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Turnabout proved fair play in the rematch between Cujo and Ahmo.
With a packed home crowd providing the energy, John Tyler's defense guarded the gate, and the offense ate up Wylie with key big plays to help the Lions continue their playoff run with a one-sided 38-10 win in a Class 4A area playoff Friday night.
The JT defense set up shop with nine sacks, and the Lions enjoyed their own Black Friday by pulling the curtain on Wylie's offense throughout the contest.
Tyus Bowser bagged seven of JT's nine sacks on the night. JT's defense also scored once as the Lions avenged a bitter road loss two years ago in the state quarterfinals at Wylie while more than 7,000 fans observed at Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium.
JT (11-1) advances to the Division I regional round to face Frisco at 7:30 p.m. next Friday at Allen's brand-new, $60 million Eagle Stadium.
The JT offense overcame an up-and-down evening with two touchdowns of 60 yards or more. The JT defense scored on an interception return, and the Lions played solid on special teams with a field goal, a long punt return and a fumble recovery by their kickoff units.
JT took control early with a 4-yard run by DeQuante Woods barely two minutes into the matchup, and the Lions never looked back.
"This is (the kind of) victory you want," JT head coach Ricklan Holmes said. "You come out strong and end strong."
Woods aided JT on both sides of the ball, stepping off a team-high 103 yards and two TDs and adding six tackles (two for loss) and two pass breakups on the defensive end.
Fred Ross caught five passes for 131 yards and one TD.
The Lions, who led 17-3 at the midway point, sealed the game with three big second-half plays, a 79-yard run through the heart of the defense by Woods, a 25-yard interception return by Traven Johnson, and a 33-yard scoring toss from Greg Ward to Justice Liggins.
The Lions limited the Pirates to 183 total yards, only 34 rushing on 33 carries. JT senior defensive lineman DeAndre Miller notched seven tackles and two sacks. Bowser ended another career night with nine stops and two quarterback pressures, and also caused a fumble for the Lions.
Wylie's lone TD came near the end of the game with the majority of JT's starters watching from the sideline. Wylie finished the season 5-7 after entering the affair with five wins in its previous six contests.
"Going against a good team like Wylie, who we lost to our sophomore year, we didn't want to lose to them again," said Bowser, who upped his season sack total to 17. "Most teams don't get the chance to come on their field and play a playoff game. We believed in each other."
JT used all three phases to take a 17-3 lead at the midway point.
The Lions forced a three-and-out on defense, and started their first possession from the Pirates 20 following an 8-yard punt. JT needed only three plays to strike first, with Woods doing the scoring honors after running right, extending a stiff-arm and finishing off a 4-yard run for an early 7-0 lead.
The JT offense stalled until Ross returned a punt 47 yards to the Wylie 23 near the end of the first quarter. The Lions opened the second quarter with a 31-yard field goal by Porfirio Benitez for a 10-0 advantage.
The Lions offense showed their big-play potential late. Ward rolled out and threaded a pass to Ross in a tight spot in the heart of the Wylie defense. After hauling in the pass, Ross raced past all of Wylie's defenders for a 68-yard score, and a two-TD cushion (17-3).
The JT defense surrendered only 129 yards and six first downs in the first half. JT recovered a fumble and notched two sacks to go into the locker room on the winning end.
"The defensive effort, since week one, they're continuing to get better and stronger," Holmes said. "Offensively we didn't play well, but we played well enough to put 38 points on the board. Now we're going on to round three. Here we come Frisco."
John Tyler 38, Wylie 10
Class 4A Division I Area Playoff
At Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium
Wylie 0 3 0 7— 10
John Tyler 7 10 14 7— 38
First Quarter
JT—DeQuante Woods 4 run (Porfirio Benitez kick), 9:44
Second Quarter
JT—FG 31: Benitez, 11:55
WYL—FG 35: Christian Salas, 8:17
JT—Fred Ross 68 pass from Greg Ward (Benitez kick), 3:59
Third Quarter
JT—Woods 79 run (Benitez kick), 9:17
JT—Traven Johnson 30 interception return (Benitez kick), 7:33
Fourth Quarter
JT—Justice Liggins 33 pass from Ward (Benitez kick), 6:52
WYL—Freddy Gibbs 21 pass from Carsen Cook (Salas kick), 1:17
First Downs 15 13
Rushes-Yards 33-34 32-141
Passing Yards 149 217
Comp.-Att.-Int. 18-41-1 12-30-0
Punts-Avg. 8-26.5 6-35.3
Fumbles-Lost 5-2 2-1
Penalties-Yards 4-22 10-111
RUSHING—Wylie, Dontae Slay 6-40, Alex Wesley 3-7, Kalen Winkler 1-7, Charles Okpoko 4-6, Zach Collins 3-5 Carsen Cook 16-(-31). John Tyler, DeQuante Woods 12-103, Nick Cain 1-29, Jeremy Wilson 4-13, Reggie Gipson 1-12, Rod Smith 2-4, Greg Ward 9-(-1), Fred Ross 2-(-4), Devonte Humber 1-(-15).
PASSING—Wylie, Cook 18-40-1—149, Winkler 0-1-0—0. John Tyler, Ward 12-30-0—217.
RECEIVING—Wylie, Wesley 9-58, Dotson 5-50, Freddy Gibbs 2-29, Alex Pina-Rhoden 1-10, Winkler 1-2 . John Tyler, Ross 5-131, Justice Liggins 3-55, Darion Flowers 2-22, Woods 2-9.


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USDA Guaranteed Rural Housing Program
Highlights of the USDA mortgage program:
- No down payment required
- No minimum borrower contribution
- Gift funds allowed to pay for borrower's closing costs and prepaids
- No first time homebuyer restrictions
- Seller concessions allowed
- Liberal qualifying ratios
- Loan limits may be greater than FHA programs
- Available for single family primary residences
The home to be financed must be a USDA eligible property. You can check if the property is located in a USDA eligibale area here.
What is a USDA Mortgage?
A USDA mortgage (also known as a USDA Guaranteed Rural Housing Loan or Rural Housing Loan) is intended to increase the aid for low to moderate income homebuyers. The goal of this program is to provide affordable and safe housing and enhance the quality of life in rural communities. Although rural areas are thought to be in remote locations, the USDA considers many semi-urban areas to be eligible as well.
How a USDA Mortgage Works:
A USDA loan can be used for the purchase or refinance of an existing USDA mortgage. This program is only available for single family primary residences. Borrowers cannot receive cash back on a USDA refinance transaction.
USDA mortgages provide borrowers with the opportunity to obtain 100 percent mortgage financing. Additionally, if the property appraises higher than the contract sales price, expenses such as prepaids and closing costs may be rolled into the loan. Because little to no down payment is required, the borrower will pay a guarantee fee which is similar to FHA's mortgage insurance.
USDA mortgages require the borrower pay both the upfront and monthly guarantee fee. This fee provides protection to the lender in the event of default. The upfront portion is slightly higher compared to the FHA program; however the monthly fee is considerably less. Similar to FHA loans, the upfront guarantee fee may be financed into the loan above the appraised value.
Much like the FHA program, a USDA mortgage allows for a more forgiving credit history. A bankruptcy discharged as little as three years may not hinder a borrower from qualifying for a USDA mortgage.
You will benefit from the USDA mortgage program if you:
- Have less up-front cash to close than is required for Conventional or FHA loans
- Require less restrictive gift guidelines compared to Conventional loans
- Need the ability to roll closing cost and prepaid expenses into the loan (as stated above)
- Are looking at properties that are located within USDA eligible areas

subset: commoncrawl


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Hilary Mantel wins best-novel Costa Book Award
British writer and two-time Booker Prize winner Hilary Mantel has been named novelist of the year at Britain's Costa Book Awards for "Bring Up the Bodies."
Mantel's achievement Wednesday for her blood-soaked Tudor saga makes her the first author to win both the Costa novel award and Booker Prize in the same year.
The Costa Book Awards carry a 5,000 pound ($8,125) prize and are given in five categories: novel, first novel, biography, poetry and children's book.
Other winners included Scottish poet Kathleen Jamie for "The Overhaul," and Francesca Segal for her first-novel "The Innocents," which is set in a tightly-knit Jewish community in northwest London and modeled on Edith Wharton's "The Age of Innocence."
"Dotter of Her Father's Eyes," written by Mary Talbot and drawn by her husband, Bryan, won the biography category, marking the first time a graphic work has won a Costa award. Severely dyslexic writer and illustrator Sally Gardner won the children's book prize for her fifth novel, "Maggot Moon."
The five winners are now shortlisted for the 25,000 pound grand prize of 2012 Costa Book of the Year which will be announced Jan. 29 in London.
The awards, known until 2006 as the Whitbread Book Awards, were established in 1971 and recognize "outstanding and enjoyable books" by writers based in the U.K. and Ireland.


