text:
In the biggest basketball contest of his professional career, with the eyes of an NCAA Tournament-loving nation focused directly on his team, Gregg Marshall watched a near-disaster unfold on the court.
The thoughts that rolled through his head weren't positive.
"I'm thinking that I'm dumbest coach in America," he said. "Because here I am, I've got a 20-point lead with about 12 minutes to go and we're going to lose this game."
But Marshall didn't say that after his ninth-seeded Wichita State team upended second-seeded Ohio State last Saturday to reach the Final Four. That game was just an eerie sense of déjà vu for Marshall.
No, Marshall admitted that private doubt to Sporting News back in 2007, after his upstart Winthrop team survived a massive comeback attempt by Notre Dame in Spokane, Wash., and held on for a 10-point first-round victory against the sixth-seeded Irish.
The similarities between the two games are stunning. Against Ohio State, Marshall's Shockers took a 20-point lead (51-31) with 11:55 left in the game. The Buckeyes cut Wichita State's lead to just three points before Marshall's team rallied and pulled off the upset.
Shockers hold off Ohio State | Bracket | Louisville vs. Wichita State matchup
In 2007, Marshall's Eagles had a 20-point lead (54-34) when Notre Dame started its comeback on a jumper with 12:04 left in the game. The Irish actually took a one-point lead on a bucket by Luke Harangody with 2:21 left, but Winthrop scored 12 of the game's final 13 points to pull off the upset.
Sporting News had behind-the-scenes access to Winthrop's 2007 NCAA Tournament experience. It's no coincidence that the Eagles' tournament run has influenced Marshall and the Shockers today as they prepare to face top-seed Louisville in Atlanta on Saturday.
—Be who you are
Wichita State has knocked off Pittsburgh, Gonzaga, La Salle and Ohio State; those four teams offer a wide variety of styles, but the Shockers have stuck to their game plan and forced the opponent to adjust, instead of the other way around. That's a Marshall tenet.
From 2007: "You're not going to change a whole lot at this point. That's why, from the first practice of the year, you ingrain fundamentals, you ingrain what's important and you instill your core values, whether it's your discipline, your defense; whether it's not checking out, not turning the ball over or getting quality shots. That starts way back.
"Now, it's just a matter of really focusing on a half-dozen to a dozen little things that will come into play with this particular game. Right now, you're just making sure the gutters are up and they're not falling off in case it rains. You're making sure the windows have their shutters, and you're making sure the shutters are painted to match the front door.
—Demand excellence, always
Marshall's practices are physically and mentally intense, a fact that was clear from Winthrop's first run-through in Spokane. "Johnny (Rice), I can't hear you," Marshall yelled. "Michael Jenkins is working his ass off and you can't communicate a screen? I'm just six feet away from you. You think that's gonna be good enough with 15,000 people in the stands Friday?"
"Craig! You've got to be better than that. I'm gonna call you no-check Bradshaw. This is not the Big South. You've got to check him out."
His Wichita State players will tell you nothing's changed. It's an adjustment for first-year players, and part of the veterans' role is to assure the newbies that there are valuable messages hidden in the sometimes caustic delivery. His track record of success—seven NCAA trips with Winthrop, now a couple with Wichita State—certainly helps.
"Being here, you see how he is, and it's just the option of do you want to deal with it or not?" said Shockers player Demetric Williams. "You're going to stay here and go through it and win games, or you're not. Most of the guys tend to stay and get with the program. That's what all the guys in this locker room want to do. ... Everyone in this locker room would say he's a winner, and who wouldn't want to play for a winner?"
Marshall said this while with Winthrop: "You have to have a lot of character to succeed in this program and to deal with me. I'll call you out, and a kid that doesn't want to be coached, that doesn't have a lot of character and fiber about him, he's not going to deal very well with that."
—Don't sugar-coat the scouting report
That Notre Dame team was a high-scoring group, with four players who averaged double-digit points—veterans Russell Carter (17.1), Colin Falls (15.3) and Rob Kurz (12.6) and freshman Luke Harangody (11.2). Marshall guessed that 80 to 85 percent of the clips he showed the Winthrop players in the film session were of things Notre Dame did well.
"You've got to be truthful with them—Notre Dame's a good team," Marshall said of the '07 tournament game. "They won 24 games, so you've got to show them what they do well. But the other 15 to 20 percent, ok, now give them some hope. Tell them, if we do that, now we can do this because they're not the greatest at that. Every team has a weakness."
He's likely to use the same motivational strategy when they face the Cardinals. The Louisville scouting report will have a similar feel to Notre Dame's back then—talent everywhere. Louisville does a lot of things very well and it could be hard work finding a weakness anywhere.
But Marshall is here now. And he's giving his team hope.
"This team has done better when nothing is expected, when they're the underdogs, which we'll clearly be on Saturday," Marshall said, "when they're picked fourth in the preseason after losing five seniors. So, I just think that's when we're at our best."


text:
If Halloween is OK for Jewish children, what about those who say that Christmas isn't really a religious celebration in mainstream America?
Slippery Slope
Secular or Not
Dear Slippery and Secular,
Thank you for commenting on last week's post (and for agreeing with me!). I actually edited out a section relating my stance on Halloween to people's views on Christmas as a secular holiday, so thanks for giving me the opportunity to address that particular concern. Part of the reason I took it out is because I kept coming back to the, "It's just different" argument, which is not a great foundation for an opinion (though that doesn't stop most of the people on the Internet). However, since you, Secular, have that feeling, too, I feel justified in taking it up as a common theme rather than just as my own unfounded claim.
To try to explain that feeling, I did a little research. I'll admit that I fell down a rabbit hole of reading evangelical Christian blogs. There are seemingly countless Christians out there opining on whether or not it is acceptable within their faith to celebrate Halloween. The ones that I looked at came to lots of different conclusions, including (and believe me, I can't believe I'm quoting this either), "limited, non-compromising participation in Halloween. There's nothing inherently evil about candy, costumes or trick-or-treating in the neighborhood. In fact, all of that can provide a unique gospel opportunity with neighbors…As long as the costumes are innocent and the behavior does not dishonor Christ, trick-or-treating can be used to further gospel interests." Ignoring the parts about gospel and Christ and the whole tone of proselytizing, I think this attitude makes a lot of sense for Jews, too. Further, if Christians and Jews are BOTH asking whether or not this holiday fits in with their religious practices, I feel confident in stating that mainstream Christian America is not claiming this holiday as their own.
There are certainly some Wiccans and adherents to other decidedly non-mainstream religions who may celebrate Halloween as a religious holiday. In my entire life, I have known literally one family that celebrated Halloween as a religious holiday, and, believe it or not, they were also upset with how mainstream America had appropriated it! There are also Hindus who do yoga as a religious practice and Buddhists who meditate as religious practice, but the Jewish community isn't threatened by those things in the way that they're threatened by Jews having Christmas trees. One reason is that Jews aren't scared of assimilation into Hindu or Buddhist (or Wiccan) religions the way that Jews are scared of assimilating into Christian or secular American culture. Another reason is that many Christians DO celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday. I know people who claim to believe that Christmas is a secular holiday who still decorate their homes with babies and mangers. Guess what? That's not secular. Pumpkins? Secular. Snickers Definitely secular.
That same blog talks about how early Christian leaders combined a Christian celebration and a Pagan celebration to ease the transition between Paganism and Christianity (not so different from how Christmas came to be right around the winter Solstice). By the time Halloween got to America, it was already watered-down past the point of meaning for either Christians or Pagans. That is the state in which we find Halloween today: stripped of its religious significance and reinvented as an excuse to dress up, eat candy and scare people. I understand that some might view Christmas that way, too, but no one is saying, "Remember the reason for the season" about Halloween.
For Jews who are worried that if they let their kids celebrate Halloween this month, then in two months, they'll also expect stockings hung by the chimney with care, I'll add to what my new friend the Christian blogger had to say: "limited, non-compromising participation" in non-Jewish experiences is fine as long as one's family has some internal guidelines as to how to categorize different experiences. I would categorize Halloween and Thanksgiving as secular experiences and all the Jewish holidays as Jewish experiences. I also believe that going to a Christmas party hosted by a friend is different than having your own Christmas tree, and it's possible to go to such a party as a Jew without celebrating Christmas yourself. But perhaps that's a topic for another column… So, to sum it all up, Halloween and Christmas: they're just different.
Be well,

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Blue Jays claim Hynes
The TORONTO BLUE JAYS have claimed LHP COLT HYNES off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers. He will report to the Buffalo Bisons.
HYNES, 29, has spent the season with Albuquerque of the Pacific Coast League (AAA), posting a 1-3 record with a 4.08 ERA in 42 relief appearances. The Oklahoma City, Oklahoma native made his Major League debut in 2013 for San Diego, appearing in 22 games, recording a 9.00 ERA in 17 innings. In eight minor league seasons, Hynes has posted a 3.64 ERA in 365 games.


text:
Executive Director
Krista Martel
Do you get our newsletter?
Sign up for our monthly Newsletter and get the latest info in your inbox.
Get the basics about what anemia is, what causes it, why it is of special concern to women living with HIV, and how it is diagnosed and treated.
HIV 102: How HIV Impacts the Immune System, CD4 Cells and Viral Load was the third in our eight-week webinar series that offers women living with HIV capacity building and training on HIV disease and treatment advocacy.


text:
A FUNDRAISING appeal has been launched to buy a lifechanging new wheelchair for a severely disabled teenager.
Callum Wombwell, of Temple Pattle in Brantham, has 3C syndrome – a rare condition which affects his heart and breathing - learning disabilities and can only walk short distances by holding onto furniture or other people's hands.
The 16-year-old's favourite thing to do is go out with his pet black Labrador Fleur, but his current wheelchair can only go on flat, hard surfaces stopping him from being able to enjoy the fields and woods near his home To help charity Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children has launched a fundraising appeal to buy Callum a specialist three-wheeler buggy.
Newlife Foundation is now appealing for donations to help fund the specialist buggy, which is expected to cost £1,500.
To donate call Newlife on 0800 988 4640.


