Bailey: Fenway the best park in baseball

BOSTON -- Newly acquired Red Sox closer Andrew Bailey is an East Coast native who spends his winters in Connecticut, so playing in Boston had extra allure. But the idea of taking that walk from the bullpen to the mound at Fenway Park is what excites him the most.

?There?s nothing like the atmosphere of running into the game from the bullpen at Fenway Park,? said Bailey, who has pitched at Fenway numerous times during the last three seasons as a visitor. ?You can?t change it and you can?t put it into words. It?s something I look forward to doing day in and day out in a Red Sox uniform. It?s something I?ll always remember and it?s up there with my major-league debut. That?s how it is and Fenway is the greatest stadium in baseball and being able to pitch in that uniform and in that stadium is something I?ll never forget.?

?

There's nothing like the atmosphere of running into the game from the bullpen at Fenway Park. You can't change it and you can't put it into words. It's something I look forward to doing day in and day out in a Red Sox uniform.

? -- New Red Sox closer Andrew Bailey

During an introductory conference call Wednesday night, Bailey talked extensively about the trade that brought him and teammate Ryan Sweeney to Boston from the Oakland Athletics.

Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington completed the deal on Wednesday that sent Red Sox outfielder Josh Reddick and a pair of minor leaguers to the A?s in exchange for Bailey and Sweeney.

?I?m excited,? Bailey said of playing for the Red Sox. ?It?s an organization that continues to win each and every year, and they?re definitely a contender each and every year. Speaking with [A?s GM] Billy Beane today, obviously with the trades the A?s have already made this offseason, that organization is heading down a different road where they?re trying to get younger and build for a future in San Jose.

?I?m grateful for the fact that the Red Sox saw value in me,? added Bailey. ?I would be lying if I said I wasn?t excited about being a Red Sox.?

Bailey grew up in New Jersey, went to Wagner College in New York and now lives in Connecticut.

He admitted that he grew up a Philadelphia Phillies fan and now it?s kind of ironic that he?ll be replacing former Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon, who signed a long-term contract with the Phillies as a free agent in November.

Bailey has a total of 75 saves during his three seasons in Oakland, but pitching in the AL East will be completely different for the 27-year-old right-hander.

?The AL East is one of the biggest divisions, and obviously with the additions that the Angels and Rangers have made they?re up there as well,? Bailey said. ?But the AL East is one of the toughest divisions in baseball. It?ll be a challenge to keep the ball in the park and stay down in the zone.?

During his time in Oakland, the former Rookie of the Year (2009) and two-time All-Star never experienced pitching in the postseason. Now he?ll have a better chance of reaching that goal.

?I haven?t experienced it yet, and I?m looking forward to experiencing it,? Bailey said. ?It?s something that every kid out there playing T-ball strives to pitch in the postseason and in meaningful games in September, and ultimately the World Series. I?m going to welcome that with open arms, but it?s not going to change the way I attack the hitters. I?m aggressive and like to go right after guys, so as long as I stick to my guns and trust in my stuff I?ll be fine. I?m a guy who is easygoing and likes to go after guys and get people out. It?s the same three outs in April as it is in September, so you?ve just got to make your pitches.?

SportsNation: Bailey to the Red Sox

Will Andrew Bailey make the Red Sox forget all about Jonathan Papelbon this season?
? Cast your votes!

Now that he?s switching teams and changing divisions, Bailey has no intentions of changing the way he pitches. His mindset is simple.

?Stay healthy is No. 1. That?s the key to success,? he said. ?Then don?t shy away from who you are. I?m not going to blow it by you at 98 or 99, I?m not that type of guy. I usually sit in the low 90s and rely on control and get ahead of guys. The motto I live by is ?Strike 1 is the best pitch in baseball.? As long as you stick with that, you?ll be fine. Obviously pitching, closing for that matter, is bigger in Boston.

