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Actress Lara Pulver has deflated rumours she could play the next incarnation of The Doctor, the time-and-space travelling hero of BBC's Doctor Who.
The rumours started swirling when Pulver had a meeting with Who showrunner Steven Moffat. Pulver starred in the second season of Moffat's other BBC venture, Sherlock.
"Steven and I have both said we thoroughly enjoyed working together, and then there was me being in Wales so the media put two and two together," she told Digital Spy of the rumours.
But she quickly took the wind out of the sails of those of us who are tired of women being relegated to the role of sidekick in the Whoniverse. When asked if she'd be excited to play The Doctor, she said: "Yes and no. Not if it meant the end of the Doctor Who franchise, because the fans aren't keen on it."
The Doctor is the last of an ancient race known as the Time Lords, who regenerate new bodies and new-ish personalities when they die. In the episode "The Doctor's Wife," guest writer Neil Gaiman snuck into Doctor Who cannon the idea that Time Lords can change genders when they regenerate. This tid-bid has sparked non-stop speculation that someday, the British icon, who's spawned 11 incarnations since the '60s, could be a woman.
It's an idea that has some viewers — especially us so-called "fangirls" — pretty excited about the idea of a kick-ass space-trekking role model with a time machine and a sidekick to call her very own. The sheer number of women who crossplay as The Doctor rather than stick to companion costumes is evidence enough there's an appetite for this change.
But it's also sparked a lot of fan outrage from folks who say the Doctor can't be a woman because, you know, he just can't.
As much as I side with the pro-Time Lady contingent, I understand the show's hesitancy to go ahead with the gender-bender. From a writing perspective, swapping the Doctor's sex would be more complicated that it seems. There's a lot to consider.
Foremost is continuity. Moffat himself touched on this when asked if he'd considered casting a woman as the 11th Doctor before hiring Matt Smith.
A woman can play the part. You have to remember the single most important thing about regeneration is you must convince the audience and the children that's it's not a new man, it's not a different man, it's the same one. It's a bigger ask if you turn him into a woman.
Each incarnation of The Doctor a bit different than the last. But deep down, he's always the same man. His previous experiences still inform his worldview. Certainly, a millennium of maleness has an effect on one's identity.
Then there's the complex smorgasbord that is gender identity. After 900 or so years of manhood, would a newly-female Doctor identify as a woman? If so, would the change affect her sexual orientation? Would she retain her attraction to women? Would she take on a young man as her companion? As Doctor Her writer Ritch Ludlow notes, we could end up with a transgender or genderqueer hero.
Can I count the ways in which my Doctor will be queer?
1) A male who transitioned (very quickly and inexpensively) to female (transgender?)
2) A woman who would be happy to call herself male again someday (genderqueer?)
3) A woman who was once in love with other women but perhaps willing to fall in love with men (bisexual/lesbian/pansexual/fluid?)"
Then there's the matter of how a woman Doctor would be perceived by others. Depending on when and where she's adventuring, would people still rally behind her without question? Would she be able to exert authority as effortlessly as she did when she had that convenient male privilege? Would she find herself subject to sexism or harassment? The show would have to deal with these issues, especially in stories that take place on Earth, in the present day or in the past.
That's not to say a queer or trans Doctor wouldn't be fantastic, or a character navigating the waters of new womanhood wouldn't be interesting. It would just be a delicate and complicated story to tell, even by Moffat's timey-wimey standards.
What do you think?
[This post has been edited. It previously misnamed the author of the quoted Doctor Her post as Tansy Raynor Roberts. In fact it was Ritch Ludlow.]


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The Boston attack
President Barack Obama, responding to the explosions at the Boston Marathon, says the United States does not know "who did this or why."
"Why" does not matter. What matters is that they want to damage America and kill Americans. I submit that "how?" would be a more appropriate question.
Or, in the words of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, "With all due respect, the fact is we had four dead Americans. Was it because of a protest or was it because of guys out for a walk one night decided to go kill some Americans? What difference at this point does it make?" Clinton asked the Republican senator. "It is our job to figure out what happened and do everything we can to prevent it from ever happening again." – John C. Lunt, Coronado
I really don't understand this country. Whenever we suffer some terrorist attack, everyone states, "We're going to get them or we will pursue and they will face justice" or something like that. But when we talk about drones or jail in Cuba, everyone gets squeamish. What ever happened to "walk the walk?" – Weldon Donaldson, San Diego
Admission numbers scrutinized
The U-T reports approvingly that UCSD admitted a record number of freshmen including "more students of color." (Local, April 19.) No doubt the politically correct admission staff would swear they honor Dr. Martin Luther King and his legacy.
But then they ignore his seminal prescription: "I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."
What about the words "not judged by the color of their skin" does the UCSD faculty not understand? – Larry Stirling, Mission Hills
Fairgrounds proposal would favor state
In response to "Local control best for fairgrounds," Editorial, April 19): Just exactly how does a [Joint Powers Authority] for the Del Mar Fairgrounds benefit San Diego County, when the state has the majority on the governing board? This may become a boondoggle where the state artfully siphons money away from the county.
Let Solana Beach and Del Mar enter into this magical JPA with the state. The county should run, not walk, away from this one. – Jon Holmerud, Bonita
Endangered Species Act turns 40
Many thanks to retired Maj. Gen. Michael Lehnert for reminding San Diegans of the debt that we owe to the Marine Corps for preserving our precious landscapes at Camp Pendleton and MCAS Miramar ("Endangered Species Act deserves protection," Opinion, April 19). The flora and fauna of these environments may go unseen by most of us as we zip up I-5 or hurtle toward the sunset along Miramar Road. But without the blessing of stewardship provided by the USMC, we would experience one long blanket of concrete and asphalt, bereft of beauty while still searching for some shred of insight into our place within this amazing living planet.
Happy Earth Day, USMC! – Regina Morin, Ocean Beach
Retired Marine Maj. Gen. Michael Lehnert's advocacy for the Endangered Species Act is a timely reminder that we in San Diego should natively understand that the good of the environment must be conserved for future generations. Unfortunately, the ESA – in practice if not in its original intentions – tends to confiscate local ownership of the environment in favor of distant bureaucracies.
La Jolla's current struggle with an accumulation of bird feces at the La Jolla Cove is a perfect example. In our environment we can go 180 days without significant rainfall. This allows an unhealthy accumulation of bird feces, and ensures that this excess is washed into the Cove's ecosystem all at once when the rains finally begin. The community would like to be able to care appropriately for this "jewel" of the region but the myriad distant bureaucracies leaves the people who care most giving up in frustration.
The ESA is important legislation, but needs to be updated to prefer local initiative and avoid the "tragedy of the commons": When something is broken and nobody owns it, fixing it is always someone else's job. – John Horst, Mira Mesa
Stopping illegal immigration
Response to "Senators unveil immigration bill" (April 19): Mr. McCain is a career politician that thinks he can do whatever he wants and doesn't have to answer to the people he represents, just like many others in Washington and the reason we need term limits. I remember the lies he told his people in Arizona about illegal immigration and where he stands on that issue, just to get re-elected and after just did the opposite.
As a Hispanic, I know plenty that can be done to make the illegals go home and send a loud and clear message to the world, that illegal immigration is no longer tolerated in America and end illegal immigration completely. We need to cut employment from the roots, by implementing E-Verify nationwide to all employers, whether they employ one illegal or many, with stiff penalties and jail time to those who choose to ignore it, end automatic citizenship to their children born here and all the benefits that come through them, no more free health [care], no more free schooling or any other benefits they get at taxpayers' expense, and they will leave because they will have no choice. – Ana Zuniga-Maus, San Diego
U.N.'s poor choice
Thursday's Opinion article on the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women ("Ending the violence against women and girls," April 18) unfortunately did not include any mention of the recent atrocious conduct by the U.N. regarding women and human rights.
The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) which administers 70 percent of U.N. funding is the body that accredits and oversees human rights groups at the U.N. It decides which nations will sit on the Commission on the Status of Women and the executive board of the U.N. Children's Fund. Despite Sudan's history of genocidal conduct, in January Daffa-Alla Elhag Ali Osman of the Sudan was elected as one of four vice presidents of ECOSOC. In March 2009 Sudanese President Al Bashir was indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for a campaign of mass killings, rape and pillage against civilians in Darfur. Genocide charges were added in 2010. The ICC also issued arrest warrants for the former Sudanese Minister of State for the Interior Ahmad Harun, and militia leader Ali Kushayb. Longtime human rights activist Mia Farrow stated, "The election of Sudan as vice president of this influential U.N. council is incomprehensible and unacceptable."
While signing documents about ending violence against women and girls is laudable, holding the United Nations accountable by protesting its reprehensible conduct in electing a genocidal regime as vice president of the ECOSOC is the necessary first step. – Patricia Reeve, Scripps Ranch
Many factors to consider in assessing teachers
The editorial in the Wednesday paper ("Teacher evaluations: State law survives," April 17) brought up again the topic of teacher evaluations by referring to a law that requires student performance to be a part of teacher evaluations. In some cases this might be a factor, but in some cases I believe other factors should be addressed as well.
For example, in the elementary school in which I was the principal, we had one of the highest turnover rates of students in San Diego Unified. Children enrolled and departed throughout the entire school year. Two examples come to mind.
A sixth-grade student was enrolled on a Friday afternoon but failed to report to class on Monday. Another case was a kindergarten girl who started the year with us, departed in about two months, and again enrolled in early spring. During the period she was gone she had attended three other schools. Now I'm afraid she is never going to learn at the same rate as a student that is the same classroom for the entire year. With families moving around, as it is in many cities, as these two examples did, which of the two, three or four teachers that were involved with them are you going to blame for their lack of achievement? I am sure there are many other schools around the country facing similar problems.
In addition, parent participation with the school in many neighborhoods is often far less than in more-stable neighborhoods. Far too many students come from single-parent families, usually the mother, with no father involved. Other factors include, particularly in inner-city schools, gangs, lack of discipline training from the home that can really disrupt classroom instruction, and all children just don't necessarily learn or have the capability to learn at the same rate.
A teacher has a hard job; try spending day in a classroom and see. – Bruce Tippie, San Diego

