text:
What US Filipino Voters Think; And if the Walis Tambo Man Goes Down, Why Not Trump?
by Emil Guillermo
Is there a powerful, united "Filipino vote"?
In my last column, I think it's inconclusive. At least, there didn't seem to be one when it comes to Vicki Cayetano for governor. Is it a harsher judgment that her business acumen and having once lived in the governor's residence don't make her competitive with the current lieutenant governor?
While there doesn't appear to be a bloc "Filipino vote" one can rely on in Hawaii, there's new national data on Filipino Voters that shows what influences our vote.
The Asian American Voter Survey comes out every two years, and unlike most polls, it samples 1,601 registered Asian American voters by cellphone, landline and online, in English and Asian languages, but not Tagalog/Ilocano. An imperfection? Perhaps.
But the survey is credible enough to have an overall margin of error of +/- 2.5 percent for Asian Americans. There's a large enough sample size for every ethnic group, including 257 Filipinos that makes for a margin of error of +/- 6. Few polls ever drill down that deep.
The survey says of Asian American Voters who intend to vote in November for House of Representatives races, 52% of Filipinos say they will vote Democrat and 23% say Republican. In Senate races, it's 50% Democrat and 32% Republican.
In terms of favorability, Filipinos were the most pro-Biden among Asian American voters with 53% choosing "very favorable" or "somewhat favorable," while 43% said they were "somewhat unfavorable" to "very unfavorable."
As for Trump, Filipinos were just 35% "very favorable" to "somewhat favorable." More than 60% of Filipinos were "somewhat unfavorable" to "very unfavorable."
As for the issues that influenced Filipino voters, Filipinos surpassed the general Asian American trend by saying healthcare was extremely to very important (66%); Then came jobs and the economy (65%); inflation (65%); and education (62%).Once again, it's rare to find a survey with a decent sampling that allows you to say anything about Filipinos. That's the value of the Asian American Voter Survey (AAVS).
It's data that gives us a little better sense of an American Filipino vote.
The Walis Tambo Guy is Guilty, But Not Donald Trump?
The AAVS didn't ask about January 6.
But when it comes to that fateful day, I'm thinking of all of us. Especially American Filipinos like Kene Lazo of Norfolk, Virginia. On that day, he carried a boi-boi, or "Walis Tambo" into the Capitol rotunda to, in his own insurrectionist way, sweep out Washington.
Lazo pleaded guilty last March, as did more than 320 people of the nearly 900 people charged in connection to the riot. But shouldn't the man who led Lazo and the rest of the rioters be held accountable?
On the eighth hearing of the Jan. 6. Select Committee, we learned a few more details of what former President Trump was doing while the Capitol was under siege.
Basically, nothing.
Trump was like the arsonist admiring his reflection in the fire he set. He told people to come to the Capitol and indeed, they came.High-level White House aides and true-blue Republicans like White House counsel Pat Cipollone, once again testified under oath that Trump was watching it all unfold on television for 187 minutes.
That number will forever be associated with our democracy – 187 minutes, the threshold for almost losing what we gained in 1776.
Fans of antiquity will instantly turn to Nero, who is said to have fiddled as Rome burned in the summer of 64 CE (AD).Trump was fiddling too. But not with calls to the National Guard or to others who could quell the crowd. Trump called senators to help him continue to thwart the certification vote scheduled for that day, as well as his main henchman, Rudy Giuliani.But Trump mostly watched Fox News and liked what he saw, especially when the mob provided the lyrics to the mayhem of his making. Who can forget the memorable "Hang Mike Pence"?
They could have been saying all our names.There was another chant in the crowd too. "Kill him with his own gun!" That was what people were saying of Officer Michael Fanone, the DC Metropolitan Police Officer who was punched and kicked and dragged face-down some Capitol steps.
And that's when Fanone brought up his secret weapon, his three Asian American children.
"I have kids," pleaded Fanone, now divorced from his Chinese American wife. On the day Fanone put his life on the line for his country, he was living with his mom, working a second job to save for a down payment on a house for him and his daughters – Piper, 9; Mei-Mei, 7; and Hensley, 5. They were the most important people in his life.
That his kids are multiracial is significant. Fanone's kids are the democracy we're all fighting for, the new America.
Race rants and apologies
You'll recall the recent 2020 Census. The two or more races population sometimes called multiracial, has gone from 9 million in 2010 to 33.8 million in 2020, a 276% increase.
America is changing. It's becoming a little browner like Hawaii. Whites are still the largest group at 204.3 million, but that number has decreased by 8.6% since 2010.
That fact has led to growing resentment among the Right. And Jan. 6, despite the boi boi guy, was really an expression of White Rage.Note the audio rant by former Trump aide Garret Ziegler, who testified before the January 6 committee recently.
Ziegler said he invoked his right to remain silent through the Fifth Amendment or executive privilege in most of his answers before the committee.But he did not stay silent on social media. Online, Ziegler called the committee an "anti-white campaign, and if you can't see that your eyes are freaking closed."
This is our polarized America now. While Ziegler chooses to dig in and insist that he is not a racist, we have seen other rioters repentant for what they've done.
Rioter Stephen Ayres testified to the committee at the seventh hearing and then tried to apologize to Officer Fanone.Fanone was asked about the apology and told CNN (where he now works as an analyst) that he was caught off guard and didn't remember Ayres' exact words. But he said apologies are deeply personal and private moments.
"Save the apologies," Fanone said. "And that goes for anyone involved on January 6. The way [the apology] was carried out I found disingenuous, and you know, in regards to January 6, I'm sorry, I am not anyone's rest stop on the road to redemption."
His phrasing stopped me cold.In 2012, I interviewed by phone Vincent Chin's killer, and Ronald Ebens apologized. I heard it. But it wasn't up to me to either accept it or to judge him. I was an opinion journalist. If anything, I wanted to know why Ebens has continued to avoid the judgment against him that he owes to the Chin estate.
I wish I had Fanone's line to respond to Ebens' apology. "I am not anyone's rest stop on the road to redemption."
Road to justice
I imagine many more will want to apologize for their actions on January 6, perhaps sooner than later.
But don't expect any apologies from Trump, who recently campaigned for an election denier in Arizona. He's even made calls to a Wisconsin official to sway the certification of the state's 2020 vote.
Recently, Trump was back in DC brandishing his harshest rhetoric at a First America Institute event where he called for more police funding, crackdowns on immigration, a return of "stop and frisk, and a generally more authoritarian America.
Odd for a guy who wouldn't protect the police on January 6.
President Biden pointed out the hypocrisy. "You can't be pro-insurrection and pro-cop," Biden said. "You can't be pro-insurrection and pro-democracy. You can't be pro-insurrection and pro-American."
But Trump thinks he can. The January 6 hearings show that after the Big Lie, America has more than a tolerance for Trump's lies. American Filipino Republican lawyer and commentator George Conway called Thursday's hearing "a devastating portrait, not just of dereliction, but depravity by the president, and derangement."
That makes Trump at the very least a triple-D threat.Cheney: Trump's actions "indefensible" No matter where you are in the political spectrum, you have to admire January 6 committee co-chair Liz Cheney's closing statement. The hearings are no witch hunt.
Cheney called it "a series of confessions" by Donald Trump's own Republican appointees, friends, campaign officials, and even his own family.
"They have come forward and they have told the American people the truth."
Then Cheney played a public comment of Steve Bannon, the Trump aide who was found guilty in contempt of Congress recently and faces jail time for ignoring a subpoena to testify. Bannon described how it was Trump's strategy to "declare victory," claim the election was stolen (without evidence) and do some "crazy sh-t."
And all because Trump knew he could convince millions of supporters to do his bidding."He is preying on their sense of patriotism," Cheney said. "He is preying on their sense of justice and on January 6, Donald Trump turned their love of country into a weapon against our Capitol and our Constitution."
That is a crime. Yet only Trump's followers who rioted like Stephen Ayres and Kene Lazo have been charged. Why not Trump, the man who incited the riot?
"Donald Trump made a purposeful choice to violate his oath of office, to ignore the ongoing violence against law enforcement, to threaten our constitutional order," Cheney said. "There is no way to excuse that behavior. It was indefensible. And every American must consider this: Can a president who was willing to make the choices Donald Trump made during the violence of January 6 ever be trusted with any position of authority in our great nation again?"
The answer is always a resounding, "NO," if America is to remain a strong and vital democracy.
EMIL GUILLERMO is a journalist and commentator. He writes a column for the Inquirer's North American Bureau. He talks about this column and other matters on "Emil Amok's Takeout," my micro-talk show. Live @2p Pacific. Livestream on Facebook; my YouTube channel; and Twitter. Catch the recordings on www.amok.com.
Previous Obiena Earns First-Ever WCH Medal For The Philippines
Next It's Anyone's Race to Win; Top Democratic Lt. Gov. Candidates Appeal to Hawaii's Filipino Voters for Razor-thin Victory


