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Debt crisis dents Deutsche Bank
Feb.02 - Deutsche Bank has posted a fourth-quarter pretax loss after investment banking wilted amid the sovereign debt crisis, and as bad investments and litigation charges spoiled Josef Ackermann's final earnings presentation as chief executive. Hayley Platt reports
Deutsche bank's chief executive Josef Ackerman presides over his last shareholders meeting before stepping down. The German bank has been hit hard by the euro zone debt crisis. It made a pre tax loss of just over 350 million euros compared to profits of more than double that last year. But Ackerman said the bank was in good shape. SOUNDBITE: Josef Ackerman, Head of Deutsche Bank, saying (German): "I can't predict whether there will any more one-offs. But I assume that the legal risks will continue over the next years. But as I said there is my partial parting gift of several hundred millions to create a strong and intact platform after the shareholder's meeting." Analysts had been expecting the bank to make a profit of around a billion euros for the quarter but a number of bad investments and litigation charges spoiled its balance sheet. Oliver Roth is a Frankfurt-based trader. (SOUNDBITE) (English) TRADER FOR CLOSE BROTHERS SEYDLER BANK, OLIVER ROTH, SAYING: "The results of the fourth quarter of Deutsche Bank were of course a bad surprise for the stock exchange because analysts were expecting much better figures. That's one side. On the other hand, I guess that (CEO) Josef Ackermann also tried to tidy up his desk for his successors." Revenues from its investment banking fell by a quarter and trading in bonds and shares was also down. Private banking, cash management and treasury services faired better but they weren't enough to offset the losses elsewhere. Speaking about the euro zone Ackerman was optimistic about the future. (SOUNDBITE) (German) HEAD OF DEUTSCHE BANK, JOSEF ACKERMANN, (about the Greek talks) SAYING: "I don't think we are that far apart any more. Greece's ability to deal with its debt has to be presented, it has to be clearer what the debt is. The investors have contributed a lot. But that isn't quite enough to meet the goals. But it is a big step in the right direction." Ackerman has been chief executive at Germany's biggest bank for a decade. He'll be replaced in May by two new chief executives who will share the role. Hayley Platt, Reuters.


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Facebook squandered their opportunity to become a true platform company, argues Hamish McKenzie in 6,000 words at Pando Daily. He describes how Facebook raised expectations sky-high at the f8 conference in 2007, only pull the rug out from under the developer ecosystem by repeatedly changing the rules in the years to come.
Hamish is right: Facebook made a huge mistake with Platform, and it hasn't achieved anything close to its full potential. But the biggest obstruction wasn't the ever-changing developer rules. Rather, the problem was that developers were able to win eyeballs but not earn revenues.
But Hamish's eulogy is premature – Facebook could still become the platform company that it set out to be.
All Facebook needs to do is get monetization right – then return to Platform. And Facebook is now showing signs that they're at an inflection point in monetization. Once that monetization matures, Facebook will have a platform of significant interest for app developers. All they have to do is share the wealth. No developer would ever have installed Google's AdSense if the links came without a payment.
Just like Google figured out how to monetize with AdWords before they rolled out AdSense, Facebook needs a credible model with clear economic incentives before app developers will give them a second chance. But bad feelings notwithstanding, as soon as Facebook comes back to the table with a robust platform that enables apps to generate real profits, even jilted developers will be back – and Facebook will get a second shot at becoming the ultimate platform, the social operating system of the web.

subset: commoncrawl


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Series: Alpha Ops, #3
Published by Swerve on April 5th 2016
Pages: 115
Buy on Amazon
In high school, basketball star Charlotte Stannard and Navy SEAL Jamie Hawthorn were everything but lovers. They shared a ruthlessly competitive spirit and relentless drive, but Charlie, afraid of the consequences of an unplanned pregnancy at seventeen, drove Jamie away. But now Jamie's back in town for the banquet to honor the basketball coach, and finds Charlie, newly home from a successful career in the European leagues and coaching the girls' team. The flames between them are hotter than ever, but Charlie believes Jamie just wants what he couldn't have when they were kids. Jamie's not just playing to win. He's playing for Charlie's heart, forever.
'The SEAL's Second Chance' is classic Calhoun at work – a ten-year-history of friends that never really became more is finally given that sexy do-over when Jamie Hawthorn returns to Lancaster, seeking out the woman whom he'd never forgotten and perhaps, even loved. We're not given a good enough reason for two people wanting each other badly yet not doing something concretely positive about it for a decade, yet it's clear that the book is less concerned with revisiting the past (or even plotting the future) than it is with recording the present.
I enjoyed this short read nonetheless; Anne Calhoun excels at cataloguing intense, live-in-the-moment experiences and I've come to accept her stories for what they are: brief flashes of people (re)connecting, whose flaky pasts aren't necessarily given sufficient explanations or justification, yet do so with a rawness that is enthralling and captivating; in fact, it's almost akin to watching a short snippet of an erotic film that works well enough because it lacks actual context. Ms. Calhoun aims instead, to titillate and indulge even if it is somewhat sensually hedonistic, but isn't that really the point here?


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Do you ever feel like your blog life and real life are battling against each other for time? I sure do! In fact I feel this way all the time now ever since I have gone back to work. I especially feel this way even more so this time of year when everything is starting to bloom outside and calling me to come outside and play.
The dogwoods are blooming, the sun is shining and the temperature has been absolutely wonderful!
I have been spending my precious time off cleaning up a bit outside
We finally finished raking up all the leaves that had accumulated here in our natural area by the fence. It may not look like it in this photo but it was a momentousness task.
I bought and added a few purple verbena to my flower area in between the pool patio and deck areas. The Mr. has almost finished the lattice work too. We still need to stain it and add more mulch to both this area and the natural are but I am pleased with how things are progressing.
This picture shows you quite a change from the way things looked here only a few weeks ago. Do you see how large the leaves on my Oak Leaf Hydrangea have already grown?
Speaking of large, here's a glimpse of my Encore Rose bush. It's huge isn't it? I'm so glad to see it's starting to bloom!
I finally found a little time to put out just a few Easter decor items.
The scary bunnies are back! My family is going to have fun with these again. LOL! The Mr. and son #2 do not particularly like them at all.
There is something about the facial expression on these bunnies that just freaks them out. They also claim they have eyes that follow you around the room. Hehe!
On the mantle I changed up just a few things for a more summery feel.
I added my faux chocolate bunny for the holidays.
I thought I'd show you my glass decanters I bought from work too. We sell these in different sizes and shapes and in green too. I just love them! I think the purple is the perfect accent on my mantle this year.
Now that I've shown you some of what I've been up to, I'd like like to get back to the real meat of this post. Real life verses Blog life and keeping perspective means time management, which I have not been very good at. I can't tell you how many times I have rushed out of here off to work or stayed up late to post and visit and comment and so forth. I know first hand how difficult is to keep up. So it should come as no surprise when others find it too difficult to keep up with me.
Once again I find myself feeling frustrated by those who stop following. Why should this matter so much? I guess because I have always felt like I really try to make a connection with those who follow my blog. I guess maybe I don't or maybe I just don't measure up to their standards. Whatever the case may be it's a bit annoying when it happens with no explanation what so ever.
I was thinking about this and thought that maybe it was a good idea to once again explain what type of blogger I am. I mostly blog about my real life and my decor. Rarely do I post pictures from magazines, Pinterest, other bloggers or other sources off of the internet. I enjoy sharing some of my things and enjoy looking at yours and getting all sorts of inspiration.
Like you, I enjoy sharing my photos of my finds and home.
I started off blogging under the name of Sailing Simply. I miss that name and that blog so much and often wish I had never changed. It still sits out there in cyber space waiting for a visit from me The Decorative Dreamer. I kept it up because I had intended to post some of my sailing exploits on there. Only I find that when I sail I really just don't want to be taking pictures. I rather enjoy being with my family and friends and just enjoying the moment. So often when I take my camera, I only take a few pics then decide not to post them. Also, I find family and friends are not so keen to have their mugs plastered across the internet. Do you know what I mean?
I've especially enjoyed those few authentic friends I have made through blogging and try to visit and communicate with you as often as possible. In real life I find I just don't have the time to do this often enough. I don't have the time in large part because I work full time now. I'm in retail and that means my hours change every week. I work a few nights each week in addition my day time hours. It's a very challenging thing to rotate your work hours and your home life, not to mention maintaining a blog. But I have felt like I was doing it well.
It's nice to know when you do something well. It's nice to also be rewarded for it too. Woohoo! I work hard and I'm so thankful to work for a company that recognized that. I was also thrilled to be able to add another pin to my lanyard. LOL! We get them for all sorts of things, kinda like hat pins. Yeah, I love the small stuff!
But what I want you to know what I enjoy most about blogging is...being authentic to who I am!
When I say authentic it means I am sharing my life, my thoughts and it's my blog. The authentic blog friends that I connect with just seem to have a mutual enjoyment of sharing a part of our lives. Somehow, at some point we have made a connection that the other person we are communicating with is real and has feelings and is sharing a snippet of their life. It does not mean we have to constantly keep sharing comments back and forth on every single post. We visit when we can and acknowledge that the person on the other end has a real life. This are the friends that I have maintained.
I wonder if those that just stop following others ever acknowledge that or maybe their life was just not able to make another connection with someone at that time because they only are interested in looking at pictures. That's okay too, we all blog for different reasons. Maybe they were just not that interested, who knows. The internet just makes it too easy to log off from another persons life, but should we do so without even a goodbye? I guess that's just part of the risk of blogging of opening up your life and sharing a little piece of you. If you have dropped me because I didn't visit you enough, or didn't make the connection then I am truly sorry. In my defense, as I hope you can see, I have a real life.
And it's calling me away to spend less and less time here in blogland. I plan to keep sharing things with you and visiting you when I can. I hope you understand that w/out my real life there can be no blog life worth sharing with you. That's my perspective.
If you have read through this and would like to share your perspective I would love to hear from you. What's going on with you? Do you ever struggle with blogging and real life and time management?
Thanks so much for dropping by. I hope you have a beautiful day!


text:
This feature allows for the entering of a decimal number and returns the number's binary representation as a string. It also takes an optional second parameter indicating the number of digits/places displayed in the return string.
' Example code
Dim strBinString as String
strBinString = Bin(24)
Debug.Print strBinString
Debug.Assert strBinString = "00011000"
This topic applies to:
E-Prime 2.0
This item has been introduced in E-Prime 2.0 (Build 22.214.171.124 or greater)


