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Sunday, March 27, 2011
Thanks for your questions
However, both Matt and I read through several dozen questions, took notes, and found themes which helped us to formulate what to say. Some of you probably recognized pieces of your questions surfacing in the dialog. So... it may not have seemed like we were paying attention to you, but we were. Thanks for your support and we appreciate you.
27 comments:
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Hey Russel, I just wanted to say great job on the show today. It must have been hard not laughing at Ray "Banana Man" Comfort and his ridiculous non-sense, but both you and Matt remained civil and friendly the entire time. I have to say, this was one of the best episodes I've ever seen.ReplyDelete
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You did a great job today, Russell. Matt often ends up going head to head with a caller and the other host chimes in only occasionally, if at all, because Matt is so thorough there's not much left that needs saying. Which is great, but I was really glad to see both of you taking on Ray equally, bringing challenges and addressing his claims confidently and with good grace and humor. You brought some great rebuttals against him, especially to his silly airplane metaphor.ReplyDelete
Great job, Russel and Matt! I was so surprised that Ray would even agree to come on the show with you guys...I haven't seen such a one-sided butt-whooping in a good long while now! Every claim Ray made me think of a kid flicking corn kernels at the Great Wall of China in hopes of knocking it down. I think the trumpets at Jericho would've had a better chance!ReplyDelete
Thanks, guys. Of course, it's easy to look good with Matt doing most of the frontal assaults. I just get to flank with light cavalry. :)ReplyDelete
I'm interested in seeing how Ray Comfort will try to spin this so he doesn't seem like an ignorant loon.ReplyDelete
Good show... BUT... I think you guys agreed with him too much without meaning to. Saying "yes" "yes", when you should have just paused, or said something along the lines of "Thank you for your input, but I disagree." Or something along those lines. You know he's going to desperately try to claim that you all agreed with his views.
That just had to be said.
Kazim: Thanks, guys. Of course, it's easy to look good with Matt doing most of the frontal assaults. I just get to flank with light cavalry. :)ReplyDelete
That's odd. I was under the impression that you preferred tanking over DPS. xD
Great show! While religion may have the upper hand regarding sheer number of adherents, atheism will continue to grow as the wider public continues to get a whiff of the truth you guys help promote. I can't remember the last time I have heard an atheist lose a debate (never happens on the Atheist Experience), nor can I remember the last time a theist had a decent answer to any of the various problems with their theistic beliefs. I can't imagine the pressure of being the voice of the disenfranchised, but you guys always pull through victorious. It can't always be easy being on the frontline of the revolution, so I want to thank you for what you are doing for the world. The world may not see it just yet, but one day it will recognize that the so called "new" atheists were just trying to save humanity from itself.ReplyDelete
I thought it was an excellent show. I think you guys were very civil without taking it easy on Ray(i.e. calling him out on his dishonesty, and fundamental misunderstanding of science, etc). It was cool that you didn't have to resort to the mute button, and you didn't have a lot of talking over one another.ReplyDelete
I'll have to watch it again, since the live stream kept cutting out as I was watching.
I felt it was very dishonest of Ray to try to get Matt and Russel to agree to straw man points, but our two hosts wouldn't let any of those stick. That was the most impressive part about it for me. This will be one for the Youtubes for sure!ReplyDelete
Also Matt! Your "Wtf" face when Ray said that you didn't know sin might get turned into a Rageguy meme! I really hope it kicks off on Reddit lol
Way to go Russell and Matt! I have started typing up a transcript, and have the first 15 minutes done. I never though it would take over an hour for 10 minutes of debate, and I have given my spellcheck quite the workout.ReplyDelete
It put it on the Iron Chariots Atheist TV discussion page, I felt it was the best place to keep the posts grouped together. I should have the next 15 minutes up tomorrow.
Everyone feel free to copy and use as you wish.
Yeah I thought you guys balanced things pretty well.ReplyDelete
I liked the way you handled him. Just like any other crazy theist caller with weird beliefs without looking into his fame and holding him on higher pedestal.ReplyDelete
Ray came out looking pretty dumb when he pulled out the same arguments he has used a bunch of times against people who were familiar with them. In the end the admitted his arguments were pretty stupid when thought on a little further.
Russel and Matt handled their part really well. Now that there has been really famous apologetic and Ray was so clearly outmatched I wonder what the theists will have to say for that. "Ray was outnumbered! There was two of them and only one of Ray!" Well bring Kirk next time.
All in all it was great episode, maybe even the best. I think we all were hoping it would've lasted more than 1 hour.
Also I laughed a bit when the camera turned on and revealed the banana.
MAtheist: Thanks for the effort. At the present end, Ray concedes that his argument is irrelevant. (The grain of sand thingy.)ReplyDelete
Matt- I don't know how that's relevant.
And the he goes on about the scientific method - a completely other direction at that point.
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If "a bacteria is still a bacteria, that's not evolution", then "a fish becoming a human is still a vertebrate"; under Ray's definition of "evolution" it is not evolution, but he can accept the transformation.ReplyDelete
And if "a fly is still a fly", then humans evolving from apes are still primates, they haven't changed. Still not evolution for Ray ( and he didn't want to say what evolution IS ) but also he shouldn't have any problems with these facts.
In case anyone's interested, this was Matt's face of incredulity: http://i.imgur.com/aooPO.jpgReplyDelete
And this was the generated meme face: http://i.imgur.com/miMYg.jpg
Just watched the episode. Ray's bullshit was maddening!ReplyDelete
B.: Soemthing that I think needs to be more addressed is exactly what you're talking about. IT seems that ID Theists like to straw man (or maybe they legitimately don't understand) evolution, and say "well species X didn't turn into species Y, therefore goddiddit". That is not the effective way of looking at it. They way of looking at it is as you said: Humans didn't "come from apes". Humans came from *a primate*, as did apes, which is why we are both primates.ReplyDelete
Once you phrase it that way, you can then counter Ray's point exactly as you just did. "A bacteria is still a bacteria, that's not evolution", then "A primate is still a primate, that's not evolution". Hell, you can make an even more poignant point, because bacteria is a kingdom, primate is an order, so a comparable reply would be "Well an animal is still an animal, that's not evolution."At which point he has to acknowledge the absurd point that: a) Humans came from apes; and b) that's not evolution
@sans_Dieu: you're welcomeReplyDelete
Part 2 is up, this ends just after Matt's evolution of language analogy.
"minuet by minuet deconstruction of the fire fighter episode..."ReplyDelete
could someone please point me to that?
thankyou bath tub.ReplyDelete
erauqssi: "Humans came from *a primate*, as did apes, which is why we are both primates."ReplyDelete
It goes a bit further than that; humans are apes, we (along with chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans) belong to the category of "great apes," which includes all of the hominid family. The problem with using a term like "ape" is that it is so indistinct, describing a family-level designation. Similar things can be said when we talk about "bacteria" (a kingdom-level designation) or "flies" (an order-level designation). The vagaries of casual language allow for the kind of equivocation that creationists love--"but it's still bacteria!" and so forth.
I think, in general, the more specific we can be, the better. Saying "humans and chimpanzees descended from a common ancestor. That ancestor was an ape, and thus a primate, and so all of its descendants are apes, and thus primates" is more accurate than saying "humans and apes share a common ancestor." The second isn't wrong, I just don't know if it goes far enough to countering creationist idiocy.
I think one tactic to take with creobots is the one AronRa uses in this video, defining the characteristics of the clade and why a given organism belongs to it. I've had students argue that humans aren't animals, but they can't argue with the definition of an animal--a multicellular eukaryotic heterotroph that is motile and lacks cell walls--or with the fact that humans fit all those criteria. Ray can argue all he wants that morality sets humans apart; what sets us apart is what determines that we are sapiens; it's what we have in common that makes us animals.
Video is up
An interesting debate and the first time I've came across your show.ReplyDelete
I'm very glad the debate was a civil one. Ray being quite open that he believes in god (more or less) purely because he feels he was touched by god.
Everything he believes clearly comes firmly from this standpoint.
He avoided much of the debate on creationism, or dismissed it with "That's what you believe". there's not really much you can do about that. Was good to see an open debate without some of the hysteria (which comes from elements on both sides).
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Gluten-Free Fried Catfish and Baked Potato at Catfish Kitchen
My husband (Michael) and I take a lot of "daycations" – during each of the four seasons, not just summer. We don't play favorites, after all. A daycation, simply put, is a vacation packed into a single day. Some people take week-long vacations but we kind of beat the system. By taking one 3-4 times a month, we have a lot more actual vacation time than most people.
Our daycations are usually on Saturdays, but occasionally we'll take one on a Sunday (not during NFL season, though – I mean, that's just not done from what I hear).
We'll wake up, have our Bulletproof Coffee, feed our cats (while promising to bring them something back), map out the route (him), and grab a large tumbler of sweet tea (me) – then off we go. As I've mentioned before on the Kentucky blog, I have to eat gluten-free for health reasons. So, unfortunately, our daycations and destinations have to take that bit of information into consideration.
If I were to end up in an area or at a destination where I couldn't safely eat lunch or supper, it would not make for a lovely daycation or a happy me. Quite frankly, years ago, we used to visit a lot more places (remote State Resort Parks, for example) that are pretty much off the list these days.
There just aren't a lot of restaurants that will or are able to take the extra measures to provide "gluten-free" food. Thankfully, one of our favorite daycation destinations (Kentucky Lake and the Land Between the Lakes) has a couple of delicious options. Catfish Kitchen actually has gluten-free fried catfish (it isn't listed on the menu, but you can certainly order it – goodness knows I do often enough!). Paired with beans, coleslaw, green tomato relish, and a baked potato – it's one of my favorite meals.
Beans and Green Tomato Relish
There are bottles of relish on the tables for the beans, but I prefer the Green Tomato Relish (it is ridiculously delicious). It's less than $1 and is the perfect accompaniment to the beans.
Take it from me, just because you have to eat a certain way doesn't mean you don't thoroughly enjoy dining out as much as the next person!
The pictures in this post are from our last visit to Catfish Kitchen. The fried okra and hush puppies may be off-limits for me, but that doesn't mean my husband can't enjoy the heck out of them.
Fried Okra: Not Gluten-Free (Unfortunately!)
Here's a word to the wise, MAKE RESERVATIONS. Call the restaurant as soon as you possibly can and set a reservation. The restaurant has limited seating but unlimited popularity – when those two combine, there's only one thing you can do to make sure you get to eat before you're ready to eat your own shoes… MAKE RESERVATIONS. On our last visit, there was a very, very disappointed and unhappy lady who had apparently driven a long way to visit Catfish Kitchen and who was, understandably, upset about having to wait at least an hour.
The nicer the weather, the more vital it is to make reservations. A few weeks ago, when my husband called to make a reservation, it was already too late for a "reasonable" dinner hour. This restaurant is incredibly popular and people just seem to come out of nowhere to pull into the parking lot. MAKE RESERVATIONS!
Hush Puppies: Also NOT Gluten-Free
Catfish Kitchen is located at 136 Teal Run (between Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park and Benton). Their phone number is (270) 362-7306.
Catfish Kitchen Hours
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 4–8PM
Thursday: 4–8PM
Friday: 4–8PM
Saturday: 4–8PM
Sunday: 11AM–8PM
Green Tomato Relish: Trust Me, You'll Want to Order This Every Time!

