#there's also paul who was Freddie's PA

[sammyspreadyourwings]

Sounding like an uneducated fan rn asfhjfskl but could you tell me who are Queen's roadies, techs and assistants? I mean I see certain names floating around constantly in fics or on Tumblr but could never distinguish them?

It’s all good! There is a lot of people involved in making a Queen show!

and a few of these fellas were rarely photographed. 

Chris “Crystal” Taylor - He started out as Roger’s drum tech and eventually kind of morphed into a role where he takes care of general band stuff and also Roger’s PA (sort of)

Brian “Jobby” Zellis - He was (ironically) Brian’s tech and is basically what Pete is today

James “Trip” Kalaf - He was a sound technician 

Peter “Ratty” Hince - He was a combination of Freddie and John’s tech and Roadie, he started in 75 and continued until the end of their touring

Peter “Pheobe” Freestone - hired on with wardrobe and then ended up becoming more of Freddie’s personal entourage 

John R. Harris, who had been a sound engineer from their Smile days until he fell in around the NOTW tour

Pete Malandrone - Brian’s current-day tech

I know I missed some people, but hopefully, this helps clear up some confusion?

[leah-halliwell92]

Sex, Love & Rock ‘n’ Roll

Request by @ohmybribri​: So you and Brian are FWB and you hook up after a concert in the bathroom. He pins you up against the wall, lifts your skirt and had his way with you... 🤤🤤🤤🤤

Another day, another concert. That’s how it had been since you’d joined the boys on the second leg of there American tour. According to Freddie, Brian had been a bit of a pain since leaving home because all he would talk about was you. You doubted that very much laughing off as he walked you to the cab he came in to pick you up. 

You expected for the rest of the boys to be there but was reassured by Fred that they were at the hotel catching up on much needed sleep. That and trying to keep Brian busy considering you are his birthday surprise from Fred, and the boys, to him. 

“I swear on my mum (Y/N) he’s been driving all of us mad!” Fred said being as physically emphatic as he could in the cramped space of the cab stating that, “He really needs to shut up about his girl if he’s so set on not telling her his feelings.”

You refrained from rolling your eyes at that and focused on the speeding scenery. There’s no way Brian sees you that way...they way you see him. 

You met Brian at Uni he needed a hand understanding Shakespeare. You were working on getting your major in child psychology and a double minor in art and English lit. Through Brian you met the rest of the band and was soon part of their rag-tag family which suited you just fine, more than fine even. You and Brian made great friends and soon found the effort they needed to put into just getting laid to be too great to spend outside of studying and raising a band in Brian’s case. This led to Roger jokingly/drunkenly suggesting you and Bri should, ‘fuck for the sake of fucking’.

At first you’d laughed it off but then found that it wasn’t such a bad idea. You’d been surprised to find Brian at your dorm door giving your silent self-agreement to the friends with benefits idea a try and the rest as they say is history. 

That had been close to three years, give or take, ago. The agreement had just been for sex, we could if we liked date or go on dates and at first it worked great on both sides. He seemed more confident in himself if still a little shy but better at talking to other ladies. You hadn’t realized you’d fallen for him until you saw him at the school’s cafeteria talking to Laura Clark. Your ex-best friend who thought she deserved the world on a gold and pearl studded platter. 

You’d brushed it off at first but that night when he came to you the sex didn't feel like sex per say. It was sex but it felt different...

He was gentler when he caressed you and nibbled at your neck. He’d take his time getting you to completion and sometimes would forgo finishing himself in exchange for giving you pleasure when he knew you’d had a trying day. 

And in turn, you stopped leaving at the crack of dawn. Some of your things made their way into his room, your toothbrush next to his in the bathroom and you’d often wake up to find him somehow tucked under your chin his hair effectively waking you up. That morning had been the morning you realized how good you’d be as a couple. That was the morning you also realized he couldn’t feel the same way...

“We’re here!” You heard Freddie say. 

You smiled at him and nearly choked on spit when you saw Prenter standing outside what you thought is the boys’ room smoking. You didn't like him one bit and Freddie knew that. You were more than a little close to asking Miami if you could take Paul’s place as the band’s PA just to get rid of the leech. 

Anyway...You nodded politely at the Irishman and let Fred walk you into the first of the shared double-rooms to find Deaky downing what looked like crap hotel coffee. 

His tired eyes sparkled and you soon found yourself enveloped in the bassist’s arms. 

“Finally,” he said as he kissed your forehead.

You resisted the urge to roll your eyes again knowing where that was coming from and dove into your bag pulling out a gift meant for him from Veronica. 

