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October is National Apple Month, and orchards around the country are teeming with apple fans who know that the fruit is ripe for the pickin'. But the question remains: Which varieties do you pick for what?
Before you go load up your produce bags, here's a quick rundown on some of the most common apple varieties.
Braeburn: A popular commercial apple, Braeburns have a crisp, spicy-sweet flavor. They originated in New Zealand, and they're typically available October through July. Their best month -- November.
Fuji: As the name suggests, these apples came from Japan. They're often large in size with a mild, sweet flavor and great for cooking since they have a thick skin that holds its shape without becoming too mushy. In the U.S., these apples are harvested in October.
Honeycrisp: This apple has exceptionally crisp and juicy flesh with just a hint of tartness that makes it great for eating fresh out of hand. You can also use it for baking -- it makes a nice flavorful apple pie.
Gala: This variety was discovered in Canada and is considered one of the best apples to eat raw. The flesh is firm and crisp with a sweet vanilla-like flavor.
Golden Delicious: These apples are typically medium to large with a pale flesh that's prone to bruising. They're harvested in September and are the second most grown variety. Golden Delicious are perfect for making salads and applesauce since they don't brown easily.
Granny Smith: For many, this is their go-to baking apple. This variety is crisp and tart and its flavor holds up well in recipes with spicy notes, plus the flesh is firm enough to retain its shape when cooked.
Jazz: These apples are a cross between Gala and Braeburn. Developed in Australia, this type is excellent for preparing applesauce, but less popular for eating raw.
Red Delicious: Originating in Peru, Iowa, this is the most widely grown variety in the U.S. The Red Delicious appears appealing with its dark red skin, but its flavor tends to be bland. These apples are harvested in September and October and are popular for salads.
Jonathan: Jonathan apples have a rich, almost creamy texture and a particularly tart, spicy flavor. If you prefer a tart apple this is an excellent choice for eating raw since Jonathans are so juicy. They also bake well.


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Hello folks!
I've been reading a lot on this forum and got to the point of selecting the doctor to do the surgery for my wife and me.
We live in Nashville TN and the USAEyes certified doctor is Dr L. He charges $1,500 per eye. I am scheduled for surgery to correct my astigmatism on december 5th.
The other doctor is Dr MW, who is a Harvard doc with a PHD in laser physics, teaches other lasik docs and is an eminence in the field. He charges $2k per eye. (usually charges 3,800 per eye, but due to the economy being bad, he adjusted his prices)
My questions is, how strong is USAEyes' certification for me to go ahead and have piece of mind in choosing the certified dr vs the Dr who is not certified by USAEyes, but has the best background and credentials? Who would you folks choose? There is a 1k savings in choosing Dr Loden and he is USAEyes certified.
I appreciate your input in this!
Thank you!
Note: Post edited to remove names of doctors.

