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Assigned Interventions
Experimental: Jadelle
Contraception using Jadelle implant
Drug: Jadelle
LNG containing subdermal contraceptive implant
Active Comparator: Sino-implant (II)
levonorgestrel containing subdermal contraceptive implant [Zarin, Femplant, Trust or Simplant]
Drug: Sino-implant (II)
LNG containing subdermal contraceptive implant
Other Name: Zarin, Femplant, Trust, Simplant
Detailed Description:
Randomized trial to assess the contraceptive effectiveness of Sino-implant (II) and to compare levonorgestrel concentrations, safety and acceptability of Sino-implant (II) and Jadelle.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years to 44 Years (Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:• In good general health
- Aged between 18 and 44 years, inclusive
- Not pregnant
- Not lactating
- Not wishing to become pregnant in the next five years
- Request long-acting reversible contraception
- If previously used injectable contraceptives for pregnancy prevention, be more than 9 months since last injection of Depo-Provera and more than 3 months after the last injection of a combined injectable contraceptive
- If previously used LNG-containing oral pills or implants, be more than 1 week after last hormone intake or implant removal
- Be able to understand the information provided and to make personal decisions on participation
- Consent to participation and sign a consent form
- Agree and be able to return to the clinic for follow-up visits over five years
Contacts and Locations
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below. For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01594632
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01594632
|Dominican Republic
|Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Sponsors and Collaborators
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
|Principal Investigator:
|Vivian Brache, LIC
More Information
Keywords provided by FHI 360:
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 19, 2017
|Responsible Party:
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT01594632 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|October 13, 2011
|Last Updated:
|April 14, 2017
|Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement:
|Plan to Share IPD:
Keywords provided by FHI 360:
AE adverse event
AIDS acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
ALT (SGPT) alanine aminotransferase
ART antiretroviral therapy
AST (SGOT) aspartate aminotransferase
DCF data collection forms
DMC Data Monitoring Committee
FDA (U.S.) Food and Drug Administration
GCP Good Clinical Practice guidelines
HB sAg Hepatitis B surface antigen
ICH International Conference of Harmonization
IND Investigational New Drug Application
IRB Institutional Review Board
IU International units
mg milligram(s)
mm3 cubic millimeter(s)
PCR polymerase chain reaction
SAE serious adverse event
µg microgram
ULN upper limit of the normal range
WB Western Blot
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Contraceptive Agents
Reproductive Control Agents
Physiological Effects of Drugs
Contraceptive Agents, Female
Contraceptives, Oral, Synthetic
Contraceptives, Oral
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 19, 2017


text:
Alyson Hannigan
After many years of work as a child and teen actress, Alyson has achieved recognition playing Willow on the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its popular spin-off, Angel. She also had the notorious role of Michelle, the "band camp girl" in the American Pie movies.
AppealAt 5'6" and 114 pounds, there's a lot of sexiness packed into Alyson Hannigan's lithe frame. She's an alumna of FHM's "100 Sexiest Women Poll," scoring as high as position No. 10. Not only that, but the age-old arbiter of sexiness, Play..boy, declared that in her sapphic role of Willow on Buffy, with her raunchy dialogue and on-screen girl-on-girl kisses, Alyson was "fueling the threesome fantasies of goth boys everywhere."
The secret to Alyson's sexiness lies in her exciting blend of the wholesome and the wanton. Her slight figure and cutie-pie looks (used to such advantage in movies like American Pie) seem at odds with her exuberant sexuality; for example, she once tried to have a chain-link headboard made for her bed (alas, it was too much trouble). But the opposite sides to her allure double her sexiness instead of canceling it out.
SuccessAlyson Hannigan's accomplishments as an actress are laudable, though modest. Aside from her roles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and American Pie, she has had to put up with bit parts in mostly forgettable movies and TV shows. A greater accomplishment is her perseverance during the lean years and her cool-headed appraisal of her most recent successes.
Naturally enough, Alyson's fame reflects her accomplishments. Though her name has yet to reach marquee status, her Buffy role has earned her a devoted, if limited, following. After several nominations for her portrayal of Willow, she finally picked up the Teen Choice Award as Favorite TV Sidekick in 2002. She graciously makes time to visit fan conventions and even has an action figure of herself in her Willow persona -- "Oh look, they gave me boobs," she dryly quipped on first seeing it. Anyone with her own action figure has to be at least moderately famous.
Alyson Hannigan BiographyAlyson Hannigan was born Allison Lee Hannigan on March 24, 1974, in Washington, D.C. Her parents -- Al, a truck driver, and Emilie, a real estate agent -- divorced in 1976, and Alyson moved to Atlanta. There she attended the Northside School of the Performing Arts, and her early interests included playing the clarinet and soccer. But Alyson was sometimes lonely, regretting that she was an only child.
doing the rounds
Hannigan's first showbiz gig was posing for a Delta ad at age four, and clearly acting was her chosen vocation from the beginning. Ads for McDonald's, Oreo and Six Flags are among her early acting credits. When Alyson was 11, she moved to Los Angeles with her family in order to help further her career.
However, stardom was slow in coming. Alyson's film debut came in the 1988 comedy, My Stepmother Is an Alien, playing Dan Aykroyd's daughter, Jessie Mills. She later had roles on such early-'90s TV fare as Roseanne, Picket Fences, Touched by an Angel, and Almost Home. In 1992, she graduated from North Hollywood High School, and went on to study psychology at California State University.
where there's a willow, there's a way
After a decade of obscurity, Hannigan's big break finally came in 1997. She was hired to replace another actress who had played the part of Willow Rosenberg in the pilot for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the new TV series based on the 1992 cult movie of the same name, with Sarah Michelle Gellar in the title role. As the series took off, so did Hannigan's career, and her character was vamped up (pardon the pun) accordingly. Alyson's "Willow" set the standard for bawdy, nerdy lesbian witches everywhere; so much so that she made appearances on Buffy's popular spin-off, Angel.
