dc.

Mainly on Rick Adair, first pitching coach under Buck, and a philosophy that he said made him feel not like himself. Said everyone in the organization felt it too: Matusz, Britton, Tillman, etc... It wasn't a hit piece on us, but came up under how he reinvented himself/why he needed reinventing. Apparently 2011-2013, guys around the league we reporting he has some of the nastiest stuff in the game... But he just didn't throw it all the time. Sounds like most of our young guns. Included in the piece: changing his wind up several times in the minors, moving him around in the mound, and worst: telling him not to use his cutter (organization role) because it could hurt his fastball otherwise. Epstein had just moved to Chicago in 2013 and always instructed his scouts: find me the guy who just needs a change of scenery. Jake was always #1. I heard about some other news on what the O's have done wrong with Gausman that has me worried, but haven't read it yet. But all this is the biggest insider look at what's wrong with our organizational philosophy and more... I always think we are so injury fearful that we hurt our guys more. Too many limits kills them. Arrieta is now apparently a super Pilates, meditation health nut... He didn't talk mechanics, he talks "how his body feels"

a win is a win is a win is a win... given the chaos of the whole thing and rain, I'll take it... Just put Rickard #1 and be done with it!

Hehehe... see... I can see all of that happening too. (Sidenote, being a semantics asshole, but ... if Trumbo and Pedro both hit 30 in Camden alone... wow!) But hey, I agree... and add Rickard at the top of the line-up. And 20-30HR from Schoop as your #9 hitter! Holy smokes. And yet, you didn't mention a single starting pitcher. Also - I am not pessimistic. I just don't see us being able to really compete with the top of the liners. Maybe fighting for a wild card down the stretch... not sure we'd get it. And could see it really falling apart late in the season.

We made it! Wasn't always pretty. Three thoughts: 1. This team is slightly better than I thought it would be at season's end. The off season got more done than I'd expected 2. This team is probably slightly better than last year's in talent, if still very weak in pitching. 3. I still think it will be hard for this team to really compete for the season. The lack of pitching is just going to be too much to overcome and there are other teams, like the Jays, who can slug right along with us.

Has nothing to do with the above video except that the name reminded me... Anyone ever see The Aristocrats, the documentary style film about the comedians' insider joke told backstage? If not, it's quite enjoyable, but also incredibly kind of x-rated comedy.

anyone else catch Trump make 5 statements on abortion in 24 hours, each saying something almost entirely different? And then he wants to end NATO. And give nukes to Japan and Korea. Except that he doesn't. Honestly, this is getting more fun now that his poll numbers are tanking. Today he claimed the RNC should force Kasich out of the race because Kasich cannot mathematically win on the first ballot, so he's just "stealing Trump's votes."

Yeah - agree with all of the above. Not saying there was a right answer, but just why it's so hard to let him go - even though we have place for him. I think they'll have a few plans: ABs vs lefties, as you said, in place of Alvarez (though, that is also in competition with Reimold)... and defensive replacement for Trumbo, which could steal him an AB here or there, assuming we're ever winning a game.

Well, first, he's from Korea. But second, we can't send him anywhere. If we cut him, he gets 7m from us and anyone else in the league could sign him for almost nothing - including a potential minors assignment. But really it's the money we are worried about. Let $7m just disappear after 44 at bats? He started 0/24. Last year, Kang started 1/23 for the Pirates in spring training and was arguably their second best all around hitter by season's end. Would hate to let that potential and cash walk.

