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Saturday, November 21, 2009
Pre Winter Meeting Musings
Instead, here are some hot (er, lukewarm?) topics running through my head:
* It's been mentioned in the comments section, and it bears repeating here since I've often had the same thought - why can't Brian Dopirak be a serviceable option in the Jays lineup next year? No, really, I'm asking. I've heard - and can't necessarily disagree with - all the reasons why he's a longshot to stick at the major league level: it took him 4 seasons to get past 'A' ball, he's old for the level, he's beating up on minor league retreads, etc.
But here's the thing: his numbers have been fantastic since the start of 2008. He comes with a pedigree (2nd round pick). And he's no longer blocked (/sarcasm) by the manager's favorite, Kevin Millar.
Can't it be that he just turned the corner in his development and is now reaching that 2nd round potential? And can't we give the dude a shot before writing him off? For my money, he's exactly the type of player a "building" team needs to take a long, hard look at. It will be a disappointment - for me, anyway - if he doesn't break camp with the team (pending any substantial offseason moves to shore up 1B/DH, of course).
* .....and since we're here, is it completely unreasonable to assume (hope?) that one of Jarret Hoffpauir or Mike McCoy can be a useful player in the infield? I mean, as it stands, we're looking at Aaron Hill....and that's about it, as far as sure-fire returnees go. Personally, I'm hoping for one or both to make the team, if for no other reason than the blogging possibilities (Hoff! The Real McCoy!). Yeah, maybe I'm reaching now.
* We all now Alex Anthopoulos has floated the notion that he isn't adverse to trading Roy Halladay within the division. On the surface - as brutally gut-wrenching as it would be - it makes sense to take the best deal for the Jays out there. But I'm starting to think that might just be a smokescreen to drive up the market for non-AL East teams who might be interested in acquiring the services of the true Ace (Doc is a capital-A ace).
And maybe it's working? Fresh off the news that the Dodgers (let's ignore the implications of ol' Frankie McCourt's divorce) are focusing on Doc - with the name 'Chad Billingsley' being tossed around - comes word of early discussions with the Cubs.
During last season's trade deadline fiasco, the Cubs were never viewed as a serious players, due primarily to the perceived lack of prospect depth. But they do have Starlin Castro, who's generating some pretty serious buzz, and potential big bat Josh Vitters in the system, so.....
* I don't see any way that the (unreasonably) under appreciated Lyle Overbay returns, at this point. Given the volume of trade rumors surrounding him, and given the return of Cito....I just think it would end badly.
* Rethinking the Brandon Phillips speculation....unless one of Phillips/Hill were to make a move to SS....yeah, what's the point. His bat would not be an upgrade over Edwin Encarnacion, and it's impossible to say how he'd play defensively at the hot corner. But a double play combo of Hill & Phillips up the middle might not be so bad, would it?
* Something has to happen in the outfield, doesn't it? Can we really envision an everyday alignment of Lind-Wells-Snider defensively? That's assuming of course, that Snider sees AB's against more than just right-handed pitching, and Lind doesn't move to 1B, and....
* One thing's for certain: AA has his work cut out for him. He has no choice but to put his stamp on the team. Let's just hope it's his own.
21 comments:
- Tao of Stieb said...
Nicely done Ack. I like reading your posts more than my own. Because yours tend to have a point, and mine are a Jays fan reworking of Alan Ginsberg's Howl.
Would love to have Dopirak get his chance. Although I'm sure that one bad week and they'd give up on him.
- November 21, 2009 at 1:06 PM
I remember reading somewhere, probably that pithy kernel of Jays geekdom that is battersbox (i mean no disrespect the categorization) that Dopirak's problem was that he was a one dimensional hitter and that the Jays both tweaked his swing and taught him better plate discipline. Anyway, the point is that the Dopirak the Cubs had and the Dopirak the Jays have are two slightly different beasts, so the development path has been a bit longer than expected. Still, I'd like Dopirak to be given a fair chance, though for him to earn a spot he's got to be able to play at least some passable first base.
I wouldn't mind Doc going to the Cubs, especially if it means it helps the Cubs go from perpetual wallflowers to world series dance floor monsters. Not only would it be cool to see the Cubs win, but Doc would no longer be a demi-god amongst the five day starter-set, he'd be ******* Zeus.
- November 21, 2009 at 1:29 PM
I really wish the Rockies had the funds available to be able to go after Halladay. Getting a package based on Iannetta and either Fowler or Carlos Gonzales would be perfect for the Jays.
- November 21, 2009 at 2:46 PM
- Torgen said...
Overbay was 20th in wOBA out of 31 first basemen with over 400 PAs, and most of those guys had to face both handedness of pitchers. If he didn't need to be platooned then he'd be Paul Konerko for less money. Instead he's Paul Konerko but he takes up two roster spots. Remember, a team that wins 70 games on a 60 win payroll is efficient, but they still suck. That's Overbay in a nutshell.
- November 21, 2009 at 3:10 PM
- Unknown said...
"Blue Jays CEO Paul Beeston told George King III of the New York Post that ace Roy Halladay "is not inclined to sign" with Toronto if (or when) he hits free agency.
Halladay, 32, is only under contract through the upcoming season and Toronto might not have the kind of money it would take to extend his contract anyway. "We would like to sign him, he is an original Blue Jay and we have never had a pitcher as good as him," Beeston told The Post on Friday. "But he is not inclined to sign with us." "
- November 21, 2009 at 4:29 PM
"I really wish the Rockies had the funds available to be able to go after Halladay. Getting a package based on Iannetta and either Fowler or Carlos Gonzales would be perfect for the Jays."
--Those guys would be nice. But I'd love for them to send Jhoulys Chacin!
I know, another 'Chacin'. But the Jays gotta get rid of all that remaining stock of 'Chacin Cologne' somehow.
- November 21, 2009 at 4:59 PM
Chacin too! Now that's a trade!
- November 21, 2009 at 5:09 PM
- Navin Vaswani (@eyebleaf) said...
You're right, there's a ton of work to be done. It should be a glorious winter.
- November 21, 2009 at 6:31 PM
- Twitchy said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- November 21, 2009 at 6:58 PM
- Peter Gentleman said...
Forget Brandon Phillips. Trade for Uggla and move Hill to short. Uggla is the better hitter and will be much more easily had. Plus he hits in a pitcher's park versus a hitter's park.
- November 22, 2009 at 3:17 AM
- Gil Fisher said...
I see the Orioles are interested in Delgado. I think Carlos and Randy Ruiz should be given our 1B duties this year, with a view to moving one or both at the deadline if they perform well. Dopirak could move in mid-year after a trade, injury or demotion.
I'm surprised there haven't been any rumours on Rick Ankiel. He could provide pretty good RF defence for someone (like us) and his offense shouldn't be off the rails yet.
- November 22, 2009 at 8:13 AM
- Peter DeMarco said...
Here's the thing, Dopriak, Hoffpauir and McCoy are nice back-up plans, because of the good minor league numbers, etc. However, if you can find true prospects rather than these guys, the Jays should go for it. This is because Dopriak, Hoffpauir and McCoy are longshots and big time. These are the next Chad Mattolas of the world, good in the minor leagues, but never do well in the majors. Sure every once and a while someone beats all odds and has a decent MLB career, but this is very, very, very, very, rare.
I'll say it again, a better plan is to target teams with players blocking significant prospects:
- Gamel is blocked by Magehee, Brandon Wood is blocked by Kendrick and Aybar, the Rockies don't have enough OF spots to play Young Jr, Carlos Gonzalez, Seth Smith, Dexter Fowler and Brad Hawpe, if the Rays resign Crawford, try to get Desmond Jennings, etc.
Then once you've gathered as much young talent as you possibly can, whatever positions that still need to be filled can go to a Dopriak type player.
- November 22, 2009 at 10:49 AM
- Gil Fisher said...
From the failed prospect file, Brandon Wood is not much different than Dopirak, except that he's failed at the MLB level and Dope hasn't been given the chance yet.
- November 22, 2009 at 11:42 AM
- Peter DeMarco said...
You have a point Gil, however Dopriak there are a few things that separate Wood from Dopriak:
- Many scouts still believe Wood has a high ceiling while there is mixed opinions about Dopriak future
- Wood is a middle infielder, where if he is just replacement level talent, it doesn't hurt you as much.
- No organization has given up on Wood.
- Woods a couple of years younger.
- The Jays didn't even make Dopriak a September call up, which suggest they don't see him as part of their future
- Wood has more major league experience.
But you are right, the signs are there that Wood could be a bust, like his low BB rate, his lack of success in the majors, etc. But I'll I'd take the chance on him anyday over a guy that was given up on.
- November 22, 2009 at 1:23 PM
- Gil Fisher said...
Well Wood isn't much of a middle infielder. I couldn't really tell you how many scouts have or haven't given up on him. He's about 15.5 months older that Dopirak. The Jays gave Dopirak a month off before sending him to Venezuela for the winter (understandable he wouldn't be a call-up). Wood has had chances at the ML level in three seasons now and has failed each time.
I haven't given up on Wood. I agree he's a better prospect than Dopirak, but he doesn't impress me much. If the Angels wanted to throw him in to some trade package, I wouldn't object, but I don't think his trade value is very high.
- November 22, 2009 at 10:08 PM
- Peter DeMarco said...
I see Dopriak developing into a player like Mike Jacobs, but it would be nice if I was wrong.
As for Wood, my suggestion was to offer a package of Scott Downs and Purcey for him. But maybe that's too much? Or maybe there are better potential SS's to target. Eithier way, I would create a list of the top prospects around baseball that are ready to contribute in 2010, that I believe are attainable. Then try to get as many of these players as I could.
- November 23, 2009 at 9:05 AM
- The Ack said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- November 23, 2009 at 9:54 AM
- The Ack said...
Peter, it sounds like that is precisely what AA is doing/has done. Whether he can deliver is another story....we all know how the market values prospects in MLB today.
- November 23, 2009 at 9:55 AM
- Ty said...
The Jays didn't even make Dopriak a September call up, which suggest they don't see him as part of their future
I think you might be misremembering things a bit... at that point Cito was already pissing off Lyle Overbay by playing Kevin Millar all the time, so Dopirak wouldn't have gotten any appreciable amount of playing time (if any at all), especially with Cito already basically refusing to ever play any of the other young guys on the team (see: Ruiz, Randy; Snider, Travis). And on top of that, I think the main reason was generally accepted to be that they didn't want to start his MLB service time clock if they didn't have to.
I don't think Dopirak is the next Delgado or anything but I'd like to see him at least get a chance before we all write him off. He's the same age Adam Lind was last year when he finally stuck in the big leagues for more than a few weeks at a time, so why is it unreasonable to think that maybe Dopirak has finally figured things out as well?
- November 23, 2009 at 9:59 AM
- Gil Fisher said...
Scott Downs and Purcey may be too much for him. Downs will leave as a Type A free agent in a year.
Though if that was an offer from the Angels, I'd try to get the deal done in some way - maybe Accardo and a prospect instead of Downs?
- November 23, 2009 at 10:53 AM
- Peter DeMarco said...
Some thoughts:
- It is my perspective that a September call-up is generally a reward for players who had good seasons. Whether or not they play is not important, the month of getting a major league check tells the player the organization is grateful and we have plans for you. This would not have affected his service time.
- I'm not saying that Dopirak has no chance, just that it is a longshot, and if there is an opportunity through a deal for the Jays to improve their odds of developing a good player at that position, they should do the deal. In fact, they should be actively pursuing that type of deal. If no deal comes along (that's reasonable), then yes, giving Dopirak a shot is a better solution than signing a guy like Delgado.
- I realize that it's only natural to overvalue the guys within your oganization, but it's time to take some risks. I hope that AA is being realistic with what he has and makes every move possible to improve where he can.
- November 23, 2009 at 12:52 PM