Deaky resembled a puppy at the sight of the parcel and went to open it in an out fo the way corner of the room.

It was no surprise to find Roger face down on the bed passed out as you thought with a laugh, ‘play my little drummer boy play.’

You shook your head and went into the room Deaky nodded at you leaving Freddie with him. 

You couldn’t help the fond smile that graced your face at the sight of Brian face down and sprawled all over his bed hugging the second pillow to himself. You put your stuff down and stripped down to your light tank and underwear before closing the door. The boys had seen you in your undies before so you weren’t bothered to be seen by them, they’re brothers after all.

That done, you went to the empty side of the bed. You noticed it’s the side you normally slept on back home and grinned tenderly before you began the process sliding under the blanket and trade places with the pillow. You must have been more tired than you thought as the familiarity and warmth of Brian’s arms surrounded you when he subconsciously sought out the now present source of warmth. 

You threw your leg over his thin hips pulling his body close to yours and placing his head under your chin. You hummed and fell asleep quickly as your body and mind recognized that they were finally home. 

You came to to the feeling of gentle calloused fingers caressing your cheek. You kept your eyes closed as Brian ran his fingers over you tenderly before slipping them under the waistband of your underwear. 

You moaned at the feel of his middle finger drawing circles around then over your clit. 

“Good evening (Y/N),” he said as he repeated the hand movement over and over until you gasped and moaned as your completion washed over you. 

Brian looked pleased with himself at having made you cum so quickly but that changed into something softer as he gazed at you as you caught your breath. 

‘To hell with it,’ you thought throwing in the towel, ‘If this is as close as I’m going to get so be it.’

You snuggled into him humming happily and said, “Happy Birthday Bri.”

You felt more than heard him chuckle.

“What?” You asked when you pulled away to look up at him. 

“Thanks dear but that wasn’t the birthday present I was expecting,” he said with a shrug, “Don’t get me wrong, having you here is an amazing unexpected surprise.”

You were about to kick him off the bed in anger when he continued, “There’s this one thing I’ve always wanted to do...”

You listened to what he wanted his present to be and nearly jumped out of bed in glee, tonight’s concert was going to be good.

That night you stood back stage singing along with everyone else as they played. You cheered extra loud when Brian did his solos loving every time he did his thing with his Red Special. For a moment you forgot you were just friends who fucked and let the thought of being his run through your head. 

You cried when they performed “Love of my Life” and applauded when they song ended. 

“He’ll find someone better you know,” you heard Paul say as he took a drag from his cigarette. 

You ignored him focusing on the boys. 

“You're just his friend,” he pressed, “What will you do when he falls for someone? Someone better than a nobody from his hometown.”

That hit you hard, he was right after all but that didn’t make it hurt any less.

You saw him smirk as he saw your face fall. 

You stood straight as a smirk appeared on your face. 

“What’s with the smile?” He asks a bit taken aback with the sudden change of emotion. 

“Fred and I talked on our way to the hotel today,” you said, unbeknownst to you and Paul the concert had finished and the boys were there looking as well as listening to what you were saying, “He said he wants me to the band’s personal assistant.”

He scoffed taking a nervously long drag from his cigarette, “Meaning?”

You smirked and said, “Your fired.”

He coughed at that and said, “You can’t do that!”

“Oh yes she can darling,” Freddie said surprising the both of you.

“Fred,” Paul began. 

“Goodbye Paul,” he said and made his way to the nearest telephone to call Miami and inform him of the sudden change. 

You’d seen the looks of relief and happiness on Roger and Deaky’s faces but before you could say anything else Brian was dragging you away from back stage giving the nearest roady his guitar before pulling you into the nearest empty bathroom and locking the door before laying a hard kiss on your lips. 

Brian reached down and pulled you up to wrap your legs around his waist lifting your skirt up as he continued on kissing you. 

You gasped and moaned as he ran his tongue over hour bottom lip asking for permission. You gladly opened your mouth to him and moaned at the sudden chill that met your crotch as he tore away your underwear. 

He pulled away to work his pants open. 

“Brian–” you began but was interrupted as a moan broke out of you when he entered you. 

The air was filled with moans and grunts as you shifted your hips meeting his pace with every thrust. 

You were close now, so close to cumming when you said, “I love you...make me yours.”

Brian’s eyes lit up at this and he stilled.

“You mean it?” He asked eyes alight with wonder.

“Yes,” you say taking a leap of faith, “I love you Brian Harold May.”

