text:
Q: Using QSerialPort on a separate thread I'm trying to read/write data from a separate thread. No error is displayed when opening the serial port but I'm unable to read or write anything.
Here is my SerialThread.h code:
#include <QThread>

class SerialThread : public QThread
{
    Q_OBJECT
public:
    explicit SerialThread(QObject *parent = 0);
    ~SerialThread();

protected:
    void run();
private:
    bool _threadRunning;
};

And my SerialThread::run() implementation :
void SerialThread::run()
{
    QSerialPort *_serial = NULL;
    foreach(QSerialPortInfo info, QSerialPortInfo::availablePorts())
    {
        QString name = info.portName();
        if(name.startsWith("usbserial-"))
        {
            _serial = new QSerialPort(info, this);

            qDebug() << "Opening " << name;
            if(_serial->open(QSerialPort::ReadWrite))
            {
                qDebug() << "ok";
                _threadRunning = true;
            }
        }
    }

    while(_threadRunning)
    {
        QByteArray array = _serial->read(10);
        for (int i = 0; i< array.length(); i++)
            qDebug() << QString::number(array[i], 16);
        msleep(1000);
    }

    if(_serial)
    {
        _serial->close();
        delete _serial;
    }
}

The same code works without thread (connecting the readyReady() signal).
Any idea? May I misuse the QThread object?

A: read() doesn't actually do any reading and needs a event queue to function properly
in a pinch you can call _serial->waitForReadyRead() whenever _serial->bytesAvailable() is 0


One of the best lessons I learned working in corporate America was that I was in control of my time. Not my boss, not my coworkers, not even the clock on the wall. Even when it didn't seem that way, it was true.
The problem with that lesson?
It was all well and good while someone else was in charge. At that time in my life, I made it work. I knew the limits of what I could do, and knew that there was an army of people around me similarly tasked with other aspects of achieving our collective corporate mission. No matter how diligent I was with my work, I ultimately knew that the buck didn't stop with me. When I was sick, or on vacation, or simply not moving the needle as I hoped, I knew there was someone else to come along and keep contributing to the larger mission. We were on a collective journey to success, and I wasn't the one leading the charge.
As an entrepreneur and small business owner, though, everything has changed. These days, the buck stops with me. I'm at the front of the pack and I'm corralling everyone else around me. Thus, it is more important than ever to think about how to best spend my days to ultimately build the business I want to build. Because if I check out, so does the business.
Time management, energy management and productivity are admittedly huge topics. Start studying one in a good book or great course and you'll quickly find yourself with a lengthy to-do list of things to be learned!
Today, though, I want to highlight one key tactic that has helped me to think better about personal time management and productivity within my own business.
That tactic? Tracking Your Time.
Tracking the time you spend on your work is one of the smartest things you can do if you want to truly understand where your days, weeks and years are going. When I first started doing this years ago, I was blown away by what I learned. Today, I continue to be impacted by the ongoing discoveries the exercise delivers and my practice has expanded to include that of a team.
Although time tracking is on the surface an easy endeavor, it's one that people avoid like the plague. The act itself doesn't take long. In five to 10 minutes a day, you can easily fill in a quick spreadsheet or notebook with what you did during 15-minute increments over a 24-hour period. Entries like, "sales call," or "lunch with a client," or "email," certainly don't take long to fill in. But the diligence it requires is real. Remembering to track your time, every single day, for one to two weeks to get a true sense of your work life is a commitment. In my opinion, though, it's an essential one.
Although time tracking your entire life — all 168 weekly hours of it — will give you personally an incredible snapshot into how you actually spend your weeks and how much time you are actually spending at work on your small business, there is another angle to time tracking that is just as effective for your ultimate efforts.
Try using time tracking with your employees to understand how they are spending their work time.
The concept is a simple one; having all employees track their time will help the business as a whole to understand where the time of each team member is spent so that you can best optimize, tweak and transform the systems you have in place. With practice, it can take some finessing. If you work with contractors or virtual assistants, you likely won't face much pushback, and oftentimes such individuals are well-versed in online tools that automatically track what they were working on for ease of billing purposes. Full-time employees, though, will likely be new to such an endeavor.
For such employees, take time to explain the overall purpose with care, to emphasize that your efforts are not about creating more work for them (it should only take up to 10 minutes a day, after all), nor are they about micro-management. What the exercise is about, though, is providing valuable information to you as a business owner to see if you need to rethink any business priorities or better work to create processes and systems to redistribute where time is spent. Convey it's a team effort — and one that you as a business owner are taking on just like your employees.
In my experience, the results can be incredibly illuminating. For example, you might gain clarity on a current point of indecision in your trajectory. You might finally see how much time and effort is being spent on an aspect of the business that isn't delivering returns. You might see how effective one aspect of the business is and decide to double down in that area. Ultimately, it's up to you to start the process of analyzing what you find in the exercise. The first step, though, is to take the leap and start the process. It turns your business in a new and better direction.


Wolverhampton Wanderers under-12 undertook a tour of Holland over the Easter holidays and impressed their Dutch hosts with victories in both of their matches.
Wolves opened their tour against local side SteDoCo and produced a fine display of football which left the Dutch bewildered and stunned, running out 11-0 winner. SteDoCo is a regional team made up with the best players from Rotterdam, Tiel, Utrecht and Breda but Wolves were quickly in front with a goal from Chloe Lewis. In front of representatives from the Dutch FA, Wolves added five more before half time, and five afterwards. Chloe Lewis, Kate Marshall and Aoife Kelly each scored twice, with one each for Andrea Whetton, Hannah Jones, Michelle Fatcher, Kate Nardone and goalkeeper Loz Turner who netted a penalty.
The next opponents were the Holland under-13 girls team, in front of a crowd in excess of 250 at Pappendrecht. Against international opposition, Wolves held their own until taking the lead two minutes before half time when, after a good team move, Andrea Whetton crossed for Kate Marshall to fire home. Wolves weathered the early storm at the start of the second half but the Dutch equalised against the run of play midway through the half with an unstoppable shot from a free kick. However, Wolves did not let their heads drop and showed great desire to win and their efforts were rewarded five minutes from time as Chelsea Beardsmore won the ball in midfield and Jade Robinson set up Michelle Fatcher to curl a shot into the far corner of the net to restore their lead. Holland threw everything forward to try and salvage a draw but the Wolves defence, which has been watertight all season, stayed strong to help give their team a memorable 2-1 victory.
Wolves manager John Fones told Women's Soccer Scene: "We took the girls to Holland to say thank you for a wonderful effort so far this season. Just before the kick off (of the first match) myself and Ian Fatcher (joint manager) were approached by two gentleman in Dutch national attire. They told us they were in charge of the Under-13 South Holland select side, selected from four out of six Dutch districts, and they were to play us the following day in their stadium.
"The following day, the Dutch coach Rob Fluijt wished us well and we returned the pleasantries. The game itself was not only a credit to the girls but to football worldwide - two contrasting styles of play and culture.
"Both teams produced some fantastic football and if you were lucky enough to be one of the 250 who witnessed it you would not believe that it was a small club from Wolverhampton taking on the best from Holland from a year above.
"To sum it all up, every one of the parents was speechless on the hour-plus journey back to our camp, but the girls didn't realise the magnitude of what they had just achieved."


A new map combining nearly three months of data from NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope is giving astronomers an unprecedented look at the high-energy cosmos. To Fermi's "eyes", the universe is ablaze with gamma rays from sources within the solar system to galaxies billions of light-years away.
A paper describing the 205 brightest sources the LAT sees has been submitted to The Astrophysical Journal Supplement. "This is the mission's first major science product, and it's a big step toward producing our first source catalog later this year," said David Thompson, a Fermi deputy project scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.
The LAT scans the entire sky every three hours when operating in survey mode, which is occupying most of the telescope's observing time during Fermi's first year of operations. These snapshots let scientists monitor rapidly changing sources.
The map includes one object familiar to everyone: the sun. "Because the sun appears to move against the background sky, it produces a faint arc across the upper right of the map," Michelson explained. During the next few years, as solar activity increases, scientists expect the sun to produce growing numbers of high-energy flares. "No other instrument will be able to observe solar flares in the LAT's energy range," he said.
To better show individual sources, the new map was processed to suppress emissions from gas in the plane of our galaxy, the Milky Way.
The top sources within our galaxy include the sun; a star system known as LSI +61 303, which pairs a massive normal star with a superdense neutron star; PSR J1836+5925, which is one of many new pulsars, a type of spinning neutron star that emits gamma-ray beams; and the globular cluster 47 Tucanae, a sphere of ancient stars 15,000 light-years away.
Top extragalactic sources include NGC 1275, a galaxy that lies 225 million light-years away and is known for intense radio emissions; the dramatically flaring active galaxies 3C 454.3 and PKS 1502+106, both more than 6 billion light-years away; and PKS 0727-115, which is thought to be a type of active galaxy called a quasar.
As a way of underscoring the variety of the objects the LAT is seeing, here is a "Top 10" list comprising five sources within the Milky Way and five beyond our galaxy.
The top ten also includes two sources -- one within the Milky Way plane and one beyond it -- that researchers have yet to identify. More than 30 of the brightest gamma-ray sources have no obvious counterparts at other wavelengths. "That's good news. It means we're seeing new objects," Michelson said. "It also means that we have lots of work to do."


text:
The film follows baseball pitcher Bill Lee (Josh Duhamel) as he deals with his release from the Montreal Expos. Lee is a lefthanded pitcher for the Boston Red Sox and Montreal Expos during the 1970s and early '80s, known for his eccentric behavior both on and off the field.
Actors: Josh Duhamel,
Josh Duhamel 14 November 1972, Minot, North Dakota, USA
W. Earl Brown,
W. Earl Brown 7 September 1963, Murray, Kentucky, USA
Ernie Hudson,
Ernie Hudson 17 December 1945, Benton Harbor, Michigan, USA
Winter Ave Zoli,
Carlos Leal,
Carlos Leal 9 July 1969, Fribourg, Switzerland
Stefan Rollins,
Stefan Rollins
Sterling K. Brown,
Wade Williams,
Wade Williams 24 December 1961, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
Peter Mackenzie,
Peter Mackenzie
Wallace Langham,
Wallace Langham 11 March 1965, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
Lawrence L.J. Hughes,
Lawrence L.J. Hughes
Director: Brett Rapkin
Brett Rapkin 29 October 1978, USA
Lost in the Sun