subset: commoncrawl


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by Brad Moon | February 25, 2014 12:30 pm
While reading the recent Forbes interview with BlackBerry (BBRY[1]) CEO John Chen, I was disappointed to see him trotting out the Porsche analogy.
[2]It had shades of 2012 when BBRY celebrated an outdated BlackBerry Bold 9900 tarted up in Porsche-inspired trim and a ludicrous $2k price tag — one of previous CEO Thorsten Heins' first public missteps[3]. Complete with a vintage Porsche 911 at the big party.
What is it with comparing BBRY to Porsche? There is a Porsche in the smartphone world and it's called the iPhone. If BlackBerry is going to be compared to an automobile in any way, it's more like a Suzuki (SZKMY[4]).
Here's what Chen said to Forbes[5]:
"Take the automotive industry; it's not all about volume. What do you call Porsche? What do you call Lamborghini? Porsche is doing extremely well. Now, Porsche serves a particular segment of the market, doing well for its shareholders and owners. It always serves the market for a purpose, which is the whole point."
It's not that I disagree with Chen's statement per se — everyone's familiar with the idea that niche businesses can do quite well without competing for mass market domination. It's the concept of using BlackBerry and Porsche in the same sentence, as though trying to establish a similarity between the two (and worse, indicating that BBRY management sees the similarity), that grates.
It's worth repeating: BBRY is not Porsche. If anything, Apple's (AAPL[6]) iPhone is the Porsche.
The iPhone has an air of exclusivity — it may be popular, but only 15.1% of all smartphone sales in 2013 were iPhones[7]. Like a Porsche, the iPhone has sufficient demand to command a premium. Check the AT&T (T[8]) wireless website and you'll see the iPhone 5s starts at $199.99 on contract. The latest BBRY devices, the BB10-running Z10 and Q10? Both free on contract. People pay more to buy a Porsche — they don't pick them up on the discount rack.
Porsche owners are accustomed to having others admire their ride, and they take a certain amount of pride in the performance, quality and exclusivity of their car. BBRY owners? According to the New York Times, there's a good chance they're ashamed of being seen using their "uncool" smartphone[9].
When the long-delayed BB10 smartphones finally hit the market in 2013, there were no lines, stores were left with Z10s no one wanted, and BBRY had to take a $934 million write down on unsold inventory[10]. That's not the description of a product people covet.
And then if you want to get to the meat of Chen's statement, Porsche is indeed doing well[11] for Volkswagen AG (VLKAY[12]) and serving its shareholders quite well. BlackBerry? I don't need to trot out the details on how its shareholders are likely feeling.
Given that background, comparing BBRY to Porsche in any manner seems delusional and it's embarrassing.
BlackBerry's best fit if you want to use an automotive analogy, is Suzuki.
The Japanese automaker is essentially a niche automaker that makes decent cars with a cult following in North America. It's nothing flashy, and no one's going to mistake a Suzuki for the kind of supercar the 1% favor.
Where BBRY has its physical QWERTY keyboard as a feature that owners love and that makes it stand out from the rest of the smartphone pack, Suzuki made its name selling all-wheel drive vehicles. Most auto makers have adopted front wheel drive (just as most smartphone makers are firmly in the touchscreen camp), but in the northeast U.S. and Canada especially, all-wheel drive was a functional advantage — despite the fact that its cars weren't exactly the kind that people line up to get a glimpse at during an auto show.
Some of the other similarities between the two companies are a little more coincidental.
There's nothing wrong with being Suzuki. It may not be as glamorous as Porsche, but the company is profitable and it's doing quite well as the world's ninth-largest auto manufacturer[15].
If John Chen and the rest of the BBRY crew don't lose this Porsche fixation, the company is in danger of sharing another similarity with Suzuki: having to beat a retreat from North American market[16] in the hope of finding success in emerging markets.
As of this writing, Brad Moon didn't own any securities mentioned here.
Source URL: https://investorplace.com/2014/02/bbry-blackberry-is-not-porsche/
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DUNEDIN, Fla. — In his struggle to escape from purgatory, Ricky Romero showed glimpses of progress. "Drips and drabs and spurts," Alex Anthopoulos called it. But on Tuesday, the beleaguered Toronto Blue Jays pitcher ran out of time.
After stressing all spring that Romero was entrenched as the fifth starter, the Blue Jays optioned their onetime ace to Class-A Dunedin to continue working on delivery flaws that have disrupted his command all spring, just as they did through much of last season.
Anthopoulos, the general manager, said Romero will remain in the minors for as long as it takes to fix his defective delivery. There is no timetable. Meanwhile, J.A. Happ will replace Romero as the fifth starter.
"We need to get him right mechanically," Anthopoulos said during a hastily arranged media conference early Tuesday evening. "How long that takes, I don't know. It could be very fast, take a little longer. We're not putting a time frame on it. Once we get him right mechanically, I think the results will follow."
The decision came several hours after Romero showed flashes of progress during a start against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He allowed two earned runs in 41⁄3 innings and walked three, including two in a row. His mechanics ran hot and cold, but his performance was an improvement over his previous outing, when he managed to record only seven outs during a five-walk, four-run session against Pirates' farmhands.
Anthopoulos said he and his top aides met after Tuesday's start to discuss the roster in general and Romero in particular. In advance of that meeting, they had not decided Tuesday's game was a sink-or-swim outing for Romero, he insisted.
Anthopoulos, assistant GM Tony LaCava, manager John Gibbons and pitching coach Pete Walker debated what to do. Ultimately, the decision was unanimous, Anthopoulos said.
We need to get him right mechanically. How long that takes, I don't know. It could be very fast, take a little longer. We're not putting a time frame on it
"It's about getting him right and getting him straight," the GM said.
Getting him straight mechanically is the key. Romero tends to throw across his body, which many pitchers do. But too often, his left-handed delivery makes him veer toward third base, sabotaging his control. As a result, he throws too many pitches, walks too many batters and winds up throwing fat pitches when he falls behind in the count.
"It's basically your balance going towards home plate and where your front foot lands," Anthopoulos said. "It sounds easy, but it just takes time when you start to repeat it."
Walker and bullpen coach Pat Hentgen have tried various ways to adjust Romero's mechanics. He has found success in the bullpen, but he has been unable to transfer that promise into game situations.
Last year his ERA was 5.77 and he led the league in walks with 105. This spring he has walked 10 in 13 innings, not counting his minor-league start, and has a 6.23 ERA.
In 2011, he was one of top pitchers in the American League with a 15-11 record and 2.92 ERA. Last year he was one of the worst.
On Tuesday, he threw strikes on 10 of 13 pitches in the first inning. His delivery looked sharp. After that, he slipped in and out of synch. He left after 75 pitches, 44 of which were strikes.
Romero called that progress. But he admitted he was far from satisfied. Then he said he was confident he could fix his problems in time for his first scheduled start on April 6. It was a challenging order, and by Tuesday evening, Romero's handlers decided the challenge was too great.
The GM agreed there were positives to take from Tuesday's outing. But he knew that what he saw was not the stuff of big-league success.
"It's not the Ricky we know he can be," Anthopoulos said. "So we [could] try to keep going, and when you're at the big-league level, it's hard to continue to work on things, or take a little more time, get him back to where he can be.
"From his standpoint, he understood. He's a pro. That goes without saying. It's always a tough conversation, but he knows he's not exactly as sharp as he needs to be."
We're getting it in drips and drabs and spurts, and now we need to get it over seven innings, eight innings, six innings, and then to do it over again each time
Romero was unavailable for comment. He is expected to report to minor-league camp on Thursday.
He was sent to Dunedin because the weather is warm, the competitive environment less pressured. It is cold in Triple-A Buffalo and Double-A New Hampshire; Romero not only is a few months removed from minor elbow surgery, but he also is bothered by persistent tendinitis in both knees.
The Blue Jays want to see consistency above all else.
"We're getting it in drips and drabs and spurts, and now we need to get it over seven innings, eight innings, six innings, and then to do it over again each time," Anthopoulos said.
Entering spring training, Happ was told he was ticketed for the Triple-A rotation, but he has a 1.89 ERA in Grapefruit League games, and earlier on Tuesday, Gibbons said he had made the team. The assumption was that he would fill a middle relief role, in part as insurance against Romero having to leave games early owing to a high pitch count or ineffectiveness.
But just after Anthopoulos told Romero the bad news, he called Happ and gave him the good news.
The GM cannot believe that Romero's control has deserted him for good. Late in the spring training of 2009, Romero was destined for the minors but was able to fix similar mechanical problems, make the team and enjoy a strong rookie season.
From 2009 through 2011, Romero logged a 3.60 ERA, pitched 613 innings and won 42 games.
"He's been great for a long time," Anthopoulos said. "He was a horse for us for three straight years when we got him ironed out. He was an all-star. So I'm very confident we'll get him back to that."


