Monday, October 15, 2007
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Monday, May 21, 2007
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
wow..what a story
The Biggest Man on the Field
|| SportsShooter.com: News Item: Posted 2005-10-31
The Biggest Man on the Field
By Thomas E. Witte
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Photo by Thomas E. Witte
Bobby Martin of Colonel White High School in Dayton, Ohio talks with his coach on the sideline during warmups prior to Saturday nights game against Belmont High School.
It all started so innocently really; an article in the local newspaper, an idea and an email. As quickly as I set the ball in motion, the story became one of the most moving, inspirational and educational stories I've ever had the privilege of photographing.
When Robert Hanashiro first asked me to write this story, we couldn't figure out what I should key in on, so I'm just going to talk about it all in hopes that you gain something from it. Be it a more compassionate approach to photojournalism, learning how to submit a story proposal or the complexities of embargos and exclusivity clauses when it comes to maintaining your copyright.
It was just another day. I was sitting in Dallas waiting to board my flight home and decided to surf the web for a few minutes. Rarely do I check my hometown newspaper's (The Middletown Journal) website, but that day I did. On the sports page, there was a story that caught my eye and immediately grabbed my attention. It was the story of Bobby Martin.
The story in a nutshell involved a rather stubborn and defiant young man by the name of Bobby Martin who was born without any legs. His three-foot tall body starts at his pelvis and that's it. Never knowing a life with legs, Bobby from an early age just adapted to using his arms and the pendulum motion of his body for movement. And after perfecting this method of locomotion for 17 years - and seeing it first hand - I can tell you this kid can move with the best of them. This is the ONLY life he's ever known.
So when he wanted to go try out for the football team that was perfectly natural to him. Like any man his age, he wants to be active and play sports. Football would be one answer. (Bobby also wrestles and is a shot putter.) The article went on to explain the absurdity of why Bobby was disqualified in his fourth game of the season (after playing in three without incident) for not wearing shoes, knee or thigh pads.
"What the... Are you seriously kidding me?" I thought to myself. "These idiots would probably throw the Headless Horsemen out of a baseball game for not wearing a batting helmet too."
Before I even finished the article I thought of Sports Illustrated writer Rick Reilly. I knew that we both share the same disdain for indubitable stupidity; only where he excels with the pen I just stomp around in circles and shout expletives. "Rick will have a field day with this", I thought and promptly fired off an email to two of the Sports Illustrated picture editors I'm close with.
SOURCE - http://www.sportsshooter.com/news/1477
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Monday, May 7, 2007
Monday, April 30, 2007
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Political Science for Dummies
DEMOCRATIC
You have two cows.
Your neighbor has none.
You feel guilty for being successful.
Barbara Streisand sings for you.
REPUBLICAN
You have two cows.
Your neighbor has none.
So?
SOCIALIST
You have two cows.
The government takes one and gives it to your neighbor.
You form a cooperative to tell him how to manage his cow.
COMMUNIST
You have two cows.
The government seizes both and provides you with milk.
You wait in line for hours to get it.
It is expensive and sour.
CAPITALISM, AMERICAN STYLE
You have two cows.
You sell one, buy a bull, and build a herd of cows.
BUREAUCRACY, AMERICAN STYLE
You have two cows.
Under the new farm program the government pays you to shoot one, milk the other, and then pours the milk down the drain.
AMERICAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You sell one, lease it back to yourself and do an IPO on the 2nd one.
You force the two cows to produce the milk of four cows. You are surprised when one cow drops dead. You spin an announcement to the analysts stating you have downsized and are reducing expenses.
Your stock goes up.
FRENCH CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You go on strike because you want three cows.
You go to lunch and drink wine.
Life is good.
JAPANESE CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You redesign them so they are one-tenth the size of an ordinary cow and produce twenty times the milk.
They learn to travel on unbelievably crowded trains.
Most are at the top of their class at cow school.
GERMAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You engineer them so they are all blond, drink lots of beer, give excellent quality milk, and run a hundred miles an hour.
Unfortunately they also demand 13 weeks of vacation per year.
ITALIAN CORPORATION
You have two cows but you don't know where they are.
While ambling around, you see a beautiful woman.
You break for lunch.
Life is good.
BELGIAN CORPORATION
You have one cow.
The cow is schizophrenic.
Sometimes the cow thinks he's French, other times he's Flemish.
The Flemish cow won't share with the French cow.
The French cow wants control of the Flemish cow's milk.
The cow asks permission to be cut in half.
The cow dies happy.
DEMOCRATIC
You have two cows.
Your neighbor has none.
You feel guilty for being successful.
Barbara Streisand sings for you.
REPUBLICAN
You have two cows.
Your neighbor has none.
So?
SOCIALIST
You have two cows.
The government takes one and gives it to your neighbor.
