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The question of my title is not a lament. My question is not, Why are there no more prophets? I have something more literal in mind: Where do we find prophets, and, specifically, where do we find them in the Bible? What is their physical and social location?
To judge by popular American perceptions, prophets are easy to recognize. Check the wilderness and woods, because prophets always stand outside, protesting the system. Look for the shaggy, crazed, wild-eyed guy, the one wearing a hair shirt instead of an Armani suit. Listen for the one who speaks in shrieks and whose personal habits embarrass polite society. Anger is the prophet's characteristic emotion, and the jeremiad his characteristic genre. The prophet is more at home in the angular world of Flannery O'Connor than in the elegance of John Updike. It's this image of the prophetic outsider that has inspired radicals from the Romantic period on to dress themselves in the mantle of the prophet.
Modern scholarship on prophecy buttresses popular imagination. According to Max Weber, the authority of a prophet's revelations flow from the power of his personal charisma, in contrast to priests, who serve a "sacred tradition." Prophets are like magicians, whose power depends "entirely [on] his personal gifts." Biblical scholars in the tradition of Julius Wellhausen also posit a sharp contrast between the ritualized official religion of priests and the purity and directness of prophetic experience. The "Documentary Hypothesis" that has dominated Old Testament scholarship for more than a century is founded on the supposition that priestly religion is a late and self-interested corruption of earlier, freer prophetic Judaism. Walter Brueggemann charges that liberal scholars leave the fortune-telling to fundamentalists and reduce prophecy to "righteous indignation," which "is mostly understood as social action."
In the Bible, prophecy often looks very different. There were, of course, lone prophets like Elijah and John the Baptist, but more often prophets were fully integrated into the "system." Jeremiah, the paradigm of prophetic pathos, came from the fallen priestly house of Eli, and Ezekiel, Zechariah, and (possibly) Isaiah were also priests. Prophets appeared in the courts of the kings of Israel. David had his Nathan, most famous for rebuking David for adultery and murder but also capable of sly maneuvering in his efforts to put Solomon on the throne. Hezekiah turned to Isaiah for advice during the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem, and Josiah sent a delegation to Huldah the prophetess after finding the book of the law during the repair of the Temple. Even Ahab grudgingly consulted Micaiah, a genuine prophet who consistently told Ahab things he didn't want to hear. Though trained by the austere Elijah, Elisha accompanied Ahab's son Jehoram on an expedition to suppress a Moabite rebellion, and Elisha's servant Gehazi regaled the king with stories of the prophet's miracles.
Most dramatically, Daniel was a Jewish prophet to Gentile emperors, first in the Babylonian court of Nebuchadnezzar and then in the Persian court of Darius the Mede. Trained for civil service in Babylon along with his three Hebrew friends, Daniel even received a Babylonian court-name, Belteshazzar. We have only a few accounts of Daniel's interactions with kings, but Daniel 1:20 tells us that the king consulted Daniel and his other Jewish advisers on "every matter of wisdom and understanding" and found them "ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in his realm." Daniel rebuked and counseled Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, and Darius in the name of the "God of heaven," the God of Israel. But his day job was "ruler over the whole province of Babylon" (2:48). Like Joseph in Egypt, Daniel was a bureaucrat for a foreign empire—an empire, not incidentally, responsible for the destruction of Jerusalem and Solomon's Temple.
Nothing I've said changes the fact that the prophets were ferocious opponents of the status quo. They recognized, and felt, the injustice that kings and priests and false prophets wanted to plaster over. They shared, as Brueggemann says, the groans of the oppressed poor, and articulated those groans in cries of woe. They denounced the system, but denounced a system that they were often very much a part of.
Far from simplifying prophecy, the Bible greatly complicates it. It's as easy to denounce from a distance as it is to launch smart bombs from a command center on the other side of the world. Gestures of repudiation cost little, and adding the term prophetic lends an aura of piety to our reputations.
Prophets in the Bible, though, cannot afford gestures. They are called to speak the word of the Lord from within the court, mounting an internal critique. The pressures on Nathan to keep silent after David seized Bathsheba and sent her husband to his death must have been enormous. He could have vented himself in a scathing editorial and then kept his head down. From all appearances, though, Nathan had free access to the court, was a friend of David, and a close adviser. It is said that prophets spoke truth to power, but that goes beyond cliché when we realize that prophets spoke the truth face to face with power, to powerful men and women whom the prophets knew intimately, frequently from their own position of power.
Power corrupts, and it always has. Court prophets were often pusillanimous yes-men like Ahab's four hundred, who dramatized Ahab's coming victory over Aram by shaking around iron horns. But power doesn't always and necessarily corrupt, and the company of priestly and court prophets also included spokesmen of Yahweh. Faithful "insiders" were always a minority, but the biblical picture shows that we can't tell a true from a false prophet simply by answering the question, Where is the prophet? Not all prophets are in king's houses, but some are.
Judging by the biblical evidence, though, we are as likely to find a prophet in a presidential Cabinet, at the Hague, or roaming the halls of WCC headquarters as we are in the mountains of Northern Idaho or the deserts of Arabia or the desperate ghettos of Chicago. God is no respecter of persons, and a Karl Rove or a Paul Wolfowitz, as scandalous as the suggestion may be, is as likely to be a prophet as a Jeremiah Wright.
Peter Leithart is professor of theology and literature at New Saint Andrews College and pastor of Trinity Reformed Church in Moscow, Idaho. He is also the author of many books, including Deep Comedy: Trinity, Tragedy, and Hope in Western Literature and 1 & 2 Kings: Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible .
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- One percent (1%) of the earth's water is suitable for drinking.
- Approximately one billion people do not have access to clean drinking water.
- Nothing beats a nice, cold glass of water. Instead of letting the tap run until the cold water comes through ... keep a container in the refrigerator. You'll save approximately 2 gallons (per glass).
- There are approximately one million miles of pipeline and aqueducts in the United States and Canada ... enough to circle the earth 40 times.
- Headaches are often caused by dehydration so try drinking a glass of water, before taking an aspirin, for relief.
- When taking a shower, put the plug in the tub ... it's a great way to see how much water you are using. By the way ... shorten your shower by a minute or two and you'll save up to 150 gallons per month.
- Turn off the water while you wash your hair and soap up.
- Water regulates the earth's temperature. Here's a surprise ... it's a natural insulator.
- All known forms of life depend on water.
- Rather than defrost food under running water, plan ahead and defrost in the refrigerator (you'll get the added benefit of the frozen food keeping the temperature low in the refrigerator).
- Choose native shrubs and plants for your yard ... they typically require less watering.
- A person can live over a month without food but only about a week without water.
- One person uses over 100 gallons of water a day.
- It takes approximately 62,600 gallons of water to produce one ton of steel.
- Soak pots and pans instead of letting the water run while you scrape them clean.
- When you have ice left in your glass, give it to a plant rather than toss it down the drain.
- 3.575 million people die each year from water-related diseases (from World Health Organization).
How do you conserve water?
As always ... I would love to hear from you!

subset: commoncrawl


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But the American government's decision to crack down on Internet gambling will be felt this week in Las Vegas when the head honchos of the land-based gambling industry gather for the annual Global Gaming Expo trade show and convention.
At least five Internet companies have pulled out of the Las Vegas show, and industry experts say recent arrests of Web-gambling executives make online gaming operators leery of coming to the United States.
"I think that trend started this summer when the executives started to be arrested and incarcerated," said Sue Schneider, publisher of Interactive Gaming News.
David Carruthers, former CEO of BetOnSports, one of the largest Internet gambling companies in the world, was arrested in July by American authorities in Dallas as he was traveling to Costa Rica, where the company has an office.
Carruthers, 48, later pleaded not guilty to mail and wire fraud and racketeering charges. Several other company officials were also arrested and BetOnSports was banned from accepting business from within the United States.
BetonSports reached an agreement with the Justice Department last week, agreeing to end all operations in the United States. BetonSports, Carruthers and 10 other company officials still face charges related to illegal gambling.
Schneider's company, River City Group of St. Charles, Mo., organizes Web gambling trade shows in Canada, Europe and Asia.
"If we did things in the U.S. we probably wouldn't have a big turnout," she said.
Justice Department spokesperson Jaclyn Lesh said people who operate online gambling sites that take bets from the United States could be exposed to prosecution.
"I would say, obviously, the Justice Department does view online gambling as illegal," Lesh said. "If you are operating illegally you are doing so at your own risk."
Officials at the American Gaming Association, one of the partners that organizes G2E, said 15 online companies signed onto the event, but only 10 plan to attend. The online companies that do attend the event that runs through Thursday at the Las Vegas Convention Center will locate in what organizers call the iGaming Business Pavillion.
The online cancellations represent just a fraction of the more than 750 companies participating in G2E.
But Frank Fahrenkopf, president and CEO of the American Gaming Association, said the government crackdown on Internet gambling, including a bill signed by President Bush in October that bars banks and financial companies from handling Americans' online gaming transactions, represents a "Puritan spirit" in American politics.
"There is a hard-core 15 percent who are opposed to all forms of gambling on moral grounds," Fahrenkopf said. "There is still a Puritan spirit that runs through the United States."
One Web operator said he's not coming to the convention because he's more likely to find new business in Europe than the United States.
"We have a European focus and we are not going to G2E because we believe that not many of our potential customers will go there," Pontus Lindwall, founder of Net Entertainment, a Stockholm-based Internet gaming software firm, said via e-mail.
A spokesman for MGM Mirage, one of the few established land-based gambling companies to dabble in Internet betting, said government regulations aimed at preventing Americans from gambling online made operating on the Web too cumbersome to continue.
The company operated an offshore site from 2001 to 2003. It used a registration process that blocked access from the United States.
But the security also slowed access for other bettors from other countries. The hoops made it easier for potential gamblers to use competitors' sites.
"The things you had to go through ... became so cumbersome we weren't getting any business," said Gordon Absher, an MGM Mirage spokesman.
But Absher said he thinks American companies such as MGM could benefit if the regulatory climate in the United States changes.
"From a player's perspective, the opportunity to participate in a site that would have the MGM Mirage brand would be an attractive thing," he said.


