Another Trip to Arran

I know I've written about going to this island before! This time it was different. No really! I took George with me this time AND the weather was awful! The weather wasn't so bad that the ferries wouldn't run, but the stormy seas made the ferry roll a bit. While we were waiting for the ferry, George and I ate some E. Lots of E! We ate some other letters of the alphabet as well, but we focused most of our efforts on the letter E.Once we were on the island and I had finished my work we set about seeing the sights. It was too stormy for the seals to be viewed. I'm sure they hide when I come to the island with other humans. I only ever see them when I go to Arran with just Polly for company. Again we bought soap, cheese and chocolate but we also met up with one of the islanders.I called the day before and made arrangements to meet up with Sean Ferris a member of the Arran Subaqua Club. George and I met up with Sean in a little cafe at the end of Lamlash pier where divers, fresh from the boat and still in their dry suits are more than welcome! I was SO pleased I did this. Sean was so full of information and offers of assistance when asked about diving on the island. He had printed out a depth chart for Lamlash Bay and another section of water, just south of Lamlash Bay that has a spectacular dive associated with it. I got to keep these charts!!Sean's enthusiasm for diving on his little island was boundless. It turns out that we have a common interest in nudibranchs! (small world huh?) Sean is also keen to see the rare and endangered basking sharks that can be found around Arran in the summer. He has said that he'll text me if any show up this year. What a guy!This is the office for the ferry across to Holy Isle. This office can be found at Lamlash Pier mere steps away from the cafe where George, Sean and I had our tea.This is Lamlash Pier - with Holy Isle just off in the distance. I've never been there.If one looks a little to the left while standing near the pier one will see the part of Lamlash Bay that has been designated as the no-take-zone!I didn't take a photo of Sean for the purposes of this blog. I didn't want to confirm any growing suspicions he may have that I may be a nut job.I did try to take some photos of this miserable looking flock of oystercatchers with their cormorant buddy and some unidentified wading bird. It was hard to get a picture with the camera I have, a lack of a tripod and sideways rain. The flash kept highlighting rain drops. Here is the best of the bunch.I reported my meeting with Sean to the rest of our dive club in Dumfries. It has rekindled an interest in a diving weekend in Arran with members who have dived in the waters around the island in the past. Just now, the water is too cold for me, but I am really up for a diving weekend in the summer!

Offre d’emploi : développeur (h/f) informatique expérimenté sur les technologies du Web (CDD)

Dans le cadre du projet de Portail de la musique contemporaine (ouvert en 2007) qui fédère les ressources d’organismes culturels français et est partenaire d’Europeana, un CDD est proposé pour un poste de développeur informatique expérimenté sur les technologies du Web.
Description du poste
La personne recrutée sera chargée de poursuivre le développement du Portail :
Mise en place d’un service d’hébergement et d’entrepôts OAI statiques pour le dépôt de documents numériques et de leurs métadonnées par les partenaires du projet.
Nouvelles interfaces « sociales » (blog, annotations) et évolution des interfaces actuelles (modalités de recherche et de navigation).
Backoffice (gestion des moissons OAI, statistiques d’utilisation).
Ingénierie (gestion de versions, généricisation du logiciel, de son déploiement et des installations, documentation).
Profil recherché
Requis : expérience concrète (dans des projets déployés) des technologies suivantes :
Langages et bases de données : PHP, MySQL, Javascript, Smarty&
Protocoles : OAI, RSS.
Formats : XML.
Systèmes : Apache et un CMS (de préférence Drupal).
Souhaité : connaissance des technologies et formats suivants :
Flash.
MP3.
Mime.
Dublin Core, MODS, Unimarc.
Capacités
À rentrer rapidement dans un système complexe pour se l’approprier.
À structurer son code et sa documentation.
Haute productivité.
Travail en équipe.
Intérêt pour la musique.
Informations sur le poste
Lieu de travail : Ircam (Paris centre).
Durée : 9 mois.
Salaire : selon compétences et adéquation.
Disponibilité : immédiate.
Candidature
une lettre de motivation et un CV détaillant le niveau d’expérience/expertise dans les domaines mentionnés ci-dessus (ainsi que toute autre information pertinente).

Supramundane

AMBACH & RICE in Seattle is currently presenting Supramundane, a group exhibition guest curated by Elizabeth Burke. On view until May 31st are works in various media by Tomoo Gokita, Robyn O'Neil, Sara Greenberger Rafferty, Alison Elizabeth Taylor, and Whiting Tennis. Surpamundane is a Buddhist term that means "being situated above the world or above our system; celestial." This enlightened state is achieved through intense and committed training. Often when artists address notions of supramundane, their work implies they have already achieved such enlightenment. Burke suggests an alternative approach, stressing the artist's struggle leading up to this point. The show is intentionally open for interpretation, which is merely a reflection of the nature and process of supramundane. The organization of Supramundane suggests and encourages thought in the viewer, while restraining from shaping those thoughts specifically. The artists explore elements of the unknown through their preferred media, ranging from Rafferty's high contrast black and white prints on Plexiglas to Whiting Tennis' plywood creations. Burke attended Guilford College in North Carolina where she received her BA. Years later she was a founder of the late Clementine Gallery, in NYC, and currently teaches Graduate courses at the School of Visual Arts, NYC.

