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Camelback Ranch – open for business
Yesterday was a great day of introductory meetings and a news conference, but today is the actual opening of Camelback Ranch – Glendale. There's still quite a bit of construction going on at the Ballpark, but the practice fields are ready to go and we're set up in our new offices.
And, in keeping with the "first day" theme, here's a post from historian Mark Langill…
"One of the most unique Dodger spring training photos was snapped on the first day of training camp in 1970 and featured manager Walter Alston on a bicycle with such youngsters as Steve Garvey, Bobby Valentine, Bill Russell and Tom Paciorek tagging along and riding two-per-bicycle. Most of the prospects enjoyed long careers, including Paciorek, who has spent more than three decades in pro ball as a player and broadcaster. But that was the only day Paciorek would be pictured wearing uniform No. 53, which had belonged to pitcher Don Drysdale from 1956 to 1969 and later was retired by the ballclub upon Drysdale's election to the Hall of Fame in 1984. According to Paciorek, he walked into the clubhouse the next day and found uniform No. 17 in his locker. He asked clubhouse attendant Nobe Kawano about the change from Drysdale's famous number. "I saw you play, kid," Kawano replied. "You're not that good."
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I know a lot of you are probably excited about McRanch being open for business but I, for one, could care less. I prefer seeing the everyday players at Dodger Stadium. I I sound a little "sour" I am sorry………I've been trying to have a positive attitude but with each passing day, it becomes more difficult.
Good Morning ITD, Dodgerfaithful. It is cloudy and cold in Boise but it is still a beautiful day. Spring Training, WOW!!! I have been waiting for those words. I hope everyone has a wonderful Valentines Day!
Bring the Ring to L.A. in 2009!!!!!!!!
The Quest for #7 starts today!!!!!
dodger4life ~ I knew you'd come to balance things out 🙂
I have been a little on edge also, True it is almost a month without any nicotine, and longer with out Manny, which I am fine without both just a little edgy, I shall do better.
Bring the Ring to L.A. in 2009!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
tru ~ Please cheer up:) The young core is still with the team and the market for pitchers was a bad one (although I prefered Garland over Wolf). Pierre will not start in LF: either Manny settles for 2 years or we will trade for someone before the season starts. As long as we stay healthy we'll have a really good year. I do agree, I would rather save my money for games that count. But I would like to go to ST once in my life to see all the baseball going on. Maybe when I retire from teaching and have more time available. Go Dodgers!!!
And as far as Andre goes, I'm sure everything will be alright. Worst case it goes to arbitration and he gets his feelings hurt a little. He'll get over it in due time. Plus I still believe they will work something out before arbitration.
dishguy ~ thanks for th encouraging words. I know as soon as the season starts I will be cheering for my Boys in Blue. I always do, win or lose.
Totally agree with your feelings, trublu. I feel worst over the fact that management does not care about acknowledging Andre's value, performance, and most of all exemplary attitude. Frankly I would much rather have him on my team than Manny. I guess I come from the days when as a manager in the corporate world and as a business owner myself I always gave my people somewhat more of a raise than they expected, or more than their past performance demanded. That way the people always seemed to be motivated to work harder to justify my faith in them. Of course, that approach only works with the right people. I believe that Andre is the right people – too bad that Frank, Ned, and maybe even Ng are not.
When it comes to Manny, I may be of the unpopular thinking that I really don't want Manny at this point. I believe we'll do just fine to have a couple of our guys fight out for the LF position, if only Torre will be a fair judge of who deserves to be in the everyday lineup. If that doesn't work, then I'm sure we can find somebody for the outfield in the July trade market. I have the feeling that Manny will wind up being a disappointment rather than a solution wherever he winds up with a reluctant term contract on his part. I think the guy is a jerk, albeit a good hitting jerk at least in his past history. Let him pull his demonstrated negative crap somewhere else.
bear ~ as always, very well said.
messagebear, I cannot agree with you on Manny although I understand why you feel this way, for all his eccentric doings, his attitude was only called into question over a 30 day period after 12 plus years in the ML…I hope Manny will appreciate that the Dodgers are the only team to want him and that it is the economy hurting his long term contract needs…I feel that Manny may be tempermental, but he is not stupid, contrary to popular belief…I think he is hearing that his actions with the Red Sox has hurt his value and if he is to command a better contract over the next 6 years that he wants to play…he has to prove it on the field with his play and his attitude…
Maybe I am seeing the glass half full, but I think he will be an asset that will help not only win the NL West but take us to a place we have not visited in 21 years….WS or bust with Manny!!!!
Bear I couldn't disagree with you anymore regarding left field. And I know you know and anyone else BTW that JP would be our left fielder. They are paying him, this season 2Xs as much as Bobby Abreau.
And then as Manny goes I think for 16 years the guy (other than 30 or so days) has been considered a great team mate. He has fun playing the game and it shows, his agent aside this is not Barry Bonds were talking about. Manny is not a jerk who does not connect with fans nor his teammates. Our guys loved him last year and that was legit. All the fans loved him and unless they are lying, the coaches loved him. I believe that it took Manny (or a guy like him) to come here so the younger players didn't have to deal with the Jeff Kent types. Torre said if u guys didn't read yet that he expects Manny to sign with us. I am not gonna let the biz side of things affect me as a fan, as I agree this Negotation has been a real turn off. But then if I let Biz effect me as a fan, I wouldn't be a Dodger Fan anymore.
I'm going to try and be better about posting more frequently on ITD this year, I am completely and absolutely in love with this team. I think we can win our division without Manny, but the sky is the limit if we do sign him. I wore my Martin jersey all day yesterday in celebration of our spring training beginning, and I cant wait for games to get under way. Has anyone here ordered the MLB.TV before? I just recently got stationed in new mexico so I don't get prime ticket like I did when I lived in las vegas, i'm thinking of ordering MLB.TV but would like some opinions on it if ya'll have any, thanks!
I read you, rams… and jungar and always respect both of your views. I hope that the situation with Manny resolves soon and your wishes are satisfied. I was mainly trying to make a point between Andre and Manny and show where my importance lies. Can't disagree with you that Pierre is probably the designated LF replacement if Manny isn't there, and that's on Torre's shoulders. I think Torre is crap when it comes to judging and accepting young talent, so probably neither DY or Repko stand any chance.
Welcome back, bluesplash!
bluesplash ~ I've had MLB.TV for many years and the quality has vastly improved. I think it is great. You do need a high speed internet connection though. The premium package is well worth the slightly higher expense. Go Dodgers!!!
I want Manny, because I cheer hard for Ethier and Martin etc..If that makes any sense..Ethier will just mash hitting around Manny and not feel as he has to be the guy..Manny takes alot of heat off the rest of the group…
But the jist of it is, I don;t want Pierre playing and we wont play a replacement level player instead of Pierre. It's Manny or Pierre and thats an easy choice for me.
I found it pretty interesting that Josh didn't decide to address the Dylan Hernandez article a bit in his post…he usually addresses those things a bit with a sentence or two. Maybe he doesn't have any other spin on it? Who knows? I agree with tru on caring less about McRanch. If you want to go to Arizona, pay affordable prices and see games that count, invade Chase Field during the season when the Dodgers are in town. The full product is on the field and you won't feel sick to your stomach supporting Frank's scheme to fleece the Dodger fans.
Did anyone notice that Kenny G has a Dodgers Blog now? Talk about a shill. I am always amazed by the tagline at the bottom of all of the Dodgers.com stories that say the stories do not need to be approved by MLB or the club. He writes like he is the McCourt's personal PR guy…maybe he is? At any rate, I read his stories to get the management side and then read everyone else to get the real side of the story.
I must be missing something…I just looked at several other teams in the Cactus League and their ticket prices are a couple of bucks less or virtually identical to the Dodgers; excepting the premium seats right behind the home plate screen. I agree the prices are outragous for practice games, but they are mostly in line with the other teams. I would like to go to ST, but to see the workouts, not necessarily the games. But I would much rather spend my hard earned cash on real games.
Dish – those prices at Vero were $20 per game last year. That would be an increase of $70. Do you see the point? The Dodgers keep saying they did this for the fans? Really? Raising prices by $70 bucks on tickets is for the fans? There isn't one ticket at McRanch that is at the same price level as last year with Vero Beach. The McCourts made the move for one reason and one reason only…too make more money by selling the fans a bill of goods that it was better for them that the team was in Arizona because of location. It's a load of cr@*p!
I feel better now:)
cy ~ come on, they didn't have a Diamond Club last year at Vero. You can sit right behind those $90 Diamond Club seats for $26, which is still way too high for a practice game, but in line with the other teams in Arizona. Look at the Cubs, Angels, and Giants; their ticket prices are almost the same, save the seats reserved for the Beverly Hills gang. And for the poor folk like me, they have $8 tickets in the outfield.
