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Thursday, August 2, 2012
DeMarco: Huge talent shift West at deadline
Dodgers, Giants, Angels and Rangers all improve with deals
APShane Victorino brings a much-needed bat to the Dodgers lineup.
OPINION
By Tony DeMarco
NBCSports.com contributor
updated 11:17 p.m. ET July 31, 2012
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Los Angeles Dodgers: You can make a case that general manager Ned Colletti ? his hands finally untied, and with ownership's financial backing ? did what's necessary to overtake the Giants and win the National League West. But one thing already is certain ? the Dodgers have raised the financial stakes in the division.
This is a team with only one active regular (Andre Ethier) who has enough at-bats to qualify for the batting title, so they added two much-needed bats in Shane Victorino and Hanley Ramirez ? and didn't give up any of their top handful of prospects to get it done.
Victorino is a rental for now, but you have to think the Dodgers can re-sign their former farmhand this winter if they so desire. He will hit at the top of the lineup ? currently a weak spot ? and most likely move to left field, where he hasn't played since 2006. And don't be surprised if he starts running more as he reunites with first-base coach Davey Lopes.
Taking on Ramirez's money ($31.5 million in 2013-14) and often-sullen personality are risks, no doubt. But the early returns are good, and again, the Dodgers had to make a middle-of-the-order move to realistically do anything in October.
The minus was not getting a starting pitcher, the hangup being an unwillingness to give up either of their top two prospects ? Zach Lee and Allen Webster ? for two-plus months of Ryan Dempster.
But Ted Lilly and Rubby De La Rosa should be back soon, and Brandon League gives the bullpen a power-sinker right-hander ? a different look from closer Kenley Jansen ? who also is capable of closing out games.
Los Angeles Angels: Their big move came over the weekend with the win-now Zack Greinke acquisition. It shows the Angels are all-in, but if Greinke isn't re-signed this winter, they paid too much in SS Jean Segura and two highly regarded pitching prospects for a rental. Still, they didn't have to part with Peter Bourjos or Garrett Richards, both of whom can help down the stretch and in the near-future.
Can the Angels afford to keep Greinke out of free agency, on top of huge deals for Albert Pujols, C.J. Wilson, Jered Weaver, etc.? They do have flexibility with the contract expirations of Torii Hunter, Dan Haren and Ervin Santana, so we'll see. But that's for this winter. For now, the focus is on getting deep into October.
GM Jerry Dipoto didn't make another move for his bullpen, but that still can happen ? and expect it to.
San Francisco Giants: They absolutely had to get another bat, and arguably got the best hitter on the market in Hunter Pence, who immediately becomes their home-run leader by a wide margin. So since last off-season, they have completely rebuilt their outfield with Pence, Melky Cabrera and Angel Pagan.
The cost for Pence wasn't prohibitive, as Nate Schierholz was expendable, and catching prospect Tommy Joseph sat behind Buster Posey and Hector Sanchez.
Pence and Marco Scutaro may not be enough, as the current infield minus disabled Pablo Sandoval is barely-average at all four positions. And like the Angels, the Giants didn't add to their late-inning setup crew, but that still could happen.
Texas Rangers: They swooped in late on Dempster after other starting pitching efforts didn't pan out, and while this isn't like getting Cliff Lee a couple of Julys ago, Dempster does fill an immediate need with a quality option.
With struggling Roy Oswalt heading to the bullpen, and the losses to surgery of Colby Lewis and Neftali Feliz, a rotation that appeared so deep suddenly isn't any more. They gave up two solid prospects, but none of their elite three ? 3B Mike Olt, SS Jurickson Profar, LHP Martin Perez, so it's a price worth paying when you're trying to get to your third consecutive World Series.
Catcher Geovany Soto also could be an upgrade over Yorvit Torrealba, who was designated for assignment.
Atlanta Braves: When Dempster balked by exercising his 10/5 rights, the Braves readjusted and may have ended up with a better deal. OK, so it wasn't Greinke, but then again, he would have cost at least a couple of their highly regarded pitching prospects.
Paul Maholm doesn't overwhelm you with stuff, but he's been lights-out lately, and fills an immediate need with Tommy Hanson going on the disabled list. Reed Johnson mashes left-handed pitching and is a solid role player for a contender. And only Arodys Vizcaino, who will be coming off surgery, is gone from the core of top pitching prospects.
