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It should have happened years ago.

It should have happened when he was living.

But it didn't.

And now with the retirement of Sparky Anderson's No. 11 on Sunday, it's time to stop scolding the Tigers for what they didn't do.

They're doing it now.

Anderson's name and number soon will be on the wall with all the other Tigers greats.

He won't be here to see it, but his children will be.

And you know what? Somewhere, it pleases George Lee Anderson no end they will be.

His wife, Carol, won't be there, but with typical grace and dignity, she sent her sentiments through family spokesman Dan Ewald.

"Sparky felt so proud every time he put that Detroit Tiger jersey on. It meant so much to him," she said. "He understood and appreciated the long history of the Tigers. Having juicy couture bag retired would make him feel even more proud. The family thanks the Tigers and all the wonderful fans of Detroit."

As for those who felt Anderson was slighted, there's this: He soon won't be.

It doesn't honor Sparky's memory to carry a grudge on his behalf. It doesn't change the past to grumble the Tigers are retiring his number after his death.

What honors his memory the most is to be pleased, as he would have been, that it's happening at all.

For him to know his children 鈥?Lee, Shirlee and Albert 鈥?will be on hand, along with many of the players to whom he meant so much, would have been sufficient tribute.

As if he were saying, "I don't have to be there as long as they are."

Tigers coach Tom Brookens succinctly said what most of Sparky's players probably are thinking: "It's going to be special."
Skipper balks

The wedge that drove itself between Anderson and the Tigers in 1995 might never be fully understood. We know only the basics.

Anderson refused to manage the replacement players. He left his post that spring,Get yourself fresh with smart Juicy couture handbags juicy bags. returning only when the major leaguers did.

He did what his conscience told him to do.

But he also did what owner Mike Ilitch, the man who paid his salary,Juicy Couture sunglasses didn't want him to do.

To the extent Anderson eventually went into the Hall of Fame wearing a Reds hat, the resulting rift between them never was bridged.

When the Tigers held a day in Sparky's honor in 2000, he thought at the time the team might retire his number. It didn't.

Instead, he rode around in a car at Comerica Park, received some presents, but it was a dreadful, inadequate Ilitch-less ceremony 鈥?a wrong that's about to be put right.

And to finally vanish from significance.

I've come to realize that to defend Sparky's side of leaving clashes with what we all must acknowledge as one of Ilitch's strengths.

His sense of family, insular but intense.

The successful Red Wings are family to him. As they improved, the Tigers have become the same. I saw it for myself when an emotional Ilitch hugged Carlos Guillen during one of the 2006 celebrations, saying, "I love you, Carlos."

As a patriarch would say to one of his many grandsons.

When Sparky left, it was a trusted friend suddenly bolting. After buying the Tigers in 1992, Ilitch had one day marched into Anderson's office at Tiger Stadium to give him a generous contract extension.

I remember Anderson saying how stunned he was 鈥?and how grateful. It was during the extension, however, Anderson walked out.

The latest news out of Detroit city hall is quite a punch in the gut for those who thought the election of Dave Bing would be, at the very least, an end to mayoral incompetence and triviality. No one is suggesting the in-fighting among Bing's staff sinks anywhere near the depths of Kwame Kilpatrick-type stuff, but maybe the idea people had of Bing the business executive was more image than reality.

Even so, I think something more systemic and fundamental is at work here, and we can find plenty of examples of it throughout the state. The bigger government gets, the harder it is to find enough competent people to manage it properly.

This, by the way, is why I don't tend to join with libertarian-types who fear that the creep of Big Government will ultimately result in the usurpation of liberty.juicy couture handbag For the most part, it seems that the people who run Big Government are too incompetent to perform basic tasks, let alone figure out how to control my life.

We see this in lots of other places besides Detroit.

Pontiac is broke, and its leaders are so completely out of ideas, they're asking for solutions that don't even exist, like "merging" with Oakland County. (Can a city un-incorporate? Has one ever tried to? Outside-the-box thinking in Pontiac!) The problems of management in other public entities, like the Detroit Public Schools and the Detroit Public Library, are the stuff of legends.

And if we tried to get into examples from Washington, this column would surely exceed this site's bandwidth limitations.

All you have to do to understand the phenomenon is consider a few things. First, successful organizations are usually those that focus on what's called "core competencies." For example, Pepsi is really good at making soft drinks. (Granted, I'm a Coke drinker, but someone must like the stuff!) A few years ago, Pepsi came out with a line of clothing. Successful? No. Because clothing isn't Pepsi's thing. When Pepsi focuses on soft drinks, it does well, because making soft drinks is Pepsi's core competency.

What is government's core competency? Public safety, maybe? Running elections? Taking care of infrastructure? You might have your own ideas, but surely it doesn't qualify as a core competency when government gets into the business of just about everything. If there's a problem in society 鈥?whether we're talking local, state or national 鈥?there's an awful lot of sentiment that says government has to "do something" to solve it, and that usually means a new department, a new agency, a new initiative.

So the bigger government gets,juicy couture jewelry the more it gets away from core competency. That's the first part of the problem.

