text:
"This is such a pretty little card. I love the quality of the paper and printing. Impeccable service and products every time I have used Tiny prints. The only thing I don't like is the logo on the back..."
"These cards have a nice weight to them. The design is adorable without being too cutesy. My nine year old was thrilled with her new stationery."
"Easily edited for personalization. We had used the same design for shower invitations so the theme was carried out, but they could certainly stand on their own."
"This is a simple yet very sweet card. Would make a lovely gift for any girl/woman. I chose black ink for the text, which is a nice contrast to the pink."
"This is a very pretty note card and can be used for any occasion: thank you, hello note, and any short note of correspondence - timeless!"


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Where are you guys getting your purple uplights!? Any inspiration pics?
Where are you guys getting your purple uplights!? Any inspiration pics?
(23) Comments
I asked about the same question awhile back and "2dBride" answered with this:
"You can get the PAR36 PIN SPOTS with bulbs for $12.35 each at:
The gels for them are $1.50 each at: http://www.bulbamerica.com/Par-36-Color-Cups-3338-cat.htm "
I've been thinking of ordering approx. 9 of them for my venue. How about you? If you're comfortable with it we could work out a deal to split the cost. My wedding is in Sept of '10. I'd be glad to pay half plus postage.
im also interested in this!
Yes! This sounds like a great idea!! I would totally go in on these!! :)
So could we just get the blue and red gels to create a purple effect!?
me too!! mydate is sept 4,2010 ... is anyone at the end of the month and we can split costs??
Mine is June 19! So I could definitely purchase them... go in with whoever wants to and send them on their way the week after my wedding!
Im on Sept 10th 2010. I would love to split these. Anyone that is interested in this should post their locations and date so we could figure out how to ship appropriately and with a timeline.
are these pinspots or uplights? is there a difference?
I'm soooo interested! My date is August 7th 2010 and we live in Whitttier, CA but location is in Huntington Beach, CA. Yay! =)
@Heidsmu33 - see my profile for inspiration pictures of uplighting.
Do they plug into a socket or are battery operated? my wedding is outdoors just wondering how much electrical stuff I need
I just did a post about uplighting: http://www.projectwedding.com/biography/list/pghbride2010/uplighting
and have we figured out a timeline? I think first, how many do you need?
I think I will need 12-15 ...
In answer to msmoody....yes they require electricity. The standard, traditional uplights use much more than the newer LED uplights. LED's are pricey. Trad uplights are hot to the touch..LED's are safe to have on the floor around children. Unfortunately, most of us desiring uplights in this thread have weddings scheduled in September (myself included). It will be difficult if not impossible to share a timeline without at least a 3 to 4 week window between weddings. Just my thoughts....
hey you guys, I just got mine from this site:
I ordered 6 sets (so 12 total) for $178 on tues and they come in the mail today. AND THE BULBS WERE INCLUDED!!!
Just an FYI, I talked to the guy on the phone and he was super nice in helping me get the right ones. They dont have all purple gels so im still on the hunt for those.
I would be interested in sharing, too. My wedding is July 17, 2010.
I got my uplights a few weeks ago-------- LOVE THEM. Def recommend them
amanda if you have the chance could you post a couple pics when you get gels? I wanna buy, but kinda scared!
Question: For those of you who posted lights and links above... how are you using them? They look like they need to attach to something, like a bar or something?? Do they stand up on their own?
Has anyone looked into renting lights? I know the event decor places around here rent uplights. I think the cost I saw at one place was $10 a light, but I'm not sure. (Hopefully that would include delivery & pick up too!)
I know I don't want to buy a ton of lights, then figure out what to do with them after the wedding!
@tsahdesigns - I looked into renting the pinspots. They have em for 8 bucks a piece at a rental store in my town - so i think I will rent about 10 of those. And then I bought 2 par56 cans with wide flood lights that I will use behind the head table and on the wall at the other end of the venue. Will probably put 5 pinspots on each of the other 2 walls.. :)
I somehow ran into this bio on DIY uplighting and it is awesome! I know a few people posted about finding purple gel inserts to make the uplights give off a purple glow. I haven't found any purple gels yet, but I saw a post in the trash to treasure forum.
The bride used blue gel sheets and a low watt light inside the par cans. The lower the wattage of the light bulb the more purple the light looked. I'm teaching overseas right now so I haven't had the chance to check it out yet but I plan on doing it as soon as I get home. If anyone gets a chance to try it out let me know if it works or not!
Best of luck!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
I wear small neoprene half sock, can get them through a dive shop...
they are great
Type: Posts; User: beachkat; Keyword(s):
I wear small neoprene half sock, can get them through a dive shop...
they are great
I wear Pod 2s.... awesome, comfy. got em on here:
they live there we don't
and this is on a surf forum?
is it swollen? if so do nothing but ice. I've had 4 knee surgeries.......... biking is what I rehabed with, but minimal time (on a stationary bike, about 5 minutes to start) with correct seat...
for custom boards from Hawaii: ( I had one made, was reasonable including shipping....)
also I like Pod 2 fins....totally comfortable, had the same...
This thread sounds like "baby baby stick your head in gravy"......who cares what anyone surfs on..It's all for the same reason and the stoke is the same...
I find Pilates helps me ...tried yoga but with a herniated and bulging discs too much bending in a forward or downward U shape was not good for my back at all so yoga did not work for me. (also put...
Because it keeps me sane..and I need to be in
how does one know, what are the symptoms? where is the pin point area please? Just starting to feel a hip thing which I've not felt before ......outside of hip right under bone. thanks.
One shorty, gently used, 30.00
One 3/2 like new Body Glove, liquid taped, paid 300.00 (still have sales receipt) will sell for 175.00
will send a photo if interested, Long Island location.
I have the Pods. love em. very comfortable, does the trick.
custom body boards,, had one made from him... check it out
you are an ass
gee hope you never get injured where you couldn't surf and had to find another option... one day, one never knows, that foot or knee injury is just around the corner.
Mixed feelings about hurricanes after last two years in Long Beach
I'm with you
truly asinine.... (to be punny)
been to Tortola three years in a row for a week, and never were there 4 days in a row with a consistent size, it varied quite a bit in size and conditions.... hard to know what you will get. I went...
you should wear ear plugs
i think the break has changed, it seems to have a reform inside and then breaks on the beach... or way outside, falling off.. for today where they are saying fair to good conditions, I see no one ...
yes I have the full body one, and wear it under my 6.5.4 and can stay in long in winter... easy to get suit off as well.... also have the one with hood as said on thread for extra under anything...
Hyperflex Thermal Layering Poly Fleece Hot Socks
I have them thin enough to wear in any bootie etc... helps getting the wetsuit and bootie off also, besides adding another layer of warmth....
I got 7mm socks from a dive shot, not a surfing boot, and still (just) fit into my fins summer and/or winter, though most people have to go up a fin size. I always wear a sock from a 1mm to a 3mm to...
it's only Monday, it will change alot before Sunday. I more intrigued with the high winds they seem to project...


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text:
My 86 mazda has started to run pretty rough. It acts like its missing. I checked the Coil and it appeared to be bad as he was putting out a orange spark instead of a blue one so I replace it.The Plugs and wires have been recently replaced before this happen and it was running pretty good then. There is some but not alot of loss of power. My MPG had really took a dip too. I am leaning towards ignition issue that I have not found yet but not sure.I do have a exhaust leak some where on the manifold would it cause it to run rough?Right now my car sound like a Volkswagen bug the air-cooled version.Any help would be appreciated.
Have you checked the plugs? That can give you a very good clue.
1 recommendation
An exhaust leak can burn valves just like a vacuum leak can and either will cause a very rough idle. Time to look at the plugs and run a compression test and also repair all leaks found.--Whats the point of owning a supercar if you cant scare yourself stupid from time to time?
"I do have a exhaust leak some where on the manifold would it cause it to run rough?"If the O2 sensor has the wrong reading it can affect the fuel mixture going to the engine. Usually it will cause a Check Engine indication.A clogged catalyst will also cause the wheezing you are describing.
Unfortunately this car does not have a check engine light wish it did sometimes.Yeah I really don't want any burnt valves its hard enough to get parts for the old car. My wifes grandmother had regular check ups on the the car before I got it and i have been doing my best to keep her running. Was planing on looking and the Plugs and find that exhaust leak if the weather will warm up. Wish I had a enclosed garage.
Unfortunately this car does not have a check engine light wish it did sometimes.
Just because the spark plugs are new doesn't mean one didn't go bad. I had a spark plug die at 12,000 miles in a brand new car.If it runs rough at idle, disconnect the plugs one at a time and see if any do not have a detrimental effect. That may help narrow-down the problem.For that matter, make sure the spark plugs aren't loose.
In addition to the spark plug suggestions made by others,What wires did you put on?Name brand or value brand?I have only found NGK or OE Mazda wires to be any good.If you have a compression gauge, why not do a compression test while the plugs are out. If possible please attach a clear photo of the business end of the plugs.Does the car use any oil? If it has been using oil for a while, then I would be more than a little concerned that you have a compression issue - this is an OLD car.--The talented hawk speaks French.
You mention plugs and wires, what about cap and rotor? I cannot believe well maybe a car from '86 made it this far with original dist cap.What is the actual make and model of the vehicle?
what about cap and rotor?
Just fyi this car does not have points. It is fuel injected plus it has a computer in it. The Cap and rotor has been replaced just I don't know when. My wife's grandmother really took care of the car and had it serviced by the book.It had sat for a while cause she was getting to that age where she did not need to drive so I she gave it to me.i have found the exhaust leak and it appears the manifold gasket had gone bad so I am waiting for one to get in from the parts house and that won't be till Thursday. Gota love the holidays.The car in question is a 1986 Mazda 626 non turbo with stick shift. It is the last year that model was made in Japan and shipped to the US. '87 and on was made in the US.The reason why I change plugs and wires, the wire leading form the coil to the distributor had gone bad. The Plugs I didn't like what they had in there which was Bosch so I put NGK's back in it when I did the car ran like a champ. Like she was brand new. It won't be till after Thursday that I will update do to having to wait on a part.Its getting harder and harder to find parts for it in stock with out having to order it.
Granny had a stick-shift? I'm impressed!
Granny had a stick-shift? I'm impressed!
if it was automatic it would not be running today. From what I am told the automatic versions would die around 60k miles.
I have worked on many of these cars in the past and have seen many things go wrong with them. After rereading your original post, have you tried doing a compression check, or cylinder leak test make sure head gasket and valves are ok? Has the timing chain ever been replaced or checked? Car this old could be anything, even a possibly a cat starting to go bad.
yes the timing belt has been replaced. Found the old one in the trunk and it had look pretty good. After I get the exhuast manifold gasket replace and that won't happen till the stupid part gets in on Thursday. I could go to one of the dealers in town to see if they have the part but they love to charge you a arm , leg and kidney for their parts.Oh and Merry Xmas.
I have worked on many of these cars in the past and have seen many things go wrong with them. After rereading your original post, have you tried doing a compression check, or cylinder leak test make sure head gasket and valves are ok? Has the timing chain ever been replaced or checked? Car this old could be anything, even a possibly a cat starting to go bad.


