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Editor's Note: ESPN Insider has teamed with Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook to provide a comprehensive look at all 119 Division I-A teams. To order the complete 2005 edition of Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook, visit www.blueribbonyearbook.com or call 1-866-805-BALL (2255).
(All information as of July 1, 2005)
Andy McCollum has something this season that all coaches dream of -- experienced depth at a variety of positions.
In his seventh year as the head coach of his alma mater, McCollum is coaching a team with eight returning starters on offense and 10 on defense. "We've got a lot of guys returning who have played a lot of games the last few years," McCollum said.
The experience may help McCollum and the Blue Raiders put a stop to a three-year downturn. After a 6-5 record in 2000 and an 8-3 record 2001, Middle Tennessee has gone 4-8, 4-8 and 5-6. The difference between a losing season and a winning season in D-1 football is razor thin, but McCollum says the Blue Raiders may finally have the pieces in place to make 2005 a winning year.
"We were a play or two away from being a seven or eight win team a year ago, so we've just got to do the small things right," he said.
While the Blue Raiders haven't had a winning season since 2001, a couple of things will be in Middle Tennessee's favor when the Blue Raiders kick it off in September. First, virtually every Blue Raider on the field will have plenty of valuable game experience. Second, competition at virtually every position should make for a sharp team come September.
Co-offensive coordinator Darin Hinshaw is looking forward to working with so many veterans.
"You don't have a learning curve where you have to teach a kid what to do, where to go and how to get there," he said. "These kids know what to do, they've been in the system, so now it's just competition."
That competition for starting jobs has the coaching staff excited.
"Who can be the best they can be? That's basically what it comes down to," Hinshaw said. "When it's their turn to play, the light needs to come on, and they need to make plays. The great thing is that when you go from the first team unit to the second team unit, you're not losing a whole lot."
In addition to many familiar faces on the field, most of the coaching staff has remained intact. The most notable departure was Bradley Dale Peveto, last year's defensive coordinator and linebacker coach, who left to work for new LSU coach Les Miles.
Peveto's duties as defensive coordinator were assumed by safeties coach Mark Criner, who will stay with essentially the same 4-3 defense MTSU use last year. Art Kaufman was hired to coach a talented group of returning linebackers.
Redshirt junior Clint Marks (6-2, 187) returns to lead a Blue Raider offense that led the Sun Belt in passing last season. Marks had a career year in 2004, throwing for 2,749 yards and completing 70.4 percent of his passes.
Marks finished third in the nation in passing percentage. That impressive performance, Hinshaw says, should push Marks this season.
"We need to continue being consistent passing the ball, continue to have high completion percentages and move the chains," he said. "If we can keep moving the chains and keep the defense off the field, we feel that those are our keys to win."
Marks had his best game of the year against Arkansas State. He completed 30-of-34 passes for 447 yards and four touchdowns. He also threw for 359 yards on 27-of-37 passing against Florida Atlantic.
Backing up Marks will be senior Josh Harris (6-3, 184). Harris, too, was on the mark last season last season -- he completed 69 percent of his passes. His two best performances were the bookends of the Blue Raiders' season, as he completed 10-of-11 passes for 111 yards in the season opener against Akron and 10-of-14 passes in the season finale against Troy.
Rounding out Middle's quarterback corps are redshirt freshman Joe Craddock (5-11, 180) and red-shirt sophomore Patrick Johnson (6-2, 200).
While the Blue Raiders lost Lee Baker to graduation, three running backs return from last year's team. The challenge ahead of the trio is to find a way to energize a rushing attack that was the worst in the Sun Belt last season.
With the rest of the conference ready to key on the passing attack, Hinshaw says the ability to consistently run the football will be a key to success this season.
"That's something that we could not do as well last year," he said. "This year I want to be able to run the ball more. The goal is to be 50-50."
After the spring scrimmage, the starting tailback job seems to be a toss-up between redshirt junior Eugene Gross (5-9, 212) and red-shirt sophomore DeMarco McNair (5-11, 188).
Both players have their strengths and weaknesses, but Hinshaw thinks either could get the job done this year.
"DeMarco McNair has shown steady progress," he said. "He has the potential to be the guy on every snap. Eugene Gross has the experience and the power. His only problem is that he's been injured. Injury is the only thing that's held him back from being a 1,000-yard rusher in my opinion."
Both players contributed in different ways in the Blue-White game. McNair was impressive on the ground, gaining 61 yards on 11 carries. Gross had eight carries for 30 yards, but he also caught four passes for 75 yards, including a 37-yard touchdown pass that proved to be the game-winner.
Redshirt sophomore Terry Jackson (5-10, 190) also returns. As a reserve last season, he led the team with a 5.3 yards-per-carry average. Jackson also showed an ability to come out of the backfield and catch passes. Hinshaw said the durable Jackson's style is "steady and meticulous."
Also vying for playing time are redshirt junior Ralph King (5-10, 182) and true freshman Alex Suber (5-9, 179). Suber is a speedy running back from Florida who rushed for 1,592 yards and 16 touchdowns in his senior year at Thomas Jefferson High School in Tampa, Florida.
"I was down in Tampa the other day, and that was all that anyone talked about," McCollum said. "I think that he got overlooked because of his size, but he led Jefferson to the state championship where they lost to Bowles, and I think he had 240 yards in that game."
The starting fullback is redshirt senior Nick McAfee (6-0, 244). While McAfee has seen plenty of playing time in his career, he's carried the football just once. Look for McAfee to contribute as a blocker as well as a threat to catch the ball out of the backfield. His backup is redshirt sophomore Ralph Gunter (6-0, 242).
There's a big question mark at wide receiver as the Blue Raiders try to replace Kelly Wright. Last year Wright became the first player in Middle Tennessee history to post back-to-back 1,000 yard receiving seasons. McCollum is banking on an ensemble effort to keep the Sun Belt's top passing attack airborne.
"You don't replace a player of Kerry's ability and productivity," McCollum said. "You just move on and work to get the whole group of receivers better so that you have more than just one weapon. He will be missed, but we have some very talented guys waiting to take their turn and make a difference."
Redshirt senior Chris Henry (5-8, 170) and senior Cleannord Saintil (5-11, 185) appear ready to pick up some of the slack. Henry had a breakout year in 2004, hauling in 60 receptions for 586 yards. He showed consistency by recording at least five catches in nine games, including a 10-reception performance in an upset at Akron.
Saintil easily made the transition from junior college last season, making 40 catches and leading the team in kickoff return yardage.
"Chris Henry will be consistent," Hinshaw said. "We're looking for Cleannord Saintil to move outside after lining up inside a lot last season. We're going to line those two guys up on the same side of the field a lot this year."
Red-shirt junior Pierre Ingram (6-4, 212) is also capable of making an impact -- if he can stay healthy. Hamstring problems sidelined Ingram for a portion of last season, limiting him to six catches for 80 yards and a touchdown.
"Ingram is a big receiver who can run, and we're excited to see what he can do," Hinshaw said.
One player who impressed Middle coaches in spring practice was redshirt sophomore Taron Henry (6-0, 193). He capped an impressive spring with three catches, including a touchdown, in the Blue-White game and played his way into the third starting position on the post-spring depth chart.
Other returning players looking to contribute include a pair of red-shirt juniors and a freshman. Walt Bell (5-8, 188) and Luke Paschall (5-10, 186) return from last year's squad, but they are still a bit short on experience. Bell saw most of his action on special teams in 2004 as a member of the kickoff return team and as a holder on field goal attempts. Although Bell and Paschall are technically veterans, they've made only four career receptions between them.
Freshman Jay Robinson (6-4, 200) has the size and speed to make an impact early in his career. The problem for Robinson initially will be learning the wide receiver position after playing quarterback in high school, but he has a huge head start over the other incoming freshmen.
He was able to participate in spring drills after graduating early and enrolling at Middle Tennessee for the spring semester. Hinshaw thinks the 15 extra practices have made it possible for Robinson to contend for a starting position in the fall.
Although this group of receivers has a ton of production to replace, Pierre Ingram is pleased with what he saw in the spring.
"We had several different receivers step up and make strides," Ingram said. "We have to keep working through the summer and make sure that we are all on the same page with the quarterbacks, but I saw a lot of positives throughout the spring."
As for the tight end position, sophomore Steven Chicola (6-5, 235) still looks like the starter despite being sidelined for most of the spring drills with an injury, but competition is tight and won't be decided until the fall.
The two players who were ahead of Chicola on the depth chart this time last season will probably back him up when the 2005 season starts. Redshirt sophomore Clinton Corder (6-3, 250) was the projected starter last spring before missing the entire 2004 season with an ankle injury.
When Chicola was injured this spring, Corder took all the snaps at tight end and impressed the coaching staff.
