#made the design for Mic & Zack

[the-flower32]

Monsttober week 1- Gorgon

(this was going to be a comic but my brain said no)

The Farm of Spencer Spector; A Petrifying Mishap

Nestled on the edge of Ashwood lays a small farm, a few fields of produce and a two story wooden house sat among a few acres of land, just in front of a Large and dark forest. No one in Ashwood ever went into that forest. Strange stories of inhuman beings wandering in and out of it scared almost everyone away. But Spencer Spector wasn't just anyone, and she had been comfortably living there for many years. 

She was a spry old woman, brown hair streaked with grey, crows feet under her blue eyes, and perpetual grass stains on her jeans. 

No one remembered her ever hiring anyone, or having any family nearby, yet she still had guests walking about her property. And some swore they saw a strange creature milling about the fields, carrying a scythe. 

But she was a friendly and kind woman who ran a successful stall at the farmers market, and frankly made some of the best pies in town. So no one payed much mind to her strange company. 

Recently she posted an add for someone to help her keep up with her work and chores, her age was making it hard for her, the add sat for weeks untouched till one day a new stranger cam into town. 

“-and thats why I think this years stall should be themed around something less scary.” Spencer finished, taking a sip of her coffee. She was sitting on her porch and talking to one of her ‘strange’ friends- Oreta.  “Oh- do you remember that Ad i put out a few weeks ago?”

“The one for a house keeper, or was it a farm hand?” Oreta asked

“It was both. Someone answered it!” 

“Really?” Oreta took a sip out of her own glass. “Have they… met your ‘other visitors’ yet?”

“Only a few, Zack nearly gave them a heart attack, apparently they’re not from Ashwood and managed to miss all the rumors people spread about his palace.”

“And they still wanted to work here?”

“Yep, poor kid’s having a bit of a housing issue and only wanted a place to stay.”

“Oh poor thing.”

“I know, so I let them stay in the guest bedroom.”

“Must be a pretty bad fix if they still wanted the job.”

“Oh no,” Spencer smiled, “they were quite curious about Zack after they calmed down and, so far, have been getting along with the others pretty well.”

“Whats they’re name” Oreta asked

“ its ‘Mike’ but spelled funny-, M-I-C.”

“Oh like microphone?”

“Yes.”

“Interesting,” Oreta held her glass up to the snakes popping out of her head, three of them took a sip, “well im glad you’ve gotten stable help. I know you have Zack but theres only so much he can do. With his wooden limbs and such.”

“Hey Miss Spector!” 

Spencer and Oreta turned towards the source of the noise, there was Zack; a strange being made of burlap sacks, wooden planks for legs, hinged arms that dragged on the floor with crude fingers, stitched clothing that barely fit its body, and stood about six feet tall. Who was expected, then there was Mic; 

Human, about five foot three, pale, short brown hair with a streak of green in the bangs, green overalls, miss-matching pink and green socks, fingerless striped pink gloves, and heavy eyeliner around their russet eyes.

“Zack and I got all the corn-” Mic meet eyes with Oreta and stoped moving, eyes wide.

“Oh shoot!” Spencer clapped a hand over her mouth. 

“You forgot to give them a anti-petrification charm didn't you?” Oreta asked, unclipping the reflective sunglasses from her shirt and putting them over her eyes.

“I did. Could you go inside and get Zyler for me?”

“No problem.”

A few hours later Zyler, a witch, had removed the petrification from Mic. Mic swayed to the side and was able to steady themselves, shaking their head to get a grip on what had happened.

“I am so sorry, I’ll get you an anti-petrification charm as soon as I can, I promise!” Spencer said, offering Mic a glass of water.

“Your fine Miss Spector.” Mic said, balancing against the counter and taking the glass.

“The nassau should were off in an hour or two!” Oreta said from the kitchen door way, “i’ll be sure to keep my glasses on till you get that charm.”

“Thanks.” Mic nodded to the Gorgon.

“Im just gonna leave you with this,” Zyler said as he handed Spencer a ornate bottle of the de-petrification potion, “Im not gonna be in town for a few days.”

[aspiestvmusings]

TMS S3: GROUP A

THE MASKED SINGER SEASON 3  GROUP A/ GROUP 1: (contestants 1 - 6)

EP 3x01: CLUES & MORE: RECAP for remaining 5: 

SPOILERS BELOW!!!

KANGAROO

CLUES: 

Location: Outdoors: “Australia” 

Location: Next to a /in a yard of a “peach coloured” building with arch/vault-style architecture 

VISUAL CLUES:

Sign: OUTBACK (with the U being in the shape of horseshoe)

Sign: Yellow “road sign” with an arrow pointing down (”spiraling down”) 

MIB as papparazzi/press following her - taking pics, media attention (for “the wrong reasons”) 

Gramophone on a tree branch 

Boxing bag -  the kangaroo boxing/hitting the boxing bag 

Jump rope - the kangaroo jumping over a jump rope (made of a vine...held by MIB)

AUDIO CLUES/VOICE OVER:

”Like most of you watching, I’m a survivor.” 

“I recently lost a person, who held my familys heart together. Then, by my own admission, I found myself in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.” 

“But I’m here to do what kangaroos do best - bounce back.”

“I have to fight for my family. And show them that bullies never win.”

“I am beyond terrified - I’ve never done anything like this before. But I’m not about to lose the chance to realize the dream I’ve always had.” 

“To all the survivors out there -- This one’s for you.” 

 ON STAGE CLUES:

Song choice: “Dancing on My Own” by Robyn 

Look/Costume: The kangaroo has a pouch (indicates female), but also has a red/silver boxing outfit & gloves (indicates male). Outfit colours: red & silver. Important: there is a crown on the back of her robe. 

Stage: hexagon-shaped mirrors (5 of  them) surrounding her/behind her [if my other guess is correct, then that stage design is a “clue”] 

Height: Tall-ish...almost the same height as host Nick. A bit shorter, around 175cm, probably.

Mic hand: Right 

Talking:  “One of my greatest fears is being vulnerable. And this year I’ve had no other option than to be vulnerable. But...with this kangaroo costume I feel like I can get my superpowers back.” +  [breathes in/sighs heavily before the song starts]

GUESSES: 

I HAVE NO NAMES OF MY OWN. -- I thought she was this certain female artist, because the voice kinda seemed familair (sounded like hers to me), but none of the clues and other things seemed to fit. And after checking the clues it seems to confirm it cannot be her, cause nothing matches. Also... to me she doesn’t sound like any of the singers I thoughts she could be based on the clues, so... I havent actually figured her out...

I think people online are correct, and it’s a certain “reality star” (gramophone = reference to her dad being a sound engineer on a well-known past TV show) Though I am considering a few more options - mostly other reality stars/youtubers/family members of celebs... particularily one name. If my guess here is correct, then just like Llama, she would have a connection to a previous TMS contestant...but since I am not that familiar with her singing voice, I cannot be sure. But she has lost family members in the past few years, she has been in a media scandal, and you can even explain the australia thing kinda... so...until I hear more of her, I’ve got one name mainly in mind. But I wont name it until I’ve heard her sing at least once more.

POSSIBLE MEANING OF CLUES.

Survivor = the title of a “Destiny’s Child” hit song

Lost a family member recently = either her family member (parent, grandparent?) died or they parted ways (were cut ouf of each others lives)

Gramophone = possibly a reference to a Grammy nomination/win. Or just music/sound/audio

Outback = possible connection to Australia

“spiraling down” road sign + papparazzi following her = she’s been in a media scandal “recently”

Crown = King/Queen 

LLAMA

CLUES: 

Location: Radio station/Mixing studio - mixing console (close up) 

Location: Pottery making “class” 

VISUAL CLUES:

Mixing console - close up of a studio/radio station mixing console 

23.3 The Wool (name of the radio station/show) 

Red lightbulb in the studio 

Photo of a bull (the animal)

Playing cards: Ace of Spaces & Jack of Spades). Two black suit cards showing (Jack Black)

Sounds of Seattle - title of a vinyl album 

Romancing a llama: pottery 

AUDIO CLUES/VOICE OVER:

"Mi-Mi-Mi-Mi-Mix it up!”

“Good morning, Nerd herd! You’re listening to The Wool. Where we’re all cool. No Bull.” 

“I’m here for one reason only - to have a laugh. And what’s funnier than a Llama? (laughs at his own joke)”

“You may call me a joker. But I’d like to get serious for a minute. The song I’m singing tonight is my favourite track for celebrating love with that... special someone. There’s nothing like being swept up by it’s deep, profound lyrics. It’s a tune that really gets me in the mood for romance. I can’t wait to sing it for you tonight.”

“Llama out!” 

ON STAGE CLUES:

Song choice: “She Bangs” by Ricky Martin 

Look/Costume: Dressed as a tourist - “hawaiian” style shirt,, photo camera around his neck. Llamas tongue out of his mounth, on the side. 

Height: he is around 180cm - about the same height as host Nick (their shoulders are on about the same height)

Mic hand: Left 

Talking: “umm.. This whole costume just spoke to me... My vibe... I wear digs like this in real life.” (answering the question about his costume & it’s looks) 

GUESSES:

Drew Carey (TV host/comedian/actor...)

POSSIBLE MEANING OF CLUES.

23.3 Wool = His show (The Drew Carey Show) had, during it’s 9-season long run, a total of 233 episodes. 

Photo canera prop = His hobby is photography. Actually, it’s more than just a hobby - he has been accredited press photographer during many (sports) events.  

Radio = He was a radio operator during the time he served in the Marine Corps. Also..he’s hosted a radio show (radio DJ) during his later career 

Red light in the room = photography reference. In the DarkRoom red light is used when developing photo film/photographs.

Buddha figurine (Dalai Lama/Llama joke) = He is a buddhist. 

Joker = he is a joker aka comedian 

Seattle = He is the co-owner of a Seattle Football Club. 

Playing cards = He took part in the celebrity poker game in 2003, where he did better than Jack Black did (played against Jack Black)

Nerd herd = He did take part in Zack levis (Chuck) “Nerd herd” lightsaber race one time at a Comic-Con convention. 

Nerd herd = his show (DCS) & character were/was about nerds/was a nerd

Llama’s side tongue = early in his stand-up comedy days he had a joke with a side-tie (it looked visually very similar to what the llama’s tongue looks like - he just added some wires & tape to do “the trick” of swinging the tie to the side)

BONUS: He knows last years winner, “The Fox Mask” - they did “Whose Line is it Anyway” together, so... connection... 

SPOILER ALERT: Llama is the mask who will be voted off next - in ep 2 (on Wed, Feb 5th). But while his voice might not be as trained as some other contestants, I loved his stage energy, and the comedy/fun he brought! One more song coming from him! And no, I am not sharing some secret info - they “accidentally” revealed the first two contestants, who get unmasked, so it’s been revealed by the network...for those, who notice small details...

MISS MONSTER 

CLUES:

Location: Lady’s restroom/bathroom. The moster getting ready (coming hair, applying hairspray...) 

Location: school hallway - lockers 

VISUAL CLUES:

Sign:  (image) ladies restroom 

Itmes on the counter in bathroom/dressing room: Furspray (hairsray) can,  pink bottle of some beauty product, three crystals (stones), a piece of sequin fabric 

Key/Keychain: a single (old style) key with a keychain that says “FUN” #FUN #KEY = FUNKY = “QUEEN OF FUNK” 

Purple furry diary/good luck charm/cosmetics bag/pencil box (with a face + kitty ears & unicorn horn) + a glittery pen 

Lockers: Lockers numbered 10 (the ones she opens) & 11 (the one next to it)...with no other lockers having numbers on them 

Miss Monster Locker: filled with images of S1 Monster, scrapbook flowers..etc...

Piece of paper on the locker door: Monster Hits.

Photograph of a cityscape (skyline with many skyscrapers) on the locker door [if I could only see the image better to know which city it is on it, that’d be one more clue]

AUDIO CLUES/VOICE OVER:

“When you become famous, people  want you to look or act in a certain way. They forget that you started off as just a shy little monster.” 

“It didn’t take long for me to be misunderstood. So I’m here to set the record straight. Just like my favourite creature in Season 1 did. The Monster. He made me feel. He re-wrote his story. It was fire!" 

“And now this performer in pink wants to follow in his furry footsteps, But darlings... I’m nervous. Will you still love me without knowing my name?”

ON STAGE CLUES: 

Song choice: “Something to Talk about” by Bonnie Raitt

Look/Costume: pink & purple/violet furry costume with a bowtie

Height: she is short-ish (shorter than host Nick). She looks very short (barely 5 feet - more Dolly P. height 152cm than Chaka K height 162cm)

Mic hand: Right 

Talking: NO ON-STAGE TALKING!

GUESSES: 

Chaka Khan 

Dolly Parton (since the total number of Grammy noms that the 18 contestants have in combined in 69 & Robot as the first revealed one has had 24-25 of them, that leaves only 44-45 for everyone else, that rules out this person, because she alone has had 46 nominations...compared to C. Khan’s 22 noms)

POSSIBLE MEANING OF CLUES. 

Number 10 = She has 10 Grammy Awards/wins. (interestinly: both D. Parton & C. Khan have 10 Grammy wins!)

Monster Hits = she has had (many) hit songs during her career 

He made me feel = She has a song by the title “I Feel You” (1984 hit)  

It was fire = She has a song by the title “Through the Fire” (1985)

Will you love me - that is (word for word) the title of of her her hit songs, “Will You Love Me?” (2007)

It was fire = She wrote the hit song “Fule to the Flame” (1967 hit) for Skeeter Davis. 

Will you still love me? = She has/wrote a song titled “I will always love you” 

Furspray/Hairsray = he was/is known for her big hair/haircut (managing that probably takes lots of hairspray)

FUN = FUN(K) #FUN KEY [FUN:KI] - she’s kinda the “queen of funk” (one of her albums is titled “FUNk This” (btw: Pun intended by her!) 