In 1999, Hannigan brought herself further attention for a role in the coming-of-age romp, American Pie. Though the movie's producers wanted her for the role of Heather (played by Mena Suvari), Alyson liked the part of Michelle Flaherty, the "band camp girl," because she thought it was funnier. She got the part, upped her profile, and returned for the American Pie sequel in 2001.
life after buffy
In the spring of 2003, Buffy the Vampire Slayer made its final curtain call. The end of the successful series was no surprise to its stars. "We've known for a while even though nothing has been said," Hannigan recently explained. "I think everybody is pretty much feeling it was a good run and it's time to go." As for future Angel appearances or a Willow spin-off, Alyson says it depends, but at the same time, she's anxious to move on.
Whatever the future may hold for her career, her personal life couldn't be better. After a much-publicized fling with Ginger Fish, the drummer for Marilyn Manson -- "just a phase," claims Alyson -- the actress started seeing fellow Angel co-star Alexis Denisof. In 2002, Denisof proposed, and the couple, who recently bought a house in Sacramento, CA, are planning to wed in the fall of 2003. Let's hope the house is a big one, since Alyson has a whole legion of pets, including two cats and three dogs.
Show comments


text:
NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partner university faculty. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
The heart is a complex organ that provides blood to the body. It achieves this by pumping, which pushes the blood through the arteries, capillaries, and veins. As the blood passes the target tissue, it deposits oxygen and delivers nutrients to the cells. So if the heart fails, the tissues throughout the body would not receive an adequate supply of nutrients.
The structure of the heart can be divided into four areas, or chambers.
The upper chambers of the heart, called atria, receive blood from the rest of the body, including the lungs. The bottom chambers of the heart, called the ventricles, pump blood to the lungs and the rest of the body.
The heart is also divided into right and left sides. The right side of the heart receives blood from the rest of the body and pumps it to the lungs so that the blood can receive more oxygen. The left side of the heart receives blood from the lungs and pumps it to the rest of the body.
Right Atrium - The body sends blood that is low in oxygen to the right atrium. The superior vena cava is a large vein that carries blood from the upper body to the heart, and the inferior vena cava carries blood from the lower part of the body.
Right Ventricle - Blood then flows from the right atrium to the right ventricle. The right ventricle then contracts, and pumps blood into the pulmonary arteries to the lungs. The lungs then oxygenate the blood.
Left Atrium - From the lungs, the oxygen-rich blood goes to the left atrium. Then the blood flows down to the left ventricle.
Left Ventricle - The left ventricle then pumps blood into the aorta artery, which carries the oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body. The left ventricle must produce enough force to pump blood from head to toe, thus the left ventricle is often much thicker and stronger than any of the other chambers.
Remember the heart is on the left side of the chest. So the right side of the heart is roughly behind the sternum (chest bone).
In order for blood to flow properly through the heart, the heart has four valves that open and close. The tricuspid valve is between the right atrium and ventricle. The mitral valve is between the left atrium and left ventricle. The pulmonic valve is between the right ventricle and pulmonary artery. The aortic valve is between the left ventricle and the aorta (the artery that carries oxygen-rich blood to the whole body).
There are two primary systems that influence the heart's pumping mechanism. The first is the mechanical system, or the actual muscle pushing the blood from one chamber to another. The second is the electrical system which tells the mechanical system when and how to pump.
Mechanical - The heart pumps in two phases: systole and diastole. Systole is the phase where the muscle is actively contracting. Diastole is the phase in which the muscle is relaxing. You may recognize Systole and Diastole as the two numbers in the blood pressure reading. The first number is the systolic blood pressure, or the highest pressure in the arteries. The second number is the diastolic blood pressure, or the lowest pressure in the arteries.
Prepared in partnership with Sujan Reddy, MD, Class of 2008, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Resident in Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine.
This article is a NetWellness exclusive.
Last Reviewed: Feb 02, 2011
Barry A Effron, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine
School of Medicine
Case Western Reserve University


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Public Sex collects the best of Pat Califia's work published over the past 20 years. Providing both a chronicle of the radical sex movement in the United States, as well as the definitive opinions of America's most consistent and trenchant sexual critic, Public Sex is must-listen material for anyone interested in sexual practices, feminism, censorship, or simply the art of the political essay.
©2000 Pat Califia (P)2012 Audible, Inc.
I'm Audible's first Editor-at-Large, the host of In Bed with Susie Bright -- and a longtime author, editor, journo, and bookworm. I listen to audio when I'm cooking, playing cards, knitting, going to bed, waking up, driving, and putting other people's kids to bed! My favorite audiobooks, ever, are: "True Grit" and "The Dog of the South."
"A Political, Feminist Gender-Warrior's Classic"
Pat (now Patrick) Califia, in one short book, laid out everything, a virtual oracle, that changed our sexual landscape of the past twenty years.
Pat is peerless in terms of articulation, intelligence, and prescience. This writer is a genius, and wish I could pry her from relative quiet of the past few years. Sexual transformation in public life may be a heady and heavy subject, but you're listening to an ace writer and ripping theorist— never a snooze or a throwaway moment.
"A review of sexual politics in San Francisco"
This is a history of gay and sexual lifestyle politics in San Francisco in the 80's and 90's. It is of limited historical interest and at this point pretty dated.
