text:
The basketball stuff is not that good but his observations are quite funny
Paul on the Playoffs
Updated: May 28, 2005
Ladies and gentleman... back by popular demand... the "funniest man in the NBA," according to Best Damn Sports Show Period, we give you... Paul Shirley!
That's right, in spite of his complaints over being censored in his wildy popular "Road Ramblings" on Suns.com, the wildly witty 12th man has heard your heart-felt pleas for more online sarcasm and has agreed to offer up tidbits from time to time throughout the Suns' playoff run. The Suns.com staff, in return, has assured Paul that not one word will be censored without prior consent.
The 27-year-old forward -- who made the club's opening day roster, was cut before the opening game, but then re-signed in January -- originally kept an online diary for Suns.com during the team's five-game road trip in mid-March. A diary that created quite a frenzy in the national media, which was equally surprised and entertained by his unique and honest insight into life in the NBA. Shirley's daily journal (Paul doesn't like the word "blog") was mentioned on ESPN's "Cold Pizza" and on ESPN.com, and was covered in several newspapers around the country, including USA Today.
Posted by Paul Shirley, May 27, 2005
San Antonio, Texas I seem to overheat easily. I think my core temperature must be slightly higher than most everyone elses because it does not take much to push me over the edge to a slight film on the forehead. Considering my present home city, this is all great news. I think it was 170 degrees in Phoenix yesterday. Fortunately, my poor cooling system does not manifest itself in some sort of rancid B.O. It does mean that my upper lip and eyebrow regions break into salty droplets with only the slightest prodding. Now, this is not the worst occurrence in the world, except that, once my bodys radiator gets out of balance, it is difficult to correct the problem. A poor wardrobe choice can lead to a night of sleeve-wiping and awkward looks from the people with whom I am conversing.
We are now in San Antonio, hoping to begin climbing out of the 0-2 series hole over which the Spurs are standing, shovel at the ready. I spent the evening here with a college friend of mine and his wife. Because we are staying near it, we set off down the Riverwalk with the hopes of finding a promising restaurant. Along the way, I noticed that I had made a regrettable decision when I had spurned the idea of donning shorts for the evenings entertainment. Subconsciously, I must have thought that San Antonio would be cool at night. I would guess that my line of thinking was that, since Phoenix is obviously the hottest place in the world, everywhere else must be cool enough for long pants. I forgot that the only truly appropriate clothing choice in Phoenix is complete nudity; I was off by one stepSan Antonio is easily shorts-worthy. (On a side note, it is a bit humid here in San Antonio, which reminds me of home, where it is disgusting in the summertime. However, the author finds little solace in the dry heat of Arizona. What an absolute load of [feces]. My oven puts out dry heat as well; I am confident that I would not be comfortable in there, either.)
My friends and I were alarmed at the fact that San Antonio has become quite the tourist trap these days. I had never noticed it beforemaybe because I have never been here on a holiday weekendbut the Riverwalk is fast becoming its own little version of Bourbon Street. Fewer transvestites, more Mexicans, but otherwise very similar. I was disappointed by the amount of non-native San Antonians walking the roads because I have noticed over the years that, when people go on vacation, they often lose sight of the fact that they are, in fact, quite unattractive. I saw many overweight women wearing clothing they should never have purchased, let alone put on, which cut down on the aesthetics of the area significantly. (Side note, or question. Why do fat girls think that tight clothes are going to somehow enhance their overall appearance? It actually does the exact opposite. Also, do these people buy homes that are not equipped with mirrors? Even a stainless steel toaster would probably do enough of a reflecting job to tell some of the hosses I saw wandering around this evening that it might have been a better idea to leave the not-so-little strapless number in the closet.)
About the time my revulsion at the BMIs of the passersby had run its course, we found a restaurant that appeared tolerable. I hammered down an overpriced ribeye that was presented covered in barbecue saucea concept that offends me greatly as a former caretaker of steaks on the hoof back in Kansas. Our visit was lovely; when we finished, we hiked back to the hotel and said our goodbyes and my friends left for their hotel. The walk home in the muggy evening air had done little to refrigerate my core; consequently, my brow was still damp and I was anxious to get back to my hotel room so that I could crank the thermostat down to about 60 degrees and finally cool down the nuclear power plant that seems to run my body. On the way to the elevators, I noticed the entire brains behind the operation that is the Phoenix Suns closing quickly. Included were Mike DAntoni, Jerry and Bryan Colangelo, and David Griffin (director of player personnel), with wives and families in tow. Theyre good people and I get along relatively well with all of them, so I was not displeased to see them. They are, however, my bosses, on various levels, so such of a collection of powerand meon an elevator, was a bit of an awkward situationespecially for them. They were forced to make conversation with an interloper when they were looking only to get up to their rooms after a long night of planning the future of basketball. They all knew that I was not going to play in the next days game, so that discussion was out. Bryan and I had already talked about the bad beat I took in the poker game on the plane (Joe Johnson caught one of two nines that would help him on the river and I was sunk). David Griffin was in said poker game, so we had already spent some time together on the day. Coach DAntoni is funnier than me, so any remark he would make would probably go over my head, and Jerry Colangelo has seen about 8,000 basketball players in his day and certainly doesnt need a 12-second conversation with the likes of me. It was all very Seinfeld-esque, mostly to meand made more so because my face was by then very much wipe-of-the-brow worthy. Which means that the entire front office now thinks I have either a very hard time dealing with normal social situations, or a rampant drug problem. I am really going to give my wardrobe more careful consideration the next time I leave the room.
Posted by Paul Shirley, May 16, 2005
Tim Floyd, who is one of the people I respect most in all the world, once told me that the reason he likes basketball the most as a spectator sport is because an observer can tell a lot about a persons character by watching him play. In baseball and football, the fans are too removed from the action, and the players faces are physically covered by either a helmet or the brim of a hat. A player, he noted, can hide a lot behind those impedances (probably my word, not his). In a game of basketball, the athletes emotions are on display for all to see. Thats what made Steve Nashs effort in Game 4 of our series with Dallas so breathtaking.
I went to the game in something of a malaise. I will admit that our games begin to run together for me as I have not played in so long that I have begun to consider neglecting to wear a uniform beneath my warm-up gear. Consequently, I was not all that excited to watch yet another basketball game, especially after the emotional high that was our Game 3 win in Dallas. I spent the first few minutes of the game putting forth a lackluster effort in my job as associate cheerleader, but my interest picked up as we struggled through the second quarter. The Mavericks fans were beginning to get boisterous, which roused me from my stupor enough that I began to take a real interest in the proceedings. Dallas was playing inspired basketball and we well, inspired would not be the word to describe the way we were playing I think "disinterested" does the job nicely. We* made it into the locker room down only 16, which seemed much more surmountable than the twenty-one-point deficit we had faced moments earlier.
* I use the term "we" loosely and to mean, "my team," and only because it is the direct opposite of "they," which I use as a stand-in for "the other team."
At the half, Coach DAntoni did his best to stoke the fires and it seemed to work as we began the second half with a higher level of focus on the task at hand. (I was trying to put as many clichés in one sentence as I could. How did I do?) Unfortunately, our efforts failed to dent the deficit; in fact, the Mavericks staved off my teammates with made shots that found their mark from all over the court. It was frustrating to watch.
There comes a point in every semi-blowout basketball game that, if it has been held off long enough, the team sucking the proverbial rear mammary begins to fold. After Dallas managed to effortlessly keep the lead between twelve and fifteen points for much of the third quarter, my team unconsciously said to itself, [Feces]. What the hell are we going to do? They just wont miss. Inner shoulders began to sag and theoretical faces started to fall.
Then, a magical thing happened. Steve Nash absolutely took over the basketball game.
Now, we did not win Game 4 against the Mavericks. In fact, we lost by about 10. I doubt that many people will remember what happened in the second half of that game. I know, though, that I will never forget it. Steve put on what was unquestionably the single-most impressive display of basketball skill that I have ever seen in person. He was absolutely unstoppable. There were times throughout the last fifth of the game that I literally had Goosebumps as I stood by the baseline watching him carry my team. He made big shot after big shot, at times when a miss would have been absolutely disastrous because Dallas was certainly not acquiescing to Steves plan of a stirring comeback and was making nearly everything they threw in the direction of the backboard. I think that is what made the experience so astoundingthat each shot was under such pressure. It is never easy to find such a rhythm, but I have to think that it is a more facile task when the chips are falling in place, when the game is flowing and ones team is actually making progress. Steve could have hung his head and resigned himself and his team to a losing fate at any time during his zoning-in, but he never did. As I mentioned, though, we never could close the gap. Our fearless point guard kept us within striking distance for almost the entire second half; his floor mates and he just could not come up with the defensive stands needed to surmount the Mavericks' lead.
