With less than a month away, all the artists on the Muskoka Autumn Studio Tour are busy getting ready for the 35th annual tour muskokaautumnstudiotour.com and a special article in Muskoka Magazine September issue is out on shelves now!
It is our first year on this prestigious tour and we are very excited!
Make sure you pick up a Muskoka Autumn Studio Tour brochure and tour all the studios this fall while the colourful leaves are at their peak!
As the picture in the article shows, I am working on my largest sculpture yet - a 4 foot tall couple dancing carved from Indiana Limestone. I will try to get it done by the tour and if it's still not completely finished I will demonstrate working on it!


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Pros: I have very keen interest in this Software which could deal with Programming . I am quick learner , I have tried to do something productive throughout my career till date.
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License can be bought by module. The main modules in Oracle financials are Fixed Assets, General Ledger, Accounts Payables, Accounts Receivables etc.
Oracle is also offering cloud ERP now. Cloud ERP may reduce the total cost of ownership.
To implement Oracle ERP, many skilled people are available when compared to other products.
Oracle ERP comes with Oracle database. The performance will be great.
Oracle is an enterprise solution software which can be mapped to any business process.
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SLA and EB Tax are the highlight modules.
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Cons: Cost. It's expensive compared to some other comparable products, and maybe not worth that for smaller businesses. Large businesses can justify the expense, though.
Pros: The most important thing like about this software is the user interface and ease of using it. It is flexible to customize to business standards. Other thing I like about it, it is cloud based.
Cons: It is little expensive to maintain. It looks little confusioning for the new users.
Overall: I think it is really a perfect software for the financial management. I recommend this software for financial management.
Pros: Customers are able to make safe payments using a variety of options with so much ease. it offers a wide range of options including online payments, mobile payments and even make cash payments directly to your company using Sage 50. Customers can also access their invoices online without having to move to the company.
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Pros: System of record; maintains and help manage financial records; It maintains records and the workflow is some what intuitive; everyone at the company knows about the system, despite its user unfriendeliness.
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Pros: The product is trying to evolve, going to the cloud, and allows it to be adapted to any need of the company.
Pros: I like the interface, in that it is very modern, with colorful tiles for the different modules on the homepage.
Cons: The aspect I least like would be the reporting. I find myself having to run several reports and integrate the data to get the information I need, whereas I should be able to find it all in a single report. This can be very time consuming and tedious.
Pros: Ability to have all your time management needs in one software.
Cons: Wish the calendar had more options to be able to customize what you see.
Pros: In my position, I mainly use this product to apply customer payments. With that in mind, it is easy to use and is set up well. The features are self explanatory. Customer support is about average at best.
Cons: Since my job is mainly posting customer payments and adjusting invoices it would nice to be able to adjust invoices through the Manage Credit Memo Applications feature. This would save extra steps in having to go another route in order to adjust the invoices.
Pros: To be honest, there is not much that I like about this. If you have no choice but to use it, it does have the features needed for contract management and such. However, I can think of an alternative software for every feature that oracle has that would be a better option.
Cons: It is difficult to train for, the number of clicks it takes to do a single task is horrendous, the software is glitchy and one simple error becomes something not so simple after all.
Comments: The help guide I used was very helpful. If I needed any direction or how to input. I enjoyed being able to save certain layouts.
Pros: Oracle Financials Cloud is great for pulling data all from one place.
Cons: It can be a little confusing at first to pull the data.
Pros: I think that it is easy to use in a sense. We work with automotive parts, and it is very easy to track threw the stages of production.
Cons: It is hard to navigate at times, but I think it is how are IT Department has it set up.
Pros: I like the reporting our team has been able to build. If I am doing in depth digging on our financials it is a pretty powerful machine.
Cons: The interface is a challenge. It feels like something developed 20 years ago. It is slow and difficult to find what you are looking for. Often large queries take down the system for the entire institution.
Overall: We use this software to manage all of the finances for the university. It has allowed for deep reporting but it is a struggle at the micro level just to tell what you have bought.
Comments: I like the way it organizes things so clearly and efficiently; it makes expense reporting much easier! I also like that you are able to see ongoing status updates in regards to whether your expense report has been approved by your supervisor or not-- that is very helpful when attempting to follow up on a report.
Comments: Great finance domain features, ease of configurations, user friendly, easy integrations to 3rd party systems, decent reconciliations, seamless integrations to OM, SCM, Billing, Projects and other business functions. Need to add some GAAP and IFRS features in future for revenue recognitions.
Comments: The tool is easy to understand and navigate. When you make a mistake and receive an error message it is in RED and very clear instructions are included for remedying the issue.
Comments: We have been using for last 9 yrs atleast. We are expecting lof feature in P2P/OTC track.
Comments: This software has also helped our firm. We have used multiple finance software in the past and this is by far the best one. I would recommend it to anyone.
Comments: Ok software if needed. Difficult to manuver and change. Too many menus to navigate to. Needs more clarity.
Oracle Apps Techno Functional Consultant.
Pros: Easy to use, access, real time ERP system.
Cons: Some functionality are not good but over all I like it.


The USA economic climate is suffering to get over its worst fiscal downturn because the nice melancholy. After numerous large doses of traditional macroeconomic stimulus—deficit-spending and fiscal stimulus—policymakers are understandably wanting to locate cutting edge no-cost methods of maintaining development either within the brief and lengthy runs.
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Yale alums of all genders welcome.
Please join YWLA for a private tour of the fabulous new A+D Museum in downtown LA.
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text:
Changes in the Working Environment Act's regulations concerning whistleblowing
Effective 1 January 2020, new rules pertaining to whistleblowing will enter into force. On 11 June 2019, the Norwegian Parliament passed a resolution that all provisions of the Working Environment Act Chapter 2 A shall be amended. The changes in the law mainly contribute to clarification and precise formulation of judicial status so as to make the provisions more accessible and understandable to the users of the law.
The legislative changes also involve some material changes and a strengthened protection for the whistleblower that one must be aware of. We will take you through a brief overview of the changes.
1. The Working Environment Act's statutory objective is expanded
The Working Environment Act's statutory objective is expanded to include facilitation of a good free speech climate in the undertaking.
2. The personnel sphere covered by the whistleblowing regulations is expanded
Pursuant to section 1-6 of the Working Environment Act, a number of individuals who are not initially covered by the Working Environment Act shall still be regarded as employees in terms of the regulations pertaining to health, safety and the environment when they perform work in undertakings covered by the Act. The groups of people listed in the Working Environment Act Section 1-6 will now also be covered by the notification rules when they are performing work.
These include students, conscripts, persons obligated to perform compulsory civilian national service or civil defence service, prisoners, patients, persons in employment-oriented schemes placed in undertakings and persons participating in labour market initiatives.
3. The term "censurable conditions" is more clearly defined
The notification rules currently stipulate that workers have the right to provide notification of "censurable conditions" in the undertaking. What can be deemed "censurable conditions" is not defined or described more specifically in the current law, and interpretation has entailed a certain amount of doubt.
There is now a list of examples of what are considered "censurable conditions" in the new Section 2 A-1 second paragraph. Examples mentioned are risk to life or health, risk to climate or the environment, corruption or other economic crime, governmental abuse, improper working environment, or breach of personal data security. This list, however, is not intended to be exhaustive.
The law will now clearly delimit the notification rules from applying to the "employee's own working conditions". Such notification will not be considered whistleblowing, unless the notification otherwise includes "censurable wrongdoing" as now exemplified in Section 2 A-1 second paragraph.
4. The requirement to the employee's procedure in notification is changed
The Working Environment Act currently imposes the requirement that the employee's procedure for notifying must be "warrantable". The requirement of "warrantable" notification has been removed. The Storting believes that the term has been too discretionary and has given grounds for hesitancy and difficult assessments for workers considering whether to avail themselves of their right to notify.
The law now determines that an employee can always notify internally to supervisory authorities and other public authorities.
However, the employee may notify externally to the media or the public in general only if certain conditions are met. The employee must be in sincere good faith regarding the content of the notification. The notification must apply to censurable conditions of a general interest, and the employee must first have notified internally, or have reason to believe that internal notification would serve no purpose.
5. The employer's obligation to act and follow up is stipulated by law
The Working Environment Act does not currently have explicit rules that stipulate requirements for the employer's follow-up of a notification. Effective 1 January 2020, employers will have a duty to ensure that the notification is adequately examined "within reasonable time". However, there is no requirement as to what the employer must specifically do; this is still left to the employer's discretion in each particular situation.
The employer must also ensure that the whistleblower has a fully safe and secure working environment. If deemed necessary, the employer shall also provide measures that are suitable to prevent retaliation.
