text:
Justin Upton Trade Opens A Window For The Braves And Ends An Era For The D'backs
Like us on Facebook hereFollow @mlbreports
Monday, February.04, 2013
By Nicholas Rossoletti (MLB Reports Trade Correspondent): Follow @NRoss56
What many Arizona Diamondback fans once considered the unthinkable happened last week. The team decided to part with 25-Year-Old Right Fielder, Justin Upton. Upton was the franchise's top draft pick in 2005, its Number 1 prospect in 2007 according to Baseball America, its best player in both the 2009 and 2011 seasons based upon Wins Above Replacement and the 13th best position player in the Major Leagues in 2011 as he added 6.4 Wins to the D'Backs.
The D'Backs shipped Upton to Atlanta where he will be reunited with his brother, BJ Upton, and in doing so, the team ended a relationship with another of its first round picks. None of Arizona's top picks from 2003 through 2011 are still with the franchise. Upton was the type of player that teams normally build around especially at 25 Years Pld. Instead the D'Backs determined it was better to use Upton to acquire 5 pieces that they hope will provide several building blocks to replace the one they gave away. In that way, Upton still provided the D'Backs with foundation even when he is no longer playing for them.
Justin Upton Highlights Mature Lyrics so Parental Guidance is Advised:
Rumors have swirled as to whether Upton demanded the D'Backs trade him or whether GM Kevin Towers was set on dealing Upton in an effort to re-stock his franchise with talent. Whichever is true, Upton was certainly coming off a down season in 2012. Last season was almost a mirror image of Upton's 2010. Upton's power stats were down across the board from 2011. Last week, in the Mike Morse review, I talked a bit about looking at a player's ISO (isolated power) to understand a player's progression or regression offensively. I think this as good a place to start as any on the analysis of Justin Upton.
Upton hit 17 HRs in 2012, which was down from 31 in 2011. It wasn't just a decrease in home runs that is a disturbing trend for Upton. He also had a large decrease in Doubles during the 2012 season. Not surprisingly, Upton's ISO was down almost 90 points from .240 in 2011 to .150 in 2012. When we take a further look, the power decrease can be directly tied to a decrease in the number of fly balls Upton was hitting last year. Upton's Fly Ball Percentage (FB%) was down from 44.8% to 35.6%, and his Ground Ball Percentage (GB%) inversely increased from 36.9% to 43.8%. The problem with this regression from Upton is simply that his 2012 numbers look more like his numbers in 2009 and 2010, which means we have to at least wonder whether the power display in 2011 was the statistical outlier in the group.
Another worrisome trend for the Braves is Upton's sudden defensive struggles in 2012. Upton went from a top 20 defensive outfielder the previous three seasons and the eleventh best fielding outfielder in 2011 according to fangraphs.com to the 35th best outfielder in 2012. This was a large cause in his decrease in Wins Added last year as he regressed from his role as an elite defensive outfielder. His UZR (ultimate zone rating) fell from 7.7 in 2011 to -2.1 in 2012. While no defensive metric is ever a perfect measurement, it is clear that Upton took a step back defensively, which is discouraging given that he is still in his mid-20's and one would expect at least 3 to 4 years of elite defensive performance before regression.
As we move forward, it seems like the Braves acquired a player whose power and defense diminished substantially, and yet, based on the title of this article (and my preview of it for those of you who follow me on Twitter or Facebook), I believe that the Upton acquisition opens a championship window for the Atlanta Braves. This would seem to contradict my normal reliance on sabermetrics and trend towards popular thought. Maybe it does, but I think we can quantify how important Upton is. Before we get there though, let's take a look at some very simple facts. Upton is 25 Years Old. As such, he is still outside of what would be considered his prime. He is not cheap, but he is reasonably priced over the course of the next three seasons at 9.75 Million this year, 14.25 Million next year and 14.75 Million in 2015. He is coming off his worse season in four years, which is one of the reasons why he was available. To put it in finance terms, the Braves bought a blue chip stock at its lowest point in years. Could they be wrong? Sure. But opportunities to buy players like Upton at his age are few and far between.
A cursory review of the rest of his statistical profile paints a fairly strong picture that the Braves did not buy damaged goods. Upton's BB% was up from 2011 and above league average, his K% was in line with his previous seasons and about league average and his Line Drive Rate (LD%) was at a three-year high. If we see a rebound from Upton in his defense and power, the Braves have acquired one of the elite outfielders in the game. In addition to Upton, the Braves acquired Chris Johnson, who will man Third Base for the Braves and take over for the retired, Chipper Jones. As far as additional pieces for a trade, Chris Johnson is hardly a poor one for the Braves. Johnson was worth 1.7 WAR last year as he compiled a slash line of .281/.326/.451. Johnson isn't an elite talent, but he will serve as a league average third baseman. His K% is above league average, his BB% is below league average and his BABIP is consistently above league average. While none of that is particularly impressive offensively, Johnson does consistently hit for above the league average on-line drives which should allow him to help increase the run production for the Braves. In the end, this trade wasn't about Johnson, but he helped make it happen by allowing the Braves to part with Martin Prado who was slated to be the Braves starting Third Baseman this season.
On the D'Backs end of the deal, this trade will always be seen as the sale of Justin Upton. It would take nothing short of World Series championship in which several of the acquired pieces contributed for the Arizona fans to see this any differently. While this may be an unfair way to judge the trade, it is rare that you deal a talent like Upton and therefore, anything short of the best possible results will lead to heavy criticism of the move. The key Major League piece in this deal is Martin Prado. Prado is coming off his best season ever in 2012. Prado's power numbers were arguably better in 2009 and 2010, but in 2012, Prado rebounded from a very rough previous season, returned to his traditional numbers specifically Prado has traditionally had a BABIP that sits in the .330 range. In 2011, his Batting Average on Balls in Play decreased into the .266 range. As is traditional with BABIP as a statistic, Prado's regressed back to his career mean in 2012 and his average increased. Prado has been very consistent in what he gives a team offensively over his career with the exception of 2011 when he missed a stretch of games with a staph infection. Prado is a batter who does not strike out often and makes contact with 90% of the pitches he swings at. He has fairly good bat control, but Prado does not offer a particularly spectacular power profile for Third Base. This is really where we have to examine the D'Backs acquisition of Prado.
I started the Prado review by discussing how 2012 was Prado's best season in the Major Leagues. Even a brief review of his offensive statistics tell us that 2012 wasn't his best season with the bat. It was, however, his best year with the glove. The Braves were one of the elite defensive outfields in baseball as they had Jason Heyward and Michael Bourn post UZR ratings in excess of 20 (think about UZR or Ultimate Zone Rating in similar terms to Defensive Runs Saved). Prado was a key to this spectacular outfield as he was good for a UZR of 16.6 and a DRS of 12. When you add in some above average to very good play at Third Base and Shortstop, it is obvious that Prado's 5.9 WAR is driven considerably by defense. Considering that the D'backs just signed Prado to a reasonable 4 year, 40 million dollar deal, he is someone I think the Arizona fans will come to like quite a bit.
In addition to Prado, the D'backs have used this trade to rebuild depth both at the Major League level and in the Minors. Arizona acquired Randall Delgado, who was rumored in several different trade scenarios including mid-season rumors for Ryan Dempster before getting moved to Phoenix. Delgado should break camp with the D'backs as their 5th starter – and his Minor League profile is one that shows a player who could be successful at the Major League level. Delgado has profiled as a big K, big BB pitcher throughout his career. The problem in his Major League stints is that the Big K numbers just have not been there. The good news is that in 2012, Delgado got his K/9 rate up to 7.38, which is a substantial improvement on his brief stint with the team in 2011. With that being said, Arizona would love to see Delgado increase that ratio to his Minor League ratios, which sat in the 8-10 K/9 range. Clearly, the team would also love to see Delgado's BB rate decrease, but nothing in his last two seasons indicates that is a realistic expectation. As is, the D'Backs will have a young pitcher to coach who sits in the low-90's with the ability to touch the mid-90's on his fastball.
Throughout the off-season, the D'backs made no secret of their effort to obtain a shortstop of the future. They traded uber-propsect Trevor Bauer in order to acquire light hitting, heavy glove Didi Gregorius from the Reds. The third largest piece in the Upton deal was Nick Ahmed. Ahmed may be best known in the baseball world as a crucial piece to that terrific 2011 UConn Huskies team. His time in the Minors with the Braves has been good but not great. He seems to be about a .270 or so hitter at the Minor League level, but he adds another young shortstop, which is a position General Manager Kevin Towers identified early as a need position.
Arizona also acquired Minor League Right Handed Pitcher, Zeke Spruill. Spruill has been a farm hand in the Braves system for five seasons and just found his way to Double-A in 2012 where he put-up a 3.63 ERA in 27 starts. Spruill strikes me as a depth arm as his K numbers do not indicate an ability to get even Minor Leaguers to swing and miss at his stuff. He will be 24 at the end of this season. If there isn't a significant development this season, I think you have to assume that it would be unlikely for Spruill to be anything but a depth piece to be used in case of a serious string of injuries. The D'backs also picked up 20-Year Old First Baseman, Brandon Drury. Drury hasn't seen any action above the Single-A level of the Minor Leagues, and his time spent at A ball last year was unimpressive as he only hit .231 with a .335 Slugging Percentage. We can't say too much about Drury right now other than the D'backs are hoping his 2011 production at Rookie ball starts to show itself this year at A ball.
It's easy to call the Braves the winner of this trade because they got the most talented piece by far in Upton, however, it would not be fair to judge the D'Backs too harshly. Prado is an excellent addition for a reasonable price tag. Both Delgado and Ahmed should have the opportunity to help the D'Backs in Arizona in either 2013 or 2014. Overall, it's never easy to say goodbye to a favorite player, but Arizona determined (or was told by the player depending on who you believe) that now was the time to deal Upton. They got a pretty good return on their investment. Now to sit back and see if the Upton can help the Braves overtake the Nationals and whether the new look D'backs can chase the big spending Dodgers and World Champion Giants.
*** The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of mlbreports.com and their partners***
A big thank-you goes out to Our 'Trade Correspondent' Nicholas Rossoletti for preparing today's featured article. Nicholas is a young professional living in downtown Miami. He is a lifelong baseball fan and an avid Yankee supporter. Having grown up during the last two decades, he counts Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera as his favorite ball players of all time. He believes in sabermetrics and that new stats have already changed the way the baseball industry sees players. He was for Trout over Cabrera, he thinks RBIs tell you a lot more about a team than a player and that defense and pitching, ultimately, win championships. Rational thought and introspective analysis over the narrative is how we come to understand the game we love. The narrative is just a way to keep those who don't really love the game watching. Feel free to follow Nicholas on twitter and talk the game of baseball Follow @NRoss56
"There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem – once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit." ~Al Gallagher, 1971
Please e-mail me at: firstname.lastname@example.com with any questions and feedback. You can follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook. To subscribe to our website and have the Daily Reports sent directly to your inbox, click here and follow the link at the top of our homepage.Follow @mlbreports
Like us on Facebook here
Posted on February 4, 2013, in MLB Teams: Articles and Analysis, The Rest: Everything Baseball and tagged @Nross56 on twitter, arizona diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, brandon drury, chipper jones, chris johnson, didi gregorius, giants, jason heyward, justin upton, martin prado, michael bourn, Mike Morse, nicholas rossoletti, nick ahmed, randall delgado, ryan dempster, tampa bay rays, trevor bauer, U Conn huskies, zeke spruill. Bookmark the permalink. 5 Comments.
Upton's numbers last season start to make much more sense when you consider he dealt with a thumb injury for most of the season. Of course his contact rates are going to suffer. Also, UZR fluctuates wildly from year to year even for well known elite defenders. And considering he averaged like ~6 in the previous 3 years, the -2.1 is obviously an extreme outlier.
Not that I'm an expert, but a hand injury that affects how well you can grip a bat is sure to decrease power. If you've ever tried swinging a bat with a sore thumb, its possible, but impossible to do so with any authority. His results got progressively better as the season finished, as his thumb was finally getting healthy. The onus ultimately falls on Upton, though, as he refused to go to the DL to allow his thumb to heal properly. I'm only pointing all this out because looking at just the stats without context leads one to believe that this 25 YO slugger just suddenly lost his power for no reason.