?The market?s a lot bigger and I?ll be fine with that. The last three years have been great, being able to close against the teams that I?m going to be closing against in the same league. It?s not like I?m going into different territory or a new league where I need to know all the hitters, it?s the same guys I?ve faced the last three years, just with a different uniform on. The only thing I can work on is staying healthy, and sticking to my guns and staying who I am."

Bailey finished his physical and medical testing on Wednesday before the trade was complete and all signs point to him being healthy heading into spring training. He?s dealt with a number of injuries over the last few years, but for the first time in a long time he?s healthy during the winter months.

?I?m feeling good, man, ?Bailey said. ?To be honest with you, this is my first healthy offseason I?ve had since I?ve been in the big leagues.?

He had Tommy John surgery five years ago that he?s fully recovered from. He dealt with a minor knee issue in 2009 and had a procedure to fix the problem. He also had bone chips removed from his elbow last winter and struggled at the start of the 2011 season. But he was healthy and pitched well down the stretch, and the Red Sox are confident he will perform in Boston.

Bailey also has a close relationship with Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine, who?s a native of Connecticut.

?Bobby and I are good friends,? Bailey said. ?We do a lot of charity work together in Connecticut. He does a lot with the foundation I?m a part of. Bobby and I have a good relationship and he?s excited to have me on board, and I?m excited to be there for him. We spoke about how this is his first year as manager and mine over there as a pitcher, so we?re both looking forward to it. It also helps knowing someone going in.?

Bailey and former A?s teammate Craig Breslow, who is a native of Connecticut, formed the Strike 3 Foundation, which raises money for pediatric cancer research, and Valentine was the emcee for its annual event the past two years.

?It?s a good relationship. He?s a great guy,? Bailey said. ?He brings a lot of energy to anything he does. He?s very engaging and he?s going to do great with the bunch of guys in Boston. I don?t know them too well, but he?s hard not to like. I?m sure everyone will get along well with him.?

Growing up in New Jersey, going to school in New York and now living in Connecticut, Bailey is thrilled to finally be a part of the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry.

?Going to college in Staten Island, I?ve already gotten a lot of my buddies texting me and they?re die-hard Yankee fans,? he said. ?It?ll be fun and I?m looking forward to it. I have a lot of friends that are Red Sox fans, as well. It?ll be fun to be a part of the rivalry, especially me growing up in New Jersey, I know a lot about it. I?m looking forward to being a part of it.?

Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/red-sox/post/_/id/15914/bailey-fenway-the-best-stadium-in-baseball

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Energy fuels another Alberta boom

tamara gignac
postmedia news

CALGARY - Albertans know all about the B-word: boom.

For much of the past decade the economic pace was blistering, led by massive projects in the oilsands. The result was scores of high-paying jobs, a red hot real estate market and an influx of thousands of new migrants.

The party was good while it lasted.

But in 2008, Albertans were blindsided by another B-word: bust.

A collapse in energy prices, the result of the U.S. financial crisis, took the steam out of Alberta's once-buoyant economy.

The oilpatch shelved or cancelled billions of dollars worth of projects, jobs evaporated virtually overnight and ordinary Albertans struggled to pay their mortgages.

But after sputtering for much of the last three years, Alberta appears poised to regain its position as Canada's economic juggernaut.

All signs suggest prosperity is sweeping the province. Unemployment is low, cash registers are ringing and the energy sector is once again on a hiring spree.

It begs the question: is Alberta headed for another overheated economy?

Economists are certainly bullish when it comes to the province's prospects.

The Royal Bank of Canada predicts that Alberta's rate of growth - four per cent this year and 3.9 per cent in 2012 - will outpace all provinces except Saskatchewan.

"Oilsands megaprojects will continue to generate tremendous economic activity and will be a boon to Alberta's economy for years to come," says RBC chief economist Craig Wright.

"The boom entirely emanates from the private sector - the source of an astounding 116,000 new jobs this year," Wright said.

Improved employment prospects have translated into a record quarter for Sharlene Massie's local recruiting firm, About Staffing.

Alberta is bucking the national trend, a welcome relief from the hiring freezes of recent years.

