The University of Southern California football Trojans are a college football dynasty and have especially dominated this past decade.  This included winning 2 BCS titles back to back and fielding players that have won 3 of the last 11 Heisman awards (Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, and Reggie Bush).  However, Bush was involved in a “pay-for-play” scandal which ended up costing the University 30 scholarships and a 2 year ban in post-season play, among other severe penalties.  With the departure of Coach Pete Carroll to the NFL, USC hired Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin.  Kiffin, along with his dad Monte who helped create the “Tampa-2” defense used by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, attempted to weather a very dangerous storm.  Together, the two not only recruited several all-Americans but also helped keep a team together that at any moment could have plunged into utter chaos.  Two similar penalties had been handed down to programs in the past, twice to SMU and once to Miami (FL), and both of these teams suffered decade long (or longer) droughts.

This was not the case for the Trojans however, who are coming off of a phenomenal 2011 season that has Southern California anticipating another championship.  Much of the excitement is predicated around the return of 3-year starter and possibly the most accomplished USC quarterback of all time, Matt Barkley.  Barkley was the first ever true freshman to start for the Trojans at the quarterback position and is coming off of the best season of his career in which he threw for 3,528 yards, 39 touch- downs and only 7 interceptions.  However, Barkley was recruited and played before the ban was put into effect, whereas the Trojans’ two stand out wide receivers both turned down offers from other prestigious programs in the country, all the while knowing they would not be able to compete in a bowl game their first two seasons.  These receivers’ are Junior Robert Woods and Sophomore Maqrise Lee.  The two were the most productive and unstoppable receiving duo in the entire nation last season with Woods setting several PAC-12 records with 111 receptions 1,292 yards and 15 touchdowns and with Lee posting 73 catches for 1,143 yards and 11 TD’s in his true freshman season.  These two sacrificed to come to USC and after 2 long seasons are poised to make a legitimate run at the National Championship.

There is no doubt that the toughest game on USC’s 2012 schedule will come November 3^rd when they host the University of Oregon.  Last years game between the teams was an instant classic, with USC winning 38-35 on a missed field goal in the last seconds of the game by Oregon.  The Ducks are an extremely talented team, and many college football experts agree that both USC and Oregon may very well play for the PAC-12 championship.

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The 2012 U.S. Open is set to begin on June 14 and will last until June 17, where one golfer will be named the champion of professional golf’s second major of the year.  Rory McIlroy dusted the field in 2011 for his first ever major title and will look to win it again this year with a great field and excitement in store.  What follows are the top five golfers to watch when the event kicks off.

Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods has arguably been the best golfer in the world to this point in the 2012 season, winning twice on the PGA Tour already along with three top 10 finishes as well.  It is safe to say now that Woods has finally completed the “comeback,” but there are still some skeptics out there who won’t say it definitively until he wins a major.  Woods should have a great chance at winning this week’s event, as the golf course favors those who can drive the golf ball well and are long off of the tee.

Rory McIlroy

After such a dominant win at least year’s U.S. Open, some have speculated whether or not Rory could continue improving as a golfer or whether he would buckle under the pressure.  So far he has proved that he can handle anything, as he has had a great 2012 season to this point with a win and five top 10 finishes in only eight events played.  The kid is the real deal, plain and simple, and it would be foolish to count him out of this week’s major.

Phil Mickelson

Like the first two players, Mickelson has had a great season as well, winning earlier in the year and missing the cut in only one event.  The main problem with declaring Phil Mickelson to be a favorite this week is his driving accuracy, as he ranks 140^th on Tour in the category.  The Olympic Club is the sort of course where has to be accurate with the driver in order to score well, and that may be a difficult thing for Mickelson to do.

Bubba Watson

Bubba came into the spotlight this year after winning the Masters Tournament back in April, his first career major.  The guy can hit it forever as far as distance is concerned, but similar to Mickelson, Watson can struggle a bit at times with keeping the golf ball in the fairway.  That, combined with inconsistent putting, could hurt his chances tremendously at this week’s event.

Luke Donald

One can’t go on listing the players to watch at a major without including the top golfer in the world rankings, right?  Donald has been used to playing under the radar for much of the year, even though he has a win and four top 10 finishes in nine starts on the PGA Tour to this point.  Donald should certainly have a chance to compete this week, with the main area of his game to watch being his iron play.  He has struggled with it for much of the year, and his chances this week will depend on how many greens in regulation he can hit, as he is one of the best putters in the world today.

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With the midway point in the 2012 MLB season approaching, the Los Angeles Dodgers have controlled both their lead in their division as well as the National League for the better part of this year.  In honor of this teams success thus far, lets look back on the top 5 Dodger teams of all time.