6. The prohibition of retaliation is defined in the law
Retaliation against an employee who notifies is forbidden. The content of the prohibition against retaliation is now made more understandable to the users of the law, and the text of the Act now includes examples of what may be regarded as retaliation. Explicit examples of retaliation now include threats, harassment, undue differential treatment, social exclusion or other improper conduct, warning notices, change in work tasks, relocation or demotion, suspension, wrongful termination, dismissal or disciplinary action.
7. Rules regarding liability in conjunction with retaliation are changed
Currently, a worker who has been subjected to retaliation may claim non-economic damages on objective grounds, i.e. without regard to culpability on the part of the employer. This provision of the current law continues in force.
When it comes to compensation for employees' financial losses, claims can currently be made pursuant to provisions of regular tort law. This involves a claim of culpability on the part of the employer, as well as causation between the financial loss and the retaliation. This is changed, and as of 1 January 2020, a worker who has been subjected to retaliation may claim compensation for financial damage on objective grounds, i.e. without regard to culpability on the part of the employer.
8. Changed requirements to notification procedures
If conditions in the undertaking so indicate, the employer is currently obliged to develop routine procedures for internal notification. Undertakings with at least five employees are always obliged to develop internal notification procedures.
As of 1 January 2020, the undertaking's notification procedures must contain requirements for the handling and processing of received notifications. The introductory provisions state that the routine procedures should contain specific requirements pertaining to case processing deadlines, deadlines for the implementation of any measures, including feedback to the whistleblower.
Kjetil Lundberg
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text:
RedsZone.com - Cincinnati Reds Fans' Home for Baseball Discussion > Archives > Predictions Archives > M2/Guernsey Bet On the 2005 Reds Team ERA
View Full Version : M2/Guernsey Bet On the 2005 Reds Team ERA
timmario66
The Reds may play in the sixth-easiest park in the National League to hit a home run in. But that hasn't stopped them from plowing in this winter to acquire two of the five active pitchers who have had a 40-gopherball season -- Eric Milton and Ramon Ortiz.
Well, it isn't often that you see a team acquire two 40-gopherball men in the same season. In fact, it isn't ever -- according to the Sultan of Swat Stats, SABR home run historian David Vincent. (The others, because we know you have to know: Jamie Moyer, Jose Lima and Brad Radke.)
The Sultan reports that only three previous teams have employed two different pitchers who once served up 40 homers. But none of them made a joint entrance. So this is true gopherball history. Here are those other duos:
1964 Yankees
Pedro Ramos (43, 1957)
Ralph Terry (40 ,1962)
1966-1967 Tigers
Denny McLain (42, 1966)
Orlando Pena (40, 1964)
1972 Braves
Phil Niekro (40, 1970)
flyer85
Sure looks like it could be a waste of a cool $13M in 2005.
But that's OK, I am going to stick my head in the sand with everyone else.
REDREAD
Is the GAB rated as a HR friendly park, partially due to the staff we've trotted out there, and Dunn/Jr/Kearns/Pena? Or do they have some way to remove the influence of a poor hometeam pitching staff and/or powerful HR hitting home team?
Maybe this will help...
Reds homers 2003-2004:
Home - 189 (680 runs scored)
Away - 187 (764 runs scored)
Opponents homers 2003-2004:
Home - 246 (ERAs of 4.75 and 4.97)
Away - 199 (ERAs of 5.70 and 5.22)
Most HR's ever given up in the NL by a team not named "The Rockies"
HOMERUNS HR
1 Jose Acevedo 30
T2 Aaron Harang 26
T2 Paul Wilson 26
4 Cory Lidle 24
5 Todd Van Poppel 22
6 Josh Hancock 14
T7 Gabe White 12
T7 Danny Graves 12
9 John Riedling 10
10 Brandon Claussen 9
T11 Mike Matthews 7
T11 Ryan Wagner 7
13 Juan Padilla 6
T14 Brian Reith 5
T14 Phil Norton 5
T16 Todd Jones 4
T16 Jesus Sanchez 4
T16 Joe Valentine 4
T19 Luke Hudson 3
T19 Jimmy Haynes 3
T19 Jung Bong 3
The two new guys jump to the top of the list, they must be studs.
max venable
Seriously...those are some pretty doggone decent pitchers on that list. Like I said in another post...as strange as it sounds, you've got to be a pretty decent pitcher to give up 40 HR in one season.
Somebody back me up on this one.
RedsBaron
In 1957 Ramos went 12-16 with a 4.79 ERA for the Senators; despite a career mark of 117-160, he was good enough to put in 15 seasons in the majors.
Terry went 23-12 for the 1962 World Champion Yankees, leading the AL in wins, and posting a 3.19 ERA. He went 16-3 for the Yanks in '61 and 17-15 in '63, with a career mark of 107-99. He was a quality pitcher.
Pena was 12-14 for the 1964 A's and 56-77 for his career. He was the worst pitcher mentioned.
McLain was a great pitcher, but only for a few seasons. In 1966, he gave up the 42 HRs mentioned, but he also went 20-14. In 1968 McLain was 31-6 and he went 24-9 the next season, before his career fell apart. He finished with a 131-91 mark, two Cy Young awards, one MVP award, several suspensions, and constant controversy.
Niekro was only 12-18 in 1970, but he deserved his election to the HOF, having three 20 win seasons and more than 300 career wins.
I agree with Max.
Unassisted
OTOH, with the abundance of free baseballs, the outfield seats will become the hottest ticket in town for souvenir hunters.
There's always a bright side. ;)
I'm sure that the Reds could have let Acevedo pitch 225 innings and watched him give up 45 HRs
still wouldn't have made him Bert Blyleven or Robin Roberts
good pitchers can give up HRs; unfortunately for the Reds, that's not why those pitchers are good. They're good in spite of the HRs
our guys aren't
Rocket_Fuel
Considering everyone but Stark hate Milton and Ortiz they may not be studs but I'm not going to whine about them and call them a waste of money without giving them a chance to prove themselves. That's just a waste of time. I could care less about how many homeruns they gave up last year because of different circumstances (Milton still recovering from knee surgery, Ortiz being yanked around by the Angels). So are they studs? No. Are they a waste of $13M, gee I don't know, lets let them at least pitch in a Spring Training game before calling them garbage. With the number of pitchers who have turned their careers around or jumpstarted their careers you would think people would learn to stop ripping a guy before letting him prove himself.
Milton won something like 16 games, and Ortiz did two a couple of years ago and was a key guy on the Angels' world championship team, I think those make them pretty good pitchers.
deltachi8
hey that Jimmy Haynes won 15 games once too, he must be pretty good.
The wins argument was the one used by the Angles to trade some scrub named Edmonds for Kent Bottenfield. That trade is approaching Pappas-esque.
Prove themselves?
I submit they've already done that.
If you subscribe to the theory that a pitcher can only control three outcomes (strikeouts, walks and homeruns), Milton controls two of the three very well. The outcome he performs the worst in is the least important of the three.
BadFundamentals
At least they were "moves". I'm willing to hold judgement on O'Brien till the end of this year. Then you have a body of work and can see just what has become of the moves he has made.............
At least they were "moves" and they were spending ($$$$) from Lindner. Good or Bad? who knows?.....They were enough to give you some extra reason to believe.........as opposed to reason to look for new things to do this spring.
Ramon Ortiz's career averages in K/9, HR per 200 IP (which is what you want from a starter) and BB/9 are as good as or better than the Reds pitchers who started a significant number of games last year.
When the Reds re-signed Wilson, the hue and cry on this board was that the Reds shot their wad on that one deal and wouldn't make any other moves to improve the starting pitching. Well, lo and behold, the Reds traded for a starting pitcher and signed a FA starting pitcher (who woulda thunk that, I wonder), both of whom are better than Paul Wilson.
The Reds improved their starting pitching this offseason. No doubt about that. Will it be enough to contend in the NL Central? Maybe, maybe not, but it's sure going to be more interesting to watch now than it would have been without these moves.
Anyone who thinks Ortiz posts good K/9 numbers doesn't understand the concept. I don't see much point in comparing him to what's been pitching for the Reds of late. That's been awful. Though I fail to see what makes him a better pitcher than Aaron Harang.
Can we see some career stats! Well, I know Harang hasn't had much of one, but since you want to compare we might as well use the small sample size. ;)
You could look them up. They're not hard to find and this isn't exactly a state secret I'm letting out of the bag.
Ortiz - 5.94 K/9, 1.37 HR/9, 3.27 BB/9
Harang - 6.59 K/9, 1.25 HR/9, 3.34 BB/9
Sorry M2. It was a joke! Hence the ;) We've seen this many times. You didn't catch my wink. Yes, I know how to use Google search. To tell you the truth I really don't care about the stats. I'm just glad to see a couple more pitchers in the mix. I'll wait and pass judgement when I see Ortiz pitch for the Reds in the NL.