text:
Below, you'll find a list of awards that this blog has won. Click on the image or text to find out more information.
Best Flight Blog 2011
The panel hunted high and low for the best blogs about every aspect of air travel in order to bring you the final Tripbase flight award winner's list. We've got blogs about planes, blogs about airports and blogs about duty free shopping, so if you're planning on flying anywhere then you'd be wise to browse these blogs first. . .
You'll find an inclusive list of the best flight bloggers, offering insight into the world of traveling by plane. Not surprisingly, the best blogs include entertaining adventures to exotic places, informative maps of flight travels and destinations, and detailed photo journals and diaries to show beautiful journeys and travels.
2010 Blog of the Year
A panel of independent expert judges from the industry and key figures in digital development at Reed Business Information will be looking for established industry leaders and enthusiastic newcomers, and everyone in between, to enter the Webbies as well as encouraging them to nominate their own favourites in the six categories.All categories are open to any aviation or aerospace company or individual who can demonstrate excellence and success within their own digital strategy.
IgoUgo Best Travel Sites on the Web
Honest reviews of the modern airline industry
Tripbase Best Flight Blog 2009
This award is only bestowed to those that best surmise the real joy behind flying and flight-associated travel, and to those that fully understand what it means to be a flight blogger. The award is a symbol of the writer's depth of skill when it comes to the personal maintenance of their respective blogs, both in terms of generating content and in reader interaction.
Flight bloggers were also marked highly for skilful use of not only language when conveying their tales and adventures through their blog, but also use of accompanying media. It's very easy to describe how a journey went, but to back that up with pictures, video and even maps reinforces the points that the bloggers are trying to get across, thus making for a very strong blog on the whole.
The Top 10 Travel Blogs To Help You Travel The World
If you want to know all their is about airlines, airports and air travel, The Cranky Flier is where you should start first. The Cranky Flier offers its readers some great analysis on airlines as well as airport travel.
100 Best Travel Websites 2009
Best Business Travel Blogs
Brett Snyder is a former airline employee who went into online travel before ending up running this blog about everything to do with airlines and airports. You get pictures of the free peanuts on the filghts he has taken and lots of good old-fashioned rants about poor service and ineptitude.
Snyder says he started Crankyflier.com "after friends convinced him that he had so much random airline knowledge in his head that someone would actually find it interesting if he wrote it down".
Silver – Webbies 2008: Best Aviation-related Blog
Who's this category for?
Bloggers who blog about one or more aspects of the industry
Criteria: the Best Aviation-related Blog is awarded to the blog that was best able to demonstrate success in entering the discussions that happen in the blogosphere, had a strong track record in the use of all multimedia tools at their disposal and clear evidence of interaction with the blog's readership and community.
Judges liked: leveraged wealth of airline knowledge against a health dose of blogger snark creating an eminently enjoyable and informative read, while simultaneously becoming a key travel industry opinion leader. Lively, informative and just good fun.
Runner-up – Best Travel Blog
2008 Weblog Awards
"The Weblog Awards are the world's largest blog competition with over 545,000 votes cast in 2007 edition and nearly two million votes cast in all editions since 2003."
The World's Best Travel Blogs
Best for Practical Advice
Telegraph (UK)
"A hugely popular consumer blog written by Brett Snyder, a self-confessed "airline dork". Posts include tips on how to survive Healthrow's Terminal 5."
#29 – The World's 50 Most Powerful Blogs
The Observer (UK)
"There's nowhere to hide for airlines these days. Not with self-confessed 'airline dork' Brett Snyder, aka Cranky Flier, keeping tabs on their progress. He's moved on from spending his childhood birthdays in airport hotels, face pressed against the window watching the planes come in, and turned his attention to reporting on the state of airlines. His CV is crammed with various US airline jobs, which gives him the insider knowledge to cast his expert eye over everything from the recent 777 emergency landing at Heathrow to spiralling baggage handling costs and the distribution of air miles to 'virtual assistants'."
2007 Reader's Choice – Best Travel Blog
"If there are travel pundits, The Cranky Flier is one of the best. With snarky, critical and sometimes humorous comments about the airline and travel industries, The Cranky Flier is a crowd pleaser."
2007 Travvies – Best Single Author Blog
Best Informative/Practical Travel Blog
"Self-described airline dork Brett Snyder serves up commentary on the aviation industry with insight, humor, and a penchant for Photoshopped stock imagery. If it's about air travel, he's likely to have an opinion, though in reality it's not always as curmudgeonly as his blog title implies."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Hotel Jen
Four Seasons Sydney ready to unveil new-look rooms
A complete overhaul of all rooms and the overall guest experience will reflect modern-day Sydney, the hotel says.
Sofitel Darling Harbour showcases new events menu
The Eric Costille creations were featured in deluxe canape style along with more substantial bites at a market stal
Major refurb coming for Crowne Plaza Coogee Beach
Works will be carried out over the winter, with a view to reopening in time for the 2019 summer peak holiday season
Sydney ADR decline reaches seventh month straight
The Sydney market continues to struggle despite a number of major events, according to the latest STR data.
Hilton Garden Inn brand reaches Australian shores
The company's midscale brand makes its Australian debut a few months after the brand was first introduced in the
Rydges Gold Coast Airport on the way up
Gold Coast Airport's first on-site hotel is on its way up, with construction now a few weeks into its schedule.
Wyndham to debut new brand in Australasia region
The global hotel giant is expanding one of its most well-known brands into New Zealand's north island.
TAA lauds government investment into Rottnest
A $33 million investment into the island's facilities will lead to greater tourist numbers across the state's h
One year on for HM Awards Rising Star winner, Jade Miller
We check in with one of our 2018 HM Awards winners for an update on the year since the big win.
Accor's McGrath honoured in Queen's Birthday list
The Australia and Oceania boss was named among elite company to receive the recognition in the annual awards.
New glamping tents opening soon at Cooinda Lodge
Complements the resort's newly refurbished and modernised lodge rooms.
New Zealand tourism industry shocked by loss of key data source
The sudden and unexpected removal of a key information source for the tourism industry in New Zealand is hugely dis
Accor tops 1100 hotels in Asia-Pacific
Accor has opened its 1100th hotel in Asia Pacific, bringing the group's network in the region to more than 210,00
Ramada by Wyndham Playford set to be built in Adelaide
Wyndham Hotels and Resorts has expanded its footprint in South Australia with the signing of a new Ramada and HM ha