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Cool support here! thank you all.
Hilda and Valentin, I also suggest to apply Self Corrective statements, to prepare the way before you when communicating in the future.
Another point to look at is the competitions you guys are carrying for a long time now and within that, compromising not only yourself, but the entire group.

subset: commoncrawl


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At Thom Browne - Bruno Danto - Editor in Chief, Vogue Hommes
I saw Bruno all over the mens shows in Europe during the summer but never got a really great shot of him. When he walked into Thom Browne I was not missing that opportunity again. Handsome Devil
Speaking of Thom Browne, I can't wait for the photos of his new collection to go up on Men.Style.com and hear what you think.
Also did most of you hear that Thom will be creating a small collection for Brooks Brothers? Apparently both mens and women's and at a higher price point than their usual collection but not as outrageous as Thom's signature collection.
I think it is great for Brooks Brothers and Thom. I hope they let Thom do what he feels is right but at the same time I hope they push him forward a little, I'm ready to be surprised again by what Thom is doing.


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BILLPOD, Specmaster, psykok, VK5RC and 21 Guests are viewing this topic.
I've sent 290 items as a seller. Not one return and none damaged in transit! It's not hard.
Edit: perhaps I should set up an independent site for TEA
Hehe. It would be nice to have sub-threads for TEA. As the membership grows, there's more variety to the discussions.
Quote from: bitseeker on October 17, 2017, 08:10:43 amHehe. It would be nice to have sub-threads for TEA. As the membership grows, there's more variety to the discussions.I was thinking more of TEAbay i.e. ebay without the fees
That's a good point!Well that idea went down in flames pretty quick
A quick-and-dirty load test (a power resistor I scrounged, but not a particularly high power or low resistance enough one for a good test; I need to dig some more for one better suited) showed no visible ripple on the output when monitored on a scope.
Excellent supplies! If anyone knows anyone reselling these sorts of supplies off ebay in the EU, please let me know. I have been after one for an age. It's either that or I have to buy a shitty Korad or something which will blow up after 6 months and I'm not sure I'm up for that yet.
Perfect - thank you.I did German at school so can get by without translate. It's quite good fun
They're all single switches. There should be a metal release bar that disengages all the other switches in the group.
I appear to have a cat problem, before i delve into the intricacies of that let me first mention my soldering iron is exactly where i want it on my bench.Where my soldering iron sits the cord hangs off the edge of the desk, i like it that way the cord comes freely out when pulled, gravity withdraws it and i don't even have to reach for the iron as it is at my fingertips. The problem comes in the form of cats because the second i leave my bench they yank the stand off and no matter what i do they don't stop. One of my cats stopped bothering my workbench altogether when it got whacked in the head by the stand but the main one to do it is far too stupid for that to work.Any ideas on how to deal with a cat that can learn neither from a carrot or the stick?I have three options, get through to the cat that my workbench is forbidden ( );coil it up which i never think of and consider to be a bane of my existence to be forced to do; or i let them break the thing by pulling it off.So this post isn't entirely about the stupidity of cats, i have been wondering whether or not the oscilloscope i bought will require a special probe or will any probe do?
Both great ideas, except the spray wouldn't work because he waits until i'm NOT there to do it and the motion detected spray, besides expensive, is also unavailable.
Quote from: neo on October 18, 2017, 03:45:41 amBoth great ideas, except the spray wouldn't work because he waits until i'm NOT there to do it and the motion detected spray, besides expensive, is also unavailable.Which is why the Motion activated Devices are the best solution - we had a cat who thought our $3k couch was a scratching post while we weren't around. She soon stopped doing it after setting up one of those motion detector things to discourage her.
That's the logo of the Andrew Radio Corporation, the company that introduced HELIAX coaxial cable in 1953.-Pat
My only concern is how stupid this cat is, and i don't mean that as an exaggeration. Something can hit his tail end and take a minute for it to reach his brain that anything has happened at all, he is amazed by the water when we refill the dish, good old fashions stone cold brain dead stupidity.


