text:
SACRAMENTO — Saying "lives are at stake," attorneys representing California's 30,000 mentally ill prison inmates asked a federal court Wednesday to investigate the Department of State Hospitals' operations at the Salinas Valley Psychiatric Unit in Soledad.
In testimony in Judge Lawrence Karlton's courtroom, witnesses said low staff levels have contributed to patient deaths at the facility, and one former employee said administrators even pressured staff with a weekly patient discharge quota so waiting lists could be lowered.
Attorney Debbie Vorous, representing the state, said the federal court has never found that the Department of State Hospitals delivers inadequate care.
Acknowledging there have been "staffing fluctuations" at the Salinas Valley facility run by the state hospitals department, Vorous said, "that is not the same as deliberate indifference."
She said the department has been working hard to recruit more psychiatrists and has deployed "very creative strategies" to increase staff.
"There are sufficient numbers" at the Salinas Valley psychiatric program, she said.
The program's interim executive director Pamela Ahlin testified that currently there is the equivalent of 10.25 full-time psychiatrists at the facility. Earlier this year, the number dropped as low as seven or eight.
But with 342 patients as of Tuesday, the current ratio is one psychiatrist to 33 patients — far from the ratio of one doctor to 15 patients seen at other state hospitals, according to court testimony.
Psychiatrists from the program have said that levels have dipped dangerously low in the past year, and one expert witness said two patient deaths could have been prevented if more staff had been able to better supervise and treat them.
Attorney Michael Bien, who represents inmates in the 23-year-old "Coleman" lawsuit that led to a historic overhaul of California's state prisons, said that after 10 years with no patient deaths, there were two deaths in the last six months "related to serious understaffing" at the Salinas Valley facility.
"Peoples' lives are at stake," Bien told Karlton, asking that a court-appointed special master be ordered to investigate staffing problems and other issues at the facility.
Testimony on the matter is expected to last three days.
In testimony, expert witness Dr. Pablo Stewart said the death of a Salinas Valley patient in March by water intoxication was "very preventable."
The Herald has identified the patient as 36-year-old Desmond Watkins, who died from low blood sodium levels after drinking too much water because of a mental illness in which patients suffer from unquenchable thirst, according to a Monterey County Coroner's report.
Stewart said Watkins' extremely low blood sodium level indicated his excessive water intake "had been going on for quite a while."
Because Watkins had previously received emergency treatment for the same condition, Stewart said staff should have known to restrict his water intake and monitor his blood electrolyte levels.
Stewart said the suicide of another patient in November who had repeatedly attempted to take his life and had to wait three weeks for treatment also could have been prevented.
He said the patient scrawled a note on his cell wall saying, "I came here slightly depressed. Now I am severely depressed. This place is hopeless."
Former director of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Jeanne Woodford also testified, saying Salinas Valley's practice of taking up to 10 days to evaluate newly arrived patients before taking them off so-called "cuff status" can cause mental patient to deteriorate quickly. Cuff status means patients have almost no social contact, almost no programs, and are in handcuffs whenever they are outside their cells.
She said the classification process to get patients off cuff status and into therapy could be completed within 72 hours.
Bien said the state cut $9 million from the past year's budget for the facility, which led to extremely low staffing ratios.
Dr. Joel Badeaux, who left Salinas Valley in March, was one of nine psychiatrists who sent letters to the hospitals department complaining of high patient loads.
He said that before he left the program, an administrator sent an email to staff telling psychiatrists they should discharge 18 patients per week from the facility in order to reduce waiting lists. The department was under pressure to eliminate waiting lists, he said, because of previous rulings in the Coleman lawsuit.
The discharge quotas also came as the state was poised to ask Karlton and two others judges to stop federal oversight of prison mental health care, a bid that failed.
Badeaux testified that when he worked at Napa Valley State Hospital, also run by the Department of State Hospitals, he saw around 15 patients. At Salinas Valley, he said, he was responsible for a caseload of 60 patients, and twice that many on Fridays, when another psychiatrist had the day off.
Badeaux said he usually had to meet with patients at their cell doors because of a shortage of medically trained correctional officers to escort patient to meeting rooms.
That made therapy difficult, he said, because the patients have no privacy and other inmates could hear the doctor-patient conversations.
Part of the reason staff levels dropped so low was that state officials announced to Salinas Valley medical staff that because a new facility in Stockton is scheduled to begin taking patients in July, the program in Soledad would be cut by half, causing an exodus of psychiatrists and other staff who wanted more stable employment.
Badeaux said he's pleased by the department's recent efforts to get more psychiatrists hired, but said plans to move more than 200 Salinas Valley patients to Stockton this summer are cause for concern.
"I think it's a terrible plan to move them at that rate," he said.
Testimony by the state's witnesses is scheduled to continue Thursday.
Julia Reynolds can be reached at 648-1187 or email@example.com.


