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MONTREAL - The Montreal Alouettes have added another big name to their coaching staff in an effort to revive their struggling offence.
The team announced Monday that former CFL and NFL quarterback Jeff Garcia has joined the organization. The club said it has yet to decide on a specific role for Garcia, but the four-time CFL all-star and NFL Pro Bowl selection will certainly be counted on to try and turn around an offence that has scored a league low 75 points so far this season.
"After several discussions with (coach Tom Higgins) about candidates who could potentially help our offence right now, we welcome Jeff to our organization and to the offensive coaching staff," Alouettes general manager Jim Popp said in a statement. "He brings tremendous experience, great leadership, competitiveness, and the drive to be the best. We feel that by tapping into Jeff's knowledge, he will be another key addition in getting our season turned around."
The announcement comes a week after the Alouettes hired CFL Hall of Fame coach Don Matthews and former NFL quarterback and offensive co-ordinator Turk Schonert as consultants. It was clear more help was needed after the Alouettes were pasted 31-5 at home by the Toronto Argonauts on Friday.
Garcia joined the Calgary Stampeders in 1994 as a backup to Doug Flutie. He went on to throw for more than 4,000 yards in three different seasons with Calgary, and was named the most valuable player of the Stampeders' 26-24 win over Hamilton in the 1998 Grey Cup.
Following Calgary's championship year Garcia moved to the NFL, where he played for 11 seasons with San Francisco, Cleveland, Detroit, Philadelphia and Tampa Bay.
He completed his professional career with the Omaha Nighthawks of the UFL in 2010. At the end of his professional career, he completed 3,645 of his 5,955 passes for 43,300 yards while throwing 281 touchdown passes.
"Jeff Garcia is a fierce competitor who has had success in every situation he has faced in professional football," Higgins said in a statement. "The addition of Jeff is ideal because he brings the expertise he's gained over his professional years from so many different systems."


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Cooking with cider
Yam Soup with Cider and Spice is a smooth yam soup flavoured with cider and an aromatic mix of spices.
Photograph by: Adrian Lam , Times Colonist
I was sipping a glass of alcoholic cider the other day and was amazed by its beguiling flavour. Like good wine, the blend of fruit — apples — used created a liquid that danced on my tongue and delighted my palate.
Like good wine, its taste also made me certain that cider could bolster the taste of a wide range of dishes. Inspired, with glass of cider in hand, I headed to the kitchen and cooked up three recipes.
It must be the fall weather, because I've been on bit of soup bender of late and decided to incorporate some cider in a yam-based one. To make it, cubes of that tuber, which is actually an orange-fleshed sweet potato, were simmered with stock, cider, apple and an aromatic, six-pack of spices that included cumin, coriander, paprika, cayenne, cinnamon and nutmeg. When the yams were tender, the soup was blended creating a smooth, hot, flavourful mixture that took the chill out of that damp, November day.
I moved on to try infusing the taste of cider into a salad. I did that by poaching another autumn fruit, pears, which were peeled, halved and cored, in sparkling cider and other flavourings. Those pears were then sliced and used as a topping for vinaigrette-tossed spinach salad also accented with walnuts and blue cheese. Some of the poaching liquid was used in the dressing for the salad that could be served as a main course accompanied with some warm slices of crusty bread.
Pleased with my cider-spiked soup and salad, it was time try cider in an entree and I chose chicken. To make the dish, I seared boneless, skinless chicken breasts until just cooked through. The chicken was removed from the skillet and in went some sage and cider, which I simmered and reduced to concentrate its flavour. Whipping cream was added and simmered until a thickened sauce formed. Tangy, whole-grain Dijon mustard was whisked in and a bit of honey added to balance the former's sharpness. The chicken was returned to the pan and heated through a few minutes. The resulting, French-style chicken dish was divinely rich and I served it with boiled potatoes and steamed green beans.
The alcoholic beverage called cider is made from fermented apple juice. It comes in a range of styles, from being still to sparkling, to being quite sweet to being bone dry. Some ciders are light in colour and clear, others a darker in colour and cloudy.
We are blessed on Vancouver Island to have two cider makers that offer a suburb array of this drink. They are Sea Cider in Saanichton, and Merridale Cider in Cobble Hill. Both businesses have tasting rooms where you can sample and then buy their product. The websites noted above will let you know what they sell, list other locations selling it, inform you on other happenings at these cideries and provide additional recipes using cider.
In today's soup and chicken recipes I used Merridale Cider's Traditional Cider. This dry, effervescent cider is made from heritage varieties of English and French cider apples and added a world of flavour to both dishes.
In the salad recipe, I poached the pears in Sea Cider Kings and Spies. The company describes it as a blend of local heritage apples, primarily kings and northern spies, yielding a fruit-forward, sparkling cider. It infused the pears with a splendid, sweet-and-tart-at-the-same-time taste, which married well the salad's creamy cheese, rich walnuts and earthy spinach.
I, of course, served cider with all of today's recipes.
Yam Soup with Cider and Spice
A splendid, smooth, yam-rich soup enhanced with flavourful cider, apple and a mix of spices.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Makes: 4 servings.
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh ginger
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup dry cider
1 1/2 lbs. yams, peeled and cubed
1 large apple, peeled, cored and cubed
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
pinches ground cinnamon and nutmeg
1/3 cup light cream (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Heat the oil in a pot set over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and cook until tender. Mix in the flour and cook 2 minutes more. While stirring, slowly pour in the stock. Mix in the yam, apple and spices. Bring to a simmer, and simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until the yams are very tender. Puree the soup in a food processor or blender, or in the pot with a hand (immersion) blender. Return the soup to a simmer. Mix in the cream, if using, and season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with chopped parsley, if desired, and serve.
Seared Chicken Breasts in Cider Mustard Sauce
Serve this rich French-style chicken dish with boiled potatoes and green beans.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: About 15 minutes
Makes: 4 servings.
4 (6 to 7 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup dry apple cider
1/2 tsp. dried sage leaves (not ground)
1 cup whipping cream
3 Tbsp. whole grain Dijon mustard (see Note)
2 tsp. honey, or to taste
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Coat in flour and shake off the excess.
Place the oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. When hot, add the chicken and sear and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until just cooked through. Set the chicken on a plate. Remove any oil from the skillet. Add the cider and sage and bring to a simmer. Simmer and reduce the cider to 1/3 cup. Whisk in the cream and honey, return to a simmer and simmer until a lightly thickened sauce forms. Whisk in the mustard and season sauce with salt and pepper. Return the chicken to the skillet and heat through a few minutes, turning once or twice. Sprinkle in the parsley and serve.
Note: Coarser, whole-grain Dijon mustard is sold smooth, regular Dijon mustard at most supermarkets.
Baby Spinach with Cider Poached Pears, Blue Cheese and Toasted Walnuts
Earthy spinach, cider-infused pears, tangy cheese and rich nuts combine in this salad. Makes a nice lunch or dinner when serve with crusty baguette and a glass of cider.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: About 5 minutes
Makes: 4 servings.
2 cups sparkling cider
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. honey
1 cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
2 small to medium pears (just slightly under-ripe), peeled, cut in half lengthwise, and cored
1/2 cup walnut halves
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. honey
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
5 Tbsp. olive oil
8 cups baby spinach
125 grams blue cheese, pulled into small nuggets
Combine the first 5 ingredients in a small, but tall pot. Set in the pears, bring to a simmer, cover, and simmer until just tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool the pears in the cider mixture to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
When ready to make the salad, place the walnuts in a small skillet and set over medium heat. Heat the nuts until a little toasted, about 4 to 5 minutes, and then set aside.
Place 1 Tbsp. of the pear poaching liquid in a salad bowl. Add the vinegar, mustard and 2 tsp. honey and whisk to combine. Slowly whisk in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Taste the dressing and add a little more honey, vinegar or oil, depending on your preference for a sweeter or tarter taste.
Remove the pears from the poaching liquid and slice lengthwise. Add the spinach to the dressing and toss to coat. Divide and mound the spinach on 4 plates. Arrange the sliced pears, walnuts and cheese on and around the spinach and serve.
Eric Akis is the author of the bestselling Everyone Can Cook series of cookbooks.
Photographs by: Adrian Lam, Postmedia News

subset: commoncrawl


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Through your generous donations, we are able to help those in need
& continue to make a difference in lives.
Project Hope Recovery Center
By understanding the physical, spiritual, and emotional nature of addictive behavior and applying a spiritual remedy, change isn't just possible, it's a biblical promise. Our 12 month program is a biblically based, life-transforming, spiritual discipleship process, which places a heavy emphasis on living in Christian community. It is our fundamental belief that no one stands alone, struggles alone, develops alone, or heals alone.
We are grateful you are considering our program. Every student that walks through our door will be fully engaged in a Christ centered program that culminates in healing, restoration, and reconciliation to God, family, and to one's own dignity and self-worth. They will experience a program that is highly structured and closely supervised. Recovery is first and foremost a spiritual process; however, each student will also be instructed in the practical tools that are necessary to live a successful life. Not only will the student be fully immersed in God's truth, but also counseled in practical Christian facets of life and relationships. It is our sincere belief that each individual must be equipped with all the necessary tools to make an authentic Christian life successful and sustainable.
Project Hope Recovery Center
Our 12 month program is a life-transforming process which places a heavy emphasis on living in community. It is our fundamental belief that no one stands alone, struggles alone, develops alone, or heals alone.