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Wanna come to my book signing?
There will be a book signing for my 100 Artists of Washington, DC book on February 16 from 6:30 - 8:30PM at the gorgeous BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown, Maryland.
Bring your own book (buy it at Amazon here) or get a copy from me at the Center (it will be cheaper at Amazon).
Many of the artists in the book will be there, so this is also a good opportunity to get your copy signed by them as well.
I will also be giving a talk about how this book came to be, and the selection process (an update) for the next two volumes.
BlackRock Center for the Arts
12901 Town Commons Drive
Germantown, MD 20874
301.528.2260 (administrative offices)
301.528.2266 (fax)
email@example.com (e-mail)
See ya there!
Monday, January 30, 2012
Wanna come to my book signing?
Call for Artists: Bethesda Painting Awards
Deadline: Submissions must be received by Friday, February 24, 2012
The Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District is currently accepting applications for the seventh annual Bethesda Painting Awards. Up to nine finalists will be selected to display their work in an exhibition during the month of June at Gallery B in downtown Bethesda, and the top four winners will receive $14,000 in prize monies.
Best in Show will be awarded $10,000; Second Place will be honored with $2,000 and Third Place will receive $1,000. Additionally, a "Young Artist" whose birthday is after February 24, 1982 may be awarded $1,000. Artists must be 18 years of age or older and residents of Maryland, Virginia or Washington, D.C.
All original 2-D paintings including oil, acrylic, watercolor, gouache, encaustic and mixed media will be accepted. The maximum dimensions should not exceed 60 inches in width or 84 inches in height. No reproductions. Artwork must have been completed within the last two years and must be available for the duration of the exhibit.
Each artist must submit either 5 slides, application and a non-refundable fee of $25. Digital entries will be accepted on CD in JPG, GIF or PNG format.
For a complete application, please visit www.bethesda.org, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to:
Bethesda Painting Awards
c/o Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District
7700 Old Georgetown Road
Bethesda, MD 20814
Or call 301-215-6660 x117.
Mitt's Mexican Dad
"White House hopeful Mitt Romney rarely mentions a key fact as he works to woo Hispanics ahead of Tuesday's Republican presidential nominating contest in Florida -- his own Mexican heritage."I mentioned this back in 2008, but read the more recent update to the story here.
And if we follow the silly definitions of "Hispanic" or "Latino", then Romney qualifies, since his father was born in a Latin American country, and could be the GOP's second "Hispanic" Presidential candidate!
Uh? Well... you see, since John McCain was actually born in Panama...
Makes my head hurt.


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Ejvor Merkley has kindly agreed to do lookups in some early Ontario records she has. Please contact her directly at her email
and she will let you know if she can help. The resources she has are as follows:
St. Peter's Lutheran Church
, (Williamsburg Twp) Dundas, births, marriages, deaths, ministers daily writings. Starts 1827.
Parish Register of
St. Lawrence Lutheran Church
, Morrisburg, Dundas, County. births, marriages, deaths, ministers writings, etc. Same time period.
Copies of the
Dundas County marriage records
, these are not from the Ontario Register but from Dundas County. Starting in the middle of the 1800's.
Bill Martin, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada.
My email
My Site Map


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Path Solutions, a leading global Islamic core banking software, consulting and services organization, announced today that Trustbank Suriname, now Trustbank Amanah, has gone live on iMAL Islamic core banking platform with the successful transition of the bank from conventional to Islamic banking business model, a major milestone in the South American banking system as large banks in South America are tipped to tap into growing Sharia-compliant demand.
To help differentiate itself as the first Islamic bank in Suriname, Trustbank Amanah selected the dynamic iMAL after an extensive review of global core banking system vendors.
"It's a significant landmark not just for Trustbank Amanah, but for the banking industry in South America", commented Mohammed Kateeb, Path Solutions' Group Chairman & CEO. "The successful deployment of iMAL at Trustbank and its transformation into a full-fledged Islamic bank is testimony to the commitment from both Trustbank and Path Solutions to make this happen. We are proud to witness the first iMAL Go Live in South America, and proud to be the preferred IT partner of Trustbank Suriname in their strategic initiative".
Founded on August 30, 1989, Trustbank is a private bank with expertise in the areas of savings, loans, investments and asset management. Trustbank has opted at a strategic level for a new business model to enrich the banking landscape in Suriname, the Caribbean and Latin America. The bank embarked on the conversion last year. Today, Trustbank Amanah offers pioneering Islamic banking products which can serve as an incentive for economic development and diversification, obviously differentiating itself from the competition and expanding its product range. This strategic transformation initiative is foundational to Trustbank Amanah's objectives in supporting Sharia compliance, as well as highly personalized customer service.
Commenting on the Go Live, Maureen Badjoeri, Trustbank Amanah CEO, said, "Path Solutions' experience in banking platform conversion has been demonstrated extensively throughout the globe. Their extensive track record of successful implementations, and their focus and flexibility in ensuring that each and every project is a success is unparalleled. A project of such complexity was executed in a record breaking timeframe by the joint team. We are proud of what we have achieved. From now onwards, iMAL will enable us to provide innovative retail banking services and products in conformity with Islamic law. It will also drive digital transformation, greatly enhancing customer experience, increasing efficiency and transparency of our banking operations".


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18th C. European Decorative arts
My retouched backgrounds make these resemble soft porn -- and maybe that's a good description for them anyway. Clodion takes me into the kind of erotic Classical world where I could live forever -- at least, until I fall asleep.
Why is Houdon in a room of "decorative arts"? Why is
Houdon's George Washington the periodic ojbect of conceptual abuse (now incorporated into someone's postmodern masterpiece) Maybe it's because his portraits embody civilized rationalism like no one else before or since. Maybe the sitter was a dolt - but here he looks like he could serve as chancellor to the Sun king.
O.K., I have no idea why I picked this piece -- it's
off the chart goofy --- guess that's why I picked it --- but I can't tell who
was more responsible for that celestial conditon; the modeler or the glazer at the
Meissen factory ? I see this piece and I feel like putting on the silver suit of the Rosenkavalier.
Here's my favorite detail of the above -- something about those colors --- I feel like I want to take a spoon and start eating it.


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Find a new Ram 1500 at your local Rhinebeck, NY Ram dealership.View NEW Ram 1500 Inventory Looking for a USED Ram 1500?
Get a Quote!
Test Drive the New Ram 1500
Rhinebeck, NY | Poughkeepsie, NY | Kingston, NY
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Why Us? Starting as a single fuel pump in 1935, Ruge's Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Rhinebeck, NY has grown into one of the largest family-run businesses in the Hudson Valley. Our team of automotive finance experts is always available to help prepare an affordable auto loan or lease for you. Stop by for a test drive today!
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Ruge's Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram is happy to provide a wide range of services to extend the life of your new and pre-owned vehicles. From a quick 30-minute inspection to car part replacements, our team of expert automotive technicians is ready to address any concern. Schedule an appointment or call their service center for answers to all your questions.
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Governor Brewer has ordered that flags at state offices be lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Tuesday, May 10, 2011 in honor of Captain Nathan J. Nylander. Governor Brewer previously ordered flags at all state office buildings be lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset on April 29, 2011, in honor of Capt. Nylander who was killed in action April 27 and who died of wounds suffered from gunfire. Cap Nylander was assigned to the 25th Operational Weather Squadron, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. Individuals, businesses, private organizations and other government agencies are encouraged to join in this tribute.
Flag(s) Lowered:
Arizona & American Flag
Notice Type:
05/09/2011 to 05/10/2011


