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BWW Reviews: ItÂ's a Good Show, CHARLIE BROWN, at Broad Brook Opera House
You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
Based on the Comic Strip by Charles M. Schulz
Book, Lyrics & Music by Clark Gesner
Additional Dialogue by Michael Mayer
Additional Music & Lyrics by Andrew Lippa
Directed by Brett Gottheimer
Performed by the Opera House Players at the Broad Brook Opera House through November 25
Just back from seeing the new James Bond film seems like the perfect time to write my review of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. Linking Ian Fleming's British secret agent with Charles M. Schulz's comic creation "Peanuts," might seem, well, odd. If you give me a moment, you will see where I am headed and why the comparison is apt.
The "Peanuts" comic strip is one of the longest-running funny pages fixtures, having debuted in 1950 and continuing up through 2000 – a fifty-year run. James Bond debuted in print in 1953. Charlie Brown and friends first came to life onstage in 1967. James Bond first appeared on screen in 1962. With Skyfall, Bond celebrates his 50-year run on film. Both Bond and "Peanuts" are cultural touchstones, both satisfyingly revived at the moment.
Many of the pleasures of Skyfall come when we are reintroduced to characters and trademarks that we have come to associate and love with Bond – M, Q, the vodka martini, etc. The movie trades on our familiarity and the audience chuckles with every knowing, winking reference.
Within the first few minutes of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, now playing in a production by the Opera House Players at the Broad Brook Opera House, the audience is treated to images, phrases and characters that make us feel right at home. With the first "Good grief!," mention of "the little red-haired girl" and downed kite, we are transported back to those moments when we would go diving for the newspaper to find out what was happening with Snoopy, Lucy, Linus, Schroeder, Sally, and, of course, Charlie Brown.
The simple production isn't going to win any points for originality, but with this charming exercise in nostalgia, it seems unnecessary. Watching the show, I wondered if updating the costuming, the cartoon set, and swapping out Snoopy's dreaded Red Baron for a terrorist of some sort would kill the magic. Perhaps, but director Brett Gottheimer toes the line and delivers a generally satisfying production. At a minimum, Linus has been given a laptop.
The plot is essentially nonexistent. The show merely follows Charlie Brown and friends through something approaching a day (hard to actually call it a day as April Fool's Day and Valentine's are both celebrated within the course of the show). The songs and book by Clark Gesner manage to convey that unique balance that Charles M. Schulz struck between childhood and adult neuroses. Two additional songs, "Beethoven Day" and "My New Philosophy," were later added seamlessly for a 1999 revival.
Andrew Small is tasked with playing the title character. Surprisingly, this isn't an easy role – one has to be somewhat of a depressing loser, but lovable at the same time. Small manages to strike the right notes, while sometimes being more of a whiner than we normally associate with Charlie Brown. In a fit of hip, transgender casting, Snoopy is now a girl played by Lauren Rozek. Rozek delivers a sweet performance, but forgets that the beloved beagle was always the coolest character in the strip – a canine Bond, if you will. Her show-closing "Suppertime" is an apt and energetic finale.
The combative siblings, Linus and Lucy, are played by James Rhone and Grace Gentile. Rhone nails Linus's unique cross-section of freakish intelligence with thumb-sucking insecurity. His Act 1 number "My Blanket and Me" is a highlight. Gentile's Lucy is well-sung, but problematic. Her performance as the resident crabby bully is not quite big enough to make her formidable. Many of her laugh lines fall harder than Charlie Brown after missing that troublesome football.
Garth West renders a lovable version of that Beethoven-obsessed Schroeder and brings down the house with his gospel-tinged "Beethoven Day." The star-turn in the cast belongs to Alyse Katherine Pilch. In the 1967 original, the character of Sally, Charlie Brown's overconfident sister, was actually Patty. In 1999, a switch was made, presumably for the better as Sally is a wonderful comic creation. The part was originated by Kristen Chenoweth in a star-making performance and Pilch follows in her squeaky, comic footsteps. One would have to be a blockhead to miss it.
Photo of Alyse Katherine Pilch and Andrew Smalls by TIna Clark of Viviana's Photography.
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From This Author Jacques Lamarre


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When a tropical cyclone becomes elongated it is a sign the storm is weakening. Imagery from NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite today revealed that wind shear was stretching out Tropical Cyclone Faxai and the storm was waning.
On March 5 at 1500 UTC/10 a.m. EST, Tropical Cyclone Faxai's center was located near 22.5 south and 155.2 east, about 699 nautical miles/804.4 miles/ 1,295 km west-northwest of Wake Island.
According to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center or JTWC, Faxai's maximum sustained surface winds dropped to 50 knots/57.5 mph/92.6 kph. Faxai was moving to the northeast at 14 knots/16.1 mph/25.9 kph and quickly weakening.
NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite passed over Tropical Cyclone Faxai on Mar. 5 at 03:35 UTC and the VIIRS instrument or Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite aboard captured a high-resolution visible image of the storm.
VIIRS is a scanning radiometer that collects visible and infrared imagery and radiometric measurements. VIIRS data is used to measure cloud and aerosol properties, ocean color, sea and land surface temperature, ice motion and temperature, fires, and Earth's albedo.
The VIIRS image showed that Faxai had become elongated as a result of increasing vertical wind shear. The VIIRS image also showed cold air stratocumulus clouds were moving into the western quadrant of the storm.
The JTWC noted that all strong convection (rising air that forms thunderstorms that make up a tropical cyclone) has dissipated. Satellite imagery also showed that Faxai was taking on frontal characteristics.
The JTWC issued their final bulletin on Faxai and noted that the storm was expected to become extra-tropical by the end of the day on March 5 as it becomes embedded into a westerly flow.
Text credit: Rob Gutro
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Rob Gutro | EurekAlert!
The fastest light-driven current source
26.09.2017 | Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
An international team of physicists a coherent amplification effect in laser excited dielectrics
25.09.2017 | Universität Kassel
At the productronica trade fair in Munich this November, the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT will be presenting Laser-Based Tape-Automated Bonding, LaserTAB for short. The experts from Aachen will be demonstrating how new battery cells and power electronics can be micro-welded more efficiently and precisely than ever before thanks to new optics and robot support.
Fraunhofer ILT from Aachen relies on a clever combination of robotics and a laser scanner with new optics as well as process monitoring, which it has developed...
Plants and algae use the enzyme Rubisco to fix carbon dioxide, removing it from the atmosphere and converting it into biomass. Algae have figured out a way to increase the efficiency of carbon fixation. They gather most of their Rubisco into a ball-shaped microcompartment called the pyrenoid, which they flood with a high local concentration of carbon dioxide. A team of scientists at Princeton University, the Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford University and the Max Plank Institute of Biochemistry have unravelled the mysteries of how the pyrenoid is assembled. These insights can help to engineer crops that remove more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere while producing more food.
A warming planet
Our brains house extremely complex neuronal circuits, whose detailed structures are still largely unknown. This is especially true for the so-called cerebral cortex of mammals, where among other things vision, thoughts or spatial orientation are being computed. Here the rules by which nerve cells are connected to each other are only partly understood. A team of scientists around Moritz Helmstaedter at the Frankfiurt Max Planck Institute for Brain Research and Helene Schmidt (Humboldt University in Berlin) have now discovered a surprisingly precise nerve cell connectivity pattern in the part of the cerebral cortex that is responsible for orienting the individual animal or human in space.
The researchers report online in Nature (Schmidt et al., 2017. Axonal synapse sorting in medial entorhinal cortex, DOI: 10.1038/nature24005) that synapses in...
Whispering gallery mode (WGM) resonators are used to make tiny micro-lasers, sensors, switches, routers and other devices. These tiny structures rely on a...
Using ultrafast flashes of laser and x-ray radiation, scientists at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics (Garching, Germany) took snapshots of the briefest electron motion inside a solid material to date. The electron motion lasted only 750 billionths of the billionth of a second before it fainted, setting a new record of human capability to capture ultrafast processes inside solids!
When x-rays shine onto solid materials or large molecules, an electron is pushed away from its original place near the nucleus of the atom, leaving a hole...
"Lasers in Composites Symposium" in Aachen – from Science to Application
19.09.2017 | Event News
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Fraunhofer ISE Pushes World Record for Multicrystalline Silicon Solar Cells to 22.3 Percent
25.09.2017 | Power and Electrical Engineering
Usher syndrome: Gene therapy restores hearing and balance
25.09.2017 | Health and Medicine
An international team of physicists a coherent amplification effect in laser excited dielectrics
25.09.2017 | Physics and Astronomy