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I'm getting freezes with dorimanx and mcm siyah 5 with stock settings :/ stock kernel is the best for me here... Wonder why...
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ViaSat Enrolls 285K in Internet Satellite Service; CEO Talks Costs
As the "Satellite 2013" conference gets underway this week in Washington D.C., Carlsbad, CA-based ViaSat (NASDAQ: VSAT) says more than 285,000 subscribers have signed up for its satellite-based Internet service, which began just over a year ago.
In a statement yesterday, ViaSat chairman and CEO Mark Dankberg said, "Our results prove that driving down the cost of bandwidth can make satellite a better choice than slower terrestrial alternatives."
ViaSat and its Colorado-based ViaSat Services group (previously known as WildBlue) say this month marks the first anniversary of the nationwide rollout of their Exede Internet service—which followed the successful launch of the ViaSat-1 satellite in October 2011. "The market success of ViaSat-1 strengthens our commitment to delivering a series of new satellites that push the boundaries of what's possible in satellite broadband across a broad range of market opportunities," Dankberg said.
ViaSat says Exede Internet subscribers receive download speeds of up to 12 megabits per second (Mbps). A report issued last month by the Federal Communications Commission found that ViaSat's Internet service actually performed 140 percent better than 12 Mbps for 90 percent of the company's subscribers during peak use periods.
ViaSat claims that the quality of its Internet service has been so high that about 40 percent of Exede subscribers switched from slower DSL, cable, and wireless services. Dankberg touched on many of these points when he talked with me last year at ViaSat's Carlsbad headquarters. What follows is an edited and condensed version of our conversation:
Xconomy: The last time we sat down like this, you gave me the analysis that went into the decision to launch the ViaSat-1 satellite. It had a lot to do with the tremendous growth of online video.
Mark Dankberg: Yeah, well, we've been doing data networking a long time. We knew back in 2000 that the key to high-performance satellite networking was in space. What was exciting about WildBlue at that time was that they came up with seven gigabits per second, which was a big step forward and it was at an affordable price. And we looked at that as… really the test case that was going to confirm this hypothesis, and it did.
What's interesting is many other competitors just kind of went in other directions. They didn't see the problem framed the way we did…
With Viasat-1 in the United States, we spend less than one thousand dollars per home to provide people with satellite broadband. To the extent that satellite is actually an acceptable, good solution for people, it's enormously more cost-effective.
X: It sounds like what the telecom industry likes to call "a green field opportunity."
MD: In Australia, they have similar worries there as the U.S. does, that we're not in the top three in broadband speeds. In places like Korea, Taiwan, or Singapore, which are enormously dense, with very large numbers of people packed in small areas, they have a big advantage in the economics [of fiber broadband]. But if you look at lots of other market around the world, where people aren't so densely packed, and where they do not have existing telecom infrastructure, cable TV infrastructure—that kind of environment goes really well with satellites.
X: So would you anticipate other opportunities for ViaSat in other countries, or are you thinking in some other dimension?
MD: It does indicate opportunities in other countries. And I think that those would come about in two ways. Number one, I think there will be other countries that will subsidize [satellite-based] programs. There are a number already that use satellites in a subsidized way. But they don't pay much attention to how much bandwidth they're getting. We are much more focused on delivering bandwidth. This is something that we're really good at, and that's an area [where] we can compete well. The other thing is, it's going to improve the economy of scale, it's going to help us push technology forward. In the long run, what I see is that you won't need government subsidies to deliver broadband.
We still have issues in a lot of places where governments refuse to allow people to use satellite for Internet use. One example is in India. Another one would be China. These are big markets where satellites could really be effective to deliver the Internet. But right now, it's just not legal.
X: What's your view of how network infrastructure fits into economic development?
MD: One of the places is in emerging countries. You could look at things like agriculture, fishing, and the amount of crops that are lost due to spoilage, due to an inability to deliver products tomorrow, or the inability of the producers to capture the value [of fresh goods]. Without network infrastructure, they don't know where their markets are, where to deliver them, and the buyers don't know it's available. One of the things that has had a big impact in places like India and Africa is just cell phone texting. It's just extremely basic stuff. You can't really communicate a lot of information. But having any information at all [can lead to] substantial economic progress.
So, one idea is whether we can augment that [texting] with basic Internet. One of the reasons texting is so popular is because you can communicate effectively with very, very few bits. What the Internet really does, broadband does, is that it drives down the cost for bits. So with the same amount of money, think about pennies on each of the transactions that users are sending, a few characters of text, you can send pictures or images, or you can actually have a phone call or a face-to-face conversation for pennies.
What has made it possible is really cheap telephone handsets, with very low-cost monthly bills, mostly prepaid. So you can imagine that with low-cost Android-based phones or other types of low-cost smartphones with very low-cost WiFi access, or that use satellites, you could get the same effect. Just give people more bandwidth and I think that would be very impactful in a lot of places.
X: How do you measure the cost of satellite-based Internet service?
MD: For subscription-based telecom services, there are two measures. One is cost per home passed. If I build out any type of network infrastructure, what does it cost me to be able to knock on your door and say, "You could buy service if you want to"?
The other key metric is the cost per home actually served. If you look at those numbers for traditional telecom, they are in the thousands of dollars per home for broadband, high-speed Internet.
With satellites, the cost per home passed is in the single digit dollars per home, and the cost per home served is in the hundreds of dollars per home. So that's what the benefit is. The same thing is true of satellite TV. What makes satellite TV successful are those exact metrics.
X: How has the deployment of Exede Internet service been going?
MD: Our serving data says something like 40 percent of the new subscribers switched to satellite from some form of terrestrial broadband. Generally it was wireless 3G, 4G or DSL. So one of the points that we're trying to establish is that people don't really care what the technology is, they care about what the service quality is. And just as we said, speed is really an important ingredient in service quality.
X: I have received a couple of e-mail complaints from subscribers who have had problems getting satellite Internet service. Are these isolated complaints, or are you seeing significant issues in rolling out the WildBlue service?
MD: We've been pretty upfront that the demand for service exceeded our install capacity in a number of places, and we use third-party installers. For two or three years, the WildBlue install rate was fairly flat. They would do four or five thousand installs a month nationally. Well, we went from that to having four or five times that… There were just not enough installers to meet the demand. We ran up a pretty big backlog pretty fast.
That's going to settle out. It's improved a lot. The other factor is just the quality of the installs. I think that the installation has a very big impact on people's perception of the service, and that's true whether it's from a cable company, telephone company, or satellite company. It's one of the reasons that a lot of the cable companies have such poor service reputation. So what we believe is that, statistically, it's relatively small numbers, but we're also going to try to figure out who are the good installers. The first issue is can we meet the demand, and second issue is how well are we meeting the demand. Both of those things are things we're working on.
X: Is there anything that I haven't asked that is on your mind?
MD: The things I think are the most important are really the market-based things, about what people want in broadband and our ability to deliver those, and the changes in perceptions in the way that people rank this new satellite broadband services compared to other choices.
We're also doing remote advanced news gathering, and that's already got a really good initial response. With the Colorado wildfires, for instance, a number of networks were using Viasat-1 to do their live reporting, because they could get really high-speed, high-definition video from very remote places very conveniently.
People also are using Viasat-1 to broadcast music concerts, and other events live, remotely. So I think all those things are going to have a good impact.
I think all these things are going to help people rethink the role of satellite and broadband and communications, so I think it's good.
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New Zealand tour
Woodcock under injury cloud
November 16, 2008
Woodcock competes for the ball with Ireland's Rory Best at Croke Park last night © Getty Images
All Blacks management are waiting to see how loosehead prop Tony Woodcock reacts to a lower back injury sustained during the team's 22-3 win over Ireland at Croke Park.
Woodcock was in distress when he was forced from the field in the 65th minute. Head coach Graham Henry said it was too early to gauge the severity of the injury but described the team's medical staff and Woodcock as "reasonably positive".
"It's to early to make a call on those kind of things," Henry said, adding Woodcock would be assessed again tomorrow before the team head to Limerick for the match against Munster on Tursday. Woodcock would not have been involved in that game regardless of the injury but, if fit, he is an automatic selection for the remaining tests against Wales in Cardiff next weekend and against England at Twickenham on November 29.
New Zealand's scrummaging power has already been compromised by hooker Andrew Hore's tour-ending injury against the Wallabies in Hong Kong on November 1. Woodcock's 47th test was not a personally memorable one considering he was sinbinned in the 42nd minute for punching, an offence detected by South African touch judge Cobus Wessels.
Meanwhile, centre Conrad Smith aggravated a long-term groin problem when kicking the ball during the second half although his injury is not considered serious.
© Scrum.com
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For your pets: Cat fun facts
- May 16th 2011
It's a lousy day outside, pouring rain and chilly. It's also Monday. I want to lighten up the mood so here's 17 fun cat facts for you, brought to you by Daily Random Facts dot com.
Do something nice for yourself today, whether it's having a good stretch or getting into your favorite book, it's one of those days out and you deserve it.


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Asset Creation and Local Economy under NREGs: Scope and Challenges
The paper examines the potential impact of wages and assets created under NREGS on local economies and discusses policy implications for ensuring realization of the potential. The specific objectives of the paper are to (a) identify potential linkages of the assets and scope for poverty reduction; (b) discuss imperatives for convergence with developmental programmes especially watershed development; and (c) draw policy implications. The analysis is exploratory in nature and it draws upon the secondary data as well as the existing literature on impact of various employment generation schemes as well as developmental programmes.
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|Date of creation:
|Oct 2010
|Institutional Papers
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| Web page: http://www.esocialsciences.org
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Accepting Guests
- Last login about 2 years ago
Join Couchsurfing to see Anca's full profile. It's free!
About Me
life is a journey...enjoy it!
I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.I strongly believe that life is a story.I am the scientist of my own spiritual existence. I try to make it good one so I can tell someone over a cup of tea...or a shot of straight tequila with salt and lemon.
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger!
Generally,exploring...people, food, cultures, places.Particularly, the smell of fresh coffee on a sunny monday morning sided by sunny side up eggs, dawn over a lake, maple walnut icecream, prekmurska gibanica, apfelstrudel, Zurich, cooking.
- dining
- cooking
- coffee
- science
One Amazing Thing I've Done
Gandhi:Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it!
Countries I've Visited
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, United Kingdom
Countries I've Lived In
France, Germany, Romania, Slovenia, Switzerland, Turkey


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On Guard Against Adultery
Taking his series of sermons on Ten Commandments forward, Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Wash., shared with his congregation what marriage is and what it is not, stressing on the gravity of the sin of adultery and sharing 11 practical, biblical ways to attack it.
The pastor of the prominent megachurch in Seattle, spoke about the Seventh Commandment on Sunday, based on Exodus 20:14: "You shall not commit adultery."
God rightly compares marriage to a vine, according to Psalm 128:3, the pastor told the congregation. "You've got to invest a lot and you've got to wait a long time, and you're going to need to be patient and tending to it if you want it to grow and be fruitful. And adultery is literally just severing near the base, the vine."
Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/mark-driscoll-11-ways-to-attack-adultery-108076/