Oh I know that. The point wasn't that giving up 40 HRs in a season made someone a good pitcher; it was a pitcher either had to have been good at some point or be thought to have "potential" to be allowed to pitch enough to give up 40 HRs.
You have to be a decent pitcher to lose 100 games in your career; you have to be a good pitcher to lose 200; lose 256 or more and you are a Hall of Fame pitcher-----not because of the losses, but because you won't be allowed to pitch enough to lose all those games unless you have some ability.
Though I fail to see what makes him a better pitcher than Aaron Harang.
Umm - Aaron Harang wasn't the only Reds pitcher who, "started a significant number of games last season".
Having Milton and Ortiz available to replace the starts made last year by Van Poppel, Acevedo and Lidle (combined for 62 starts) is a significant upgrade in the rotation. Wilson needs to be Wilson (who, BTW, lowered his ERA by 0.30 last season and increased his K/9 by 0.70), and two of the four kids need to step up and show they belong in a major league rotation (instead of having to hit on four out of four).
And what has Ortiz done as a starting pitcher the past two seasons? 5.28 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, 4.93 K/9
That's not an upgrade. It's just another horrible pitcher.
As for Wilson, either you understand park effects or you don't. He was just as sub-mediocre last year as he was the previous three.
I don't mind Milton. Of the three, he's the one with upside. Yet he hasn't had a good season since 2001. If the best you're going to get out of him is some mid-4.00s ERA then the only "improvement" you're going to see is a staff that's gone from hideous to butt ugly.
Hasn't ORtiz had some injuries the past couple of seasons? I can't quantify, but I had Ortiz on my fantasy baseball teams a few starts and he did very well. I think he had some blow out appearances and did very well through periods of time. If he is healthy again he can get back to what he did when he was pitching in the WS.
Cory Lidle had some good starts too, but as he amply demonstrated you don't get a 5.00+ ERA unless your failures far outweigh your flourishes. Over his last 46 starts, Ramon Ortiz has a 5.28 ERA. That can only be achieved by a consistently bad pitcher.
That can only be achieved by a consistently bad pitcher.
Or consistantly hurt!
Sorry, I thought we were talking about reality and not fiction.
I'll say it again. why pay ortiz 3.5 mil, when Luke Hudson is on the roster for 3 mil less?
moves like this simply drain my will to live. I'm not saying Hudson is all that, but he's at least likely to put up the same numbers as ortiz, and he misses bats, so he's likely to put up better numbers. And he can actually say he was hurt.
Ortiz=money wasted.
Actually, it's pretty simple.
60 starts from Milton & Ortiz in '05 will be better than the 60 starts the Reds got from Van Poppel, Lidle & Acevedo in '04.
As for the Ortiz or Hudson debate, if they're the same pitcher, why not have them both? If Hudson and Harrang are the two front runners for the rotation, then that keeps lesser lights from getting starts that will go to Ortiz.
Milton, maybe, though not wildly so. Ortiz no. He's every bit as bad as those guys.
What ought to be simple to figure out is the Reds still have a lousy pitching staff.
Money time.
'05 Milton will outpitch '04 Lidle.
'05 Ortiz will outpitch '04 Starting Van Poppel and '04 Starting Acevedo.
Wanna bet?
I don't know if he was hurt. I"m just hoping I guess! It's not like Ortiz was the only deal. If it were I'd be pissed, but we got a 3B, 3 BP, Left starter, and now a SS. If you don't think this team is better then last years which was in it until Griffey went down then I can't say anything right.
This is when you need to buy a clue.
I agree Milton will outpitch the '04 Lidle (note where I said he's the one with upside). However I don't get all jazzed up about the difference between 4.75 and 5.32.
And the point with Ortiz is who cares whether his 5.00+ ERA is better than Von Poppel or Acevedo's from last season. He still sucks.
Supposedly, and I only know this because I've seen teams other than the Reds do it in recent years, the idea is to have a staff that pitches well. The Reds don't have one that can do it. Wanna bet on that?
Well, I figured you'd be too chicken to take the bet. You won't debate that the Reds have improved their staff, because they have. And the Reds aren't to be given credit for anything.
As for a staff that pitches "well", you care to put a definition with that? By leaving it ambiguous, you leave yourself plenty of opportunity to say, "I'm right! I'm right" when the Reds staff isn't one of the three best in the league.
Do I think Milton/Ortiz/Wilson will match up with Clemens/Oswaldt/Pettite and Prior/Wood/Maddux? No, but then the Cubs watched the postseason on TV last season just as the Reds did.
It's amazing that someone who has never managed anything more complex that a lemonade stand can manage a baseball franchise. Being in Boston, I suggest you go get an interview with Bill James and put that talent to work somewhere other than a meaningless Internet forum.
Do you read? Because in this very thread I said the Reds have marginally improved the pitching staff ... from hideous to butt ugly.
You want a number to shoot for? How about a 4.23 ERA? That's been the NL average the past three seasons. I was actually going to let you have first crack at defining it, but that probably would have turned into a discussion over gradients of lousy.
As for the other stuff. Never been in the lemonade business and I like being a baseball fan. Might I suggest that if you hold such a low opinion of this "meaningless Internet forum" then maybe you ought not to spend so much time here. I don't share your opinion on that matter.
Time to just go sit back relax and stop reading this post or the Redzone. I know it can be frustrating when fans just seem to share joy in their team, but it's not worth it for either party to be stressed over this or that. Like I said earlier. Let's just wait and see and the we can banter back with I told you so if that gets you going!
I'll take half that bet. In fact I'll bet that Ortiz is actually worse than Acevedo alone.
2 of crap is crap. if the reds really wanted to shoot themselves in the foot, they'd have signed Lima too.
I'm willing to bet that Acevedo puts up better numbers than Ortiz as well, but I also believe that Ortiz is in the bullpen by mid-season.
The latter group made ~$4M last year. The former will get paid ~$13M this year.
They damn well oughta pitch better.
Aronchis
Acevedo may not even be a Red after spring training. Ortiz's career success level is higher than Acevedo, you have to at least give him that. He is Gullet's project with a upside to pull a Harnish though I figure he will blow out at some point. Milton, is a sneeky good pick up that got overpaid in this market. Oh the surprise.
DanO's moves aren't for the "know-it-all" fan to say the least. My view they are a more "richer" version of Bowdenism after the 1998 season. Though the Reds farm system, I suspect will have better players to offer 2004 and beyond than what Jimmy had for himself after during and after the 99 season. Though interestly enough, Bowden is the one who stocked alot of these players.
Will it work? Why people get hyped over Wilson,Milton and Ortiz, the key is the developement of Hudson,Claussen and the Minor League righties like Gardner,Nelson and Pauly. Even if the Top 3 Veterens all succeed past our expectations, you will need some talent to complete the pie from another pitcher. Hudson and Claussen IMO have that talent to do that in 2004 and the others in 2005(except maybe for Nelson if he was injured last year). My guess is one Vet succeeds, the other is down the middle and the last bombs out. DanO's gotta hope for better.
DanO's future as Reds GM may ride on this season. The stakes are high. If the Reds don't compete for the playoffs after Augest 1st and are mediocre, the fallout could be bad. Fans will be depressed, which will decrease the money supply and the Reds will have to deal off more players than they might have had if they had succeeded in 2004. It could start a domino effect dooming DanO and setting up Allen who didn't support O'brien's hiring and has been very quiet recently concerning the Reds, unilateral power in selecting the next GM. The O'brien/Lindner regime is at its peek, they are running the operations and the Limiteds are sitting back taking notes. If they fail, Lindner will sell the managing shares to another Limited partner, who, if my hunch is right concerning this partner, will give John Allen absolute power.
You want a number to shoot for? How about a 4.23 ERA? That's been the NL average the past three seasons.
Might I suggest that if you hold such a low opinion of this "meaningless Internet forum" then maybe you ought not to spend so much time here.
That's a fair target, and one the Reds have a chance for, allowing for park effect factors.
As for your second suggestion, in case you haven't noticed; I don't.
Name any price.
Loser donates $100 to the Reds Community Fund.
If you're interested in finding out how you can support the Reds Community Fund, please contact Charley Frank at 513-765-7231. To make a tax-deductible charitable contribution, send a check payable to:
Cincinnati Reds Community Fund,
Attn: Executive Director
100 % of your donation will be dedicated to the Community Fund and its mission of improving the lives of youth by leveraging the tradition of the Cincinnati Reds and the game of baseball. Your contribution is tax deductible. The Cincinnati Community Fund Tax ID # is 31-1790195.