Dish – no, they didn't have diamond club, but they did have seat right behind home plate, right? The seats were $20 bucks. I had season tickets in Vero for the last 2 years. The $8 dollar tickets on the berm were $5 in Vero. Do you see what I'm getting at here? They have raised prices on everything. If you lived in SoCal, you would recognize the pattern. McCourts do something "for the fans", raise prices because of the do something, and laugh all the way to the bank. The McCourts have raised prices on every single thing since they got to LA. They couldn't figure out a way to screw with ST because the city had a large say in price points. Now, with Glendale giving them autonomy to screw the fans, they do just that just like they do in LA. This is the McCourt pattern and I'm pretty tired of it.
Gurnick is one of the worst writers I have read…He adds no substance or opinion…He is a puppet!!!! not interested in his blog…Just my opinion….
Don't forget the scented towels!!!
Until this season, their payroll has been one of the highest in baseball, so I don't see how they are just screwing the fans. If I were to go to ST, and I won't, it would cost me a heck of a lot more to travel to Florida than Arizona. Paying a couple of bucks more than Padres fans is not crazy outragous to me. Now right behind home plate is a lot more, but most of the seats are priced comparable to other teams. And even if I did buy the Diamond Club seats I would still save a lot more money than if I went to Florida. I do agree that my living in Utah does limit my access to the McCourts actions. But the attendance at Dodger Stadium tells me that the market can more than bare the current ticket prices.
rams – Gurnick is definitely a puppet.
bpb – That's right, I forgot about the scented towels…haha!
Based on the discussed idea that the size of player payroll should somehow equate the cost of tickets to the fans, I can just hear the wheels turning in Frank's head now – sell them on the fact that signing Manny justifies adding another $2.00 to each ticket not already pre-sold in season tickets. Who's for adding another dollar to parking while we're at it.
By the way, Frank – given what's been happening with housing prices, how much have you lost on the two Malibu mansions so far? Oh, I do feel your pain NOT.
dish – Just because there payroll is (was) high, doesn't mean they weren't screwing the fans. Payroll does not equal fan satisfaction. The McCourts have hid behind their payroll problems to justify their price hikes. Now that they are lowering payroll (finally, I might add), they don't seem to be giving much back to the fans, do they? As far as the travel to FL vs. AZ, you are correct and that is what McCourt is trying to get you to think. He doesn't want you to realize that he moved ST to a state where all of the NL West teams are plus the Angels. He doesn't want you to think about how much cheaper it would be to make a roadie to San Diego or Arizona or Anaheim in the regular season to see the team play. His strategy is to make everyone believe that he is doing this solely for the fans so they won't question how many holes this move has in it. Heck, even Randy Wolf criticized the prices of ST tickets at McRanch. If that doesn't speak volumes, I don't know what does.
Dish…BTW, if you bought season tickets in the Diamond Club section for $90 a game versus the $20 a game it cost in Vero and you still think you would be out on travel expenses, then you need to find a new travel agent my friend. There is no way that traveling to FL costs $2520 more than traveling to AZ ($70 difference times 2 tickets at 18 ST games).
I'm excited about the opening of Camelback Ranch, might not be the move I wanted, but it's the move we've got, and it's nice to have the option to see the Dodgers play in a spiffy new building, that only happens once every… what, half century? Even longer with the way the McCourts have been keeping up DS. For every hole they have in management of Baseball Operations, they have strengths in taking care of the real estate (including The Houses on Malibu Hill).
Of course, affording to go, for me, is the problem. Same problem I've had every other year of my life, except starting this year, the cost to watch Dodgers ST has gone down from House Payment to a Month of Rent.
But as many of the Dodger faithful find themselves out of jobs, getting their hours cut, losing their houses, and still the prices continue to rise (or stay the same at the recent rises of the past 24-48 months… I have to ask the McCourts, "DO YOU FIND IT A LITTLE WEIRD?"
Happy Camelback Day!
I believe the payroll for the Dodgers was 7th in MLB. Considering that Andre, James, Matt and Russell all made under $1M, I think Frank made out like a bandit last year. In fact, I don't think any of the 4 mentioned players made $500,000.
cy ~ I would never have the time or money to have season tickets for ST, so I was refrencing a couple of games @ $90, but for season tickets it would be a heck of a lot more for the tickets right behind home plate.
Which ownership in MLB, NFL, or NBA doesn't try to mazimize revenues by charging what the market will bare? Do the Lakers and Clippers have reasonable prices for courtside seats? The Jazz don't. They are almost $1000 a seat in Utah!!!! No Beverly Hills here. Do the Kings and Ducks have reasonable prices for their rink side seats? If the prices are too high at Dodger Stadium the attendance would have gone down dramatically, at least my memory of supply and demand says so. If McRanch tickets are priced too high and the market won't pay the prices, then the seller will have to adjust his or her prices. If a comparable player to Ethier is making closer to $3.75M than $2.65M, then Andre will get $3.75M. If there is someone out there who will buy the Dodgers and sell great tickets at prices which are reasonable to me, then I hope the McCourts sell today. For my wife and I, we almost always buy the infield reserve. Those seats are good seats in our price range. If we lived in SoCal and went to more than 3 games, we would buy the upper deck tickets most of the time. But I can't find any team which sells great seats for a reasonable price.
The Dodgers' payroll was the same as the Cubs and $20M less than the Mets. The Cubs own 50% of their cable network and the Mets own 100% of their cable network. Those network profits are not included in the accounting of revenue for the baseball side of the business. Until there is a Dodgers Network we will always be behind those two teams. Only the Tigers spent dramatically more than the Dodgers last year without owning their own network. That's how the Yankees can lose millions on the baseball side, but hide the massive dollars they make with their YES Network.
Dish – It is perfect that your examples are of regular season ticket prices. The Dodgers are doing this for ST, not the regular season. Yes, I realize other leagues play their preseason games in their normal locations, but every year you hear those teams fans complain about the price of preseason games being the same as regular season games and why can't the structure be similar to baseball (probably the only time you hear fans from other sports leagues wanting a baseball-type model). I realize the prices are what they are at Dodger Stadium, but this is not Dodger Stadium nor is it Dodgertown; it is McRanch. As soon as the Dodgers start to play regular season games there, then I'll stop banging on them for charging regular season-type prices (for goodness sakes, they even have a premium game charge for some games…that must mean that the visiting team is going to bring players that will at least be in AAA instead of A or AA).
The Cubs and Giants have Premium Prices for ST, but the Angels and Padres do not.
Frank has no one to blame for the albatross contracts of Pierre, Schmidt and Jones but himself. He had to sign off on them, which just proves that he's no more of a baseball man than the idiot Ned who brung 'em in.
Nobody then (except maybe the Giants) and nobody now wants Pierre, but Ned signed him to an ill advised 5 year $44 mil contract. Eveyone knew he was a one-dimensional player, but Frank didn't say no. THEY KNEW Schmidt had a bum shoulder and signed him anyway to a $47M contract. Frank beamed – look what I got for you. And could anyone but Frank and Furter have taken a look at Jones' physical condition (or lack thereof) and still signed him to $36M contract, even when no one else wanted him?
Whether Frank's intentions are good or just all PR the fact remains that from a baseball standpoint, he's ill equipped to own a major league franchise.
Right or wrong my perception of the McCourts is that they appear to be all photo op and status symbols. They've got side-by-side homes in Holmby Hills, one a 8385 sq. ft. ($6.5M), and the other an 11,637 sq. ft home they paid $25M for. They bought Courtney Cox's beachfront Malibu home for another $33.5M and the one next door (for another $16M I presume since a $49M figure was bandied about for both.)
Now granted, 1. They have other business interests outside the D's, and 2. I don't begrudge any business owner spending the money they earn on themselves, but somebody's gotta pay for it, and that somebody's the fans. They're paying for it both in the stands with inflated prices, and on the field because Frank doesn't know what he's doing.
But what pushed me over the edge was their hypocracy. Trying to lay guilt on the fans by asking if they'd rather have 50 ballfields for underpriveledged kids or Manny. Saying that a number, $30M is a little weird when you're in the midst of spending $49 on Malibu property. Writing into contracts that a player MUST donate a certain amount to THEIR charity. Saying you're trying to build from within, then treat probably the most class act in decades to wear the blue on and off the field, like a red-headed step child…
That's why I'll root for the players as I always do, but upper management can go to a very hot place.
Sorry for the long rant.
Her comments regarding Manny's salary were horrific; there is no doubt about that. But the way they conduct their business is no different than any other major league owner from what I have seen.
I believe when the votes were cast Manny won over the ball fields.
