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2020 | Announcement | History | News
Independent Venue Week 20 – Done but not Dusted
Photography by Jamie MacMillan ©
WHAT A WEEK – #IVW20 was our biggest ever thanks to everyone who took part.
Whether you bought tickets to a gig, ran a night, played on stage, crewed for a band or venue, were one of our important partners, broadcast news and interviews of the hundreds of gigs or tens of thousands of people who filled rooms around the country or opened your doors as a venue, YOU made it happen.
We thank you all.
So much hard work from so many people to make so many great nights out – and hopefully some incredible memories.
We're still buzzing. Exhilarated but exhausted. We'll be posting pictures from across the week on our socials over the coming weeks so we can all remind ourselves just how epic a week it's been.
And what a week for so much great news supporting so many well-loved venues around the country. From rates reductions to further support from Arts Council England and Wales – further details below.
With 230 venues taking part this year, it was heart-warming to have so many join that we've never worked with before.
An enormous thank you to our wonderful Ambassador this year, the incredible Anna Calvi who blew the roof off of the Windmill in Brixton twice – no less- on Friday and has spoken so beautifully about why spaces like this, and grassroots venues as a whole, are so important to the community as well as the development of artists.
Photography by Victoria Wai ©
Another big thank you goes to BBC Sounds, Steve Lamacq and his team at BBC 6 Music who went on the Homecoming Tour across the country in their tour bus which tripled up as a studio/office/accommodation, visiting the cities and hometowns that mean so much to the incredible artists we had playing.
On Monday they visited The Cluny in Newcastle, to see the immense Nadine Shah, in Tuesday the team drove to The Leadmill in Sheffield for the wonderful Self Esteem. They were on to Cardiff at Clwb Ifor Bach on the Wednesday for Gruff Rhys, Thursday they were at the Exeter Cavern for Frank Turner and they finished off their week in Brixton for Anna Calvi.
Steve spoke to venues owners and operators, artists, promoters and fans about the music scene in their area – you can listen back to it all here.
Each year gig-goers, agents, promoters and venue crew come together to celebrate the incredible work these places do, day in, day out. However, this week and this year was particularly special. We really feel that there is a shift happening, slowly governments and councils are understanding the important work venues do, the communities they build and how vital they are as spaces for people to get together in.
The effect of this realisation has meant the renewal of the £1.5 million fund from Arts Council England for grassroots venues and promoters to access, providing them with a chance to improve accessibility in the space, introduce younger audiences to the venue, or upgrade their equipment. The lovely lot at Arts Council England are eager to help those who want to apply so if you're a venue or promoter, get in touch with them and access this valuable resource.
Joe Bailey, The Smokehouse, Ipswich talking to the BBC about the SGLM ACE fund
Creative Wales have launched a very similar fund for those venues across the border. Not only are they keen to help people apply to the fund, but they have streamlined and shortened the application process, and want to hear back on how they can improve their system.
Similarly, there has been huge, positive news on business rates for independent venues. Those with a rateable value of £51,000 of less will be able to apply for a 50% decrease in rates saving them thousands each year. On another positive note, Westminster Council have developed this further and have become the first council in the UK to award a venue, the 100 Club, 100% Localism Relief and granted protected status.
Photography Darren Russell © – Jeff Horton, Owner of the 100 Club, speaking at the IVW Year 5 launch event Nov 17
This is incredible news and we all hope this sets in motion more venues around the country to be recognised in this way so they can continue the vital and brilliant work of supporting culture in their communities.. What a way to start the new year and celebrate #IVW20 and show appreciation of all of the incredible work these venues do.
Each year we are able to run Independent Venue Week because of the support we receive from our partners.
The most enormous thanks go to Arts Council England which continues to join us in celebrating the importance of independent venues, and the people that own and run them. They understand the idea that these places are not just for artists to play a show, but also crew to learn their craft as well as spaces used to develop work and foster a sense of community in the local area for people of all ages and backgrounds.
This celebration is shared by the lovely people at Arts Council Wales and Creative Scotland, who support the work we do in the nations. Their grant funding this year has enabled us to have national ambassadors, Huw Stephens in Wales and Vic Galloway in Scotland – a gigantic thank you to them too. Their local knowledge was invaluable to us and allowed us to introduce more activity in the area. An additional thank you to Huw for curating our first ever Welsh Language showcases at The Mash House, Edinburgh and The Jacaranda Club, Liverpool with Yur Ods headlining and Papur Wal as support. Another thank you, Vic, for DJing at Beat Generator Live! on the Saturday of IVW – killing it as always.
The support also comes from industry partners PRS for Music, PPL, Yamaha, HARMAN, Musicians Union and Hardwick & Morris. Some of that activity is continuing beyond just the week so keep an eye out for information on our socials and at your local venue.
The Fred Perry family invited a few lucky customers down to our shows across the UK. They are also keen to hear from anyone who had a great gig during IVW to submit a 250 word review along with photos to reviews@fredperry.com
The week was powered with help by the lovely folk at Yorkshire Tea. We started off each day with a proper brew before heading all across the UK to meet as many of the venues we work with as possible. Lots of Yorkshire Tea was delivered to all of our venues for the week and beyond along with the 2nd ever limited edition IVW tea towel.
We have also continued our work with the fabulous people at Stay Up Late, who work to support people who require additional help heading out to gigs.
If you've been following our social media channels, you'll know that one of our Year 5 Ambassadors, the Bristol legend Big Jeff has been on his first IVW tour too #BigJeffIVWTour. Starting the weekend before, Jeff has travelled the country meeting venue owners and operators in Leeds, Newcastle, Sheffield, Hebden Bridge, Nottingham, London, Leicester and Guildford. Jeff will be posting his very first Big Jeff's Blog on the IVW site later this month so sign up to our mailing list to be sure to hear first about when it's published.
Before then, however, Jeff launched a crowd funding campaign to help him get to SXSW so he could be part of our panel, Diversity In Live Music On & Off The Stage. Within a few days, he reached his target so he's beyond chuffed to be heading off to do his 2nd #BigJeffIVWTour all around Austin and share his experiences on his blog about that when he's back.
Our team of IVW National and Regional reps have worked unbelievably hard to help us work with different areas of the UK. They are on the ground when the four of us can't be and they help us work with people in different villages, towns and cities that have their own scene we might not know about. They have allowed us to grow and ensure we continue to be a national program with a very local feel. A massive thank you goes to: Aaron Douglas, Adrian Cooke, Chris Sherrington, Emily Marlow, Luke Hinton, Martin Moseley, Minty, Tam Coyle, Tor Byrnes, Whiskas – you've all been an absolute pleasure to work with.
Along a similar line, our network of IVW Venue Reps allow us to collect data that help us continue report back to Arts Council England and develop and improve what we do – a huge thank you for coming on board.
It really was a positive, magical and very special week, that brought people together. It's an incredible community of people all across the country that work hard to do what they do. Getting to know 230 of them has been an unforgettable experience, as always, and we're all so looking forward to working with them throughout the year as well as for #IVW21.
Thank you again to everyone who helped make Independent Venue Week happen, and to everyone who went out in support.
The week may be over but all of these venues are back doing what they do every week of the year. So, get yourself out and discover some new music and support a local business.
See you down the front at more gigs very soon.
Sybil, Colin, Charlie, Ruby
Post Tags:	##BigJeffIVWTour#Anna Calvi#arts council england#BBC6 Music#Big Jeff#IVW20#Steve Lamacq
'I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for independent venues' – Anna Calvi exclusive
Arts Council England Confirmation
Here at IVW HQ we've received some great news that we wanted to share with you all. We are beyond thrilled, a little relieved and so, so grateful to have been successfully awarded our Arts Council England grant. Independent Venue Week was set up to and continues to support independent venues and those that learn…
#IVWTake5 Ailbhe Reddy chats with Romeo Stodart (The Magic Numbers)
#IVWTake5 sees two people sharing their thoughts and experiences of their life in music from early gig going in venues, shows they've loved, venues that mean a great deal to them and more widely how music has been such a positive influence in their lives. This eleventh edition features last week's guest singer-songwriter Ailbhe Reddy…
Independents Day 2020 Full Program Announcement
Full Program Announced for Second Independents Day, in partnership with HARMAN Wednesday 29th – Thursday 30th July 20 You can download the full program for the two days here. You can view all panels and sessions live and direct from the Watch Live page here on our website or on our Facebook page Our stakeholder event, Independents Day, is…
#TheBigJeffChat – Nadine Shah
Welcome to the sixth Big Jeff Chat, which we'll be hosting here and on our YouTube channel every Thursday at 5pm GMT. This week Jeff was joined by singer-songwriter Nadine Shah ahead of the release of her new album Kitchen Sink. She and Jeff had a right laugh and Jeff's mum even made a cameo…


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I wish I could write and talk like the world's smartest lesbian. Camille Paglia's take on Noam Chomsky, and on Bush's role in his increasing popularity (courtesy Droog):
Chomsky's hatred of the United States is pathological -- stemming from some bilious [problems] with father figures that are too fetid to explore. But Chomsky's toxic view of American imperialism and interventionism is like the playbook of the rigid foreign policy of the Bush administration. So, thanks very much, George Bush, you've managed to rocket Noam Chomsky to the top of the bestseller list!
