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wrestling / Video Reviews
Views from the Hawke's Nest: Class Wars's Two Turntables and a Wrestling Ring 2012
October 27, 2012
Lafayette, Indiana
Commentators: Thomas Green, Billy Roc, Tripp Cassidy, & Reed Bentley
The DVD starts with a nifty hype video. The show then starts with Heidi Lovelace coming out and welcoming everyone to the show. Heidi then introduces Class Wars's live event host, Ian Gerber. He reminds the audience that this is a family friendly event.
Billy Roc & Mat Russo vs. The Social (Fabrice & Chris Conway)
Roc is, of course, the head trainer of the School of Roc. He also happens to be the King of Indiana. NBD.
Russo went for submissions early, but Conway made the ropes. Roc got the crowd to point at Conway and call him a coward for using the ropes to escape a submission. Ok, Triple H. Roc and Fabrice then squared off. Roc tied him up in a knot. Fabrice couldn't escape, so Billy slapped him in the ass. Roc and Russo then went after one of Conway's legs to set up Russo's Calf Slicer finishing submission. Eventually the referee got distracted, which allowed the rudos to isolate, and then get the heat on, Russo. The Social were in control for a while. At one point, Fabrice hit Russo with a standing moonsault. After a good while, Russo was finally able to hit The Social with a couple of suplexes. Roc tagged in and immediately hit them with a diving crossbody. Roc got a nearfall on Conway with a Code Red. Conway finally slowed Roc down with a back suplex. The Social then hit Roc with theJägerbomb: 1…2…Russo makes the save! Fabrice gets sent to the floor, and Russo catches Conway with the Calf Slicer! Conway taps out!
And with that, Mat Russo is my new favorite School of Roc student. He's got his style/look down already, and he just, in general, looked really sharp here. Russo vs. Roc may actually be the Class Wars match that I am most looking forward to (if it ever happens) in the promotion. I envision that being all sorts of fun. Billy Roc was his usual reliable self, and he did a good job of making sure the crowd got vocal for the match. The Social were solid in their debuts. They're not as crisp as Russo, but they did a fine job here for sure.
Match Rating: ***1/4
We see some pre-show promos next. The League say they are a shoe-in for winning their Trios Championship Tournament qualifier. Heidi Lovelace, Dale Patricks, and Dale Patricks's Leather Jacket say they are feeling confident. Sadly, Dale Patricks's Leather Jacket is not competing tonight, but they have a great replacement in Trevor Court.
Ripper Thomas vs. Guy Lombardo
Ripper is doing a horror gimmick. I'm guessing Lombardo is a local worker (based on the combination of his gear and his crowd reaction).
Ripper dominated Lombardo in the early goings. Ripper's hair is so long that I have yet to see his face. Ripper locked in the FACE CLAW, which is my favorite move ever (not to be confused with the nerve pinch, which is my least favorite move ever). Luckily, Lombardo got to the ropes right away. Lombardo managed to get him in the corner, where Lombardo gave him the Stinkface (I shit you not). Ripper no-sold it though and gave him another FACE CLAW! Lombardo managed to make Ripper fall to the floor. Lombardo was in control on the outside for a couple of minutes. Ripper managed to send him into the ringpost. They ended up back in the ring, and Ripper set up for the FACE CLAW again. Lombardo avoided the FACE CLAW, and he caught Ripper with a schoolboy: 1…2…3…umm, ok.
I thought this match was going along fine in terms of setting up Ripper as a monster going forward, but then he got pinned by a fat, bald, uninspired indie worker who doesn't even come from the school. I don't see any creative upside in putting Lombardo over. If there were some external (or even internal) politics involved, then I just don't think this matchup should have been booked in the first place. I like Ripper's look, and I hope to see more of him in the near future.
Match Rating: *3/4
The League (Reed Bentley, Tripp Cassidy, & "Big" Sue Jackson) vs. Heidi Lovelace, Dale Patricks, and Trevor Court (w/ Dale Patricks's Leather Jacket)
This is a qualifying match for the Class Wars Trios Championship Tournament. Court recently appeared for AAW, and he impressed me a lot. Lovelace has appeared on OVW TV and the SHINE iPPVs. Heidi put on a mask as she came out.
The tecnicos charged the ring, and the match started as a big brawl. Eventually, Sue and Heidi ended up in the ring alone. A trios tag match broke out shortly thereafter. Bentley and Cassidy ended up on the floor, and Court wiped them out with a tope con hello. Jackson fell onto the middle rope, and Heidi hit him with a 619. Patricks wiped out everyone on the floor with a Deadman Suicida. Heidi then used Jackson's back for a double jump plancha. Heidi went for a diving backstabber on Jackson, but he didn't fall and instead, he managed to cut her off. The League proceeded to get the heat on Heidi. Heidi was eventually able to fight back, and she tagged out to Court and Patricks. Court and Patricks hit Cassidy with a double team Ace Crusher. Bentley gave Patricks the Reed Awakening. Cassidy took a bite out of Heidi's face. Cassidy went for a super powerbomb, but Heidi reversed it into a super hurricanrana. Court gave Bentley a powerbomb. Court and Heidi then hit Bentley with a powerbomb/backstabber. Patricks and Court then hit Bentley with a double team Sliced Bread #2. Jackson wiped out Court with his running body press. The League then took out Heidi. Patricks got hung up in the corner, and he ate the running knees from Cassidy, a running splash from Jackson, and a Ghetto Stomp from Bentley. Court made the save, but he then got sent from the ring. Jackson hit Patricks with the Close Shave: 1…2…3!
This match started out HOT, but unfortunately, they just couldn't get the momentum back after the heat on Heidi. There were a ton of positives to take out of this match however. Since season 1, the most important story going on with this promotion has been the rise of Heidi Lovelace, who has proven to be one of the more consistent performers to come out of the school. She has a certain charisma that allows her to connect with or without an audience, and she's just damn impressive in the ring (I think she's much more interesting than Chikara's Saturyne for the sake of comparison). It's also great to see The League look strong after their off-season of discontent. Trevor Court continues to impress me, and I hope to see him get bigger opportunities in 2013. Finally, Dale Patricks's annoying Incredible Hulk routine was nowhere to be found, so he was much more enjoyable than usual here. This was far from a perfect match, but it was still damn enjoyable.
Match Rating: ***
Buck Boulder vs. Marc Houston
Boulder was OVER with this crowd, which makes me happy. I have no idea who Houston is.
These are some big boys. Boulder kind of has a Claudio look, but with a less defined frame. To be fair, almost everyone is wrestling looks fat compared to Claudio. Houston resembles King of Trios 2012 Tatanka, minus the mullet and the charisma!. The crowd exploded when Boulder hit an armdrag. The crowd is crazy. They traded leg-bar attempts. They then avoided some big kick attempts from each other. Boulder took Houston down with a dropkick and then hit a sidewalk slam for a nearfall. Houston came back with a scoop slam for a nearfall of his own. Houston demanded a handshake. Boulder punched him in the face instead. They traded punches. Houston took him down with a shoulder tackle. Boulder then caught him with a chokeslam: 1…2…NO! Houston then hit a spinebuster: 1…2…NO! Houston called for a lariat, but Boulder avoided it and hit Altitude Sickness: 1…2…NO! Houston came back with a ripcord lariat: 1…2…3!
This was WAY better than I would have guessed. They didn't do anything fancy, but they worked hard and had the crowd the entire way. I enjoyed this match a lot. I don't understand why Boulder lost, but it didn't upset me the way the Ripper loss did.
Match Rating: **3/4
Joe Pittman vs. Rob Ramer
Pittman jumped him from before the bell. Ramer caught him with a spinerbuster to slow him down. Pittman cut off Ramer on the floor with a lariat. Pittman tried to get the crowd to start a slow cap for him. It did not work. Pittman proceeded to work him over in the ring. Pittman hit a Full Nelson Slam at one point for a nearfall. Ramer came back with a series of punches and strikes. Ramer hit the DVD: 1…2…3. Huh.
This match did not do much for me. Ramer wasn't very interesting to watch, and once again, I can't figure out why the guy who is not a part of the universe goes over. I have reasons to care about Ripper Thomas, Buck Boulder, and Joe Pittman. I don't have reasons to care about these other guys, and nothing about their performances made me think that I could care about them in the future. Now, if one of these three School of Roc students lost, I wouldn't have thought anything of it. In fact, considering that Buck Boulder's gimmick is that "he's always looking for the next mountain to climb," it makes sense that he doesn't win right away (especially to another…mountain of a man. Ah thank you). I'm just not sure of the upside that comes along with Ripper and Pittman losing. I hope it makes sense in the long run, and that I look back at this review a year from now and think that I was being overly critical.
Match Rating: **
U-Gene vs. Shawn Cook
U-Gene is of course Eugene, aka Nick Dinsmore, in full gimmick. I've never seen Shawn Cook before.
There were some Eugene shenanigans in the early goings. Yes, I'm going to write "Eugene" throughout the recap. Come at me Vince. More Eugene shenanigans. Finally, Cook cut him off with a lariat. Cook was in control after that for a while. Eugene Hulked up and made his comeback. Eugene then hit the Rock Bottom. Eugene then hit the People's Elbow: 1…2…NO! Eugene called for the RKO, but Cook blocked hit and hit a back suplex for a nearfall. Ref bump. Ref bump #2. Eugene then hit the Stone Cold Stunner for the phantom pinfall. Tripp Cassidy ran into the ring, but he ate a Pedigree from Eugene. Eugene then gave Reed Bentley the FU and the five Knuckle Shuffle. Eugene then gave Sue Jackson a poke to the eyes and a chokeslam. Cook threw powder in Eugene's eyes: 1…2…3. Heidi Lovelace, Trevor Court, and Dale Patricks ran down, and the referee realized there were some shenanigans. An eight person brawl broke out. Eugene assisted Court with a tope con hello to wipe out the League. The match was apparently restarted. Eugene then hit Cook with a RKO: 1…2…3
Oof. Ok, I understand the desire and the need to book Eugene from a business perspective, and if booking him is the difference between making a profit and losing money, by all means, I encourage Class Wars to continue to use Eugene. However, the way Eugene was used here seemed counterproductive to the presumed larger goal of making the Class Wars brand into a bigger deal. The message from this main event was not only that Eugene was and is the biggest star on the show, but he completely dominated the promotion's heel faction by himself. I honestly couldn't believe my eyes as I saw Eugene run through the League, one by one. So, on top of the first grade level substance of a Eugene match, I saw characters that I care about tossed aside by, for lack of a better term, a WWE reject. I watched and reviewed the first season of Class Wars because I became so invested the characters. As a result, I did not enjoy this much at all. In the interest of being fair, the crowd clearly reacted and responded to Eugene way more than I did.
