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May 2008
Friday, May 30, 2008
Japanese Black Sugar & Tropical Chews
This short work-week has been a bit of a round-up period, I'm doing a lot of these short reviews in long posts to try to cover a lot of the candy I have.
I first had these a couple of years ago, at a time when I was gobbling up every Japanese black sugar candy I could get my hands on. Japanese black sugar (kuro sato) traditionally comes from Okinawa and is similar to molasses or muscovado sugar.
I couldn't resist buying a few boxes of the Morinaga Black Sugar Caramel (Kokutou) in my last order from JList, mostly because I was also ordering other black sugar items and wanted to remind myself.
They don't look like much, but the little bullion cube sized morsels are packed with dark creamy flavor. Not too sweet and just slightly rummy at the end. They come in oodles of other flavors. I've tried the original Milk Caramel, Matcha, Black Sesame and Azuki, but I always come back to the Black Sugar.
Rating: 8 out of 10
While Morinaga has their line of milk caramels, Meiji has their toffee squares called Chelsea that similarly come in many varieties: Yogurt Scotch, Butterscotch, Matcha, Azuki and even mixes like Dessert.
When I saw that the Black Sugar Chelsea variety was available in the single flavor box, I jumped and ordered three packs.
The design aesthetic of the Chelsea line can't be beat. The little box with it's slide tray & bronzy flower design is easily distinguished from the other flavors, yet easily identified from a distance as Chelsea.
The flat pack box is easy to stash in a pocket as well, and the individual wrappers keep it all fresh.
The little foil wrappers are gold with brown and magenta flowers. I wish I was more crafty and motivated, because these would make a stellar bracelet or bag. I'm saving the wrappers, just in case.
The smooth tile of candy has no voids. Though it's sweet, it's pretty mellow and milky, kind of like a chai without the spice. There's a background of woodsy flavors like brown sugar. It's not as intensely "black sugar" as I'd like, but these are really refreshing. They don't feel heavy and have a sort of jasmine tea finish that feels so fresh.
Chelsea also comes in bags with plastic wrapped pieces. I don't like those as much, I really like the foil wrappers (though they've done a nice job of designing the sealed wraps).
Rating: 9 out of 10
Even though I already had two packs of Banana HiCHEW sitting around from a trip to Mitsuwa Marketplace earlier this year, I just had to order the Tropical Mix along with the Pineapple.
The Tropical Mix package seems to promise peach, white grape, banana and pineapple. I'd assumed that this was a mixed flavor package. But when I opened it I found that each piece was identically wrapped. Sadly (well for me and my silly expectations) it was a fruit punch and not a mixed pack. The flavor of the fruit punch is actually quite nice, I can actually detect the peachy and banana flavors in there.
My Pineapple HiCHEW were backordered (probably because I bought three packs). I was certain they were good and I wasn't disappointed. They have a light yellow center and were extremely fresh and soft.
They start sweet then build with a tangy and kind of woodsy pine essence. The flavor lasts all the way to the end and still leaves a fresh feeling in the mouth.
Banana Rating: 7 out of 10
I bought these on a lark. Last year I picked up something called UHA Puccho Baked Custard, which sounds dreadful but it was pretty dreamily good. Of course I wanted to buy it again and have had no luck finding it. (It probably said limited edition on the wrapper, but I don't read Japanese.)
So when I saw this Tsubu Tsubu HiCHEW Chocolate Banana, I thought that sounded something like a custard-like chew. For $1.25 I could take a chance.
It's a HiCHEW banana base, soft and bouncy and included in the chew are little things that look like large nonpariels (sprinkles). I guess that's supposed to be the chocolate part. It's not really. The crunch is nice but not as well defined as the Puccho does with their gummi & crunchy inclusions.
While I think that HiCHEW is made for people of all ages, my guess is that the Tsubu Tsubu is probably for kids and my grown-up palate just couldn't get into it.
Rating: 5 out of 10
Related Candies
POSTED BY Cybele AT 7:26 am
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Wii Candy Dispenser & Nintendo Gummis
I've been waiting for a long time for a really good crossover from the confectionery world to the gaming world.
Please note, I'm not a gamer. I do play, but not enough to be anything more than personally aware of how addictive and fun these things can be, but it takes a special game to suck me in. At home we have an XBOX 360 right now (loved the Lego Star Wars last summer), before that it was a PS2 and before that it was a Turbo Grafx (well, that wasn't technically mine, I was "storing" it for my brother while he was living in Europe).
I've never played the Wii, but I totally see the attraction and I love the selection of games.
To capitalize on the affection folks have for their platforms, Au'some has these cute little Wii Klik-on Candy Dispensers shaped like the innovative game controllers (Wiimote).
They're officially licensed (and who would have thought that plain old proprietary hardware would end up being a status symbol like this) so they bear all the proper design elements.
It's just a dispenser, like PEZ, and it comes with four rolls of candy - two Smarties-like rolls and two mini-rolls of Smarties Bubble Gum. The rolls fit in the battery compartment (because they're the same size as batteries).
In order to load the candy package, just slide the faceplate up and it reveals a small empty space (probably where there'd be some circuitry if it worked). The candies are placed flat then the controller tipped down slightly, the little trigger button on the underside of the top is pressed, and bingo, a piece of candy comes out.
PEZ does not fit in the Wii Candy Dispenser, just like Nintendo Wii games don't work in XBox 360.
I think the design of the item is pretty cute. I wish it put out really cool candy, it's like they spent all that time on the plastic box and then said, "Eh, throw some Smarties in there." It doesn't even hold a whole roll of Smarties at once (though the battery compartment holding more is pretty ingenious). Filling it with something better would improve the appeal of this.
The retail price on these is $2 or so, but who knows what they're going for in the wild. I got this one as a sample from All Candy Expo. They can be found on the internet and at places like Urban Outfitters.
Rating: 5 out of 10
On the other side of things, Au'some has another line of candies also themed off of a more classic Nintendo product: Mario Bros. They're called Nintendo 3D Gummy Candies.
The Donkey Kong & Mario Bros. characters have been around since 1981 and have become recurring characters in the Nintendo game pantheon, so these aren't some flash in the pan licensing tie-ins. Even if you've never played or haven't in years, most of us have great affection for the little Italian plumber who battles the strange ape named Donkey.
Mario is a hardworking guy. Not only does he hold a contractors license and perform excellent plumbing work, in the original version of the game he was a carpenter. He's also a superhero. He can rescue a damsel in distress or vanquish an infestation of angry apes all on the clock.
The Mario 3D Gummi is, well, awesome. It's actually three dimensional. At about 2.75 inches tall, he's the same height as his gummi brethren, though pretty narrow (I guess he slimmed down for his session with the mold-maker). His little hat has an M on it and he has big work boots.
The texture of the gummis short, that is, biting into it, it's not at all stringy. It's more like Jell-O than Swedish Fish.
Mario is Strawberry. He's sweet and slightly floral, a little tangy and has a well-rounded artificial berry flavor. I think he's two bites, but it's up to you.
Donkey Kong actually started this whole thing with his game named after him. Mario was simply known as Jumpman back then. Donkey didn't have much of a personality either, he was just angry and grabby.
In later years Donkey Kong started wearing a tie, which might have caused part of his anger issue (it was the go-go-eighties, even Donkey Kong learned a lot from Gordon Gecko). But Donkey Kong never really returned to his primary role, this is the sad fate of monsters.
In this gummi Donkey Kong is Orange in both color and flavor. He's actually rather sparkly. The flavor of the gummi isn't particularly complex, rather like concentrated Tang.
Definitely one of my favorites and it wouldn't be a batch of gummis without Donkey Kong or an orange flavor.
Diddy Kong is probably not even technically a Kong. (I think they call him a nephew somewhere, but that's like saying that humans and orangutans are cousins.) Though he's some sort of ape, he's not the same species as Donkey Kong. I think he's some sort of chimp, as far as I can tell (he has smaller, narrower chest).
But he also wears a cap and tee shirt. While Donkey Kong was the big bad guy in many of the adventures, Diddy is the one who sets off to rescue Donkey Kong, in a way redeeming the Kong family name.
(For a while I thought it was Donkey Kong Junior, feel free to dispute this in the comments.)
He's a lovely aqua color and Raspberry flavored. Tangy, pretty zesty and flavorful.
Finally we have Yoshi. Yoshi is some sort of baby dinosaur and is one of the only characters who displays any sense of self preservation (when you're not in control of course) and actually runs from danger.
His large snout makes it nearly impossible to sit this gummi upright (if you feel like lining them all up like some sort of action figure display). I took this photo by holding him in place, releasing my finger, then snapping the shot before he fell over.
While he's cute and has wonderful detail with his little crest and buggy eyes, the flavor is weird. I think it's supposed to be watermelon or green apple. It's kind of metallic but tangy. It's not bad as long as you don't get too hung up on what it is.
The Nintendo 3D Gummy Candies are available in bags at grocery stores, drug stores and at other specialty shops. I got mine from CandyWarehouse, who sells them in bulk, just individually wrapped. (Of course you also end up with a 100 of them.) It's a much better price than most of the smaller packages. Individual wrapping means they stay fresh and you can throw them in a bowl at a party or gaming night.
Rating: 7 out of 10
(If video games aren't your bag but you think that this 3-D Gummi technology is cool enough to eat, try the Wildlife ones where they also say that they're donating money to protect endangered species.)
Victoria has a cool list of other Nintendo-themed candies at Candy Addict.
Related Candies
POSTED BY Cybele AT 7:36 am Candy • Review • Au'some Candy • Compressed Dextrose • Gum • Gummi Candy • Novelty/Toy • 5-Pleasant • 7-Worth It • China •
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Candy Bites: The Sweet, Crunchy & Creamy
Milk & Peanut Butter from Ghirardelli
This was a sample from All Candy Expo that I kind of ate before finishing the photo shoot. (I got the box obviously, but never did the unwrapped version.) I also shared most of it, even though I could have easily eaten it all by myself.
It's a handsome light milk chocolate bar that lives up to the illustration on the package. It's thick, each little section in the bar has a creamy peanut butter meltaway center (with crushed nut chunks).
I was dubious. But this won me over. Extremely creamy, so much so that it was like the milk chocolate and peanut butter were one. It didn't feel greasy at all, even though it was thick and rich.
I have a bunch of other Ghirardelli filled bars (from the last ACE) that I still haven't tried, this might push me to start opening them (I promise full photography on those though).
Rating: 8 out of 10
Red Bean White Rabbit from Shanghai Guanshengyuan Food, Ltd
I hadn't had any White Rabbit in a while, so when I saw that it was on sale at Cost Plus World Market, I figured when it's $1.50 a bag is the time to give it another go. Instead I spotted this Red Bean (Azuki) version and scooped that up instead.
The wrapper has little dark red stripes on it. Inside it still has the same delicate rice paper wrapper that melts in the mouth to form a slick, gelatinous good. The milk taffy inside is a slight & natural looking pink. The red bean flavor is light and woodsy and pleasant. It seems to mellow out the sometimes sweet taffy and mixes really well with the milk flavors.
Rating: 6 out of 10
I picked these up at the Fancy Food Show. They look like just about any other peppermint pattie. The interesting proposition here is that the center is creamed honey with a touch of mint instead of a sugar-based fondant.
The other interesting bit about this is that the dark chocolate shell is completely unsweetened. The sweetness of the center completely balances out the could-be-bitter coating. I tried a few times to just nibble off the chocolate bits, but these are pretty small (about the size of the York Peppermint Pattie minis) and I wasn't getting a bit enough chunk to really tell. (And as I've found, 100% chocolate doesn't have to be unpalatable.) The center is smooth and a little cool on the tongue, with that beeswax taste & texture added to the mix.
It's a great little mint. Artisan Sweets is the only place I've seen them for sale. But if you do come upon them, especially if you can buy only one or two, it's an interesting combination of the musky honey tones with the mellow mint and the pop of creamy dark chocolate.
Rating: 6 out of 10
Jungle Chocolate from Yachana Gourmet
I don't know if this is considered candy. It's called Jungle Chocolate and I'd probably put it in the trail mix or snack category. It's just cacao nibs, lightly glazed with sugar cane juice and then mixed with some other jungle-grown edibles. The four varieties I tried were:
While the mixes themselves didn't wow me, I think I'd like to just try a plain old box of lightly sweetened nibs. (Or maybe lightly caramelized.)
The selling point here is that they don't melt. I've put these through the paces. They've sat in the car, they've been in my house in the 100 degree heat. It doesn't melt, instead, like a stew, it just makes all the flavors even better. This is chocolate that goes places that chocolate can't go. It has all that stuff that you crave, even if it doesn't quite have the texture.
It's all fair trade, vegan and all natural. It's a little expensive, but then again, knowing that the money goes right to a sustainable project in Ecuador may make it taste even sweeter. I wouldn't call this a replacement for chocolate, but perhaps a replacement for other snack mixes. Retail is about $3.00 to 3.50 for a 2 ounce bag (that's well packaged - protects the product, but not overpackaged).
Rating: 7 out of 10
Limited Edition New York Cheesecake Kisses from Hershey's
I finally found these at Target, hiding on the backside of a display in the Valentine's area (well, it was the Valentine's area, but was then the Easter area). The package looks a heckuva lot like the Vanilla Creme Kisses that I might have seen them already and just passed them by.
Cheesecake as a "flavor" seems a little odd, but then again, so does Buttered Popcorn, Apple Pie and Chili & Chocolate, so never judge a flavor by its name.
They're, I dunno, like the Vanilla Creme, a little more tangy. I think they're more like yogurt. Or yellow birthday cake.
It doesn't matter much to me, this Kiss has brought back that limited edition weariness that I experience from time to time. I haven't been fond of any of the more subtle filled Kisses. While I like subtle and respectful balances in my haut chocolate, I kind of like my mass manufactured stuff loud & proud. I've had them sitting in my desk for months and I think that pretty much sums up how I felt about them. I could take them or leave them, but mostly I left them.
Rating: 5 out of 10
Related Candies
POSTED BY Cybele AT 11:01 am All Natural • Candy • Review • Ghirardelli • Hershey's • Caffeinated • Chocolate • Coffee • Ethically Sourced • Limited Edition • Nibs • Nuts • Peanuts • 5-Pleasant • 6-Tempting • 7-Worth It • 8-Tasty • United States • Target •
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Fairhaven Candy Crumblz!
Here's one of those items that I never figured I'd see: Fairhaven Candy has created not only an all-natural flaked peanut butter, but it's also Kosher, Gluten Free and Vegan. I tried it back in March at ExpoWest and have been waiting to get my hands on a full bag for the detailed review.
They've appropriately named them Crumblzsoft, flaky peanut butter treat. It's pretty much the center of a Butterfinger bar, minus the hydrogenated fats, minus the whey & nonfat milk, and of course minus the preservative TBHQ.
So while they took out all those crazy additional ingredients, all that's left in this little candy is this: peanut butter (peanuts & salt), organic sugar, non-GMO corn syrup, peanuts, water, vanilla, baking soda. This particular version also has squiggles of dark chocolate on it.
If that looks like it's really a lot of dense peanut butter, it's much lighter than I expected.
The pieces come in little scored quads. Each piece, when broken off is a nice two bite chunk (or a big mouthful). Inside are layers of the nutty flakes plus whole peanuts.
While they don't look particularly appealing by themselves, I can tell you that they smell mouthwateringly good. Roasted nuts, some toasty sugar notes and a little dash of salt ... like fresh baked peanut butter cookies. It remindes me of Halvah.
They don't quite have the flaky chew that something like the center of a Fifth Avenue, but then again, they don't stick to your teeth the way that a Butterfinger can. And no mockolate! (You can even get them without any chocolate at all, if you're all about the peanut butter.)
Nutritionally, yeah, this stuff is loaded with calories because it has all that peanut fat in there, but the difference between this and plain peanut butter is negligible. It's also really satisfying, because of, well, all that peanut fat and protein.
The only other bad news about these is probably the price and the ability to find them. You can order online but they're about $4 a package. I'm sure they're in shops like Whole Foods & natural product stores. If you've spotted them, how are the prices? I'd love it, honestly, if they just made a single serving bar. It gets a little messy pulling the pieces out of the bag.
Related Candies
POSTED BY Cybele AT 7:08 am
Sunday, May 25, 2008
All Candy Expo 2008 - Final Link Wrappers
Here are the last few stories that have trickled in about All Candy Expo. I expect that after everyone has gotten a little sleep over the holiday weekend there may be some more wrap ups.
Interesting news from the trade publications, this one about convenience stores from Convenience Store Petroleum magazine. The thing that caught my eye was this little factoid about how we approach the candy aisle: Shoppers shop first by segment (gum, chocolate, etc.), then by usage, then package type and finally by brand.
This makes perfect sense. I usually have something in mind like "I want something tangy!" and then go from there. I'm not sure what they mean by package type, I'm guessing size. (Though most convenience stores don't have much choice in size of packages like grocery stores do.)
POSTED BY Cybele AT 3:06 pm All Candy Expo • Candy • Featured News •
Meticulously photographed and documented reviews of candy from around the world. And the occasional other sweet adventures. Open your mouth, expand your mind.