Points off, Camille, for saying "boldfaced lie" instead of "baldfaced" in a different part of that interview. But otherwise, I love you and I think you've got a point. The current administration has long suffered from, among other things, a major PR problem.

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Our BA (Hons) Dance course is run in partnership with staff at Déda and offers our dance students an amazing learning experience. You will work in Déda's professionally equipped studios and you will be taught by dance artists and producers working in the industry.
Déda has recently expanded its facilities in Derby city centre and gained a new state-of-the-art studio and production space. This means Déda can now host large-scale dance productions by in-house groups and national visiting companies.


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Wilson Rawls
Wilson Rawls grew up on a small farm in the Ozark Mountains of Oklahoma. There were no schools where he lived so his mother taught Rawls and his sisters how to read and write. He says that reading the book The Call of the Wild changed his life and gave him the notion that he would like to grow up to write a book like it. He shared his dream with his father, and his father gave him the encouraging advice, "Son, a man can do anything he sets out to do, if he doesn't give up." Rawls never forgot his father's words, and went on to create two novels about his boyhood that have become modern classics.
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A beloved classic that captures the powerful bond between man and man's best friend. Billy has long dreamt of owning not one, but two, dogs. So when he's finally able to save up enough money for two pups to call his own—Old Dan ...[SEE MORE]


Need a credit card processing solution for D365? What you used in Microsoft Dynamics AX is probably not what you want for Microsoft D365 F&O. That's because most payment gateways are horribly outdated with current payment processing requirements. Aside from PCI compliance, equally critical is compliance with the card network rules.
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While there is not a specific certification that is critical, it helps to have some type of certification vs just experience. The PCI Council offers a few different options, all of which are expensive which is why most people won't bother getting them. However, because level 4 merchants are required to use only PCI QIR certified individuals, the PCI Council has lowered the cost (as well as the complexity, but that's another story) to increase the number certified.
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The Christine Speedy difference. PCI compliance is important to mitigate data breach risk, but equally important is compliance with complicated card network rules. Have you read any of the 1,000+ pages of Visa Rules? Or 300+ Mastercard transaction processing rules? Have any of the people you rely on? I've spent countless hours educating myself on them and learning about the nuances that impact your profit and risk. Technology directly impacts compliance. It doesn't matter how big or how old a company is; the reality is most players in the payments industry fall behind with every new rule that comes out, even though these rules are usually announced years in advance so that they can prepare. Call 954-942-0483, 9-5 ET for expert advice about all things payments.
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Hello everyone, i have followed everything from above and it works perfectly but now my LED's have stopped flashing up anymore? what can i do about this? have i hit the wrong button some where??
Grimescene wrote: Hello everyone, i have followed everything from above and it works perfectly but now my LED's have stopped flashing up anymore? what can i do about this? have i hit the wrong button some where??
Register your license 1st and then we go from there.
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It is up to you if you want to register. However, at least from me you won't get support for your questions and problems until you register.
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The most successful poets share much in common with the best chefs; the latters' knowledge of the finest products supplemented by a talent that adds the individual flavours of spices, herbs and sundry ingredients in just the right amounts at just the right moment produces the unique, mouth-watering experiences capable of delighting and inspiring those who savour the result. The 'knowledge' is gleaned from experience and requires hard work; the 'talent' is a gift granted only to very few.
In these respects Heaney is a craftsman pursuing a similar goal. In Wintering Out he is the 'master-chef'.
Translating ideas, notions, themes, that 'something' from the inner recess of the mind, into words involves first selection: words and phrases, the 'mot juste' and so on, then the weaving of these lexical items into the fabric of the piece. This weaving process is a means to multiple ends: flow, sound, rhythm, echo, emphasis and so on; part of the 'tradecraft' is drafting and redrafting text to achieve maximum impact in the finished product.
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A 20-year-old man, who allegedly stole several items from a bar, including the cash register, has been remanded to Dodds for the next 28 days.
Selwyn Richard Maurice Maynard, of no fixed place of abode, is accused of entering Niki's Hide Out and Bar as a trespasser sometime between January 31 and February 1 and stealing 44 bottles of alcohol, four bottles of wine, nine cases of beer, six cases of soft drinks, 24 bottles of energy drinks, a television, a bag, a cable and a cash register totaling $4,221 belonging to Jared Layne.
However, when he appeared before Magistrate Douglas Frederick he denied the theft offence, while admitting to having a small quantity of cannabis in his possession when he was taken into police custody.
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"I live with my mother in Brittons Hill," Maynard said, but given the two different versions of his living arrangements from his parents, he was remanded until March 8.


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Previewing the Coyotes-Avalanche Matchup
August 12, 2020 by Louis Pannone
On Friday afternoon, the Arizona Coyotes finished off the Nashville Predators in the Stanley Cup qualifiers, winning Game 4 in overtime on a Brad Richardson goal that clinched the franchise's first playoff appearance since the 2011-12 season.
The eight-year drought is over. The 'Yotes are officially back in the postseason.
Their reward for getting over the hump and beating the Predators? A matchup against the Colorado Avalanche, who were on pace for 108 points in the regular season and finished as the West's second-best team. It'll all get started on Wednesday afternoon, so, without further ado, let's take a look back at the season series between these teams, as well as where the clubs stand at each position group:
Season Series Recap
During the 2019-20 season, the 'Yotes finished 11th in the Western Conference and fifth in the Pacific Division with a 33-29-8 record, which was good for 74 points. They also ended the year with a plus-eight goal differential, with 195 goals for and 187 against. In the playoffs, they're 3-1 with 14 goals for and 11 goals against.
When it comes to the Avs, they essentially were locked in a tie with the St. Louis Blues for the best record in both the Western Conference and the Central Division when play was paused on March 12, at which time Colorado trailed the Blues by two points but had a game in hand. They ultimately wrapped up the season with 92 points (42-20-8) and a plus-46 goal differential (237 for, 191 against). In round-robin play, they went 2-0-1 with nine goals for and five against.
Rick Tocchet, Arizona Coyotes (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
Over the course of the 2019-20 regular season, these clubs met twice, with the home team winning on both occasions. In the first meeting way back on Oct. 12, the Avalanche picked up an overtime win in both teams' fourth game of the season. Antti Raanta made 29 saves on 32 shots in that one, and the Coyotes forced overtime after trailing 2-0 in the third period on goals from Michael Grabner and Nick Schmaltz. They were unable to complete the comeback, though, as Andre Burakovsky scored in overtime to help Colorado stay undefeated at 4-0-0.
Three weeks later, the two teams were at it again at Gila River Arena in Glendale on Nov. 2. Darcy Kuemper started that one and was the story of the game, as he stopped all 33 shots he faced to deal Colorado the first of just two shutout losses they'd suffer all season. Christian Dvorak, Conor Garland, and Phil Kessel scored that night to provide the offense in a 3-0 Arizona victory.
The third and final meeting between these teams, scheduled for March 31 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, was canceled.
One doesn't even have to look at the statsheet to know that Colorado will have a huge advantage at the offensive end of the ice in this series. Led by the top line of captain Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon, and Mikko Rantanen, the Avs were one of the league's most dangerous offensive teams this season, finishing fourth in the NHL in goals per game at 3.37.
Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)
Rantanen and Landeskog both missed time due to injury but still had solid regular seasons, posting 0.98 and 0.88 points per game (P/GP), respectively. MacKinnon played 69 of 70 games and collected 93 points in the process to finish fifth in the league in scoring. The Nova Scotian also posted his third consecutive 90-point effort in 2019-20, joining Connor McDavid as the only other NHLers to do so.
Behind the top line, the Avalanche boast Andre Burakovsky, Nazem Kadri, J.T. Compher, Joonas Donskoi, and others further down the lineup. Because of the injuries to Landeskog and Rantanen, Burakovsky actually finished as Colorado's second-highest scoring forward, with 45 points. Kadri also had a solid season in his first year in Colorado, collecting 36 points in 51 games.
The Coyotes are at a clear disadvantage here, but they managed to score 14 goals (3.50 per game) in their qualifying-round series after averaging just 2.71 goals per game in the regular season. Midseason acquisition Taylor Hall led the charge for Arizona, posting four points and leading the forward group with 19:38 of ice-time per game. The 'Yotes brought in Hall because of his difference-making abilities and, so far, he hasn't disappointed.
Taylor Hall, Arizona Coyotes (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Speaking of difference-makers, in our preview of the Nashville series, I wrote that the Coyotes, who, on paper, were weaker than the Predators on the offensive end of the ice, potentially could swing the advantage back in their favor if Phil Kessel was able to rebound after a rough regular season.
Well, it looks like "Phil the Thrill" is back – he collected four points against Nashville while also firing 10 shots on net, tying for the team lead in both categories. It's unlikely that the Coyotes would have advanced past the qualifiers without his production, and he'll need to continue to produce going forward.