The greatest part of Steves 48-point performance came late in the game. He had not really forced a shot all night and had taken what Dallas had given him throughout the game. (In fact, some will say that this was the Mavericks game plan. I doubt, though, that allowing anyone to score 48 was mentioned in the pre-game briefing.) I would love to say that I can recall the plays exactly, but as I noted earlier, I have been watching way too much basketball these days. Suffice it to say that on two consecutive possessions near the end of the game, he had what looked for an instant like an open shot, only to have the window of opportunity closed by a fast-charging member of the opposition. In both cases, he found an open teammate who, both times, made a shot. Those two passes drove home what Coach Floyd once said. Anyone watching the game could tell just what sort of person Steve Nash is. They could tell that after the game he would deflect any talk of his own performance and instead concentrate on the fact that his effort, as Herculean as it was, was not enough to win the game. They could see that he never gave up on his team as he huddled them after bad breaks. They watched him shrug off, as best he could, some [adjectives deleted for authors protection] calls by the referees. In all, anyone who watched Game 4 of the Phoenix-Dallas series now knows exactly what kind of person Steve Nash is. And I dont think that is a bad thing.
Posted by Paul Shirley, May 12, 2005
This journal has received more attention than I could have ever thought possible. Stories have been done on the blog by wide-ranging outlets such as Fox Sports, ESPNews, the Wall Street Journal (Online editionthis has not quite been enough of a phenomenon to rate mention in the traditional version), Sports Illustrated, Newsweek and, strangely enough, the BBC. (I will clarifyBBC stands for British Broadcasting Corporation. Someone to whom I was speaking recently was confused by the acronym, leading to another drop in my estimate of the general intelligence level of the average human.) All of this has made me realize I had forgotten how intoxicating, yet frustrating media attention can be.
I am a huge proponent of the concept that is The Media. Without the watchdog attitude that is taken by many journalistic outlets, our personal freedoms would be in serious jeopardy. Because of the inherent corrupting nature of power wielded, government would slowly take total control of many aspects of the average persons life if not for the checks and balances provided by the damned liberal media. Historically, the creation of any totalitarian regime worth its salt was marked by some sort of media takeover or, at the very least, heavy censorship. (Side note: As I have mentioned before, I spent two months in Russia earlier this season. Scary developments are afoot in that country. Of course, no one here knows about them because we are all entirely too concerned with the latest celebrity gossip to care that the Russian government has gained control of most of the television stations there. Without independent voices to raise a questioning eyebrow, the push to find a way to make Vladimir Putin the countrys permanent leader should be an easier one. I am not making this up.) The press has always been one of the few entities that held influence over the heavy hand that is big government. It is an overused example, but it still rings true: What if no one had uncovered the evidence that brought the Watergate scandal to the publics eye? Our lives would not be the same, methinks. One does not need to be a conspiracy theorist to realize that those in charge want to stay that way and will do most anything to accomplish that goal. More recently, I could point to Bushs own Patriot Act as an example of a piece of legislation that, had it been enacted Wait. Oh, thats right, that fine idea came to fruition. I forgot about the fact that scare tactics override all else as a motivator. And that the general public is inherently stupid. And that even though the Act severely restricts individual rights and puts the US on a fast-track to an Orwellian destiny, the Joe Rednecks of the world stood up and said, Rights? Im willing to give up my own personal rights, if it means more freedom around the world. (Think about the blasphemy found in such a statement.)
I have digressed. I write the above as background only to impress upon the reader that I realize that the media is very necessary to our survival. Well, not to our survival, I suppose, but at least the survival of our way of living that is, in a free country. I think some journalists do great work. That being said, there is always room at the bottom.
I did an interview on The Best Damn Sports Show about a month ago. I vowed not to watch my own performance, but the participants at the poker game that went down at my apartment that night overrode my veto. I was reminded of why I dont like to see or hear myself. Ever. First of all, seeing oneself on television is surreal because everything is backwards. We do not think about it much, but most of the views a person sees of himself are reflections in the mirrormeaning that, when I see myself on TV, it looks kind of what I think I look like, but not really. It is very unsettling. Second, it turns out that I talk out of the side of my mouth. It is not a pretty sight. I will be accepting applications for the position of Instructor in How Not to Look Like a Complete Jackass When Speaking on Camera starting next week. It would be okay if I had just had a stroke; since I havent, it is inexcusable to appear so retarded while speaking. Last, I know of a few people whose faces should ever be subjected to a close-up. I am not one of those people.
The interview was moderately entertaining, I suppose. It was somewhat strange in that my only contact with the hosts of the show was through an earpiece. The interview was done via satellite; my location was a darkened room with a camera, and so I had no view of the proceedings another very odd feeling. For all I knew, the studio audience was openly mocking my presence and the hosts not actively participating in the interview were making obscene gestures in my direction. (Maybe it is better I didnt see them, actually. I can pretend they were entranced by my droll observations on the state of professional basketball and no one will be the wiser.) As usual, when my 2.5 minutes was up, I spoke briefly to a producer who thanked me for my time and sent me on my way.
The interview process, when done badly (which is most of the time), is extremely degrading. In my experience, whether it is for TV or newsprint, the interviewer pretends to be extraordinarily interested in the subjects life for anywhere between two and ten minutes. Then like a john leaving a cheap motel room, he goes on his merry way without a second thought to the proceedings.
Tom Arnold, who I gather works for the aforementioned Best Damn Sports Show, was at Game Two in our series against Dallas. I suppose he was on-hand to further his career as a (Why exactly is Tom Arnold famous? Ive never been clear on this.) After doing a few pre-game interviews, he took a seat courtside and watched as we lost to the Mavericks in a thriller that nearly resulted in serious damage to the arena floor due to impact with Joe Johnsons cheekbone. (I dont mean to be so glib. Joes fall was a doozy and it will be an impressive feat when he is willing to put his face back in harms way, which I am sure will be sooner for him than it would be for the rest of us.) One of Arnolds pre-game interviews was with me, which was disappointing news for this author. I have grown rather tired of talking about the blog, mainly because the questions asked are usually repetitive to the point of making me want to commit acts of violence upon the interviewer. I tried to hide behind a pillar when I saw the cameras, but I had to pass by Arnold and one of his handlers to get to the locker room. As soon as I came around the corner, my hopes of a quick walk-by were dashed. His sidekick recognized me, and quickly whispered something in Crazy Toms ear. A microphone was shoved into my face and the camera turned my way.
(I should note that my distaste for the attention caused by all this is not modesty. My ego is as big as anyones. I just dont see the point, really. I havent DONE anything. As I mentioned in a previous missive, there are already way too many people talking or writing about the things other people are doing and I am one of those. To have people talking about what I am writing about takes the process to a new level of absurdity and pointlessness.)
Tom, in what I learned is his normal, rather high-strung way, began berating me with near-questions that were of absolutely no substance at all. In fact, the only thing I gleaned from the experience was a new way to envision what a person who had just snorted twenty five... Pixie Stix must look like he is that hyperactive. The poor guy didnt have a clue why he was interviewing me and I had been on his show. I even tried to lob something his way, mentioning that I had seen him in my Cyclone days at pre-Iowa caucus rally for Al Gore. (Perhaps he wiped the compelling performance that the ever-captivating Gore put on from his memory. I pretty much have.) He said something like, I liked Al Gore, and then trailed off into a frantic butchering of the English language. All in all, it was an awful interview.
I dont blame Tom Arnold for the fact that he is a half-crazed reporter for the BDSS. I blame the people that watch. Maybe, instead of tuning in to some guy who used to get it done with Roseanne on a regular basis talk about the journal, a body should read it for himself. Arnolds viewpoint cannot be superior; he is still addled from those years in bed with a less-than-attractive mate. Better yet, watch the game and then stowaway in my bag, stalk the players, and come up with even stranger impressions than the ones I have. (On second thought, maybe just read the journal.) Think for yourself. Question authority. The media is around for a reason, but Tom Arnold isnt it.
Posted by Paul Shirley, May 7, 2005
Most of my colleagues are quite tall. I am no exception at 610. When in captivity, on the basketball court, I am able to easily forget the fact that my bones are stretched to an extraordinary length because I am surrounded by other members of the freak show. Not so when I am released into the wild. Then, I am forced to remember by stupid people.
After one of a recent session of the basketball camp that serves as practice while we await an opponent for our next playoff series, I headed to my neighborhood Safeway. I picked up my staples (cereal and yogurt figuring prominently among my selections), and headed out the door. As I was leaving, a man searching for a nearby accountants office accosted me when he observed my heightful frame and said, Hey man, you should have played basketball. Youre really tall.
What, basketball? Youre kidding. Why didnt I think of this sooner? Its a good thing you came along, man.
He continued, Just how tall are you? I replied with my correct height, which was quite the Herculean effort, considering the retorts that occurred to me. Back to his original line of questioning, he asked, So, did you ever play ball? Now, he was obviously baiting me into giving something away. The smart thing to do was to keep walking and admit nothing. Instead, I said, Actually, I play for the Suns. As soon as it came out of my mouth, I wished I had a DeLorean. Option 1: no conversation with strange, middle-aged man. Option 2: lengthy encounter with strange, middle-aged man. Option 1 was the logical choice; I must have sucked in too many air-conditioning fumes while inside the grocery store.