TORONTO — Senior advisor Ken Georgetti and executive director Brian Ramsay will lead the CFL Players' Association into contract talks with the league.
The Canadian Press has learned Georgetti and Ramsay will serve as the chair and vice-chair, respectively, for the union when it begins collective bargaining with the CFL on Monday and Tuesday in Toronto.
The present contract is scheduled to expire in May.
The remainder of the union's bargaining committee will be CFLPA president Jeff Keeping, second vice-president Solomon Elimimian, third vice-president Rolly Lumbala, treasurer Peter Dyakowski and player reps John Bowman (Montreal Alouettes) and Chad Rempel (Winnipeg Blue Bombers).
Elimimian, 32, is entering his eighth season with the B.C. Lions. The six-foot, 225-pound linebacker was the league's top rookie in 2010 and a Grey Cup champion the next year.
Twice he's been named the CFL's top defensive player (2014, 2016) and in 2016 became the first defensive-only to capture the league's outstanding player honour.
The six-foot-two, 245-pound Lumbala has spent the last 11 seasons with B.C. The 33-year-old fullback also won a Grey Cup with the Lions in 2011.
Dyakowski retired in November after 11 seasons as a CFL offensive lineman with Hamilton, Toronto and Saskatchewan.
Bowman, 36, has spent 13 seasons with Montreal. The six-foot-three, 250-pound defensive lineman has amassed 406 tackles, 126 sacks and 31 forced fumbles.
Rempel, 36, is entering his fifth season as a long-snapper with Winnipeg. The six-foot-three, 255-pound Saskatoon native is entering his 16th CFL campaign, having spent time previously with Edmonton (2004), Winnipeg (2005-06, 2015-present), Toronto (2006-07, 2009-13), Hamilton (2008) and Saskatchewan (2014).
Rempel also signed with the NFL's Chicago Bears on April 7, 2014 but was released Aug. 18.
Georgetti joined the CFLPA in 2016. He's a former president of the Canadian Labour Congress and has over 35 years of labour relations experience.
The CFL's bargaining team will again be led by Stephen Shamie, the league's general counsel. Shamie was an integral figure in the 2014 talks with then commissioner Mark Cohon. CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie will participate in the opening bargaining sessions.
The remainder of the league's player-relations committee will be Scott Mitchell (CEO, Hamilton Tiger-Cats), Roger Greenberg (co-owner, Ottawa Redblacks), Rick LeLacheur (B.C. Lions president) and Wade Miller (Winnipeg Blue Bombers president/CEO).
Currently, no further talks have been scheduled past Tuesday.


text:
module MailPun
  class Domain
    attr_reader :tld

    def initialize
      @tld = Tld.new
    end

    # Max 253 ascii chars including delimiting dots but not trailing dot.
    # 'a'..'z', hyphen (not first & not last), labels each 1..63 chars long,

    def generate(max)
      raise ArgumentError.new "Domain length needs to be at least 4 characters, #{max} given." if max < 4

      domain = tld.generate(max - 2) # at least a letter and a dot
      length = max - domain.length

      while length > 1
        part    = label([1, rand(length)].max) + '.'
        domain  = part + domain
        length -= part.length
      end

      domain
    end

    private

    def label(n)
      if n <= 0
        raise ArgumentError.new
      elsif n <= 2
        alnum_char(n)
      else
        alnum_char + label_char(n-2) + alnum_char
      end
    end

    def random_n(arr, n)
      (arr * n).shuffle.first(n).join
    end

    def label_char(n = 1)
      random_n(label_chars, n)
    end

    def alnum_char(n = 1)
      random_n(alnum_chars, n)
    end

    def label_chars
      alnum_chars + ['-']
    end

    def alnum_chars
      ('a'..'z').to_a + ('0'..'9').to_a
    end
  end
end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: matplotlib wxPython backend crashing after large image stack processing I got stuck with an wxAssertionError (shown below) when processing a large image stack. Let me explain with an example.
I have made an interface with wxPython with just a panel, a button and a gauge bar.
Once user clicks on the button, the code reads a stack of 8-bit binary images (1500 x 100 x 50), shows the first image on the panel and starts processing the stack. An example stack can be downloaded here, click 'open->download' and put it in the same folder as the code below, please let me know in the comments if you can't get access to the stack). The processing step is a loop where each image from the stack is labeled and plotted in a figure (not in the panel). This figure is saved and closed in each iteraction. The code is shown below:
# Label and save big image stack
import wx
from matplotlib.backends.backend_wxagg import FigureCanvasWxAgg as FigureCanvas
from matplotlib.figure import Figure
class CanvasPanelA1(wx.Panel):
    def __init__(self, parent, ID):
        wx.Panel.__init__(self, parent, ID, style=wx.SUNKEN_BORDER)

        self.figure = Figure()
        self.figure.set_facecolor("BLACK")
        self.canvas = FigureCanvas(self, -1, self.figure)

        self.sizer = wx.BoxSizer(wx.VERTICAL)
        self.sizer.Add(self.canvas, 1, wx.LEFT | wx.TOP | wx.EXPAND)
        self.SetSizer(self.sizer)
        self.Fit()

    def OnPlot(self, event):
        self.frame = frame
        from numpy import amin, amax
        self.vmin = amin(frame.video)
        self.vmax = amax(frame.video)
        self.nframes = frame.video.shape[0]
        self.axes = self.figure.add_subplot(111)
        self.axes.imshow(frame.video[0],cmap='gray',vmin=self.vmin,vmax=self.vmax)
        self.axes.axis('off')
        self.canvas.draw()
        self.SetSizer(self.sizer)
        frame.Layout()

class MyFrame(wx.Frame):
    def __init__(self, parent, ID, title):
        wx.Frame.__init__(self, parent, ID, title)
        self.panel = CanvasPanelA1(self, wx.ID_ANY)
        self.panel.SetMinSize((200,200))
        self.button_RUN = wx.Button(self, label="Run")
        self.gauge = wx.Gauge(self, range = 100, size = (250, 25), style = wx.GA_HORIZONTAL)
        mainSizer = wx.BoxSizer(wx.VERTICAL)
        mainSizer.Add(self.panel, 3, wx.EXPAND)

        mainSizer.Add(self.button_RUN,0,flag=wx.CENTER|wx.ALL)
        mainSizer.Add(self.gauge,0,flag=wx.CENTER|wx.EXPAND)
        self.button_RUN.Bind(wx.EVT_BUTTON, self.OnRun)
        self.SetSizer(mainSizer)
        self.SetAutoLayout(True)
        self.Layout()
    def OnRun(self,event):
        from skimage.color import label2rgb
        from skimage.measure import label
        import matplotlib as mpl
        import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
        from skimage import io
        from skimage.util import img_as_ubyte
        import os
        #read video
        video_name = './video1.tif'
        self.video = io.imread(video_name, as_gray=False, plugin='tifffile')
        self.video = img_as_ubyte(self.video)
        self.nframes = self.video.shape[0]
        self.gauge.SetRange(self.nframes-1)

        #show one image on panel
        self.panel.OnPlot(wx.EVT_DISPLAY_CHANGED)
        self.panel.Refresh()
        # Create Output Directory
        dirname = 'Outputs'
        try:
            os.mkdir(os.path.join('.',dirname))
            print("Directory " , dirname ,  " Created ")
        except FileExistsError:
            print("Directory " , dirname ,  " already exists")

        plt.ioff()
        for fr in range(self.nframes):
            print('frame=',fr)
            label_image = label(self.video[fr], background=0)
            image_label_overlay = label2rgb(label_image,bg_label=0)
            fig, ax = plt.subplots(figsize=(10, 6))
            ax.imshow(image_label_overlay)
            plt.axis('off')
            imname = 'imgout'+str(fr).zfill(len(str(self.nframes)))+'.tif'
            output_path = os.path.join('.',dirname,imname)
            plt.savefig(output_path,bbox_inches='tight',facecolor='black',edgecolor='none')
            plt.close(fig)
            self.gauge.SetValue(fr)
        plt.ion()

app = wx.App()
frame = MyFrame(None, -1, "Label videos")
frame.Show()
app.MainLoop()

This code has worked so far with smaller stacks, but once I provide image stacks bigger than ~1250 frames, it gives the following error:
File "C:\Users\...\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\backends\backend_wx.py", line 1413, in _init_toolbar
self.Realize()
**wxAssertionError**: C++ assertion "Assert failure" failed at ..\..\src\msw\toolbar.cpp(938) in wxToolBar::Realize(): Could not add bitmap to toolbar

Since this error seems related to the toolbar and I do not use it, I have tried to disable it with mpl.rcParams['toolbar'] = 'None', put before the loop, but then I get another AssertionError:
File "C:\Users\...\lib\site-packages\matplotlib\backends\backend_wx.py", line 1585, in __init__
self.SetFieldsCount(2)
**wxAssertionError**: C++ assertion "m_hdc" failed at ..\..\src\msw\textmeasure.cpp(64) in wxTextMeasure::BeginMeasuring(): Must not be used with non-native wxDCs

I have also tried using wx.CallAfter(self.gauge.SetValue, fr) as an attempt to avoid updating the main interface while plotting and saving the images, but it didn't work as well.
Does anyone have any idea of what is causing this?
Below are my packages version:
conda 4.4.1
python 3.6.8
wxPython 4.0.6
spyder 3.3.6
scikit-image 0.15.0   (edit: tried with latest version as well = 0.16.2, still no success)
matplotlib 3.1.1
numpy 1.16.4

A: Ok, I think I solved it based on this answer to a similar problem.
It appears that one should not create a new figure inside the loop, even if one closes that figure inside the loop. My RAM was increasing after each loop iteration regardless of closing every new figure.
SOLUTION: create the figure instance before the loop. Then, plot inside the loop (save it if you want) and, instead of closing the figure, just clear it with plt.clf(). Only close the figure after the loop, as in the example below:
fig, ax = plt.subplots(figsize=(10, 6)) #create figure and axes
for fr in range(self.nframes):
    print('frame=',fr)
    label_image = label(self.video[fr], background=0) #some processing
    image_label_overlay = label2rgb(label_image,bg_label=0)
    ax.imshow(image_label_overlay) #plot the image
    plt.axis('off')
    imname = 'imgout'+str(fr).zfill(len(str(self.nframes)))+'.tif'
    output_path = os.path.join('.',dirname,imname)
    plt.savefig(output_path,bbox_inches='tight',facecolor='black',edgecolor='none') #save the figure
    self.gauge.SetValue(fr) #update gauge bar
    plt.clf() #clear current figure
plt.close(fig) #closes figure

