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Nets hold off Raptors, end five-game slide

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TORONTO -- The third quarter was consistently the downfall for the Brooklyn Nets this season.

On Tuesday, they survived the third quarter but nearly faded in the fourth before holding on to defeat the Toronto Raptors 102-100 and snap a five-game losing streak.

TORONTO forward Amir Johnson missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

"We didn't talk about the third quarter," Nets coach Jason Kidd said. "We just talked about what we did in the first half, what worked and what we needed to continue to look at."

Center Andray Blatche scored 24 points and guard Joe Johnson added 21 points to help the Nets (4-10) win for the first time since they beat the Phoenix Suns in overtime Nov. 15.

Forward Paul Pierce added 16 points, and forward Kevin Garnett scored 12 for Brooklyn.

The Nets led by 15 points with five minutes left in the game, but TORONTO stormed back and had possession with 10.7 seconds to play, trailing by two points. Johnson missed his shot after forward Rudy Gay found him with a pass, and forward Steve Novak couldn't tip the ball in on the rebound.

"Against those types of teams, you have to throw the first punch," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. "You can't wait to get hit like we did tonight and wait until the last (three) minutes and then you start scrapping and playing desperate."

The Raptors (6-8) saw their two-game winning streak end.

TORONTO uard DeMar DeRozan scored a game-high 27 points. Guard Kyle Lowry added 24 points, including four points off steals down the stretch, and Novak contributed 12 points off the bench.

"It kind of seemed like we wanted the time to run out instead of going out there and putting a stamp on the game," Pierce said. "That's what we have to do. We have continue to do the things we have been doing, push the lead and not wait for the clock to run out. I thought we were tentative, didn't get in our offense and turned the ball over. Fortunately we had such a big lead or we would have lost tonight."

Kidd said, "I'll take a little of the blame because I probably should have stayed with the group that was going because we were in that situation in Washington (during an overtime loss on Nov. 8). But I was just focused on trying to close the door so we could get a win. We'll get better at that."

The Nets took a five-point lead into the fourth quarter. The lead was up to nine when Garnett made a layup with 9:21 to play in the fourth. Pierce hit two free throws to give the Nets a 91-80 lead.

Johnson hit a 3-pointer to increase the lead to 13 points with 6:35 to play. Blatche grabbed a rebound and scored on a turnaround jumper to increase the lead to 15.

The Raptors cut their deficit to eight when Lowry converted two turnovers into layups, and Johnson reduced the lead to six points on a driving hook shot with 1:25 to play.

Lowry made two free throws with 1:01 to play to cut the lead to 101-97, and the Nets were called for a shot-clock violation with 35 seconds to play. Gay made a 3-pointer, and the lead was down to one.

Nets guard Shaun Livingston sank one of two free throws for a two-point lead, leading up to Johnson's decisive miss.

The play was designed for Gay.

"They loaded in on it," DeRozan said. "(Gay) made the right decision. Amir was open. That's a 3 that he'll make. We can live with that. It was a good look, and if he hits it, we win. But it sucks that we had to fight from so far down with three minutes left."

The Nets increased their four-point halftime lead to 10 in the first three minutes of the third quarter when Pierce scored five consecutive points, including a 3-point shot. Novak cut the lead to three points with a 3-pointer with 1:37 left in the third, and guard Terrence Ross brought the Raptors to within one with a jumper.

Brooklyn led 81-76 when Johnson ended the third quarter with a driving jump shot.

NOTES: Nets F Kevin Garnett, who played his 1,336th game, moved past G Gary Payton into sole position of ninth place for career NBA games played. ... F Andrei Kirilenko (back spasms), C Brook Lopez (sprained left ankle), G Jason Terry (bruised left knee) and G Deron Williams (sprained left ankle) did not play for the Nets. ... Raptors F Quincy Acy (sprained right ankle) missed his third game in a row and is listed as day-to-day. TORONTO F Austin Daye also was inactive for the game. ... The Raptors will continue their four-game homestand Friday against the Miami Heat and Sunday against the Denver Nuggets. ... The Nets return home to play the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday.

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Re: Rumba Rhythm
Posted by terence2
12/2/2012  3:51:00 AM
Thats a common response, tho inaccurate. If trained correctly, no single beat is more difficult than any other.Does "1" come easier to most?. probably .But to me , thats a " cop" out .
I do teach both, primarily so that, the ladies are equipped ,for most dance occasions .

Training ones " ear ", as we do in all dances ( or should ) resolves most timing issues.

Heres why the "2" is important, in the Salsa/Mambo genre.. it is built around the Clave And, there are mostly songs that ,are clave driven ( I also DJ and have a very large library ).

Heres a comparison.. knowing the difference between R and R and Jazz, the same is true for the " Rumba " genre.. discerning the differences between a Guajira and a Cha Cha or a Son Montuno from a Montuno.

Knowing HOW and WHERE the "stresses" in the music are, gives us the opportunity to improvise, and the style of music ,normally dictates that.

Salsa is a " Street " dance, and really has little or no boundaries to conform to, other than reflecting the music within the given parameters.

There are numerous other e.g. in the genre .

But, as I stated, there are some songs ( particularly in NY style salsa ) which " feels " more on "1" .Safe to say that, prety much all the NYC salseros, dont entertain any thing, other than "2" .

Going to back in the day ( 50s and 60s ).. ALL studios and dancers in the States, taught and danced on "2", and,most of our clientele ( which was 1 on 1 teaching ,primarily) were ladies 50 yrs and older . Never came across anyone , in my exstensive coaching travels, that had not mastered the "2" in mambo .

In deference to all of that.. I always believe that music and dance, are of a personal choice nature. So, dont let my pedantry obscure that fact .

NB.. in regards of your " hip " motion comment. Yes, it has its place in the genre.. but.. that becomes secondary to other aspects ( frame/hold for e.g. ) AND... the Cuban motion in salsa, is NOT quite the same concept, as in the Intern. styles ( in fact.its completely out of place, and foreign to the style ).
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The Baltimore Sun

Prince George's County Jail Fiesta Offers Hope, Unity

The Prince George's CountyDepartment of Corrections celebrated Hispanic Heritage MonthFriday with motivational bilingual speeches from outreach ministries, Latin music and dance.

For many of the inmates, it was not only a chance to break the monotony of their prison sentence, but to feel connected to other Latinos in and outside of the jail walls.

"It illuminates the fact that we're from different countries, but we're all brothers and sisters," said Bryant Jones, 24.

Jones was born in Panama and attended a bilingual school in Clayton, near the Panama Canal. He left for the United States at age 7 and still has family in Panama. He tries to write and call when he can, but it is difficult, he said. He will be serving at least another six years for a malicious wounding.

He said that the Latino inmates try to maintain a tight sense of community.

"The Latinos stick together. We have our Bible studies every night," Jones said.

Chaplain Filiberto E. Romero began the celebration four years ago as a way to bring inmates together and give them hope.

In addition to members of the faith community, Romero invited several speakers who had at one time been imprisoned to talk about how their faith helped them avoid the cycle of criminal behavior.

"Our future is not here. It is outside," said Sonya Ruiz, a speaker who had spent time in the Prince George's County facility.

Guadalupe Martinez said, "Everyone forgets us except God," adding, "Seek him and do not come back to this place."

A sense of hope pervaded the music as well. The band Sol y Rumba played Celia Cruz' "La Vida es Un Carnival," which features the upbeat lyrics "Anyone thinking that things will never change/ Needs to know that's not the case/ smile to the hard times, and they will pass."

Romero is pleased by the inmate's response to the event. "They love it. They cannot wait for us to do this event," he said.

There are about 230 Latino inmates at the Prince George's County Department of Corrections, about 15 percent of the total population, according to a spokeswoman.

The most recent census shows that Prince George's County has the second-highest percentage of Latino population in Maryland at 15.2 percent.

Copyright © 2015, The Baltimore Sun


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News Maryland Howard County Laurel

Learn to identify trees at National Wildlife Visitor Center

Join a naturalist on a Tree Walk, Sunday, Aug. 4 from 10 to 11 a.m. at the National Wildlife Visitor Center, 10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop, located off Powder Mill Road between the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and Route 197.

All ages can discover how to identify local trees by leaf, bark and flower in this informative half-mile hike. Registration is required.

Call 301-497-5887 for reservation. Donations to the Friends of Patuxent are appreciated.

Copyright © 2015, The Baltimore Sun


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News Opinion Op-Eds

Maryland must raise its minimum wage

Having grown up in a working class family in Rhode Island, I know what's it like for parents to struggle to make ends meet. There were six kids in my family supported by my dad's maintenance man salary and my mother's minimum wage job flipping burgers. Despite having two incomes, during the cold months, we had to choose between grocery shopping and paying the heating bill. There were plenty of pancake suppers during those winters.

The conditions that my family struggled with still exist for so many. The federal and state minimum wage rates remain stuck at $7.25 an hour, or about $15,000 for a full-time worker. After more than three years since the official end of the Great Recession, average wages are still declining in real terms, even as workers throughout the U.S. put in longer hours to get by.

It's time for Maryland to raise the minimum wage and commit to indexing it to keep pace with the rising cost of living. We take pride in being the richest state in the country. We must also fairly compensate the Marylanders who wake up each morning to do the hard work of cleaning office buildings, serving food and providing care for the elderly.

A strong coalition of labor, faith and community groups has come together to advocate for a plan to incrementally raise Maryland's minimum wage to $10 by 2015 and then index it so that wages don't lose value over time.