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Journal article
Progress monitoring measures in mathematics: a review of the literature.
Foegen, A., Jiban, C. L., & Deno, S. L. (2007). Progress monitoring measures in mathematics: a review of the literature. Journal of Special Education, 41(2), 121-139.
This article was published outside of NWEA. The full text can be found at the link above.
Topics: Measurement & scaling, Academic content, Math & STEM
Related Topics
Who Moved the Mathematics?: The Need for IMPACT
This American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (AMATYC) article examines the three key areas of mathematics teaching and learning: ways of doing, ways of thinking and habits of thinking.
An investigation of examinee test-taking effort on a large-scale assessment
Most previous research involving the study of response times has been conducted using locally developed instruments. The purpose of the current study was to examine the amount of rapid-guessing behavior within a commercially available, low-stakes instrument.
By: Steven Wise, J. Carl Setzer, Jill R. van den Heuvel, Guangming Ling
Topics: Measurement & scaling, School & test engagement, Student growth & accountability policies
The effect of nonignorable missing data in computerized adaptive test on item fit statistics for polytomous item response models
These studies are conducted based on assumptions under regular conditions for fixed test forms, such as no missing responses and normal distribution of unidimensional ability for a population.
By: Shudong Wang, Hong Jiao
Topics: Measurement & scaling, Computer adaptive testing, Item response theory
Construct validity and measurement invariance of computerized adaptive testing: Application to Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) using confirmatory factor analysis
This study, using real data, provides empirical evidence of construct and invariance construct of MAP scales across grades at different academic calendars for 10 different states.
By: Shudong Wang, Marth S. McCall, Hong Jiao, Gregg Harris
Topics: Measurement & scaling, Test design
Validation of longitudinal achievement constructs of vertically scaled computerised adaptive tests: a multiple-indicator, latent-growth modelling approach
The current investigative study uses a multiple-indicator, latent-growth modelling (MLGM) approach to examine the longitudinal achievement construct and its invariance for MAP Growth.
By: Shudong Wang, Hong Jiao, Liru Zhang
Topics: Measurement & scaling, Growth modeling
The potential of adaptive assessment
In this article, the authors explain how CAT provides a more precise, accurate picture of the achievement levels of both low-achieving and high-achieving students by adjusting questions as the testing goes along. The immediate, informative test results enable teachers to differentiate instruction to meet individual students' current academic needs.
By: Edward Freeman
Topics: Innovations in reporting & assessment, Measurement & scaling, Student growth & accountability policies
The phantom collapse of student achievement in New York
When New York state released the first results of the exams under the Common Core State Standards, many wrongly believed that the results showed dramatic declines in student achievement. A closer look at the results showed that student achievement may have increased.
By: John Cronin, Nate Jensen
Topics: Measurement & scaling


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2015captured here in a dramatic panorama by the robotic Cassini spacecraft currently orbiting the giant planet. The bright and cratered moon itself spans about 1100-km, with the large multi-ringed crater Evander visible on the lower right. Since the rings of Saturn are seen here nearly edge-on, they are directly visible only as a thin horizontal line that passes behind Dione. Arcing across the bottom of the image, however, are shadows of Saturn's rings, showing some of the rich texture that could not be seen directly. In the background, few cloud features are visible on Saturn. The featured image was taken during the last planned flyby of Dione by Cassini, as the spacecraft is scheduled to dive into Saturn's atmosphere during 2017.
What's the matter with this cluster of galaxies? To find out what forms matter takes in the Abell 1689 cluster requires not only deep images from telescopes like the Hubble Space Telescope, but detailed computer modeling as well. To start, almost every fuzzy yellow patch in the above image is an entire galaxy. A close inspection, however, shows that many background galaxies are strangely magnified and distorted into long curving arcs by the gravitational lens deflections of the cluster. Computer analyses of the placement and smoothness of these arcs indicate that in addition to the matter in the galaxies you can see, the cluster must also contain a significant amount of dark matter such as the model digitally superposed in purple. Now Abell 1689 remains enigmatic because the arcs are so numerous and diverse that no single dark matter model has emerged that can explain them all and still remain consistent with dark matter models needed to constrain their motion. Still, the detailed information available from clusters of galaxies like Abell 1689 gives hope that one day full solutions will be found that will not only fully reveal the dark matter in clusters, but also reveal the amounts of dark energy in the universe needed to lie along the line of sight to the distant arcs.
The matter in galaxy cluster 1E 0657-56, fondly known as the "bullet cluster", is shown in this composite image. A mere 3.4 billion light-years away, the bullet cluster's individual galaxies are seen in the optical image data, but their total mass adds up to far less than the mass of the cluster's two clouds of hot x-ray emitting gas shown in red. Representing even more mass than the optical galaxies and x-ray gas combined, the blue hues show the distribution of dark matter in the cluster. Otherwise invisible to telescopic views, the dark matter was mapped by observations of gravitational lensing of background galaxies. In a text book example of a shock front, the bullet-shaped cloud of gas at the right was distorted during the titanic collision between two galaxy clusters that created the larger bullet cluster itself. But the dark matter present has not interacted with the cluster gas except by gravity. The clear separation of dark matter and gas clouds is considered direct evidence that dark matter exists.
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Pollution Probe - meeting at City Hall Council Chambers
February 23, 1970
Extent and medium
43 negatives : b&w ; 35 mm
Photographs taken during a meeting at Toronto City Hall Council Chambers, when University of Toronto faculty members associated with Pollution Probe addressed city counsellors regarding environmental issues in 1970.
Pollution Probe - members address meeting at Toronto City Hall
July 07, 1969
Extent and medium
107 negatives : b&w ; 35 mm
Photographs taken during City of Toronto hearings on the link between the death of ducks on an island in Toronto Harbour and the use of Deazinon (pesticide) by the Metro Toronto Parks Department. This issue mobilized Pollution Probe, a student organization to join forces with a local environmental group - Group Action to Stop Pollution (GASP) - to convene an unofficial inquiry at which these photographs were taken. Commissioners included Dr. Robert McClure, Moderator of the United Church of Canada; Prof. Ernest Sirluck University of Toronto Vice-President and Graduate Dean and Prof. Marshall McLuhan, Director of the University's Center for Culture and Technology. Prof. Donald Chant, chair of the Department of Zoology, a member of Pollution Probes, spoke as a witness at the hearings.
Caput Meeting in Hart House
September 23, 1969
Extent and medium
1 negative : b&w ; 35 mm
Michael Vaughan, standing at left, proposes a motion to adjourn a meeting of the subcommittee to examine the composition of the Caput, the University's disciplinary body. Facing the camera, at the table, from left to right: Gred Kealey and Andrew Wernick, student activists, Albert Abel, chair of the subcommittee, and Claude Bissell. With backs to the camera, from left to right: F.E. Winter, Craig Brown, John Rist, and John Kelly.
Campbell Committee - meeting regarding changes to CAPUT
September 23, 1969
Extent and medium
101 negatives : b&w ; 35 mm
Photographs taken during a meeting of the Campbell Committee sub-committee to examine temporary changes to the composition of CAPUT. In the meeting, attended by some 150-200 students, President Bissell refused to repudiate a working paper by the Committee of Presidents of Ontario Universities and reiterated that until the law was changed, student disciplinary issues were vested with CAPUT. In response, S.A.C. Vice-President, Robert Barkwell and another S.A.C. representative withdrew from the sub-committee and argued that their departure meant that the committee should be dissolved. The sub-committee continued the meeting and when it finally adjourned, the students voted for a mass meeting to take place in two days time.
Campbell Committee - mass student meeting in Convocation Hall regarding the report on student discipline.
September 25, 1969
Extent and medium
131 negatives : b&w ; 35 mm
Photographs taken during a mass meeting in Convocation Hall regarding the Campbell Committee report on student discipline. In the meeting, President Claude T. Bissell tried to address the contentious issues regarding the working report from the Committee of Presidents of Universities of Ontario and defended his decision not to repudiate the report. The meeting ended with a vote in support of a number of S.A.C. motions, including a call that the Campbell report be made public within one week.
Campbell Committee- report on student discipline - students protest at Simcoe Hall
September 26, 1969
Extent and medium
34 negatives : b&w ; 35 mm
Photographs of picket lines in front of Simcoe Hall during the student protests regarding Campbell Committee Report on student discipline, September 1969.
Faculty Council meeting disrupted by student protester
February 01, 1971
Extent and medium
35 negatives : b&w ; 35 mm
Photographs taken during a disrupted meeting of the Arts and Science Faculty Council General Committee in the Medical Science auditorium on February 2, 1971. This was part of students' fight for parity in governing the university.
Student protest - Meeting in Convocation Hall
October 10, 1972
Extent and medium
60 negatives : b&w ; 35 mm
Photographs of a forum discussion between students, President Evans and the provincial politicians in response to the Ontario Federation of Students concerns about the province-wide referendum on the fees strike in Convocation Hall, 1972. Includes photographs of: President John Evans; Minister of Colleges and Universities, Hon. Jack McNie; former NDP education critic Walter Pitman; Liberal education critic James Bullbrook,; Joyce Denyer, one of the founders of the Part-Time Student Association; and SAC president Eric Miglin.
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Dune 2021 is coming to 4K and Blu-ray in January
Amazon Commissions Earned
The 2021 version of "Dune" is officially coming to 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray Disc on January 11th, 2022 via Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. The film, directed by Denis Villeneuve and based on the novels by Frank Herbert, stars Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa, Stellan Skarsgård, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Dave Bautista, David Dastmalchian, and Zendaya. It should be noted, at the time of writing, this film is "Certified Fresh" over at Rotten Tomatoes.
The tech specs for the 4K UHD Blu-ray include a 2160p video presentation in the 2.39:1 aspect ratio with HDR10 and Dolby Vision forms of high dynamic range and Dolby Atmos sound. Tech specs for the Blu-ray include a 1080p HD video presentation in the 2.39:1 aspect and Dolby Atmos sound. Both releases will come in the form of a "combo pack" with the 4K getting its Blu-ray counterpart, the Blu-ray getting its DVD counterpart, and a digital code (copy) of each included — compatible with Movies Anywhere. You cannot yet find the 4K UHD Blu-ray or the Blu-ray available for preorder over at Amazon, but placeholder pages are up. However, you can find the 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray both available for preorder already over at retailers Target and Walmart.
Retailer Target will be getting an exclusive packaging for the Blu-ray Disc version (pictured below) which is now available for preorder.
It is known that there will also be an exclusive 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook of the film available over at retailer Best Buy (pictured below). That's listed as coming soon and is not yet a functional preorder listing.
The bonus materials set to be included with each version of the film are listed below.
- The Royal Houses
- Filmbooks: House Atreides
- Filmbooks: House Harkonnen
- Filmbooks: The Fremen
- Filmbooks: The Spice Melange
- Inside Dune: The Training Room
- Inside Dune: The Spice Harvester
- Inside Dune: The Sardaukar Battle
- Building the Ancient Future
- My Desert, My Dune
- Constructing the Ornithopters
- Designing the Sandworm
- Beware the Baron
- Wardrobe from Another World
- A New Soundscape
Further below, after the break, you can find the official trailer for the film and the full announcement about the home video releases.