You form a cooperative to tell him how to manage his cow.
COMMUNIST
You have two cows.
The government seizes both and provides you with milk.
You wait in line for hours to get it.
It is expensive and sour.
CAPITALISM, AMERICAN STYLE
You have two cows.
You sell one, buy a bull, and build a herd of cows.
BUREAUCRACY, AMERICAN STYLE
You have two cows.
Under the new farm program the government pays you to shoot one, milk the other, and then pours the milk down the drain.
AMERICAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You sell one, lease it back to yourself and do an IPO on the 2nd one.
You force the two cows to produce the milk of four cows. You are surprised when one cow drops dead. You spin an announcement to the analysts stating you have downsized and are reducing expenses.
Your stock goes up.
FRENCH CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You go on strike because you want three cows.
You go to lunch and drink wine.
Life is good.
JAPANESE CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You redesign them so they are one-tenth the size of an ordinary cow and produce twenty times the milk.
They learn to travel on unbelievably crowded trains.
Most are at the top of their class at cow school.
GERMAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You engineer them so they are all blond, drink lots of beer, give excellent quality milk, and run a hundred miles an hour.
Unfortunately they also demand 13 weeks of vacation per year.
ITALIAN CORPORATION
You have two cows but you don't know where they are.
While ambling around, you see a beautiful woman.
You break for lunch.
Life is good.
BELGIAN CORPORATION
You have one cow.
The cow is schizophrenic.
Sometimes the cow thinks he's French, other times he's Flemish.
The Flemish cow won't share with the French cow.
The French cow wants control of the Flemish cow's milk.
The cow asks permission to be cut in half.
The cow dies happy.
Friday, April 27, 2007
ouch ...
A flock of small jets took flight from Washington Thursday, each carrying a Democratic presidential candidate to South Carolina for the first debate of the political season. . . . No one jet pooled, no one took commercial flights to save money, fuel or emissions.
All but Biden, who flew on a private jet, chartered their flights -- a campaign expense of between $7,500 and $9,000.
Couldn't they have "jet pooled" to cut down on carbon emissions? Or, you know, flown commercial with the hoi polloi? (Via Newsbusters).
All but Biden, who flew on a private jet, chartered their flights -- a campaign expense of between $7,500 and $9,000.
Couldn't they have "jet pooled" to cut down on carbon emissions? Or, you know, flown commercial with the hoi polloi? (Via Newsbusters).
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Friday, April 20, 2007
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
View dot 1.1
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Monday, April 16, 2007
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Friday, April 13, 2007
The View
What happens when the world you live in is not the world you live in any more.
Life - as defined by what we knew in 1976. I recent article talked about what is your permanent age. Same applies. Life for me is the world of 1976. The year I graduate and joined the navy. From that point I look at everything.
I see the 60's ...as before my time. 50's, the "life" of my parents.
When I step back and look at the world today, from that ref point, I see...
----> The View --->
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
National Vote - Its a republic for a reason....
Great read.....
"I have my own theory about the "National Popular Vote" movement. I suspect it's another outgrowth of Bush Derangement Syndrome.
In 2000, Al Gore -- arguably -- won the popular vote. That means diddly, however, and everyone knew that going in (or, at least should have). I once ran the numbers, and discovered that, in theory, a president could be elected by a mere 12 votes.
That stuck in the craws of a lot of people who hated Bush, and would latch on to any excuse -- any -- to delegitimize his administration. Even this post facto, unconstitutional, undemocratic exercise in idiocy."
"I have my own theory about the "National Popular Vote" movement. I suspect it's another outgrowth of Bush Derangement Syndrome.
In 2000, Al Gore -- arguably -- won the popular vote. That means diddly, however, and everyone knew that going in (or, at least should have). I once ran the numbers, and discovered that, in theory, a president could be elected by a mere 12 votes.
That stuck in the craws of a lot of people who hated Bush, and would latch on to any excuse -- any -- to delegitimize his administration. Even this post facto, unconstitutional, undemocratic exercise in idiocy."
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Monday, April 9, 2007
Parkour
Parkour, a made-up word, cousin to the French parcours, which means “route,” is a quasi commando system of leaps, vaults, rolls, and landings designed to help a person avoid or surmount whatever lies in his path—a vocabulary, that is, to be employed in finding one’s way among obstacles. Parkour goes over walls, not around them; it takes the stair rail, not the stairs.