Pittsburgh Pirates: The Pirates as buyers ? you gotta like that. And unlike rental types Derrek Lee and Ryan Ludwick added last July, they went for players under control for a couple of years in Wandy Rodriguez, Gaby Sanchez and Travis Snider, the latter of whom still could develop into a left-handed power-hitter ? a need in PNC Park.
There's no big 'wow' move here, just some needed parts. But the Pirates should be better as a result, and already had a strong clubhouse chemistry that didn't really need to be messed with much.
Chicago Cubs: Just getting rid of all that salary ? starting last winter with Carlos Zambrano, and now Dempster, Maholm, Johnson and Soto ? represents a step in the right direction. The talent return isn't overwhelming, but Arodys Vizcaino should bounce back from Tommy John surgery.
New York Yankees: It's all well and good that GM Brian Cashman is hanging onto prospects and cognizant of the salary-cap threshold. But if the Yankees fall short in October, the restraint won't seem so wise and quaint.
As written here before, Ichiro was a chance worth taking ? and at little financial expense. Joba Chamberlain could help the bullpen, and Andy Pettitte should be back in September, so you can understand the lack of a major move there.They did get Casey McGehee as a 1B/3B backup in the wake of Alex Rodriguez's injury.
St. Louis Cardinals: They didn't need much, especially on the offensive side of the ball, and didn't do much. But they did address their biggest need by getting Edward Mujica from the Marlins as another setup bridge piece to Jason Motte.
Houston Astros: There's no way to accurately evaluate at this point the boatload of prospects GM Jeff Luhnow has picked up in the firesale of Carlos Lee, Wandy Rodriguez, Brett Myers, etc. But it appears that there are few if any future impact types in the haul ? and mostly depth and role-player types.
But it's the first step in a long rebuilding process, and organizational depth can bring needed parts at the big-league level at a later date.
Cincinnati Reds: Assuming the price to pay for Denard Span was too steep, couldn't they have pulled the trigger on another left-handed bat? On many nights lately, Xavier Paul has been their lone left-handed bat on the bench, and that's not enough.
They already had the best bullpen ERA in the NL, so the Jonathan Broxton addition wasn't urgent. They also gave up two of their top 10 prospects in pitchers Donnie Joseph and JC Sulbaran ? which seems like a lot to pay for Broxton. That said, it's hard to argue against adding more pitching.
Philadelphia Phillies: GM Ruben Amaro Jr. moved into sell mode a bit late ? it should have been obvious a couple of weeks ago ? and you wonder what the short-term outfield picture is after the departures of Pence and Victorino ? on top of Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez in the last two off-seasons. Come on down, Domonic Brown?
That unclear outfield picture doesn't work if the short-term plan is to remain contenders by retooling around Cole Hamels, Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee. But we'll give Amaro more time to put his Plan B in motion. The Phils did get a couple of potential power bullpen arms.
Tampa Bay Rays: They held onto all that pitching, rather than deal some of it for a rental bat ? and it's hard to argue with that. But taking on some salary to help the offense sure could have benefitted a team possibly poised for another postseason appearance.
Arizona Diamondbacks: The two teams ahead of them in the NL West got better, while the D-backs ultimately did nothing more than swap out marginal third basemen ? Chris Johnson replacing Ryan Roberts ? and unload left-handed reliever Craig Breslow. Nothing got done on the starting pitcher front ? and that more-smoke-than-fire mega-deal involving Justin Upton won't happen until the offseason ? if at all.
Boston Red Sox: Left-handed setup man Craig Breslow is the big addition, and once again, the front office does Bobby Valentine no favors.
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Fukushima residents say resounding "no" to nuclear energy
FUKUSHIMA, Japan (Reuters) - Get out of nuclear power and do it fast, angry Fukushima residents told Japanese government officials on Wednesday at a public hearing on energy policy held in an area ravaged by a nuclear disaster that has whipped up opposition to atomic power.
The Fukushima hearing, the ninth out of 11 planned nationwide, sought to gather views on nuclear power's role in the nation's energy mix as the government struggles to cover a power shortfall by that threatens economic growth.
Meltdowns at the Tokyo Power Co. owned Fukushima nuclear plant after an earthquake and tsunami on March 11 last year led the government to shut all nuclear plants until recently, forced more than 160,0000 people to flee and raised fears of radiation exposure.
"I want all the reactors in Japan shut immediately and scrapped," a grey-haired woman, who introduced herself as a farmer living 65 km (40 miles) from the Fukushima plant, said at the public hearing in the prefecture capital.