He smiled and his kiss went from hurried and hungry to love filled and tender. 

“Happy birthday to me indeed,” he said with a smirk and made to finish when you heard banging at the door.

“Get a move on lovebirds we want to go eat and sleep!” Roger yelled. 

“Bugger off!” Brian yelled before reluctantly helping you down. 

“Should do as he says,” you say as you fix your skirt, “he won’t leave us alone otherwise.”

He nodded looking every bit a lost puppy. 

“I can warn Deaky and Fred to be out for bit,” you say with a playful smirk. 

Brian pulled you into a loving embrace and kiss suddenly eager to be back at the hotel to finish what was started. 

[piratewithvigor]

A Review Of Classic Rock Fanfics I Wrote When I Was 12 That I Cringed Over For Years And Now Find Oddly Hilarious Now

GNR

Back In The Shadows: My necessary vampire AU where 3/5 of the original members are vampires and there’s a lot of angst. May rewrite someday with less cringey dialogue and more smut. 7/10

Crashing And Burning: A world where music is illegal and Axl has voices in his head that are the souls of dead musicians. Pretty much everyone makes an appearance. Steven has a stuffed elephant named Stacy. Would have been great if I ever finished it. 9/10

Junk: Written as a gift. Izzy and Steven create their own Christmas ornaments after realising how expensive they are. Little bit of shipping, but not enough. Feels rushed. 4/10

Meltdown: Axl throws a tantrum. I wrote one scene when I was angsty at my parents and then added a shoddy beginning and end. 3/10

Sleepless On D Block: Proud as hell of this one. The only one I was brave enough to post on AO3. Izzy is a death row guard who falls in love with his inmate- Axl. Like The Green Mile, but more gay. 10/10

Motley Crue

Ink: A badly-written poem about Nikki’s tattoos from his POV. For only 4 verses, it packs a punch. 6/10

Love, Nikki: It should have stayed as one chapter. Was going to be an imagining of Nikki’s suicide note to his bandmates. Progressed into the aftermath of the suicide where he’s forced to watch the world slowly forget about him. Why did young me romanticise this so much? 2/10

The Outlaw And His Whore: A wild-west AU with a Twincest ship (is that the ship name for them?) that I wimped out of writing an actual sex scene for, so I decided that Vince was narrating a sexual fantasy out for them in present day instead. Pretty much unreadable. 0/10

Rush

A Love Poem: Another angst poem. In this one, Alex is writing it for his husband, Geddy, who died of cancer. Made everyone who read it cry, which was exactly my intention. 7/10

By-Tor And The Snow Dog: A cross between Lion King 2 and Lord Of The Rings, but with Rush. I hadn’t planned it out enough, so it died after 2 chapters. Could have been epic. 4/10

I Do The Best I Can: Written for a prompt about how John would feel after having been replaced and how it impacts his relationship with Alex. Actually fairly proud of this one. 8/10

July 21, 2005: The date of gay marriage being legalised in Canada. Complete with a Dirxst ship and only 100 words long. 4/10

Just One More Story?: ‘What if these rockers read their own fanfics?’ was the question this resolves, complete with excerpts from Dirxst fanfics written by writers I admired (only one acknowledged their inclusion and loved it). Would have preferred to use my own writing. 6/10

Sleep With Me?: Geddy and Alex finds Neil’s attempt at erotic writing. 3/10

The Trees: Basically a fanfic written for kids based on The Trees. 2/10

Workin Them Angels: Another gift. Another unplanned story that went sour. After a near-death experience, Geddy meets Alex, his guardian angel. 1/10 and I’m sorry to the gal I tried to write it for.

Led Zeppelin

Dyfi Valley: Robert and Jimmy write Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp while in seclusion in a cabin together. Casual homoerotic undertones, but there doesn’t have to be if it isn’t your thing. Mostly just two guys being dudes and appreciating each other’s beauty. 9/10

Miracle Worker: AU where Jonesy is a roadie and bass tech who Robert recruits to take over his own bass duties while on the road to reduce strain on himself. Not bad for 3 hours’ work. 7/10

Quick Lovin: A 100-word drabble about Robert subtly domming Jimmy during Moby Dick. Good for brief smut. 5/10

The Traveling Wilburys

And They Never Forgot: A few words in honour of Tom Petty’s death. Published the day of. 6/10

Van Halen

Another Blonde: Dave being salty about being replaced. 8/10

I Charge By The Hour: Eddie and Dave get together after being perfectly uncomfortable with each other in the name of lending one another PA equipment. Not as awkward as it feels. 7/10