subset: commoncrawl


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He raised the food we ate and cultivated the love we shared....
Joseph Anthony Francia, our beloved father, brother, grandfather, great grandfather and uncle has passed, but will never be forgotten.
Born June 13, 1922, in San Jose, to Michael and Serafina Francia, passed peacefully on Fri, March 23, 2007 at his farm home in Mt. View with his family at his side. A local and still active farmer for over 65 years, he loved working the land growing his crops, but mostly he loved spending time with his family and friends.
Joe moved to Mt. View with his parents and attended the old Mt. View High School before entering the US army during the early years of WWII. He was captured in Germany spending several years in German concentration camps before being released at the end of the war. For his services, Joe received numerous awards including receiving a Purple Heart. Upon his honorable discharge, Joe worked for the US postal services as a mail carrier until returning to the family farming business.
Joe enjoyed sports but few knew Joe was an avid baseball player and for many years managed his own teams playing locally throughout the Santa Clara valley.
In 1949 Joe met and married Lydia Marino, a native of San Francisco. Together they raised a family and supported the local farming community growing fruits and vegetables, supplying many of the local canneries before the valley became the technology center of the world. Joe often reflected on the valley of the past, the vast orchards, vegetables and flower growers, recounting the beauty of the "Valley of Hearts Delight" as Joe would say, and days long gone. Joe and his older brother Ben, working along side their son's Gabe and Mike, remain some of the last true local farmers. Their apricot orchard in Mt. View and their farm "The Corn Palace" in Sunnyvale has become a reminder of what once was, when the valley helped to feed the world. For the past fifteen years you could also find Joe working the Sunnyvale and Mt View farmers markets each weekend along side his daughter Josie and niece Sara. Joe enjoyed selling his corn but mostly enjoyed the time working alongside his family and the people he called friends.
Joe is survived by his son, Michael Francia, daughter Josie Angelo, son-in-law Don Angelo, grandchildren Deanna and Scott Angelo, Kevin Citko, great-grandchildren, Michael, Ashley, Nicholas & Julianna Angelo-Citko, brother Ben Francia, sister Julia and husband Frank Rivas, and several niece's and nephew's. Joe was preceded in death by his sister Rose and husband George Luiz. "Daddy, you will be truly missed....give mom our love"
Rosary service was Wednesday, March 28 at Spangler Mortuary, 799 Castro St. Mt. View. Church service Thursday, March 29 at St Joseph's Church, 582 Hope St, Mt. View, followed by Cemetery service at Santa Clara Mission Cemetery, 490 Lincoln, Santa Clara.
Long time Los Altos resident, Vivian C. Rosenberger passed away peacefully at her home during the evening of March 22, 2007. Her son Triston was by her side. Mrs. Rosenberger, known to her friends as Viv, had been battling several health issues, including lymphoma, for more than a year.
Vivian, her late husband, Donald A. Rosenberger, and their son, Triston, moved to Los Altos from San Mateo in the summer of 1956. Viv loved life in Los Altos. She was a devoted wife and mother, an avid gardener, a skilful decorator, a prolific seamstress, a genteel bridge player, and a world traveler. Over the years, she invested her time and energy in several local organizations, including the Federated Women's Club of Los Altos and the El Camino Hospital Auxiliary. She was very social and had many friends. Viv enjoyed entertaining, and she and her husband, Don, loved to dance.
Vivian is survived by her son Triston, a resident of Walnut Creek. A memorial gathering will be arranged in the near future.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions in Vivian's memory to Hospice of the Valley or the America Cancer Society.
Stagi, Louise Mary, at rest in Los Altos March 27, 2008. Widow of the late William Stagi (1988). Mother of George Stagi of Santa Cruz, Helen Rogers of Los Altos & Rosemarie Scheiff of Los Altos. Grandmother of 7, Great Grandmother of 4 and Great Great Grandmother of 1. Age 96.
A vigil service and mass of Christian burial was held Monday, April 2, 2007 at Saint Nicholas Catholic Church, Los Altos. Interment, Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Los Altos. Arrangements by Spangler Mortuaries, 399 So. San Antonio Rd. Los Altos.
October 15, 1926 -
March 24, 2007
Joe was born in Tucson, Arizona, and spent his early childhood on the nearby Santa Margarita Ranch, named after his mother, Marguerite Ronstadt Smith. His father was Harold Daniel Smith, a hero of World War I.
After graduating from high school in Phoenix, he joined the U.S. Navy which sent him to the University of Colorado in Boulder where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering in 1948 and a Master's degree in Business in 1950.
He and his wife, Joyce McKeon Smith, married that year and later became the parents of two children.
On completing his thesis, which investigated the possibilities of growing the new oilseed crop, safflower, he was hired by Pacific Vegetable Oil Corporation in San Francisco, first as a chemist, and finally as vice president of research and production, producing the Saffola brand of safflower oil and margarine.
Joe moved on to become president of a new company, Agricom International, Inc. which expanded its business to Japan, Mexico, Australia and Spain. During this time he studied Japanese, and was able to communicate in that language. His business ventures gave him the opportunity to travel the world, often with Joyce, and to build many lifelong friendships.
His next company, Oilseeds International, Ltd. (OIL), added a new oil-rich sunflower, originally developed in Russia, to its production. Oleic sunflower is now farmed throughout the world.
Joe served on many committees and trade associations and in 1993, he received the University of Colorado's Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award. In 1996, the National Association of Oilseed Products awarded him a lifetime membership. His book, Safflower, a definitive history of the industry, was published in 1996.
Upon retirement, he traded in his dark business suits and somber neckties for colorful golf clothes, enjoying golf in California and Hawaii. His interest in aviation history was expressed through the model airplanes that he built, and he presented many pilot friends with treasured models of planes that they had flown. He was a lifelong jazz enthusiast and an avid record collector with an appreciation for all forms of music, which he passed on to his entire family.
He was healing well from his recent knee replacement surgery when chest pains sent him to the hospital on Friday, March 23rd. He passed away quite unexpectedly that night from heart failure at age 80.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Joyce, his daughter Sally Smith Fauske, and her husband Svein Harald Fauske of Aptos, son Allan Kent Smith, and daughter-in-law Sarah Wasley-Smith of Lafayette, and four granddaughters, Rachel and Diana Smith, and Kristin and Sonja Fauske. Burial will be private.
His family would like to invite his friends to a celebration of his life at the Los Altos Golf and Country Club on Saturday, April 14th from 4 - 6 pm. Please RSVP to the Club at (650) 947-3100.
Diane Susan (Rea) McBurnie, passed away after a three-month struggle with liver cancer on March 27, 2007. She was lovingly nurtured and cared for by her close circle of friends. Because Diane had successfully battled two other cancers in her life, she remained optimistic throughout her ordeal. She was 62.
Diane grew up in Detroit where her father, Roy Matchko, worked at Detroit Diesel as a foreman of shipping and receiving for 35 years and her mother Adela was a homemaker to her three children: Roy Jr., Diane ("Susie"), and David (who passed away at the age of 26). She received a B.A. in Journalism and an M.A. in English and took her first job as a marketing manager with Fairchild Semiconductor in Farmington, Michigan. She continued with Fairchild in their California offices supporting their sales efforts during the boom years. She subsequently worked for a variety of other companies including Business Woman Magazine where she was chief editor. Diane taught English and Journalism at San Jose State and was considered a tough but fair teacher. Diane's last position was in the marketing communications department at Business Objects writing and editing a variety of outbound marketing materials.
Diane's creativity was not only limited to the written word-she took amazing photographs and created many scrapbooks for family and friends. From 1997 to 2000 Diane traveled the world. She meticulously documented the people, places, and experiences she had and along with her photographs created amazing travel books for all to enjoy.
Diane was a member of the Los Altos Country Club taking up golf at age 50 and becoming quite proficient. She was the co-chair of the Ladies Annual Tournament in 2004 where she was the first to secure sponsors which ensured the success of future tournaments. Diane also enjoyed roller skating, bowling and pool. She loved cacti and at one point nurtured over 100 plants of all sizes, shapes, and varieties.
Diane had a deep love of dogs, owning several throughout her life with Roxie being the last. They were regulars at Peet's coffee in Los Altos where Roxie will still be found most mornings lying on her bench waiting for attention and treats from friendly passersby.
Diane is survived by her circle of friends, her black Labrador and faithful companion Roxie, brother Roy Matchko and his wife Sharon, nephew Eric Matchko, niece Mieke Parker and her husband Todd Parker and their daughter Michaela Ortiz.
Services were held at Spangler's mortuary in Los Altos on Saturday March 31, 2007 with a reception immediately following. Diane asked that donations be made to the Peninsula Humane Society or the charity of your choice.