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Another hit from the guilty pleasure that is the Babylon series, in which Imogen Edwards-Jones teams up with a bunch of top players in a given industry, extracts their best tips, tricks, behind-the-scenes secrets and scandalous stories, then packages them all up in a neat week-in-the-life semi-fictional demi-novel for our entertainment. Oh, how I love 'em...
This installment, as the name suggests, is all about the wedding industry, as seen from the perspective of a top London wedding planner. Babylon enthusiasts can probably already guess the rest - the helter-skelter pitch through dress fittings and flowers, bridezillas and warring relatives, celebrity nuptials and wedding day mishaps. Alongside the day-to-day running of the business and the memorable weddings the planner has survived (or heard about through the grapevine), there are also plenty of interesting details that go beyond the obvious: How finely tuned do even the most dull and practical of details have to be? How does a planner network with all the other companies that make up the wedding industry? Which readings are guaranteed to bore your vicar to tears? And what the hell is a bridal potty? As always, this book gave me a renewed respect for the hard work going on behind the scenes in the service industry, showing the reader all of the lovely highs but also the stressful lows, the egos and the tantrums, deftly demonstrating just how far these professionals have to go to serve the ridiculous demands and passing whims of their high-maintenance clients.
For me, it seems like Edwards-Jones is becoming better and better at this formula, streamlining her books with each new release. I find that the newer books (like this one, and Beach Babylon, which I read last year) seem to feature more likeable narrators, and offer more detail and genuine insight into their chosen industries to balance against the gleeful gossip and outrageous horror stories. I think I'd be torn between wanting to read this book before my wedding (for the tips) and wanting to stay the hell away in case I had nightmares! Great literature it ain't - it's very easy reading and some of the dialogue, in particular, is horrendously clunky - but it's super-fun, extra-frothy and an absolute pleasure to come back to at the end of a long day at work!
Notable Quotables:
- "As I sit there, listening and nodding away, I can feel my hangover creeping up the back of my neck, giving me a thumping great headache. I start to frown hard, trying to concentrate. I look across at Bill, who is slowly sliding down in his chair. There really are only so many photographs of fancies a bloke can look at without losing the will to live."
- "Whatever happened to a quiet dinner and a few drinks for a wedding? Or even a bit of cake and a drink, like in the olden days?"
- "The number of extremely pretty girls I have seen done up like Polish prostitutes on their wedding day does not bear thinking about. No matter how many times you impress upon the bride that she shouldn't have a tan for her wedding, and that her hair and make-up should not be too dramatic or different from usual, they all still make the mistake of shoving on the slap and crimping their hair, teasing it into curls so they end up looking like some Best in Breed at Crufts."
Source: I have no idea. I think I stole it from the shop when I spotted it in a bag of incoming books!


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Hello sewcialists! I'm Claire and I'm fairly new to blogging about sewing. I'm also usually terrible at theme months and sewing challenges as my inner perfectionist makes ridiculous plans that I'm usually too intimidated to complete on time. For some reason when I saw the #AllChestsWelcome challenge I thought, 'it's time!'.
People are usually a bit intimidated by sewing bras given the materials involved and the smaller margin for error with fit, but I have an additional challenge. I'm large breasted as a 12G in Australian sizes (underbust 89cm, full bust 104cm, high bust 91cm), and I have a chronic pain condition called Costochondritis. Affectionately known as Costo, Costochondritisis is 'an inflammation of the cartilage that connects a rib to the breastbone (sternum).' The Mayo Clinic helpfully explains that it can feel like you're having a heart attack when you experience a pain flare, and there is often no known cause.
Many people who experience Costo (it's most common in women) find that there is a direct relationship between their pain flares and the types of bra they wear. For some this means they will avoid bras altogether. Others find that longline bras with additional boning structure actually give them relief from their pain symptoms. I am not one of those women.
My original plan for this challenge was to sew the Christina, the Laurel, the Poppy, the Dahlia, the Ingrid, the Amethyst, and the Little Black Bra. I quickly realised this list was unrealistic if I wanted to live my life AND have well fitting bras to show for my efforts at the end of the month. Instead I narrowed it down to work on the Little Black Bra and the Poppy Bralette.
The Little Black Bra (LBB)
I've had this bra in my head for a while to try as an early introduction to bra sewing. It started its life as the Lovesick bralette by George and Ginger and was available as a free pattern in their facebook group. It's now available for purchase on the George and Ginger website, but if you watch the associated YouTube video there is a code to get it for free. It has very simple construction and the only elastic required was encased and sewn straight into the bralette, removing the need to figure out new techniques.
The first version I did was a Medium (12) C cup Lovesick as the updated Little Black Bra had not come out yet. I was a little surprised at how small the recommended size was, but thought it was worth a shot. It sewed up incredibly quickly and I used a performance cotton lycra from Spotlight that I had in my stash. Unfortunately I found the band had a tendency to get sucked up under my breast tissue and I was spilling out of the top of the cups by the end of the day. As a general rule I found that it was best to wear my new bras for a whole day before deciding on changes to the next one, as that gave me a chance to see how significant the adjustments I needed to make were.
My next version I cut a cup size larger to account for the spillage, and removed 2 cm from the band to help it stay in place during the day. This version was much more supportive at the band, but still had some of the overspill issues of the previous bra. Even though I had a fair way to go before I had perfected the fit, these bras were so much more comfortable than a RTW. The pressure from the cotton lycra didn't aggravate my Costo, and I was able to use a 25mm elastic in the straps that helped carry the weight of my breasts better than most standard strap elastics.
When the Little Black Bra (LBB) was released halfway through my bra sewing adventures, I saw that it had extended sizes and a different measurement system, and I thought doing my next version with this pattern might be more successful. To get your size in the LBB you have to measure your breast tissue in different positions to get your average full bust measurement. I found this more successful, and my size was a much more realistic Large (12) DDD. Unfortunately I didn't learn from the Lovesick to do a smaller band size, so this was still too large, and due to the low cut on the neckline I was still having some overspill issues. Changing the cup size didn't seem to correct for the overspill, as I also tried an F cup. I realised at this point that my breasts are quite projected, and in bra patterns without any horizontal seams I probably have to adjust the neckline to be higher to compensate for this and to prevent spilling out of the cup.
The Poppy Bralette from House of Morrighan
This is a two piece cup, long line style bralette with classic bra straps, and picot elastic around the back and bottom of the bra. It's designed to be made with powermesh lining, which I hadn't had a lot of experience sewing with. The instructions were quite clear and stepped me through the new techniques, but I definitely recommend not trying to figure it out during a pain flare. Brain fog led to me unpicking my first bra a couple of times during the process.
I started with an 8E in sizing, and unsurprisingly given my experiences with the LBB I found that my breasts were spilling out slightly at the top. Unlike the LBB I found the band was very supportive, probably due to the addition of the powermesh and the picot around the bottom. After a few hours of wear though I found the band was rolling up. Like many women who are large breasted I find that my breast tissue takes up a large part of my upper torso, so the longline wasn't necessarily sitting on my waist as designed.
When I tried a larger cup size to deal with the overspill, I also graded out to a size 10 for the band to try and counter the rolling. While this assisted a little I realised where the bottom of the band was hitting was over the bottom of my rib cage, which flared a little. As pressure on my ribs aggravates my Costo, I realised that raising the band in the front might eliminate both my rolling issues and the increased pressure on the bottom of my ribs.
My final version was the 8 F/G cup. I raised the neckline by 5 cm at the centre seam, and adjusted the front band so it was half the length at the centre but graded out to join the back band as normal. This was perfection! I had thought that a longer line bra would help with Costo pain as it would distribute the weight and pressure over a larger area but as usual this isn't the case for all bodies! For me this didn't take into account my rib flare. This version of the Poppy is the most comfortable bra I own right now, I barely notice I'm wearing it. I will have to now make it in fabric that isn't covered in cacti!
Final thoughts
There are pros and cons for both bras. I find that the Poppy gives me a nicer shape and is more supportive due to the additional elastic, though both bralettes suffer a bit from the uniboob effect. I've noticed that bralettes with a cross over seem to fix this slightly so I'm interested to try the Peanut and Moose crossover hack for the Little Black Bra. Also the Dahlia Bralette from House of Morrighan seems very similar to the Poppy but with a crossover. I think my LBB's could benefit from a powermesh lining in future, and I am eager to try the House of Morrighan bras with fold over elastic instead of the picot, as I find the rigidity in the lace edge can be a little irritating on the skin.
The best advice I can possibly give you if you're new to sewing bras, and especially if you're trying to sew to make something more accessible to you is practice, practice, practice. I learnt so much from just diving in and trying things. I knew that it would take multiple attempts to make the pattern perfect for me, but the beauty of sewing bras is that while some techniques can be fiddly they are much less time consuming to make than physically larger projects and they take up way less materials. I made a total of 8 bras over a month, and my skills and knowledge have grown exponentially.
Follow more of Claire's sewing and creative adventures at @claire_lenehan on Instagram