Twilight at Midnight? Not for Me! -- Jay

It takes me forever to finish reading a book. My word-speed isn’t necessarily slow, I just have a short attention span. Rarely do I flip through more than one chapter per sitting. And then, who knows when I’ll pick it back up again!For my birthday last September, Robin gave me a copy of Twilight. My goal was to finish the book before the movie came out. As you know, most theaters scheduled midnight showings for its release…which happens to coincide with this blog post going up. And I did it! I finished the book early! (Thirteen hours early, if you wanna know.)So I called Robin and said, “I did it! We can see the movie tonight!”And Robin said, “I’m not going to a midnight show.”“What? That’s the whole reason I read it so fast.”“Jay, I gave you that book in September.”So Robin, Eve, and I will more than likely attend the 1:20pm show. (That, I wanna tell you, is thirteen hours later than a true Twilighter should be seeing it.) And I can’t wait! I completely understand why the book became the phenomenon it did, even if Edward doesn’t make me swoon.If anyone’s looking to buy me a Christmas gift, mark me down for a copy of the Twilight sequel, New Moon. But does anyone know when that movie’s supposed to come out? Because my goal is to finish the book first…with hours to spare.- JayP.S. Robin, I’m not really that mad that we missed the midnight show. But…ahem…I won’t be upset if you offer to buy the popcorn.

Global Uncertainties: Security for All in a Changing World Programme

Fantasy Baseball Blog News of the Day - May 9th

Who doesn't enjoy a good fantasy baseball challenge? Arod on the DL, Tulowitzki out until mid-season, Gallardo out for the year, etc...But if fate didn't throw curveballs like these our way, what would be the point of actually playing out the fantasy season? We could just take our pre-season stat projections, apply them to all players drafted, and pick a winner without even playing a single game.But players really play, and players really get hurt. Enjoy these challenges, don't get frustrated (as it really is still early), and use your creativity when trying to find a way to keep your teams afloat.And without further delay, here is today's fantasy baseball blog news of the day:-Greener on the Other Side takes a look at some of the early season BABIP winners & losers-Roto Authority has updated their post on all closers in the league-Fantasy Gameday takes a look at the top K/100 pitchers-Crooked Pitch gives their week 5 fantasy MVPs-According to Razzball, you know your fantasy baseball team sucks when...I'll have some more juicy baseball thoughts for you this weekend, so stay tuned.

