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Essays by KUNIAKI SAITO
Friends who are similarOctober 15th, 2017
Although different people will have diverse points of views for this question, I personally prefer to have friends who are similar to myself. I would like to give detailed explanations on my answer in the following paragraphs.
Business should not do anything to make a profitOctober 11th, 2017
I disagree with the idea that businesses should do anything that they can do to make a profit. Some people may support this opinion, but I am opposed to it. I would like to clear my position in the following paragraphs with detailed reasons.
People should sometimes do things that they do not enjoy doingOctober 11th, 2017
I agree with the statement that people should sometimes do things that they do not enjoy doing. I think this statement is controversial for someone. Therefore, I would like to clear my opinion with detailed explanation in the following paragraphs.
Playing gamesOctober 11th, 2017
Although it may sound strange, I agree with the opinion that playing games teaches us about life. I would like to give detailed reasons with some examples in the following paragraphs.
AutomobilesOctober 5th, 2017
Although some people may have different points of views, I agree with the idea that the automobile such as cars and bikes has improved modern human life dramatically. I think this fact is substantiated by various evidence. I would like to show it in the following paragraphs in detail.
University should hire non-native speakers as languages instructorsSeptember 28th, 2017
At first glance, the author's conclusion that the university should hire non-native speakers as languages instructors instead of hiring native speakers for all language classes seems reasonable. However, a careful examination of the claim reveals that the argument relies on a series of unsubstantiated assumptions, which render it unconvincing as it stands. Before any final conclusions are made, the validity of supporting fact used for the justification of the conclusion must be evaluated critically and objectively.
Copper extractionSeptember 20th, 2017
At first glance, the author's conclusion that the new technology described by the author can decrease the electricity used by the copper-extraction industry seems reasonable. However, a careful examination of the claim reveals that the argument relies on several unsubstantiated assumptions, which render it unconvincing as it stands. Before any final conclusions are made, the validity of supporting data used for the justification of the conclusion must be evaluated critically and objectively.
Manager's statementSeptember 20th, 2017
At first glance, the manager's statement telling that we should concentrate on the state of Urba rather than on the state of Sylva to have more customer of our national newspaper is convincing. However, a careful examination of his claim uncovers that the argument relies on a series of unsubstantiated assumptions, which render it unconvincing as it stands. Before any conclusions are made, the validity of supporting idea used for the justification of the conclusion must be evaluated critically and objectively.
Should children start to learn a foreign language at an early ageSeptember 20th, 2017
I agree with the statement that children should start to learn a foreign language such as English or Chinese as soon as they go into school. In the following paragraphs, I would like to explain my statement in detail, including some examples, to substantiate the validity of my statement.
Making friends with different backgroundsJuly 30th, 2017
Although some people may have different points of views, I prefer to choose friends who are different from myself. I understand that some people prefer to make a group by people who share their preference and their viewpoints on many things. I would like to give detailed reasons to make my statement convincing.
Although some people may have different views, I think universities should require students to take classes in diverse subjects. IJuly 27th, 2017
Although some people may have different views, I think universities should require students to take classes in diverse subjects. I would like to give detailed reasons in the following paragraphs.
Luck and hardworkJuly 27th, 2017
I disagree with the statement that the success of people completely owes their hard work, and is not related to luck. Since some people may have distinct viewpoints, I would like to give detailed reasons including some examples in the following paragraphs.
Parents should make decisions for their older teenage childrenJuly 24th, 2017
I agree with the idea that parents or other adult relatives should make important determinations in place of their older teenage children. I want to give detailed reasons in the following paragraphs. First and foremost, 15 to 18-year-old children do not have enough knowledge to make good decisions related to important things such as their career or their university. Children under 18 do not have sufficient knowledge about the society, for example, some of them do not know the world economic circumstances and they do not know beneficial jobs. Therefore, many children are inclined to make a false determination. For example, my father determined my university when I was a high school student. As the university was a medical university, my father thought that I would be able to live a wealthy life. Although, at that time, I strongly resisted his determination, now, I think it was a highly smart decision. This is because I became a doctor and I am well-paid enough to live a luxurious life with my family. Moreover, some people may claim that we should let the children make a decision on their own because they will think of their future more seriously compared to the case when their parents make it. However, even if they become more serious about their future, I think that it is meaningless if they do not make a correct decision. In order to prevent their children from making a silly decision, their relatives should determine for their children. In addition, parents and relatives know about their children much more than their children know about themselves. Most of them comprehend the character and the temper of their children because they have been seen their children from when they were very little. Hence, they can objectively judge the appropriate career or university for their children. On the other hand, when children attempt to make a significant decision, they tend to see themselves very subjectively. They are apt to regard themselves as a less talented person than they are in fact. Further, they often overlook their latent talents, which their parents notice. For instance, when it comes to my brother who is a researcher now, my mother and father noticed his talent and their persuasion made him become a researcher. When he had to choose his major at university, my parents gave him very effective advice that he was very good at thinking something very carefully and elaborately. Since they knew his character from his childhood, they could give such a valuable advice. He has achieved a lot of success as a researcher. In conclusion, I think parents or relatives have to make essential decisions for their children around 15 from 18-year-old. They have a broader understanding about the world and they also know about their children very well.
Grades encourage students to learnJuly 24th, 2017
Although some people may state that grades do not urge students to learn hard, I agree with the idea that grades can necessarily induce them to study hard. I want to give detailed reasons for my opinion in the following paragraphs. First and foremost, most students study enthusiastically in order to obtain better grades because good grades can demonstrate their ability when applying to high schools or universities. If grades are not meaningless for the application to high schools or universities, students will quit studying hard before a periodical exam or writing a good paper for the class. In most universities and grade schools, the score of their obtained degrees, such as GPA is considered very important in determining whether or not they accept the student. Therefore, grades can necessarily make students to learn better and to participate in the class with enthusiasm. I'll take an example of showing my statement exactly. In my cousin's case, he stopped studying hard after he got his job, a mathematics teacher at a cram school, though he studied very hard when he was a student. The reason is that his excellent grades in his high school and university already guarantee his competence at mathematics. This example clearly indicates the fact that grading is a good way to make students study diligently. In addition, most students regard their grade at a subject as the criterion on whether or not they can understand the subject accurately. Better grades mean better understanding into the subject, accordingly, they make great efforts to get better grades. It is quite difficult for students to evaluate their own understanding into some subjects because they do not know what is important in the subjects. By contrast, professors are good at making an evaluation on students' understanding because they grasp the subject much better than students. Therefore, the professors can correctly infer whether or not a student comprehends the subject by seeing the attitude of the student in the class, a submitted final paper and the result of the exam. Although the evaluation is sometimes not accurate, it is reliable in most cases. Hence, students think the grades of the subjects reflect their understanding of them. If they acquire good grades, they will be satisfied with the result and proceed to advanced study. Also, if their grades are not good, they will review the materials in the course and they, maybe, take the course again to have a better comprehension. In conclusion, I agree with the idea that grades enable students to learn better. Grades are the good indication of the students' ability when applying for universities or graduate schools. Further, grades accurately reflect their ability in some fields.
Better to save our money for some time in the futureJuly 23rd, 2017
Although some people may have different opinions, I think it is better to save our money for some time in the future rather than exhausting it when we earn it. I want to give detailed reasons in the following paragraphs.
The best way to travel is in a group led by a tour guideJuly 23rd, 2017
Some people may have different views, but I agree with the statement that the best way of having a good travel is in a group led by a tour guide. I want to explain detailed reasons in the following paragraphs. First and foremost, good tour guides can make our travel much more interesting in many respects. Since they are professional in touring, we certainly spend a comfortable time with them. For example, they know a lot about sightseeing places. Not only do they know where the well-known historical places are, but also know the background of the place including the history and heartwarming stories related to the place. Furthermore, they are good time-keepers. They completely grasp when we have to transfer to next places and how much time it takes to our hotel. Some people may claim that they do not want to be managed their time by them because they want to enjoy their tour as they feel like. However, managing time is usually essential when it comes to travel because we may be involved in some troubles. With the help of a good tourist guide, we are able to avoid such kinds of problems. In addition, traveling in a group makes our tour more enjoyable. When having a travel with friends or someone else, we can share happy feelings about the tour. Also, we have various opportunities to communicate with someone who we do not know. In my case, last year, I had a travel to Alaska with my friends in a group. The travel was fantastic all the more because I could make new friends. The group had three persons other than our friends, who I could get close with during the tour. At first, I did not get familiar with them because I am not an outgoing person. However, as I experienced wonderful experiences with them, I get familiar with each other. I think the magnificent scenery of Alaska made us close friends. At the end of the tour, we exchanged the account of our social network service, and often have a drinking party. Although some people may argue that they want to enjoy their travel alone, I personally prefer to get acquainted with various people through a travel. In conclusion, I totally agree with the idea that traveling in a group following an expert guide is the best way to enjoy the travel. With the help of the guide, the fun of the tour is reinforced. Moreover, traveling in a group enables us to make new friends.
Large companyJuly 23rd, 2017
Although different people have different views on this question, I prefer to work for a large company. I want to give detailed reasons in the following paragraphs. First and foremost, we can be engaged in projects which are significant in our society when working for a large company. Since the scale of the project in a large company is larger than that in a small company, we have more opportunities to be concerned with such projects. For example, my father is working for a constructing company whose share in our country is top-level. My father has the experience of getting involved in large projects including construction of a famous museum and a popular movie theater. Thereby, he is well-known in his industry. He is often invited to a party or a banquet which is held by executives of famous companies. By contrast, when it comes to a small enterprise, we will not be able to work for such a renowned project. People in a small company will not be given any chance to achieve a big project. Even when they are assigned to a big project, persons from a famous company have an initiative of the project. Therefore, they will not be given any valuable assignments. Secondly, with regard to a reward of their work, a large company greatly outperforms a small company. In large companies, not only do we obtain a large amount of salary, but also we can receive the special money for our residence, health insurance. When it comes to small companies, they do not afford to invest money on it. I want to compare myself and my friend, John. I am working for a large trading company, whose salary and welfare system is outstanding. When we work overtime before a deadline of some projects, we can be paid according to the time we work. Furthermore, we are given a lot of money to live in a house near the company because the price of the apartment near our company is a little high. Owing to the system, many of workers in my company can stay healthy and can keep our motivations to work hard. When it comes to John's company, he gets paid much less than I do. Unfortunately, his company is directly affected by a recent economic stagnation and his salary is drastically cut. Moreover, his company does not prepare any kinds of the welfare system. Although they are forced to be hard-working, they are not given any reward for that. In conclusion, I am in favor of being employed by a large company because the advantage of a large company is attractive when considering the disadvantage of a small company. We can work for a project which has a large impact on our society and the welfare system is fascinating.
High schools should allow students to study the courses that students want to studyJuly 23rd, 2017
Different people will have different opinions about this statement. However, I want to argue that high schools should let students study courses that they are interested in and want to study. I want to give detailed reasons in the following paragraphs. First and foremost, students should improve their specialized skills on their major before entering college or working at a company or a factory. Whether or not they start to work just after graduating from high schools, obtaining expert skills and knowledge is very advantageous for their future. In universities, some students cannot catch up with difficult academic lectures. Knowledgeable students, however, easily understand the content of the lectures. When it comes to working in an office or a factory, their proficient skills related to computers or information technology will be useful. Moreover, high school students will be able to enhance their ability quickly. Young people tend to acquire complicated skills or subject more quickly than adults. Therefore, they should learn such complex things before getting older. Instead of taking only regular courses, they should select optional courses beneficial for their future. Secondly, taking advanced courses will broaden the horizons of high school students. For some students who do not have any vision for their future, the courses will be stimulating. They cannot think of their future because what they study in school seems irrelevant to the real society and their future. If they know that applications of the subjects are closely concerned with our daily life, they will gain enthusiasm. Further, most of the required courses are too basic and boring for competent students, which taking advanced courses will solve. Intelligent students will touch more advanced and fascinating aspects of each subject, resulting in urging them to study more and broadening their potentials. In my high school's case, we can take three optional courses, most of which are specialized. Since the courses are varied, every student can find intriguing courses. Through taking the courses, most students determine which university they want to enter. In addition, some of them change their directions when finding much more attractive subjects. In this respect, taking courses which students want to study has a positive influence on them. In conclusion, I am in favor of the idea that high school should allow students to select lectures which are attractive for them. I believe not only that mastering some skills will be advantageous to their future, but also that they can broaden their perspectives by taking the high-level courses.
New RestaurantJuly 23rd, 2017
Different people will have different responses to the announcement that a new restaurant will be built in our neighborhood. However, when it comes to me, I am opposed to this plan. I want to give detailed reasons in the following paragraphs. In the first place, I believe that we will be inclined to use a newly-built restaurant, resulting in wasting a lot of money. If there is a restaurant in our neighborhood, we want to go there to have a dinner or to drink a cup of coffee. Namely, the existence of the restaurant will urge us to utilize it. The same tendency can be found in our daily life. For example, if there is a convenience store or vending machines near our house, we tend to buy some drink or foods there on the way from school or working office. Without such places, we will not feel like buying anything, which indicates that the existence of attractive places can encourage people to use it. What's more, in the case where delicious foods are served at the restaurant, we are more likely to invest money on eating them. Foods at a restaurant are usually much more expensive than foods prepared at home. Therefore, in order to maintain our reasonable life, I think a new restaurant should not be constructed in our neighborhood. Second, a restaurant tends to make a lot of noise and make the surrounding dirty. In most restaurants, a large volume of music is played until midnight which many people find annoying and disturbing. Even if the volume of the music is suppressed, young people who use the restaurant will speak in a loud voice or leave a lot of garbages around the restaurant. Some people may not pay attention to such things, but I personally hate them because I cannot sleep well at night hearing the irritating noise. Many people who live in the area where there is a restaurant, especially, a family restaurant suffer from such kinds of problems. According to the survey, I have read recently, more than eighty percent of people living near a restaurant or caffe get annoyed with the noise or the trashes from it. Although they are hesitating to tell that they do in front of others, in fact, they regard the existence of restaurants as disturbing. From this insight, I can argue that building a new restaurant is not advantageous to us. In conclusion, I am opposed to the plan making a new restaurant near my house. I do not want to waste my money on the restaurant. Furthermore, it will be irritating to the neighborhoods.
Young adults are more influenced by their friendsJuly 23rd, 2017
Although some people may state that young adults are more influenced by their friends than their parents, I totally disagree with the opinion. I want to give detailed reasons in the following paragraphs. First and foremost, young adults tend to rely on their parents when they have to decide something important or there is fatal crisis around them. I basically agree with the idea that friends can support young adults with each other, thus their existence is significant for young adults. However, the advice of their parents can be greatly influential when making an important decision including their careers and their goals of life because parents know their children much better than their friends know. For instance, I determined to select physics as my major from the advice of my father. When I was a sophomore, I wanted to major physics, but could not resolve it. This is because I thought that I was not so talented to catch up with the class and other students would be much more competent than I. At that time, a word of my father made me decide to select the major. His word was that he knew how much I liked physics and how an able person I was. He could give such a cheerful advice because he sufficiently understood my character and my life. My friends would not be able to give me such an influential advice. Secondly, young people tend to unconsciously live a similar life of their parents. Some people may insist that children choose their life independently from their parents, but I am opposed to the idea. Children and their parents certainly have a lot in common, including their character, physical ability, and appearance. These are inherited from parents to children. For this reason, children tend to be influenced by their parents awarely or unawarely. In my family's case, most of our family members have jobs related to medicine. The ancestry of us was a famous doctor two hundred years ago. Although we are not forced to be a doctor or be engaged in a job related to medicine, we somehow select to do that. I think this is due to the fact that parents are likely to have an important impact on the growth of children. Children see parents working enthusiastically and they tend to respect their parents and the job itself. Thereby, they are more inclined to select the job of parents as their own. From this example, children are influenced by their father or mother than their friends. In conclusion, we can conclude that parents can affect young adults more than their friends. Parents grasp all about their children and most children live a similar life of their parents.
Plan leisure time carefullyMay 14th, 2017
Although some people may prefer otherwise, I prefer planning for my leisure time carefully. I want to compare the benefits of both policies and give detailed reasons in the following paragraphs.
First and foremost, telling a lie somtimes helps people to be in a good relationship between people including family membersMay 12th, 2017
First and foremost, telling a lie somtimes helps people to be in a good relationship between people including family members or close friends. Telling a truth is not always appropriate to maintain the important relationship with people. Basically, it is true that we should not tell a lie other than when we have to do that, but there are necessarily several situations not to damage the relationship with others or to hide some fact which will threaten confidence. For example, two years ago, in my uncle's case, he told what was not true at all to his wife in order to conceal his dishonesty. Then, he was blamed for having a date with other woman by his wife. However, he made a clever lie that he just consulted with her because he was an employee in his company and thought about changing the job, all of which were not true at all. He determined to deny what happend between him and her in order to maintain his happy life although he was in an unappropriate relationship with her. I think that his behavior was not admirable, but he just wanted not to do harm to his marriage life.
First and foremost, machines can shorten the time required to finish the work and decrease the burdensome we will spendMay 10th, 2017
First and foremost, machines can shorten the time required to finish the work and decrease the burdensome we will spend on the task. There are various kinds of simple work such as inputting tremendous amount of data into spread sheets, counting papers collected from customers and responding to emails. We have to devote a lot of time to finish this kind of simple tasks when dealing with them by hand. However, when applying machines to such jobs, we do not have to be bothered by the massive easy work. Machines such as computers are very good at coping with it. For example, they can automatically fill in some kinds of predetermined forms according to the images they are inputted, and classify the customers' information following some rules. Thus, in the simple tasks, employing machines will dramatically diminish the pains we have to take otherwise. Furthermore, with the development of the artificial intelligence, the modern machines are getting smarter and they are now responsible for more complex tasks including making important decisions of a company and conceiving new projects. Machines are very useful tools to lessen the work of human beings.
Governments should use their money to purchase computersMay 4th, 2017
Although some people may support the idea that governments should use their money on basic needs, I am in favor of the opinion that they should spend as much money as possible on developing information technology. I want to give detailed reasons in the following paragraphs.
Large shopping centerMay 1st, 2017
Although some people may argue otherwise, I am opposed to the plan of building a new large shopping center in my neighborhood. I want to give detailed reasons in the following paragraphs.
Life today is easier and more comfortableDecember 23rd, 2016
Some people may be opposed to the statement that "Life today is easier and more comfortable than it was when your grandparents were children.". However, I strongly support this statement for two reasons. I want to explain the reasons in the following paragraphs.