text:
ChicagoJ was dead, this must be understood. ChicagoJ had been dead these seven long seasons.
It must be understood that ChicagoJ was dead or NOTHING WONDERUL WILL COME FROM THIS.
Little Shade sat in his corner so very close to the fire in an effort to absorb some warmth, it was cold in Indiana and this year it was colder than most. For his employer would not allow him to turn the heat on or to add wood or coal to the fire as that would be a show of togetherness and he did not want to be reminded of the past.
SHADE, shouted his employer, I dont pay you to set there and read comic books or daydream about horror films, get back to work and I do not want to hear one more word from you until you have printed all of the its a they thing T-shirts.
Yes sir, replied Shade.
Knowing full well that tomorrow was Christmas day and he did not want to raise the ire of his employer so that he would receive the full day off and maybe just maybe some form of bonus. Young shade kept screen printing every T-shirt by hand.
A knock was heard at the door.
Well, said Shade's grumpy employer, dont just set there see who it is.
Young Shade quickly jumped from his seat and sprang to the door. Wrapping himself in an old tattered leather Pacers jacket that his employer had thrown in the trash many seasons ago.
Another knock and Shade was quick to open the door, letting in a gust of very cold air.
In the doorway stood a cheery faced Roaming Gnome and his wife, Gnome was wearing a leather coat that was curiously similar to the one that Shade was wearing.
Shade greeted Gnome and his wife with the warmest of seasons greeting, being cold in body the young apprentice was still warm in spirit.
Gnome heartily returned the genuine warmth of the greeting with one of his own.
Is your master in, asked Gnome?
But of course he is, said Shade, however I am afraid he has been of a very sour disposition these past few days and is even more sour today I fear.
It is of no matter, said a cheery Gnome, I am here to invite him to Christmas dinner and to invite him to watch the best of Pacers games from seasons past.
BAH HUMBUG!!!! A squeaky voice bellowed from down the stairs.
The room somehow seemed to grow colder although the door was closed as Shades red faced employer looked down the dark narrow stairway.
He was wearing a LeBron jersey with an I dont care button attached as he slinked down the stairs to stand before them.
It was Hicks.
Hicks, said Gnome, come dine with us tomorrow. We have already set aside unseasoned chicken strips and pink lemonade for you. After we feast we will watch classic Pacers from the 90s and we have an Austin Croshere retrospective that we have found narrated by Anthem.
A Hum bug upon the Pacers and a Hum bug upon Austin , said Hicks
A Hum bug upon the Pacers, asked a dejected Gnome?
Yes a hum bug, said Hicks.
You keep the Pacers in your way and I will keep the Pacers in my own way, said Hicks.
But you hardly keep the Pacers at all anymore, said Gnome.
Then let me leave them alone then, said a grumpy Hicks.
What reason do you have to dislike the Pacers, asked Gnome, they have given you so many perks over the years?
What reason do you have to like the Pacers, said Hicks, didnt you once boo them during the National Anthem?
Gnome ashamed of booing the team during the anthem decided to keep his Christmas cheer about him.
I came in good Christmas cheer and I will leave under the same. I invite you to our home to feast and be merry while I wish you the warmest of Christmas cheer.
BAH HUM BUG! Said an increasingly grumpy Hicks.
Without further stating a word to Hicks, Gnome shook Shades hand and wished him the warmest of Christmas greetings.
Shade warmly returned the greeting and uttered a hearty Go Pacers to which Gnome warmly returned as he and his wife left the building.
Old Hicks temper started to flare.
One more word from you, said Hicks, and you will celebrate the Holidays by losing your situation.
A shrunken Shade began to retreat to his cubby when in through the door burst a jolly looking fellow all clad in blue and gold.
Is this the business of its a they thing asked the man?
I have spent a good deal of money on a sign to state that very thing, Hicks replied very agitated.
Good then, said the man, do I have the pleasure of speaking to Mr. J or Mr. Hicks?
ChicagoJ has been dead these past seven years, said Hicks softening ever so slightly, in fact he has been dead seven years this very night.
I am sorry Mr. Hicks, said the man, however I am confident that Mr. Js liberality will be echoed by his surviving partner.
Yes, said a snickering Hicks, Chicago J and myself were kindred spirits.
My name is Naptown Seth and I represent the Pacers foundation. We are collecting for the poor and needy in an effort to provide them with some form of comfort and joy by purchasing Pacers coats and tickets.
Is there no goodwill store are the Pacers no longer giving away discounts to games, asked Hicks?
Yes, said Seth, but Goodwill does not guarantee that the clothing will be Pacers gear and since the Pacers have been doing so poorly these past few years that the team gives away all that they can but it is not enough to go around.
How much can I put you down for, asked Seth?
Nothing, replied Hicks.
Oh you wish to remain anonymous, asked Seth?
I wish to be left alone, Hick replied, I do not make merry at the holiday and I do not have time for idle people who will not help themselves.
With that Naptown Seth closed his book and took his leave.
By now it was time to close the business for the day.
I suppose you will want the entire day off for Christmas, said Hicks to Shade.
Yes, it is troublesome. What reason is it to celebrate the robbing of a man every December 25, if I paid you $1.00 less you would feel yourself ill used, said Hicks. You be back in here all the earlier the next day.
Yes sir, said Shade who then put on his tattered leather Pacers coat & placed on his Pacers gloves and ran out the door.
Humbug, thought Hicks.
Hicks closed up the shop for the night and carefully turned the heat off so as not to waste money. He donned his Golden State Warriors jacket and placed on his Orlando Magic wool hat and walked out the door.
As he passed by the cold and weary he never gave them a second thought. He arrived at BW3s and he was ushered to his usual table in the corner where he was brought his meal of naked wings and iced tea. He asked the waiter to turn the TV to any channel that was not playing an NBA game.
After he had eaten his meal he swiftly walked past the waiter and out the door, leaving no tip.
As he approached his house the wind was stirring almost to the point of a howl being in the air. As he wrestled with his keys in the dim light his eyes betrayed him for there on his door knocker appeared a face, a face that was in pain and anguish. He could not make out the face but he recognized the painful look on the face. Then it was gone.
Bah Humbug, thought Hicks as he entered his house.
The evening past and Hicks set down to enjoy a hot bowl of soup and watch firefly before going to bed.
As he set taking his soup he became aware of a faint sound and an increasing coldness in the room.
The sound became louder and he could now hear the clanking of chains.
Hicks jumped from his chair to see what was the matter.
Nothing, the sound was now gone.
Humbug, thought Hicks, this soup is giving me gas and making me imagine things.
He sat back down in his chair and bent over to pick up his bowl of soup when standing before him was CHICAGOJS GHOSTS!!!!
Who are you, asked a very nervous and scared Hicks?
Ask me who I was, said the Ghost.
Ok who were you, asked Hicks, you are very particular for a ghost.
In life I was your partner, said the ghost.
Chicago J is that you, asked Hicks?
Yes, said the spirit.
Why do you wear these heavy chains and why are you haunting me, asked Hicks?
These chains are the chains I forged in life, said a distraught J, every time I gave up a ticket because I no longer cared, every game I missed on TV because I hated the management because of my hatred of the Celtics, every time I complained about the trade that sent away my favorite player and I placed my hatred on the new player I forged a new chain.
Do you not believe in me, asked J seeing that Hicks had an uncaring look on his face?
The senses are a tricky thing, you might be an undigested chicken wing or some of the soup that has given me gas, said Hicks becoming more confident.
There is more gravy than grave about you, said a once again fully confident Hicks.
With that Chicago J let out an otherworldly ear piercing howl.
A now very visibly shaken Hicks cried, why do you haunt me oh spirit.
I am here to warn you, said J, these links I forged in life bind me to the earth. I can never rest, I can never know comfort. I am forced to walk the days as a spirit never being truly here or there. The chains you have forged in life are seven times longer than my own.
But you were a good man of the non committal business, said Hicks.
Togetherness was my business, Pacers pride was my business but I did not learn this until it was too late for me.
With that a ghastly hand appeared from the fire place and yanked on Js chain.
Quick I have no more time, said J, you will be visited by three more spirits on this night and I pray that you learn the lessons that they teach you .
With that J was pulled into the fire place and disappeared.
With that Hicks ran to his bed, donned his Batman pajamas and pulled the blanket over his head.
He was still visibly shaking from the event, so much so that he fell fast asleep.
The gentle tolling on the clock bells rang, quarter past the hour, half past the hour, quarter till the hour then the hour itself.
Hicks set up in bed and looked around the room, nothing came.
Whew it was all a bad dream, thought Hicks and with that he laid back down turned to his side. He closed his eyes but felt a lump behind him in the bed. He rolled over to remove the out of place pillow when he came face to face with a spirit wearing a Pacers basketball cap & a Sam Mitchell jersey and nothing more.
Hicks jumped from the bed and shouted, who are you?
I am the ghost of Pacers past, said the spirit.
The far past, asked Hicks?
Your past, replied the spirit.
Take me where you will spirit for I am tired, said Hicks.
Grab my jersey then, said the spirit.
Hicks looking oddly at him as he realizes that the spirit is only covered by an oversized jersey.
Call me Kegboy, said the spirit.
As he takes hold of his jersey, Hicks feels his body lift from the floor & through his roof.
In the air he can hear the voices of Mark Boyle and Slick Leonard.
The snow has grown heavy and the wind has began to howl, Hicks can barely feel himself anymore from the bone cutting wind, then poof he is in a warm room.
Not just any warm room, but his warm room.
There on the floor set a very young Hicks watching as the Indiana Pacers battled the mighty Chicago Bulls.
Why have you brought me here spirit, asked Hicks, what can I gain from this?
These are the memory's of your past, stated kegboy. These are the times that make a young man who he is in life.
But we did not win that series, said Hicks growing slightly more wistful.
Yes, said Kegboy, but a proud franchise battled a team that won more games than any team in history to the bitter end and took them to more games than any team had ever taken them.
But 0they did continue to get better, said Hicks starting to feel a little of the long lost Pacers pride.
Yes they did, said kegboy, for the next two seasons they were one of the truly elite teams in the NBA.
A mist swirled about them and now he sees himself sitting in the fieldhouse. The chairs are empty and the only people that were there were people he knew from an old website that he once had created when he cared.
A tear welled up in Hicks eye as he looked down on the floor and saw a young Jeff Foster grabbing a rebound and throwing an outlet to a breaking Fred Jones.
Why is there a tear in your eye, asked Kegboy?
Oh nothing really I just thought that they played with a lot of heart in this game, said Hicks. This is the game after the brawl is it not?
I only wish I could say something to Roaming Gnome right now, said Hicks
A heavy smoke enveloped them and now Hicks sees a slightly older slightly more bald version of himself setting at the computer typing away.
Take me away spirit, said a horror struck Hick, I cannot bear to see this.
What troubles you, asked kegboy could it be what you are typing? With that kegboy projects the words that the young Hicks is typing on the Pacers digest forum.
I've finally made, "The switch." It's been wonderful for my mental/emotional health.
Drop the, "We," and switch to, "They," when referring to all things Pacers.
It's a liberating moment of growth. I hope I never go back.
Hicks sobbing like a baby dropped to his knees saying over and over to Kegboy, take me away please take me away.
Kegboy having grown smaller and older in a very short time says, my time is almost up and there are still things to be learned on this night and I pray you learn them.
Poof, Hicks was back in his bed. He falls asleep weeping.
Ding Dong Ding Dong sounded the clanging of louder bells.
Then an all encompassing light appeared before him and once the brightness had dimmed he saw what must have been the second of his aspirations to visit him.
There decked out in a custom Pacers jersey and holding a chase credit card for all to see wearing fig leaves above his ears and a white Pacers hat stood the second ghost.
Are you the second ghost that Kegboy spoke of, asked a nervous Hicks?
Yes I am, said the cheery ghost.
Some call me the travinator others call me the shark however you can call me by my given name of Duke Dynamite.
Take me where you will then, I would profit from what you seek to teach me as I have already learned from kegboy.
Grab my Mike Dunleavy underwear and away we will go, said Duke.
Hicks reaches out nervously and ask, are these clean?
Ha, Ill have you know that I have not washed these since I stole them from the Pacers locker room, said a gloating Duke.
Dear God, said a disgusted Hicks.
He touched the elastic of his briefs and into the air they flew.
They flew over the wild Westside, flying over club rio and the 8 second saloon. They flew into an upper scale neighborhood the kind of place that only a person who is a member of I.B.E.W. could afford.
They appear inside the warm and loving house in front of the photos of the vacation trips to Hawaii and the west coast. Standing before the 80 inch TV screen Hicks and Duke Dynamite observed a large party of people enjoying the good tiding of the season.
Doug was present wearing his old straight up t-shirt, apparently coming out of the closet and proclaiming his Paula Abdul fan hood. Scott H was there wearing a DC comics sucks t-shirt talking to Gnome about their mutual long term vacations. Indy Geezer was present along with ABA days telling storys of the good old days and complaining about ticket prices.
At this time Gnome steps forward and offers a toast. To Hicks, although he won't have good Pacers pride about himself anymore I say merry Christmas to him and a long happy life.
Gnomes wife turns to him and says for all of the good a toast will do him.
Gnomes then says, I will greet him every year and if he finds me in good humor than I say that he will hard pressed to turn me away.
The party fades away.
They are flying threw the air now and have come upon the upper east side of Indianapolis, to the home of Hicks poor clerk Shade.
Into the room is hobbling Pig Nash who is using a crutch to walk.
What is wrong with Pig Nash, asks Hicks?
He has engageitis, proclaims Duke, it goes all the way to the bones on him.
Will he be ok, asks Hicks?
I see an empty chair at the next Digest party if things do not change, said Duke.
They are now back in the cold bedroom of Hicks house.
I dont mean to speak out of turn, said a nervous Hicks, but there appears to be a set of claws out of the bottom of your jeans.
They might as well be claws for all the good they will do them, said Duke, then out walk a boy and a girl both drawn and disfigured.
Duke said, the girl is hatred and the boy is apathy but beware the boy most of all as he is the downfall of franchises.
Spirit wont a Pacers coat cover them and some free tickets help them care, asked Hicks?
Are there no Goodwills, are there no free ticket, yelled Duke Dynamite, as he faded away into nothingness.
Hicks was in a ball in the corner by the wall when a light brightly shined on him. The windows opened and a spirit appeared through the curtains.
He pointed a bony cold finger at Hicks
You are the spirit I fear most of all, said Hicks from his fetal position, for you are the ghost of Pacers future.
The ghost shook his head and in doing so revealed that his face looked like BillS
Take me where you will spirit, Hicks proclaimed, I have learned my lesson well this night & I would learn what you have to teach me.
Hicks took the spirits cape & away they flew. East they flew far East landing in the lights of Baltimore.
Why have you taken me here, asked Hicks?
The spirit pointed behind him to a large arena on the edge of town with a Marquee that was just being lit up.
Hicks quickly averted his eyes. No spirit, please tell me what is on the sign for I cannot bare to look said Hicks.
The spirit stood silently.
Why must you torment me so, cried Hicks.
Along the side of the road he saw two young men walking wearing Pacers jerseys.
Well, at the very least the team is closer to watch then in the old days said one to the other.
No spirit please please don't let this be, cried Hicks.
The spirit pointed to the Marquee.
The sign said the Los Angeles Lakers vs. the Baltimore Pacers.
Hicks screamed with all of his might dropping to the ground to plead with the spirit. No, I've learned my lesson. We are all in this together and that there is no they in team. I will live all of my days believing that I am part of the overall Pacers success and that I will strive to have Pacers pride for all of my days
Ding ding ding ding went the clock.
Hicks opened his eyes. I'm back I've made it.
He jumped out of bed, threw open a window & saw a small boy.
You, young fellow, said Hicks, what day is it?
Why it's Christmas day, said the boy.
Then I haven't missed it, the spirits did all of their work in one night yelled a joyous Hicks.
He threw off his p.j.'s & dug in his closet finding his Danny Granger # 33 jersey put on gold and blue warm ups then threw on his Pacers jacket he had under the bed and ran out the door.
He drove as fast as he could to Gnomes house.
He opened the door and a silence came over the room. Roaming Gnome walked towards him.
Gnome, said Hicks, I want to come to the party. I want to watch the pacers.
Merry Christmas Hicks Merry Christmas to us all, said Roaming Gnome.
It was said from that day forward that no man alive kept the spirit of Pacers pride as well as Hicks. He was as good a friend, neighbor and employer as any man alive.
And to young Pig Nash who did not die, he became an older brother to care for him for the rest of his life.
The end.
Again, my sincere apologies to both Charles Dickens and the original Peck (I am a cheap clone of the original)