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Home Tags Mental health
Tag: mental health
Gov. McAuliffe Announces Agenda to Strengthen Virginia's Mental Health System and...
lowkell - December 14, 2016
From Gov. McAuliffe: Governor Announces Agenda to Strengthen Virginia's Mental Health System and Combat Opioid Epidemic ~ Proposes comprehensive analysis of behavioral health system ~ RICHMOND –...
Virginia Prison Mentally Ill Study Showcases Need for Changes
Sponsored Content By criminal defense attorney Mary Nerino, representing clients who face DUI, speeding, and a wide range of criminal charges practices in Northern Virginia. Leaders in...
Video: Governor McAuliffe Kicks Off 2015
Dan Sullivan - January 11, 2015
It was Creigh Deeds' event, but guest Terry McAuliffe ran with it, ringing out the first and in the second year as Virginia's 72nd Governor. McAuliffe made his first campaign stop of 2015 supporting his former gubernatorial rival and using the opportunity to tune up on this year's legislative agenda.
A year after taking office, the Governor took the opportunity to climb on the soapbox to emphasize the issues he ran on and report progress. He enumerated a number of issues, but jobs and healthcare were the bookends claiming substantial progress on one and frustration with the other. On jobs, he pointed out that the state faced strong headwinds, losing nine billion dollars in defense contacts the last three years; more than any other state in the country. So, he has set out re-purposing Virginia's economy to make it less reliant on the federal government. That is what he thinks about every single day.
Additional issues addressed:
Responsible gun ownership
Mental/behavioral health
Reformed Standards of learning
Restoration of rights
Building broadband
McAuliffe announced that there would be a booklet published today, the first anniversary of his inauguration, outlining accomplishments during his first year in office. Highlighting successes on jobs, he said his whole emphasis is on how to build that new economy. And in that effort he has become the most travelled governor in our nation's history. The results so far include 265 economic deals and $5.4 billion in direct investment; double what any governor has ever done on job creation.
Misogyny, Mental Health, and Violence
Dan Sullivan - June 3, 2014
Senator Mark Warner is daddy to three young women. That was clear during Friday's town hall portion of a campaign stop. Responding to a question he could not have anticipated, he answered from the heart: no clichés; no mantras; no sophomoric solutions. None apply. He's had reason to "get it."
The woman who asked the question does not attend college in Virginia but Anna is a Virginian. She asked the question in a city that is home to a large university with a lively social scene; it wasn't directed at James Madison University. It is not about her school (Ferrum College) either. (She told me that the administration at Ferrum supports women's safety.) However, it follows the events in Isla Vista that are a clarion call for a very long moment of cultural introspection. In one horrible manifestation of misogyny, the crisis in mental health care, and the propensity to violence, Elliot Rodger painted an alarming abstract with all these elements that demands our attention.
Other symptoms of these cultural cancers are renown. Senator Warner is absolutely correct that there is no law that will prevent the tragedies; particularly those that are shrouded in shame; never reported. Those cannot even be punished; in practical terms the only remedy a law provides. We must break the cycle of misogynistic abuse through an honest assessment of our culture and ourselves; all of us: men and women, girls and boys, everyone in between. Shame is a curtain of steel and despite the source of our mores, secular, religious, or otherwise, it must be pulled aside to allow sunlight to shine on relations between women and men. All the ugly must be visited even if we desperately want to pretend it doesn't exist.
This reminds me of my own reticence to speak out about the clumsy and ineffective protestations in Congress over the treatment of women in the armed forces. My own angry immediate reaction to each report would do nothing to further the debate over how this problem should be addressed. And human relations are complicated enough without taking out a brush to paint them over with unenforceable pandering. That is what Congress gave us. There is the real shame! No, Senator Warner is exactly where he should be on the issue Anna raised and I suspect on the cultural problems that manifest in the military. I sincerely hope she follows up and that the Senator uses this as a door to help provide a glimmer of cultural leadership.
Mark Herring on the Road Across Virginia
Dan Sullivan - March 29, 2014
In Waynesboro yesterday Mark Herring concluded a series of productive meetings with regional officials aimed at helping the top prosecutor's office best serve the needs of communities. Unfortunately, many of the reports of these meetings have reduced the lessons to budget shortfalls. Problem? He isn't carrying a rabid social agenda.
Herring began this meeting explaining that his heart is truly with local government where he got his start in politics. Before elected office, he served as the town attorney for a small town in western Loudoun County.
As Attorney General, he has taken three major initiatives: first, is a review of systems and operations to see that the Office is operating as efficiently and effectively as possible; next is a top to bottom review of all the services and programs the Office is a part of as well as the human capital that is linked to those; and, the third piece, what he was doing yesterday, is meeting directly with local law enforcement, those on the front lines protecting the community, so he can hear first-hand about the challenges they face as well as ways they have worked with the Office in the past and ways the Office might be able to help meet the challenges they face.
The series of 22 meetings have been incredibly informative according to Herring. There have been some common themes. Funding, he said, is always a challenge. But another common theme has been mental health. There are some regional differences which you would expect in a state as large and diverse as Virginia. While overall, violent crime is down, there are some areas that are continuing to experience gang problems. In some areas the gang problem is not as visible but the gangs have become an offshoot of organized crime. Some other localities are seeing continuing problems with meth labs and prescription drugs. He also pointed out that there can be the tendency, when you take a short period of time to talk about crime, which can lead to a misimpression of an area; that he knows these communities are safe locations where a lot of people are doing a lot of good work. And it is those local successes he wants to hear about as well.
Tim Kaine's Focus on Military and Veterans Affairs
Dan Sullivan - April 21, 2012
Often, when politicians parade out military and veterans, it is uninformed pandering. Active duty members have served as shields to buffer misbegotten strategy for a decade. Veterans are useful symbols adorning campaign literature and appearances. But Governor Kaine's Norfolk veterans' round-table was a very welcome departure from the norm.
Kaine told the group he was there to "get up to speed for the job that he hopes to have come January." Looking forward, he hopes to pick up Jim Webb's military and veterans portfolio when he enters the Senate and provide continuity to the efforts of predecessors John Warner and Webb. Mark Warner, who will be the senior Senator from Virginia has his own set of interests on the commerce and banking side. So, Kaine believes he can build upon his experience as the state executive by hearing from veterans about Federal issues facing the military and veterans.
Though Kaine did not serve in the military, as Governor during two active wars his role as Commander in Chief of the Guard became a significant part of the job including trips to the theater and, sadly, attending too many funerals. This led to a passion for the issues involving the guard, reserves, veterans, and military families. While he had no role in making the conditions of war any better he did work with the legislature to make Virginia a better place for those affected by the wars. One of the only parts of Virginia government that grew during his term as governor was the Department of Veterans Services. One other aspect of his life that stokes the passion for these issues is the fact that his son will graduate from college this semester and be commissioned as an officer in the Marine Corps.
The State of Virginia Colleges' Mental Health
aimeefausser - September 14, 2010
Professor Richard Bonnie of U.Va. Law presented the results of a study of mental health care at Virginia's colleges and universities last week-and testified to the Behavioral Health Subcommittee of the General Assembly's Joint Commission on Health Care regarding the results.
Here are some of the results:
1) Private colleges have about 70 percent more counseling staff than public colleges.
I would imagine that this is due in large part to funding issues. The Fairfax County Times wrote this month:
"Five consecutive years of state funding reductions have made Virginia's public universities and colleges less affordable and accessible to students, according to a report released by the State Council for Higher Education for Virginia."
I understand the constraints facing the General Assembly when trying to balance a budget, but it doesn't seem like we should be sacrificing providing a low cost public education to Virginia students-particularly when Virginia's colleges and universities are some of the best in the nation. Extending that, I REALLY don't think that we should have this much of a discrepancy compared to private institutions when it comes to mental services, and I'm quite frankly surprised that the state has gotten away with it after several prominent instances of mental health issues not seeing proper care in Virginia schools over the past few years (the most obvious being the Virginia Tech shooting, but I can think of many others).


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is a near-Earth object discovered in 1999 having a comet-like orbit. Its semi-major axis is 17.8 AU. Its orbital eccentricity is 0.94, which means that at the perihelion  comes as close as 0.9 AU to the Sun, while at the aphelion it reaches beyond the orbit of Neptune.  is a damocloid.  is a small object with an absolute magnitude (H) of 17.2, which implies a size of about 1 km.

 came to perihelion on 21 October 1999, passed  from Earth on 5 November 1999, and was discovered on 2 December 1999 at about apparent magnitude 16.9.

References

External links

Damocloids
Minor planet object articles (unnumbered)

19991202

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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De Tombe van de Scipiones (Latijn:Sepulcrum Scipionum) is het antieke graf van de patrichische Cornelii Scipioni-familie in Rome.

De Cornelii Scipioni waren een tak van de invloedrijke gens Cornelia. Hun bekendste telg was Scipio Africanus, die Hannibal Barkas versloeg en daarmee de Tweede Punische Oorlog beëindigde. De Scipiones hadden de gewoonte hun doden te begraven in plaats van het meer gebruikelijke cremeren. Aan het begin van de derde eeuw werd hun familiegraf aan de Via Appia gebouwd. Het is een soort catacombe in de heuvel, die mogelijk eerder als steengroeve werd gebruikt. Aan de Via Appia werd een monumentale façade gebouwd. In de late oudheid raakte het graf in de vergetelheid. Aan het begin van de 17e eeuw werd de tombe weer ontdekt, maar werd slechts een sarcofaag geopend. Er werd een huis met een wijngaard op gebouwd. In 1780 werd de tombe definitief opgegraven.