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So one of the reasons I've been silent has been that I've just spent a few days relaxing on St Agnes (above), one of the smallest, most isolated and quietest of the Isles of Scilly, just over thirty miles south-west of Land's End.
As I tramped around the island, home to just 72 people and just a couple of kilometres wide, the apparent enormity of what is really a tiny place struck me. From the Turk's Head pub on the north-easterly quay, to Troytown Farm on the other side of the island, down to Wingletang Down in the south of the island, and then round to the sandbar that connects St Agnes to the even smaller island of Gugh, came to seem like many miles. Every pool, rock and cove took on much greater significance than the shoreline of the much larger island of St Mary's ever seems to gather around itself.
Not for the first time, an observation from Adam Nicolson's beautiful book Sea Room comes to mind:
Something of the sense of holiness on islands comes... from [their] strange, elastic geography. Islands are made larger, paradoxically, by the scale of the sea that surrounds them. The element which might reduce them, which might be thought to besiege them, has the opposite effect. The sea elevates these few acres into something they would never be if hidden in the mass of the mainland. The sea makes islands significant. They are defined by it, both wedded to it and implacably set against it, both a creation and a rejection of the element which makes them what they are. They are the no-sea within the sea, standing against the sea's chaos and erosive power, but framed by it, enshrined by it. In that way, every island is an assertion in an ocean of denials, the one positive gesture against an almost overwhelming bleakness.
There's a fallacy here somewhere. We can't really say that geography explains everyhing about a state of mind. The English came to think that they were an 'island race', during a period when they demonstrably were not - sharing a land border with the Scots, for instance. How we imagine space is important, as Jonathan Scott's recent book on Britain and the maritime imagination has recently argued. But there is still an interaction between the conceptualised, 'constructed' outside world and the real hard rocks we stand on.
St Agnes helped me understand that more clearly. Perhaps travel really does broaden the mind.