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By ROBERT BURNS
AP National Security Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - Bowe Bergdahl, the Army sergeant who spent nearly five years as a Taliban captive in Afghanistan, was returned to regular Army duty Monday and will be made available to Army investigators for questioning about his disappearance in 2009.
Bergdahl is now assigned to U.S. Army North at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston in Texas. That is the same location where he has been decompressing from the effects of his lengthy captivity.
His exact duties were not immediately disclosed. A brief Army announcement said that in his assignment to U.S. Army North he "can contribute to the mission" of homeland defense. It said the Army investigation into the circumstances of his disappearance and capture by the Taliban will continue.
Bergdahl was released from captivity on May 31 in exchange for five top Taliban commanders imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

subset: commoncrawl


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For undergraduates students, the Department offers two Baccalaureate degrees, a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Economics through the Management School and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree through the College of Liberal Arts. We also offer an Economics Honors Program and Minors in Economics and Business Economics. For more information on these undergraduate programs, please follow the link on the menu to the left.
For graduate students, the Department offers a Ph.D. Program in Economics with substantial financial aid to qualified students. While the Economics PhD program at Purdue is relatively small in numbers compared to other programs, it is high quality.
The Department also offers an innovative online M.S. Program in Economics designed for individuals with strong analytical backgrounds, such as individuals with undergraduate majors in Science, Engineering and Mathematics/Statistics. The program combines a first-year common set of core course in Economic theory and Econometrics with a set of second-year courses that provide a concentration either in Applied Economics/Business or in Advanced Economic Theory. Top students in the program (Advanced Theory concentration) will be considered for admission and full-funding in the Department's PhD program. For more information on the Ph.D. and M.S. degree programs, please follow the links on the menu to the right.