I was hoping to get a ski vacation out of you. I consider sports bets infantile by nature and I figured I might as well cash in on it.
But I can't argue with giving your money to a charitable cause. 4.23 and $100 it is.
I consider sports bets infantile by nature and I figured I might as well cash in on it.
I'm so flattered that you climbed down off your high horse long enough to engage in an infantile pursuit with little ole me.
But I still can't decide if your arrogance is exceeded by your pompousness, or whether they are both trumped by your condescension.
It's the latter for sure. Now thank me for my patronization of you and your adorable little wager. I hope you'll learn a valuable object lesson from it which leads to your betterment in the future.
DoogMinAmo
M2,
In case you didn't realize, based on your own pitching dependent theory, in the midst of this measuring match between guernsey and yourself, you are betting against the Reds success.
Would this not be a conflict between what you want and what you believe?
PuffyPig
You improve a pitching staff 1 pitcher at a time.
NO, we don't have a primo pitching staff led by 3 aces.
But it's better than last. Quite a bit.
Hell yeah. Yet another reason why I think sports bets are infantile. I'd love for the Reds to do better than a 4.23 ERA. I don't think they will and am perfectly willing to debate the finer points of that, but apparently that means nothing unless I'm willing to put money on it. On the bright side, on the extremely remote chance the Reds get under that mark I'll be pleased as punch when I pay up.
In the meantime I get the infinite chuckles that come over me when guernsey puts on his mad cow act.


These online video tutorials cover the most common questions you can encounter when building a corporate VoIP communication system. These videos also help you understand the impacts of VoIP and the difference between VoIP and other technologies (like PSTN). This continual VoIP guide provides a handy way to learn all details and technical background required for setting up a really efficient and advanced VoIP communication system based on Ozeki Phone System XE.


Don't think – even think – about putting up your Christmas tree unless you've got that plan – not a single bauble.
If Santa's already come calling then it's too late.
This is a massive, crucial culture change – sharing data automatically. And it's got to be driven from the top.
And don't moan to me that people won't co-operate, just do it. Don't say there are bureaucratic obstacles – we'll remove them.
Our answer is – look at your M-A-R-A-C. That is where information is being shared, plans are being co-ordinated and lives being turned around. But crucially, this works because of dedicated support – the I-D-V-A – and the work of the MARAC co-ordinator to bring it all together. Mr Pickles – we have a working example. Let's build on it – using community budgets as you suggest. And then put up a Christmas tree – with as many baubles as you wish.


Star Minds Interregnum – Telepaths.
A telepath on an artificial planet. When her father uploads his mind to the mainframe, leaving her alone in the real world, Lyssa decides it's time to leave. But many Humanoids fear and distrust ESPs of all kinds.
A wealthy telepath and a traumatized slave – two lonely hearts meet. A virgin young woman helps a runaway to overcome the shadows of his past. The two faces of the pleasure planet.


text:
My books are officially available on paperback!!
Aren't they pretty? =) I could just stare at them all day!
So how to order? Here are the links to the CreateSpace store where they are available now. They will be available on Amazon in a few days but same price. Just click on the title of the books below. Prices are based on length of books. Obviously MYM was much longer than all the others.
Forever Mine (Moreno Brothers #1)
YA Mature
Seventeen-year old Sarah's life is turned upside down when her single mom is sent to jail. She's forced to move, leaving behind everything she's ever known, including her best friend Sydney. Lost and bitter in a new school, her one goal is to save money and move back home. Then she meets Angel Moreno.
Enigmatic but gorgeous, Angel is almost too good to be true. Except for one thing, his archaic belief that guys and girls can never be "just friends". The problem? Sarah's best friend Sydney is not a girl.
With their unexpected romance intensifying to places neither ever experienced, how long can Sarah keep Angel in the dark about the guy waiting for her back home?
Always Been Mine (Forever Mine #2)
ADULT contemporary romance
After one heartache too many, Valerie Zuniga vows to never let Alex Moreno hurt her again. A year later, she is forced to reunite with him at a party where one unexpected sizzling kiss tells her she's far from over him. No way will she allow herself to get sucked back into that torment. She'll resist him even if that means using the one thing that'll stop Alex dead in his tracks: another man.
Alex is coming off one of the worst years of his life. He spent so much time wallowing in self-pity, he never realized how much he'd missed Valerie. That is, until that kiss. Now, he's determined to get her back one way or another, and no other man will stand in his way. Especially after discovering that Valerie may be in danger, a danger he blames himself for.
Sweet Sofie (Moreno Brothers #3)
Her entire life, Sofia Moreno has dealt with overprotective brothers. With her three older brothers always lurking, no boy would dare reach out to her. Luckily for Sofia, the one boy she's got her heart set on has always been within reach: her brother's best friend Eric, even though his loyalty to her brothers runs deep. Sofia knows there is only so much he can do before giving in to her.
Two years older than her, Eric Diego has always known there would be hell to pay if he messed with his best friend's kid sister, Sofia. Through the years, he watches as she blooms into a beautiful young lady right before his eyes. With teenage hormones raging and Sofia more than willing, Eric agrees to the unthinkable: a forbidden secret romance. Feeling emotions and a feverish passion that's new to them both, neither is ready for how quickly their romance spins out of control.
Romero (Moreno Brothers #4)
Prim and proper middle school teacher Isabel Montenegro always runs the opposite direction from men like Ramon Romero. A foul-mouthed, uneducated, loose cannon has no place in her careful plans. But instead of running away, Isabel is completely captivated. The intensity of his nature, while a bit daunting, mesmerizes her in ways she can't begin to understand. She's unwilling to walk away—even when her instincts are screaming at her to run.
Romero has no idea what he's getting himself into when he first kisses Isabel. Shocked at the passion she invokes in him, he believes he can keep his usual short fuse under wraps. Falling fast and hard for someone so flawlessly sweet only makes him more aware that he's far from perfect. If she is ever witness to his biggest imperfection, he's sure she'll bail. But when her meddling sister does the worst thing imaginable—bring other men between him and his Izzy—that fuse is lit and all bets are off.
Making You Mine (Moreno Brothers #5)
Both MYM and bonus short story Adult Conemporary
Always in control, the meticulous and professional Salvador Moreno is thrown for a loop when the newly hired bartender Grace Zendejas suddenly invades his family's restaurant, and infuriatingly, his every thought. For the first time in his life, Sal is fumbling. But after recovering from a few blunders he discovers his feelings for Grace run much deeper.
Things begin to heat up between him and Grace, but then the ever-perfect Sal does something even his brothers never did-screws up royally. Now he's scrambling to cover up a mistake he knows could cost him dearly. As his relationship with Grace grows even more serious, Sal's secret is a ticking bomb, threatening to destroy the one thing he now lives and breathes for-his relationship with the love of his life-Grace.
******!!!******!!!*****
With a BONUS Sarah and Angel 11k word short story "Only Eight Days" .
Noah (5th Street #1)
Veronica Cruz has been through hell and back. After disconnecting with the world two years ago to be at the side of her dying mother, she's left alone, unemployed, overweight, and feeling a decade older than her twenty-eight years. When her best friend coaxes her into joining the local gym to ditch her depression and rejuvenate her life, she meets Noah. Assigned to help Veronica lose weight, Noah is everything she expected a young trainer to be-perfectly chiseled, supportive and motivating. Add to that, he's incredibly sexy. He's everything she's ever looked for in a man. What she least expected was for him to fall for her, but he has. There's just one glaring problem: Noah is eight years younger.
Noah Quintanilla has his eye on a boxing title-someday. Down for a few months with an injury, his maintenance-boy pay at 5th Street Gym won't cut it. He's finally given the opportunity to train. The catch? His trainee is an out-of-shape woman with a free week pass. Taking on the challenge, Noah stumbles into one of the closest friendships he's ever known, and before he knows it, he's in love. But Veronica's not having it-the age difference is too much. Their platonic relationship means having to watch her date other men-something that would make him crazy. Believing he's the man for her, Noah sets out to prove that age is but an illusion, and there's more to him than just a number.
And coming real soon to paperback. My latest:
Gio (5th Street #2)
When tragedy strikes in the ring, Giovanni Bravo falls into a deep depression, walking away from his dream of boxing to train instead. He agrees to a two month get-away, helping train Felix Sanchez, his high school best friend and now welterweight champ of the world. Once at Felix's lavish boxing complex, he's reunited with Bianca Rubio, someone he remembers only as the girl with the innocent doe eyes back in high school. Her refreshing, cheerful demeanor not only takes Gio's mind off his troubled conscience, he finds himself falling for her fast and hard. The problem--Bianca is Felix's girlfriend.