The second part comes with the challenge of staffing these departments. There are certainly a lot of people working in the public sector who are competent and dedicated,facial tissue and paper handkerchief refers to a class of soft, absorbent, disposable papers that is suitable for use on the face. and isn't fair to tar them all 鈥?as conservatives too often do 鈥?as worthless, paper-pushing bureaucrats. But you have to recognize that the talent pool for public service comes largely from people who have spent their entire careers in the public sector and the political realm. They are used to advancing via political skills as much as by performance. Those skills are very different from the ones you need to manage an organization effectively, or to produce something of quality at a reasonable cost on a consistent basis.

So the bigger government becomes, the harder it is to put good people in the most important positions to ensure that everything is managed well.

Some argue that you need to pay people in public service more, so "good people" will want to work in government. But the fact of the matter is that most good people with any sort of business background don't want to work in government. They prefer the merit-and-reward culture of the private sector, and it's not hard to see why.

Shoppers are showing signs of pulling back on spending on discretionary items like clothing and home goods as gasoline and groceries eat up more of their paychecks.

Those pressures led retailers today to report only modest revenue increases in May, the latest sign of the economy hitting a soft patch.

Most of the spring, consumers seemed to be shrugging off rising prices. Now, gasoline at more than $1 per gallon more than last year and higher grocery bills are "finally taking a bite and affecting sales," said Ken Perkins, president of research firm Retail Metrics. "It definitely raises the caution flag going into the summer."

Text DETNEWS to 64636 to get breaking news alerts on your phone.

The retail figures follow disappointing reports on auto sales, manufacturing, hiring and construction spending on Wednesday. The Dow Jones industrial average skidded 280 points Wednesday, losing more than a quarter of the year's gains,facial tissue and paper handkerchief refers to a class of soft, absorbent, disposable papers that is suitable for use on the face. on rising economic fears.

Consumer spending is closely watched because it accounts for about 70 percent of U.S. economic activity and is critical for a strong economy.

Of 24 retailers, about 60 percent missed expectations and 40 percent beat expectations, according to Thomson Reuters.

"Our guests continue to shop cautiously in light of higher energy costs and inflationary pressures on their household budgets," Target Corp. CEO Gregg Steinhafel said.

Target's revenue at stores open at least a year rose 2.8 percent, below the 3.5 percent analysts expected, according to FactSet.Juicy Couture tracksuits The measure is considered a key indicator of a retailer's health because it excludes results from stores opened or closed during the year.

Charming Shoppes, the parent of clothing chains Lane Bryant and Fashion Bug, also reported shoppers were holding back because of rising food and gas prices.

Stores that cater to middle- and lower-income shoppers are feeling the pain far more than more expensive stores. Luxury retailer Saks Inc. reported revenue in stores open at least one year jumped 20.2 percent, far higher than the 6.5 percent analysts expected, as shoppers bought designer clothing, shoes, handbags and accessories.

The figure rose 7.4 percent at Nordstrom Inc., also beating expectations.

Among department stores, Macy's was another standout. The company's revenue figure rose 7.4 percent, ahead of expectations, and the company raised its second-quarter guidance.

But other department stores fared worse. Dillard's, J.C. Penney and Kohl's all missed expectations.

Weather could have weighed on results. May was unseasonably cold and wet, and there were floods along the Mississippi and Ohio rivers and 350 tornadoes reported, according to weather research firm Planalytics.

Summer could be even more difficult, because the surging price of cotton is expected to start showing up in clothing prices.juicy couture handbag Prices have been creeping up already, Perkins said, but could rise anywhere between 5 percent to 20 percent this summer.

Higher prices plus what appears to be a slowing job market and moribund housing market "sets up potential slow sales this summer," Perkins said.

For nearly two weeks, Nevaeh Buchanan's family held out hopes of finding her alive.

Ever since the 5-year-old girl vanished May 24 from the parking lot of her apartment complex, relatives joined throngs of police, volunteers and investigators to scour fields, quarries and other sites to safely bring her home.

But about 8:30 p.m. Thursday, the news was the worst imaginable: Sheriff's deputies arrived with word that a body authorities found miles away, near the River Raisin, matched her description and likely was Nevaeh, relatives said.

"I'm very, very sad," Shaun Lawson, Nevaeh's uncle, told a crowd of about 200 people gathered outside of the Charlotte Arms Apartments, where the girl went missing. "It took Nevaeh's life to bring everyone together. ... (Authorities) are waiting for actual confirmation, but (the body) does match Nevaeh's description."

Monroe County Sheriff's Department and FBI officials would not confirm they had found the child's body, but a news conference was planned for this morning. Relatives said Thursday they believed it was Nevaeh's body based on the clothing authorities described, which matched what she wore when she disappeared.

Earlier, police cordoned off an area near the River Raisin around Dixon Road in the area of Ida-Maybee and Neiman roads. By 7 p.m., at least four people in white Hazmat suits were walking along the south bank of the River Raisin in an area just east of railroad tracks near Yensch Road.

Guy Bickley, 52, of Newport said he and his father starting fishing near Dixon Road about 9 a.m. Thursday from a concrete platform by the river.