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IDT gears up for shift to DisplayPort
Post a comment
SAN JOSE, Calif. Integrated Device Technology has created a new digital display division focused on chips for the emerging DisplayPort standard. IDT's move validates a major shift to DisplayPort from analog VGA and low voltage differential signaling in PC monitors, notebooks and inside LCD TVs.
The company has five DisplayPort parts in the works, but has yet to start sampling any of them. The news comes as DisplayPort backers gather in San Francisco this week (Dec. 3-5) for the third plugfest for the standard written by the Video Electronics Standards Association.
A handful of the first prototype LCDs using DisplayPort are expected to be on hand at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. They will be powered mainly by devices from Genesis Microchip which is focused on the market for DisplayPort chips used internally in LCD-TVs to replace LVDS circuitry.
"We don't see DisplayPort replacing HDMI in consumer systems as an external interface, but it will be used as a bus inside the systems," said Chad Taggard, vice president of strategic planning at IDT.
Displays sporting 1080-progressive high definition resolution require 30-35 LVDS traces, and beyond that level will have trouble keeping pace. DisplayPort gets the job done using just eight traces and has plenty of headroom for future resolutions, said Taggard.
In this way, DisplayPort could deliver greater performance at lower cost and less power. "It's a perfect trifecta for the PC OEMs," said Taggard.
The IDT manager estimates as many as 300 million PCs and 100 million TVs could be using DisplayPort in some form by 2010, creating a billion-dollar market. "That's not chump change," he said.
Intel, AMD and others are expected to embed DisplayPort transmitters in many of their PC chip sets starting in 2008. A handful of companies including Analogix Semiconductor, Genesis and startup Parade Technologies Ltd. will deliver various flavors receiver chips for LCDs.
For its part, Analogix also has five parts in design, including timing controllers. Some of the devices have already been through tapeout and are sampling.
"We've got quite a lot of compliance testing to do yet," said Bryan Greer, vice president of marketing at Analogix.
DisplayPort initially runs at data rates of 1.6-2.7 GHz. A follow on version of the spec in the works will double the rate to 5.4 GHz maximum.
The spec got its start when PC OEMs pushed back on plans for a version of HDMI geared for PCs that was initially supported by Intel Corp. Engineers from Dell, Hewlett-Packard and other companies banded together to define their own solution as a digital successor to VGA and a replacement to LVDS.
"They handed us our heads on a plate," said Taggard who was a manager working on the HDMI initiative at Intel before joining IDT.
IDT hopes to leverage its in-house serdes technology and some spread spectrum techniques to deliver DisplayPort parts with EMI and crosstalk levels lower than competing parts. "We are finding it very competitive to get to 6.25 Gbits/s at low power rates by using our own libraries," said Taggard.
Some of the IDT parts may take the form of advanced LCD panel controllers and video switches with HDMI interfaces. However, the company is not yet ready to detail its product plans.


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VIERA, Fla. - Near the end of his daily briefing with the media, Nationals manager Davey Johnson was told by reporters that ex-Nat Livan Hernandez would be starting Saturday's Grapefruit League opener against Washington for the Astros in Kissimmee, Fla.
"Livo?" Johnson said, his eyes growing wide and a grin crossing his face. "Livo's pitching that game, huh?
The manager's interest was genuine, more than just a nod to renewing acquaintances with a pitcher who spent the last two-plus seasons as a stalwart in the Nationals rotation. The soft-tossing righty's presence paves the way for top prospect Bryce Harper to start in right field Saturday.
Johnson said as much, without exactly saying so.
"That works out nice," he said. "You want to know why that works out nice? Guess. What am I looking at? What do I want to see on the ballclub that would be different than last year? I'm looking for more left-handed presence in the lineup. We were basically a right-handed lineup. So right out of the chute they're going to throw a right-hander against us?"
Johnson's stated preference is to add some left-handed punch to the lineup, and a healthy Adam LaRoche manning first base and the ascension of Harper to a starting role would fortify what has been a predominantly right-handed-hitting lineup with some much needed left-handed power.
Of course, Hernandez isn't going to be challenging Harper, or anyone else, with heat. The Nationals know he throws two speeds slow and slower and relies on guile and placement.
But it would be a challenge for Harper. Assuming, of course, he's in the lineup.
"I'd prefer it was a hard thrower," Johnsons said. "At least the curve ball will be breaking into (a left-handed hitter)."
The Astros will further play into Johnson's hand when they start lefty J.A. Happ on Saturday in the home exhibition opener at Space Coast Stadium. Pitching Happ means Johnson can rest LaRoche and start utility man Mark DeRosa at first base. Johnson wants to be able to rest LaRoche against some left-handers this season and made finding a right-handed-hitting option at first base a priority after Chris Marrero was likely lost for the first half after sustaining a torn left hamstring playing winter ball.


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She didn't need a vet or a scientist...
... she just should've asked a Welshman.
A Japanese actress inadvertantly blew the lid off a scam which had duped thousands of women into buying coiffured sheep in the belief they were poodles, the Evening Standard reports. Maiko Kawakami appeared on a TV talk show with snaps of her pet, and admitted she wondered why it "didn't bark and refused to eat dog food". She …
... she just should've asked a Welshman.
I haven't seen the paper but did they have a headline of ' YOU MUST BE BAA-RKING' ?
It's of course not clear how to find a Welshman in sheep-free Japan, but if the Welshman sees a poodle, wouldn't he classify it as a sheep?
Because it's not like he'd mistake it for a dog, such a ninny misbred thing.
They certainly pulled the wool over her eyes.
(That's enough sheep puns. Editor)
Well a picture of this animal would be appreciated!
This has all the markings of the lesser spotted tabloid we-made-this-up story, so I had a little google.
Didn't find anything on the English language Japanese news sites, but www.google.co.jp did pop up this curious link...
"Kiefer Sutherland Fluffy Poodle Fluffy 動画 - MICKEY.TV"
Personally I'm too scared to follow the link"
Couldn't resist it.... sorry.
Is it normal for people, even celebrities, in Japan to never take their animals to the vet for regular medical care? Surely a vet would have set these people straight.
If the critter wasn't recognized as a sheep either, then sheep must be rare, too. So it should all balance out.
What is this article? Seems like I read this before: There was this lady who picked up a small dog on the street, only it was kinda strange and didn't eat right ...
Oh, that wasn't a sheep, it was rat. Right.
Urban legend? Or reality??
pictures plz
In a couple of months, a nice wool sweater, and mutton/leg of lamb on the menu. Very tasty!!
Obviously the owner has never been to New Zealand!
There's a picture here. Is this a joke?
> "Kiefer Sutherland Fluffy Poodle Fluffy 動画 - MICKEY.TV"
About 10 years ago I went to Stonehenge. At the souvenir shop we were overwhelmed by the number of sheep-themed items for sale. We asked the assistant, who told us that the Japanese bought the sheep stuff, as they don't have sheep in Japan.
this is just simply a case of a vegetarian dog that was de-baahked. Doesn't explain why my giant collie only say Mooo though.
Had a look on Google Japan's News site for:
川上麻衣子 (Maiko Kawakami)
プードル (poodle)
羊 (sheep)
none of which turned up anything, so I'd have to say this is a load of Bah -loney
Has anyone else read Haruki Murakami's "A Wild Sheep Chase", then? I think there may be more sheep in Japan than we realise...
Mr Larrington
And who else would have reported it?
Yep, a bit of Googling will show
where the story came from.
Have a look at this bit of sleuthing:
Nice try though!
Ok, so it's a load of nonsense... so let's have another supposedly true sheep-themed (and SFW) story...
A young teacher from Leeds had accepted a temporary job teaching a class of four-year-olds out in one of the most isolated, rural parts of north Wales. One of her first lessons involved teaching the letter S so she held up a big colour photo of a sheep and said: "Now, who can tell me what this is?" No answer. Twenty blank and wordless faces looked back at her. "Come on, who can tell me what this is?" she exclaimed, tapping the photo determinedly, unable to believe that the children were quite so ignorant. The 20 faces became apprehensive and even fearful as she continued to question them with mounting frustration.
Eventually, one brave soul put up a tiny, reluctant hand. "Yes!" she cried, waving the snap aloft. "Tell me what you think this is!" "Please, Miss," said the boy warily. "Is it a three-year-old Border Leicester?"
El Reg, you aren't just supposed to republish stories you read about. Journalism requires that you actually check your facts at the source and the users aren't supposed to have to do that for you!
Not only do you read The Sun, but you actually believed something you read in it? You're not supposed to do that! The words in The Sun are just there to help lay out the pretty pictures.


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Home builders have been cautiously optimistic for the past few months and the numbers prove it. Brand new home construction for September was the highest the industry has seen in four years. That's a 34 percent jump from last year.
But what about that shadow inventory of properties that are already bank-owned or in the process of foreclosure? If they're still out there lurking, waiting to hit the market, why are builders constructing news homes again?
"The shadow inventory has really been drawn down and has become much less scary than it appeared a couple of years ago," says Daren Blomquist, vice president of RealtyTrac, a foreclosure tracking firm. He says bank-owned properties are down 48 percent from January 2011, when they were at their peak.
America Underwater: See how many houses are in foreclosure or underwater in your state. VIEW THE INTERACTIVE MAP
"That's no longer our concern," says Stephen Paul, executive vice president of Mid-Atlantic Builders in Maryland. He says he's no longer afraid of competition from a shadow inventory of used homes, but of something else. Paul says the new concern is "cost increases on the wholesale side for materials: dry wall and concrete and steel."
Paul says he hasn't seen those cost increases just yet, but thinks they're inevitable as fuel prices keep rising. He spoke with me from a conference of home builders and says none of the attendees are that excited with the new housing starts, no matter how good they are. "We're just a skeptical, rough kind of group, we're not impressed by much," he says.
Harvard housing economist Nicolas Retsinas says that skepticism makes sense. "These numbers are pretty dramatic increases," says Retsinas, "but they're dramatic increases because we started with a low base." Retsinas says we need over a million new homes built a year to be at pre-recession, pre-bubble levels. That means we're still around 200,000 short.


