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FORTUNA, Calif. -- Two hundred sixty-five miles north of San Francisco on US Route 101, fog blows in on summer afternoons, dropping temperatures into the 60s, obscuring the western facades of workaday storefronts, and casting a gauzy shroud over the rodeo arena in the community park.
As tidy and bustling as it is, no one would mistake this town of 11,000 , many of them loggers and farmers, for a tourist destination. But among drivers -- that is, those who drive for the sheer joy of it -- Fortuna is known as the western terminus of California Highway 36.
Certain roads are famous for their scenery, others for their hairpin curves. Highway 36 has both in near excess. Starting out among coastal dairy farms and redwood groves, the ribbon of two-lane blacktop gradually winds through the Coast Range , into the Trinity Mountains of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, and down into the northern Sacramento Valley.
This western leg peters out in diesel fumes and chain motels at the city of Red Bluff on Interstate 5 . Continuing east, the road climbs into the geological junction of the Cascade and Sierra Nevada ranges and Lassen National Forest. The eastern leg, while still scenic, lacks the cliff-hugging thrills of the western one.
After all, not much beats cornering a narrow uphill turn to find a tractor-trailer roaring at you, piled high with logs as big around as tabletops, while the road's outside shoulder drops off into a river. Guardrails? They just complicate the survival of the fittest.
On a recent trip to Humboldt County, my husband and I left Fortuna in a rented Chevy Malibu (not our first choice, but it handled fine), bound for Red Bluff, 140 miles away. A gray sky hung over the highway, but by the time we were midway through the farming towns of Rohnerville, Hydesville, and Carlotta, sun was dispelling the coastal fog and spangling the mist of irrigation jets in roadside fields.
Dairy cows grazed near a gargantuan redwood stump that stood as a memorial to the forest that once covered the valley. Mountains rose beyond the settled flats, their slopes a patchwork of clear-cuts. In Carlotta, the highway began a long tango with the Van Duzen River, a broad stream braided around sand spits. We began a similar twining dance with a steady stream of semis barreling downhill, loaded with the next generation of redwoods bound for sawmills.
At the same time, groves of old redwoods grew closer together as the highway climbed into the Coast Range . Writers use words like "majestic" to describe these trees, but to stand in a grove of them is to be rendered minuscule and dumbstruck. Where roadside pullouts allowed, we stopped to lay hands on their collision-scarred bark.
In Bridgeville, the hills rose higher and drier as the road climbed in a series of steep switchbacks. Driveways twisted uphill through scrub, sometimes miles apart. Around one bend three mule deer -- a doe and two fawns -- cantered across the road and clambered up a 45-degree slope, their coats the same tan as the bare hillside soil.
At the top of a long and dicey ascent, the town of Dinsmore shimmered like a mirage in the 100-degree noontime sun. A market, a gas station, porta-potties , and the Post Office were clustered on one side of the road. Pickups filled the sizzling parking lot. Half a dozen touring motorcycles were parked in the shade across the road. In front of the gas station, a man was loading supplies into the back of his truck.
Richard Falk explained that he drove an average of 150 miles a day to maintain the water systems at three regional ranger stations. "I've lived out here since '92, but I'm from Eureka," he said, squinting in the sun. The biggest city in the county (population 26,300), Eureka lies about 15 miles north of Fortuna on the coast. Falk said he now makes his home atop nearby Buck Mountain, elevation 5,100 feet, and doesn't miss the ocean.
The motorcycle riders, a group of fortysomething men, sauntered out of the store, talking and laughing. After donning their gear, they struck out in a rumbling procession to ride another twisting stretch of heaven, vanishing below the sharp curve that marked the start of the downhill journey.
We headed out in their wake. Miles later, in the middle of nowhere, we pulled over to check out the Olive Branch Thrift Shop. Inside, Betty Elgin was sorting through piles of used clothing. Elgin, a local pastor, and some of her flock had fixed up this abandoned grocery store to collect clothing and supplies for people in need. "Nothing in here costs more than $5," she said, beaming. "People come from as far as Bridgeville and Hayfork, an hour away over the mountain."
For the next five miles, the Malibu hugged the inside of tight downhill curves. The logging trucks had thinned out, making the switchbacks feel more like a carnival ride and less like Russian roulette. We also lost the company of the Van Duzen , which had turned due south.
At the bottom of a long hill a sign welcomed us to "Beautiful Downtown Mad River -- Don't Blink or You'll Miss It." A stand of conifers shaded the Burger Bar, an RV-turned-takeout-cafe, where we ordered sandwiches and bought raffle tickets to support 11-year-old Hayley Hermes in her bid to become Rodeo Princess. The raffle winner would claim $300 cash "or one-half beef cut and wrapped." While eating lunch in the 98-degree shade, we read a sign next to our picnic table that said "some moron" had broken into two stores. An appeal for information ended with a clue: "The moron smokes Camels."
East of Mad River, the highway climbed into Shasta-Trinity National Forest, where "S" curves tightened into hairpins. Dark conifers marked the tree line, and rock ledge poked out of sun-baked soil. A road sign announced "Rat Trap Gap, 25 mi." As the dashboard gauge registered an outside reading of 101 degrees, the conifers gave way to charcoal trunks tilting on burnt slopes -- the wreckage of some Camel-smoking moron?
On the descent, grassy hills, gold in this dry season, gradually replaced the ruined forest. Cattle had carved zigzag terraces into the sere slopes. An oak-lined creek threaded through the hills. The town-line markers for Wildwood and Platina, about 15 miles apart, flashed by the window without noticeable clusters of settlement. As the temperature kicked up to 104, the road flowed past fences shimmering in dry heat and cows huddling amid clumps of trees.
Ten miles west of Red Bluff, Highway 36 skirted the northern end of the Sacramento Valley, a.k.a. the World's Fruit Basket, and the scenery changed in a blink. Thundering flatbed trucks piled with redwood logs were replaced by semis hauling closed trailers across a plain dotted with orchards and tin-roofed sheds. At Interstate 5 we swooped off the ramp into Red Bluff's sprawl of malls and motels. The trip had taken all of three hours.
As we navigated scorching pavement in search of a
Contact Jane Roy Brown, a freelance writer in Western Massachusetts, at janeroybrown@verizon .net.


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Couple combine talents
Alvin and Barbara Franklin combine poetry reading with love-song crooning in a performance at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Morris Museum of Art, 1 10th St.
Seattle band tests rock boundaries on new album
Rapped up
Augusta hip-hop artists Kenny Moseley and John Holden will never measure success by units moved or dollars earned. Instead, the duo, who perform under the name Fractions, gauge their musical accomplishments on a scale of personal satisfaction.
Seattle band tests rock boundaries on new album
Emerging from the vibrant Seattle music scene as the grunge revolution ground to a halt, Sunny Day Real Estate has never played the music game by established rules.
Concert clubs
Send your event or group's schedule, pricing and other information to Steven Uhles, The Augusta Chronicle, P.O. Box 1928, Augusta, GA 30903-1928. Send information by fax to 722-7403, or send e-mail to email@example.com. Please include a contact name and phone number.
Ramblin' Rhodes: Country stars set to shine at Commerce festival
Grand Ole Opry star Bill Anderson has another powerful lineup for his fourth annual City Lights Festival in Commerce, Ga., off U.S. Highway 441 just north of Athens.
Club Calendar
Augusta-Aiken area nightclubs can have their performance schedules listed in Applause! Club listings must be received in writing by noon Monday. Mail them to: Applause! The Augusta Chronicle P.O. BOX 1928, Augusta, GA 30903-1928, or by fax: 722-7403.
Road-trip rituals keep memories alive for families
Art exhibits
Here is a list of art exhibits in the Augusta area.
Event calendar
Here is a list of events in the Augusta area.
Stayin' alive
Noura Gordon perches lightly in her ``office'' behind the cash register at Pyramid Music, her head framed by a halo of family portraits. From the wall, a younger Ms. Gordon, hair still in pigtails, poses with performers, family and friends in the record store she has called home her entire life.
Directing children can be challenging
For John Greene, directing The Augusta Players' Children's Wing production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs of the Black Forest means more than giving area kids a chance to show off their acting chops.
Directing children can be challenging
Road-trip rituals keep memories alive for families
It's the familiar produce stand on the way to the mountains, a stand filled with vine-ripened tomatoes or ears of silver queen corn. Or the pit stop halfway to the beach that sells the most succulent boiled peanuts.
Ramblin' Rhodes: Country stars set to shine at Commerce festival
Mulholland wins despite 13-hit performance
Braves notebook: Cox selecting All-Star players
Joyner helps Braves rally for win
Jackets optimistic entering second half
Cellular choices expand
Augustans now have six choices when it comes to wireless telephone service.
Unemployment on rise throughout Georgia
The Federal Reserve's efforts to cool a red-hot economy might be working, Georgia Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond said Thursday as unemployment rates for the state's metropolitan areas crept up slightly from all-time lows.
Business briefs
NEW YORK - The Nasdaq ran out of gas Thursday, cutting short a five-day winning streak that had brought the average above one important milestone - 4,000 points.
Hardees eyes Evans locale
Three days after Columbia County Commissioners approved an ordinance creating the Evans Town Center, a local development company announced plans to subdivide four acres there for fast food restaurants and professional use.
Unemployment on rise throughout Georgia
Canned meat firm closes plant
Castleberry/Snow's Brands Inc. on Friday announced it would cease manufacturing at its Bedford, Va., facility and move production to Augusta.