Queen

Who Wants To Live Forever?: Freddie comforts his band in his final hours. Sad as hell and I did not know a single thing about Queen when I wrote it. 4/10

Alice Cooper

The Strange Case Of Mr Vincent And Alice Cooper: Vincent Furnier is slowly possessed by the spirit of a girl named Alice Cooper, slowly corrupting his mind and driving him away from his bandmates until she can achieve world domination through him. Great beginning, lousy end. Had to watch the 1969 Rock Festival Performance too many times to write it. 6/10

Kiss

Beyond The Makeup: Paul contemplates his identity as he suits up for a show. Totally a ripoff of the opening of his book, Face The Music. 2/10

Hooligan: Ace and Paul put on each other’s makeup. 1/10

David Bowie (And Rolling Stones)

Lazarus: Written with lines from the song, this was written for the first anniversary of Bowie’s death, cause I was feeling emotions. 4/10

Miss You: David and Mick’s reunion after spending months apart. Then they realise that Charlie is in the bathroom with them. A great amount of awkward, but I still kind of like the ship. 6/10

Sweethearts: A collection of bad one-shots with David and Mick just being a couple in love. Features Saturday morning cartoons, baking cookies and a bachelor auction. 5/10

The Doors

The Neighbor Upstairs: My first and only attempt at an OC within fanfics. No one hated it, but no one really loved it. Also my first story. My first review was a notice that it had been improperly formatted. 1/10

Crossovers

The L.A. Vampires: Alice Cooper, Jimmy Page and Ozzy Osbourne gather for their yearly feasting ritual and to induct their newest member of their group, Nikki Sixx, but Nikki is missing and about to face his first bloodlust. A slightly better vampire AU, but not as well-crafted as my first. Best part is the title’s word play. 4/10

Bitch’s Brew: Tommy Lee and Steven Adler join destructive forces and create a cocktail made with all their leftover alcohol. They then make a drinking game bet where the loser has to destroy Axl’s room and stay there to face the wrath. It ends with a pretty sweet kiss. 8/10

[lilacskyent-blog]

Breakfast with Alex Wex

People have a million opinions and false facts about the digital world we live in today, and even more about social media. For a lot of people, they use platforms like Instagram and Twitter to follow celebrities, and some use it to bully celebrities. Most forget that that connection can also be used for good. We live in a world of amazing accessibility and, when used properly, could foster a wonderful connection between people. A prime example of this is the Will Smith Jump event that took the internet by storm, that all started with a video message. It’s incredible what can happen when you reach out to people. That was the main thought in my mind before sitting down with Alex Wex yesterday. Alex Wex is an amazing Twitch streamer, and until recently, was a producer for FBE and REACT on Youtube. As of this interview, Alex Wex has fostered a wonderful community through Twitch and Discord known as the Jank Squad, and recently broke his view count record at 210 viewers for his birthday stream, also hitting close to 600 subscribers. Given that I was in Atlanta and he was in LA we couldn’t actually meet for breakfast like I usually do so we had an amazing video chat instead.

So for starters, I just want to thank you for sitting down with me. I’ve been following your work since I first saw you on FBE and I think you’re an awesome dude so thanks. I wanna start at the very beginning because I’m really interested in your story. So, I know you went to high school in Atlanta, GA. What can you tell me about that?

I was actually born in Manhattan, my family moved to Atlanta around pre-K and I lived there up until I graduated from Riverwood High School. All my friends wanted to go to UGA or Georgia Tech but I was really interested in traveling and branching out, so I went to Ohio for college, and now I live in L.A. I made some truly amazing friends in Atlanta, and having this kind of east coast, south culture mixture has made life pretty interesting.

When did you know you wanted to work in entertainment, and what led to you becoming a producer?

When I was a kid, my family liked to record family videos, and I always wanted to see the recording. I had the eye for production pretty early. Once I started high school I got involved in performing, did Grease, The Wiz, and a few other school plays that got me interested in the performance aspect as well. In college, I majored in video production with a minor in film and sociology so I gained real knowledge of the art that happens behind the camera.

How does one go from school in Atlanta to working at FBE?

As I mentioned before I went to college at Ohio University, what got me was their video production department. I actually still work with the head of the department and speak to the alumni when they come here, advising them on some dos and don'ts. As a graduation gift, my Dad gave me an all expense paid trip to anywhere I wanted to go in the U.S for a few days and I chose L.A. So I was here, hanging out with my current roommate Johnny and we just decided to come out here permanently and live the dream. So I packed up my car and drove from Atlanta to LA and started looking for internships while working at Chipotle.I first joined FBE as an intern, then got hired as a PA and eventually was a writer for some of their scripted shows, and I worked my way up until I was offered the producer position. I loved producing because that involved every aspect of working behind the camera, from writing to filming to editing and seeing the baby from birth to fully grown. Being in front of the camera came back when FBE launched the community team and started streaming on Twitch.