subset: commoncrawl


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Now me desires to see a review and measurements compare the LCD-3, Hifiman he-500 (your current pick of great buy?), and the Koss ESP-950, which is supposedly a neutral stat (when working properly) that compares surprisingly well to the top big boys. Because if you can get "nearly" the LCD-3 and SR-009 sound that exceeds that of the Hifiman for a fraction of the price, then maybe the Koss is a truly great buy... especially when the amp is included. Two grand is still pretty darn high, even if you expect to use a budget O2 to run it. I mean, come on. The new LCD-3 comes out almost double the price of the top headphones from Sennheiser and Beyerdynamic that you can easily find used in mint condition. I don't expect the LCD-3 to make *that* big of a dent into their bottom lines... especially if the few people that buy them love them so much not to ever unload them later. Is that the ultimate compliment? ;-) Btw, was Koss even at the show?
CanJam at RMAF - Show Stopper: The Amazing Audez'e LCD-3
The rise of planar magnetic headphones over the last few years has been breathtaking. In rapid succession both HiFiMAN and Audez'e have released headphones of this type, stepping up their game at each point along the way. Both have been steadily narrowing in on great sound and, until a week ago, the Audez'e LCD-2 and HiFiMAN HE-500 were neck and neck (in my opinion) in the race for greatness. And then, in one swell foop, Audez'e arrives at CanJam with a headphone that races lengths ahead in this category.
Okay, maybe I'm overstating the case, but man, I simply can't believe how Audez'e has managed to make such significant improvement to this category of headphone. Some might simply call it an incremental improvement, but when an audio device is so clearly better on first listen I take that as a major accomplishment.
The previous LCD-2 Rev 2 is a very good sounding headphone with luscious bass and heft. It improved significantly over the Rev 1 version of these cans with significantly more articulate treble. But it doesn't have the clarity and speed of top-of-the-line electrostatic headphones like the Stax SR-007 or SR-009, or the dynamic ring-radiator driver of the Sennheiser HD 800.
The new LCD-3 is a significantly faster sounding headphone without going overboard with an overemphasized treble. This has been achieved with a completely new planar magnetic driver design that uses a much thinner diaphragm than previous models. Other changes include softer ear-cushions (which also effect the sound), a more comfortable headband, and a more durable ear-piece connector design.
But more importantly for this report, the show floor was abuzz with cudos for these new cans. Every conversation started with, "Have you heard the LCD-3?" Headphone geeks cheer good new products certainly, but we really get excited when new technologies in headphone design yield game changing dynamics in the industry. I've got to believe Sennheiser, AKG, and Beyerdynamic have noticed the rise of the planar magnetic cans in the last few years and are thinking about what to do about it. 'Cuz if they haven't, they'll be quizzically brushing dust off the boxes on their stocking room shelves.
I consider the LCD-3 the very best headphone you can get for use with a traditional headphone amplifier. You'll have to step up to the big bux of electrostatic headphones and amplifiers to best them. Simply put, if you're not ready to spend $10,000+ on headphones and amp, the LCD-3 is the way to get world class sound on headphones.
Congatulations Audez'e! What's it feel like to sit on top of the world?
Hey Tyll, could I just check, what is your opinion as to whether the 007mk2 or the LCD-3s are better?
Audeze releases its latest flagship headphone and Head-Fi launches into hyper-drive. Unsurprisingly, there is precious little in the way of considered listening impressions, but no shortage of baseless speculation and arguments over the morality of Audeze's decision to release another flagship headphone at this time, and the hefty price hike that comes with it. The impressions that I have read of the LCD-3 thus far over there, typically range from game-changing to incremental. As always, time will tell and the truth will probably lie somewhere in between. It seems that Audeze has redressed the LCD-2's "shelved down" treble, that its most vociferous defenders strenuously denied ever existed in the first place. The shedding of some weight would be most welcome with the LCD-3. Those ear pads look thick enough to smother your grandmother with in her sleep.
I thought that there was a lot to like about the LCD-2 when I auditioned it, but the treble did sound shelved down to me. I can understand how its sound signature would appeal to headphone listeners who prefer a darker presentation. It certainly made for a non-fatiguing listen. However, I thought its design was unwieldy and though not uncomfortable to wear, it just felt cumbersome on my head. Thanks for the compliment Tyll. Posts like that one got me banned from Head-Fi. ;-)
It's always a tough one. For the price of the LCD-3, I can probably cruise the used market and pick up an HE-500, W1000X, Thunderpants TP1, and Grado HF2. That's a lot of versatility. Can the LCD-3 really do everything as good or better than those other fine headphones?
But of course that's a loaded question. No headphone can ever be all things to all people, but for some folks the LCD-3 probably *will* offer a more enjoyable experience than the other four combined. In other cases they won't.
The smart thing to do is obviously wait until Tyll and a bunch of other folks report their experiences. That's probably the route I'll take.
There is an elephant in the room, and it is the price. The headphones are essentially the same as the LCD2. They haven't completely overhauled them, it is an incremental upgrade, that doubles the retail price.
How much could manufacturing costs increase? Same headband, a piece of metal added to the connector (which might even make it less expensive to make since the connector is now external and would be easier to solder), and the only stated driver change is the material they use to make the traces on the planar magnetic board. Double the cost?
What else can you get for $2000? Vandersteen 2CE Signature II's, Magnepan 1.7's, or even Magnepan Mini's for less than that. These are loudspeakers, expensive to ship, much more expensive to build and design than headphones, and are sold through a dealer network with dealer markup. The Audeze LCD3's are very inexpensive to ship, inexpensive to manufacture (by comparison), and are mostly sold directly by the manufacturer. Somehow Magnepan, and Vandersteen have been in business for decades, making speakers in the USA, using a pricing model that allows for profit, but sells more speakers. They also have a large and passionate customer base, I wonder why?.
How much do you think it costs to make Sennheiser HD800's, development, everything included? How much do think it costs to make the Audeze LCD3, development, everything included? Keep in mind that Audeze was already making money selling a phone with essentially the same manufacturing cost for half of the LCD3. Sennheiser also sells through a dealer network, which greatly adds to the retail price of a product. Sure, you can buy Audeze at a dealer, but few and far between. Most are sold on their website. Granted, they are much smaller, but that means that they might also take customer loyalty and brand reputation into account when working on their pricing model.
I know, people will say, well, you don't have to buy them. I understand that, and I know that they have the right to price their products however they choose, but that doesn't mean that they shouldn't be called out for price gouging. We live in a culture where people pay $100 for a tshirt, and $3000+ for an ugly purse that is only in style for a year. We are surrounded by price gouging, and it is rampant in high end audio. That doesn't mean that we have to accept it.
....a lot of valid points there. And of course there is another side to things - how many HD800s has Sennheiser sold, compared to how many LCD-2s Audeze has sold? Senn likely makes a smaller profit on each, but they sell many thousands of them. Audeze would have to make more on each LCD-2 to make up for the lower volume of sales. Obviously there are tons of variables here but you get the idea.
More importantly, Sennheiser is a huge corporation, who makes all kinds of equipment. If any one of their products has a slow sales year, it probably doesn't bother them much. Audeze is a few guys doing this in addition to their regular jobs. They have a lot more riding on each individual sale. Plus, they are taking a huge risk at the moment by introducing some speakers and a microphone, which could end up being flops for all they know. They probably have a lot of money to recoup from the development of the new stuff - LCD-3 is pretty much a sure thing, and I suspect they are counting on it in order to recover those costs. Yes, they will continue to sell LCD-2s, but at a slower rate since there are now plenty of used ones available for $700-800.
I do see your point though and I'm really not trying to argue, just playing devils advocate. I would have loved to see the LCD-3 go for $1450 or somewhere around there.
I planned to stay out of the LCD-3 discussion, because it only fans the flames, etc. But I do have to point out that Grado was savagely and repeatedly attacked for introducing a new flagship that was priced several hundred dollars *below* the LCD-3. Admittedly, the PS1000 has a sound that is less "universal," but let's see how much goodwill Audez'e has built up in the headphone enthusiast market -- which is really their only market from what I can tell, unlike Grado. And let's see whether all those who criticized the PS1000 pricing eat their words and spend two grand for the new one.
I am also with Peter in that it's been vindicating to watch all the hypesters at Head-Fi, who would pile on anyone who suggested that the LCD-2 had a treble limitation, bend themselves into pretzels trying to describe how the Rev2 and now the LCD-3 improve upon the treble of a headphone that was literally "perfect" and "sounded like real life" in the first place. Of course now it seems like Audez'e has responded to the treble issue by demanding a ransom of $1000 to get some more high end response.
And none of the preliminary reviews that I have seen appear to have mentioned whether the new model addresses what for me was another limitation of the LCD-2 -- soundstage. My limited experience with orthos suggests that this is inherent in the technology, but I have to wonder. Can the HD 800, with its almost unreal soundstage, really be threatened in this regard? Tonality is only part of the game, after all, albeit one that we headphone freaks appear to primarily focus on, perhaps because it can ostensibly be measured.
One of the appeals in the headphone enthusiast market for the LCD-2 had to be that people could spend under a grand for a headphone that no one would question was in the "high-end" -- and people bought it and bought it and bought it. Now every one of them has been shoved down to the second-tier in one fell swoop. And they will be lorded over by those who shell out $2000 for the LCD-3. I've thought alot over the past few years if there is really any price limit on the attainable high-end in the headphone market, or will normal mortals keep paying more and more and more? I suppose it's time for the headphone "mass" market to mature like the speaker market, where there won't be a headphone that is both ultimately affordable by the average enthusiast with a decent income, and also considered state of the art. Perhaps there will only be fortunes spent or obvious compromises. Now *that* sounds like real life to me.
I dare you David to post this withering assessment in any LCD thread of your choice at Head-Fi. I've never witnessed a virtual lynching before. ;-)
However, I share David's frustration with the LCD-2's more zealous and vocal devotees, of which there are many, and their propensity for bending the facts to fit their story. Their selective interpretation of the LCD-2's frequency response graphs immediately come to mind.
Anyone who pointed out that it suffered from a slight treble roll-off were accused of misinterpreting the data. If you had the temerity to even suggest that the LCD-2's highs actually sounded muted, you were dismissed as a "treble head". Yet while these people were vehemently defending the LCD-2 against such unfounded criticisms, some of them were also investing in Silver Dragon cables to enhance its supposedly perfect treble.
Even though the LCD-2 is one of the heaviest headphones in production, complaints about its weight being an issue for some owners would not be countenanced by its ardent fans. Problems pertaining to build quality from the cracking blocks and ear cups, to the flawed drivers that led to the introduction of the LCD-2 - rev-2, seemed to be accepted with little complaint. Yet these same people who were so forgiving of these design and production flaws, and the resultant ongoing modifications to the LCD-2 throughout its production life, also mercilessly attack Grado for its headphone designs and build quality.
Isn't it arguable that the improvements to the LCD-2 throughout its production thus far, are really nothing more than attempts to redress inherent shortcomings in its design and execution, that should have been identified during the R&D phase? Why is it that a young American start-up in headphone manufacturing can be forgiven almost anything, but a traditional family owned American company producing a range of budget to premium priced cartridges and headphones, that are exported all over the world to international acclaim by users and reviewers alike, is not afforded the same respect and good grace? I find the hypocrisy of the LCD-2 fanboys breathtaking. So I'm with David there.
I don't buy into or even understand the notion of a price/performance ratio for a headphone that sells for the price of a luxury item. This seems like spurious reasoning to apply to the purchase of "high-end" audio gear, where value for money is probably the least of the prospective buyers considerations. Seriously, how does the LCD-2 give you more bang for your buck than say the Ultrasone Edition 10, if you prefer everything about the latter? Surely the market - i.e., people's personal preferences and how much they are will to pay to satisfy them will determine the success or otherwise of the LCD-3, just as it has for the LCD-2, HD800, T1 and the PS1000. If you are prepared to pay $995 for the LCD-2 but find that you actually prefer the sound, ergonomics, build quality and heck, even the appearance of the HD800, then the chances are you'll be prepared to pay a few hundred dollars extra for it.
Note that I included Grado's flagship headphone in that group. I could have bought any one of them and was originally interested in the HD800 and the T1. The PS1000 wasn't really on my radar when I auditioned the HD800, T1 and LCD-2. Truth be told, I preferred the LCD-2's sound signature to the HD800 and T1. However, I felt that it lacked some top-end sparkle and air. Now had I relied on the PS1000's frequency response graphs and the general lack of interest in it at Head-Fi, punctuated by disparaging opinions over its "price/performance ratio", I would not have thought it worthy of consideration. Fortunately, I relied on my ears in the end, and the decision to choose the PS1000 over the other three contenders was a surprisingly easy one for me to make. Simply put, I preferred the sound of the PS1000 and engaged with it in a way that I could not with the other three. I'd found my "high-end" headphone and was prepared to pay a premium for it.
So flat frequency response graphs, price/performance ratio, R&D and build quality be damned. The PS1000 looks great, seems sturdy, feels very comfortable on my noggin for lengthy listening periods (admittedly it would benefit from some weight loss like the LCD-2) and most importantly, it sounds wonderful to me. You really do have to trust your own ears in the end. :-)
..it's time to do something about ergonomics and comfort for long-term listening. Like many out there, I was floored by the sound of the LCD-3 as well as the LCD-2 V2, and I own a few pairs of high-end headphones/ear speakers worth a lot more than the LCD-3.
But comfort hasn't improved, despite the thicker ear pads. There is zero horizontal stabilization in the suspension blocks, so every time I moved my head, the headphones tilted forward on my head due to their weight. How long can you stay still while listening?
At any rate, I hope they will address this in next year's release and I'll be happy to buy a pair. Great to see a small American business succeed at this level!
I understand and appreciate the need for a company to get medical insurance for it's employees, and that business is not cheap. Audeze is making headphones in the USA, and they should be admired for giving work to Americans, even if that means they have to charge a little more. If it works out for them, and people buy the LCD3 in droves, great! The pricing model just leaves a sour taste in my mouth. I appreciate your assessment that they are priced according to sound quality, but offering more sound for less money is something that a start up company should be doing in order to establish it's reputation and capitalize.
I think it could be a serious mistake for them to double the retail price at this point, especially when it is obvious that the manufacturing costs could not justify the increase. They take away their future market position because they establish a very high price point, which could easily be undercut by another manufacturer, and open themselves up to being reviled for their greed by a good number of their fan base. Their headphones simply do not have the fit and finish to be $2000. For that expense, they should be luxuriously comfortable, and look stunning, in addition to sounding like $2000.
Time will tell what the results will bring. I personally hope that the future brings more wonderful planar magnetic headphones (let's stop calling them orthos already). I'll keep modding my T50RP's, and listening to my K1000's until something irresistible comes along.
Wowee - bottle this thread and sell it as a major article. Should be worth about $2000 (heh). Yeah, why discuss old news - this is where it's at - the Big Iron headphones going head to head. But you know, if you have new drivers that are significantly thinner and the new tech that represents (that's what Stax has been selling with the SR-009), all bets are off, aren't they? I think it would be great if there were a way to upgrade existing LCD2 headphones, but I don't know what the parameters are since I don't do electronics. Personally, based on the reports about the LCD3's sound as an absolute, 2 grand seems very fair. A - they're the best, and B - they do represent new tech whether anyone thinks it's incremental or not. As to Grado's PS-1000, I would love to evaluate those, but unless I get a loaner that won't happen. If they are significantly better than the PS-500 and retain a Grado sound sans any serious warts, they might be a good value too. But that's a lot of if's for $1700.
Just checking that I'm still allowed to post here Tyll. ;-) I've found that things can get pretty personal on the interweb actually. Of course things and products evolve, as they should. That wasn't my point. It was about personal bias and tribalism dominating reasonable debate and distorting the facts as we know them. Some even-handedness wouldn't go astray, even in an internet forum about headphones.
For example, the reluctance to acknowledge that even Grado continues to evolve in its own unique way puzzles me. Surely the introduction of the GS1000, PS1000, PS500 and Grado's entry into the earphone market is evidence that it is not just sitting on its hands. It seems to me that there is a general reluctance in the headphone community to acknowledge Grado's efforts because it is an established, idiosyncratic and unfashionable company, that doesn't take a high-tech approach to producing its headphones. Some headphone audiophiles may not like or even respect its approach, but there are also many others who do, and they have cycled through several of the other "serious" audiophile headphones on the market.
For what it's worth, I wish Audez'e well with their latest offering and look forward to giving it a listen at some stage. As I've said, I really do hope that it lives up to the hype.
that people take these discussions WAY too seriously. Here we are having an interesting discussion, weighing the different sides, and I find it enlightening. But many folks seem unwilling or unable to behave like this, and instead they personalize things and turn them into the internet equivalent of a shouting match.
I'll never understand when I see people arguing passionately for or against some headphone that they don't own, and possibly have never even heard. Grado is a big target in that realm.
I also don't get the idea of people feeling "betrayed" by the company releasing a higher end model. If I own a Lamborghini Gallardo, am I insulted by the fact that the Murcielago exists as the more expensive flagship product? Or do I just enjoy the sweet ride that I get to drive? It's not like the LCD-3 is replacing the LCD-2 - it's a higher model in the lineup, and is priced accordingly.
I don't recall people being this upset when Sennheiser released the HD800, which cost roughly double the MSRP of the HD650. Maybe it was the delay between models? Or the perception of newer technology in the HD800? Same goes for Beyerdynamic T1 versus DT880.
Either way, I think folks will have to decide for themselves if the LCD-3 is worth the price or not. As I mentioned before, used LCD-2s are going for $800 or less, so it seems to me that everyone wins.
Maybe my experience with Grado would shed some light. I had the 325 I bought circa 1999 and used with the $400 Headroom amp. I thought the 325 was similar to the Sennheiser 565, which was more forward than the 600/650 and way more than the 580. But I don't recall the 325 being warm. Fast forward to 2011 and I'm thinking positively about Grado because of the PS-500, and much negatively because of all the reportage about colored sound, excessive warmth, and other things that weren't scrutinized with test gear. Coming from a Senn HD-800 kind of sound the reports of Grado sound struck fear in me, and I don't scare that easily.
So your influence really counts. I came here just now to get the link to get some other people reading this thread, which is one of the better I've read, angst or no. And all of the reviews and commentary on Grado don't just fall by the wayside - it sticks in people's brains. I like what they do, and it doesn't hurt to encourage them to do better, i.e. correct any severe anomalies they might have in their product. It does seem that the overall growth of the headphone market is accomplishing that vis-a-vis Grado, and maybe it's because they're paying more attention now. I just hope if they move toward the center of the sound signature curve, they can retain some of what made them unique, not just the wood parts and cosmetics.
Add a little perspective to the pricing. Ever since these headphones have been announced (and people learned their pricing) I have been sitting here reading things and being slack jawed at the reaction some people have administered to these headphones and Audez'e.
I am not a hobbyist in this field just so you know. The only reason I own any equipment at all is to try and wring out pure sounding music. That's right I forget about my gear once I get the sound I want. I haven't actually been able to forget about my gear at all till recently (after my purchase of some T1s).
Now, I tried the LCD2 and I didn't like them. They weren't horrible, but I don't particularly like dark signature headphones, which is how I heard those, and why I bought the T1s, which I love by the way.
Now if I heard the LCD 3 (which is going to be very unlikely in a place like Australia) and I thought they were better than the T1s I would consider purchasing them, even if they cost 2K. I love music, and I am incapable of using speakers at this time (perhaps ever). I also do some amateur recording and mucking around. Mind you I can't imagine music sounding any better than with what I have right now, I am happy.
To be a small company and create something like headphones, then go through R&D and get them manufactured to your specifications, create all the packaging, advertising, time and effort plus all sorts of other headaches that must come along with that has to be nothing short of really, really hard work. Blood Sweat and Tears.
I love how I hear people criticising how much these things are going to cost. I mean, it's not like just anyone goes through the effort to create headphones. I am certain that if two friends who thought they could do a better job and just go out and make a product like those headphones would get a pretty nasty shock at just how much everything would cost. Also how much effort you had to put in without the use of massive mass producing equipment and factories and permanent labour already working for you, like Sennheiser and Beyerdynamic and all the other big ones.
I personally thought the LCD 2 while not to my taste were quite an accomplishment. I also think that for a small company which will inevitably have inflated costs (and also lets not forget the cost of warranty and returns and repairs) they have done extraordinarily well. Also with the effort those guys put in, I am guessing they also have to do things like eat, pay rent and pay off loans etc... and don't have much time to run another day job. Hey I could be wrong though on that subject.
I have no problem with the LCD3 with their entirely new driver costing 2k a pop, especially if they sound divine. Because it's not like they just said "HEY PRESTO!!" and in a puff of smoke this smick product appears.
You also have to take into account the current atmosphere in the world economy. I don't know what it's like over in America, but in Australia the prices for just about everything except perhaps string and balloons have sky rocketed, so if the same is true over there, then I believe the cost of materials would be going through the roof as well. It's a sad indictment on the market economy we all live by and are slaves to, but unfortunately for the moment it's reality. Infinite growth and all that jazz. It's harder for a small company or literally ANYONE these days to be successful.
I would say congratulations Audez'e for producing what seems to be to be a rather high quality and also mighty fine sounding headphone, premium price for a premium sound from a micro manufacturer.
Unfortunately also it really does come down to if you don't like the way things are going... vote with your wallet. Choice in the modern climate is really the only power most of us mortals have (not just with headphones). If we want things to change, it's going to have to be a concerted and combined effort. There are literally thousands of other kinds of headphone out there, some real gems for a fraction of the price of those things. It's always been the case that people with more disposable income are going to be able to purchase more luxury items. Again, unfortunately, that is just reality.
P.S. Sorry for the Essay length.
P.P.S btw there is no way I would post this on head-fi.
Hey Tyll, hope you're enjoying those LCD-3s. How are you finding them so far? Are they the first headphones you go to now? As in would you pick them up over say the HD800s, Stax 007s and 009s to enjoy your music?
If anyone should be given leeway to charge what the market will bear shouldn't it be a small American company that provides enjoyment and technological improvement in an enthusiast market?
This is a great time to love headphones. From modding T50RPs for cheap all the way to used car spendy STAX SR-009s. There are great cans at every price point. I'll take "Anaxilus" modded HD800s and a pair of Thunderpants for the price of an LCD-3 and call it a day.
I got the HD800s for 1299 on Amazon and got in on Smeggy's group buy to get Ziricote Thunderpants w/ O2 pads for 640. Not everyday prices, but I'll take it.
Just a note for current owners of Version I.
Moon Audio's Silver Dragon slayer cable slays the rolled off top.
The improvement is dramatic. Much more detail and transparency, a flatter and neutral frequency balance, the inner voices will appear in bold relief without edge. The warmth will be gone entirely!
In fact, after a prolonged burn in of three days to a week, all the desirable characteristics had returned. My thinking, and those of you who are willing can test it out, that the LCD-2 was not inherently rolled off. The cable the co supplied made it so...and I was one who complained about the roll off early.
The boss of this site might do us all a favor by reviewing the LCD 2 (V1) with the Silver Dragon slayer against the LCD-3. He might find a very interesting surprise for early adoptees of the first model.
Who might just pocket the $1000 and walk away snickering?
Would I buy the LCD-3? Well yes, but I would sleep on it for a couple of months. At least.
The Silver Dragons really need a few days of burn in, and with the perceptible change in FR, some may find the bass not as prominent. It is, it's just that the new balance will trick the ear. One can, with the right software (I use Fidelia, but Amarra has the same ability), boost the LFs using the parametric EQ one octave-wide envelope 20-40hz +3db and get the most kick ass bass he's ever heard. Tight, low, detailed.
Enjoy, and don't hold it against me for bettering your lives.
I'd be interested in seeing Tyll measure the LCD-2 using the aftermarket cable as described above. Would the measurements reflect any of this extra energy on the top end?
How would cable believers react if the measurement was EXACTLY the same with either cable? How would cable skeptics react if the measurements showed an increase in high frequency extension?
It would make for an interesting article. Tyll is one of the few people I can think of in this industry with both the expertise and the gonads to do such a test. It probably wouldn't change any minds, but would spark some interesting discussion.
Objective measurements of cables, this I want to see. Would the cable-mafia allow it?
The arguments have little to do with performance, other than knocking the Audez'e's.
The fact is this. The LCD-2 is a brilliant design that achieved what others could not. It is a thoroughly satisfying product. So far.
That, is the bottom line. The FR and transparency problems noted here and elsewhere can be resolved handily with MOON's Silver Dragon wire.
End of story.
This is a comments thread. The story doesn't end just because you say so. You believe that Silver Dragon cable improves the performance of the LCD-2 to your ears, which is fine. You are entitled to your belief, just as I or anyone else are entitled to not share it until we hear it for ourselves, or it is objectively proven. You are a fan of the LCD-2 and that is something you don't have to prove to anyone - enjoy!
Thanks for putting me in my place Mr. Moderator.
Let me put it this way Sir. Some people's opinions are actually better than other's. That's just the way it is in the real world. In other words, mine is better than yours.
When you've had decades of published audio reviews as I have, we can resume this conversation. Until that time, this is the end of that story.
The beginning of your story should have been a spanking your parents failed to give you. It's called manners... and first, putting yourself in your place.
Can I assume you don't own, and perhaps never even heard, the Audez'e, yet have plenty of opinions about it?
I refer you to your Oct. 26 post.
Believe what you like, including the worth of your opinion over other people's and take comfort in that. Though self-inflated, it's only your opinion and nothing more, in the end.
In answer to your rather rhetorical question, I refer you to my second post dated 25th October, which you seem to have overlooked.
Tyll, thanx for the early review of LCD-3, I guess y had a very pleasant time at CanJam... Well, I never heard Audeze headphones, but I really want... as for the price, I think everything is a matter of priority. 7 Days vacation / a chill out session on the islands could easily cost that much. The difference is that people are going to listen to headphones not for a week or month, but probably a couple of years (if we are talking about high-end solutions)... I can't afford myself spending 1945$ for the cans right now, but at the same time I understand, that this is a feasible amount of money (need to save of course).No doubt, the step of doubling the price wasn't expected by many, but this is how business goes. Since this is a huge market with really big playas (Beyerdynamic started in 1924...) they all took different niche (starting from low-end to high(ER)-end), it's hard to survive especially for "younger brothers"... I guess Audeze found its own niche with a unique product. Time flies fast, personally I hope to see more products from Audeze - not low-end, but something starting from the middle, anyways, the guys are doing great job!
and you're entitled to make them. A sense of entitlement complements self-importance quite nicely. Though you might want to reconsider your "Break in time" stipulation in view of Tyll's latest findings. ;-)
What is Audeze saying about the failures and how they are going to approach the issue. It appears this product was not ready for production and since your review was so favorable Tyll a followup may be in order as people are investing 2K in a headphone that has proved not reliable from what I have seen.my concern with the short warranty is how these problems will be addressed long term. They have been silent on this problem which from what i can see is substantial.
The increasing number of reports regarding flawed build quality with Audeze's LCD-2 Rev 1 and Rev 2, and now its current flagship the LCD-3, is tarnishing the reputation of this young American start-up that had received so much goodwill from the Head-Fi community. However, the negative reports are anecdotal and it would be helpful to know how many headphones sold have been returned due to production flaws. In the absence of such information, the perception is that Audeze has rushed its most expensive headphone to market without first redressing the quality control problems plaguing its predecessors, and this disappointing trend continues with the LCD-3. It's not a good look.
"The increasing number of reports regarding flawed build quality with Audeze's LCD-2 Rev 1 and Rev 2, and now its current flagship the LCD-3, is tarnishing the reputation of this young American start-up..."- writes Jazz Casual.
No Mr.Jazz Casual. None of these models nor their users are tarnishing the reputation of this young American start-up. It is you alone who are relentlessly trying to tarnish it, and it has become transparent to readers of this blog. You don't own any of them, yet you seem to have a hard-on for Audez'e products - all of them - and excuse us, but we are not in the psychiatric profession. So why don't you take your act to whatever headphone company you "like," or is paying you for your predictable comments, eh?
On that note Tyll, would you consider trying the LCD-2 with the Silver Dragon wire, make slight adjustments to the EQ of the digital player (Amarra or Fidelia), and compare the first with the LCD-3, see what you get? An interesting experiment me thinks.
Thanks. A
No, other than to say that you and your royal "we" should visit the Audeze threads over at Head-Fi some time with your polishing cloth. ;-)
There has been an awful lot of people crapping on each other. I see this all over the web . . . including Head-Fi, and I can't seem to get away from it. Can we please be more mature?
And no, your opinion is NOT better than ANYONES AGB . . . everyones opinions are equal in value. Just because you have had "decades of published audio reviews" does NOT mean your opinions hold more value than others. You say "it's called manners" but I read both of your comments and your comment was extremely rude . . . if anybody needs to learn manners, it is you.
PS: I also think the part of your comment that said "The beginning of your story should have been a spanking your parents failed to give you" was so childish that (I'm sorry) I just had to laugh at you. Someone who has been alive long enough to be doing reviews for decades should act more like an adult and not a child.
Now, back on topic, I will wait and see if some bigger company that has been around a lot longer will make any Planar Magnetic headphones. An example being Sennheiser.
PS: I don't know if this site is like Head-Fi or not where it is frowned upon when you make multiple posts in a row but I apologize if it is.


