More reasons to vote YES on Proposition A in St. Louis TODAY

April 6, 2010 - VOTE TODAY FOR PROP A! Passage of "Proposition A" is Critical to the Region's Transit System and Economic Growth If you live in St. Louis County, the RCGA strongly urges you to VOTE TODAY for PROPOSITION A, a one-half cent sales tax increase to support local transit. Polls will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.   If passed, the sales tax would generate approximately $75 million each year for operations, maintenance and expansion of MetroLink, MetroBus, and disabled and senior public transportation. If the proposition fails, transit service could be cut by as much as 50%, many workers will be left without access to jobs, and senior and the disabled will lose independence and mobility.    To learn more about how Metro helps workers, students, and other St. Louisans get around the region, click on the picture below.      A strong transit system is necessary for building a vibrant economy and moving the region forward.  Chesterfield Mayor John Nations, who is chairing the campaign for Prop A, understands the critical role that regional transit plays in economic development.  Nations said, "If you can't move people, you can't create or retain jobs.  Metro provides quality public transportation that is essential for building a strong economic environment in our community and enhancing the quality of life of our residents." About St. Louis Transit More than 100,000 individuals board a Metro bus, train or van each day, amounting to nearly 53 million trips a year. Prior to the March 2009 service cuts, 97% of all jobs in St. Louis City and St. Louis County could be reached by riding Metro transit. Transit is vital to training our region's workforce, as 10% of MetroBus and 7% of MetroLink riders are students traveling to school. Metro's on-time performance, vehicle reliability and safety record rank among the best in the nation. Metro transit operates with one of the lowest costs per passenger taxpayers. Prior to the 2009 service reduction, Metro transit experienced an 18% increase in ridership over a 5 year period.

I use public transit every day, and along with thousands of others face the real possibility of not being able to get to my job if Proposition A doesn't pass.  Please take the time to vote YES on Proposition A today. 

Thank you in advance for supporting transit and the economic stability of our region.

Posted via email from Mark Edwards 3.0

Untitled

TODAY is the day to vote YES on Proposition A in St. Louis County. Please help transit users like me and our entire region by voting YES.

via Ping.fm

Posted via web from Mark Edwards 3.0

TODAY IS THE DAY TO VOTE YES FOR PUBLIC TRASIT IN ST. LOUIS

You have been invited by The St. Louis Region to Vote Yes On Proposition A For Public Transit.

The St. Louis Region needs your YES vote on Proposition A on April 6th.  Please read the invitation for all the details.  On behalf of everyone in the area who needs the lifeline of public transit, I thank you for taking the time to vote Tuesday.

VIEW INVITE

If the link doesn't work, please click here.  And please share this with everyone you know who lives in St. Louis County!

Posted via web from Mark Edwards 3.0

Craving: Peepza | FOODBEAST - Because we're hungry.

Yes, Peeps marshmallows on a pizza. Thrown on a completed pizza just minutes before the actual pizza was done cooking for the highest caliber integration of “peeps as a pizza topping” as possible. For some reason, this does not look half bad to me. I’m craving to try a slice! (Thx SeriousEats)

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via foodbeast.com

Uh.....Happy Easter?

Posted via web from Mark Edwards 3.0

Do You Have An iPad? Then You Need The Radio.com App!

If you’re one of the lucky ones to have an iPad or are planning on getting one, there one app you should get now.  Its the RADIO.COM app, and it will make your iPad come alive.

The new Radio.com app for iPad gives you radio you can touch, read and hear.

Radio.com makes it easy to get updates on your favorite artists, follow twitter feeds; watch original videos; listen to podcasts; and see photo slideshows.

Enjoy over 600 stations from CBS RADIO, Aol Radio. and Yahoo! Music.
Built specifically for iPad, Radio.com makes internet radio fun and easy.  Lookup your favorite Music, News or Sports stations by using the interactive map.  Just click on a city and we’ll give you a list of stations to choose from.

Experience Y98 and hundreds of other radio stations in a whole new way. Get to Radio.com today. Look for the Radio dot com app in iTunes iPad app store…it’s free!

38.629399 -90.226923

Posted via email from Mark Edwards 3.0

More Reasons To Vote YES on Proposition A in St. Louis

Some things about the upcoming St. Louis County Proposition A vote from The St. Louis Beacon http://www.stlbeacon.org/content/view/101349/74/

Please plan now on voting YES on Proposition A on Tuesday in St. Louis County.

