The Czech Republic

He must be from Connecticut which is apparently in like a New York/New England identity crisis for picking sports teams. Just look at ESPN

I hope Vick starts endorsing Valtrex now. Have him run for a first down, run to the sideline, take off his helmet and say "Hi, I'm Michael Vick of the Atlanta Falcons. And I don't let an outbreak stop me from breaking out!"

Well when you're not a homer, pitchers try to start fights with you on airplanes, and your manager lobbies for you to lose your job.

Dusty must really like him and give him unwarranted playing time as a result. See also: Mark Grudzielanek

I JUST SAID IT WASN'T A FREAK OUT NOW I AM FREAKING OUT

Creole From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. For the languages, see Creole language The term Creole is used with different meanings in different contexts, which can generate confusion. Generally it refers to a people or a culture that is distinctive or local to a region, but with various additional shades of meaning. Contents [showhide] 1 Latin American Creole 2 "Filipino" Creoles 3 New Orleans and Louisiana Creole 4 Alaska Creole 5 Portuguese Creole 6 Caribbean creole 7 References [edit] Latin American Creole In most of Latin America Creole (Spanish, criollo, Portuguese, crioulo) generally refers to people of unmixed Spanish or Portuguese descent born in the New World. In Brazil, though, the word is a pejorative slang for a black individual. Throughout the colonial history of Latin America, the Spanish caste system made distinction between criollos and the higher-ranking and governing peninsulares, despite both being of pure Spanish ancestry — the only distinction being that the latter were born on the Iberian Peninsula, hence the name. This formed a discontented criollo underclass that, together with the support of the other decreasing-in-rank underclasses — mestizo, mulatto, amerindian, zambo and ultimately black slaves — impelled the Mexican War of Independence (1810–1821) and the South American Wars of Independence (1810–1825) against Spain, culminating in the establishment of republics throughout the former Spanish Empire. In Brazil, a very different process occurred, independence largely being granted without war, and the relationship between unmixed Portuguese and mestiços kept peaceful. Unlike in Spanish America, a Brazilian monarchy directly connected to the Portuguese monarchy was established. Those unmixed Portuguese born in Portugal living in Brazil were deemed Galegos (in refference to the northern Portuguese origin of most, but also used on those born in south Portugal). [edit] "Filipino" Creoles During the colonial era of the Philippines, the term "Filipino" served the same purpose as the term "Criollo" in Latin America, though there it implied the birth of the unmixed Spaniard was in the Philippines. "Insular" had a synonymous meaning with "Filipino", and also implied the birth of a Spaniard on the islands. Those Spaniards that were born in Europe were still denominated "Peninsulares". The term "Filipino" was drastically changed during the Philippine Revolution when it was taken by nationalistic natives from the governing Spanish and Spanish-mestizo minority, and was transformed into a national designation to include the native majority as well. Today, "Filipino" stands for the exact opposite of its colonial meaning, and is now used in reference for the population majority, the unmixed native Malays of the archipelago, while ironically it now somewhat excludes the 1% mixed Spanish-descended minority (Spanish-mestizos) who are seen, and often regard themselves, as foreigners. The population of Spanish-mestizos (native Malay and Spanish or Mexican) in the Philippines has never accounted for more than 1% of the demographics of the Philippines. Meanwhile, numbers of creoles have always accounted for even fewer than the Spanish-mestizos, and today number only 17,000 (0.02%) amid a population of native Filipinos not far from 90 million. [edit] New Orleans and Louisiana Creole In this context the word refers to people of any race or mixture thereof who are descended from settlers in Louisiana before it became part of the USA in 1803 with the Louisiana Purchase, or to the culture and cuisine typical of these people. Some writers from other parts of the USA have mistakenly assumed the term to refer only to people of mixed racial descent, but this is not the traditional Louisiana usage. In fact some locals, especially those of pure Spanish and French Creole descent, have often argued that the traditional usage excluded African lineage. However, Colonial era documents show that a broader usage of the term was already common by the late 18th century, with references to "free Creoles of Color" and even to slaves of pure African descent born in Louisiana as "Creole slaves". It is now accepted that Creole is a broad cultural group of people of all races who share a French or Spanish background. Louisianans who identify themselves as "Creole" are most commonly from historically Francophone communities with some ancestors who came to Louisiana either directly from France or via the French colonies in the Caribbean; those decended from the Acadians of French Canada are more likely to identify themselves as Cajun than Creole. [edit] Alaska Creole People of mixed Native American (esp. Alaskan) and European (esp. Russian) ancestry. The intermingling of promyshleniki men and Aleut women in the late 18th century gave rise to a people who assumed a prominent position in the economy of fur trading in the northern Pacific. [edit] Portuguese Creole People of mixed Portuguese and native ancestry that Portuguese had contact since the 15th century, and who spoke a Portuguese Creole language. Mixed Portuguese and African ancestry. Guinea-Bissau Creole (Crioulo) Ziguinchor Creole (Fijus di Terra, Fijus di Fidalgu, Portuguis) Capeverdian Creole (Crioulo) São Tomean Creole (Crioulo, Forro) Mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry. Chinese Creole (Filhos di Macau, Macanese) Malay Creole (Portuguese-Malay, Gente Kristang) Indian Creole (Portuguese-Indian) Sri Lanka Creole (Portuguese Bhurger) People of mixed Portuguese and Native ancestry that the Portuguese had contact with since the 15th century but who didn't speak a Portuguese creole are known as mulatos, mestiços, caboclos and pardos. Angolan mulato or mestiço Mozambican mulato or mestiço Brazilian mulato, mestiço, caboclo or pardo See also: Portuguese Creole [edit] Caribbean creole In the Caribbean region the term creole is used to describe anyone, regardless of race or ethnicity, that was born and raised in the region. It also refers to the syncretism of the various cultures (African, French, British and Spanish among others) which influenced the area. This is also referred to as the creolization of society "due to its ability to suggest some of the complex sociocultural issues also involved in the process".(Manuel,p14) Linguistically speaking,it denotes the evolution of the blending of two or more languages to form a distinct new language that becomes the primary language of future generations. thx Wikipedia

