#draft saved April 7 2021

[elizabethplaid]

a drafted note - April 7, 2021

I've now had 3 former romantic-interests reach out and check on me in the past 6 months. Maybe I'm too entrenched my own bubble-world, but I don't understand why they're reaching out. We weren't that close; we drifted apart, sometimes even by my choice. I kinda understand the ex from 15 years ago, but not the other 2.

Is this part of growing older, the passage of time? People stop and reflect, then want to reach out before it's too late. No, because we don't say anything, don't solve anything. Anything of substance. There’s a status update, the mention of “I’ll message again later, take care”, and then no follow-up.

I have this figurine with an electric eye, and it plays music when it “sees” light. So anytime you pick it up, the music starts and won’t stop before the end of the song. These check-ins from lost contacts feel like someone has dug out the figurine, and I’m suddenly reminded of how startling that song-feature is. It was packed away, safe from light, with me happily forgetting it. Not a big deal in the long-run that it came back. But the silence was disturbed and the emotions, memories, and lack thereof came rushing back. Just a rock thrown in my pond.

Whenever someone has done this sort of check-in in the past, I’ve hated how I can’t trust them to stick around and keep talking. Now, I purposely don’t want to talk to them; those chapters of my life are closed to me and carry no interest. There’s no appeal to reconnecting.

My ex probably does care about my well-being, as he saw me through some of my worst anxiety attacks and mental health stuff. But it was short-lived puppy love of a 19-year-old girl. And neither of us were good for the other.

I don’t know what’s expected of me. Should I just say, “I’m dense/confused enough that I don’t know what you want of me. Please give me the parameters of this interaction, so I know how to navigate. What’s the goal? Why now? Why me?”

--------------- Finally posting in Feb 2024: Nothing much came of these interactions. I told one guy to not bother messaging me, as he had been doing it once a year with the same results.

For the record, we were still in quarantine and under masking mandates per covid at the time.

[loonysama]

I posted 2,091 times in 2022

That's 1,879 more posts than 2021!

155 posts created (7%)

1,936 posts reblogged (93%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@true--north

@annaofthenorthernlights

@bad-at-names-and-faces

@sasstrid-and-dorkcup

@alondradina

I tagged 1,084 of my posts in 2022

Only 48% of my posts had no tags

#frozen - 473 posts

#kristanna - 285 posts

#frozen fanfic - 247 posts

#anna - 112 posts

#kristoff - 89 posts

#frozen fan art - 79 posts

#elsa - 48 posts

#fanfic - 45 posts

#asked and answered - 32 posts

#tangled - 28 posts

Longest Tag: 112 characters

#and i'd like everyone to know that i've never even been the slightest bit sad that we never had a christmas tree

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Kristanna Love Songs Mixtape Challenge -

Week 1 Master Post

Each of the fics in this Valentine's Day collection are based on love songs. They are being posted throughout the next two weeks, leading up to Valentine's Day, so keep an eye out! I'll blog another master post on Valentine's Day.

Sign-ups are still open! I've extended sign-ups since we still have so many unclaimed prompts.

Click here to view the entire Kristanna Mixtape Collection and sign-up.

This Will Be Our Year @hyggscribbles [“This Will Be Our Year” by the Zombies] It’s 1933 and America is not doing great. In the throes of what would come to be known as the Great Depression, Kristoff Bjorgman is struggling to see the positive in life…until he comes home to his wife and she helps him realize how much they have that can’t ever be taken away.

Let the Wind Carry You Away @loonysama ["Catch the Wind" by Donovan] Sgt. Bjorgman knows better than to chase after Anna Gale, a protester who captures his attention when she stuffs a blossom in the barrel of his gun, but he allows himself to get carried away anyway. 1960s Arendelle AU. NSFW

Like We’ve never Met @true–north (@winter_moon on AO3) [“We’ve Never Met” by Neko Case"] An exploration of that deleted Nokk-drowning-Kristoff scene from the first drafts of Frozen 2.

Strange @hyggescribbles [“Strange” by Celeste"] The song asks “Isn’t it strange how people can change? From strangers to friends, friends into lovers, and strangers again.” Kristoff gets a sharp taste of that strangeness as a love from his past appears unexpectedly one night…with someone else.

I Touch Myself @hyggescribbles ["I Touch Myself" by The Divinyls] Anna teaches pole dancing at a fitness studio. Kristoff teaches mixed martial arts (MMA) at the studio next door. While they've run into each other outside their studios and exchanged a few words, nothing has really happened...in real life. What happens when they are each home alone, however, is a totally different story. NSFW

Intrusted Hearts @annaofthenorthernlights ["You'll Be in My Heart" by Phil Collins, from Tarzan] A tragic accident in early childhood leaves Kristoff growing up with a special family, when magically Anna – the princess of Arendelle – spins into his life while she´s trying to find a better life… NSFW

Hungry Eyes and Moving Hips @annaofthenorthernlights ["Hungry Eyes" by Eric Carmen (from Dirty Dancing)] Kristoff and Anna get to know each other rather unconventionally... (ie, ballroom dancing, hot dancing, vacation job, in the bathtub, in the shower, in the car...) NSFW

Happy Valentine's Day, Kristanna Fandom!

28 notes - Posted February 5, 2022

#4

Do you ever put off writing the next chapter because you're so attached to your characters that it actually hurts you to feel their feelings and you know what you're about to do to them and you just know it'll turn you into a giant puddle, so you save it for a time when you're equipped to handle those emotions, but you're never really able to handle it?

29 notes - Posted January 31, 2022

#3

Fanfic Master List

52 notes - Posted February 27, 2022

#2

68 notes - Posted April 9, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Woe is Your Master

Woe is Your Master

Fandom: Wednesday (TV 2022) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Non-Con, Underage Relationships: Wednesday Addams/Tyler Galpin Characters: Wednesday Addams, Tyler Galpin Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Plot What Plot, Femdom, Chains, Bondage, Hurt No Comfort, First Time (view more tags at AO3) Words: 2,587

Summary:  Wednesday needs to know who Tyler's master is, and she'll extract the information by any means necessary.  Or... What if Sheriff Galpin hadn’t interrupted Wednesday’s investigation?

Read @ AO3

120 notes - Posted November 25, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[goofnuggetkarlaa]

Well here's my little year in review shit. Putting under a readmore for your convenience

I posted 13,080 times in 2022

That's 4,441 more posts than 2021!

39 posts created (0%)

13,041 posts reblogged (100%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@bebidocrimes

@domi-de-sade

@slyfox101honk

@pandabully

@shadowgirl-noa

I tagged 457 of my posts in 2022

#the nugget speaks - 31 posts

#ffxiv - 14 posts

#final fantasy xiv - 9 posts

#final fantasy 14 - 9 posts

#ff14 - 9 posts

#v'saka tia - 7 posts

#splatoon 3 - 6 posts

#gpose - 5 posts

#miqomarch - 5 posts

#pvp - 4 posts

Longest Tag: 140 characters

#you know i was gonna reblog this as a joke and then i remembered that ive had like 5 people i havent heard from in years suddenly make a pos

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

so does anyone actually know how unlock the pink slopsuit in salmon run?

i can only see the green and yellow ones, but i dont really wanna buy either of them because i know about the pink one. i dont have to buy one of them first to unlock other options do i?

8 notes - Posted September 18, 2022

#4

since I'm seeing a lot of posts go around (again) here's my own little reminder:

yes, inking spawn is important (less so in ranked tbh but its still good to ink it a little. just dont waste time getting every nook and cranny)

no, you don't have to do it at the start of the match. you have 3 minutes to get it done. ink a bit as you go out each time when you respawn (because yes, you WILL die eventually, or at least your teammates will)

it's important to get to mid early if you know you're good at splatting because it allows you to establish a foothold while your teammates catch up

also keep in mind not every weapon is great for inking turf! something with more spread like an aerospray is better than a blaster or bamboozler

so if you see someone not inking base, don't get angry right away. maybe you and 2 of your teammates are inking, and they decided to go ahead cause you don't need all 4 players competing to ink the same turf. maybe they're a heavy splatling and are better suited for splatting (because yes, splatting is still important, just slightly less than inking turf)

10 notes - Posted September 14, 2022

#3

anyways please appreciate this 5 second drawing i made in ms paint when i was filled with rage at a teammate who just sat there for like 10 seconds at the corner of the map on high tide while this stupid ufo was blocking me from reviving them

11 notes - Posted October 10, 2022

#2

I WANT ALL MY FOLLOWERS TO KNOW THAT I JUST SCROLLED PAST THE LONGEST COLOR OF THE SKY POST EVER AND I DECIDED TO NOT MAKE YOU SUFFER AS WELL

HOWEVER

if you want to see the post lmk, i saved it as a draft just in case i need it later.