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Special Offer!
ADT®-Monitored Home Security in Dighton
PLUS, get $850 in Security Equipment including:
*With $99 installation with purchase of 36/24 mo. monitoring contract. Termination fee applies. New customers only. See offer details below.
Special Offer!
ADT®-Monitored Home Security in Dighton
PLUS, get $850 in Security Equipment including:
*With $99 installation with purchase of 36/24 mo. monitoring contract.
Termination fee applies. New customers only. See offer details below.
Dighton, Call (844) 898-8900
Home Security in Dighton, Massachusetts
According to jsu.edu, each year there are over 2.2 million burglaries in the US, which means that every 15 seconds, a burglary is committed
Your Chances of Becoming a Victim of a Burglary in Dighton, MA
No one likes thinking about potentially becoming a victim of crime in Massachusetts, but every single day in the US a break-in happens every 4 seconds. It's easy to say "it won't happen to me" but 2.2 million families fall victim of burglaries each year in the US. Don't let your home in Dighton become part of those statistics. Installing a new home security system and along with monitoring from ADT your home could be protected and your family safer.
Homeowners Insurance
Did you know that ADT Home Security monitoring is so effective that many homeowners insurance providers offer discounts to policyholders with their security systems. By having an ADT-monitored security system installed in your home, you may be able to save on your homeowners insurance premiums. That's money back in your wallet!
24 Hours a day monitoring
ADT monitoring is a leader in monitored home security, but it also offers important services such as Emergency Alert Monitoring, Flood Monitoring, and Fire and Smoke Monitoring.
ADT 6-Month Money Back Guarantee
ADT is so confident in the quality of their monitoring services, that if your home is broken into while your system is armed, ADT will pay up to $500 of your homeowners insurance deductible (certain restrictions may apply).
Burglaries Cost More than You Think
Being the victim of a home burglary can be a very distressing experience. Stress may become compounded once the financial impact of a burglary becomes apparent. According to the FBI, burglary victims in 2011 faced, on average, nearly $2,200 in property loss. This number doesn't take into consideration additional expenses in the form of lost wages, insurance deductibles, and various other costs. Residents of some cities were victims of as many as 109101 property crimes and 27459 burglaries in 2011. Several of these burglaries could have been prevented had homeowners installed home security systems, which can deter potential intruders from breaking into a residence.
Why Massachusetts Homeowners Choose ADT Monitoring Systems
There are many different reasons Massachusetts residents choose ADT Security Monitoring to help protect their home & family from burglary and other disasters. But we thought we'd list just a few reasons for choosing SafeStreets USA and ADT.
Multiple types of protection. ADT monitored security systems not only help protect against burglaries and home invasion, but also helps against fire and even carbon monoxide poisoning. An alarm can help wake your family in case of smoke and fire. A panic button can also help contact police or fire department during an emergency, perhaps even saving your life.
Security equipment that's easy to use. With just a push of a button you can easily arm and disarm your system. And with the panic button your family can quickly alert emergency response such as police or the need of an ambulance.
Dependable equipment and confident monitoring your home security system is monitored 24 hours a day and 365 days per year by trained staff at the ready. ADT provides great redundancy with 6 US monitoring centers your home is never unprotected. If one center is down then another automatically starts monitoring your home.
Quick deployment of first responders. At any time your alarm is triggered or you push the panic button, ADT's monitoring centers will quickly try and verify your situation. If you are having an actual emergency ADT will immediately notify police or fire responders with your exact location and details.
Tip of the week: Pet Safety Tips
As anyone with a furry friend or two can attest, your pets become an integral part of your family. In fact, more than half of American households own a pet, and 70% of those households have a dog.
Oftentimes we may have all of our focus on the human members of our family or the stresses of everyday. This can leave your felines and canines in precarious situations when you leave the house for extended periods.
Thankfully, through a combination of home security advances, pet safety, and basic home preparedness, you can ensure that your pets are happy and healthy whether you are home or not.
Pet Preparedness 101
Before we go into the more advanced methods of keeping your pets safe, it's important to go through the basics. It can be helpful for people to create a quick checklist to remind themselves to pet-proof their homes before they leave each day.
A few pet safety tips to remember every day include:
- Extinguish any open flame such as your fireplace and any candles
- Keep any items that would cause a choking hazard out of reach
- Remove any food and household items that are toxic to pets (onions, sugar-free chewing gum, lilies, and weed killer to name a few)
- Lock all windows and doors and keep the doggie door latched shut


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[Music & lyrics : Abate, Blachier, Canavaggia, Cozzi, Lavail]
Feel my breath on your neck
Running down on your spine.
Unhealthy presence is wrapping you,
Remembering sins from the past.
As an eternal eclipse,
I will veil the sun for you.
You can run, but you'll have nowhere to hideYou will find no shelter.....
Hide and seek played in hell
And twilight nevermore.
My presence on your path
Won't be so innocent.
You'll drown in my sea
Of fury and misery,
Sharpen your instincts to live,
For I'll be your shadow god.
Wandering in forgotten temples,
Where angels fear to trade.
Yelling in between these velvet walls,
From where no one ever escaped.
The blood on your knees, the redemption.
Sinking in dismay
For I can not reach my desires,
I dream in blue,
The colour of the endless fall into oblivion.
I see my sanity flying, I see my self dying...
You kept me out of flames to throw me into the night
But my wings burnt the same.
Have you came here to play jesus
Walking on the waters of believers,
Holding your arms like a cross to be adored.
You drawn my essence,
My breath was yours
And yours were my dreams...
You crucified me, in agony
Restless I lay, until the end of this fucking day.
I can't no longer stand this world of bleakness
Doleful is the cost of life
But my heart is the perfect shrine
For my burial on this black cold winter day
At one with fear, for the glory of my dismay
Gloria...Awakening of the last day,
The last awakening, My last day.
I am made of clay and fears, I'm out of way
You will never heal my wounds, you'll never pay...
If a second coming is going to occur
Be sure I'll be waiting in the shades of dawn
Where I lay now...
Am I free or forever trapped?
Under the wings, all have been said...been said...
The whispers of the angels
Are my final song
But do they sing for me?
I don't think so...
But who cares?.....who?......
I'Ll Be Your Shadow God Lyrics performed by Your Shapeless Beauty are property and copyright of the authors, artists and labels. You should note that I'Ll Be Your Shadow God Lyrics performed by Your Shapeless Beauty is only provided for educational purposes only and if you like the song you should buy the CD


text:
Department of Surgery faculty members, both physicians and scientists, are world-renown in their subspecialties. Faculty members are passionate in their clinical care and research practices, as well as being mentors for medical students and trainees. The department also invests significant funds to provide protected time and lab space for junior faculty to perform research.
Maria Nelson
: 5th Annual Lynne Sage Breast Cancer Symposium Achievement Award, 2013
: Dr. Robert and Ruth Quinn Scholarship, 2007
: University of South Dakota Medical School Scholarship, 2006
: American Society of Hematology Student Research Award, 2005


text: I have a small changing bag for changing film in my 4x5 holders. It is a pain to use. I am using it either at home or in a small camper. The changing bag top is low and it seems very confining. Is there a difference between the changing bag and a tent? Is a changing tent a major improvement in functionality? If so, any recommendations on brands and/or models?


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Live Chat
Sign in to MyChart
Diarrhea is when your stools are loose and watery. You may also need to go to the bathroom more often.
Diarrhea is a common problem. It may last 1 or 2 days and goes away on its own.
If diarrhea lasts more than 2 days it may mean you have a more serious problem.
Diarrhea may be either:
Diarrhea may be caused by many things, including:
Many people get traveler's diarrhea. This happens when you have food or water that is not safe because of bacteria, parasites, and even food poisoning.
Severe diarrhea may mean you have a serious disease. See your health care provider if your symptoms don't go away or if they keep you from doing your daily activities. It may be hard to find out what is causing your diarrhea.
Each person's symptoms may vary. Symptoms of diarrhea may include:
Dehydration is a serious side effect of diarrhea. Symptoms include:
Diarrhea symptoms may look like other health problems. Always see your doctor to be sure.
To see if you have diarrhea, your health care provider will give you a physical exam and ask about your past health. You may also have lab tests to check your blood and urine.
Other tests may include:
Your health care provider will make a care plan for you based on:
In most cases you will need to replace the fluids you have lost.
You may also need a medicine that fights infection (antibiotic) if a bacterial infection is causing your diarrhea.
Having good personal habits can keep you from getting diarrhea caused by bacteria or a virus. It is important to:
When you are traveling, make sure anything you eat and drink is safe. This is even more important if you travel to developing countries.
Travel safety tips for water and other liquids include:
Travel safety tips for food include:
In most cases diarrhea is a short-term problem. Often it only lasts for a few days. Be sure to take plenty of liquids when you're having a bout of diarrhea.
Some health problems can make diarrhea last longer or keep coming back. These include inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome. If another health problem is causing your diarrhea, follow your health care provider's advice for treating that problem.
Call your health care provider if:
Vidant Health can connect you to health care professionals to help you understand your condition and guide you through the treatment process. Let's chat.