"He did a great job," Hinshaw said. "I really kind of think that Chiccola and Corder are even right now, but we're going to go into the fall and see who wants it."
Jerrin Holt (6-3, 240), a redshirt senior, appeared in the first four games of the 2004 campaign before a leg injury sidelined him the last seven games. He could press Chicola and Corder for playing time if he fully recovers from reconstructive ankle surgery.
"It's the best thing in the world to have competition to make everybody better, and I think all three are going to contribute and play for us," Hinshaw said.
Three of five starters from last year's line are back this year, providing a solid nucleus for the Blue Raider offense. Redshirt juniors Germayle Franklin (6-4, 312) and Willie Hall (6-6, 302) will anchor the tackle positions while red-shirt junior Marcus Gates (6-2, 275) will start at center.
The experience on the line has the coaches expecting a more consistent ground attack. With all of the success through the air, Hinshaw figures opposing coaches will gear their defenses to focus on the pass, forcing Middle Tennessee to run the football consistently.
"Teams will be playing more Cover-2, and we believe that we should be able to match up blocking-wise in the box so that we can run the football," he said. "If they're going to put an extra guy in the box, we should be able to throw it, and if they take that guy out, we should be able to run it. We want to be able to take what the defense is giving us."
The three returning starters, joined by a couple of players who saw a lot of action last season, make Hinshaw more comfortable with running the ball out of multiple formations.
Franklin, a two-year starter at guard, was an iron man in 2004. He played an offensive line-high 803 snaps while recording a career-best 78 knockdowns. Hall was also impressive last year, collecting 92.5 knockdowns.
Gates proved to be solid in 2004 after a move from defensive end to center. He played a career-high 627 snaps and recorded 109 knockdowns, second best on the team.
Even though the guard and center positions are solidified, the question mark is right where it was last year -- the tackle slots. With all-conference performer Quinton Staton moving to the defensive side of the ball, somebody will have to step up and fill the gaps.
Sophomore Brandon Nix (6-4, 285) and senior Brian Smith (6-5, 320) were the starting tackles after spring workouts. Nix is making the move over from the defensive side of the ball, much like Gates did a year ago. The coaches think his toughness, quickness and solid footwork will make him a major contributor this season.
While Nix must adjust to a new position, Smith has the benefit of experience at the tackle position last season. He appeared in all 11 games a year ago with most of his playing time, including a start against Idaho, coming in late.
There are a host of other players looking for reps on the offensive line. Redshirt seniors Kyle Ringley (6-2, 264) and Kyle Turnbow (6-5, 287), redshirt juniors Cade Becher (6-3, 312) and Christopher Sapp (6-5, 282), and redshirt freshman Richard Bortner (6-6, 305) provide depth on the offensive line.
Special teams were a question mark heading into last season, but Colby Smith (5-9, 182) proved to be the answer in more ways than one. In a rare case of double-duty in I-A football these days, the redshirt junior will again handle the place kicking and punting duties.
Smith connected on 15-of-17 field goals last season, making him a second-team all-conference selection and a semi-finalist for the Lou Groza Award. Redshirt senior Paul Wheeler (6-1, 223) will handle the kickoff duties for the fourth straight season. He recorded 14 touchbacks in 2004.
The defensive line is a spot where Middle Tennessee figures to be solid this season. The defense as a whole will be loaded with experience as 10-of-11 starters return from last year, but the defensive line is especially deep. Six returning defensive linemen started a game at some point last season. That sort of experience and depth should ensure consistently strong play along the defensive front.
Red-shirt senior Jeff Littlejohn (6-2, 318) anchors the defensive line at nose tackle. Littlejohn fought through double teams last season on his way to 17 tackles and one fumble recovery. Despite the physical beating a nose tackle takes, Littlejohn has played in 33-of-35 games in his career.
Backing up Littlejohn will be senior Raymond Chaney (6-2, 280). Chaney gaine some experience last season, appearing in seven games and making seven tackles.
Alongside Littlejohn at the defensive tackle position will be a player who earned second-team all-conference honors as an offensive lineman last season. The coaches think that senior Quinton Staton (6-2, 282) will make a successful transition from offense to defense because of his toughness, strength and quickness.
Backing up Staton will be redshirt sophomore Chris Anderson (6-3, 295). Anderson was the top-rated defensive tackle prospect in Florida coming out of high school.
There's a battle going on at left defensive end, as a trio of players are fighting for the job. Senior Devarick Scandrett (6-4, 264), redshirt junior Bobby Payne (6-4, 270) and redshirt sophomore Erik Walden (6-2, 230) are all scrapping for playing time.
Going into the spring, it seemed Walden had the inside track to win the starting nod. He used his quickness to lead the Blue Raiders with six sacks to go along with 25 total stops last season. As it stood at the end of spring workouts, Scandrett held a slight edge over Walden for the starting job, but it could go either way. Scandrett has the edge in the experience department having played in every game during his career at Middle Tennessee. His long arms and quickness make him an imposing pass rusher.
Payne is a player MTSU coaches think has a great deal of potential. He had a career-high 17 tackles last season and could be ready to have a breakout season. A suspension for academic reasons during spring drills will hurt Payne's chances of grabbing a starting job, but the competition at the left end position will be one to watch closely.
It is more of the same at the right defensive end position as red-shirt sophomores Antoine Owens (6-1, 242) and Sean Mosely (6-3, 250) battle for the starting job. Owens played in all 11 games last season, recording 24 tackles and three sacks.
Mosely, who started at right end in all but two games, had 36 tackles and three sacks. As with the position battle at left end, this one could be close all the way up to opening day.
The linebacker core might be the most talented group on the team. The Blue Raiders are returning all three starters from last season, and four other players are looking to get into the mix.
"From top to bottom this is probably the best group of linebackers I have had at Middle Tennessee," McCollum said. "They are all physical, can run, and most importantly they have experience. I feel real good about our situation at linebacker this fall."
Senior Dennis Burke (6-1, 236), redshirt junior Jonathan Bonner (6-0, 224) and junior Marcel Horne (6-1, 218) are the returning starters. Burke had 56 tackles, one sack and one interception last season. He's made 122 tackles in his 33-game career. Burke is an extremely physical player and an experienced anchor of the Blue Raider defense.
Bonner played in only one game in 2004 as a cervical fusion kept him off the field. He had 74 tackles, six of them for a loss, during his sophomore year. Although he was unable to participate in spring drills, Bonner is expected to be 100 percent by the fall.
Horne had 66 tackles last season, 54 of them solo. In his first career start last fall, he had 10 tackles against Florida Atlantic.
With Bonner recovering, it appeared that sophomore Tavares Jones (6-3, 225) could crash the starting lineup. While virtually all of Jones' action during his freshman season was on special teams, a solid spring capped with a sack in the Blue-White game may send him on his way to winning a starting job.
While the defensive linemen and the linebackers look to be deep as well as experienced, the success or failure of the defense will hinge on the safeties. That's because Middle Tennessee's safeties are expected to be physical enough to defend the run, quick enough to cover receivers and instinctive enough to make plays.
Fortunately for the Blue Raiders, they have both starting safeties back from last season. Senior Jeremiah Weaver (5-11, 180) and junior Jonathan Harris (5-10, 201) bring much-needed experience to the most complex position in Middle Tennessee's defense.
"We haven't really produced back there in the past," McCollum said of the safety position. But McCollum expects that to change this year with so much experience at the position.
Weaver made 43 tackles and broke up three passes last season. He played in all 11 games, starting in the final seven. Harris is known as a hard hitter. In eight starts last year, he made 40 tackles on the season.
The cornerback position has traditionally been an Achilles heel for Middle Tennessee, but a couple of corners are showing signs of improvement at the position. Red-shirt sophomore Bradley Robinson (5-10, 171) and senior Keon Raymond (5-11, 180) are listed as the starters after spring practice.
Robinson started all but one game last year, making 46 tackles and intercepting two passes. Raymond appeared in 10 games, collecting 11 tackles and an interception. Roy Polite (6-1, 190) figures to battle for playing time this fall. Polite started at right corner last year and had 21 tackles, an interception, two fumble recoveries and a blocked kick.
Colby Smith will once again pull double-duty this season, handling the punting along with the place-kicking. He averaged 39.9 yards per punt last year, with 11 punts downed inside of the opponent's 20-yard line. Smith's longest punt of the year was a 61-yarder against Louisiana-Monroe.
Senior John Crawford (6-0, 252) will handle the long-snapping duties for the fourth consecutive year. Crawford has been extremely accurate, making only one bad snap in his career.
Saintil will return kicks, while Chris Henry will handle punt returns.
For the most comprehensive previews available on all 119 Division I teams, order the "Bible" of college football, the 2005 Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook, at www.blueribbonyearbook.com or call 1-866-805-BALL (2255).