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After a weekend with the iPhone 5, here's what I think of the latest Apple device
After countless browser reloads on UPS' tracking page and waiting for the UPS truck to show up, my pre-ordered iPhone 5 (Black/Slate 32GB) finally arrived on Friday afternoon. Upon opening the box like a slobbering kid in a candy store, I was greeted with a familiar looking iPhone, one that was noticeably taller, but not wider. Despite reading all the reviews online and hearing about how it's 20% lighter, I was still taken aback by just how much lighter it actually felt in my hand. It almost felt like I was picking up an iPhone made entirely of plastic. And the fact that it's 18% slimmer is also immediately apparent when held. All in all, the iPhone 5's form factor is just sleek and sexy as hell. Factor in that I skipped the 4S, this was one heck of an upgrade.
At first glance, the most obvious change of the new iPhone is the 4″ diagonal screen. By making it taller, Apple was able to add an extra row of apps onto the home screen; including the bottom dock, we now get 6 rows of apps. Apps that have been updated to support the iPhone 5's 16:9 aspect ratio will fill out the screen, otherwise, apps/games will appear in letterbox mode (a black strip at the top and bottom). This 0.5 inch diagonal growth is significant enough that it'll provide users with a better experience for games, movies (watch them in their original wide screen format), browsing the web and everyday app usage. Even after using it for just for a few hours, jumping back onto the iPhone 4 made all the app icons feel more cramped, almost like I was using an iPhone Mini.
It's not only the size, but colors are richer – even when viewed under direct sunlight – thanks to the 44% increase in colour saturation over the 4/4S. As previously reported by the WSJ, the iPhone 5 uses an all new in-cell technology that integrates the touch sensors into the LCD, thus allowing for a thinner and sharper display. Just comparing the (purple) iTunes app icon between the the iPhone 4 and 5, you'll immediately see that the on iPhone 5, it has more contrast and looks less washed out.
Speed, speed and more speed
Everything is just so much snappier. This is especially true for me since I went from the iPhone 4 to the 5, much like it was going from the original iPad to the iPad 3. The faster A6 chip scored more than double of any previous iDevices in the Geekbench benchmarks and this is more than evident in everyday use. Everything from booting up the phone to opening apps, snapping pictures and surfing the web, you'll notice the difference right away. It may not be as significant for iPhone 4S users, but the speed bump is still there (Apple says it's 2x faster than the iPhone 4S's A5X chip for CPU and graphics). Add to the fact that there's now 1GB of ram (same as the iPad 3), you can basically have more apps open on your phone without experiencing any slow downs due to low memory.
iOS 6
I won't go into deal at the moment regarding iOS 6 as you may already have been busy checking it out over the past few days, but I will touch on a few things I like. One of the big ones for me is the Do Not Disturb mode. When turned on, I can schedule a time period when calls and alerts won't come through. No more being woken up by in the middle of the night by strangers who wrongly drunk-dialled your number. The sub-options of "Allow Calls From" (select groups from contacts who will bypass DND) and "Repeated Calls" (a 2nd call from same person within 3 minutes won't be silenced) round up DND mode.
The Mail.app has been improved with a number of useful features, including pull-down-to-refresh, the VIP inbox, and ability to Archive OR Delete an email right from within the message (tap and hold the Box icon at the center bottom of the screen to bring up menu). This means that you no longer have to choose which of the two you want from Settings–>; Mail –>; Accounts.
Siri has also gotten smarter and can now launch apps. Just tell Siri to "Launch" or "Open" followed by the app name. Sure beats looking for a particular app if you have pages and pages of them. Finally, iOS 6 now lets you not only set wake up alarms with default sounds like 'Marimba', but also with songs from your Music library. Sweet.
It's no secret the Apple's all new Maps app is severely outclassed by Google Maps, at least for the time being. Users have rightfully complained about the lack of public transit routes, incorrect positioning of POIs (points of interest), disappearing cities and buildings, and major graphical glitches in 3D Flyover view to name just a few. Apple even issued a statement to AllThingsD in regards this:
Customers around the world are upgrading to iOS 6 with over 200 new features including Apple Maps, our first map service. We are excited to offer this service with innovative new features like Flyover, turn by turn navigation, and Siri integration. We launched this new map service knowing it is a major initiative and that we are just getting started with it. Maps is a cloud-based solution and the more people use it, the better it will get. We appreciate all of the customer feedback and are working hard to make the customer experience even better.
The problem is so wide spread that users have started to post their own findings on sites like The Amazing iOS 6 Maps. While I have yet to extensively test out the new Maps app, my biggest issue thus far has been the lack of POIs near where I live. Gas stations and restaurants that have been in the area for the past few years are no where to be found. Thankfully, turn-by-turn navigation actually works quite well, even on par or better than a few of the GPS apps I've tried on the App store.
Of course, if you're missing Google Maps, you can always visit maps.google.com to use their web version and even add it to your home screen as an app shortcut. This way, you won't miss out on public bus schedules and walking routes. Sadly, this means you will no longer get to use Street View on iOS 6.
LTE = Zoom Zoom Zoom
A major upgrade for the iPhone 5 is the inclusion of LTE (Long Term Evolution), which is about 10x faster than the 3G network. Similar to how you won't know how light the iPhone 5 actually feels until you hold it, you won't realize how much faster LTE is compared to 3G until you've tried it yourself. This relatively new standard is often faster than many home Wifi networks and I can see how this is the case. Using the free Speedtest app, I was able to get insane speeds of 36.92 Mbps (down) and 13.85 Mbps (up) on my Fido LTE network. On 3G, the same test came back with 2.91 Mbps down and 0.54 Mbps up. Needless to say, browsing the web on the iPhone 5 with LTE enabled is like flying down the autobahn with your dream ride. Even graphic intensive (non-mobile) sites load up as quickly as on my 27″ iMac. There's no doubt that once you go LTE, there's no turning back. Just make sure that you do have a generous LTE data plan before blazing through online videos. Otherwise, you may be in for a bit of a surprise when your bill arrives at the end of the month.
iPhone 5 Battery Life
Smartphone battery life has always been a contentious issue, especially nowadays when users demand more power for their apps, music, movies and the like. It's no different with the iPhone 5 and in some ways, the expectations have risen after it was made known during the keynote that the 5 has "matched or exceeded the battery life" of the iPhone 4S. No small feat to be sure, given that the phone is nearly 20% slimmer. According to Apple's spec sheet, users can expect 8 hours of 3G talk time/browsing, 8 hours of LTE browsing, and 10 hours of surfing and video on Wifi.
So how has my experience been so far? Sadly, not so good. I'm finding that there's quite a substantial battery drain on my iPhone 5 and overnight, I could lose 20-30% of power just on standby. It almost seems a process in the background hasn't quit on its own and is sucking the battery dry. To be sure, I've turned off a host of settings, including turning off location services (for apps not required), Raise to speak for Siri, LTE, and ensuring that the option for Diagnostics & usage is set to "Don't Send" – just to name a few. Strangely enough, none of this helped much, and I got to a point where I was losing about 1% every 3-4 minutes. This was with LTE off and browsing quite literally between 1 or 2 webpages. A quick search online and it appears that others are experiencing the same thing. My guess is that there's a bug in iOS 6 that causes the iPhone 5 to drain its battery much, much more quickly than originally designed. I'll have to dig a bit deeper, see if there's a possible fix and report back. Hopefully, Apple will provide an a minor update soon to address the battery issue.
I also did notice that the back of the phone does get quite warm (not iPad 3 hot) after prolonged use, particularly when using Safari with LTE turned on. But it never gets to a point where it's uncomfortable, just that it's fairly obvious in the hand if there's no case to cover it's backside.
One minor blemish
Much to my dismay, I did notice right out of the box that my iPhone 5 had a small stain-like mark just below the top left antenna. If you click and zoom in on the image above, you'll see a darken mark just below the line – as if someone had dabbed a black marker on its side. It's not even a scratch or dent as the surface is still smooth. I know it's such a small blemish and it won't affect the phone in anyway, but seeing how I just spent $799+ tax (plus another $100 for AppleCare+), I wasn't going to just let it slide. After a call to the Apple Store and speaking with a more than understanding Apple rep, I was relieved to learn that I could bring it into the store and have it swapped out for a 'replacement' iPhone 5. Apparently, these are brand new, set aside for launch (they're not for sale) and used to replace any defective iPhones. While mine wasn't defective per say, thankfully I was still able to exchange it right then and there at the Apple Store for another blemish free unit — as opposed to shipping it back to Apple Online and waiting god knows how long before one is sent back to me.
The Rest: EarPods, Camera, Lighting Cable
For the first time ever, the iconic iPod earphones have been completely redesigned and were unveiled during the same iPhone 5 media event. Now called 'EarPods', the customary round earbuds have been replaced by a cone-shaped like design that actually fits snuggly into your ear. In fact, I have to say that they're one of the most comfortable earbud type earphones I've ever tried. Once on, it feels like its barely there (at least for these ears), and unlike its predecessor, these don't constantly threaten to slide off. As for how they sound, the EarPods are actually surprisingly good; while I haven't spent hours listening to music with them, I've found the EarPods to be a fairly huge step up, especially when it come to the bass department. They're certain not the best sounding earphones around – far from it – but for $29 and the fact that they come bundled with the iPhone 5, I think they're great value and I've certainly been satisfied with them so far.
The iPhone 5 camera is similar to the iPhone 4S' in that it's the same 8MP, f/2.4 aperture and 5-element lens, but it's 25% thinner and 40% faster when snapping photos. And with the help of the A6 chip, it further reduces noise and offers a new dynamic low light mode, which gives up to 2 f-stops greater low-light performance. Add to that a new sapphire lens crystal cover that Apple claims is more durable and clear, this all helps make one of the best smartphone cameras on the market even better. From my brief tests, I was really impressed by its image quality. By and large, the pictures that the 5 is able to take even rivals some of the mid to low range point and shoot cameras I've come across. All the more reason to ditch that mediocre camera and just rely on the iPhone 5 for causal photogrphy.
One really cool feature of the new camera is the panorama mode, which essentially stitches together a bunch of images to create a large panoramic photo. To enable it, go to Options within the camera.app, then select Panorama. Once you tap the shutter button, pan the iPhone vertically from left to right and iOS 6 will do all the heavy lifting. This is a great mode for landscape photography or taking portraits of a large group of people positioned side-by-side. Do note that the resulting image file is a pretty large one, anywhere from 20 – 30MB in size. The front-facing camera has also gotten an upgrade; it is now 720p and as such, FaceTime gets a nice bump up in resolution. One final tidbit: you can now take stills while shooting video. I suppose that this will come handy in certain situations.
Another big change is the new Lighting Connector. It places the old 30 pin connector an it's now supposed to be much more durable, all digital and 80% smaller. And small it is. I didn't realize how tiny the connector was until I held the cable in my hand. The best part about this design is that it's completely reversible, so that means you don't have to fumble in the dark trying to plug 'lighting' in. That said, despite its all digital claim, I haven't noticed any differences in speed while transferring data or backing up my phone when compared to the 30 pin cable.
Final Thoughts
Without a doubt, the iPhone 5 is the best phone Apple have released to date. The faster processor, improved iSight camera, LTE, 4-inch screen and re-engineered designed that's shaved off 20% of its weight and thickness, all add up to making it a fantastic iPhone. Holding the phone with one hand is just as comfortable and navigating with one thumb is still possible thanks to the unchanged width of the body. The more I use it and appreciate the taller Retina Display, the harder it is to go back to the 3.5″ screen of the iPhone 4/4S. Not to mention that it feels really light; after a full day's use, the absence of the extra 25-28 grams from the iPhone 4/4S in weight does make a difference.
Of course, iPhone 5 is not perfect. It's fairly easy to chip the chamfered sides when dropped (particularly the black model), the battery drain issue seems to be a wide spread problem and affecting many (though not all), and Apple Maps is currently not completely reliable. Granted, the battery and map problems can be remedied via an update or two. So the million dollar question is when Apple will be able to offer a fix. Hopefully, it'll be much sooner rather than later.
If you're still using the iPhone 4 – maybe even the 3G/3GS, the iPhone 5 is most definitely a worthwhile upgrade. The difference in speed and overall user experience is quite substantial. Whereas if you're already on the 4S, the line gets a bit more hazy, as upgrading to iOS 6 will pretty much give you all the features of the iPhone 5, including turn-by-turn navigation and panoramic camera. Regardless, the bottom line is that no matter which iPhone you're upgrading from or even if you're a completely new user, the iPhone 5 is arguably the best smartphone money can buy — at least for now.