Phil Kessel, Arizona Coyotes (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)
Aside from Kessel's resurgence, Arizona also got unexpected contributions from Michael Grabner, Derek Stepan, and Brad Richardson, who scored the clincher in Game 4 while winning 58.8 percent of his faceoffs in the series. Clayton Keller was also a factor, collecting four points in the qualifiers after a relatively down regular season.
Scoring was a problem all season for the Coyotes, but, despite the small sample size, it looks like things may be moving in the right direction for both the top- and bottom-six forward groups. Still, with all that said, it's clear that Colorado will be the better offensive team in this series. Their top line is going to get on the scoreboard – that's a given. The Coyotes will need to counter with contributions from their own top guys while keeping the Avs' bottom-six off of the scoreboard to have a chance here.
Advantage: Colorado
As was the case in the Nashville series with Roman Josi, the opposition will have the best defenseman on the ice here. Colorado's rookie standout Cale Makar likely would have been a Norris Trophy candidate this season had he not missed 13 games due to injury, as he posted 50 points in 57 contests. His 0.88 P/GP was the third-best in the league and was better than guys like Victor Hedman, Dougie Hamilton, and Erik Karlsson. It's pretty apparent that he's on his way to superstardom in the NHL.
Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)
Behind Makar, the Avalanche boast solid depth in Sam Girard, Ryan Graves, Erik Johnson, Ian Cole, and Nikita Zadorov, with Mark Barberio on the bench as the seventh defenseman. Girard, like Makar, is one of the NHL's best young defensemen. The 22-year-old, who posted 34 points in 2019-20, already has three full NHL seasons under his belt and has steadily improved in each of them. Graves, meanwhile, led the NHL in plus/minus this season and was on the ice for just 37 even-strength goals against. Every regular Colorado D-man had a positive plus/minus this season, even Barberio, who played just 21 games.
For Arizona, they're led on defense by a resurgent Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who, after a below-average regular season, was a dominant player against Nashville. The captain recorded four points and a plus-three rating while playing 22:58 per game in the Coyotes' four-game victory over the Predators. "OEL" has always been capable of being a top defenseman in the NHL, but since his back-to-back 20-goal seasons in 2014-15 and 2015-16, he hasn't showcased those abilities very often. It looks like that has changed in the playoffs, though.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Arizona Coyotes (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)
Ekman-Larsson is backed up on the top pair by veteran Alex Goligoski, while Jakob Chychrun, Jason Demers, Jordan Oesterle, and three-time Stanley Cup champion Niklas Hjalmarsson round out the second and third pairings. Oesterle's play in the qualifiers was a nice surprise – he receives the least amount of ice time of any of the six defensemen, but he scored a huge go-ahead goal in the third period of Game 4 and added an assist as well.
As was the case against Nashville, the Coyotes are weaker defensively on paper when compared to the Avs. Despite the talent deficiency, the 'Yotes were able to succeed against the Predators because of their superior depth and proficiency in their own zone, but they will have no such luck against Colorado. The Avs allowed just four more goals than the Coyotes over the course of the 2019-20 season and they boast a well-rounded, balanced defense corps, with one of the NHL's best young stars in Makar leading the way.
In net, Pavel Francouz and Philipp Grubauer split the goaltending duties during the regular season for the Avalanche, and it looks like they may do so in the playoffs as well. Both men appeared in the Western Conference round-robin – Francouz shut out the Dallas Stars, while Grubauer went 1-0-1 against the Vegas Golden Knights and St. Louis Blues, allowing 53 goals on 58 shots over 122 minutes of play.
In the regular season, Grubauer started 36 games to Francouz's 31, but his counterpart had him beat when it came to save percentage and goals against average. Francouz posted a .923 SV% and a 2.41 GAA, while Grubauer finished with a .916 SV% and a 2.63 GAA.
Philipp Grubauer, Colorado Avalanche (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
It's anyone's guess as to who will start for Colorado in Game 1, but Grubauer has the most experience of the pair, with 174 regular-season contests and 18 playoff games under his belt. On the other hand, Francouz has appeared in just 36 NHL contests, but boasts better numbers. We'll have to see if head coach Jared Bednar chooses the veteran Grubauer, or the promising but inexperienced Francouz.
For Arizona's Rick Tocchet, there will be no such decisions to be made. The Coyotes will ride Darcy Kuemper as far as he takes them. The 30-year-old was the Vezina Trophy frontrunner before going down with an injury in December, and, in the playoffs, it looks as if he's picked up right where he left. Despite facing an average of 40.8 shots per game, Kuemper carried the Coyotes to a series victory in the qualifiers with a .933 SV% and 2.77 GAA.
Darcy Kuemper, Arizona Coyotes (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)
Backing up Kuemper are Antti Raanta and Adin Hill. Raanta was deemed unfit to play in the Nashville series after taking a puck to the head during warmups of Game 2 on Aug. 4, and it looks like he won't be ready to return to action as the backup in Game 1 against Colorado. If that's indeed the case, Hill will continue as the backup netminder.
There's no reason to assume either of them will get a start in this series, though – it's Kuemper's net until further notice. He arguably is the hottest goaltender in the Western Conference right now, so there's no way he's coming out of the lineup. The 'Yotes probably shouldn't count on their goaltender to make 40 (or 50) saves per game, but Kuemper has proved he's up to the task.
They say goaltending is the great equalizer in hockey, and the Coyotes will have the best goalie on the ice in this one. Kuemper gives Arizona a chance against any team they play against.
Advantage: Arizona
Despite all of the offensive talent present on the ice at any given time, the Avalanche didn't have a great power-play unit in 2019-20. They actually finished behind Arizona in this area, scoring on 19.1 percent of their opportunities, good for 19th in the league. The Coyotes had the 18th-best power-play unit, at 19.2 percent. It would behoove Rick Tocchet's group to not give MacKinnon, Landeskog, and Rantanen extra time on ice together, so they'll need to stay out of the box as much as possible, but we'll chalk the power-play units up as a draw.
When considering the penalty-kill units, Arizona holds an advantage over Colorado. The 'Yotes had the fifth-best PK in the league this year, at 82.7 percent. In 2018-19, they led the league in this area, so Arizona has a proven penalty-kill system at the moment. For Colorado, they finished at 81.4 percent, which was 13th-best in the NHL.
Michael Grabner, Arizona Coyotes (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)
Both teams are adept at scoring shorthanded goals – over the past two seasons, the 'Yotes have the second-most "shorties" with 21, while Colorado has the ninth-most with 17. Michael Grabner already has a shorthanded goal for Arizona in these playoffs, so the Avalanche cannot afford to be careless with the puck when he's on the ice killing penalties.
With these teams being relatively even on the power play, we'll give the Coyotes the edge here because of their advantage on the PK.
Overall, this series is shaping up to be a tough one for the Coyotes. They were able to get by against Nashville by using a physical style of play to slow down the Preds' top offensive weapons, but the group of MacKinnon, Landeskog, Rantanen, Burakovsky, Kadri, and Makar will be significantly more difficult to overcome. Arizona will have to once again rely upon their veteran group of defensemen and a Vezina-worthy goaltender in order to have a chance against an Avalanche team that looks every bit the part of a serious Stanley Cup contender.
Series Schedule (all times MST)
Game 1: Wednesday, Aug. 12 – 2:30 P.M.
Game 2: Friday, Aug. 14 – 11:00 A.M.
Game 3: Saturday, Aug. 15 – 12:00 P.M.
Game 4: Monday, August 17 – 2:30 P.M.
Game 5: Wednesday, Aug. 19 – TBD*
Game 6: Friday, Aug. 21 – TBD*
Game 7: Sunday, Aug. 23 – TBD*
*if necessary
Louis Pannone
A lifelong Phoenix resident, Louis has been following hockey since 2010, has covered the Arizona Coyotes since 2015, and has been playing hockey since 2020. So far, Louis has visited eight NHL cities, and one of his personal goals is to eventually make it to all 31 NHL arenas. For any questions or concerns, contact the writer via Twitter @LouisPannone.
Categories Arizona Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche Tags 2020 NHL Playoffs, Darcy Kuemper, Nathan MacKinnon, Taylor Hall
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Refugees Say Neighbor Shoots Neighbor in Syrian Crackdown - Anne Barnard (New York Times)
Sunni Muslims who have fled Syria described a government crackdown that is more pervasive and more sectarian than previously understood.
Syrian Sunni refugees living in the Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon said they saw the military give out rifles to residents of neighboring Alawite villages and that their neighbors then opened fire on them.
The refugees' firsthand accounts painted a picture of a section of western Syria that is more thoroughly under siege - and perhaps more widely in revolt - than has previously been depicted.
Assad Seems to Mimic Iranian Strategy for Survival - Rick Gladstone (New York Times)
With his country unraveling in what looks like a sectarian civil war, President Assad of Syria has been projecting himself as a confident and popular leader on the verge of victory, possibly, analysts said, borrowing lessons drawn from his only remaining regional ally, Iran, on how to resist outside pressure in a crisis.
French Police Detain 19 in Crackdown on Islamist Extremists, Seize Weapons (AP-Washington Post)
Police have detained 19 people in a crackdown on Islamist extremists in cities around France on Friday and more such raids are planned, French president Nicolas Sarkozy said.