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In the past two years many artists have used the political situation as an inspiration for their work. Egyptian photographer Mohamed Fathi transforms day-to-day reality into a series of shots that emphasise the mindset of the Egyptian people.
Fathi uses artistic photo shoots in which he "can mix fiction and real life in one photo". The idea came to him after Mubarak stepped down in 2011; before the revolution he used to "document vintage places and elements".
For his first project, Egyptian Dreamers, Fathi wanted to represent the rush of hope that Egyptians felt post-revolution. "The models were floating in the air, expressing a very dreamy attitude, wishing the best for our beloved Egypt," he said.
In his latest work he combined Egypt's current state of political turmoil with the traditional European fairytale, Little Red Riding Hood.
Little Red Riding Hood was a photo shoot of a different theme. Fathi wanted to "translate the reality of what is happening into something visual". Egypt is represented by Little Red Riding Hood, while the wolves represent those who want to "shape Egypt" to fit their limited visions for the country.
When asked about the reason he chose a fairytale, he answered: "We are still learning [how] to head toward the way of freedom and liberty." Like Little Red Riding Hood, Egyptians are lost within a forest teeming with wolves, hoping to find their way home. Fathi included a little story with the photos, which begins: "Once upon a time there was a dear little country…"
Fathi seeks help from his friends, a group of artists, who help him brainstorm before executing an idea. "I kind of have a team now; we help each other finish all our artsy projects," he said. The team consists of three females and two males: Forat Sami, Merna Ali, Amira El Badry, Ahmed Hammoud, and Ahmad S. El-Abi. After he consults his friends, Fathi works on the composition and frames for the shoot.
The use of models is essential in his photo shoots but Fathi admits that finding people who are willing to participate is not easy. When looking for models, his approach is very simple. He seeks out "people who look like me, or the people we see in the streets every day". In the Red Riding Hood photo, the models are Heba Farag (Little Red Riding Hood) and Ahmad S. El-Abi Munno (The Wolf).
When looking for ideas, Fathi likes to challenge himself: "Being exposed to the stuff that is out of my visual comfort zone is very inspiring and leads to developing new ideas." He denies having a set process which he has to follow every time. He depends on capturing whatever idea comes to him by jotting down his visions, and "translating them into keywords." He then researches those keywords online to find out how people relate to them; if his vision complements what other people see, he starts working on the project.
Fathi uses social media websites to share his work and is currently working on new projects.


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Chicago: Sunday morning. One man dead after taking three bullets — one to the head, two to the chest. Cocaine clasped in hand, and more found near his body, police said.
Mexico City: Last year. Six found bound and choked or suffocated to death. Bags over their heads. The murderers were likely drug traffickers, police said.
Murders and shootings are up in Chicago. They are up in Mexico.
Gun laws and the war on drugs are pivotal to those deaths, said a group of Mexican activists, almost all of whom have lost family members to drug violence, who are traveling 6,000 miles across the U.S. to heighten awareness of the problem. On Sunday evening, the activists' Caravan for Peace arrived in Chicago.
Javier Sicilia, a renowned Mexican poet and writer, said it's easy to forget the deaths represent people. The man who died Sunday was Jeffrey Smith, 38, who lived in the 5100 block of South Marshfield Avenue, authorities said. One man who died in Mexico City was Javier Sicilia's son, Juan Francisco, 24.
Sicilia organized the 20-city Caravan of Peace tour across the U.S. in response to his son's death. The tour began Aug. 12 at the Tijuana-San Diego border and is scheduled to end in Washington Sept. 12. The caravaners talk about relatives who have been kidnapped and later found dead or who have never been found.
In March 2011, Sicilia got a call about his son's death while on a poetry tour in the Philippines.
"I felt such an immense pain, I can't even explain," Sicilia said in Spanish. "It's the biggest pain one can feel — when one loses a child."
His son's friends had visited a bar they hadn't known was operated by people involved with organized crime, Sicilia said. Valuable work equipment had been stolen from the car of a friend of his son. When his son, "the pacifier" of the group, approached the bar owners, he and his friends were kidnapped and murdered, Sicilia said.
His son, three months from graduating from university, had been offered a job as a cardiologist in Mexico before he died, his father said.
An estimated 70,000 people in Mexico have been murdered or disappeared after outgoing President Felipe Calderon ramped up law enforcement efforts six years ago.
"The drug war. It's a war that can't be classified as anything but stupid," Sicilia said
The United States has been the source of nearly 70 percent of guns recovered by Mexican authorities and submitted for tracing in the past three years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. For this reason, Sicilia said, the U.S. has a joint responsibility for the deaths.
"Behind each weapon sold illegally are deaths," Sicilia said.
The tour's intent is to lay the blame for those deaths on the demand for drugs in the U.S., with Sicilia and others arguing that the multibillion-dollar war on drugs on both sides of the border should be reassessed or dumped.
Daniel Robelo, a research coordinator with the Drug Policy Alliance who travels with the caravan, said legalizing drugs such as cocaine and marijuana would help eliminate murders caused by organized crime, even if problems like increased drug consumption arose.
"With Prohibition, people didn't stop drinking, and people haven't stopped using drugs," Robelo said. "The way things are puts power in the hands of criminals who use violence."
The group also stresses that the violence and success of Mexican drug cartels directly affects communities in the U.S. — from the thousands of people fleeing across the border and, eventually, into cities such as Chicago to the gun violence between gangs that is often connected to illegal drug sales.
"People tend to think: 'Oh, that's Mexico's problem. They should deal with it,'" said Cristina Garcia, who helped coordinate the caravan's appearance in Chicago. "It's not just their problem; it's our problem too."
Many who flee the violence end up in cities like Chicago, while drugs that can be traced back to the Mexican cartels are often at the center of gang-related violence in neighborhoods such as Little Village, North Lawndale and Englewood. Additionally, 500,000 people in the United States are behind bars due to drug-related crimes, Sicilia said.
"It's all murky, because it's the criminal underworld," Robelo said. "But we know it's all interconnected."


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It's the economy -- and growth and the environment -- stupid!
Just over a year ago, I traveled around Arizona's copper country, talking to folks about the new mining boom. I learned that, thanks to soaring copper prices, the gaping pit mines were bound to get even bigger and deeper, along with their attendant environmental costs. Not everyone was pleased, but most saw it as inevitable: Because global forces drive the copper market, they said, the boom would continue well into the future. And the same rhetoric resounded through the booming gas fields of Colorado and Wyoming.
Just about everyone, it turns out, was wrong. Today, metal prices have plummeted, and mining projects are being mothballed. Natural gas prices are in a slump, and the drill rig count has collapsed; companies like Halliburton have laid off dozens of workers.
One lesson is that the economic winds can shift directions quickly and without warning. The second? When it comes to curbing the environmental destruction caused by various industries, these economic forces are a lot more powerful than citizen protest or government regulations. Some landscapes, at least for now, been spared simply because of the economic collapse.
In recent years, nothing has devoured Western land like residential development, whether in Albuquerque, Southern California, Denver, Las Vegas or Salt Lake. That's especially true in the greater Phoenix area, where suburbia has swallowed desert and farmland at a rate of more than 20 square miles per year. But now, with Phoenix hard-hit by the economic collapse, the desert might be given a reprieve. "We finally shut down the growth machine in Arizona, and we only had to crash the global financial system to do it," jokes Luther Propst, executive director of the Tucson-based Sonoran Institute (and an HCN board member).
This issue of High Country News uses post-meltdown Phoenix as a lens through which to consider the intersection of economy, growth and environment in the West. It looks at the situation from two different angles. One story focuses on the situation in the exurbs in the wake of the collapse. What, for example, will become of the miles of new, now empty houses? In the other, John Dougherty reports on a chunk of state land on the edge of Phoenix. During the housing boom, it was on the verge of disappearing underneath the same old sprawl. With that in mind, a group of conservationists and planners got together with folks from the real estate and business community to talk about the future of the land. It would be developed, yes, but in a way that was refreshingly different from the rest of Phoenix.
The plan isn't without controversy. Many environmentalists believe that the development of pristine desert is not inevitable -- especially with the economy in a shambles -- and that the land should just be left alone. But Propst and others believe the homebuilding industry will return with a vengeance, along with the state's chronic refusal to do anything to rein it in. That's why his organization believes smart planning on this piece of land may be the best opportunity to finally get growth right.
Either way, one thing is certain: This economic pause, no matter how long it lasts and no matter how painful it is, provides big opportunities to rethink the way we live in the West. We must take advantage of them while we can.


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I haven't posted much here in a long time because I've been busily building other sites. But I am pleased to announce that my music blog musical thoughts is open for your reading and listening enjoyment.
I'm making use of YouTube and its API to embed videos, making it a multimedia experience that I hope you will enjoy.


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In a move that'll surely light some fires in the SHO revival camp, Hennessey Motorsports will get their hands dirty and molest the newly-announced 2010 Ford Taurus SHO.
Hennessey, still hot from tuning the Corvette ZR1, will soon offer performance upgrades for the 2010 Ford Taurus SHO. The EcoBoost 365 HP, 350 lb-ft twin-turbocharged V6 may have been developed for performance with fuel economy in mind, but the two snails lurking under the hood can easily be turned into something that can beat the hare. The initial Hennessey upgrade package will include an exhaust system, air filter, boost controller, boost gauge, turbo upgrades, intercooler upgrades, suspension and more when it's released later this year.
With John Hennessey owning one of the original Taurus SHOs, we can only imagine the rest of the fun he has in store for this new MoTown hotrod.
[via Hennessey]


