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You Are Dumb, which is not a blog, posts new columns when it can manage to in these troubled Trumpian times. It is also a Twitter feed, @youaredumb, with content in a similar vein but much shorter. For a take on what a blog by me would be like, check out OLDNERD.
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Archive - Aug 2007
Memo to the Internet: YOU ARE DUMB.
Vacations are tricky things, now that I have this site. The nature of the beast is such that when I go, I can't rely on having a computer and Net connection at all. Much less for the many hours required to carefully craft each day's loving packet of spite. Being gone for two weeks poses an even bigger difficulty, because I work semi-topical. There's no way in hell I can come up with ten current stupid things in advance.
Luckily, ten happens to be a traditional number in modern American culture, especially when it comes to listing things. And because I work semi-topical, there are certain subjects and topics I've covered rarely, if at all. Some of them predate the column, some of them don't work by themselves without a nice context to frame them in.
So for the next two weeks, while I'm away, I'll be counting down the Ten Greatest Crimes Against Humanity Committed By The Internet. Most of these crimes were committed by individuals ON the Internet, but none of them would have been possible -without- the Internet.
To kick off, at number ten, we actually have something topical, which sort of defeats the purpose, but what the fuck. It's the first day. And the first crime is MURDER. The body's still warm, the blood's still wet, and the victim has written the name of their murderer on the wall. ACTUAL QUOTE TIME!
"Due to the challenges in the retail and wholesale magazine marketplace that have impacted the newsstand, American Media, Inc. today announced it will close the print version of the Weekly World News, effective with the August 27 issue."
That, for those of you who don't speak corporate nerdese, means the Internet killed the Weekly World News. The "problems in the retail and wholesale magazine marketplace" means that people don't bother reading magazines anymore, because anything the magazines have to say, some nerd said on a message board weeks before they could go to print.
And that sucks, because the Weekly World News is the only newsstand publication that actually benefits from being on a newsstand. A scientific poll I just conducted confirmed what we all know in our hearts. Every single one of us knows what's on the cover of the Weekly World News, and nobody knows what's inside. Why? Because nobody reads it. They look at the cover while they're buying groceries or snacks. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that looking at the Weekly World News cover is the single most entertaining part of buying groceries or snacks.
They say they're going to keep the publication alive on the Internet, which is bonus irony, and also pointless, because, and I say this with the most heartfelt of apologies to the people who write for it, it's not intended to actually be read. It's there so that we can point and laugh at the ludicrous PhotoShop jobs and awesome accompanying headlines.
Even MORE importantly, it's there so we can point and laugh at the people in line with us who don't realize it's a gag. We've all been there. It doesn't happen too often, but when it does, it's glorious. Some poor idiot spots something about aliens or Bigfoot and gets all incredulous. That's the best thing ever, and something a website will never be able to duplicate.
So we bid a fond farewell to the cover of the Weekly World News, and spit curses at the feet of the Internet that made it obsolete. And as bad as this is, remember we've got nine even worse things coming up.
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Election woes got you down?
As co-counsel and plaintiff in the on-going King-Lincoln-Bronzeville federal lawsuit, we have fought for six years to win justice and full disclosure in an election that Rove stole for George W. Bush.
In the course of this civil rights federal suit, we have seen the illegal destruction of hundreds of thousands of paper and electronic ballots that were supposedly protected by federal law.
We have seen 56 of 88 Ohio counties destroy most of their poll records, making a full recount of the 2004 vote an impossibility. Some of this destruction was done in defiance of federal law and a federal court order, for which no one has been prosecuted.


However, I – and many other OBOD members – have always liked the way Druidry has avoided being 'boxed-in' to one definition: a spiritual path to some people, a magical tradition to another, a religion to a third, a philosophy or cultural phenomenon to another, and so on. As soon as you start on the path of trying to define Druidry you run into problems: look at the last sentence of the quote I gave: 'other Pagan groups' – well some Druids don't consider themselves Pagan so you've got a problem right away. Not all people who call themselves Druids would agree with all aspects of the definition of Druidry that The Druid Network have agreed with the Charity Commission. As with many things there are positives and negatives and it's a question of weighing these up and looking more closely at the implications of the decision.
Technically Druidry is a religion.
a. Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe.
b. A personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship.
However, I think it's down to personal choice as to whether we call it our religion, our spirituality or our faith. I don't mind what label people give to my path, I'm a Druid, my path has taken years to build, it is, by the nature of druidry, continually changing. I'm proud of my faith, I've never hidden it, I didn't need any institution's "approval" for it, but I am glad we have this recognition. What we do need to watch for are those who abuse it now.
My personal concept of Druidry does not fit into any of those definitions.
Great Kernos! I think the more viewpoints/concepts/definitions we have the better? Do share!
It is indeed hard to pin down. I've even tried explaining it as something between, Animism, Patheism and Theosophy, but, in itself, that explanation is confusing. The term religion makes it easy to grasp for the masses, whereas more ambiguous terms can sometimes end in confusion. That's why I'm happy with Druidry being reffered to as a Religion. my personal term for it is my "faith".
I'm glad that you have been able to blog about this and I am also reassured that OBOD members share my concerns.
I am very supportive of the more practical results of this ruling, with Phil Ryder saying in an article that it would be easier to hire venues etc. for religious gatherings which is great. Having a legal leg to stand on stops people who don't understand the more "unusual" groups from discriminating unnecessarily.
I must confess that I am shocked that OBOD was not consulted on this. As the biggest order in the UK (or at least pretty high up there!), I would have thought your door would have been the first that they knocked on! As I know Emma Restall-Orr is involved with all of this, I assume BDO was consulted, and I have always felt their definition of Druidry incompatible with my own. However, choosing not to join their order was simple, but having such a definition exist in a more legal context is slightly more tricky to work around.
Defining most Pagan traditions is incredibly difficult and I would never even try to do so. If this doesn't affect people dramatically then that is fine. I am concerned however that while TDN say they have 350 members, they have also referred to the 10,000 figure listed by the BBC in 2003. As this refers to a more general UK statistic of Druid numbers and NOT members of the TDN, they have essentially tried to speak for many who they do not represent and who they do not receive membership money from! I am not one of these statistics as I have never officially declared my status but I'm sure many of the "10,000" who are not of the TDN way of thinking would be pretty miffed at this point!
They have come across as trying to be as fair and balanced as possible but reading their website in more detail, there are a lot of inconsistencies and this laying a claim to the wider Druid community, even though they still say that their views are only their own interpretations, just seems confusing.
I worry about the typical man-on-the-street who won't get these complexities and who will take this definition as fact and leave it at that. I also worry that all recognised Orders are listed in the TDN directory. The rules for this directory, as listed on the TDN website states that all those listed have to agree with the Druid interpretation of the directory organiser. I spotted many a Christian Druid order listed there, which according to the TDN's new constitution apparently doesn't count anymore.
I could write about this for days so I'll stop now. I hope that more will come out in the wash a bit and that this ridiculously complicated and baffling decision will somehow become slightly more comprehensive. I wish you luck with trying to pin down the exact details and I hope to read more about your thoughts on here.
As the member of The Druid Network that had responsibility for making this application to the Charity Commission perhaps I can shed some light on the points that Philip raises – and he isn't alone.
When we first looked at who we should register TDN with, and as an organization that takes money from members and therefore has an income we legally had to register, we made the decision that it would have to be with the Charity Commission – TDN Ltd somehow didn't sit well.
So, we had to register!
In English Charity Law there are 'Heads of Charity' under which you can register, one being religion. A registered charity can only do what it states in its constitutional objects – if it does something different it will be de-registered.
So, we had to register as a religion – that is what our objects state we are!
We then had to demonstrate to the CC that indeed the beliefs and practice as given in the Foreword to TDN's Constitution met the criteria under English Law of religion.
It would have been arrogant in the extreme for us to just place what a few folk who consider their path to be that of a druid to place their own personal thoughts without agreement from the wider community. TDN approached all the major Druid organizations, including OBOD, for their views on our Foreword. All agreed that it was the bare foundation of druid belief and practice, again including your good self Philip.
After much discussion with the CC we convinced them of the validity of that which we placed in our Foreword and therefore the CC agreed that the druid network is an organization whose objects further religion for the benefit of the public.
Note it does NOT say Druid Religion!
As with all other belief systems there is diversity and that is nowhere more apparent than in Druidry – but we are not unique. All religions have denominations within them and groups with their differing practices. Christianity probably has more than most and Druidry is no different.
TDN has not defined Druidry for all Druids – only that given in our Foreword – others are free to disagree.
I accept that there are those who do not like the word religion with all its associations – neither do I – but fact remains we are one as defined by English Charity Law. I'd prefer there to not be heads of charity and applicants be judged solely on the public benefit, but we are stuck with the present system.
In conclusion, TDN had to register with the CC as a religion and being The Druid Network that was the one we registered as. But, it does not prevent others from having different beliefs or practice nor does it mean Druidry can not be seen as a philosophy or an ethical spiritual path. It was The Druid Network not Druidry that has been accepted.
I appreciate your concern here. I have to admit that I am not a UK citizen and do not know the details of exactly how religious institutions gain legal status in the UK… but something has started to worry me about these objections faulting TDN for pursuing religious charity status.
I do not necessarily see TDN's charity status as a ruling which forces all Druids to agree with their particular conception of Druidry, any more than granting legal charity status to one Christian group forces all other Christian groups to conform to their particular theology. On the other hand, it certainly sounds like what some folks are saying is that if not all Druids agree that Druidry is religious, then no Druids should seek religious status under UK law. But for those Druids who do see Druidry as a religious tradition (and I am one of them), this seems to put an unfair restriction on our ability to seek legal recognition for our various institutions and their activities.
I am not sure why TDN should have had to consult with OBOD before choosing to put their time, energy and money towards pursuing this goal… any more than the Church of England should have to consult with the Catholic Church, or the American Humanist Association should have to consult with the American Association for the Advancement of Science. TDN was pursuing legal status as a religious charity; since OBOD is neither explicitly religious, or a charity, I do not see why TDN should have any obligation to consult with OBOD on the matter. And I say this as a member of OBOD myself, who is not a member of TDN precisely because I do not agree with all of their ideas about theology, deity, etc.
While I appreciate that you and others might like Druidry "just the way it is," I know that over here in the U.S. there is an on-going struggle in the Pagan community to receive the respect and acceptance given readily to other religious traditions. In many ways, I am not okay with everything staying "the way it is," because it means that my religion will remain a "second tier" religion, or worse, a reason for discrimination and condemnation. That does not mean I think all Druids have to be religious, or Pagan – when I first began to study Druidry, I was myself still a Christian, and I continue to hold respect for that tradition and for many other religions. But it makes me very uncomfortable and worried to hear disapproval rather than congratulation for TDN's accomplishment, with the implication that those of us who take Druidry seriously as a deeply spiritual tradition should check our commitment at the door for the sake of political correctness.
But again, perhaps I have a different perspective. One of the largest American Druidic groups is ADF, which for years has been organized specifically as a Pagan religious tradition. It has never stopped any of the rest of us from viewing Druidry as a "way of life" that fits well with non-Pagan paths.
Blimey Michael, that is quite terrifying! I'm glad the Garda took it seriously and discussed things properly with you!
I suppose my main concern is that TDN have the word "network" in their title. That seems to indicate that they do represent all Druids as we are all networking through them. With everyone being listed on their directory, how could anyone looking out of curiosity ever have any clue otherwise!?
I accept that this is just the TDN's interpretation and its just for their own status but it does affect us all in the long run, regardless of what they say.
My version of druidry doesn't fit those ideas… I don't have a spiritual leader for a start, I don't do reverence for a supernatural entity in the way it is meant, and I definitely do not worship.
My druidry is a connection and a commitment to expanding my consciousness, understanding and connection to Spirit (meaning the great spirit/life force/universal energy of all living things and more), I am also committed to breaking the confines of conditioning of the soul and limiting beliefs within me and to help those I work with.
is there really a need for some people to OWN druidry? can they just not let go of the need for structure in their spiritual practise?
I don't think there was a call for anyone to "own" Druidry.