Why not build some fields for the youth rather than buy a second Malabu home? Those were terrible comments.
dishguy ~ they love to lay a guilt trip on the fans. But, the dodgers fans are pretty smart and know their baseball.
bpb ~ I don't mind your rant at all……I did my share yesterday and early this morning. I figure, it's much better to get out my frustrations here on ITD than take them out on my husband!!! It comes to the point when we feel like saying, "We're mad as hell and we're not going to take it any more".!
I dont believe that L.A.'s power couple, cares anything about the majority of the Dodgerfans. Given the opportunity they would replace today's fans with something a little more to thier liking. I find it hard to take them at thier word.
Bring the Ring to L.A. in 2009!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dishguy, I like you…you have solid arguments..It reminds me of myself last year defending Torre or Juanpy in ST…Not that I want Jaun, but that is a whole other argument that I do not want to open back up….Ethier is the man…Sign Manny…
The only way to get McRanchs attention is to not to go to ST, but I have a feeling THERE WILL BE A TON OF PEOPLE at McRanch….
BPB, I also agree with your argument, very good points!!!!
Tough to really compare the other three major sports ticket prices to baseball's 1:1 because of the difference in venue size and amount of home dates. Basketball and hockey play half as many games in an arena that's usually about 2½ to 3 times smaller than a baseball stadium, and football's got a 1¾ times size stadium, but only play 8 home games.
Primo front row field level at DS are about $250, which if you calculate given the difference in size and schedule would compare to about $1250 in basketball. I'd surmize its all relative between the four sports given the variables.
With the TV rights, I'd speculate that either (A) Frank wasn't smart enough to obtain those with the purchase of the team, or more likely (B) he was already so leveraged and still couldn't meet the price that he allowed Fox to keep those in lieu of several more million dollars he couldn't come up with.
I agree ram, I like dishguys arguments. Makes you re-examine your position(s) and gets you to think.
where is Nelly and Dodgereric today? Hmmm, people are going to start talking…LOL..I miss their commentary!!!
bpb ~ The fact Frank had to borrow so much in buying the Dodgers is the most troubling part of their ownership. I don't remember, were there other groups willing to pay a similar price with less leveraging?
I think I read where their current deal with Fox is up in 4 years and they hope to launch their won network then…I have no idea where I read that though.
red pen–own for won
What's even more amazing to me is that the McCourts are so image conscious but they still can't figure out what to say and not to say to the fans. Jaime just shouldn't talk where any reporters are present; she is forever having to explain her comments because she just plain doesn't get it. And Frank, if he would get out in front of his mistakes as often as he does his (the Dodgers) successes, he might actually have a chance. However, he hates criticism so much that he never takes any accountability for any of the messes (is that even a word) he causes. What these two need is a PR person for their personal interests and a PR person for their baseball interests and make sure they work together. Whoever advises them on what subjects to tackle in the area of baseball is failing miserably.
Thanks for allowing me to have a different viewpoint without calling me terrible names. I really appreciate all the nice people here at ITD. We all want the same thing…a cmpetitive team, the traditions (the colors and uniforms for me) maintained, and a World Series Championship as soon as possible. Go Dodgers!!!
ramslover ~ JuneDarlin and Ward are at a luncheon with his wife and son and her daughter. 🙂
Think I've heard similar on the TV rights dish.
I think the McCourts would go a long way in restoring their credibility with the fans if they just came out and said, " We're taking this season and next to build a team from withing the organization. One you can be proud of, watch grow and call your own like in the hey-dey of Garvey-Lopes-Russell-Cey. The money we're saving now will be used to retain many of these players throughout their careers. We will probably go through some rough stretches here and there, but when we come out the other side, they'll truely be the Los Angeles Dodgers once again."
No more false expectations of bringing in premier FAs. No more trying to put lipstick on a pig with PVLs. Just a good honest plan to stick to for the duration of his tenure. I don't think there's anyone one here that wouldn't respect that and back it.
Boy do I need to proofread before I post…
bpb ~ you are right! if they would come out and say that, it be be okay. But, they don't know what the hell they are doing.
bpb ~ I agree. I am hoping they have learned their lessons regarding longterm contracts for FA's from outside the Dodgers system. I'm hoping that is one of the reasons they haven't caved into Boras' 4 year demand. I would still like to add Manny for one or two years though; even if it costs $25m for one or $45M for two. His cache with the fans would probably cover at least half of his salary and it would give us a bridge to Lambo or another OF prospect. If they cave in and give a 3 or 4 year deal to Manny without adding a trade clause so we could trade him to an AL team, I will be irate. Just like I was with the Pierre and Jones signings. For full disclosure, I was for the Schmidt signing…sorry:(
Best PR in the world is to just be honest with people.
Unless of course you're a politician.
TRU, thanks for the update, I was a little worried about them…
Politicians and baseball team owners have a lot in common.
BPB, proof reading is for the professionals…sometimes I look back and think, well that was poor English, but as long as I can read the post and know what you are thinking, that is good enough for me….
nellyjune took her computer with her………..I'm sure she will be on with us later. I can't imagine her being away from ITD more than a day without going through withdrawl. 🙂
I agree dish. Manny being Manny for a year or two is OK, but Manny blocking Lambo for two years isn't. In Schmidt's case (and Andruw too), had any of us known in fact he had an injured shoulder like NedCo did (and had seen for ourselves the condition of Andruw), I doubt any of us would've wanted either of them. We all thought that both were healthy and ready to go. No matter pro or con on either of them, the fans got snookered because we didn't have all the facts to begin with.
BTW, we get a little fiesty on here once in awhile, but whenever anyone gets out of line with a pointed personal comment, the rest of us have your back whether they've been agreeing with you or not. Doesn't happen very often though.
As far as I can tell, we have two main unwritten rules on ITD:
1. No blatant personal attacks.
2. Frank, Ned, Joe and JP don't count.
But Ram, I used to proofread for a typesetter…
dishguy will find out what you are talking about, bpb, when the season starts.
Rules are for the Dodger Thoughts blog.
I think we violate at least half of theirs daily…
Good debate helps one think. I always like seeing the opposing point of view. It may not change my mind, but it does help me determine whether or not I believe my points are valid or not.
Hit Submit by mistake…
That being said, I am still going to hammer the McCourts until they sell the team, get their act together or I die. I'm pretty young, but I think the 3rd option has the best chance of happening:)
cy ~ agreed. Thanks for today's conversation. I don't know any diehard Dodgers fans personally, so it is fun just to talk to reasonable and passionate Dodger fans.
I should've said the best chance of happening first…
Sports debates are the best!!!
That picture you discribed, Josh, seems familiar, but I'm not sure, is there any chance of displaying it?
Russell came to camp with a minor injury.
If Conte examined him that means next week he's day-to-day, followed the next week by he's had a setback, followed by he's having surgery and will be out the remainder of the season.
Really, of all the guys the Dodgers could ill afford to lose for any length of time, Marty's #1 on the list.
Good afternoon ITD
Nice discussion going on. As everyone knows by now, I am excited about Camelback since it is much closer to California. I could never think about going all the way to Florida, too far. I decided one day that I wanted to go to the first ST in their new locale. I bought a plane ticket for a very good price, found a place to stay that isn't the Hilton but has a continental breakfast in the morning which will hold me until the game. I bought pretty good tickets thinking that I am not going all the way to Arizona and not have good seats.
I try not to say anything negative about the Dodgers, the players, the owners, coaches or managers. I am one fan who really does bleed blue. I know there were mistakes made in the acquisitions in the past but no one can foresee the future. We always hope that we have done the right thing. That is even true in life. Who would have thought that as hopeless as it seemed after the all star break, the Dodgers would come out on top winning the Western Division? Who knew that Manny would be the sparkplug to bring the best out of Loney and Andre? I know that if Manny does get signed, he will be the Manny of last season. That was no act. He and the rest of the team had a great rapport. You could see it on the field. And Manny loves the fans. He always waved to us. He always looked happy. I did have one nice encounter with him when he signed a ball for my Dad. He was in a hurry but he came back and signed it with a big smile. I'll always remember that.
I won't argue that the ticket prices are high but at least there are different prices for what you can afford. I bought field tickets but saved all year for them. My friend sits in the left field pavilion which is $8 a seat or $6 for a season seat and loves it. He would never sit anywhere else. I used to only watch the games on tv and I don't even have cable. The games that weren't televised, I listened to on the radio. You pretty much enjoy the Dodgers anyway you can afford. I can't say anything about the McCourts, I don't know what their financial situation is. I'm sure they have some sort of adviser to help them. Who knows how this turn in economy is affecting them. I'm lucky that it hasn't really affected me yet. I always keep my fingers crossed.
All I can say is I love the Dodgers and will always support them. I can't wait to watch my first ST game and for the season to officially start. Go DODGERS!!!!
Wow, sorry for that long post. Hi Nellyjune, I hope you enjoyed your day. Hi Dodger4life, we are definitely thinking alike. Cpompe1, I hope you are feeling well. Hi Trublu. Hope everyone has a great evening!!! And Happy Valentines Day.
