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Sunday, December 31, 2017
Yes, Roberto Clemente had excellent power!
By Steve Kallas (posted by Rick Morris)
We live in a world where many people never saw
players like Roberto Clemente or Sandy Koufax or Mickey Mantle actually play
baseball. So, now, Koufax was "overrated," as one "expert" said (preposterous,
of course). Or Mickey Mantle "only" hit .298 lifetime so, how good could he
really have been? (one of the greatest players ever, that's how good). Or, in
the case of Roberto Clemente, he didn't have power, so he can't be an all-time
great. One needs to look at the facts to (maybe) understand the greatness of
Clemente. Surviving film clips should be reviewed as well. This is about
Clemente, considered by a few contemporaries to be one of the greatest, if not
the greatest, players of all-time. Yet considered by many modern day "experts"
to be not worthy of a mention.
As many of you know, the anniversary of the
death of the great Roberto Clemente is on December 31. In 1972,
Clemente was flying a rescue mission to help the victims of an earthquake in
Nicaragua when his plane went down and his body was never found.
Whenever people talk about the great talents
of Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente, they always come to what was viewed to be
his major weakness, that thing that kept him from being considered in the same
class with the all-time greats. Clemente really didn't have power,
they say, he only hit 240 home runs, how can he be considered one of the
all-time greats if he didn't hit a lot of homers?, etc. Well, a
review of what some of his contemporaries thought, plus a review of the field
(Forbes Field) he played in for most of his career, will show that Clemente
really did have excellent power and should not be left out of the all-time
greats conversation.
This all started a few years ago when Hall of
Famer Duke Snider was on a New York radio station talking about, among others,
the great Clemente. Clemente has always been considered an all-time
great player, EXCEPT for that one fact — he didn't have power. When the
interviewer said what everybody has repeated through the years – that Clemente
didn't have power, that he only hit 240 home runs – Snider interrupted and
said, with surprise in his voice, "Clemente had power. HE PLAYED IN AN
This statement sounded surprising to those who
knew that Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner, a Pittsburgh Pirate great (1946-53) right
before Clemente (1955-72), had led the National League in home runs for seven
consecutive seasons. How could Kiner, a prolific home run hitter, have done so
well in Forbes Field while Clemente only managed to hit 240 home runs in his
Well, here's the answer to that
question: In 1947, the Pirates talked legendary player Hank
Greenberg into coming to Pittsburgh to play for the
Pirates. According to various reports, in order to sweeten the pot
for Greenberg, the Pirates decided to move their bullpens to
left-field. Forbes Field, a massive ballpark first used by the
Pirates in 1909, was 365 feet down the left-field line, 406 in left-center
going out to 457 in deep left-center.
Prior to the 1947 season at Forbes Field,
according to baseball-statistics.com, a "double-bullpen, 30 feet wide by 200
feet long, was placed behind the left field wall – it significantly cut the
distances in left field, reducing the left field line from 365 to 335 feet and
the left-center power alley from 406 to 355 feet." In Green
Cathedrals by Philip Lowry, the dimensions of Forbes Field are listed as "Left
Field, 365 (1930), 335 (1947), 365 (1954), Left Center, 406 (1942), 355 (1947),
406 (1954)."
The New York Times, in its April 19, 1947
edition, described the new "Greenberg Gardens" as a "tailor-made home-run area
in left field. The "Gardens" are an enclosed bullpen which shortens
the 365-foot distance to the left-field wall by 30 feet."
Well, that answers a few questions.
The Gardens, re-named by some as Kiner's
Korner since Greenberg retired after the 1947 season, stood at Forbes Field
until Kiner, in a dispute with Branch Rickey, was traded during the 1953
season. According to the New York Times, Rickey tried to immediately
take down the bullpen and shorter fence, but the National League ordered Rickey
to leave it up until the end of the 1953 season, when it was
removed. The old, absurd pre-1947 dimensions of Forbes Field were
restored for the 1954 season (to have an understanding of how massive Forbes
Field was, they stored the batting cage in left-center field ON the field
DURING the games).
Of course, Roberto Clemente was a rookie for
the Pittsburgh Pirates one year later in 1955.
Some of you know the crazy rule that existed
in baseball in the 1950s. If you signed a player for more than
$5,000, if that player was not put on the major-league roster for that season,
he could then be drafted after a year in the minors in the "Rule 5"
draft. According to the excellent Clemente biography by David
Maraniss, this is what happened to Roberto Clemente.
After a glowing report from Dodger superscout
Al Campanis (interestingly, he gave Clemente an A+ for power), Clemente was
originally signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers (to keep him away from the New York
Giants so they wouldn't have Willie Mays and Clemente in the same outfield) and
his bonus and contract made him someone who would have to be in the majors or
subject to a draft at the end of the year. The Dodgers did the same
thing a year later with a pitcher named Sandy Koufax – but the Dodgers kept him
on the major league team in 1955.
They tried to "hide" Clemente in the minors in
1954 but many knew of his great talents. So, while Koufax was
"protected," Clemente had a bizarre one-year minor-league career – only 87
games, only 147 at-bats, only a .257 average.
The hiding didn't work and the Pirates took
Clemente with the first pick of the Rule 5 draft.
So Roberto Clemente showed up at the airport
(Forbes Fields) in 1955 as a very young (20), very inexperienced (147 minor
league at-bats), very out of place (in Pittsburgh) player. Below is
a discussion of some of the power he showed and what some of his contemporaries
thought of him from a power perspective:
ROGERS HORNSBY – A coach for the Chicago Cubs
in 1959, the Hall of Famer witnessed Clemente hitting a home run out of Wrigley
Field on May 17, 1959 that landed on Waveland Avenue, well over 500
feet. It went out to the left of the scoreboard in center field. Hornsby
said it was one of the longest home runs he had ever seen in his 45 years in
SANDY KOUFAX — Two Koufax stories: 1) In the
excellent Clemente biography by Kal Wagenheim, Koufax said that the longest
ball ever hit off him to the opposite field was "hit off me by Clemente at the
Los Angeles Coliseum in 1961. It was a fastball on the outside
corner, and he drove it out of the park; not over the fence, but he knocked it
way out." Koufax went on to say that Clemente "could hit a PITCHOUT
for a home run"; 2) On May 31, 1964 at Forbes Field, Clemente hit a home run
off Koufax 30 feet high off the light tower in center field. Koufax
said he couldn't recall anyone hitting one longer off him (from "Tales of the
JOHNNY PESKY – Many don't know that the face
of the Boston Red Sox was a coach for manager Harry Walker of the Pirates when
Clemente played in Pittsburgh. Two Pesky stories: 1) The Wagenhem
bio talks of the day (May 15, 1967) when Clemente hit three home runs and a
double against Cincinnati, driving in all seven runs for the Pirates in an 8-7
loss. Pesky, who played with the great Ted Williams, said he had
never seen such a fearful display of power in one game; 2) According to the
Maraniss bio, Pesky told writer Les Biederman of the Pittsburgh Press that the
only hitter he had ever seen get solid wood on the ball time after time as much
as Clemente was his [Pesky's] friend Ted Williams.
HARRY WALKER – Walker was the manager of the
Pirates in 1966. Before the season started, he went to Clemente and
told him (according to the Wagenheim bio) "Roberto, I wish this year
you would go for power, hit 25 homers and get 115 runs batted in. We
will need it for the pennant." Clemente went out and, in his MVP
season of 1966, hit 29 home runs and drove in 119 runs (and scored
105). This was staggering because it was (and remains today) the
third highest home run total for a right-handed batter in the history of Forbes
Field (excluding, of course, the Greenberg Gardens years of 1947-1953).
CLEMENTE v. STARGELL v. KINER – It's obviously
hard to compare, but understand a few things about this
trio. Clemente only averaged about 5-6 home runs a year at Forbes
Field, a place he played in for fifteen-and-a-half seasons. Stargell
only averaged about 10 home runs a year at Forbes Field in the seven-and-a-half
seasons he played there. Yes, Stargell was lefty and it was just
about equally hard to hit home runs for lefties (although the deepest part of
the park was 457 to left center).
The Kiner comparisons are
fascinating. Kiner played one year, his first, at Forbes Field when
it was an airport (the year before Hank Greenberg came to Pittsburgh). In
that first year (old dimensions), Kiner hit 23 home runs. Then, with
the advent of Greenberg Gardens, Kiner hit 51, 40, 54, 47, 42 and 37 in his
next six seasons (Kiner often credited his mentor, Hank Greenberg, with
teaching him (Kiner) how to pull the ball, making him especially deadly with
Greenberg Gardens in left to left center field at Forbes Field).
This is not to detract from Ralph Kiner in any
