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BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — Andy Roddick made his debut on the PowerShares Series
champions tennis circuit a successful one Thursday, fending off a stubborn
John McEnroe 7-5 to win the Champions Shootout at the Birmingham Jefferson
Convention Complex.
Roddick's debut event was a wildly entertaining affair highlighted by many
of his signature rocket serves and blistering forehands and by being hit
directly in the groin by a first serve by Mark Philippoussis in his
semifinal match.
"I had fun," said Roddick after the final of his Champions Series debut. "I
honestly had no idea what to expect when I came out here. I hadn't played at
all. I enjoyed it. Those moments when you want to win and there's tension in
the match – I haven't had that for a while."
The 31-year-old Roddick struggled to find his rhythm against McEnroe – 24
years his senior – in the one-set championship match, admitting after that
McEnroe's left-handed spins and serve-and-volleying threw him off.
"I was struggling during the match," Roddick said. "I started thinking that
I don't think I have hit with a left-hander since I stopped playing (on the
ATP Tour)."
Roddick's first serve, which guided him to the 2003 U.S. Open title and the
world No. 1 ranking, was ultimately what carried him to victory against
McEnroe. After both players held serve for the first eight games of the
match, McEnroe took advantage of a Roddick double-fault at 40-30 and
blistered an on-the-rise forehand return-of-serve winner to secure a break
point chance that would allow him to serve for the match. Roddick, however,
responded with an ace down the tee to save the break point, followed by two
more service winners down the tee to hold serve and extinguish the threat.
After the two exchanged two more easy service holds, Roddick then broke
McEnroe at love to win the match, highlighted by a stretch backhand drop
volley winner and a running forehand up-the-line passing shot.
The buzz of the night, however, occurred in Roddick's 6-3 semifinal win over
Mark Philippoussis when the Australian, nicknamed "Scud" for his monster
first serve, connected on a scorching first serve that hit Roddick directly
in the groin, causing a pause in play for about four-minutes before Roddick
"It was awkward," Roddick said of the direct hit inflicted by Philippoussis.
"That hurt. It really did." Roddick later predicted that the video of the
episode would probably be aired "27 times" on Fox Sports Live, the sports
television show he now reports for.
In his pre-match interview with event emcee and Tennis Channel broadcaster
Brett Haber before taking the court with Philippoussis, Roddick said of
joining the PowerShares Series just 17 months after leaving the ATP World
Tour, "You know me, I can't sit still long." Roddick also took pride in
talking about his last visit to the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center
four years ago in leading the United States to a 4-1 Davis Cup win over
"The win looks better now because I beat a guy named Wawrinka," said Roddick
of beating the current Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka in 2009 in
Birmingham. "At the time, I was supposed to win but it has looked good the
last couple of weeks."
McEnroe, playing three days before his 55th birthday, continued to show the
intensity and crafty play that earned him the tournament title in the
opening PowerShares Series event last week in Kansas City. He saved three
match points in his semifinal win over Jim Courier, winning the last five
points of the decisive tie-breaker to claim a 7-6 (8-6) win. Despite the
final-round loss, McEnroe maintained his lead atop the PowerShares Series
points rankings after the first three events, securing 200 points with his
runner-up showing to increase his total to 800 points. Courier, who won the
title in Oklahoma City, stays in second place with 600 points, while
Roddick's 400 points for his title places him in third place. Michael Chang,
with 300 points, Ivan Lendl, with 200 points, and Philippoussis, with 100
points, round out the rankings after three events.
The PowerShares Series, the U.S. tennis circuit for legend tennis players
over the age of 30, continues Friday, February 14 in Indianapolis, Indiana
when McEnroe, Courier and Philippoussis join Ivan Lendl in the field. Good
tickets for all PowerShares Series events are still available starting at
$25 at www.PowerSharesSeries.com. VIP packages – including meet-and-greet
and play-with-the-pros on-court opportunities – are also available here
email@example.com, or by phone at 253.315.4299.
The remaining 2014 Power Shares Series schedule with field of players are as
Friday, February 14, Indianapolis, Bankers Life Fieldhouse – John McEnroe,
Ivan Lendl, Jim Courier, Mark Philippoussis
Wednesday, February 19, Denver, Pepsi Center – Andy Roddick, James Blake,
Jim Courier, Mark Philippoussis
Thursday, February 20, Houston, Toyota Center – Andre Agassi, Jim Courier,
Andy Roddick, James Blake
Tuesday, February 25, Salt Lake City, Energy Solutions Arena – Pete Sampras,
John McEnroe, Jim Courier, James Blake
Wednesday, February 26, Sacramento, Sleep Train Arena – Pete Sampras, John
McEnroe, Jim Courier, James Blake
Thursday, February 27, Portland, Moda Center – Andre Agassi, John McEnroe,
Jim Courier, James Blake
Wednesday, March 12, Nashville, Bridgestone Arena – John McEnroe, Ivan
Lendl, Jimmy Connors, Pat Cash
Thursday, March 13, Charlotte, Time Warner Arena – John McEnroe, Ivan Lendl,
Jimmy Connors, Pat Cash
Friday, March 21, Surprise, Surprise Stadium – Pete Sampras, Jim Courier,
Todd Martin, Michael Chang
InsideOut Sports + Entertainment is a New York City-based independent
producer of proprietary events and promotions founded in 2004 by former
world No. 1 and Hall of Fame tennis player Jim Courier and former SFX and
Clear Channel executive Jon Venison. In 2005, InsideOut launched its
signature property, the Champions Series, a collection of tournaments
featuring the greatest names in tennis over the age of 30. In addition,
InsideOut produces many other successful events including "Legendary Night"
exhibitions, charity events and corporate outings. Since inception,
InsideOut Sports + Entertainment has have raised over $4 million for
charity. For more information, please log on to www.InsideOutSE.com or
www.powersharesseries.com or follow on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC is Leading the Intelligent ETF
RevolutionR through its family of more than 140 domestic and international
exchange-traded funds, providing advisors and investors access to an
innovative array of focused investment opportunities. With franchise assets
over $66.7 billion as of June 29, 2012, PowerShares ETFs trade on both U.S.
stock exchanges. For more information, please visit us at
invescopowershares.com or follow us on Twitter @PowerShares.
PowerShares QQQT, an exchange-traded fund (ETF) based on the NASDAQ-100
IndexR, is one of the largest and most traded ETFs in the world. Under most
circumstances, QQQ will consist of all of the stocks in the index which
includes 100 of the largest domestic and international nonfinancial
companies listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market based on market capitalization.
Randy Walker for PowerShares Series Tennis
(917) 770 0843


text:
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Home › Parent & Afterschool Resources › Podcast Episodes
Episode 11 — A Tribute to Abraham Lincoln
|Podcast Series
|Chatting About Books: Recommendations for Young Readers
See all episodes in this series
iTunes Subscription
|Original Air Date
|Published February 04, 2009
Book Chat
- The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary by Candace Fleming (Schwartz & Wade Books, 2008)
Candace Fleming has brilliantly pieced together photographs, letters, and drawings from the lives of Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln to tell a story of two amazing and historical people. The scrapbook format will draw in children and adults alike. The Lincolns has been listed on the following book lists: Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth 2008, Horn Book Recommended Books on American Presidents, Kirkus Reviews Best Young Adult Books of 2008, NYPL Children's Books 2008: 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing, and School Library Journal's Best Books 2008.
Best for ages 9 and up
Candace Fleming's website
- Abe Lincoln Crosses a Creek: A Tall, Thin Tale written by Deborah Hopkinson; illustrated by John Hendrix (Scwartz & Wade Books, 2008)
This fun tall tale recounts a portion of Abraham Lincolns life that few people know, that of his adventures with his childhood friend Austin Gollaher. In fact, if it hadnt been for Austins quick thinking with a fishing pole (or was it a sycamore branch?) to pull young Abe out of danger, Lincoln might not have been our 16th president. Hopkinsons delightful look at Lincolns childhood challenges us to remember the roles of children and young people in history. Above all, our actions matter even if we dont end up history books. Abe Lincoln Crosses a Creek was listed on Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth 2008.
Best for ages 48
Deborah Hopkinson's website
- Lincoln Through the Lens: How Photography Revealed and Shaped an Extraordinary Life by Martin W. Sandler (Walker Books for Young Readers, 2008)
When you think of Abe Lincoln, the words log cabin, Civil War, and 16th president may come to mind, but how about media savvy? Abe Lincolns rise to presidency coincided with the introduction of a new technologyphotography. Abe Lincoln became the most photographed man of his time and he learned how to use this new technology to his advantage. Martin Sandler takes a look at how photography impacted Lincolns life and presidency.
Best for ages 9 and up
Cookies and Milk
During this cookies and milk segment, Emily shares a project she worked on with her 5th graders using a collection of Lincoln books (including the three mentioned in this podcast) and ReadWriteThinks Acrostic Poems tool.
Expert Chat
In a Chatting About Books first, Emily chats with all three authors (Candace Fleming, Deborah Hopkinson, and Martin Sandler) about their work on Lincoln, how they envision kids using their books, and the most fascinating aspects discovered while researching Lincoln.

subset: commoncrawl


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Transformers: The Last Knight
Ouija: Origin of Evil
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the...
Bad Boys
The Purge: Election Year
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi
Project Almanac
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The Purge: Anarchy
Transformers: Age of Extinction
The Purge
All Michael Bay photos
All Michael Bay films
Movies.com, the ultimate source for everything movies, is your destination for new movie trailers, reviews, photos, times, tickets + more! Stay in the know with the latest movie news and cast interviews at Movies.com.
Copyright © 2020 FANDANGO MOVIES.