Hello heartruss, That was a very good post, well done. I am very happy that you are going to spring training, and good for you on the seats. have a wonderful time and …..
Bring the Ring to L.A. in 2009!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
heartruss ~ I hope you have a great time at ST. The funnest part for me would be to walk around and watch the workouts. Go Dodgers!!!
Boy!!! You leave ITD for a few hours or so, and rumors start flying – LOL!!!! (jk)
ramslover – thanks for caring, and you asked who that Andre guy is. Well, let me tell you. His name is Andre Ethier, he is #16, and he plays right field for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Andre is 6'2″, weighs about 210 lbs, and he will be 27 on April 10th. The only "so-called" bad month he had last season was in June, and yes, he may have tore it up when Manny was in town for August and September, but other than June, he had a fabulous season last year. Manny certainly didn't have any affect on his 11 assists in the outfield. Once again, this is only on the field stuff. We can go on for days how well he represents the Dodgers off the field as well, but I think you got the drift. So, who is Andre? IMO, Andre is a player for the Los Angeles Dodgers who is currently getting screwed by their management for a lousy million dollars, which most of us know, is probably only $500,000.
Nice article on Schmidt there still hope for the guy.
As for my day, without going into too many details, I just feel very honored to be a witness to what I saw today. To be a guest and see this Eagle Scout Court of Honor for Matt, dodgereric's son, was nothing short of amazing, remarkable and heartfelt. As a teacher of young children, you can only hope some grow up to have the passion that Matt has for the things he has accomplished on this journey so far. In addition to the beautiful ceremony, I had the accidental priviledge of sitting next to Eric's mom and one of his dearest friends. I say accidental because my daughter and I sat at an empty table, which later filled with these wonderful people. So, in a nutshell, this day was awesome!!!
nelly–having a father who has devoted the vast majority of his 90-plus years to the Scouting program, I know what's involved in the accomplishment of becoming an Eagle Scout. Congratulations to Mark and I'm glad that you were there to be a part of such a special event in his life.
For the first time in 2 years, Schmidt is completely healthy and that is a great start. While we will probably never again see the pitcher we paid for, It would be huge if he could be a reasonable facsimile of the old Schmidt and take ownership of the 5th spot in the rotation.
VERY LARGE RED PEN!!!!!!!!—Congratulations, Matt.
Good Evening Brownpaperrapper!!! It was pretty special, and I could have written pages, but I am sure Eric will want to share as well, seeing how it was his family's day.
That is great to hear about Schmidt. Like you said, he probably won't be the Schmidt we signed up for, but it will be excited to see what he can do.
red pen – "exciting" not "excited"
I just found out my son "chose" #16 for his varsity number. How cool is that!!! However, the only catch is his highschool colors just happen to be…………………..yes, orange and black 😦
Well……..I guess you can't have everything!!!!!
Personally, I would have taken a different number in exchange for any other color than orange and black. I don't know why I complain about the colors now. I wore those same colors in highschool, but I wasn't bleeding Dodger blue back then either. I had to actually buy black and orange baseball shirts to wear to the games, which was very painful. However, I have compromised. I told him I will wear the black and orange shirts as long as I can wear my white LA Dodger hat. So, at least there is no assuming I have switched sides 🙂
A white Dodger hat with black and orange shirts. Like a woman here who wore a jacket made up of half BYU and half Utah colors to the annual rivalry football game this season. Schizophrenic Fashions, LTD.
Well you can have him played to my old school in Rialto when are color are blue, white and silver might be a prefect fit lol. I already know one person that graduate from my high school in 2000 and now playing in the dback organization while being draft by the Nats. He also was a teammate of Ricky Nolasco.
His name is Josh Whitesell so glad to see someone from my high school represent.
That reminds me of the cap I have that's half each Gnat and A's colors left over from the 1989 earthquake WS.
…well, it's better than a blue Dodger hat, yes? It's a white Dodger visor with a silver "LA" – white is part of the t-shirt's color too. It should look fine. However, all last year I wore my Dodger blue on days they had games at the same time. I will have to see when the time comes if I can actual handle wearing the orange and black at all once April 6th rolls around – LOL!!
Better get your shots, nelly, so you don't catch anything!!! LOL!!!!
Nelly, that is awesome you got to be there with Dodgereric and his son for that grand occasion…and thanks for bringing me up to date on this Andre dude…sounds like quite an guy….
Well I hope everyone had a great Valentines day…I am off to watch a movie with my beautiful wife and Valentine…Good night all!!!!!
brownpaperrapper – I take my shots everyday!!! LOL!!!
ramslover – Have a wonderful evening with your Valentine.
Good night, everyone. Have a wonderful Sunday!!
Good Night brownpaperrapper!!!!
You have a fabulous Sunday as well 🙂
Where is our spirit leader, Dodger4life?
It was great seeing those pictures of the first day of Spring Training. Can't wait until Wednesday when they are all back.
Hell of a day, wasn't it?
It certainly was 🙂 How are you and Chris doing?
Hey Nelly, Good to see you…..
I am alway's around except when Nascar is on!!!
Then the sound of the engines rumbling and the cars going bye have me napping peacefully. I usually manage to arise right before the end too. I think I listen to the race sub consciously while resting my eye's.
Bring the Ring to L.A. in 2009!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So, we are ready for Daytona tomorrow?
dodgereric – It was awe~inspiring to say the least.
Matt Kemp is on ESPN hoping Manny will be back 🙂
I hope so Nelly the next Daytona 500 is 364 days away if I miss this one 🙂
Chris has crashed for the evening, I'm trying desperately to get my spreadsheets ready for the race. It's mind-numbing work, but once it's done it's relatively pain-free.
I'm so ready for boogedy, boogedy, boogedy! Did you see what happened to poor Tony Stewart?
Regarding today, I'm not sure I have the words yet but I'll try.
I did see what happened to Tony – not a happy camper and I don't blame him one bit.
You speechless – now that is funny!! (jk) I really do understand. Matt is remarkable ~ he really is 🙂
Eric good to see ya. I am happy that you and Matt acomplished your goal. Way to go to the both of you.
Nelly ~ Eric ~ ITD, Dodgerfaithful….
God Bless The U.S.A. and God Bless us all!!!
Good Night 🙂
They keep showing Ryan's wreck over and over.
Dodger4life – so do you just sleep through the Nationwide race, or do you sleep through Sprint Cup too?
I try to stay awake Nelly, it just depends on the way the race goes. I only missed one ending last year though.
Good Night Dodger4life – Have a great Sunday with your daughter!!! Take Care and God Bless 🙂
The culmination of something that has the potential of such importance to his future is very gratifying. But, even if having the Eagle badge proves to be insignificant for him (which I don't believe), the entire experience in Scouting has already shown itself to have affected him in a most positive way. You heard him. He's remarkably well-adjusted for an adult, let alone someone who's still short of his 17th birthday. When I was that age, I was a basket case.
It was great for his grandparents and uncles and aunts and his cousins to see for themselves how important Scouting has been for him. They've always heard it, of course. But as I spoke to a few of them after the ceremony, they were quite surprised and impressed, not only with Matt, but our Troop. Scouting is a great idea, the way it teaches the values it does. But without the proper leadership, it can never do what it aims to do. Like many organizations, it succeeds or fails from the top down (sound familiar?) Our Scoutmaster sets a very high standard and everyone responds positively to it. I wanted to thank him (and his wife, who does a lot more than most people realize) while I was speaking, but I didn't feel it was my place to thank people. That was Matt's job today, and he did a good job for someone who forgot his notes. 🙂
Before he entered Scouting, he was a follower. No more. He constantly takes charge. He's very sure of himself in most of the really important things. I like his chances.
Eric – Matt was very impressive, notes or not, and he wasn't just impressive to me. Like you said, his chances are very good 🙂
Yeah, he's pretty well-liked in the troop. He's never given any Scoutmaster any trouble, always showing them the proper respect. The patrol who did the color guard was "his" patrol, the Hawks. He was their Troop Guide and they just love him.
There are others who are better Scouts – more merit badges, etc. But there are no better human beings.
Now I'm gushing. Sorry.
The Dodgers are still in neutral with the two big questions of spring, aren't they.
Yes, they are very big questions now. Andre seems to be going to arbitration for sure at this point, and who knows what is happening with LF at the moment.
You should be gushing!!! You should have every right to be 🙂
We've beaten both of those issues to death, but doggone it, it gets me upset that Boras hasn't counter-offered once. At least publicly. The Dodgers have, in effect, made 3 offers now and Boras still only one. It's not like he has much leverage. The only other team 'interested' has been just as adamant about not going to a long term. Boras is acting as if the Dodgers have no choice but to sign Manny.