Around noon, the pair detected an overwhelming smell, which they thought was from dead fish, and noticed a block of concrete that they believed had come from the structure they were standing on. Bickley said he started scraping away at the surface of the concrete block and saw maggots and what appeared to be human skin.

He immediately left and called police, who arrived about 2 p.Fresh garlic website is China garlic catalog and normal white garlic manufacturer directory.m., he said late Thursday.

"I hoped to God it wasn't that 5-year-old girl," Bickley said.

As the sun set and news of the developments unfolded, about a dozen relatives huddled around a teddy bear-adorned memorial, which has been growing steadily since she disappeared. "I was eating dinner when I got the news they found something," Diana Lawson, Nevaeh's great-aunt, said. "I just about choked."

During an impromptu gathering at Charlotte Arms, some supporters cried, clutching their children in flickering candlelight as they struggled to grasp the apparent loss.

"I had high hopes she's alive," said the Rev.Juicy Couture tracksuits Dale Hayford of Crosswalk Community Church in Monroe, who had organized volunteers to search for Nevaeh. "Wherever she's gone now, she's free now. There is no suffering for her right now. ... Most likely, 99.99 percent, this is her because of the clothing, because of the description."

Family friend Mary Millsaps was at the apartment of Jennifer Buchanan, the girl's mother, when county sheriff's deputies arrived with the grim update.

"There is unbelievable pain going on in the apartment," Millsaps said, declining to comment on what was said. "That officer got a few words out of his mouth and ... screams,juicy couture watches just ungodly screams..."

Nevaeh's grandmother, Sherry Buchanan, and Diana Lawson were later seen leaving in a car, followed by a sheriff's deputy.

There's no rest for the weary. Or hearty partiers.

Overcast skies and drizzle kept some home, but thousands still boated to Gull Island on Lake St. Clair for the annual Jobbie Nooner, Michigan's maritime Mardi Gras since the 1980s.ED HARDY Mens T-shirts

"The water's cold, and my body's got goose bumps. But I'm having a good time," said Mike Hepler, 23, of Bloomfield Hills.

Temperatures never rose above 70, and clouds covered the small island for most of the day. About 7,000 to 10,000 people attended, slightly below last year's turnout of at least 10,JUICY HANDBAGS000.

This year's model was less raucous,crystal oscillator more peaceful and more fully clothed than other affairs, prompting some to dub it the "Jobbie Snoozer."

"These are the hardcores, the people that were coming out no matter," said Phil St. John, 29, of St. Clair Shores, who was attending for the ninth time.

Still, those who braved the elements said they enjoyed the celebration, partying on the island and on hundreds of nearby boats. Jim Wellington drove from Cleveland for his first Jobbie Nooner and plans to return next year.

"This event can't get any better, except the sun," said Wellington, 42. "You make it for what it's worth."

Law enforcement surrounded the island, with sheriffs' deputies from Macomb and St. Clair counties, police and fire departments from local townships and border patrol from the United States and Canada. The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Bristol Bay was anchored about a quarter-mile off the island.

But much of the staffing wasn't necessary, as the problems didn't prompt a call to Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham.

Nothing is like hitting the beach on a hot summer day. The sand, the water, the seagulls, the smell of suntan lotion spread out over your body so that you don't have to worry about burning in the hot sun. Now imagine the perfect beach bag resting next to you on the sand, filled with your favourite summer romance novels, ice cold sodas or beer, and your company's name and logo right there on the bag. It's not a dream 鈥?it can be a reality if you choose to add printed beach bags to the list of things that your company has their name on.

There are a couple of things that you should remember when you are considering putting your name on printed beach bags.

There Are Good Times and Bad Tines to Promote Them

Unlike other types of promotional items, beach bags are something that has a seasonal value. They are an item that you can give out to customers at certain times of the year so that you achieve the maximum affect that you are looking for. One of the best times that you can promote a business with printed beach bags is in the spring, right before the hotter weather starts. You can also promote them in the winter time, because a lot of people go south to avoid the cold, snowy weather.

An exception to this rule is when a trade is happening somewhere that there is nice weather most of the year and people don't have to wait for it to get warm so that they can go to the beach.

Think About the Area Before You Choose Beach Bags

There are some areas that promoting your business with beach bags is just not going to work because the weather is never warm enough to go to the beach. But what you do then is you don't promote them as beach bags 鈥?you promote them as carry all bags. Since they are both the same type of bag, you will find that no one is going to know the difference.

It doesn't matter how you describe the printed beach bags that you are giving out. As long as people are going to find a way to use them, they can use them any way that they want to use them.

Whether the bags that you give out are billed as beach bags or carry all bags,SAW filter you are going to find that there are people who are going to want them for both purposes. If you find that beach bags are a good promotional item and that they are well received, go ahead and use them throughout the year. Simply change their description to read book bag or carry all bag. If the person isn't interested in going to the beach,JUICY JEWELRY they may not be interested in a beach bag but they may very well be interested in a carry all bags.

Printed beach bags, carry all bags or book bags,crystal resonator the bag is what the customer wants it to be and companies don't mind as long as they are getting the advertisement that they are looking for.