A: It's been 4 months since I posted this question and apparently nobody knows the answer.
I'd say there is some bug with matplotlib wxpython backends when processing a large amount of data.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Home » Keywords » SNAP Program (Significant New Alternatives Policy)
Items Tagged with 'SNAP Program (Significant New Alternatives Policy)'
Next Gen Refrigerants: The AIM Act and the EPA Snap Program
Legislation Driving the Next Generation of Refrigerants.
Refrigerant Choices for Chillers Remain Complex
Low-GWP alternatives that are nonflammable and efficient still elusive
Joanna R. Turpin
The regulatory landscape for refrigerants used in chillers has become more complicated, thanks to the court decision that declared the EPA is not authorized to regulate HFC refrigerants under the Clean Air Act.
Court of Appeals Vacates EPA's SNAP Rule 21
A redraft is expected
According to a summary from AHRI, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit issued a decision to vacate the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Rule 21 last month in response to a lawsuit brought by Mexichem Fluor and Arkema, with Chemours and Honeywell joining the case on the side of the EPA.
SNAP Decisions: California's Refrigerant Saga Continues
Predicting costs, plugging leaks, and incentive uncertainty mark early 2019 efforts
Robert Beverly
The U.S. HVAC industry considered (and largely still considers) an HFC phasedown to be inevitable.
Supreme Court Refuses HFC Refrigerant Case
With the last legal challenge exhausted, the future of HFCs remains unclear
In October, the Supreme Court decided not to review the case, leaving in place the 2017 ruling, which means for now, the use of high-GWP refrigerants, such as R-404A and R-410A, remains legal.
Supreme Court Declines To Hear HFC Case
To recap, earlier this year, refrigerant manufacturers, Honeywell and Chemours, asked the Supreme Court to review an August 2017 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, which stated the EPA could not ban HFCs through its Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program, because that program was designed only to address ozone-depleting substances. While HFCs are among the greenhouse gases suspected of contributing to climate change, they do not deplete the ozone layer.
EPA Approves Honeywell Solstice N40 For Use In Ice Rinks
As rink owners look to shift away from R-22 — a hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) that is widely used in ice rinks across the U.S. and Canada — they face the challenge of selecting an alternative refrigerant that delivers equivalent capacity and proven performance but without disrupting rink operations. New production of R-22 will cease at the end of 2019.
Earlier this year, refrigerant manufacturers, Honeywell and Chemours, asked the Supreme Court to review an August 2017 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, which stated the EPA could not ban HFCs through its Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program, because that program was designed only to address ozone-depleting substances.
Chemours, Honeywell Appeal To Supreme Court Regarding HFC Phaseout
Refrigerant manufacturers, Honeywell and The Chemours Co., have asked the Supreme Court to review a 2017 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, which stated the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could not ban HFCs through its Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program
Chemours, Honeywell Challenge D.C. Court's HFC Ruling
August decision ignored original directive, intent of EPA, companies say
The Chemours Co. and Honeywell have filed a petition for rehearing of an appeals court's decision concerning the phasedown of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program.
More Articles Tagged with 'SNAP Program (Significant New Alternatives Policy)'

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


It is the second year in a row that Illinois was honored with this prestigious and forward thinking title, and it is largely due to the building professionals and policy makers that work very hard in search of ways to support the planet through innovation. State and municipal requirements in Illinois play a crucial role in this trend towards sustainable construction practices, and inspire corporate projects to lean towards green as well. In total, there were 174 LEED certified projects in Illinois last year (42.5 mil sq. ft) including the GE Transportation Headquarters, FBI regional office, and Aon Center in Chicago.
As a consistently top ranked Real Estate Appraisal Firm in Illinois, sustainable construction methods are very important to us at PahRoo. We aim to assist and promote environmentally friendly building practices on a daily basis, and are the only firm in the Midwest to be headed by a certified appraiser who is designated by both the Appraisal Institute (SRA) and the US Green Building Council (LEED GA). In fact, Michael Hobbs is speaking next week at RESNET 2015, the premier national forum on home energy ratings existing home retrofits and energy policy.


I was teaching and scribbling stories at night. We had just got internet and I found a great group of UK writers on a listserv. One night the discussion turned to word of mouth promotion.
'There's a great debut story just published, everyone is talking about,' said one UK author. I went to my local specialist bookseller (who passed away recently,) While he was stacking on the counter the pile of books he thought I should read to my class, I asked him about this book, Harry and the stone... He put Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone on the pile saying- 'my last book, it's a good read.' I finished it at 2am and started reading it to my class that day.
That's the holy grail of writing when the reader can't bear to close the book. It has nothing to do with clever phrases or perfectly executed grammar. It grabs you by the throat and demands your attention. You can't sit down to intentionally write a story like this. The magic can't be forced.
This week is the 20 year anniversary of the publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Di Dickenson looks at the criticism leveled at the book series and asks is it justified.
Kris Rusch has her next post on discoverability. This weekshe looks at brand loyalty. This series is cracking along. Kris always gives you plenty to think about.
Brain Pickings has a great post on different styles of great writing. Are you an explainer, an elucidator or an enchanter? Which should you aim to be?
Orna Ross has been thinking about the underlying prejudice towards self publishers in the wake of the recent Byte The Book debate. Why is self publishing still seen as vanity publishing when the reality is very different. Is traditional publishing the new vanity?
R L Stedman has an interesting post on rights. Do you know all the different rights that you have in one piece of work? This is a great reference and eye opening for the new writer.
Jami Gold has been struggling with burnout. She writes an important article on writer self care.
A group of grad students have got together to pool their talents and set up a research group for writers to use. Check out their new weekly blog. If you need a grad student to do some research for you this could be a valuable resource.
Litreactor has an interesting blog on book reviews, specifically why they don't look at 5 star reviews. This is a really interesting read about how important the 3 and 4 star reviews are to people looking for the next book to invest time in.
I met a composer friend yesterday and I was lamenting that I couldn't make up my mind on whether to take up the offer of a piano to replace our keyboard. It means moving some bookcases to make room. He laughed and noted that I could always put the books on top of the piano... win/win.
Pic: The first cover. Ours is a patchwork of spellotape holding it together... but nobody in the family wants a new edition. The magic is still in the old one.
If you want to get the best of my bookmarked links and other goodies you can subscribe to my monthly newsletter. Come and share the book love.
When you are sick, your thoughts can go spiraling down into the pit of despair. You can suffer from comparison-itis, FOMO disorder and subjectio. Amanda Palmer shared her thoughts on this insidious type of thinking for creative people. It is well worth a read and reality check.
This week my Twitter feed started to fill up with comments about a Byte-The-Book debate in London between Joanna Penn and Euan Thorneycroft on The Author as Publisher -Opportunity or Vanity. By all accounts it was a wonderful debate. Some very interesting points were raised over the future of reading.
This week, writing hero, Jami Gold had an interesting post on the Heroes journey... how are we applying the lessons we make our characters go through to our own lives. Are we real life heroes?
Jami raises interesting points about personal growth.
Katie Weiland shared her 5 stages of writing process from conception of idea to revision. It is a standout post from a writing craft legend and a MUST READ.
Jane Friedman published an article today on a writer's guide to fair use and permissions and got 123 comments in very short order. This is a hot topic with accepted practice, internet freedoms and legal requirements all rolled up into one confusing mess which Jane does her best to straighten out. This is definitely a bookmark post from one of the online heroes in the publishing world.
This week was Book Expo.
What used to be the biggest Book Fair in America has been slimmed down. The fair was split into a Book Con and a Trade Book Fair. Porter Anderson rounds up the key takeaways from the Book Expo conference on Wednesday. A big focus was children's publishing and library trends.
Not everybody was impressed with the new look Book Expo. Independent publishers were being shunted off to the side and all the innovative Book Marketing companies are starting to court the Traditional publishers. Brooke Warner of She Writes Press examines Book Expo from a small publishers point of view.
Alongside Book Expo was Indie Author Fringe. This 24 hour conference was put together by the great folks at Alli - Alliance of Independent Authors. The conference theme was book marketing and there are some standout presentations up on the Alli blog. I have been dipping into them all week. Just chock full of brilliant advice. For a taster check out Chris Well's presentation on Media Kits for Authors.
Joanna Penn has a great interview with Nick Stephenson on managing time and it is really worth taking some time to listen or watch her podcast. There are so many ways to automate what you do.
Another great podcast to drop into is SFF Marketing. Lindsay Buroker and co hosts Jeff Poole and Joe Lallo talked this week about all the hot tips Joe learned from Book Expo on Book Marketing.
Bookbub also pulled together a great roundup of 7 marketing takeaways from Book Expo.
Jami Gold has put together a great roundup table of contents for all her indie publishing series of posts. This has been a mammoth series over two years. It is more than a 101 course... more like a Masters degree.
Kris Rusch continues her branding series with a great post on Brand Identity. If you have been wondering how to straddle genres or just what exactly is author branding you need to check out this article.
With the introduction of Amazon Charts there has been some discussion about the worth of bestseller lists. Amazon breaks up their charts by Most Sold and Most Read, they are not the same and there is no distinction on genre. (New HP Covers anyone?) Polygraph Lit Magazine's new imprint, Pudding, takes a look at gender bias on the bestseller lists and in MFA programmes.
Publishers Weekly interviewed the outgoing chair of the Independent Book Publishers Association about his radical idea for Bookstores.Why don't they have Book Espresso machines and other goodies... They could be a hub for the community... and sell ... BOOKS.
If you have ever thought about owning your own bookstore... It is now possible with Aerio. Have a curated list of books on your own website and get an affiliation cut if anyone buys a book from you. Judith Briles tells you how to do it.
This week I have been hearing about the rise of audio books and how this section of the industry is taking off. Savvy authors out there are holding onto audio rights. But now the big publishers are waking up to this gold mine. Michael Sullivan posted a breakdown on his wranglings with his Traditional Publisher Del Rey and why they are parting ways. Audio rights was the break point. This is a must read for any traditionally published author.
Navigating your way through all the advice on writing is almost a fulltime job. But have you thought about the journeys your characters are taking on the page. Writer Unboxed examines Google Maps and how you can plot out your characters journey in real time.
In my monthly newsletter I round up the best of the bookmarked craft and marketing links as well as some other bits and pieces. Get a nifty book crammed full with marketing notes when you subscribe. Thanks for hitting the kofi button this week. I'm living on caffeine as mother of the bride.
Thou shalt read the writing rules... well they are just guidelines because every writer is different.
I'm sure you can think of a couple more.
Ruth Harris has a comprehensive post on writing rules and guidelines, which is well worth a careful read.
Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi are two rock stars in the writing blogosphere. They have a great post on helping authors succeed, because we are all in this together. Angela has put together a list of actions that everyone can do to help others. They have a pay it forward mentality... so of course they also reached out to promote Kristen Lamb's first fiction book. Kristen has a great post about running your own race in your writing career but choose carefully who your running buddies will be.
Danica Davidson has an inspirational post on 7 things to do when you want to give up. (Instead of giving up.) When you read she started submitting novels as a teen you realise she does know what she is talking about.
Julie Munroe Martin was writing recently on Writer Unboxed about putting together a survival pack if you are a writer. (No. Not a pack full of wine...) A way to keep you hitting your writing goals.
Reedsy has pulled out another great infographic. This one is on copyright. This is a comprehensive fact filled How To and Go To guide on the subject.
Copyright is one rule you should not break!
In my monthly newsletter I round up the best of the bookmarked craft and marketing links as well as some other bits and pieces. Get a nifty book crammed full with marketing notes when you subscribe.