text:
DT 394 interpreter headset
The lightweight DT 394 interpreter headset is specially designed for interpreters. Ultra-light, comfortable design, optimum intelligibility and high-quality hearing systems make these headsets the ideal tool for interpreters. For constant or alternating use, removable washable hygienic covering pads are offered as a sensible accessory.
Headset, 120 Ω, condenser mic (cardioid), cable with 8-pin DIN connector for interpreter console MCS-D 202 and SID 202
Article Number: 483869
Available at authorized resellers
Headset, 40 Ω, condenser mic (cardioid), cable with 3-pin XLR male and 1/4" stereo jack
Article Number: 475815
Available at authorized resellers
K 190.Synexis
Connecting cable for the DT 280/290, mini jack connector (3.5 mm) and 4-pin mini XLR plug for Synexis, 1.5 m long
Article Number: 729612
Available at authorized resellers


text:
CARSON — For the second time in four seasons, the Marin Catholic High football team played for the state championship. But Saturday, as in 2009, the day ultimately ended in frustration for the Wildcats.
After Marin Catholic stormed to a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter of the California Interscholastic Federation Division III championship, Madison scored the next 31 points en route to a thrilling 38-35 victory at the Home Depot Center on Saturday.
Marin Catholic, which advanced to the title game by defeating Sutter 23-7 a week earlier in the NorCal championship, finished its season with a 14-2 record. Madison, the Southern California champion, finished at 14-1.
Marin Catholic looked like it would have a relatively easy time of it early as the Wildcats stuffed Madison's offense on its first series, then took a 14-0 lead as Jared Goff scored on a 4-yard run and then hit Billy Alten with a 16-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. When Goff then hit Andrew Celis with a 4-yard touchdown strike on the first play of the second quarter, Marin Catholic led 21-0.
But by halftime, Madison had turned the tide, scoring two touchdowns and adding a field goal to trim the Wildcats' lead to 21-17.
It was more of the same for Madison in the second half as the Warhawks added two more touchdowns to take a 31-21 lead.
To Marin Catholic's credit, the Wildcats responded. Goff first hit Danny Noonan with a 76-yard touchdown pass to close Marin Catholic to within 31-28. Goff then found Colton Hanley down the middle for another score — after the pass was first deflected by a Madison defender and suddenly Marin Catholic was back on top.
Unfortunately for Marin Catholic, Madison's Pierre Cormier had his own response, getting free for a 79-yard touchdown run. And when Goff's final fourth-down pass from the Madison 36-yard line was intercepted with just over 2 minutes left, Marin Catholic's fate was sealed. Madison ran out the clock and celebrated its first state championship.
Contact Dave Curtis via email at firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Recycling at School
Public and private schools located in Fairfax County are required to recycle mixed paper and cardboard.
Public Schools
In addition to mixed paper and cardboard, the county's public schools recycle glass bottles and jars, metal food and beverage cans and plastic bottles and jugs. They also collect fluorescent lamps for recycling. For more information, see the public school's official site.
Private Schools
If you belong to a private school and want to collect materials beyond mixed paper and cardboard, you should start by talking to your principal about expanding the existing program.
In order to expand the program, you will need to:
- purchase collection containers and place them in classrooms
- have a designated recycling dumpster for additional materials
- advertise your program
- work with students and teachers to separate materials in classrooms, office and library
- establish a contract with your custodial staff detailing collection
- develop a collection schedule with an established recycling company or self-haul materials to a recycling drop-off center.
- Environmental Links
- Fun Facts
- Policies: Recycling Requirements and Environmental Stewardship Policy
Resources and News for Students
and Teachers


text:
Winter birds are in the trees,
Cardinals, jays, and chickadees.
All the birds look so hungry.
Let's go feed them.
Fill the feeder up with seeds.
Add some nuts and dry berries.
The birds are waiting patiently
For their dinner.
Here comes cardinal for a bite.
Berries are the jay's delight.
Chickadee loves crunchy seeds.
Happy feasting!
- Jennifer Bové
Visit kids.niehs.nih.gov. On this site, you can hear "London Bridge Is Falling Down" and many other children's tunes.


text:
Dr. A-Hamid Hakki MD
- Cardiovascular Disease Safety Harbor, FL
Patient Reviews
Reviews reflect patients' level of satisfaction with the care they received from this provider. Dr. A-Hamid Hakki xhas an overall rating of 5.0.
Dr. A-Hamid Hakki, MD is a Doctor primarily located in Safety Harbor, FL. He has 44 years of experience. His specialties include Cardiovascular Disease and Internal Medicine. Dr. Hakki is affiliated with Mease Dunedin Hospital, Morton Plant Hospital and Mease Countryside Hospital. He speaks English.
Find out the languages this doctor/ or staff may speak.
View all
Learn where this doctor attended medical school.
View all
Specialties & Expertise
Dr. A-Hamid Hakki has the following 23 areas of expertise and 2 specialties.
For the best health care, select a doctor who specializes in your medical condition.
View all
See areas of expertise for treating specific conditions, procedures and surgeries for this doctor.
View all
Health Guides
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease in which your body is unable to maintain a normal blood sugar (glucose) level.
Locations & Directions
Nearby Doctors
Dr. A-Hamid Hakki, MD is similar to these 3 Doctors near Safety Harbor, FL.


text:
Loading product details ...
Reviews (0)
Need Help?
Product Description:
Men's Cobian® OAM Flop :: The OAM Flop brings a true to life Southern California vibe to a top selling style. Through collaboration with California surf brand On A Mission, Cobian® has created this unique limited edition printed Flop.
Features & Benefits:
Your Help Is Here
Shop with confidence knowing your team of Fit Experts is waiting to answer all your questions. You can always find your perfect product and your perfect fit. Your Road Runner Sports Fit Experts will make sure you get exactly what you want and have tons of fun in the process! Give us a call, chat, or email!
Call 800-743-3206 to
You May Also Like


text:
Oil dipped below $118 a barrel on Monday as investor concern about the euro zone economy offset stronger-than-expected demand growth in China.
Trade is set to be limited this week as many Asian markets are shut due to the Lunar New Year. On Friday, Brent crude hit a nine-month high after data showed Chinese trade surged in January.
"We could see a bit of a pullback today in oil prices in the absence of any significant external factors, including the lack of activity in Asia," said Michael Hewson, analyst at CMC Markets.
Brent crude was down $1.03 to $117.87 a barrel by 1442 GMT, after slipping to $117.54. U.S. crude was off 43 cents to $95.29.
While Chinese growth is supporting oil prices, developments in the euro zone continue to weigh on equities and the euro. A corruption scandal is threatening political instability in Spain and Italy's election race is becoming tighter.
Germany, France and Italy will release later this week their latest quarterly gross domestic production (GDP) figures, which are expected to point to a contraction in the three key European economies.
The recent rally in Brent prices on the back of an overall positive economic outlook could turn around as oil prices could weigh on the recovery, analysts said.
"The long-term trend for oil prices is on an upward path, but is it in the best interest of OPEC countries to have it at $120 a barrel while European GDP starts slipping back? That could cause a demand break," according to Hewson.
Similarly, David Hufton of PVM said the market's recent rally "...can turn into panic again very quickly, taking the wall of money with it.
"Should oil bulls be worried about the run-up in oil prices? Stock market bulls should be, because there is the sniff of an oil price shock in the air and the blame game is beginning," Hufton said.
Traders will be watching U.S. retail sales and industrial production figures later this week for further indications of economic growth in the world's largest economy.
Oil could get some support from stormy weather in the heavily populated U.S. Northeast, where a blizzard dumped up to 40 inches (1 metre) of snow with hurricane force winds, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without power.
U.S. gasoline front-month futures took a hit on Monday, dropping 1.24 percent to $3.021 a gallon, as the inclement weather reduced transportation.
Washington and Tehran may have more time to negotiate regarding Iran's disputed nuclear programme after news that Iran appears to have resumed converting small amounts of its higher-grade enriched uranium into reactor fuel.
Slowing a growth in stockpiles of material that could be used to make weapons is one of the few ways in which the nuclear dispute could avoid hitting a crisis by the summer.
The dispute has led to concern about Middle East supply for years. Iran has threatened to block shipments through the Strait of Hormuz in the event it is attacked. Some 40 percent of the world's globally traded oil passes through the strait. (Additional reporting by Rebekah Kebede in Perth and Alex Lawler in London; editing by James Jukwey and Jason Neely)


text:
Despite the market's total sideways movement Tuesday, a few interesting developments cropped up.
For instance, as everyone knows, the KBW Bank Index (BKX) was one of the hot areas of the market. The BKX-to-S&P 500 ratio ticked up, and while it didn't reach a higher high, it remains in the green. Please do keep in mind that the BKX itself has a measured target near the 56-to-57 area, so it ought to run into some trouble up there.
On the flip side, with breadth quite good, I find it surprising that the McClellan Summation Index -- which is based on breadth -- peaked seven trading days ago and has not headed back up. As a reminder, that means this indicator has not played along in the S&P rally from 1495 to the present 1520 area. If you are wondering why it feels like a chop fest out there, this is it. It's the first time we have seen that occur since the November lows.
Then there were the "credit" ETFs, which moved up for the first time in weeks. I wrote about this relationship between iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond (HYG) and the S&P last week, and that it has been steadily declining since the start of the year. Don't get me wrong -- the relative outperformance for just one day is not a big deal. But it was the first time in February that this occurred, and I did not see anyone commenting on it.
What this market needs, in my opinion, is some excitement. That doesn't necessarily mean excitement to the downside -- it means up or down. The constant grind and lack of volatility and volume has turned bulls to bears and bears to bulls, and yet both sides are complaining about the grind. Heck, just look at the Oscillator. It doesn't even oscillate anymore!
Even the Dow Jones Transportation Average has stalled out. If we look at the chart and measure the pattern, it comes in somewhere close to between 5800 and 5900 as a first target. It would make sense for the transports to correct or go sideways at this point.
If you wanted to be very bullish on the transports, you could take the chart all the way back to 2011 and measure an upside target near 6600. However, I have a hard time believing this index will get there without some corrective action around the current levels first -- especially when we consider that oil is now trading just a few bucks shy of $100 per barrel.
In Top Stocks, Helene puts her 20+ years of experience in technical analysis to work for you. Take advantage of Helene's time-proven approach and her action-oriented analysis of technical indicators. Try it now. Get a 14-Day Free Trial.


