text:
Game #123: O's at Jays pregame
Baltimore (57-64) at Toronto (62-60)
at 1:07 p.m. ET at the Rogers Centre
Today's lineups:
Brian Roberts, 2B
Tike Redman, CF
Nick Markakis, RF
Miguel Tejada, SS
Kevin Millar, 1B
Aubrey Huff, DH
Melvin Mora, 3B
Ramon Hernandez, C
Jay Payton, LF
PITCHING: RHP Jeremy Guthrie (7-4, 3.50 ERA)
Matt Stairs, LF
Lyle Overbay, 1B
Alex Rios, RF
Vernon Wells, CF
Frank Thomas, DH
Troy Glaus, 3B
Aaron Hill, 2B
Gregg Zaun, C
John McDonald, SS
PITCHING: RHP Roy Halladay (14-5, 3.99 ERA)
NOTES: Not much happening pregame today. Toronto manager John Gibbons said it was simply a day off for LF Reed Johnson, because he wants to continue getting Stairs steady at-bats. Gibbons added that Hill may receive the day off on Monday with INF Russ Adams getting the start at second. … The Blue Jays have made nine errors in their past six games.
entering Sunday
1. Boston 74-49 (–)
2. New York 69-54 (5)
3. Toronto 62-60 (11.5)
4. Baltimore 57-64 (16)
5. Tampa Bay 46-76 (27.5)
entering Sunday
1. Seattle 68-52 (–)
2. New York 69-54 (0.5)
3. Detroit 67-56 (2.5)
4. Toronto 62-60 (7)
5. Minnesota 61-61 (8)
TICK, TOCK…Since 1995, the runner-up in the AL Wild Card race has finished with an average of 89 victories. The Blue Jays would need to go 28-12 over their final 40 games to reach 90 wins.
58 Comments
The Jays chances for the wild card are slim and none. There goal for the 2007 season should be 85 wins, that is possible.
Perhaps they can play spoiler when they play N.Y. and Bos. For some reason the Jays seem to have Boston's number the last couple of years.
Is there anybody out there who still thinks we have a chance to win the wild card please speak up I'll bet no more than two dreamers.
It seems every team we play has some speed in their lineup we have none also what good is frank thomas to this team he hit like a blind man the first half so how many 1 run games did he cost us I say to many.
I dont think in all the years I'v watched Toronto have I seen such astounding pitchen I'm sure unless JP is a bigger idiot than I think he is he will address the offence this offseason and add some speed if not same thing next year.
Bosox, if I was you, I'd be more worried about the Red Sox than the Jays.
You're guys are starting to shown signs of chocking, like they normally do, when the Yanks get close.
Another great outing from Halliday and Johnny Mac. I can't imagine anyone thinking we need a different short stop next year.
If the season ended today, he'd be a sho in for the gold glove.
I think the Mac gets a big raise next season-I hope it's with us.
i posted this in the other one but this being latest i'm posting it here (discusses topics from last post too)
Pitching is iffy at best after halladay? look at the yanks with an old pitching staff you sign who else but clemens. Face it jays rotation is not only better now but it will also be in the future compared to yanks.
I like the fact that burnett wants more. If burnett can get ground-outs even though he is a strike-out pitcher all he needs to do is stay healthy and he can be as good as halladay. (maybe over exxagerating)
Litsch should stay i too believe that he is pitching good i just hope that the errors the jays are making aren't getting to his head.
That's true wells is not clean-up especially this season but i think next season he will be better. All we need to do is get vernon swinging early maybe from february.
jannesen, accardo and league does sound good at 7-8th inning. I just hope league can rebound.
my question of the day: are you guys expecting any trades involving the bluejays this off-season. IF so who do you think is gonna get traded and who do you want traded?
i love it that the jays finally started playing small ball (mcdonald's but single last game)
nice pitchin halladay way to go!!! i was scared in the inning he gave up two i thought it was gonna be boston and tampa all over again. Good to see he is back to normal. Hated it he didn't get the win (in my fantasy team)
thanks for the stats gsummer you are our scott carson. could you tell me what happened to snider after 5hr in 10 atbats. (finally picks up power i stated earlier that i would like more hr's from him. seems like he read that post)
goffcg25 alias sentinelofgods.
Welcome to our site we value your input.
Please name the players you would give up for halliday and be honest now.Remember we dont want a-rod he has a sore knee lol.
gsumner You are the best for stats.
Behind Doc. we have Burnett he proved in his last two games he belongs then there is Marcum this kid is going to throw more than one no hitter he could be better than the Doc. then McGowan wait till next year he will amaze you and Jessie all guts I like this kid he will be much better than a 500 pitcher.
thegarrygay, I don't have any names because he wouldn't be the gum off my shoe now that we have Chamberlain, Hughes, and Wang, and Pettitte back next year. LOL!!!
If the Jays play up to their potential they have a wild card shot. If they play like they've been playing then no.
Hitting third has apparently killed Rios's power, but he has a .452 OBP this month. I think he should be moved back to number 2. If he still doesn't hit homers he can at least set the table effectively, and if his power comes back he still has RBI chances from whoever's leading off.
goff: That's only a 4 man rotation, and you need only look as far as Kerry Wood to see the risk of making your young fireballs throw too many innings early in their careers.
Rios belongs in the 2 hole and Wells in the three hole if Gibbons can only get it through his thick head.
If they dont sign J.Mac. next year as the full time shortstop we will lose him,
There are a lot of scouts out there and he will get a full time job as the starting shortstop for some team.
did you say something I didn't quite hear you gum boy
and what have you got on you smell funny"oh I know I'ts some of the salve a-rod has to rub on his sore knee LOL-LOL.
I'm sorry guys but the Jays chances for the wild card are almost zero. I don't see where the Jays can get the wild card.
Yankees will get the wild card but Seattle is hanging around and that is a surprise to me. Who thought at the beginning of the year that the Mariners would be in the playoff hunt this year?
We have had the best pitching in baseball since the all star break. We will have the best starters and bullpen next year.
In fact we could have 4 guys fighting for the Cy Young Award-Halliday, Burnett, Marcum and McGowan.
Harry, other than trying to trade Towers, I really don't see them making many moves over the off season. We have seen the quality of pitching we have-we have yet to see this offence fire on all cylinders.
I don't think the jays have a hope in H— of getting the wild card spot but your right about Seattle they came out of left field this year.
New York might pass Boston then Seattle could get the wild card then we can both cry.
Snider has continued his torrid pace-with doubles and singles. He's raised his ba to .314, with 80 rbi's in 104 games, 30 doubles and 13 hr's.
This kid seems to love to hit with guys in scoring position. I have noticed that how he hits, generally depends on whether runners are on or not.
I'd expect he wins league player of the week.
bosox-personally I see the Yanks winning the division and Seattle winning th wild card.
Your guys are choking.
Wells was terrible in the 3 hole every time he was put there this season, except from the start of the season until he caught the 'flu'. If he can hit there like he did when he was leading off, or like he did at the start of the season, then he can go back. Otherwise he should move down rather than up.
bosoxbrian: The Jays have 3 games against Seattle, 7 games against NY (including a make-up) and a make-up game against Detroit, so there are chances for the Jays to make up ground in the wild card. They just need to realize that "waiting for the 3 run homer" is what the manager does, not what the hitters do.
We also have 6 left agaqinst Boston
garry i totally agree with your lineup. I think Wells is your traditional number 3 hitter and the lineup would benefit from having 3 fast guys that can all score from first on doubles at the top of the lineup. Overbay doesn't belong in the 2 hole and slows up our lineup. Thats the last thing we need.
I also agree with your thoughts on Johnny Mac. With the plays he makes consistently every night, even though he may not end up playing in more than 120-130 games, he should be the gold glove winner. I would also like to see him return as our shortstop next year, but maybe only for a one year deal incase Santos develops or if JP can get a big time SS.
I like glaus but he should be traded I used to train horses so I know how hard it is for him to play everyday this man is in a lot of pain you just have to watch him to see that,He has a big heart but that can only carry him so far.
Every other year Wells has been great out of the three hole Gibbons should put him back there.
gsumner- I don't see the Red Sox losing the division. I do see one thing happening and that is the Jays missing the playoffs again.
There is no way that McDonald wins the gold glove at s.s. this year. Wells of course will win a gold glove again.
If J.Mac.is our shortstop next year and they bring Santos up this kid can only benefit from that setup and so will the jays.
I'ts great to see Snider doing great thanks for the info gsumner.
If J.Mac wins a gold glove this year we will have to pay a lot to get him back.
bosox if you know so much tell us why he can't win the gold glove explain yourself.
Alex Gonzalez played in 111 games last year for Boston and made 6 errors all year and didn't win the gold glove.
Then again Palmeiro was basically a D.H. and won the gold glove at 1b several years ago. When it comes to baseball writers, who knows what they're thinking. They have made some strange descions over the years.
Orlando Cabrera is a better defensive s.s. than McDonald. I would go with Cabrera over McDonald. Bettencourt with the Mariners is better with the glove than McDonald. Shall I go there garryguy. He does wear a Toronto uniform but call it way you see it. For some reason fans get blinded by there own players. I am glad that I am not one of them.
3b Chavez
ss Cabrera
1b Youklis
of Wells
of Hunter
of Ichiro
Help me out with the others folks.
I agree that McDonald won't win the Gold Glove, even though he deserves it. As long as it remains a vote, it will be next to impossible to unseat an incumbent winner, no matter how undeserving they are now or were when they originally won it. They should base it on Zone Rating or something so that there's an objective measure, instead of guys like Carl Crawford and Grady Sizemore having to hope that Torii Hunter moves to the NL so they can get their due. Can you imagine if the batting title was awarded based on a vote of who the managers thought the best hitter was?