While I don't think she should have been sprayed, I disagree with the phrase groped need on the video. Looks like he is pushing his paper at her chest - not that that is acceptable either. What follows is textbook rowdy crowd crap from both sides. I'm still more embarrassed by Trump's attempted defense of his campaign manager and the like. Same with his attacks in Cruz's wife. On the latter, at the town hall the other night he tried two lines that are absolute baloney: 1. I didn't say that, I tweeted it, that's different. That's not really my message. 2. I thought it was a lovely picture of Mrs Cruz. Don't know I could be more shocked than I have been so far... But wow. Also still can't believe he can't understand or denied the difference between "he started it" factually and "he started it" as a reason for your actions/response. Actually I can believe it. I'm more pleased that people seem to be walking up to him more... General election polls getting far worse for him

I don't think there is a time period... I think it is simply about where you live and more importantly why you live there. You're not supposed to be allowed in state status if you still rely on parents who are out of state or if the sole purpose of moving is to get tuition reduction... Or if you just change status on a whim with no intent to stay in state. But that's all subjective. I just looked up the requirements and process online set by the state board of regents, and it puts all burden on student to prove... But it's all subjective and a few forceful lies could get past it. Just say your parents aren't paying the bills... Say it loudly and get them to say it too Tada.

The same is true at UMD and even UMBC to an extent. What I don't get is why the universities have any incentive to do that in the first place - once they grant them instate, they lose that revenue stream. And I've never seen any real data on it, so all I know is anecdotal. And... I am trying my hardest to NOT follow the city primary. Ugh. Sheila Dixon is going to win... again. I'm still waiting on the city agency audits that were mandated 4 years ago and haven't come through yet - not one. There has to be money disappearing. These audits, some not done for decades, could help prove it. And yet in four years they have ZERO complete. Legal mandate is they need to be done by November. Good luck.

I wouldn't doubt it. As long as they have their mandated 75% in-state or whatever, I don't think they should necessarily seek to go way beyond that. It's a tough question - but having some out of state voices, ideas, etc is good and valuable. My bigger problem is something you alluded to earlier. Kids come here from NY, live on campus for a year, move to an apartment and change their residency and then say, "I'm in state." Allowing the university to accept more out of state students but also costing them (and me!) money. It's not supposed to happen that way and there is a records check that is supposed to nab students who do that, but what I have found is that friends from out of state have never been questioned. Meanwhile, a friend from in-state who moved to MD as a senior in HS with her dad for his military job... well, she got denied and flagged for it. And another student got similarly dismissed for grad school when they moved back to MD.

Yeah, but I would argue that in this case the cover up is more costly than the crime. Lewandowski originally said, off record, that he thought she was someone else. Combine that with video that shows it wasn't a huge push/pull and it goes away with an apology and scolding. Of course, as implied above, that's assuming anyone has decency or cares. The attacks on her continue even though Trump and co have been saying for weeks it never happened at all. Now the story is she deserved it.

Side note: Trump campaign manager charged today with minor battery in that reporter arm grab. Police release CCTV video from venue that does it clearly. Minor, but clear. And the narrative now from Trump and supporters is that "that's not a crime!" First it was he didn't do it, she's a liar. At other times it was that she must be mistaken. Some even claimed early video evidence was inconclusive and showed someone else grabbing her. Lewandowski, the manager, even called her disgusting, delusional. But now all that is forgotten. No minds to be changed, though. Sure, he grabbed her, but cmon, it was so minor! That's not criminal. Chill out....

Yeah - I agree with pretty much everything you said. Certainly not offering any final solutions, just nitpicking at a system that just doesn't seem to work. Re: qualifications - I agree that many times it is a problem of supply and demand. It goes back to what we said about probably too many humanities degrees and too few technical degrees. It's just frustrating to see so many jobs listed as degree required and X years required... but pay the same as jobs that don't require those things. As I said, there was a time when companies would take on a skilled employee with that first level of qualification and really train them up to the higher levels. That's not happening as much now - and fault is probably on all sides. Re: the NSA program - I had the same thought. "Man, to pick a senior in HS or a freshmen in college and just go all in... wow, risky." Though, I think there are some pros to the argument too. First, if the student bombs in school, I'm sure ties can be cut pretty quickly. He's in computer engineering, I believe... if he's not cutting it, in school or in summer internships... I'm sure the program goes away. And second, as you said, I am sure NSA (and companies) are looking at the cost of taking a CompSci grad with no specific training to their programs vs building their own CompSci grad. I have no doubt the latter is cheaper and has a higher success rate. He's going to come out of school as 21/22 and be exactly what they want and need... as opposed to so many others coming out at 21/22 and still needing a few more years of fine-tuning. Anyway... it's all a mess. But I do put a lot of "blame" (not quite the right word) on corporations moving away from a system that once really trained and supported a workforce to now treating it more and more as a set of widgets.