subset: commoncrawl


text:
England lost openers Alastair Cook and Ian Bell as they looked to save their one-day international series against Australia in Sydney.
The opening duo put on a run-a-ball 50 for the first wicket, but England slowed noticeably once the spinners came on to be 82 for two after 20 overs.
Cook was in a hurry as he struck five fours and a six in his 35, from 36 balls, before Nathan Coulter-Nile had him caught at cover.
Bell was then the victim of a brilliant piece of David Warner fielding as he was caught short by a direct throw from deep point.
Ben Stokes, promoted up the order after Joe Root was dropped from the line-up, was struggling to provide the clean hitting his elevation suggested as he was unbeaten on 11 from 30 balls.
Australia spinners Xavier Doherty and Glenn Maxwell were proving hard to get away, as they conceded 29 runs from the 11th to the 20th over.
England have been criticised for not attacking the opening 10-over powerplay, but Cook and Bell immediately showed intent.
Cook was clearly eager to get a move on, as he followed a glorious lofted cover drive with a pulled six off Coulter-Nile in the fifth over.
The England skipper raced to 35, punching Doherty for consecutive fours when he was introduced early, before surviving a reviewed lbw decision.
Umpire Ranmore Martinesz initially raised the finger, but Cook's review revealed the ball was bouncing over.
The skipper failed to add to his score, however, and Bell could have even departed too when Aaron Finch dropped a sharp chance at short point.
Two balls later Cook was well held, by Maxwell at cover, when he tried to back-foot drive Coulter-Nile.
England then sent out Stokes, as further indication their plans to attack early had changed, but lost Bell to Warner's classy fielding.
Bell did not apparently sense any danger when he turned for a second but Warner, with one stump to aim at from deep point, caught him well short with a spearing throw.
That prompted an England go-slow, as Australia bowled their spinners Doherty and Maxwell in tandem.
England made two changes, for a game they must win to stay alive in the five-game series, with Root replaced after managing just six runs in his previous three innings.
Off-spinner James Tredwell took his place - meaning England went in with a bowler extra - while Stuart Broad returned from his two-game break for Boyd Rankin.
Australia were without Ashes hero Mitchell Johnson.
George Bailey failed to recover from a hamstring injury suffered in the one-wicket win in Brisbane on Friday while Clint McKay was omitted.
In their places, James Pattinson and Dan Christian were given their first appearance of the series alongside Doherty.
Cook won the toss for the third straight time and again opted to bat first.


text:
Edda (Hardcover)
Viking Children's Books, 9780670012183, 440pp.
Publication Date: August 4, 2011
List Price: 18.99*
* Individual store prices may vary.
Not Currently Available for Direct Purchase
Everyone in the virtual universe of Edda is made of pixels-except Penelope. While her body is kept alive in a hospital bed, her avatar runs free, able to go anywhere and do anything, including create deadly weapons for Edda's ruler, her guardian, Lord Scanthax. When Scanthax decides he wants to invade another virtual world, Erik/Cindella from Epic and Ghost from Saga become part of the story-and soon the virtual universes are alive with fighting, alight with bombs, and brought together by three teenagers who want peace and understanding. This is the third and final book in Conor Kostick's trilogy.
About the Author
Conor Kostick was a designer for the world s first livefantasy role-playing game. He lives in Dublin, Ireland, where he teaches medieval history at Trinity College.Epic is his first novel."


text: Davis gives youngsters run for their money By Rick Ryan June 21, 2012 Story Share Chris Dorst Scott Davis is one of only 9 players under par after two rounds. IT HASN'T exactly been turn back the clock week at the West Virginia Open.Not with 20- and 30-somethings like Craig Berner, Christian Brand, Jonathan Clark and David Bradshaw dropping birdies and topping the leaderboard at Edgewood Country Club in Sissonville.However, if you look closely, this year's golf tournament does grant one concession to age.Teeing off in the second-to-last group at 10:33 a.m. today will be Hurricane's Scott Davis, who is all of 56 years old.Davis is one of nine golfers in the 120-player field whose name appears on the leaderboard in red numbers - as in under par - heading into the final round of the 54-hole event. He stands at 1-under 141 after shooting a 2-over 73 in Thursday's stifling heat.So how old is Davis?He's so old, his high school doesn't exist anymore. Triadelphia was swallowed up in the Wheeling Park consolidation in 1976.He's so old, it's been exactly 30 years - 30 years! - since he burst onto the state golfing scene by capturing the 1982 State Open in his hometown at Wheeling Country Club as a mere 26-year-old.He added three more titles through the years - 1990 (Bridgeport CC), 1995 (Canaan Valley Resort) and 1998 (Edgewood CC) - to go along with the State Amateur crown he took in 1978.Yes, Davis has been around for a while. And he plans to be around for a while longer. "I sure do remember [the first win],'' Davis said shortly after finishing Thursday's round. "I remember all the wins. I remember the win here. It's fun, still being able to compete."My ball striking is still very good. If it wasn't for a few mistakes today . . . I double-bogeyed 17. I had a nice drive - tried to draw it off that right bunker and it hit fairway and jumped right, right up in there. I had to chop out on the fairway, so I made double-bogey. So if I don't make that mistake, and my two three-putts, I'm 5 under and I'm in the championship [contention].''Davis gave a glimpse of his still-considerable skills in Wednesday's first round, knocking in four birdies during a round of 3-under 68 that put him in a tie for third.Somehow, he has been able to maintain his competitive edge through all the years.Take a look at the five-year period before he won his first Open and the five years immediately after (1977-87). Of the nine golfers who won titles in that stretch, only two (Harold Payne, Barry Fleming) are still competing in the State Open, and only one of those (Payne) also made the cut. Davis has outlasted all of his contemporaries."I think I have,'' he said. "I love competing. My whole life's been competing, so I tried to stay in shape and eat the right foods. I want to continue to compete until I'm 62, hopefully. We'll see. My ball-striking's good enough, and my short game's getting better. My short game's improved over these years, so that's helped me.''Davis, once a feared long hitter, admits to a few allowances to age."I had to change my ball flight,'' he said. "When I was strong and young like these guys, I could hit a cut. Now I have to hit a draw to get a little more yardage.''He's also used a long putter "for a lot of years,'' and acknowledges the fact that excessive heat like the Open golfers have seen this week likely affects him more than the youngsters pounding the ball down the fairways."But it wasn't the heat at all,'' he said of Thursday's 73. "I was a little disappointed. "I should have shot at the worst, probably, 70. I could have had 68 very easily. It's golf. A couple little bounces, a couple little things all the time. When you're playing good, those little bounces [favor you]. But I'm hitting the ball well, so you never know.''Davis, more than most golfers, has sustained his success over a longer period.His gap of 17 tournaments between his first and most recent Open title is by far the most of any repeat player in this year's field - David Bradshaw's six titles have come in an eight-tournament stretch (2004-11), Brad Westfall's five over 12 tourneys (1992-2003), Payne's four in eight tourneys (1986-93) and John Ross' two in three tourneys (1997-99).Davis was a club professional for 25 years, many of them at Edgewood, and now teaches the game and gets to play some, appearing in Tri-State PGA events."I've had the opportunity to play in six majors,'' he said, "and I just got back from playing in the Senior PGA Championship."When you get to this age, you appreciate things more. I enjoyed that time so much, being around those great players, and just being there. When you're young, you think, 'I can do this. I can do that.' Now I enjoy it more.''One more thing he'll enjoy is being introduced for today's final round as a participant in one of the last threesomes to tee off."I'm proud of that for a 56-year-old man,'' Davis said with a smile. "I'll be there hanging with them.''Reach Rick Ryan at 304-348-5175 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Story Share Story Share Trending Now 1 Police seek car driven by woman found dead in Kanawha River 2 Facebook founder visits Cabin Creek Health Systems 3 Teen pleads guilty to involuntary manslaughter in Oakes Field shooting 4 Man allegedly cuts father in Rand over argument about sandwich 5 Rhode Island bank claims Justice companies owe $4.2M on helicopter loan Sweet science of line play? Previous Story Barkin' into the lead (with video) Next Story