I see Sizemore taking Ichiro's spot in the outfield this year bosox. As for C, i think that maybe Pudge or Johjima will win. At 2B I like either Jose Lopez or Hill. Other than the Ichiro thing I think you got it pretty dead on
The numbers are:
J Mac-5 errors, .984 fielding average
Bettancourt-21 errors and a .960 fielding average.
Cabrera-8 errors and a .984 fielding average
Lugo-16 erros and a .966 fielding average-ouch.
Johnny Mac is the best.
The Sox are going to lose th division, they've been playing .500 baseball since late May; Shilling and Wakefield are starting to look old and of course Gagne-lol.
THe closer the Yanks get, the tighter your guys cheeks will get-and the will lose it.
If I was handing them out based on Zone Rating with a minimum of 6 innings at the position for each team game, the winners right now (excluding catchers and pitchers because their zones are screwy) would be:
1B: Kotchman
2B: Ellis
SS: Crosby (McDonald doesn't have enough innings to qualify, but his ZR is higher)
3B: Inge
LF: Crawford
CF: Sizemore (Wells is close)
RF: Ordonez
1B: Helton
2B: Utley
SS: Vizquel (barely beating Reyes right now)
3B: Feliz
LF: Byrnes
CF: Beltran
RF: Victorino
Yahoo Johnny Mac is the best yippi ki aye I knew it I just knew it oh boy oh boy.
The latest diagonosis on Glaus shows what fixed his problem is rest-which he'll get in the off season. I'd hate to lose that bat-particulary with not a lot to replace it with.
You might be surprised. Johnny Mac should have 120 games in before it ends-maybe a few more.
The writers also vote on specacular plays-and no one does them better than our Johnny Mac.
Garry-by the way, the Jays demoted Santos back to AA yesterday, so it looks like the AAA experiment is over for now.
Jays have played 123 games, meaning there's 39 left to play. If Johnny Mac played every inning (and that assumes no road losses where the home team doesn't bat, which is a big stretch, and that he's never pinch hit for, which is a smaller but still significant stretch), he would play 351 more innings. On top of the 541 he has played so far, that would make 892, which is less than the 972 he would need to qualify under my "6 innings per game" rule.
The writers vote for the Cy Young, but the managers and coaches vote for the gold gloves.
I have this strange feeling that hill will be at short and adams at second remember JP drafted adams he will play him we will lose Johnny Mac this winter to bad so sad.
well right now Johnny Mac has the fewest errors of any ss in baseball, and is only .002 out of having the best fielding percentage. He currently is tied for 3rd in baseball and tied for first in the AL.
By the way Crosby has 14 errors and a .967 fielding average.
Hey all the managers and coaches in the AL that have seen him-want to sign him-they will vote for him. It will cost us a lot to keep him
garry-no way will the Jays move Hill back to SS-they will try hard to resign Johnny Mac
Did anyone see Santana's game? Struck out 17 in 8 innings.
That's why I said I was basing my decisions on Zone Rating. If a ball is hit to short and you never come close to it, you can't make an error. That doesn't by itself make you a better fielder. Carl Crawford has 4 errors in LF and Bonds only has 2. I hope you don't think that Bonds is a better fielder than Crawford.
In the final analysis, it probably is a bit of all 3.
My point being, if you make an error that prevents you from making a play, that should count against you exactly as much as never reaching a ball to begin with if it should have been your ball.
torgen, in regards to your gold glove candidates, I'm not sure if you realize that the outfield isnt dont by position. You could have 3 winners from CF. There is no way that Crawford or Ordonez earn gold gloves. Inge will never win it over Chavez either
For glod gloves i don't think that hill or mcdonald are gonna win the gold glove. They are just not that famous. I want mcdonald to win but if he does win then his price will go high. Also in CF wells should win along with seizemore and hunter.
About the playoffs positioning the jays certainly have a chance but they have to capitalize on them which they haven't been doing especially on the road. the jays certainly don't have a chance on winning the division. Maybe the wild card but they have to start playing some small ball and if the hr start coming let them come when they can don't depend on them.
In the future the jays will not only have the better pitching staff than the yanks but also will be spending less money for a better team. And golf you are entitled to your opinion just as i am but i still think that the jays will easily beat the yanks in the future. I will come up with some numbers later unless someone else comes up with them first.
gsumner you're deluded as usual, not a surprise here. No one on your staff will be competing for the CyYoung any time soon so stop with your idiotic statements. Yeah right, Marcum, Burnett, McGowan fighting for the Cy Young. LOL!!!!! What a dope.
I know that the outfield isn't done by position. It should be.
This blog is not just for a-holes like you.I's for us blue jay fans to give our views on what we would like to have happen.
Correct me if I'm wrong I belive gsumner said we "could" see 4 of our starters competing for the cy young not we will, but then I guess you can see into the future therefore the reason you use the word God on the end of your name you should try Devil it would suit you more.
VW says Johnny Mac is a dork JM agrees,reason because he studies deffence so much "dork" is a good thing.
As for the cy young the Doc. is still in the running this year,Remember it's not the amount of wins there are a lot of other factors in there like complete games innings pitched ERA. W/S ratio.
Marcum has joined the Jays rotation in the middle of may sporting a 6.5 ERA and a 1-2 Record…
As a starter he has gone 9-2 with an ERA of 2.90…
Can you please tell me which Yankees pitcher has been more consistant in that time span? Remember in his first 10 starts he threw 9 QS (one game was injury shortened) and had only 3 wins to show for it… Since then he had outpitched most of the AL CY front runners…
I do not think that Burnett will be a CY candidate… not because he is not good… smply because he is burnett (i.e. never lives up to his potential)
Though I am sure that Mcgowan has the potential of being more like verlander… now he seems inclined to be more like burnett…
None the less the rotation has a nice streak of like 10 quality starts in a row…
Halladay is having another phenomenal season… and again denied the win yesterday due to low scoring 😦
With the exception of 3 horrid games and a 3 week trip to cutting table… he has been the doc that we love to watch.
I think Hill has a legitimate chance for a GG, but his case has been harmed by a few recent errors… J.MAC has probably not played enough…
All of you are forgetting that Marcum has been a phenomenal fielder this year and could have a shot at a GG
goffcg you said no jays pitcher will be competing for the CY soon… let's bet that Doc ends with more CY votes than any Yankee rotation pitcher this year?
goff is like duelling with an unarmed man. The short bus will be along soon to pick him up. I heard he can't post on yanks site anymore , partly because of his language but he also likes to expel about his escapades with minors.
I heard a great quote ….being a yankee fan shows nor requires any originality. Its like going to a casino and rooting for the house.
Good Luck Jays tonight
As for WC hopes for te jays…
I say the "Magic Number" is 9… meaning that the moment the Jays lose their 9th game starting today they are pretty much done for…
I am not going to lose sleep over their playoff race… I am not overly optimistic 🙂
Though I am likely to catch a few more games at the dome and enjoy some wonderful pitching + watching Hill and JMAC is always exciting… hopefully there will be some hitting happening by people who are not named rios
This team was playing fine without Overbay two more weeks off and his hand would have been that much better.
Also if Burnett would have been given a little more time off the first time on the DL this year he may not have went there the 2nd time.
Toronto rushes their players back to soon and it cost them.
goff keep them comeing never has anyone shown their stupidity as much as you do it's hilarious.
One of the reasons Marcum is so good is he has no fear of any batter no matter who he is,A lot of pitchers get through the first 5 and then relax not Marcum the no 9 hitter means the same to him as the no 4 hitter does.
Guys and Gals
You're all making a mistake in your repsonses to Golf/Semigod.
You're making an assumption he can understand large words. Please keep your responses down to single syllable words so he can comprehend what you're posting to him.
He will be back tonight, as soon as his Mommy allows him back on the PC.
In the meantime-Go Jays
I think Marcum's nickname should be Bulldog.
Fit's doesn't it?
What we all forget about The Bulldog is, he had 6 no decisions, in which he went about 40 innings and only gave up two runs or so.
He could be 16 and 4 if he had any run support in those games and be leading baseball in wins.
I think the magic number is 12. The Jays have 39 games left-if they win 27, they would be at 90 wins.
I think I'd take my chances at 90 wins this year.
I just hope they focus one winning tonight, then tommorrow focus on winning tommorrow night. And So on.
gsumner. sorry had company.
Bulldog is a very fitting name for Marcum and run support would have made him the big dog.


text:
Thinking Outside the Classroom: Evidence in the snow
special to the daily
I love the first morning after a new snowfall. Snow sparkles on the trees, brown grass is hidden and my boots make a nice "crunch" as I walk. My favorite part about the fresh powder, though, is the blank, white canvas that the snow creates, waiting to be painted by every living thing. Though we don't see many animals in Summit County during the winter, evidence of their movements appears in the snow. Whether jumping, running or neatly walking through the powder, each animal leaves a distinct trail. With some background knowledge, any hiker in Summit County can become an animal tracker!
Every animal has a distinct "track pattern," which is the arrangement of their tracks resulting from the way the animal moves. Hikers may see the four-track print groups that result from jumping chipmunks or the alternating track pattern that an elk leaves behind in the snow. Some small rodents only leave burrows behind as they create "subnivean tunnels" under the snow. Each animal can move in a variety of different ways but will usually have one type of track pattern that hikers are more likely to see.