text:
System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
at DotNetNuke.Framework.DefaultPage.OnLoad(EventArgs e) in e:\websites\tvtechnology.com\public_html\Default.aspx.cs:line 791
The pay-TV exodus is establishing momentum. Last year was the first full year to yield an overall decline. It wasn't much; about a quarter of a million. There are still more than 100 million households in the United States paying for TV. That's out of 115.2 million total, according to U.S Census figures. Those last 15 million or so (depending on which D.C. lobby talks) haven't, don't and probably won't pay for TV. Some live on reservations. Some are still reverberating from the Great Depression. Others still are too otherwise occupied to care.
So the provision of television content for money officially is no longer a growth business. The rope-in tactics of one-year rate discounts and bundling are not working any longer, especially since no one cares about VoIP enough to make it a revenue driver.
There's only one path of least resistance for cable operators, and it's broadband. Comcast already has 20.7 million broadband subscribers (out of 21.7 million total subscribers). Nearly 1.3 million signed up last year. It will have 30 million after the Time Warner Cable deal is done. If wired broadband is to become the future modality of TV delivery to the home—and it will unless legacy distribution goes on-demand in real time—Comcast will make it so. Dish, meanwhile, will take over out-of-home OTT delivery with aggressive moves in time- and place-shifting, and fixed wireless.
That leaves broadcasting. It's clear the distribution side must evolve. Into what, remains to be seen, but it will have to be IP-based, simultaneously on-demand and live, with real-time, interactive metrics that can be used in a responsive production environment. In the meantime, the industry needs to continually hone and constantly improve the quality of its programming, which still dominates the market.
Dish Tunes In FS1's 4K College Football Coverage
'America's Got Talent' Finale Gets Viewers Worked Up
Amy Sedaris, Shawn Ryan to Speak at New York Television Festival
Fox News Sets Live 11 p.m. News Show
DirecTV to Offer MSG GO Streaming App
TV Ad Spending Drops 27% in August: SMI
BBC expands BBC Player into Malaysia
Global Radio to launch Heart 80s
'Cultural revolution' in China as SVoD rises
New Name, Same Great Stock Photos at Budget Prices
'Ex Libris:' Frederick Wiseman Turns His Lens on New York's Libraries
Radiohead's 'Lift:' Isolation and In-Camera Illusions


text:
SARATOGA SPRINGS -- Author Zadie Smith, one of the most celebrated young writers in the English-speaking world, will present this year's Frances Steloff Lecture, "The Writer in the World," Thursday at Skidmore College.
Free and open to the public, the lecture/reading will begin at 8 p.m. in Gannett Auditorium of Palamountain Hall.
Born in 1975 in London, Smith rose to fame in 2000 following the release of her first novel, "White Teeth." A vibrant portrait of contemporary multicultural London told through the stories of three ethnically diverse families, the book won a number of awards and prizes, including the Guardian First Book Award and the Whitbread First Novel Award.
Her subsequent novels are "The Autograph Man" (2002), "On Beauty" (2005, winner of the 2006 Orange Prize for Fiction) and "NW" (2012).
A book of Smith's essays titled "Changing My Mind: Occasional Essays" (2009) includes pieces published earlier in such magazines as The New Yorker, Harper's, The New Republic and The New York Review of Books.
Many of her short stories have been published in The New Yorker, and in 2010 she became a regular "New Books" reviewer for Harper's. She is currently a professor of creative writing at New York University.
In a New York Times review of "NW," Anne Enright wrote, "Smith's novels are notable not just for their social acuity, but also for their ability to absorb philosophical ideas ... 'On Beauty' managed to be interesting about aesthetics as well as about race and compassion, and the prose was well-turned and sweet-natured to match. The themes in 'NW' are more radical and the language more fractured ... The result is that rare thing, a book that is radical and passionate and real."
Skidmore's Frances Steloff Lecture is a highlight of the academic calendar, bringing to the campus such authors as Nobel laureates Mario Vargas Llosa, Nadine Gordimer, Seamus Heaney, J.M. Coetzee and Saul Bellow, as well as other major writers, including Katherine Anne Porter, Arthur Miller, Margaret Atwood, Don DeLillo and John Banville.
Saratoga Springs native Frances Steloff, founder of the Gotham Book Mart in New York City and a well-known patron of writers, established and endowed the Steloff Lecture series at Skidmore in 1967 as a way to bring outstanding literary and artistic talent to the college.


text:
(Masterpieces of American Fiction)
Based in part on Vargas Llosa's experience as a cadet in the Leoncio Prado Military Academy in Lima, Peru, from 1950 to 1952, The Time of the Hero is a fictionalized portrayal of a group of adolescent boys at the school during a three-year period which coincides, roughly, with the author's own stay there.
The Time of the Hero is divided into two parts, of eight chapters each, and an epilogue. It has four narrators: an omniscient third-person narrator; two first-person narrators, Jaguar and Boa, whose identity is discovered only in the last part of the book; and a fourth voice, that of Alberto, who communicates with the reader through several internal monologues.
The book begins during the boys' third and last year at the school. They are there for various reasons. Alberto's father, a middle-class dandy, somewhat dismayed at his son's interest in books, decides that what the young man needs is an education that will prepare him for adult life in the real world; the Leoncio Prado, the father believes, will do precisely that. Ricardo Arana is there because his absentee father considers him effeminate; the boy has been reared by a devoted mother and an aunt, and the father insists that he is in need of the discipline and toughening that a military education can provide. Jaguar, who comes from a family of thieves and is a budding juvenile delinquent, ends up in the academy as an alternative to reform school after he is caught stealing. As the novel begins, an omniscient third-person narrator relates how several boys are about to carry out a carefully planned maneuver designed by Jaguar, the undisputed leader of the school's student gang known as "the Circle." Their aim is to steal an important chemistry exam. They succeed in getting the exam but break a window in the process, thus exposing the theft. Pending the discovery or confession of the guilty parties, school authorities suspend all leaves.
The severing of the lifeline with the outside...
(The entire section is 819 words.)


text:
if you really want to nerd out over dg dvd's, i'm selling a couple of extremely high quality DVD players that are built like tanks and should last 10+ more years. the picture quality and detail on these is absolutely superb. you should be able to nerd out with frame by frame or slow mo to your heart's content
these two models were defined by sony as "reference players" and were often used as benchmark players for their other video devices, etc.
while they are pre-progressive scan, they will give a clearer image than 95% of progressive scan players out there and unless you have a really high end TV, the set will likely upscale an interlaced image better than a progressive scan image anyway. these smoked every upscaling hdmi dvd player i've tried as well.
rich people with really expensive stereos often use these players as CD "transports," which basically means they use these to spin the discs and use the digital outputs into a separate DAC since the drives are pretty much silent and they're extremely sturdy players.
the downside is that since these are older players (in the 8-12 year old range) there's 2-4% of DVD's that are incompatible in their authoring formats. they also hadn't invented much of the laser tilt correction for warped discs at this time. both do have laser calibration in their service menus so that if you have a disc that is struggling to play you can recalibrate the optical pickup for that particular disc. this works for dual layer dvd's, single layer dvd's, and cd's. both are made in japan.
they are both pretty large at approximately 17" x 15" x 5" and weigh in at like 17+ lbs.
the first one:
DVP-S7700 w/ remote. component, composite, and s-video video outs. analog, optical, and digital coaxial audio outs. copper-plated chassis to reduce electromagnetic interference.
out of the two players this one has a quieter drive and slightly more vibrant color output as well as greater disc compatibility. i'm including a set of decent quality component video and audio cables.
original MSRP: $1199.99
the second one:
DVP-S7000 w/ remote and manual. component, composite, and s-video video outs. analog, optical, and digital coaxial audio outs.
no DTS support
out of the two players this one has better overall video quality and is one of the few players on the market that doesn't suffer from the "chroma bug" (incorrect processing of certain reds). this is considered to be one of the best DVD players of all time. i'm including a set of decent quality component video and audio cables.
original MSRP: $1299.99
I'd prefer to keep these local but i'd consider shipping them. shipping would be in the $12-20 range per player.


text:
Gray Hair Versus Sunshine and UV Radiation
Really well-kept gray hair can be quite attractive. Find out out UV protection for gray hair can help your hair!
Protect your gray or graying hair from sun damage.
The results showed that each UV absorber offered some protection to the hair, as the deterioration in properties was lessened measurably. However, the traditionally used OMC offered substantially less benefit than CATC and really only demonstrated marginal improvement over no treatment at all. It was found that the cationic UV absorber (cinnamidopropyltrimonium chloride) was more substantive to the surface of the hair after rinsing and was much more effective at maintaining the integrity of the hair for every single test. The molecule also had the property of being a mild conditioning agent, and added greater benefit to a formulation than the conventional OMC. CATC worked very well in oil-based leave-on sprays as well as shampoos, and the scientists concluded that it had real potential for helping prevent damage to gray hair (or any hair, for that matter) from the sun.
One important caveat is that it is not really possible to quantify the efficacy of sunscreens used in hair care products in the same manner as for sunscreens intended for skin protection. No standardized methods or tests exist for evaluation of sun protection for hair, and even if there were, consumer variability in application would render much of that type of data useless. Many cosmetic chemists completely dismiss any value to including UV absorbers in a hair product, despite the heavy marketing campaigns insisting otherwise. While I often share their skepticism regarding unlikely claims by manufacturers, this particular study showed that there does seem to be some benefit to formulating with cinnamidopropyltrimonium chloride (at least for the conditions in this particular study).
Scientists have long been interested in how the physical properties of gray hair differ from those of pigmented hair. Unfortunately, for those of us with gray or graying hair, research has shown that it is more susceptible than pigmented hair to various types of damage from UV radiation. Happily though, there does seem to be at least one UV absorber (and certainly others not covered in this study) that can help protect gray hair from damage in the sun. There are several products on the market that contain this ingredient, including Paul Mitchell's Color Protect Daily Conditioner, Soma Hair Technology's Colour Protect Shampoo and their Leave In spray, Kenra Platinum Smoothing Cream, and Aveda's Color Conserve Shampoo, to name a few. Not all of these products are necessarily compatible with the shampoo free method, but some are. Just make sure to check the ingredients list to be certain the product is right for you and your personal preferences. Products like this work best at minimizing incidental daily damage, in my humble opinion, so grab a cute straw hat or a pretty scarf to cover your hair when you plan to be in the sun for an extended time.


text:
Following our spring BFG press event, a flock of Skyrim previews have now come to roost on the internet. Journalists got a long look at many facets of the game, and were also handed some brand-new screenshots to check out.
Stretch your wings with articles from the following outlets — we'll update the post as more swoop in.
- 1Up
- Game Revolution
- GameSpot
- Rock Paper Shotgun (with an update on levelling here)
- Joystiq
- Eurogamer
- Giant Bomb
- Bit-tech
- Destructoid
- GamePro
- The Escapist (interview snippet here)
- Videogamer
- GamesRadar
- G4TV (part 2, part 3)
- MTV Multiplayer
- AusGamers
- Stuff.co.nz
- Xbox 360 Achievements (interview snippets here and here)
After the break, check out Gamespot and IGN's interviews with Todd Howard.


