Mariner

The Mariners had 4 strong years before collapsing over the past 2. Their ballpark is not very hitter friendly and top hitters do not want to play there. Just ask Adrian Beltre how he feels to be a Mariner after having an MVP caliber season with the Dodgers the year before.

The Mariners were a combined 132-192 (-49 units) the past 2 seasons. Las Vegas has not properly adjusted the odds for this team by overvaluing them an average of 15 points per game.

These Mariners were a pretty bad team in the second game of a series if they lost their first game. Betting against them in that spot was 20-6 (+12 units) in 2005. When betting baseball, momentum is very important and losing the first game of a series can demoralize some teams. The Mariners were just so bad the past 2 years, everything should have demoralized them.

The Mariners hit lefties better than righties in 2005. I am sure a lot of that has to do with left handed hitting Ichiro Suzuki at the top of their lineup.

Since Ichiro is a very lethal instigator at the top of their lineup, I like betting against these Mariners when I see them going up against righties. Look for those spots when handicapping the 2006 season.

Purpose gives direction to a company, and if you want to succeed you must define your purpose.  Regardless, of the size and the scope of the company, the project, the charity, the team, or whatever, you have to have a simple to understand defined purpose.  Purpose will be the guiding light when you sit down and start to contemplate strategy.

To define purpose, you have to ask questions.  What do we want to be?  Why do we want to be this?  What are we going to do?  How are we going to do it?  What are we going to accomplish?  Why are we going to accomplish this?  What value are we going bring to the situation?  How are we going to bring the value to the situation?  Will customers pay for this value?  Do customers want this value?  Is there a need?  What will set us apart from everyone else in this space?  Questions will help determine what our purpose is.  The more questions you ask the better your answer will be. 

So many start-ups get started out of the gate, without ever defining their purpose and consequently, spend too much time and money floundering around, not being focused.  If you have a well defined purpose statement, you will stay focused, and true to your vision. 

Just as a mariner is not going to leave the dock at night without a compass or a GPS today, you cannot start a company or a project without your compass.  Your compass is your Purpose Statement.  Your purpose statement needs to be short and sweet and to the point.  Everyone you meet and everyone involved needs to know it, believe it, and understand it.  Everyone involved needs to know exactly what the purpose is. 

Once you have a well define, to the point purpose statement, then you are ready to go to the next the step.  The next step can become more flowery if you want with your Mission Statement, your Vision, and ultimately your strategic plan. 

The most critical component in coming up with your purpose is to add value.  This is easy to say and may seem so logical, but you have to really look for the value that you bring.  The value as determined by the customer.  You may have to involve a little research to make sure your purpose is value added, but the only way to success is to add value.  Just because you think you are adding value does not mean that the end user, the customer, or the constituent thinks you are adding value. 

Once you have defined a true value added purpose for your endeavor, you company, your life, there is little chance of failure if you stay true to your purpose.  Purpose is the first step in accomplishing anything, and if you take the time do this step first you are well on your way to succeeding in whatever your do.  Make sure you leave the dock with your purpose statement, your compass., and you will stay on course to success.

The description no doubt has supernatural qualities with the "brown skeletons" lagging however the light in the distance disappeared and they noticed it was the beacon light on a sinking ship. There they found what appeared to be a dead man floating face down on top of the water. The man that lay floating in the water "like one that hath been seven days drowned." was the Ancient Mariner. This is the moment in which the Hermit recognizes the Mariners supernatural existence. The Hermit was astonished by the Mariner could have survived and demanded to know "what manner of man art thou?" Although the question posed is more rhetorical than anything else it gives us knowledge of the Hermits stance they must be blessed or cursed by some higher power. The Hermit in a way is the Ancient Mariner's real proof that solidified his story. This is a crucial point in the poem and clears up what happened to the Ancient Mariner when he was at sea.

The old Mariner is indeed immortal and cannot die as punishment for striking the Albatross with his cross-bow. When the Mariner got situated on the boat the presence of the Hermit "forced me to begin my tale; / And then if left me free." The Hermit was the first person that the Ancient Mariner told his story to. Speaking of the Hermit, the Mariner explained "That moment that his face I see, / I know the man that must hear me: / To him my tale I teach." It is reasonable to believe that the Holy Hermit's spiritual presence inspired in some way the Mariner to tell his tale. Had the Hermit not been there, no one knows if the Mariner would have ever found his "strange power of speech".