As long as there's continued growth in oilsands production and Alberta's unemployment rate holds steady at about five per cent, the good times should continue, Massie says.

But she admits the spectre of an overheated economy could spoil the party and usher in a labour shortage similar to that of 2006.

In the worst-case scenario for employers, Alberta's jobless rate would return to levels seen in the last boom, driving skilled and unskilled wages to unprecedented levels.

"We're not there right now. We're comfortable," Massie says. "There's enough jobs out there and everybody's happy. Let's hope we can stay this way."

A report this year warned that a looming labour shortage is the Achilles heel of the provincial economy and that industry should brace for a chronic scarcity of workers in the years ahead.

It comes as Calgary's oilpatch, and the rest of the natural resources sector, is set to lead the nation with the highest projected salary increases in the year ahead.

But boom or bust, Alberta's shifting demographics will probably require a new approach to labour issues in the coming years, suggests Calgary Chamber of Commerce CEO Adam Legge.

The province has repeatedly looked to the federal government to change immigration policies so Alberta can hire the workers it needs.

There's expected to be a shortage of everything from tradespeople and health-care workers to financial service employees, retail staff and public service jobs.

"We're going to face a labour shortage whether we have a strong economy or not because there aren't enough workers to backfill the retiring baby boomers," says Legge.

He says he believes inflation pressure associated with rising labour costs could prove troublesome for Alberta.

"As soon as you see wages being driven up - as they are right now - people have more spending power and are able to bid up prices on everything from houses to goods and services," Legge says.

"The Bank of Canada will want to keep an eye on Alberta because we will have stronger inflation in our economy than the rest of Canada."

A heated labour market is only one indicator of Alberta's changing economic fortunes.

Figures from Statistics Canada show a three per cent increase in retail sales in October compared with the month before - the largest increase in Canada.

It comes as more Albertans purchase new vehicles, electronics and clothing - a welcome prospect for local retailers, who saw cash register receipts dwindle during the recession.

Discretionary spending is on the rise in the province.

Recent reports suggest people are choosing to dine in restaurants more frequently, purchase a morning latte or even fly away on a holiday.

Alberta's housing industry also got a much-needed boost in 2011.

"The strength in our economy, combined with affordability levels that outperform most major centres, will continue to attract migrants to the city and spur further growth," says Sano Stante, president of the Calgary Real Estate Board.

But along with an economic boom comes social challenges, as cities and smaller communities struggle to meet infrastructure pressures caused by an influx of new workers.

Todd Hirsch, senior economist with ATB Financial, says he doesn't expect to see a repeat of 2006, when "people lived in tents by the river" due to lack of affordable housing.

"I think you can call this a 'mini-boom,' at least relative to everywhere else in the country and even the industrialized world," Hirsch said.

"(But) if we did see a major collapse in Europe or a real calamity, that could knock the stuffing out of oil prices pretty quickly."

Hirsch is keeping an eye on developments with the Keystone XL project. The $7-billion Alberta-to-Texas pipeline proposed by TransCanada Corp. has been held up by a political battle in Washington.

The fate of Keystone XL could be a "harbinger of a more challenging environment" for Alberta's energy industry, he says. "My feeling is this is not just one project we're talking about. It indicates we are in a whole new world in which putting pipelines in the ground is not going to be as easy or straightforward as it was in the past."

So far, the province's fortunes have been mostly insulated from global economic turmoil relative to other regions.

But some observers, like Leonard Waverman, wonder if sluggish growth for Alberta's biggest trading partner - the United States - will eventually hit home.

The dean of the University of Calgary's Haskayne School of Business chooses a weather analogy to characterize Alberta's economic prospects in 2012.

"I'd suggest we have an economic chinook," Waverman says. "One must remember that chinooks are very capricious. They come in and move out very quickly."

But even as Alberta prepares for a new round of prosperity and good times, some still struggle to make ends meet after the recession.

During the last three years Alberta recorded the country's second-highest increase in food bank usage, according to a recent HungerCount survey.