My newfound friend immediately interjected that he was a veteran of the Korean War; it was great that he told me since that was exactly the question I was going to ask. He then proceeded to tell me about his children, which again was fun because I had been wondering. He apologized for not being enough of a Suns fan to know who I was; I assured him that there were only about 200 people in Phoenix that did, so it was okay. Then, he helped load my goods into the trunk of my car despite my protests to the contrary. (Arent young people supposed to assist their elders, not the other way around?) Finally, I signed a piece of paper for his wife. (Harold, what the hell is this? I send you out to deliver some tax papers and you bring me some guys autograph.) The whole encounter got me thinking about the problem that is the old height question.
First, lets start with the obvious. Telling me I am really tall is not a great conversation starter. Its like walking up to a well-endowed girl in a bar and telling her she has nice breasts its, A) creepy, and B) obvious. Shes heard it before. It is not a new tactic and is not going to lead to a conversation that ends well. The same (sort of) is true for me. The only possible response available to me is, And youre really smart. The encounter basically marks the asker as an idiot and me as a *******.
Next comes the obligatory, Hey, how tall are you? Now, I have had some time to consider this question and have decided that it is only necessary in two situations. Either the inquisitor is in some way unable to judge the height of the subject (perhaps due to the fact the conversation is taking place via telephone or perhaps due to blindness) or the askee is sitting down. Those are the only two possible scenarios for which it is a valid inquiry. It does not make any sense for someone to walk up to me on the street and ask me my height. He can see how tall I am. Feet and inches are merely arbitrary measurements set up by some English kingthey are meaningless without some kind of standard. Basically, to judge a persons height, one of two things is neededa number value or a visual representation. Not both. Unless, of course, there is some sort of underground tall-person collecting going on. Maybe, much like bird-watching, finding someone of each available height is a goal people have.
I really enjoy when people say things like, Did you know that you are really tall? Holy [feces]! Are you serious? Im tall! I cant believe it. This must have happened overnight. Thanks for pointing it out, though Again, asking this question is not a way to convey intelligence. I dont think I have pulled them out yet, but someday soon, I will respond with questions regarding the physical appearance of my foil, choosing from Did you know that you are morbidly obese? and Has anyone ever told you how unbelievably ugly you are? Its going to happen. After all, much like height, they are only observations regarding a persons appearance.
One byproduct of the height conversation is often a comparison to someone the questioner knows and thinks is tall. Six-ten, huh? Wow. My cousin is 62 and I thought he was tall. Invariably, the person to whom I am compared is not really tall at all and the conversation usually ends, unless I am about to be told how big his feet are and how tall the doctors think he will eventually be because, again, I apparently look like I need to know.
My all-time favorite encounter is the guessing game. In it, a person approaches and says, unprompted, Id say you are about X feet, Y inches. Even better is the guess without any preceding statement; the guesser just starts throwing out heights from a distance, apropos of nothing. The truly fun aspect of this little pastime is that the person is almost never close. Youre about 62, right? (Im serious; it has been said multiple times. I think 61 is the record low.) No. Not even in the ballpark. And let me guess, the neighbor kid is really tall.
These are all more tolerable, though, than the nearly-out-of-earshot comment. Oftentimes, when I walk by, I will hear whispers: Wow, look how tall he is, or That guy is really tall. Its as if, by being tall, I was not blessed with fully functional ears. Were these people not taught how to use their inner monologues? Yes, I am quite tall, but I know that. Any observation to that effect by others should be kept on the inside, unless the participants are willing to bear the consequences. I dont go around saying everything that is on my mind, but I could. If I did, the airways would be full of, Well, now that guy is an example of why they made abortion legal, and, Why, exactly, were those two people allowed to procreate? I think we are all better off with my silence so, no more height questions.
Posted by Paul Shirley, May 3, 2005
I have not played a meaningful minute since I re-joined the Suns in January. My role on this team, with regard to games, is to cheer at the end of the bench, give encouragement to my teammates as they leave the floor during one of the 74 timeouts in an NBA game, and stay prepared enough to play should catastrophe or blowout befall my team. I do not however, play when it counts. I am still trying to wrap my brain around this concept as it is a new role for me. Contrary to popular belief, I am not actually retarded, and can occasionally make a coherent basketball play. This is the first time since, well, ever that I have not been asked to play in parts of the game that will directly influence whether some little kid that is a fan of my team goes to bed with a smile or a whine. A reporter recently asked me if wins were as sweet, and losses as sorrowful because of my stunted participation (his question, actually, was nowhere near so poeticits easier to make things sound good when a backspace key is available). I was impressed by its direct nature. I dont think he was trying to stir up controversy; he seemed truly curious. Of course, I suppose that is his job. I might have dodged a bullet when I chose a more thoughtful answer over, Man, this is some [bovine excrement]. I cant believe I aint playin. I mean, what is coach thinkin, man? Alls I need is a chance. Whew.
Now that I have given the take-everything-out-of-context weevils something with which to work I should note that I still believe I might have the best job in the world. I do not play because my team does not need me to play. I am an okay basketball player, but I am not better than the players in front of me in the rotation. Even if I were, we have the best record in the best league in the world, so it would seem that someone pulling the strings might just know what he is doing.
That being said, it is sometimes difficult to surf the far end of the bench. I do miss having an influence on the result of the game. It is not playing, exactly, for which I am wistful; it is more the visceral feeling of having helped my team to a win or, absent the victory, knowing that I gave it my all but lost out anyway. (If we were playing Grand Theft Auto, the cliché police would have lit one of my stars. I am glad that only about three people get that.)
So far, I have deviated almost none from my job and everyone seems to be happy. With my limited role, though, comes a somewhat detached relationship to my teammates. Now, I dont want to be too exaggerativeI am a part of this team and do behave as suchbut I would be lying if I said I have the same claim to the results as does Quentin Richardson. It would be folly for me to intimate that he and I are experiencing the same emotions now that we have closed out the Memphis Grizzlies; it just is not true. To me, it goes something like this:
If X is the magnitude of the emotional result of one game (either negative or positive), the following would be some of the multipliers which would result in an aggregate emotional impact for people with different investments in a particular game:
Starter: 2.0X
Bench player who sees significant time: 1.8X
Head coach: 1.7X
Assistant coach: 1.6X
Me: 1.5X
Trainer: 1.3X
Security guy at arena: 1.2X
Steve Nash stalker: 1.1X
Standard fan: 1.0X
Drunken homeless guy outside arena: 0.5X
To explain, for those who were not fans of the word problems at the end of the math book chapters, it is pretty simple. We shall use Shawn Marion as an example. After our latest win at Memphis, which did close out the series, but was also relatively ugly, the emotional result (X) was, say, a 7. So Shawn felt an emotional impact of around 14 (2.0 x 7). I felt an emotional impact of around 10.5 (1.5 x 7), and the homeless guy sustained one of about 3.5 (0.5 x 7). This is all slightly changeable based on how seriously the particular player took the game and how attractive the girls he gave his tickets were, but I think it gives a rough guide.
In words, since this isnt high school algebra class, any feelings I have about a win or loss are going to be slightly dampened compared to Shawn Marions. If we win the NBA Finals, it is not going to be because of something I did; to take such credit would be extraordinarily self-serving. Now, I may have had some influence; perhaps a play I made back in training camp or an esteem-boosting poker loss I absorbed on the plane helped in some small way. But, lets be honest, any impact I have is much smaller than the impact Jimmy Jackson, or Alvin Gentry (assistant coach), will have. The potential range of emotions because of a win or loss is bounded, as I showed in the absolute masterpiece that is the above table, and I think that is the way it should be.
Posted by Paul Shirley, April 28, 2005
Memphis, Tenn. I have decided that there are way too many television channels available to the general public. I, like everyone else in our dumbed-down society, spent much of my youth in front of the idiot box. Fortunately for the growth of my brain, my father did his doctoral thesis on the effects of television (mostly the public variety, i.e. Sesame Street) on the intellectual development of children. (I think; I have yet to sit down and crack open his work. Such the devoted son I am.) Because of this, my brothers and I were not allowed to watch much TV in our childhood. This is not to say our lives were entirely barren of entertainmentwe loved Alf and Quantum Leap as much as anyonebut we did not spend hours upon end staring at the screen.
My first post-college employment opportunity started in November of 2001 and came in response to the following ad:
Professional basketball player needed. No experience necessary. Willingness to put up with language barrier, shoddy travel conditions and lack of an on-time, or even complete, monthly payment a must. Suckers only, please.