text:
From inside the book
1 page matching chicken run in this book
Where's the rest of this book?
Results 1-1 of 1
What people are saying - Write a review
LibraryThing ReviewUser Review - Gregorio_Roth - LibraryThing
Disturbing psychology of what makes a vampire a vampire. The novel presents as a case file of Dr. Philip Outerbridge. Dr Philip is terrified by the case of George and hopes to present his findings to ... Read full review
LibraryThing ReviewUser Review - datrappert - LibraryThing
Thoroughly engrossing and disturbing, this story is partly a third-person narrative written about himself by an Army psychiatric patient who attacked an officer, and partly a series of letters ... Read full review
Common terms and phrases
Acme market animals Anna anyway army arthritis asked Aunt Mary Basil Davenport belly better bleeding chicken run Close your eyes club crazy damn deadfall Dear Phil Dency door drink blood drunk everything face father feel felt folder four years old funny George never George Smith George's girl grab guess hand happened Havelock Ellis head hole hunting hurt killed knife laugh look major mother motor coordination move night nose Okay once Outerbridge paper Polock possum pull quiet rabbit red squirrel remember Rorschach scared sexual sick skunk sleep smell smile Smithton Township soldier squirrel stomach story sure Take it easy talk tell THEODORE STURGEON There's thing thought told took town Uncle Jim waiting walked watchman whole lot woods worry yelled


text:
Visit the FGCU Alumni Web Site where you will find enjoyable, useful services and a variety of information. Let us know more about you by updating your contact information. Your opinions carry great weight as we build an FGCU Alumni Association that will serve the needs of all FGCU alumni and a university that meets its students' needs. We hope to hear from you soon!
Are you looking for a way to support the College that you graduated from? CLICK HERE. Contributions to FGCU's annual giving program enrich the lives of our students, enhance programs and secure our bright future. Annual gifts reflect the commitment of our alumni to educational excellence. Alumni giving and volunteerism for an institution makes a difference – especially to a new institution like FGCU.
For additional information on what is happening at Florida Gulf Coast University, visit This Week at FGCU or search the FGCU Calendar of Events.