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Oyster Roundup – Lost Pigs, Blind Dogs & Happiness
~Thick and fast they came at last, and more, and more, and more!
It's Hibernation Week – that space between Christmas and the New Year when kids are home, and food is plentiful, and all you want to do is hunker down with a book and a dog and a mug of something warm. I know you probably can't eat another bite, but here are some delicious little nuggets on the half-shell that may tempt you.
Shortest Day in Fairbanks
Now they've done it. Alyeska Pipeline has lost two pigs in the pipeline this year. Before you get on the red phone to PETA to save our little pink friends from an almost certainly crude death, I'm not talking about that kind of pig. The pipeline pig is a giant gizmo used to scrape the sides of the pipeline to clear if of sludgy buildup, and keep things flowing as they should. Basically the idea is that you put the pig in one end, and then it comes out the other end. But two wayward pigs took a detour and ended up mangled. A report by the inimitable (and occasional Mudflats contributor) Richard Fineberg has all the details, and points to the Case of the Missing Pigs as further evidence of the company's lack of preparedness, and failure to notify the public of problems they deemed minor, but which could have easily been major issues.
Polar Bears – Endangered, and Not Alone
We all know the polar bear is endangered, but now two Arctic seals have been added to the list – the ringed seal, and the bearded seal. These species are also threatened by the loss of sea ice, which scientists say reached record low levels this year due to warming associated with climate change. The ringed seal is a large part of the polar bear's diet.
You're more likely to be happy if you're a woman, unless you're living in a country that treats you like a second-class citizen. You're more likely to be happy if you're not between 40 and 50. The happiest countries overall in order are: Denmark, Finland, Norway, Netherlands, Canada, Switzerland, Sweden, New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, United States, Costa Rica,… That's right, the United States is #11, after a whole bunch of socialist, European, Scandanavian, health care givin', pot smokin', leftists. Weird. There are many fun charts and graphs on various levels of happiness in the full report which you can check out in the link.
Happy Kwanzaa!
We, at the Mudflats know we're taking a little risk there ^^. Subaru of America just had the temerity to wish everyone a Happy Kwanzaa on their Facebook page, and got a deluge of comments from angry white people wondering why they weren't wishing them a Merry Christmas. Hint: That was yesterday, and they did. The "War on Christmas" has outlived even Christmas this year.
Your Feel Good Story for the Year
A blind 8-year old dog, lost in a snowstorm in Fairbanks, and wandering for a week in temperatures that reached -40 degrees was never expected to make it home to her family. But after coming across a musher's trail, Abby made it more than 10 miles to a friendly door and thanks to Facebook, and a happy reunion followed!
Merry Cliffmas!
And finally, a bit of wishful thinking as we end the year.


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School Library Journal Best Book
About the Book
Silly and zany, and armed with the most unusual skills, these heroes are out to save the world-one letter at a time! bubble-Man blows big bubbles at bullies, and laughing lass laughs at lawbreakers! together, these one-of-a-kind defenders represent the ABC's in a way never seen before.
Renowned comic-book illustrator bob mcleod has created a full cast of humorous and delightful characters, sure to please anyone in need of a hero to save the day.
Educator and Librarian Resources
Critical Praise
"Turbocharged with fun for both new and capable readers. It will dazzle reluctant readers and disappear right off the shelves." — Booklist (starred review)
"There's strong appeal here for the youngest comic-book fans, with many doses of humor along the way." — School Library Journal (starred review)
"Engaging alphabet book whose characters embody the right mix of reassurance, goofiness, and humor." — Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"P might as well stand for the page-popping, large-scale Pictures that distinguish this ABC." — Horn Book Magazine
"Cleverly conceived ABC. One character is more inventive than the next. McLeod is a master at creating entertaining figures." — Publishers Weekly
"This frothy mix of laughs, giggles and Good Guys zeroes in on its target audience with superhuman accuracy and action." — Kirkus Reviews
"A dazzling parade. Each character is deftly described. Stunning graphics. A sure hit that will fast become a favorite." — Chicago Sun-Times
Product Details
- Imprint: HarperCollins
- On Sale: 11/15/2011
- Pages: 40
- List Price: 1.99 USD
- Ages: 4 to 8
- BISAC1: JUVENILE FICTION / Concepts / Alphabet
- BISAC2: JUVENILE FICTION / Comics & Graphic Novels / Superheroes
- BISAC3: JUVENILE FICTION / Imagination & Play
- Lexile® Measure: NP


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AVE ICA complete at last
So here is the result of the past months work, from idea to storyboard, previs to film shoot, modelling to compositing. Hope it isn't entirely hopeless
So here is the result of the past months work, from idea to storyboard, previs to film shoot, modelling to compositing. Hope it isn't entirely hopeless
So it's been a while a few weeks a couple of months. First there was Easter, then there was intensive work to finish the final year project and write a good report, then Studio Practice & Business had its turn, and suddenly and without quite knowing how I got there, two months had just vanished.
These are the slides I will use for my company pitch on Tuesday.
The business plan is finished, finally. It may be downloaded from here.
After some initial feedback to my first attempt at business cards, I decided to to go back to the drawing board and try again.
Having come up with a name and logo, a company website was next on the list. The purpose for the site would be to make it easy for clients to find my company and contact details as well as well as give the company a place to show recent work.
Another week has come and gone – way to quickly as usual. This week I've been looking at music for the scene, booked a foley audio recording session in the studio, experimented with keyers and possible looks and started match moving.
Deciding on a name for my business proved rather difficult.
This week I've delved further into Vue, figured out how to undistort and redistort my plates properly in NukeX and chosen and cut together the takes I'll be using for the final scene.
Work in progress business plan


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- Hardened claw tip resists wear and grips wood for driving nails at different angles
- Need help? CLICK HERE to view our Nail Gun Buying Guide


text:
My Nonprofit Reviews
Review for Carolina Raptor Center Inc, Charlotte, NC, USA
Our family visits the Raptor Center a few times a year. Every visit we learn something new. CRC also works with groups such as Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, church groups for service projects. They visit local schools and give all the children in the region a chance to see the birds up close and to learn more about them and basic environmental concerns that threaten the birds and how they can help. It's an amazing place with an incredible staff. We also spend alot of time hiking and fishing in the park where the CRC resides. We love it there and have spotted many osprey fishing on Mountain Island lake. Go to the Raptor Center--there is a very patriotic feeling that comes over you when you get to the Eagle enclosure. You can't help but to be in awe in front of such majestic birds.
More Feedback
Will you volunteer or donate to this organization?
How much of an impact do you think this organization has?
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?


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Our cataloging of diversity continues unabated.
New praying mantis species discovered | Environment | theguardian.com.
Nineteen new species of a tree-living praying mantis family have been discovered, tripling the group's diversity at a stroke.
The bark mantises (Liturgusa Saussure) from Central and South America were found in tropical forests and among specimens kept in museums.
Many of the newly described species are known only from a few specimens collected before 1950 from locations now heavily impacted by agriculture or urban development.
The prediction is that there are quite a few more in similar habitates around the world. I LOVE mantises, can sit and watch them for hours. And they will sit and watch you too. We have many species left to discover. Most will be tiny things and insects, many will be found in museum drawers, many will be diagnosed in the lab by DNA but it does not make it less fascinating. Our definition of species is whatever you want it to be, sort of. But the diversity of life is real.
Reminder: This has nothing to do with cryptozoology.
You can download the whole paper at ZooKeys.


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So, Marvel has this Fear Itself event going on, and as if the main threat of The Serpent weren't enough, his emergence and the appearance of several mystic hammers worldwide have triggered a series of smaller catastrophes. The hammer claimed by Juggernaut crashed into the Raft holding facility, freeing dozens of super villains to run amok. In Fear Itself: The Home Front #2, a half dozen of the fugitives run afoul of Robbie Baldwin aka Speedball, in the town of Stamford, Connecticut:
And yes, that's The Icemaster attacking Speedball. Recently mentioned here as the only Hostess Snack Cake Villain to actually make it to the big leagues of the real Marvel Universe, and here he is, in an actual Marvel Event, spreading fear with actual Marvel Super-Villains the Whirlwind and the Living Laser. But what has he been up to since his prison break? What twisted crimes has this cold, cold criminal unleashed on a terrified world in this time of fearful fearity-fear?
Stealing all the delicious Hostess Fruit Pies he can get his icy fingers on, of course! No gritty reboot for this guy! After all these years, Icemaster still gets a big delight from every bite of Hostess Fruit Pies. But hey, who doesn't?


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The Corcoran 10 inch Black Leather Jump Boot 975 is tailor made for eagle-eyed paratroopers who only want the best in kick-butt gear. From the moment you pull on these steel shank jump boots, your toes, feet, ankles and lower legs will feel surrounded in comfort, support and stability.
Corcoran has been in the high performance boot business long enough to know what professional jumpers need from their protective footwear. Because of this, the company has engineered outstanding heel protection, reinforced ankle support and shock absorption into every pair of these black leather jump boots.
You will also find the Goodyear welt construction and Garrison Army Munson Lasts support and comfort your feet during even the most challenging of descents.
Corcoran has been a top name in leather jump boots since the Second World War. Order a pair of these outstanding jump boots with free shipping today!