John Nations: The facts support 'Yes' on Proposition A, the one-half cent sales tax for Metro

By John Nations, Special to the Beacon

Posted 11:30 a.m. Wed., 03.31.10 - An unbiased review of the facts surrounding Proposition A in St. Louis County on April 6 will lead to a fair and obvious conclusion: The public-transit system in the St. Louis region benefits all of us, but cannot continue operations or make improvements without the new, long-term funding source provided by the half-cent sales tax in Prop A. But opponents of Proposition A are desperately attempting to kill public transportation in St. Louis by misrepresenting the issue and misquoting its supporters. Opponents appear to be hoping that you do not find out the truth about Proposition A. John Burns wrote an article in this space a few days ago, which misleads the voters. It's time to cut through the political rhetoric and get to the facts that you need when you go to the polls in St. Louis County on Tuesday, April 6. BURNS: "Only 10,300 St. Louis County residents use mass transit." FACT: Burns's numbers come from an old census questionnaire and not from the actual Metro verifiable ridership figures. Which would you rather rely on? The numbers for 2006-2007, before the service reductions last year, showed 15.6 million boardings of Metro vehicles a year in St. Louis County. Further, Burns' numbers do not count the thousands of daily riders in St. Louis County who are not county residents but who rely on public transportation to get to their employment in the county. Nor does the include the thousands of students, disabled, and elderly. We will not have successful businesses in St. Louis County if we do not allow people from outside the county to get to their jobs. BURNS: "Metro has ... repeatedly asked for tax increases." FACT: Metro has been in operation for 60 years and has had only two small sales taxes in St. Louis County during that entire time, during which there has been tremendous change in the St. Louis region. The last increase was in 1994 -- 16 years ago -- and the only other tax levied to support public transportation was in 1974. Since then, federal funding for operations was eliminated and in the last four years, the cost of fuel has quadrupled. The St. Louis County Council voted to put Prop A on the ballot in April because so many citizens were distressed by service reductions after the defeat of the sales tax in 2008. Read more from beacon How much will Prop A for Metro cost county residents? TRANSITion: Who rides Metro? Low-income workers need Metro to get to their job TRANSITion: Without state or federal help, Metro depends on sales taxes to pay for operations TRANSITion: From horses to high speed, the history of the region's mass transit TRANSITion: Metro explains what Prop A's half-cent sales tax would buy BURNS: "Metro made the disastrous decision not to apply for federal funding" for Cross County MetroLink expansion. FACT: Metro did not, and in fact could not, make that decision. That authority legally resides with the East-West Gateway Council of Governments (EWGCG), the region's planning agency. Also note that EWGCG, the St. Louis County Council and the Metro Board have all agreed to pursue only future expansions that are supported by federal funds. BURNS: "The plan doesn't contain simple information such as where a new light-rail route will be built and by what date." FACT: After more than 30 regional public meetings, Metro has produced a long range plan which has been adopted unanimously by both the Metro Board and by East-West Gateway. The plan's priorities are (1) restore service cuts implemented in 2009, (2) expand the bus system and improve service throughout St. Louis County with expanded Metro Bus, Call-A-Ride for the elderly and disabled, and new Bus Rapid Transit, and (3) plan for future light rail expansion, which will only happen if economically feasible and with continued extensive public participation. Metro is not empowered to decide where a future light rail would be; that decision belongs to East-West Gateway. BURNS: Metro "hasn't proven to voters that it can successfully manage itself." FACT: More than 20 independent reviews and audits over the last two years have given Metro's new management team a clean bill of health. In fact, Metro has won awards for excellence in financial reporting, budget practices and risk management. The region's political leadership and more than 250 endorsements confirm that there is a "New Metro" which has definitely earned the public's trust and support. BURNS: "Metro doesn't allow the public to look at its books." FACT: Metro is a public agency and its financial statements, audits, budgets and nearly every other document it has are open to public inspection -- many of them online -- and are discussed in public meetings by the Board of Commissioners. Visit MetroStLouis.org and click on the "Inside Metro" tab. BURNS: "With all of this oversight, why are they $50 million in the red?" FACT: Oversight does not create revenue. Only revenue from fares, which Metro has increased four out of the last five years, is keeping pace with inflation. Federal funds for operating systems like Metro ended in 1999, leaving (in today's dollars) a $30 million annual gap. Many regions filled that gap with state and/or local support; ours did not. Missouri contributes about 1 percent of operating funds while the national average from states is about 23 percent. Revenue from regional sources has been flat or declining. Those are the reasons Metro needs more revenue. Opponents want you to believe that the funding situation began with the latest light rail extension, but the truth is that Metro has been talking about this for more than a decade. BURNS: "Metro has demonstrated it doesn't care about its employees or the poor." FACT: Metro's employees and the poor, who are among the highest number of Metro riders, are among the biggest supporters of Prop A. They all know how essential public transit is to them and to the region as a whole. Metro took many steps to avoid layoffs or service reductions, but it can only go so far when costs increase and revenues decrease. All one has to do is look at the many groups who are supporting this issue to realize how shameful Burns' political tactics are. Those are the facts and they're readily available to anyone interested in the truth. And they clearly support a "yes" vote on Proposition A. John Nations is mayor of Chesterfield, chairman of the Advance St. Louis campaign supporting passage of Proposition A, and a long-time advocate on employment and transportation matters in the St. Louis region. To reach him, contact Beacon features and commentary editor Donna Korando.