Match Rating: *1/2
After the show, Tripp Cassidy announces that he is selecting Sue Jackson for his team in season 2. Billy Roc shows up and announces that he is selecting Reed Bentley. Bentley walks off with Roc. DISSENSION~!
BONUS Match Reviews
Mike Quackenbush vs. Billy Roc from IPW's Super Jr. Heavyweight Tournament 2006
This was a quarterfinal match in IPW's annual Super Jr. Tourney.
This may surprise you, but this match started with both men exchanging holds. This went on for a while, and it was beautiful. Roc hit a backstabber and a slingshot senton. Quack came back and went after the left leg of Roc. Quack was in control for a while until Roc hit a desperation enzuigiri. Roc made a comeback. He hit a spinning heel kick and got a nearfall with a schoolboy. Quack managed to Snake Eyes Roc and hit the Saving Grace: 1…2…NO! Roc came right back with a tornado DDT and a nifty diving hurricanrana: 1…2…NO! Roc went to the top rope, but Quack met him up there with a superplex. Quack then immediately transitioned into a Quackendriver III: 1…2…3!
Quack got on the microphone after the match. He admitted that he had never heard of Billy Roc before he got here. However, he says that after wrestling Roc, he realizes that Roc is a great and that Indianapolis is lucky to have him. Roc and his students sporadically worked for Chikara after this match.
This match was beautiful and made Roc look like an outstanding wrestler. I'm a sucker for competitive chain wrestling, and this match absolutely gave me that. I would love to see what these two would do together in 2012, but it seems unlikely that the match would ever happen.
Match Rating: ***1/2
The League ("Big" Sue Jackson, Tripp Cassidy, & Reed Bentley) vs. Heidi Lovelace & Dale Patricks from Class Wars 2012
This is a two out of three falls match. There are additional rules that I'm copying word for word from the screen: "In between falls, The League has thirty (30) seconds to swap one partner. The League CANNOT use the same two wrestlers in two (2) consecutive falls." The announcer also mentioned that Dale Patricks promised to have a surprise for The League and that the odds were now evened.
Billy Roc announces that he has hired an official Class Wars referee, as Roc had been refereeing all the matches previously. The referee is John Calvin. Cassidy and Bentley are doing the first fall for The League. Cassidy and Heidi started the match. Heidi took down Cassidy with an armdrag, and she then tagged out to Patricks. Patricks took Cassidy down with an armdrag as well. Bentley tagged in. He and Patricks traded some stiff forerams. Patricks hit a DDT for a nearfall. Heidi came back in and went after Bentley's left arm. Patricks ran in without being tagged and attacked Tripp and Sue. Heidi gave Bentley an enzuigiri and Patricks then hit him with a Brogue Kick: 1…2…3. Dale Paricks and Heidi Lovelace win the first fall.
Sue Jackson ignores the thirty second rest period and just starts attacking Patricks. Patricks ate two rolling sentons from the rudos. Heidi broke up the pinfall. Sue Jackson locked in a nerve pinch, and Patricks started wailing. Cassidy tagged in and hit the Don't Be a Hero Knee Strike (he pulls them off the top rope into a knee strike. Looks like a more violent Go-2-Sleep): 1…2…3. The League win the second fall.
Cassidy continued to beat down Patricks after the fall, so Bentley forcibly removed him from the ring. Sue crushed Patricks with a running splash. Heidi again had to break up the pinfall. Bentley tagged back in and hit a butterfly suplex: 1…2…Heidi broke up the pinfall again. Patricks avoided a back suplex and tagged in Heidi. Heidi ran wild on Bentley. She had a pinfall with a hurricanrana, but Cassidy jumped up on the apron. Remi Wilkins ran in and pulled Cassidy off the apron. Patricks and Heidi knocked Sue Jackson off the apron. Bentley was still distracted by the Wilkins run-in. Patricks then got a pinning combination on Bentley: 1…2…3. Dale Patricks & Heidi Lovelace win the match two falls to one.
Heidi and Patricks celebrated in the ring. Wilkins joined them and explained he was late because someone had slashed his tire. That made me laugh (in a good way).
This match really showed how much the Class Wars wrestlers have improved in the ring since the very first episode of the web series. While the match was maybe not technically perfect, everything they did was much crisper and smoother than when I first started watching them. Reed Bentley especially seems to be someone that has a bright future. I'm also really digging what Heidi is bringing to the table, and I see her being the breakout star in Class Wars season 2. I did have a couple of nitpicks about the match though. Since it wasn't really a handicap match (or whatever advantage The League had wasn't emphasized enough), it was a little annoying that the tecnicos kept "cheating," for lack of a better word. Patricks illegally ran in and double teamed Bentley to finish the first fall, and Heidi repeatedly broke up pinfalls illegally. While both of those things happen frequently in tag team matches, they usually happen in chaotic tag matches with bodies flying all over the pace. This match was much more methodical (which I am definitely fine with and actually like), so those types of thing stood out more.
I am very intrigued with the direction of The League. Season 1 of Class Wars seemed to be all about establishing them as a dominant heel faction, but now there is clear dissension in the ranks. Reed Bentley is now storyline training with Billy Roc, and his goals for the group seem to be drifting farther and farther apart from Tripp and Sue. Personally, I would love to see this Trio stick together, especially since Class Wars announced that they would be crowning Trios Champions in the somewhat near future. However, Reed leaving The League eventually would also open the doors to a lot of cool storylines and matches.
Match Rating: **1/2
Thanks everybody for reading! You can send feedback to my Twitter or to my email address: [email protected] Also, feel free to check out my own wrestling website, FreeProWrestling.com. Also, check out my Best of Chikara blog and an archive of all my 411 video reviews.
For more information on Class Wars, check out their:
The Full First Season of the Class Wars Web Series for Free
A Full List of Free Class Wars Matches
Season 2 of Class Wars begins Monday, January 28, leading to the live Finale on Saturday, April 20th in Lafayette (to be released via Smart Mark Video). There will be at least one full match between now and Jan 28 on the Youtube channel for free, potentially more.
The 411: While I could first talk about big picture stuff, I feel the need to say that of the six matches on this show, three worked really well. Like, "I want to rewatch them" (and I will) well. That being said, the other three matches did not go well, and in the case of the main event, I greatly disliked what I saw. I'm completely invested in the Class Wars universe because I have grown fond of following most of the characters. I don't care about Guy Lombardo, Shawn Cook, or Eugene. If Class Wars is going to use guys like that more in the future, I either would prefer that they be used to enhance the roster, or the promotion needs to do more make me care about them. While this show is not great in a bubble, it was still nice to get back into the Class Wars universe before the start of season two. I'm looking forward to season two a lot, and I encourage everyone reading this to check it out. You can support Class Wars by buying this show as a DVD , as a MP4, or as a Video On Demand .
|Final Score: 5.5 [ Not So Good ] legend


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That's right, it's the year end list to end all year end lists. I don't mean that in a cocky way neither, I mean it as in "I am so late doing getting this together, that this has to be the last one". The more I look back at 2007 as a whole, the more I see that it was a damn good year. In fact I'd go as far as to say it was the best year since '98. Nope, hip hop is not dead. It's just changing, evolving, as it has in the past. Hip Hop and the music industry in general face a challenging year in '08. The way music is sold and marketed has changed and will never be the same again. The internet will continue to play a vital role in how things shake out. You simply can not just throw some ads in a magazine, release your CD with 14-16 songs and expect it to sell, quality or not. I'm not saying if that is right or wrong, it's simply a fact of life now.
We are not here to discuss the future, today it's all about the past. It's time for the Second Annual WYDU Awards. Last year it was the pantie awards, but this year, we are sticking to the cute little titles, since you never know when something you say or do on the internet might end up biting you in the ass.
We had nine people (originally ten, but one didn't get back to me) in on the voting.
Trav of WYDU
Polarity of WYDU
SoulClap of WYDU
Chris of WYDU
Hugo of WYDU
Storm Davis, solo artist and member of Poorly Drawn People
Eric of When They Reminisce
CH Commish of the Slushy Gutter Crew
Scholar of Souled On
Jason Gloss of Phila Flava
I tried to get a varying tastes and views on hip hop. For example, Jason Gloss and our own Hugo added some of the west coast/southern sound, stuff that I wouldn't normally listen to. Clap and my former fellow Denverite, CH Commish was into some of the more "mainstream underground" (oxymoron? I think so) material like Talib, Common, Wu, Jay and that type of stuff. Of course, Eric and I are on the same page, even if we don't necessarily agree all the time. Our token "celebrity" judge, Storm Davis had a wide variety listed on his nominations. My favorite Soul/Hip Hop blogger, Scholar from Souled on added some different flavor as well. One thing I did learn this year is next year, I'm doing the nominating myself, then letting the rest vote on them. I had each voter nominate three artits/projects for each category. I thought having three artists each, that surely some overlapping would go on. Not exactly, in some cases, we had 27 artists/projects out of a 30 possible votes. Needless to say, as I have the final say, my personal preferences were involved more than I would have liked. Lesson learned though.
Without further ado….The 2nd Annual WYDU Awards.