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On Feb 19, 2008, at 1:22 PM, Tom Lane wrote: > > maintenance_work_mem, to be more specific. If that's too small it > will > definitely cripple restore speed. I'm not sure fsync would make much > difference, but checkpoint_segments would. See > http://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.3/static/populate.html#POPULATE-PG- > DUMP > I wonder if it would be worthwhile if pg_restore could emit a warning if maint_work_mem is "low" (start flamewar on what "low" is). And as an addition to that - allow a cmd line arg to have pg_restore bump it before doing its work? On several occasions I was moving a largish table and the COPY part went plenty fast, but when it hit index creation it slowed down to a crawl due to low maint_work_mem.. -- Jeff Trout <jeff(at)jefftrout(dot)com> www.dellsmartexitin.com www.stuarthamm.net
Next: From: Dave Cramer Date: 2008-02-19 20:16:42 Subject: Re: 7 hrs for a pg_restore? Previous: From: Jeff Davis Date: 2008-02-19 19:51:19 Subject: Re: 7 hrs for a pg_restore?

subset: commoncrawl


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Recall event timing: Measures of managerial performance in U.S. meat and poultry plants
This study investigates the performance of meat and poultry plant managers in discovering and responding effectively to food safety problems that lead to product recalls. Timing is used as a performance measure of managers' response to recalls of food, using survival distributions of times between production and recall, and recall case duration. The objectives are to understand how these time periods vary across plants and to determine factors explaining such variability. Survival distributions are estimated using the Kaplan-Meier and life table methods. Subgroups of the population are compared using plots of the estimated survival functions and statistically compared using log-rank and Wilcoxon tests. Managers at large plants, in multi-plant firms, and at plants with prior recall experience do not perform better. Cox regressions indicate that government agency sampling programs enhanced the speed of discovery, and that national distribution networks contributed to the risk that cases remained open for a longer period. [EconLit citations: D210, Q180.] © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Agribusiness 21: 351-373, 2005.
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Volume (Year): 21 (2005)
Issue (Month): 3 ()
Pages: 351-373
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| Web page: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1520-6297
References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
- Ollinger, Michael & Ballenger, Nicole, 2003. "Weighing Incentives for Food Safety in Meat and Poultry," Amber Waves, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, April.
- Frenzen, Paul D. & Buzby, Jean C. & Rasco, Barbara, 2001. "Product Liability And Microbial Foodborne Illness," Agricultural Economics Reports 34059, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
- Ollinger, Michael & Mueller, Valerie, 2003. "Managing For Safer Food: The Economics Of Sanitation And Process Controls In Meat And Poultry Plants," Agricultural Economics Reports 33975, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
- Marino, Anthony M, 1997. "A Model of Product Recalls with Asymmetric Information," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 12(3), pages 245-265, November.
- Hooker, Neal H. & Nayga, Rodolfo M. & Siebert, John W., 2002.
"The Impact of HACCP on Costs and Product Exit,"
Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics,
Cambridge University Press, vol. 34(01), pages 165-174, April.
- Hooker, Neal H. & Nayga, Rodolfo M., Jr. & Siebert, John W., 2002. "The Impact Of Haccp On Costs And Product Exit," Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Southern Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 34(01), April.
- Michael R. Thomsen & Andrew M. McKenzie, 2001. "Market Incentives for Safe Foods: An Examination of Shareholder Losses from Meat and Poultry Recalls," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 83(3), pages 526-538. Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)
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Superhero comic books are a perennial target for self-appointed moral authorities of all stripes, and not always for the best reasons. Some, like Senator Robert Hendrickson (leader of 1953's United States Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency) and comic book scare-monger Fredric Wertham (author of the 1954's infamous Seduction of the Innocent) saw them as a source of perversion, violence and moral decay. (Check out David Hadju's The Ten Cent Plague for a history of Wertham and Hendrickson's shenanigans and the formation of Comics Code Authority.) Priests and pastors of all sorts heard Wertham's spurious message and followed suit with mass comic book burnings.
Despite the burnings and hand-wringing hysteria, the birth of comic books and religion are entwined, to some degree. Many of the classic comic book heroes we still enjoy today – Batman, Superman, Captain America and many others – were created by Jewish artists and writers: People who were outsiders to mainstream culture. Some scholars believe that the experiences of these Jewish creators strongly influenced the ethos of their characters and their universes.
These days, more people than ever are looking at comic books and seeing value in them. They encourage people to read, bring fans together and even in some cases offer good lessons in bravery, sacrifice and individuality. Guys like Tony Kim, "Pastor of the Nerds", see this and see no conflict between their nerdish pursuits and spiritual callings. Neither Does Rabbi Harry Manhoff, whose comic book collection is 17,000 issues in and still growing, or Mohammed Ali Vakil and Mohammed Arif Vakil, two brothers committed to using the comic book medium to communicate the values of Islam.
Now the Vatican is looking at comic books and seeing some things of value. The Vatican's daily newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano recently devoted a full page to speculation regarding the religious identities of various comic book characters. Their findings? The Incredible Hulk is probably Catholic, as is Batman's mother and most certainly The X-Men's Nightcrawler. A separate review of Man of Steel paralleled Superman's story with that of Jesus.
Meanwhile, many of our elected leaders have revealed themselves to be comic book fans, not least among them President Barack Obama. Senator Patrick Leahy isn't just a Batman fan; he has had bit parts in the films. On a personal note, I have a friend who was a state legislator and owned a comic book store for many years.
Undoubtedly, Wertham and his fellow comic book burning crazies would be going out of their minds with terror and fury were they alive to see people of faith (not to mention educators and politicians) acknowledging the value of the medium that they so despised. Comic books aren't universally accepted (See the fundamentalist church that comes to picket Comic Con every year – I have.) but they have certainly come a long way since the fifties.


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Children in our area have something new to smile about this summer.
There's a new playground at the Tallahassee Museum. Close to 400 volunteers and a host of sponsors chipped in to make the playground happen within four days' time.
Tallahassee Museum officials wanted to give the old playground a facelift, and this time let the children have input on the design.


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Sorry the page is missing or the URL is wrong which brought you here.
But make sure you browse for truth before you leave.
To Enter the Christian Library click here.
The Modern Literal Version 2016 Beta.
If you wish to learn how to read the bible for better understanding click here.
To Download the Modern Literal Version Bible newest update click here in PDF format.
To Go to the Modern Literal Version Bible information pages click here.
Or here.
Some may be looking for the translation "Acid Test" a bulletin article.
Have a great day in the Lord Jesus The Christ.


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Cachaça is a distilled spirit unique to Brazil that is made from fresh pressed sugarcane. Originally thought to be invented in the 1600's by Brazilian slaves, cachaça was believed to relieve weariness and to increase vigor. Indeed, the caiprinha and other cachaça based drinks fuel nightclubs from Rio to Ibiza all night long. The passion and sensual allure of Brazilian cachaça is undeniable.
Much like wine, the flavor of cachaça is determined by the Brazilian climate, the soil and the aging process. Different regions of Brazil will produce cachaças of completely different tastes. At present it is estimated that Brazil has well over 4,000 cachaça distilleries and produces 1.2 billion liters per year.
While many Latin American countries also produce a distilled spirit from fresh sugar cane called "Aguardente", this is where the similarity with cachaça ends. "Aguardente", which means "burning water", is known (and justly named) because of the sharp sting on the tongue and the fiery hangovers from this rough spirit. Not so with cachaça, which smooth, mellow in flavor and possessing a wonderful aroma of freshly cut sugar cane.
Of course the quality of cachaça will depend on the brand. To judge the quality of your favorite cachaça use the following tests, just as a Brazilian cachaça connoisseur would:
Once you have found a good cachaça, experiment with it! Highly mixable, it is delicious with fresh fruit juices and perfect for creating tropical frozen drinks. Appealing.
Thanks to Dave at www.caipirinha.us/ for this definition and tips.