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Virtually every wine region in Chile benefits from proximity to the Pacific Ocean and the cooling Humboldt Current that flows up from the South Pole. Although Chile extends more than 2,000 miles from north to south, its grape-growing regions are clustered in the center of the country, where rainfall is concentrated during the winter months, and where an absence of fungal diseases makes for relatively carefree grape-farming. The towering Andes Mountains that run down Chile's eastern border block wind and rain from the east, but, more important, trap cool air from the Pacific, with the result that nighttime temperatures even in most of Chile's warmest vineyards typically descend into the 50s. This diurnal variation enables Chile's vineyards to produce grapes with healthy acidity, strong aromatic character and intense varietal flavors.
For decades, Chile has been an excellent source of user-friendly, fruit-driven wines, often at bargain-basement prices. Due to a stable political environment, Chile's wine growing regions have steadily attracted foreign interest and investment since the 1970s; and, at the same time, Chile has benefited from association with large and established trading companies with powerful networks that have helped to raise the profile and expand distribution of Chilean wines in major export markets.
Chile is a solid source of wonderful-if largely commercial-grade-wines made from familiar varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc. Recently, Chile has faced growing competition in the under-$15 range from Argentina, as well as from Spain, Portugal, Australia, and South Africa. At the same time, a growing number of producers are attempting to capitalize on the country's idyllic growing conditions by cutting vine yields and attempting to make more serious and concentrated Chilean wines that can bear comparison to the best of the New World.
Sauvignon Blanc is most famous as the grape responsible for Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume, two of the most popular and energizing white wines of France. In the eastern portion of the Loire Valley, Sauvignon Blanc (which is often simply referred to as Sauvignon) produces bracing, aromatically pungent wines with strong citrus and gooseberry tones along with grassy and herbal notes, which in extreme cases or underripe vintages can cross over to green or herbaceous. A whiff of what the French call pipi de chat (cat pee) is also present in many Loire Valley Sauvignons; while this element can add a note of complexity in small doses, it can easily become overbearing. The best examples from the Loire Valley display clear mineral nuances and a distinctively dry chalkiness resulting from the limestone-domesticated soil.
Most high-quality Loire Sauvignon Blanc is fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks or in glass- or enamel-lined concrete tanks to preserve the vibrant, nervy quality of the wines. But some producers like to experiment with barrel fermentation and aging in small, sometimes new barriques -- with mixed and occasionally disastrous results. No other wine-producing region on earth can quite match the Loire Valley for the pungent citric/minerally/grassy style of Sauvignon (New Zealand comes closest), but many have mimicked the oaky style, and much of this latter type of wine seems to miss the point of the variety.
Different from Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley, classic Sancerre has always been characterized by vibrancy, steeliness, minerality and pronounced Sauvignon pungency. Its fruit profile tends to the citric, evoking lemon, lime and grapefruit. In riper years, or in the hands of some modernist producers, the wines are riper and rounder, more suggestive of orchard fruits like pear, quince, and apple. Whichever style one prefers, most aficionados agree that Sancerre should always be a wine of elegance, precision, and focus rather than volume and weight.
Most of the best producers are based in the villages of Bue and Verdigny. Chavignol, the other village with exceptional vineyards and a large number of quality-minded producers, is actually an appellation unto itself, and the wines are sometimes labeled as Chavignol rather than Sancerre. Broadly speaking, the wines of Chavignol are more powerful and intense while those of Bue and to a lesser extent Verdigny are more elegant and racy, with a subtle minerality. With rare exceptions, even the best Sancerres benefit only slightly from cellaring and are best drunk within three years of the vintage.
Menetou-Salon, located just southwest of Sancerre, yields firm-edged and very dry wines from limestone-rich soil that tend to be a bit more herbaceous and more solid than Sancerre but often represent good value. (There are also red and rose wines made here from Pinot Noir, as there are in Sancerre, but little is sold into the North American market.) The somewhat warmer Quincy appellation has historically produced rounder, more alcoholic, and less assertively citric wines than Sancerre, but a new generation of growers here is working at making more vibrant, racy wines. The same can be said about Reuilly's white wines from Sauvignon Blanc; this appellation also produces rose and Pinot Noir, most of it consumed in the local market. Farther to the west, the appellation of Touraine, surrounding the city of Tours, is a growing source of competently made and inexpensive Sauvignon (as well as red wines from Gamay, Cot, and Cabernet Franc, and whites from Chenin Blanc.)
Compared to the wines of their more exalted neighbor Sancerre, Pouilly-Fume tends to be richer and a bit fuller-bodied, with greater aromatic pungency. The vineyards here feature more flint in the soil, producing wines that are typically broad, meaty, and less delicate than Sancerre. The most prized vineyards are especially rich in flint, or silex, which the locals claim is responsible for the smoky gunflint aroma that marks classic examples of Pouilly-Fume. As with Sancerre, Pouilly-Fume is usually best consumed during the two or three years following the vintage, before the vibrant fruit begins to fade. Broadly speaking and with the prominent exception of the wines from cult producer Didier Dagueneau, Pouilly-Fume tends to be priced in the North American market at about 20 percent less than most Sancerre, as it does not enjoy quite the same popularity.
Sauvignon Blanc from California ranges in style from minerally, grassy, and citric wines (more akin to examples made in the Loire Valley or New Zealand) to opulent, tropical-fruity wines fermented and aged in barrels and often including a percentage of Semillon a la white Graves. Some of these latter Chardonnay wannabees seem to miss the point of Sauvignon, which is to be refreshing rather than overbearing. In recent years the brisk, citrusy style of Sauvignon has enjoyed steadily growing popularity on restaurant lists, and today there are many new plantings of Sauvignon Blanc in cooler regions -- as opposed to the valley floor of Napa Valley, where Cabernet grapes fetch a higher price anyway. Prices for Sauvignon Blanc have escalated as demand for these wines has grown. (Incidentally, Fume Blanc is used on the label by a number of producers, usually to signify a wine made in a richer barrel-fermented, oak-aged style.)
Although some examples have proven that they can last in a bottle, there's little if anything to be gained by cellaring these wines, and the overwhelming majority of California's Sauvignon Blancs are best consumed in the two or three years following the harvest.
2010 was an incredible year around the world, with 30 regions scored 95 or above.
The highest scores were Graves and Medoc (both in Bordeaux) at 99, Barbaresco & Barolo both at 98, Pomerol (Right Bank Bordeaux) at 98, Southern Rhone at 98, Chateauneuf de Pape (Southern Rhône) at 98, and Brunello di Montalcino (Tuscany) at 98.
Other regions that scored 95 points or higher were Graves, Medoc, Barbaresco (Piedmont), Barolo (Piedmont), Brunello di Montalcino (Tuscany), Chateauneuf de Pape (Southern Rhône), Pomerol, St Julien, Pauillac, St Estephe, Cote Rotie (Northern Rhône), Germany, Paso Robles, Piedmont, Right Bank, Barossa / McLaren Vale, Campania / Taurasi, Chablis, Chianti Classico (Tuscany), Côte de Beaune, Côte de Nuits, Napa, Ribera del Duero (Rioja), Tuscany, Catalonia / Priorat, Clare Valley, Hawke's Bay, Mâconnais, Margaux, Rioja, Sauternes, and Western Australia.
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Erlin was amped up while making big league debut
CHICAGO -- Robbie Erlin's Major League debut was a long time coming, and that may have made it all that much sweeter.
After being called up on April 24, the left-hander finally made his way into a ballgame on Tuesday night, when he pitched the ninth inning of San Diego's 13-7 win against the Cubs.
"It felt good," said Erlin, who is the club's No. 7 prospect. "It was good to get the first one out of the way. I was a little amped up, but I felt fine. I felt like I had a pretty good feel for my pitches. Maybe the offspeed release points might have been a little off, but that's all right."
Erlin gave up two earned runs on three hits, including a solo home run to Cody Ransom.
The former third-round Draft pick spent the 2012 season between Rookie ball and Double-A San Antonio, combining to go 3-3 with a 2.82 ERA in 14 starts. All three of his appearances with Triple-A Tucson this year had been starts. He was 2-0 with a 4.72 ERA in 13 1/3 innings before being called up.
"It was good to see Robbie. He's been here a while," manager Bud Black said, "but Robbie's going to pitch in the big leagues and he's going to have a nice career. I'm sure that Robbie was excited to be out there, especially in this type of ballpark. Wrigley Field, it's a great place to make your Major League debut. He looked poised, he looked calm."
& This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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I'm. Flying into philly tommorow and will be staying in atlantic city. As usual I'll be looking to play some golf and hit up the breweries. Any suggestions?
I'm planning to play brandywine and I saw there are 2 courses in vineland which is pretty close. There is 1 brewery I saw in atlantic city.