Drug firms battle for arthritis market
Rival drug companies Merck and Co. and Pharmacia released information Thursday intended to promote their blockbuster, painkiller medications used to treat arthritis.
Business briefs
NEW YORK - Technology stocks turned meek Friday, giving back all their gains for the week as a warning about the outlook for online retailer Amazon.com sent the Nasdaq composite index down more than 2 percent.
Group changes ad rules
SMG, the private management company for Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center, wants more control over the arena's advertising agreements.
WJBF's news gets top rating
From Staff ReportsThe latest Nielsen ratings show local ABC affiliate WJBF-TV (Channel 6) as the most watched local news program in five out of eight time slots.
Drug firms battle for arthritis market
Company to change its name
A local real estate company will be known by a new name beginning Tuesday. Sherman and Hemstreet/Better Homes and Gardens will officially change its name to Sherman and Hemstreet/GMAC Real Estate on Tuesday.
Weekly gas update
Here is a listing of local unleaded gasoline prices.
Nurse anesthetist rips doc's statistics
Incumbent state rep deserves support
Teen girls' compassion impressive
State rep's hands-on style praised
Enjoys sitting a spell on Broad St.
Harbin's tax cut record impressive
Endangered species law is 'no good'
Rain shortage can damage trees permanently
The recent rains have been a blessing, but we certainly need more. Nothing short of a tropical storm moving through will give us long-term relief.
Faith digest
Joel and LaBreeska Hemphill of Nashville, Tenn., will minister with song and word at Warren Road Elementary School, 311 Warren Road, at 7 tonight. Their appearance is sponsored by Woodlawn Baptist Church.
Be sure to enjoy yourself
Are you having fun caring for your children and pets, taking care of the seasonal demands of your house and yard, meeting the obligations and responsibilities in your local congregation?
Medicinal herbs require caution
Garden season is in full swing, and medicinal herbs are as readily available as pansies at local nurseries.
North Augusta's Sligh finishes strong
Seifert captures junior tourney
Postcard site gets updates
High technology is improving my low-tech column.
Woman killed in I-20 crash
A young Columbia woman was killed Thursday afternoon after crossing the median on Interstate 20 and crashing head-on into a tractor-trailer, Aiken County authorities said.
Reward doubled for Sam's Club manager's killer
Representatives from Sam's Club announced on Thursday that they were doubling the reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of David Holt's killer to $400,000. The officials also announced at the news conference in front of the Richmond County Law Enforcement Center that questionnaires would be sent to 65,000 Augusta-area households reminding them of the reward and asking for their help in solving the case. Full story -- The Augusta Chronicle
Medicinal herbs require caution
Rain shortage can damage trees permanently
County touts federal insurance for floods
Who would have thought that during the worst drought of the century flood insurance would be needed?
Schrenko says legislator cut school money
Surfers, city clash over rules
Surf's down for Tybee Island surfers, who won't have as much freedom riding the waves if new city rules go into effect July 13.
Damage control
Daniel Williams, a volunteer firefighter with the Aiken Department of Public Safety, hoses down some of the hot spots in the gutted bedroom of the Aiken house.
Jury finds man guilty of Taco Bell robberies
Doing crime can mean a long time behind bars. For Jammie Verdree it could mean multiple lifetimes.
Richmond County predicts rise in slayings
The number of Richmond County homicides during the first six months of 2000 matches the low numbers of last year, but law enforcement officials say the final tally probably will be higher than 1999.
af2 notes: Stallions' Sparrow could be in line for promotion
Store continues aid of murder inquiry
Publicly proclaiming its continued willingness to help law enforcement find David Holt's killer, Sam's Club announced Thursday it was doubling the reward to $400,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
Across the area
A Lithonia, Ga., man accused of killing one man and wounding a second was granted a $100,000 bond Friday.
Mayor names 4 to panel
Mayor Bob Young has appointed four suburban Augusta business owners to a committee to work on revising the temporary-sign provision in the city's new sign ordinance.
County touts federal insurance for floods
SRS maps shipments of waste
The successful transportation of radioactive materials to and from Savannah River Site will require two things, according to observers: communication and cash.
Elbert County looks for shooting suspect
ELBERTON - Authorities in Elbert County and surrounding areas of Northeast Georgia are searching for a Hart County man wanted in connection with the early Wednesday morning shooting death of his estranged wife.
Answer to floods sought
Damage from Tuesday's heavy rains still was being assessed Thursday, as city officials sur-veyed affected areas in an effort to better understand why flash floods hit some parts of Augusta harder than others.
Flood damage still being assessed
Damage from Tuesday's heavy rains still was being assessed Thursday, as city officials surveyed affected areas in an effort to better understand why flash floods hit some parts of Augusta more than others.
Reward doubled for Sam's Club manager's killer
Across the area
After hearing from several witnesses, a judge denied a Hephzibah man's application to obtain a warrant for simple battery against District Attorney Danny Craig.
A gardening calendar listing in the Homestead section in Friday's editions of The Augusta Chronicle listed an incorrect number for a master gardener class that begins in August and is offered through the University of Georgia Extension Service.
Jury finds man guilty of Taco Bell robberies
EMS services blame on woes Medicare drop
Home-builders record know-how
J.J. Cogdill was surprised at his fiancee's reaction to a scratch on the wall of their new home.
Senate panel backs local heritage funds
Hopeland Gardens, Montmorenci Vineyards and Aiken State Park are a few of the locations along the South Carolina Heritage Corridor that may benefit from new funding from the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Industry at odds on fuel
ATLANTA - The debate over a proposal to tighten federal regulations governing heavy-duty diesel motors and diesel fuel is pitting engine manufacturers against oil refiners.
Residents return to debris, ashes
Lightning blamed for area blazes
Bill to allow access to juvenile records
Black colleges face many challenges
Cellular 911 calls face routing obstacle
Lightning blamed for area blazes
Still reeling from flash floods that washed out parts of the city this week, Richmond County was pummeled Thursday as a thunderstorm set residences ablaze, downed power lines and toppled branches into roadways.
Cellular 911 calls face routing obstacle
Until sophisticated tracking technology allows dispatchers to pinpoint callers, cellular phone companies are asking customers to remember that 911 calls are free but not guaranteed.
Canal recreation funding rises
Bill to allow access to juvenile records
COLUMBIA - School officials in South Carolina soon will have better access to juvenile rap sheets, but they will remain off-limits to the public.
City lays out strategic plan
NORTH AUGUSTA - This small town on the South Carolina side of the Savannah River is on the brink of developing a new face and a new image.
Explosives land teens in custody
Store continues aid of murder inquiry
P.E. made optional for middle-schoolers
ATLANTA - The state Board of Education passed a measure Thursday allowing middle school pupils to choose whether they take physical education and health classes.
Richmond County predicts rise in slayings
Schools adopt plan to react to violence
Accident leaves 3 dead
Three people were killed Thursday in a three-car crash on Interstate 20 after a driver tried to pass traffic on the road's shoulder, police said.
Black colleges face many challenges
ATLANTA - Universities and colleges catering to blacks face a double challenge of educating the poorest prepared students while struggling with low funding levels, experts said Friday.
Highway collision kills one
AIKEN - A college student from the University of South Carolina at Columbia was killed Thursday afternoon in a head-on collision with a tractor-trailer along Interstate 20.
Surgeon faces third lawsuit
AIKEN - A former Aiken plastic surgeon convicted of trying to kill her 7-year-old son in a murder-suicide plot in 1998 is the defendant in a third medical negligence lawsuit.
Elbert County looks for shooting suspect
Schrenko says legislator cut school money
Like a keen sharpshooter, state school Superintendent Linda Schrenko continues to pick out and pick off advocates of Gov. Roy Barnes' education-reform bill.
Canal recreation funding rises
Federal funding for the Augusta Canal National Heritage Area is likely to increase by at least $100,000 next year - and possibly more.
School board vacancies draw candidates
Six people, so far, have expressed an interest in running for a seat on the Richmond County school board.
Explosives land teens in custody
AIKEN - Three Aiken teen-agers who detonated six homemade bombs behind H. Odell Weeks Recreation Center this week remained in custody Friday, authorities said.
Ceremony remembers role model
Family and friends offered storied snapshots of a young role model's life during a memorial ceremony Thursday at Lakemont Presbyterian Church:
Residents return to debris, ashes
Anthony Robinson really wanted to find his 1999 Paine College basketball championship ring in his burned out apartment building at River Creek Apartments.
Surfers, city clash over rules
Parents charged in shooting
AIKEN - Parents who apparently didn't like their daughter's choice of a boyfriend have been charged with trying to kill both of them, sheriff's officials said Friday.
School board vacancies draw candidates
Police: Driver in wreck was shot
The driver responsible for a three-car accident Thursday that left three people dead on Interstate 20 had been shot at least twice before the wreck occurred, the Columbia County coroner said Friday.
Flood damage still being assessed
EMS services blame on woes Medicare drop
NORTH AUGUSTA - Private ambulance companies throughout South Carolina say they are floundering in a financial crisis caused by Medicare reimbursement cutbacks.
Senate panel backs local heritage funds
Police: Driver in wreck was shot
Schools adopt plan to react to violence
No plan is perfect, but Columbia County's school system and public safety departments want to make sure their school violence response plan is as good as it can get.
Dennis Miller, Fouts to 'Monday Night Football' booth
Mrs. Lula Long
BLYTHE - Mrs. Lula Elizabeth Portwood Long, 90, died Thursday, June 22, 2000, in Aiken.