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Credit Card Center Advertiser Disclosure†
Hi everyone,
First let me introduce myself... I'm an 18 year old fulltime college student and I am brand new to anything credit-related. My family members, excluding my brother, have horrible credit, never pay their bills on-time, have lawsuits against them, etc etc. It's a major mess. I've learned from their mistakes and I don't want to go down that path at all. Recently I was approved for my first credit card by Capital One for $300. I'm making all of my payments on time and I absolutely do not spend money that I don't already have available.
I am still so new to everything and I've heard so many rumors. Some people have told me never to get a credit card because it reflects bad on your credit score... but then others say it's the only way to establish credit... some people say that having more than 4 credit cards with reflect negatively on your credit... others I've heard of having five and six cards (maybe more) and from what I've heard have 750+ credit.
I'm hearing a mix mash of stories and I'm not quite sure what to believe and I'm looking for some general advice/information from someone knowledgable, if any of you can provide that. Thanks again, I appreciate it!
07-13-2014 05:08 PM - edited 07-13-2014 05:12 PM
Hi! First of all it's good that you got a credit card, it will not hurt your score at all, in fact it's one of the largest factors in building your credit score, so that is bogus information wherever you got that from. Just never carry a balance and only spend what you have in the bank to cover, don't treat it like "free money" and you'll be okay. Most will say 3-5 cards are good to have but you can have a great score with just your one card for now there are people here with very high scores with only 1-3 cards. Just keep your utilization low (10%-20% lower the better) and never pay late or get a charge-off, they will destroy your score for up to 7 years!
I would avoid auto loans unless you absolutely need a new car, because in my experience they do very little to help your score, credit cards will do far more for you and don't require any real commitment to a large balance. Wait until your score is high enough so can get a low interest or 0% interest car loans, that way you're not overpaying for the car. If you have a student loan that will work just fine as an installment loan to help your mix of credit.
Just be responsible and your score will grow very fast
Thank you!
Great, that information helps me a lot. For future reference, does it affect/hurt my score to apply for credit cards?
Also I'm looking into moving out at the end of the year/early next year... before spring semester... Will my credit go up enough by then, if used correctly, to make a difference on my application? Or is it completely different for every person? Thank you!
You're Welcome! Applying for credit will hurt your scores some because of the inquries, so you may want to hold off on getting any new credit right now, It will vary from person to person however. There are more experienced than me here can give you better guidance on your particular scenario, but seeing as you have no collections or bad marks on your report to start with like me lol I think you should be good to go within the time frame you're seeking, but like I said there are people here with much more experience will be able to give a better answer to your question.
Awesome. I did apply for a few others before I found this forum, so I hope that doesn't do much harm to my score. Thanks again! I will be doing some exploring around the forum to scoop up more information.
sljc wrote:
Awesome. I did apply for a few others before I found this forum, so I hope that doesn't do much harm to my score. Thanks again! I will be doing some exploring around the forum to scoop up more information.
You are in a great place with your credit! Take care of it!
This is a very short lesson of how credit works:
A good credit score and history is a lifelong journey and not a sprint. You want to end up with a really thick file and good scores. By having a thick file (Many accounts) you will lessen the negative impact of any credit that you normally need in life like auto loans and mortgages.
So...There are 2 main components: Scores and history. You can't build history without credit so most people get a credit card. By getting a new credit card your scores take a hit by having a new inquiry, lower AAoA and new account. As time goes by you start building history and your scores are rising. After 6 months your scores are back to where you started from or higher! Time to get another credit card or two. The new cards tank your scores but after 6 months your scores have rebounded or are even higher than before! Rinse and repeat.
You have to temporarily sacrifice your scores to get new credit so you can build history. You really only want to apply for new credit about once every 6 months or you can tank your scores too much when just starting your journey.
So, what kind of cards do you have and what are their credit lines?
Thank you so much! I didn't know any of this... thank god I found this forum before I wrecked myself in my first year. I wasn't aware that's how it worked.
I have a Capital One Quicksilver (it's a mastercard with 1.5% rewards on every purchase) and the credit line is currently $300.00. From previous applications I've submitted, I haven't got another card that I know of... however, if I'm approved for one I may get it. But I will not be applying for any more for quite a while.
07-14-2014 09:44 PM - edited 07-14-2014 09:53 PM
i have a 751 fico and 7 cards (6 credit cards 1 charge card)
I was in a similar situation as you. Im 21 now. start it off slow let your account age and always pay on time. i would say after a year of this you can start applying for more cards i would say go for another capital one then. once you get a higher total limit try to keep total utilization % at 1-9. As for number of cards there is no magic number it doesnt matter how many you have as long as you manage them well and are responsible with them but the more you have the more your total limit goes up and your total utilization % will go down with it but you are off to a good start, good luck!
having a credit card is only harmful if you are not responsible with it. having creditcards is crucial to your credit scores and they in turn are essential when you need to take out loans, lenders look at your score because it is an indication of how responsible you are with managing your debt
22 Year old college student. FICO 751 TU 757. Been building credit since age 17. Last APP 12/15/14
07-15-2014 12:55 AM - edited 07-15-2014 12:56 AM
Another myth busted! Thank you.
Apparently that's not true that having more than four cards will definitely affect your credit negetively.
And MT936, you definitely give me some hope that I can be just as successful at such an early age. Getting a home in the future, a car, etc. is definitely in the plans and I had no idea how much credit affected it up until a month ago. It seems to be that it's entirely how you play your cards... and this is a skill I think I already have in other areas, it's just a matter of applying it to this senario. So far I've paid off $148.00 on my newly opened card (I now owe $0).
Here's something I'm curious about: When you make a purchase on a card, does it positively affect your credit MORE (or the same/less) if you pay it as soon as the payment posts, or if you let it sit there for a couple of days/week or for it to appear on your monthly statement? So far I've been paying mine off as soon as they post.
07-15-2014 06:17 AM - edited 07-15-2014 06:56 AM
You can pay it off early if you are in high utilization % but I usually pay my balances off when the statement closes. You should not pay all of it off before the statement closes though as it is seen as a negative when the card reports a 0 balance so I would leave some 1-9% on so when the statement closes the credit card company will report a balance. Do not let the balance reported be over 20% but since you are new and have a low limit I would just focus on paying on time right now.
And something else about what I did... I got my first card when I was 17 at my bank by having my parents cosign. I then got my first real card at 18 and only used those 2 for 2 years until age 20 then I went all out within the past year I applied for and got approved for 5 new cards so my advice is to take it easy to start off. For you since you only have one card with a low limit, within a couple months I would apply for another capital one and hopefully get at least a 1000 limit. But it is key to let your accounts age to boost your average age of credit history
You can do it, you have already taken the first step by showing that you care about your credit score, If you ever need any help just message me
22 Year old college student. FICO 751 TU 757. Been building credit since age 17. Last APP 12/15/14
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We're guessing by now that you've taken advantage of Microsoft's free upgrade to Windows 10, and have been pleasantly surprised by how easy it was, not to mention how few of your existing programs it broke. We've spent several months with the Operating System, and while we love the improvements compared to the godawful Windows 8.1, there's still a few things that aren't quite right. Thankfully there are plenty of savvy software developers out there who have managed to make Windows 10 just the way we want it, so read on for our favourite seven applications that make Windows 10 sing.
7. Game Ranger
It's a fact of life that as our online PC games age, their multiplayer support often dies. This has gotten exponentially worse with the death of GameSpy and EA's continued slashing and burning of old servers, but one clever West Australian guy has come to our rescue. The developer of Game Ranger, Scott Kevill, has somehow figured out how to get these dead multiplayer games to work via his Game Ranger program. Whether it's racing mates in Grid, or fighting off those pesky Luftwaffe in the original Combat Flight Simulator, Game Ranger's support for several hundred obsolete online games is keeping your memories alive.
Windows 10 includes a pretty comprehensive list of the goodies inside your PC, but it's spread around a few places – the device manager, About Your PC, and other places. Speccy solves this problem by showing all of your hardware info in one easy to read location. Not only that, it also shows much more detail about your hardware, such as your CPU's and GPU's core temperatures, various voltage details and even the status of your hard drive's S.M.A.R.T. status. It really is a one-stop shop to get a total overview of your PC's hardware.
5. MSI Afterburner
There's a reason most overclockers turn to MSI's graphics card tweaking software, regardless of whether they're running an MSI card or not. For starters, it'll run on any brand of graphics card, either AMD, Nvidia, Gigabyte, Palit, whatever. Not only does it make tweaking your GPU and memory speed easy, but it's got one of the best fan speed interfaces we've used, making it a cinch to set up custom fan profiles. It also looks sexy, with hundreds of user-made skins ready to download. And if you really want to put your overclocked GPU under pressure, the inclusion of the Kombustor burn-in tool will see just how stable that 300MHz overclock really is. There's also Predator video recording, but that's probably the weakest link in this package, as there are better video capture options out there.


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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A city-based construction company has filed an FIR against Congress president Sonia Gandhi alleging that her party has not cleared its payment for constructing Rajiv Gandhi Institute for Development Studies.
In a major blow to the state unit of the party, the FIR was also filed against former Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy, former state home minister Ramesh Chennithala and KPCC (Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee) chief VM Sudheeran as other accused.
The institute is presently headed by Chennithala who was the KPCC chief while the project was being taken. However, Sudheeran who is the present chief of the state party unit has reportedly washed his hands off the matter and said that he would not be able to issue money for an old and long-finished project.
However, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said there has been no default of payment. "Out of that Rs 20-crore project, only a small payment of rupees two crore is left. We have sorted out the issue. Within 24 hours, both the parties will sit and settle the issue," he said.