Watching Alex grow on YouTube, putting reactors in hilarious challenges, eat crazy concoctions and brave some insane hot sauces that would make Sean Evans proud, his personality radiates through the screen. His passion for both sides of the camera is clear in the quality of every video he makes. However, taking part in one of his Twitch streams gives you an even more full experience. It’s like the difference between a teaser trailer and a full film.

Freddy or Jason?

Freddy is my favorite in Dead By Daylight but I love Jason, in fact, Friday the 13th was the first game I ever streamed. I’d have to say, Jason.

So, we were in high school in the baby years of YouTube, I mostly used it for music videos and anime, I think back then I only followed Phil Defranco and Timothy Delaghetto consistently. Back then, did you ever look at YouTube and think “this is going to revolutionize the world and turn traditional media on its head?”

Yeah, it’s changed everything. Almost every network has a YouTube channel now. Late night shows and things like SNL upload segments that get massive amounts of views. YouTube is still growing, testing out its premium service and channel enrollment and things like that, but it’s exciting to see where it’s going to end up.

It’s even crazier when you think about how much Twitch has already changed the game.

Definitely, I mean we’ve seen what happens when some of the top YouTube creators come over to Twitch and realize that it’s completely different from what they’re used to. It’s more like an improv radio show, you have to be on for two or three hours and avoid dead air, rather than being able to edit something together. It’s hard to be constantly entertaining when you're used to delivering a finished edit rather than a live audience. For example, Logan Paul had over 100,000 people in his first stream but after that, the numbers dropped just cause that’s not his world. Live Streaming is a constant conversation. It’s the opposite of YouTube.

I remember seeing YouTubers flood to Twitch after the adpocalypse and feeling like it made no sense. A lot of vloggers and creators who never expressed any interest in video games were all suddenly obsessed with Fortnite. However, when people like Alex Wex came to Twitch they brought genuine love of gaming, skill, and a great sense of community.

What insight can you give into the world of a producer? Especially on the internet, how to figure out what videos are gonna get views or go viral?

It’s a case by case basis depending on what you make. With Challenge Chalice, we made it during the high point of internet challenges and we had consistent challenges to make content with constantly, but this past year challenges have kinda quieted down so that got more difficult. We revisited and revised a lot of earlier challenges to make them more interesting, and that has to do with being present during every step of the process. You can’t slack off on anything, from script to editing. Being organized is key, and definitely take on the ideas and criticisms of the people working with you. Be flexible and open-minded. It’s not about balance, it’s about harmony.

3 Breakfast must haves?

Bacon

Grits

Belgian Waffles are incredible

Hack-n-slash? RPG? Or FPS? And why?

That’s complicated. Overwatch is one of my favorite games but it doesn’t play exactly like an FPS. For me, hack-n-slash for games like Dead Cells, Rogue Lights, I love games with massive replay value. I’m playing Diablo 3 on switch right now and I love it.

What games are best for streaming? Does the game you play matter?

A little, but it shouldn’t be everything. You want your audience to gravitate towards your personality. Never play something you don’t enjoy playing. I love Overwatch and it’s not one of the current hot stream games but I love playing it. Story games are complicated. If people miss parts of story mode games they tune it out cause they won’t know what’s going on. More than anything put your own spin on what you’re doing. For example, when I do Dead By Daylight I do stream vs chat where my chat helps the survivors escape if I’m playing the killer. In fact, chatting streams are starting to really blow up. It’s more about the person playing than the game they play.

What game has you hype for 2019?

That’s tough, but probably Kingdom Hearts 3. I’m excited for Smash Bros for my last game of 2018 too.

What led you to Twitch?

I’d seen some of it, but Tom had been doing it for 6 months and kept suggesting it until one day I finally did. I had a decent setup with an ultra-wide monitor and Tom’s old video capture device and I started streaming Dead by Daylight. We actually came into the name Jank Squad because of how janky the streams were in the beginning.

What led you to leave FBE and what are you working on now?