subset: commoncrawl


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I'm having a housewarming party in a few weeks, and I've invited several friends with children. One of these friends got in touch to ask me to stipulate to all guests that, should they bring a food item, that item should be certified peanut and tree-nut free, because her 4-year-old has a peanut allergy (she also asked me not to serve anything containing those items). On the one hand, I understand her concern, and I would never want to inadvertently endanger a child. I'm happy to comply myself. But I've already sent out invites, to several dozen people–some of them colleagues–and feel like it would be rude to tack on a set of rules after the fact. The friend who wants a nut-free party is kind of flaky anyway; it's possible I'd set these boundaries only to have her and her family never show up, anyway. Would it be rude to refuse her request?
-Too much heat on this housewarming
It's too late to avoid rudeness: your friend has already stepped in a big pile of it.
If this were a children-only affair, I would say she's within her rights; then it really is just about safety and being allowed to participate.
But while you mentioned that you invited friends with kids, and are presumably welcoming the under-10 set, this isn't a party FOR kids. Little Jimmy isn't going to cry about missing the mostly-adults housewarming event.
So his needs shouldn't dictate any behavior but his own and his parents'.
At four he's probably too young to be trusted to avoid danger foods himself, so it would be prudent for your friends to either pay close attention to him while they're at the party, and stay only a limited time, or–the much more logical route any time you're considering asking people to make concessions for your offspring–they should hire a babysitter.
Presumably you have friends who avoid gluten or dairy, who won't eat certain (or all) meats, or who prefer to ensure everything that passes their lips was raised humanely. That's all well and good; it's expecting the world around them to make concessions to it that's not. Your friend has put you in an awkward position with an unreasonable demand; you shouldn't justify that behavior by kowtowing to it.
Instead, send this friend an extremely pleasant, polite response in which you let her know that "you understand her concern for her son's safety," but that you "don't feel comfortable guaranteeing that all the food will be safe for him," since you can't be certain other guests will read the invitation that closely, or comply. Given that fact, you "really hope to see her there," but also "completely understand" if she and her son won't be able to make it.
If she reacts to that with anything other than a "thanks for letting me know," stop inviting her to parties. Even if her son eventually outgrows the allergy, she's only going to get worse.


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Frank Mueller, president of Kaeser Compressors Inc., was recently named president of the Compressed Air and Gas Institute (CAGI). Mueller will serve in the post for two years.
"CAGI has done an excellent job of raising awareness on the importance of compressed air," said Mueller. "During my term, we will continue to make CAGI the credible voice of the industry ensuring that end-users understand energy efficiency, proper installation, and function in relation to their individual choices in compressed air systems."
Promising ongoing education and training initiatives, Mueller cited CAGI's Smart Site with its seven online modules as a resource for manufacturers, members, end-users, and service providers alike. "We are committed to providing real, tangible value to those who work in the compressed air industry, general manufacturing, and light industrial/commercial services and we do that by offering up-to-date training and continuous improvement. Plus, we will highlight the best and brightest ideas from engineering undergrads with our CAGI Innovations Awards."
The program pairs students at some of the nation's finest engineering schools with member-experts who serve as mentors and advisors. Winning entries for new and creative compressed air uses result in monetary awards to both the school and students, while also increasing the compressed air knowledge base and awareness in the industry.
Mueller's term is effective immediately and will run until May of 2011. "It is my honor to serve and I look forward to working with all member companies to build on my predecessors' accomplishments and to meet or exceed our shared objectives," said Mueller
For more information, please visit www.kaeser.com.
Mueller Named CAGI President
Article-Mueller Named CAGI President
Frank Mueller, president of Kaeser Compressors Inc., was recently named president of the Compressed Air and Gas Institute (CAGI). Mueller will serve in the post for two years.
Looking for dry processing and bulk solids handling equipment accessories? Turn to the Powder & Bulk Solids Industry Master Directory.


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I am no exception when it comes to the barbeque (although I draw the line at shorts and flip flops on 11 degree days), so ribs seems like a good way to kick off the season. My six year old whole-heartedly agrees as I have seen her devour almost a whole rack by herself. That, I must say, was an unexpected sight! Besides, there has been a lot of "sweet" on this site, what with Toffee Chocolate Pretzel Cookies, Chocolate Cake and Coffee Walnut Blondies...it's time for a little "savoury".
Now, there is a lot of debate about what makes the perfect ribs. Do you boil or bake, smoke or slowly cook on the grill? I will not claim to have the definitive answer but I will tell you I think I make a pretty mean rack of ribs so I am going to give you my method.
To my mind, the first issue is, of course, the pork. I like back ribs, they are meatier, less fatty and more tender...but they also cost a bit more. As well, I want traditionally raised or organic meat and I do like Berkshire pork so I buy mine from a local butcher, such as Cumbrae's or Rowe Farms.
There is really no mystery to making tender ribs. Like any tougher cut of meat they need to be cooked in a way that will cause the tough fibers to break down. Yes, that could mean boiling them but to me that is a good way to lose a lot of the flavour as well.
What I prefer to do is slow roast them in a low oven before I finish them on the barbeque. This way I am able to infuse the meat with flavour while it bakes. I arrange sliced onion, garlic and thyme over the ribs and pour a bit of apple juice in the bottom of the pan and then cover it and let them braise in a low oven for an hour or so. When they are done and the meat is falling off the bone, I finish them on the barbeque with a fantastic homemade barbeque sauce. No muss, no fuss and amazing ribs! Now that is the way to welcome Spring!
Barbequed Ribs
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 1 1/2 to 2 hours
Total time: 2 1/2 hours
Yield: 2 full racks
- 2 racks pork back ribs
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 3 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 cup apple cider or apple juice
- salt and pepper
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Arrange the rib racks on a baking sheet. Remove the membrane that runs along the underside of the ribs against the bone if it is still attached before you place them on the baking sheet. You can ask your butcher to do this or simply grab a hold of one end of the membrane and pull it away from the ribs.
- Divide the sliced onion, minced garlic, thyme and salt and pepper evenly over the top of both racks of ribs. The salt and pepper should be to your taste, I use about a teaspoon of each sprinkled over each rack.
- Pour the apple juice or cider in the bottom of the pan. Cover the pan with foil and bake in the centre of the oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the meat is tender enough to pull up easily when you test it with a fork.
- Remove the ribs from the oven and scrape the cooked onion and garlic off the top.
- Heat your barbeque to a medium high heat. Place racks on the heated grill and cover with barbeque sauce. I start with the bottom side facing up first, cover with sauce and leave for 5 to 10 minutes until the top side starts to brown and caramelize, then I flip the racks over and add the barbeque sauce to the top side. Close the lid and leave for 5 to 10 minutes again until the barbeque sauce becomes a richer caramelized colour. Remove, cut into portions and enjoy with lots of napkins!
Homemade Barbeque Sauce
This recipe is adapted from a recipe by Tyler Florence
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Yield: 2 1/2 cups
- 1 slice bacon
- 1 bunch fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 cups ketchup
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup cooking molasses
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 heaping teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste
- Saute the bacon slice with the olive oil and thyme in a large sauce pan until the fat is rendered. Add the onion and garlic and cook slowly until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, stir, and turn the heat down to low. (You will probably not need much salt so I would taste it first before adding any.)
- Cook slowly for 20 minutes to meld the flavors. Leave to cool in the fridge while the ribs are cooking. Right before you are going to use it strain the sauce through a fine sieve into a small bowl. Squeeze out all of the sauce with the back of a spoon. Discard the leftover bacon, onion, etc.
- Reserve about 1/2 cup for serving with the ribs. Use the rest to coat the ribs on the barbeque. Enjoy!