We will be hosting our evaluation camp for all draft eligible players this coming Saturday (April 27th) from 1pm-3pm at the Blackburn Arena Diamond. The address for the Blackburn Arena is 200 Glen Park Dr, Gloucester, ON K1B 5A3.
This is not a tryout. It's a "practice" to shake off some rust and meet all the new guys. Simple ground balls, fly balls and baseball warm up drills. Each player will also hit some live batting practice. We evaluate players to ensure parity while dispersing them within the leagues 8 teams. We will provide balls, bats and helmets. We do ask that you have your own glove and baseball attire. Metal cleats are permitted but not required in the league. If you have not already signed up, you may do so on site Saturday. Hope to see everyone out in fine form!
The 2019 season is quickly approaching and therefore registration is right around the corner! There will be an in person Registration Date on March 18th at the Blackburn Arms from 7:30-9pm.
We are always looking for new players and will do our best to accommodate special requests. If you have any friends looking for a little more competition than slow pitch or simply a great place to play, encourage them to try our league!
Our new player evaluation day is tentatively scheduled for Saturday April 27th from 1-3pm at the Blackburn Arena Diamond. Registration fee of $250 will remain the same as last season. Early bird registration discount, of $20, will apply to all players who pay in full ($230) before April 1st. Cheques may be made out to Blackburn Men's Fastball League or BMFL, e-transfers may be sent to our Treasurer, Mike Brownhill (mikebrownhill@gmail.com). Please make the password BMFL2019, put your name in the transaction details/other field or we will not know who has sent the money. E-Transfers make take a few hours to process so please do not wait until the last minute to send them.
The season is right around the corner and the BMFL is almost set!
We will be hosting our evaluation camp for all draft eligible players this coming Saturday (April 28th) from 1pm-3pm at the Blackburn arena diamond. This is not a tryout. It's a "practice" to shake off some rust and meet all the new guys. Simple ground balls, fly balls and baseball warm up drills. Each player will also hit some live batting practice.
We evaluate players to ensure parity while dispersing them within the leagues 8 teams. We will provide balls, bats and helmets. We do ask that you have your own glove and baseball attire. Metal cleats are permitted but not required in the league.
If you have not already signed up, you may do so on site Saturday.
Hope to see everyone out in fine form!
The 2018 season is quickly approaching and therefore registration is right around the corner!
Registration dates are set for March 5th and 19th. Both will be held at the Blackburn Arms between 7:30-9pm.
We are always looking for new players and will do our best to accommodate special requests. If you have any friends looking for a little more competition than slow pitch or simply a great place to play, encourage them to try our league! Our new player evaluation day is tentatively scheduled for Saturday April 21st from 1-3pm at the Blackburn Arena Diamond.
Registration fee of $250 will remain the same as last season. Early bird registration discount, of $20, will apply to all players who pay in full ($230) before April 1st. Cheques may be made out to Blackburn Men's Fastball League or BMFL.
We expect to start the 8 team 21 game regular season as soon as the city gives us the ok (usually beginning of May).
We are still working with the City on resolving the underground base post sleeve issue that plagued us last season. We are also awaiting news of the proposed backstop netting which is tentatively scheduled with the Arena expansion project.
If anyone has anything to contribute or has any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to reach out to me.
The BMFL playoffs are now down to just 4 teams with two games scheduled for tonight. Game 1 at 7pm will see the #1 seeded Knights face off against the #6 seeded Blue Jays. The Knights will need to continue their offensive output that has seen them put up 20 runs in just 2 game thus far in the playoffs. Chris Macfarlane and Derek Martin have led the way for the Knights, both hitting 2 round trippers in the first 2 games of their playoff run. Look for the Knights hot bats to carry them past the Blue Jays. The Jays are coming off a strong offensive showing of their own, upsetting Goodfellows 6-2 to knock off the #2 seed. Led by Tyler Borris and Andy Barber, look for the Blue Jays to silence the Knights bats and continue their push to the finals.
Game 2 at 9pm should be a nail biter between Goodfellows and The Braves. Both teams finished the season tied with 27 points. Goodfellows won the season series 2-1 with each game being decided by only 1 point. The Braves are coming off a big 13-7 win over Gloucester Heating. Look for their bats to stay hot while Nick Bowman and Will Mood try to keep Goodfellows offence at bay. Goodfellows are entering tonight's game after an intense game over the Bandits on Tuesday which saw the game go down to the wire. Ultimately ended by a walk off HR by Shannon Borho in the bottom of the 7th inning.
Be sure to come check out the action tonight in Blackburn. It all kicks off at 7pm.
The BMFL playoffs continue on Thursday at 7 pm at the Blackburn arena diamond.
The first game of the night features the number 2 ranked Goodfellows against the number 7 Guzzlers. Goodfellows had a great defensive regular season, giving up 85 runs in 20 games. 2 left handed pitchers, Will Lowe and Shannon Borho, toe the rubber for Goodfellows which features arguably the best defensive infield with Brendan Clark at 2nd, Scott Adams at shortstop and Jordan Adams at 3rd. Those 3 players also play key offensive roles. Look for Jeff Barber to get the start for the Guzzlers who will spearhead the offense and defense. Kevin Shonfield and mid-season pickup Jonady Nunez will also need to play key offensive roles to upset Goodfellows.
The second game features the number 4 ranked Bandits against number 5 Gloucester Heating. Perennial innings pitched leader Pierre Lalonde will likely be on the mound with son Max Lalonde behind the plate. Phil Bedard and Max Lalonde each hit 4 homeruns for the Bandits. Derick Bulley and Derek Bergeron have shared most of the pitching duties. Derick Bulley and Paul Toonders both hit 6 homeruns for the Heat and will look to continue their regular season success. Both these teams have strong offensive lineups so pitching and defense will be key to determine the winner of this match.
Game 1: The Knights came from behind to beat the Rogues 6 to 3. Ryan Chatten picked up the win and Matt Cox went the distance and picked up the loss. Derek Martin and Jefferson Roman hit homeruns for the Knights and Rogues.
Game 2: The Blue Jays beat the Braves 6 to 4. Andy Barber went the distance and picked up the win and Nick Bowman had the loss. Tyler Borris hit a homerun for the Jays and Jeremy Regan hit one for the Braves.
The BMFL, in its 35th season, get underway tonight at 7:00 pm at the Blackburn arena. The BMFL uses a double elimination format for its playoffs.
Game 1 will feature the number 1 ranked Knights against the Rogues. The Knights will look to continue their strong regular season performance, leading the league in runs for and the least amount of runs against. Offensively, Chris MacFarlane, Nate Blackburn and Derek Martin will hope to continue using the long-ball to drive in runs. BMFL wins leaders, Jamie Blakely, will likely get the call to the mound. Rogues will need stellar pitching from expected started Matt Cox, who finished second in the league in innings pitched. The Rogues will need a strong defensive game and a team-hitting game to upset the Knights.
Game 2 will feature the number 3 ranked Bytek Braves against the number 6 ranked Blue Jays. Throughout the season, the Braves relied on a team-game to finish tied for 2nd place. Nick Bowman and Will Mood will likely share pitching duties. Steve Walman, a veteran of 30 years in the BMFL, is looking to celebrate the milestone with a championship. The Blue Jays are led offensively by Andy Barber, Spencer Rodd, and Matt Ellis. Andy Squared (Barber and Dunn) have shared pitching duties throughout the year. Come out tonight at 9 pm to find out who the General Manager will send out to toe the rubber for the Jays.
Due to the weather and City ban on sports field usage, we are looking to start our season on May 16th.
The BMFL is eagerly anticipating the start of the 2017 season along with celebrating its 35th year of existence (established in 1982).
We are going into 2017 with all 8 teams returning from last year with all rosters comprised of at least 2 pitchers 12 players.
It has come a long way since the early days of a "gentlemen's league" open to the residents of Blackburn Hamlet. The BMFL has blossomed into one of the premier men's fastball leagues in Eastern Ontario, attracting players from all over the Ottawa-Gatineau region. It does today, as it did 35 years ago, very much keep the longstanding distinction of the Gentlemen's League.
We are always in need of players to fill potential vacancies due to injury and conflicts. If you are looking for a great league to become a part of, please contact any of our executives!
The 2017 BMFL season is quickly approaching. Registration and a BMFL Meeting will be held from 7-9 PM on March 20th at the Blackburn Arms. A 2nd registration night will be held on March 23rd from 7-9 PM at the Blackburn Arms. If you do not have your registration done by 9 PM on March 23rd you do not qualify for the early bird price of 230$ and will have to pay 250$.
You may pay your registration fee via E-Transfers. Transfers may be sent to our Treasurer, Mike Brownhill (mikebrownhill@gmail.com). Please make the password BMFL2017, put your name in the transaction details/other field or we will not know who has sent the money. E-Transfers make take a few hours to process so please do not wait until the last minute to send them.
On August 27th, 2016, the 2nd Annual Joel Langford Memorial Golf Tournament will take place at The Meadows Golf and Country Club. We hope that you will partner with us in honouring Joel, stopping the stigma and supporting DIFD. This tournament will follow the best ball format. The cost to participate in this event is $100 until July 1st, so register today! The registration fee covers golf, cart and buffet dinner. After July 1st registration goes up to $120/player.
Please follow this link to verify that your bat is legal for use in the BMFL. It would have to follow the guidelines set out for men's and women's fast pitch. http://www.softball.ca/english/about/approved-equipment/bats.html Please follow the link below to view the most up to date list of previously legal but now deemed illegal bats. Any bat appearing on this list is banned from use in the BMFL. http://usa.asasoftball.com/e/build_batlist_one_page.asp If you have questions or concerns please voice them to your team rep.
We will be holding our final registration on April 4th from 7-9 PM at the Blackburn Arms.
The fee to play in the league is 250$. Fees may be paid in cash, cheque (made out to Blackburn Men's Fastball League) or etransfers.
If paying by etransfers, please remember to include your full name in the comments as well as set the password to bmfl2016. They may be sent to our league treasurer, Mikebrownhill@gmail.com .
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to send me an email to bergeronderek@gmail.com.
We will be holding our league registration nights on February 29th and March 7th. Both nights will be open from 7PM to 9PM at the Blackburn Arms.
Registration fees will be $230 if paid in full by 9PM on March 7th. After that deadline, fee will be $250.
Fee may be paid in cash, cheque (made out to Blackburn Men's Fastball League) or etransfers.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to send me an email at bergeronderek@gmail.com.
The inaugural John A. Cameron Memorial Trophy was given out for the first time this year in honor of the late John Cameron. John Cameron was an avid fan of the BMFL and of the Blackburn Ladies Softball League. He also spent many years coaching hockey in Blackburn.
The John A. Cameron Memorial Trophy will be given out annually to the most improved player. Devan Coburn is the recipient of the award for 2015.
The 2015 BMFL AGM will be held on Monday, November 23, 2015 at the Blackburn Arms at 7:30. All players are welcome to attend the AGM and all players get to vote on the motions. If you wish to suggest any changes to the contact the league, contact your team rep for the template.
See you all on Monday, November 23, 2015.
$100 per player. Includes 18 holes on the Championship course, golf cart, buffet dinner.
Cash and cheque payments will be received by Anna Whyte, Devan Coburn, or Paul Toonders. Please make checks payable to "J5L Memorial"
E-Transfers are also accepted. Please send payment to j5lmemorial@gmail.com. Please put your name as the security question and "j5lmemorial" as your security answer.
During a special meeting, team representatives agreed to continue limiting pitchers to 4 innings maximum should each team have 2 declared pitchers.
The BMFL is mourning the loss of a former player Joel Langford. He played for the Warriors in 2009. Joel grew up playing softball in Orleans. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his parents Jeff and Joanne, his sister Kelsey, his family and his friends.
Memories can be shared at the Kelly Funeral Home in Orleans (2370 St. Joseph Blvd) on Sunday June 7th from 1 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Funeral Service will be Monday June 8th 2015 at Orleans United Church at 11 a.m., 1111 Orleans Blvd, Orleans. In lieu flowers, contributions to the Canadian Mental Health Association or the charity of your choice would be appreciated.
Please find below a well drawn map for directions to the diamonds for the BMFL showcase. Navan diamond is at 1279 Colonial Road and Carlsbad diamond is located at 6020 Piperville Road.