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New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera suffered a season-ending knee injury at Kauffman Stadium last May while shagging fly balls in the outfield prior to a game against the Kansas City Royals.
And his return to action this season has been so successful that he could laugh about the ACL-tearing incident upon his return to Kauffman Stadium on Friday.
Rivera's Yankees teammates created this "No Mo Zone" complete with a chalk outline in the warning-track dirt to mark the spot where Rivera was injured:
#Yankees had a surprise waiting for Mariano Rivera at the site of last year's injury. twitter.com/MLB/status/332…— MLB (@MLB) May 10, 2013


text: Don Geddis <don@...> writes: > But I can't even load it in sbcl, with the literal unicode characters in > the strings in the code: OK, firstly: when you're talking about LOAD, as well as the normal READ and EVAL phases there is a phase converting from bytes on the disk into Lisp characters, and it's at this stage that things (lots of things) can go wrong. > decoding error on stream > #<SB-SYS:FD-STREAM for "file /home/geddis/www/don/lisp/asciify.lisp" > {AA7C181}> > (:EXTERNAL-FORMAT :ASCII): > the octet sequence (225) cannot be decoded. Your external format for this stream is :ASCII, meaning that code points (bytes) 0-127 are mapped to characters, and everything else is an error: ASCII is a 128-character repertoire. The first step in fixing this problem is going to be opening asciify.lisp in a non-ASCII external format. (I'm surprised that you're getting ASCII as the default, even after you did something explicitly to select a UTF-8 locale; checking with "locale -k LC_CTYPE | grep charmap" might be worthwhile). SBCL takes its default external format from the environment; you can check that it's doing that correctly by looking at sb-impl::*default-external-format*, once your Unix environment is sorted out. The second step is going to be to identify the actual encoding of your source file: is it stored on the disk in ISO-8859-1, UTF-8 or something else? From looking at the file that's served up from your webserver, I suspect ISO-8859-1 (an 8-bit encoding that I think we can just about call "legacy" these days), which means that even if you have a UTF-8 locale you will have to tell sbcl explicitly to load it with that external format -- or else you'll have to set up your Unix to use an ISO-8859-1 LC_CTYPE. (I don't recommend this unless you really know what you're doing). > I note also that sbcl has :SB-UNICODE on *features*: This means that the sbcl has the capability to represent all Unicode characters in memory. It doesn't mean that it can guess from all the different ways of converting in-memory characters to or from a stream of bytes to pick the one the user wants, sadly. > I also note that the documentation > http://sbcl-internals.cliki.net/Unicode > suggests that there's a close connection between the cmucl unicode code, > and the sbcl unicode code. Hm, I'm not sure that's in fact true; there were in the end divergences of philosophy. > So I assume this difference was on purpose. Obviously I'm missing > something in my understanding about how this is supposed to work. Can > anyone give me advice for how I can get my code working in sbcl? I hope that the above gives you some ideas; the important thing is to understand character encodings, at which point it should all become blindingly obvious. Best, Christophe


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Hudson, RF both advance in soccer regional
Second-seeded Hudson breezed to a 10-0 victory over No. 15 Superior while No. 4 River Falls needed a shootout to earn a victory over No. 13 Wausau West in WIAA Division 1 regional semifinal action Tuesday, Oct. 9.
The Wildcats had to come from behind to force a 1-1 tie with Wausau West before winning the shootout, 5-3.
Both the Raiders and Wildcats will host regional final games this Thursday, Oct. 11. Hudson will take on tenth-seeded Menomonie, a 1-0 winner over No. 7 New Richmond Tuesday, while River Falls will face No. 12 seed Eau Claire North, who advanced with a 3-0 victory over No. 5 D.C. Everest.
River Falls and Eau Claire North will kick off at 4 p.m. Thursday at Wildcat Field while Hudson and Menomonie will hit the field at 5 p.m. at the Hudson Middle School field.


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Karen D wrote:
I adore these goody bags & would love to make them for a Wizard of Oz themed event I have up and coming. Can you tell me how you put them together & where you got the Heart, Brains, Courage graphics? I also really liked the Animal Cookie - Lions, Tigers & Bears bag toppers! So very creative and adorable! Anything you can share would be greatly appreciated!
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Artist description:
It's Miku from my manga i made, the eyes are weird but whatever XDD, i got lazy so i used the line tool xD. I didn't shade :((
Flash Draw Created Oct 20, 2008 470 x 338px Unless noted Copyright 2008 Mitaru.
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Nearly everyone has been pestered by a debt collector, and nearly everyone dislikes debt collectors.
But just as Dante noted at the gates of Hell that it, too, was created by divine love, so might we acknowledge that effective and proper third-party debt collection is necessary for a robust economy.
The continued ability to borrow money depends on loans being paid off.
The more bad debt there is — loans written off as uncollectible and losses taken — the higher the costs to future borrowers. That means higher interest rates on loans and higher fees.
Such bad-debt costs are passed along in the form of higher prices for goods and services, says the New Jersey Association of Collection Agencies.
So, for example, the price of an automobile and/or the loan to buy it includes the cost of going after those who quit paying their auto loans, of repossessing vehicles from those who can't or won't pay, and of writing off whatever value can't be recaptured.
So our attitude should be gratitude that third-party debt collectors exist and do a tough and largely thankless job — and may they never trouble us personally.
A study by Ernst & Young funded by the collection association quantified how much debt work there is to be done.
Nationwide, third-party debt collection recovered $55 billion in assets in 2010, charging commissions and fees of $10.3 billion, or nearly one dollar in five recovered. The services directly employed 148,272, the study found.
In New Jersey that year, $1.2 billion in assets was recovered by debt collectors — a 50th of the total and less than I expected, considering we're 11th in population and second in income nationally. Maybe it's harder to recover property and money from tough Garden State people.
We didn't lack for debt collectors, with a few hundred more than our share at 3,338 industry employees in New Jersey in 2010.
ACA International, the Association of Credit and Collection Professionals, figures that debt collection saved households an average $396 in 2010 by keeping down the costs of goods and services.
The sore point for debt collection is that efforts to get people to pay up sometimes go beyond what's legal, contributing a regular supply of bad publicity that is welcomed by those who dislike debt collectors.
Most debt collectors know the rules and stick to them, and the association wants consumers to know the rules, too, so they can help identify and weed out the bad operators.
To that end, the ACA has a code of ethics for members and offers a lot of consumer information at askdoctordebt.org, including debtor rights, how to dispute a debt and a complaint-resolution process.
Claim settlements
Tens of thousands of properties were damaged by Hurricane Sandy and insurance claims have been filed, so property owners and insurance companies will have to reach an agreement on the extent of the covered damage and the amount paid.
To press their case, property owners can negotiate with the insurer themselves or hire a public adjustor to represent them — potentially putting someone with knowledge and experience about claims on their side.
Property owners unsatisfied with their settlement can also sue the insurer and show in court that a claim was improperly denied or insufficiently covered.
That, though, apparently isn't enough potential work for lawyers, and especially the many lawyers who largely make up the state Legislature, where a proposed bill would allow property damage claimants to sue insurers for acting in bad faith if the company doesn't settle a claim as quickly and fully as the owner wanted.
Most importantly to the lawyers, such bad-faith lawsuits would be eligible to collect punitive damages if the lawyer can show "the insurer's acts or omissions demonstrate … willful disregard of any person who foreseeably might be harmed by the insurer's acts or omissions."
I foresee everyone buying property insurance being harmed, when rates go up to offset the awards handed out and the cost to insurers of paying more lawyers to defend against such subjective and easily imagined lawsuits.
The governors of New Jersey and New York announced a better approach recently. They're establishing a mediation process to give consumers another way to dispute damage settlements without resorting to costly and time-consuming lawsuits.
That also will let residents rebuild their properties and lives more quickly, the governors said.
Contact Kevin Post:


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Unmentionables Half Slip 26 Inch 9201226
Sorry, no other customer-recommended styles found.
This product was discontinued February, 2013 and is no longer available. Please consider one of the Customer-Recommended Replacements above, or try a new search.
This pettiskirt is ideal when you need an extra layer under your clothing.
Try these keyword searches with similar features:


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Today, US Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) co-sponsored legislation that would enhance the Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefits for survivors of severely disabled veterans and increase access to benefits for more families. DIC benefits are given to spouses and families who have a family member killed when on duty, or as a result of their service, as well as survivors of disabled veterans who have been disabled for many years. This bill was introduced by Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR).
"This Memorial Day we want to honor those who have served our country," Kohl said. "It is important to ensure our soldiers are taken care of and put their minds at ease by making sure their loved ones will be protected."
The Veterans Survivor Fairness Act will increase benefits by approximately $300 per month for survivors whose spouses die while in active military duty or as the result of a service connected injury or illness. Additionally, the legislation will allow survivors to receive 50 percent of the total DIC payments should their spouse pass away due to a non-service connected cause, but have been deemed totally disabled for at least five years.
The bill will also allow surviving spouses to receive DIC payments if they remarry at or after the age of 55, as opposed to the current age of 57. Other federal programs, including the Department of Defense Benefit plan and Federal Employees survivor benefit plan, allows surviving spouses to remarry and retain their benefits. According to the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs, this legislation will help 2,000 families of veterans in Wisconsin.
The legislation is supported by the Wisconsin County Veterans Service Officers Association, the Disabled Veterans of America and the National Military Family's Association.
Source: http://kohl.senate.gov/newsroom/pressrelease.cfm?customel_dataPageID_1464=2743