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Bill Ingalls / NASA
NASA photographer Bill Ingalls, who was in Cincinnati to take pictures during Apollo 11 moonwalker Neil Armstrong's family memorial ceremony on Aug. 31, snapped this picture of the "blue moon" hanging over the Queen City's skyline. See some of Ingalls' pictures from the memorial ceremony.
Tonight's blue moon may not be as rare as it sounds, but it's still special — as is every glorious full moon, whichever color you use to describe it.
Actually, the term "blue moon" is something of a misnomer. There's no reason for the full moon to be any bluer than usual (though it's certainly possible for the moon to take on a blue tinge). Instead, it has to do with the extra occurrence of a full moon in a given calendar cycle.
Various cultures have used different terms to describe that extra lunar cycle — Adhik Maas for Hindus, or an extra month of Adar for the Jewish calendar. The Maine Farmers' Almanac used the term "blue moon" to describe an extra moon in a particular quarter of the year.
Then, in 1946, an amateur astronomer named James Hugh Pruett wrote about the phenomenon for Sky & Telescope magazine, in the context of the old saying that a rare occurrence happened only "once in a blue moon."
Only problem was, he got it wrong.
Pruett described the blue-moon phenomenon as the second full moon in a calendar month. Sky & Telescope stuck with that, and the definition has been used (and hotly debated) ever since. If you go along with the definition, then tonight's full moon is blue due to the fact that it follows a full moon on the night of Aug. 1.
There's another long-debated issue surrounding blue moons: You could argue that they happen way too often to be considered as rare as a "blue moon" in the proverbial sense. The interplay of the lunar and solar calendars dictates that a blue moon should occur, on average, every 2.7 years.
Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson summed up the issue a couple of days ago in a Twitter update: "A month's second full moon is the blue moon. Not rare. More frequent than presidential elections, yet nobody calls them rare."
Technically speaking, the moon is already a few hours past its full phase — but it's still well worth taking note of, and not just because it's the last blue moon until July 31, 2015. It provides a fitting opportunity to pay tribute to history's first moonwalker, Neil Armstrong, who passed away last weekend. In fact, Armstrong's family is urging you to look at the moon in Neil's honor.
"The next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink," the family said.
Photographers around the world have already been getting great moon shots. Here's a sampling of the "blue moon" views:
Biswaranjan Rout / AP
A boy rides his bicycle over a stretch of sand on the outskirts of the eastern Indian city of Bhubaneswar as the "blue moon" shines above in Aug. 31.
Muhammad Hamed / Reuters
A full moon shines over Amman, the capital of Jordan, on Aug. 31.
Robert Atanasovski / AFP - Getty Images
A full moon is seen behind tree branches in the Macedonian city of Skopje on Aug. 31. According to NASA, this is the second time in August that a full moon has been seen. The first was on the night of Aug. 1-2. This phenomenon is referred to as a "blue moon."
Vesa Vauhkonen
Vesa Vauhkonen created this multiple-exposure photographic view of the moon rising over Rautalampi, Finland, on Aug. 30.
Daisuke Tomiyasu
The clouds over Kobe, Japan, take on a fittingly blue hue in this picture taken by Daisuke Tomiyasu on Aug. 31.
Louisa Gouliamaki / AFP - Getty Images
Greeks and tourists gather at the Roman Agora in Athens, which is open all night as part of a full-moon celebration on Aug. 31. A number of archaeological sites and museums around Greece opened at night, with events and concerts celebrating the second full moon of August, known as a "blue moon."
Louisa Gouliamaki / AFP - Getty Images
A picture taken on Aug. 31 shows the full moon above the ancient Acropolis hill in Athens.
Inge Harsten
Inge Harsten, who lives in Fredrikstad, Norway, used a filter to add an appropriate color to this picture of the "blue moon."
Petros Karadjias / AP
The full moon rises over the sea at Konnos beach near Ayia Napa and Protaras resort in the southeast of the island of Cyprus on Aug. 31.
For still more blue-moon pictures, check out SpaceWeather.com's photo gallery and NASA's Flickr site for blue-moon imagery. If you snap a great picture of the moon tonight, please consider sharing it with us. Use our FirstPerson upload tool to send us your moon shot, and we'll pass along a sampling of the photos we receive.
Where in the Cosmos
Vesa Vauhkonen's moonrise montage served as the subject of this week's "Where in the Cosmos" photo quiz on the Cosmic Log Facebook page. It took a while this time, but John Culp and Brian Svacina eventually guessed that the photo was taken in Finland. To reward their geographical smarts (or was it just plain luck?), I'm sending them pairs of 3-D glasses, provided courtesy of Microsoft Research's WorldWide Telescope project. Those red-blue glasses will add an extra dimension to moon pictures like this one. Got 3-D? Click the "like" button for the Cosmic Log Facebook page and get ready for next Friday's quiz.
Update for 8:20 p.m. ET: The Phrase Finder delves deeply into the origins of the phrase "blue moon," meaning a rare event, and appears to have come up with a sensible explanation. In 16th-century England, the expression was apparently used to describe an impossible event, like pigs flying. The phrase pops up in a sarcastic context in a 1528 work by William Barlow, Bishop of Chichester, titled "Treatyse of the Buryall of the Masse": "Yf they saye the mone is belewe, we must beleve that it is true."
It took centuries longer for the phrase to describe something that hasn't happened in quite a while. The Phrase Finder cites this quote in Pierce Egan's "Real Life in London" (1821): "How's Harry and Ben? — haven't seen you this blue moon." Meanwhile, the Maine Farmers' Almanac put its own astronomical twist on the term, going back to the 19th century.
More moon shots:
- Your views of the supermoon
- Slideshow: Hits from 2012's supermoon
- Darkness falls on the moon in June
- Slideshow: 50 years of moon views
Alan Boyle is NBCNews.com's science editor. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's Facebook page, following @b0yle on Twitter and adding the Cosmic Log page to your Google+ presence. To keep up with Cosmic Log as well as NBCNews.com's other stories about science and space, sign up for the Tech & Science newsletter, delivered to your email in-box every weekday. You can also check out "The Case for Pluto," my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.