Simply remove the standard spout from your Intertap faucet and screw on the growler filler spout to convert your faucet into a growler filler! Then you'll have a 1/2" (13mm) barb on the end of your faucet.
Add a piece of 1/2" I.D. Transfer Hose to the end of your faucet and your growler filler is ready!
Rumor has it that the Intertap faucets use (or are modeled after) the old Ventmatic faucet design.
ADJUST QTY FOR THE LENGTH YOU NEED.


For outsourcing buyers, Nearshore vendors are often a better buy because of the typically touted travel, time zone, and language benefits, not necessarily the capabilities provided. As Nearshore economies become stronger and currency arbitrage becomes a challenge, Nearshore outsourcing vendors must build out their skill sets so they can stand on their own. For ITO they need to develop a greater breadth of capabilities, and for BPO they need to improve on both the depth and breadth of capabilities.
Globally, 2012 will be an interesting year for outsourcing as technological (cloud) and economic disruptions will shape the future of the industry. Gauging by recession-affected market sentiments, most companies are unlikely to tinker with their current outsourcing strategy (new contracts, change service locations, etc). This would in turn limit new expansion opportunities at a global level.
From a Nearshore point of view it will be a crucial year. While many providers have established significant presence in Latin America, the second stage of scaling-up looks challenging. The key reason for this is the lack of depth in service delivery maturity. Many companies in the region are finding it challenging to replicate quality, and lack maturity models as well as training programs that have been one of the successes in other offshore destinations.
It is imperative for the region to develop a strong mechanism to ensure constant flow of trained professionals and educate middle management on business aspects of remote service delivery (IT management, maturity models, IT security, client relationships, etc.). Some of the smarter providers have achieved this by cross-pollinating resources between their Nearshore and offshore locations.
I think the biggest challenge is the ability to show a value proposition beyond cost at scale. While one can show resources in many locations lower in cost than the USA, one needs to show capability at scale that can show better outcomes: quality and/or speed and/or greater ability to collaborate.
In the end, it's about credibility.
In my view, the single largest disruptor in the coming 12 months will be political/economic instability in the region. The year has not gotten off to a good start with Daniel Ortega hosting political pariahs Hugo Chavez and Iran's Ahmadinejad in Managua for Ortega's inauguration . The optics of this are beyond terrible in the US. Couple that with a Mexican election that no one knows how it will turn out in a country that is facing monumental problems around violence and uncertainty around Argentina's economic direction, it is possible that American firms may look to other regions, or even domestically. for service delivery alternatives.
The biggest challenge with Nearshore as a "destination," in my opinion, is that it is truly "many destinations" with few overlapping commonalities, laws, and capabilities. My hope is that 2012 is the year of increased awareness of the issues facing Nearshore, resulting in the initiation of more government support for infrastructure, education, and legal reform. Until Nearshore can start converging as a single destination, it is going to struggle to gain the traction that India or China is capable of creating.
Nearshore outsourcing will face continued concerns about its security risk profile, which may be compounded by rhetoric from the US election cycle. The political spin will potentially heighten the criticism of Nearshore/offshore jobs. More fundamentally, we may see the US questioning its objectives and commitment to projecting itself beyond its own borders. Growth in Nearshoring is likely to face headwinds as uncertainty awaits around most corners.
To begin, many companies have gone beyond having concerns for Nearshoring and thus removing the challenge for the growth in Nearshoring. With that being said, we clearly are still seeing companies, when we discuss the opportunities of Nearshoring, having concerns in making a decision to be the pioneer as "they" see it, in making a jump to Nearshore. For many companies, countries such as the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, and Guatemala are seen as making progress in building their base with a skilled workforce and such but still are a ways away from being ideal to some groups. Countries such as Bolivia and Venezuela are very touchy due to the political environment. With that being said, we are currently looking at sites for various clients in several Central American countries. For manufacturing groups, the economic numbers are too compelling, especially in Mexico; supply chain relief, speed to market, NAFTA, cultural affinity. The challenge for Mexico is simply safety. This has been compounded for the worse with the ongoing perception/reality of the violence….this is a HUGE challenge. The business benefits are great but the perception/reality of doing business there is one that needs to be changed; many companies will not take that risk.
I think during 2012 the big challenge that Nearshore providers will face is the pressure from clients for consistent achievement of key performance indicators while keeping costs down, along with the ability to measure customer satisfaction and first-call resolution.


Darius 22 months. Owner Inna Viks (Estonia).
Danny Boy 8.5 months. Owner Sue Shakespeare.
Dimitri 2.5 years. Owner Darran Bird.
Ch. Danielle 5.5 years. Owned in partnership with Dee Roth-Brown.
3 CCs, 2 res CCs.
Delilah 2.5 years. Owners Jo & Michael Lowrie.
Dominique 3.5 years. Owned by Tanya Prokhorova (Denmark).
Drusilla 3.5 years. Owned by Malcolm & Pat Howlett.
Darius is now in Estonia and Dominique in Denmark!
Drusilla will be off to her new home in a couple of days.
Danny Boy is now happy with his new owners.
Dimitri, Delilah and Danielle are happily settled in their new homes.
Dante will be staying at Ryazan and the others will be leaving soon.


FS: Nakamichi 580 Cassette Deck - $350.
PM'd with intention to buy.
I'm interested. Can pick up.
I didn't know the International Monetary Fund manufactured speakers ... GLWTS!
excpp replied to betocool's topic in Gig Guide - Who's Playing?
Hmmm ... not even one mention of BRAND X, where PC demonstrates that he really is one of the greatest drummers ever lived on this planet (and that's not only MHO).
Wishing you a speedy recovery,@Marc. ... and, as others said, don't give up!