Detroit Tigers Team Report

INSIDE PITCH Listening to Dontrelle Willis, he's anxious to get talk about his anxiety disorder out of the way. The Tigers don't want to go into details about the problem, which was diagnosed in spring training. The Tigers put the struggling left-hander on the disabled list and let him quietly work his way back. Legal issues might be a factor, but from listening to Willis it does not appear he is exactly clear about what was going on, either. "I have no condition," he said after rejoining the team Friday in Cleveland. "My condition is me going out there, playing baseball and having fun. If God doesn't want me to do this, I'll find something else. I'm fine with that. "Right from the time they put me on the DL, I was constructive about it. I didn't mope. I handled it like a professional. I worked hard all the way up the ranks, and at each level, I told them if I haven't earned moving up, don't move me up. It's been a traveling circus, but it's been a good one. They liked the way I handled my business, even on the days I didn't pitch." Willis has been around the plate even when he walked hitters during his rehab starts. His hit total has been good and he's been stingy with runs. He credits the organization and everybody around him for being helpful. "Everybody worked with me, not just doctors, but the coaching staff and everybody," he said. "I'm happy they're happy with my productivity, but mostly I'm happy with myself and the way I went about everything. My body feels good. It all feels good. "I know I've been terrible, but that was yesterday. I'm a guy that shoots from the hip. I was just playing bad." Now it's come down to getting results on the mound. Willis hasn't won a game for the Tigers since they obtained him from Florida two winters ago.NOTES, QUOTESRHP Rick Porcello was struck by a thought during the weekend as he got his first look at Cleveland's Progressive Field: "It was cool to be in the same town where my grandfather played," Porcello said. His mother's father was Sam Dente, a shortstop who played on the Indians' 1954 squad that won 111 games and lost in the World Series to the New York Giants. Dente died in 2002, when Porcello was barely a teen-ager. "I only met him twice," Porcello said. "I was real young, so I never got to talk to him about baseball. I'm kind of disappointed in that regard, but it's still pretty cool to have a grandfather that played in the big leagues."C Gerald Laird is one of several Detroit players fighting through a hitting slump. The veteran catcher was hitless last week and now has just one hit in his last 32 at-bats after Sunday's 0-for-3. But he contributed to the Tigers' 4-0 victory at Cleveland on Saturday night with a simple groundout. It came with one out and runners at second and third, however, and drove in the first run of the game. "I know I've been struggling," Laird said, "but you have to continue to grind it out and bear down. I was able to muscle it to short to score a run." A prolonged at-bat that included several barely foul liners to right his last time up might be a prelude to the slump's end later this week.1B/3B Jeff Larish is seeing the benefits of making a short return to Class AAA Toledo. The reserve corner infielder was Detroit's DH Sunday and hit his second home run of the season after collecting his first major league triple the night before. Larish got a rare start at first base Saturday night with 1B Miguel Cabrera serving as Detroit's designated hitter. "I really think with Larish, you're seeing the benefit of him going to Toledo and getting to bat for two weeks," manager Jim Leyland said. "I know that was part of the reason they sent me down, to get comfortable at the plate and help whenever I can," Larish said. LHP Bobby Seay had a tune-up performance Sunday in Cleveland. Seay, who if he's used will be facing the left-handed hitting sluggers in the heart of Minnesota's lineup Tuesday and Wednesday, worked a 1-2-3 seventh against the Indians and then retired the two batters he faced in the eighth before being relieved.BY THE NUMBERS: 25 RBI by Detroit's two shortstops through Sunday, most of any team in the majors. Backup SS Ramon Santiago had 13 and regular SS Adam Everett 12. QUOTE TO NOTE: "This is not experimental and it's not developmental. This is the big leagues. He's going to the rotation and we expect everybody there to help us win games. The expectations are no higher on him than anyone else." Manager Jim Leyland, on the scheduled return Wednesday to the Detroit rotation of LHP Dontrelle Willis, who has been out all year with an anxiety disorder.ROSTER REPORTLHP Dontrelle Willis, diagnosed in spring training with what the club called an anxiety disorder, comes off the disabled list Wednesday to make his first start of the season for Detroit, in Minnesota. "I'm not trying to be a doctor. I'm a baseball player," he said. "Even on the disabled list, I felt fine. I'm not a depressed guy. Maybe I'm hard on myself, but I wouldn't have gotten here if I wasn't." RHP Rick Porcello came out after five innings of one-run ball Sunday because he'd thrown 95 pitches. "We could have lasted longer," manager Jim Leyland said, "but he wasn't going to. He pitched fine, but he's a young guy, and I'm going to take care of him. That's the promise I made myself in spring training. It's what we all agreed upon. He deserved to be on the team, but he's someone we watched very closely last year. He didn't throw a lot of pitches, and that explains why I took him out. Could he have gone more than 100? Sure, but suddenly you're asking something of him I don't want to ask right now. I'm not going to do it. He's very young, not real experienced, and he's very good," Leyland said. "It will take him time, just like we knew it would. We're not going to get away from the plan, no matter what anybody thinks." 3B Brandon Inge has a modest three-game hitting streak after going three straight games without one last week. Inge reached base in the first 24 games, the most since 1976 for the Tigers, but went 0-for-11 after that streak ended. He hit in each of the Tigers' games in Cleveland during the weekend, however, going 3-for-10.RHP Edwin Jackson seems in the process of lowering his walk ratio for the third straight year, one of the key reasons manager Jim Leyland cites for his success. Jackson walked just one batter Saturday night in his seven innings in a 4-0 win at Cleveland. He is walking just 2.7 batters per nine innings so far this season after a 3.8 ratio last season. His walks-per-nine-innings mark was 6.2 in his first season with Tampa Bay in 2006, but 4.9 the following season. "The control is about getting more of a feel, more of a rhythm," Jackson said. "It's repetition, and you get better the more you throw. It's no big secret, just getting a feel for throwing strikes." Jackson is 2-2 with a 2.60 ERA.RHP Fernando Rodney worked consecutive non-save ninth innings on Saturday night and Sunday. His first game wasn't clean but it was scoreless. The second was a little messy because Rodney couldn't put hitters away with two strikes, giving up two runs on an RBI double and a wild pitch in a 5-3 win. "I thought it was perfectly fine to bring him back because we're off (Monday)," manager Jim Leyland said. "If we weren't, it might have been different. Rodney was tremendous, other than the fact that when he got a chance to go for the kill, he tried to run right through them instead of continuing to pitch. He threw a couple of pitches as hard as he could, and that's not good, because he's pitching all year." MEDICAL WATCH: LHP Dontrelle Willis (anxiety disorder) went on the 15-day disabled list March 29. The disorder was diagnosed through blood tests. He made a rehab start for Class A Lakeland on April 21, and he started for Class AA Erie on April 26. He pitched for Class AAA Toledo on May 1 and May 6, and he will be activated to start for Detroit on May 13. LF/DH Carlos Guillen (left shoulder inflammation) went on the 15-day disabled list May 5. C Matt Treanor (torn labrum in right hip) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 24. He had surgery April 30, and is likely out for the season. DH/OF Marcus Thames (left ribcage muscle strain) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 19. He won't begin any physical activity for two to four weeks, and he will need a rehab assignment before returning to the Tigers. RHP Jeremy Bonderman (right rib removal, blood clot surgery in June 2008) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 30. He might begin a rehab assignment in mid-May. ROTATION: RHP Justin Verlander RHP Edwin Jackson RHP Armando Galarraga RHP Rick Porcello BULLPEN: RHP Fernando Rodney (closer) RHP Joel Zumaya RHP Brandon Lyon LHP Bobby Seay RHP Juan Rincon LHP Nate Robertson RHP Ryan Perry RHP Zach Miner CATCHERS: Gerald Laird Dane Sardinha INFIELDERS: 1B Miguel Cabrera 2B Placido Polanco SS Adam Everett 3B Brandon Inge INF Jeff Larish INF Ramon Santiago OUTFIELDERS: LF Josh Anderson CF Curtis Granderson RF Magglio Ordonez DH Clete Thomas OF Ryan Raburn