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Tackling Youth Unemployment in Sierra Leone: Umaru's Story
Youth unemployment was a major cause of the 11-year civil war in Sierra Leone and remains a serious threat to the peace that is enjoyed in the country today. An estimated 800,000 youths between the ages of 15 and 35 are actively searching for employment. Some of these youths lack skills and education, but it is even more difficult for those with disabilities and only a basic education to compete for the limited jobs that are available.
Umaru, more popularly known as K-Man in his community, was a youth facing a bleak future. When he was 10 years old, Umaru was stricken by polio, an acute viral infectious disease that is widespread among children in Sierra Leone and leads to infantile paralysis.
- With UNDP's support, the lives of 10,299 young have been transformed through increased incomes and improved food security
- The income of the youth involved increased on average by 197%
- Through the assistance, 5,000 young people started their own businesses
Umaru, moved from his small hometown to Makeni, the biggest city in northern Sierra Leone, where he survived by begging on the streets. Umaru had attended school for only nine years. In Makeni, his fellow disabled peers advised him that begging was the only way for disabled people to make a living. Fortunately, Umaru was selected for training provided through UNDP's youth employment programme. He was placed as an apprentice in a workshop where he learned how to make shoes. "I had decided that I did not want to be a beggar, I want to do something more fruitful and dignified with my life. The training was good," a smiling Umaru explained. "I was supplied with basic materials like adhesives, leather, nails, a hammer, and I was also given a weekly allowance to look after myself while in training."
Since he participated in the training, Umaru has achieved a great deal. He finished his apprenticeship and started his own small business, which enables him to earn his living without begging. "I have a family now, and a child. I am responsible for feeding them and educating my child. On average, I earn about US$ 7 a day. On a good day, I earn even more. Now I am happy and proud," he said. "My life has changed," he continued, holding up one of his customers' shoes. "I charge US$ 1.20 USD to repair it, and these sandals I made, I charged US$ 8 US for each. My life has changed, I run my own workshop and I am even training other disabled and polio victims. Hopefully, I will get more support to expand my workshop into a factory that will produce more and train more young disabled people."
UNDP has been working with various local partners – including CAUSE Sierra Leone, a youth-focused agency in Makeni – to support the country and address the issue of youth employment and empowerment.
The UNDP-managed US$ 2.1 million Youth Employment and Empowerment Programme is funded through the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund and the Governments of Ireland and Norway. It is designed to strengthen national policy, strategy and coordination for youth employment as well as sustain the establishment of basic support services for youth, including mentoring for micro and small enterprises and the establishment of career advisory services in the country's universities.
In partnership with the newly established National Youth Commission and the Ministry of Youth Employment and Sports, 5,000 young people have started their own businesses as a result of the support. A recent independent study of the Programme shows that the support that Umaru received has transformed the lives of 10,299 young people overall. The study also found an average increase in the income of the youth of more than 197 percent. Communities also reported improvement in their food security and ability to afford further education.
Back in Makeni, for Umaru, the impact of the project is not just that he now has a regular and significant income, but that his social status as a dignified member of society has been restored. "The most important thing is that now I have hope for the future," he said.


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WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In 2003, haddock on Georges Bank experienced the largest baby boom ever documented for the stock, with an estimated 800 million new young fish entering the population. With typical annual averages of 50 to 100 million new fish in the last few decades, fisheries biologists have been puzzled by the huge increase and its ramifications for stock management. They have been looking for answers and may have found one - healthy adults.
In a study to be published in the June issue of the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Dr Kevin Friedland and colleagues from NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service and the University of Massachusetts suggest that the successful 2003 recruitment year is related to the fall phytoplankton bloom the year before spawning, and to the condition of the adult haddock. Phytoplankton, microscopic marine plants, form the basis of the ocean food web, and are the main source of food for many fish and other animals in the ocean. The fall 2002 bloom was significant, providing a larger than usual source of food for the ecosystem.
'Simply put, having more food to eat gives adult haddock a chance to get into better physical shape to reproduce healthy offspring with a higher chance of survival,' says Friedland, a research scientist at NOAA Fisheries' Northeast Fisheries Science Centre. 'We reviewed the commonly applied factors that control recruitment, and found that the fall phytoplankton bloom the year before seems to link parental condition with a good recruitment. We call this new approach the parental condition hypothesis.'
The researchers analysed various factors that control recruitment, from egg and larval retention, feeding conditions for larvae, size of juveniles in the fall and their estimated hatch dates, prey and time of spawning to circulation patterns and the timing and size of spring and fall phytoplankton blooms. They found that the fall phytoplankton bloom the year prior to spawning and its affect on the condition of adults to be the best supported hypothesis.
Their study suggests that the condition of the adult haddock not only leads to an improved chance to reproduce, but that the adults will produce more eggs of higher quality with higher fertilisation rates. Those factors in turn will produce more abundant, larger and potentially better-conditioned offspring with a higher probability of survival to adulthood, which can significantly affect haddock stocks.
Georges Bank haddock have been heavily fished by domestic and foreign fleets over the past 50 years, with shifting patterns of fishery yields that are largely dependent on successful recruitment events. The paradigm that processes affecting mortality during the early life stages determine recruitment has guided research on Georges Bank for decades, with many recent studies suggesting that the formation of each incoming year class of new fish is driven by differing sets of external environmental factors ranging from climate change patterns like the North Atlantic Oscillation to timing of spawning and the feeding environment.
Friedland and colleagues suggest a new paradigm, that the condition of parents affects egg size and fertilisation success through the most difficult growth-mortality period early in the haddock life cycle. The bottom line: the number and quality of offspring is more important than the external environmental factors that occur after spawning.
'We need to be able to explain extreme recruitment events for species like haddock, where recruitment is typified by highly unusual circumstances like that in 2003,' Friedland says. 'Factors that may be responsible for these large recruitments will help dictate how the haddock resource on Georges Bank is utilised and conserved. This new hypothesis needs to be tested, but it seems to be the only one that explains the 2003 record year class. If it proves true, the implications could be significant.'
Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of UnderwaterTimes.com, its staff or its advertisers.


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Hello! How exciting that you're here.
For super-short, official-type information, scroll down.
Otherwise, sit back – and relax.
(If you don't have time to relax, download my literary CV)
– I'm a science writer and children's author. I'm also a past editor of CSIRO's Scientriffic, I've performed with the Shell Questacon Science Circus and I'm passionate about sharing my love for science, technology, engineering, arts and maths (STEAMy!)
– I aim to use my writing and writing workshops to capture young readers' attention and direct them towards the magic, wonder and creativity of science and technology. I think we all need to learn to think critically and creatively, to solve problems in new and innovative ways. Writing science and fiction (and combining the two) is a great way to teach these skills.
– I've worked as a science communicator in Japan, Switzerland, the UK, US, South Africa, Australia and beyond.
– Before I became a writer, I was a science circus performer, garbage analyst, Santa's pixie, magazine editor and atom-smashing reporter (at CERN in Switzerland). I was working at CERN when they turned on the atom-smashing Large Hadron Collider (LHC).
– I love chocolate milk, fruit bowls, children's books, hiking, energetic people, dogs, bicycles, opportunities and good luck.
– I dislike queues, banks, cats, and having cold feet.
– My first book, Takeshita Demons, won the 2009 Frances Lincoln Diverse Voices Book Award and was selected as part of the 2010 Booktrust Booked Up program. It was inspired by my time in Japan, where I lived for three years, working as a teacher, editor and translator. I also learned to scuba dive in Japan (sugoi desu ne!).
– I work as a science journalist and feature writer, and for this work I have researched giant wetas, DNA technology, women's boxing, Japanese paragliding, killer tomatoes, trends in tea…you name it!
– I have a Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology, a Graduate Diploma in Science Communication, and a Masters in Professional Communication.
– My first published magazine article was about the science of ear wax. You can read it here.
– My first children's manuscript, One Weekend with Killiecrankie, won a Young and Emerging Writer fellowship at Australia's Varuna House and went on to win the 2008 Voices on the Coast writing competition, held in Queensland as part of the Voices on the Coast literature festival.
– I work as a freelance editor and writer of magazine features, popular science and children's books.
– You can follow me on Twitter, or on Facebook, or Instagram, but be careful with the spelling (people always spell my name wrong: I get Christie Bern, Chris Burns, Christy Burns, Christie Burne, Kristy Burns…you name it!)
Medium-short bio
Cristy Burne grew up climbing trees, jumping drains, chasing runaway cows and inventing stories. She has a passion for STEM and STEAM, loves learning through doing, and aims to inspire creativity, daring and resilience in her readers.
Cristy Burne is a past editor of CSIRO's Scientriffic magazine for kids, was a regular contributor to Crinkling News and Double Helix mag for kids/teens, and has worked as a travelling performer in the Shell Questacon Science Circus. She still writes for…loads of places 🙂
Cristy has worked as a science writer at CERN in Switzerland, Fermilab in the US, Scitech in Perth and even a year in Japan at a biotech patent law firm. She has a Bachelor of Science in biotechnology, plus a Grad Dip in Science Communication, and a Masters in Professional Communication.
Her books are published in three languages. Her latest book is To The Lighthouse, out with Fremantle Press in 2017. Off The Track and Zeroes and Ones are published in 2018. Visit www.cristyburne.com for more information.
Super-short bio
Cristy Burne is a science writer and children's author passionate about switching kids on to the wonder and creativity of STEM and STEAM.
She's the author of outdoor adventures To the Lighthouse and Off the Track. Her nonfiction debut is Zeroes and Ones: The geeks, heroes and hackers who changed history. Cristy has worked as a science communicator in Japan, Switzerland, the UK, US, South Africa, Australia and beyond.
Visit www.cristyburne.com for more information.
Mega-super-duper-way-short bio