text:
There's a freshman class coming that's the talk of college basketball. There are soaring expectations and whispers of an undefeated season.
Every indication is that Kentucky basketball will return to powerhouse status next season, a team with the potential on paper to be as good as any John Calipari has coached.
And Willie Cauley-Stein has heard some of this before.
"Potential is exactly that," Cauley-Stein said Monday. "We had the potential this year and didn't capitalize on it, so it could easily be (that) we have the best recruiting class coming in and not doing anything with it. It's that simple. If you don't come together and do things right, then you're just a bunch of talented kids that didn't get anything accomplished."
That's where Cauley-Stein, Alex Poythress and Kyle Wiltjer come into play. Cauley-Stein and Poythress met with reporters Monday - Wiltjer was ill and didn't attend as scheduled - to talk about their decisions to the Wildcats as sophomores, and their roles on a 2013-14 team that will try to erase the bad taste of this season's first-round NIT loss.
The Wildcats are set to add at least eight new players - twin guards Andrew Harrison and Aaron Harrison, forwards Julius Randle, Marcus Lee and Derek Willis guards James Young and Dominique Hawkins and center Dakari Johnson - to next season's roster. Kentucky still is pursuing McDonald's All-American Andrew Wiggins, the No. 1 prospect in the high school class of 2013.
The Harrisons, Randle, Lee, Young and Johnson all were McDonald's All-Americans. They join a roster that returns 40 percent of its scoring from this season.
"The potential is unlimited," Poythress said. "We can do so good. Whatever we want to do is what we can do. The sky's the limit."
The influx of new talent is crucial to reaching that potential. So too is the return of players like Cauley-Stein, Poythress and Wiltjer, who have started games and played meaningful minutes for Kentucky.
"I think that's exactly what we missed this year: a guy that played a lot of minutes as a freshman, decided to come back and take on the role of a leader," Cauley-Stein said. "We didn't have that this year. Kyle was that kind of guy, but he still didn't play big minutes his freshman year."
Cauley-Stein, Poythress and Wiltjer played a combined 2,319 minutes last season and averaged a combined 29.7 points and 16.4 rebounds per game.
Wiltjer, a junior-to-be, and Cauley-Stein and Poythress, both sophomores-to-be, all were parts of top-ranked recruiting classes. All have stayed in school as other classmates have moved on to the NBA.
The result is, on paper, the best combination of talent, experience and depth Calipari has had at Kentucky. That should make for highly competitive practices, another element UK lacked in finishing 21-12 this season.
"Honestly, for me, I think that's going to be the best thing to come out of next year because you're going against pros every day," Cauley-Stein said. "This year was like that until Nerlens (Noel) got hurt and then we was going against Brian Long. You know, Brian Long and Sam Malone. You're not getting better. You're going to dominate in practice and get to a game and struggle."
The season often was a struggle for Kentucky, and perhaps the greatest value of veterans is in helping newcomers avoid the same pitfalls.
Asked what he'll tell his freshman teammates when they arrive on campus, Poythress said, "That it's hard."
"They're going to have to go through the same freshman year we did and it's tough," Cauley-Stein said. "It's a tough road to go down."
In some ways, 2013-14 will be tougher.
The veterans will demand more of their freshman teammates. Calipari will demand more of everyone.
"Coach doesn't want the same thing that happened this year to happen next year, so he's going to change a bunch of things so that doesn't happen," Cauley-Stein said. "The intensity is going to pick up, the level of how we're going to play is going to go up tremendously."
The result, Cauley-Stein said, is that the program "will be back where Kentucky is supposed to be at."
But it's not there yet.
"We haven't won anything yet," Poythress said. "So we still got to prove ourselves."


text:
Average Customer Rating
(based on 4 reviews)
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Ratings Distribution
5 Stars
4 Stars
3 Stars
2 Stars
1 Stars
Purchase Reason
Reviewed by 4 customers
Displaying reviews 1-4
Back to top
I love this print!
By Suzie
from Rowlett, Texas
The print is lovely. I do wish it were a larger size, but I can still enjoy the detail and vibrancy of the print.
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
Was this review helpful? Yes / No
- You may also flag this review
(0 of 1 customers found this review helpful)
Excellent product and service
By Steve
from Franklin, KY
Excellent product that fit our thematic plan perfectly.
Perfect for Art History - Impressionism
By Mr. Edson
from Castleford Idaho
A perfect jumping board for students to experience the way Monet saw colors and captured the moment
(2 of 3 customers found this review helpful)
By bog
from San Diego, CA
Just right pop of color
Items that are designated by "Usually ships within 24 hours" normally leave our facilities on the same business day if the order is placed before 5:00pm EST.
Ship time indicates the typical number of business days it takes for your item(s) to leave our facilities but does not include transit time from our facilities to final destination.
Orders that contain multiple items with different ship times will be shipped out based on the item with the longest ship time.
Complete your piece!SwitchArt™ Magnetic Framesand SwitchArt™ Prints only workwhen paired together.
Select Your Format
We offer a variety of product types. Determine which is right for you.
Learn more about product types
Customize Your Selection
Personalize and enhance your art with our finishing options.
Learn more about our services
The shipping rate shown is an estimate only; actual shipping rates will be determined during checkout. Orders with multiple items may be eligible for discounted shipping rates.
For more information, including a full list of shipping destinations, visit Shipping & Returns
Orders with multiple items may be eligible for discounted shipping rates. Combined shipping discounts will be applied during checkout.
Learn more
Frame Unavailable
The framing you previously selected isn't available in this size. Please choose another framing option.


text:
The upcoming calendar is currently empty.
Click here to view past events and photos »
Become an SBAN Volunteer
Why Volunteer?
Volunteers founded SBAN, and SBAN will continue to thrive with the hands and hearts of new volunteers. Friends and alumni of Summerbridge and Breakthrough programs are welcomed to give their time to any of SBAN's programs.
>> Become a Volunteer
3/11/2016Emma L. Bowen Foundation
11/9/2015Breakthrough Alum Shani Glasby on The Ellen Show!
8/10/2015TCPI Newsletter - August 2015
Love Us | "Like Us"


text:
Annual budget: $2.8 billion
Sworn employees: 9,249
Civilian employees: 7,746
Civilian volunteers: More than 4,300
Reserve deputies: More than 830
Youth Explorers: More than 420
Patrol stations: 23
Patrol area: 3,159 square miles, which is home to 2.9 million residents
Other notes:
Largest sheriff's department in the country
Second biggest law enforcement agency in the country
Manages the country's biggest county jail system, around 18,000 inmates
Covers 42 contract cities and 130 unincorporated county communities
Polices 10 community colleges
Runs security at the Los Angeles Superior Court system
Provides policing services for buses and trains of Los Angeles Metro plus the six-county Metrolink trains
Covers 177 parks
Source: Sheriff's Department staff
The scandal-plagued Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is poised to have a new leader for the first time in 15 years, with Sheriff Lee Baca unexpectedly announcing Tuesday he would retire at the end of the month.
"I'll be 72 years old in May, and I don't see myself as the future," Baca said during a news conference at the department's Monterey Park headquarters as his command staff stood behind him.
"I see myself as part of the past," Baca added. "What's more important is to give others inside the Sheriff's Department a chance who, I know, would not take a chance if I were to run again."
Leroy D. Baca: 1998–2014
Sherman Block: 1982–1998
Peter J. Pitchess: 1959–1982
Eugene W. Biscailuz: 1932–1958
William I. Traeger: 1921–1932
John C. Cline: 1915–1921
William A. Hammel: 1907–1914
Will A. White: 1903–1906
William A. Hammel: 1899–1902
John Burr: 1895–1898
John C. Cline: 1893–1894
E.D. Gibson: 1890–1892
Martin G. Aguirre: 1889–1890
James C. Kays: 1887–1888
George E. Gard: 1885–1886
Alvan T. Currier: 1883–1884
William R. Rowland: 1880–1882
H.M. Mitchell: 1878–1879
David W. Alexander: 1876–1877
William R. Rowland: 1871–1875
James F. Burns: 1868–1871
Tomas Avila Sanchez: 1860–1867
James P. Thompson: 1858–1859
William C. Getman: 1858
Elijah Bettis: 1857
James R. Barton: 1856
C.E. Hale: 1856
David W. Alexander: 1856
James R. Barton: 1852–1855
George T. Burrill: 1850–1851
Source: L.A. County sheriff's staff
Baca abruptly decided not to seek a fifth term just five months before the June 3 election. If none of the candidates receives a vote of 50 percent-plus-one, a runoff would be held Nov. 4 and the winner sworn in Dec. 1.
In the meantime, the county Board of Supervisors will need to appoint someone to hold the fort, and Baca has recommended Assistant Sheriff Terri McDonald, who previously served as operations undersecretary at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Although Baca said Tuesday he was "leaving on his own terms," he has been battered by criticism in recent years.
More stories on Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca
The American Civil Liberties Union accused him of condoning "savage beatings" of inmates, and the blue ribbon Commission on Jail Violence concurred there had been a "failure of leadership" over the jails.
In July, the U.S. Department of Justice threatened to place his department under a consent decree for alleged "discrimination and harassment" of Latinos and blacks in the Antelope Valley.
In December, the FBI arrested 18 of his deputies, sergeants and lieutenants for alleged civil rights abuses, corruption and even obstruction of justice — including threatening an FBI agent at her home and hiding an FBI informant.
Baca acknowledged the criticism has taken a toll on the department, and he does not want it to be damaged when rivals target him.
"I didn't want to enter a campaign that would be full of contentious, negative politicking," he said. "There has to be another future for the Sheriff's Department."
Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky hailed Baca's decision, even though he doubted it would completely silence critics.
"I don't think it'll cause them to back off, but the criticism will be focused more on the merits of the issues, and not personalized in the context of a political campaign," Yaroslavsky said.
ACLU of Southern California legal director Peter Eliasberg said he has been urging Baca to step down for years.
"The list of problems that have repeatedly come to light range from abuse and mismanagement at the jails, mistreatment of inmates with mental illness, racial and discriminatory policing, and excessive force and lack of accountability, plus all of the stories about the hiring issues," he said. "It just keeps piling up."
In a statement, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles spokesman Jorge-Mario Cabrera said Baca "will not be missed" because his policies led to thousands of deportations.
Ironically, Baca comes from a family of immigrants from Michoacan. He grew up in poverty in East Los Angeles, raised mainly by his grandmother. He had a brief stint as a Marine before joining the Sheriff's Department in 1965.
In 1998, he challenged his mentor, the incumbent Sherman Block, and took office when Block died days before the election.
Service praised
The first half of his 15-year tenure drew praise.
"He was good in a lot of different areas, including community policing, being a reform agent, agreeing to a certain amount of oversight," said Jaime Regalado, emeritus professor of political science at Cal State L.A.
Aside from bringing crime rates to 40-year lows, Baca was hailed for his unconventional tactics that included proposing, at one time, even having the Sheriff's Department build a homeless shelter in downtown L.A.
His pioneering Education-Based Incarceration Program has allowed 8,500 inmates to take classes while in jail so they can acquire diplomas, job training, even anger management and parenting skills.
"He has been a compassionate sheriff, one who established unprecedented access between previously marginalized communities and the Sheriff's Department" Yaroslavsky said. "He brought a humanism to the job that most people in that position across the country would not bring."
"But you can't ignore the fact that the jails have experienced great constitutional policing problems, and that happened on his watch," Yaroslavsky added.
Supervisor Don Knabe said the problems in recent years have "cast a cloud" over the work of the Sheriff's Department. He said Baca's decision to step down would "keep the momentum for reform moving forward."
The FBI has said it is continuing to investigate alleged wrongdoing within the department, but spokeswoman Laura Eimiller refused to say whether the sheriff himself would be swept up in it.
"Because it's an open investigation, I can't rule out any further indictments but I wouldn't be in a position to speculate about that," she said. "Obviously, the sheriff's retirement is completely independent of our investigation."
Two of the candidates for sheriff have hinted the abuses investigated by the FBI could be traced back to Baca. It was Bob Olmsted, retired sheriff's commander who invited the FBI to look into Men's Central Jail. And Paul Tanaka, former undersheriff, who claimed Baca ordered the concealment of the FBI informant.
Baca, however, shrugged off concerns over the FBI.
"You don't become a deputy sheriff if you're afraid," he said. "I'm not afraid of reality. I'm only afraid of people that don't tell the truth."
Nevertheless, Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck said Baca, a friend, privately told him, "all the fury and fire surrounding him has caused his department to be impeded from doing its job, and that's why he stepped aside."
"He's a great man and he'll be known as a great sheriff, mark my words, but that is an extremely difficult job and nobody should have to do it forever," Beck added. "I think people will have to recognize this as an opportunity for new leadership."
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti appreciated Baca making way for new leadership, and he expressed hope it would be "somebody who can partner with our Police Department, ensures the region is unified on homeland security, is a reformer, and can make sure the constitution is respected and that individual rights are respected at every level of the criminal justice system."
The next sheriff would have the burden of finishing all of the reforms recommended by the Commission on Jail Violence. Baca has carried out many of the changes, but some still require millions in additional funding to implement.
There's also Public Safety Realignment, Gov. Jerry Brown's strategy for carrying out a Supreme Court mandate to reduce the overcrowding in state prisons to diverting inmates to counties. Baca has been forced to think of new ways to manage that population, including resorting to increased reliance on GPS-monitoring ankle bracelets.
The new sheriff would oversee the ongoing renovation of the Hall of Justice in downtown Los Angeles, which has been abandoned for years due to earthquake damage. Baca was the one who pushed for years to bring the Sheriff's Department back to its historical home but, ironically, he will not be part of the move.
Like many retirees, Baca said he plans to shower attention on his grandchildren.
"It's one hell of a title to be called Grandpa," he said with a smile. "You've got to take care of those responsibilities."