Why English youths are more violent than Swedish youths

One article in particular from the latest issue of European Journal of Criminology (Vol. 5, No. 3) caught my eye. Per-Olof H. Wikström and Robert Svensson report findings of a study to uncover why English youths are more violent than Swedish youths. At first glance it seems as if Wikstrom and Svensson are engaged in a circular argument: & we use data from the English Peterborough Youth Study and the Swedish Eskilstuna Youth Study. The findings show that in both cities (1) young peoples self-reported violent behaviour is predicted by crime propensity and lifestyle, and their interaction, and (2) a substantial proportion (40 percent) of the difference in the level of violence vanishes when taking into account national differences in young peoples crime propensity and lifestyles. We conclude that the findings support the notion that one major cause of the difference in the level of violence among young people in England and Sweden is that more young people in England have a higher crime propensity and are living criminogenic lifestyles than in Sweden [from the abstract]. In other words, it looks as if theyre arguing that youths in England are criminals because they live a criminal lifestyle (a bit like this study reported in Improbable Research). In fact, its rather more interesting than that. Heres the theoretical framework Wikstrom and Svensson use to explore the data: Two central ideas in criminology are that crime involvement is a consequence of (1) individual crime propensity and (2) criminogenic features of the environments to which an individual is exposed& One recent theory that takes into account the role of the individual–environment interaction in the explanation of crime is the situational action theory of crime causation & The cornerstone of the situational action theory is the assertion that human actions (including acts of crime and violence) are an outcome of how individuals perceive their ‘action alternatives’ and make their choices as a result of the interaction between their individual characteristics and experiences (propensities) and the features of the behaviour setting in which they take part (environmental inducements) [p.311]. Wikstrom and Svenssons analysis indicates that not only are there more youths with higher levels of crime propensity in Peterborough compared to Eskilstuna but they also have lifestyles that are more criminogenic, i.e., they do things that put them into risky settings, which are more likely to prompt or facilitate criminal behaviour. Interesting stuff. Reference: Per-Olof H. Wikström & Robert Svensson (2008). Why are English Youths More Violent Than Swedish Youths? A Comparative Study of the Role of Crime Propensity, Lifestyles and Their Interactions in Two Cities. European Journal of Criminology 5(3):309-330 Other articles in this issue include: The Greek Connection(s): The Social Organization of the Cigarette-Smuggling Business in Greece - Georgios A. Antonopoulos How Serious Is the Problem of Item Nonresponse in Delinquency Scales and Aetiological Variables?: A Cross-National Inquiry into Two Classroom PAPI Self-Report Studies in Antwerp and Halmstad - Lieven Pauwels and Robert Svensson Self-Control in Global Perspective: An Empirical Assessment of Gottfredson and Hirschis General Theory Within and Across 32 National Settings - Cesar J. Rebellon, Murray A. Straus, and Rose Medeiros Reassessing the Fear of Crime - Emily Gray, Jonathan Jackson, and Stephen Farrall Photo credit: Marxchivist, Creative Commons License

Say what?

The other day, Politico ran an article noting that Barack Obama had carried the "affluent vote" - those voters making more than $200,000 a year - with 52% of the total and wondering breathlessly if, or more exactly when, his support among such influential people would collapse in the face of Obama daring to do what he said he would do during the campaign, such as raising taxes on those making more than a quarter-million dollars a year.There was a lot of tut-tutting about how "these voters are not being repaid for their support" and hand-wringing about the concerns and feelings of those such as couples making more than $250,000 who won't be able to deduct the sales taxes on new cars they buy this year on their 2009 returns. Amid all that comes this gem:“A person making $250,000 isn’t wealthy,” said Dean Baker of the Center for Economic and Policy Research. “They still have to work for a living.”And I have to ask: Who the hell are you people? What world do you live in? Where is this magical kingdom where being able to deduct the sales tax on your new Lexus or Jag is a matter for attention and the the definition of "wealthy" is, apparently, never having to work at all but just clipping coupons?* It sure as hell is no place I've ever been.According to US Census Bureau figures for 2006 (the most recent available), households with incomes of $175,000 or more were in the richest 5% of all American households. Of a little over 116 million total households, only 2.24 million had incomes in excess of $250,000 - that puts them in the richest 1.9% of Americans.And they're griping about how tough they have it? I don't care one whit that most of the households making that quarter-mill-plus are clustered at the lower end of that range. It still means their household income exceeds that of more than 98% of their fellow American households and they are making over five times the median household income. That's not wealthy?Put it another way: The article states that there were 4 million tax returns for earners of more than $200,000 in 2006. It also says that in that same year, there were 92.7 million tax returns filed. That means those $200,000+ earners were the richest 4.3% of filers; they made more than over 95% of the people who filed returns. Add the fact of those who didn't even have to file because they didn't make enough, and the percentage of those who they out-earned grows. That's not wealthy?Put it a third way: Look at this graph. It was from a letter sent out by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco in September 2007. It tracks the ratio of earnings of two different sets of income percentiles from 1967 to 2005. The meaning is not immediately obvious, so I'll explain. The dotted line represents the ratio of the 50th percentile income level to the 20th percentile income level. The ratio remained fairly steady at about 2.4:1 over that time: That is, the yearly income at the 50th percentile was roughly 2.4 times that of the 20th percentile and remained so over that 38-year period.The solid line is the ratio of the income of the 95th percentile to the 50th percentile. In 1967, that ratio was 2.6:1. Those at the 95th percentile earned about 2.6 times as much as those at the 50th percentile. But that ratio did not remain even roughly constant; it grew steadily until by 2005 it was 3.6:1. Simply put, in comparison to the rest of us, the rich, those at the 95th percentile, were getting richer. Pulling away. They were not just richer than the vast majority of us, they were getting more richer than the vast majority of us.Yet even the generally progressive Center for Economic and Policy Research is insisting someone making $250,000 a year "isn't wealthy," almost like they were just another working stiff. And that is pathetic nonsense which shows how distorted not only our economy is but our perceptions as well, as people making a quarter-million dollars a year "don't feel rich," apparently because they have costs to meet and bills to pay - without recognizing that the fact they can afford those expenses for things far beyond what most can have is what makes them rich. Yes, the rich "were disproportionately hit" by the banking collapse but they were also the ones who disproportionately gained over the preceding four decades and it never seems to register with them or with those who observe and fret over their condition that what they lost was more than most of their fellow citizens will ever have.Our sense of values is seriously, seriously out of whack.*The phrase "clipping coupons" is old slang for the activities of the idle rich whose income was derived from dividends and thus did not depend on their own work but on the labor of others. In his poem "Advertisement for the Waldorf-Astoria," Langston Hughes had these lines:Have luncheon there this afternoon, all you jobless. Why not?Dine with some of the men and women who got rich off of your labor, who clip coupons with clean white fingers because your hands dug coal, drilled stone, sewed gar- ments, poured steel to let other people draw dividends and live easy.