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In photos:
On homepage: Film, stage, and TV Actor and director Calvin Levels talks with Wabash students at the College's Malcolm X Institute.
Above: Levels talks with Wabash junior Dunmomi Owolabi.


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Hey Everyone!! :-)
Just a reminder, for those who haven't checked it out yet, I've collected all my animal rescue/care posts together and published them as a small book. If you'd like, you can download the book for free from Amazon, Smashwords, B&N, Kobo, and iTunes.
Thanks for stopping in today, and don't forget to check back tomorrow for the next installment of Mistral Dawn's Musings! :-)


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The Great Supreme
"Ascribe ye greatness unto our God." Deuteronomy 32:3
Suggested Further Reading: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9
In Protestant countries there is a very strong tendency to priestcraft still. Though we do not bow down and worship images, and do not professedly put our souls into the hands of priests, yet, I am sorry to say it, there is scarce a congregation that is free from that error of ascribing greatness to their minister. If souls are converted, how very prone we are to think there is something marvellous in the man; and if saints are fed and satisfied with marrow and fatness, how prone we are to suppose that the preacher has something about him by which these wondrous things are done; and if a revival takes place in any part of the vineyard, it matters not in what denomination, there is an aptness in the human mind to ascribe some part of the glory and the praise to the mere human agency. Oh, beloved, I am sure that every right-minded minister will scorn the thought. We are but your servants for Christ's sake. We speak to you, as God helps us, what we believe to be God's truth; but ascribe not to us any honour or any glory. If a soul is saved, God from first to last has done it. If your souls are fed, thank the Master; be respectful and grateful to the servant as you will be, but most of all thank him who puts the word into the mouths of his servants, and who applies it to your heart. "Oh, down with priestcraft!" even I myself must down with it. "Down with it!" I cry. If I myself like Samson fall beneath its roof, let me fall myself and be crushed, well content in having pulled down or contributed to remove one solitary brick in that colossal house of Satan. Take care, friends, that you put no honour upon any man that you ought to have ascribed unto his Sovereign. "Ascribe ye greatness unto our God."
For meditation: Why are you using these daily readings? We should thank God for Spurgeon, but many go too far and venerate Spurgeon himself. He reminds us that he too was a man (Acts 10:26) and that the glory belongs not to him but to his and our God (Psalm 115:1).
Sermon no. 367
28 September (1856)
All rights belong to the collections of Charles Spurgeon(C)


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Tagged: Topman Street Style
TOPMAN: London Street Style: The Capital's 6 Biggest Trends
This was a rather fun post to have found whilst having an online browse for some new clobber. Turns out i'm somewhat of a "Trendy Wendy" this season and I must say I have been quite shocked on the impact this simple little orange checkered suit has had on the fashion press. Maybe it's the bold colours in a rather depressing January filled with Tube Strikes and the ever-looming threat of Donal Trump… Who knows? Either way, its fun to be on the sunny side of life.
If you want to have a browse of Topman's suggested trends to shop, have a click on the link here to get some grand ideas for your wardrobe: http://www.topman.com/en/tmuk/category/london-street-style-the-capitals-6-biggest-trends-6243896/home


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Immigration officers carried out raids in Hampshire today as part of a European wide crackdown on people smuggling gangs.
Dozens of raids were carried out across the UK and in France and Belgium today in a crackdown on people-smuggling gangs.
Officers from the UK Border Agency (UKBA) raided 35 addresses in England and Scotland, including at least one understood to be in Fareham, targeting gangs who bring illegal immigrants into the country in the back of lorries through Channel ports.
Around another 40 raids were carried out at the same time in France and Belgium as part of the same operation.
The stowaways pay from £2,000 to £6,000 per person to be smuggled into Britain.
Raids were carried out in London, Hampshire, Peterborough, Birmingham, Coventry, Smethwick, Leamington Spa, and Stoke-on-Trent.
Warrants were also executed in Manchester, Sheffield, Lancashire and Glasgow.
More than 150 officers from the UKBA took part in the operation, which included addresses in Fareham and Portsmouth.
It is understood many of the immigrants who pay the gangs are from Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan.
So far, officers have made 20 arrests in relation to their investigation and another six in relation to other suspected offences including immigration breaches.
Chris Foster from UKBA said: ''We believe this to be one of the biggest operations of its kind ever undertaken in the UK, involving officers the length and breadth of the country.
''My officers have been working closely with their counterparts in France and Belgium as well as other law enforcement agencies in the UK in the build-up to today's operation.
''We believe we have successfully disrupted a significant organised network suspected of being involved in a systematic attempt to evade the UK's immigration controls.
''Our investigation will continue with the evidence we have seized today.''
Immigration Minister, Mark Harper, said: ''The organised criminal gangs involved in people-smuggling prey on the desperation of others in order to line their own pockets. They are also a major factor involved in illegal immigration to the UK.''


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You can connect a music device via line-in to your BeoSound 2 speaker and use it as a line-in speaker.
You can adjust the volume of your speaker both on the line-in connected device and on the speaker.
If you have started playing from the source connected to the line-in socket on your speaker and no sound is heard you may need to change the level for the line-in signal using the Bang & Olufsen App.
In the 'SETTINGS' menu, select the menu 'SENSITIVITY ON LINE-IN' to make settings for the sensitivity level on line-in. Which setting to choose depends on the product connected. 'High' suits most portable MP3 players. 'Medium' is for standard audio equipment and computers. 'Low' is for DVD/BD players.
If you are playing through line-in and switch to another source, you can reconnect to line-in either by stepping through the available sources by double-tapping on the BeoSound 2 touch plate or via the Bang & Olufsen app.
If you stop playback from line-in, BeoSound 2 will switch to standby after 3 minutes.


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i don't really want to use that one though. How about:
Ancient Woods
Size: Clearing: Standard (100-yd diameter) Rest of Woods: Unknown
Boundaries: Trees form a 100-yd clearing; the rest of the woods are dense, dark, and possibly haunted. Ground forms lower barrier, and canopy covers top thickly
Active Element: Darkness
Description: A forest growing unabated since time immemorial. It's said to swallow the souls and bodies of those who enter, darkly empowering its own spirit, but that's just folk tales. The bones on the ground are animal. Probably.


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Tips, tactics, gear reviews for everything from bass and bluegills to stripers and bluefish - if it's fishing related, we cover it.
Get the latest outdoor news regularly.


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Visit the forum if you have a language query!
Permission error
What you have to do and the way you have to do it is incredibly simple. Whether you are willing to do it, that's another matter.Peter F. Drucker
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The action you have requested is limited to users in the group: editor.


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Address: Peterson-Bergers Väg, 83296 Frösön
Sommarhagen, composer Wilhelm Peterson-Berger's dream house built in 1914 on Frösön, enjoys miles of wonderful views of forests, lakes and mountains. Pay a visit to this unique house and take part in P-B's life and work.
The building also houses Mor Sofias Café with homebaked bread and picnic baskets with coffee, buns and cakes which can be taken along for picnics in the surrounding area.


