All-Star Wrap-Up
How many of you watched the All-Star Game and the Home Run Derby? As I pointed out earlier, I checked occasionally to see who was leading in the Home Run Derby. I did the same with the All-Star Game. Unfortunately, my doubts about the strategy that the National League managers would use came true early. They insist on using their starting pitcher for more than one inning, and what has been a reoccurring theme came true again. Cueto gave up 3 runs in his second inning of work, and the game was over. Unfortunately, the American League will have home field advantage in the World Series again.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers believes Everton will be delighted to see the back of Steven Gerrard. “They are so fast and full of emotion and the quality of the football is outstanding under real intense pressure. “We prepare really well for every game and this is no different. “We focus on the details on the game; whether it is at Anfield or Goodison, they are tough games but we are playing well, arrive into it creating opportunities that we weren’t at the start of the season and we are really excited.” After two 20-minute substitute appearances following his five-month absence with injury striker Daniel Sturridge will be itching to start the derby at Goodison – where he came off the bench to snatch an 89th-minute equaliser in a thrilling 3-3 draw last season – but Rodgers has to decide whether to keep holding him back. “I think every player wants to play, not just Daniel,” he said. “He is coming along very well. It is not that he won’t start, we just need to analyse that over the next couple of days.” With progress in the FA Cup, a significant upturn in their Premier League form and European football to return later this month Rodgers is optimistic they can not only finish in the top four but go even higher as well as winning some silverware. “We just want to win the next game. That is it. If we just continue that momentum I’ll be happy,” he added. “Of course the bigger objective is to win a trophy and finish in the top four. “We have the European competition as well, the FA Cup that we can get to the final of, and we can challenge the top four – and not just fourth, beyond that. “It is important we retain our focus and concentration and continue to work as hard as we are.” He scored his 10th goal in these cross-city encounters from a free-kick and it looked like being the winner until Phil Jagielka’s thunderbolt last-minute equaliser. Rodgers does not expect any emotion or ceremony from the 34-year-old midfielder but believes there will be plenty of rejoicing from the blue half of the city, who have taunted him mercilessly since he made his first appearance against them in April 1999. “I am sure they will be glad to see the back of him,” said the Reds boss. “He has been an incredible player for this club and has played in so many of the derby games and been outstanding in them. “He will want to go into it as he does every game – he wants to win for his club and it will be no different this weekend.” The usual build-up has been held off somewhat by Liverpool’s involvement in their midweek FA Cup fourth round replay but having only just successfully negotiated that – with two goals in the last five minutes to win 2-1 – attention can now turn to Saturday’s main event. “It is very exciting. Normally there is a build-up right the way through the week but we had our focus on the FA Cup tie but as soon as the whistle went at that game our focus was on preparation for Everton. “I’ve been involved in a few of the games over the last two and a half years and they are wonderful games to be involved in. The Reds captain plays in his 33rd and final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park on Saturday before heading off to Los Angeles Galaxy in the summer. With critics writing him off earlier in the season – before he announced his move to Major League Soccer which prompted an outpouring of platitudes – he was instrumental in the 1-1 draw at Anfield in September. Press Association
A few days ago, Bosnian shot putter performed in the outdoor competition in USA. He won second place by throwing a ball 19.70 meters. This was the first outdoor competition for him this season.After only few days, he performed in another outdoors competition and made his personal record. He threw the ball 20.00 meters, which was enough for the 4th place.The first place went to Joe Kovacs, American, current winner of the World Cup that was held in Beijing.The second place went to Nicolas Scarvelis, who threw the ball 20. 61 meters. An interesting connection between Nicholas and Pezer is that two of them competed against each other at the World Junior Championships in Barcelona in 2012. Pezer finished on the second place back then, while Nicholas ended as tenth.Third place went to Braheme Days, who threw the ball 20.21 meters. Braheme is another thrower that Mesud met before. Together, they performed at the World Championship for younger juniors in Lille, 2011. Braheme was more successful than Mesud back then as well. He finished on third place, while Mesud was sixth.“Mesud Pezer threw a ball 20 meters outdoors for the first time and also improved his personal record. It’s nice to see him throwing over 20 meters after his results of 20.22 meters, 20.6 meters and 20.01 meters in hall this winter. Mesud is not throwing the best technically, so we can expect from him much more and a new personal record outdoors. I congratulate him on this result, “said Pezer’s coach, Vesteinn Hafsteinsson, as announced from the Athletic Federation of BiH.(Source: novovrijeme.ba)