Summer Dreamin'

'Winter here has seemed forever, and we are so happy that the flowers are blooming and that there are finally signs of spring. Even so, we are missing Texas weather at this time of year, when it's 70 degrees and sunny, versus still a mid-40 degree cloudy weather in Oregon. Furthermore, we keep on dreamin' of sunny warm t-shirt days during the summers ......with fresh produce to bring home from the markets, such as:...ripe sweet red tomatoes...crisp yellow sweet corn...juicy sweet strawberries and blueberries...and juicy ripe mango...all to make wonderful delectable fresh meals, such as:...Fresh Tomato Basil Soup...Homemade Spicy Salsa...Fresh Corn Soup or Corn Chowder (we love Passionate Vegetarian's Corn Soup!)...Corn Chive Pancakes (again, from Passionate Vegetarian)...Creamed Corn...Spicy Tortilla Soup (with fresh tomatoes and corn)...Black Bean and Mango Rice...Strawberry (or Blueberry) Muffins...Mango Crisp with RaspberriesOh, we could go on and on, dreamin' about sunny picnics with fresh salads and sandwiches and fruits and vegetables...All the leaves are bloomin'Yet the sky is greyI went for a walkOn a cool damp dayI'd be safe and warmIf it was sunny MaySummer dreamin'On such a cool damp day.- (Our Version of The Beach Boys' California Dreamin')Smiles! LK

The Car Factory.

How to help your kid not to cry when you leave them in school?

I would not tell her it is not right to cry, just reassure her that mommy will be back to pick her up and that she is going to have so much fun with her new friends. She more than likely stops crying within minutes of you leaving.. Build school up to her, talk about her friends, even have play dates with her friends at your home some. You are doing the right thing by taking here there.

Jam Cruise 8 Lineup Announced

The lineup for Jam Cruise 8 was announced earlier this week, and its really quite impressive as always. Departing Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Jam Cruise 8 will set sail January 3-8, 2010 on board the beautiful MSC Poesia and will visit the tropical ports of Ocho Rios, Jamaica and George Town, Cayman Islands. With 5 days and nights aboard the ship, there is plenty of time to kick back with friends and see an unbelievable amount of music. Whos going? Jam Cruise 8 Lineup STS9 The Word feat. John Medeski North Mississippi Allstars  Robert Randolph Zappa plays Zappa Galactic Karl Densons Tiny Universe Maceo Parker Dark Star Orchestra JJ Grey  Mofro Railroad Earth Steve Kimocks Crazy Engine Lotus Fantastic 4 feat. Robert Walter Adam Deitch Eric Krasno  Cheme Gastelum Toubab Krewe Eric Krasno  Chapter 2 The Motet plays the Talking Heads Trombone Shorty  Orleans Avenue Hot Buttered Rum John Browns Body Kyle Hollingsworth Band Mike Dillons Go Go Jungle The Mother Hips Break Science feat. Adam Deitch Dragon Smoke feat. Robert Mercurio Ivan Neville Stanton Moore  Eric Lindell Johnny Sketch  The Dirty Notes George Porters Super Jam DJ Logic Pretty Lights Special Guests: Col Bruce Hampton Skerik Will Bernard

Free access to Refund Cents.......

Refund Cents - free access to the Refund Cents website with this sign in info....Username: clippingpassword: couponsMay 7th and 8th only!!Here is what I got FREE at KFC yesterday with the printable Oprah coupon! I had no problem using the coupon. In fact, they were very friendly about it. DH was on the road all day yesterday so late last night he ate this for dinner and said it was great! This is normally only $3.99. A great meal at a great price!Kmart $5 off $50 at Kmart with this printable couponalouette cheese - free after rebate with this printable formSkoal® Smokeless Tobacco - Welcome Free Skoal Mud Jug Spittoon

“Chanel's Ford”.

Tempting Tea Tins

I'm fond of both tea and neat storage containers, so of course I'm thrilled to find items that provide both. When you've finished the tea, you've got a container that you can use for many thing - more tea being just one option. It's been a while since I last wrote about tea tins, so it's time for an update.This post got triggered when Uncrate pointed me to Andrews & Dunham Damn Fine Tea, shown above.This whimsical tea tin has six compartments; unlike the others, it's designed for tea bags.The Teastack is pretty self-explanatory.Humanithé sells organic (bio) tea and has some interesting tins.And finally, Sunny Caribbee has some cheerful tea tins.