subset: commoncrawl


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Back from our Easter Weekend staying at the Old Paper Mills at Fyansford. Arrived on Friday afternoon after stopping in Geelong for a look around (it's about 5km from the City centre) and there were cars everywhere! Thoughts of a relaxing few days went out the window. Not to fear, it was simply a charity event that they were holding there. The rest of the weekend was very peaceful.
The little apartment, named "Prayag" is on the bottom floor of the owners home. Very cute, with natural stone walls and a wood fire, had everything we needed included plenty of grass and space for Lola. The only negative was that it sounded like a herd of elephants were romping around upstairs. Luckily at night time they slept and weren't early risers.
The Mill sits right on the Barwon River near Buckley Falls and it's beautiful walking around the river. Emi found a good fishing platform and although he took the kayak, decided it was too cold to go for a paddle!
Saturday drive around the Bellarine Peninsula stopping at Manzanillo Grove in Drysdale and a couple of other spots and for a stroll around Portarlington. What is it about "country" towns and bakeries and the need to visit and sample from all of them?? They have a magical pull. Also stopped in Queenscliff for a look around and visited the museum, a couple of galleries and a great produce shop. Ever wonder if it's spelt Queenscliffe or Queenscliff? Well the Borough is called the Borough of Queenscliffe and includes Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale. The town itself it Queenscliff. So now you know. The whole peninsular is a lovely spot. Will need to go back to do the Blues Train.
Easter Sunday and Andrea came to spend the day. If you haven't been to Geelong or it's been ages, it's really worth the visit. Heaps to see and do. The cultural precinct is beautiful and although not really art gallery types, it's a stunning building that has the modern, futuristic library sort of built in alongside it. The old and the new combined. Shame that the library was closed.
After lunch at the end of Cunningham Pier, we paid a visit to the SV Tenacious. Tenacious is the world's largest operative wooden hulled tall ship, built by the Jubilee Sailing Trust specifically to be fully accessible for persons with disabilities. She includes wheelchair lifts, a speaking compass and a joystick to enable people with limited dexterity to helm the ship. They are offering a $1,000 for 21 days price to sail from Melbourne to Wellington bargain! Would be such an amazing experience. I'd love to do something like this - will have to add it to the list! Certainly different to a Princess Cruise.
The Bollards of Geelong are iconic. In total there are 48 sites with over 100 bollards installed right around the Waterfront from Limeburner's Point to Rippleside Park. Artist Jan Mitchell was commissioned by the City of Greater Geelong in 1995 to transform reclaimed timber pier pylons into these remarkable works of art. We didn't photograph them all, but managed a fair few!
And home again today after a final walk and breakfast. Certainly missed my Chico Lucas. Not quiet the same going on these little holidays with out him.


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THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS (November 7, 2012) – As a leader in the development of the first commercially viable polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) polymer in 1972, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP is pleased to celebrate the product's 40th anniversary by announcing improved production from the company's newest Ryton® PPS plant located in Borger, Texas.
"Ryton® PPS has come a long way since it was first commercialized," said Kyle Mathis, general manager of Chevron Phillips Chemical's Engineering Polymers business. "Over the years, we have worked diligently to improve our resins. With this new plant, we are able to produce innovative polymers and compounds to continue our 40-year success story."
Known for dimensional stability and resistance to corrosive and high-temperature environments, Ryton® PPS is well-suited for demanding applications, including electronic components, under-the-hood automotive parts, fibers and appliances. The newest PPS plant produces high purity quench polymers capable of meeting the most challenging applications.
"Ryton® PPS and Xtel® PPS Alloys have maintained a strong competitive edge across numerous application sectors because of their unique combination of key properties," said Mathis. "As plant output continues to increase, so do our business growth opportunities. This is a very exciting time for us and the industry."
Chevron Phillips Chemical operates both flash and quench-type polymer plants at its Borger, Texas facility with nameplate capacity of 20,000 metric tons per year. The company also compounds the material in LaPorte, Texas and Kallo, Belgium with technical excellence centers in Asia, Europe and the United States.
For more information on Ryton® PPS and Xtel® PPS Alloys, visit www.rytonpps.com.


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Epping Forest District Council
- Title:
- Drop In and Draw
- When:
- 08.08.2018 10.30 h - 12.30 h
- Where:
- Waltham Abbey
- Category:
- Arts Summer Activities
This relaxed drop in session is for anyone wanting to improve their observational drawing skills. No matter what your age or experience; simply drop in to The Space, choose from our range of drawing materials, then explore the museum and draw anything that catches your eye. Our in-house artist will be on-hand to give you tips and advice. No need to book, just drop in between the times given above. Children must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
All ages welcome
£1.50 per child
No need to book, just drop in between the times given
- Venue:
- Epping Forest District Museum, Waltham Abbey
- Street:
- 39-41 Sun Street
- City:
- Waltham Abbey
- State:
- Essex
Housed in a Grade II* listed Tudor building in Waltham Abbey, the museum tells the story of the district through its collections and displays. The newly redeveloped museum features six galleries, the opportunity to see behind the scenes, a lift making the entire building accessible and lovely new community space for all to use.
Find out more about the project and updates on when the Museum will open by following the Museum link.
{phocamaps view=map|id=11}
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Here's an excerpt of an alternate version of Baker Knight's original "Are You Satisfied Now".
The Reprise single version of "Are You Satisfied Now" has horns, a female chorus, a completely different band and a smoother vocal from Baker. It was the b-side of "The Verge Of Success", Knight's seventh and last release on Reprise Records from April, 1968. That version was produced by Jimmy Bowen.
This demo definitely comes from an earlier session, I'd guess around 1966 given the folk-rock backing and grittier vocal. Although this demo lists Hill & Range publishing, by the time Knight registered the song in 1968 that had changed to Smooth Music / Noma Music as it is on the single. In fact I don't find any evidence of Baker publishing through Hill & Range during the mid-60s.
I only wish Knight would stop singing long enough for a guitar break, but he had plenty of lyrics to get through.


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Warn's New Zeon WinchPosted in How To on February 1, 2013
So, just how do you reinvent the wheel? Well, that's easy: Make it lighter, stronger, and better looking! that's how we'd do it, anyway. Warn Industries decided to improve the construction of winches by innovating an all-new design to once again set the industry standard--something they've been doing since 1948. Since we're pretty good at getting stuck off road, we're always interested in the latest and greatest in recovery equipment. so, we jumped at the opportunity to get a firsthand look at Warn Industries' newest product when they invited us up to their factories in Portland, Oregon, (which employs more than 500 workers) for the unveiling of their top-secret project. The Zeon line of truck and SUV winches are like nothing you've ever seen before!
The Warn Zeon winch features a full cast-aluminum housing for lighter weight and superior strength throughout. Not only does it feature an all-aluminum chassis, it also features a heavy-duty 3.15-inch aluminum drum spool to help dissipate heat under severe winching duties. After seeing the Zeon in action, pulling several trucks up steep hills (and even a tractor out of a mud pit), we can tell you it has plenty of pulling power and stays relatively cool to the touch—even under constant heavy winching—but one of the coolest things is just how quiet the new series wound motor is. There's no doubt that the Warn Zeon winch is going to raise the industry standard again.