An associate of Perez spoke at the meeting and said, “I have actually been to Blue Martini with Willie Perez and on an occasion, I have seen Jeff Green and Ms. Esposito there. They were conducting consensual sexual acts in public.”Esposito had other specific details that would expose Green, according to a complaint.“There are serious criminal allegations. At first, it started out that these were allegations of sexual in the workplace. The latest allegations are of forcible rape. Sexual battery is rape,” said Commissioner Joseph Peduzzi on Monday.Peduzzi recommends a criminal investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to determine the truth.“The allegations here before us are pretty disturbing. The safety of our workplace I think is of upmost important,” Commissioner Christina Lambert said.Before voting, city attorney Kimberly Rothenburg shared complaints made by Esposito’s legal team.“He claimed that his client was terminated from the city as a result of making some whistleblower complaints,” Rothenburg shared. City of West Palm Beach commissioners failed to approve an $180,000 settlement for a former city employee Monday night.The lawsuit against the city alleged inappropriate behavior toward the female employee by a former city administrator.Going against Mayor Keith James’ recommendations, city leaders argued that not only are the allegations one-sided, but a $180,000 settlement isn’t fair to taxpayers.“This should be between the two people that are the bad guys on either side. So give them some consideration of making him pay for it, not us,” one resident shared during public comments.Mayor James advised that if the case goes to trial it will cost a great deal more than the settlement offer.“If this case were to go to trial, it would already be lost,” he said.James says a city employee revealed a “graphic text photo” that implicated the former city administrator Jeff Green who resigned.She indicated that she received the text message from city contractor Willie Perez of Professional Security Consultants (PSC).
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has launched an investigation to see if an ad placed last week to sell a baby for $500 was real or a hoax.The ad said the baby is two weeks old, sleeps and doesn’t make noise at night.It also said the seller would provide clothes and formula, and offered to include the baby’s 4-year-old sister for free.The supposed seller claimed to work for the state’s Department Children and Families.Department officials say they’ve interviewed one suspect who denied involvement.Investigators are now waiting for computer records that could point them in the right direction.No other information is available at this time.
Two people were killed, and three others were injured after a terror attack was carried out on the London Bridge in England on Friday.As of Saturday, UK counterterrorism police are searching for clues into how a man imprisoned for terrorism offenses before his release last year managed to stab several people before being tackled by bystanders and shot dead by officers.The suspect 28-year-old Usman Khan was attending a program that works to educate prisoners when he launched Friday’s attack just yards from the site of a similar terror attack, which occurred in 2017, according to London’s police counterterrorism chief.British police said they were treating the stabbings as a terrorist attack and were not actively looking for other suspects.Click here to learn more.
Floridians might soon be able to more easily buy certain types of fireworks to celebrate holidays such as the Fourth of July and New Year’s.The state’s Senate Rules Committee approved a bill on Wednesday that would legalize the use of exploding fireworks on those holidays.Currently, Floridians are required to sign a document that claims the person is purchasing such items in order to scare birds away from farms and fish hatcheries.Those are the only uses allowed under the current law.“Fireworks law in Florida is one of the craziest laws we have on the books. We literally require you to commit fraud in order to purchase fireworks,” says Republican Senator Jeff Brandes. “You can buy sparklers in Florida, that’s no problem, but you can also buy mortars. All you have to do is sign a piece of paper to say you’re using them to scare birds.”His colleague, Republican Senator Travis Hutson, is sponsoring the bill.According to Hutson, “I believe Floridians should be able to enjoy their holidays and not be confused or discouraged by our fireworks laws.”The bill now heads to the full Senate for a vote.
Experts estimated that the peak would be around 1.5-million claims, but because the coronavirus pandemic has caused businesses and the economy to shut down the number was doubled. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell says we’re in a unique situation with a possibility for a good rebound, but it depends on how quickly we gain control over the spread of COVID-19. The U.S. Labor Department is reporting a record-breaking total of 3.3-million unemployment claims for the week ending March 21. The previous record was below 700,000.