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If it sounds silly to consider color when planning how you'll look when speaking, consider this: I once watched a woman speaking about an important issue--getting young women out to vote--on CNN. She wore what I think many women would consider to be an ideal outfit. Her red collarless blazer had strong shoulders and framed a cream-colored blouse and pearls. Her hair, a pale blonde shade, almost matched the blouse...and so did her skin tone. She wore almost no makeup.
And here's what I saw: A red blob on either side, bleeding at the edges (as red sometimes does on television), with a ghost-like presence in the center. Her face and torso (aside from the blazer) were so monochromatic and pale that she almost was invisible. Her suit completely overshadowed her self, at least visually.
Here's a bolder example: Many observers were startled when photos came out before the Democratic National Convention in 2008 of Hillary Clinton staffers holding up suits of different colors against the blue backdrop that would be behind her. But it was a smart move, color-wise. Clinton ultimately chose a bold orange suit, one that not only complemented her coloring, but stood out against the blue and enlivened the picture. (Blue and orange are opposite one another on the color wheel, which means they're most energetic when paired together.) Here's video of Clinton in that suit, with that background:
Women will encounter color challenges more than men, given the wider range of colors they can wear--and that can be a plus or a minus. Here's some guidance that will work for both men and women:
- Start with your skin and hair color: If your face and hair are pale (which means no hair, white hair, gray hair, blonde hair and sometimes red hair), wear a dark suit jacket to help bring you into focus. (Gentlemen, leave that khaki suit at home.) Conversely, don't wear pale shirts, suits or scarves. In doubt? A French blue shirt, scarf, tie or jacket will complement any skin color or hair color (see right), and will draw attention to your face. (That's why you see blue as the backdrop color at so many news conferences and events.)
- Think about brightness and color values: Pure white, the brightest value, will draw the eye--or the camera--more than any other color. That's great if you want them to look at your white jacket or your white shirt, but not so great if you want to be visible. Again, think of mid-tones, like that French blue shirt.
- On television or video? It makes a difference. Red jackets, which many women wear as powerful symbols and to stand out, can bleed at the edges--a distraction for the viewers. Whites, again, will draw the camera...away from you. And patterns like stripes, houndstooth checks or plaids, can appear to move, a real audience distraction.
- What looks great on you in person and close up may not read well when you're speaking: Just because you like a color, or look good in it in person (ditto for patterns), doesn't mean it reads well when I'm 30 rows away. When in doubt, grab a pal and get some video or photos in the setting to help you decide.
- Consider the background: Clinton's aides had the right idea (and they tested light blue, turquoise, red and orange suit options). If your background is French blue, you don't want to blend into it, so limit yourself to a blue shirt or scarf and a dark or contrasting suit. It pays to find out ahead of time what color you'll be standing against.
- Use the color wheel: The color wheel helps artists blend and contrast colors, and you can use it to consider what works well against another color background, as Clinton did. Opposites on the color wheel make the other color stand out energetically (as in red/green, or blue/orange). Those are bold choices, but guaranteed to highlight you.
What adventures in color have you experienced when speaking? Share them in the comments.
Use the Evernote clip button, above, to save this post in an Evernote notebook. Go here to subscribe to Step Up Your Speaking, my free email newsletter that looks at a different speaking topic in depth each month...then become a fan of The Eloquent Woman on Facebook and join the conversation with thousands of other women (and men) about public speaking skills and confidence.


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RF (radio frequency) connector dust caps are used to protect the ends of RF connectors, a type of electrical connector that's designed to work at radio frequencies. The dust caps help prevent dust particles from getting inside the connector.
Features of RF connector dust caps and how they work
RF connector dust caps are very simple to use. They simply screw on to your connector. The body material is usually made from stainless steel or brass, and the plating material can be nickel or stainless steel for a strong, durable and hard wearing device.
Some dust caps come with a chain or cord to make them more difficult for you to misplace. Choose from male or female types depending on your connector.
Why use an RF connector dust cap?
RF connector dust caps mainly to protect RF connectors from contaminants which can cause damage to the test and measurement equipment or precision testing cables. They also protect the connector interface when it's not in use.


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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – After posting a season's best in the long jump at the Niswonger Invitational senior Royce Dates earned OVC Co-Field Athlete of the Week on Wednesday.
Dates, the reigning Male Field Co-Athlete of the Year, cleared 7.50 meters at the meet hosted by East Tennessee State University on Saturday. The mark by the Memphis, Tenn. native is the best mark in the OVC this season.
For the senior the jump stands as his top leap since he set his personal best of 7.58 meters at the 2012 OVC Indoor Championships.
The honor marks the third time in just two weeks the track and field teams earned OVC accolades. Dates joins Amber Hughes and Quamel Prince who both picked up OVC Co-Track Performers of the Week last week.
Tennessee State's track and field teams return to action next weekend for the TSU Invite on Saturday Feb. 1.


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A month ago, the economist Richard Easterlin published an op-ed in the New York Times where he drew upon his work analyzing surveys to argue that increasing economic growth does not boost reported happiness. China is one of his best examples.
I admire Easterlin's long-standing work and I like his argument. The idea that money doesn't always bring good things is old and validated. Jesus did say that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God—a shockingly strong statement, particularly in light of the fact that most Americans are among the richest 5% of people in the world. (It only takes $34,000 per person to be amid the richest 1% of people in the world.)
It's just that this work, along with a lot of other research on happiness, is not really about happiness. A great deal of the data he drew upon asks, actually, about "life satisfaction"—something quite different. Being satisfied connotes being content, sufficient and adequate, of being acceptable, of being good enough. This is not the same as happiness, which is a positive feeling or state of well-being.
If had you asked me when I was twenty-two years old to rate my life satisfaction, I'd probably have said 8 out of 10 because I had met certain standards for myself. I had graduated from college, was healthy, and had friends and family. But there were still some things I wanted out of life: I was looking for a job and starting a career. So, I would have thought, "Well, I'm not a 10, but I'm not a 0. Maybe 8?"If you asked me the same question yesterday, I might give you exactly the same number for the same reason: I am largely content, but I still have more I want to do. However, I have had a recent infusion of joy into my life: I had a baby boy three months ago, and his coos, gurgles, and smiles fill me with delight all day long. Do I have more joy? Yes. Am I happier? Yes.
The difference is that being satisfied with life is more about meeting an expectation, being content, and being generally ok with life (there is a standard and we can be closer or further from meeting it), whereas, in theory, there are no upper limits to happiness. There may be happiness that we cannot even imagine.
Can we say, then, that life satisfaction is more like taking an exam (where 100% is the highest you could get), whereas happiness should be scored more like an essay (upon which there are no constraints in how excellent, thoughtful, or thought-provoking it could be)?
Or, maybe we can say that asking whether you're satisfied with life is like asking whether you finished your scoop of ice cream, whereas asking about happiness is more like asking how your scoop of ice cream tasted. There are no bounds on how delicious ice cream could be.
It's worth thinking about. What are our standards? What would make us satisfied with lives? What, on the other hand, are the possibilities for happiness and joy in our lives?


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BMI-Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop Announces New Showcase 1/31
The BMI-Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop announces its Winter Smoker, a semi-annual showcase for new songs from Workshop writers. The event will be held in the 30th Floor Media Room of BMI's New York office at 7 World Trade Center/250 Greenwich Street on Thursday, January 31 at 5:00PM and is open to members of the entertainment industry as well as Workshop members. Reservations are a must: email@example.com or 212 220-3177. Running time is 70 minutes.
The Smoker, now in its fifteenth season, is modeled after informal social gatherings at Cambridge University where the Workshop's two time Tony Award winning and 2010 Oscar nominated writer Maury Yeston performed his songs during his undergraduate days. Previous smoker participants include Best Musical Tony Award winners Robert Lopez ( AVE Q, BOOK OF MORMON) and Jeff Marx (AVENUE Q), Nancy Ford and Gretchen Cryer (I'M GETTING MY ACT TOGETHER...), Eric Rockwell and Joann Bogart (THE MUSICAL OF MUSICALS, THE MUSICAL) Amanda Green (BRING IT ON, HANDS ON A HARDBODY) and Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey (NEXT TO NORMAL).
Writing team Kate Anderson & Elyssa Samsel are represented by their musical, CAMP WISH-NO-MORE, a comedy about a camp for delusional girls. Last October, their songs were featured in the New York Theatre Barn's "D-Lounge" Series at the Daryl Roth Theatre in Union Square. Kate and Elyssa also recently penned "LLAMAZE 101" for the Steinhardt School of Music.
Willa Bassen and Nick Robertson are represented by two songs from their original musical, HAPPY TEXAS. Ms. Bassen is the co-author of the title song for the John Waters film "Hairspray," and co-author of the theme song and underscoring for the Nickelodeon TV series "Clarissa Explains It All." She and Robertson are also writing an original musical about animators and their oh-so-fantastic cartoons in 1930's Hollywood. Michael Shapiro, Workshop Member and co-writer of COOKIES, will perform will perform their song "Keep on Looking."
Lyricist Raymond Bokhour ("Mr. Cellophane" in Chicago) & composer Simon Gray are represented by two songs from two songs from THE SUICIDE, A MUSICAL COMEDY. The show has been seen in presentations in New York at Musical Mondays and Barrington Stage, both directed by Tony Award winning director, John Rando (URINETOWN, A CHRISTMAS STORY.)
Drama desk nominee Lauren Cregor Devine is composer-lyricist for the off-Broadway company Waterwell and is represented by the song "Bite Your Teeth," from her new musical LA GRANDE NOTTE. Kathryn Hathaway and Benjamin Velez are presenting a song from their new musical, AFTERLAND. Hathaway's plays and musicals have been performed and developed at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, New Dramatists, NYMF, Joe's Pub and The Flea. Velez, a recent Columbia graduate, has had work presented in the NEO Concerts and is winner of the BMI Foundation Jerry Harrington Award for excellence in writing for the Musical Theatre.
Composer Jonathan Monro and lyricist Kaley McMahon are represented by two songs. Monro is a classical pianist (Carnegie Hall), has composed over 20 original scores for theatre and had work performed at the most recent NEO concert. McMahon, a Bennington Graduate, wrote Fred Phelps: The Musical! (book by Savannah Dooley) and It Started in Staples.
Composer/ Lyricist Stuart McMeans' comedy songs are frequently performed in the NYC cabaret scene and around the country, most recently by Broadway performers at 54 Below, Triad Theater, Joe's Pub "Songs of Spirit," and "Songs by Stuart and Stuart" at the Laurie Beechman. Becca Ayers will be performing his song "Fearless." Ayers' Broadway credits include THE ADDAMS FAMILY and the original revival casts of both SOUTH PACIFIC and LES MISERABLES.
Andy Monroe composed the music for THE KID (2010 Outer Critics Circle Award winner, 2009 Jerry Bock Award recipient) as well as the score for THE TRAGIC AND HORRIBLE LIFE OF THE SINGING NUN (NYMF, 2006). Recipient of a 2011 American Theatre Wing Jonathan Larson grant, the BMI Foundation 2001 Jerry Harrington Musical Theatre Award for Outstanding Creative Achievement and was a 2007-8 Dramatist Guild Fellow. Tom Stuart and Raissa Katona Bennett will perform "I Don't Want To Hear a Word" from his 5 character musical "Drive," recently seem at Musical Mondays at the Snapple Theater Center.
Composer/Lyricist Tracy Sallows will perform the opening number "Gotta Wanna" from A HEAD FOR BUSINESS. Sallows has been seen on Broadway in SHIMADA, THE MISER and YOU NEVER CAN TELL and on HBO'S "Boardwalk Empire" as Mrs. Kathryn Bader.
The event is co-produced by Kleban Award Winner Frederick Freyer, Artistic Coordinator of the Workshop and Frank Evans, Special Events Coordinator. Patrick Cook, Director of Musical Theatre and Jazz at BMI emcees. Freyer and Cook garnered an Outer Critics Circle Award Nomination for CAPTAIN'S COURAGEOUS, produced by Manhattan Theatre Club. Evans, whose musicals and plays have been seen from Alaska to London is a Jerry Bock Award winning lyricist. His work has been named on Best of The Year Lists in The Palm Beach Post, The Norwich Bulletin and TheatreWeek.
The BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop, recipient of a 2006 Tony honor, Drama Desk Award and Drama League Award for Excellence in Musical Theatre, was founded in 1961 by the late Lehman Engel, dean of American musical theatre, to create a setting where new writers could learn their craft.
Now marking its 65th year in business, BMI is an American performing rights organization that represents more than 300,000 songwriters, composers and publishers in all genres of music. With a repertoire of more than 6.5 million musical works from around the world, the non-profit-making corporation collects license fees from businesses that use music, which it then distributes as royalties to the musical creators and copyright owners it represents.