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WVNCC Foundation's First "Northern Lights 5K Race Set
Runners and walkers of the Upper Ohio Valley are invited to participate in West Virginia Northern Community College Foundation's first "Northern Lights Partnering for Education 5K Race" beginning at 8:30 a.m. on May 3 in downtown Wheeling.
Kim McCluskey, foundation board member and race director, said the purpose of the race is to raise scholarship funds for Northern students. The race will begin in the 1600 block of Market Street and "will thread its way along the scenic Heritage Port Trail adjoining the Ohio River," McCluskey said. He added, "The course is basically flat so that all age groups should find it easy. The weather on May 3 should be ideal for running and walking, not too hot and not too cold."
Participants may register for the race at the college's new Applied Technology Center at the corner of 16th and Market streets from 7-10 p.m. on May 2 or from 7-8:15 a.m. the morning of the race. Registration forms are available in the Institutional Advancement office of Rana Spurlock in the B&O Building and also may be accessed online at www.wvncc.edu/about/northern-lights-partnering-for-education-5k/4315.
The race will conclude in the plaza in front of the college's B&O Building and participants will be directed into the auditorium for food, refreshments, music, door prizes, and awards. Plaques will be awarded to the top three overall male and female runners and top three overall male and female walkers. Medallions will be given to the top three male and female runners and walkers in each of the following age categories: 14 and under, 15-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, and 80+.
"Serious runners and walkers will be glad to know that the Northern Lights 5K Race is part of the Health Plan of the Upper Ohio Valley's Grand Prix Series," one of 30 such races throughout the Ohio Valley, McCluskey explained. More information is available by contacting McCluskey at firstname.lastname@example.com or by phone at 304-312-2899.


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Auto Publishers Price Starting at
*Based on model year EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your atual mileage will vary, depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle, driving conditions, battery pack age/condition (hybrid only) and other factors.VIEW OUR INVENTORY
Trend-setting style; boxy design opens up lot of passenger space; versatility for cargo; improved ride and handling; a feature set unlike other compact cars
The Kia Soul was redesigned last year, so for this year it's mostly the same save for a few small changes to several options and amenities. The most notable upgrades have been made to Kia's UVO eServices, which feature several updates making the system more robust, with increased app compatibility. Other changes include a new set of interior colors available on 'Exclaim' trimmed Souls. A new electric-powered Soul arrives for 2015. Powered by a lithium-ion battery pack, it pushes the diminutive Soul for a claimed 92 miles on a charge. The Soul EV will come in both base and Plus (+) trims.


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With the uncommon events of last week where parts of the Deep South (sans Mobile, AL and MM Central) were turned into a Winter Wonderland, I thought it appropriate to explore the wonderful Christmas tuneage of Let it Snow.
But first, check out these photos of Louisiana's "Blizzard of '08".
The holiday staple, Let it Snow was written in 1945 by the dynamic songwriting duo of Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne. Cahn had a direct pipeline to the Chairman of the Board, one Mr. Frank Sinatra. However, Sinatra was not the first to record Let it Snow. The first time Let it Snow registered as a hit was 1946 by Vaughn Monroe:
However, most associate that the cozy carol was first made popular by Ole Blue Eyes:
Francis' old buddy, Dean Martin is frequently a part of the traditional Christmas playlist:
As for Music Maven favorites of Let it Snow:
Harry Connick, Jr.
Aaron Neville
Michael Buble'
John Legend
Weather Forecast for Mobile, AL today:
High – 74 Low – 55 Heavy Fog


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For an European Holiday!
For an European Holiday!
I am a male swedish highscool teacher, 35years of age, diagnosed with asperger's syndrome and adhd as an adult. Since I has chose to be open about my diagnosis to reduce predujice and sometimes get support from society I have been subjected to discrimination numerous times from among others: Swedish authorities, Swedish schools and Swedish counties. The treatment of people with these conditions is a true modern human rights disaster! On the 1st of may 2017 for the first time In my life, I therefore chose to march with a sign saying "equal rights despite ADHD, Asperger's" to press the importance of these issues! I marched together with my dear comrades in the beautiful and sunny city of Borås in Sweden! Shortly after the march, I showed papers from Swedish Social Security Authorities denying me a disability equal to 25% reduction of full time working ability. Authorities mock me for having Asperger's syndrome and consider that the right job for me would be something within my areas of interests, where I have little or no contact with people, and all days are predictable and free of stress! Please let met get back to this pressing and very important issue once again when I have time! By this post I hope to inspire other young social democats around in Europe to work for human rights for people who have conditions like Asperger's, ADHD and so son. I also hope to inspire other grassroot politicians like me who also might have neuropsyhicatric conditions like ADHD, Asperger's syndrome, Dyslexia, Tourettes syndrome and so on to come foward and help in the struggle for equal rights! Regards Rikard Grossman-Nielsen
With the onset of the economic crisis since 2008, a new term, the working poor, has emerged at European level. This new "class" features a portion of the population that, although working, is paid below the relative poverty line. The working poor is closer to the European poverty indicator, the relative poverty which is assessed at an income below 60% of the national average national. One of the main reasons for the growth of this phenomenon was the sharp increase in unemployment, the rise in part-time working and austerity measures as a repercussion of the economic recession. The working poor issue requires more attention not only for the amelioration of living standards but also for the fight against social exclusion which is one of the biggest threats posed by poverty. The following graph from Eurostat depicts with clarity the problem of working poor in the European Union, with the countries of the Balkans and South Europe showing the biggest percentage.For this reason EU should devise effective measures and tailor-made policies to erase the issue of working poor in its member states and meet their needs. EU should undertake policies and initiatives to tackle the phenomenon of working poor Within this context, EU has set the target, through the Europe 2020 Strategy, of reducing the numbers of poor people by 20m, paying particular attention to employment, education and training. Both the European Social Fund and the European Strategic Investment Fund seek to create new jobs and reintegrate young people into either education or training programs. However, in order to improve the standard of living of that section of the population that while working is on the poverty line and cannot fulfill its basic daily needs and activities, these tailor-made measures and initiatives could include some of the following: Digital skills are crucial for employees Since one of the variables affecting working poor is education, more emphasis should be given to improving the educational attainment of the working poor. Education plays a fundamental role in the fight against social exclusion. For this reason, access to lifelong learning and vocational education programs according to the needs of the labour market, with emphasis on digital skills, will enhance the skills of employees to adapt to more and different working environments. It should be mentioned that estimates show that around 40% of people in the EU workforce do not have adequate digital skills; 14% have no digital skills at all. Given that the digital economy will dominate in the upcoming years, those skills are crucial for the employees. European Social Rights Pillar Furthermore, strengthening the welfare state with the guarantee of a living wage, access to healthcare, better working conditions, social benefits and the protection of part-time, temporary, precarious and undeclared workers should be a priority. The EU, through the European Social Rights Pillar, aims to build a fairer and more socially inclusive EU. The three main categories are: equal opportunities and access to employment, fair working conditions and social protection and inclusion. Under this framework, the fight against the phenomenon of working poor should be driven institutionally. Sustainable Development Goal 8 The EU should also act in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goal 8: "Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all". Within this framework, the EU should boost investments in areas that could assist growth, depending on the specific needs of each individual country but based on the above-mentioned employment criteria. Single-earning households Another great issue is single parents or families with children and one employee in the household that are at risk of poverty. In these cases a proper work-life balance plan is needed (including childcare services) to facilitate access to work for these parents. In some cases, the lack of childcare services reduces the job-seeking opportunities or the full working day of single parents, and increasing the risk of poverty for them. Consequently, it may be inferred that job creation is not the only pathway to tackle and reduce the poverty or unemployment rate as the sheer scale of the working poor indicates that a series of measures and policies are still needed to ensure quality, stable and decent work. In order to reduce social exclusion and improve the standard of living of working poor, urgent measures and tailor-made policies should be taken by EU both at institutional and individual level.
The frontier between personal and professional life is getting blurry. The time we dedicate to work as well as where we work are getting confused. You might not be always working, you might be working intensively for a few months in a year, you might work for 10 years in your life. Paths of life are now far from unique. We cannot disregard the fact that flexibility is crucial to our modern world; wether it is forced or chosen for better or worse this flexibility became for many of us a way of life. For some it creates de facto a fluctuent and unreliable income, which is everyday's headache as soon as you are looking for a flat, paying your taxes or social contributions. For others it encourages to choose a path "risk free", following the safer path of life, out of fear. At the same time many activities essential to a functioning society are not gratified by any remuneration. When we invest time to take care of our community, your social contribution needs to be rewarded. I'm not contending there should be a remuneration there, but that we should, as social democrats recognise the social contribution made. That is why I believe that as progressives we should provide "law" to this new reality. It is important to adapt to this urge for flexibility in a part of the society but should not get abused by people confusing flexibility with legal insecurity; communities need legal safety to flourish and show their full potential. Legislations favouring involvement at the European level, with the definitive aim to provide for a minimum wage and an European Universal Income coupled with the recognition of harmonised rights; all are not just about fairness, it will simplify life of businesses and administrations all across the EU, by making sure that one internal market really means one.