TURTLE 

CLUES

Location: school’s track & field event (Balzano Track Field) - contestants getting ready to run. The slow turtle surrounded by fast bunnies, all preparing for the event. [Slow & steady (turtle) wins the race]

Location: Schools track & field event - BANG! The race begings. The three other contestants (MIB as bunnies - wearing pink bunny ears - starting the race with a head start, all jumping on their blue bouncy balls)

VISUAL CLUES:

Turtle vs bunnies 

BANG! in comic style - to mark the start of the race 

The others (three bunnies) bouncing on blue balls whe n the race begins 

Surf board - the turtle poliching/cleaning his poink & blue surf board 

Pins on the track...popping the blue jumpy balls 

Grilling burgers on an (outside) grill...on the track field. 

Turtle crossing the finish line first (bunnies just going in circles, being stopped by pins on the way, or other reasons), as he has time to do other things & take it slowly, and then still get there first...with a burger in hand & winning the golden medal.

AUDIO CLUES/VOICE OVER:

"At the starting-line of my career I was surrounded by other hungry new-comers. It felt like everyone around me was fighting tooth-and-nail for the dream. And I watched as many of those stars burned too brightly, too quickly, and then fizzled down”

“I’m a turtle, because I’m always taking it step-by-step.”

“Slow and steady wins the race. But now I feel like I’m ready to break out of my shell. After years of preparation I would love to make a big splash. So I don’t want anyone to cross that finish line before me.” 

ON STAGE CLUES:

Song choice: “Kiss from a Rose” by Seal 

Look/Costume: Punk/Rock-style, dressed in leather (pants, jacket), has a spike (hair)

Height: Short-ish (shorter than host Nick) - seems around 175cm. Small in size.

Mic hand: Right 

Talking: “It’s hot. It’s really hot. And it’s heavy!” (when answering how doesn it feel to be in that costume and perform in it)

GUESSES

Jesse McCartney 

Joey McIntyre  PS. I tried connecting the voice to any boy-bands (of 1990s & 2000s), but I coukdnt. Even after some “research” - listening to each possible candidate...and IMO it’s none of them. The voices dont match, the heights doesn’t match---But it did sound like someone, who for me was a one-hit-wonder. Yeah, I only know that one song (and one more) from him... but voice seemed familiar.

POSSIBLE MEANING OF CLUES: 

Surf board = that he is a surfer;  that he is from Cali/Australia/somewhere which is known as being popular among surfers; that he has won Teen Choice Award(s) (this award in in the shape of a surfboard)

being surrounded by other new-comers at the start of his career = either he got his start through a (singing) competition and was one of many contestants fighting for the win AND/OR he got his start in a “boy-band” and was one of the youngsters looking for fame...

Surf board = Teen Choice Awards - winning several TCAs for his first/biggest hit song/album in 2005, and more. And he’s played a surfer character on a TV show

BSB references/connection  - he was the opening act in 2005 for BSB during the European part of the tour. 

Dream = he started in a boy-band with the name “Dream Street”

on stage presence/body language (movements) = very similar to J.M. 

WHITE TIGER 

CLUES: 

Location: Football field. Tiger striking a power/winners pose. 

Location: School hallway, lockers. Tiger walking in, shoving everyone out of his way. 

Locatrion: School library (sitting behind a table, with his legs on the table) 

Location: School hallway, lockers. MIB trying to get him to audition for TMS. MIB (fans) taking selfies with him. 

VISUAL CLUES: 

Golden plate/sign with text: Ultimate champion for clam shucking: 51 clams” (next to a golden clam shell) 

Sign/ad on the wall: “Masked Singer tryouts 5/3.” + images of three past masks included: Eagle, Lion & Raven. Plus the text: “Hurry. Not for long" also written on it. 

Sign on the all with images of past US presidents, including Abe Lincolns & the text/quote “Four Score and Seven Years Ago...” 

The TMS golden mask throphee shown next to the lockers (as Tiger says “let’s party!”)

AUDIO CLUES/VOICEOVER: 

“Ready to meet your next champion? My entire life I’ve sought out perfection, so choosing a mask with unlimited power like the White Tiger was a no-brainer.”

“I’ve had a giant career full of accomplishments. But when I imagine being on stage (and) singing, I’m a big old scared cat.*

“It’s been a while since I did something that scared me, so I’m here to concour yet anither challenge.”  

“What’s my motivation? My fans! I don’t wanna let them down." 

“So now I’m ready to get in that ring and smash the competition.” 

“Let’s party!” 

ON STAGE CLUES: 

Song choice “Ice Ice Baby” by Vanilla Ice 

Look/Costume: Dressed in “Egyptian style"

Height: very tall & big (much taller than host Nick) - over 190cm, looks about 2m tall

Mic hand: R & L (alternates)

Talking: “It’s the most powerful I’ve ever felt. Like I can concour anything. I never wanna take it off” (when answering what did it feel like when he first put on the costume/mask)

POSSIBLE MEANING OF CLUES: 

He played during the 51st  (51 clams) & 53rd  (5/3) Super Bowl games. 

The three past TMS masks shown are all animals that are parts of  names of existing football teams: Ravens, Eagles, Lions. Meaning he is an athlete & specifically plays american football (NFL) 

The Lincoln quote translates to “87 years ago...”, so number 87 is the clue here. This could be a reference to player No. 87. 

He has had a very succesful career in his own field (sports). Singing is not his main job.

IF the voice-overs were done later, not during initial filming, then it’s possible that “smash” relates to the person smashing a lego-statue of a TV host during 2019/2020 New Years. Which in itself was supposed to be about his famous “Gronk Spike” during football games. 

A tiger (albeit “regular”, not white) was one of the characters & costumes + name of the sports team in the Katy Perry video “Swish Swich”, where this athlete also appeared. 

The Golden (Golden Mask) trophe - most likely a reference to his many wins (the trophees he/his team has won)

GUESSES: 

Rob Gronkowski (Gronk, athlete, 198cm) = 99% certain it’s him 

Because of the height alone (seems to be around/almost 2m = 6 feet 5) there are not that many possibilities at all. Even if we don’t listen to that voice or consider the clues. Based on height alone it can basiclaly be only one of these names: Dave Bautista (198cm); The Rock (196cm); Hulk Hogan (201cm); Tyler Perry (196cm); Brad Garrett (204cm); Joe Manganiello (196cm); Jeff Goldblum (194cm); Jason Mamoa (193cm); Tom Brady (193cm)..or the likes...

Even other possible names, like the ones listed by the panel, are not valid guesses, because of their height: John Cena for example is actually only 185cm tall. Also... several of these tall men are bigger/more muscular, so that makes it even easier to determine the name based on only the physical appeance...without even listening to the clues. 

ROBOT 

First mask to be voted out in ep 1

Havent listed his clues, cause there’s no use for them anymore, as he was voted off. 

With his 86 tattoos he makes up for about half of all the 160 tattoos the 18 contestants have combined. With his 24-25 Grammy nominations he makes up about 1/3 of all the 69 noms the 18 contestants have combined. And quite many of the 88 gold records the 18 contestants have combined,  belong to him (I don’t know the exact number, but most/all of his 10+ albums have gone gold, I think) - exact number depends on how they count it for this list.

<<<<< THIS IS WHAT GOES ON IN MY HEAD AFTER EVERY TMS SHOW/EPISODE. THIS IS HOW I CATEGORIZE THE INFO I HAVE INTO FOLDERS IN MY MIND. THIS IS HOW SPECIFIC I AM, AND HOW INTO DETAILS I GO. THIS IS HOW MUCH I PAY ATTENTION (while, most likely, missing a ton of more hints that I’ll only notice during re-watch) I JUST DECIDED TO WRITE IT DOWN...FOR ONCE. 

BUT... unless I decide to cut some sleep time to do this again, I am probabky not gonna do this after every episode. Possibly for the first episode of every Group (so beside ep 1, also ep 4 & ep 7)

[creativitytoexplore]

Going Deep Down the Rabbit Hole of Travis Scott’s ‘Fortnite’ Show

A Travis Scott concert is a force of nature.

I witnessed this first hand three years ago, during Scott’s “Bird’s Eye View” birthday show at Terminal 5 in New York. The front of the stage wass a mosh pit full of unchecked id and graphic tees, waiting at any given moment to turn the fuck up as soon as the first notes of “Goosebumps” hit. It only took me a few moments of trying to withstand this youth tidal wave before I realized my favorite place to be at the night show was either above the fray, or in the very back with the olds. Not that having the higher ground is necessarily an advantage — later that night, Scott egged on a fan in the nosebleeds to jump down into the pit, reportedly breaking his leg in the process. But for his trouble, Scott put one of his rings on the fan as the stretcher wheeled him out.

I feel the same way about Fortnite as I do about Travis Scott shows: I’ve been there, done that, and I’ve aged out. Or at least I thought I did. Fortnite’s cartoony nature was never my thing as much as the Predator-meets-Hunger Games vibe of Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds, which I’ve since ditched for Call of Duty: Warzone to get my battle royale fix. There’s also a strange, more uncomfortable uncanny valley I find myself in whenever my 12-year-old nephews and nieces start to show interest in things I’ve been aware of for a while — like Fortnite and Travis Scott.

But a funny thing happened when Travis Scott announced his “Astronomical” digital tour taking place on Fortnite: I was convinced enough to re-download the game. Granted, global shelter-in-place orders have made it easier for myself and countless others to expand our digital horizons, but I was definitely interested to see how it would play out.

Since there’s still a part of me mad for sleeping on last year’s Jordan brand skins, I didn’t want to miss out on the Travis Scott ones this time around.  So after missing the first two instances of the ten-minute event (it repeated several times this weekend), I used some spare V-bucks to virtually cop the Astro Jack and T-3500 skins (essentially a T-1000 face-melted version of the artist) and started doing the in-game challenges to unlock the best part of this mash-up: An emote that mimics the memeable moment Travis Scott lifted a fiery mic stand over his head.

This isn’t the first concert Fortnite’s had in-game, last year they held their first with electronic music artist Marshmello — someone most people would more closely associate with sterotypical gamer culture — and it garnered 10.7 million people. But that was literally like a concert held inside a game, replete with a stage, audience banter, Jumbotron screens displaying lyrics, and a dance floor — pretty much like going to Coachella in The Sims.

But “Astronomical” was nothing like that. Similar to how Pedro Cavaliere and Zack Bia’s IG Live DJ sets capture the ambience and subtle nuance of “in-the-know” parties where cool people congregate, Fortnite and Travis Scott channelled the spectacle of his tours into something that could only exist in a video game. And the effort put into it shows, but also paid off: 12.3 million people tuned into the first concert on Thursday evening.

Keep in mind, this is the same artist who had a gigantic robot eagle made for the stage, as well as an entire set with a roller coaster. The stage, set up in the Fortnite archipelago of Sweaty Sands echoed the 360-degree design from the Astroworld tour, but turned it into a Stargate. As the first verses of “Sicko Mode” started playing, a planet-sized sound system (with a booming speaker at its core) emerged from the portal, signaling the beginning of the event.

Travis Scott arrived like a final boss, preceded by a purple comet that crashed into the venue, sending everyone into freefall as his giant in-game avatar started rapping. If you got up close, you could see his Jordan 1s were the size of a house. But product placement aside (by the way, the Astro Jack character also wears Scott’s collaborative pair of Jordan 6s), the event did the unexpected and mixed the offbeat-but-mainstream appeal of Fortnite with the raw, slightly unhinged energy of a Travis Scott show. Characters banged their heads, wildly swung diamond-encrusted pickaxes at the environment around them, and turned the immersive music video into a digital mosh pit.

From the laser light portion that characterized “Sicko Mode” to the trippy underwater segment for “Highest in the Room,” the highlight of the event was the debut of “The Scotts,” Scott’s new single with Kid Cudi. It turns Fortnite‘s skydiving mechanic into an interstellar free-fall that ends with you crashing into a butterfly.

To get the fullest experience out of it, you actually had to play through the event. It just hits so much different than streaming it through IG Live or Twitch. As digital events continue to be a placebo for IRL gatherings, Travis Scott’s show was a welcome distraction from the foreboding uncertainty in the world outside of Fortnite. It was the perfect simulation of a good psychedelic trip.

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[kristinsimmons]

Charting The Economic History of US Health Reform

By MIKE MAGEE, MD

Adam Gaffney’s recent Boston Review article, “What the Health Care Debate Still Gets Wrong”, a landmark piece that deserves careful reading by all, reaches near perfection in diagnosing our health system malady.

Dr. Gaffney is president of Physicians for a National Health Program, and a co-chair of the Working Group on Single-Payer Program Design, which developed the “Physicians’ Proposal for Single-Payer Health Care Reform.”

A seasoned health policy expert, his article cross-references the opinions and work of a range of health commentators including Atul Gawande, Steven Brill, Sarah Kliff, Elizabeth Rosenthal, Zack Cooper, and Canadian health economist Robert Evans. But his major companion is Princeton health economist, Uwe Reinhardt, whose posthumous book, Priced Out: The Economic and Ethical Costs of American Health Care, was recently published by Princeton University Press.

Gaffney’s affection for Reinhardt is evident as he recounts his desperate upbringing in post-war Germany, challenged by poor living conditions, but made whole by access to health care.  Quoting a 1992 JAMA interview, Reinhardt states, “When we needed medical care, we got it at the local hospital, no questions asked. When you were sick, society was there for you.”

That acknowledgment is not only personal but historically significant, as I outline in my recent book, Code Blue: Inside the Medical Industrial Complex. The services Reinhardt received were part of a new national health care system funded fully by American taxpayers as part of the Marshall Plan. At the very same time, American citizens were denied a national health plan of their own as Truman was effectively branded a supporter of “socialized medicine” by the AMA and a cabal of corporate partners.