text:
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Three questions:
- How can the Pacers ever make profit when they've even lost money while being among the top 5 teams in the league with sold-out arenas and numerous consecutive playoff appearences?
- What the hell are the reasons for them losing money in their best seasons?
- Reading the reactions to the article on indystar.com, it seems like about 90 % of readers (= inhabitants of Indiana) hates the Pacers and wants them to leave. Is the perception really that bad or what's going on on the other side of the Pond?
Well i'm not sure how it is in Deutschland, but Indianapolis is full of idiots who don't understand anything about taxes, and who collects them, and things certain taxes pay for and what they can't pay for. Generally an uneducated society, who only pays attention to buzz words. Taxes=equal bad! Tax cuts= hell yeah! Parks and library closes due to tax cuts= hey whats the deal! why would close our parks and librarys!
Last edited by graphic-er; 07-12-2010 at 10:17 AM.
This is great news....although there are alot of people in Indianapolis that don't support the decision, but these are either bandwagon/frontrunner fans or people that don't watch sports/nba at all. Oh well, can't make everybody happy.
Larry Bird and Ryan Grigson- wasting the talents of Paul George and Andrew Luck
The hope is the new CBA will make it easier for teams like the Pacers to be both financially competitive and competitive on the court as well.
Reasons: Small market teams have a much smaller radio contract, much smaller cable contract. I don't have the exact figures, but a team like the lakers I would guess gets 10-15 times more for their local radio and local TV deals. So the lakers might get 25 Million per season for local radio and local tv, while the pacers might get 2.3 million.
There is also a huge difference in sponsorships that a team like the lakers get vs pacers. Then you have ticket prices and there is a huge difference.
Players get paid ther same whether they play in LA or Indiana, but the teams revenue is a lot less in small markets.
National TV revenue is the same regardless of market size though
Okay, now that a deal has been reached that will ensure the Pacers remain in Naptown thru 2019, it's time this franchise start doing things to bring the fans back into the seats and only three things will surely accomplish that:
1. Players need to stay out of trouble.
2. Have a winning record this year; make the playoffs would be ideal.
3. Give a full 48+ minutes on the court.
If this team can do the above, the fans will come back. Just give us a team we can be proud of once again.
does this means that they can fire JOB and don't have to explain this to the city?
rather see the young guys get PT, get a top 10 draft pick, and solve the pg position once and for all either via draft or FA. then the fans may become more interested.
heres my revision.
2a) at the deadline, pacers make a solid deal acquiring the solution to the PG position, make the playoffs, and still get a decent draft pick to continue the rebuild.
mediocrity is not what pacer fans are willing to pay for season after season. a "big splash" is needed either via draft (high draft pick) or a stud acquired via FA or trade.
I still wish the city could have gotten the non-Pacer conseco revenue.
Speaking of market size (kinda): Is there any possibility that the bogus 75 mile radius market scope rule will be revised or otherwise looked at? I'm guessing no, but if I were the Pacers brass, I would squawk at that until it is changed. Not sure if that is something that is in the CBA or if it's just a rule that is separate from that.
I believe we'll likely go through this process after that point, just based on what I've read...
Am I wrong on this?
The exact quote from the ESPN article:
If the Pacers choose to leave Indianapolis after the three seasons, they would have to repay at least $30 million. That amount will decrease for each season they continue to play at Conseco.
The new agreement is an addition to the existing contract, which runs until 2019 and includes other fees if the Pacers decide to leave early.
If a person wishes to eat a meal, it is a poor kind of freedom telling him he is free not to eat it. He wants to eat the meal and not be compelled to pay a tax unrelated to the cost of the meal.
I don't mind the user taxes myself, but the argument against them is a strong one.
(Notice how I stayed out of the TWSS thread by avoiding the words "eating out"?)
Last edited by Putnam; 07-12-2010 at 01:21 PM.
And I won't be here to see the day
It all dries up and blows away
I'd hang around just to see
But they never had much use for me
In Levelland. (James McMurtry)
Bill Benner talks with Gerry Dick about the deal:
The main thing he says is that this deal is a bridge to get past the new collective bargaining agreement.
And I won't be here to see the day
It all dries up and blows away
I'd hang around just to see
But they never had much use for me
In Levelland. (James McMurtry)
A few points:
Don't judge the community by Message boards. I'm sure the majority of Indy is against this, but please.
A community should leverage its strengths. There's no big river, no ocean, the weather ain't great, few historic locations, etc. What've we got? A safe and walkable downtown. And that sure as hell wasn't enough for a downtown scene during my youth. The "Naptown" thing wasn't a joke.
So yeah, we subsidize the Colts and Pacers for some quality of life. Yes, it would be nice if our sewers were fixed, but that's another discussion. I don't thin 2 pro sports teams is overreaching.
How is it the Colts are thought to have the sweeter of the sweetheart deals? Is it just the initial stadium costs? What did the article leave out?
Nuntius was right for a while. I was wrong for a while. But ultimately I was right and Frank Vogel has been let go.
"A player who makes a team great is more valuable than a great player. Losing yourself in the group, for the good of the group, thats teamwork."
-John Wooden
While Pacers are supposed to pay their own way.
Both get to keep all the profits. Both have $1 rent.
All the Colts have to do is put a team on the field.
Eat and pay a tax for it, or don't isn't the only choice, you could choose grow your own food, and pay no taxes for your meals.
I think the problem lies in the fact that the tax on the food itself is not directly related to the food or food service, but a sports team.
Last edited by Stryder; 07-12-2010 at 03:56 PM.
"Make Your Choice"
I took some note from the CIB president. Here are the details of the deal from the press conference:
- For the next three years all home games will be played at the Fieldhouse. (They didn't explain if that includes exhibition games or not.)
- PS&E will retain all profits from Pacers-related events, and non-Pacers-related events.
- The Pacers will receive a $10 million payment per season/fiscal year towards operating funds for the Fieldhouse.
- $13 million dollars were anticipated per year if the city were to take over operational costs of the Fieldhouse.
- 2013-14, they will have to repay the loan in full if they leave by June 30th, 2013.
- In 2019, the payment schedule decreases over time.
- There have been less than $3 million dollars in capital improvements to Conseco Fieldhouse since 1999.
- The Virginia Avenue parking garage agreement has been changed to $1 lease per year for PS&E.
- By June 2010, the Virginia Avenue parking garage was paid in full.
- There will be no additional tax increases in regards to this deal.
I'm sure the Pacers and CIB will go through this process again in three years, but I also believe things will work out for both sides and the Pacers will stay atleast through 2019. Anything after that is certainly a toss-up.The deal comes after months of negotiations between the NBA franchise and the Capital Improvement Board, which operates the city's sports venues. It supplements the existing contract between the parties, which lasts through 2019.
Baby steps, my man...baby steps.
Yes, I know...seems that's what this team has been doing over the last 6 yrs, but they had no other choice. IMO, they overpaid too often for players who either didn't perform as expected or couldn't stay on the court long enough due to injuries during the course of a season to have any significant impact. So, after the Brawl and Artest's trade demand, TPTB were really stuck w/making "patch-work" signings.
If you go back through the Pacers' history over the last 10-years as far as players they've signed or extended their contracts, you'll probably agree that it all started w/not resigning Brad Miller. Frankly, I would have tried harder to keep him, but I understood the Pacers' financial delimma at the time. JO & Reggie were their top priorities. I made more sense to ensure to retain their services over Brad's, but in doing so instead of paying him top dollar we "split the difference" and gave big contracts/extension to the other two aforementioned players. I agreed with paying Reggie, but thought we overpaid to keep JO.
From there but in particular since the Artest/Peja trade, the Pacers have signed a short contract here or there with role players trying to merely fill the gaps and hang on. Their big break came when the were able to trade JO's monsterous contract. Only then could they start the rebuilding process. So, unlike most other fans I've been patient (except for at the end of last season) because I understood it was going to take time to work through all the expensive contracts and bad character issues that have hurt this team.
This year starts things anew. This year is when I believe the Pacers truly start their climb back up to respectability w/the fans. They won't put much fear in the hearts of the more elit teams, ala, Lakers, Magic, and now Miami, but I think given time for the newbies to get their feel of their roles and understand the game at the NBA level things will begin to turn around for this team. I believe this because as they say the Pacers have experienced "addition by subtraction".
Luther Head wasn't a bad player, but he wasn't very consistent. Plus, he nursed one minor injury or another the entire time he was here. I wanted so bad to see him earn the coach's respect enough to want to keep him here, but he never showed me what he could really do.
Earl Watson, whom I'd love to keep, isn't a playmaker. True, he's a sturdy hand at the Point, but this team needs somebody who can score, render assists, and setup the offense - essentially create something out of nothing. I think most will agree that AJ Price brings these aspects to the team above Watson. Again, I'd love to keep him, but I think his asking price will be too high. Moreover, for the skills he brings I think they can be duplicated in Price who rarely turned the ball over last year.
The Pacers truly missed the hustle w/o Foster and Hansborough being out there last year. Hopefully, Foster's years of back problems are finally over and Hansborough can play without seeing two-rims in front of him. (Frankly, I'm just hoping the young man can keep his balance! Virtego ain't no joke!!) These guys will push their teammates to be more aggressive out there. They both play with heart - tons of it! We missed that "toughness" when both of these guys went out.
The only other areas that concern me are low-post, back-to-the-basket scoring and perimeter shooting. I don't want this team to continue to be that team that just throws up 20 ft jump shots all game. I want them to play smart and recognize that not ever shot has to be a 3-pointer. Sometimes, it's better to step inside the 3-pt line or drive the lane for the And1 than it is to take that shot. You can put a team back on their heals just as hard with the And1 because you get them in quick, deep foul trouble as you can with demoralizing them w/a barrage of 3-point shots. It's great when you're making them, but when you're missing teams tend to go into panic mode and keep trying forgetting about other aspects of their game. Still, it would be so nice if Grander, Dunleavy and BRush all could get uncorked w/the perimeter game.
I still believe the pieces are their to move this team forward in positive ways. It's up to them to take that next step. But the building blocks are their now.
Last edited by NuffSaid; 07-12-2010 at 03:35 PM.
Obviously I'm a Pacers fan since I'm here, and I'm certainly very happy that they are going to stick around, at least for the short term.
But I can't help be disappointed in the city for allowing this to still be the case. What is PS&E's right to those profits? It's a public building.