Making a Federal Case Out of Jerusalem - Rick Richman (Commentary)
The State Department spokesperson was tortured with a series of questions Wednesday about whether Jerusalem is part of Israel.
Obviously acting on instructions to say only that Jerusalem is an issue to be resolved by negotiations, she gave the same answer to the question, "What is the capital of Israel?"
The reporter might have referenced the State Department website, which identifies Israel's capital as Jerusalem (and says Israel's area is 20,330 square km., "including Jerusalem"); or the CIA website, which says the same thing; or the Department of Defense website, which is replete with references including a picture of Secretary Gates and Prime Minister Netanyahu "during a working lunch meeting in Jerusalem, Israel."
This all could have been avoided if the White House had ended the charade about the city that has been Israel's capital since 1950; and stopped fighting a nine-year-old boy's passport designation in the Supreme Court.
Palestinian Prisoner Ends Hunger Strike (CNN)
Hana Shalabi, a Palestinian woman held by Israel for terrorist activity, ended her 44-day hunger strike Thursday after agreeing to be deported to Gaza, her lawyer said.
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Sweden: Defense Minister Quits over Saudi Weapons Deal (Euronews)
After weeks of intense pressure, Sten Tolgfors has quit as Sweden's defense minister over reports the Nordic state planned to help Saudi Arabia build a weapons factory.
A public radio station initially published plans for a state-run defense agency known as FOI to help Saudi Arabia.
Agreements were struck with Saudi Arabia in 2005 and renewed in 2010.
Jordan Group Translates Babylonian Talmud to Arabic - Jeremy Sharon (Jerusalem Post)
A think tank on Middle East affairs in Jordan has for the first time published a translation of the Babylonian Talmud in Arabic.
The Middle East Studies Center based in Amman produced the 20-volume work, which took six years to complete and is the labor of 95 translators, language experts and editors. The center's director, Jawad Ahmad, would not speak with the Israeli press about the project.
Dr. Mordechai Kedar, director of the Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies at Bar-Ilan University, said the Talmud is usually portrayed very negatively in the Muslim and Arab world. "I doubt this new translation was done out of the goodness of their heart."
"Israel is a puzzle for the Muslim world," Kedar said. "They don't understand how this can work; it looks like some kind of satanic enterprise to them when most Arab states are more or less failures, so they want to understand the cultural and religious roots of their enemy, to maybe solve this puzzle one day and perhaps in the end defeat Israel."
Don't We Have Anything Better to Do than Bash the Jews? - Abdul Haleem Abdul Rahiman (Malaysian Insider)
Opposition MPs are preparing to table a motion in Parliament to propose that Malaysia end all direct and indirect dealings with the Jewish state. But we have no diplomatic ties with Israel.
I bet at least 50% of the Malaysian population have never met a single Jew in their whole life. None of them is interfering with our daily life.
Enlighten me please. On what basis do we hate them so much? Why are we not standing up for our "brothers and sisters" in Iran?
See also Trading in Populism Instead of Common Sense - Farish A. Noor (Malaysian Insider)
With Malaysian elections around the corner, some opposition MPs intend to table a motion to ban the use of Malaysian ports "by any company that has a trade interest with the Zionist regime."
Pray tell, how many companies or countries do not have trade relations with Israel? Practically every major economy that Malaysia trades with - the U.S., Japan, China, India, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, the UK, Germany, France - trades with Israel.
The writer is a senior fellow at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
See also Malaysia Denies Supplying Palm Oil to Israel - Patrick Lee (FMT-Malaysia)
Israeli Woman Is Europe's Top Young Researcher - Judy Siegel-Itzkovich (Jerusalem Post)
Multinational cosmetics firm L'Oreal and UNESCO have named Weizmann Institute biologist Dr. Naama Geva-Zatorsky as "Europe's top young researcher" for her work in researching probiotics (beneficial bacteria) to treat disease.
Her work aims at using "good bacteria" to treat diseases from gastroenterological disorders and diabetes to immune disorders and cancer.
25 Microsoft Top Execs to Visit Israel (Globes-McClatchy-InfoTech)
25 senior executives from Microsoft will visit Israel in April to participate in two conferences organized by Microsoft Israel Ltd. and its R&D Center.
On April 22, at the Think Next Conference in Tel Aviv, 20 Israeli start-ups and 20 new technologies from Microsoft's R&D Centers in Israel and other countries will be presented.
The next day, at the Be Next Conference for the business sector, Microsoft Israel will unveil new enterprise products.
The company expects 4,000 technology people, including entrepreneurs, developers, investors, IT experts, and CIOs to attend the conferences.
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Did U.S. Just Torpedo Israeli Deal for a Base in Azerbaijan? - Brad Knickerbocker
This week a widely cited report claimed that Israel is developing a "secret staging ground" in Iran's neighbor to the north - Azerbaijan - for a possible attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. Quoting unnamed senior U.S. diplomats and military intelligence officials, a lengthy article in Foreign Policy magazine asserts that "Israel has recently been granted access to airbases on Iran's northern border." "The Israelis have bought an airfield," a senior administration official is quoted as saying, "and the airfield is called Azerbaijan."
"We're watching what Iran does closely," said one U.S. intelligence source. "But we're now watching what Israel is doing in Azerbaijan. And we're not happy about it." (Christian Science Monitor)
See also Azerbaijan Denies Israel Airfield Rumor - K. Zarbaliyeva
The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry has denied a report in Foreign Policy magazine that Azerbaijan has allegedly provided Israel with an airfield near the border with Iran, a spokesman for the Defense Ministry, Teymur Abdullayev, said Thursday. Earlier, Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Social and Political Department Chief Ali Hasanov said Azerbaijan's territory will never be used for any actions against Iran. (Trend-Azerbaijan)
See also below Commentary: Israel vs. Iran - The Azerbaijan Incident
Hard Line on Iran Places White House in a Bind - Mark Landler, Thom Shanker and Helene Cooper
As American and European diplomats prepare for crucial negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program, the White House finds itself caught in a bind: for the diplomatic effort to work, American officials say, the Iranian government must believe that President Obama is ready and willing to take military action. Yet tough talk, necessary as it might be for successful diplomacy, contributes to a sense that war may be unavoidable.
"For diplomacy to work there has to be a coercive side," said Dennis Ross, a former senior official at the National Security Council who handled Iran policy. "If the Iranians think this is a bluff, you can't be as effective. The message to the Iranians is: you've got an option." (New York Times)
Israeli Troops on Alert for Land Day Protests
Israel has tightened security along its borders in anticipation of a series of planned demonstrations Friday by Palestinians and their supporters. (BBC News)
PLO, Hamas Urge Participation in Land Day Protest - Khaled Abu Toameh
The PLO and Hamas urged Palestinians Thursday to participate in mass protests marking Land Day on Friday. Pro-Palestinian supporters are also planning marches Friday from neighboring Arab countries to the borders with Israel as part of a solidarity event called "Global March to Jerusalem." Mahmoud Aloul, a senior Fatah official, said that most of the protests in the West Bank would take place at the main entrances to Jerusalem. He voiced hope that tens of thousands of Palestinians would participate. (Jerusalem Post)
Defense Official: Hamas Behind Attacks on Israel - Amos Harel
Hamas is continuing to direct terrorist activity at Israeli targets through various means, despite its public declarations that it is committed to maintaining calm. Israeli intelligence sources acknowledged, however, that Hamas currently wishes to maintain a low profile in an effort not to anger the Egyptians and not be perceived as violating the current cease-fire.
A senior Israeli defense official said Hamas "understands that this language [of violence] is currently less acceptable in the international arena....Attacks clearly committed by Hamas would not be compatible with the spirit of the times, and the group also doesn't want to give Israel a reason to send the IDF back into Gaza, but Hamas terror from Gaza is continuing all the time, especially - and openly - via Sinai."
The assessment in Israel is that Hamas and Islamic Jihad understand very well that the decision to fire Fajr missiles into Tel Aviv could come at the cost of another Israeli invasion of Gaza. (Ha'aretz)
Palestinian Who Stabbed IDF Soldier in Jerusalem Says He Was Inspired by Radical Arab Media - Aviad Glickman
The Jerusalem District Prosecution indicted Mohammed Shuman, 18, for the attempted murder of Israeli soldier Yehudit Aharon, 19, on Jerusalem's Light Rail in early March. Shuman - an avid viewer of Al-Jazeera, Al-Quds and Al-Manar TV stations - was frustrated by what he perceived as the unfair treatment of Palestinians and decided to kill the soldier. (Ynet News)
Israel vs. Iran - The Azerbaijan Incident
U.S. Leaking Information to Media to Thwart Israeli Strike on Iran - Ron Ben-Yishai
The U.S. Administration recently shifted into high gear in its efforts to avert an Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear facilities by the end of the year, as seen in the flood of reports in the American media in recent weeks. The most important American objective is to eliminate potential operational options available to the IDF and the State of Israel. It is blatantly clear that reports in the past week alone have caused Israel substantive diplomatic damage, and possibly even military and operational damage.