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A reporter who recently followed the Ugandan army on their hunt for Joseph Kony is doing a Reddit "Ask Me Anything" right now:
Feel free to ask me anything about the ongoing hunt for Kony (aka Operation Lightning Thunder), Uganda, or Africa at large—or anything else really. I've been reporting on Africa and the Middle East for years (my bio) so can talk about anything from the 2003 Iraq invasion to war reporting to health issues crippling Africa.
Ask me anything!


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FY03 NEA Grants to Orchestras
The National Endowment for the Arts awarded 87 grants to orchestras through the Grants to Organizations categories in FY2003, totaling $2,953,500. Awards to all arts disciplines through the categories of Creativity (announced in December 2002), Arts Learning, Access, and Heritage & Preservation (announced in May 2003), numbered 1,540 and totaled $41.2 million.
Of the $115.7 million appropriated to the NEA in FY2003, $97.4 million were available for grantmaking purposes. In addition to the grants awarded through the categories of Access, Arts Learning, Creativity, and Heritage & Preservation, FY2003 awards include the following:
- On September 15, 2003, the National Endowment for the Arts announced a new one-time funding initiative providing grants to 25 orchestras in communities traditionally underserved by the NEA. League board Chair Lou Mason joined NEA Chairman Dana Gioia and U.S. Representative Ander Crenshaw in announcing the awards at a press event in Florida, hosted by the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra. Each grant is for $10,000 to support projects including concerts, education activities, and community events. These awards are in addition to nearly $3 million in NEA grants awarded to orchestras in FY2003. The list of grant recipients is available from the NEA.
- Congress requires that 40% of NEA grant funds be made available directly to the states; $39.7 million has been awarded through Partnership Agreements to state and regional arts agencies.
- The Organizational Capacity category, which funds projects that provide support for broad constituencies of artists and arts organizations, included a $140,000 grant to the American Symphony Orchestra League and a $40,000 grant to the American Composers Forum.
- Support for Arts on Radio & TV totaled $3.85 million and included a $55,000 grant to the New York Philharmonic and a $200,000 grant to the San Francisco Symphony. Other awards for Arts on Radio & TV related to the orchestra field included grants to support public radio programs From the Top, Performance Today, and St. Paul Sunday.
- $1.9 million has been awarded for Leadership Initiatives, including a $500,000 grant to Minnesota Public Radio for a project aimed at developing the next generation of classical music programming for public radio.
- Grants totaling $1.6 million for Save America's Treasures, a partnership of the NEA, the National Park Service, and other federal agencies, were announced in December 2002. Grants support preservation and/or conservation work on nationally significant intellectual and cultural artifacts. A second round of FY03 Save America's Treasures grants will be announced in September 2003.
- 900,000 has been distributed for Literary Fellowships. Forty-three grants totaling $1,241,000 were awarded for Folk Arts Infrastructure.
Click on the following links to see FY2003 NEA grants to orchestras. Grants for programs related to the orchestra field are also included. Complete lists of grant amounts and project descriptions for awards in all disciplines and categories may be found on the NEA web site, www.arts.endow.gov.


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There are many, many ways that Santa Clarita has changed since my family moved here at the end of 1986. The following list illustrates just how much things have changed in the last 26 years, and these are just a handful of the changes:
- There were only two rollercoasters that went upside-down: Shockwave, a stand-up rollercoaster, and Revolution. The latter is still around, yet quite modest compared to Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom, which opened to the public on July 7, 2012.
- Six Flags divided the park into "areas": Area 1 (Revolution), Area 2 (Bugs Bunny World), etc..
- They hosted hip hop and R&B concerts there briefly with acts such as Paperboy and TLC.
- Hurricane Harbor would arrive nine years later.
Around town
- The west terminus of Newhall Ranch Road connected to Avenue Scott, next to the old Daily News building.
- Rye Canyon Road was a cul-de-sac, ending in front of HR Textron (now Woodward HRT).
- Copper Hill Drive ended at McBean Parkway.
- The Old Road was discontinuous at its south end, turning into Valencia Blvd. and restarting at Pico Canyon Road.
- Stevenson Ranch did not exist and the land to the west of the freeway was mostly farmland. I would see the cows grazing next to the southbound 5 freeway between Valencia Blvd. and McBean Parkway on my way to church.
- At the intersection of McBean Parkway and Bouquet Canyon Road, the sole commercial area was Bouquet Center in the northeast corner across the street from the present-day Burger King and Best Buy.
- By the way, Newhall Ranch Road ended just after that shopping center.
- K-Mart was the sole department store. Target arrived a year later in 1987.
- The southbound Lyons Ave. exit was to the left of Carl's Jr., not to the right as it is now, and it was without a traffic light.
- If you stood at where Target would be built on Magic Mountain Parkway, you could see clear across the undeveloped land where the Westfield Valencia is now.
- There were no Starbucks(!).
- The computer monitors at Valencia Public Library displayed information in orange.
- The traffic lights at the intersection of Soledad Canyon and Rainbow Glen Drives were not yet turned on.
- People going to the swap meet at Saugus Speedway used to park on Soledad Canyon.
- The south terminus of Whites Canyon Road was next to Ralph's. Yes, another cul-de-sac.
- The father of my elementary school classmate owned a lot of the land around Newhall Ranch Road, McBean Parkway, and Decoro Drive. Chesebrough County Park is named after him.
- The bowling alley, Newhall Bowl, occupied what is now Valencia Lanes. The theater next door used to show movies weeks into their run. 50's Cafe occupied what is now Lily's Cafe.
What other changes have you seen around Santa Clarita? Post them in the comments below.
Francis M. Unson
Tags: Chesebrough, County, HR, Hurricane Harbor, Lex Luthor: Drop of Doom, los angeles, Magic Mountain, Park, Santa Clarita, SCV, Six Flags, Southern California, Textron, Woodward


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'Kitchen Nightmares' Gets 'Sliced' by Damon Gambuto Tonight
I'm mostly known around here as the LA burger guy on A Hamburger Today. It's true, I am a burger devotee, but if you are asking me what food I cherish the most, the answer is easy: pizza. It is my first and greatest food love, and that's saying something. My favorite things in this life? A girl from Texas, my family, and then pizza.
As you might imagine, my New York City childhood is more than a little bit responsible for my pizza predilection. As a boy, my father and I would travel back and forth across the city in search of a slice. We'd ride the Belt Parkway out to his childhood stomping grounds in Bensonhurst to eat what I will always describe as the perfect Sicilian slice at L&B Spumoni Gardens. Sometimes it was a ride up to Arthur Avenue in The Bronx to the strange stuck-in-amber stretch of mid-century Italian-Americana. Suffice to say, my earliest and best food memories are pizza-shaped.
So I am duty-bound to alert you, dear Slice'rs, to my impending public embarrassment. I'll be appearing on tonight's episode of Kitchen Nightmares (gulp)! The folks who produce Gordon Ramsay's tough-love, restaurant makeover show asked for a Serious Eater to sample the reworked menu at the LA area restaurant called The Capri and I stepped up (and opened wide).
I'd hoped this post could a treatise explaining how I was misrepresented through the editing process, but the truth is I just don't know. I'll be watching it for the first time tonight with the rest of the audience—it's on Fox at 8 p.m. ET.
Maybe I'll get lucky and my screen time will amount to just a split second of me gorging on pizza, but however it goes down I'll write a follow up post reviewing the pizza so you can get a better sense of whether Capri makes a pie worth your time. Until then, please be generous with your judgments of my performance; I've never had to eat on TV before, let alone on TV with Gordon Ramsay yelling at a cuddly pair of twins who own an Italian restaurant!
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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HighTower recently announced that Gryphon Financial Partners, with $600 million in assets, has become the third member of its HighTower Network, which helps breakaway advisors transition to independence.
"The HighTower Network supports teams like Gryphon as independent financial advisors, while reducing the operating risks associated with launching and growing their businesses," said Elliot Weissbluth, HighTower's CEO, in a statement. "Network teams gain access to a wide array of services that they will need anyway, from technology, to compliance, to operations, as well as strategic input from other top-performing HighTower teams. Our service platform and experience fuel their growth."
Columbus, Ohio-based Gryphon Financial Partners oversees $600 million in assets for approximately 100 households. The team transitions to HighTower from the Guth Group at Morgan Stanley. Principal Joel Guth has extensive experience working with successful business owners, specializing in pre-liquidity planning, deal execution and post-deal wealth management.
Joining him at Gryphon Financial Partners are co-principal Cathy Cory as well as team members Angelo Manzo, CFA; Judy Roseberry, CRPC; Maria Kardassilaris; Jean Sturges; and Kathy Payne.
HighTower notes that advisors who join the HighTower Network "follow their path to independence with the support of HighTower's robust services and technology platform while retaining full autonomy and equity in their own businesses." Network members gain access to world-class investment solutions and industry-leading infrastructure that includes comprehensive technology, compliance, research, operations and business development support.
"Our team is fully dedicated to enriching and protecting every aspect of our clients' financial lives," said Guth. "As we grow our practice with the unparalleled resources and support of the HighTower Network, we will continue to serve clients based on a commitment to their best interests and passion for what we do."
Check out 'Brutalized' Breakaway Brokers Speak Out: 7 Stories From the Road to Independence on ThinkAdvisor.