People are so close to the edge and struggle to make choices about basic things in their lives. Our congregation has two parishioners who are planning their wedding. One is working at Walmart and the other recently was laid off. They have no fixed address, moving between family and friends. When planning a recent counseling session, they almost canceled because they couldn't afford two Metro fares. As they establish their family, it breaks my heart to consider their future.

About 320,000 Maryland workers will benefit directly and indirectly from an increase in the minimum wage. Contrary to the myth that minimum wage workers are mostly young people working part-time, more than 80 percent of the workers who will get this proposed raise are age 20 or older, over half work full-time and another third work between 20 hours and full-time.

An increase in the minimum wage will go right back into the economy, generating economic growth as these workers put food on their tables and raise their families. The Economic Policy Institute estimates that increasing the minimum wage will raise pay for more than 450,000 working Marylanders while injecting approximately $380 million into Maryland's economy and creating an estimated 1,500 jobs.

While the value of higher wages for low-paid workers remains clear, those who oppose any increase in the minimum wage still claim that higher wages will only slow job growth or burden local businesses. These concerns find no support from the facts. Indeed, businesses that pay fair wages to their employees ultimately benefit from reduced turnover and higher worker productivity, as their employees are spared from the struggle of balancing two or more jobs in order to make ends meet.

In fact, the real strain on economic growth in today's economy stems from the decision made by many national fast food chains and big box retailers to inflate their profits by paying rock-bottom wages, siphoning money out of local communities and impoverishing the customer base needed to sustain economic growth. The paradox is that poor folk need places to get inexpensive goods, but it is the poor who get ground down by the big box.

The message of the religious community — whether it is from Moses, Jesus or Theodore Parker, a Unitarian minister and a personal hero of mine — is that we are called to care for the poor. It's not about charity. It's about creating an equitable system in which all work has dignity, you get a fair wage and everyone has agency in their own lives to reach their full potential. Raising the minimum wage will help put Marylanders on that path.

Reverend David Carl Olson is the minister of the First Unitarian Church of Baltimore. His email is

Copyright © 2015, The Baltimore Sun
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    A nonprofit booked me to speak to some young writers from Baltimore. "How does it feel to be the voice of the people?" a girl in square frames with a pumped fist asked. "I don't speak for all of Black America," I told her. "I'm not the voice of black Baltimore, or Down Da Hill, or Latrobe Projects...

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You are viewing a Past Event

Sat March 22, 2014 - 7:00 PM

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The Bible Tour

Legacy Church

7201 Central Ave NE

Albuquerque, NM

The two-hour live event will bring the epic miniseries "The Bible" and the upcoming 20th Century Fox feature film "Son of God" to life in sight and sound with immersive video and stunning visual effects...See More
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Old August 29, 2012, 12:53 AM
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^^ Most likely.
And if they do well, can be drafted in the A team.
Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest [Al-Qur'an,13:28]
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Old November 29, 2012, 06:26 PM
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Originally Posted by roman
Can't believe still very much alive when he is nowhere near national team. We are some fans I tell you
Yes, I still have a fondness for him. His got the mettle - and having seen his master class, albeit rare, - can't forget it. What is he 28 now? I hope 30s are good for him. He has class and a jolly good spirit.
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Rates Blog

Finance Blogs » Rates Blog » Mortgage rates in Sterling Heights, Michigan

Mortgage rates in Sterling Heights, Michigan

By Clare Mallen · Bankrate.com
Thursday, July 10, 2014
Posted: 3 pm ET

Shopping for a low mortgage rate in Sterling Heights, MI? Go to our site to find all the rates and calculators you will need, whether you are purchasing a new home or looking to refinance.

We provide the ability to check local mortgage rates in Sterling Heights with our easy rates search function. It offers real-time, accurate data on mortgage rates throughout Michigan and the entire country.

Rates are subject to fluctuation throughout the day and week. Use our site to find accurate and current information on mortgage rates today.

Mortgage rates in Sterling Heights, Michigan

Here are the mortgage rates as of 10 a.m. Thursday in Sterling Heights, MI. The 30-year fixed mortgage rates vary from 4.12 percent to 4.41 percent.

Lender APR Rate
Sebonic Financial 4.12% 4.12%
Flagstar Bank 4.41% 4.37%
RoundPoint Mortgage 4.25% 4.25%
ditech 4.19% 4.12%
PenFed 4.25% 4.25%

Use our mortgage calculator to find out what your mortgage payment could be.

Bankrate wants to hear from you and encourages comments. We ask that you stay on topic, respect other people's opinions, and avoid profanity, offensive statements, and illegal content. Please keep in mind that we reserve the right to (but are not obligated to) edit or delete your comments. Please avoid posting private or confidential information, and also keep in mind that anything you post may be disclosed, published, transmitted or reused.

By submitting a post, you agree to be bound by Bankrate's terms of use. Please refer to Bankrate's privacy policy for more information regarding Bankrate's privacy practices.
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Trois Rivieres Classic Drink Contains Alcohol Cold Drink

1 1/2 oz. Canadian Whiskey
3/4 oz. Dubonnet Rouge
1/2 oz. Triple Sec
1 1/2 Orange Peel

Glass type: Cocktail

Directions: Mix everything, except orange peel, with cracked ice in shaker and strain into glass. Twist Orange peel over drink and drop in

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use in-store, online, or with any of our catalogs.

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15 Min : Kaleidoscope

Bright yellow accents paired with rich violets, an avant-garde approach to bold eye colors.

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  • Prep

    It all starts with a flawless complexion. Begin with a "Swirl, Tap, Buff" of bareMinerals SPF 15 Foundation and Warmth All-Over Face Color.

  • Step 1:

    Dust Iced Eyecolor on the brow bone using the Crease Defining Brush. Using a fluffy brush will allow a light application of the color.

    Items Used:

    Iced Eyecolor

    Crease Defining Brush

  • Step 2:

    Contour the outer crease line with Grape Liner Shadow using the tip of the Eye Defining Brush. This color is very strong. Be sure to use a small amount for the perfect intensity.

    Items Used:

    Grape Liner Shadow
    Eye Defining Brush

  • Step 3:

    Press Alley Cat Eyecolor on the eyelids using the side of the Wet/Dry Shadow Brush. Add more layers for more opacity.

  • Step 4:

    Frame the upper and lower lash base with Blue Black Liner Shadow using the Soft Focus Liner Brush. Dampen your brush for a liquid liner appearance.

    Items Used:

    Blue Black Liner Shadow

    Soft Focus Liner Brush

  • Step 5:

    Frame the inner lower lash line with a touch of Grape Liner Shadow dusting with Heavenly Liner Blending Brush.

    Items Used:

    Grape Liner Shadow

    Heavenly Liner Blending Brush

  • Step 6:

    Apply Cha Cha Eyecolor as your blush for a pop of coral-pink shimmer using the Soft Focus Face Brush. First blend on the apples of the cheek. Then blend toward the hair line.

    Items Used:

    Cha Cha Eyecolor

    Soft Focus Face Brush

  • Step 7:

    Lightly dust Iced Eyecolor on the cheekbones, just above the cheek color, using the Blending Brush.

    Items Used:

    Iced Eyecolor

    Blending Brush

  • Step 8

    Frame lips with Shell Lipliner. Slightly tilt the liner to avoid harsh lines. Make sure you sketch in color into the lips to create a base. This tip will keep your lip products on all day.

  • Step 9

    Fill lips with 100% Natural Lipcolor in Pink Champagne for a petal pink shimmer lip shade. Blend towards the lip line.

  • Step 10

    Highlight the lips using 100% Natural Lipgloss in Citrus Tart for high shine.

  • Final Touch:

    Don't forget that perfect finishing touch...a healthy sweep of Original Mineral Veil, or choose Illuminating Mineral Veil for a soft, ethereal glow.

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Drinking Game: Aussie Rules Beerpong Add to My Games
This game can be played on any size pong table, our mini table is sometimes even quicker and more liver destroying than a full size table. Can be played doubles or singles. It may sound complex, but is very easy to learn and awesome to play.

Each player places one full cup of beer on the table a paddle length from the edge. In the middle for one-a-side, a paddle length from the side for doubles.

All the regular rules of pong are out. If you can hit the ball, you have to. Players serve, aiming for the opponents cup. If the ball hits your cup (except on the serve) you must find the ball and return it to the table and say stop. While you are returning the ball, your opponent (drops to one knee) and skolls their drink. If they finish it, you remove your shirt, put your bum against the table and cop a welting!

Getting the ball in the cup at any point (serve included) means the owner of that cup finishes it and refils it. If you hit or get it into your own cup it also counts as if your opponent had done it.

IMPORTANT: You are not allowed to hit the ball in front of your cup!!
This can be a weltable offense in competition.

Mostly this game levels out the field in a few rounds and everyone has a great, repeat awesome time.

Playing with stronger drinks (ie, goon, spirits) is also fun and challenging, but mostly you'll just end up paralytic.

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Sorry Please Thank You

Sorry Please Thank You

4.2 31
by Charles Yu

View All Available Formats & Editions

The author of the widely praised debut novel How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe returns with a hilarious, heartbreaking, and utterly original collection of short stories.
A big-box store employee is confronted by a zombie during the graveyard shift, a problem that pales in comparison to his inability to ask a coworker out on a

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The author of the widely praised debut novel How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe returns with a hilarious, heartbreaking, and utterly original collection of short stories.
A big-box store employee is confronted by a zombie during the graveyard shift, a problem that pales in comparison to his inability to ask a coworker out on a date . . . A fighter leads his band of virtual warriors, thieves, and wizards across a deadly computer-generated landscape, but does he have what it takes to be a hero? . . . A company outsources grief for profit, its slogan: “Don’t feel like having a bad day? Let someone else have it for you.”
Drawing from both pop culture and science, Charles Yu is a brilliant observer of contemporary society, and in Sorry Please Thank You he fills his stories with equal parts laugh-out-loud humor and piercing insight into the human condition. He has already garnered comparisons to such masters as Kurt Vonnegut and Douglas Adams, and in this new collection we have resounding proof that he has arrived (via a wormhole in space-time) as a major new voice in American fiction.