It's In The Mix: Best Mixtape of 2007
Mick Boogie & Little Brother – And Justus For All
Mixtapes have become the new rage. Who needs a first single to promote an album when you can put out a whole mixtape? I have a love/hate relationship with mixtapes. A lot of them are half assed songs put together to make a half assed project, just so their name stays in people's mouthes. On the other side of the fence though, artists have more artistic freedom. They don't have a label standing over their should telling them will and will not sell. The production also could be more daring. The use of samples are often more liberal with a lot of these mixtapes being given away for free.
Dropping in the middle of February of last year, "And Justus For All", as a free mixtape, was good enough to stick in everyones consciousness for the whole year and claim the best mixtape award. Little Brother has always dropped the hottest mixtapes, as they have proven with the Chitlin Ciruit's and when they recruited THE man of the year when it comes to putting out mixtapes in Mick Boogie, this was a great mixtape and all for free. The Commissioner always puts out quality products with no screaming all over the music and well mixed. He also works with a wide variety of artists, most being of high quality and well respected in their particular scheme of hip hop music.
Little Brother once again put out a mixtape that was quite possibly better than their actual retail album (at least in my eyes). For me, they always seemed more "loose" and more like "themselves" on the mixtapes. They take more risks and keep it more wide open. Clearly this was an example of what's good with mixtapes.
Honorable Mentions: Stricklin – The Resume, Eternia – Where I Am At, Poorly Drawn People – Nothing Stays Gold
Where The Hell Did That Come From???: The Most Pleasant Surprise Album of 2007
Aesop Rock – None Shall Pass
This goes to the most surprising album. I tend to think of it as liking something you wouldn't particularly like. Some of the voters went more with some newer artists that kind of came out of no where. The meaning is le
ft open to debate and we actually had a tie that I was left to break. I had two albums that had been released by artists who in the past I had nothing good to say about them. One album which was in the tie, so it won out. That album would be Aesop Rock's "None Shall Pass".
Aesop was truly one of those artists that along with the majority of the Def Jux and Anitcon rosters that I had no liking for. I found his lyrics to be a bunch of mumbo jumbo and his flow sleep inducing. While his beats were usually within my tastes, nothing could make up for the most of the crap I have heard in his discography. So when Eric told me I had to listen to the new Aesop Rock, trust me, I took my time. Over my twenty plus years of listening to hip hop, there have been groups that I originally didn't like, or at least care for all that much. A Tribe Called Quest, De La and even Masta Ace are all artists that I didn't originally care for. It doesn't happen all that often though. Earlier in the year, El-P happen to shock me with his "I'll Sleep When Your Dead" album, so I figured there wasn't much of a chance that Aesop's album would also make do a double take. I was wrong. My first listen through I think I sent an email to Scholar saying, "I don't know what the hell is wrong with me, but I like this new Aesop Rock". Then I told Eric, "Damn, I like that new Aesop". I listened to it again. It was almost like I didn't want to like it, but I did. Even when Eric and I did a review for the album, songs like the title track "None Shall Pass" just boggled my mind. I finally gave into my desires and started listening to this album quite often through out the year. I don't know if I'm just more open minded to listen to Aesop or if he just toned it down a notch, or maybe even a bit of both, but it was a pleasant surprise none the less.
Honorable Mentions: Blue Scholars – Bayani, Archetype – Bleed For Them
The Last Beer In The Fridge: Biggest Disappointment Album of 2007
Wu-Tang Clan – 8 Diagrams
People my age have seen it all before. In the mid 80′s, Run DMC was the super group that could do no wrong. They had movies, world tours and platinum albums times over. Then it all crumbled out from underneath them. Now we are witnessing another legendary hip hop crew fall from grace. The Wu-Tang Clan, once considered the greatest group in hip hop as fallen on hard times. Everyone seems to be shunning the RZA. Before the album was released, interviews with RZA and the GZA showed a clearly irritated GZA rolling his eyes and give those "what the fuck are you saying" looks while RZA rambled on about the album. Two of their own members called "8 Diagrams" wack, which is exactly what Raekwon and Ghostface Killah said in an interview. GZA's performance seemed uninspired on the album. Only Method Man and U-God seemed to really give a fuck.
For me personally, this wasn't the most disappointing album, but I can see where people have been saying that. Wu-Tang is still held in high regards in the hip hop circle and hadn't released an album since 2001. There was a lot of pressure for them to come correct with this album. Both "The W" and "Iron Flags" received luke warm responses from the Wu brethren. Needless to say, this album is exactly what people were expecting. RZA's production has been called into question, way too much singing for some people to handle and lackadaisical performances from the MC's all led up to many people being unhappy with this release.
Dishonorable Mentions: Redman – Red Gone Wild: Thee Album
Rip Van Winkle: Slept On Album of 2007
Buff1 – Pure
Who? Unless you read WYDU or WTR much this past summer, that's probably what you are saying to yourself. To me, that's exactly why Buff1′s album "Pure" won the tie breaker.
Another talented artist coming out of Detroit, Buff1 was part of the seven man "Athletic Mic League" crew. His debut solo effort quickly fell into my "most spins" list for a good portion of the summer. With production from his own Lab Technicians crew along with fellow D-Town producers, Wajeed and Mr. Porter, the production on this album is one of amazing strings and lofting melodies. Mix in Buff1′s tenacity on the mic and this album was due more praise than it received.
The album also showcased some other fine talent from the Midwest with Slum Village's Elzhi, Guilty Simpson and Flint, Michigan's One Be Lo all making appearances on "Pure". While I'm usually one to complain about the increasing number of guest appearances in hip hop, all the artists had a place and made the album better overall. This is the wake up call.
Honorable Mentions: Brother Ali - The Undisputed Truth, Edu
What The Hell Do They Hear In That?: The Overrated or Why Does Everyone Like That Album of 2007.
Talib Kweli – Ear Drum
As I've mentioned, asking 10 different people for their opinions and often I got 10 different opinions. Some peoples slept on albums were other peoples disappointments. With so much variety out there in hip hop, there is less "That's The Shit" type of albums out there. Everyone has different opinions in what is dope. That being said, this album was a perfect example of that. You either loved Talib Kweli's "Eardrum" or you hated it. A lot of us didn't quite understand why the others liked it.
My boy Dino told me when he first heard "Eardrum", that he thought it was the best album he heard all year. We have already be exposed to WYDU's DJ SoulClap opinion of this album. I've kept my thoughts about this album to myself for the most part, but I'm sure if you are a regular reader, you have noticed I haven't said a whole lot about it. While I might be speaking for the others, I personally found the project, like his last couple to be uneven and his flow to be on the verge of sounding "lazy". To be fair to both myself and Talib, I have never been the biggest Talib fan in the world, so I'm probably more objective than some of the fans that might have been a fan previously calling him out for this album.
Honorable Mentions: Common – Finding Forever, UGK – Underground Kingz
Don't Call It A Comeback: Best Comeback Of 2007
KRS-One & Marley Marl – Hip Hop Lives
Two hip hop legends came together to produce a well received album from the masses, old heads and new heads. In all honesty, I voted for this album in a less flattering category, "The Blandest", but the others felt that it was a strong effort from the two former rivals.
They combined to make a solid album that schools the youngsters in the art of making boom bap hip hop music. No gimmicks are found here, just traditional hip hop music that sounds like it could have came out in the mid 90′s and fit in just fine. KRS hasn't lost his penchant for being one of the top MC's the game has ever seen, if not the best. While the subject matter doesn't venture off of his norm, it's still pure unadulterated, in your face hip hop. Marley still has it behind the boards, but I swear if he should be forbidden to use that damn horn sample that he has used at nausea (Musika).
Honorable Mentions: DJ Jazzy Jeff – The Magnificent, Scarface – Made
Pass The Hot Sauce: Blandest Album of 2007
Pharoahe Monch – Desire
I never thought I'd be writing about Pharoahe Monch having the blandest release of the year, but here I am. I'm not completely sure if bland is an adequate description of Monch's "Desire" LP, more like a big disappointment.
Myself personally, I never could totally get into "Desire" all that much, although I really wanted to. I think a combination of things make this album fail to live up to its potential. I've heard many heads complain that its just too much like those Andre 3000 and Mos Def cuts that try to be some alternative hip hop or something. I think that has a lot to do with this album coming off as totally unfocused and with no real flow or direction. Of course there are some good cuts on this and Pharoahe comes off as the MC we all know and love, but this isn't what people had been waiting eight years for.
Honorable Mentions: Common – Finding Forever
Better Late Than Never: Best "Lost & Found" aka Unreleased Album of 2007
Ultimate Force – I'm Not Playin'
One of the finer things about the internet is that albums that were thought to be long lost occasionally show up. With the demand that people have for these type of projects, artists are willing to open the vaults and put old material out. We saw it with Wascalz, Bee Why, Kwest and others. The best out of the bunch might have been the Diamond D pre Diggin' In The Crates effort as Ultimate Force and the LP "I'm Not Playin'"
Originally, this album was supposed to drop in '89/'90 but never saw the light of day (like so many other quality albums of those days). It features some early Diamond D production and Master Rob is more than adequate o
n the mic. I won't go out on a limb and call this a lot classic, but it would have easily made it in the top albums of whatever year it was supposed to come out.
Honorable Mention: Wascalz – Class Clown, Godfather Don – The 90′s Sessions
The Best Things In Life Are Free: Best Free Download Album of 2007
TIE: Atmosphere – Strictly Leakage & Small Professor & Jay-Z – Crooklyn Gangster
Another blessing of the internet is the new trend of free albums by download. It's cheap marketing and gets your name out there. I'm sure there was more free albums this year than ever before and these two were both relatively late comers, but seemed to be fresh in people's minds and ended up winning in a tie. I hadn't heard "Crooklyn Gangster" at the time and didn't want to lose out on my ignorance, so we went the tie.