After moving off the boat and into a house, I was totally taken aback when our first electric bill came. My first thought was that it was high because we used all that electricity in the move in and set up. The second and third bills were also high. I unplugged everything that I could and made sure things were turned off when possible. I replaced all the incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs and LED bulbs. An electrician friend checked the place for any problems that could be the cause of what I though was a high bill. Nothing outrageous was found. The house just used a lot more electricity than I liked.

The boat has both solar panels and a wind generator. They charge the boat's batteries that supply electricity for the boat. The 12 volt system runs the lighting, refrigerator, our fans, our computers, TV, and navigation system. Everything but the A/C and the hot water heater ran off the batteries. At the dock, we plugged into shore electricity for the A/C and hot water heater. The house could use solar panels to charge a bank of batteries the same way.

The cost of a commercial home solar panel system and the batteries needed to tie in to the grid was way out of my reach. A 12 volt system like that on the boat was affordable. I started with a 45 watt solar panel kit from our hardware outlet store. The kit contained the three solar panels, a voltage regulator, two 12 volt dc light bulbs that have a standard lamp base to them, and wiring. I used two deep cycle trolling motor batteries that I had to complete the system. This kit solar panel system was affordable. The solar panels are mounted on a wheel barrel like cart so they can be moved and positioned to get the best angle to the sun. This lets the panels produce the most power. About once a month they need just a little repositioning. The battery charging station is outside in the car port. The gives good ventilation and easy access to the batteries. The panels and batteries are heart of the system. To complete the system, a two wire 12 volt line was run up to the attic and run the full length of the house. The line was run in PVC conduit and is labeled 12 volt line on every section of conduit just for safety. Next, 12 volt ceiling mounted LED lighting units were mounted in most of the rooms of the house. Marine and RV stores have a good selection of these fixtures. The fixtures were wired in to the 12 volt line and the house had 12 volt LED lights. The size and brightness of the fixtures were picked for the areas they lit. Bright lighting was used in the kitchen, halls and bath rooms got smaller units. One DC line was run into the living room. The two DC light bulbs were put in to Table lamps and these lamps are wired in to the 12 volt system. A DC to AC converter connected to the 12 volt system can run small AC items. A master switch by the car port door turns on or off the 12 volt system. When we leave in the morning it goes off, and is turned on when we get home. This lets the solar panels charge the batteries up easier. The system worked. Another panel kit and battery was added and the system did not flatten as much. The system, as is, costs about $275.00 and it paid for itself in less than six months. Putting switches on the ceiling fixtures so they did not run all the time would also help extend the battery life between charges. The cost and work to add switches is not worth the effort to do that at this time.

The 12 volt system does 4 things for us. First, our electric bill is lower. Second, we have lights when there is a power outage. Third, my trolling motor batteries are always charged and ready to go. Fourth, and last, it drives the guy next door nuts (that is worth it by itself).

Zoids fans are no doubt familiar with Zoids Zero and its always fascinating action figures. Since the creation of Zoids, there have been all sorts of toys available in the market. These action figures can be purchased through the internet or from your local toy stores. It has been noted the throughout the existent of Zoids, fans have been eager in collecting these toys in the market as these model kits are a worthy component in their ever growing collection.

The Zoids Evo Drive can be said to be the most prominent Zoids toys in its series. Collectors from all around the world just seem too eager to get their hands on this particular series of Zoids toys. The first in this line of Zoids action figures would be the Gojulas. This attention catching mechanical creature will be a star to your collection if you have yet to own one. This action figure is a Tyrannosaurus-like figure which is powered using a rechargeable motor unit. This enables legs and tail of this Zoids to move around. You would also very much appreciate the amber right lights which can be found on the eyes and mouths of these model kits. Besides, a charger is provided which also serve as a presentable stand. This multi-function Zoids is ten centimeters in height and able to use the weaponry units from its fellow action figures which are from the same line.

The next to come is the Gojulas Mariner. You just simply have the urge to make way for this mechanical beast from the Zoids toys series. Out of the action figures, the special factor for this particular toy is its ability to allow you to manually wind its High Spec Z unit up using a key which comes together. This specific unit actually gives mobility to its legs and tail. it is always a spectacular sight when you get this model kit up and ready against other Zoids action figures in a battlefield.