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This time, Microsoft may have outdone themselves with a proposed patent of such breathtaking hubris that it makes their previous FUD pale by comparison. If it comes off it will either be a licence to print money (Redmond's version of Quantitative easing?) or the biggest Pyrrhic victory in the history of computing since Steve Jobs refused Bill Gates and hardware vendors a licence to use Apple's OS and software.
When you first read about Microsoft's proposed patent you are suffused with the glow of righteous anger but before you get carried away, stop. Stop and think. This patent might just be, to mix my metaphors, a Trojan Horse and the straw that breaks the Camels' back. Windows users seem to possess a high pain tolerance (I only lasted until Windows ME before I broke and confessed to anything and everything) but this just might tip some of them over the edge. As homeless refugees they could be receptive to seeking asylum in the Republic of Unixland. Let's find out why.
What's in a number?
Stallman called cloud computing a trap and "worse than stupidity"
Here's a number: 20080319910. It obviously isn't a geometric progression or a Fibonacci series, but it may turn out to be very significant. It's a patent number and it is a Microsoft patent application. It was filed back in June 2007 but published on Christmas Day 2008. Simply put, Microsoft want to patent pay-as-you-go computing. If, like me, you have switched to a non-contract mobile phone, you are familiar with the concept; however what Microsoft is proposing is not charging for a net or phone connection per se, but for renting a discounted/subsidised computer and being charged for using it and the software at the other end. There seems to be three levels of charge:
- (1) metered charging by the hour for using software
- (2) one-off charge
- (3) charging structure based on hardware usage utilized for specific software tasks
Richard Stallman warned about "cloud computing" calling it "worse than stupidity". He was thinking about Google services like Gmail and Google Docs, which at least have the virtue of being free (as in cost); but such usage raises questions about ownership, interoperability and access. Microsoft wants to charge for it. However, that looks positively benign when compared with item three. Charging for software as a service is not new: FlexGo was launched by Microsoft in 2006 and targeted at countries in South America and the Third World where GNU/Linux poses a real challenge. It was father to Pay as You Go (PAYG), its bastard offspring. As the minstrel from Duluth said, you don't need to be a weather vane to know which way the wind blows. What is really disturbing about this patent application is Microsoft's ambitions for hardware control to facilitate this pay as you go model. The Devil is in detail.
All your data are us, and now your hardware too
If you thought that details of trusted computing were grim the patent to impose a charging structure on a PC's hardware relative to software usage would tax the greatest genius of Jesuitical causitry. If you were impressed by the talents of now defunct investment bankers to leverage profit from packaged sub prime pyramid schemes then Microsoft's wheeze would earn them a place on the board of Lehman Brothers.
Redmond are up to their twin obsessions: "security" and vendor lock in
So, you're paying fees to access software, you're paying to use the hardware on the computer too. That's bad but it gets a whole lot worse when you read on and discover that Redmond are up to their twin obsessions: security and vendor lock in. The patent envisages a security module embedded on the computer chaining that machine and the user to a specific supplier ("The security module is discussed in more detail with respect to FIG. 5, but briefly, each security module 28, 30, 32 may have a processor, a secure memory, and a cryptographic function, implemented in hardware or software, for supporting metering operations, value add packet processing, and self-sanctioning of pay-per-use computers not in compliance with their contractual terms" as the patent terms it).
Cryptographic encryption and hardware lock down are central to pay per view:
Initial configuration of pay-per-use computers 12, 14, 16 may involve not only the installation of keys binding the pay-per-use computers 12, 14, 16 to the fulfillment center 26, but also installation of keys used for internal configuration and communication of scalable internal resources that set operation in a particular mode. Additionally, software or firmware in the pay-per-use computers 12, 14, 16 may be installed or activated
It is clear from this that Microsoft would have effective control over your machine. For the "metering agent" to function requires a degree of control that virtually renders the user hardware configurations obsolete and irrelevant:
the metering agent may manage setting a performance level for its associated component, in this case, the disk drive 205, and may also measures usage of the component, when required. Performance level in the disk drive 205 may be set by tuning one or more of cache size, data transfer rate, available disk space, etc. To accomplish this, the metering agent 228 may take steps appropriate to the performance level being controller. If cache size is controlled, affecting overall read and write speed, the metering agent 228 may control a setting that manages cache memory allocation, similar to the way a BIOS controls overall memory configuration in a computer. That is, during operation, the controller 206 may receive configuration data information responsive to an event and the metering agent 228, in the role of the BIOS, may supply the configuration data according to the current performance level setting. The event that triggers such a programming of the controller may be the receipt of a new performance level setting at the metering agent 228
Even the technologically challenged will have a vague notion that the processor might just be rather central to a computer and the metering agent has plans for that too:
The processor 204 may include instruction memory 221, such as microcode, and may have one or more cores 222, 224, 226, for executing program instructions. The processor 204 may include metering agent 220. A metering agent embedded in a processor, such as processor 204, may have more implementation options than a metering agent used in other components. Because the processor 204 has so much control of computer operation, scalable use may be based on instruction set, memory used, execution speed, etc.
Nothing is spared. Memory is next:
The memory 208 may implement scalable performance in several ways, such as limiting the memory size or limiting the memory speed. The metering agent 230 may trap address commands above a certain address, slow the data clocking rate, or use a combination of both. Memory size limit changes may be restricted to restarts because an on-the-fly change in memory size may cause system instability, but dynamic page swapping algorithms may remove this restriction. Alternatively, or in combination with the memory 208, a bus controller (not depicted) associated with memory access may implement similar measures to restrict memory access.
the summary reveals the fundamental purpose behind this patent from Hell
The list of targeted hardware goes on: video controllers, graphic cards to mention two. You get the idea, but I'll refrain from listing any further components for reasons of space and unnerving the reader. Suffice to say, upgrading/hacking a computer with this configuration will make the howls of protest from Vista users look like a whimper. The patent is very detailed and the summary reveals the fundamental purpose behind this patent from Hell:
In summary, the system and methods described above allow use of an entirely different business model for manufacturing and collecting revenue from a computer asset. Rather than creating highly customized, but still overbuilt, computers for an individual user, a standard model can be created. Improved component and system-level yields already make many performance-related product grade-outs obsolete, allowing cost-effective sale of a computer with very high maximum performance levels. Because the computer user is only charged for the performance level and features actually used, the user can select to modify the performance to suit his or her needs and budget. Although the cost of ownership over the life of the computer may be higher than that of a one-time purchase, the payments can be deferred and the user can extend the useful life of the computer beyond that of the one-time purchase machine. A security mechanism that enforces payments may also be supported by the security module 202 and is discussed elsewhere.
It's the hardware man, Microsoft digs the hardware
Given the extraordinary degree of control mooted by this pay as you go model, you wonder what the fate would be for external storage devices and their associated USB ports and other bus-powered peripherals. What happens if you upgrade components or remove or clone the hard drive to another unrestricted computer? If Microsoft have their way it would be fast forward to the past with something close to dumb terminals and mainframes.
The best line in this patent application is the claim that metered pay as you go will help the user to extend the life of their computer and so save money! And there was I thinking that Microsoft were only interested in squeezing out yet more financial pips. I could have told them that GNU/Linux users have been doing that for years by customising distros that could run on a toaster with 640KB of memory. Surely it is only a matter of time before Microsoft apply for a patent to extract blood from a stone--and you'll be paying for it.
I'm tempted to say that this idea needs to be strangled at birth, but perhaps I'm being a little hasty. Why kill the Goose that might lay the golden egg. Never interfere with someone hell bent on committing commercial suicide and treating its customer's computers like their personal property. Then again, we might flatter ourselves that in addition to always being on the lookout for new revenue-raising opportunities Microsoft's patent application might be a pre-emptive move to deal with the challenge of free and open software--especially if netbooks are the coming thing and Vista run on them like a tractor in a swamp. They can't extend Windows XP indefinitely for commercial reasons. GNU/Linux is not so constrained. We could take the patent as a kind of back handed compliment.
are we moving towards the Henry Ford school of computing: any colour you like as long as it's black?
Of course, it's not compulsory. If this patent ever escapes into the wild it might appeal to businesses obsessed with lowering Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) but for the average user it would reduce them to digital Helots. Besides, with hardware vendors tied even more tightly to Microsoft, what sort of computers are going to be made?
Are manufacturers going to produce two classes of machine, one for Microsoft metered Pay as You Go motherboards with compromised hardware and another without? Or are we moving towards the Henry Ford school of computing: any colour you like as long as it's black? It is not suprising therefore that some people have already been doing back of the envelope calculations to cost a user profile based on the software they would access online, especially games.
It seems, and this is the good news, that it would be cheaper to build your own computer with off the shelf components every few years to keep up to speed rather than effectively rent your machine from Microsoft to counteract obsolescence. People who do that are invariably users of free software. Games will seem particularly expensive as they are processor and graphic card intensive and Microsoft appear to be following a kind of parallel to those ISPs who want to introduce traffic shaping to throttle bandwidth (bad news for BitTorrent which many in the free software community rely on for distribution of GNU/Linux ISOs).
Can't pay, won't pay
I would give a King's ransom to see the reaction on Richard Stallman's face as he reads this patent over his breakfast cereal
And what happens if Microsoft hike the costs and it becomes a case of can't pay, won't pay? You walk away but can you take all your data with you? Who owns it? If you fall on hard times and can't pay, this patent would give Microsoft the ability to disable you machine and lock you out of your own files. Combined with the control freakery of trusted computing Microsoft seem determined to make computing as pleasurable as a root canal. They would turn users into their personal ATMs.
That financial metaphor is not perhaps as far fetched as it sounds. PAYG is predicated on a prepaid or billed account, so when Microsoft plead that they only want to help poor people in the Barrios of Brazil or the slums of Delhi to access affordable computing, what they really mean is that they want access to their credit cards--a common possession of course in the Third World.
I am not a technical expert and I'm not a patent lawyer either. This patent needs their expert eyes. The combined skills of the Free Software Foundation (FSF), Lawrence Lessig and Eben Moglen are needed to put it under the forensic cosh. (I am particularly interested in what it would mean for Novell's IP tie-up with Microsoft.) I would give a King's ransom to see the reaction on Richard Stallman's face as he reads this patent over his breakfast cereal. He might need the Heimlich manoeuvre. In the meantime we all need to re-acquaint ourselves with what free computing really means and why it matters so much by reading Stallman's essays and Lawrence Lessig's books too. Again.
Of course (and I kept the best for last), all of this has been rendered hypothetical as the patent has been rejected by the US Patents & Trademarks Office. In a letter to Microsoft the terminology of the patent was deemed to be "fuzzy" and certain ideas rejected as already having been patented (worrying in itself -and, which ones?). That's a relief but Microsoft can appeal and initial rebuffs have never deterred it before. Like Churchill's description of the Soviets they will probe and probe until they find an open window and invite themselves in. Breaking and entering. It's what they do and like Arnie, they'll be back.
Windows users are an irrationally loyal lot for whatever reason but if a patent like this ever gets off the ground in some re-jigged format and doesn't precipitate mass defections to free software and free operating systems like GNU/Linux then it will be a frosty Friday in Hell before it ever becomes the year of GNU/Linux on the desktop.