I've never hid the fact that I've been a fan of Atmosphere and they dropped a freebie album that is better than a lot of the retail albums out there. Ant once again showed why he is a producer that has grown in leaps and bounds musically as he crafts some incredibly in depth beats for Sluggo to tell his tales of his livelihood over.
While I've only had one complete listen of the Small Professor Remix of Jay-Z's "American Gangster", its clear why Eric from WTR is proclaiming it the best of the efforts (although he is not as sick as I am with hording these AG remixes like a fat man with cup cakes). Equipped with that Crooklyn flavor, this AG remix is bound to be a favorite of old fogey's such as Eric and myself.
Honorable Mention: Mick Boogie and Little Brother – And Justus For All; Mick Boogie, Busta Rhymes and J Dilla – Dillagence
The Old To The New, The New To The Old: The Best Re Released Album of 2007
Intelligent Hoodlum – Intelligent Hoodlum/Tragedy: Saga Of A Hoodlum
Classic albums being re released were a common thing this past year as well. Traffic Entertainment was making a killing off of re-releasing hard to find jewels.
While this Intelligent Hoodlum double album re release wasn't released by Traffic, it got the most votes out of any other category in our polls. Consisting of his long out of print and hard as hell to find debut and sophomore LP's, it also contained some nice little gems at the end of each disk and all for the low price of one CD in general. Finding originals for either one of these disks is a choir and you better be coming up with some loot, because they are not cheap. If you can't get the originals, there is nothing wrong with the reprints.
Honorable Mentions: Masta Ace – Take A Look Around; O.C. – Word Life….; Kurious – Constipated Monkey
The Hefty Sack Album: Worst Album of 2007
Styles P – Super Gangster Extraordinary Gentleman
Just like picking a "Best Album" of any particular year, it's just as hard picking a "Worst Album" of any particular year. Everyone has different tastes and those tastes lead to different opinions of what is good and what is bad. You also actually have to listen to the album enough or even want to listen to an album enough to judge it as the worse. I'm sure there are some pretty horrible albums out there, but luckily for us, they are lost in the mud and muck that is the internet.
While I personally wouldn't call "Super Gangster" by Styles P the worst album I heard all year, it wasn't from from it either. Too many radio gangster songs littered this LP, in an effort to cash in on the 50 Cent formula for success that has seemed to be drying up any way. "Let's Go" was about the only song I even remotely liked, but with guest apperances showing up on almost every song and the token Akon guest spot, this album is a big disappointment to fans wanting a return of New York hip hop.
Dishonorable Mentions: Sage Francis – Human By Death Dance; Lords Of The Underground – House of the Lords
The Greatest of the Great, Grandest of the Grand: WYDU's Album of the Year for 2007 (previously known as the Salma Hayek award)
Marco Polo – Port Authority
Sometimes being the most consistent release pays off. While, personally not my favorite and it wasn't named the best on anyone's list, it did appear on more lists than anyone else, good enough to receive the "Salma Hayek" award.
Marco Polo crafted some of the greatest beats heard this year and also produced my "Track of the Year" in Masta Ace's "Nostalgia". Schooled in that old fashioned hip hop, Marco has been around, honing his craft for long while now. After relocating from Toronto, Candada, Marco did some production for the Brooklyn Academy members such as Pumpkin Head and also featured on Masta Ace's "A Long Hot Summer" LP as well. Earlier this year, he dropped the obviously well received "Port Authority", which combined the boom bap aesthetics of hip hop with some of the top goldenage/underground MC's that could be found. It all equals up to a very consistent and certified dope album.
Honorable Mentions: Blu & Exile – Below The Heavens; Blue Scholars – Bayani; Talib Kweli – Eardrum
Other Awards by Voters…..
Trav's Top 5 Instrumental Albums
1. Large Professor – Beatz Vol 2
3. Thes One – Lifestyle Marketing
4.Grant P – Add About As Abstract As Always
5. Roddy Rod – Cuba After Market
Trav's: The "What The Fuck" Moment in Hip Hop:
The X-Clan tours with the Insane Clown Posse
Hip-hop legends X-Clan have announced their participation in Insane Clown Posse's "The Tempest" Tour featuring Twiztid. The tour brings together three of the biggest acts in underground hip-hop for one unbelievable tour. The tour will kick off April 26, 2007 in Grand Rapids, MI and stretch through June 8th in Fargo.
"This tour is a perfect proof that real hip-hop reaches all barriers. ICP and X-Clan would have been the furthest thing from anybody's mind as a tour combination," says X-Clan front man Brother J. "I am excited to make history with one of the wildest crews in the game. I've seen some of the Juggalos at our previous tours, and now we are stepping into their house as a guest of ICP. We are looking forward to tearing it down."
X-Clan, one of hip-hop's most influential hip-hop crews, is currently touring in support of their recently released album "Return From Mecca." The highly anticipated album finds the group reforming their groundbreaking tradition of ancestral wisdom, culture and a signature lyrical style that appeals to all generations of hip-hop.
Joining X-Clan on their celebrated return are a bevy of high-profile collaborators; among them Damian Marley, Jurassic 5's Chali 2NA, KRS-One, Jacoby Shaddix of Papa Roach, RBX, Abstract Rude, YZ, DJ Quik, DJ Khalil, Jake One and Bean One.
"I think the fans will be excited to see a different side of X-Clan. We are planning an exciting show for this specific sub-culture of hip-hop. We understand ICP's crowd enjoys freedom of speech to the fullest, and that is what X-Clan has always been about," says Brother J. "A lot of the icon groups in hip-hop have done this tour before, Ice Cube, Bone Thugs, Tech N9ne, and Kottonmouth Kings, so we are honored to travel that same path. We appreciate ICP's invitation to be the special guest on their tour, and it's gonna be dope."
The tour announcement comes on the heels of X-Clan's back-to-back sold out tours supporting Public Enemy, Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley and Jurassic 5. The band's highly conscious hip-hop has won them a barrage of critical acclaim from MTV, Source, Scratch, Murder Dog and prompted Spin Magazine to proclaim, "Brother J's voice remains a forceful instrument," while RapReviews.com said, "The resurrection of X-Clan has come back with fierceness."Say what?!?! I can't stand the Insane Clown Posse, so there is NO WAY IN HELL I would ever go see ANYONE in hip hop tour with them. All I got to say is I hope X-Clan got a shit load of money, because that is just not right. Honorable Mention: X-Clan signs to another of my favorite groups (not) Kotton Mouth Kings Label
Trav's Late Pass Award: Favorite Albums From the Past Couple Years That I Discovered This Year
1. Juggaknots – Use Your Confusion (released in 2006)
Honestly, this would have had a chance as my personal album of the year if it was released later in December of last year or it could have easily been in the running for top three albums of the year last year (I don't think it would have beaten out Cunninlynguists). None the less, "Use Your Confusion" from NY's Juggaknots got ALOT of play from me throughout the year from me. Banging beats for the most part and Breeze Brewin' is just an incredibly dope MC in my book all led to a great album that will stay in my rotation for a long time to come.
2. Storm Davis – Kegstand Poetry for the Recovering Alcoholic
I downloaded this earlier in the year strictly off the fact the dude took his name from an old 80′s Major League Baseball pitcher I used to like. I also think Krooked from HHB gave it the seal of approval as well. I ended up liking it so much that I tracked it down as a used copy at a local CD store (sorry Storm, hopefully the press this year made up for it…haha). Armed with a cool voice and subject matter that was easy for me to relate to, Storm Davis dropped the soundtrack of my summer with the track "Kegstand Poetry" along with other quality tracks. Now I'm just waiting for the new album…dammit!
3. Junk Science – Feeding Einstein
It's the Junk, it's the Junk! I had heard a single off of this back when it dropped in '05, and liked it, but I never got a chance to hear the album. Until this year. Junk Science have settled in as one of my favorite groups with both this release and their '07 "GranDad's Nerve Tonic" LP. Nothing flashy from these two, just some "lo-fi" dusty beats and mellow on point lyrics. Listening to either one of their albums is like sitting down with an old friend and shooting the shit over a cold frosty one.
Trav's Most Anticipated Producer for 2008
Jake One: This Seattle producer has been on the scene just simmering for the past couple years, dropping the banger "Rock Ko Kane Flow" for De La Soul back in '05. This past year he produced quality joints from artists such as underground Blue Scholars to the mainstream flashy pop rap of 50 Cent. I think dude will explode the scene and collect the pocket full of green.
Trav (& SoulClap's & Chris') Most Anticipated Album for 2008
eMC – The Show: This is probably no surprise as I've been pumping up this release since I first heard of this crew coming together, when they originally known as GMC. SoulClap probably has all the juicy details to this that I don't know of as of yet, but I'm sure this will have some excellent surprises and will no doubt have high hopes from the other Ace "stans" out there besides myself. Look out for the mixtape dropping soon, mixed by our own SoulClap, then the album, which I heard to be slated for a March release.
She used to call me late at night
Didn't take long to see that we were a-alikes
On the same page, just couldn't get it right
McIntosh of my eye, let me take a mega bite
I cordially invite you to come take a ride in my thoughts
Switch memory lanes while we dreamin, wanderin
And in return I'll strip my inhibitions
And go skinny dipping in your stream of consciousness
She said it sounds tempting
And I don't want to catch feelings
But this urge is calling me bad
I said well suga, if ya worried bout catching feelings
Chances are you already have
And there's no need to deny ourselves
I mean, lie to each other and deprive ourselves
Denial's not a game I'm prepared to play
So I express things most niggas scared to say
Put a spell on 'em,
Forgive me Lord but I'm hell on 'em
Baby we grown folk,
So let me longstroke
And send em back
to they man with my smell on 'em
Let me be quiet before I tell on 'em
Phonte – "Yellow Lines" from the Cunninlynguists LP, "Dirty Acres"
SoulClap's Top 20 Albums of 2007
20. Superstar Quamallah – Godfood – The Break-Fast
I think I already explained how much I like this guy, so I will keep it short. This album contains many track bit is very short. Mostly short instrumentals and a few real tracks like "Love has made us" and "Microphone Doctor" that I already posted inmy top singles list. The fact that it's mostly an instrumental album is the reason why it's just on no. 20, but it's a great piece of music and I can't wait for the real album in 2008!