Mrs. Ruth Thigpen
HARLEM - Mrs. Ruth Virginia Thigpen, 73, of Lamkin Road, died Tuesday, June 20, 2000, at Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center.
Mr. Talmadge Curl
SWAINSBORO, Ga. - Mr. Talmadge Curl, 68, died Wednesday, June 21, 2000, at Emanuel Medical Center.
Mr. William Douglass
Mr. William L. Douglass, 74, of Mill Street, died Saturday, June 17, 2000, at University Hospital.
Ms. Dorita Murray
Ms. Dorita McCord Murray, 47, of Skinner Mill Road, died Monday, June 19, 2000, at Doctors Hospital.
Mr. Bobby Archer
BROOKLYN, N.Y. - Mr. Bobby Lee Archer, 55, of Leffest Avenue, died Sunday, June 18, 2000, at University Hospital.
Mr. Charles Blackwell
Mr. Charles D. Blackwell, 65, of Avondale Drive, died Thursday, June 22, 2000, at his residence.
Mr. J.H. Atkins
Mr. J.H. Atkins, 91, died Tuesday, June 20, 2000, at St. Joseph Hospital.
Mr. Fred Wimberly Jr.
AIKEN - Mr. Fred Wimberly Jr., 79, of Washington Circle North West, died Tuesday, June 20, 2000, at Aiken Regional Medical Centers.
Mrs. Margaret Edwards
WASHINGTON, Ga. - Mrs. Margaret Edwards, 80, of Hackney Road, died Saturday, June 17, 2000, at Wills Memorial Hospital.
Mr. Richard Allen
UNION POINT, Ga. - Mr. Richard Nevel Allen, 90, of Dennis Street, died Thursday, June 22, 2000, at Greene Point Health Care.
Mrs. Emma Smith
SALUDA, S.C. - Mrs. Emma Bell Smith, 83, formerly of Larkin Rice Road, died Thursday, June 22, 2000, at Saluda Nursing Center.
Mr. W. Glenn Wells
THOMSON, Ga. - Mr. W. Glenn Wells, 38, died Friday, June 23, 2000, at Doctors Hospital.
Mr. Isaac Lawrence Jr.
Mr. Isaac Floyd Lawrence Jr., of Orange Street, died Monday, June 19, 2000, at University Hospital.
Mrs. Ida Williams
JACKSON - Mrs. Ida Trivette Williams, 83, of Fifth Street, died Thursday, June 22, 2000, at University Hospital.
Mrs. Joyce Fulmer
GLOVERVILLE - Mrs. Joyce Robinson Fulmer, 62, of Back Street, died Wednesday, June 21, 2000, at University Hospital, Augusta.
Mrs. Ada Butler
MCCORMICK, S.C. - Mrs. Ada Estelle Roberts Butler, 89, died Thursday, June 22, 2000, at Wilkes Nursing Home.
Mr. Johnny West
CRAWFORDVILLE, Ga. - Mr. Johnny Claude West, 72, of Old Sandy Cross Road, died Friday, June 16, 2000, at his residence.
Mr. William Randall
WILLISTON, S.C. - Mr. William O'Shield Randall, 75, of West Main Street, died Wednesday, June 21, 2000, in Aiken County.
Mrs. Hattie Cutwright
GREENSBORO, Ga. - Mrs. Hattie Clara Cutwright, 78, of Richland Avenue, died Saturday, June 17, 2000, at Minnie G. Boswell Hospital.
Mrs. Lois Rourk
NORTH AUGUSTA - Mrs. Lois D. Rourk, 53, of Big Cone Drive, died Wednesday, June 21, 2000, at University Hospital, Augusta.
Mrs. Maroma Dyches
FAIRFAX, S.C. - Mrs. Maroma Sanders Dyches, 86, died Wednesday, June 21, 2000, at Allendale County Hospital.
Mrs. Ester Sullivan
Mrs. Ester McCord Sullivan, 69, of Fury's Ferry Road, Evans, died Tuesday, June 20, 2000, at Doctors Hospital.
Mr. Travis Thompkins
HARLEM - Mr. Travis ``Fatback'' M. Thompkins, 20, of Douglas Street, died Tuesday, June 20, 2000, at the Medical College of Georgia Hospital.
Mrs. Margaret Miville
BELVEDERE - Mrs. Margaret ``Erline'' Miville, 74, died Wednesday, June 21, 2000, at University Hospital, Augusta.
Miss Barbara Dent
THOMSON - Miss Barbara Dent, 61, of Ridge Road, died Friday, June 23, 2000, at McDuffie County Regional Medical Center.
Mrs. Louise Marshall
TRENTON, S.C. - Mrs. Louise B. Marshall, 74, died Tuesday, June 20, 2000, at her residence.
Mr. Alex Douse
Mr. Alex Douse, 55, of Willow Street, died Tuesday, June 20, 2000, at his residence.
Mr. Cecil Oglesby
MILLEN, Ga. - Mr. Cecil Oglesby, 77, of U.S. Highway 25 South, died Thursday, June 22, 2000, at Bethany Nursing Center.
Mr. James Slade Jr.
Mr. James Slade Jr., 49, died Saturday, June 17, 2000, at his residence.
Mrs. Mary Boyd
GREENWOOD, S.C. - Mrs. Mary Margaret Jones Boyd, 85, died Thursday, June 22, 2000, at Magnolia Manor.
Mrs. Vivian Watkins
Mrs. Vivian Dean Watkins, 83, died Friday, June 23, 2000, in Statesboro.
Mrs. Pennie Thompson
LOUISVILLE, Ga. - Mrs. Pennie Thompson, 95, of East Buchanan Road, died Wednesday, June 21, 2000, at Jefferson County Hospital.
Dr. Hal Holmes
Dr. Hal H. Holmes, 77, of Regent Place, died Thursday, June 22, 2000, at Doctors Hospital.
Mr. Robert Dobrocke
AIKEN - Mr. Robert Fletcher Dobrocke, 40, of Wisteria Drive, died Tuesday, June 20, 2000.
Mr. Warren Baker
Mr. Warren D. Baker, 75, died Thursday, June 22, 2000, at his residence.
Mrs. Dorothy Ponds
JOHNSTON, S.C. - Mrs. Dorothy Ponds died Saturday, June 17, 2000, at University Hospital, Augusta.
Mr. Lorenzo Morgan
Mr. Lorenzo Eric Morgan, 33, of Augusta, died Friday, June 16, 2000.
Mr. J. Michael Jones
Mr. J. Michael ``Mike'' Jones, 40, of Martinez, died Friday, June 23, 2000, at Medical College of Georgia Hospital.
Mrs. Hazel Wilson
The funeral will be at 10 a.m. today at Wadley Baptist Church, Wadley, with Dr. Bobby Ritch, Murray Brett and David Braxton officiating. Burial will be in New Hope Baptist Church Cemetery, Wauchula, Fla.
Mrs. Nora English
SANDERSVILLE, Ga. - Mrs. Nora English, 93, of East McCarty Street, died Tuesday, June 20, 2000, at Heritage Inn Nursing Home.
Mr. Sebron Epps
SPARTA, Ga. - Mr. Sebron Thirmon Epps, 67, of Route 1 Linton Road, died Wednesday, June 21, 2000, at Washington Regional Medical Center.
Mr. Willie Kirby
NUNEZ, Ga. - Mr. Willie Milton Kirby, 57, died Friday, June 23, 2000, at his residence.
Mrs. Bridie Black
CANOOCHEE, Ga. - Mrs. Bridie Womack Black, 67, died Wednesday, June 21, 2000, at her residence.
Ms. Phyllis Williams
SWAINSBORO, Ga. - Ms. Phyllis Teresa Williams, 39, died Saturday, June 17, 2000, at her residence.
Ms. Mary Ellison
GIRARD, Ga. - Ms. Mary Alice ``Tena'' Ellison, 50, of Millhaven Road, died Saturday, June 17, 2000, at Burke County Hospital, Waynesboro.
Mrs. Trelly Owenby
Mrs. Trelly Kate Owenby, 65, of Dickey Drive, died Friday, June 23, 2000, at her residence.
Mrs. L.C. Jordan
SPARTA, Ga. - Mrs. L.C. Jordan, 94, of Brit Street, died Monday, June 19, 2000, at Providence Health Care Center.
Mrs. Mary Smith
LINCOLNTON, Ga. - Mrs. Mary Lois Smith, 46, of Beard Drive, died Tuesday, June 20, 2000, at her residence.
Mr. James Lanius
Mr. James Lee Lanius, 59, of Martinez, died Wednesday, June 21, 2000, at his residence.
Mrs. Elma Wiley
SYLVANIA, Ga. - Mrs. Elma Wells Wiley, 83, died Thursday, June 22, 2000, at Screven County Hospital.
Mrs. Betty Wright
DETROIT - Mrs. Betty B. Wright, 55, of Rutherford Street, died Wednesday, June 21, 2000.
Mrs. Peggy Jameson
FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. - Mrs. Peggy Jameson, 88, died Thursday, June 22, 2000.
Tiger Woods practices, why don't Christians?
BEFORE TIGER Woods won the 2000 U.S. Open on Sunday by 15 strokes, he spent two hours on Wednesday
Sunday's editorial regarding Savannah River Site computer security mistakenly reported a floppy disk from the site ended up in Chinese hands.
Enjoys sitting a spell on Broad St.
I hope the Augusta Commission does not undo in a few months what it took years of hard work by many civic-minded individuals and dedicated businesses to accomplish - being able to cater to those who enjoy ''going downtown to sit a spell on Broad Street.'' Dutch Hockman, Augusta
Hate crime parody
Here we go again. The U.S. Senate just approved another federal hate-crime bill, by adding yet more categories of victims.