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Microsoft will launch an invitation-only SharePoint Server 2010 beta test in July with a select group of customers and then follow the program up with a public testing phase ahead of the Office 2010 release in the first half of next year.
Earlier this week at its annual TechEd conference, Microsoft said the Office 2010 beta slated for July will not include the SharePoint Server 2010 beta.
[ Keep up on the day's tech news headlines with InfoWorld's Today's Headlines: Wrap Up newsletter and InfoWorld Daily podcast.. ]
The SharePoint 2010 beta/technology preview will be invitation-only and will focus on a number of its enterprise customers and target specific enterprise deployment scenarios.
Tom Rizzo, director of Microsoft SharePoint Server, told Network World at TechEd that those scenarios are the best way to gather feedback on SharePoint, which has become the fastest growing product ever released by Microsoft.Microsoft also plans to run a similar beta program for Project Server 2010.
The Office 2010 beta is begin run as a separate beta, or what Microsoft calls a technology preview, that is being opened up to TechEd attendees and select others. The Office 2010 beta will focus on client technologies: Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, OneNote, Access, InfoPath and Publisher.
Later this year, a public beta will launch for both SharePoint Server 2010 and Project Server 2010. A Microsoft spokesperson did not give a timeframe for the public beta.
Rizzo stressed during his presentation at TechEd that users will have to start thinking 64-bit when they think of the next version of SharePoint.
The 2010 edition will require a 64-bit version of SQL Server 2005 or 2008. In addition, the server will run on the 64-bit version of Windows Server 2008.
Rizzo also announced that SharePoint Server 2010 will not support Internet Explorer 6.
As far as the 64-bit support, Rizzo said as gently as he could, "You have been warned."
This story, "Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 beta in two months" was originally published by Network World.


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Quick and easy stir-fried noodles with shiitake mushrooms, Chines chives, and charred cabbage. [Photographs: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt]
While stir-fried lo mein is often mostly noodles with some vegetables for flavor and color, this version comes out with veggies and noodles in almost equal proportions, which means that it's packed with more flavor, in this case cabbage charred until sweet, along with meaty shiitake mushrooms and big stalks of chives.
Why this Recipe Works:
- Cooking vegetables in batches allows for optimal flavor and texture development.
- We blanch our noodles first to soften them and make sure they stay separate when stir-fried.
- Tons of veggies compared to the average noodles stir-fry means that this dish is packed with even more flavor.
- Kosher salt
- 1 pound fresh lo mein noodles
- 1/4 cup vegetable, canola, or peanut oil, divided
- 4 cups shredded white cabbage
- 4 ounces shiitake mushroom caps, thinly sliced
- 4 ounces Chinese chives or scallions, cut into 2-inch segments
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic (about 3 medium cloves)
- Ground white pepper
- 1 tablespoon roasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook noodles, stirring regularly with tongs or long chopsticks, until al dente and separated, about 1 minute. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and set aside.
- 2.
Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a wok over high heat until smoking. Add cabbage and cook, stirring regularly, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside. Add 1 tablespoon oil to wok and return to heat until smoking. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring regularly, until lightly browned and tender-crisp, about 2 minutes. Add chives and cook, stirring, until lightly wilted, about 1 minute. Transfer to bowl with cabbage.
- 3.
Wipe out wok. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and heat over high heat until smoking. Add noodles and cook, tossing and stirring, until hot. Add cabbage, mushrooms, chives, and minced garlic. Cook, tossing, until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- 4.
Add sesame oil, light and dark soy sauce, and wine. Cook, tossing and stirring, until sauce coats noodles. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Serve immediately.
Source: Read Full Article


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Question Do prenatal and postnatal home visits by nurses have long term effects on maternal life course and child abuse and neglect?
Randomised controlled trial with 15 years follow up.
Public antenatal clinic and private obstetrics offices in a semirural area of central New York State, USA.
400 women (11% African-American) who were <25 weeks gestation, had no previous live births, and had ≥1 sociodemographic risk factor (<19 y, unmarried, or low socioeconomic status). Most were unmarried (62%), ≥19 years (52%), and had low socioeconomic status (59%). Follow up was 81%.
Stratified by maternal race, marital status, and geographic region, women were allocated to 1 of 4 treatment groups: (1) sensory and developmental screening for children at 12 and 24 months (n=94); (2) treatment 1 plus free transportation to prenatal and child health care until the child's second birthday (n=90); (3) treatment 2 plus prenatal nurse home visits (mean 9 visits) (n=100); and (4) treatment 3 plus home visits (mean 23 visits) for 2 years after delivery (n=116).
Main outcome measures
Substantiated reports of child abuse or neglect, subsequent births, duration of welfare benefits, and mothers' substance abuse, arrests, and convictions.
Main results
Analysis was by intention to treat, and adjusted for sociodemographic variables. Women who received home visits until 2 years after delivery (group 4) were compared with women who did not (groups 1 and 2). Nurse home visits reduced state verified cases of child abuse and neglect (log incidence difference 0.77, p<0.001). No differences were found for subsequent births; months that women received welfare; behavioural impairment because of substance abuse; arrests; or convictions. Subgroup analysis of women who were unmarried and from low socioeconomic status households (40%) showed that home visits reduced child abuse and neglect (log incidence difference 1.61, p<0.001), subsequent births (mean difference 0.5 births, p=0.02), months that women received welfare (mean difference 29.9 mo, p=0.005), behavioural impairment because of substance abuse (log incidence difference 0.58, p=0.005), arrests (log incidence difference 1.74, p<0.001), and convictions (log incidence difference 1.65, p<0.001).
Prenatal and postnatal home visits by nurses reduced the incidence of child abuse and neglect over a 15 year period. Home visits to unmarried women from low socioeconomic households also reduced subsequent births, use of welfare, substance abuse, arrests, and convictions.
These 2 excellent trials by Kitzman et al and Olds et al add strength to the large, often poor quality, studies on home visiting with pregnant women and young families. The replication of Olds' 1970s home visiting trial by Kitzman et al shows that such programmes are successful with disadvantaged groups and can be successfully administered in a public health setting. The 15 year follow up by Olds et al provides new information about the effects on women, families, and society.
Kitzman et al confirm that prenatal home visits by nurses can improve the health of pregnant women. The failure to improve birth weight is consistent with previous studies,1 as is the lack of change in preterm births, which is probably explained by racial differences in risk profiles and greater surveillance of intervention groups.2 Nevertheless, the improvements in maternal hypertension and kidney infection are important, independent of effects on fetal health.
The study by Kitzman et al confirms the effects of postnatal visits on child health and parenting,3 in particular, the contribution of home visits to childhood injury prevention.4, 5 The study by Olds et al fills a gap in earlier research by including outcomes for women as well as children. A change in outcomes such as verified cases of child abuse and criminal behaviour is noteworthy. However, Kitzman et al did not show short term effects on maternal education and employment. These outcomes are difficult to change, and long term follow up will be important.
These 2 studies overcame many problems common to community research. They had high participation and follow up rates, concealed and random allocation, well designed and blinded outcome measurement, and clear theoretical foundations. The subgroup analysis by Olds et al of low income, unmarried women was not initially part of the design and should be interpreted with care. However, Kitzman et al improved on the initial trial by increasing the sample size, adding 3 important factors to stratification and hypothesising a greater effect on women with few psychological resources. These 2 studies strengthen the conclusion that teaching, counselling, family support, and referral services provided by nurses to first time mothers in their homes change serious short and long term outcomes. Programmes which offer a similar integrated service, with adequate contact time by well trained nurses, who individualise the intervention and address the full context of women's lives, are likely to change the prospects of disadvantaged young women and children. These results, however, cannot be generalised to other programme designs.
Managers need to scrutinise home visiting programmes in light of those proved to be effective, looking at theoretical linkages, risk factors, and the specific quality and quantity of service. Nurses providing home visits must examine the content of their interventions, incorporate the full range of educational and supportive elements, and continue visits throughout infancy.
This research reinforces the importance of adequate funding for home visiting for mothers with few resources. The public health significance of the changes in the intervention group in the study by Olds et al should not be ignored: every third woman chose to limit her family by 1 child and every family received welfare for 1 year less. Although the changes were not statistically significant for the total sample, at a population level such changes would be enormous.
Sources of funding: National Institute of Mental Health and US Department of Health and Human Services.
For article reprint: Dr D L Olds, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, 1825 Main Street, Denver, CO 80218, USA. Fax +1 303 864 5236.
A modified version of this abstract appears in Evidence-Based Mental Health 1998 May and Evidence-Based Medicine 1998 May-Jun.