Het oudste graf was van Lucius Scipio Barbatus, de consul van 298 v.Chr. Zijn sarcofaag was als enige rijkelijk versierd had de vorm van een altaar met een Dorische fries. Het staat tegenwoordig in de Vaticaanse Musea. Dit was waarschijnlijk niet zijn oorspronkelijke graf, maar een monumentale herbouw uit de 1e eeuw v.Chr. Er zijn in totaal 18 sarcofagen ontdekt, maar er was voldoende ruimte voor ongeveer 40 kisten, die tegen de muren of in uitgehakte nissen werden geplaatst. In de late oudheid was de tombe echter geplunderd en werden een aantal graven vernield.

Naast de leden van de Scipiones kreeg ook de dichter Quintus Ennius zijn laatste rustplaats in de familietombe. Bekende leden van de familie als Scipio Africanus en Scipio Asiaticus werden niet in de tombe begraven, maar bij hun villa in Liternum.

Antiek grafmonument in Rome
Gens Cornelia


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Airport and Airpark, Civic Discussion, Equestrian, History, Local Quote, News, Tourism, Zoning & Development
Local Quote: Historic Preservation
This article ran last year and I've had it in my drafts folder for some unknown reason. It's still timely, though, as the history of Scottsdale is always under threat from those who seek to capitalize upon it.
Historians build on ways to preserve city's story
By Michael Clancy, The Republic | azcentral.com
Scottsdale could tell its story in numerous ways — through its people, its leaders, its political history, or the story of its growth.
One way the city chooses to tell its own story is through its buildings.
In 1999, almost a half century after the city's founding, Scottsdale created a historic register to recognize the historic buildings in its midst. The goal is to increase public awareness of Scottsdale's heritage; identify historic and cultural resources; designate and recognize significant local resources; and assist in protecting, preserving and enhancing the buildings and structures that best represent Scottsdale's past.
The first group was recognized in 2000 and 2001, when nine buildings were placed on the register. Among them were some of downtown's oldest and most iconic structures. They include a century-old adobe building still in use as a blacksmith shop, the city's first Catholic Church, the first post office, the first schools and a couple of other buildings that currently are retail outlets.
The city later began to recognize buildings that took Scottsdale's slogan, "The West's Most Western Town," to different places, all the while keeping in touch with the city's history. Those include the Hotel Valley Ho, the Craftsman Court retail area and the Cattle Track Complex, home to artists and craftsmen for more than 50 years.
Under the city's General Plan, Scottsdale officially is "a community that builds on its cultural heritage, promotes historical and archaeological preservation areas, and identifies and promotes the arts and tourism in a way that recognizes the unique desert environment in which we live."
The plan also calls on the city to acknowledge its past, said Steve Venker, historic preservation officer for the city.
"To fulfill the community values stated above, the Scottsdale Historic Preservation Program strives to increase public awareness of Scottsdale's heritage; identify historic and cultural resources; designate and recognize significant local resources; and assist in protecting, preserving, and enhancing the buildings and structures that best represent Scottsdale's past," Venker says.
Besides the mere act of preservation, the program attracts visitors to see the city's heritage.
The program works for property owners, too. They receive assistance in identifying a building's preservation or rehabilitation needs, planning exterior improvements and future preservation needs, and making conversions into new uses.
Financial assistance is available for exterior maintenance and rehabilitation, for bringing buildings up to current building codes and to restore original designs and architectural features.
To date, 21 buildings and three developments have been recognized. Moving into the future, the commission will have its hands full.
"The Historic Preservation Commission and city staff continues to research and document the city's history by actively seeking to add significant properties to the Scottsdale Historic Register," Venker says. It does so by preparing a work program for the year. This year's remains under development.
Among the locations being considered is Brusally Ranch. Only six acres of the original 160-acre ranch remain at 84th Street north of Cholla Street. Many Arabian horses can trace their lineage back to those bred at Brusally Ranch by Ed Tweed, the founder and first president of the state's Arabian Horse Association.
Another is the Western-themed restaurants at Reata Pass, including the closed Reata Pass Steakhouse and the still-in-business Greasewood Flat. Plans for those sites are being developed now that Taylor Morrison Homes owns the property. The land is at Alma School Parkway and Pinnacle Vista Drive in north Scottsdale.
The city also is looking at World War II-era hangars at Scottsdale Airport, the Los Olivos Restaurant in downtown Scottsdale, and the Fifth Avenue gallery and shopping district downtown.
"The protection of historic buildings is important to a community in that it provides markers — reminders — of the story of how the community was built," said Don Hadder, president of the Scottsdale Historical Society. "This story is important in that it reveals the investment, struggles, hopes and commitment those before us have had, the results of which we enjoy today. These reminders also help us to remember the lessons learned in the process of bringing a community together. Protecting historic buildings is part of telling the important stories of how we came to be here and helps us to value the contributions of those who came before us."
100 Ounces of Beer, What Could Go Wrong?
Who's a Communist?
Culture of Creative Dishonesty
Nancy Cantor says:
TIME OUT!!!!!!!! Historic preservation is important and especially so for a city like ours with such a relatively short history as an incorporated town/city, but with a rich history of settlement by people of many cultures, ethnic origins, work ethics from preachers and military and farmers and ranchers to the pilot trainers and hydrologists.
Today's historic preservation efforts need to go one step further as our lazy city government allows developers to drive economic revitalization for all of Scottsdale.
Policies need to be established to protect historic neighborhoods and buildings from the unintended consequences and negative impacts of high-rise multifamily and mixed use buildings that 99.9% of the infill development is and will be in southern Scottsdale. That means Council leadership has to get educated, think about all citizens and work for all residents. Like that's going to happen.


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Marta Lo Deserto (ur. 30 marca 2002 w Pieve di Cadore) – włoska curlerka, reprezentantka kraju.

Udział w zawodach międzynarodowych

Kariera juniorska

Kariera seniorska

Bibliografia

Włoscy curlerzy
Ludzie urodzeni w Pieve di Cadore
Urodzeni w 2002


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17th November, 2020, 6:29 pm
Labour NEC panel readmits Jeremy Corbyn to party after suspension
Sienna Rodgers & Elliot Chappell
© UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor
Jeremy Corbyn has been readmitted to the Labour Party after being suspended last month over his response to the Equality and Human Rights Commission report on Labour antisemitism.
A panel of five Labour national executive committee (NEC) members convened for several hours this afternoon to consider his case – and ultimately decided to reinstate the former leader of the party.
Update, 7.50pm: Commenting on his readmission, Corbyn said: "I am pleased to have been reinstated in the Labour Party and would like to thank party members, trade unionists and all who have offered solidarity. Our movement must now come together to oppose and defeat this deeply damaging Conservative government."
LabourList understands that the ex-leader of the opposition is set to receive a 'reminder of conduct', which is more severe than the 'reminder of values' consequence that was expected by some party sources.
Update, 8.15pm: Reacting to the decision, Keir Starmer said: "I know that this has been another painful day for the Jewish community and those Labour members who have fought so hard to tackle antisemitism. I know the hurt that has been caused and the trauma people have felt.
"Jeremy Corbyn's statement in response to the EHRC report was wrong and completely distracted from a report that identified unlawful conduct in our tackling of racism within the Labour Party. This should shame us all.
"I will not allow a focus on one individual to prevent us from doing the vital work of tackling antisemitism. When I stood as leader of the Labour Party, I was clear that my first priority would be to root out antisemitism. It still is.
"I know we have a long way to go, but I am absolutely resolute in my determination to make the Labour Party a safe place for Jewish people. I stand by the commitments I made last month to accept the findings and the recommendations of the EHRC's report in full.
"That must mean establishing an independent complaints process as soon as possible in the New Year. This is my commitment and my promise to our party, the Jewish community and the British people."
LabourList understands that no decision has yet been taken on whether to restore the Labour whip to Corbyn. Allies of Corbyn say the party rulebook indicates that he is now automatically a Labour MP once again, but those close to the leadership disagree.
The NEC panel members were Labour to Win-backed local party rep Gurinder Singh Josan, Momentum-backed Yasmine Dar, UNISON's Wendy Nichols, the FBU's Ian Murray and 'soft left' councillor Alice Perry.
The former Labour leader released a statement on Tuesday morning on the subject of his suspension in which he tried to clarify previous comments and expressed hope that "this matter is resolved as quickly as possible".
Corbyn did not directly apologise for his original response, as some had urged him to do, but said: "I regret the pain this issue has caused the Jewish community and would wish to do nothing that would exacerbate or prolong it.
"To be clear, concerns about antisemitism are neither "exaggerated" nor "overstated". The point I wished to make was that the vast majority of Labour Party members were and remain committed anti-racists deeply opposed to antisemitism."
The Jewish Labour Movement has described the decision to lift the suspension as "extraordinary" and said the move would "embolden those who agreed with him" when he "downplayed the reality of antisemitism in the Labour Party".
The organisation has criticised the decision for being "expedited" and taken by a "factionally-aligned political committee". Many critics have focused on the make-up of the NEC panel, which had two Labour left-wingers, two Corbynsceptics and one soft left member.
Margaret Hodge tweeted: "This is a broken outcome from a broken system. A factional, opaque and dysfunctional complaints process could never reach a fair conclusion. This is exactly why the EHRC instructed Labour to setup an independent process!
"I simply cannot comprehend why it is acceptable for Corbyn to be a Labour MP if he thinks antisemitism is exaggerated and a political attack, refuses to apologise, never takes responsibility for his actions & rejects the findings of the EHRC report. Ridiculous."
The Campaign Against Antisemitism, which referred Labour to the EHRC and complained to the party about Corbyn, accused the party of conducting "nothing more than a media stunt to blunt the blow of the EHRC's report last month".
Unite's Len McCluskey said the readmission is "the correct, fair and unifying decision", adding: "As a party we now move forward to implement the EHRC's recommendations and redouble our efforts to inspire voters about Keir's ten pledges."
Momentum co-chair Andrew Scattergood said: "This is the right outcome and testament to the efforts of thousands of Labour members across the country who have stood up to defend Corbyn and the rights of socialists within the party."
The group has also branded recent disciplinary action against ordinary members "unwarranted" and urged the party to reinstate those who have been suspended after considering motions on Corbyn's suspension at a local level.
A number of Labour MPs on the party's left such as Kate Osborne tweeted their approval of the decision, with Lloyd Russell-Moyle saying: "We must go forward united and expose the failures of this government."
Corbyn was suspended nearly three weeks ago after controversially claiming that "the scale of the problem was also dramatically overstated for political reasons by our opponents" in his response to the EHRC report.
The report on Labour antisemitism had found that the party was responsible for "unlawful acts of harassment and discrimination" and "serious failings in leadership" during the time that Corbyn was in charge.
A Labour spokesperson announced on October 29th that Corbyn was being suspended by the party due to "his comments" and "his failure to retract them subsequently", and the Islington MP had the whip removed.
Tags: Labour NEC / Labour antisemitism / EHRC report / Jeremy Corbyn /
Sienna Rodgers is editor of LabourList.
@siennamarla View all articles by Sienna Rodgers
Elliot Chappell is a LabourList reporter.
@elliot_chappell View all articles by Elliot Chappell