way. In fact, his 23 home runs in 1946 led the National
League. But Kiner, according to The Baseball Biography Project
(www.bioproj.sabr.org), only hit eight home runs (of his 23) at Forbes Field in
1946. In 1947, with the advent of Greenberg Gardens, he hit 28 (of
his 51) at Forbes Field. In his one season playing his home games in
the old Forbes Field, Kiner hit 23 home runs for the season. In the next
six seasons playing his home games in the "new" Forbes Field, Kiner AVERAGED
over 45 home runs per year.
Give that a little thought when you think
about Roberto Clemente.
FIELD – Without question, this is a misleading stat. But it's
presented to show the futility of trying to hit home runs at Forbes
Field. The all-time list at Forbes Field, according to
baseball-statistics.com, is 1) Ralph Kiner, 175, 2) Roberto Clemente, 85, 3)
Willie Stargell, 74, 4) Frank Thomas (obviously of the old Pirates and, later,
Mets, not the modern day slugger), 64, 5) Wally Westlake, 62.
Obviously, Clemente is high on the list
because he played there for many years but the point here is that NOBODY could
hit a lot of home runs in Forbes Field (except, again, during the Greenberg
Gardens years).
TRAYNOR AND TRIPLES – While this quote from legendary Pirate Pie Traynor wasn't
about Clemente, it makes a further point. Dave Anderson wrote a
column in the New York Times on July 11, 1970 (just before the closing of
Forbes Fields), discussing the fascinating point that, in the 61-year history
of Forbes Field, a no-hitter was never pitched there. Anderson
quoted Traynor as saying: "The reason for that is that it's a 'triple' ball
park, not a 'homer' ball park. Hitters shorten their swings."
Fascinating stuff. On more than one
occasion, Clemente told sportswriters about the absurdity of trying to hit home
runs in Forbes Field. In 1964, for example, Clemente told a
sportswriter that "As long as I'm in Forbes Field I can't go for home runs;
line drives, yes." Indeed, Clemente hit 166 triples in his career, playing
home games for fifteen-and-a-half seasons in a "triple" park. Who
knows how many of them would have been home runs in a "normal" park or in
Greenberg Gardens?
Interestingly, to almost prove Traynor's
point, two no-hitters (by Bob Gibson in 1971 and John Candelaria in 1976) were
thrown in the Pirates new stadium, Three Rivers Stadium, in the first seven
seasons there. It seems that Traynor had a point.
1967 – With information at
baseball-reference.com, a review was made of virtually every Clemente home
at-bat in the 1967 season. The goal was to try to get a feel for how
many additional home runs Clemente might have hit in Greenberg Gardens or a
more "reasonable" ballpark. Not scientific, but the results are
interesting. In 1967 home games, Clemente hit approximately 18-20 balls
that were fly outs to left or center (including sac flies) or extra base hits
to the outfield (mainly triples). There were eight home games for which
actual at-bats were not available.
An exercise in futility? Not
really, because it's just to make the additional point that Clemente had power
that didn't show up in his home run totals because of where he played in the
1950s and 60s.
SANDY KOUFAX AND FERGUSON JENKINS – Clemente
didn't hit more than six home runs against any individual
pitcher. But the two that he did hit six home runs off, Sandy Koufax
and Ferguson Jenkins, are two Hall of Fame pitchers. Interestingly,
he hit six off Koufax in only 107 at-bats. He hit six off Jenkins in
only 94 at-bats. Both work out to 30+ homer seasons with about 500
or so at-bats.
THE 1971 WORLD SERIES – The Baltimore Orioles,
big favorites to beat the Pirates, didn't really know how to pitch to Clemente
(not that anyone else did). Clemente stood far away from home plate and he
would often be pitched away under the theory that he couldn't reach the outside
pitch. Of course, he had excellent power the other way and many of
his blasts were to right and right-center field. But National
Leaguers knew it was a waste of time to pitch him inside. Clemente
once said "pitch me inside and I'll hit the ball to [expletive deleted]
In the '71 World Series, Clemente's (finally)
national recognition MVP World Series, according to the Maraniss bio, the
Orioles had decided to pitch Clemente inside (contrary to Gene Mauch's
(Phillies manager) Clemente Rule – "Don't pitch him inside. He'll
kill you."). This led to his .414 Series average. In Game
6, Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer came inside to Clemente in the first
inning. He hit a triple down the left field line. In the
third inning, Palmer went outside to Clemente. He hit a home run to
right field. With the game tied at 2 in the tenth inning, Dave Cash
singled but then stole second for the Pirates. Unfortunately, that
allowed the Orioles to intentionally walk Clemente. The Orioles
would win, 3-2, setting up Game 7.
Oriole ace Mike Cuellar started Game 7 for the
Orioles. Long-time rivals, Clemente turned on an inside pitch and hit it
390 feet over the left field wall after Cuellar had retired the first 11
Pirates he had faced in the pivotal game. The run turned out to be
the difference as the Pirates won Game 7, 2-1, and the World
Series. Clemente had at least one hit in every game and had two doubles, a
triple and two home runs in the seven-game Series.
MOON SHOTS – By no means all-inclusive, here is a list of other Clemente
notable smashes:
In 1955, according to the Wagenheim bio,
Clemente hit a Warren Spahn pitch OVER the scoreboard in left field at Forbes
Field. The New York Times, on February 11, 1954, explained what a shot this
would have to be when, discussing the tear down of Greenberg Gardens, the Times
wrote "More important, however, is that instead of clearing a twelve-foot
screen to land in homer territory, the hitter will now have to power his drive
over the left-field scoreboard, which rises 25 feet 6 inches." A few days
later, Clemente hit a 430- foot triple off Johnny Antonelli.
On September 8, 1958, Clemente tied a National
League record by hitting three triples in one game.
Early in the 1960 season, Clemente went three
for three against Cincinnati, with two doubles, a single and, according to the
Maraniss bio, "a long sacrifice fly that would have been a home run in any
other park but was hauled in by Vada Pinson near where the batting cage was
stored at the 457-foot sign in deepest left center."
On May 6, 1960, at San Francisco's Candlestick
Park, Clemente hit a ball pitched by Sam Jones into a terrific
wind. According to the Wagenheim bio, "the shocked fans and players
saw the home run ball land 450 feet away as Roberto calmly trotted around the
bases." According to Tales of the Tape, "Despite the wind, the ball
carried into the remote bleacher area beyond the left field
fence. Clemente and Ernie Banks are the only two visiting players to
reach that remote area of the park (along with two Giant players)."
In June of 1966, according to the Wagenheim
bio, during an 11-game home stand, Clemente hit .444 with 28 hits and six home
runs. Two of the home runs were to deep right center in Forbes
Field, landing "between the Barney Dreyfuss monument and a light tower close to
the 436-foot marker." During that home stand, according to "Tales of
the Tape," one of those home runs, hit off the Cardinal's Al Jackson, was hit
so far that Cardinal's outfielder Curt Flood said, "I just didn't think anyone
could hit a ball that far."
On September 2, 1966, Clemente got his 2,000th
hit off Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins, a mammoth blast into the upper deck in
right field at Forbes Field.
This is in no way meant to say that Clemente
had the power of a Mantle or a Mays or an Aaron (even Clemente admitted that
wasn't true). But it is to say that Roberto Clemente certainly had
excellent power and, if he had played somewhere else (or during the time of
Greenberg Gardens), his home run totals would have been much
higher. As Kal Wagenheim astutely noted in his Clemente bio, "Many a
home run in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Cincinnati, or Philadelphia
would have fallen innocuously into the leftfielder's glove at Forbes Field."
Nor could you compare Clemente's power to that
of the great Joe DiMaggio, who hit 361 home runs playing in his own airport at
the old Yankee Stadium.
But Clemente had his moments (and many of
them) where he showed what he could do. He understood early on that
it was pure folly to try and hit home runs at Forbes Field. He stood
far away from the plate, so most people would pitch him away. He had
stunning opposite field power for his time or any time. He played
mostly in the pre-1969, high mound "pitchers" era. He came to the
majors before he was ready, was thrown into the deep water and survived and
then thrived. The Maraniss bio lays out well the many injuries that
Clemente had and played with throughout his career. Despite those,
he wound up passing the great Honus Wagner for most games played by a
Pittsburgh Pirate.
To sum up, any conversation about the greatest
baseball players ever is simply incomplete (and misguided) without the great
Roberto Clemente's name in the conversation. He may not be a top
five player of all-time, but once you go to the bottom of the top 10, and
certainly to the top 15 or top 20, Roberto Clemente's name is in the mix and on
the list.
Remember, HE PLAYED IN AN AIRPORT (Thank you,
Duke Snider).
© Copyright 2008 by Steve
Kallas. All rights reserved.
Friday, December 29, 2017
2017 NFL Week 17 power rankings
By Rick Morris