12 notes - Posted May 31, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

I know people are talking about how cool it would be for Shadow to have 70s music playing in the background, but bro I am STILL waiting on some Crush 40

233 notes - Posted April 12, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[rayjideguia]

Initially an exercise on writing mostly dialogue, as chismis, and under 3k words, I completed the first draft of "Balikbayan" in 2021 while ruminating about the connection between funerarias and police under Duterte.

It was my friend Sigrid Gayangos, one of the first readers, who envisioned it as a play in a tweet. My playwright friend May Cardoso saw the tweet and volunteered to adapt it. During the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference, my panelist and co-fellows, all Americans, told me there is more to the story. It turns out they were right, because when I finally let go of the limitations I set for myself (chismis, under 3k words), it grew into its current form (chismis and beki, more than 7k words). Stella and Katrina as sisters and foils were developed further in the final draft.

Until last year, May and I had only vague plans for the adaptation. Somehow everything fell into place when "Balikbayan"'s publication timeline fit May's MFA Exit Program timeline. Before "Balikbayan" was even out, May and I were already working together—my first venture into theatre as a dramaturg. I sent her my writing notes and references to aid her adaptation and discussed the context and my narrative decisions.

When I was revising "Balikbayan", I played with time. There are two time settings, the linear present and the past unfolding in reverse. In the present, backstories are also embedded, which make the transition from page to stage a bit complicated. May's adaptation is nothing short of ingenuity. She utilizes things onstage in ways I can never think of, without sacrificing affect and gravitas. I think my favorite might have been relaying Stella's memory of how her cousins treated her. I've been keeping the script secret even from our closest friends for the full experience of watching it come to life.

I conceived "Balikbayan" to be decisively feminist and anti-imperialist, written years after the death of Jennifer Laude at the hands of US Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton, who was granted absolute pardon by Duterte. Before this, his charge was already lowered to homicide due to his use of trans panic as defense. Under the same system and regime, tokhang victims, most often the poor, are vilified as NPA, prostitute, or drug addict to justify their death. It was necessary for me to trust a playwright who fully understands the politics embedded in the story. I'm so happy to have trusted May with "Balikbayan".

Like our page and save the date! April 13, 2024, 7 PM @ IGB Gallery, UP Diliman 

#Balikbayan #Balikbayan2024

[mitchbeck]

NEW YORK RANGERS ASSIGN TALYN BOYKO TO HARTFORD WOLF PACK

By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, CT – New York Rangers General Manager Chris Drury announced today that the club had assigned goaltender Talyn Boyko to the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack from the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL. Boyko, 20, appeared in 40 games for the Rockets this season, posting a record of 13-24-1 with a save percentage of .898 and a goals-against average of 3.55. He was selected in the fourth round, 112th overall, by the Rangers in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. The native of Drumheller, Alberta, has appeared in 142 games during his WHL career with the Rockets and the Tri-City Americans. He has a career record of 56-67-9 with a save percentage of .899. He was named a WHL, BC Division, Second Team All-Star following the 2021-22 season. He posted a record of 29-18-5 in 54 games split between the Americans (eight games) and Rockets (46 games) that season. The Wolf Pack returns to the XL Center for the final regular season home game on Friday, April 14th, hosting the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Join us for Fan Appreciation Night featuring special guest Johnny Damon! The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. To get tickets, visit www.hartfordwolfpack.com. ABOUT THE HARTFORD WOLF PACK: The Hartford Wolf Pack has been a premier franchise in the American Hockey League since the team's inception in 1997. The Wolf Pack is the top player-development affiliate of the NHL's New York Rangers and plays at the XL Center. The Wolf Pack has been home to some of the Rangers' newest faces, including Igor Shesterkin, Filip Chytil, and Ryan Lindgren. Follow the Wolf Pack on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. HARTFORD WOLF PACK HOME Read the full article

[idrellegames]

Wayfarer Dev Log 2022.05.03.

Hi friends,

It's go time, crunch month, etc.! April was another extremely month as I wrapped up drafting Episode 2. I wrote just shy of 90,000 words last month (...is that why I'm tired? Probably) and finished writing Episode 2's content, including all the new codex entries.

I have started coding the new material into the alpha build, beginning with a UI update to fix some background issues with menu navigation. This UI update will be released to the public build later in May with Patch 1.6.

The update will break the companion and faction profile displays (they will display the wrong information and you will be able to click on the ones you shouldn't have access to) until you hit the end of Episode 1. If you want the correct information displayed in your Episode 1 playthrough, you will need to start a new save file when the patch comes out.

The alpha version of Episode 2 will be complete sometime next week. It will be exclusively available on Patreon until its public release (date TBD).

Because I am coding a massive amount of material right now, I am not answering coding questions or Twine help for the first two weeks of May. My inbox will stay open for all other types of questions. 

✦ THE PUBLIC BUILD [VERSION 1.1.1.]

No updates to the public build. Patch 1.6. has a planned release for the second week of May.

✦ THE ALPHA BUILD [VERSION 1.1.2.]

I finished drafting Episode 2 Scenes 4 and 5, several codex entries, and began coding the new material. Episode 2's stats for total content word count are as follows:

Scene 1 [finished Nov. 2021]: 59k

Scene 2 [finished Dec. 2021]: 36k

Scene 3 [finished Jan. 2022]: 77k

Scene 4 [finished Apr. 2022]: 125k

Scene 5 [finished Apr. 2022]: 50k

Episode 2 Total Word Count: 347k

Average playthrough word count for the full episode is TBD.

✦ PLAYTESTER APPLICATIONS [CLOSED APRIL 30]

Playtester applications are closed! Thank you so much to everyone who applied. I received over 100 applications, so it will take some time to go through them. Chosen playtesters will be contacted via email by May 7.

✦ ON THIS BLOG

No Twine, coding, or interactive fiction writing tutorials were posted this month.

✦ ON PATREON

Two in-depth progress reports on Episode 2's development. [All tiers]

Weekly sneak peaks of new Episode 2 content. [All tiers]

Twine tutorial on SugarCube basics. This is a 40-paged PDF that goes over all the basic of using the SugarCube engine, such as story variables, conditional statements, JavaScript and TwineScript operators, and more. It comes with a downloadable Twine HTML file that provides sample code. You can either view it in a browser or pop it into the Twine editor to poke around the code and see how it works. [Apprentice tier and above]

If you’ve enjoyed Wayfarer, used my tutorials, or would like to support my work, please consider supporting me on Patreon. Patrons receive access to the alpha build, private channels in the Discord server, exclusive previews, bonus content, and other benefits.

Wayfarer is a passion project and creating it is a full-time commitment. Any little bit goes a long way to help me bring it to fruition.

If you aren’t in a position to support financially, reblogs, shares, ratings and comments, and spreading the word about the game are much appreciated and do a lot to help me out! 💕

[feelingofcontent]

DNP Rewatch: Something we want to tell you!

Date video was published: 01/04/2021 (X)

DNP Main Channel Rewatch: 434

The first true joint video since PINOF 10. When Phil announced Dan as the final Stereo guest (1, 2), it really shouldn’t have been that much of a shock, but I didn’t actually believe he would be until it happened.

0:06 - just seeing Dan’s huge smile in the preview bit... 😭

0:30 -  the ‘afterparty’ show! that one was really fun too. they must have made bank from the first one to do this additional one so quickly, and then to end up planning even more with Stereo

0:38 - the classic Phil hide-the-guest thing

0:43 - Phil immediately looks so happy to have Dan there

1:18 - and Dan has sweater paws right away

1:26 - Phil forgets about looking at the camera a lot in this video and looks more comfortable then in any of the other Stereo shows, even the one with Martyn

1:53 - why did Dan think ‘penis’ was a swear?! Phil does not bleep that usually

2:09 - Phil left in a lot more full-frame clips without the Stereo sidebar in this one than in the other Stereo shows

2:32 - less than ideal circumstances for sure, but this was the first time DNP had ever spent Christmas Day together. and Dan had shared a couple of photos (1, 2) 😭

2:37 - still not over Phil getting Dan this bear jumper. that also goes with the branding of YWGTTN

3:07 - Phil liked the long hair!

3:41 - I had missed Dan’s facial expression reactions so much

3:48 - “Danny” the first of a couple just in this

3:52 - “this is how well I know Phil” Dan is still so proud that he knows Phil the best...Phil trash #1 indeed

4:28 - I remember having bath pearls as a child!

4:40 - why did Dan lick his lips and raise an eyebrow there

5:00 -  Dan is trying so hard to not be amused but failing. it was indeed one of Phil’s draft tweets

5:45 - that does sound exactly like something Phil would do...to be fair, I was wiping down packages with disinfectant too. although not fresh fruit...