A new RBI circular might turn out to be another big blow for a lot of Indian E-commerce companies and Startups, not to mention also cause a lot of frustration and inconvenience for the general public as well.
After discussions with Banks, the RBI had issued the guidelines via Circular dated 28.02.2013 on "Security and Risk Mitigation Measures for Electronic Payment Transactions".
1.) All new Debit/Credit cards issued by banks will allow usage in India only. If the customer wants to carry out international usage, the cards will have a EMV chip embedded on the card and will be pin enabled.
2.) For existing Debit and Credit card customers, the issuing bank will need to convert the older cards (the ones with the traditional magstrip) into EMV chip and pin enabled ones (this will be done for users who have used their cards internationally atleast once before). The process will be required to be completed by June 30th 2013.
3.) Banks will put a threshold limit on international usage beyond which users will not be able to spend. The limit will be decided by Bank based on the risk profile of user. This process also needs to be completed by June 30th 2013 by the banks.
4.) Banks need to ensure that all terminals that accept card swiping should be certified for PCI-DSS (Payment Card Industry – Data Security Standards) and PA-DSS (Payment Applications – Data Security Standards). The process needs to be completed by June 30th 2013.
Apart from these new rules, RBI has also directed Banks to frame rules to ensure that cyber fraud is eliminated from the system. Banks will need to analyze patterns of usage and move towards real-time fraud monitoring systems. Banks are also directed to provide easier methods to users to block their cards immediately, eg. via SMS.
You can go through the rest of the circular here.
Although, the percentage of Banking Cyber Frauds have reduced over past 4 years, it is still quite high and many consumers end up loosing lot of money to it. Reserve Bank of India has recently announced changes in the Debit/Credit Card issuance and usage to curb cyber security frauds.
These changes may end up reducing the frauds and encourage the average consumer to feel a lot more safer while transacting online, but at the same time it will cause lot of inconvenience to users, especially to those who make purchases on international e-commerce sites. Not to mention the increase in number of steps to complete an order successfully.
The changes proposed by RBI are great with respect to arresting cyber fraud cases, however, it will also make it very difficult for users to use their card outside India, especially when it comes to electronic purchases. The biggest problem is because these rules apply to Credit cards as well. Most international debit cards issued by Indian Banks could not be used on international sites even now, but Credit cards were accepted. Now, even CCs may not work!
With all international cards now being enabled for EMV Chip and pin, it will not be possible to use them online (this is extra layer of security, where user will have to input pin number after usage of card) as most of the online merchants will not have a facility to input pin during process of payment authentication.
As happens everytime a rule like this is passed by RBI, start-ups will have to re-implement their payment systems, minimize cart abandonment rates, switch payment gateway providers and go through a number of other hassles. Imagine how long a process a user will have to go through to just purchase a small item online.
Instead of payment solutions becoming simpler, things keep getting worse for the Indian e-commerce sector. The implementation of 3d-secure for using credit cards online, banning the domestic operations of Paypal in India and imposing international restrictions, disallowing subscription services and payments via credit cards have made it even more harder for the struggling start-ups to come up with effective pricing for their products.
These rules have left no room for any disruptions or innovative services in the field of payment processing in India. On the contrary, startups in the US in the same field have been booming and have further encouraged innovative services like Square, Dwolla, Stripe, etc.
What do you guys have to say about this? Do you think these new rules are fair? Share your views in the comments below.