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Back at the end of May, I reviewed the Gigantour 2 DVD featuring Megadeth, Opeth, Arch Enemy, Lamb Of God, etc. Well, the Metal powers out there brought it to the attention of the official Megadeth website (Megadeth.com) because the link to the review is on the front news page! I noticed that my site traffic was up, especially unique hits for that particular review. I'm glad that Megadeth.com featured the review, I enjoyed the DVD a lot.
— Steve


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If you've ever wanted to play a real-life video game, battling zombies with just your wits and whatever weapons are lying around, then this prank is your dream come true.
A group of friends in England sprinkled a little movie magic onto their home, turning it into a massive choose-your-own-adventure play that they performed with unsuspecting videochatters. The group released a video Thursday that shows what happens when someone's dropped into the heart of a video game, picking up more than 1 million views within 12 hours.
U.S. & World
The video's title, "Real Life First Person Shooter," refers to first-person shooter games, where the player sees the point of view of their character. Only, in this case, the character was a deep-throated man and the players were real people using Skype and anonymous video chat sites called Chatroulette and Omegle.
"There's a body on the floor and the door's locked. What should I do?" asked the action hero at the start of the adventures.
Their first job, after pressing start, was to help the hero get out of a dark room. He did whatever the player told them to, cheerfully offering suggestions whenever the players got stuck.
Get out of the room and they were quickly faced with a horde of zombies, a haunted cemetery and, if they figured out how to get their player's (fake) guns blazing, a spooky church with a monstrous surprise inside.
Some players screamed, others screamed for the hero to run, and many couldn't stop the gang of zombies from ending the game. When the character said he had a bad feeling about something, his player smiled and told him: "That's alright. I'm not gonna die, you are."
The team behind the video is from Realm Pictures, a British video production company. Along with friends and neighbors they recruited, they made about 40 successful runs, according to director David M. Reynolds.
The project took about a month of research, and eventually two intense days to build the graphics that players saw on the screen through some "indie film tricks" they'd learned making movies, Reynolds said in an email.
Now, years after Reynolds and his friends first had the idea, he said it was surreal to suddenly be answering interviews about their game.
"Our garden is famous," Reynolds said.
Didn't get to play? You might have another chance. Reynolds said the team is scheming up "a sequel that will make this one look like a dry run!"