Read More

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly
In his new story collection, Yu (How to Live Safely in a Science Fiction Universe) draws from both sci-fi and literature to conjure a world of emotionally stunted people, unable or unwilling to cope with reality and the love or loss that it entails. With somewhat mixed results, the book charts eclectic territory, from a zombie in a megamart to a new pharmaceutical drug that generates a sense of purpose, and explores retreats from reality and emotion. In “Standard Loneliness Package,” Yu imagines a technology that transfers guilt, heartbreak, and other bad feelings onto the employees of an “emotional engineering firm” based in India. In “Adult Contemporary,” which recalls George Saunders, a man trying to buy a new life realizes that he’s a character in someone else’s story. Less successful stories delve into the workings of fiction itself; Yu wrestles with ethics as he imagines himself as a character struggling against his author in “Human for Beginners.” At their best, the tales amusingly send up American consumer culture, but Yu’s fondness for self-reference and literary games leads to some dead ends. While Yu’s imaginative allegories are mostly too obvious to be genuinely thought provoking, they’re nonetheless an impressive sendup of contemporary life. Agent: Gary Heidt, Signature Literary Agency. (July)
From the Publisher
“What Charles Yu does very well—it is a long list, but this may be its most notable entry—is to create strange and disturbingly normal alternate realities. In his first novel, How To Live Safely In a Science Fictional Universe, Yu conceived of Minor Universe 31, a universe filled with people widely, albeit unhappily, using time machines. He took sci-fi theories and ran them through a sort of literary normalizer, applying ample wit, pop-culture references, psychological insight, metaphorical flair, and a vital sweetness (his young, isolated protagonist, in search of his father, even has a stray dog for a pet). Overflowing with quasi-scientific jargon, the novel was exciting and funny and, at times, downright spooky, much like the quantum theories that Yu invoked. But most of all, for a story about a time travel mechanic, it was unfailingly realistic. . . . In his new collection of stories, Sorry Please Thank You, Yu no longer constrains himself to the pre-requisites of realism—or, to be more accurate, the appearance of realism. Freed from this yoke, he takes off in every narrative direction with the glee of a school-kid released for summer vacation. . . . While Yu has drawn many comparisons to Kurt Vonnegut for his entertaining and adept satire, and to Douglas Adams for his intelligent and inventive silliness, Donald Barthelme seems an overlooked literary forebear. . . . As readers, we are all the better for Yu’s astonishing mix of wild imagination and meticulous restraint. Of the three polite phrases that comprise his title—Sorry Please Thank You—only the last is of true relevance here. No sorries, Charles. Just thanks.” —Los Angeles Review of Books

“There's some of the cerebral gamesmanship of Jonathan Lethem, the resigned sadness of Kurt Vonnegut, the Phil Dickian paranoiac distrust of consumer culture. But Yu's voice, sensibility and approach are unique, especially in the ways he wrings humor and pathos out of stripped-down syntax and seemingly passive protagonists . . . The stories deliver more than their fair share of bitter laughs, philosophical conundrums and existential gut punches.”
San Francisco Chronicle

“A mix of science fiction, absurdist humor and Beckettian monologue, with storytelling techniques that twist narrative into a computer-esque objectivism; think Donald Barthleme's strangest pyrotechnics in a Philip K. Dick or Haruki Murakami world . . . [Charles Yu is ] the computer century's heir to Philip K. Dick and Ray Bradbury.”
Shelf Awareness

“Yu’s workman-like sentences are unexpectedly emotive, while also being almost always very funny . . . As with his critically acclaimed, much-adored 2010 debut novel, How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe, Yu’s new baker’s dozen of satiric stories tell of a future that’s really just an exaggerated present . . . Like the best science fiction writers, Yu provides seemingly gratuitous logistical information to mitigate any hint of farce . . . Yu is a master of the slow reveal. It sometimes takes pages to understand where we are and why, but as the chatty protagonists joke and confess their deepest pains, details accrue and outlines fill in. And when we are finally oriented, the universe he has created feels eerily complete . . . Imaginary lands become possible worlds; cunning tricks grow into game theory; playing pretend morphs into explorations of false consciousness. Each story in Sorry Please Thank You is staggeringly smart, and none feel like anything but entertainment. Cultish fans of the NBC comedy “Community,’’ this book is for you.”
The Boston Globe

“I don't know that there's a better story-bending talent at work than Yu since the rise of George Saunders . . . If you take a longer view you can see that Yu's success has many parents, from the oft-quoted Stein, the tone of Hemingway and Beckett, Virginia Woolf's fanciful short creations (as in, say, the story "Kew Gardens"), Calvino's game-faced fantasies and the low-key but powerful satire of Kurt Vonnegut . . . a tour-de-force.”
—Alan Cheuse,
“Lovely and heartfelt . . . A brilliantly manic ride . . . Yu has an undeniable gift for describing, in clean, economical prose, the mechanics of things that don't exist or are impossible."
The Wall Street Journal

“Stand back. The lead story in Sorry Please Thank You, this spritely new collection by L.A. writer Charles Yu, has the title ‘Standard Loneliness Package’ and it announces that a sly, nimble fantasist with a speculative edge is at work here. [An] adroit piece of work . . . Experiment plus emotion, we don’t often find these two elements together, but when it happens, as it does in most of these stories . . . it makes for terrific reading for the heart as well as the head.”
—Alan Cheuse for NPR’s All Things Considered
“Charles Yu won us over with his weird, melancholy novel How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe and now he's back . . . [These] stories are psychological studies of neurotic nerds, struggling to stay alive as they fight liches and loneliness. They're beautiful, strange, and funny.”
“Yu’s bold, playful voice evokes a computer-era Donald Barthelme, but his stylistic journey into the vast universe that is the human mind is refreshingly distinctive.”

“Laugh-out-loud moments of strangeness artfully exist in a contemporary fictional structure . . . With this collection, steeped in originality, we get echoes of David Foster Wallace’s early collection, Girl with the Curious Hair. Like Wallace, Yu abandons the more self-serving, insular metafiction of the past 40 years for a fresher form. Using technology, pop culture, etc., he attempts to write fiction that can be best shared with readers, not just critics or scholars. Yu, in fact, marries science and literature . . . Characteristic of his work, Yu mixes the beauty of human emotion with the science fiction to invent highly original, highly entertaining scenes and stories. He poses questions of reality and existence. You first think you’re chuckling to yourself. Then, without warning, you‘ve got that ‘reaching final altitude’ feeling in your stomach—a sudden change . . . Yu examines what it means to exist now and, in his own way, what it will mean in the future. It’s almost as if these stories, through their science fiction and futuristic themes twinned with a humorous yet moving style, strive to reinvent what we know as metafiction . . . Yu follows Vonnegut and Wallace in this style of metafictional, literary pilgrimage”
Paste Magazine

 “Grade A- . . . Pick it up and kiss your weekend good-bye . . . The best comparisons, though it feels a little hyperbolic to say, might be made with Vonnegut’s more pessimistic novels, books like Cat’s Cradle, Deadeye Dick, and Timequake. With Sorry Please Thank You, Yu has achieved something rare: an aggressively imagined work of fiction in which the concepts (mostly) serve the characters.”
Boston Phoenix

“Charles Yu's outstanding collection Sorry Please Thank You collects short fiction by the author who gave us the terrific How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe. Yu's blend of literary fiction's style with sci-fi's wild ideas is beautifully realized here, especially in the moving gem "Standard Loneliness Package." One of the year's best collections in any genre.”
The Austin American-Statesman

“Enchanting . . . Yu’s ability to assume widely diverging roles as a storyteller is dazzling . . . Those not bothered by diverse writing styles will find reading Yu to be an exciting adventure.”
Library Journal
“Like his debut novel, How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe, Charles Yu's new collection of stories mixes humor and clever conceits with a perfect deadpan delivery . . . Sharp, crisp insights that will have you chuckling and shaking your head.”
Los Angeles Times
“The author behind three of the most unusual books of fiction published in the past five years . . . Untraditional but weirdly glorious narratives that, for all their experimental form, end up carrying as much or even more emotional force as your original, more conventional vessel would have.”
Poets and Writers
“In his new collection, Charles Yu applies his trademark winking, pop-culture-infused, sci-fi mentality to a series of short stories . . . Clever and cutting.”
“Whether Yu’s work is dark, thought provoking, humorous, or all of the above, it’s always compulsively readable.”
—Owl and Bear

“Looking for the next great voice in fiction? Young author Charles Yu’s short stories beg comparisons to Kurt Vonnegut and Douglas Adams, but he’s funnier than both.”
Men’s Health
“Entertaining . . . Like a friend who stops by unexpectedly with a bunch of mind-bending tales to share . . . had me laughing . . . go order a copy.”
—Geekdad, Wired Magazine
“Impressive . . . Charts eclectic territory, from a zombie in a megamart to a new pharmaceutical drug that generates a sense of purpose, and explores retreats from reality and emotion . . . [Am] amusing send up American consumer culture.”
Publishers Weekly