A losing hand
''The people of South Carolina wanted the plug pulled on video gambling, the Legislature then stepped up and banned it and the Supreme Court has now upheld the legislative will.''
E-signature: Be wary
The ''electronic signature'' bill that President Clinton strongly endorses could be one of the most significant pieces of legislation to come out of the 106th Congress.
Support sought for Bishop in Edgefield
I am asking my friends to re-elect Danny Bishop for the Edgefield County Council District 5 (Merriwether/Westside) seat this Tuesday. Tim R. Campbell, North Augusta
Kent's his man; Chronicle his paper
I've lived and worked in the Central Savannah River Area for over 16 years, longer than any other place in my professional career, except for 20 years in the San Francisco Bay area. Clifford D. Ponder, North Augusta
Prize-winning author draws fire
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Gary Wills' cynical and self-serving attack on the Catholic Church in his book, Papal Sin: Structures of Deceit, necessitates some critical comment and evaluation. The Rev. Allan J. McDonald, Augusta
Harbin's tax cut record impressive
As a taxpaying resident of Columbia County, I appreciate the work done by state Rep. Ben Harbin, R-Evans, in the Legislature. Robert Hope, Evans
Teen girls' compassion impressive
Once in a long while you see people doing something so good that you think it deserves a fine showcase - maybe even a stage. What my friend and I saw the other day deserves that kind of glitz. Lamar Rush, Augusta
Why District 115 needs Cheri Foster
In the June 18 Chronicle, senior editorial writer Phil Kent wrote about how Rep. Jack Connell, D-Augusta, ``is responding to catcalls from supporters of his GOP challenger that he is out of touch with his district.'' Harley Jones, Augusta
State rep's hands-on style praised
I will vote for state Rep. Robin Williams, R-Augusta, in the July 18 GOP primary because I find him to be very professional and helpful. He went out of his way to help me with a problem when he could have had someone else do it for him. Johnni Strickland, Augusta
Family leave, Part II
When the Clinton administration got the Democratic-controlled Congress to pass the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, providing employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for newborns' care and family emergencies, critics said that was just a first step toward the government requiring paid leaves.
Incumbent offers voters a choice
On Tuesday, you will have a very important choice to make. Danny Bishop, Edgefield
Columnist ignorant about his 'rights'
David Sisler whines in his June 17 column, ``I am tired of my rights being trampled ...'' His grievance is not only self-dramatizing, but also reveals total ignorance about what constitutes a ''right.'' Charles P. Heywood, Martinez
Edgefield election raises questions
I very much wish to know what the Edgefield County Council candidates believe they can do for the county. Laurie Landrum, North Augusta
Nurse anesthetist rips doc's statistics
In response to the June 14 letter by Dr. Mark Stewart, ``Hits plan to end nurse supervision:'' He uses skewed statistics to make false conclusions about the safety record of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist's practice. Dean Loss, CRNA, MS, Evans
Tiger Woods practices, why don't Christians?
BEFORE TIGER Woods won the 2000 U.S. Open on Sunday by 15 strokes, he spent two hours on Wednesday
Endangered species law is 'no good'
A recent editorial speaks of the Endangered Species Act as something good, to wit: ''the good the program achieves.'' Bill Dekle, Millen
Incumbent state rep deserves support
I support state Rep. Ben Harbin, R-Evans, for re-election because in six short years he has done tremendous things for Columbia County. Thanks to him we will soon have a new library, a new technical school and a new courthouse. Steve McCord, Evans
On oil 'price gouging'
Whenever pump prices shoot up as they have in recent weeks, especially in the Midwest where it costs more than $2 a gallon, the first thing politicians do is blame oil companies for ``price gouging.''
Clearing the air
There were two significant developments on Augusta's air quality front this week.
Overtime: Davenport upset at Eastbourne
Overtime: Former Jaguar assumes head coaching role
Tyson denies having fight with promoter
Barbee, Hobbins church speakers
Slow trolling flukes catching hybrids, striped bass
Computer hacker tries new outlet
LOS ANGELES - If he can't use computers for the next several years, former hacker Kevin Mitnick believes he should at least be allowed to write about the magazines that report on them.
Exhibit celebrates the mind
The latest exhibit in Savannah River Site's 50th anniversary celebration pays tribute to the most common, yet most advanced, computer at the site - the brain.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
FBAR-based Band 8 WCDMA duplexer claims superior insertion loss and isolation
Post a comment
Böblingen, Germany — Avago Technologies has announced a high-performance Band 8 WCDMA duplexer that leverages the industry's leading Q values of its FBAR (Film Bulk Acoustic Resonator) technology. The ACMD-7605 offers a superior 1.3 dB typical Tx insertion loss (IL) and 3.5 dB maximum IL over-temperature which significantly lowers power consumption and improves talk time.
Achieving superior IL for Band 8 devices is especially difficult due to its wide bandwidth and the close spacing between transmit and receive bands. The ACMD-7605 also provides excellent over-temperature isolation performance of 51 dB minimum in the Tx band and 48 dB minimum in the Rx band, which in combination with the company's best-in-class insertion loss minimizes sensitivity degradation experienced in over temperature conditions.
The simplified routing architecture in the ACMD-7605 duplexer eases integration into PCB designs. Additionally, the device comes packaged in a miniature 3.0 x 3.0 mm module and is RoHS-compliant. It is ideal for UMTS-based mobile phones, femtocells, repeaters and data terminal applications.
For further information visit www.avagotechwireless.com.


text:
Life just is not fair, and several events that have happened in our community during the past week demonstrate just how unfair things really are.
more Hamby columns
For one, Charter Communications, our local cable provider, has fumbled the ball for those wanting to watch Georgia football on pay-per-view this season. The actions by this cable company are not fair to the citizens of our community who want to watch the football games but have to do so at home because of kids and other reasons.
Charter Communications says they no longer have the boxes for pay-per-view and have gone to a complete digital format. This technological answer does not satisfy those who have grown accustomed to being able to watch the game on television. Those who are dissatisfied should call, write or e-mail Charter Communica-tions.
If the shift toward improved technology is leaving some out in the cold for football games, imagine what it is doing to those who do not have the capabilities to e-mail Charter Communications about their concern.
The advances in technology enable people to communicate faster, get information quicker and to spell better. However, the advances in technology have created a big divide between the technologically informed and those that do not even know how to turn on a computer. It seems as though the economic gap between the rich and poor has festered to create this divide between the dotcom haves and have-nots. It is not fair to those who struggle to provide for their family that they cannot afford the knowledge technology offers. Knowledge is priceless and should be offered as such.
This technology divide is even more pronounced along racial lines. A recent poll conducted by the USA Today newspaper revealed that the number of white families with computers in the home is far greater than the number of black families that are technology equipped. This means that the white kid at Athens Academy, who probably already has a computer in the home and now has been given one by the school will be much further along technologically speaking than the black kid at Clarke Central who may not have such easy access to gain computer knowledge. I wonder if the university attorneys used this appeal in defending the affirmative action program that was unfairly dismissed by the Court of Appeals.
The university should continue their affirmative action fight to the Supreme Court. Affirmative action may not be the fairest admission policy, but 40 years has not been enough time to heal the almost two centuries of slavery, disenfranchisement and separate water fountains. The racial unfairness still exists today and is evident even at the university as some fraternity houses continue to fly the old state flag. If affirmative action can help help heal the past and current inequities, then so be it. And as the university tries to become more diverse through affirmative action then maybe those who still fly the flag will learn through others that their heritage was not very fair to all.
A white student who is denied admission to the university due to affirmative action, should just realize that life is not fair. Divisions exist along political, economic, technology, gender and racial boundaries.
At least the intent of affirmative action is to lessen the racial divide. Now, we need to call on our government and schools to examine ways to provide the dotcom have-nots with the technology capabilities to gain information. Knowledge is power and in order for our community to improve we need to help empower those without.
A good way to start would be for our community cable company to empower those without a football ticket or those who have to stay at home a way to view on television the action between the newly planted hedges. Sic 'em.
This article published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Saturday, September 1, 2001.
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text:
Yoga and Aerobic Exercise in Psychosis (YEP)
This study has been completed.
The University of Hong Kong
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
First Posted: September 22, 2010
Last Update Posted: December 9, 2014
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
Eric Y H Chen, The University of Hong Kong
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- Study Results
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
Show Detailed Description
The current study aims to evaluate the impacts of yoga and aerobic exercise on neuro-cognitive function, symptoms and brain changes in early psychosis. A total of 120 female subjects who aging from 18-55 years old, and diagnosed with psychotic disorders within the past 5 years, will be randomized into 3 groups: 1) yoga therapy, 2) aerobic exercise, and 3) waitlist group as the control. All groups will try to be kept consistent with their medication with no more than 25% change in their entry level dosage for at least six weeks. The primary outcomes of the present study will be neuro-cognitive changes; the secondary outcomes will be changes of brain structure and function.
|Psychotic Disorder
|Behavioral: Yoga therapy Behavioral: Aerobic exercise
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary Purpose: Treatment
|Official Title:
|The Impacts of Yoga and Aerobic Exercise on Neuro-cognitive Function and Symptoms in Early Psychosis - A Single-blind Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial
Resource links provided by NLM:
Genetics Home Reference related topics: schizophrenia
MedlinePlus related topics: Exercise and Physical Fitness Mental Disorders Psychotic DisordersU.S. FDA Resources
Further study details as provided by Eric Y H Chen, The University of Hong Kong:
Primary Outcome Measures:
- Verbal Acquisition [ Time Frame: baseline and 12 weeks ]Total number of corrected encoded words in the first three trials in the random condition of Hong Kong List Learning test.