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SANFORD — The town's Christmas tree, a fine blue spruce, now stands tall in Central Park. A crew from the public works department faced chilly winds on Monday morning and hung holiday lights from the tree's long branches.
Now all that is needed is someone to flip the switch and light the tree for all to see.
No need to volunteer — the town already has somebody in mind. This Friday, Nov. 30, Santa and Mrs. Claus officially will light the tree following the "Holly Daze" parade at 5:30 p.m.
The parade will kick off "Holly Daze," the annual yuletide celebration that's a collaboration between Sanford Downtown Legacy, the Sanford Parks and Recreation Department and the Sanford-Springvale Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development.
Reynold and Theresa Berard, of Johnson Street, donated the tree to the town, according to Parks and Recreation Director Marcel Blouin. On Monday morning, local police officers provided some traffic control as a public works crew transported the tree on a loader from the Berards' home to Central Park on Main Street. Abbott Hill Tree Service donated time, equipment and expertise for cutting down the tree and installing it into the holder at the park.
The parade will start from York Street, next to Dairy Queen, and will proceed north toward to the Mid-Town Mall, according to Fran Libbey, the executive director of Sanford Downtown Legacy, the organization charged with supervising ongoing efforts to revitalize the downtown.
A new feature this year will be "Snowcrows on Parade," a spinoff of the popular "Scarecrows on the Pond" contest that is held during "Harvest Daze" in September. Participants can purchase a "snowcrow" frame for $10 and can decorate it with a holiday theme. All completed "snowcrows" will then be loaded onto a truck and displayed in the parade for judges. The frames can be purchased at any of the three Sanford Institution for Savings branches on Main Street. They must be returned to the SIS in downtown Sanford, however, by 4 p.m. on Nov. 30, just in time for the parade.
During the parade, Garnsey Bros. at 909 Main Street will hot cocoa and popcorn to the public.
Earlier on Friday, "Holly Village" will open at The Townhouse at 883 Main Street at 2 p.m. and will provide shoppers with opportunities to purchase locally made crafts, artworks, baked goods and other assorted items. The village will remain open until 7 p.m.
The Sanford-Springvale Art Association also will host an open house at 917 Main Street on Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. Cider and cookies will be served.
Also on Friday, there will be a production of "The Nutcracker" at the Nasson Little Theatre at 457 Main Street at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults, and $10 for senior citizens, students and children ages 12 and younger. For more information, visit online at www.sanfordmainestage.com, send an email to email@example.com or call 324-8227.
"Holly Daze" continues on Saturday with activities all throughout the downtown. "Holly Village," as well as a holiday craft fair, will be held at 883 Main Street from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Also, a "Home Business Market" will be open at 908 Main Street.
Children can play old fashioned games at the Sanford-Springvale Historical Museum at 505 Main Street from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. From 10 a.m. to noon, families can have their pictures taken with Santa Claus, courtesy of Creteau's Studio and Altrusa, at Literacy Volunteers of Greater Sanford's suite at 883 Main Street; can decorate cookies and eat lunch at the Trafton Senior Center on Elm Street; can make ornaments at Goodall Library at 952 Main Street; and can take part in a scavenger hunt at local businesses with a variety of organizations' mascots.
Horse-drawn wagon rides will be offered from noon to 2 p.m. They will start at Premier Rental at 886 Main Street and will loop around the downtown.
Also, back at the Nasson Little Theatre, performer Donna Lee will put on a Patsy Cline tribute not once, but twice, at 2 and 7 p.m. Make your reservations now — this show sold out early last year. Tickets cost $15 and can be reserved by calling (207) 651-5714.
Lastly, now through Dec. 22, Sanford Downtown Legacy encourages you to browse and buy at businesses throughout Sanford and Springvale; if you do, you can take part in a special "Holly Daze" raffle called "Shop Local" that will give you chances to win prizes. Shoppers will receive a ticket when shopping, dining, banking and more at these participating businesses: Bergeron's Shoes & Pedorthic Services; Backstreet Grill; Sanford Car Wash Centers; Sherwin-Williams Company; Central Furniture; Kathie's Quilt Shop; The Craft Gallery; Chasing the Sun; Shaw's Hardware; Bowl-A-Rama; Sanford Sound; Roux's Kitchen and Bath; Bonanza Steakhouse; The Music Mill; Dunkin' Donuts; Sanford Maine Stage; CLM Capital Management; Hollywood Hair; Shain's of Maine; The Legends 1220 AM; Third Alarm Diner; Sanford Institution for Savings; Downeast Flowers; Springvale Hardware; Fresco Mexican Grill; Springvale Flowers; Maine Originals; Get Fired Up; "Holly Daze" Marketplace and Shops; Edward Jones Investments; Saundarya Salon; Bundle Resale; Sanford Walgreens; Dirty Dozen; Sanford Parks and Recreation; Springvale Publick House; and Little Blessings.
The raffle's drawing will be held on Dec. 22.
Sanford Institution for Savings, Shain's of Maine, HA Mapes and Wasco Products are all sponsoring "Holly Daze."
For more information, visit online at www.sanforddowntown.org or call 490-4002.
Santa Claus is coming to town
SANFORD — The town's Christmas tree, a fine blue spruce, now stands tall in Central Park. A crew from the public works department faced chilly winds on Monday morning and hung holiday lights from the tree's long branches.