text:
Posts by Topic: boardercross RSS feed
Winter X Games announces return of ski cross, freestyle snowmobile for 2016
By Jason Blevins
Daron Rahlves takes gold on the final jump of the ski cross finals at the 2008 Winter X Games in Aspen. Casey Puckett, in green, won bronze. (Doug Pensinger, Getty Images)
Ski cross and snowmobile freestyle competitions will be back in the snowy mix at the 20th Winter X Games in Aspen in January.
After a three-year hiatus, ski cross returns to the winter festival. ESPN, the owner of the circus-like spectacle of top skiers, snowboarders and snowmobilers, cut boardercross and ski cross from the event in 2013, ending the tenure of the longest-running X Games events.
The 2013 Winter X Games was the first without cross athletes – gladiators, really – jostling at high speed as they carom six-at-a-time down a course of jumps and berms. ESPN brought boardercross back in 2014, but not ski cross.
Comments Off on Winter X Games announces return of ski cross, freestyle snowmobile for 2016
Categories: Outdoor Extremes, Skiing and Snowboarding
Boardercross back in Winter X Games, Westcott says
By John Meyer
Snowboarders race in the 2012 Winter X Games. (Denver Post file)
Park City, Utah — Boardercross, which was dropped from the Winter X Games schedule last winter, appears to be back in the program this winter.
"It's back in Winter X this winter," rider Seth Westcott told The Denver Post Wednesday at the Olympic Media Summit here. "They haven't made a public announcement, but I'm filming a thing for ESPN for a lead-in."
The Winter X Games are scheduled for Jan. 23-26 at Buttermilk.
"They had budgetary cuts that they had to do, with the expansion of Global X last year, and ours is the most expensive venue to build," Westcott said. "I understand where they were at, in trying to save money."
There was no immediate confirmation by ESPN, which produces the X Games.
Categories: Colorado Sports
That time Lindsey Vonn kicked it with Vanilla Ice, Tom Brady and Jordan Spieth
Daniel Cormier vs. Jon Jones 2 to headline UFC 200. Conor McGregor not on card.
Nate Diaz: "I'm going on vacation" if fight with Conor McGregor doesn't happen at UFC 200
WATCH: Demetrious Johnson vs. Henry Cejudo UFC 197 weigh-in
WATCH: UFC 200 press conference live stream
Irked driver hassles cyclists in Longmont — 116 comments
FSN's Rizzo not a fan of Sioux fans — 111 comments
Gwozdecky reprimanded by school — 76 comments
CC student section — 74 comments
Pointless Badgers — 56 comments
"If you didnt like the promotional stipulations of your contract you shouldnt have signed it. Maybe instead of crying you might want..."
— indubitablysnarky
On UFC fighter Conor McGregor: "I am not retired"
"Great event concept given the beauty of the front range! I hope to see more of these types of events in the..."
— Maria M.
On For the first time ever, JeffCo Open Space is closing its trails for an event. This event.
"Seemed sorta unsportsmanlike."
— JoeSchmoe
On WATCH: Colorado Mammoth goalie Alex Buque flattens Calgary's Karson Leung
Get Sports Breaking Emails
Sign up to receive breaking news alerts on Colorado sports, including the Broncos, Rockies, Avalanche, Nuggets and more.
We promise we won't use your email address for anything else.
Gets Latest Posts via Email
Search Colorado Sports
Posts by Category Select Category 2010 Vancouver Olympics (49) 2012 London Olympics (156) 2013 Solheim Cup (2) 2014 BMW Championship (3) Air Force Academy (15) Amy Van Dyken-Rouen (1) Baseball (7) Boxing (62) Charlie Meyers (44) College Basketball (165) Colorado Avalanche (2) Colorado College (4) Colorado Mammoth (3) Colorado Rapids (76) Colorado Rockies (2) Colorado Sports (1,019) Colorado State University (315) Cycling (166) Denver Broncos (3) Denver Cutthroats (3) Denver Nuggets (2) Fishing (3) Football (321) Golf (45) Hockey (84) Horse Racing (2) Hunting (3) Ice Bucket Challenge (1) Lacrosse (4) Lindsey Vonn (3) Masters (1) Missy Franklin (14) MLB (1) MMA (75) Motorsports (95) Mountain West Conference (44) NBA (11) NFL (1) Olympics (327) Other Sports (1) Outdoor Extremes (455) Outdoors (5) Pac-12 (52) Recruiting (4) Rugby (2) Running (56) Skiing and Snowboarding (157) Sloan Sports Analytics Conference (1) Snowboarding (2) Soccer (1) Sports analytics (1) Sports business (1) Sports media (3) Tennis (1) Tiger Woods (1) Tour de France (18) U.S. Open Tennis Championship (1) University of Colorado (623) University of Denver (373) University of Northern Colorado (5) University of Wyoming (9) USA Pro Challenge (4) World Alpine Ski Championships (7) Youth Hockey (14)
Colorado Sports Archives
Colorado Sports Archives Select Month May 2016 (1) April 2016 (11) March 2016 (3) February 2016 (10) January 2016 (3) December 2015 (1) November 2015 (9) October 2015 (4) September 2015 (11) August 2015 (8) July 2015 (14) June 2015 (7) May 2015 (13) April 2015 (25) March 2015 (3) February 2015 (11) January 2015 (14) December 2014 (9) November 2014 (8) October 2014 (10) September 2014 (7) August 2014 (15) July 2014 (7) June 2014 (4) May 2014 (7) April 2014 (3) March 2014 (3) February 2014 (1) January 2014 (5) December 2013 (13) November 2013 (4) October 2013 (17) September 2013 (14) August 2013 (30) July 2013 (12) June 2013 (12) May 2013 (11) April 2013 (12) March 2013 (6) February 2013 (6) January 2013 (17) December 2012 (14) November 2012 (14) October 2012 (10) September 2012 (7) August 2012 (90) July 2012 (86) June 2012 (52) May 2012 (13) April 2012 (10) March 2012 (14) February 2012 (19) January 2012 (17) December 2011 (17) November 2011 (22) October 2011 (6) September 2011 (15) August 2011 (28) July 2011 (55) June 2011 (69) May 2011 (72) April 2011 (65) March 2011 (120) February 2011 (109) January 2011 (124) December 2010 (70) November 2010 (135) October 2010 (120) September 2010 (96) August 2010 (130) July 2010 (69) June 2010 (52) May 2010 (49) April 2010 (87) March 2010 (168) February 2010 (123) January 2010 (70) December 2009 (43) November 2009 (47) October 2009 (83) September 2009 (104) August 2009 (29) July 2009 (19) June 2009 (19) May 2009 (7) April 2009 (27) March 2009 (67) February 2009 (44) January 2009 (32) December 2008 (12) November 2008 (20) October 2008 (25) September 2008 (16) August 2008 (25) July 2008 (26) June 2008 (20) May 2008 (14) April 2008 (26) March 2008 (35) February 2008 (27) January 2008 (28) December 2007 (14) November 2007 (31) October 2007 (18) September 2007 (19) August 2007 (7) July 2007 (9) June 2007 (12) May 2007 (8) April 2007 (6) March 2007 (6) February 2007 (4) January 2007 (7) December 2006 (1) May 2006 (1) April 2006 (3) 0 (261)
About All Things Colorado Sports
The Denver Post writers for All Things Colorado Sports offer sporting news, analysis and information on Colorado colleges, Olympic sports, motorsports, cycling, running, skiing and snowboarding, mountain biking and other outdoor extremes.
All Things Colorado Sports RSS feed


The successful candidate will have experience characterizing enzymes using biochemical techniques, and familiarity with structural biology methods, such as crystallography or cryo-EM. Robotic hardware for performing crystallization trials and imaging results are available. Crystals will be characterized and data collected using the beamline resources of the Berkeley Center for Structural Biology at the Advanced Light Source. For appropriate systems, cryo-EM data will be obtained using in-house microscopes, the Bay Area Center for Cryo-EM, and other national user facilities.
Biochemical characterization of enzymes using standard assay techniques, including analysis of enzyme kinetics, substrate binding, and protein stability.
Performing screens for crystallization conditions.
Biophysical characterization of protein samples using standard techniques, such as dynamic light scattering.
Characterization of crystals using synchrotron beamlines.
Collection and analysis of diffraction data, model building and structure refinement.
Characterization of samples using cryo-EM methods when samples permit.
Extensive email and verbal interaction with other researchers.
Use of small angle X-ray scattering methods to analyze macromolecular complexes in solution.
Ph.D. or equivalent in a scientific discipline, preferably structural biology, biology, or chemistry.
Demonstrated experience of scientific research using biochemistry techniques.
Experience with macromolecular crystallization techniques.
Solid interpersonal skills and the ability to work in a team environment are critical.
Experience with molecular biology and protein expression methods.
Experience with the use of small angle scattering methods.
Familiarity with robotic hardware for crystal growth.
This is a full time, 2 year, postdoctoral appointment with the possibility of renewal based upon satisfactory job performance, continuing availability of funds and ongoing operational needs. You must have less than <number> years paid postdoctoral experience. Salary for Postdoctoral positions depends on years of experience post-degree.
Work will be primarily performed at Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) — Bldg. 978, 5885 Hollis St., 4th floor, Emeryville, CA.


The MAC Racer's Choice™ Cold Air System does more than just Look Good! Increase your Air Flow with our BIG 3½" Air Tube all the way to the Throttle Body. A BIG 14.4 HP Rear Wheel!
The MAC 3388 Speed Density Fender-Well Cold Air Induction System come complete with all of the necessary Hardware including a Reusable (Cleanable) MAC High Flow Filter & 1- Big 3½" Stainless Steel Air Tubes.
The Best Performing, Fit, Finish, Design and Quality Air System for the 1986-1988 Ford Mustang GT & LX 5.0L V8, Period!