One classic track pattern found in the winter is that of the snowshoe hare. During the winter, its hind feet grow thick fur, which make great snowshoes for bounding through the snow. Because jumping is its main mode of travel, the hare leaves a four-track pattern in the snow. It jumps off of its strong hind feet and lands with its front feet. The hind feet then wrap around and land ahead of the front feet, leaving four-print groups with a distinct space in between. Chipmunks and squirrels use a similar jumping pattern, but you can spot the hare by its large hind feet. Its hind feet are about twice as big as its front feet, making ideal snowshoes! Smaller four-print groups likely belong to squirrels or chipmunks, though you will not see many chipmunks long into the winter since they will soon stick to their dens.
Many of the larger mammals in Summit leave an alternating track pattern, which is similar to the pattern that humans leave as we hike through the snow. Animals walk alternating their left and right legs, leaving behind two parallel rows of tracks with prints alternately spaced. Perhaps the neatest rows of tracks will be left by a moose; its stilt-like legs allow it to step precisely through the snow. In deep snow, an animal saves energy by placing its hind feet exactly in the tracks of its front feet. The same goes if you hike with a friend; you won't be the one sweating if you let your friend go first and you follow her boot prints! In shallow snow, however, the hind legs will not fall exactly in the front prints, leaving behind an offset alternating track pattern. Other animals leaving this track pattern include the elk with its two-toed hooves, the black bear with its pigeon-toed paw prints, and the coyote with its oval paw prints. Just as our prints look different when we run or walk or tip-toe, these animals also leave different trails depending on their speed.
The next time a blank white canvas covers the ground, you'll only need to wait a little while before the animals begin to paint a picture in the snow. Your next hike with the family can be a scavenger hunt; use the tracks as clues to discover what animals are still out and about as the air gets cold. Identify the animals that make their homes along the trails you are hiking. Hypothesize what speed the animal was going as it moved through the forest. Become an animal tracker yourself!
Katie Griffith is a Program Apprentice at Keystone Science School. For more information, contact us at (970) 468-2098 or visit http://www.keystonescienceschool.org.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
In episode 9 of Jeremy Jones' Further Unplugged, the Teton Gravity Research crew meets up with Mitch Toelderer and Bibi Pekarek in Innsbruck, Austria, to splitboard deep into the Karwendel Range, a place that sees little winter traffic. After skinning nearly 15 miles, they set up base camp and deal with one of the coldest winters in 50 years to find some rippable lines. Jeremy describes the area as, "one of the most beautiful places that I've ever been to in this world."Supported by Cine Tirol. Filmed on location in Tirol/Innsbruck.
Further Unplugged takes you behind the scenes of Jeremy Jones' two-year snowboarding film, Further. Get an inside glimpse of what goes on between the lines as Jones and other top riders including Terje Haakonsen, Xavier De Le Rue and Josh Dirksen travel to exotic locations such as Japan, the Arctic Circle and the Wrangell-St. Elias Wilderness. Challenges arise around every corner as this crew attempts to push their minds and bodies further.
Click Here To Watch More Further Unplugged Episodes: tetongravity.com/videos/series/further-unplugged-49.htm
Click Here To See All of Teton Gravity Research's Films:


text:
MEDWAY, MA -- Cybex International Inc. lost a product liability suit today with the jury rendering a $66 million verdict.
The verdict in the case, Barnhard v. Cybex International Inc., was apportioned 75 percent to Cybex, 20 percent to Amherst Orthopedic Physical Therapy PC and 5 percent to the plaintiff. Under New York law, Cybex would be responsible for 95 percent of the verdict but may collect 20 percent of the verdict from Amherst Orthopedic.
Cybex says it will appeal the verdict.
"We think we have a strong basis for appealing," Art Hicks, Cybex president and COO, says, adding that some critical errors were made. Two of those, in his opinion, were that the judge would not allow the only witness to the incident to testify and that one of the lawyers for the plaintiff had been a lawyer for Cybex in another case.
The plaintiff in the case, Natalie M. Barnhard, was rendered a quadriplegic after a Cybex 4106 ZR Classic leg extension machine at Amherst Orthopedic Physical Therapy, Buffalo, NY, fell on her as she leaned on the machine to stretch her shoulder, according to her lawyers, Kevin English and Michael Law, partners with Phillips Lytle in Buffalo. Barnard, who was a physical therapy assistant, was working with a client on a nearby machine at the time. It took four people to pull the machine off of Barnhard, she recounts on her website.
"I had never been so scared in my whole life because in my mind I knew I had suffered an extremely severe life-changing injury," she wrote on her site.
The Cybex machine was manufactured in 1983 and meets today's manufacturing standards, according to Hicks, who also says that he's confident enough about the equipment's safety that he would put it in his own home. However, English says the machine was not properly designed because the center of gravity was too far to the weight stack side of the machine.
"We believe there is overwhelming evidence to support that verdict, and we believe it will be sustained," Law says about Cybex's planned appeal.
Because Barnhard was an employee of Amherst Orthopedic Physical Therapy, she could not sue her employer. However, Cybex did make a claim against Amherst Orthopedic, claiming that Amherst Orthopedic had not properly anchored the machine.
Robert Baxter, a partner in the firm of Baxter Smith & Shapiro PC, who represented Amherst Orthopedics, said that Cybex never sold the machine with bolts and never gave any warnings that the machine should be bolted down. He also said that Cybex never gave warning that machines similar to this one had tipped before.
"The first notification was when this machine fell on Natalie," Baxter says.
Cybex Chairman and CEO John Aglialoro said in a statement from the company: "This piece of equipment has been in continuous operation for over 25 years in the same facility as Ms. Barnhard was injured to the current date, with no incidents reported other than this one event. We strongly believe that Cybex was not negligent and is in no way responsible for this tragic accident. We will vigorously pursue all avenues to attain a reversal of this verdict."
Hicks adds that 500-pound equipment "doesn't just fall over."
Amherst Orthopedics is still in business and is still using that same machine—without bolts—although they now have it against a wall, Baxter says. He added that an expert who testified for Cybex said he has the equipment in his facility and doesn't bolt his down either.
"The standard in the industry is that they are supposed to be manufactured so they don't need to be bolted down," Baxter said. "Even their manual had a recommendation to bolt, not a direction to bolt."
Can Cybex Pay?
The amount awarded to the plaintiff is "very high," according to Law and English, especially considering it does not include punitive damages. The plaintiff sued for lost past wages, lost future wages, pain and suffering, and medical expenses. In New York, each of these items is awarded separately. The jury found that Barnhard's future medical expenses will be more than $28 million as she will need assistance 24 hours a day for the rest of her life.
Baxter plans to join Cybex's appeal, saying the verdict was excessive. He says this is the largest pain and suffering award in New York history. However, he says it's unlikely that his clients will ever have to pay in the case.
"Cybex would have to pay the full amount and then collect back 20 percent from us, and I don't know that Cybex can pay that amount," Baxter says.
Cybex management, in consultation with counsel, is analyzing the impact of the verdict on the company and its financial condition, according to a statement from Cybex. Cybex's available insurance coverage for this claim is currently less than $4 million. The amount of the required fourth quarter addition to the company's litigation reserve will be determined as the post-trial motion process proceeds.
"These fairly outrageous verdicts are normally overturned," Hicks says. "It's almost dishearteneing when you look at the statistics. Someone from Bloomberg said that jury verdicts during the holidays are normally higher."
He says that it's difficult not to sound callous when you have an accident where an individual was involved, but that the plaintiff admitted she used the equipment improperly. Cybex and its employees did nothing wrong, he says.
"We hold our heads up high and say our products are the best in the industry," Hicks adds.
Cybex stock fell by more than 37 percent at the end of the day, closing at $0.815, down from $1.30 the day before. Its 52-week range was $0.67- $1.80.
Law says that club operators should test their older machines, ensure they are bolted and positioned properly, and follow any instructions that come with the products in their facilities.
"Equipment manufacturers have come a long way since the 1980s in designing these things and taking steps to make them safer," Law says. However, he says this case should send manufacturers the message that if they have old, defective equipment still in use at fitness facilities, they should recall them or send out a notice or warning.


text:
The Irrawaddy dolphin exists in small isolated populations around Southeast Asia. Some populations are close to extinction such as the those in the Mekong River and Malampaya Sound in the Philippines. The main threats are from fisheries bycatch and habitat loss.
© WWF / Alain COMPOST
Irrawaddy dolphin, orcelle (Fr), delfín de Irrawaddy (Sp)
VulnerableRead more
Skin colour
Slaty blue to slaty gray
Scientific Name
Orcaella brevirostris
180-275 cm
Patchy distribution for a vulnerable species
The Mahakam river population of Irrawaddy dolphins, found in the Kalimantan province of Indonesian Borneo, is severely threatened by fisheries bycatch and habitat degradation, and may number as few as 34 animals.
Surveys conducted in 2001 estimated that the Malampaya Sound population in the Philippines consists of just 77 individuals, confined to a small area in the inner sound, and is the only known population of this species in the country.
During 2001 there were reports that as many as five animals from this population were killed incidentally in fishing operations, indicating that the Irrawaddy dolphins of Malampaya Sound are in immediate danger of extinction due to low numbers, limited range, and high mortality.
The Mekong River Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) population inhabits a 190km stretch of the Mekong River between Cambodia and Lao PDR. The latest population is estimated between 78 and 91.
Physical Description
When diving, this dolphin breathes at intervals of 70-150 seconds; the head appears first and then disappears, and then the back emerges, but the tail is rarely seen.
Head and body length is 180-275 cm.