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Get Qualified Leads. Close More Sales.
Babylon Solutions helps you exceed your sales goals by combining digital marketing and powerful operations systems.
Digital Marketing and Technology Solutions
Designed to increase your bottom line.
We live, work and spend in a 24-hour, media-driven world. Consumers today are savvier than ever before, and they fully expect the businesses and services they use to keep up with their preferences. Digital marketing is no longer an extra feature or luxury service that companies can do without – it should, and will, become an integrated part of your business.
Our Proven Process
For Generating Inbound Leads and Sales
A Little About Us
Babylon Solutions is a full-service marketing and technology agency covering all aspects of digital media, direct mail, call centers, and systems integrations. Our mission is to help companies realize, reach and exceed their marketing and operational goals through media channel diversification and conversion tracking and optimization. We consider the companies we work with to be our partners and together we determine the best strategies to make that happen.
A Few Kind Words
Babylon Solutions inspires the confidence that perhaps a larger, well-known provider would give you, yet service their customers with the undivided attention and responsiveness of a smaller provider. We found that to be the best of both worlds. We gave them an extremely, almost unrealistically, tight deadline and not a lot to work with. They dove in without any hesitation and regularly communicated along the way. They met the deadline and delivered an exceptional website in terms of both form and function.
Babylon Solutions has been extremely professional, accurate, timely, and a charm to work with. From their website development and redesign, to their SEO tracking, to their coaching on how to help our company have a stronger web presence, they have always been top notch. They are constantly trying to help us gain better SEO ratings and offer suggestions on how to improve these rankings by adding articles to our website, making design and wording changes, or by improving our Social Media and other presence throughout the web. I have worked with almost everyone in the company and each and every one of them brings about exceptional service."


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How to play Operation L.O.A.D Game
Instructions: Protect the giant missile on its way to destroy the enemy planet. Follow it through launch, orbit, attack and destroy phases of its mission and defeat all enemies you encounter.
Movement: Click and drag or use arrow keys or WASD
Shoot: Left Mouse Click
Dodge/Dash: Left-click self or press Shift
Boost/Follow Rocket: Double-click self
Load Rockets: Click and hold self
Fire Loaded Rockets: Left-click anywhere
Melee: Swipe enemy
Operation L.O.A.D game controls
fire = left_mouse;jump = na;movement = mouse;
Game Description
Launch, Orbit, Attack, Destroy. Protect the missile through all four stages. An epic space shooter with a unique mechanic and stylish graphics.


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Appeal for respect for legal prescripts and processes
The Presidency wishes to remind all interested parties of the need to respect the institutions and processes created in terms of the Constitution and the law, in light of the media reports over the weekend relating to the South African Revenue Services (SARS) and the Minister of Finance, Mr Pravin Gordhan.
Media reports demanding that the President should summarily dismiss the SARS commissioner or interfere with the work of government agencies are unhelpful. There are prescripts within government which stipulate the processes to be utilised to resolve labour relations issues or disputes within the work environment.
The difficulty in the relationship between the Minister of Finance and the SARS Commissioner is being dealt with through the correct channels using the correct legal prescripts. The President began discussions with Minister Gordhan and Mr Moyane on this matter long before the State of the Nation Address and Budget2016. Measures are being put in place to address the issues responsibly and amicably, for the benefit of all. We urge interested parties to exercise calm and restraint and allow space for the matters to be resolved using correct channels.
There is also a need to ensure accuracy in the reporting of this matter.
The media has incorrectly reported, among other things, that there is a war at SARS and that the President and the Minister of Finance are somehow at war. This is a total fabrication and mischievous sensationalism.
Other reports have insinuated that the position of Minister Gordhan could be in jeopardy. The President wishes to emphasise that Minister Gordhan remains the Minister of Finance and any positing that the position of the Minister is under any threat is dismissed with the contempt it deserves.
Enquiries: Bongani Majola on 082 339 1993 or email@example.com
Source: The Presidency Republic of South Africa


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About us
Endura is an Italian-based company, operating world-wide, with headquarters in Bologna and manufacturing facilities and R&D activities in Ravenna. Endura also manufactures near Kolkata in India as well as in China, in collaboration with its partner, Jiangsu Yangnong Chemical Ltd. Endura also has long-term distribution arrangements with several companies including Bayer Environmental Science (for Transfluthrin and Cyfluthrin), Saltigo GmbH (for the insect repellent Saltidin®, a registered trademark of Saltigo GmbH - Leverkusen - Germany) and Horizon Sopyrwa (for Natural Pyrethrum). The Company sells via a commercial network established in 35 countries, with stock points in Europe, Australia, South Africa, United States, Latin America and India. This far-reaching, coordinated network allows Endura to understand and react quickly to changes in market requirements and to stay in close contact with customers in order to offer competitive solutions.
An Italian-based Company, Endura SpA has been developing, manufacturing and selling active ingredients and synergists for household and public health insecticides for over 50 years. Our strategy remains that of consolidating our position in the PBO business and expanding our portfolio of synthetic pyrethroids and other insecticides and repellents to continue to meet our customers' needs worldwide.
Endura is the majority shareholder of Solex Chemical Private Ltd., an Indian Company based in Kolkata. The manufacturing plant, commissioned in 2014, produces active ingredients for household insecticide products for the Indian market. Thanks to this facility, Endura is now in a position to provide "just in time" deliveries and meet the specific requirements of the Indian market with special customer-care services.


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Advantages of Plastic Surgery
Plastic surgery is one of the fastest growing fields in modern medicine. Today people can improve their appearance or correct deformities in a much safer and faster way. Some of the common plastic surgery procedures gaining lots of popularity include breast augmentation, facelifts and liposuction. If you are considering plastic surgery with the view of improving your overall looks or correcting any deformities but you aren't sure then this article should change your mind. The rest of this article summarizes some of the main benefits of plastic surgery.
Improve Physical Appearance
The first major advantage of
breast enhancement
surgery is that such procedures have the power to improve a person physical appearance. Procedures such as facelifts, liposuction, breast augmentation and nose job can improve how a person appears physically. As such, if there is a part of your body that you think can be improved by cosmetic surgery then contact a reputable plastic surgeon in your city. The good thing about the field of plastic surgery is that there have been a lot of improvements in the last few years meaning procedures are becoming safer.
Increase Self Esteem
Plastic surgery procedures not only improve patients' physical appearance but also go a long way in repairing how a person feels from the inside. These procedures are known to improve a person self esteem by a huge margin. For example, if you are not satisfied by how some of your body parts looks, then you can get in touch with a certified and experienced surgeon to have the deformities corrected. For example, lots of women go for breast augmentation surgery so that they can become more sexually appealing to their partners. Such a procedure increases the self esteem of women by a huge degree. To get more ideas about plastic surgery, go to
Enhance Confidence
Mommy makeover Beverly hills
procedures often make people more confident than before. Having more confidence is very important when it comes to how you relate with people. Confident people can easily make a lot of progress in life since they are free to express their personalities and creativity without any sort of fear. Because of this, confident people are likely to be more productive besides being friendly with lots of people.
In the end, if you are thinking about plastic surgery, then there is no better time to have the procedure done than now. Advancements in the industry mean that the procedures are becoming a lot safer than before. Today, you can have a procedure done without having to worry about your safety.


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Elevation of Yongfu,Taiwan Elevation Map, Topo, Contour200 meter
Below is the Elevation map of Yongfu,Taiwan, which displays range of elevation with different colours.
The elevation map of Yongfu,Taiwan is generated using elevation data from NASA's 90m resolution SRTM data.
The maps also provides idea of topography and contour of Yongfu,Taiwan.
Yongfu,Taiwan Elevation Map is displayed at different zoom levels.
Note:Please note that Yongfu,Taiwan Elevation Map is in beta.
Copyright & License:
This Yongfu,Taiwan Elevation Map is licensed under CC BY-SA.
You have to give credit by linking to this Yongfu,Taiwan Elevation Map page.
Base map © OpenStreetMap contributors


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Marcel, remeber that it is GOD who will do the healing and not you. I know you probaly realize this, but it sounds like you think that you can actually do the healing toyself. I do not think think this, but you never know what is goning on the mind of others. Please do not be offended as I was trying to be of service to you. Thank you , Your brother in Christ, Travis Gilday.
(send me an e-mail)