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Professional Community for Car Dealers, Marketing, Advertising and Sales Leaders
Former GM and Hyundai Marketing Boss Joel Ewanick Takes Fisker Automotive Leadership Role
A few years ago I did some work for Hyundai Motor America in Fountain Hills, CA and had the opportunity to work with Joel Ewanick on several projects... OK, work with him may be a stretch... I got to go to meetings where I reported results to Joel and his team. I was impressed by Mr. Ewanick's willingness to make clear decisions and move forward on completing a project.
Then in 2010 I was brought into Hyundai's headquarters and met with Joel Ewanick and a few of his associates on a project involving social media marketing services for a group of Hyundai dealerships in the Northeast US. At the time, I had a team of social marketers that we had put together while working with Arizona State University in conjunction with ADP Human Resources. They were a great team of people and Joel was quick to recognize the advantages of hiring recent college graduates with a ton of social networking savvy to represent the dealerships each one was assigned to, all supervised by a couple of car guys. I was struck by Joel's ability to quickly evaluate, verify and make a decision to move forward (again). After getting the green light and approval from Ewanick to start enrolling Hyundai dealers in the program, which he was paying for, Joel left Hyundai less than two weeks later... Hyundai quickly cancelled the program I was working on and I read in Automotive News how Joel Ewanick had gone to Nissan North America headquarters in Nashville.
Having seen quite a few executives leave both Hyundai and Kia at various times, it became apparent to me that the Koreans can be quite tough to work for. So, it really did not surprise me to see Joel Ewanick leave Hyundai... But then, a short time later he leaves Nissan to take what is probably the most prestigious automotive marketing position in the world; the role of Global Marketing Boss at General Motors. Wow, talk about capitalizing on his success at Hyundai!
When Joel Ewanick was summarily ousted from GM last July, I was disappointed but not as surprised as many people. I had always wondered how Joel's fast paced "get it done now" style of management would fit in with the morass of GM bureaucracy that has stymied many other hard charging executives as well. Heck, just read Bob Lutz's book about GM titled "The Car Guys versus The Bean Counters" and you will get a sense of what Joel faced taking the Marketing Leadership role at General Motors. I too have read all the scuttlebutt about Joel's dealings with European Soccer team sponsorships, but I do not believe that is what ultimately got him fired at GM... In my opinion the Soccer Sponsorships made for a great excuse to get rid of somebody who shook up the established hierarchy at GM.
The Wall Street Journal published an article today about Joel Ewanick's new role at Fisker Automotive... Here is an excerpt:
Written by Jonathan Welsh on Wall Street Journal
Fisker Automotive Inc., a maker of plug-in-hybrid luxury cars, hired former General Motors Co. marketing chief Joel Ewanick as interim head of global sales. The 52-year-old Ewanick succeeds Richard Beattie, 58, who is retiring from the post.
Fisker said Ewanick has been working for the company as a consultant for some time and will take over for Beattie until the car maker finds a replacement. Fisker hired Beattie in December. A longtime industry executive, Beattie previously worked for Ford Motor Co., Mazda and Jaguar.
Ewanick will join Tony Posawatz, the former chief engineer of the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid, who left GM in July and was named Fisker's chief executive in August. GM fired Ewanick in July over his handling of a problematic European-soccer sponsorship program.
Fisker is rolling out its first model, the Karma plug-in-hybrid sedan, which costs $102,000 and up, while developing a less-expensive second model called the Atlantic.
Image Credit: Getty Images
Source: The Wall Steet Journal
Relevant Links:
Views: 432
Really good hire for Fisker. Shows they are taking marketing seriously. While Fisker is small in volume they have very bold ideas and Joel should be able to tap into that to build demand for the Fisker brand.
As long as Fisker has disassociated itself from Al Gore, I'm a believer. You might recall the outsourcing to Finland debacle originally covered by ABC.
I look forward to great things from Joel at Fisker. I hope Fisker has the clear sense to make this a permanent hire.
© 2020 Created by Ralph Paglia. Powered by