As Gaffney recounts, a young Reinhardt at age 19 relocated to Canada just in time to witness the birth of their National Health Care System. He travels next to New Haven to receive his PhD in Economics from Yale, and then settles into a long and distinguished career at Princeton.

In Priced Out, Gaffney finds an evolved Reinhardt, one who acknowledges that the problem is not simply opaque pricing (“It’s the prices stupid.“), and certainly not over-utilization of services as Atul Gawande popularly promoted, but rather the wasteful and rigged privatized system awash in ill-gained profits.

As Gaffney reports, “Reinhardt describes in Priced Out, hospitals and other providers have met insurers’ bloat through profound administrative distention of their own.” And “a cosmic law is that every dollar in expenditures is somebody’s income…(creating) fundamentally a political problem, not a technical one.”

For the solution, Gaffney turns to Canadian Robert Evans rather than Reinhardt, who “described in 1991 the special sauce of cost containment…universalism in conjunction with simple source funding.” In summary, Gaffney writes, “The way we pay for health care has produced a curious but deadly mix of deprivation and excess. There is no great mystery behind it. It’s the financing, stupid.”

As Code Blue’s tracking of the medical history however reveals, this declaration is incomplete without two important additions. The complexity Americans struggle with today was intentional, and the MIC would have been unable to execute their opaque, profit sharing conspiracy without the reinforcement of all sectors (including many patient support groups) reinforced by an integrated career ladder for academic medicine with overflowing and hidden conflicts of interest.

My own mentor, Columbia health economist Eli Ginzberg, cautioned in his 1990 book, The Medical Triangle, “The competitive market is an opponent, not an ally of cost containment.” Eight years earlier, Reinhardt’s Princeton colleague, sociologist Paul Starr, in The Social Transformation of American Medicine, commenting on similar risks with an air of hopefulness, wrote: “A trend is not necessarily fate.”

But my own research, tracking the evolution of the collusive Medical-Industrial Complex over the three quarters of a century following World War II and into the present, suggests that Starr’s fears expressed in 1982 of  “private plans controlled by conglomerates whose interests will be determined by the rate of returns on investments” was well founded.

How and why American medicine arrived at this point is now clear. Instead of embracing a thoughtful approach to strategic health planning following WWII, our nation encouraged a free enterprise and entrepreneurial attack on disease, even as our military built out rational national health systems for Germany and Japan. Along the way, major health sectors—including the medical profession, hospitals, insurers, and pharmaceuticals—infiltrated government bodies, weakening regulatory controls as they pursued self-interest and profitability ahead of the interests of American patients, families, and communities.

Cross-sector leaders like myself helped the various MIC sectors populate and socialize one another’s territories, at times competing, and at other times colluding in the pursuit of career advancement, deregulation, and federal funding. The new information age helped spawn complex insurance and delivery systems focused on mining and monetizing proprietary patient databases. These required expanding nonclinical workforces and encouraged the opaque gaming of the system and diversion of profits. More and more money flowed in to an ever-increasing number of derivative organizations, many flirting at the edges of criminality, that figured out how to gain entry into the increasingly complex pharmaceutical, insurance, hospital, patient care, electronic medical record, medical education, and scientific research supply chains.

As we entered the new millennium, players within the various MIC sectors discovered common political ground with the help of their overlapping lobbyists in Washington and statehouses across the land. But articles like Gaffney’s and books like Code Blue have increasingly exposed these opaque and collusive networks, making it clear that MIC complexity is intentional and conspiratorial, and must be opposed.

The majority of Americans now agree that universal health coverage is a central underpinning of a civilized society, essential to creating a stable government, an empathetic culture, and productive healthy citizens. Implementing such a program requires careful and thoughtful governmental planning and execution with integration of a wide range of other social services. It must be budgeted with careful prioritization, but it is certainly doable.

As Dr. Gaffney suggests, the required corrective action now is far more comprehensive and centers on the 800-pound gorilla we must subdue to truly free ourselves from the MIC syndicate’s stranglehold: our perverse, profit-driven, and incredibly wasteful health insurance system. Could the transformation we need be as simple as removing the age restrictions on Medicare and Medicaid, proposed by some on the left, thereby letting every citizen in on the benefits enjoyed by seniors and the needy during the past half century? Certainly that is one option worth discussing.

But to embrace true reform, we must follow the money and follow the data, and build on progress already made. Clearly the time has come for the US to join the rest of the industrialized world and consolidate health insurance into a standardized single-payer/multi-plan system that provides a secure package of basic benefits for all. The first step should be establishing minimum standards and a centralized control system, which would trigger a cascading series of changes leading to more detailed answers to the question “How do we make America healthy?”

In the Declaration of Independence, our nation’s founders proclaimed that equality was self-evident. Nearly 250 years later, what has become equally self-evident is that there is no equality without reasonable access to health care, and that universal insurance coverage is the only system that truly can provide access that is reasonable. Rather than resisting this approach once seen as “un-American,” our citizens are beginning to see single-payer/multi-plan universal access to affordable and effective care as the essential next step to ensuring what should be every American’s birthright—life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Mike Magee MD is a Medical Historian and Health Economist at the Presidents’ College at the University of Hartford. He is the author of Code Blue: Inside the Medical Industrial Complex (Grove Atlantic/2019). (www.mikemagee.org)

The post Charting The Economic History of US Health Reform appeared first on The Health Care Blog.

Charting The Economic History of US Health Reform published first on https://wittooth.tumblr.com/

[lauramalchowblog]

Charting The Economic History of US Health Reform

By MIKE MAGEE, MD

Adam Gaffney’s recent Boston Review article, “What the Health Care Debate Still Gets Wrong”, a landmark piece that deserves careful reading by all, reaches near perfection in diagnosing our health system malady.

Dr. Gaffney is president of Physicians for a National Health Program, and a co-chair of the Working Group on Single-Payer Program Design, which developed the “Physicians’ Proposal for Single-Payer Health Care Reform.”

A seasoned health policy expert, his article cross-references the opinions and work of a range of health commentators including Atul Gawande, Steven Brill, Sarah Kliff, Elizabeth Rosenthal, Zack Cooper, and Canadian health economist Robert Evans. But his major companion is Princeton health economist, Uwe Reinhardt, whose posthumous book, Priced Out: The Economic and Ethical Costs of American Health Care, was recently published by Princeton University Press.

Gaffney’s affection for Reinhardt is evident as he recounts his desperate upbringing in post-war Germany, challenged by poor living conditions, but made whole by access to health care.  Quoting a 1992 JAMA interview, Reinhardt states, “When we needed medical care, we got it at the local hospital, no questions asked. When you were sick, society was there for you.”

That acknowledgment is not only personal but historically significant, as I outline in my recent book, Code Blue: Inside the Medical Industrial Complex. The services Reinhardt received were part of a new national health care system funded fully by American taxpayers as part of the Marshall Plan. At the very same time, American citizens were denied a national health plan of their own as Truman was effectively branded a supporter of “socialized medicine” by the AMA and a cabal of corporate partners.

As Gaffney recounts, a young Reinhardt at age 19 relocated to Canada just in time to witness the birth of their National Health Care System. He travels next to New Haven to receive his PhD in Economics from Yale, and then settles into a long and distinguished career at Princeton.

In Priced Out, Gaffney finds an evolved Reinhardt, one who acknowledges that the problem is not simply opaque pricing (“It’s the prices stupid.“), and certainly not over-utilization of services as Atul Gawande popularly promoted, but rather the wasteful and rigged privatized system awash in ill-gained profits.

As Gaffney reports, “Reinhardt describes in Priced Out, hospitals and other providers have met insurers’ bloat through profound administrative distention of their own.” And “a cosmic law is that every dollar in expenditures is somebody’s income…(creating) fundamentally a political problem, not a technical one.”

For the solution, Gaffney turns to Canadian Robert Evans rather than Reinhardt, who “described in 1991 the special sauce of cost containment…universalism in conjunction with simple source funding.” In summary, Gaffney writes, “The way we pay for health care has produced a curious but deadly mix of deprivation and excess. There is no great mystery behind it. It’s the financing, stupid.”

As Code Blue’s tracking of the medical history however reveals, this declaration is incomplete without two important additions. The complexity Americans struggle with today was intentional, and the MIC would have been unable to execute their opaque, profit sharing conspiracy without the reinforcement of all sectors (including many patient support groups) reinforced by an integrated career ladder for academic medicine with overflowing and hidden conflicts of interest.

My own mentor, Columbia health economist Eli Ginzberg, cautioned in his 1990 book, The Medical Triangle, “The competitive market is an opponent, not an ally of cost containment.” Eight years earlier, Reinhardt’s Princeton colleague, sociologist Paul Starr, in The Social Transformation of American Medicine, commenting on similar risks with an air of hopefulness, wrote: “A trend is not necessarily fate.”

But my own research, tracking the evolution of the collusive Medical-Industrial Complex over the three quarters of a century following World War II and into the present, suggests that Starr’s fears expressed in 1982 of  “private plans controlled by conglomerates whose interests will be determined by the rate of returns on investments” was well founded.

How and why American medicine arrived at this point is now clear. Instead of embracing a thoughtful approach to strategic health planning following WWII, our nation encouraged a free enterprise and entrepreneurial attack on disease, even as our military built out rational national health systems for Germany and Japan. Along the way, major health sectors—including the medical profession, hospitals, insurers, and pharmaceuticals—infiltrated government bodies, weakening regulatory controls as they pursued self-interest and profitability ahead of the interests of American patients, families, and communities.

Cross-sector leaders like myself helped the various MIC sectors populate and socialize one another’s territories, at times competing, and at other times colluding in the pursuit of career advancement, deregulation, and federal funding. The new information age helped spawn complex insurance and delivery systems focused on mining and monetizing proprietary patient databases. These required expanding nonclinical workforces and encouraged the opaque gaming of the system and diversion of profits. More and more money flowed in to an ever-increasing number of derivative organizations, many flirting at the edges of criminality, that figured out how to gain entry into the increasingly complex pharmaceutical, insurance, hospital, patient care, electronic medical record, medical education, and scientific research supply chains.

As we entered the new millennium, players within the various MIC sectors discovered common political ground with the help of their overlapping lobbyists in Washington and statehouses across the land. But articles like Gaffney’s and books like Code Blue have increasingly exposed these opaque and collusive networks, making it clear that MIC complexity is intentional and conspiratorial, and must be opposed.

The majority of Americans now agree that universal health coverage is a central underpinning of a civilized society, essential to creating a stable government, an empathetic culture, and productive healthy citizens. Implementing such a program requires careful and thoughtful governmental planning and execution with integration of a wide range of other social services. It must be budgeted with careful prioritization, but it is certainly doable.

As Dr. Gaffney suggests, the required corrective action now is far more comprehensive and centers on the 800-pound gorilla we must subdue to truly free ourselves from the MIC syndicate’s stranglehold: our perverse, profit-driven, and incredibly wasteful health insurance system. Could the transformation we need be as simple as removing the age restrictions on Medicare and Medicaid, proposed by some on the left, thereby letting every citizen in on the benefits enjoyed by seniors and the needy during the past half century? Certainly that is one option worth discussing.

But to embrace true reform, we must follow the money and follow the data, and build on progress already made. Clearly the time has come for the US to join the rest of the industrialized world and consolidate health insurance into a standardized single-payer/multi-plan system that provides a secure package of basic benefits for all. The first step should be establishing minimum standards and a centralized control system, which would trigger a cascading series of changes leading to more detailed answers to the question “How do we make America healthy?”

In the Declaration of Independence, our nation’s founders proclaimed that equality was self-evident. Nearly 250 years later, what has become equally self-evident is that there is no equality without reasonable access to health care, and that universal insurance coverage is the only system that truly can provide access that is reasonable. Rather than resisting this approach once seen as “un-American,” our citizens are beginning to see single-payer/multi-plan universal access to affordable and effective care as the essential next step to ensuring what should be every American’s birthright—life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Mike Magee MD is a Medical Historian and Health Economist at the Presidents’ College at the University of Hartford. He is the author of Code Blue: Inside the Medical Industrial Complex (Grove Atlantic/2019). (www.mikemagee.org)

The post Charting The Economic History of US Health Reform appeared first on The Health Care Blog.

Charting The Economic History of US Health Reform published first on https://venabeahan.tumblr.com

[askthetriokzt]

so whats the reasoning for how the hero costumes look?

When I make designs, I try to keep a balance “What would the actual character pick” and practicality. So sometimes a design will have some major design flaws but it makes sense for the character to go with it. I mean, Present Mic wears leather all year round. There’s a TON of practical issues with that but its Mic, he’s 100% the kind of person who would have his costume be made of leather.

Kodo’s costume was probably the easiest one for me to come up with and went through no changes at all. First try. I don’t normally get that lucky. Meanwhile, Zack went through like 4 different designs before I finally picked one that I liked and even then, it went through a few changes. And finally Tachi, his costume went through a MAJOR overhaul, basically everything changing from the initial concept, with only really one part of it staying the same. And honestly I might still change things in the future, there can always be room for improvement after all.