I think I already explained how much I like this guy, so I will keep it short. This album contains many track bit is very short. Mostly short instrumentals and a few real tracks like "Love has made us" and "Microphone Doctor" that I already posted inmy top singles list. The fact that it's mostly an instrumental album is the reason why it's just on no. 20, but it's a great piece of music and I can't wait for the real album in 2008!
I found this in the online mailorder where I always order my records. Never heard of him before. The album is entirely produced by Raydar Ellis, I just realize that I didn't listen to it often enough, cause it's really dope, might be much better than place 19… You should check him on myspace! http://www.myspace.com/raheemjamal I'm sure many of y'all will feel it! Damn, I really didn't listen to it enough, haha.
18. J Dilla – Ruff Draft
I'm a huge Dilla fan! I copped Ruff Draft and J Love Japan this year. Both albums are pretty short. I love em both, you could replace Ruff Draft with J love Japan, they are equally dope. Dilla Beats just make me feel good. Wild was my favorite joint on Ruff Draft, like I already told in my singles list, on J Love Japan is a track that was one of my favorites last year: Sun in my face. I Looove that jammy! If you have a chance to cop J love Japan on wax, do it, it's really rare!
17. Consequence – Don't quit your day job
This album was highly anticipated by me! I was a little disappointed, but it is still dope, it has some bangers like "Don't forget em", "Callin me" or "The Good, the bad, the ugly" which is already a couple of years old, and some tracks that are a little boring… But I just like this guy, he got a unique voice, a dope flow and writes good lyrics. With some better production on the next album, he can create a classic…
16. Theory Hazit – Extra Credit
I always had in mind that he is affiliated with Hi-Tek or something, but the truth was, Hi-Tek just said Theory Hazit is dope. He didn't have anything to do with him. So I checked it out in a local record store and directly loved it. So I copped it. It really has some crazy tracks, and some that I didn't care about that much, but it is an album that everybody should have in his collection. The beats came from different producers I never heard of. One Beat came from the ARE and one from Lostmind. Those were the names that I heard before. If you don't know the album you should give it a listen!
15. Gym Class Heroes – As cruel as school children
The first thing I ever heard of em was Cupid's Chokehold. I saw the video and I thought it was really dope. The video was hilarious. So I found the CD at a store (wasn't searching for it) and it was pretty cheap, so I copped it I know it originally came out in 06, but in Germany in 07. It's positive music, and I really like that. They got their own flava and don't copy anybody, which is dope too. I really enjoyed the album and listened to it a lot in my car!
I really liked the first Freeway album, dope beats by Just Blaze and Kanye, some bangers, some relaxed stuff, party stuff, a little something of everything. This album doesn't deature a lot of well known producers, the only one I was excited about is Jake One, who made some classic tracks in the last 2 years! He made the best track on the album, It's over. The rest is a good balance again, just like the llast one. I'm glad I copped it! Some people have a problem with his voice, but I love it, it's unique!
13. DJ Jazzy Jeff – The Return of the Magnificent
This album has NO SKIPPERS! No crazy bangers either, but every single track is kinda dope. I mean, side C, with BDK, Kardinal Offishall, Method Man and CL Smooth, that's some of the best ish you have heard from those MC's in the last years. I like Jeff's flava and I like that he used samples that already have been used before, cause it was a good selection of beats, that really fit together. I think it's even a little better than vol 1. although vol 1 had 4 da love of da game, which is one of my all time favs…
12. Hocus Pocus – Place 54
French hip Hop. I didn't listen to a lot of french rap in the last couple of years, but I had to cop this. It's a real musical album, live instrumentation, samples, singing, rapping, just good music. The best track is vocab with The Procussions and T-Love. Another fav is Normal, without drums, just an acoustic guitar…
You should check his myspace, he got some cool videos up!
11. Kanye West – Graduation
I really anticipated this album, after the disappointment with Late Registration. College Dropout was a classic in my eyes. So first off, I loved this album in the beginning, crazy beats (Champion, Good Morning, Stronger, Flashing Lights, Everything I am, Goodlife) and his rapping sounded good, but when I started to pay attention to the lyrics, it was over. I don't know, he really fell off, he's talking about irrelevant stuff and his rhymes are pretty wack from time to time… Now imagine Kweli or Mos Def on those beats, it might have been a classic, but not like that…
OK, never was a South rap fan and I'm still not, but King was classic, no doubt, I love that album! This one ain't as good as King, i love it too, but the bangers are missing. No skippers, but no bangers. Just a bunch of good tracks. It had to be in the Top 10, cause I listened to it more than most of the other stuff. Objectively Theory Hazi or Jazzy Jeff might have been better, but for some reason i didn't listen to them as much…
I think it was Travis who told me about this album! I was just about to order some records but didn't wanna cop it on cd, so i convinced my brother of buying it, lol. So I put it on my laptop and listened to it from time to time, then, like 2 months ago I found out it was finally released on wax. Damnit I was happy, plus the vinyl came with a free bonus instrumental version. Reeeeally cool deal! Anyway, the album is hot. Dope beats, dope lyrics. Can't ask for more! Really solid!
08. Brother Ali – The Undisputed Truth
Damn, it's been a really long time since Shadows on the sun came out. I loved that album. And this one is just equally good. I mean, when was the last time you could say, I heard 2 albums of the same artists without one skipper on em. That is crazy. The beats by ant are crazy as usual and Brother Ali raps about everything that's possible. If you haven't copped this album, do it. I think it comes on CD with a free DVD with live footage and some other stuff. Plus a nice paper case.
07. Black Milk – Popular Demand
Black Milk might be my favorite Up-and coming producer (besides myself,haha) That's why I can't wait for the next Slum Village album. I never heard him rap before, and I really like how he raps, he got a cool voice, he flows well and he got some good lyrics. Most of the beats on this album were nice. Really hard drums, kinda reminded me of dilla, and nice melodies. I mean, many beats sound pretty simple, but they are just dope. It's really difficult to make a simple beat sound hot. Belive me!
06. Sean Price – Jesus Price Superstar
Sean Price has developed to be one of the best MC's out there. Everybody wants him as a feature guest on thir albums. Monkey Barz showed that he is back on the scene and Jesus price established him at the top. Dope beats by Khrysis, 9th Wonder & Co. Crazy lyrics and a lot of charisma. Plus all those little Low Budget videos like Look at the mess you made, where he is cutting hair at the barber shop and kinda ruins it. Really funny.
05. Alicia Keys – As i am
The woman of my dreams! i just realize i never really dreamed of her, damn I want to have a hot dream about her! But anyway, i love her, she is perfect. Nobody got a voice as perfect as hers. she doesn't need crazy melodies to make a hot track. just give her some drums, and a bongo, and she will make it a hit. I love the album (that it came out on red wax was a plus too, haha) My favorite is Tell you something. it gives me creeps whem i got my headphones on, turn it up and just relax, her voice kinda makes me feel comfortable.
04. Common – Finding Forever
The first thing I remember about this album was the discussion on mastaace.com about the cover, which was pretty gay, cause the hoody kinda looks like an Islamic headscarf… I liked the colours though. The album has just dope tracks, I can't complain about anything. Kanye did a great job on the beats again, but now, after BE and FF had the same sound floor, I hope they will do something else on his next album… now as i look back I liked BE more, but FF is a great album, no doubt.
03. Marco Polo – Port Authority
I was looking forward to this album. The feature list looked promising. Some of my heroes like Masta Ace, Edo.G, Kool G Rap, Buckshot, OC and many more and I wasn't disappointed. Banger after banger, dope sample selection chopped up nice, hard drums, Marco is a monster on the MPC! Plus he is a nice guy, I'm really sad I can't meet him. He is on tour with sadat x and Supastition next week, they were supposed to come to Berlin, which is in my reach, like 3 1/2 hours with the car, but they cancelled it and the other shows are in Southern Germany, which aren't in my reach. I was totally looking forward to meeting him and Supa, but… maybe next time
02. Little Brother – Get Back
I know Travis hates the album, but I totally love it. Each and every track. I was really pissed in the beginning cause the vinyl release was pushed back, thankfully Little Brother uploaded the album on sendspace to sabotage the label, so I got it early enough. The LP just arrived last week, finally. Good that they parted ways with 9th Wonder, I love the new LB sound. The Lyrics are on point and funny too. Some ill punchlines.
He came back, my most anticipated album besides eMC (who would have beaten him) and he came back hard, with his f**** you album. He did what he wanted to do and sounded fresh as always, great lyrics, a dope and versatile beat selection and his unique voice. The album ain't as fresh as Train of thought back when it came out, but it is just hot. I love the cover, i love the blue and red wax, I love the artwork, I love everything about it. They pushed back the vinyl release too, which made me really mad, so I had to go to the city and cop the cd first, the feeling i had when I drove back home listening to the cd was incredible. Thank you Talib, for this beautiful memory!
Trav's Top 40 Albums of 2007
Needless to say, I'm tired of typing, your tired of reading this….so we'll just cut to the chance and I'll list them.