Because I spent most of that year in Athens worrying more about tracking down a paycheck from two months previous and placating a Greek landlord who could not understand why the team was three months behind on its rent payments, getting the requisite satellite installed at my apartment was not high on the priority list. Consequently, my contact with the outside world was limited to the internet and some very shaky phone service. The upshot of this entertainment moonscape was that I learned just how much of a time-waster television is. It was an amazing revelation. Suddenly, I had hours to fritter away sitting by the sea with teammates who didnt even speak the same language as me. (Wait, how was that good again?) At any rate, I learned how to live without it quite well and, upon my return to the US that summer, found that I had not really missed any regularly scheduled programming.
To this day, I still do not watch much television. I catch the occasional episode of Arrested Development when I can, and the World Poker Tour gives me the sports-related fix that was once filled by basketball. (I get quite enough of that particular game in my current job as assistant cheerleader for the Phoenix Suns.) I do see a fair amount of TV when I go to work, though. Our practice days involve a certain amount of dead time, be it dressing in the locker room, rehab or strength work in the weight room, or random wandering through the training room area. Because most athletes are apparently chronic sufferers of ADD, there are televisions everywhere. Since we are all dumb jocks, most of these are tuned to some sports channel or another. (I will be non-specific, since the attacks are forthcoming.)
I vividly remember summers when my brothers and I, not quite old enough to have jobs, would spend entire mornings watching SportsCenter over and over (with intermittent channel flips to the Price is Right, of course). Because we spent a lot of time studying it, I think I am qualified to say that the format then consisted almost entirely of highlights and scores. In those days, back when the anchors were not trying so hard to be funny (and consequently, could actually slide in a humorous remark now and then), the viewer was left to his own devices regarding his thoughts on the events he was watching. Not so today. Now, on every sports channel I see, the issues are analyzed to death. Well, actually past death. More like analyzed to decomposition via writhing piles of maggots.
So now, instead of showing the facts and letting the people decide for themselves as to their conclusions, presenters on shows turn it over to people whose only qualification is that they look vaguely presentable on camera and can out-yell all comers. I really dont think this is a good thing for a myriad of reasons, not the least of which is that, when it gets down to it, sports just are not that important. There is a reason the sports page has been historically found on section D or E of the newspaper.
Of course, I could make the same argument about the news. There was a time when a person could be presented with the facts regarding any old issue and not be subjected to some random experts opinion on gay marriage, abortion, or the Surreal Life.
(I should note that, by taking this course of argument I am, in fact, railing against myself because really, who the hell am I and why should anyone put any stock in what I write? The good news is that I have not been told that I am an expert on, well, anything, so I have not been given carte blanch to begin yelling about why I think the Chiefs got a steal in the fourth round with the drafting of Craphonso Thorpe [New feature--in-parenthetical parenthetical expressions. How about Craphonso for a name? One would have to become a football player just to take out the aggression that would build up from having that for a moniker. I doubt he ever heard, Hey, Crap-Honzo, catch the damn ball, back in school. Seriously, though, who approved that on the birth certificate? There needs to be some sort of watch-dog organization for these things.] Basically, I write what is the direct channeling of a very strange brain, and should be treated as such.)
Now that I have shot down my own credibility, I want to talk about our point guard. There has been a lot of debate this year regarding who should be the MVP of the NBA. I honestly care only slightly who wins the award; my concern is weighted more heavily toward hoping I will have to deal with an awkward smattering of applause after my name is announced at the post-championship rally. Steve is a hell of a good dude and an amazing basketball player, but the same could be said about Shaquille ONealthe other theoretical frontrunner for the award. (Quick story, since I have totally wrecked the flow of this anyway. When I was first out of college and reported to training camp with the Lakers, with whom I had no chance of making the team as an undrafted, non-guaranteed camp invitee, I was determined to not betray the fact that I had no idea what I was doing. To that end, upon entry into the locker room prior to the media day that goes on the day before training camp begins, I marched right up to Shaq and said, Hi. My name is Paul Shirley. He smiled and said, Yeah, I know who you are. I nearly fell onto the floor. Instead, though, I said, Nice to meet you, and walked back to my locker to get dressed so that I could be asked exactly zero questions by the reporters in attendance. Throughout camp, Shaq was unbelievable. He was completely down-to-earth, funny, and approachable. When I was released at the first available opportunity, I was left with a lasting impression of a very cool individual.)
Steve Nash absolutely changes the entire feel of games in which he is involved. I recently spent some time speaking with a Canadian reporter who was doing a story about Steve. He was waiting for the floppy-haired one to finish with the beat writers and, while killing time, had come to talk to me because of his reading of the nonsense found here. In our time together, we developed the theory that Steves game is like it is because of his soccer background. To watch a Suns game is to watch a free-flowing exercise in extemporaneous basketball. There is a rough guide to be followed, but generally the decisions are left to the participants. The same could be said about the game of soccer. When observed from above, a soccer match seems amorphous and ever-changing. The game flows in S-curves and smooth shapes, as opposed to bad basketball, which is all Zs and sharp turns. I think Steve brings this soccer mentality to the court. He never stops moving during the game and seems to flow up and down the floor throughout. Consequently, his teammates, and even the opposition, move in a similar manner.
Whether Steve is the most valuable player in the entire NBA is really not for me to say. I will say, though, that our team would not be what it ismaybe the most fun basketball team to watch in ten yearswithout his influence. Amaré Stoudemire is ridiculously good, Shawn Marion makes plays on any given night that make me wonder why the rest of us even try, and Joe Johnson is as good a shooter as I have ever seen, but without a director, the rest of the group, I think, would be lost. Steve guides the game in ways that are unseen to the casual observer. He plays the game the way it should bein constant motion and with a grasp for the several dimensions on which a basketball game unfolds that is preternatural. For that, I think he is certainly our MVP.
But make up your own mind.
Posted by Paul Shirley, April 24, 2005
The playoffs have begun. I have to admit that I am a bit excited. I am generally unfazed by most anything concerning a particular sporting event I have seen way too many basketball games to be easily impressed by the addition of another to my list but I can say that I was a little more juiced than usual by the prospect of yesterdays trip to the arena.
I am constantly amazed by the ability of others to get excited about sports. I understand being a fan I grew up living and dying by the nightly fate of the Kansas City Royals. I do not, however, grasp the existence of the überfan. This is a touchy subject, though, as the fans are the people who pay my salary. I would re-iterate that I understand the idea of rooting for a team. We all need something we can get behind. But, enthusiasm seems to be easily overdone; I cannot help but wonder what makes the crazies tick.
During warm-ups last night, I noticed a couple of fans directly behind our bench. (For once neither was female.) One had painted a basketball on his nearly shaven pate; the other had dyed his longish hair orange. They were in their seats approximately four hours before the game, so I had plenty of time to analyze their behavior while assistant coach Phil Weber and I played our traditional pre-game HORSE match. (At some point in the year, Phil and I grew tired of drills and began playing the aforementioned equine-named contest at the conclusion of my pre-game workout. Strangely enough, our little game is quite the indicator for my teams fate. When he wins, the Suns win. When I win, we lose. Our regular season record was 62-20, which should indicate that I am just a fantastic HORSE competitor.) The two gentlemen with the creative hues on their heads kept calm throughout our match perhaps they were just that enthralled by the thrashing Phil gave me. Little did they know how important that game was. (Nor how accurate a prediction it would provide.) When the game began, though, the two die-hards stood up and unfurled their trump card, a hand-written sign that said something along the lines of:
Hair Dye: $8
Tickets: $500
Missing my first day of work to watch the Suns in the playoffs: Priceless
Their placard inspired a few thoughts. First, who is more of an [word for donkey], the guy who is three years behind the times and thought of the joke, or the guy who, back at the apartment, said, Now thats funny, dude. You totally have to take that to the game?
Next, if one of our heroes is starting a job that would have theoretically had him working on a Sunday night at 7:30, was $500 for tickets to a basketball game really a wise fiscal maneuver? I understand that it is the playoffs and all, but was the abandonment of any potential cash flow worth the sacrifice? Maybe for the Finals, but even then I would be willing to bet the Texaco has a TV behind the counter.
Last, is missing said crappy job really worth the "Priceless" tag? Im thinking "Priceless" should be reserved for: "Bailing on the birth of my first-born to watch the Suns in the playoffs," or perhaps for, "Breaking out of the county jail to watch the Suns in the playoffs." Lets keep things in perspective.
Fortunately for my own self-respect, I am missing whatever gene is required to do things like paint my head orange for a basketball game. I think the same set of DNA is responsible for those people who at Pearl Jam concerts scream out totally inappropriate [feces] like, Eddie, you kick [gluteus maximus]! (In other news, I hate exclamation points, and only used the preceding one because it was absolutely necessary. Therefore, I have used up my quota of one per month. I would like to see others adopt my rule concerning this form of punctuation.)