Finally the 2015 season is set to begin!
All rosters have been updated for new players. Team reps will be sent the link to update their players positions and jersey numbers.
A new lock has been installed on the equipment shed. Please ensure that the shed is closed securely and that the locks are secured with the code rolled off.
We are holding a third registration on March 30th from 7-9pm. Registration will once again be held at the Blackburn Arms. It is important to register before April 1st.
Any player registering after April 1st will be placed into the draft. Registration is $250, Nick Bowman, Derek Bergeron, Mike Brownhill or Matt Bowman must receive payment from returning players by April 1st in order to prevent said players from having re-enter the draft.
You can send an E-Mail money transfer to Matt Bowman. If you are interested in an EMT please email Matt (matthew.bowman03@gmail.com) and CC Nick_Bowman22@hotmail.com) for further instructions. If you send an EMT please set the password as BMFL2015.
I hope everyone is having an enjoyable offseason. We are currently in the heart of winter and it is time to start thinking about the upcoming fastball season!
The registration fees have been set at $250, however there is an early bird registration fee of $230. The registration sessions will be held on March 2 and March 5,2015 at the Blackburn Arms from 7 pm to 9 pm. In order to be eligible for the early bird registration fee of $230, Nick Bowman, Derek Bergeron, Mike Brownhill or Matt Bowman must have received full payment by March 5th, 2015 at 9 pm. Those of you who are unable to make the registration dates can mail a cheque or send an e-mail money transfer to Matt Bowman. Should you be interested in paying by e-mail money transfer, please contact Matt (matthew.bowman03@gmail.com) and CC (Nick_Bowman22@hotmail.com) for further instructions. If you do choose to send an EMT please set the password as BMFL2015.
During the 2015 season, games will be played on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday's. During May and June, Sunday games will be played at 4, 6, and 8 at the Blackburn arena. During the months of July and August, games will be played at 6 and 8. To make up for lost games, a showcase weekend will be held in late May or early June and teams will play 4 games during the weekend.
Hope to see all of you in 2015!
With the start of 2015, it is time to look forward to the start of softball season. Before we move forward, we can quickly recap the 2014 season. The Knights started off the regular season strong and never looked back. However, the Blue Jays, led by Andy Barber, beat the Knights in the finals to win the championship. The award winners are listed below.
For the first few weeks of the 2015 season, the BMFL will try limiting pitchers to 4 innings pitched if each team has more than 2 pitchers. Team reps and the executive will decide whether they continue to use this rule at the June meeting.
The BMFL Banquet is being held Friday, October 24, 2014 at the Legion. Doors open at 6:00 pm. Guests are welcome!
The AGM will be held on Monday, November 17, 2014 at the Blackburn Arms at 7:00.
The 2014 BMFL finals are set for Tuesday night at 7:00 pm at the Blackburn arena diamond. Here is a quick recap of the playoffs. The number 7 ranked Blue Jays are facing the number 1 ranked Knights. The Knights need to beat the Blue Jays twice to capture the BMFL title. The Blue Jays will have home field advantage for the first time in the playoffs.
The Knights continued their regular season dominance by beating Goodfellows 12-0. Jamie Blakely got the pitching win. Guy Millette had two homeruns for the Knights and Nate Blackburn had one. Kevin Wilson, Richard Landriault and Will Lowe all pitched for Goodfellows.
Gloucester Heating defeated the Rogues 13-8 in a high scoring affair. Ryan Mitts had two homeruns while Stephane Vinette and Paul Toonders each had one. Derick Bulley picked up the win and Matt Cox took the loss.
The Blue Jays defeated Mr. Electric 9-1. Mr. Electric jumped out to an early lead in the first, but those were the only runs they could muster. Spencer Rodd hit a homerun to tie the game and the Blue Jays scored several runs in the 5th to seal the victory. Andy Barber picked up the win and Nick Bowman the loss.
The Bandits upset the Guzzlers in the final game of the first round by winning 9 to 4. Pierre Lalonde picked up the win. Jeff Barber had the loss and also had the lone homerun in this game.
The Goodfellows defeated the Rogues 12-8 in a high scoring affair. Will Lowe picked up the win and Roger Cousineau had a homerun. Chuck Musicka, Matt Cox and Matt Healey pitched for the Rogues.
Mr. Electric knocked off the defending champs Guzzlers with a 6-4 win. Al Tomlinson had the win and Nick Bowman picked up the save. Jeff Barber picked up the loss.
Gloucester Heating kept the game close without their star pitcher, but fell 9 to 5 to the Knights. Jamie Blakely had the win and Derek Bergeron picked up the loss.
The Blue Jays continued their quest for playoff supremacy with a 7 to 2 win over the Bandits. Andy Barber had the win and Pierre Lalonde had the loss.
Goodfellows kept their playoff hopes alive with a 5 to 2 win over the Bandits. Will Lowe had the win and Pierre Lalonde had the loss.
Mr. Electric's bats fell silent as they dropped a 3 0 game to Gloucester Heating. Derick Bulley had the win while Nick Bowman had the loss.
In the undefeated game, the Blue Jays defeated the Knights 6 to win. Andy Barber had MVP honours in this game, hitting 2 homeruns and striking out 18 batters. Jamie Blakely had the loss and also score the lone run via the long ball for the Knights.
Game 12 is undoubtedly the most interesting game in the playoffs so far. Gloucester Heating defeated Goodfellows 2 to 1 in the 8th inning. Derick Bulley had the win while Will Lowe took the loss. Scott Adams of Goodfellows made some great plays at the hot corner to keep the game tied. In the bottom of the 8th, Paul Toonders made an outstanding diving catch at second base to double up the runner who was on second base as per international tie-breaking rules. Stephane Vinette then drove in the winning run in the bottom of the 8th.
The Knights defeated Gloucester Heating 2 to 1 in game 13 of the playoffs. Jamie Blakely had the win and also scored the winning run in the bottom of the 7th inning. Derick Bulley had the loss.
The 2014 BMFL playoffs will be starting tomorrow, September 2, 2014. All games are played the Blackburn Arena diamond. The playoffs will once again be a double knockout format.
The Knights kicked off the regular season with a bang and never looked back. The Knights will be led by the pitching duo of Jamie Blakely and Ryan Chatten. Offensively, the Knights have a solid all-around line-up and will be looking to Derek Martin and Jamie Blakely for some big hits. The Knights will be facing the number 8 ranked Goodfellows. Goodfellows will be needing a strong offensive performance from brothers Scott and Jordan Adams as well as Brendan Clark. A lot of the Goodfellows' wins came as a result of committee pitching led by William Lowe. Richard Landriault and Kevin Wilson may also see some innings. Coach Mike Goodfellow will need to strategize to upset the Knights in the first round. The Knights won all 3 games.
The Rogues had a great regular season. They improved from last year years 8th place finish and finished in 4th spot. The Rogues have a trio of starting pitchers in Matt Cox, Chuck Musicka and Matt Healey. Matt Cox's strong regular season performance may give him the start in the playoffs. Offensively, the Rogues are led by Mark Cormier, Matt Healey and Jeff Houlton. The Rogues will be in tough again Gloucester Heating. Look for Derick Bulley to be an impact player on the mound and at the dish. Gloucester Heating will require a strong offensive performance from their whole team and will require key hits from Ryan Mitts and Marcel Mondoux to upset the Rogues. The Rogues won the series by winning 13-3 14-3 and losing 8-5.
Mr. Electric improved last year's 7th place finish to finish 2nd in the regular season. Mr. Electric was led by starting pitchers Nick Bowman and Al Tomlinson and had strong relief pitching from closer Will Mood. Rookie of the year candidate, Jeremy Regan played a crucial role offensively and defensively for Mr. Electric. Matt Bowman, Will Mood and Steve Walman will need good performances to beat the Blue Jays. The Blue Jays finished 7th in the regular season and despite the standings, are considered a contender to win the BMFL championship with player/coach Andy Barber in their line-up. With Ted Easterman out of town, Andy Barber and Jonathan Grimes will share the pitching load. The Blue Jays have a solid line-up and have had key hits from players batting at the top or bottom of the line-up to help them win games. Mr. Electric won the series 2 games to 1.
The 3rd ranked Guzzlers will be looking to repeat as champions for the 6th consecutive year. The Guzzlers will be led by MVP candidate Will Dunk who helped the Guzzlers on the mound and at the plate. Jeff Barber will also be toeing the rubber for the Guzzlers. Their two pitchers as well as Steve Tsonos and Kevin Shonfield will play crucial roles in helping the Guzzlers score runs. The Bandits will be looking to continue their two game winning streak against the Guzzlers. The Bandits will rely on solid defense, as well as solid pitching from Pierre Lalonde and Gilles Roy. The Bandits have an intimidating batting line-up. Bandits won the series 2 games to 1.
The BMFL league showcase will be held this weekend. Games will be played at the Blackburn arena and Queensway (near Telesat).
The 2014 BMFL season is set to get underway once the City of Ottawa gives us the nod. Once again, 8 teams will be competing in the league. Games are played at 7 and 9 pm on Tuesday and Thursday at the Blackburn arena diamond as well as on Sunday evenings. During May and June, Sunday games will be played at 4, 6, and 8 at the Blackburn arena. During the months of July and August, games will be played at 6 and 8. We are always looking for new players. If you are interested in playing, send an e-mail to Nick_Bowman22@hotmail.com. The schedule and rosters are now available online.
The final registration session will be held on April 7, 2014 from 7 to 9 pm at the Blackburn Arms. Cost is $250.
2014 is already upon us! With that being said, it is time to start thinking about the 2014 fastball season. The registration fees have been set at $250, however we have added an early bird registration fee of $230. The registration sessions will be held on March 3, 2014 and March 6, 2014 at the Blackburn Arms from 7 pm to 9 pm. In order to be eligible for the early bird registration fee of $230, Nick Bowman, Derek Bergeron, Mike Brownhill or Matt Bowman must have received full payment by March 6, 2014 at 9 pm. Those of you who are unable to make the registration dates can mail a cheque or send an e-mail money transfer to Matt Bowman. Should you be interested in paying by e-mail money transfer, please contact Matt (matthew.bowman03@gmail.com) and CC me (Nick_Bowman22@hotmail.com) for further instructions.
During the 2014 season, games will be played on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. However, there have been some changes made to accommodate some requests. During May and June, Sunday games will be played at 4, 6, and 8 at the Blackburn arena. During the months of July and August, games will be played at 6 and 8. To make up for lost games, a showcase weekend will be held in late May or early June and teams will play 4 games during the weekend.
Hope to see all of you in 2014!
The 2013 BMFL playoffs are set to kick off at 3:00 pm on Sunday August 25, 2013 at the Blackburn arena diamond. For the first time in BMFL history, the playoffs will be a double knockout format.
The newest team in the BMFL, the Blue Jays, will look to continue their regular season dominance. The Blue Jays won the series between the 2 teams, tying 10-10, winning 8-3, and winning 8-5. The Blue Jays will be led offensively by Andy Barber and Spencer Rodd. The Blue Jays have had solid pitching throughout the year from Ted Easterman, Jonathan Grimes, and Andy Barber. Andy Barber may get the nod for the first game of the playoffs. Matt Cox and Chuck Musicka will be toeing the rubber for the Rogues and they may both see some action in this game. The Rogues will need to rely on solid hitting throughout their line-up in order to upset the Blue Jays. The Rogues will need a strong performance, offensively and defensively, from Mark Cormier.
The Good Ol' Boys will be looking to continue their dominance against Goodfellows, as they swept the series 3 games to none. GOB won the games 6 to 4, 10 to 4 and 7 to 0. Good Ol' Boys will rely on solid defense, as well as solid pitching from Pierre Lalonde and Gilles Roy. The GOB have an intimidating batting line-up, led by Serge Potvin. Goodfellows will be in need of strong pitching from Will Lowe. Offensively, Goodfellows will need to utilize their speed to upset Good Ol' Boys. Middle infielders Brendan Clark and Jordan Adams will be key to Goodfellows' playoff success.
The defending champion Guzzlers will be looking to continue their post season success. The Guzzlers beat Mr. Electric 7-2, 10-0, 13-0. Jeff Barber will be toeing the rubber for the Guzzlers. Offensively, the Guzzlers are led by Jeff Barber, Derek Barber, Kevin Schonfeld, and Steve Tsonos. Mr. Electric will be sending Al Tomlison and Nick Bowman to the mound. Offensively, Mr. Electric will be led by MVP candidate Matt Bowman. Mr. Electric will be looking for some big hits from veterans Norm Manns, Steve Walman, Gary Larocque, and Will Mood. In order to have any playoff success, Mr. Electric will need to put an end to their defensive woes.