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NewswireToday - /newswire/ -
Beijing, China, 2011/11/28 - ResearchInChina, the vertical portal for Chinese business intelligence, announces the release of a new report Global and China Nickel Industry Report, 2010-2011.
In 2010, with the stabilized recovery of LME nickel price, most nickel projects shut down in the financial crisis resumed production. The global output of nickel reached 1.44 million tons in 2010, up 8.4% YoY. Meanwhile, the recovery of downstream sectors such as stainless steel powerfully spurred consumption of nickel. In 2010, the nickel consumption worldwide increased by 19.3% YoY to 1.47 million tons. With the constant advancement of new nickel project construction, the worlds output of nickel continues to maintain rapid growth in H1 2011.
The report not only analyzes the status quo of global market but also studies the production, sales, import & export, and price trend concerning Chinas nickel and ferronickel.
Since 2010, the nickel price in China rose to nearly RMB200,000/ton in March 2011 from initially RMB 150,000/ton. The nickel price experienced volatile decline as of April 2011 and moderate rise in June and July.
The high price of nickel boosted the flourishing of ferronickel industry. In 2010, the output of Chinese ferronickel (inclusive of nickel) amounted to 160 kilotons, up more than 50% YoY. With the construction of new nickel projects in China, the output of ferronickel continues to grow and increase by close to 40% in H1 2011.
Ferronickel is made from lateritic nickel ore by pyrometallurgical process. In recent years, the high growth of ferronickel in China staged a tidal wave of investments in the construction projects of lateritic nickel ores. Now Jinchuan Group, Baosteel, CNMC and TISCO etc. have invested in and acquired lateritic nickel ores in Indonesia and Myanmar. Meanwhile, the import volume of nickel ore surges year by year. In 2010, China imported 25 million tons of nickel ore sand and concentrates from the Philippines, Indonesia and Australia etc., up 52.4% YoY.
Moreover, the report focuses on four international leading nickel enterprises including Norilsk Nickel, Vale SA, BHP Billiton and Xstrata plc, as well as seven key Chinese enterprises including Jinchuan Group and Jien Nickel Industry, etc.
Norilsk Nickel is the largest nickel manufacturer in the world. In 2010, it produced 297,000 tons of nickel, sharing 20.6% of the global output and ranking first worldwide. In H1 of 2011, affected by the ocean shipping disruption of Russian Branch, the nickel output of Norilsk Nickel declined slightly over the same period in 2010 to 136,000 tons.
Jinchuan Group, the largest nickel producer in China, has the world-class nickel-copper-cobalt resources. To sharpen its competitive edge, the Group acquired Tyler Resources Inc. with CAD 214 million in January 2008, and took 11% equities of Fox Resources, an Australian nickel miner and manufacturer, with USD 15.7 million in March. Then in Sep.2009, the company projected USD 2 million for 51% equity stake of Munali Nickel Mine, the largest nickel ore in Zambia. By the end of 2010, the Group had obtained 64 prospecting permits, with exploration area of 5,061 square kilometers, holding resources with over 1 million tons of nickel, 3 million tons of cooper and 60,000 tons of cobalt overseas.
As the largest production base of nickel salt in China, the operating revenue of Jien Nickel Industry registered RMB2.24957 billion in 2010, up 99.7% YoY, of which the revenue from its leading product nickel sulfate rose 98.9% YoY to RMB1.258164 billion; and that from electrolytic nickel reached RMB 162.169 million, up 22.9% YoY.
Written by / Agency / Source: ResearchInChina
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Survey: Just 5 Percent of Consumers Have Bought a Tablet
Tablets are all the rage these days, but new research presented this week by Nielsen shows that fewer than 5 percent of consumers in the U.S. have actually bought one.
The Nielsen research was presented Wednesday at the paidContent Mobile conference in New York, as reported by mocoNews.
Media tablets, spurred by Apple's launch of its first iPad a little over a year ago, have generated enormous buzz in the media but actually ranked fifth among five wireless devices Nielsen ranked by U.S. market penetration.
In a survey of 12,000 U.S. consumers, Nielsen found that just 4.8 percent had bought an iPad or similar device like the Motorola Xoom, Blackberry Playbook, or Samsung Galaxy Tab as of the first quarter of 2011.
By contrast, 36 percent of respondents had purchased a smartphone, 13 percent had bought a media player, while ereaders came in at 9 percent and netbooks at 8 percent to round out the five device types the researcher asked about.
In the U.K., tablet penetration is even lower, with just 1.7 percent of consumers buying one, according to a Deloitte researcher cited by mocoNews.
Still, tablet purchases have grown steadily in the four quarters Nielsen looked at for the study. As of the second quarter of 2010, when Apple released the first iPad, about 2.9 percent of U.S. respondents to the survey had bought a tablet. That number actually shrunk to 2.8 percent in the third quarter—perhaps margin of error had something to do with it—but by the fourth quarter of last year, 3.4 percent of respondents said they had purchased one and in this year's first quarter, that number had grown to 4.8 percent.
Of the other four devices, smartphones and ereaders showed steady growth in market penetration. Both received nice bumps from the fourth quarter of 2010 to the first quarter of 2011, perhaps driven by holiday purchases. Some 30 percent of respondents said they had purchased a smartphone as of the final quarter of last year, with an increase to 36 percent in this year's first quarter, while ereaders saw a jump from 6 percent to 9 percent over the same span.
Media players, by contrast, hovered between 11 and 13 percent in the four quarters since hitting their market-penetration high of 14 percent in the first quarter of 2010. Netbooks showed consecutive growth for all five quarters, but by less than a full percentage point in each of the periods surveyed.
Makers of tablets got some interesting things to chew on in addition to the news that there's plenty of room for the space to grow.
Nielsen found that tablet users were more likely to use the device while watching television than users of other devices, more receptive to ads, and more likely to make a purchase after viewing an ad.
Smartphones, meanwhile, finished first in most usage scenarios that Nielsen presented to respondents, other than the aforementioned TV-watching and, unsurprisingly, in bed, which was won by ereaders.


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Interstellar travel breakthrough propulsion concepts for 50 or more years in the future at the 2013 Icarus Interstellar Congress, dated the last Saturday August 17th 2013:
A summary of the day from to zero minutes to 4 minutes.
Looking at spacewaps, wormholes, megascale spacetime engineering, Kardashev level 2 energy
Nothing from 4 minutes to 12 minutes
13:00-58:00 minutes of the video – Sonny White.
09:00am Keynote: Sonny White, "Warp Field Physics: an Update"
09:45am Presentation 1: Eric Davis, "Faster-Than-Light Space Warps: What's It All About?"
10:10am Presentation 2: Hal Puthoff, "Engineering the Spacetime Metric for Interstellar Flight"
10:45am Presentation 3: Marc Millis, "Transgalactic Travel Guide" & "From Sci-Fi to Sci-Method – Space Drives"
11:10am Presentation 4: Jeff Lee, "Singularity Propulsion – Acceleration of a Schwarzschild Kugelblitz Starship"
11:35am Presentation 5: Gerald Cleaver, "The Quirks of Quark Engines"
12:00am Presentation 6: Lance Williams, "Rise of the Scalar Field, and its Implications for Interstellar Travel"
Sonny White Warp Update
Sonny White is building on work by a Miguel Alcubierre who estimated that it would be possible to achieve this if an object had negative mass. The early work indicated a Jupiter mass or more of exotic matter was needed.
Dr White check the sensitivity
* Change the topology from a thin wedding band to fat life saver and this greater lowers the energy needed
* oscillate the intensity
Combine changing the shape of the warp bubble and oscillating its intensity, it was possible to reduce the amount of energy that would be required to about the size of a Voyager spacecraft. This was not a prediction for the warp technology but check the sensitivity of the equations.
The project, which he has named Eagleworks, uses a high-voltage capacitor ring that is charged up and discharged as a laser is fired through the centre.
Dr White is looking for changes in the way the light passes through it that may indicate the photons have passed through a warp bubble.
Trying to get the test setup to detect changes that are one one-hundedth to one one thousands of the wavelength of light or less.
If you liked this article, please give it a quick review on ycombinator or StumbleUpon. Thanks


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Discussion in 'Tickets, Memorabilia and Gear' started by thunderkyss, Sep 26, 2011.
Check it out.......
No shame.....
Is it pride or a sales pitch?
LOL Preston, that is exactly what I was thinking. I am also wondering if they created that flag themselves as in not being officially licensed by the NFL. Didn't the Texans put the brakes on some folks creating flags using their logo a few season ago?
Thats pretty damn cool. I used to live in the neighborhood right behind that place.
Separate names with a comma.


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No. 17 at the Arnold Palmer Course at Turtle Bay Resort (Mike Bailey)
When it comes to golf in Hawaii you can't go wrong with any of the four main islands – Maui, Oahu, Kauai and the Big Island. In fact, each island has such great golf that you could argue any one of them is best of the bunch. As the 2011 PGA Tour season shifts to Oahu for the Sony Open, we make a case for 'The Gathering Place.'
So you're planning a golf trip to Hawaii, but you've only got the time or the funds for one island. Which one do you choose?
The argument can be made for any one of the major islands of Hawaii, but here's a suggestion that may surprise you: Pick Oahu, especially if it's your first time to Hawaii.
The reasons are compelling. No other island has as many golf courses or as much variety. But perhaps the biggest reason to choose Oahu is the variety of things to do, which revolve around the bustling city of Honolulu and Waikiki Beach.
'From snorkeling on Hanauma Bay to visiting the (USS) Arizona at Pearl Harbor, there are so many more activities on Oahu vs. the other islands,' said Kevin Carll, head golf professional at Waialae Country Club, host of the PGA Tour's Sony Open.
What makes Oahu different is that even though there are plenty of golf resorts on the island, there are also plenty of good daily-fee courses, which are often far less expensive than the resort courses on the other islands. This gives the golf vacationer the best of both worlds. You can choose to stay at a resort like Turtle Bay on the North Shore or the Makaha Resort & Golf Club, or you can make Honolulu your base and drive to different parts of the island to play golf. The advantage to the latter is that you have the outstanding nightlife and dining of Honolulu, which backs up to one of the best beaches in the world: Waikiki.
Accommodations near Waikiki run the gamut, from high-rise luxury hotels like the Hawaii Prince (which also has 27 holes of Arnold Palmer-designed golf off property) to more budget-minded digs like the Park Shore Waikiki, a modest hotel with a great location in the heart of the city with views of Diamond Head and the beach. At your disposal are hundreds of restaurants, clubs and shops, including the incredible outdoor Ala Moana Mall, which has the most expensive retail space per square foot of any shopping venue in the United States.
'There's anything and everything, all within walking distance,' Carll said.
For golf, though, you'll have to rent a car or spend a lot of money on cab fare if you're staying in Honolulu. Of course, if you stay at Turtle Bay Resort, golf and recreation are in your backyard. The resort's backdrop is one of the great surfing spots in the world. The views rivals any resort in the entire state, and Turtle Bay boasts two excellent golf courses. The Palmer Course, ranked among the best in the state and host of the Hawaii State Open, only has one true ocean hole. But the rest of the course, which meanders through wetlands and tall ironwood trees, is a great test away from the ocean. The other course at Turtle Bay, the George Fazio Course, has several holes on the Pacific and makes for an enjoyable and slightly easier golf experience.
There's also the Makaha Resort and Golf Club on the west coast of Oahu in Waianae. William Bell designed this 7,077-yard par 72 in a valley that once served as the playground of Hawaiian royalty.
Perhaps one of the most difficult golf courses in Hawaii is Ko'olau Golf Club, which has a slope rating of 152. Designed by Dick Nugent in 1992, the course is laid out in the middle of a rain forest at the feet of the Ko'olau Mountain Range. Here you'll see waterfalls and plenty vegetation to gobble up wayward shots. Similarly, on the east side of the island, Luana Hills Golf Club, once a private Japanese club, is also treacherous. This Pete Dye design was carved out of the mountain jungle, and despite its relative lack of length, is difficult because of the unforgiving nature of the misses.
On the Ewa Plain is Ewa Beach Golf Club, a plush paspalum golf course designed by prolific Hawaii designer Robin Nelson. The locals sure know about this little gem, which is carved out of a kiawe forest and dotted with plenty of lakes and bunkers. It's well worth the 30-minute drive from Honolulu. The same holds true for Royal Kunia Country Club on the end of the Ft. Weaver Road corridor. Royal Kunia is another Nelson design that has plenty of good holes and even better views of Pearl Harbor, Honolulu and the surrounding mountains.
You'll also want to check out Ko'Olina Golf Club, a fun Ted Robinson layout that features waterfalls, fountains and plenty of interesting holes. Located across from the J.W. Marriott Ihilani Resort and Spa, Ko Olina was Michelle Wie's home course as well as a host site for the LPGA and Champions Tours.
Additionally, if you have some connections, be sure to check out the military courses on the island, which are surprisingly good, especially the Bell-designed Navy-Marine Course. And private club members should get a referral to play Waialae Country Club, a Seth Raynor and Charles Banks design. This classic golf course is one of Oahu's best with design characteristics borrowed from some of the best venues in the world laid out in one of the best settings in the world.


