#i started watching severance like 28 hrs ago and Here We Are

[beguilingcorpse]

i have Very Many Thoughts about helena eagan and helly r. but the foremost one right now is like. lumon loooooves to use language about how the workers are family, in a sense beyond the usual corporate “we’re all a team here! we’re all one big happy family!! :)” lumon takes it to an oddly literal extreme. the employees are referred to directly as kier’s children, his offspring, his progeny. helena talks about it directly in the video at the gala, where she mentions that as a kid she assumed that she literally had hundreds of thousands of blood siblings.

and i’m so obsessed with the way the show examines that relationship reflexively: if workers = family, then family = workers. we start to see it in the reveal at the end of season one that helena (seemingly willingly) became a severed employee, but they’ve been playing with it more and more in season two - how the board intermediates and sometimes even stifles communication between helena and her father, how despite her status as heiress to the company and to the eagan legacy she’s often treated as a mid-level executive, how even when she grasps at autonomy by hijacking helly’s identity she is forced out and then not given a choice about letting her innie return to the basement.

and then to contrast that with the FOUND family in mdr - with helly’s romantic entanglement with mark, her sibling-like banter with dylan, and ESPECIALLY her paternal trust in irving - which helena seems to both be made uncomfortable by and to envy - where workers = family is a true and positive reality as opposed to cold corporate propaganda…..

Very Many Thoughts. i am so excited to see how they keep developing this

[thegloober]

2018 Wild Card Game Preview: Oakland Athletics

Yankees, Athletics announce 2018 Wild Card Game rosters

(Joseph Garnett Jr./Getty)

The playoffs are here! This win or go home match-up features the third and fourth best teams in baseball by record (or fourth and sixth by run differential), and, if prior Wild Card Games are any indication, it’s poised to be extraordinarily exciting.

So who’s ready for a night of stressful baseball? I know I am.

The Season Series

The Yankees and A’s met six times this year, splitting the season series three games apiece; both teams took two of their three home games. The A’s outscored the Yankees 33 to 28, with that edge coming from their last meeting of the regular season, which the A’s won 8-2. Four of the six games were decided by at least four runs, with the only close game coming way back on May 12; it was an extra innings affair that the Yankees won 7-6 thanks to a Neil Walker walk-off single.

Luis Severino faced the A’s in both series. The first time, at Yankee Stadium, he pitched quite well – 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 7 K. The next time around, things didn’t go quite so well, as he surrendered 6 runs (5 earned) in 2.2 IP. It was, by Game Score, his worst start of the season. Here’s hoping for more of the former than the latter.

Injury Report

Not much has changed since these teams met a month ago; the A’s are essentially at full strength.

Their 2018 Season

The A’s finished 97-65 with a +139 run differential, and it was basically a tale of two seasons for them. They sat at 29-28 with a -7 run differential heading into June, which was in-line with most of the projection systems out there. From June 1 forward, however, they went 68-37 with a +146 run differential – and looked downright unbeatable at times.

Painting in broad strokes, the A’s were a well-rounded team this year, finishing tied for second in wRC+ (110 as a team), 10th in ERA+ (109), and 10th in defensive runs saved (+25).

The Lineup We Might See

Manager Bob Melvin settled on a rough draft of a lineup over the last dozen or so games of the season, and it looks something like this:

Nick Martini, LF – .296/.397/.414, 1 HR, 0 SB, 129 wRC+ (179 PA)

Matt Chapman, 3B – .278/.356/.508, 24 HR, 1 SB, 137 wRC+ (616 PA)

Jed Lowrie, 2B – .267/.353/.448, 23 HR, 0 SB, 122 wRC+ (680 PA)

Khris Davis, DH – .247/.326/.549, 48 HR, 0 SB, 135 wRC+ (654 PA)

Matt Olson, 1B – .247/.335/.453, 29 HR, 2 SB, 117 wRC+ (660 PA)

Stephen Piscotty, RF – .267/.331/.491, 27 HR, 2 SB, 125 wRC+ (605 PA)

Ramon Laureano, CF – .288/.358/.474, 5 HR, 7 SB, 129 wRC+ (176 PA)

Marcus Semien, SS – .255/.318/.388, 15 HR, 14 SB, 95 wRC+ (703 PA)

Jonathan Lucroy, C – .241/.291/.325, 4 HR, 0 SB, 70 wRC+ (454 PA)

Mark Canha (113 wRC+ in 411 PA) is their lefty-masher off the bench, and Chad Pinder (113 wRC+ in 333 PA) can play almost every position. I reckon that we’ll see both tonight.