Having a sexy, famous boyfriend has its perks, but they come with a price. Bianca not only has to deal with the ongoing tabloid rumors about her boyfriend hooking up with other women, but also his constant absence when he is on the road. So now that Felix will be in town for two whole months to train for his next big bout, Bianca is thrilled. He's even asked her to move into his cabin while he's there. But when he leaves for days at a time to promote his fight, Bianca spends time getting to know Felix's gorgeous new trainer and good friend, Gio. Increasingly drawn to his sweet smile and smoldering green eyes, she finds herself saying and doing things she normally wouldn't.
As it becomes more and more difficult for each to resist the other, Gio crosses the line between them. He hopes that one kiss will alleviate the overwhelming temptation and clear both their systems, but it does just the opposite. Their temptation suddenly becomes an obsession--a dangerous obsession that can only lead to heartache--for everyone.
Posted by Elizabeth Reyes at 12:16 PM
Gio is now availble on Amazon and B&N!
Happy Teaser Tuesday to you!
Fingers crossed that Amazon and B&N wont keep teasing you by taking forever to make live. =/
As I mentioned before I don't really have another juicy teaser that won't give too much away. So let me give you the blurb again so you can get a refresher on the plot.
When tragedy strikes in the ring, Giovanni Bravo falls into a deep depression, walking away from his dream of boxing to train instead. He agrees to a two month get-away, helping train Felix Sanchez, his high school best friend and now welterweight champ of the world. Once at Felix's lavish boxing complex, he's reunited with Bianca Rubio, someone he remembers only as the girl with the innocent doe eyes back in high school. Her refreshing, cheerful demeanor not only takes Gio's mind off his troubled conscience, he finds himself falling for her fast and hard. The problem—Bianca is Felix's girlfriend.
Having a sexy, famous boyfriend has its perks, but they come with a price. Bianca not only has to deal with the ongoing tabloid rumors about her boyfriend hooking up with other women, but also his constant absence when he is on the road. So now that Felix will be in town for two whole months to train for his next big bout, Bianca is thrilled. He's even asked her to move into his cabin while he's there. But when he leaves for days at a time to promote his fight, Bianca spends time getting to know Felix's gorgeous new trainer and good friend, Gio. Increasingly drawn to his sweet smile and smoldering green eyes, she finds herself saying and doing things she normally wouldn't.
As it becomes more and more difficult for each to resist the other, Gio crosses the line between them. He hopes that one kiss will alleviate the overwhelming temptation and clear both their systems, but it does just the opposite. Their temptation suddenly becomes an obsession—a dangerous obsession that can only lead to heartache—for everyone
Okay okay. One final LITTLE teaser.
Set up: They've been invited to dinner at Noah and Roni's. Everyone is present.
Gio's eyes locked with Bianca's a few times as the dinner went on. At first, he thought he'd imagined it. Maybe she'd just looked his way and their eyes had just so happened to stop at the same time. But it happened several times after that. As nervous as it made him that someone might notice he could not bring himself to stop looking her way.
She may as well have been glowing because regardless of where his eyes focused in an effort to keep them off her she always stayed in his peripheral view. He was aware of her every movement. Anytime she lifted her glass or wiped her mouth was reason enough to look her way. It came as a bit of a surprise, but it was almost annoying too that he had so little control over something so simple—staying focused on whoever was speaking. What surprised him most was how indiscreet she was. Thankfully Felix was too busy yapping and catching up with the guys to notice her wandering eyes.
This picture is SO perfect only both their hair is actually darker than this but the scene, the way he's looking at her. *sigh* I just had to post again! =)
Available NOW on B&N Still waiting on Amazon!
Posted by Elizabeth Reyes at 9:48 PM
Noah temporarily only $.99 until the release of Gio!
If you haven't got your copy yet, grab it now while it's only $.99 on Amazon. B&N is being slow to update but it will be $.99 cents there as well. Once Gio is released Noah goes back to its regular price of $3.99! Read and enjoy so you'll be up to date when the second in the series is released REAL soon!
Teaser Tuesday - Gio - 5-15-12
I mentioned a hot tub scene so I thought it perfectly fitting to go with this picture for the teaser another thanks to Emily. <3
Okay set up: Though you don't get the entire hot tub scene you get the end here. This is after their long day on the slopes where things have started heating up a bit. But in an innocent playful way. *flutters lashes*
They sat in the hot tub for another forty minutes or so but it felt way shorter than that. The mixture of the wine and the soothing water massage of the hot tub was really doing a number on Gio.
"We better get out now." Bianca suddenly declared. "One thing is for sure. You're going to sleep good tonight. So will I."
Thankful to his heavily relaxed body he wasn't immediately at attention when she stood. That is until she turned around and started stepping out, the wet sarong clinging to her every curve, giving Gio a very nice view of her glorious ass. He squeezed his eyes shut, willing the movement starting up in his shorts to stop. Think of something else. Anything else!
"Are you falling asleep?"
He opened his eyes and she was now outside the tub pulling a bathrobe around herself. "No, I'm just gonna finish up this last glass and then I'm out."
"Okay, but don't go falling asleep." she warned. "I'm gonna go change but I'll be back to check on you."
Feeling a little warmed by her concern he smiled. "You promise?"
It was official. He was now in love with her smile. It made him feel… happy.
"I promise," she said softly then walked out.
As soon as he heard her bedroom door close, he was up and out of the tub. He rushed to his room and changed. Suddenly he couldn't wait to be back in the same room with her.
Once dressed, he rushed out into the game room and even though it'd been just minutes since he last seen her his heart did this weird thing when he saw she was already there looking so fresh and soft in her warm pajamas.
"That was fast," she said.
Gio shrugged. "I just threw on my pajama pants and a t-shirt."
He had to remind himself where he was and who he was with because as he walked toward the corner bar in the game room where she stood pouring herself another glass of wine he had the incredible urge to wrap his arms around her and kiss her silly.
He stopped just feet away from her and she turned to him. "You want another glass? I'm having just one more and then I'm done."
"Yeah, I'll take one."
She started pouring another glass. This was the first time he'd ever had wine and it was at her insistence that it would do wonders to relax his muscles. At first, he'd balked at her offer but now he had to admit it was good.
"Can I ask you something?" That gleam was back. The one he'd seen in her eye earlier when she licked her lips in the car.
"Uh, yeah," he said already trying to conjure up as much restraint as he could in case she said anything that might push him over the edge, especially now that he'd had a few glasses of wine.
"What do you say to girls that show you their tongue?" The gleam was an all out smirk now.
Their eyes locked. Did she really just go back to that? For a moment he thought it'd be better if he didn't tell her—make something up. But the longer he looked in those eyes, the more he wanted her to know. "That if they're going to show it to me, they better be prepared to use it."
Her eyes widened a little but he saw something else in them that scared him, making his heart speed up—excitement. If she licked her lips again he wouldn't be responsible for his actions because he was going for it. His breathing was really starting to accelerate now and he was completely lost in her eyes.
* ** Coming REAL soon! ***
Add to your GoodReads "To Read" shelf
Teaser Tuesday - Gio - 5-8-12
Teaser plus some bonuses this week. First an addition to the Gio soundtrack, "Fantasy"
Next, dream casting for Bianca: Vanessa Hudgens
And now for the teaser: I call this one, "Innocent flirting" Because that's all it is right? ;)
Enjoy and as always let me know what you think!
The set up: They've been on the slopes all day and Gio is beginning to feel real comfortable with Bianca. Not to mention other things... we're in her POV now so lets see how she's feeling.
She elbowed him playfully. "Actually I think we should call it a day. You're going to be so sore tomorrow."
Gio made an exaggerated face of shock and utter disbelief. She suspected he meant for it to be funny, instead it was as breathtaking as all his other expressions were. "Are you even capable of making any unflattering facial expressions?"
His expression dissolved, and those eyes now stared at her, making her breath catch. "Are you?"
For the first time that day, her laugh was a nervous one, and the schoolgirl butterflies were back en masse. She proceeded to scrunch her face up. "See?" Then she stuck her tongue out at him, closing her eyes.
When she opened her eyes, she expected to see him smiling, but he was staring at her mouth, and he seemed stunned for a moment. Then he smirked, his heavy lashes lowering over the tops of his now smoldering green eyes. With her insides lit, Bianca was totally mesmerized. "I'd say to you what I say to most girls when they show me their tongues, but I shouldn't."
Swallowing hard and trying not to let on what his eyes and words were doing to her, she managed to stammer out, "Why not?"
"Because Felix might not like it." His eyes left her mouth and met hers with a smile. "Let me rephrase that. I know he wouldn't like it." His eyes locked on hers for an instant, making Bianca's heart pound before having mercy on her and glancing away. "Let's go."