History Nerd

I've mentioned it more than once, I love history. It was my favorite subject in school. I still think it was lucky that I grew up in Oregon because we studied the Oregon Trail extensively in the 4th grade. I also did some reading on my own, of course. The Oregon Trail rules.Mr. O'Donnell was maybe 47 the year he was my AP US History teacher. Rumor was he'd been a therapist before he began teaching high school. He was a quiet but steady guy who laid out his subject in a thoughtful and engaging way. He had a good though subtle sense of humor. And he told me the secret to understanding the world.It's not about names and dates, history is about themes. Basically, the same themes are working themselves out over time. An example; 'race in America' is a theme found throughout the record of our 227 years as a nation. From the minute those Europeans laid eyes on Native Americans, race was an issue. Tragically in 1860 as a nation went to war with itself. One hundred years later, Martin Luther King, Jr. was organizing stand-ins to protest discriminatory voter registration practices. And of course, last week when we elected Barack Obama. A few other common themes: religion, war, technology, immigration, etc. When you think of it this way, knowing that current events are just an unfolding of what was begun a long time ago, the world makes more sense.Better understanding the times in which I live is why I'm still a student even though my school days are long over. So when I had a fantastic 'lifelong learning' project idea last week, I got really excited. How awesome would it be to read one biography of each American president?! Now I know most of you are like "dude, that would not be awesome at all." And I get that. So for you, how awesome would it be if someone else did it and then told you the interesting parts? Now you're feeling it....My free copy (courtesy of Paperback Swap) of Washington: The Indispensable Man should arrive any day now. Though this ambitious curriculum will take years to complete, it won't be long before I'm dazzling people at parties with my unique historical perspective and interesting tidbits. History nerds are always really popular at parties...Nerd Bonus: Scroll through this timeline of Civil Rights action in 1960. It's really inspiring.

A Little Bit of This & That Seasoned Tofu Cutlets

These tofu cutlets are easy to cook up! (We don't really measure spices or amount of time to cook up...)A Little Bit of This & That Seasoned Tofu Cutlets1 block of Tofu, cut into 8-12 cutletsA little spice of Cayenne pepperLots of squirts of Bragg’sLots of sprinkles of Garlic powderLots of shakes of Dried BasilLots of showers of Nutritional yeastLots of love of Creamy avocado 1. Add a little spice, squirt, and sprinkle to each tofu cutlet, then brown tofu on either side in a skillet.2. Tofu is done - now to serve, add lots of love, then on top add more squirts and sprinkles, and lots of shakes and showers! Enjoy with sandwich bread, on crackers, or in a rice bowl. YUM! Our favorite way to have tofu! - LK