Now Kodo’s costume is pretty simple and straight forward. Because Kodo is part of the Support Class, she actually made the costume herself. More so just for practice. But thats also why it just looks almost like normal clothes, and for Kodo, everything has a use. Nothing is ‘just for looks’. From the top down.First off, the goggles. Now, Kodo is immune to her own pollen but the goggles are to help prevent any from getting into her eyes since that would still hurt. That and it never hurts to have eye protection.Next up, the coat. The coat itself probably has the most uses and really makes the entire costume. Kodo’s biggest weakness is actually the cold, so the coat is made of some pretty thick material to help keep her warm (though she also has a lighter version for the summer), it also adds some decent durability to it. The coat is also made of some fire-resistant material but its far from fireproof. The pink fluff is actually petals and they add some color to the design, softness, and also emit a faint but soothing scent to help keep Kodo calm as well as anyone she might rescue. She is supposed to be a hero after all. And finally, the coat is lined with plenty of pockets for Kodo to store up on her Blast and Wisteria Seeds, as well as anything else she might bring with her.Despite already having ample of inner pockets, she still has a belt added to the outfit. Can never have enough compartments.Finally, Kodo actually created a pair of vines that attach to the belt at her waist. The vines were made to act just like her own though she hasn’t gotten to that point yet. While she does have control over them, they aren’t as reactive as her own vines, so the reaction speeds are much slower and the movements tend to be a little more stilled or stiff but they work well enough for now.

Zack’s costume has far less to it, mainly because he just prefers less. Less is more. Kodo does try to convince Zack to add something, like armor, something for his face or eyes, really anything, but Zack is more than content with how his costume is.First off, his hair is actually braided so its easier to keep out of his face. Its one thing if he’s just walking around or relaxing, but hero work is fast paced, high energy, always moving, so he cant have his hair getting in the way. That and he likes how it looks. Just adds to the ‘blowing in the wind’ look.Just like Kodo, the coat(?) is the main feature here. Its large, can cover most of his body, adds more color to the look, but the most important feature and really the main reason why Zack wears it (besides looking cool) is because its water repellant. Water just rolls right off of it. With a fire quirk, water is a HUGE weakness and pain, so having it just roll right off of it is a big plus.The kiseru is mostly for show as well, though it does serve a purpose. Zack can actually form smoke bubbles with it and can be used as a blunt weapon for emergencies.As for the rest of his outfit, for show, just to complete the look and go with the theme. Thats really it for Zack. He already has what he needs from a costume, the rest can just look good so long as it doesnt actively get in the way or hinder him.

Finally, Tachi. While Kodo is focused more on ‘use’ and ‘practicality’ and Zack is geared towards ‘looks’, Tachi is somewhere in the middle. He wants his costume to look good but to also serve a purpose and to aid not just him but those he will save.Starting with the Rat Mask. While his family has uh… some issues, he still wants to show some pride for his heritage, including his dad, so thats why the mask is rat shaped. Tachi also knows that if he does end up making it, commercialism is just bound to happen, so he might as well just make it easier. The kids will see a cute version of it, while the villains will face his version, striking fear in them. Or at least thats what Tachi says. Where the eyes are, are actually covered in red one-way glass. He can see out but they cant see in. Mainly because he is blind in one eye and he doesnt want that to be none right away.The vest has his family crest on it and is also made of pretty thick and strong material, meant to take quick a lot of hits and last a long time. His arms are bare though because of his quirk. Not the best idea but covering his arms would be pointless, just get in the way of his quirk in the long run.The gloves do help protect his hands and keep his fingers aligned properly when punching. As for why they’re fingerless, they just feel better that way. Tachi never really liked the feel of normal gloves, just felt too constrictive for him.The rest of his costume acts the same as the vest, thick heavy material that shouldn’t be easy to cut or tear.

When I look at all three of their costumes together, they don’t really go with each other at all and honestly, thats what I was going for anyway. They might be a team, but they are all different in many ways. Personality, likes and dislikes, roles, strengths and weaknesses, ect. And while their costumes are far from perfect, I do think that each one fits them rather nicely and says quite a lot about them.

[thesportssoundoff]

“From Brazil to New Zealand” UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs Lewis preview

Joey

May 5th, 2017

A five weekend streak of events continues onward with the sandwich from Auckland, New Zealand. After a surprisingly good Rio show, the UFC rolls into New Zealand with a pretty solid FS1 card with a few big fights at 125 lbs, 145 lbs and obviously the big headliner fight at heavyweight. The main and co-main pit Australians vs Americans as we've got Mark Hunt against streaking HW banger Derrick Lewis and Aussie Granddad Dan Kelly taking on Derek Brunson at middleweight. The top two fights could be pretty sad for the local crowd but they're well matched fights on paper and could provide for some nasty finishes. The rest of the card is a solid if unspectacular set of fights, the type of affair you'd expect from an FS1 card overseas. There's nothing BAD on the show but outside of maybe two fights, there's nothing you'd have to go out of your way to see.  That said, there's plenty of good stuff to talk about so let's talk about it!

Fights: 12

Debuts: 3 (Chan-Mi Jeon, Luke Jumeau, Ashkan Mokhtarian)

Fight Changes/Injury Cancellations: 3 (Joe Benavidez out, Tim Elliott in/Nadia Kassem out, Chan-Mi Jeon in/Warrelly Alves out, Zack Ottow in)

Headliners (fighters who have either main evented or co-main evented shows in the UFC): 6 (John Moraga, Derrick Lewis, Mark Hunt, Tim Elliott, Ross Pearson and Derek Brunson)

Fighters On Losing Streaks in the UFC: 5 (Derek Brunson, Thibault Gouti, Henrique da Silva, Ross Pearson, John Moraga)

Fighters On Winning Streaks in the UFC:  4 (Derrick Lewis, Dan Kelly, Damien Brown, Vinc Pichel)

Stat Monitor for 2017:

Debuting Fighters (Current number: 14-13)- Chan-Mi Jeong, Luke Jumeau, Askhan Mokhtarian

Short Notice Fighters (Current number: 8-13)- Chan-Mi Jeong, Zack Ottow

Second Fight (Current number: 16-18)- Alexander Volkanovski, JJ Aldrich

Twelve Precarious Ponderings

1- Since the start of 2014, Mark Hunt's UFC run has been memorable if nothing else. He's 3-3-1 with a no contest vs Brock Lesnar thrown in to the mix. What's more, all three of those losses are by (T)KO and each one seemed to be more and more distressing. He took an ungodly amount of punishment vs Stipe Miocic, got KO'd by a guy who (at the time) wasn't known for being a good striker and last time out he got faceplanted vs Alistair Overeem. Hunt has evolved since his UFC debut but time is not on his side and he seems to be consistently getting put up against guys who are either too big, too strong (heh) or too versatile for him. What's more, his biggest fight seems to be with the UFC over wanting a "Mark Hunt" clause where fighters who face steroid/PED users get their purse if they pop positive for a test. It's absurd (for an abundance of legal reasons) BUT it is a worthy enough cause one supposes.

2- As much as we all love Derrick Lewis' "Swangin' N Bangin'" style of fighting, he actually seems to do his best work (I'm serious here) when he's able to secure a takedown and get on top of dudes. If he gets you against the fence, he's going to tee off on you but when he gets on top of you, few guys can survive the amount of offense he's able to put forth in close quarters. He simply hits too hard for a lot of these guys. While Mark Hunt is not somebody you can easily takedown, when he HAS been taken down, there have been fights (Silva, Brock, Stipe) where his inability to get up has been exposed. If Hunt's unable to get to his feet then this is going to be a short night for him.

3- I wonder if Lewis feels like he's competing against Francis Ngannou here. In a way, Lewis and Ngannou have been trying to top one another as both have trucked their way to equally impressive winning streaks. Ngannou flattened Arlovski in a round and then Lewis the next month went out and crushed Travis Browne in two roundds. Lewis has Hunt here in June and in August or September, Ngannou gets JDS. With Cain/Stipe believed to happen in August or September (and believe me if I'm those guys, I wanna fight in August and avoid two big PPVs if Conor/Mac happens) then one of those two guys will get the title shot. So in a way, arent they competing against one another?

4- Is it wrong to be scared for his well being when Dan Kelly fights Derek Brunson? Yeesh.

5- Derek Brunson could be heading into this fight on a seven fight winning streak had some things gone his way. While I think the level by which has Robert Whittaker hurt is somewhat overstated, there's no doubt that he had Whittaker reeling at times before he got too sloppy and got finished. Vs Anderson Silva, he fought like a guy who was fighting Anderson in his prime which led to him losing a decision I think he probably could have or should have one. With two losses in a row, Brunson gets IMO a rebound fight against glacially slow yet successful Dan Kelly. It's a fight he should win but we've heard THAT before when it comes to Dan Kelly haven't we?

6- Mizuto Hirota vs Alexander Volkanovski is a pretty interesting fight if you're looking for new names from Australia who could emerge. Volkanovski rocks a 14-1 record and a pretty spiffy fighting style that should earn him plenty of support on the regional circuit. He was relatively dominant in his win over Yasuke Kasuya but then made the decision to drop to 145 lbs where Mizuto Hirota will greet him. By now you know what Hirota is good at and you know that if somebody is going to test whether Volkanovski has "it", it's a guy like him.

7- Does Tim Elliott jump the line at 125 lbs if he dominates Ben Nguyen? Would Elliott vs Mighty Mouse II trump Mighty Mouse vs Borg in the eyes of the fans?

8- Vinc Pichel still being in the UFC is far and away the most surprising factoid I learned in 2017.

9- Dan Hooker moving up to 155 lbs is an interesting decision. I'll always be in favor of guys cutting less weight but Hooker's problems at 145 lbs in my estimation have genuinely just been relative to his lack of athleticism comparable to 155ers. I know the argument is that 155 lbs has slower guys but it's not like the division is remarkably slower.  I dunno what the play out is here.

10- Thibault Gouti is 0-3 in the UFC and probably in line for a release if he loses this one. He draws a tough challenge in "The Mastro" Dong Hyun Kim who got his first UFC win in December. Kim's a beatable opponent for Gouti but he's also the King of knock down drag em out fights as well so I'm not betting against him.

11- Speaking of guys with a history of action fights, NONSTOP ACTION PACKED IS BACK! LEGGO! Dominique Steele could easily be 3-1 in the UFC but he'll enter this fight on a two fight losing streak and facing newcomer Luke Jumeau.

12- If Ross Pearson loses this fight, is he released? A loss would give him four losses in a row, five losses in his last six fights and seven losses in his last ten fights.

Must Win

Derrick Lewis

This Mark Hunt is not the same guy who ran through the UFC's HW division once upon a time He's older, chinny and fights in stops and starts. He's still powerful as all hell but if Lewis is REALLY, REALLY serious concerns and designs about actually accomplishing anything in the top 5 of the division, he needs to emphatically make a statement and beat Mark Hunt.

Thibault Gouti

I mean FEW guys go 0-3 and stick around and even fewer can go 0-4. Gouti needs a win in the absolute worst way.

Alexander Volkanovski

Between Tyson Pedro, Dan Kelly and Robert Whittaker, Australian MMA has a few faces to turn to. Jake Matthews was ultimately a flop when it comes to turning into a big time MMA star for the market. Volkanovski has to avoid the same fate when he takes on Mizuto Hirota.

Five Underlying Themes

1- If they dance around Mark Hunt suing the organization.

2- With the champ currently in limbo and no opponent decided upon, do these flyweight fights mean anything besides just being fun action fights?

3- The way the crowd responds to some of the debuting/unproven Aussie talents.

4- If Dan Kelly is hyped as anything other than a nice story at a division in need of a nice story.

5- Will they give Mark Hunt a live mic if he wins?

[closetofanxiety]

50 wrestling questions

I answer these burning questions here, below the cut:

1. What got you into wrestling?

I don’t really know. I’ve gone through three phases of being a wrestling fan in my life. The earliest was probably just because all the other kids in the neighborhood liked wrestling, and I was a people-pleaser even then, so I wanted to fit in. I remember the older kids like AWA or NWA because they were “real,” while us littl’uns thrilled to the exploits of Hulkster Hogan in the WWF. I like nothing else that I enjoyed as a child, not the movies or the TV shows or the books or whatever, so there was something about wrestling that stuck with me.

2. What is your favorite wrestling promotion?

ECW, if I’m being honest. A lot of that stuff has not held up well, but I got into it at the perfect age, when a lot of my friends were getting into it, and I have very fond memories bound up with ECW. For better and for worse, the most influential American wrestling company of the last 30 years. 

3. Favorite male wrestler of all time?

Gorgeous George, but if we’re talking about people who were alive when I was alive, then Dusty Rhodes. 

4. Favorite female wrestler of all time?

The Fabulous Moo- no. I don’t know. I don’t have the background in Japanese grappling that would allow me to make an informed answer here. Women’s wrestling in the USA was pretty terrible between the mid-1950s and the mid-2000s, and I mostly know American stuff. Let’s say Gail Kim, though.

5. Favorite current male wrestler?

Joey Janela

6. Favorite current female wrestler?

Su Yung, obvs

7. Favorite theme song?

"Psycho Killer,” when that was Ciampa’s theme song. One of my favorite wrestling memories is Americanrana ‘16, when the PA system died and the crowd sang the song a capella for his entrance. If we’re talking songs written specifically as wrestling entrance music, then Steve Austin’s music. With Shawn Michael’s “Sexy Sexy Boy Ooh La La” or whatever it’s called as a close second. That song makes me laugh every time I hear it.

8. Least favorite theme song?

I hated Ballz Mahoney’s ECW theme song, it just encouraged the worst meathead elements of the crowd, and it always heralded a crummy match. For wrestling-specific theme songs, Lana’s, while new, is almost unbelievably shitty. It’s like incidental music from an episode of “Night Court” where they go to a jazz club.

9. Favorite gimmick?

Gorgeous George, which is still being imitated to this day. Again, if we’re talking about people who were alive when I was alive, the Road Warriors. They were almost 100 percent gimmick, and they were massive stars for years. They were the only non-WWF guys us WWF-loving kids would buy action figures for, because their look was so good.

10. Least favorite gimmick?

It’s hard to choose from all the racist and gay-hating gimmicks that have been used over the years. By sullying the image of the immortal Prince Rogers Nelson, fucking Velveteen Dream is making an impressive run for this designation right now.