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Posts Tagged 'Jeremy Guthrie'
Posted in Baseball, tagged Adrian Gonzalez, Alfredo Aceves, Baltimore Orioles, Baseball, Boston Red Sox, Conor Jackson, Darnell McDonald, David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, Felix Doubront, Fenway Park, Franklin Morales, Freen Monster, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Jed Lowrie, Jeremy Guthrie, John Lackey, Kevin Youkilis, Kyle Weiland, Marco Scutaro, Matt Albers, Michael Bowden, New England Patriots, San Diego Chargers on September 20, 2011| Leave a Comment »
And sweep we clearly did not. Although we obviously should have, being that it's Baltimore and all, which makes it so much worse. At least we split. It was a day of opposites.
Kyle Weiland started and did not have anything close to resembling a good day. He cruised through the first two innings with one of the better cutters I've seen from him and then all of a sudden everything went wrong both in the field and on the mound. He threw eighty-five pitches through four and two-thirds innings. Fifty-two of those were strikes; he walked two and struck out five. He gave up six runs, five earned, on five hits. Only two of the runs he gave up did not score via the home run. Yup. You read right. He gave up three: a two-runner and two solo shots. And you can thank McDonald's sun-induced fielding error in the third for that unearned run. Doubront and Aceves combined for a scoreless rest of the game after that.
We did our best to battle back. I guess McDonald really felt bad about that error because he led off the bottom of the frame with a solo shot on the second pitch of the at-bat, a fastball that he promptly sent into the Monster seats. We got another run back in the fourth on Salty's RBI triple. And we got two back in the fifth with the progression of Scutaro's walk, Gonzalez's RBI double, and Pedroia's RBI triple. Scutaro's double and Gonzalez's single combined to bring in another in the seventh for what would be our last run in a 6-5 loss. Oh, and by the way, that foul ball that Papi hit in the fifth wasn't foul at all. It was fair. It was fair by a mile. The worst part is that it wasn't a potential home run, so it couldn't be reviewed. But it was fair, and it made the difference. He went on to fly out, although that ball was almost out too. Did I mention that Jeremy Guthrie leads the American League in losses? There's no way it should even have come to that.
Lackey started and did not have anything close to resembling a good day, either. The difference was that the offense turned itself on in a big way. Without that, the O's would have embarrassed us completely. Lackey lasted four and a third innings and gave up eight runs on eleven hits. He walked two and struck out three. He threw 105 pitches, seventy-five of which were strikes. It was Atchison who relieved him and picked up the win. Morales allowed another run, and then Albers and Bowden finished the game scoreless.
Let's get to the good stuff. The O's may have put up a three-spot in the top of the first, but we answered with a four-spot in the bottom of the inning. Pedroia brought in one on a groundout, and then Lowrie unleashed on the eighth straight four-seam he saw in his first at-bat for a three-run shot. He also put it in the Monster seats. It stayed just fair and got out of the park in a hurry. We added two more in the second; Scutaro doubled in one (had McDonald not been out at home, it would have been two), and Pedroia stroked an RBI single. We busted it open in the third with a five-spot. McDonald started the scoring plays with an RBI single and a little help from a bad throw. Ellsbury doubled him, and he scored on a single by Scutaro. Pedroia and Papi brought in two more with back-to-back RBI singles.
But if you thought that that inning was big, it was nothing compared to the seventh, when we put up a seven-spot. Seven runs in seven innings. We scored more runs in that one inning alone than we have in some of our games recently. The highlight was the first to occur. Ellsbury led it off. He took a fastball for a ball, fouled off another, and took a changeup for a ball. Another changeup made the count 2-2. And then it happened: a rare result of the perfect combination of hitting and speed, a manifestation of skill and luck.
Jacoby Ellsbury hit an inside-the-park home run.
It was the first on the team since Youk did it on May 28, 2007. I saw it and I couldn't believe it. It was perfect. It's one of those things that you always imagine in your head, trying to draft the perfect conditions under which something like this would result and then hoping you'll see it but assuming you won't. It's the triple play of offense. And he executed it without a flaw.
The ball sailed out to center field. It bounced off of the top of the bullpen wall sharply at some sort of strange angle and ricocheted out to center field. The outfielders couldn't get to it in time; meanwhile, Ellsbury had his head down and put the pedal to the metal. He was safe with some time to spare.
And then Lowrie hit an RBI single. And then Conor Jackson hit a grand slam on a fastball, which he also put into the Monster seats. It was the first time we've ever had an inside-the-park home run and a grand slam in the same game. And then we were done. No big deal. The final score was 18-9.
As a result, the whole doubleheader was a surreal experience. I felt like I was watching two different teams in the two different games.
In other news, the Pats made the Chargers look like amateurs. The final score was 35-21. This is going to be a truly fantastic season.
Double, Double, Toil and Pummel
Posted in Baseball, tagged All-Star Game, Baseball, Boston Red Sox, Daniel Nava, David Ortiz, Eric Patterson, JD Drew, Jeremy Guthrie, John Lackey, Jon Lester, Kevin Youkilis, Mike Cameron, New York Yankees, Ramon Ramirez, Robert Manuel, Sports Authority, Tampa Bay Rays, Ty Wigginton on July 4, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Jon Lester is the man.
He is now 12-0 against the Orioles. Undefeated. That's the longest winning streak by any active pitcher against any team. And it wasn't some wishy-washy win, either. That was a Win. With a capital W.
Seven innings, one run on five hits, one walk, seven K's, one hundred pitches, even. That one run in the fifth snapped his streak of sixteen and two-thirds scoreless innings against Baltimore. His cut fastball was ridiculous. You could tell that nobody was going to hit that. His curveball was curving. His sinker was sinking. His changeup was changing and, by Cash's observation, has improved a lot. Cash hadn't caught Lester since '08, so he can really see how much Lester has improved. Apparently, his changeup has most definitely improved. He used everything, mixed everything, and threw everything for strikes, sixty-seven percent of the time. A game-high of twenty-two pitches in the first and fifth; a game-low of nine pitches in the fourth and seventh. He loaded the bases in the first with one out, but he followed it with a double play that featured a very long stretch by Youk to touch the bag. After that, he settled down really quickly. He gave up only three hits from the second to the seventh. Efficiency. Evenly distributed strike zone. Movement. Tight and precise release and location.
He's now ten and three on the season, racking up wins in the double digits for the third consecutive year. And he's got a 2.76 ERA to go with it, and every time he starts, it just keeps going down. If he doesn't go to the All-Star Game, there is no justice. No justice whatsoever.
Ramirez came on in relief and pitched well. Unfortunately I can't say the same for Robert Manuel. He was recently recalled, and it most definitely showed. The score would've been 9-1, but instead it was 9-3 because he gave up a two-run homer that required review. We did, however, end the game on a high note pitching-wise by getting a flyout from Lugo.
And speaking of those nine runs, here's how we scored them. We tagged Guthrie for four in the first inning alone. That's almost half our run production in the first. What a great way to start a game! (For us, not for Guthrie.) Youk hit an RBI double. Then Drew hit a two-RBI double. Then Nava hit an RBI double. In the fifth, Youk hit a two-run shot, and when I say a shot, I mean a shot. A hanging breaking ball that stayed up. It sailed over the Green Monster in a hurry, bouncing right off the Sports Authority sign. Complete with a bow from The K-Men. I bet Guthrie saw that coming as soon as he released the ball. You can't hang a breaking ball and not expect it to be hit for extra basis with our lineup. We tagged the Orioles' 'pen for three more runs in the eighth; Cameron hit an RBI double and scored on Wigginton's throwing error, and Papi hit an RBI double.
Patterson started at second base admirably. He started that double play; his throw was a little off, but he did have to hurry. He made no errors. Which is more than I can say for Wigginton, who plays regularly.
So, doubles for everyone! Two doubles for Papi, one for Youk, one for Drew, one for Nava, and one for Cameron. A home run that scored double runs for Youk. A double play. Double, double-out RBIs. That was the theme of the game, ladies and gentlemen, and I have to say, I like it. I like it a lot. Unfortunately, the win didn't change the standings. The Rays are still two games out (yet another double!), but we're still half a game out of first place. Today, Lackey looks to celebrate the Fourth of July with a win at home for Boston. What better way to celebrate?
Posted in Baseball, tagged Baltimore Orioles, Baseball, Boston Red Sox, Camden Yards, Carl Crawford, Daniel Nava, Dustin Pedroia, Eric Patterson, Fenway Park, Green Monster, Houston Astros, Jason Varitek, JD Drew, Jeremy Guthrie, Jon Lester, Jonathan Papelbon, Kevin Cash, Manny Delcarmen, Marco Scutaro, Mike Cameron, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays, Tim Wakefield on July 3, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Daniel Nava, ladies and gentlemen! What an at-bat! The kid comes up here because of all the injuries we've got, he's never played in the Majors before, and he just makes an impact right away. Seriously. He just won us a ballgame, folks. Daniel Nava. How 'bout that.
That was his first pinch at-bat. And it was a huge success. Barely.
Let's start at the very beginning, shall we? Tim Wakefield. Tim Wakefield goes eight innings, gives up two runs on seven hits, one on a home run and one on a single, and walks one and strikes out four. Those were the only two runs that Baltimore would score. He threw ninety-seven pitches. Ninety-seven pitches in eight innings. That's pretty much the pinnacle of efficiency. You can't get much stingier than that. His knuckleball was as lively as I've ever seen it. He needed a game high of nineteen pitches to get through the fourth inning, but he needed only eight to get through the first, setting the tone that this won't be easy for the O's, and sixth, maintaining his movement and concentration throughout his appearance. In that first inning, six of the eight pitches were strikes. In the sixth, all eight were strikes. Sixty-eight percent of his total pitches were strikes. And it shows on his strike zone; the zone was packed with not much outside it. It was a completely dominant outing. Tim Wakefield made the Baltimore Orioles look like the worst team in baseball. (Oh, wait.) It was his first win at home this year, and it made history. He's been doing that a lot lately. Wake has now made more starts at Fenway Park than any other pitcher in history with 201. In fact, it's the most starts in one ballpark by any pitcher, period. It would've been a complete game, too, had Nava not stepped in.
And now we move to the offense. (The Nava hit is coming, trust me.) It's good to have JD Drew back in action. He opened the scoring with a home run just over the Green Monster. He did it again three innings later to tie the score. Those were beautiful swings. Just beautiful. When you see a hitter like that yank the ball into left field with some punch, it's absolutely stunning. Those were his ninth and tenth long balls of the year and the seventeenth multihomer game of his career and second of the year, the first coming also against the Orioles but in Fenway South on April 30. With so many guys out, he's come up big. He's hit three long balls in his last four starts, and he's batted .353 with five long balls in his last thirteen games. We needed that. We continue to need that.
Okay. The moment has arrived. With the score tied and two out with Scutaro on second in the eighth inning, Nava stood in for Patterson. With the count 2-1, he managed to get his bat on the ball and bloop it into right field for a single. It was a fastball, and he just made contact and that was it. It snuck into fair territory; somehow it found some space and fell in there a few inches from the third base line. Scutaro flew home. Paps closed out the ninth, and we won, 3-2!
It wasn't the prettiest pinch at-bat I've ever seen, but few pinch at-bats can rightly be called pretty. The important thing is that he got the job done. In fact, given his age and inexperience, this type of at-bat, where he got something he just couldn't work with but managed to do something with it anyway, says a lot about his instincts as a ballplayer. He's a good kid to have around.
One last thing: Kevin Cash caught Wake. We acquired him from the Astros on Thursday. Why? Because the injury list lengthens yet again. At this point it's just morbidly comical. On Wednesday, a foul tip by Carl Crawford caught Tek's right foot. It's broken. So he's out with almost the same injury Pedroia has. So we called in Cash. Not only did he catch Wakefield really well, but he also gunned down Adam Jones on the run to second. It was like he never left.
Unfortunately, that's not the end of the injury report. Cameron was out yesterday with abdominal soreness; it's unclear how serious it is. I can't tell you how relieved I was to see McDonald avoid that collision with Patterson in the first. We can't afford to lose any more outfielders. And Delcarmen, surprise surprise, is on the fifteen-day DL for a strained right forearm. That's fine with me. He's a pitcher, so even if he weren't on the DL, I wouldn't want him in there if he weren't one hundred percent.
And with all of that, we still manage to win ballgames, and we still manage to keep afloat in the standings, which is yet another understatement, because as of now, we're only half a game out of first! Tonight, we have Lester on the mound facing Jeremy Guthrie. Think about it. Lester's starting. We can get it done tonight. After everything we've been through this season, we can hoist ourselves up to first place tonight. I'm psyched.
Keep the Streak
Posted in Baseball, tagged Adrian Beltre, All-Star Game, Armando Galarraga, Baltimore Orioles, Baseball, Bill Hall, Boston Red Sox, Daniel Bard, Darnell McDonald, Dustin Pedroia, Jason Varitek, Jeremy Guthrie, Jeremy Hermida, Jim Joyce, Joe Nelson, Jon Lester, Josh Reddick, Juan Samuel, Kevin Youkilis, Marco Scutaro, Ramon Ramirez, Scott Atchison, Terry Francona, Toronto Blue Jays, Victor Martinez on June 6, 2010| Leave a Comment »
I don't think it's physically possible for Jon Lester to lose to the Baltimore Orioles. And not just because Lester is an elite pitcher and the Orioles are playing some of the worst baseball I've ever seen. Also because he's never lost to the Orioles. Ever. Meanwhile, the Orioles are now on a ten-game losing streak. Ouch.
Lester pitched six and a third shutout innings, giving up four hits and three walks while striking out four. He fired 102 pitches in that time; we've seen him be much more economical, and he would've had himself a nice seven-inning start if it weren't for his sudden but ultimately harmless implosion in the seventh. All three of his walks were consecutive, after he recorded the first out in the seventh, which was why he was removed. So he didn't walk a single batter until right before he left, and then he walked all of the batters he faced after that point. He walked Jones and Atkins on five pitches each, and he walked Lugo on four. It was mostly because he stopped throwing his fastball and cutter for strikes. Luckily, Bard induced two popups and bailed him out of possible bases-loaded damage. He used ninety-nine mile-per-hour fastballs and ninety-one mile-per-hour changeups. Ridiculous. Kid doesn't mess around.