Irrawaddy dophins are slaty blue to slaty gray throughout, with the underparts slightly paler.
Priority species
Cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) are a priority species. WWF treats priority species as one of the most ecologically, economically and/or culturally important species on our planet. And so we are working to ensure such species can live and thrive in their natural habitats.
Ecology and Habitat
An inhabitant of marine and freshwater environmentsIrrawaddy dolphins are distributed in shallow, near-shore tropical and subtropical marine waters. They are primarily found in estuaries and semi-enclosed water bodies such as bays and sounds, usually close to mangrove forests. Freshwater populations occur in river systems.
Social Structure
There are no more than 10 animals to a group usually, and solitary individuals are rarely seen.
The species eats fish and crustaceans.
Irrawaddy Dolphin from WWF on Vimeo.
Population and Distribution
Small populations over a large areaCurrent population and distribution
Freshwater subpopulations occur in the river Mahakam of Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo), the Ayeyarwady (formerly Irrawaddy) of Myanmar (formerly Burma), and the Mekong Delta of Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. They are also reported in isolated brackish (saltwater and freshwater) water bodies, such as Chilka Lake in India and Songkhla Lake in Thailand.
There have been serious population declines in parts of Thailand, and in the Mahakam river (Indonesian Borneo) freshwater sub-populations. The latter was classified as Critically Endangered in the IUCN Red List in 2000 after surveys found only a few tens of dolphins in approximately 300 km segment of a river.
In the Philippines, the few Irrawaddy dolphins of Malampaya Sound (Palawan) appear to be geographically isolated from other sub-populations, which could earn that population the status of Critically Endangered. There, the dolphin population is in immediate danger of extirpation due to low numbers, limited range and high mortality. A 2001 survey put their population at 77 individuals over a 133 km² area.
Population numbers
- Malampaya Sound, Philippines: 77
- Mekong River: 78-91
- Mahakam River, Indonesia: 87
- Ayeyarwady River, Myanmar: 58-72
- Coastal waters of Bangladesh: 5,383
- Sundarbans mangrove forest of Bangladesh: 451
What are the main threats to the Irrawaddy dolphin?
Unexploited but vulnerableAlthough the Irrawaddy dolphin is not directly exploited, it is exposed to incidental mortality in fisheries (e.g., gillnets in Australia and in Malampaya, explosives), the principal cause of depletion. Habitat degradation due to development of dams, deforestation and mining also continue to undermine the species to a lesser extent.
The small population of the Mahakam River (Indonesian Borneo) and possibly that of the Ayeyarwady River (Myanmar) are also live-captured for display purposes.
What is WWF doing?
WWF is also helping Cambodia and Lao PDR to coordinate their conservation efforts. Key elements of the work include raising public awareness, development of relevant laws, responsible tourism, and Irrawaddy dolphin research.
WWF initiated the Malampaya Sound Research and Conservation Project in the Philippines in December 2001 to sustainably manage the fisheries of Malampaya Sound and to effectively manage and protect the Irrawaddy dolphin population in the area. Malampaya Sound, to date, is the only known habitat of the Irrawaddy dolphin in the country.
In 2004, WWF and TRAFFIC supported a ban on the international live trade of Irrawaddy dolphins for oceanaria by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
The majority of WWF's global conservation work to protect whales and dolphins takes place within the context of the International Whaling Commission (IWC).
WWF projects that support this work:
How you can help
- Support efforts to improve fishing gear by only buying seafood that is MSC certified. This can help to reduce the incidence of marine bycatch, which kills whales and other marine life like turtles, dolphins, and seabirds.
- Spread the word! Click on the button to share this information with others via email or your favourite social networking service.
Did you know?
- Reports from the 1970s show that the fishermen of Burma attract the Irrawaddy dolphin by tapping the sides of their boats with oars. By swimming around the boat, the dolphin brings the fish into nets, and the fishermen share their catch with it.
Learn more about WWF's work to make the world's oceans safe for whales, dolphins, and porpoises.


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Red Wings' Henrik Zetterberg in lineup for Game 4
DETROIT (AP) Henrik Zetterberg is in the lineup for the Detroit Red Wings in Game 4 against the Boston Bruins.
Jonas Gustavsson is, too.
Red Wings coach Mike Babcock told reporters that doctors would ultimately decide if Zetterberg could play Thursday night for the first time since having back surgery Feb. 21. Zetterberg has been skating this week with his teammates.
Gustavsson started for the first time this postseason, replacing Jimmy Howard, who is out with the flu.
Detroit scratched forward Daniel Alfredsson for a second straight game because of his back injury. Babcock expects Alfredsson to be healthy enough to play Saturday afternoon at Boston in Game 5.
The Red Wings are playing 39-year-old forward Todd Bertuzzi in Game 4, when they will try to even the first-round series, and scratch 21-year-old forward Tomas Jurco.


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The Morning Light that is. For those who haven"t heard of it Morning Light is a documentary put together by Disney that follows 15 young sailors as they train and race a TP52 in the 2007 TransPac.
Basically Disney took 30 sailors and picked the 15 they liked best to train in Hawaii and then let the team pick the final 11 who actually got to race the TransPac. The movie shows some of the selection process and their training while introducing you to the sailors. Most of the 2nd half of the movie is about the race itself from the star in California to the finish in Hawaii.
You are introduced to all 15 sailors and get to know them as the movie progresses but the truth is it"s too many people and not enough time to really figure out who"s who aside from a few of the key people. They way over dramatize the selection of the 11 crew for the race – they call people one by one into the room and announce who gets to be on the boat.
The race itself is fairly interesting – the film focuses on their rivalry with Samba Pa Ti during the race. It"s hard to say how much rivalry there actually was but it makes for good entertainment since the boats were fairly close together at one point during the race. They also show some interviews with the owner of Samba about the race.
Importantly the movie doesn"t just take a try to explain everything and appeal to everyone approach. I was actually pleasantly surprised at how little I found myself thinking: oh great an explanation of how tacking works (there was one but it was fairly brief). I had expected there to be a lot more catering to non sailors. This might mean the movie wouldn"t be as interesting if you don"t sail but I"m gonna assume that if you"re reading this you probably do.
Obviously there is some heavy editing that goes into a documentary like this. They focus on the people who they felt were more interesting, some of the guys on the boat barely get any camera time and others get lots. It"s obvious there are details left out and huge portions of time skipped but it tells a good story and stays interesting to watch throughout.
So is it worth watching? I didn"t have high expectations but I ended up really enjoying the DVD. It"s a great movie to watch with some friends, maybe poke fun of a few parts and watch what to my knowledge is only the 2nd sailing movie ever (that scene at the beginning of Thomas Crown Affair doesn"t count). I"d also think that it"d be great for sailing schools or other kids who are just getting into sailing. The reality-show type approach is accessible to them and there"s plenty of fun, fast sailing to watch.
So I think Morning Light is worth a look. Besides it"s a Disney movie so there"s some awesome previews for the re-release of Fantasia from the "Disney vault" that I already have on pre-order that you have to sit through at the start of the DVD.


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Summary Meeting Notes: October 3, 2012 Infrastructure Equity PEG
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, Room 2500A,1900 SW Fourth Avenue, 2nd floor
PEG Attendees: Afifa Ahmed. Shafi, Amalia Alarcon de Morris, Roger Anthony, Roger Averbeck, Alex Deley, Justin Fallon Dollard, Liz Gatti, Karyn Hanson, Celia Heron, Muna Idow, Jeff Leighton, Kathryn Levine,Jackeline Luna Acosta, Karen Meyer, Steph Routh, Michelle Rudd, Joe VanderVeer.
Other Attendees: Michele Crim, Bob Glascock, Joan Frederiksen, Michelle Kunec & Chris Scarzello (Bureau of Planning & Sustainability); Courtney Duke, Patricia Neighbor & Carlos Gonzalez (Portland Office of Transportation); Sara Culp (Bureau of Environmental Services).
Facilitator: Andrée Tremoulet, Commonworks Consulting
View the original agenda, including materials, for this meeting.
Key Points and Outcomes
This meeting focused on Level of Service as one means of considering equity issues. Representatives from four infrastructure bureaus (Water, Environmental Services, Transportation and Parks) made presentations about a sampling of the measurements they use to describe the level of services provided to city residents. IE PEG members divided into four small groups to begin a discussion about the equity ramifications of these measures. These discussions will continue at a future meeting.
Presenter: Andrée Tremoulet, Facilitator
Summary: The room was open fifteen minutes before the meeting for informal networking and so that IE PEG members could view maps and other meeting information. Andree began the meeting with an icebreaker exercise for the four small groups. She announced one change to the September meeting summary regarding sidewalk infrastructure issues in SW Portland.
Bureau Presentations on Infrastructure Levels of Service
Meeting Handouts and Presentations:
Bob Glascock reviewed the concepts of asset management and levels of service, and he introduced the speakers from the four bureaus. Andree Tremoulet reviewed the small group workshop questions. Highlights of the bureaus' presentations are summarized below.
Jeff Leighton, Portland Water Bureau
- Portland Water Bureau tracks 27 service indicators (also known as service levels and performance indicators). They fit into three categories.
- Some of the standards are citywide (e.g., water purity citywide), and others are geographically-specific. The standard for service interruption is that less than 5% ofPortland's customers are without water eight hours or more in a year. Portlandmeets this standard, with less than 1% of customers experiencing such an outage annually.
- Jeff displayed a map that showed where service lines and main lines had breaks or leaks in 2011. He explained factors related to why pipes break, including age and material of the pipes and ground conditions.