Another Administration objective is to convince the Israeli public that an Iran strike will not achieve even the minimum required to justify it. The report of only a six-month delay in Iran's nuclear program was meant for the Israeli public as the Americans try to prove the futility of a strike. The third objective of the recent publications is to scare the Israeli public via an apocalyptic account of possible retaliation by Iran and its "clients."
The American publications caused the following damage: Iran now has a decent picture of what Israel's and America's intelligence communities know about Tehran's nuclear program and defense establishment, including its aerial defenses. The Iranians now know about the indications that would be perceived by Washington and Jerusalem as a "nuclear breakthrough." Hence, Iran can do a better job of concealment.
Needless to say, this is not how one should be treating an ally, even by a superpower. The U.S. campaign also sharply contradicts President Obama's declaration at the AIPAC Conference, whereby he and the U.S. recognize Israel's sovereign right to defend itself by itself. One cannot utter these words and a moment later expose Israel's vulnerabilities and possible strike routes to its enemies.
There is a difference between legitimate persuasion efforts and practical steps to thwart Israeli plans and eliminate them. What we are seeing here is not a trickle of information, but rather, a powerful current, a true flood that leaves no doubt as to the existence of an orchestrated media campaign with clear aims. (Ynet News)
Bolton Accuses Administration of Leaking Story on Israeli Planning along Iran Border
Former U.S. diplomat John Bolton alleged Thursday that the Obama administration leaked a story about covert Israeli activity in order to foil potential plans by the country to attack Iran's nuclear program. An article in Foreign Policy quoted government sources claiming Israel had been granted access to airfields in Azerbaijan - along Iran's northern border. "I think this leak today is part of the administration's campaign against an Israeli attack," Bolton claimed on Fox News.
Bolton said tipping the Israelis' hand by revealing "very sensitive, very important information" could frustrate such a plan. "Clearly, this is an administration-orchestrated leak," he said. "This is not a rogue CIA guy saying I think I'll leak this out." "It's just unprecedented to reveal this kind of information about one of your own allies." (Fox News)
Israel and Azerbaijan: Unlikely Allies? - Phoebe Greenwood
A senior Israeli official suggests that Iran's outrage at Azerbaijan's burgeoning relationship with Israel may actually be pushing the unlikely allies closer together. "The more pressure applied by Iran, the more they unveil plots to carry out terror attacks on Azerbaijani embassies, the more they [Azeris] are co-operating with us," the official explained.
"Iran's fear that its considerable Azeri minority may have aspirations for independence is the current bed of its relations with Azerbaijan. As a result, Azerbaijan is very interested in firming up its relationship with Israel." More than 30% of the Iranian population are ethnic Azeris (including Ayatollah Khamenei). Last month Israel confirmed the sale of drones and anti-aircraft missile defense systems to the former Soviet state in a $1.6 billion arms deal. (Guardian-UK)
Diplomacy and Iran - Clifford D. May
When conducted between reasonable, peace-loving people, the "art and practice of conducting negotiations" can lead to compromise and the resolution of conflicts. But when dealing with despots, people who respect only power and see even mercy as weakness, there are no talking cures. A new round of diplomacy is scheduled to begin next month in Geneva. For there to be any small chance of success, Iran's rulers will need to feel pressured and vulnerable - they will need to take seriously the possibility that Americans and Israelis have rocks and are prepared to use them. The writer is president of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. (National Review)
Generational Change in the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps Quds Force: Brigadier General Iraj Masjedi - Ali Alfoneh
Though little is known in the U.S. about Brig.-Gen. Iraj Masjedi of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Quds Force (IRGC QF), he serves in an influential role as senior adviser to IRGC QF Commander Qassem Suleimani. Masjedi is part of an emerging group of leaders in Iran - Base Ramezan veterans from the 1980s Iran-Iraq war who formed bonds with Iraqi insurgents to enhance war tactics in the border region. Masjedi's career illuminates a cycle of generational change within the IRGC QF, and examining his background can help identify who else may rise to power in the IRGC QF. (Middle Eastern Outlook-AEI)
Assad's New Scam - Tariq Alhomayed
Russia wasted no time congratulating the Assad regime's acceptance of Kofi Annan's six-point proposal on Syria, while the Arab ministers taking part in the summit in Baghdad also seized the opportunity to welcome this step, while also rejecting foreign intervention. But Assad will not implement this plan. Indeed, it would be extremely difficult for Assad to execute this plan because it would result in his ouster. The legitimacy of dictatorial regimes is based on force and intimidation. They govern on the basis of divide and rule, not convergence or bringing people together around them.
Assad accepted this plan because he understood the message that Moscow was sending him when it stated that Annan's mission was his last chance; therefore, the drowning Assad grabbed the Russian life preserver to buy more time. (Arab News-Saudi Arabia)
The Annan Plan Will Bring More Violence - Michael Young
The Syrian regime has accepted the Annan proposal, and one can immediately see why. It ensures that Assad will remain in office to bargain with the opposition in the "Syrian-led process." In that way, Annan has effectively undermined an Arab League plan demanding that the Syrian president step down and surrender power to his first vice president. Annan's plan also buys the Syrian security services more time to suffocate the uprising, since it will take weeks to bring all the machinery in place.
We should have no illusions. Russia and China consider the Annan plan a formula for saving Bashar Assad, not getting rid of him. But Obama's focus is elsewhere. He prefers to subcontract Syria to regional states, even to the feckless Russians, so that he can pursue America's strategic reorientation away from the Middle East.
The Syrian opposition will refuse to deal with their killer; those who do so will be marginalized. There will be war, all because no one dares show Bashar Assad the exit. (Daily Star-Lebanon)
Will Annan Save Assad? - Aaron David Miller
Annan's plan won't end the crisis; it will make it worse. The plan is an ill-timed lifeline to a murderous regime that will exploit Mr. Annan's diplomacy to buy time, to reload and to divide the opposition and the international community. In the end, everyone except the Assad family will be weaker for having pursued it. Every element of the Annan plan is a trap. A cease-fire offers Assad's troops time and space to rest and plan.
But the greatest danger is the "political process," which offers Assad a get-out-of-jail-free card. It shifts the international community's focus from getting rid of him to seeing what he will give in the way of political reforms. We've seen this before many times since the Assads came to power. (New York Times)
See also Ousting Syria's Assad through a "Soft Landing" - David Ignatius (Washington Post)
See also Russia Stares Down the West on Syria - Vladimir Radyuhin (The Hindu-India)
Erdogan, Iran, Syrian Alawites, and Turkish Alevis - Stephen Schwartz
Erdogan has turned his frustrations over Syria against Turkey's heterodox Alevi religious community. Beginning last year, AKP leaders including Erdogan accused Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the Alevi leader of Erdogan's main political opponents, the secularist Republican People's party (CHP), of support for Assad, and alleged "sectarian solidarity" between Turkish Alevis and Syrian Alawites. Kilicdaroglu has been outspoken in his condemnation of Erdogan's alienation from Israel but has argued against military intervention in Syria.
Turkish and Kurdish Alevis have almost nothing in common with Syrian Alawites. The similarity of their names is misleading; Alevis and Alawites both honor Ali Ibn Abi Talib, the cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad and the fourth caliph to succeed the Muslim prophet.
The contrast between the Arabic-speaking Alawites and the Turkish-Kurdish Alevis could not be clearer to those who know the latter. Where the Alawites are esoteric, Alevism is an enthusiastically public faith. Its religious songs and texts are published and widely distributed. Alevi women not only are treated as equal to men, but take a leading role in Alevi rituals. (Weekly Standard)
The Palestinians' Confidence-Destroying Behavior - Editorial
Every now and then, at regular intervals, the Palestinian Authority (PA) has demanded tangible displays of "confidence-building measures" from Israel. Occasionally, the government of Israel complies. It releases Palestinian prisoners, decreases the number of roadblocks, or increases trade, commercial or other permits for Palestinian businessmen, entrepreneurs and merchants. But the reverse has never happened. The Palestinians have seldom, if ever, extended any confidence-building measures toward the people of Israel. In fact, the Palestinian leadership regularly does the opposite. It diminishes the level of confidence that the "ordinary" Israeli yearns to feel toward them.
Last week, we saw the latest dispiriting, confidence-destroying behavior. Following the precedent of the infamous Goldstone inquiry for which the PA clamored after Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza in 2008, the PA sought and obtained last Thursday from the UN Human Rights Council the establishment of an "independent international fact-finding mission to investigate the implications of the Israeli settlements on the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of the Palestinian people throughout the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem."
Like the discredited inquiry into Israel's conduct in the Gaza war, this latest UN inquiry of Israeli conduct will be a travesty to truth, a sick parody of real concern over human rights abuses around the world. As Israel's foreign ministry said: "Had the Palestinians wanted to solve the settlements issue, they would resume without delay a direct and unconditional negotiation on all core issues within the framework of a comprehensive agreement." (Canadian Jewish News)
Weekend Features
How Israel Referendum at Food Co-op Was Defeated - Zach Campbell
The Park Slope Food Co-op has been a politically minded institution since its formation in 1973. It has joined boycotts of products made by Coca Cola, Pepperidge Farm, Coors and Tropicana, as well as products from South Africa during apartheid and from Chile after the 1973 coup. Two local producers have also been boycotted for their alleged labor practices. But, according to Joe Holtz, the co-op's coordinator and one of its founders, "the Co-op has never really taken a position on any boycott that was at all controversial."