Report Inappropriate Content
If you find this review inappropriate and think it should be removed from our site, let us know. This report will be reviewed by Audible and we will take appropriate action.


text:
I've been playing for a little while now, but I am just starting to actually pay attention and learn to play better, and have decided to take a look at what I am currently throwing, and seeing what I can do along with more practice to improve my game any...
I pretty much only throw Innova. It's what I was started on with some x-outs, and it's what I now get at discount from my job.
I guess some advice is welcome, but I'm not particularly posting just for advice...
I think I want my over all bag to be a couple drivers, a valkyrie and some other disc, maybe another valkyrie, in opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of weight, a Roc, since I love it, and an aviar and the aerobie. The aerobie flies where you put it, but it doesn't have much flight in it. It doesn't roll though, which is nice.
164-166 gram aerobie arrow in blue
150 DX Aviar in yellow
175 KC Pro Aviar
150 DX Leopard in Pink
176 x-out Roc in green
166 DX Tee-Bird
174 star valkyrie in white
174 champion valkyrie in orange... pretty rough edges from Sylmar a.k.a. Tree Hell
I mostly use the KC Pro Aviar and the Star Valkyrie, with the occasional Roc throw when deemed necessary. I don't even really throw the others, but I have been getting a lot of my friends into the sport, so it's good to have the others as loaners/backup discs. Also the reason for the DX discs, good cheap discs to hand out to my friends.
Looking at the list, now that I have actually made it and taken a look at what I throw, I am pretty happy. I really like my valkyrie, the white star one, it's what I drive with 99% of the time. The aviar is good, but I do a lot of hyzer putts, I can actually aim a bit better that way. Any good discs for intentional hyzer-ing?
The Roc I don't tend to use, unless my drive sucked or hit a tree... so actually I guess I use it pretty often. Anyways, I like it so far.
Any thoughts?


text:
Mail: Thanks for helping Aiden
Brewer at the Legislature: Mob rule
More opinion
Robertson and Delsing re-elected chair, vice chair of NWB
Goat Expo set first October weekend
More Ag News
Tony Weidner of Grand Island, the winner of a 1962 Chevrolet Nova that was raffled by Mid-Plains Community College in September, came to North Platte Friday to claim his prize.
Weidner said he always buys at least one ticket for the hot rod, but this year he bought two during a car show in Grand Island. He was not in downtown North Platte when his ticket was drawn during the Col. Cody Cruise and Shine show, but was playing in a tennis tournament at Cody Park when his name was announced.
I thought it was somebody pulling my leg, Weidner said about the phone call he received Sept. 8 from MPCC President Ryan Purdy. Assured that he was the winner, he hurried over to the car show in downtown North Platte. Although Weidner was confirmed as the winner of the car at that time, there was a waiting period while college administrators took care of details and transferred the title to his name.
Its been kind of hard waiting, he said. Everybody at home wants to see it.
Weidners wife, Colleen, saw the car for the first time on Friday when the couple came to pick it up.
I love the color (Synergy green), she said. Its even brighter than Id imagined!
Weidner said his plans for this car are the same as his other classic Chevy.
We cruise around the country and go to hot rod shows, he said with a smile.
Purdy said the college sold 5,800 tickets for this years raffle. The customized car was the creation of students and faculty in Autobody and Automotive Technology programs.
Flatrock Publishing, Inc.
1300 E 4th St., Suite F
North Platte, NE 69101


text:
Smoking on Deadline
In the heat of reporting and writing, television and newspaper journalists savor the pleasures of a great smoke.
(continued from page 4)
"I was first a cigarette smoker; they were more convenient to carry around," he explains, recalling his work in the field as a Vietnam correspondent for CBS News in 1965. "You could carry 20 of them without all the paraphernalia. Try carrying 20 Romeo y Julietas," he smiles. Then he took up small Dutch cigars like Schimmelpennincks. "In Vietnam, in the field, one tried to have some contact with a more comfortable life. I always carried something, like a couple of cigars. For a time there was a grocery store, a little French grocery store in Saigon where you could get canned Beaujolais. So apart from my canteen and C ration I always carried a couple of cans of Beaujolais. Believe me, at the end of the day, regardless of the heat, a can of Beaujolais and a Romeo y Julieta is not too bad. There are worse ways to take part in war."
For reporters and editors, cigars are at once a diversion, a celebration and a savoring. Whatever the reasons, a cigar fits a writer just as chewing tobacco fits a ballplayer or a pipe suits a philosophy professor. Perhaps because so many reporters find themselves in extreme situations, they long for the comforts of a cigar. Many still don't like to talk about their smoking habits and refused to submit to this reporter's inquiries. Others were simply too hard to track down, always on the road, savoring a smoke in another waiting room, another tiny hotel outpost or in some godforsaken hot spot where they barely speak the language and are apt to be putting their lives on the line. But however dire the circumstances, a cigar can be a diverting companion.
The camaraderie of a good smoke carries over into Safer's everyday life when he isn't in New York with his wife, Jane, and their daughter, Sarah. At their Connecticut home, he likes to smoke on his tractor. It's not a farm, mind you. He just enjoys restructuring the land there. One pictures Safer astride the tractor, outside the city in a wide-open expanse, adrift in philosophical reverie. The meditation has carried over to this morning.
"It occurred to me when I was coming over this morning, this whole stupidity of the White House," says Safer. "I don't resent them choosing not to smoke," he says, his voice as effortlessly resonant as a Hemingway sentence, framing those words he chooses. "And they can be as public as they want about them not smoking. But to make the White House a smoke-free White House is so stupid as to be beyond...that a grown-up politician can be that stupid!