If those three walks were the only problem he had, I'll take it. For the majority of his start, his cutter and fastball were located perfectly, as usual. His sinker, slider, and curveball were fantastic. He was low on the changeups. He mixed them well, and he put good movement on them. He used all parts of the strike zone and didn't throw below it. His best inning was the fourth, in which he threw only eight pitches. But he needed between twelve and seventeen pitches to complete his other frames. He fired twenty-one before he was taken out in the seventh. The batters just made him throw and created opportunities; they left nine on base but only went one for nine with runners in scoring position.
Nobody scored any runs until that frame. Then, Youk led off the seventh by clobbering the first pitch of his at-bat for a 378-foot home run, his twelfth of the year, after Pedroia broke Guthrie's streak of fifteen consecutive retirements in the sixth. It was a fastball he left up, and he just lined that ball out. He's now batting .320. Incidentally, Youk started at third for the first time this year, while V-Mart started at first and Tek caught. In the first, V-Mart showed he still got it with a fantastic diving catch in mid-air that robbed Patterson of a base hit. Honestly, I saw that play and I thought it was Youk out there making that grab, because he's the only one who can make those plays. Apparently not. It was awesome.
In the eighth, Reddick tripled and scored on Scutaro's single. Atchison was optioned, and Reddick was called up because Hermida was out for the day. And in the ninth, McDonald ripped a double to bring in two. Hall and Youk both followed suit.
Scutaro went two for five, but Youk went three for five with two doubles, that home run, and a grand total of three RBIs. Collectively, the offense went five for eleven with runners in scoring position, collecting a total of nine hits while leaving only six on base.
The final score was 8-2; it was Nelson who allowed two runs on two hits and two walks in the ninth, the first two runs of Samuel's career as interim manager of the Baltimore Orioles. Ramirez pitched the final two outs of the game perfectly.
Despite Beltre's pleading, Tito sat him yesterday to be extra cautious about his soreness from the collision.
I'd like to commend Armando Galarraga and Jim Joyce on their composure and professionalism. Especially Jim Joyce. Rarely do you see an umpire both admit a mistake and lament it. Cue another instant replay debate.
Thus, we continue to climb! We're only three and a half games out of first now, still tied with Toronto for third but only one and a half games out of second and coming on strong. I bet we'll see some shifts in the standings before the All-Star break. Ah, the thrill of the chase. It's pretty exciting stuff! We turn to Lackey this afternoon to make it happen.
Posted in Baseball, tagged Adrian Beltre, Babe Ruth, Baltimore Orioles, Baseball, Bill Hall, Boston Red Sox, Camden Yards, Cesar Izturis, Chris Tillman, Clay Buchholz, Darnell McDonald, Dave Trembley, David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, Fenway Park, JD Drew, Jeremy Guthrie, Jeremy Hermida, Jon Lester, Juan Samuel, Kevin Youkilis, Lefty Grove, Marco Scutaro, Roger Clemens, Victor Martinez on June 5, 2010| 1 Comment »
So the Orioles fired Dave Trembley, hired Juan Samuel for the interim, and asked us to welcome him last night in his first game as skipper of this sorely misguided team. We gave him a welcome, alright. A nice slugfest blowout of a welcome. Note to all other Major League Baseball teams: don't play us if you want to ensure that a debut goes well, because if you play us, it won't.
The story of last night's theatrics starts and ends with Buchholz, literally. He pitched a complete game (third in his career) shutout (second in his career) and got the win, giving up five hits and only one walk while striking out two. That was his career-high eighth win and the ninth in his winning streak on the road. It's the first time in his career that he's won five straight. That's the second-longest streak in the history of the franchise, right behind Clemens's twelve from September 20, 1987 through July 4, 1988. He joins heady company; only four pitchers in the history of the franchise have won at least eight consecutive starts on the road: Buchholz, Clemens, Lefty Grove, and Babe Ruth, and Buchholz and Clemens are tied for second. For now.
His ERA is now 2.39. His ERA during his eight road wins is 1.22. That's ridiculous. I can't believe that. It just keeps getting lower and lower. I know I've said this before, but that's a closer's ERA. This kid just continues to amaze. He's so confident. He's so dominant. He throws any pitch in any count. It's remarkable. Watching that game made me think back to his no-hitter, also against the Orioles. You know you were thinking about it too. Maybe he just has this team's number. Or maybe he's just that good. I have a feeling it's a good mixture of both.
He was extremely stingy, throwing only 101 pitches. A big part of that was his use of the double play (last night we turned two), his incredibly low walk total, and his profuse use of the first-pitch strike. Last night, Buchholz recorded eight first-pitch outs. After Izturis singled in the third, he retired twelve consecutive batters.
His changeup was absolutely nasty. Really, all of his pitches were thrown well; his slider and fastball were spectacular, while his curveball continues to improve. He needed a game high of nineteen pitches to clear the first. He needed a game low of only six pitches to clear both the fourth and sixth. Six pitches. I can't remember the last time I saw a pitcher complete a frame with only six pitches. That's absurd.
He threw 66 strikes, and his strike zone was beautiful. He threw to all parts of it. If he threw a ball, chances were it was to the left or at the upper left corner, but there really weren't many of those. Speed variation? Check. Tossed salad? Check. Movement? Check.
Wow factor? Check. Absolutely.
The final score was 11-0, and as Buchholz said, having a lead that huge gives a pitcher the opportunity to pound the zone, be aggressive and creative, and experiment to get batters out. So the offense most certainly did its part.
Tillman started the game by loading the bases with nobody out by giving up a single to Scutaro and walking Pedroia and Papi back-to-back. Scutaro scored on a groundout by V-Mart, and with two outs Drew doubled in two. Hermida led off the second with a double, moved ahead on a single by Hall, and scored on a single by Pedroia. Thus, Samuel made his first call to the bullpen as the manager of a Major League Baseball team; he removed his starter after he gave up four runs in less than two innings. Welcome to the big show.
We were just getting started. Cue the long balls; we had three of them. In the fourth, Hall struck out by reached on a passed ball, Scutaro singled, and with two out Youk went yard high and long to send everyone home for the eleventh time this year. He buried a 1-0 fastball up into the seats out in left field. Not wanting to feel left out, Beltre did the same with nobody on base an inning later on a breaking ball. Complete with that really compact swing of his where he puts his whole back into it such that he ends up kneeling on his back leg during the follow-through. Not wanting to feel left out either, Scutaro did the same to lead off the eighth on an inside hanging breaking ball. In the ninth, Beltre doubled in V-Mart, and then Drew scored on McDonald's groundout.
Pedroia went two for four. Beltre, Drew, and Youk went two for five. V-Mart went three for four. Scutaro went three for six. We recorded sixteen hits. We scored five of our runs with two outs. In short, we delivered a good, old-fashioned Boston beatdown. We had a brief scare when Hermida collided with Beltre on Markakis's popup (thankfully, Scutaro pulled out of the chase early), but they're okay. Hermida left with a left forearm contusion, and Beltre has a bruised left knee, but that's all. Thankfully. The last thing we need is yet another outfielder on the DL as a result of a collision.
Tonight's the second game of the series; Lester will take on Guthrie to secure at least the series win. I'm looking forward to this. Hopefully, Lester will turn in a performance just as dominant but from the other side of the mound. We're currently four and a half games out of first and continue to surge. Life is good.
The Art of Losing
Posted in Baseball, tagged Adrian Beltre, Baltimore Orioles, Baseball, Boston Red Sox, CJ Wilson, Clay Buchholz, Darnell McDonald, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jeremy Guthrie, Jon Lester, Ramon Ramirez, Scott Schoeneweis, Victor Martinez on April 23, 2010| Leave a Comment »
You might be inclined to say that we knew it couldn't last forever, but the truth of the matter is that we didn't know that. The beauty of winning streaks is that you have no idea how long they'll keep up, and we were most definitely hoping that this one would be more than two games long. Although winning the series isn't bad, and in the face of what we've been going through, we'll take that too. Think about it: if a team were to win every single series through the entire season, it would be in fantastic shape. My concern about this particular loss is its potential to slide us back into our rut. So you can imagine the comfort I experienced when I realized that we're hosting Baltimore next. I mean, they're two and fourteen. Nothing like a beat-down of bad team to get your confidence back and your juices flowing.
The final score was 0-3; Buchholz turned in a solid outing. It's a real shame that the offense handed him a loss. He was one out shy of a full seven and gave up three runs on six hits with one walk and ten K's. Ten. You don't think of him as a strikeout pitcher, but ten, my friends, is the most strikeouts we've had in a game from a starter so far this year, and that excludes Schoeneweis's strikeout. (He and Ramirez turned in good work.) For him, that's definitely a career high. He also threw 114 pitches, which is up there for him. About sixty-seven percent of those pitches were strikes. He chiefly used his four-seam, his changeup, and his slider; he threw seven curveballs, which was his least effective pitch, but he still threw about half of them for strikes. He was on. He topped out at ninety-seven miles per hour, and all of his breaks were sharp. And what's even more impressive is that his strike zone was more or less even. He stayed away from the upper right and lower left corners, but other than that his locations were evenly distributed, which shows that he mixed his pitches effectively and executed them precisely. I'm telling you, it's a pleasure to watch an artful off-speed pitcher work, and last night effectively proved that he is going to be one serious master.
So Buchholz had a stellar outing; CJ Wilson just had a better one. He was matching Wilson, scoreless inning for scoreless inning through six. Then came the seventh, and a single, double, and bunt single later, we were down by three and wouldn't come back up. On the bright side, they scored their runs via small ball, so even then it wasn't like he was easy to hit.
We almost answered in the bottom of that inning; V-Mart and Beltre both singled before McDonald stepped up to the plate, and from what we've seen of him so far, we had every right to expect that he would deliver and tie it up. He didn't. Should Tito have gone to a lefty? Not when the righty is hotter.
Now we have the full picture on Ellsbury: he's got a hairline fracture in four of his left ribs. Ouch, and thankfully it's not worse. So now it's not so likely he'll be back by Tuesday. The important thing is that, when he comes back, he's healthy.
Even though we lost, there was something different about this one than about the others. In the other losses, you could clearly fault our offense for not generating good at-bats. Last night, you could clearly fault Wilson. Of course, you want your team to do well against any pitcher, but there's a difference between simply not hitting and not hitting because the pitcher is on. If it's just you, it's just you, but when a pitcher is on, any time would not hit. I mean, we had no extra-base hits whatsoever. We had two fielding errors, one by Beltre and one by Buchholz, but that was it. The only multi-hit game in the lineup belonged to V-Mart, who went two for three with a walk.
Lester takes the hill tonight, and if there's any game he's wanted to win so far this season, it's this one. Because we're playing Baltimore and for most pitchers it would be virtually impossible to lose. Of course, Guthrie's starting so the offense will have to hold up its end of the bargain, which is why, as I said, this is the game that will really tell us whether we're officially out of our rut. If we swing the bats well, it means the loss hasn't phased us and we're on more solid footing. If we don't swing the bats well (and not because Guthrie happens to be having the outing of his life), it means it's going to be a longer April than we thought. Let's all hope for the former. I myself am optimistic. Let's get this done.
Posted in Baseball, tagged Baltimore Orioles, Baseball, Boston Red Sox, Daniel Bard, David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jason Bay, Jason Varitek, JD Drew, Jeremy Guthrie, John Smoltz, Jon Lester, Jonathan Papelbon, Kevin Youkilis, Major League Baseball, Manny Delcarmen, Mike Lowell, Oakland A's, Theo Epstein on July 31, 2009| Leave a Comment »
We're back to two and a half games out. Lester did not take the win. Lester did not have a great outing. So much for the invincible one-two punch; rest assured Theo Epstein is taking notice. Yes, we need another big bat, but another big bat won't make a spot of difference if our pitcher can't hold on to the lead he built. Lester pitched an out shy of six innings and gave up four runs on seven hits. If he'd given up four runs in seven innings, or if he'd given up only one or two runs in five and two thirds, we could interpret it differently. But he did the two things a starting pitcher isn't supposed to do, especially after the bullpen has had a long and rough past few days: leave early and be porous. The sad part is that he was only porous for one inning, but it was a pretty ugly inning if you ask me. He was lights-out through five, gave up four runs in the sixth, and made way for Delcarmen who gave up the fifth run before finally ending the inning. And Lester took 104 pitches to do it. I'm not a fan. If you're the number two starter, you can't be having outings like that in almost-August. If we didn't have the best bullpen in the Majors (even with their occasional implosions), this would be an extraordinarily major cause for concern.
Speaking of the best bullpen in the Majors, Delcarmen got a win, Bard got a hold, and Paps got a save. A seventeen-pitch effort. But apparently you have to start from somewhere.
The final score was 8-5. They scored one run less last night than we did the night before. I'd call that bitter medicine. Depending on who you talk to. It was pretty sweet for me. Ellsbury was caught stealing and picked off. That was pretty much the only low point. That and Pedroia went hitless. But Ellsbury did make another beautiful catch, this one on the forward dive. And Youk went two for four, Bay walked twice, Lowell batted in a run, and Drew went two for three. Tek had an absolutely monster night, probably the best night at the plate he's had all season. Three for three with a run and three RBIs. Mr. Clutch, as it were. A single with the bases loaded, a single with a man on third, and a double with a man on second. He batted in a run with every hit. That's impressive. Did I mention he's thirty-seven?
And last but not least, David Ortiz went two for three with two runs and three RBIs. Including a three-run monster shot with two out in the seventh inning. There was absolutely no chance that this ball was staying inside the park. No chance whatsoever. It was gone as soon as it left the bat.
That was a good game for us, despite Oakland's four-run sixth, so I'll take it. We're off to Baltimore, and Smoltz will take on Jeremy Guthrie. We need this win. At this point, we need every win we can get. Smoltz needs to get himself back on track. We said the goal was to peak late. August is almost upon us; this is when the peaking has to start. That's all I'm saying.