- Verbal Retention [ Time Frame: baseline and 12 weeks ]The total number of correctly recalled words after short-term (10 minutes) and long-term (30 minutes) delay in the random condition of Hong Kong List Learning test.
- Working Memory [ Time Frame: baseline and 12 weeks ]measured by Digit Span backwards test. In this test, the subject was asked to recall a series of numbers in reverse order. The correctly recalled series were scored as 1, and the test contains 14 sequences of numbers. The range of working memory score is from 0 to 14, with higher values representing better outcome.
- Attention and Concentration [ Time Frame: baseline and 12 weeks ]measured by Letter Cancellation test Q score. The basic version of the task consists of six 52-character rows in which the target character is randomly interspersed approximately 18 times in each row. Subjects were asked to cancel the letter "C" and "E" as quickly as possible. The time to completion, number of error and omission items were recorded. A "quality of search" index (Q), developed by Geldmacher et al., was applied for the analysis. Q is the ratio of correct number to total number of targets multiplied by the ratio of correct number per second. Higher Q scores represent more efficient performance and better attention and concentration. Q scores could range from 0 (worst possible outcome) to 1 (best possible outcome).
Secondary Outcome Measures:
- Severity of Symptoms [ Time Frame: Baseline and 12 weeks ]PANSS total score is computed by summing the scores of positive, negative and general symptom subscores. The range of PANSS total score is from 30 to 210, range of PANSS positive and negative subscores is from 7 to 49, range of PANSS general symptoms subscore is from 16 to 112, with higher values representing worse outcome. CDS total score is computed by summing the scores of nine items of the scale. The range of CDS total score is from 0 to 27, with higher values representing worse outcome.
|Study Start Date:
|November 2010
|Study Completion Date:
|October 2014
|Primary Completion Date:
|April 2013 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Assigned Interventions
Experimental: Yoga therapy
Hatha yoga including breathing control (10 minutes), body posture(40-45minutes), and relaxation (5 minutes).
Behavioral: Yoga therapy
3 sessions per week for 12 weeks, total 36 sessions. Each session lasts around one hour.
Experimental: Aerobic exercise
Aerobic exercise includes walking on the treadmill for 15-20 minutes and stationary cycling for 25-30 minutes.
Behavioral: Aerobic exercise
3 session per week for 12 weeks, total 36 sessions. Each session lasts around one hour.
No Intervention: Waitlist group
Patients in waiting list will be treated as usual and acted as control group.
Show Detailed Description
Information from the National Library of Medicine
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years to 55 Years (Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion criteria
- Females aged from 18 to 55.
- Based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV) diagnosed to have schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, schizophreniform Psychosis, brief psychotic disorders, psychosis not otherwise specified and delusional disorder. Duration of illness is less than 5 years (including 5 years).
- Cantonese-speaking Chinese.
- Ability to understand the nature of the study and to give an informed consent.
- Fewer than 10 hours of yoga and vigorous aerobic exercise (equivalent to jogging at 10 km/hr) in the previous 3 months.
Exclusion criteria
- Severe physical illness (myocardial infarction, hypertension, fracture, spinal problem), seizure disorders, mental retardation or comorbid substance dependence. Heart rate and blood pressure will be measured at the baseline to exclude the patients with abnormal cardiovascular activities.
- Unstable psychotic symptoms.
- Known pregnancy, or other contraindication to MRI.
- A history of brain trauma or organic brain disease.
- Known history of intellectual disability or special school attendance.
Contacts and Locations
Information from the National Library of Medicine
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01207219
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01207219
|Hong Kong
|Department of Psychiatry, LKS Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong
|Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 852
Sponsors and Collaborators
The University of Hong Kong
|Study Chair:
|Jessie, JX Lin, PhD
|Department of Psychiatry, the University of Hong Kong
More Information
Keywords provided by Eric Y H Chen, The University of Hong Kong:
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Addington J, Addington D, Gasbarre L. Distractibility and symptoms in schizophrenia. J Psychiatry Neurosci. 1997 May;22(3):180-4.
Duraiswamy G, Thirthalli J, Nagendra HR, Gangadhar BN. Yoga therapy as an add-on treatment in the management of patients with schizophrenia--a randomized controlled trial. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2007 Sep;116(3):226-32.
Heyn P, Abreu BC, Ottenbacher KJ. The effects of exercise training on elderly persons with cognitive impairment and dementia: a meta-analysis. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2004 Oct;85(10):1694-704.
Kelley WM, Macrae CN, Wyland CL, Caglar S, Inati S, Heatherton TF. Finding the self? An event-related fMRI study. J Cogn Neurosci. 2002 Jul 1;14(5):785-94.
Kubesch S, Bretschneider V, Freudenmann R, Weidenhammer N, Lehmann M, Spitzer M, Grön G. Aerobic endurance exercise improves executive functions in depressed patients. J Clin Psychiatry. 2003 Sep;64(9):1005-12.
Lam LC, Tam CW, Lui VW, Chan WC, Chan SS, Chiu HF, Wong A, Tham MK, Ho KS, Chan WM. Modality of physical exercise and cognitive function in Hong Kong older Chinese community. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2009 Jan;24(1):48-53. doi: 10.1002/gps.2072.
Lautenschlager NT, Cox KL, Flicker L, Foster JK, van Bockxmeer FM, Xiao J, Greenop KR, Almeida OP. Effect of physical activity on cognitive function in older adults at risk for Alzheimer disease: a randomized trial. JAMA. 2008 Sep 3;300(9):1027-37. doi: 10.1001/jama.300.9.1027. Erratum in: JAMA. 2009 Jan 21;301(3):276.
Pajonk FG, Wobrock T, Gruber O, Scherk H, Berner D, Kaizl I, Kierer A, Müller S, Oest M, Meyer T, Backens M, Schneider-Axmann T, Thornton AE, Honer WG, Falkai P. Hippocampal plasticity in response to exercise in schizophrenia. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2010 Feb;67(2):133-43. doi: 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2009.193.
Sharma VK, Das S, Mondal S, Goswami U, Gandhi A. Effect of Sahaj Yoga on neuro-cognitive functions in patients suffering from major depression. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol. 2006 Oct-Dec;50(4):375-83.
Whitfield-Gabrieli S, Thermenos HW, Milanovic S, Tsuang MT, Faraone SV, McCarley RW, Shenton ME, Green AI, Nieto-Castanon A, LaViolette P, Wojcik J, Gabrieli JD, Seidman LJ. Hyperactivity and hyperconnectivity of the default network in schizophrenia and in first-degree relatives of persons with schizophrenia. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Jan 27;106(4):1279-84. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0809141106. Epub 2009 Jan 21. Erratum in: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Mar 17;106(11):4572.
|Responsible Party:
|Eric Y H Chen, Professor, Head, The University of Hong Kong
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT01207219 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|First Submitted:
|September 16, 2010
|First Posted:
|September 22, 2010
|Results First Submitted:
|June 17, 2014
|Results First Posted:
|December 9, 2014
|Last Update Posted:
|December 9, 2014
|Last Verified:
|December 2014
Keywords provided by Eric Y H Chen, The University of Hong Kong:
aerobic exercise
neuro cognition
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Psychotic Disorders
Mental Disorders
Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders


text:
Pete Rose once said he'd walk through hell in a gasoline suit to play baseball.
Yesterday he said he'd do the same thing to get back into the game as a manager.
In Winnipeg as the headline speaker at the annual YMHA Sports Dinner, the 65-year-old, banned from the game for life for gambling on it while a player and manager, says he feels like he's been in jail going on 17 years.
"I'm the only American who can't get a second chance," Rose told a group of reporters before last night's dinner. "Hell, three months ago they let the guy out of jail that shot the Pope. He shot the Pope, and he's out of jail. I bet on my own team to win and I'm still in jail."
Rose, of course, wasn't talking literally. But the fact he's not allowed to get back into the game is confounding him more than any breaking ball ever did.
Getting close to Rose and looking into his fiery brown eyes as he sparred with the media gives you an idea of how the man became baseball's all-time hits leader. The fire, the competitiveness, it's still there.
So is the burning desire to manage again.
"I want to teach young players how to play, man," Rose said. "I care about the game, and it drives me crazy to watch the way baseball's played today. Guys don't have no fundamentals. They gotta be taught.
"Who knows more about baseball than me? And I gotta pay to go to the games."
That Rose agreed to his life-time ban in 1989 -- the evidence was so strong against him, he didn't have much choice -- doesn't seem to matter to him anymore.
After 15 years of denials, he finally admitted his wrongdoing in a book two years ago. He's also applied for reinstatement to current commissioner Bud Selig, and there are those who believe Selig may acquiesce, eventually.
Until then, Rose will continue to hawk memorabilia, do speaking engagements and generally be "a good boy."
"You may think I'm crazy when I say this, but I think I'm the best ambassador baseball has," Rose said. "I'm in Winnipeg talking to 1,000 people about baseball. I was in Chicago yesterday, talking about baseball. I was in New York on Saturday with Hank Aaron, talking about baseball. I love the game."
And he obviously enjoys a good gab.
About the only thing Rose was reluctant to express an opinion on was whether or not a player like Barry Bonds belongs in the Baseball Hall of Fame if it's proven Bonds used steroids.