On paper, Red Sox are facing Yankees at an inopportune time

In Major League Baseball, over the course of a 162-game season, timing is everything. It's better to catch a team when it is struggling, banged up or both than when it is on a roll at full strength. On paper, at least, this is not an ideal time for the Boston Red Sox to play the New York Yankees.
Sure, the American League East standings show that the Yankees are 34-23 and the Red Sox are 33-24 and just a game out. Yet the Yankees have what so far has been a healthy Alex Rodriguez in their lineup, and Mark Teixeira's April funk has long passed. The Red Sox have David Ortiz, who even with a six-game hitting streak has still not surpassed the Mendoza line, and an ailing Jacoby Ellsbury and J.D. Drew (both of whom have shoulder strains). The Yankees are fresh off a series at Yankee Stadium that saw them take two out of three from the Tampa Bay Rays. The Red Sox laid an egg at Fenway Park over the weekend, dropping two out of three against Texas, scoring one run and three runs in the two losses.
That the Red Sox are nine games over .500 and just a game out of first at this point in the season is puzzling. Until recently, Josh Beckett and Jon Lester have looked like marginal back of the rotation starting pitchers instead of aces. Daisuke Matsuzaka has been a no show all year while Tim Wakefield and Brad Penny are performing their best Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde act - a good start here and an awful outing there. For most of the season, Ortiz has been an automatic out. The shortstop position - manned by Nick Green and Julio Lugo - has cost Red Sox pitchers a plethora of runs because neither guy has the range to reach grounders that most Major League shortstops would turn into routine outs and both players have a tendency to botch the grounders they do field and uncork a throw nowhere near Kevin Youkilis. And right now, noone in the lineup is delivering a clutch hit, leaving runners on base and squashing potential big innings.
Despite all of this, the Red Sox are one game out of first place. Not a bad spot to be in, if you ask me. The three-game series between the Sox and Yankees that starts tonight at Fenway Park is important. True, it will not be devastating for the losing team if it gets swept, but the momentum from this three-game set can be instrumental. If the Red Sox sweep the Yankees, or grab two out of three, not only will they reclaim first place in the AL East, but perhaps they can regain some fire. In recent weeks, this team has looked sluggish. One game, the offense looks impressive, and then the next game, it is held to a run and four hits. If the Yankees conduct a sweep, or take two out of three, it will reinforce their confidence. They are 0-5 against the Red Sox so far in 2009.
Here is a look at the pitching matchups in the series:
Tonight - Josh Beckett (6-2, 4.09 ERA) versus A.J. Burnett (4-2, 4.69 ERA). This is an important game for the Sox. Better to be tied for first place with two games left in the series than to fall two games behind. The last time these two pitchers and former teammates opposed one another, the Red Sox clubbed the Yankees, 16-11. It would seem like this would be a pitcher's duel, but as we have learned when the Sox and Yankees clash, you can expect the unexpected.
Wednesday - Tim Wakefield (7-3, 4.50 ERA) versus Chien-Ming Wang (0-3, 14.46 ERA). Why is it that, although Wang has been dreadful in 2009, I don't like this matchup? Perhaps Wakefield's track record against the Yankees is the reason. The knuckleballer is 10-17 with a 5.03 ERA in his career versus the Yankees, which have a habit of using the knuckler for batting practice. Knowing the history of the Sox-Yankees rivalry, the Beckett-Burnett matchup will be a slugfest and the Wakefield-Wang battle will be a 1-0 or 2-1 game.
Thursday - Brad Penny (5-2, 5.85 ERA) versus C.C. Sabathia (5-3, 3.56 ERA). Multiple media reports indicate that the Sox are in a hurry to trade Penny, especially when June 15 arrives and they no longer have to get his permission. Personally, I like the Penny to Philadelphia for Triple-A shortstop Jason Donald rumor, but I digress. Penny has been adequate, aside from his last start. Sabathia is 2-4 with a 3.91 ERA in seven starts against the Sox, so he is definitely hittable.
Notes and observations
Every time ESPN's Buster Olney writes a column about a trade rumor, it should be accompanied with an asterisk. So many times a trade rumor reported by Olney is debunked hours after it is published. The latest example is his golden nugget that the Sox are interested in Oakland's Orlando Cabrera. That was quickly dismissed. According to one AL team's statistical analysis, Cabrera is the worst defensive shortstop in the AL. Thanks, but no, thanks. The Red Sox already have two shortstops with limited range and unreliable fielding and throwing abilities.
Recent reports in Boston media outlets indicate that Theo Epstein will wait for Jed Lowrie to return instead of dealing away prospects for a shortstop. Apparently, the cost in prospects for J.J. Hardy. Jack Wilson and Bobby Crosby is too prohibitive. Since it is evident that Boston will trade Brad Penny as early as June 15, the Sox could get a shortstop in Philadelphia prospect Jason Donald, who is stuck behind Jimmy Rollings and Chase Utley (Donald can also play second base). Donald is a defensive whiz who would be in the majors on many teams. Omar Vizquel is a possibility. The Rangers need relievers, and as we saw last weekend, Vizquel is still a competent defensive shortstop, even at 42. I'm not sure if the Rangers would deal Vizquel, though. He is serving as a mentor to bright young shortstop, Elvis Andrus.
Don't get me wrong. I like Jed Lowrie. I think he will be a productive major league hitter, and he can proficiently play the middle infield spots and third base. For this season, perhaps it is best if he starts at shortstop. In 2010 and beyond, though, maybe he would best serve the Sox in a super utility role. Wouldn't it be nice to have a productive young player who can fill all four infield spots when needed? Yes, Lowrie can also play first base.
If the Sox do not acquire a shortstop, I am comfortable with Nick Green serving as the utility man for the remainder of the season when Lowrie returns. Green has a strong arm, and he has the range to make the routine plays. His problem has been erratic throws, which he has cut down on recently. Until Lowrie gets back in late June or early July, Green should play every day. Julio Lugo is such a liability that he cannot even get to routine grounders. It is clear he has not recovered from knee surgery. What was his main asset - his speed - no longer exists. He is not an offensive threat, either. He thinks he should be playing instead of Green. At this point, the Sox would be better off summoning Gil Velazquez from Pawtucket. Velazquez can't hit major league pitching, but he is defensively sound. When will the Red Sox release Lugo? Obviously, John Henry knows that he has no choice but to eat Lugo's remaining salary (he is signed through 2010 for $9 million a year). Why not do it now instead of when Lowrie returns?
As a Red Sox fan, aren't you sick of the annual talk about the shortstop position? Yesteryear is just that, yesteryear, so we shouldn't dwell in it like Yankees fans, who are immersed in the history books reminiscing when they won World Series titles. Sure, Theo Epstein should have kept Orlando Cabrera, who was still a decent defensive shortstop in 2004. True, Edgar Renteria was a mistake. Yes, Alex Gonzalez was adequate. He hit well enough to justify his spot in the lineup because of his exceptional defense. Maybe, just maybe, Lowrie can provide stability to the position. I just get the feeling that Epstein shares my opinion that, for the long term, Lowrie will best help this team as a utility man who can play all four infield spots. If this is true, the Sox could have yet another shortstop in 2010.