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Home » News » Another year of outstanding A Level results for Petroc!
Another year of outstanding A Level results for Petroc!
In the most challenging of times Petroc students have done unbelievably well, with the results comparable to 2019, the last year A Level students sat exams. We congratulate them on their hard work and our dedicated staff for supporting them. We are very proud.
We have seen some outstanding performances from our students: for example, in Environmental Science every student gained a grade of between A*-C and in Music, three in four of them achieved grade A*-B.
Sean Mackney, Principal and CEO at Petroc, said: "I congratulate all our students who have received their A Level and vocational results today.
I feel a great sense of pride seeing what they have accomplished over the last two years, which is also felt by our students' lecturers and support staff who have helped them to achieve these grades.
Our learners have shown determination and resilience, and have come out with outstanding results setting them up for future success."
Faculty Manager of A Levels, Claire Scott, said: "We are immensely proud of the tremendous effort that all of our amazing students have put into their studies this year. This cohort have had to struggle with Covid and lockdowns throughout their time with us and during their final year at school, so their first experience – apart from their mocks with us – of an actual set of examinations were their final A Levels. They have been resilient, flexible and hard-working through all the ups and downs of the past two years and these results bear witness to their diligence and determination to succeed."
A Level learner, Skye Pirie, received A*, A*, A* in Maths, Biology and Chemistry. She said: "Now that I've received my results I'm going to take a gap year travelling and then I'll be going to Birmingham University to study a Masters in Chemical Engineering. In September I will be representing Great Britain at the World Surf Life Saving Championships."
Alexander Parsons achieved an A in Classical Civilisation, A in History and a Distinction* in Sport. He said: "I really enjoyed being able to focus on studying what I am interested in. Now that I have my grades, I am off to Southampton University to study History and Ancient History. I would like to be a pilot if possible but first I want to study for a degree in something that I enjoy."
Student William Nicholls gained an A*, A*, A in Law, Psychology and Sociology. He is now off to the University of Brighton. He said: "With my grades, I am excited to be moving away to study Paramedic Science."
Darcy Lewis received an A, A, A in History, Law and Politics. She said: "I really enjoyed my time at Petroc and I'm really pleased with the results I've achieved. I'm now going to Exeter to study History, then I would like to do a Masters and PhD with the hopes of becoming a Researcher."
Emily Meardon studied four A Levels and received A, A, B, B in Economics, Business, Law and Politics. Emily accepted a place at the University of York to study Politics, Philosophy and Economics. She said: "I really enjoyed my time at Petroc, making new friends with the same interests as me. I really valued the support from my lecturers and am excited to be going to York University."
It's not just A Level learners celebrating today. We can proudly say that our vocational students received some very impressive results. For example, two thirds of students on our Construction courses achieved a starred distinction, the highest grade, whilst 100% of our students passed Business, Performing Arts and Sports programmes.
We wish our students the very best of luck as they progress in life and we hope to see many of them returning to study a degree with us.
It's not too late to study for a degree at Petroc; through clearing you can apply now! There are generous cash bursaries available for all students.
Contact us now to secure your place for September, call 01271 852330 or email he@petroc.ac.uk
To find out more please visit www.petroc.ac.uk/clearing
Students, College news
Petroc proud to be part of £15.6m Innovation Centre project
HIP and SPARKS Learner of the Year 2023
Student designs winning Christmas card
Petroc students helping NHS recruitment crisis