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It comes in waves, right? The highs and the lows. The moments you replay in your head like a broken record.
I've found myself feeling particularly stuck for a few months now. It started when I looked myself in the eye and realized the life I had made for myself didn't feel fulfilling anymore. It felt selfish to say that, because I do acknowledge that the best things in life take work and I am humbled and grateful to have had the opportunities in my life.
I look back, and I think about how three years ago, I would have dreamt to be in my shoes. But here I am, and I feel empty. And I don't know why, but what I do know is that I feel selfish for these feelings.
I'm lucky to be a part of Literally, Darling's extremely welcoming staff. In times of trouble, I can turn to these women and look for hope through their perspectives. Today for this article, we are accomplishing just that.
Three of our writers share what "feeling stuck" means to them.
I feel "stuck" in pretty regular intervals. It's particularly common that I feel stuck in fall, perhaps because I'm used to change at that time of year from so many school years. When I "feel stuck" it is an overwhelming feeling that's a combination of discontentment, anxiety, and fear of missing out. As if there is something major and important I should be doing, but I'm not. I don't express those feelings very often, because when I try it sounds like I don't appreciate or love the people and things in my life.
It's particularly difficult to deal with in this season of my life: motherhood. There is so much I want that leads to this "stuck" feeling: travel, career, spontaneity. However, none of it is as important or fulfilling to me as raising my son. Social media never helps the "stuck" feeling. It becomes combined with "the grass is always greener" which is a spiral of restlessness and discontent.
The only things that help are time and grounding myself in the moment. I think of all the things I have to enjoy and try to just let the moments wash over me.
During times of transition, I become vulnerable to self-doubt. I know this. I've moved six times in the past five years, covered three cities and two states, left three jobs, gotten married, bought a house, entered military life, then grad school life, then domestic life. I've made friends, said goodbye to friends, then made new friends again, only to have to say goodbye. During each shift in city/job/lifestyle, I think I am prepared, battle arsenal ready, but everytime, I seem to get caught unaware, blindsided by the strength and power of my own insecurities. Inevitably, these doubts meld with my own fears and form a dangerous alchemy of emotions, all of which end in the dreaded words, usually uttered in between sobs: "I feel stuck."
An endless litany of questions inevitably follow:
What do I want? Where do I want to be? How can I get there? Why haven't I done anything? Where do I start? Why don't I feel motivated? Is there something wrong with me? Am I a failure? How do others see me? Is my partner proud of me? Am I a disappointment? Why does everything feel so hard? Why did I give up so quickly? If only I had done _______. If only I hadn't done ________. Will I ever find fulfillment? Why can't I be more like _______? Why can't I be better/do more?
Ultimately, I know that these concerns are of my own making. They stem from my feelings of inadequacy and are often unrelated to the reality in front of me. Over the years, I have gotten better at focusing on that reality and letting the doubts wash over me as best I can, putting faith in my own ability to find my own way, my own path forward. It just takes time.
I think I, like so many of us, often get so caught up in the "should" that I forget to be fully present in what is. Lately, I've been working on acceptance: the art of embracing who I am, rather than who I think I should be, and embracing where I am, rather than where I think I should be going.
Acceptance is NOT the same as resignation. We can accept our situation, and ourselves, while still mapping out and pursuing goals. The frustratingly dangerous thing about feeling stuck is that it can often feel paralyzing. We become so consumed with guilt, shame, and frustration that we are unable to make even the smallest of steps in any direction. By truly accepting who and where we are NOW, we free ourselves from the negativity and the never ending "shoulds." And in that freedom, there is so much more room to move ahead, at whatever pace and in whatever direction we so choose.
For me, the "stuck" feeling always comes when I know I'm not achieving any new goals in my life. It's the feeling of time passing with no discernible change. This year will mark four years since I graduated from college and three since I've been at my current office job. My life is good. I have friends, family, coworkers I like, and money to pay the rent. Yet, I still go through stuck phases where I wonder what the next stage of my life will be and how soon that next stage will arrive.
I always complain that not having anything to be anxious over makes me more anxious. As soon as everything in my life is going well, I grow concerned that there must be something missing that I should be working on. There must be some way I should be stretching myself to grow mentally or emotionally that my stagnant life isn't currently giving me.
To combat this, I try to continuously find new ways to push myself outside my comfort zone. I do things like take a class, travel to a new place, or embrace social situations that makes my introverted nature feel uncomfortable. As I do these new things, I try to embrace not just the experiences themselves, but an appreciation that life has gifted me with this chapter of my 20s to work on myself.
I fully believe that someday a new adventure will come my way unexpectedly. When it does I don't want to look back and realize I wasted the previous stage of my life being unhappy just because I wasn't sure what the future would bring. A lot of life can happen in the "stuck" phases.
Photo credit: Flickr
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Presidential Debate
Ford Center for the Performing Arts
University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS
Friday, September 26, 2008
|"This was a clear victory for Barack Obama
on John McCain's home turf.
Senator McCain offered nothing but more of the same failed Bush
policies, and Barack Obama made a forceful case for change in our
economy and our foreign policy. While Senator McCain wants to keep
giving huge tax cuts to corporations and said nothing about the
challenges Americans are facing in their daily lives, Barack Obama will
be a fierce advocate for tax cuts for the middle class, affordable
health care, and a new energy economy that creates millions of jobs.
While foreign policy was supposed to be John McCain's top issue, Barack
Obama commanded that part of the debate with a clear call to
responsibly end a misguided war in Iraq so that we can finish the fight
against al Qaeda in Afghanistan. John McCain needed a game-changer
tonight, and by any measure he didn't get it."
Obama-Biden campaign manager David Plouffe
|"There was one man who was presidential
tonight, that man was John
McCain. There was another who was political, that was Barack Obama.
John McCain won this debate and controlled the dialogue throughout,
whether it was the economy, taxes, spending, Iraq or Iran. There was a
leadership gap, a judgment gap, and a boldness gap on display tonight,
a fact Barack Obama acknowledged when he said John McCain was right at
least five times. Tonight's debate showed John McCain in command of the
issues and presenting a clear agenda for America's future."
McCain-Palin 2008 communications director Jill Hazelbaker
Copyright © 2008 Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action


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Type in an artist's name or song title in the space above for a quick search of Classic Country Music lyrics website.
prices on Books, Kindles
Country Music Cds
and Country Gospel Cds.
I've Convinced Everybody But Myself
Classic Country Music Lyrics home | Hank Thompson Lyrics
What a fun song this is to play and sing, it's has the western swing rhythm and simple chords so any of us can do it. I've Convinced Everybody But Myself lyrics and chords will make it easier to learn this fine classic.


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A LEAK to the second Video (Unreleased Version) to WIZKID's smash single – Come Closer featuring Drake just recently surfaced online. Sadly Drake was not in this version either, but that's by the way side.
What we should be talking about his how this man shot two amazing videos for just one single. If I am correct, this is the first time something like this has been done in this part of the world. Two complete art and visual direction.
The video also features Sira Kante (Davido's ex), playing the main girl Wizkid was serenading.
This video was directed by Alan Ferguson (Beyonce's sister's husband)
Enjoy and don't forget to leave your comments behind.
For your online music promotion contact Bazenation call/WhatsApp 07065831448


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Writer, school board member, backs Barr for Supervisor
I have lived my entire life in East County, and I've been on the School Board for over 30 years. I've seen our community change a lot during that time, and learned that certain qualities make people into great leaders. I'm here to tell you that Steve Barr is a great leader and I hope you vote for him this election for County Supervisor.
I served with Steve for five years on the School Board. His knowledge about our community and many of the different issues we face, from complex budgeting to keeping our families safe, was always there. But I was also struck by his patience and ability to work with all sides on some very tough issues. He doesn't just talk about bringing people together- he has the background to do it effectively.
And that's what we need at the County, representing us and bringing us the resources our community needs. Many people don't realize the important role the County plays in our lives, but let me assure you that we need a real leader like Steve Barr in that seat pushing for us and making sure East Contra Costa isn't just an afterthought. Please join me this election and vote for Steve Barr for County Supervisor.
Joanne Byer
Board Member, Liberty Union High School District