The final game of the first round may in fact be the most intriguing won. In the 3 other series, the lower ranked team did not win a game against their opponent. The number 6 ranked Gloucester Heating won the series 2 games to 1. They lost to the Knights 9-2, and then proceeded to beat them 6-4 and 7-0 (via forfeit). The Knights will be led by the pitching duo of Jamie Blakely and Ryan Chatten. The Knights will need Derek Martin to come through with timely hits, as well as veterans Gerry Sancartier and Brett Dugan. Gloucester Heating will need to score a lot of runs in order to win the coveted BMFL championship. Jason Naylor, Ryan Mitts, Stéphane Vinette, Derek Bergeron, and Marcel Mondoux will be looking to spark the offensive. Heating will be sending Derek Bergeron and Ryan Naylor to the mound.
With the tournament less than 1 week away, the details for the 2013 BMFL Summer Sizzler are starting to take shape. There are 9 teams in the Men's division and 6 in the Women's. Both divisions will be a 3 game guarantee double knockout. The tournament headquarters will be Blackburn Arena (D1) and games will also be held at Telesat (D3) and NDC (D2) throughout the weekend. There will be a beer tent and food stand set up at the main field for the duration of the tournament.
Bring the family out to Blackburn to check out some great ball!
Robin Mackin will be hosting a pitching clinic on May 23rd from 6-9 PM at Riverrain Park.
Robin is one of the best pitchers in Canadian history, and was a member of the 2008 National team that competed in the Beijing Olympics. Robin also pitched for Fresno State and Nebraska University and was named All-American and Academic All-American at both schools. She moved to Ottawa to study medicine at UOttawa. In 2005, Robin led Team Ontario to a silver medal at the Canada Games. A two-time MVP of the national tournament, Mackin was also named the two-time Pitcher of Ontario.
She is both an Athletic and Academic All-American and was an offensive and pitching star for Nebraska and Fresno State. She led her offense at both Universities. At Fresno State for two seasons and made an immediate impact for the Bulldogs as a freshman in 2006. In her rookie year, she set school records with 19 double-digit strikeout games, 402 strikeouts and a 10.3 strikeouts-per-seven-innings average while ranking in the top 10 in five other categories. Mackin set the school record for most strikeouts in a seven-inning game with 17. Robin was also a two-time WAC all-tournament team selection, earning MVP honors while leading Fresno State to the title as a junior. Mackin earned third-team All-America and CoSIDA Academic All-America honors in 2007. A two-time NFCA All-West Region selection, Mackin was also an eight-time WAC Pitcher of the Week and earned one award as the WAC Hitter of the Week. In her first year at Fresno State she was named "NCAA Freshman of the Year" and "NCAA Pitcher of the year".
Robin is currently studying medicine at the University of Ottawa. It is not an exaggeration to say Robin is one of the best pitching coaches in Canada, as she combines extraordinary mastery of the technical requirements of pitching, with her biomechanical background as a medical student.
The cost of the clinic is $25 per pitcher and pitchers are asked to bring their own catcher. Both male and female pitchers are invited.
It will be first come, first served so register quickly to avoid disappointment!
The BMFL rookie evaluations will be held on Sunday April 21st from 1pm-3pm at the Blackburn Arena Diamond.
It will consist of some batting practice, fly balls, grounders and light positional drills. Helmets, bats and balls will be provided as well as catchers gear.
I am pleased to announce the first trade of the 2013 season. Ryan Mitts of the Blue Jays has been traded to Gloucester Heating for Spencer Rodd.
We will also be hosting our final registration session for returning players from 7 pm to 9 pm on April 8, 2013 at the Blackburn Arms. The constitution states that: Returning players must indicate to their team representative, who is ultimately responsible for getting the information, whether they will be returning to that team for the coming year by April 1. All players who are unable to make that commitment will be placed automatically in the Draft (if they register).
This year, we are interpreting making a commitment as putting down a minimum of $25 for the registration with the remaining balance being paid before the player steps onto the field. Those who have not put any money down by April 8, 2013 will automatically be entered in the draft.
The league needs more registrants. Please encourage your friends and family to register!
Those interested in joining the BMFL are encouraged to contact Derek Bergeron, BMFL Executive VP (bergeronderek@gmail.com), call or text 6138082059.
The 2013 BMFL registration will be held on March 4 and 19, 2013 at the Blackburn Arms (2586 Innes Road) from 7 to 9 pm. Cost is once again $225 and we are aiming for a 21 game schedule with 8 teams and a guaranteed 2 games in the playoffs. Games will once again be held on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday nights in Blackburn.
Hope all of you are enjoying your winter! For those of you who aren't, we have some good news for you. You can start thinking about the 2013 BMFL season! Registration for the 2013 season will be held on March 4 and 19, 2013 at the Blackburn Arms from 7 pm to 9 pm. The cost will once again be $225 and all games are played at the Blackburn Hamlet in the east end of Ottawa.
During the 2012 AGM, some fruitful discussions were held as to how to obtain league parity. Although no decisions were made as to how this can be done, we invite all players to think about some proposals for the 2013 AGM next year. 2013 will see the use of a new playoff format for the BMFL. The playoffs will be held as a double knockout format with games being played on regular game nights. League members also voted to enforce the bat rule. Should a batter bring a non ASA certified bat to the batter's box, he will automatically be ejected from the game, without warning. Additionally, players voted to change the reserve list, so that a team may only request a player or a pitcher (not a catcher).
I am also quite pleased to announce that we will be welcoming a new team to the league, the Blue Jays, captained by Andy Barber. We are hoping that players will once again register in strong numbers, so that we can keep the league at 8 teams. We were lucky enough to have Dennis Murphy volunteer his time to help manage the reserve list, but should another non-member of the league be interested in helping Dennis manage the reserve list, please contact me at Nick_Bowman22@hotmail.com.
Hope to see you all at registration!
The BMFL Banquet will be held on Saturday, October 20, 2012 at the Orleans Legion on Taylor Creek Drive. Doors open at 6pm and supper will be served at 7pm. Awards will be presented at 8:30pm.
Our next league meeting will be held at the Blackburn Arms at 7 on September 10, 2012.
Each team may designate one and only one player per game for whom a courtesy runner will be permitted. Any safe base runner injured while running may have a one time only per game courtesy runner. The courtesy runner will start on the same base as the replaced injured base runner. The injured base runner unless designated as per above, must run the bases starting at his next at bat and for the rest of the game without a courtesy runner or withdraw from the game.
The first round of the BMFL playoffs is shaping up to be quite exciting. Here is a preview of the first round. All games will be held at the BMFL arena.
After winning their last regular season game, the Guzzlers beat out Gloucester Heating to become Regular Season Champs. The Guzzlers accepted the bye.
The Knights and Goodfellows will square off for the first game of the 2012 playoffs. The Knights won the season series by winning 10-5 and 11-4 and tied the last game with a score of 10-10. The Knights have an impressive pitching duo of Jamie Blakely and Ryan Chatten. Offensively, the Knights are well-rounded and they will look for Ryan Chatten to keep swinging a hot stick. For Goodfellows, Will Lowe will see most of the action on the mound. Goodfellows will have to play sound defense to pull off the upset and need Jordan Adams and Brendan Clarke to get some timely hits.
The second game of the playoffs will see the number 4 ranked Mr. Electric square-off against the 5th place Good Ol' Boys. Only 2 points separated the teams in the regular season. Mr. Electric won the season series 2 games to 1. They beat Good Ol' Boys 7-2 and 12-1 and lost an 8-7 game. Al Tomlinson picked up both of the win for Mr. Electric, but with him out of town, Nick Bowman will get the ball for the first game of the series. Offensively, Mr. Electric is led by MVP candidate Matthew Bowman. Good Ol' Boys will have Andy Dunn and Gilles Roy on the mound. GOB have one of the best defensive teams in the league and an intimidating line-up at the plate, led by Serge Potvin.
The last playoff match-up will feature the number 2 ranked Gloucester Heating against the number 7 ranked Rogues. Gloucester swept the season series 8-3, 6-4, and 17-7. Pierre Lalonde will likely start on the mound for Heating and he will have one of the best defensive teams behind him. Heating will use their team speed (a rarity in the BMFL) and will be aggressive on the base paths. The Rogues will be led offensively by Brad Dishaw and Chuck Musicka. Rogues will use a trio of pitchers in this series, Matt Cox, Chuck Musicka and Kevin Wilson.
On behalf of all current and former players of the BMFL, I would like to express my condolences to John and Robbie Tremblay. Their father passed away on July 29, 2012. The obituary and information on the memorial can be found at: www.heritagefh.ca/en/view_obituaries.php?key=684.
Mark Cormier has been added to the Good Ol' Boys and Ryan Mitts has been added to Gloucester Heating. Jean Tremblay has been added to the Good Ol' Boys via the catcher reserve list. Adam Grier has been added to the Knights. Mr. Electric has picked up Nick Bowman via the pitcher reserve list and the Knights have picked up Ryan Claire via the catcher reserve list.
Any players wishing to discuss issues with the reserve list, please do not hesitate to contact me at Nick_Bowman22@hotmail.com.
Our next league meeting will be held at the Blackburn Arms at 7 on July 9, 2012. All players can attend the monthly meeting.
The Gil Read Memorial Fastpitch Tournament is looking for more teams to fill out some vacant spots. The tournament will be held at the Carp Fairgrounds in Carp from July 27th to July 29th 2012.
The entry fee is $450 with a 3 game minimum with 1st Place winning $1800.00 and second place winning $700.00. All proceeds from the tournament will go to the Gil Read Memorial Foundation, helping kids less fortunate compete in sport across the City of Ottawa. There will be a large beer tent on site with hamburgers and hot dogs and lost of prizes to be won. For those interested in watching, a day pass is available for $5 and a weekend pass is $10 with kids under 12 free.
If any player is willing to be a player/coach (AKA a Reggie Dunlop) for a Blackburn team, please contact me at Nick_Bowman22@hotmail.com so I can post it on our website. The contact for the tournament is Al Read and he can be reached at 613-782-3204.
Stéphane Lallier has been picked up by the Rogues via the Reserve List.
For the 2012 season, the BMFL has dropped to seven teams. As a result of the draft, the seven teams are looking stronger and more equal. Here is a quick preview on what we can expect for the 2012 season.
The defending champs have managed to have all 13 players return for the season. After a slow start to the 2011 season, the Guzzlers will be looking for a strong start to their 2012 season. On the mound, Jeff and Andy Barber will share the pitching load and the Guzzlers will look for some offense from their veterans and their young core.
After leading the league in runs for and least runs against, the Knights will strive to repeat as regular season champions and try to bounce back from a loss in the Championships. Jamie Blakely and Ryan Chatten will share the pitching duties and the Knights rely on solid bats throughout their lineup for their wins. Derek Martin will be looking to repeat as homerun champ for the 2012 season.
The Heat are happy to have veteran hurler Pierre Lalonde back for the 2012 season. After losing Guy Levesque for the 2012 season, the Heat are please to have Andrew Bruce back in their lineup. The Heat are hoping that the 2011 Rookie of the year, Spencer Rodd, can continue to impress.
The GOB will have a few different faces for the 2012 season. The GOB have lost John Tremblay, Jonathan Roy, Jonathan Grimes and Jeremy Grimes for the 2012 season. They hope that the addition of Kris Knowles, Derrick Lichti, Justin Norris, Alain Pilion, and Brett Watts will lead them to a Championship season.
Mr. Electric will have some new faces for the 2012 season. Mr. Electric will be without Bill Blad for the year; Bill has been with the league since 1991. On the mound, Al Tomlinson and Will Mood will be sharing the pitching duties. Offensively, Matt Bowman, Will Mood, and Steve Walman will surely intimidate some pitchers. Mr. Electric are also hoping that a few hit-by-pitch to Kelly Burchill might quiet him for the 2012 season.
The 2011 expansion team will be returning with some line-up changes for the 2012 season. Veteran hurler Gord Flannery will not be returning and he has been replaced by workhorse, Will Lowe, who will share the duties with Mike Goodfellow. With the addition of Jordan Adams, Kevin Ayotte, Jamie Duncan, Hugh Murray, and Rob Trudeau, the Goodfellows are looking for a stronger 2012 season.
The Rogues have 12 players returning for their season. With the loss of Jeff Houlton, the Rogues are hoping that Shane McCarney will fill the load. On the mound, the Rogues will be using a committee of pitchers with Marv Fletcher, Chuck Musicka, Matt Cox, and Kevin Wilson all seeing some action on the mound. The Rogues are hoping their team chemistry will lead them to the 2012 BMFL Championships.
We are always looking for new players for the season. Any players interested in being added to the reserve list can contact Nick Bowman at nick_bowman22@hotmail.com or Dennis Murphy at denmurphy@rogers.com.