text:
Charmed (1998)
390 mistakes
Starring: Alyssa Milano, Brian Krause, Holly Marie Combs, Julian McMahon, Rose McGowan, Shannen Doherty
The Importance of Being Phoebe - S5-E11
Continuity mistake: When Phoebe is lying on the ground and is supposed to be unconscious, when Cole goes to pick her up you can see Phoebe throw her arms around his neck.
Continuity mistake: In 3-5 Sight Unseen, we can clearly see Cole turn the air conditioning very cold and open all the windows so that the Prue, Piper and Phoebe can see the invisible demon, and in season 2 when Prue is turned into a man Phoebe asks "did you fix the air conditioning?" But in this episode Phoebe asks Piper why they have never invested in air conditioning.
Continuity mistake: When the Charmed Ones' father, Victor, came to San Francisco in episode 1-3: "Thank You For Not Morphing," his last name was Halliwell. But when he came back in the third season and later, his last name was Bennett.
Thank You for Not Morphing - S1-E3
Visible crew/equipment: In the scene where Prue comes home and finds Andy inside the manor. There is a shot where if you look behind Andy's shoulder you can see half of the body of the director in the background in the observatory room sitting in a director's chair.
Plot hole: The innocent who gets Piper's powers uses them to freeze Piper and Phoebe. But even though Piper and Phoebe no longer have their unique powers, they are still good witches; they were still able to scry, and we have encountered good witches on the show in the past who had no powers at all. And by the rules of magic within the show, good witches do not freeze.
Plot hole: In episode 1-2 ("I've Got You Under My Skin"), Alec buys Phoebe a martini at Quake. but then in episode 5-11 ("The Importance of Being Phoebe"), Cole tells Kaya that Phoebe doesn't drink. Then, in episode 5-17 ("Lucky Charmed"), Jason buys Phoebe a "Martini, Dirty" at the end.
Little Box of Horrors - S7-E18
Character mistake: Katya (as Nina) says that Pandora's Box is "a gift the gods gave to Prometheus." But the Box was given to Epimetheus, not Prometheus. Epimetheus ignored the warnings of Prometheus, his brother, and accepted Pandora herself, who bore a box, as a gift from the gods.
Revealing mistake: Before Jason Dean is shot outside the penthouse, Phoebe is waving her hands trying to convince him that the world is not real and you can already see blood on her fingers.
I've Got You Under My Skin - S1-E2
Continuity mistake: In the previous episode, Piper tried out for a job as a chef at a restaurant called "L'Opera Ristorante" and was hired by Chef Moore. Then in this episode, she works at a bar and restaurant called "Quake," but she talks about Chef Moore quitting and leaving her in charge of the establishment, so it's not meant to be a different place.
Plot hole: According to the family tree viewed in this episode, Penny "Grams" Halliwell was born on 6/23/1937, and her daughter Patty, the Charmed Ones' mother, was born on 4/5/1950. In addition, Patty's father was born in 1930. So, according to this, Penny gave birth to her daughter at age 12, while married to a 20 year old man. That's quite outlandish, to say the least.
Continuity mistake: When Prue was talking with the shut-in and the security guard comes up and knocks on the door you can see the the chain is on the door. When he knocks again and says he is coming in and tries to open the door the chain is off.
Continuity mistake: When Paige follows Phoebe into the kitchen and is trying to convince her that she is telling the truth, Phoebe's right earring is missing in the shots showing both women, but it is there when the shot changes to close ups of Phoebe. It is an awfully large earring to be hidden by her hair in the two-shot.
Continuity mistake: You'll notice in some episodes (like "Coyote Piper") that when the sisters look out of the attic window, they can see Prescott Street below, indicating that the attic window is on the front of the house. But if you look at the size and shape of this window, you'll see that there is no window like this on the outside front of the house. In addition, in "Sin Francisco," Phoebe looks out the attic window and sees the front porch from a side view. There's no structure on that side of the house to begin with.
Continuity mistake: For season 7, episode 5. In the beginning, Piper is wearing a top with the blue skinny strap on her right. For the rest of the episode, you can see the strap on her left.
Magic Hour - S3-E2
Continuity mistake: In this episode, Phoebe says "Grams, you were married four times." But in "Lost and Bound," Phoebe tells Cole that Grams was married six times.
Something Wicca This Way Comes - S1-E1
Plot hole: When Prue wonders where the cream is, the little container thereof slides along the table to her. Then the cream drains from the container and burbles up through her coffee. However, that's completely discontinuous with how Prue's power ever worked at any other time in the next three years. The cream should have needed to leap out of the container and into the coffee, simply traveling physically across space.
Love Hurts - S1-E21
Other mistake: In this episode when Piper says the power switching spell so that she can heal Leo it switches not only her and Leo's powers, but also, Prue's and Phoebe's; however in future seasons it only affects the witches it is meant to.
Desperate Housewitches - S8-E4
Continuity mistake: Paige asks how The Source was previously vanquished, but she was there both times: when the original Source was vanquished, and again when they vanquished Cole. Also Phoebe wasn't actually there for the final vanquish of Cole, but was taken back by Cupid as if it was her memory.
Continuity mistake: When Adam spills coffee all over Phoebe's top in the office, the stain disappears and reappears between shots.
Revealing mistake: When Phoebe goes to sign her papers at the end, she spells her name as Pheobe.


text:
BURBANK, Calif. — Warner Bros. Consumer Products announced that Jazwares, USAopoly and Mattel are among the toy companies it has partnered with to create new products in honor of the 75th Anniversary of "The Wizard of Oz" in 2014.
"No film in history is more recognizable than 'The Wizard of Oz,' and in the lead up to its milestone anniversary, we are working with a number of key licensing partners to commemorate this legendary story," said Karen McTier, EVP worldwide marketing and domestic licensing at Warner Bros. Worldwide Consumer Products. "We are so thrilled to build a licensing program that will allow fans to celebrate the magic of Emerald City for years to come."
Master toy partner Jazwares leads the toy lineup for "The Wizard of Oz" as the first master partner for the property in recent history. Jazwares, a leader in the licensed products marketplace, will unveil a range of 5-inch small fashion dolls, playsets and role play accessories inspired by iconic characters Dorothy, Glinda the Good Witch, The Wicked Witch of the West, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion, in fall 2013.
Global licensing partner Mattel will unveil in 2013 three new Pink Label "The Wizard of Oz" Barbie dolls as a part of the Barbie Collector line. Figures of Dorothy, Glinda the Good Witch and The Wicked Witch of the West are sculpted after the actresses who made the characters so memorable in the film.
Also new for 2013, Schylling offers a Jack-in-the-Box with a plush Dorothy who pops out to the delight of all. Vermont-based R.J. Wright Dolls will introduce a new companion for its acclaimed Dorothy doll in celebration of the anniversary: Toto, a molded plush replica standing at 3.5 inches and constructed entirely of custom-made mohair and felt, is perfectly scaled to fit into the arms of his beloved friend from Kansas. Also available for collectors is a plush bear dressed as The Wicked Witch from Steiff, complete with a 75th Anniversary medallion. High-end dolls from Tonner and Adora will round out the collectible lineup for enthusiasts.
Kids will also be able to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of "The Wizard of Oz" with a themed train-set from Lionel Little Lines. The small-scale plastic train set features scenery from the Land of Oz and a yellow train track that pays homage to the Yellow Brick Road. Alexander Doll is also set to unveil new "The Wizard of Oz" 12-inch machine-washable plush dolls that are perfect for collectors who are young – and young at heart. Fans also won't want to miss Round 2's figures, wooden toys, puzzle games, clip-ons, banks and sound & motion dioramas, as well as Funko, Rubie's Costumes, Promotional Partners and Darice as they continue to offer fan-favorites for young players and collectors.
Fans can bring "The Wizard of Oz" to game night with favorites from USAopoly launching in summer 2013, with a new "The Wizard of Oz" Monopoly game featuring a custom-illustrated pop-up board center that showcases key locations in the film and custom-sculpted farmhouse and Emerald City play pieces, which replace the traditional houses and hotels. Also from USAopoly are "The Wizard of Oz" 75th Anniversary Edition of The Game of Life®, which features characters from the film and Ruby Slippers pieces; and the "The Wizard of Oz" 75th Anniversary Edition of Memory Challenge. Additional offerings inspired by "The Wizard of Oz" are Masterpiece Puzzles and Ceaco with puzzles inspired by Thomas Kinkade renditions of moments from the film.


text:
Top Five Summer Home Hazards Highlighted During Building Safety Week
Fairfax County Office of Public Affairs
12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 551
Fairfax, VA 22035-0065
Contact: Merni Fitzgerald, Director of Public Affairs
703-324-3187, TTY 711, Fax 703-324-2010
Media Pager: 703-324-NEWS (6397)
April 28, 2008
Top Five Summer Home Hazards Highlighted During Building Safety Week
On May 5-11, Fairfax County, along with five other Northern Virginia governments, will bring safety home as part of International Building Safety Week. County, city and town officials will teach the public how to avoid the top five hazards around the home during the summer.
Officials will be at five Home Depot stores to take questions from residents on May 3-4. They will staff information booths from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the following stores: 12275 Price Club Plaza, Fairfax; 6201 Arlington Blvd., Fairfax; 3201 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax; 1651 Reston Parkway, Reston; 400 S. Pickett St., Alexandria; and 7710 Richmond Highway, Alexandria. They will answer questions about building permits, code requirements and safety in the home.
This is a collaborative effort by Fairfax County; Arlington County; the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax and Falls Church; and the town of Herndon
These are the top five summer safety hazards, and residents should check to see if their homes comply with building codes to prevent injuries:
Pool and hot tub drains: Building codes require pool and hot tub
drains to have a cover or grate to protect from entrapment or suction.
Without the cover, hair or body parts may be trapped, causing serious
injury or drowning.
Pool fences and alarms: There should be at least a
four-foot-high fence around pools holding more than 24 inches of water.
Gates must be self-closing and self-latching, and doors with direct
access to pools must have alarms.
Decks: Decks can collapse if they are improperly built, repaired
or maintained. Look for loose, missing or rusting hardware; missing,
damaged or loose support beams and planking; and swaying or unstable
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI): All outdoor electrical
circuits require GFCI protection. GFCIs automatically turn off the
power to the outlet when an electrical fault occurs, to protect against
electrical shock from a faulty appliance or power tool.
- Grills: Charcoal and gas grills shouldn't be used close to combustible materials. Keep grills away from siding, deck railings, eaves, overhead power lines and overhanging branches.
Homes are the site for 50 percent of accidental injuries — and most can be prevented, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
With many swimming pools set to open in May, Fairfax County is also putting a spotlight on pool and hot tub safety.
Today, the county gave its 11th annual Building Safety Community Partnership Award to Nancy Baker of McLean. Her exceptional accomplishments led to changes in the building code and a new federal law that requires drains on pools and hot tubs be configured to protect swimmers from entrapment.
She became a national advocate for pool safety after her daughter drowned when the suction from a hot tub drain trapped her underwater. Virginia Graeme Baker was the 7-year-old granddaughter of former U.S. secretary of state James A. Baker III. The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act became federal law in December 2007.
As a kickoff to the safety week, Northern Virginia building officials are sponsoring a presentation on Friday, May 2, at 9 a.m. at the Lee Center, 1800 Jefferson Street, Alexandria. The public is invited to this free event, but reservations are required. A free continental breakfast will be served.
The theme is "Green Building Technologies," and the event focuses attention on environmental sustainability. Three distinguished speakers will present: Corey Enck, U.S. Green Buildings Council; Richard Kuchnicki, International Code Council; and Chris Garwood, architectural firm of Davis, Carter and Scott.
For more information about building week activities, reservations for the May 2 presentation or to schedule a presentation about safe home construction or repair, call the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services' Land Development Services Division at 703-324-1910, TTY 703-324-1877.
For more news and information, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news.