text:
Go With It - Tokimonsta feat. MNDR
Tags: tokimonsta mndr listen go with it
Go With It - Tokimonsta feat. MNDR
Take Me To Church - Hozier
Oh Sailor - Mr Little Jeans
You & Me - Disclosure (Flume remix)
How Ya Feel - Karma
Shigeto - Ringleader
The second single from No Better Time Than Now, Shigeto's full length out August 19th/20th on Ghostly International.
'I said I miss you, missing you insane
but if I got with you, would it be the same…'
I miss you - Jeni (Beyonce/Frank Ocean)
Tongue - Maribou State feat. Holly Walker
Studio 89 Podcast with Craig Smith (6th Borough Project)
Put on dancing shoes.
Praise You - Fatboy Slim (Maribou State Remix)
If OnlyThe Time - Lay-Far (Preview)
Cloud Boat -Youthern (Flako Remix)


text:
Bowling for Chumps
How insiders use the college bowl system to loot American universities
Since it was founded in 2004 by a couple of PayPal employees, Yelp has grown exponentially, featuring reviews of restaurants and other businesses written by users. But beginning last year, reports began to surface of Yelp employees pressuring businesses to buy "memberships" or see negative r ... More >>
Rob Harvilla on The Roots, hip-hop's favorite live backup and Jimmy Fallon's house band. Tim Elfrink and Jesse Hyde on how Guantanamo's custodians are coping with their mission and prisoners in the infamous prison's last days. Scott Foundas calls the new Harrison Ford vehicle, Wayne Kramer's Cross ... More >>


text:
During the development of multi-cellular organisms, cells communicate with each other to orchestrate the complex mechanisms that lead to the formation of tissues and organs. Of particular importance is signaling through members of the highly conserved family of Wnt proteins, which are secreted, lipid modified signaling proteins that can act as short-range signaling molecules, but also as long-range morphogens that form concentration gradients to provide positional information to cells in developing tissues. A major focus of our current research is to determine how the lipid-modified Wnt protein is secreted and released from Wnt producing cells and how this process impacts on its ability to spread in the tissue. We address this question using genetic and cell biological approaches in the nematode C. elegans.
About the research
Key publications
de Groot, R.E., Ganji, R.S., Bernatik, O., Lloyd-Lewis, B., Seipel, K., Sedova, K., Zdrahal, Z., Dhople, V.M., Date, T., Korswagen, H.C.* and Bryja, V.* (2014) Huwe1-mediated ubiquitylation of Dvl defines a novel negative feedback loop in the Wnt signaling pathway. Science Signaling 7: ra26 . *Joint senior/corresponding authors. See also: Science Signaling Podcast
Ji, N., Middelkoop, T.C., Mentink, R.A., Betist, M.C., Tonegawa, S., Mooijman, D., Korswagen, H.C.* and van Oudenaarden, A* (2013) Feedback control of gene expression variability in the Caenorhabditis elegans Wnt pathway. Cell 155: 869-880. *Joint senior/corresponding authors. See also: Cell video abstract
Harterink, M., Port, F., Lorenowicz, M., McGough, I., Silhankova, M., Betist, M., van Weering, J., van Heesbeen, R., Middelkoop, T., Basler, K., Cullen, P., Korswagen, H.C. (2011) A SNX3-dependent Retromer pathway mediates retrograde transport of the Wnt sorting receptor Wntless and is required for Wnt secretion. Nature Cell Biol. 13:914-923. See also:News & Views Highlight in EMBO J
Yang, P.T., Lorenowicz, M., Silhankova, M., Coudreuse, D.Y.M., Betist, M.C., Korswagen, H.C. (2008) Wnt signaling requires retromer dependent recycling of MIG-14/Wls in Wnt producing cells. Dev. Cell 14: 140-147.
Coudreuse, D.Y.M., Roel, G., Betist, M.C., Destree, O., Korswagen, H.C. (2006) Wnt gradient formation requires retromer function in Wnt producing cells. Science 312: 921-924.
Essers, M.A., de Vries-Smits, L.M.M., Barker, N., Polderman, P.E., Burgering, B.M.T., Korswagen, H.C. (2005) Functional interaction between beta-catenin and FOXO in oxidative stress signaling. Science 308: 1181-1184.
Publication list


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U.S. stocks were trading mixed Monday, as the Dow Jones Industrial Average recently lost 21 points to 14526, the Standard & Poor's climbed 2.4 points to 1558, and the Nasdaq Composite rose 16 points to 3222. Among the companies with shares actively trading in Monday's session are Microsoft Corp. (MSFT), Biogen Idec Inc. (BIIB) and Halliburton Co. (HAL).
Activist hedge fund Valueact is expected to reveal Monday that it has taken a $2 billion stake in Microsoft ($31.01, +$1.25, +4.18%), making it one of the software company's "top five" shareholders, CNBC reported. Valueact is coming in as a "fundamental investor" and typically owns shares of companies it targets for a long period of time, the report said.
Biogen ($216.00, +$12.73, +6.26%) is off to a running start in the launch of its new multiple sclerosis drug Tecfidera. With sales of $700,000 in its second week on the market, Tecfidera is performing better than a competing drug from Novartis (NVS, $72.01, -$0.43, -0.59%), which didn't hit that sales figure until its 13th week, Baird says. Biogen had invested heavily in sales and marketing ahead of the launch, which appears to be paying off. "This unprecedented...growth is likely reflective of the very high awareness with both physicians and patients," RBC Capital Markets said.
Halliburton ($39.07, +$1.86, +5.00%) swung to a loss in the first quarter due to a $637 million increase in reserves for litigation involving the Deepwater Horizon disaster, although adjusted earnings and revenue topped expectations and the company predicted margins would strengthen as the year progresses.
Other Stocks to Watch:
B/E Aerospace Inc.'s (BEAV, $60.69, +$1.81, +3.07%) first-quarter earnings rose 31% and topped consensus estimates as the aircraft-products maker continued to benefit from the delivery of new aircraft.
Caterpillar Inc. (CAT, $82.57, +$2.14, +2.66%) on Monday said its first-quarter profit fell 45% and it trimmed its full-year guidance because of a steep decline in mining-equipment sales and lower demand for the company's earth-moving equipment.
Harmonic Inc. (HLIT, $5.88, +$0.37, +6.72%) said its board has approved a tender offer to buy back up to $100 million of its stock at a premium and has also named a new chairman.
LG Display Co. (LPL, $13.82, +$0.49, +3.68%) (034220.SE) swung to a net profit in the first quarter as tablet screen sales to Apple Inc. (AAPL, $395.50, +$4.97, +1.27%) increased, and analysts said the South Korean display maker's fortunes this year will be closely tied to demand for the U.S. company's gadgets.
Deutsche Bank Securities raised its target price and expectations for Meredith Corp.'s (MDP, $38.30, +$1.45, +3.92%) third-quarter per-share earnings on the belief that the company's magazine advertising trends have turned positive in May and that it is controlling costs in broadcast.
Pollution-control company Met-Pro Corp. (MPR, $13.32, +$3.72, +38.75%) agreed to be acquired by peer CECO Environmental Corp. (CECE, $10.59, -$0.53, -4.80%) in a $210 million cash-and-stock deal. The deal works out to about $13.75 a share for Met-Pro, $7.25 a share in cash and $6.50 a share in stock.
B. Riley upgraded Netflix Inc. (NFLX, $172.49, +$9.12, +5.58%) to neutral with a $165 price target--up from $90--to reflect a possible rally should Monday's earnings again improve over the previous quarter's profit. B. Riley--which previously had Netflix at sell--warned, however, that any post-earnings rally should be a short-term move, so "investors are best served to get out of the way."
Homebuilder NVR Inc. (NVR, $944.00, -$62.13, -6.18%) broadly missed Wall Street expectations in the first quarter, with homebuilding revenue coming in at $90 million, or 11%, below consensus. Orders increased a miserly--as far as the sector goes--11% and NVR's cancellation rate increased markedly.
Swiss power and automation technology company ABB Ltd. (ABB, $21.19, -$0.23, -1.08%) agreed to acquire Power-One Inc. (PWER, $6.35, +$2.31, +57.05%), a maker of power-supply products, in a $1.03 billion deal. ABB will pay roughly $6.35 a share for Power-One.
North America containerboard producers have gone ahead with a previously announced $50/ton price increase, industry publication Pulp & Paper Week reported, which is helping give the sector's plateaued shares a lift. Containerboard stocks were very strong after November's bottom amid the hopes of companies being able to push higher prices onto customers. Consolidation has helped to limit supply and prompt some price-and-production discipline, noted Barclays, which believes investors were only anticipating some $30 of the containerboard increase. The likes of Rock-Tenn Co. (RKT, $89.47, +$3.06, +3.54%) and International Paper Co. (IP, $46.99, +$1.32, +2.89%) are each up about 3%.
Six Flags Entertainment Corp. (SIX, $75.09, +$3.84, +5.39%) narrowed its first-quarter loss as the theme-park operator reported a 41% leap in attendance. Results topped Street views.
Write to Debbie Cai at firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Despite having a plethora of auto shows to choose where they were going to unveil the new Trailblazer , Chevrolet decided on doing it at the 2011 Dubai Motor Show as a way of effectively sucking up to the Middle East. Not that there's anything wrong with it, because if you really think about it, the Trailblazer is built for a region like the Middle East.
In any case, the 2013 Traiblazer did in fact make an appearance in Dubai and it came with plenty of new features that could potentially shoot it up the always-competitive mid-size SUV market.
The new Trailblazer was designed to combine the hauling and towing capability of a body-on-frame SUV with the ride comfort and efficiency of a crossover. Its no coincidence that the new Trailblazer, which was built in Brazil, epitomizes these qualities.
For all intents and purposes, the model that was shown at the Dubai Motor Show was merely a show vehicle, but according to Chevrolet, it's as close to the real thing as it can possibly get.
The show vehicle features, among other things, a refreshed design, an all-wheel-drive system, and GM's new 2.8-liter Duramax turbo-diesel engine, providing all of us as good a look at the company's new mid-sized SUV before the production version enters the market next year.
Find out more about the 2013 Chevolet Trailblazer after the jump
The Chevrolet Trailblazer was created by the GM South America Design Center in São Caetano do Sul, Brazil, and if you're wondering whether the design's familiar, you've probably seen it in its sister model, the Chevrolet Colorado .
The imposing profile of the Trailblazer lends itself to what Chevy calls a "body in-wheels out" design. The hood of the SUV offers a dramatic power dome and, when combined with a raised cowl, gives a strong and intimidating look for the Trailblazer. The dual projector LED headlamps on the Trailblazer also adds a powerful look to the car and features Chevrolet's signature lighting. Likewise, the dual-port grille and the three-dimensional grille mesh is another prominent feature of the Trailblazer's overall front profile, exuding the kind of confidence reserved for an SUV like this. Other prominent details of the Trailblazer's exterior include polished aluminium decor trims in the fascias, rockers, belt line, tailgate and roof rack, a tri-coat Pearlescent White exterior paint, integrated LED front and rear fog lamps, and a new set of custom dual-finish 20" aluminum wheels wrapped in Cooper Zeon LTZ tires.
Taking a page from the bold features of the Trailblazer's exterior, the interior design of the Chevy SUV is a picture of boldness befitting of a true SUV. The contrasting trim used with the light-colored leather seating, mat dark wood trim accented with chrome, and dual-grained surfaces provide a premium feel to the Traiblazer. The flowing instrument panel and the integrated center stack combine seamlessly with one another and features an overhead console that integrates the HVAC system with onboard infotainment.
The Trailblazer is also a picture of clever spaciousness, offering intuitive three-row tumble and/or fold-flat seat versatility, complete with a second and third row seat versatility that can be used upright to accommodate more passengers and folded to carry more storage space. Speaking of storage, the Trailblazer also offers a number of storage compartments are located throughout the interior, including a covered center bin for concealment of valuable items, and a large, dual glovebox.
The Chevrolet Trailblazer is powered by a 2.8-liter Duramax diesel engine. Output figures of the mid-size SUV have not been disclosed.
The model that was shown at the Dubai Motor Show was, for all intents and purposes, a show piece. Nevertheless, we expect the production version to be similar to, if not identical, with what was shown in Dubai. Unfortunately, pricing details for the Trailblazer have yet to be announced.
While we still don't have the full figures of the Chevrolet Trailblazer, it's still important to remind everyone that when it does go on sale next year, it's going to be entering a competitive market that already has the Ford Explorer and theDodge Durango in its fleet. It's only appropriate that all three models belong to the three biggest US automakers so it should be very interesting which of these mid-sized SUVs will be more successful than its rivals.
- New front fascia design is refreshing to look at
- Spacious interior cabin
- Bold exterior architecture
- No powertrain figures yet
- No pricing
- Not a lot of trims and variants