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Dr. Mark A. James First Dean of New College of Public Health
Dr. Mark A. James, professor and vice chair of the Department of Tropical Medicine at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, will become founding dean of Kent State University's College of Public Health on July 1, 2010, announced Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Robert G. Frank. Frank has served as interim dean of the college since its inception in 2009.
"The opportunity at Kent State University is ideal in that it allows one to build the college in the vision of a founding dean, together with a committed administration, faculty, staff and students," James said.
In addition to his extensive teaching experience, James' distinguished career in public health includes leadership positions as chair of the Tulane University Health Sciences Center Biomedical Institutional Review Board, secretary of General Faculty for the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and member of the University Senate at Tulane University. Trained as an immunoparasitologist, James' research interests include the immunology of malaria and Chagas' disease in Latin America.
"Kent State University's College of Public Health is poised to prepare students to meet the region's and nation's need for trained public health professionals," Frank said. "Dr. James' knowledge of what it takes to build an accredited program of public health will guide the college to meet those needs and leverage the educational and research strengths of its faculty."
James has been recognized by Tulane University on five separate occasions with the annual Excellence in Teaching Award. He also has received the Teaching Scholar Award in the School of Public Health in Tropical Medicine in 1999 and was recognized with the Chancellor's Teaching Scholar Award at the Tulane University Medical Center. He is an inaugural member of the ASPH/Pfizer Public Health Academy of Distinguished Teachers.
James holds a bachelor of science degree in zoology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a master's degree in zoology and a doctor of philosophy in tropical medicine from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Kent State's College of Public Health is Ohio's second college of public health. It was established to help meet the demonstrated state and national need for public health professionals. In Ohio alone, the projected shortage of educated and trained public health professionals is estimated to be in excess of 10,000 workers by 2020.
Last Friday, Gov. Ted Strickland and Ohio Board of Regents Chancellor Eric D. Fingerhut announced Kent State as a Center of Excellence in Biomedicine and Health Care for Ohio. Kent State's Center of Excellence focuses on the health of individuals and communities. The university was awarded this distinction due to its College of Public Health and its College of Nursing.
In October 2009, Kent State received approval by the Ohio Board of Regents to offer a bachelor of science (B.S.P.H.) degree in public health. Currently, 146 students are taking four courses this spring through its Experimental Programs (EXPR) Division, and the university is accepting applications for the B.S.P.H. program for fall 2010. The College of Public Health is also planning an undergraduate certificate in public health. The college has 18 full-time tenure track faculty members with the goal of 25 by 2012.
For more information on Kent State's College of Public Health, visit www.kent.edu/academics/publichealth.
# # #
Media Contact:
Emily Vincent, email@example.com, 330-672-8595


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- Description
With these graphics you WILL get noticed!! All graphics are digitally printed with UV resistant inks that are guaranteed not to fade for up to 5 years. These are not your typical 3-4 color Silk-Screened graphics. Our patented digital technology produces extremely vivid and detailed images, up to 16.5 million colors. Our image quality and detail is second to none!
Easy to apply, our kits are made from highly durable, ultra pliable, wreck-proof vinyl. Once the graphic is applied with our triple-layer, aggressive 3M brand adhesive - they will not come off and will hold up to even the most unforgiving conditions. We use the thickest layer of scratch-proof crystal clear vinyl over laminate for an Armor Like layer of protection.
This kit fits: This kit fits: 2005-2011 Arctic Cat M Series
All our graphic kits are available for all the models we carry. If you see a design on our site that you like but that is listed for a different sled model, simply contact us and we will be glad to print it for your specific vehicle at no extra cost.
Wraps are produced to order and shipped within 5 to 10 business days of payment cleared.
Please note that although the gaps between our graphic kits pieces are fairly small, the original color of your sled may still show a little. Please choose your design accordingly. This item is shipped from USA.


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Village Green Day School at Lowes Island is holding the following events:
* Wednesday, Jan. 18, an information night for preschool, junior kindergarten, kindergarten, and Montessori programs, from 7:30-9 p.m. RSVP preferred, call 703-404-4200.
* Monday, Jan. 30, annual open house, from 1-3 p.m. RSVP preferred, call 703-404-4200.
The Boyd School Broadlands Campus, 42945 Waxpool Road, Ashburn, will hold an open house Saturday, Jan. 21, from 10-1 p.m. Learn about the Montessori program. Visit www.theboydschool.com or call 703-723-3364.
The Sully Elementary School PTO presents Circus on Strings, performed by Susan Wall's Carousel Puppets Saturday, Jan. 28, at 11 a.m. The proceeds from this performance will go toward Discovery Park, the new science park and playground at Sully Elementary School. Free finger puppets for all children. Includes an opportunity to win a free marionette.
The admission price is $8 per person at the door. Children under 2 are admitted free. This event is open to the general public. This interactive program is suitable for all ages. Snacks and drinks will be available for sale.
Contact Valerie Petrey at 703-787-8931, firstname.lastname@example.com or Peter Kronenberg at 703-444-9484, email@example.com.
Potomac Falls High School, 46400 Algonkian Parkway, Sterling, is holding a Texas hold 'em tournament Saturday, Jan. 28, beginning at 6 p.m. Doors open at 5:45 p.m. Tickets $15 in advance, by mail or in the school's office. Community invited. All proceeds go to the class of 2006 Project Graduation All-Night Party.
Potomac Falls High School will be holding Parent Date Night Jan. 28, from 6-10 p.m. Children, 3-10 years old, will be supervised by PTSO (Parent/Teacher/Student Organization) parents and PFHS Key Club students, while enjoying two moon bounces, basketball, limbo, board games, crafts, face painting and a movie.
Preregistration encouraged but not required. Form on PFHS/PTSO Web page, www.ptsopf.com: either fax to PFHS at 703-444-7552 or bring it the night of event.
Fee per child for entire evening is $10 per first child; $7 per sibling. Children must be potty-trained, illness-free and need to bring a peanut-free snack and water in a disposable bag marked with name.
This is a fund-raiser for the PTSO and a community-service opportunity for the PFHS Key Club students.
Dominion High School will hold a fund-raiser Thursday, Feb. 16, featuring the Harlem Rockets and with Outback Steakhouse providing steak, chicken, baked potato and Caesar salad, from 5:30-7 p.m., in the Dominion High School cafeteria. At 7 p.m., the Harlem Rockets bring their brand of "Showtime Basketball" to the court to play the Seneca Ridge "Dream Team" of teachers and staff.
Tickets for each component of this evening may be purchased separately. Immediate families Ñ parents and children Ñ may purchase a family meal deal for $35. Individual tickets are priced at $6 for children, 12-younger and $15 for adults. Reservation requests may be dropped off at the Dominion High School office or mailed with checks payable to ATLAS, Dominion High School, 21326 Augusta Drive, Sterling VA 20164. Reservations are required to attend the Outback Dinner.
Harlem Rockets tickets are $6 if purchased prior to Feb. 10 and $8 afterwards. Contact Shawn Stiles for tickets at 703-406-3487 or e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com.
Proceeds from these community events will benefit ATLAS (Association of Titan Leaders Assisting Students) at Dominion High School and the Seneca Ridge Middle School PTO.
Belmont Ridge Middle School will hold its next family diversity dinner is planned for Feb. 27. The Belmont Ridge Step Team will perform at that dinner. The school invites the Belmont Ridge community to attend.
Dates for SAT and ACT testing for 2005-2006 have been established for Loudoun County Public Schools. The tests are administered on nationally standardized dates and require advanced registration.
Students may register online or may obtain paper registration materials from the guidance office of each high school. Registration and study information is available at www.collegeboard.org for the SAT and at www.act.org for the ACT. Students should register at least six weeks in advance of the tests.
Most colleges require SAT or ACT for college admissions. Some colleges also require certain SAT II subject tests for admissions or placement. Students should check with all of the colleges to which they plan to apply to determine which tests are required and preferred.
Students usually register for the SAT or ACT in their junior year and repeat the test in the senior year. Some students elect to take both the SAT and ACT.
The SAT test dates are:
* Jan. 28: SAT and SAT II subject tests, Loudoun Valley High School.
* April 1: SAT only, Loudoun County High School.
* May 6: SAT and SAT II subject tests, Broad Run High School.
* June 3: SAT and SAT II subject tests, Park View High School.
The ACT test date is April 8, Broad Run High School.
Long & Foster Real Estate Inc. announces the Long & Foster $200,000 Scholarship Program for well-rounded graduating high-school seniors entering an accredited four-year college or university. The program will award $1,000 each of 200 worthy recipients for the 2006-2007 academic year.
The deadline for applying is March 1 and the scholarships will be awarded in the beginning of April. The monetary scholarship award will be made payable directly to the college or university in the studentÕs name.
Applications for the program can be obtained from any of Long & Foster residential sales offices, from high-school guidance counselors or via Long & FosterÕs Web site at www.longandfoster.com/scholarship. Also visit the Web site for details on eligibility and application requirements.
In recognition of student volunteerism in Loudoun County, the Loudoun Volunteer Services Board has established scholarships for graduating seniors from each Loudoun County public and private high school and from the home-school community.
In support of the Student Volunteer Program, the scholarships recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the Loudoun County community through their volunteer efforts. Different from traditional scholarships, the Loudoun Volunteer Services' Student Scholarships place more emphasis on a demonstrated interest in and service to the community than on academic or athletic excellence.
It is the goal of the Loudoun Volunteer Services Board to provide opportunities and to encourage students to become active in their community through volunteer service. The Loudoun Volunteer Services' Student Scholarships are funded each year through contributions from county businesses and civic groups.
Students should submit the scholarship applications to Loudoun Volunteer Services, 1 Harrison St., S.E., P.O. Box 7000, Leesburg, VA 20177-7000, by the close of business May 1. Applications are available at each school, by visiting www.loudoun.gov/pio/student.htm or by calling 703-777-0113.
Dominion High School's second annual Project Graduation, a night-long celebration of the Class of 2006, will take place June 17, at the high school from 11 p.m.-5 a.m.
This alcohol- and drug-free event, following that morning's graduation exercises, is sponsored by ATLAS and being organized by the parents of underclassmen to provide an exciting, fun-filled, and safe celebration.
The theme will be "A Day at the Beach" and will feature a disc jockey, dancing, games and giveaways. Food is expected to include submarines sandwiches, ice slushies and a chocolate fountain. Door prizes will be drawn all night. A grand prize will be awarded at breakfast.
Many businesses and community organizations have already contributed to make this a truly memorable night for students. Businesses, organizations or individuals that would like to donate items or make a monetary donation are encouraged to contact Jane Lettmann at 703-444-5139 or e-mail email@example.com.