text:
The Revolutions of Helicobacter Pylori Infection, Bacterial Density, and Histological Features After Antrectomy
Recruitment status was: Recruiting
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
|Helicobacter Pylori Infection Peptic Ulcer Bile Reflux Gastritis
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Observational Model: Case Control
Time Perspective: Retrospective
|Estimated Enrollment:
|Study Start Date:
|February 2007
|Estimated Study Completion Date:
|February 2008
The eradication of H pylori is known to reduce the recurrence rate of peptic ulcer and gastric inflammation. But it is still not clear about the prevalence of HP infection in patients after surgical interventions when the micro-environment had been changed. Since biliary enterogastric reflux is suggested to inhibit the growth of HP, we will investigate in a prospective study the effect of partial gastrectomy on the influence of HP infection incidence.
Patients with previous distal gastrectomy will be prospectively evaluated as study group. Same number of patients with the same indication of endoscopy evaluations and without previous gastrectomy will be established as a normal control group for H pylori infection rate comparison. All patients in study and control groups who had previously received H pylori eradication therapy will be excluded. Three gastric biopsy specimens were collected from each patient for histological analysis. Patients with a pre-operative biopsy, operative specimen revealing H pylori colonization or a positive serum H pylori IgG will be indicated previous H pylori infection and will be assessed the percentage of spontaneous clearance of HP infection. A positive bile staining will indicate biliary enterogastric reflux. This assessment will be made by two investigators, and disagreements will be resolved by joint discussion to reach a consensus. Tissue sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin and the Giemsa stain will be examined by pathologist who was unaware of the endoscopy findings. Density of HP in the tissue and histological gastritis activity and intestinal metaplasia will be graded as normal (0), mild (1), moderate (2) and severe (3) based on the Sydney system. Follicular gastritis will be based on the absence (0) or presence (1) of lymphoid follicules and lymphoid with germinal center (2).
The primary end point will be the change of infection rate on HP after distal gastrectomy procedure comparing the normal control. The secondary end point will assess the correlation between the duration of the antrectomy, the operative procedure, the severity of bile reflux with the inhibition of HP growth. Finally, this study will be base on histopathological features with the density of HP, the grading of gastritis activity, intestinal metaplasia and follicular gastritis.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|15 Years to 95 Years (Child, Adult, Senior)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
|Sampling Method:
|Non-Probability Sample
Inclusion Criteria:
- Previous distal gastrectomy
Exclusion Criteria:
- Post HP eradication therapy
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00441831
|Contact: Wan-Ting Chen
|886-2-25433535 ext 2485
|Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital
|Taipei, Taiwan
|Contact: Ming-Jen Chen, M.D., M.S. 886-2-25433535 ext 2260 firstname.lastname@example.com
|Principal Investigator: Ming-Jen Chen, M.D., M.S.
|Principal Investigator:
|Ming-Jen Chen, M.D.,M.S.
|Mackay Memorial Hospital
|Responsible Party:
|Mackay Memorial Hospital, secretary, Mackay Memorial Hospital
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT00441831 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|February 27, 2007
|Last Updated:
|February 4, 2009
Keywords provided by Mackay Memorial Hospital:
Helicobacter pylori infection
peptic ulcer disease
distal partial gastrectomy
bile reflux
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Communicable Diseases
Peptic Ulcer
Helicobacter Infections
Bile Reflux
Duodenal Diseases
Intestinal Diseases
Gastrointestinal Diseases
Digestive System Diseases
Stomach Diseases
Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections
Bacterial Infections
Biliary Tract Diseases
Duodenogastric Reflux
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017


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Youth Sports
The City of Prescott does not offer Youth Sports activities as our Community Youth Sports Leagues provide that service. We support our Community Youth Sports leagues by opening our City fields for their use, prepare their fields for practices/games, and allow each group to utilize the Parks and Recreation Office Mon-Fri between 8am-5pm for Parents to drop off their registration forms and fees. Below we have added the contact information for each of the Community Sports leagues.
← Back to the Youth Sports page
Youth Tennis
You can find general forms on the main Youth Sports page.


text: I hate the Miller pick. Dynasty does not mean pick young guys. Miller has done horrible in MLB, and hasn't had much experience above AA. He's also an injury concern. Even taking away all the prospect uncertainties, Miller plays behind possibly the worst defense which will hurt his ERA, and the team's offense (run support) isn't very strong. He's never had a dominant K rate so he'll just be around average there. Also he was probably taken way too early.


text:
If you missed last week's vigil on Cedar Springs to honor gay teen suicide victims, there's some good news. You'll get another chance to break out your glowsticks and candles on Wednesday night.
A Peace March and Vigil in Memoriam will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday in the paid Caven parking lot behind Zini's and Skivvie's near the Cedar Springs strip, according to co-organizer Steve Weir.
The vigil will be one of many similar events across the country on Spirit Day, Oct. 20, when we're all supposed to wear purple.
"We're expecting about 200," Weir said. "I think after the Joel Burns thing, people started to say, maybe I could take a minute and go do this. Hopefully we'll have a pretty good turnout and some people who are actually moved."
Weir said he doesn't think a lot of people knew about the previous vigil hosted by the DFW Sisters on Sunday, Oct. 8. Besides, who's to say we shouldn't have another?
Weir said Beaux Wellborn and a representative from Dallas Stonewall Young Democrats are slated to speak, before a march down Cedar Springs Road to the Legacy of Love Monument.
UPDATE: Here's more on the vigil from co-organizer Ivan Watson:
Hello to all of you! I am so overwhelmed by the positive response this event has generated! I hope that it can educate, inform, inspire and empower all of the participants, as well as show the community that we care about each other. Can't wait to see you there, just wanted to give you a run-down of what to expect. I am asking everyone to gather in Caven's pay lot tomorrow at 6:30, the actual short program will not start until 7. We will have three speakers, who will speak briefly about the purpose of the rally, some ways to get involved and help those who are victims of bullying, or for the younger attendees, how perhaps you can get help in your own life, and also we will talk about some legislation that we need to support to get some things changed. After the short program it should be pretty close to dark, and we can light candles and have a silent march down Cedar Springs to the Legacy of Love monument where we will conclude there with a 10 minute candlelight vigil, a minute to remember each teen who took their life during the month of September due to anti-gay bullying and harrassment. Once again, I can't say thank you enough to all of the help and assistance that I have received in planning this event, especially Steve Weir, thank you, and I hope it all goes well! If you have any questions, please ask!
Ivan Watson


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Program of Legal Studies for Native People
The Program of Legal Studies for Native People (PLSNP) is an eight-week summer course offered through the University of Saskatchewan's Native Law Centre that provides Aboriginal students from across Canada an opportunity to study first-year Property Law before beginning law school in the fall. Many students take this course as a condition of their acceptance to law school.
The PLSNP has four objectives:
- to prepare students for success in law school,
- to provide an alternative means for Aboriginal students to be accepted to law school,
- to increase the number of Aboriginal professionals in the legal field, and
- to integrate Aboriginal issues into legal education.
Many law schools accept the PLSNP's Property Law course as a first-year credit. This lightens the workload for first-year students and allows them to dedicate more time to succeeding in their other courses.
The PLSNP provides full academic and cultural support to its students through writing workshops, mentorship, and a supportive and collaborative classroom environment. While the Program prepares students for the challenges and rigours of law school, it also aims to facilitate a smoother transition for Aboriginal students into the law school environment.
Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and connect with us on LinkedIn!