5. 1959 Los Angeles Dodgers: 86-68 in regular season

The 1959 Dodgers were in just their second year in their new home of Los Angeles, California and finished the regular season tied with the Milwaukee Braves.  LA went on to sweep the Braves in a three-game playoff series, and then defeated the Chicago White Sox in 6 games en route to winning their first championship in the city of Los Angeles.  The team was led by center fielder Duke Snider, pitchers Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale as well as World Series MVP Larry Sherry who went 2-0 against Chicago including pitching two shutouts.

4. 1965 Los Angeles Dodgers: 97-65 in regular season

The Dodgers won the NL pennant by 2 games over their rival the San Francisco Giants and went on to compete in a fierce 7 game series in the World Series against the Minnesota Twins.  This was a stand-out season for the Dodgers lefty pitcher Sandy Koufax who was awarded the National League Cy Young, Major League Player of the Year, and World Series Most Valuable Player awards.  Koufax went 2-1 in the World Series including throwing two shutouts and a 3-hitter in the decisive game 7. Which incidentally, was played in Minneapolis.

3. 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers: 98-55 in regular season

The only championship for the team while playing in Brooklyn, the 1955 season was a great one for Dodger fans and players as it fulfilled a long struggle towards the ultimate goal.  Duke Snider and catcher Roy Campanella were vital to the teams success with Campanella being awarded NL MVP and Snider getting both Major League Player of the Year and National League Player of the Year awards.  The team defeated the New York Yankees in 7 games, including winning a game 7 in the Bronx 2-0 to capture the franchise’s first title.

2. 1988 Los Angeles Dodgers: 94-67 in regular season

A team overlooked to begin the 1988 season; this was the most recent Dodger team to capture a World Series title.  Fueled by dramatic finishes the whole season, the Dodgers did not disappoint, defeating the New York Mets in 7 games in the National League Championship Series.  LA played the Oakland Athletics in the World Series and game one could have had the most dramatic moment in Dodgers history.  In the bottom of the ninth inning of a 4-3 Oakland lead, the Dodgers’ Kirk Gibson hit an injured pinch-hit walk-off home run to give LA the win and an eventual series victory in 5 games.

1.1963 Los Angeles Dodgers: 99-63 in regular season

The greatest Dodgers team of all time began its incredible run by winning the National League Pennant by a convincing 6 games en route to the World Series against the New York Yankees.  Sandy Koufax swept all major award categories for the Dodgers, while the team swept the Yankees in 4 games, which included NL MVP, NL Cy Young, AP athlete of the year and World Series MVP.  He went 2-0 in the series and notched a win in the title-clinching game 4.

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Skydiving, or parachuting, refers to the act of falling out of an aircraft back down to earth with the help of gravity.  The parachute aids in slowing the individual(s) down during the last part of the dive.  It is an extreme hobby that is growing very popular as a recreational activity and as well is a professional sport.  Furthermore, skydiving is used for the transportation and deployment of air forces and is sometimes used to fight forest fires.  There is a plethora of ways to go about parachuting including by yourself, in a tandem or in several complex patterns often referred to as “hybrid” formations.  Fatalities are rare in this hobby with a failure rate of approximately (0.0007%).

Camera flying is a common way to go about the parachuting experience which involves at least one member of the skydiving group to be recording with a camera during the descent.  This genre of free-falling has progressed along with technology due to the invention of the GoPro camera.  The GoPro is a miniature camera with great resolution that has various sturdy attachments to articles such as vests and helmets in an attempt to emulate the point of view experience when replayed and is the only way to re-create the vantage point of a real skydive.

The history of skydiving began with Andre-Jacques Garnerin, who first successfully jumped from a hot-air balloon in 1797.  The United States military later developed detailed parachute design as a way to save a crew on board of a craft in danger and later to deliver soldiers to the battle field.  Parachuting became an international sport in 1952 after its popularity began to grow in the early 1930’s.

The physics behind a jump begin at the height of the free fall which typically ranges from one to four thousand meters.  The diver continues forward as well as down due to momentum and gravitational pull and usually hits a terminal velocity of 120 miles per hour for normal descents and 150 miles per hour for a head first dive.

Alternative forms of skydiving include base jumping which is a more perfected version of parachuting.  The equipment for these types are more advanced as well, including wing suits and sky surfing which have higher risk rates due to the slower velocity and lower altitudes of the aircraft being exited.

Safety is a key component of skydiving and excluding freak accidents should have each dive go as planned.  As long as the individual participating observes the basic principles that each skydiver follows a wonderful memory should ensue.  The view from 10,000 feet above the ground is one that not many can share, but that skydivers can attempt to articulate.  The stark beauty of God’s green earth can only truly be appreciated at such heights and through that perspective.  Before you know that gorgeous view greets you on solid ground and you have a memory that will stay with you forever.