text:
AUBURN – The Board of Trustees of Auburn University has approved the naming of the future small animal teaching hospital for a former graduate of the College of Veterinary Medicine and his wife. The Wilford and Kate Bailey Small Animal Teaching Hospital will be built adjacent to the existing hospital on the college's campus.
Auburn alumni John and Rosemary Brown have made a $10 million pledge in memory of the Baileys. The Browns are contributing the funds in admiration and appreciation of their friendship with the Baileys which began when they were students at Auburn during the 1950s.
"Through their gift, John and Rosemary Brown are challenging friends and graduates of our college to match their pledge," said Dean Timothy Boosinger. "Their support creates awareness of the new small animal teaching hospital and encourages others to contribute.
"The Browns wish to remember their friendship with the Baileys and the college is the very fortunate recipient," said Boosinger. "Veterinary medicine at Auburn has a 119-year history of outstanding service to the advancement of animal and human health. The Browns' generous gift in remembrance of the Baileys will enable us to continue as leaders in veterinary education for many years to come."
Wilford S. Bailey, a veterinary parasitologist, held a 50-year continuous faculty appointment at Auburn University after receiving his veterinary degree in 1942. He served in positions ranging from instructor to university president.
Bailey was the first recipient of the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine's Distinguished Alumni Award. After his death in October 2000, the award was renamed the Wilford S. Bailey Distinguished Alumnus Award to acknowledge his contributions to veterinary medicine, higher education and humanity.
Bailey met his wife Cratus "Kate" Hester during her one quarter at Auburn after she had earned degrees in home economics from Nashville's David Lipscomb and Peabody colleges. The couple married in 1942. At the time of Bailey's death, they had been married 58 years and had four children: Ed Bailey of Rye, N.Y.; Joe Bailey of Auburn; Margaret Bailey Newcomb of Palmyra, Va.; and Sarah Bailey of Acworth, Ga. Kate Bailey died August 5, 2010.
John Brown, a 1957 graduate in chemical engineering, retired as CEO of Stryker Corporation in 2004. His wife Rosemary Kopel Brown graduated in 1957 in chemistry and spent 30 years as a secondary mathematics teacher. The Browns are longtime supporters of their respective colleges and the College of Veterinary Medicine. The Dr. Wilford S. Bailey Scholarship, funded by the Browns and given annually, provides resources for veterinary students.
The Wilford and Kate Bailey Small Animal Teaching Hospital is scheduled to open in 2014. The new facility will feature approximately 200,000 square feet of clinical, examination and client-use space. The hospital will include services such as community practice, critical care, oncology, neurology, imaging and orthopedics.
(Contributed by Tara Lanier.)
Contact: Tara Lanier, (334) 844-3698 (email@example.com), or
Mike Clardy, (334) 844-9999 (firstname.lastname@example.com)


text:
Pulling the plug on nation's security
WELCOME BACK, D.C., it's good to hear from you. By now, hopefully, you and your neighbors in the mid-Atlantic area are back online after last month's violent storms left about 3 million people in the dark and, with downed power lines and fallen trees, delayed the restoration of power. Since then, to catch you up, Tom Cruise's Oprah couch-jumping testament to love was put in a new light when Katie Holmes filed for divorce; CNN's Anderson Cooper came out of the closet to a worldwide yawn; and the nation celebrated its independence from an unresponsive and monopolistic source of power (and it wasn't the electric utilities).
The ongoing power outages are an epic failure, however, not only for those who suffer in the heat but for the rest of the nation and the world looking on, aghast. That our capital is in the dark is akin to riots in London or debilitating strikes in Paris. It says something about a nation whose projection of strength is an essential part of its security strategy. There is little national power with no power in the nation's capital.
There are a lot of excuses coming from Pepco and Old Dominion Power, the local utilities that distribute electricity to the Washington area. Deregulation in the industry was supposed to provide customers with more responsive service and lower prices. It has instead resulted in less oversight, allowing for degradation in equipment in the transmission and distribution networks, and fewer employees available to respond.
The problem is the persistent dependence on above-ground lines, which are easily downed by winds or tree branches that fall during a storm. The utilities have consistently fought regulations to require burying power lines, which occurs in most of the world, claiming that in D.C. alone, the pricetag would be close to $6 billion.
It doesn't take an expert in risk management to conclude that our future involves climate change leading to increased storm activity. The utilities try to cut and clear dangerous trees and limbs, sometimes to the chagrin of neighbors, but it's a Sisyphean project. The culprit is not trees; it is the wires in the trees.
There are two numbers worth forcing out of the utilities in the inevitable oversight hearings that will occur. First, what is the pricetag, and level of disruption, for burying major power lines as compared to the secondary and tertiary lines that serve smaller communities? The only number out there involves submerging the entire system. But think of a grid as a human blood system: could we more easily protect major arteries and let the smaller capillaries remain exposed, ensuring greater resiliency for the vast majority of customers?
Second, what is the pricetag, and impact on customer bills, of modernization investments now as compared to the cost of repairs from the inevitable extreme weather that will regularly bring down the system? It no longer suffices to claim shock and surprise, as Pepco did when describing the most recent storm, about climate systems that are bound to cause strain on our infrastructure. Whether the fix is burying lines, creating more redundancies (are there any?) so that there are fewer single points of failure, or further upgrading of systems, the solution is far easier than discovering the Higgs boson particle.
Worst of all, however, is what the power outage says about our nation's priorities when it comes to our own security. We tend to focus on threats rather than vulnerabilities. A nuclear Iran or a cyber-threatening China are much more sexy topics than aging infrastructure. We highlight the new-new thing without focusing on minimizing damage.
Cyber security is a perfect example. By 2017 the threat of cyber attacks — real, but also prone to exaggeration — will create a $120 billion security market.
But the consequences of what we fear from a cyber enemy — the downing of public and private facilities, impacts on banking, finance, and transportation, and a massive disruption to the public — are exactly what has happened already, because we haven't required more from the good old-fashioned power companies.
There is something so bitterly sad that the locale of this most recent outage is the District of Columbia, the center of the free world. Our infrastructure is the greatest security investment we can now make.
It is difficult to project power if the lights won't go on.
Juliette Kayyem can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow her on Twitter @juliettekayyem


text:
This is almost too good to be true. First, Tim Tebow let us know that last night was the 666th Monday Night Football game in history, and then Mark Sanchez went out and played like Mark Sanchez as the Jets fell victim to the Houston Texans.
And now this: after last night's game, Mark Sanchez's quarterback rating rests at 66.6. Not enough proof that Mark Sanchez is the prince of darkness? Take a look at the rest of his stats:
He's thrown six touchdowns, six interceptions, and his longest completion of the year is 66 yards. Oh, and let's not forget that he wears the number six.
The signs are everywhere. This can only end with Tebow and Sanchez battling for the souls of all mankind on a lake of fire.
h/t Robert


text:
In this Hot Blog tips hangouts on Air, I talk about ding that with Pinvolve. It only takes a few minutes to set up and then your new pins can be seen by your FB Fans.
Go ahead and watch this video to find out more –
Pinvolve for Pinterest on Facebook Fan Pages
Watch on youtube.com
Sheryl Loch