text:
Omega-3 fatty acids protect against AMD, and the amount and quality of fats in the diet affect eye health, three new studies reveal.
A new omega-3 study from the U.S. National Eye Institute followed the diets of over 1,800 men and women who were likely to develop AMD. After 12 years, compared to those who consumed the least omega-3 fatty acids, those who consumed the most omega-3s, were 30 percent less likely to develop the two types of AMD, wet and dry. Researchers concluded that omega-3 fatty acid supplements may be a low-cost, easily implemented preventive treatment for AMD.
In a related omega-3 study, researchers measured the diets of more than 2,100 people with signs of potential AMD in both eyes. After 12 years, those who had consumed the most eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) alone or combined with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were 50 percent less likely to have lost sight in the center of the field of vision, the most common characteristic of AMD.
In an AMD study, doctors measured the diets of over 1,300 women, aged 50 to 79, to see how fats might affect the chances of AMD. Women younger than 75, who ate a high-fat diet—averaging 43 percent of total calories—were 70 percent more likely to develop AMD compared to women who ate the least fat, 21 percent of total calories on average.
Doctors noted that polyunsaturated fat, such as omega-3 and omega-6 needed to be in balance. When omega-6s were too high compared to omega-3s, chances of AMD rose. Generally for women younger than 75, as saturated fats—which are usually from animal sources—increased, so did the chances of AMD. As monounsaturated fats—those from nuts and olive oil—increased, chances of AMD declined.


text:
I have several of those new Totally Certified Darren Collison cards as well as the Paul George auto/jsy rookie. These cards are amazing! Some of the best I've ever seen actually. I may post pics later.
'); var yuipath = 'clientscript/yui'; var yuicombopath = ''; var remoteyui = false; } else // Load Rest of YUI remotely (where possible) { var yuipath = 'http://yui.yahooapis.com/2.9.0/build'; var yuicombopath = 'http://yui.yahooapis.com/combo'; var remoteyui = true; if (!yuicombopath) { document.write('
I have several of those new Totally Certified Darren Collison cards as well as the Paul George auto/jsy rookie. These cards are amazing! Some of the best I've ever seen actually. I may post pics later.
Just bought a Collison certified jersey auto rookie and a press pass Roy Hibbert patch. Also got a jersey/ball/jersey auto rookie of Lance Stephenson from Absolute Memorabilia
wonder if you can even give that away?
Finally got a Paul George auto/jersey rookie card from Limited. All I need is an autograph card of Tyler Hansbrough and I have the entire Pacers core autographs.
I bought a football at a yard sale the other day with signatures on it. I thought it could have been arena football or something, but wanted to snug it as quick as possible. Got home, and with further inspection I spot Peyton Manning's signature. It matches his signature online very well. A crap ton of other names are on there that I can't seem to read.
Anyone know how much something like that is worth? At the very least, a Peyton Manning signed football?
Maybe a pic of it would be better as a guide for determining the value...I'm not the best source for football values as I do basketball for the main part, but I could probably give you a good estimate.
I have a lot of the Colts signatures. If you post us a picture, I could probably give you all of the names on it.
Off to the National this weekend. Always exciting to see what is there. Anyone else going? Will keep my eyes open for some neat Pacers stuff.
I want to go to it someday. I hear it is the #1 place to go in the world for sports fans--at least on the collector side.
Hard to tell (worth) because there are so many fakes out there. Legit signed ball around $150 and above.
You know how hippos are made out to be sweet and silly, like big cows, but are actually extremely dangerous and can kill you with stunning brutality? The Pacers are the NBA's hippos....Matt Moore CBS Sports....
I stand corrected. I do know Peyton signs a clean legible ball so that helps.
You know how hippos are made out to be sweet and silly, like big cows, but are actually extremely dangerous and can kill you with stunning brutality? The Pacers are the NBA's hippos....Matt Moore CBS Sports....
Several of you are right but also wrong about the Manning ball. At the National, I saw team balls going for more than that, an dsingle signed balls definitely go for more than that in this area depending on the ball and other considerations.
Lots of nice stuff at the National by the way. Just got back in fact---when I've had a chance to rest I might post some interesting nuggets.
I'm looking to sell this card for $5 dlvd in the form of cash, money order, or cashiers check( I do not own a Paypal account). It is number 3 out of only 9 made, which makes it a particularly rare card! I'm just looking to do a quick sale. Extras will be added if purchased! PLMK if you are interested. Thanks!
07-08 Topps Co-Signers Jermaine O'Neal w/ Troy Murphy dual parallel #3/9
I got 30 media guides at a flea market today for $10 bucks. Pretty sweet deal.
Those media guides are sick...I sold the one I had from a Pacers @ Sixers game. It was even signed by Quisey, Diener, Kareem Rush, and maybe 1 other player.
KingGeorge-- do they have all the probable starters listed, "current" stats, injury status updates, etc?
They aren't the individual game media guides. These are the full season media guides that cost $10 a piece. I didn't get any Pacers or Colts guides, but I think I got some pretty rare ones. I got a 2006 NFL Record and Fact Book, a 2006 and 2008 NBA Draft Media guide, a 2006 NFL Kickoff information guide, 8 regular NBA media guides from 06-07 and 07-08, and 16 regular NFL media guides.
Oh ok, still real nice, though. That one 08 Draft one should have some good stuff about Roy and Brandon in it.
Just got my custom card of Alex Morgan (US Women's soccer team) autographed by her today in the mail.
Bought a Reggie Miller rookie card yesterday for 8 bucks...also bought a 50 pack of the 2011 Topps Football cards. I pulled a Blaine Gabbert and Cam Newton rookie card, along with a gold Sam Bradford Rookie of the Year card.
Did I get a good deal on the Reggie card? And is the 2011 topps a good set?
Just now getting back into card collecting.
Depends on what card it is, and what the condition is. And I don't collect football cards so I can't tell you anything about the 2011 Topps.
It's the 1988 Fleer card.
I would say it is worth 8-10 bucks.
That's about right. Keep in mind the 88 Fleer is his ONLY true rookie card.
"Nobody wants to play against Tyler Hansbrough NO BODY!" ~ Frank Vogel
"And David put his hand in the bag and took out a stone and slung it. And it struck the Philistine on the head and he fell to the ground. Amen. "


text:
Ibanez returns to lineup, not concerned about role
SEATTLE -- Raul Ibanez has seen his playing time dip dramatically the past two weeks after getting off to a slow start this season, but the veteran outfielder has made the most of his limited recent opportunities and manager Eric Wedge had him back in the lineup for Friday's series opener with the A's.
Ibanez is hitting .188 in 64 at-bats and has started just three times in the last 13 games. But the 40-year-old has gone 4-for-10 in that limited role after losing playing time following a 1-for-23 slump. He hit a three-run homer on Friday to key the 6-3 victory over the A's.
"It's fine," Ibanez said of his playing situation. "I'm not really worried about it. You just stay ready and work on your craft and nothing really changes. You stay prepared to do your job."
Wedge hasn't forgotten about the 18-year veteran, who also laced a pinch-hit RBI double on Tuesday in Pittsburgh.
"That was big," said Wedge about Ibanez's homer in Friday's game. "Good for Raul, good for us. That was a big shot in the arm for us. The guy has been working so hard and you know he'll continue to get better, but that was a big boost for us today."
Ibanez has been in every situation in baseball, so trying to stay sharp even while playing less doesn't faze him.
"You just do it," he said. "I don't put a lot of thought into it. You just make it work. It's pretty simple approach. Make it work."
Greg Johns is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregJohnsMLB as well as his Mariners Musings blog. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
Video: BDI Novia 8426 audio/video cabinet
Most of the people appearing in our videos are employees at Crutchfield. We pull in folks from around the company to share their expertise. A lot of our on-camera stars come from our Advisor Group — they help people choose the right gear via phone, email and chat every day, so they're good at explaining the products and technologies.
Heads up!Welcome to this article from the Crutchfield archives. Have fun reading it, but be aware that the information may be outdated and links may be broken.
The BDI Novia 8426 is a hardwood cabinet designed to house your components and support a 55" TV. It even has a hidden compartment so you can stow your subwoofer out of sight.
Video Transcript
The solid hardwood BDI Novia Series 8426 is designed to house several of your components, store your media, and support up to a 55" flat panel TV.
The cabinet comes almost fully assembled and is full of well designed details like drop hinges that open and close softly, adjustable shelves, and tinted glass doors so your equipment can respond to your remote even when the doors are closed. It also has hidden wheels so you can move it easily.
This piece is a great choice for people who like to keep their gear organized and dust-free. There's a spot to tuck your subwoofer out of sight and a hideaway spot for a center channel speaker. Hidden channels let you hide and organize your wires to reduce clutter.
If you need more information go to crutchfield.com/DBNovia8426, and if you need advice on buying furniture for you A/V equipment give us a call, send us an email, or chat with us online.