Also note that the EOUA is recruiting. If you're interested in becoming an umpire, (for children and/or adults), be sure to check out their new webpage.
The Blackburn Men's Fastball League (www.bmfl.ca) is currently seeking players to fill out our teams. We are a recreational league with great camaraderie and a great location/atmosphere to play in. Based out of Orient Park in Blackburn Hamlet, it is less than 10 minutes east from downtown Ottawa and minutes from Orleans. It's players range from 18 to 50+. The BMFL's 8 teams start play May 3rd with 1 exhibition game for each team then a 21 game schedule + playoffs which are best of 3 ending at the end of September. All teams play on Sunday evenings (5pm, 5pm, 7pm or 9pm) as well as once either Tuesday or Thursday evening (7pm or 9pm) during the week (no games are played on holiday weekends). League fee is $225 which includes your ticket entry to our catered awards banquet at the end of the year.
In the past, our league has seen many players from all different backgrounds join. Some players have never played organized ball or some had been away from the game for many years. Many hardball players make the transition every year along with slowpitch players who are looking for something a little more competitive. The BMFL strives to have parity among it's teams and has taken very large steps over the past winter to accomplish just that. We are looking forward to another great season of fastball in 2012!
Any players interested in joining the BMFL are encouraged to contact Derek Bergeron, BMFL Executive VP (bergeronderek@gmail.com), call or text 6138082059.
We have extended the registration until April 2, 2012. Players will be able to register at the next league meeting on April 2, 2012 at Wally's from 7 to 9 pm. If you can not make the meeting, please contact your team rep to make arrangements.
If you have not registered for the 2012 season, the second registration date is on March 20, 2012. The registration will be held at Wally's from 7 pm to 9 pm and cost this year will once again be $225.
Please note that all players who do not pay or have made arrangements to pay by April 2, 2012 will lose the rights to return to their previous team.
The next monthly BMFL meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m. at Wally's on April 2, 2012. All players can attend the monthly meeting.
The registration for the 2012 BMFL season will be held on March 5, 2012 and March 20, 2012. Both registrations will be held at Wally's from 7 pm to 9 pm. Cost this year will once again be $225.
Here is our schedule for our BMFL board meetings from January to March.
All BMFL players and honorary members can attend these meetings.
The next monthly BMFL meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m. at Wally's on December 5, 2011. All players can attend the monthly meeting.
Thanks to those who participated at last Tuesday's Annual General Meeting. After some great discussion, the league has made some important changes to its constitution. Most notably, the league is abandoning the player rating system for determining the selection order for the entry draft. Instead, the league will use a formula that takes into consideration both regular season and playoff standings for determining draft order. (More on this to follow).
Also, the league welcomed its new President Nicholas Bowman. Nick will be guiding the league through several important changes in 2012. Thanks to Nick for his enthusiasm and willingness to lead.
At the same time, the league expresses its thanks to outgoing President Will Mood. Will agreed to serve as interim President mid-way through 2011, after the former President left the league due to injury and family commitments. Will's approachability and fair-mindedness ensured that the BMFL remained vibrant and well-organized.
The off-season is a busy time for the BMFL board, in which a lot of important decisions are made. Continue to visit www.bmfl.ca for frequent updates.
The Guzzlers scored 1 in the first and 5 in the second as they held on for the game one win. Guzzlers got some keys hits from Brandon Spears and Tom Lariviere who helped stake the Guzzlers to 1-0 series lead in the best of 5 final. Look for the Knights to bounce back with a strong game 2 as they did not lose back to back games all season.
Game 2 - 3-2 Knights over Guzzlers.
The Knights were able to battle back from being down a run twice and pulled away with the game winning run in the top of the 5th. This game was close from start to finish as both pitchers threw very well. Expect much of the same throughout the remainder of the series. The series is now tied 1-1 as game 3 goes Thursday September 22nd at 7:00 pm behind the Blackburn arena.
Game 3 - 7-6 Knights over Guzzlers in 8 innings.
In the top of the 8th Jean Davingnon grounded out to move the runner to 3rd then Rick Thompson scored on a pass ball to take the lead 6-5. The bottom of the 8th started off with Jamie Blakely hit a single to score the runner from second to tie it up, then Derek Martin hit a walk off double to end the game.
In the bottom of the first inning, Steve Tsonos hit a homerun to put the Guzzlers up 1-0. With solid pitching from Jeff Barber and Jamie Blakely, the game remained that way until the top of the 7th. Gerry Sancartier would single to tie the game. Blakely was able to shut the Guzzlers down in the bottom of the 7th, forcing extra innings. In the top of the 8th, with Jamie Blakely starting at second base, Derek Martin reached first and Blakely moved the third. After Jeff would retire Mike Brownhill, Matt Edwards hit a 2-rbi double to the fence to lead the Knights to a 3-1 game. Barber would then retire Guy Millette and Tyler Cox. In the bottom of the 8th, for the Guzzlers, pitcher Jeff Barber was starting at second base. Steve Tsonos singled and moved Jeff up to third. Blakely would then strikeout Derek Barber and his brother Andy would walk. With the bases loaded, Mike Napper grounded out to first but Jeff Barber was able to score to make the game 3-2 with 2 outs. Blakely would proceed to intentionally walk Jeff Eastman and veteran Rick Thompson came to the plate. Rick Thompson would single up the middle to bring in Steve Tsonos and Andy Barber to lead the Guzzlers to a 4-3 win. With a recent change in the playoff format, the BMFL finals are going to game 5 for the first time in modern history on Tuesday, September 27th at 7 pm at the diamond behind the Blackburn arena.
In the top of the 1st inning, Kevin Schonfield would reach first on an error. Jeff Barber would walk. Derek Barber would advance to first on an error, scoring Schonfield. Tsonos would proceed to single scoring both Jeff and Derek Barber to make it 3-0 Guzzlers. The Knights would threaten in the bottom of the 2nd with Guy Millette on third, but Andy Barber would strikeout Tyler Cox. In the top of the 3rd, Kevin Schonfield would walk and would later score on a Jeff Barber double. After advancing to third on a pass ball, Jeff Barber would score on an error to make it 5-0. In the top of the 4th, Mike Napper would walk. Jeff Eastman, running for Napper, would advance to third on a Rick Thompson bunt single. Eastman would score on a Brandon Spears rbi to make it 6-0. In the bottom of the 4th, the Knights again would threaten by loading up the bases with only 1 out. However, Mike Brownhill would pop up for an infield fly and Guy Millette would strikeout. In the top of the 5th, Ryan Chatten came in to pitch. Kevin Schonfield doubled and once again, he scored on a Jeff Barber double to make it 7-0. Chatten would settle down striking out both Derek Barber and Steve Tsonos. The Knights would get on the board in the bottom of the 5th. TC walked and Antoine Montpetit was hit by a pitch. Later, Ryan Chatten would single to score Tyler Cox. With one out, Brett Dugan singled to score Montpetit and move Chatten to third. Gerry Sancartier would proceed to pop up to center fielder Jeff Eastman who was able to throw Chatten out at home. The inning ended with the Guzzlers up 7-2. In the top of the 6th, the Guzzlers added another with an Andy Barber homerun. During the bottom half of the sixth, Jeff Barber came in to pitch and the Knights would add a run on an error to make it 8-3. In the bottom of the 7th, Tyler Cox singled and advanced on a passed ball. However, Jeff was able to strikeout the next 3 batters to seal the 8-3 victory for the Guzzlers. For the third straight year, the Guzzlers are repeating as playoff champs. Congratulations Guzzlers!
For the fourth straight year, the finals will see the number one ranked Knights square off against the number two ranked Guzzlers in this best of 5 series. The Knights advanced to the finals by defeating Good Ol' Boys 5-3 and 13-7. Jamie Blakely picked up both wins in the series. In game 1 of the series, Derek Martin hit a grand slam to seal the victory and in game 2, Tyler Cox hit 2 homeruns and had 7 RBIs to lead the Knights to victory. During the series, Brett Duggan was on a hot streak going 8 for 9.
The Guzzlers advanced to the finals by defeating Exit A's 11-4 and 9-0. In game 1 of the series, Andy Barber picked up the win throwing 18 strikeouts. His only blemish was a grand slam by Jordan Adams. Offensively, Derek Barber hit 2 homeruns and Steve Tsonos hit 1 homerun. In game 2, Jeff Barber picked up the win and the Guzzlers got help offensively from Tom Larivière who hit a 3-run homerun.
The Knights, regular season champions, won the season series over the defending champions, the Guzzlers, winning 5-1 and 4-3 and lost a 3-0 game. Both teams averaged less than 4 runs against per game in the regular season. Will the finals be another defensive battle or will the offence over power the pitchers? Swing by the diamond at the Blackburn arena to find out!
After upsetting Gloucester Heating in the first round of the playoffs, the Good Ol' Boys are looking to upset the number one ranked team the Knights. GOB defeated Heating by a score of 14-13 and 5-4 with Andy Dunn picking up both wins. The Knights defeated the Rogues 10-4 and 7-2 with Jamie Blakely and Ryan Chatten each picking up a win. The key match up of the series will be the Knights pitching against the high powered offence of GOB. Also of note, the series is pitting team captains and frequent users of the BMFL forum Derek Martin and John Tremblay.
The second series will see the Guzzlers square off against Exit A's. The Guzzlers had some stellar pitching from Andy and Jeff Barber to defeat Goofellow Cleaner's 16-0 and 7-2. Kevin Shonfield seems to have found the power which helped him pick up 8 homeruns in 2010 by hitting two homeruns in the series. Exit moved on the second round by defeating Mr. Electric 7-2 and 12-6. The A's relied on some clutch defence and some timely hits to sweep the series. Jordan Adams was a force to be reckoned with at shortstop and at the plate. Will Lowe picked up both wins and A.J. Plant was also swinging a hot stick during the series.
In game 1, Exit defeated Mr. Electric 7-2. Will Lowe went the distance giving up 2 unearned runs. For Mr. Electric, Al Tomlinson went the distance giving up 7 runs, with only 2 being earned. Derrick Bulley had a homerun for the A's.
The first round of the BMFL playoffs is shaping up to be quite exciting as only one of the season series was a sweep. Who knows what will happen when the playoffs start? Here is a preview for the first round.
The first game of the Blackburn playoffs will feature the number 4 ranked Exit A's against the number 5 ranked Mr. Electric. Exit won the regular season series between these two teams by winning the last two games 6-3 and 9-1. Exit lost the first game 9-2. BMFL predictions would be that Al Tomlinson will start for Mr. Electric and Will Lowe will counter for the A's. Offensively, Exit will be lead by Jordan Adams, Will Mood and newly acquired Derrick Bulley while Mr. Electric will be lead by Matt Bowman, Brenden Holmes and BMFL's longest serving player, Steve Walman.
The second game will feature number 3 ranked Gloucester Heating against Good Ol' Boys. Heating won 2 of the 3 games. They won 6-3 and 8-2 and lost 14-11. The Heating are expected to send Pierre Lalonde to the mound, and the GOB will counter with Andy Dunn. The GOB have a solid offensive line-up and will be looking at Serge Potvin, Norm Gascon, Steve Corry and John Tremblay for some timely hits. Heating will be looking for speedy hitters Marcel Mondoux and Derek Bergeron to get on base and will be looking for some power from Guy Levesque and Stéphane Vinette.
The first game on Thursday night will feature the number 1 ranked Knights against the Rogues. Knights swept the season series, winning 6-0, 10-2 and 5-4. BMFL predicts that Chuck Musicka will be getting the start with Marv Fletcher and Matt Cox likely to see some innings. The Knights will be lead by the 1-2 punch of Jamie Blakely and Ryan Chatten. The Knights will be looking homerun leader Derek Martin to come up with some timely hits as well as Jamie Blakely and lead-off hitter, Brett "squirrel" Dugan. Rogues will be lead offensively by Steve Hall, their top average hitter, and pitchers Chuck Musicka and Marv Fletcher.
The last game of the first round of the 2011 will feature number 2 ranked Guzzlers squaring off against number 7 ranked Goodfellow Cleaners. Guzzlers will be looking for strong performances from the Barber's offensively and defensively. Jeff and Andy will be sharing the pitching duties. Offensively, Guzzlers will be relying on Derek, Jeff and Andy as well as Kevin Shonfield and Steve Tsonos. Goodfellow Cleaners will be relying on strong pitching and hitter from veterans Mike Goodfellow and Gord Flannery. The Cleaners are also hoping that newly acquired Andrew Fleck, René Roncali and Casey O'Sullivan can help them out offensively. The Guzzlers won the regular season series 2 games to 1, winning 11-1 and 6-1 and losing 7-3.
All teams have received a 200$ refund as a result of dropping to a 21 game schedule.
Here are the newest members of our league who have been picked up off the reserve list.
Also please check the BMFL schedule on this site as there have been some changes.
Choose "bats" and click on "go" for more info.