1. Blu and Exile – Below The Heavens
2. Cunninlynguists – Dirty Acres
3. Archetype – Bleed For Them
4. Blue Scholars – Bayani
5. El-P – I'll Sleep When You're Dead
6. Kanye West – Graduation
7. Smile Rays – Party Place
8. Aesop Rock – None Shall Pass
9. Evidence – The Weatherman LP
10. Joell Ortiz – The Brick Bodega Chronicles
11. Top Shelf 8-8-88
12. Smile Rays – Smilin' On You
13. Marco Polo – Port Authority
14. Scarface – Made
15. 9th Wonder-The Dream Merchant 2
16. Atmosphere – Sad Clown Bad Summer 9
17. Royce Da 5'9, DJ Premier & Statik Selektah – Bar Exam
18. Jay-Z – American Gangster
19. Black Milk – Popular Demand
20. Special Teamz – Stereotypez
21. Ghostface Killah – The Big Doe Rehab
22. Atmosphere – Sad Clown Bad Fall 10
23. Senim Silla – The Name, The Motto, The Outcome
24 .Sean Price – Jesus Price Supastar
25. Junk Science – Gran'dad's Nerve Tonic
26. Camp Lo – In Black Hollywood
27. Buff1 – Pure
28. Little Brother – And Justus For All
29. Ill Poetic – The World Is Ours
30. DJ Jazzy Jeff – The Return Of The Magnificent
31. Wu-Tang – 8th Diagram
32. Educated Consumers – Write Hear
33. Talib Kweli & Madlib – Liberation
34. Snowgoons – German Luggers Deluxe
35. Phat Kat – Carte Blanche
36. Brother Ali -The Undisputed Truth
37. Median – Medians Relief
38. Charon Don And DJ Huggy (Hands Down) -Art Of Life
39. J-Ro – Rare Earth B Boy Funk Vol. 2
40. Galactic – From The Corner To The Block
Alright, that is it….finale, finished, done. No more year end lists. Looking forward to 2008

subset: commoncrawl


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Literature Review of Frameworks for Macro-indicators
There has been an explosion of interest in recent years in Canada and other countries in macro-indicators and composite indexes of economic and social well-being. This reflects growing recognition of the important role macro-indicators can play as a tool for evaluating trends in and levels of economic and social development and for assessing the impact of policy on well-being. This report provides a literature review of conceptual/operational frameworks for the development of macro-indicators that give an assessment of economic, labour market and social conditions or states of well-being. The report provides an analysis of frameworks for macro-indicators by discussing general framework issues; identifies and describes six specific frameworks for macro-indicators which the author regards as particularly important or relevant, and discusses the strengths and weaknesses of these sets of indicators/composite indexes; and provides a description of an additional 31 sets of indicators and composite indexes broken down into economic, social, economic/social, and labour market areas. The report concludes that no existing framework currently includes all important concepts and linkages and that it is unlikely that one ever will. As the survey of the macro-indicators literature reveals, the development of a framework for macro-indicators involves choices related to the domains of interest, the purpose for which the indicator is designed, and the population to be covered, among others. Choices or tradeoffs must be made and a balance struck between conceptual sophistication and transparency and between complex linkages that could potentially confuse the user and simplicity.
If you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the proper application to view it first. In case of further problems read the IDEAS help page. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS site. Please be patient as the files may be large.
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References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
- William D. Nordhaus & James Tobin, 1973.
"Is Growth Obsolete?,"
NBER Chapters,in: The Measurement of Economic and Social Performance, pages 509-564
National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
- William D. Nordhaus & James Tobin, 1972. "Is Growth Obsolete?," NBER Chapters,in: Economic Research: Retrospect and Prospect, Volume 5, Economic Growth, pages 1-80 National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
- William D. Nordhaus & James Tobin, 1971. "Is Growth Obsolete?," Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers 319, Cowles Foundation for Research in Economics, Yale University.
- Feres, Patricio & Immervoll, Herwig & Lietz, Christine & Levy, Horacio & Mantovani, Daniela & Sutherland, Holly, 2002. "Indicators for social inclusion in the European Union: how responsive are they to macro-level changes?," EUROMOD Working Papers EM3/02, EUROMOD at the Institute for Social and Economic Research.
- Osberg, L. & Sharpe, A., 1998. "An Index of Economic Well-being for Canada," Department of Economics at Dalhousie University working papers archive 98-08, Dalhousie, Department of Economics.
- Lars Osberg & Andrew Sharpe, 2003. "Human Well-being and Economic Well-being: What Values Are Implicit in Current Indices?," CSLS Research Reports 2003-04, Centre for the Study of Living Standards.
- Rahman, Tauhidur & Mittelhammer, Ron C. & Wandschneider, Philip, 2005. "Measuring the Quality of Life across Countries: A Sensitivity Analysis of Well-being Indices," WIDER Working Paper Series 006, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
- Lars Osberg & Andrew Sharpe, 2001. "Trends in Economic Well-being in Canada in the 1990s," The Review of Economic Performance and Social Progress,in: Andrew Sharpe, Executive Director & France St-Hilaire, Vice-President , Research & Keith Banting, Di (ed.), The Review of Economic Performance and Social Progress 2001: The Longest Decade: Canada in the 1990s, volume 1 Centre for the Study of Living Standards;The Institutute for Research on Public Policy.
- Miringoff, Marc L. & Miringoff, Marque-Luisa, 1999. "The Social Health of the Nation: How America is Really Doing," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780195133486.
- Lars Osberg & Andrew Sharpe, 2010. "The Index of Economic Well-Being," Challenge, M.E. Sharpe, Inc., vol. 53(4), pages 25-42, July.
- Andrew Sharpe, 1999. "A Survey of Indicators of Economic and Social Well-being," CSLS Research Reports 99wb, Centre for the Study of Living Standards.
- Lars Osberg & Andrew Sharpe, 2003. "An Index of Labour Market Well-being for OECD Countries," CSLS Research Reports 2003-05, Centre for the Study of Living Standards, revised Jan 2004.
- Osberg, Lars & Sharpe, Andrew, 2002. "An Index of Economic Well-Being for Selected OECD Countries," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 48(3), pages 291-316, September.
- Richard Estes, 1997. "Social Development Trends in Europe, 1970–1994: Development Prospects for the New Europe," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 42(1), pages 1-19, September. Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)
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Residential customers could see a 20 percent decrease in their natural gas bills this winter, as natural gas prices hit a seven-year low.
CenterPoint Energy estimates that the average monthly bill could drop from $137 last winter to $110 this season.
"What this can do for our customers this year is help them apply more money to maybe past-due balances, and actually stay on top of their winter heating bills this season," said Becca Virden, CenterPoint Energy spokesperson.
Virden said gas prices have already declined over the summer due to the recession, but the impact on customers' bills will become more evident during the winter months when natural gas usage is high.
CenterPoint Energy also recommends that customers check attics, doors, and windows for heat loss. The company offers energy audits to inspect homes for leaks and recommend improvements. A comprehensive energy audit costs $100.
Virden also recommended that customers with past-due natural gas bills contact CenterPoint to establish a payment plan before the winter months. If customers set up a plan, the company is required to provide natural gas under the "Cold Weather Rule." The rule goes into effect from October 15 to April 15.


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This article was orginally published in InPsych, February 2012.
The establishment of the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) and the introduction of the national registration scheme in July 2010 resulted in significant changes to training requirements for individuals completing the internship (4+2) pathway to obtain general registration as a psychologist. Changes to the requirements of the program include an increase in the number of competencies that need to be met and an increase in the number of hours of psychological practice, professional development and supervision that interns are required to attain.
These changes have caused considerable stress and difficulties for psychology graduates seeking to become interns, as well as onerous obligations for supervisors, and serious concerns for employers seeking to support a psychology workforce.
According to the 2010 Australian Psychology Workforce Survey (Mathews et al., 2010), approximately 50 per cent of newly registered psychologists have been trained via the internship pathway. The significant increase in demands made on interns, supervisors and organisations employing interns since the introduction of the national registration scheme threatens to be a major obstacle to maintaining the psychology workforce and the ongoing retention of psychology positions in the health and education workforces particularly.
The APS acknowledges the benefits of a standardised internship program and commends the aims of setting high standards, clear goals and targets, and specified responsibilities for those involved. It shares with the PsyBA a desire to develop experienced and competent registered psychologists. However, there is growing evidence that these ideals have in practice produced an unfortunate and unrealistic expectation of what is possible to achieve in a two-year program.
The APS has conducted consultation with potential provisional psychologists, current interns, supervisors and organisations, and it is apparent that the new internship program, as it currently stands, is not viable as a means to train psychologists within a reasonable timeframe and cost. Many organisations and supervisors are no longer prepared to support this program, and this has serious ramifications.
As an outcome of these consultations, the APS has provided a submission to the PsyBA and proposed a number of major changes be made to the current internship guidelines to ensure the viability of this training pathway, particularly given the limited number of postgraduate training places available. These changes should enable the strengths of the new internship program to be retained, whilst reducing the extent of the requirements and allowing for more flexibility to achieve these standards. Specifically, the APS has proposed:
APS advocacy in relation to this and other significant changes affecting the psychology workforce will continue.


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The news media came out with a pooled editorial where Blog Watch is also a signatory and wished "the incoming administration success in all its endeavors. As journalists and as citizens, we commit not only to do journalism right and better, but also to uphold and defend free speech, free press, free expression, and the people's right to know."
What about social media? Let's start how social media engagement has been under the Aquino administration
Social media off to a good start under President Aquino
Six years ago , when Blog Watch to the President's inauguration at the Luneta Grandstand and Malacanang Palace, I was quite hopeful with this development. Before this June 30 presidential inauguration, all past Philippine inaugurations were covered solely by traditional media. What now appeared to be a blogging first, if not globally, at least within the Philippine , is that Blog Watch's accreditation marked the first time that a blogger group is actually allowed, , to cover a presidential inauguration from start to finish.
Six years ago , when Blog Watch got invited to the President's inauguration at the Luneta Grandstand and Malacanang Palace, I was quite hopeful with this development. Before this June 30 presidential inauguration, all past Philippine inaugurations were covered solely by traditional media. What now appeared to be a blogging first, if not globally, at least within the Philippine blogosphere, is that Blog Watch's accreditation marked the first time that a blogger group is actually allowed, officially, to cover a presidential inauguration from start to finish.
Jane Uymatiao added that it "signals a paradigm shift and acknowledges the growing role that bloggers can play in good governance and reportage. Second, it reinforces my own hope that the incoming administration is walking the talk about transparency and openness. After all, bloggers potentially would have diverse opinions on different issues and the Aquino administration has all the opportunity to listen to a group of citizens (young and wise in years) who will call it as they see it."