I wanted to focus more on my Twitch, and it was exhausting streaming at work on the days when I’m also streaming at home. I wanted to give my audience the most energy I could and be more involved with them as a community. I’m creating new ways to interact with my audience, more active in my Discord, and after working there for 5 years I felt stuck. There wasn’t any new learning experience and things felt a little sour and monotonous with the new direction things were going in. I’m actually getting a new camera and a green screen to upgrade the stream quality. I’d love to make partner with Twitch.

What’s the dream?

I take things to step by step. I’m definitely in a transition right now. I’m looking for another good full-time job at the moment. I’d love to be a full-time streamer but I’d also love to produce my own stuff and then stream after work. Streaming is probably one of the most consistent things I’ve ever done. Funny enough, that’s part of what got me into it cause Tom knew my leisure activity was video games, and streaming just takes that to another level. It definitely takes work, but the community you foster on this platform is unlike any other with the rating system and how everything is set up.

Alright so the zombie apocalypse is upon us and you can have 1 mortal character, one god tier video game character, and one Reactor in your survival squad, who you got?

Kratos from God of War 2 causes his chain blades would tear through everything, my regular would be Leon from Resident Evil 4 cause his aim is amazing and he’s used to zombies, and my Reactor would be Chelsea cause she knows so much about The Walking Dead. That’s my squad.

East Coast or West Coast

East, it’s where I was born and bred.

Top 10 songs or artists on your playlist right now?

Meek Mill- Intro with the amazing Phil Collins sample

Tyler the Creator’s Grinch is great for the holidays

The Cool-Lupe Fiasco

Chance The Rapper’s new songs

Paramore- Ain’t It Fun

You come from the same city I did with only a two year age difference, and you’re the first brown face I saw in relation to FBE and now you’re killing it on Twitch. Do you know how dope you are?

I appreciate that. I like to think I’m dope in some ways but I also do my best to keep it real, keep myself humble, and not letting the numbers get to my head. I hope everyone thinks they’re fucking awesome, cause they are. I have my good and bad days but I like to look at what has been built and keep grinding. Everyone is on a different time stream. I don’t want to rush things, I’m on my own path, and right now I just wanna build this community.

I for one, am excited to see what comes next from Alex Wex, including his stream later this week. You can find him @ItsMrWex

-Strawberry Smirk of Lilac Sky Entertainment

[obsessivelollipoplalala]

Ok hot take time? This just randomly came to mind and excuse me if I sound incoherent and completely insane but I feel like if phoebe had been a woman, people would ship him with Freddie, group him in with the women Freddie had been “in love with”/one of the most important people in Freddie’s life over Jim. I mean, he was Freddie’s PA, they met in 1979 and were so close and spent SO much time together ever since. I would even argue it’s not crazy to suggest he probably stayed and spent time with Freddie the most out of Barbara, Mary, Joe, Jim, even the band over the years. Phoebe never “betrayed” him like Paul or Barbara did, he was with him on tour, at home, doing press promo, in parties, travelling etc. They lived with each other (a lot of times just them two) in hotels, and later in GL. Mary and all of Freddie’s boyfriends other than Jim eventually broke up with him, Jim only met and started dating Freddie in 1985. It’s just if we really sit down and count, Phoebe spent so much time with Freddie. He knows almost everything about Freddie as a close friend who had a precious platonic relationship with him. He’s remained loyal, he’s good to and with Freddie and he still speaks so highly of Freddie after all these years. If he had been a woman, I won’t be surprised to see homophobic fans “ship” him with Freddie or place him above Jim in Freddie’s life with bs reasons like “no one knows him better than Phoebe, not even Jim” or shit like that. BUT Phoebe’s a gay man. So of course people don’t pull shit like that. Of course, there is the fact that Phoebe and Freddie never confessed or displayed romantic affection towards one another, but that never really stopped them from saying Mary was the love of his life even after they broke up for years or that Barbara was his lover after she’s exposed as a liar. Had Phoebe had been a woman, we might actually have a contender against Mary lol. He was just around a lot more and knew Freddie better by the end. Other than the stupid LOML myth and the will, Mary wouldn’t have much over Phoebe. Also, Mary might not have been used as a beard as much if Phoebe was a woman. He could take her place instead easily, and it wouldn’t be some “shes my ex girlfriend but we still care for each other a lot please see us as this ambiguous romantically involved couple even if we broke up years ago and never got back together” thing. It would be “Freddie Mercury dating his female PA who has stuck by him for years and knows him better than anyone”, which makes a LOT more sense to me lol. Just, homophobia. If you get my drift.

I suppose so, though given that the movie never mentioned Phoebe and I'd wager that most casual fans don't even know about him, I don't think people outside of the active online fandom would ship him with a female Phoebe, anyway. Maybe Freddie could've used a female Phoebe as a beard, but idk.