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Why do the sequels of some authors fall flat and others produce multiple instalments in series that just go on and on successfully? I was at a Young Adult genre workshop once where it was remarked, "Every child need a series at some point." Series just encourage reading, for children and for adults. It's the comfort of not having to "work at" learning the context of the novel and of meeting the characters again, because they have become like old friends.
To a certain extent, writing a series must be a bit taxing for the author since some background must be given in each new book, just in case someone has not read any of the previous ones. McCall Smith handles this seamlessly, slipping in interesting anecdotes and necessary history about a character as he goes along, not necessarily in the tiresome way some do, with lengthy explanations clustered into the opening chapters.
For fans of the No. 1 Ladies Detective series, this is the 15th. Someone opens a new cafe in town, someone gets fired, Mma Makutsi's shoes start talking again, and the author produces a rather interesting rant towards the end of the book on the importance of matrons. A matron is a senior nurse overseeing a department, often in a hospital. Smith shared with us, when we listened to him speak in London last month, that he thought what is needed in this country is the return of the matron, and many British heads in the audience were bobbing up and down in agreement. Perhaps budget cuts changed all that, but I recently saw an announcement that the British Government was bringing back "modern matrons", perhaps in response to recent complaints of dirty ineffective hospitals where patients do not receive proper care.
Always a bit philosophical and political, always entertaining, Alexander McCall Smith enjoys writing his characters as much as we enjoy reading them. And always necessary, with the plethora of books he has written, here is a link to his website:
Alexander McCall Smith Website