As I mentioned in an answer to a question lobbed my way by a reader of Bill Simmons, writer on ESPN.coms Page 2, I recently attended a Local H concert. (Anyone not reading Simmons should be. His stuff is like mine, only funny and well-written.) The band played one of their crowd favorites at some point a song called High-Fiving [person who copulates with the matriarch of a family]." The tune is basically a fast-paced romp aimed at skewering the jockish types who think nothing of raising their collective hand and expecting a slap on the palm in return. Now, there is nothing wrong with a "five," high or low, if it is given in response to a well-performed athletic feat on the part of one of the participants in said "five." It is not, however, appropriate if neither party was remotely involved in the sporting contest. The enjoyable part of the song, for me, is that because it is a jaunty little number, some of the audience invariably will begin moshing (for those out of the loop, moshing is the random running into fellow concert-goers that often occurs directly in front of the stage). These idiots, of course, are exactly the personality types the band is making fun of. The irony there is very decent.
I feel like Local H at times. I want the crowd to thrill in the action and enjoy our games, but I do not want them to make fools of themselves. I like to see some dignity out there, and I do not think I am alone. I am not asking for a moratorium on signs or enthusiasm; I am only asking for the signs to be humorous (because, really, my personal enjoyment is the main goal here) and for the high-fiving on the part of crowd members to be reserved only for circumstances of the utmost basketball intensity, with notable exceptions given in cases of extreme drunkenness. I really dont think it is much to ask.


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Get an overview of this hotel5-star luxury hotel, walk to Mamilla Mall
Popular property highlights
Located in the heart of Jerusalem, this luxury hotel is within a 10-minute walk of Independence Park, Mamilla Mall, and Jerusalem Great Synagogue. Tower of David Museum of the History of Jerusalem and Jaffa Gate are also within 15 minutes.
Hotel Features
Along with 2 restaurants, this hotel has 2 bars/lounges and a health club. Free buffet breakfast, free WiFi in public areas, and free self parking are also provided. Additionally, a poolside bar, a coffee shop/café, and a snack bar/deli are onsite.
Room Amenities
All 233 rooms offer free WiFi, 24-hour room service, and LCD TVs with cable channels. Other amenities available to guests include minibars, free newspapers, and hair dryers.
Guest Highlights
- Good location
- Breakfast
- Helpful staff
King David Jerusalem
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
In addition to a seasonal outdoor pool and a children's pool, King David Jerusalem provides a health club and a sauna. Dining is available at one of the hotel's 2 restaurants and guests can grab coffee at the coffee shop/café. The property also has a snack bar/deli. Guests can unwind with a drink at one of the hotel's bars, which include 2 bars/lounges and a poolside bar. Guests can enjoy a complimentary breakfast each morning. Wireless Internet access is complimentary.
This 5-star property offers access to a business center. This luxury hotel also offers spa services, multilingual staff, and a garden. Limited complimentary onsite parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
- 24-hour front desk
- Total number of rooms - 233
- Number of floors - 6
- Number of bars/lounges - 2
- Business center
- Coffee shop or café
- Free breakfast
- Concierge services
- Conference space
- Elevator/lift
- Express check-in
- Express check-out
- Hair salon
- Health club
- Free WiFi
- Laundry facilities
- Multilingual staff
- Parking (limited spaces)
- Garden
- Poolside bar
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Tennis on site
- Snack bar/deli
- Number of restaurants - 2
- Free self parking
- Sauna
- Shopping on site
- Spa services on site
- Children's pool
- Outdoor seasonal pool
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Free self parking, Parking (limited spaces)
Room Amenities
- Air conditioning
- Free newspaper
- Phone
- Minibar
- Turndown service
- Private bathroom
- Hair dryer
- In-room safe
- Desk
- Iron/ironing board (on request)
- Cable TV service
- Free WiFi
- Room service (24 hours)
Where to Eat
A complimentary buffet breakfast is served each morning between 6:30 AM and 10:30 AM.
La Regence - This fine-dining restaurant specializes in international cuisine and serves dinner only. Open select days.
Kings Garden Restaurant - Overlooking the pool and garden, this restaurant specializes in regional cuisine and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Open daily.
Poolside Snack Bar - This poolside diner serves light fare only. Guests can enjoy drinks at the bar. Open daily.
The Oriental Bar - Onsite cocktail bar. Open daily.
24-hour room service is available.
Nearby Things to Do
A children's pool and a seasonal outdoor pool are on site. Other recreational amenities include a health club and a sauna.
Guests under 18 years old are not allowed in the health club.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Playground on site
Spa Services
- Massages
- Body treatments
Hotel Policies
Check-in time starts at 2 PM
Minimum check-in age is 21
Special check-in instructions:
Check-out time is 11 AM
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Rollaway/extra beds are not available.
- Cribs (infant beds) are not available.
- Pets allowed
- Restrictions apply
- For more information contact the property at the number on the booking confirmation
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
- All citizens of Israel will be charged the national value-added tax
Hotel Name
- David Jerusalem
- Jerusalem King David
- King David Hotel
- King David Hotel Jerusalem
- King David Jerusalem
- The King David Hotel Jerusalem
- King David Jerusalem Hotel
We should mention
Guests can arrange to bring pets by contacting the property directly, using the contact information on the booking confirmation.

subset: commoncrawl


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Hi everyone! Some of you may remember me from my last little jaunt at DHgate.com, last year. Well, it's been six months and I've finally returned to DH Towers to bring you the insights that matter when it comes to Chinese products and services.
What have I been up to I hear you ask? (Or maybe not but I'm gunna tell you anyway).
As a freelance technologist, I've mainly been partaking in nerdy indulgences under the guise of 'it's my job', though if you were to ask my mother (almost after fifteen years of doing this commercially) I'm sure she'd still describe it as 'playing'.
My return to Beijing has been a nice relaxing experience so far (though I dare say that will change quite quickly). I've taken in a little bit of culture, (for those of you who know me, you'll understand it's something I seldom get the time for now days).
First up was the Forbidden City; found in the centre of Beijing, is the de facto example of Chinese palatial architecture. Boasting over 900 individual builds, the Forbidden City was original designed to exclusively accommodate the Chinese Emperor and his household and was off limits to members of the public at the time (hence the name).
It was only after the formation of the Chinese Republic that the policy changed and the wonders within were available to the public at large.
If you ever get the chance, go and see it! It's possibly the most spectacular complexes of buildings in the world (and a listed UNSECO World Heritage Site). Vast courtyards, incredibly detailed, opulent architectural and sumptuous interiors, if only I could afford the mortgage.
The last two quarters saw me back in Manchester (UK), getting down to the nitty gritty of the latest developments in digital media.
From the bohemian surroundings MadLab (Manchester's premier hacker space / digital creativity space) to the (often blurry eyed) social events of GeekUp ; much fun was had but equally, much was learnt.
The greatest insight has seen me be being witness to the need for organisations to adjust to a new economical climate.
With the recent turbulence experienced in global economies, there has been a sudden need to adapt strategically and focus on lower overheads (presenting an interesting challenge in technical departments (given the relatively high levels of investment organisational have committed the last decade).
It's been interesting to see how a department on the front line of these economic reforms adjusts to the impacts and works to mitigate further risks.
Reducing Operational Expenditure (OpEx) can often be a daunting task, especially if there's potential for the claw backs to impact on your organisations Human Capital. It surprises me how often organisations overlook the potential for OpEx saving by sourcing direct from manufacturers in China; for most organisations the main barriers seems to be a (miss-placed) preconception of high risk / high complexity and a lack of knowledge within the organisation to use at overseas companies for procurement (this seems to be especially prevalent in SMEs).
Looking back to the early eighties; global, cross boarder markets really started to open up (namely as a result of competitive manufacturing costs, wide scale privatisation and a greater onus on variety / product width), but it was only the larger organisations and entrepreneurs who had both access and the resources to source from outside their locality.
People's perceptions of scale have changed in parallel with these technological advances; distance has been replaced by time, people are no longer 'on the other side of the world' , they're 'twelve hours difference' away. /The technological revolution has removed the barriers and has opened up a once exclusive resource to the public.
As is often the case, technology spearheaded this shift and it has taken time for supporting services to catch up (logistics, financial and legal et al).
We've now reached a point where you can sit in a Cafe Nero sipping a skinny latte in Rickmansworth and order a space hopper from Shan Zhen end-to-end (including payment and shipping) within about five minutes!
1300 Lumens, HDMI 1080p LED Projector (ordered in 5 minutes, delivered in 3 days)
In many ways the opening up of the imperial palace is much like the changes we've witness over the last ten years with cross border trading.
As once before the doors of the great place were opened up to the public for the first time, now too are the gates of cross-border procurement opening.
Through a single, accessible and secure platform, organisations and individuals (small and large alike) can realise the true potential of buying direct from source. It takes about as much effort as buying a Skinny Latte from Café Nero in Rickmansworth.
Chin Chin!