11. Best entrance (either their usual entrance or a special one, like a Wrestlemania entrance)?

Again, Gorgeous George had the best entrance of all time, it was 70 percent of his act and it made him a fortune, and everyone has copied it since. In terms of more recent stuff, I liked the Sandman’s entrance. It was 90 percent of his act. Pretty much everything Sandman did except his entrance was so-so to terrible, if we’re being honest.

12. Best Undertaker Wrestlemania match?

The one where he got his ass beat by the savage god Roman Reigns

13. Most overrated?

The Undertaker. I acknowledge that he made a massive, unthinkable success out of a truly ludicrous, sub-Memphian gimmick, but he was never a real draw, and I was never a big fan of his at any point in his career. Maybe no one in WWE history benefited more from protective booking, where he was always billed as an unstoppable, supernatural monster even when he had a mid-life crisis and decided he wanted to be a motorcycle man instead. 

14. Most underrated?

Pretty much anyone who had their entire careers, or the bulk of their careers, prior to the 1980s and the attendant explosion in wrestling’s popularity. It’s hard to properly rate someone like Nick Bockwinkel, when so much of his best work was done in the 1970s, let alone Gorgeous George or Buddy Rogers. Of guys since then, I’ll say Ted DiBiase, who is fixed in the public mind as the cackling rich guy caricature, but who was a phenomenally talented wrestler who could effortlessly pull off being a charismatic babyface or a cheating, despicable shitheel. Ted’s Mid-South run is amazingly good stuff.

15. Have you ever been to an event? If so, which one?

I have been to many pro wrestling shows. Last year I averaged three per month, which is, I’ll have you know, Too Much Wrestling Shows. My mother took me to my very first one, and since she died when I was five, I must have been very young indeed. I remember almost nothing about it, except that Bob Backlund was there.

Since then, I’ve been to a lot of ECW shows, including the 2000 Living Dangerously PPV with the famously hideous New Jack scaffold bump; many WWE shows, ranging from Raw and Smackdown episodes to house shows to Backlash 2003, where Goldberg met the Rock in the ring FOR THE FIRST TIME ANYWHERE; and lots and lots of indie shows, which are my favorite. I’ve sort of limited my show-going this year to Beyond Wrestling, Blitzkrieg Pro, and Northeast Wrestling, and I don’t go to all of their shows. 

In the late 1990s and early 2000s I used to go to shows with big crews of friends, but these days it’s usually me and one or two other people, or sometimes just me. It turns out most people my age are not down to drive to West Warwick, R.I. to see Zack Sabre Jr vs. JT Dunn! I enjoy it, though, it’s been a nice thing to have in my life at a time when there isn’t much else going on.

16. Who has the best merch?

The Young Bucks have something for every aesthetic.

17. Do you own any merch?

Yeah, I mean, too much. T-shirts, 8 x 10s, DVDS, loads of old wrestling magazines. I have a Young Bucks foam “Too Sweet” hand. I have a little plaster sculpture of AJ Lee where she’s a zombie, because WWE Shop was selling it for five dollars. I’m a disgrace, as a grown adult man.

18. Best nickname?

"The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes.

19. Worst nickname?

I’ve always thought “The Cerebral Assassin” was the dumbest goddamn nickname. Is the assumption here that assassins are typically stupid?

20. Best mic skills?

Bobby Heenan. He could do screaming and angry, he could do calm and menacing, he could do blustering and funny. He had the timing of a professional comedian and the verbal dexterity of the Midwest’s best used car salesman. People hated this man so much that a member of a Chicago crowd shot a pistol at him. 

21. Most annoying?

All-time: The Ultimate Warrior. Currently: Bray Wyatt.

22. Most attractive male?

Roman Reigns. The WWE is leaving money on the table by having him wrestling in a shirt/vest and long pants.

23. Most attractive female?

I really like Hikaru Shida’s complex aesthetic, which combines “hard-hitting Japanese wrestling” with “elaborate theatrical strangeness” and “Hey, check out my ass.” 

24. Favorite faction?

The first two incarnations of the Four Horsemen. If pressed, I prefer the Flair/Arn/Tully/Windham lineup. 

25. Worst faction?

It’s easy to pick one of the five million here-and-gone WWE factions like the Union (ugh) or the Social Outcasts or the League of Nations, but they didn’t really last long enough, or have enough of an impact, to be truly wretched. Same deal with, like, the Aces & Eights: they just stunk up TNA, which was already bad to begin with. The answer is the nWo, from January, 1998 onwards: until that point they had been the most compelling thing about American wrestling, but after that they became a bloated, tedious, airtime-gobbling monstrosity that helped drag WCW down into depths it never recovered from. 

26. Best ring gear?

Su Yung and Penta El Zero Miedo. I like the spooky stuff.

27. Who do you think would be the nicest in real life?

I’ve had very few interactions with wrestlers beyond the standard “Hey, great match, how much is that DVD,” but among those I have had more substantive encounters with, JT Dunn, Swoggle, Gangrel, Su Yung, and Santana Garrett stand out as particularly nice. I’ve also heard people from all walks of life praising Little Guido as the nicest dude around, and universal praise is vanishingly rare in pro wrestling. I like to imagine Kevin Owens is a good egg.

28. Who would be the rudest in real life?

Like anyone else, I’ve Heard Things, but I haven’t had a really bad encounter with a wrestler beyond this one guy who works local indie shows and who is a rude chud in real life. It seems unfathomable to me that Matt Riddle is the kind of person I’d want to share a cab ride to the airport with, but maybe that’s just the strength of his brand working. 

29. Favorite heel?

The Dudley Boys in ECW. I legitimately hated them, and bought tickets in the hopes of seeing them get their asses beaten. 

30. Most hardcore?

I bet the real answer to this is like the answer to the great “Who is the most legit tough guy” question that everyone asks. Like, it’s someone we’d never suspect. It’s not Nick Gage, it’s Eva Marie. That woman has seen some shit that would turn your hair white, I bet. I honestly don’t know the answer to this. Probably a guy in Japan who blew himself up in a volcano. 

31. A wrestler you could beat?

At wrestling? Absolutely none of them. Eva Marie would destroy me, Goldberg style. It’s like sports: the worst fucking guy on the worst fucking NBA team would beat the best pickup player in your town by a hundred points in a one-on-one matchup. Once-a-monthers who have office jobs and still wrestle in singlets and are 30 pounds overweight could put me in a coma without breaking a sweat. But what about ... trivia regarding papal history? Ah, now the worm has turned, Eva Marie! You’re on my turf now.

32. Best story line?

Have to agree with Tape Machines, it’s the Freebirds vs. the Von Erichs 

33. Biggest missed opportunity for a story line?

The WCW Invasion angle didn’t work for a lot of reasons, and some of those reasons were probably beyond WWE’s control, but holy shit did they bungle what could have been a gigantic machine that spit out money. 

34. Worst story line?

I can’t pick just one. The 1990s were an absolute golden era of terrible storylines, from Cactus Jack getting amnesia and thinking he was a sea captain to the terrible saga of Katie Vick. I’ll say the Chuck and Billy storyline, because it somehow managed to be insulting to people who had never heard of wrestling in their lives. 

35. Which wrestler should turn heel?

Matt Riddle. I mean, I guess he is a heel, in the sense that his act today is the exact same as it was when he was breaking into the business in 2015 and was hated by indie audiences. He hasn’t done anything differently, but the smug choads from the Internet Wrestling Community have decided he is their savior because they can chant the syllable “bro” in public. 

36. Which wrestler should turn face?

Kevin Owens. I’d love to see what he could do as a fearless asskicker with witheringly sarcastic putdowns on the microphone. 

37. Who would be the worst to room with?

If you’ve ever had close friends or relatives with drug problems, you know the answer to this is Jake Roberts. On a more lighthearted note, sharing an apartment with the Ultimate Warrior would have been a mindbending ordeal, since he was pretty much like that all the time.

38. Who would be the best to room with?

Candice LeRae is a former professional baker, so as a fat guy, I would be very happy to be the person she tests out new cakes and stuff on. But most contemporary wrestlers are people obsessed with the gym, video games, and meal prep, so calibrate your roommate expectations based on those parameters. 

39. Who would be your best friend if you were a wrestler?

I like to imagine it would be Kevin Owens, and I would constantly joke about him betraying me like he always does with best friends, until finally he’d stop responding to my texts. AND THEN I’D KNOW.

40. What would your job be in a wrestling promotion?

I would be styled as “Engagement Director for New & Emerging Media and Content Outreach,” and my job would be taking tickets at the door, applying wristbands to people old enough to drink, and keeping my fucking mouth shut when the wrestlers were hanging around.

41. Favorite wrestling podcast/Youtube channel?

AIW’s “The Card is Going to Change” is the best wrestling podcast in the world. I recommend it to people who don’t even like wrestling, mostly because it’s three dudes telling picaresque tales about restaurants getting trashed and bizarre exploits in northern Ohio. Their recent episode about being paid to put on a show for a child’s 10th birthday is amazing. My favorite wrestling YouTube channel currently is Rassle Reel, which is constantly uploading obscure shit from the 1970s and 1980s.

42. Favorite finisher?

Mr. Perfect’s Perfectplex, a thing of artistic beauty

43. Least favorite finisher?

The Pedigree

44. Favorite match?

Taz vs Sabu at Barely Legal in 1997

45. Favorite PPV?

I’ll always have a soft spot for the first Survivor Series, which is the first PPV I ever watched (we didn’t order it; the neighbors did, and a bunch of us crowded into their den to watch). I don’t know if the first Starrcade was technically a PPV, but that’s one I can watch over and over.

46. Guilty pleasure wrestler?

I don’t like the concept of guilty pleasures, but if we mean which wrestler do I like that some vague critical consensus insists I should hate, I’ll say Honky Tonk Man. 

47. Favorite submission?

THE KATA HA JIME, otherwise known as the Tazmission. 

48. Most entertaining to watch?

Randy Savage

49. Best spot?

Anyone spitting mist into the unsuspecting eyes of their foes 

50. Who do you most respect?

 I respect you, booker man. 

[nothingman]

WILLINGBORO, N.J.— At a town hall event in central New Jersey on Wednesday, Republican Rep. Tom MacArthur was harangued by a crowd of his constituents for his prominent role in the passage of the House GOP's health care bill.

Gail Clark, a constituent from Delran Township who said she voted for MacArthur in 2016, said in an interview outside the venue, "Pregnancy should not be a pre-existing condition. Children born with health problems should not be a pre-existing condition. It's just absurd."

MacArthur became nationally famous over the past several weeks as the author of an amendment to the health care bill that weakened protections for people with pre-existing conditions. The amendment was designed to engender support from members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus and ultimately helped attract enough Republican support to pass the bill out of the House of Representatives.

Charles Murawski, who identified himself as a constituent denied insurance coverage due to a pre-existing condition in 2011, said he was "disgusted" when he learned about MacArthur's amendment.

"You run out of adjectives to describe it when you see such divisive people and divisive laws," Murawski said.

Other attendees at the town hall took the opportunity to tie MacArthur to President Donald Trump's agenda.

"It amazes me, the attacks on science, on healthcare on child nutrition, and it's not like [Trump] is trying follow an agenda to make anything better," Lisa Hodnett Burlington said. "He's just trying to take away any of the progress that has been made over the past eight years."

MacArthur's district stretches across the southern-central part of New Jersey, encompassing towns from the coast all the way to the suburbs of Philadelphia on the Pennsylvania border. MacArthur won his seat in the conservative wave election of 2014 and won reelection in 2016 by a margin of more than 20 points. His is one of several districts that Barack Obama won in 2012 but went for Trump in 2016.

MacArthur, a former insurance executive, seemed thrown off base as he fielded question after question from disgruntled constituents about the GOP health care bill.

At one point, the crowd broke out into shouts of "Liar!" when MacArthur said nobody with pre-existing conditions would lose their coverage or find themselves unable to afford it.

When MacArthur claimed he was "looking at an insurance market that is collapsing," another man yelled, "Because you drilled holes in it!"

Later, when MacArthur attempted to explain "bureaucrats in the federal government" would be in charge of benefits under a single-payer system, a woman shouted "it works in other countries!"

MacArthur responded that it works in smaller countries, earning a raucous boo.

Outside the event, hundreds of attendees who could not fit into the crowded Kennedy Center venue shouted chants of "Hey hey! Ho Ho! Tom MacArthur's got to go!" and "Take our health care, lose your job."

MacArthur is one of many GOP representatives who came home this week to crowds of angry constituents upset over the health care vote. Recently, Idaho Republican Rep. Raúl Labrador became an internet sensation for telling a constituent, "Nobody dies because they don't have access to health care."

Democrats are already running ads for the 2018 election cycle against several vulnerable Republican representatives who voted in favor of the bill. And residents of MacArthur's district are already making plans to hold him accountable for his role in the health care debate.

Demonstrator Tina Zack Burlington concluded, "Initially there was a grieving period. Now it's gone to the action phase. I know people who have never been active before and now their waiting in line to get into this town hall today. So I'm proud of the fact that it's woken us up."