- In response to a question, Jeff indicated that the data do not distinguish between leaks/ breaks in pipe segments maintained by the City and the property owner.
Karyn Hanson, Bureau of Environmental Services (BES)
- Karyn described one of BES's indicators for sewage service, the risk associated with sewage flowing into streets, basements and the river during a heavy rainfall in areas of the city with a combined sanitary and storm sewer system. Risk of asset failure is calculated by multiplying the Probability of an event occurring by Consequences (costs) of occurrence (that is, Risk = P X C).
- Currently, BES uses a cost/benefit analysis to help determine where to invest in improvements.
- While BES has not yet applied an equity lens to decision-making for investments, it recently adopted strategic goals addressing equity issues.
Kathryn Levine, Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT)
- PBOT tracks the status and condition of 13 asset classes. The replacement value of these assets is estimated at $8.3 billion
- Kathryn described the challenges of trying to maintain the existing transportation system while also adding needed capital improvements.
- Because General Fund revenues are constrained, PBOT is entrepreneurial in its efforts to locate and use other funding sources. As much as ¾ of PBOT's capital improvement funding has come from other sources.
- Kathryn presented maps depicting the pavement condition of arterial and collector street segments owned by the City and a map showing which arterial street segments have sidewalks and which do not. The sidewalk map also showed the location of current and funded capital improvement projects that will add sidewalks.
- She described a project, theEast Portlandin Motion Strategy, where an equity lens was applied to project selection, prioritization, and decision-making.
- In response to questions, Kathryn confirmed that:
- Local Improvement Districts (LIDs) are formed by property owners and that renters typically do not have a direct voice in their formation. She also indicated that, when redevelopment occurs, there are standards that determine when the developer must improve his/her street frontage and, if trip generation is sufficient, nearby intersections.
- TheADAtransition plan is a long range plan to make sidewalks more accessible. Each year, PBOT Maintenance plans to build or rebuild 700 to 1,000 sidewalk corners withADAcompliant ramps. At this pace, it will take more than 60 years to bring all corners into compliance.
Randy Webster, Portland Parks
- Randy presented a variety of indicators that the City uses for parks, some of which are citywide and some of which are location-specific.
- 79% of city households live within ½ mile walking distance of the entrance to a natural area or park. The index takes into account major highway crossings, railroads and other major pedestrian barriers. 69% of city households live within 3 miles of a full-service community center.
- Historically, the park system has grown with the expansion of the city. Forest Parkrepresented a very large addition of park acreage to the city's system.
- In terms of new park development, small parks are costly to maintain. But large parks are expensive to assemble from multiple parcels, and open land is becoming scarcer to find. The city has a policy of not using eminent domain to acquire land for parks.
- Harper's Playground in North Portland is newly designed and built inArborLodgeParkto be accessible to children with a range of physical abilities.
Public Comment
No public comment was received.
Small Group Discussions
In the remaining time, the four small groups of IE PEG members each discussed one infrastructure area. Because there was insufficient time to report out, the notes of some of the highlights from the small groups are provided below.
Portland Water Bureau Small Group
- Jeff Leighton shared two other service level maps (low-income bill discounts and water quality).
- PEG members asked the Water Bureau to consider these questions:
- Can you provide more information on the spatial distribution of water "shut-offs for failure to pay"?
- Can you describe what education/outreach you do to make the community aware of access to low income discounts?
- Can you explain how you overcome language barriers in your outreach?
- What is the make-up of your Budget Advisory Committee? Who are they and what organizations do they represent?
- There was also a specific question about the pipe break map—why are there adjacent neighborhoods with the lowest and highest number of leaks—is there a demographic link?
Bureau of Environmental Services Small Group
- Before you can answer questions about who is impacted, you need to have the right data and information.
- It may be hard to overlay variables related to risk. For example, one homeowner may have insurance that covers a flooded basement, but a flooded basement may be a catastrophic event for another homeowner.
- What is given greater weight in considering risk, impacts on environmental health or human health?
- There are tradeoffs. Do you spend money to address something that impacts one household or many? For example, is it more important to spend $50,000 to address one basement that floods with sewage or spend $1 million to reduce creek flooding that affects many homes?
- Some infrastructure equity issues are hard to see (e.g., buried pipes vs. streets, sidewalks and parks). How can we do a better job of analyzing and addressing the less visible issues?
Portland Bureau of Transportation Small Group
- Gaps in service of particular concern include:
- Sidewalks: health/active living, reduction in vehicle miles traveled
- Bike infrastructure: climate action plan
- Freight access on arterials: economic development
- Unimproved local streets: general health and safety
- Portland Public Schools is assessing right-of-way conditions within a one-mile radius of public schools. If more students attend their local school, there will be less need to bus students, and more funds can be spent on other educational objectives. The biggest gaps are in Southwest Portland, Cully and East Portland. PPS is seeing some correlation between gaps in services and communities of color and low income communities, but gaps also exist in Southwest Portland. It was suggested that priority should be given to improving conditions in areas with concentrations of households with more young children, fewer cars, older residents and higher poverty rates, and also among communities of color.
Portland Parks Small Group
- What do we do with the areas on the map not served by parks, or easy ways to get to those parks?
- Are new parks a dead issue if we have a shortage of maintenance funding? Is it more important to maintain what we have?
- A multi-tiered strategy may work, with a bond measure to support new park development and existing funds for maintenance. This may be especially effective if the new parks were developed in a way to contain operation and maintenance costs.
- Developing new parks in the areas only served by undeveloped park land (purple) would go a long way in meeting service needs.
- Elements of a large, citywide parks system plan exist that will provide a vision of a complete park system when completed.
- People with low incomes and/or disabilities may be more affected by gaps because of a lack of mobility to reach parks farther away or the absence of yards where they live.
- Communities of color may be impacted because of displacement.
- Some places have few parks but a lot of young families, as communities move and families develop.
- Is there an equitable distribution of park features, such as playgrounds?
- Access to rivers is also important. It may be particularly important to some communities, such as Native Americans.
Next Steps
- Continue discussion of equitable service
- Consider gentrification risk
For more information, please contact either Bob Glascock, Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, at (503) 823-7845 or firstname.lastname@example.com or Andrée Tremoulet, Facilitator, at (503) 267-9255 or email@example.com.


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Working with a Real Estate Closing Team
Most sellers and buyers think of the agreement as the tricky part of the transaction and the closing as the part they can take pretty much for granted. Agents know otherwise. As an agent, your work isn't done and your payment teeters in the balance until you successfully complete this final, challenging part of the real estate transaction.
The closing involves an army of people, and a good closing team can help you increase your prosperity by letting you efficiently wind up one deal so you to move on to the next.
Work diligently during the weeks leading to the close to see that the loan, title work, and escrow or document preparation are handled by people on your own closing team. Make it your objective to direct the business to companies and individuals you know will perform in a timely, professional manner. Doing so assures your clients good service and fewer surprises and reduces the time you and your staff invest in closing the transaction.
The loan officer
The loan officer holds a front-line position on your closing team. He or she secures the appraiser, verifies deposit of funds, verifies employment, and, ideally, completes the loan package for the buyer within a few days of contract acceptance.
Make sure that the loan officer on your team is a great salesperson backed by a highly organized team that's able to push transactions through to a seamless close. A good loan officer can smooth out problems before you even hear about them, averting landmines and sparing you significant and time-consuming challenges.
Loan officers can add considerable value to your business even beyond the sales closing. When you form a relationship with a loan officer, you can work in concert to land clients. You can follow up on leads together, or you can refer clients to each other; ultimately, you both win more business as a result of the relationship.
The home inspector
The home inspector is hired to evaluate the condition of the property, spot current or potential defects, and give guidance regarding the proper remedies.
On your closing team, you want a home inspector who can quickly produce an easy-to-read report written in everyday language. If technical jargon is necessary, insist on plain-English translations. Nothing concerns buyers more than problems they don't understand.
Work with home inspectors who are thorough and who fully disclose all defects and items in need of repair without throwing gasoline on potential problems. Beware the home inspector who's an alarmist, and instead look for someone who has a "just the facts, ma'am" approach.
The appraiser
Because lending institutions often have the largest stake in a home — greater even than that of borrowers — they hire appraisers to determine the value of property.
Most lenders have relationships with a number of appraisers. Each appraiser follows a unique valuation approach and, as a result, each interprets the value of a home slightly differently. If you're working a deal and having trouble getting the property to appraise out at the sales price, ask your mortgage originator if another appraiser may be called upon.
Some appraisers have low-cost, limited-level memberships in the local MLS and therefore don't receive lockbox keys. The membership saves them money but creates an inconvenience for agents on whom they have to rely for access to homes. Follow the once dumb–twice stupid rule: If you have to drive out to a home just to open a door for an appraiser or, worse yet, to stand around and wait until the job is done, make it a point to work with a different appraiser in the future! You'll find plenty of great appraisers that don't waste your time opening doors.
The escrow closer
An escrow closer is a neutral third party who coordinates the preparation and signing of documents, holds and distributes funds, and records the documents and deeds involved in a transaction. Some states are non-escrow states, which means the real estate company provides these services or, in some states, an attorney prepares all the legal documents. Check with your broker to clarify the standard operating procedure in your area.
A good escrow officer keeps the transaction on track for an on-time closing. He or she also provides a second point of reassurance for your client by doing the following:
- Staying in close communication with you and the client throughout the weeks leading up to closing
- Sharing updates that confirm things are going well
- Underscoring what a great agent you are and how lucky the client is to be working with you
The escrow company can also be associated with the title company, which researches the home's previous owners and searches for liens and encumbrances on the property. Most lenders require title searches to ensure that titles are clear before they issue loans for properties. Lenders are in what's called first position, meaning that they take control if buyers default on loans.