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Sen./Dr. Dan Foster: West Virginian of the Year
here. CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- For two years, he worked tirelessly promoting legislation for what then was a novel idea -- promoting healthy lifestyles by requiring chain restaurants to post calorie counts for their menu items.After two sessions, and numerous setbacks and negotiations, the bill seemed ready to pass in 2009. Then, one infamous morning late in the session, the bill was not only killed but openly mocked by members of the House Government Organization Committee, who gorged themselves on high-calorie breakfast biscuits and doughnuts as they oversaw the bill's demise.In a Legislature full of large egos and thin skins, most legislators would have been furious to lose a bill in such a manner -- but not Sen. Dan Foster, D-Kanawha. Foster was stoic, saying he believed news coverage of the legislation had served a purpose in raising the public's awareness about counting calories when they eat out.Indeed, as health-care lobbyist Perry Bryant noted, within a year the restaurant industry relented and allowed calorie counts to be included as part of the federal Affordable Care Act, concluding it would be better to have one national standard to follow rather than 50 different state requirements."[Foster] contributed to the momentum," Bryant said of the publicity regarding Foster's calorie-posting bill. The new federal regulation goes into effect next year."His presence in the Legislature has been a breath of fresh air. He would take positions on a lot of issues that most people would shy away from," Bryant noted. "He never played it safe."Whether taking on the pharmaceutical industry over payola to physicians to prescribe certain brand-name drugs, the tobacco industry in order to raise cigarette taxes or retail drug store chains to restrict sales of pseudoephedrine -- a key ingredient in making methamphetamine -- or as one of a few legislators to vocally support the ACA, friends and colleagues note that Foster always brought a brilliant analytical mind and a bulldog tenacity to the fight.While Foster's decade of legislative service is coming to a close -- he did not run for re-election this year -- all expect him to continue to make his presence felt at the Capitol, as well as his continuing efforts to improve the quality of life in the Kanawha Valley through service on numerous boards and commissions, including West Virginians for Affordable Health Care and the West Virginia Symphony.For his tireless commitment to improving the health and well being of the state and the Kanawha Valley, the Sunday Gazette-Mail has chosen Dr. Dan Foster as the 2012 West Virginian of the Year.Soft-spoken, gentle and unassuming -- never self-aggrandizing -- Foster is more than just a physician or politician. He's a Renaissance man who plays classical piano, collects art and leads cultural efforts in the Kanawha ValleyFoster, 64, was relatively a latecomer to politics, first running for the Legislature in 2002 after more than 20 years as a general and vascular surgeon in Charleston.He was one of a number of health-care providers to run for the Legislature that year, at the height of the state's discussions over medical-malpractice insurance costs. While most of the physician/candidates pushed for "tort reform" to cap malpractice settlements and legal fees, Foster saw the issue as multi-faceted, also involving concessions from the insurance industry and the physician community.Foster came to Charleston in 1979, having grown up in Oak Ridge, Tenn., where his father worked with the Manhattan Project and the national nuclear laboratory. After graduating from Harvard University and the Stanford University School of Medicine, Foster did his surgical residency at the Tulane University medical center, where he met and married his wife, Kathy. They have three sons.After serving a term in the West Virginia House of Delegates, Foster was elected to the Senate in 2004 and 2008, where he established himself as a leader on health-care issues."Absolutely, without a doubt, he's the most highly motivated legislator I ever met -- ever," said House Health and Human Resources Chairman Don Perdue, D-Wayne. "As they say in athletics, Dan has a high motor. He doesn't go for the stop, he goes for the sack."Perdue recalled teaming up with Foster to get a bill, which required prescription drug sellers to say how much they spent marketing their drugs to doctors, through the Senate in 2004.Needing to sway the vote of one prominent senator, Perdue recalled, "We literally sat outside his door until midnight. He could not leave his office without talking to us."When Foster was committed to an issue, that bulldog tenacity was typical, Perdue said. "Once he sunk his teeth into you, he would not let you go."Perdue noted that while Foster is quiet, his words demand attention. "Almost everything he says is important to the issue, and that's uncommon here," Perdue said. "He does not believe in chit-chat."Fellow 17th District Sen. Brooks McCabe, D-Kanawha, said Foster's temperament as a surgeon has served him well in the Legislature."He never gets mad. He never loses his cool, but there's no one in the Senate more persistent on issues," McCabe said. "He just does not give up."While many legislators avoid the controversial or complex, McCabe said Foster embraced such issues, be it the intricacies of health-care reform or coming up with ways to adequately fund public employee pension plans as chairman of the Senate Pensions Committee."He brought attention to the issues -- contentious stuff that most legislators don't want to have to deal with," said McCabe. "He wanted to change things. He didn't want to occupy a position.""He's fearless and unafraid to speak truth to power," said Margaret Chapman Pomponio of WV FREE. "He's willing to stand up and say things others may be thinking but are afraid to say."Foster frequently championed the women's health-rights group against conservative attacks in the Legislature."He brings a certain amount of sanity and bright light to a place that sometimes can make a person feel cynical," she said.Jack Canfield, a former legislator who has worked alongside Foster in numerous capacities, including on the symphony's Board of Directors and as a citizen member of a legislative interim committee, said he's always been impressed with Foster's willingness to serve."He's like the Energizer bunny -- everywhere at once," Canfield said. "He goes from a legislative meeting to a community group gathering at a fire hall, to an art exhibit, and then visits someone in the hospital on the way home."McCabe concurred, saying he's always amazed that, in addition to his day job as an administrator at Charleston Area Medical Center and his legislative duties, Foster not only has managed to serve on a variety of boards and commissions -- including over the years, the Charleston Convention and Visitors' Bureau, the Kanawha Valley Fellowship Home, the Clay Center and the Education Alliance -- but also attends a variety of issue-oriented public meetings in the community."He is everywhere," McCabe said. "It is astounding to me his conscientious approach to what I call grassroots politics."Those at other levels of politics have noted Foster's work, as well."As physician, senator and advocate, Dan's work on behalf of others has had an enormous impact on our state, particularly in improving access to health care," said Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va. "He has totally dedicated himself to fighting for policies that bring good to West Virginians, and it's been a privilege to work with him over the years."Sen. Joe Manchin, also D-W.Va., who served as governor during much of Foster's legislative tenure, said, "During my time in Charleston, everyone knew that Dan was a man we all could trust, a man of strong character who worked tirelessly for the people of Kanawha County and the people of West Virginia."As a longtime participant and observer in the legislative process, Canfield said he appreciates those "uh-oh" moments in committee meetings, and said no one delivers them better than Foster."You're testifying, and Senator Foster raises his hand. You know it's going to be something like, 'I assume you're familiar with the story in The New York Times this morning about the new computer system for Medicaid in North Dakota . . '" Canfield said.Although Foster's legislative service is ending, Perdue said he intends to continue to seek his counsel on health-care issues."I've already told him, you can leave us, but that doesn't mean you can leave me," Perdue said.Said Canfield, "He's fought many, many fights to improve the health of West Virginians. Sometimes, he's taken on fights he knows he can't win, but he uses every discussion as a teaching moment, and has had a real impact.""He exemplifies to my mind what the best of public service is, and the best of being a professional," said McCabe. "He has been a star in both cases."Reach Phil Kabler at firstname.lastname@example.com or 304-348-1220.


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Los Angeles, CA
From Barbara Pressman Public Relations:
(July 9, 2012 - Los Angeles) -- Landry Design Group (LDG) has earned five awards in the prestigious 2012 Gold Nugget Awards competition. The results were announced June 28th during the PCBC, at its 49th annual awards ceremony. Landry Design Group took home Grand Awards for the Best On the Boards Custom Home and for Bath Design. The firm was also honored with Merit Awards in the categories of Custom Home 5,000-10,000 sq. ft., Custom Home over 10,000 sq. ft., and International On the Boards Project.
One of the preeminent designers of custom high-end residences, Landry Design Group earned awards this year for homes that represent a wide range of styles, executed with masterful control of proportion and superb attention to detail. This marks the 12th year that LDG has been recognized for its design leadership at the Gold Nugget Awards, the nation's oldest and most esteemed design awards competition. The firm has earned a total of 47 Gold Nuggets.
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Photo Gallery: Barbara Barry Designs
Browse interiors by the California designer.
Classic mouldings and symmetrical ceiling beams keep this look simple, letting furnishings and art take centre stage.
This Jackson Hole, Wyoming home, designed by California designer Barbara Barry, recalls the simplicity of Shaker buildings with minimal decor and high-quality craftmanship. "The creative process, for me, begins with a series of watercolours," explains Barry. "I think of rooms as paintings, with the same requirements of composition, colour and clarity of line that create a balanced whole. Here, the colour palette was a restrained brown, ivory and black, with touches of blue like the clear Wyoming sky."
See more of Barry's designs in our photo gallery.
Facing a green golf course, this modern house in Indian Wells, California evokes an air of casual refinement.