[seanpflanagan-blog]

Brewers Half Way Point Review

Hello Crew fans, it’s been awhile but I’m back. As I write this, the Brewers are at the exact half way point through the season and have a record of 48-33, good for first place in the NL Central, 2 1/2 games ahead of those silly Cubs. Speaking of those silly Cubs, I actually tortured myself and watched one of their games today. It was against the Twins, led by Brewer legend Paul Molitor. It was looking good as the Twins took an early lead. However, one Cubs grand slam later and I had enough. Once I stopped puking, I turned on the Crew.

Some thoughts on the first half:

Jesus Aguilar needs to be an All Star. He’s been one of the biggest surprises in all of baseball. Hopefully “The Messiah” can continue working miracles in the second half.

Josh Hader also is an All Star...and a Cy Young Candidate. The Jeremy Jeffress/Hader combo is a true one two punch. I love Jeffress’ intensity every time he’s on the mound.

Christian Yelich and Lorenzo Cain are giving the Crew their moneys worth. Both are a little banged up right now, let’s hope that doesn’t continue.

Orlando Arcia should be sent to AAA. For awhile. The guy can play defense and that’s why he’s here, but he’s lost at the plate, often looking over matched. He’s so bad that the Mendoza line (a .200 batting average) is about to be renamed the Arcia line. Get him some ABs in the minors. On that note, get rid of Sogard as well.

The trade deadline is coming up soon and it’ll be interesting to see what moves the Brewers make. Manny Machado? Jacob DeGrom? Chris Archer? All of the above? As the great George Costanza said whe he was the Yankees Assistant to the Traveling Secretary, “I think I may have found a way for us to get Bonds and Griffey, and we wouldn’t have to give up that much.” So what do the Brewers give up to get a top notch player at the trade deadline?

Some potential needs include a starting pitcher, a second baseman and a catcher. I am here to argue that they’ve already found their starting pitcher and second baseman and they don’t have to give up anything. They’ve got their pitcher in Freddy (Don’t call me Wily) Peralta. Let’s roll with him. He’s been a strikeout machine. No need to mortgage the future on a starting pitcher. The future is now and his name is Freddy. As far as second, the Brewers already have their man there too. His name is Keston Hiura, their first round pick from last year. The guy can flat out hit, and given he was drafted out of college he has the maturity. I believe he can be called up and contribute immediately. Peralta and Hiura are names that would potentially be traded away for a possible rental player. The Crew should keep them and see what they can do. They have the ability to be big time players for years to come. (Note to self: That’s what you said about Billy Jo Robidoux and Jeff D’Amico.)

No matter what happens, it’s going to be a fun second half. Let’s hope that after game 162, the Brewers are where they are now. In first place, ahead of the Cubs.

And a personal note. I’m currently in my second year coaching a team in the Green Bay Miracle League. For those not familiar, this organization gives kids with physical and mental disabilities the chance to play baseball. Kids get to pitch, bat and play the field, with volunteer buddies who assist them. There’s a PA announcer and even the National Anthem played before each game. There is no better feeling than seeing the joy on these kids faces as they’re playing baseball. Every kid should have the chance to play ball and this league provides that opportunity. I don’t know how far this blog reaches, but if there’s a Miracle League in your city I would encourage you to support it. Volunteer, donate, go to a game. It truly is a rewarding experience and getting involved has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

Thanks for reading. Til next time.....

[torentialtribute]

League One round-up: Sunderland start season with draw at home to Oxford

League One round-up: Sunderland starting season with a draw at home, while Oxford while Portsmouth collapses to disappointing defeat against Shrewsbury

Sunderland pulled 1-1 with Oxford as Lynden Gooch & # 39; s penalty saved a point

Portsmouth ended with 10 men when they lost 1-0 to Shrewsbury in New Meadow

Elsewhere there were victories for Ipswich, Wycombe, Lincoln and Rochdale

by Pa Sport Staff

Published: 19:45 BST , 3 August 2019 | Updated: 21:24 BST, August 3, 2019

Sunderland were held 1-1 by Oxford as they were

Tariqe Fosu scored on his debut in Oxford after his summer move from Charlton to give his visitors a surprising lead.

Lynden Gooch led from spot four minutes after the break after being polluted by Josh Ruffels.

Lynden Gooch won and scored a penalty that saved a point for Sunderland against Oxford

Gooch sent goalkeeper Simon Eastwood from Oxford the wrong way from the place

But Jack Ross & # 39; side, who lost in the last play-off in May n Charlton, failed to find a winner.