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You Can Rely On ESPN: They'll Always Let You Down (UPDATED)
There is a reason ESPN has been gradually losing its status as the go-to television outfit for baseball.
It is not just the attempt to turn Baseball Tonight into some sort of summer-time version of the college football pregame show. It's not the seeming pairing of every actual baseball expert like Buster Olney with an info-challenged sidekick like Wendi Nix. It's not the ludicrous and already jab-pencils-into-your-eyes repetitiveness of John Kruk's segments on the "best seats" in each stadium, each of which make the asinine features Steve Lyons used to do for our pre-game show at Fox look like doctoral theses. It's not even the cancellation of the lumbering Sunday Night game telecast in favor of a new program that I think is called Bobby Valentine's Three-Hour Autobiographical History Of The World.
I mean, seriously, another week of this and I'm sending Sherpas out to search for the bodies of my friends Orel Hershiser and Dan Shulman. I only hope they are out there somewhere, doing the really good two-man-booth broadcast of which they're capable, to an audience of St. Bernards and Yetis.
Those are just symptoms of the reason ESPN has turned itself into a distant No. 2 in the battle with MLB Network. The disease is: ESPN is no longer invested in baseball and no longer trusts it to carry its own weight. And this didn't just start when MLB Network came on the scene with its necessary advantages of being the in-house outfit permitted to carry basically anything it wanted, almost any time it wanted. I can recall that in the middle of the "nuclear winter" of 1994-95, the Rangers traded Jose Canseco to the Red Sox. Canseco was no longer the incumbent MVP, but he had just been voted "Comeback Of The Year" and still had five 20+-homer seasons to go. The Canseco trade, instead of getting at least some of the attention it merited, was buried in a little tag-on feature at the end of SportsCenter called "News And Notes."
We all know what the network, and that show, are about these days – promoting other ESPN products and reducing sports to merely another form of entertainment living somewhere in the neighborhood where Mariah Carey's twins matter more than the Minnesota Twins. There's nothing wrong with that neighborhood, just don't impose it on actual sports fans.
But ESPN's disconnect from baseball is now part of its DNA. It may in fact be the case that the last things that really tethers true baseball fans to the Worldwide Leader are its game broadcasts (especially for those deprived of access to MLB Net), and what had been an efficient and sometimes innovative baseball fantasy game. But even that latter slender thread is fraying. A few seasons back the computer program somehow "lost" more than a week's worth of the daily roster juggling for literally tens of thousands of fantasy players, screwing up countless leagues and strategies. And now this weekend, the system by which ESPN manages the only "content" thing it is required to stay on top of – which real-life players are hurt, and which ones have been called up to the majors – collapsed.
Pablo Sandoval of the Giants broke a hamate bone and early Saturday was placed on the disabled list. As anybody who's ever played fantasy baseball knows, an injury like that is mitigated only by the opportunity to place Sandoval on your disabled list and add another player to replace him in your line-up. In some leagues, you can do that instantaneously: as soon as a player gets hurt, you can rush to your computer, place Sandoval on your disabled list, and "pick up" his replacement. In others, the process occurs via scheduled "waivers," which can be daily, or every few days, or weekly. But whatever the process, it's possible to put Sandoval on your disabled list only after ESPN has put him on its disabled list, and as of Sunday evening, more than 24 hours after the Giants put The Panda on the shelf, the ESPN computer geeks had failed to do so.
For Sandoval's thousands of "owners" – and by the company's own stats he is "owned" in every single one of the leagues it operates – they are thus not only deprived of his services and the opportunity to replace him, but conceivably could have sat there in frozen and agonized horror while other owners in their league got to his potential replacements first. A call to ESPN's fantasy "help" line revealed this disturbing fact: the phone operator said the game managers never updated disabled list eligibility over the weekend, so Sandoval would likely not be made DL-eligible before Monday. If it hadn't happened by then, the operator helpfully suggested, they could write up a "ticket" and see if the problem could be corrected in the next few days.
When I was at ESPN, the then managing editor John Walsh used to forcefully remind us that all the research data on the constancy of the audience produced the same stark data: they were the most loyal in television, and planned to remain loyal for ever more – unless somebody came along and offered them a better product. Leaving a few thousand fantasy players remembering the weekend "ESPN" became a four-letter word may not seem like a back-breaking straw, but combine it with the soliloquies of Bobby V and the knowledge that the network's key games will soon enough get trundled off to the backwaters of ESPN2 to provide space for football exhibitions – to say nothing of the existence of a truly superb 24-hour product from MLB Network – and you can almost watch the loyalty dissolving before your eyes.
You know what? MLB Network doesn't offer its own baseball fantasy league product. I wonder what would happen to ESPN's baseball audience if it did.
Update: two hours after I posted this, guess what happened? Somebody at ESPN's Fantasy Games outfit…placed Kung Fu Panda Sandoval on the official computerized Disabled List.
81 Comments
Thank you as always for keeping us informed. I'll be glad when I can see you again on air.
Wait a second… your evidence that ESPN is no longer the standard for baseball coverage is 1) you don't like Bobby Valentine, 2) in 1994, a trade of Jose Canseco wasn't treated like a bigger story, 3) their fantasy baseball system doesn't update the DL on weekends.
Well, consider me convinced!
1) Valentine is a huge upgrade over Joe Morgan (as anyone would be). I could do without him, but whatever.
2) So what… Jose Canseco was dealt to the Red Sox. Um… really? That's a big deal?
3) Probably something ESPN.com should fix, but hardly reflects on the networks coverage.
Besides, I, like millions of other Americans, can't even get MLB Network on my cable system. Baseball Tonight is still the gold standard for daily baseball coverage. And their Sunday Night broadcast is better than any other weekly national telecast (TBS and Fox can't compete).
CJ – just to inform you since you don't get MLB network – Baseball Tonight is nowhere close to the "gold standard for daily baseball coverage."
Baseball tonight hasn't been the gold standard for daily baseball coverage for awhile. It's been awful for years. And if you can't get MLB Network, you should upgrade your package or switch to Direct TV. It's worth it for MLB Network alone.
Maybe Mr. Hershiser (a Giant for one year) should take some time off in June/July to pursue his hobby: the World Series Of Poker. That'll teach ESPN.
Very unfortunate that they've let things slide (no pun intended). We can be sure that the computer geeks in charge there will never have a chance to tinker with any hardware over at Current.
You're kidding right? The game managers take the weekend off? Man am I glad I don't play at ESPN! Wait, you can't be serious. This is an urban legend, right? 'cause it don't sound real. I gotta go check snopes…
That's all fine and dandy Keith, but I'm a Dish Network customer and the impression I get is that they will never carry MLB Network nor offer a baseball package…so unless the Red Sox play the Rangers, I'm stuck with ESPN or Buck/McCarver…and they make Kruk and Co look like Vin Scully and Ernie Harwell in their primes…
No, nothing is worse than Joe Buck and Tim McCarver.
Nail + head = You.
McCarver isn't that bad; Baby Buck on the other hand is a nightmare.
Hey,Mr.O'sounds like a good idea for MLB to get its own league product!! Hummmm!!!
Preferences for TV sports announcers & color guys is very personal, like favorite pizza place.
I actually posted the original at 7:20 pm MDT May 1. ???
Wow, Keith, tell us how you REALLY feel.
Personally, I enjoy Bobby V. I think he brings a very, unusual for TV, managerial perspective on the game and I don't feel that he's overpowering his broadcast partners.
But I agree that I find myself watching a lot of the MLB Network, mostly because they have baseball 24/7 so I know that whenever I want to watch baseball, they have something going on.
I find Bobby V. unusual as well, as in strange and odd.
Wow, Bobby Valentine. Some very vocal fans in Seattle wanted him as the manager here–they felt he was the only one who could turn the team around. Apparently he really wanted the job but they hired Eric Wedge instead.
I think some people won't accept Wedge simply because he's not Bobby V. They said he was probably a "yes man" and the M's hired him because he'd cost less than Valentine. Of course, if the team ever starts winning under Wedge, all that will be forgotten, but I thought if Bobby V. was serious about wanting to manage again someone else would have hired him, since there were so many openings.
Love both your blogs, Keith!
Looks like Keith Olbermann was too late to apply to be ESPN's next ombudsman.
MLB Network has Kevin Millar and Sean Casey, both of whom are great to listen to and have great stories about the game. I am sure ESPN guys do as well, but their producers have no interest in letting them share stories. The want them being pitch perfect in the network's efforts to sell more products.
I really *hate* listening to analysts on ESPN these days. I get the games off MLB.tv except when they are nationally televised. On those days, I usually have the audio off and just turn up the radio. The delay on the video is never as bad as having to listen to the Fox / ESPN goons.
Anyone know why Jon Miller is no longer on Sunday Night Baseball? I think he's the guest guy going today (don't tell Vin I said that though)
Jon Miller was given the option to leave ESPN SNB when Joe Morgan's contract was not renewed. Jon decided he'd rather broadcast SF Giants games full time (he took weekends off to do SNB) and skip the extra travel. As a Giants fan, I'm very happy listening to Jon and his partner Dave Flemming on KNBR via MLB.com's GameDay. And Keith is correct, MLB TV's coverage of baseball is far superior to ESPN's; it can't help but be better as it is a product by and for Major League BaseBall. Todibus is right; MLB TV ALWAYS has something BaseBall on!
Thanks, I agree, I'm a Dodger fan but I sometimes listen to the Giants games just because I love the radio team.
Of course, back in the day Vin Scully used to do NBC games on Saturdays.
I don't know if I want to live in a world where anything about fantasy sports is really this important. And I PLAY fantasy sports!
The thing I dislike the most about Baseball Tonight is how they use the same cut of 3 or 4 highlights that Sports Center uses to cover the same game. The MLB Network will show more than one home run, one good defensive play, and one strike out. They are more willing to show the pitch sequence that eventually led to the play.
Mike – the reason they use the same highlight is because MLB puts a quota on the amount of footage that they can use in an hour. As KO pointed out, MLB Network has no limits as they are the in-house propoganda machine. If ESPN goes over a certain amount of MLB time, they get hit with overages. Same goes with other big properties, NFL, IOC, etc.
Man, you hit the nail on the head Keith– ESPN covers baseball like they hate it. Like it's an obligation when what they really want to be covering is the NFL as a year-round sport, as well as NASCAR and soap opera stories about Tiger et al. And they think replacing the classy and classic Jon Miller and Joe Morgan on Sunday Night Baseball will help? Baseball Tonight is almost unwatchable. Karl Ravech's smart-alecky approach to highlights wore thin circa 2005 and Kruk's overweight slob jokes got old immediately. Bobby Valentine had the audacity to say Mariano is finished though he has never had more saves in March/April and the most useful analysis Bobby V ever gives is "exactly" to what ever Hershiser says. The best I can say for them is at least they aren't Fox! (Chris Rose excepted).
ESPN has started covering baseball like they hate it as soon as TBS won the rights to the playoff games. ESPN nor ABC show the playoffs or World Series, so they don't believe they should promote the sport like they used to. ESPN does this with every sport. Did you not notice they started promoting the NBA a lot more once ESPN and ABC won the rights over NBC and TBS? They stopped showing NHL highlights completely once they signed with Versus and now that Versus is about to be turned into NBC Sports you better believe that the NHL will get even lesser coverage because NBC sports net is going to be an actual competitor to ESPN now. ESPN started showing UFC fight highlights on Sportcenter when there was a chance they would get the rights to show some fights, until UFC resigned with Spike and signed a deal with versus. ESPN is basically NFL network 2.
KO's curmudgeon quotient is ramping up to full speed. By this time next year, he'll be Murray Chass. Settle down, Keith. Your constant criticism of your former employer is taken with a grain of salt since you burned all the bridges after you left Bristol.
well one other thing, some of us follow the games on our PC's and as such have up items like ESPN's Game Cast and here we are a full month into the current season and I'm STILL seeing 2010 stats for players and they STILL don't have pics of everyone, hello 2011! ESPN is fast going the way of the dinosaur, they're so busy being ESPN and hosting their own awards shows et al, that they're very much in danger of forgetting to understand the reason that they exist to begin with.
The Sunday night broadcast is now a three hour sample of Bobby V contradicting himself over and over again. Not his best side.
I see two issues here: broadcasting of actual games, and general baseball news and commentary.
My rule of thumb is that all national baseball broadcasts suck. I'm not quite sure why, though part of the problem is the common tendency of the color guy to prepare three or four talking points, run through them by the end of the third inning, and cycle through them a couple more times. Local broadcasts, at least the good ones, manage to have a six-month long conversation with their audience. The national guys try to swoop in for one game. The depth isn't there, and it shows.
That being said, some national broadcasts suck more than others. FOX seems to really hate baseball, and will go to great lengths to show anything other than what is happening on the field. If there is a celebrity in the crowd, figure on missing numerous pitches while the camera lingers lovingly on the celeb. ESPN isn't nearly so bad: it manages to rise to mediocrity. TBS is actually pretty decent.
I subscribe to the MLB extra innings package, which gives me most games. I also subscribe to the internet audio package (which is surprisingly reasonably priced), most to listen to game at work. But if FOX is showing the game I want to follow, preempting the local telecasts, I will listen to the radio feed instead.
As for news and analysis, television is a terrible medium for that. At best we end up with talking heads. At worst we end up with herculean efforts to show anything but talking heads. The written word is far far superior. Yes, there is endless blather there, too. But you don't have to read it, waiting for something non-idiotic to come along.
Excellent points. Subscribing to MLB Extra Innings has spoiled me– listening to the local broadcasters makes it seem like the national analysts have nothing interesting to say. But the national broadcasts at least should have the best play-by-play guys and not just hope Ernie Johnson can do play-by-play when he's a pre-game desk guy (and primarily the NBA). The game of the week, the All-Star game, the playoffs– it used to be a treat to hear the great voices of the game like Vin Scully and Jack Buck. Now I dread it.
It's a shame there aren't more people like you, who tell it like it is.
All the best.
When Valentine was manager of the Rangers, I was a radio sports reporter in the Metroplex. He was then as he is now: aloof, odd, distant, and not very interested in subjects that didn't have anything directly to do with him.
Shulman is as good as what he does as anyone in the business and unceasingly prepared. Hershiser's analysis is excellent. Unfortunately, the prescence of Valentine makes me go to a local radio broadcast on mlb.com whenever I tune in the Sunday night game these days.
ESPN's baseball has been unlistenable for years anyway; I watch the video with John Sterling on the radio as the sound… but Bobby Valentine TRULY renders it an abomination.
the only good news is he's relegated to television obscurity instead of managing a baseball team.
John Sterling? THE John Sterling??
An A-Bomb from A-Rod Sterling? Thaaaaaaaaaaaaa Yankees Win!! Sterling? That guy?