6:11 - Phil has no idea where this is going. Dan must have been saving up this story for YEARS

6:16 - ...and then Phil realizes 😂 and the Dan eyebrow raise

6:44 - sees the look on Dan’s face and can’t hold it together

6:50 - oh Phil 😂 I bet when this happened Phil immediately came from getting the delivery at the door and told Dan this story

7:08 - the zoom in on the editing so we can’t miss the “top that...literally” from Dan

8:04 - “lick me” alrighty there Dan...I’m not sure Phil’s made it any better with the goose thing

8:34 - Dan’s exaggerated sad face but then his real one right after...this must have been so hard for Phil

8:48 - even back in April 2020, Dan’s projects were already being shuffled around 😕

9:04 - Phil is so excited for Dan! he wants to spoil things so bad

9:21 - it really seemed like Dan could not wait to get to this announcement. they were so excited!

9:36 - Phil’s smile is so big! 🥺

9:46 - hmmm, Phil talked about this story in The Scary Reason I Didn’t Buy A House, but he made it sound like they were thinking of buying a house to flip, not live in

10:01 - SO long working on the house. but now they’re in it and they seem so happy and any talk of the forever home still just makes me 😭

10:12 - and the first new house picture they showed!

10:34 - still can’t believe their original plan was to both move and come out in the middle of the tour. though I wonder if those two things were somewhat tied together for them, and when they found out they weren’t moving that year, it took off some of the pressure to come out then

10:46 - that is a lot of boxes and not a lot of space to live with for what ended up being 6-ish months

10:52 - ah, candid Dan photo!

11:13 - I’m glad they want their privacy, but I would still love love love to know some of the design decisions they made. I’m with Dan on the reasons for liking house tours

12:17 - Dan’s mind has gone...somewhere 👀

12:22 - Dan had talked about this D&D game in a live show in 2017, actually. minus the gay bit

13:18 - Phil pulling his sleeves down into sweater paws too

13:28 - we still haven’t seen much of the green wall! a bit in some Phil shorts and this picture shortly after they moved in

13:34 - “a desk” way to share something exciting Dan 😂

13:50 - of course Dan was attached to Steve and Scraggy too

14:03 - and apparently they are getting updates from the person who lives there now!

14:23 - they’re not seeing Steve at this point even though they haven’t fully moved, since they were just living in the ‘filming’ flat

14:39 - still don’t know exactly where Dan was going here but it was a lot. pretty sure his general point may have been ‘don’t expect our lives to move that fast’

15:19 - they didn’t announce that Norman had died until later in January, but it’s hard to tell if he was still alive at this point or not

15:44 - “you can’t be afraid to live and love” Dan 😭

15:57 - I can’t believe they almost did this and got a dog! Dog when?! they mentioned dogs so much in 2021, especially towards the end of the year

16:30 - clips from the last moving video 🥺 god every time I think about how many times they’ve moved together and everything I can’t handle it

17:07 - they really were giving all the updates at once here

17:29 - Phil does not want to share his plans! also he definitely almost said “everyone’s more worried about you” but switched it to “wondering”

17:56 - Phil just watching Dan fondly as he talks about all this

18:30 - unplanned segment! good on Phil for coming up with that one

18:40 - I am still obsessed with this clip of Dan dabbing on their balcony. just...why?! neither of them are normal (fond)

19:01 - Dan is just so nice and appreciative in this video

19:20 - Phil editing the “sexy” music over the picture...what even. and then saying “it’s a very sexy pose” 👀

19:29 - still cannot believe they discussed this photo. and Phil cut out some of the discussion for the video! it was even longer in the live show.  I mean, they succeeded with the nipple coverage I guess

19:39 - “this was not a sexy moment” jesus christ this whole bit

20:29 - laughing at them using separate bathrooms in that flat and wondering who had to climb over the boxes down the hallway of the gaming room to get to that one

21:05 - Dan’s reaction to Phil starting a sentence with “we tried to...” right after the pee discussion...WHAT did he think Phil was going to say?! 😳

21:40 - love that Phil included art for this!

21:48 - Dan did not have to do that look there

22:05 - “I like playing video games with you” and the eye contact, help 🥺

22:37 - little did we know we would get two months of “this” very soon!

23:33 - love Phil’s gentle teasing of Dan for this

23:49 - little punches from Phil. he’s excited about this story

24:33 - “Dan ass reveal” is really not a sentence I was expecting 

24:44 - both of them HATE not having full control of things. but Dan looks great with the pink background...do wish we had gotten to see the full jumpsuit though

25:14 - the contradiction of that to literally less than a minute ago when he wanted horny DMs...

25:44 - I can’t believe Phil was there because of pandemic restrictions and everything, but he’s telling this bit of the story as if he was

26:44 - that was hilarious that the had to take off the logo in that photo

27:03 - I’m so sad for Dan and for us that we still haven’t gotten this content, whatever it is

27:36 - oh Phil 🙁 he looks so disappointed talking about this. I want to see a creative solo Phil project so much!

28:20 - I’m so glad Dan at least fixed it a bit after that disaster. I would have loved to have seen Dan’s reaction to seeing it after that

28:53 - “crisis twink” Phil era when?!

29:29 - “in the Dan and Phil house” is so casual but so much

29:32 - Phil’s face as Dan puts his arm behind him...Phil definitely thought he was doing something other than fixing the cushion

30:00 - “it’s not suitable for YouTube” christ, Phil

30:10 - YouTube content, tour?, book!

30:42 - the seem to have such fond memoires of TABINOF and TATINOF

31:10 - Dan smiling so fondly at Phil doing promo for him...and the start of the majority of Dan’s 2021 promo of things being in videos on Phil’s channel 😂

31:14 - and a “this guy”

32:29 - Phil is so excited about that too! him saying “I’m the first person to read it” has the same proud energy of Dan saying “this is how well I know Phil” towards the start of this video

33:36 - “I’m hyped for you Danny” 🥺

34:13 - the full audio version is also available on YouTube thanks to In Depth Bants! (they did have some audio issues at the start since they were sitting right next to each other, but they fixed it fairly quickly)

It was just so nice to see them on camera together again. And for them to want to tell us this big news about their lives. 🥺 I don’t rewatch this video as much as the other joint videos from 2021, but it still makes me so happy.

The live show was on December 29, but it took Phil a bit of time to edit and post this one (likely because of the audio issues at the beginning). In between there, for New Year’s, they had a quiet evening at home, apparently including texting memes to each other.

[robertreich]

Workers Matter and Government Works: Eight Lessons from the Pandemic

Maybe it’s wishful thinking to declare the pandemic over in the US, and presumptuous to conclude what lessons we’ve learned from it. So consider this list a first draft.

1.  Workers are always essential.

We couldn’t have survived without millions of warehouse, delivery, grocery, and hospital workers literally risking their lives. Yet most of these workers are paid squat. Amazon touts its $15 minimum wage but it totals only about $30,000 a year. Most essential workers still don’t have health insurance or paid leave. Many of their employers (including Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, to take but two examples) didn’t give them the personal protective equipment they needed.

Lesson: Essential workers deserve far better.

2.  Healthcare is a basic right.

You know how you got your vaccine without paying a dime? That’s how all health care could be. Yet too many Americans who contracted Covid-19 got walloped with humongous hospital bills. By mid-2020, about 3.3 million people had lost employer-sponsored coverage, and the number of uninsured increased by 1.9 million. Research by the Urban Institute found that people with chronic disease, Black Americans, and low-income children were most likely to have delayed or forgone care during the pandemic.

Lesson: America must insure everyone.

3.  Conspiracy theories can be deadly.

Last June, about 1 in 4 Americans believed the pandemic was “definitely” or “probably” created intentionally, according to a Pew Research Center survey. Other conspiracy theories have caused some people to avoid wearing masks or getting vaccinated, causing unnecessary illness or death.

Lesson: An informed public is essential. Some of the responsibility falls on all of us. Some of it on Facebook, Twitter and other platforms that allowed such misinformation to flourish.

4.  The stock market isn’t the economy.

The stock market rose throughout the pandemic, lifting the wealth of the richest 1 percent who own half of all stock owned by Americans. Meanwhile, from March 2020 to February 2021, 80 million in the US lost their jobs. Between June and November 2020, nearly 8 million Americans fell into poverty. Black and Latino adults were more than twice as likely as white adults to report not having enough to eat: 16 percent each for Black and Latino adults, compared to 6 percent of white adults.

Lesson: Stop using the stock market as a measure of economic wellbeing. Look instead at the percentage of Americans who are working, and their median pay.

5.  Wages are too low to get by on.

Most Americans live paycheck to paycheck. So once the pandemic hit, many didn’t have any savings to fall back on. Conservative lawmakers complain that the extra $300 a week unemployment benefit Congress enacted in March discourages people from working. What’s really discouraging them is lack of childcare and lousy wages.

Lesson: Raise the minimum wage, strengthen labor unions, provide universal childcare, and push companies to share profits with their workers.

6.  Remote work is now baked into the economy.

The percentage of workers punching in from home hit a high of 70% in April 2020. A majority continue to work remotely. Some 40 percent want to continue working from home.

Two lessons: Companies will have to adjust. And much commercial real estate will remain vacant. Why not convert it into affordable housing?.