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Thursday 29 March 2012 — Saturday 31 March 2012
TALLINN, Estonia
Buy TicketsSeatGeek
Tallinn Music Week 2012 (29-31 March)
Tallinn Music Week is a music industry conference and one of the biggest indoor festivals in the Baltic region that started out in 2009. The mission of the festival, taking place for the fourth time, is to raise the reputation of Estonian music, to enhance the international development of local music industry and to promote Tallinn and Estonia as an exciting cultural tourism destination. With the support of good partners – European Capital of Culture Tallinn 2011, Nordic Hotel Forum and Skype the festival has achieved international reputation and recognition while representing up-and-coming Estonian talent at festivals all over Europe. In 2011 Tallinn Music Week won the "Best Newish Event in 2011" award at The Great Escape.
Tallinn Music Week comprises of:
International music industry conference, where music industry players from all over Europe will discuss music business and creative industries.
Music festival - at the fourth edition of Tallinn Music Week we will present a lineup of 185 Estonian and European bands and artists, so it is a perfect time to visit early springtime Tallinn during a weekend full of fantastic music in the best venues for the most demanding tastes: from world music, jazz and contemporary classical to punk, electro, metal and anything in between.The concerts take place in Tallinn's best live clubs and concert venues.
As a new initiative in 2012 TMW will explore the topic of innovative music products and services in depth. Estonia being the brainpower behind Skype (TMW partner from the start),we will partner up with another significant internationally recognized Estonian initiative:a start-up product development bootcamp Garage48. Since its establishment in 2010, by the Estonian Startups Leaders Club, it has taken place throughout Northern Europe and Africa. Garage48 brings together around 100 participants with different skills, ranging from software development to design, marketing, sales and entrepreneurship. Within48 intense hours teams will turn an idea into a working service or prototype. Five best projects from Garage48 Tallinn Music (23-24 March)will be selected for a pitching session at TMW conference on 30thand 31st March to an international jury of specialists and potential investors.
TMW Schedule 2012:
Thursday, 29th March: opening night / delegates arrival
Friday, Saturday, 30-31st March: seminar panels 10AM – 5PM / festival 7PM – 02AM
Sunday, 1st April: delegates travel home
- to promote Estonian music and creative industries and export;
- to raise the prestige and reputation of Estonian music both at home and internationally;
- to provide a useful tool for international music industry and press in getting to know Estonian and the whole region's music scene;
- to promote Tallinn and Estonia as an attractive tourism destination for music and culture;
- to be a cooperation platform for Estonian businesses and organisations with similar aims: promoting dynamic and progressive Estonia, exporting Estonian creations, promoting entrepreneurship, educating a brave and forward-looking young generation who will take Estonia to the world map.
2011 in numbers:
3 nights
16 stages / 11 clubs
147 artists from 10 countries
123 artists from Estonia
7600 festival visitors
423 delegates (229 Estonian)
194 international delegates
52 483 unique homepage visits from 88 countries
Our delegates say:
Paulina Ahokas (Music Export Finland):
"Tallinn Music Week was a really efficient way to get an overview of what is going on in the Estonian music scene, see some of the potential artists, meet with their representatives and discuss future opportunities. This event also made me realize what an amazing talent pool and enthusiastic atmosphere there is in Estonia, and I am convinced that the event will even further activate local co-operation and ambition - and both of these are indeed needed for international work: it is a lot of hard work! Tallinn Music Week staff did an amazing job, and I am looking forward to the next edition!"
Joe Porn, Music Glue:
"I was extremely impressed with my first visit to Tallinn, I found the people warm and friendly, the city wonderful to explore and the local music scene to be of a very high standard. The Tallinn Music Week program was very interesting and diverse, the selection of venues to be great too. Delegates were treated very well and I found it very helpful to meet music industry professionals from around Europe. I certainly hope to be coming again next year and would have no problems seeing Estonia artists perform to a UK audience."
John Rogers, Brainlove Records:
"As a debutante at Tallinn Music Week, I was struck first by the beauty of the city of Tallinn and the depth and richness of the music on show - from stunning contemporary classical performances in spectacular vaulted spaces to experimental industrial music in dark basements: there was a very impressive range of music to engage with. I think several of the acts I came across could appeal to existing audiences in Europe, the UK and the USA, where international variants on avant-garde musical practice are an interest already."
Shain Shapiro, Canadian Blast:
"I really enjoyed TMW. The hospitality shown by everyone and the ardour on display from the bands displayed Estonia as one of the most exciting hubs for new music in Europe. I hope they invite me again."
Line-up (172)
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One theme of Programming Android is that Android is now client Java. Client Java is what every Java coder started with when they start learning Java, but then, when it gets down to working for a living, it's all server Java now. So you have millions of coders who are primed for a successful client Java, and many of them work in enterprise IT. How will Android impact the work of Java coders? Attendees will learn:
Zigurd is the lead author of Programming Android and a consultant to OEMs, device makers, applications publishers, and enterprises on Android systems, applications, and related subject matter.


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Disney Live Phineas and Ferb Montreal performance is a two-act touring stage musical adaptation of the famous TV show. Ferb, Phineas and the entire Tri-state region posse are now taking up a bold and brave escape from always being behind the TV camera lens and jumping on stage to let you have the flavor of live action and adventure, and that too in your town. While all the fans sit back wondering where Perry is, the adorable pert platypus switches to his mysterious secret second life as clever Agent P on his way to thwarting yet another evil plan orchestrated by the always plotting scientist Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz. The whole production, as Disney's productions always promise, is filled with musical beats marked with an exciting escapade that is going to be so enticing that even the characters' controlling older sister Candace finds herself becoming part of her mischievous brothers' plan. Disney Live Phineas and Ferb Montreal tickets are some of the most sought-after treat this season that have served as just the perfect end to everyone's summer vacations.
Buy Disney Live! Phineas and Ferb - Montreal Tickets
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Call of Duty: Black Ops 2's first DLC pack will release on Xbox LIVE on January 29, Activision has confirmed.
Revolution features four new multiplayer maps, a brand new Zombies map and mode, and one new weapon, the Peacekeeper.
"With Black Ops II, the team set out to challenge assumptions about what fans should expect from Call of Duty, and there's no exception with Revolution," said Treyarch studio head Mark Lamia.
"It starts with the massive amount of content that Revolution offers: four distinct multiplayer maps, an entirely new Zombies map and new Zombies mode, and a new bonus weapon. But quantity is just the start - it's the variety of new gameplay options in Revolution that sets it apart, making it our most compelling DLC offering to date, and a must-play experience for Call of Duty fans."
Multiplayer maps Hydro, Downhill, Mirage and Grind takes the battle to a hydroelectric dam, the French Alps, the Gobi Desert and a skate park in California's Venice Beach.
Meanwhile, Zombies' new Die Rise map sees players fighting off the undead in a destroyed Chinese city with upgradeable 'Wonder Weaponry', while a new game mode, Turned, lets players step into the role of a zombie to take down the survivors.
A release date for the pack on other formats has yet to be confirmed by Activision, but a GameStop mailout has confirmed it'll launch on PS3 and PC on February 28. A Wii U release is still unconfirmed.
Details of the pack were first spotted on a promotional poster in the US, and later leaked by an Amazon UK listing.
For more on Revolution, including details on each of the new maps and new mode, take a look at the video below.
Source: Activision press release


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Take a walk on the wild side and run your very own game
reserve, in South Africa's Western Cape. The main lodge
(inset) is a historic Dutch building with four bedroom suites, but there is
also a hunting lodge and bush camp (sleeping eight) and a second bush camp
(sleeping four), which could be rented out to tourists. Animals on the
21,500 acres of reserve include springbok, impala, giraffes, leopards and
Sold by: Signature
Residences Worldwide
Guide price: on application
Châteaux rescue
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This product is no longer available.
You can try these similar gifts instead.
Remembrance Angel Suncatcher Bell Wind Chime
Send your deepest condolences with a gift that will preserve the memory of their beloved. As a beautiful bell rings in the breeze, the bronze suncatcher casts warm beams of light from heaven bringing about cherish memories.