The parkour scene in “Casino Royale” is performed by a childhood friend of Belle’s named Sébastien Foucan, who has developed a parallel pursuit to parkour, called freerunning. Belle appears in two kinds of films, movies that show him performing parkour for its own sake, and movies and commercials in which he appears as an actor performing parkour
source
The parkour scene in “Casino Royale” is performed by a childhood friend of Belle’s named Sébastien Foucan, who has developed a parallel pursuit to parkour, called freerunning. Belle appears in two kinds of films, movies that show him performing parkour for its own sake, and movies and commercials in which he appears as an actor performing parkour
source
Sunday, April 8, 2007
Former Hostage, Iran, 1979
Former Hostage, Iran, 1979
Posted by Frank J. at 02:11 PM | 21 blog reactions
Commenter FormerHostage wrote a response to my question. Given his first hand experience of the 444 days Americans were held hostage by Iranian radicals from November 4th, 1979, to January 20th, 1981, I think everyone should give this a read:
As my screenname indicates, I can speak with Complete Moral Authority (tm) on this issue.
On the day of the takeover, the Marines were outnumbered at least 1000 to 1. We held the consulate and the communications vault for over 12 hours, helping to destroy equipment and classified material. We were under STRICT orders not to fire our weapons or pop gas grenades (too late for that last one..hee, hee, hee). We were eventually told that we were on or own and to make a break for it. The monkeys even put one of the diplomats in front of the comm vault peep eye with a pistol to their head and threatened to kill them unless the door was opened. It wasn't and they didn't. Once all the material was destroyed the doors were opened and they all got the crap beat out of them.
When we were first taken, the Iranians took us into a room individually and asked us to sign a statement denouncing the US policy in Iran, Israel, the Shah, etc. The Marines signed with names such as Michael Mouse, Chesty Puller, Dan Daly (google the last two...Marine Corps legends), Harry Butz, etc.
During the ordeal they would try to tape us for propaganda purposes. Personally, I would keep looking down to the ground or hide behind others so that my face wouldn't show (in fact, after a couple of months of not seeing me in any of the videos my records I was classified as MIA). Another Marine and I shared the same cell and when they came in with cameras we'd strip down. I heard a rumor that one of the other Marines smeared ketchup on his face and started howling.
They day before they released us, we were taken to a room with a camera and Mary the Terrorist who was going to interview us. We were threatened that if we didn't say the right things we wouldn't be released. Some Marines gave only name rank and SSN, others sang (Marine Corps Hymn or God Bless America), others just said nothing.
On the day they let us go, I was being herded towards the airplane by a couple of those monkeys. I pulled my arm out of their grasp and let them know that "We're number one"...but used the wrong finger.
For our troubles we were isolated, thumped, went through two mock executions, starved, threatened, and had to put up with useful idiots from Amnesty International showing up just to let the world know how humane we were being treated.
We resisted at each opportunity, except for Army Sgt Joe Subic who collaborated from day 1 and was later snubbed by the rest of us (and was the only one not to receive a citation). We refused to cooperate, stole keys, plugged toilets, pissed in their rations, blew circuit breakers, laughed in their face when they threatened us and cursed them when they beat us. Steve Kirtley even told one of them to pull his finger! The monkey did and Steve was beaten for the inevitable result.
We did this because we were first and foremost, MARINES! Our honor and loyalty to the United States gave us the courage. We would rather die (and that was a definite possibility) than to shame ourselves, our Corps, or our Country. We had to live up to our history and got to measure ourselves and our actions against those of greater men.
Yes, we broke now and then. But would immediately pick ourselves back up and go back to fighting. Which, by the way, confused the hell out of the monkeys!
Pity the poor Brits. All they had was the history of the E.U. and the U.N. as examples.
Semper Fi
-hattip-
Posted by Frank J. at 02:11 PM | 21 blog reactions
Commenter FormerHostage wrote a response to my question. Given his first hand experience of the 444 days Americans were held hostage by Iranian radicals from November 4th, 1979, to January 20th, 1981, I think everyone should give this a read:
As my screenname indicates, I can speak with Complete Moral Authority (tm) on this issue.
On the day of the takeover, the Marines were outnumbered at least 1000 to 1. We held the consulate and the communications vault for over 12 hours, helping to destroy equipment and classified material. We were under STRICT orders not to fire our weapons or pop gas grenades (too late for that last one..hee, hee, hee). We were eventually told that we were on or own and to make a break for it. The monkeys even put one of the diplomats in front of the comm vault peep eye with a pistol to their head and threatened to kill them unless the door was opened. It wasn't and they didn't. Once all the material was destroyed the doors were opened and they all got the crap beat out of them.
When we were first taken, the Iranians took us into a room individually and asked us to sign a statement denouncing the US policy in Iran, Israel, the Shah, etc. The Marines signed with names such as Michael Mouse, Chesty Puller, Dan Daly (google the last two...Marine Corps legends), Harry Butz, etc.
During the ordeal they would try to tape us for propaganda purposes. Personally, I would keep looking down to the ground or hide behind others so that my face wouldn't show (in fact, after a couple of months of not seeing me in any of the videos my records I was classified as MIA). Another Marine and I shared the same cell and when they came in with cameras we'd strip down. I heard a rumor that one of the other Marines smeared ketchup on his face and started howling.