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I'm looking for a Roadster inlet to build a custom adapter. Does anybody know where I can get one? I know some owners have upgraded their roadsters to use a J1772 inlet, so they surely have one they're not using. Are you one of those? How much will you sell it for?
Nevermind. I've been persuaded that this isn't a worthwhile endeavor.


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Since 2007, I have actively explored the success of IT projects in practice via our annual Dr. Dobb's IT Project Success survey. In every iteration, we discover some interesting tidbits of information, and this year was no exception. The survey was comprehensive, with 50 questions in all. It explored the overall success rates of project teams following five paradigms (agile, iterative, lean, traditional, and ad hoc), their ability to deliver on various success criteria (quality, business value, return on investment, and schedule), and the respondents preferences for how they like to address those success criteria.
We ran the 2011 survey during the last two weeks of October and we obtained responses from 178 respondents. As usual, we had a robust range of respondents: 27% were developers or modelers; 51% were managers or team lead/Scrum masters; 84% had 10 or more years in IT; 25% worked in organizations of 500+ IT people; 51% were North American, 25% European, and 18% from Asia Pacific countries. The survey was announced in October on Dr. Dobb's, and at my survey page, via Twitter, through my announcements list, and via several LinkedIn discussion forums. The data, summary, and slides are downloadable from my survey page free of charge.
Defining the Development Paradigms
Over the years, I've kept the descriptions of the various development paradigms stable to aid in year-on-year comparison. Of particular note, this was the first year we explored lean on its own: To develop the definition, I worked with two well respected published authors in the lean software space.
The paradigm definitions used in the survey were:
- On an ad hoc software development project, the team does not follow a defined process.
- On an iterative software development project, the team follows a process that is organized into periods often referred to as iterations or time boxes. On any given day of the project, team members may be gathering requirements, doing design, writing code, testing, and so on. An example of an iterative process is RUP.
- On an agile software development project, the team follows an iterative process that is lightweight, highly collaborative, self organizing, and quality focused. Example of an agile process is OpenUP, Scrum, or XP.
- On a traditional software development project, the team follows a staged process where the requirements are first identified, then the architecture/design is defined, then the coding occurs, then testing, then deployment. Traditional processes are often referred to as "waterfall" or simply "serial" processes.
- Lean is a label applied to a customer value-focused mindset/philosophy. A lean process continuously strives to optimize value to the end customer, while minimizing waste that may be measured in terms of time, quality, and cost. Ultimately, the lean journey is the development of a learning organization. Examples of lean methods/processes include Kanban and Scrumban.
Which Development Paradigm Works Best?
The primary goal of the survey was to determine the average success rates, by paradigm, of IT development projects. Because individual project teams have different success criteria, I asked respondents to indicate the level of success of their project teams based on the actual criteria faced by the teams. Other studies, in particular the Standish Group's Chaos Report, impose a definition of success, and then measure against that. A commonly imposed definition is whether the project team was relatively on time, relatively on budget, and reasonably implemented to specification. Imposing any definition of success, particularly that one, is clearly inappropriate as I'll soon show.
In the case of this survey, a project was considered successful if a solution was delivered and it met its success criteria within a range acceptable to the organization. A project was considered challenged if a solution was delivered, but the team did not fully meet all the project's success criteria within acceptable ranges (e.g., the quality was fine, the project was pretty much on time, but ROI was too low). A project was considered a failure if the project team did not deliver a solution at all. In future surveys, I think I will rework the failed definition to exclude projects that were purposefully cancelled with the full agreement of the stakeholders.
With these definitions, I found that iterative and agile approaches had statistically the same success rates, with 69% of iterative projects being successful and 25% challenged; whereas 67% of agile projects were considered successful and 27% challenged. Previous surveys also found that agile and iterative had statistically similar success rates. Interestingly, the success rates have inched up a bit from last year, although not in a statistically significant manner.
Traditional and ad hoc teams also statistically had the same levels of success, which in turn, were statistically lower than those enjoyed by agile or iterative teams. In this case, traditional teams were 50% successful and 36% challenged, and ad hoc teams were 49% successful and 38% challenged. This is down a bit from last year, although once again, not in a statistically significant way. So once again, on average, it appears that either agile or iterative approaches to software development prove to be less risky in practice than traditional approaches.
In the past, I've argued that the primary cause for the difference in success rates is that agile and iterative approaches require greater levels of discipline than do traditional or ad hoc approaches. This opinion has caused a bit of controversy with traditionalists, as you could imagine, as they believe they are working in a disciplined manner as well my belief is that there is a serious difference between bureaucracy and discipline, making me question the "discipline" of traditional software development.
This survey was the first time we asked about lean. We only had 40 responses, so the results are statistically suspect this year and I hope for better in the future. Ignoring statistics for a moment, the survey found that 62% of lean projects were considered successful and 30% challenged, putting it dead center between the agile/iterative and traditional/ad hoc pairings. This may be a reflection of the fact that people are applying lean techniques in a range of situations, including all four of the other paradigms.


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This morning's sunshine will give way to cloudy skies and colder weather by this evening as a cold front moves through the area. The temperature is expected to drop to the low 40s by 5 p.m., with gusty winds. Tonight will see a 30 percent chance of snow after 11 p.m., with a low around 13.
Snow is possible Sunday morning, with a 20 percent chance before 11am. Though skies will clear during the day, highs are expected to be only near 25, with north-northeast winds 5 to 9 mph. Sunday night will be mostly clear with a low around 6 and wind chill values as low as 5-below.
Anyone traveling into the mountains should be prepared for snowfall totals of 8 to 16 inches today, with heaviest amounts near the Wyoming border.


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Seven Bates students receive Phillips Fellowships
Seven Bates juniors have been named 2001 Phillips Student Fellows and will each receive grants of up to $10,000 for summer research projects. The 2001 Phillips Student Fellows are Smadar Bakovic of Neve Ilan, Israel; Jenny Blau of Greenbrae, Calif.; Abdelfetah Jibril of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Brian O'Doherty of Kennebunkport, Maine; Diana Sepehri of Rancho Cordova, Calif.; Volkan Stodolsky of Germantown, Md.; and Jason Surdukowski of Concord, N.H.Phillips Student Fellowships provide major funding to students who design exceptional international or cross-cultural projects focusing on research, service-learning, or career exploration, or some combination of the three. Projects must involve substantial immersion in a different culture.Bakovic will live in Arab villages and Bedouin settlements in her native Israel, in an effort to understand the non-Jewish cultures of Israel, she will reflect, from the Arab side, on the history of mistrust among Arabs and Jews in that country. She will create a documentary upon her return to Bates.
Blau will volunteer in health education and family planning in a rural health center and examine the complex social, medical, and humans rights issues facing such centers.
Jibril will tutor Jamaican middle-and high-school students in math and physics. He will observe the teaching and learning of math and science at Mannings High School in Sav la Mar, and will hold regular tutoring sessions throughout the summer, in an effort to enrich students' understanding of physics and math, and to encourage more Jamaican students to continue their studies in the sciences beyond high school.
O'Doherty, a member of the Brooks Quimby Debate Council, will establish in Washington, D.C., high schools an intra-city parliamentary debate league, involving high school teachers and debate team members from area colleges as mentors and coaches.
Sepehri, who participated in the Colby-Bates-Bowdoin Off-Campus Study Program in Ecuador, will study traditional medicine in Ecuador and Bolivia by interviewing shamans of indigenous communities, to explore the natural and spiritual remedies they employ.
Stodolsky will interview Bosnian Muslims in Sarajevo who were children and teenagers during the Bosnian War. He will explore the relationship between war and cultural identity and will investigate in particular the myth of "ancient hatreds" used to explain longstanding conflicts in the region.
Surdukowski will conduct field research and interviews in preparation for his senior thesis in political science connecting the discourse of law with the reality of genocide. Working in Arusha, Tanzania and Rwanda, he will study the intersection of law and reality by examining the views of prosecutors, judges, court staff, witnesses, victims, and defendants, and political dissidents, all players in the Rwandan genocide.
The Phillips Student Fellowships, along with the Phillips Faculty Fellowships and Phillips Professorships at Bates, are part of the Phillips Endowment Program, an ambitious initiative of awards, honors and opportunities for faculty and students funded by a $9-million endowment bequest to the College from former Bates President Charles F. Phillips and his wife, Evelyn Minard Phillips, in 1999.