text:
At the beginning of this month's Jane cover profile 'The Unstoppable Charm of Zooey Deschanel', writer Shelly Ridenour finds herself with the actress at a farmer's market. It's crowded, cluttered with street musicians and "family-run cheesy" but it's also "shiny" and "fresh" and "a little bit too predictable." Sort of, we might venture to say, like Zooey Deschanel, whose stubborn quirkiness is starting to make us wish she'd find a narcotic to abuse. But gosh! Such a cute dresser! (Seriously!) After the jump, all the actress' quirky attributes as pounded into our heads by Jane magazine.
Zooey: Taught herself to play ukelele because "I just think it's cute".
Zooey: Sings on "A Mixtape From Ben Lee".
Zooey: Occasionally performs with a cabaret act she formed called "If all the stars were pretty babies". What does that mean?
Zooey: Is an "amazing whistler".
Zooey: Likes to sing Linda Ronstadt songs at karaoke.
Zooey: Also sings for her friend/ex-boyfriend Jason Schwartzmann's musical project.
jason schwartzman's musical project is called coconut records
Zooey: Goes shopping at a store called "Dream Articles Apparel For People" where she buys a smock and a bunch of cute animal pins. At another store she buys heeled saddle-shoes.
Zooey: Fusses at Jane creative director Marie for smoking.
Zooey: Is unnerved by street musicians.
Zooey: Loves the website "The accent archive" at transbuddha.com.
Zooey: Hates sentence fragments.


text:
Trustees at the University of Virginia voted unanimously on Tuesday to reinstate the president they ousted just two weeks ago. But while the decision to restore Teresa Sullivan to the position she had held since August 2010 brings to an end days of swirling uncertainty, speculation and campus protests, the issues the drama brought to the forefront are likely to echo across college campuses nationwide for months to come.
Rector Helen Dragas, the head of the university board (known as the Board of Visitors) and an individual widely seen as an instigator for Sullivan's removal in the first place said she hoped the decision would reunite the campus community. "It's time to bring the university family back together," she said at the meeting, according to Inside Higher Ed. For her part, Sullivan said she and the trustees need to work together to put the debacle behind them. "I need to have your support," she said, according to Inside Higher Ed. "I need you to reach out to your networks around the commonwealth and the world to help us move forward."
The reunification is desperately needed on the campus that has been in upheaval following the sudden announcement of Sullivan's departure on June 10. In the days since, the board's vice rector stepped down, one professor resigned in protest, and students and faculty held rallies in support of the popular president on campus and spray painted the word "GREED" on the columns of the school's famed Rotunda building. The chaos intensified on June 19 when the board ignored demands from the faculty to offer a more detailed explanation for why it pushed Sullivan out, and met in a closed door session to appoint an interim president. Tuesday's decision came after Governor Robert McDonnell, who appoints the board members, threatened to ask the entire board to step down if it was unable to decide conclusively whether to reinstate Sullivan or move on without her.
In a lengthy statement applauding the decision, McDonnell said, "The past few weeks have not been easy for the University, and all those who love it. There has been too little transparency; too much vitriol. Too little discussion; too much blame. Now, with today's Board action, the time has come for Mr. Jefferson's University to move forward. The statements made today by Board members and President Sullivan were poignant and gracious and set the right tone for collaboration ahead."
But while the decision resolves the immediate situation in Charlottesville, the reaction around the country over the past two weeks makes clear that there are deep divisions in academia over how to run a university at a time when virtually all public universities are grappling with dwindling financial resources.
Here are three key issues to watch in the coming months:
PROFESSORS OR CEOS? Should a university campus be run like a business? The reactions to Sullivan's dismissal showed clearly that while many faculty members believe academic credentials should trump other considerations in the president's role, others increasingly worry that the job is more akin to CEO a role most academics have little experience with. If the worriers are right, colleges need business acumen at the top to take quicker, more decisive action than is typical of academia, move more responsively to changes in the marketplace and balance budgets.
THE MOOC FACTOR One of the more contentions issues that emerged in the Sullivan saga was uncertainty over how higher education is being altered by the rise of MOOCs, or massively open online courses. After the UVA student newspaper submitted a FOIA request, the university released several emails from Rector Dragas that indicate she and others were keenly aware of the attention elite schools like Harvard and Stanford were getting for starting up MOOCs, a trend that some experts say will fundamentally alter college education.
RISINGS COSTS FOR STUDENTS Over the past year, state funding for higher education has declined by nearly 8%. What that means: at a time when demand for degrees is at an all-time high, there is $6 billion less being funneled into the nation's public colleges and universities. As resources dwindle, universities are left with little choice but to put more of the financial burden on students who are already taking on record levels of debt. To compensate for the lack of funds, universities face decisions about shrinking the number of enrollment slots they can offer, recruiting more students from out-of-state and even internationally, cutting back on the number of courses offered and scaling back the number of full-time professors they employ.


text:
Shameless marketing plug….registration for our upcoming user conferences is growing fast.
New Orleans – October 6th to 10th
Amseterdam – October 20th to 24th
Tons of technical training, lots of customer presentations, meet the developers and the people responsible for this amazing product of ours and….get to hear me give the opening address.
Oh well, every silver lining has a cloud


text:
Could the HealthCare.gov Glitches Be Good for IT Recruiting?
Top tech pros may be looking for meaningful challenges.
One might assume that the Obama administration's failures in rolling out a user-friendly, efficient website in HealthCare.gov – the most public facing aspect of its signature health care law – would fuel the perception that the government is slow, outdated and less than innovative when it comes to technology.
So could this high-profile failure have an impact on the ability of government at large to effectively recruit highly-skilled technology professionals, who may also buy in to those perceptions?
Not so, says Shavran Goli, president of leading technology jobs website Dice.com. Goli, who has more than 18 years of tech experience at companies like Yahoo! and Microsoft, believes the HealthCare.gov debacle may actually have the reverse effect, making federal and contracting jobs even more attractive for top tech pros who want to serve and work on challenging projects.
"Given that the website was built by contractors, it's not a reflection of the technology professionals in the federal government," Goli said. "In most cases, tech people can understand what has caused this and will be challenged and more interested in solving these problems."
In fact, it's challenging, far-reaching projects like HealthCare.gov that Goli said are some of the leading characteristics that lead technology professionals to seek work in government. "This is a broad reach, high-impact project that potentially looks at big data problems, and that's one of the fastest growing areas for tech employment," he said.
Goli pointed to Bureau of Labor Statistics data that show 11,000 Web developers are currently employed by the government, with 1,000 of them working at the federal level. Government tech pros overall also see competitive salaries averaging $86,192 a year, slightly above the national average of $84,619, according to Dice Salary Survey data, he added.
Still, recent worker furloughs including the 16-day government shutdown may play in to make federal jobs a less attractive option for skilled tech workers, Goli said. "The other part of this is the uncertainty," he said. "In a time when there is such a demand for tech pros, the uncertainty definitely creates a situation in their mind to make them more open for opportunities on the outside. That's pretty common."
NEXT STORY: Obamacare Deadline Glitch May Get Fixed