Tom McKay contributed reporting to this story.

via Mic

[tyleroakley-obsessed]

March is here! If you’re looking for things to do in Memphis this month, this post is the one for you. For spring event ideas, things to do with kids, and more Memphis March events, you can see a list of ideas for Memphis fun every day of the month. Family friendly and free items have been marked! You can submit items to the blog’s calendar here. If you like this article, you’ll love these: How To Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day In Memphis Crawfish Festivals In Memphis 2020 2020 Events – Plan Your Year In Memphis! Memphis Black Restaurant Week: Deals and Discounts Here’s a list of about 360 things to do in Memphis this March: Sunday, March 1 Memphis v. Western Illinois at FedExPark (Baseball) family Bluff City Mafia Sunday Funday at Memphis Made Brewing Aquanet at Lafayette’s Music Room Family Metalsmithing: Copper Flower Centerpiece at the Metal Museum family GiveCamp Memphis / Design for Good 2020 (through March 1) Disney’s Aladdin Broadway Show at The Orpheum (through March 8) family “Women in the Pit” at Hattiloo Theater (Thu-Sun, through March 22) Monday, March 2 Mary Gagz and Her Gaggle of Girls at Bar DKDC Disney’s Aladdin Broadway Show at The Orpheum (through March 8) family Casmir Pulaski Day! at Wiseacre Brewing Behind The Grind: MBRW Owners at Chef Tam’s Michigan Rattler Live Taping at Ditty TV Memphis Brewers Association Homebrew Club Meeting at Crosstown Brewing Behind the Vale at Lamplighter Lounge Puzzles & Pints at the Casual Pint Square Beans 12th Birthday Tuesday, March 3 Pirate’s Mark Kickstarter Launch at 901 Games free Farm To Table Conference at CBU Open Mic Night: Poetry at Coffee Central in Southaven Wine Dinner at Paulette’s Jill Scott 20th Anniversary Tour at the Cannon Center 90s Name That Tune Trivia at Rec Room / Dan McGuinness Southaven Super Tuesday Watch Party at B-Side Music Export Memphis Ambassador Info Session at Memphis Slim House Tall Heights at Growlers Trippie Redd at Minglewood Hall Hint of Lime Brass Trio at Crosstown Arts Cafe Society Wine Tasting at Buster’s Disney’s Aladdin Broadway Show at The Orpheum (through March 8) family Wednesday, March 4 An Evening with Emma Manners, 11th Duchess of Rutland at the Brooks Museum Disney Movie Trivia at Colettas, Railgarten, and LBOE Scribble! W/ Hive Collective at Midtown Crossing Grill free MATA Service Improvements Meeting at Bickford Community Center Zombi Child movie screening at Malco Powerhouse Tarot Share Night at The Broom Closet free Song Swap w/ The PRVLG + Crockett Hall at Bar DKDC Disney’s Aladdin Broadway Show at The Orpheum (through March 8) family Thursday, March 5 Tigers v. Wichita State at FedExForum (Men’s Basketball) family Tea and Tour For Seniors: Native Voices at Brooks Museum Food Truck Thursday! At Court Square Alice Hasen & the Blaze w/ Blueshift Ensemble at the Green Room Bourbon Women at Belle Tavern Kiki’s Delivery Service, Mary And The Witch Flower Anime Night at Black Lodge Black Restaurant Week Kick-off Tasting at Premiere Palace Ballroom Silent Disco Yoga at Hu Hotel Live Trivia at Old Dominick Distillery Naughty Pictionary at Railgarten Sushi Class at Memphis Made Brewing True Stories by David Byrne (Crosstown Arthouse Film Series) at Crosstown Theater Disney’s Aladdin Broadway Show at The Orpheum (through March 8) family “Women in the Pit” at Hattiloo Theater (Thu-Sun, through March 22) Friday, March 6 Post Malone Runaway Tour at FedExForum Mix-Odyssey at the Botanic Garden The Orchestra Unplugged: Devil at the Crossroads at the Halloran Centre Southern Women’s Show at the Agricenter (through March 8) family Arbor Day Celebration at Overton Park family The Lies of March at Theatreworks Memphis Burlesque Productions at B-Side First Fridays on Broad: March Madness Edition family, free Beat Battle at Stax Music Academy Jon Langston Live at The Bluff Louder Than Bombs: The Smiths/Morrissey Cover Band at Railgarten Crosstown Brewing Dart Tournament at The Casual Pint Ghost Hunt at The Woodruff-Fontaine Ladies Night + Mechanical Bull Party at Brinson’s Fido Friday Dog Happy Hour at Loflin Yard Ladies Night Art Experience at Pyro’s Ultimate Friday Night Mixer at Privé Restaurant Boxlot Taste & See at Boxlot 5 Fridays of Jazz – 3rd Man at the Central Library family, free Women in the Arts at the Dixon (through March 7) free Disney’s Aladdin Broadway Show at The Orpheum (through March 8) family “Women in the Pit” at Hattiloo Theater (Thu-Sun, through March 22) The Book of Will at Playhouse on the Square (select days through March 22) March 7 Mardi Growl Dog Party + Crawfish Boil at Overton Park family, free Memphis Modern Market at Loflin Yard famil Big Birthday Party for Sesame Street at DeafConnect family, free Civic Saturday at East Shelby Library family, free Southern Women’s Show at the Agricenter (through March 8) family Memphis 901 FC Home Opener at AutoZone Park family IRIS Orchestra Guest Artist: Anne-Akikio Meyers at GPAC V&E Greenline TN Arbor Day Celebration family, free Learn to Curl with the Mid-South Curling Club at Mid-South Ice House Women in the Arts at the Dixon (through March 7) free Memphis Grizzlies Hoops and Heels aka Ladies Night at FedExForum family The Lies of March at Theatreworks Memphis Mosque Open House at multiple locations family, free Disney’s Aladdin Broadway Show at The Orpheum (through March 8) family “Women in the Pit” at Hattiloo Theater (Thu-Sun, through March 22) The Book of Will at Playhouse on the Square (through March 22) Sunday, March 8 Southern Women’s Show at the Agricenter (through March 8) family Memphis Black Restaurant Week (through March 14) family Iris Orchestra at the Brooks with Anne-Akiko Meyers at the Brooks Spiritous for International Women’s Day at 115 Vance Ave. Kendra Give Back To Arrows Nest at Kendra Scott Disney’s Aladdin Broadway Show at The Orpheum (through March 8) family “Women in the Pit” at Hattiloo Theater (Thu-Sun, through March 22) The Book of Will at Playhouse on the Square (through March 22) Monday, March 9 Memphis Black Restaurant Week (through March 14) family Full Moon Bonfire at 2693 Epping Way Puzzles & Pints at The Casual Pint VOLK w/ Cotton Clifton & the Pickers at the Hi-Tone The Pink Blanket Event at Crosstown Arts Memphis Knights Big Band at Lafayette’s EPL at Celtic Crossing 90s Purim Party at the Rec Room Purim at the Oscars! At Beth Sholom Synagogue   Tuesday, March 10 Community & Veterans Job Fair at AJC Hickory Hill free Irish Whiskey Tasting & Tutorial at Highlander Pub 90s Movie Trivia at Dan McGuinness Southaven and Rec Room Modern Jazz Masters feat. Joel Frahm at Crosstown Arts Purim Seudah at Baron Hirsch Congregation Midtown Free Group Run at Grivet Outdoors An Evening w/ Beverly Greene Bond and Susan Eva O’Donovan at Novel Memphis Royal Blues Band at Lafayette’s Szlachetka & Hunter Tynan Davis at Ditty TV Traditional Irish Seisun at Celtic Crossing Memphis Black Restaurant Week (through March 14) family Grizzlies v. Magic at FedExForum family Wednesday, March 11 Memphis Black Restaurant Week (through March 14) family Teen Job Fair at Levi Library Secret Comedy Show at Local Downtown Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader Trivia at Loflin Yard UAC Info Session for Airport Art the Urban Art Commission Julian Lage & Dave King at Crosstown Arts Magician Archetype Workshop at The Broom Closet Tim Cappello Live at the Hi-Tone Pandora and the Flying Dutchman at Malco Ridgeway Lit & Libations w/ Michael Farris Smith at Novel Memphis Shakeout at B-Side Thursday, March 12 The Great Dying + Tiffany Harmon at B-Side Memphis As Puck Dinner & Drinks at Puck Food Hall Food Truck Thursday at Court Square An Evening With Keller Williams at Lafayette’s Music Room Tipsy Grammar at Railgarten Pecha Kucha: Crosstown Arts Resident Artist Talk Businesswomen of Memphis Soul at Stax Museum Lee Bains + Glory Fires + HEELS at the Hi-Tone St. Patrick’s Caravan Pub Crawl, leaving from Silky O’Sullivan’s Allen Stone w/ Samm Henshaw and Andy Suzuki & The Method at Minglewood Hall Memphis Black Restaurant Week (through March 14) family “Women in the Pit” at Hattiloo Theater (Thu-Sun, through March 22) Friday, March 13 Graham Winchester Record Release at DKDC Larkin Poe at Minglewood Hall Whiskeys of the World at Celtic Crossing 5 Fridays of Jazz – Stax Music Academy Jazz Ensemble at Central Library family, free Memphis Black Restaurant Week (through March 14) family Elegant Southern Style Weekend: Spring Edition at Graceland (through March 15) “Women in the Pit” at Hattiloo Theater (Thu-Sun, through March 22) The Book of Will at Playhouse on the Square (through March 22) Ain’t Misbehaving at Circuit Playhouse (Thu. – Sun, through April 5) Saturday, March 14 Diary of a Wombat at The Orpheum family Farewell Angelina at the Halloran Centre Memphis 901 FC v. Saint Louis FC at AutoZone Park family Grind City Coffee Expo at the Pipkin Building 47th Annual Silky O’Sullivan’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Beale Street family, free Folk All Y’all: An Evening with Sarah Potenza at the Green Room Elegant Southern Style Weekend: Spring Edition at Graceland (through March 15) “Women in the Pit” at Hattiloo Theater (Thu-Sun, through March 22) The Book of Will at Playhouse on the Square (through March 22) Schoolhouse Rock Live! at Circuit Playhouse (March 14, 21, 28 + April 4) family Ain’t Misbehaving at Circuit Playhouse (Thu. – Sun, through April 5) Memphis Black Restaurant Week (through March 14) family Sunday, March 15 4th Annual Soulful Food Truck Festival at Clayborn Temple family The Emerald Isle at Elmwood America 50th Anniversary Tour at The Orpheum “Women in the Pit” at Hattiloo Theater (Thu-Sun, through March 22) The Book of Will at Playhouse on the Square (through March 22) Ain’t Misbehaving at Circuit Playhouse (Thu. – Sun, through April 5) Elegant Southern Style Weekend: Spring Edition at Graceland Andrew Duhon w/ Towne at 1884 Lounge  Monday, March 16 Cher Here We Go Again Tour at FedExForum Shelby County Schools Spring Break (through March 20) family Zack Horvath at Automatic Slim’s March JUICE Meeting at 2363 Park Ave. Puzzles & Pints at The Casual Pint Possessed by Paul James / Chris Hamlett at the Hi-Tone Subtype Zero, Knoll, Grave Lurker at CANVAS Tuesday, March 17 Shelby County Schools Spring Break (through March 20) family Memphis v. Lipscomb at FedExPark (Baseball) family Cooper Young St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Cooper St. family, free Martin Lawrence “The Lit AF 2020 Tour” at FedExForum Grizzlies v. Thunder at FedExForum family St. Patrick’s Day Party at Highlander Pub Get Lucky Party  at Loflin Yard TJ Mulligan’s St. Patrick’s Day Festivities at multiple locations St. Patrick’s Celebration at Flying Saucer Cordova Allison Kasper at DKDC Spotlight Concert Series at Crosstown Arts Wednesday, March 18 Shelby County Schools Spring Break (through March 20) family Blues Traveler at Minglewood Hall Pirate’s Mark Party Game Pre-Release Game Party at 901 Games free Welcome To Night Vale Live at GPAC Rooftop Workout + Yoga + Cocktails at Old Dominick Do The Funky Chicken at The Green Room 90s TV Trivia at LBOE, Railgarten, and Coletta’s Café Conversations w/ Amanda Lee Savage at the Brooks Museum Kelley Anderson, Bailey Bigger, Alex Greene / Brower + Josephine at DKDC A Novel Book Club at Novel Memphis  Thursday, March 19 Shelby County Schools Spring Break (through March 20) family Eric Johnson at Minglewood Hall Food Truck Thursday at Court Square family Bridal Expo at 409 S. Main Comedy & Crablegs at Regina’s Cajun Kitchen The Dude Ranch: Blink 182 Tribute at Tin Roof Tipsy Jenga at Railgarten Industry Night at The Pocket James McMurty w/ Bonnie Whitmore at Lafayette’s Free Spirits Tasting + Education at Grivet Outdoors HEAD + LOKELLA at the Hi-Tone Protophye and Jantsen at Growlers “Women in the Pit” at Hattiloo Theater (Thu-Sun, through March 22) The Book of Will at Playhouse on the Square (through March 22) Ain’t Misbehaving at Circuit Playhouse (Thu. – Sun, through April 5) Friday, March 20 Shelby County Schools Spring Break (through March 20) family Mid-South Con 38 at Hilton Memphis (through March 22) family Revenge Body at Arrow experimental electronic music event (free, suggested donation $5) Frank Foster at Minglewood Hall Spring Fling at the Rumba Room (through March 22) Cake at Graceland Soundstage Silent Disco at Loflin Yard Twin Soul at Newby’s Stories of Stone at Elmwood Cemetery Blackwater Trio at Loflin Yard Whiskey Republic, HEELS, Petty Gene at the Hi-Tone Linda Gail Lewis at Hernando’s Hideaway An Evening For Memphis Inner City Rugby at the University Club Play: Love, Loss and What I Wore at Evergreen Theatre (March 20, 21, 27, 28) 5 Fridays of Jazz – Ekpe and the African Jazz Ensemble at the Central Library family, free Lie-rish Legends Bluff City Liars Comedy at the Brass Door $5 “Women in the Pit” at Hattiloo Theater (Thu-Sun, through March 22) The Book of Will at Playhouse on the Square (through March 22) Ain’t Misbehaving at Circuit Playhouse (Thu. – Sun, through April 5) Saturday, March 21 Fast & the Furriest 5K and Walk at Shelby Farms family Black Violin at The Orpheum Mid-South Con 38 at Hilton Memphis (through March 22) family Strauss, Tchaikovsky, & Shostakovich feat. Zuill Bailey at the Cannon Center Germantown Symphony: 250th Anniversary Beethoven Celebration at GPAC Grizzlies v. Pelicans at FedExForum family Spring Fling at the Rumba Room (through March 22) Memphis Armored Fight Club at the Hi-Tone Wolf River Harbor Cleanup at Mud Island Mustache The Band at The Bluff Time Warp Drive-In: Monty Python Night at the Summer Drive-In Lightsaber Dueling + Decades Glow Party at Rec Room Little Raine Band at High Cotton Brewing Pints for Pangolins at Crosstown Brewing TRAP Karaoke Memphis at Minglewood Hall Ballet 5:8: The Space In Between at The Orpheum Spring Fishing Classic at Bass Pro Shops Play: Love, Loss and What I Wore at Evergreen Theatre (March 20, 21, 27, 28) “Women in the Pit” at Hattiloo Theater (Thu-Sun, through March 22) The Book of Will at Playhouse on the Square (through March 22) Ain’t Misbehaving at Circuit Playhouse (Thu. – Sun, through April 5) Schoolhouse Rock Live! at Circuit Playhouse (March 14, 21, 28 + April 4) family Sunday, March 22 Mid-South Con 38 at Hilton Memphis (through March 22) family Memphis Current Release Party at Slider Inn Downtown Spring Fling at the Rumba Room (through March 22) Tim Few at Alfred’s on Beale MercyMe w/ Jeremy Camp at FedExForum Layered Pendant Class at the Metal Museum Sturgill Simpson at the Landers Center Bring Your Dog To Bingo Day at Loflin Yard Black Joe Lewis at the Hi-Tone “Women in the Pit” at Hattiloo Theater (Thu-Sun, through March 22) The Book of Will at Playhouse on the Square (through March 22) Ain’t Misbehaving at Circuit Playhouse (Thu. – Sun, through April 5) Monday, March 23 Orpheum 2020-2021 Broadway Season Reveal at The Orpheum Dinner On Stage at The Orpheum Memphis Sandwich Clique Takeover Young Ave. Deli Ultimate Werewolf Game Night at Wiseacre Hip-Hop Violinist Rhett Price w/ Franceshci at the Hi-Tone Betty Davis: They Say I’m Different Film Screening at the Stax Museum Puzzles & Pints at the Casual Pint Midtown Opera Festival (select days through April 5) family Tuesday, March 24 Midtown Opera Festival (select days through April 5) family Memphis v. Ole Miss at FedExPark (Baseball) family Track Night in America at Memphis International Raceway family Wine Tasting & Tutorial at Highlander Pub Elizabeth Moen at Hi-Tone Goner Presents: Damo Suzuki Network at the Hi-Tone Jaime Branch’s “Fly or Die” at Crosstown Arts Karen Waldrup at Lafayette’s Wednesday, March 25 Midtown Opera Festival (select days through April 5) family Grizzlies v. Celtics at FedExForum family Friends Trivia at Coletta’s, LBOE, and Railgarten Sneak peek pre-release screening: Son of the White Mare at Malco Powerhouse Music for Cello and Jazz Trio at Crosstown Arts family Song Swap at Bar DKDC mssv at the Hi-Tone Breeze Cayolle & New Orleans at Lafayette’s Dear Readers Book Club: Mostly Dead Things at CY Gallery & Gift Shop Creative Aging’s Senior Arts Series at Lindenwood Christian Church Thursday, March 26 Midtown Opera Festival (select days through April 5) family Food Truck Thursday at Court Square Nick Cannon Presents: MTV Wild ’N Out Live at FedExForum Bob’s Burgers Trivia at Miss Cordelia’s Art by Design: Dinner with the Designers at the Pipkin Building College Night at Newby’s Free Hot Dog Day/Baseball Opening Day at Railgarten Paint & Pints at The Doghouzz Cookie Decorating Class at Sweet Lala’s Bakery Of Montreal w/ Locate S at the Hi-Tone Ain’t Misbehaving at Circuit Playhouse (Thu. – Sun, through April 5) Art by Design at the Pipkin Building Friday, March 27 Memphis v. UCF at FedExPark (Baseball) family Garden Show and Plant Sale at the Agricenter family Night Out For a Cure at Crosstown Brewing Midtown Opera Festival (select days through April 5) family 5 Fridays of Jazz – Rhodes Night with Joyce Cobb at the Central Library family, free Art by Design: Cocktails by Design at the Pipkin Building LIT AF Tour: Martin Lawrence at FedExForum Cocktail Culture at No. 2 Vance Shufflegrit at Loflin Yard Southern Momma An EM Comedy at The Orpheum The Made Experience at Jack Robinson Gallery WALRUS at Lafayette’s Cassette Set at the Blue Monkey Fido Friday: Dog Happy Hour at Loflin Yard Memphis International Guitar Festival at The U of M (through March 29) Ain’t Misbehaving at Circuit Playhouse (Thu. – Sun, through April 5) Play: Love, Loss and What I Wore at Evergreen Theatre (March 20, 21, 27, 28) Saturday, March 28 Memphis v. UCF at FedExPark (Baseball) family Churros, Chips, and Cervezas at Primas! Spillit Story Slam at Ixora Midtown Opera Festival (select days through April 5) family Memphis Brewfest at the Liberty Bowl MuliMEMfest at Agricenter International $5 per family or food pantry donation Memphis International Guitar Festival at The U of M (through March 29) Memphis 901 FC v. Birmingham Legion FC at AutoZone Park family Let’s Brunch Memphis! Festival at Beale Street Landing That Golden Girls Show: A Puppet Parody at Halloran Centre Memphis Brewfest at the Liberty Bowl Opera Memphis Presents Mozart’s Così fan tutte at Playhouse on the Square Grizzlies v. Raptors at FedExForum family Pilates & Pints at Wiseacre “Hoops from the Heart” Wheelchair Basketball Tournament at the Kroc Center Midtown Legal Clinic at Idlewild Presbyterian Church Step Up For Safety: Sneaker Gala at Clark Opera Center Play: Love, Loss and What I Wore at Evergreen Theatre (March 20, 21, 27, 28) Midtown Legal Clinic at Idewild Pres Future-Everything presents: 03.28.20 Memphis at Growlers Ain’t Misbehaving at Circuit Playhouse (Thu. – Sun, through April 5) Schoolhouse Rock Live! at Circuit Playhouse (March 14, 21, 28 + April 4) family Sunday, March 29 Memphis v. UCF at FedExPark (Baseball) family Midtown Opera Festival (select days through April 5) family Joe Restivo 4 at Lafayette’s FATHER – The Two Horns Tour at Growlers Devil Train at Hernando’s Hideaway The Millennium Tour (Ying Yang Twins, Bow Wow, Soulja Boy) at FedExForum Memphis International Guitar Festival at The U of M (through March 29) Ain’t Misbehaving at Circuit Playhouse (Thu. – Sun, through April 5) Monday, March 30 Midtown Opera Festival (select days through April 5) family The Millennium Tour at FedExForum Memphis Music Listening Party w/ Boo Mitchell at Central Library Puzzles & Pints at The Casual Pint Mary Gagz and Her Gaggle of Girlz at Bar DKDC The Flying Karamazov Brothers at Buckman PAC Madison Line Mondays at Lafayette’s 80s Movie Trivia at Dan McGuinness Southaven and Rec Room  Tuesday, March 31 Midtown Opera Festival (select days through April 5) family Memphis v. Mississippi State at FedExPark (Baseball) family March Volunteer Orientation at Memphis Tilth Gospel Groove of Liz Brasher at the Stax Museum Rustenhaven Band at Lafayette’s Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day w/ School of Rock Day at 5007 Black Rd. War of Ages w/ Convictions at Growlers Monster Jam at Landers Center The Mystic at Crosstown Arts Are you a home owner in Memphis, with a broken garage door? Call ASAP garage door today at 901-461-0385 or checkout https://ift.tt/1B5z3Pc