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Each of the statements below reference factual numbers, actual legislation, or true data. None of this is my opinion, all of this can be easily validated.
1. Since 1932, Democratic Presidents have created 73.4 million new jobs, Republicans have created only 34.8 million. Thus, Democrats created more jobs lifting my standard of living. (Source: International Business Times | Bloomberg)
2. Democrats got my mother, sister, and all other women a right to vote by fighting the GOP for 7 years (Source: Woodrow Wilson 1912-1919). Even 100 years later, Democrats fight Republicans as they introduced a law in Wisconsin that would criminalize single mothers. (Source 1 | Forbes)
3. Land Grant Institution funding triggered under Great Society Programs lifted me and many of my friends from lower middle class to upper earning brackets through affordable college education. (Sources: Colorado University | US History | Wikipedia)
4. Democrats got me a right to get married to the person I love while GOP made constitutional bans for same-sex marriage in almost all GOP controlled states. (Source: HRC Housing | Employment | Hospital Visitation)
5. Lyndon Johnson's Great Society Programs created "Work Study" which enabled me to work 20-hours a week in addition to classes to pay towards my college tuition and make a life for myself. (Sources: Colorado University | US History | Wikipedia)
6. Lyndon Johnson's Great Society Programs created Pell Grants, which helped me and millions of other people complete college education and go on to create new businesses and opportunities for ourselves and others. (Sources: Colorado University | US History | Wikipedia)
7. Democratic President Barack Obama repealed Don't Ask Don't Tell to empower me and other LGBT Americans to serve our country with self-respect and dignity, unifying our nation. (Source: White House)
8. While GOP governments have legislation in 12 states to ban Islamic faith called Sharia, Democrats created a nation where people of all faiths can freely practice under our first amendment right by never introducing legislation to ban an established faith. (Source: MSNBC)
9. In last 70 years GDP rose 12.6% under Democrats versus a GOP increase of 10.7%. From 1960 to 2012 the gross domestic product measured in dollars rose an average of $165 billion a year under Republican presidents and $212 billion a year under Democrats. Thus, Democrats made this nation more prosperous. (Source: Washington Post)
10. The Bayh-Dole Act, passed by a Democratic House and Senate and signed by Jimmy Carter, has created 5000 companies including Google. It created millions of jobs for me and my fellow citizens. (Source: Act | Wiki Information)
11. Democrats in 1967 legalized interracial marriage across the US, giving me and my friends a chance to find and marry the best person for us irrespective of race. The GOP opposed it. (Source: Wikipedia)
12. Democrats created anti-discrimination laws under Great Society Programs that protect me, and millions of other Americans from being denied housing, jobs, or other services on the grounds of race. The GOP opposed it. (Sources: Colorado University | US History | Wikipedia)
13. Lyndon Johnson enacted a massive expansion of Social Security (also created by a democratic, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt) and Medicare so older Americans that have worked hard and spent their lives making this nation great are not left alone in the dark. One day, I will also take advantage of such programs. (Sources: Colorado University | US History | Wikipedia)
14. Democrats created Medicaid under Great Society Programs to help enhance healthcare access for men, women, and children who otherwise couldn't afford it. The GOP still wants to dissolve it. (Sources: Colorado University | US History | Wikipedia)
15. Democratic Presidents hold the record for all of the following:
- Greatest gross domestic product (GDP) growth: Clinton
- Biggest jobs increase: Truman
- Best after-tax personal disposable income rise: Carter
- Highest industrial production growth: Johnson
- The lowest Misery Index, which is inflation plus unemployment: Kennedy
- The lowest inflation: Truman
- The largest federal budget deficit reduction: Clinton
Each one of the above made this country a stronger and larger economy to make all Americans more prosperous. (Source: Washington Post)
16. Democrats spend far less; spending breaks down as $35 billion a year under Democratic presidents and $60 billion under Republicans on average. If you assume that it takes a year for a president's policies to take effect, Democrats have raised spending by $40 billion a year and Republicans by $55 billion. Thus, the GOP is more responsible for the debt that we have amassed, lowering our credit rating. (Source: Washington Post)
17. While giving people of faith a full free choice to do what they deem fit, Democrats made access to birth control available to all women so those suffering from PCOS, ovarian cancer, ovarian cysts, and hormonal disorders can save their lives by using it. The GOP still fights that. This made lives of people close to me better. (Source: Detailed Affordable Care Act | Graphic | Related Blog)
18. Democrats have created anti-discrimination laws to protect LGBT individuals from being denied housing or jobs based on their sexual orientation which is similar to providing protection for people who choose to affiliate with a certain religion of their choice. This has created an America where my friends and I can thrive based on our work not our race, religion, or sexual orientation. 31 GOP states have still refused to follow this trend enacted in 19 liberal states to protect LGBT Americans in a diversity bucket. (Source: HRC Housing | Employment | Hospital Visitation | State Laws |Interactive)
19. Out of 18 states that produce more wealth than what they take in from the Federal Government, 16 are liberal, one swing (FL), and only one Republican (TX). On the other hand, of 32 states that take in more money than what they produce, aka welfare states, 4 (MD, ME, HI, VT) are liberal, one swing (PA), and an astonishing 27 are full-out conservative. (Link) Thus Democratic legislature and fiscal policies have created a better living environment for me, conservative legislatures have failed to do the same for its loyal base. (Source: Tax Foundation)
20. A Democratic legislature and President Obama in 2010 enacted HealthCare Reform that eliminates discrimination for insurance against people with preexisting conditions, prevents women from being charged twice as much, makes preventative care available, enables young adults to stay on their parents plan till 26, and removes lifetime caps to make sure that children born with serious conditions are not left out to die. The beauty of this was that the reform is not a government takeover, relies on private insurance, and expands coverage for all my fellow citizens making all of our lives better. (Source: Lifetime Caps | Women Pay More | Detailed Affordable Care Act |Graphic)
Now, take just 5 minutes. Imagine an America where only one religion dictates the law of the land like Rick Santorum suggests. Where things like the Patriot Act and Guantanamo Bay-style camps that enable no right to fair trial are created. LGBT Americans cannot only not serve in the military but have their children confiscated. Women cannot vote. Blacks cannot marry whites. You can be fired for being Hispanic. Muslims cannot worship freely. There are no Pell Grants to put your child through school. There is no Medicare for your parents. There is a government that spends twice as much on average ($60B vs. $35B) and creates half as many jobs (73.4MM vs 34.8MM). Imagine it… having trouble? It is called Iran. Afghanistan. Pakistan. Saudi Arabia. It is called America without Democratic Presidents and their legislation. Take away all what Democrats have achieved in last 100 years and you will get an America not too different from places you fear the most.
America, wake up. Facts are staring right at you. Wake up!
Cross posted with permission from RethinkFuture. Written by Uzair Qadeer.


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Friends: Bath explosion victim smelled gas in home before blast
Dale Ann Fussell killed in explosion
Friends of the woman who died when an explosion leveled her Bath duplex on Tuesday morning say she had smelled gas in her home for weeks.
Investigators said a leaking propane pipe led to the explosion that killed 64-year-old Dale Ann Fussell.
"Every Tuesday, she'd come," said Neighborhood Cafe food kitchen volunteer Patti Silva. "Reliable. That door would open and it would be, 'Oh, look who's here! It's Dale!'"
Silva and other volunteers at Nieghborhood Cafe got ready for a Tuesday-night meal without Fussell.
Fussell volunteered at the food kitchen for two years.
"It's going to be hard for me," Silva said. "She's not going to be here on Tuesday to help, and I know the reason why she's not going to be here, and I think that's what's going to hurt me more."
People who volunteered with Fussell at the food pantry said she had been complaining about headaches and had notified the property manager.
"She said, 'It's just that the last couple of days, I've been smelling gas in my apartment.' And she said, 'I think that's what probably is giving me the headache,'" Silva said.
Silva said Fussell told her she had called the management company about the gas.
The apartment complex manager said she had no record of Fussell calling to complain.
Officials at the property management office told News 8 there is no record of Fussell contacting the office with any complaints.
They insist that the homes in the development are safe.
Fussell's funeral is scheduled for Tuesday night.


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We're excited, you're excited! It's finally here, FL Studio 10. You can download the FL Studio 10 installer here and either update your current FL Studio installation, don't forget to download and install a new FLRegkey.Reg file, or try it in demo mode.
Key new features include:
- 64 Bit plugin wrapper - FL Studio now hosts 64 Bit VST plugins for access to unlimited memory.
- Autosave / Autobackup - Don't lose a project or data again.
- Revised Playlist - Individually resizable tracks. Lock tracks to Clips. Live performance time Marker options (Jump to, Loop, Pause & Skip)
- Revised Mixer - Fully Automatic Plugin Delay Compensation (A-PDC). New waveform meter view.
- Revised Piano roll - Export as sheet music option. Vertical zoom with not properties view. Magic lasso selection & note-handle stretch. Edit ghost notes by double Right-click. Waveform view.
- Pattern Picker - opens from the Playlist, Piano roll or Stepsequencer. Select Patterns & Channels.
- Patcher (free) - chain instruments & effects for easy saving of complete instrument & effect chains.
- ZGameEditor Visualizer (free) - OpenGL based visualization effect with movie render capability.
- Pitcher (demo) - real-time correction/harmonization plugin responds to Piano roll note control.
- Newtone (demo) - pitch correction editor for precise control, pristine quality stretching, re-pitching and correction.
- Keep on disk & 32 Bit Bridge - now give each Audio Clip / Sampler Channel / Plugin access to at least 2 GB memory and up to 4 for VST Plugins.
- Fruity Edition - gains access to Pattern Clips.
- Lifetime Free Updates - are extended to all FL Studio 10 box customers onward & as usual all download customers.
- ...learn more by visiting the 'FL Studio 10 What's New?' page.
For help on upgrading your current FL Studio installation to FL Studio 10 by making use of your Lifetime Free Updates please see this video. There are more help-links in the video information.


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All the media in the U.S. paid homage to Lauren Rousseau.
In Canada and in Quebec also because she had French-Canadian roots.
A teacher affects eternity; he or she can never tell where his or her influence stops.
-Henry Adams, historian and teacher (1838-1918)
Lauren Gabrille Rousseau, 30, teacher
(AP) — Lauren Rousseau had spent years working as a substitute teacher and doing other jobs. So she was thrilled when she finally realized her goal this fall to become a full-time teacher at Sandy Hook.
Her mother, Teresa Rousseau, a copy editor at the Danbury News-Times, released a statement Saturday that said state police told them just after midnight that she was among the victims.
« Lauren wanted to be a teacher from before she even went to kindergarten, » she said. « We will miss her terribly and will take comfort knowing that she had achieved that dream. »
Her mother said she was thrilled to get the job.
« It was the best year of her life, » she told the newspaper.
Rousseau has been called gentle, spirited and active. She had planned to see « The Hobbit » with her boyfriend Friday and had baked cupcakes for a party they were to attend afterward. She was born in Danbury, and attended Danbury High, college at the University of Connecticut and graduate school at the University of Bridgeport.
She was a lover of music, dance and theater.
« I'm used to having people die who are older, » her mother said, « not the person whose room is up over the kitchen. »
The principal's husband had Lauren in his class when she was in Grade 4.
Double tragedy for husband of dead principal as 1994 class photo shows he once taught Lauren Rousseau – a teacher who was also murdered at Sandy Hook
The family of slain Newtown principal Dawn Hochsprung have suffered a double tragedy after it emerged that they were close to another of the victims. George Hochsprung taught Lauren Rousseau when she was in fourth grade and considered her a 'family friend', relatives have revealed. He and Dawn liked her so much that they even put in a good word at her school, Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut, and got her a job.
Lauren was the same age as one of my sons who had his birthday yesterday.
What went so terribly wrong on December 14, 2012?
The NRA had the answer today (pun intended).
The N.R.A.'s plan for countering school shootings, coming a week after the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., was met with widespread derision from school administrators, law enforcement officials and politicians, with some critics calling it "delusional" and "paranoid." Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, a Republican, said arming schools would not make them safer.


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Dept. of Sacred Music and Antiochian.org Launch Improved Library of Liturgical Music
The Dept. of Sacred Music has long maintained one of the most popular sections of this website, a library of hundreds of pieces of official liturgical sheet music for use by our parishes. Now this library has been improved with a new interface for users, and many other changes to the software supporting the catalog. The new design will make it possible in the future for the department to work in collaboration with Antiochian.org to add audio tracks to accompany the sheet music, and more.
Currently, the library is highlighting the music for the upcoming Archdiocese Convention.
Click here to visit the Sacred Music Library.
Click here to visit the Department of Sacred Music, chaired by Christopher Holwey.