"We have held our co-op community together by only taking positions on boycotts that had overwhelmingly wide support," he continued. "This current proposal to join BDS [against Israel] does not have similar co-op-wide support." (Brooklyn Daily Eagle)
See also "Get Out the Vote" Effort Helps Win Battle at Food Co-op - Doug Chandler
Nearly 2,000 of the co-op's 16,000 members attended the store's monthly meeting Tuesday. One reason for the size of the crowd was the concerted effort mounted by a number of groups to boost the attendance of pro-Israel members of the co-op, said Hindy Poupko, director of Israel and international affairs at the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York. The groups distributed flyers, posters, e-mail blasts and postcards with the same message aimed at appealing to a progressive audience: "Say yes to a Jewish state. Yes to a Palestinian state. No to BDS."
Mayor Michael Bloomberg was asked Monday about his views. "I think it has nothing to do with the food," Bloomberg said. "The issue is there are people who want Israel to be torn apart and everybody to be massacred, and America is not going to let that happen." (New York Jewish Week)
New eBook: The "Al-Aksa is in Danger" Libel - Nadav Shragai
In 1929, Jerusalem mufti Haj Amin al-Husseini concocted the "Al-Aksa is in danger" libel to help build a Palestinian national identity. After 1967, Al-Aksa became a trademark and national symbol. The terror gangs of Fatah are called the Al-Aksa Brigades. The Second Intifada that erupted in 2000 was called the Al-Aksa Intifada.
This study by veteran Israeli journalist Nadav Shragai documents nearly a century of Arab violence against Jews in Israel triggered by the commonly believed myth that the Jews are seeking to destroy the Al-Aksa Mosque in Jerusalem. Shragai describes the leaders who used the libel to further their political careers, including its current champion, Raed Salah of the Islamic movement in Israel.
To refute the lie, Shragai takes us to all eight archeological digs in Jerusalem that were claimed to have endangered the mosque - where in many cases local Muslim authorities actually visited and approved the work. All were located at considerable distance from the mosque.
See Contents and Prologue (pdf);
Aerial Photo: The Site of Ancient Jerusalem (Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs)
IDF Medic Talks about Army Life - Josh Sayles
Of the approximately 500 soldiers in Sharon Grisero's battalion in the Israel Defense Forces, there are only two women. Grisero, 20, is one of them.
The combat paramedic spoke on March 19 about her experiences in the IDF. Being a combat paramedic, she explains, is "someone who is trained to give prehospital medical treatment in the field during operations." A female combat medic is rare in the IDF - women only serve in combat roles if they volunteer to do so.
Her most memorable moment, she says, came at 1 a.m. during a shift in the West Bank, when a Palestinian taxi pulled up to the gate. Out came an entire family carrying an unconscious 15-year-old boy with no pulse. "We treated him for 15 minutes with all the medical supplies we had and all the training we had, and he regained his pulse and we took him by ambulance to an Israeli hospital," says Grisero. "At that moment, I looked at myself and thought, 'I'm a 20-year-old girl, I have a year of training and I was able to save a life.'"
Still, she is wary of terrorists feigning an injury or illness in order to get close to Israeli soldiers. "Before I get to a patient, there's a whole team of people that come and search the patient (for weapons), and also while I'm treating (a patient), they're protecting me in a circle around me so that people won't use the situation to hurt us," she says. (Jewish News of Greater Phoenix)
Israel's Golden Age - David Siegel
Tiny Israel of 7.5 million people, comparable to the size of Rhode Island, is breaking ground in so many areas these days, and the world is finally starting to take notice. Whether it's Israel's 10th Nobel Prize; Israeli wines winning global awards; Apple opening its first-ever R&D center outside California; 162 other U.S. high-tech R&D centers in Israel; or the Technion together with Cornell winning an international bid to build a super science center in New York - this is the Israel that people may not know, but will, very soon.
Start-Up Nation, the global best seller about Israel's high-tech miracle, has been translated into 16 languages, and tops business lists around the world, most intriguingly, in Asia. Experts on international economic affairs say Israel is actually forging a unique path, distinct from other highly developed countries, due to its extraordinary ability to innovate across so many fields.
Southern California may well be facing severe water challenges in the years ahead, and water recycling is one solution that Israel can share with California, since Israel recycles far more water (over 80%) than any other nation in the world. (Tribe)
A March of Folly to Jerusalem - Ron Prosor (Jerusalem Post)
On Friday, some of the world's most notorious terrorists, tyrants and radicals are organizing a mass attempt to violate Israel's sovereignty, calling it a "Global March to Jerusalem." Iran, Hamas, Hizbullah and the Muslim Brotherhood are bankrolling the event. They accuse Israel of "Judaizing Jerusalem" - but these accusations come about 3,000 years too late. Ever since King David laid the cornerstone for his palace in the 10th century BCE, Jerusalem has served as the eternal capital of the Jewish people. While Jews were once forcibly removed from the city, they restored a clear-cut majority in the mid-19th century and have maintained that position ever since.
In other corners of the world, such an event would draw laughter instead of participants. Can you imagine a march on Capitol Hill to accuse Congress of Americanizing Washington?
Last month, PA President Mahmoud Abbas made another stop on his extended vacation from peace negotiations with Israel, traveling to Doha for a conference on the so-called "Defense of Jerusalem." In his keynote address, Abbas declared that the narrative of Jewish history could not be proven, especially the existence of "what [the Jewish people] call the Temple."
Speakers lined up in Doha to accuse Israel of "ethnic cleansing" in Jerusalem, even though the percentage of Arab residents in the city has grown from 26% to 35% since 1967. While the world puts a magnifying glass over every "Jewish" apartment block built, 2,500 homes in Arab areas of the city have recently been approved in addition to community centers and hotels. The truth is that under Israeli rule, Jerusalem has enjoyed unprecedented prosperity and equal rights for all of its inhabitants. Holy sites that were once sealed off along religious lines are now permanently open for worship by all peoples.
By trying to erase the Jewish people's connection to their ancient homeland, Arab leaders are undermining the foundation for future coexistence, as the seeds of intolerance are being planted in the next generation.
The writer is Israel's ambassador to the UN.
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Judge Says Cambodian Genocide Tribunal in
The future of the Khmer Rouge genocide tribunal could be in jeopardy if Cambodian and international officials fail to agree on procedural rules when they meet this month, a foreign judge said Wednesday. But if the issues are resolved, the first court sessions could be held by early 2008, said Marcel Lemonde, a co-investigating judge for the U.N.-backed tribunal. "We say ... the trial must begin. People have been waiting for this trial for 30 years, and we can't delay anymore," Lemonde said.
The tribunal, set up to prosecute former Khmer Rouge leaders for alleged genocide and crimes against humanity, has already suffered "a bit of a question of credibility" because of delays, said Lemonde. "And if the rules were not adopted at this time, then it would be dramatic for the future, the very existence of this court," said Lemonde, a U.N.-appointed judge.
The radical polices of the Khmer Rouge caused the death of about 1.7 million people through hunger, disease, overwork and execution during its horrific 1975-79 rule. The meeting for Cambodian and U.N.-appointed judicial officials is slated from May 31 to June 13. Asked if this was the last chance for the procedural rules to be adopted, he said, "I would say so, yes." The tribunal was created last year under a 2003 pact between Cambodia and the United Nations.
Trials were originally expected to start this year but have been repeatedly delayed by procedural disagreements between Cambodian and foreign judges. The setting of expensive legal fees for foreign lawyers wanting to take part in the tribunal was the latest obstacle, before being resolved last month. Many fear the remaining Khmer Rouge leaders, who are aging and in declining health, could die before the trial starts.
Lemonde, formerly a judge in France, said "if everything goes correctly" at the coming meeting, the investigation phase would begin in the weeks afterward. He said the goal is to start the trial proceedings "at the beginning of 2008." He declined to estimate the number of possible defendants but said the tribunal will try not only the most senior Khmer Rouge leaders.
While the tribunal will not be able to prosecute hundreds of defendants, he said it cannot let "very serious criminals" escape justice. "We couldn't (just) say 'well, there are too many defendants, and this person is supposed to have killed 1,000 people but we won't deal with him.' This is not acceptable for the victims and for everybody in the world," Lemonde said.
"If we understand and get evidence that somebody has committed large-scale crimes, even if he's not a very high-ranking person, he will have to answer for his crimes," he said.


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"I'm going back!" I announce, soon as we're clear of Dobey. Man, can he shout. My ears are still ringing.
I think my partner's must be too, because he doesn't respond. So, I repeat myself. Louder.
What's understood is he'll be coming with me. I don't need to say that.
It's obvious, right? I mean, just think of all the other folks who might get cheated out of their trophy.