text:
10 Feb 2019 prospects365
Redefining the 80-Grade Fastball
Written by: Trevor Powers (@TPowerProspects)
As a baseball fan, it's easy to be enamored with the fastball velocity of Jordan Hicks. Being able to throw 105 is something that is very rare, and it should undoubtedly be viewed as an impressive feats. But what if I told you Hicks doesn't have one of the best fastballs in the big leagues? What if I told you he doesn't even have a plus-plus fastball?
On the 20-80 scale, the 70 and 80 grades are distributed to pitchers very sparingly. These marks are considered plus-plus to elite, exclusivizing the best of the best. It's extremely high praise, and an '80' has only been thrown around a handful of times in the history of present day scouting. The likes of Joey Gallo and Bryce Harper's power, Billy Hamilton's speed and Francisco Lindor's defense all received 80 grades. Amongst players who possess elite, individual skills, the aforementioned quartet sits at the top of the mountain. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., arguably the best prospect in recent memory in terms of production and potential, was the first prospect ever to be labeled with an 80-grade hit tool. This is the highest possible mark a player can be given, so why do we seem to have so many more highly-regarded fastballs compared to any other tool?
The easy answer to this is that individual pitches are relatively easy to project. When a prospect is consistently hitting the century mark with their fastball, it's easy to assume the pitch is, at minimum, plus plus. One of the only things the scouting industry can project almost instantaneously is a pitcher's fastball.
Contrary to public opinion, truly evaluating a pitcher's fastball is not that easy. It's officially time to extinguish the idea that the impact of a fastball can be measured solely with velocity. Let's evolve with the times.
When analyzing the optimal outcome for a pitcher, a swing-and-miss is the most efficient way to avoid giving up hits. Batting average against a pitch that causes a swing and miss is–you guessed it– .000. A truly-elite fastball should be a pitch that has the lowest probability of giving up a hit, meaning it should possess swing and miss traits.
I looked into four, high-profile relievers with power fastballs: Sean Doolittle, Chad Green, Jordan Hicks, and Aroldis Chapman. Doolittle and Green might not throw 105 mph, but contrary to popular belief, they possess fastballs that should be held in the same regard as Chapman's and Hicks', if not higher.
Pitcher Fastballs/Sinkers Thrown Avg Velo (mph) Whiff rate
Aroldis Chapman 631 99.13 30.07%
Sean Doolittle 549 94.33 33.55%
Chad Green 1083 96.51 27.94%
Jordan Hicks 918 101.03 17.24%
As the graph above shows, velocity doesn't always correlate with swing-and-miss tendencies. The lowest velocity of the group (Doolittle) has the highest swing and miss rate, while the highest average velocity (Hicks) actually has the lowest.
There are multiple variables that actually can be measured that have a direct correlation with a swing and miss. Examples of these variables are perceived velocity, deception and spin rate. Ever heard a TV personality say a fastball has 'life'? Those heaters move vertically after exiting a pitcher's hand. Turns out, 'life' is a measurable fastball trait.
Pitcher Spin Rate (rpm) Vertical Movement (in) Whiff rate
Aroldis Chapman 2499 10.11 30.07%
Sean Doolittle 2210 11.28 33.55%
Jordan Hicks 2081 4.73 17.24%
The true-traits that lead to an elite fastball are high-spin rate and high, vertical movement. However, this does not mean we have found a true, 80-grade fastball. Naturally, the harder a baseball is thrown, the more revolutions it will take before arriving at home plate. The second chart above (courtesy of Driveline baseball) shows the swing and miss rate of pitches at the same velocity with a different spin rate. A 94 mph fastball spinning at 2300 rpm is much different than a 100 mph fastball spinning at the same rate. Jordan Hicks's mean spin rate is well below average for his velocity, which plays a factor in his elite GB%. Amongst pitchers that fall in the 94 mph range, Doolittle has an above average spin rate. Driveline calculates this as Bauer Units, BU, which is the equation of BU=Spin Rate (rpm)/Velocity (mph). This calculates the true efficiency of the spin of a pitch.
Pitcher Avg Spin Rate Avg Velocity Bauer Units
Aroldis Chapman 2499 99.13 25.21
Sean Doolittle 2210 94.33 23.43
Chad Green 2444 96.51 25.32
Jordan Hicks 2081 101.03 20.60
So why is a high-spin fastball so much more effective? A high spin, vertically moving fastball gives the perception to a hitter that the ball is rising. The idea that a pitch is rising is a misconception. In actuality, a high-spin fastball simply stays on plane longer. A hitter's eyes have been trained to assume a pitch naturally has downward action, and when the pitch remains on plane for longer than normal, hitters often don't have time to adjust.
When a fastball has low vertical movement and a low spin rate, it has a tendency to "drop" shortly before arriving at home plate. This fastball strain generates more ground balls than any other outcome. Those are often outs at the big league level, but there's better ways to utilize a fastball nonetheless. Unmistakably, the most ideal trait of an elite fastball is its ability to induce swings and misses.
Now that we understand what variables form a truly-elite fastball, the new obstacle is handing out genuine grades to prospects. Unfortunately, most minor league parks are not privy to the same analytics that are readily-available in the big leagues. Still, while it's far from an exact science, there are ways to evaluate fastballs using a simple eye test.
Watching a pitcher throw from the broadcast view or in highlight videos can give us a good perspective. Evaluating a pitching prospect in person? Watch them pitch from behind home plate. If hitters often swing under a pitcher's fastball, it likely means the pitch has a high spin rate. Use pencil and paper to track swings and misses. Of course it's not as reliable as the Statcast data from big leaguers we can pull up on our phones or computers with the click of a button, but it can still be just as reliable as watching velocity readings at the minor league park you're attending (or the numbers being shown on your MiLB.tv screen).
Recently, Major League organizations have implemented Rapsado and/or Trackman, which are pitch trackers that obtain spin rate and vertical movement, at the majority of their affiliates. They're also being utilized at amateur tournaments and college stadiums to begin collecting data on future professionals.
This data drives the decisions big league organizations make in trades, free agent signings and drafts. In an industry that relays information to the everyday fan, it's our responsibility to do everything in our power to evaluate fastballs in the same manner Major League organizations do.
Ramon Laureano is projected to be the starting center fielder for the Athletics this season. They acquired the outfielder from the Astros in exchange for little-known pitching prospect Brandon Bailey. At the time, trading a future, big league starting outfielder for a minor league pitcher who wasn't even in the Astros top-30 list felt like highway robbery.
Bailey is a prospect that 99% of common baseball fans have never heard of. He went in the sixth round after dominating at Gonzaga. He was categorized as undersized, being 5 foot 10 175 pounds, and often overlooked by professional teams. He does his offseason training at Driveline Baseball in Seattle, Washington. I came across a video of him on twitter, and felt the need to ask the same question that inspired me to write this piece, to Kyle Boddy. Boddy is the founder of Driveline and one of the people at the forefront of the analytical advancements in baseball.
After that interaction, I decided if I was ever given an opportunity to write, I would attempt to shift the narrative around prospects, especially pitching prospects' fastballs. Brandon Bailey is an often-overlooked prospect. He is widely considered an after thought, even though he has pretty much dominated pro ball since he was drafted. He has started and relieved and seems to dominate in both roles. His numbers are great and his strikeout rate (302 K's in 256.1 minor league career innings) proves his stuff has big league potential. But for whatever reason (perhaps his age or height), Bailey doesn't receive the recognition he rightfully deserves.
Only 5% of MLB pitchers are under 6 feet tall. My goal is to one day be a part of that 5%
⚾
First week at @DrivelineBB in the books!
📈📊💻@drivelinebases @ericjagers @billhezel pic.twitter.com/t9NIkywqte
— Brandon Bailey (@BBailey_19) January 29, 2019
In this video alone, Bailey topped out at 94.2 mph. He threw multiple pitches in the 91-92 range across the middle of the plate. For those that do not know, live at-bats at Driveline Baseball occur with professional hitters. Bailey made them look silly. His is a plus fastball. Forget the radar readings, and just look at the swing and miss rate. That proves the ideology. He continues to carve up hitters at every level. I don't know what the scouting consensus is on Bailey's fastball (Fangraphs has labeled it as a 50), but it should be in the 60-65 range, even if the radar only reads 91 at times.
Hunter Greene is a gifted pitching prospect who has the ability to throw 100+ mph fastball with relative ease. General consensus believes the pitch is a true, 80-grade offering. I've only seen the right-hander's highlights and his performance in the Futures Game last season, but for a player with an assumed 80-grade pitch, Greene's results from last season were a little startling.
In my opinion, a true, 80 grade fastball is one that obtains swings and misses even in fastball counts. It should be very rare for an opposing hitter to barrel a fastball to their pull side. The pitcher should be able to scream "A FASTBALL IS COMING!" at the top of his lungs and still induce whiffs with the pitch. Check out the video below from last summer's Futures Game. In a 2-1, Basabe receives a heater on the inner-third of the plate. Based on the catcher's setup, this was a well-thrown, well-located pitch. The stadium radar gun says the pitch was thrown at 102 mph. Yet, Basabe obliterates it for a 404-foot, mammoth home run to right-center field.
I say all of that not to diminish Greene's value. The kid played full-season ball as an 18-year-old last season; he's a prodigy and one of the better pitching prospects in baseball. Instead, it's to point out a mistake we often make. It's easy to fall in love with the radar gun. All pitchers should try to maximize their velocity capabilities, so the importance associated with radar readings isn't baseless or without validity. If two pitchers throw with same amount of Bauer Units, the one who throws 100 mph often has inside-track of making it to the big leagues before the one who throws 90.
But from a scouting standpoint, we need to improve how we evaluate, grade, and discuss the fastball. Continuing to utilize the sport's analytics (when it's made available to us) to further our base of knowledge will help the overall success-rate of prospect lists, which are historically very low. I look forward to the day evaluators uniformly discuss spin rate and BU before velocity, and I think we're trending in that direction. Journalists and baseball personalities serve as a source of baseball knowledge to the everyday fan, and to improve their knowledge of the game we must first improve our own.
Follow P365 contributor Trevor Powers on Twitter! @TPowerProspects
Featured image courtesy of photographer Patrick McDermott and Getty Images
Statistics gathered from Baseball Prospectus and Baseball Savant
Previous Predicting Next Season's Fantasy First Rounders
Next J.B. Bukauskas and the RPM Revolution


text:
The Human Condition: A Volume in the Comparative Religious Ideas Project / Edition 1 available in Paperback
The Human Condition: A Volume in the Comparative Religious Ideas Project / Edition 1
by Robert Cummings Neville, Peter L. BergerRobert Cummings Neville
Current price is , Original price is $31.95. You
4 New & Used from
Please check back later for updated availability.
Explores the human condition in a range of world religions and discusses the issue and philosophical implications of comparison itself.
This multi-authored collaborative work on the idea of the human condition as a comparative category cuts across major religious traditions and cultures. Extensive essays by distinguished specialists examine Chinese religion, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Together the essays provide a multi-cultural approach to the human condition, discussing both broad sensibilities of religious traditions as well as specific texts. In addition the volume contains an introduction to a sophisticated theory of comparison for religious ideas, including explicit comparisons based on the specialized essays.
Contributors include Francis X. Clooney, S.J., Malcolm David Eckel, Paul Fredriksen, S. Nomanul Haq, Joseph Kanofsky, Livia Kohn, Robert Cummings Neville, Hugh Nicholson, Anthony J. Saldarini, Tina Shepardson , John Thatamanil,, and Wesley J. Wildman.
SUNY Series, The Comparative Religious Ideas Project Series
Robert Cummings Neville is Professor of Philosophy, Religion, and Theology at Boston University, and Dean of the School of Theology. He has written many books, including most recently, Behind the Masks of God: An Essay Toward Comparative Theology; Normative Cultures; The Truth of Broken Symbols; and Boston Confucianism: Portable Tradition in the Late-Modern World , all published by SUNY Press.
Robert Cummings Neville
Robert Cummings Neville with Wesley J. Wildman
1. On Comparing Religious Ideas
2. Chinese Religion
Livia Kohn
3. Beginningless Ignorance: A Buddhist View of the Human Condition
Malcolm David Eckel with John J. Thatamanil
4. To Be Heard and Done, But Never Quite Seen: The Human Condition According to the Vivekacudamani
Francis X. Clooney, S.J., with Hugh R. Nicholson
5. Religious Dimensions of the Human Condition in Judaism: Wrestling with God in an Imperfect World
Anthony J. Saldarini with Joseph A. Kanofsky
6. Embodiment and Redemption: The Human Condition in Ancient Christianity
Paula Fredriksen with Tina Shepardson
7. The Human Condition in Islam: Shari'a and Obligation
S. Nomanul Haq
8. Comparative Hypotheses: Cosmological Categories for the Human Condition
9. Comparative Hypotheses: Personal and Social Categories for the Human Condition
Appendix A: On the Process of the Project During the First Year
Wesley J. Wildman
Appendix B: Suggestions for Further Reading
Essays examine Chinese religion, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam to provide a multicultural approach to the human condition. They discuss both broad sensibilities of religious traditions as well as specific texts. Includes an introduction to a sophisticated theory of comparison for religious ideas, including explicit comparisons based on specialized essays. Neville, dean of the School of Theology, teaches philosophy, religion, and theology at Boston University. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)