It wouldn't be a great PR move to lose him, but I think they'd be stupider (it's not a word, but it works for me here) if they were to make a 4th offer before Boras moves.
Yes, it seems our ITD friends have covered those two topics, along with McRanch very well in our absence. There really isn't much to add other than ramslover seems to have a case of amnesia when it comes to that #16 guy – LOL!!!! I keep having to explain it to him……and Oh, if you didn't notice, we were quite missed today 🙂
Yeah, I did notice that. But I think something else went over my head. Were you talking about a certain volleyball player back at 12:18?
LOL!!! Technically no, I was talking about the daytime hours. She was very impressed by the end of breakfast, but she was pretty much mesmorized by the time he finished his speech. It's nothing like walking through a mall while your daughter is blushing from texts she is getting from a certain somebody.
Let's just put it this way…..she was so nervous, she was making me nervous and we never ended up eating dinner. Well, she had dinner I guess – LOL!!! (jk) I did end up going out and getting something.
It was all good, Michael and Bill went out to dinner after celebrating his officially making the varsity team and "choosing" number 16. I am sure there is a catch somewhere down the road in choosing this particular number, but I guess I will have to wait until the idea is presented to me.
I thought she came across very well. She definitely has a mind of her own! Matt has complained lately that all of the girls at his school are empty-headed 'valley girls'. Mariya isn't much like THAT! LOL! Especially with that football mentality she talked about during breakfast! LOL!!
LOL!!! Very true ~ She definitely will tell you how she is feeling if asked. Like you and Chris to Matt, Mariya's dad and I are very proud of her. She (and Michael for that matter) could have used their past as an excuse, but they didn't, and I know we had something to do with their choosing the right paths to take, but they had to make the ultimate decisions in the long run. For what they have been through at such early ages in their lives, they are turning out to be very productive and well-adjusted teenagers, and like you said, I like their chances as well.
Well, my brain is fried from this spreadsheet. One more team to go, but it's going to have to be tomor …… later today. It's church for us in 7 hours, a quick breakfast and settling in front of the TV for about 4 hours. Then my mom is coming for leftover rice, chicken and chocolate cake! LOL!!! And I'm trying to talk everyone into a Star Wars day on Monday.
May God Bless you and Mariya with your travels to the desert and back home. It was a remarkable day and you two made it more special by honoring us by coming! Thank you!
Well, I am not sure what the conversation was all about tonight, but whatever was said, it made her birthday/Valentine's Day pretty special. I think our friendship just created another friendship. Did you and Chris end up going out to dinner?
Congratulations eric for having an accomplished and responsible son!!!
Good Night Eric!!! You are most very welcome. It was an honor to be there. Have a fantastic Sunday with your wonderful family. Have fun watching the race. My goal is to be in front of a tv to at least watch the end somehow. Take Care and God Bless 🙂
Just catching up on the reading this morning. BTW, it much easier to logging on at 6:25 mountain time.
Anyway, congratulations to you and your son Eric! and a hearty, job well done!!
I'd take a moderately effective Schmidt in the 5 spot. Gotta be better than Vargas and Estes.
Good morning ITD,
Congratulations to you Dodgereric and your wonderful son. I know he has a very bright future. I know you are very proud of him.
And Nellyjune, you have much to be proud of with your amazing son and daughter!
I feel so blessed to have such inspirational friends. And this being Sunday!!
Russell hurt his foot last week doing some exercises and I am happy that there is not a fracture.
Everything is good. My son will be visiting this coming week for a few days. He will be coming to California for good weather (the rain will not dampen his spirits) since it is about 40 degrees where he lives.
I am excited about my new blogs. I know I keep mentioning it but I don't want any of ITD to miss it.
Feel free to post on either. A couple of bloggers posted already on my mlb blog. Here are the addresses in case anyone missed it: http://catlovesthedodgers.blogspot.com and http://catlovesthedodgers.mlblogs.com
Good morning bpb and heartruss ~ here's wishing Andre the best in his arbitration hearing. I'm pulling for you Dre to get the raise I know you deserve.
Good morning trublue, finished with how many cups of coffee??? We will pray for Dre on Tuesday.
Trublue, it is just too bad that Andre seems to have to fight for everything, nothing comes easily for him. That is supposed to build character!!! OK enough already.
I just finished my 3rd cup and you are right about Dre having to fight for everything.
Pay dre……….pay dre,pay
pay dre……..pay dre
pay dre…..pay dre
pay dre…..pay dre
pay dre…..pay dre
pay dre…..pay dre…pay dre
pay dre…..pay dre……pay dre
pay dre…..pay dre………pay dre
pay dre…..pay dre………pay dre
pay dre…..pay dre………pay dre
pay dre…….pay dre…….pay dre
pay dre……….pay dre.pay dre
Bring the Ring to LA in 2009!!!!!
It is a beautiful day again. Enjoy everybody…. 🙂
New thread.


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Support Worker
|Job Type:
|Support worker
|£15,880 - £16,200 per annum + £1,200 yearly PBS enhancement + benefits (pro rata)
|Thursday, February 28, 2019 at 12:00 AM
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subset: commoncrawl


text: Login Welcome back! Don't have an account yet? Register here! It's free! Connect with Facebook Sign in with Twitter Sign in with LinkedIn Sign in with VK Username or E-mail* Password* Only fill in if you are not human Keep me signed in Register Forgot your password? Having problems? Submit a Support Ticket.


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Classroom Beautiful - Kit Noonan
Kindergarten Teacher, Carderock Springs Elementary, Bethesda, Maryland
I've taught kindergarten, second, third, fourth, and fifth grades.
In setting up my classroom, I try to think like children: I want it to be friendly, comfortable, warm, and inviting. I think about what will work for them.
I consider height: Anything I want them to notice is three feet from the floor or lower. My alphabet is above the chalkboard because that's the only place I could find uninterrupted wall space. But they don't ever look up there unless I point to it.
I want it to be useable for them: "These are resources available to us. You don't need to ask me to get them. You know they're there for you. Unless I tell you otherwise, everything here is here for you.
If it's not, I put a note on it: this is off-limits. Everything is labeled, everything has a place.
They each have a seat, and maybe once a day, for 10 minutes, they will do something there, but otherwise, they should feel safe and comfortable anywhere in the classroom. I try to give them as much control over their environment as possible.
Things in blue cubbies go home, things in red cubbies stay in school. Everything's very routine. My kids know what we're doing, what we did, what's next, and where it will take place. You can ask any kid and they'll tell you: We're at literacy stations. Here's how we do it."
It's an upper middle class neighborhood. Two working parents is the typical home situation, but I have parent volunteers because they have flexibility in their jobs. They're not punching a time clock.
My first four years in the county, I was in a much lower income community and I had one parent volunteer who came once a week for half an hour. The facility was beautiful, but it was just me and the kids. We knew where everything was.
But now, there are different adults in the room at all different times, so everything needs to be understandable and accessible to all. Now, anybody could walk in and find anything they need.
We get $150 or so to buy supplies, given to us by the PTA. (When I was in a poorer community, we didn't get anything.) I spent a ton my first few years. I've been in the county 11 years, and I still spend at least $1,000 per year. I buy books on tape, paper nametags, things I need for little projects. The warehouse has basic stuff like paints, but not puffy letter stickers, or cute pens that will motivate kids.


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These celebrities all share a very important piece of their identity: their nombre! No, they're not related, but their heritage and Latino roots certainly shine through in their surnames.
Check it out! These 25 celebrities all have the same last name:
1. Lopez
George, Mario and Jennifer all share this common surname: Lopez!
2. Ramirez
Dania Ramirez, Sara Ramirez and Cierra Ramirez are all beautiful and talented -- but, no, they're not sisters! Their last name originated in Spain, and means "son of Ramiro."
3. Rodriguez
These three aren't the only ones in Hollywood with the name Rodriguez. In addition to Robert, Michelle and Adam, actors and actresses like Freddy Rodriguez, Genesis Rodriguez, James Roday (Rodriguez), and Raini Rodriguez all boast this common Latino last name, which means "Son of Rodrigo."
4. Diaz
Hollywood superstars Cameron Diaz, Rocsi Diaz and Aaron Diaz all share the same name, which is believed to mean "Son of Diego." The surname has roots in Spain and Portugal.
5. Sanchez
Devious Maids star Roselyn Sanchez, actress Kiele Sanchez, and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Mark Sanchez aren't related -- they just share a very popular Spanish last name.
6. Cruz
The Queen of Salsa Celia Cruz shares a last name with Spanish actress Penelope Cruz. The last name of Spanish origin means "cross."
7. Gomez
The "G' in Becky G actually stands for Gomez -- meaning that the budding pop star shares a name with superstar Selena Gomez. Both singers have origins in Mexico.