The Starting Pitcher We Will See

Liam Hendriks will be starting – or ‘opening’ – for the A’s tonight. He pitched to a 4.13 ERA (102 ERA+) in 24.0 innings in what was a fairly crazy year. He underwent surgery to remove a cyst earlier this year, needed a platelet-rich plasma injection for a torn hip tendon, and was designated for assignment back in June – at which point he had a 7.36 ERA. He didn’t return to the A’s until September 1, but from that point forward he had a 1.38 ERA in 13.0 IP. And his performance was enough for the A’s to trot him out there to kick things off in the Wild Card game.

The 29-year-old righty primarily throws three pitches – a mid-90s four-seamer, a low-to-mid 90s sinker, and a high-80s slider. He’ll mix in a change-up and curve at times, but I don’t think that we’ll see many of those in what should be an ‘air it out’ sort of appearance.

Treinen. (Ezra Shaw/Getty)

The Bullpen

A’s beat writer Jane Lee believes the team’s game plan for the bullpen may be as follows:

The second through fifth innings will likely call for some combination of Lou Trivino, Shawn Kelley, Yusmeiro Petit and Ryan Buchter. From there, Oakland would roll out setup men Fernando Rodney and Jeurys Familia for one inning apiece ahead of Treinen’s entrance.

Oakland’s bullpen has been a strength throughout the season, but let’s focus on those seven names. These are their numbers solely with the A’s:

Trivino – 74.0 IP, 10.0 K/9, 3.8 BB/9, 2.92 ERA

Kelley – 16.2 IP, 9.7 K/9, 3.2 BB/9, 2.16 ERA

Petit – 93.0 IP, 7.4 K/9, 1.7 BB/9, 3.00 ERA

Buchter – 39.1 IP, 9.4 K/9, 3.4 BB/9, 2.75 ERA

Rodney – 20.2 IP, 8.7 K/9, 5.7 BB/9, 3.92 ERA

Familia – 31.1 IP, 11.5 K/9, 4.0 BB/9, 3.45 ERA

Treinen – 80.1 IP, 11.2 K/9, 2.4 BB/9, 0.78 ERA

That’s a heck of a bullpen, with several dominant arms. Treinen was arguably the best reliever in baseball this year, and the options in front of him vary from solid to great. By WPA this was the best bullpen in baseball, and by fWAR it was fifth – and this is the best sample of that group.

Who (Or What) To Watch

This section feels kind of meaningless, doesn’t it? You’re watching a winner take all game between two well-matched teams – and, if you’re reading this, you’re a big-time fan of one of those teams. That won’t stop me from pointing out a few things, though.

These are two juggernaut bullpens. The Yankees were 1st in fWAR and 3rd in WPA, and match-up well with the A’s from top to bottom. How Melvin and Boone deploy their relievers may well be the determining factor in this game.

These are also two of the most prolific power-hitting teams in baseball, too. The Yankees finished first in home runs and ISO, and the A’s finished third in both – and the A’s play in a park that’s not terribly conducive to power. The Yankees have six players with 20-plus home runs, and the A’s have five.

And there’s a ton of history between these teams, to boot.

Yankees, Athletics announce 2018 Wild Card Game rosters

Source: https://bloghyped.com/2018-wild-card-game-preview-oakland-athletics/

[tan-ru]

Travellers’ Guide to Shanghai

Day 221 of 2017

Hello tumblr fam c:

2 weeks ago I started thinking about my 2018 vacation. Originally I concluded that I would be going to Shanghai, Beijing, and another city in between... but plans have changed. My family needs to hit up Hong Kong briefly to run some errands, so we decided to go to explore all of Taiwan and Hong Kong!!

Before I made that decision though, I already researched and compiled a list of all the things people suggested to do in Shanghai. Instead of putting that to waste, I figured I should share it with anyone who can make use out of it! 

Outskirts of Shanghai

Zhujiajiao 朱家角

A 1700 years old ancient water town with stone arch bridges and historical buildings.

1 hr transport from Shanghai

Try onion pancakes and pig trotters

Anji Bamboo Forest

Where the film “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” was filmed.

Chongming Island nature reserve

Third largest island in China

Main attractions:

Chongming Academy — one of the only ancient Confucian academies in Shanghai

Dongping National Forest Park — largest man-made forest in Eastern China with lots to do

Dong Tan Migratory Bird Protection Area — clouds of birds and great seafood

Jin'ao Mountain — a Buddhist site with East-China-garden-style landscaping

Districts

Xintiandi 新天地

Affluent district that was ruled by the French between 1849 and 1946.