https://ilovememphisblog.com/2020/03/things-to-do-in-memphis-in-march-2020/

[smstrackerinfo-blog]

DroidJack Reverts as a Fictitious Sarahah Software which Accesses SMS Communications, Telephone Lists plus other Sensitive Records

Web criminals have designed a phony Sarahah software variety through a malware called DroidJack to monitor as well as acquire personal material through Android units.

What is DroidJack?

DroidJack is a phrase utilized by the specialists at Zscaler to describe this malicious software that is a modern piece of software that allows Android owners to generate Android Trojans, enabling them the cabability to execute many obtrusive jobs and silently avoiding an individual of the gadget they are focusing. In the breach, it accesses phone numbers, SMS texts, electronic mails plus steals GPS areas.

Droidjack has existed for some time now plus has just recently resurfaced. It is a popular device for online hackers and also its use has been so profound that in 2015, law enforcement parties from Britain, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland and the U.S. had executed a combined operation to capture the developers and providers of DroidJack all through Europe.

In spite of the efficient joint operation of the experts, their bubbles were burst open as soon as DroidJack returned in one year later on by using a fictitious and Trojan-laden Pokémon Go software app which was being distributed in the entire world. Clients of the Pokémon Go software application continued to be able to play the game not understanding that DroidJack is calmly working in the background of their gadgets, thieving SMS communications, contact logs, phone databases, cell phone browser track records, geolocation records plus all of the applications set up in the instrument. The malware remotely executed its directions for taking pics, record videos and calls and even send SMS messages.

And also at present, with DroidJack camouflaging as the Sarahah application, it aids online criminals view phone data, SMS messages, GPS areas as well as WhatsApp files on its afflicted units. In August 2017, it's been disclosed just how a latest social networking software app, the Sarahah software, targeted at helping women and men send personal communications to other people whilst still staying unknown, came to over 20 million retrievals in a short time. But, even though the program assisted owners hold back their details when contacting other owners, it turned out that the app’s programmers weren’t as privacy-conscious contrary to what its folks expected it to be.

Zack Julian, a security specialist, said that the application has a specific operation which transmits every mobile phone number, e-mail address plus linked named from a unit to Sarahah’s servers. According to Sarahah’s programmers, the data mining was conducted so that they may set off a “find your friends” feature in the future. And also as of this moment, such attribute is still nonexistent to date. Utilizing this latest disclosure and also the following clarifications from Sarahah app’s designers, security plus privacy anxieties about the app are surely not over.

And also currently, the experts in the privacy organization Zscaler have uncovered the phony app created by cyber crooks utilized to use Sarahah’s popularity all over the globe. They've developed a fraudulent Sarahah software application model which contains DroidJack that is made available on third party application retailers. With DroidJack, all unlucky users who've downloaded and set up the fake Sarahah app will be in hazard of getting their private as well as critical material from being thieved since the cyber criminals can access all the phone lists, SMS messages, WhatsApp data, GPS location as well as other critical files within the focused gadgets. Following the installation, the fake program will ask administrative privileges. And also soon after these are provided, the software application vanishes from the display screen however will quietly be doing its function without anyone's knowledge, performing works which will allow DroidJack to consider taking over the device.

Exactly what are the additional features of the new plus upgraded DroidJack masquerading as Sarahah program?

Based on the details provided by the experts at Zscaler, DroidJack-infested Sarahah program is almost a carbon copy of last year’s DroidJack in Pokémon Go applications.

As soon as DroidJack penetrated an Android instrument, it can combine malevolent code with any type of preferred APK, add/modify/download/upload/delete information from the affected gadget, track plus watch SMS communications, record mobile phone conversations as well as videos, read through and also copy the phone lists, have images utilizing gadget cams, listen to discussions by taking control of the device’s mics, view browsing record, steal a user’s place and so on.

Besides the aforementioned jobs, the malicious software may also receive saved WhatsApp files and can make phone calls to any one on the device’s phone listings remotely. All the details got by the malicious software will be forwarded to its distant Command and Control web server.

Precisely what should you do in order to shield your device from a DroidJack-infested Srahah software?

Like pointed out before, the phony Sarahah software app is distributed on 3rd party software application suppliers. Therefore if you wish to stay away from this malicious software, you have to definitely avoid setting programs from third party program shops. These types of app retailers provide software applications which have failed to get past the protection controls in reliable software app retailers like Google Play Store plus carry all sorts of infection for instance ransomware and also malware which could invade your device and compromise your privateness.

It is a confirmed fact that these cyber felons will nevertheless continue to focus on people by embedding detrimental program code into any sort of fresh plus popular program just like Sarahah and also Pokémon Go because it's one of the simplest ways to speedily integrate the accessory. These kinds of online hackers tend to take advantage of users’ craving for modern and also trending software programs as well as their wish to be up-to-date. To avoid this sort of malicious software, make sure that you only download bonafide software applications like SMS tracker from reliable plus trusted app outlets like Google Play.

[othersportsnews-blog]

A Chicago Cubs-White Sox Earth Series could be faster than you feel

New Post has been published on https://othersportsnews.com/a-chicago-cubs-white-sox-earth-series-could-be-faster-than-you-feel/

A Chicago Cubs-White Sox Earth Series could be faster than you feel

White Sox admirers experienced 11 a long time to maintain their 2005 Earth Series title about the heads of their Cubs supporter friends, but that finished with the North Siders’ curse-breaking championship previous slide. It’s possible you experienced to be in Chicago to sense it, but I surely obtained the perception that was the worst element of the 2016 time for the Sox supporter foundation.

There is one particular little bit of bragging rights that the White Sox have held for substantially lengthier. In reality, it will be 111 a long time and counting by the time this time draws to a close. That is, the franchises have met in the Earth Series specifically one particular time, in 1906, and it was the White Sox who gained that championship. Unusual how you in no way listen to that mic-dropped into helpful bar spats in Chicago. Where is the sense of heritage?

The avalanche of adoration that has showered the Cubs the past few of a long time has remaining a lot of Sox admirers sensation remaining out, form of like Jan from “The Brady Bunch.” It didn’t assistance that the South Siders ended up one particular of the less interesting teams in baseball previous time: not terrible, not contenders, with a very long-term prospectus of paddling appropriate down the middle for the foreseeable potential.