NOTE: Rankings from start of season are
in parentheses.
1 New England
2 New Orleans
3 Los Angeles Rams
4 Minnesota
5 Carolina
6 Pittsburgh (7-6-6-3-9-5-4-4-3-6-6-6-6-6-6)
7 Philadelphia
8 Seattle (6-7-10-11-8-7-5-5-8-9-10-9-7-11-11)
9 Atlanta (3-2-2-2-2-3-9-9-13-11-7-7-9-8-8)
10 Jacksonville (23-24-23-26-13-14-13-13-11-10-9-12-12-9-9)
11 Kansas City (4-3-3-1-1-1-2-2-5-7-12-15-19-15-13)
12 Los Angeles Chargers
13 Baltimore
14 Tennessee
15 Buffalo
16 Dallas
17 Miami
18 San Francisco
19 Washington
20 Oakland (5-4-5-7-16-26-11-14-12-12-16-14-14-18-18)
21 Detroit
22 Arizona
23 Chicago
24 Cincinnati
25 New York Jets (32-32-29-29-28-28-26-25-20-22-22-22-17-21-22)
26 Green Bay
27 Denver (10-8-7-5-4-11-20-20-24-25-27-27-27-27-27)
28 Houston
29 Tampa Bay
30 Indianapolis
31 New York Giants
32 Cleveland (29-29-31-32-32-32-32-32-32-32-32-32-32-32-32)
BIGGEST RISERS: San Francisco (6 spots),
Seattle (3 spots)
BIGGEST FALLERS: Green Bay (5 spots),
New York Jets (3 spots)
Lounge on YouTube: Mini-Episode #943 – Sunny Episode Rankings Part 10
By Rick Morris
Mini-Episode #943
of The FDH Lounge is Part 10 of our series ranking all of the episodes of It's
Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Lounge on YouTube: Mini-Episode #942 – Sunny Episode Rankings Part 9
By Rick Morris
Mini-Episode #942
of The FDH Lounge is Part 9 of our series ranking all of the episodes of It's
Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Lounge on YouTube: Mini-Episode #941 – Sunny Episode Rankings Part 8
By Rick Morris
Mini-Episode #941
of The FDH Lounge is Part 8 of our series ranking all of the episodes of It's
Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Lounge on YouTube: Mini-Episode #940 – 2017 NFL Week 17 preview
By Rick Morris
Here is
Mini-Episode #940 of The FDH Lounge, previewing 2017 NFL Week 17.
Lounge on YouTube: Mini-Episode #939 – Sunny Episode Rankings Part 7
By Rick Morris
Mini-Episode #939
of The FDH Lounge is Part 7 of our series ranking all of the episodes of It's
Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Lounge on YouTube: Mini-Episode #938 – Sunny Episode Rankings Part 6
By Rick Morris
Mini-Episode #938
of The FDH Lounge is Part 6 of our series ranking all of the episodes of It's
Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Lounge on YouTube: Mini-Episode #937 – Sunny Episode Rankings Part 5
By Rick Morris
Mini-Episode #937
of The FDH Lounge is Part 5 of our series ranking all of the episodes of It's
Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
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Astro-logical Forecast for Thursday & Friday 3/19-20/2015: New Moon & Solar Eclipse in Pisces; Vernal Equinox
The only exact aspect today is a communicative hit between the intuitive Pisces Moon and potent Pluto at 7:11AM ET. With the Sun and Moon in the last degrees of Pisces, we are at the very end of the lunar cycle and the astrological year. In this dark of the Moon, we may feel listless or restless, sensing that there is something new just around the corner. Do not despair.
This dreamy/spacey flow is likely to shift noticeably on Friday, as the Moon and Sun charge into Aries, ready to fire without necessarily taking the time to aim. Let's talk about the potential of the New Moon first.
A New Moon offers the opportunity to re-set your intentions for the next 30 days. Make a list; light a candle; plant those seeds. Around the 27th, on the First Quarter Moon, we can expect a challenge to those goals, with appropriate adjustments made. How are our seedlings doing? Keep on nurturing them, and at the time of the Full Moon (and a potent lunar eclipse) on April 4th, they may flower. We may receive illumination on the success or failure of our goals for the cycle, either way. If we succeeded, we can consciously release our success into our reality; if we failed, we let go of whatever did not work. After the Third Quarter Moon on April 11th, we can harvest our achievements, then tie up loose ends, compost and get ready to begin another New Moon cycle on April 18th.
The Pisces mantra is I BELIEVE. If you know where 29 degrees of Pisces falls in your horoscope, this is the area of your life where you might consider your long-held beliefs and contemplate a new vision. The New Moon is exact at 5:36AM ET. You'll have less than an hour to contemplate soulfully during a Moon-void that ends at 6:28AM ET. Then Moon enters me-me-me Aries. The Sun follows suit at 6:45PM ET. Happy Vernal Equinox! Let the action begin! As Aries astrologer Rick Levine says of Aries, "Ready! Fire! Aim!".
And therein lies the caveat of this potent lunation. Some visions may be acted upon impulsively, perhaps recklessly. Aries energy is RAMbunctious. It is a pioneer and it is a warrior.
The Sabian Symbol for the New Moon is "The Great Stone Face," which recalls a short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne about "a boy who lives under and looks up to a mountain formation resembling the face of a man". The story was written in 1850, when Uranus and Pluto were conjunct in Aries and Neptune was in early Pisces (about where it is right now). How interesting that it was created under the influence of planetary patterns that are not unlike what we are currently experiencing.
There is a spiritual element to the story and a search for greatness outside the self, What does it takes to become the embodiment of an ideal and how do you know if it's the Real (i)Deal? Here is the Wikipedia summary; here is the full text of the story. If you like The Wizard of Oz and/or The Alchemist (by Paolo Coelho), you'll like The Great Stone Face.
Of this Sabian Symbol, expert Blain Bovee writes:
The projection of self culminates in an expression that seems to transcend the temporal existence of the individual, echoing for the ages, the face of mankind.
Well, that sounds deep and wise and all-encompassing, doesn't it? In the aftermath of the seventh Uranus-Pluto square, one would hope that the next signpost on this cosmic journey would be something big. So what does it mean for you?
Wherever this New Moon falls in your horoscope is where you have the opportunity to plant seeds — with greater than the usual potency. That's because this New Moon is also a solar eclipse…and it also falls on the Aries Point. If your life is on track, you may reap an abundant harvest. If your life is not on track, this New Moon/Eclipse may call attention to certain flaws, resulting in quite a challenge. So do think carefully about those seeds.
A Solar Eclipse can act like a "bottleneck" of energy. Light flowing from the Sun is temporarily interrupted, focusing attention on that interrupted point, allowing something new and possibly fragile to enter the picture and grow. And here I would be thinking of Michael, the kindhearted policeman in the storybook Make Way for Ducklings, who stopped the flow of traffic on Beacon Street so Mr. and Mrs. Mallard and their brood of eight could safely make their way to the Boston Public Garden. Got that?
You are more personally affected by this soulful, potent New Moon/Eclipse f you have a planet or angle around 29 degrees of Virgo, Gemini, Sagittarius and especially Pisces….or in the first few degrees (beginning) of Libra, Cancer, Capricorn and especially Aries. Several famous people whose horoscopes are affected include Jill Abramson, Glenn Close, Harvey Weinstein, Spike Lee, Holly Hunter, Brent Scowcroft and Bruce Willis; they were all born on the 19th or 20th of March.
And now, the news.
Right after I posted the forecast on Tuesday, a massive solar storm hit Earth, disrupting the status quo and lighting up the skies of both hemispheres. Wow! Other status quo disruptions: a campaign has begun to put a woman on the face of the $20 bill — who would you nominate? The target launch date is 2020 — sounds about right.
Meanwhile…first it was Walmart, and now Target has announced it will raise its minimum wage. I predict this trend will continue. Did you know that the first minimum wage law happened in 1933, during the last Uranus-Pluto square cycle? It was ruled unconstitutional, but after a few years of chaos, it was reinstated in 1938.
Elsewhere, a rebellious Greece defied the EC by moving ahead with measures that would offer food stamps to the poor. In Israel, many were surprised that Prime Minister Netanyahu won his bid for re-election so "decisively". The win does support a projected career boost this fall, suggested by his horoscope (and noted in a prior forecast). In Tunisia, anti-terrorism rallies are being held in response to a massacre at an art museum yesterday, in which a number of foreign tourists were killed.
Yesterday's exact meet-up between Mercury and Neptune suggested a focus on spirits of all kinds and illusion. Exhibit A: a bit-coin "exit scam" whose perpetrators made off with $12 million. Exhibit B: the effectiveness of "faith-based" Alcoholics Anonymous (another product of the last Uranus-Pluto square in the 1930s) is called into question, as the program itself is called "irrational". Exhibit C: in Napa, a murder-suicide over an investment gone wrong — in a vineyard — is making headlines.
In a follow-up to one of Tuesday's stories: Atlantic reporter David A. Graham attempted to make sense of the bewildering reality of the "dude" known as Al Gore now being "like the planet, getting hotter by the hour". Dear David A. Graham, do give me a call, and I will explain what's going on in Mr. Gore's horoscope (or just read my Tuesday forecast, dude).
What's going on in your horoscope?
Find out in a personal astro-logical consultation.