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Be with Me (2009)
Seo-hee, Nam-hee and Lan. These three girls happen to read their tarot cards. Tarot cards tell them once-in-a-life-time opportunities will be coming to each of them simply by holding tarot cards and chanting magic spells. And the magic spells are nothing but their own names! Once their names are said, very special events begin to unfold.
Actor: Ye-ri Han, Jong-hyeon Hong, Byeong-guk Hwang, Kkobbi Kim, Chae-eun Lee, Je-hoon Lee, Jong-Suk Lee, Min-ho Lee, Won-sang Park, Lee Poong-Yoon, Ji Soo Shin
Director: Hong Dongmyung, Eun-kyung Jo
Country: South Korea


text: Alexander Ogle, 80, Somerset, passed on June 8, 2005, at home. Born Dec. 5, 1924, in Johnstown to James Earl Ogle Jr. and Louise Crist Ogle. His father was an attorney in Johnstown. His great, great, great, grandfather Alexander Ogle, came into this area prior to 1795 when what is now Somerset County was still part of Bedford County and served this county as its representative to the Pennsylvania House and Senate and as its first representative to the U.S. Congress. Mr. Ogle was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers: James Earl Ogle III, John Lane Ogle, Jere Ogle and Charles William Ogle; and sister Joan Ogle Price. He is survived by his wife Margaret (Peggy) Metz Ogle and these children: James Earl Ogle IV, married to the former Deborah Corke; John Metz Ogle, married to the former Barbara Toth; and Thomas Alexander Ogle, married to the former Carol Locklin and five grandchildren. He is also survived by a brother, Peter W. Ogle, Portland, Ore. Mr. Ogle graduated from Westmont Upper-Yoder High School in 1942 and enrolled in the University of Michigan. His education was interrupted after one year by World War II when he left the University to enter the Navy and volunteered for the submarine service where he served in four war patrols aboard the USS Pargo. After 32 months of active duty, he was discharged in 1946 and within two weeks, he was on his way back to the University of Michigan. Due to health reasons he left that University and enrolled at the University of Colorado where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration in 1948. In 1951 he received his law degree from Dickinson Law School in Carlisle. After graduating from law school and passing the bar exams, he came to Somerset to practice in the firm of Kooser & Courtney. Ernest Kooser, who was a distant cousin, had been Mr. Ogle's preceptor. Upon the death of Mr. Kooser, Mr. Ogle went into private practice by himself. He was eventually joined in that practice by Joseph B. Policicchio and C. Gregory Frantz. Mr. Ogle was admitted to the courts of Somerset County, the United States District Court for the Western District of Pa. the Superior and Supreme Courts of Pa. and the Supreme Court of the United States. In 1961 he was appointed United States Commissioner by the District Court, a post he held until 1964 when he resigned to accept an appointment as a special assistant attorney feneral. He was elected district attorney for Somerset County in 1963 and re-elected in 1967. Mr. Ogle was active in community affairs, being the first president of the Somerset Jaycees and a former president of the Somerset Area School Board. He served on the boards of the American Red Cross, Somerset Chamber of Commerce, Children's Aid Society, Somerset Community Hospital and the Municipal Authority of the Somerset Area Schools. He is a lifelong Republican, having served as chairman of the Somerset County Republican Committee and as a representative from Somerset County on the State Republican Committee. He retired from active practice in 1989. In 2002, he was honored by the Somerset County Bar Association for having been a member of that body for 50 years. Friends may call from 10 a.m. until the time of service at 11 a.m. Monday at Miller Funeral Home, Somerset. The Rev. Roger Forry officiating. Interment with full military honors by the Somerset County Honor Guard at Union Cemetery, Somerset. In lieu of flowers the family asked that memorials be sent to the Historical and Genealogical Society of Somerset County in which Mr. Ogle had a keen interest, or Somerset "In Touch" Hospice, 1590 N. Center Ave., Somerset, PA 15501.


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In the land of Terodin
|Lands of Terodin
- Legends of Terodin
In The Land of Terodin is a D&D 4e. Campaign of my own creation using some of the gods and rules from the core books and adding a lot of my own.
Images are mostly from D&D insider online galleries with minor edits to make them fit.


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Two events with guest speakers are being offered by the Ottawa Public Library in March.
1. Forensic Genealogy and Adoption: Tracking Down Your Living Limbs
Looking for living people can be one of the most difficult genealogy problems! Adoptees tracing their birth family and those looking for long-lost relatives or friends face a daunting task. Learn how to find the "living limbs" in your family tree, using both traditional and genetic genealogy resources, including social media searches, newspapers, courthouse sources, and genealogy programs. Presented by Mags Gaulden, Grandma's Genes..
Monday Mar 20, 2017 at 6:30pm
2. Keeping the Past for the Present and the Future: Preservation Techniques for the Home Archive
Stop the deterioration of your family's photographs and other memorabilia. Learn how to avoid damage, find out about safe handling and storage practices, and explore digitization options. In this special 3-hour workshop, Kyla Ubbink of UBBINK Book and Paper Conservation will offer demonstrations and hands-on activities for simple and practical techniques to give you the skills to start saving your family archives now.
Saturday Mar 25, 2017 at 1:00pm
Registration in advance is required through the OPL website.
Sunday, 5 March 2017
OPL Genealogy Events in March
Two events with guest speakers are being offered by the Ottawa Public Library in March.
1 comment:
- romaine said...
Hi John - Thank you for the shout-out for OPL events in March! Can I bring one more March event to your attention?:
Managing Your Genealogy Research Project:
When we first start delving into our family tree research we often do it in a haphazard way. This presentation by genealogist Ken McKinlay will discuss tips and tricks to approach your genealogy research in a methodical manner. It will touch upon using software or websites to record information, categorizing the information found, and alternate resources to fill in blanks in our research. Using real world examples, Ken will walk through possible challenges and ways to overcome them.
Monday, March 27, 7:00 p.m. at the Main Branch
All events are free but please register at www.biblioottawalibrary.ca/programs or call 613-580-2940 for information.
- 05 March, 2017 10:15


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if you haven't already.
Just a heads up: To be on the safe side, you need a stamp. You can buy stamps at pretty much any grocery store. If you don't have a stamp, you can also turn your in ballot at one of these dropbox locations: http://www.kingcounty.gov/elections/voting/ballot-return/location-list.aspx If you've lost your ballot, call 206-296-VOTE or visit www.kingcounty.gov/elections/voting/replacement-ballot.aspx
November 03, 2015 at 6pm - 9pm
A Mailbox Near You
Seattle, WA 98102
United States
Google map and directions
Seattle, WA 98102
United States
Google map and directions


text:
Teaching Personnel are currently looking for Teaching Assistants in the Brighton and Hove area. We have a range of roles available from full and part time positions within Primary and Nursery schools, as well as flexible supply roles.
Many of our schools require additional staff to support with who classes and specific intervention needs.
We are looking for Teaching Assistants with:
For further information, please register your details online today!
All applicants will require the appropriate qualification and training for this role. For teacher roles, we require a formally recognised teaching qualification. For Support staff our minimum requirement is GCSE English & Maths (A-C) or equivalent.
Teaching Personnel is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. All candidates must undertake or have undertaken a valid enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Full assistance provided.
All applicants will require the appropriate qualifications and training for this role. Please see teachingpersonnel.com/faqs for details.
All pay rates quoted will be inclusive of 12.07% statutory holiday pay.
For details of our privacy policy, please see teachingpersonnel.com/privacy-notice


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At Pason Jewellery we focus on creating beautiful custom designed and built jewellery pieces, including unique wedding rings and engagement bands as unique as you are.
Our Hand Engraved Wedding Bands are always one of a kind.
To celebrate one of the most important days of your life, talk to us about creating your own one of kind wedding jewellery.
We've making exquisite jewellery for more than 40 years and our customers always tell us that they love our attention to detail and the finished quality that we carefully execute in every special item we make.
When you're looking for a truly personalised gift, talk to us and trust us to make that special person in your life feel truly unique.


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It's been a busy week as I have started teaching again. Next week is going to be even busier, so I am enjoying a low-key weekend, watching movies and organizing some of my craft area.
I posted a video recently to my new Youtube channel (where I have moved all of my mini videos) about toys you can find in your local chain stores that would make good 1:12 toys. One of those that I had featured is a small plush bear and I adopted him into the Glencroft. :) He's a perfect fixture in the bedroom.
Anyway, I also want to show off some lovely items I purchased from an online mini business, Timber Ridge Studios, I had seen advertised on Small Stuff Digest. The owner, Ronni, has so many wonderful items in her shop and it is all very inexpensive.
Here are some of the items I picked up (already in the Glencroft):
|I also purchased that blue decanter sitting on the sink. The little stopper does come out!
|This is a faux marble vase that I believe Ronni had turned herself on a lathe in her studio. It's perfect for some roses I had made!
One more thing I recently received in the mail were some neat kits from True2Scale. A few weeks ago there was an online dollhouse show with lots of great dealers. I decided to take advantage of some of the nice items that were being offered and picked up a forsythia in French pitcher kit and another kit to make up 4 lovely French pillows. Both are from their La Boutique Bleue line.
These items are packaged very nicely. The kits are tucked into silvery envelopes as you can (kinda) see below:
When I do make these, I will be sure to include pics and let you know how they went. :)
That is all for now, I believe. I have an Etsy order to send to Spain (yay!). Hopefully I will make some time to work on a few more things. But for now, don't forget to check out Linda's Minis' Etsy shop for some fall-related items!!!