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The TCC Collector Zone Transaction Manager generated the following agreement:
crpalmi receives:
Joba62x receives:
All cards pulled from your team(s) in the Boxbreakers High End FB group break held May 28th. Payment was received and the cards will be mailed out on Tuesday after the holiday. Thanks again for participating!
Additional notes:
None Specified.


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Healthy Rivers, Indiana DNR Deer Biologist Win Awards
OutdoorHub 06.26.12
Indiana's Healthy Rivers INitiative and DNR deer research biologist Chad Stewart were honored with awards at the Midwest Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies director's meeting this week in Wichita, Kan.
Healthy Rivers received MAFWA's Excellence in Conservation Award that recognizes a specific project exemplifying the goal of fish and wildlife conservation.
Stewart received the organization's Wildlife Biologist of the Year Award that is given to an individual showing unparalleled initiative toward better understanding of wildlife and their conservation.
MAFWA is a regional organization of fish and wildlife agencies from 13 states and three Canadian provinces. It was formed in 1934 to provide a common forum for state and provincial agencies to share ideas and information, pool resources, and form action initiatives to improve management and conservation of fish and wildlife resources in the Midwest.
Announced in 2010 by Gov. Mitch Daniels, Healthy Rivers identified two distinct ecological river corridors—the Wabash River/Sugar Creek and Muscatatuck River—for landscape-scale conservation projects.
Healthy Rivers was designed to enhance, restore and protect a combined 70,000 acres in the two corridors. Working in partnership with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, Indiana Heritage Trust, The Nature Conservancy, Ducks Unlimited, and other partners, the DNR has secured protection for 30,000 acres in the first two years of the project.
Stewart was nominated for the Wildlife Biologist of the Year Award for his role in developing and defending the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife's five-year strategy and rule changes for managing white-tailed deer in Indiana. At the same time, Stewart accomplished a number of other projects, including response to a bovine tuberculosis outbreak in cattle in southern Indiana, securing a $47,000 grant to fund surveillance testing for chronic wasting disease in deer, completing a comprehensive survey of deer hunters, working with division biologists and local communities on deer-related issues, launching the GiveIN Game venison donation program, and authoring papers for professional journals.


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Previous: GET DATA /TYPE=TXT /ARRANGEMENT=DELIMITED, Up: GET DATA /TYPE=TXT [Contents][Index]
GET DATA /TYPE=TXT /FILE={'file_name',file_handle} [/ARRANGEMENT={DELIMITED,FIXED}] [/FIRSTCASE={first_case}] [/IMPORTCASE={ALL,FIRST max_cases,PERCENT percent}] [/FIXCASE=n] /VARIABLES fixed_var [fixed_var]… [/rec# fixed_var [fixed_var]…]… where each fixed_var takes the form: variable start-end format
GET DATA command with TYPE=TXT and ARRANGEMENT=FIXED reads input
data from text files in fixed format, where each field is located in
particular fixed column positions within records of a case. Its
capabilities are similar to those of DATA LIST FIXED (see DATA LIST FIXED), with a few enhancements.
The required
FILE subcommand and optional
FIRSTCASE and
subcommands are described above (see GET DATA /TYPE=TXT).
The optional
FIXCASE subcommand may be used to specify the positive
integer number of input lines that make up each case. The default
value is 1.
VARIABLES subcommand, which is required, specifies the positions
at which each variable can be found. For each variable, specify its
name, followed by its start and end column separated by '-'
(e.g. '0-9'), followed by an input format type (e.g.
'F') or a full format specification (e.g. 'DOLLAR12.2').
For this command, columns are numbered starting from 0 at
the left column. Introduce the variables in the second and later
lines of a case by a slash followed by the number of the line within
the case, e.g. '/2' for the second line.
Consider the following data on used cars:
model year mileage price type age Civic 2002 29883 15900 Si 2 Civic 2003 13415 15900 EX 1 Civic 1992 107000 3800 n/a 12 Accord 2002 26613 17900 EX 1
The following syntax can be used to read the used car data:
GET DATA /TYPE=TXT /FILE='cars.data' /ARRANGEMENT=FIXED /FIRSTCASE=2 /VARIABLES=model 0-7 A year 8-15 F mileage 16-23 F price 24-31 F type 32-40 A age 40-47 F.
Previous: GET DATA /TYPE=TXT /ARRANGEMENT=DELIMITED, Up: GET DATA /TYPE=TXT [Contents][Index]