Posted via web from Mark Edwards 3.0

Please Join Me In Voting Yes To Restore Public Transit In St. Louis

You have been invited by The St. Louis Region to Vote Yes On Proposition A For Public Transit.

The St. Louis Region needs your YES vote on Proposition A on April 6th.  Please read the invitation for all the details.  On behalf of everyone in the area who needs the lifeline of public transit, I thank you for taking the time to vote Tuesday.

VIEW INVITE

If the link doesn't work, please click here.  And please share this with everyone you know who lives in St. Louis County!

Posted via email from Mark Edwards 3.0

MMMMMM Free Dunkin' Donuts Coffee

 

I am not being compensated in any way for sharing this information.  Really.

Posted via web from Mark Edwards 3.0

Can St. Louis compete? Finding a niche - STLtoday.com

Part two of the series on the potential problems St. Louis has in attracting and keeping jobs.

Can St. Louis compete? Finding a niche - STLtoday.com

Can St. Louis Compete? A Truly Depressing Series From The Post-Dispatch

Despite the tone of some of my posts, I do not hate St. Louis.  I actually LOVE the region and raising my children here.  However, I've seen the area decline in so many ways that it pains me to think about what will become of the region if something doesn't change, and soon.  That's why I think making transit a priority is important.  That's why I think funding our schools is important.  And that's why I share this story from the March 28th St. Louis Post-Dispatch

 The sign posted on the side of the former Chrysler plant in Fenton boasts 5 million square feet for sale.

Can St. Louis compete?

By Tim Logan

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

Sunday, Mar. 28 2010

> First of a three-part series

For a long time, St. Louis has been falling behind.

You know the story. The long, slow drift from grand Gateway to the West to the
faded outpost of flyover country. The shuttered factories and the departed
corporate headquarters. The bleeding away of the best and the brightest.

It's almost a cliché.

But it is true. And it is real. And it is threatening to get worse.

As we turn the corner out of the Great Recession and into whatever new economy
comes next, our region is struggling to keep up. Our population is growing
slowly. Our work force is aging rapidly. And we have a hard time cultivating
the sort of innovators, entrepreneurs and bright minds who will build the
economy of the future.

These challenges are not new. But facing them is more important than ever if
our region hopes to grow in the years to come.

For we are no longer just competing with Memphis or Milwaukee for jobs and
economic relevance. We are competing with Rio and Bangalore and Guangzhou. And
to compete, we need a world-class work force, the sort of people who can make
sure that the ideas that drive the new global economy are conceived and carried
out here, not halfway across the world.

"People with just a high school degree aren't going to cut it anymore," said
Richard Longworth, a fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and author
of a book on the Midwest in the global economy. "Those jobs are gone."

TALENT DEFICIENCIES

When it comes to the size and skill of our work force, St. Louis is slipping on
several fronts:

— If current trends hold, our working-age population will soon begin to shrink,
and will decline by 85,000 between 2018 and 2028, leaving 5 percent fewer St.
Louisans to power area companies and compete with faster-growing cities.