8. Santos
Who knew? The King of Bachata, Romeo Santos, shares his name with Brazilian footballer Neymar Jr., who's full name is Neymar Da Silva Santos Junior. "Santos" means "saints" in both Spanish and Portuguese.
9. Guzman
Famed comedian and actor Luis Guzman and Step Up: Revolution hottie Ryan Guzman aren't related, but perhaps -- many generations ago -- their ancestors both hailed from the same village of Guzmán, Spain.
10. Rivera
Former Miss Universe, Zuleyka Rivera, and Glee star, Naya Rivera, both share this surname, derived from the Spanish word ribera, which means riverbank.


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text:
Status: Published
Climate change and human rights (2008)
What are the human rights implications of climate change? From new health risks, such as the increased incidence of malaria, to mass migration, to threatened food and water supplies, to the disappearance of shelter, land, livelihoods and cultures, climate change creates human rights concerns at every turn. Yet remarkably little study to date has focused systematically on their interconnection.
This situation is unlikely to last. As the effects of climate change become increasingly apparent, those affected will turn to human rights to frame their claims and to demand responses. Some are already doing so. And as consensus on the need for urgent action to address global warming grows, it will drive numerous other economic, political and social agendas − with further human rights implications.
Human rights are not merely relevant to climate change impacts, however. Mitigation and adaptation strategies each open up hard human rights questions: assigning accountability for extraterritorial harms; allocating burdens and benefits, rights and duties among perpetrators and victims, both public and private; constructing reliable enforcement mechanisms. Human rights advocates will be forced to look hard at large justice issues they can usually set aside.
In thinking through these connections, foresight but also caution will be needed. Human rights can seem intellectually invasive; a tendency to think in moral absolutes can cloud rather than clarify complex issues. Human rights lawyers are not known for seeking consensus or conciliation, both generally thought critical to the negotiation of policies that can successfully address climate change. At the same time, profound justice claims have been raised repeatedly in the course of climate change negotiations only to be finally neglected or removed.
The Council commenced research on this subject in 2007, in order to help orient human rights thinking about climate change and to frame the relevant issues clearly. Our aim has been to identify, on one hand, whether human rights principles, law and policy are equipped for the immense problems generated by global warming and, on the other, how human rights tools can aid in constructing a just regime to manage and mitigate climate change effects.
In June 2008, the Council published a report mapping the principal areas of human rights concern raised by climate change and exploring some of the possible benefits and dangers of adopting human rights tools and principles in the climate change domain (available here).
In mid-2009, a collection of articles on climate change and human rights was published by the Council together with Cambridge University Press. The first collection to deal systematically with these issues, the book features a group of well-known experts on a range of related themes.
The Council has further undertaken research into the human rights dimensions of climate technology policies. This research will lead to a series of short briefing papers and recommendations through 2009, culminating in a full report in 2010.
Research team
"This report is the first systematic treatment of [this subject]. It is at the same time a concise
and lucid analysis of the social, economic, legal and ethical impact of expected climate changes.
It should be of interest to specialists and generalists alike." Dharam Ghai, Former Director, United Nations Research Institute for Social Development
"Excellent." Tariq Banuri, Senior Fellow, Stockholm Environmental Institute
"Very good … an important contribution to the human rights-climate change dialogue, not least
in how it sets out a pragmatic agenda that can be addressed by countries." John Drexhage, Director, Climate Change and Energy Program, IISD


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About this blog
FLEFF Intern Voices
The Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival from the interns' point of view
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Blog posting by Kayla Reopelle, Documentary Studies and Production '14, FLEFF Blogger, Roy, WA
This is my first and last year as a staffer for FLEFF.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Blog post written by Lucy Yang, Journalism and Politics '14, FLEFF Blogger, Puyang, Henan, China
"If you want to be an artist, don't go to an art school; go to the...
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
The Throwaways by Ira McKinley brought to light an often-ignored issue in the United States: mass incarceration.
As a black man and ex-felon, McKinley has a deeply personal relationship to the issues that come with mass incarceration, all of which he raised in the...


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Remote Alerts Keep Productivity in Motion
Today, alerts for tripped alarms on unattended machines can be sent by phone via call or SMS text message, email or fax. The alert is sent automatically by software programmed directly on the CNC.
In the past, a common setup scenario for unattended operations included the following sequence: Load the bar feeder, set the program, go home and pray nothing goes wrong. About 15 years ago, some machine tool and fabricating equipment companies began to institute call centers to flag shop owners of an alarm, but those systems were often hit-or-miss, depending on the quality of the personnel and the chances of reaching the owner at the designated phone number. A single tool break, bar jam, low lube or coolant level, air compressor stall, spindle speed slowdown or even a power spike could mean an entire weekend of lost production.
Today, alerts for tripped alarms on unattended machines can be sent by phone via call or SMS text message, email or fax. The alert is sent automatically by software programmed directly on the CNC. No human intervention is needed, except by the shop owner or production supervisor to designate the method of communication and to receive the alert.
Featured Content
So the scenario changes to a more effective process: Load the bar feeder, set up the machine for a predetermined alarm tag or sequence of alarms (the machine can now send periodic alerts for various parameter checks), set the program, go home and enjoy the weekend. Any shutdown will be flagged. Since the alarm is set off of the fault code on the machine, no human intervention is needed, and the messages are completely automated.
The system is relatively simple to set up, and it keeps a shop's productivity in motion, all weekend or any time it can reasonably run unattended.
This was formerly the realm of only the biggest shops and captive production departments in automotive, aerospace and other dedicated production operations. Now even the smallest shops can have an effective alert system in place. It is especially useful for those with more machines than operators.
On a high-level CNC, this feature is available as part of the production software embedded in the controller. The savings from just one occurrence will more than pay for the upgrade. Most popular CNC brands currently have some type of email client server such as Outlook Express, but this system is the next step up. The software is fully automated to send an array of messages to selectable locations in different modes. The email or text message, for example, can contain one or more alarm messages, with details provided as attachments. One email or text can be sent for each alarm or sent periodically with all the alarm messages that have been generated during a specified period of time.
This is one more area where CNC can provide a "controlling interest" for a shop's operation, 24/7.


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After his party's midterm losses and with the unemployment rate still hovering around 10 percent, President Barack Obama might be down.
But he's far from out — especially when it comes to his prospects for re-election in 2012.
That's the conclusion from the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, which finds that the president's job approval rating has once again hit its lowest level; that more people believe the nation is on the wrong track than at any point in Obama's presidency; and that just a third of Americans think the economy will rebound next year.
Yet the survey also shows Obama comfortably leading prominent Republicans like former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin in hypothetical head-to-head match-ups for 2012.
And it finds that nearly three-quarters of Americans personally like the president, even if they don't agree with his policies.
So, rather than looking like a "battered and bruised" Rocky Balboa at this point in his presidency, says Democratic pollster Peter D. Hart, Obama resembles an "exhausted" Lance Armstrong.
"From my point of view, this poll is anything but a lump of coal in the president's Christmas stocking," said Hart, who conducted the survey with Republican pollster Bill McInturff.
"But there is a lot of work to be done," Hart added.
Obama's midterm evaluation
The survey — which was conducted Dec. 9-13 of 1,000 adults (200 by cell phone) and which has an overall margin of error of plus-minus 3.1 percentage points — comes at essentially the midpoint of the president's four-year term.
In the poll, Obama's job approval rating sits at 45 percent (down two points from last month and tied for his lowest mark on this question), and his economic approval rating stands at 42 percent (which is unchanged from last month).
Indeed, perhaps the most striking observation about Obama's numbers is how stable they've been over the past year.
Despite all the setbacks he and his party have suffered — including the high unemployment rate, the months-long BP spill, and the midterms' shift of power to the GOP in the House of Representatives — his overall job approval rating has remained between 45 percent to 50 percent over the past 12 months.
"This is a president who retains very strong numbers with a political core constituency," said GOP pollster Bill McInturff, referring to Obama's strong standing among African-Americans (87 percent overall approval), Democrats (76 percent), Latinos (53 percent) and younger votes.
"It is really important not to lose track of his retained strength."
(Obama is still unpopular with voters outside of his party, however. Among independents, his approval is 35 percent; among Republicans, it's 11 percent.)
Obama vs. Romney and Palin
Looking ahead to the 2012 presidential race, the NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll shows Obama leading prominent Republicans in hypothetical head-to-head match-ups.
Against Romney, the lead is seven points, 47 percent to 40 percent. Against Palin, it's 22 points, 55 percent to 33 percent. And against Sen. John Thune, R-S.D. — another potential presidential candidate, though not as well known — it's 20 points, 47 percent to 27 percent.