But he starts laughing at me. I don't like being laughed at, and I'm not going to stand around and put up with it.
Hutch runs to catch up with me.
"You're mad because you lost," he says.
That shouldn't make me feel better.


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The Queens Fool
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The Queen s Fool
Author : Philippa Gregory
A stunning novel set in the Tudor court, from the Sunday Times No.1 bestseller Philippa Gregory.
#1 New York Times bestselling author and "queen of royal fiction" (USA TODAY) Philippa Gregory weaves a spellbinding tale of a young woman with the ability to see the future in an era when destiny was anything but clear. Winter, 1553. Pursued by the Inquisition, Hannah Green, a fourteen-year-old Jewish girl, is forced to flee with her father from their home in Spain. But Hannah is no ordinary refugee; she has the gift of "Sight," the ability to foresee the future, priceless in the troubled times of the Tudor court. Hannah is adopted by the glamorous Robert Dudley, the charismatic son of King Edward's protector, who brings her to court as a "holy fool" for Queen Mary and, ultimately, Queen Elizabeth. Hired as a fool but working as a spy; promised in wedlock but in love with her master; endangered by the laws against heresy, treason, and witchcraft, Hannah must choose between the safe life of a commoner and the dangerous intrigues of the royal family that are inextricably bound up with her own yearnings and desires. Teeming with vibrant period detail and peopled by characters seamlessly woven into the sweeping tapestry of history, The Queen's Fool is a rich and emotionally resonant gem from a masterful storyteller.
Download The Queen s Fool book written by Philippa Gregory, available in PDF, EPUB, and Kindle, or read full book online anywhere and anytime. Compatible with any devices.
Queen s Own Fool
Author : Jane Yolen,Robert J. Harris
Publisher : Putnam Juvenile
An epic adventure about one of the most intriguing queens in history follows Nicola Ambruzzi, a poor court clown, who catches the eye of Queen Mary and becomes her confidante.
Author : Ally Sherrick
A fantastic Tudor adventure from Historical Association Young Quills Award-winning author Ally Sherrick. Cat Sparrow is on the road. She's following her sister, who was torn from their convent home and sent to London. But Cat isn't like other people - she thinks differently - and for a girl like her the world holds many perils ...
Philippa Gregory 3 Book Tudor Collection 2 The Queen s Fool The Virgin s Lover The Other Queen
From the bestselling author of THE WHITE QUEEN, now a hit BBC TV production - the last three novels of her Tudor Court series: THE QUEEN'S FOOL, THE VIRGIN'S LOVER and THE OTHER QUEEN
Philippa Gregory s Tudor Collection
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Boxset contains paperback editions of Virgins Lover, Other Queen, Boleyn Inheritance, Queens Fool, Constant Princess & Other Boleyn Girl.
Queen s Fool
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Philippa Gregory s Tudor Court 6 Book Boxed Set
The six-book bosed set of the bestselling Tudor Court novels by Philippa Gregory, #1 New York Times bestselling author and "the queen of royal fiction" (USA TODAY): The Constant Princess, The Other Boleyn Girl, The Boleyn Inheritance, The Queen's Fool, The Virgin's Lover, and The Other Queen.
The Constant Princess
A splendid and sumptuous historical novel from the internationally bestselling author, Philippa Gregory, telling of the early life of Katherine of Aragon.
The Other Queen
Mary is Queen of Scotland but she has been forced to flee her land and take refuge in an England that is ruled by her cousin Elizabeth. But England, precarious in its Protestant state, set against the mighty powers of Spain, France and Rome, doesn't need a charismatic Catholic figurehead at large. So Elizabeth's chief advisor, Cecil, devises a plan in which Mary will live under guard with his trusted accomplice: Bess of Hardwick.Bess is a self-made woman, a shrewd survivor. She is newly married to her fourth and most distinguished husband, the Earl of Shrewsbury. But what marriage can withstand the charms of Mary? Or the threat of rebellion that she always carries? Mary must wait in her privileged imprisonment for the return to Scotland and her infant son; but waiting is not the same as doing nothing...With her characteristic combination of superb storytelling and authentic historical background, Philippa Gregory brings to life this period of great change, in a riveting tale of betrayal, loyalty, politics and passion.
The Taming of the Queen
Release : 2017-07
Download The Taming of the Queen book written by Philippa Gregory, available in PDF, EPUB, and Kindle, or read full book online anywhere and anytime. Compatible with any devices.
Reissue of Philippa Gregory's disturbing novel of passion and betrayal in Tudor England.
Dalghake darbare maleke
The Queen's Fool, set in England's Tudor period, tells the story of Hannah Green, a 14-year-old Jewish girl with the startling ability to foresee the future. Ostensibly serving as a fool for Queen Mary, Hannah is actually charged with spying on the queen's half-sister, Elizabeth. Embroiled in court intrigue, Hannah finds herself caught in a web of political maneuverings that threaten her budding romance with a lord and cast her life in peril.
The Boleyn Inheritance
An only survivor of the ambitious Boleyn family, lady-in-waiting Jane Boleyn testifies against Henry VIII's latest queen, Anne of Cleves, and conspires to place her young cousin, Katherine Howard, on the throne.
Three Sisters Three Queens
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The Last Tudor
Publisher : Thorndike Press Large Print
A #1 New York Times Bestselling AuthorAt seventeen, Lady Jane Grey was England's queen for nine days before Mary Tudor claimed the throne and had her executed. Jane's younger sister, Katherine, was locked in the Tower of London by queens Mary and Elizabeth to prevent her producing a Tudor son. But the last Grey sister, a beautiful dwarf disregarded by the court, keeps her family's secrets.
The Other Boleyn Girl
The daughters of a ruthlessly ambitious family, Mary and Anne Boleyn are sent to the court of Henry VIII to attract the attention of the king, who first takes Mary as his mistress and then Anne as his wife.
Publisher : Simon & Schuster Children's
Luca Vero and his friends are plunged into the heady whirlwind of Venice, the world's busiest marketplace, where everything - and everyone - is for sale. Their mission from the Pope is no protection: this city has its own laws. Meanwhile, the Lady Isolde is in more danger than ever, and her feelings for Luca are becoming more intense. As the friends face the unknown dangers of magic and alchemy, the crimes and politics of the city may become the least of their worries. The powers they confront are not of this world . . .
Adaptations of Shakespeare
Author : Daniel Fischlin,Mark Fortier
Publisher : Psychology Press
Shakespeare's plays have been adapted or rewritten in various ways since the 17th century. This anthology brings together 13 theatrical adaptations of Shakespeare's work from around the world and across the centuries.
Essentials of Kinesiology for the Physical Therapist Assistant
International Trade and Transportation Infrastructure Development
Blessing In Disguise
How to Build a Digital Library
Diabetic Slow Cooker
Whats Happening to My Body
Ninety-Nine Stories of God
Agroecological Economics
Overcoming Drug Resistance in Gynecologic Cancers
Handbook of Multiphase Flow Assurance
Sustainable Nanoscale Engineering
Please Understand Me
Sampling and Analysis of Environmental Chemical Pollutants
Calf Nutrition and Feeding
Handbook of Pumps and Pumping
Ecologically Sustainable Transportation
A Beginner's Guide to Data Agglomeration and Intelligent Sensing
Cross the Line
The KetoDiet Cookbook
Gross Anatomy
Neuronal Chloride Transporters in Health and Disease
It's Your Ship
The Never Game
All the Little Liars
Pincer Compounds
Biology Life on Earth
SAM 2013 Assessment, Training, and Projects v1.0 Multi-Term Printed Access Card
Assessment Procedures for Counselors and Helping Professionals
The Fool of New York City
Handbook of Flotation Reagents: Chemistry, Theory and Practice
Wildfire Hazards, Risks, and Disasters
Volcanic Gas Reservoir Characterization
Everything We Keep
The Motorcycle Diaries


text:
Parables & Philippians• Studying the Bible
What were Parables for?
Parables vs. Allegories
Parables, found in both testaments, are real life-type stories told get a point across. A true parable can be thought of as an extended simile (i.e. where something is 'like' something else). Parables were told so as to catch people's attention and provoke a response – to address the audience, show them up and cause them to do something (e.g. 2 Samuel 12).
"Some parables are close to being allegories, because many details are intended to represent something (they have many points of comparison, like Luke 8:5-15)."
An allegory, on the other hand, is basically an extended metaphor (i.e. where something is said to 'be' something else). It uses a story (often supernatural) for illustration purposes. Allegories (usually found in the Old Testament) always need to be interpreted or decoded as virtually everything has a symbolic meaning (e.g. Daniel 8:1-11; 20-26).
How to Read a Parable
"Parables were told so as to catch people's attention and provoke a response – to address the audience, show them up and cause them to do something (e.g. 2 Samuel 12)."