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Ted Lilly officially back in Dodger blue!
He has just signed a three-year deal to pitch in Los Angeles…here's the release.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Public Relations
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
2010 trade acquisition and former Dodger farmhand returns to Los Angeles through 2013
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers announced today that they have signed left-handed pitcher Ted Lilly to a three-year contract. General Manager Ned Colletti made the announcement.
"Ted helped stabilize our rotation both in terms of his pitching ability and his leadership," said Colletti. "He gave us everything we were looking for in a veteran pitcher down the stretch last season."
Lilly, 34, went 7-4 with a 3.52 ERA in 12 starts for the Dodgers after being acquired from the Cubs with Ryan Theriot in exchange for Blake DeWitt, Kyle Smit and Bret Wallach hours before the trade deadline. The left-hander won his first five starts with Los Angeles from Aug. 3-24, becoming the first Dodger pitcher to do so since Kazuhisa Ishii won his first six starts with the team in 2002. Lilly received the lowest run support in the Major Leagues at just 2.88 runs per game and allowed three runs or less in 22 of his 30 outings.
Overall, the southpaw finished 10-12 with a 3.62 ERA in 30 combined starts with the Dodgers and Cubs.
The Torrance native has reached double figures in victories in each of the past eight seasons, including 12 or more wins in six of the last eight, since 2003. The only other pitchers in the Major Leagues to have double figures in victories over the last eight consecutive seasons are C.C. Sabathia (2001-10), Johan Santana (2003-10), Derek Lowe (2002-10), Mark Buehrle (2001-10), Jon Garland (2002-10), John Lackey (2003-10) and Javier Vazquez (2000-10). He owns a 113-96 career record and a 4.18 ERA in 12 seasons with the Expos, Yankees, A's, Blue Jays, Cubs and Dodgers.
Lilly's .587 winning percentage (54-38) since 2007 ranks eighth among all big league left-handers and his 103 victories since 2003 are tied for 12th among all active pitchers.
At Dodger Stadium, Lilly tossed a two-hit shutout on Aug. 19 and went 4-1 with a 2.09 ERA (10 ER/43.0 IP) in six starts. While in a Dodger uniform, the opposition hit just .163 against him at home.
This season, Lilly tossed at least 6.0 innings in 24 of his 30 starts and went at least 7.0 frames in 15 of the 30 outings. He walked just 44 batters in 193.2 innings for an average of 2.04 walks per nine innings, the second-lowest mark in the National League behind Roy Halladay (1.08).
Lilly joined the Dodgers on July 31, 2010, 12 years to the day that he was traded as a minor league farmhand. On July 31, 1998, Los Angeles acquired Mark Grudzielanek, Carlos Perez and Hiram Bocachica from the Montreal Expos in exchange for Lilly, Peter Bergeron and Jonathon Tucker.
While with the Cubs on June 14 of this season, Lilly took a no-hitter into the ninth inning before the White Sox' Juan Pierre came off the bench to break up the bid. On May 10, 1997, Lilly threw a no-hitter against Lake Elsinore for Single-A San Bernardino in the Dodgers' farm system.
Lilly lives in Oakhurst, CA with his wife Natasha and their seven-month-old son, Ted Lilly, IV.
19 Comments
Ted Lilly had a 1.00 ERA on the second Tuesday of every third month of an odd year… jeez, cherry pick the stats why don't they.
Still, I'd rather see Lilly than Ely or Haeger.
Hey, anyone hear of Yu Darvish? His numbers intrigue me and he's only 24. Make it so Ned before you sign some other garbage.
The most important part is missing and it was a 3 yrs 33 millions contract.
Welcome back Ted! I'm kind of scared that he lives in Enchanted's neck of the woods 🙂
Lilly is a good fit since he is used to not getting much run support.
Welcome back to LA Ted!!!!
Wow! Living in Oakhurst. That is not too far away from us, and like Tru said, right in Enchanted's neck of the woods (literally).
Not too sure about the length of contract, but it's a good move for the 2011 and the 2012 season. It also might be a very good thing for our young pitchers to have a good veteran presence around.
Kirk Gibson to auction off iconic HR bat
RIP Tom Bosley
Talk about pitching for contract…Cliff Lee has set himself up to make a zillion dollars. Does Frank have a zillion he's not using?
Heard Mattingly on LA radio today and he made a lot of sense. On Kemp, he sees him as a #2, #5 or #6 hitter. Said pitchers still feel comfortable they'll be able to get Kemp out in a big situation. Not so with Ethier…sees him as a hitter who can succeed against all kinds of pitching. His bottom line: Dodgers need thunder to combine with Ethier as a 1-2 punch (ala Manny of ancient history.)
I grew up watching Leave it to Beaver and Happy Days.
Can we have Kemp bat in front of Ethier?
I still want Kemp in that #3 spot like Crawford is doing for the Rays.
Hello ITD! Hope everyone is staying dry. I got drenched walking from work to the train station. I can't believe how hard it rain in that short time.
LOL! Enchanted! You almost made me spill my water on the laptop.
Regarding gnats/phils: I think Timmy the toker is taking the phillies starting line-up to haight ashbury sight seeing and imbibing on the bong. The phils wait, then swing at anything. Charlie keep your team in the batting cage before the game!
I know, a post late, but I'd like to share.
I remember October 15th, 1988.
I was 7 years old. A couple years removed from my dad saving me from becoming an Angels fan whose favorite player was Reggie Jackson. [Side note: My mom and dad took off for a Dodger game when I was 5. After dropping me off at my grandparents' house, they asked me if I wanted anything from the game, and I said an Angels shirt. When they returned, they brought me a Dodger raglan-styled jersey shirt with blue 3/4 sleeves and the Dodgers logo with the red baseball going through it. I didn't know who the Dodgers were before that, but blue was always my favorite color, so it was probably destined].
A couple years and a few trips to Dodger Stadium later (always Dodger Stadium and Disneyland, the two were once married in experience, and now married in cost-of-experience), we were in the middle of our family's camping trip that always come on October weekends. Out in what is now known as the Mojave National Preserve, it was night, and I was sitting at the campfire, my dad, grandpa and uncles still on their way back from the hunt up in the mountains. There was no doubt, as a family of mostly Dodger fans, that they were listening to the same fuzzy, unsquelchable broadcast one would get from a night broadcast somewhere between 4,000 and 8,000 feet, about 4 hours from the action at Dodger Stadium.
Listening to the radio, I didn't get the Vin Scully call anyone with a TV listened to. We had Jack Buck calling the game, and I remember asking what the score was, all that mattered at that young age to me was whether the Dodgers were winning or they were losing, and they were losing.
I didn't grasp that the Dodgers were losing to the "best" ballclub in the league that year, with over 100 wins.
I didn't grasp that on the mound was one of the most dominant closers in baseball history.
I didn't grasp that our only hope was a hobbled warrior, armed only with tenacity, instinct, a scouting report, and little else.
And I didn't grasp the historic ramifications of Jack Buck repeating "I don't believe what I just saw" for what seemed like forever in my mind. When the hunters returned, everyone was happy, the Dodgers won, and to that 7 year old, that was all that mattered.
I remember October 15th, 2008.
Twenty years is a long time. In that time, I had always bled blue. Even as the "cool" kids with the bandwagon attitudes faded from A's and 49ers to Braves and Cowboys, leading to Yankees and Broncos by the time I graduated, I took the lumps, holding on to hope that Piazza, Karros, Mondesi, Nomo and Hollandsworth would help lead the team towards another championship, only to be rewarded with getting swept out of two Octobers. It is easy to fall for the myth today that L.A. has been a Lakers town since Magic took the court, but in those Cedric Ceballos, Eddie Jones, Nick van Exel, Vlade Divac days, and with Frontiere and Davis flying the coop, the city's sports mantle was pretty much up for grabs. Probably tough to remember now that those shiver-inducing Del Harris years are now bookended with the Phil Jackson-Kobe Bryant-(and once) Shaq era. And although oppurtunity knocked on the Dodgers' door to take back the town, Mike Piazza's twin 0-fers at the two Home Run Derbys he participated in were the ultimate metaphor for the national impact of the 90's Dodgers.
Moving away from Southern California to Giants country in 2001, it had been a rough decade watching the Barry led Giants beating up the division. Finally, in 2004, we returned to October, but the Cards quashed hopes quickly, Jose Lima providing the only highlight of the previous 16 years.
In 2006, I remember leaving Chico State on the hourlong commute back home during Game 1 of the NLDS, scrambling to tune the radio to whatever station would carry the game, just in time to hear "And Kent rounds third on the way home… and he's out! and… Drew rounding third? And he is out at the plate!" That one play had the same soul-sucking effect on us James Loney's Game 1 Grand Slam would have on Wrigley Field two years later.
And how therapeutic that Loney slam was. After what was now 20 long years of practical irrelevance (as far as ESPN was concerned), it felt like I finally shook that stigma. The upper right corner of dodgerblues.com was going to have to find a new gimmick, because we were on a roll, and before we knew it, we had swept the best team in the league out of the playoffs. With Manny Ramirez and Joe Torre leading the headlines, Bristol frothed at the mouth for a Dodgers-Red Sox World Series, with not one ESPN pundit seeing any other scenario than the Dodgers winning the pennant. After all, they said, all that stood in the way was, :: scoff :: Philadelphia.
When October 15th came, what might've been a happier rememberance became a nightmare in reality. To this day, I wonder if Tommy can think of Matt Stairs in the same way he did when they won Gold together. On the brink of elimination (just like the Red Sox), we had to win. And what better night to come back from a 3-1 deficit than on the 20th Anniversary of Kirk Gibson's Homer? Well, watching Nomar's futile foul out over the NLCS logo on the third base side, all I saw when I looked at pictures of Gibson's fist pump that night was a growing shadow.
It hurt even more in the coming days watching Boston battle back from 3-1 to take the series to Game 7, but there was small solace in watching them blow it too (take that, McCourts! No consolation prize for you).
I remember October 15th, 2009.
After an offseason of stewing, I feared the Dodgers might've missed their window of opportunity. Most of Dodger Nation feared the team would not bring back Manny Ramirez, miffed at Jamie McCourt's assertion that charity playing fields mattered more than adding free agents, only to be trumped by Dennis Mannion a year later equating free agents to concession stands. But the Dodgers did bring him back, and the team got off strong. Unbelievably strong. Tearing it up with a 13-0 home streak to start the year.
Then the next day, I remember sitting in British Lit, figuring I'd check my phone a minute before class. After reading the Dodgers news, it felt like being kicked in the stomach, with the longest hour and fifteen minutes of my life having to pass before I could get to the car to hear the news on the radio to confirm it. Manny Ramirez, the catalyst, was suspended for PED use.
There goes our season, I thought. But I was wrong. The Dodgers went on to have the best record in baseball, with some of the best pitching in spite of the holes in the rotation that worried a fanbase weaned on Koufax and Drysdale. We found our way back to the Postseason, only to face… the St. Louis Cardinals.
There goes our postseason, I thought. But I was wrong. Somehow, someway, the Dodgers were able to… :: gasp :: beat St. Louis. Matt Holliday's… umm… missed catch/nutcracker almost was as big a realization moment as Loney's grand slam, and we got back to the NLCS, against Philadelphia.
Yes. Philadelphia.
It's what the players wanted all season long.
It's what the fans wanted all season long.
It's what I wanted all season long.
It's likely what you wanted all season long.
It's sure as heck what the L.A. media wanted all along.
And up for grabs: Grand Prize: World Series against the New York Yankees!
Consolation Prize: a REAL Freeway Series against the Angels
Booby Prize: Getting sent back home by Philly. Heheheh. Yeah, right! Not again. Not now. Not with the whole of the Dodger loving world geared for revenge, from the fans to the players.
And Game 1 fell on…. October 15th!
What a perfect date for redemption! A date to show the Phillies we weren't screwing around anymore. The Core has grown, the team is the best in the league, and now they will feel the full wrath of the Dodgers, surrounded by 56,000 screaming Dodgers fans, at Dodger Stadium on the anniversary of one of the greatest moments in Dodgers history. No one's leaving early tonight.
Money was tight, but I was able to set a bit of scratch aside to head to the mall and buy a new Dodgers hat. The new polyester ones, that won't shrink or stink like wool (though I miss the smell of wool hats, I admit). I could actually buy a hat that's the size my head is, no longer having to remember how much bigger I had to buy it for what blend or any of that stuff. A new Dodger hat. Better then buying new shoes. A hat that will be remembered as the hat bought on the 21st anniversary of Kirk Gibson's Homer, the day the Dodgers, at Dodger Stadium, took their legacy back! I shivered as I saw the $36 price, but a small price to pay. I headed back into the car and turned on the radio to hear what the sports talking heads thought of the playoffs.
"And we have this official announcement from the Los Angeles Dodgers:…"
An official announcement? I wonder what it is? It's a playoff day, so must be something…
"Owners Frank and Jamie McCourt are seperating, headed for a divorce."
*&)((#@$()*#@$)(*#@)($*#)($*) #)&$)* @(&# (*#%*(#@&$ &(*&)( #^!@$)#($# @@#(*$*#*$(*@#% #( @#($#($()*@($*@(*$#$**@&$*#$*@!&*$*#@*($*&@#*&$*#!@( !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
5 games later, and, as Samuel Beckett wrote in "Waiting for Godot", "There you are again. There we are again. There I am again." Nothing to be done, for sure. When Dodger fans and players were 100% focused on the playoffs, they found their foe was not the Phillies, but the owners' overinflated egos, "more Hollywood than Hollywood".
There are no words for October 15th, 2010. Not after what those two have done to this team, this fanbase, and the reputation of one of the storied treasures of all sports.
There can be no forgiveness until there is humility.
Then, we will consider it.
Well… I might consider it, but I can only speak for myself.
All I can really say after that phenomenal post Northstateblues is "Wow!!!! Job well done!" Nothing like a fabulous history lesson (from your wonderful perspective) to end a great day. Thanks!!!
Wow it allowed you to type all of that but of course I know you copy and paste that.
Thanks Nelly. Took forever to type. And Shad, I did copy and paste from Notepad. I've lost too many posts to the glitches on this blog, heh.
I just type what I have to do and sometime I get scare of the submission error and just copy it before I hit the submit button now.


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As some of you may know, I was the original author of the WP Contact Form plugin for WordPress back in 2004. I took my inspiration from PhotoMatt's contact form and turned it into a plugin that everybody could use. In late 2005 – early 2006, spammers began to exploit the form and I began to run out of time to update the plugin. For a while, there were no updates and then others began to develop alternatives. Until now, the original WP Contact Form was managed by myself and Peter Westwood (@westi). I would like to extend my thanks to everyone who in some way helped me develop the original WP Contact Form.
Update (10/2010):
Talking to Westi recently, we decided that neither of us have time to further maintain WP Contact Form and that there were currently better options out there. Since the options handled what we had planed to improve and fix, there was no use duplicating effort. With that said, I suggest you use:
Gravity Forms – A high tech plugin that lets you build custom forms and is extremely extensible.