And in a generic match-up, with respondents asked to choose between voting to re-elect Obama or his Republican opponent, Obama leads by three points, 42 percent to 39 percent, with an additional 10 percent saying it depends who the GOP opponent is.
With Palin trailing Obama by 22 points — and with her negative rating now at 50 percent, her all-time high in the poll — McInturff says that this is "a sobering starting point" for her if she decides to run for president.
Personal vs. professional
One hint about why Obama still appears dominant over his potential GOP rivals might be that, when it comes to the president's personality, voters still like what they see. His personal ratings remain much stronger than his professional ratings.
For instance, he gets his highest marks for having a strong family and family values (74 percent give him a high rating here), being easygoing and likeable (68 percent), being inspirational and exciting (51 percent) and having strong leadership qualities (49 percent).
But his lowest marks come on being a good commander-in-chief (41 percent), sharing respondents' positions on the issues (35 percent), achieving his goals (33 percent), uniting the country (30 percent) and changing business as usual in Washington (24 percent).
Still, an overwhelming majority of Americans either believe that Obama will be a successful president or they haven't made up their minds yet.
According to the poll, 28 percent say he will ultimately be a successful president, 29 percent say he won't and 42 percent aren't ready to make a judgment.
Hart and McInturff argue that this plurality of Americans who aren't ready to make a judgment about Obama — one month removed from his party's self-described "shellacking" in the midterms — is relatively good news for the president.
"People want a successful presidency," McInturff said. "Things are so bad, they don't think we can afford to have an unsuccessful presidency."
A pessimistic public
While they might want a successful presidency, there's little doubt that public is mostly pessimistic about the country's direction and its economy.
- 63 percent think the country is headed in the wrong direction, the highest percentage on this question during Obama's presidency;
- only 32 percent believe the economy will improve in the next 12 months, down five points from last month;
- and a combined 54 percent say that the past 10 years have either been a "very bad" decade or "one of the worst decades in American history."
Significantly, 65 percent maintain that the current economy is a situation that Obama inherited, versus 21 percent who say it's a result of his economic policies.
The midterm message and the tax-cut compromise
The poll also finds that a plurality (35 percent) believes the president got the message from the midterm elections and is making adjustments, versus 29 percent who say he got the message but isn't making the adjustments.
In Dec. 2006, after his party lost control of Congress, 24 percent said George W. Bush got the message and was making adjustments, versus 41 percent who said he wasn't making adjustments.
And speaking of adjustments — namely Obama's compromise with Republicans to temporarily extend the Bush-era tax cuts — 59 percent of respondents say they approve of the deal and 36 percent disapprove.
The agreement, which the Senate passed on Wednesday and which the House is expected to consider on Thursday, would extend the Bush-era tax cuts for all income levels (including the wealthy) for two years, in exchange for a one-year extension of unemployment benefits and a temporary reduction in payroll taxes.
What's more, 61 percent believe the agreement was a fair compromise for both Obama and Republican leaders, while 23 percent think Obama gave up too much and 10 percent say Republicans gave up too much.
START, Afghanistan and the GOP
Here are some other notable results in the poll:
- An overwhelming majority (70 percent) believes the Senate should approve the New START nuclear arms-reduction treaty;
- By a 53-to-45 percent margin, Americans approve keeping U.S. troops in Afghanistan until 2014 (however, a majority of Democrats and independents disapprove);
- And for the first time since 2005, the Republican Party has a net-positive favorable/unfavorable rating (38-37 percent), while the Democratic Party has a net-negative rating (37-41 percent).
Mark Murray covers politics for NBC News.


text: Niki Hare is a diverse, self-taught visual artist based in Gloucestershire. Working in a wide range of media, Hare focuses on deconstructing the world around us, viewing it from all angles. She layers paint and then scrapes it back to form textures, animating the surface of images and words. After a twenty-year equestrian career, Niki has returned to art with energy and passion. Her work has sparked international interest, featuring in exhibitions in the UK, Germany and the USA. Our prints of Niki Hare's work present a great opportunity to be at the forefront of her comeback.


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Andy Lees, Microsoft's new Windows Mobile chief, expects the division to start working more closely with other Microsoft groups — including Xbox, Zune, Windows, Windows Live and Office — to develop new experiences on mobile phones. That's one of the tidbits I gathered in an interview with Lees last week while working on this story for today's newspaper. Here's an extended version of his comments on the subject:
Look back at what Microsoft has and what we could do to help the customer in this situation. We have 300 million Windows Live users. They're using Hotmail and instant messaging and things, and those people want to use their mobile device as a window on that. We have lots of people that play games that we provide — games on PC, games on Xbox, and there's a whole bunch of things like that, that we can provide. A lot of people manipulate their photographs and display their photographs either via Windows Live or on Windows Vista on their PC. And they plug up cameras and different things. If we can bring those things to bear, and work together to enable these user experiences, then that really is where we can accelerate a differentiated experience. So we spend a bunch of time looking at how we can bring those things together.
Later, I pressed for more details. His response:
That's all I'll say, but you can easily imagine how we can take those things — music, some of the things we do with Zune; games, with what we do with Xbox and Xbox Live; things that we would do with the PC and the Web, with Windows Vista and Windows Live; what people do in business with Exchange, with Office — and how we'll make those things really come to life on mobile devices, in the right way for a mobile device.
Of course, there's already a Windows Mobile connection in some of those areas, such as Windows Live Hotmail and Messenger. But based on his comments, Lees seems intent on increasing those existing ties and establishing new ones with additional product groups.
His Zune reference was interesting in light of Microsoft's "Pink and Purple" project, which reportedly involves bringing Zune functions to Microsoft's mobile phone technology. (For background, see this earlier item by ZDNet blogger Mary Jo Foley.) Lees didn't mention the project by name, and I wasn't able to get anyone at Microsoft to go into any detail about it.
Lees, previously a Microsoft Server & Tools executive, was recently named the senior vice president in charge of the company's mobile communications division, replacing Pieter Knook, who left for Vodafone.
More details about the company's broader Windows Mobile plans could come Tuesday, when Microsoft makes its appearance at the annual CTIA Wireless convention in Las Vegas. Among other things, it's expected to show Windows Mobile 6.1, the next update to the software.


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Keyword Term: livelihoods Subject: Forest Management & Restoration (FMR) Author Affiliation: Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) Geographic Coverage Country / Nation: Central African Republic Keyword Term: wildlife conservation Geographic Coverage Country / Nation: Cameroon Research Program: CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (ForestsTreesAgroforestry)
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Freshman pitches gem for Gamecocks in elimination game
Behind a complete-game shutout from freshman Wil Crowe and 13 hits from the offense, top-seeded South Carolina cruised to a 9-0 victory over fourth-seeded Campbell on Sunday afternoon in an elimination game in the NCAA Columbia Regional in front of 5,986 fans at Carolina Stadium.
With the win, the Gamecocks (44-17) advance to play second-seeded Maryland tonight at 7 p.m. The Camels' season comes to an end with the loss as they finish the year with a 41-21 record.
Crowe (8-3) gave South Carolina exactly what it needed in working all nine innings, allowing just four hits and striking out four batters on the afternoon. The complete game was the first of his career. It was also the first complete-game shutout by a Gamecock since Jordan Montgomery tossed one in last year's Super Regional win over North Carolina on June 9, 2013.
Nine Gamecocks recorded at least one hit on Sunday, with Marcus Mooney, Max Schrock, Joey Pankake and Tanner English leading the way with two apiece. Schrock, who had a career-high two doubles, and Pankake drove in two runs each. Schrock leads the regional with seven hits.
Campbell managed just four hits in the game off Crowe, with all being singles.
Camel starting pitcher Ryan Koopman (8-2) was tagged with the loss after surrendering four runs and four hits in three innings on the mound.
After two scoreless innings, the Gamecocks struck first in the top of the third. Schrock got things going with a two-out double to right field and scored on a single up the middle by Pankake to give Carolina a 1-0 lead.
South Carolina kept the offense going in the fourth with a four-run outburst. Connor Bright and English each delivered a RBI single, and Schrock smashed a two-run double to right field to give the Gamecocks a 5-0 cushion.
The Gamecocks added four more runs in the ninth to push their lead to 9-0. Jordan Gore, Pankake, Kyle Martin and pinch-hitter Bryson Celek all delivered a RBI single to help Carolina put the game out of reach.
Crowe took care of the rest in the bottom of the ninth, giving up just a two-out single before getting Seth LaRue to fly out to end the game. Crowe finished the afternoon with a pitch count of 101.


text:
Hi, I'm Brittany, and I'm a blog slacker.
Lots going on around here, but not too much that has led me to blog about. Just regular life, I suppose.
Charlotte has been super cute and full of attitude lately. I should probably separate those two ideas. The attitude is not cute! She definitely has a flair for the dramatic, as demonstrated when she is told she can't have something or do something she wants: hands cover the face as she throws herself on the floor, couch, or whatever piece of furniture would work well for proving her point that she is dissatisfied. Seriously, where do they learn this stuff?