text:
KarlissFarmer Who Aides The Great RebellionReal Name: KarlissKarliss is a farmer and a member of the Great Rebellion on Etheria. He rides a white horse. He sometimes brings food and supplies to the Great Rebellion. He is not a warrior, so he is squirmish about being noticed by the Evil Horde.Trivia (Clawful94): Karliss' appearence comes from the reused and recolored Model Sheet of Harro, who appeared in MOTU Filmation's "All For One". Karliss was voiced by George DiCenzo.
POP Filmation Cartoon Appearances:


text:
A work party has been scheduled and donations are being sought to help clean up flood damage to the ball fields on East Gobbi Street.
Reed Rinehart, president of the Ukiah Youth Baseball League, said it may cost as much as $30,000 to repair and replace "all of the damaged areas," which include "most of the outfield fences, some infield fences, the dugouts... and all of the infield and warning track soils."
In addition to the damage to the infrastructure, Rinehart said the flooding of the Russian River Sunday "deposited most of the facilities soil and gravel from nearby properties onto the infield and outfield grass, and (that) has to be raked out immediately" to prevent losing the grass.
He said the league's equipment sheds, concession stand and restrooms have water damage and they need to be dried out to prevent rusting and mold. The equipment inside, such as electric appliances, lawn mowers, pitching machines and other maintenance equipment, also needs to be tested to see if it still works.
"The league has approximately $20,000 in reserves for such an event, but if we spend all the money on repairs from this flood we may not have enough to pay for the general annual expenses needed to run our league," Rinehart said. "Based on our initial assessment, we are going to have to raise approximately $7,000 to $10,000 to get through this situation."
Rinehart said fund-raising events are being planned, and in the meantime donations can be sent to the league via its account at the Savings Bank of Mendocino County. He asked that donations include the words: Flood Relief 2012.
A work party to clean up the fields and dry out the concession stand and equipment rooms is planned this Saturday, Dec. 8. Rinehart said the group plans to work from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. and asked that people bring gloves, work boots, a rake and a shovel. The fields are located at the end of East Gobbi Street.
The Rusty Bowl BMX facility is next to the ball fields and was also flooded Sunday.
"We had five feet of water in the snack shack and outbuildings," said Theresa Pickrell. "We lost everything: refrigerator, microwave, and printer as well as helmets, chest protectors, trophies, ribbons, signs -- just everything.
"I am just heartbroken," Pickrell said, adding that "we are in need of donations and help to repair the track and clean up."
Contact Rinehart at 462-8811, and the Rusty Bowl at 462-0249.


text:
I'm trying to extract start and end dates as the delimiters of different periods. I would like them to be on the same row, but I can't figure out how to do it.
The query I'm using is:
-- This select gets the start and end dates, but on different rows
SELECT date AS start_date
, date_sub(date, interval 1 second) AS end_date
FROM log
WHERE date(date) >= '2013-06-10 00:00:00'
AND date(date) < '2013-06-16 23:59:59'
AND type in (1,2,3)
GROUP BY date(date), type
-- This next one gets the end date for the last date in the period
SELECT date_sub(date, interval 1 second) AS end_date
, date
from (
SELECT date
FROM log
WHERE date(date) > '2013-06-16 23:59:59'
AND type IN (1,2,3)
GROUP BY date(date), type
) AS next_one
ORDER BY start_date
An example of the data I'm working with is:
date type
2013-06-06 13:05:44 1
2013-06-13 15:34:45 2
2013-06-13 15:31:08 1
2013-06-20 13:10:32 1
2013-06-27 14:05:16 1
2013-07-04 13:58:14 1
The result I'm currently getting is:
start_date end_date
2013-06-13 15:31:08 2013-06-13 15:31:07
2013-06-13 15:34:45 2013-06-13 15:34:44
2013-06-20 13:10:31 2013-06-20 13:10:32
So now the end date for row 1 is in row 2 and the one for row 2 is in row 3 etc.
Does anyone know of a technique to get the end date in row 2 to appear in row 1 i.e. against the one it relates to?
The way you do this is to do a join to the same table, joining on the earliest date after the date in the main table. And you get the earliest date by doing a subquery. It always feels like I'm doing one join too many when I do this, so I'm open to correction.
SELECT `log`.type, `log`.`date` AS start_date, next_log_entry.date AS endDate
FROM `log`
LEFT JOIN `log` AS next_log_entry
ON next_log_entry.type = `log`.type AND next_log_entry.date = (
SELECT MIN(next_log_entry2.date)
`log` next_log_entry2
WHERE next_log_entry2.type=`log`.type
AND next_log_entry2.date>log.date
WHERE `log`.`date` >= '2013-06-01 00:00:00'
AND `log`.`date` < '2013-06-16 23:59:59'
AND `log`.`type` IN (1,2,3)
ORDER BY `log`.`type`, `log`.`date`
Using this table data:
------------------- --------
2013-06-06 13:05:44 1
2013-06-13 15:31:08 1
2013-06-20 13:10:32 1
2013-06-27 14:05:16 1
2013-07-04 13:58:14 1
2013-06-13 15:34:45 2
And I get this result:
type start_date endDate
------ ------------------- ---------------------
1 2013-06-06 13:05:44 2013-06-13 15:31:08
1 2013-06-13 15:31:08 2013-06-20 13:10:32
I'd also be inclined to avoid using function calls in your WHERE statements (eg DATE(date)) because, as far as I know, MySql will have to apply that function to every row in the table, thus skipping indexes and slowing down the query.
totally agree with you on the point about not using functions in the WHERE clause like DATE(date)
however, i don't like your replacement --
WHERE `log`.`date` >= '2013-06-01 00:00:00'
AND `log`.`date` < '2013-06-16 23:59:59'
leaving aside the obvious cheap shot about not using those horrid backticks, i prefer my version --
WHERE log.date >= '2013-06-01'
AND log.date < '2013-06-17'
there, isn't that nicer?
also, note that yours would fail if it is run at exactly 23:59:59
Thank you hessodreamy, that did the trick.
Yes, I do agree about the use of the date function. That was an oversight, as I have to use it on another very similar table that has its dates stored in unix timestamp format in an integer column. I've never understood why people do that when there are perfectly good date data types available. Oh well, never mind.
r937 - That's certainly another way to do it. Or one could use BETWEEN, which is what I did.
no, don't do that
BETWEEN will do an equals match at both end points of the range, and that would be wrong at the top end
whereas what i posted will work correctly always, regardless of the precision of the column in question, whether there are seconds, milliseconds, or whatever
the benefit of my technique (not specifying BETWEEN) becomes obvious when you are dealing with the last day in february
storing data from a legacy unix application is one good reason
making things easier or more familiar for php programmers would be a bad one
If I understand you, in those cases apply your function call to the constant in the condition. So instead of saying
where from_unixtime(timestamp) > "2013-12-01"
You'd use
where timestamp > unix_timestamp("2013-12-01")
This allows MySQL to apply the function once, and use the index of the table (I'm assuming this field is indexed) for faster lookup.
All good points. Thanks.
Re. the dates, 3 points:
Unfortunately I have to work with the dates that are fed from the application, which means I need to include the upper one in the range, so the between will do that, although it may not be the most future proof method.
The application is only a few years old, so no legacy data.
Date data types give more scope for easy date manipulation than a straight integer does.
But that doesn't detract from your points, though, as they all quite valid.
i still don't understand
if you are tasked with returning data for the dates of january 27 through january 29, and given that your date column is a datetime and not just a simple date, would you please show me your BETWEEN code
WHERE date BETWEEN '2013-01-01 00:00:00'
okay, at least you captured most of the datetimes on the 31st (you're missing any that took place between 23:59:59.000 and 00:00:00.000, which is admittedly a small window of error, but don't forget our dear cousin murphy)
when you say the dates are fed from the application, are you saying that the application will already pre-calculate things like properly handling the last day of february?
Yep, it gives the start and end dates for the period being requested.


text:
Charlotte, NCUSA
November 4, 2012
No answer yet
No introduction yet
Help support your Meetup
Meet other local Queen City and surrounding area Salsa | Mambo | Bachata | Cha Cha Cha | Kizomba dancers, musicians, and music lovers. The purpose of this group is to spread our passion for Salsa | Mambo | ChaChaCha | Bachata | Merengue | Kizomba dancing. Our goal is to grow the Charlotte, NC Latin Dance scene. We also want to facilitate a fun environment for people to network with others who are looking to meet new people who share their same passion for dance, life, and music.
We offer adult group and private Salsa, Mambo, Bachata, Merengue, Cha Cha Cha, and Kizomba dance lessons and provide customized group and corporate dance instruction.
Join us for our monthly Complimentary Intro to Latin Dance Class and Party, held on the last Tuesdays of the month from 7:00p - 10:00p at Texicali Taco & Tequila Bar, 900 NC Music Factory Boulevard, Charlotte, NC.
Charlotte Latin Dance http://www.charlottelatindance.com 704.707.4016
2,099 Curvy Yogis
1,250 Rubies
4,511 Dance Lovers!
1,472 Brew Runners
7,527 Outdoorsy types
6,200 Mem-BEERS
Or sign up with email
Already a member? Log in.
Meetup members, Log in
By clicking "Sign up" or "Sign up using Facebook", you confirm that you accept our Terms of Service & Privacy Policy


text:
MARATHON, Fla. - The veterinarian at the Florida Keys-based Turtle Hospital harvested 58 eggs from an endangered female hawksbill sea turtle after the reptile died suddenly early Tuesday.Turtle Hospital - Marathon, Fla.
The turtle was transported to the hospital from the U.S. Virgin Islands Sept. 1, after she was discovered severely injured a week before on Good Hope Beach in St. Croix. Named after the beach, she had been improving, hospital officials had said, pointing out she was responding to treatment and continuing to produce eggs.
"Good Hope" was scheduled to undergo surgery to repair lower eyelids Tuesday morning, but when hospital staff arrived to begin preparations, they discovered her deceased. Instead Dr. Doug Mader removed the eggs so that hospital staff could incubate them nestled in beach sand shipped from St. Croix.
The harvested eggs were added to incubators already accommodating 61 eggs that Good Hope laid on her own while convalescing at the hospital.
Mader said that short term cause of death was pneumonia, but that the reptile died from "overwhelming injuries" she had sustained likely after being entangled in fishing gear before being discovered on Good Hope Beach shortly after Tropical Storm Isaac brushed the Virgin Islands.
"Reptiles are strange creatures and (sometimes) when they start looking better, they crash," Mader said. "We can only hope that some of her eggs hatch and carry her genes forward."