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Individual virtual flights were hooked to the network by an add-on program called SquawkBox, which transmitted an aircraft's flight data to VATSIM; in addition, it allowed pilots to communicate with air traffic controllers either by text messaging or by voice, using a headset and microphone. For Buitrago, all of this was a dream come true. "I started out as a student controller in 2004, and worked my way up over a period of two years to be a senior controller," he says. "There's a very strict hierarchy in VATSIM. I started in Washington Center and have been there ever since. I was deputy manager for two years, and then manager for about a year and a half."
You might think of Buitrago's home office as Washington Center's control room. It's a small, downstairs den with bookcases laden with IFR charts. On a desk are two monitors, each wired to its own central processing unit. Front and center is the monitor hosting the virtual radar client. On a black background, the various sectors and components of Washington Center's airspace show up in color: airways, cities, airports, radio towers and other navigational aids. Prohibited areas such as P-40 (Camp David) and P-56 (the White House, Pentagon, and U.S. Capitol) are red.
Flights in progress appear as "tags," colored blocks of text that give, among other things, the flight's points of origin and destination, ground speed, altitude, transponder code, and whether it's in cruise, climb, or descent. A line to the left of the text block indicates the aircraft's heading.
At this precise moment Buitrago's radar screen shows about eight targets. He dons his headset and connects to the system (he arranges with other controllers in Washington Center on when to participate). From the controller he's about to replace, he learns about aircraft on the ground at Reagan Washington National Airport, waiting for clearances. Then, by text messaging over ChatBox, he informs other controllers in the area that he's about to be up and running. And all at once this 42-year-old MBA magically becomes…Washington Center!
A United flight checks in.
United 4347: "Washington Center, United 4347 climbing out of one six thousand for one seven thousand."
Washington Center: "United 4347, Washington Center, good evening. Climb and maintain flight level two-seven-zero."
"The guy who wrote this VRC [virtual radar client] went so far as to add a filter to distort the voice so it sounds like a VHF radio," says Buitrago. "Otherwise it would sound too clear, too perfect."
Both virtual pilots and virtual controllers make every effort to mimic real-world air traffic control phrasing and speech cadences, as well as its elaborate politeness and formality.
Buitrago's other display screen, to his immediate right, is for "flight strips," which are also artifacts of real-world air traffic control. A flight strip is a rectangular box that duplicates much of the information found in the radar tag but also includes such data as the aircraft's alternate airport for landing and its complete flight plan.


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By Annie Hamilton
Hampton Union, Tuesday, June 17, 2008
[The following article is courtesy of the Hampton Union and Seacoast Online.]
[Annie Hamilton photo]
HAMPTON — "I have the best job in the school."
Named "Librarian of the Year," Winnacunnet High School librarian Dorothy Grazier loves her job. She gets to aid students every day in their search for knowledge but doesn't have to worry about distributing grades or disciplining students.
"(Librarians) can be the helper, the guider, and the coach in how to find information," said Grazier, which she feels is very important in the school.
Last Saturday, June 7, Grazier received an Excellence in Education Award or "EDie," for which she was nominated by the New Hampshire Education Media Association (NEMA).
Grazier said there were about 30 people and schools in Manchester being honored.
"It was great — the atmosphere of educators honoring each other," said Grazier. "It was a room full of a lot of good people who were trying to do good things."
Grazier is very interested in constantly improving education for students. She is currently on the board of the New Hampshire Council of Teachers of English and the board of NEMA.
"I'm just enjoying the opportunities that come by," said Grazier. "I'm using the things I know, and the people I know, to influence education and to make things better."
Grazier, who has been a librarian for 37 years, has been incorporating technology into public libraries and schools since the very beginning of her career.
Since 1980, Grazier has been instructing others in the importance of efficient use of the newest technologies to advance knowledge. This includes the use of databases, the evaluation and creation of Web pages, and even the use of iPods to listen to audio books.
Grazier said she has enjoyed "watching technology advance and grow" over the course of her career. She also remembers the difficulty of finding a useful balance of new technology and older practices of educating.
"As librarians, we felt that our world was being taken away from us, and that's just not true at all," said Grazier. "It's blossoming and we need to rejoice in it."
Grazier was not always planning to become a librarian. For her undergraduate degree, she was a music, art, and drama major, with plans to perform on stage. She set high goals for herself, including becoming president of the United States and opening a children's home. When she married into a family with many librarians, she decided to try that out instead.
Grazier is just as passionate about her job now as she was when she started 37 years ago. She loves that she never has to focus on only one subject, and she gets to be a part of almost every aspect of the school.
"I learn something every day," said Grazier.


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Well, this is it…144 posts later, it's finally time to write about the conclusion of my college years!
You were there during my pre-freshman summer, watching me as I eagerly counted down the days to my Cornell arrival, and finished my packing list. You were there when I moved in, did laundry for the first time, got care packages, enjoyed parents weekend, took my first round of prelims, questioned my original major, dealt with course enrollment, got nervous about my first finals, and finished my first semester (and year).
You were there as I got involved with clubs (like the Program Board and The Sun), took quirky P.E. classes, went to career services, and quartercarded on Ho Plaza. Some cool stuff happened along the way, like discovering a "secret" tunnel and running into Bill Nye in the Cornell Store.
Over time I'd like to think you watched me grow–mastering the TCAT, coming around to 'liking' Ithaca, speaking in lecture halls, and finally transferring into an academic program that I ended up loving (and which I'd say defined the second half of my college career). I also realized how adults handle birthdays in college. Becoming a teaching assistant was a huge growing experience, as were the few embarrassing situations I happened to get myself into.
I brought you along as I got my first internship, then second…then third. Acclimating to life in Manhattan, then D.C., proved to be growing experiences as well. Interestingly enough, over time Cornell changed as much as I did–with the addition of the NYC Tech Campus and removal of the fences on the bridges.
But you were also there when things weren't so great-when I dealt with awfully stressful weeks and being sick in college, when the fire alarm went off in Donlon at 3am during finals week, when I had doubts about leaving for a semester, when I lost $300 worth of textbooks, and, of course the saddest, when I had those kind of family emergencies.
Once I got the hang of Cornell I may or may not have used the blog as a podium–such as by talking about the land-grant mission, the importance of enjoying the ride, how random everything is, what any person-any study and elite, not elitist mean and what truly makes Cornell unique. If you actually thought I knew what I was talking about, props to you–but I made everything up. (Just kidding.)
I can't believe I have a chronicle of my 4 years of college life to look back on. I have to thank Lisa and Emily in the Office of Web Communications for having faith in me, inspiring me and giving me
irresponsible incredible amounts of freedom. I'm not sure how many other Ivy League universities would let a student blog this freely, but somehow I've maintained to hang onto this gig for 4 years without any furious calls from Day Hall.
Thanks to everyone else that made my Cornell experience incredible as well. A prevalent theme throughout this blog is undoubtedly the importance of people, and how they make Cornell great. My time in Ithaca was not always easy–far from it–but the fantastic people I've met here tended to pull me through the good and the bad. This includes the student my sophomore year who found my ID card and returned it to me, the professor junior year who wrote me a 14 paragraph email at 4 in the morning, and the many friends and familiar faces I've grown to meet over the last few years. Thanks to this job, I've corresponded with prospective students from places like Pakistan, China, Australia, Thailand and Nigeria…and that's an experience I certainly won't forget either.
If you've been a regular reader and have been silent, I'd love to hear your comments. (Blogging is kind of a one-sided conversation; I only really get feedback when people have huge disagreements, like when we're discussing top on-campus lunches.)
I guess I'll wrap up this final post by using the exact same line I used 4 years ago in my inaugural post:
"Thanks for coming along for the ride!!"


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Leftists want to characterize secession as a thought crime
Paul Joseph Watson
November 15, 2012
Leftist control freaks are attempting to turn the call for states to secede from the union into a thought crime – by asking the government to have its advocates stripped of their citizenship, deported and exiled.
The viral stampede for secession has now reached a crescendo, with residents of all 50 states filing petitions with the White House calling to withdraw from the United States and form new governments independent of federal control.
The petition for Texas, the largest so far with over 107,000 signatures, states, "The US continues to suffer economic difficulties stemming from the federal government's neglect to reform domestic and foreign spending. The citizens of the US suffer from blatant abuses of their rights such as the NDAA, the TSA, etc. Given that the state of Texas maintains a balanced budget and is the 15th largest economy in the world, it is practically feasible for Texas to withdraw from the union, and to do so would protect it's citizens' standard of living and re-secure their rights and liberties in accordance with the original ideas and beliefs of our founding fathers which are no longer being reflected by the federal government."
A Daily Caller investigation found that the kind of people filing the petitions are Marine veterans, parents, mechanics and businessmen.
However, secessionist fervor has been met with a statist backlash, with other Americans, primarily supporters of Barack Obama, filing counter-petitions asking the government to, "Strip the Citizenship from Everyone who Signed a Petition to Secede and Exile Them." A similar petition calls on the Obama administration to, "Deport Everyone That Signed A Petition To Withdraw Their State From The United States Of America."
The two petitions calling for those who advocate secession to be deported have achieved a combined total of just over 32,000 signatures, whereas the petitions calling for states to secede are now approaching a million signatures.
However, one of the petitions attempting to characterize secessionists as thought criminals is just 4,700 signatures short of a 25,000 target that would automatically mandate a White House review – a figure already surpassed by at least seven of the petitions calling for secession.
Many Obama-supporting Twitter users have also voiced their desire to see secessionists targeted by the government merely for voicing a political grievance. View a selection of Tweets below.
Liberal Obama supporters calling for pro-secessionists to be demonized and punished as thought criminals would do well to remember the aftermath of George W. Bush's re-election in 2004, when Democrats also called for secession.
Although some have tried to characterize calls for secession as anti-American, people like Congressman Ron Paul have pointed out that it is in fact as American as apple pie.
In a 2009 Campaign for Liberty video, Paul stated, "It's very American to talk about secession — that's how we came into being. Thirteen colonies seceded from the British and established a new country, so secession is very much an American principle."
When asked how he viewed recent calls for secession, Ron Paul spokeswoman Rachel Mills said the Congressman "feels the same now" as he did about it three years ago.
Watch a clip below in which Alex Jones talks about the real history behind secession.
Paul Joseph Watson is the editor and writer for Infowars.com and Prison Planet.com. He is the author of Order Out Of Chaos. Watson is also a host for Infowars Nightly News.
The Emergency Election Sale is now live! Get 30% to 60% off our most popular products today!