Library Journal
Riding on the critical success of his debut novel, How To Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe, Yu continues his predilection for "experimental" narrative in this collection of short stories. His ability to assume widely diverging roles as a storyteller is dazzling. For example, "Troubleshooting" reads like an instruction manual, "The Book of Categories" is presented in the Anglo-American Cataloging Rules format, "Hero Absorbs Major Damage" brings to mind a video game's battle plan, and "Designer Emotion 67" comes across like a keynote speaker's presentation. One story, "Note to Self," is even in the form of an online chat. The subjects embrace a wide variety of topics from genuine emotions in human relationships to make-believe, stereotyping, unfulfilled desires, and the true meaning of heroism and leadership, although this multifarious approach often is distracting. Sometimes he even resorts to Jack Kerouac-like "spontaneous prose" with rambling words and run-on sentences. "Open," written in a comparatively conventional style, is the most enchanting story in the collection and blends science fiction and magical realism in an exploration of the sincerity of our interactions with loved ones. VERDICT Those not bothered by diverse writing styles will find reading Yu to be an exciting adventure. [See Prepub Alert, 1/21/12.]—Victor Or, Surrey Libs. & Vancouver P.L., BC
Kirkus Reviews
Science fiction goes postmodern in this story collection from Yu (How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe, 2010, etc.). Using various narrative strategies (though all but one of these 13 stories is written in the first person), Yu explores provisional identities (including those of a character named Charles Yu) in multiple universes, typically employing a conversational style that makes for easy reading even when the themes are troubling or the formalistic elements challenging. In one story, "Note to Self," a writer begins writing "Dear Alternate Self," before the response he receives suggests that his alternate self may simply be another dimension of himself, and then, later, that the person to whom he's actually writing is the reader: "We are correspondents corresponding in our corresponding universes. Is that what writing is? A collaboration between selves across the multiverse?" Where some stories just seem like gamesmanship, literary parlor tricks, one of the shorter and best ones, "Open," strikes an existential chord in its meditation on words and what they signify, in its epiphany that "It was like we were actors in a play with no audience." A couple stories offer heroic epics for the video game generation, while the longest, "Human For Beginners," begins as a chapter in a self-help book on dynamics within extended families, proceeds into an inquiry on the identity of Charles Yu, and culminates in unanswerable questions such as "What is possible? What is conceivable? Do all worlds have rules? Do dreams?" A collection of playful stories that often have a dark undercurrent. Far out, man.

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Sorry Please Thank You

By Charles Yu

Copyright © 2012 Charles Yu
All right reserved.

ISBN: 9780307907172

Standard Loneliness Package
Root canal is one fifty, give or take, depending on who’s doing it to you. A migraine is two hundred.
Not that I get the money. The company gets it. What I get is twelve dollars an hour, plus reimbursement for painkillers. Not that they work.
I feel pain for money. Other people’s pain. Physical, emotional, you name it.
Pain is an illusion, I know, and so is time, I know, I know. I know. The shift manager never stops reminding us. Doesn’t help, actually. Doesn’t help when you are on your third broken leg of the day.
I get to work three minutes late and already there are nine tickets in my inbox. I close my eyes, take a deep breath, open the first ticket of the morning:
I’m at a funeral.
Feeling grief.
Someone else’s grief. Like wearing a stranger’s coat, still warm with heat from another body.
I’m feeling a mixture of things.
Grief, mostly, but also I detect some guilt in there. There usually is.
I hear crying.
I am seeing crying faces. Pretty faces. Crying, pretty, white faces. Nice clothes.
Our services aren’t cheap. As the shift manager is always reminding us. Need I remind you? That is his favorite phrase these days. He is always walking up and down the aisle tilting his head into our cubicles and saying it. Need I remind you, he says, of where we are on the spectrum? In terms of low- end high- end? We are solidly toward the highish end. So the faces are usually pretty, the clothes are usually nice. The people are usually nice, too. Although I imagine it’s not such a big deal to be nice when you’re that rich and that pretty.
There’s a place in Hyderabad doing what we’re doing, but a little more toward the budget end of things. Precision Living Solutions, it’s called. And of course there are hundreds of emotional engineering firms here in Bangalore, springing up everywhere you look. The other day I read in the paper that a new call center opens once every three weeks. Workers follow the work, and the work is here. All of us ready to feel, to suffer. We’re in a growth industry.
Okay. The body is going into the ground now. The crying is getting more serious.
Here it comes.
I am feeling that feeling. The one that these people get a lot, near the end of a funeral service. These sad and pretty people. It’s a big feeling. Different operators have different ways to describe it. For me, it feels something like a huge boot. Huge, like it fills up the whole sky, the whole galaxy, all of space. Some kind of infinite foot. And it’s stepping on me. The infinite foot is stepping on my chest.
The funeral ends, and the foot is still on me, and it is hard to breathe. People are getting into black town cars. I also appear to have a town car. I get in. The foot, the foot. So heavy. Here we go, yes, this is familiar, the foot, yes, the foot. It doesn’t hurt, exactly. It’s not what I would call comfortable, but it’s not pain, either. More like pressure. Deepak, who used to be in the next cubicle, once told me that this feeling I call the infinite foot— to him it felt more like a knee— is actually the American experience of the Christian God.
“Are you sure it is the Christian God?” I asked him. “I always thought God was Jewish.”
“You’re an idiot,” he said. “It’s the same guy. Duh. The Judeo-Christian God.”
“Are you sure?” I said. He just shook his head at me. We’d had this conversation before. I figured he was probably right, but I didn’t want to admit it. Deepak was the smartest guy in our cube-cluster, as he would kindly remind me several times a day.
I endure a few more minutes of the foot, and then, right before the hour is up, right when the grief and guilt are almost too much and I wonder if I am going to have to hit the safety button, there it is, it’s usually there at the end of a funeral, no matter how awful, no matter how hard I am crying, no matter how much guilt my client has saved up for me to feel. You wouldn’t expect it— I didn’t— but anyone who has done this job for long enough knows what I’m talking about, and even though you know it’s coming, even though you are, in fact, waiting for it, when it comes, it is always still a little bit of a shock.
Death of a cousin is five hundred. Death of a sibling is twelve fifty. Parents are two thousand apiece, but depending on the situation people will pay all kinds of money, for all kinds of reasons, for bad reasons, for no reason at all.
The company started off in run-of-the-mill corporate services, basic stuff: ethical qualm transference, plausible deniability. The sort of things that generated good cash flow, cash flow that was fed right back into R&D, year after year, turning the little shop into a bit player, and then a not-so-bit player, and then, eventually, into a leader in a specialized market. In those early days, this place was known as Conscience Incorporated. The company had cornered the early market in guilt.
Then the technology improved. Some genius in Delhi had figured out a transfer protocol to standardize and packetize all different kinds of experiences. Overnight, everything changed. An industry was born. The business of bad feeling. For the right price, almost any part of life could be avoided.
Across the street from work is a lunch place I go to sometimes. Not much, really, a hot and crowded little room, a bunch of stools in front of a greasy counter. I come here mostly for the small television, up on a shelf, above the cash register. They have a satellite feed.
Today they have it switched to American television, and I am watching a commercial for our company’s services.
It shows a rich executive-looking type sitting and rubbing his temples, making the universal television face for I Am an Executive in a Highly Stressful Situation. There are wavy lines on either side of his temples to indicate that the Executive is really stressed! Then he places a call to his broker and in the next scene, the Executive is lying on a beach, drinking golden beer from a bottle and looking at the bluest ocean I have ever seen.
Next to me is a woman and her daughter. The girl, maybe four or five, is scooping rice and peas into her mouth a little at a time. She is watching the commercial in silence. When she sees the blue water, she turns to her mother and asks her, softly, what the blue liquid is. I am thinking about how sad it is that she has never seen water that color in real life until I realize that I am thirty- nine years old and hey, you know what? Neither have I.
And then the commercial ends with one of our slogans.
Don’t feel like having a bad day?
Let someone else have it for you.
That someone else they are talking about in the commercial is me. And the other six hundred terminal operators in Building D, Cubicle Block 4. Don’t feel like having a bad day? Let me have it for you.
It’s okay for me. It’s a good job. I didn’t do that well in school, after all. It was tougher for Deep. He did three semesters at technical college. He was always saying he deserved better. Better than this, anyway. I would nod and agree with him, but I never told him what I wanted to tell him, which was, hey, Deepak, when you say that you deserve better, even if I agree with you, you are kind of also implying that I don’t deserve better, which, maybe I don’t, maybe this is about where I belong in the grand scheme of things, in terms of high-end low-end for me as a person, but I wish you wouldn’t say it because whenever you do, it makes me feel a sharp bit of sadness and then, for the rest of the day, a kind of low-grade crumminess.
Whenever Deep and I used to go to lunch, he would try to explain to me how it works.
“Okay, so, the clients,” he would say, “they call in to their account reps and book the time.”
He liked to start sentences with okay, so. It was a habit he had picked up from the engineers. He thought it made him sound smarter, thought it made him sound like them, those code jockeys, standing by the coffee machine, talking faster than he could think, talking not so much in sentences as in data structures, dense clumps of logic with the occasional inside joke. He liked to stand near them, pretending to stir sugar into his coffee, listening in on them as if they were speaking a different language. A language of knowing something, a language of being an expert at something. A language of being something more than an hourly unit.
Okay, so, Deepak said, so this is how it works. The client, he books the time, and then at the appointed hour, a switch in the implant chip kicks on and starts transferring his consciousness over. Perceptions, sensory data, all of it. Then it goes first to an intermediate server for processing and then gets bundled with other jobs, and then a huge block of the stuff gets zapped over here, where it gets downloaded onto our servers and then dumped into our queue management system, which parcels out the individual jobs to all of us in the cubicle farm.
Okay, so, it’s all based on some kind of efficiency algorithm—our historical performance, our current emotional load. Sensors in our head assembly unit measure our stress levels, sweat composition, to see what we can handle. Okay? he would say, when he was done. Like a professor. He wanted so badly to be an expert at something.
I always appreciated Deepak trying to help me understand. But it’s just a job, I would say. I never really understood why Deep thought so much of those programmers, either. In the end, we’re all brains for hire. Mental space for rent, moments as a commodity. They have gotten it down to a science. How much a human being can take in a given twelve-hour shift. Grief, embarrassment, humiliation, all different, of course, so they calibrate our schedules, mix it up, the timing and the order, and the end result is you leave work every day right about at your exact breaking point. A lot of people smoke to take the edge off. I quit twelve years ago, so sometimes when I get home, I’m still shaking for a little bit. I sit on my couch and drink a beer and let it subside. Then I heat up some bread and lentils and read a newspaper or, if it’s too hot to stay inside, go down to the street and eat my dinner standing there, watching people walking down the block, wondering where they are headed, wondering if anyone is waiting for them to come home.
**The above is an excerpt from “Standard Loneliness Package,” the first story in the new collection SORRY PLEASE THANK YOU by Charles Yu.**