text:
How Not To Ship Frozen Whole
1) pack your animals in one little kitchen Bounty Towel each.
2) then place all your animals in a baggie.
3) then put your animals into a thin wall, small box, so that the animals almost touch the sides of the box at all times.
4) insulate with a sock or 2. Don't bother to use a cooler, or even rolled up newsprint.
5) leave this small box of animals in your car all morning until dropping them off at the post office at noon, so they get good and heated up by the sun.
6) ship 3-day Priority Mail during a warm spell with paper overwrap in said thin wall box. Don't bother to save your receipt of mailing from the post office either.
Needless to say, the animals I got are all trash taints, slip, etc. NOT HAPPY with this vendor at all.
Does that sound like someone who cares about their clients?
The animals arrived completely warm and thawed and I could smell them outside the baggie.
Two had green bellies as soon as the paper thin skin was removed.
Before I even began skinning, I soaked them in a solution of hair setting agents and a stop-rot equivalent.
I got them skinned and wet tanned within 15 minutes.
Four of MY clients are going to be pissed now.
Should I request a refund?
Return to The Taxidermy Industry Category Menu
How do you get any animal skinned and wet tanned in 15 minutes? WOW
Dan Hudzik
I am fast at skinning little critters, these were a type where you can make one cut, 5 snips, and then peel and be done. I had the wet-tan prepped and ready, sitting beside me. Prior to skinning them, I immersed them in the solution as well to set the hair. It completely penetrated the skin to full thickness within 15 minutes. So no kidding.
Have you ever heard of the guys who can speed-skin a muskrat in 30 seconds? I'd like to do that... wish I could.
Not trying to ruffle your feathers just curious. I salt my hides and don't try to "tan" raw skins like that. I have heard of trappers skinning out critters from their trap lines but never heard of a taxidermist that could skin and tan an animal in 15 minutes. Guess I haven't been in this long enough. I've only been in this art since 1999. Regardless I hope you get your issue resolved. Good Luck. Dan Hudzik
It usually takes me about 20-30 min. to completely skin out a bobcat without skinning cuts. BUT that is without splitting, turning or fleshing. I don't know how i "compare" with other skinners, but i could care less..LOL, so long as i do a good job it don't matter.
Now coyotes on the other hand...lol, take me about an hour for taxidermy..and yuck!
Sheila Brandon
Brandon Wildlife Studio
Do I ask for a refund for these negligent acts?
You are not skinning for a mount that quick
Today is oiling day on these critters and I took them out of neutralizing bath and found that the belly on one of them, which had rotted due to the shipper's ignorance and foul treatment of the animals, had completely dissolved. Now there is a one inch hole in an animal with a NTB measurement somewhere around 7" and girth around 3.5". To say I am peeved is an understatement.
I was able to recover my costs on this issue, therefore, no more problems. Simply refusing to do business with this hack again is a simple enough solution.
Mr. Creager, just because you can't speed-skin small animals as fast as me, does not mean you need to denigrate me. If you are not capable of doing so, saying so is fine. No BS - they really did get done for L/S that fast and yes, that means the tails and foot bones were out. Want a pelt, they are $20 a pop + s/h, slight damage (patch skin/fur will be included), if you want to see proof for yourself. I sent pictures of the skins, taken during the first 20 min. at which point the skins were well tanned, both sides (fur and leather), to someone, who said they looked great. KMA.


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You're in Good Hands with ChristianMingle
Nothing means more to us than your safety and satisfaction as you online date in the ChristianMingle community. We manually review every profile and photo to make sure you're meeting quality Christian singles. In addition, we want to arm you with a few simple, yet smart dating safety tips.
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Slow & Steady Wins the Race — It's exciting when you click with someone, but take a deep breath and your time. The best relationships will last for years, so patience will pay off. Don't bow to pressure. You control the pace of your dating journey.
Ask Away! — Don't be shy. Asking questions is the best way to discover the person who's right for you… and uncover those who feel wrong. We prefer the former!
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We're Your Buffer Zone! — By using ChristianMingle's proprietary communication tools, like messages and chat (IM), you'll know that we have your back. Once you start communicating outside of ChristianMingle, our protective measures are limited.
Dating In Person
Meet in Public — Arrange your own transportation to and from your date. Always be sure to meet in a public place, like a restaurant, coffee café or bar.
Tell a Friend — When heading out on a date, be sure to tell someone else where you're going and ask him/her to check in with you later.
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Our goal is to create a safe, secure environment so you'll feel 100% confident throughout the entire process. That's why we review every profile and photo on ChristianMingle before it's ever posted.
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Another Earth
I don't know what to write about this movie. I finished watching this several hours ago and I just can't stop thinking about it. This movie, as some people would call it, is a mindf*ck movie similar to Donnie Darko. I've starting coming up with crazy theories how the movie should be logically understood, but I am yet to find a reasonable and logical explanation for its ending. My effort might be futile, maybe it can't be explained; I'm not giving up yet!


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Operators and networks are commonly blamed for poor performance and coverage but a new report from Strand Consult estimates around 70 percent of bad coverage is due to modern smartphones and their usage.
"Smartphone penetration is increasing and operators investing heavily in network infrastructure but people getting worse coverage," John Strand, CEO, Strand Consult told Mobile Europe.
"Smartphones don't perform as well as older feature phones. Operators may have to double mast numbers and increase investment in areas where many bad phones are connected."
Quoting an independent study in Denmark, conducted by Aalborg University's Professor Gert Frolund Pedersen, Strand's report concludes phone manufacturers are evading responsibility by neither informing users about the affect phones have nor optimising them for networks.
The Danish study measured the performance between phones' antenna and networks, evaluating how nine of the most popular phones affect users' experience in GSM 900 and 1800 and UMTS 900 and 2100 networks.
Depending on models and network frequencies, it found major differences between phones and coverage quality.
Older phones perform better than newer generations in lower frequencies.
Buying the latest generation of popular phones increases the likelihood of bad network coverage.
Coverage can be improved if users choose phones optimised for their carrier's network but such information is rarely available.
Handset manufacturers should disclose phone strengths and weaknesses, but said John Strand: "There is no transparency – many phone manufacturers gag operators so they can't inform users. Consumers are in a bad position now."
The report, "How Mobile Operators can reduce the cost of mobile masts and improve mast regulation", calls for uniform global disclosure addressing relevant factors of phone coverage quality.
It states: "Phones are launched rapidly and from many manufacturers making it challenging for independent testing, not to mention the testing handset manufacturers fail to do themselves.
"Fierce competition means phones launch with unfinished product development - errors are corrected through software updates after phone purchase - which reduces development costs but puts the onus of product quality onto operators and consumers.
"Optimising phones for networks takes a back seat to getting phones to market; manufacturers do little to solve these challenges."
Perennial debates about mobile coverage must include the role of phones and manufacturers take more responsibility, there should be more transparency the report concludes.
Consumers ultimately need more information on which to base purchases.


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Magnolia Tree
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Rated 3 / 5 stars
Carck: photos are permitted of real-world art because the fact of the photo isn't the thing being submitted. I think this still obeys NG T&Cs.
I second the fact that this goes under "Other", not "3D Art" which is more for 3D model CGI. And the photo is blurry and the lighting choice doesn't really do it justice. It looks to me like you put a lot of effort into color contrast, and the poor photo quality effectively neuters that aspect. It's hard to get a photo that really evinces all of the good points of a physical piece of art.


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Street Art
Interesni Kazki in Vodnjan, CroatiaJuly 15, 2013
If we were to throw a mural festival inviting artists from around the globe to come paint walls, the Ukrainian duo, Interesni Kazki, would be at the top of our list for invitations. The talented two always create strong, highly detailed murals, rich in surreal content and displaying exceptional artistic talent. This newest piece was painted for the Boombarstick Festival in Vodnjan, Croatia.
Photos via artist


text: McD's picks Burnett for Arch Deluxe Published on February 17, 1997. McDonald's Corp. has awarded all the Arch Deluxe advertising previously held by Fallon McElligott, Minneapolis, to Leo Burnett USA, Chicago, according to agency insiders. After Fallon resigned the account Jan. 31, McDonald's lead agencies, Burnett and DDB Needham Worldwide, Chicago, had both been invited to present ideas for the Deluxe line of sandwiches. A consolation to Needham: its Navigator DDB subsidiary was awarded advertising for McDonald's 12 Russian stores.Copyright February 1997, Crain Communications Inc. In this article: News Most Popular


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Detail Information
- Rituximab in relapsing and progressive forms of multiple sclerosis: a systematic reviewTamara Castillo-Trivino
Multiple Sclerosis Center, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
PLoS ONE 8:e66308. 2013..Rituximab is an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody approved for non Hodgkin lymphoma and rheumatoid arthritis. It is being considered for the treatment of MS...


text:
Impact of Country-of-Origin Labeling on Bovine Meat Trade
Recognizing that consumers often evaluate the quality of food based on its origin, many countries have introduced country-of-origin labeling (COOL) programs. In this paper, we analyze bilateral trade data of bovine meat cuts to examine whether the implementation of COOL has altered trade flows of these products. We found that the impact of COOL varied widely among the countries examined over the study period. While the market shares of Australia, Canada, France, and Netherlands have expanded as a result of the implementation of COOL, those of Germany and Ireland have contracted.
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Volume (Year): 9 (2011)
Issue (Month): 1 (May)
Pages: 1-21
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How to make led lighting on your bike with a rechargeable battery?
I want to build led lighting on my bike with a 9V battery that charges all the time.
so i made a diode bridge and added some capacitors,
and i measured about 45V DC when i cycled down a hill.
thats way too much current to handle for a 9 volt battery,
so i got myself a LM317T, but at this point I'm getting a noob.
i get confused when i see ground and the - pole.
and i haven't worked allot with transistors,
so can someone build a circuit for me where i have;
- The diode bridge
- The 35V 560uF capacitor
- 1 Bright white led up front
- 3 Bright Red led's at the back
Thank you!
What LEDs are you using, and what forward current will they take ?
but i think its just a bright white led, 5 mm 80 degrees,
and for the back i got 3 bright red leds, 5 mm 120 degrees
and i think they take about 20 mA
What you REALLY want to do is to pump the dynamo into a supercap, and then have a smart supply to drive the LEDs.