7.  Billionaires aren’t the answer.

The combined wealth of America's 657 billionaires grew by $1.3 trillion -- or 44.6% -- during the pandemic. Jeff Bezos, with $183.9 billion, became the richest man in the US and the world. Larry Page, cofounder of Google, added $11.8 billion to his $94.3 billion fortune, and Sergey Brin, Google’s other cofounder, added $11.4 billion. Yet billionaire’s taxes are lower than ever. Wealthy Americans today pay one-sixth the rate of taxes their counterparts paid in 1953.

Lesson: To afford everything the nation needs, raise taxes at the top.

8.  Government can be the solution.

Ronald Reagan’s famous quip -- “Government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem” – can now officially be retired. Trump’s “Operation Warp Speed” succeeded in readying vaccines faster than most experts thought possible, and Biden got it into more arms more quickly than any vaccination program in history.

Furthermore, the $900 billion in aid Congress passed in late December prevented millions from losing unemployment benefits and helped sustain the recovery when it was faltering. The $1.9 trillion that Democrats pushed through Congress in March will help the US achieve something it failed to achieve after the 2008-09 recession: a robust recovery.

Lesson: Government must play an active role solving other fundamental problems – ending poverty, reducing inequality, battling climate change, and fighting systemic racism.

[rataltouille]

HOUSE PLANTS, UPDATE 7

[novel intro can be found here]

HEY ACTUALLY I FINISHED THIS BOOK!

i don't want to get too sentimental [watch me proceed to get sentimental] but this book means a lot to me and i really could NOT have done it without the support of the wonderful folks on writeblr. the writing community is kind of the reason i even started this novel so it means a lot to me that i’ve met so many of y’all here. this is my first ever novel and i’m so glad i was able to make it so far! here are the final stats:

TOTAL WORD COUNT: 81,049 words.

STARTED: april 17, 2020

FINISHED: january 28, 2021

AVERAGE CHAPTERWISE WC: 3242

NUMBER OF CHAPTERS: 25

NUMBER OF TIMES LILITH SNAPS: 2

NUMBER OF TIMES LILITH SUFFERS: you know it’s too much to count.

the last month of writing this novel was so mixed. like before i hit the 70k mark i’d just been slogging through the novel, feeling uninspired and bored of the story. and then january hit and i was like. wait a minute. my deadline to finish it was the 31st of january. and so i basically startled myself into drafting again and then hit another wc milestone and that motivated me?? so much??? like i remember that drafting the penultimate chapter took me a pretty long time but it was so enjoyable because i was genuinely liking what i was writing and that hadn't been happening for the past few months. and then i wrote the entirety of the last chapter [it’s a vignette so it’s pretty short] for an hour until 1 am in my bed with the lights off and boom. it was such an experience. what makes it even more fun is that i’d drafted 75% of the book in my bed with the lights off at 1 am so this was such a nice full circle moment.

i’m also a little insane from all that lack of sleep but it’s okay we don't talk about that.

excerpts:

chapter twenty-one

this one’s a mix of the weirdest and most broad emotions. there’s a funeral in town, willow’s acting shadier than usual, lilith and juniper finally kiss, etc. etc. literally a rollercoaster. also it’s important that you guys know they kissed in a graveyard. nothing’s more romantic than that amirite.

Residual— that’s how we all felt. Just shells that wash away right before they touch land. We lingered like sleep at dawn, like medicine rimming the lip of cough syrup bottles, like fingerprints on fresh glass. There wasn't a permanence in the way we persisted, because eventually, one leaves their nest. They untether from the source in pursuit of the world. How would a dead girl do that? She won’t reside on the fringes of life like a bad dream.

god this prose is so depressing. even i’m getting sad over it and i’m literally an emotionless husk of a person. hey but the description slaps so enjoy.

also if you’ve noticed i’ve been sharing excerpts less and less in the updates despite the chapters being longer on length [these chapters average at like. 5k words] and that’s because i’m finding it harder to share stuff that doesn’t need context / isn't spoilery.

chapter twenty-two

ah yes the angstiest chapter, probably. something happens to willow that lilith blames herself for and this kicks off the final cluster of events that lead to the climax. i love this chapter because lilith gets angry [but at the wrong person aka herself] and we get to see this side of her she always tries to hide!! another thing that happens is that her garden withers so that’s a fun trip

My garden could have been a fallen kingdom. The ferns were rotting from under the flap, their spores gone. Gardenia blooms had split with their petals discarded like an evening gown all around the pots. The mint had binary fissioned and lay in shreds, the jasmine wilted and spread. All of them like war dolls, casualties of my ignorance, beyond saving.

poor garden :/

chapter twenty-three

this chapter. exists i guess. ISDNJSDUH i sound so disillusioned but essentially this chapter was supposed to end on a the ✨big reveal✨ that the book has been leading up to but then something. happened. and i had to move that into the next chapter and so nothing actually happens in this one! like it’s all important things and we’re setting up tension but overall it’s the least eventful of the final story arc.

We stepped together into our house; it had been abandoned for a day but was the exact same. Dust hadn't suddenly piled up in the threshold, sticking to our soles. The air hadn't musted over in the house’s grieving for its sole occupants. The bathtub was still filled. The water skimmed the floor, and I’d decided. I’d stay with you for the whole week, the fortnight, the month, the year. I’d stay inside with you, because me leaving the house, me choosing to spend any second of my life without caring for you, was a mistake. I’d always seen you as fragile, quiet like moth wings and just as delicate. Maybe I’d needed to feel I was protector just as much as I thought you needed me.

i really like this excerpt because it’s very simple and light in terms of prose but also the implications and that purposeful telling at the end really stick with me. exposing lilith since 2k20.

As morning rose the next day, like a curtain lifting, the sun picked itself up from the horizon, shattering cloudlines in a bright, orange glow. The skies got clearer by the hour as summer sauntered in again. Already the habits of my grounding were kicking in; my circadian rhythm bounded to my outside, too, as I instinctively scheduled and compartmentalized my daily life. First, wake up, check on you. Finish chores while making sure you’re alright. School, eaten with worry, but you're capable and you’ll call if you need help. Home, count your pulse as you inevitably slumped in plush sleep— at the coffee table, at the bathtub, in Aunt Hailey’s chair (rare), in your bedroom (rarer). You’d wake for dinner and read until the lights begin to dim and your eyesight tripped. You’d doze off for the rest of the night. Your internal clock was more functional, more efficient, than mine.

obligatory rhythmic everyday life excerpt that's reminiscent of 2020.

chapter twenty-four

THE PENULTIMATE CHAPTER! THE LONGEST CHAPTER!! THE ONE WHERE SHIT GOES DOWN!!! [can you tell it’s my fave chapter]

this took me two whole weeks to draft [it’s around 7.2k words] but it was so enjoyable the whole time!! there’s something so satisfying about making the quiet character, the one who never express anger, finally snap. so satisfying. lilith is actually pretty feral in this and we all stan. it also has a lot of simpler yet more sharp prose? if you know me you know that repetition is literally my favourite device ever. i overuse repetition it’s actually insane. and this one has a lot of that, but in a way that isn't annoying, and i really enjoyed writing it!!

I’d never been in your bathtub before. You haunted the room and it was always yours; I didn’t consider running the tap for myself. Maybe your going out prompted me this time. The water was so high it sloshed over the lip of the tub. The floor was slick like eels’ skin. My skin was blue with cold; the chill gummed my cheeks and ears and I shivered. My reflection stared at me in hatred, the features warped and pulled like taffy. I half-floated, a ghost in liminal space, and the walls were choked with water lines and flower patterns. With my body invaded by alien frost, with the ceiling low and cruel and ready to crush, I cowered. How did you do this every day? Did the clothes make the difference?

lilith’s going through it again ft. willow’s bathtub.

after this it’s a lot of incredibly spoilery stuff!! like the prose slaps but it’s too many spoilers to share. but have another description of the heaviness of midnight because i’m obsessed with that aesthetic

The lock clicked behind me. Silence descended like birdsong and I was paralysed, stuck at the two half-stairs that led to the outer path, stuck at the threshold of no return. My body shook. All around me was nighttime, gooey and heavy. I was unfurling, like a rose, step after step, pushing past the gate and onto the road. The wind was so cold it frosted my tears.

btw the chapter does not end on lilith crying she kind of has a girlboss moment and snaps massively [i mean after all she’s been through she deserves it] and then the main story aka the fictive past ends.

chapter twenty-five

the final chapter, which also happens to be a vignette chapter and is thus set in the fictive present! it’s very short and is only one tiny scene but it really ends on the perfect tonal quality for the novel. i can't share any excerpts because it really is very short so! have this iconic screenshot i took as soon as i finished the draft instead:

[also if you were wondering yes i did type the entire novel [and basically everything i write] on my ipad because i don't own a laptop]

and that really is it! this was such an incredible journey and i’m so excited to share more of my newer writing and upcoming projects with y’all. it feels so weird that this really is the last time i’ll be making official posts about this novel. truly the end of an era.

house plants taglist: @discreet-writer @mp-golfin @jaydewritesfiction @writer-in-monochrome @magnus-s-writes @firesidefantasy @sugarlessbubblegum @theoldcity @n1ghth4wkz @remi-writes-sometimes @suninks @dreamybellatrixanvm @camusbf @fablemancy @isherwoodj @svpphicwrites @spillme @sunwornpages @bijouxs @asadlitficwriter @bookphobe @sirius-xthem @carlyiswriting @hekat-ie

general taglist: @lovingyou-is @haldimilks @andiwriteunderthemoon @coffeeandcalligraphy @shaelinwrites @tuoyu @charles-joseph-writes @eklavvya @wolf-oak @bitterwitchwrites @laughtracksonata @whatwordsdidnttouch @indeliblewrites @thenataliawrites @illimani-gibberish @sienna-writes @jennawritesstories @chloeswords @aelenko @keira-is-writing @cherylinanika @infinitely-empty-pages @jmtwrites @august-iswriting @sarahkelsiwrites @freedelusionbanana

tumblr is being. really really annoying and wont let me edit on the browser so i’ve got the 50 mentions per post mobile thing to deal with. the rest of the taglist will be tagged in a reblog!