— Our high school dropout rate is among the highest in the nation. One in eight
students region-wide drops out at some point in high school, according to data
compiled by the East-West Gateway Council of Governments.

— Although the region is adding college graduates, it is doing so at a slower
pace than many other places, especially among young adults who are deciding
where to launch a career. One-third of St. Louisans age 25 to 34 have at least
a bachelor's degree, compared with 48 percent in Washington and 53 percent in
Boston.

These trends have direct, measurable costs, said Joe Cortright, a Portland,
Ore.-based economist who studies work force and regional economies. Such trends
slow growth. They dampen productivity. And they can deter big companies from
locating in St. Louis and small ones from growing here.

"Employers are increasingly putting emphasis on their ability to find and
attract talented employees," Cortright said. "They tend to grow more in places
where those people are easier to find."

He even puts a number on it, a figure he calls a "talent dividend."

Research, said Cortright, shows a clear link between a region's rate of college
graduates and its economic health. Boosting the percentage of St. Louisans with
bachelor's degrees by 1 percentage point would generate an additional $2.1
billion a year in economic activity. That's $746 per person.

DEAL FALLS THROUGH

Richard Fleming cast the problem in another light: in terms of jobs that didn't
come here.

As president of the Regional Chamber and Growth Association, Fleming spent a
year just before the recession trying to woo a major employer to open a data
center. Fleming wouldn't name the firm, but said it was "a Fortune 50" company
that wanted to hire 1,500 people at good wages. Forty cities wanted the
facility, and the company narrowed it down to two finalists — St. Louis and
Raleigh, N.C.

The firm's consultants recommended St. Louis, Fleming said. But the company was
worried about the region's slow growth, concerned that it couldn't get the
workers here it would need over the years to come.

"Perception became reality," Fleming said. "And we lost the deal."

Whether real or perceived, the importance of talent is hardly a new idea.
Cities have been trying to cultivate it for a long time.

But that effort has taken on a new urgency in a global economy where anything
that can be done more cheaply somewhere else probably will be. Economic growth,
the thinking goes, lies in doing what no one else can. And that takes brains.

Compounding the urgency for St. Louis is the long, grinding recession, which
has wiped out nearly 60,000 jobs here in the past two years, including those of
many highly skilled professionals at companies such as Anheuser-Busch InBev,
Macy's and KV Pharmaceutical. Those are 60,000 people who could leave the
region for greener pastures, and take their skills with them.

So far, there has been little of that kind of movement — the recession is
hitting hard just about everywhere. But as the recovery takes hold, many
experts expect that to change; high-skilled workers will flow to the places
with good jobs.

RETENTION WORK

Keeping skilled workers from flowing out of St. Louis is a full-time job for
Blair Forlaw.

She oversees talent development programs for the RCGA, which, Fleming said, has
stepped up its focus in those areas since losing that data center. Forlaw leads
an effort to help laid-off information technology workers find new jobs in St.
Louis. And after Pfizer, a major pharmaceutical company, said last fall that it
will cut nearly 700 jobs in Chesterfield, she is helping to launch a similar
effort to keep science workers here.

With Pfizer's cuts, there will be roughly 2,200 scientists and skilled
technical workers who have been idled in St. Louis since the start of 2009,
Forlaw said. If the region hopes to keep growing its biotech and medical
industries, keeping them in town is essential.

"These folks who are being let go, they have not only skills but experience,"
she said. "We don't want to be in a position of having lost them, and then
trying to bring in companies that need that kind of talent."

The science-worker program is just starting, and it got an early boost from an
unrelated decision by St. Louis University to hire 12 former Pfizer employees
for a new health research center. But the RCGA program will focus mainly on
connecting the jobless with companies, or startups in need of talent, and on
helping people shift into new science-related industries. Anything to put them
to work here.

"This is all about the economic strength and vitality of the region," Forlaw
said.

And these high-skilled workers will generate more than just high-end jobs.
Their ideas will provide a range of opportunity for others, said Roderick Nunn,
vice chancellor for work force development at St. Louis Community College.

"Look at Austin, Seattle, the Research Triangle. You see a cluster of highly
trained professionals, and a lot of other jobs being created," Nunn said. "For
every scientist, you've got to have lab techs. For every surgeon, there are
nurses and aides."