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We lift, load & haul away. Text us a few pics or call us for an on site FREE estimate. When we arrive just show us what you want to be removed and our friendly staff will lift and load the items into our truck and finish by cleaning up the area.
Recycling, Donation & Upcycle. We all want to make an effort to take care of the environment. We always donate & recycle to local charities.
Ambrose Junk Removal has been helping people create space in their homes and businesses since 2010. Ambrose's friendly team are here to help! Ambrose's staff are polite, courteous and insured.
Sign up to hear from us about specials, sales, and events.
Monday to Thursday- 6am-11pm
Friday 6am-2pm
Closed Saturdays
Sundays 6am-11pm


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Jonathan Wu is co-founder of Valuepenguin.com, a consumer finance website focusing on the impact of health care reform. His company has built a tool that provides quotes for plans on the federal exchange. He said it's "incredibly misleading for people that are trying to get a sense of what they're paying."
Prices for everyone in the 49-or-under group are based on what a 27-year-old would pay. In the 50-or-older group, prices are based on what a 50-year-old would pay.
CBS News ran the numbers for a 48-year-old in Charlotte, N.C., ineligible for subsidies. According to HealthCare.gov, she would pay $231 a month, but the actual plan on Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina's website costs $360, more than 50 percent higher. The difference: Blue Cross and Blue Shield requests your birthday before providing more accurate estimates.
The numbers for older Americans are even more striking. A 62-year-old in Charlotte looking for the same basic plan would get a price estimate on the government website of $394. The actual price is $634.
A U.S. Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman said the government added the "shop and browse" feature to provide "estimates of premiums without tax credits."
Chini Krishnan is the chief executive officer of GetInsured.com. His company helped designCalifornia's new health-care-exchange website. It requires people to enter their birthdays to get a real price quote. Krishnan said, "It's important that the users have a proper, trustworthy, honest brand experience when they interact with HealthCare.gov, and I think providing accurate prices is an integral component of that."
My blog shares ideas regarding Sociology,Conservative Politics, Catholic beliefs, current events, personal stories, Philosophy, humor and entertainment news.
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Obama Admin's HealthCare.gov Misleads; Gives Cost Estimates Lower than Actual Price
Posted by Teresa at 10/24/2013 02:30:00 PM
Labels: ACA, cost, health, health care, Healthcare.gov, insurance, misleads, Obamacare, underestimates
4 comments:
- Bunkerville said...
The chickens are coming home to roost. Big time. Hope you are feeling better.
- October 24, 2013 at 6:42 PM
- Always On Watch said...
It's fraud! But not if the Obama administration perpetrates the fraud. Pfffft!
At what point does someone learn how much the monthly premium is? When one's bank account is debited and/or when one's credit card is charged.
- October 25, 2013 at 3:57 AM
- Woodsterman (Odie) said...
It's Democratic nature to have to tell a lie to cover up a lie.
- October 25, 2013 at 8:28 AM
- cube said...
People think this website "glitch" is a problem... they haven't see anything yet.
- October 29, 2013 at 3:03 PM
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Anyone who sells anything for a living has heard the old adage, "The customer is always right." This little nugget is more relevant than ever in today's customer-centric economy. Now that consumers have only to click a button to get products from kayaks to kazoos delivered to their door within hours, businesses that don't focus on the buyer's needs can't survive or thrive.
Keeping your attention on the target consumer is critical, but it's only part of the equation when it comes to another key factor in business success: branding. We all consume hundreds of brands every day: Did you grab a coffee at Starbucks this morning? Are you reading this blog on an Apple iSomething? Will you drive home in a VW or a BMW? In today's uber-branded world, the challenge to brand effectively is daunting. How do you tell your product's story so that it stands out from others?


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This chicken soup recipe can be used to make a delicious finished soup, or just to make chicken stock that can later be used in other recipes. Try it out for yourself!
This is a great starter if you want to use this as a base for other recipes, such as a chicken stew, a bean soup, a noodle or rice soup.
But it makes a great starter soup, or a snack on a chilly day, too.
Serves 6
Peel and chop the onions, carrots, celery and potatoes. Mince the garlic and finely chop the parsley.
Prepare the chicken by quartering and removing the skin. If you like big chunks of meat in your chicken soup, you can also cut away the breasts and reserve them for later on in the recipe.
In a heavy saucepan, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and let heat up. Then add the garlic, bay leaves and a quarter of the chopped onions. Sauté on low heat until the onions begin to soften. Add the chicken pieces and let brown slightly on all sides and is no longer pink (about 20 minutes).
Fill a large pot with water (about 2 quarts). Add the rest of the chopped vegetables to it, the salt and the pepper. Let these cook for about 20 minutes. Then add the browned chicken pieces. Let the mixture cook for an additional 15-20 minutes.
(This is the part where, if you were making just chicken stock, you may want to stop, strain the broth from the pot and separate into small, plastic containers that can be kept in the refrigerator or freezer for later use!)
In the meantime you can be cooking the chicken breasts in the saucepan along with the already sauteed onion pieces and an additional spoonful of olive oil. When they are thoroughly cooked, let cool and then shred into bite size pieces.
When the soup comes to a boil, turn down the heat and let simmer. At this point you can add whatever kind of pasta, noodles or rice that you like and allow to cook until it is tender.
Here you can choose to remove the chicken bones, or leave them in... it's all up to you! Then...add the shredded chicken pieces, cooked onion,parsley and 1 tbsp of olive oil and stir. Remove the pot from heat and get ready to serve.
This chicken soup recipe is great accompanied by toasted Italian bread or plain saltine crackers. Yum!


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On August 31, 2014, net asset value was SEK 153 per share, corresponding to SEK 153 per share after full conversion of outstanding convertible loans of SEK 4,758 M and 31 million additional Class C shares.
The closing price on August 29, 2014, was SEK 135.20 for the Class A shares and SEK 126.00 for the Class C shares.
Stockholm, September 1, 2014
AB INDUSTRIVÄRDEN (publ)
For further information, please contact:
Sverker Sivall, Head of Corporate Communication, tel. +46-8-666 64 00.
Industrivärden, AB
Stockholm, SWEDEN
Industrivärden, AB LogoLOGO URL | Copy the link below
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text:
It's the elevation profile. As you can see, it involves a whole heck of a lot of uphill. The race starts at the football stadium for Applachian State University in Boone, NC, at an elevation of 3,300 feet, then climbs about 1,000 feet to McRae Meadows at the base of Grandfather Mountain, where there is another sports venue -- it's the site of the annual Scottish Highland Games. But there's more than just 1,000 feet of climbing in this race, because there's also about 1,600 feet of descending -- so the total ascent is over 2,600 feet.
Since a typical "hilly" marathon might involve 500 to 1,000 feet of climbing (Boston, for example, has 783 feet of climbing), this is indeed a very hilly race. Naturally, that's what attracted me to it -- that and the fact that it is practically in my own back yard. My running buddy Chad Randolph has run it 10 times, and his friend Ricky Reeves (who introduced Chad to running) has run it 20 times. Ricky's wife Betty drives them to the start and picks them up at the finish every year, and was happy to bring me along for the ride.
For this year's July 13 marathon, I'd be running it for the first time. Chad and I showed up at Ricky and Betty's place at 5:00 a.m. in Miller's Creek, NC, and about 45 minutes later, we were parking at the ASU stadium, where hundreds of runners nervously awaited the start. Here's a shot of me and Ricky getting ready to run:
|Double bonus points if you can guess the year of Ricky's awesome Boston jacket!
I had carefully charted out the elevation gain and loss for each mile of the race, plotting out my planned paces for each. If I hit my targets, I'd finish in 3:41:36. If I beat them by just a bit, I'd do better than I did in the comparatively-flat Boston Marathon this year, 3:39:26. That was my "stretch" goal, with a backup goal of finishing sub-4-hours.
The plan was to run downhill / flat miles at an 8:00 pace, uphill miles at a 9:00 pace, and mixed miles at an 8:30 pace. Chad's bit of advice was this: If you make it up the steep gravel hill in Mile 17 and still feel like you've got something left, you're going to have a good day. Sam, meanwhile, was hoping to run the race a bit faster than me -- he was shooting for a 3:30 finish.
We started by running two laps around the App State track. It was a bit crowded here and Sam and I had placed ourselves rather far back from the starting line, so I spent those laps dodging runners, trying to get closer to the front. When we finally hit the roads, things opened up considerably -- as I knew they would -- there would only be 381 finishers in the race (due to a hard limit placed on the event by the US Forest Service). For the first several miles I was comfortably under my target pace.
The first big hills started at Mile 3, and my 9-minute pace was still quite comfortable. But I knew I needed to reserve energy for later, so I resisted the urge to go faster. At Mile 6 I saw Sam stopped at his wife's car and wondered if he was all right; he had had a muscle strain during our 8-mile run the previous Sunday, and I guessed that's what was bothering him.
About a mile later, he caught up with me, and said he was thinking about dropping out at Mile 10. At Mile 8, he pulled up, limping, and I figured that would be the end of the race for Sam. Too bad, because he had been running very well up until a week ago.
Mile 8 was the first major downhill, and again I resisted the urge to go fast -- I wanted to make sure I had plenty of legs left for the hills to come. A couple folks passed me here, but I passed them back on the uphill Miles 10 and 11. Now the field was really starting to thin out. It was a damp, misty morning, and the air was so thick that my glasses kept fogging up. Finally I just took them off completely and put them on top of my hat. My vision is about 20:300 (-5 diopters), but I could still see better without the glasses than with them on. The only problem came when I was approaching a sign telling the runners where to go -- I could see there was a sign there but couldn't see which way the arrow was pointing. I had to run up until I was nearly right on top of it, then finally figured out where to go.
Around Mile 11, we hopped on to the Blue Ridge Parkway, where we could really cruise on some downhill miles. Betty was there to ask if I needed anything, but I was doing just fine. I had started with four vanilla GUs and two lemon-limes, so I had all the fuel I needed, and there were plenty of water stops along the way, so hydration wasn't an issue either.
Runners were now few and far between. Every once in a while I spotted a runner ahead, and this spurred me on to keep up the pace. I probably passed someone every half mile or so on this stretch. There were some lovely lakes and a campground, really gorgeous scenery. We had also been explicitly warned not to run tangents on this part of the course, so I did my part and stayed left. I saw several rangers on the road, and apparently they can kick you out of the race if you don't follow the rules, so I was glad I did!
At Mile 15 the route left the Parkway and headed up the rough gravel road Chad had told me about. But it wasn't a hill, it was flat. Would the hill come later? I passed a runner and kept on moving. Finally just after Mile 16, the road headed steeply uphill. Four runners were walking on this stretch, but I felt good so I decided to keep running. I passed all four by the time I got to the top. But when we reached pavement, I saw that the hill kept going up! I gritted my teeth and kept running. Fortunately things did level out around the Mile 17 marker. Mile 17 was my slowest of the day, 9:39, but I had climbed 289 feet -- the single biggest climb on the course.
I looked at my pace card and saw that for Miles 18 to 22, a five-mile stretch, I was supposed to run 8:30 or 8:00 for each mile. That meant it was relatively flat, but I was now really starting to feel worn out. I managed to keep up that pace through Mile 18, but by Mile 19 I decided to give myself an extra 30 seconds per mile. If I did that for the last six miles, I'd only be 3 minutes slower than my original plan. Plus, I had banked some time earlier on, so I felt like I should easily break 3:45 for the marathon.
Well, not exactly easily. Everything seemed to come harder at this point. My legs ached, I was breathing heavily, and the elevation (or just my exhaustion) was starting to get to me.
I told myself I could walk when I reached Mile 22. But as I passed the marker, I could hear cheering and I figured there was an aid station just ahead, so I toughed it out another third of a mile, then walked through the aid station as I downed two cups of water. There was another aid station around Mile 23, and they told me there'd be another one at Mile 25. I decided to take a walk-break halfway through 25, which was the last big uphill mile. Then I saw the aid station -- it was actually at the halfway point of the hill, not the top. I had passed a couple runners on this stretch, but I stopped and walked again when I got my water, and they passed me again. When I started running I passed them back.
Soon I was running the final, flat Mile 26. I heard footsteps behind me and figured it was one of the runners I had just passed. I couldn't summon up any more strength and decided to let him pass me. But it wasn't a him, it was a her, my friend Phyllis Neriah. She's a solid ultrarunner and must have just been getting warmed up about this point! She chugged on by and I hoped she would be the last person to pass me.
Soon I could hear the familiar whine of bagpipes and I knew the finish was near. We passed by the main entrance to Grandfather Mountain and were directed onto a rough gravel road. Then we had to run down a steep, very rough road for about 100 yards. As the pain seared through my quads, another runner passed me -- a fellow I hadn't seen since I passed him in Mile 10. Once again I didn't have any strength to pass him so I let him go.
Then we ran back up another steep gravel road towards the track, and the noise got louder. Soon we were on the track, which was like no scene I had ever seen -- the track was lined by hundreds of tents, each festooned with the regalia of a different Scottish clan. There was a large grandstand with hundreds of fans sitting there, clapping politely. I decided to see if I could egg them on, so I raised my arms and pumped my fists, and they responded with hearty cheers. Sam's wife Steph was there to capture the moment:
Soon I was across the finish line with a respectable time of 3:42:45. That was not quite as fast as I had run Boston, but it was a much more solid, even effort. I guarantee you that everything else being equal, it's much harder to run a 3:42 at Grandfather than it is to run a 3:39 at Boston!
My time was good for 48th overall, 7th in age group, out of a pool of 381 finishers. I'll take it! Here are the official results.
After accepting congratulations from Phyllis and Scott Salger, the two runners who had passed me in the final mile, I achingly made my way down to the hospitality tent to get some refreshments and watch for Chad and Sam.
As it turned out, Chad finished in 3:48:05, just after I left the finish area, so I didn't see him until he popped in to the hospitality tent. We chatted for a while and I asked him if he had seen Sam. He said he caught up with him on the hill at Mile 17, on the gravel road, and walked with him for a while. Apparently he hadn't been able to get in touch with Steph, so he had just kept on going. Chad let him borrow his phone to try to call Steph, but he wasn't able to get a hold of her. Then, Chad said, he ran on, so we figured Sam had probably finally dropped out around Mile 20.
The next thing we saw was Sam running by us. "SAM!" we both yelled. I struggled to my feet and limped towards the finish line, but he had already finished and was heading gingerly down the road to the hospitality tent when I caught up with him.
"What happened?" I asked. "I thought you were dropping out at Mile 10!"
"I was," he replied, "But I never saw Steph, so all I could do was keep going." He walk-ran the entire last 16 miles of the race, and finished in a very respectable 4:02, in 104th place, ahead of 277 other runners. As it turned out, Steph took his instructions at mile 6 to "go ahead and meet me" to mean she should go all the way to the finish line. He meant for her to just drive a few miles ahead to see how he was doing. Oops.
Then we all sat in a group on a blanket provided by Betty, eating Betty's Fig Newtons, and watched the rest of the field run by up the gravel road towards the stadium. Ricky finished in 4:10, and after that Chad and Ricky called out to many of the other runners in the field because they've both done the race so many times. Here are some of us near the finish:
|From left: Don Alexander (who met Chad during the race), Chad, Ricky, me, Sam
If you're interested in my detailed race info, splits, etc., see below.