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About the only thing wrong with this novel is that it is yet another one of those books that Tor has chosen to cut in half and publish in two installments. We'll have to wait for The Tourmaline, due out sometime next year, to read the end of the tale.Which pretty much means that I'm not reading Park's book on general principle. Call me old-fashioned, but when I buy a book, I expect it to have a beginning, a middle and an end, not necessarily in that order, and I don't intend to pay the price of two books (which in the case of hardcovers comes to $50) for that pleasure. There is literally nothing I hate more in modern publishing than Tor's recent habit of cutting books in half and publishing them in two volumes. They started the practice with Gene Wolfe's The Wizard Knight (published as The Knight and The Wizard) and kept it going with Charles Stross' The Merchant Princes (The Family Trade and The Hidden Family)--both books submitted to Tor in a single volume but sold to readers in two. Splitting up Park's novel is a clear indicator that this vile practice isn't going anywhere.
Back in February, Rick Kleffel examined Tor's new policy, albeit with kid gloves, in his Agony Column. He blamed the practice on chain bookstores like Borders and Barnes & Noble, who refuse to carry long books by unknown and mid-list authors. I'll accept that the chains share some culpability in this issue, but I'll also note that no other publishing house, genre or otherwise, has chosen to deal with this problem by splitting up their books. It can hardly be a coincidence that all the books that have been split belong to a genre whose readers had already proven that they were willing to buy multiple continuations and sequels to their favorite books. Nor does blaming the problem on chain bookstores in the case of hardcover novels explain why none of the paperback editions of the split books have contained both volumes.
But what I really don't understand is why Kleffel and Morgan and everyone else writing about SFF publishing isn't spitting mad about this issue. Possibly I'm over-sensitive: being an English reader in Israel is a frustrating and expensive proposition. There's one bookstore chain that carries English books--at a markup of 50-100%--and their SFF selection is pathetic. My local library's English section consists mostly of my cast-offs. Amazon sells books at decent prices, but the shipping rates are so prohibitive that they cancel out the savings. Still, I have to believe that even people for whom Wolfe and Stross and Park's novels are readily available would pause before spending $50 on a single book. Is it really possible that this kind of financial consideration doesn't occur to Morgan, who apparently believes that the worst consequence of book-splitting is the fact that she's going to have to wait a few months to read the rest of the story, when she notes that "two 450 page books make more money than one 900 page book" as if that actually justified Tor's behavior?
And really, what are the odds that any of the split books need to be as long as they are? This is fantasy, after all, original home of the doorstopping tome and the umpteen-volume series. There's a culture of excess in the genre that publishers have been capitalizing on for decades, in light of which it's hard to view Tor's decision to split books as anything other than a new variant on an old scam--they get to save on editors and make us pay double.
Which, once again, leads me to wonder why more people aren't upset. How is it possible that this kind of avarice doesn't result in wide-spread condemnation? And even if I were willing to accept book-splitting as a business decision--and publishing is a business, no matter how much we'd like to pretend otherwise--surely Tor should have to deal with some consequences to their decision? When the time came to nominate The Wizard Knight for awards, it was listed as a single book, an approach that Cheryl Morgan called "entirely reasonable". Apparently price-gouging is fine as long as it doesn't affect your chances of taking home a Hugo.


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Detective Conan Episode 945 English Subbed
Episode Lists: Detective Conan
Genre: Adventure, Mystery, Comedy, Police, Shounen
Storyline Synopsis
Shinichi Kudou, a high school student of astounding talent in detective work, is well known for having solved several challenging cases. One day, when Shinichi spots two suspicious men and decides to follow them, he inadvertently becomes witness to a disturbing illegal activity. Unfortunately, he is caught in the act, so the men dose him with an experimental drug formulated by their criminal organization, leaving him to his death. However, to his own astonishment, Shinichi lives to see another day, but now in the body of a seven-year-old child. Perfectly preserving his original intelligence, he hides his real identity from everyone, including his childhood friend Ran Mouri and her father, private detective Kogorou Mouri. To this end, he takes on the alias of Conan Edogawa, inspired by the mystery writers Arthur Conan Doyle and Ranpo Edogawa. Detective Conan follows Shinichi who, as Conan, starts secretly solving the senior Mouri\'s cases from behind the scenes with his still exceptional sleuthing skills, while covertly investigating the organization responsible for his current state, hoping to reverse the drug\'s effects someday.
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Next Update Schedule Detective Conan New Episode will be released next week at the time specified on the release schedule page.


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Thank you for making Velocity 2013 a success. Check out the list of upcoming Velocity events around the world.
In the meantime, if you missed anything at the conference, get the Velocity 2013 Complete Video Compilation - with recordings of all keynotes, sessions, and tutorials.
More Velocity video on YouTube: 2012 (SC) • 2012 (Europe) • 2013
Your job is to keep it all running: the Web, the Cloud, mobile apps, data flow and storage, and all the technologies that hold it all together. The technologies you use—and the ways you use them—are increasingly complex and changing at an intensely rapid pace. And expectations are growing right along with the technology: no excuses allowed. In other words, the failure of your site, infrastructure, or apps is not an option.
This is why the best minds in web operations and performance come to Velocity each year. The days are packed with the knowledge and information you find essential to getting your job done. It's the only conference that focuses on the core aspects of building a faster and stronger web. At Velocity you'll learn from peers, exchange ideas with experts, and share what has worked (and equally importantly, what has not worked) in real-world applications.
For exhibition and sponsorship opportunities at Velocity conference, contact Gloria Lombardo at (203) 381-9245 or firstname.lastname@example.com
For information on trade opportunities with O'Reilly conferences contact Jaimey Walking Bear at mediapartners
View a complete list of Velocity 2013 contacts


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What: A dinner and after-party to celebrate W's September issue and its cover star Cara Delevingne.
When: Saturday, September 14
Where: Ian Schrager's newly opened London Edition hotel
Who: Kate Moss, Damien Hirst, Harry Styles, Tim Walker, Juergen Teller, Kelly Osbourne, her fiancé Matthew Mosshart, and Alexander Wang who took a quick break from working on his Balenciaga collection and flew in from Paris.
Why: Because, as Lynn Hirschberg writes in her story on Delevingne, ever since the rebellious model "arrived in the fashion world four years ago, she was an instant sensation—a face that captivated."
Related Videos


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Greensboro Library, NCHome Menu
Knights of Vandalia Chess Club at Hemphill Library
Chess for All Ages
- Date: 11/11/2018 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
- Location: Hemphill Branch Library
2301 W. Vandalia Rd.
Greensboro, North Carolina 27407
- CostFree
Learn to play chess or practice your strategies. Develop critical thinking skills and compete against other players.Return to previous page >>


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Former Chargers star Junior Seau got some very good legal news on Friday -- he won't face jail time.
Oceanside police booked Seau into the Vista Detention Facility on Monday for spousal assault P.C. 273.5 after an argument between the football player and his 25-year old live-in girlfriend at Seau's home on the South Strand in Oceanside.
On Friday, though, officials with the county district attorney's office said they were "declining to file charges" against the former Pro Bowler.
"As with every case we review, we have an ethical duty to file charges only when we believe we can prove them beyond a reasonable doubt," the district attorney's office said in a news release issued on Friday afternoon. "The DA's Office will have no further comment at this time."
Hours after his release from custody on Monday, Seau was found behind the wheel of an SUV that had crashed over a Carlsbad cliff onto the beach below. He was weak and bruised, but surrounded by a very supportive family after the crash, according to a longtime friend who visited the 41-year old football player at Scripps La Jolla Hospital. By Monday afternoon, police were confirming accounts by sources close to Seau that he fell asleep before going off the roadway.
U.S. & World
Stories that affect your life across the U.S. and around the world.
If San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis had decided to pursue felony charges, Seau could have faced as much as four years in prison if convicted.
Seau was born in San Diego and was a linebacker for the Chargers from 1990 to 2002. He attended Oceanside High School before attending University of Southern California. He owns two restaurants: Seau's the Restaurant in Mission Valley and Temecula.