Excerpted from Sorry Please Thank You by Charles Yu Copyright © 2012 by Charles Yu. Excerpted by permission of Pantheon, a division of Random House, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Mason by Michelle Mason

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Silk v-neck button front long sleeve blouse with contrast sheer lace back. Available in White/Black. Imported. Silk/cotton/rayon. Style # 502533975

Sophisticated men’s tailoring melds with modern, feminine silhouettes in Korean-born and L.A.-based designer Michelle Mason’s contemporary diffusion line, Mason. The former model’s mix-and-match pieces of draped silk blouses, snug jersey asymmetric wrap skirts and structured menswear-inspired jackets add fuss-free ease to everyday dressing.

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T by Alexander Wang

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Style # 502099401

Urban coolness runs through Alexander Wang’s diffusion line, T by Alexander Wang. The San Francisco-born designer and winner of the 2008 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Award launched this label in 2009, weaving together downtown hipness, Euro chicness, and a splash of 90s grunge. The clothes, which favor soft knits and distressed cotton, are adored by models and style sophisticates for their low-key design and flowing fit.

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Activist Filings

Alico alco -0.1182033096926714% Alico Inc. U.S.: Nasdaq USD42.25 -0.05 -0.1182033096926714% /Date(1440795600005-0500)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 8924 AFTER HOURS USD42.25 % Volume (Delayed 15m) : 26 P/E Ratio 16.633858267716537 Market Cap 349872255.802155 Dividend Yield 0.5680473372781065% Rev. per Employee 1153370 More quote details and news » (ALCO)

Value investor Bruce Sherman, who views Alico stock as undervalued, said he had held discussions with management. He is evaluating Alico's plan—made in response to majority shareholder Atlantic Blue Group's decision to explore the sale of its stake—to "investigate all transaction possibilities and to protect the interests of all shareholders."

Sherman added that he wants to maximize "the value of [Alico's] unique real-estate, citrus, and other natural-resource assets" and wants the company to efficiently use its tax-loss carryforwards. He owns 366,681 shares (5% of the voting stock) after buying 19,626 shares from Dec. 3 through Jan. 30 at prices that ranged from $34.85 to $44.60.

Wausau Paper WPP 3.7433155080213902% Wausau Paper Corp. U.S.: NYSE USD7.76 0.28 3.7433155080213902% /Date(1440795646565-0500)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 193191 AFTER HOURS USD7.76 % Volume (Delayed 15m) : 2526 P/E Ratio N/A Market Cap 388620825.671387 Dividend Yield 1.5463917525773196% Rev. per Employee 414228 More quote details and news » (WPP)

Hedge fund Starboard Value sent a letter to the company, expressing a desire to increase its equity stake and requesting an exemption from Wausau's shareholder- rights (poison-pill anti-takeover) agreement that would allow it to add to its position.

Starboard noted in the Feb. 1 letter that Wausau has had its poison pill in place for more than 14 years and that it effectively limits shareholders to a 15% holding. Starboard cited guidelines from shareholder-rights group Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS), advising that poison-pill provisions last no longer than three years and allow stakes of up to 20%.

The hedge fund added that it "seriously questions [Wausau's] rationale and need for adopting and extending its poison pill, because there are anti-takeover provisions under both Wisconsin law and [the company's] articles of incorporation that adequately guard against any potential abusive tactics by third parties to gain control." Starboard owns 7,300,000 shares (14.8%).

Increases in Holdings

BMC Software (BMC)

Elliott Management increased its holding to 13,692,000 shares (9.6%) by purchasing 390,000 shares from Dec. 4 through Jan. 30 at $40.36 to $41.58 per share. Elliott also disclosed selling 77,700 shares from Dec. 19 through Jan. 14 at prices ranging from $41.76 to $43.45.

Compuware (CPWR)

Elliott Management boosted its holdings to 17,653,145 shares (8.3%) by buying 3,547,917 shares from Jan. 14 through Jan. 30 at prices that ranged from $10.99 to $11.63. Elliott also disclosed selling 73,772 shares on Jan. 15 at $11.01 apiece.

NewLink Genetics NLNK 2.599914052428019% NewLink Genetics Corp. U.S.: Nasdaq USD47.75 1.21 2.599914052428019% /Date(1440795600063-0500)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 390600 AFTER HOURS USD47.75 % Volume (Delayed 15m) : 738 P/E Ratio 12.870619946091644 Market Cap 1373099024.77264 Dividend Yield N/A Rev. per Employee 1682200 More quote details and news » (NLNK)

Iowa-based agricultural-genetics firm Stine Seed raised its position to 7,077,245 shares (27.7%) by purchasing 880,000 shares on Feb. 4 at $11.40 per share in an underwritten public offering.

Progress Software PRGS 1.1790714812085483% Progress Software Corp. U.S.: Nasdaq USD27.46 0.32 1.1790714812085483% /Date(1440795600012-0500)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 260772 AFTER HOURS USD27.46 % Volume (Delayed 15m) : 786 P/E Ratio 46.54237288135593 Market Cap 1372972509.30878 Dividend Yield N/A Rev. per Employee 323131 More quote details and news » (PRGS)

Praesidium Investment Managementhas 4,559,902 shares (7.9%) after buying 159,293 shares from Dec. 11 through Jan. 3 at prices that ranged from $20.28 to $21.49. Praesidium said that it is discussing with the company "specific initiatives, including the spinoff or sale of certain assets and strategic acquisitions, and topics such as the business, management, operations, assets, capitalization, financial condition, governance, strategy and future plans."

Decreases in Holdings

Choice Hotels International CHH 1.8555466879489226% Choice Hotels International Inc. U.S.: NYSE USD51.05 0.93 1.8555466879489226% /Date(1440795724211-0500)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 221951 AFTER HOURS USD50.12 -0.93 -1.821743388834476% Volume (Delayed 15m) : 2557 P/E Ratio 24.425837320574164 Market Cap 2940888443.29223 Dividend Yield 1.5279138099902057% Rev. per Employee 607041 More quote details and news » (CHH)

The Commonweal Foundation reported that it owns 2,618,000 shares (4.5%) after selling 82,000 from Nov. 29 through Jan. 28 at prices ranging from $32.50 to $35.97.

Online Resources (ORCC)

Discovery Equity Partners disclosed that it had sold all of its 2,527,357 shares from Dec. 3 through Jan. 31 at prices ranging from $2.04 to $3.82. On Jan. 31, Online Resources announced that it would be acquired by ACI Worldwide ACIW 1.4712861888941624% ACI Worldwide Inc. U.S.: Nasdaq USD21.38 0.31 1.4712861888941624% /Date(1440795600216-0500)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 437133 AFTER HOURS USD21.38 % Volume (Delayed 15m) : 3898 P/E Ratio 27.816809784022897 Market Cap 2518499698.50411 Dividend Yield N/A Rev. per Employee 232224 More quote details and news » (ACIW) for $3.85 per share, 83% above its stock's prior closing price.

The Activist Spotlight

PLX Technology (ticker: PLXT)

Business: manufactures integrated circuits that perform critical system-connectivity functions

Investor's Average Cost: $4.32 per share

Stock-Market Value: $220 million ($4.89 per share)

What's Happening: Potomac Capital is recommending that the board retain a nationally recognized investment bank to explore PLX's strategic options, including a sale of the company.

Key Numbers and Dates:
5.1%: the percentage of common shares owned by Potomac.
Nov. 13, 2012: the date on which Potomac started acquiring its position.
$20 million: the amount that PLX recently cut from its annual operating expenses

Behind the Scenes: Potomac is not an activist investor, but will work with management behind the scenes and will not hesitate to become activist when the situation warrants.

In April 2012, after intense pressure from former shareholder Balch Hill, including commencement of a proxy fight, the board agreed to sell the company to Integrated Device Technology IDTI -1.597938144329897% Integrated Device Technology Inc. U.S.: Nasdaq USD19.09 -0.31 -1.597938144329897% /Date(1440795600310-0500)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 2815825 AFTER HOURS USD19.09 % Volume (Delayed 15m) : 12765 P/E Ratio 26.887323943661972 Market Cap 2830436245.15808 Dividend Yield N/A Rev. per Employee 419841 More quote details and news » (IDTI) for approximately $7 per share. Accomplishing its goal, Balch Hill sold down its position. However, the deal with IDTI fell through on Dec. 19, because of antitrust issues. On Dec. 21, with Balch Hill gone, the board named a new CEO and apparently abandoned the plan to sell the company.