SEEDS FOR SUCCESS

These sorts of workers are the people most likely to launch innovative
startups, or use their talent to help small firms grow. This, too, generates
jobs.

Startups may not make as big a splash as luring a corporate headquarters or an
auto plant, but there is far less competition to attract them, said Longworth,
of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. And once established in St. Louis,
startups are more likely to plant deep roots.

"We're not talking about landing a Fortune 500 company," he said. "We're
talking about launching 500 little companies and hoping some of them grow."

That has been the recipe for some of the region's most-touted success stories,
such as World Wide Technology, a supply-chain management firm that has grown in
20 years from startup to $2.2 billion in revenue; or Express Scripts, which has
become one of the largest pharmacy-benefit management companies in the U.S. But
all sorts of cities are trying to attract the kind of people behind companies
such as those. And there are only so many to go around.

Many regions, including St. Louis, have poured millions of dollars into
amenities — from parks to loft apartments to event centers — designed to
attract footloose young talent. Results have been decidedly mixed, and skeptics
abound.

What really draws talent, Longworth argues, is opportunity. Smart people want
to use their brains and will go where their talents can be rewarded. No amount
of amenities will change that.

"It takes more than bicycle paths and coffee shops," he said. "You need jobs."

Message To St. Louis-Vote Yes On Proposition A on April 6th

I know people everywhere read my rantings, but this is a special message to the readers in the St. Louis area.

I use mass transit in St. Louis.  I have to because I'm visually handicapped and can't drive.  In my almost nine years here, I've seen Metro service shredded due to the ignorance of County government and lack of awareness by voters.  I've seen my commute times triple, and I've had long periods where I simply could not get to my job because of a lack of public transit.
The transit election on April 6 is vital, not only to me, but to the entire St. Louis region. I am sending you this web site, www.moremetrolink.com that discusses why we need to restore cuts in Metro service as well as expand the Metro system for future growth of the St. Louis area.  If you don't have time to look at the entire site, PLEASE take less than a minute to read this one page.
             
I hope you join me in voting Yes on Proposition A for continued Metro growth!  Want to learn more about why this is so important to me and our region?  Just drop me a note. Thank you for helping make a difference for thousands of St. Louis County residents and our region.

Posted via web from The Mark Edwards Lifestream

No Cubs Fan Should Be Without This-From marke.mlblogs.com

Words fail me as to how cool I think this is.  The fine people at Scott's Lawn Care have come out with Wrigley Field grass seed and fertilizer!  Who wouldn't want the same grass as at the Friendly Confines on their own "home turf"?????

Sadly, I don't think I'll be able to get this fine product in St. Louis, but you can get it in Chicagoland.  If you want to find out more about these amazing items, just click here.

And NO, I'm not getting anything for writing about this.  I just think its THAT cool.

via marke.mlblogs.com

Posted via web from Mark Edwards 3.0

SPRING HAS SPRUNG!

Download now or preview on posterous

wrigley seed..0001.pdf (560 KB)

There is no doubt in my mind that Spring has sprung, and I commend the good people at Ace Hardware and Scotts for making the item in the upper left hand corner available to deserving Americans.

Sadly, for some reason, I can't find that item in St. Louis.

Posted via email from Mark Edwards 3.0

My Body Is Not A Wonderland

Its always great when John Mayer comes to St. Louis, as he's been an artist I've had the pleasure of being associated with ever since my first stint here at the late River.  He's an incredibly talented musician, very funny, and has always been very kind to me and the radio stations I've worked for.

He put on a truly amazing show Saturday night, and we had a chance to catch up backstage before the concert. My station also made two girls' night by upgrading them to the front row and giving them the chance to meet John.  You can see photos of the winners and their experience at Y98.com.  Its always a real thrill for us in radio to give listeners experiences like these ladies had, and I'm sure its something they won't soon forget. 

Posted via email from Mark Edwards 3.0

This is why you're fat. - The Bacon Mug A giant mug made out of bacon...

via thisiswhyyourefat.com

This would be the perfect weekend feast!

Posted via web from Mark Edwards 3.0

Glenn Beck Is After Me!

I'm Movin' On Up In The Cubs Season Ticket Line!

Thank you for checking your place on the Cubs Season Ticket Wait List.
 
Your current place on the Wait List is 25467.
 