"The announcement by the Trump Administration of the rollback of fuel efficiency standards is detrimental to our energy security and national security. Rolling back the clean car standards undermines the largest step we've taken as a nation to reduce our dependence on oil. Tearing down these standards will force Americans to spend more at the pump and make us more reliant on countries like Venezuela and Saudi Arabia.
ASP has long been a proponent of the fuel efficiency standards. In August 2017 when the review of these standards was announced, ASP highlighted the importance of CAFE standards for our energy and national security, and in September 2017, ASP's CEO Stephen Cheney testified before the EPA reiterating the potential threats of lowering standards for the future.


Andrew travels extensively, contributing articles to newspapers and online sites. Recent trips: Brazil, the Amazon, the Pantanal, Bulgaria.
Many people use the Megabus service because it offers great value for money. If you want cheap, mostly reliable coach transport it is undoubtedly the best way to go. But there can be pitfalls and disadvantages. Learn more about the true nature of Megabus.
Make sure you read this essential guide before you take the plunge, that way you'll be more prepared for what could be the journey of a lifetime.
Megabus has already achieved legendary status by offering the cheapest fares for coach transport between major cities world wide. Just think about that huge tempting £1 advert splashed across UK Megabus vehicles, with the equally ridiculous 50pence booking fee. 50 pence!! Outrageous.
But Megabus is much more than simple value for money. Most people who use this service end up with a personal story to tell. It could involve strange, eccentric characters, motorway disruptions, accidents, stinky toilets, stinky feet, loud and comical drivers. And the longer your journey the more stories you'll gather.
Honestly, Why Ride with Megabus?
* I can save more of my hard earned cash for other essentials, like soap.
Most Megabus seats have a socket provided to plug into. WIFI is available but expect a slow, intermittent signal.
All kinds of people use the Megabus service, from students to single old ladies, from young families to the world weary traveller. You'll meet them all, and more. Be amazed at the wide spectrum of humanity there before you as you line up to board the coach.
you could end up sitting next to a person who likes nothing better than to plug in their app, stick in their earphones and play heavy metal music for 3 hours. You're within earshot, there are no more spare seats.
you could end up in a seat next to a tired, screaming family from Birmingham.
you won't be allowed off the bus for a quick smoke when the coach stops for the new driver to take over.
Megabus is cheap but not necessarily nasty. All of my journeys on the famous blue coaches have succeeded in their aim - to get me from A to B safely and more or less on time!
My last trip took 32 hours, from Leeds in the north of England to Barcelona in Spain. I can tell you now that my buttocks entered a different dimension and my mind was a bit boggled yet I survived all 5 changes of driver, a sniffer dog, a stinky toilet and an international dispute at a motorway service station.
If you want adventure and a few colourful stories along the way then I recommend you book a Megabus trip.
For those prized 1$ or 1£ seats go on line and book early. Up to 45 days in advance. Usually if you're the first to book you'll get the bargains. If you're prepared to travel at odd hours seats can also be very cheap.
It goes without saying, be on time for your coach! Arrive a good 30 minutes before departure time and don't believe the stories you hear about Megabus coaches always being late setting off.
On my last journey, from London to Barcelona, we set off on time at every stop. Yes, the odd coach might be delayed here and there, but always make sure you're early. That way you won't get left behind, as many do.
Most drivers are there to help and to facilitate a smooth journey. Most are business-like, polite and professional BUT you do get the odd, eccentric driver who may want to do things their way, regardless of company rules.
For example, on the trip back from Barcelona to Leeds we encountered a driver called Johnno in France who had a knack for delivering dark, shadowy comments on the coach's loudspeaker system.
British drivers tend to be either stressed out to the point of pale lunacy or comically inclined with heavy doses of sarcasm for good measure. Some are exceedingly stubborn.
One driver, a stout Yorkshireman with a beer belly, flatly refused to move his coach an extra metre at a service station in France so that an Italian coach could get to the fuel pumps. The Italian driver and assistant went near berserk in their attempts to get Beer Belly Ken to comply with their request.
Ken didn't move an inch. He just sat there in his driver's seat giving the irate Italians a lesson in the improper use of contemporary English swear words!
On longer journeys and at peak times expect some delays somewhere along the line. In the UK for example the roads become choked with traffic at rush hour, at holiday time and between major cities such as London and Birmingham.
Listen out for announcements and make sure you get the right gate and number of coach. Delays cause knock on effects so don't be surprised to find your bus being delayed further as time goes by.
It's best to have a minimum of luggage when riding with Megabus.
You're allowed one large piece of luggage which must go below in to the hold and one hand held piece which you can take on board with you. Drivers are pretty strict about this. Some drivers allow for more than one hand held piece - say a carrier bag of food or shopping in addition to a handbag or small rucksack- if space permits.
For details read the small print on line.
For international travel always have your passport handy. Drivers will demand to see them, as will other authority figures such as police and customs and station officers. You will not be allowed on a coach traveling abroad without one.
On a recent trip through France our coach was inspected three times by French customs officers. You have to do as you are told, stay seated and only stand when requested to. The final search was made with police and a black sniffer dog, looking for drugs and explosives.
*Any passengers aged 15 or under must travel accompanied by an adult aged 18 or over.
Some coaches stop in the middle of nowhere and, it being Megabus, you'll have to find your own shelter and warmth should the driver ask you to leave the coach. Take suitable clothing and protective gear with you if cold, wet weather is forecast.
If your journey is a long one stock up on food first. Although Megabus timetables allow for stops and food breaks this isn't always the case so have some snacks and drinks prepared as a back-up.
In my experience, there's no way a Megabus driver will stop for a requested food break. It just won't happen.
It's first come first served on Megabus. There are no reserved seats as such, you climb on board and look for one that takes your fancy. If you're lucky you'll get a pair of seats all to yourself, where you can stretch out your legs en route. Otherwise look for the empty seat at the front if you prefer seeing the road ahead, or choose the rear for a view down the bus.
On the larger double-decker buses most legroom can be found on the seats opposite the first set of stairs.
Be wary of fellow passengers. Some might be stinky with no personal hygiene.
Don't choose seats near the toilet, midway down the coach. Things can get smelly.
I recommend females choose a female partner to sit next to.
When the Megabus rolls into the station or stop you may have to queue to get the driver's attention. Be well advised, some people may have been waiting for hours and will want to get right up close to the driver!
In my experience most drivers won't tolerate pushy, rude people crowding in around them. One particularly stubborn driver on a London to Newcastle trip refused to leave his bus until the crowd had stepped back in orderly fashion. He stood in the door entrance waving everyone back, demanding space.
It can get noisy and competitive so just quietly nudge your way into prime position and be patient.
For the cheapest seats book your ticket in advance. This way you'll guarantee yourself a seat and get real value for money. In an age of rip off and profiteering, Megabus offers true bargains for those with little spare cash.
Go online and select your trip, print off the ticket and keep safe until the day of travel. Although you can turn up on the day hoping for a cancellation or a spare seat chances are there won't be any. Popular routes between major cities are often fully booked so make sure you get there in advance to avoid disappointment.
I always book on line. It's quick and straightforward.
If there are two of you traveling it's best if one of you handles the luggage while the other sorts out the tickets with the driver at the door. Megabus drivers don't have assistants so you'll be expected to put your backpack or suitcase in the hold at the side of the coach.
I often travel with my partner and we've never had a problem with this. She takes the print out/ticket to the driver, points out that I'm handling the luggage and then hops on board to secure our seats.
Have you ever used the Megabus service?
Yes. It gives great value for money. I recommend it.
Yes. I will never use it again. Noisy, dirty with rude drivers.
Too right annasmom, the Megabus attracts all types of traveller, perfect for writers and other observers. Thank you for the visit, appreciate it.
LOL! Took this thing from Indianapolis to Chicago. Yes, it was inexpensive...but trust, it was a long ride and absolutely at capacity. Would be a good hang out for an aspiring writer...ride the Megabus for a week. I am sure there are lots of stories to be found there.
Maybe it has to be an experience one tries even just once in a lifetime!
Ann, thank you. The Megabus service is great value for money no doubt - you just have to accept that some aspects of the journey will be shall we say, out of the ordinary!
I've never heard of the Megabus before. It sounds interesting and is certainly good value but I'm not sure I could push and shove for a seat! Great for students and those with very little cash, as you say.
Helpful suggestions and good pointers here, Andrew. I'll bear it in mind for future trips within Britain, but I don't fancy a numb bum on a long journey to the continent!
Great presentation and full content as always.


ADAC Atlanta, Hansgrohe, Zinc Door, Baker Furniture, Robert Allen, Kravet, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Robin Wison Home, The voice That is, Nest 301, The Tile Bar, Bjork Studio, Abbey Carpet & Floor, Hines Furniture, Lights Online, Faux Decor, Peacock Alley, Catania Silks, Verde Home, W Hotel Downtown, Uptown Magazine and KBG Multimedia.
We were at the "whatever, whenever" W Atlanta Downtown. It was the perfect place for the Welcome to Atlanta Mixer, to get a late night drink, talk design and walk to great restaurants with new friends. Loved the W team who went above and beyond to make our stay flawless.
There were so many design students, bloggers and young designers who were elated to be in the presence of so many talented designers as well as design legends Sheila Bridges, Ron Woodson, and Roderick Shade. They took pictures with HGTV Design Star winners, Danielle Colding (Season 7 winner) and Tiffany Brooks (Season 8 winner) and got a first hand glimpse at what's possible for their design careers.
Our panel discussion was fun and insightful. The designers really opened up about their design careers, their high profile clients and the business behind what they do as a designer. I was inspired by the candid nature of the panelist and appreciate their openness about the wins and loses that come with this industry.
Bake Furniture went above and beyond with the lunch reception for the panel. The showroom was beautiful and the food delicious! Hope Deer at Baker, made the experience even more personal by included a DJ playing hip music that keep everyone moving and grooving. It was the perfect place for the lunch and I hope they sign on for next year.
My one on one with Sheila Bridges was an out of body moment for me. I have followed Sheila's career since 2002. I had to contain my enthusiasm and ask the questions that the audience wanted to hear, but all I really wanted to do was hold her hand and talk design like we were old friend. Sheila was a gem! Even though the friendship only exist in my head, the conversation was everything I expected. She was very transparent and just an over all amazing spirit. It was refreshing to hear about her life and her journey from her perspective. The crowd loved her as well and gave her a standing ovation at the conclusion of the talk. We sold out of her book "The Bald Mermaid, soon after arriving at the Robert Allen showroom. It seemed everyone wanted to take a piece of Sheila home with them.
There are times when the stars align and everything is just perfect. The Blogger Loft Party at Atlanta Designer Michel Boyd's home was one of those times. First of all the decor was AMAZING. Michel is such a force when it comes to Style and his home is no exception. I was in awe of the space from the moment I walked in the door. Everything was perfect! As the night progressed and the guest arrived, we enjoyed drinks and food and laughed into the night. Some naughty guest found their way upstairs to Michel Boyd's closet where an impromptu fashion show and photo shoot broke out. This is the same closet that was a finalist for the Architectural Digest best closet contest, so you know it was fashion fun to be had.
The party fell on the eve of Michel's birthday and we all raised a glass to him as a spontaneous round of Happy Birthday broke out in the crowd. Some party goers who were not use to how things go in our community, didn't know what to do when at the end of the traditional version, we went right into the Stevie wonder version of Happy Birthday. Pictures were taken and friendships were forged. Wendy Estes of Zinc Door sponsored the HashTag printing which allowed guest to take home memories from the event and serve as proof that they were indeed at the hottest party in town.
After touring the Atlanta Symphony Show house and relaxing in the spaces created by Smith Boyd Interiors and Palmer Design Group, we met up for brunch at Del Frisco's Grill in Buckhead. Both Janice's and Michel's spaces were the topic of conversation at brunch, prompting the group of designers to toss around the idea of pulling together their resources to do a show house at an upcoming #AATOP20 celebration.
The brunch was the last event planned for the weekend, but no one wanted the party to end. The socializing and hanging out continued well into the night. After noticing that a large amount of people where still in town, Janice opened up her home for Sunday evening Dinner by up and coming Caribbean chef Carlington Brown.
The weekend concluded with the launch of our new magazine "Iconic Home" Stay tuned for ways to get your hands on a copy. It has some great articles and features a special profile of the designers on this year's list.
I hope you'll want to join us next year as we join together to celebrate the best of African American Interior Design.
May 4 UPDATED!!!! The Top 20 Revealed And You're Invited!


Centered on the I-5 Corridor between Kalama, WA and Olympia, WA. I am happy to search from the Washington/Oregon Coast (Cannon Beach to Ocean Shores), to the Cascade Mountain Range in the East.
Reasonable and agreed service call fee to cover travel expenses. Reward at your discretion based on what you can afford and what the lost item is worth to you to have it found. Regardless, you will get my 100% attention to recover your lost item.
Land and Shallow Water Searches including Yards, Parks, Lakes (chest wade depth, and Beaches).
I am a family man with 5 children. My middle son started my love of metal detecting when he asked for a detector on his 8th birthday. I have been hooked since. I detect for the enjoyment of the hobby and the excitement shared when finding lost items.
I use a variety of quality detectors depending on the conditions I am hunting, and I have located many silver and gold targets in my hunting experience. I have gained a vast understanding of each detector I use which enables me to target the specific item I am looking for. Let me help re-unite you with your treasured item.