They day before they released us, we were taken to a room with a camera and Mary the Terrorist who was going to interview us. We were threatened that if we didn't say the right things we wouldn't be released. Some Marines gave only name rank and SSN, others sang (Marine Corps Hymn or God Bless America), others just said nothing.
On the day they let us go, I was being herded towards the airplane by a couple of those monkeys. I pulled my arm out of their grasp and let them know that "We're number one"...but used the wrong finger.
For our troubles we were isolated, thumped, went through two mock executions, starved, threatened, and had to put up with useful idiots from Amnesty International showing up just to let the world know how humane we were being treated.
We resisted at each opportunity, except for Army Sgt Joe Subic who collaborated from day 1 and was later snubbed by the rest of us (and was the only one not to receive a citation). We refused to cooperate, stole keys, plugged toilets, pissed in their rations, blew circuit breakers, laughed in their face when they threatened us and cursed them when they beat us. Steve Kirtley even told one of them to pull his finger! The monkey did and Steve was beaten for the inevitable result.
We did this because we were first and foremost, MARINES! Our honor and loyalty to the United States gave us the courage. We would rather die (and that was a definite possibility) than to shame ourselves, our Corps, or our Country. We had to live up to our history and got to measure ourselves and our actions against those of greater men.
Yes, we broke now and then. But would immediately pick ourselves back up and go back to fighting. Which, by the way, confused the hell out of the monkeys!
Pity the poor Brits. All they had was the history of the E.U. and the U.N. as examples.
Semper Fi
-hattip-
Friday, April 6, 2007
Baxter and I were sitting on my cot, backs against the Bradley’s skirt plate, eating MREs for breakfast and talking about Sgt. Lustig. He was the tough platoon sergeant who didn’t talk much and always meant exactly what he said. He was the one with “ACHTUNG BABY” stenciled on his tank’s gun tube. His platoon was always out front, the first to receive contact.
“He’s like fucking Satan,” said Baxter. “He don’t hesitate to blow these motherfuckers away. That’s why I told him, ‘If you were going to Hell to fight the devil, Sgt. Lustig, I’d go with you.”
“What did Lustig say?”
“He said, ‘Thank you, Pvt. Baxter, I appreciate that.’”
Go read the rest ----
“He’s like fucking Satan,” said Baxter. “He don’t hesitate to blow these motherfuckers away. That’s why I told him, ‘If you were going to Hell to fight the devil, Sgt. Lustig, I’d go with you.”
“What did Lustig say?”
“He said, ‘Thank you, Pvt. Baxter, I appreciate that.’”
Go read the rest ----
From the Uk telegraph - ouch
News: Captured Royal Navy personnel are coming home
Comments
If this was a football game it would read Iran 15 England 0.
The world chuckles that the little evil man of Iran humiliated the Belgian Navy and the country. I apologize, I meant to say the Royal Navy.
I suppose only the USA is the only nation in the West that has any intestinal fortitude left.
Ouch
Comments
If this was a football game it would read Iran 15 England 0.
The world chuckles that the little evil man of Iran humiliated the Belgian Navy and the country. I apologize, I meant to say the Royal Navy.
I suppose only the USA is the only nation in the West that has any intestinal fortitude left.
Ouch
Thursday, April 5, 2007
LOL
Craigslist: Landlord's nightmare in Tacoma
April 5, 2007 1:52 PM PDT
del.icio.us Digg this
Thanks to an ad on Craigslist, a Tacoma, Wash., house went from empty rental to empty shell. The Internet ad invited readers to come to the address and take anything they wanted.
Response was strong. Neighbors reported strangers coming to the house and carrying away anything they could find, including the kitchen sink and the front door.
The landlord had recently evicted a tenant. Now that owner may be trying to subpoena records from Craigslist to determine who placed the giveaway ad.
Update: There's a soap-operatic twist to this story. Local news reports the recently evicted tenant was the landlord's own sister and that a family feud may have been the motivation for the ad.
Posted by Harry Fuller
April 5, 2007 1:52 PM PDT
del.icio.us Digg this
Thanks to an ad on Craigslist, a Tacoma, Wash., house went from empty rental to empty shell. The Internet ad invited readers to come to the address and take anything they wanted.
Response was strong. Neighbors reported strangers coming to the house and carrying away anything they could find, including the kitchen sink and the front door.
The landlord had recently evicted a tenant. Now that owner may be trying to subpoena records from Craigslist to determine who placed the giveaway ad.
Update: There's a soap-operatic twist to this story. Local news reports the recently evicted tenant was the landlord's own sister and that a family feud may have been the motivation for the ad.