Today is a sleepy day for me. Just got in an hour ago, been out to pay bills and get groceries and gas. Last night was crazy though. I did not fall asleep until after three this morning, and got up at eight. I am so very ready for a nap! Got a lot done, and still have more to do, but I am sure some well deserved red eye would do me a world of good. The weather is making it easier, it is cloudy and rainy and cool. Perfect weather for a nap, even if I wasn't already exhausted. When I am done here, a nice blanket and pillow are calling my name.
Per the lottery to prove how tired I am, I managed to discard my lottery ticket without checking the numbers from last night. Well, I am pretty sure it wasn't a winner, not being negative, but I did look at them and it is very unlikely that my ticket was a winner of any kind. Mental note to self, try not to do things related to money when tired, it could be very costly!
As for working in the online shops, no sales yet, but I remain hopeful that as the year moves on that things will begin to move in the right direction. Even though sales have not been happening, it does appear that the amount of hits, or stops into the shops and certain items seems to be increasing, so that is a good sign. I did Google myself last night (while I fought for sleep), I noticed that I guess other people have posted things form my shop in different shops, not for sale, but in blogs or other information sites. Not sure what it all means, I am hoping this is a good thing. If you know what this is, a note to give me the heads up would be greatly appreciated.
The phone has been crazy and I am back after much housework, cooking, a nap and several phone calls. It is finally time for me to get some work on my crocheting on the way, got to have it done by the 10th of March, so got to get it done. Lots more to do after that. I am getting so excited about seeing family again. It has been years, so it is well appreciated and deserved.
This entry was posted on February 24, 2011 at 8:36 PM and is filed under Uncategorized with tags Crochet, Curveball, Google, Luck, Online Communities, Social Networking, Television, Twitter.	You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


On behalf of Lynn Allex of Glassman & Michael, PLLC posted in security clearance on Thursday, June 21, 2018.
Security clearances are extremely important in many jobs, including some military jobs. In order to view classified information, a security clearance is required. To receive a security clearance, the appropriate personnel security background investigation must be completed.
On behalf of Lynn Allex of Glassman & Michael, PLLC posted in military divorce on Wednesday, June 13, 2018.
Military divorce may run into certain complexities that civilian divorces do not experience. Because the divorce process is inherently stressful, it is helpful to understand what these challenges are that divorcing military couples may face and understand that the family law process provides options to help at each step along the way.
On behalf of Stephen Glassman of Glassman & Michael, PLLC on Wednesday, June 13, 2018.
As a member of the U.S. military, you undoubtedly understand how challenging it can be to balance career with family life. The armed forces are not immune to high rates of divorce, so if you have recently ended your own marriage, know that there are likely many others, perhaps even among your Virginia unit, who have done the same.
How can alcohol use impact my security clearance?
On behalf of Lynn Allex of Glassman & Michael, PLLC posted in security clearance on Monday, June 11, 2018.
For military members who use or abuse alcoholism, the impact on their security clearance may understandably concern them. They may wonder what impact alcohol use can have on their security clearance. According to the Adjudicative Guidelines, excessive alcohol consumption is viewed as leading to questionable judgment and a lack of impulse control which can call into question reliability and trustworthiness. This can threaten a security clearance so it is important to understand.
On behalf of Stephen Glassman of Glassman & Michael, PLLC posted in military divorce on Friday, June 8, 2018.
Military members can be at greater risk for divorce. According to researchers, reporting on the largest study on broken families in the military, longer and more frequent combat deployments in countries in the Middle East undermined marital satisfaction which led to a greater number of divorces. The research looked at 460,000 service members from 1999 and 2008 and discovered that the likelihood of divorce increased with each month the deployed spouse was away at war.
On behalf of Lynn Allex of Glassman & Michael, PLLC posted in military divorce on Thursday, June 7, 2018.
If you are new to the process, or maybe need to revisit it, you may have questions about exactly what a security clearance is. Federal government security clearances are awarded to certain personnel and companies when they are eligible to access classified information or facilities. There are three leaves of personnel security clearances including Confidential, Secret and Top Secret. Because a security clearance can be important to the livelihood of military personnel or others in government, as well as contractors, it is an important process to be familiar with.
On behalf of Lynn Allex of Glassman & Michael, PLLC posted in military divorce on Tuesday, June 5, 2018.
Military divorces can be somewhat complex at times. One reason for that is because both federal and state laws can impact a military divorce. Though federal laws can impact property division considerations during a military divorce, such as pensions, and jurisdiction for a military divorce can be another potentially complicated issue, it is helpful for divorcing military couples to understand basic property division laws in Virginia.
How are military benefits impacted by divorce?
On behalf of James Alford of Glassman & Michael, PLLC posted in military divorce on Friday, June 1, 2018.
Military couples who are divorcing may have many questions and concerns related to military benefits. Determining how military benefits will be handled in a military divorce can be complex and will have to take into account divorce laws and military regulations which can make the process especially challenging.


I've said it before but I get to see so much of the fun at Amara's school by volunteering. One good adventure often leads to another. It all started back in April at Open House and Book Fair. The Book Fair ran all that week for the students and they always have it open during Open House to give the parents a chance to shop, too.
Since the hours are from 5 to 7 PM, the PTA had the brilliant idea of selling food at the Open House so that the teachers could grab a quick bite and so could parents coming straight from work. The theme was Book Fair Fiesta so having tacos sounded perfect. They hired someone to come in with a grill to cook them to order but they needed volunteers to sell the taco plates and drinks. Volunteers were hard to find as parents wanted to go to the classroom and for some of them multiple classrooms to meet with their children's teachers. I am glad Jenna talked me into helping. I worked with my Grandma friend that I sell fruit pops with for the PTA. That is how I found out about the Gold Rush! She took time to go to her grandson's classroom who is in Amara's class. She came back and told me I had to go to the classroom and volunteer to help. OK! I volunteered and so did Jenna and Justin.
Amara's teacher had done this event for the last 3 years. The class has been studying the Gold Rush and this would be the culmination. They would dress in cowboy attire and the volunteers, that would be us, would handle the rest. The volunteers dressed country style, too. (I love Goodwill!) The students/scholars would be split into groups of 6 or 7 and move to the different activities. Let me tell you about them – it was so fun!
They had a Country Kitchen where two moms helped them to make corn tortillas! They had the mesa prepared in advance, all of the students wore gloves, and they flipped tortillas onto a pancake griddle. I had one of them and it really hit the spot, as I forgot to eat before I left the house.
Jenna and Justin were in charge of the arm wrestling and wheelbarrow races; not the kind you do with a wheelbarrow but the kind with two people. Some of those 4th grade girls are very strong when it comes to arm wrestling but the funniest part was when I saw them wheeling 6'4″ Mr. Justin down the racecourse! There were five students holding his legs up! I wish I had photos but I didn't take my camera because I knew I wouldn't have time to take pictures.
My Grandma friend that told me to volunteer helped the students learn to lasso! They had a bale of hay with a hobbyhorse stuck in it for them to aim for.
Another mom was taking their "Wanted" photos. Amara's teacher had a big cardboard cutout from before that made the students look like they were outlaws. They had fun posing with their fake mustaches.
And what would a Gold Rush Day be if you didn't pan for gold? One of the Mom's had filled a small pool with water and sand and then "salted" it with gold! They learned how to pan and had little burlap bags to put their gold nuggets into.
Because they needed that gold to shop at the General Store! Two moms weighed out the gold nuggets and told each student how much money they had to spend. The General Store was set up so cute with kerchiefs and hay decorating the table laden with bowls of candy, pencils, sheriff's badges, pencil boxes and all sorts of goodies they could purchase!
I had suggested we teach them to square dance or line dance – figured it would burn off some energy and it had never been done before. I went home, did some research, and decided we definitely had to teach them line dancing as square dancing wasn't going to work. 4th graders don't want to do anything that involves couples! Since line dancing didn't come along until 1970 I had to find a way to tie it all together. So before we started dancing, we talked about square dancing, which was more likely the type of dancing the original miners did. We talked about the gold resurgence that has been happening since 2010 and they were shocked that gold is now worth $1300-$1400 an ounce. Line dancing is much more likely the dance that these new miners did so I taught them the Cupid Shuffle. I had found a video on YouTube. Where would I be without YouTube? Since I had them in very small groups, they were easy and fun to teach. Some got into it more than others but I think all of them had fun.
This isn't just lunch it is a full meal.
For me the best part was when two of the girls came back after lunch and asked if they could dance some more! I turned the music back on and within minutes, there were 12 – 15 students lined up and dancing! They had to make two rows!
UPDATE: I thought that was the best part until later that evening I got a text from one of the mom's that her daughter was teaching her little sister and the girl next door my dance.
I am so glad I volunteer and that Amara goes to such a great school!
This memory was posted in Volunteering and tagged Gold Rush, line dancing, volunteer on June 17, 2014 by Grandma Kc.
What an extraordinary place this school is! I don't remember anything close to this back in my day. Highly creative and innovative, the school works hard to incorporate the parents as volunteers for events, and you are truly the kind of volunteer they need/have to succeed. Certainly a blueprint for schools throughout the country! So impressive, and how wonderful for precious Amara. Thank you for sharing this wonderful event/experience.
Thank you, Sarah! I do get to have a lot of fun and I think being with those children (and Jenna) really helps to keep my mentally young. I know I got my exercise that day!
They are definitely having more fun at school than I did and I really think they learn more this way, too! I can't wait to see what 5th grade will be like.
I agree it is an amazing school with some great teachers – and it is free! It was sure a fun day and I was sure tired when I got home and I can't wait to do it all again. I can't wait to see what 5th grade will bring us. I know my Grandma friend and I are on the fruit pops team again next year!
I love living history events! What a great way to teach the children!
They were so excited to recite all their gold rush facts, too! I'm with you I think this was a great way to learn.
Wow. What a great school that Amara goes to. And what a great grandma you are for volunteering.
It really is a great school and I am so glad that it now goes through 8th grade! I do love volunteering and I do think it helps keep me younger – and more active, too!
This sounds amazing…even lassoing! Panning for gold..the creativity there is phenomenal !
I do wish I had pictures of it all as it really was cute! All the lower grades would ew and aw when they went by!
What a fun event! I am so impressed with Amara's teachers for coming up with so many great ideas, and the parents/grandparents for volunteering to help. This sounds like it was just a blast for the teachers, volunteers, and the kids as well. I know you were a little worried about teaching line dancing, but it sounds like you nailed it!! I bet if you heard about one of the girls teaching other kids the steps, there are probably more doing the same that you don't know about!! If that's not inspiring kids in a positive way, I don't know what is!! Keep up the great job everyone at Santiago Elementary!!
All of the volunteers got a nice email from the teacher – she really did appreciate all our efforts and the kids had a blast! The only thing that went the tiniest bit wrong was after all my searching to find the right music – insert Kc hates country western music – they couldn't really hear it. We couldn't put it over the PA system or make it really loud because there were classes going on but in the end it didn't even matter! They didn't care if they could hear the music or not! Certainly a day I am never going to forget!
WOW! I have read about some creative learning experiences here but I think this one is my favorite so far! Your first comment from Sarah says exactly what I was thinking. But then I got to the dance part and decided that THAT was the highlight of the event – and I see I wasn't the only one who felt that way! I'm amazed at how much fun all of you make learning for those kids. What a clever spin on everything from the way those miners ate, earned their living, roped their cattle and had their fun. Awesome!
It was a fabulous day for everybody! You should see my Fitbit graph for that day. You can see where each group stopped and started. I'm a lucky Grandma!
What a great success that the kids came back for more and then taught each other!!
It sure is a day I will never forget! I am so glad that I get to be there to enjoy so many of these things – thanks to you. Also glad we are both healthy enough to keep up with her!