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Secrets For A Healthier Lifestyle and how to bring them into your own life
No one aims to be unhealthy, but many of us, if we're really honest with ourselves, know that we are.
If you are one of these people, it's time to stop making excuses and take action. Being healthy really isn't as hard as it's often made out to be, and there are lots of small things that you can change to improve your health. If you don't know where to start and need some advice, keep reading for some great tips and secrets.
Secrets For A Healthier Lifestyle
Drink More Water
Water is often recommended for a healthy body, but what most us don't know is why. Water is essential for survival, as it plays a part in pretty much every function and process in your body, including regulating temperature and digestion. When you are trying to lose weight, drinking more water is essential, as it also helps you to eat less because it's very filling. It's usually recommended that you drink around eight to twelve glasses of water a day, but I think it's more sensible to carry around a bottle of water everywhere, and just drink when you feel thirsty.
Taste A Rainbow
The fastest and simplest way to improve your health is to pay more attention to what you are putting into your body. Fruits and vegetables contain large amounts of vitamins and minerals, all of which are essential for fighting off illnesses and diseases. Because of this, you should try incorporating more of these into your diet, and cut back on unhealthy junk foods. When you do this, try lots of different types of fruits and vegetables of all different colours, as they all contain different nutrients and so all help different parts of your body in different ways.
- Lose Weight
Around two-thirds of men and women in the UK are classed as overweight or obese, and that number is only continuing to rise. Because of this, it's likely that you too could do with losing a few pounds. To do this, you simply need to be burning more calories that you're eating each day. To make this process easier, you could find a reputable diet shake supplier and go on a low-calorie diet for a little while. Even losing a small amount of weight can drastically decrease your chances of developing heart disease or diabetes, so it is worth the effort. The Secrets For A Healthier Lifestyle are all simple.
Find A Gym Buddy – secrets for a healthier lifestyle
Most people view exercise as boring, and although that definitely isn't the case, you can make it a little more fun if you exercise with someone else. You don't even necessarily need to go to the gym; You could go jogging around your neighbourhood, join a Zumba class, or get some home exercise DVDs. Having someone else with you can really give you the boost and motivation you need to keep going, even when you'd rather be doing anything else.
Get A Four-Legged Friend
Getting a dog definitely isn't an obvious way to get healthy, but it does work, as it has been shown to offer many health benefits, including reducing stress, boosting your mood, reducing the chance of heart disease, and boosting your immune response. You also have to walk your dog every single day, so you get more exercise in.
Sleep Better
Sleep is another thing recommended for a healthy body. If you are sleeping seven or eight hours each night and still wake up tired, your aim should be improving the quality of your sleep, rather than increasing the hours you sleep. You can do this by ensuring that your bedroom is quiet, cool, and dark, and that you are avoiding caffeine and large meals just before bed. You also need to be able to relax just before going to sleep, so aim to reduce your stress.
Reduce Your Stress
Stress is a normal, and sometimes even healthy, part of life. However, if you have noticed that your stress levels are particularly high recently and that stress is affecting your everyday life, you need to take action to reduce it. This is because high-stress levels can lead to weight gain, heart disease, and much more. Luckily, a lot of the tips above can help reduce your stress, including exercise, and getting a pet. You can also consider meditation and writing a diary before you got to sleep.
Most of us aren't as healthy as we should be, so it's time to make some changes. With this advice, you should find that you start to feel healthier in no time at all.
Pin secrets for a healthier lifestyle for later
I hope you have found my post on Secrets For A Healthier Lifestyle useful. You can find more of my health and well being posts here
You might especially like my post on simple healthy living choices
secrets for a healthier lifestyle is a feature post


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By Craig Johns
What are the stages of target market behaviours that people are currently going through as they come to terms with loss, uncertainty and change living in a remote world of COVID-19?
As a leader, CEO, entrepreneur or influencer you are trying to figure out how to firstly retain, but also recruit in the future, your valuable clients, members and suppliers. You first need to understand your target market behaviours and then you can understand the importance of your digital presence right now.
People will go through these 7 stages at varying speeds, so it's important to be digitally present right now to capture their attention. Here is a brief outline:
Stage 1 – DENIAL
When COVID-19 first came to light, most people brushed it off, as a concern in their world, and continued on with normal daily behaviour
Stage 2 – SHOCK
When governments started to enforce restrictions, peoples jobs were uncertain, they were unsure if they would be able to put food on the table and stock markets started to take a dive, people took notice and the shock of it caused them to start seeking as much information on COVID-19 as possible. They became totally infatuated and engrossed in it.
Stage 3 – OVERWHELM
They become overwhelmed with the information and any word starting with "C" creates a stress reaction, so they start to withdraw from the intense exposure of COVID-19. Less time watching news, less time on social media and taking a break from digital technology. They start to withdraw inside themselves.
Stage 4 – REFLECTION
The sudden change, chaos, loss and uncertainty, causes them to go inside their thoughts as they reflect on what is really important to them, what are their values, what is their purpose in life, why am I doing what I am doing and is there a better way. They begin to think about how they can upskill and upgrade themselves as a person. What am I learning about myself, that I want to change? They start to think about what personal and professional development they require to be a better person, better parent, better leader and create a positive impact in their world and hopefully as a custodian on planet earth.
Stage 5 – RESET
They start to create a new way they want to live, a new way of thinking and a simpler way of life. New behaviours start to form, they want to become a better person or a better leader, and they start to dream about new health and fitness goals, but they realise they don't have all the answers and they need help.
Stage 6 – BROWSING
Internet has now become their new best friend. They start browsing or window shopping so to speak. What are the solutions in the marketplace to solve my problem of creating a better way of living. How can I be healthier, how can I improve my personal performance and how can I achieve my goals. It won't just be solutions they are looking for, it will be how do they get RESULTS to the problems they are seeking an answer for. They will only be able to find solutions from the people who have a digital presence and are visible in the digital community of the internet and social media.
Stage 7 – PURCHASING
Once they have browsed they will choose the option that can show how they get RESULTS and that they trust. They will make a decision based on the information they can easily get access to and is SIMPLE to understand. Some will be ready right now, so they are looking for solutions that can be done easily via the virtual world of internet, video conference and phone call, that they can do in their comfort of their own home.
My question to you is:
How are you creating your digital presence and most importantly message, to not only solve, but show how you can help current and future clients, members or suppliers get RESULTS, starting today?
Understanding your target market behaviours to thrive, not just survive in COVID-19.
Want to learn more:
NRG2Perform www.nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns www.craigjohnsspeaker.com
Craig Johns email@example.com
Craig Johns LinkedIn
Recommended Reading:
Are Leaders Born? Read Article
Fuel Your Body For Leadership Performance Read Article
How Exercise Enhances A Leaders Performance Read Article
Four Basic Fundamentals Of Being A High Performing Leader Read Article
How To Be A High Performing Leader In 2020 Read Article
active CEO Lessons In 2019 Read Article
Four Ways To Overcome CEO Loneliness In 2020 Read Article


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Debian 7.0 Wheezy released!On Sun 05 May 2013 with tags wheezy
Written by Francesca Ciceri
The new stable version of Debian, codenamed Wheezy, is finally here. Main features of Debian 7.0 Wheezy are multiarch support, specific tools to deploy private clouds, a greatly improved installer and a complete set of multimedia codecs and front-ends which remove the need for third-party repositories. For a complete list of new features and updated software, take a look at the official announcement.
Want to give it a try? Check out the live images!
Want to install it? Choose your favourite installation media among Blu-ray Discs, DVDs, CDs and USB sticks.
Already a happy Debian user and you only want to upgrade? You are just an apt-get dist-upgrade away from Wheezy! Find how, reading the installation guide and the release notes.
Some useful links:


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Phoenix Airport Shuttle Service
PHX airport has ground transportation services such as shared ride vans, taxis and limos, which can suit the needs of all different types of passengers. Airport shuttle company choices are vast in Phoenix so you will need to some research and check out which shuttle provider is the best for you.
Find your way around the PHX airport and get to your shuttle or limo ride quickly so you can get to your hotel or destination without delay.
|Phoenix Airport Shuttles
|PHX airport has AirportShuttles.com Phoenix shared ride vans so passengers who are arriving can get transfers in Phoenix quickly with professional and chauffeured drivers from one of the best providers in America.
Airport shuttle services are available near baggage claims so you can find the perfect shuttle to be picked up or dropped off at the airport with low rates. The Phoenix airport is among those with many different types of ground transportation from taxi, limousine and Zumu Phoenix, which offer sedan service provided by AirportShuttles.com. You can also find airport rides for the Phoenix Convention Center during your next trade show or event from our list of local ground transportation providers.
Private limousines are also available with companies such as Accent Limo or Mechelle Limousine, which have received many customer ratings that you can check out yourself and see if it would better suit your needs. Plus, if you are traveling as a big family or you have a large group that would require more than one vehicle to get you to your destination there are private shuttle buses. These are larger vehicles that are easier for everyone to get to one specific location. Other shuttle transfers around the area include to Arizona Value Shuttle and A 1st Class Shuttle Express.
Sometimes if you are in a hurry and need quick affordable pick-ups then AAA Yellow Cab is one of taxi cabs you can choose from while traveling through Phoenix. If taxicabs don't fit your standards there is always private sedan services. 1st Quality Transportation and Accent Transportation Services are only two of the many sedan services offered to passengers at Phoenix airport.
PHX airport is near some of the best colleges in the state. University of Arizona is located in Tucson, which is about a two-hour drive away. Arizona State University is even closer. Our local shuttle providers can offer very affordable prices for college students who need to get between the airport and their university.
Phoenix Hotel Shuttles
About Phoenix Airport
PHX Contact Information:
Shuttle service to landmarks in Phoenix
The Phoenix area is filled with places to visit but with its natural desert surroundings you can find unique attractions you can't find anyplace else.