Posted by Harry Fuller
AT&T shrugs off FTTH, says it's satisfied with copper
AT&T shrugs off FTTH, says it's satisfied with copper
Posted Dec 6th 2006 12:13PM by Darren Murph
Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment
If you think AT&T is troubled by Verizon's direct FTTH route while the company sticks with copper, you'd apparently be mistaken. The firm's CFO, Richard Lindner, recently shrugged off concerns that AT&T would need to get on the ball with regard to implementing their own fiber optic infrastructure. While select customers are already receiving U-Verse content, it appears that the majority of AT&T's future will rely on tried and true copper wiring, at least for the time being. Lindner stated that he was "pleased with the bandwidth that they're seeing over copper," and felt that there wasn't any urgent need to "get fiber to the home." He also boasted that the company's current pipes were "producing about 25Mbps," noting that "some locations" were receiving "substantially more than that," but curiously omitted the locales receiving substantially less. As expected, industry analysts have mixed views on the outfit's hand-to-the-face approach to fiber, with many suggesting that "it would need to upgrade its network again" when more consumers start to demand even more HD channels / movies. Nevertheless, AT&T seems to be holding its own at this point, but we're not so certain the old coax can do the same for very much longer.
[Via eHomeUpgrade]
Posted Dec 6th 2006 12:13PM by Darren Murph
Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment
If you think AT&T is troubled by Verizon's direct FTTH route while the company sticks with copper, you'd apparently be mistaken. The firm's CFO, Richard Lindner, recently shrugged off concerns that AT&T would need to get on the ball with regard to implementing their own fiber optic infrastructure. While select customers are already receiving U-Verse content, it appears that the majority of AT&T's future will rely on tried and true copper wiring, at least for the time being. Lindner stated that he was "pleased with the bandwidth that they're seeing over copper," and felt that there wasn't any urgent need to "get fiber to the home." He also boasted that the company's current pipes were "producing about 25Mbps," noting that "some locations" were receiving "substantially more than that," but curiously omitted the locales receiving substantially less. As expected, industry analysts have mixed views on the outfit's hand-to-the-face approach to fiber, with many suggesting that "it would need to upgrade its network again" when more consumers start to demand even more HD channels / movies. Nevertheless, AT&T seems to be holding its own at this point, but we're not so certain the old coax can do the same for very much longer.
[Via eHomeUpgrade]
Verizon FiOS hitting 50Mbps in more states
Verizon FiOS hitting 50Mbps in more states
Posted Jan 11th 2007 3:45PM by Darren Murph
Filed under: CES, Networking
Sure, it's not quite 100Mpbs, but hey, the folks in Massachusetts and Rhode Island will probably take what they can get. Verizon has just announced that Massachusetts and Rhode Island have now joined New York, Connecticut and New Jersey as states where Verizon "has increased the maximum connection speed of both its mid-tier and top-tier FiOS Internet services." Previously, their mid-range connection topped out at 15Mbps downstream and a paltry 2Mbps upstream, while the high-end package offered just 30Mbps up and 5Mbps down. Basically no other details were given, but Verizon did state that it planned on bringing similar speed boosts to "11 other states where the service is available" during the course of this year, but didn't mention any type of price decreases from the admittedly lofty monthly charges top-tier customers currently pay. Now, how about we get FiOS to more homes before giving all the lucky ones even more bandwidth to play with next time you get the itch to upgrade, okay Verizon?
Hittip -
engaget
Posted Jan 11th 2007 3:45PM by Darren Murph
Filed under: CES, Networking
Sure, it's not quite 100Mpbs, but hey, the folks in Massachusetts and Rhode Island will probably take what they can get. Verizon has just announced that Massachusetts and Rhode Island have now joined New York, Connecticut and New Jersey as states where Verizon "has increased the maximum connection speed of both its mid-tier and top-tier FiOS Internet services." Previously, their mid-range connection topped out at 15Mbps downstream and a paltry 2Mbps upstream, while the high-end package offered just 30Mbps up and 5Mbps down. Basically no other details were given, but Verizon did state that it planned on bringing similar speed boosts to "11 other states where the service is available" during the course of this year, but didn't mention any type of price decreases from the admittedly lofty monthly charges top-tier customers currently pay. Now, how about we get FiOS to more homes before giving all the lucky ones even more bandwidth to play with next time you get the itch to upgrade, okay Verizon?
Hittip -
engaget
Monday, April 2, 2007
Seattle Mariners - for one, promising day, anyway.
By Associated PressSEATTLE (AP) - Younger and slimmer was certainly better for the Seattle Mariners - for one, promising day, anyway.