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08 August 2007
How God Loves the World
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets -- and that's pretty good; in fact, that would have been enough. But in these last days He has spoken to us by his Son.
12 comments:
- Unknown said...
huh? This one will need more words ...
- 5:27 AM, August 08, 2007
- FX Turk said...
Rick --
I know it's not the Message and all, but here's what the writer of Hebrews is saying: God has already taken a long time, and used a lot of different ways, to tell us about Himself by means of the Prophets and by the other Fathers who write the Old Testament -- like Moses, and David, and Solomon, and whoever wrote Job and Esther and Ruth.
That is, God has (as D.A. Carson has recently said) condescended to speak to us with words. God didn't have to do that -- He didn't owe that to us, but He did it anyway. He put in time which was way above and beyond.
And if God had only given us the OT -- full of prophecies He fulfilled, and promises He made, and a (ahem) metanarrative of what He has done in history -- that would have been more than enough to demonstrate that He loves us. As it says in Ps 119, He gave the the Scripture and it is good for us -- a blessing to us.
But God has done far more than that.
In these last days -- that is, at the end of all things, as the eschaton is coming and is in fact here -- God spoke to us by His Son. God hasn't just given us some flat text which is trying to impose itself on our way of thinking: God has spoken by fulfilling the promises and by doing the work Himself, in the person of the Son.
God has spoken to us by His Son. If that piece of the NT has never dazzled you regarding the lengths and breadth God has gone to to express Himself to the whole world, let it be dazzling today.
- 6:32 AM, August 08, 2007
- Daryl said...
Seems like we're so used to the idea that we forget the magnitude of God actually taking the time to send his son, his only son, the son that he loves.
- 6:40 AM, August 08, 2007
- Unknown said...
Cent - thanks. I am dazzled - before, now, and I suspect even tomorrow. I was just checking the scope of your point.
Since Pyro has millions of readers, you likely do not remember me but you were kind enough to confront me (in a good way) on my blog and you've replied to some of my comments here.
I'm one of the suspicious Charismatics that lurk around here so I was simply checking if anything was implied in your post. I'm very satisfied with what you wrote.
Thanks and keep up the good posting.
- 7:41 AM, August 08, 2007
- FX Turk said...
Rick --
I read your blog when I feel my blood pressure going down. I remember you.
I have some snide remarks about how I remember you, but I think they would not be received as jokes. So I'll leave it at that.
- 7:52 AM, August 08, 2007
- Kim said...
I like it.
One of my favorite verses in Scripture.
- 8:01 AM, August 08, 2007
- Solameanie said...
Jesus really is the final word, isn't He? I know that drives the pomos nuts, but God has indeed spoken through His Son in these last days. There is no other name given under heaven by which we must be saved. There is no one else, and if you don't find truth in Him, you won't find it at all.
Pomos like "choices" and "options." What a disillusionment this must be to them.
- 8:08 AM, August 08, 2007
- Stefan Ewing said...
God works in the most amazing ways. Back when this Jewish, one-time atheist was still unsaved, he led me to a Bible study group that was finishing up Leviticus. The next autumn, He guided them to do Hebrews, and wow, well, that just opened my eyes! Hebrews finished, and the following autumn, He guided the pastor at the church I was now attending to cover Romans 9-11.
It all fits into place. Hebrews is what brings God's self-revelation througout the Old and New Testaments together.
- 8:46 AM, August 08, 2007
I love Piper's sermon on that verse. Now, whenever I read that verse, I hear the cadence of Piper's voice...
Anyway, thanks Frank, dazzling indeed.
- 11:21 AM, August 08, 2007
- FX Turk said...
Garet --
I'm still fat. If I loaned you my body for 60 days, would you send it back to me in fit condition?
- 11:29 AM, August 08, 2007
If the first part were possible, then yes, the latter part would be too.
Sorry your still fat, I'll remember to pray that the Lord would grant you the self-control you desire.
- 12:42 PM, August 08, 2007
- ~Mark said...
I enjoy the long, expository posts y'all usually do here, but in real life relationships I like to be as direct as possible, as fast as possible, as considerately as possible, and with as much hard evidence as possible.
I am SO loving this series of "to the point" posts.
It reminds me of the serious conversations I have with just about anyone under the age of 23. Their words: "Just say it already."
Thanks for saying it! (Not that I won't enjoy the return to longer posts, but keeping these a regular part of posting might be a good thing.)
- 1:01 PM, August 08, 2007


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Tia TameraandGiuliana Billwill make their debuts on E! next month, the network announcedThursday.Tia Tamerawill air Tuesdays at 9/8c, followed by Giuliana Billat 10/9c, startingOct. 15.
Fall TV Preview: What's premiering when?
Season 3 ofTia Tamerafollows the twins ...
Tia & Tamera and Giuliana & Bill will make their debuts on E! next month, the network announced Thursday. Tia & Tamera will air Tuesdays at 9/8c, followed by Giuliana & Bill at 10/9c, starting Oct. 15.
Fall TV Preview: What's premiering when?
Season 3 of Tia & Tamera follows the twins as they expand their businesses and balance motherhood with returning to TV. Tia stars on Instant Mom, which premieres Sunday on Nickelodeon, while Tamera co-hosted the summer talk show The Real this year.
Giuliana & Bill's sixth season will chronicle Giuliana and Bill Rancic's life with their son, Duke, and discussions about having more children.
Both shows previously aired on Style, which NBCUniversal shuttered earlier this month to make way for the Esquire network.
Will you watch the shows on E!?
View original Tia & Tamera, Giuliana & Bill Move to E! at TVGuide.com
Other Links From TVGuide.com Tamera MowryTia MowryBill RancicGiuliana & BillGiuliana RancicTia & TameraInstant MomThe RealTV Guide iPhone App TV Listings New Tonight on TV


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WASHINGTONVILLE — Take Pat Rowley's job.
WASHINGTONVILLE — Take Pat Rowley's job.
As manager of Washingtonville's wastewater management facility, Rowley is one of a number of water and sewer officials aggressively out recruiting young people to take his post one day.
According to sewer and water officials, nearly half of their number across the country will retire within the next five to 10 years.
"We're talking closer to five," said Patricia Scalera, chief executive officer of New York Rural Water Association, a nonprofit that provides training and technical assistance to water and wastewater operators. "We're talking about a massive decrease."
Problem is, few young people are willing to pick up the torch once those currently in the field leave. Elected municipal leaders and state government officials began paying attention to the "crisis" about five years ago.
Sewer plant operators who belong to the association "came to us and said, 'I've been advertising for this position for two years, and I haven't had any applicants. I've been trying to retire," Scalera recalled.
This is where sewer professionals, such as Rowley, have come in. When called upon by his trade association, he has gone to high schools and career fairs with a smile on his face and brochures in hand.
Holding up to rejection is part of the job. "If you've got 1 in a 100 who say, 'I want to be a wastewater plant manager,' you've found something rare," he said.
The quality of our water and streams — where much of the effluent treated by our sewer plants ends up — depends on Rowley's success. Failure to find a new generation of sewer and water professionals could mean higher water and sewer rates for everyone, more of the work done by subcontractors not invested in our communities, and a growing temptation for municipalities to hire unqualified people for the job, Scalera said.
The major hurdle to finding qualified applicants has less to do with potty-mouthed humor about the job — it's dollars and cents.
The starting salary for the managerial posts are from $30,000 to $40,000. That's typically after several years of apprenticeship in a public works department, where applicants do various inglorious jobs, while also going to school for water and sewer operator certifications, Scalera said.
Small municipalities often have only two people overseeing both the water and sewer operations, thus requiring 24/7 on-call duty, as well as little time off, she said.
Thanks to the ever-growing list of consumer products and chemicals thrown down toilets, as well as technologies to deal with it all, the job of the sewer and water operator has grown more complex.
One possible solution is hiring returning soldiers who have worked on sewer plants in Iraq and Afghanistan. Scalera's organization is hoping to streamline the certification process for such applicants, she said.
In the end, the real obstacle to finding qualified applicants appears to be us, Scalera said.
"People are willing to pay $70 a month for cable but not more than $70 a quarter to improve the quality of their water," she said.