[writingbeary]

writer ask game !! tagged by @starlightjoong ​ thanks for the tag sol!  ♡

tagging @shinescape ​  ♡ ♡

1. what fandoms have you written for (but do not currently)?

I will still write for them if I get an idea. I used to write for 2NE1, SNSD, 4Minute, Big Bang, 2pm, MBLAQ, B2ST/Beast/Highlight, SHINee, Super Junior, etc. lol I’ve been a multi ever since I got into K-pop

2. what fandoms are you currently writing for?

Currently I have published stories for ATEEZ, BtoB, iKON, SF9, Super Junior. If counting the characters in my ATEEZ AU then Kingdom: Legendary War groups and many others that may get mentioned through the run lol

3. how long have you been writing?

Counting only from this blog then I published my first one last 1st of April 2021

If we’re including my previous attempts from AFF then I think it’s 2010? I am not sure lol but I did abandon writing after a year or so and only got back this April haha!

4. on which platforms do you post your stories?

For now, I have this writing Tumblr.

5. what is your favorite genre to write?

I wouldn’t necessarily say favorite but I mostly write romance with..a hint of fluff, I guess?

6. are you a pantser or a planner?

It depends! If you’re asking for the oneshots, then I am a pantser haha! But for the ATEEZ AU then it’s a combination lol I have “prompts” for each post that I’ll do in the future but they’re also not hard-mapped that I need to post this one first before the other.

But I might be a planner, should I venture into a chapter-ed fic.

7. one shot or multi-chapter?

Originally, I wrote multi-chapter fics haha! Back when I was still a hardcore K-pop fan. But I am leaning towards one shots or those fics that can stand-alone but could also work as a multi-chapter lol

8. what is the perfect chapter length in your opinion?

Depends on the topic/genre. I like drabbles because they don’t drag the topic but I also enjoy a good 5k+ word count every now and then. For my ATEEZ AU, I usually strive and cut off the posts as soon as they reach 3k words and 7k respectively. For my other published ones, I have them averaging around 300 words I think lol

9. what is your longest published story? is it complete?

Are we counting the ATEEZ AU? If yes, then definitely that one. lol Just one “episode” of Kingdom takes a lot of words (though repetitive at most) haha!

If just the oneshots then, Welcome Back published at around 1k words lol

10. which story did you enjoy working on the most?

I am enjoying my ATEEZ AU journey with Minyoung!

As for the oneshots, I loved writing Leeteuk’s Welcome Back

11. favourite request you have written and why(if any)?

I have yet to receive a request for a stand-alone story (not that I can actually write another one as I’m preoccupied with Minyoung lol) But as for request, there was one for a Hello82 episode for Minyoung! The One Chip Challenge and it’s such a ride to write lol

12. are there reoccurring themes in your stories?

fluff, endearing terms, and nicknames haha! Or maybe a constant ship hint for Minyoung!

13. current number of wips(works in progress)?

Oh. Do I have to count? haha! Official count (those saved in my drafts) I have 7 haha! But for the prompt ideas then..let’s not count lol

14. three things you have noticed about your own writing.

un-proof read work? yeah haha! I have to go back and edit everything. I also notice some words disappearing from when I paste it from my notes, save the draft, and actually post it. 

Oh and severe lack of vocabulary and messy flow I guess lol

15. a quote you like from a published story.

“See? Everyone wants you in the group. You’re worried and sorry about making mistakes? That’s normal! We’re just human after all.” - Wooyoung (From A Promise - ATEEZ 9th Member AU Minyoung)

16. a quote from an unpublished story.

“I’ve always been afraid of taking that one step. I didn’t want to risk what I already have, risk the comfort I am currently enjoying. But I would always wonder, if that one step is all it takes for me to achieve what I want then maybe..just maybe it’s worth the risk.” 

17. space for you to say something to your readers

Hello! It’s Mimi  ♡ First of all, thank you for reading my works! I love each and everyone of you but I have to give special recognition to the people who give me a huge push to continue this hobby! Your support (through notes and asks) have continuously brought a huge smile on my face and warmth in my heart. I enjoy interacting with everyone and I hope we get more comfortable in interacting with one another. 

Next, I’d like to wish everyone a ray of happiness! haha We may not know each other personally but please take my well wishes and thanks for existing in my (digital) life! I would also like to take this time to share, my go-to quote as told by my old sensei, to everyone who comes across this : 

「 何事も経験だからね。 」 which translates as “Everything is an experience.”

You’re doing great! It can get tough at times but as long as we can take even a single step, that single step is still progress towards somewhere.

[kikiskeysgame]

Chicago Blackhawks Player Reviews (2020-21 season): Malcolm Subban

Games played: 16 Wins: 6 Losses: 8 OT: 1 Goals Against Average: 3.20 Save Percentage: .900 Shutouts: 2

Summary Malcolm Subban made his full start as the starting goaltender in the Blackhawks' season opener on January 13, 2021 in a 5-1 loss against the Tampa Bay Lightning where he made 28 saves out of 33 shots on goal.

On February 7, 2021, Subban got his first win as a Blackhawk in a 2-1 overtime win against the Dallas Stars where he made 30 saves out of 31 shots on goal.

On February 25, 2021, he got his first shutout victory as a Blackhawk in a 2-0 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets where he made 26 saves out of 26 shots on goal.

March was a tough month for the Blackhawks and Subban, who struggled mid-way through the month, losing 4 of his starts; however, he earned his second shutout victory as a Blackhawk on April 17, 2021 in a 4-0 win against the Detroit Red Wings, making 29 saves out of 29 shots on goal.

His last win of the 2020-21 season occurred on March 21, 2021 in a 5-4 overtime win against the Nashville Predators where he made 36 saves out of 40 shots on goal.

Thoughts from my point of view I didn't get a chance to see how well Malcolm Subban would do in the Blackhawks' lineup last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic cancelling the remainder of the 2019-20 NHL season (plus, he only played for one minute in one game that season, so I couldn't get a good vibe off him right away).

As the season went on and Subban established his position as the back-up goaltender to Kevin Lankinen, he started adjusting quite well in the line-up. 

One of the things that Subban struggled with the most was rebound control which gradually got better as he worked with goaltending coach Jimmy Waite on improving the issue, but he still needs some work on it along with staying consistent.

Like Lankinen, Subban may not be an elite goaltender like Corey Crawford was, but he has skill and potential. After this season, my vibe on him is ranging between "good" and "okay" so far.

Malcolm Subban is signed with the team through the 2021-22 season. Depending on whether or not he'll be exposed to the upcoming Seattle Expansion Draft this year, I wouldn't be surprised if Subban was the back-up goaltender to Kevin Lankinen next season, but with the way he played this year, I have a feeling that he'll be facing competition with Lankinen and Colin Delia for the spot of starting goaltender next season.

[dorukbaski123]

Picks and Parlays MLB - The 2020 Season's Top Bet Plays. | Betting Hits

Expert Picks and Parlays MLB - This upcoming 2020 season we have top odds and arbitrage opportunities using key tools and statistics to win you more money.

Surprisingly at DraftKings sportsbook while most money is flowing on the Yankees to win, there has been a lot of money flowing on the Mets as well according to the recently released numbers. Could be that they are based in NJ which is home to the Mets hmm?

“DraftKings Sportsbook has been taking bets on World Series odds over the offseason, and we have an overwhelming betting favorite. 62 percent of the handle and 49 percent of the total bets at DK have been on the New York Yankees. The New York Mets follow them at six percent and four percent, respectively. The defending World Series champion Washington Nationals are next, followed by the runner-up Houston Astros.

The Yankees topping the betting handle is not entirely surprising. They are the betting favorite, and their preseason wins total odds (101.5) are highest as well. The Mets mixed in is not shocking with so much of DraftKings’ gambling business based in New Jersey.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are next in win total behind the Yankees, having been boosted from 97.5 to 100.5 following the Mookie Betts trade. The Dodgers have the second-best World Series odds behind the Yankees, and it would not be surprising to see their handle percentage increase between now and Opening Day thanks to the Betts trade.” via DraftKings

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How The Houston Astros Cheating Scandal has affected their winning odds

The biggest story of the offseason was the Houston Astros cheating scandal that ensnared the club who were just coming back from being 2019 world series runner ups and the odds on favorites at the time to win the 2020 world series.

To summarize, After a thorough investigation, MLB determined that during their world series run in 2017 and in 2018, the Astros had used Cameras both at home and away to steal and decipher opposing pitchers signals.

As a result, the Astros were fined $5 million and forfeited their first- and second-round picks in the 2020 and 2021 drafts. General manager Jeff Luhnow and field manager A. J. Hinch were suspended for the entire 2020 season for failing to prevent the rules violations. No players were punished because they had been given immunity by MLB in exchange for their cooperation.

The Astros subsequently fired both Luhnow and Hinch on the day their suspensions were announced. MLB’s investigation also determined that Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora helped mastermind the Astros’ sign-stealing while serving as Hinch’s bench coach in 2017.

Cora mutually parted ways with Boston the following day. Carlos Beltrán, who had been hired to manage the New York Mets in November 2019 and was the only player from 2017 who was specifically named in the report, also mutually parted ways with the Mets in the same week.

The sanctions were the most severe that MLB has ever issued against a member club and are among the most severe sanctions for in-game misconduct in baseball history. via Wikipedia.

The Fallout

With MLB eyes squarely on them, this upcoming, season and all this turmoil currently dropped them from 1st to 5th in the pecking order for the 2020 world series win which is a significant development for them and the league because the fallout also affected both the Red Sox odds as well as the New York Mets Odds.

2. Money Line

The second most popular MLB betting strategy is to bet the money line. Baseball has the most games played in a season with 162 so there are always some key factors to consider when betting the money line.

Rotations are very important with pitching and hitting. Pitchers will often be rotated with 4-5 day rests, some are on pitch counts. The following are stats to keep an eye on when betting the money line for pitchers.

IP (Innings Pitched)

ERA (Earned Run Average)

WHIP (Walks Plus Hits per Innings Pitched),

WARP (Wins Above Replacement Player).

SO (Strikeouts)

For the offense, you need to consider the following stats for batters.

PA (Plate Appearances)

AB (at-bat appearances)

WOBA (weighted On-Base Average)

OBP (On-Base Percentage)

ISO (Isolated Power)

SLG (Slugging Percentage)

OPS (On-base percentage + Slugging)

3. Run Line betting in MLB

Run line betting is a sophisticated betting strategy but has value and profitability in baseball betting. A bettor will use this strategy to see if there is value in the market by converting the Run Line odds into a percentage chance of winning.

📷

Click here for our free Run Line MLB betting tool where we do all the calculations for you.

Run Line MLB Picks Explainer Video

4. Totals Betting

Totals betting in the MLB Covers wagers on the number of runs, home runs, total points scored and other points related stats and can be a very lucrative bet when teams stats are injected into the equation.

For the most part, MLB games do not go over 15 points so including watching both teams offenses and defenses other factors come into play depending on the lineups and rotations.

5. Over / Unders

Totals betting comes with the wrinkle of over-under which basically wagers on how many points will be scored and if they will surpass those points in the over or not reach those points in the under.

6. Player Props MLB Picks

Player propositions have become very popular in betting circles since they concentrate on just a single players performance, they cover pitchers as well as batters for example how many runs a player will drive in or how many strikeouts a pitcher will have in a game, it is a very enticing bet indeed.

7. MLB Picks today

MLP Picks are very lucrative in MLB betting tips since you can use a smaller investment and win a lot because of their nature. Combining multiple factors to create bigger odds is the nature of parlays and in baseball, it is no different.

With the high number of games played in baseball, a parlay bet can run for several days so can conceivably parlay several games into a single bet that would be a big money winner when hit.

8. Picks and Parlays MLB Playoffs and world series

After 162 games a regular season which runs from April to September, the playoffs start in October and after surviving the grueling season, we come to the playoffs and this is a completely different animal because at this point it is win or go home.

Pitching rotations are shortened and other strategies then come into play more than ever. For a betting expert, this can be quite exciting since by then there is a ton of data to help them make better decisions and win their betting strategies.

9. Free Picks and Parlays MLB

Yes, our tips are completely free, they are accurate and data-driven with experts who understand the game. Since they are free, you can follow with us for a while before deciding to dive in and use them, in fact, we recommend you to do that and you will be impressed.

10. Power rankings MLB Picks

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This falls in the category of external factors when it comes to baseball betting. So many media houses track teams and player rankings on a weekly basis, the top one being ESPN and for an MLB betting expert like us.

You have to keep an eye on this when placing bets since it can give one an insight on hot streaks and other factors that are basically secondary factors. Other factors could be the weather for example.

Rain delays could influence how a game is played or if there is a doubleheader. These might not be necessarily key elements but they might help one see the complete picture of a game before placing their bet.

As the oldest of the major three sports, baseball has a vast and unique history that can’t be matched by football and basketball. While baseball isn’t as popular among sports bettors as football or basketball, the sport has been actively wagered on since the early 20th century.

In the first half of the 20th century, football and basketball were both in developmental stages. On the other hand, baseball was establishing itself as America’s national pastime.

With big stars, like Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth, leading the way, the sport took off in the 1920′s. Ironically, the decade began with a betting scandal tied to the biggest event in baseball.

After the 1920 season, the baseball world was shocked by the “Black Sox” scandal. A year after the fact, it was learned that New York gangster Arnold Rothstein had paid off eight Chicago White Sox players to fix the 1919 World Series. In the series, the White Sox were a heavy favorite over the Cincinnati Reds. With the fix in place.

Rothstein was able to win big by betting on the underdog Reds to win the series (Cincinnati won the series five games to three). In the fallout, the eight White Sox players were banned for life from Major League Baseball prior to the 1921 season.

The success of Babe Ruth and the New York Yankees right after this scandal saved baseball from getting swept up in the “Black Sox” controversy. Seven decades later, baseball was hit by another betting scandal that shocked the sport.

After a legendary playing career, all-time hits leader Pete Rose became the full-time manager of the Cincinnati Reds prior to the 1987 season (Rose was a player-manager for the club from 1984-86).

During the Reds spring training camp in 1989, reports began to circulate that Major League Baseball was actively investigating Rose for betting on baseball.

In late August, he was banned for life from Major League Baseball. While it wasn’t officially for betting on baseball, the evidence that Rose did so was overwhelming.

After denying that he bet on baseball when the ban was handed down in 1989, Rose admitted to betting on games (including ones involving the Reds) over a decade later.

While these betting scandals have rocked the baseball establishment, wagering on baseball is enjoyed by many serious and novice sports bettors every spring and summer.

Baseball Betting Basics

Baseball betting is quite different from football and basketball wagering. There are no point spreads in baseball wagering. Because there are only eight or nine runs scored in a typical Major League Baseball game, there isn’t really enough scoring in the sport to justify a point spread. Therefore, the most common baseball wager is a money line or straight bet.

In these type of wagers, the bettor simply wagers on which team will score the most runs in a baseball game without any regards to the margin of victory. Here’s what a typical money line might look like for a Major League Baseball game:

Red Sox (+140) Yankees (-160)

To some novice bettors, these numbers can seem confusing. The easiest way to understand these figures is to use $100 as a base number/amount for each price. In this example, New York is the favorite as the team with the minus figure.

To win $100 on a Yankees wager, the bettor would need to wager $160.

As the underdog, Boston has a plus price. With a plus price, the bettor can simply wager $100 to win $140 on the Red Sox. In these money line bets, there is no vigorish or juice.

However, the bookmaker does establish a kind of fee for the money line odds. The example listed above is known as a 20-cent line.

There is a numerical difference of 20 in the odds between the Red Sox and Yankees. Novice bettors sometimes are confused by this difference.

Because Boston isn’t at a price of +160, the bookmaker is able to keep a little more of the handle on these types of bets.

The closest thing that baseball has to a point spread wager is a run line bet. In these type of bets, the favored team is listed at -1.5 runs.

So, the favored club in a run line bet must win by two runs or more. The underdog team is installed at +1.5 runs. The non-favorite must win the game or lose by just a single run for the bettor to win his run line wager on the underdog.

A money line figure is also attached to these odds and is determined by using the straight line on the game as a foundation to come up with the appropriate price to be attached to the plus or minus 1.5 figure.

Total or over/under bets in baseball work in the same general format as total wagers in football and basketball.

Another unique aspect of baseball wagering involves the starting pitchers. While a football or basketball squad will field the same basic squad for every game, a baseball team won’t necessarily be at the same general level from game to game.

This is due to the starting pitching that is a part of the game. MLB clubs will go with a rotation of five starting pitchers. These hurlers will pitch about every five days.

The specific starting pitcher on a given day for a given team can have a huge impact on the line. So, the starting pitchers for each team are listed next to each team in the betting odds rundown.

[insidethegiftbasket]

Yankees (29-21) at Tigers (19-31)

Game 1 - Friday at 7:10pm EDT on YES – Gerrit Cole (6-2, 1.81 ERA) vs. Casey Mize (3-3, 3.42 ERA)

Game 2 - Saturday at 4:10pm EDT on PIX 11 and MLBN – Deivi Garcia (0-1, 4.50 ERA) vs. Spencer Turnbull (3-2, 3.12 ERA)

Game 3 - Sunday at 1:10pm EDT on PIX 11 and MLBN – TBA (Michael King/bullpen game) vs. Tarik Skubal (1-7, 5.23 ERA)

Tigers Injury Report

C Wilson Ramos: 10-day IL (back) – will miss series

C Greyson Greiner: 10-day IL (hamstring) – will miss series

RP Erasmo Ramirez: 10-day IL (pectoral) – will miss series

SP Jose Ureña: day-to-day (forearm) – will miss series

SP Julio Teheran: 60-day IL (shoulder) – will miss series, due back next month

Tigers Pitching

The Motor City Kitties are still steeped in the middle of a total rebuild and their play this year reflects that, as they sit in last place in the AL Central with a 19-31 record. They have been better of late, though (10-7 since a 9-24 start), and more importantly, their rotation has been a verifiable success story: their starting pitchers have combined for a 3.94 ERA this season, good for 5th in the American League and ranking ahead of contenders like Boston and Oakland. A mix of improving veterans (Spencer Turnbull, Matthew Boyd), graduating prospects (Casey Mize), and “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” signings (Jose Ureña) have come together nicely to give the Tigers reliable quality innings (and, potentially, some ammunition for the trade deadline as they attempt to continue building up their farm system):

24 year-old RHP Casey Mize faces the unenviable task of going toe-to-toe with Gerrit Cole in the opening game as the Yankees will get their first look at the Tigers’ 2018 #1 overall pick. Mize has long been considered a very polished prospect with a diverse repertoire. As expected, he cruised through the minor leagues and made his Tigers debut last year. He struggled through seven major league starts in 2020 (6.99 ERA) and got off to another slow start this year (5.06 ERA in April), but has seemingly started to put it together in May (1.73 ERA), including a 6 IP, 3 H, 1 ER performance against a tough Red Sox lineup in Fenway on May 5.

Mize’s fastball hovers around 94-95 mph with middling spin; he plays it off a sinker and split-finger to get ahead in counts, and then throws a slider and curveball to try to put batters away. None of his pitches are particularly dominant, and thus he has not struck out a whole lot of guys; his path to success lies in his unpredictability and variety. He mixes in all of his pitches in all kinds of spots and counts to both lefties and righties, and picks up a lot of weak contact in the process:

Mize has walked more guys than one would expect of someone of his archetype, but that could be attributed to him recently reaching the majors and still figuring things out; he has always been known for having very good command and I expect him to rectify the walk issues moving forward. Nevertheless, the Yankees can and should attempt to drive up the pitch count and get free passes off him, because barreling up his pitches may prove difficult for the lineup they’re trotting out there (right-handed batters have posted a .199/.286/.321 line off Mize in his short time in the majors).

Spencer “Yes, Even I’m Throwing No-Hitters These Days” Turnbull will start the middle game of the series, and is having a very good season as he continues to grow as a pitcher with each passing year. Like Mize (and the rest of the Tigers pitching staff which ranks 14th in the AL in strikeouts), he hasn’t been racking up whiffs, but he’s been doing an awful lot of good stuff otherwise:

Turnbull was another polished, well-regarded prospect (2nd round pick in 2014) who was never expected to become a top-of-the-rotation ace due to his lack of strikeout stuff, but has nevertheless developed into a great piece for the Tigers because he locates his fastball really well, has good spin on his pitches, and rarely walks guys or gives up homers. He had already been discussed as a potential trade centerpiece as early as last season, and his strong performance in 2021 – especially after the no-hitter – has only intensified the rumors. He turns 29 in September so he’s not a young up-and-comer perfectly aligned with the Tigers’ rebuild timeline, but Detroit does still have him under team control through 2025, so it would presumably take a blow-you-away kind of package to pry him away from them at this point.

Tigers Lineup

While the pitching has looked promising, Tiger hitters have shown few signs of life this year:

The Yankees got a taste of the Tigers’ attempt at an offense last month, and the result was four Detroit runs in three games. Things haven’t been much better for them since; they remain a mishmash of AAAA guys and scrap-heap veteran signings (Ramos, Schoop) that have not shown much of anything, and the Yankees should consider themselves lucky to have run into them while in the middle of a rash of injuries.

While they have some exciting high draft picks like Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene percolating in the minors, there’s not much to get excited about at the major league level. Jeimer Candelario has been one of their few decent hitters, but he’s Andujar-esque at third base. Lovable Rule 5 draft pick Akil Baddoo has cooled off significantly after a thunderous start, but he has at least managed to stay afloat by drawing a lot of walks. Robbie Grossman also draws a lot of walks and has probably been their best all-around position player, and really one of their only real movable pieces at the deadline on the position player side.

JaCoby Jones has drawn interest from the Yankees due to their hole in CF. Sadly he has been futile at the plate this year:

He did slash .268/.333/.515 last year in a 30-game sample, in case you want to convince yourself that he could be primed for some kind of a change-of-scenery surprise bounceback. Detroit is not going to ask for much in return, so if the Yankees are in desperate need of a warm body to play center field, he’s a trade option.

Yankees focus on: Lucas Luetge

Luetge first made the majors with Seattle in 2012 and pitched for the Mariners for a few years as your run-of-the-mill lefty specialist, and not a particularly great one at that. He left them after the 2015 season and bounced around from organization to organization the next few years as a minor league depth piece, not once getting the call back up to the Show.

Now well into his thirties with a fastball that rarely reaches 90 and facing the reality of the newly-added three-batter minimum rule that largely made his archetype obsolete, it seemed like Luetge was not long for professional baseball. Instead he got a non-roster invite from the Yankees, pitched extremely well in spring training, made the major league roster, and is now doing this:

Not much was expected of him going into the season, but Luetge has posted a 2.66 ERA and 1.014 WHIP with a 24-to-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 23.2 IP. What’s more: after getting (predictably) crushed by them his whole career, Luetge has suddenly become really good at getting righties out! Right-handed batters are slashing just .211/.250/.316 against him in 60 PAs this year. How is it possible?

Basically he has been attacking them with his cutter, which is a pitch he only started to learn and throw in 2019. He has been working on it and building it up in the middle of his minor league forays the past few years, and it seems to have finally paid off this year. It is now by far his most-thrown pitch with roughly 64% usage, and he has located it really well and thrown it for strikes. It has paired brilliantly with his diving curveball, which has been close to unhittable so far this year as a put-away pitch.

It’s too early to tell if this is just small sample size noise or a legitimate career renaissance, but Luetge has rewarded the Yankees’ faith in him with some really solid innings in relief and has been one of their more inspirational stories in a bullpen that has a few of them. He managed to reinvent himself to save his career and the Yankees are reaping the rewards right now.

[orbemnews]