But she has also had lots of sweet, cute moments too and I will do my best to remember those instead of the dramatic attitude moments. She is talking a lot more now and has started repeating the sounds and words we say, even if she doesn't have a clue what they are.
Some of her favorites:
"I O Oooo" (I love you) and she likes to follow this with a "Daa Hee" (Daddy) or "Maa Hee" (Mommy) and she'll also throw in a "Mush" (so much).
"'Mon! Et's Doe!" (Come on! Let's go!)
"Pie Eee" or "Spice" (Potty). It started as "spice", not quite sure how that translated to potty, but that was her word for it. It has slowly changed to "pie eee", which is more recognizable as the actual word.
"Tee" (T.V. or videos). She loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and would watch that show all day if I let her. When I tell her she's watched enough, she puts aside "Cute Charlotte" for the "Attitude Charlotte" and a tantrum ensues. ::sigh:: Oh the joys of parenting. She also loves watching home movies on the computer. Especially the ones that she is in. Especially the ones that she is dancing or giggling in. Narcissistic, much?
"Mimi" (Naomi). She loves to hug and kiss my belly, and especially loves giving my belly raspberries. If I tell her to give Naomi a hug or kiss, for some reason she feels the need to lift my shirt to do this. For this reason, I only encourage the hugging and kissing of Naomi at home.
"Baby"... Can you figure out what that one means? It's a toughie. She loves seeing babies, in person or in books. She's usually very gentle to her Cabbage Patch baby, but for some reason does not like for her to wear her socks or shoes. And yesterday, I picked up a double stroller that a friend from church graciously passed down to us, along with the car seat/carrier. I put the carrier in the seat next to Charlotte in the van and she was very excited and kept saying "Baby!". We went straight from my friend's house to my doctor's appointment, and she was very concerned that we were leaving the van with the carrier still in there. She kept pointing back saying, "Baby! Baby!" And as soon as we got back to the parking lot, she resumed her excitement about the "Baby" in the van.
So those are just a few Charlotte-isms as of late. She seems to have forgotten about the word "mine" for now, which I'm grateful for. One less battle.
In other news, I'm continuing to grow and expand and appear that I might burst at any moment. I have a plan for a post on how to talk to a pregnant woman, so if any of you ladies out there had people make comments to you about your size, please share so that I may include those. It'll sort of be a "What to say/What not to say" list.
I'm hoping to get enough accomplished in Naomi's room this weekend that will be worthy of a picture, so hopefully I'll have that to share by Sunday!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Blog Slacker
Hi, I'm Brittany, and I'm a blog slacker.
Posted by Brittany @ The Rollins World at 8:27 AM 1 comments Links to this post
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Charlotte's New Word
We think she picked it up from a friend at church. Anyone know how to unteach a word?
Posted by Brittany @ The Rollins World at 4:21 PM 3 comments Links to this post
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Beautiful Fall Wedding
This past weekend, Jared and I made a quick trip up to Connecticut for another Rollins wedding! His cousin, Rebekah, the daughter of John & Ruth, married Rob, her sweet beau, in a beautiful fall wedding. And it was the for real kind of fall. Not the fake fall that we're used to down here in Florida (the kind where the high will be in the 70s for a few days before it's back up in the 90s). Any wedding up there at this time of year would be nice, simply because of the weather and the area. The temperatures were perfect with highs in the 60s and the scenery was just beautiful! The leaves were changing colors to the brightest reds, yellows, and oranges I've ever seen. And I've never been to the New England area so it was neat to see the older houses amongst the rolling hills (in Florida those would be considered mountains:), and the quaint little towns with so much character. We were trying to think of a town to compare the area to, but there's just nothing around here that's really the same. Imagine something with the charm and history of a Savannah, Charlotte, Charleston, or St. Augustine, but throw in the postcard version of autumn, and subtract the humidity. Add in lots of quaintness (Jared was so sick of hearing me say the word "quaint" by the end of the weekend), and you've got yourself the Hartford, CT and surrounding small town areas.
Downtown Hartford
"I guess this road is a little bit nicer drive than Hwy 301." --Jared. Understatement of the year.
Where we got some snacks for Saturday night... the inside was not as quaint as the outside. It had the feel of an Asian grocery store :/
The chapel... like something from a postcard
The bride and her father
I love the back of her dress!
The best shot I have of the bride and groom's faces. You know how they say after many years, couples start to look alike? Well, they've started that early in their marriage because their features are so similar. They are the cutest and sweetest couple ever!
The lake at the park where they had the reception. They had their first dance out on the dock. The picture really does not do the colors of the leaves justice!
Our rental car, a Chevy Aveo. According to Jared, "the most powerful go-cart I've ever driven." Lucky for me, I'm still under the age for being able to drive without having to pay an outlandish fee, so whenever we travel and need to rent a car, Jared is stuck driving.
With all of my raving over CT, I must also say that I realize the picture-perfectness lasts for about a month out of the year. I heard that it's supposed to snow there in two weeks... living in that would be fun for the first day. After that, get me back to Florida!
Posted by Brittany @ The Rollins World at 8:53 PM 1 comments Links to this post
Posted by Brittany @ The Rollins World at 1:42 PM 3 comments Links to this post
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Sneak Peek!
Here's a little sneak peek at what I've been working on for the past couple days. I call it a "sneak peek" but it's really a "this is all that's finished peek".
It's the crib bumper for Naomi's room! Yesterday afternoon I was able to get the material cut and most of the ties completed. I finished them up this morning, along with the piping for the top (the first time I've ever done this-- not as complicated as I expected it to be), and this afternoon I pieced, pinned, and sewed the one side of the bumper shown. As with most of my sewing projects, it started out slow, but the pace should pick up a little as I figure things out and get into a rhythm.
I'm copying the look of some bumpers I've seen online, but am doing it without a pattern so I'm sort of learning as I go. It will be far from perfect but I'm pleased with how the first quarter of the project has turned out. I love all things toile and am excited to finally have it somewhere in our house! The interior of the bumper is a soft ivory minky fabric. The theme of the room is going to be the "Fruits of the Spirit". I'll do some sort of painting with fruit on it and frame some of the fruits listed in Galatians 5. That's the plan anyways. What we don't yet have a plan for is the color of the walls. Right now they're the awful builder beige. Any and all suggestions are appreciated! Should we add a chair rail? One color on the bottom, a different on top? What do you think?
Posted by Brittany @ The Rollins World at 7:55 PM 4 comments Links to this post
Monday, October 5, 2009
Celebrating Naomi
This past Saturday, my best friend, Shannon, threw a baby shower for me and Naomi at her mom's (Mrs. Nancy) house in Keystone! It was a sweet time with family and close friends who I don't get to see often enough from our old church. Naomi racked up with some adorable outfits, lots of diapers, and some cute baby accessories, including some of the cutest homemade burp cloths you've ever seen (thanks to Mrs. Martha, Shannon's grandmother)!
Shannon and Mrs. Nancy planned a great shower for Charlotte two years ago, but unfortunately we weren't able to make it. Charlotte decided to make her appearance into this world three weeks early so the Sunday morning she was born, Shannon was spreading word to all the ladies in the church that the shower was cancelled on account of me being in labor :)
I know some people think it's tacky to have a baby shower for any child that's not the first, but a friend of mine made a good point to me: Every child deserves to be celebrated! That doesn't mean that I think every child needs a baby shower and I am in no way asking for one for any and all future children of ours, but every child is a gift from God. Every birth should be anxiously anticipated and recognized for the special blessing it is. That's my two cents. **Steps off soap box**
Here's the one decent photo of me from my camera that I approve for blog publication. Apparently, I cannot make an "aww" face without looking like I am trying to pass gas.
But the fun didn't end when the shower ended. Oh no, that would be too easy. When I went to pull the van around to load up all the gifts, I realized it was driving a little funny. I guess it does that when you have a flat tire. It took six of us ladies who were still there, but we managed to get the tire changed (thankfully I had a spare)! Most of the work was actually done by Lacey, the daughter of a friend of the family's. The youngest of us all. She's still in high school and totally whooped us all in the tire-changing department. I'm very grateful the tire went flat when it did and not while I was driving. It was in bad shape- threads sticking out and all. If I had been driving, I'm sure it would have blown rather than just go flat and I can only imagine the damage that could have been done. But God was looking out for me and I was able to get to Tire Kingdom in Middleburg and get four new tires. And a new brake line. And a new something else. I think the guy also said something about taking care of the unicorns jumping around in the engine. Half a million dollars and about three hours later, I was finally headed home!
Posted by Brittany @ The Rollins World at 9:10 PM 1 comments Links to this post