Social media engagement after the Aquino Inaugural
Since the June 30 inaugural and our interview with then Presidential candidate Noynoy Aquino in February 2010, attempts to communicate and engage directly with the President was often met with silence. I got a reply once but I was told the President was busy. This came shortly after he was accused of "noynoying". Proposals to initiate a twitter town hall meeting and a yearly coffee chat never got a reply.
We got invites to attend the some Palace events until 2013 and even got to meet Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma in August 2014 . There was a short meeting with Communications Secretary Manolo Quezon to discuss social media during disasters. All of these encounters were brief without follow-ups. In fairness to the Communications office, the @PCDSPO (Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office) on twitter occasionally replied to our queries and even coordinated with some of us during disasters. We are also a witness to the rise of government agencies engaging in social media such as the @MMDA, @OmbudsmanPH, @DPWHph and even the spokespersons like Manolo Quezon (@mlq3) and Abi Valte. But there was no clear communication lines.
Social media under President Duterte
On June 12, 2016, I received a message from Presidential Communication Office (PCO) Secretary Martin Andanar, that he is "looking at opening the malacanang press office to credible bloggers" and if I could bring a few bloggers to exploratory talks. This is an interesting development. Aside from possible accreditation, I looked forward to his major plans and discussion of our ideas.
We will discuss more in the following weeks . Right now, plans are monthly discussion with the Communications secretary. There are many things to consider if bloggers and social media will play a more relevant role compared to the Aquino administration. As more Filipinos join social networks, the expectation has increased for government engagement across a variety of web-based, social platforms. It is now a question of HOW our government is using social media by keeping in touch with the trends of government communications applicable in the Philippine setting. The government has to build a two-way communication process through its social media accounts by:
- responding in a "human being" scale of time
- putting information where people are looking
- constantly seeking meaningful feedback
- delivering services when and how they are needed
- acting like it is operated by a human being .
Social Media Day adapts the theme #TayoPH
The power of social media lies in the virtual and real life connection. As the netizens celebrate Social Media day today, let me just remind our government to focus on how to be social, not on how to do social. The government can consider the trends for 2016 like improving the citizen experience .
"In light of the recent negativity that has flooded our newsfeeds these past months, Social Media Day adapts the theme #TayoPH, which stands as a virtual call to action and a celebration of how social media has become a potent tool that can bridge, give a voice and empower. It is a clarion call to stand together as a people. To rebuild, reconnect, reboot, refriend. It's time to make the conversation positive and productive again. To celebrate social media's triumphs and recall its potential — harnessing social media's strengths in bringing people together, in crossing boundaries, and merging divides."
Rising expectations and an increasingly mobile population make it challenging to reach and engage the Filipino netizens. That's why a citizen-centric digital engagement strategy is vital to helping government organizations connect with its audience, provide critical information and services, and improve the lives of Filipino citizens. Social media will play a big role in the Duterte administration as we continue to remain vigilant.
Stock Photos from Blog Watch. Some rights reserved.


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Lol i got nothing to do just watching tv... so i started drawing this lols xDD
Flash Draw Created Sep 17, 2010 470 x 338px Unless noted Copyright 2010 Blacknaruto.
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Wheeled excavators, although not as capable across rough terrain, perform a vital role in the construction industry. Their increased mobility means that they are better able to cover distances on larger sites - especially if the terrain is of reasonable quality. Certain manufacturers claim top speeds of up to 36kph, increasing productivity and proving less damaging to the surfaces.Read More
Wheeled excavators, although not as capable across rough terrain, perform a vital role in the construction industry. Their increased mobility means that they are better able to cover distances on larger sites - especially if the terrain is of reasonable quality. Certain manufacturers claim top speeds of up to 36kph, increasing productivity and proving less damaging to the surfaces.
Manufacturers of wheeled excavators, including JCB, have modified versions to suit particular applications - the waste industry uses wheeled excavators - especially at recycling sites where a tracked version is noisier and therefore more likely to be unpopular with local neighbours. These may typically come with cabs that raise and lower hydraulically to help vision.
The rail industry is a typical buyer of wheeled excavators - they can be adapted to run on the rails and get to jobs under their own steam -vital for speedy night time repairs to the tracks and trackside.Overview
Unlike their tracked siblings, the wheeled excavator will not require a truck and low loader to move between sites. This means that a wheeled excavator is perfect for city centre jobs and are often found digging up roads for pipes and cables, then lifting them into place.
In general, fuel economy will be improved using a wheeled excavator when compared to a tracked version as they have less rolling resistance. Manoeuvrability on site can be improved by opting for a model that has four wheel steering like the Terex TW range which operates from 6.8 to 12.5 tonnes – useful for tight spaces, but can run in two wheel steer when at speed.
While tracked excavators may provide the best all-terrain performance, they have a number of practical limitations in terms of mobility. This is where wheeled excavators come into play, as they can cover greater distances faster and with less damage to fragile surfaces than their tracked counterparts. For use on large sites where excavators have to cover a lot of ground quickly, a wheeled excavator will be the machine of choice.
Wheeled excavators can be designed to take on general tasks across the site, but there are also specialised models that are intended for specific types of work. This includes timber handling and waste management. And in fact, the other benefit of wheels rather than tracks being used for movement is that it helps to reduce the amount of noise that these machines make. When a facility or site is particularly close to a residential area, this could be a crucial asset that makes these places viable. They can also be driven on road surfaces, covering the distances between sites without requiring additional equipment for transport. Some models feature four-wheel steering for added manoeuvrability, which also enhances off-road performance and helps to close the gap between wheeled and tracked excavators away from the tarmac.
The popularity of wheeled excavators in the timber, waste and scrap industries can mean that many second-hand models will not come with a bucket on the end of the boom arm but will instead feature a grab mechanism. This means buyers will need to consider the type of model they require before committing to a purchase. Some models may also have been adapted for use on the railways, as they can be modified to run on the tracks and thus perform a variety of functions in this industry.
The cab of a wheeled excavator is positioned to provide good all-round visibility for the operator. And because the view is important for both efficient operation and on-site safety, the cab will often be mounted on a hydraulic lift that allows the operator to raise or lower his or her position based on real-time requirements. When buying second-hand, inspect the hydraulic systems, engine and also the tyres, because wear and tear will invariably have an impact on all of these elements.
A number of manufacturers produce wheeled excavators for the market, including JCB, Liebherr, Volvo and Komatsu. And there are several different weight categories into which these machines fall, ranging from smaller 8.5 tonne models up to 20 tonne units that are built for serious loads. Fuel efficiency for a wheeled excavator will be better than that of a tracked equivalent, since the wheels generate less resistance against the site's surface. This does mean that there is less traction available, but since wheeled excavators will be used in urban environments as well as off-road, this should not be an issue. With top speeds that exceed 35kmph, a wheeled excavator can be a capable tool with a range of potential uses, especially in industries where time-sensitive action has to be taken.
Terex Wheeled Excavator Brochure
JCB Wheeled Excavator Brochure
Liebherr Wheeled Excavator Brochure
Volvo Wheeled Excavator Brochure


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As Federal officials tour the Thomson Correctional Center, Illinois politicians are arguing its merits.
Over the weekend Congressman Mark Kirk (R-10th district) released a statement saying "Chicago Metropolitan Area will become ground zero for Jihadist terrorist plots, recruitment and radicalization," if they are transferred to the prison.
Kirk, who is running for U.S. Senate suggested that area landmarks like O'Hare Airport and Willis Tower will become targets for terrorists if their brethren are housed so close.
But Senator Dick Durbin, who believes that the influx of inmates could create up to 2,000 jobs for the state, calls Kirk's statements unfounded. Thomson was built in 2001, but the prison has been largely vacant since then because of budget problems.
"Kirk is wrong [about detainees having terrorist visitors]. That is totally false." Durbin said during a press conference Monday, pounding his fists on the podium. "We can do this as a nation and not quiver in fear,"
Patrick Hughes, another candidate for senate also opposes the move.
"I am vehemently opposed to bringing enemy combatants, including the Gitmo prisoners, to Illinois and was also opposed the closing of Guantanamo Bay. This is failure of leadership of the Democrats – from the President down to Governor Quinn," Hughes said.
Hughes pledges to enact legislation that would increase America's national security and stop plans like this one.
Governor Quinn, for his part, said he is with President Obama 100-percent.
"Federal prisons are very secure," Quinn said. "I have full faith in Presiden Obama."
It's no surprise that an Illinois "Gitmo" would become a political flash point. But few are using the controversy as effectively as Kirk.
Kirk launched a website called noterroristsinillinois.com which features a letter addressed to the president that he and other Republicans drafted. The site links directly to Kirkforsenate.com and is bordered by form asking for campaign contributions.


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AAA projects 34.9 million Americans, including nearly 1.4 million Ohioans, will travel 50 miles or more during the Memorial Day holiday weekend.
Throughout the past year, AAA has seen a lot of demand for travel. This fact alone, combined with a slowly improving economy, has led to a huge increase in the number of travelers.
"We are going to have lots of people on the roadways, they are going to be crowded, and every year inevitably people break down. AAA expects to help 115,000 people locally…8.7 million across the country," said AAA Spokesperson Kimberly Schwind.
With the increase in drivers, many of them will end up stranded this holiday weekend and throughout the summer. Although AAA's goal is to get these drivers back on the go, there are certain tasks you should follow before leaving home…one of those tasks concerning your battery.
"That's very important. During the summer, we see a lot of batteries die because of the heat. Heat is very hard on batteries so a good idea to check that battery before taking a trip," said Schwind.
Schwind says other helpful tasks include inspecting all five tires, replacing wiper blades and refilling washer fluid.