text:
Assassinate 5 Players.
Earn 3 Killing Spree medals in a single match.
Complete any Campaign Mission on Heroic or higher difficulty with the Famine, Luck and Thunderstorm skulls.
Complete Reclaimer on Legendary difficulty with the Mythic, Tilt, Tough Luck and Thunderstorm skulls.
Kill 50 Elites.
Kill 40 Knights.
Win 15 matchmaking Slayer matches.
Win 12 matchmaking Regicide matches.
Kill 1500 Players.
who is Uriel?
The HBO Forum is maintained by Halo Admin
WebBBS 5.20 © 2006 tetra-team


text:
Brandon Inge has kind of been sucking something fierce this year for the Tigers. He's hitting a whopping .215 and is only being used as a utility man. This is of course after he had an offseason fit about Miguel Cabrera getting traded to Detroit to steal his primary position.
So maybe, just maybe, he's gotten fed up and has decided to pack it in.
Inge has been placed on the disabled list after he - get this - injured himself moving his three-year-old's pillow.
I liked Jim Leyland's response the best:
"That's a first."Can't disagree with Jim there. Apparently Inge already had a sore oblique muscle, and the vicious pillow sent it over the edge. Now see here's my question. Even if this story is true, why would you ever admit it? It's one of the stupidest injuries I've ever heard of. Just say you got into a bar fight with a homeless, knife-wielding lunatic.
Obviously Inge's injury allows me to recall some of the weirdest injuries in sports history. Here we go:
- Mariana Camargo of Oral Roberts' women's basketball team, and their best player, tears her ACL during the opening tip-off of an NCAA Tournament game when she slips on a University of Tennessee placard.
- St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Vince Coleman injured his knee when he was run over by the animated field tarp apparatus before the 1985 World Series.
- Sacramento Kings rookie Lionel Simmons missed some games during the 1991 season when he developed tendinitis in his right wrist from playing too many video games, primarily Nintendo GameBoy.
- Ken Griffey Jr. once missed a game for the Mariners when he pinched himself with his protective cup.
- Tom Glavine, then with the Atlanta Braves, broke a rib when he threw up an in-flight meal on an airplane.
- Arizona kicker Bill Gramatica suffered a season-ending injury when he tore his ACL celebrating a successful field goal.
- Hall of Famer George Brett broke his toe when he tripped running from the kitchen to the living room to watch a baseball game replay of himself on TV.
- Sammy Sosa had to go on injured reserve when he hurt his back while sneezing.
- David Cone missed a start when his mother-in-law's dog bit him.
- Nolan Ryan once missed a start because he was bitten by a coyote.
- Washington QB Gus Ferotte was taken to the hospital with a jammed neck after he head-butted the end zone concrete wall while celebrating a touchdown.
- Tony Gwynn fractured a finger when he slammed his car door on his hand.
- Boston's Craig Grebeck had to leave a game after rubbing his eye with a finger that had stick-em on it.
- Back in the 70s, Norwegian International defender Svein Grondalen had to withdraw from an International after an accident which happened while he was out jogging. He collided with a moose.
- Soccer player David Seaman once broke a bone reaching for his TV remote
- In 1970 the career of Brentford's goalie Chic Brodie was ended by injury following a mid-match collision with a dog that had invaded the pitch.
- Soccer player Milan Rapaic once missed the start of Hajduk Split's season after sticking his boarding-pass in his eye at the airport.
- Indonesian star Mistar, 25, was tragically killed by a herd of pigs that invaded his team's training pitch before a Cup fixture in 1995.
- And we can never forget Felix Pie of the Cubs, who suffered a twisted testicle (which required surgery).