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The term fire safety is a vague yet critical term to grasp the full meaning of.  It involves preventative measures in anticipation or prevention of either a controlled or uncontrolled fire.  Several dangers, or fire hazards, exist in most daily activities and can be eliminated if increased caution was taken by all of us.  There are several tips that, if observed, can greatly decrease the possibility of fire damage.  These include: maintaining the condition of electrical appliances, not overloading your surge breaker with cords, not running electrical wires under rugs, keeping lamps away from all types of fabric and covering outlets not in use with covers if you have young children.  Furthermore, it is imperative to not smoke in bed, to always test your smoke alarms, and having an escape plan.  This is often referred to as a “Fire Plan” and should be established and understood by all parties living in a household.  The ability to react in a timely, safe manner is vital in the case of a house fire.

Often times fire safety begins with the development of building safety code in which all provisions and factors regarding accommodation must be met.  The fire code being observed as well as all inspections being satisfied is key to all dangers being prevented.  Moreover, obeying these regulations is important for all members of the house to comprehend.  Several basic hazards include candles, flammable liquids, batteries, cooking equipment, heating and cooking appliances, chimneys that are not properly maintained and cleaned, lighters and explosives.

Household fire safety education is presented through several mediums, most importantly smoke detectors.  Smoke detectors were invented in 1890 by an associate of Thomas Edison named Francis Robbins Upton, although it was not until 30 years later when there was an electronic sensor made cheap and available.  By 1960, most homes had smoke detectors installed, and ever since the quality of these devices has improved and the cost has gone down.  In 1965, Duane D. Pearsall created the first “affordable” smoke detector that was powered by an individual battery that could be easily inserted and replaced.  These devices alert all inside that there is a smoke/fire hazard and several will also inform the nearest Fire department of the emergency in an instantaneous fashion.  In North America alone there are approximately 8 million buildings that are legally required to have a fire safety plan.

If you periodically inspect your building to see that it meets all requirements as well as maintaining your smoke detector and alerting systems, your protection should be ensured.  It is a good idea to perform fire drills for all participants of the household in regular intervals throughout the year to make sure everyone understands what must be done in an emergency situation.

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Since we have been having a heat wave recently, I have been trying to think about winter time and my cold thoughts. One story that comes to mind, is about the wrecked fire truck on my street. It all started late one night around 11 p.m., when a neighbor’s house caught fire. They were out of town and no one was around to stop the flames, to the house which would eventually burn to the ground. During this time, we was having one of the worse snow storms ever. Already several inches of snow on the ground and more was falling in the air. The firemen and their water trucks did have trouble that night. Not with the roads, but with their water freezing up on the truck, since it was so cold outside. However, they would eventually get the fire out and leave the scene without anyone getting hurt.

This story doesn’t end here, cause night two is where all the action really happens. Yes, I know, hard to beat a burning house story in a winter snow storm, right? Well our other neighbors saw a small flame coming from the burned down house the next night. It was around 11 p.m. again and they felt like calling the fire fighters back out, since their house was so close to the small flame. If they would have walked up there and threw a large bowl of water on it, the fire would have went out. Instead it was the firemen they would rely on to put out this small blaze.

Once the fire fighters arrived on the scene, I guess they got a bit lazy and decided to go up a steep hill, to have a “front row seat” for the small fire that was still burning 24 hours later. The night before, they just hooked hoses up and avoided the steep climb. I guess the roads were more frozen over than they thought and they under estimated the hill and the frozen precipitation which was attached to it. Because the fire truck got close to the top, but suddenly lost traction and back down the hill it went. It went across a small neighborhood road and off into the woods. Not too far in the woods, but it was about a 10 foot bank, the big, red truck went down, before finding level ground at the bottom.

So a wrecker had to be called out to pull the firetruck out. However, this one wrecker truck would not be enough to pull out the long firetruck. It would eventually take 2 wreckers and a series of pulleys they had to set up, to get the big truck to start moving. They finally did get the truck out and it didn’t look as pretty, as it once did. What was once a big, shinny truck gleaming bright red in the snow filled night; had turned into a badly damaged truck, with huge clumps of dirt and tree limbs hanging out of it from many different places. It was hard to believe, how a small one foot flame could cause so much damage and excitement, when just 24 hours earlier, the 30 foot flames shooting in the air did very little damage (other than the house in the middle of it). As long as I live, I will never forget this snowy firetruck story.

In the 2011-2012 NFL season the NFC North was not very evenly distributed performance wise as there was a 12 game margin separating first and last place teams.  The Green Bay Packers defended their Super Bowl title by accumulating the best record in the NFL at 15-1 and the Detroit Lions enjoyed their best success in over a decade by going 10-6 and making the playoffs.  The Bears at 8-8 and Vikings at 3-13 rounded out the division and the 2012-2013 season should offer great competition among these rival franchises.

4. Minnesota Vikings: projected regular season 6-10 (2-4 in division)

The Vikings had a tough season last year only winning 3 games and losing their franchise player, running back Adrian Peterson, to a week 16 knee injury that could possibly carry over into this season.  Though they did groom rookie quarter back Christian Ponder who proved he is willing to persevere through tough times and even tougher hits.  Furthermore, they looked to add to Ponder’s protection by using the fourth overall pick in the NFL Draft on offensive lineman Matt Kalil out of USC who was an All-American at college as a left tackle.