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Sarlina was always an adventurous person, right from childhood. she was brought up in a small cottage in the village of grim hollow on the Dark Isle of Avalonia, with her two loving parents. although a dark time, she was happy, and enjoyed the friendship of Tayrn. One night long ago her house was looted and her parents beheaded, when she woke that morning something in her snapped, a rebellious nature has born into her, as well as longing for justice.
or perhaps a lust for revenge?
since then she rarely visits her cottage, always off getting up to something...
Warming up for CCC masterbuilder


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By May 1862, the consequences of emancipation in Washington, D.C. were beginning to become clear. One early effect came from turning the District of Columbia into free territory. It created a potential refuge for slaves in Maryland, especially the counties near the federal capital, which were not accustomed to adjoining free soil. And not surprisingly, Maryland's slaves, who generally were not subject to the provisions of the First Confiscation Act, hastened to take advantage. The New York Times reported on May 2, 1862:
It is asserted, upon good authority, that since the District Emancipation bill passed, over one thousand fugitive slaves have come into this District from Maryland. Most of them throw themselves under the protection of the military Committee, commanded by Gen. WADSWORTH. Notwithstanding that most of these negroes declare that their masters are rebels, many of the latter have caused writs for the arrest of their slaves to be put into the hands of Marshal LAMON, and under the Fugitive Slave law he must execute the warrants or suffer the extreme penalty of the law, which is very severe. The slave-owners threaten him with suits in each case if he falls to execute the writ. The fine in each case is one thousand dollars. Every attempt thus far made to arrest the alleged fugitives has been resisted by the military authorities, who declare that the slaves are the property of rebels. Whether they are or not, the Marshal says the claimants all express a willingness to take the oath of allegiance. This looks very much like a conflict between the civil and military authorities. Congress should interfere at once in the Marshal's behalf, or we shall have any quantity of fugitive slave claims pending before Congress very shortly.
As the Times article indicates, ending slavery in Washington, D.C., created problems for the federal government that in retrospect seem predictable, but at the time apparently took federal authorities by surprise. The "conflict between the civil and military authorities," as the article described it, largely came because Congress had recently prohibited army officers from returning slaves to their masters. Rather than risk being cashiered, the military committee officers in Washington, D.C., granted protection to the slaves fleeing into the District of Columbia. The Maryland slaves shrewdly claimed their owners were rebels, which in most cases was probably untrue. But it obliged the army to offer them protection, which created a headache for the top law enforcement official there, Federal Marshal Ward Lamon, a close friend and associate of Abraham Lincoln. Lamon still was bound by the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, at least for the slaves of loyal owners. Little wonder the New York Times was calling upon Congress to intervene in the controversy. Congress had created the problem in the first place by prohibiting the army from returning slaves which interfered with implementing the Fugitive Slave Act. Which without doubt was an intent of the new law.
Of course, the laws would not have been effectively in conflict if not for the initiative of slaves seeking freedom. Maryland slaves fleeing into the District of Columbia in Spring 1862 foreshadowed what would ultimately destroy slavery in the loyal border states and elsewhere. It was not possible to end slavery some jurisdictions, while leaving it legal in others especially if they were nearby. Just as in Spring 1862, slaves would seek to take advantage of freedom in their vicinity, and if that was not possible find other paths to freedom, such as military service in the Union Army, or simply refusing to obey their owners anymore. The last option became increasingly feasible as the war made slavery's enforcement system increasingly unworkable, which can be seen in this instance from Ward Lamon's difficulties in implementing the Fugitive Slave Act. Maryland slaveholders could threaten Lamon all they wanted with lawsuits and fines to force him to return their slaves, but with the Union Army taking the slaves' side such efforts proved ineffectual. Hence, slaves fleeing into the District of Columbia in Spring 1862 is a good example of the initiative of the slaves during the Civil War combined with military force prompted by legislative action effecting emancipation in actuality if not formally.
So slavery, practically speaking, did not die in the United States through grand pronouncements like Emancipation Proclamation or the 13th Amendment, but little by little, by the actions of multiple actors (soldiers, slaves, politicians, etc.) sometimes acting intentionally to strike a blow for abolition, but just as likely as not in the case of these Union officers obeying the new law prohibiting them from returning slaves to the owners.
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/1862/05/02/news/washington-trouble-with-fugitive-slaves-district-columbia-conflict-military.html


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On Tuesday's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" the late-night host poked fun at Rick Santorum's decidedly under-the-radar endorsement of one-time political rival — and presumptive GOP nominee — Mitt Romney. After months of attacking Romney's credibility, Santorum backed the former Massachusetts governor's presidential bid in the thirteenth paragraph of an e-mail he sent out to supporters shortly before midnight on Monday.
"This is the fun part of the election," Kimmel joked, "where the guys who have been saying terrible things about each other for the last six months suddenly pretend they're on the same team. It's like a 'Jersey Shore' reunion special, really."
"Sounds like somebody had a bottle of sparkling apple cider for dinner and went a little nuts," Kimmel quipped.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
Ultimately, despite their policy differences, Santorum and Romney do share common ground, Kimmel said.
"They both like pleated Dockers."