text:
Brad Smith, D.D.S., Assistant Professor and Director of Pre-Clinical Sciences in the College of Dental Medicine-Arizona has a simple message to share. It is a message he has learned through a life of service to the community around him.
As a child he wanted to be a doctor and an eagle scout. Today, he has become both, planning curriculum and guiding students in their first two years of dental school, while serving as a role model for helping the less fortunate.
"One of the things we're really excited about in the College is helping the community," says Dr. Smith. "We have lots of ideas for reaching out to kids, especially 'gap' kids whose families have no insurance, but they do not qualify for the state-funded ACHHS program."
In just three short years since the College opened in 2008, dental faculty and students have already made their presence well-known in the community. Students visit Glendale elementary schools to teach oral health/hygiene, especially how to make good decisions for creating healthy teeth and a healthy smile throughout life. They also provide free oral screenings. To date, they have visited 248 classrooms and provided 2500 screenings, and the demand is growing.
I am really excited about our program. We are tying to introduce the latest technologies and integrate more basic science into the dental portion so students can understand the whole person instead of just the mouth."
— P. Bradford Smith, D.D.S., B.S.C., Glendale
"I am really excited about our program," says Dr. Smith. "It is different than other schools. We are tying to introduce the latest technologies, and integrate more basic science into the dental portion, so students can understand the whole person instead of just the mouth."
One of the most rewarding things for Dr. Smith in his two years with the College so far has been watching the dental students put together a special pre-dental simulation course for college students, hosted in the College's state of the art, high-technology simulation lab. "It was a huge undertaking and the students did it all," he enthuses.
And this kind of project put Dr. Smith right in his element. As he says, "I love to learn!" As a practicing dentist, he enjoyed going to continuing education courses as much as possible, and always wanted to know that what he was doing had evidence to support it. "I also wanted to offer my patients the most current technology and evidence-based dentistry," says Dr. Smith.
It is not surprising that watching other people teach and be of service is a great reward for Dr. Smith. It is a lesson he learned early on. At the age of eight, while getting an injection, he became scared, and ran and hid for two hours. Back on the x-ray table, which he broke with all his struggling, he realized the next nurse giving the injection had done it so he couldn't even feel it. Dr. Smith decided then and there that he wanted to be a doctor who could "give injections like that" without causing pain.
In high school, as he got to know a friend's dad who was a dentist, he decided to pursue dentistry because the work-life balance seemed better. "My friend's dad just seemed happier than other doctors," he recalls.
Later, as Dr. Smith practiced in Sacramento, California for 22 years, he, too, was happy, enjoying his staff and patients in a small group setting. "We had a great time together and worked great together," he says. "I liked to think of myself as a true general dentist. I enjoyed doing all phases of general dentistry, surgery, fillings, bonding, veneers, crowns and bridges, orthodontics, endodontics, and dentures."
While in California, he also taught on a volunteer basis for two years at an extramural clinic in Sacramento run by the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry. This time is what especially ignited his interest in teaching dental students. "Clinical dentistry was extremely rewarding and satisfying for me," he recalls, "and it gave me an added opportunity to have fun at my job!"
Now, as a Dean, a Boy Scout leader for 30 years, and an American Student Dental Advisor, Dr. Smith says he likes being around young people because "it keeps you young. Teaching young people how to find balance in life is really important. If all you care about is work, recreation, and yourself, then you're out of balance. . . When you learn to serve other people, you learn to love them."
A quiet, soft-spoken man Dr. Smith becomes more and more passionate as he speaks about service to the community. "I like to listen," he admits with a quiet laugh. "I don't ever talk this much. You can't just hear people - you have to listen and try to understand their point of view."
As a young man, Dr. Smith served a mission with his church in South Texas, where he met companions from all different backgrounds. "You're going out to make life better for other people," he says. "Just forgot yourself and go help other people."
At the College of Dental Medicine-Arizona, students will have many opportunities to participate in service missions locally and nationally to provide free dental service. With Dr. Brad Smith on the team, they will quickly adapt his positive outlook, and realize as Dr. Smith says, that "it's all about helping other people."
Bradford Smith, D.D.S., B.S.c., serves as Dean in the College of Dental Medicine-Arizona on the Glendale Campus. He practiced dentistry in California for 22 years before moving to Arizona in 2008. In 2009, Dr. Smith was named American Student Dental Association Faculty Member of the Year.


text:
Topic: Age 30...
Is age 30 the age running backs should retire?
Why you ask well the Philly Eagles have released Brian Westbrook.
This come after the chargers released LT
So other that the fact that NFL running backs seem to die at 30....what else happens to a person at 30?