California interiors and furniture designer Barbara Barry designed this space with texture in mind. "As an artist, I see the world very much in terms of light, form, colour and texture," she says. "The concrete floors are stained a deep chocolate and waxed to a high sheen. There is a conversation of light play throughout the day between the shiny and matte, the smooth and the textural." The sofa fabric doesn't compete with the glossy floor, and the chunky sisal rug and contemporary art add texture to the neutral space.
See more of Barry's designs in our photo gallery.
Seating vignettes are arranged around mid-century modern tables, drawing the eye to different areas of the room.
Barry filled this Los Angeles living room with plush armchairs in classic shapes instead of one or two sofas. The neutral panelled walls offer a perfect backdrop for the eclectic furnishings.
Floor-to-ceiling drapes add height and character.
This principal bedroom seating area, by California designer Barbara Barry, features a palette of soft grey, pale amethyst and crisp celadon that mirrors the soft tones of the garden outside the window. A signature Barbara Barry Bracelet chair in the foreground is covered with her Celestial fabric for Kravet, adding pattern and texture to the mostly-beige room.
See more Barbara Barry designs in our photo gallery.
A ceiling done in pale ivory with silver leafed capitols brings light into this large space.
California designer Barbara Barry added luxe style to the The Westin St. Francis lobby in San Francisco. "Restoring a classic means honouring the past," says Barry, who custom designed all the furnishings in this lobby. A custom onyx clock replaced an old grandfather clock and inspired the name for the Clock Bar below. The custom rug and low leather banquettes recall the Art Deco era that was so key to the hotel's history. Upholstery in leather and velvet elevate the space — an easy trick to bring home.
See more of Barry's designs in our photo gallery.
Dark wood furniture tempers a feminine palette.
In this San Francisco living room, a large custom Tibetan rug anchors the various seating areas. Barry added even more colour with soft green drapery that lends a classic, formal look.
Clever sliding doors create an indoor/outdoor sanctuary.
This Richard Neutra-designed home in Brentwood, California was built in the 1940s while the world was at war. Its humble materials of wood, brick and cement are elegantly proportioned to showcase the lush gardens. Designer Barbara Barry did her best to create a seamless indoor/outdoor transition with light linen upholstery and simple furniture that wouldn't take away from the views beyond.
See more of Barry's designs in our photo gallery.
The deep fig exterior has a subtle pirouette pattern for which the collection was named.
Barbara Barry's new line of luggage for Hartmann was designed for the woman on the go. Full of feminine details and hidden pockets, the collection is beautifully understated and practical, just like her furniture designs.
See more of Barry's designs in our photo gallery.
Walnut and silver define this elegant dining room.
California designer Barbara Barry's subtly patterned Carmel chairs and Larchmont dining table (through Baker) rest atop a silk and wool carpet by Tufenkian Carpets. Even more texture is layered in with a gorgeous wallpaper, the pattern of which is mirrored by fresh blooms on the dining table.
See more of Barry's designs in our photo gallery.
Vintage accessories and art add retro style to comtemporary furniture.
Golden silk wall coverings surround and embrace bleached oak tones in this cosy library designed by California designer Barbara Barry. Paired with soft blue-grey leather and wool upholstery, textured silk carpeting, a vintage 1940s lamp and photography, the look is reminiscent of mid-century modern.
See more of Barry's designs in our photo gallery.
A well-proportioned cabinet does double duty.
This Social Study desk, by California designer Barbara Barry, boasts a simple form and quiet face, and would fit perfectly in a small condo living room or cramped home office. "I love to create pieces that can stand the test of time because they are simple, elegant and well-made," says Barry. "This is where beauty supports function. When can you hide all the things you need from a desk in style?" This piece even has a leather-lined pullout perfectly designed for a keyboard or writing surface.
See more of Barry's designs in our photo gallery.


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By the way, if you're thinking about participating in Weekend Herb Blogging, don't forget to send me your links by 3:00 P.M., Mountain Standard Time. Check the link above for more information. Also, remember that next week WHB goes on the road, with the incomparable Ilva as our first guest host.
Now, here's what I saw in the garden today:
Garden Blogging


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Black bear surprises Spring Hill neighborhood | News
Spring Hill, FL -- Residents in one Spring Hill neighborhood got quite the surprise this week when a black bear decided to wander through.
Juan Franco lives in the 6200 block of Alderwood Street and says he spotted the bear about 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in his backyard.
"I saw it and it surprised me and then I went back (in) and got my camera," Franco recounted.
After taking a few pictures, Franco says he got some neighbors who couldn't believe their eyes either.
"We're all out there probably too stupid, too close for safety but it's something I'm not going to see again, so I had to get a good look," said Greg Sherlock who lives across the street from Franco.
Wildlife officials say there are roughly 3,000 black bears in the state, which is up from a low of about 300 in the 1970's.
But wildlife experts warn there have been several documented incidents of bears in the state getting aggressive and destroying property.
"And each one of those situations has involved bears that have become habituated to people and conditioned to look for food in and around human habitation," said FWC spokesperson Gary Morse.
So officials recommend residents where bears have been spotted to follow these tips to avoid problems.
- Feed your pets indoors.
- Secure your garbage in a shed or wildlife resistant container.
- Take your trash out on the morning of pick-up not the night before.
- Never intentionally leave food out for bears.
It's still unclear where the bear came from, but some residents believe it came from a nearby preserve.
Officials say if you do see a bear going through your trash call the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922.


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Evolution is the theme of this year's Corporate Counsel Women of Color conference at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles. From offering tips for attorneys on how to advance their careers, stay motivated, brand themselves and read body language, all of the conference's content was intended to help women and minority counsel to continue to evolve both personally and professionally.
The session possibly most central to the evolution theme for in-house counsel was the GC Roundtable. A trio of GCs discussed the legal trends most affecting their business today, discussed how they rose to their current positions and offered advice on how others can reach their level.
First on the docket were the issues currently keeping the panel awake at night. Alfreda Bradley-Coar, senior vice president and general counsel of GE Healthcare, Americas, told the audience that she's most concerned about whether her company is doing what it says it's doing in terms of regulatory compliance. "We're always going to have rogue employees, so we need to make sure we stay ahead of that problem," she said.
Gary Roberts, executive vice president and head of Fox Group's legal department, agreed, noting that compliance is definitely the "flavor of the month." As a result, he said his team has built a program to stay ahead of the rapidly changing regulatory landscape.
Another issue giving GCs fits is the problem of relentless cost cutting. Roberts said that legal departments continually have to justify their value, and that it's an ongoing challenge to prove to the rest of the company that legal isn't just a cost center.
Denise Cade, senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary of SunCoke Energy Inc., a recent Sunoco spinoff, faces a different set of problems. She noted that it's important to build a culture in which the legal department is sensitive to the fact that they're all working for a new company. "Educating people about who we are and what that means for us is a definite challenge," she said.
On the professional development side, Roberts stressed the importance of people learning from their mistakes and differentiating between trying and training.
"If I start doing what needs to be done, I will be prepared for what's ahead," he said.
Roberts also noted that legal is typically thought of as being the "department where you always hear 'no.'" To combat this, he stressed that in-house counsel need to be seen as problem solvers and valuable resources.
Truly understanding the business also is a necessary trait of becoming a good general counsel. Bradley-Coar implored the audience to really get to know the company's products, its competitors and agencies that service them. "When you're about to intelligently discuss the strategies and what's meaningful to your business, that's what's most important," she said.
Identifying and executing a plan also is important for in-house counsel who aspire to rise in the corporate ranks. Cade detailed how she drew up a five-year plan and hired a professional coach on her way from transitioning from law firm partner into a GC role. Along the way, she took a position with which she initially wasn't enthralled that gave her the direct business management experience and taught her the specific skills necessary to eventually become a GC.
"You have to make personal sacrifices to get to where you want to go," Cade said. "In my case, it positioned me for the next level. I identified what I wanted and seized the opportunity."
When looking to get ahead, Bradley-Coar suggested that attorneys volunteer for cross-functional projects within the business that add to their normal role. Going outside their comfort zone and being willing to learn something new and make mistakes will help attorneys get to the next level.
"It's all about attitude," Bradley-Coar says. "You can be the best and smartest lawyer in the department, but if you don't help others and work well within the team, you will get passed over." She also says she's more apt to notice people who are hungry to advance. "I want people who are there at the critical times. I want the people who I don't even have to ask to help out because already I know they get it."


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daverupa wrote: http://www.meetup.com/Introduction-meet ... d/24423462
Rosa Parks speaking at a 1998 event at Soka Gakkai International. She seems to have been something of an adjunct personality sought out by Engaged Buddhists in later years.
Ben wrote:That's pretty amazing, David.
I first learned about Rosa Parks by the Neville Brothers song of the same name.
What a hero!
alan wrote:There is no reason to think she was a Buddhist.
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Pumpkin patch in full swing
Last weekend, "Pirate Pete's Practically Perfect Pumpkin Patch" opened to the public for another season.
Long time farmers Michael and Nadine Boer open up their ranch and their hearts to the community every year.