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Going paperless closes deals quicker with eSignatures
We have helped many retailers and service providers streamline their checkout and payment processes with signature pads and necessary software or development tools. Not only will you save costs associated with paper, but your customers will appreciate the time savings, and your staff will have more opportunities for incremental sales, such as consumer financing options.
Wacom pays close attention to how easy our devices are to use, how the pen feels, how the digital ink flows, how clear the text and ink are displayed on the screen, how nice the devices look on your counters, and how long the system continues to perform and look like new. All of these factors go beyond the simple benefits of saving time and money by going paperless. They are about reinforcing your brand, as a quality service provider. Choosing Wacom signature pads and pen displays will convey that your company is environmentally conscious, appreciative of aesthetic design, and committed to excellent customer service.


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Find us on:
4330 East West HighwayBethesda, MD 20814
301-504-7921 (Voice)301-504-0025 (FAX)
Sponsored by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the clearinghouse disseminates statistics and information relating to the prevention of death and injury associated with consumer products. The Clearinghouse provides injury data from electronic data sources and distributes publications including hazard analyses, special studies, and data summaries. Each year the Clearinghouse responds to 6,000 requests for information from the American public. Information specialists search agency data bases to tailor responses to each customer's needs.
Publications may be viewed or downloaded at http://www.cpsc.gov/en/safety-education/safety-guides/general-information/publications-listing/
Friday, Jun 26, 2015
Language Assistance Available


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Thursday, July 12, 2012
3 Points About Rape Jokes that People Seem to Be Ignoring
1. We're not picking sides between "pro-censorship" and "anti-censorship." We're picking sides between "pro-rape jokes" and "anti-rape jokes."
This is not a free speech issue. As a comic (or poet, or rapper, or singer or whatever), you have the right to say whatever the hell you want to say on stage. But your audience has that same right. If you say something hurtful or offensive, they can heckle you, call you out, start internet campaigns to ban you from clubs, whatever. And you have to deal with that.
No one is trying to make it illegal for a comic to say offensive shit; we're just trying to hold you accountable. That's a huge difference, and people hiding behind the "free speech" argument are really missing the point. I want you to take chances on stage, to challenge people, even to deal with hecklers harshly—but there are a million ways to do that without joking about something that is extremely hurtful to so many people. Less offensive ways, sure, but funnier ways too.
2. "Edgy" comedy or art shouldn't just be about saying naughty words and pissing people off; it should be about pissing people off in order to make a larger point.
I'm not against any kind of joke on principle. A good comic can make anything funny. But if you're going to make jokes about rape, your excuse has to be something more than "it's okay to hurt people because the bit landed, it was funny." If you're going to make jokes about potentially offensive topics, there's an easy way and a hard way. The easy way is to just shout out offensive things in the name of free speech and "pushing people out of their comfort zones." The hard way is to provide an unflinching, in-depth analysis of the way that people deal with these painful topics, to really explore them, in order to make some kind of profound point about them (and be funny).
Most people who make rape jokes (or gay jokes, or racist jokes, or whatever) aren't smart enough to have anything worthwhile to add to the conversation. They're hacks. It's like a little kid shouting "poop!" in the grocery store and then grinning. Truly edgy writing pushes people out of their comfort zones, sure. But it pushes them toward something, some deeper truth or observation about humanity.
3. Rape jokes don't magically turn people into rapists, but they do contribute to a larger culture of normalizing rape, blaming the victim, shaming, silence, etc.
If you've never heard the term "rape culture," that's really what we're talking about here. No one is arguing that you're worse than Hitler because you made an off-color joke; they're saying that rape jokes are yet another "little" thing that contributes to a society in which women (and men) are raped. A lot.
These "little" things add up—maybe it's a rape joke at the comedy club, plus a newspaper op-ed blaming the victim, plus a music video turning women into objects, plus a fellow student saying "that test raped me," plus movies or TV shows that glamorize the "tough anti-hero taking what he wants without apology," plus a family culture of silence and shame around sex, plus a police force who just goes through the motions when it comes to investigating or working to prevent sexual assault, plus a million other things—it's a tsunami of shit. And you can add to it, or you can fight against it.
With Tosh, sure, his whole shtick is that he's an offensive jackass; his joking about rape shouldn't be surprising. But that doesn't mean we should all just ignore him. If you're against rape, you have to be actively against rape culture. There is no neutral. And just like rape culture is a tidal wave of "little things" as well as big things, fighting back against rape culture can take that same form. Call people out. Start conversations. Hold yourself accountable. Maybe something positive can still come from all this.
~Responding to Common Arguments About What Is or Isn't Offensive
~Eight Invalid Pop-Culture Arguments
30 comments:
- the Tsaritsa said...
This post is brilliant. Thank you so much for this.
Absolutely brilliant. Thank you.
- Alice said...
Thanks for the contribution to the discussion, Kyle. Your on point words mean a lot to me.
I'm sorry but if you're going to a Tosh show then you should expect it to be really edgy, really edgy! Or you went to cause trouble in the first place because you don't like comics like him. And no one has a right to heckle a comedian ever! You're ruining the show for everyone, shut up, sit down and keep quiet, or you're going to get what you deserve from the guy/gal on stage.
- Ezra Stead said...
Insightful as always. I've always held that humor has great power to change minds, as you speak on in point #2. If we can laugh at something like racism or homophobia (i.e. with jokes ABOUT racism or homophobia, as opposed to just racist or homophobic jokes), we can take away some of the power of those institutions. Unfortunately, the same is true of rape jokes; if we're laughing at rape, we're taking away some of the power that concept holds, and making it seem like it's not that bad. I think the only way it can really work is if the joke is expressly at the expense of the rapist, not the victim.
- Unknown said...
Outstanding post.
- Unknown said...
Outstanding post. Thank you.
Fantastic. I have long been weary of "edgy art". If you are being edgy in a way that doesn't serve a greater purpose, then it's vulgarity, not art.
- mara cohen said...
Thank you beaucoups for the well written discussion, but for those who think rape (using sex as a method for imposing dominance, cruelty, and your own personal worthlessness on another human..) a quick shave off of the weaponry, along with carving rapist on your face, so all know what you are is definitely in line.
- lizzb.com said...
I will not flatter you and be all "OMG MF OUTSTANDING POST GUANTE!!" Cuz you know what, it wasn't. You didn't do your research, and here's why:
The woman in that crowd who oh, just "heckled" Tosh was not "heckling" at all. When she said "Actually, rape is never funny," she was standing up for our basic human right to dignity and respect, which the act of rape steals from us as victims.
She and her friend found themselves in the comedy club that night on a whim, they had not heard of Tosh before and were appalled at his NOT-funny tirade on rape.
I agree with your point on hiding behind the first amendment but I disagree that rape should ever be considered funny. There are some things that just aren't to be made fun of, not matter what the light, rape, racism, and any kind of "handicap" to name a few.
- MissTeaTree said...
These are three great points (and there are so many more). Thanks for contributing something worthwhile to the discussion.
A well stated and critically important point. Humble gratitude from a woman that has witnessed the pain, confusion and shame that our culture can cause for women who have experienced rape.
- ScarceIceCubes said...
Maybe not heckle during their time on stage. Just bc someone else is disrespectful in the spotlight doesn't mean u should stoop to their level and disrupt the show. Instead do the homework and speak out on the busiest (internet) street corner. Engage in conversation about the topic when brought up. There is a right place and time for everything, and I don't think criticizing someone while they do their job for one thing u may find offensive is worth ruining everyone else's good time and potentially getting thrown out. No I don't agree with light tread on the topic, but I believe there are better forms of a counter attack.
From what I've read, the person who spoke up was not there to see Tosh, but someone else. She stood up to leave and was verbally assaulted from the stage. This behavior is not okay. Ever.
i doubt that the heckler was forced to go watch tosh's show, and if she found it offensive, then she should have gotten up and left. was she expecting flowers back from tosh for heckling him?
Did you read the post? Rape jokes aren't "edgy" just because they're offensive. And yes, people do have a right to heckle (if so-called "edgy" comics are going to use the free speech card, then it applies to everyone). To say that a woman being gang-raped would be hilarious is disgusting. It is a real, traumatic thing that ACTUALLY HAPPENS to people that can change their life forever. Chances are likely that you know someone who it has happened to (whether they have spoken up about it or not). Making "jokes" like this just normalize it. People who are potential rapists see it as more and more acceptable because of douchebags like this guy making a joke about it.
Ruining the show for everyone? I'm sorry, but childish jokes like this said just to be offensive for the same of being offensive (and not for the sake of being eye-opening or progressive in any way) ruin the show for a lot of people. And why should those people have to sit and be uncomfortable to preserve everyone else's comfort? Bullshit. I give kudos to the woman who stood up to this piece of trash.
People go to see Tosh for rape jokes. Heck in his last special on Comedy Central he talked about having sex with a Pit/Beckham baby, so... Do me and the audience a favor and never go to a comedy show.
This post really looks poorly upon people's ability to mentally separate a throwaway 'rape joke' from an actual rape...
People who go to a comedy show and heckle should expect to be singled out and cussed at by the comedian. This has been a known for a long time because heckling during an act is about the most offensive thing you can do in a comedy show. You don't like the show you leave, that's it.
If something so obviously said without any true intent at a comedy show offends you so heartily you should not be at a comedy show. Someone who goes to a show without researching the act should expect to be shocked, would you goto a movie without any forethought? A concert without hearing the band? C'mon now.