"Many people are now aware that the government's talking of 'no immediate risk to health' is tantamount to 'long-term health risk'," she said to the applause of about 200 residents packed in a small concert hall.
Japan met about a third of its energy needs with nuclear power before the disaster and had plans to keep it as a central source of energy, in part, to combat global warming.
THREE OPTIONS
Now, three options that the government has put on the table are to phase out nuclear power completely as soon as possible, aim for a 15 percent share of the power supply by 2030, or a 20-25 percent share by the same date.
Residents of Fukushima, 240 km (150 miles) north of Tokyo, overwhelmingly backed the zero option, with all but one of the 30 who were picked in a draw to speak backing a swift exit.
The Asahi newspaper reported this week that elsewhere 70 percent of those taking part in the hearings opted for the nuclear-free scenario. It is not clear how the hearings will affect the final energy plan that could come as soon as this month.
But commentators said it would be hard for the government to ignore the findings as 17 months after the world's worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl, many still live in fear and thousands hired to dismantle the Fukushima plant face decades of grueling and dangerous work.
Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's recent decision to restart two reactors in Japan's western manufacturing hub to avoid blackouts galvanized the anti-nuclear movement.
More than 100,000 people attended an anti-nuclear rally last month and protests staged weekly outside of Noda's residence have grown, with ordinary workers and mothers with children joining the crowds.
"I'm scared. I'm really scared," said a middle-aged woman, addressing the hearing.
"I'd like the government to think about why people have gathered in front of the prime minister's residence every Friday since April. That's not fashion. That's not a temporary fever. That's a heartfelt scream from the public."
(Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; Writing by Tomasz Janowski; Editing by Ed Lane)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fukushima-residents-resounding-no-nuclear-energy-111808985--finance.html
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Wednesday, August 1, 2012
700 Lumen LED Headlamp Is Like Strapping a Miniature Sun To Your Forehead [Flashlights]
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How to Relax on a Long Flight | Resort ... - Travel & Leisure
Long flights can be very stressful and unhealthy for the passengers. Whether you are sitting in an economy class or first class, it is very uncomfortable to sit for very long hours. Here are few things that can help your long flight experience be more relaxing.
1. Bring an extra travel pillow or cushion to support your back and neck. In this way your spine can relax and at the same time lessen the tension of your muscles; therefore you will need another cushion aside from the pillow provided by the airlines. But for some airlines with good service, you might be able to ask for an extra pillow.
2. Choose a seat where you can relax. If you want to sleep throughout your flight, you can reserve a window side seat so you are not bothered by other passengers. Having a seat on the aisle or exit row can also be relaxing since you can stretch your legs if they already feel numb.
3. Wear shades while sleeping so you will not be bothered by others like people walking or kids playing.
4. Having your own headphones can also make you feel better because the one provided by the airlines have low quality. A noise-isolating or canceling headphones can be a great help to block outside sound such as people conversing or engine noise.
5. Do not forget to bring things that can entertain you like a magazine, book, mobile music player or a laptop. Sometimes the in-flight music and movies do not soothe everyone?s taste so these things should always come in handy.
6. Drink a lot of water or juice to assure proper body hydration. This can lessen the stress on your body. If you are consuming alcoholic beverages, be sure to drink moderately. You should not worry about going to the restroom more often because walking promotes blood flow through your legs.
7. Try to have one hand carry luggage only. This should be enough to put your important things. In this way stress can be lessened since you won?t have to carry a lot of bags and at the same time trying to fit yourself in a very narrow aisle and taking them in and out of the upper cabin.
8. Try to move around the plane and use the aisle to stretch. Sitting for long hours can make your body ache due to low blood circulation.
9. Always bring moisturizers because long flights can make your face, lips and body dry. Lotions and lip balms are great in preventing dryness.
10. Bring chewing gum. Chewing can help lessen the air pressure in your ears which can be very discomforting even after the flight.
About the Author:
Will is the owner and editor of Travel Packing Tips. He is a part time blogger and loves to travel around the world.
This guest post was provided for Travel and Leisure Group leading timeshare resales brokers in Europe. Image credit to jojocake
Source: http://www.travelandleisure.co.uk/destination-news/?p=1634
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Colorado shooting: If not gun control, then bullet control, lawmakers say
In the wake of the Colorado shooting, two Democratic legislators urge restrictions on the purchase of large quantities of ammunition online. As with gun control, the effort faces an uphill battle.
People look a cross at the memorial across from the movie theater, Sunday, July 29, 2012 in Aurora, Colo, where twelve people were killed and more than 50 wounded in a shooting attack on July 20.