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Junaid Asad is a design professional with Oracle working in the area of Human Machine Interaction. His first book, 'And We Remained' got published recently.
In the 1990's, India was going through tremendous socio-economic changes. Set in this era, it is a coming of age story of five engineering friends—Sahir, Sandeep, Gopal, Anand and David—and the women in their lives, especially the beautiful Wardha. Their intertwined story is told by these friends through first person accounts of events in their engineering college contrasted in alternate chapters with their lives a few years later when they keep in touch, narrate events in their lives and share their experiences in India and abroad through emails.
And We Remained takes you on their entertaining journey through college, love, heartbreak, prison, politics, drunken binges, strip clubs, US and Europe as they hang on to sanity and their identities in a fast changing society and a nation in flux.
How did you pick the topic for your book - 'And We Remained'?
I was catching up on some of the bestsellers by Indian authors a few years back. I then realized that I had a story to tell which was much more interesting and entertaining than a lot of novels that were out there.
How has been the response to your book? Are you satisfied with it?
As a first time author, I am happy with the kind of response I am getting so far. People are appreciating the unique narration style and the story. People are also pointing out what did not work in the book and for them, I am all ears. All in all, I am happy with how the book has been received.
Are there any sections that you'd want to change in the book and why?
The book has been constantly evolving since the time I got my first draft done – which was almost four years ago. It is definitely in a much better state in terms of narration, structure and story than it was when I finished the first draft.
I have been open to feedback (ever since the first draft) and my readers and reviewers have been kind enough to provide me with some valuable insights to make it better.
I've tried to get the first print run to reach the maximum audience and I have got some awesome feedback. Though there will be no major changes to the story or the structure, there will be some minor tweaks in the second print run to make the narration and the eventual resolution of the story better.
How has been the journey of authoring a book while being actively involved in corporate world?
It's been interesting so far. It does take a lot of discipline to not start thinking about the story during work and not to start thinking about work when one is trying to progress on the story. That way, writing fiction is a great way to take one's mind off work and everything else that is going on. All in all, I admit that writing while holding on to a full time day job is a difficult process, but in the end, a hugely fulfilling one.
What are the biggest joys of being an author?
The joy of telling a story. The joy of reaching out to someone hundreds and thousands of miles away from you and to be able to make that connect with them. The joy of creation. The joy of holding the power to evoke an emotion out of another individual. If a writer can't find happiness and satisfcation in these, then he is perhaps writing for the wrong reasons.
What is your dream story? Do you have any in the pipeline?
As a first time writer, I have written the story that I so desperately wanted to tell. It has given me immense satisfaction to see it in the form of a book.
Everytime I see script driven Indian movies like 'Drohkaal', 'Deewar' or a 'Vicky Donor' or even Hollywood movies like 'The Departed', 'The Usual Suspects' or 'L.A. Confidential',I turn to my wife and tell her, "I want to tell such a story…." Nothing on paper yet, but hoping that I at least make a decent attempt at it someday.
Which kind of books do you enjoy reading yourself? Who are your favorite authors - Indian and foreign?
I am a die-hard romantic. I feel that if romance dies within a person, then there is nothing to look forward to. I must have read Eric Segal's Love Story close to two dozen times already, but I still pick it up and enjoy reading it.
I have also loved Nobokov's Lolita, Winston Groom's Forrest Gump, Puzo'sGodfather,Husseini's Kite Runner, Douglas Adam's H2G2, Pirsig's ZAMM and Lila, and most of what Jeffrey Archer, Sidney Sheldon and John Grisham have written.
Among Indian writers, for my book, I read and re-read ChethanBhagat and RK Narayan multiple times to understand what it was that enabled them to connect to a large section of readers in India. I have enjoyed works of AshwinSanghi, SidinVadukut,Karan Bajaj, ParitoshUttam, Ravinder Singh and Anjum Hasan, among others.
Any tips that you'd want to pass on to the new authors?
A new writer will have to first find a story that he/she really wants to tell. That has to be the underlying motivation. That is the only thing which will enable the new writer to start and even complete a novel when all the glamour associated with writing goes away and he is staring at this sheet with white space which he has to fill with black letters.
How do you compare Indian literary scene with its foreign counterpart?
One thing noticeably different is the delivery mechanism. Kindle is very popular in the US where as in India, a majority still seem to prefer a physical copy of the book to snuggle up to.
The role that a book agent plays in India is very minimal compared to their counterparts abroad.
There is a huge boom in Indian writing. There are a lot of people writing books in India without finding the need to adhere to a 'Strunk and White' to tell a story. There is a huge audience they seem to be catering to. This audience just wants to read a good story without the need to carry a dictionary around to understand what the writer is intending to tell. The new writers in India are catering to this specific need and have a great chance of finding success.