"For example, if--we're in 1994, and if Winston Churchill was the prime minister of Britain and, if he made a state visit to America--which would be extremely likely--and if he was staying in the White House--which he would--and if there was a state dinner, what would they do? How stupid can you be? Or Mao Tse-tung, who was a cigarette smoker. Or the president of Italy, who probably smokes three packs a day. Or France, or Bulgaria--I don't know. But to make the White House smoke-free!" Safer's eyes are easily expressive, widening with surprise at the gall of the edict coming from the nation's capital.
"They're trying to just invest themselves with some kind of purer-than-thou demeanor. The White House has nothing to do with them; [the president] doesn't get it! He just happens to be a tenant. He says the Clintons are nonsmokers; that's fine. And if he says they're only going to hire nonsmokers; that's fine. But to say 'this house is going to be nonsmoking' is an insult to those who smoke, not just Americans but foreigners." If they want to be what they want to be and if they want to say, 'when you come to our home in Arkansas you can't smoke,' that's fine. But for them to make some national policy in a building where they are temporary tenants--without even a lease! They're there at the pleasure of the rest of us."
Whatever the policies on Pennsylvania Avenue, Safer keeps smoking his dark Brasil cigar in his office. "These are lovely," he says, blowing the smoke toward the window. "Mild without being a joke." But how do his "60 Minutes" mates like it? "Mike [Wallace] comes in and says, 'it stinks in here.' [Steve] Kroft smokes occasionally. [Ed] Bradley smokes the odd cigar, closes his door." Safer smiles. His door stays open. This is not Pennsylvania Avenue.
Ask Harry Smith and a lot of key players on the "CBS This Morning" program. Smith and Paula Zahn look out on the set of "CBS This Morning." Standing in the center of the set is a skyscraper of cards--made of 60,000 playing cards--and its giddy architect pulls one, dismantling the entire paper edifice. The control room--replete with dozens of televisions and about 15 people laughing at them (who says work is hard to find?)--convulses with oohs and aahs, while Smith and Zahn narrate this Guinness slice of history.
"I can't smoke at home," says Smith, the affable host of the show since its inception in 1987. "I'm always interested in maintaining peace and tranquility on the home front." The home front includes two sons and his wife, Andrea Joyce, a studio host and reporter for CBS Sports and HBO.
"If we're on the road working stories, we have a couple of cigars in the morning, like when we spent three weeks in the Midwest covering the floods, working 20-hour days, with just a couple of hours' sleep.
"My smoking preferences change around. I smoke Macanudos and Partagas. Since we travel internationally, I'm always being asked to bring them back from exotic locations." Just then Paula Zahn intercedes, smiling: "Make sure Harry tells you the story of how many cigars he's run out of Cuba."
Smith readily admits it. "Bill Cosby came on the show several years ago, but in the middle of a spectacular story, we had to cut him off; we had a time problem. We invited him to come back a year or so later and had our couriers bring back a wonderful, fresh supply of Cubans--all was forgiven."
A producer of the show, Max McClellan, also enjoys a wide assortment of smoking flavors. "I smoke Davidoff, Dunhill, Montecristo No. 1's. At the end of a day, while relaxing and winding down, my buddies and I go to the Oak Bar at the Plaza or Elaine's. In those places it's not only accepted, but encouraged. We go there and have a beer or two and smoke a few, fine Cubans. Usually we go in a celebratory mode; we make up anything to celebrate.
"I like the Montecristo and Romeo y Julieta because of a full sort of experience, a great taste, a full taste, without an aftertaste. It's the quality of taste that sets [the great ones] apart from the lesser ones."
Ted Savaglio, the executive producer, also smokes Montecristo No. 1's. It's nine o'clock, and the two-hour show is over. Savaglio appears with hair tousled and clothes rumpled, looking like an anarchist after a palace coup.
"Of course, as you know, we can't smoke cigars in America in the house, in the car, in the office. I smoke on the street, one a day. I was in a cranky mood yesterday so people said, 'see what happens when he runs out of cigars.' I buy a handful at a time at De La Concha, this little store between 56th and 57th streets on Sixth Avenue.
"When I went to the summit between Reagan and Gorbachev in Iceland--this was an opportunity. We're going overseas; you can buy Cuban cigars--so I had the camera crew from France buy me a box of Montecristo No. 1's and bring them to Iceland. So here I am in Iceland in the newsroom. Bill Moyers was working for us at the time and Bill likes a cigar. So we're swapping cigars.
"The Sunday that Reagan and Gorbachev were in that little room, everybody was standing outside the door for hours with cameras. I'm standing with my Montecristo No. 1, my arms folded, just staring, staring, staring. All of a sudden I smell something that is not the smoke of cigars. My cigar has burned a hole all the way through Bill Moyer's suit--through the suit, through the lining. I mean there's a hole there as big as a nickel! The nice, gracious Bill Moyers says, 'oh, no no, don't worry. Please don't worry. My wife has a tailor, he's a real weave genius; it'll be no problem.' I said, 'right, I've burned a hole the size of nickel in your $1,000 suit, and you're telling me not to worry, it'll be rewoven.'"
Across town at ABC, commentator Jeff Greenfield can't resist a handful of cigars a week. "I smoke when the care of the day is done; after dinner, with a book, with a friend. My wife, Karen Gannett, likes the smoke. I'll smoke when we're on vacation. It's done when taking your ease. It belongs with good music. I don't ever recall smoking while I worked.