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Thursday, 30 October 2008
Cyclechic's little black book: Bikeworks, East London
Bikeworks is a social enterprise based in Victoria Park in East London. If your looking to buy a bike they have a tasty collection of second-hand/recycled bikes on offer like this rather beautiful Spacemaster pictured above - am just loving the white saddle and white handle bar grips
The team running bikeworks offer cycle training and maintenance training... and seem like jolly nice chaps to boot!
Labels: Buying a Bike
2 comments:
- SMB tech geeks said...
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To help you get a better understanding of bearings & their performance on/in bikes, check out www.smbbearings.com/SMBtechdata.htm for loads of technical information & help on bearings.
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- 23 December 2009 at 05:48
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Can You Guess the Celebrity Cleavage?
If you can guess this celebrity cleavage, then we'll gift you with a set of celebratory cigars (not really)! They belong to South African model we've featured recently, but this picture looked so glorious that we just had to do it again.
She made her debut in 2010 in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and the rest was gorgeous modeling history. You might have also seen her in Esquire Online's "Me in My Place" feature, in which they checked out her apartment in New York while taking sexy shots of this beauty.
Oh, she's also appeared with The Lonely Island in an issue of GQ, making her that much more awesome. Can you guess who it is?


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Kim Kardashian Covers 'Glamour' February 2011
Kim Kardashian heats up the cover of Glamour magazine's February 2011 issue, on newsstands on Tuesday (January 11).
Here's what the 30-year-old reality starlet had to share:
On being a sex symbol: "It's definitely powerful. I don't find myself as sexy as everyone thinks. I'm a lot more insecure than people would assume, but with little stupid things. When I get dressed, I'm always so indecisive."
On posing for Playboy: "It was an independence thing for me. I was always by the book, such the straight arrow when it came to pleasing my parents and being a good daughter. I felt like this was one decision that only I could make. And I think it looks great. I'll have those pictures forever."
On having every aspect of her family's life recorded: "If there's something that we're going through, it's going to get out anyway. It'll be on the cover of a tabloid, and it'll be twisted the completely wrong way. So why not tell our story?"
On women being comfortable with their bodies: "It's a process. You have to learn to accept it. You have to learn to like what you see in the mirror. There are definitely times when I don't feel like myself, but you have to fake it until you make it."
FYI: On the cover, Kim is wearing Tom Ford pajamas, a La Perla bra, and a Sarah Chloe ring.


text: Normally, I'm pretty loathe to travel to Connecticut - there are more cars on the 10-mile stretch of the Mass Turnpike I have to cover than there are in the whole state of Maine - but I spent a day earlier this month at the Sargent manufacturing facilities to see the new Assa Abloy Innovation Corridor, built under the direction of Stacey Callahan, who heads up marketing for the Door Security Solutions division and is working to bring together all of the many Assa Abloy brands: Sargent, Securitron, Yale, McKinney, HES, Adams Rite, etc. They've put together a nice facility. At the open, you get a demonstration of their evacuation products, like Beacon, which combines strobes, white noise, spoken instructions and lasers to get you to the door pretty quickly. There's also a comparison of photoluminescent vs. electroluminescent technology, which becomes quite interesting when the smoke machines get going and you can't really see a dang thing. Then you move into the electrical access control section, and they've got a nice demonstration area for their locksets with keypads and RFID, etc. This is where the special sauce is, too, that I'm not allowed to talk about. But trust me they've got some interesting stuff to bring out in about a year. Finally, you get the door area, which isn't the most interesting thing you've ever seen, but does at least make you think about what your doors are made from. Then you move into a training area. Seems Assa Abloy's forays into electronic access control has led them to develop a certified dealer program, and soon training will be required before installation of its products. Looks like they've spent a few bucks to make that run smoothly. Maybe the best thing about the tour through the corridor was the obvious pride Assa takes in its products, and the seriousness with which it takes life-safety and security. Too many manufacturers seem to be commoditizing and commercializing security and safety and it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Not so, here.


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The largest of the trio of U.S. Virgin Islands (the other two being St. Thomas and St. John), St. Croix is also the easternmost point of the U.S. Christopher Columbus discovered the island in 1493 and named it Santa Cruz, which means Holy Cross, before the native Caribs chased him away. The French claimed the island in the 17th century (hence its current name of St. Croix, (the French translation of Santa Cruz). Denmark purchased St. Croix from the French in the 18th century, and the Danish influence prevailed until the latter part of the 19th century (the U.S. acquired it and St. Thomas and St. John in the early 20th century from the Danes), so Danish architecture is in evidence to this day.
St. Croix is only 84 square miles and much of the terrain is rocky and arid, though there are rolling hills, pastures, beautiful beaches and a tropical forest area with ferns, mango trees and mahogany trees in the west end. The island has a more relaxed ambiance than St. Thomas with its shops galore and mass tourism.
The two main towns are Christiansted, in the north-central part of the island and Frederiksted in the southwest, the latter being where most cruise ships stop.
Tiny Frederiksted can easily be toured on foot from the cruise ship pier. The town's two major streets are King Street and Strand Street and both run parallel to the ocean. A Frederiksted "must" is Fort Frederiksted, dating from the 18th century and the site of the emancipation of slaves in the Danish Caribbean in response to an uprising by slaves led by Moses "Buddhoe" Gottlieb. A bust to Gottlieb was unveiled at the fort in the 20th century and a local history museum is housed in the former Garrison Room.
Popular tours sold onboard ships include a visit to Christiansted, about 17 miles from Frederiksted. These excursions include a guided walk in the historic district highlighted by the historic Fort Christiansvaern, a four-sided, diamond-shaped fort, reportedly the best-preserved colonial fort in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and maintained by the National Park Service. Other highlights include the colonial Old Customs House with a graceful staircase added in the 19th century; and the Steeple Building and Danish West India and Guinea Warehouse, both dating from the 18th century.
Snorkelers may wish to sign up for tours to offshore Buck Island, part of the U.S. National Park network, where the coral gardens are stunning. Excursions to Buck Island are often offered on board ships. Among several great beaches on St. Croix proper are Cane Bay and Davis Bay -- Davis Bay is the site of the 12,000-foot-deep Puerto Rico Trench, and hence of special interest to divers. Ships typically offer a beach day excursion to these or other beaches as part of their adventures ashore options.
Island flavors to enjoy include the fish, goat or chicken stews -- a great local lunch -- accompanied by fresh-baked breads at Maggie's Snackett, 65 King Street, in Frederiksted. The menu changes daily and prices are inexpensive. Rum cakes, rum balls and hot sauces are great to sample, as well as Crucian rum (Crucian means from St. Croix) which is another popular local flavor.
Souvenirs of St. Croix include local arts and crafts including pottery, hand-made jewelry such as bracelets in island themes, hand-painted shirts and fashions and locally-crafted bath products.
Cruise lines that visit St. Croix include Azamara, Celebrity, Holland America, Royal Caribbean and SeaDream.
For additional information on St. Croix, visit www.usvitourism.com.


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USS North Dakota in home stretch
Wrenches and drills in hand, Electric Boat employees hustled through the berthing areas of the newest Virginia-class submarine last week, putting the finishing touches on the racks so the crew can move in.
Others hunched over monitors in the command and control room, checking the equipment and upgraded software on the North Dakota while machinists and electricians climbed on torpedo tubes to get them ready for testing. The smell of paint hung in the air.
And outside in the graving dock, workers removed the fixtures they had built to paint the hull.
On Saturday, about 4,000 people will descend on the Groton shipyard to see the North Dakota (SSN 784) christened as the 11th member of the Virginia class. The ship's sponsor, Katie Fowler, will smash a bottle of Champagne over the hull in a tradition said to impart her personality onto the ship. Vice Adm. Michael J. Connor, submarine force commander, will be the keynote speaker.
The ceremony itself, however, will be only a brief respite from the breakneck pace of the work.
Michael Nowak, ship manager for the North Dakota, said his team of nearly 700 people is working day and night to get the ship ready for what happens after the christening - sea trials.
The submarine is now about 94 percent complete.
"We're almost there," Cmdr. Douglas Gordon, commanding officer of the North Dakota, said. "We've still got some work to do, but we're getting close."
If the tests at sea can be done before Christmas and there are no major issues, EB will deliver the North Dakota to the Navy in January after 59 months of construction, which would be the shortest construction period yet for a Virginia-class submarine.
A February delivery also would accomplish the goal for which EB has been striving, to cut the construction time for each submarine to 60 months. EB was not expected to reach that milestone until it built the 15th member of the class, the Colorado.
"The work of the more than a thousand shipyard craftsmen and engineers who built this boat has helped make the fleet stronger and our nation safer," Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus said in a statement. "Their dedication and expertise has the world's most advanced submarine on track to deliver in early 2014, giving the North Dakota the shortest construction span of any Virginia-class submarine to date."
Rear Adm. David C. Johnson, the program executive officer for submarines, said an early delivery for the North Dakota would be "an amazing accomplishment" since 20 percent of the submarine's design was changed to save money.
"It shows how well Electric Boat and Newport News worked together on that, and it shows that we got the redesigns right because it did actually make the ship easier to build," he said in an interview.
'2 for 4 in 12'
The North Dakota is the first in the third block of eight Virginia-class submarines the Navy is ordering. It is the first to have a redesigned bow with a new sonar array and two larger payload tubes instead of 12 individual vertical launch missile tubes. The design was simplified to save about $100 million per submarine, said Kurt A. Hesch, EB's vice president who manages the Virginia-class program.
Historically, he said, EB has changed submarine designs to add capabilities, rather than to cut costs, and the first submarine with changes would take longer to build and would cost more. The challenge with the North Dakota, Hesch said, was "breaking that paradigm."
"One of the reasons this boat is so important for us to be where we are, to be a little better than expected, is because that sets up the rest of block," he said.
The Navy began buying two submarines a year in 2011 on the condition that EB would reduce the cost, so two boats could be purchased in fiscal 2012 for a total cost of $4 billion in fiscal 2005 dollars, which is often referred to as "2 for 4 in 12." The target cost for each submarine translates is about $2.6 billion for a boat procured in the 2012 fiscal year.
EB previously delivered the USS Mississippi to the Navy in 62 months. Its shipbuilding teammate, Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia, built the USS Minnesota in 63 months.
U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, said EB's performance is the most powerful argument for Congress' continued support of the program.
"It just eclipses all of the potential obstacles to getting funding for two submarines a year, because it's a program where its performance, not its hype, is demonstrating that it's a really solid investment for the American taxpayer," he said.
Hesch said EB must continue to improve on its past performance, especially now that the Defense Department budget is shrinking.
The company understands the value of these submarines to the Navy, Hesch said. The number of attack submarines in the fleet is dropping as the older, Los Angeles-class ships are retired more quickly than they are replaced. Reducing the construction time to 60 months will increase the size of the attack-submarine force by two boats, so the number in the fleet will reach a low of 42 instead of 40, according to a September report from the Congressional Research Service. The stated requirement is 48.
The North Dakota will join the fleet and officially will become the USS North Dakota when it is commissioned in May in Groton.
'The cat's meow'
Lt. Cmdr. Kristopher A. Lancaster, the executive officer, said he tells the crew of 138 men that every day is a day closer to being underway.
About half of the sailors have never been to sea on a submarine. Only 16 of the more senior personnel have served on a Virginia-class ship.
"It's a long journey for us to make sure that we're ready to go to sea and take the ship safely to sea," Gordon said.
The crew is currently training and earning its qualifications to prepare for operating the submarine during sea trials. Crew members will move into the submarine around Thanksgiving.
Master Chief Timothy A. Preabt, chief of the boat, is the only crew member from North Dakota.
About 100 people from North Dakota are expected to attend the christening. Fowler, the ship's sponsor, is the wife of retired Vice Adm. Jeffrey Fowler, a North Dakota native.
"There are a lot of people who have a lot of pride in our service back there," Preabt said. "The North Dakota National Guard, people stand behind them. It's good to see that they're getting involved and supporting the Navy."
Bob Wefald, a North Dakota resident who is president of the USS North Dakota Committee, said the people of his home state are enthusiastic and very supportive of their submarine.
"We think this is really great that we've got this ship named after us," he said. "It will be the most modern and advanced ship in the world when it is commissioned. This is just the cat's meow."
Gordon, who will be promoted to captain today, said the submarine has come together in almost "a blink of an eye."
"I can't believe I've been here for almost two years," he said. "To see it come to life is pretty phenomenal."
Firm reveals ambitious plans for long-vacant Fort Trumbull area