Come to think of it, without his joke, you wouldn't be driving web traffic? You're tertiaryily benefiting from a rape joke, does this make you evil as well? You're providing free publicity for the comedian, does this make you complicit?
If a 'rape joke' is what it takes to drum up conversation on the matter, maybe it's worth it? Rape is a terrible thing, and rarely discussed.
Finally, as someone else here already said, if you can't take tell a joke about something, how can you ever take away its power?
- Guante said...
Simply ignoring (racism, homophobia, rape culture, whatever) doesn't "take their power away." Actually taking their power away takes their power away.
The destructive institutions in our society aren't like a naughty little kid acting out for attention; they're actively harmful and deeply embedded in the power structure and the only way to do anything about them is to challenge them-- through organizing, through dialogue, through education, whatever.
So when people say "racism would go away if liberals would just stop talking about it!" or "if you don't like rape jokes, don't go to comedy clubs," or "hip hop is always going to be homophobic; just deal with it," they're not only NOT solving any problems, they're helping to keep those problems going. Like it said in the original piece, there is no neutral.
By saying that she should just shut up and take something that feels abusive and violating of her dignity and self, how are you not imitating the pain that is rape? By saying she should "expect it", you are blaming her for her reaction and silencing people about speaking up for themselves!
Sorry, Anonymous, but I think you're missing the point. Him being an a**hole doesn't mean everyone has to sit quietly and listen. That's the power of the consumer- we get to have an opinion.
It also doesn't mean that you lack a sense of humor ("never go to a comedy show"). Hearing someone endorse trauma you've experienced (myself and countless clients of mine have been raped) would never be funny.
Keep thinking on it. If it still doesn't make sense, I encourage you to do some more research, cause there's some holes in your argument, and it's a dangerous position of ambivalence and acceptance.
I love your point here. Even then, though, we are shaming, rather than educating. Many people who commit rape do not have malicious intent, but are rather operating under the messages of Top 40 music, comedies such as SuperBad, billboards, magazine and tv ads, etc. I recently heard a local radio commercial saying, "women in stilettos or a skirt get $2 drinks". Why? So that they get hammered drunk for cheap and are (literally) more easily raped. THE BEHAVIOR is unacceptable, but most (not all) of the people simply need education! We must hold people accountable, and also remember that they are people. I was raped by a friend in high school and it was utterly confusing, emotional and disruptive to our friendship (and my life in general). Like most rapes, it was a drunken lack of consent- I did not say no, but I was not given the chance to say yes (or no). Years later, we have worked it out. This isn't everyone's story, but I guarantee he was more receptive because I went at it from a direction of education, not shaming.
You don't take away it's power by reinforcing it. You take away it's power by pointing out the serious problems with it. Someone's sense of safety should not be on them to enforce. Should she have walked in and said, "Hey everyone! just to let you know, here is my list of topics that could be very emotionally and psychologically upsetting". No, because to assume such a thing would be victim blaming, outrageous and IT'S NOT HER RESPONSIBILITY- IT'S HIS. Wanna prevent rape? Understand what it is and DON'T DO IT. Wanna prevent emotional trauma or triggering people? Understand what's not appropriate and don't let it come out of your dumb*ss mouth.
Trying to suggest that Guante gains anything from rape is ridiculous. He is gaining traffic for the thoughtful contribution he has to a much larger discussion. Why is rape joke in quotes? It's as if it's not a real thing to you. For the record, I have been raped, as have countless clients and friends. It's very real, it's very powerful and it's something not to be taken lightly.
She stood up and spoke out "during" a show. She interrupted the show. She in a sense raped every person trying to enjoy the "show" because her sensitivity made it impossible for her to function in public without screaming out. Good thing the color red doesn't get her all worked up, everyone with a red shirt would have to stand and hear it from her.
Where is your opinion when you see on the big screen, a human head being ripped off and shown rolling down a street? I bet we can agree that people who have had family members with their heads ripped off sure would be sensitive to such a scene. No, no one stands up and yells at the screen then. If they did they would be put out on the street. You know why? Because it's not real, it's fake. Just like the jokes from Tosh, they're fake.
If you can't control your emotions at a "show" then you shouldn't go to a "show". Plain and simple.
I'm accepting it's not real, I'm accepting that I can leave myself for awhile and be entertained with a ridiculous scenario, and then laugh at it. I know what it's like to be raped. When I was 9 years old my friends father decided to teach me a few things about it. But that tragedy doesn't rule my life, and it certainly doesn't rule those lives around me either.
IS funny to me how some people keeps saying joking about rape is taking away from the issue, like rape is something new or that talking about it or joking about is going to take away from the horrible trauma that it can be.. AIDS and Cancer are pretty mainstream and they are also still very terrible diseases..
The issues the makes us uncomfortable should be talked about, and talked about a lot, joke about it, take seriously, whatever you want.. make it mainstream that wont take away from what it is it we only lead people to talk more about the issue like is happening here after he tosh made the joke.. if is wrong is wrong joking about it don't change that.
The more people are aware of it and discus about it for whatever reason the best.
I always thought that the most effective way to not get called/labeled a rapist was to not rape people.
People laugh at jokes they don't actually find funny for many reasons, so I'm glad the author doesn't think that laughing at a rape joke "magically" turns one into a rapist. People laugh at cancer jokes, death jokes, 9/11 jokes, etc, because they are - on the surface and in the moment - funny. The fact that people who laughed at a rape joke from an established comedian who so obviously isn't condoning rape but simply being ornery is really not a big deal. If Tosh had made a cancer joke and an audience member balked and screamed "my Mom died of cancer!" and Tosh said "and so will you" this wouldn't even be news. But death, I hope most will agree, is worse than rape because it is the terminus of existence. Yes, rape is traumatic, but death is worse because it negates all potential happiness, whereas victims of violent sexual assault at least have the opportunity to experience positive emotions (and hopefully revenge) in the future. Finally, the docile law-abiding citizen should not feel obliged to "fight against rape" any more than he or she should feel obliged to donate ten dollars to flood relief in Bangladesh. They may not be in a position to financially assist the less fortunate, but they can make a difference rape-wise by only participating in mutually consensual sex. I am not a bad person if I don't sign some online petition or yell at the frat boy who makes a rape joke (and who would kick my ass if I vocalized my disapproval). I am doing my part by not raping people. And I argue that that's enough.
- wulliam said...
Please tell me you feminists are this idiotic i mean rape jokes normalizing rape? no its what we do to try and make light of the horror of our world i mean people who make Holocaust jokes don't want to normalize the Holocaust i mean its better to laugh at some things then to cry at everything. and if your reading this well then im surprised that the author would be a good enough person to allow opinions to be expressed
- koalanights said...
When it comes to tackling sensitive subject matter in comedy I always use this simple binary. Is the joke laughing at and reaffirming the position of marginalized groups? Or is it calling attention to the mechanisms that produce this marginalization? I'm not a comedian at all but have frequently listened to comedy radio stations and I tried to be discerning as possible. Pinpointing exactly what is sexist or racist about a large portion of the jokes I heard was enlightening and can make racism very apparent and as vapid as ever.
Thanks for writing this. I hate how much people laugh about things that are just reminding me of things, instead of making a point.
So many 'friends' KNOW what happened and just come up to me, and say; 'Buttrape' or 'Haha small tits' and apologize 'because they were drunk' and 'it was funny' afterwards.
And the more I tell them, (when they're sober) that these breasts were threatened to cut off, in a dark corner, and someone that told me he'd rape me with a knife, or use a lighter on my ladyparts to see how it'd melt. The more they use that information the next time they're drunk. I've been trough so much horrible stuff and they think it's SO hilarious. I just wanna cry when they laugh.
"Please tell me you feminists are this idiotic i mean rape jokes normalizing rape? no its what we do to try and make light of the horror of our world"
No. Tosh didn't make that joke in order to make light of the horror of our world. He did it for the express purpose of humiliating that woman in the most egregious way he thought he could. Claiming that he did it just to make light of horror is about as disingenuous as you can get.
It also goes to show that he EITHER doesn't have any appreciation for just how horrific being gang-raped is, or that he can imagine EXACTLY how horrific it is, and that's why he used it against her. Neither speaks well of him at all.
Listen I get why people get offended by certain topics, hell I'm black and hispanic so Racial jokes can be offending.
However the world does no have to bend over backwards for you, me, or anyone. Tosh is not some kind of rape enabler he just a comedian who loves shock humor and I like him for it. You have the right to get offended, you have the right to express your opinions on getting offended but someone has the right to not give a fuck about what offends you. Its a slipperly slope people.
I hate to say it but Freedom of Speech is a factor in this but more importantly its about being able to do what you tell people not to. If you go to a comedy club expect some offensive shit to be said.
Also this brings up another problem with society that we need to deal with and that with people wanting to baby everyone and ban what offends them.
Rape is terrible, racism is terrible, murder is terrible and we should bring to justice anyone who commits such crimes but we make jokes about them so we can deal with the harshness of the real world.
Tosh is not a monster he is a flawed human being just like you and me so get off your high horse and understand that this world is harsh, unforgiving, and unfair and if you have a problem with that than do something constructive instead of bashing a subpar web comedian on comedy central.


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Paws 500ml Pet Water Bottle
By Long Paws
Unlike humans, dogs cannot sweat to cool their bodies down - so keep your pooch hydrated with Long Paws Pet Water Bottle. Made from stainless steel and BPA-free plastic, this bottle is hygienic, leak proof and super easy to clean. Innovatively designed, your canine simply needs to lick the top of the bottle to release a flow of water. Perfect for walks, travelling and even trips to the groomers - access to clean water has never been so easy!