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*Recent ruminations from LUPEC Boston as published this week in the Dig.
by Pink Lady
Though most of us have been out of school for a while now, it's hard not to feel all back-to-school-y when September rolls around here in Boston. As the seasonal bounty turns from summer fruits to apples, so does our hankering for a bit of the sweet stuff … such as delicious and delightful applejack.
Applejack, America's oldest distilled spirit, is an apple brandy that first became popular during colonial times, with Laird's & Company as the first commercial producers. William Laird was a Scotch-maker in his native Scotland before crossing the pond in 1698 to settle in Monmouth County, New Jersey. Apples were abundantly available in the region, so he used them to keep making hooch.
In the 1760s Robert Laird served under General George Washington in the Revolutionary Army, which he kept supplied with the "cyder spirits". General Washington even borrowed the Laird's family recipe to try his own hand at the distilling.
Aside from the "apple" part, Laird's Applejack has little in common with other "apple products" in the marketplace, such as apple schnapps and (yech) Pucker, and drinks like whiskey with an apple-y finish. Modern Laird's Applejack is also considerably different from the colonial stuff, blending real apple brandy with neutral grain spirits to smooth and reduce the alcohol content for our delicate modern palates.
Applejack is as American as apple pie and happens to be helmed by a very cool LUPEC-loving lady, Lisa Laird Dunn. She's the 9th generation Laird to head up the company. We'll drink to that!
.75 oz fresh lime juice
1.5 oz applejack
.5 oz sweet vermouth
Shake in iced cocktail shaker; strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Take that, Sour Apple-tini!


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Swisher to seek further opinions on ailing knee
CLEVELAND -- Nick Swisher has fought through knee issues for much of this season with the Indians. Cleveland and the ailing designated hitter are currently weighing whether he should continue to battle what has proved to be a persistent problem.
After being placed on the 15-day disabled list with soreness in his right knee on Sunday, Swisher was examined by Dr. Rick Parker on Monday at the Cleveland Clinic. The Indians are currently in the process of gathering more information and seeking additional opinions before announcing the next steps for Swisher.
Manager Terry Francona would not say whether surgery was under consideration.
"I think what we need to do is allow this process to kind of play itself out," Francona said. "With the ballclub's help and urging, he's going to get another opinion and we're trying to align that right now. When we have information that's solid -- and when and where and all that -- we will give it to you guys. I think they're in the process of trying to do that right now."
Through 97 games this season, the 33-year-old Swisher is hiting .208 with eight home runs, 20 doubles, 42 RBIs, 36 walks, 111 strikeouts and an uncharacteristically low .278 on-base percentage. Over the previous 10 seasons in the Majors, Swisher turned in a .255/.358/.462 slash line with at least 20 homers in each of the past nine years.
Swisher -- signed to a four-year, $56 million contract prior to last season -- battled a left shoulder issue last season, when he hit .246 with 22 homers and 63 RBIs in 145 games. He has dealt with issues in both knees this year, but has tried to play through the discomfort.
Francona said the most important approach now is for Swisher to get to the bottom of the injury.
"It's hugely important," Francona said. "That's why I think, with the club's blessing, get another opinion and then put everybody's heads together and see how to progress moving forward. We'll have some information, hopefully, pretty soon."
Jordan Bastian is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Major League Bastian, and follow him on Twitter @MLBastian. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Are you a Season Ticket Holder? Have you been collecting 'Caps Points? Well make sure to cash them in by logging on to your 'Caps Card page every Wednesday starting at 12 p.m. as unique experiences and prizes become available.
*Cut-off for prizes is always the following Wednesday at 9 a.m.
Log on this week for your chance to win:
- Get on the 'Caps bench during pre-match warm-up – Raffle
- Exclusive spot at Whitecaps FC Yoga Night on August 10 – Instant Redemption
- $25 Donnelly Group gift card – Auction
- Carlyle Mitchell jersey – Raffle
Congrats to the following winners of last week's prizes:
- VIP tickets for the 2014 Sport Chek Open Practice on July 22 at Swangard Stadium – John Stark, Melissa Lee, Matthew Parker, Christopher Best, Farzan Pursoltani, Dennis Flynn, J.P. Mayede, Stephen Jack, Randy Ferrara, Pedram Shakibafar
- Blue WFC jersey signed by Sebastian Fernandez, Matias Laba, Nicolas Mezquida, and Pedro Morales – Allan Greaves, Leon Laban, Steve Sumra
- Photo with the Whitecaps FX starting XI at the July 27 home match vs. FC Dallas – Sean Narita
- Parking pass for the July 27 match vs. FC Dallas – Adam Van Essen, Andrew Delbaere, Brett Pedersen, Ed Callendar, Kevin Gaffney, Mark Wang, Scott Preddy, Terrance Thomson, Jason Brauer
Do you want the opportunity to take part in these unique experiences and prizes? Become a Whitecaps FC Season Ticket Holder! Whitecaps FC season tickets remain available at a prorated price. For more information on all Whitecaps FC ticket options, call 604.669.9283 ext. 2 or visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets.