3. Chicago Bears: projected regular season 9-7 (3-3 in division)

The Chicago Bears vastly under performed last year which was due in large part to the underwhelming play of quarterback Jay Cutler.  A team typically relying on their defense experienced much of the same last season however the offense re-loaded in the offseason by acquiring star wide receiver Brandon Marshall as well as their star running back Mott Forte returning from injury and his best statistical season of his career.  Although, I do not see the Bears besting the Detroit Lions and unfortunately, I do have them once again missing the playoffs.

2. Detroit Lions: projected regular season 11-5 (3-3 in division)

Typically a team that struggles, the Detroit Lions had a great season last year.  Their offense was one of the best in the league last year as Matthew Stafford threw for over 5,000 yards and Calvin Johnson led all wide receivers in reception yards.  If their defense can stay out of trouble off and on the field they should improve on last years record and hopefully not surrender 45 points in a playoff game as they did against New Orleans in the Wild Card round last season.

1. Green Bay Packers: projected regular 13-3 (4-2 in division)

After losing in the second round of the playoffs to the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants, the Packers hope to once again return the Lombardi trophy to Lambeau field.  The Packers passing attack was nearly flawless last season anchored by quarter back and league MVP Aaron Rodgers while the defense began to struggle unlike how they did in the 2010-2011 campaign.  They addressed this issue by drafting Nick Perry out of USC who is a versatile defender in the 3-technique, playing both a defensive end and outside linebacker.  Look for Green Bay to once again be among the NFL leaders and compete for a Super Bowl title.

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Full Truck Loads, or FTL’s, generally have faster delivery times than LTL’s (less than truck loads) due to their route being more direct between the shipper and recipient.  LTL’s are often stopped and handled at a variety of terminals during transportation.  What defines an LTL is the cargo weighing in between 151-200 thousand pounds while an FTL is typically from one individual shipper and has a far greater mass than the LTL.  While both shipping methods have their advantages, each shipment has an inherent uniqueness, where the best option presents itself more often than not.

LTL’s will often save money which may can be advantageous; however due to the high volume of clients using this specific form of shipping, a shipment could be loaded last on the truck, and subsequently may take longer to arrive at its destination.  Conversely, FTL’s mean that the customer’s cargo will be the only freight on a vehicle.  This is typically the option for large transits that both parties do not want to be affected by unforeseen inconveniences.  Go Dependables FTL department primarily specializes in the most effective freight movement throughout the greater western United States and parts of Mexico.  Furthermore, we offer same day AND overnight service throughout California, Nevada and Arizona as well as refrigerated trucking.

In an attempt to further improve your experience with us, Go Dependable provides Qualcomm satellite tracking, online access to delivery receipts, and on board pickup and delivery confirmation devices.  Go Dependable provides transportation of freight throughout much of the Western United States as well as access to total supply chain services throughout The Dependable Companies.

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Selling quality luggage since 1944, our staff at Specialty Luggage will satisfy your ever travel equipment need.  Whether it be luggage, briefcases, travel accessories and several other varieties of travel gear we have you covered and guarantee low-prices that are among the most competitive of all businesses in our industry.  For a limited time we are offering Free 2-day air shipping on all regularly priced Rimowa luggage which has been serving clients all over the world reliably since 1898.  With the summer months finally here, there is a plethora of items that would make travel easier for you, a friend, family member or pretty much anyone.  For example, there are gifts for her and him, grooming kits, journals, backpacks, handbags, globes and so much more; just to name a few.  This myriad of items matches all types of vacations whether it is a one month excursion to a different country or a weekend road trip.  In addition, we have many of the hottest and most fashionable brands including Eagle Creek, High Sierra, Kenneth Cole, Swiss Army, Titan Luggage, Victorinox and many more.

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The latest unemployment figures in the United States, as of May 2012 is 8.2%.  Though no number above 0 should be deemed acceptable by a progressive western democracy, this current stat is far less than it was just a few years ago, which may be an indication that certain measures our government has taken to aide unemployment have worked successfully thus far.  Just two years ago, unemployment was higher and exhibited less overall consistency due to its fluctuation.  July 2012 had unemployment at 9.4%, climbing all the way up to 9.8% in December of the same year.  After slightly decreasing, the figure had stayed rather consistent throughout 2011 in which it dipped below 9%.  As 2012 approached, the decline continued reaching its lowest percentage in two years at 8.1% before stabilizing at its current 8.2%.  Needless to say, our government has taken intensive measures in order to reduce and ultimately eliminate unemployment; however several changes are still needed in order to once again reach our countries lowest rate ever, attained in 1953 (2.5%).  Furthermore, the United States government added 69,000 new jobs last month and will most likely continue that pattern throughout the summer due to the demand for summer job employees.