Additional information and key product features:
Works on a patented lick 'n flow system - releases water as the dog licks
For outside use only
Dog bottle spout & cap are made from BPA free, food-grade quality, FDA specified polypropylene
Stainless steel dog bottle
Leak resistant
Easy to remove top spout for quick cleaning & refilling
Use karabiner clip to attach to your bag or belt
Keeps liquids cool
Can fit in most car & other cup holders
Product code: LPP-00078
- UK Delivery (Non-Mainland) - UK Standard Delivery - £2.99 - Delivery Time: 2 to 3 days
- UK Delivery (Mainland) - UK Standard Delivery - £2.99 (Free for orders over £40.00) - Delivery Time: 2 to 3 days
- UK Delivery (Mainland) - UK Next Working Day Guaranteed - £4.95
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Please check your items on delivery. If you wish to return an item, it should be returned to our partner seller directly and not to PetsPyjamas. If you wish to organise a return, exchange or refund of any item, please go to the returns page on our website at www.petspyjamas.com/returns. For standard items, you have 7 days, from receipt of goods, to notify our partner and you must return goods at your own cost within 14 days of receiving the item.
For damaged/faulty items, you must contact us within 48 hours at email@example.com. To help speed up the returns process, we recommend you send us photographic evidence of the relevant item. You will then be issued with return guidance from us.
You must return items unused, in a saleable condition, with any labels still attached and in the original packaging that you received them in. Any items that do not comply with these guidelines, we hold the right to not refund. You should use a 'signed for' delivery method and obtain proof of postage.
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Bionic Burger is right up there with Nu-Way when you talk about iconic burger places in Wichita. They have been in operation for over 30 years and currently have four locations in the area. Luckily for us, the newest location on East 21st near Woodlawn is rather convenient when we are in the mood for a fast and tasty meat disk.
The menus at all four Bionic locations are essentially the same and quite expansive for "just a burger place". They offer several different burgers, plus a who's who of classic comfort foods including: a pork sandwich, hot dogs, chicken fingers, grilled cheese, chili, o-rings, etc. Shakes and malts are also available in case you have any room for dessert.
On this visit I was feeling bold and decided to go with the Six Million Dollar Burger along with some of their fresh cut fries. I was under the impression I would be getting a half pound cheese burger with some veggies, instead I unwrapped a monster. Apparently when my sister had placed the order at the drive thru, she had ordered a double, leaving me with the most intimidating 1lb burger I had ever laid eyes on.
The first order of business was to bisect this mass into edible pieces. Once that was accomplished I was able to enjoy this pretty solid burger. The patty, while a bit thin for my liking, was properly seasoned and surprisingly juicy. Plenty of gooey cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes were icing on this protein based cake. Sadly the bun was not quite up to the challenge of supporting all of this deliciousness. After a few bites, it quickly deflated and broke into pieces, no doubt the victim of too much grease and the basic principles of physics. I pride myself in being able to finish just about anything I order at a restaurant, but it was not happening on this day. I doubt whether the bionic man himself would have been able to finish off this bad boy. Did I mention the burger came with a far too generous serving of delicious fries? These thick-cut, crispy fries were top notch.
For a quick burger you can't go wrong with Bionic Burger. Their large portions and tasty food is tough competition for any fast food joint in town.


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Screen Rant's Kofi Outlaw Reviews The Social Network
Facebook is a social media giant that has indisputably changed the world, affecting everything from how people share their lives, to how people market, promote and sell businesses, products and even their own talents. In fact, Facebook is so prevalent in our modern digital age that it even has the power to change the topography of culture, pop-culture, art, politics, and in rare cases, even religion.
Given that Facebook is what it is today, I must admit that it's somewhat surprising that it has taken this long for a movie to be made about its origins. And while that movie, The Social Network, is an interesting and visually rich exploration of the events that led up to arguably the most influential invention of a generation, a lackluster ending and overall feeling of pointlessness mark it well short of being the film which defines a generation.
By now the basic story behind the invention of Facebook is pretty well known: In 2003, Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) came up with an idea: take the entire social experience of Harvard and turn it into a comprehensive website in a way that other sites like MySpace and Friendster had never envisioned. Along with two of his programmer pals, and his best friend Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield) supplying the startup capital, Zuckerberg created "The Facebook," an early blueprint of what would eventually become the social networking Juggernaut we know today.
Of course with any rose of an idea come thorns, and Zuckerberg's meteoric rise to fame (and infamy) comes at the cost of multiple legal skirmishes and shattered personal relationships. Being at the forefront of a trend can be be a lonely experience.
There is a lot about The Social Network that is impressive. The film was directed by David Fincher, the man behind some great pieces of cinema such as Se7en, Fight Club, Zodiac, and the Oscar-nominated Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Fincher fans generally know and love the acclaimed director for his three main signatures: a perfectionist attitude, impeccable camerawork and his dark yet vividly-colored cinematography. All three of those Fincher signatures can be found in The Social Network, offering viewers a feast for the eye. The early scenes set in Harvard are by far the most gorgeous, taking the historic university and giving it an edgy, dark, rock video sheen. I'm fairly sure Harvard has never looked so cool.
Fincher (with help from his screenwriter, Aaron Sorkin) structures the film in way that's somewhat surprising, yet at the same time refreshing and clever. Most memoir films are pretty linear in form (beginning of the event, up until the thematic climax), however The Social Network takes another approach. At first it seems as though we're getting the standard beginning-to-end structure, but around the 20-30 minute mark the film suddenly begins to jump around in space and time, showing Zuckerberg caught up in the midst of various legal battles.
It's a bit jarring at first, until Fincher eases us into the realization that it's actually the conversations in these legal depositions that are driving the story. Lawyers ask questions, and the answers lead to flashbacks about Facebook's inception; what is revealed in those flashbacks lead to further legal questions which jump us yet again to one deposition or another, as Zuckerberg tries to defend "his creation" from various attackers. It sounds more confusing than it actually is; in the hands of a skilled orchestrator like Fincher, this unique structure works to the movie's benefit, adding a sense of movement to what could've been a boring film, otherwise.
The performances are pretty spectacular - especially those of the two leads, Eisenberg and Garfield. Eisenberg has been tagged in some circles as "the other Michael Cera," referring to the latter actor's penchant for playing the loveable nerd in virtually every role he takes on. This is not at all true for Eisenberg, who portrays Mark Zuckerberg as something of a tragically ironic figure: an acerbic genius who is totally clueless when it comes to human interaction; a guy who earns fortune and fame off a website dedicated to social circling, but has very few "real friends" to call his own.
Eisenberg flat-out steals just about every scene he's in, glaring at people around him like they are nitwits, while delivering scathing insights that could make a person feel that very way. A definite standout performance that is worthy of recognition (provided people don't find his character too unlikable).
Andrew Garfield is a fast-rising star: he's already been tapped as the new Spider-Man in Sony's reboot of that franchise, and he has another prestige picture, Never Let Me Go, due out this fall. Here, Garfield plays a near-perfect straight man foil to Eisenberg's eccentric genius. Eduardo Saverin is the type of smart kid who (ironically enough) prefers the actual social experience of college to sitting in dim-lit dorm rooms creating an online imitation of it. Garfield successfully builds Saverin into a three-dimensional character with a range of a emotions, a slightly naive kid caught up in a gold rush that is moving way too fast for him (or anyone) to keep ahead of.
The scenes of Saverin and Zuckerberg in their happy days at Harvard juxtapose well to the later days when they're ultimately sitting across the table from one another, talking through lawyers. The climatic scene of their falling out actually packs some emotional punch, which is a credit that goes directly to the talents of both young men.
Of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Justin Timberlake as Sean Parker, the inventor of Napster who eventually partners with Zuckerberg to transform Facebook into the behemoth it is today. Timberlake manages to shed his celebrity image and slip into his role pretty well, portraying Parker as an extremely savvy businessman who is simultaneously chock full of B.S.. All in all, Timberlake continues to prove that he is not the joke of an actor some people may want to label him as.
Continue to the disappointing aspects of The Social Network...


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New Food Products: Swanson Flavor Boost Seafood Broth
Campbell Soup Co., Camden, N.J., adds a seafood variety to its Swanson Flavor Boost line of concentrated broths. It joins the original line of beef, chicken and vegetable flavors that debuted in 2012.
"Over the last year, home cooks have reinforced what our chefs suspected — that Swanson Flavor Boost is an invaluable tool in making flavorful and delicious meals without the hassle of creating a base from scratch," says Dale Clemiss, vice president of Simple Meals at Campbell North America.
Swanson Flavor Boost is merchandised in the ambient soup/broth aisle of retailers nationwide. The product is sold in boxes of four concentrated liquid broth packets at a suggested retail price of $1.99.


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How to Use
Map 1: Routes from Seattle to the
Klondike gold fields.
Questions for Map 1
1. Identify the boundaries of the United States and Canada.
2. Locate Seattle, Skagway, Dyea, and Dawson City. What role did each city play in the Klondike Gold Rush?
3. Trace the "poor man's route" and the "rich man's route" to the gold fields near Dawson City. How long was each route? Why do you think the "poor man's route" was the most used? What might have been the advantage of taking the more expensive and longer "rich man's route?"
* The map on the screen has a resolution of 72 dots per inch (dpi), and therefore will print poorly. You can obtain a high quality version of the map, but be aware that the file will about 40 seconds to load with a 28.8K modem.