text:
Andrew Dost vividly remembers him and his bandmates in fun. "losing our minds" as they sat in the grandstand during the Grammy Nominations Concert Live! on Dec. 5 in Los Angeles.
"That was just an indescribable feeling," the Royal Oak-based multi-instrumentalist and songwriter says of fun. receiving a field-leading six nominations -- including all four of the major categories. "That's one of those things you don't even really dare to dream about. When you're younger you think those things just happen when you're in a band, and once you reach 24 or 25 you realize they don't just happen to anybody.
"So approaching 30, it was a dream come true. There's really no other way to describe it."
fun. and Andrew McMahon perform Saturday, Jan. 26, at the Fillmore Detroit, 2115 Woodward Ave. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are sold out. Call 313-961-5450 or visit www.livenation.com.
fun. has, in fact, been enjoying a musical dream since the release of its sophomore album, "Some Nights," nearly a year ago.
The soon-to-be-platinum set has spawned two Top 5 hits -- the chart-topping "We Are Young" with Janelle Monae, and the album's title track, which reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. A third, "Carry On," is making its climb now. "We Are Young" also made some chart history as the first song to sell more than 300,000 downloads for seven consecutive weeks.
fun. appeared on "Saturday Night Live" and scored a pair of Teen Choice Awards in 2012, while its music has appeared in a slew of TV shows and movies -- including a new song, "Sight of the Sun," for the soundtrack of HBO's "Girls." "Some Nights" itself was also featured in the University of Alabama football team's National Championship video.
All of this has left the fun. boys a little overwhelmed by their good fortune.
"It's weird. It's crazy and as equally stressful as it is enjoyable,"� frontman Nate Ruess says. It was Ruess, 30, who put fun. together in 2008 shortly after the end of his previous band, The Format, recruiting Dost from Anathallo and guitarist Jack Antonoff from Steel Train.
"(fun.) had been expanding at a nice rate since we started it," Ruess continues, "but then this whole ('Some Nights') thing happened and everything just changed drastically. I mean, we never thought we'd get nominated for a Grammy. I think playing 'Saturday Night Live' felt like an attainable, ultimate goal. But having a No. 1 hit song or whatever else has come with it, none of that stuff ever felt attainable as a group of people who wanted to make music and do it in a realistic manner."
Dost, 29, concurs that fun.'s success has been "absolutely unexpected."
"We've been at this a long time in different bands, and even in fun. We were happy. We were very content. We were kind of growing a wonderful fan base slowly but surely, and we were doing OK. All of this has been amazing but definitely not anything we were really ready for or had dared to dream about.
"But it's been very nice."
What clicked with "Some Nights," Dost says, was simply a case of fun. getting better -- and of the three members learning how to work better with each other, too, since their 2009 debut "Aim and Ignite."
"On a lot of the first album we were kind of feeling each other out and finding the chemistry between the three of us," Dost recalls. "I love our first album and I'm still very proud of it, but I think on ('Some Nights') we were finally learning to write the songs we're sort of built to write."
Ruess says that between albums Dost and Antonoff also learned how to handle what he calls his "scatterbrained" method of creativity.
"When we made the first album we were just some friends who admired what one another did," Ruess explains. "There was a lot of us trying to impress one another, but it didn't feel cohesive, necessarily. After that, there was a level of trust that happened on both sides. We completely fell in line with the process, and it became a lot more natural."
There were factors in the success of "Some Nights," including the contributions of primary producer Jeff Bhasker, a Grammy nominee who'd made his name primarily in the pop, R&B and hip-hop worlds with Kanye West, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Bruno Mars, Alicia Keys and others and who helped fun. achieve a different kind of pop grandeur this time around. "We were able to do what we wanted and (Bhasker) had so many ideas to make it better," Ruess notes.
fun. expects to be on the road for the bulk of 2013, though Ruess says he's already come up with a song that could be the starting point for the next fun. album. But nobody is putting a concrete timeline on that yet. "I think it would be a little unfair to think about what's next," Antonoff says. "Our job right now is to do a great service to the people who have gotten behind this album, and to play it with the same passion that we had when we made it.
Meanwhile, the Grammys -- where fun. will perform on Feb. 10 -- loom, and the trio plans to have -- well, fun -- whether or not the group brings home any trophies.
"I'm not even viewing it as any sort of competition," says Dost. "I think it's such a thrill to just be nominated, really, and I feel we're in such good company. Between Jack White and Frank Ocean and Mumford & Sons and the Black Keys, there's so many amazing artists that even to be mentioned and nominated alongside them is such a crazy victory to us (that) I wouldn't mind if we didn't win any."


text:
April 8, 2011 BY Aaron Kr.
The Sneaker News readers have spoken; the Air Jordan XI 'Concord' is the greatest OG Air Jordan of all time. Beginning with sixteen grueling battles in the first round and a few near-upsets along the way, the Air Jordan XI 'Concord' had just one competitor left to defeat – the daunting Air Jordan III Black/Cement. The results were clearly much closer than anticipated; the Air Jordan XI 'Concords' are thought to have a 'younger' following, while those who might have voted for the Air Jordan III may have done so to represent the earlier years of Air Jordan and pay respects to the gamechanging beginnings of the line. In any case, the tallies came right down to the wire with the Concord XI emerging with a narrow 2% victory on its way to being named the readers choice as Champion of our March Madness OG Air Jordan Tournament.
The Air Jordan XI was designed by Tinker Hatfield, and inspired by a lawnmower, of all things. The use of patent leather added a touch of luxury to the performance shoe, a certain 'swag' that Michael so effortlessly conveyed during his career. Michael debuted the Concord colorway of the Air Jordan XI in 1995 during the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals match-up against the Orlando Magic. The shoe was given to Michael as a wear-test sample, but he could not resist wearing them during the game and did so even with warnings from NBA officials and firm requests by Tinker Hatfield. The Concord XI was a message to the world: Michael is back, and so is the Air Jordan. Undoubtedly a top-tier OG Air Jordan colorway, its newfound championship title in the Sneaker News March Madness OG Air Jordan Tournament is one that is well deserved. Thanks to all who participated in our tournament voting, and with expected Retro releases of both of our finalists coming later this year, there are truly no losers here!
[1] – AJ III Black/Cement vs. [1] – AJ XI Concord
Filed under: Air Jordan Events


text:
The World's 18 Strangest Shopping Malls
Star Wars fans don't need pets. What they do need is this AT-AT (All Terrain Armored Transport), which, at 2 feet tall and almost 2.5 feet long, is about as big as a dog. The toy is equipped with LED lights and sound effects, rotating chain guns, a zipline from the belly, two repelling platforms, articulated legs, a popout speeder bike and two firing projectiles. It opens on both sides and stores up to 20 action figures. What better way to teach a nerd responsibility? Buy it here.
Grab this trilogy—just released to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the first Back to the Future film—and insist you watch it along with your obsessed friend. Afterward, discuss the intricacies of time travel and pull up Saturday Night Live's epic, we-wish-they-had-actually-happened screen tests for the film.
Six Innovative Robot Hands


text:
NEW YORK ( TheStreet) -- Apple ( AAPL) shares reversed earlier losses, gaining 1.2% to $463.20, on speculation the company is accelerating its stock-buyback program. Twitter was aflurry with the rumor making rounds that Apple, which announced a buyback program in early 2012, would be speeding it up. In March 2012, Apple said it would spend $10 billion on a share-repurchase program and initiate a quarterly dividend of $2.65 per share. The Cupertino, Calif.-based company said it expects to spend $45 billion over the next three years. Apple couldn't immediately be reached for comment for this story.
Zynga ( ZNGA) shares moved higher, tacking on 8.9% to $2.98, after the social-gaming company reported fourth-quarter results that beat Wall Street estimates. Excluding items, the San Francisco-based company earned 1 cent a share on $311.1 million in revenue. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters were looking for a loss of 3 cents a share on $212.1 million in sales. For the first quarter of 2013, Zynga said it expects to generate sales between $255 million and $265 million, losing between 4 cents and 2 cents a share.
3D Systems ( DDD) shares rose 4.8% to $65.56 after the 3D-printing company said it would split its stock 3-for-2. On Feb. 22, shareholders as of Feb. 15 will receive one additional share for every two they own. It will be paid in the form of a 50% dividend, and shareholders will receive cash in lieu of fractional shares. The stock will start trading on a split-adjusted basis Feb. 25. "The stock split will increase the market liquidity and broaden our investor base. We are pleased by the confidence that our Board of Directors and shareholders have placed in our ability to provide superior returns and long-term value," CEO Avi Reichental said in a press release.
BlackBerry ( BBRY) shares fell 1.1% to $15.85 on reports that initial sales of the BlackBerry Z10 aren't all they've been cracked up to be. BlackBerry has touted that the Z10 is seeing switches from other devices, but some analysts on Wall Street note stores are only being stocked with a handful of devices, as opposed to hundreds or thousands. Canaccord Genuity's Mike Walkley noted that most stores in the U.K., where the device was first launched, received less than 15 units, and were sold over a few days. "Our surveys revealed that while most sales representatives acknowledged the Z10 was a marked improvement versus older BB 7 devices, initial sales were driven by pent-up demand from loyal BlackBerry users," Walkley wrote in his note. -- Written by Chris Ciaccia in New York >Contact by Email. Follow @Commodity_Bull
- Log In
- Newsletters
Access insights and guidance from our Wall Street pros. Find the product that's right for you.
- Action Alerts PLUS
- Daily Swing Trade
- Income Seeker
- Quant Ratings
- Real Money
- Real Money Pro
- Stocks Under $10
- Top Stocks
- Trifecta Stocks
- Real Money Pro Portfolio
- Chairman's Club
- Compare All