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The New York Mets balked at trading Bobby Parnell and Marlon Byrd at the deadline, citing the desire to finish as strong as possible.
One Mets' executive told me finishing at .500 would be defined as a successful season, one that began with many forecasting as many as 100 losses.
How close they come to reaching that objective will greatly be determined by this upcoming road trip.
After sweeping Colorado, the Mets begin a four-city, 11-game road trip starting tonight in Arizona. From there the Mets go to Los Angeles for a series against the Dodgers, then to San Diego and on their way home, stop in Minnesota for a make-up game layover against the Twins.
West Coast trips have often been killers to the Mets, and this one stands to be no different. There's not an easy game on the schedule, then there's that fun trip to Minnesota when then would be spent at the time.
"This might be, in my time here, the toughest road trip we've had to face,'' manager Terry Collins said Thursday afternoon as his players packed to board a bus to the airport.
"You've got to face the two top teams in the National League West, who are playing very, very good, and we know San Diego has good pitching.''
The Mets leapfrogged Philadelphia and are one game behind Washington for second place in the NL East. They are even in the loss column. Collins, who has made more than expected with little this year, has his eyes on second place, even if it doesn't translate into the playoffs.
"I think it'd be huge,'' Collins said. "I think it'd be an enormous lift not only for the team, because they certainly deserve everything they got, but the entire organization. Some of these young guys have come up and contributed to what we're doing now. You got to keep battling. Right now we got 50 left. That's still an uphill climb.''
Sure it is, but it is better than the last three seasons when the Mets folded after the break. Finishing in second place – or at .500 – is a sign of significant progress, which will have the Mets head into winter with significantly fewer questions than in previous years.
Also, with the Mets saying they have the resources this winter, their situation might be more enticing to several free agents. You never know.
However, complicating their objective is possibly losing closer Parnell to season-ending surgery to repair a disk in his neck and David Wright on the disabled list with a strained hamstring. The Mets don't expect Wright back during this trip.
Even so, there are no excuses. The Mets had to overcome injuries all season and must do it again as they attempt to play meaningful games in September.
Meaningful games in September? Who would have thought?
As always, your comments are greatly appreciated and I will attempt to answer them. Follow me on Twitter @jdelcos


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Fiber Content: 72% Super Kid Mohair, 28% SilkPurchase Needles & Hooks
Weight: Lace Weight
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Weight: Lace Weight
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Grams: 25
Put Up: ball
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Aloft Super Kid Mohair Yarn
$4.89 - $6.99 25g / ball Original Price: $6.99
Luxuriously soft, light and airy, Aloft is a dreamy blend of 72% mohair and 28% silk that you will want to knit with again and again. The silk adds a radiant core that shimmers and shines through the soft halo of the mohair, while adding a beautiful drape and texture to any shawl, stole or scarf. Why not try holding Aloft doubled for a denser fabric, making it the perfect choice for a light-weight and surprisingly warm cardigan or wrap. Whether you use this yarn on its own or as an accent, you will find Aloft to be a versatile yarn perfectly suited for any project, big or small.
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Aloft is so gorgeous. I've been having such a hard time putting it down that I am a bit over a third of the way through knitting a big stole that I only started yesterday. I know that the recipient will love it; the yarn is so soft and it has the most beautiful halo. I would definitely recommend this yarn!
-Rebecca, Knit Picks customer
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Ron Guth: By 1856, the vast majority of the lower-weight silver coins had been removed from circulation and the arrowheads that had been placed on either side of the date from 1853 to 1855 were deemed no longer necessary. In 1856, the Philadelphia Mint produced nearly 5 million Half Dimes, a hefty mintage for the 1850s but certainly not the largest. The result are numerous survivors covering a full range of grades from Good to MS66. The finest example is a single PCGS MS66+.
Fully struck examples are surprisingly scarce. Many examples show weakness on the denticles. On some examples, the denticles are so flat as to be almost non-existent.
© 1999-2018 Collectors Universe NASDAQ: CLCT


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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A Boy Scouts of America group will vacate its city-owned Philadelphia headquarters in return for $825,000 under an agreement that settles a long legal battle over the organization's ban on gays, Mayor Michael Nutter's office said Friday.
The Boy Scouts Cradle of Liberty Council staff will leave its downtown Philadelphia headquarters of 85 years by June 30 and the retail store in the building will close by Oct. 31. In exchange, the city will reimburse the Boy Scouts for improvements made to the building, Nutter's office said.
The group's rent-free use of the building came under fire after the Boy Scouts of America barred gays from membership. The city unsuccessfully sought to have the chapter evicted for violation of Philadelphia's anti-discrimination policies.
Ultimately, the Cradle of Liberty Council decided that the battle was becoming a distraction and it was in the best interests of the city's boys who they were trying to recruit to put an end to it, the group's scout executive, Tom Harrington, said.
"If anything, this is good news that will help us renew our focus on serving those youth," Harrington said.
A proposal under discussion by the Boy Scouts' National Council to partially lift the policy — allowing gays as youth members but continuing to bar them as adult leaders — was followed closely by city officials, but it wasn't going to go far enough, Harrington said.
Last year, a federal judge ordered the city to pay $877,000 for the Scouts' legal fees to fight a battle that has gone on for years. The settlement announced Friday would relieve the city of paying legal fees and settle the lawsuit, which was being appealed to the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia, Nutter spokesman Mark McDonald said.
City Council had also rejected a previous proposal to resolve the conflict by selling the Scouts the building for $500,000.
The city insisted at a June 2010 trial that nonprofits given free use of its property must abide by local anti-discrimination laws, which include equal protection for gays. But the jury found the city's reason violated the Scout council's First Amendment rights.
Before that, the Cradle of Liberty Council had tried to appease the city, the United Way and other supporters and the Irving, Texas-based Boy Scouts of America.
In 2003, it enacted its own nondiscrimination policy but was forced to repeal it when the Boy Scouts of America ordered it to conform to national rules. The chapter later enacted a statement that says it doesn't tolerate illegal discrimination.
The Cradle of Liberty Council has about 17,000 members in Philadelphia and its suburbs.


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KHOW Radio post-Peter Boyles: the end of localism?
In the aftermath of the abrupt departure of longtime Denver talk-show host Peter Boyles from the KHOW airwaves, the station's managers have been rotating a number of interim hosts through the studio without naming a replacement. The Independence Institute's Jon Caldara has been the biggest local name among them. According to Clear Channel's Greg Foster, "no decisions have been made regarding mornings on 630 KHOW. We're taking a listen to a lot of different hosts, including Joe Pags… and you'll hear some other voices over the next few weeks."
Staffers who spoke anonymously due to the sensitivity of the topic said there is a high degree of nervousness within the building regarding Pags as the key to the morning show's future. Many are convinced Joe Pags (Pagliarulo) essentially has the gig. He's been substituting this week, they say, as a way to get the technical bugs out before he officially assumes the post.
Pags does an early evening show on Clear Channel's flagship station, WOAI in San Antonio. "The real slap in the face to those of us in Denver is that Pags isn't going to leave San Antonio. He's going to stay there and do both shows. So, our "local" morning show is going to be done by a guy sitting in Texas." That solution would be in keeping with Clear Channel's trend toward syndicated shows and fewer live and local hosts.
No matter how you felt about Boyles — and emotions ran high on all sides — he was all about Denver, a strong voice weighing in on all things Colorado. The idea that a Denver morning radio show can be plugged in from out of state is one of those unfortunate mistakes the bean counters tend to make when cutting costs. Sure, the local folks can do cut-ins for weather and traffic, but then it's back to generic talk with no geographic connection. Various 24-hour cable TV channels, satellite radio networks and NPR provide that. Local radio has the capacity to be something different. Something truly local. It would be a shame if KHOW gave up that distinction.