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Blois, France
Once upon a time, Anjana and Drew…
made pink macarons with strawberry filling…
… and then A̶u̶d̶r̶e̶y̶ ̶H̶e̶p̶b̶u̶r̶n̶ Aunna showed up.
We even let her have a few of our purple macarons filled with chocolate ganache.
Then, Aunna and Drew were friends forever and ever.
(and with Anjana, too)
The End / La Fin
Reading The Omnivore's Dilemma, Michael Pollan's chef d'oeuvre, is a truly eye-opening experience in many ways and has challenged conventions that I accept on a daily basis, never having thought to question them. Pollan pierces to the heart of our modern food system and, with journalistic excellence, asks us to reevaluate our role in the whole sordid process. How do I choose which foods go into the shopping cart or how to prepare and eat healthfully? What are the hidden costs of industrialized agriculture? How have we strayed so far from the undeniable logic of nature to adopt such a precarious, profit-driven system? The challenge is answering these questions and then transforming the responses into habits, lifestyles and even world views.
We all make choices and, to some extent, are all guilty of ignoring long-term consequences for instant gratification - which is exactly what the current system encourages. To make the smart choices, we need to reform the production, allocation, and distribute of food in a meaningful way that takes public health - not profits - as the paramount goal. It's easy to lose sight of the real costs of such a system between pollution, health problems, oil consumption/dependence, animal welfare, and countless other negative externalities (or, in layman's terms, spill-over effects). We simply don't pay enough for food, as crazy as that sounds. Americans are obsessed with a race to the bottom, producing prodigious quantities of bare-minimum quality foods. During my time abroad, it seemed to me that Europeans have a race to the top, choosing to consume less but only of the very best quality available. Cultural institutions that govern the ways in which we interact with food are slow to change, both a blessing and a curse, depending on which side of the divide one happens to fall.
One issue is asymmetric information - corporations know how to hide the depravities of the food system and market products in an enticing way, with consumers further and farther from the production than ever before. We really don't know what we eat anymore. Or, for that matter, what we should eat. I've read about half a dozen books, watched more than as many documentaries, and continue to seek out more information in my quest to inform myself. I've only just scratched the surface. Alternative, informed eating requires a commitment that many cannot make due to limited time, money, underdeveloped cooking skills or simply feeling overwhelmed by the seemingly endless stream of information one must analyze and catalogue.
As an economist, I strongly believe in the ability of economics to accurately describe the world, provide information, and respond to consumer demands. That being said, I'm also weary of unrestrained capitalism that leads to negative consequences for society while companies skim profits. The good news is that we have the tools from economics, psychology, and other fields of study to help correct some of these distortions. Nudge by Thaler & Sunstein offers some excellent (and shockingly simple) insights into how we might design systems that encourage people to make decisions with their own best interest in mind.
While we can make macroscopic changes, wholesale reform won't take place anytime soon and we must use the power of aggregated individual demands to signal to supranational corporations and governments what type of food we really want to eat. Using our precious dollars to vote for high-quality, organic, local foods will eventually result in an increased supply and lower prices. It's a matter of priorities and if we aren't willing to be our own advocates, then we will forever be at the mercy of an unsustainable and wildly dangerous food system. I will leave you with a thought from Joel Salatin of Polyface (a featured farmer in Omnivore): "We don't need a law against McDonald's or a law against slaughterhouse abuse — we ask for too much salvation by legislation. All we need to do is empower individuals with the right philosophy and the right information to opt out en masse." How will you opt out?
My photography is at Poetic Justice Café from now until March's Final Friday. Go check out this great little café and indulge yourself with a nutella crêpe or a fresh croissant!
300 S Greenwich, Wichita, KS
Perhaps you've already surmised from my Rubenesque silhouette that I have cultivated a great passion for food & its preparation. I would point to my semester in Berlin when, by the proverbial mother of invention, I first took a meaningful interest in food. Alright, I might have also spent countless hours drooling over Barefoot Contessa's creations on Food Network. Sans microwave & with a tiny, tiny freezer, I started cooking from scratch almost daily. The challenge of creatively combining healthy ingredients without many kitchen gadgets was something I approached with relish (oh yes, pun intended). Over the course of the semester, I hosted many dinner parties & became comfortable winging it in the kitchen. However, I've more recently turned from food's preparation to the agricultural systems that produce, distribute, & allocate it. Agronomics, previously an impossibly boring subject, now piques my interest - as an economist, an eater, & not least as a concerned world citizen.
My supply-side exploration began with Netflix documentaries about the travesties of industrial agriculture & our fundamentally flawed food system. Michael Pollan was frequently featured, always with a relevant & poignant comment. Eventually, I watched his documentary:The Botany of Desire. My dear friend Toby bought me the book for Christmas, which I read quickly before moving on to Food Rules, In Defense of Food, & currently The Omnivore's Dilemma. Along with Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser, these are all must-reads & have helped me make better decisions each time I open the fridge. Armed with these books, I'm on a mini-mission to understand & circumvent modern industrial agriculture.
It would be impossible to distill everything I've learned, but suffice it to say that I dream of the days when I can afford to eat nothing but locally-grown organic food & tend to my own compost pile. In the interim, I'm trying to convince my family to make healthier choices by cooking more so that these foods are easily accessible & ready-to-eat. Additionally, I'm incorporating more vegetables & eating more raw, whole foods, which will be a whole lot easier once the farmer's market reopens. I'm a sucker for cheese, butter, milk, & ice cream, so when I heard about a farmer who sold raw milk products out of his own barn, I had to go for a visit.
The JaKo farm is located on a dirt road just outside of Yoder, Kansas - a short drive from Wichita. On my way there, I noticed sheep lounging about in a pasture (more rare these days than one might think) & dozens of strutting chickens with a handsome grass yard (another modern rarity). Inside the barn freezers & fridges store chicken, lamb, beef, cream, milk, yogurt, cheese, butter, raw honey & many, many other scrumptious goodies (apple butter!!!). I stocked up on basics & left my money, as instructed, in the bowl sitting on the table (yes, really). It's indescribably refreshing to support a farmer who respects the animals & land upon which he makes a living. There's certainly a price differential, but I'm more than willing to pay more for delicious, sustainable, local food. While I haven't had the chance to sample everything, I am extremely impressed with the methods of production & quality, though I could do without the styrofoam meat packaging. I plan on attending a small farm tour in early March & would enjoy the opportunity to meet the hand that feeds me. For now, I'll enjoy these great products & delve a little deeper into agronomics.
If you're interested in learning more, check out the JaKo website.
The states of the troubled American union (The Economist)
It is now imperative to my existence that I own one of these.
For the longest time, I didn't think I would like macarons because I'd tried their brash American cousin: macaroons. To me, they tasted too eggy and were dry, even powdery. Luckily, I tempted my luck about 5 months into my semester abroad last spring. Let's just say, I made something of a three-point turn and a little seed has been growing in my brain ever since, especially once I found out how insanely difficult they are to make. I frequently distract myself from studying for exams by baking, so when finals rolled around, I started macaron preparations with my dear friend Anjana. I bought a kitchen scale, decorative sugar, etc. but couldn't lay my hands on any almond meal, not that I thoroughly searched or had much time. Fast forward to this week.
Jérôme got me an adorable macaron recipe book for Christmas & I was bored out of my mind sitting in the apartment, afraid of the cold & clouds. Donna & I attempted to make Italian meringue macarons à vanille two days ago, but my infinite ignorance doomed us from the start. They were flat or without foot, undercooked, filled with a far too liquid jelly, and so forth. There wasn't a mistake that I didn't make. Most importantly, however, is that I learned a lot and spent several hours researching macarons, better equipping myself for Round Two. I wish my Papa Richard were still around to teach me how to use a piping bag. It took me an embarrassing amount of time to put it together & don't even get me started on technique…
Yesterday I bought myself a lovely handheld mixer at Carrefour. With said luxury in hand, I made the French meringue macaron recipe provided by Mrs. Humble. It took several batches to find the sweet spot in what passes for an oven in this apartment. Given that it's half the size of even the tiniest cookie sheet and we have but one casserole dish that actually fits inside, I was obliged to use it (upside-down, no less) and then cool with water between batches. Oh, yes, I am resourceful. I even managed to make a meringue in a glass salad bowl, since I obviously don't have copper and lack even stainless steel.
Finally got the piping technique down. The goal is to make identical, quarter-sized dollops that spread out to make a roughly 3cm diameter cookie.
I thought maybe I could just place the parchment paper directly on the rack. HAHAHA.
The ceramic dish helped, but I still over-cooked them. The cracked top indicates the oven was too hot, if I understand correctly.
In the end, I made a second batch which came out very well. Even tried my hand at color for the first time but failed miserably, as I was shooting for pastel pink and got pale, dusty lilac. I cannot wait to get back to a properly equipped kitchen, reasonably priced ingredients (instead of depending on the corner shop for basics, since I don't have a car here), and a huuuuuge oven.
Nearly perfect macarons, with feet:
I made a vanilla crème for the interior but the recipe must be botched because Donna & I couldn't get it to work the first time & I didn't have any better luck by myself. I'm going to make a chocolate ganache to fill them. We're having a little dinner party Saturday, so these will make the perfect dessert! In fact, they are supposed to rest 48-72 hours in the fridge so the dry cookies can soak up some of the filling's moisture. I hope our French guests will be mesmerized by this mac making merican. :)
First & Foremost: http://notsohumblepie.blogspot.com/
Youtube (duh): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bri6xnDBl9I along with several others… just search for macarons & watch away! Good stuff in French, as to be expected)
Macarons - José Maréchal, photos by Akiko Ida (in French)
Connie has the best taste in music! Check out this little number.
Dance with Me : Nouvelle Vague
Wonderful companion to good literature.


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Pet Grooming Products
We searched for the best shampoos, free of unnecessary and unhealthy additives. When your animal companion will inevitably come into contact with far too many toxins in his everyday life, why bathe him in some more. It is the eventual build up of these toxins in your animal's system that often leads to cancer and other disease. You would be amazed at the chemical additives included in products labeled to give the idea they are safe and natural. However, all you have to do is turn the container over for the truth in the ingredient listings (well, as much as we can trust them to tell us anyway). We look for new products that make your job of grooming your companion easier and safer.
We keep our eyes open all the time for new products and purchase them and test them before we offer them to you.
**Please remember that cats do not have the enzymes in their livers necessary to break down essential oils. Therefore, any products containing essential oils should not be used on, or even around, your companion cat.


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Thunder Beach 2014 Autumn Rally
Come stay at The Chateau for the Thunder Beach 2014 Autumn Rally!
Roll on in to The Chateau for the Thunder Beach 2014 Autumn rally in Panama City Beach, Florida. We're going to have our famous Bikini Bike Wash, a Roadside BBQ, and our DJ will be playing your favorite tunes to keep the party rockin'!
The Chateau Motel is also centrally located right on the world famous Miracle Strip so you are close to everything biker related during the motorcycle rally!
To sweeten the deal, we're offering a great discount for a limited time on a beachfront room during theThunder Beach 2014 Autumn Rally. Stay with us any four (4) nights between October 1st and October 7th, and save $75 off your total stay! Stay three (3) nights with us, and you'll save $40 off your total stay!
More information on the upcoming Thunder Beach 2014 Autumn Rally in Panama City Beach please visit www.pcbrally.com and www.thunderbeachproductions.com
Limited time offer, subject to room availability. Offer not valid in conjunction with any other offers or discounts.