Felix Hernandez, the 20-year-old would-be phenom who has lost 20 pounds since a disappointing 2006 season, thoroughly dominated the defending AL West champion Oakland Athletics in a 4-0 victory Monday. The youngest opening day pitcher in the major leagues in 22 years allowed three hits and struck out a career-high 12 in eight innings.
Seattle had lost 17 of 19 games - including 15 in a row - to the A's while finishing last in the division for the third consecutive year last season.
Richie Sexson's three-run homer off Dan Haren in the sixth inning, after a pivotal error by shortstop Bobby Crosby on a potential inning-ending double-play grounder, provided far more offense than Hernandez needed.
The youngest opening day starter since Dwight Gooden in 1985 threw 97 mph fastballs and often replaced his usual, slow, gunslinger walk off the mound at the end of innings with rousing screams, fist pumps and glove slaps. Only Randy Johnson has had more strikeouts on opening day for Seattle, 14 to begin 1993 and '96.
Hernandez (1-0) threw first-pitch strikes to 21 of the 29 batters he faced, after having control problems throughout his 12-14 season last year. That was as many losses as he had in his first three professional seasons.
Travis Buck, a 23-year-old rookie from Richland, Wash., who had 20 family members screaming for him from a few rows behind home plate, led off the sixth with a double that thudded off the bottom of the center-field wall on a fly. Mark Ellis' sacrifice bunt moved Buck to third. But Hernandez then struck out Jason Kendall for the third time on a 97-mph fastball high and inside before Shannon Stewart flailed at an 0-2 split-fingered pitch that bounced in front of the plate. As the sold-out crowd roared, Hernandez yelled. He then pumped his first three times, slapped his glove and then wildly slapped the hand of catcher Kenji Johjima.
The Mariners' decisive bottom the sixth immediately followed that pick-me-up.
And when Oakland had two on and one out following Eric Chavez's single in the seventh, Hernandez struck out Nick Swisher on another fastball at 97 and then shook off Johjima to settle on a 96-mph fastball that froze Crosby into watching another third strike. Hernandez yelled again and thrust both arms into his sides after his 11th strikeout.
Sexson lifted a low 1-1 pitch from Haren (0-1) into the shrubs just above the top of the center-field wall, after Raul Ibanez's sacrifice fly scored Ichiro Suzuki with the game's first run. Notes: Sexson was 1-for-17 against Haren before his homer. ... Haren allowed four runs and four hits in six innings of his first career opening day start. He walked one and struck out two. ... Oakland DH Mike Piazza went 0-for-4 in his A's debut.
Felix Hernandez, the 20-year-old would-be phenom who has lost 20 pounds since a disappointing 2006 season, thoroughly dominated the defending AL West champion Oakland Athletics in a 4-0 victory Monday. The youngest opening day pitcher in the major leagues in 22 years allowed three hits and struck out a career-high 12 in eight innings.
Seattle had lost 17 of 19 games - including 15 in a row - to the A's while finishing last in the division for the third consecutive year last season.
Richie Sexson's three-run homer off Dan Haren in the sixth inning, after a pivotal error by shortstop Bobby Crosby on a potential inning-ending double-play grounder, provided far more offense than Hernandez needed.
The youngest opening day starter since Dwight Gooden in 1985 threw 97 mph fastballs and often replaced his usual, slow, gunslinger walk off the mound at the end of innings with rousing screams, fist pumps and glove slaps. Only Randy Johnson has had more strikeouts on opening day for Seattle, 14 to begin 1993 and '96.
Hernandez (1-0) threw first-pitch strikes to 21 of the 29 batters he faced, after having control problems throughout his 12-14 season last year. That was as many losses as he had in his first three professional seasons.
Travis Buck, a 23-year-old rookie from Richland, Wash., who had 20 family members screaming for him from a few rows behind home plate, led off the sixth with a double that thudded off the bottom of the center-field wall on a fly. Mark Ellis' sacrifice bunt moved Buck to third. But Hernandez then struck out Jason Kendall for the third time on a 97-mph fastball high and inside before Shannon Stewart flailed at an 0-2 split-fingered pitch that bounced in front of the plate. As the sold-out crowd roared, Hernandez yelled. He then pumped his first three times, slapped his glove and then wildly slapped the hand of catcher Kenji Johjima.
The Mariners' decisive bottom the sixth immediately followed that pick-me-up.
And when Oakland had two on and one out following Eric Chavez's single in the seventh, Hernandez struck out Nick Swisher on another fastball at 97 and then shook off Johjima to settle on a 96-mph fastball that froze Crosby into watching another third strike. Hernandez yelled again and thrust both arms into his sides after his 11th strikeout.
Sexson lifted a low 1-1 pitch from Haren (0-1) into the shrubs just above the top of the center-field wall, after Raul Ibanez's sacrifice fly scored Ichiro Suzuki with the game's first run. Notes: Sexson was 1-for-17 against Haren before his homer. ... Haren allowed four runs and four hits in six innings of his first career opening day start. He walked one and struck out two. ... Oakland DH Mike Piazza went 0-for-4 in his A's debut.