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Property-Liability Trust, a former LGC subsidiary, hires bankruptcy specialistBy TIM BUCKLAND
New Hampshire Union Leader
September 15. 2013 8:14PM
CONCORD — A former subsidiary of the New Hampshire Local Government Center has hired a Boston bankruptcy lawyer as it struggles with how to make a $17.1 million payment required by a state Bureau of Securities Regulation hearing officer's order.
Property-Liability Trust has retained Peter N. Baylor of Nutter, McClennan and Fish, Boston, to help it deal with a requirement that it return the money, which was taken from LGC's health insurance arm, HealthTrust, and used to subsidize a money-losing workers' compensation program for almost a decade.
According to his biography, Baylor "concentrates his practice in bankruptcy reorganizations, and trademark and copyright law."
Baylor's hiring was confirmed by HealthTrust Executive Director and state Sen. Peter Bragdon, who serves as interim executive director of Property-Liability Trust, which provides property and liability coverage, as well as offering workers' compensation plans, to municipalities and other public entities.
His hiring, as well as recent communication to and from Baylor and correspondence involving HealthTrust, has the state Bureau of Securities Regulation concerned that Property-Liability Trust is heading to bankruptcy, said BSR attorney Andru Volinsky.
After Baylor was hired, "it becomes pretty evident they are readying themselves for a bankruptcy on December 1," Volinsky said.
Bragdon denied that Baylor was brought in to guide Property-Liability Trust through a bankruptcy proceeding. He said Baylor's expertise includes helping organizations deal with debt, such as the $17.1 million payment that Property-Liability Trust does not have the cash to make.
"I will state unequivocally that Peter Baylor was not hired to aid in any bankruptcy filing but to aid with the financial implications of the BSR order," Bragdon said.
Bragdon said it's unclear whether Property-Liability Trust could even avail itself of bankruptcy. He said federal law bars insurance carriers and government instrumentalities — the state Supreme Court in 2010 ruled that LGC and its operations were public entities — from filing bankruptcy. While state law does not view the LGC entities as insurance carriers — none are regulated by the state Insurance Department — he said federal bankruptcy law could view the entities differently.
"I can state definitively that Property-Liability Trust is not pursuing bankruptcy," Bragdon said. "The board of the Trust is focused on ways to comply with the order."
Bragdon questioned how the BSR could conclude that Property-Liability Trust is seeking to file bankruptcy. He said the automatic stay of creditor payments during bankruptcy proceedings do not apply to a government agency, such as the BSR, exercising its regulatory powers, meaning the $17 million payment wouldn't be affected.
"I'm very concerned that that type of reckless accusation is something that has the potential to do great harm to the Property-Liability Trust and its members ... by causing needless concern," Bragdon said. "I think it is irresponsible for our regulator to say that and it calls into question their ability to fairly regulate our organization."
"Mister Bragdon has a very sophisticated understanding of bankruptcy law for someone who is not planning a bankruptcy," Volinsky said in response. "I don't necessarily agree with those conclusions. The concepts Mr. Bragdon is describing are some of the important issues that would have to be worked out in a bankruptcy proceeding."
In an Aug. 23 letter from J. David Leslie, a Boston lawyer hired by HealthTrust, to Dennis Pavlicek, chairman of the Property-Liability Trust Board of Trustees, HealthTrust called itself, for the first time, a "creditor" of Property-Liability Trust.
The term "creditor" is frequently used as part of bankruptcy proceedings to describe a person or entity that is owed money.
"The language of the HealthTrust letter is indicative of bankruptcy," Volinsky said.Bragdon said he didn't know why the term was used, but said it is also an accounting term that indicates that Property-Liability Trust owes money to HealthTrust, making HealthTrust a creditor of Property-Liability Trust.
The entities were formerly subsidiaries of LGC before a Sept. 1 reorganization that eliminated the LGC moniker and separated LGC's arms into wholly owned not-for-profit corporations: HealthTrust, Property-Liability Trust and the New Hampshire Municipal Association.
Nearly $500 million in assets and liabilities held by limited liability companies that were illegally formed in 2003 by LGC — which prompted the reorganization into not-for-profit corporations — were transferred to the new not-for-profit entities. On Aug. 22, the same day that the various LGC boards approved resolutions to reorganize, BSR Director Barry Glennon sent LGC a letter objecting to the reorganization and asset transfers.
Volinsky said the bureau is concerned that the reorganization was done so Property-Liability Trust could set itself up for bankruptcy.
According to Peter Tamposi, a Nashua bankruptcy attorney, who has done no work for either the BSR or any LGC entities, a bankruptcy trustee would be able to "look back" to recover assets that were transferred within the previous 90 days, except in cases of fraud. Dec. 1 is 91 days after Sept. 1.
"All of a sudden, there was a September 1 reorganization and transfer of assets that were done in a way that the bureau disagreed with," Volinsky said. "By itself, it makes no sense. But in the larger context ... they had to transfer the assets more than 90 before the planned bankruptcy filing. Now it makes sense."
Bragdon, though, said the resolutions transferred not just assets, but all liabilities, including the payments required under the order.
Volinsky said Property-Liability Trust has not provided the bureau with any plan to make the payment. He said that, before the hearings began last year, LGC was offered settlement alternatives that would have "allowed LGC to avoid the current predicament of not being able to make the $17 million payment."
However, the BSR was insistent that LGC stop subsidizing and discontinue its workers' compensation program. LGC refused, he said.
Since then, Volinsky said, "we have not, from the outside, seen any steps taken by the Local Government Center or by Property-Liability Trust to indicate they're preparing to make the payment."
Bragdon said Property-Liability Trust can meet its obligations to members, but said the $17.1 million payment remains an obstacle and that no solution has yet been determined. Property-Liability Trust does not have enough cash reserves to make the payment and was denied a loan from Citizens Bank.
"I will say that PLT has sufficient reserves to cover its claims," Bragdon said. "And that's our highest priority."


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John Stark students get close look at forensicsBy NANCY BEAN FOSTER
Union Leader Correspondent
January 24. 2014 10:46PM
WEARE — Solving the puzzle of a person's last days on earth is the science behind forensics, and a class offered at John Stark Regional High School is leading students to further their studies in the field.
"The human body is so intricate and so amazing," said Molly Holmes, 18, a senior at John Stark who plans on majoring in forensics when she graduates this spring. "I watched the show called "Dr. G: Medical Examiner" and decided I wanted to be just like her."
For nearly 10 years, Heather Brady has been teaching the two forensics classes at the high school, which serves students from Weare and Henniker. The first class covers the basics of forensics, and Holmes said there was a lot of information packed into each day of the half-year class.
"We learned about the history of forensic serology, which is the study of blood, and learned how to dust for fingerprints. That was really fun," Holmes said. "I've always liked solving puzzles. It's cool, and I don't mind the dead body stuff."
The second class gets into more detail about forensics and explores areas such as forensic anthropology and toxicology.
"But what really made me excited was when the medical examiner came to school and talked to us about all the things that go into his job," said Holmes. "I was thinking about majoring in forensics, but that really solidified it for me."
Twice a year, Dr. Thomas Andrew, the state's chief medical examiner, visits John Stark Regional High School and lectures students about his work in the field.
"We are so fortunate to have the leading expert in New Hampshire lecture to our classes," said Brady. "The students typically find him to be a great blend — he's informative, interesting and funny."
Megan Laramee, 19, also had an opportunity to meet Andrews. After being exposed to the science of forensics, she decided to continue her studies at the University of New Haven in Connecticut.
"I've always been strong in science and math, and when I watched the show "CSI" and took the forensics classes in high school, I knew this is definitely what I wanted to do in my future," said Laramee. "I loved the hands-on work that Mrs. Brady let us do, and I loved being in the lab."
Although she's just about to begin her second semester as a sophomore and is focused on core courses right now, Laramee said the head of the Forensics Department at the University of New Haven comes and talks to students in the program regularly.
"Just hearing what he has to say makes me more interested in the field," she said.
Holmes may be following in Laramee's footsteps. She's already been accepted into the forensics program at the University of New Haven, her top choice school.
Brady said she loves the hands-on nature of the forensics classes she teaches, but really knows she's done her job well when her kids come to school disappointed.
"I know that I have been successful with my students when they come in and complain that I have ruined the TV show "CSI" for them; they can no longer just watch it because they find themselves analyzing the evidence and character's choices," said Brady. "They're using the critical thinking skills they learned in class."


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"The gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh remind us of the beginning of Jesus' presence on earth and a hope that all who pass through the doors will discover Jesus in their lives," says Pastor David Mays.
"The members, children and others from the community gave of their resources, time and prayer to help this project come to fruition, and the church has been truly blessed, especially to have District Supt. Bill Taylor on site for the special dedication. His presence helped to instill hope in the future."
Small churches such as Perryville UMC are having a great impact. Community volunteers from Gilmer joined church members to invest in the young by preparing and dedicating a new building where youth will build relationships and learn about God.
Perryville UMC is a small church in a small community of people with big hearts. Prior to June 30, the church had a sanctuary with a kitchen/classroom attached and needed a place their youth could "call their own" and decorate as they saw fit.
Adding to the existing facility, however, was fraught with challenges, ranging from the slope of the property and underground propane complications as well as electricity-related obstructions.
"At Perryville, the whole congregation was involved in this project—and then some," said Pastor Mays. "One person pushed to start action, but the whole church articulated the vision and got the ball rolling. Leaders decided to take existing funds to buy a shell building that could be constructed on-site — and had faith it could be completed."
Several members worked to remove trees and brought friends that donated their time to dig up the propane tank. When the building frame was initially constructed, members gathered inside and drew lines on the wooden decking where they wanted a bathroom, work sink and closet, and planned how they would like to see it connected to the sanctuary.
"Once the estimates were in," says Pastor Mays, "people gave. Our in-kind services were phenomenal. Soon we had inside walls and floors, electricity, a new septic tank and a functioning bathroom."
Others helped build a ramp and porch with a connecting walkway to the sanctuary— all completed with funds from the congregation and gifts of service from people in the community.
"Many members and lots of friends came together to make this happen and the children participated as eagerly as the adults," he adds. "This was an opportunity for our youth/children to see Jesus in others. As we learned at conference this year, investing in the young involves more than teaching from a book, it is about youth seeing others live out their Christianity, which is what we did at Perryville. I think the name the children gave to the building is a reflection of what they observed in the church, a Lil' Patch of Heaven."
"This building is another way for us to let our light shine so that others may see it and follow," Pastor David said.