However, jobs cannot simply create themselves.  Thus, the focus shifts from unemployment rates to the state of the Dow and NASDAQ in 2012 for some clarity on the situation.  May is traditionally a good month for unemployment rate numbers to drop due to the abundance of employers looking to fill seasonal summer positions, though May has always been a tough month on the market.  Three of the last four years have been detrimental to the potential growth of the market.  The Dow dropped 6% this month, while the NASDAQ has declined more than 7%.  On May 1, 2012, the Dow was at approximately 13,250 points, however as we ushered in June, the Dow had dropped to 12,400. This inverse relationship between the unemployment rate, and market trading, may in fact, be attributed to fears concerning the euro-zone and their current economic crisis.  Spain and Greece are currently uncomfortably close to being dropped from the euro-zone, which has kept the United States economy in a fearful standstill, which in turn has contributed to the decline of our market.

With all of that being said, June should reverse the stock market trend currently plaguing us due to the fact that at this point last year we were a full 1% higher in our unemployment figures.  This indicates that the legislation and revisions currently being produced on Capitol Hill are truly serving their purpose.  If President Barack Obama is re-elected in November for a second term, it is reasonable to assume that he will continue to improve the state of our market and unemployment figures.

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It was amazing to see the Atlanta Braves promoting the New York Yankees inter-league match up between the two teams. It was well a month away and the Braves were advertising to sell extra tickets for the Yankees and Braves match up. I didn’t really understand it, since the Braves and Yankees play in different leagues. Also, the Yankees were not leading their division in baseball. They are trying to chase down the A.L. East Leaders, just like the Braves team is trying to track down the Washington Nationals, since they lead the N.L. East Division. I understand the New York Yankees are a legendary team, but so are a few other baseball teams. The Braves advertising gang chose to overlook some really good match ups, so they could fill up Turner Field when the Yankees came marching in. If we had a team or a good coach, it might be a different story too. I just didn’t understand an average national league team, advertising hard and heavy for a game against a average american league team, even if they are the famous N.Y. Yankees.

You would have thought the team was getting as prepared for this match up, as the people advertising this hype. Not really true, since the Braves put up a big ZERO in the first game of the series. Yep, the Bravos didn’t even put up 1 run and the Yankees scored a run in each inning of the first 3 innings of the game. After 3 innings, it was a 3 to 0 score and the Braves didn’t try much to make this a close contest. The fact Chipper Jones not hustling, making defensive errors, and playing “laughy laughy” games with shortstop Derek Jeter, didn’t make the Braves or number 10 look that good either.

Game 2 was the same for Chipper Jones. He managed to choke in clutch situations at the plate and would not stand by the 3rd base bag, to tag out charging runners heading toward third base. This has been an on-going problem for years. You don’t hear this kind of information on the telecasts, since Chip Caray and Joe Simpson try to offer up the positive things only. And when it comes to Larry “Chipper” Jones, they get extra protective and its never Mr. Jones fault. His bad glove work at 3B, was due to the pitcher throwing the ball down the center of the plate and allowing batters to tee-off. This results in hard line drives to third base, so Chipper isn’t to blame. This is the way Joe Simpson would take up for Chipper.

Let’s face it and be honest here. I am here to give you the real information and not sugar-coat nothing. The Braves lost the game, because pitcher Mike Minor was taking out in the 7th inning and he was pitching great. Not one time, did Chip or Joe ever say this or put the blame on the Braves Manager. You got a pitcher that has pitched a shut out game and gotten the lead-off batter in the 7th inning and you take him out, because the next guy reaches base? Minor should have been allowed to stay in, until he gave up a run or got in more trouble than that. In fact, in earlier innings, the southpaw pitcher did get in some major troubles, but managed to pitch out of them every time. The Braves lost game 2 in the series, because Manager Freddi Gonzalez took the left-handed pitcher out of the game. And we have already seen the lefty from the bullpen struggle this year. Johnny Venters is not a guy that you can give the ball to in the 7th or 8th inning and every time. In fact, no bull pen pitcher deserves to have any guaranteed innings. Perhaps the closer has earned his 9th inning spot, but the other relief pitchers have not earned certain innings. The manager wants to have a guy for the 7th and 8th innings, but he needs to learn, the Braves team just doesn’t have that right now. You must play match up and go with gut feelings, until you have guys to earn these spots. Awarding them innings on paper, is why the Braves are losing games right now from the bull pen.

Game 3 was the team feeling overpowered by the mighty Yanks. They did not force the issue and try to put up a lot of runs. The Braves does have the tendency to lose focus, attitude, and will not hustle much, when they feel they don’t have a chance to beat an opposing team.