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I was first introduced into the short-term loan industry about 4 years ago when I was hired as a consultant to a company out of Las Vegas. I improved their conversion by 17%. Yes, I'm good like that. For that I got to know the interworks of the internals. Since they were the advertiser (product owner), I got to know a lot about the affiliate industry for short-term loans. I had never promoted this niche as an affiliate so I was very curious where the affiliates came from and how they promoted the offers. All of this was fascinating. After
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Let's just come right out and say it: breakups suck. No matter how mutual or amicable the separation, it can still be a painful, and even traumatic, experience. That probably explains why so many people search far and wide for advice on how to get over a breakup. Because when it comes to mourning lost love, we could all use as much help as we can get.
That's why it's so important to find healthy ways to get over a breakup, even when all you want to do is listen to sad breakup songs and watch classic breakup movies with a pint of ice cream. While those coping mechanisms can certainly help us get through the early wallowing stages, they're not viable long-term solutions to heartbreak.
Luckily, this expert-approved breakup advice will be your relationship guide to get you through every stage of the breakup process and beyond. These 11 breakup tips won't just help you get over an ex, but empower you to get into your single life.
1. Cut off contact.
This is the first thing you should do to get over an ex, according to breakup expert Kate Galt. "Give it 30 days," she told A Plus. "I find it's important for our brains to have a deadline... so put it in a calendar." At the end of the 30 days, you can reassess your feelings and decide if you've made enough personal progress that reinitiating contact with an ex is healthy.
"Of course, the reason that works is out of sight, a little more out of mind," Galt explained. "The heart is very busy trying to figure out how to feel now because there's a void there and so... just let the heart relax a little bit." That's why she encourages newly single people to make it as hard as possible to get in contact with their ex. "Don't even have their phone number, in case you have a weak moment where you've had something to drink and you feel like you're just gonna call them because everything makes sense at that moment," she said. "...I have seen it a hundred times where [exes] get in contact with each other, and all the wounds reopen." While you may want to get closure, it's important to give yourself enough time to heal those wounds on your own first.
2. Stay away from your ex's social media.
A 2012 study published in the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking found that people who cyberstalk their exes' Facebook profiles are more likely to have negative feelings for the person, more likely to desire that person, and less likely to grow from the breakup. On top of Galt's suggestion to cut off direct communication with an ex, it's important to resist keeping tabs on them via indirect forms of communication, like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat, too. And just like deleting their phone number, it may be best to block your ex — temporarily — so you take away the temptation of "just checking up" on them. Even looking at the most seemingly harmless Instagram story can open up a whole can of worms.
To give yourself a fresh start, you may want to consider taking some time to go off the grid, even if that just means an hour less a day. If that feels good, you may want to try a social media cleanse for a few days and use that time to reconnect in person with family, friends, and nature.
3. Go out into nature.
"Let nature soothe you; let nature heal you; let nature allow you to grieve," Galt said. "The grieving process is really important." She especially recommends sitting by a body of water, like a stream or lake, for a few hours to give yourself as much time as you need to heal.
Getting out into nature aids in the healing process because it's a form of change you can control. You can choose where you want to go and what you want to do there, even if that means nothing. Simply appreciating nature can put your breakup into perspective by reminding you that the world is still full of possibilities, and you're free to explore them all.
4. Make new friends.
If you and your ex share mutual friends, you will most likely have to let some of them go as you work through the breakup process. "This is really tricky, and it's sad ... but at least for the first year your friends have to choose sides because you can't hang out with somebody who knows your ex and who's hanging out with your ex all the time," Galt said. "It really does just not work, so do yourself a favor and cut that bond." That doesn't mean you can never be friends with them again; it just means you choose not to associate with someone who serves as a painful reminder of your ex until you moved on.
In the meantime, Galt recommends making new friends by trying new things and going to new places. "Get some freshness into your life because ... you cannot stay stagnant in your life," she said. "It's such a beautiful window when you do break up to reinvent yourself."
5. Celebrate your single self.
While a breakup may not seem like the time for celebration at first, the more time you devote to rediscovering yourself as a single person, the more you'll realize how awesome you've become. "The personal power of overcoming any traumatic event is huge for self-growth and development," Galt noted. That means it's a great time to try new things and/or rediscover your love of something you stopped doing when you entered into your relationship. Whether it's binge-watching a TV show your ex didn't like or taking long solo runs, if it makes you happy, it's worth doing.
Still, Galt advises against completely reverting back to your pre-relationship self. "It takes a whole paradigm shift. You're a new person now," she explained. "... Come from a different place of not what you used to do, because you're not going backwards. You've actually grown from this relationship, and now you might have some new interests to pursue."
6. Keep yourself busy.
When you're going through a breakup, you often find yourself with more free time. Galt encourages people to make the most of it by finding productive ways to stay busy. "It doesn't mean zone out all the time and watch TV. It means being methodical in the ways that you keep yourself busy so your mind doesn't race," she said. This is especially important at night or any time you find yourself thinking about your ex. One of the toughest parts of getting over an ex is not letting yourself get stuck in vicious thought cycles wondering what went wrong.
Instead, Galt suggests doing a meditation or visualization that can help you refocus and get you out of your own head. Guided meditations have proven helpful in calming anxiety and alleviating stress for many people, especially at the end of a long day. If you've never done it before, try meditating for a week and see how you feel. It won't work like magic, but it can be a helpful resource to have at your disposal throughout the breakup process.
7. Journal.
Many relationship experts cite journaling as a productive breakup strategy. "Just keep writing. It doesn't matter what you write ... Don't judge it," Galt advised. "It's just letting yourself process the breakup through writing and being alone and getting to know yourself better that way."
While you should feel free to get all your emotions out during the initial grieving process, some research does suggest that journaling about the negative feelings caused by a breakup can actually make you feel worse. However, writing about the positive things, no matter how small, can help you cope, according to a 2015 study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships. Participants who spent four days writing "redemptive narratives" about how their breakup turned into a positive experience, such as giving them the opportunity to pursue a new interest or make a new friend. At the end of the experiment, they felt less distressed. Journaling is also a powerful tool because it provides you with concrete evidence showing the ways your breakup has actually benefitted whenever you need it.
8. Talk through it.
While it may be painful to talk about your breakup with friends and family, it's one of the best ways to receive support and validation of your emotions. Others outside the relationship can provide some insight on your situation that you wouldn't be able to achieve on your own. That said, it's important to establish healthy boundaries with your loved ones so every conversation doesn't become about your ex. Galt recommends asking a friend to be your "accountability buddy" that helps you avoid from unhealthy breakup behaviors, from texting your ex to talking too much about them.
It may also help to talk to a neutral third party, like a breakup coach or general therapist, as they can provide an additional level of expertise. "Trained coaches move forward, and they help the grieving process as well," Galt said. "...That coach can help you make boundaries so that [your] accountability buddy isn't rolling their eyes every time you talk about your ex. They know what to say, and they know when to cut it off when it's not healthy processing anymore." Ultimately, the key is finding someone(s) who you can talk to that helps move the conversation forward, not backwards.
9. Run it out.
You can't run away from your problems, but you can run to overcome them. Or do strength training, ride a bike, take a yoga class — however you like to exercise. We all know exercise gives you endorphins, which in turn make you happy, but exercise holds additional stress and anxiety-relieving benefits as well.
Beyond the regular mental health benefits, exercise can help increase your self-confidence and sense of accomplishment. Every time you look in the mirror, you'll know how strong, fast, or flexible you are and everything you've done to make that possible.
10. Take your time.
It took time to get into a relationship, and it may take even more time to get yourself out of one. While many consider the general recovery time to take half as long as the relationship, let yourself go at your own pace. "Don't tell yourself you should be over this person by X time because the heart doesn't work in our chronological time world," Galt said. "... Your heart does not know the difference between a car accident and a breakup. It all feels so harsh."
So while friends may try to tell you it's "about time" you got back into the dating scene, listen to your heart and trust your judgment. As anyone who's gone through a breakup will tell you: it's a marathon, not a sprint. So cut yourself some slack if it's taking you longer to process your emotions than you expected. After all, one perk of being single is not having to worry about sticking to anyone else's schedule — except your own.
11. Do the work.
Getting over a breakup is often a bigger challenge than we let on. It's easy to pretend like you're OK, but it's a lot harder to work through the breakup process to get to the point where you're actually OK. But that's why it's important to do it. "We have to — as a general rule — really do our work when it comes time for a breakup," Galt said. "Because if we don't process the grief, if we don't start to understand ourselves better, and if we stay in saboteur mode where we're beating ourselves up, then the next time we get into a relationship... and we break up with that second [person], we'll have to process all the things in the first boyfriend or girlfriend over and over."
Entering into a new relationship before you've given yourself the time and space to get over the old one is a quick fix that might make yourself feel better at first, but can have dangerous long-term effects. Because every failed relationship teaches you something new about yourself, it's important to learn those lessons — as hard as they may be — and strive to apply them in your everyday life. Eventually, you'll realize that working through your breakup helped you become a better person for your next relationship.
Cover image via Shutterstock


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Microsoft Surface RT didn't quite live up to Microsoft's promise of a true next-generation device, but you know what might? Microsoft Surface Pro. The good news: the Intel-powered ultrabookish tablet mash-up will be out in just a couple of months. The bad news? It might cost more than you want to spend. More »
Read more at Gizmodo


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Hydraulic System Design, Manufacture, Installation & Commission
Full turnkey hydraulic system services. Hyspecs can take your idea and turn it into reality. From concept to design to manufacture and installation.
Case Studies
Rocket Launch Platform
Hyspecs was approached by New Zealand's leading aerospace company to develop the hydraulics for their launch platform.
Wairau Stream Pedestrian Bridge
Hyspecs worked with local construction companies and Auckland City Council to provide the hydraulics for the lifting bridge.


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Accord (trade union)
This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2010) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
|Full name
|TUC, STUC, ICTU, Alliance for Finance
|Key people
|Ged Nichols, general secretary
|Office location
|Charvil, Berkshire, England
|United Kingdom
Accord is an independent trade union, affiliated to the TUC and the Scottish TUC. Accord is a specialist union for staff in financial services with members in the Lloyds Banking Group, TSB, Equitable Life and Sainsbury's Bank. It has around 19,000 members.
Accord can trace its origins back to 1978, when it was founded as the Halifax Building Society Staff Association (HBSSA). The HBSSA was founded by John Simmons, the then manager of the Halifax branch in Plymouth. He had concluded that staff within the Halifax Building Society were in need of trade union representation, and had begun organising in earnest in 1977. Simmons was keen to avoid the use of the word "union" because of the negative connotations associated with militant trade unions in the UK in the 1970s. Accord's headquarters, Simmons House, is named after John Simmons.
In 1978 Ernie Roberts was appointed as the first General Secretary. Branch reps were elected and Regional Committees established. From these groups a National Committee was elected, which met for the first time in August 1978. The HBSSA was formed. By the end of 1978 the HBSSA was recognised by the then Halifax Building Society "as the sole bargaining agent for its members below Executive and Regional Manager level".
In January 1979 the HBSSA was granted its Certificate of Independence. This meant that it was recognised by the Government as a bona fide trades union and was afforded the rights to which it was entitled. In 1980 the HBSSA held its first conference in Manchester. In 1983 Ernie Roberts retired, allowing David Nash to become the second General Secretary. Bill Wright was appointed Assistant General Secretary.
At the 1994 Conference delegates voted to rename the HBSSA the Independent Union of Halifax Staff (IUHS). In 1995 the Halifax Building Society merged with the Leeds Permanent Building Society. The following year the Leeds Staff Association joined the IUHS. Also in 1996, The Halifax acquired the Clerical Medical Investment Group and in 1999 announced its merger with the Bank of Scotland. The union was therefore renamed again by delegates at the 2002 conference to reflect the diversity of its membership. From this point onwards it was known as Accord.
General Secretaries[edit]
- 1978: Ernie Roberts
- 1983: David Nash
- 1993 to Current: Ged Nichols
- Professor Gregor Gall - Labour Unionism in the Financial Services Sector, Fighting for Rights and Representation - Ashgate Publishing
External links[edit]
- ACCORD official site.