Sterling's got more corn than Iowa. He pees ethanol.
If the choice was to listen to Sterling call a game or have a leg chewed off by piranhas, I'd need time to decide.
I'd take the piranha. Easy choice.
MLB runs through CBSSportsline for fantasy baseball. I've been useing CBS for fantasy baseball since '02 and the product is great. They now work with MLB for live audio and video. It costs where ESPN doesn't. But its a better product.
Unlike Keith, I have switched away from ESPN and to MLB because I have interests in other teams besides the Yankees and Red Sox. I appreciate a network that equally emphasizes all 32 teams or tries to emphasize the teams that are winning at the moment. All teams have a chance to be televised. I think I have turned to ESPN 3 times in the past year and a half, and that was for news on the Packers. I don't miss it.
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This might be a real simple thing (and maybe its weird lol), but one reason I was immediately attracted to MLB Network is because (aside from the host or in very rare occasions) everyone on the set (during programs like MLB Tonight or Hot Stove) talk to each other. Face to face. They rarely look at the TV, but just discuss/argue amongst themselves. Somehow this creates a more intimate perspective. Now it grates when I watch ESPN and host asks expert a question, and the expert turns and lectures me by looking straight at the TV.
The other reason I really like MLB Tonight is because its always live. No editing or cutting or fine tuning. And I'm shocked on how well things run, always makes it more fun I think.
I know it's like the proverbial fish/gun/barrel combo by this point, but thank you Keith for once again articulating what's become of the WWL's once admirable baseball coverage. I was a teenager in the first full flush of my nascent baseball fanatacism when ESPN started their baseball package; it was the greatest thing a kid could ask for, so it's downright tragic to see what its turned into. The way that the WWL constantly shoves the NFL down our collective throats 24/7, while then enacting the self-fulfilling prophecy by claiming that it's all their viewers/listeners want to discuss has done more to turn me against pro football than anything else. And yes, the MLB Network absolutely smokes ESPN in all things baseball, although I agree that the Shulman/Hershiser team is still well worth the time.
Keith, you really must learn not to hide your feelings. More seriously, yes, it can look like sour grapes for Keith to criticize ESPN. But the criticisms strike me as legitimate, or at least a legitimate, supportable opinion, whether or not I share it. And I've seen enough of MLB Network to know they have it over ESPN to the nth degree.
To add to something mentioned above, ESPN offered Jon Miller the Sunday night radio package–effectually switching with Dan Shulman–but he declined, partly because it was a demotion he didn't deserve (my interpretation), partly for reasons he mentioned: weariness with the travel and the feeling that being around the Sunday night crew so much would be uncomfortable for them. There's a rumor that Joe Morgan threatened a lawsuit against ESPN and Miller had to go so it didn't look like Morgan was singled out.
As for Valentine … he really hasn't learned the Madden Rule, which goes something like this: don't second-guess, first-guess. Instead, we get his long-winded answers, which he stops when a pitch is about to be thrown. Apropos of Madden, when he started, he did a game with Lindsey Nelson and said, "When a play starts, I shut up, right?" Nelson–one of the greats–said, no, if you have something good to say, say it and let me worry about tending to any problem, but make sure if you are talking that you DO have something to say. That's a problem for a lot of analysts.
On Valentine personally, I have my own bias. He is incredibly close to Tommy Lasorda, and one of the great forgotten moments in Dodger history is when, after his heart attack, Lasorda gave up managing to become a vice president. He had no significant role. Then, Valentine, as Mets manager, suddenly came up with the idea that he wanted Lasorda as his bench coach. Fred Claire, the LA GM, said the Dodgers always wanted Lasorda in the organization but wouldn't stand in his way, and, just as suddenly, Lasorda didn't become bench coach. Was it a pathetic effort to try to get the Dodgers to give Lasorda more authority? I think so.
Glad I saw your blog cuz I had wanted to reach thru the tv last night at Bobby Valentine just to get him to shut up. What a moron. I'll never watch again if he's on. If he wasn't trying to make himself look good on any front that his moronic sidekicks would indulge him on – then he was bashing the phillies fans… for no real reason… Even telling the audience that the Phillies fans shouting of "RAUUUUL" for Raul Ibanez was them booing him. Evry1 whose ever been to a game knows what the fans are saying. The Mets coach Bobby Valentine knew what they were saying – he's been to how many games of that match – up??? He just lied to suit his biased agenda. How bout you hire some intelligent sportscasters who talk baseball ESPN???
I have known Bobby V. since he was a 20 year old AAA phenom for the Spokane Indians. I remember when I heard of his injury in 1973 that I had to hide the tears I felt welling up inside me from my fellow Marines. Later, when he was a Mariner, I was sorry to see that he was so hobbled, and never had the chance to be a great ball player. As a Rangers manager, one of his players, who I also knew from his days as an Indian, said don't talk to that SOB, I hate his guts. He had become a strange man, and now when he speaks I mute him.
Keith, you really need to play a real fantasy game, one that is more challenging for users like yourself. Join the users at http://www.baseballmanager.com. Heck, we were the game promoted on ESPN before they had a game in the early 90s. (it was part of Prodigy back in those days)
What I don't get is, my cousin works in the department there that handles the stats and rosters, and I've seen him work on it from home once. He was checking in on his day off from home, when I happened to be stopping by. He's really into his job and they're CONSTANTLY updating rosters. He says that it affects all the different stuff ESPN has, but I guess it doesn't include fantasy.
ESPN has been going down hill ever since it was acquired by Disney. Disney makes everything into a marketing channel.
Just look at the eye candy on sidelines now, for example. The women on ESPN used to be there because they knew the sports. Now it's all about their hem line — like we're all a bunch of single-celled animals dazzled by shiny objects.
And don't even get me started on what Disney/ABC/ESPN have done to Monday Night Football.
ESPN has ruined Monday Night Football. One of the biggest American sporting traditions and ESPN has pissed all over it since they have had the rights.
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I don't even look at ESPN for baseball updates anymore. If I didn't get MLB network, I would look to the internet. Baseball tonight used to come one regularly and now I cannot even find it. I don't care enough about Football, Basketball, or college anything. "Aloha means Goodbye". RIP ESPN.
I guess I am lucky. I get to watch almost every Cardinals game on Fox Sports Midwest.
We have decent broadcasters (I think), Dan McLaughlin, Al Hrabosky and Ricky Horton during the games, with Jim Hayes, Pat Parris, Cal Eldred, Mike Matheny, John Mabry and Jay Randolph doing the pre- and post-game shows.
We also have Mike Shannon, John Rooney and Mike Claiborne on the radio. The Cards are back where they belong — on KMOX 1120 AM.
If that's not an impressive line-up, I don't know what is.
Now, ESPN is a whole 'nother beast. They are so entrenched within the Mouseketeer circle-jerk that they don't seem able to do any real reporting on anything that doesn't involve another Disney property. They foist the UEFA and WPT on us without mercy, I guess because they are cheap to cover. They have stretched their "analysis" of the NFL draft to an entire week's worth of postmortems. Their baseball coverage stops moving west at Philly's city limits. When was the last time they mentioned the Cubs, the Royals, the Blue Jays, or the White Sox? I mean, unless they were playing the Yanks, Red Sox, or the Phils. Saint Louis is "The Best Baseball City in America"© and the only thing that ESPN wants to cover is the first baseman's contract.
I do not watch ESPN programming. I watch their ticker. Once I find what I want (which CAN take up to 20 minutes), I move along.
By the way, does anyone really give a rat's hiney about Lacrosse? What's next, Dodgeball Finals on ESPN 8, "The Ocho"?
Keith, have you played DYNASTY League Baseball Online yet?
The real trouble is that most things on ESPN are not "stories" unless it allows them to talk and promote other things on ESPN. The network is basically its own VNR (Video News Release).
Besides your examples I go back to the months leading up to their coverage of the World Cup when every night there was a soccer goal in the Top 10 Plays of the Day. You would see a basic pass that you could see in a middle school soccer game at number three ahead of a diving catch in baseball. Even soccer heads were saying, "What is so special about that?"
The sad part is that it works. ESPN's absolute power does make you feel like every human being is watching every second of every NBA game and every minute detail about the NFL outshines anything else going on in the world.
Yahoo still runs the best fantasy leagues and they were one of the first to do it. Great interface, easy to use.
And I agree, MLB network is amazing. Far surpassing my expectations. I don't even watch ESPN for baseball anymore.
I don't watch much on ESPN anymore since they went to the widescreen version – which makes it difficult to watch on a smaller tv set. I very seldom go to ESPN's website anymore – at least 25% of their articles are subscriber only and you can find elsewhere on the internet.
The problem with the fantasy leagues isn't unique to ESPN. I had the same problem a couple of years ago on Fox's fantasy baseball site when Jose Reyes got injured in mid-May. It was June before Fox decided to put him on THEIR DL and until then Jose had to sit on my 'bench' taking up an important slot for weeks.
Let me just say that I realized all of this a few weeks ago when, instead of covering any sport in the world (including MLB, NHL, NBA, PGA, MLS, international soccer, rugby, world cup of cricket, among any other sport you could mention [because every single one of them is going on RIGHT NOW except the NFL!]) the only thing ESPN was talking about was the NFL lockout, and the draft. Honestly it's almost enough to make me boycott the NFL next season.
Keith, will you next write a diatribe about MSNBC? Or some other place where you've been fired? What an ingrate.
Yes, KO, you are correct. I could give a holy hoot about baseball, but I know that ESPN/ABC do not cover NASCAR correctly, nor for that matter does FOX. But what confuses me — and it really should confuse any sports geek (regardless of their S.O.C.) — is how Speed does racing better than FOX when they are both Rupert's?
My semi-blind analysis is that the folks on Speed, even though part of NewsCorp, CARE.
So, the obvious and truly dumbass question: Why not, for the misguided, such as yourself, who enjoy a ponderous and sleep inducing contest, create a NERD network? You are a sports guy, and a baseball fan from birth or close to it. You are the only person I know whose mom was hit with a ball for gawd's sake!
Think about it. And think about this: I love stock cars running in circles and will watch them whenever I can. But I might, if you were involved, learn to watch baseball again as I did with my Grampy when Curt Gowdy or Red Barber were on (I would include Vin Scully here, but I am an East Coaster and his was not one of the voices I heard regularly).
Think about it. Go to a car race, BTW
I miss Jon Miller and Joe Morgan!!!!!! Orel, Bobby and whatsisname just don't cut it for me.
Here's what I hate about MLBN: they black out BOTH the Braves AND the Nationals in my viewing area (Charlotte), so when either team plays the Phillies, I'm stuck. BOOOOO!
If you live in Charlotte you should get Sports South and FS South which between the two show every Braves game. And I have been able to see the MLB Network telecast, which have all been just rebroadcasts of the regional coverage, of the Braves games this year and I'm right in the middle of Braves country.
ESPN is basically useless for baseball coverage. They're too busy covering Brett Favre's decision to take a dump or talking about LeBron James or the 2013 NFL Draft. Since MLB Network came along, the only reason to check ESPN is for the Sunday Night game, and even then, only if the Yankees or Red Sox aren't involved (so never). I like Schulman and Hershiser, could live without Bobby V, hated Morgan, and miss Miller. But I like the radio guys for the Sunday Night game.
And I'm not real fond of their fantasy baseball site. It's free, but only because no one would pay for it.
You forgot to mention that ESPN regularly shows either the Yankees or the Red Sox as much as is humanly possible. The reason for their drop in the baseball business may be because NOT EVERYONE CARES about the Yankees and Red Sox. I LOVED the early days of their baseball coverage… Games darn near every night, DH's on Tuesdays and Fridays, and you weren't watching the same teams over and over again.
Absolutely correct!
I've called it ESPNFL for a while now. Somehow their football shows get constant rotation during the offseason while baseball tonight gets next to nothing. What, does baseball not exist outside of February-October. I'd rather watch MLB net any day. Give me 10 hrs of Kevin Millar before 10min of the Kruker
Olbermann is right, I believe. I've bben griping for a while about ESPN's lack of baseball cverage and it is a relief that I wasn't losing my mind. Not only is the tv programming largely geared toward otehr sports (NFL and NBA), so is its radio programming. Mike and Mike is a joke. None of the orher network programs feature any baseball-centric personalities. It's a shame.
For me, and those of us over 45, the gold standard will always be the NBC broadcasts of the mid 60's to mid 70's, with Curt Gowdy, Tony Kubeck and Joe Garagiola. And the fact that we had, in Detroit, the great Ernie Harwell (along with Paul Carey) on WJR radio and the magical pairing of George Kell and Al Kaline on WDIV, well, we never knew how lucky we were until they were gone. ESPN, along with FOX, has ruined so many things in the past 15 years that the list would take all day to produce. Putting no-talent people on the air is one thing, but then to continue to promote them in the face of their no-talent is quite another. How someone who knows nothing about anything can stay on the air even after being exposed as nothing but a airhead-victim, is beyond me. Somewhere, Gail Granick is cringing every time she watches a ESPN game. Keith, and others like him, (Jayson Whitlock, Granick, and Rich Eisen) have all spoken out about the dilution of talent at the Worldwide Leader. The people who broadcast these games today are all inter-changeable. Even the network's attempts to top HBO's Sports Documentary's have failed miserably, "30 for 30" has been a disappointment, filled with delays and lawsuits over non-payments by Disney. And here is one more truth: Howard Cosell would never get hired in today's market.
Dear Sir,
You are so right!
We had Vin Scully, Dick Enberg, and Chick Hearns in Los Angeles. And, Keith Olbermann to give us the Hi-Lights!
Those were great days!
Thanks for your post…I enjoyed it!
Dear Mr. Olbermann,
Huge fan, first time caller.
Indeed. ESPN is so in love with the NFL and NBA that baseball has become about as popular as Premier League Football and the NHL (which I both adore).
I am sorry you aren't in love with "The Zen of Bobby V." He was great here in Japan, but he wore out his welcome with the Chiba Lotte Marines (as he did with the Dodgers, Angels, Mets, Rangers et. al). I do like Hershiser and Valentine talking baseball (far better than the old crew). I know…if Bobby Valentine was so great, how come he only has the 2005 Japan Series (and Asian Championship) to his name. And, as for Orel, 1988 wasn't a poor season by any measure…but it was just one magical season.
I am so sorry I will not be able to see your new show when you start in June. I don't believe AFN will be showing your latest incarnation of Countdown here in Okinawa. I hope your show will be available as a podcast. (We do still watch the Maddow show every Tuesday through Saturday…thanks to you…and her, and AFN!)
I've been a fan since your days on the local LA dial. Wasn't your competition someone called "Vick the Brick?" Stu Nahan was a good guy and a huge fan of LA sports. Jim Hill wasn't too bad either. But, YOU RULED! KTLA and KCBS (KNX?)
All the best, sir!
Ken Martin
Love Olbermann…Great Hockey Analyst. Smart and Opinionated. We need more of that in Sports. Not just talking heads that don't piss us off! Come on!
Watching tonight's Tigers vs Bosox game (June 11, 2017). Commentators are talking about everything but the game going on. Horrible. Prefer to have live feed with no voice over. That threesome is useless.