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Luke 2:1-14
By Rev. Dr. Sergio Arevalo, Jr.
Dec 24, 2014 (7 pm, Sambang Gabi)
Tonight is the last night of our Sambang Gabi or vigil for the advent of Jesus Christ. We prepared for this season, we prepared or brought food, and snacks. We prepared our liturgies and messages. We prepared our sanctuary, sound systems, music instruments, kitchen, dining hall and our school. We invited guests, singers and preachers. We labor and we worried. Despite all these things we are joyful and we hope to repeat this next year.
We thank all brethren who gave time, treasures and talents just to make sure our daily Sambang Gabi were successful.
If we were busy in preparing for the advent, 2000 years ago the world was also busy for the registration of all subjects of Caesar Augustus.
I. The Registration During the Time of Caesar Augustus
Luke 2:1-5 says, "Now in those days an order was published by Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be registered. This was the first registration taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. So all the people went to their hometowns to be registered. Joseph, too, went up from the city of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was a descendant of the household and family of David. He went there to be registered with Mary, who had been promised to him in marriage and was pregnant."
That registration was decreed with a view to the assessment of a tax.
II. The Birth of Jesus
During this time that the couple, Joseph and Mary, went to Bethlehem. "While they were there, the time came for her to have her baby, and she gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no place for them in the guest quarters" (Luke 2:6-7).
When I was reading this passage I was wondering how did Mary give birth to baby Jesus? What position? Was there any midwife or who served as midwife? Do you think Joseph did it?
In my research I found out that women gave birth in a standing, kneeling or squatting position (probably a combination of these as the birth progressed. They used brightly painted birthing bricks to stand or kneel on over a scooped out hole, or they sat on a birth-stool/chair. In the Roman world there were special birthing chairs with a U-shaped hole in the seat and supports for the feet and back, and well-to-do Jewish women in the later biblical period would have used these too.
For sure Mary had no birthing bricks or birthing chair when she delivered the baby Jesus.
As soon as a baby was born, usually it was washed by the midwife. She used items that may seem strange to the modern reader: olive oil, salt, warm water, and sometimes diluted wine. Each ingredient had a purpose: the salt and wine had antiseptic qualities; the water melted and diluted them; and the oil was soothing to the baby's skin.
Immediately after this cleansing, the baby was wrapped in coarsely woven linen strips. In our passage today mentioned that Mary wrapped her newborn baby son in bands of cloth. This was normal practice in that time (www.womeninthebible.net/childbirth.htm).
In the birth of Jesus, Mary suffered to deliver him, and the baby Jesus did not experience the comfort of his birth.
III. The Angel Announces the Birth of Jesus
In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, watching their flock during the night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
Then the angel told them, "Stop being afraid! Listen! I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people. Today your Savior, the Lord Messiah, was born in the city of David. And this will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger." (Luke 2:8-12).
In the Gospel of Luke, the evangelist gave priority to the shepherds. The angel announced the good news of Jesus' birth to the shepherds in the fields.
While the shepherds were listening to the angel, more angels came and praising God, "Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to people who enjoy his favor!" (Luke 2:13-14).
In the first stanza of the angels' song there are two secret of peaceful life: (1) Give Glory to God; (2) Enjoy God's favor by serving him.
J.S. Bach said, "All music should have no other end and aim than the glory of God and the soul's refreshment; where this is not remembered there is no real music but only a devilish hub-bub."
He headed his compositions: "J.J." "Jesus Juva" which means "Jesus help me."
He ended them "S.D.G." "Soli Dei gratia" which means "To God alone the praise" (Kingdom Conflict, J. Stowell, Victor, 1985, p. 77ff.).
During this Christmas season, it's high time to give glory to God and to serve him with great joy.


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Currently historic: 300 strikeouts?
Do you know what happened in 2002? Yes, lots of things. Jimmy Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize, for instance. But also, Randy Johnson struck out 334 batters. That is the last time a major league pitcher topped 300 strikeouts.
So far in 2013, Yu Darvish has started eight games. He has 80 strikeouts. If he makes the major league standard 33 starts this year, that would be 330 strikeouts. I don't know if that will happen. (I never know anything. If I did we wouldn't need this column.)
As to Darvish, first, his numbers are appreciably better this year, so we might expect regression. But then, he's throwing his slider a lot more, so maybe that's it. He's 26, so he might still get better.
No one has come close to 300 Ks in recent years. Darvish is certainly the most intriguing candidate thus far, and we'll be keeping an eye on him.
Time for a mea culpa. I screwed up last week by saying Cy Young held the single-season BB/9 record. It's actually Carlos Silva, who you only remember because he was active just a few years ago and not because he has a fancy pitching award named for him. Mistakes were made. I feel bad about it.
Still, we need to pay attention to Bartolo Colon. He's starting after this article goes to press, but since we last checked in, he pitched four (very poor) innings without walking a batter. So that's still one walk for the entire season. At 0.22 walks per nine innings, he's currently besting Silva by a couple of tenths. Stay tuned.
Strikeout tracking, week 3…
Chris Carter, 57 Ks, 231 K pace: Carter really slowed down substantially this week, but he's still on pace to break the single-season record while providing solid offensive value.
Rickie Weeks 42 Ks, 184 K pace: Striking out 200 times is hard. Not everyone can do it. It's looking like Weeks might not have what it takes. He gets one more week to show us he's up for the challenge.
Adam Dunn, 46 Ks, 201 K pace: Sure, Adam Dunn is down a little, but he's still keeping the pace. His hitting line continues to be anemic, though. He needs to do better.
Will Middlebrooks, 43 Ks, 179 K pace: Middlebrooks is apparently playing hurt and his pace is down. He may be off this list next week.
Pedro Alvarez, 42 Ks, 174 K pace: Ahem. Another one falling off the pace. I expected that eventually the competition would be narrowed to Dunn and Carter, but it's looking like it might happen faster than I thought.
Rick Ankiel, 37 Ks, 154 K pace: Ankiel was cut (something else I missed last week. I promise to hustle to first extra hard in the future), but then the Mets grabbed him. We'll keep him here and see how things materialize.
Joey Votto is down to a 137 walk pace. I'm going to drop him for now.
The Astros struck out just a little less this week (probably because they don't have Ankiel anymore), but are still averaging almost exactly 10 Ks per game (it's like Yu Darvish is the only starting pitcher they ever face) and are on pace for 1,616. The record is 1,387. I have to keep typing that because I can't believe how not close the Astros are trying to make it.
The weekly list. It's why you love me…
Todd Helton (573) still needs just one more double to enter the top-20. Come on, Todd, you're really milking it here.
Adrian Beltre keeps hitting doubles and now needs 29 to reach 500.
Home runs:
Albert Pujols' foot hurts. He didn't hit any homers. He still needs 20 to reach 500 and 33 to get into the top 20.
Prince Fielder hit one homer this week and needs 31 to reach 300.
Extra-base hits:
Todd Helton needs 35 extra base hits to get to 1,000. Really thinking about dropping this one. What do you think?
Runs batted in:
Albert Pujols now needs 45 to reach 1,500.
Stolen bases:
Juan Pierre (603) didn't steal any new bases this week. However, he was caught once and now needs only one more to reach 200.
Michael Bourn is back! He even stole a few bases and now needs 21 to get to 300.
Showing up:
Mariano Rivera (1,068) is all by himself in sixth place for the most appearances ever. Hoyt Wilhelm (1,070) and Dennis Eckersley (1,071) may fall by next week.
Andy Pettitte (498), CC Sabathia (391), and Bartolo Colon (382) continue to pitch every five days or so.
Sabathia is still hanging out at 195.
Jonathan Papelbon (264) needs 36 to get to 300.
Once again, Ryan Dempster struck out only four. He now needs 31 to reach 2,000.
Pettitte walked one this week and needs 5 to reach 1,000.
Team accomplishments:
Pittsburgh had four wins this week and needs 18 to make it to 10,000.
Thanks for reading. As always, stats are through Monday's games. Tell me if I'm missing anything.
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Just a side note about Juan Pierre's base-stealing. When he gets to 200 CS he'll have #6 on the career list all to himself and #5 will only be 8 more away.
Miguel Cabrera is 4 shy of 400 career doubles at age 30 and barely 1 month. Good bet for 700?
Man, I used to be the #1 Carlos Silva defender. It was a pretty lonely gig.
I think the 35 EBH for Helton is a stretch. You probably should drop it until he gets real close.