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Say hello to Spring with two new Limited Edition flavors! Yoplait Original Peach Sweet Tea and Yoplait Light Margarita are available at select retailers in either Single Serve, 4-Pack, or Family Fridgepack packages. Try them before it's too late!
Yoplait recently shifted to a "use by" date on the package, so your yogurt should be consumed by the date on the package.
We still recommend consuming the product within 7-days of the use by date on the cup. The only varieties that are designed to be frozen are Go-Gurt and Whips. Freezing other varieties may result in changes in consistency or texture.
How frustrating! Try our product locator below. If you can't find it at one of the listed retailers, lobby your store manager - there's lots of competition in the yogurt aisle! yoplait.com/productlocator


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The Mac Power Nap.
by Erick Diaz
Cool little feature huh? There's a catch. See the little 2 after Power Nap? Here's what it means.
Power Nap requires a Mac notebook with built-in flash storage. May require a firmware update. [Apple]
What the big print gives you, the small print takes away.


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PhoCusWright Research
Japan Online Travel Overview Seventh Edition
While gross bookings for Japan's total travel market grew 7% in local currency terms in 2013, a weakened yen translated this uptick into declines in dollar terms, causing the market to slide significantly. However, growth is projected for 2014, and the country's mature online travel market is expected to outpace the total market. This report presents comprehensive sizing, analysis and forecasts for Japan's total and online travel markets through 2016, including coverage of key segments and distribution channels.
[ view more details ]
China Online Travel Overview Seventh Edition
China's travel market is the second largest in the world, and in 2013 exhibited stronger growth than its three closest competitors: the U.S., Germany and Japan. Moreover, the country's potent mix of tech-savvy travelers, determined online leaders and positive investment outlook is fueling one of the most dynamic online travel markets on any continent. China Online Travel Overview Seventh Edition explores China's total and online travel markets, revealing key trends, market sizing and projections for 2012-2016.
[ view more details ]
European Hotel Distribution and Market Trends
Despite ongoing economic uncertainties, the European hotel market has demonstrated continuous growth over the past four years, and total gross bookings are expected to reach a record high in 2014. While OTAs capture the majority of web revenues, new distribution technologies and evolving business models could provide more leverage for hoteliers in the future. This Spotlight explores Europe's vibrant hotel marketplace, including size of the market, key trends and evolving online distribution dynamics.
[ view more details ]
Intelligent Travel Assistants: When Will True Intelligence Arrive?
The concept of a computer-generated intelligent assistant has been around for decades. While today's intelligent assistants still lack true artificial intelligence (AI), these capabilities are being actively developed, and this will have significant implications for travel. This Analysis explores the latest advances in intelligent assistants, and considers how the development of a dedicated, Intelligent Travel Assistant (ITA) could impact our industry.
[ view more details ]
How the Deep Web, Big Data, Semantic Relationships and Personalized Content Change Travel Marketing
Not long ago, selling travel was viewed as a somewhat generic, three-step process: shop, check (availability and pricing) and book. Today, powerful technologies are converging which enable marketers to leverage personalized content that is tailored to the unique needs of the individual traveler at all stages of the travel life cycle. This Spotlight examines the ways in which travel marketers can tap these technologies to drive brand loyalty and enhance customer lifetime value (CLV).
[ view more details ]
Asia Pacific Online Travel Overview Seventh Edition
Asia Pacific's rise in the global travel industry has been fast and furious, bolstered by the sense that anything is possible. Although growth in China, the region's brightest star, will slow a bit over the next several years, expansion in APAC's other markets will remain largely unhindered. Asia Pacific Online Travel Overview Seventh Edition charts the region's growth in 2013 and explores the unique - and rapidly changing - dynamics shaping both individual country markets and that of Asia Pacific as a whole. The report provides comprehensive analysis of the state of travel commerce in Japan, India, China and Australia-New Zealand, including projections through 2016, and offers focused insight into developments in the online travel agency and mobile segments.
[ view more details ]
Travel Not Competitive Enough for You? Buckle Up
There's little doubt that business technology infrastructure today is reaching for the cloud, and the travel industry is no exception. Yet cloud computing carries risks along with many potential benefits, and travel companies are grappling with how to take advantage of the cloud while mitigating the risks associated with it. This Analysis highlights the uses of cloud computing in travel, assesses its limits and discusses its impacts.
[ view more details ]
European Traveler Technology Survey 2014
Consumer technology is unleashing massive opportunity for the European travel industry. In particular, mobile devices are remaking the rules of traveler engagement, opening up new ways for travel businesses to stimulate demand and drive bookings. European Traveler Technology Survey 2014 helps travel companies understand this exciting new intersection of consumer technology and leisure travel in three major travel markets - France, Germany and the U.K. The report examines the devices travelers own, how they use them in relation to travel planning and activity, and the role of social media and sharing among European travelers.
[ view more details ]
Turkey Travel Market Overview
Turkey, with its prime location at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, is a popular travel destination. Income from tourism already accounts for a sizable chunk of the country's GDP, but the government has ambitious plans for the industry's future. Initiatives in both the public and private sectors will provide fertile soil for travel market growth over the next decade.
[ view more details ]
Incumbents, Innovators, Disruptors: Update on Europe's Dynamic OTA Landscape
Europe's online travel agency (OTA) landscape took numerous twists and turns in the first half of 2014, including several significant IPOs, formidable partnerships and potentially disruptive new services. These developments will impact online distribution in some of Europe's most important travel markets. This Analysis examines the dynamic European OTA marketplace, with a focus on key players, notable activity and trends, and what to expect in the months and years ahead.
[ view more details ]


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Sleeps two to four persons with a sleep sofa.
Floor space – 656 to 802 sq. ft.
With its own kitchen, our One Bedroom Unit expands your options and includes:
- Master bedroom with a king or queen-size bed
- Fully-equipped kitchen.
- Living room (some have a gas fireplace)
- 27" TV and DVD player
- Sleep sofa
- Full bathroom (most with a 2-person Jacuzzi).
- Patio or deck
Some One Bedroom Units with mountain views are up one flight of stairs. Other units are at ground floor level.
Note: All Village One Bedroom Units have a 2-person Jacuzzi.
Please take a look at our One Bedroom Condo Video:


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Texas A&M Aggies season preview
» More team previews: ACC | Big 12 | Big Ten | Pac-12 | SEC
Previewing the 2014 season for the Texas A&M Aggies:
2013 record: 9-4
Final grade for 2013 season: The Aggies finished fourth in the SEC West, and considering the lofty preseason expectations placed upon them with a returning Heisman Trophy winner and three eventual first-round NFL draft picks, it wasn't quite the season they hoped for. The nine wins are nice, and so was the Chick-fil-A Bowl victory, but they were 1-4 against Top 25 teams. We'll give them a B-minus.
Key losses: QB Johnny Manziel, RB Ben Malena, WR Mike Evans, WR Travis Labhart, OT Jake Matthews, DT Isaiah Golden, DE Gavin Stansbury, LB Darian Claiborne, LB Steven Jenkins.
Key returnees: QB Kenny Hill, RB Tra Carson, RB Trey Williams, WR Malcome Kennedy, WR Ricky Seals-Jones, OT Cedric Ogbuehi, C Mike Matthews, DE Julien Obioha, LB Jordan Mastrogiovanni, CB Deshazor Everett, CB De'Vante Harris.
Projected 2014 starters: QB Kenny Hill, RB Tra Carson, LT Cedric Ogbuehi, LG Garrett Gramling, C Mike Matthews, RG Joseph Cheek, RT Germain Ifedi, WR Speedy Noil, WR Ricky Seals-Jones, WR Malcome Kennedy, WR Joshua Reynolds, DE Daeshon Hall, DT Alonzo Williams, DT Hardreck Walker, DE Julien Obioha, OLB Donnie Baggs, MLB Jordan Mastrogiovanni, OLB A.J. Hilliard, CB Deshazor Everett, S Howard Matthews, S Armani Watts, CB De'Vante Harris.
Instant-impact newcomers: WR Speedy Noil, DE Myles Garrett, WR Joshua Reynolds, DT Zaycoven Henderson, S Armani Watts
Most important game: There are plenty of big ones, but our pick is South Carolina. Yes, it's the season opener and there are 11 games that follow, but for a young A&M team that has inexperienced players in many key positions, most notably quarterback, going to Columbia and generating some confidence -- win or lose -- will be important. The Gamecocks are a top-10 team and SEC road games are tough, but think of the way the Aggies got on a roll after their competitive SEC debut in 2012, a 20-17 loss to Florida. Like that season, the Aggies have a lot to prove and many tough SEC road games in their future, and a win or at least playing well on Aug. 28 can go a long way toward getting this group heading in the right direction.
Biggest question mark: Without question, it's the defense. It was atrocious last season and the Aggies lost four players this offseason who they expected to return, three of which would likely have been starters. Defensive coordinator Mark Snyder is encouraged by the increased athleticism and depth his group has, thanks in large part to the influx of talent from the 2014 recruiting class, but there are still many unproven talents who will log significant time in the front seven. Can they take a step forward this season?
Upset special: Keep an eye on the LSU game. Seems to be an unusual choice, since the Aggies didn't beat the Tigers the two years Manziel was on campus, but the last time LSU visited Kyle Field, Texas A&M took a 12-0 lead with its up-tempo offense before the Tigers came from behind to win 24-19 in Manziel's freshman season. Night games at Kyle Field usually provide for an electric atmosphere, so expect nothing less on Thanksgiving night. By Game 12, the Aggies' offense should be operating at peak efficiency and the young defense should be coming into its own. Don't be shocked if the Aggies finally upend the Tigers here.
Key stat: Texas A&M returns offensive linemen that combine for 78 career starts, though the most tenured starter of them all -- guard Jarvis Harrison (31 starts) -- might not start, an indication of the depth the Aggies developed across their offensive front.
They said it: "That was a very tough decision. Both of them are playing at a very high level. I just kind of went back to my gut feeling and the maturity of him and being around this system for one year. There were a lot of other factors, but that was the one that kind of stood out the most to me, because he sat here and watched Johnny for a year and he's going to be put in some situation that he has probably – hopefully – seen before, and he can get us out of those bad looks." -- Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Jake Spavital, on why the Aggies chose Kenny Hill to start at quarterback over Kyle Allen.
Preseason predictions:
ESPN Stats & Information: 8.3 wins
Bovada over/under: 7 wins
Our take: The schedule-makers did the Aggies no favors by giving them road games at South Carolina, Mississippi State, Alabama and Auburn. That's tough for a young squad. Fortunately for the Aggies, after the opener at Williams Brice Stadium, they have three manageable nonconference games and Arkansas, so the opportunity to string wins together is there early in the season. Even minus Manziel, Evans and Matthews, this offense should still be one of the best in the nation given Kevin Sumlin's and Jake Spavital's track record for coaching offensive football. Will the defense be better? It should be given the added talent and depth. How much better is the key question and will be the difference between a six- or seven-win season and an eight- or nine-win season. This is definitely a bowl team but probably not ready to finish in the top two of the SEC West yet; 2015 is the season this team could take a huge step forward. If the Aggies finish the 2014 regular season with eight wins, that should be considered a good year and something to build on for 2015.
SEC morning links
2. Florida's offense is looking for a huge boost this season after a dismal season in 2013 and new offensive coordinator Kurt Roper is what the doctor ordered. On Tuesday, Roper reflected on his journey from his own days as a high school quarterback to being the son of a coach. After the work he did at Duke last season and his extensive time coaching in the SEC, he should be a good fit for the Gators. Making the offense more high-paced and wide-open will allow the Gators to utilize the talents of quarterback Jeff Driskel and expect them to take a significant step forward, with Roper orchestrating the attack.
3. Many of us figured that Cleveland Browns fans would want a certain SEC product to be their starting quarterback when the Browns season begins next month, but who knew that that SEC quarterback would be Connor Shaw? In a poll on Cleveland.com asking readers to vote for who they think should be the starting quarterback in the season opener against Pittsburgh, Shaw -- a South Carolina product -- is winning in a landslide over first-round pick Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M. Of course, considering the way Manziel (and Brian Hoyer) performed and the timing of the poll, some reactionary votes are to be expected. But by that wide a margin? Wow. Give Shaw credit, he was the model of toughness and a winner during his South Carolina days and no doubt there are many happy for him after he performed well on Monday night against Washington.
More from around the SEC:
- An inside look at Missouri chancellor and former Texas A&M president R. Bowen Loftin's book "The 100-Year Decision: Texas A&M and the SEC," that details the Aggies' big move.
- An excerpt from Lars Anderson's new book "The Storm and the Tide" which documents the tragic storm that swept through Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on April 27, 2011, and how Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide helped the town recover in the aftermath.
- A day in the life of Mississippi State strength coach Rick Court
- Interior line depth could be a boon for Missouri's defense.
- Auburn's Gabe Wright might be the Tigers' best defensive lineman but he still has unfinished business.
- LSU's Frank Herron looking to be a disruptive force.
Light casualty in the indoor from a fierce punt off the foot of @drewkaser #Kaser4Heisman @TAMUSpecialists pic.twitter.com/RBUzlGqar1— Texas A&M Equipment (@TAMUequipment) August 20, 2014
Spavital discusses Aggies' QB decision
"I just kind of went back to my gut feeling and the maturity of [Hill] and being around this system for one year," Spavital said Monday night. "There were a lot of other factors but that was the one that kind of stood out the most to me because he's sat here and watched Johnny for a year and he's going to be put in some situations that he has probably -- hopefully -- seen before and he can get us out of those bad looks."
Hill, a product of Texas high school power Southlake Carroll, has experience running an no-huddle up-tempo spread system dating back to his high school days.
Spavital, 29, admitted the decision was tough because both played at a high level throughout training camp. Hill's opportunity to play in four games last season, compete for a job in the Aggies' 2013 training camp, watching Johnny Manziel operate the offense and traveling to other venues in the SEC were all plusses in Spavital's book.
"The maturity and the checks that he was doing [at the line of scrimmage are what] separate him the most to me right now, I just like where he was at," Spavital said. "He knows when to run the ball and when to get the ball out on the perimeter and have those kids make some plays."
The commonly used cliché of the backup being "one play away" from getting on the field applies in Allen's case, a highly-regarded recruit in the 2014 class who ranked No. 1 nationally among pocket passers. Spavital said Allen continues to prepare as if he would be running with the first team.
The bottom line for Spavital was choosing the player the Aggies believe give them the best chance to beat South Carolina. Playing well at Williams-Brice Stadium in that nationally-televised showcase could set a positive tone for the Aggies' season, one in which many question marks exist on both sides of the ball considering the plethora of young players in key roles.
"That's the direction we went," Spavital said. "We wanted to get the announcement out now so [Hill] could have at least 12 days before he hits the field for South Carolina and everything could die down and he can get settled in place and get some good reps with the ones.
"He's been great. Probably relieved. There's a burden taken off his shoulders. I think he's happy, ready to move forward and pretty anxious on watching South Carolina and seeing what kind of game plan and how we're going to attack them."
Which top schools play freshmen most?
"Now it's 'I want to play,' " Addazio, 55, said. "If you're talking about not playing them early, the majority are like 'What do you mean?'"
So, the ability to play or possibly even start as a true freshman has become a regular sales pitch for coaches from the Power Five to the Group of Five. It's certainly a tool in the belt for Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher. Last week, Fisher alluded to the number of freshmen All-Americans he's coached the last four seasons. Twenty-four hours later, it was on the program's official recruiting Twitter page.
"The last [four] years we've had 14 freshmen All-Americans," said Fisher, condensing multiple outlets' freshmen award teams into one, concise Florida State propaganda poster. "If you come in ready to play, we're willing to put you on the field. It's critical for guys to come in saying 'When I'm the best, I'll play.'"
Fisher has the goods to back up his claims, even if the numbers are obviously skewed to best represent his program. But how does his résumé compare to those coaching some of the country's other top programs?
I tried to come up with a way to accurately discern which schools play the most freshmen and decided true freshmen letterwinners was the simplest and most effective way to crunch the numbers. To earn a letter, a player has to actually play consistently through the season. The disclaimer is each program can use different benchmarks when awarding letters, but there is never going to be a perfect way.
I began with Florida State's, looking back at the 2011-2013 classes. To properly quantify the data from Florida State, I decided I'd look at the five schools ranked highest in the preseason polls that have had its coach in place at least five seasons. Oregon's Mark Helfrich was offered an exemption because he was promoted from within and is in his sixth season with the Ducks. Coaches in place at least five years was the stipulation since an incoming coach might be susceptible to playing the prospects he recruited or having a number of transfers that could open up starting or rotational spots.
The criteria: Each class was looked at and the total number of signees was pared down to just those who enrolled as members of the football team in the fall. Junior college signees were excluded, as were any recruits who were academically or medically disqualified before playing a game. That explains why the total number of freshmen for our purposes might look different than what might be seen on RecruitingNation. Any true freshmen who spent a year at a post-graduate or prep school was also excluded. Redshirt freshmen were disqualified, too.
Bottom line is if the player was not a part of the football team the fall following his high school graduation, he was excluded.
Nearly all of the data was collected after poring through media guides and archives, although the communications departments at some of the schools were also helpful providing numbers and deserve recognition.
So, here is the actual data:
It is hardly a coincidence that Fisher and Alabama's Nick Saban, who mentored Fisher at LSU, have identical percentages of true freshmen earning a letter. Fisher and Saban arguably have been the two best recruiters over the last few cycles, and, the data shows those two are not going to keep young talent off the field simply because of age. Nearly half of the true freshmen at Alabama and Florida State lettered over the last three seasons.
Mark Dantonio has built Michigan State into a national title contender in a different manor, relying on experience. Only 12 percent of true freshmen lettered over the last three seasons. Recruiting to Michigan State is not the easy task it is at some other top-10 programs, and the Spartans are not recruiting as many ESPN 300-level players as the likes of Alabama and Florida State.
It should be noted Michigan State, Oklahoma and Oregon don't have quite the recruiting base Alabama and Florida State do.
Inquiring minds want to see how that 45 percent stacks up to some of the other top programs in the country, so even though they did not fit the criteria I looked at a few other schools with coaches in place at least five seasons and lately in the top half of the rankings. LSU was worth a look considering it's Les Miles' 10th season in Baton Rouge and, like Fisher and Saban, has recruited exceptionally well for a long period of time. Mark Richt is in his 14th season at Georgia and, like Miles, usually has a highly-regarded recruiting class. Steve Spurrier is in his 10th season at South Carolina and has steadily improved the Gamecocks' class to the point that the 2015 class is No. 5 nationally. Dabo Swinney has turned Clemson from a perennial disappointment into a two-time BCS bowl participant. And Ohio State and Texas A&M, mainly because it's worth seeing how third-year Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer fares considering he frequently voices his preference to avoid redshirting. Kevin Sumlin is also in the process of trying to build an SEC power that can compete with Alabama and LSU in the SEC West.
For the Buckeyes, out of the 69 true freshmen to land in Columbus, Ohio, from 2011-2013, 31 lettered -- the same 45 percent. Looking at just Meyer's two seasons, however, he is decimals ahead of Fisher and Saban at 46 percent (21 out of 46), thanks in large part to 14 freshmen letterwinners in his first season.
Georgia's Mark Richt has a percentage of nearly 50 percent, but the Bulldogs' numbers might be the most skewed. Along with South Carolina, the Bulldogs had several recruits that either did not qualify or spent time at a prep school or junior college. Also, Georgia's long list of dismissals and transfers is well documented, and all of the departures has opened up spots for freshmen to earn immediate playing time.
It is Miles, though, who plays a higher percentage of freshmen than all of the others. Twelve true freshmen lettered for LSU in both 2012 and 2013, and another nine earned a letter in 2011. There were a total of 65 applicable freshmen to enter LSU during that span and 33 of them lettered. That's a percentage of 51 percent.
Certainly the numbers will fluctuate year to year, and coaches at every single program are playing freshmen more frequently than ever before. When taking into account the timeline is over three years, LSU averages just one more freshman letterwinner per season than Alabama and Florida State. For our intents and purposes, though, the data shows which top programs consistently play the most freshmen in this new era of freshmen phenoms.
And, uh, FYI, Alabama has 19 ESPN 300 players prepping for their freshmen season this fall. LSU has 16, and Florida State isn't far off with 13 of their own.
Aggies QB Hill groomed for new role
From the time he became a varsity quarterback at Texas high school football power Southlake Carroll to preparing for the unknown as a true freshman at Texas A&M, to engaging in an offseason battle for the right to succeed Johnny Manziel, Hill has met and conquered his fair share of challenges.
Now, his biggest one awaits.
After being officially named the Aggies' starting quarterback by coach Kevin Sumlin on Saturday, Hill prepares to lead Texas A&M into its post-Johnny Football era on Aug. 28 when the Aggies visit South Carolina.
Hill is no stranger to following a rich legacy. At Southlake, the standards are high -- especially if you're a quarterback. The program owns eight state championships and is a factory for Division I quarterbacks. Chase Wasson, Chase Daniel, Greg McElroy, Riley Dodge, Kyle Padron and David Piland, who all preceded Hill, went on to play college football.