subset: commoncrawl


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Chambers v. Bailey et al
Filing 11
JUDGMENT pursuant to 10 Order Adopting Report and Recommendations entered this date, judgment is hereby entered dismissing this action without prejudice; the relief sought is denied. Signed by Chief Judge J. Leon Holmes on 6/28/12. (vjt)
Disclaimer: Justia Dockets & Filings provides public litigation records from the federal appellate and district courts. These filings and docket sheets should not be considered findings of fact or liability, nor do they necessarily reflect the view of Justia.


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Joseph Cinqué Biography
Joseph Cinqué
(Sengbe Pieh)slave leader
Born: 1811
Birthplace: Sierra Leone, Africa
Cinqué was a rice farmer in his native Sierra Leone when he was captured by Portuguese slavers and brought by ship to Havana, Cuba. This enslavement violated numerous treaties. Cinqué and 52 Africans, who had been sold to Spanish planters, were then boarded on the Spanish ship the Amistad, which was headed for a Caribbean plantation. Cinqué freed himself from his shackles and led a rebellion. The captives killed all but the ship's navigator and demanded that he sail back to Africa. Instead, the navigator duped the Africans and headed for North America. Two months later, the ship was captured by a U.S. Navy ship off Long Island Sound and the slaves were charged with murder and imprisoned in Conn. The murder charges were dismissed, but the slaves remained in prison as the planters, the Spanish government, and the captain of the U.S. ship all laid claim to the Africans.
President Martin Van Buren, hoping to win Southern votes, sought to have the slaves extradited to Cuba. Abolitionists who opposed extradition hired a defense team for the slaves. The lawyers argued in federal court that the slaves were kidnap victims rather than property. The court ruled in favor of the defense, saying that the Africans were held illegally as slaves. The decision was appealed, and former President John Quincy Adams defended the group before the Supreme Court in January 1841. The court upheld the earlier decision. Thirty-five of the former slaves secured passage home to Africa with the help of sympathetic missionary societies in 1842. The others died either in prison or on the journey back to their homeland.
Died: 1852


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On this day in 1946, Arthur Chevrolet, an auto racer and the brother of Chevrolet auto namesake Louis Chevrolet, committed suicide in Slidell, Louisiana.
Louis Chevrolet was born in Switzerland in 1878, while Arthur's birth year has been listed as 1884 and 1886. By the early 1900s, Louis and Arthur, along with their younger brother Gaston, had left Europe and moved to America, where they became involved in auto racing. In 1905, Louis defeated racing legend Barney Oldfield at an event in New York. Louis Chevrolet's racing prowess eventually caught the attention of William C. Durant, who in 1908, founded General Motors (GM). Chevrolet began competing and designing cars for GM's Buick racing team. In 1911, Chevrolet teamed up with William Durant to produce the first Chevrolet car. The two men clashed about what type of car they wanted, with Durant arguing for a low-cost vehicle to compete with Henry Ford's Model T and Chevrolet pushing for something more high-end. In 1915, Chevrolet sold his interest in the company to Durant and the following year the Chevrolet Motor Company became part of General Motors.
Throughout this time, Louis Chevrolet's brothers continued racing and building cars. Arthur Chevrolet drove in the inaugural Indianapolis 500, held in 1911, although mechanical problems forced him out of the race and he failed to finish. He made another attempt at the Indy 500 in 1916, but once again dropped out due to mechanical issues. Gaston Chevrolet won the Indy 500 in 1920 in a Monroe car designed by his brothers; he died later that year in a racing accident.
Despite Louis and Arthur's talent for racing and design (in addition to building cars, they also designed aircraft engines) they had little gift for finance and often were pushed out of their endeavours before they could reap the rewards due to them. By the 1930s, both men were broke and their racing careers were over. Louis returned to Detroit to work in GM's Chevrolet division. He died on June 6, 1941. His brother Arthur committed suicide five years later.


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Cookie Policy
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Surfing on this site you accept the use of cookies as established by the guarantor for the protection of personal data according to Act 229, 8 May 2014. If you do not accept the use of cookies, you have to set your browser accordingly or otherwise you will not be able to access any page of this site.
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20x30 Premium Bath Mat Blended 7 lbs
Prices per dozen (12 Towels)
100% cotton loop
Frame Border
Weight 7 lbs
Dimensions 20x30
Registering for this site allows you to access your order status and history. Just fill in the fields below, and we'll get a new account set up for you in no time. We will only ask you for information necessary to make the purchase process faster and easier.
Create an Account20x30 Premium Bath Mat Blended 7 lbs
Prices per dozen (12 Towels)
100% cotton loop
Frame Border
Weight 7 lbs
Dimensions 20x30
At Towels N More, our shipping process is simple. All online orders are shipped within one business day of the time when they are originally placed. The only exception to this rule will be if you order an item that is in "back order" status, at which point the item would ship as soon as it becomes available. Orders that are placed on Saturday or Sunday will ship out on the following Monday. Orders placed after 3 pm mountain time are shipped the next business day
We use FedEx and or UPS Ground for all regular orders. Bulk orders are shipped through LTL, Free shipping offer is for bulk order over $5000 and only to lower 48 states and use LTL. If 50% or over bulk free shipping order returned, full shipping cost will be deducted from the refund amount.
Please check your order at arrival and inform us within 24 hours of delivery of any concerns like shortage or damage.
If an order is cancelled by customer while en-route to the customer the shipping charges and any extra cost of returning the package will not be refunded.
For more information, you can call (602) 438-6622. You can also email a member of our team at email@example.com.
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This is no longer a working Blog... You can find me now at:
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2.) Make the change in your blogroll if you have been so kind as to have put me there. :)
Thanks! Looking forward to seeing you on Unputdownables!


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It's Been a Blast! Alaska Volcano Observatory Marks 25th
America's busiest cargo airport is in Anchorage, Alaska, where international flights heading to and from the Far East make frequent stops.
The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO), celebrating its 25th anniversary this month, monitors volcanic eruptions that can wreak havoc on the busy air traffic.
For Alaska, a state that depends on air travel for moving people and goods to its far-flung and remote towns and villages, it's critical to know when and where to expect a volcanic plume.
"Since 1988, AVO has responded to over 70 eruptive events from Alaska's 52 historically active volcanoes," John Power, scientist-in-charge of AVO, said in a statement. "Many of these eruptions affected local and international air traffic, oil production, the fishing industry, municipalities, businesses and citizens."
The state's more than 50 active volcanoes have all erupted since 1760, and there are 29 more simmering on Russia's nearby Kamchatka Peninsula. All could belch ash plumes that clog airplane engines.
The Volcano Observatory was created in 1988, two years after the eruption of Augustine volcano, located 175 miles (280 km) southwest of Anchorage, affected the airport and the city of Homer.
On Dec. 14, 1989, the eruption of Mount Redoubt spewed ash 30,000 feet (9,100 meters) into the air. The next day, a KLM passenger plane flew through the cloud and all four engines shut off as the ash burst into flame inside them. The plane dropped 9,800 feet (3,000 m) in four minutes before the engines restarted and the plane landed safely.
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When Redoubt erupted again in March 2009, Anchorage's airport was briefly closed. The airport was never officially closed in 1989, but most commercial carriers diverted flights and other airports closed in smaller cities, according to the AVO. Military aircraft at nearby Elmendorf Air Force Base were also shifted to other bases.
At the start, the Volcano Observatory monitored Alaska's most threatening volcanoes: Mount Spurr, Mount Iliamna, Redoubt and Augustine. Over the years, scientists installed seismic monitoring equipment at 32 volcanoes. With the federal budget sequester, they will no longer monitor Little Sitkin, Ukinrek Maars and Ugashik-Peulik volcanoes with real-time equipment, the observatory announced March 26. Just 120 of almost 200 seismic monitors in the state are in working condition, the observatory said in a statement.
Research also includes looking at past eruptions, to see how big and how far past ash and lava traveled, and how frequently the volcanoes exploded. The 1912 Novarupta eruption at Mount Katmai was the largest in the 20th century. [10 Biggest Volcanic Eruptions in History]
Most of Alaska's active volcanoes are strung like jewels along the Aleutian island arc, above a subduction zone. The islands sit above the collision between two of Earth's tectonic plates, where the Pacific plate slides beneath the North American plate into the mantle, the deeper layer beneath the crust. As heat and pressure from the mantle squeeze water out of the Pacific plate, the escaping water helps partially melt the nearby mantle, creating magma that rises to the surface, forming volcanoes.
Email Becky Oskin or follow her @beckyoskin. Follow us @OAPlanet, Facebook or Google+. Original article on LiveScience's OurAmazingPlanet.