Xujiahui

Commercial area

Shopping

East Nanjing Walking Street 南京步行街

Shopping / sightseeing

South Beauty (俏江南) at Super Brand Mall

International brands, luxury brands, as well as some local brands

Try sliced pork with homemade sauce

Not special prices

People’s Square Station Underground Mall

Dimei Mall and Hong Kong Underground Street are connected

Reasonable prices, but variety is limited

Qipu Road 七浦路

Locals’ shopping area, like a flea market

Small shops selling shoes, clothes, bags, luggage, souvenirs, jewelry, toys, etc.

Underground Market at “Shanghai Science & Technology Museum” Metro Station

Tourist trap filled with fakes

Dong Tai Road

Antique stores; all types of junk/treasure (e.g. baskets, ceramics, lanterns)

Taikang Road (Luwan District, Lane 210)

Tiny streets selling crafts and art

Hui Hui Road

Wide, bustling streets with a seemingly endless array of shopping malls

Skyline

Oriental Pearl Tower 东方明珠塔

Flagship Apple Store @ IFC Mall

Shanghai World Financial Center (SWFC) 上海环球金融中心

Currently the tallest structure in China and the second-tallest building in the world. You can pay to access the observation decks and get a paranomic view of Shanghai.

Jin Mao Tower 金茂大厦

88-storey skyscraper. The tower has an observation deck as well and the entrance fee is 100RMB.

Shanghai Tower 上海中心大厦

Under construction. It will surpass SWFC as the tallest structure in China upon its completion.

Riverside Promenade 滨江大道

The Bund 外滩

This is a waterfront area in Shanghai which gives you a paranomic view of Shanghai’s beautiful skyline.

Restaurants

Godiva Café @ IFC Mall

Mr. Choi Patisserie

Hai Di Lao 海底捞火锅 at Shanghai No. 1 Department Store 第一百货商店

Best hotpot (stated by OP)

Jia Jia Tang Bao 佳家汤包

Best dumplings (stated by OP)

Xiao Yang Sheng Jian 小杨生煎

Pan-fried dumplings

Quan Ju De (全聚德) at Purple Mountain Hotel (紫金山大酒店)

Best Peking Roast Duck in China (stated by OP)

Tip: Don’t go to any of the restaurants with large picture menus just off the Nanjing Road. The prices might not be too bad but the food is crappy.

French Concession

Fuxing Park 复兴公园

Sinan Road 思南路

Famous for its century-old plane trees

Shaoxing Road 绍兴路

450m street with cafes, art galleries, book/clothing stores.

Best known as Publishing Street because it houses some of the city’s most famous publishing houses like Shanghai People’s Publishing House and Shanghai Literature and Art Publishing House.

Number 96 — a café known to be Shanghai’s best-preserved example of the shikumen (literally, stone gate) housing style, so named due to the stone door frame.

Tianzifang 田子坊

A lively area that has managed to retain the old world charm of Shanghai with its shikumen buildings and other original architectural structures.

Really crowded but has a unique vibe

Get 豆腐花 and pan-fried squids with chilli sauce

Huaihai and Hengshan roads

Old City of Shanghai

Yuyuan Garden 豫园

Ming Dynasty style buildings that almost seemed to be newly built. 

Connected to City God Temple which is both a large temple complex and commerce district specializing in traditional arts and crafts.

West Nanjing Road

Jing An Temple 静安寺

It was first built in 247 AD beside the Suzhou Creek, and subsequently relocated to its current site in 1216. It’s majestic, but the entrance tickets were extremely pricey at 100RMB.

Attractions

Shanghai Science & Technology Museum

Hands-on interactive Science Museum which provides a fun educational experience. It has five main interactive exhibits, audio-visual rides and four interactive theatres. There is even a good food-court where you can have your lunch.

Entry Fees: $8.55 (¥60) adults; $6.45 (¥45) high-school students; $2.85 (¥20) children

Timings: Tuesday to Sunday 9am-5:15pm (last ticket sold at 4:40pm)

Century Park

Shanghai Museum

Located in the Huangpu district of Shanghai

Houses a collection of over 120,000 pieces, including bronze, calligraphy, furniture, ceramics, jades, seals, ancient coins, paintings, sculptures, foreign art and minority art.

The admission is free, only special exhibitions have an admission fee of 20 Yuan.