That's certainly part of it. I also think the term "entitled" is thrown around too much. If that employer went to look for a new job, would he be "entitled" in asking for a bit more money because he has more education and experience? To bring back to Donald Trump, one of the classic things that bothers me about him (and many people): when Donald negotiates he is "just sticking up for himself" ... but when a protester disagrees or a union demands wages or Apple says they want something, well, those people are "sad, losers, unAmerican, everything that's wrong with the country." Back to the education topic - it's classic which side do you see it from. It's all perspective. Entitled or asking for your due? Depends on which side you come from. After this program the apprentice gets to about $19/hr. Would he be entitled if he went to a new job and wanted the same? From their view, "I can get another guy and teach him this stuff in three months and he'll take $14-16/hr... then $17-18 when he's done. Why pay you more?"

Yeah - I mean, in trade schools that's still kind of the system... a quick intro to the basics, then you are out in "apprenticeship" honing skills in these partnerships that benefit both sides. Medical field is somewhat the same as well, of course, as both teaching and early career jobs are really considered more training than official position or job. It's also of course the way so much of the world used to work - get your education, to whatever degree that was - find a job with that requirement and they will coach you up. I think it also played a huge role in people wanting to stay at a company their entire life. But in so many other fields today, we do exactly the opposite. Now, some of that is undoubtedly the cultural shift where people leave companies frequently even when things are good - we are job movers. I guess no one wants to invest in a 3-5 year employee the same way they would want to invest in a 20-30 year employee. But there's got to be some middle ground.

Reminds me, I had a further student come back to visit a week ago. He's a soph in college. Since day one, he's been an NSA "apprentice" of some sort that I didn't know existed. They are paying his full tuition, he works summers with them, guaranteed job upon graduation, already technically an employee even, so he even gets a stipend during the school year so he can focus on his studies... If only private corporations took on the burden of helping educate their workers... Too many want "experience and expertise" but pay intro positions as if you've got a high school diploma and no more.

Just watched a great independent lens documentary on The Amazing Randi, who is a pretty well known magician who has focused for 40 years on debunking crock magic/sorcery being used to swindle people. Two of his big, famous targets: Uri Geller and Peter Popoff. And as I watched, everything about this election suddenly made sense. Because despite both being largely exposed in the 1970s, Popoff especially was literally destroyed, both guys are back to their old tricks and making money as con men. As a supporter of Geller in the video said (real video from the 70s): "you have to believe first and then it becomes possible, but it will never be possible if you don't believe in it"

Yeah, I don't know the UK system perfectly as you do. But as I said, right now there are too many people not getting any care out any treatment in our country... I'd take a program that provides basics but leaves some items off over the opposite.

Yeah, I want Rickard out there. Period. A few Korean players over the years have resigned and returned home when overmatched in the Spring. I am OK with it if it doesn't cost us the contact value. If it does, make him stay. I still think he could become like Kang for the Pirates last year, so if like to see him stay on so long as it's not at the expense of Rickard

Actually, those aren't what the death panels were originally about... It was just a gimmick. In the end, there will always be the treatments not covered. But what currently unfair and unacceptable is that every plan is different and it's impossible to actually understand your coverage when purchasing. People say it's backwards, but I would have more confidence in a centralized system. As for wait times, those don't bother me as in many cases they are for less than critical care. Not ideal, but it's better than a system where some people are just denied period because of income.

Hearing rumors of going after James Shields. I'd be OK with it, even after a week season last year. We need something.

100% agree crav. As Spen said, it's a moral failing. I understand the concept of insurance in general, and it works for homeowners and auto even life... But our health insurance system is simply a designed series of middle men who skim

I think it depends on programs. And I think the state has worked to get better at the system in general. I don't hear that issue much anymore.