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That's all she wrote
BALTIMORE — So, this is it. The fat lady is warming up, while the Blue Jays get ready to play out Game No. 162 to complete this 2008 campaign. It's been an interesting season — stellar pitching, subpar hitting, a managerial change and a fourth place finish for Toronto.
There were some silver linings: Doc Halladay doing what he does best, A.J. Burnett having a career year, B.J. Ryan coming back from Tommy John, the bullpen performing as baseball's best, the promotion of Travis Snider, the emergence of Joe Inglett and Jesse Carlson, the versatility of Marco Scutaro and the return of Cito Gaston.
There were some forgettable items: Aaron Hill being knocked out for the year with a concussion, Alex Rios struggling to clear the fence, Vernon Wells landing on the shelf twice due to freak injuries, Scott Rolen battling a shoulder injury — again, the losses of Dustin McGowan until next year, the loss of Shaun Marcum until 2010, the canning of John Gibbons, and that mild war of words between J.P. Ricciardi and Adam Dunn.
Now comes the offseason: Jays trying to convince Burnett to stay, maybe going after a designated hitter or a shortstop, the possible resignation of president and CEO Paul Godfrey, and Toronto trying to avoid a bleak forecast for its rotation.
As for me, I'll be following the Tampa Bay Rays in the first round of the playoffs and then running the Chicago Marathon on Oct. 12. I'll be blogging throughout the winter and will be back at it again in 2009. Coming this week, I'll dish out the 2008 Bastian Awards, providing my picks for the annual season-end awards.
And, one last time this year, here are:
Today's lineups:
TORONTO (85-76) at BALTIMORE (68-92)
at 1:35 p.m. ET at Camden Yards
Joe Inglett, 2B
Marco Scutaro, SS
Alex Rios, RF
Vernon Wells, CF
Adam Lind, DH
Lyle Overbay, 1B
Scott Rolen, 3B
Gregg Zaun, C
Travis Snider, LF
PITCHING: RHP Jesse Litsch (12-9, 3.67)
Brian Roberts, 2B
Nick Markakis, RF
Melvin Mora, 3B
Aubrey Huff, DH
Adam Jones, CF
Luke Scott, LF
Ramon Hernandez, C
Kevin Millar, 1B
Brandon Fahey, SS
PITCHING: RHP Jeremy Guthrie (10-11, 3.57)
32 Comments
It's been a pleasure to read your work throughout the season Jordan. I'll continue to read it during the offseason and look forward to your thoughts on what the Jays should, will or wont do.
I think the offer to Burnett is fair. I wouldn't offer him much more. It probably wont get him signed but as much as I like him, i'd have a hard time giving him what he could get in the free agent market. There are other options and while most aren't as good as A.J. they really only need someone to hold the fort down untill McGowan can return and the Jays can rely on Accardo to return to form so that they can move one of: Downs, Wolfe or Janssen into the rotation.
I think after pitching the priority should be a shortstop or a great DH.
Too bad Wells, doesn't bring this focus to every singel game he plays.
Frankly, I'd pass on Giambi or any other designated dh for a number of reasons. First, Giambi turns 38 next January. Second and more importantly his hitting with risp has steadily declined over the last 3-4 years to the point it's .225 this year.
The last thing the Jays need is another Frank Thomas situation with a guy who isn't a clutch hitter at the end of his career. I'd expect Giambi would ask for a minimum of 2-3 years at 10-15 mill per year. We would get hung with another dead end contract and frankly we've had our share.
In addition, with the limited resources we have as a result of existing contracts, I don't think we should sign a designated DH, but rather use the money to do something else with. I expect both Snider and Lind will hit close to .300, knock in 20 Hr's and 75-100 rbi's next year and between the two of them probably not cost us more than 1 million-What's wrong with that?
Let's go do a deal with Florida and take over Haney Ramirez's contract instead. He fills the role of pop, ss, lead off hitter and speed all in one package and will cost less than Giambi. If we want or need another big bat go sign Tiexeria and trade Overbay.
Lets be realistic gsjays we can't have our cake and eat it. If we were to somehow trade for Hanley Ramirez we would most assuredly have to give up Snider and lots more. Florida isn't gonna just let a team take Hanley's contract off their books, it will take several top prospects. Just look at when Boston took Beckett off Florida's books, they had to give up Hanley Ramirez and another young pitcher who is now in the marlins starting rotation (I can't remember which one and I'm too lazy to look). I can't see any realistic way that the jays land Hanley Ramirez, if he were to somehow be on the market there are several teams with deeper farms that could outbid us.
I also disagree about Giambi, I think the jays should attempt to sign a dh like him, if only to allow Snider more time in the minors. I think the jays need to wait on free agency a little bit, it is almost guaranteed that at least one of the dh's slips through the cracks and we can pick him up later on for a 1 year deal. While Snider has looked good in his brief callup, I am really doubting whether he is ready. Rather than start him on the path towards free agency I think the jays need to keep him down at AAA for at least another half season of seasoning. If he sticks with the jays I don't think he hits any better than .250, with 20 hr's, and between 60-80 rbi's, and that is best case scenario if you ask me. Give him time in a low stress environment of triple A to work on his play in the field and the challenge of smarter pitchers over a longer period of time. MLB pitchers will figure out his weaknesses and exploit him, and no 21 year old needs to have his confidence shot this early.
I think your wrong about Snider,Snider is one of the rare players that will be an allstar player all of his career, Toronto lucked out when they chose him. The team does not need another DH that is at the end of his career,they need a player that can hit at least 40 HR next year.
One player that may hit 35 to 40 HR is Wells if he can stay off the DL next year.
The Jays can trade some prospects for Hanley,I'm sure they can make a deal without trading Snider, and I don't think they would trade him anyway, but if they traded Lind for him I would be okay with that, also throw Cecil in the mix.
We have not been very successful with dedicated DH's in case you haven't noticed. Signing Giambi would be a rerun on the Frank Thomas horror movie-the one with the brutal ending..
Of course MLB pitchers will find Snider's weakness, then he adjusts and on and on it goes with him like every other MLB hitter. Its a continual game of cat and mouse. To keep him in AAA so it doesn't start his timeclock is ridiculous. If that's the case then keep him and every other prospect in AAA and bring none up.
In terms of Ramirez, it is rumored Florida will have another fire sale and with Ramirez having the biggest contract he will be the first to go. Of course he's not going to be cheap,but his contract will prohibit numerous teams from going after him so it might not be as huge as one thinks.
And frankly, your "250, with 20 hr's, and between 60-80 rbi's" is about all we'd get out of Giambi and he'll cost 10 million more.
you guys are all so mechanical:-) personally, I am always sad on the last day of regular play – the last day my beloved blue jays are on tv until the spring. its always kind of a shock for a while, and unlike the rest of you, I gave up on the leafs years ago.
i really hope we keep AJ – not because of all the salary stuff you guys talking about but because I met him on the street in Seattle, and he was a great guy. it was the day JP said he wanted to trade him, and despite that, he told us where to meet him for autographs after the game and came up to our crowd outside the stadium to talk. i was very impressed, and so beyond all the salary stuff, I say lets keep him. and ps, have i said jp is an idiot.
jorden, does the blog remain throughout the year, and is there anyway we can get an RSS feed so that we can see when it is updated. if you don't update for a month or two, i may just forget.
I'm just as unhappy as you are that the season has come to an end.Don't worry Burnett will be back.
There's a link on the right side of the blog that has a "subscribe to this blog" section. The blog will go all offseason and I'll update as news dictates.
Jordan the Cubs will win the world serries,mark my words.
Sometimes those rental players work out
Milwaukee paid dearly for CC Sabathia but it paid off today when he went 9 innings, gave up one run to the Cubbies, won the game and put the Brewers in the playoffs for the first time since 1982.
Sabathia went a remarkable 11-2 with a 1.65 ERA and seven complete games in his short stay with Milwaukee. Talk about performance under pressure.
I think the Cubbies will win the NL and I'd like to see TB win the AL, but the Angels will be tough. Talk about a world series if it's LA and the Cubbies. Both strong teams and deep. I'd like to see the Cubbies win, but if they play LA, it's going 7 and I think I give the edge to LA, albeit it a small one
Gsj.I have always loved the Cubs,I think the reason was they always played in the afternoon and I used to live in Ottawa and I used to get them on the tube as I drove truck at night and could watch the games.go Cubs.
I don't think the Marlins will trade away their superstar player right after they signed him to a long-term contract. Instead, they will try to keep their payroll down by trading away some of their arbitration-eligible players this season Dan Uggla, Josh Willingham, Cody Ross, Mike Jacobs, and so on. But if only they would, right?
I would like to see the Jays acquire Matt Holliday from the Rockies. In him they would get an extremely motivated (free agent after 2009) and talented player at a relatively cheap rate. It wouldn't take too much to get him since he is a one-year rental type.
As much as I like Matt Holliday, he's a left fielder and we already have two of those in Lind and Snider. In addition, Holliday is scheduled to make $13.5 million in 2009 which is 12 million+ more than we'll pay a combo of Snider and Lind. He would be hugely expensive to trade for and frankly, we wouldn't get a lot output from Snider/Lind and still have huge gaping unfilled holes.
Ramirez, if the Marlins trade hims, could add power, speed, and a .400 obp as lead off hitter. In past fire sales the Marlins focused in on their most expensive guy and they are committed to pay him 70 mill. from 2009 to 2014 or an average of almost 12 mill per year. Considering their entire payroll for 2008 was below 22 million, I think they'll be quite motivated to trade him, particulary for pitching prospects of which we have lots of.
No matter what happens in the off season, we can be sure of one thing, and that is JP will do what is best for JP's future, not the club. This probably means that he will do what he always does — overpay for over-aged, over-rated players in attempt to give the impression that he is fielding a competitive team next year. What is different this time, though, is that we do have a (very) few tier-1 prospects that he is going to be asked to part with in any trade. Much like the leafs, he will probably keep trading the future until there is no more future. For the sake of the team long-term, I wish AJ would stick around. If we loose him (and we will), JP is going to have to trade for more pitching. There is no way that he will convince free-agents to come to Toronto after his act this year.
Have a good winter boys (and girl), and let's hope the leafs can give us a number 1 or 2 overall draft-pick.
With Godfrey gone JPs future with the Jays may be in doubt,It all depends on who they bring in to be the next President.
Kate you must be a very busy girl.By the time I get your answer I might be dead.LOL.
The interesting offseason just got more so.
I like garry, would think that J.P's future will be in doubt. I do really hope that whomever comes in just doesn't decide to blow the whole thing up. There are good pieces around (specifically pitching) hopefully the next g.m, if there is a new one, will realize that.
I was lucky enough to be at yesterdays game in Baltimore – brought my grand daughter to her very first MLB game, wearing a toddler size Jay's cap, with a pink ribbon sewn on top, of course. It was a good game to see… my Jays doing so well 🙂 made me very happy. Got Kevin Mensch, Cito Gaston and Gregg Zaun to autograph my white Jay's cap. Had really great seats in section 46, about 8 rows off the field, so an excellent view! With it being the last game of the season, you'd think the guys might be a bit more willing to sign things. At the end of the game Wells tossed his cap to a kid, then a few of the others did as well. They may not have been home, but the fans who were there for the Jays, were excited to see them play so well! I think Cito Gaston is one of the nicest, most soft spoken men in MLB. Any chance I get, I'm glad to be able to see them play in person. Thanks Jays.
In case anyone is interested…..http://fan590.com/media.jsp?content=20080929_160623_15312
an interview with Paul Godfrey about his resignition.
It absolutely blows my mind why the first round is a best of 5 series!!! You play 162 flipping games during the regular season and then you FINALLY get to the playoffs to lose 3 games and you are done!!! It's ridiculous considering baseball is a game of attrition and depth. Considering how many more games baseball plays over other sports (hockey, basketball) you would think they would have longer series then those sports, not shorter ones.
i think there might be more than one girl on this blog.
rmatty, I think the short series allows the managers to truely earn their money. Do they risk a starting pitcher going on 3 days rest to finish off a series, or do you leave him in the 'pen and call upon him when it's crunch time ? stuff like that makes it intriguing to me, the strategy involved and pros and cons of each move.
You do make a better point though. I don't see why the first round is only a best of 5 and the rest is 7.
Yah, if all the series were best of 5 then It would still be dumb but it would atleast make some sense… Is the 2nd round more important than the 1st round? I'd say no, considering you have to win the first to play in the second they are equally as important.
I realize that the 1st round only came when the wildcard was implemented but baseball should have learnt by now that 1) Baseball is a game of averages thus the best team will win in the long run, so why have a short series to start and 2) Hey, they make more money the more games they play.
Although I was not a fan of Paul Godfrey in his position of President in recent years, I do think Blue Jay fans owe him a standing ovation for what he did for this team.
First and foremost, if it hadn't been for Godfrey's efforts, there probably wouldn't be a Blue Jays franchise and for that I'd like to say thank you.
But I think the biggest thank you we owe him is for the purchase of Skydome and what it's meant for the Blue Jay franchise. Under the revenue sharing plan of MLB, teams that own their own facilities could write off all their expenses of the buildings as part of the revenue share formula. As soon as the Blue Jays aquired Skydome, they qualified for significantly more money under the revenue share plan ( I believe up to $25 million per year), and then Paul did the right thing and convinced Rogers to add those dollars to players salaries-which is what partially offset some of the huge increase in salary budget. Brilliant move.
Unfortuantely as skilled of an administrator as Godfrey is and as big of a fan as he is, he isn't a baseball guy, and in my view got sold down the river by JP's mistakes in player selections and contracts. For that, he is making the right decision and leaving the team, to hopefully a real baseball guy like Pat Gillick.
Rogers management OR someone had better keep a close eye on JP and approve each move he makes. In an interview today, he stated if he didn't get Burnett, he'd likely have to trade away a number of our minor league prospects in order to get the pieces he feels he needs.
That could hamper this team for one hell of a long time, and although our minor league system is no hell, we do have some prospects coming. Imgaine if this idiot JP traded away Snider, Lind, Cecil, Romero and Arrencibia, to aquire some 35 year old has beens, just to save his a..s..s.. next season.
In my view, the new president ( and I hope that's Gillick) is signed immediately after the series and puts some handcuffs on this idiot before its too late. In the mean time, please Rogers, put a piece ofr tape accross Riccardi's mouth and take away his phone or send him on a holliday for the next 3 weeks.
The Man leaves the Wimp stays,Doomsday will arive.
Hanley Ramirez is a superstar, quite possibly one of the 10 best position players in the leauge and still very young with room to grow as a player. Look at the marlins history of trading players of this caliber, they will demand at least one very high ceiling prospect in return, the only such prospect for the jays is Travis Snider. And I would not trade Travis Snider and more for Hanley Ramirez, it totally goes against the grain of trying to build your farm system and develop depth in the system. If JP could somehow pull it off without involving Snider that would be a massive coup, but I don't even think Hanley will be on the market so its a null subject to me.
re: Jason Giambi. He is just one name out there among several potential dh candidates, his name just happens to get mentioned because of the link with JP (and we all know how JP likes to get guys he likes who are no longer the player they once were). I don't suggest the jays act quickly in trying to improve this area, I think if they are smart they sit back and let the market play out, and if any dh squeaks through the cracks I suggest they try and sign them to a 1 year deal, if for nothing more than an insurance policy for the youngsters. Of course if the jays instead go out and spend their money on re-upping AJ and perhaps bringing in another bigger named free agent than this dh talk is irrelevant anyways. They can't possibly feel comfortable heading into camp next year fielding the same batting order though, that simply won't be enough to get it done barring some miraculous comeback from nearly every player.
Although I love Travis Snider, I would trade him for Hanley Ramirez, because as you said Hanley is the best offensive ss in the league, which is real hard to replace. Travis has huge potential but Hanley at 25 is already there. I do tend to agree the deal won't happen, not because Florida won't trade him, but because JP won't make the call. The issue on Hanley is what are we going to try to do next year. If we sign AJ for huge sums of money and not do other deals, like Hanley then signing AJ is a waste of money, just like trading Snider for Hanley is.
Signing someone at dh as a backup is also a waste of money, just like signing someone for a dedicated dh is, regardless of next years direction. All we'd get is another has been we pay $5 million or more to.
One more bat-along with AJ doesn't put this team any higher in the standings than it is now. In addition, assuming Hill does come back, if we sign a dedicated DH we can kiss either Scutaro, Macdonald or Inglett goodbye.
Other than pitching, we need a lead off hitter, a clean up hitter, and a real solution at ss. We also need far more prodution from both 1st and 3rd base. Without those changes we will finish 4th and possibly 5th next year. I don't like it any more than you do, but it is reality.
In my view there is a decision to be made by Rogers. It's useless to re-sign AJ, without making other major investments and REALLY fill the holes. If they're not prepared to do that, then forget about signing AJ, explode this team via trading for prospects and aim to compete again in 2010-2011.
Here are my choices for AL awards.
Rookie of the year: Evan Longoria
CY Young: Cliff Lee
MVP: Josh Hamilton
Manager of the year: Joe Maddon
Great work covering the Jays this season Mr. Bastian. My friends have all wondered how I get the news before they do.
With a team slightly above average, you are going to get slightly above average results. There have been highs and lows this season, but because of our great second half we've had slightly more highs. With the foreseeable loss of Burnett, and now looking more likely to the Yankees, that balance may shift for the worst.
'We must rage against the dying of the light'. To quote Bob Dylan, oh i mean Dylan Thomas. (family guy)
Agreed, Jorden, thanks for keeping us the most knowledgeable jays fans in town.