Jade Buddha Temple

Located in the western part of Shanghai. 

Founded in 1882 

Features a reclining Buddha 1.95 meters tall and weighing 3 tonnes

Madame Tussauds

Wax museum in Shanghai's Huangpu district 

World famous for its life-like wax figures. 

Tourists are allowed to make their own hand models by themselves and take them home as souvenirs.

Shanghai Circus World

Located in Zhabei District

1,638-seat circus theater with a revolving stage, computer-controlled lighting, and state-of-the-art acoustics. 

Includes a gigantic animal house with rooms for elephants, tigers, lions, chimps, horses, and pandas.

Shanghai Equestrian Course

Professional guides who teach and escort through horse rides. 

You will be provided with a retired yet well-behaved and trust-worthy horse. It's been 15 years since its establishment. 

Psychedelic Tunnel

This tunnel runs from the Oriental Pearl Tower of Pudong to the Bund of Puxi. $4.74

Shanghai History Museum

Shanghai's history and culture laying an emphasis on the colonial period.

Life-sized models fill the museum.

Entry Fees: ¥35

Shanghai Ocean Aquarium

Largest aquarium of Asia, exhibiting 28 different sections, and housing more than 10,000 aquatic animals including sharks, lion-fish, jelly-fish, turtles, sea otters, Yangzi sturgeon etc. 

Highlight: glass tunnel with a clear vision of Sand Tiger shark, Port Jackson shark, Chinese water dragon, giant Gourami etc.

Acrobats

Shanghai Centre Theatre, 1376 Nanjing Road; tickets from Y100-Y200; www.shanghaiacrobats.com

Suzhou

Lion Grove Garden 狮子林园

Allegedly the last remaining rock garden in China.

A Zen Buddhist monk, Wen Tianru, built the Lion Grove Garden in 1342

Humble Administrator Garden 拙政园

The finest garden in Southern China.

The garden is so named because the original owner, Wang Xiancheng was a public servant who had gone through a difficult political career. Hence, he wanted to build a beautiful garden where he could enjoy his twilight years.

Tongli Water Town 同里镇

A rustic charm with its stone bridges, well preserved ancient architecture, private gardens, temples and centuries-old houses.

The town has forty-nine stone bridges, but the most famous are the three bridges named Taiping (peace), Jili (luck) and Changqing (celebration). They are supposed to bring good luck if you walk over all three in sequence.

Pingjiang Road 平江路

A stretch of street along the riverbank that houses a tidy sprawl of modern cafés, traditional Chinese tea houses, souvenir shops, street food vendors and restaurants.

Hangzhou

West Lake (西湖) - bike ride

An iconic freshwater lake in Hangzhou. It is the most popular tourist attraction in Hangzhou.

Liulang Wenying Park

Leifeng Pagoda - The structure was constructed in AD 975, and rebuilt again in 2002 after it collapsed in 1924.

Jingci temple - originally built in AD 954. The temple has been destroyed and rebuilt several times throughout history.

Huagang Park

Three Pools Mirroring the Moon - buy boat tickets - This is an artificial island situated in the south-western part of West Lake. The “three pools” refer to the three pagodas near the island, which have hollows in which lamps can be placed, creating the illusion of moon reflections on the lake. 

Yue Fei Temple - boat ride - This is a temple built in honour of Yue Fei, a legendary general of the Southern Song dynasty.

Su Causeway - This bridge is three kilometres long and connects the North and South shores of West Lake. The poet-official Su Dongpo built it during the Northern Song Dynasty. 

Autumn Moon over the Calm Lake

Lou Wai Lou

Impressions West Lake show

Must-watch -  intimate storytelling, the clever use of West Lake to create spectacular theatrical effects, the beautiful Chinese costumes, and of course, the well-choreographed performances.

Hubin Road

Upscale district of luxury brand shops, restaurants, and shopping malls.

Disclaimer: I’ve never been to Shanghai, so all this information comes from Google searches. These are all recommendations and information from others. 

I didn’t keep track of all the sites I went on but here are the ones I could find in my history:

- http://www.eatandtravelwithus.com/2015/08/shanghai-travel-guide/ - http://www.visionsoftravel.org/shanghai-trip-5-days-travel-itinerary/ - http://leaveyourdailyhell.com/2015/11/06/three-days-in-shanghai/ - http://www.mygola.com/7-day-itinerary-for-shanghai/q25190

Thanks for stopping by, see you tomorrow!! &Tell me about your day ♥