On paper, Red Sox are facing Yankees at an inopportune time

In Major League Baseball, over the course of a 162-game season, timing is everything. It's better to catch a team when it is struggling, banged up or both than when it is on a roll at full strength. On paper, at least, this is not an ideal time for the Boston Red Sox to play the New York Yankees.
Sure, the American League East standings show that the Yankees are 34-23 and the Red Sox are 33-24 and just a game out. Yet the Yankees have what so far has been a healthy Alex Rodriguez in their lineup, and Mark Teixeira's April funk has long passed. The Red Sox have David Ortiz, who even with a six-game hitting streak has still not surpassed the Mendoza line, and an ailing Jacoby Ellsbury and J.D. Drew (both of whom have shoulder strains). The Yankees are fresh off a series at Yankee Stadium that saw them take two out of three from the Tampa Bay Rays. The Red Sox laid an egg at Fenway Park over the weekend, dropping two out of three against Texas, scoring one run and three runs in the two losses.
That the Red Sox are nine games over .500 and just a game out of first at this point in the season is puzzling. Until recently, Josh Beckett and Jon Lester have looked like marginal back of the rotation starting pitchers instead of aces. Daisuke Matsuzaka has been a no show all year while Tim Wakefield and Brad Penny are performing their best Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde act - a good start here and an awful outing there. For most of the season, Ortiz has been an automatic out. The shortstop position - manned by Nick Green and Julio Lugo - has cost Red Sox pitchers a plethora of runs because neither guy has the range to reach grounders that most Major League shortstops would turn into routine outs and both players have a tendency to botch the grounders they do field and uncork a throw nowhere near Kevin Youkilis. And right now, noone in the lineup is delivering a clutch hit, leaving runners on base and squashing potential big innings.
Despite all of this, the Red Sox are one game out of first place. Not a bad spot to be in, if you ask me. The three-game series between the Sox and Yankees that starts tonight at Fenway Park is important. True, it will not be devastating for the losing team if it gets swept, but the momentum from this three-game set can be instrumental. If the Red Sox sweep the Yankees, or grab two out of three, not only will they reclaim first place in the AL East, but perhaps they can regain some fire. In recent weeks, this team has looked sluggish. One game, the offense looks impressive, and then the next game, it is held to a run and four hits. If the Yankees conduct a sweep, or take two out of three, it will reinforce their confidence. They are 0-5 against the Red Sox so far in 2009.
Here is a look at the pitching matchups in the series:
Tonight - Josh Beckett (6-2, 4.09 ERA) versus A.J. Burnett (4-2, 4.69 ERA). This is an important game for the Sox. Better to be tied for first place with two games left in the series than to fall two games behind. The last time these two pitchers and former teammates opposed one another, the Red Sox clubbed the Yankees, 16-11. It would seem like this would be a pitcher's duel, but as we have learned when the Sox and Yankees clash, you can expect the unexpected.
Wednesday - Tim Wakefield (7-3, 4.50 ERA) versus Chien-Ming Wang (0-3, 14.46 ERA). Why is it that, although Wang has been dreadful in 2009, I don't like this matchup? Perhaps Wakefield's track record against the Yankees is the reason. The knuckleballer is 10-17 with a 5.03 ERA in his career versus the Yankees, which have a habit of using the knuckler for batting practice. Knowing the history of the Sox-Yankees rivalry, the Beckett-Burnett matchup will be a slugfest and the Wakefield-Wang battle will be a 1-0 or 2-1 game.
Thursday - Brad Penny (5-2, 5.85 ERA) versus C.C. Sabathia (5-3, 3.56 ERA). Multiple media reports indicate that the Sox are in a hurry to trade Penny, especially when June 15 arrives and they no longer have to get his permission. Personally, I like the Penny to Philadelphia for Triple-A shortstop Jason Donald rumor, but I digress. Penny has been adequate, aside from his last start. Sabathia is 2-4 with a 3.91 ERA in seven starts against the Sox, so he is definitely hittable.
Notes and observations
Every time ESPN's Buster Olney writes a column about a trade rumor, it should be accompanied with an asterisk. So many times a trade rumor reported by Olney is debunked hours after it is published. The latest example is his golden nugget that the Sox are interested in Oakland's Orlando Cabrera. That was quickly dismissed. According to one AL team's statistical analysis, Cabrera is the worst defensive shortstop in the AL. Thanks, but no, thanks. The Red Sox already have two shortstops with limited range and unreliable fielding and throwing abilities.
Recent reports in Boston media outlets indicate that Theo Epstein will wait for Jed Lowrie to return instead of dealing away prospects for a shortstop. Apparently, the cost in prospects for J.J. Hardy. Jack Wilson and Bobby Crosby is too prohibitive. Since it is evident that Boston will trade Brad Penny as early as June 15, the Sox could get a shortstop in Philadelphia prospect Jason Donald, who is stuck behind Jimmy Rollings and Chase Utley (Donald can also play second base). Donald is a defensive whiz who would be in the majors on many teams. Omar Vizquel is a possibility. The Rangers need relievers, and as we saw last weekend, Vizquel is still a competent defensive shortstop, even at 42. I'm not sure if the Rangers would deal Vizquel, though. He is serving as a mentor to bright young shortstop, Elvis Andrus.
Don't get me wrong. I like Jed Lowrie. I think he will be a productive major league hitter, and he can proficiently play the middle infield spots and third base. For this season, perhaps it is best if he starts at shortstop. In 2010 and beyond, though, maybe he would best serve the Sox in a super utility role. Wouldn't it be nice to have a productive young player who can fill all four infield spots when needed? Yes, Lowrie can also play first base.
If the Sox do not acquire a shortstop, I am comfortable with Nick Green serving as the utility man for the remainder of the season when Lowrie returns. Green has a strong arm, and he has the range to make the routine plays. His problem has been erratic throws, which he has cut down on recently. Until Lowrie gets back in late June or early July, Green should play every day. Julio Lugo is such a liability that he cannot even get to routine grounders. It is clear he has not recovered from knee surgery. What was his main asset - his speed - no longer exists. He is not an offensive threat, either. He thinks he should be playing instead of Green. At this point, the Sox would be better off summoning Gil Velazquez from Pawtucket. Velazquez can't hit major league pitching, but he is defensively sound. When will the Red Sox release Lugo? Obviously, John Henry knows that he has no choice but to eat Lugo's remaining salary (he is signed through 2010 for $9 million a year). Why not do it now instead of when Lowrie returns?
As a Red Sox fan, aren't you sick of the annual talk about the shortstop position? Yesteryear is just that, yesteryear, so we shouldn't dwell in it like Yankees fans, who are immersed in the history books reminiscing when they won World Series titles. Sure, Theo Epstein should have kept Orlando Cabrera, who was still a decent defensive shortstop in 2004. True, Edgar Renteria was a mistake. Yes, Alex Gonzalez was adequate. He hit well enough to justify his spot in the lineup because of his exceptional defense. Maybe, just maybe, Lowrie can provide stability to the position. I just get the feeling that Epstein shares my opinion that, for the long term, Lowrie will best help this team as a utility man who can play all four infield spots. If this is true, the Sox could have yet another shortstop in 2010.