text:
In 1996, Emmylou Harris headlined a rapturously received concert at the Park West, where she broke out plenty of new material far removed from her days as the coolest cowgirl in country music. She was coming off a groundbreaking 1995 album, "Wrecking Ball," with producer Daniel Lanois, best known for his atmospheric rock productions with U2, Bob Dylan and Peter Gabriel.
"Thanks for sticking with me down all my left turns," Harris told the audience that night. "That's what makes it interesting. And if you got company, that's even better."
Harris lost some country die-hards because of the radical textures on "Wrecking Ball," with its soft-focus guitar haze and rumbling, opium-dream textures replacing hard-country twang, but the album revived her career. Now it's being reissued with bonus tracks and a making-of DVD on the Nonesuch Records label, and Harris and Lanois are performing its songs in a brief tour that brings them and a rhythm section to the Vic on Tuesday.
The following is an excerpt of a conversation with Harris.
Q: What made you want to revisit "Wrecking Ball"?
A: Nonesuch wanted to give it another shot, and I thought it would be a good idea. When it came out initially, it was so confusing to many people. "What genre is it?" "Where do we rack it in the record store?" "Is she still a country singer?" It succeeded on its own. One person would tell another person who would tell another and so on. They didn't play me on country radio. We took it to the streets. It sort of snowballed because it was a record that touched people.
Q: It represented a radical shift in your sound. Why'd you do it?
A: I didn't have anything to lose. I will give some credit to Asylum (her label at the time). Warner Brothers country (division) didn't know what to do with me, so I moved to Asylum. They signed (Texas singer-songwriter) Guy Clark and me. They were incredible optimists (laughs). I did make an effort to make a country record ("Cowgirl's Prayer" in 1993) within that eclectic framework, which did well but not great. The years go by, I was over 40, and they were a little surprised that we could not get in the door at country radio anymore. They came to me and said, "What would you like to do? Who would you like to work with? We'll be behind you." I told them there were only two records I was listening to that were moving me: Daniel Lanois' (1989) solo record, "Acadie," and (Bob) Dylan's (1989 album) "O Mercy," which Daniel produced. I said I wanted to work with Lanois; he was interesting to me."
Q: What stood out about those recordings?
A: The production. The sounds he put around the songs, it moved me. I listen to all types of songs, and the sound he got moved me emotionally, drew me in. I had no idea what we would do together, but I was happy to take a chance.
Q: How did you and Lanois figure out how this was going to work?
A: He came to Nashville, Tenn., in late 1994. I had some songs — I hoard songs, and this time I had (Gillian Welch's) "Orphan Girl" and (Anna McGarrigle's) "Going Back to Harlan." I remember him talking about how you could find country melodies in pop and rock songs, and he started singing me (Jimi Hendrix's) "May This Be Love," and I joined in on harmonies. Most of it was arranged on the fly. I could never have imagined "Orphan Girl" sounding the way it ended up. The musicians and Dan took it to another place. There was no working out of anything. It was "Heads down, see you at the end."
Q: Lanois has a reputation for putting his thumbprint on the records he produces. Did you want that?
A: I was hoping for that. I wanted that thumbprint. I was giving myself over to whatever he wanted to do. As long as I had songs I loved and was moved by the songs, I trusted him. My producers all have different styles. Lanois is more of a presence, it's true, whereas some others are invisible. I felt those songs really benefited, they came alive in a beautiful way, because of the musicians he chose (including bassist Daryl Johnson, U2 drummer Larry Mullen Jr. and Lanois himself). All I had to do is sing. Most of the vocals were done live, responding to what the musicians were putting down. There was so much air and atmosphere, so much room to sing. I was so inspired as a singer by the people in the room and my love of the songs.
Q: That was a different way of working for you, right?
A: Yes, but it's all about the song. If you are committed to a song and love the song and find the right key, it's a matter of singing and responding to what the musicians are playing. I wanted to do a Lucinda (Williams) song, "Sweet Old World." It was medium tempo, but Dan wanted to bring in Lucinda to play on it, and she played it a lot slower. To sing slower I had to raise the key up, which made it more fragile and vulnerable sounding. It gave it a lot more power. I thought the power was in the groove, but it was in changing the key. You have to stay open when making the record. If you're set in the way a song is going to be, you lose opportunities for creativity. I was working on (Dylan's) "Every Grain of Sand" in a little side room, and Dan pops his head in: "Would that work as a waltz?" Dylan's version is in 4-4, but we turned it on its head, and it worked.
Q: Were there any songs that you wanted to record but couldn't figure out how to make them work?
A: We had written a song called "Deeper Well" and had about 20 different versions, none of which really worked until we cut another song called "Still Water," which is going to be among the extra tracks on the rerelease. They had finished the track and they were playing the track backward without a vocal track. I just said, "This makes me think of 'Deeper Well.'" Next thing I knew they stuck a microphone in front of me. It was in a much lower key than I had sung it, way down in Johnny Cash territory. But it cracked the mystery of "Deeper Well." That low key gave a mysterious vibe to that song that we couldn't get otherwise.
Q: It was your first album in decades that didn't crack the country charts. Did that bother you, knowing you were leaving that audience behind?
A: Country radio wasn't going to play me anyway, so I just set off on a new frontier. I went further out into left field. You've got to be excited and inspired by what you're doing. You can't fool yourself or your audience. I was lucky to hook up with Dan. That album didn't sell millions, but I knew I was touching people. Over the years people would say to me how much "Wrecking Ball" meant to them. It gave me a renaissance in my career, and I was able to bring in some fresh ears, new people. It put me in a place where I felt I could do anything I want. I didn't have to compete with myself over record sales. I was able to remain in my own bubble.
Greg Kot co-hosts "Sound Opinions" at 8 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday on WBEZ-FM 91.5.
Emmylou Harris
When: 8 p.m. Tuesday
Where: Vic Theatre, 3145 N. Sheffield Ave.
Tickets: $64; jamusa.com


text:
You see error code E74 when you use your Xbox 360 console. Error code E74 is preceded by the following message:
System error. Contact Xbox Customer Support.
Status code: E74
This means that your Xbox 360 has experienced hardware failure and needs to be repaired.
To get your Xbox 360 console repaired at our service centre, Submit a repair request.
Note The warranty period for the E74 error is three years from the original purchase date of the console. If your console is not covered by the three-year warranty period, you can still get your console repaired for a fee.
Thanks for your feedback!
Provide feedback for this topic
Would you like to contact Support regarding the "Error code E74 occurs when you use your Xbox 360" issue you were reading about or a different issue?


text:
Lindi Ortega to Play Joe's Pub Tonight
To continue to celebrate the release of her sophomore album Cigarettes & Truckstops, acclaimed Nashville-based artist Lindi Ortega is set to embark on a nationwide solo tour in 2013. Full details on reverse. Ortega has toured extensively throughout 2011-2012, opening for acts like Social Distortion, Dierks Bentley, and James Vincent McMorrow.
Cigarettes & Truckstops, the highly anticipated follow-up album from the singer-songwriter is available now on Last Gang Records. The record has already garnered attention at Triple A Radio as #5 most added at Americana, with Billboard hailing it "heartfelt and mood-inducing, a uniquely bluesy twist on pre-outlaw country."
Recently Ortega appeared on Episode 6 of ABC's new hit series "Nashville" performing the first single off the record "The Day You Die" with her band. The video for the track, which premiered on CMT Pure channel and CMT Edge, can be viewed here. The new video for "Cigarettes & Truckstops," that Ortega filmed on her iPhone, is out now here.Cigarettes & Truckstops, which follows Ortega's JUNO award-nominated debut album, Little Red Boots, was largely inspired by Ortega's move to Nashville from her hometown, Toronto, bringing her closer to the Origins of many of her influences, including Hank Williams. By reading a biography of Williams, Ortega discovered his mentor Rufus "Tee-Tot" Payne, the street performer who taught Williams to play guitar. This sparked Ortega's interest in the influence of blues on early country-a Fascination that comes through strongly on the record. Ortega brought on praised producer and T-Bone Burnett musician Colin Linden (O Brother Where Art Thou, Lucinda Williams, Bruce Cockburn) for the project when she found that he shared her interest in blues and The Roots of country music. Last Gang Entertainment is a recording, management and publishing company founded in 2003 with offices in Los Angeles, London, Toronto and Montreal. In addition to launching Metric, Death From Above 1979, MSTRKRFT and Crystal Castles, the label has combined successfully with LIGHTS, Chromeo, The New Pornographers, K-OS, Boys Noize and Tiga on varied licensing deals. Please see lastgangentertainment.com.
Lindi Ortega TOUR DATES
*with co-headliner Dustin Bentall & The Smøkes
January 23 /// Waterloo, ON /// Maxwell's Music House*
January 24 /// Toronto, ON /// Rivoli*
January 25 /// Kingston, ON /// Grad Club*
January 26 /// Burnstown, ON /// Neat Café*
January 27 /// Wakefield, QC (Matinee Show) /// Blacksheep*
January 29 /// Montreal, QC /// Divan Orange*
January 30 /// Boston, MA /// Café 939
January 31 /// New York, NY /// Joe's Pub
February 1 /// Philadelphia, PA /// Tin Angel
February 2 /// Vienna, VA /// Jammin Java
February 5 /// Charlotte, NC /// Evening Music
February 6 /// Atlanta, GA /// Eddie's Attic
February 7 /// Nashville, TN /// High Watt
February 8 /// Cleveland, OH /// Beachland Tavern
February 10 /// Chicago, IL /// Schubas
February 12 /// Minneapolis, MN /// 7th St. Entry
February 14 /// Winnipeg, MB /// Park Theatre*
February 15 /// Regina, SK /// Exchange*
February 16 /// Calgary, AB /// Palomino*
February 17 /// Edmonton, AB /// Avenue Theatre*
February 18 /// Jasper, AB /// Legion*
February 20 /// Nelson, BC /// Live at the Royal*
February 22 /// Vancouver, BC /// Biltmore*
February 23 /// Victoria, BC /// Sugar Nightclub*