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The man-made global warming scam has been exposed, collapsing like the house of cards it is. Even Phil Jones has admitted it hasn't warmed since 1995. Those of use that saw it for the BS it are called Deniers. We are heretics in the religion of Gaia. I wear it as a badge of honor. But we Demiers have nothing to call our accusers. Considering current events how about calling them the Dupes, those that fell for global warming hook line and sinker ulimately declaring that
the science is settled. Turned out to just be unsettling.
the science is settled. Turned out to just be unsettling.
Here's the kind of people that are Dupes:
So if the entire premise of the 'Green Eco movement' is that human use of fossil fuels has caused an alarming rise in global temperature because CO2 is a pollutant and greenhouse gas and the single premise of global warming is proven to be false then all the other arguments become baseless. A false conclusion based on a false premise.
This means that:
1) CO2 is not necessarily a pollutant in nature but only in the politically motivated view of the Dupes.
2) Using a fossil fuel like gasoline has had no major effect on global temperatures. It is abundant, accessible and promotes our energy independence. Our hand would be stronger at the table when keeping prices moderated.
3) The drilling ban is based on an illusionary foundation and we suffer economically and strategically because of the Dupe's wrong-headed policies.


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[370] You are the state, you are the people. Being subject to no judge, you rule the altar, your country's hearth by your will's sole ordinance; and, enthroned in sole sovereignty, [375] you determine every issue. Beware pollution!
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Right, so I left off with my moment of clarity. I went to Ray's work regularly, because that was basically the only access I had to a phone (his cell phone) without having to use a pay phone. He'd been increasingly uneasy about me using his phone without his supervision, because I was "acting sneaky". On this particular night, I was talking to my mom and my son, who had left for a little bit, until I could get things under control. I talked for 45 minutes, and the whole time while he was on the clock, he sat there..... and listened to the entire conversation. After I got off the phone, he was very angry with me and I asked him what was wrong. "You were on the phone for forty five minutes! I have work to do!" Uhhh.... so why weren't you working? "Because you were being sneaky on the phone. I don't trust you on the phone with your mom." Okay, wow. Now, I can't talk to my friends, my sisters OR my mom. This was rich. So I left a few minutes later (so he could work, God forbid).
After I got home, I reactivated my Facebook and asked Billy to send money for Casey to get diapers, etc. He ended up putting in $75. I had a conversation with him, back and forth. I ached to see him. Even though he said he wanted nothing to do with a relationship with me, I needed OUT! I never mentioned this to Billy, but the $75 was my ticket out.
When Ray got off work, he demanded to see my Facebook, which he'd been doing the entire month I'd been back there. I figured I deserved to have my privacy violated, since I'd left and betrayed his trust. But tonight, since I knew there was stuff he wouldn't like, I told him no. An argument follows and he threatens to throw me out, for the 4th time. He expected me to beg him to forgive me, like the last times. It was his leverage on me. This time, I said "FINE! Go ahead." And threw all my stuff together in 5 minutes.
We argued off and on for 6 hours, the whole time, he's insulting me, calling me crazy and a whore and the only thing special about me is that I'm psychotic. All of the insults made me cry, and as I'm crying, he's asking me why I'M crying because I was the one leaving him. *eyeroll* You may ask why I stayed for that long after I'd gotten all my stuff together. Billy had sent the money through Western Union. It was closed before I would have gotten there that day. I couldn't leave until the next morning at 9AM. I was stuck.
By 4AM, I was drained of all energy and emotion. He almost sucked me back in, when he convinced me to come to bed with him. I didn't let him touch me. I wept until 5AM and finally fell asleep. I woke up at 8:30 at which point, I was met by him sitting on the bed. I grab some of mine and Casey's things and try to go out the door. He stops me and asks me if I'm leaving for good this time. When I confirm that I won't be coming back, he gives me this look I'll never forget. I could swear it was evil. He got 2 inches from my face. His eyebrows were furrowed deeply, his nose was wrinkled in a snarl and he growled at me through clenched teeth, "You will NEVER come back. You are a piece of trash, good for nothing whore. You're a garbage parent. I hope you DIE giving birth to my son. You will regret leaving, I promise you." Then he spit at my feet.
This did nothing but confirm I would, indeed, never return. It scared me. I don't remember feeling that afraid, ever. I wouldn't have been surprised if he'd grabbed me by my throat as well. A few of his exes had confirmed that he was physically abusive to them.
I had no problem getting the money from Western Union, after I waited for them to open at 9AM. I got gas and left town as quickly as I could. It was hard work not to fall asleep on the way. It was only a 3 hour drive, thank goodness. When I got into town, I headed right for Billy's work. I stopped at a convenient store first, to call and have him meet me outside. He sounded put out and I didn't blame him. I was so relieved to see him, I wanted a hug, but knew he didn't want the same. I tried to give him the rest of the money. I cried and asked him if I could crash on the couch until I could figure out a way to get to my mom's house. He reluctantly agreed and gave me the key to the apartment.
We had a long talk about how things were going to be. We wouldn't be a couple, I would only stay as long as I needed. He didn't want me to sleep on the couch, because I was pregnant and the couch was uncomfortable, so I slept in bed with him, but stayed far from each other. It hurt to be so formal with him in person. After a couple days, I couldn't stand it anymore and started trying to get him to warm up to me. I made him breakfast when he'd leave in the mornings, fed him well for dinner, and cleaned up the pig sty he had made(guys living alone equals YUCK!).
During this time, we talked more and more about the things that were happening and why they happened and how we had felt when they happened. These times were emotional. A week after I got back, we were talking and he started crying. I was already crying, but I went to him and consoled him, hugging him and stroking his face. We looked at each other for a long time. I wanted to kiss him, that's all I wanted and all I could have expected. "Kiss me," I whispered. We kissed deeply and the rest of that night was history, if you know what I mean (nudge nudge)
We spent the next couple months, mending what had been wrecked during the years of addiction and illness and especially the 6 months of hell we'd put each other through. No doubt, though, I had put him through more in that time. We were so happy, despite me carrying Ray's baby. We never talked about the baby together, except the possibility that Ray would never truly FATHER him. The months rolled by, we did better than we'd ever done. November was my due month, and I started preparing for the birth.
During that time, I cleaned like a mad woman and cooked everything under the sun I could think of so I wouldn't have to when the baby arrived. One night, about a week before I had the baby, and I was cooking, he came up behind me and held me tight and whispered "I love the new you. You're amazing."
A small divide was driven between us, as we had differing views on where he should be born. He feared for my safety, no doubt, but he was also uneducated. I wanted to stay home, even without the help of a midwife, and he wished I'd go to the hospital. My mom BEGGED him to convince me to go to the hospital. I knew he felt pressure from her too. I stood my ground.
On the 19th of November I woke in labor at 4:30AM.
(taken at 11pm, November 18th at 39 weeks 4 days)
Billy had to leave for work at 6:30AM. I had told him a friend was coming over to help me labor and if all went well, he'd be home when I was ready to deliver. Well, my friend was out of town. I didn't tell him this, because I didn't want to worry him more. And I ended up delivering on my own, at 10:50AM that day. He was stunned when I called him and told him the news. And relieved. He'd told his co-workers and even they had been on pins and needles, hoping everything would be okay.
I named him, Levi Jaxson Wheeler. He took my last name, because Ray was no longer involved, nor did I want him to be. Levi did fine, when he was first born. Pinked up nice, let out a nice wale, nursed. But when the afternoon rolled around, he started getting sleepy and his color started getting dusky. It would improve for a bit, then his condition would deteriorate again. By 6PM, when Billy got home, I was very worried and took him in.
The medical team was great with him and stabilized him quickly. A couple of the staff were condescending about where I had him, no doubt, blaming his condition on me birthing at home, but I didn't care. I wanted him to be okay. They stabilized him, gave him antibiotics(because he was born at home and could have been infected) I was glad that my kids' pediatrician was on call that night, because I knew him. He didn't seem upset that I had him at home, just concerned. After 2 days in the NICU, and next to no sleep for me, they did an ultrasound on his brain and it was confirmed that he'd had a small brain bleed from birth and had nothing to do with being born at home. I was so relieved. I blamed myself for those 2 days. It would have happened, no matter where I'd given birth.
Things went great after being released. And Billy was so proud of me. So proud. While I stayed with Levi in the NICU, he was talking to my mom the whole time and she was criticizing me for staying home and he said exactly this "I don't care what you think, Wanda. I am so damn proud of her! She stayed home, gave birth alone, cleaned everything up, and was up and around hours after delivering. She's actually a housewife now. A better mom. I'm proud of her." When my mom told me that, I started crying. I hadn't heard him say anything speaking so highly of me before. It made me love him even more.
Billy fell in love with Levi.
And I fell deeper in love with Billy. How amazing that they weren't biologically attached, but he loved him anyway.
We learned to appreciate each other and listen to each other's needs and to not only love each other, but to CARE FOR each other. Anyone can love, but it takes a strong and mature couple to know to care for one another. We write each other notes like these:
(This note reads: Baby the house looked great tonight. I can tell you worked hard on it. Thank you sweetheart. :) FYI: You are wonder mom. Levi cried for 5 seconds and you jumped up(I was sleeping on the couch) heh I thought it was the tv, but not you. lol You are wonder mom and a good one. I am so proud of you.) Seeing, hearing each other's love has impacted us and showed us that love can truly do anything.
We are still happily together, and loving each other more. There are still issues from the past we need to work out, but they no longer go ignored. I love Billy and I love our life together. I couldn't ask for a better man. We started out so dysfunctional and such an odd couple. We beat the odds. Nobody thought we belonged together, much less stay together. But we're proof that love knows no bounds and that love is a choice and we chose to keep loving each other, even after all we'd been through. I love you, sweetie, with all my heart.