The Braves will get a 2nd chance to redeem their self. They will play this same Yankee Team next week. The only difference this time, it will be played on the soil of the Big Apple. The Bronx Bombers get to go home and take advantage of their short porch out in right field. So it will be tougher for the Braves to win in New York and they really missed their chance in Hotlanta.

If the team wants to get better, they need to stop coaching this team on paper and make decision on the talent they see on the field. I was able to catch a lot of the spring training games. No way in the world did Tyler Pastornicky beat out Andrelton Simmons for the starting shortstop job. The bad thing for Simmons was the fact the Braves had made up their minds going into the spring training games. Braves had already penciled in the shortstop position for Pastornicky. For some reason, that pencil left a stronger mark on the paper, than the fine play of Simmons. It wasn’t even close either. Simmons was hitting very well early in spring and only veered off a little at the plate, when he had his rib cage injury. Nothing serious, just a pulled muscle in the mid-section; which did affect his at-bats during the spring games. On the defensive side of things, Simmons was snagging everything. He was a one man highlight show at shortstop for this Braves team during the spring training games. As for Tyler, he couldn’t catch nothing and even dropped throws from the catcher. Actually he didn’t drop it, he missed the whole ball, when the Braves catcher tried to throw out a base runner who was stealing 2nd base. I never seen a professional athlete miss a ball, the way Tyler did that day. The throw was chest high and he had to reach out and catch it. He made the reach and then the ball went right by his glove, as he missed the whole ball. I had never seen nothing like it before. Right then and there, I knew this kid was not ready for Major League Baseball.

Simmons Hot Bat Leads To a Higher Batting Spot in the Lineup?

If the Braves want to write their plays on paper and go into each game with a plan, that leaves no room for corrections, this team is going to lose a lot of games. They have the potential to win a lot, but only if they play as a team and close to their full potential. It was ridiculous for Tyler Pastornicky to play so many games at shortstop, when Andrelton Simmons was better at the plate and ten times better with the glove. All the time they wasted on this was pathetic. Freddi G. allowed his team to go on preseason pencil marks; rather than looking up and seeing what was happening on the field.

Same thing for Braves outfielder Diaz. He got screwed by Bobby Cox so much, it wasn’t even funny. Cox would not let him play much or take him out in games and bring in a weaker pinch hitter. Freddi is letting Jason Heyward play every game in right field (almost) and clearly Matt Diaz is the better player. Obviously we can bring Heyward in late for defensive purposes, but let your hot hitters bat 4 or 5 times a night. If the Braves want to have a chance next week against the Bronx Bombers in NY, they need to adjust their batting line-up. I have a few scenarios on how the batting order should go,  but it really isn’t hard going into each new series. Just use hot hitters and put them in places, where the team can succeed. Even if Michael Bourn is not doing well at the plate, don’t be afraid to drop him in the line-up, until he recovers his swing. By playing your best ball players and filling out your line up card correctly, it allows a baseball manager to play their team as close to full potential as possible.

The Atlanta Braves need to hand-in this line up card on Monday in New York against the Yankees team. It is the team’s best players and regardless if the pitcher is a righty or a lefty, the Braves really need to line up their best bats and in the proper order. If not, look for the team to lose again, since their confidence level is at zero now or perhaps even lower than that.

1. CF – Michael Bourn

2. 2B – Dan Uggla

3. DH – Matt Diaz

4. LF – Martin Prado

5. C – Brain McCann

6. 3B – Chipper Jones

7. 1B – Freddie Freeman

8. SS – Andrelton Simmons

9. RF – Jason Heyward

***In case of a 1, 2, 3 first inning, I would want Martin Prado as my lead-off hitter and that is why Brian McCann is in the 5th hole.

This lineup is only good for the Yankees and in next week’s games. Due to player productivity or the lack of it, would determine the line up for the next series. Once the team returns to a National League Park, I would have Diaz in right field and Heyward on the bench. Jason is close to becoming an everyday player in my line up, if he can pick things up just a notch and cut down on the strikeouts just a hair. Also, Chipper could easily move up in this line up, once he gets back to his early season form, when he was hitting the ball well.

Most fans will be shocked at this line up. They have gotten use to the way Cox and now Freddi Gonzalez has been setting it for years. They tend to coach from that paper I spoke about earlier. They try to fit guys in, based on popularity, the amount of money they get paid, and where they would be at, if they were swinging a hot bat. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. The name is “manager” and it means to manage. You have to set up a starting point and then after that, you just adjust on performance and leave the paper rail out of it. Please don’t play my Braves team by their pay checks. Let the best hitter on the team play and so far, that player is Matt Diaz. He has did well on his strikeout totals and the guy always hits the ball hard and puts it in play. He can hit right handed pitching. Don’t let the other team’s pitcher decide on your best hitter. You should play your best hitter and work out other arrangements with Mr. Heyward. Prado at first would add instant wealth to this team and coming up this Friday night, the Braves could win that first game, if they were smart enough to play Martin Prado at first base. I doubt we see this, but it would be nice.