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Comments for STARHAWK
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Mar. 4, 2012
Under rating threshold (hideshow) Nice retro music, tight controls, simple design, elegant execution. It was certainly a bit on the easy side and could use some gameplay changes or complexity or difficulty, but it played smoothly and was pleasant. I enjoyed it.
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HOUSTON-L ArchivesArchiver > HOUSTON > 2007-10 > 1193196726
Subject: [HOUSTON] WILLIAM HUSTON married: MARY BURK Nov. 1, 1775
Date: Tue, 23 Oct 2007 23:32:06 EDT
>From Book on Lee Co VA at LDS Library Salt Lake City - copied July 2004 :
The Houston (Huston) family came from England and made a settlement in
Pennsylvania. Three Hustons served as privates from PA in the American
Revolution and were in the "Battle of King's Mountain". They were : James ,
John and William. These and other Houstons. Robert, Samuel and William
McDowell Houston were all found in Washington Co, VA records after the
Revolution years. Only the family of William Huston will be given in this
William Huston fought in the "Battle of King's Mountain". He was born in
PA; he died in Lee Co VA , ante 22 April 1819; married in PA Nov 1, 1775,
Mary BURK ( marriage record from PA ). He paid both personal and land tax
in Lee Co VA in 1796.
Children of William and Mary Houston were: Sarah and Mary HOUSTON
Sarah HOUSTON , born ca 1782 , died ante nov 1820. Married
Charles C CARTER, Lee Co's first County Court Clerk ( See Charles
CARTER family ).
Mary HOUSTON ,born 1778 ; died 1842 ; married ca 1799 ,
Samuel EWING , first sheriff of Lee County ( See Samuel EWING family )
My quest is for the area of PA in which William HUSTON lived and was
married before he reached VA.
-----Original Message-----
From: [SMTP:]
Sent: Tuesday, November 09, 2004 9:03 PM
Subject: Re: William HUSTON married Mary BURK 1775 PA
Hello Geni Friends,
>From my information on HOUSTON/HUSTON From the Evans' book "History of
Scioto County (OH) Pioneer Sketches" pages 739-740
"WILLIAM HUSTON, one of the pioneers of Portsmouth (Scioto County, OH) was
one of the first settlers of this town site. He came to Portsmouth from
Virginia, with his father WILLIAM HUSTON, from
Frederick County, Virginia. He and his brother JOSEPH were located at
Portsmouth, but WILLIAM HUSTON, their father went to Piqua and resided
there until
his death in 1822.
"WILLIAM HUSTON'S wife name was SUSANNAH BOYD, born in Maryland. She
with her husband to Ohio in 1802. They erected a pole cabin, the fourth on
the site of Portsmouth.
Pages 144-145
Captain SAMUEL HUSTON, Sr.., was born at Winchester, VA., on Sept. 2, 1801.
His father WILLIAM HUSTON, was one of the pioneers of Portsmouth and
to Wayne township in 1802. When the township was organized in 1809. he
(WILLIAM) was one of the trustees. In 1823 he married ELIZABETH LEONARD,
daughter of
ADAM LEONARD" the couple had 14 children.
Perhaps your WILLIAM HOUSTON/HUSTON may be related here somewhere?
Lori : ) in Arizona
************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com
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Monday Night Matchup
Charlotte, NC - Jeff Garcia took full advantage of a chance to get back into the starting lineup when he faced Carolina in October. In fact, the veteran rarely fails to impress against the Panthers.
Garcia looks to put together yet another solid effort versus the Panthers (9-3) as he leads the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-3) on Monday night in a matchup for sole possession of first place in the NFC South.
Oddsmakers from online sports book Sportsbook.com have made the Panthers –3 point spread favorites (View NFL Football odds) for Monday's game (Game Matchup). Current public betting information shows that 52% of bets for this game have been placed on the Buccaneers +3 (View NFL Football bet percentages).
After leading Tampa Bay to the playoffs in 2007, Garcia lost his starting job to Brian Griese in September after missing most of training camp with a calf injury and playing poorly in a season-opening loss at New Orleans.
Instead of sulking, Garcia focused on getting healthy and Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden insisted he never lost faith in him. Gruden just wanted the quarterback to revert to the player he was last season, and he gave him another chance to start when Tampa Bay faced Carolina on Oct. 12.
Garcia completed 15 of 20 passes for 173 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions in a 27-3 win, and has currently led Tampa to four straight wins.
His teams have won five in a row against the Panthers, with Garcia completing 60.4 percent of his passes for 1,178 yards and nine touchdowns against three interceptions in those games.
With his efficient play, Garcia seems to be the perfect player to lead the Buccaneers. He's completed 67.2 percent of his passes with eight TDs and three INTs, giving Tampa Bay a chance to win its second straight NFC South title.
After facing the Panthers, the Bucs play their final divisional game the following week at third-place Atlanta (8-4).
"That's the best scenario we can ask for because we don't have to sit around and wait for anybody," Tampa Bay cornerback Ronde Barber said. "We can take the NFC South the way we want to."
The Bucs will be facing a Panthers defense that has been inconsistent, but has 13 sacks in its last five games. Garcia's success against Carolina is partly due to his ability to escape the pass rush, avoiding a sack against the Panthers in each of his last two games against them.
Garcia, though, has been sacked nine times in his last two contests overall.
Carolina is led by defensive end Julius Peppers, who had two sacks in a 35-31 win over Green Bay last Sunday. Peppers, who has a team-high 11 sacks, has had two or more 16 times in his career.
Peppers has six sacks in six career home games against Tampa Bay.
The Bucs, meanwhile, intercepted Drew Brees three times and sacked him once to slow down the NFL's top-ranked offense during a 23-20 victory over New Orleans last Sunday.
Garcia was sacked four times and limited to 119 yards passing, but found Antonio Bryant for a 38-yard touchdown that put the Bucs up 20-10.
And Carnell "Cadillac" Williams continues to get more incorporated into the offense. He scored on an 8-yard run, his first TD since a career-threatening knee injury 14 months ago.
"That was big," said Williams, who gained 20 yards on four carries in his second game since being activated from the physically unable to perform list.
Williams, though, has struggled in five career games against the Panthers, averaging 3.4 yards on 80 carries.
Tampa Bay uses a rotation at running back with Warrick Dunn and Williams. Carolina does too, with DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart sharing the load.
DeAngelo Williams is coming off the best game of his career, setting a team record with four rushing TDs against the Packers. He leads the Panthers with 955 yards and 11 TDs on the ground.
Stewart, a rookie, has rushed for 586 yards and six TDs. Carolina is 9-1 when rushing for more than 100 yards.
Tampa Bay has proven to be vulnerable against the run at times, allowing 150 yards or more twice and at least 100 seven times. Carolina's ability to control the ball will go a long way in determining whether it will be able to take over the division lead.
"There are a lot of people who are fighting for their playoff lives, and we're one of them," Panthers coach John Fox said.
But the Panthers, with dangerous wide receiver Steve Smith, are also capable of quick strikes.
Smith's 54-yard catch set up Williams' fourth 1-yard TD run with 1:30 left versus Green Bay. Smith finished with four catches for 105 yards, all in the second half.
"He does that. He does those things," Peppers said. "We see that all the time."
Smith has 273 yards receiving in his last two games, and the three-time Pro Bowler is sixth in the NFL with 958 on the season.
Top Betting Trends:
All games in this series since 1992
CAROLINA is 10-6 against the spread versus TAMPA BAY since 1992
CAROLINA is 9-7 straight up against TAMPA BAY since 1992
11 of 16 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL since 1992
Games over the last 3 seasons
TAMPA BAY is 3-2 against the spread versus CAROLINA over the last 3 seasons
CAROLINA is 3-2 straight up against TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
All games played at CAROLINA since 1992
CAROLINA is 5-3 against the spread versus TAMPA BAY since 1992
CAROLINA is 4-4 straight up against TAMPA BAY since 1992
7 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL since 1992
Games played at CAROLINA over the last 3 seasons.
CAROLINA is 1-1 against the spread versus TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
CAROLINA is 1-1 straight up against TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
2 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
Key Player Injuries
[S] Jermaine Phillips is out indefinitely - Arm - 10/28/08
[RB] Earnest Graham expected to miss rest of season - Knee - 11/17/08
[TE] Alex Smith missed last game, "?" - Ankle - 11/16/08
[WR] Maurice Stovall IR - Hamstring - 11/12/08
[FB] Byron Storer IR - Knee - 10/13/08
[RB] Carnell Williams is "?" - Knee - 11/16/08
[LB] Geno Hayes injured last game, doubtful - Knee - 11/17/08
[WR] Ryne Robinson IR - Knee - 10/08/08
[DL] Darwin Walker missed last game, "?" - Neck - 11/16/08
[C] Ryan Kalil missed last game, "?" - Ankle - 11/16/08
[LB] Dan Connor IR - Knee - 09/22/08
Posted: 12/3/08 4:08 PM ET


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SKU:3236Compatible Figures:Hiro 3Compatible Software:DAZ Studio, PoserInstall Types:
SKU:3236Compatible Figures:Hiro 3Compatible Software:DAZ Studio, PoserInstall Types:
- Daz Connect
- Install Manager
- Manual Install
- Daz Connect
- Install Manager
- Manual Install
It's Hiro's turn to Kick some butt, fully decked out in a martial arts set of his own.
The outfit comes with a Jacket with a full complement of morphs for both full body fitting and posing, as well as a pair of knee length Pants, Leggings, two Sashes, a spikey hairdo, and a pair of Tabi Slippers. This set is also compatible with the Textures for Rei no Senshi martial arts set for Aiko.
What's Included and FeaturesFeatures
- HiroMA_Jacket (.cr2s and .obj)
- HiroMA_Pants (.cr2s and .obj)
- HiroMA_Leggings (.cr2s and .obj)
- HiroMA_Slippers (.cr2s and .obj)
- HiroMA_KnottedSash (.cr2s and .obj)
- HiroMA_OpenSash (.cr2s and .obj)
- HiroMA_Hair(.cr2s and .obj)
- Included Morphs
- Muscular Full body morph
- Full Figure Full body morph
- Realistic Full body morph
- Stocky Full body morph
- Open Jacket Full body morph
- Flaired Shoulders Full body morph
- A complement of posing morphs for the jacket
- Easypose dials for sashes and headband
- 5 distinct texture sets with Fully Detailed Texture maps, including Bump, formatted for P4, PP, and P5