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[Twitter's new VP of Operations, Santosh Jayaram] told of being in the Twitter offices in San Francisco on March 30, when the Twitter engineers noticed that the word "earthquake" had suddenly started trending up. They didn't know where the earthquake was. Several seconds later, their building started to shake.
The earthquake had been in Morgan Hill, 60 miles south of San Francisco, and the tweets about the shaker reached the office faster than the seismic waves themselves.
Rafe Needleman writing in Cool changes coming to Twitter Search.
Those cool changes include indexing the content behind links that are tweeted and ranking search results according to a reputation ranking.
Stating the obvious: Once Twitter has nailed search they're halfway to monetizing their business model -- and seriously competing with engines like Google. Twitter has an advantage that Google doesn't have[1]: homophilious network neighbors, which research has shown to be a powerful conduit for influencing others and for identifying affinities that don't materialize via traditional demographic profiling.
With the introduction of more powerful and reliable search capabilities Twitter could become a serious contender to Google in the search space.
[1] Worth noting that Google has attempted to accomplish something along the same lines by introducing the ability to tether an individual profile with search history (even more so now that they've introduced profile pages) and by letting folks score and record the importance of their search results.


text: Commentary can best be described as a reflective critique of current events. Which is precisely what Frum (Dead Right, 1994) offers in this impressive medley of previously published essays on various aspects of political conservatism. Taken from the pages of such periodicals as The American Spectator, Forbes, The National Review, and The Wall Street Journal, the 30-odd pieces collected here are divided into three main groups: politics and politicians; public policy; and the thinkers whose convictions in one way or another helped shape contemporary conservatism. Although candidly partisan in his perspective, the Canadian-born author casts a clear, cold eye on fellow tories and their office-seeking antics. Cases in point range from unsparing profiles of the latter-day right's saints and sinners--Pat Buchanan (a.k.a. ``the Conservative Bully Boy''), Newt Gingrich, Phil Gramm, Jack Kemp, Colin Powell--through harsh takes on the Christian Coalition (which, for all the fear and loathing it inspires on the left, has a largely unrealized agenda). He also takes on the ideationally addled Republican lawmakers who support subsidies for Big Business or compound the problem of spiraling health-care costs with other than market solutions. Included as well are perceptive disquisitions on John Maynard Keynes (``the Nietzsche of economics''), Russell Kirk (who ``taught that conservatism was above all a moral cause''), and Harry S. Truman (an unfortunate neocon icon in Frum's view). Throughout, the author is insistent that conservatives and their candidates must value principle over popularity with the electorate, stressing minimal government intervention, individual freedom, self-reliance, personal probity, fiscal responsibility, and actual (as opposed to rhetorical) cuts in federal spending. Right-minded observations from an intellectual and ideological heir of William Buckley.


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I picked this product up from my local Superdrug before going on holiday, as I was looking for a cheap waterproof mascara to take with me. This cost £4.99 and came in the colour 1 Black.
The texture is very thick and quite dry as you'd expect from a waterproof mascara really. The wand is a classic shape, but it really is gigantic! This makes for quite tricky application in the inner corners of the eye as well as on the bottom lashes - it's not impossible, but does require a steady hand.
I found that it coats my lashes nicely, but for a big impact you need to apply a couple of coats. This is not a major problem, as I found that it layers without any major clumping, even if you wait for it to dry in between applications. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves:
|Without mascara
|After applying XXL Volume Sensation
It took me three coats to get this result, but I'm quite pleased with it! Excuse the freckle-ness, but the sunshine has really brought them out with a bang.
I was fortunate enough to be able to test this in a variety of scenarios to see how waterproof this mascara really is.
- General wear: I got about 8 hours' wear out of this and then it started crumbling around the bottom lash line - that's an acceptable amount for me, though I would have appreciated a longer wearing formula.
- Tears: My mascara didn't budge one bit. Perfect result.
- Sweat: This didn't seem to have an immediate effect on the mascara, but it did reduce its longevity and crumbles appeared a bit earlier than usual.
- Light rain / splashes: Again, it didn't move and stayed on my lashes like glue.
- Heavy rain / swimming: This was a disaster. The product slid off my lashes and decided to settle on my cheeks where I couldn't get rid of it even with heavy rubbing!
For the price tag this is an excellent product, which gives a lovely finish to eye lashes, though it's not particularly long-lasting - both on the eyes as well as in the tube, as it's starting to dry out now after about two and a half weeks. Just don't take it swimming with you!


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Sweet Tea Print
Sweet Tea Print
This 2-color screen print features our "Sweet Tea" illustration. Would make a lovely addition to any kitchen, Southern or not. We did a limited run of 46 prints, each print is signed and numbered.
- measures 8" x 8"
- Printed on 100 lb. French's Pop Tone Whip Cream
- Lovingly printed in Norfolk, Virginia


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Boston Red Sox: 5 Other Trades the Sox Need to Make for a 2012 Playoff RunJune 25, 2012
Boston Red Sox: 5 Other Trades the Sox Need to Make for a 2012 Playoff Run
With today's trade of long-time third baseman Kevin Youkilis to the White Sox, the Boston Red Sox have made the first of what could be many personnel moves before the July 31st MLB trade deadline.
Youkils, who spent eight-and-a-half seasons in Boston, was an institution both on and off the Fenway diamond, but his lack of production, injury problems and the emergence of rookie Will Middlebrooks made the veteran expendable. Although the Sox got very little in return, they have managed to free themselves of a potential distraction as they attempt to rebound from their rough start and climb back into the AL East race.
Spurred in part by Middlebrooks, the Sox have begun to see positive results on the field. They have won eight of their last 10 games, and over the course of that streak the Sox offense has averaged 6.0 runs per game.
The pitching has started to round into form as well, as the resurgent Clay Buchholz and returning Daisuke Matsuzaka have restored a modicum of stability to the volatile Sox rotation. The bullpen has been outstanding as well, and has in fact been one of MLB's best since late April.
With everything starting to come together on the field, the Sox are proving that talk of blowing up the entire roster may have been premature. The injection of energy that players like Middlebrooks, Ryan Kalish and Cody Ross have provided has helped the Sox finally look like a contender in the crowded AL pennant race.
With the end of June approaching, GM Ben Cherington must now look to tweak the roster a bit more in order to help the Sox continue their upward climb. Here are five moves he should make to shore up the Sox roster as they enter the stretch run:
Acquire a Front-Line Starter
Despite their recent run of success, the Sox do not have a bona fide ace among their five starters. Jon Lester and Josh Beckett—the two most likely candidates to fill that role—have both battled inconsistency this season.
Of the starters that could be had at the trade deadline, two in particular come to mind: Cole Hamels of the Phillies and Zach Greinke of the Brewers. The impending free agency of both pitchers would make them less enticing to acquire without a long-term extension, but each would certainly push the Sox over the top in the pennant race.
The Sox have some chips to work with if they want to pursue one of these top arms, as several of their top prospects have developed significantly over the last couple seasons. Jackie Bradley Jr., Anthony Ranaudo and Xander Bogaerts all could be used to bring one of these star hurlers to Boston.
Increase Infield Depth
Although Nick Punto and Brent Lillibridge are both decent players, the Sox do not have much depth in their infield now that Youkilis is gone. They will need to add a piece or two who can come off the bench to help spell the starters.
Compounding this issue is that in both this season and previous ones, Dustin Pedroia and Mike Aviles have had problems staying healthy. While calling up Jose Iglesias to add depth is one possibility, he has also struggled with injuries this year and has not yet proven that he can hit major league pitching.
If they can bring in someone with speed and the ability to play all three positions, the Sox would be far better off than their competition in chasing a playoff spot.
Beef Up Farm System
After a catastrophic start to the season, the Sox bullpen has righted themselves en route to a 3.30 ERA. They have two relievers (Matt Albers and Scott Atchison) with an ERA under 2.00 and two more (Andrew Miller and the injured Rich Hill) with an ERA under 3.00.
They have several pitchers stashed in Triple-A or in roles less than what they're capable of pitching. From Daniel Bard to Andrew Bailey to Mark Melancon to Junichi Tazawa to Clayton Mortensen, the surprising number of options indicates that the bullpen has become a position of strength for this team.
With middle relief at a premium, the Sox have the unique ability to trade off a reliever or two for farm system depth without damaging their status as contenders.
Trade Carl Crawford for Anything They Can Get
In Ryan Kalish and Cody Ross, it would appear the Sox have found two core members of their outfield for the rest of this season. With the return of Jacoby Ellsbury on the horizon, Carl Crawford appears to be the odd man out.
It may be expensive and very early to give up on such a promising player, but Cherington must realize that the team is better off going forward without this Theo Epstein albatross. A fresh start would benefit not just the Red Sox, but Crawford as well.
Pare Down Outfield Depth
If the Sox were to deal Crawford, they'd still have a significant logjam in their outfield. With a Ross-Ellsbury-Kalish everyday group and Adrian Gonzalez capable of filling in as needed, the Sox would really only need one more outfielder to fill out the roster.
Judging from his performance over the last few weeks, Scott Podsednik is ideally suited to fill this role. He can play all three positions and would provide game-changing speed off the bench.
What this means for the rest of the outfielders is that they must either accept assignments to the minor leagues or be shipped out of town. While it may be tough to jettison players like Ryan Sweeney and Darnell McDonald after they've made such positive contributions to the team this year, it is necessary in order for each player on the 25-man roster to have a defined role.


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