On the other hand, White Sox basic manager Rick Hahn flipped the script previous winter season, when he embarked on a fast-fire rebuilding job that has specified his group one particular of the major farm systems in baseball. It has been a stunningly fast turnaround that a great deal are comparing to the pivot the Cubs made a number of a long time in the past when Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer arrived in city. The White Sox variation feels like it is unfolding even more quickly than the Epstein rebuild, which bundled not just an overhaul of talent but also a full rewriting of every single baseball-associated system in the Cubs group, from Mesa to Wrigleyville. Ahead of the 2016 time, ESPN’s Keith Law rated the ChiSox system at No. 22 — and that was an enhancement. It is now rated 2nd all round.

Consider this: Law rated the Cubs’ system No. 20 throughout the winter season prior to the 2011 time. Right after that time, Epstein was employed, and in the subsequent established of winter season rankings, the Cubs ended up however at No. 20. By 2013, the Cubs ended up up to No. five, then No. four in 2014. In 2015, they ended up in the postseason, and in 2016, they ended up the champs.

The advantage of these kinds of a fast increase is that everyone assumes the Cubs will be in the Earth Series combine for at the very least a number of a long time, if only mainly because so numerous of their main skills are below team control for the near term. The precise range of a long time in that window is tough to pin down, but it must be open up at the very least by means of Kris Bryant’s previous arbitration 12 months (2021) and even further than that if Bryant symptoms a deal to acquire out these a long time. Of course, the window could be open up substantially lengthier this is a smartly operate team with large sources.

Now, let’s convert our focus back again to the White Sox and get ready for a leap of imagination. 1st, we have to admit that there is a very long way to go from where they are appropriate now to where they want to be, which is in the identical elite tier as the Cubs. Lofty prospect rankings are fantastic, but they do not normally include up to Earth Series rivalry.

Prospective customers get hurt or fizzle out. Some corporations show to be far better at pinpointing talent than acquiring it. All kinds of matters could go incorrect.

With these skills out of the way, let’s pose this query: Could the White Sox contend for an American League pennant even though the Cubs’ window of rivalry continues to be open up in the National League? If so, when will we see the to start with Windy Metropolis Series because the times of Theodore Roosevelt?

A minor heritage

Chicago was started in 1833 with a populace less than that of the South Loop building where I now are living. Then the city was built up, burned down and built up again. Someplace along the way, they started off enjoying baseball. In 1906, when the White Sox played about 5 blocks south of where Confirmed Level Subject stands now, the Cubs played on the city’s west facet. As these kinds of, their Earth Series assembly was a West-South affair, which frankly will not have the identical ring to it as North-South.

Given that that very long-in the past assembly, when the Hitless Miracles toppled a Cubs powerhouse outfit that experienced gained 116 typical-time game titles, there have been remarkably number of seasons in which both equally franchises ended up prime contenders in their respective leagues. In reality, there have been only twenty five seasons because 1901 in which both equally ended up at the very least .500 — a price of as soon as every single four.68 a long time.

Through the pre-divisional period, there ended up a number of scattered seasons in which both equally teams finished in the major a few of their leagues, but commonly one particular of the two finished the time with a double-digit-recreation deficit to the pennant winner. Right after the major leagues’ split into divisions, there ended up a handful of seasons in which a Windy Metropolis series seemed at the very least achievable:

1972: The Cubs finished a distant 2nd, 11 game titles driving Roberto Clemente’s Pirates. The White Sox also finished 2nd, five.five game titles driving the eventual-champion Oakland A’s. The Cubs ended up in no way actually in it that time, but it really is enjoyable to muse about mainly because the White Sox’s engage in-by-engage in guy in these times was Harry Caray.

2003: The Cubs gained the NL Central and arrived inside of a recreation of the pennant. We will not converse of why they fell shorter. The White Sox finished 2nd in the AL Central that time, four game titles driving.

2008: This was the closest we have come to a 1906 rematch. Equally golf equipment gained their respective divisions, and both equally flopped in the divisional series to go a blended 1-6. It was really even though it lasted.

Back again to the current

The Cubs’ timeline for winning has been scrutinized time and again, and the approach by means of which they grew to become a design franchise is one particular that other teams are scrambling to replicate. The bottom line: The rebuild was not in influence, at the very least in conditions of typical-time engage in, till the get started of the 2012 time. They went on to reduce one hundred and one game titles. The Cubs made the postseason in 2015, just after building their to start with major absolutely free-agent splurge to increase their younger main with the signing of Jon Lester. They gained the Earth Series in 2016, the fifth time of the rebuild.

Keep up with the most recent as baseball’s time for promotions hits whole swing. Trade Deadline Day-to-day » Olney: Most important deadline queries » Insider: Predicting landing spots Olney: Finest in shape for offered aces » Insider: A deal for every single team » Full deadline protection »

Which is terribly fast, but if Hahn and the White Sox can match that timeline, then we are seeking at the White Sox leaping into rivalry by 2020 and hard for a title in 2021. That, if you recall, is the conservative estimate we set on the Cubs’ present window of elite rivalry.

Mainly because the White Sox’s whole assortment of potential customers is so new, it really is uncomplicated to envision how that could search — no one particular has washed out however. At the major league stage, Jose Abreu could however be viable by the 2020-21 seasons, while he could be a DH and veteran anchor. You could then be seeking at Matt Davidson — or someone else, possibly a potential splashy absolutely free agent — Yoan Moncada, Tim Anderson and 2017 to start with-rounder Jake Burger around the infield. Zack Collins, 2016’s to start with-rounder, could be driving the plate.

Some mix of Eloy Jimenez, Blake Rutherford and Luis Robert (or Charlie Tilson or Luis Basabe or Micker Adolfo) could guy the outfield. The setting up rotation could be stuffed with Michael Kopech, Lucas Giolito, Carlos Rodon, Reynaldo Lopez and Dylan Stop. There are other permutations and other potential customers to come.

On the other hand, as Dave Cameron from FanGraphs noted, the White Sox have only entered into the talent-acquisition phase of rebuilding at this level, and for all the upside their younger players have as a group, their success haven’t been especially eye-popping. You will find a really superior opportunity that the finished variation of the potential White Sox will be comprised of many names diverse from these stated earlier mentioned. Which is just how matters go with developmental pipelines.

The Cubs have been lauded for their talent identification and acquisition efforts the past number of a long time all you have to do is search at who is on the area to see why. It has been an amazing turnaround from the commencing of this decade, and number of teams have been so completed at these kinds of a collectively younger age. But every single little bit as important as the acquisition phase has been the Cubs’ means to transition their small league studs into successful major leaguers.

The White Sox surface to be on observe to match the Cubs in the to start with regard. But what about the 2nd? Which is what we’ll locate out about the subsequent two or a few a long time as they get started to thrust all these younger skills out of the prospect rankings and on to the major league roster.

If the White Sox do so productively, we could be owning a lot of enjoyable in Chicago come the autumn of 2020 or 2021.

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[kristinsimmons]

Charting The Economic History of US Health Reform

By MIKE MAGEE, MD

Adam Gaffney’s recent Boston Review article, “What the Health Care Debate Still Gets Wrong”, a landmark piece that deserves careful reading by all, reaches near perfection in diagnosing our health system malady.

Dr. Gaffney is president of Physicians for a National Health Program, and a co-chair of the Working Group on Single-Payer Program Design, which developed the “Physicians’ Proposal for Single-Payer Health Care Reform.”

A seasoned health policy expert, his article cross-references the opinions and work of a range of health commentators including Atul Gawande, Steven Brill, Sarah Kliff, Elizabeth Rosenthal, Zack Cooper, and Canadian health economist Robert Evans. But his major companion is Princeton health economist, Uwe Reinhardt, whose posthumous book, Priced Out: The Economic and Ethical Costs of American Health Care, was recently published by Princeton University Press.

Gaffney’s affection for Reinhardt is evident as he recounts his desperate upbringing in post-war Germany, challenged by poor living conditions, but made whole by access to health care.  Quoting a 1992 JAMA interview, Reinhardt states, “When we needed medical care, we got it at the local hospital, no questions asked. When you were sick, society was there for you.”

That acknowledgment is not only personal but historically significant, as I outline in my recent book, Code Blue: Inside the Medical Industrial Complex. The services Reinhardt received were part of a new national health care system funded fully by American taxpayers as part of the Marshall Plan. At the very same time, American citizens were denied a national health plan of their own as Truman was effectively branded a supporter of “socialized medicine” by the AMA and a cabal of corporate partners.

As Gaffney recounts, a young Reinhardt at age 19 relocated to Canada just in time to witness the birth of their National Health Care System. He travels next to New Haven to receive his PhD in Economics from Yale, and then settles into a long and distinguished career at Princeton.

In Priced Out, Gaffney finds an evolved Reinhardt, one who acknowledges that the problem is not simply opaque pricing (“It’s the prices stupid.“), and certainly not over-utilization of services as Atul Gawande popularly promoted, but rather the wasteful and rigged privatized system awash in ill-gained profits.

As Gaffney reports, “Reinhardt describes in Priced Out, hospitals and other providers have met insurers’ bloat through profound administrative distention of their own.” And “a cosmic law is that every dollar in expenditures is somebody’s income…(creating) fundamentally a political problem, not a technical one.”

For the solution, Gaffney turns to Canadian Robert Evans rather than Reinhardt, who “described in 1991 the special sauce of cost containment…universalism in conjunction with simple source funding.” In summary, Gaffney writes, “The way we pay for health care has produced a curious but deadly mix of deprivation and excess. There is no great mystery behind it. It’s the financing, stupid.”

As Code Blue’s tracking of the medical history however reveals, this declaration is incomplete without two important additions. The complexity Americans struggle with today was intentional, and the MIC would have been unable to execute their opaque, profit sharing conspiracy without the reinforcement of all sectors (including many patient support groups) reinforced by an integrated career ladder for academic medicine with overflowing and hidden conflicts of interest.

My own mentor, Columbia health economist Eli Ginzberg, cautioned in his 1990 book, The Medical Triangle, “The competitive market is an opponent, not an ally of cost containment.” Eight years earlier, Reinhardt’s Princeton colleague, sociologist Paul Starr, in The Social Transformation of American Medicine, commenting on similar risks with an air of hopefulness, wrote: “A trend is not necessarily fate.”

But my own research, tracking the evolution of the collusive Medical-Industrial Complex over the three quarters of a century following World War II and into the present, suggests that Starr’s fears expressed in 1982 of  “private plans controlled by conglomerates whose interests will be determined by the rate of returns on investments” was well founded.

How and why American medicine arrived at this point is now clear. Instead of embracing a thoughtful approach to strategic health planning following WWII, our nation encouraged a free enterprise and entrepreneurial attack on disease, even as our military built out rational national health systems for Germany and Japan. Along the way, major health sectors—including the medical profession, hospitals, insurers, and pharmaceuticals—infiltrated government bodies, weakening regulatory controls as they pursued self-interest and profitability ahead of the interests of American patients, families, and communities.

Cross-sector leaders like myself helped the various MIC sectors populate and socialize one another’s territories, at times competing, and at other times colluding in the pursuit of career advancement, deregulation, and federal funding. The new information age helped spawn complex insurance and delivery systems focused on mining and monetizing proprietary patient databases. These required expanding nonclinical workforces and encouraged the opaque gaming of the system and diversion of profits. More and more money flowed in to an ever-increasing number of derivative organizations, many flirting at the edges of criminality, that figured out how to gain entry into the increasingly complex pharmaceutical, insurance, hospital, patient care, electronic medical record, medical education, and scientific research supply chains.

As we entered the new millennium, players within the various MIC sectors discovered common political ground with the help of their overlapping lobbyists in Washington and statehouses across the land. But articles like Gaffney’s and books like Code Blue have increasingly exposed these opaque and collusive networks, making it clear that MIC complexity is intentional and conspiratorial, and must be opposed.

The majority of Americans now agree that universal health coverage is a central underpinning of a civilized society, essential to creating a stable government, an empathetic culture, and productive healthy citizens. Implementing such a program requires careful and thoughtful governmental planning and execution with integration of a wide range of other social services. It must be budgeted with careful prioritization, but it is certainly doable.

As Dr. Gaffney suggests, the required corrective action now is far more comprehensive and centers on the 800-pound gorilla we must subdue to truly free ourselves from the MIC syndicate’s stranglehold: our perverse, profit-driven, and incredibly wasteful health insurance system. Could the transformation we need be as simple as removing the age restrictions on Medicare and Medicaid, proposed by some on the left, thereby letting every citizen in on the benefits enjoyed by seniors and the needy during the past half century? Certainly that is one option worth discussing.

But to embrace true reform, we must follow the money and follow the data, and build on progress already made. Clearly the time has come for the US to join the rest of the industrialized world and consolidate health insurance into a standardized single-payer/multi-plan system that provides a secure package of basic benefits for all. The first step should be establishing minimum standards and a centralized control system, which would trigger a cascading series of changes leading to more detailed answers to the question “How do we make America healthy?”

In the Declaration of Independence, our nation’s founders proclaimed that equality was self-evident. Nearly 250 years later, what has become equally self-evident is that there is no equality without reasonable access to health care, and that universal insurance coverage is the only system that truly can provide access that is reasonable. Rather than resisting this approach once seen as “un-American,” our citizens are beginning to see single-payer/multi-plan universal access to affordable and effective care as the essential next step to ensuring what should be every American’s birthright—life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Mike Magee MD is a Medical Historian and Health Economist at the Presidents’ College at the University of Hartford. He is the author of Code Blue: Inside the Medical Industrial Complex (Grove Atlantic/2019). (www.mikemagee.org)

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