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There is not enough questioning of the questions, or the methods used to answer them
There is a lack of research in the area of non-equilibrium physics – although some progress in being made in this direction.
The research community is set up in such a way that you need to be working in a group, on a specific topic. Otherwise you won't survive long enough to make a difference.
The funding model also limits the diversity, you have to work on projects which will be funded.
Post – doctoral structure also forces young physicists to spend a majority of their time on topics which will get them another post-doc.
There is a lot of untapped talent, e.g. women.
Historically, breakthroughs have been made by young people who aren't wedded to a particular view of physics. Today, it seems harder to achieve this.
Comments will be accepted until June 29.


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Changi Consulting Methodology
We deliver innovative Salesforce® solutions
Our team of 100% certified Salesforce consultants will deliver a Salesforce® solution designed to answer your specific business challenges and match your requirements.
Our years of experience working in CRM implementation & Salesforce Service Cloud™ has enabled us to hone our services and solutions, and to build tried-and-tested consulting strategies, processes, and operations. We leverages these capabilities to help our clients implement best-in-class solutions that streamline their digital transformations.


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Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 8/10/12
From Press Release
Rutgers head coach Laura Brand-Sias (Radnor) announced that Maggie Tamasitis (Boyertown) has been named to her staff as an assistant coach. Tamasitis arrives "On the Banks" after a sensational career as an attack at Notre Dame.
"Maggie boasts outstanding credentials as a successful player at our level," said Brand-Sias. "I am confident she will be able to relay her experience and work ethic to our players as we strive for a Big East Championship. Her passion for lacrosse and her excitement towards learning everything and anything about the coaching profession is noticeable as soon as you meet her. I am excited about what Maggie brings to The Banks."
"I could not be more excited to be coaching at Rutgers University," said Tamasitis. "It is a great feeling to be closer to home and back in the Big East. I am excited to learn from and have a great experience with both Laura and Lisa (Ojea) and enjoy my new experience at a great university."
An IWLCA Second Team All-American, Tamasitis broke numerous school and Big East records for assists as a senior. The Boyertown native dished out 59 helpers in her final season to end her career as UND's all-time leader in assists (151), as well as smashing the season (59), Big East games (31), game (eight) and half (five) records.
Tamasitis tied the school mark for the most consecutive games with a point (51), spanning from the first game of her sophomore year to her senior season. She finished her career in fourth place in school history with 228 points and tied for second in games played with 76.
Tamasitis racked up the awards as a senior for the Fighting Irish, as she was named First Team All-Big East and IWLCA First Team West/Midwest All-Region honoree. The attack earned All-Tournament Team honors from the league after recording three points in the semifinal round vs. Loyola.
The recipient of the 2011-12 Notre Dame Club of St. Joseph Valley Rockne Student-Athlete Award, the team captain was also a 2011-12 Rosenthal Leadership Academy participant. A strong proponent of community service, Tamasitis traveled to Alabama to help with the cleanup efforts following the April 2011 tornado that hit Tuscaloosa.
Tamasitis was an All-Phillylacrosse.com First Team and US Lacrosse All-American pick in 2008 when she paced Bears to the Pioneer Athletic Conference championship and scored 92 goals while adding 38 assists.


text:
Events archive
Burma/Myanmar Events in Oxford
A Shared Vision? Reflections on the creation of unity in opposition in Myanmar's civil disobedience movement since February 2021
Tom Sheahan (BAFTA winning documentary producer) , Khin Ohmar (Burmese human rights activist and founder and chairperson of the Advisory Board of Progressive Voice) , David Moe (PhD candidate at Asbury Theological Seminary, USA, originally from Mindat, Chin State), Martin Smith (Scholar, journalist, and adviser on Myanmar to media, non-governmental and academic organisations)
17 June 2021 - 4:00pm
Teams Online
To join please pre-register by 8am on the day if you miss this deadline email email@example.com - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-shared-vision-maynmar-event-tickets-158549831815 Since the Myanmar... Read more
Burma/Myanmar Events in Oxford
Laura Hornig (Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology, Halle)
21 November 2017 - 3:30pm to 5:00pm
Dahrendorf Room
Drawing on ethnographic data gathered in Pathein, Myanmar, the paper investigates the moral underpinnings of responsibilities and hierarchies in small businesses, specifically the question of what... Read more
Burma/Myanmar Events in Oxford
Gerald McCarthy (ANU)
14 June 2017 - 4:00pm
Seminar Room B, Manor Road Building
Why are there so few advocates for state-mediated economic redistribution and social welfare in contemporary Myanmar (Burma)? Moving beyond a focus on the regime-led political transition since 2011,... Read more
Burma/Myanmar Events in Oxford
Elisa Oreglia (SOAS, London)
18 May 2017 - 5:00pm
Lecture Theatre, Dickson Poon Building, University of Oxford China Centre, St Hugh's College
In recent years, small networks of traders have started to bring cheap, China-made smartphones to low- and middle-income consumers in the Global South. These traders inhabit the grey area between the... Read more
Burma/Myanmar Events in Oxford
Matthew J Walton (St Antony's)
7 February 2017 - 12:45pm to 2:00pm
Seminar Room A, Manor Road Building
Democratic trends in Theravada Buddhist countries in South and Southeast Asia have shifted markedly in recent years, with Thailand once again coming under military rule while Myanmar has increased... Read more
Burma/Myanmar Events in Oxford
Honey Oo, Thiha Win Tin, Moe Htet Nay, Min Thawe Thit
11 November 2016 - 2:00pm
Fellow's Dining Room, St Antony's College
Four students leaders involved in recent Myanmar protests will discuss the dynamics of education reform and student activism in contemporary Myanmar. They all played a key role in the latest student... Read more
Burma/Myanmar Events in Oxford
17 June 2016 - 11:30am to 5:00pm
Venue: Old Library, Lady Margaret Hall
Burma Academic Event, University of Oxford To coincide with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's Birthday You are cordially invited to Burma Scholar Update with experts on the country, and provide for... Read more
Burma/Myanmar Events in Oxford
15 February 2016 - 9:00am to 4:30pm
Talbot Hall, Lady Margaret Hall
After winning a landslide victory in historic elections in Myanmar in November 2015, the National League for Democracy will form a new government on 1 April, cementing a remarkably smooth (to this... Read more
Burma/Myanmar Events in Oxford
Benedict Rogers, Tun Khin
12 May 2015 - 8:30pm to 10:30pm
Dahrendorf Room, Founder's Building, St Antony's College
The Rohingya people are Muslims who live in northern Rakhine, Myanmar. International media and human rights organizations have described them as one of the most persecuted minorities in the world.... Read more
Burma/Myanmar Events in Oxford
Kirsten McConnachie (Joyce Pearce Research Fellow, Refugee Studies Centre Oxford)
7 May 2015 - 2:00pm to 3:00pm
Seminar Room D, Manor Road Building
Abstract: This talk considers two intersecting trends in forced migration – urbanisation of refugee populations, and a policy approach of securitization - as they relate to refugees from Myanmar in... Read more
Burma/Myanmar Events in Oxford
Andrew McLeod (Oxford), Benedict Rogers (Christian Solidarity Worldwide), Herve Lemanhieur (Oxford Analytica)
13 March 2014 - 6:30pm
Maplethorpe Building, St. Hugh's College
For further information please visit: http://www.oxfordburmaalliance.org/
Burma/Myanmar Events in Oxford
Khin Mar Mar Kyi (Oxford)
6 March 2014 - 6:30pm
Phoenix Cinema, Walton Street
Burma/Myanmar Events in Oxford
Tariq Ramdan (Oxford), Dr Matthew Walton (Oxford)
26 February 2014 - 5:15pm
Nissan Lecture Theatre, St Antony's College
Burma/Myanmar Events in Oxford
Simon Makinson, Josh Htet, Sir Bernard Rix
28 January 2014 - 5:00pm
Senior Common Room, Faculty of Law
Burma/Myanmar Events in Oxford
Matthew J. Walton (Oxford)
4 November 2013 - 12:00pm