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As the Formula One circus pitched up at Long Beach for the first of three American Grands Prix in 1982, the tensions between FOCA and FISA began to heat up once again following the previous meets in South Africa and Brazil.
In the background Brabham and Williams were still waiting for their appeals against their Brazilian GP disqualifications to be heard {note 1}, while Ken Tyrrell was busy launching a counter-protest against the legality of the turbo engines.
Previous chapter – "Reflections: 'Prost victorious as Piquet disqualified – 1982 Brazilian Grand Prix (Rd 2)'"
His claim would be a difficult one to press – although turbines had effectively been outlawed in 1971, Tyrrell's assertion that turbo engines should fall under the same ban gained little serious support.
By April 1982, the likes of Renault had already been running their 1.5 litre turbo's over five seasons, entering in 65 Grand Prix prior to Long Beach – they would not be going away any time soon.
Following the recriminations in Rio, some of the naturally aspirated runners were undecided as to whether they would use the controversial water-cooled brakes that saw Piquet and Rosberg disqualified.
This did not stop Ferrari's Director of Motorsport Marco Piccinini from protesting the quicker of the naturally aspirated runners anyway. On paper, all entrants came up to the legal weights (although a few cars may or may not have taken a minor detour en route to the weighbridge) and Piccinini's complaints fell on deaf ears.
Adding to the absurdity of it all, even the FISA-associated Renault had reportedly been running underweight during the early running in practice.
Turbo's, Tyres and Wings
Perhaps Piccinini was drawing a smokescreen, or at least preparing for a battle that was to be willed against his own car.
Noting yet another possible discrepancy in the regulations, Ferrari assembled a new and unusual rear wing design for Gilles Villeneuve's and Didier Pironi's entries, courtesy of designers Mauro Forghieri and Harvey Postlethwaite.
Instead of a long single plane, the Scuderia drew upon two smaller rear wing planes situated adjacent to eachother on a central strut. While the individual wings fell well within the permitted tolerances, together they stretched wider than the permitted width of the car.
Alas, the wording of the regulations only made reference to limits for the rear aerofoil and there was nothing in the rules to dictate how many rear wings one could have on a car… {note 2}
Interestingly, there was no real performance gain from this design at all and in truth Ferrari were just trying to be difficult, making a point that if the privateer British teams wanted to use with the wording of the regulations to play politics, then Italian squad would do the same.
For Villeneuve and Ferrari, this somewhat obtuse grandstanding would eventually wreck their weekend's efforts.
Unlike at Kyalami and Rio, the turbo's influence on Long Beach's bump riddled streets was not as great, although the long boomerang-like curve down Shoreline Drive did give the manufacturer entrants some little opportunity to breathe.
Minor changes to the layout ensured the course was slower than previous events, with a chicane added at the beginning of Shoreline, eventually leading to a new series of 2nd gear turns before turning back toward Ocean Boulevard at the end of the lap.
Of course, the addition slow corners did much to help the naturally aspirated runners, but Renault – still a leading a leading light for the turbo pioneers – had done a great deal of work to reduce lag and improve reliability – and led by Rene Arnoux, the French team were fast.
To add to it all, the absurdities of the weekend were even stretching beyond the team and driver combinations. Tyre supplier Michelin discovered they had erred when they inadvertently delivered the wrong compound of tyre to their teams for the first qualifying session – an issue finally corrected come Saturday, but not before precious track time had been lost.
And then there were the drivers…
Amidst the lingering political and engineering smoke, the drivers also did their best to create additional tangents through the weekend, although it was not all bad. There were celebrations in the Alfa Romeo pit when Andrea de Cesaris took his first – and only – pole, despite crashing his machine into a wall early in the session {note 3}.
No one had expected to see the Alfa on top – especially not McLaren's Niki Lauda. The Austrian filled the other side the front row; his lap a typically quick and unruffled effort – the kind that champions peel off with little thought.
Believing pole to a done fixture, Lauda clocked up only five laps during the Saturday session, deciding to finish early and save a set of Michelin's for the race itself. He was on his way to the press conference when de Cesaris went fastest…
This weekend would be something of a marker point for the Italian, who had endured a nightmare 1981 season that saw him pick up a single point, a lot of crash damage and a P45 from – ironically enough – the McLaren team.
Admittedly Lauda was not always clean. He lost an argument with the barrier during Friday practice, necessitating a spare front section for the Austrian. At the time, one could almost be forgiven for Lauda and de Cesaris had swapped between their near-identical liveried cars.
The barriers also caught out the Brabham pairing of Nelson Piquet and Riccardo Patrese – the latter of whom managed to destroy the suspension mounts of his monocoque of his BT49D completely on Friday.
Piquet then smacked another barrier with his second car during the final session ending his hopes of a final dash for pole, yet whereas Piquet's chassis was repairable, Patrese's was too far gone, necessitating a switch to a 1981 tub.
All this came the day after Piquet lost much of the first session due to a blown engine.
Following the end of 1981, Carlos Reutemann's already fragile relationship with Patrick Head and Frank Williams had cooled even further. The Argentine had grown weary of the almost non-stop bickering in the sport and retired with immediate effect following the Rio Grand Prix.
Williams had approached the recently retired Alan Jones about returning to the team, but after a difficult final year the Australian decided to stay put. Eventually Williams drafted former World Champion Mario Andretti, who had found a convenient gap in his CART schedule.
Lamenting a lack of time Andretti would start 14th – the American later admitted that the lack of testing and the heightened g-forces of the FW07D had taken the 42-year-old somewhat by surprise.
On the other side of the Williams garage, Rosberg had qualified 8th after setting his best time in the opening qualifying session. He may well have been higher up the order, had he not burned out the clutch of his race car during the Saturday session, forcing a switch to the T-car, which itself would develop an oil pressure problem later during the event.
It proved to be a touch of misfortune for the Finn – before his clutch mishap, Rosberg's had only just moved to an updated chassis; this one having been strengthened to withstand his aggressive, kerb-slamming driving style, which had damaged his previous tub in Rio.
The Race (April 4th, 1982)
In the end, Lauda had little need to worry. The tactic to save tyres in qualifying had worked a charm, ensuring this race was a demonstration of the virtue of patience.
It was no lights-to-flag deal either, as de Cesaris led confidently from the start, initially from Arnoux, with Lauda and Bruno Giacomelli chasing. As Arnoux concentrated on his mirrors, de Cesaris pulled away; however on the sixth tour, the feel of the race turned.
Pressing Arnoux for 2nd, Lauda missed a gear at Le Gasomet hairpin and he flicked to the inside to avoid hitting the Renault. Less intuitive was Giacomelli who outbraked himself, slamming into the rear of Arnoux – both were out and Lauda's cheeky error gave him 2nd place and a clear track.
Within another half-dozen tours, Lauda had reeled de Cesaris in, although the Italian held his ground until lap 15, when the ambling Raul Boesel blocked him badly in the new chicane.
Robbed of acceleration, de Cesaris lurched onto back straight allowing Lauda to slide easily down the inside line for the lead; however in hindsight, it may have helped de Cesaris' cause had he not used such a key moment to shake his fist in anger at Boesel.
From there, Lauda reeled off the laps, building a lead of a minute, but was comfortable enough to drop the gap to just under 15 seconds at the flag.
Sadly for de Cesaris, the runner-up spot was not for him either – on lap 34 the Italian slid hard into the walls, claiming a small fire from the back of his car took his attention.
With both Alfa's out, Rosberg rose to 2nd spot following a measured, yet decisive climb up the order. Rosberg was 5th by lap ten, before a long battle with Villeneuve was settled in the Finn's favour on lap 21, but not before Villeneuve spun at Le Gasomet attempting a re-pass.
Rosberg then caught and passed John Watson for 3rd within six laps, before de Cesaris' crash, leaving Rosberg a clear 50 seconds adrift of Lauda, effectively cementing the result relatively early in the event.
Villeneuve passed Watson soon afterward for 3rd, but would spend much of the middle portion of the race fighting a rearguard attack from Michele Alboreto. The Tyrrell racer had been impressive all weekend, signposted by his hard fight against the Ferrari; however Alboreto fell back in the final third of the race, as his 2nd gear faded.
Unfortunately for Villeneuve, there was no reward – the Ferrari was disqualified following another complain lodged by the apoplectic Tyrrell, drawing FOCA further into the political heat.
Taking up the slack was Patrese. Starting 18th, the Brabham racer had yet another incident on lap 26, when he clattered a barrier, losing half of his front wing, although Patrese fared better than Piquet whose solemn race ended in another barrier on the same lap.
The Italian adapted his style and cut through the order, passing the hobbled Alboreto for what would become 3rd on lap 60. Thankfully Alboreto nursed his Tyrrell to the flag, taking what would later be 4th.
Others raced… and crashed
At Lotus, de Angelis took a relatively quiet 5th, after he embarrassingly lined up in the wrong grid slot. To add insult to injury, teammate Nigel Mansell reversed away from his slot to accommodate de Angelis, only for the race to start regardless and leave Mansell standing still on the grid trying to find first gear.
Watson claimed the final point – his strategy of running hard early on soft tyres came to haunt him, when he was forced into a lengthy pitstop before half distance.
The rest of the Grand Prix was filled with tales of incidents and clashes, although several drivers did complain about the track surface tearing up throughout the weekend. It did not help that tow truck vehicles did their best to hog racing lines when removing stricken machinery.
Alain Prost started the race with poor brakes and ended it on lap 12 with none at all, while Long Beach "expert" Jean-Pierre Jarier planted his Osella 10th on the grid, only to slide off on engine oil.
Over at Ligier, Eddie Cheever ran well for much of the race, only for his gearbox to fail close to the end of the event. Cheever's teammate Jacques Laffite stalled his engine, when a sudden detour to avoid the wobbling Patrese went awry. Meanwhile, Roberto Guerrero finally qualified for his first Grand Prix in the Ensign, only to spin out avoiding Laffite who was avoiding Patrese…
Long Beach would prove to be Brian Henton's final race at Arrows – by the time the circus reached Imola three weeks later, he would in a Tyrrell, replacing the lacklustre Slim Borgudd, who made his mark on lap one by hitting both ATS cars. Borgudd – who was once proudly sponsored in motor racing by Abba – would never return to Grand Prix racing.
In the end Andretti's race for Williams came to nothing – during a difficult race, the American clouted the barrier, damaging a wheel and retiring on lap 19. This was also Derek Daly's last race for the Theodore Ford team. With Andretti unable to commit to more than one Grand Prix, Daly would switch to the Williams squad in time for Zolder.
But first, appeals and Imola…
Alas the appeals against Rosberg's and Piquet's disqualification from Rio would be thrown out by the FIA a few days later and what seemed like a simmering pot at Long Beach would quickly begin to seriously boil over.
Still adamant that the rules did not strictly say the act of under-fuelled cars were illegal during a race, FOCA dealt their next hand and Brabham, McLaren, Williams and Lotus would boycott the San Marino Grand Prix.
Despite this Tyrrell, Osella, ATS and Toleman broke ranks and travelled to Imola; however there was still only fourteen cars going to the fourth round, during which the seeds for an all-new and more potent battle would be sown. Only this one would eventually have tragic consequences.
While the sport positioned itself for another fallout, the Austrian national anthem, "Land der Berge, Land am Strome" rang out over Long Beach. Lauda had returned.
{note 1}
"Reflections: 'Prost victorious as Piquet disqualified – 1982 Brazilian Grand Prix (Rd 2)'" (Leigh O'Gorman; TheMotorsportArchive.com)
{note 2}
As an aside, the regulations governing engines specified a maximum of 12 cylinders, but said nothing with regards to how many engines one could install. Indeed, if a constructor wanted to somehow run a car with two V6 turbo's, that would have quite permissible.
{note 3}
The 1982 race at Long Beach was a bit of an oddity as it was 75-and-a-half laps long. Although the pits and finish line were on Ocean Boulevard, the race started on Shoreline drive as it was decided the pit straight was not long enough to accommodate the field.
However Shoreline Drive could not accommodate the pits, due to the shore on one side and buildings and roads on the other.
Full results and points standings.
1982 US Grand Prix West (Rd 3, 75.5 laps, April 4th) Pos Driver Team Time / Gap 1. Niki Lauda McLaren-Ford 1:58:25.318 2. Keke Rosberg Williams-Ford +14.660 Gilles Villeneuve Ferrari +1:04.278 (DSQ) 3. Riccardo Patrese Brabham-Ford +1:18.143 4. Michele Alboreto Tyrrell-Ford +1:20.947 5. Elio de Angelis Lotus-Ford +1 lap 6. John Watson McLaren-Ford +1 lap Selected Retirements: Andrea de Cesaris Alfa Romeo 182 - 42 laps (Spun) Nelson Piquet Brabham-Ford BT49D - 50 laps (Spun) Mario Andretti Williams-Ford FW07C - 56 laps (Accident) Alain Prost Renault RE30B - 65 laps (Spun) Didier Pironi Ferrari 126C2 - 69 laps (Spun) René Arnoux Renault RE30B - 70 laps (Accident) 1982 Drivers' Championship (Rd 3) Pos Driver / Team Points 1. Alain Prost 18 2. Niki Lauda 12 3. Keke Rosberg 8 4. John Watson 8 5. Carlos Reutemann 6 1982 Constructors' Championship (Rd 3) 1. Renault 22 3. McLaren 20 2. Williams 14 4. Lotus 6 5. Tyrrell 6