The guitars of yesterday may have played as well as the ones of today, but they certainly didn’t look like the modern guitars of today. Technology has probably played a small part in the guitar’s playing ability over the years.

Someone mixing colors together in a factory (most likely) is where we get some of the nicest and boldest colors I have ever seen. You can really see the modern color change best, when you look at a light blue guitar. I really like the color of blue, but the pretty blue Charvel Guitars are awesome looking. I don’t know how to describe the exact colors I am seeing, so I don’t know the real color of blue. Royal blue or navy blue both sounds like a dark shade of blue and I doubt either one of these colors is the one I am referring to. I am not sure what metallic blue looks like or some of the other shades of blue. I just know the Charvel guys have a beautiful blue guitar and I would love to have it. I don’t play the guitar. I just want to buy it, frame it in a case, and display it in my “man cave“. You know, the room in the house that is for entertaining, but for men only. I did see some other colors that I would get, if I could buy them for a cheaper price. I do know, the shape and design of the Charvel guitars is what I am looking for.

Do you and your family plan to watch the rising of the super moon tonight? It should be something nice to see. I know in my state of Georgia, we have a great weather forecast for looking up. Our skies in the Peach State will be perfectly clear to see the brightest moon of 2012.

We have a bright moon every year, but not this bright. We have a night where the moon comes real close to the Earth, but not this close. All the stars are lined up tonight, for the “perfect storm” if you will. The clear skies, the super moon of 2012, and the closest the moon will come to the Earth in a long time. It all adds up to a little family fun on Saturday night.

The super moon will look the biggest, when it starts to rise over the horizon; which will be right after sunset. Many folks might have trouble seeing this. The moon will be at its closest point to the Earth at 11:35 pm est. So for those living on the East Coast of the U.S.A. they can set their watches to this bright super moon, which will take place about 25 minutes before midnight. The later we go into the night, the better chance most home owners will have to get a glimpse of the 2012 super moon. Since the moon will be acting just like the Sun and rising and going across the sky. I would guess around 1 or maybe 1:30 eastern standard time, is when the moon will be in its “noon” or high angle in the sky.

Now I don’t ever remember having a super moon before. I do know the moon was very bright on Friday night, so I have a good idea on what to expect tonight. Seems weird the super moon is also happening in the same year, where we have the famous Mayan Calendar prediction. You know the one, the December 21, 2012 date that could destroy the World as we know it now. On this famous date, we are expected to go through a new change, as there is suppose to be some type of astrological alignment, high up in the sky above. How about you? Do you ever recall us having a super moon before? And what is your plans for Saturday night, as the super moon makes it’s North American debut to all the sky watchers.

I am always amazed at how some people can create some of the coolest crafts or homemade items. A lot of women who stay home all day, will work with different beads, in their craft designs at home. The large hole beads would work well for those women who don’t see that well. I know trying to thread a needle can be very tricky, if we don’t have our full 20/20 vision working for us. Threading the beads, for some of these home improvement jobs, can be just as tough as the eye of a needle. So if you plan to visit the craft store soon, be sure to look for the larger beads with the large holes. These beads can be found in a variety of different colors, just like the small hole beads.

What is your favorite color of beads to use? Or which color would you say you have used the most of recently? If you were making an American Flag, you would obviously need red beads, white beads, and blue beads. The white beads would not be that difficult to buy. Choosing the right shade of red beads or getting the exact shade of blue beads, would also take some keen eye skills. If you didn’t take the time to “eye it out right“, your flag would not look like a real red, white, and blue flag.

If you love playing with the colorful beads at home, please be sure to take care of your eyes. Get regular check ups and don’t be afraid to use a pair of glasses, if it will help with your home art projects. If you get a chance, please send me a picture of your current bead projects. I would love to get some new bead ideas, so I could go shopping for some colored beads online or at the local craft shop.

Big Print Playing Cards – Much Easier to See!

While we are all different and come from all over the World, we still have one very important thing in common. None of us are as young as we were yesterday. And I hate to say it, but the bad news is, we will all be even older tomorrow when we wake up. No matter how well we eat or how much we choose to exercise today, our age is always gaining on us. I don’t have no good tips for beating Father Time, but we can do simple changes in our day-to-day lifestyles, to make getting old a little bit easier to deal with. Just take our eyes for instance. How many of you right now are squinting to read this blog page? I hope not too many out there, but if you can’t see this text too clear or it is just too small to read. Then reach over and look for the “Ctrl” key on the lower, left side of your keyboard. Press down the “Ctrl” (or control button) and then start pressing down the plus “+” symbol;  which is a couple of keys over and on the top row from the “P” key on your keyboard. If you ever want to increase the text size on any webpage, just hold down the Control Key and then hit the plus symbol and each time you click it, the print will get bigger and bigger on the screen. To get it back small again or just a little smaller, you can press down the Control Key and hit the minus “-” which is right beside the plus key (or just above the letter P key on your keyboard). I hope this little trick, will keep you coming back to my blog, so you can continue reading some of my weird and strange thoughts I get from time to time.