Scanning down the list would be the Red Horn from the Zoids Evo Drive series, a must not miss for avid model kits collectors. It looks like a Styracosaurus and is also powered via a rechargeable High Spec Z, similar to its Zoids in line. The difference is that its eyes give out a emerald green glow while its mouth emits a brilliant red light. All you need are three AA batteries to get this Red Horn up and going.

Last in line for the Zoids Evo Drive is the Dark Horn. It has similar properties as the Red Horn. Yet, the fact that it has a dark armor and horn rather than a red one gives it a boost and thus giving it a huge fan base. Those who are dark or black-lovers will have their alert bells ringing if they ever got the chance to come across Dark Horn.

To sum it all up, Zoids action figures as well as Zoids model kits are a must to those who are hardcore Zoids fans. It might not be easy to get your hands on these toys, however, if you really put in effort and are determined, your hard work will surely pay off.

EVE Online, more so than almost any other MMORPG available today, focuses on Player-vs-Player combat. It does so across the server, largely without setting up cordoned off "safe" areas where players don't need to worry about getting attacked by other players. What this means is every player, to survive and thrive in New Eden, must be at least minimally familiar with how PvP works and some tips to succeed at it.

For the Carebears out there, whose primary interest is non-PvP (mining, missioning, trading, etc), here are five quick tips on how to avoid, or if need be, survive when unwanted PvP combat finds you:

Tip 1: Know Your Ship Fittings

Spent time on Battleclinic and the Ship Fittings forums on EVE Online, and get to know your ship's capabilities and recommended fittings. Don't let ignorance and horrible fittings make you a victim. Also be willing to sacrifice of bit of capability - cargo room, mission fittings, etc. - in order to fit a couple PvP-related modules or drones just in case, especially if you are venturing into low or null sec space. For example, if you are flying a tricked out faction-fit mission battleship, consider dropping a few Warrior II light drones in to scare off any tackling interceptors or frigates. Or consider a large NOS or Neutralizer for the same purpose. A slight drop in mission-specific capabilities could save your ship and expensive fittings.

Tip 2: Don't Make Yourself a Target

Even in high security (0.5 - 1.0) space, you are a target, especially if you make yourself look like a juicy and lucrative one. Some basic pitfalls that have claimed many an innocent hull:

o    Mission runners, don't trick your ship out with faction gear - that Navy Raven, Caldari Navy missile launchers, and X-type Booster may look great and help you run missions faster, but they make you shine like a beacon to suicide gankers in any system.

o    Miners - If you fly a Hulk in high sec, pirates will assume you have a faction booster. Be aware of your surroundings, never mine AFK, and stay aligned for a station or gate to get out in a hurry. In short, treat high-sec like a slightly more boring 0.0.

o    Haulers - You will get scanned down, and if you are carrying a mint, you will get suicide ganked even in high sec space. Freighters should keep their loads under 1 Billion ISK, and generally try and avoid the major routes in and out of Jita.

Tip 3: Love Safe Spots

Do yourself a favor, and every time you enter a new system, even if just passing through gate to gate, start dropping bookmarks while in warp. These "in line" safe spots aren't ideal - they are easy to scan down - but they are handy in a pinch and vastly preferable to having no where to warp to in an emergency. If you have time, warp from one of those safe spots to a planet, and drop a couple more bookmarks along the way to create even "safer" places to run to. If you are being hunted down, never linger at a safe spot for more than a few seconds. Warp in, and immediately start aligning for your next safe. Never stop until the bad guys have left the system (even then, beware of probing alts!).

Tip 4: Pay Attention to Local

Outside of wormhole space, local is your best indication of when trouble is near. It will tell you if war targets have jumped in system, or if a group of pirates on the prowl just wandered by. Always keep it in its own window, never minimized, and in a highly visible spot on your screen.

Tip 5: Don't Blindly Follow the Map

One of the fastest ways to get inadvertently ganked is to accidentally fly on autopilot through a lowsec system in a hauler. Pay close attention to your autopilot settings, and don't get lazy with the "Shortest Route" options. Also ensure you don't auto accept invitations - if you fly AFK often, set it up to auto-reject so you don't end up in someone's gang by mistake.