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Wolford Mountain Reservoir at lowest level since 2002
October 24, 2012
See related story
Aug. 23, 2012: Engineers study dam settling at Wolford Mountain Reservoir between Steamboat and Kremmling
Steamboat Springs — The level of Wolford Mountain Reservoir north of Kremmling has continued to drop this fall, but a spokesman for the Colorado River District offered assurances this week that the dam is not leaking and that given better cooperation from the weather this winter, it will fill again in spring 2013.
The Colorado River District's Jim Pokrandt confirmed in an email Tuesday that the reservoir on Muddy Creek, which flows off the east side of Rabbit Ears Pass, is at its lowest point since 2002 and well beneath its capacity of 65,872 acre-feet. The water behind the dam now stands at about 26,000 acre-feet, still above the 20,000 acre-feet low point it reached in the drought year of 2002.
However, Pokrandt said people who have observed drilling crews at work on the dam may have misinterpreted what they saw.
"The dam is not leaking! Please help us disabuse people of this rumor," he wrote.
The drilling crews were investigating the unexpected settling of the dam. All earthen dams settle, and that fact is accounted for in their designs, Pokrandt said. But Wolford is settling faster than expected, and its managers want to know why. They have installed sensitive measuring equipment in the dam to learn more, but no conclusions has been reached.
Pokrandt was responding to an email forwarded to him from Steamboat Today reader Barbara Kern, who said she enjoys fishing there with her brother and was very concerned about the low level of the reservoir on her last visit.
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It would be difficult for travelers on their way from Steamboat to Silverthorne or Denver to fail to notice how low the reservoir is.
Pokrandt said irrigators from the Grand Valley near Grand Junction were making calls on water from Wolford Mountain Reservoir right up until Tuesday.
Pokrandt said a major factor in the drawdown of the reservoir is its mission of offsetting water taken by Denver Water out of Dillon Reservoir near Frisco.
Denver Water controls 40 percent of the water in Wolford Mountain Reservoir, or about 28,000 acre-feet, Pokrandt said. It has an agreement to augment the amount of water stored in Green Mountain Reservoir to offset water it holds back from the Blue River before it can reach Green Mountain farther downstream.
The Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program also called upon 5,600 acre-feet of the 11,412 acre-feet it controls in Wolford this summer, Pokrandt said.
"So, that is why the reservoir is so low," Pokrandt wrote. "Luckily for us, and all of Western Colorado, (2010-11) was a bountiful snow year, so we started out with a full-to-the-brim reservoir in 2012 despite the poor snow year (in 2011-12)."
To reach Tom Ross, call 970-871-4205 or email email@example.com
See related story
Aug. 23, 2012: Engineers study dam settling at Wolford Mountain Reservoir between Steamboat and Kremmling


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Boston's pursuit of Helton ends
Talks conclude on Monday, will not be reopened
By Mike Petraglia / Special to MLB.com
Colorado Rockies chairman/CEO Charlie Monfort announced on Monday evening that trade talks involving the Rockies' slugging first baseman had come to an end without a deal.
"This is not a trade that we were anxious to complete, but we are always exploring ways to improve our team," Monfort said. "Discussions like these regarding a player of Todd's talent and character are never easy, and it's not surprising we were not able to reach an agreement. Todd has been and will continue to be an important part of our franchise, and we can't wait to see him with the rest of the Rockies in Tucson."
The Rockies, who train in Arizona, added that there will be no further discussions.
Earlier in the day, as talks were ongoing, Monfort said there would be no bargain-basement deal.
"This is Todd Helton we're talking about," he told The Associated Press. "We're not just going to give him up for nothing."
Red Sox spokesman John Blake told MLB.com on Monday night that the Red Sox would have no official comment, but added that Monfort's statement spoke for both parties.
Helton is a career .333 hitter, with a .596 slugging percentage, over nine Major League seasons, and is four RBIs shy of 1,000.
The Red Sox were said to be offering third baseman Mike Lowell (one year, $9 million remaining) and right-hander Julian Tavarez in exchange for Helton. The Rockies were interested in young pitching, with various reports pointing toward Craig Hansen and Manny Delcarmen as possible chips in any deal.
Helton told The Denver Post over the weekend that he would waive his no-trade clause to play in Boston, but also indicated that he wants a deal to happen quickly or else he wouldn't approve one.
In the end, there were two key sticking points. First, the two sides could not come to an agreement on how to split the remaining $90.1 million left on Helton's contract. Sources told The Boston Globe that the Rockies may have been willing to absorb up to half the remaining value on Helton's contract, which runs through 2011, with an option for 2012.
The second stumbling block was which prospects would have headed to Colorado as part of any package. The Rockies were said to be asking for young pitching, with Hansen, Delcarmen, Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester rumored to be discussed.
The Boston Herald reported on Monday that Josh Beckett, while watching the movie "Fever Pitch" over the weekend at his Florida home, had thrown his support behind the left-handed-hitting slugger. On Monday, another Sox pitcher, Curt Schilling, called Helton "the toughest out, by far" he's ever faced in the Majors. Schilling made his comments to WEEI-AM in Boston while announcing that he would not retire after this season and would pitch again in 2008.
Mike Petraglia is a contributor to MLB.com. MLB.com reporter Thomas Harding contributed to this report. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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WaPo – Looking for needles in a federal haystack – By Al Kamen, Published: November 7
"And now, a journey into the sometimes surreal world of the Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA. The law can be a powerful tool for the public and the news media to discover all manner of mal- , mis- and nonfeasance by government agencies and officials. But using it can be a cumbersome and time-consuming process — errant officials may be long gone from government by the time you get the documents.
And getting inspector generals' reports of investigations of misconduct by senior officials can be even trickier. In fact, agencies may not release such reports unless you first file a FOIA request for them.
The obvious problem, of course, is that unless you know an investigation report is out there, you won't know to ask for it. As a result, many IG reports simply "disappear into the mist," one knowledgeable source noted. Take our colleague Craig Whitlock's item Tuesday on an IG report on Steven Calvery, director of the Pentagon's police force, which found, among other things, that he had his staff fetch his coffee and lunch and gave paid leave to staffers to play golf. The report on the IG's two-year investigation was released in February. Whitlock, after being tipped off about the report, filed a FOIA request April 2. He then waited seven months to get the info. "The focus of a senior official investigation is to determine if there was misconduct on the part of the official involved and to provide that information to management to determine what correction action may be appropriate," a DOD IG spokeswoman explained in an e-mail. "Because such investigations involve information that may address the privacy concerns of the subject as well as witnesses and persons interviewed, reports of investigations frequently must be redacted extensively prior to release to the public. It has been the long standing practice of our office to release these reports in response to FOIA requests." That tracks with FOIA procedures used by most agencies. But, FOIA experts acknowledge, these are subjective balancing acts between privacy and the public's right to know, and the conclusions vary from one inspector general to another. (On the other hand, a seven-month review for a simple report, we were told, "is outrageous.")"


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Lines form down the road to Mutomo Primary School as voters exercise patience during the Kenyan general elections of March 4, 2013. (J. Craig/VOA)
People reported standing in line for several hours before casting their vote in Kenya's general elections in Gatundu, Kenya, March 4, 2013." (J. Craigs/VOA)
Some voters arrived before 6:30 am and did not cast their ballots until after 11 am at Mutomo Primary School in Gatundu, Kenya, March 4, 2013 elections. (J.Craig/VOA)
Jubilee presidential candidate Uhuru Kenyatta votes in his home constituency of Gatundu, Kenya, March 4, 2013. (J. Craig/VOA)
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Credit Advice
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You may have to contact them directly... they sound a lot like a company called "LVNV" that showed up on my reports as being in collections, in spite of my having successfully cleared all open/known accounts through bankruptcy a year prior to seeing it (I'd never done business with them - turns out they're a collection agency who bought a debt from one of my now-settled ex-creditors). I basically had to call them up, tell them about the bankruptcy, give them the case #, then inform them that I would be disputing the entry (and that it would be in their best interests to remove the entry). I also informed the original creditor, who to my relief, helpfully promised to clear things up from their end.
What I discovered was that collection agencies often buy overdue accounts, sometimes even if you had it paid off or settled with the original creditor (e.g. through Chpt. 13 bankruptcy). It happens because larger companies sometimes sell off the debt from one department, before word filters down to them from another. This may be the case with you as well.
One bit of caution - some of these collection agencies will be resistant or even hostile to your demand, so unless you have irrefutable evidence that you do not owe the debt (e.g. a bankruptcy or reciept from the original creditor they bought the debt off of), you may have a hard time getting it cleared up.
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Did you ever find out who this agency is? There is no contact info listed and they showed up on mine
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At Gemvara, we believe that the jewelry you wear should be one of a kind, like you. That's why we make each piece to order, one at a time, just the way you want it. Choose black onyx and sterling silver or citrine and platinum: it's your choice. Mix and match gems and precious metals for a look that's exactly you. It's jewelry for all life's occasions, from a birthday or Valentine's Day to your own personal milestones and celebrations. Gemvara uses only the highest quality materials to craft your cushion yellow sapphire jewelry design with meticulous attention to detail. Our precious metals are recycled or responsibly mined. Cushion cut gems add a touch of vintage flair even to classic streamlined designs. Our wide selection of cushion yellow sapphire jewelry by David West, Just Like You Designs, Ji Hwang, and other talented designers means you can find jewelry that's exactly your style. You can also shop by style, choosing our Celebrity Style, Religious, or Fashion-Forward Collections. Gemvara's fine quality cushion yellow sapphire jewelry is designed to be passed down for generations to come, crafted by hand in the United States.
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|Small Greeting Card
|Large Greeting Card
|4" x 6"
|5" x 7.5"
|4" x 6"
Jimmy Loughnan from the film Chopper
"It's all right, Jimmy. I don't hate you.
You just broke my heart that's all."
"Look. The bloke's been me best mate since 1975.
We've had our fallouts from time to time, it's no big deal.
Y'know, it's like… if ya mum stabs ya, whaddya do?
Y-ya don't get upset. Ya don't get angry, ya go,
"Shit, mum's stabbed me, I better get off to the hospital."