Playing Cards Come in Big Sizes!

Father Time still holds most of the “playing cards” on us and yes PUN was intended! However, the card makers do make different sizes of playing cards. You don’t have to get the real big cards; which are so big, you can’t even hold in your hand. There is some normal size cards; which have a large print design on the playing cards. I think these cards are perferct for grandfathers and grandmothers to play cards with their grandchildren, when their eye sight isn’t as sharp as the grand kids have. Just buy a pack of large print playing cards and grandparents everywhere can solve this minor problem. Also, the kids that have played with regular size design before, will get a big kick and thrill out of seeing these big print playing cards.

Yeah, overall getting older each day is not something we want to hear too often. Life is too short and it’s a wonder we get as much as we do in our lifetimes; when you really see how short our life spans really are. Even for those lucky enough to live to be 100 or 110 years old, only get to experience a quick blink, of this magnificent world we all live in. I do want to try and help the elderly as much as I can now, while I am able to see and do most things pretty well. I know there will be a day on the horizon soon, when I can’t do a simple task or at least a task I would consider simple right now.

Please help me spread some cheer around online, for those who feel old and worthless. If you’re still here on this beautiful planet we call Earth, then I’m sure the big guy upstairs still have some plans left for you to do down here. I have given two tips for the elderly today. Or its two tips that the elderly folks might get the most use out of, but really, anyone with any eye sight problems or vision trouble, can use my two tips.

The first tip, was how to increase the text size on webpages online. This little trick will work on any website (I think?). I believe it works on any of the popular browsers too. If you currently use Windows, Firefox, Google Chrome, or something else; I think my little trick will work. If not, please shoot me a reply back and let’s talk about it.

For those who love games and especially our classic games like playing checkers or a strategy game of chess. Will be happy to know, they can get a new deck of playing cards online and in a much larger print; than the normal, standard-size design on the playing cards most stores sell today. These large print playing cards are really awesome and a pair of Aces never looked so nice! If you and the guys (or gals) plan to do a lot of playing, you might want to go ahead and pick up a 2nd deck of large print cards. You do get a cheaper rate on playing cards, when you order 2 brand new decks, instead of just one large print deck of cards.

NO Stress Chess – Coming Soon in Late April!

Not sure what the deal is with this specific game of chess. It is called No Stress Chess and they are taking orders online for it now, but it will not be shipped out until later this month in April. Around April 23rd is the current estimation, on when this particular Chess Game will start being shipped out to customers. This might be a good gift to get a chess fan or the chess player in your household. I guess I would qualify for the “chess player” in my household, but I usually lose more games of chess than I win. It’s still a very fun game to play and if you never learned how to play chess yet, then you really should give it a try. I think all human beings should be able to do two things in life. In a way, we are all naturally gifted at both of these things, but yet a lot of folks can’t do one or can’t do both. What am I talking about?

Swimming and Chess! I think life is too short and we must absorb nature’s greatest gift and the most abundant natural resource we have on Earth. Okay, I’m sure air or something like that is the most abundant resource, but we do have a lot of water, and I think it’s a shame, more folks don’t learn how to swim. So get in touch with nature and try to figure out why we have 70 to 75% of the Earth’s Surface covered in water. And while you’re learning how to swim, you can pick up a new board game and begin the fun of learning how to play chess. I will give everyone the 2012 summer, to get out there and learn how to swim and how to play chess. Until then, have fun, good luck with your summer activities and please don’t forget to pick up a pack or 2 packs of playing cards with large picture designs.

*Order a Single Deck of Large Print Playing Cards (as seen on TV for the Scooter riding ads)

*Save Money Now by Ordering 2 Decks of Large Print Playing Cards (similar large print cards that are shown on television for the Scooter Riding Ads for disabled and elderly folks)

*No Stress Chess (ships out to online customers April 23rd)

*Chess for Kindle

*Classic Chess Set (made out of beautiful wood)

*Best Classic Games Value – this awesome gaming package allows the gamer to play a game of CHECKERS, while quickly changing over to a nice CHESS game and if their not in the mood for neither one, then anyone like a quick game of BACKGAMMON?

*Yankees / Red Sox Chess Game – No Joke! Someone actually created a chess board and all the chess characters; for a rivalry of the ages. In baseball, no two teams compete harder to win, than the Red Sox fans and players from Boston; while the historic New York Yankees are right up there with fan support and talented baseball players too. Year after year, gracing the diamond for both of these American League Baseball Clubs,baseball fans in America get treated to some real good baseball. If you’re ready to start a war at the office, family reunion, or the company picnic; then just whip this Boston Red Sox and New York Yankee Chess Board & Game out and watch the fun begin!