He started off down the small hill, leaving her breathless and confused. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, making a mental note. Never show him your tongue again.
With a deep breath, she went after him but only because he turned to see if she was following. Otherwise, she might still be glued to that same spot. She cleared her throat as she caught up to him and tried to sound as casual as possible. "I was serious, you know."
He glanced at her, his eyebrows pulled together. "About what?"
"You're gonna be sore tomorrow."
He chuckled now, really reminding her of Felix and how cocky he'd been about it his first time out. "Did you forget I work out every day?"
"I knew you'd say that because it's exactly what Felix said. This is a different work out, Gio. You're gonna feel it tomorrow—everywhere. I promise." He smiled, obviously not worried about it. "I mean it. You might even consider soaking in the hot tub tonight. Felix was so sore the next day, and he didn't even go as long or as hard as you did."
A sudden evil smile spread across his face, and his eyes just about sparkled with humor. "Is that right, Bianca? So you're saying I went longer and harder than your boyfriend?"
Bianca felt the flush clear down her neck, but she couldn't help laughing and went along with her own smirk. "Yes, you did."
She sped up and away from him, no longer able to be that close to him knowing that her apparent crush on him was obviously coming through loud and clear and he was now having fun with it.
"Bianca, wait up."
At first, she didn't wait up. She needed to give her heart time to settle. After a few minutes, she slowed a little, reminding herself that even though he'd been a fast learner, he was nowhere near her level of skill. He came up alongside her. "You know I'm just teasing, right?"
"Of course." She glanced up at him and his perfect smile.
"I mean I'd say something like that even in front of Felix," he laughed, "just to piss him off, but I hope I didn't offend you or anything."
"No, not at all." She realized she was blurting out her auto-responses, but she wanted to be perfectly clear on this. This was nothing more than innocent flirting. He was just being playful after having spent the entire day with her. Secretly she was surprised, not only by how thrilling it was but how she in no way wanted to discourage it.
The main lodge to the resort was just up ahead. She'd been so distracted by his teasing that the time it took them to get there just flew. "Felix says things like that all the time too. Nothing shocks me anymore," she lied through her teeth.
"Yeah, but he's your boyfriend."
She shook her head. "But I get it. You two are funny. There's nothing you can say that will weird me out. I promise."
The teasing smile was back and she braced herself.
"You're making a lot of promises today."
That confused her, and she searched his eyes then he laughed. "God, those eyes of yours, Bianca."
This time he shook his head. "Back there, you promised I'd be sore tomorrow." She started to smile, remembering but then stopped when she was caught in those molten eyes of his again. "I've made that same promise a few times." He stared at her a bit longer and harder before his lip lifted into a sexy crooked smile.
Let the fantasies begin Bianca or in her case dreams! ;)
And the final bonus this week? Read the official blurb to Gio here!!
Add Gio to your GoodReads "to read" shelf now!
A very special shout out to Emily Lamphear who helped come up with this weeks pics and PERFECT song! Thank you so much!!! <3 <3<3
Noah temporarily only $.99 until the release of Gi...


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HUGHES, JOHN (1776 - 1843), Wesleyan minister, and antiquary
Name: John Hughes
Date of death: 1843
Parent: Elizabeth Hughes (née Thomas)
Parent: William Hughes
Occupation: Wesleyan minister, and antiquary
Area of activity: History and Culture; Religion; Scholarship and Languages
Author: Robert Thomas Jenkins
Born at Brecon 18 May 1776, the son of William Hughes, hatter, by his second wife Elizabeth Thomas, of Dan-y-cefn near Brecon; her father, John Thomas, is described on his tombstone at Llanspyddid (Jones, Hist. Brecknock, 3rd ed., iv, 159) as 'gent.'; he died 1757 aged fifty-five; her brother John Thomas (1752 - 1829), was an Oxford graduate (Foster, Alumni), and became vicar of Caerleon (1784?-1829).
John Hughes went (1778) to the school attached to Christ College, then under David Griffith (1726 - 1816). In 1790, he heard John Wesley (Eurgrawn, 1809, 445) at Brecon - the boy and his father were society-members; it should be noted that the (English) Wesleyans of the town were of good social and economic standing - see the articles on Bold, Churchey, and Coke. The father, however, was not pleased when the boy turned his back upon Anglican orders (for which his connections and education seemed to destine him) and insisted, in spite of his uncle's persuasions, on becoming a Wesleyan preacher (1796). In 1800, Hughes was sent out to the new Welsh Wesleyan mission in North Wales, under Owen Davies (1752 - 1830). His success there was surprising, in a bookish man who was never an eloquent preacher, and in particular not fluent in Welsh; but his pertinacity, already shown in 1792-6, overcame all these obstacles, and he was to become a respectable though never a racy writer in Welsh. His disposition made him at times squirm under the 'revivalistic' methods of his North-Welsh associates; and he seems also to have resented the absolute powers given to Owen Davies. When (1805) the Welsh mission was extended to South Wales, Davies retained these powers. Hughes got himself transferred to the Carmarthen (English) circuit as acting-superintendent, with a view to working a Welsh mission from that centre; but this stratagem incurred the displeasure of Coke, who got him transferred to England, where (except for a brief interval at Ruthin in 1809) he resided for the rest of his life. He retired in 1832, and died at Knutsford, 15 May 1843.
Hughes was a diligent provider of reading-matter, original and translated, for the newly-formed Welsh Wesleyan connexion. Besides pamphlets, sermons, and commentaries (lists in Geiriadur Bywgraffyddol o Enwogion Cymru, i, 557-8, and Cardiff Catalogue), he compiled a Welsh hymn-book, Diferion y Cysegr (Chester, 1802); his own hymns are pedestrian. Though not the editor of Yr Eurgrawn, which began to appear in 1809, he wrote a preface for it, and contributed to its pages as late as 1842. But his exile enhanced his affection for the language and history of Wales; he became an enthusiastic supporter of the eisteddfodau of the period, and a friend and correspondent of Thomas Price (1787 - 1848), Rice Rees, and W. J. Rees. In 1818 and 1819 he published a substantial work in two volumes, Horae Britannicae, which won him high praise from Sharon Turner and others; and in 1822 An Essay on the Ancient and Present State of the Welsh Language; other books were in project in his latter years. Naturally these books are now antiquated, but their reclusive author deserves recognition for the industry, scholarship, and tolerance which distinguished him.
Emeritus Professor Robert Thomas Jenkins, (1881 - 1969)
MS. autobiography, to 1810 (NLW MS 3501)
Wesleyan Methodist Magazine (1822–1913), 1847 (memoir by R. Jackson)
Yr Eurgrawn Wesleyaidd, 1848 and 1849 (by W. Rowlands - based on the autobiography)
The literary remains of the Rev. Thomas Price, Carnhuanawc, 1854-5, ii - consult index
A. H. Williams, Welsh Wesleyan Methodism, 1800-1858 its origins, growth and secessions (1935), 1935 - consult index
Bathafarn cylchgrawn hanes yr Eglwys Fethodistaidd yng Nghymru, 1950
Wikidata: Q18671850
Jenkins, R. T., (1959). HUGHES, JOHN (1776 - 1843), Wesleyan minister, and antiquary. Dictionary of Welsh Biography. Retrieved 21 Jan 2021, from https://biography.wales/article/s-HUGH-JOH-1776


A child who participates in performing arts programs engages in a powerful form of creative art that can potentially produce a rewarding career. Performing arts programs also cultivate the development of additional academic skills for children, such as proficiency in reading comprehension and language arts. Many children also gain higher confidence levels after completing drama and theatre classes. Musical theatre productions incorporate live performances and built-in stages. Actors use modern and classical acting techniques to grab the imagination and attention of the audience. It is an exciting form of creative art, in which actors work together to create a story that involves musical composition, acting and dance. Theatre camps offer many opportunities for children to follow their passions and enhance their verbal communication skills. Standing Ovations summer camp programs provide opportunities for aspiring actors to experience an intense acting program that allows children to learn the craft as well as develop friendships with other children who also enjoy participating in performing arts. By allowing children to participate in stage plays and musical performances, children will be able to express their creative talents through professional stage productions. As one of the premier walnut creek children's theatre programs, Standing Ovations provide actors with unique opportunities to nurture their creative aspirations.


A very experienced Astrologer also uses the Lunar Charts for brilliant fortnight Predictions. Hardev Sharma Trivedi gave brilliant Predictions for the Wall Street Collapse of the Oct. 1987. . In the Present context the Planetary Positions are some what Simlar to the 15th Sept 2008 when the collapse of Lehman Brothers on Sept. 15, 2008 marked the beginning of the worst phase of the global crisis. But within hours of Lehman Brothers filing for bankruptcy, the Indian authorities had swung into crisis management.