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"The price of apathy towards public affairs is to be ruled by evil men." Plato (427 BC-347 BC) Greek philosopher
It will be over soon. The election is coming up. Some of you may have already voted. Some are waiting to experience the Election Day excitement, and the satisfaction of checking the box for their preferred candidate. We join the line of those who have come before us, being the longest running constitutional government in the world who is again participating in the peaceful transition of power. Our founders laid the first foundation of freedom with their own blood and sacrifice, just so that we may live in peace.
I have had many conversations with many people in the last few months, and probably the most disappointing was with one who asserted that they would not vote because it would not change anything. While I understand their frustration, I have no sympathy for it. When you do not vote, you spit on the graves of those that gave their lives so you could have that right. Not only that, you ignore the truth that elections in the past have turned on very small margins of votes. Your vote does matter. It does make a difference. It is your voice, it is your right, and it is your duty. So many in the world do not have such a voice; why would you willingly silence yours?
I don't disagree that there are lots of things going on in our government that are very discouraging. We have a President who lies, covers up and cares not that his agenda resulted in the deaths of Americans (Ft. Hood, Fast & Furious, Benghazi); who treats all Americans as terrorists via the TSA/DHS yet fails to protect us from those who really are (Muslim Brotherhood, al Qaeda, Taliban) and who doesn't hesitate to usurp the Constitution if his agenda is frustrated by Congress (refusal to enforce existing laws on marriage & immigration, creation of new law by Executive Order or bureaucratic fiat). We have some elected officials being caught doing illegal and unethical things, abusing the authority of their office for their own personal gain. We have some in our judiciary either abdicating their responsibility to uphold the Constitution, or undermining the separation of powers by making new law (U.S. Supreme Court Justice Roberts & Iowa Supreme Court Justice Wiggins). We have some in our government bureaucracy putting their thumbs on the scale of fairness in order to force an agenda and manipulate the behavior of the populace (EPA, DHS, DOJ, HHS). Americans have to either fight, at great financial and personal cost, against an entity that uses their own taxpayer money against them, or just give up.
But giving up is what leads to slavery and tyranny. Liberty may be a natural right, but is not a right that is naturally supported by government. Liberty increases the power of the individual, so by design it reduces the power of government and keeps tyranny in check. Yet, it is not something that parents can pass onto their children. Each generation is responsible for ensuring freedom's survival and holding the line for the next. As Jefferson once said, the price of liberty is eternal vigilance. You cannot ride the coattails of others, hoping that they take up the fight to preserve your freedom so that you don't have to. We all must take up the torch, in order to beat back the darkness that is merely waiting for a moment of weakness, a chink in our armor, to finally overwhelm us. Don't be that chink.
A demoralized, weak, and dependent populace is exactly what those who wish to rule over us want, as we are far easier to control that way. We must say NO. We must take control back. We have the power to elect men and women who will both honor us as their boss and the U.S. Constitution as their rule. Watergate did not have a body count, yet that President resigned in disgrace for his behavior. This current administration has blood on its hands – shall we do nothing but shrug? Don't get apathetic. Get active. Vote both sides of your ballot on November 6th.
"The tyranny of a prince in an oligarchy is not so dangerous to the public welfare as the apathy of a citizen in a democracy". Charles de Montesquieu (1689-1755), French philosopher & politician