I know there are some of you who feel that Obama has been subjected to extreme insults and disrespect, and that he's been frequently blocked by the Republican party who vowed to kill all of his plans. You are right on both counts. But if you think that Obama is a good guy who is constantly being thwarted, you're dead wrong. This one issue of the Trans Pacific Partnership proves where his heart lies: screwing American workers in favor of huge corporations. He is seeking to ram through a secret trade deal which would destroy American jobs. The fast-track process which Obama is trying to use to pass the TPP prevents debate, because as Ed notes, if the TPP were openly discussed, no one would support it. It would outsource jobs and further demolish American manufacturing.
Because they are spineless, Democrats mostly fall in line and support the TPP trade deal. It is only being opposed by a few progressive Democrats and a few tea partiers. I beg anyone who trust Obama or who has forwarded "Blame the black guy" memes to watch this and see what Obama is truly up to--shafting US workers and benefitting multi-national corporations. If you think otherwise, I beg you to watch this clip to see how fat the Democrats have been bought and sold. And kudos to Ed Schultz for even airing this. Most news TV news ignores Obama's diabolical plan because the multi-national corporations who would benefit advertise on our news channels.


How much does a coronary artery bypass graft cost?
One of the primary reasons people with coronary artery disease do not seek treatment until it is too late is the cost of a bypass. For uninsured patients in the United States the average cost of a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) is in the region of $70,000-$120,000. In some states however the price could go as high as $200,000.
Whilst coronary artery bypass surgery is available free-of-charge on the NHS in the UK, it is generally only granted to patients who have a high and impending risk of cardiac arrest. At private hospitals in the United Kingdom a CABG procedure will cost around £20,000 ($28,000).
In Australian, meanwhile, a coronary artery bypass graft costs approximately $32,000.
If the cost of treatment at home is proving prohibitive, you may want to consider travelling abroad for a CABG. There are number of internationally-trained cardiology specialist working at accredited hospitals, which specialize in the treatment and care of patients from around the world. Whilst the cost of a CABG abroad is significantly more affordable, the standard of care remains high.
What is the waiting time for a coronary artery bypass graft?
On the NHS in the United Kingdom, the average waiting time for a coronary artery bypass graft is around 4 months – around 200,000 are carried out each year.
In the United States, on the other hand, the waiting time for a bypass graft can vary a lot from state to state, but the average waiting time is somewhere in the region of 3-6 months.
As a coronary artery bypass graft is a potentially urgent procedure, many patients in need of one are now looking at hospitals abroad in an attempt to cut down on waiting times. There are a number of specialist cardiology hospitals around the world offering CABG procedures with reduced waiting time, often at the convenience of the patient.
Arteries become narrowed when fatty deposits are left to build, otherwise known as arterial plaque. These deposits cling to the inner wall and if left untreated can reduce the flow of blood through the arteries or block it altogether, the consequences of which can fatal.
Arterial plaque is caused by a number of factors, most of them a result of lifestyle choices. One of the main contributory factors is the presence of high levels of 'bad' cholesterol, otherwise known as low-density lipoprotein. When this bad cholesterol is left to build in the arteries it can lead to blockage. This can be countered by high levels of 'good' cholesterol, or high-density lipoprotein, which is able to remove the bad cholesterol from the arteries and ease the blockage. A combination of too much bad cholesterol and not enough good cholesterol to counter it can increase the chances of coronary artery disease.
Nicotine intake and cigarette smoke is another factor which can result in a buildup of arterial plaque. The carbon monoxide which is absorbed through smoking damages the blood cells in the arteries which help the smooth flow of oxygen through the arteries, which subsequently also allows fat and plaque to build up on the artery wall.
Coronary artery disease can also be caused by excessive high blood pressure, which much like nicotine prevents the healthy passage of blood through the arteries and leads to a sustained build up of plaque.
There are many signs that coronary artery disease may be developing, but symptoms will not always manifest until the artery is severely blocked.
Early symptoms of coronary artery disease that may occur include chest pain, fatigue, off-beat heart rhythms and palpitations. If you experience any abnormal symptoms at all you should consult a doctor or cardiology specialist, who will be able to determine whether the symptoms are a result of coronary artery disease.
Signs that coronary artery disease is at an advanced stage include swelling or numbness in the extremities (hands and feet) and a severe shortness of breath combined with nausea or sweating.
An electrocardiogram is the one of the methods used to diagnose coronary artery disease, usually alongside CT scans and cardiac catheterization.
How does a coronary artery bypass graft work?
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) is a surgery which is used to treat potentially deadly coronary artery disease, which occurs when the coronary arteries become narrow and are no longer able to effectively transport oxygen to the heart muscle. When this happens, the chances of a cardiac arrest increase dramatically and action must be taken to widen the arteries.
If it has been decided that a CABG is needed, there are a number of things to consider when preparing for surgery. Your surgeon will take a number of blood tests to assess whether you are healthy and able to cope with the strain that will be placed upon the cardiac system during and after surgery. If you have a history of bleeding disorders or have problems with blood clotting then you may not be a suitable candidate for a CABG.
A coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) is performed under general anesthesia, and the procedure begins with the surgeon making an incision from the in the chest which gives access to the sternum. The sternum is then cut to reveal the heart. A number of steps are then taken to reduce blood flow during surgery to prevent damage to the circulatory system. The heart's main aorta is clamped during surgery to ensure the area is free of blood.
The 'graft' part of a coronary artery bypass graft comes from a vein elsewhere in the body – most commonly the saphenous vein in the leg. The surgeon works to remove the graft tissue via a small incision in the leg, and the graft is then attached to the walls of the aorta and the arteries of the chest wall. This essentially allows the blood to 'bypass' the blocked arteries and flow freely to the aorta. Multiple bypasses are common, and it is possible to graft up to 5 arteries to the aorta.
Surgery takes around 4 hours, but can take as many as 6 if more grafts are required. The body is supported by an artificial pump for around 90 minutes whilst the heart is stopped, which allows the surgeon to work on the aorta.
Patients are taken immediately to an intensive care unit after a coronary artery bypass and are kept there overnight for observation. You will then be required to stay in hospital for another 4-7 days as you recover from the procedure.
In most cases a ventilation machine will be used to assist with breathing for the first hours, which is usually passed down the throat. Once you are fully over the effects of the anesthesia and can begin to breathe by yourself to some extent, the machine can be adjusted accordingly. The breathing tube is only removed when you are fully capable of breathing unaided.
It is very important that you frequently cough and take deep breathes in the days following a coronary artery bypass graft. Whilst this may seem peculiar and can cause discomfort, it prevents the build-up of mucus in the lungs and thus reduces the risk of pneumonia developing.
The area of the incision around the chest might also cause discomfort in the days and weeks following surgery. Pain can be eased using medication, but it is vital that any painkillers you take are approved by your cardiologist; this is because traditional painkillers such as aspirin and ibuprofen can increase the chance of a bleed occurring. Drips will be used in the days immediately after the surgery in order to control the level of bleeding and keep your blood pressure stable.
Once you have been cleared to leave the hospital, your recovery will continue at home. Infection is a greater risk that usual with open heart surgery and it is therefore important that you keep the incision area clean and dry. Any pain, swelling or abnormal colour around the incision site should be checked as soon as possible.