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Breaking the first rule here
Marv: /o/, /k/, /r9k/
There are so many great things about this strip I don't even know where to start
Kratos gets girls?
Did you forget about Pandora and all those minigames?
Also this comic is pretty spot on.
Kratos gets laid more then Machete. Which reminds me… COELASQUID! you have to go watch Machete. I feel you will appreciate it at least as much as i did.
He has sex with ladies of ill-repute in every game.
he even got friggin' married
then he killed his wife and daughter
kratos' got a bad case of DV
This comic is so much win.
inb4 tits or gtfo
and don't forget, kratos is apparently married.
Would it be wrong to start posting this comic in those threads? Also I just laughed so hard my room mate knocked on the door to make sure I was ok.
D8 I JUST CAN'T GET USED TO THIS! *fwacking with a shovel*
(I promise I'll stop it here, though.)
No worries. The next time she draws sten not standing next to the mononoke forest god I'll have to come up with a new one.
Oh god, he's one of those "True Forced Lonliness" jagoffs!
Hm. Wonder what kinda Chinese they ordered? I get the feeling Commander is a kung pao chicken man.
haha gotta love kratos' "who me?" face
I love Kratos's expression in panel 4. Just that whole, "Wait, what? I heard my name, when did this become about me?" look he's sporting is priceless.
Actually, I think there are several humorous ways to translate that face, especially when taken out of context!
"Gets girls? Who? Me?" (I know about the marriage and the mini-games, but that's just what came to mind)
"Huh? What are you guys blaming me for this time?"
"They make these noodles out of what?!"
Kratos, being a sensitive kinda guy, doesn't "Get Girls." He has "deeply meaningful if sadly brief relationships with women."
BEST COMMENT EVAR. So good, I quoted it!
His expression makes me think of the 'Vete a la Versh' episode 'Instant Soup'.
It's a Spanish flash cartoon (with English subtitles).
Awww! Panel 4 Kratos is just adorable!
Anyway, who's Marv? Which game is he from?
My faith in humanity just died.
Anyways, Coelasquid, funny comic as always :3
I don't have the disposable income for all the hip comics and movies…
But….you have Internet access and the ability to navigate to The Pirate Bay, yes?
Since I began studying animation, I stopped pirating things… With the exception of really old video games… :[ Sure, one less internet pirate doesn't make much difference in the grand scheme of things, but at least I won't feel guilty as I slowly starve to death in an alleyway.
The solution: Youtube clips. Then you can see this "Marv" and keep your moral fortitude. (Which I highly applaud, by the way.)
:\ I dunno. Isn't that still internet piracy? (Though I do admit using YouTube to watch copyrighted stuff, so I really should get off my high horse and take up your suggestion.)
No. It isn't piracy.
Unless you're watching Ugly Americans on youtube. Then it's wrong.
You're welcome, person who made this awesome comic. Your name is tough to type, so I just think of you as "cola squid".
I just want you to know that you're writing pretty much the only comic on the internet that doesn't make me think, "YOU KNOW WHAT WOULD BE BETTER? IF: "
That is a monumental achievement.
Honestly, if I had the money, I would personally commission a full animated Manly Guys cartoon. I'm not sure how much it is, but I'm sure it's a lot, and it'd be worth every cent.
For me, the real punchline for this strip is panel 7. Kratos has recovered his composure, but still can't win.
Also, I like how Marv is still done in greyscale, true to his roots – are comic characters second-class citizens in this world?
I feel like that question is a little bit racist ;>_>
See his greyscaledness as a reference to the fact that Miller's is close to the only comic that went for literary prizes :3
Everyone's a little bit racist (sometimes).
Doesn't mean we go around committing hate crimes
These posts, they are are almost perfect rhymes!
Look around and you will find, no one's really colorblind
whoa, what happened to the background at the penultimate panel there?
Haven't seen the word penultimate used in quite some time. Good use of it, too. Finally, an internet place where the comments aren't mangled half-language!
thanks for replying to one word of my comment?
I just noticed it, it stood out. I seem to get some enjoyment out of seeing people use old words that aren't common. I apologize for any and all confusion, but I still think it was a good use of the word.
If penultimate is all it takes to get you going, antepenultimate should rock your world.
There is such a thing?
In Neologism Land. It means the word before the next-to-last word.
Hey. Drop it,alright? I got a bit carried away. I apologize. Okay?
Now THIS is some fine writing! Very damn cool. Lols at Kratos' expression. :D
Marv needs a dog.
No, u know the cliché, manly evil-looking man will ALWAYS have a cat, probably female (cat's gender is never mentioned)
Sometimes they have an adorable puppy.
yeah, but its more evil looking when u have a cat, preferably a black cat
Well, if they've got a cat, you KNOW they're evil.
I love that Kratos is allowed to enter places without wearing a shirt. I guess nobody's brave enough to stop him… or he still hasn't been able to find the men's Big, Tall, and Traumatized.
Who is going to tell him, "No Shoes, No Shirt, No Service" and really mean it? And even if they did…we all know where that would end up.
Technically speaking, rules 1 & 2 only apply to that one certain board. So /d/, /co/, and /vp/ are still fair game.
Only newfags strictly follow the rules. (Other than rules 34 and 35, anyway)
do not forget rule 46
Those 'rules' are from a bunch of twelve year olds who think they've found their secret clubhouse.
I talk about my time on 4chan just like I talk about my time on facebook or any other website; never, unless required to cite a source for something (very rarely do I use 4chan as a reference, though…)
But citing 4chan in a research paper almost always guarantees either an A or an F, depending on the teacher and the information used.
and where do you think those 12 yearolds come from?
they come from youtube, because they saw a video from a rule breaker about weegee or awesome face or pedobear, and then theyre all like "OH LOL I GUTTA FIEND THESE THEENGS" and they look it up, and find 4chan, and theyre all OH EM EFF JEE HEAR IT EES! THIS IS GUNNA BE SOOOO KEWL GAIZ, LOO-
and this contributes to the cancer that ruins the board that was once so great
and yes
i am mad
inb4 4chan was never good, it was better than this
Repeat after me; 'The internet is not serious business. I need to get a life!'
the internet is not serious business, i ne-
i don't get the last panel. i'm going to have to look into it. tee hee
Noooo!! Don't do it!
What you did there. I see it.
Just love it, as every fucking macho punchline on this awesome webcomics.
'Marv'? *adjusts imaginary glasses* Okay, good. For a second I thought it said 'Mary'.
Oh good, so i'm not the only one…
I read through the entire thing thinking it said Mary. Confused me somewhat ^^ reading the comment's cleared it all up a bit though. Anyways. Great comic!
+4 has been down too long.
I'm itching for it.
… and second rule…
Those rules only apply to a board on 4chan, we can talk about 4chan all we want.
That is false.
Oh, who cares. It's not like a secret club or anything.
It applies to the entirety, but the entire bloody internet knows about it now. So alas there is no point to the rule anymore.
But it's got the secret left-handed handshakes, special club lotion bottles, and everything!
rules 1 and 2 only apply to raids.
only rules that are taken "seriously" are rule 34, rule 35, rule 46 and….maybe 29 and 36….i guess rule 43 could be taken seriusly too, taking in account how that specific board is
Damnit man, if Kratos can get girls then marv should be a shoe in!!!!! I mean, Bruce willis' character got a chick and he's older than a mature chedder O_o
Rules one and two forbid the direct discussion, and only the direct discussion, of activity on a /b/ board. This applies to every /b/ board in existence. One may mention or talk about the existence of /b/ boards or if necessary explain from a purely factual basis how such boards function. But one does not say something like "Last night I was on /b/ and I did so and so".
And I fucked up the HTML. Everybody point and laugh.
>4chan reference
>Coelasquid is my new hero
Also inb4 shitstorm from /k/ommandos
Saying "4chan" isn't a reference.
Yes it is. It's just a very obvious one.
You know Coel and Vorked are both channers, right? I know at least Vorked namefags (or is it trips?) — I see him on /co/ all the time.
Kratos – An ultimate example :-P
Don't deny it, Kratos. We all know it's true.
Jeez, this one was killer. "Kratos gets girls". You know, i think i need glasses. I kept reading Marv as Mary… lol
There are so many things that I love about this. First of all, I never thought that a panel which I had seen on Twitter already would get such a huge laugh out of me in its proper context. And I thank you for pointing out what I've been thinking all the way through Sin City ever since that line first popped up. Miller can do some things, but "making sense" and "understanding women at all" are not amongst them.
Also, I think that taking overblown and spectacularly dysfunctional characters into a setting of mundane conversation is one of the most entertaining things one can do. As long as, of course, the writer does have a knack for writing the scene without steering them out of character – A discipline at which you clearly excel.
Kukuku, you're a rule breaking rebel.
My only real complaint is that the way they are holding the chopsticks doesn't make any sense. See Fig. 1: http://ilearn-culture.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/hold_chopsticks.jpg
There are a few different workable ways that you could hold chopsticks, the way the characters are however, are not any of those ways. If you'll look at the provided angles, it seems that the secondary chopstick may be simply wedged between the middle and ring fingers. I would expect such poor eating knowledge in Kratos and Marv, but for some reason I expected whatserface and the commander to be able to do it properly. Perhaps work on that :)
well they're also eating from take-out boxes while sitting in the restaurant, so it doesn't seem like such a big deal really.
My immediate assumption was that Commander B was smart enough to order their food in take out boxes just in case one of his charges flies into a bloodthirsty rage at an off-hand comment by another patron and they are asked to leave. He's learned by now that he wants to be able to take his chicken curry pad Thai with him when that happens.
The author's probably not going to notice this, but a comic has to be as damn near as it gets to perfect, when the only thing someone finds to pick on about it is as a minor(to most people) a detail as the way people in the comic hold chopsticks..
TECHNICALLY rules 1 and 2 only apply to raids.
Outside of raids talk of 4chan is allowed. :P
Would Jared's boards be: /b/, /v/ and /vp/?
What's a 4chan?
more than a 3chan
and worth two 2chans.
First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin, then shalt thou count to 4chan, no more, no less. 4chan shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be 4chan. 5chan shalt thou not count, neither count thou 3chan, excepting that thou then proceed to 4chan. 6chan is right out. Once the number 4chan, being the 4chanth number, be reached, then lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who being naughty in My sight, shall snuff it. Amen.
Huh. I was expecting the Holy Hand Grenade of Longcat or Xenu…
It's the value of 5= 1-chan
Does that mean that chan = -4?
Lol, the Commander's face in panels six and seven… so matter-of-fact.
Marv strikes me more of a /adv/ kinda guy,
As well how do you figure /o/ for marv
Haha, I love your facial expressions! I can draw two, Bored and Awkward Smile. But whenever I read this, the faces are what really do me in. That, and the attention to detail. You even made the reflections of light off the seat cushions make sense!
So you KNEW how popular you were there!?
I never understood why women didn't like Marv.
Sure, he wasn't much of a looker, but a lot of the men in Sin City weren't exactly pretty either.
I love that Kratos it just randomly there for the commander to pick on.
Wonderful as usual!
Hey Kratos likes Chicken Pad Thai as much as the next guy!
(Possibly more, 'cause he's eating, while Marv's just whining…)
He's a bit of a psychopath.
I thought it was old duke nukem at first glance…
Yes I know who Marv is.
I think my favorite of the Manly comics are the ones where the characters are just sitting around talking, it results in some of the best moments.
"Stop using me as an example."
"Stop BEING an example."
Third panel had me laughing, fourth robbed me of breath, sixth had me on the floor and the punchline had my mother dialing 911. XD Though if I had to die, this isn't a bad way to go. ♥
…And I'm still jealous of Jonesey. ¬¬
I guess there's one thing I'm thankful for /v/ for. Pointed me here and shot through the archives.