text:
2008 Toyota Tundra - First Look
A Bit Of Love/Hate Relationship
Miles To Date: 7,000
Average Fuel Economy: 13.7mpg
Towing Fuel Economy: You don't want to know.
What's Hot: 5.7L V-8 pulls hard, plenty of interior space for both passengers and gear. The thing's huge!
What's Not: Dash ergonomics, odd window lock switch, fuel mileage, towing feedback, and the thing's ginormous!
Long-Term Update:
Toyota Tundra CrewMax SR5 4x4
Driver: Brandan Gillogly
Toyota Tundra CrewMax SR5 4x4
Driver: Brandan Gillogly
After spending a couple of months behind the wheel of our Tundra test vehicle, the strengths and weaknesses of the truck have really become apparent. We can't imagine driving this truck with the 4.7L V-8, and neither can Toyota, as a 4x4 CrewMax is only available with the 5.7L. We have a bit of a love/hate relationship with the big V-8. We love that it explodes from a stop with surprising ease, thanks to its 4.30 rear axle. The hate resides mostly with gas pumps, as the behemoth rarely cracks 14 mpg with our mix of commuting and highway driving. And let's not even mention the single-digit mileage we recorded when a trailer entered the equation. When we towed with the Tundra, both with a relatively light load (less than 2,000 pounds) and with our SSR project (around 7,000 pounds including trailer), the suspension responded with a porpoise-like ride, despite loading the trailer correctly. Capable? Yes. Comfy? No.
Inside the Tundra, the jumble of interior colors and textures still looks a bit off. We enjoy the huge center console and its ability to swallow tons of gear, and the rear seat video is one of the best you can get from the factory. Another plus is the quality of the Bluetooth cell phone integration. Calls come through the speaker with great clarity, and everyone we spoke to on the other end of the call was surprised to know we were using a hands-free device. One gripe we do have with the Bluetooth: calls are automatically transferred to Bluetooth when you approach the vehicle, without any prompt on the touch screen. Not a big deal, unless your passengers happen to be loudly singing along to the stereo, or your once-private conversation gets broadcast through the vehicle. One more complaint about the interior: locking the windows via the switch on the driver door also stops the driver from being able to lower any of the windows save their own. Weird.
In the world of side-by-side Recreation Utility Vehicles (RUV), it seems brand loyalty is just as fierce as the fullsize truck market. To each his own; but on a recent road test with our '08 Truck of the Year winner Toyota Tundra, we had the opportunity to test an '08 Kawasaki Teryx 4x4. Once the Teryx had been strapped down to a dual-axle trailer, we drove our Tundra to a remote off-road park with high-speed trails, whoops, and large rocks. After unloading the RUV, we put on our helmets and began a day of off-roading. We started out the day wondering what it could do. Not long into our excursion we realized, wow, this little thing is cool!
Marketed as the only RUV with a V-Twin, the 749cc Kawasaki didn't disappoint us. The water-cooled, mid-chassis mounted V-Twin is strong and rushes to speed seamlessly, thanks to a continuously variable transmission. Torque from the 90-degree V-Twin was appreciated when modulating dirt-covered turns, creating a powerful drift, and helping the 4x4 climb over rocky terrain. Switching from 2WD to 4WD was as easy as pushing the electronic switch on the dash. With the Teryx in 2WD High, we saw speeds reaching 50 mph.


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Shortly after a Beyonce Super Bowl halftime performance that LSU football coach Les Miles described on Twitter as "Wow ... Very athletic !!!", the Mercedes-Benz Superdome suffered a power outage for more than 34 minutes that left many wondering "How?"
A tweet late that evening from Beyonce's husband, recording superstar Jay-Z, aptly characterized a connection that was hard not to make after such a high-voltage performance. Jay-Z, or Mr. Carter on Twitter, late Sunday night: "Lights out!!! Any questions??"
Super Bowl Power Outage: View from the stands at the Superdome | Details on the 34-minute delay | CBS grapples with it live | Ed Reed speaks on affect of stoppage
Aaron Wilson of Ravens Insider took things a step further.
"NFL official told me power outage limited to Superdome, wasn't the whole grid. Also, apparently the halftime show with Beyonce was a factor" Wilson revealed on @RavensInsider.
PHOTOS: Beyonce's halftime show includes Destiny's Child
The immediate response in the form of a joint statement from power-supplier Entergy New Orleans and Superdome-operator SMG leaves much to be desired as to Monday's most pressing question, "What caused the Super Bowl power outage?"
"A piece of equipment that is designed to monitor electrical load sensed an abnormality in the system," the statement said. "Once the issue was detected, the sensing equipment operated as designed and opened a breaker, causing power to be partially cut to the Superdome in order to isolate the issue. ... Entergy and SMG will continue to investigate the root cause of the abnormality."
Ravens top 49ers to win Super Bowl in lights-out thriller | MVP Joe Flacco reaches next level | More Ravens-49ers stats, score and analysis
On Monday morning, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell tried to quiet any talk about a possible connection between Beyonce's performance and the outage.
"There's no indiciation at all that this was caused by the halftime show. Absolutely none." Goodell said. "I know that's been out there to say Beyonce had something to do with it, but that's not the case with anything we have at this point."
But while Goodell tried dispel that notion, CBS Sports' Boomer Esiason, who called the game on radio, only added fuel to the fire. On his morning radio show, Esiason discussed hearing a loud buzzing noise just before the outage and then added a new detail.
"And by the way, Beyonce blew the electric in the Superdome twice, I'm told, during her rehearsals during the week," Esiason said.


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Comparison of HIV Clinic-based Treatment With Buprenorphine Versus Referred Care in Heroin-dependent Participants
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of two approaches to treating HIV-infected patients who are addicted to opioid drugs (e.g., heroin) in an inner-city HIV clinic. The two approaches are:
- Case management and referral - participants are managed by a case manager and referred to a specialized drug treatment center where they receive counseling and medications for opioid-dependence (e.g., methadone or buprenorphine); or
- Clinic-based treatment - participants receive counseling and treatment with buprenorphine at the HIV clinic.
|Opiate Dependence HIV Seropositivity HIV Infections
|Behavioral: Clinic-based substance abuse treatment with buprenorphine Behavioral: Case management and referred substance abuse treatment
|Phase 2
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary Purpose: Treatment
|Official Title:
|Buprenorphine Effectiveness Evaluation in HIV Enhancement (BEEHIVE): A Randomized Trial of HIV Clinic-based Buprenorphine/Naloxone vs. Case Management and Referral in Opioid-dependent Individuals
- Retention to substance abuse treatment [ Time Frame: 12 months ]
- Visit attendance with primary medical provider [ Time Frame: 12 months ]
- Urine drug screen positivity for opioids and other drugs [ Time Frame: 12 months ]
- Use of and adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) [ Time Frame: 12 months ]
- HIV RNA changes [ Time Frame: 12 months ]
- CD4 cell count changes [ Time Frame: 12 months ]
- Self-reported HIV transmission risk behaviors [ Time Frame: 12 months ]
- Costs and resource utilization [ Time Frame: 12 months ]
|Estimated Enrollment:
|Study Start Date:
|November 2005
|Study Completion Date:
|April 2009
|Primary Completion Date:
|April 2009 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Assigned Interventions
Experimental: 1
Subjects receive integrated opioid-dependence treatment with buprenorphine/naloxone at the HIV clinic
Behavioral: Clinic-based substance abuse treatment with buprenorphine
Subjects receive integrated opioid-dependence treatment with buprenorphine/naloxone at the HIV clinic
Active Comparator: 2
Subjects receive case management and referral to an off-site opioid treatment program for their opioid dependence
Behavioral: Case management and referred substance abuse treatment
Subjects receive case management and referral to an off-site opioid treatment program for their opioid dependence
Detailed Description:
We, the investigators at Johns Hopkins University, propose to enroll and randomize 120 opioid-dependent, HIV-infected participants, who receive care in the Johns Hopkins HIV Clinic to either:
- clinic-based care with buprenorphine (clinic-based BPN/NX arm); or
- case management and referral to an opioid treatment program for opioid agonist-based therapy (case management and referral arm).
The study interventions and follow-up will last 12 months. Participants will be enrolled over a 3-year period. Participants who are assigned to the clinic-based BPN/NX arm will receive BPN/NX (Suboxone®), individual counseling from a nurse interventionist, and group therapy sessions. Participants who are assigned to the case management and referral arm will be enrolled in an established case management and adherence program in the Johns Hopkins HIV Clinic (Project LINK). LINK provides intensive case management, education, and support by a team that includes a social worker, a nurse, a pharmacist educator, and peer advocates. In addition to providing counseling and linkage to needed services, LINK will expedite intake at licensed opioid treatment programs that provide agonist-based therapy for opioid dependence. The clinic-based BPN intervention is a new strategy that was developed in a pilot project over the past 6 months. The case-management and referral arm represents standard-of-care in our clinic, which has been enhanced and codified for this trial. Study outcome visits will be performed at baseline, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 12 months.
- Retention to substance abuse treatment;
- Urine drug screens;
- Adherence to HIV primary care provider visits;
- Use of and adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART);
- HIV RNA levels and CD4 cell counts;
- HIV transmission risk behaviors (e.g., injection, sharing of drug paraphernalia, sexual behaviors);
- Costs and resource utilization.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years and older (Adult, Senior)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- HIV-infected and receiving continuity care in the Johns Hopkins HIV Clinic
- 18 years of age or older
- Meets DSM-IV criteria for opioid dependence
- Seeks agonist-based treatment for opioid dependence
- Willing and able to provide written informed consent
- Willing to be contacted by mail and telephone for study follow-up visit reminders
- Willing to authorize release of information for substance abuse treatment to the study for a period of 12 months
- If female, negative urine pregnancy test and willingness to practice birth control while on study if sexually active (barrier method or progesterone-containing contraception product)
- Verbal approval from participant's primary HIV clinician
Exclusion Criteria:
- Currently receiving methadone, naloxone, buprenorphine, or levomethadyl acetate (LAAM) as part of a licensed opioid treatment program
- History of allergic reaction to buprenorphine or naloxone
- Active medical need for opioid-based pain control
- Active benzodiazepine abuse or dependence
- Active alcohol dependence
- Alanine aminotransferase level that is more than 5 times the upper limit of normal
- Other condition that, in the opinion of the principal investigator, makes participation in the study unsafe or follow-up highly unlikely
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00130819
|United States, Maryland
|Johns Hopkins HIV Clinic
|Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21287
|Principal Investigator:
|Gregory M Lucas, MD, PhD
|Johns Hopkins University
|Responsible Party:
|Gregory M. Lucas, MD PhD, Johns Hopkins University
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT00130819 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|August 15, 2005
|Last Updated:
|April 14, 2015
Keywords provided by Johns Hopkins University:
Drug Dependence
Opiate Dependence
Human Immunodeficiency Viruses
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
HIV Infections
Opioid-Related Disorders
HIV Seropositivity
Lentivirus Infections
Retroviridae Infections
RNA Virus Infections
Virus Diseases
Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes
Immune System Diseases
Substance-Related Disorders
Chemically-Induced Disorders
Mental Disorders
Analgesics, Opioid
Buprenorphine, Naloxone Drug Combination
Central Nervous System Depressants
Physiological Effects of Drugs
Sensory System Agents
Peripheral Nervous System Agents
Narcotic Antagonists
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017