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Three out of four Americans believe the Bible is the word of God, according to a new Gallup poll; some say the literal word, others that a supreme being inspired the text. But an increasing number also view the book as simply a collection of fables, legends and history.
In the survey, which sampled 1,028 adults aged 18 and older in interviews conducted May 8-11 of this year, 28 percent said they believed the Bible was the "actual word of God and is to be taken literally, word for word." That percentage is down from the peak of about 40 percent seen in similar surveys in the late 1970s and just above the all-time low of 27 percent reported in Gallup surveys in 2001 and 2009.
According to Gallup, its questions touch on "two ongoing debates in Christian theology."
"One is about whether the words of the Bible came directly from God — essentially using the writers as scribes — or if they are the words of men, but guided by divine inspiration. The other debate involves the meaning of the words: whether they should be taken literally, or be viewed partly — or merely — as metaphors and allegories that allow for interpretation."
"Also, by 58% to 34%, Christians are significantly more likely to indicate they believe the Bible is the actual word of God when given the additional option of saying "the Bible is the actual word of God, but multiple interpretations are possible" than when only having the option of saying "the Bible is the actual word of God and is to be taken literally, word for word." This could be an important indicator of the depth of U.S. Christians' devotion to the Bible," Gallup says.
In the latest poll, 47 percent say the Bible is "the inspired word of God but not everything in it should be taken literally," while 21 percent said it's "an ancient book of fables, legends, history, and moral precepts recorded by man." That figure is up from 17 percent in a 2012 survey and the same as reported in a 2009 poll.
In a 2013 survey, Gallup found that 76 percent of Americans describe themselves as Christians, while 22 percent identify with another religion or no religion, including 15 percent as "none," the largest percentage since the religion survey was first taken in 1948.
In other reporting on surveys about religion:
-- Millennials 'Talk To God,' But Fewer Rely On Religion, Survey Finds (April 11, 2014)
-- Losing Our Religion: The Growth Of The 'Nones' (Jan. 13, 2013)
-- Do You Believe In Miracles? Most Americans Do (Feb. 23, 2010)
-- Religion Survey Finds Many Americans Swap Faiths (Feb. 26, 2008)
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Ingredient in Olive Oil Looks Promising in the Fight Against Cancer
Oleocanthal kills cancer cells with their own enzymes
A Rutgers nutritional scientist and two cancer biologists at New York City's Hunter College have found that an ingredient in extra-virgin olive oil kills a variety of human cancer cells without harming healthy cells.
The ingredient is oleocanthal, a compound that ruptures a part of the cancerous cell, releasing enzymes that cause cell death.
Paul Breslin, professor of nutritional sciences in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, and David Foster and Onica LeGendre of Hunter College, report that oleocanthal kills cancerous cells in the laboratory by rupturing vesicles that store the cell's waste. LeGendre, the first author, Foster, the senior author, and Breslin have published their findings in Molecular and Cellular Oncology.
According to the World Health Organization's World Cancer Report 2014, there were more than 14 million new cases of cancer in 2012 and more than 8 million deaths.
Scientists knew that oleocanthal killed some cancer cells, but no one really understood how this occurred. Breslin believed that oleocanthal might be targeting a key protein in cancer cells that triggers a programmed cell death, known as apoptosis, and worked with Foster and Legendre to test his hypothesis after meeting David Foster at a seminar he gave at Rutgers.
"We needed to determine if oleocanthal was targeting that protein and causing the cells to die," Breslin said.
After applying oleocanthal to the cancer cells, Foster and LeGendre discovered that the cancer cells were dying very quickly – within 30 minutes to an hour. Since programmed cell death takes between 16 and 24 hours, the scientists realized that something else had to be causing the cancer cells to break down and die.
LeGendre, a chemist, provided the answer: The cancer cells were being killed by their own enzymes. The oleocanthal was puncturing the vesicles inside the cancer cells that store the cell's waste – the cell's "dumpster," as Breslin called it, or "recycling center," as Foster refers to it. These vesicles, known as lysosomes are larger in cancer cells than in healthy cells, and they contain a lot of waste. "Once you open one of those things, all hell breaks loose," Breslin said.
But oleocanthal didn't harm healthy cells, the researchers found. It merely stopped their life cycles temporarily – "put them to sleep," Breslin said. After a day, the healthy cells resumed their cycles.
The researchers say the logical next step is to go beyond laboratory conditions and show that oleocanthal can kill cancer cells and shrink tumors in living animals. "We also need to understand why it is that cancerous cells are more sensitive to oleocanthal than non-cancerous cells," Foster said.
Media contacts: Ken Branson, 848-932-0590, cell 908-797-2590, firstname.lastname@example.com; at Hunter College, Chris Browne, 212-396-6533, firstname.lastname@example.com


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Thank you for trusting us with some information about you. We take that trust seriously and we want you to know how we use your information and why.
If you have queries about how we use your data, or comments or questions about this Policy, please do email us. The email address to use is set out in section 2 below.
Policy updates: We keep this Policy under regular review, and this page may be updated from time to time. Please come back here to check the latest version. This Policy was last updated on the date given in the final box in the table in section 2 below.
2.Who are we?
Name |
Trent Virtual Assistant |
Trading Name |
Trent Virtual Assistant Ltd 62 Lynton Gardens Arnold Nottingham NG5 7HA 0115 784 3272 07840806040 |
Company only: Director |
Sheona White |
Company Registration Number |
10093199 |
Email address for official notices |
email@example.com |
Data Retention Period(s) |
12 months |
Card and payment processor (3rd party) |
Lloyds Bank plc https://www.lloydsbank.com/business/privacy.html |
Cookie policy |
www.trentvirtualassisant.co.uk/terms-conditions |
Date this Policy last updated |
20 April 2020 |
3.Words with specific meanings
In this Policy, there are words and phrases that have a specific meaning or that we are using in a special way. They are:
"personal data" any information about an identifiable living human being.
"process" we "process" your personal data when we do anything with it, which might include: collecting, recording, organising, storing, adapting, altering, retrieving, using, combining, disclosing, or deleting it.
"special category data" personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, sex life or sexual orientation, health, genetic or biometric data.
4.What this policy describes
This policy describes how we will collect and use personal data about you.
We process information about:
"Prospects" potential customers or referrers;
"Customers" who have bought goods or services from us;
"Suppliers", "Associates" suppliers or potential suppliers of goods or services to us;
"Affiliates" who have signed up to our affiliate scheme (if we have one).
5.What information do we process, and WHY?
Most of the information we process comes from you. We process it so we can reply to you, and when you contact us again we know what you asked before, what you were sent, and what you told us.
Typically, we are collecting name, contact details, how we came across you, and background information from you or published by you on social media or freely accessible on the internet, on why you might be interested in our products or services or a relevant contact for our business. We use Hubspot to keep these details, their data policy can be found HERE.
If you sign up to a newsletter list, you will be sent what you asked for. We normally operate 'double opt-in' lists and you will need to reconfirm your subscription before anything is sent. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe button on any email.
You are not automatically subscribed to any other lists, but may be invited to join an appropriate one.
If we email you individually using our own email system, or respond to an email sent to us at any of our business email addresses, a copy of that email will also be stored.
If you make an enquiry via our website, we will keep details of that enquiry and response for our data retention period (section 2, Table, above).
We do not routinely keep special category data. To the extent we hold this, it was supplied or made publicly available by you.
Once you buy something from us, we will collect information from you at the point of sale.
This will include the information we collect from Prospects (above). We collect your email address, phone number and postal address so we can provide what we have contracted to, invoice you and keep proper records of our business relationship.
We process your data to support the delivery the goods and services you have bought. We keep records of the goods/services provided to you, and information you give us, so we can support you when needed and advise you of any additional services you may need.
Financial and credit card details
We do not receive or store your credit card details. Credit card payments are handled by an external secure processor in accordance with their data security policies (see section 2, Table, above).
We receive limited information from our processor for us to tie up your payment with your invoice.
If you pay us by BACS or direct transfer, we know only what the bank tells us, which is usually the name of the person who paid us and how much and the reference number.
We do not routinely keep credit scores nor use credit reference agencies.
When we are processing data about you on behalf of a customer, we are operating under the banner of our customer's data privacy policy. We will refer any enquiry from you to them, as they are the 'data controller' responsible for dealing with your query. But we will support that by providing relevant information to our customer for passing to you.
c.Supplier and Associates
We collect information on potential and actual suppliers and associates. This is mostly provided by you, but we do add to it the same kind of data we use for Prospects (see above).
If you become a supplier or associate we keep a copy of the contract between us and your bank details so we can pay you. We also keep a record of invoices/payments for accounting purposes.
We keep a record of the work you undertook for us/our clients along with any comments, reviews or suggestions about that work including complaints (if any) and their resolution.
This information is all needed to manage our customer relationships and our supply chain.
If we set up an affiliate scheme, affiliate data will be held in accordance with this policy. We will ask you for information when you apply and that will be kept to administer the affiliate scheme.
6.Newsletters and Automated Emails
We monitor who opens what in our newsletter lists, and pre-set sequences of information we send you. We do this, so we can see if content is popular and generate more of it, or if it is not read.
There may be sub-routines that trigger if you click on links or articles. These are designed to offer you more information about things you are interested in.
You can unsubscribe from these sequences at any time.
Existing customers may receive emails about specific offers relating to things you have already purchased. You can unsubscribe from these at any time.
From time to time, we contact individual email newsletter subscribers but it is extremely rare. This would normally be if something odd were going on and we wanted to check you could see and use the content or find out what was causing a problem.
7.Data sharing – 3rd parties
We do not sell or exchange your personal data with organisations who may want to sell you something or use your data for research or other purposes.
We keep a list of the software platforms we use to run our business. If you would like a list of all the platforms we use, please email us (at the email address in section 2, Table, above).
We have an outsourced support team for our own business which may include Virtual Assistants, Web Designers, IT support, Sales and Marketing, Accounting and more. They have limited access to your data, where the service they provide to us means they need it.
For example, if our IT support wants to check the functionality of a laptop or back up, they may need temporary access to information that may include something about you.
For example, if we invoice you, our Accountant needs to process the information in the invoice.
Your information/advice is held in the strictest confidence. Our team are all contracted to strict confidentiality clauses.
8.Where is your data located?
Like most small businesses, we do not have any tailor-made software – we use mainstream packages for everything from our customer records, to email, to accounting.
This means that some of your data may be held in the EEA, and some may be held in services in the USA (with suitable data privacy shields) or elsewhere. We have picked mainstream suppliers with appropriate security standards.
9.Retention periods
Your information will be kept for the length of time set out in our retention period (see section 2, Table, above).
We need to keep customer information long enough to satisfy HMRC and our insurers. We keep information on prospective customers long enough to make our sales enquiry system effective.
If you subscribed to a newsletter or updates list, you will remain on the list(s) you joined until you unsubscribe from that list.
10.Your rights
You have the right to know what information we are collecting on you, and to amend it if it is inaccurate.
If you feel for some reason we have information we should not be keeping, or it is out of date or otherwise wrong, please let us know and we will take appropriate action.
Most of the information we hold is not based on your individual consent but is based on our needing the information to run our business and provide our products and services.
If you want to know what information we have about you (if any) email us at the email address set out above and give us your name, email address(es) and we will happily do a search and let you know what information we hold on you and how we are using it/have used it.
You have a "right to be forgotten" – but that does have some legal limits to it. If you want us to remove information about you, let us know. If you have been a customer, we may not be able to remove all data as we will have to ensure that we can continue to comply with legal, accounting, taxation and our insurer's requirements.
If you have a complaint about the way we are handling your information or how we have responded to a request for information or removal, you can take this up in the first instance by emailing us at the email address set out above, or in writing to
Trent Virtual Assistant Ltd
62 Lynton Gardens
If we can't sort it out, the relevant supervisory authority for us is the Information Commissioner for the UK. You can contact them here.