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BP Comment Quick Links
|Strength of Schedule Report
August 21, 2012
Western Front
Before Felix was King
When Seattle right-hander Felix Hernandez spun a perfect game against the Rays last Wednesday night, he became the third pitcher in Mariners history to notch a no-hitter. Randy Johnson was the first, in June 1990, against the Tigers. Chris Bosio followed that nearly three years later against the Red Sox.
One of my favorite Bill James toys is his Game Score, which attempts to measure a starting pitcher's effectiveness in a single game on a scale (roughly) of 0 to 100. Like any other tool, it isn't perfect, but it provides a useful gauge. When you get past 90, you're in elite territory. Both Johnson's and Bosio's no-hitters scored 89, the former because Johnson walked too many (six) and the latter because Bosio struck out too few (four). Still, a no-no is a no-no, and there is no-no denying the greatness of their performances.
I just want to make that clear, because we aren't going to talk about them. Instead, we are going to look at the 90-plus Game Scores in Mariners history. There have been 22 such games, most by familiar names:
Raise your hand if you thought Moore would have more than Langston. Now put your hand down, Mrs. Moore.
Beattie did it first, on September 27, 1983, against the Royals. On the final Tuesday of the Mariners' seventh season, the future big-league general manager spun a one-hitter (darn that U.L. Washington and his pesky toothpick!) for a team that would lose 102 games. Nearly 8,000 people saw Beattie's masterpiece at the shiny new Kingdome.
Hernandez's Game Score for the perfecto was 99, tied for highest in team history. More about that in a moment, but first, here's the aggregate line of those 22 Game Scores. This doesn't mean anything, but it looks awesome:
A couple of things stand out for me. First is that slugging percentage. There were four extra-base hits in those 22 games, all doubles. Moore allowed two to the White Sox on August 14, 1988 (to Dan Pasqua in the fourth and Mark Salas in the seventh). Hernandez allowed two to the Yankees on June 30, 2010 (to Mark Teixeira in the fourth and Colin Curtis in the fifth). The remaining 46 hits were singles.
The other thing that grabs my attention is the unearned run. Or the 20-0 record. Or both. Okay, it's two things, but they're related. What happened in those other two games where the pitcher didn't get a win?
As it happens, before Hernandez's perfect game, these were the two highest Game Scores in club history. They also resulted in Mariners losses.
Hard Luck Hanson
The first thing I notice about this game—before we even get to the pitching—Is that although it occurred more than 20 years ago, it features a Hall of Famer and a currently active player. The Hall of Famer is Oakland left fielder Rickey Henderson. The active player? Mariners shortstop Omar Vizquel.
Henderson went 0-for-4, Vizquel went 0-for-3.
This was a dominant A's team with a lethal offense led by Henderson (who would win the AL MVP), Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire, and Dave Henderson. Oakland topped the AL with a 108 OPS+ and finished third in runs scored with 733. The A's won the pennant in 1990 behind that potent offense, but they could be stopped on occasion. They were shut out 12 times, fell victim to the sixth of Nolan Ryan's seven career no-hitters, and forgot to show up for the World Series. But for the most part, this was a team that could hit and score runs.
In this game, Hanson retired the first 10 batters he faced. With one out in the fourth, Oakland third baseman Carney Lansford singled to left-center and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Canseco then grounded out, advancing Lansford to third, but Dave Henderson struck out swinging on a full count to end the threat.
The A's wouldn't get another scoring opportunity against Hanson. Felix Jose was hit by a pitch the next inning but never made it past first base. Their next baserunner came with one out in the 10th, when Dave Henderson grounded a single between short and third. He was promptly erased on a 6-4-3 double play off the bat of McGwire that ended the inning and Hanson's evening.
After Seattle threatened in the top of the 11th (Ken Griffey Jr. doubled with one out, but Alvin Davis and Jeffrey Leonard couldn't do anything against Stewart), closer Mike Schooler entered. He retired leadoff batter Jose, then coughed up three straight singles to Terry Steinbach, Walt Weiss, and the immortal Doug Jennings, whose line drive just inside the right-field foul line on a 1-2 hanging slider plated the contest's lone run.
Jennings was hitting .198/.258/.272 when manager Tony LaRussa sent him out to bat for second baseman Mike Gallego (LaRussa initially planned to use Ron Hassey but changed his mind for fear that the veteran catcher might ground into a double play). In 380 big-league plate appearances, Jennings compiled a .202/.302/.317 line. But on a Wednesday evening in Oakland, he hit a single that made his team a winner.
Weiss, who contributed to the game-winning rally, had high praise for Hanson after the contest:
Hanson was nearly unhittable today. He's got three great pitches - a fastball, a curveball and a change-up. He could throw any pitch, any time for a strike.
McGwire, who went 0-for-4, likewise complimented the Seattle right-hander:
His breaking ball just falls off the table. It seemed like he didn't throw a ball in the middle of the plate the whole day.
Although Hanson didn't get the victory, skipper Jim Lefebvre added to the verbal lovefest:
I'm proud as hell of my guy. He gave us enough. You can't ask him to give any more. But again, you have to take your hat off to Dave Stewart. The guy finds a way.
And also:
I was talking to (home plate umpire) Rich Garcia on the way back to the clubhouse, and he was telling me Erik had probably as good stuff he's ever seen in his years in the big leagues. Now that's quite a compliment.
Quoth Hanson's teammate, Leonard:
That was a very special game, as special as a no-hitter. You're talking about two teams stopped dead today, not just one. We didn't know when to swing, when not to swing, when to hold up, when not to hold up.
Very special, indeed.
Unfortunate Unit
Neither figured in the decision, with the forgettable Joe Grahe defeating the equally forgettable Calvin Jones after the latter coughed up a single to Luis Sojo in the 13th that plated Ron Tingley. Seattle went down quietly in the bottom half, with Ken Griffey Jr. striking out against Steve Frey to end the game.
This is a fun one because it features players you might not associate with these teams and/or roles:
Seattle jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first on a two-out double by Parrish that scored Griffey. Then Johnson dominated, except for the fourth, the only inning in which he failed to strike out at least one batter. With one out, Brooks singled to right. Then, with Gary Gaetti at the plate, this happened:
Fielder's Choice; Brooks Scores/Adv on E4 (throw)/No RBI/unER; Gaetti to 2B
Wait, what? Here's how the Orange County Register's Matt McHale described it:
Gaetti grounded to third baseman Mike Blowers. Boone, the rookie trying to unseat Harold Reynolds as the regular second baseman, took the throw, but was off the bag. His relay to first rolled into the Angels dugout and Brooks was given two bases on the error.
That would be Bret Boone, son of former Angels catcher Bob Boone. As Johnson said, "One stinking hit and he (Brooks) scored." Well, the paper quotes him as saying "stinking."
Turns out there was drama is this game from the start. From McHale's article:
The first inning also was notable for Johnson's first pitch, a fastball that sailed over the head of leadoff hitter Luis Polonia. Unlike the night before, both benches didn't empty, but Johnson was given a warning by plate umpire Jim Evans.
And how did Langston feel about pitching in front of said crowd?
It's tough to see when September comes around and there is no one here. There isn't much to do except play the rest of the season. I still think about it. I had some of my greatest memories here. But now it just looks like the same old thing.
In my visit to Seattle earlier this summer, Langston threw out the ceremonial first pitch before one of the games I attended. He received a warm welcome, and his former team won in extra innings, although there were more (or at least more vocal) Red Sox fans in attendance. Whether that qualifies as "the same old thing" is open to interpretation.
* * *
Hanson and Johnson deserved better than what they got in their games. That is kind of a metaphor for many things in life, although such metaphors lie beyond the scope of this article. The important point is that now, thanks to King Felix's perfect game, the best pitching performance in Mariners history also coincides with a team victory.
In a season defined by the developmental failure of Justin Smoak, the departure of icon Ichiro Suzuki, and a boatload of losses, it's nice for a team and its fans to latch onto something as a point of pride. Felix Hernandez's dominant season and dominant game allow them to do just that. And maybe in the process folks can celebrate the efforts of Hanson and Johnson, who were less fortunate despite pitching gems that should not be forgotten.
Hanson/Stewart game quotes are from an article by the San Francisco Chronicle's Mark Camps and an uncredited Associated Press piece that appeared in the Chicago Tribune.
6 comments have been left for this article.
BP Comment Quick Links
Omar plays for the Jays...
Aug 21, 2012 07:29 AM
What about Brian Holman's near perfect game on April 20, 1990? Ken Phelps broke it up with a 2 out pinch hit hr in the 9th, and I was there!
Aug 21, 2012 07:55 AM
"In fact, it's the highest combined Game Score since July 14, 1972, when Gaylord Perry and Mike Paul registered 196."
Aug 21, 2012 10:13 AM
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Enjoy views over the River Mersey at the contemporary Crowne Plaza Liverpool City Centre hotel, near the BT Convention centre. With a smile, our top-hatted doormen will direct you from our secure car park into the glass atrium of Crowne Plaza Liverpool City Centre s bright Lobby. Head to your spacious room or Suite, where you can watch films on the flat-screen TV or celebrate inspiring views of Liverpool s impressive docks. Crowne Plaza Liverpool City Centre is in the city s financial quarter, 12 minutes walk from the restaurants and museums of the red-brick Albert Dock and rock and pop concerts at the Echo Arena . Designer and urban fashion draws in the crowds at Liverpool ONE shopping complex, and we re under a mile from Liverpool Lime Street rail station and 20 minutes drive from Liverpool John Lennon Airport. Kickstart your way to success with a healthy breakfast of eggs cooked to order or fresh fruit and cereal at the Brasserie. Scallops wrapped in pancetta are one of many delights on the menu later for dinner. From the 1st-floor Fitness Centre , draw energy from panoramic views of the River Mersey and the iconic Royal Liver Building. Dive into the 18-metre indoor pool at Crowne Plaza Liverpool City Centre or energise with a jog along the historic waterfront. Our dedicated Concierge is ready with a map and a deep reserve of valuable advice.
Tale the M62, M58 or M53 to Liverpool.
AT the end of the motorway head towards the city centre, then simply follow the brown toursit signs to the Albert Dock, when you reach the water front, the hotel cannot be missed sitting adjacent to the Royal Liver Building just before you reach the Albert Dock at the Pier Head
You can check in from 14:00. You need to check out by 11:00.