"Barry Bonds is a first-ballot Hall of Famer," Rose began. "He won seven MVPs. If they prove he took 'em, there's gonna be some doubt. Next year's gonna be very interesting. Because that'll be the first year when someone that people thought took 'em (Mark McGwire) is on the ballot. It's gonna be interesting to see how you people respond. I don't vote."
And if he did?
"I don't know. I'd have to see. If a guy gets 500 home runs, or gets 3,000 hits or wins 300 games, man, it's hard... even if these guys took steroids, they didn't take 'em their whole career. Barry Bonds did a lot the first 15, 16 years of his career, didn't he?"
Rose, of course, can't get into the Hall, either.
One minute he says he's not losing any sleep over it, the next he says getting in would be the happiest day of his life.
At one point during the interview, a cellphone rang, and Rose was as quick with his wit as he used to be with his bat.
"Answer that -- it might be Bud Selig calling," he said.
Then came the head-first slide into second.
"If it's a collect call, it's him."
If Rose had been as quick with his gambling confession, he might be out of jail by now.
It's hard to feel sorry for a guy, though, who locked the cell door himself, then threw away the key.


text:
ACParadise Network: American Cosplay Paradise American Cosplay Experience American Cosplay Snapshots
Cosplayer RuffleButt > Costume of Flonne (Disgaea)
- Most Recent Photo
- 07-10-2010
- Series
- Disgaea
- Character
- Flonne
- Year Completed:
- Construction Difficulty:
- Easy
- Costume made by
- Kairi G
About this Costume
- Construction Details:
I DID NOT MAKE THIS COSTUME I borrowed it from KairiG to wear it to ANext. Please visit her gallery for information on this costume!
Add a Comment


text:
Tigers interested in veteran closers
Team exploring market, keeping tabs on Rodney, Lyon
By Jason Beck / MLB.com
Quite the opposite, actually. Team officials would like one, and they're expanding their search after Fernando Rodney and Brandon Lyon turned down arbitration offers late Monday night. The Tigers remain interested in bringing one of them back, but they're preparing as if both of them will move on.
Whether it's Lyon, Rodney or someone else, the Tigers are hoping to have a veteran reliever.
"It doesn't have to be now," team president/general manager Dave Dombrowski said. "We didn't sign Brandon Lyon [last winter] until late January, but ideally we'd like to have somebody [experienced] out there, yes."
By adding potential future closer Daniel Schlereth from Arizona and lefty Phil Coke from the Yankees, Detroit further bolstered a group of young relievers that Dombrowski already praised for its potential depth. Ryan Perry was already expected to compete for a setup role next spring, while similar hard-throwing righties Cody Satterwhite and Robbie Weinhardt could crack the big leagues later in the season after getting more seasoning at Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo.
Add in lefty Fu-Te Ni, still-young Zach Miner and a potentially healthy Joel Zumaya, and Detroit's bullpen has the chance to be very deep, very soon. That doesn't, however, mean that any of the names listed are going to take over the late innings completely quite yet.
When asked Monday about procuring an established closer, Dombrowski suggested the Tigers could go a different route. On Tuesday, Dombrowski confirmed team officials were talking with more veteran arms, as well as maintaining contact with Rodney and Lyon.
"Both of them were looking for multi-year deals," Dombrowski said. "They made that clear. We continue to have interest in them, but I'm also sure that they want to explore what's out there, and that's what they're doing. We continue to talk to them and are interested in them."
Whether the Tigers would be willing to offer a multi-year deal just became an interesting question. A trade of Granderson and Jackson will open up payroll space, allowing some much-needed flexibility to address needs. However, it also gives Detroit yet another closing option for the very near future.
The rest of the market is an interesting mix of candidates, and the Tigers are exploring. A FOXSports.com report listed Detroit among clubs interested in free agent J.J. Putz, a trade target of the Tigers last year before the Mariners traded their former closer to the Mets. Any interest would be relatively new; Detroit hadn't so much as talked with Putz's agent as of last week.
Detroit also was reportedly among a handful of teams with early interest in former Cubs closer Kevin Gregg.
"We did talk to a couple people, yes, once we knew that they were not accepting arbitration for sure," Dombrowski said. "Now, we continue to have interest in [Rodney and Lyon], but we also have to start doing our homework. In case they go to other places, we have to be prepared."
Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
Kai Ryssdal: So, how're you feelin' about things? Attitude Check is what we call our partnership with Gallup, a chance to figure out what Americans are really thinking.
Today, it's confidence -- economic confidence. Frank Newport is Gallup's editor in chief. Frank, good to talk to you again.
Frank Newport: Good to be with you.
Ryssdal: Let me ask you the holiday question first, and consumers, since that's top of mind for a lot of people these days: Do we know, or what do we know, about how consumers are feeling right now?
Newport: Well, our measures all look to a more positive situation right now as we head toward Christmas, we've got several different things we look at. Economic confidence we track daily, that's consumer confidence, and that's more positive now, it's edging up. We actually ask Americans how much you're going to spend for Christmas -- we've been doing that for a number of years. And that measure -- by the way, that number is $756, if you want to know the exact amount, that's what people are going to spend on average.
Ryssdal: Wow, really? I don't think I'm spending that much. But anyway.
Newport: Well, you're below --
Ryssdal: I'm below average, that is right. I'll say it so you don't have to, but anyway.
Newport: All right. But that's actually comparatively slightly up from where it was last year, with $686, and actually we have to go back to '07 to find a estimate of spending that is this high. So that indicator shows us that we're looking at a little more retail activity than we did last year.
Ryssdal: Let me spin off some questions that we asked small businesses yesterday about uncertainty and how they're feeling given everything that's going on in Washington and Congress. What do you know about how people are feeling about what's happening in Congress? Or more accurately, what's not happening in Congress?
Newport: We know in general that this year, 2011, will be recognized, Kai, as the year that Americans basically lost all faith on anything that goes on in Washington. I could go on and on with the list of record-low evaluations of Congress -- and most recent this week, 11 percent approval rating for Congress. Lowest in Gallup history, going back to 1974. So what they're doing this week here is basically the kind of thing that's led to these low ratings, and that is failure to compromise -- Americans want compromise -- and we think it could have a real impact not only on views of Congress, but views of the economy as well, because we saw that earlier this year.
Ryssdal: Spin that out a little bit: I mean, for a long time, voters have been more worried about the economy than anything else. Do I hear you saying that's not true?
Newport: No, that's still true. Sixty-four percent of Americans say the most important problem facing the country is something relating to the economy. That's actually down a little from November, so that's a little more positive news about the economy. But what's replaced it? Well we're now up to as high as we've seen, at least by a couple of points, of Americans saying the biggest problem facing the country is the government.
Ryssdal: Huh.
Newport: So the government is there as a real issue, and again -- we saw it this summer -- the economic confidence dropped almost 20 points between June and August last summer, and one of the factors we think was the debt ceiling debate.
Ryssdal: And this of course happens as Iowa goes to the polls on the 3rd of January. Or goes to the caucuses, I guess.
Newport: Yeah, the caucuses. We don't know for sure whether or not this heated election environment that's going to really get hot starting with Iowa and then New Hampshire, is going to affect economic confidence, but we're looking very carefully to see if what's going on in Washington now, whether or not that's going to derail what we see as a more positive trend in consumer confidence.
Ryssdal: And we'll have you back to talk about it. Frank Newport, the editor in chief of Gallup. Our partnership with them is called Attitude Check. Frank, thanks a lot.
Newport: You bet.


text:
My Nonprofit Reviews
Review for Donate Life California, San Diego, CA, USA
*I was not a donor but I am from the donor side of the family*
My husband Ed Schanz died at the young age of 54 years old on September 30th, 2012 of SHA,(subarachnoid hemorrhage) to many who don't know what that is it's a Aneurysm. He was declared brain dead on 9-29-2012, my family & I knew it would only be right to allow others to live through him. So we all decided as a family to donate his organs. To date this is what we know:
**A 67 year old man in WA has my husband's heart, a 34 year old woman has his pancreas, 26 year old man from Utah received his liver and two men in CA received his kidneys if you don't think that one man's death can't save many lives then think again. Just give it a minute and that minute can turn into years of saving a lives like my wonderful husband, father to three, grandfather to three. Thank you for your consideration.
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text:
Wicker Man #2
Updated Jul 15, 2007 by mrs starkers
Comment #1 Sunday, July 15, 2007 6:42 PM
Tell the guy that he's never looked better!��
This is a neat setup, docks, tab work and SMX all looks great with your blind!
As for the "Wicker Dude", tell him that he's going to mess around and MrStarkers is going to kick his butt!����
Great having you back Shaunna, you've brought smiles, warmth and positive energy with you!
Comment #2 Sunday, July 15, 2007 10:34 PM
You made all the elements work together.
Comment #3 Sunday, July 15, 2007 10:54 PM
haunting effect to it , once
again you done good girl !!!
Comment #5 Monday, July 16, 2007 12:10 AM
Comment #6 Monday, July 16, 2007 12:12 AM
Comment #8 Monday, July 16, 2007 4:50 AM
Comment #9 Monday, July 16, 2007 4:50 PM
Comment #10 Monday, July 16, 2007 10:33 PM
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text:
Bosses May Have Hastened Chief's Departure at HarperCollins
By MOTOKO RICH; Timothy Arango contributed reporting from New York.