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Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (Photo Credit: Bloomberg)
In a meeting with students this week, Iranian leader Ali Khamenei addressed the meaning of the phrase "Death to America," which gained popularity as a revolutionary slogan over three and a half decades ago in defiance of the U.S.-backed Shah.
Condemning American imperialism in the Middle East and the thirty-five year emphasis on promoting regime change in Iran, Khamenei said, "The truth is that the United States' objectives regarding the Islamic Republic of Iran have not changed at all. And they would not spare a moment if they could destroy the Islamic Republic; but they can't."
That the ubiquitous chant "Death to America" is not a murderous threat (or aspiration) directed at individuals, but rather at the policies and actions of the U.S. government, should be obvious. Nevertheless, many mainstream media reports seemed astounded by Khamenei's explanation, as if this revelation was brand new and signaled a shift from past statements from Iranian officials.
CNN's Don Melvin, for instance, was baffled by Khamenei's explanation, calling it "new" and "convoluted." Melvin was convinced that the Iranian leader was futilely attempting to "redefine the meaning of the slogan."
The Moon of Alabama blog breaks down this phenomenon perfectly:
A typical part of propaganda campaigns is to claim that the "villain" has very recently changed his political positions. Then follows "analysis" which interprets the "change" as a sure sign that the villain is under pressure and on the verge of loosing the fight. Often such claims are completely unfounded as the villain only repeated a long standing position. They are only made to repeat, repeat, repeat ... that the villain is or was up to something bad.But the actual - and again, obvious - meaning of the phrase has been pointed out numerous times, both in recent memory and beyond.
In an interview with CBS in September, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was perfectly clear about what "Death to America" means:
This slogan that is chanted is not a slogan against the American people. Our people respect the American people. The Iranian people are not looking for war with any country, but at the same time the policies of the United States have been against the national interests of Iranian people. It's understandable that people will demonstrate sensitivity to this issue. When the people rose up against the Shah, the U.S. aggressively supported the Shah until the last moments. In the eight year war with Iraq, the Americans supported Saddam. People will not forget these things. We cannot forget the past, but at the same time, our gaze must be towards the future.A month earlier, in August, journalist Reese Erlich reported for the Global Post (and syndicated by USA Today) how Iranians have always understood the slogan's meaning:
"Death to America" expresses the anger many Iranians feel about U.S. policy toward Iran, said Foad Izadi, an assistant professor of world studies at the University of Tehran. Iranians remember that the U.S. overthrew the legitimate government of Mohammad Mossadegh in 1953 and supported the dictatorial Shah who followed.
The slogan "means death to American foreign policy," said Izadi. Iranians "have problems with the American government, not the American people." In fact, he said, Iranians are friendly to Americans. "When you walk around town, and people see you're an American, everyone wants to take care of you."In July, it was more of the same. Speaking with The New Yorker's Robin Wright, Rouhani's chief of staff Mohammad Nahavandian noted:
If you go and ask anyone who uses that slogan... what he is against, it is interference in Iran's policies by overthrowing a nationally elected prime minister at the time of Mossadegh. For them, what they are against is the kind of government who shoots an airplane full of innocent passengers. For them, it's not the people of America, per se. For them, they are opposed to that sort of policy, that sort of attitude, that sort of arrogance. It's not a nation. It's a system of behavior.On January 26, 2014, CNN's Fareed Zakaria aired an interview with Rouhani, during which Rouhani said, "Well, the people, when they say 'Death to America,' do you know what they are really saying? What they mean to say relates to the aggressive policies of the U.S. and intervention and meddling by the U.S. We don't want those to continue. We want people to decide for themselves."
But this definition is not only the position of the current administration. Rouhani's predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, one of the West's favorite bogeymen, was equally clear about what the phrase means.
In a February 12, 2007 interview with ABC News' Diane Sawyer, Ahmadinejad said this:
When you heard death to America slogans, I think you know it yourself, it is not related in any way to American public. Our people have no problem with American public and we have a very friendly relationship and this friendship is so great, that I wrote a letter to the American government, the aviation sector of our country and we wanted to establish direct flights from Tehran to New York and we want to have free travel of citizens.
We do not have any problems with the people and right now, for example, we have our scientists and a sportsman traveling to the U.S. The "Death to America" chant you have heard, they go back to some of the policies of Americans, American politicians in Iran. People still remember the support of American politicians for some murders. For example, Saddam, who was hanged, and eight years of war to us, and the current American administration. The current incumbent [vice] president provided support. Hundreds of thousands of Iranian youth were killed and the U.S. administration, instead of doing what was right and supporting Saddam... People are now wishing death for these policies.Statements by Iranian officials about the "Death to America" slogan have been consistent for a long time. It's about time the press started paying attention and not act so surprised when it inevitably happens again.
To read about other examples of consistent Iranian commentary that has shocked our lazy press, click below:
Part I: Are Rouhani's Statements About the Holocaust Really a Huge Break from the Past?
Part II: Are Rouhani's Statements About Palestine Really a Huge Break from the Past?
Part III: On Khamenei's Referendum Rhetoric, Reuters is Wrong
Part IV: Javad Zarif and the Detrimental Perception of Nuclear Intentions


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MDAC's mission to use the law to secure equality, inclusion and justice has been at the core of everything we do since we were founded in 2002. Fourteen years later, MDAC Friends help us to make our mission possible by providing financial support to a wide variety of legal advocacy projects. Alongside cutting edge reports, ground breaking test-cases and hand-in-hand work with people with mental disabilities in Europe and Africa, our Friends help our staff team of just eleven people to 'punch above our weight'. Join us now and become more involved with our work, from insights over email to special events with MDAC staff, while supporting us where our work is needed the most. Levels of membership We have four levels of support starting from just £50 per year. Associate: £50 Whatever amount you donate, your money will be spent efficiently on achieving our human rights goals: MDAC has robust internal financial processes which are overseen by Trustees and undergoes an annual independent audit. We also welcome any additional donation you would like to give on top of your fee to join MDAC Friends. It is possible to split your payment into regular instalments through Direct Debit. Please specify your wish to pay through this method on your form. MDAC is a registered charity (No. 1124016) and if you are a UK taxpayer, you can GiftAid your donation, so MDAC can claim an extra 25p for every £1 you give. As a Friend, you will enable MDAC to secure equality, inclusion and justice for people with mental disabilities worldwide. |
Our pledge to youMDAC will:
Become a FriendYou can donate online using the simple tool above, or download this form and send it to us. With your support, MDAC can carry out:


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The CISA (Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency) has recently published an advisory, warning of a new phishing campaign that specifically targets business owners who have received pandemic relief in the form of loans from the Small Business Administration. Apparently, according to the advisory, the campaign was launched toward the end of July 2020 by an as yet unknown group of hackers. It was altered slightly in the month of August.
In the initial wave of emails, the goal seemed to be to steal SBA login credentials. The latest effort focuses much more on attempting to trick recipients into providing a range of personal and financial information.
The campaign emails all bear subject lines that are some variant of "SBA Application – Review and Proceed" and comes from the (spoofed) email address: firstname.lastname@example.com.
A link embedded in the body of the email claims to take the recipient to the SBA signup where they will sign in to receive financial assistance. Naturally, the website is merely a spoof of the actual SBA page, replicated over a number of top level domains.
Security researchers tracking the campaign note that some of the phishing emails direct recipients to websites containing the GuLoader malware that is used to drop other malware payloads onto the machines of unsuspecting users. Researchers note that the most recent wave of emails use social engineering techniques that are sophisticated enough to fool even some security professionals.
If you are a business owner and have received pandemic relief or are considering applying for benefits, your best bet is to ignore any emails you might receive. Instead of clicking email links that promise to take you to the SBA's website, open a new browser tab and manually navigate your way there. It's a shame that hackers are taking such advantage at a time like this, but sadly, it's not much of a surprise.