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He's Not Jamie Moyer
In collecting the morning links, I noticed a trend among the various forward-thinking members of the journalistic baseball community, who all seemed to describe Scott Olsen's start last night in the manner one would describe a Pauly Shore movie that turned out to be funny. The Post's Amy Shipley, for instance, called Olsen's seven-inning, two-run outing "surprisingly brilliant."
The results surprised, but so did the style. Olsen demonstrated improved velocity -- a must if he is to redevelop the effectiveness from earlier in his career. In his eight previous 2009 starts (pre-DL), Olsen had walked batters every time; last night, he walked nobody. In eight previous starts, Olsen was averaging about 6.3 strikeouts per nine innings; yesterday, he struck out seven in seven innings.
Of everything I just mentioned, the velocity is most critical.
Olsen needs his old fastball back, and he knows it. "I'm not Jamie Moyer," he said. "I can't really be hugely successful throwing 82-83. I need to be up around 90."
So let's compare last night's start (94 pitches) with one of his typical starts before the shoulder tendinitis (May 5 vs. Arizona, 92 pitches). Please note: I went back several starts before the injury, simply because in Olsen's final outing before heading to the DL, it was obvious he was throwing with pain.
The full comparison follows. (And please, if you want to investigate every last measurable metric of Olsen's pitching progress, please look here. You can kill a whole lunch hour.)
June 29 -- 89.17
May 5 -- 87.51
June 29 -- 91.6
May 5 -- 89.5
June 29 -- 58
May 5 -- 36
June 29 -- 67.24%
May 5 -- 58.33%
As for the reading material, here's what we've got...
Game story from the Miami Herald.
The Sun-Sentinel's Jual Rodriguez finds that Florida's players are offering support to the mourning Josh Willingham.
Garrett Mock is named International League pitcher of the week.
Dug up from the archives: A cool little story from the Cal student paper about 2nd-rd pick Jeff Kobernus.
Chico Harlan
June 30, 2009; 9:02 AM ET
Save & Share: Previous: Draft Pick Signings, And The Nats' Lineup
Next: Nats Trade Milledge, Hanrahan To Pittsburgh For Morgan, Burnett
We really need to trade Scott Olsen now...send him to the Rangers.
In fact we need to trade away all of our position players, minus Ryan Zimmerman, as well.
We have plenty of guys who would make for solid DH's on AL teams.
Posted by: BigCarter28 | June 30, 2009 9:17 AM | Report abuse
Garrett Mock is named International League pitcher of the week (not Independent) and LHRP Jack Spradlin got the honor in the Eastern League
Posted by: Brian_ | June 30, 2009 9:20 AM | Report abuse
That is the second time we had to correct NJ and (Chico I think) the difference between Independent (crow) and International league. Three times and I want beer.
Posted by: JayBeee | June 30, 2009 9:27 AM | Report abuse
Nice piece Chico.
If this is a "real" recovery, then the Martis move looks good now. A real boost for the starting rotation.
More Koolaid, anyone?
Posted by: nattydread1 | June 30, 2009 9:35 AM | Report abuse
to all the armchair managers and 20/20 hindsight commenters, where's the angst towards Willie Harris today? He looked pathetic at the plate and he completely misplayed Bonifacio's triple in the 4th. He not only got a bad break on the ball, but it looked like he was gliding towards it (instead of running hard), then made a very weak attempt to catch it against the wall.
Now I love me some Wee Willie out in center field right now, and that actually would have been one heck of a catch had he made it, but if that was Milledge or Dukes out there last night, you all would be all over them right now. Let's be consistent, shall we?
Posted by: erocks33 | June 30, 2009 9:48 AM | Report abuse
The "kid from cairo" completely misplayed that ball last night, and another thing i'm not sure about him in the leadoff spot i thought he was overmatched last night and also in the Redsox series against Lester don't get me wrong i like the way he plays the game just not sure he's leadoff material.
Posted by: dargregmag | June 30, 2009 10:01 AM | Report abuse
>Now I love me some Wee Willie out in center field right now, and that actually would have been one heck of a catch had he made it, but if that was Milledge or Dukes out there last night, you all would be all over them right now. Let's be consistent, shall we?
22-52. Sub atomic particle theory time travel black hole suck on it and like it. You got to be way down the ladder to care about this mess.
Posted by: Brue | June 30, 2009 10:02 AM | Report abuse
just want to highlight the fact that the Nationals starter walked nobody last night.
Good work, by my measurement.
Posted by: ihatewalks | June 30, 2009 10:06 AM | Report abuse
"but if that was Milledge or Dukes out there last night, you all would be all over them right now."
The ball hit either off the wall or near the base of the wall. Neither Milledge nor Dukes would have gotten close enough to make it even look like it could have been caught.
Harris is still by far the best center fielder we have, and in just the past few games has caught balls that neither of those guys get to.
There's no inconsistency here. Harris is an acceptable major league center fielder; Milledge and Dukes aren't. People got on M/D not because they might have misplayed one fly ball, but because they did in fact misplay many fly balls.
Posted by: joebleux | June 30, 2009 10:13 AM | Report abuse
Who does the "HM" on Mock's uniform commemorate?
Posted by: Juan-John | June 30, 2009 10:17 AM | Report abuse
I gotta think joebleaux is right - neither Dukes nor Milledge can take the lines to the ball in CF the way Willie Harris can. No, he's probably not a prototypical CF, but Ken Griffey circa 1997 ain't walkin' through that door, either.
My concern is that the spell might be broken for getting top value for Nick. Up until the ball of the shin last week, you could almost believe he could make it a full season. But that injury - while uneventful - certainly reminded me that the guy is beloved but tends to be made out of glass, paper mache and OBP.
Posted by: neato_torpedo | June 30, 2009 10:35 AM | Report abuse
There are leagues which are not affiliated with MLB teams, i.e., independent. There is no "Independent League." http://tinyurl.com/npyobq
Next time, it's Duffy's, near the 9:30 Club, on you. Jaybeee gets PBR.
Posted by: Sec3mysofa | June 30, 2009 10:38 AM | Report abuse
The best center fielder you have is Justin Maxwell. He would have caught that ball. He is hitting in AAA. As a hitter he is no worse than Harris and better than Kearns and Dukes (right now). Bring him up. Once he is up here tell our brilliant manager to bat him 6,7 or 2. Forget the 8 spot. Oh Manny - play him.
Posted by: mjames0 | June 30, 2009 10:38 AM | Report abuse
Nice piece on Kobernus. Hope he can stick at second...
Posted by: Section220 | June 30, 2009 10:39 AM | Report abuse
Awww, maaaaannnn. First Rollie Fingers, now JUNIOR?
Ken Griffey circa 1997 ain't walkin' through that door, either.
Posted by: neato_torpedo | June 30, 2009 10:35 AM |
Posted by: Sec3mysofa | June 30, 2009 10:39 AM | Report abuse
Thanks for calling my attention to the International/independent mishap. Just carelessness. It's now correct.
Posted by: chicoharlan | June 30, 2009 10:40 AM | Report abuse
"as a hitter he is no worse than Harris and better than Kearns and Dukes (right now)."
Really. I thought he was like 0 fer 18 the last time he was up. And it wasn't a pretty o-fer, either, he couldn't get near a curve ball to save his life.
Maybe eventually he will be a decent hitter, but it won't hurt him to stay in the minors and work on things for a little bit longer.
Posted by: joebleux | June 30, 2009 10:44 AM | Report abuse
Please, if Dukes/Milledge/Willingham/Dunn were playing in left or right and tried to make that type of play, everyone would be all over them for not maikng that catch. Again, that would have been a remarkable catch had Wee Wille made it. I'm just saying that if that had been any other outfielder out there (regardless if they were in center or on the corners) and any of them made that kind of effort and came up short like Harris did, they would be tarred and feathered by this angry mob. So, why not do the same with Wee Willie? And remember, Wee Willie isn't a natural CF either.
Posted by: erocks33 | June 30, 2009 10:45 AM | Report abuse
I'd love to see Maxwell stick, but he's hitting in AAA because, so far, he's been a AAA hitter. Don't churn the roster based on one game.
Posted by: Sec3mysofa | June 30, 2009 10:50 AM | Report abuse
Harris over-ran the ball on a tough but makeable catch. That's not why they lost.
Posted by: Sec3mysofa | June 30, 2009 10:51 AM | Report abuse
erocks, you just answered your own question: yes, it would have been a great play if Harris had caught that. That's why people aren't getting on him -- he doesn't botch routine plays, and he does make spectacular plays.
And nobody gets on D/M/W/D for not making spectacular plays; they get on them for botching routing plays.
I hope I'm not arguing with another instance of nunof. I hate when that happens.
Posted by: joebleux | June 30, 2009 10:51 AM | Report abuse
You know, the "new" PBR (which is really the old recipe) really isn't too bad - at least not on draft.
Next time, it's Duffy's, near the 9:30 Club, on you. Jaybeee gets PBR.
Posted by: Sec3mysofa
Posted by: lowcountry | June 30, 2009 10:54 AM | Report abuse
Well, he IS still playing, so maybe this will be the one he dodges. But, is it just me, or just cognitive bias, that going to third from first, he looked like he was hurting? He never reminded anyone of Rickey Henderson, but still.
My concern is that the spell might be broken for getting top value for Nick. Up until the ball of the shin last week, you could almost believe he could make it a full season. But that injury--while uneventful--certainly reminded me that the guy is beloved but tends to be made out of glass, papier mache and OBP.
Posted by: neato_torpedo | June 30, 2009 10:35 AM
Posted by: Sec3mysofa | June 30, 2009 10:59 AM | Report abuse
PBR on draft? Isn't that sort of missing the point?
You know, the "new" PBR (which is really the old recipe) really isn't too bad - at least not on draft.
Next time, it's Duffy's, near the 9:30 Club, on you. Jaybeee gets PBR.
Posted by: Sec3mysofa
Posted by: lowcountry | June 30, 2009 10:54 AM
Posted by: Sec3mysofa | June 30, 2009 11:02 AM | Report abuse
"but if that was Milledge or Dukes out there last night, you all would be all over them right now"
Yes, they would, but they shouldn't be. The response for Willie is the right one and would be right for Milledge or Dukes, too.
Posted by: Section506 | June 30, 2009 11:17 AM | Report abuse
When Willie doesn't make a play, its news. Willie has made so many wonderful plays this season and last, he should have his own highlight reel. He has earned a pass for not making one damn play for cryin out loud. Leave Willie alone, there are way to many other problems with the defense on this club to warrant criticizing wonderful Willie. One thing for sure, Willies effort should not be in question.
Posted by: cokedispatch | June 30, 2009 11:33 AM | Report abuse
Thank you 506. I'm not looking to get on anyone for trying to make a play. In previous outings, Dukes made a similar attempt at a ball and everyone villified him for not making the play (the ball hit his bare hand when he jumped against the wall, but everyone blamed him for not catching it). I would most rather not jump on the players everytime they miss a tough catch by an inch or two. Now, if they drop a ball, or overthrow the nag/cutoff man ... then they're fair game.
Posted by: erocks33 | June 30, 2009 11:37 AM | Report abuse
I think it's that Milledge and Dukes each have a personality at odds with what we see as a baseball norm and therefore draw more criticism to themselves. Willie Harris, on the other hand, is the model we expect from baseball players, so he usually gets a pass.
I think the line of what is acceptable from players has shifted a little since Ball Four, and certainly our awareness of players has come a long way, but Bouton's observations about how we expect players to behave and what passes we give for high batting averages (Manny Ramirez) is still spot on.
Posted by: Section506 | June 30, 2009 11:41 AM | Report abuse
31 days till trading deadline. 48 days till Strasburg deadline. Still 19 wins to pass 62 Mets. JD Martin still not in MLB roster.
You guys would complain about a warm day in December. You even complain about the two players who are still trying out there.
Hope springs eternal.
Posted by: natsguy | June 30, 2009 11:41 AM | Report abuse
Certainly, if you are "old school" . . .
PBR on draft? Isn't that sort of missing the point?
Posted by: Sec3mysofa
Posted by: lowcountry | June 30, 2009 11:41 AM | Report abuse
Good to see Scott Olsen back, sweating and doing well. Glad he's here, and want him to stay a long time. With a healthy Olsen, Lannan, and JZim we've got a good rotation starting up.
We need to improve defense up the middle and of course the bullpen is still a problem. But I'm encouraged over the past few weeks. I think Rizzo is on the right track, the question is if he is going to be able to pull off the moves that are rumored to improve in the areas we need help.
Posted by: raymitten | June 30, 2009 11:44 AM | Report abuse
Now, speaking of fair game ... is the honeymoon for Ron Villone finally over? When he started, he was phenomenal. (0.00 ERA over the first 14+ IP).
But in his last 8.0 IP, he's given up 13 hits and 8 walks (2.63 WHIP) and an ERA of 7.88! Has he been hanging with Colome and Hanrahan too much??
Posted by: erocks33 | June 30, 2009 11:45 AM | Report abuse
"Good to see Scott Olsen back, sweating and doing well"
with MASN2's crappy picture, I thought the water dripping from Olsen's cap was from the rain. Then I realized the rain had stopped and it was just his sweat! I think I'll start referring to Olsen as "Drippy" from now on ...
Posted by: erocks33 | June 30, 2009 11:48 AM | Report abuse
Carpenter noted that he thought Olsen dipped his cap in water while in the dugout.
Posted by: natsfan1a1 | June 30, 2009 11:51 AM | Report abuse
Another bullpen meltdown. Manny looked like he was going to lose it when J.T. Walked in the 4th run. He actually got a gift getting that third out.
When are people going to start questioning the mechanics of zimmerman's throwing? He almost threw two balls away yesterday. How about some infield practice for him Manny?
Posted by: Tom8 | June 30, 2009 11:53 AM | Report abuse
Olsen's hat was definitely from dipping it in water or a mixture. He never had his cap on when the camera showed him in the dugout. Bob said the temperature during the game was 76. Humid, to be sure, but not the kind of heat that causes that flowing perspiration.
Posted by: shepdave2003 | June 30, 2009 12:05 PM | Report abuse
Ron Villone, the definition of regressing to the mean.