Masters Tickets
Masters Tickets
Masters Ticket Brokers
You can now order 2007 Masters Badges and Masters practice round tickets online or by phone. To order online, click on the prices below. If you do not wish to order your Masters tickets online, please call us at 800.279.4444 and we can process your order over the phone. TickCo.com is your best source for 2007 Masters tickets!
Click on the prices below to order Masters tickets online
Single Days GA Hospitality Only Ticket w/ Hospitality
April 3 (Tue)
Practice Round Sold Out $205 Sold Out
April 4 (Wed)
Practice & Par 3 Contest $410 $205 $615
Single Days GA Hospitality Only Ticket w/ Hospitality
April 5 (Thu)
*Round 1 Sold Out $295 Sold Out
April 6 (Fri)
*Round 2 $725 $295 $1020
April 7 (Sat)
*Round 3 $820 $295 $1115
April 8 (Sun)
*Final Round $775 $295 $1070
Multiple Days GA Hospitality Only Ticket w/ Hospitality
Thu & Fri
*Two Day Badge Sold Out $545 Sold Out
Sat & Sun
*Two Day Badge Sold Out $545 Sold Out
Thu - Sun
*Four Day Badge Sold Out $1090 Sold Out
**Hospitality is truly the VIP way to experience The Masters. It gives patrons access to an exclusive 10,000 square foot luxury home located about 75 yards from Augusta's Gate 9 entrance. Hospitality gives you exclusive access to many complimentary services. Gourmet catered food, an open bar and valet parking are only a few of the fine amenities you'll enjoy as a Hospitality patron.
Get More Details on Masters Hospitality
Masters Ticket Brokers
You can now order 2007 Masters Badges and Masters practice round tickets online or by phone. To order online, click on the prices below. If you do not wish to order your Masters tickets online, please call us at 800.279.4444 and we can process your order over the phone. TickCo.com is your best source for 2007 Masters tickets!
Click on the prices below to order Masters tickets online
Single Days GA Hospitality Only Ticket w/ Hospitality
April 3 (Tue)
Practice Round Sold Out $205 Sold Out
April 4 (Wed)
Practice & Par 3 Contest $410 $205 $615
Single Days GA Hospitality Only Ticket w/ Hospitality
April 5 (Thu)
*Round 1 Sold Out $295 Sold Out
April 6 (Fri)
*Round 2 $725 $295 $1020
April 7 (Sat)
*Round 3 $820 $295 $1115
April 8 (Sun)
*Final Round $775 $295 $1070
Multiple Days GA Hospitality Only Ticket w/ Hospitality
Thu & Fri
*Two Day Badge Sold Out $545 Sold Out
Sat & Sun
*Two Day Badge Sold Out $545 Sold Out
Thu - Sun
*Four Day Badge Sold Out $1090 Sold Out
**Hospitality is truly the VIP way to experience The Masters. It gives patrons access to an exclusive 10,000 square foot luxury home located about 75 yards from Augusta's Gate 9 entrance. Hospitality gives you exclusive access to many complimentary services. Gourmet catered food, an open bar and valet parking are only a few of the fine amenities you'll enjoy as a Hospitality patron.
Get More Details on Masters Hospitality
Sunday, April 1, 2007
Armed Liberal - WOW...I want to meet more of these folks.
From : Marc "Armed Liberal" Danziger
I'm a liberal Democrat (pro-gay marriage, pro-choice, pro-progressive taxation, pro-equal rights, pro-environmental regulation, pro-public schools) who supported and supports the war in Iraq. As I tell my liberal friends "Did I miss the part where it was progressive not to fight medieval religious fascists?"
Read the whole thing .....no I mean it.....go read it now.
I will wait
Ok discuss among yourselves
I'm a liberal Democrat (pro-gay marriage, pro-choice, pro-progressive taxation, pro-equal rights, pro-environmental regulation, pro-public schools) who supported and supports the war in Iraq. As I tell my liberal friends "Did I miss the part where it was progressive not to fight medieval religious fascists?"
Read the whole thing .....no I mean it.....go read it now.
I will wait
Ok discuss among yourselves
Saturday, March 31, 2007
The place where 300 died
So, the movie is not a good representation of the real battle. Tho not as flashy there is a great 1962 version of this flick The 300 Spartans (1962)
And here are 2 pictures of the actual valley and the stone marker where the battle happened
Friday, March 30, 2007
First use of " you are the man "
Samuel 12:7 (King James Version)
King James Version (KJV)
Public Domain
And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;
biblegateway
King James Version (KJV)
Public Domain
And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;
biblegateway
A sad day ...