text:
[B][U]DC Deckbuilding: Green Lantern[/U][/B]
This variant is mostly about theme, centering around the Green Lantern-verse characters with frequent allies and featured cameos from [I]Blackest Night[/I] into [I]Brightest Day[/I] (so many cards are centered on that story).
Seeing as how Rebirth is going to include Jessica Cruz and Simon Baz, I'm assuming there'll be compatible main deck cards to add/swap when that set drops in addition to those oversized hero cards.
Updated 09-26-2019 at 12:35 PM by briguygardner
Wanted to put my Batman variant in a more permanent spot, for future tweaks following releases (Rebirth, Batman Ninja, etc.) and tinkering.
[u][b]DC Deckbuilding: Batman[/b][/u]
[b]Set Key[/b]
(OS) Original Set
(HU) Heroes United
(FE) Forever Evil
(TT) Teen Titans
(C*) Crisis [*1, *2, *3, or *4]
(JS) Justice Society of America [Crossover Pack 1]
(AR) Arrow [Crossover Pack 2]
(WT) Watchmen [Crossover Pack 4]
Updated 04-16-2019 at 11:41 AM by briguygardner
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text:
Abbotsford Velvet - Fondant
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Composition: 100% Polyester
Martindale Value: 40,000
Please Note: Price is per metre


text:
There is an absolute danger in believing that someone is just too stupid, even stupid people can be evil… Supremely evil. It is fun to watch them stick their heads up their butt & fight for air though. evidently the prosecutor doesn't just stalk my web page & blog, he follows me where ever I … Continue reading
My aunt called me from Germany, her tooth broke & she had to catch a train to a neighboring town to get care but she forgot her bank card & was not only refused but was laughed at. So she got back blisters on her feet, & prepared for 6 days of agony, mercifully the … Continue reading
I am going to take a moment to answer some questions I get quite often Why isn't my comment showing up? I don't post a lot of the comments, I respond personally for several reasons. I do it mostly for your safety & to keep the prosecutor & my crazy stalker out of my business … Continue reading
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