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LAWRENCE — Records show Lawrence and Douglas County government employees claimed more than $3 million in overtime wages last year, a 32 percent increase from the previous two years.
Most of the increase in overtime was from the city of Lawrence, where overtime increased from to $2.37 million from about $1.8 million in 2010 and 2011. County employees and Lawrence school employees' overtime claims last year were similar to 2011 and 2010.
Lawrence city manager David Corliss said most of the increase was spent on fire and law enforcement personnel.
Lawrence Police Chief Tarik Khatib said the numbers are deceiving because some of the overtime paid to officers was for assisting federal authorities, and the federal government will reimburse some of that money.


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Stockton, CA
Lt. Col. Winfield Grant Mulkins (Ret.)
Dec. 13, 1925 - Jan. 20, 2013
Lt. Col. Winfield Grant Mulkins, Ret. USAF, Vet. of WWII, Korea and Vietnam
passed away Jan.
20, 2013 at 1:30 a.m. He was
preceded by his wife Martha Jo Mulkins and his oldest son
Winfield "Buzz" G. Mulkins II. He is survived by his daughter Paulie Torlai (Felix) and his 2 sons Mark Mulkins, Patrick Mulkins (Yvette). He has 4 grandchildren, Sean Glennon, Courtney Camp
(Andrew), Megan Mulkins, Grant Mulkins, and great granddaughter Mayson Camp.
His remains will be placed with his wife in Titus, Alabama. There will not be a memorial service but those who wish may donate to Hospice of San Joaquin.


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O'Neal called for goaltending on Harden's last-second shot as Rockets beat Suns 101-98
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HOUSTON – Jermaine O'Neal saw James Harden's last-second 3-pointer bounce off the rim, went up for it and figured Phoenix and Houston were headed to overtime.
Referee David Jones saw goaltending and counted the basket that gave the Rockets a 101-98 victory on Tuesday night.
Harden scored 33 points and Omer Asik tied his career high with 22 rebounds for the Rockets, who earned their first playoff berth since 2009 when the Jazz lost to Oklahoma City.
"It's a great accomplishment for us," said Harden, acquired from Oklahoma City in an offseason trade. "For our first year together, it's a pretty good thing."
On the final play, Harden dribbled down the clock with P.J. Tucker guarding him and launched a 3 from the wing. It bounced high off the rim and O'Neal and Houston's Patrick Beverley jumped for the rebound. O'Neal touched the ball and the rim after the ball came down, just after the buzzer sounded.
The referees huddled on the court, then reviewed the play and ruled it the winning basket, setting off a wild celebration.
O'Neal couldn't believe it.
"It was off the rim, for sure," O'Neal said. "He (Jones) is saying it was still in the cylinder when I did it. The problem is that they called a goaltend and counted the basket before they did the review. So there's not enough evidence to change the call. You should make sure that's the call you should make, and it should be clarified before you say, 'Basket counts.'"
Jones had a different view.
"Jermaine O'Neal touched it while it was in the cylinder," Jones told a pool reporter. "The ball was on the rim and in the cylinder. He (O'Neal) doesn't go up through the net, his hand is on the net, but not in the net."
Harden went only 2 for 8 from 3-point range and had nine turnovers. He thought his last shot was going in, before O'Neal touched it.
"It actually felt good leaving my hands," Harden said. "The ball bounced up and I kept looking at it. I see these hands touch the ball, so I kind of was happy."
Jeremy Lin had 13 points and six assists and Francisco Garcia scored 15 for Houston.
Luis Scola scored 28 to lead the Suns, who've lost 10 in a row. This one stung O'Neal a little more than the others.
"I've never seen a game finish in a weirder way," he said.
Both teams were sloppy much of the night and combined for 37 turnovers.
The Rockets could never shake the Suns, a team they beat by 30 on March 13. The Suns went 9 for 23 from the field in the third quarter, but trailed only 78-74.
"A win is a win," Harden said, "it wasn't the prettiest win."
Lin sank a pull-up jumper in the lane to put the Rockets up 96-95, but Scola calmly sank another hook shot with 1:39 to go and Phoenix moved back ahead. O'Neal blocked Asik's shot, and Scola's free throw with 53.5 seconds left made it 98-96.
O'Neal questioned more calls than just the final goaltend. He was whistled for fouling Lin on a drive with 35 seconds left, and Lin sank the free throws to tie it again.
"They called three or four calls late in the game that helped determine the outcome of the game," O'Neal said.
Scola missed a finger roll, the Rockets rebounded and called time out to set up the final play.
The Rockets went 6 for 30 from 3-point range and Harden's shot looked like it was going to miss, too. It counted, though, and Houston will return to the postseason.
"A lot of other teams have other expectations," Harden said, "but I think everybody has a playoff in their minds."
The Rockets went 6 minutes without a field goal in the second quarter and trailed 53-51 at halftime.
Both teams coughed up sloppy turnovers that led to easy baskets early in the third quarter. The Rockets managed to build an eight-point lead after Greg Smith made an acrobatic move to score on an alley-oop pass from Lin. Markieff Morris sank a 3-pointer and Scola converted a three-point play to keep Phoenix close.
NOTES: The Suns are 2-15 since losing Marcin Gortat to a season-ending injury on March 6. ... Suns F Michael Beasley was not with the team after the birth of his daughter. ... Rockets F Carlos Delfino sat out with flu-like symptoms. ... The Rockets assigned C Tim Ohlbrecht to Rio Grande Valley, its developmental league affiliate.


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Help Us Grant Wishes
At Yoli, our mission is to transform lives. We know that there are many people who need help to transform their lives because of circumstances beyond their control, and that's why we created Yoli Give.
Yoli Give provides our Members with many opportunities to reach out to the community and help those who are in need. We are fortunate to have many Members who have had their own lives transformed and are looking for ways to help others do the same. Because of these Members, Yoli Give is truly able to make a difference.
Yoli Give is so excited to partner with the Make-A-Wish Foundation and help them in their amazing mission to grant wishes for children who have life-threatening medical conditions. Every 38 minutes, Make-A-Wish grants a wish for a child. That experience transforms their lives and the lives of their loved ones, and Yoli Give is honored to help make those transformations possible.
Our Members have the ability to help Yoli Give and Make-A-Wish in many ways. You can set up a monthly donation on your Autoship so Make-A-Wish can help make wishes come true. At Yoli events, you can donate on the spot to help sponsor a child and transform their lives. If you want to get your team involved, you can participate in Adopt-A-Wish, where you and your team will have a specific child's wish assigned to you. You will help raise money to make that child's dream a reality, receive their story and pictures, and most importantly, you will know that you helped transform the life of a child and their family.
Make-A-Wish is truly an amazing foundation, and Yoli Give is honored to help support them in transforming lives. Donate today and help make a child's wish come true!
Damien's love of building things started when he was a baby. After he mastered his blocks, Damien, who was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, quickly graduated to LEGOs, and has been snapping shapes into place ever since. When Damien was asked to make a wish, he made it based on flawless reasoning. According to Damien, "the LEGO movie is the funniest movie in the world, and when you go to LEGOLAND, you can touch the LEGOs that were in the movie!"
See other kids we help by clicking here.
How to Donate
- Make a donation in your Team Office
- Purchase a Yoli Give Shirt. A portion of the proceeds from each shirt sold goes to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.


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whoa, whoa, whoa, whooooooaaaaaa Potroast, ease up on the trigger. I am more like the devils advocate and certainly not a troll.Potatoe1 wrote:You kind of are a Troll though.RoyalDude wrote:
Pretty much agree with ya Pot, but I saw this coming a long time ago much to the chagrin of the of the CC hoi polloi. "RD YOU TROLL!" lol
You started out in your first two paragraphs disagreeing with me then with the rest of your post you pretty much, like me, describe Gillis as the new Jack Gordon of the Canuck GM Alumni.
It was clear that changes were needed after the Bruin lost but ever since then Gillis has hands down been the worst GM in the league.