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i spent mine in bed. well in couch bed. . . my new bed. i seriously had every intention of getting up, but i just couldn't muster up the strength. that happens sometimes when i get real depressed. i miss kitty a lot and i am trying not to think about it so i don't get super depressed and then i got super depressed anyway. dumb. thankfully i have ban.do today so i will have no choice but to be cheerful. that place is so fucking cheerful. you can't even help it . . . you have to smile when you're in there (cause if you don't we throw you out). well, i hope you had a wonderful valentine's day. thank you for all of your comments and suggestions on the bedroom. i will keep you posted. and thanks, emily, for the pack of polaroid. you are the best!!
Monday, February 15, 2010
valentine's day
Posted by jen gotch at 8:34 AM
14 comments:
- Cindy said...
sometimes things are hard. they just are. usually, they get better. it takes time.
- February 16, 2010 at 1:02 PM
- Reggggg said...
When my friend died this past summer it was like every part of me, every tiny vein and ventricle felt exposed and vulnerable. It was all so overwhelming. I really did not want to do anything but hide under my covers and cry for every memory we ever shared. In two weeks though school started again and I had no choice but to grit my teeth and get out of my bed. I'm glad I did though. You can miss alot when you stay under the covers. And you can't mourn for another person's (or cat's) life by throwing away yours. It's still really hard, but by pulling back the covers (very slowly) each morning, I start the process of taking it morning by morning, step by step.
- February 18, 2010 at 6:28 PM
- shellie said...
Time is the great healer(not really)I still get sad thinking about 4 very special pets that have died in my life, one being my big sweet blind pure white akita this past summer...time just makes it hurt a little less.I cant believe someone would leave an unking remark about your kitty. Pardon my french but what a F@#$er!
- February 20, 2010 at 10:53 AM
- sngz said...
Wallow. You'll feel better.
- February 21, 2010 at 9:41 PM
- maudetoiles said...
Hello! I'm french and wedding dress designer...I like your blog! very original!!!
- February 25, 2010 at 3:08 AM
- s v said...
i'm so sorry about your kitty. i don't know how i'll face that day when it comes for my cat.
also everything is harder in february. wait until march and things will start to feel easier. until then just treat yourself gently.
- February 25, 2010 at 11:57 AM
- Maria said...
i just came across your blog. i'm so sorry to hear about your cat :( i love my cat so much, i named my little blog after him. i had the same experience with my dog who passed away years ago. i couldn't even let another dog come near me, i was so freaked out. but it got a little bit easier after a couple of years, and my boyfriend convinced me to adopt our cat, Max. he's the best gift i've ever received from Jon (my bf) :)
- February 25, 2010 at 9:45 PM
- Q said...
oh, thats so sad..bout your cat. Love your blog!
- March 1, 2010 at 4:18 PM
- Unknown said...
- This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
- March 5, 2010 at 7:29 AM
- Nishant said...
they get better. it takes time.
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- March 30, 2010 at 4:51 PM
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- June 18, 2010 at 3:17 PM
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Gas prices rise — and hybrid sales seem to do the same. However, great gas mileage doesn't seem to be enough of a draw for the majority of hybrid vehicle owners when it comes time to replace their hybrid with a newer model. A recent study conducted by automotive information and marketing solutions firm R.L. Polk reveals that only 35 percent of hybrid car owners purchased another hybrid vehicle when they returned to the new car market last year.
The number gets worse when data for Toyota Prius owners is dropped from the equation. Prius owners are obviously a dedicated bunch, and without these repeat customers, hybrid loyalty was less than 25 percent last year. The good news for manufacturers is that while hybrid loyalty figures are low, brand loyalty figures are high.
Polk's data shows that brand loyalty among Toyota hybrid owners was 60 percent; even if the new car purchase wasn't a new Toyota hybrid, it was another Toyota model. Brand loyalty among Honda hybrid owners was 52 percent.
One factor cited for low hybrid loyalty rates is the overall improved fuel efficiency across the entire fleet of automobiles available here in the United States. According to Lacey Plache, chief economist at Edmunds.com, "The lineup of alternate drive vehicles and their premium price points just aren't appealing enough to consumers to give the segment the momentum it once anticipated, especially given the growing strength of fuel economy among compact and midsize competitors." Source: Polk
In addition to looking at overall hybrid loyalty numbers, Polk also examined loyalty by market, and the data may be surprising to some. California, which is often the epicenter of eco-friendly driving, isn't strongly represented on the list with only two cities out of the top 15: San Diego with 35.4 percent hybrid loyalty and Los Angeles with 34.1 percent hybrid loyalty, which is below the national average.
The top five cities for hybrid loyalty in 2011 were:
- West Palm Beach, Fla. – 43.2 percent
- Phoenix, Ariz. – 40.2 percent
- Orlando, Fla. – 39.9 percent
- Tampa, Fla. – 39.9 percent
- St. Louis, Mo. – 38.4 percent
For more information, including a list of the top 15 cities and hybrid loyalty rates from the past four years, view Polk's news release: Only 35 Percent of Hybrid Owners Buying Hybrids Again.
Also on MNN: 5 things you need to know about green cars