To check your place on the Cubs Wait List at any time, or for more information, go to cubs.com/waitlist.

Posted via email from Mark Edwards 3.0

Funny Or Die's Presidential Reunion

Comedy with a message, directed by Ron Howard. As Tom Hanks once said, "That Opie Cunningham can sure cut some film".

Funny or Die's Presidential Reunion from Will Ferrell

The Assault On Anywhen via Chris Brogan

I enjoy reading the posts and thoughts of Chris Brogan.  He's a smart guy.  He's the kind of guy who shares openly.  He's taught me a lot.  Today, I got the following post from Chris, and I have to tell you that it really hit home with me.  Its what I've wanted to say to a number of people for some time now.  Spending the last four days dealing with a miserable Blackberry experience that has taken up far too much of my time, the rigors of work, and trying to find time for my family, I feel the same way Chris does. 

Thanks to Chris Brogan for articulating what so many of us feel.  And thanks for allowing me to share this with my network.  Hopefully we cal ALL learn from Chris this time.  You can find the original post at:http://www.chrisbrogan.com/the-assault-on-anywhen/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+chrisbrogandotcom+%28[chrisbrogan.com]%29#

I’m frustrated. I just spent about 20 hours without connection to the web. No email. No Twitter. No blog comments. No nothing. The technical reason was that my flight was seriously delayed, then held in the air, and then when I got to the UK (where I write this), I learned that neither of my phones is GSM-enabled, so I’m without communications technology.

But none of that is why I’m frustrated.

I have SEVERAL emails from people complaining that they didn’t hear back from me. In most of them, it was within 24 hours of the original mail. In other times, I hadn’t been in touch and it was okay that they nudge me. But the ones from within 24 hours. Seriously?

This Has to Stop

None of us are performing surgery (unless you are). You’re not calling me for the antidote to a poison. We MUST police ourselves about our sense of urgency. What happens, and I can be guilty, is that when WE need something, we push for it, not really taking into consideration the other side of the equation. So instead of just ticking something off our list, we come off as insistent and insensitive to other people’s situations.

How I Am Going to React

I’m saying no. I’m going to say no to a BOATLOAD of things I’ve originally said yes to, simply because I’m very frustrated. I can appreciate your need to get things done. I can appreciate your wanting to include me. But I can’t be held to a 24 hour clock.

We’re Ruining Anywhen

Anywhen: the problem the Internet solved. I’m blogging this at 4:38AM eastern time. It’s 9:38AM UK time. You can read this anyWHEN. See the beauty of it?

(AnyWHERE is what telephones solve. Get it?)

But when we have everyone held to urgency and time locks, we’ve ruined Anywhen. And I am a citizen of that world. I am an Internet person who is being pushed to constrained time, and I think I’m done.

(Mind you, I’m severely jet-lagged, had a really really bad day of travel, and haven’t had access to the net for a while, so I’m also a bit over-reactive.)

But please, can we please lose our addiction to urgency? Because I’m in a serious mood to defend AnyWHEN vigorously.

Posted via web from Mark Edwards 3.0

Cubs set out on mission of redemption | cubs.com: News

MESA, Ariz. -- Lou Piniella has a good idea about who his leadoff man will be, and his closer is set in Carlos Marmol. The main issue this spring for the Cubs will be sorting out the rest of the pitching staff, and that begins in earnest on Thursday, when pitchers and catchers have their first workout at 11:05 a.m. CT/10:05 a.m. MT.

"We've done some really nice things over the winter," Piniella said Wednesday. "We didn't need a major overhaul -- all we needed was some fine tuning. That's exactly what Jim [Hendry, general manager] did here. We've got some work to do with our pitching. That's an area we're going to have to work hard here in Spring Training."

Injuries slowed the Cubs last season, and they will start practice on Thursday with two players already sidelined. Angel Guzman has a torn meniscus in his right knee, injured when he was working out in Venezuela, and he underwent arthroscopic surgery two weeks ago in Arizona. Guzman, who could fill the job of right-handed setup man if Hendry can't find anyone else, is expected to be ready by Opening Day.

Jeff Gray, acquired from the Oakland Athletics, has a moderate groin strain and will be held out of drills at the start. He'll be a couple of weeks behind the others.