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A longtime local leader and a high school athletic and academic standout were among those honored by the Leavenworth-Lansing Area Chamber of Commerce during the organization's annual banquet Thursday at June's Northland in Leavenworth.
A longtime local leader and a high school athletic and academic standout were among those honored by the Leavenworth-Lansing Area Chamber of Commerce during the organization's annual banquet Thursday at June's Northland in Leavenworth. The Chamber handed out four awards this year, including its Humanitarian of the Year. Outgoing Chamber Chairman Josh Hoppes said in his introduction of that recipient that she stands alone among past recipients. "What is a bit unique is that the Humanitarian of the Year this year is that she is not only a tremendous volunteer and ambassador for the community, she's also an invaluable asset to our Chamber," he said. For those new to the country heading to Fort Leavenworth, Maxine Hunter is likely a familiar one. Hoppes said Hunter has served for about a decade as an active member of the Chamber's Operation International committee, which matches incoming international families headed to the fort with local sponsors that help them acclimate to their new home. Maxine and her husband, Tab, have themselves sponsored 25 such international officer families since becoming involved. Hoppes said Maxine now heads that committee and organizes the annual multi-day American orientation course for international spouses and children. "It simply would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of her and her team," he said. Maxine has also helped foster international good will though the city of Leavenworth's Sister Cities Advisory Committee. Last year, Hunter traveled to one of the city's two sister cities, Wagga Wagga, Australia, for a visit and to take part in the annual Wagga Wagga Quest. When not working to accommodate and meet those from around the globe, Hoppes said Maxine can also be found wearing the red coat as a Chamber ambassador at ribbon-cuttings, Chamber coffees and other events. Even given that, the recipient herself said she was taken back by the honor. "This is a total surprise to me," she said in accepting the award. "Total surprise." Maxine said she was honored to accept the award, especially in the city that she and her husband have long been happy to call home. "I have been in Leavenworth 20 years now and I love the city and I love serving on every committee that I can or doing what I can," she said. "I love everything I do in this city and I love the people that I work with. They are all the greatest." The Chamber also gave out its Junior Citizen of the Year, an honor that Hoppes said was admittedly hard for the selection committee to narrow down. "This year's recipient is the true definition of a well-rounded young person and a scholar-athlete," Hoppes said. With a 4.245 grade-point average, enrollment in advanced placement courses like calculus and a score of 35 on the ACT college preparation test — on a scale of 36 — Hoppes said the recipient is outstanding when it comes to academics. He's involved in student council and band. But his athletic accomplishments are as noteworthy —earning three varsity letters and the honor of "lineman of the year" for the Leavenworth High School football team. And Hoppes said the recipient, Nathan Butler, was "one of the most dominant wrestlers in LHS history," with 6A state titles in his sophomore and junior years. Butler is heading to Stanford University next fall with a wrestling scholarship. "And I have little doubt that he will leave and indelible mark on that great organization," Hoppes said. Butler, in accepting the award, thanked the Chamber, his LHS teachers and coaches and his parents. "Without them, none of this would have been possible," he said. Butler said he did have one regret as he looks forward. "I'm going to have to leave this community that I've grown to love in my high school years," he said. The new Chamber Chairman, Dan Sheehan of Saint John Hospital, introduced the next two awards. He said the Ambassador of the Year was awarded based on a point-system, with nominations and executive input also considered. This year, recipient David Thompson went above and beyond for the Chamber and its members, Sheehan said. "Our first annual Ambassador of the Year stood out from the rest," he said. "He accumulated over 5,000 points in 2012 and made at least 300 phone calls to not only existing members to see how business was going, but also to potential new members." And for the Business of the Year Award, Sheehan said accounting firm DeMaranville and Associates earned the honor not just because of their business practices and consistent expansion, but in their commitment to the community, hiring part-time high-school and college students to teach their trade. "Their employees have strong loyalty to the business, and each year this business owner gives her employees an allotted amount of money specifically for spending in downtown Leavenworth," to encourage local shopping, Sheehan said.


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2 teens hurt in fall at Ga.'s Stone Mountain park
STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. (AP) — Police say two teenagers were hospitalized with serious injuries after they fell several hundred feet from a cliff at Georgia's Stone Mountain Park, outside Atlanta.
Park spokesman John Bankhead said the two were in a restricted area on the back side of the park when they fell. They were hiking with a man and his 12-year-old son when they wandered into the restricted area, apparently bypassing fences and signs warning visitors to stay out.
Bankhead says the more seriously injured teen was airlifted to the Atlanta Medical Center. Ange Landress told WSB-TV that her stepson suffered two broken jaws and bruises on his brain and lungs.
The second teen was transported to the Gwinnett Medical Center.
Both teens were alert and conscious when they were being taken from the park.
Information from: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, http://www.ajc.com


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HTPC Guide
With the ever increasing popularity of digital music and streaming video, it was only a matter of time before consumers demanded these technologies in their living rooms. The Home Theater Personal Computer (HTPC) has had its place in some homes over much of the last decade, but only recently have they gained popularity among the mainstream market. WebTV could arguably be considered the first production HTPC, and many companies bundled Windows XP Media Center Edition (MCE) along with their computers in an attempt to push consumers in this direction. It never really caught on back then as few people owned more than one computer and were still learning the ropes.
Nowadays, everything has turned digital - music and movies especially. You'd be hard pressed to find yourself in a position without internet access. The new breed of HTPC brings entertainment to your fingertips with the ease of pushing a button on a remote. You don't even need to leave your seat, unless of course nature takes its course. Then again you could always set up your home theatre system in your bathroom! An HTPC gives you the ability to call up a moive instantly, set recordings for future broadcasts, and hold your entire music collection in one medium sized box. These conveniences, along with other full-fledged features of a complete PC, has pushed the HTPC so far into everyday life that the market for them will only get bigger. Companies around the world have begun making HTPC's, and one day soon you may find yourself joining the bandwagon.
Pre-built HTPC's tend to be extraordinarly expensive, for no apparent reason. An HTPC is basically a cheap computer with a few features added. So why pay the big bucks for a machine you could easily build yourself for half the cost? Just about every member here has the knowledge to build a computer. In this guide I'll be helping you decide which parts you'll need for an HTPC.
At this point I want to make explicitly clear that this guide is just that, a guide in helping you decide what you need. The products that I suggest only represent a small fraction of those available. Depending on the brand, model, and any sales going on you'll probably be able to find better equipment for the same (if not lower) price. It all depends on what you need and how much patience you have. Now then, let's begin!


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Dynegy (NYSE: DYN) is a holding company that engages primarily in power generation in the Midwest, Northeast and Southwest. The company operated primarily by producing wholesale energy then packaging and selling it to retail utility companies. With approximately 12,300 Megawatts (MW) of energy capacity and operations in six states, Dynegy is a serious industry player.[1]
Over the past few years, Dynegy has undergone serious restructuring, recovering from a series of bad missteps in the early 2000s. Originally known as Natural Gas Clearinghouse, the company took a turn for the worse when it rebranded itself Dynegy in 1998, in the spirit of the much heralded "New Economy." As part of this shift, Dynegy began to rapidly expanding to areas like energy trading and broadband internet, adopting the strategies of its larger rival Enron. Dynegy would almost follow Enron into bankruptcy after an investigation revealed fraudulent accounting practices in 2001.
Fortunately, Dynegy avoided a trip to bankruptcy court by shedding assets and selling off its haphazard array of business ventures. Since announcing its restructuring plan in 2002, the company has significantly reduced operating expenses and recently illustrated a renewed focus on growth and expansion with its acquisition of LS Power, a privately held energy generation company. Analysts have lauded the acquisition as a leap forward to Dynegy because of the improved geographically diversity and cash flow the deal will provide. In all, the combined company will have over 20,000 MW in generation capacity.
Dynegy began in 1984 as Natural Gas Clearinghouse, a marketer of natural gas . The company first entered the business of energy production in 1997, when it acquired Destec Energy Inc, a former subsidiary of Dow Chemical with a strong presence in the Midwest energy production market. In 1998, Natural Gas Clearinghouse rebranded itself Dynegy and pushed to cast itself mold of the "New Economy." As part of this aggressive move Dynegy closely mimicked its older peer Enron, launching several business ventures including energy trading platforms and a broadband internet division. In 2001, the company made an unsuccessful bid for then troubled Enron which soon filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. Dynegy nearly followed Enron into bankruptcy; in 2002 the company became ensnared in an accounting scandal. The company avoided a trip to bankruptcy court only by selling off assets, eventually shedding everything but its core merchant power division. Today, Dynegy remains focused on energy production.
After several unloading unrelated businesses to avoid bankruptcy in 2002, Dynegy continued to strip assets to pay down debt, shedding its natural gas pipeline operations and regulated utility business in 2004 and 2005. Today the company is focused exclusively on generating and selling energy from its 20 plants located throughout the United States which have a production capacity of 11,739 megawatts (MW). The company is organized as a holding company that conducts its business primarily through its subsidiaries. The company focuses its efforts on the generation and sale of energy from its 20 plants which are located throughout the country and can produce 11,739 MW of energy. Dynegy's plants all burn natural gas, coal or oil.
In 2009, DYN earned total revenues of $2.47 billion. This was a substantial decline from its 2008 revenues of $3.55 billion. Unsurprisingly, this had an adverse effect on its net income. Between 2008 and 2009, DYN had its net income decline from $174 million in 2008 to a net loss of $1.26 billion in 2009.[2]
The company organizes its energy production into three regions.
The Midwest region represents the bulk of Dynegy's generation capacity. When examining energy generation portfolios, power plants are usually divided by capacity factor or the typical of percentage of total generation capacity a plant will use during a year. "Baseload" plants constantly produce energy and have high capacity factors whereas "peaking" plants have a low capacity factor because they only approach full generation capacity when baseline plants are strained during high demand periods. In the Midwest, Dynegy maintains a power plant fleet with over 4,200 MW of baseload generation capacity. Importantly, 3000 MW of the total capacity come from plants that use low-cost coal as fuel. Also, because coal dominates Dynegy's production methods in the Midwest, the region benefits when wholesale energy prices increase due to rising oil or natural gas prices. Because of these factors, the Midwest segment contributes the majority of Dynegy's cash flow.
Dynegy also has a small presence in the Northeast energy production market. Its Northeast portfolio currently consists of 2,800 MW of capacity. Two of the company's primary Northeast facilities have dual capacity for both coal and oil prices. Because of this dual capacity, the plants benefit when wholesale energy prices increase due to higher natural gas prices.
Dynegy also has facilities in the Southern region of the United States with just over 1,520 MW of capacity. Recently, Dynegy's Southern assets have been its worst performers, due to an unfavorable operating environment in the wholesale energy market. Barring an improvement in market conditions in the South, Dynegy's current assets in the South may continue to shed dollars for years to come.
Over the past decade the price of natural gas and oil has risen significantly, approximately tripling since the year 2000. These price increases stem from a host of different forces including rising global energy demand, limited refining capacity and geopolitical tensions. These huge price increases translate into much higher operational costs and oil and gas-fired plants. Although there have been dramatic increases in natural gas and oil prices, coal prices have remained relatively stable due to abundant supply in the United States. The rising fossil-fuel prices have made coal, particularly low sulfur coal, the power plant fuel of choice over the past few years. Dynegy's diversified portfolio of gas, oil and coal-fired plants mean that changes in the price of one fuel type i.e. natural gas will have an adverse affect on some operations and a positive effect on others.
Dynegy's profitability is a function of the difference between wholesale market prices for electricity and the cost of production. Most of Dynegy's production capacity is characterized by dispatched market structures where the market price is based on the price required to justify production of the last megawatt needed to balance demand. In this structure market prices are usually determined by natural gas prices because more costly natural gas-fired peaking plants are used to satisfy extra demand. Because of this market structure Dynegy has seen mixed effects from the run-up in oil and natural gas prices. On one hand, Dynegy's large coal-fired baseload facilities in the Midwest have benefited from increased natural gas prices. On the other hand, increased natural gas prices raise operational costs at Dynegy's gas-fired peaking facilities.
Another important factor that determines market prices in any given market is the weather. Typically, summer and winter weather extremes cause increased electricity consumption due to increased use of cooling and heating devices. On the other hand, milder weather during the spring an fall months tend to result in lower demand and lower market prices.
Over the past few years, global warming has moved from the fringes to become one of the single greatest challenges facing the world today. A growing body of scientific evidence ties carbon dioxide emissions to rising global temperatures. As a result of growing popular awareness of the risks of global warming, many large corporations have stepped up their efforts to project greener images. Additionally, and more importantly, the US government has been enacting more stringent legislation limiting carbon emissions. Because all of Dynegy's facilities are carbon-fired, tightened emissions standards will raise the cost of operation across most of its facilities and put pressure on profit margins.
Two fundamental trends bode well for Dynegy: increasing energy demand, and consolidation in the energy industry. Over the past few years, there has been a steady increase in energy demand in Dynegy's major regions of operation. This increase demand is slowly absorbing the excess generation capacity available in regions such as the Midwest, West and Northeast. Concurrently, local, state and federal governments are loosening regulation of the energy industry after decades of tight control. In response to this, there has been rapid consolidation in the energy industry due to benefits of large scale such as increased pricing power, stronger cash flows, and regional diversity. If demand continues to rise and consolidation proceeds unfettered they will both result in a more favorable pricing environment for Dynegy.
The wide variation in their operations makes a direct comparison of utility companies difficult. However, Dynegy has a few objective advantages over its peers. First, for its size Dynegy has impressive regional diversity. Regional diversity protects utility companies from local market fluctuations. Additionally, Dynegy has shed most of its prior business ventures including its regulated retail energy business making it more of a pure play on energy generation. Some of Dynegy's top competitors include Entergy (ETR) and American Electric Power Company (AEP).