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Marsh Peak Climber's Log
aobbard - Sep 3, 2019 10:29 am Date Climbed: Sep 1, 2019Eastern end of the Uintas
Great hike, pretty easy. Nice perspective, as it was my first time in the Eastern-most Uintas. There's nice camping about 0.5 miles up the final 4WD road en route to TH. About a mile further I parked and walked, although road was still quite passable for high-clearance 4WD, but not much faster going than walking. If you do drive to the TH, mileage is 2.3 miles to the peak. No register.
nader - Oct 20, 2017 10:15 pm Date Climbed: Sep 5, 2017Marsh Peak
Nice and sunny but very hazy. Did not see anyone.
pinto - Oct 31, 2012 4:52 pm Date Climbed: Aug 26, 2012Should have...
...climbed up a long time ago.
ZeeJay - Aug 4, 2012 12:49 pm Date Climbed: Aug 2, 2012Nice area
Bushwhacked up the SE ridge from Forest Road 017. Went over P11112, Marsh Peak, P12142, Fish Lake Peak (12060), and P11951. Skirted everything on the way back and descended the south ridge back to the road. Below about 10600' (on both ridges) there was lots and lots of deadfall everywhere making the going slow and tedious.
Udink - Oct 17, 2007 2:12 pm Date Climbed: Jul 28, 2007East Slope, July 28, 2007
This was a nice summer hike. I camped a mile or so short of the specified parking area (near the post). The roads were very rough, and it is probably worth camping just before the road gets rough, then hiking in the rest of the way. Instead of heading directly up the east slope of Marsh Peak, I followed the trail farther and made my ascent directly up the south slope. It was less steep than the eastern slope, and there are more grassy areas and fewer rocks--overall, much more dog-friendly. :)
After the hike, I still had time to make it to Fantasy Canyon just before sunset, and I made it back home to Price before midnight.
JLarsen - Dec 30, 2006 10:27 pm Date Climbed: Jul 13, 2006West Ridge
This was a fun short summit while we were backpacking into Fish Lake.
Kessler - Dec 12, 2005 11:25 amRoute Climbed: East Slopes Date Climbed: September 30, 2005
Climbed with Dad.
Scott - Oct 3, 2005 11:36 amRoute Climbed: See below Date Climbed: July 1994, September 30, 2005
In July 1994, I climbed Marsh Peak and Fish Lakes Peak with my wife, from Paradise Park, but she didn't want to go to the summit (this was not long after we were married and she hadn't done much of this yet).
I climbed Marsh again from Ashley Twin Lakes with my 3 year old son, Kessler. It was a great day. Kessler said that Marsh Peak must be the toughest mountain in the world, but I told him there are tougher ones. Now he says it must be one of the toughest mountains in the world. Eight miles round trip, much of it off trail. It took 9 hours including one hour on the summit.


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Most of college football's powerhouses opened their season with easy tuneups over the weekend, but the first clash of titans comes tonight, when Boise State takes on Virginia Tech at a neutral field.
Boise State, which has battled for post season respect as it transformed from an obscure prairie school into a contender, finished 14-0 last year and is currently ranked No. 3 in the nation. Virginia Tech is ranked tenth. So while perennial powers like top-ranked Alabama, Ohio State, Florida and Texas got their seasons underway with easy blowouts, tonight's game could upend one team's title hopes long before the autumn leaves hit the ground.
"This could make or break national championship hopes for either one of us,'' Virginia Tech running back Ryan Williams told The Roanoke Times.
U.S. & World
The day's top national and international news.
Kickoff is at 8 p.m. EST, and the game takes place on FedEx Field, home of the NFL's Washington Redskins. It will be televised nationally on ESPN.
Boise State, known for playing home games on its distinctive blue field, has only been a Division 1 team for 14 years. But it has made up for a lack of tradition by winning the Western Athletic Conference seven of the last eight years and a 26-1 record over the last two years. Coach Chis Peterson is 49-4 since taking over the Broncos' program in 2006. Some pundits say tonight's game is his biggest test yet.
"The big day has finally arrived for No. 3 Boise State," wrote ESPN's Andrea Adelson. "We will know once and for all whether the Broncos will continue to be in the national title conversation after their huge game against No. 10 Virginia Tech tonight."
Peterson refuses to say his team's season is riding on its first game.
"In terms of a national title, so many things have to happen, even when you're in a BCS conference, let alone where we're sitting now," he said. "So we don't even go there. We just worry about the things we control. My mindset never wavers from that."
His counterpart on the Hokies sideline isn't so circumspect about his feelings.
"I'm nervous about this game," said Virginia Tech Coach Frank Beamer.
Selected Reading: The Roanoke Times, ESPN, CBS Sportsline.


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|System: X360, PS3, PC
|Review Rating Legend
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|2.0 - 2.4 = Poor
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World War II Shooters
by Jason Lauritzen
There are two distinct things the Brothers in Arms series has always had going for it: its squad-focused gameplay and emphasis on an HBO, Band of Brothers-esque story. True to those two points, Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway - the third entry in the series - continues this tradition, but fumbles in its transition from the last-gen to the current generation of consoles. Solid squad-based gameplay is still the cornerstone, but it's degraded by clumsy single-player-only segments and a story that - while having a cinematic exterior - is emotionally hollow.
Putting you in the shoes of Matt Baker, a member of the 101st Airborne, the story follows the Division from Operation Market Garden to Hell's Highway. For players that missed the first two games, there's a "previously on" featurette that plays back events in a TV-style format. From a conceptual angle this is an interesting idea, but it backfires. Instead of saying, "Here are the characters you should care about and why," in a genuine way, it reminds you that you're viewing cutscenes from a game. There's shot-after-shot of soldiers under heavy fire, epic war music, and talks about whether heroes are born or created. By the end of it, you're not left with a sense of grounding in the characters, but the realization that you're about to play a WWII video game.
One of the biggest problems of the narrative is its muddling of perspective and the lack of in-game consequence on characters. While Baker is the focal point of the story and many segments are told and shown from his perspective, a lot of the time the cutscenes will jump from character-to-character trying to give you a sample of another soldier's mental state. Multiple perspectives could theoretically work, but given that you're presented with such a small, vertical slice of each character, it's hard to get attached to the soldiers. Also, since characters can die during missions and re-spawn, it feels like there's no narrative consequence to how you lead your unit. Cutscenes become the arbiter of fate for your brothers - divvying out their predestination.
Don't misinterpret narrative missteps for bad presentation - Brothers in Arms goes way beyond the effort of most WWII shooters to present its story and it should be commended for that. After watching the first proper cutscene, you realize that a capable director is at the helm. Forfeiting constant cuts for one continuous shot, the camera carefully moves through the camp, giving you an overview of the conditions of the soldiers and allowing you to catch several different conversations. Many WWII shooter developers wimp out on the gore factor, almost erasing it entirely or just adding a little bit of blood (probably in an attempt to net a lower ESRB rating and sell more units). The developers of Brothers in Arms realize that war is man-made hell and you'll see it first hand - heads split open, torsos explode, and limbs tear off bodies. It never feels gratuitous, but complementary; you realize that your actions have extremely violent consequences.
Gameplay in Brothers in Arms can be split into two spheres: first-person action and squad command. You always have the option of simply running and gunning as Baker, but the real core of the game is revealed when you take a leadership position. You can have up to three squads at-a-time under your command, and these range from assault teams to bazooka-equipped groups. There are three orders you can give your teams: movement, attack, and suppressive fire. These are all mapped to the controller in a straightforward manner, and within minutes you'll be leading your squads with relative ease. Like you, your squads can bind to cover and smartly adapt to the environment. If you point the movement icon near an object, the group will travel there and bind to cover, making sure to stay low, should there be enemy fire.
The thrust of the game's strategy comes from the suppressive fire and cover-to-cover flow of battles. Enemy squads always have a dot above their heads that's either red or gray. If it's red, it means they'll continually attack; if it's gray, it means you've thrown even firepower in their direction for them to dig-in. Since you have cover, and because running out in the open is game over guaranteed, issuing the right commands to your team is a must. You may order a bazooka squad to destroy some destructible cover or throw a grenade to flush out a group and then let your assault team mow down the targets. Most of the time, you'll be suppressing fire with one group while you move another slowly forward and then use the newly advanced team to provide cover fire for the previous squad. It makes for weighted gameplay - you feel like you've honestly fought for every inch of the battlefield.
Another element of strategy are the RTS-like mechanics. You have a map that provides a layout of the battlefield highlighting points of cover, objectives, and enemy locations. However, very little of it is available at the beginning of the level, leaving most of it shrouded in a fog of war. By climbing to vantage points on each level, you can scan ahead and get a leg up on the enemy. However, for all that strategy there is a compromise at play: if you lose any squad members, they'll reappear, provided you get to the next checkpoint. Obviously, this was done because playing through whole missions again would be tedious and your squad is essential, but it comes off as strange when members literally pop out of nowhere once you pass over a predetermined line in the level.


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According to a promo poster obtained by BreatheHeavy.com, the pop star will tape, "A Night With Britney Spears" in Las Vegas for ABC on September 29.
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text: Sourceforge? Tom Mason - IT Developer www.golfbreaks.com <http://www.golfbreaks.com/> ________________________________ From: Chris.Hammond-Thrasher at consulting.fujitsu.com [mailto:Chris.Hammond-Thrasher at consulting.fujitsu.com] Sent: 19 May 2005 17:08 To: Robert Jones Cc: websecurity at webappsec.org Subject: Re: [WEB SECURITY] Validating new PHP code Robert, That is a great idea. If there is not such a place, there should be. -CHT ........................................................................ ........ Chris Hammond-Thrasher MLIS, CISSP FUJITSU CONSULTING Principal Management Consultant Library Technology / Security, Privacy and Technical Risk email: chris.hammond-thrasher at consulting.fujitsu.com Web: http://www.fujitsu.com/ca/ Robert Jones <drjonesac2 at gmail.com> 05/19/2005 08:46 AM Please respond to Robert Jones To: websecurity at webappsec.org cc: (bcc: Chris Hammond-Thrasher/EDM/DMR/CA) Subject: [WEB SECURITY] Validating new PHP code Hello, I am writing a web portal application for a small business. It will handle their internal sales and web sales. I am curious to know if there is a place online to post my code for security review. -- Robert Jones drjonesac2 at gmail.com --------------------------------------------------------------------- The Web Security Mailing List http://www.webappsec.org/lists/websecurity/ The Web Security Mailing List Archives http://www.webappsec.org/lists/websecurity/archive/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://lists.webappsec.org/pipermail/websecurity_lists.webappsec.org/attachments/20050519/9617769a/attachment.html>