Published: June 6, 2008
One day after Jane Friedman, the charismatic chief executive of HarperCollins Publishers Worldwide, stunned colleagues and the publishing industry with her abrupt exit, it appeared that she had been nudged out from the top spot at the News Corporation books unit that she had ruled for more than a decade.
Brian Murray, the group president of HarperCollins who was named Ms. Friedman's immediate successor, said that he had been called to a meeting with Rupert Murdoch, the News Corporation's chairman, on Monday and asked to take over Ms. Friedman's post. That was more than two days before a rumor about her departure appeared on Gawker.com and started a scramble to get ahead of the story.
Mr. Murray's account, however, differed from the way Ms. Friedman's departure was described by one person familiar with her situation. This person said that she had discussed leaving the company at a meeting with Mr. Murdoch only on Wednesday. In a statement put out by the News Corporation that night, Ms. Friedman said: ''My 10 years at HarperCollins have been far and away the most rewarding of my career, and so it was not easy to make the decision to step down.''
The statement from the News Corporation came just a few hours after the initial Internet rumor surfaced on Gawker. ''The timeline changed,'' said Erin Crum, a HarperCollins spokeswoman. A News Corporation spokesman declined to comment.
An emotional Ms. Friedman, 62, briefly addressed over 100 staff members at the company's weekly marketing meeting on Thursday, saying it was time to move on, according to several people who were present. In the meeting, Ms. Friedman, a tireless advocate for authors including Michael Crichton, Dennis Lehane and John Grogan, did not indicate her career plans. The staff, at times tearful, gave her standing ovations.
Ms. Friedman's departure comes just two weeks after Peter Olson stepped down as head of Random House, replaced by Markus Dohle, a 39-year-old executive from Random House's German parent company, Bertelsmann.
With the replacement of Ms. Friedman by the 41-year-old Mr. Murray, two of the country's largest publishing houses have had a generational shift in leadership in less than a month.
Ms. Friedman was credited with turning the once-struggling HarperCollins into a powerhouse that generated blockbusters like Rick Warren's ''The Purpose Driven Life'' and John Grogan's ''Marley and Me.'' As at several other publishing houses, HarperCollins's operating profits slipped last year.
Ms. Friedman was also known as being hands-on with authors and as an ebullient presence at countless book parties. ''She was one of the few people at her level that actually does that,'' said Amanda Urban, a literary agent at International Creative Management, who is a close friend.
Ms. Friedman started her career as a Dictaphone typist at Random House and worked her way up to executive vice president of Knopf, when Mr. Murdoch recruited her in 1997. Several publishers within the company were at least comforted that Mr. Murray, a well-liked insider who has worked with Ms. Friedman for her entire tenure at HarperCollins, had been named to succeed her.
The calm and affable Mr. Murray, who ran the company's Australian division from 2001 to 2004, worked closely with Ms. Friedman on digital initiatives and in hiring new heads for several imprints. He was also active in leading the company into China and India.
''I was very fortunate to be able to watch and learn from Jane,'' Mr. Murray said. ''I owe her everything when it comes to what I know about book publishing.''
Ms. Friedman's contract was to expire in November. The person familiar with Ms. Friedman's situation said she had wanted to spend more time with her family and consider her next career move.
Michael Morrison, who was promoted Thursday to president and publisher of the general books division for the United States and Canada, said that for several weeks Ms. Friedman had been ''talking about what the next stage in her life would be.''
Her tenure was not without tension. Late in 2006, Ms. Friedman tangled with Judith Regan, then publisher of the Regan Books imprint, who planned to publish ''If I Did It,'' O. J. Simpson's hypothetical murder confession. Ms. Friedman initially supported the book, but after a public outcry, both she and Mr. Murdoch scrapped it. Ms. Regan was ultimately fired.
Ms. Regan filed a $100 million defamation suit against HarperCollins and Ms. Friedman. Although the suit was settled for eight figures, according to a person familiar with the case, some company insiders wondered Thursday if the episode had hurt Ms. Friedman.
Others brushed it off. ''This has nothing to do with Judith Regan,'' Mr. Morrison said. ''It's such a nonissue.''
PHOTO: Jane Friedman, in her office, was recruited to lead Harper- Collins in 1997. She said Wednesday that she was leaving.(PHOTOGRAPH BY CHESTER HIGGINS JR./THE NEW YORK TIMES)


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Justin Bieber was detained yesterday at LAX upon returning from Asia. U.S. Customs officials held his bodyguards in another room during the interrogation. TMZ claims the questioning is standard for anyone with a criminal record like his. Justin was eventually let go.
(Photo by Peter Kramer/NBC/Getty Images)
Just two months into his new job as Jimmy Fallon's replacement on Late Night, Seth Meyers has been asked to host the 66th Primetime Emmy Awards on NBC on August 25 from Los Angeles' Nokia Theatre.
Miley Cyrus has been discharged from the hospital, finally, after her allergic reaction.
(Photo credit should read ADRIAN SANCHEZ-GONZALEZ/AFP/Getty Images)
TMZ reporting Selena Gomez has turned her back on former BFFs Kendall and Kylie Jenner because she wants to focus on what's really important, music, and thinks the Jenners are nothing but a toxic distraction.
Carrie Underwood made Time magazine's list of the 100 Most Influential People along with Beyoncé and Pope Francis.
There are no some saying Tori Spelling and her husband Dean McDermott faked his affair for ratings. Word is, they lied about him going to rehab and that the woman he allegedly had an affair with doesn't even exist.
(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Tiger Woods, his girlfriend Lindsay Vonn and his ex wife, Elin Nordegren all sitting together at his young son's tee-ball game. Apparently, they all get along GREAT. In fact, Us magazine says after meeting Vonn, Elin found she actually liked her. In fact, Elin loves Lindsay and they talk all the time.
Sean Penn recently bought a three-carat diamond necklace for….Charlize Theron's mom! They were shopping in Beverly Hills when she saw a necklace for $50,000 piece and said her mother "would love it." Two days later, Sean went back and bought the necklace.
Kim and Kanye may build a temporary balcony for their wedding. A source says they plan to marry and will also copy Prince William and Kate Middleton's first public kiss. It'll cost about $300,000 to build it at the site they plan to tie the knot.
(Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon)
Justin Timberlake recently left a $4,100 tip after partying at a German club with his entourage.
CJ Harris was sent home on American Idol.
(Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
MTV has renewed Snookie and JWoww for another season.
A Friday the 13th TV series is in the works.
U. S. Court of Appeals threw out sexual abuse charges against Elmo voice actor Kevin Clash because the charges were outside the statute of limitations. Three men claim he abused them as teens.


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Animals Healthy at Jackson's Ranch, USDA Says
WASHINGTON Rest easy animal lovers: the giraffes, elephants, snakes, monkeys and other assorted wildlife at Michael Jackson's private zoo on his Neverland Valley Ranch in central California are fine.
A surprise inspection at Jackson's ranch found animals there in good health, a spokesman for the U.S. Agriculture Department said Wednesday.
The inspection was prompted by concerns voiced by the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, known as PETA.
"We conducted a surprise inspection on Dec. 21, I believe, regarding a complaint that we received from PETA. And our veterinary medical officer found the animals were in good health," USDA spokesman Darby Holladay said. "There are no violations of the Animal Welfare Act."
PETA urged the inspection, citing a report by Fox News suggesting that animals at Jackson's ranch might be suffering from lack of food and care.
"We're pleased that they (USDA inspectors) did go out there but still feel cautious about this situation because the regulations that the USDA enforces are minimum, and I emphasize minimum," PETA spokeswoman Lisa Wathne said by telephone. "In cases where they declare that there are no violations of the Animal Welfare Act, animals can still be languishing in really abysmal conditions."
Wathne said PETA planned to urge the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to investigate the status of any endangered species at the ranch, notably an African elephant and possibly an orangutan.
Jackson was acquitted of sex-abuse charges last June and is currently living in Bahrain in the Middle East.
Source: Reuters
Contact Info:


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Beachfront Bliss
Steps from the ocean, with top restaurants in walking distance
Vacation in the heart of the action at our Super 8 Daytona Beach Oceanfront hotel. We are located right on the sparkling beach and just blocks from fabulous restaurants, bars, live entertainment, and the games and rides of the boardwalk. We are minutes from family-friendly fun like the water rides at Daytona Lagoon and baseball at the Jackie Robinson Ballpark.


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NAIPR Message
Continental Aggregation
- From: Yakov Rekhter (yakov at CISCO.COM)
- Date: Wed Jul 9 13:16:50 EDT 1997
- Next message (by thread): Mr. Geist
- Previous message (by thread): Continental Aggregation
Thomas, > > Some would argue that it is not broken, and simply replacing > > v4 with v6 will simply introduce a probelm in this regard > > (or amplify the problem, if you believe one exists). > > And others would argue differently. For instance: Of course... > 1) IPv4's current state of poor aggregability has a lot to do with > legacy addresses that were handed out long ago before the need for > CIDR-like aggregability was well understood. IPv6 starts with a clean > slate, so addresses can be allocated more sanely from the start. > > How many prefixes would be in the DFZ today if we could renumber every > site? I see - your solution to site renumbering is to transition to IPv6. Certainly one possible option. But certainly not the only one possible. And unlikely to be most cost effective either. However, one could certainly use a nuke to kill a fly... :-) > 3) Some members of this list argue that *is* possible to renumber > sites. This is not the matter of arguments - it is a matter of fact. > In fact, the continued success of IPv4 appears to depend on > this. IPv6 is likely to make it even easier (though still not > trivial) for end sites to renumber than in IPv4. This means v6 may be > better able to maintain aggregability into the future. Explain to me how IPv6 would make it *noticeably* easier, as compared to a host running Win95 (or for that matter OS/2 that as far as I know implements DHCP and Dynamic DNS Updates). Yakov.