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LRG presents their new Summer 2012 Collection. In line with the season, the brand wants to have fun and therefore brought together the cast of Comedy Central's hit show, Workaholics, LRG team rider Tommy Sandoval , and Windy City hip-hop duo The Cool Kids for a day of poolside debauchery.
Check out the video lookbook here below.
More images of the new collection follow after the jump.


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Oct. 7 Jim Leyland postgame interview
Q. Jim, it all worked out. But that 8th inning there was a banquet full of second‑guesses and questions. And they began with the offense. It was self‑explanatory why you would have bunted Dirks. But before that, to have pinch run Kelly ahead of Berry and then to have left yourself with Berry with the runners at second and third with one out, could you go through some options there?
JIM LEYLAND: I was obviously using Berry to hit for Garcia. So I didn't want to run him there. I didn't want to run him first for Delmon Young, if that's what you mean. So I was saving Berry to pinch hit for Garcia, which is what I ended up doing. If I would have run him, I wouldn't have been able to pinch hit him.
Q. Jim, it all worked out. But that 8th inning there was a banquet full of second‑guesses and questions. And they began with the offense. It was self‑explanatory why you would have bunted Dirks. But before that, to have pinch run Kelly ahead of Berry and then to have left yourself with Berry with the runners at second and third with one out, could you go through some options there?
JIM LEYLAND: I was obviously using Berry to hit for Garcia. So I didn't want to run him there. I didn't want to run him first for Delmon Young, if that's what you mean. So I was saving Berry to pinch hit for Garcia, which is what I ended up doing. If I would have run him, I wouldn't have been able to pinch hit him.
Q. Could you have gone with Avila at this point and still had your substitution in place for Laird? Had you followed up with Berry pinch hitting for Laird ‑‑
JIM LEYLAND: I think the question what you're getting to is you hit Berry first instead of Avila. Is that what you're talking about?
Q. That's what I meant.
JIM LEYLAND: I thought you meant pinch running. Pinch running has nothing to do with it. That's a very good question. That's one of those Catch‑22s. I wasn't sure if they would walk Alex. I felt like Berry had a better chance of slapping the ball somewhere and not striking out, which he ended up doing, than Alex, that's why I hit him first.
Q. Going back to the 8th inning again, are you concerned with where your pen is at right now? Benoit struggled once again. Is there a concern that he's unable to ‑‑
JIM LEYLAND: No, not at all, I'm not concerned. It is what it is. He's our guy. I totally believe in him. I totally believe in our entire bullpen. And that's not going to change. That's our team. That's what we are, that's who we are. And Benoit was fantastic 14 hours ago. So, no, I don't have any questions about that whatsoever.
Q. There's not an issue with him with his arm or anything?
JIM LEYLAND: No, no physical issues whatsoever.
Q. Was there any thought to using Porcello in today's game, or are you saving him for Game 4 possibly?
JIM LEYLAND: No, there was no thought in using him as this game played out, absolutely not. But it could have turned out, if this lingers on, that that's what he'd be down there for.
You have a starter that might be able to pitch three or four innings in case you use your other short guys, then you have that starter to go into extra innings, and if you need four or five innings, you can get it.
That happened to us in 2009, I believe. It was a Minnesota thing. We had to extend Rodney four innings out.
That's one of the reasons Porcello was left on, either long righty or a situation like today where if the game gets extended, you've got a guy that's not a one‑inning guy, he can go out and pitch four or five innings, if that happens.
And it can happen, believe me.
Q. Jim, talk about you have a team of stars with Verlander and Cabrera and Fielder, but Don Kelly was designated for assignment, Quin Berry was almost out of baseball, Danny Worth has been up and down. I know he knows where Monroe is by now. Just talk about ‑‑ because Worth made a really good play. Kelly, that wasn't an easy spot. And Berry had some big plays.
JIM LEYLAND: I mean, I've always emphasized that since I've been here. That's what a team's all about, everybody making contributions. What gets lost in the shuffle of this game I think is the fact that Danny Worth made a hell of a play and got the force at second. A tremendous play to get the force out at second.
So it takes everybody to contribute. And we got contributions from everybody. So that's a good thing. That's what a team's all about.
And we're playing one hell of a team. You saw them today. They're not going to cash it in, trust me. Their manager's tough. Their players are tough. And we got a long, long way to go yet.
This is a nice win for us, but we've got a lot of work to do. They'll be waiting for us at the Coliseum, and we've got to win a game somehow.
Q. Your view of the Crisp bobble in center field, is that just a matter of put it in play and something can happen?
JIM LEYLAND: That's one of those unfortunate ‑‑ he's an outstanding center fielder. And it looked to me watching it, I couldn't really tell live, but when I saw the replay, looks like he got his hands in real close to his body, kind of cupped into his body it looked like.
That can be a tough play to make. And it was just an unfortunate play for them and fortunate play for us because he's been their catalyst. He's been their guy. He's a heck of a player.
And that's the human element of the game.
Q. Sounds like you didn't win the game, Jim, but we've got people asking. When you're in that 8th and you've got Benoit going against the heart of left‑handed hitters on the power level, of Moss and Reddick and that, is there ever a temptation percentage‑wise to use Coke whereas you used him against right‑handers in the 9th?
JIM LEYLAND: I don't think when we have the lead in the 8th inning Benoit is our guy against a righty/lefty. And the reason he's our guy is because he can throw it 95 and he has a great changeup that's very difficult to pick up.
We're not going to change anything now. If you had a tie game where maybe you didn't want to use Benoit and give him a day off or something, that could happen. If they got two or three lefties or two out of the three are lefties or three out of the four are lefties, sure that could happen. But not in a situation where he's fresh and we have the lead. He's our 8th‑inning guy. It's that simple. It's been that way since he's been here.
That's not going to change. So it is what it is. But if you were in a tie game where you would use Benoit maybe the day before or two days in a row and they had a bunch of lefties coming up, sure that would be a situation where you'd pitch Coke. But if Benoit is fresh and we have the lead in the 8th, he's going to be in there.
Q. Garcia's throw, if Crisp is safe, how big of an inning do you think that could have become for Oakland?
JIM LEYLAND: It's huge. Dougy pitched great and it was a huge throw. You know, this kid is an athlete. He can run and throw. He's a tools guy. You saw one of the tools show off at a big time today.
So it's another weapon. Most everybody concentrates on offense, but when you have a guy, an outfielder that can hit and run, and he's got that good arm and the capability of throwing somebody out, that's why you call him a tools player.
It was a great throw. There's no question about it. That's another play that I forgot to mention.
But that play and Danny Worth's play I thought were huge, absolutely huge.