text:
Esports, Gaming and Pop Culture
Three countries where PUBG Mobile got unbanned
Image via hdqwalls.com
Aniket Thakkar
There are several countries where bans on PUBG Mobile have been overturned.
The suspension of this popular game in India is an ongoing national conversation.
PUBG Mobile has witnessed a sharp rise in popularity as well as the player base. The game has grown exponentially over the past few years to establish itself among the top titles on the mobile platform.
However, it was suspended by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology over security and safety concerns in early September. This shook the entire PUBG Mobile community in the country.
Soon after, PUBG Corporation announced a special Indian version, and subsequently, the teasers for the game were released.
However, the game has been banned in multiple countries, and in some instances, the suspensions were overturned. This article lists the countries where PUBG Mobile was unbanned.
Also read: PUBG Mobile Indian version relaunch permission denied by National Child Rights body: Report
Countries where PUBG Mobile got unbanned
#1 - Nepal
Image via wallpapercart.com
The popular battle royale title was suspended in Nepal back in April 2019. The title was banned by the Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) due to concerns over its negative impact on the youth. The officials cited that game was addictive to children and teenagers.
They had asked ISP's to block the streaming of PUBG Mobile in the country. However, just a few days after the suspension, the game's ban was overturned by the Supreme Court of Nepal.
#2 - Pakistan
Image via ThePrint
In July, Pakistan Telecommunication Authorities (PTA) had temporarily suspended the game over similar concerns to that of Nepal.
PTA cited that they had received numerous complaints that the title was addictive and negatively affected the youth's psychological and physical health.
Press Release: A meeting was held between PTA and legal representatives of Proxima Beta Pte Ltd (PB).
Proxima Beta (PB) representatives briefed the Authority on response to queries raised by PTA with respect to controls put in place by PB to prevent misuse of the gaming platform pic.twitter.com/73hPJKLxKi
— PTA (@PTAofficialpk) July 30, 2020
A few weeks after the ban, the Islamabad High Court directed the authorities to lift the ban. And the suspension was overturned after a meeting between PTA and the representatives of Proxima Beta Ltd (PB) on July 30th.
#3 - China
Game for Peace (Image via uptodown.com)
While China's case is entirely different, the game wasn't approved by the Chinese authorities. This meant that it could only be offered as a public test, but not for monetization, i.e., no in-app purchases.
A year later, Tencent Games announced that it no longer wished to publish PUBG Mobile in China. The company released the game under the title 'Game for Peace,' which had already received approval. It met all the parameters which were set by the authorities, including removal of blood and gore.
Also read: PUBG Mobile India vs. PUBG Mobile global version: 3 gameplay differences between these battle royale titles
PUBG PUBG Guide Mobile Lite