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Hoodie designed to match Jordan 5 Racer Blue, Sneaker Shirt, Sneakerhead Clothing
Delivery time:
USA: 7-14 days.
Canada: 9-16 days.
Worldwide: 14-25 days.
Product Details:
- 50% Cotton 50% Polyester
- Medium-heavy fabric (8.0 oz/yd² (271.25 g/m²))
- Classic fit
- Tear away label
- Runs true to size
- Wash Inside-Out on cold delicate setting. For best care, allow to air dry.
Product Display:
The sneakers/shoes are not being sold in this product. You are only purchasing the tshirt or hoodie and not the shoes. Shoes do not come with this purchase and is only used for marketing purposes. Representation is made so to help you visually find the best T-Shirt to match your sneakers much easier!


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MADVISE(2) NetBSD System Calls Manual MADVISE(2)Powered by man-cgi (2024-03-20). Maintained for NetBSD by Kimmo Suominen. Based on man-cgi by Panagiotis Christias.
madvise, posix_madvise -- give advice about use of memory
Standard C Library (libc, -lc)
#include <sys/mman.h> int madvise(void *addr, size_t len, int behav); int posix_madvise(void *addr, size_t len, int advice);
The madvise() system call allows a process that has knowledge of its mem- ory behavior to describe it to the system. The posix_madvise() interface is identical and is provided for standards conformance. The known behaviors are: MADV_NORMAL Tells the system to revert to the default paging behav- ior. MADV_RANDOM Is a hint that pages will be accessed randomly, and prefetching is likely not advantageous. MADV_SEQUENTIAL Is a hint that pages will be accessed sequentially, from the lower address to higher address. It might cause the VM system to depress the priority of pages immediately preceding a given page when it is faulted in. MADV_WILLNEED Is a hint that pages will be accessed in the near future. It might cause the VM system to make pages that are in a given virtual address range to temporarily have higher priority, and if they are in memory, decrease the likelihood of them being freed. It might immediately map the pages that are already in memory into the process, thereby eliminating unnecessary overhead of going through the entire process of faulting the pages in. It might or might not fault pages in from backing store. MADV_DONTNEED Is a hint that pages will not be accessed in the near future. It might allow the VM system to decrease the in-memory priority of pages in the specified range. MADV_FREE Gives the VM system the freedom to free pages, and tells the system that information in the specified page range is no longer important. Portable programs that call the posix_madvise() interface should use the aliases POSIX_MADV_NORMAL, POSIX_MADV_SEQUENTIAL, POSIX_MADV_RANDOM, POSIX_MADV_WILLNEED, and POSIX_MADV_DONTNEED rather than the flags described above.
Upon successful completion, a value of 0 is returned. Otherwise, a value of -1 is returned and errno is set to indicate the error.
madvise() will fail if: [EINVAL] Invalid parameters were provided.
mincore(2), mprotect(2), msync(2), munmap(2), posix_fadvise(2)
The posix_madvise() system call is expected to conform to the IEEE Std 1003.1-2001 (``POSIX.1'') standard.
The madvise system call first appeared in 4.4BSD, but until NetBSD 1.5 it did not perform any of the requests on, or change any behavior of the address range given. The posix_madvise() call was added in NetBSD 5.0. NetBSD 10.99 March 29, 2011 NetBSD 10.99


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Media Transfers
DVCAM Transfer
Regular price
We digitize your DVCAM tapes and turn them into a DVD, a digital video file (MP4), or both!
When we digitize (convert) videotapes, we can create two different types of final products - DVDs or MP4 video files. MP4 files are just digital video files (MP4 is the current standard for digital video files). They come back to you via a download link or on a USB flash drive. All of your tapes will fit onto one USB drive - each tape creates an individual video file. You can watch them on any computer, tablet or most TVs. To play back on a TV, you would plug the USB drive into the port on the back or side of the TV.
We also still create DVDs from videotapes. Each will most likely be on one DVD, however if two tapes are less than one hour, it may be possible to combine them onto one disc together.
DVD benefits:
- Can be played on any computer with a DVD drive, any DVD player or gaming system.
- Instructions not needed - don't need to be computer "savvy"
- Files can't be deleted
- Inexpensive to make additional copies
- Most new laptops don't have a built-in DVD drive
- Many people don't have a DVD player connected to their TV
- Video cannot be edited directly from the DVD
MP4 Video file benefits:
- Playback on all devices
- All video files can fit on one small USB drive
- Can be edited by any currently available video software
- Can easily be turned into a DVD or other physical formats yet to come
- Extra USB drives available for just the cost of another drive (size dependant)
- Easier to use if you are familiar with computers
- Files can be deleted off the USB drive
We can also create both the digital files and DVDs at the same time. We charge $14.95 per tape for one format or $19.95 per tape for both. This is often convenient for families with older and younger generations and different viewing styles.
Please call with any questions. Thanks!


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Who is the best professional wrestler of all-time? That is a question that has been asked for ages and the answers you get will vary from person to person. In Larry Matysik's The 50 Greatest Professional Wrestlers of All Time: The Definitive Shoot, Matysik aims to list his top 50 stars of the ring. Based on his own criteria, Matysik presents arguments for each ranking, whether it be popular or controversial.
It is important to note that, while any list can be defined as "definitive," Matysik has more than enough credentials to lend credibility to his rankings. Having been a figure and promoter in the St. Louis, Mo. wrestling scene for decades, Matysik has also published a number of informative books on professional wrestling, including Brody: The Triumph and Tragedy of Wrestling's Rebel and Wrestling at the Chase: The Inside Story of Sam Muchnick and the Legends of Professional Wrestling. Matysik's decades of experience provide a unique perspective that should bring high regard to his rankings.
The book does not start with the list, but a deep explanation to cover all bases. Matysik defines his criteria for selection as "real," citing common sense as his major indicator for inclusion in his prestigious list. While the criteria may seem rather vague, Matysik seems to make it work in his list. The ranking that a certain wrestler gets may surprise you, but reading Matysik's logic and arguments, it gives you a clear example why his argument is one worth listening to.
What is also of note is the first 100 pages of the book, going through explanations as why some wrestlers are not included, interesting asides, etc., Matysik does a solid job of enticing readers to carry on until they reach the list. Had this just been a simple book with a list of 50 wrestlers an author thought were great, it is understandable why it would not be every wrestling fan's cup of tea. However, Matysik uses the first 100 pages of the book to outline his choices and give interesting insight into his selections.
Of course, the main reason the book was published was the list itself. The first thing that strikes you is the array of wrestlers that are included. While we are often subject to a certain organization's revisionist history and bias on all time lists, Matysik includes wrestlers from any era you can think of. From the early days of legitimate contest to today's over-the-top theatrical approach, you'll find the best of the best from each period. Some names might not even be recognizable to some dedicated fans, which makes for an interesting surprise and read. Finally, the rankings themselves put the cherry on top of this literary sundae. All the familiar names of the past and the present are there, but some names might fall higher or lower than you expected. While names like Bret Hart, The Undertaker, Steve Austin, Frank Gotch, and Lou Thesz appear, each man's respective ranking will surely generate heated debate on their contributions to the sport. Regardless of ranking, Matysik does a fine job of describing the stories of each man and why they are ranked where they are.
Larry Matysik's The 50 Greatest Professional Wrestlers of All Time: The Definitive Shoot might not have the most original concept that will draw your eyes to the bookshelf. However, if you dive deep enough, you'll find that the proverbial book shouldn't be judged by its cover. Inside, Matysik provides an intriguing list that will surely either have you scratching your head or nodding it in agreement. While it may not be an essential text for the wrestling aficionado, ECW Press has published a book that is worth a look and will surely spark debate among readers.