Proceeding to bookmark.
funny, i watched Jared's story in /b/ and since then, i check this out like…a million times a week
Who's Marv? I'm not aware of this character.
From Sin City
As stated in previous comments, he's a character from Frank Miller's "Sin City" comix&movie.
I could tell that was Marv before I even read the text, that's how good this comic is.
And originally /co/, don't forget your roots.
You my friend are awesome
Just putting it out there, but as a female I'd go for Marv in a heartbeat…
Unless he keeps up this self-hating bull. At least he talks in a less screamy way than Kratos.
Same same – maybe he just needs a good cuddling, hm?
Ditto, and yes. Yes he does. >3
So many problems of men can be solved by a good cuddling from a girl :3
He's unbearably condescending to women. . .but maybe I can change him! Heh.
to be fair though, Kratos isn't all that screamy in God of War 1, it's only 2 and 3 where everything becomes a shouting match. That said, he is still one of my most deeply beloved manly-men. :)
The only first rule people should worry about is that of fight club…..dam
D: Good luck learning how to speak fisticuffs or whathaveyou.
I laughed so hard at this I almost peed myself. There are a few /a/ threads you can direct this to as well.
Dude this applies to almost every board. The only board that I see regularly talking about having healthy loving relationships is /d/, as unexpected as that may be.
Especially /r9k/.
…So am I the only girl who'd go for Marv? He was always my favourite character in the Sin City movie, but after realizing his actor was Mickey Rourke…
Ahh… no you're not :)
God I love the way you draw Kratos (that 4th panel makes me giggle every time I look at it). I'm still waiting for the last panel of the first strip on a t-shirt!
He's from Sin City, and such a doll <3
I love how you kept him black and white in your colourful comic – and the joke is pretty spot on! Geheh. But where is the necklace with the cross his mommy gave him? :3
"Stop BEING an example."
This pretty much sums up every Kratos joke ever. Also, epic win.
Another ace comic. So true. Guys like that just need a wake up slap to the face or something.
goddamnit coela
you could have used some other noun…
like for example, "the internet"
or "your blog"
Rules?! THERE ARE NO RULES!
And if there are, they're meant to be broken with cheatcodes. > . >
I like it! Thanks for the update, my good madam!
You can't blame Miller characters for being shallow, really.
Does Marv even know anything about guns besides, 'pull trigger, receive coprse?' For that matter, does anybody even use /o/?
this made me laugh so hard.
i adore marv. I just wanted to give the man hugs. I'd totally go after him. The rest of my friends thought he was ugly i wanted to punt them.
also the face kratos makes is pricelss.
Might I ask what Marv is from?
Also Kratos is the perfect example.
Cars, guns, and (mostly) original content.
Damn if that doesn't represent this comic well.
Sorry if I sound dumb here, but who's Marv? At first glance, he looks vaguely like Frankenstein.
Not shocking, I saw the one of the first comics on /v/.
Kratos can't seem to catch a break; first he gets compared to Carrie, now he's supposed to be proof of how "ugly" guys can still get laid! Not to mention how the electronics store gig clearly didn't work out.
But I guess as CB said, stop being an example.
Rules 1, 2 and 34 are the only obligatory ones. Everything is either filler, guidelines or bullshit.
Also, OMFG I SEE VORKED POSTAN IN COMMANTS FOR FURST TIEM WUT.
…I'm gonna go walk of shame over to /vp/ now…one question, though. Are we /tr/ainers over there, or /tr/ipfags? I see both, not sure what to call oneself, though. Leaning towards the latter…
Wait, so are we gonna see Hartigan running around?
This is my favorite so far. Kratos' expression in panel 4 is priceless.
its cool, rules 1&2 only apply to raids, not to lulzy comics full of win such as this
Kratos: /x/ /lit/ /d/
I don't know, my interpretation was always that women were too afraid of Marv's fearsome reputation to want him. After all, it seemed clear to me (could be wrong, is there any Word of Frank out there to contradict it?) that Marv was known throughout the city as an unstable berserker. If you saw a guy that big with a known reputation for losing control, would you want to get intimate with him?
Kratos gets girls.
it's not loading right for me, it's hlafway off the screen
the comic isn't loading right, i can't see half of it
I kept hoping there would be a fight. You can't have two ugly gray dudes get into a small space like that and not fight.
/k/ hates 1911s, so maybe Marv is a /k/ troll.
I don't think this comic is very good compared to all the previous ones :(
and yeah I know who the guys are, and I know exactly what 4chan is. I guess 4 panels was too many to waste on "Kratos gets girls" and the punchline was weak. 4chan isn't a magic word, and doesn't have a first rule. (that's a specific board)
4chan isn't the joke, really. Marv's attitude of "GIRLS DON'T LIKE ME YOU WOMEN ARE IRRATIONAL AND DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WANT ABLOOBLOOBLOO" is sort of an internet-wide thing, but it's especially prevalent on certain 4chan boards, like /r9k/. I can see where you're coming from, but the joke is REALLY about guys who complain about things like being "friendzoned."
The 4 panels for "Kratos gets girls" was doing more than just that. The entire comic suggests that the people from the …community (mind having a blank on the proper term at the moment) hang out with each other and just talk. It subtly furthers character progression and adds information to the environment.
In the comics, Marv's face is covered in some kind of twisted wrinkles or scars. Your Marv is positively cuddly in comparison. Even though he's monochrome. :x
Is Jared a /b/ guy?
I could see Jared as a /b/ guy…. and a /v/ maybe.
Okay, am I the only one who thinks that next to the unrealistically tough and unmatchably macho Marv, Commander Badass doesn't look quite as manly as perhaps he ought to?
I mean goddamn. Has … WOULD Commander do even HALF of the things Marv has done?
I don't see the Commander doing half the things, no. But that's good because characters aren't meant to all be alike. Yes, Marv makes him "appear" less badass to those who don't understand Bran-dao but his self confidence makes up for it. And him not caring does happen to answer your question..
Besides, we have no idea yet what the Commander is capable of. Kevin kicked Marv's ass the first time around, despite not being as big or as durable. Who's to say that the Commander doesn't know spacefuture kung fu that would let him wipe the floor with Marv? To say nothing of any sort of spacefuture enhancements they might give spacefuture Special Ops troops.
my face when the first person to directly reference '4chan' is Sarah and not Jared
I love how you kept Marv's color scheme! And that he's the first Sin City guy you brought out. One beef: not enough SCARS. seriously, the dude's face was covered in 'em, even before jumping through windows.
For me, the real punchline was "Stop using me as an example".
Then get a girl to kiss him shut.
Meh; Marv's right.
-Anyway, just appearing this once to proclaim my immense appreciation for MGDMT.
Artwork and -style, writing and concept; it's all a cut above the rest.
Thank you. :)
Uwaaaa I've been WAITING for Marv! As it's been said before, I love that you made him greyscale. And for the record I would, without hesitation, jump his bones like they've never been jumped before.
To be completely honest, I would totally tap Marv. (And Kratos…and the Commander. Okay, half the people in MGDMT)
I totally loved this page. One of my favorite, for sure.
Shiney awesome. Marv probably deserves a good woman, but yeah, he's not helping the situation. Still my hero, though.
By all technicalities. rules one and two only apply to /b/ and not 4chan as a whole.
Even then it only applies to raids.
So in both cases, you are fine.
Hurrah for femanons?
Yep. Badasses are like this. You just have to get to know them.
Why are Kratos and Merv in a Chinese place with the Commander?
Why is Sten not there for an obvious Chinese fortune cookie bit?
How is the counters there large enough to fit everyone's pectoral size?
Good point. Never thought of that.
Since everyone began teasing him about the cookies, I think Sten stays away from them.
Sten will never give up his cookies!
He already bludgeoned the Commander with a plate full of them.
I've noticed: In order to be badass, you have to speak only grunts and one liners.
Unless you practice the BranDao. But them again the new generation doesn't understand that. Only in the far future it will be recognized again.
That is true. And it is sad.
This = Lawlz. :D
Oh mah gawd. So much win!
Just a point of note, you didn't break the first rule – it's for a specific board.
I just found this comic and I've started linking it to friends. I went through and read them all.
Simply awesome stuff. I can't wait for more.
Marv's the best, man whose not afraid to get into shit and respects the ladys
I know EXACTLY how he feels. I'm the exact same person, except with a beard and a different skin tone.
Different skin tone? Are you sure? I find that hard to believe. I mean, everybody has a dark gray skin tone these days.
You know, I'm kind of curious as to how the Commander would react to a Machop. A little under three feet, easily excitable, able to dead lift 300 lb. All without visible muscle.
She burned you good, Marv. She burned you good.
one last thing
look at this
and wake up
wake up
and smell the cancer
Dude, just because you don't like or approve of 4chan doesn't mean you have to try and influence everyone to change their opinion
no, i like it i love it infact
i just dont like the fact that the cancer is turning it into this
You like it and it's getting tame and over-used yet it's edgy. Make up your mind, man!
bi-polar powers, ACTIVATE
This comic is great. I came for the Mr. Fish beating, but stayed for Commander Badass and Sarah.
This comic is AWESOME! I think it would make an even better movie
I can fap to this
"Why is Sten not there for an obvious Chinese fortune cookie bit?"
Sten – Why does this foodstuff deem to tell of my destiny. Foodstuffs are for eating, not leading, and should know their place within the Qun! *Crushes paper, disapproves – 15*
Kratos – Nothing controls my Destiny, Not Ares, Not Zeus, not all the Gods combined, certainly not Sweet-tasting wheat! *Disembowels cookie in a shockingly graphic way*
Commander – ….Guys, seriously, just eat the damn cookie *…Chomp*
…Or something like that anyway. Apologies to owners of the above, and especially to Coelasquid, who is One true Prophet to the Brandao
What would they do if it turned out to be one of those psuedo-Confucian proverbs?
Welp. I am now hearing the Commander's voice as Jet Black from Cowboy Bebop. It's just the dialogue that does it.
That´s because Marv has the hots for blondes.
I was wondering when a Sin City character was going to make an appearance. P.S. this is one of the best comics yet, just sayin.
I had been a fan of this comic for a while, but this comic cemented my love for this. The lines "'Stop using me as an example.' 'Stop BEING an example.'" will live with me forever. If you were on the writing team as well as animation for Ugly Americans, I would love that show twice (or more!) as much as I do now. You just keep doin' what you're doing, and it'll be a real pleasure to keep reading.
A real Spartan would never eat wapanese food.
As a Spartan myself, albeit a modern one, I fnd that offensive.
I freaking love Kratos' face in the 4th panel
Marv there looks like Tombstone.
Just a little.
Why is it women always use a guy's height as a compliment or list it as one of his good qualities? I'm 6'10", and it's just a pain in the butt. Can't ride in most cars unless there's a sunroof, always have my feet hanging over the edge of the bed, and little old ladies are constantly asking me to get stuff for them at the grocery store. I'm curious, what's the allure?
I didn't even have to get to the punchline, I laughed at the "Stop being an example" line.
4chan, HAHAHA! Epic, I can't stop laughing at that one.
Since it fits here, I overheard this conversation earlier today on the bus ride home from school.
MILES: Look! It's my fork!
KALEB (I think that's how it's spelled): That's not a fork, Miles, it's a Spork!
MILES: So what, it's still a fork!
ME: Shut up about your fork, you dork! *laughs*
'Buy a woman'? Ew. Human trafficking? Not a joke. Done reading this webcomic.
Best bit of the comic? Kratos's face the first time Commander says he gets girls. Second best, their exchange when the Commander does it again. XD
Who cares one whit about the "first rule?" The internet is leaking anyway, so just byte meme!
The fourth panel is my new favourite thing.
Who the hell is Kratos anyway?
(Joking. I know which games he is from. Never played them though. The idea does feel a bit distant.)
Robot nine thousand is truly the cesspool of the internet, even moreso than /b/.
"Stop BEING an example." Best. Line. EVER!
Huh. "Whining about it on 4chan"? Nah, Marv's not an incel…