Talk of an economic boom is probably meaningless for the many households still trying to find a way out of the last economic bust, says Kathryn Sim a spokeswoman for the Calgary Inter-Faith Food Bank.

"We're seeing people bouncing back and they are coming to us as donors, which is lovely to see," she says.

"But it's hard to dig out of the hole. It's taking a longer time for people to get out of the situation they found themselves in when the economy crashed."

Source: http://www.canadaeast.com/rss/article/1466891

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Understanding left-handedness

ScienceDaily (Dec. 27, 2011) ? Left-handedness is sometimes the expression of a genetic defect or an early developmental disturbance. In this issue of Deutsches ?rzteblatt International, Stefan Gutwinski and coauthors present the current scientific understanding of left- and right-handedness.

Left-handedness is found in all cultural groups. It arose early in the course of human evolution and played a key role in the development of higher cognitive functions. Human speech, for example, is thought to have arisen as an outgrowth of the unilateral cerebral control of manual communication by gesticulation. Likewise, it was only after handedness had become well established that very fine motor functions of the human hand could develop.

Most of the time, left-handedness is simply a naturally occurring, normal variant. In some cases, however, it is disadvantageous and may well reflect a genetic defect or early developmental disturbance. Thus, both left-handedness and extreme right-handedness seem to be more common among persons suffering from certain diseases.

This phenomenon can be observed, for example, in epilepsy, schizophrenia, and autism. Furthermore, current research suggests that diminished activity of the left cerebral hemisphere compared to the right may lead to depression, and the opposite imbalance to mania.

Recommend this story on Facebook, Twitter,
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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Deutsches Aerzteblatt, via AlphaGalileo.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. Gutwinski S, Lo?scher A, Mahler L, Kalbitzer J, Heinz A, Bermpohl F. Understanding left-handedness. Dtsch Arztebl Int, 2011; 108(50): 849%u201353 DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.2011.0849

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111227092931.htm

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FilmIn.com gibt College Football- und Basketball-Kan?le f?r das Internet bekannt

FilmOn macht den Spitzen-Sport-Networks der Branche durch die Schaffung neuer Paradigmen im Live-Sportfernsehen direkte Konkurrenz

BEVERLY HILLS, Kalifornien--(BUSINESS WIRE)--FilmOn.com Inc., die US-Abteilung des weltgr??ten Internet-basierten HD-Fernsehdiensteshttp://www.FilmOn.com, hat eine Partnerschaft mit XOS Digital, dem f?hrenden Provider von Content-Management-Redaktionssysteml?sungen f?r Colleges und professionelle Sportorganisationen bekannt gegeben. Die Partnerschaft wird zwei neue erstklassige College Sport-Networks f?r FilmOn ins Leben rufen.

"Wir sind h?chst begeistert dar?ber, unserem Sportangebot nunmehr auch NCAA Spiele hinzuzuf?gen. Die Liste wird Football und Basketball der laufenden Saison und Archiv-Spiele in den FilmOn College-Sport Networks anbieten", sagte Gr?nder und Gesch?ftsf?hrer Alki David.

"Fr?her in diesem Jahr starteten wir den ersten Internet-Fu?ballkanal zusammen mit der britischen UK Premiership und der Football Association. Wir erkennen den fantastischen Wert des Sports im Online-Fernsehen, und wir werden 2012 weiterhin wachsende Angebote mit hochaktuellem Sport Live zur Verf?gung stellen. Das beginnt jede Woche mit russischem Live-Fu?ball der russischen Premier League. Wir konkurrieren direkt mit den f?hrenden Sportprogrammen der Branche und schaffen neue Paradigmen im Internet-Fernsehmarkt."

?ber FilmOn.com Inc.

FilmOn.com wurde durch den Medienmogul Alki David als eine Bezahlfernsehplattform mit hochdefiniertem HD IPTV-Streaming f?r Computer, Tablets und mobile Ger?te, einschlie?lich Roku und andere Set Top Boxes gegr?ndet. FilmOn bietet auch schl?sselfertige Internetprovider-L?sungen in der Content- und Technologie-Markenbildung.