I have been taking salmon oil capsules for the past few days. On the label it states "1000mg" however on the back when I read the EPA and DHA levels... it says 120mg of EPA and 80mg of DHA from omega 3 fatty acid's.
So does that mean that the capsules themseleves have 1000mg's of salmon oil, but that the EPA and DHA from the omega 3 fatty acids are only 120mg and 80mg respecitively?
If that is the case that means I am not getting anywhere close to what I should be getting in omega 3 fatty acids right? I have purchased your 6 steps handbook, and as I understand it, I should be getting 1000mg's of the actual omega 3 fatty acid's themselves right?
I am pretty confused at this point, can you please help out?
Yes, you are right - your dosage is pretty low. I would recommend finding one with a higher dosage for more effectiveness. Looks like they just added the 2 together. Look for a brand that will give you 1000mg of EPA and 500mg of DHA per day - according to Dr. Andrew Stoll's research. (see the 2nd chapter of my book). Thanks for asking!


MEMBER for Vanimo-Green Belden Namah has indicated that his people remain deprived of K8 million in District Service Improvement Program funds for the years 2017 and 2018.
Speaking to the Post-Courier last week while in his electorate to assess damages wrought by flash flooding, Mr Namah said that he found it appalling how the government has denied the people of Vanimo-Green millions of its DSIP funds.
He said, as it were, K4 million of the nationally allocated K10 million was not paid in 2017 and that this had also been the case in 2018.
"How are we supposed to fully use the DSIP funds and plan a way ahead for our people when we don't have the full amounts to make such plans?" asked a disgruntled Mr Namah.
The Vanimo-Green MP, who was talking while under immense strain after hearing of the instances of two major bridges collapsing and multiple homes being washed away in his district, said that much of the infrastructure in Vanimo were indeed outdated but that funding remained a constraint.
Explained that as such, he had lost faith in the practice of waiting for DSIP funds that most likely would not arrive and that he had taken up a new approach of working with the business community to ascertain mutually beneficial results for the district.
"It is obvious that the government has money issues and we cannot wait around for them.
"Such situations like the disaster currently being faced by the people of Green River only heightens the need for us to be more innovative and smart in how we find ways to source support," said Mr Namah.


Our CANIDAE All Life Stages Platinum Less Active Dog Dry Food Multi-Protein Formula is specifically formulated for your dog at any life stage, for any breed, or any size. This makes mealtimes with multiple pets much easier with just one bag for all dogs!
Chicken meal, brown rice, white rice, rice bran, peas, potatoes, oatmeal, cracked pearled barley, millet, turkey meal, lamb meal, chicken fat, tomato pomace, natural flavor, flaxseed, oceanfish meal, salmon oil, choline chloride, salt, potassium chloride, suncured alfalfa, inulin (from chicory root), lecithin, sage extract, cranberries, beta-carotene, rosemary extract, sunflower oil, yucca schidigera extract, dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, vitamins (vitamin E supplement, thiamine mononitrate, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, niacin, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid), minerals (iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite), mixed tocopherols (a preservative), papaya, pineapple.


Shares her full name with her mother.
Whether you know her from her appearance in Bruce Springsteen's music video for Dancing in the Dark or from her stint as Michael J. Fox's character's girlfriend on Family Ties, you definitely remember her as Monica Geller on Friends. Though she auditioned for the role of Rachel Green, her casting was no mistake. Her stint as Monica catapulted her further into stardom, and she has recently been more behind-the-scenes, directing and producing.


hearth/myth: Chickies, bunnies, and the end of time.
I'm giving you a chance to redeem yourselves. This here is the cover (isn't it awesome?) of the book that's coming out on Tuesday. Yes, on the first day of spring. It's my first-ever urban fantasy, and the first in a series of what will either be four or five books. So I like the idea of releasing it on the spring equinox, which Neopagans call Ostara.
Luckily for Neopagans, our holidays don't vary nearly that much. We always observe Ostara on the spring equinox -- which, this year, is 1:14 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Tuesday, March 20.
An Ostara observance looks a lot like your typical Easter observance. We have the chicks and bunnies, and the eggs dyed pastel colors. That's because, just like the Christmas tree and the Yule log, chicks and bunnies started out as pagan symbols of the season and were co-opted (maybe tolerated is a better word) by the Church for its celebration of Christ's resurrection. In any case, the symbolism hasn't changed. At base, both Easter and Ostara are about new beginnings and fresh starts, about coming out of difficult times and into the light and warmth.
Anyway, if all goes as planned, Seized will be available for the Kindle on Tuesday. If you don't have a Kindle, all is not lost -- Amazon has free Kindle software available for many platforms, including PCs and smartphones. (I've been reading Kindle books on my iPhone. It's not as bad as it sounds. No, really!) I'll pull together a paperback version, too, if there's enough interest -- let me know.


August 25; 12 p.m.-7 p.m.
Spike Lee's tribute to The King of Pop returns this weekend for its 8th annual iteration. The event is expected to include dancing, food and other festivities meant to honor the late musician's cultural and artistic contributions. DJ Spinna, a Brooklyn local, will provide the music, while Spike Lee and friends host.
August 25; 6 p.m.-10 p.m.
The Baffler Magazine is turning the big 3-0, and in honor of three decades of ruthless political and cultural commentary, they're hosting a birthday party at Brooklyn's Elsewhere. Musical guests Deerhoof and Palberta are set to perform and an after party will follow.
The much-anticipated Afropunk festival returns this weekend for a two-day marathon of musical performances from artists including headliners Erykah Badu, Tyler the Creator, Janelle Monae and Miguel — just to name a few. The theme of this year's festival is "The People Resist," a "message that brings together Afropunk ideology and the people who support it, in resistance to those that strive to oppress." Tickets are sold out, but you can see updates and videos from performers by following the #Afropunk hashtag on social media.
August 28; 7 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
Founded by historian Howard Zinn and activist Anthony Arnove, nonprofit education center VOICES is partnering with SummerStage to host a special event commemorating the 55th anniversary of the March on Washington. In the spirit of social justice and resistance, the jam-packed roster includes live readings, music, poetry and more. Grammy Award-winner Roseanne Cash, Academy Award-winner Marisa Tomei, actor Uzo Aduba and other special guests will appear.
August 29; 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
Musicians far and wide will make a pilgrimage to Bryant Park on Wednesday as part of "Accordions Around the World." The artists will play a medley of tunes designed to highlight and amplify the unique sound of the oft-overlooked instrument. If you can't make it to Wednesday's show, Bryant Park Picnics has planned additional festivities in early and mid-September.
Playwright Maria Irene Fornes is the focus of Michelle Memran's "The Rest I Make Up," a documentary that traces Fornes's life as she works through memory loss. While the playwright is most widely known as the ex-lover of literary titan Susan Sontag, Fornes is the winner of nine Obie Awards, the creator of over 40 full-length works and is an influential force within the theater world. "The Rest I Make Up" runs in conjunction with a 12-hour marathon reading of Fornes's works at the Public Theater on Monday, August 27.