"I've been smoking for about 30 years, but with regularity only for the last 20. My friends will tell you that I don't spend a lot on clothes or on stereos, but I will spend on cigars. I love Cohiba Robustos and I like La Gloria Cubanas and Onyx. I just like the taste of them. Most people like the Montecristo No. 2's, but I like the Montecristo No. 1's, I guess that makes me weird."
Greenfield, however, doesn't see himself as a crusading cigar smoker. "I don't have sympathy for cigar smokers; they're not the equivalent of sharecroppers," says Greenfield. "My take on cigars is more whimsical; they're one of life's pleasures.
"I wish something could be done about our image, though. If you want to make a villain of someone in movies, put a cigar in his mouth. Yet look at the people who've smoked! Winston Churchill saved the world. Then there's Mark Twain. The great comedians--George Burns, Groucho Marx, Cosby, Letterman--all smoke. So the cigar symbolizes laughter. Red Auerbach had his victory cigar. Cigars are not the evil weed. When smoked in moderation, it's like wine--not harmful.
"There used to be the expression in World War Two: 'There are no atheists in foxholes.' Well, there are no anticommunists in a humidor. Whether it's William Buckley or Rush Limbaugh, if someone happens to have access to a good cigar, it doesn't matter that it comes from a communist country."
While the origin of the cigars may not matter to anyone, the places one works in a journalism career today seem to have an impact on whether or not someone smokes.
A family habit drew Bob Rivard, deputy editor at the San Antonio Express News, to smoke. "The cigar gene was identified in me early, when my grandfather took me to the Saratoga racetrack and he smoked nickel Roi-Tans," Rivard recalls. "He was a workingman and that was the best he could afford."
Rivard's correspondence work in Central America reinforced his love of cigars. "I moved to El Salvador and fell in with a couple of guys whom I remain good friends with, including Chris Dickey, who was with The Washington Post at the time and now is with Newsweek. At the time we were living in Latin America and buying Nicaraguan and Honduran cigars for a song, risking our lives for a story about the civil war in El Salvador. There were a lot of bad times, but also a lot of good times. I was Newsweek's El Salvador bureau chief at the time. I was smoking good Cohibas and Davidoffs, having gotten them in Europe."
Like many who enjoy cigars, Rivard's smoking habit has become ritualized. "I like to smoke on Saturday night when I edit the Sunday paper, which requires the most attention." And then there are the fights. "I smoked three Cohibas for the (Julio Caesar) Chavez fight [in May]." For lesser fights, Rivard buys domestically available brands. "There is a place in San Antonio called the Humidor. They hold the magazine in high esteem there; they paste the ratings below the cigars."
For the big fights Rivard digs into a dwindling stash of Cohibas that were acquired during his years as chief of correspondents for Newsweek, a job that required frequent overseas trips to visit the magazine's bureaus. "I had half a box of Cohibas for the [Chavez] fight; one guy paid for the [pay-per-view] fight, another brought food, another brought beverages....There will be other occasions."
No doubt. And Rivard will supply the Cohibas.
Across the Atlantic, cigars burn brighter. Says Alan Riding, The New York Times Paris bureau chief, "All the people I know seem to apologize for cigars. I always hear people say things like 'I had to smoke in the garage where it's 20 degrees.' Europe is far more stogie-friendly than the United States. Some Englishman wrote, 'one gets the idea that Americans are afraid of living and afraid of dying.' In America there is more of a desire to interfere in other people's lives. Americans are much more assertive about their area of individual rights." He pauses. "But Americans could teach something to Europeans about openness."
Riding, whose biographical description is very understated--"I'm British, 50 years old and have one son and one wife"--has worked full-time for The New York Times since 1978 and has been bureau chief in Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, Rome and Paris.
"I started smoking as a foreign correspondent at the United Nations in the late 1960s," says Riding. "I thought it made me look like a foreign correspondent. Diplomats would smoke Don Diegos in the lounge there. Now you can't get within 100 yards of the building with a cigar," he says with dry sarcasm.
"A lot of correspondents considered it part of their uniform to smoke cigars in Central America. Cigar smokers wore khaki there. In Central America, you were never quite sure where you were going to land anyway; if the pilot opened the door of the cockpit you couldn't see the window with all the smoke. I smoked Joya de Nicaragua--Honduras had good cigars--sometimes Mexican cigars from Veracruz, sometimes Dominican cigars and Jamaicans.
"When I came to Europe the choices were more limited. You could sometimes get what you want, sometimes not. The acceptable alternative cigars weren't there. There were some Dominicana cigars. Now I smoke Partagas, the Romeo y Julieta [No. 2]; the Cubans are better made. The Montecristos are up and down."
And Riding offers a surprising observation to those who think that cigar smoke is the most noisome of smells. "Women often like the smell of cigars because of some uncle or grandfather who smoked. It's sort of Pavlovian.
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Miles Grant is director of communications for National Wildlife Federation, coordinating communications across NWF's programs to protect wildlife and wild places, connect Americans with nature, and confront climate change. Grant elevates the voices of experts within the National Wildlife Federation and our state affiliates by connecting them with reporters in Washington and across the country. He also helps them tell their stories directly to our members through online media.
Grant joined the National Wildlife Federation in 2007 working with a large group of the organization's members, affiliates and partners to tell their stories of how climate change was hitting home where they hunt and fish. More recently, he's overseen communications across a range of conservation programs at NWF's National Advocacy Center in Washington, DC, including the February 2015 launch of NWF's partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to save America's monarch butterflies.
Prior to joining the National Wildlife Federation, Grant was a television news producer in Washington, DC, Rhode Island, and the Lake Champlain region in upstate New York/Vermont. He's a longtime volunteer conservation advocate and blogger who graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in broadcast journalism. Grant lives in Fairhaven, MA with his wife and daughter.