The Situations are also Parallel to 20 years back when the Dot-com bubble took place on the 10th-11th March 2000. The current market environment is looking a whole lot like the 1998-1999 stock market bubble, and the crash of 2000 may not be far behind.
The Ascendant Lord Mercury is placed in the yama of Leo the 12th house of the Lunation chart and the Yama Lord of the Lagna Lord is placed in the 8th house makes the Lagna Lord extremely weak .
Moon is Placed in the yama of the Sign Sagitarius where the Yama Lord Jupiter is in Retrogression and in Gandantha with Saturn the 5th and the 6th Lord with Ketu is another malefic Parameter in this chart .
The 8th Lord from the Lagna Mars is Placed in the 8th house from the Moon and also in Paap Kartari yoga and aspects the 3rd house is another malefic Parameter in this Lunation chart . Mars the 8th Lord is also in Rohini Nakshatra in this Lunation chart is another parameter which cnnot be ignored.


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Home 2011 WALL TOUR May 12th - O2 ARENA, GREENWICH, LONDON, ENGLAND
May 12th - O2 ARENA, GREENWICH, LONDON, ENGLAND
Concert starts: 8pm
Address of venue: Peninsula Square, London, SE10 0DX. MAP
Website: www.theo2.co.uk
Another night of Roger's residency at The O2 Arena in London. He last played here in 2008, to much acclaim, and clearly it was a more attractive choice of venue than Earls Court, which was host to the original Wall shows when they were in London. Our thanks to Chris Thompson for the ticket scan to the right.
The RogerWaters.com presales began the week starting Monday, May 31st, with advance tickets available to those who had registered their interest in particular cities. For those with a UK O2 mobile phone, there is a special presale starting on June 2nd through www.O2Blueroom.co.uk. General sale tickets go on sale on June 4th through this direct link to Ticketmaster.co.uk. The public sale will also see a limited number of VIP packages made available for each show on the tour.
SET LIST - highlight the following with your mouse to read...
FIRST HALF: In the Flesh, The Thin Ice, Another Brick in the Wall Part 1, The Happiest Days of our Lives, Another Brick in the Wall Part 2, Mother, Goodbye Blue Sky, Empty Spaces, What Shall We Do Now, Young Lust, One of My Turns, Don't Leave Me Now, Another Brick in the Wall Part 3, The Last Few Bricks, Goodbye Cruel World
SECOND HALF: Hey You, Is There Anybody Out There?, Nobody Home, Vera, Bring the Boys Back Home, Comfortably Numb (with David Gilmour), The Show Must Go On, In The Flesh, Run Like Hell, Waiting for the Worms, Stop, The Trial, Outside the Wall (with David Gilmour and Nick Mason).
Night twenty-nine of the tour, and a blessing that there's an evening off now, so that all concerned can catch their breath after a truly stunning evening. Despite a fairly reserved start, the audience soon warmed up, helped by the official confirmation that quickly spread around the arena of this night being "the night". Yes, it was tonight that saw David Gilmour repaying the favour to Roger after he took part in the Hoping Foundation charity event last year, by performing a stunning Comfortably Numb atop the wall. Unlike all the other Wall shows, David very ably handled the vocals as well as a blistering solo, much to the delight of the crowd. Here's the official footage from the night:
Rumours that he'd be bringing his guitar work to Run Like Hell proved unfounded, but if the crowd thought that they'd seen the last of David, Outside The Wall proved them wrong! Making for a very moving sight, David and Roger greeted each other as Roger thanked him for taking part. Then, to add further to the special nature of the night, Nick Mason was called to join them. As you'll see from the pictures on this site, Roger played his trusty trumpet, David a mandolin, and Nick a tamborine!
A wonderful way to conclude such a great show - a show that boasted a number of familiar faces in the audience, including Gerald Scarfe and Jane Asher amongst others. Truly a one-off event, it'll stay in the minds of those present for years to come.
As always, we welcome your views on the evening...and to kick these off, a couple of video clips for you, of the full performance of Comfortably Numb, and the finale:
CONCERT REVIEW by BD CONTRIBUTOR, Sebastian Payne
I was following Polly Samson on Twitter and she commented commenting a.) she was taking photos at tonight's gig, like last night and b.) she had been polishing her other half's mandolin. I checked Neptune Pink Floyd and they all said that he'd been practising with the band this afternoon. I then went on Gumtree, found two tickets but they were in Brighton.
I got a train from Victoria to Brighton and did the exchange in 6 minutes and got the train back to London just in time.
I managed to call a mate who joined me at Waterloo to go to the O2. By the time of the second half, I was almost bouncing with excitement. Comfortably Numb started and suddenly I caught the sight of Dave's guitar and just lost it.
Yes he was on top of the wall, he sang, he played both solos and he bloody rocked!! I think I never need to see any music again because Comfortably Numb's guitar solo played by Dave Gilmour wins over everything else.
Then for the final song, Nick Mason came on stage on played percussion on Outside the Wall. Thus ends a phenomenal night.
CONCERT PICTURES by BD CONTRIBUTOR, Gary Ashton
CONCERT REVIEW by BD CONTRIBUTOR, Martin Anderson
As I am sure you have heard by now, apart from an amazing show by Roger at the O2 the icing on the cake was seeing Dave Gilmour playing Comfortably Numb and then at the end, also witnessing Nick Mason on stage with Roger. All 3 remaining members of Floyd in one place! I genuinely believe that Roger was overawed by it all, and my girlfriend was very moved by the whole experience.
CONCERT REVIEW by BD CONTRIBUTOR, Dominic Twose
We were at the 12 May concert; seated very close to the stage on the far right. It meant our view of the stage was partially restricted by some damn wall, but we did get a good view of the 'swan's legs' - watching the guys getting the bricks together, and other off stage activities. I spotted that there was no camera on the tracks in front of the stage; so I 'knew' Gilmour wouldn't be playing.
The show was fabulous; from the opening fireworks (which almost showered us!), the massive teacher, the crashing airplane, the massive mother...etc.
But during the interval, the camera appeared; and in the second half, just as Comfortably Numb was due to start, there was a surge forward, from those who'd been keeping an eye on Twitter. From where we were, we could just see Gilmour's white head above the wall, but we could hear that voice and guitar. The crowd had been hugely enthusiastic, but now everything went to a new level. The sound in the O2 was great, and the solo fantastic.
Then towards the end of the show, just down beside me, a couple of feet away, we could see the band members getting ready to come back on stage; and there was David, talking to Jon Carin about his guitar. We were so busy watching them, we nearly forgot about the wall; but as it started tottering it pulled us back to the show. when a wall that size collapses a few feet away from you, you do tend to notice.
Then when David and Roger hugged, and when 'by chance' Nick joined them on stage...you started to realise you were never going to see a better conncert than this. It stopped being a show, and started to be a huge celebration. Roger said how happy he was to be on stage with these guys...well, we were pretty happy too!
The concert itself was superb. But the addition of David and Nick just took it into a different universe.
CONCERT PICTURES by BD CONTRIBUTOR, Jen
BD contributor Jen attended the show, and has uploaded some great, close-up photos to flickr. You can see them through this direct link, and an example can be seen by clicking the adjacent thumbnail.
CONCERT COMMENTS by BD CONTRIBUTOR, Andrew Mills
I am a london cab driver and on wednesday 11th may I had to pick up a customer from Bellamys Restaurant in Bruton Place. When I arrived who should be standing outside but Mr David Gilmour himself. This was too good an opportunity to miss so I plucked up courage to ask for an autograph. I thanked him and told him I was going to see his old sparrng partner at the 02 the next day. He looked at me quizzically and softly said "very wise"! The rest is history. Thought you and your readers might be interested.
CONCERT PICTURES by BD CONTRIBUTOR, Stuart Higgins
CONCERT COMMENTS by BD CONTRIBUTOR, Terry Bunn
After a brilliant night last night I have been wondering - how many Dads like me who saw the original Wall show have been lucky enough to see David appear with Roger last night with their son, as I have (David, aged 18 as I was when I saw them)?
I don't think it can be many as there was only 1 show this time and a handful last time. My son is a huge Roger fan (plays all the Floyd songs, on Basss, and Piano) and neither of us could believe we were lucky enough to see that emotional reuniting last night.
CONCERT REVIEW by BD CONTRIBUTOR, Louis Backer
When will David Gilmour be knighted for his services to the musical well-being of millions the world-over? As a perennial curmudgeon of this parish, even I was moved to an emotional high as I stood before this Goliath of an unassuming gentleman.