"This is our 18th year," notes Nadine Boer, who takes a few minutes to chat between busloads of students arriving on the property for their annual trip to a working farm.
The Boers offer their pumpkin patch to schools during the week, and every year children have an opportunity to walk through acres of pumpkins and heirloom squash, choosing their own to take home. "We had twelve classes from Yokayo, Nokomis and Grace Hudson already this morning," she smiles.
Just then, a bus pulls us from Oak Manor School, filled with students from Mrs. Stearns, Mrs. McAsey and Mrs. Ramey's kindergarten classes. Parents are lined up in cars behind the bus.
Nadine greets the students. "Are you here for pumpkins?" she asks the students. "Yes!" is the resounding cry. "Go wherever you would like," she explains. And they do- spreading out through the fields scattered with an astounding assortment of pumpkins and squash.
The names of the pumpkins are as unusual as their shapes and colors, ranging from blue-grey to brilliant orange globes, some speckled with bright green and white contrasting bands and others filled with warty growths ? perfect for the Halloween season.
"This is a gardener's dream, especially when you start looking in seed catalogs," says Boer. "It's something we love to share with our community. Pumpkins make people happy."
This year, Boer's favorite is "Winter Luxury Pie," A round pumpkin features whiteish striations that make it look almost like a cantaloupe. "It cooks up almost like pudding," she notes. The Boers are offering ornamental and hard-shell gourds for drying, which many people enjoy making into birdhouses. Another new variety is the Apple Gourd, which looks similar to its name.
Squash developed in America and explorers brought seed back to Europe, where many of the heirloom varieties were developed.
"We have Blue Hubbards, Pink Banana Squash, and Red Kuri," Boer notes. The Confection is a pale blue squash. And the Naked Seed have eerie green seeds within, which were developed for the pumpkin oil industry and do not have the hard seed shell.
White Polar Bears look exactly as described, as do the Red Warty Things. "That's their real name," Boer smiles. "They are from an old heirloom found in the seed vaults."
The Marina de Chiogga are valued for their use in raviolis, and the Speckeld Hounds are a great eating variety.
Nadine originally started planting pumpkins to give away to family and friends, beginning with standard pumpkins and butternut squash.
"Squash are wonderful to eat. They accommodate practically every type of seasoning."
The Boers are happy that they have undoubtedly contributed to the community consuming and enjoying more types of squash, some of which were virtually unknown until people started visiting the pumpkin patch.
Pumpkins and squash last "nearly forever," notes Boer. "There's no need to refrigerate them. They should keep in a cool place for a minimum of two months."
And squash are simple to cook. Most need only to be cut, seeds removed and baked at about 350 degrees, depending on the size, for about one hour or less.
The pumpkin patch is open to the public weekends from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. A limited number of wagons and clippers are available, and the Boers encourage visitors to bring their own wagon if they are planning to collect more than one or two pumpkins.
As the students return to their teachers, every child has selected something special to them- some chose the giant, archetypal jack-o-lantern, but surprisingly, many kids are carrying other types of squash as unique as they are- small, large, colorful, unusually shaped or "practically perfect."
"We come to the pumpkin patch every year," says Mrs. Stearns. "This is an absolute local treasure, for all of us."
Nadine waves goodbye to the students and takes a breather until the next bus pulls up. "We like kids to have the first pick," she smiles. And there's no doubt that the three thousand-plus children who will visit the Boer's farm appreciate the family's generosity.
The Pumpkin Patch is located approximately one mile west of State Street on Highway 253.


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Did you work on your Bargello Quilt today? If so, how long will it be until you are finished with it or have you completed it yet. If you have, please feel free to post your pictures in the media and share with us.
I looked at it! Got a few other quilts to finish first.
Thanks for getting this group started Arzella.
Chiliwist Valley
I am working on mine now! Can't wait to see what others are doing... Candis
Candis; I just finished my first bargello. I took it to work to show everyone and they loved it.
I saw it and commented! It is very lovely, wonderful job!!!
I have my four sets of strips sewn together, but haven't closed my barrel yet. I will press tonight, then on to cross cutting. I hope to have this one done and delivered by Valentine's Day. I'm nervous to cross cut such a large amount of fabric. I also think my smallest cut will be 1-1/2", not 1".
I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.
Girl making your tube and cross cutting is the easy part, my hardest part of a Bargello, is adding and taking away sections and piecing those 1 1/2 sections. I can not let my mind wonder, if I tried to do something else, I would mess up. You will do great
I am posting new photos of the end of Phase One. All strips cut, sewn and pressed.
Phase Two: Cross cutting, sewing and pressing to being!
You go girl!!! Can't wait to see.
I've been told not to use steam when pressing. I couldn't hardly stand it and had to turn it on. What's your opinion?
Pro-Steam or Anti-Steam.
You will get so many opinions on this topic. It is a personal decision I feel. I steam all the time, I do not prewash fabrics, I chose to wash everything after quilting so it all shrinks up together, giving it that antique quilt look. I use a shout color catcher in all my quilts I wash in case of any color run. I have read if you steam iron you get some shrinkage, and you can possibly tell the color fastness of a questionable fabric. So I personally steam the heck out of mine, I love steam. I have been quilting for a long time and never had any problems... I do dry iron paper pieced items though, but everything else. Go steam go !! There is no right or wrong way, just your way. Contrary to some popular beliefs. There Is No Quilt Police! There is nothing in the world perfect. Only God is perfect! So do whatever you want it's your creation, your masterpiece!! Your the artist!!!
I stem when a block is finished or if I'm not to worried about the block stretching. I have no hard and fast rules on the subject. Sometimes I can get by without steam sometimes I can't do what pleases you.
You will be ok. When you finish it, you will see your great work and want to do another.
You can do it Margaret. Just believe in yourself. You will be very happy when you see the finish product.
Right now I am working on my second Bargello Wall Hanging. I just sewed my strips together yesterday and today I just chilled. Tomorrow I will get on it and cut my strips to the design I want it to be. Hopefully I can finish it tomorrow (Saturday).


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ELYRIA -- County officials are hoping to attract three firearms manufacturers to the area after their current states proposed or enacted stricter gun laws.
Lorain County Commissioner Tom Williams plans to send out attraction letters to Beretta U.S.A. Corp, Remington Arms Company and Magpul Industries Corp. within the next week. The letters promote Lorain County's resources and ask the companies to consider relocating.
Williams worked with Team Lorain County to draft the pitches, he said.
All three businesses have recently expressed issues with restrictions in their respective state legislatures. A number of other states have already also started to court the companies, Williams said.
"They're looking at moving and I'm sending them information to get them to relocate to Lorain County," Williams said.
Magpul, which manufactures ammunition magazines, warned Colorado legislators last month that it would relocate its facilities if a bill limiting magazines to 15 rounds or less passed. Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper signed legislation yesterday that expanded background checks for gun buyers and limited the size of ammunition magazines.
"They're looking at leaving and going to a state that is more friendly with gun laws," Williams said. "It is something that I have been working for awhile."
Williams pointed to the 2,200 suppliers of polymers in Northeast Ohio as a selling point.
In Maryland, Beretta made the same threat after the introduction of Senate Bill 281, which would ban assault rifles and limit magazine sizes to 10 rounds.
Remington similarly faces problems in New York after the passage of the NY SAFE Act, which bans high-capacity magazines and assault weapons.
Ohio has lowered business tax burdens by more than half in the past five years, Williams wrote. The state is also the top producer of ferroalloys and the third largest source of iron and steel, he said. The state's transportation systems were ranked second in the country in 2010 by CNBC, he added.
"The business-friendly environment of the state complements the resources we have available in Lorain County," he said of the county's labor force of 155,000 people. "Lorain County is home to Lorain County Community College, the fastest growing college in Ohio, and home to several workforce training programs with the manufacturing sector."
Williams said he has already gained support from State Sen. Gayle Manning and State Rep. Terry Boose, both Republicans. He said he hopes to gain bipartisan support from elected officials at the state and federal levels.
While Ohio might not be considered the most conservative state, Williams said it has historically respected the Second Amendment.
"This respect for the Second Amendment and our long manufacturing history make Lorain County a prime location for any future expansions or relocations," Williams wrote in his letter to Remington.


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This article is intended to walk you through pairing a Dell Bluetooth enabled computer to a external Bluetooth device in addition to providing basic troubleshooting assistance.
|Bluetooth Icon
|Enabled - The Bluetooth adapter is ready to pair with another Bluetooth device.
Connected - The Bluetooth adapter is already connected to a Bluetooth device (if the desired device is not the one its connected to, it will have to be re-paired).
|Disabled - The wireless switch is off. For information on how to turn the wireless switch on refer to the
Online User's Guide.
|When no icon shows the Bluetooth driver needs to be installed, refer to Dell Knowledge Base Article:
"How to Download and Install a Driver"
Article ID: SLN129493
Last Date Modified: 07/25/2016 03:39 PM
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