Alex Brandon/AP
EnlargeJames Holmes, the man charged with gunning down a dozen people in a Colorado movie theater, was able to buy 6,000 rounds of ammunition over the Internet in a relatively short period of time. No questions asked.
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His relative ease at obtaining more than enough ammo to supply an Army infantry squad going into combat prompted two Democratic legislators to announce they planned legislation to make it more difficult to buy that many bullets that quickly.
But the effort by US Senator Frank Lautenberg (D) of New Jersey and US Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D) of New York faces a tough struggle in Congress, which has shown little interest in passing new gun control legislation. Despite the public?s abhorrence over the July 20 shootings, which killed 12 and also wounded 58, support for gun owner rights remains relatively high.
Holmes allegedly used a civilian version of the military?s M-16 rifle with a 100-round drum magazine, a shotgun and two .40 caliber semi-automatic handguns in the massacre.?
Called the Stop Online Ammunition Sales Act, the idea behind the legislation is that federally licensed gun and ammunition dealers would have to alert the police that an unlicensed individual is buying a lot of ammo. What will the police do?
As much as anything Senator Lautenberg sees them as a deterrent: a policeman calling to ask why someone is buying thousands of rounds of ammo might become suspicious if someone gives evasive answers.?
"I want them to be real nasty,? says Sen. Lautenberg, who, along with Rep. McCarthy, is known for his anti-gun efforts in Washington.?
Lautenberg and McCarthy both cited a report that Mr. Holmes had called a gun range to inquiry about shooting there. They said the owner of the range thought Holmes sounded unusual and told his staff to deny him access. The legislators said this showed why face-to-face contact was important in gun sales.?
Other parts of the proposed legislation include a requirement that anyone selling ammunition must be federally licensed. Ammo dealers would be required to maintain records. And anyone buying ammunition who is not a licensed dealer would present a photo ID at the time of purchase?something the legislators say would effectively ban online or mail order purchases of ordinance by civilians.?
After the attack, a Pew Research poll found 46 percent of Americans thought it was more important to protect American?s rights to own guns while 47 percent felt it was more important to control who owns them. Republicans favored the right of gun ownership by 70 percent while 67 percent of Democrats favored ownership control.?
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Saudi judoka gets go-ahead after hijab dispute
Saudi Arabia judoka Wojdan Shaherkani was given the go-ahead Tuesday to fight at the Olympics after a row over the wearing of a hijab was resolved, the International Olympic Committee told AFP.
The Saudis had threatened to pull the fighter out of the Games if she was forced to compete with her head uncovered.
However, a compromise had been found.
"We can confirm the International Judo Federation (IJF) and the Saudi National Olympic Committee, under the auspices of the IOC, have reached an agreement whereby the athlete can compete," said a spokeswoman.
"The judo federation will allow her to wear something on her head which will not compromise her safety and which I think they use for competitions in Asia. It is a solution that is acceptable to all parties."
The 18-year-old heavyweight, part of a two-woman team sent from the conservative kingdom to an Olympics for the first time, was last week ordered by IJF president Marius Vizer to step onto the mat with her head uncovered.
Judo applies strict safety rules and any covering on the head is deemed to present a risk to the fighter's health.
Saudi Arabia only agreed to send a women's team to London on condition that their two athletes respect a strict dress code.
Having earlier refused to comment on the IOC's statement, the IJF later confirmed that they would allow the fighter to take part wearing a different head covering, although they refused to stipulate what exactly that would be.
"The International Judo Federation (IJF) and the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee are pleased to announce that they've agreed on a solution to ensure the participation of female judo athlete Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shaherkani at the Olympic Games," said the statement.
"Working with the IOC a proposal was approved by all parties. The solution agreed guarantees a good balance between safety and cultural considerations."
American-raised 800m runner Sarah Attar is the second woman in the Saudi squad in London.
She has spent little time in the Islamic kingdom and grew up mostly in California, where she took up cross country running.
Attar appears without a headscarf in her official London 2012 photo.
For Shaherkani, who makes her bow on Friday, her participation is also contentious on other safety grounds as she has only been involved in the sport for two years and is not even a black belt.
That means she very likely is nowhere near the level of the international fighters she will be coming up against.
She will fight Puerto Rico's Melissa Mojica, ranked 13 in the world, in the first round.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/saudi-judoka-gets-ahead-hijab-dispute-113111792--oly.html
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