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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See also Leicestershire section of List of lost settlements in the United Kingdom

The identification of Deserted Villages and Lost Places in Leicestershire owes much to the pioneering work of William George Hoskins during his time at the University of Leicester.

Beginnings
Hoskins prepared his first list of such places for publication by the Leicestershire Archaeological Society in 1945. This list was updated in his book Essays in Leicestershire History published in 1950. In 1956 he published in the Transactions an account of seven of the key sites, Baggrave, Cold Newton, Great Stretton, Hamilton, Ingarsby, Lowesby and Quenby. He wrote numerous other articles and contributed to the Victoria History of the County of Leicester on the theme of deserted villages. He actively promoted research on them at the university and at part-time courses at the Vaughan Adult College in Leicester.

Deserted Medieval Village Research Group
After Hoskins left Leicester the research work was continued by the Deserted Medieval Village Research Group based at the same university. The group published a list of Leicestershire Deserted Medieval Villages edited by J. G. Hurst and M. W. Beresford, in the Transactions of the Society in 1964. This has long served as the key point of reference for Leicestershire Deserted Medieval Villages.

Later topographical and archaeological work
During the last quarter of the 20th century research was extended to other lost places and earlier research findings were subjected to review. The publication of the Leicestershire volumes in the English Place-Name Society series commenced in 1998 with that on Leicester. The Leicestershire series compiler Barrie Cox also produced a summary of the key place-names in the county in 2005, although the number of lost places included was limited. However, the Leicestershire place-name volumes published so far contain a wealth of information on previously little remarked sites such as Duninc Wicon, a probable Romano-British settlement in Ullesthorpe, and Shirtecoat in Great Bowden which shared its name with locations in several other east Leicestershire parishes.

Place name evidence also identified several lost places with the familiar –by, -thorpe and –ton suffixes. Thus, Canby in Sileby, Brastorp in Ashby de la Zouch which is now represented by Prestop, and Lowton in Humberstone have been added to the list of places that are in some way disguised in the modern landscape. Archaeological excavation, frequently by the University of Leicester is also steadily adding to our knowledge of lost places throughout the county. The university's continuing annual excavation of the Burrough Hill site has highlighted its long residential history and subsequent decline. The Knave Hill abandoned Saxon settlement which was featured by Time Team on Channel 4 in 2008, also brought greater and wider recognition of the wealth of deserted and lost places in Leicestershire.

Chronology
Iron Age
Chronologically, the lost places of the county are headed by those of the Iron Age period. Hill forts are obvious abandoned sites and of the three well-known sites in Leicestershire, Burrough Hill is the most significant as it is the likely pre-Roman central place of the Corieltauvi tribe that occupied much of Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire. The occupation of Burrough Hill, together with Beacon Hill in Woodhouse and The Bulwarks in the tautologically named Breedon on the Hill (meaning Hill Hill on the Hill), extended into the Roman period and perhaps beyond.

Romano-British period
Romano-British sites abound in the county, most established during the first phase of the Roman invasion which was completed by about 70 AD. Of the five named key settlements, Leicester, or Ratae Corieltauvorum, was the most important and extensive as it served as the regional capital. Two additional important Romano-British sites are known at Goadby Marwood and Medbourne, but frustratingly, their names and exact sites are not known. As in other counties, continuing archaeological and historical document research is revealing further abandoned sites of the period including a much denser coverage of Romano-British villas in Leicestershire than previously identified.

Middle Ages
It is the period from the early medieval period onwards that has excited most public interest in lost places, especially the Deserted Medieval Villages of the county. In some cases, their depopulation was due to the national economic decline that was accelerated by the Black Death in the 14th century. In east Leicestershire, as in other counties, the conversion of land for sheep grazing, especially by the wealthy religious houses such as the Abbey of St Mary de Pratis in Leicester, led to the depopulation of several villages including Lowesby and Ingarsby and their replacement by monastic granges such as Goldsmith Grange that succeeded the village of Ringlethorpe in Scalford.

Many people know of, and visit sites such as Baggrave, Great Stretton, Hamilton and Knaptoft where there are clearly marked earthworks, isolated churches or remnants of buildings. Fewer perhaps know of the others, including the close neighbours Holyoaks and Prestgrave in the far southeast of the county. So far, no-one has located the precise sites of Lilinge, Netone and Plotelei which are included in Domesday Book, 1086 as Leicestershire manors. Cox has narrowed the choice for Lilinge to two likely sites, one between Bittesby and Ullesthorpe, the other close to the separate deserted village and lost place that form the intriguing Westrill and Starmore parish, which for many years in the 20th century had a population of four. Godtorp was another such Domesday manor that was for a long period regarded as a mystery location. Painstaking research has related it to the Gillethorp listed in the Leicestershire Survey of about 1130 and located it between Somerby and Newbold Saucey, the latter itself a Deserted Medieval Village.

Leicester
Many people have not considered the possibility of deserted or lost places amongst the complex of buildings that cover a major city. To the Middle Angles, Ratae Corieltauvorum was an abandoned site which was plundered for building materials. By 787 AD they had named it Legorensium which gradually evolved into Leicester. After the Norman Conquest nine urban parishes were in place in the borough, although some were probably established by the Saxons. St Nicholas, for example, is regarded by many as the seat of the 7th century Bishop of the Angles, the first Bishop of Leicester, and the fabric of the church shows many Anglo-Saxon architectural details. Of the nine medieval parishes in Leicester, four in the northern half of the borough, St Clement, St Leonard, St Michael and St Peter, fell into gradual decline, if not abandonment, during the economic downturn of the 14th century, leaving relatively extensive tracts of gardens and grazing grounds.

A further lost place in the city is the Bishop's Fee, which covered most of St Margaret's Field. This was the property of the Bishops of Lincoln who included Leicestershire in their Norman diocese. The Diocese of Leicester itself was lost during the Danish invasions of the 9th and 10th centuries when it was removed to Dorchester in Oxfordshire. The lost place name Normandy in the Bishop's Fee perhaps reflects the Norman origins and allegiances of the Bishops of Lincoln. The Bishop's Fee maintained its unique status as an area not subject to borough control until the late 19th century, which encouraged the development of an extensive independent suburb, geographically within the borough boundary but outside the walls, even as early as Domesday. Numerous conflicts of interest arose from this legal position, especially since traders in the Bishop's Fee were not subject to the restrictive practices of the borough guilds, though the guilds and corporation thought otherwise.

19th and 20th centuries
More recent depopulation has followed the slum clearance programmes of the mid-20th century. In many cases this was followed by redevelopment, not always for residential purposes. Areas in the more densely populated zones of Hinckley, Loughborough and Leicester, including the numerous and often overcrowded tenements such as North's Yard off the High Street in Loughborough which housed 39 people in 1851, were demolished in the cause of improved social welfare, health and housing. Often, the people who left did not return to the new housing built on some such sites but were rehoused elsewhere. One family of ten in North's Yard, for example, had moved to Leicester Road, Loughborough by 1861. Twentieth century redevelopment saw people moved into new council homes including those built at New Parks and Stocking Farm in Leicester, which all but obliterated respectively any remnants of the medieval New Park of Bird's Nest and The Stocking.

21st century
The first decade of the 21st century has seen continued encroachment on the deserted and lost places of the county. Contemporary development of Meridian Park at Braunstone Town and extensive housing areas at Leicester Forest East have engulfed what remained of Lubbesthorpe. Nearby, Fosse Park and Grove Triangle retail and business developments have covered part of Aldeby in Enderby, thus making continuous urban development following Narborough Road from the centre of Leicester, through Braunstone Town, Aldeby (now St John's) and on to Narborough itself. This built up zone also overlies lost Bromkinsthorpe in Braunstone Gate, Leicester.

Currently, there may be profitable outcomes of further field-walking, documentary and place-name research in several Leicestershire parishes. Ashby de la Zouch and Bottesford, at opposite sides of the county, seemingly have a greater density of lost places than many other areas of the county. In Bottesford, Becklingthorpe, Easthorpe and Normanton settlements are known and thrive, but not much is known about Hardwick, Toston and Westthorpe, whose precise locations are uncertain. W. G. Hoskins's comment that any gaps on the Ordnance Survey maps of Leicestershire where a number of paths converge may be sites worthy of research holds true sixty years on.

References

History of Leicestershire
Deserted medieval villages in Leicestershire
1945 archaeological discoveries

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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text:
package it.cosenonjaviste.security.jwt.model;

import javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlAccessType;
import javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlAccessorType;
import javax.xml.bind.annotation.XmlRootElement;

@XmlRootElement(name = "AuthError")
@XmlAccessorType(XmlAccessType.FIELD)
public class AuthErrorResponse {

	private String message;

	public AuthErrorResponse() {

	}

	public AuthErrorResponse(String message) {
		super();
		this.message = message;
	}

	public String getMessage() {
		return message;
	}

	public void setMessage(String message) {
		this.message = message;
	}

	@Override
	public String toString() {
		return message;
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}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub