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archadianskies · 4 years

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Whumptober Day 6

“Get it Out” + No More + “Stop, please”

Whumptober Masterlist | 06/31 of RK900 short stories ↳ on Ao3

Tags: Medical Procedures × Medical Trauma × Non-Consensual Body Modification × Post-Pacifist Best Ending (Detroit: Become Human) × Connor & Upgraded Connor | RK900 are Siblings × Gun Violence × Android Gore (Detroit: Become Human) × Good Parent Hank Anderson × Hostage Situations × Torture × Medical Torture × Medical Experimentation

As far as kidnappings and torture confessions go, this one’s the most confusing- it’s him and the tincan versus a failed mad scientist and his nephew.

“One of you will give up Kamski to us and we don’t care who.”

“Whom.” Tincan corrects, brow as cocky as his British accent. “We don’t care whom.” The nephew snarls and swings the bat solidly at the android’s head, and it connects with a loud smack. Androids don’t feel pain, why the fuck bother? He rolls his eyes.

“You know this is a fucking waste of time, right?” Gavin scoffs.

“You are Kamski’s cousin.” The mad scientist points a large syringe at him, the snarl seemingly a family trait as it twists his lips. He looks like he was on the receiving end of a beating not too long ago and Gavin should know this, why the fuck does he look so familiar?

“I haven’t spoken to Kamski since our parents died fourteen years ago, so fuck you.” Gavin drawls. It’s a half truth. The bridge he burned between them is still in the process of being painstakingly rebuilt and if he’s being really truly honest with himself, it’s him who needs to do the rebuilding entirely. It’s not public knowledge, though, that he’s trying to reconnect.

“That just leaves this one.” He points at the RK900 and the nephew grins.

“We know you’re connected to Kamski for sure. His little doll worked on you herself when you were raised from the dead.”

“Elijah Kamski’s villa location is public knowledge.” Ronan says patiently. “That he has returned to CyberLife is also public knowledge. I haven’t the slightest clue why you’ve gone to all the trouble of inconveniencing us.”

“We need the access code to get us into Kamski’s office floor at CyberLife Tower. Where the RT600 does her work.” Mad scientist growls, and really, Gavin should know him. Even if he’s hard to identify with the bandages and purple-y yellowy blotchy bruising.

“Well I’m doubly out because I have zero to do with CyberLife.” He drawls, slumping as far as he can on the chair he’s been tied to. There’s no ropes tying Ronan to his chair- no one’s stupid enough to try and restrain an RK900 with rope but there’s wire instead, wire with an electric current running through it.

“We will deal with you later!” Backhand, hurts double because the hand that dealt it is in a plaster cast. Fuck.

“RK900.” The nephew seems almost giddy. “We have ways of making you talk.”

“Physical torture will not work on me, an android’s physiology is different.” Ronan says evenly, calmly, even though there’s blue running from his nose and the corner of his right eye where the bat made contact earlier.

“They can’t feel pain, oh my god.” Gavin taps his foot impatiently. Mad scientist smiles and it’s a creepy twist of his mouth, upper lip swollen from a cut.

“Is that what you think, Detective Reed? That they can’t feel pain?” He taps tincan’s LED. “This one is deviant. Deviants feel pain, don’t you know? Their programming’s all muddled. They believe emotions and sensations are real, and no longer just data.”

“It’s not the same, you’re both correct.” Nephew nods. “It’s not like, say, cutting a human-” He moves fast and the knife slices into his upper arm and the yelp escapes his mouth before he can process what’s happened.

“The method has to be different, because they’re built differently from us. Biomimicry, yes, but not a perfect copy.” Mad scientist taps the turkey-baster sized syringe rhythmically against his palm. “I discovered a lot during my experiments on the deviants who came to me. I’ve perfected quite the method of extracting information with pain.”

Zlatko and Alexei Andronikov. The names pop up in his head as he finally recognises them. The House of Horrors case. No body was found despite there being evidence of severe human injury taking place out in the front yard. Nephew was suspected of running a black market ops for android parts though nothing could be pinned to him. The puzzle pieces fall into place; they want CyberLife’s tech and not just any tech- they want Eli’s special super secret tech. Barbie bot’s tech.

“You see this?” Zlatko waves the fat syringe in front of Ronan’s face and when Gavin looks, when he really looks, he swears there’s things inside the liquid. Moving things. “This is how I make you talk.”

“Detective Reed, come watch the show!” Alexei laughs, gripping the back of his chair and angling him so he has a perfect view of the android. “They’re starving.” Just the tone of his voice, coupled with the little black wriggling things in the syringe manage to drop ice down his spine. Even the tincan looks mildly affected, and he knows it takes a lot to make him look mildly affected.

The knife is still stained with his blood, and it smudges red on all that white as Alexei cuts Ronan’s uniform jacket and shirt off. A cable is jammed none too gently into his nape and Ronan frowns, LED swirling yellow.

“Do not.” A warning in his tone.

“You don’t get to give the orders.” Zlatko laughs, patting his head patronisingly. He taps away on a tablet and Ronan’s body seizes up. Gavin feels disgust coat his tongue like a bitter film. It’s not...right. It feels like the tincan’s being violated. Ronan winces, tilting his head this way and that.

“Get out.” He hisses, gritting his teeth.

“Ah, there we are.” There’s a hiss and the tincan’s stomach just...opens up. A hatch slides open and Gavin’s looking right into him, into a cavern of glowing blues and tubes and wires and a big round ring pulsing like a heartbeat. Belatedly he realises this is why Connor was winded when he punched him in the stomach what feels like a lifetime ago in the breakroom. He didn’t punch his stomach, he punched his heart-thing.

“Last chance, RK900.” Alexei taunts in a sing-song voice. “You have security clearance because of your personal connection to the RT600. What’s the code to the office? They’re going to eat you up otherwise, and you’ll be begging for mercy.”

“Hey-” Gavin feels sweat dotting his brow, “hey what the fuck is happening here?”

“These are reprogrammed nanites.” Zlatko waves the syringe in his face and yeah, definitely definitely wriggly things in there. “They’re used in nano-surgery for remote microscopic procedures when not even androids can manage such a small scale.”

“Only these ones have been programmed to destroy anything with an electric current by chewing through it.” Alexei grins and Gavin feels his heart drop into his stomach. That’s all of Ronan.

“So. One last time, RK900.” Zlatko says patiently, smoothing his hair back like one might pet a dog. “Access code to Kamski’s office?”

Ronan’s LED blinks red for a fraction of a second but there’s no waver in his voice. “No.”

“Don’t say we didn’t give you a chance.” The glowing ring is pulled out with a sickening wet pop, the syringe goes in, and Gavin watches as the plunger is pushed and the clear liquid with the black wriggly things disappears into Ronan’s body. Syringe empty, Zlatko tosses it aside before jamming the pulsing heart-thing back into him. There’s a pause where nothing happens and Gavin thinks it’s a fluke, it’s a bluff.

And then Ronan screams.

“NO! GET IT OUT! GET IT OUT!” He’s never heard him scream it’s not- it sounds so human and not human at the same time. It sounds like someone screaming over a PA system: too loud and slightly static-y. His LED burns like a brand at his temple and he looks- he looks like he’s in agony and Gavin’s trying not to think of those tiny tiny wriggly things crawling inside- oh fuck- fuck he’s going to be sick oh fuck-

“STOP, PLEASE! NO MORE! GET IT OUT!”

“The code! Give us the code!” Zlatko yells and Ronan’s entire body is thrashing against the electric wire, damaging himself further and he’s wrong, he realises, he’s been wrong the whole time, fuck they can feel pain, they can feel-

“Leave him alone!” Gavin shouts, sick to his stomach, gagging, because honest to god he can- he can see the wriggly things in his tubing he can see them them like tiny baby spiders from hell or demon tadpoles or- turning his head he vomits and he’s dizzy with nausea and Ronan’s still screaming, he’s screaming and begging and- and-

“DETROIT POLICE!” The door slams open and gunshots dispatch the two fuckers who crumple to the floor like cut puppets. “Oh my god-”

Hank and the other tincan to the rescue.

“Uh-” he swallows dryly and his mouth tastes horrid, “nanites. They put nanites inside.”

Connor’s face turns into a mask of horror as he grips his brother’s shoulders. “Ronan! Ronan you have to go into emergency shutdown! We have to get you to CyberLife!”

Ronan looks up at Connor and there’s tears streaming down his face, LED so bright Gavin thinks he can hear it emitting a high-pitched whine. “It hurts it hurts Connor it hurts so much I can’t- it’s overriding everything, I can’t control anything I-” Connor presses two fingers to his brother’s LED and then a moment later Ronan slumps unconscious.

“Remote for the wire’s in Alexei’s pocket.” Gavin tries to gesture with his head. Hank picks up the knife from the floor as Connor digs through Alexei’s pockets, cutting him free from the chair.

“You alright?” He asks gruffly and Gavin Reed is far from alright.

“Uh, yeah.” Fucking liar.

“Stay here. Chen’s coming with Miller. Allen’s cavalry is securing the site.” Hank gestures awkwardly as Gavin wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. There’s blood smeared there. Huh.

“Yeah yeah.” God why can’t he behave like a normal person? Hank gives him a look he can’t quite decipher, before he follows Connor out as the tincan carries his unconscious brother away.

Gavin looks at the syringe on the floor and well, his stomach’s already empty but he gags again anyway because all he can think of, all he can see, all he can hear, is Ronan screaming and screaming and screaming with those things wriggling inside of him and it’s something straight out of a horror film and he’s just never going to sleep again is he?

*~*~*

Ronan thinks he can still feel them, the squirming, the wriggling in his tubing as they gnawed on whatever they could latch onto. They’re not there anymore, he’s run a full system diagnostic eighty-five times now, and each one has come back all clear. He can still feel them though, somehow. He must be going mad.

“I’m so sorry.” Chloe looks mournful as she sits by his side, gently fussing with his hair. It feels completely different from the patronising way Zlatko had touched him, like one might pat an animal instead of the tender, soothing way Chloe’s fingers card through the strands. “They were after me, and they tried to use you to get to me.”

“I’d never let it happen, I’d never betray you like that, ever.” He spits, the anger raising his stress levels. Chloe’s expression is pained as she wraps her arms around him, pressing a kiss to his LED.

“I know, Ronan. I know, sweet thing.” She pulls away, managing a soft smile. “Your brother’s about to break down this door if I don’t let him in within the next ninety seconds, so I best unlock it.”

It’s true- Connor bolts inside the moment the door slides open just enough to fit him in. He latches onto him, arms squeezing tightly and Ronan feels his stress levels plummet to zero.

“Hello.” Closing his eyes, he tucks his head in the crook of his shoulder and clutches the back of Connor’s jacket tightly

“Hi.” Connor mumbles, voice muffled into his hair. “They’re dead and SWAT unit 32 took care of their base. They’ll never hurt anyone ever again- not them, nor their lackeys.”

“Good.” Ronan says simply, tugging insistently until Connor crawls onto the hospital bed, shuffling to sit beside him so they’re pressed shoulder to thigh, right hand tangled with his left. He opens a communication channel and Connor sends wave after wave of affection and relief and it flushes out the trauma, the residue, the paranoia that those things are somehow still crawling inside. “Thank you for rescuing me.”

Connor smiles tiredly, bumping his head lightly against his. “Anytime, little brother.”

#rk900 #gavin reed #hank anderson #connor rk800 #Detroit: Become Human #chloe rt600 #whumptober #annie writes: dbh

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itsblosseybitch · 4 years

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Griffin Dunne: Who’s That Man? (article from ARENA magazine, Sept/Oct 1987)

Double Exposure: The $4.5 million it took to make Martin Scorsese’s black comedy After Hours and the twitchily neurotic lead performance were both the work of the same man, hybrid movie producer and actor whose next assignments involve the likes of Sidney Lumet and Madonna. David Keeps spends some after After Hours hours with Griffin Dunne.

Griffin Dunne, leading man to Madonna in the soon-come Who’s That Girl, is not the sort of actor who swoops into a photo session with an entourage of managers, publicists and gofers. He enters alone, armed with a briefcase full of business pertaining to the next three or four films he will produce, and introduces himself with a winning humility and, on this particularly sweltering Manhattan afternoon, a perfectly reasonable request for a Budweiser. He graciously and gracefully agrees to a quick bit of barbering and slips into samples from Paul Smith’s autumn collection -- clothes that look very roomy on his slight five-foot-seven frame -- without a fuss. “Are you sure these weren’t for David Byrne,” he jokes. Griffin Dunne is one cool character.

The same can not be said for the neurotic yuppies he’s portrayed in After Hours and Almost You, two critically acclaimed films that were released back-to-back in Britain and helped to establish him as the archetypal Manhattan man. “That’s a coincidence,” he explains over breakfast at a Greenwich Village eaterie a few blocks from his home. “The pictures were actually filmed a couple of years, but I guess if you looked at them as a double-header, you’d see similarities because the main character is New York. One thing I have noticed is that the guy I’m playing always wears a blazer. I’ve got to be careful about what I do next. Those jaded laconic New York type roles are creeping up on me,” he continues, his almost-black eyes widening as his voice rises in mock terror. “I may never work again and die a pauper because these two pictures are so much alike!”

Now there’s an unlikely prospect. Having successfully produced Chilly Scenes of Winter, John Sayles’ Baby It’s You and Martin Scorsese’s After Hours, Griffin Dunne is in the unique position of being able to pay the bills and choose his acting roles carefully or develop properties for himself. The latter is an option he has exercised only once (After Hours), the former is an admitted luxury. “The problem with success is, the more successful you become, the more careful and calculating you have to be. While I dread being an actor and never knowing where my next job will be coming from, there was a great freedom in going from one stupid comedy into a play in some no-name theatre down on Pitt Street in lower East Siobokia. I get sent a lot of scripts as a producer and I don’t want to spend my time looking for parts for myself. I have an agent to do that. But that still doesn’t give me the opportunity to pick up the phone and say ‘Get me a script that is completely different from anything I’ve ever done, and I want to start working Wednesday’. “

There was a time when the very prospect of working in films - as an actor or a producer - was something to be avoided. Born in New York City on June 8, 1955 to actress Ellen Griffin Dunne and Dominick Dunne, who evolved from a television stage manager to a producer and now, a writer for Vanity Fair, Griffin was raised in Los Angeles amongst the privileged sons and daughters of Hollywood. He attended a pre-preparatory school at age 11. “All boys. You wore a coat and tie and got little swats if you got out of line. It was called Fay School,” he recalls with a shudder. “It was a bitch to say ‘I go to Fay School’.” He turns his head to the side to improvise a dialogue and with a sneer asks himself sarcastically, “How’s Fay?” “Fine thank you,” he mumbles, suitably humiliated. In his final year it became his job to order films for school entertainments. His very appropriate choice was Lindsay Anderson’s public school drama If... “It was a real underground thing. The attendance rate was incredible. They were hanging off the rafters. If you know the picture you know it takes them forever to kill those fucking teachers!”

The Fountain Valley school in Colorado proved a more nurturing atmosphere for the lad. Influenced by his uncle and aunt (the literary lions John Gregory Dunne and Joan Didion), Griffin thought he would become a writer. “I just knew that film business was the last thing on earth I was going to be in. It’s like if your father goes to work in a car factory in Detroit, the last thing you want to do is go into the automobile business. I didn’t sit in judgement of Peter Benchley’s (OP NOTE: author of Jaws) drinking habits, but it was just too close to me. I was really verbal about it. Openly vitriolic, I would never be in show biz. I said that right up until a friend talked me into auditioning for this play.”

That was Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story and Griffin knew instinctively that he was the best man for the job. “Somehow I just knew I could say these lines better than anyone else. It was like being the only one in that room who spoke that particular language.” An actor was born and a bullshit artist began to operate. “I was the guy who ran the drama club, the art paper, the student council planning board. Teachers treated me like an adult, they really thought I was going places. They said ‘You’re not like the other students.’ I was, of course, a source of total disappointment, because I was exactly like the other students. I would get high and take the car off campus and try to get laid at every possible moment as soon as their back was turned.”

Then, just as he was about to make a dramatic triumph playing Iago in Othello, he was busted. “Got caught smoking a little hash,” he winces. “All that was really there was what was in my lungs and it just trailed out of my mouth as I denied what was happening. And the teacher did not get a contact high and forget what he was doing. What they were saying was, ‘We’re going to change the rest of your life for that amount of smoke in your lungs’.” He was sent packing, forced to face up to parents who were “grief stricken”, he says with a comic frown, “chopped off at the knees.” Convincing the school authorities in a brilliant final thespian act that he needed to take the bus home in order to have time to think about his misdeeds, he hit the highway and hitchhiked home.

The odyssey that followed could’ve been a foreshadowing of the hassles that befell him as the stranger-in-SoHo in After Hours. “I was very worried about getting into any more trouble. And every car I got in was the most troublesome, criminal car. One guy would be driving a huge Cadillac convertible that he’d bought with a bad cheque. Another guy was AWOL from the army and there was this kid who’d just left ‘Juvie’ (Juvenile Hall) who was only a year younger than me, but also about four feet shorter. We’d spend a good deal of the time daring him to do things like climb out of the hood of the car to straighten out the antenna as we were crossing the desert. As soon as he got out there the driver would floor it, going about 95 miles an hour and swerving to throw him off. I thought, ‘OK drug possession, hot car, and manslaughter, all on the way home. Look at it this way, Mom, Dad, I was only kicked out of school for smoking hash!”

He lived in Los Angeles for the last gasp of his teenage years, working in a bookstore and as a shipping clerk for a cooking utensils firm, while going for auditions that were few and far between. After a few small roles on TV, he moved to New York to study at the Neighborhood Playhouse, where, ironically, in the days before Dustin Hoffman, Griffin’s father had left his studies when he was told that he was too short to be a leading man. Though Griffin was spared the same advice, he worked more steadily in the restaurant trade - even selling popcorn at the candy counter of Radio City Music Hall - than he did in the theatre. Then he met Amy Robinson and Mark Metcalf (OP NOTE: misprinted with an e), two equally frustrated, equally unemployed actors, and the trio decided to become producers.

(OP NOTE: Since Dunne, Robinson, and Metcalf were/are baseball fans, the original production company’s name was Triple Play Productions. When Metcalf left to focus on his acting, the company was renamed Double Play Productions).

“We went out to Cambridge and met Ann Beattie, who had written Chilly Scenes of Winter and she said it was like three of her characters walked into her living room.” Not surprisingly she allowed them to buy the rights for a film version at a very reasonable price. At age 23, Griffin Dunne had become a producer and had his first property. The trio turned the process of pitching the project to studios into an acting exercise. “It was exactly like a performance, but it was easier than going in on an audition. Here I had something tangible to sell, a book that I was passionate about. It’s hard to do that about yourself. What do you say? ‘Look at this interesting aspect of me. Then if you shade it with these particular attitudes I look like this!’ I wouldn’t want to see anybody do that.”

First released as Head Over Heels, and re-released more successfully in 1982 under the author’s original title, Chilly Scenes of Winter set the stage for the fledgling producer’s next triumph, John Sayles’ Baby It’s You, which introduced Rosanna Arquette and Vincent Spano to a large and appreciative audience of young filmgoers. In the meantime Dunne had appendaged several screen acting credits to his dossier, largely of the messenger boy variety.

“I’ve passed a ton of envelopes,” he laughs. “In this one film, The Fan (a potboiler starring Lauren Bacall as the intended victim of an overwrought admirer) I played a stage manager who was to hand a letter the killer gave me to Maureen Stapleton. The letter read ‘I’m going to kill you, I’m going to kill you,’ and sure enough he does. So they spend the rest of the movie looking for the killer instead of asking me for a description. When I told the director, he said ‘Yeah, well, fine, can we just shoot the scene please?’ So I just couldn’t resist on one take. I went up to Miss Stapleton and I said, ‘Here’s a letter from the killer -- oops! -- I mean the man outside’.”

He was able to use his comic gifts more successfully playing the sidekick role, “the very dead one” in An American Werewolf in London (OP NOTE: Title misprinted without the ‘An’) and the clean-cut brother of a gangster in Johnny Dangerously, “a big silly comedy.” Then a script crossed his desk which he simply could not ignore, for it contained all the elements he looked for in a film as both a producer and an actor. It was called After Hours, and it was the tale of a lonely word processor who meets a beautiful girl, loses her, loses his money and his house-keys and spends the rest of his evening on the run from assorted temptresses and loonies in the lofts and streets of New York’s SoHo.

Griffin Dunne was no stranger to the inherent weirdness of such a scenario. “Last weekend I was out of town and a friend was in my apartment. I said don’t use the bottom lock. She did, and so I was locked out of my own apartment. I called my neighbors to let me in, but they were locked out of their apartment too. I found that out from the neighbors below. The owners are from Japan and they’re coming to get their apartment from me. I’ve now been through so many locks it looks like a Uzi got at the door. The locksmith is now an old friend of mine. I have the worst time with keys. I believe the first stage of manhood is when you live on your own and you’re given this set of keys. I’ve been through so many keys. They just leap out of my pocket!”

Griffin Dunne became After Hours’ hapless anti-hero Paul Hackett and his run-ragged energy leaped off the screen. Despite the fact that the entire film was shot at night, director Scorsese demanded that he remain celibate during the course of the shoot. For added punishment, Dunne himself also acted as the film’s producer: “As an actor your job is not to have distractions and be in a loose state where, when things are thrown at you, you can react accordingly. As a producer your job is to constantly anticipate problems, disasters, flare-ups, fiascoes. You’re in a constant state of tension. You have this little rubber ball with spikes sticking out of it in the pit of your stomach. In After Hours if there were times when it was five in the morning and I was starting to run out of anxiety adrenaline, I could think of how much the picture was going over-budget and I would suddenly get this hollow look in my eyes, my eyebrows would start creeping up on my forehead and I was ready to roll! But I never as an actor looked at the director and thought, ‘Gee, he’s shooting too much film, I must tell him to stop.’”

Though After Hours was a huge critical and commercial success, it pointed out some rather disheartening facts about the American film industry. “People are so obsessed with how much pictures cost. It really pisses me off,” he says with a furrow of the brow that makes you an instant sympathizer. “All anybody talks about with After Hours is that we made it for $4.5 million.(OP NOTE: $4.5 million in 1985 would be about $10.8 million in 2020) Who cares? Is it a good movie? Is it a bad movie? For some reason English films have avoided that. Probably because they were made with pounds instead of dollars and the critics are too lazy to figure out the currency conversion.”

Now he’s on a roll and it becomes quite clear that Griffin Dunne, as an artist and as a businessman, cares about the cinema passionately. “There are a lot of [OP NOTE: misprinted as off] young filmmakers trying to get off the ground here. It’s treated so condescendingly,” he splutters. “Those kids made that Personal Art film. Art film is a bad word for everybody - it’s a personal film. Or it’s an independent film, which must mean it’s personal. ‘Those kids made that picture and just look what they did. And their grandmother gave them $2.5 million for that?’ I don’t think it was their grandmother,” he continues with a lethal iciness. “I think they went to a major financing entity and they got the money, it’s playing in theatres now. GO SEE THE GODDAMNED MOVIE!”

(OP NOTE: Sir, this is a Wendy’s. All joking aside, I would love to hear the off-the-record version of this rant)

All of this seems particularly annoying to a man like Griffin Dunne because he’s proved that it can be done. “It’s just treated like it’s so cute. Now it’s possible to make films like Mona Lisa, Withnail and I or one of Stephen Frears’ movies in the States. There’s a lot more avenues of finance and they’ve figured out ways of distributing movies where they actually make serious money and it’s easier for people to get their money back on videocassettes and all the other rights. What we’re having a little bit of a problem with is the material itself. How do you find a script that doesn’t reek of being an Independent Movie?”

In Adam Brooks’ Almost You, which was written as a vehicle for Dunne and his then-girlfriend Brooke Adams, he found exactly that. An offbeat comedy about an adulterous husband, the film was warmly received in Britain after having been crucified by the American press. (OP NOTE: As someone who enjoyed that movie, I think the reason for that is because British audiences are more comfortable with unlikable or dysfunctional protagonists than American audiences. Also, this was the Reagan era with traditional values and all) “I found the character very touching and pathetic, but when it came out you would have thought I was a war criminal. An immoral louse. The worst of it was they would never say my character’s name. They would say ‘Griffin Dunne is a duplicitous, weak-willed human being!’ People fuck around on their wives, what can I say? The way people went on, because I fooled around when my wife was in a wheelchair, it was like one of those Reefer Madness kind of movies. Like I was condoning it,” he says, lapsing into a sinister’s narrator voice, “C’mon kids, go out and smoke heroin. And while you’re there get married and fool around on your wife who’s in a wheelchair. Come with me to...THE MOVIES!”

His next screen appearance should raise the stakes considerably higher and may establish Griffin Dunne as a solidly commercial leading man in romantic comedies. “I’d known about the script for years,” he says of Who’s That Girl. “It was the first screwball comedy I’d read that wasn’t a rip-off or a parody . The characters were really contemporary. Over the years I just slowly watched it get put together, slowly, slowly coming around to me. I had a feeling it was going to work out and I have that feeling very rarely.” It’s the story of one Loudon Trott, the standard “uptight kind of guy” whose world is thrown into utter chaos by the appearance of a dizzy but dazzling vixen. “I’m one of those inside-the-little-globe-there’s-a-madman-dying-to-break-out characters. But I was going as much against the nitwit-nerd as possible. I wanted to wear the best suit I could find. I look unlike anything I’ve ever looked before. You don’t wake up with hair like what I’ve got in this picture. I don’t even know what the hell I look like.”

The vixen is, of course, played by Madonna. “It was externally pretty crazy,” he says of the shoot. “A lot of paparazzi and fans. I guess for my survival I just shut it out. It didn’t bother her, so why should it bother me? If it bothered me it would show on the screen, but nobody would say, ‘Gee, he doesn’t seem to be there right now, it must be the fans.’” He laughs at the very thought of it. “I’ll fight for a disclaimer at the end of the picture!”

He’ll have to juggle his next acting assignment between efforts as a producer. Running On Empty, the coming-of-age story of the son of Sixties dissidents living on the lam, is set to be directed by Sidney Lumet with River Phoenix in the leading role and Robin Williams has been signed as the lead for a Disney-financed version of the stage comedy The Foreigner.

[OP NOTE: While Running on Empty was eventually released in 1988, garnering Phoenix a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the Golden Globes, The Foreigner never materialized. I’m sure there’s some amazing stories that have yet come to light on the latter].

And industrious though he may seem, Dunne admits that he’s really good at not working, too. “It’s a talent that I’ve evolved over the past year or so. When I’m not working it never crosses my mind. I’m into maps. I’ll chart a trip and get a really good radio in the car, record a lot of tapes and hit the road. I’m really good at getting out of town and going to the beach. My problem has been collecting a lot of things over the years, but I’ve lived in sublets for the past 11 years, so I haven’t been able to settle into any pattern yet. Now that I’m moving into my own place, I’m glad. I’ll have people over so they can admire my spoon collection from my various journeys and I’ll even have shows. I will promise to bore them senseless with my passions.”

It’s unlikely he’ll be able to make the same claim in a professional capacity; his involvement on both sides of the camera and casting office have certainly produced an exemplary cross-breed of moviemaking professional, one that box office superstars-cum-executive producers of their own vanity projects could most certainly learn from. “One of the things I like about being a producer,” Dunne explains, “is that it’s opened me up on how to read a script. I like to think of the whole picture now, not just my role.” But having an awareness of what makes a film succeed in an increasingly byzantine business has not dulled his enthusiasm for acting, nor dimmed his onscreen spark. “It still is fun,” he demurs. “It should always be fun to get paid for taking fencing lessons.”

Always a wit, Griffin Dunne does seem most comfortable making a joke, even if it is at his own expense. Asked which of his screen characters he’d feel closest kinship to in real life, he deadpans, “I use so much of myself in them that I can’t imagine wanting to hang out with any of them.” And he’s equally nonplussed about his reputation as an independent force in the motion picture industry. The man simply has taste and if he likes to wear as many different hats as he can in this business, well, that’s his business - and he’s certainly very modest about his accomplishments.

“It’s difficult,” he concludes. “for me to say ‘I’m a rebel. I’m a maverick’ and put on little cowboy hats and stroll out of here into the sunset.” Especially, we both agree with a laugh, since it’s not even high noon yet.

#griffin dunne #arena magazine #journalism #old magazines

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your-dietician · 3 years

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MLB Trade Rumors and News: Schwarber, Avila hit the 10-day IL

New Post has been published on https://tattlepress.com/mlb/mlb-trade-rumors-and-news-schwarber-avila-hit-the-10-day-il/

MLB Trade Rumors and News: Schwarber, Avila hit the 10-day IL

The MLB Daily Dish is a daily feature we’re running here at MLBDD that rounds up roster-impacting news, rumors, and analysis. Have feedback or have something that should be shared? Hit us up at @mlbdailydish on Twitter or @MLBDailyDish on Instagram.

The Nationals are having a rough past couple of days, as both Kyle Schwarber and Alex Avila have been placed on the 10-day IL per a team announcement. Schwarber, who thankfully won’t need surgery, will sit after suffering a right calf strain running to first last Friday. The timetable for his return has yet to be set, and the first-time All-Star will almost absolutely miss the game. Gerardo Parra will play left field in his absence. Avila will miss time because of bilateral calf strains.

The Brewers have acquired Kevin Kramer from the Pirates. In return for the utilityman, Pittsburgh will receive left-hander Nathan Kirby. Kramer has seen 43 MLB games, with .387 OPS over 90 plate appearances. Kirby, 27, has seen his very short career ravaged by injuries. However, while in Double-A Biloxi, he’s recorded a 1.93 ERA with a 23.17% strikeout rate.

The Yankees added some speed to their roster on Thursday as they traded for Tim Locastro from the Diamondbacks in exchange for a pitching prospect. Sure, Locastro isn’t exactly a household name and he isn’t having a banner year at the plate, but the guy can RUN and he is more than willing to lean into a pitch to get on base, so the Yankees have that going for them.

Dellin Betances just can’t seem to catch a break when it comes to injury. The Mets signed Betances in free agency after the 2019 season in the hopes that he could put his injury issues behind him and return to his previously dominant form. Instead, he has pitched a total of 12.2 innings in a Mets uniform and now has to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery.

Mariners lefty Héctor Santiago is the first pitcher to be disciplined as part of MLB’s foreign substance crackdown after being ejected Sunday, when umpires believed they found a foreign substance on his glove. Santiago admitted to having rosin on his glove, and while it wasn’t a highly-publicized element of the new policy, pitchers are now strictly prohibited from having rosin on their person, even though they are allowed to obtain it from the bag on the mound. MLB confiscated Santiago’s glove but never examined it, and now they’ve hit him with a 10-game suspension and undisclosed fine.

MLB is investigating Dodgers right-hander Trevor Bauer after a woman was granted a temporary domestic violence restraining order against him in Los Angeles on Tuesday. Bauer’s attorney claims the actions took place as part of a consensual sexual relationship.

The Blue Jays are determined to reach the playoffs for a second straight season, and they boosted their roster on Tuesday morning by acquiring sidearming reliever Adam Cimber and currently injured outfielder Corey Dickerson from the Marlins in exchange for veteran utility player Joe Panik and relief prospect Andrew McInvale.

Indians outfielder Josh Naylor is likely out for the season after suffering a dislocated right ankle in a collision with second baseman Ernie Clement. If this is it for Naylor this year, he’ll finish with rather unremarkable numbers: a .253/.301/.399 slash line and seven homers in 69 games.

Braves starter Mike Soroka has re-ruptured his Achilles and will not pitch again in 2021. After making three starts in 2020, he tore his Achilles. He hadn’t pitched since then. Soroka looked like he’d be the Braves’ ace for years to come after going 13-4 with a 2.68 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and .236 OBA in 2019, but now his future is extremely uncertain.

The Athletics have reunited with veteran starter Homer Bailey on a minor league contract. He’s been assigned to Triple-A Las Vegas. The 35-year old was ravaged by injuries in 2020. The last time Bailey played with Oakland, he hurled 4.30 ERA over 13 starts and 73 1/3 innings. Here’s hoping for a comeback.

It is always nice to start the day with some good news, and Cubs fans woke up to fuzzy feelings all around last week as Chicago used four pitchers including starter Zach Davies and closer Craig Kimbrel to no-hit the Dodgers. Kimbrel looked like the Kimbrel of old, and let’s not understate how difficult it is to shut down that Dodgers offense. Really impressive.

The Rays promoted top prospect Wander Franco, and he immediately made his presence known in his debut, hitting a game-tying homer for his first major league hit while also collecting a double and a walk. At Triple-A Durham, the 20-year-old was slashing .323/.376/.601 with seven home runs in 173 plate appearances.

The Mets’ rotation sustained a pair of blows last week, as the team announced that lefty Joey Lucchesi will undergo Tommy John surgery, then right-hander Marcus Stroman exited his start early with left hip soreness. While they have a comfortable lead in the NL East, the Mets continue to be dealt an incredible amount of adversity, so it’ll be interesting to see if they can stay afloat.

The Blue Jays have signed veteran reliever John Axford, reports Jamie Campbell of Sportsnet. The 38-year-old hasn’t seen a major league mound since 2018 and had been working as an analyst on the Jays’ pre and postgame shows before being asked to pitch for them again. The bulk of his career came with the Brewers, as he played in Milwaukee from 2009-13, but now the Ontario native will embark on his third stint with Toronto.

The Tigers have released Wilson Ramos, per a club announcement. The 33-year old signed a $2M deal with Detroit at the beginning of this year, and he looked like he was really giving the Tigers the most value for their buck after going yard six times in his first nine games. Unfortunately that took a turn in early May, when a back injury completely derailed the 12-year major league veteran. Should he be able to heal quickly enough for a late season renaissance, he could make a great extra backstop for a team in contention. Posting a 105 wRC+ for the Mets in 2019, he’s still got some gas left in the tank for whatever team is willing to take the risk.

Astros third baseman Alex Bregman is going to be out for an extended period after suffering a quad injury trying to beat out a double play.

Rays ace Tyler Glasnow’s season is in jeopardy after he suffered a partially torn UCL and flexor strain in his right arm. He’ll initially try to rehab the injuries rather than immediately opting for Tommy John surgery. In an interesting crossover with the biggest story being discussed around baseball right now, Glasnow said MLB’s crackdown on foreign substances contributed to his injury, as he stopped using a mixture of sunscreen and rosin, and as a result he began gripping the baseball so hard that he injured his elbow.

A lot has been made in recent weeks about the proliferation of foreign substances used primarily (but certainly not exclusively) by pitchers to get better grip on balls to have better command as well as to generate greater spin. It has been clear that MLB was going to crack down on the practice and now it looks like it has landed on its chosen punishment, as it was announced that players found to be using such substances will receive a 10-game paid suspension.

It is fair to say that the 2021 season has been a particularly weird one. Teams that we all thought would be good haven’t been and teams that were thought to be afterthoughts have been anything but. Our own Andersen Pickard broke down the five most surprising teams from the 2021 season so far.

It’s the most glorious time of the year: here’s your 2021 MLB Draft primer for notable players, draft order, and more.

The Twins are dragging their feet for extension talks with Jose Berrios, SKOR North’s Darren Wolfson reports. Berrios has one last year of arbitration eligibility before he’s free to sow his wild oats and hit the market in the 2022-23 offseason. And as of now, the Twins have done little to nothing to stop him. Could that be because the NL Central 4th place team is looking to use him as a lucrative trade chip come this year’s deadline? The 27-year old could bring a significant return for Minnesota, but is it enough to risk for them losing him? He’s having another strong season this year, with a 3.49 ERA and a 26% strikeout rate. Either way, as the trade deadline gets closer, we’ll see what moves the Twins are thinking of making.

After going 5-24 in the month of May, the Arizona Diamondbacks are reeling and are already buried in an NL West where even a good season would not guarantee a playoff berth. In order to try to stop the bleeding and try to get back to some level of decency, Arizona fired hitting coaches Eric Hinske and Darnell Coles. Sadly, given the breadth of that roster’s issues, it seems like that they will still end up as one of the league’s worst teams.

Outfielder Jarred Kelenic, widely regarded as one of baseball’s top prospects and the potential savior of the Mariners organization, was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma after getting into an 0-for-39 slump. Kelenic, who played just 28 games in the upper minors (21 at Double-A in 2019 and seven at Triple-A this year) before reaching the majors, has an .096 batting average and .378 OPS in 23 major league games.

The Mets had been hopeful to get Noah Syndergaard back in their rotation soonish to try and hold off their division rivals in what has been a surprisingly bad National League East. Unfortunately, they will have to wait a good bit longer, as Syndergaard’s rehab hit a setback, and elbow inflammation will keep him out until at least August.

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sammierogers · 7 years

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How It All Got Started

With 2018 just around the corner, I find myself looking back on three years of Detroit Invasion events. It has been a truly interesting and totally unexpected ride. A lot of people have asked how it got started and why. I guess it is time to put that down in writing both as a chronicle of sorts, but also as an explanation, since a few people, I fear, have misconceptions about these remarkable events.

To be quite honest, Detroit Invasion began by accident, and quite unintentionally. No one knew what was starting at that time, and the success and growth has been amazing.

At the beginning of 2014, after a lifetime of hiding from myself and every other human on Earth, I finally emerged into the light of day as myself, full of trepidation and some panic, and totally unsure of much at all, beyond the fact that I could no longer live my life in fear. I did not step out shyly and cautiously. I was more like a race car waiting for the light to change. I fairly exploded out of the gate, so strong was the pent up need formed over many decades.

In that first year I became a regular member of the local Detroit transgender community, and found I loved socializing with other girls. I discovered I loved to dance. And, I was blessed by many wonderful new friends who all helped me more than I can say. I just assumed the Detroit community, with it's friendly, warm, all embracing sense of family, was much like any other TG communities anywhere else. I have since learned this is not entirely true. From what I have seen, many cities have larger but far more balkanized communities rife with back biting and cliques. Detroit is not like that.

During the same period, I attended several large TG events around the country, exploring, watching...listening and learning. At most events, I found similar experiences.... a lot of workshops, classes and speeches, followed by some night time social events. But, honestly, the experiences left me disappointed. I am not young, but I am computer literate, and I know how to do research. And, beyond that, a career as a well trained professional actor has given me a good understanding of psychology and the ability to critically analyze complicated questions. For me, the classes and seminars, covering everything a transgender person might need, from medical advice to legal advice to such things as “ladylike behavior and comportment” were unnecessary... I confess, the last had me positively rolling with laughter....but then, I do know there are girls who need such things. For me, nothing in these classes offered me anything I did not already understand either from research or personal intuition. Rather, for me, the large events were about meeting and getting to know other people like myself...about discovering the breadth of experience in our community.... about making new friends, listening to other experiences, and, most of all, just having a good time in the company of other people who “get it”. For a degree I was disappointed by events that took themselves so seriously that the “fun” was given little attention. I'm a rock and roll girl. And I'm in no hurry to start acting or living like an aging grandmother. I have too many years of missed experiences to make up for still. At home, much of our time together as a group was spent in social activities of a different sort, with a lot of time in nightclubs dancing. Detroit girls like to party and have fun. I went to events expecting a bigger and better version of this and quickly discovered an average Saturday night in Detroit was a better party than I could find at most national events. In fact, at several events that first year, as part of a group of Detroit girls in attendance, I found that other girls started asking around to find out what the “Detroit Girls” would be doing that night. It was eye opening. Apparently, we were not the only girls looking to kick up our heels a little.

In late 2014 I attended the Erie Gala in Pennsylvania with my friend Donna. There I met a couple of girls from Ohio who seemed of a similar mindset to those of us in Detroit, at least in regard to having a good time. We got to talking about our home communities, and they were intrigued. We invited them to come for a visit and see for themselves. A weekend in January of 2015 was agreed upon and the die was cast. I got online on a chat board used by many of the local girls and let them all know a couple of guests would be in town.

Let me pause and say this...on any given Saturday night in Detroit, the two main bars/nightclubs where TG go to hang out will host from 20 to 40 girls. On any given Saturday night.

That first weekend in January of 2015 we planned for both Friday and Saturday night. Friday was small and intimate. About 10 of us were there, altogether. You all know who you were, I am sure. Many claim to have been there. I can name names of the few who actually were. Regardless, it was a tiny affair. But the following night, when I walked into the bar, there were well over 100 people there. It was jam packed. I had never seen so many girls in that bar before. And it was an amazing night. So amazing that we all vowed we would have to do it again. And so we did, the following April. Only now, it seemed like our little event needed a name.

In the run up to the first weekend, one of our local girls had gotten on the chat board and asked “What's all this I hear about some t-girl invasion of Detroit?”

The name stuck. That April we held the second Detroit Invasion (Mk II). And that is how it all began.

But there is more.

A lot of people misconstrue the intent and actuality of Invasion events. Operating without any real knowledge or understanding (a common way to form opinions in America, unfortunately) many people think the Invasion events are nothing but “wild, over-sexed crossdressers”. Nothing could be further from the truth, although, in this Trumpian age of fake news, it seems no one need let actual facts get in the way of their own beliefs. And, sadly, within this vast community that we call “transgender” there remains a lot of backbiting and gossip and much of what we term a “trannier than thou” attitude. For the uninitiated, “trannier than thou” (Sometime shortened to “Triple T”) refers to a sad but all too common form of self aggrandizement that targets those considered further back on the road to self acceptance as somehow unacceptable and “lesser than”, and as such the target for scorn and derision. It is an ugly and unfortunate phenomenon that serves to divide us instead of finding commonality. It defines people by labels instead of facilitating understanding.

Here is the thing. Critical thinking in this country seems to be in sad supply. It has been replaced, it seems, by the habit of “feeling” an answer to a complicated problem, and then attempting to rationalize those feelings through thought. It leads to a lot of faulty logic and poor conclusions. Actually, all too often, even the attempt to rationalize feelings is absent, as more and more people go through life forming totally emotionally driven and, often, totally illogical ideas.

So... here is the truth about Detroit Invasion events.

Yes, they are social only. We make no attempt to laden them with classes or speeches.

Yes, they are a lot of fun, at least for anyone who knows how to have fun. But they are not “a bunch of oversexed crossdressers”

Far from it.

Detroit Invasions are totally egalitarian when it comes to the transgender umbrella. There is no litmus test to determine if someone is “trans enough”. Our Detroit family accepts everyone. Everyone is welcome. As such, we have all kinds of girls, from fully transitioned post op through pre op, through non op.... we have full time, part time and first time. In fact at every single Invasion we have welcomed at least some girls “out” for the very first time. No girl left behind. It is a big tent and we welcome everyone with love, support and warmth.

But, on another level, Invasion events are political. Visibility is a political act in our world. And, at Invasion, girls are very visible. There is political empowerment working on two levels. On one level, those of us too shy or inexperienced to venture into totally public spaces are able to safely do so, visiting, as themselves, everything from nightclubs and bars, to river boat cruises, casinos, theme parks and auto shows and more. Further, Invasion events are political because they force mainstream people in these spaces to interact with transgender people (often for the first time). Many mainstream people have never knowingly met one of us. And even when they do find themselves in the same space as one of us, such as at a restaurant, interaction rarely takes place. This is not the case with an Invasion event. It is hard, if not impossible, to not interact when the space you are in is suddenly “invaded” by 50 to 100 happy, gregarious, transgender women. And in that unavoidable interaction, people discover we are not strange and exotic, not cartoons, not sexual predators, but rather some pretty nice, happy, warm, and fun human beings. Much like anyone else. We become familiar. That word....”familiar” ...the root of that word is family. In a sense, we become family. If you fail to grasp that fact about Invasion then you miss the point entirely. Invasion events are political action events on a very basic, non threatening level. But, of course, they are also a lot of fun.

Our team has now grown beyond just me and includes half a dozen or more over worked volunteers. Together, we plan, coordinate, and host four three day events each year. Each event is similar but each is different with aspects tailored to take advantage of seasonal opportunities. We bring in girls from all over the country. By memory, our “little” event has drawn girls from the following states and provinces... Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Tennessee, New York, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Texas, Georgia, Louisiana, New Mexico, California, Missouri, Kansas, Minnesota, West Virginia, North Carolina, New Jersey and Ontario …. and I have probably missed a few. Each event draws between 100 and 150 girls. Because each event brings out different girls, in total each year we affect the lives of more than 350 transgender individuals. By that count, we are larger than several of the “major” national transgender events. And we are growing. In 2018, if all goes well, TGDetroit, the sponsoring organization for the Detroit Invasions, will attain full non profit status. And plans are already in place not only for Invasion events and activities running through the next two years, but also for TGDetroit itself to grow into a full transgender support agency where the Invasion events will only be a small part of our expanding goals. With your support and a lot of work we will be able to help a lot of girls.

Because, ultimately, as much fun as it is to “have fun”, this is about way more than that. Far too many TG live lives of quiet desperation...attacked physically and verbally, abandoned by friends and family, fired from jobs...and all simply because the average American remains uneducated and ignorant about us and harbors misconceptions that lead to hatred and abuse. It is a war zone out there for a lot of girls, and a lonely life in those personal trenches. Detroit Invasion is about giving girls a three day pass every now and then to get out of those trenches, and breathe freely for a while. To let their hair down in a safe space among family who really treat them as family. They are more than parties. Every girl that comes to Invasion becomes part of an ever expanding family and Invasion events are truly a lot like family reunions. And even beyond that, what we do is all part of a plan and vision to move the ball down the field... to try, in some small way, to make a difference and make life for girls down the road a little better. It's our way of saying thank you to the girls who helped us. And, be sure to understand this.... TGDetroit is not about making it easy for a few “passable” girls to fit within some archaic and mythological gender binary. TGDetroit is about tearing down that binary....destroying it and every shred of pain it has caused... and replacing it with a world where all of us, from across the entire gender spectrum.... ALL of us....have a place that is safe, secure and respected. That is our goal.

Those of you who know me personally will have heard me say “I just throw parties” Yes, it's true. That's what we do. But, it's also lot more than that. Instead of just having an opinion....come see for yourself. We will make sure you feel like part of the family.

#transgender genderidentity

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junker-town · 5 years

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9 fascinating stats that explain the MLB season so far

Let’s take look at some of interesting pre-All Star break numbers

It was a fun first couple of months of the 2019 MLB season. The Minnesota Twins keep surprising everyone, the Los Angeles Dodgers can’t stop winning, and Justin Verlander is convinced MLB is juicing their baseballs (he might be right). We also had an amazing Home Run Derby with a stellar semi-final between Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Joc Pederson. Now with the All-Star Game completed, it’s time for the home stretch of the season. But before, let’s take a look back at some of the trends or statistics which stood out.

Here are the nine pre-All Star break stats that caught my eye.

It’s no secret Pete Alonso is having himself a fantastic year. He won the Home Run Derby and is one of the best hitters in Major League Baseball. In his rookie season, Alonso has been the top slugger for the New York Mets. He’s sixth in the league in OPS, fifth in slugging percentage, fourth in RBI’s, and tied for second in home runs. Alonso’s play at the plate has been one for the record books.

His 30 home runs are tied for second most of all time by a rookie before the All-Star break. He tied Aaron Judge in 2017 and was only three off Mark McGuire’s total in 1987.

3⃣0⃣ for @Pete_Alonso20. That ties a Met record for home runs before the All-Star break. pic.twitter.com/kcCQiZstrr

— New York Mets (@Mets) July 7, 2019

The Kansas City Royals are currently in the cellar of the AL Central standings and have the second worst record in all of baseball. It looks like it will be another year of finishing last Ned Yost’s side. KC has not any success when leaving Kauffman Stadium. The Royals have won just one road series so far this season.

It took them until the third week of June to do this, when they took two out of three games from the Seattle Mariners. As expected, the Royals have the worst road record in the league at 14-33.

166

After finishing 78-84 last season, the Twins are on pace to beat that record by a far margin. They currently lead the AL Central with 56 wins and the home run ball is much to thank for that.

The Twins lead the MLB with 166 home runs before the All-Star break. As noted in the tweet below, they hit that total for all of last season.

.@marwinGF9 just hit our 166th home run of the season. We hit 166 home runs in all of 2018.#BOMBASQUAD!#MNTwins pic.twitter.com/pcjgqzuf10

— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) July 6, 2019

Four Twins have hit 15 or more home runs with Max Kepler (21) and Eddie Rosario (20) leading the way. Six of them have driven in more than 40 RBI’s.

They are just crushing baseballs.

The Mariners haven’t been careful with the baseball. They currently lead the league with 92 errors, 24 more than second place Baltimore. Obviously this hasn’t helped their pitching, which leads the league in runs allowed with 550.

Eight Mariners who have committed five or more errors. There have been two instances this season where a Mariners player has committed three errors in a single inning.

Having been only implemented in 2014, challenges are a very recent addition to the MLB. Slowly but steadily, managers are getting better at correctly challenging decisions. This season, Texas Rangers manager Chris Woodward has had the magic touch when asking for reviews. He currently leads the league with 23 successful replay challenges, four more than second place Gabe Kapler. Woodward also has the highest overturn percentage at 79.3 despite only being number three on replays challenged.

Josh Bell has had a good fourth season in the MLB. The outfielder is on pace to break his career high in RBI’s and hits. Bell has been exceptional in getting extra base hits with a league leading 30 doubles along with three triples. He already set a career high in home runs with 27 which makes it a grand total of 60. This broke a record of XBH (extra base hits) by an NL player before the All-Star break. The record was previously held by Albert Pujols who had 58 in 2003.

170

Things haven’t gone well for the last place Baltimore Orioles and their pitching is a big part of it. They have given up a lead leading 170 home runs and have a team ERA of 5.59, which is also at top of MLB. Here is a bigger breakdown of how historic this is.

0.96

After five years with the Detroit Tigers, James McCann decided to join their division rivals in the Chicago White Sox. A new change of scenery has seemed to given him a spark as he already has 73 hits after only recording 94 the year before. He recorded 16 doubles before the All-Star break, equaling his total of last season entirely. McCann also has the highest OPS and on base percentage of his career. In turn his batting average has jumped up from 0.220 to 0.316

.@JamesMcCann34 and opposite-field knocks. Name a more iconic duo. pic.twitter.com/3yNUaWURrY

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) July 10, 2019

As noted by Joe Buck, the 0.96 batting average increase was the highest in the MLB this season. The White Sox have had a nice year so far as they are at least somewhat in the playoff hunt. McCann’s hitting and solid defense from the catcher spot has been a part of their jump.

The last couple of weeks have been jubilation for the Dodgers. LA had a stretch of home games where they walked off five times in a row, three against the Rockies and two against the Diamondbacks. The run was capped off by Cody Bellinger launching a moon shot in the 10th inning against Yoan Lopez.

CODY BELLINGER, YOU ARE RIDICULOUS. pic.twitter.com/AvDKVDk5SM

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 4, 2019

The streak bumped the Dodgers to eight walk off’s this season, a league high.

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cathygeha · 5 years

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REVIEW

One Tough Cowboy by Lora Leigh & Veronica Chadwick

Moving Violation Book #1

Action-packed suspense-filled murder mystery with a spicy romance running through the story...fun read that kept me up way past my bedtime.

Samantha left Deerhaven over a decade ago but has returned to bury her aunt and also find out who killed her. She has a job in Detroit on the police force and has taken a couple of weeks of to see if she can find the murderer. There have actually been three possible murders in town of people who were close friends and Sheriff Hunter Steele smells something fishy going on.

Samantha was young and a thorn in Hunter’s side before she left but she is all grown up now and the chemistry is strong and potent. They agree to look for the murderer and find out what is wrong in town and as they do so they grow closer every minute. This story has corruption, drug and human trafficking, terrorists, abuse, a stalker and a HEA for Samantha and Hunter but FIRST they have to get out of a sticky situation with the help of a few other law enforcement personnel.

The story never really said who the murderer was though the reason why the people were killed is made known and, the young child heard in the back of a camper was never mentioned as found or not so there were a few loose ends that were not tied up in a bow...perhaps they will be when the next book comes out with Jacob, an interesting man indeed, the star in his own book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

ABOUT ONE TOUGH COWBOY:

First in a brand-new series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lora Leigh and Veronica Chadwick about one man’s pursuit of justice—and unbridled desire. LAW AND ORDER.

For as long as Samantha can remember, Hunter—a man as strong as steel, with a heart of gold—has been her hero. It came as no surprise to Samantha when she found out that the ranch-hardened cowboy who always protected her from bullies went on to become the town’s sheriff. What does surprise her is how incredibly hot he still is. And how much she still wants him… PRIDE AND PASSION And, lo and behold, Hunter still has feelings for Samantha. The long-smoldering heat of their innocent flirtation has grown into a full-raging fire. But when tragedy strikes, and their small-town community is shattered, Hunter vows to do everything he can to keep his childhood sweetheart safe. But can Samantha trust that Hunter has her best interests at heart…and that, after all these years, his love is true?

EXCERPT

He hadn’t changed much. He seemed bigger, his shoulders broader. His signature thick, black hair was cut in a shorter style. As he got closer, Samantha noticed his face had changed quite a bit. Any boyish softness he’d once had was all gone and had been replaced with hard planes and angles, except for his full, well-defined lips. There were fine laugh lines fanning out from the corners of his steel gray eyes. Those eyes were more intense, hard. The easy laughter that lit them when he was younger seemed to be gone.

“Ms. Bell.” He nodded in greeting to the diminutive lady.

“Good of you to come by, Sheriff. Little Samantha is handlin’ all this by herself.” She winked and patted his arm. “She could use a little help, I’m thinkin’.”

Samantha wanted to walk away. She also wanted to throw her arms around Hunter and hold on for dear life. Not just because he still made her heart pound, but because he was a part of her life she thought she’d lost. She wanted to hold on to a stable, warm part of her past where she was happy and safe. Seeing him again brought those memories and emotions all rushing back. “Hey, Sam.” The smooth, deep bass of his voice was

quiet and soothing.

“Hey, Hunter.” His name left her lips with more com- posure than she felt.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to the funeral, but I wanted to come by to extend my condolences, and to see how you’re doin’.” He stepped closer and rubbed her bare upper arm. “You holdin’ up okay?” His hand, a bit rough and callused from real work, was warm, reassuring.

She crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m okay, Hunter, thank you.” She cleared her throat. “Everyone brought food. The dining room table is overflowing. Help yourself.”

He followed her through the living room to the din- ing room. She turned and almost jumped back. He was standing inches away, looking down at her. His brows furrowed, his gaze sharply assessing her. He smelled in- credible, and he stood so close she could feel the heat from his body.

She opened her mouth to say something but forgot what she wanted to say. She must look completely ignorant gaping up at him like that.

“Are you sure you’re all right?” Sympathy and con- cern shadowed his expression, softening the harsher lines of his face.

“It’s been a long day. I’m fine, really.” She was a bas- ket case, and not just because of her aunt’s death.

Hunter gave her a gentle smile and pulled out a chair. “No doubt. Sit and talk to me for a while. I haven’t seen you in what? Ten years?”

Samantha welcomed the chance to get off her feet and get away from the crowd for a bit. “Yeah, about ten years, I think.”

He pulled out the chair beside her, turned it toward her, and sat, staring at her solemnly. “I’m real sorry about Dottie.”

“Me too.” She looked into his eyes, assessing whether she could or should continue. “I really didn’t get enough time with her. I’ll always regret that.”

Hunter shook his head. “Sam, you know Dottie thought the world of you. She knew you loved her and she loved you.”

Had she? Samantha couldn’t help but question the ob- servation. School, her career, and far too many emo- tions had seemed to always get in the way of returning to Deerhaven.

“Yes, I know, but I look around at these people and think of how some of them probably knew her even better than I did, her own niece.” Samantha frowned and gestured toward a blue-haired woman sitting on the couch sobbing, clutching another woman’s hand. “Mrs. Holt is devastated.”

She obviously had not talked to her aunt on the phone enough either, because Dottie had never mentioned the other woman.

A small smile touched Hunter’s far-too-sensual lips as he lowered his head and leaned closer. “Sam, Irene Holt never even met Dottie. She attends any and all fu- nerals and wails and carries on like that at every one of ’em.” Amusement touching his gaze.

Samantha looked at him incredulously until he raised his hand and said, “Hand to God. Every one of ’em.”

“Wow.” No wonder her aunt Dottie had never men- tioned the other woman.

“Yep.” Hunter’s smile broadened. “As for the rest of them, they’re just being neighborly or nosy. Most of ’em still remember your family and you. You were pretty hard to forget . . . Pixie Pest.” His brows lifted playfully. Teasingly.

Samantha narrowed her eyes. “Ugh. That nickname.

I don’t know which is worse, that or Sami Jo.”

She protested it. Just as she always had. That flare of warmth she felt whenever it passed his lips was still there, though.

“You earned it.”

“Psh, whatever.” She’d actually worked at it at the time.

Hunter chuckled and she nearly sighed. Lord, she’d missed his laugh, his smile, even the way he’d tease her. She’d missed him.

“Aw, you know I was always fond of you, Pixie. You were a great kid, even if you were a pest that was con- stantly following me around and giving my girlfriends hell.”

She had been such a tomboy with wild, young girl fantasies of being swept off her feet by the cutest boy in Deerhaven, or the whole wide world, for that matter. He’d called her his Pixie Pest whenever he’d seen her and tugged at her long, tangled hair.

“I’m not a kid anymore.” She held his gaze and couldn’t imagine how she’d gotten so bold.

Hunter’s gaze traveled over her body, a single black brow arching slowly in acknowledgment. “I’ve noticed. I’m trying really hard to remember what a pain in the ass you used to be.”

Samantha lifted a brow. “I can still be a pain in the ass.”

“I bet you can.” The look in his eyes was making her feel way too hot, way too needy.

She didn’t want to go there. Not now. After Tom No- vak, the very last thing she needed was another relation- ship. Besides all that, she was here to get answers, not to get laid.

Clearing her throat again, she changed the subject to the one on which she had to keep her focus. “Hunter, what really happened to Aunt Dottie?”

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

#1 New York Times bestseller Lora Leigh is the author of the Navy SEALS, the Breeds, the Elite Ops, the Callahans, the Bound Hearts, and the Nauti series.

Veronica Chadwick started storytelling when she was a little girl. She was first published in 2004. She lives in Tennessee with three cats, a very spoiled Shih Tzu and two grand dogs. When she’s not writing, she’s hanging out with friends, reading or badly playing video games.

Buy this book: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250309488

Author website: https://loraleigh.com/

Author Twitter: @LoraLeigh_1

@RoniChadwick

Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loraleighauthor/

SMP Romance Twitter: @SMPRomance or @heroesnhearts

SMP Romance Website: https://heroesandheartbreakers.com/

#Lora Leigh #Veronica Chadwick #St. Martin's Press #Heroes & Heartbreakers #netgalley #Moving Violation 1 #Cowboy Romance #Contemporary Romance #Mystery #Romantic Suspense

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8bitsupervillain · 5 years

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End of the Year 2018 (I’m a few days late)

Hello ladies and gentlemen, it's that lovely time of the year again. The holiday season is past, the year is winding down and there's a new year on the horizon. As is traditional at this time of year I feel the need to force upon you my thoughts and feelings about the best things and the worst things I personally have endured this year. Once again, I can't really bring myself to do a best film of the year because honestly I don't recall seeing a movie that really stood out as particularly good this year. Some films I only saw because it was something to get me out of the house for a few hours, and honestly the only movies I can really remember seeing in the theaters were: Solo A Star Wars Story, Slender-Man, and Avengers Infinity War.

Anyway, my Games of the Year 2018 edition. I decided to do something a bit different with this particular list, even though I played quite a number of games this year I didn't really play many that come out this, just a lot of older stuff. You may notice some glaring omissions from the games I did play this year, some of the big titles that came out I simply didn't play. So, you fine people are going to get a double list this year. I will have a top five for games that came out pre-2018 that I played this year, and one for games that did come out this year.

Honorable mentions:

HM: Call of Duty Black Ops IIII. I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed this game. I haven't really played many shooters in the past couple of years, but I greatly enjoyed my time with Black Ops 4. The base multiplayer plays pretty decently these days, and it reminds me a lot of Counter-Strike for reasons I can't really explain. Like so many of my friends though I really liked the time I spent in Blackout, I don't really play these battle royale games, but I enjoyed the time I put into this one.

HM: Mega Man 11. This was a very fun game, and I liked it quite a lot. Some of the pixel perfect jumps the game requires of you are a fair bit irritating though. I freely admit, I may have liked this a lot more than I may have otherwise because of the fact that I played Mighty No. 9 a couple months before the games release.

HM: Elder Scrolls Legends. I played this game a lot over the year, and I'd probably still be playing it if they didn't make the game unplayable on mobile and completely uninteresting to play on PC.

HM: SoulCalibur VI. I was really looking forward to this game, and I was so happy that the game came out as good as it did. It's a delight to play, and I really want to get back into playing more of it. Geralt was an interesting addition to the game that I'm really glad made it, he's quite fun to play as, and I can't wait to try out 2B.

HM: Deltarune. I'll admit that when I started playing this I wasn't really feeling it, I thought that the game was going to be trying too hard to recapture what made Undertale good. But it's a surprisingly enjoyable game, can't wait for the rest of it to come out eventually.

HM: Faith. A retro-style horror game, done in vector graphics. I like this game, granted some aspects of the boss fight, and the events just prior to this fight are somewhat annoying.

HM: King's Field (and King's Field 2). I played these in about mid-January, shortly after playing Persona 5. It was a nice little palette cleanser because it was a change going from a big story RPG to a game with a barebones plot. I played the Sword of Moonlight version of King's Field, and I had fun with it. King's Field 2 was also fun, I could not play these games without a guide though.

Game of the Year: Pre-2018

5. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King

I played the 3DS version of this game, and honestly I loved just about every minute of it. The storyline was actually very well done, and I liked basically every character in this game. I was a bit unsure of how the game would play on the 3DS but it ran really well, and actually holds up great in the visuals. This is going to sound silly but I really like it when games include outfits that actually change the look of your character, it's a real treat. I really wish I had actually played this one when I got a PS2 copy years ago, but at least I finally got the chance to play this one.

4. Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir Knight

I'm very slowly going through my backlog of 3DS/DS games that I've built up over the past five years or so. I played through this game back in March, and honestly I keep having a desire to go back through the game again just for the fun of it. The game becomes a bit of a bastard to go through towards the end, but I found it to be a greatly rewarding experience to play through. Also unlike Untold 1, the story mode in this game isn't a complete mess! So that's nice, a shame there will probably never be an Untold 3.

3. Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild

Briefly alluded to as "a game I'd probably really like if I played more than an hour" on last year's list I found that to be the case entirely. Breath of the Wild was a really great game that I found myself loving from top to bottom. This is another game that I completed fairly early in the year that I find myself wanting to replay again because I enjoyed it that much. Even when I played other games that are entirely different from it I found myself trying to pull off some of the moves and abilities you get in Breath of the Wild. Maybe I wouldn't have found this game to be so great had I played any of the newer Zelda titles (the last one I played was Wind Waker), but I found this game to be an absolute joy to play. I admit that the announcement of it being an open-world game filled me with dread, but I was so pleased to find out my fears were entirely unfounded. It's just really remarkable how much stuff they were able to put in this game, I wonder how the Wii U version fairs in comparison?

2. The Witcher III: Wild Hunt (and the DLC)

This is quite possibly the best version of Dragon Quest V I have ever played! I don't really know why it took me so long to get to this game, but for whatever it's worth the slightly over one hundred hours I've sunk into the game was a trip entirely worth taking. A bad habit I have when playing RPGs is sometimes near the end I start wishing it would wrap up, I never had this thought while playing through the Witcher's length. Even when I played the DLC almost immediately upon completing the primary story I didn't want my time in this world to end. This was an unexpected treat, after having played the first two Witchers I didn't in my wildest dreams think the third one would be this good. I absolutely adore this game, it has some of the best writing I've seen in an RPG, the characters are great, and I really like the villains. They feel like a very real, tangible threat as opposed to a vague evil sitting just beyond the horizon. Add to that the inclusion of Gwent and you have a game that holds its value really well. It must be said that Blood and Wine has what might be one of the most affecting endings I have ever seen in ages.

1. Fire Emblem Warriors

Surely I'm out of my mind, you must be thinking. After the words I said about Breath of the Wild, and Witcher III, how could a Musou game be the best of the pre-2018 games I played this year? Particularly in a year where Hyrule Warriors got a re-release? It's simple, I didn't really play Hyrule Warriors, and I played through Fire Emblem Warriors three times. While Breath of the Wild, and Witcher III have story, waifus, and better looks and feel about them, Fire Emblem Warriors has gameplay working in its favor. The gameplay in Fire Emblem Warriors is quite possibly some of the best Musou gameplay I've seen in a long while. Sure I might have issues with the fact that this is primarily an Awakening/Fates show I'm able to get over it because of how good the game plays. I earnestly hope for a sequel, I know it's a long-shot that any of the older Fire Emblem heroes would get in, but I would love it. Also this game does the impossible and makes the cast and story beats of Fates tolerable and decent.

Games of the Year 2018

5. Detroit: Become Human

This game should count itself lucky I didn't play anything slightly more substantive. If I had played anything better than this I don't honestly think Detroit would have gotten any more than an honorable mention. That's not to say I didn't like the game, I enjoyed it greatly in fact, I just am surprised this game managed to be one of the better games I've played this year. The story really isn't the greatest around, but it did have moments that I liked a whole lot. Like so many others I think I liked the stuff with Connor and Hank the best. If this game had focused more on the "android cop" idea I might have liked it more, but I do want to reiterate I do think this was a good game. As by the numbers as Markus's story may have been, and some really hamfisted story beats that occur toward the end of the game it was a really solid game overall. I kind of feel like the game also played its hand regarding some of the characters a bit too early, and as such it kind of fumbled the reveal when it happens. It is pretty interesting seeing some of the variations between being peaceful Markus versus violent Markus, also the endgame variations of Connor's arc are pretty intriguing. Sadly Kara kind of gets the short end of the stick when it comes to characterization. Despite the game not quite sticking the landing when it approaches the ending it was still a good game to play through.

4. The Banner Saga Trilogy

This might be a bit of a cheat, but the console versions of the trilogy came out this year, so I'm counting it. It might not have the deepest strategy gameplay around, but this series is so much more than just the combat encounters. Some of the choices you're forced to make as the series advances are actually pretty difficult to deal with, but for its credit the game never really goes out of its way to chastise you for the decisions. I enjoyed the setting of these games a lot, Viking stuff is very interesting to me, and I absolutely adore the art style these games use. It reminded me a whole lot of the animated Hobbit movie that was out in the early 80s that I remember my dad having. I adore pretty much the whole cast that is in this trilogy, some of the characters fall flat, but when the cast is as large as the one in this series it's to be expected. This series also reminded me a lot of the early Fire Emblem games (specifically the ones on the GBA), in that your characters can permanently die as the story progresses. I played through this entire series over the course of a month because I was that engrossed in the world and story this series takes place in. I like how the threat in the series becomes much larger and grander as the games go on, and it never really feels entirely out of left field. The story does take a bit of a dive towards the end of the third game, but it was never really a deal breaker for me. If you like turn-based tactical combat, vaguely Norse mythology, or just a compelling story I really can't recommend this enough.

3. Yakuza 6: The Song of Life

Perhaps they should have done the Kiwami games prior to making this, since they seem to have had some issues with the engine. That said however I really enjoyed this one a whole lot. I don't really have a lot to say about the gameplay for this game, it is still some of the best combat you can experience in most modern games these days. Style switching from 0 is gone, but that's alright. Most heat moves seem to boil down to mashing the button a whole lot to make the impact greater, but none of the gameplay changes were a deal breaker for me. I don't really want to talk about the story in the game because I feel that the story is really the game's greatest aspect. The story has some major gut punch moments, it still has its more outlandish moments (it is Yakuza after all), but the story overall is a very satisfying very moving finale for Kiryu's story. I desperately want more people to play these games because the ending was perhaps one of the most emotionally satisfying things I have ever experienced with a video game.

2. Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of An Elusive Age

I adore this game. When it came out in September I played nothing but Dragon Quest XI until I completed the game. It's rare these days that something I look forward to actually lives up to my expectations, but Dragon Quest XI hit the mark and then some. I love just about every single member of the party in this game, I don't think there's a single weak link to be found in the cast. Sure the villain of the game lacks a bit of oomph despite the build-up, but I was still really digging the final villain by the time the game was approaching its end. Normally when I play an RPG by the end I start to drift away from it a bit, but I was thoroughly enjoying my time with it. I do have some complaints with the narrative towards the end, some minor complaints I have with certain characters and their characterizations near the end. The game is absolutely worth playing, it is just sheer classic role playing joy from beginning to end. Plus if you play it on PC you can mod in the orchestral soundtrack which is nice.

1. Monster Hunter: World

I sunk a lot of time into this game over the year. Two hundred and twenty-five hours to be precise (on one character at least). Granted that might be small potatoes compared to the time others have sunk into this I think that is quite a large amount. There's just something about this game that keeps calling me back to it. It might not be the most narratively rich game, but quite frankly I love this game to pieces. It's very cathartic hunting down these big behemoths. To be honest though I was kind of split between declaring this or Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate my favorite of the year. They both do something that I love so much about these games. It might be shallow to say but I probably like World more due to the graphical polish that the game possesses over Generations Ultimate. I love the inclusion of the cosmetic add-ons that are in World, it amuses me greatly to run around dressed up like Ryu from Street Fighter, or Dante from Devil May Cry, I also like the Aloy costume from Horizon: Zero Dawn. However I kind of prefer the greater amount of monsters that are available in Generations Ultimate. The sheer volume of monsters in the game is kind of ridiculous, but some of them are just tremendously fun to fight and I wish they could be in World. Generations Ultimate I kind of feel like I might be cheating by including it here, since it was an import copy for the Switch I played a lot. Honestly though, Monster Hunter World and Generations Ultimate I spent an absurd amount of time with during the year. In World's case at least I imagine I'll play a lot more during this year simply because of the inclusion of multiple crossover events that will no doubt be happening over the year. There's also the fact that Iceborne is coming out later this year, and I really can't wait to get my hands on that.

The honest truth is every single game that make up my best of list are all games that I really want to replay because I enjoyed them so much. Also just for fun here's the order the list would go in if I combined the two lists:

10. Detroit Become Human 09. Dragon Quest VIII 08. Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold 07. The Banner Saga Trilogy 06. Yakuza 6 05. Breath of the Wild 04. The Witcher 3 03. Dragon Quest XI 02. Fire Emblem Warriors 01. Monster Hunter World/Generations Ultimate

Here’s to 2019, and the very many games that are coming out that I am really looking forward to! Thank you for reading, and until next time farewell.

#Game of the Year #2018

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yahoo-roto-arcade-blog · 7 years

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Closing Time: What's a Mike Trout owner to do?

yahoo

Closing Time is not designed to be an injury-focused blog, but we go where the stories go. And when the best baseball player in the world gets injured, it’s a forced lede for us. Mike Trout owners, we feel your pain.

As you likely saw over the weekend, Trout jammed his thumb on a head-first slide Sunday at Miami. Monday, the other shoe dropped — he has a torn ulnar collateral ligament, needs surgery, and will be out 6-8 weeks.

[Fantasy Football is open! Sign up now]

Even in an injury-ravaged season like 2017, fantasy owners have every reason to feel blindsided. Durability has been a key part of Trout’s game through the years. He’s averaged 158 games a year over the last four seasons, never needed a DL stint before now. Trout’s built like a tank, well-equipped to handle the wear-and-tear of the grind. Sunday’s injury tells you more about the foolishness of head-first sliding than anything else.

Trout was the consensus No. 1 pick in the Yahoo game this year, and to this point he’s still graded as the No. 1 stat-grabber: .337-36-16-36-10. That’s something that rarely ever happens. When you make that first pick, you’re merely hoping for a great season, a cornerstone — expecting the player to actually outscore everyone else is an unrealistic ask.

So what’s a Trout owner to do? Play the position. Evaluate your team, your short-term and long-term goals. Calibrate the league context. In other words, do the things we already do on a daily fantasy basis.

The first matter of business is picking up an outfielder. Obviously you’re not going to find some magical replacement, but depending on your league size, maybe you can get some of those numbers back. Here’s a shopping list:

— Very Shallow Leagues: Dexter Fowler (55 percent) is back at the top of what still could be a fun St. Louis lineup . . . Aaron Hicks (54 percent) has category juice, a discerning eye, a prospect pedigree, and is needed to play while Jacoby Ellsbury heals . . . Brandon Drury (45 percent) can help in four categories, enjoys a deep lineup and fun park, covers three positions . . . Hernan Perez (43 percent) hasn’t run like last year, but he plays most of the time and covers four spots . . . The Dodgers are using Chris Taylor (41 percent) more often than not, and he’s off to a tidy .312-20-6-19-1 start . . . Josh Bell (40 percent) took a step back in May, but his power and patience still have me intrigued.

— In Medium Leagues: Any piece of the Houston offense looks fun to me, including Carlos Beltran (39 percent) . . . Melky Cabrera (36 percent) has started to hit; he posted a .268-17-5-23 line in May . . . Cameron Maybin (35 percent) is running wild, though he’ll miss Trout’s presence in the lineup . . . Hunter Renfroe (29 percent) quietly posted an .895 OPS in May, and he’s hit five home runs in each of the first two months . . . We promoted Jayson Werth (29 percent) in the Yahoo collaborative every week, and yet he goes largely unclaimed. Deep lineup, variety of skills . . . Max Kepler (28 percent) can be especially fun if you just take the platoon-advantage work: .282/.371/.500, five homers, three steals.

— In Deeper Leagues: Kevin Kiermaier (18 percent) has started to hit, and stole five bases in May . . . Tommy Pham (seven percent) has forced his way into the Cardinals lineup, with a nice run of 69 at-bats (.333-13-5-14-4). Randal Grichuk isn’t in the way for now, sent to Triple-A . . . Reflectively we want to run from the Royals offense, but note Whit Merrifield (five percent) perked up in May (.308-14-5-10-4) . . . Matt Adams (nine percent) is the Braves first baseman while Freddie Freeman rehabs. The Atlanta park looks like a favorable place to hit . . . Michael Taylor (four percent) worries us with contact issues, but so far so good (.274 average, some category juice).

No, there’s not a blossoming superstar in the mix. That’s not how these things work. You lose a Trout, you’ve going to feel it. At least take solace in the fact that your opponents are getting ripped by injuries, too.

Trout owners could also consider trading him, liquidating the asset. Sometimes this move is dismissed out of hand by fantasy pundits, which makes zero sense to me. Trout has name-brand recognition and a track record that sells itself. Shouldn’t you at least calibrate how your opponents feel about his comeback? Maybe someone in your league will carry more optimism than you will.

[Why do we call Lance McCuller’s a sell-high? Listen in]

Keep in mind, the Angels are a team miles away from contention. The club wants Trout to return quickly and all that, but it’s not like the urgency of a playoff race is driving the timetable. Trout still has his entire career to think about. And maybe it will take some time for him to get back up to full throttle.

Obviously this isn’t a “sell at any cost” recommendation. Just do what any reasonable and measured person does in these types of spots, consider every alternative. If I owned Trout anywhere — and because I didn’t do well in the draft lottery, I do not — I’d let my league mates know he was available. Heck, my entire roster is in play at any time, because having untouchables doesn’t make sense. You never know what type of heavy overpayment someone might be willing to assemble.

• I don’t know what Alex Avila is having for breakfast these days, but pour me a bowl of it, too.

You might remember Avila’s salad days — he was a star back in 2011, posting a .295-19-82 line. His game fell apart over the next few years, and he was backup for Detroit and Chicago in 2015 and 2016.

No idea where it came from, but every Alex Avila at-bat is a work of art. He’s a craftsman. Spitting on borderline pitches, using park.

— scott pianowski (@scott_pianowski) May 22, 2017

Avila returned to Detroit this year — swapping his old 13 for a new 31 — and initially he was just a backup catcher and infield fill-in. A familiar city to start his 30-something seasons. Alas, a hot start and some Tigers injuries elsewhere have pushed Avila into more playing time than expected, with juicy results: .323/.447/.591, six homers, 21 walks in 93 at-bats.

Avila’s batting eye isn’t a new thing — as Dave Cameron of Fangraphs pointed out, Avila’s plate discipline has been outstanding for several years. Avila’s ridiculous .453 BABIP sticks out, though he’s driving those results to some extent (28.8 percent line-drive rate and 57.4 percent hard-hit rate, both well above league average).

James McCann, Detroit’s regular starting catcher, is currently on the DL. It’s a hand-laceration injury, not something that should need an extended recovery. Nonetheless, Avila has turned into an auto-play for two-catcher formats, and I’m even rolling him out in a few leagues that require a single backstop. The at-bats have been that pretty, and the position has been a fantasy wasteland. Let’s take production where we see it, and when we can get it.

• If Trout was the injury of Monday, Hunter Strickland was the insult. San Francisco’s combustible reliever decided to throw a heater at Bryce Harper’s midsection, an obvious retaliation for a couple of moon-shot homers Harper cranked off Strickland in previous playoff meetings.

A gloriously-absurd brawl ensued. Harper, for some reason, sucks at throwing his helmet. How come Buster Posey didn’t enter the mix? (Makes you wonder how Posey and Strickland get along these days.)

In honor of Bryce Harper’s helmet toss. 5 worst throws near mound pic.twitter.com/Ak7w1qz9jO

— Batting Stance Guy (@BattingStanceG) May 29, 2017

Harper is obviously headed for a suspension, it’s just a matter of when it falls, how many days it is, and how Harper decides to approach it. Strickland will be suspended too, not that fantasy owners need an answer for that.

#_author:Scott Pianowski #_category:yct:001000854 #_lmsid:a077000000CFoGyAAL #_uuid:e4d621fd-6008-3096-84b9-cca59af14f0a #_revsp:54edcaf7-cdbb-43d7-a41b-bffdcc37fb56

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your-dietician · 3 years

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MLB Trade Rumors and News: MLB All-Star starting rosters announced

New Post has been published on https://tattlepress.com/mlb/mlb-trade-rumors-and-news-mlb-all-star-starting-rosters-announced/

MLB Trade Rumors and News: MLB All-Star starting rosters announced

After a couple rounds of voting, the results of the fan vote are in for the 2021 All-Star Game and the starting lineups for the game were announced Thursday evening. There were certainly some unfortunate snubs like Kris Bryant and Ozzie Albies and the American League is going to have to replace Mike Trout on their roster given that he is currently on the 60-day IL, but other than that…it looks like a pretty strong group.

Astros third baseman Alex Bregman is going to be out for an extended period after suffering a quad injury trying to beat out a double play.

It’s the most glorious time of the year: here’s your 2021 MLB Draft primer for notable players, draft order, and more.

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pridgen80joensen-blog · 6 years

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<p>Pittsburgh</p>

Rent A Truck Pittsburgh, Truck Rental, Cheap Rates For Moving Trucks

I've leased from We Rent about 20 days in the past 1 1/2 years, and have never had a bad encounter. 4. With different alternatives to select from hourly & long term rental and lease to own it's vital that you call over three dealerships in Pittsburgh before you make a choice. This would mean that SUVs and trucks are more fuel efficient but would not accelerate such as sports cars. In an op-ed in the January 11, 2010, Detroit News, Steven Dawson pointed out that increased use of diesel engines may offer a significant increase in fuel economy in U.S. Could you tell that it's difficult to run out of things to see and do in Pittsburgh? Storing your items for a couple months instead of trying to move everything home will help you save money in the long run.

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airadam · 4 years

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Episode 135 : Airflow.

"How it took you thirty years just to sound aiiight?"

- Rustee Juxx

2020 continues...feels like all you can say! I didn't get chance to include any Malik B (RIP) last month, but have fixed it this time with a couple of his best verses, alongside other late greats like Sean P and Aaliyah, plus remembering some truly classic albums. Light on the new releases this time, we dig back into the crates...

Twitter : @airadam13

Twitch : @airadam13

Playlist/Notes

JoJo Pellegrino ft. Ghostface Killah and Raekwon : 3 Kings

Coming out of the gate strong on this single, with Ghostface owning the Yountie Tha Noize-produced track in the first few bars! That said, everyone does an excellent job on the mic, including Pellegrino, an MC from the same general area of Staten Island as many of the Wu-Tang - Ghost and Rae included. No pause for a hook, just lyrics on lyrics on lyrics.

[Alchemist] Twin & Alchemist : Different Worlds (Instrumental)

Ah, the early days of Alchemist! One of the most respected in the game, and one who has been associated with two highly significant crews from opposite sides of the country - the Soul Assassins from LA, and the Mobb Deep family in NYC. This is some of his fairly early work with the latter, a 12" from 2001; this beat is dope, but "Big T.W.I.N.S" on the flip is even better!

The Roots ft. Dice Raw, M.A.R.S, and Co-Op : Clones

One time for Malik B! This is a classic single from The Roots' "Illadelph Halflife" album, packed with quotables from all the MCs, and backed by a stripped-down but ferocious beat. The verses are separated by a chilled-out jazz sample, right before the drums, piano, and bars come crashing right back in. Greatness.

Exile ft. Co$$ : Pay The Co$$

I always rated the cutting up of the Malik B line from the final verse of "Clones" for the chorus here, and this is the perfect position to play it. Cashus King (AKA Co$$) is an MC out of Leimert Park in LA, and this track on the 2006 "Dirty Science" producer project looks like one of his first appearances, if not the very first. I'd have to imagine this isn't an easy beat to work with, as the Exile-produced rhythm lurches and twitches, with a somewhat cursory relationship with the beats in each bar. You've got to be good to make this work, on either side of the mixing desk!

Chuck D as Mistachuck ft. Jahi : freedBLACK

Chuck D was comparatively old as an MC when he first hit the scene, and showed how that was nothing but an advantage as he could take a different perspective to the late-teenagers on the mic elsewhere. That has continued throughout his career, where he brings his experience to bear on every verse - including here, on the "Celebration Of Ignorance" album. There's actually a piece at the start of the track I missed off as it wouldn't have mixed well, but that should be encouragement to buy the whole thing! C-Doc and ID cook up a beat rugged enough for the Hard Rhymer and Jahi, his compatriot in PE2.0.

Nine : Any Emcee

This gravel-voiced MC from The Bronx was first heard on Funkmaster Flex's "Six Million Ways To Die" as Nine Double M before tweaking his name, and eventually putting out a solid debut album of his own. "Nine Livez" is definitely worth a listen, if very much of its time, and this was the second single. Tony Stoute is on production - a forgotten name, who to be fair really did his work within the span of 1995. This is quality work though, putting some boom into a classic soul sample and then topping it off with the Rakim sample for the hook.

Brand Nubian : Allah U Akbar

Actually really proud of how much I nailed the mix into this one 😂 The call is very slightly off the nearest beat, but in the context of the production as a whole it totally works. This was a great track to open the second Brand Nubian album, "In God We Trust". Before it was released, a lot of people thought Brand Nu were done after the departure of Grand Puba Maxwell, but those doubts were swiftly dispelled. Sadat (formerly Derek) X and Lord Jamar were more than capable of carrying the load on the mic, and together with DJ Sincere, the production too.

[Kev Brown] MindsOne & Kev Brown : Nightstalkers (Instrumental)

Anyone who's been doing their homework should be able to recognise that Kev Brown bassline style! Great MPC work as usual out of Landover, Maryland from Brown's production on the collaborative "Pillars" LP.

Raekwon : Spot Rusherz

The monumental "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..." was released twenty-five years ago this month, and with it being one of my top two Hip-Hop LPs of all time, I couldn't let it pass without including a track. This one is buried late in the album, but would be the best song on any number of lesser releases! It's one of the few Raekwon-only tracks on the LP, and he goes into storytelling mode, with a highly-detailed account of a robbery of a rival dealer. RZA's beat is one of the many, many killers on that album, which might be his best end-to-end body of work ever.

The Roots : 100% Dundee

Needed a little more Malik B, so dipped into what is definitely my favourite Roots LP, "Things Fall Apart". Malik and Thought are locked in friendly mic competition on this cut, on one of the last tracks they'd work jointly on for some time. The beat is heavy on the low end with beatboxer Rahzel doing drums and bass at the same time, and sparkles at the high thanks to the added keyboard contributions of Scott Storch on an early appearance.

Phat Kat : Don't Nobody Care About Us

Detroit all day for this selection from "Carte Blanche". Phat Kat is rawness on the mic, which we were lucky enough to witness when he visited Manchester, and J Dilla backs him with a beat that bangs in a way that the original sample could never have dreamed of! DJ Dez rounds things out with the cuts on the outro.

Black Rob ft. Lil' Kim & G-Dep : Espacio

An anthem for our time, recorded twenty years ago for the "Life Story" album, the first from Black Rob. He was one of the more rugged personalities on Bad Boy Records at that time, which you can probably pick up from the rawness of his opening verse. Personally, Li'l Kim's verse is my favourite, and the beat by Joe Hooker and Mario Winans underscores her well. Also, possibly the only music video involving stunting on mopeds.

Marco Polo : RIP KALIBMA GOD

(sic) - I'm wondering if it should have been "kalimba", but I just work with the track title in front of me! The Toronto native working out of NYC gets much respect in the production world, and his selection for one of the Fat Beats "Baker's Dozen" projects, from which this is drawn, speaks volumes.

Sean Price ft. Cousin Reeks and Rustee Juxx : One Question

An ignorant classic for sure, and a mixtape cut that might have passed you by if you aren't a diehard Sean P fan. A standout on "Master P", where each MC takes a verse to talk smack and increase the crime rate over DJ Babu's production, playing off the vocal sample. Absolutely loaded with disrespectful quotables, at least one of which has to make you laugh!

Aaliyah : Hot Like Fire

It's nineteen years this month (already?) since Aaliyah passed away. This track so good, I was sure I'd played it before on the podcast - but no, so you get to enjoy it this month! This is from the "One In A Million" album, her second, where the combination of Timbaland's adventurous beats, Missy Elliott's writing, and Aaliyah's ability to work with both formed a winning combination. A slow burner with lots of bump.

Clipse ft. Pharrell : I'm Good

"Hell Hath No Fury" is still the best Clipse album in my opinion, but "Til The Casket Drops" was a solid release too. This was the lead single, and The Neptunes give the track a triumphant feel, appropriate for its summer release.

Massive Attack : Safe From Harm

An old classic from the very first Massive Attack album, "Blue Lines". Masterful sampling (no, I'm not revealing all the samples, just in case) by the crew to concoct a solid groove, and Shara Nelson with the iconic lead vocal. This was the perfect track to open their now-legendary debut with.

The Cool Kids : As We Breeze (Instrumental)

Nothing much to say here - just a dope beat from this Chicago duo, taken from the "Gone Fishing" instrumentals!

The X-Ecutioners ft. Halex The Armageddon : Poetry In Motion

A track very much of its era, when turntablism was picking up traction behind legendary crews like the X-Ecutioners and ISP, and spoken word was having a moment in the sun! The "X-Pressions" LP was not the end-to-end scratchfest that we might have expected, but a varied collection showcasing many different aspects of turntablism, production, and vocals from guest artists. The late great Roc Raida is on production, while poet Halex (who has many versions of her name on different credits) orates on the subject of Hip-Hop as a culture. Certainly no dancefloor track, but a podcast where you listen closely is just the place for it.

Please remember to support the artists you like! The purpose of putting the podcast out and providing the full tracklist is to try and give some light, so do use the songs on each episode as a starting point to search out more material. If you have Spotify in your country it's a great way to explore, but otherwise there's always Youtube and the like. Seeing your favourite artists live is the best way to put money in their pockets, and buy the vinyl/CDs/downloads of the stuff you like the most!

Check out this episode!

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gordonwilliamsweb · 4 years

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‘I just fell in love with it’

“How do I just stand up and walk away and leave him here?” the mother asked emergency department nurse Laurielynn Hinman.

The mother’s teenage son had died after being hit by a vehicle, and she sat at his bedside in the Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital.

Hinman, a young nurse at the time, compassionately said, “I don’t know how you do that, but you don’t have to until you’re ready.”

Decades later, Hinman recalls how that incident helped shape her outlook in providing empathetic care to patients.

“That was so impactful for me,” Hinman said. “Unless you’ve been through it, you don’t have a clue about what people are experiencing. It was a great lesson for me to learn.”

Hinman, along with fellow Ludington Hospital nurses Clara Whitaker and Sally Wright, have all served more than 40 years at the hospital, the bulk of it in the emergency department together.

They all cite a love of helping patients and showing compassion as the driving motivation and source of joy in their nursing careers.

Candy striper to seasoned veteran

Hinman is planning to retire in October after a 45-year career. She’s looking forward to spending time with her grandchildren. No. 4 is on the way.

The Royal Oak, Michigan, native began working in health care as a high school student, serving as a hospital volunteer, or candy striper as they were called at the time for their novelty red-and-white striped aprons.

After high school, Hinman worked as a nurse aide in Florida for a year before returning to Michigan to start her college career. She received her nursing certification from Kirtland Community College in 1975 and began work in the labor and delivery unit of a Detroit-area hospital.

She moved to Ludington in 1979 and began work at the Ludington hospital. She’s worked the past 32 years in the emergency department, while earning an associate degree in nursing from West Shore Community College and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Ferris State University.

Hinman has relished working with patients over the years.

“It’s a great honor that you can be with them during some of the greatest times of their life, and some of the hardest times and that’s an honor that our patients give us that I think sometimes we forget,” Hinman said. “That’s been my biggest joy.”

And in working in a small town, she values providing care for friends and neighbors.

“That’s one of the joys of working in a community like ours; you know your patients and you become a part of their lives,” she said. “It’s a comfort for them. I think there’s a lot of advantages to being in a small community like this.”

A key to providing that comfort, that compassionate care, is to remain empathetic even when part of the job becomes old hat.

“One of the hardest things is that the emergency room is everyday life for us,” she said. “But it’s not for them and we have to remember that.”

“It’s been a very rewarding 45 years,” she said. “I’ve gotten back a whole lot more than I’ve given. I’m very thankful for that.”

She said the people she’s worked with have made the job rewarding.

“Clara, Sally and I should give a shout out to all the people who have helped us through the years, as we couldn’t have done it without all of them.”

Paying it forward

Sally Wright agrees.

“I’m thankful for the mentors that I had,” she said. “For over 40 years I’ve had the opportunity to work with some phenomenal people.”

She called out Linford Davis, MD, as someone who inspired her in her early years as a nurse.

“He had a great influence on me,” she said. “He was always teaching. I loved that, and I was always picking his brain.”

“I credit a lot of what I’ve done and accomplished to people that have paved that way for me and taught me, and it feels like it’s my turn to pass that on to other people.”

Wright grew up locally, just down the road from Ludington in nearby Scottville.

She recently marked 40 years of working at Ludington Hospital.

She attended Spring Arbor College in Jackson after high school and, between her freshman and sophomore year, still felt undecided on her career choice.

While home for the summer, a friend’s mother, who headed the Ludington Hospital emergency department, invited her to work as nurse tech to see if it would be something she’d like.

“I loved it,” Wright said. “I just fell in love with it.”

With renewed focus, she started taking nursing classes, completing prerequisite classes at Spring Arbor before getting her associate degree in nursing from Jackson Community College and a bachelor’s degree in biology from Spring Arbor.

She would work summers and holidays at the hospital. After college, she worked in the critical care unit for a year until a position opened in the emergency department. She’s been in the ED ever since.

“I love the pace of the ED,” she said. “I love the variety of the ED— no two days are ever the same.”

She would add a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Grand Valley State University and a teaching degree from Ferris State University, the latter to fulfill a calling to teach and help other students find their way— just as the hospital leader helped her long ago.

For the past 21 years, she has been teaching for the West Shore Educational Service District while working part time at the hospital.

She teaches allied health for high school students who are considering going into health care. She teaches nurse aide certification, an EKG technician certification program and basic life support.

“I have this combined love of nursing and teaching and it’s been a great career,” Wright said.

“That’s why I’m so passionate about helping students to see if it’s something they want, because somebody gave me a chance,” she said.

As a nurse, Wright believes strongly in being a patient advocate.

“That’s the most rewarding for me,” she said. “When you’re truly there for the patient and the family.”

Wright said she tries to keep the golden rule in mind.

“People need help,” she said. “That’s been my passion—be there for the patient, treat them like I’d want to be treated and treat their family like I’d want my family treated. Sometimes it’s just that little extra, like offering a family member a cup a coffee.”

“Nobody is really at their best when they come to the emergency department,” she said. “They’re scared, and they react out of fear and worry. Think about what they’re going though.”

Wright is considering retiring from teaching in the next couple of years, but said she wants to keep nursing until she “retires, retires.”

Following family footsteps

Clara Whitaker also points to helping patients as the part of her job she’s enjoyed the most.

“You help them feel better, you keep them safe, you see the improvement and you see them feeling better,” she said. “I think that’s the most fulfilling part.”

Whitaker, who is from Ludington, started as a nurse aide at just 16 at the former Baywood Nursing Home as part of a co-op program in high school.

She began working summers and weekends at Ludington Hospital in 1977 as a nurse aide, while getting her nursing degree. She graduated from the Hackley School of Nursing in Muskegon in 1979.

Her mother, Caroline Majewski, also worked as a nurse at Ludington Hospital and she inspired Whitaker to join the ranks. Mom worked nights, daughter days.

“As an aide, I used to take report for my mother in the morning,” Whitaker said laughing.

Whitaker said she knew as a senior in high school that nursing was her calling.

“I figured out that I really enjoyed it,” she said. “I liked helping the patients.”

After graduation, she worked in the surgery department for a year, and then transferred to the ED, where she’s now nursed for the past 43 years.

And she still enjoys it.

“It’s always changing,” she said. “The patients are constantly rotating, and you’re taking care of everything in the realm of medicine. You take care of little minor injuries and very ill people, and every one is a new challenge.”

Whitaker says she plans to retire in the next couple of years.

“It’s hard, it’s fast-paced and you’re on your feet a lot—and I’m getting older,” she said laughing.

“I’ve truly enjoyed it,” she said. “There’s stressful times and there’s times when you think ‘I’m not going back’ but you do, because you do enjoy it.”

The trio have seen dramatic changes in nursing over the years.

They said advances in technology and the use of personal protective equipment have been major changes in the profession. It wasn’t until HIV became prevalent that they even wore gloves.

“We didn’t wear gloves to start an IV,” Wright said. “We’d have a trauma and if they were bleeding we’d put our hands in there—the bloodier you got, the more you worked that day,” she said. “We didn’t understand all the bloodborne pathogens that caused disease.”

Hinman said there’s been increased accountability for nurses, too.

“Instead of working for the doctors, now we work with the doctors; it’s more of a team effort,” she said. “We can make more decisions and assessments.”

Whitaker said staying current with advances and changes in medicine is a never-ending challenge.

“There is always so much new—new equipment, new education, new protocols and procedures,” Hinman said. “They come so fast it can be hard to keep up.”

The three nurses have kept up, and developed a special bond through the years.

“Laurie, Sally and I have been down in the ER the entire time together; it’s been great working with them,” Whitaker said. “They’re very dear friends.��

With the end of their respective careers in sight, they each said they’d pick nursing as career all over again.

“It isn’t for everyone, but if you have a passion to help people, it’s a great career,” Wright said. “I wouldn’t consider anything else if I was 19 again.”

‘I just fell in love with it’ published first on https://nootropicspowdersupplier.tumblr.com/

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michellelinkous · 4 years