This is true. It refers to one of the mixed ancestries of the Caribbean. I can never keep mulatto, mestizo, and creole straight. But Creole is the Frenchest of the three.

My blood isn't boiling, it was just funny.

At least this should dispel the "Vick is gay" rumors. For now

Yeah, the Mariners acquired Bret Boone and Ichiro Suzuki, and the Rangers managed to pull together a decent bullpen. It's no secret that Rodriguez performs voodoo curses in order to doom his own team's bullpens. Damn straight he does. Latino my ass. The dude's from Haiti or Creole. He's just got lighter skin. Creole is a language, not a place, you dumbshit.

Larry Bowa can't be worse than John Kruk. Guy's the pits.

Big difference from last year, when it seemed like there was nobody in the lineup who wasn't hitting home runs. But yeah that is a cause of worry, because their rotation doesn't seem like it's leaps and bounds ahead of last year's.

Jim Paxson is getting fired, and Mitch Kupchak keeps his job.

Huh huh. It said "Prince Albert."

No it isn't. They taste completely different.

Prince Rainier III of Monaco, Europe's longest-reigning monarch, died today at the age of 81 in a hospital overlooking the tiny state he turned into a billionaires' paradise. In a statement, his palace said he had been suffering heart, lung and kidney disorders. He died at 6.35am (0535 BST) with his son and heir, 47-year-old Prince Albert, at his side. Prince Rainier, who had ruled Monaco since 1949, brought Hollywood glamour to the world's second smallest state when he married the actress Grace Kelly and transformed the principality from a faded gambling centre into a playground for the rich. Flags in Monaco were today already at half-mast in honour of Pope John Paul II, and the mood was sombre. "Everyone here feels orphaned," Patrick Leclercq, Monaco's minister of state, said in a statement broadcast on French television. The prince is expected to be buried next to his wife, who died after a car crash in 1982, following at least a week of mourning in the principality. When Prince Rainier succeeded his grandfather Prince Louis II, Monaco was best known for the casino on which its prosperity had been founded in the 19th century. As Europe's last constitutional autocrat, the prince led Monaco into an age of skyscrapers, international banking and business. By the 90s, gambling accounted for less than 5% of its annual income, with the bulk of revenue coming from value added tax, tourism, commerce and industry. Billionaires and millionaires - drawn by the absence of income tax and the protection offered by the presence of policemen and security cameras on almost every street - poured in. Prince Rainier also strengthened the sovereignty of Monaco and its territorial waters and air space were recognised as it won a UN seat. However, he never remarried and cut a lonely figure in later life as the media focused on his children's problems as well as claims Monaco had become a mafia refuge for dirty money. His daughters, Stephanie and Caroline, have had a succession of disastrous, high-profile relationships. Prince Albert, who will assume the throne, was for decades the understudy groomed to reign over the principality that has been run by his family for seven centuries. He is a shy man, often seen as a reluctant heir, with his only true passion being for sport. He has remained unmarried and childless, causing such concern that the constitution was revised in 2002 to ensure that the Grimaldi dynasty, established in 1297, could be perpetuated. According to Article 10, the next in line would be Princess Caroline, who is 48 and the oldest of Albert's two sisters. She, in turn, would be succeeded by her oldest son, Andrea Albert Pierre, who is 20. Prince Albert took over royal powers - but not the throne - from his father last Thursday following a royal commission decision that the critically ill Prince Rainier could no longer rule. http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/st...1453230,00.html

Well he probably wants high-quality treatment in a prompt fashion, so the States it will be.

"Consider this thread, my webiste" is how the phrase goes.

Nothin' I love more than annotated threads.

If you try to use any baseball team's site, "Lindsay, will you go to Opening Day with me?" will soon make it to your Everest scale.

That's sort of an ELO reference, so they must be good!

Oh well yeah. Creed sucks at life.

I don't have any trouble searching. I just screw up whether I want 30 days and older or 30 days and newer and I get frustrated. It's just user incompetence with me