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State of Connecticut Act Requiring Full Disclosure to Prospective Student-Athletes Being Recruited to Institutions of Higher Education
Printable document in PDF form:
Public Act Number 11-92— Substitute House Bill 5415
Connecticut General Assembly
Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee
SUMMARY: This act requires Connecticut colleges and universities with intercollegiate athletic programs to disclose certain information to recruited student athletes. Beginning January 1, 2012, any institution with an intercollegiate athletic program that recruits student athletes by soliciting them to apply to, enroll in, or attend the institution for the purpose of participating in intercollegiate athletics must (1) provide a hyperlink entitled "Student Athletes' Right to Know" on the front page of its official athletics website and (2) include a direct link to its web page in any written materials regarding the athletic program provided to student athletes. The hyperlink must link to a web page that contains information regarding (1) athletic scholarships, (2) the renewal of and release from scholarships, and (3) sports-related medical expenses.
The act defines student athletes as individuals who attend an elementary, middle, or secondary school program of education or an institution of higher education and participate in any interscholastic athletic program in Connecticut, regardless of whether or not they receive a scholarship for doing so.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2011
With respect to athletic scholarships, the act requires the "Student Athletes' Right to Know" website to include:
(A) The institution's most recent cost of attendance for the academic year and summer school session, as published by its financial aid office, and the amount the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) prohibits from being covered in a full scholarship;
This information is always available on the Sacred Heart University Financial Assistance website at the following link: http://www.sacredheart.edu/pages/28742_tuition_and_fees.cfm
Summer school charges are based on the per credit rate for part-time students plus a registration fee per summer term.
Value of Full Scholarship
The NCAA defines a "full grant-in-aid" (i. e., a full scholarship) as financial aid that consists of tuition, fees, room, board, and required course-related books (NCAA Bylaw 15. 02. 5). It does not include other items that institutions typically use to calculate the cost of attendance, such as transportation and miscellaneous personal expenses. An institution may only provide financial aid to student-athletes for such expenses if the provision of aid is unrelated to athletic ability (NCAA Bylaw 15.1).
(B) The sum of expenses identified in subparagraph (A) of this subdivision that are prohibited from inclusion in a full grant-in-aid athletic scholarship pursuant to the NCAA's rules and regulations.
The sum of these expenses is calculated by the Financial Aid Office and is determined to be the Cost of Attendance minus the value of a Full Athletics Scholarship for each particular year in attendance. It is roughly $2,000, depending on the distance that the student's home town is located from the University and the number of trips home that the student would anticipate taking each year on weekends and holiday breaks. The further the student lives from the University, the higher the out of pocket expense will be for that student's 'real' cost of attendance.
(C) The institution's policy on providing scholarships for summer school sessions and whether they are proportional to those provided for the regular academic year;
Men's and women's basketball and football student-athletes are eligible to receive scholarships for summer school sessions and their scholarships are proportional to their regular academic year scholarships. i.e. full scholarship/full summer school scholarship; half scholarship/half summer school scholarship. To be considered for summer school aid, ALL individuals requesting such aid must fill out a 'Summer School Request' form and return it by the prescribed deadline each year. Scholarship awards are based on recommendations from the head coach and awarded by the institution's financial aid office. No other sports have summer athletics scholarship opportunities without a special request.
If a student fails (receives an 'F' grade) or withdraws from a summer school course that is being funded by the athletics department, they will be charged for that course(s) in which they fail to complete successfully.
(D) The full grant-in-aid scholarship payment received by all student athletes who live on campus during the academic year and off campus during summer school sessions;
For those student-athletes living on campus, their actual tuition and fees, room and board and course related books are paid directly from their financial aid account to the Bursar's office. When the cost of the student-athlete's meal plan or housing is less than the highest on-campus housing or meal plan cost for that particular academic year, their athletics scholarship will be reduced to the actual charges posted to their account so that there is not an 'over-award' on their account. They will not be permitted to receive a reimbursement check for the difference, per Athletics Department policy.
For those student-athlete's residing in non-university owned housing, when the value of their athletic scholarship exceeds the actual cost of their school bill for the semester, their athletics scholarship will be reduced to the actual charges posted to their account so that there is not an 'over-award' on their account. They will not be permitted to receive a reimbursement check for the difference, per Athletics Department policy. In addition, if a student-athlete is on a full athletics scholarship that covers books, they will not receive their book scholarship, in addition to not receiving the housing scholarship, if they choose to live off-campus. They will be required to have an on-campus meal plan, as they will not receive a reimbursement for any unused portion of their athletics scholarship.
Men's and women's basketball student-athletes that are on full grant-in-aid scholarships are not permitted to live in non-university owned housing at any time.
During the summer months, the athletics department only covers the cost of the full scholarship student's tuition and fees associated with the courses that are approved by the Department of Athletics. Housing is secured on-campus by the students themselves.
(E) The following information relating to NCAA scholarship rules:
(i) A verbal commitment is not binding on either the student athlete or the institution;
Although some prospective student-athletes inform coaching staff members of certain institutions that they are 'committed' to coming to a particular institution, it is not 'official' until the institution has submitted an offer of financial aid to the prospective student-athlete that is issued by the Office of Financial Assistance.
(ii) the National Letter of Intent is a binding agreement between a prospective student athlete and an institution of higher education in which the institution agrees to provide a prospective student athlete, who is admitted to the institution and is eligible for financial aid under NCAA rules, athletics aid for one academic year in exchange for the prospective student athlete's agreement to attend the institution for one academic year;
Sacred Heart University subscribes to the National Letter of Intent program and adheres to all guidelines surrounding the document.
A National Letter of Intent document will also accompany a financial aid agreement if the prospective student athlete is signing their aid award letter during the permissible signing period for his/her sport, as mandated under NCAA rules and that individual is permitted to sign a National Letter of Intent per NCAA rules.
The Provisions associated with the National Letter of Intent document that would be signed can be found at the following link:
If the link above does not work, please visit the National Letter of Intent website at www.nationalletter.org and click on the 'Provisions' tab.
An athletic grant-in-aid award is valid for one academic year. Although the renewal of an athletic grant-in-aid award is not automatic, it is the University's policy to renew an athletic grant-in-aid award when a student-athlete meets the conditions set forth in this agreement and does not have any major infractions against the Department of Athletics Policies and Procedures. NCAA rules permit the University to offer a student-athlete an athletic grant-in-aid once a year for a maximum of five (5) years.
Sacred Heart University encourages both the prospective student-athlete and his/her parents or legal guardians to read all documents associated with his/her aid and ask questions before signing such agreements.
(iii) the National Letter of Intent must be accompanied by an institutional financial aid agreement;
Sacred Heart University Athletics Financial Aid Agreement
(name of student) (date)
(street address) (social security number)
(city and state) (zip) (sport)
Amount of Award $AMOUNT Period of Award: 12-13 academic year
Type: ____ Initial award ____ Renewal ____ Reduction
_______________________________ __________________
Julie Savino, Executive Director, University (date)
Financial Assistance
Conditions of Financial Aid
I understand that to qualify for this financial aid, I must
~ Fulfill the admission requirements of Sacred Heart University and
~ Meet and maintain the eligibility requirements for athletics participation and financial aid established by the NCAA, Northeast Conference and Sacred Heart University.
My financial aid will cover the following:
Tuition and fees
Required course related books (up to $ 500)
_ Other
NCAA regulations restrict the total amount of financial aid a student-athlete can receive. If I receive a federal grant or some other scholarship or financial aid (including earnings from a job during a term), I will notify the financial aid office. Those funds may replace a portion of my athletics grant to meet NCAA and conference regulations.
My financial aid will not be increased, reduced or canceled during the period of its award on the basis of my athletic ability, performance or contribution to my team's success, because of an injury or illness that prevents me from participating in athletics, or for any other athletics reason.
I am aware that the amount of this aid may be immediately reduced or canceled during the term of this award if:
~ I become ineligible for intercollegiate competition (e.g., by carrying fewer than 12 credits);
~ I give false information on my application, letter of intent or financial aid agreement;
~ I engage in serious misconduct that brings disciplinary action from this institution; or
~ I voluntarily withdraw from the sport for personal reasons.
I am also aware that this aid must be reduced or canceled if:
~ I sign a professional sports contract for this sport;
~ I accept money for playing in an athletics contest that causes me to exceed the cost of a full grant;
~ I agree to be represented by an agent and accept money that causes me to exceed the cost of a full grant; or
~ I receive other aid that causes me to exceed my individual limit.
[Note: A student-athlete who signs a professional sports contract, accepts money for playing in an athletics contest or agrees to be represented by an agent jeopardizes his or her eligibility under NCAA amateurism regulations.]
My total financial aid and job-related earnings (except during school vacations and after my eligibility has been exhausted) may not exceed the limits set by the NCAA.
Please indicate your acceptance of this financial aid by signing this agreement and returning it to the financial aid office no later than DATE MUST BE RETURNED.
[Student-athlete's name (please print)]
________________________________ _____________________________
(Student-athlete's signature) (date)
________________________________ _____________________________
(Parent's signature, if student is a minor) (date)
(iv) if the prospective student athlete signs the National Letter of Intent but does not enroll at that institution for a full academic year, such student athlete may be subject to specific penalties, including loss of a season of eligibility and a mandatory residence requirement.
If the prospective student-athlete does not fulfill the provisions of his/her National Letter of Intent obligations, the following penalties apply, per the National Letter of Intent program.
It is the obligation of the prospective student-athlete to submit all necessary paperwork to the National Letter of Intent office and the Department of Athletics to begin the process of seeking to dissolve his/her National Letter of Intent and Athletics Financial Aid Agreements.
(F) The institution's policy on signing more recruited student athletes than there are available scholarships and how that affects scholarship opportunities for recruited and current student athletes.
It is the university's policy and practice not to offer more scholarships than available per sport.
(A) The NCAA's policy regarding scholarship duration.
An athletic grant-in-aid award is valid for one academic year. Although the renewal of an athletic grant-in-aid award is not automatic, it is the University's policy to renew an athletic grant-in-aid award when a student-athlete meets the conditions set forth in this agreement and does not have any major infractions against the Department of Athletics Policies and Procedures. NCAA rules permit the University to offer a student-athlete an athletic grant-in-aid once a year for a maximum of five (5) years.
(B) The policy of the institution of higher education's athletic program concerning the renewal or nonrenewal of an athletic scholarship, including circumstances in which a student athlete in good standing suffers a temporary or permanent sports-related injury, there is a change in coaching, or a student athlete's athletic performance is deemed to be below expectations.
It is Sacred Heart University's policy to renew athletic aid if a student-athlete incurs an injury while practicing or competing for the University that prevents their continued participation in intercollegiate athletics, provided the student-athlete adheres to his/her rehabilitation schedule as prescribed by his/her physician or athletic training staff. In addition, they must maintain compliance with all other conditions set forth in this document as they relate to renewing any student-athlete's financial aid agreement.
An athletic grant-in-aid may be revoked per NCAA rules if a student-athlete renders him/herself ineligible for competition, fraudulently misrepresents any information to the institution, engages in serious misconduct, or voluntarily withdraws from a sport.
The Sacred Heart University Student-Athlete Handbook details an acceptable code of conduct for student-athletes. Any student-athlete involved in an unacceptable incident (on or off-campus) that has been documented by city or state police, game officials or university personnel, may expect disciplinary action by the Department of Athletics.
The Student-Athlete Handbook is reviewed and distributed to each student-athlete at their first compliance meeting on the first date that they report for their sport each year. The most up to date and current Student-Athlete Handbook can be found on the Department of Athletics website at the following web address:
2019-20 SHU Student-Athlete Handbook
A change in coaching does not allow for an institution to discontinue a student-athlete's athletics financial aid, unless that particular student is violating a departmental policy and procedure (e.g., committing slander against the new or old coaching staff/department or fails to meet NCAA rules for eligibility).
A student-athlete's performance can be evaluated on an annual basis, as athletics aid agreements are renewed annually.
(3) Athletically-related medical expenses information, including, but not limited to:
(A) The NCAA's policy regarding whether athletic programs are mandated to pay for athletically-related medical expenses.
NCAA rules state that the Department of Athletics is responsible for medical services administered to student-athletes who are injured in a university sanctioned athletic practice or game. The term "athletic injury" applies only to those ailments that are caused by the participation in a supervised practice or game. The Athletic Department cannot be held responsible for injuries that take place prior to participation at SHU, during intramural participation, club sport participation, non-university sanctioned practices, or recreational activity. The Athletic Department cannot be held responsible for medical care of non-athletic related illness and/or surgery (i.e. appendectomy or tonsillectomy). Participation in athletics does not directly cause these conditions; therefore, the NCAA regulations state that the university cannot be held responsible for their remediation.
(B) The policy of the institution of higher education's athletic program regarding whether such program will pay for a student athlete's athletically-related medical expenses, including deductibles, copayments and coinsurance, or any such medical expenses that exceed any maximum insurance coverage limits.
A student-athlete agrees to secure and maintain a personal medical insurance policy that will address an injury or illness while representing the University in practice and/or competition. All full-time students at Sacred Heart University must have some form of Health Insurance.
It should be understood by the athlete that intercollegiate athletics produce a high risk for injury. The athlete is responsible to take all measures necessary to prevent and minimize the risk of such injuries. The student-athlete is also responsible for informing the Athletic Training Staff of any athletically related injury or illness, or any non-athletically related injury or illness that could have any effect on athletic participation, including concussion. It is the student-athlete's responsibility to inform the Athletic Training Staff of any increase in signs and/or symptoms, medication change, or abnormal responses to treatment and / or rehabilitation. The student-athlete accepts responsibility to attend treatment and rehabilitation sessions, physician visits, etc in order to improve their condition and prepare for athletic competition. Student-athletes have the right to seek physician evaluation from Sacred Heart University's physicians. Student-athletes have the right to seek physician evaluation and/or rehabilitation services outside of the Sacred Heart University Sports Medicine Team, but must follow insurance protocol.
Sacred Heart University provides excess insurance coverage to protect all of our intercollegiate athletes against medical claims from accidental injury during your participation in all school sponsored and supervised athletic events, whether at our home field of play or away. This coverage is administered by claims payer Bob McCloskey Insurance. Any changes to this policy will be available on our website at the beginning of the fall academic semester.
Policy details:
$90,000 medical maximum per injury (NCAA catastrophic policy includes $90,000 deductible)
- 24-month benefit period from date of injury
- Coverage is based on usual customary and reasonable fee (UCR) set by Medicare
- Covers acute accidents during university sponsored athletic practices and events only (does not cover recreational, club or intramural sports accidents)
- Although this coverage is very broad, there are restrictions, limitations, and exclusions in any insurance policy. In some situations, medical bills are not guaranteed to be covered in full
- This is an excess/secondary insurance policy, claims will be paid immediately upon receipt of itemized bill from provider (CMS 1500, CMS 1450 or UB 92 form) and explanation of benefits (EOB) from the student-athlete's primary insurance
Claims processing instructions:
- Medical Clearance Form A must be completed in full in order to accelerate claims processing
- Accidents must be immediately reported to a member of the Sacred Heart University Athletic Training Staff
- Claims can only be submitted by Sacred Heart University Athletic Training Staff
- Claims must be submitted and treatment must commence within 90 days of the date of injury
- Athletes that seek medical care independently waive this coverage
- Billing statements will be sent to parent(s)/guardian(s) as a courtesy
- Explanation of benefits (EOB) forms will be sent to parent(s)/guardian(s) in order to communicate claims detail
- If you receive a form from your primary insurance, or our claims payer, requesting further information, please complete the form immediately in order to accelerate claims processing
- If there are problems with claims processing, please contact Bob McCloskey Insurance immediately, identify yourself as a parent/guardian of a Sacred Heart University Student-Athlete or as a SHU Student-Athlete and you will be assisted immediately
- Due to federal HIPPA regulations, members of the SHU Athletic Training Staff cannot contact primary insurance companies or provider billing departments without written permission; you may be asked to communicate with your insurance company in order to accelerate claims processing
- If you choose to use a provider outside of the SHU network of physicians:
- Student-Athletes that prefer to seek coverage through physicians outside of our network must seek approval through Head Athletic Trainer PRIOR to incurring any treatment
- Student-Athletes that prefer to seek coverage through physicians outside of our network must have primary insurance coverage and must verify that coverage includes the chosen provider
- Itemized bills (CMS 1500, CMS 1450 or UB 92) must be collected from provider(s) and submitted to Bob McCloskey Insurance at the address listed below
- Primary insurance explanation of benefits (EOB) forms must be collected and submitted to Bob McCloskey Insurance at the address listed below
Insurance Company Contact information:
- All insurance policy questions can be directed to Brenn Bolding / Assistant Athletic Trainer / Sacred Heart University / 5151 Park Avenue / Fairfield, CT 06825 / Phone: 203-396-8179
- All claims information and questions can be directed to Bob McCloskey Insurance / P.O. Box 511, Matawan, NJ 07747 / Phone: 800-445-3126
NCAA Catastrophic Injury Insurance Policy
The Catastrophic Injury Insurance Program sponsored by the NCAA is a supplemental insurance program that covers the student-athlete who is catastrophically injured while participating in a covered intercollegiate athletic activity. The policy has a $90,000 deductible and provides coverage in excess of any other valid and collectible insurance.
(C) The policy of the institution of higher education's athletic program regarding who is required to pay for any required athletically-related insurance premiums for student athletes who do not have insurance coverage.
The Department of Athletics has paid for the Sacred Heart University insurance premium for student-athletes in the past that have a demonstrated financial need and request for such coverage prior to the premium due date as determined by Sacred Heart University.
(D) The duration of time the institution of higher education's athletic program will continue to pay for athletically-related medical expenses after a student athlete's athletic eligibility expires.
Sacred Heart University provides excess insurance coverage to protect all of our intercollegiate athletes against medical claims from accidental injury during your participation in all school sponsored and supervised athletic events, whether at our home field of play or away. This coverage is administered by claims payer Bob McCloskey Insurance. Any changes to this policy will be available on our website at the beginning of the fall academic semester.
Policy details:
- $90,000 medical maximum per injury (NCAA catastrophic policy includes $90,000 deductible)
- 24 month benefit period from date of injury
- Coverage is based on usual customary and reasonable fee (UCR) set by Medicare
- Covers acute accidents during university sponsored athletic practices and events only (does not cover recreational, club or intramural sports accidents)
- Although this coverage is very broad, there are restrictions, limitations, and exclusions in any insurance policy. In some situations, medical bills are not guaranteed to be covered in full
- This is an excess/secondary insurance policy, claims will be paid immediately upon receipt of itemized bill from provider (CMS 1500, CMS 1450 or UB 92 form) and explanation of benefits (EOB) from the student-athlete's primary insurance
(E) Whether or not an athletic program's medical policy covers expenses associated with attaining a second medical opinion for an athletically-related injury from a physician who is not associated with the athletic program, and whether the athletic program provides coverage for services provided by such a physician.
If the student-athlete seeks a second medical opinion on his/her own accord or at the request of a family member without first advising the athletic training staff of their decision, the athletic department will not cover the charges associated with the services of the second opinion.
The Department of Athletics does not discourage a student-athlete from seeking a second opinion; however, they must be aware of such a request BEFORE the second opinion occurs.
(4) Athletic release information, including, but not limited to:
(A) The NCAA's policy regarding whether an athletic program may refuse to grant an athletic release to a student athlete who wishes to transfer to another institution of higher education.
184.108.40.206 Four-Year College Prospective Student-Athletes. An athletics staff member or other representative of the institution's athletics interests shall not make contact with the student-athlete of another NCAA or NAIA four-year collegiate institution, directly or indirectly, without first obtaining the written permission of the first institution's athletics director (or an athletics administrator designated by the athletics director) to do so, regardless of who makes the initial contact. If permission is not granted, the second institution shall not encourage the transfer and the institution shall not provide athletically related financial assistance to the student-athlete until the student-athlete has attended the second institution for one academic year. If permission is granted to contact the student-athlete, all applicable NCAA recruiting rules apply. If an institution receives a written request from a student-athlete to permit another institution to contact the student-athlete about transferring, the institution shall grant or deny the request within seven business days (see Bylaw 13.02.1) of receipt of therequest. If the institution fails to respond to the student-athlete's written request within seven business days, permission shall be granted by default and the institution shall provide written permission to the student-athlete.
(Revised: 1/10/91, 1/16/93, 1/11/94, 4/26/01, 4/29/04 effective 8/1/04, 4/29/10 effective 8/1/10)
184.108.40.206.1 Hearing Opportunity. If the institution decides to deny a student-athlete's request to permit any other institution to contact the student-athlete about transferring, the institution shall inform the student-athlete in writing that he or she, upon request, shall be provided a hearing conducted by an institutional entity or committee outside of the athletics department (e.g., the office of student affairs; office of the dean of students; or a committee composed of the faculty athletics representative, student-athletes and nonathletics faculty/staff members). The institution shall conduct the hearing and provide written results of the hearing to the student-athlete within 15 business days (see Bylaw 13.02.1) of receipt of the student-athlete's written request for a hearing. The student-athlete shall be provided the opportunity to actively participate (e.g., in person, via telephone) in the hearing. If the institution fails to conduct the hearing or provide the written results to the student-athlete within 15 business days, permission to contact the student-athlete shall be granted by default and the institution shall provide written permission to the student-athlete. (Adopted: 1/11/94, Revised: 9/18/07, 4/29/10 effective 8/1/10)
(B) The policy of the postsecondary educational institution's athletic program regarding whether it may refuse to grant an athletic release for a student athlete who wishes to transfer to another institution of higher education.
Sacred Heart University will comply with all NCAA and NEC/MAAC/AHA regulations regarding transferring to and from the University. In accordance with NCAA regulations, the Department of Athletics has established a committee on transfers to hear appeals from student-athletes who have been denied (by the Department of Athletics) either a request to be contacted by another institution or a one-time transfer exception.
The committee will be chaired by the Faculty Athletics Representative and will include the faculty members on the Faculty Athletic Council as well as a student-athlete selected by the Faculty Athletics Representative. If possible, that student-athlete will be a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council.
The following procedure will be in effect:
- When the Department of Athletics denies a transfer request (permission to contact or one-time transfer exception) by a student-athlete, that student will be given a copy of this policy. This will constitute written notice of the student's right to appeal.
- The institution will provide written results of the hearing to the student-athlete withing 15 business days (see Bylaw 13.02.1) of receipt of the student-athlete's written request for a hearing.
- The student-athlete has the right to meet with the Director of Athletics or his/her representative regarding this matter. The Director or his/her designee will inform the student-athlete of the decision regarding the request.
- If the decision is not favorable, the student-athlete may request that the committee hear an appeal. In that case, the Faculty Representative will be notified and the committee will hear the appeal and render a decision as soon as possible. The decision by the committee will be the Department's final decision. Both the hearing and the student's appeal must be finalized within 15 business days of the orginial receipt of the student-athlete's written request for a hearing.
(Adopted July 1, 2007)
(C) Commencing January 1, 2012, an institution of higher education that provides, by any delivery method, written material regarding its athletic program to a student athlete shall include in such materials a direct link to such institution's Internet web page, where the student athlete shall have access to the "Student Athletes' Right to Know" hyperlink and all of the information regarding the institution's athletic scholarship program as provided in subsection (b) of this section.