The only other pitcher who won't be able to throw on Thursday is starter Ted Lilly, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder in early November. Lilly could be ready by mid-April, but in the meantime, the Cubs will be auditioning starter candidates to sub for the lefty as well as fill the fifth spot. The contenders include Carlos Silva, Jeff Samardzija, Sean Marshall and Tom Gorzelanny.

"We've got enough people to look at," Piniella said.

Plenty of players have gotten a head start on camp by reporting early to Fitch Park. Both Piniella and Hendry felt the players were motivated by last year's disappointing second-place finish in the National League Central.

"We had a real good feeling about the group," Hendry said. "They had a little edge to them. They came to the [Cubs] Convention [in January] looking like they wanted to get started already."

"That's possible," Lilly said. "Failure is a major motivator. In my opinion, us not getting to the playoffs is considered failing. We have a lot of talent, and we expect that from ourselves. Success tastes really good, and you want to continue to be a part of that. Our club, and with the guys we have and the guys who have been around, is just going to get hungrier."

The first full-squad workout is not until Monday, but several position players are already in camp, and new hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo will be in the cages early with them.

Piniella has his message ready for the club.

"The message is, let's get back on top," Piniella said. "The message is we finished second in this division last year with a lot of things that went wrong for us. The message is let's work hard, get ready for a championship season, and let's add another 10-12 wins to our total last year and give ourselves a chance in the postseason."

This could be Piniella's last chance at getting to the playoffs. He's in the last year of his contract.

"I've got enough confidence in my ability to do the job," Piniella said. "I'm going to go out and try to win as many games as we possibly can. We have a new ownership group here, they're excited about owning the Cubs, they want to win, they're competitive and that's what we want to do for them. My situation, we can worry about that at the end of the year."

This is his 23rd season managing, and Piniella said he does not want his status to be a distraction.

"Nothing's changed," Piniella said. "I've never really wanted to talk about my situation. My disposition as a manager is to stay in the background and let the players stay in the forefront. They're the ones the people come out to the ballpark to see play, and they're the ones who win and lose baseball games for you."

Jaramillo is the only change on the Cubs' coaching staff, although Piniella has tweaked the assignments for two others. Ivan DeJesus will now be the first-base coach while Matt Sinatro will handle the catchers and work with pitching coach Larry Rothschild on scouting reports.

"I think it's a change that will prove to be beneficial for this team," Piniella said.

The other new, but very familiar, face in camp will be Greg Maddux, who has been added as a special assistant to Hendry.

"We'll have Greg do a lot of everything," Hendry said of the four-time Cy Young winner, who won his first with the Cubs in 1992.

Maddux will work with Rothschild and Minor League pitching coordinator Mark Riggins as well as go to games with Hendry and assistant general manager Randy Bush to learn how to evaluate players.

"We'll try to give him a little bit of everything in the first year," Hendry said. "We'd be foolish to think he couldn't help the players on the field."

"All the young pitching talent we have, he'll be invaluable," Piniella said.

Once the Super Bowl ended, Piniella said his focus shifted full-time to baseball. He was ready to get going, too.

"I look forward to this," he said. "There's a challenge to get back on top. I look forward to working with the players and getting the job done. As you get older, Spring Training is basically a fun time. You need to work hard and get ready for a championship season, but you can have fun here and relax a little, too.

"As you get older, you enjoy it more, because you know your time is getting shorter."

via chicago.cubs.mlb.com

Right after the end of last season, I coined the term "2010 Cubs Season Of Redemption". What do I find on the Official Cubs Website today? The fabulous Carrie Muskat has PIRATED my phrase! This is plagiarism, I say, and I've been wronged by Major League Baseball.

I DEMAND COMPENSATION. Where's my invitation to throw out a first pitch? Where's the request to sing "Take Me Out To The Ballgame"? Where's the JUSTICE?

Dear MLB: You CUT me and I keep on bleeding...

Posted via web from Mark Edwards 3.0

St. Louis Needs Mass Transit

Please plan NOW on voting YES on Proposition A in St. Louis County on April 6th.  As a user of mass transit, I thank you.