William R. Harris Dies at 79; Hoped to Curb Risks of Nuclear War This obituary is part of a series about people who have died in the coronavirus pandemic. Read about others here. For nearly four decades, William R. Harris devoted his career to safeguarding his fellow citizens. As an international lawyer and a sought-after consultant, he drafted treaties to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons and reduce the risk of accidental war. He modeled a framework for the government to continue functioning during a national catastrophe. He helped extend Daylight Saving Time to conserve fuel and focused officials on protecting the electrical grid from digital sabotage. He practiced what he preached, too, making sure to get his first vaccination for the coronavirus in early February, as soon as he was eligible and the vaccine was available. He completed the regimen by the end of the month. In late March, though, his family said, he received a jarring diagnosis: Covid-19. Mr. Harris also had chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and family members said that a few weeks after learning that he had Covid, he read an article in a scientific journal suggesting that the vaccine might not be fully effective for people with that type of leukemia. A week later, on April 21, he died in a hospital in Burlington, Mass. He was 79. His wife, Elizabeth, said the cause was Covid. Leukemia and other illnesses, as well as some treatments, can compromise the immune system and prevent it from properly responding to vaccines, leaving people still vulnerable to infection. “They’ll be walking around outside thinking they’re protected — but maybe they’re not,” Dr. Lee Greenberger, chief scientific officer of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, told The New York Times last month. No vaccine is 100 percent effective, and some so-called breakthrough infections can be expected, even in healthy people who have been fully vaccinated. But those cases are rare. As of April 26, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 9,245 breakthrough cases, out of 95 million fully vaccinated Americans; 132 people died. In a eulogy on Facebook, Mr. Harris’s daughter Darcy R. Harris described him this way: “As an international lawyer and policy wonk, his work spanned arms control treaties and verification, energy policy, space law. He was a consummate researcher, an early adopter, an innovator. On top of that, he was always working for free and helping others out.” Mr. Harris also left a legacy of community service. As a parent, he was committed to integrating schools. He coached soccer. In Newburyport, Mass., where he and his wife had lived since 2003, he championed preservation of the historic waterfront and making it accessible to the public. Updated  May 13, 2021, 7:20 p.m. ET He spent half of his career, from 1972 to 1991, as an analyst at the RAND Corporation in Santa Monica, Calif. He also worked as a consultant to agencies like the National Security Council and the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, and to congressional committees. During the Arab oil embargo, he urged both year-round Daylight Time, which was imposed temporarily in 1974, and a 55-mile-an-hour speed limit to save gasoline. To promote the use of solar energy, he supported legislation, which passed in some states, to protect a property owner’s access to sunlight. He dealt with improving the “hotline” communications link between the White House and the Kremlin and setting legal boundaries for the use of outer space. He was also the vice chairman of the InfraGard National Disaster Resilience Council, a collaboration between the F.B.I. and the private sector to protect vital services. William Robert Horwitz (he changed his surname as a teenager) was born on July 30, 1941, in Manhattan to Dr. William A. Horwitz and Dr. Henriette Klein, both of whom were professors of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University. He attended the Dalton School in Manhattan and, after graduating from the Choate School, now Choate Rosemary Hall, in Wallingford, Conn., earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Harvard College in 1962 and a law degree from Harvard Law School in 1966. In 1968, he married Elizabeth Jones. Along with his wife and their daughter Darcy, he is survived by another daughter, Rebecca Harris Deane; a son, William Proctor Harris; four grandchildren; and his sister, Susan Harris Molnar. Source link Orbem News #Curb #Dies #Harris #hoped #nuclear #Risks #war #William

[michaelandy101-blog]

Tips on how to Make Quotes for Instagram: 11 Apps to Attempt This Yr

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Tips on how to Make Quotes for Instagram: 11 Apps to Attempt This Yr

Once you come throughout a lovely sight — be it a seaside, a mountain, or your pet’s face — generally, it evokes you to assume larger about what sure sights and experiences imply.

For these moments, you would possibly contemplate posting a photograph on Instagram with an equally inspiring quote because the caption. However you would take it even additional — and save characters — by posting the photograph with the quote.

You’ve got seemingly seen quotes on Instagram posts earlier than, however it’s possible you’ll by no means have created one to your model’s account. Here is a current Instagram quote we shared right here at HubSpot:

Posting quote photographs on Instagram can diversify your content material on the platform and humanize your model somewhat, too. Everybody might use a motivational quote throughout a busy Monday morning or a gradual Tuesday afternoon, so check out an Instagram quote to your subsequent submit with the assistance of those free apps.

Instagram Textual content Apps to Make Inspiring Quotes

Featured Useful resource: 9 Instagram Quote Templates

HubSpot created a set of 9 Instagram quote templates for posts and tales – along with 13 extra free Instagram posts for enterprise. Download the collection of templates immediately to make Instagram quotes proper in Google Slides without spending a dime.

1. Canva

iOS, Android, Mac, or Web App

Canva’s many options prolong past text-based footage and, for that matter, social media. However the cellular app and its beautiful pre-made templates make it good for Instagram quotes.

Utilizing the Canva’s social media submit setting, you may draft banners, flyers, playing cards, and posts of all styles and sizes utilizing one among thousands and thousands of pro-level photographs to your quote background. In fact, be at liberty to snap a photograph on the go, as properly. One you choose your picture, you may select from greater than 100 fonts, alter the scale and shade, and publish.

2. Pablo by Buffer

Web App or Chrome Extension

Pablo is an easy app that means that you can make quotes for Instagram (in addition to Fb, Twitter, and Pinterest). You will have the choice of selecting amongst 600,000 photographs or importing one among your individual; including header, physique, and caption textual content; importing logos or graphics; and customizing with a filter. The choices are restricted, however the interface is extraordinarily streamlined, making it an excellent alternative for inexperienced persons. As well as, you may share on to the social platform of your selecting or use Buffer to schedule the submit for a later date.

three. Stencil

Web App, Chrome Extension, Firefox Add-On, Safari Extension, or WordPress

Relying on the plan you select, Stencil means that you can create quote photographs with their 140+ widespread presets, greater than 5 million high-resolution photographs (all royalty-free), and greater than 1275 templates. Even higher, Stencil has partnered with Google Fonts and among the high icon suppliers to customise your designs even additional.

It additionally helps you identify in the event you’re inside Fb’s really useful textual content limits and whether or not any of your content material may be lower off by widespread social media platforms.

To make sharing simple, you may ship your photographs straight to Instagram, utilizing their in-app social sharing choices, or via their native Buffer integration.

four. VanillaPen

Android or iOS

Image Source

VanillaPen manufacturers itself as a “powerful tool that will transform your regular posts into creative posters within seconds.” It consists of greater than 200 templates (with presets to make the design course of simpler), 86 fonts, and 360 ornamental parts. You may even have the power to carry out primary design capabilities corresponding to resizing, rotating, and extra. From there, you may export and share to the social media platform of your alternative.

5. Fotor

Web App, Mac, Windows, Android, or iOS

Fotor is a wonderful device that provides a variety of templates, fonts, photographs, and stickers to rival any of the apps on this listing. Nevertheless, what makes it stand out is its photograph modifying and retouching capabilities, making its function set just like that of Adobe Photoshop’s however easier. From background removers to blur results, Fotor will help you create beautiful graphics for Instagram.

6. Snappa

Web App

Image Source

With Snappa, you may have entry to greater than 6000 templates and 5 million photographs and graphics to make use of to your designs. It additionally has primary photograph modifying capabilities corresponding to background removing, brightness/lightness adjustment, and blurring performance. You may as well repurpose your designs into the best picture dimensions for a number of social platforms with out manually resizing and redesigning for each. The one draw back is that you just solely get three downloads per thirty days on Snappa’s free plan, however there are premium plans obtainable.

7. QuotesCover

Web App

What’s attention-grabbing about QuotesCover is that it integrates with a big database of quotes in order that you do not have to produce the textual content for the picture you create. Merely search the database, discover a quote, and cargo it into the QuotesCover editor. From there, it would generate an automated design, which you’ll edit with their background choices, textual content formatting device, stickers, and different design property. In idea, you may go from zero concepts to full-fledged skilled design in only a couple clicks.

eight. PicMonkey

Web App, iPhone, Android

Image Source

PicMonkey is one other a kind of instruments that may do all of it: photograph modifying (together with background removals), graphics, and templates created with the most effective practices for every social platform in thoughts. You’ll draw from their library of thousands and thousands of inventory photographs, movies, and animations. The large draw back to this device is that you’re going to want a subscription to obtain or share the pictures you create. Nevertheless, the plus is that the subscription comes with 1GB of cloud storage (or limitless storage in the event you select one of many premium plans). This lets you edit on the go, save to the cloud, and entry designs on different units.

9. Phrase Swag

iOS

Image Source

Phrase Swag helps you create textual content photographs which can be as edgy because the app’s title sounds. The app makes use of a particular typing engine to create recent quote designs primarily based on the background image you are working with.

Simply choose (or shoot) your image, kind your quote into the app’s plain textual content editor, choose one among +80 kinds, and shuffle via the varied decisions that seem. Phrase Swag has actually hundreds of quote and picture choices to select from via a helpful integration from Pixabay, a free picture gallery.

Understand that the free model locations a watermark on the picture.

10. Quotes Creator

iOS or Android

Image Source

Quotes Creator has a neat function that means quotes to make use of — together with their attributions — to take the work out of making an inspirational submit for you. We additionally like how subtly clear the watermark is to make it as distraction-free as attainable. That is one other easy-to-use app that creates quotes for Instagram in only a few easy steps — with a straightforward faucet to add to the platform.

Quotes Creator’s inventory background choices are somewhat tacky, so we advocate discovering your individual and importing them or utilizing their library of photographs.

11. Quote Maker

iOS

Image Source

Quote Maker is one other free app that requires a Professional model to unlock extra background and elegance choices, however you may all the time add your individual background in the event you really feel too restricted. You’ll be able to add neat decals to your model’s title or a stamp-like impact to an organization motto or mission assertion.

We advocate exploring the app, however one other warning — it may be glitchy in case your design and modifying actions get extra complicated. It is best for easy photographs, just like the one above.

Utilizing an Instagram Publish Template for Quotes

The apps above assist make quotes for Instagram rapidly utilizing templates as a substitute of ranging from scratch. Once you’re creating content material at scale, this will help you scale back the period of time spent on design and extra time specializing in the duties that matter to you.

Editor’s observe: This submit was initially printed in April 2021 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.

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