Potomac is picking up where Balch Hill left off, saying that just because the activist is gone, PLX shouldn't return to the inferior strategy of remaining independent. Potomac is putting the company on notice that it must pursue a value-maximizing sale or Potomac will pursue all options to unlock value.

-- Kenneth Squire

The 13D Activist Fund, a mutual fund run by an affiliate of the author and not connected to Barron's, has no position in the securities mentioned here. In addition, the author publishes and sells 13D research reports, whose buyers may include representatives of participants in, and targets of, shareholder activism.

E-mail: editors@barrons.com


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Baruch College MBA Recognized by Aspen Institute for Excellence on Social and Environmental Issues

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New York, NY - October 16, 2007—Baruch College has demonstrated significant leadership in integrating social and environmental issues into its MBA program, according to the Aspen Institute’s 2007-2008 edition of Beyond Grey Pinstripes, a biennial survey and alternative ranking of business schools.  The College is among the Global Top 100 Schools for the first time. View Baruch's entry.

John Elliott, Dean of Baruch's Zicklin School of Business, said, "Social, ethical and environmental issues are increasingly important in our academic programs and to our students.  Illustrative of these trends are the recent endowment of our Robert Zicklin Center for Corporate Integrity and the student-initiated creation of a chapter of NetImpact on our campus.   We are delighted that the Aspen Institute has placed us among the 100 most committed and effective schools of business on these issues."

In general, social and environmental issues have continued to grow in importance in the business school curriculum. However, the survey also revealed that the proportion of schools offering core courses to address these topics in terms of mainstream business remains low.

“This year’s survey tells us that society and the environment are becoming significant issues on campus, not just for students, but in the Dean’s office and in many classrooms,” said Rich Leimsider, Director of the Aspen Institute Center for Business Education.

In addition to being recognized by the rankings, Baruch will also be featured prominently on the website, and in the Aspen Institute’s upcoming “Alternative Guide to MBA Programs.”

“In the Beyond Grey Pinstripes survey, success is measured not by how much new MBA graduates earn or how many offers they get,” said Judith Samuelson, Executive Director of the Aspen Institute Business and Society Program, “but by how well prepared they are to guide a company through the complex relationship of business and society, where issues relating to the environment or the well-being of a community can impact a company’s performance and reputation.

Invitations to participate in the 2007 survey were sent out to 600+ internationally accredited business schools with in-person, full-time MBA programs. Over forty thousand pages of data were collected in response.

The complete ranking of the Beyond Grey Pinstripes 2007-2008 “Global 100” business schools can be found at  For particular questions or issues related to social and environmental coursework and MBA education, contact the Aspen Institute Center for Business Education (

Contact: Carol Abrams, Chief Communications Officer, Baruch College, (646) 660-6105, or Linda Lehrer, Communications Director, The Aspen Institute, (212) 895-8002.


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Marlins Organization Report

Graham Taylor, a 6-foot-3 lefty for low Class A Greensboro, was 5-1, 2.21 through nine starts. But it was his 50 strikeouts and four walks in 61 innings that impressed the Florida Marlins organization....

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Majors | #2007 #Florida Marlins #Organization Reports

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BAPR Plus: High Class A Roundup

Rick Porcello didn’t take long to show opposing hitters he means business. In his pro debut, in high Class A at the age of 19, Porcello threw five innings, giving up just one hit and striking out three against the Tampa Yankees. Meanwhile, Twins lefthander Francisco Liriano was making a rehab start with the Fort Meyers Miracle and there was already ninth-inning drama in a High Desert-Lancaster matchup.

California League

The Giants recently announced that Ryan Rohlinger would move to third base full-time and that decision is starting off well. Rohlinger went 3-for-4 with a double in a season opening rout of Bakersfield. San Jose romped 12-2  while getting a good outing from lefthander Clayton Tanner who went six innings, giving up three hits and striking out two. The Giants beat Rangers righty Tommy Hunter, who gave up four runs on five hits in six innings, fanning three.

Lancaster first baseman Lars Anderson hit his first of what will probably be many extra-base hits in the favorable California League. However, Anderson had trouble fielding a grounder late in the game that led to a High Desert rally and 9-8 victory.

Oakland affiliate Stockton has a stacked rotation, which includes the likes of Trevor Cahill, Jared Lansford and Henry Rodriguez, but White Sox import Fautino de los Santos got the Opening Day nod. The righty took the loss in a 3-2 defeat against Modesto, giving up two runs and striking out six in six innings.

Former Florida State shortstop Mark Hallberg had four hits and scored on Gerardo Parra’s seventh-inning home run in Visalia’s 5-3 victory at Inland Empire.

Florida State League

Throwing Francisco Liriano in an FSL game seems unfair, but Sarasota actually enjoyed it. Third baseman Juan Francisco hit three doubles off the lefty phenom and stole home in the 8-6 victory. Liriano took the loss, striking out eight but giving up six hits and four runs in 5 1/3 innings. Catcher Wilson Ramos, the Twins’ No. 3 prospect, had a homer among his three hits, and third baseman Danny Valencia added a ninth-inning three-run homer off Reds prospect Sean Watson.

Porcello, making his pro debut in the FSL as a teenager, dazzled with five one-hit innings in a 4-1 victory against Tampa. He walked two and struck out three. Yankees prospect Mark Melancon left the game without facing a batter; we’ll have a report on Melancon as soon as information becomes available.

The FSL had other big leaguers on rehab other than Liriano, with Jeremy Hermida hitting third for Jupiter and Orlando Hernandez pitching five innings for St. Lucie. Rehabbing Brad Lidge started for Clearwater, going an inning before giving way to 2007 first-rounder Joe Savery. He threw five scoreless innings, walking five and striking out seven, but Dunedin won 2-1 on a seventh-inning homer by waiver-wire pickup Brian Dopirak.

Among the age-appropriate players making their FSL debuts were Daytona middle infielders Tony Thomas (two hits) and Darwin Barney (0-for-4) in the Cubs’ 8-6 loss to Brevard County (Brewers).

Carolina League

The Carolina League opens tonight with four games. Matt Wieters is at Frederick to open his first professional season.

Minors | #Daily Dish

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Bellevue Scholarship for de Klerk

deklerkbellevueGood things come in small packages - or so we're told. That doesn't mean that big is bad, however.

Take Dewald de Klerk, for example.

In February, the 6-foot-1, 210-pound (95 kg) catcher of the 18-and-under Junior Diamondblacks signed a letter of intent to develop his baseball skills at Bellevue College, a two-year post-secondary school in Washington state.

In order to prepare for baseball at the Junior College level, de Klerk has adopted a vigorous workout routine, implementing it alongside his regular hitting and catching drills.

"I've been doing it for four months now," he said of his new regimen. "I lift every day at 6:30 am until 8:15 am, then I lift for another 45 minutes after school and run for an hour to an hour and a half."

Judging by the hard work he's already put in, the 17-year-old is eager and determined to take his talents to the next level.

"I'm really excited for this opportunity because I know about the great reputation of the school and their baseball program," de Klerk said. "Bellevue's the best Community College in the Northwest and their program is highly respected among all colleges in the nation.

"My baseball ability and knowledge of the game will drastically improve at Bellevue," he added. "I know this because of the program they run and the coaching staff they have. They won the state championship last year so that's pretty exciting."

After watching de Klerk in action last season, the head coach of Bellevue's baseball program, Mark Yoshino, personally took note of the youngster's potential.

"His size and strength," Yoshino said of what first drew his attention to the Auckland native. "When I saw him last summer, he showed the ability to hit with strength which is a key component that we look for here [at Bellevue]."

Indeed, being a strong athlete is something Yoshino values, especially in his hitters. Using only wooden bats, the players in his baseball program set a Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges (NWAACC) home run record with 55 in 40 games last season.

According to Jim Stewart, de Klerk's current coach at the Chaffey Baseball Club, hitting is one of the only areas of the Kiwi's game that still needs work, but he has no doubt that his young player can fit right in with Bellevue's long-ball hitters.

"His catching itself has improved dramatically. He's worked very hard at it," Stewart said. "He's a completely different guy than he was [when he arrived]. I think that his weakness at this point is hitting, but his work ethic and his intensity are good enough to get to that level of ball and get better.

"A part of it is that kids here [in the U.S.] have played so much more ball, so he walks into the game a little bit behind, so to speak," Stewart added. "But he's big. He's a big strong kid, and he's really quick for someone his size."

According to Stewart, Bellevue College is a great place for de Klerk to strengthen his mind while further strengthening his body.

"Mark's a real players' coach in the sense that he's there to develop the young men as people and as players," said Stewart, who has a lot of experience with Yoshino. "If you don't make your grades and you don't want to go to class, Bellevue's just not the place to be.

"[Yoshino] cares more about the young man developing as a person and academically moving forward than he cares about wins or losses. There's not that many people like that," Stewart added. "That's why the kids all love him. He treats them like adults."

Academically, de Klerk will have to perform if he wants to play on the team.

"Dewald will need to take a full course load every quarter and receive C's or higher," Yoshino stressed.

Due to his status as an international student, de Klerk is making history with his scholarship offer from Bellevue.

"We have not offered scholarships to international students in the past," Yoshino admitted. "We have a player on our club now from Korea, but it is rare since the cost to attend is so high. We also have so many talented players in the region so it's generally not necessary to recruit internationally.