"Is there pressure? Yes," said Southlake Carroll coach Hal Wasson, who coached several of the aforementioned players, including Hill. "Every quarterback since '02 has gone D-I."
But Wasson and those close to Hill never compared him to his assembly line of predecessors. They pressed him to create his own identity -- a concept he embraced.
"Like Kenny would say, he can't be anybody but himself," said Ken Hill Sr., Kenny's father. "He's not trying to be somebody he's not. You have to create your own opportunity and your own legacy."
Kenny Hill did. In 2011, Hill guided the Dragons to a 16-0 record and a state championship as a junior. Whether by air (3,014 passing yards, 25 touchdowns) or on the ground (1,400 yards, 24 touchdowns), Hill was dominant. As a senior, he accounted for 3,196 offensive yards and 42 touchdowns en route to Gatorade Texas Player of the Year honors.
"He handled that well," Hill Sr. said. "Like I always tell him, just go out there and do your deal. ... People can talk all they want but your play on the field will speak [for itself]."
Living up to a high standard comes natural to Hill because of his bloodlines. His father, Ken Hill Sr., had a 14-year Major League Baseball career as a pitcher, one that included an All-Star season in 1994.
Kenny Hill continued Carroll's tradition of Division I quarterbacks by signing with Texas A&M in 2013 and before long, he was thrust into another potential pressure situation. As questions about Manziel's eligibility loomed amid an NCAA investigation into a pay-for-autographs controversy, Sumlin had Hill, then a true freshman, battle for a chance to start in the event Manziel was suspended.
Manziel wound up serving only a two-quarter suspension, but Hill's camp performance earned him playing time later, as he appeared in four games as a freshman. That experience proved invaluable entering yet another training camp quarterback race this month with prized recruit Kyle Allen.
Hill's ability to assimilate the Aggies' Air Raid-style offense can also be attributed to his prep days; Southlake Carroll ran similar concepts. Texas A&M quarterbacks coach Jake Spavital immediately noticed Hill's comfort level with the offense.
"You can tell he was raised in a spread, no-huddle system," Spavital said. "That comes pretty much second nature to him."
The journey wasn't without hurdles. Hill missed the final week of spring football practice after an arrest on a public intoxication charge in March.
It was an eye-opener for the 19-year-old. Not only was he suspended from team activities, cell phone photos of Hill passed out in a planter box circulated on social media.
"He was embarrassed," Hill Sr. said. "Not only did he let his family down, he let the university down, coaches down, teammates. It wasn't a good moment. It was an embarrassing moment. Hopefully he'll continue to learn from it."
Once reinstated for summer workouts, Hill bounced back.
"He's a completely different person now," said Texas A&M receiver Sabian Holmes, who was also a high school teammate of Hill's. "You can tell he wants it and he takes everything more serious, not just football but off-the-field decisions and he takes the film [study] more serious."
If there's one thing that has carried Hill to this point, it's his toughness. Whether it's from a mental standpoint (dealing with the daily grind or off-field noise) or a physical standpoint (carrying the ball 382 times in his final two seasons at Southlake Carroll or adding muscle to prepare for the rigors of an SEC schedule), Hill has displayed the necessary fortitude.
"I always admired his toughness," Hal Wasson said. "I admired the way he commanded a huddle. ... [I remember a game he] didn't play as well as he wanted to, he walked into my office and said 'Coach, I wasn't at my best, I apologize and it'll never happen again,' and it didn't. He always took ownership in everything he did."
When reporting day for Aggies training camp approached this month, Hill was excited and confident. After a year of spot duty and watching Manziel work his magic, his opportunity called and he grabbed it.
Yes, succeeding Johnny Football is a tough task. But Hill was groomed for it.
"With Kenny, his composure, there's really no situation that's too big for him," Texas A&M sophomore quarterback Conner McQueen said. "Pressure doesn't ever seem to faze Kenny."
Steele: Projected SEC standings
Click here for the full rundown of Steele's thoughts on who will finish where and why, but here's a sample: He likes Alabama in the West and Georgia in the East.
SEC morning links
2. Over in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, the starting quarterback job is not yet situated. After a scrimmage Saturday, Alabama coach Nick Saban said that Blake Sims is "playing a little faster right now" than transfer Jacob Coker. As a fifth-year senior who has been in the Crimson Tide's system compared to Coker, who just arrived this summer, that's understandable. But with the season opener approaching, eyes begin to zero in on every twist and turn of the race. Saban declined to disclose his two quarterbacks' statistics from the scrimmage and made it clear that the coaching staff is not going to make a decision until "someone clearly wins the job." That's the right approach. It's beneficial to establish some kind of deadline so that when game week arrives, your starter is taking the first-team snaps and you're not splitting reps and allow your starter to develop a rhythm, but if it's still pretty close taking more time makes sense.
3. Arkansas held an open-to-the-public scrimmage on Saturday and there was plenty to take away, from the performance of quarterback Brandon Allen, the establishment of a backup (Austin Allen), a big day for Korliss Marshall and a glimpse of freshman receiver Jojo Robinson's ability. But perhaps the most entertaining bit came before the scrimmage, when Bielema grabbed the microphone and reminded the crowd not to video record the practice. "If you see someone videotaping, tell them that ain't right," Bielema said. "Especially if they're wearing an Auburn shirt, knock the s--- out of them." Of course, the Razorbacks open the season against Auburn and Bielema and Auburn coach Gus Malzahn have some differing opinions, but there's nothing wrong with a little good fun in the form of a joke to get your home crowd fired up.
More from around the SEC:
- Florida State is No. 1, but eight SEC teams make the preseason Top 25, released on Sunday. Here are the full rankings.
- LSU's quarterback battle is still too close to call between Brandon Harris and Anthony Jennings.
- A strong defensive effort and a shaky offensive one for Missouri in its scrimmage on Saturday.
Some people dream of playing in front of 40,000 fans, at Tennessee we practice in front of 40,000 fans! #Unbelievable— Butch Jones (@UTCoachJones) August 17, 2014
People rip UT fans. 1 winning season in 6 & this crowd shows up for Sat night practice pic.twitter.com/di7PtMDd3i— Tony Basilio (@TonyBasilio) August 16, 2014
QB Kenny Hill named Aggies' starter
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- The wait is over. Texas A&M's starting quarterback has been named.
Coach Kevin Sumlin announced Saturday that sophomore Kenny Hill will be the starter when the Aggies take the field at South Carolina on Aug. 28 at Williams Brice Stadium.
Hill beat out true freshman Kyle Allen in an offseason competition to become the heir apparent to Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel. Hill, a product of Southlake (Texas) Carroll High, played four games in a reserve role last season, completing 16-of-22 passes for 183 yards and a touchdown. His start on Aug. 28 will be his first as an Aggie.
"I thought both guys really competed in a great way," Sumlin said. "We put a lot more emphasis on situational football in this camp and put guys in some situations to see how they'd perform and see what their learning curve is and not just playing 7-on-7. There's not really one deciding factor; I think it's a body of work and a feel that you have through practice and with your team."
A three-star recruit who was ESPN RecruitingNation's 21st-ranked dual-threat quarterback in the 2013 class, Hill had a decorated high school career. He was named Gatorade Texas Player of the Year as a senior and led Southlake Carroll to a Texas Class 5A state championship as a junior. Pursued by numerous Power 5 conference programs, Hill chose the Aggies over Baylor and Kansas State, among others.
In his final two seasons at Southlake Carroll, he threw for 5,305 yards and 45 touchdowns and ran for 2,305 yards and 46 touchdowns.
The Trophy Lives: Johnny Manziel
Scout's Take: CB Elam to Texas A&M
Sumlin cancels practice; Aggies rejoice
"We're going to see a movie ... no practice."
The way the players celebrated, you would think they were just told they won the SEC championship.
The good folks at AggieFBLife.com captured Sumlin delivering the news and the player reaction:
The Aggies got some rest before a full scrimmage scheduled for Friday evening, their third scrimmage of camp and their second of the week after a "mini-scrimmage" on Wednesday.
Let's just say the team was a fan of the decision and of Sumlin himself. Here are some of the reactions from A&M players on Twitter:
SEC players weigh in on the playoff
Yes, after waaaaay too many years of being stubborn and different, this beloved sport is finally getting a playoff system to determine its national champion at the end of the year.
Better late than never.
What do the players think of it? Are four teams enough? Should it expand? What effect will it have on players' bodies and academics? What about travel for their families and friends? Do they want the playoff at all?
Over the past month, we asked players around the conference to weigh in on the playoff and give us their thoughts on the playoff.
Enough teams?
You were hard-pressed to find a player who didn't agree with FBS football adopting a playoff system. So with that out of the way, we asked players whether they thought four games was enough. The majority were happy with that number.
- "I think it's perfect -- a four-team playoff. You get right to the point. If you lose, you go home and there's two more teams [left]. There it is, it's simple." -- LSU OT La'el Collins. (However, when asked about his thoughts on expanding it, Collins said it "would be cool, too.")
- "I don't know if there's a perfect way to do it, but I think that's a good amount of games. You don't want to be playing too many in the playoff because then guys' bodies would be shot and coaches after the season wouldn't have time to go out and recruit [as much]. They would lose out on a lot of recruiting opportunities." -- Florida QB Jeff Driskel
- "Four is plenty right now. ... Right now, four is what it is and I'm happy that that's what it is. If they end up changing it, then I'll be happy also." -- Tennessee C Mack Crowder
- "It'll be just like high school again, I guess. It's just one more game. I think everybody will be fine." -- Georgia RB Todd Gurley
- "Four teams is better than two, so it's a good start." -- Texas A&M OT Cedric Ogbuehi
What if the playoff were to expand to eight or 16 teams?
- "That might be too much because it's a hard game already. Playing all those games, there would definitely be more injuries. Four is fine, eight could be cool too, but I don't think 16 would be smart." -- Ogbuehi
- "That would probably be a little too much." -- Gurley
- "As players, we don't think about it like that. We think of it as some players are going to go on and play in the NFL where there are 16 games on top of a playoff and a Super Bowl -- mind you that some of those guys play in a wild-card game. By the time they finish, it's like 20-something games." -- Florida defensive end/linebacker Dante Fowler Jr.
What about your life away from football? Wouldn't an expanded playoff eat into your family time during the holidays and conflict with finals?
- "Fans don't think about that. Fans don't think about us spending time with our families or finishing out our classes with good grades. That's something that they have to take into consideration." -- Driskel
A playoff, whether it has four teams or 16, means more travel for players, fans and family members. That means more money out of people's pockets when it comes to transportation -- which is more than likely going to be by plane -- food, lodging, and miscellaneous. And that's just for one game.
Let's face it, some people are going to have to decide between going to the semifinal game or the national championship.
- "Not every family can make that trip. The fact that there are more games and both are immensely huge games could make it difficult on a lot of families [to plan travel]. I could see that happening. ... It's not necessarily something that we thought about. But when we look at the schedule and we know how that's going to play out, then some people have to start thinking about that, and some more than others." -- Georgia WR Chris Conley
- "It's definitely a concern. It's something that guys' families are going to have to start preparing themselves now." -- Collins
- "You can watch us on TV. As long as we win, that's all that matters." -- Fowler
Even South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier thinks players and families should be helped out with travel.
- "They have to do that now because most of them don't have enough money to make all those trips. That's why I think we should give the players and the parents expense money -- $200 to the player, $200 to the parents. Every time we play, here's $400 of expense money."
More games mean more chances for injuries. That's just science. So are players concerned about wearing down?
- "I just see it as more games, and I love playing games. You can get hurt literally at any point in the season. At the end of the season, some guys are going to be completely healthy, some guys are gonna be beat up." -- Crowder
- "That's the sacrifice you make, but it all pays off in the end." -- Collins
- "It's a lot of games, but it's something that you have to prep yourself up for and prepare yourself to just go. You're going to have aches and injuries, and things like that, but if you want to win it takes hard work, dedication, blood, sweat, and tears." -- Fowler
For now, players will go through the motions of the season before they sniff what life in the playoff will be like. It's worked at all other levels of sport, and now Division 1 football is getting in on the act. All these questions and concerns will be approached head-on in the months to come, and we'll see how players' opinions on the playoff change.
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SEC 1,000-yard receivers for 2014
Who can reach the 1,000-yard club?
Last season, four receivers made it to the 1,000-yard club -- Vanderbilt's Jordan Matthews (1,477 yards), Texas A&M's Mike Evans (1,394 yards) and LSU's Jarvis Landry (1,193 yards) and Odell Beckham Jr. (1,152 yards). All four of those guys are gone. Actually, the SEC lost eight of its top 10 receivers from a year ago.
1. Amari Cooper, Alabama: One of the nation's best receivers, Cooper wasn't at his best and wasn't 100 percent healthy last season, but he still managed 736 receiving yards. He's playing at a faster level now and is tougher, which means he'll have no trouble crossing the 1,000-yard mark this fall.
2. Laquon Treadwell, Ole Miss: He learned a ton from Donte Moncrief and still caught more passes than him in 2013. Treadwell is a physical specimen and is already the most athletic person when he steps out on the field. As the No. 1 guy in Oxford, he'll easily surpass the 608 yards he had last season.
3. Jameon Lewis, Mississippi State: He was so close to 1,000 yards and probably would have made it into triple digits if he didn't have to work with multiple quarterbacks all season. Lewis is still developing his game, but he's the perfect playmaker for Mississippi State's spread offense.
4. Sammie Coates, Auburn: Talk about coming out of nowhere. Coates was a real unknown before last season and somehow wound up with 902 yards. He's a deep threat and someone who isn't afraid to make plays over the middle. Getting pushed more by other players might cut into his numbers, though.
5. Malcolm Mitchell, Georgia: If Mitchell is healthy, he's one of the most athletic and talented receivers that this league has to offer. A knee injury cost him just about all of his 2013 season, and he's already have complications with his knee this fall. But if he's out there and ready to go, he'll be fun to watch.
6. Marquez North, Tennessee: In a struggling passing game, North finished the 2013 season with 496 yards. He's so much better than that, and he's playing like it this fall. He's added some needed weight and is understanding his role more and running his routes better.
7. Ricky Seals-Jones, Texas A&M: Another player who basically saw the 2013 season from the sideline, don't sleep on Seals-Jones. He was one of the nation's best recruits a couple of years ago and when he's at full speed, Seals-Jones can really fly. He'll make tons of plays inside and out.
8. D'haquille Williams, Auburn: The junior college transfer could be really special. He has all the talent to make a ton of plays in such a wide open offense. Williams will push Coates all season for the role as the Tigers' No. 1 target.
9. Shaq Roland, South Carolina: Dealing with the hype that came with him out of high school hasn't been easy, but the thought out of Columbia is that this could be a big season for Roland. He can stretch the field and is great in space.
2Q SMU C. Rademacher on-side kick recovered by SMU
Saturday, 9/20
0:21 2nd Qtr 6 Texas A&M 37 SMU 3 7:19 2nd Qtr Florida 14 3 Alabama 21 9:02 2nd Qtr Indiana 14 18 Missouri 7 7:00 PM ET Northern Illinois Arkansas
- Conversation
7:00 PM ET Mississippi State 8 LSU
- Preview
- Conversation
7:30 PM ET 14 South Carolina Vanderbilt
- Preview
- Conversation
Final Troy 0 13 Georgia 66
Thursday, 9/18
Final 5 Auburn 20 20 Kansas State 14