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Nkunda's Rwanda Divorce
[The Central Africa Conflict]
The East and Central Africa region deserves relief after decades of genocidal conflicts that's why the recent arrest of Laurent Nkunda by Rwanda's military is welcome. In the end, political differences in the region must be resolved through dialogue and negotiations.
Nkunda's army --a darling of shady Western business interests-- has been committing genocide and mass rapes in eastern Congo.
Ironically, Rwanda, which according to a recent United Nations report, financed, armed and supported Nkunda, could have arrested him a long time ago.
It's no coincidence that Rwanda's action comes only a few weeks since the UN report. Rwanda also didn't want the Obama Administration to be immediately burdened with Nkunda's genocide.
It was nonsense to read some sycophantic Western "reporters" including those for The New York Times and the BBC referring to Nkunda's "spectacular" victories and "routs," as if they were reporting about a video game. If the victims now buried in mass graves were Europeans, we doubt that editors would permit these words to characterize the horrors. The argument can convincingly be made that these fawning reportage and early whitewashing of his crimes emboldened Nkunda.
If Nkunda was so spectacular all by himself, how is it that he was easily arrested on the drop of a dime?
In fact, it was Rwanda's shadow armed forces that had gained ground in eastern Congo. The Rwanda government is wary of the armed militias of Hutus across its border, saying that it plans genocidal attacks in Rwanda.
After the 1994 horrors, no nation is willing to upset the political status quo in Rwanda. It may be governed by an autocrat, Paul Kagame; but any armed conflict there would well spark massacres again.
Yet even Rwanda had to pull the plug when the erratic Nkunda resorted to open massacres in eastern Congo. He did not even bother to bury the bodies of the victims. At the same time, he pretended he was negotiating peace with Congo's central government under Joseph Kabila through the UN's special envoy, former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo.
But Nkunda was addicted to Nkundaism; which is megalomania, tyranny and genocide. This was still a man in the bush; the Congolese tasted a sampling of what kind of genocidal leader he would have become had he installed himself in power.
In any event, Nkunda had no chance to seize control. This newspaper has learned that Angola's leadership had already decided to send armed forces, including air forces, had Nkunda --Rwanda's shadow army-- continued its gains.
What's more, Rwanda's leadership is aware of the legal consequences of supporting Nkunda, who may already have been indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) although no indictment has been unsealed. Nkunda's chief of staff, Bosco Ntaganda, was indicted last year by the Hague court. Nkunda is commander in chief of his army, and of his chief of staff. It makes no sense not to expect that he too has been indicted.
Which again leads to Rwanda.
Although the international community will stretch the envelop to ensure stability in Rwanda, human rights investigators and the United Nations have established a nexus between Rwanda's leadership and its support for Nkunda. So, Rwanda's political and military leadership are aware of possible legal liability of backing Nkunda, now that his eastern Congo massacres have been well documented.
After all, in the Sudan, President Omar Hassan al-Bashir was indicted by the ICC not because he allegedly physically committed the Darfur massacres himself, but because a nexus was established between him as commander in chief and those militias responsible for the Darfur atrocities.
Similarly, the ICC has been investigating the nexus between Uganda's military and political leadership and the crimes committed in eastern Congo when the U.S.-backed Ugandan army occupied the Ituri region and sponsored more than 10 militias--in 2005 the International Court of Justice found Uganda liable of war crimes and plunder in the civil case and assessed $10 billion in compensation. Like addicts that need to feast on bloodshed, Ugandan combatants --the national army and the LRA rebels have exported new conflict into Congo, inviting additional legal exposure.
(It's interesting to note that Jean Pierre Bemba, the commander of one of the militias sponsored by Uganda, is already in the Hague; he was captured in Europe last year after a secret indictment on other war crimes charges by his forces in Central African Republic was unsealed).
So, if Bashir could be indicted; and if Uganda's military and political leadership could face indictment for the earlier Congo crimes, Rwanda's leadership knows of the dangers of associating with Nkunda.
Was the divorce finalized timely?
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Ann GarrisonFebruary 22,2018 @ 08:03 PM
I think you have "Filtered HTML" turned on here. If you switch to "Full HTML," it will probably...