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Patience has paid off for Black Hawk College pitcher Jake Sharp.
Two seasons of development for the 6-foot-1 right-hander from Rock Island Alleman has given him the chance to continue his career at Iowa.
Sharp committed to the Hawkeyes on Thursday, one day after coach Jack Dahm extended a scholarship offer to the all-Region IV selection was 8-1 with a 2.78 earned-run average last season for the Braves.
"I've been a huge Hawkeye fan, and it's always been my dream to play there so I'm pretty excited with the way things worked out," Sharp said.
He is the third player on this year's Black Hawk team to commit to a Division-I program.
Pitcher Seth Fuller signed with Northern Illinois in November before catcher Kendall Patrick committed to Michigan.
The nationally ranked Black Hawk program traditionally faces a number of top-rated junior-college programs, and Sharp said the competition the Braves face has helped him grow and mature as a pitcher.
"I've had a chance to develop a couple of pitches, get stronger and just mature as a person during my time at Black Hawk," Sharp said. "Coach (Arnie) Chavera and coach (Jason) Belk do a good job of developing players, and they have helped make me a better pitcher. We see a lot of good competition that pushes all of us to get better."
Chavera said Iowa has followed Sharp since he enrolled at Black Hawk.
"Jake was on Iowa's radar out of high school, and at that time they suggested that he come to Black Hawk for one or two years to give him more of a chance to compete more than he would have had at Iowa during his first couple of years there," Chavera said. "As a coach, and being a juco product myself, you always feel good when something works out the way that a player you bring in wants. Jake has worked hard for this opportunity."
Chavera sees growth in Sharp's mound presence and likes the way he has responded to a season-ending loss after winning his first eight decisions a year ago.
"He used that experience as motivation and is a better pitcher now because of it," Chavera said. "He had a good fall, and I feel like he is ready to have a good spring for us."
Sharp said the depth of talent on the team's roster following a 45-10 season helps everyone on the roster.
"We push each other as we work together and that helps us all," Sharp said. "The experience I've been able to get at Black Hawk, working with a pitcher like Seth and having a catcher like Kendall, it helps make you better every day."


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Padres Baseball Camps
The San Diego Padres offer a series of baseball summer camps that enrich the lives of children through exceptional instruction, character development and a unique Major League experience that creates lasting memories. Padres Baseball Camps are offered Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. throughout the San Diego area. For specific dates and locations, please click "Dates & Locations" below. Camp tuition is $525 for five days of camp instruction and includes:
- Official Padres Baseball Camp uniform
- Meet & greet with a current or former Padres player or coach
- Autographed photo of a current or former Padres player or coach
- Daily professional instruction for campers ages 5-12
- Two (2) tickets to the camp reunion hosted at a Padres regular season game in August
Net proceeds from the Padres Baseball Camp program benefit the Padres Foundation and support the club's youth baseball and softball outreach efforts.
To speak with a member of the Padres Baseball Camps staff, call 619-213-1600 or email us at email@example.com.
Camp Details
Age-Based Divisions
In order to build the best, safest baseball camp experience, we create divisions based on camper's ages at the start of camp. With this structure, campers will have the opportunity to compete with and against players who are at similar developmental stages and that are often in their peer groups. At the start of camp each week, we conduct confidential player assessments to ensure that each camper is in the division that best matches their skill level. Our general division breakdown is as follows:
- Rookies: 5 Years Old
- Single-A: 6 Years Old
- Double-A: 7-8 Years Old
- Triple-A: 9-10 Years Old
- Majors: 11-12 Years Old
Unforgettable Experiences
As part of their week-long camp experience, all campers will receive the following:
- An official San Diego Padres Baseball Camp uniform (jersey, pants, cap, belt, and socks)
- Meet & greet with a current or former Padres player or coach at the camp site
- Autographed photo of a current or former Padres player or coach
- Two (2) tickets to the camp reunion hosted at a Padres regular season game in August
- Official limited edition 2017 camper pin
Camp Curriculum
Exciting Competitions
Within each division, all campers participate in the following events:
- A week-long tournament, culminating in a World Series Championship game
- "Legends Series" skills competition, featuring a series of team-based baseball events and challenges in each division
- Daily championship contests, including a Home Run Derby, Gold Glove contest, and Silver Spikes base-running Competition
- More than 30 skill-specific morning competitions, giving campers the opportunity to immediately implement what they have learned in a competitive, fun environment
Total Player Development
Baseball is a tremendous avenue to promote skills that help youth grow on and off the field. Our curriculum helps to nurture the development of these skills by providing campers with the following:
- Immersion in daily character themes
- Strategies to improve campers' mental approach to the game
- Education about baseball culture and the history of the game
- Tips on how to become a valuable teammate
Our Philosophy and Staff
Our Coaches
Padres Baseball Camps hires only the highest caliber professional educators and instructors. All coaches go through an extensive screening process that includes interviews, background checks and multiple training sessions. Our team consists of educators who have a passion for working with children, teaching the fundamentals of the game and ensuring a safe and positive experience for each of our campers.
Why We "Coach-Pitch"
Simply put, coach pitching makes for a better camp experience for your player. Why? Kids get more swings on better pitches. More swings equal more contact. More contact means more smiles. Technically speaking, our coaches can tailor their pitching approach to meet the current needs of your player. Coaches can better pitch-to-contact, emphasizing inside pitches, outside pitches, etc. to help maximize the number and quality of at-bats at camp. In addition, coach-pitching keeps campers involved on defense, protects pitch counts for your player's outside team and increases the safety factor of the overall camp experience.
Why We "Train With Contests"
Our campers share the common goals of improving as baseball players, having fun and making lifelong memories at Padres Baseball Camps. With that in mind, our morning curriculum replaces traditional drills with engaging contests. During these competitions, campers get to implement the lessons they learn at camp immediately into an exciting format. With over 30 morning competitions, we show campers the fun that is inherent in the game of baseball, and our campers get immediate feedback on their form through the teachable moments in every event. With this model, our campers:
- Stay engaged throughout the camp day, maximizing their time at camp
- Learn the importance of being supportive teammates
- Receive immediate positive feedback for proper technique
- Become accustomed to applying their skills to a competition
- Improve their ability to work towards larger goals
- Make more memories and have more stories to share with their families at the end of each day
- Fall in love with the game of baseball faster and deeper than ever before
2017 Dates and Locations
|Camp Site
|June 19-23
|Chula Vista
|Mount San Miguel Park
|June 26-30
|4S Ranch
|4S Ranch Sports Park
|July 24-28
|Point Loma
|Bill Cleator Community Park
|July 31- Aug 4
|Stagecoach Community Park
|Aug 7-11
|Del Mar
|Ashley Falls Park
What are people saying about Padres Baseball Camps?
"I am beyond impressed with the Padres baseball camp. My son had the best time. He learned so much."
"I can't say enough positive things about this camp! My son came home, each day, so excited to tell me about what a great time he had. The staff/coaches were all friendly, professional, and happy to be there and happy to see the campers each day. We'll definitely sign up again and have highly recommended it to all of our friends."
"Padres Baseball Camp was well run, very organized and professional. Felt very safe leaving our child."
"Coaching staff was professional, organized, great with the kids and parents went above and beyond."
Q: How much does Padres Baseball Camp cost?
A: Cost of camp for five (5) days of instruction is $525.
Q: What are the camp hours?
A: Camp operates from 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM Monday-Friday
Q: What is the camper age range?
A: 5-12 year olds (at the time of the start of camp).
Q: What should my child bring to camp?
A: Campers should bring their Padres Baseball Camp uniform (will be provided prior to camp), baseball glove, a clearly marked lunch, sunscreen, water bottle (water will also be available at every field) and baseball bat (optional).
Q: Should my camper wear his/her uniform every day of camp?
A: Yes, campers should wear their uniform every day of camp.
Q: Do Padres Baseball Camps provide lunch?
A: Lunch is not provided. Campers need to bring a lunch with them each day in a clearly marked bag. Refrigeration will be provided.
Q: How are campers grouped?
A: All campers are divided by age and skill level.
Q: Do Padres Baseball Camps have a trainer on staff?
A: Yes, a medically certified trainer is on-site the entire camp day.
Q: Can I request that my camper be placed on the same team with another camper?
A: Yes, we allow one teammate request per camper.
Q: Do Padres Baseball Camps offer Extended Care?
A: Yes, for an additional fee Padres Baseball Camp offers extended day programs for campers that need to be dropped off before and/or picked up after normal camp hours.
Q: How do Padres Baseball Camps accommodate children with allergies?
A: Safety is a cornerstone of our camp program. We have detailed safety procedures regarding allergies, and each of our staff members is trained on how to identify an allergic reaction and how to make use of an EpiPen. Each camper's coach is made aware of all allergies on his/her team. Also, each camper with allergies is given a bracelet to identify them during lunch hours and throughout camp.
Q: What is the cancellation and change policy?
A: Due to the limited capacity of Padres Baseball Camps, we do not offer refunds. Camp credit, however, may be applied to another week of camp during the summer (space permitting).
Q: How do Padres Baseball Camps benefit the Padres Foundation?
A: Net proceeds from the Padres Baseball Camps will benefit the Padres Foundation and support the club's youth baseball and softball outreach efforts. Learn more about the Padres Foundation.
Q: What does the Camp Reunion entail?
A: The camp reunion is a great chance for our young Padres campers to experience Petco Park in a special way and will take place on August 29th vs. the Giants. As part of your camper's enrollment, you will receive two (2) complimentary tickets (one for your camper and one for a parent or guardian). Campers will be recognized in-game on the video board and will have the opportunity to participate in a pre-game recognition parade on the warning track. This will be a special opportunity to watch a Padres game and show your pride as a part of the Padres Baseball Camps program. Additional tickets will be available for purchase and additional details will be communicated to families in early August.
Q: My question isn't answered here, who has the answers?
A: Please call 619-213-1600 and one of our Customer Experience team members will be happy to answer any of your questions!
Contact Us
Have questions? Call our camp office anytime at 619-213-1600 or email us at firstname.lastname@example.com.