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Monastery of St Patapios (Loutraki, Greece)
The Monastery of St. Patapios (also Agios Patapios), is a monastery for women located 14km (22ft) from Loutraki, Greece at an elevation of some 700m (1120ft) on the Geraneai mountains. The monastery is within the jurisdiction of the Metropolis of Korinthos of the Church of Greece.
At the insistance of father Nectarios Marmarinos (real name: Kyriakos) , the monastery, which is dedicated to St. Patapius of Thebes (December 8), was founded in 1952 by Prokopios, Metropolitan Bishop of Korinth, around the cave where the relics of Patapius were found in 1904 by Fr. Constantine Sosanis. The saints relics had been placed beneath tiles and large leaves, to protect his body from the damp, and exuded a sweet odor. On the relic there was a scroll giving Patapius's name, with a large wooden cross and some Byzantine coins.
The cave [1] today has a sanctuary and sacristy hewn out of the rock. It can be found northwest of the katholikon of the convent and the holy relic is kept in a special wooden structure at the back of the cave. Inside the cave there are also Byzantine wall paintings from the 13th century, with three prominent figures of St. Patapius, St. Ipomoni (April 3)[2] and St. Nikon.
After the founding of the monastery, nun patapia was nominated as Mother Superior, with father Nectarios Marmarinos as its spiritual leader. Today, there are some forty nuns living in the cells of the foundation and the current Mother Superior is Mother Isidora.
The monastery church is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and contains at its center the Mother of God for veneration. The church also holds the relic skull of St. Ipomoni and part of the hip bone of St. Nikon.
Saint Patapios' memory is celebrated on 8 December (main celebration) and also at the Tuesday 2 days after the Sunday of Easter (in memory of the day that his relic was discovered).
- ↑ The cave measures 8 x 4.5m (13 x 7.1ft)
- ↑ Empress Helen Dragash, also known as St. Patience or Saint Hipomoni, the mother of the last emperor of Constantinople, Constantine XI Palaiologos
- «The Holy Monastery of Saint Patapios in Loutraki» [edition of the Metropolis of Corinth, Sikyon, Zemenou, Tarsus and Polyfengous, 2012].
- «The Greek Monasteries» [Ev. Lekkou, Ihnilatis, Athens, 1995].
- "Agiologio of Orthodoxy," [Christos Tsolakidis, Athens, 2001 edition]
- «O Megas Synaxaristis of the Orthodox Church" Saint Patapios, p. (254) - (261) [m Victoras Mattheos, 3rd edition, Metamorfosi Sotiros Monastery, Athens, 1968]
- "Saint Patapios" [Stylianos Papadopoulos, professor of the University of Athens, Holy Monastery of Saint Patapios, Loutraki, Greece, edition 2006).
- "St. Patapios and his miracles," [Dr. Charalambos Busias, edition of Holy Monastery of Saint Patapios Loutraki 2004]
- "Life, akolouthia, paraklitikos kanonas and egomia of the holy mother ''Saint Hypomone" [Dr. Charalambos Busias, edition of Holy Monastery of Saint Patapios, Loutraki 1999]
- "Deltos of Miracles of our miraculous father St. Patapios" [Dr. Charalambos Busias, edition of Holy Monastery of Saint Patapios 4th Edition, Loutraki 2011]
External links
- Wikipedia:Saint_Patapios
- http://www.imkorinthou.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=41&Itemid=139
- http://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%86%CE%B3%CE%B9%CE%BF%CF%82_%CE%A0%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%AC%CF%80%CE%B9%CE%BF%CF%82#.CE.A0.CE.B7.CE.B3.CE.AD.CF.82
- http://el.orthodoxwiki.org/%CE%A0%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%AC%CF%80%CE%B9%CE%BF%CF%82%2C_%CE%86%CE%B3%CE%B9%CE%BF%CF%82
- http://el.orthodoxwiki.org/%CE%99%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%AC_%CE%9C%CE%BF%CE%BD%CE%AE_%CE%91%CE%B3%CE%AF%CE%BF%CF%85_%CE%A0%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%B1%CF%80%CE%AF%CE%BF%CF%85_%CE%9B%CE%BF%CF%85%CF%84%CF%81%CE%B1%CE%BA%CE%AF%CE%BF%CF%85
- http://religion.wikia.com/wiki/Monastery_of_St_Patapios_(Loutraki,_Greece)
- http://www.globalusers.com/monastir_eng.htm
- http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2009/12/saint-patapios-of-thebes-and-his.html
- http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=243881069778&ref=mf
- http://www.city-of-loutraki.gr/byzantine/nunnery_of_hosios_patapios.htm
- http://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.com/2008/12/miracle-of-st-patapios-of-thebes.html
- http://www.360visits.gr/en/panorama_id49
- http://www.livepedia.gr/index.php/%CE%93%CE%AD%CF%81%CE%BF%CE%BD%CF%84%CE%B1%CF%82_%CE%9D%CE%B5%CE%BA%CF%84%CE%AC%CF%81%CE%B9%CE%BF%CF%82_%CE%9C%CE%B1%CF%81%CE%BC%CE%B1%CF%81%CE%B9%CE%BD%CF%8C%CF%82
- http://orthodoxwiki.org/Father_Nectarios_Marmarinos
- http://www.livepedia.gr/index.php/%CE%93%CE%B5%CF%81%CF%8C%CE%BD%CF%84%CE%B9%CF%83%CF%83%CE%B1_%CE%A0%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%B1%CF%80%CE%AF%CE%B1
- http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sister-Patapia/109137369163998#!/pages/Sister-Patapia/109137369163998?sk=info
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO6mGl_j2Qc
- Images from the Monastery and the saint


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A pause at checkout
The luggage tag on the bag of the person in front of you suggests they just came directly from the airport. You overhear a small problem. "I forgot to notify my bank that I'd be traveling. Here, can you try another card?"
You empathize. If only there was a way for your bank to know, automatically, when you travel.
No more phone calls
Visa has a solution, and it's in your pocket. The same phone that you use to call your bank, to notify them of an upcoming trip, does it automatically. Visa's Mobile Location Confirmation platform allows cardholders to enroll with their banks to keep them informed of their movements.
When your phone is with you, it'll act as another form of identification. In addition to the standard transaction information, your bank will receive the geo-location of your phone and the merchant's location. Your bank will then use the combination of this information to authorize the transaction.
Mobile Location Confirmation by Visa—it makes travel as easy as choosing an in-flight movie.


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Beasley Esports' Rocket League Search Complete
Beasley Esports' "The Search" is over! After nearly an entire month of play, and tons of games, a new Rocket League organization is now born. The Zookeepers ended up taking the top prize over the weekend and now Bambii, Jbot and Tool are bonafide pro Rocket League players.
The Road Traveled
The Zookeepers went into this weekend feeling confident and played as a team possessed. Going up against Frequence in the Semifinals, Jbot seemed like he was everywhere at the same time. While Frequence would do a great job at starting well, over the series it became clear that Zookeepers just had too much for them.
On the other side of the bracket, a very strong team in Vibrance made quick work of Nefarious. Setting up what was sure to be a barn-burner of a match, two of the strongest teams in the entire bracket ended up in the Grand Finals.
Keepers Climb Back
The Grand Finals started off with Vibrance dominating the series. Oath, in particular, was smothering the Zookeepers' goal and frustrating their counter-attack. On the backs of some really dynamic play, Vibrance would take the first two matches with relative ease. However, in match three Zookeepers were able to stop the onslaught with a big overtime goal from Tool. That big win seems to have been just what Zookeepers' needed as they would turn it up in the next couple of games. Eventually, the best of 7 series tied at 3-all but eventually Zookeepers clinched the first Finals set.
Vibrance came back with a vengeance in the second set and crushed the Zookeepers, 4-1. The win from Vibrance forced a final best of seven set. This series was back and forth throughout with big performances from both Oath and Jbot. Game 6 panned out to be one of the tensest games of Rocket League you'll see all year. The seesaw nature of the series was encapsulated in this single match and forced overtime at 3-3. Around, two and a half minutes into overtime Oath had a clear shot on goal only to see it cannon off the crossbar. The follow-up from Fefe would fly off the post. Less than 15 seconds later Jbot would pull off an audacious flick forcing the game 7.
Champion Status
Zookeepers got out to an early start in game 7 where Bambii fed Jbot an easy goal. But with 11 seconds left Astro from Vibrance equalized and forced yet another overtime. Faced with a golden goal situation, Bambii freed himself up in the midfield and got a clear double tap on goal.
And with that goal, Zookeepers win a professional Rocket League contract with Beasley Esports. The team name is Axle-R8 with Bambii, Tool, and Jbot now its first members.
More about Esports and the new Axle-R8 Rocket League team on Checkpoint Daily.
Note: Checkpoint XP is wholly owned and operated by Beasley Media Group, parent company of Beasley Esports.


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Judge Throws Out DJ David Mueller's Lawsuit Against Taylor Swift
Denver radio DJ David Mueller's lawsuit against Taylor Swift has been thrown out. The trial's judge ruled on Friday (Aug. 11) that Swift could not be held at fault for Mueller's firing after he allegedly groped her during a meet and greet in 2013.
According to the Associated Press, U.S. District Judge William Martinez ruled that Mueller and his legal team failed to prove during the trial that Swift was personally responsible for radio station KYGO-FM firing Mueller in 2013, just days after the meet-and-greet incident. However, Mueller's allegations against Swift's mother Andrea and her radio representative will be put to a jury to determine a verdict.
In September of 2015, Mueller filed a lawsuit against Swift for what he says are unfounded claims that he grabbed her bottom while taking a photo with her at a meet and greet. Mueller says he was unjustly fired from his job as a radio personality for KYGO and also lost prospective business opportunities because of the claims. A month later, Swift filed her own countersuit, saying that Mueller "intentionally reached under her skirt and groped with his hand an intimate part of her body in an inappropriate manner, against her will, and without her permission."
Country Music's Nastiest Lawsuits
In late 2016, Swift and her legal team filed a motion requesting that the case against her be dismissed because Mueller's firing was the result of an internal investigation by KYGO, not any direct action by Swift. However, the former DJ fought back against that motion, calling his firing from the radio station due to the allegation the result of a "sham" investigation.
Also in late 2016, Swift filed a motion to restrict public access to some of the documents involved in her lawsuit, including a photo of the incident, as well as a description of the photograph, 12 pages of summary judgement and hundreds of supporting documents and photos. A judge ruled that the photo will remain sealed, but Swift's deposition was released.
Shortly before the trial began on Tuesday (Aug. 8), a judge dismissed Mueller's claims of slander and decided to allow the rest of the case to proceed; the judge also recently sanctioned Mueller for destroying pieces of key evidence in the lawsuit.
Swift herself testified on Thursday (Aug. 10), recalling the meet-and-greet incident during which Mueller allegedly assaulted her, and recounting her feelings about and response afterwards. During the trial, her mother, former bodyguard and photographer were also among those called to the stand.
You Think You Know Taylor Swift?


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