"International students come to us seeking the opportunity since our club has one of the highest transfer rates of players receiving scholarships to play baseball at the major four-year universities and/or signing professionally in the country," he said.

One of Yoshino's former players is Blake Hawksworth, a pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers who offered his own advice for de Klerk.

"Just enjoy the journey," Hawksworth said. "Our time as players is short. Enjoy your teammates, apply yourself in school, and go in with the mentality of 'I'm going to outwork everyone' - not for attention or praise, but for results on and off the field.

"Bellevue was the right place for me at that time," the right-hander added. "My time there was brief [one year] but I learned how to take care of myself and prepare for professional baseball."

As for de Klerk, he knows how special this opportunity is.

"I let the whole idea of me actually going there settle in for a couple days," the high school senior said of his decision-making process. "But I never doubted that I was making the right choice for my future baseball career."

By Melissa Couto | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Melissa Couto is a budding sports writer based in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter @throwinsmoke
This story was not subject to the approval of Baseball New Zealand or its affiliates.

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Archive for Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Maranatha beats Basehor-Linwood soccer team 3-1

Playoff run ends in state quarterfinal

October 31, 2006

Austin Knipp scored his 100th career goal just one minute into Tuesday's game against Maranatha, but it wasn't enough.

The Eagles beat the Bobcatsa 3-1, ending their season. For a full report on the game, see Thursday's Sentinel newspaper.

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Archive for Thursday, May 3, 2007

Holdout seeking ‘what’s fair’

May 3, 2007

Ray Bailiff says he doesn't want to stand in the way of the Lansing Towne Center project, but at the same time he wants to make sure developers give him full value for his property.

Bailiff and his two siblings inherited a home and about 1 acre of land on Lois Street from their parents, Bill and Rosy Bailiff. It's the last of more than 20 tracts of property developers say they need to build a retail complex that will span from 4-H Road to West Kay Street along Main Street.

Bailiff, who grew up in Lansing, said he wanted the offer from developers for his property to be based on rates for commercial, not residential property. The land, he reasons, will be used for a commercial development.

He said he had his parents' home and land professionally assessed, based on square feet for a commercial property.

"We're going to get what's fair," he said in a phone interview on Wednesday. "We've spent time, money and effort to find out from people who know what the fair price is, and it isn't close to what's being offered by the Lansing developers."

At a special meeting Thursday, Lansing City Council adopted an ordinance to allow for the acquisition and condemnation of the Bailiff property. The ordinance allows the city to exercise the power of eminent domain to condemn, if necessary, the Bailiff residence to continue progress of the development.

City Administrator Mike Smith said he remained hopeful developers and Bailiff can reach an agreement and the city can avoid condemning the property.

Bailiff and his siblings inherited the property in March after their widowed mother died.

Though he said he encouraged the development project, Bailiff said he had not been offered a value he deems fit for the property.

In all, developers identified 24 tracts of privately owned land as being necessary for the project. Developers have reached agreement on 23 of those tracts, offering buyouts based on amounts higher than the appraised residential value of the properties.

Smith said the county appraised the Bailiff property at $94,000. The developers' first offer to Bailiff was $134,000, Bailiff said, which he rejected. Negotiations have continued between Bailiff, his attorney and the developers, and the offer later increased to $180,000, Smith said.

Bailiff, Smith said, was seeking $450,000, but on Monday made a counteroffer decreasing his request to $385,000. Developers have since countered with an increase to $200,000 from their earlier $180,000 offer, Smith said.

The city has a deadline of July 1 to condemn the home or face new, more stringent rules from the state regarding condemnation.

Bailiff said he wasn't worried about the property being condemned and a judge determining the value of the property.

"It's not about the money, it's about what's fair and what's not," he said.

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Archive for Thursday, May 24, 2007

Holiday to affect trash pickup in city

May 24, 2007

The city of Lansing will close its offices Monday in observance of Memorial Day.

City offices will reopen at 8 a.m. Tuesday, May 29.

The holiday also will affect service from the city's trash collector, Deffenbaugh Services. Pickup of trash that normally would take place on Monday, May 28, will be delayed until Tuesday, May 29. Also, pickup scheduled for Friday, June 1, will be delayed until Saturday, June 2.

Anyone with questions concerning trash disposal can call City Hall, 727-3233.

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Nike Hoop Summit World Team Report

This is the second part of our Nike Hoop Summit report, focusing on the World team. As with our Team USA report, the players are divided into tiers based on likely NBA potential.

Potential Stars

Emmanuel Mudiay, Point Guard, Committed to SMU

The most important thing to understand about Mudiay is that he absolutely is a point guard despite being 6’5 in shoes with a 6’8.5 wingspan. He has a very solid handle and can execute advanced dribble moves and hesitations in the pick-and-roll, as well as create separation with his crossover. He has above-average quickness, although he is more a very good athlete than a nuclear Derrick Rose, John Wall, or Russell Westbrook type.

Mudiay was relatively unimpressive in some of the practices I saw, but his stated plan was to get his teammates involved more in practice before taking over in the game. That is ultimately what he did, shooting 8-18. That could have been much better had he not missed a few bunnies at the rim, but he certainly showed the ability to penetrate and push the ball for layups on the break even against the athletic Team USA roster.

The Congo native’s jump shot is not great, and his range at this point is much more midrange than FIBA 3. But his form is solid and he is beyond the point where players like Derrick Rose and John Wall were with their jumpers at an equivalent stage. Mudiay is going to SMU next year, where he will be coached by Larry Brown. That should help him smooth out the rough edges of his game, assuming he can get along with the demanding coach. Brown was the reason he went to SMU, so one would think it should work out well.

Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, Shooting Guard, Ukraine

The 16 year-old Mykhailiuk was already covered in detail in the first practice report, and I saw little to change my opinion later in the week. The Ukrainian’s only weaknesses are his physical strength* and propensity to take a few bad jumpers. In the game, one fairly ridiculous attempt from behind the backboard in the right corner earned him a seat on the bench for much of the contest. In total he played only 13 minutes. This was a shame because even right now he is a much better player than either Jamal Murray (32 minutes) and Brandone Francis (19 minutes), and might have helped boost the World’s 82 offensive efficiency.

*He has already filled out quite a bit in the last year or so, as evidenced by the below video from when he was 15.

As it was, Mykhailiuk still had a chance to show off some nice passes against the US press and get a couple of deflections that illustrated his quick hands on defense, but he finished 1-4, 0-3 on threes. Ultimately, Mykhailiuk looked the part of a future lottery pick. He speaks excellent English, and there is a decent chance he comes to the US to start college in the fall as one of the youngest freshman in the country.

In the meantime, the dunk contest footage at the start of this video provides an excellent idea of his athleticism.

Make sure to also read: Duncan’s scouting report on the USA’s top players in the Nike Hoop Summit

Karl Towns, Center, Committed to Kentucky

Towns had a disappointing game relative to his performance earlier in the week, as he only managed 17 foul-filled minutes as a result of some questionable calls. But it was telling that his absence was a major factor, as the World team played the US evenly when he was in there. He had two impressive blocks of shots in the air, including a helpside swat of a Jahlil Okafor jump hook up near the square of the backboard. He frustrated Okafor’s attempts to post him up as well, showing off his improved strength. Towns and Okafor even got into it at one point before he was unjustly charged with his fourth foul. It is noteworthy how much Towns has improved his ability to mix it up inside over last year’s Hoop Summit.

Offensively Towns had a nice catch and finish and a solid postup for a one-footed hook coming across the lane, but missed a couple other hooks inside. He did not get much chance to play pick-and-pop on the perimeter, and did not shoot a jumper during the game. Nevertheless his length, movement and shooting ability make him a very intriguing long-term prospect even if he never develops into a one-on-one post scorer.

It really is a tough call between Towns and Okafor for best big man prospect in the class of 2015. Okafor has the better pedigree and feel for the game, and will be in the perfect four-out system to showcase his skills at Duke next year. Towns is going to what will be a very crowded Kentucky frontcourt, and John Calipari may not really use his shooting ability at all.* I fully expect Okafor to have the better year next year, but I may slightly prefer Towns as a long-term prospect at this point due to his shooting and potential as a rim-protector.

*He could conceivably deploy some enormous units with Towns at the 4 since he can shoot, then go with a massive zone defense, but that does not seem like Calipari’s style.

Potential NBA Rotation Players

Trey Lyles, Power Forward, Committed to Kentucky

In other settings, such as the U-19 World Championships last July, Lyles was able to use his strength and footwork to get buckets inside. But this was not Lyles’ best week, as he proved unable to get much going during practices or the game. He was usually matched up with Towns in practice, and proved unable to overpower him or really get clean looks off against his length. He had to resort to a lot of fadeaway jumpers, which predictably did not convert at a high rate. He had similar problems finishing inside against Team USA’s athleticism during the game, as he shot 3-11 despite taking all of his shots in the lane. Lyles did finish with 11 rebounds, five offensive, in his 25 minutes. His jumper was not really falling this week, but he has solid form and looks comfortable enough shooting in the 15 foot range.

Lyles moves well laterally for his 250 pound size, playing at the top of the World’s 3-2 zone that pressured upcourt to take time off the shot clock. He also has a solid rebounding mentality and hits the glass hard. He too has been compared to Carlos Boozer, but I think he has more quickness and a higher skill level at this point than Boozer did, as well as much more length with his 7’3.5 wingspan and 6’10 height in shoes. He does not really block shots, nor is he going to dunk on people, but he is by no means a bad athlete either. These attributes mean that Lyles should be able to at least avoid being a defensive liability in the NBA.