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If you could buy a property in the Alps, where would you buy and why? Let's say you like xc mtb, skiing and canoeing... Not so keen on crowds and glitz...
Bike Forum
Cross country alpine biking base in the Alps
Superb ski area, stunning summer high alpine trails but still a big town so supermarkets are not bonkers expensive. 40 minutes down the road and you're in Innsbruck another hour and you can be in Salzburg or Munich.
Oh and o/h is fluent in German. We have plans to go for a year when bambino_fiat is about three.
Bourg st Maurice, France. Nice little town with all of the above.
+1 for BSM
Bourg? Crowds in summer? Not so much (other than brits on mountain bike holidays).
Winter? It feeds straight into Les Arcs / La Plagne, is spitting distance from La Rosiere (and therefore La Thuile) and St Foy. Winter will most definitely not be quiet in BSM!
If you like paddling then Briancon always seems to be full of the buggers when I go through, skiing nearby, lots of ice climbing and I'm sure there are bike trails galore.
I love Bourg. The Super U is my spiritual home.
Bourg also has an International white water course for paddlers and loads of XC stuff , as opposed to "Alpine" stuff that you get in Morzine or Les Gets (though it has some of that too!)
Briancon and south towards Roche de Ram/Embrun Plenty of smaller ski stations, loads of white water and decent riding
Barcellonette, pretty much as above as well
Vinschgau in South Tyrol... he most hours of sunshine in the Northern Alps. right next to Mern - a lovely town with nice shops, bars and restaurants, 45 mins from Bozen, 1,5hr to Innsbruck.
snow line rarely reaches below 1000m in winter meaning the you can always ride up a few hundred metres to the trails. surrounded by 3000ers with some awesome skiing both on and off piste.
some fantastic local wines and lots of apples.
wouldn't choose Mayrhofen personally. some good trails, but you're technically not allowed to ride many of them due to the high number of walkers and the valley gets too much snow in the winter months. plus the traffic going either in or out of the valley on weekends is horrendous.
Do you think a place in Bourg would be rentable to tourists?
Maria Alm in Austria, 15 minutes from Leogang and plenty of XC around.
Vinschgau does look ace though!
You can definitely rent a place in Bourg, Many do
Would anyone here choose to holiday in Bourg or would you rather be properly in the mountains? Eg les arc or morzine
Serre Chevalier.
@sambuka - would I stay in BSM ? In summer possibly, in winter no as I'd want to be in a resort.
Chamonix is the ultimate summer and winter alpine playground.
Of you can handle swiss prices somewhere below Verbier, Les Chables or possibly Buson. Summer water sports a bit lacking unless you include Lake Geneva
In summer, I would rather be in Bourg than up in Les Arcs. 1600, 1800 et al, are all a bit quiet in the evenings.
Topic Closed
This topic has been closed to new replies.


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If you want to quickly encrypt any text on iOS 9 iPhone it can be possible with new jailbreak tweak known as Crypto. The tweak allows you to easily encrypt any text on the fly, making it impossible for anyone without a password to read your information. The tweak utilizes a 256-bit encryption algorithm that only someone using Crypto can read. Not only does this keep information on your own jailbroken iPhone safe from anyone who picks it up, but you can actually send your encrypted text over to someone else via Facebook Messenger, iMessage, WhatsApp, or anything else and the other user will be able to unlock it as long as they're also a Crypto user. If you send it to someone who isn't a Crypto user, they won't be able to unlock the text.
How To Encrypt Any Text In iOS 9
Step 1. In order to quickly encrypt any text on iOS 9 iPhone download Crypto from Cydia's BigBoss repository for only $1.99. The tweak supports all jailbroken iOS 9 devices. Once downloaded install it on your device.
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As you can see on the screenshot above the short sentence has been converted to a random group of nonsense characters, numbers, and symbols.
Step 3. To decrypt text that has been encrypted by Crypto, you'll just select the text again, tap right in the Action Menu again until you see the Decrypt button, and then you'll tap on it. You'll be asked to enter your Crypto password to see the text. (Even your password is encrypted, so it's not easily stolen, and you can change your password at any time). When you do, click on OK:
After you've decrypted the text, it returns to its normal readable form. So if security is something that is really important for you then Crypto tweak will keep your personal info in safe.


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Yesterday an entertaining enough day of baseball for everyone?
In four postseason games, we saw a ninth-inning, benches-clearing incident in Detroit; a near no-hitter by 22-year-old Michael Wacha (who came within an out of a no-hitter against the Nationals in his last start prior to yesterday); a walk-off homer that staved off elimination for the Rays; and a series-clinching homer in the bottom of the eighth that sent the Dodgers to the National League Championship Series and sent the Braves home for the offseason.
I mean, my goodness. Postseason baseball is intense under normal circumstances. But we got four dramatic, tight ballgames with huge swings of emotion from one side to the other, and we got it all in one day.
Hope you all had work hours/significant others that allowed you to watch as much of that as possible yesterday. And here's a random note many of you might enjoy, courtesy of ESPN Stats and Information: the Braves have now lost six straight division series appearances.
Yesterday morning, I wrote about Denard Span's 2013 season and how he was able to bounce back from a tough first four months to finish with a bang. Span was, of course, one of the Nationals' major acquisitions last offseason, coming over in a trade with the Twins that sent right-handed pitching prospect Alex Meyer to Minnesota.
The Span trade didn't just give the Nats their center fielder and leadoff hitter, but it also played a part in bumping Michael Morse out of a spot in D.C. With Span aboard, joining Bryce Harper and Jayson Werth, the Nats had their three starting outfielders, and once Adam LaRoche was brought back on a two-year, $24 million deal, Morse was expendable.
In mid-January, eight days after LaRoche re-signed with the Nats, Morse was shipped to the Mariners as part of a three-team deal that brought right-handed pitching prospect A.J. Cole, left-handed reliever Ian Krol and right-hander Blake Treinen to the Nats.
In an effort to evaluate the two trades made last winter, let's assess how all those pieces fared this season.
Players Received by the Nats:
Span: .279/.327/.380 with four homers, 11 triples, 28 doubles, 47 RBIs and 20 SBs in 153 games
Krol: 2-1, 3.95 ERA, 1.317 WHIP, 22 Ks, eight BBs in 32 MLB games (27 1/3 innings)
Cole (split between Single-A Potomac and Double-A Harrisburg): 10-5, 3.60 ERA, 151 Ks, 33 BBs in 25 starts (142 2/3 innings)
Treinen (between short-season Single-A Auburn and Harrisburg): 6-7, 3.47 ERA, 93 Ks, 33 BBs in 23 games/22 starts (124 2/3 innings)
Players Sent by the Nats:
Morse (split between Mariners and Orioles): .215/.270/.381 with 13 homers, 13 doubles, 27 RBIs in 88 games
Meyer (split between Gulf Coast League and Double-A): 4-3, 2.99 ERA, 100 Ks, 32 BBs in 16 starts (78 1/3 innings)
The first thing that jumps out at me when looking at those numbers is that Morse's slugging percentage was just a single point higher than Span's this season. This from the same Michael Morse who slugged .550 with the Nats back in 2011. Remarkable.
Despite the low numbers and the numerous injuries that Morse battled this season (fractured pinkie, strained quad, wrist) that limited him to 312 at-bats all year, many Nats fans still seemed frustrated by the team's decision to move Morse instead of keeping him around.
Part of that frustration likely has to do with LaRoche's sub-par season. I get that. But especially given the way Morse struggled in 2013, both production-wise and health-wise, I don't really see how some can still argue with the decision to deal him away last winter.
Morse was, after all, entering the last season of his contract with the Nats. They could have held onto him and used him as a fourth outfielder/backup first baseman after LaRoche was brought back, but that role would've provided minimal playing time for an established player who was used to playing every day. Plus, Tyler Moore was expected to fill that reserve role, and coming off a strong 2012, the Nats felt he would be in for a big 2013.
Instead, general manager Mike Rizzo used Morse to replenish the farm system with three arms, including Cole - a former Nats prospect who re-established his stock with a strong 2013 - and Krol, who excelled early in his big league tenure before fading late.
We obviously don't know which of the pitching prospects in these trades will end up having more long-term success, and so, like with all trades involving prospects, we'll need a few years to be able to fully evaluate things. Meyer appears to be slightly more highly-regarded than Cole at this point, although Meyer did deal with a shoulder injury this season, and those are always scary for pitchers.
I saw these two trades as smart moves for the Nats at the time, and I still do today. They gave up a promising power righty in Meyer, but got back an excellent defender in Span who made a major offensive impact down the stretch, then spun one year of Morse into three pitching prospects, a couple of whom could have a pretty high ceiling.
What about you; how did you feel about the trades when they were first made, and how do you feel about them today?


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DAYTONA, Fla. - The Daytona 500 race officially kicks off at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 24., but the day is full of activities at the International Speedway beforehand.
- The Kids Area is open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- A number of Guided Garage Tours are being offered for fans from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
- At 10 a.m., country music star Justin Moore will be playing live at the Crown Royal Display in Midway.
- The official trophy procession to Pit Road will begin at 11:20 a.m.
- Official driver introductions start at 12:40 p.m., but drivers will be periodically making appearances before the race throughout the day.
For more information on the day's events, head to the Daytona International Speedway's official website.
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