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When call centre cold calling leaves you hot under the collar
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Companies risk damage to brands and reputation with unsolicited sales calls.
There is an experience that tests the resolve and patience of virtually every consumer. Indeed, many can go through this experience several times a week.
It goes something like this: A call centre agent phones you on your contract cell phone to offer you a cell phone contract. Or, the agent calls to sell you life insurance "because you can never have enough these days", and while they are at it can they throw in car and home insurance, or a funeral policy for an uncle you may have overlooked.
Gidon Alter, Chief of Play at Justplay, South Africa's largest competition website with 300 000 members, says unsolicited sales calling have the potential to do more harm than good. These unsolicited sales pitches can also be delivered by e mail through spamming, although this is improving because of improvement in anti-spamming technology.
Alter says companies often fail to appreciate that having an agent who is not steeped in your product or brand values call someone who did not consent to being called and who is not looking for your product or service at that point, but might do so in the future, can turn the customer off your brand for good.
Justplay.co.za, on the other hand, engages consumers in a transparent manner. It offers members an opportunity to win weekly prizes through a range of competitions where there is a computer-selected winner irrespective of the number of entries.
Its membership of 300 000 is 68% female and 51% of its users are in LSMs 7 to 8 while 45%, are in the upper LSMs of 9 to 10. About 3% of users are in the lower LSMs.
Says Alter: "Justplay collects consumer data through specifically targeted questionnaires that carefully filter customer preferences and then offer customers an option to consent to being called about a particular product or service."
Entry to the competitions as well as the prizes on offer is independent of the questionnaire so as not to influence responses. Competitions are therefore "clean" in the sense that the prizes are not tied to any company's campaign or promotions. Companies that use Justplay can then access a better quality database of people who can afford a company's product, are potentially interested and have asked to be contacted.
"Using these sales leads that are properly qualified means that companies can achieve higher conversion rates and improve their overall sales effectiveness," says Alter.
He believes the root cause of receiving unsolicited calls is the sale of a database, sometimes in circumstances that can be described as illegal, by unscrupulous operators. Another source of the problem is selling of "lists" which can be tailored to a purchasing company's needs. While selling lists is not illegal, it is still a grey area.
Justplay is a member of the Digital Media & Marketing Association, a regulatory body that helps monitor practices like spamming.
Alter says the legal environment is improving and that consumer protection against such practices is getting better. The Consumer Protection Act, now in place for just under two years, offers some protection but is limited on its own. Looming on the horizon is the Protection of Personal Information Act, which will more strictly govern how personal data can be collected stored, disseminated and used.
But until then, you might just have to draw on your creativity to divert those persistent cold callers.
5 Nov 2012 16:19
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Sales of Luxury items, especially diamonds and jewelry took a big hit in 2008 and their sales across the board were significantly down for both Retail Brick & Mortar jewelers as well as Internet diamond websites. Reports of 35-55% decreases in sales were noted.
Avi Krawitz of Rapaport News provides a detailed review and analysis on the diamond industry of 2008 and what might be in store in 2009.


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