If you're a journalist looking to connect with a National Wildlife Federation expert, email Miles or call him at 202-797-6855.


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When the latest starbaby was announced the other day, Michele Hicks and Jonny Lee Miller's boy Buster, I wasn't as surprised as I would have been a few years ago. Already on our celebrity kids' roster, after all, are Buck and Lucky and Marmaduke and Duke and King and Prince and Princess and Count and Countess, names once reserved for other species. On the other hand, few of these names appear on pooch popularity lists.
And neither do Fido or Rover or Spot or Lassie, the old traditional canine favorites, which have been replaced by top-listed Maggie and Molly and Max and Jake. Is there some kind of switch going on, or is this just a way of affirming to our pets that they are indeed full-fledged members of the family, so that in addition to getting spiffy wardrobes, health insurance, doggy day care and spas and shrinks, they get a real kid's name too? For the first time ever, 50% of all pet names come from the human name pool, and a recent survey showed that 74% of participants viewed their dogs and cats as family members rather than merely family pets.
Celebrities have jumped into this people's-names-for-pets phenomenon with particular enthusiasm. For example,the following have or have had dogs named Bob and Stan (David Letterman), Flossie (Drew Barrymore), Milo (Diane Lane), Martha Stewart (Jennifer Garner & Ben Affleck), Lloyd (Courtney Love), and Chloe (both Lindsay Lohan and Lauren Conrad). Hey, wait a minute–Chloe is my daughter's name!
Here are some of the most popular human names for dogs, Max being the overall favorite:


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By Soham Sarkhel and Jatin Thakkar
Scorecard links: 1st T20I, 2nd T20I
Following a disappointing tour of England which saw them going winless in all the three formats of the game, the West Indian team came back in the strongest manner possible and completed one of the most comprehensive whitewashes ever in a T20I series. New Zealand who were playing their first international series after a break of 4 months, looked rusty and completely listless in front of a dominant West Indian side.
Here is the series through the Impact Index prism.
The one-sided nature of this series can be understood from the fact that the 5 highest impact players were from West Indies. In comparison, the six lowest impact players of the series were from New Zealand. The one-sided encounters can be attributed to the non- availability of their seniors (Taylor, Vettori, Ryder etc.) but the fact remains that the youngsters failed to take the spots which were up for grabs and more importantly failed to give the selectors any options for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Kieron Pollard emerged as the highest impact player of the series for his unbeaten innings of 63 off 29 balls (Match IMPACT 5.30) in the first T20I at Lauderhill. However, Pollard featured only in the first T20I and was rested for the second. Chris Gayle on the other hand played both the matches and had the highest Batting IMPACT in both the West Indian innings' and was rightly declared the player of the series.
When it comes to the batting department also, West Indies had a huge edge over their counterparts. Out of the five highest impact batsmen in the series, four belonged to West Indies (Pollard, Gayle, Bravo and Charles). For New Zealand, their highest impact batsmen in the series were Jacob Oram (who played only the 1st match) followed by Daniel Flynn (who played only the 2nd match) and Doug Bracewell (who batted at No. 10 in both the matches). The fact that Bracewell shows up so high on the batting list points to New Zealand's misery in this series.
Overall, 17 Kiwi batsmen came to bat under pressure but not even a single one of them could absorb it successfully which was a key reason for their failure in this series. In comparison, only two West Indian batsmen came under pressure in the entire series – Chris Gayle and Johnson Charles faced pressure in the 2nd T20I (they were at 14-1) and both of them managed to absorb it successfully for their team (in fact they set up the base and shared a 72 runs partnership). This was also the only point in the series where the Kiwis came closest to having an advantage over the West Indians.
The highest impact bowler of the series was West Indies' Sunil Narine (Bowling IMPACT 4.17). Narine's performances in the 1st and the 2nd T20I where he took 3 for 34 (Bowling IMPACT 3.33) and 4 for 12 (Bowling IMPACT 7.20), respectively were also the highest impact bowling performances in the series. His Bowling IMPACT was 2.34 times better than the next highest impact bowler (Dwayne Bravo) in the series which again goes on to show his effectiveness in this format of the game.
Continuing his rich vein of form, Dwayne Bravo was again a standout performer for Windies. He was the only player to have an all-round impact in the series (Both Batting and Bowling IMPACT over 1). His late burst in the second T20I (35 not out off 11 balls) saw West Indies reach a match-winning total and then followed it up with figures of 2-23 to hand West Indies their first T20 series victory against New Zealand.
In comparison, New Zealand's highest impact bowler was Nathan McCullum (1.58) followed by Kyle Mills (1.50). In the two matches combined, New Zealand bowlers managed to take only 7 West Indian wickets; McCullum picked two of them as the other bowlers continued to fail around him. The same thing can be understood by the fact that 7 New Zealand bowlers failed to register a Bowling IMPACT of even 1, in comparison West Indies had only two such bowlers.
West Indies' dominance is the bowling department is more prominent from the fact that their Team Bowling IMPACT in the series (1.93) was 3.6 times better than that of New Zealand (0.54). Overall, the Team IMPACT for West Indies in the series was 2.35 as compared to New Zealand's 1.16, i.e., twice than that of New Zealand.
Clearly, the New Zealanders received a pasting against a West Indian team filled with T20 specialists. For New Zealand, the path to their T20 World Cup campaign received a jolt considering the limited amount of T20Is available to them. For West Indies though, such a result coming at the backdrop of their poor English tour will be highly motivating and with such dominating players on offer, augurs well for the T20 World Championship.