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Pumpkins for sports
The annual Los Altos High School Pumpkin Patch – benefiting the school's athletic program – is slated 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. today and Thursday in the student parking lot. Pumpkins of almost all shapes and sizes will be available for purchase. The pumpkin patch is bigger this year, featuring a spooky tunnel walk, a haunted graveyard and snacks (popcorn and lemonade). Los Altos High is located at 201 Almond Ave.
Coaches wanted
Shot at Cooperstown
The Los Altos-Mountain View PONY Baseball Mavericks, a Cooperstown Club Team for players 12-and-under, has scheduled tryouts 10 a.m. to noon Dec. 7 at Covington School, 201 Covington Road, Los Altos. Registration, required to try out, begins Friday. The team is set to compete in Cooperstown, N.Y., June 14-20. To register or for more information, visit lamvpb.org.
Tennis aides sought


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THE FRIDAY SIX: Q&As with Your Favorite Broadway Stars- Mark Jacoby
Welcome to THE FRIDAY SIX: Q&As With Your Favorite Broadway Stars. Want to know what hooked them to a career in the theater? Their dream roles? Their Broadway crushes? Read on!
In this week's edition, we caught up with Mark Jacoby, who is starring as 'Walter' in ELF- currently playing at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.
What is the first Broadway show you ever saw?
Hello Dolly, when my college ROTC band travelled to NYC for a competition. It was the original production, though not the original cast, starring at that time Martha Raye. (I paid $8 for 6th row center on the aisle.)
What is your most unique pre-show ritual?
Gargling with salt water, whether I'm sick or not.
What is your most memorable "the show must go on" moment?
In 1986 I was playing Vitorio Vidal opposite Ann Reinking in Sweet Charity. In the scene, I handed Ann a beer bottle which was to have little water in it but, as it turned out, contained a small amount of ammonia! She took a swig and ran screaming from the stage as I stood there helplessly singing a big ballad. Moments later Bebe Neuwirth came on as Charity. Ann was in a lot of pain, but was back in the next night.
What is the one role you want to play before you die?
Any role in Art by Yasmina Reza.
Who is your Broadway crush?
Angela Lansbury.
Where can people stalk you online?
As is well known, stalking is an illegal activity and stalkers are potentially subject to severe civil and criminal penalties. It would be inappropriate for me to abet said illegality in any way by giving information facilitating its perpetration.


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NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partner university faculty. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Pharmacy and Medications
Mixed Medications Help
My mom has been seeing a therapist for 2 years and has only gotten worse. Here is a list of medications she is currently taking on a daily basis. Valium 40mg, Prozac 50mg, Geodon 160mg, Lamictal 300mg, Suboxone 8mg. She has been on different medication cocktails for the past 2 years with this doctor. Is this hurting her and making her worse? She was diagnosed with borderline personality.
There are no obvious "therapeutic duplications" amongst the medications you have listed; in other words, each medication works in a different way and each can be used for a different medical problem. The medications you mention also do not have any drug interactions between them with the potential to cause something that resembles the worsening of a chronic disease state like borderline personality disorder (BPD).
Lamictal® is a "mood stabilizer" that has been studied in BPD and found to be effective compared to placebo ("sugar pill"). Second-generation antipsychotics, such as Geodon®, have been studied and found to have a beneficial effect in BPD. Fluoxetine is an antidepressant that has been studied in BPD and found to be effective compared to placebo. Valium and Suboxone are not medications typically used in treatment of borderline personality disorder; however, there are many medical problems for which they might be prescribed. In the treatment of BPD, medication is usually an "adjunctive" or add-on therapy. Psychotherapy and counseling are typically the primary treatment method.
Non-medication steps that can be taken to improve progress in mental-health treatment are rearranging schedules in order to attend psychotherapy sessions regularly, avoiding states of physical exhaustion, maintaining good nutrition, exercising regularly, sleeping adequately, and using stress-reduction techniques. The links below may provide some other general information on your mother's condition that may be helpful.
Sarah Hudson-DiSalle, PharmD, RPh
Specialty Practice Pharmacist of Outpatient Pharmacy
College of Medicine
The Ohio State University


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Tiger Woods took a 2-shot lead into Sunday's fourth round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club in Orlando. He birdied the first hole to go up by 3 shots.
Woods shot 6-under-par 66 to grab the third-round lead. He is 41-2 on the PGA Tour when he has the outright lead going into the final round.
"Just because I've won here doesn't ensure that I'm going to win the tournament," Woods said after Saturday's round. "The conditions are different. The game might be different. But the objective is still to put myself in position to win the golf tournament and somehow get it done on Sunday. Over the course of my career, I've done a pretty decent job of that."
Woods entered Sunday's play at 11-under 205, 2 shots ahead of Rickie Fowler, John Huh and Justin Rose.


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VILLA PARK – After more than two decades, fireworks could again be sold in Villa Park this July 4.
The City Council has begun reviewing a plan to allow the sale of "Safe and Sane" fireworks. Villa Park would be the ninth city in Orange County to allow the sale of fireworks to residents. The other cities are Huntington Beach, Garden Grove, Costa Mesa, Santa Ana, Westminster, Buena Park, Fullerton and Stanton.
Firework sales in Villa Park were banned in 1987. City officials are considering an ordinance to allow firework sales for this Independence Day on a one-year trial basis. The ordinance would include provisions to address specific areas where fireworks would be prohibited, and would also outline the vendor permit, dates of sale, date and hour of discharge, firework stand locations, 24-hour security, and fees to offset city costs.
Huntington Beach and Buena Park recently lifted their bans after officials decided the benefit to youth groups and churches, which can generate thousands of dollars in just a few days with sales, outweighed the potential public safety risks.
Nonprofit groups generally operate stands in parking lots of shopping centers.
The Villa Park City Council could vote on a firework ordinance next month.
Contact the writer: 714-704-3773 or email@example.com