By contrast, the only allegorical elements in a parable are the so-called 'points of comparison'. These are usually identified by the context (e.g. Luke 15:1-2 allows us to identify the prodigal and elder sons respectively). The original target audience would have immediately understood them (e.g. Mark 12:12 where 'the builders' & 'the stone' feature among the points of comparison). So, interpreting a parable in some ways destroys it – a bit like having to explain a joke! Some parables are close to being allegories, because many details are intended to represent something (they have many points of comparison, like Luke 8:5-15). Even then, the details of a parable must be interpreted with reference to the points of comparison to keep the focus on its central meaning (e.g. Luke 15). More usually, none of the details are important and don't need interpreting. Often, too much is read into the details of the story, and instead of functioning to provoke a response it becomes an allegory which is more of a teaching device.
The Purpose of Parables
For the most part, parables don't serve to illustrate Jesus' teaching or as a way to reveal spiritual truth – although they do end up doing this (especially the kingdom 'parables'). Jesus told parables – something to get a response from people – because (lit. 'as a result of the fact that') they refused to accept his teaching: 'they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding' (Mark 4:10-12).
Brian Johnston, The Church of God in Leigh
Structure of a Parable
Editorial: Journeys


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Well, not formally.......but one could argue that Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) hasn't exactly given up the gauntlet.
Ok, so last week's bad word was debt and this week is 'taxes'!
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Résumé: This exploratory research investigates the evaluation process of conceptual specifications developed using either Extended Entity-Relationship (EER) or Unified Modeling Language (UML) conceptual models. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive framework for evaluating EER and UML conceptual schemas. Furthermore, we define classes of metrics facilitating the evaluation process and leading to the choice of the appropriate representation among several schemas describing the same reality. Based on quality criteria proposed in the literature, we select a subset of criteria relevant to conceptual EER schema quality evaluation. For each criterion we define one or several metrics allowing the designer to measure the schema quality. We evaluate alternative EER conceptual schemas representing the same universe of discourse using the appropriate criteria and their associated metrics. Finally, we extrapolate this evaluation process to UML schemas. Following the development of our framework, we analyze a case study and provide evidence in the support of the usefulness of the framework.


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O'verboard
Bill O'Reilly Objects To The Michael Sam "Gay Thing," Continues To Be An Awful Person
By Rob Smith May 14, 2014 at 1:05pm · 16 comments
Bill O'Reilly's journey to become the world's worst human being took a pit stop in the Michael Sam department yesterday, as he couldn't help but comment on the "dog and pony show" surrounding the out NFL hopeful's pick by the St. Louis Rams.
Calling the fact that that Sam, if picked up by the team, will be the FIRST OUT GAY NFL PLAYER IN HISTORY "way overplayed and annoying," O'Reilly demonstrates a very insidious and annoying kind of homophobia: the idea that bringing attention to Sam's sexual orientation takes the focus off of his achievements.
Note to O'Reilly: Yes, we all hope that someday having an out gay player in major sports will be as innocuous as having a player who's a person of color, but we are many years and many, many out gay players away from that becoming the norm.
So we'll make a deal. We'll continue to make a big annoying deal out of this and you can continue to be a horrible human being. We suspect that you won't have a hard time keeping up your end of the bargain.
Bill O'Reilly Homophobia michael sam NFL
Subscribe to Queerty for a daily dose of #billo'reilly #homophobia #michaelsam stories and more
So in other words, he wants all gays to stay in the closet, in fact don't let the world know you exist.
TinoTurner
I truly, deeply believe that people like O'Reilly, Coulter, Beck…..are all just actors being paid to have these thoughts/ideas. They're acting for their networks so they can sell advertising to the idiots of the this country.
toberlin
I belive it is simply a mathematical thing that it was,it is and it will be important to bring attention to sexual minorities to give them a better standing in the society.I call that normal behaviour and every citizens duty.
lykeitiz
It's like he's answering his own questions. If he believes it shouldn't be a big deal, but that we are "many, many" gay players away from it being the norm, then how can he not see the need for the dog & pony show?
murphy0071
O'Rielly is trying to cover his homosexual thoughts and feelings. He needs a night in a Gay house of prostitution to take out some of his frustration on his knees with his heels in the air. LOL!
O'Rielly, like many homophobes, thinks more about homosexual behavior than the average homosexual. Wonder if using psychophysiological testing would tell us exactly what his underlying sexual orientation is. There are a lot of questions about these homophobes and research shows they react just like homosexuals to homo-erotic stimuli.
Mezaien
With a name like O'Reilly, you can fool anyone! you must be D.E.K.C.U.F UP catholic, and Irish, WTF.
brianmovie
Bill O'Reilly is just a bigget
gjg64
Because the Irish or the Catholics NEVER used to get excited when one of their own advanced in the world.
robirob
O'Reilly does not control the media. O'Reilly does not control the message. O'Reilly does not control me.
jckfmsincty
O'Reilly is an hysterical fool. He might be a good contestant on "RuPaul's Drag Race".
DickieJohnson
O'Reilly and that whole bunch of similar nitwit bigots, along with their audiences, hopefully, are racing toward extinction. When the last State ban on same-sex marriage is overturned, probably that of MS, there will be a great shriek, and their heads will explode simultaneously. Well, we can all hope so, anyway!
drivendervish
This might be the first time I agree with O'Reilly but while I think there was nothing wrong with the kiss and celebration that should be the end of it. I do think that this is being blown way out of proportion and Michael will end up regretting it later.
Fvk847
I'm gay and I agree with him…he's gay..its way overplayed and it shouldn't be an issue. Now let's concentrate on real problems.
mujerado
I wish people would stop pointing fingers and falling back on the old "He's homophobic so he must be hiding his homosexuality" thing. I DON'T CARE if he might be a closet queen. I don't care WHATEVER his reasons might be for saying what he says. IT DOESN'T MATTER. He's being hateful and spreading ignorance. We need to hold him responsible for it, and not speculate on what makes him do it.
queerwhizkid
@TinoTurner: Actually, Coulter is a faker… a friend of Bill Mahr and from a very liberal family, people like O'reailly and Beck, can't make it in CNN world..so rightwing pays the bills. Beck is a big fake, he does not really believe wht he says
December 9, 2014 at 1:12am


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Dischidia nummularia är en oleanderväxtart som beskrevs av R. Brown. Dischidia nummularia ingår i släktet Dischidia och familjen oleanderväxter. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

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I am linking this to Real Toads open platform.
This entry was posted on July 11, 2015 at 10:43 am and is filed under poetry, Uncategorized. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments.
This reminds me of how I imagine a jeweler orks, everything magnified, the small made large, so large as to be greater than itself, each fragment a landslide, each cut a chasm–vital and flitting as insect wings you play these terms back and forth above your light source–really a pleasure to read, and to feel the candle of this July evening.
WORKS not orks! Good grief!
Thanks again. This went through many iterations and some things seemed to make sense only to me, but I went with this one anyway. An interesting exercise to decide for or against lyricism too.
soften the tallow all the more.
Your opening stanza is a great lead in to the description of a warm July day. Your images are crisp and evocative, and remind that all seasons must run their course. It is especially poignant as I read it on a very wintery day with a cold rain falling.
Hope the sun comes out soon! k.
The July haying is a wonderful event. The bugs (and the worms??) are disturbed, the birds come to feast.
I was wondering a bit how the wedding went? We are in the midst of a move to town (Katy, and extension of Houston rather than our hills and space up here north of Houston to be close to our youngest daughter. I'm not writing much right now, just about only if I can't sleep.
The wedding just went wonderfully well. There was rain! But all was terrific. Thanks for asking. I should probably post some pictures. I feel a little embarrassed to put these sorts of things up! But it was just lovely. k.
There's such a rich, cultured sense of harvest here, the lines like carefully tended golden sheaves filling a grainery or silo: a sense of exultation and praise. This life is good. Thanks for the gift.
I strongly feel the intricate beauty of a summer day and the desire to hold it close when the world moves to less picturesque ones.


Late last week the Phillies signed minor league free agent Elvis Araujo to a big league contract and it was partly a relationship in the team's front office that helped get the deal rolling.
Araujo, a six-foot-six 215 pound lefty has previously pitched in the Cleveland organization, tallying a 22-14 record with 11 saves and a 3.87 ERA in 102 games (57 starts) in his five-year professional career.
Last year, the 23-year-old, who regularly reaches the upper 90's with his fastball, split his season between Class A Advanced Carolina and Double-A Akron, posting a 3.42 ERA and a 9.0 K/9 mark in his first season working exclusively as a reliever.
Pitching for Zulia in the Venezuela Winter League, where his teammates include 2014 Phillies contributors Freddy Galvis and Aaron Altherr, Araujo has a 2-0 record with 11 strike outs, three walks and no runs allowed in 8 1/3 innings over seven appearances.
Another Phillies tie with the Zulia club is the team's assistance general manager Luis Amaro, the brother of Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. According to Luis, who played in the Phils' developmental ranks, he advised his sibling to keep an eye on the talented young pitcher.
Offering insight on Araujo's abilities, Amaro expressed confidence that he'll compete for a big league roster spot in the near future based on heavy impressions the native Venezuelan has made.
Reports state that several organizations were interested in Araujo, but it seems the Phils' offer of a big league contract helped them finalize the deal. The addition leaves the team's 40-man roster at 34 players.