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Private Eyes
This story appears in the January 1998 issue of HomeOfficeMag.com. Subscribe »
Many of us think of the Internet as a place to find valuable, free information. But with marketers tracking our every mouse click and sites prying for personal information, some say we're paying a high price when it comes to personal privacy.
"Interest in electronic privacy has reached new heights because of the lack of safeguards in place," says Marc Rotenberg, director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, a public interest research group in Washington, DC. "Both the technology and law have lagged behind."
One controversial way sites can spy on you is through "cookies," or small files that some Web sites upload to your computer to track your movements once you connect to their sites. Companies also routinely use Web information they've gleaned from users for direct-marketing.
To protect yourself, decide where you draw the line when offering information online. Be wary of registration procedures that ask for personal data, and avoid sites you deem intrusive. You can also disable the cookie settings in your browser; visit ,a href=http://www.luckman.com>http://www.luckman.com and get a free "anonymous cookie," a program that disables all cookies in your browser's cookie directory or file.
Privacy advocates are calling for companies to post their privacy policies explaining why they're collecting the data. Several states are also considering implementing electronic privacy laws that could offer added protection.
Pickup Artist
Navigating the legal waters when it comes to Internet copyright law can get tricky. If a picture is posted on the Net, can you use it on your site? Must you credit text if it's pulled from another site? How do you protect what's yours?
Unfortunately, there aren't any cut-and-dried answers to these questions. But what's clear is that copyright law does apply to the Internet in broad terms. And whether it's a joke, audio file, video clip or piece of text in question, there doesn't have to be a copyright symbol and date next to it for it to be protected.
Let's say you find a picture of New York City on the Web and want to put it on your site. Chances are the picture is copyrighted, prohibiting your use of it without the owner's permission. What can you do? For starters, send an e-mail telling the site who you are and how you want to use the item. If you get permission, you're probably covered. If you don't--or they don't respond--generally, you can't use it. One way around the problem: Set up a link to the site. If you're set on using it, you still might be able to--but it's a bit trickier.
"It boils down to what's called `fair use,' " explains David Post, co-founder of the Cyberspace Law Institute, a virtual think-tank for cyberspace law. "Ask yourself: `Am I stealing something that took someone a great amount of time to create?' "
On the flip side, if you want to protect something on your own Web site, be sure to post an explanation of how it can be used. However, if it's really sensitive information, leave it off. Don't put your crown jewels on the Net.
But Wait- There's More
Using an Internet service provider (ISP) used to just be about getting connected to the Internet. But with 4,500 ISPs operating today, many are offering additional services.
One service many ISPs have added is Web site hosting. Companies will usually provide site storage and management for a fee; some ISPs even provide free storage space. For about $50 a month, you can usually get 10MB to 20MB storage, enough for a basic site. Also, some ISPs will process credit cards online for you; monthly set-up and maintenance costs range from about $400 to $500.
A few ISPs are gearing their services toward the small office/home office market. For example, GlobalCenter Inc. in Sunnyvale, California, specializes in dial-up accounts, ISDN service and site hosting for homebased businesses. It also offers Internet packages for specific industries.
Yet another trend is to bundle Internet and local phone services together, says Eric Paulak, senior analyst with Gartner Group Inc., an information technology advisory and market research firm in Stamford, Connecticut. Some companies offer both Internet access and local calling service in one package. "This service saves [homebased businesses] money, and it's easier to manage [their communications] with a single point of contact," says Paulak.
If you need an ISP, contact local and national providers and tell them what services you require, as well as what the others are charging so you can negotiate the best price. Also ask if they offer guarantees for reliable access to the Internet or for their Web hosting services. You can find such companies at http://thelist.internet.com or http://www.thedirectory.org
Going Postal
Federal Express and UPS aren't the only ones with first-class Web sites. Now, the U.S. Postal Service's Web site (http://www.usps.gov) has a new look and information and services worth investigating.
Click on the Post Office icon, and you can look up ZIP codes nationwide. Keep tabs on packages sent using the Express Mail Tracking feature. There's also a "postage calculator" to help you find the most cost-efficient mailing method.
Want shipping supplies sent to your door? Click on Business, then Shipping Supplies Online, then Order Supplies. Here, you can order Express or Priority Mail supplies. To place an order, indicate the item and quantity, then add it to the Mail Pouch. While you can't order stamps online--yet (see "Home Zone")--you can view the latest kinds and order them by phone. Then you can say sayonara to standing in line at the post office.
Digging For Dirt
Want to research a company before extending a line of credit? Get the skinny on your competition? Or simply check references? Then point your browser to http://www.businesscreditusa.com
This site for American Business Credit, a division of American Business Information Inc., a business analysis firm in Omaha, Nebraska, provides current information on nearly 11 million U.S. businesses. From the home page, click on "Business Profiles and Credit Ratings," enter the company name, city and state, and you'll get a brief description of the company's credit rating, free of charge. Or for a complete profile, registered users pay $3. Reports contain data such as owner name, number of employees, estimated annual sales and credit rating score.
With companies charging up to $30 per report for such information, this site is a bargain. You aren't limited in the number of searches, nor must you sign up for a set time period, making it a good way to access quality credit information.
Coming To Your Census
f you're expanding into new territory and don't have much in the way of a market research budget, sign up for CenStats through the U.S. Census Bureau. A new fee-based subscription service on the Internet, CenStats gives you access to the Census Bureau's most popular databases, as well as information sold via CD-ROM.
If you have the time and patience to sort through it all, CenStats can furnish voluminous amounts of data most homebased businesses will find useful. Search by county under County Business Patterns, and you'll get business profiles for an area detailing payroll information and business sizes by industry; you'll get the same information when you search by ZIP code under ZIP Business Patterns. Under the USA Counties area, you'll also find counties' economic and demographic information. For instance, click on the state of Maryland and then Cecil County, and you have access to data regarding its population, personal income per capita and more.
You can take the service for a spin by going to the Census Bureau's Web page (http://www.census.gov ), clicking on the CenStats icon and then hitting "Test Drive." You have the option to sign up for the service online or by calling (301) 457-4100. Single-user subscriptions cost $40 for three months and $125 for one year.
Contact Sources
Electronic Privacy Information Center, http://www.epic.org
Gartner Group, 56 Top Gallant Rd., Stamford, CT 06904, (203) 316-1111
GlobalCenter Inc., (800) 463-8386, http://www.globalcenter.net
Intermedia Communications, http://www.intermedia.com