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Don't miss out on a lower price on this hotel
Get an overview of this hotel3.5-star Valencia hotel in Santa Clarita - Magic Mountain with free breakfast
Popular property highlights
Located in Santa Clarita - Magic Mountain, this hotel is 2.6 mi (4.1 km) from Six Flags Hurricane Harbor and 2.7 mi (4.3 km) from Six Flags Magic Mountain. Castaic Lake is 7.8 mi (12.5 km) away.
Hotel Features
Along with a restaurant, this hotel has an outdoor pool and a fitness center. Cooked-to-order breakfast is free. Other amenities include a bar/lounge, WiFi in public areas, and coffee/tea in a common area.
Room Amenities
All 156 rooms provide conveniences like sofa beds and living rooms, plus WiFi and flat-screen TVs with cable channels. Other amenities available to guests include refrigerators, microwaves, and room service.
Guest Highlights
- Good location
- Breakfast
- Overall property condition
- Helpful staff
- Clean guestrooms
- Guestroom size
Embassy Suites by Hilton Valencia - Downtown
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
Embassy Suites by Hilton Valencia - Downtown features an outdoor pool and a fitness center. The hotel offers a restaurant. A bar/lounge is on site where guests can unwind with a drink. Guests can enjoy a complimentary breakfast each morning as well as a complimentary manager's reception. Public areas are equipped with wireless Internet access (surcharge).
A business center is on site at this 3.5-star property. This business-friendly hotel also offers multilingual staff, gift shops/newsstands, and coffee/tea in a common area. Onsite parking is available (surcharge).
- 24-hour front desk
- ATM/banking
- Number of floors - 4
- Bar/lounge
- Business center
- Coffee/tea in common areas
- Free newspapers in lobby
- Free breakfast
- Conference space
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Elevator/lift
- Express check-in
- Express check-out
- Fireplace in lobby
- Fitness facilities
- Gift shops or newsstand
- WiFi (surcharge)
- Laundry facilities
- Multilingual staff
- Total number of rooms - 156
- Restaurant
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Self parking (surcharge)
- Free reception
- Outdoor pool
- Wedding services
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Outdoor pool
- Separate living room
- Laundry facilities
- Sofa bed
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
- Cribs/infant beds (complimentary)
Available in all rooms: Wireless internet access ( USD 9.95 per night )
Available in some public areas: Wireless internet access ( USD 9.95 )
Self parking (surcharge)
Room Amenities
- Air conditioning
- Phone
- Private bathroom
- Shower only
- In-room safe
- Cable TV service
- In-room climate control (air conditioning)
- Coffee/tea maker
- Free weekday newspaper
- Designer toiletries
- Desk
- Hair dryer
- Daily housekeeping
- Hypo-allergenic bedding available
- Iron/ironing board
- Flat-panel TV
- WiFi (surcharge)
- Separate living room
- Microwave
- Pay movies
- Premium bedding
- Premium TV channels
- Refrigerator
- Sofa bed
- Video-game console
- Room service (limited hours)
- Free cribs/infant beds
Where to Eat
Guests are offered a complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast each morning. A complimentary manager's reception is offered each day.
Grove Restaurant and Bar - This restaurant specializes in American cuisine and serves dinner only. Open daily.
Room service (during limited hours) is available.
Nearby Things to Do
Recreational amenities at the hotel include an outdoor pool and a fitness center.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Golfing nearby
- Downhill skiing nearby
- Snorkeling nearby
- Personal motorized watercraft on site
- Windsurfing nearby
- Sailing nearby
- Scuba diving nearby
- Water skiing nearby
- Hiking/biking trails nearby
- Bicycle rentals nearby
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please note them at check-out when you book your room.
- Accessible bathroom
- Roll-in shower
- In-room accessibility
Hotel Policies
Check-in time ends at midnight
Minimum check-in age is 21
Check-in time starts at 4 PM
Check-out time is 11 AM
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Rollaway/extra beds are not available.
- Free cribs (infant beds)!
- Pets not allowed
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
Optional extras
- Fee for in-room wireless Internet: USD 9.95 per night (rates may vary)
- Fee for in-room wired Internet: USD 9.95 per 24-hour period (rates may vary)
- Fee for wireless Internet in public areas: USD 9.95 (rates may vary)
- Self parking fee: USD 12.00 per night
Hotel Name
- Embassy Suites Hilton Hotel Valencia Downtown
- Embassy Suites Hilton Valencia Downtown


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ACParadise Network: American Cosplay Paradise American Cosplay Experience American Cosplay Snapshots
I'm 29 years old and married to a wonderful man who puts up with all this expensive cosplay nonsense. I love cosplay. Anime North 04 was my first convention and I had to dress up. Fell in love with the whole convention experience.
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Newest Favorites
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Recent Comments
- Ammie says, "Your always my fav star fighter!! Your costume is beyond perfect!! Great job!!"
- For Sailor Star Fighter from Sailor Moon Sailor Stars
- NozeNuggets says, "I love it!"
- For Fake Sailor Moon from Sailor Moon
- NozeNuggets says, "Zoicite was the name of the villain. Which would be a cosplay as a crossplay IIRC...So instead of red, it would be purple to do Zoicite, am I right?"
- For Fake Sailor Moon from Sailor Moon
- pockyprincessdarcy says, "This is beautifully made! I love how bold your colors are and the paints you used! Snazzy!"
- For Rosiel from Angel Sanctuary
- White Rose Assassin says, "I totally remember this from my childhood! You did an awesome job. Bonus points for originality!"
- For Fake Sailor Moon from Sailor Moon


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Patrick Vuagnat
Born and raised in the Alps, near Portes du Soleil, my parents were outdoor freaks so I had no choice but to be on skis at the age of 3. For a long time, skiing wasn't a career option, it was just a fun activity that I wanted to do as much as I could. My buddies and I were mostly doing freestyle, playing around at our home ski resorts. I really stepped it up when I discovered and learned about the big mountain, after I finished my studies and moved away from home. I was 21. At that time I had no idea how to use a beacon; it seems so crazy thinking back about it. I started shooting with my new mates and had my first publication. Steadily things came together and after another couple of years dedicated to a ski-bum life and some hard work in between, I finally caught the opportunity of making a living out of skiing. For me, competitions haven't much to do with freeskiing, so I focus on shooting pictures to get published, writing travel reports for different magazines and occasionally filming for diverse productions. Skiing has shaped my life and today I'm simply super stoked every time I'm go out there. I feel really lucky to experience nature and life. For 2012/13, I'll be hitting the powder road, sharing my experiences on my blog, happy to be hooked up with Arc'teryx to keep me dry and warm all the way long.
- Born/Age:
- Born in France 15/12/1979.
- Current Residence:
- Patrick divides his time between Thonon, France and Engelberg, Switzerland.
- Website/Blog:
- www.patvuagnat.com
- Recent Media Coverage:
- Freeskier magazine (USA) double page in 2012 Buyer Guide
- FriFlyt (Norway) publication in 2012 September issue
- Skipass.com (France) series of 3 reports in 2012
- Career accomplishments:
- Being able to ski, to follow winter around the globe and met interesting people is a privilege and the greatest accomplishment I can list.