text:
Is Weighing Baby to Measure Milk Intake a Good Idea?
Sue Iwinski
Prospect CT USA
From: LEAVEN, Vol. 42 No. 3, July-August-September 2006, pp. 51-53
When I was a Leader Applicant in 1994 I learned that "test weighing," weighing a baby before and after one or more feedings to see how much milk a baby had received while breastfeeding, was not very useful in most cases for a healthy, full-term baby. After all, we knew there were other accurate yet easy ways of telling that baby is doing well, like counting wet diapers/nappies and bowel movements each 24 hours. Why would mothers want to focus on individual feedings when we are well aware that babies do not take the same amount at each feeding? As long as you feed them whenever they are hungry, or wake them up for feedings when they are healthy (albeit sleepy) full-term newborns, they will get what they need from the breast. Furthermore, the use of baby scales can feed into our cultural preoccupation with feeding or parenting by numbers, instead of by cue, the latter being a more instinctive and responsive dance between a mother and her healthy baby.
When breastfeeding experience and knowledge were even less common than they are now, baby scales were often used to measure breastfeeding success. Doctors weighed babies before and after feedings and if the result was not what they deemed appropriate, mothers were told they didn't have enough milk. Many mothers ended up weaning unnecessarily, believing their ability to produce milk was deficient when the problem was the faulty interpretation of the information. The brave mothers who fed their babies "the natural way" were sometimes instructed to use baby scales at home, either to calculate milk intake or baby's weight gain. Some lucky mothers were able to breastfeed under these circumstances, either because the measurements fit what was at that time assumed to be healthy, or because they gave more weight to their obviously healthy and happy babies than to the scale.
This historical perspective influences my interpretation of the information provided by the scale in my work as a lactation consultant in a breastfeeding medicine practice. What I have also learned is that accurate weights are useful when faced with breastfeeding challenges, especially in the early weeks and months.
Counting wet and soiled diapers/nappies in the early days can reassure everyone that baby is getting enough milk for hydration and growth. After day four, healthy, full-term newborns should have at least six wet diapers/nappies and at least three quarter-sized (2.5 cm) or larger bowel movements each 24 hours. A tissue placed inside disposable diapers aids in determining wetness. When a baby loses a lot of weight in the first two to four days (over seven percent of birth weight), it can be helpful to address any breastfeeding issues and to confirm that the baby begins gaining weight around day four postpartum. When the wet and/or soiled diaper/nappy counts are low, pre- and post-feeding weighing, by a qualified professional, can also show how much milk the baby is receiving during a feeding.
This measures actual transfer (or intake) of milk, not merely how long or how often baby has been at the breast, or how the attachment to the breast and breastfeeding look. Appearances can be misleading. While it may look as if milk transfer is low, the baby can take in a surprising amount, while at other times milk transfer may seem to be significant, but the baby has not taken in much milk at all.
During the first two to four days, if a baby has lost seven to 10 percent or more of his birth weight and pre- and post-feeding weights indicate milk transfer is good (expected milk intake varies with age of baby), appropriate breastfeeding management will usually be sufficient to turn things around. However, if that baby, even after latch-on and positioning assistance, is not appearing satiated and is transferring very little milk during a two- to three-hour consult appointment, additional interventions might be indicated to help baby begin not only gaining weight, but having adequate energy to feed well at the breast.
A common slow weight gain scenario we see at the breastfeeding medical practice where I work is the baby who, in the first few months, really wants/needs to be on the breast constantly. (I am not talking about unrealistic expectations, lack of maternal support, or mothering burnout.) The scale shows this baby to be gaining less than the average of six ounces (168 grams) per week and to be taking in one ounce (28 grams) or less of milk per hour of attachment to the breast. (Neville et al. 1988 has shown that by four weeks of age, healthy well-gaining breastfed babies usually consume 25 to 30 fluid ounces, or 750 to 900 ml, per 24 hours.) The intake measured by the scale, combined with a history, physical exam of mother and baby, and observation of breastfeeding, correlates with other assessments and often helps validate what the mother's instincts told her all along, that something was not right. In cases like this, interventions may be required to increase mother's milk supply and to help the baby consume calories more efficiently, so he can get out of this abnormal, energy-conserving, slow-gaining state.
Sometimes the scale can provide additional confirmation of suspected overabundant milk supply. The high volume of milk transferred in a few moments can be quite noteworthy (four to eight fluid ounces, or 120 to 240 ml, in a few minutes is not unusual), even though the mother believes that she is not making enough milk for her "constantly" hungry baby. When a mother is shown the large intake volume, it can help her understand that trying to increase her milk supply by taking galactagogues or frequently switching sides can exacerbate, not resolve, the situation.
As helpful as the scale might be in the hands of an experienced person, in the wrong hands it can be misleading and discouraging. Test weighing is like a snapshot of a certain moment in time: all aspects of a situation must be considered before making generalizations and conclusions. For example, if a baby is growing and gaining normally, feedings are comfortable (for mother and baby), and feedings are within normal duration and frequency, the amount of milk transferred at one feeding is not necessarily relevant. Many of us have heard inexperienced health care providers making erroneous conclusions after test weighing. One mother, whose baby was growing normally, had concerns about her baby's feeding frequency (within the normal range of eight to12 times per 24 hours). She was told to bring the baby to her pediatric office's lactation specialist. After test weighings in the office, she was told that the amount of milk her baby transferred was "too low" and that she must not be making enough milk.
Sometimes mothers use scales at home to reassure themselves that baby is getting enough milk and then worry because their babies are not drinking the large volumes often consumed by formula-fed babies. The larger volumes consumed by formula-fed babies are not only related to the differences between formula and human milk, but also due to the differences between breastfeeding verses bottle-feeding. Feeding by the scale is not a useful way for mothers to learn their baby's hunger and satiety cues. Using a scale can be helpful for some mothers with conditions such as breast reduction surgery, or for babies with specialized medical needs, or premature babies with medical complications. But scale use is usually temporary. These mothers, in a consultation with a health care professional, may find it better to focus on baby's general weight gain only once a day, or even every few days.
Another problem with test weighing can be with the accuracy or quality of the scales. Scales designed to accurately measure milk intake are digital, can be calibrated, and measure to the nearest tenth of an ounce (or two grams). Many scales are more difficult to read and do not need to be accurate for measuring very small differences since they are designed for weighing the baby, not the amount of milk a baby ingests.
Leaders can help mothers understand that test weighing is just another tool that can be used or misused. It can provide additional information to help identify and appropriately manage breastfeeding issues or it can discourage mothers unnecessarily and cause premature weaning. When approached by a mother who lacks confidence, or one who is concerned about her baby's milk intake, Leaders can provide information and reassurance and encourage her to consult her baby's health care provider or other appropriate health care professional.
Mohrbacher, N. and Stock, J. THE BREASTFEEDING ANSWER BOOK, third revised edition. Schaumburg, IL: La Leche League International, 2003; 20, 40-41, 223, 302, 310.
Neville, M.C. et al. Studies in human lactation. Milk volumes in lactating women during onset of lactation and full lactation. Am j Clin Nutr 1988; 48:1375-86.
Riordan, J. Breastfeeding and Human Lactation, third edition. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett, 2005; 303-04.
West, D. DEFINING YOUR OWN SUCCESS: BREASTFEEDING AFTER BREAST REDUCTION SURGERY. Schaumburg, IL: La Leche League International, 2001; 90-91, 136-37.
Guidelines for Health Care Providers and Others Using a Baby Scale in Breastfeeding Situations
Author's note: These are intended to be a resource for health care professionals, but they could also be helpful to La Leche League Leaders and mothers when a health care professional or the mother is using a scale.


text:
Mail: Southern statues symbolize suppession
Mail: Thanks for helping Aiden
More opinion
Fall: Good time to spray musk thistle in rosette stage
Robertson and Delsing re-elected chair, vice chair of NWB
More Ag News
Free trees for fall planting are available to Nebraska communities in time to celebrate ReTree Week, Sept. 22-28.
The grant helps enable communities to plant trees during the fall in conjunction with ReTree Nebraska Week and other fall planting events.
Even though communities are encouraged to take part in ReTree Nebraska Week plantings, trees can be planted from Sept. 1-Nov. 15. The recipient's event will be considered a ReTree Nebraska event when held during this time frame. Deadline for application is Oct. 31.
This fall planting campaign helps promote the value of healthy trees for a healthy community and the healthy establishment and ongoing care of newly planted trees.
The goal is to plant at least 700 high-quality trees in Nebraska communities in conjunction with a tree-related educational event or community celebration to promote fall planting.
Organizations and communities can participate in ReTree Week without planting trees. Informational materials such as articles, library displays and ReTree Week graphics are available on request.
Tree advocates are given priority and awarded with 1-10 trees. Advocates include ReTree Nebraska ambassadors, Tree City USA tree boards, Tree Campus USA schools, Nebraska Statewide Arboretum curators, individuals volunteering or supporting community forestry programs and Project Learning Tree facilitators.
Providing free trees gives volunteers and non-profit partners such as business improvement districts, neighborhood associations, government agencies and other public or private entities the added resources to plant trees in public spaces and areas of civic importance. Focus is also on diversifying the community forest by promoting a broader mix of native and well-adapted non-native tree species recommended by ReTree Nebraska. A special emphasis will be placed on the planting of ReTree Nebraska's 13 for 2013 underused trees species (http://retreenebraska.unl.edu/planting-diversity).
Grant applications are available at: http://retreenebraska.unl.edu/retree-week-september-22-28-2013
Trees for Nebraska Towns is funded by the Nebraska Environmental Trust (a beneficiary of the Nebraska Lottery) as part of the ReTree Nebraska Initiative. The program is coordinated by the Nebraska Forest Service on behalf of the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum, Inc.
Flatrock Publishing, Inc.
1300 E 4th St., Suite F
North Platte, NE 69101


text:
* Free Economy Shipping awarded to orders that exceed $75 after coupon redemptions, promotions and discounts are applied. Offer is automatically applied at checkout when standard shipping option is selected. Offer only valid for orders shipped within the 48 contiguous United States and excludes the following over-sized items: Co-Pilot Roller, Aviator Travel Backpack, Aviator Wheeled Backpack and Bike Travel Case.
Check on your order. Then stalk the delivery van.
Touch & feel it. Find a store that sells Timbuk2.
There are other sizes and/or colors available.
Click here to view different sizes or colors.
Free Shipping on Orders over $75
Customize this Bag