text:
Indicative Rate * AU$189 to AU$599
Royal Woods Resort, based in Ashmore on Queensland's beautiful Gold Coast (Australia) is a world-class resort featuring unique natural tropical surroundings, exquisite rooms and breath-taking views.
The Gold Coast's only all villa suite resort, offers a range of one and two-bedroom suites or three-bedroom freestanding villas servicing the need for short, medium and long term stays. They provide the option of fully furnished luxury villas for daily, weekly, monthly and longer term rentals. Whether staying overnight or seeking longer term accommodation for the whole family, Royal Woods Resort provides the freedom and comfort of a home-away-from-home.
From the 900 square feet one-bedroom suites to the 2100 square feet three-bedroom, three-bathroom (including spa) home-away-from-home, all were designed with luxury in mind. Set around a circular drive with an average 20 feet between villas, Royal Woods Resort provides abundant privacy and peace.
Royal Woods Resort is ideal for the ultimate self drive family holidays.
Pamper that special someone in a spacious corner spa suite. The ultimate romantic weekend getaway you've been looking for. Facilities include outdoor pool with waterfall, indoor heated pool, two outdoor heated spa, juke box and pool table. The Corner Spa suites are suitable for couples.
The spacious and comfortable one Bedroom Suites are fully self contained and feature a one person spa bath (in most rooms), comfortable living room, dining area and kitchenette. Complimentary secure parking for one car and laundry facilities. The one bedroom suites are suitable for singles, couples or family of three, with sofa bed.
The spacious and comfortable Two Bedroom Suites are fully self contained and feature a spa bath (in most rooms, not all), one bathroom for each room, comfortable living room and dining area, and a complete kitchen with dishwasher. Complimentary secure parking for one car, laundry facilities.
Two bedroom suites are the best choice for small families or group of friends. Maximum occupancy is five pax with sofa bed.
The Three Bedroom Villas are the best choice for larger families or groups of friends. They feature two queen rooms, one or two with ensuite spa bath, a third bedroom with two single beds and third bathroom, two living rooms, fully equipped kitchen with dishwasher and extra kitchenette. These suites comfortably accommodate six people but have room for another two people on a sofa beds if requested (additional charges apply).
Three Bedroom Villas also contain their own double remote garage, private garden, and laundry facilities for complimentary use.
Note: Information on listed products and services are provided by the operator and were correct at the time of publishing. Rates are indicative based on the minimum and maximum available prices of products and services. Please visit the operator's website for further information. All prices quoted are in Australian dollars (AUD).


text:
Jeremy Wade hosts a show called "River Monsters," so I suppose this would fall under the show's umbrella. After hearing word of a fish that killed two men by eating their testicles, causing them to bleed to death, Wade decided to seek out the culprit.
Wade reportedly spent weeks hunting the fish, known as the Pacu fish, "which is renowned for its powerful jaws."
After hooking the 40lb predator with a fishing line and dragging it onto his small fishing boat, Mr Wade was shocked by what he found.
'When I reeled it in, it had this mouth which was surprisingly human-like, it is almost like they have teeth specially made for crushing.
'They are like human molars and the fish have powerful jaw muscles. They are very deep bodied and solid like a carp, with strong muscles.'
Pacu fish are an herbivorous cousin to the piranha, with a primary diet of nuts and seeds.
h/t Aaron K.
Testicle-eating fish that killed two men caught by British angler [Metro UK]


text:
Department of Statistical Science
SMU and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas are partnering to offer a new Ph.D. in Biostatistics. Click here.
The explosion of data from devices such as sensors, cell phones, and medical instruments, as well as from business processes, surveys, and social media has created an accelerating demand for specialists who are trained in data collection and analysis. As a result, the field of statistics will be increasingly more fundamental to academia, business, and government in order to accommodate the escalating dependence on data-driven decisions.
Therefore, even in the current overall downturn in the job market, statisticians are highly sought-after. Consider the following:
• A 2011 report by a private consulting firm projected a necessary increase of nearly 200,000 professional statisticians (a 50% increase) by 2018.
• A recent salary survey found that the middle fifty percent of masters' statisticians have annualized salaries between $95,000 and $155,000.
• IBM has created a Business Analytics and Optimization Services Group in order to capitalize on the need to analyze large quantities of data. There were 200 in this group in 2009, and reports are that IBM plans to "retrain or hire" 4,000 more such analysts.
An attractive aspect of the statistics profession is the wide variety of problems that can be addressed.
• Statistical decisions are fundamental to current research in nearly all academic disciplines.
• Government agencies, such as the Census Bureau and Food and Drug Administration, recruit statisticians.
• Banks and insurance companies hire statisticians to assist in modeling financial data.
• Biostatisticians are statistical specialists typically employed at medical schools or research hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, FDA, etc. who work with researchers in designing studies along with collecting and analyzing data related to biology- or health-related problems. Click here for information about our new Biostatistics Ph.D. program.
A statistician need never be bored! Every new problem provides a chance to work with and learn from people who are experts in their fields and to make important contributions to their work.
The SMU Department of Statistical Science is a nationally recognized department with a history of producing outstanding, highly marketable graduates and being at the forefront of statistical research and innovation. The faculty of the Department of Statistical Science consists of internationally renowned scholars who are also widely recognized for their expertise in applying statistical science in very diverse settings including clinical trials, air pollution, medical imagery, census adjustment, educational testing, and genetics.
For information about:
Applied Masters (MASDA) Program: Contact Dr. Steve Robertson, email@example.com, 214-768-4830 or Ginny Diaz, email@example.com, 214-768-3034.
Ph.D. in Statistical Science: Contact Dr. Sherry Wang, email@example.com; 214-768-2459
Ph.D. in Biostatistics: Contact Dr. Daniel Heitjan, email@example.com; 214-768-3062 or daniel.heitjan@utsouthwestern, 214-648-4832.
Want to be a statistics major? Click to learn more
Click here to learn about the
Ph.D Program and Faculty Research
Heroy Building
P.O. Box 750332
Phone: 214-768-2441
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
SMU DataFest 2019 Sign-Up
ASA Council of Chapters Traveling Course
Register for the ASA Council of Chapters Traveling Course
What is the problem with Red Snapper in the Gulf of Mexico?
StatClub at Southern Methodist University