I had previously not been too-fussed about going to see this tour, still being in awe of the original shows I saw in 80/81, but by Monday morning temptation proved too much and a visit to viagogo informed me that for £50 (for a £75 ticket!) Wednesday was available and I could have a seat in Block A3, with no seat specified. Well, knock me down with a feather when I got row B right by the centre aisle. One in the eye for those shameful greedy sods on eBay looking in excess of £300 for similar seats.
The prime seat also allowed me to briefly encounter Polly Samson, whom I can only say is delightful and a lovely sight to behold - no wonder Dave Gilmour is a happy chap. I asked her if he was playing that night (Wednesday) to which she said no. I then asked her which night DG was playing, to which her response was "no chance". It was down therefore to a trusty old friend on the crew who had in his hand a piece of paper which he'd just been handed, advising that 2pm the following day, there would be a rehearsal with the man himself.
No choice then later Wednesday night, but to have another visit to the very same website (no promotion intended), which amazingly revealed seats in A3 again, for £60.00. I duly coughed up for two. Next day my brother collected them and the excited call came through - same place, but this time - ROW A. The rest of the evening is already well-documented by others. But for me, being so close to the re-union triumvirate was genuinely quite touching.
I did notice tears in some of those around me and Mr Waters himself. From the beginning of my first hearing Ummagumma in Arles in 1975, my Pink Floyd experience is now truly complete.
CONCERT REVIEW by BD CONTRIBUTOR, Heather Fenton
I had a strange dream last night. I dreamt I was at the O2 seeing Roger - then David came on stage, and later on, Nick as well, carrying a tambourine that looked like Michael Schumacher's steering wheel....wasn't it fantastic!!!!! We were in the 2nd row from the front and when the spotlight went on the wall the place erupted...mind you that seat was great for the finale. Also the look on Rogers face during C Numb he was smiling like mad but a bit taken aback by the total reaction.
Seeing those three together at the end was really the final line up of Pink Floyd mark 2 as in The Final Cut.
The whole show was fantastic; GE Smith's playing was brilliant, Robbie's vocals especially on Young Lust, Harry's playing on Goodbye Blue Sky, the puppets, the backdrop, all amazing. I'm still pinching myself.
Right at the end when Roger just had Nick and David on stage when he said 'And goodnight from us' and they walked off together...not like Live 8 when Roger seemed left in the lurch!!! Okay these guys might not play together again but I hope they realise how much everyone loves them performing live even if its just a back catalogue like Eric Clapton...but Roger put so much work into this on stage as even though 'the band was just fantastic' the majority of the vocals and acting was down to Roger. And yes seeing the three of them together at the end was a bit sad cos we know there should have been four (Rick still sadly missed)....
Looking forward to Tuesday (we can relax now!!!)...we then have the front row so will try not to get buried under the bricks!!!... Pink Floyd: a bit like buses; you wait for years then three turn up at the same time!!!
CONCERT REVIEW by BD CONTRIBUTOR, Craig Frost
I bought 2 tickets through the pre-sale. Under normal circumstances I'd have been well chuffed to have block A1/row J/seats 10+11, but due to that wretched wall I couldn't see Dave, Graham, Snowy (is that his real name?), or Roger when they were performing behind the "yet to be fully built wall". There must have been a (door there in the wall, lol) wicked sweet spot up the centre of the arena. I took my 10 year old son. He was buzzing his little head off... It hit him as He walked through the upper level entrance... He's never been to a concert before, so just the sheer size of the arena as He entered it frazzed His little brain. He was already shaking, then nearly swallowed his own face when he saw how near to the stage we were. A guy behind me actually told my son how lucky he was to be at a Floyd/Waters gig. I agreed.
Well there's not much I could say about D.G. popping his head over the top of the wall that already hasn't been said. I would never have expected him to turn up on a Thursday(!). I was convinced he would appear at the last gig on the 18th... I wonder if he attended the previous night to "get a feel for it", then just said he'd do the next one. Anyway, I was fiddling with my camera when he appeared from nowhere... I was alerted to his attendance By a monstrous roar which sounded like an enormous fireball approaching the stage from the rear of the arena. The crowd went apeshit... Even Roger appeared to exhibit some Gilmour glee.
Unfortunately, I don't remember much more due to being a little intoxicated. Good job I'm going on the 17th and 18th too :D
I have to admit though... I much preferred Roger's DSOTM tour. I much prefer to see Roger with his Black Fender Precision in his hands, roaming around the stage as opposed to acting and playing the roles within The Wall.
Still fuckin' loved it though! :D
CONCERT PICTURES by BD CONTRIBUTOR, James McGreevy


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Iran slams terrorist attacks in Iraq, warns against sectarianism
Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast has censured the recent terrorist attacks on Shia mosques in Iraq, and warned against ploys to exacerbate religious tensions in the country.
"At a time when Iraqi security forces have made great achievements to dismantle terrorism hubs through their domestic capabilities, acts of terror have been carried out with the purpose of intensifying sectarianism and turning political clashes into religious conflicts," Mehmanparast said on Saturday.
He expressed confidence that terrorist acts would be thwarted through measures adopted by the Iraqi government and the vigilance of its nation.
The Iranian spokesperson once again reaffirmed the Islamic Republic's support for the Iraqi government's efforts to fight terrorism, saying "convergence in the political sphere and cooperation among Iraqi political currents" would help combat terrorist groups.
At least 23 people were killed in a spate of bomb attacks that targeted four Shia mosques in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, and the northern city of Kirkuk on Friday.
The attacks come amid a rise in violence across the country as Iraqis prepare for their first elections in three years. The provincial polls are due to be held in 12 of Iraq's 18 provinces on April 20.
On March 20, two people were killed and four others wounded in a car bomb explosion in the Iraqi capital.
A day earlier, a wave of attacks in mainly Shia-populated neighborhoods of Baghdad killed at least 65 people and injured over 200 others.
By Press TV
Iran, Iraq, Quoted, Ramin Mehmanparast, terrorist attacks	March 31, 2013
Iran's roads, urban development minister to run for president
Gas line offers Iran a way out of isolation


The holidays often prompt consumers to rack up charges on their credit cards, leading to a January debt hangover. While that can be troublesome enough, carrying that debt is about to grow costlier.
The Federal Reserve's December decision to boost interest rates by one-quarter of a percentage point will translate into higher credit card interest rates within the next two billing cycles, says CreditCards.com senior industry analyst Matt Schulz. Consumers will see their credit card rates inch up by the same amount as the Fed's increase, he notes.
Because the Federal Reserve has penciled in three additional rate hikes in 2017, interest rates could be as much as 1 percentage point higher within a year. Even the Fed's December rate hike could prove to be a burden for some consumers. Credit reporting agency TransUnion is predicting that 9.3 million consumers may not have the financial footing to absorb the increased borrowing costs.
Paying off credit card debt may prove to be a tough task for some consumers. Households with credit card debt carry an average balance of $9,600, which could take the typical middle-class family months to pay down. Every quarter-point increase in the interest rate will add $25 in borrowing costs per $1,000.
Do you carry a balance on your credit cards?
Start paying down any credit card debt.Borrowers who have the financial flexibility to pay down their credit card balances should do so before the higher rates take effect.
For those families that can't, there are still options. Schulz recommends investigating balance transfer cards, such as Citibank's Simplicity, which has a 0 percent introductory annual percentage rate on balances and transfers for 21 months.
There's one significant downside to balance transfer cards: They typically charge a fee of 3 percent to 5 percent of the amount that customers are transferring. For instance, the typical family with a credit card balance of $9,600 could pay as much as $480 to transfer the balance. Whether the cost is outweighed by the benefits should be part of any borrower's decision.
Pay careful attention to a card's rate before signing up. Consumers who are searching for a new credit card should pay careful attention to the card's interest rate, especially if they tend to carry balances. Many credit-card companies are offering tempting sign-up bonuses and introductory APRs, but read through all the fine print before signing up.
3. Consider getting a charge card instead. A charge card, unlike a credit card, requires you to pay the total balance every month, so you won't be tempted to rack up debt.


For the second year now HSE Saint-Petersburg has been gladly welcoming students from UCL School of Slavonic and Eastern European Studies, coming to improve their language skills and immerse themselves into the mysterious Russian culture. Last weekend this year's group of UCL SSEES students have visited Velikiy Novgorod – the cradle of Russian statehood and a real architectural gem. Helen Fortescue-Poole shared her impressions of the trip and told us about her academic life at HSE Saint-Petersburg.
On September 12, Pham Cong Thang, who goes by Thang, arrived in Moscow to begin a post-doctoral fellowship at HSE's International Laboratory of Deep Learning and Bayesian Methods (Faculty of Computer Science, Big Data and Information Retrieval School). Working under the supervision of Professor Dmitry Vetrov, Thang will focus primarily on text and image processing, and computer vision.