For more information, please go www.impactindexcricket.com


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When Bel Brands USA, the Chicago-based snack and gourmet cheese manufacturer, chose Brookings for the location of their third plant, South Dakota State University's Dairy Science Department and SDSU Extension played an important role in their decision.
"In addition to milk availability, we needed access to local talent we could recruit as well as research and development. Because of SDSU we had access to both," said Francine Moudry, project director for Bel Brands USA.
Bel Brands' experience is not unique, explained Barry Dunn, Dean of the College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences and Director of SDSU Extension. "It all comes down to fulfilling the Land Grant mission of education, research and outreach," said Dunn of how SDSU provides South Dakota agri-businesses with a professional, agriculture-focused talent pool while at the same time, SDSU Extension, the Land Grant's outreach arm, supplies research-based information.
"We've built strong relationships throughout the agricultural industry and, with 100 years of experience, we're good at adapting to its changing needs," Dunn said. "Within the College of Agriculture we have strong degree programs, cutting edge research and SDSU Extension specialists who work directly with producers and agribusiness to share research-based information and provide support."
Dunn points to the Dairy Science Department and SDSU Extension Dairy Specialists as an example of how the Land Grant system works to not only increase the state's overall milk production but also provide the professional talent necessary to attract local markets, like Bel Brands to South Dakota.
"SDSU is one of only two universities in the nation to have degrees in both dairy production as well as manufacturing," Dunn said. "And, because of leadership's close connection to industry, we are able to quickly adapt education and research."
This proactive model pays off in high demand for graduates of the Dairy Science Department, resulting in 100 percent job placement and competitive starting salaries of $50,000-plus.
"We produce graduates, research and education to help the industry grow. These pieces work together and are key to moving the entire industry forward," said Vikram Mistry, Professor and Head of Dairy Science Dept.
Mistry explained that in the early 2000s, as the average size of dairies across the state began to increase, the labor force demographics changed, and milk quality needed to be addressed"SDSU Extension quickly recognized that dairy production wasn't only about milking cows, it was also about managing the people who milked cows," Mistry said.
Once the need was identified, SDSU Extension began providing training sessions in Spanish to dairy employees across the state. At the same time, they began providing cultural training to dairy owner/managers. Within four years, milk quality and overall milk production increased by about 100 pounds of milk per cow, said Alvaro Garcia, SDSU Extension Dairy Specialist.
"Our research has shown us what the best milking procedures and cattle handing practices are, but until they are adopted by the labor force, you can't expect to see results," said Garcia. "It's the role of SDSU Extension to provide information we gain through research to the right individuals in a way that make sense to them."
Similar examples of the interconnected relationship between the University and SDSU Extension abound, said Rosie Nold, SDSU Extension Program Director for Agriculture and Natural Resources. "When you have educators, researchers and SDSU Extension working together it is a powerful combination," Nold said. "Whether it is economists helping agri-business start ups develop a marketing plan; wheat breeders releasing wheat varieties that will thrive in South Dakota's growing climate or SDSU Extension State Veterinarian helping livestock producers overcome herd health challenges following Winter Storm Atlas -the Land Grant system plays an integral role in South Dakota's agriculture industry."
Support for agribusiness in the state has not gone unnoticed. According to a recent study published by Colorado State University agriculture economists, South Dakota ranked No. 1 as the most agribusiness-friendly state in the nation. The study reviewed and ranked states on everything from governmental regulations and services pertaining to agriculture inputs and meats and livestock products, to funding of the state's Agriculture Department and percentage of the population with degrees in agriculture, environment and sciences.
South Dakota's ranking didn't surprise Matt Diersen, SDSU Extension Risk & Business Management Specialist and Professor of Economics. "In South Dakota agriculture does not take a secondary role to some other industry - it is not side-lined in this state," Diersen said. "Because there is an inherent understanding of the needs of agri-business throughout the state, it impacts everything from the trained labor force to the state's infrastructure."
In the case of Bel Brands, all these factors played a role in opening their newest plant in South Dakota. The plant is complete and should be fully operational by July. Once it is fully staffed, it will provide about 275 South Dakotans with competitive salaries and benefits.
"We have everything we need here in Brookings; access to milk, great people, great economical vision and a university that provides excellent support as well as research. When you put all those things together, it was the right environment for us," Moudry said.
To learn more about SDSU Extension, visit iGrow.org. To learn more about Bel Brands USA, visit their website and to read the complete Agribusiness Friendliness Index visit iGrow.


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I've seen a few Collison rumors out there, but I think the only way Collison is traded is if the Hornets are able to rid themselves of a contract. Either Okafor, or most likely Peja. Okafor still has 4 years left on his deal, while Peja only has one after this year at 13 mil
I think if we end up in the 6-9 range of the lottery, that we should talk to the Hornets. We could offer an expiring contract, as well as offer to trade picks in return you receive Collison, a later lottery pick and either Okafor or Peja.
As of now we are at pick #7 and the Hornets are at #12. So let's say the first trade is for Okafor and Collison plus picks swap.
Pacers trade: #7 pick, Troy Murphy
Pacers receive: #12 pick, Darren Collison and Emeka Okafor
Pacers get a PG for the future, as well a player that can play PF, but has a hefty contract. They still get a lottery pick later in the draft where they can take the best player available. The Pacers also still have expirings of Ford, Dunleavy, Solo and Foster they can work with.