text:
...more Projects
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text: It's very simple... the NFL is football and this is the only officially licensed NFL game for the NES... the closest thing to "real" professional football that you can play without a helmet and shoulder pads. You can select any of the American and National Conference teams, and if you're good enough, you can take them all the way to the Super Bowl! Team rosters are broken down into positions and individually rated according to skills, with position upgrade packages, player ability handicapping, actual NFL Offensive and Defensive Playbook alignments with audibles and even variable wind direction and strength. You not only coach from the sidelines, you also control all the movements of the players on the field. Run, pass, catch, kick, punt, jump, tackle, block and dive... Refs even call penalties. No matter what kind of fan you are, whether you know the rulebook inside-out or just watch an occasional game on TV... this is the one football game you've got to have!


text:
The Situation: The first-place Oakland Athletics have received lackluster production out of the second base position in 2013—.264/.339/.343 and just one home run through 89 games—and now look to Triple-A Sacramento for an offensive boost in the form of Grant Green. After a solid but unspectacular year in Sactown last summer, Green has broken out in his second tour through the hitter-friendly PCL, triple-slashing .318/.374/.500 through 81 games whiles launching 11 home runs and 25 doubles.
Background: After entering his junior year at USC as a potential top five draft pick in 2009, Green struggled at the plate and in the field, ultimately dropping to Oakland as the 13th overall selection that June. Since then, he's slowly climbed through the minor league ranks, showing steady growth in his game, and particularly in his approach at the plate. After shuffling around the diamond through his first three full seasons, Green made the permanent move off of shortstop in 2013 and looks to have found a permanent home at the keystone.
Scouting Report: Green projects to have average tools across the board, with a chance for an above-average hit tool thanks to an improved approach at the plate and a simple swing that helps the barrel to the ball more often than not. While he has shown some over-the-fence pop during his minor league tenure, those power spikes have come in home run-friendly environments, and the odds are that Green will be a much larger doubles threat as a major leaguer—particularly in the spacious Coliseum.
Green has improved his production in the field through reps and instruction, but the strongest catalyst for the positive growth may have been the simple switch off the six-spot. At shortstop, his range was pushed at the margins, often leading to hurried actions and imperfect execution. He is a more deliberate defender at second, but has enough athleticism and body control to make the necessary pivots, and his lower half works well enough to cover the necessary ground without sacrificing his ability to finish.
Green is most likely a second-division starter, long term, but given the current state of second base on Oakland's 25-man, that would be a nice improvement. He should hit for average with a good number of doubles and low-double-digit home runs, and will show some on-base ability while providing positive value on the bases.
Immediate Big-League Future: Green isn't being promoted to sit on the bench, so he should see the lion's share of the action at second base. The lack of production thus far from the Athletics' second basemen should afford Green some adjustment time, as there is no reason not to let him get his reps and find his stride, even if that means some struggles along the way. If Green proves up to the task of adjusting to top-tier pitching in his first taste of big league ball, the A's will get a much-needed bump in production and Green will lay claim to the inside track on the everyday second base job in Oakland long term. —Nick J. Faleris
Fantasy Impact: Second base may not be an offensive powerhouse across baseball right now, but it's never good when the season is more than half way over and an entire team has gone homerless from the keystone. That's exactly what the Athletics had done so far in 2013 going into Sunday's game, with Eric Sogard leading the charge. Enter Grant Green, who has been waiting to make his major league debut for what feels like an eternity at this point (though I'm sure it feels longer to him than it does to me).
Unfortunately for the Athletics, Green has shown power only in strong offensive environments during his minor league career. He's certainly not a nothing in the category, like they've been getting, but expecting him to be much more than around a 10-homer guy over the course of a full season is probably pushing it. Green's biggest attribute for fantasy purposes in the short term will likely be his ability to hit for a decent average. He owns a career .305 mark in the minor leagues, and a 15 percent strikeout rate at Triple-A over the past two seasons. And with 17 stolen bases in the past season and a half, he's not a zero on the basepaths either.
Green is going to draw interest in both AL-only and deep mixed leagues, but if the expectations are derived from his recent minor league numbers, his future owners will likely end up disappointed. In AL-only formats, he's worth a $10-12 bid given the lack of depth in the middle, especially in the American League. In 16-plus-team mixed leagues, he can be a perfectly reasonable option for a middle infield spot, in the same class as Logan Forsythe. There should not be particularly strong interest in him in anything shallower, even if it is a keeper/dynasty format. After all, he'll be 26 years old before the regular season ends, which limits his appeal. —Bret Sayre
Thank you for reading
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text:
'Charlie's Angels' Star -- I'm in 'Financial Ruin'
Kate Jackson -- one of the original stars of "Charlie's Angels" -- claims she's now in "financial ruin" ... and she's blaming it all on a guy she met through Farrah Fawcett.
The 61-year-old actress has fired off a lawsuit against her financial advisor -- claiming the dude has screwed her out of more than $3,000,000.
According to a lawsuit filed in L.A. County Superior Court, Jackson claims Fawcett's former business manager, Richard B. Francis, knew about Kate's "extremely close relationship" with Farrah and used that information to get Kate as a client.
In the docs, Jackson claims Francis told her she was worth roughly $5.4 million -- and she could live off of the interest from her accounts ... at least $300,000 per year.
But Jackson claims she was sorely misinformed and discovered she was actually worth considerably less -- only about $3 million. Jackson claims she learned the truth about her finances when she agreed to buy a home in 2008.
According to the docs, Francis pressured Jackson into buying a home for $2,011,000 in an area he called the "Golden Strip" in Santa Monica ... promising the property would never lose value.
Kate claims Francis knew she couldn't afford the home, but he drained her savings account in order to pay for it anyway. Kate also claims Francis knew she was grossly overpaying for the property.
Kate is now suing for more than $3,000,000 -- claiming she has "suffered financial ruin at the hands of the very person she entrusted with her finances."
Francis says he's been in the business for 50 years and has an impeccable record with several celebrity clients. He added, "This case will end at the deposition stage. It will never go to court."