And yet -- no weapons, no matter how powerful, can help the West until it overcomes its loss of willpower. In a state of psychological weakness, weapons become a burden for the capitulating side. To defend oneself, one must also be ready to die; there is little such readiness in a society raised in the cult of material well-being. Nothing is left, then, but concessions, attempts to gain time and betrayal.
Alexander Solzhenitsyn 1978 (Harvard address)
Hat tip to wizbang
Alexander Solzhenitsyn 1978 (Harvard address)
Hat tip to wizbang
Thursday, March 29, 2007
There will be a fourth series of Doctor Who, writer/producer Russell T Davies has confirmed, although he refused to say whether David Tennant would continue in the lead role.
Speaking at the London premiere of the third series, Davies declared: "Series four is officially existing. I'm very excited, but we have known for ages." Tennant refused to be drawn on his possible participation, telling the press: "Do you know how many times I have been asked that question? Do you know how many times I have answered it?"
Series three kicks off on BBC One on 31 March. It features Freema Agyeman as the Doc's new assistant Martha Jones, replacing Billie Piper as Rose Tyler who decided to hang up her time-travelling boots. Agyeman said: "Billie did a tremendous job. I know no one likes change but the nature of the show is change and hopefully fans will be cool with that and give me a chance."
Doctor Who ( turn the sound down a bit, its a little loud
Speaking at the London premiere of the third series, Davies declared: "Series four is officially existing. I'm very excited, but we have known for ages." Tennant refused to be drawn on his possible participation, telling the press: "Do you know how many times I have been asked that question? Do you know how many times I have answered it?"
Series three kicks off on BBC One on 31 March. It features Freema Agyeman as the Doc's new assistant Martha Jones, replacing Billie Piper as Rose Tyler who decided to hang up her time-travelling boots. Agyeman said: "Billie did a tremendous job. I know no one likes change but the nature of the show is change and hopefully fans will be cool with that and give me a chance."
Doctor Who ( turn the sound down a bit, its a little loud
Just because I know you have to much spare time.
Fancypants
orisinal
line rider
And of course the way cool 99 rooms
Fancypants
orisinal
line rider
And of course the way cool 99 rooms
Deadly jellyfish halt Hollywood production
By Nick Squires in Sydney
Last Updated: 7:42am BST 29/03/2007
A deadly species of jellyfish, translucent and the size of a thumbnail, is spreading along Australia’s coastline as a result of global warming, scientists warned today.
A deadly Irukandji jellyfish
Irukandji jellyfish are among the world’s most toxic creatures – all but impossible to detect in the water but packing a potentially lethal punch belying their tiny size.
Until recently it was thought that they were confined to Australia’s northern tropical waters, but marine biologists have now found them off Queensland’s Fraser Island — a popular tourist spot about 400 miles south of their previously assumed range.
Their discovery has halted production of a Hollywood film, Fool’s Gold, starring Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey, who were originally due to be filmed swimming in the sea. Dr Jamie Seymour, from James Cook University, said he had found five of the animals off the island.
“You can’t now say the waters around Fraser Island are jellyfish safe. I mean, these animals have the potential to kill you,” he told ABC radio.
“The ones we were catching weren’t any bigger than your thumbnail. They’ve got tentacles that are probably a half to three quarters of a metre long, and pretty much transparent. So unless you really know what you’re looking for, you’re not going to see them in the water.”
If they migrate south in sufficient numbers, irukandji would threaten the safety of swimmers, surfers and snorkellers along southern Queensland’s Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast holiday destinations.
Little is known about their biology but their toxicity is legendary. One of the tiny jellyfish was blamed for killing a 58-year-old British tourist, Richard Jordan, in the Whitsunday Islands of Queensland in 2002. A few months later, a 44-year-old American tourist was stung and also died.
Increased sea temperatures caused by global warming would extend the species’ range south, Dr Seymour said. But the tourism industry said it would be alarmist and premature to warn tourists of the new threat to their safety.
“We don’t want a perception to spread that every Sunshine Coast beach is a killing field,” said Daniel Gschwind, the head of the Queensland Tourism Industry Council.
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/03/28/waustralia
March 15, 2007—It turns out a leopard really can change its spots—or at least its species. New DNA tests show that Borneo's top predator is one of a kind.
The clouded leopard of the Southeast Asian islands of Borneo and Sumatra is its own unique species, according to genetic test results announced yesterday by WWF, the international conservation organization (Indonesia map showing Borneo and Sumatra). Until now the cat was believed to be of the same species as the mainland clouded leopard.
The differences aren't all in the genes, either—the two species have different fur patterns and skin coloration.
"It's incredible that no one has ever noticed these differences," said Andrew Kitchener, mammal and bird curator for National Museums Scotland, in a statement.
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