Posted by: Section506 | June 30, 2009 12:13 PM | Report abuse
Recall Maxwell and let him play, yes he is the answer in cf, this team is thirty games under .500 so what do we have to lose stick Harris in left and platoon him with Willingham, as far as Olsen is concerned Gaylord Perry would have been proud.
Posted by: dargregmag | June 30, 2009 12:15 PM | Report abuse
From the Miami paper article:
"On Monday night, after Nolasco gave Olsen a ride to the place where they used to work together..."
I think that is kind of cool. Of course, I might see it differentyl if Nolasco had been as stellar and Olsen had stunk it up.
Posted by: ihatewalks | June 30, 2009 12:22 PM | Report abuse
OK Tomorrow we're into July. What's happening with the Strasburg negotiations? Have they started? Has anyone reached anyone? Let's have a headsup.
Posted by: dovelevine | June 30, 2009 12:24 PM | Report abuse
Just saw the last few innings of last night's game. Manny's managing again... Will someone please explain the Peter Principle to Manny? You see Manny, it states that we will all be promoted to our level of incompetence. The smart manager (business or sports) avoids this by identifying someone's true stengths and weaknesses and putting them in a position where their strenghs are utilized and weaknesses are unavailable to be exploited. Even the good managers will make that mistake now and again, but those good ones will realize that they can still get the good out of someone if they put them back to the level where they can succeed and LEAVE THEM THERE. Please reference Ron Villone, Willie Harris, Ronnie Belliard, Jesus Flores (although Manny did realize this mistake and dropped him back in the order again), Anderson Hernandez (to some extent, same here), Joel Hanrahan, Lastings Milledge, etc., etc., etc. Hey, come to think of it, the King and I Yul Brenner analogy isn't really all that bad, is it? Went to same hair dresser anyway (being a fellow baldie, I can say this).
Totally different subject and way out of place, but why are Women's Number 1 tennis players going the way of Spinal Tap drummers?
Posted by: truke | June 30, 2009 12:41 PM | Report abuse
Boras won't even start negotiating till the end of July. Thats his MO. Watch to see if he tries to get active with the Japanese or Koreans.
Posted by: natsguy | June 30, 2009 1:03 PM | Report abuse
I give up, why?
why are Women's Number 1 tennis players going the way of Spinal Tap drummers?
Posted by: truke | June 30, 2009 12:41 PM
Posted by: Sec3mysofa | June 30, 2009 1:06 PM | Report abuse
I see AJ Morris has the same agents as Aaron Crow. Hopefully everybody has learned their lessons.
Posted by: natsguy | June 30, 2009 1:10 PM | Report abuse
I saw a werewolf with an Offer Sheet in his hand,
Walking through the streets of Tokyo in the rain.
He was looking for a deal worth 50 mil.
Gonna make a big dent in the CBA...
Ah-ooooooooooooooo! Werewolves of baseball!
Posted by: Sec3mysofa | June 30, 2009 1:17 PM | Report abuse
It looks like Nyjer Morgan is close to becoming a National. http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/06/pirates-nats-close-to-swapping-morgan-milledge.html
Posted by: Baseball95der26 | June 30, 2009 1:20 PM | Report abuse
Now, speaking of fair game ... is the honeymoon for Ron Villone finally over? When he started, he was phenomenal. (0.00 ERA over the first 14+ IP).
But in his last 8.0 IP, he's given up 13 hits and 8 walks (2.63 WHIP) and an ERA of 7.88! Has he been hanging with Colome and Hanrahan too much??
Posted by: erocks33 | June 30, 2009 11:45 AM
That's been Villone's modus operandi at least during his time with the Yankees, from what I recall. Had great streaks of lights-out pitching, then a couple of weeks of throwing cookies to every batter under the sun...
Posted by: HotNats | June 30, 2009 1:26 PM | Report abuse
Works for me. A useful scrap for a useless scrap.
Posted by: soundbloke | June 30, 2009 1:27 PM | Report abuse
Oh, good. Another outfielder who can't hit his weight--well, OK, Nick's weight.
Posted by: Sec3mysofa | June 30, 2009 1:34 PM | Report abuse
So Twitter is a reliable source now? Oh well, I guess that ship sailed with Wikipedia.
Posted by: natsfan1a1 | June 30, 2009 1:43 PM | Report abuse
Am I the only person who just doesn't get this trade? We already have a plethora of outfielders. Could this just be a first step into a bigger trade? (Dunn or Willingham)?
Posted by: Naugatuck-Nats | June 30, 2009 1:44 PM | Report abuse
What we don't have is a centre fielder of any sort.
It does seem that Willigham and Dunn are being held on to for reasons bigger trades but, for Milledge we finally have someone with a decent UZR. A truly fantastic UZR I'd say.
Posted by: soundbloke | June 30, 2009 1:47 PM | Report abuse
I predict in three years there will be great consternation over trading Lastings Milledge.
I would rather wait until Milledge rebounds some before trading him, but I don't think he has a future with this team. We don't need more left fielders. On the other hand, if he rebounded nicely, Dunn and Willingham are both gone in 2011 and Dukes has more abilities as a right fielder.
You would still need a centerfielder, though. I still am not a Maxwell the Player fan, though I admire his heart. Seriously, he has the Nook Logan problem of being strong defensively, fast and lost at the plate.
Posted by: Section506 | June 30, 2009 1:49 PM | Report abuse
Completely off topic, but I thought you might be interested in this chart comparing the ticket prices (high, low, and median) for all MLB teams.
The only teams higher than the Nationals are four of the most successful and established teams in baseball: Dodgers, Cubs, Mets and Yankees. Yes, the Nats are higher than the Red Sox!
Adjusted for the product on the field, let alone the need to build a long-term fan base, and the Nationals are far and away the worst value in baseball. Among the many brilliant business decisions made by the Lerner/Kasten team.
Posted by: Meridian1 | June 30, 2009 1:49 PM | Report abuse
I think that Milledge will just never get away from the problem that he is too light offensively for a corner and will never make up for the lack of instincts in center.
The man just can't figure out where the ball is going to land.
Posted by: soundbloke | June 30, 2009 1:52 PM | Report abuse
That could well end up being true, soundbloke. I tend think that he's way too young to be sure of it, and -- since he's got options, we've got Willie Harris and sometimes Dukes in center, we're not contending, and there are better candidates to be bumped from the 40-man -- why sell low?
Posted by: Section506 | June 30, 2009 1:55 PM | Report abuse
506, I agree - Milledge may yet develop into his potential but I don't think it will be in DC. I'm speculating, but I don't think the separation (sending him to Syracuse) was very amicable. And I also suspect that had Milledge not been drafted into the NY media market his "potential" might not be quite as high.
I'm willing to give Morgan a look and would approve a straight up deal.
Posted by: lowcountry | June 30, 2009 1:59 PM | Report abuse
One can only assume it's because they don't see his value going up for at least another year. I agree it's a shame but Milledge just looks like he's going no where in the organisation and Rizzo seems desperate to dump guys who's attitude he does like.
I'm not totally sold but the only way to get his value back up is to use him, and that just isn't going to happen.
Posted by: soundbloke | June 30, 2009 2:00 PM | Report abuse
I agree with 506, wait on Milledge. This year is a wash so stick with Harris in CF or call up Maxwell. To me, going into 2010 I'd rather have Bernadina than Morgan. Too bad Roger is hurt now but even still it doesn't make sense to compound an absence by making a trade like this. There's a reason Morgan has bounced around. Let Milledge either earn his way back here or build his value.
Posted by: jfromPG | June 30, 2009 2:03 PM | Report abuse
Manny went to the mound and told Tavares to drop the Louie Tiant act and just throw strikes. It didn't work. He did what he could to avoid that run. Villone allows another run. It's 4-2, yet in the 9th we have meen on the corners with 2 outs and a very hot Willingham blasts one to the deepest part of a very big ballpark which would have put the Nats ahead in most other parks. So Manny had them in a position to win. The real question is, who would Manny have had at his disposal had the Lerners not "shocked Bowden with how little money they were wiling to spend" to sign free agents. (Boswell's words from last Thursday's chat.) Instead of second-gueeing Manny, second guess the Lerners, who gave Manny this bullpen so that they could balance the books with their "debt service."
Posted by: flynnie2 | June 30, 2009 2:05 PM | Report abuse
The rumoured Milledge for Morgan trade is a fair deal, if it's a straight-up trade. Lastings could turn into a fairly solid corner OF, if he gets a Manager who'll bark at him occaisionally - Nyjer looks to be an above-average defensive CF, coming into his peak years as a hitter.
If the Nationals are able to make the trade, I'd guess that Belliard would be the player to go - Gonzalez & Harris can handle IF backups, and Willie could still see some time in the OF as well.
The real question is if there is anything cooking for NJohnson. There are a couple of "contenders" out there with problems at 1B (Mets, RedSox). I would'nt mind him going to the Red Sox, if the team could get a RP & one or two AA prospects for him.
Posted by: BinM | June 30, 2009 2:13 PM | Report abuse
"Completely off topic, but I thought you might be interested in this chart comparing the ticket prices (high, low, and median) for all MLB teams.
You're reading that chart wrong. It does show the high and low ticket prices for each individual team, but the medians shown in the chart are the median lowest ticket price and the median highest ticket price across all teams in MLB. Thus the Nationals low ticket price of $5 is below the MLB median of $9, and their high ticket price of $335 is above the MLB median of $205. But the chart does not even say what the average ticket price is for the Nationals, much less the weighted average which would actually be meaningful. So yes, if you want to say that the Nats have the fifth highest high ticket price in all of MLB you would be right. But it's not true that they have the fifth highest ticket prices in all of baseball. Do a section-by-section comparison of ticket prices and you'll find that the Nats prices are in line with those of the O's, who show up ninth from the bottom in the chart you referenced.
Posted by: section417 | June 30, 2009 2:14 PM | Report abuse
It does seem that Willigham and Dunn are being held on to for reasons bigger trades but, for Milledge we finally have someone with a decent UZR. A truly fantastic UZR I'd say.
where exactly did you get this UZR info? according to fangraphs.com milledge hasn't posted a positive UZR/150 since 2007. he typically has a terrible UZR, unlike Morgan who has consistently put up great numbers.
Posted by: shorty3788 | June 30, 2009 2:17 PM | Report abuse
Dumping Milledge for anything in return is a good move. We don't have time to wait for him. He's reached his learning threshold. Dude acted like he'd already arrived, didn't need to work or learn anything else. He insulted the coaches, insisted he'd do things his way, which got him where?
He's been in the big leagues for 4 years and he hasn't even learned that he still needs to learn? He may only be 24 years old, but he's already an entitled vet, dogging it long before he's earned the right. Good riddance.
Posted by: NatsNut | June 30, 2009 2:19 PM | Report abuse
Sorry, the grammar in that post is horrific. How's this,
'By trading Milledge, for Morgan, we get someone with a fantastic UZR'.
Posted by: soundbloke | June 30, 2009 2:23 PM | Report abuse
Speaking of Milledge for Morgan, new post.
Posted by: natsfan1a1 | June 30, 2009 2:24 PM | Report abuse
Alright, time for me to get dumped on again, but if they gave Dukes or Maxwell the same blank ticket they gave Milledge - a full season at the ML level to learn CF -they wouldn't even be thinking about bringing in the next Nook Logan/Marlon Byrd/Kid in Seattle who was with the Phils and Mets after us but whose name escapes me, oh yeah, Chavez.
Posted by: truke | June 30, 2009 2:32 PM | Report abuse
If Kobernus is that good he will be just what the doctor ordered for this team.
Posted by: periculum | June 30, 2009 2:34 PM | Report abuse
Flynnie: You're right - the Nats were in the game last night until the final out. Sadly, it seems the Marlins find ways to win, and last night was another example.
HotNats has is right, Villone is struggling right now, but Taverez was the gasman last night. As much as we rage about Hanrahan & Colome being highly flammable, there's no-one out there right now that Manny can count on for a "shutdown" inning.
Posted by: BinM | June 30, 2009 2:37 PM | Report abuse
I guess at this point I think both Dunn and Willingham would be better served by playing in the American league where they would be pretty fair at DH. Guzman as well. Perhaps a great CF prospect can be had? And a closer to boot.
I guess starting pitching is pretty much settled once they sign on Strasberg? They seem to have plenty of SP's?
With Ian Desmond, and now perhaps Kobernus at second. A new middle infield?
Its the outfield that is weak both from a hitting and fielding perspective. Keep Nick if he has overcome his injury issues and the corners are covered.
They appear to have plenty of utility types both down in AAA and on the parent club.
They need relief pitching and outfielders. Dukes may be one. They now need the others perhaps starting with a bonfide star CF.
Posted by: periculum | June 30, 2009 2:41 PM | Report abuse
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text:
in the space of a year we have had 2 petrol bomb attacks on our house. both times it happened just before gyfox. they did leave some evidence behind. a bag with two more bombs where found aswell as the materials they used to make it. the bomb squad did take it for finger prints. first time around the police did nothing this time around they taking it a little more serious. monday morning after the bombings we got 5 phone calls in the space of an half an hour were somebody just laughed over the phone. please advice. we need to stop this right away.
|Report ID:
|Crime Category:
|Western Cape
|24 egrets way zeekoevlei
|Crime Date/Time:
|30 Oct 2011, 00:10 AM
|Reported By:
|Reported Date:
|3 Nov 2011, 16:11 PM
|Related Link:
Get a private investigator, secondly did u file a case if so get the case number and take it to service provider to issue with the number.if these people used a pay phone may there might be a camera in that area, cell phone number can be track. To find or solve this problem try and find out the motive for the crime.how many times it happend if you the only person it might be someone that's try to get you out of the area.