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Hooray for the National Trust
Posted by Robin Clarke in School of Museum Studies Blog on April 5, 2017
There are many things in life that one should really rise above and not respond to. One such thing, in my humble opinion, is the Daily Mail. But this morning I took the unusual step of actually reading something in the Mail (don't worry, I thoroughly washed my hands afterwards) – an article that was […]
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Daily Mail, Distance Learning, Easter, Easter Eggs, Heritage and Interpretation, LGBT, Museum Studies, National Trust, Prejudice and Pride, Robin Clarke, School of Museum Studies, University of Leicester | 2 Responses


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With all the games I've been attending I'm going with a small tree this week. Twenty years ago the Pirates traded for Steve Buechele.
Buechele was a nice pickup from Texas but he never hit for the same power in Pittsburgh. I remember being surprised when they traded him to Chicago the next season because it seemed to put a good sized hole in the lineup. Danny Jackson was a capable starter down the stretch for the last Pirates playoff team.
Filed under: baseball, Pirates, Trade Tree | Tagged: baseball, Danny Jackson, Hector Fajardo, Kurt Miller, Pirates, Steve Buechele, Trade Tree | Leave a comment »


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Rays hope to ride 'swarm' offense into October
Skipper Maddon preaches patience at the plate and consistent contact
The Rays are on pace for their fifth 90-win season in the past six years. They trail the first-place Red Sox in the American League East standings by just a game, but the gap in payroll between the two clubs stands at nearly $100 million.
The manner in which the Rays' front office continues to meld together playoff teams with limited financial resources has been well documented.
The blueprint is not a secret: Build out from consistent homegrown starting pitching and find solid defensive players. Fill the holes with talent that may not have panned out elsewhere and hope manager Joe Maddon's "be yourself" clubhouse brings different results.
But Tampa Bay's success this season has come from more than pitching and defense. By several statistical measures, the Rays are having their best offensive season since they made the playoffs for the first time in 2008.
When it's at its best, Maddon refers to his offense as "the swarm." Within reason, each hitter in Maddon's lineup has just as good of a chance to spark a rally as the next. Look no further than the team having its best month in franchise history in July while Evan Longoria -- the closest thing Tampa Bay has to a star -- had the worst offensive month of his career, or unheralded catcher Jose Lobaton's two walk-off hits last week.
On the surface, the improvements from last season are plain to see, as the Rays have boosted their batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage from a year ago.
Here's a closer look at how the swarm has developed.
Missing the whiff
During the previous five seasons, the Rays had ranked in the top half of Major League teams in strikeout rate, coming in fourth last season at 21.7 percent. This year, Tampa Bay's strikeout rate sits at 18.7 percent, pushing them down to 20th.
Team management chose to part ways with its two biggest strikeout producers from 2012: Carlos Pena and B.J. Upton. The pair combined for 351 strikeouts last season, accounting for more than a quarter of the team's total (1,323). The Rays are on pace for 1,159 strikeouts this season, which would be their lowest total since 2006. But they have not totally rid themselves of the swing and miss. Longoria is on pace for the highest strikeout total of his career, and rookie Wil Myers is averaging one strikeout per game.
Maddon, though, will take the good with the bad when it comes to Myers.
"He strikes out a lot," Maddon said of Myers. "He has struck out a lot in the past. He knows that's a part of who he is and he needs to put the bat back on the rack and get ready for the next at-bat, because he can do some damage."
Take your base
One of Maddon's most oft-repeated thought-provoking idioms goes as follows:
"When you're walking, you're hitting," Maddon said. "I'm not saying to look for walks. The point is to not expand your strike zone."
Maddon has preached the turn of phrase to several of his slumping hitters this season, including Longoria, who struck out 37 times in July but now has 11 extra-base hits in his past 14 games. Before Longoria began to heat back up, he drew two crucial walks in an extra-innings win over the Giants.
Tampa Bay's walk rate of nine percent is the fourth-best total in the Major Leagues, not necessarily news as the club has ranked in the top five in every year since 2008, but the number of pitches the Rays see allows the hits to flow and the "conga line" (another Maddon-ism) to move back to the top of the order.
"Everyone looks for these mechanical fixes when it comes to hitting, but the most important thing you could teach is probably strike-zone discipline," Maddon said.
Designated hitter Luke Scott has heeded Maddon's advice. Scott's walk rate was a career-worst 6.1 percent last season. This year, Scott is walking in 10.6 percent of all plate appearances. Maddon and Scott often discuss the need for Scott, an avid hunter, to be selectively aggressive at the plate, to let the prey come to him.
"It's my hunter's approach," Scott said. "I look in a certain zone for a pitch, and if it's there, I take it and let it happen as it may."
Making contact
Yes, the Rays are walking more and striking out less, but they are plus-56 in run differential, and the runs are not scoring themselves.
First, Tampa Bay is making contact at a higher clip. The Rays are putting the ball in play in 68 percent of all plate appearances, their highest mark since 2006.
Tampa Bay has not cracked the Majors' top 20 in overall contact rate since the team was known as the Devil Rays. The Rays ranked next to last in the Majors last season, but they've moved up to No. 12 this year. James Loney, an offseason free-agent addition, and Sam Fuld rank in the AL's top 20 (with a minimum of 100 plate appearances) in overall contact.
When Tampa Bay players do put bat to ball, it is falling in for hits more often. The Rays' percentage of balls in play that turn into hits is at 30, the team's highest rate since 2009.
As some teams begin to move to power-heavy lineups in which strikeouts are more prevalent, the Rays have gone against the grain yet again and focused their attention on contact, no matter the kind.
"We have to move the baseball," Maddon said. "The swarm comes when you move the baseball. When you're up there flailing, the swarm goes away. The reason I thought we could be very swarming at the beginning of the season is we were always moving the baseball."
Maddon was right, but he is not a fortune teller, and there is surely no way of knowing if the Rays have another deep postseason run in them. If they do, they have the swarm to thank.


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Stanton's bases-clearing double sinks Tigers
Koehler solid in final start, allowing two runs over 5 1/3 innings
MIAMI -- The American League Central champion Tigers brought their power-packed lineup to Marlins Park on Friday night. But the decisive swing was delivered by Miami slugger Giancarlo Stanton.
Stanton blistered a three-run double in the third inning that was all the support the Marlins needed to edge the Tigers, 3-2, in the series opener.
Tom Koehler, pitching with a stomach virus, ended his season on a high, giving up two runs in 5 1/3 innings, and winning his final two starts.
The right-hander finishes at 5-10 with a 4.41 ERA, and he will enter Spring Training vying for either a rotation or bullpen spot.
Koehler was backed by scoreless relief from Ryan Webb, Chad Qualls and Steve Cishek, who notched his 29th straight save and 34th overall.
In a game that sported Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder and the rest of the Tigers' explosive lineup, the game came down to one Stanton swing.
"We were joking before that there are some guys who need to be in their own league," Koehler said. "We were talking about Miguel and stuff like that. I think Stanton is right there with them. I think in a few years, he's going to show, not only that tremendous power, but we'll see what he is capable of doing, just as a hitter."
Miami has won back-to-back games for the first time since taking three straight from Sept. 1-3. Overall, the Marlins are now 60-100 with two games remaining.
These two teams share a lot of familiar faces.
Miami manager Mike Redmond was a rookie in 1998, when Detroit's Jim Leyland was Florida's manager.
Because the Tigers have already clinched their division, Leyland freely substituted. Fielder was lifted after one plate appearance, a walk, and Cabrera went 2-for-3 before exiting for a pinch-runner in the sixth inning.
"They're obviously in a different spot than we are at this point," Redmond said. "Skip [Leyland] is giving them a little break to let them rest up and make sure they're ready for the playoffs. We're obviously just trying to win a ballgame."
The game marked the return of Cabrera to Miami, the organization he broke in with, and was a standout, from 2003-07.
In his first at-bat, Cabrera received a big ovation.
"It was good. I'm back here in Miami and I see a lot of people from my country," the Venezuela sensation said. "It seemed like half the stadium is from Venezuela. It was great to see that. It was great to be back here in Miami, man."
On the verge of wrapping up his third straight batting title, Cabrera lined out to Stanton in right field in the first inning.
In the fourth inning, Cabrera singled to center. The reigning American League MVP made his third and final at-bat in the sixth inning, and he singled again on a deep fly ball to right field. Because of his groin strain, he isn't running well, and he stopped at a single on a ball that should have been a double.
Matt Tuiasosopo pinch-ran for Cabrera, who trotted off the field with a .347 batting average.
Cabrera also has history with Redmond as both were teammates on the 2003 World Series title team.
"It's always different any time you compete against guys you've played with," Redmond said. "It's a totally different experience when you've managed against guys you've played with. To know the type of player Miggy is, and how good he is. I know how much he means to that ballclub. He's an amazing hitter, and we had a good couple of laughs, and a good conversation."
Cabrera's long single set up a run, as Tuiasosopo scored from first on Jhonny Peralta's RBI double, trimming Miami's lead to 3-2.
Former Marlins pitching prospect Jose Alvarez made the start, and he lasted 2 2/3 innings. And Evan Reed, who was in the Marlins organization until earlier this season, threw a scoreless inning.
The Marlins were able to break through with three runs in the third.
Koyie Hill singled to open the inning, and he moved to second on Koehler's sacrifice bunt. With two outs, Alvarez issued back-to-back walks to Placido Polanco and Christian Yelich. Rick Porcello relieved Alvarez, and surrendered a three-run double to Stanton, who ripped a liner to the corner in left.
Stanton boosted his team-leading RBI total to 61.
"You know, Stanton's got a chance to hit a homer on every pitch," Yelich said. "It's always good to have guys on base when he's up there, and let the big fella bring everybody in."
The Tigers got on the board in the fifth inning on Austin Jackson's two-out, RBI single to center.
Polanco made one of the top defensive plays of the season for the Marlins, leaping into the seats to grab Don Kelly's pop foul in the eighth inning.
"When I got to the rail, I saw I had a chance," Polanco said. "You've got to try. You can't give those guys an extra chance. They're a great team. They won their division because they're a very good team. You don't give very good teams a lot of breaks."