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LSU coach Trent Johnson is set to be named TCU's new basketball coach, sources confirmed Friday.
One source said an announcement could come as early as Monday.
Johnson would replace Jim Christian, who left for the head coaching vacancy at Ohio University.
Johnson has coached four years at LSU, where he was 67-64 and took the Tigers to the NCAA tournament in his first season. He's coming off an 18-14 season and an NIT appearance after LSU finished eighth in the SEC.
Johnson is making around $1.2 million, according to reports. Christian made just shy of $600,000 at TCU before leaving to take the head coaching job at Ohio earlier this week.
Johnson, 55, coached for four seasons at Stanford, making the NCAA tournament three times (includes a Sweet 16 appearance in 2008).
He was with Nevada for five seasons before going to Stanford. He made the Sweet 16 in 2007.
Johnson's job will be to lead TCU into the Big 12, the program's new conference effective next academic year.
TCU hasn't made the NCAA tournament since 1998, when Billy Tubbs was the coach. That team lost in the first round as a No. 5 seed to Florida State.


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Victorya got what she deserved by just glomming onto the trench idea she and Jillian went with previously (and that Jillian created flawlessly), but she just sort of la-di-dahed through this episode. No inspiration. Nothing new brought to the table. For crying out loud, she just hacked some denim panels onto an existing jean jacket. Bleh!
So now that Victorya was a team of one, the only thing left to take out her passive-aggression on was the very denim they were all tasked to use to create an iconic look for Levi's.
Getting Catty in the WorkroomChris March, King of the Quips, hit the nail on the head with his "Ah, youth" dismissal of Christian's obnoxious commentary.
Christian is immature on the one hand, albeit confident as Diana Vreeland and just as full of his own pronouncements as that doyenne of the fashion world. Where's this guy get the chutzpah? I guess he's got the chops to back it up, but it's just annoying. It strikes me as the sense of entitlement among some Gen-Y kids that inspires them to be brazen enough to just go for what they want without respecting authority. Hence, the clashes between Chris and Christian.
Chris March speaks to his designs, or to himself? So what! That's definitely part of his charm. Everyone else is just complain-complain-complain. But like he said after hearing Jillian freak out yet again over yet another overly ambitious design that was poorly executed, "If you haven't learned what this is about by now, you'll never learn." (Or something to that effect.)
Chris is right: While it purports to identify the next great American designer, Project Runway is purely about Great TV.
Christian has gladly taken the role of "The Villain." Chris has a persona that plays well on TV, too - the wizened Comedian who's been around the block a few times. So in the context of making Great TV, Chris is skidding by on his personality a little right now - that's fine by me, frankly, as long as he sticks around a bit longer.
This is the problem with Christian - he doesn't understand how the show works. He seems to think he deserves to win every single episode, appears genuinely crestfallen when he doesn't, and that's because he does not get it.
Yes, his motocross jeans and cropped jacket looked fierce, but that's not all that's getting Christian this far. But really, that's not the point.
Surely Christian realizes that the producers need to protect some of the more colorful characters until the end, to keep up interest - whether all the remaining designers' talent is on par with his or not. I'm not saying that if Victorya was a more colorful character she'd be kept on; her trench was the wrong way to go about it during this challenge.
And the Winner Is... Ricky?!Oh Ricky, aka Mr Waterworks - who cries when he's sad, when he's inspired, when he's overwhelmed with the emotion over winning. He pumps some theatrics into the show, but he is definitely talented (although last week, when he wore a sleeveless tshirt? No. This week, he looked a million times better).
Kudos to you, Ricky - this time, your design sense was on display, front-and-center. The corset was expertly tailored and fit the model like a second skin.
It's Christian's naivete that convinces him that he can win every challenge, despite the point of the show being about entertainment. Similarly, they're keeping Ricky around for effect, yet, and the best designers are still around, so they're playing the balancing act now.
Pulling Out All the StopsSweet P's really pulled out the stops these last couple of weeks, showing she really can design. Her wedding-dress idea was a goofy one, and thank God she was saved by Tim Gunn's extremely judgmental reaction in the workroom. In the end, those dark side panels she created were slimming, like Michael Kors said - the design had "that voodoo," the optical illusion that makes it a dress every woman would want to own because it makes her look fantastic.
And although by designing with denim, they were working with the polar opposite of jersey, Rami pulled off a great design. This reminded me of the skills and vision he brought to the candy episode, where the wrappers became a pleated skirt and the bodice fit like a dream. However I thought the zipper trim in the denim design was a little hokey. I've never liked zipper trim in designs.
I would love to know when they decide on the challenges, whether they're predetermined, or if the producers decide on the challenge once they see who's left? I vote for the latter, because I'm such a cynic.
Final Three: Rami, Christian, Jillian with Sweet P as a wildcard


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Blue Bell is located in Pennsylvania. Blue Bell, Pennsylvania has a population of 6,052. Blue Bell is less family-centric than the surrounding county with 29% households with children. The county percentage for households with children is 29%.
The median household income in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania is $139,747. The median household income for the surrounding county is $94,064 compared to the national median of $66,222. The median age of people living in Blue Bell is 48.6 years.
The average high temperature in July is 87 degrees, with an average low temperature in January of 22.6 degrees. The annual precipitation is 48.79.