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StartUpHire is the place to find Accounting jobs in and near Bedford. Review the list of Accounting Bedford career opportunities to the left. These Accounting jobs represent some of the most rewarding careers available.
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Overview This is a full time position located in East Lansing, Michigan. This position works very closely with the Development Manager and requires a person with existing C# .NET and SQL skills at a minimum. The candidate will be required to translate business requirements into7/15/2017 East Lansing, MI Save This Job
Overview Enliven Software, an East Lansing based eInvoicing and ePayments company is hiring for a Technical Support position to work with its Fidesic platform team. Summary of Responsibilities Answer calls, emails, and chat to support customers Document support issues7/15/2017 East Lansing, MI Save This Job


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A JUNIOR school has leapt from inadequate to good in just over a year.
Ofsted has decreed that Lowerhouse Junior School in Burnley is no longer subject to special measures after the quick turnaround.
The Liverpool Road school has gone from the worst Ofsted rating to the second highest in just 15 months.
Head teacher Claire Holgate praised the staff, governors and pupils for their refusal to give up on their school.
Ofsted also championed the school's new head for bringing an inspirational management style to Lowerhouse.
Inspectors praised 'consistently good teaching' from staff and said pupils were 'keen and attentive learners'.
Ofsted inspector Shirley Gornall said: "In her first year in post, the headteacher has inspired and energised staff, secured their commitment to improvement, and developed the school as an outward-facing hub in the community.
"The recently-appointed deputy head teacher has also had immediate impact and has boosted leadership capacity to improve the school still further.
"Teamwork among staff is a notable strength, underpinning their high morale and absolute commitment to ensuring that pupils enjoy school and achieve well."
Ms Gornall also described the curriculum as 'vibrant' and said it had captured the imagination of pupils.
She added: "Pupils' achievement in reading, writing and mathematics has improved rapidly since the school's previous inspection.
"The proportions of pupils making and exceeding expected progress from their relative starting points are consistently above national figures across subjects.
"Concerted action has secured strong improvement in reading, writing and mathematics for pupils of all ages and groups."
Mrs Holgate added: "We are thrilled to have achieved this in such a short space of time as it is not something you hear of very often."


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Ariel Little Mermaid
My daughter wanted an Ariel doll cake, and I didn't want to do another "doll in dress" cake, so this is what I came up with. It's a half-choc/half-vanilla cake with raspberry-buttercream filling and vanilla buttercream under fondant. All fondant accessories except for a de-legged Ariel doll. I made some chocolate accessories too, but they just didn't look right on the cake, so they didn't make the final cut (they went into loot bags instead!) ... TFL


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Eifert will be presented with the award on Thursday during the Home Depot College Football Awards Red Carpet Show at 6:30 p.m. on ESPNU. The Bishop Dwenger High School graduate will also be honored at the 2013 Discover BCS National Championship Game in South Florida on January 7.
"Sometimes at the tight end position you get labeled as either a pass catcher or a run blocker, and (Eifert) has broken that mold," Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said last month. "He lines up as a wide receiver. He's lines up attached as a run blocker and a pass protector, because we all knew one thing that he had: He could catch the football."
Eifert recorded 44 receptions for 624 yards and four touchdowns this season, while leading Notre Dame to the Discover BCS National Championship Game. In addition to the Mackey Award, he has also already been named second-team All American by Walter Camp and CBS Sports.
"I think it's a combination of a guy that understands Notre Dame, understands the value of a great education, and wanted to be on a championship football team," Kelly said. "I think he epitomizes in terms of what we look for as a Notre Dame football player."
During his career, Eifert has totaled 134 receptions, 1,779 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns in his career, which made him the all-time career leader in receptions and receiving yards by a Notre Dame tight end.
The John Mackey Award is given to the collegiate tight end who best exemplifies the play, sportsmanship, academics, and community values of NFL Hall of Fame Tight End John Mackey. The 2012 John Mackey Award recipient was determined by confidential balloting of the John Mackey Selection Committee.


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I broke my iPhone today. Is it wrong that I'm not in any particular rush to replace it? I'm sort of glad not to be tethered to a device 25/8. And I'm using the opportunity to consider a possible switch away from Apple. We'll see.
So for the time being, I'm using my landline and "old fashioned" (read: iPad or laptop-based) email. No texting for now.
Photo from January 2011 at Castle Bunratty in Shannon, Ireland


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Nosler Partition bullets are designed for larger animals because the top half of the bullet will mushroom immediately on impact, but the bottom half will not mushroom at all due to the copper partition. This allows more kinetic energy transfer from the bullet to the target even with a lighter bullet. Other calibers, bullet weights and loads are available.
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Mfr Part: P270WSMC
Cartridge: 270 WSM (Winchester Short Mag)
Bullet Weight (Grains): 150
Rounds: 20
Bullet Style: Nosler Partition
Brand Style: Vital-Shok
Muzzle Energy: 3200, ...
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The storms expected to bring Northern California a desperately needed deep drenching this weekend, after the driest year in state history, aren't just random showers.
They are the result of a developing situation that scientists call "an atmospheric river," and recent research has shown that they have played a significant role in breaking droughts in the past.
Sometimes known as "the Pineapple Express," these rivers of rain are long, narrow bands of highly concentrated moisture that are formed in the Pacific Ocean and barrel eastward until they hit land, bringing downpours and flooding.
When they hit California, they pack an amazing punch. Just one can carry 15 times as much water as the Mississippi River.
"It's essentially a fire hose of water brought up from the tropics that comes up and crashes into the West Coast," said Michael Dettinger, an atmospheric scientist with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla.
And one is hitting now, moving up from Hawaii.
By Monday, forecasters expect 2 to 4 inches of rain to have fallen over San Francisco and the East Bay; 2 inches over the South Bay; 4 to 6 inches over the Santa Cruz Mountains and Marin County; and a soaking 7 to 9 inches over parts of Sonoma and Mendocino counties. The Sierra could get 3 feet of snow.
That will almost certainly rank as the biggest storm to hit the Bay Area in 14 months, since San Francisco received 1.39 inches of rain on Nov. 30, 2012. It may even be the biggest in four years, when 2.48 inches drenched San Francisco on Oct. 13, 2009.
Another storm is expected Wednesday, but that doesn't mean the drought is over. Far from it.
"We need a bunch of these. It's a decent beginning, but we need more," said meteorologist Jan Null, with Golden Gate Weather Services in Saratoga.
"The fire danger will go way down, and you'll probably start seeing some green in the hills," he said. "But hopefully people won't think they can go back to their old ways of using water. We are still so far behind."
To put the lack of rain in context, San Jose, Oakland and San Francisco all have received between 2 and 3 inches of rain since July 1. That puts them at about 25 percent of normal for this time of year. Even if this weekend's powerful storms double that total, which is a real possibility, Bay Area cities will still be just 50 percent of normal.
"It's really great. It's so needed. But it doesn't mean people should stop conserving," said Andrea Pook, a spokeswoman for the East Bay Municipal Utility District, in Oakland.
This weekend's storms will offer a reminder of what winter looks like. In 2013, California suffered through the driest year since it became a state in 1850, with reservoirs at record-low levels, farmers fallowing fields and fire danger high.
"Most likely we'll get ponding on the roadways, and urban- and small-stream flooding," said Larry Smith, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Monterey. "You could see some minor mud slides. It's definitely going to be a messy weekend."
The rain will provide residents a chance to put out empty garbage cans or other large containers to catch rainwater to use later on plants. It also should begin to fill depleted reservoirs.
On Friday, a team of scientists from NOAA, Scripps and other institutions flew in a plane loaded with weather instruments from Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield out 800 miles off the California coast into the heart of the atmospheric river now heading east.
"The goal is to better forecast these events: the location, the amount of precipitation and where they make landfall," said Ryan Spackman, with NOAA's Earth System Research Lab in Boulder, Colo., who is working on the project.
The term "atmospheric river" was coined just 15 years ago, when new technology allowed scientists to put microwave equipment on satellites that better measured water vapor patterns in the air.
Since then, scientists have come to realize that such systems transport huge amounts of water in warm, moist air like conveyer belts to California.
Even though they are only a few hundred miles wide, a few such storms often provide the bulk of the state's annual water and snow.
Atmospheric rivers are responsible for nearly 50 percent of all the precipitation on the West Coast. They have been the cause of historic storms, Dettinger's research shows, from the 1861 floods that forced Gov. Leland Stanford to take a row boat through the streets of Sacramento to his inauguration to the downpours of 1997-98, which flooded Yosemite Valley.
Unfortunately, this weekend's atmospheric river doesn't make future storms more likely. But it does show that the stubborn ridge of high pressure off the West Coast that has blocked storms for more than a year can break down, said Daniel Swain, a doctoral candidate at Stanford University who closely studies the subject.
"There's no guarantee that it won't come back," Swain said of the ridge. "It's possible this is just a temporary break, but I'm cautiously optimistic we'll have more typical rainfall conditions for the rest of the winter."


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