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Silsbee Fertility Clinics - Texas
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Coverage of tonight's Cards and Reds game can be heard on Newstalk 97.3 WTIM beginning at 6:40pm.
St. Louis, MO (SportsNetwork.com) - Michael Wacha worked six solid innings and Yadier Molina hit an early three-run double, as St. Louis survived a close call in the ninth to best Cincinnati, 5-3, in the opener of a three-game set from Busch Stadium. Allen Craig and Matt Holliday drove in a run each for the Cardinals, who raised their NL champion banner and won a home opener for the first time since 2010. Wacha (1-0) allowed a run on seven hits with three strikeouts and one walk, then Carlos Martinez and Kevin Siegrist combined for two more scoreless innings. "There was a huge crowd out there. Lots of energy," Wacha said. "I don't know who wouldn't thrive off of those kind of situations." Trevor Rosenthal got into trouble in the ninth, walking Jay Bruce and Ryan Ludwick and allowing a base hit to Todd Frazier which loaded the bases. Zack Cozart singled in Bruce with one away and pinch-hitter Neftali Soto added a sacrifice fly before Billy Hamilton's fly out ended the game. "Collectively, we've struggled to do anything with runners in scoring position," noted Reds manager Bryan Price. "That will change. It's just tough to sit through it." Roger Bernadina added a pinch-hit RBI double and Brayan Pena went 3-for-4 with two doubles for the Reds, who have dropped four of their last five. Tony Cingrani (0-1) lasted only four frames and was charged with three hits and as many runs with five strikeouts and four walks. After Hamilton doubled to start the game, he was sacrificed to third and then erased in a rundown between third and home and Cincinnati went scoreless. St. Louis countered in the home half as Matt Carpenter and Peter Bourjos led off with hits, Holliday walked and Molina plated them all on a one-out bases- clearing double. Wacha held the Reds in check until the fifth, when Pena and Bernadina stroked consecutive one-out doubles. The Cards boosted their edge to four in the home seventh with three straight one-out hits: doubles from Bourjos and Holliday followed by a single from Craig. Game Notes St. Louis improved to 3-6 in home openers at the new Busch Stadium ... Wacha hadn't allowed a run in 21 total innings against the Reds until Cincinnati measured him in the fifth ... Prior to the contest, the Reds activated catcher Devin Mesoraco from the 15-day disabled list and optioned catcher Tucker Barnhart to Triple-A Louisville ... Attendance was a record 47,492.
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After months of speculation, it looks like the celebrity wedding audiences have been waiting for may not be too far away. So says the prospective groom, Brad Pitt.
"The time is nigh," Pitt told People during the premiere of his new film "Killing Them Softly" Monday night in New York. "It's soon. I got a good feeling about it."
Pitt, 48, and fiancee Angelina Jolie, 37, thrilled fans when they announced their engagement in April of this year, with speculation over the actual wedding date rife ever since. And as much as their fans wish to see the couple tie the knot, it's their six children who are really putting the pressure on mom and dad to walk down the aisle.
U.S. & World
"I am getting more pressure from my kids, and it is something I want to do within their lifetime, but I also feel like the time has come," Pitt said. Earlier in the day the actor told E! News that, "We didn't realize how much it meant to them and then, in getting engaged, how much it also means to us."
The couple spent much of the summer and early fall of 2012 in the U.K., with Jolie filming the fantasy movie "Maleficent," and Pitt filming "World War Z," a futuristic zombie action flick.
Though Pitt and his bride-to-be continue to advocate for same sex marriage (he famously said they would never wed until all couples were granted the same right), the appeal of finally getting hitched is evident to the actor.
"We've had a family, we've raised the kids," Pitt said to People. "I am surprised how much [marriage] meant to me once you had that."


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Shamong NJ Haunted Houses & Halloween Attractions
Want to spend a scary evening in Shamong? Check our our list below for some of the best haunted houses near Shamong, NJ!
BloodShed Farms Fear Fest
Columbus, NJ
Columbus, NJ
Legend has it, that the Lived family had a very dark secret. During the time the Liveds ran the old farm, 16 reported people went missing in a span of 3 years. Investigation never led to the farm. ... Read More
Night of Horror
Shamong, NJ
Shamong, NJ
Flashlight Corn Maze, The Corn Maze isn't challenging enough? How about we make it a little more interesting… Experience our corn maze in total darkness! All you need is a flashlight and a few frien... Read More


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Beat the Streak Report: April 7
BTS headquarters received quite a strange and humorous phone call yesterday afternoon.
It's unclear how the caller — who refused to give a name — located our unlisted number. But he did, and then demanded to speak with the person in charge of "that streaking game."
The Vice President of Nude and Scantily Clad Programming was out of office for the day, so we assumed that meant us.
"So, uhh, I had a streak of like two, and then I didn't make a pick yesterday, and now my streak is at zero," he said.
"Yes, and …"
"So, uhh, I think the game is broken."
To avoid future conversations like the 10 awkward minutes that followed, we're going to make this as clear as possible:
To keep your streak alive, you must make a BTS pick every single day.
If you do not, your streak will return to zero. And you will be a zero.
We assume that 99 percent of you fully grasped this aspect of the game. For those who didn't, no need to keep Googling "bts support number so lonely". Also, Jumpstart Picks! Magic!
Thursday's picks
(Make a BTS pick)
Oh, hello there …
• Dexter Fowler: .571 AVG (8-for-14) since '06 vs. Pirates starter Paul Maholm
• Troy Tulowitzki: .500 AVG (8-for-16) since '06 vs. Pirates starter Paul Maholm
• Marco Scutaro: .440 AVG (11-for-25) since '06 vs. Indians starter Fausto Carmona
• Hanley Ramirez: .467 AVG (7-for-15) since '06 vs. Nationals starter John Lannan
• Joe Mauer: .412 AVG (7-for-17) since '06 vs. Yankees starter A.J. Burnett
Feeling kinda spicy?
• Edgar Renteria: .481 AVG (13-for-27) since '06 vs. Astros starter Brett Myers
• Jack Hannahan: .500 AVG (6-for-12) since '06 vs. Red Sox starter Jon Lester
On the Milk-to-Habanero scale of spiciness, picking Jack Hannahan against Jon Lester rates a very respectable Tabasco Sauce.
You'll thank me later …
• David Wright: .133 AVG (2-for-15) since '06 vs. Phillies starter Roy Halladay
• Brandon Phillips: .158 AVG (3-for-19) since '06 vs. Astros starter Brett Myers
• Manny Ramirez: .143 AVG (2-for-14) since '06 vs. White Sox starter Edwin Jackson
• Mark Teixeira: .188 AVG (3-for-16) since '06 vs. Twins starter Francisco Liriano
Leaderboard time!
Seven games — good for you! If you can keep the mojo going for three more days, you'll be only 47 days from $5.6 million cash money.
Top MLB streakers
Howard Kendrick: 6 games
Buster Posey: 6 games
Jose Tabata: 6 games
(Make a BTS pick)
23 Comments
Only 1 week into the game and a 2-game separation between 1st & last pages of the Top2500 standings. Over 2500 perfect streakers existed Monday (only 2500 available on standings pages) and today 591 remain perfect. These past 2 days are showing everyone, picking the player with the highest AVG vs. a pitcher is not always the best strategy. Hint, hint
Dave, sorry about that phone call. I thought I was calling regarding my other streak contest: the one where we try to pick which city will next have a public streaking incident… "And I hollered over t' Ethel, I said, "Don't
look, Ethel!" But it's too late, she'd already been incensed." 🙂
Wow. That's crazy only 591 left perfect so far. A lot more will be gone today with the no selections like always.
Thanks for the number crunching LaVolpe. Any idea how the attrition rate compares with last year?
I think there should be a new game: pick the starting position player who will go hitless. It's harder than it sounds but I'm pretty good at it. 😉
@dave55-I think that would be an interesting game. Trying to pick someone who doesn't get a hit probably would be harder then it seems. I know at first it seems easy because I always seem to pick someone who doesn't get a hit but if I had to do it I'm not sure I could string a long streak together. Anyway, I know Tulo isn't the best in April but I am going with him as he hits Maholm really well. GL everyone!
@Dave55. Regarding comparison to last year, I couldn't tell you. I didn't start keeping stats until May. Last year, I was exactly where yanksgiantsdevils33 is today: 6 gamer then reset. I was caught up in the glory of being perfect only to be knocked down like everyone else eventually has been, in previous years.
Out of 590 players with streaks of seven (including me), I count nine with No Selection today. I picked Ryan Braun in hopes of an eight streak.
@gpearson17. Good pick. Braun just homered.
3rd-most-selected Scutaro pickers are either gamblers or very committed. The way BOS has been hitting lately and Scutaro being last in the order, he may not even see 4 ABs, but it only takes one.
@Lav, Scutaro just got a base hit. Infield single that he barely beat out.
I've got Robinson Cano to start back up. He went O fer in his last game so I hope he has a hit in him today.
Got my eight streak. 🙂
@gpearson-congrats on getting to 8, that is an impressive start to the season. Tulo just homered for me so I am back to 2. Hoping to get past that for the first time this year. Looking ahead to tomorrow already, I am thinking of Carlos Gonzalez. GL to those still waiting!
Cano just got a hit, I'm back on board!
Looks like we're going to avoid the bloodbath of recent days. Day games as of 3:00 ET:
*8.3% have already missed (Crawford and A. Gonzalez).
*36.6% have already hit (Scutaro, Votto, Mauer, Jeter, Cano, C. Gonzalez, Tulowitzki, Braun, and Rios).
*Only 1.7% are still at risk (Teixeira, 0-2 and HBP through five innings).
Well I'm back at 0 again. I can't get anything going but I hope to start tomorrow. Sucks my highest is 2 so far. So bad right now. For those still left at perfect enjoy it because it won't last at all. Every year the person who won got their streak started later in the year.
@Vinny. Regarding Scutaro. Yep, BOS gets 4 hits & Scutaro has 2 of them. I still avoid 8 & 9 hitters like the plague. Odds are than they will only see the starter 2 ABs. If they see the starter 3 ABs it generally means the starter is hot & may not get a hit anyway. Since I pick my players to get hits off starters, I'd like them to see that pitcher 3 ABs minimum increasing odds of getting a hit simply by trial & error. The 8 & 9 batters will generally see relievers on their 3rd & 4th AB and granted not all relievers are great, many are 'specialists' designed to get you out late in the game. Just my thoughts of course.
@vinny-I know how you feel. My best is 2 which I tied today with Tulo getting a hit so I'm hoping to keep it up tomorrow. GL starting a new streak as well!
@basebgirlie. Thank you very much. Thank god it's the first week of the season. Still a long way to go and I will be fine. Ichie tomorrow. Had Renteria as a sleeper today and he got 3 hits. That's what happens.
I went with Brandon Phillips who went 2 for 5 today.
That brings me to 10 for 34 overall or just a .294 batting average.
@vinny-The way I figure it, picking successfully gets a little easier as the year goes on because you have more stats to go on that are relevant (i.e. current season stats). The beginning of the year is hard because you don't know who is hot and sometimes it takes people a little while to get going. I'll be pulling for you the rest of the year, as I will for all bloggers members!
And then there were 353…
@gpearson17 if you haven't already, you should join our Bloggers group. Just search the bloggers. Congrats on the 8 keep it goin.
gPearson: A bit more then 353. Need to wait 'bout an hour or so after last game goes final to be sure the standings are completely updated. Looks like 405 perfect streakers remain