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March 6, 2004 --
If You Say Anybody Ever Suffered but Jews,
You're Anaziwhowantstokillsixmillionjews
March 6, 2004 --
When Troops Killed People on an American Campus
March 6, 2004 --
Did Clinton Destroy Dean?
March 6, 2004 --
Shooting at the Flag
Fun Quote:
You can fool anybody with statistics, but only
if he is a fool to start with.
Buy Bob's Book "Why Johnny Can't Think" from Amazon here!
If You Say Anybody Ever Suffered
But Jews, You are Anaziwhowantstokillsixmillionjews
Mel Gibson has
committed the unforgivable sin.
Gibson got so sick
of being attacked as an anti-Semite for his new movie about Christ's
crucifixion that HE ACTUALLY POINTED OUT THAT JEWS WERE NOT THE
For the media, that
is straight Nazism!
One thing Gibson
pointed out was that, before Hitler took power in Germany, Stalin
starved twenty million Ukrainians kulaks to death. Stalin stated
that his aim was to destroy the kulak class. Kulaks were the more
successful peasants in Russia.
Alan Colmes ( the
liberal on Fox's Hannity and Colmes) was talking to Billy Graham's
son about this.
Colmes said it was
pure anti-Semitism to compare the "accidental" famine under Stalin to
the murder of Jews by Hitler!
Billy Graham's boy,
since he is a good pet conservative for liberals, more or less
For the American
left, saying Stalin's starving the kulaks to death was an accident
is an improvement. They used to say it didn't happen at all.
Liberal Intellectuals who went to Russia in the 1930s said flatly,
"I saw no starving peasants."
Colmes admits they
starved, but he says Comrade Stalin had nothing to do with it.
So Mel Gibson is
now an official anti-Semite.
When Troops Killed People on an
American Campus
No, I am not
talking about Kent State. Kent State is the incident of troops
firing on campus that the media are still
screaming about. The Kent State incident was the last big campus riot against the
Vietnam War. It happened in 1972.
At Kent State University
students were shot by National Guard troops when the students were
throwing rocks at terrified young National Guardsmen.
The media used to deny the students
were throwing rocks. They admit it now, but they still call
the troops a bunch of fascists.
I am talking about
troops killing people on campus, but I am not talking about Kent
Now that many
cities are openly defying Federal immigration law and protecting
illegal immigrants openly, I am reminded of another campus shooting.
In 1962 the State
of Mississippi openly defied Federal law and refused to integrate the
of Mississippi. The president at that time was Saint John of
Kennedy. Saint john of Kennedy sent the 101st Airborne Division to
occupy the University
of Mississippi. In the process, those Federal troops shot three people down in cold blood
on the University of Mississippi campus. Those people
were not throwing rocks at them.
No liberal has ever
complained about THAT campus killing.
You can defy
Federal law if you are doing for the political left.
Hell, you can shoot
people if you are doing it for the left.
No conservative
will ever mention any of this.
Did Clinton Destroy Dean?
All the media agree
that Howard Dean really lost it when he did all that shrieking right
after the New Hampshire
But weeks before
that primary, National Review had a cover that showed Dean red-faced
and shrieking in exactly the same way in an earlier speech. That was when Dean led in
the polls.
The Dean who lost
was the same man who was so far ahead previously.
So what really
To most of us, all
liberals tend to look alike. But to liberals who are fighting for
power, the differences are crucial.
Bill Clinton took
over the Democratic Party from the moderate side. His Democratic
Study Committee wanted a less fanatical leftism, a bigger appeal to
the South and West than to the Northeast liberals.
Howard Dean wanted
the Democrats to become complete leftists again. I don't want to
bore you to death with internal Democratic politics, but the fact is
that Dean was taking the Party away from the Clintons.
The Clintons want
the Democratic Party to lose in 2004 so Hillary can get the
nomination in 2008. But at the same time they do not want someone
nominated in 2004 who will take the Party away from them.
Howard Dean had a
lot of weaknesses, but nobody seemed to notice them as he forged
ahead as the leftist candidate. Then suddenly they were
noticed and Dean was out.
William Jefferson
Clinton is a political genius. If I had his access to the press, I
could have destroyed Dean and left no traces of it. And I am
nowhere near Clinton's
genius in practical politics.
What the Democrats
now have is exactly what the Clintons would want. They are once
again nominating a Massachusetts
liberal for president. The Democrats have not won with anybody but a
Southerner since 1960.
What luck! The
have exactly what they want!
And if you believe
that was just luck, I have about a dozen bridges I want to sell
Shooting at the
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Leading up to the start of the 2011 Regular Season, Diamond Hoggers will preview each of MLB's 30 teams . Today's preview features the St. Louis Cardinals. Stay tuned as Diamond Hoggers previews every team division by division until the start of the regular season.
Over the course of a lifetime, a baseball fan might get a look at a half-dozen generational talents. That's if they're lucky. There might be one or two more or less give or take, but over the course of a full lifespan there aren't too many players who you just know when you see them that it's something so legendary that it couldn't be scripted better in a storybook.
Albert Pujols is one of those guys. Griffey Jr. was one of those guys. Alex Rodriguez has been removed from my list. I don't know if you can add in guys like Mike Schmidt, or Eddie Murray. Guys will plot the chart along the way who give a glimpse, but in terms of true legends that have a chance to go down in the history of one of the greatest of all-time; it just doesn't happen often.
Pujols was supposed to be a Cardinal forever. In the sea of Red he would appear every summer from the time he burst on the scene with one of the most prolific rookie seasons in the history of the game until the time when he was around forty years of age; a pile of championship rings in full tow.
It's frustrating to know that this was all that the Cardinals could muster in the Pujols era. This was really all they could get? One world title. Two World Series appearances. He's played in 56 career postseason games wearing that Red. As great as he is, as perfect as the numbers worked out over the course of a decade; that's all it really amounted to.
The final season of Pujols in St. Louis might be upon us all. We've predicted all along that he'll remain in St. Louis, and we stand by that. But with every passing moment it looks a little bit less likely. And no matter what Cardinal fans tell you the doubt is in the back of their minds, creeping in with each spring and summer day that goes by. Imagine being a Cardinals fan right now with the reverse succession of games counting down in your head. "147 games left of Albert Pujols…. 146 games left of Albert Pujols…." and so on.
Would he really leave St. Louis?
He's never appeared as a guy who would want to wear another uniform, or break the bank so badly that a contending team wouldn't be able to be built around him. That's why this makes no sense. Pujols has never came out and said he needs $300 million dollars but that was the report that was floated and it's probably accurate. That said, we imagine that what is taking place is similar to what happened when Jim Thome left Cleveland for Philadelphia a few years back. He didn't want to leave, but the Player's Association was putting so much pressure on him to take the biggest contract he could get that he felt that he had to take it to do what was right for his peers and for the sport. They were talking about building statues outside of Jacobs Field in Cleveland if Thome would have stayed. The heartbreak was monumental–and if Pujols walks out of St. Louis it would be about as bad for that city as the Arch crumbling on a sunny day or LeBron James taking his talents to South Beach.
In the end, we think that he takes less than it was reported and settles for conceivably less than he could get on the open market to stay in St. Louis, and the storybook continues to be written in this quaint little baseball mecca in the Midwest. But before that happens, you will see Albert Pujols's magnum opus. He will be in his element, taking no prisoners in 2011. A career year will be painted like a beautiful Picasso by the man who uses an AP5 Maple bat as his paint brush. This will be the year he tops 50 home runs, drives in 130, hits .340 with over 200 hits. This should be the season in which you see all of his greatest numbers from every category combined for a season of the ages. His prolonged slumps will be no longer than a short series, and his hot streaks should go on for weeks. Albert Pujols is about to show the world why he's still baseball's best player.
And soon enough, we think Cardinals fans everywhere will be able to finally exhale.
The team around Pujols
The Cardinals have been able to have 'the big 3′ behind Pujols the past few seasons. And there aren't many teams who can be as dominant with their top four players as the Cards' Chris Carpenter, Matt Holliday, and Adam Wainwright. But the Cardinals received a damaging blow when news broke that Wainwright would have Tommy John surgery and that he would miss the upcoming season.
When I look at other building blocks in this organization, guys like Colby Rasmus and David Freese are guys that I look at in terms of being able to take that torch from Pujols down the road. Rasmus needs to grow up and mature, and Freese just needs to stay healthy. I've seen a lot of big time third baseman watching baseball, and I'm telling your right now that this Freese is a ballplayer. His backside power and natural tendencies as a hitter will make him dangerous in the middle of the order for years to come.
Yadier Molina is a gold glove backstop, and the stage is not ever too bright for him. He's a guy who can hurt you in big spots, he's a tougher out hitting in the clutch than most give him credit for.
While the Cardinals don't have an abundance of headliners at their core, it's a solid enough group that you can win with them. And if they just buy into Tony La Russa's grinding style, they'll be a tough out in 2011 as a team. Whether Pujols stays or not, the Cardinals will always be at least competitive with this core.
The Cardinals Character
Anyone who has watched baseball at any length should know that Tony La Russa is quirky. He'll do weird shit, just because. He strikes me as a guy who would mix mint chocolate chip yogurt along with pralines and cream, because he wanted to see what color it would end up making.
He'll trot out John Jay at first base to give an off-day to Pujols. He'll double switch pitchers to hit for themselves. He will absolutely love the 16-inning game that depletes the bullpen so he can see what Allen Craig has got on the mound. He lives for that stuff.
It's true, La Russa is a great manager. He's a consistent winner. But I also think he out manages himself at times. In the process of being unpredictable to manage and play against, sometimes the simpler solution would do fine. It's Tony's Achilles heel and possibly also his greatest strength. And he's going to ride with it until it flames out. He also whips his horses hard. Somehow, he gets veterans to play every single day in the heat of a playoff chase. You look at the back of their baseball card at the end of the season and they give La Russa 158, 160 games somehow coming off an injury the year before. He rides guys until they drop. Again, strength mixed with weakness. The Cards flamed out last year because they were just dry-mouthed in the heat of a pennant race.
You can count on them finding a few reclamation projects over the course of the year who will surprise all of baseball. But you can also count on them using guys in the wrong spots and giving too many at-bats to a role player or two. It's an odd way to go about things. But this is the Cardinal way under TLR.
You can't count them out
A lot of people in the NL Central are now calling for this to be a 2-horse race with the loss of Wainwright. I don't see it that way at all. The Cardinals will find a suitable replacement in the rotation for Waino to take the ball, and it will be someone who does a solid job and acclimates himself well for being a newcomer as Jaime Garcia did last season going 13-8 with a 2.70 ERA.
They're still going to figure in the NL Central race and Wildcard even if they don't win either. They're not going to lose to as many bad teams as they did last year, just maybe more a few who are better. But it wouldn't surprise me a bit if the Cardinals are still unspoken for come late-August.
The Final Verdict
Last year they won 86 games and dropped 76, and they were a decent ballclub. We've got them at about 88 wins this year. They're going to be in the mix, but will ultimately fall short in the NL Central and will make the looming Pujols contract extension a big question mark heading into one of the most interesting November and December free agencies ever.
Cardinal fans should keep their eye on guys like Freese, Rasmus and young pitchers like Shelby Miller and Carlos Martinez. These guys are the future of your franchise. And depending on what happens over the next 8 months, it might be time to start uttering the words that every fan hates to hear. Rebuild.


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This is your guide for top Alpharetta events. If you're looking for things to do in Alpharetta, our calendar has got you covered.
- This event has passed.
Total Fitness
December 6 @ 9:30 am - 10:30 am
|Recurring Event (See all)
An event every week that begins at 9:30 am on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, repeating until March 31, 2024
A fun and interactive step class that includes light weight exercise. All equipment provided. This class is free.


text:
There are some superb design notebooks out there, with the contents of top designers' Moleskines forever providing that much needed inspiration we all need sometimes. However, some of us need a little more than a nice looking book to keep us inspired and organised.
Keeping a diary can be the best way to stay on top of projects, with products like the Weekly Planner reinventing the way diaries are created these days. However, the team over at Asbury & Asbury have decided to have a little fun with their recent product – The Perpetual Disappointments Diary.
A larger, improved take on 2013's design, the diary isn't specific to one year, with all new-demotivational proverbs mixed in with the most depressing of the old ones. There's also a Notable Deaths, Useful Phrases, Personal SWOT Analysis, Apology Note templates and Bank Insecurity Questions included. We think this diary will do anything but disappoint you.
[via Creative Review]
What do you make of The Perpetual Disappointments Diary? Let us know in the comments box below!


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