FilmO.com Plc. ist ein in Frankfurt ans?ssiges Unternehmen (Firmensymbol ist FMX), betrieben durch US- und britische Managementteams mit B?ros in Beverly Hills und London und mit Datenzentren in Los Angeles, New York, Amsterdam und Genf.

?ber XOS Digital, Inc.

{ut} Gegr?ndet 1999, ist XOS Digital der f?hrende Provider digitaler Aktivmanagementl?sungen f?r Hochschul- und professionelle Sportorganisationen. Offizielle Pers?nlichkeiten der beteiligten Organisationen, Liga-B?ros, Trainings-Expertenst?be und Athletik-Abteilungen verlassen sich auf das Produktangebot und auf Dienste von XOS, um ihre digitalen Aktivposten zu managen, zu analysieren, zu archivieren, zu verteilen, zu sch?tzen und zu Geld zu machen.

Photos/Multimedia?Galerie verf?gbar: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50116471&lang=de

Die Ausgangssprache, in der der?Originaltext ver?ffentlicht wird, ist die offizielle und autorisierte Version. ?bersetzungen werden?zur besseren Verst?ndigung?mitgeliefert.?Nur die Sprachversion, die im Original ver?ffentlicht wurde, ist rechtsg?ltig. Gleichen Sie deshalb ?bersetzungen mit?der originalen Sprachversion der Ver?ffentlichung ab.

Source: http://feeds.businesswire.com/click.phdo?i=e3ff9c2398cf4dab5485457d25c66680

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Sale - Squirrel Art Watercolor Print Chipmunk Grandpa Winter for Kids Woodland Animal 10"x10" Christmas Gift Under 25 USD

10"x10" Watercolor Archival Print on 100% Cotton Paper Chubby Grandpa Wild Creature Walking on a Rainy Spring Day By Laberge on Etsy

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"Walking in the Rain"

Print of my original watercolor. (The original has been sold.)

Image size: 10.2" x 10.2"
Paper size: 12" x 12"

Archival print with Epson Ultra Chrome pigment inks on 100% cotton, fine art paper. The print looks very much like real watercolors. You will receive a real treasure. Print will come signed and dated by the Artist and packed in a clear cello envelope.

I ship internationally, if your country is not listed please contact me.

Right to reproduce does not transfer with sale of artwork. Artist retains all rights.

See more paintings at my shop: LaBerge.etsy.com

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Source: http://www.etsy.com/listing/81330554/sale-squirrel-art-watercolor-print

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(Dec 22) Lenox Solitaire Platinum China Service For 12, Serving Pieces

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The nation's weather (AP)

The nation's most active weather feature Sunday will be prompted by a low pressure system moving over the Gulf of Mexico. This storm will produce widespread rain from eastern Texas through Alabama. A mix of rain and snow cannot be ruled out in the cold air over and eastern New Mexico in the afternoon and evening.

Elsewhere, a Pacific storm will slam into the Northwest sometime Sunday afternoon or evening, producing rain and high-elevation snow in what has been a very dry month for the West Coast. This precipitation will struggle to make its way into the intermountain West, but a few snow showers are possible in Idaho into Monday.

In the East, a cold storm will move into the upper Midwest and Northeast, but it won't be a rainmaker. Instead, it will act to cool temperatures to below normal into Monday though some snow in the region can't be ruled out.

Temperatures in the Northeast will rise into the 20s and 30s, while the Southeast will see 60s and 70s. Readings in the upper Midwest will rise into the 30s and 40s, while the Northwest will see temperatures in the 30s and 40s. The Southwest will rise into the 60s and some 70s.

Temperatures in the lower 48 states Saturday ranged from a morning low of minus 20 degrees in West Yellowstone, Montana, to a high of 82 degrees in Tampa, Fla.

___

Online:

Weather Underground: http://www.wunderground.com

National Weather Service: http://iwin.nws.noaa.gov

Intellicast: http://www.intellicast.com

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111225/ap_on_re_us/us_weatherpage_weather

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