PG: Collison, Ford, Price
SG: Rush, Dahntay, #12
SF: Granger, Dunleavy, #12
PF: Okafor, Hansbrough, McRoberts
C: Hibbert, Foster, Solo
Hornets get out from a big contract in Okafor, while also getting a solid replacement for the year in Murphy who expires while also moving up in the draft where they could draft a replacement center in Aldrich or add another wing like Wes Johnson, Henry's, or Wake Forest's Aminu, whom Paul would probably enjoy. They could also use their 2nd round pick to get another backup PG like Sherron Colllins, or Vasquez.
2nd scenario
Pacers trade: #7, Mike Dunleavy, Jeff Foster
Pacers receive: #12, Darren Collison, Peja Stojakovic
In a more uglier scenario the Pacers take on Peja's extra year to get Collison while also trading down a few draft picks. They lose 2 expiring contracts for 2011 and pick up one that expires in 2012. You still get your PG of the future, and you get an expensive wing who can stretch the floor when healthy and play well for the Pacers when healthy during his short time here. Pacers could perhaps get a center in Aldrich or Whiteside to backup Hibbert, or draft a wing to add depth. Could still go PF as well perhaps? Pacers still have expiring of Ford, Murphy and Solo they can work with.
PG: Collison, Ford, Price
SG: Rush, Dahntay
SF: Granger, Peja, #12
PF: Murphy, Hansbrough, McRoberts
C: Hibbert, Solo, #12
Hornets get out from under Peja's contract finally, while getting 2 expiring contracts, one in a nice vet backup center coming off a successful back surgery who can come off the bench and do dirty. You also get another wing to replace Peja that may have a bounce back year after a year back from a knee surgery. If not they're both expiring at the deadline and they can also draft a wing or backup PF at #7


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Location: Application Technology Research
Project Number: 5082-21620-009-07-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Jul 23, 2010
End Date: Jul 31, 2014
Analyze the impact of intelligent spraying technologies on the floral and nursery crop production
Two advanced and affordable spray systems will be developed to employ intelligent technologies to continuously match system operating parameters to crop characteristics, insect/disease pressures and microclimatic conditions during pesticide applications. Economic analyses will be conducted to determine the savings that growers can gain by using the new sprayers and by the potential environmental cost remediation. The economic analysis studies will include (1) establishment of cost categories related to the use of sprayers through guided key informant interviews and expert listening sessions related to the use of existing technologies as previously described; (2) time studies of existing technologies/techniques to determine baseline costs to target both the design of and training in the use of the new equipment; (3) production cost parameters for the new equipment that will be applied to the project's design phase; (4) application costs of the new technology including time studies and assessment of changes in material usage; (5) potential environmental gains from reduced spray application; and (6) potential gains to social capital (e.g. public relations value) achieved by reduced pesticide usage and increased application control.


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LONDON - The first official painted portrait of Duchess Kate, commissioned by Britain's National Portrait Gallery was revealed Friday. Kate said it's "absolutely brilliant."
SLIDESHOW: Kate Middleton through the years
---The Royal couple's official engagement photograph
The artist, Scottish-born Paul Emsley, said "the Duchess explained that she would like to be portrayed naturally — her natural self — as opposed to her official self," according to the Prince of Wales' website. "She struck me as enormously open and generous and a very warm person. After initially feeling it was going to be an unsmiling portrait I think it was the right choice in the end to have her smiling — that is really who she is."
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Copyright 2013 by ClickOnDetroit.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Posted on Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Westminster College's Celebrity Series announced its 2014-2015 season, which includes concerts by America and Christmas with The Tenors.
America, sponsored by Springfield Restaurant Group, will kick off the season Saturday, Oct. 4. Named one of the greatest folk-rock bands of all time, their hits include "A Horse with No Name," "You Can Do Magic," "Ventura Highway," and "Sister Golden Hair."
The Hit Men, sponsored by Jameson Health System and Park Inn by Radisson, is on tap for Saturday, Nov 15. Not a tribute band or the cast of a Broadway show, these are the former stars of The Four Seasons, featuring Gerry Polci, the voice of "Oh, What a Night."
Christmas with The Tenors, sponsored by Giant Eagle®, is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 9. Also known as The Canadian Tenors, this quartet will showcase some of the season's most popular songs.
Women of Ireland, sponsored by First National Bank, is the next generation of Ireland's world champion dancers and finest performers. Their celebration of St. Patrick's Day comes to the Orr stage Saturday, March 7, 2015.
Neil Berg's 100 Years of Broadway will wrap up the season Saturday, April 25. Sponsored by Huntington Bank, the show features five of Broadway's finest stars performing songs from the most beloved Broadway musicals of the past 100 years.
All shows are at 7:30 p.m. in Orr Auditorium. Season subscriptions are currently on sale and single-show tickets may be pre-ordered.
A special Celebrity Series for Kids show, The Berenstain Bears, is slated for Tuesday, May 27, 2015, at 6:30 p.m. and is not part of the season subscription. Recommended for pre-kindergarten through second grade students, the show is adapted from the classic children's book series by Stan and Jan Berenstain. Sponsors for this program include Dr. Richard Ribarevski, D.M.D.; Family Medical Care of Lawrence County's Dr. James L. Gardner III, M.D., Dr. Mary C. Tanyel, M.D., and Peggy McAnlis, C.R.N.P.; Dr. Pek C. Teh and Jyhwa Teh; The Hoyt Center for the Arts; and Westminster's Drinko Center for Experiential Learning.
Contact Georgene Gib, box office manager, at 724-946-7354 or email for additional information. Visit the Celebrity Series website for more information and to view video clips for each show.


text: Is it bad that I am 38 years old, sitting at work, and all I am thinking about is going home and playing COD Black Ops 2? At least it is my sons game. I had quit playing video games for years, but he started me on the COD multiplayer this summer, and now I play too much again.