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Tigers limp home for big series
DETROIT – If Tigers' fans are skeptical about their team, you can't blame them.
The Tigers limped home for the biggest series of the season to date, a three-game set against the first-place Chicago White Sox at Comerica Park.
The White Sox have a three-game lead in the Central Division. Coming into this week, many believed the race would be even closer. After all, the White Sox were on the road against the Baltimore Orioles for four games and the Tigers were in Kansas City.
Hence, most thought the Tigers had the easier draw. The O's are in the playoff hunt while the Royals playoff chances are basically over. The White Sox struggled, losing three of four. But the Tigers bottomed out, getting swept in a three-game series.
First, the Tigers lost Game 1 in which Justin Verlander was staked a 3-0 advantage in the first inning. Verlander went on to give up eight earned runs. That performance had to scare Tigers' fans. It was as ugly as you can get.
In Games 2 and 3, the Tigers scored a grand total of one run in getting swept for the first time since late May.
For most fans, it was disappointing, maddening. Then again, it was simply the Tigers in 2012. The only thing consistent about them is that they're inconsistent. There have been so many missed chances, wins left on the table.
The Tigers were supposed to run away with this division. Go back and read all the preseason stuff on this division. Most picked the Tigers to win easily, like by 10 games or more. The White Sox were picked last by many baseball writers.
But here we are with a month to go in the season and the White Sox are in the driver's seat. Many thought they would have fallen off by now. But it hasn't happened. The White Sox have held on and have the pitching to win the division.
Enter this series.
For sure, the Tigers, who are 7-4 against Chicago this season, are right there. Still, most are disappointed in the team's play, despite still being very much still in the playoff hunt. Many were so excited about this team, especially after the signing of free-agent prize Prince Fielder for $214 million. Most thought he would be the missing piece to get them to the World Series.
Prince has had a tremendous season. Still, it wasn't the season most thought the Tigers would have. And you can bet, some fans are hoping the switch will flip this weekend and the Tigers will start playing the type of baseball most thought they would.
For sure, it will be a disaster if it never happens and the Tigers miss the postseason after going to the American League Championship Series last season.
"We have a chance to have a really good season or a bad one," GM Dave Dombrowski said recently in a radio interview about his team final month.
Granted, the Tigers play better at home. Still, it's hard to imagine everything will be fine all of a sudden, even if it hasn't been all season long. Miguel Cabrera is beat up with two bad ankles. He looked bad in Kansas City.
And as great as Verlander was a year ago, he's struggled especially after the All-Star break. Verlander starts for the Tigers Sunday in Game 3, a national game on ESPN.
The pressure is on the Tigers to respond. This weekend could tell you a lot about this team. But you can understand why fans aren't dreaming about a miracle, especially after the team's play in Kansas City.
Copyright 2012 by ClickOnDetroit.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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The Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides actor, who plays Prince Charmant in the fairytale re-telling, told Digital Spy that Stewart will relish the challenge of playing a character so different to her Twilight alter-ego Bella Swan.
"I've only done one tiny scene with Kristen so far, but I have every hope in her," Claflin said. "I truly believe and trust in her and I'm pretty sure she'll do an absolutely diamond job of it.
"I'm pretty sure she's excited about the challenge."
Stewart and Claflin's Snow White project, also starring Charlize Theron as the Evil Queen and Chris Hemsworth as The Hunstman, will be released next year shortly after Tarsem Singh's rivalSnow White movie led by Lily Collins and Julia Roberts.
Clafin insisted that he isn't concerned about the other Snow Whitemovie, adding that two similar stories can exist side-by-side.
He explained: "They're two completely different projects altogether. As much as they've obviously got the same premise, you could say that about so many things. The Hangover and The Inbetweeners, for example, are different films but basically about boys going out and getting drunk.
"The beautiful thing is I think both directors have very different ideas of where they're going with it. I have a friend whose in the other one so it's nice that we keep each other updated. I'm excited to see that one as much as I'm excited to see the one I'm in."
Claflin's Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is out on Blu-ray and DVD now. Snow White and the Huntsman is scheduled to open in cinemas on June 1, 2012.
Source: DigitalSpy via @Vonch