text:
AddOn - X2 transceiver module (equivalent to: Cisco CWDM-X2-1570-80) - 10 Gigabit Ethernet - 10GBase-CWDM - SC single-mode - up to 49.7 miles - 1570 nmItem#: 13653207 | Model#: CWDM-X2-1570-80-AO
- Price:
- $5,799.99
Free Shipping Today!
- Shipping:
- Temporarily out of stock. Order today and we'll deliver when available. (Details)
AddOn - X2 transceiver module - 10 Gigabit Product Details
Device Type: X2 transceiver module
Form Factor: Plug-in module
Connectivity Technology: Wired
Cabling Type: 10GBase-CWDM
Data Link Protocol: 10 Gigabit Ethernet
Data Transfer Rate: 10 Gbps
Optical Wave Length: 1570 nm
Max Transfer Distance: 49.7 miles
Expansion / Connectivity
Interfaces: 1 x Ethernet 10GBase-CWDM - SC single-mode x 2
Compliant Standards: MSA
OEM Manufacturer Equivalent Part Number: Cisco CWDM-X2-1570-80
TAA Compliant: Yes
Manufacturer Warranty
Service & Support: Limited warranty - lifetime
Related ItemsPrevious
Manufactured by: AddOn
Warranty provided by: AddOn
UPC No: 0821455464632
Mfg Part No: CWDM-X2-1570-80-AO
Box Size:
( Length:0, Width:0, Depth:0)
Shipping Weight: 0.7000 pound(s)
Click here for full warranty and support information
- AddOn logos are registered trademarks of AddOn. All others trademarks and copyrights mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.


text:
Looking for bullpen answer, Phils call up Rosenberg
PHILADELPHIA -- B.J. Rosenberg did not expect to be in a Phillies uniform Friday.
However, with the Phillies looking for answers in the middle of their bullpen, that was the case, and the 27-year-old righty was recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Left-hander Raul Valdes, whose ERA inflated to 7.65 after he gave up three runs to the Indians on Wednesday, was sent down to make room on the Major League roster.
"I wasn't expecting to get called up to pitch in the bullpen," Rosenberg said. "I was just going about my business [in Triple-A], trying to get better starting and going deeper into games."
While closer Jonathan Papelbon has been excellent when he has had the opportunity to finish games, many appearances from the Phillies' middle relievers have not been pretty. In addition to Valdes' ineffectiveness, veteran righty Chad Durbin has allowed 10 runs in 12 appearances for a 7.30 ERA.
"He's got more of a track record than the other guys," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said of Durbin. "He's going to have to pitch better. I think he knows it. How long of a leash he has, I do not know. But he needs to pitch better."
In seven starts in the Minors this season, Rosenberg was 1-3 with a 4.30 ERA, 24 strikeouts and 20 walks. Rosenberg also spent time with the Phillies last season, primarily in August and September.
Joe Savery and Michael Stutes were also Triple-A options with Major League experience, but Amaro said Savery could not be called up because he was not eligible after being optioned to Lehigh Valley on May 10. Amaro added that Stutes had been inconsistent.
That left the door open for Rosenberg.
"Most of our middle relievers have not been very good, so we'll see whether Rosey can come in," Amaro said. "The last time, he threw pretty good. He's stretched out so he can go long."
Though Rosenberg, who was a Phillies 13th-round Draft pick in 2008, initially struggled in the big leagues (his ERA sat at 13.09 after his first 14 appearances), he eventually found his groove. Last September, Rosenberg allowed just one earned run in 10 1/3 innings of work, while holding opponents to a .094 batting average.
His strong finish gave the Phillies a reason to believe in him in 2013, and it gave Rosenberg a reason to believe in himself.
"There will still be nerves; there are always nerves when you pitch," Rosenberg said. "But that experience last year definitely helps. How I pitched toward the end of last year definitely helped my confidence. I think it will help this time around."
Todd Zolecki is a reporter for MLB.com. Stephen Pianovich is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
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Penticton bus service about to be flattened
Greyhound Canada is set to cut two afternoon departures from Penticton to Kelowna as part of its broader plan to trim 15 routes across the province.
The B.C. Passenger Transportation Board this week approved the plan following an application from Greyhound, which said it had to start cutting its losses or consider stopping service in the province.
Communities throughout the region will be affected and some, like Rock Creek, will lose service altogether:
In its decision, the transportation board noted that Greyhound reported it lost $14.1 million on its B.C. passenger operations during the 2011-12 fiscal year, due partly to a loss of customers to subsidized transit provided by regional health authorities to patients.
The board approved the Okanagan-area cuts due to numbers supplied by the company that demonstrated low ridership, an issue it found was backed up by a lack of public comment on the cuts.
Dan Ashton, who chairs the board of the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen, said his group took the time last fall to register its "displeasure" with the proposed reductions.
"In many of our communities, (Greyhound) is the only source of transport for people that don't have vehicles," he noted.
Ashton said the board is working on a regional transit plan to connect Summerland, Okanagan Falls and Penticton, but added that Greyhound's pull-back should open the door for smaller operators to fill the void.
"In my opinion, there's probably an opportunity between Princeton, Keremeos and Penticton and points in between for that type of private operator. And I hope somebody does look at it," he said.
Grant Odsen, a regional manager for Greyhound, acknowledged the company's service reductions may invite new rivals, but he noted that possibility has always existed.
"We happen to be the only operator in a lot of areas, but it's not because anybody else is being kept out," he said.
"In terms of competition, all it required was somebody to make a decision that they wanted to get into the business, make an application to the board to get a licence to do so, and off they go."
Odsen said the company expects to post its new schedules next week and must then wait at least two weeks before implementing the changes. He doesn't expect any job losses as a result of the cuts.
"We're short of drivers right now and as these reductions come along, that will just help to fill some of the voids we have," Odsen said.
He added that Greyhound intends to launch its Express service this spring on its Kelowna-Vancouver route. Express routes, already in place in Alberta and Ontario, feature upgraded coaches with more leg room, Wi-Fi and 120-volt outlets.
"But that's not the kind of service that can be provided province-wide in all of the far-flung areas. It's the kind of service that's going to require ridership density to support it," Odsen said.
The proposed reductions in this region include:
* Minimum frequency on the Penticton-Kelowna route will be cut from four trips per day to two in each direction. The 2:40 p.m and 5 p.m. departures from Penticton, and the 10:15 a.m. and 3:15 a.m. departures from Kelowna, are targeted for elimination.
*Minimum frequency on the Vancouver-Rock Creek route will be reduced to one daily trip in each direction between Vancouver and Penticton, plus one daily trip in each direction between Penticton and Osoyoos. Service beyond Osoyoos to Bridesville and Rock Creek will be completely eliminated. The 10 a.m. southbound departure from Penticton is targeted for elimination.
*Minimum frequency on the Kelowna-Vancouver route will drop from three trips daily in each direction to two. The 3 p.m. departure from Kelowna is proposed for elimination.


text:
I give Grant credit for showing restraint..
Bulls fan curses at, spits on Grant Hill wait Grant Hill?
Kurt Helin
Apr 6, 2011, 1:55 PM EDT
3 Comments
Getty Images
Grant Hill is about the least offensive guy in the NBA. Even Jalen Rose gets along with him now. Hill doesnt trash talk, has fought back from devastating knee injuries to be a key player again, doesnt scare the rich corporate CEOs in the luxury boxes.
But apparently Hill offends one Bulls fan who couldnt contain himself after the Bulls win over Phoenix Tuesday, Paul Coro relates in the Arizona Republic.
As Hill left the floor after the game, he was held back from a fan who he said cursed and spit at him.
He said some profanity and spit in my direction, Hill said. Im not going to let somebody spit at me. He knew he did wrong because he took off running.
Hill was held back by security, who caught the fan.
I just saw the anger in his face, (Vince) Carter said. When you see Grant like that, you know somethings up. Grant doesnt say anything to anybody. He competes and does his job.
What, did Hill say he prefers New York style thin-curst pizza? Or as SBNs Tom Ziller suggested, did Hill say Dwight Howard was MVP?
Im not going to let one idiot Bulls fan color the entire fanbase, Chicago is a great city with great sports fans but seriously, Grant Hill? Chicago, youve got to stop opening up the doors to the asylum


text:
"It's been a tough time for us, but that's why we're doing the funeral," said McKinley, of LaOtto. "This has been really hard on me, so I'm hoping this helps me work through the grieving process."
McKinley arranged a memorial service with the new D.O. McComb & Sons Tribute Center at 2307 W. Main St. and even paid to have an obituary printed in both Fort Wayne newspapers – both of which are firsts, he said.
D.O. McComb recently started a Pet Services division that specializes in memorials and cremations for animals. But the funeral home has never arranged a service as extensive as Cody's – which will be held from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the tribute center – McKinley said.
"It's kind of a first-of-its-kind thing," he said.
Dave McComb, owner of D.O. McComb, did not return a call seeking comment before deadline Thursday morning.
A dog named Emma, who died in September, is listed on D.O. McComb's website as the first pet entrusted to the funeral home's care. Cody is the only other pet listed on the funeral home's website, and the only one with a full funeral listing.
"He had just such a great personality," McKinley said of Cody, who also has a brother named Max. McKinley said he brought his dogs to work every day, a practice that is encouraged at American Heritage Trails. After the funeral, McKinley said, he will take Cody's remains home with him in a special dog casket.
"He's one of those dogs you just couldn't help but love," McKinley said. "We just wanted to do something really special for him."


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Tik wrote:Some photos to download from a (Thai) Buddhist forum.
appicchato wrote:
Manapa wrote:
. . . a pastaferian monk!
tiltbillings wrote:Manapa wrote:
. . . a pastaferian monk!
In the service of His Great Noodliness, no doubt.
forestmat wrote:My wife and I were at Buddhamonthon near Bangkok, about 10kms from where we live, and I shot this photo.
Homage to the Blessed One
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