In Related: Basketball Insiders’ NBA Draft page

Damien Inglis, Combo Forward, France

The French small forward has an NBA body and then some at a chiseled 6’8, 240, with a 7’3 wingspan and huge hands. Unfortunately, he does not play with the greatest intensity, so a lot of his athleticism doesn’t quite translate. At no point during the week would one have described him as playing particularly hard. The effort was not bad, but it did not stand out either. The contrast between he and the American wings one year his junior was striking. That was exacerbated by the fact he did not appear to have much feel or many moves aside from simply a three point set shot.

That shot does appear to be a weapon though. He has a very compact release and has clearly worked on not bringing the ball down to his waist before shooting, although he doesn’t have the highest release point. He is shooting 40 percent on threes on limited attempts in French Pro A competition, and while he may not become quite that level of shooter in the NBA he should at least be a threat from beyond the arc. He does not turn 19 until May, so he has plenty of time to work on his skills.

Because he is not a particularly gifted scorer or ballhandler, Inglis is perhaps most intriguing as a small ball spotup four. He should be able to hold up strengthwise at that position, and did not get taken advantage of under the basket at the bottom of the World’s 3-2 zone. He is not really a shotblocker though, nor did he particularly impress on the boards.

If Inglis can up his intensity level and prove he can hold up as a four, he becomes a much more intriguing prospect.

Fringe/Second Round NBA Players

Clint Capela, Center, Switzerland

Capela was being talked about as a lottery pick before the week started, but that would be a major reach in my opinion. This is now the second time I’ve seen him in person after the 2013 adidas Eurocamp in Treviso, and he did not stand out in either setting. Lyles, Towns, and Inglis started over him, and rightfully so based on their practice performances.

At 6’11, 222 with a 7’4 wingspan, Capela’s skills are limited to blocking shots and finishing alley oops around the rim.* He has a herky jerky jump shot that actually went in a few times, but it did not look smooth enough to be a major weapon for him. He looks like his skill level is always going to be more center than power forward, and that is a problem given how thin he is.

*He did have one nice layin finish from behind the backboard during the game, but that was an aberration.

Most concerning is Capela’s lack of feel overall. He was the most likely World player to make mental errors, although there may have been a bit of a language barrier involved there as well. During the game, he picked up four fouls in the first half with some silly over the backs. Throughout the week he did not prove particularly adept at finding creases for guards to give him dumpoffs, and his few postups invariably resulted in wild misses or turnovers. He also is very weak right now. In a 2 on 2 drill in which the defense switched the pick and roll, Capela proved totally unable to post up even against guards.

Capela has some potential due to his length and solid if not outstanding jumping ability, measured at 31 inches at the 2013 Eurocamp. However, his skill level and feel leave a lot to be desired. I do not see him as better than an early second-round prospect at this point.

College/International Players

Jamal Murray, Combo Guard, Canada

Murray goes 6’4.5 with a 6’8 wingspan, weighing in at 195 pounds. His best attributes are his shooting ability and his February 1997 birthday, making him a year younger than every player in the game but Mykhailiuk. He is very steady for his young age, earning a game-high 32 minutes.* And he also is an excellent shooter for a high school junior, with easy range out to the FIBA line. During one impressive sequence, he drained two consecutive threes as the pick and roll ballhandler when his man went under the screen. Murray is not really a point guard, but can handle the ball and bring it up in a pinch. He largely handled the ball for the World team as the closest thing to a point guard when Mudiay sat.

*This may have been aided by the fact that coach Roy Rana is also the coach of the Canadian junior teams.

The Canadian’s biggest weakness is a lack of athleticism. He does not appear to be a particularly good leaper, nor does he create separation off the dribble without a screen. He could certainly stand to improve his defense, which is a worry given his lack of elite quickness. Murray was guarding Tyus Jones at the end of the game and got torched a couple of times by him one-on-one as Team USA put the game away in the fourth quarter.

It is hard to give Murray a high ceiling due to his lack of athleticism, but he should make a nice college player with his shooting ability. An NBA future may be too much to ask unless he can develop into a J.J. Redick level shooter and improve his quickness.

James Birsen, Small Forward, Turkey/Fenerbahce

I first saw Birsen at the 2012 Eurocamp, when he was still 17. Since then he has grown to 6’10 and gotten a little stronger, but he is a below average athlete and probably always will be. He has not improved as much as one would have hoped in the last two years, despite the fact he plays in the Euroleague for Turkish powerhouse Fenerbahce. He has nice vision and willingly takes FIBA threes with solid form, although these did not fall at a particularly outstanding rate for him during the week.

Birsen can put the ball on the deck but lacks the quickness to get by his man, often having to settle for a contested jumper near the free throw line with his man still in front of him. He will throw the occasional incisive pass and willingly moves the ball, but his lack of explosion really limits his upside. He seems to fit the stereotype of the old school Euro small forward: someone who is tall and can shoot but lacks the athleticism to play on the wing or as a big. He logged a number of minutes as a smallball four with the World big men in foul trouble, but it is not his natural position.

As a smart player in a good program who already has some high-level experience, Birsen might be worth a draft and stash late in the second round whenever he eventually comes out. If he becomes an absolute money shooter and gets strong enough to mix it up inside, it’s possible he could find a role in the NBA. But it is likely that his limited physical profile will prevent that from happening.

Nikola Jokic, Center, Serbia/Mega Vizura

Jokic might have been the most skilled big man at the Hoop Summit when you consider his outside shooting, but his complete lack of strength and explosion really limit his NBA future. The 19 year old was reportedly very solid in the first two practices, and he showed flashes of that later in the week. He is deadly in the post when he gets a smaller player switched onto him, and is an excellent shooter out to the FIBA arc, even on pick and pops.

But it really is hard to see him surviving on the interior in the NBA. Although he somehow weighed in at 253 lbs, he sure doesn’t look it. He is thin, but also has zero muscle definition and can’t jump at all. At 6’11 with a 9’3 standing reach, he still is barely able to dunk even when wide open. And challenging shots is not his forte either; for comparison, look how much higher Towns gets on this dunk despite their similar standing reaches.

Jokic was also totally overmatched in post defense against Jahlil Okafor during the game.

Perhaps this sounds harsh, but Jokic is being talked up as an NBA prospect and it is hard to see how he gets there unless he can really improve his athleticism. Given how his body looks, that does not seem to be in the offing even if he does hit the weights.

Gao Shang, Wing, China

Gao was somewhat superior to recent Chinese prospects at the Hoop Summit, as he at least did not look totally out of place in the practices. He has a nice release on his jumper and can drain international threes. He earned the nickname “G-Money” from the coaching staff since he compiled the best record in the shooting drills. At 6’7, 220 he is muscular and doesn’t get pushed around.

Gao is not a particularly skilled dribbler or passer, and was not really able to finish inside either. He moves his feet pretty well, but still has below-average NBA athleticism. Unfortunately, he required an interpreter which did not help in picking up some of the schemes, and he only played three minutes in the game. Nevertheless, one NBA scout remarked to me that he killed the World team’s momentum early in the fourth quarter as the US broke away from a 61-61 tie at the end of three. Gao is not really an NBA prospect, but should have a reasonable international career.

Brandone Francis, Shooting Guard, Committed to Florida

Francis turns 20 in September, but the Florida commit was not really able to make an impact here.  He is a shooting guard with good form on his jumper, but does not appear to have FIBA range yet.  That jumper is his best attribute, as his body is a little doughy at 6’4.5″, 208.  He doesn’t have a lot of explosion or ability to get by guys off the dribble, nor did he really make any great passes during the week.  He should have a nice college career, but an NBA or even high-level international future would be a major surprise.

A Cautionary Note

It is important to remember that we are dealing with just a few practices here, and thus a rather small sample size. For instance, I wrote earlier that Justise Winslow struggled to finish non-dunks inside. This was based on a sample of about eight shots over the course of the week. Obviously, much more evaluation is needed to arrive at a definitive evaluation of these prospects, especially in separating out the upper echelon.

Nevertheless, in-person scouting trips like this prove quite valuable to gauge players’ athleticism, see their work habits and how they respond to coaching in practice, and get a sense of how they interact with their teammates.

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.

About Nate Duncan

Nate Duncan

Nate Duncan is an NBA analyst and attorney. He writes regular features for Basketball Insiders and chats weekly at 11 Eastern on Tuesdays.


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Lavender Soy Candle

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Kidz in Motion: Keeping kids healthy and active

5:27 PM, Apr. 16, 2012
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We are constantly reminded in print, videos and on television that childhood diabetes and obesity are gaining ground in the United States; but Baxter Regional Medical Center's Active Lifestyle Institute is tackling the task to help keep kids in the Twin Lakes Area healthy and active through the third annual Kidz in Motion set 9 a.m.-noon Saturday L.C. Sammons Youth Center.

The free event is sponsored by BRMC's Active Lifestyle Institute, Cline Emergency Centers' Trauma Unit and L.C. Sammons Youth Center to raises awareness for healthy and active lifestyles for area children. The event ...

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Judicial building need recognized; no answers yet on funding

Budget Committee to study $60M proposal

12:06 AM, Apr. 27, 2013
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County leaders will continue studying ways to fund a new $60 million judicial building after a group of county commissioners confirmed at a Thursday meeting they recognize the need for such a facility.

Members of the Rutherford County Property Management Committee decided to send a recommendation to the county's Budget, Finance & Investment Committee to study funding for the building.

In a Friday phone interview, Rutherford County Circuit Court Clerk Laura Bohling noted that the commission has been discussing the fact that the current judicial building on the Public Square was ...

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