Posted via email from Mark Edwards 3.0

5 Ways To Avoid A Valentine’s Day Massacre! - Dad-O-Matic

It is Valentine%u2019s Day!  Time for everyone to get their heart on!  For us Dads it is one of those days (like birthdays, anniversaries, the day you and your significant other met, etc.) that is best not forgotten.  There are many ways to recognize the day and reveal your romantic side, and like most things in life, the best ways to show your love and appreciation and look more Cupid than stupid is to keep things simple and sincere.  With that in mind, here are%u2026

5 Ways To Avoid A Valentine%u2019s Day Massacre:

1. Flowers %u2013 Yes, a rose by any other name is still a rose, but giving a flower by any other name on Valentine%u2019s Day ain%u2019t gonna cut it.  Of course a dozen (or two) is best, but even a single long stem, elegantly and lovingly presented, goes a long way.  While roses come in a literal rainbow of colors these days, this is the one occasion when RED is a must.  Any roses are better than no roses, and in order of preference you can get your roses a) delivered, at a surprise location, by a florist, b) at your local supermarket, c) at a roadside stand, or d) cut, secretly, from the bush in your neighbor%u2019s yard.

2. Phone %u2013 If by some chance you are not with your Sweet Valentine today, make sure you call her before she calls you (and if you haven%u2019t already, stop reading this and do it now!). Make the call all about her, and how much you appreciate having her in your iife, etc. etc. etc.  This is the one day when you can%u2019t get too sappy, Even if you are with your Valentine today, use the phone to reach out and touch the other women in your life.  Valentine%u2019s Day is a great day to call moms, mothers-in-laws, sisters, daughters away from home, and tell them you love and appreciate them.

3. Food %u2013 It is no surprise that little cherub Cupid is on the pudgy side. From chocolates to breakfast in bed to dinner at a favorite restaurant, food is a wonderful way to nourish the heart on Valentine%u2019s Day. For many guys, our preferred thing to make for dinner is a reservation, but as Digital Dad CC Chapman recommends, Valentine%u2019s Day is also a great day to don the apron and actually cook for your better half.

4. Words %u2013 Cards are great, and they come in all shapes and sizes and now they even talk and play music, but don%u2019t leave it to Hallmark to make a real impression on your Valentine.  Whether you are a Shakespeare or not, today is the day to put a few sentiments in your own words.  If you are adventurous, write a poem (Haiku is easy and elegant).  There is no such thing as bad original poetry, especially on Valentine%u2019s Day.  Give it a shot, and whatever you choose to do, make sure your words are hand written!  Do not type and print them!

5. The other 364 Days of the year %u2013 And of course, the BEST way to avoid a Valentine%u2019s Day massacre is to not let today be the only day of the year you behave this way!  Flowers, sweet phone calls, food and words are ways you can be expressing your love and appreciation all year long.   Sprinkle them unexpectedly into your routine to keep your Valentine smiling all year round.  Do that, and every day can be Valentine%u2019s Day!

If you have some additional tips. please add them in the comments.  In any event, Happy Valentine%u2019s Day!

Jeff Sass is the proud dad of ZEO (Zach, 21, Ethan, 19 and Olivia, 18).  He is also a seasoned entertainment and technology exec and active social media enthusiast.  You can see more of Jeff%u2019s writing at Sassholes! and Social Networking Rehab.

Photo Credit: � AlienCat %u2013 Fotolia.com

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via dadomatic.com

Posted via web from Mark Edwards 3.0

This is why you're fat. - Bacon Cheese Turtleburgers

via thisiswhyyourefat.com

Bacon Cheese Turtleburgers

Ground beef pattie topped with sharp cheddar cheese, wrapped in a bacon weave shell with hot dog head, legs and tail.

Posted via web from Mark Edwards 3.0

I LOVE TRANSIT

An important message for the people of St. Louis County, where the future of the area's mass transit system will be decided in a vote on April 6. Please plan now to vote YES on Proposition A to keep mass transit running in Sr. Louis.

As a mass transit user, I personally thank you.

Is Tiger Feeling Lucky Today?

THIS is the one ad that should have been in the Super Bowl.

A WHOLE NEW MEANING OF NTR-Custom Ringtone | The Steve Dahl Show

via dahl.com

Yes, that's right. Former Chicago ratings King Steve Dahl has gone to the Interwebz to do a daily podcast, and now he's added what we in radio call NTR, Non Traditional Revenue. The Stever will record a ringtone just for you for only 10 bucks, 15 if you want him to work "blue".

Its a whole new world.

Posted via web from Mark Edwards 3.0

Hamm & Buble

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