Portsmouth slipped out of surprise 1-0 defeat against Shrewsbury on the New Meadow.

John Giles' stunning strike condemned Pompey to a loss of the opening day and his disappointing afternoon was aggravated when Ross McCrorie was sent with nine minutes to go.

Shrewsbury manager Sam Ricketts led his team to an opening day win in Portsmouth

Stricken Bolton, who started the season with a minus of 12 points, lost 2-0 to Wycombe.

Paul Smyth hit just after the break and Fred Onyedinma added a late second for the presidents.

The Trotters only went to Adams Park after the EFL gave the game a go after Bolton had given financial guarantees.

Phil Parkinson went to the game with only three contracted senior outfield players and eight of the team made their debut.

Wycombe & # 39; s Fred Onyedinma (second left) scores the second goal from his side against Bolton

<! –

League One

Premier League

Championship

League One

League Two

Scottish Premiership

Scottish Div 1

Scottish Div 2

Scottish Div 3

Call me

Series A

The League

Bundesliga

Bury's game with MK Gifts was already suspended after they could not convince the competition of their financial viability.

Ipswich, relegated from the Sky Bet Championship last season, started his life in the third layer for the first time since 1957 with a 1-0 win over Burton.

Luke Garbutt scored an early winner while Stephen Quinn was fired late on the hosts.

Ian Henderson & # 39; s double, one of the spot and Rhys Norrington-Davies & # 39; second half strike, Rochdale earned a narrow 3-2 win at promoted Tranmere.

Sid Nelson awarded Henderson an early penalty to score and he added a second after the break before Norrington-Davies came into action

However, Dale had to survive a late Rovers after Stephen Dooley & # 39; s own goal and Connor Jennings & # 39; injury time goal before Rushian Hepburn-Murphy was sent to end the hopes of the hosts.

Colleague new boys L incoln defeated Accrington 2-0 after Michael O & # 39; Connor opened the score for the 81st-minute penalty by John Akinde

Lincoln's John Akinde celebrates scoring his second goal from the penalty spot

Darren Moore & # 39; s Doncaster rule began with a 1-1 draw with Gillingham because he needed Kieran Sadlier to save a point after Alex Jakubiak brought the visitors ahead.

RESULTS OF SATURDAY

AFC Wimbledon 1-2 Rotherham United

Blackpool 2-0 Bristol Rovers

Burton Albion 0- 1 Ipswich Town

Bury PP Milton Keynes Gifts

Coventry City 1-0 Southend United

Doncaster Rovers 1-1 Gillingham

Lincoln City 2-0 Accrington Stanley

] Peterborough United 1-3 Fleetwood

Shrewsbury Town 1-0 Portsmouth

Sunderland 1-1 Oxford United

Tranmere Rovers 2-3 Rochdale

Wycombe Wanderers 2-0 Bolton

Freddie Ladapo scored a debut goal and Clark Robertson beat a late winner for his 2-1 win at AFC Wimbledon.

Newcastle loanee Robertson left in six minutes to cancel Joe Piggott & # 39; s Leveler for the Gifts.

Jay Spearing & # 39; The goal of s and Armand Gnanduillet gave Blackpool the perfect start in their 2-0 win over Bristol Rovers.

Joey Barton & # 39; s Fleetwood also made for an impressive 3-1 win at Peterborough.

Harry Souttar and Josh Morris put the Cod army ahead 2-0 and Ivan Toney pulled one back for the hosts, but Danny Andrew's free kick kicked the points for Fleetwood.

Elsewhere, the second half of Zain Westbrooke Coventry gave a 1- 0 win over Southend.

Receive your FREE Premier League Wallchart in collaboration with Sky Sports, only in This Mail's Sunday.

Share or respond to this article:

Source link

[aerotrekka]

Ostend is Belgium’s prime seaside resort, dating from the first flush of post-independence national pride in the 1840s. It is a bit more workaday now, with much of the 19th century buildings demolished by war or more recent wrecking balls. The beachfront has fallen victim to developers of 10-storey apartment buildings, which appear empty of people, at least in March, to complement the wide, wind-blown off-season beach. Busier in the Summer, Spring is the perfect time to come and take a look.

There is plenty of marine stuff to see, including a 1930s-era sail training and scientific expedition ship, the Mercator, moored in the main marina opposite the railway station http://www.zeilschipmercator.be/en/mercator/.

Ostend is worth exploring if you want some sea air and are done with the crowds and renaissance quaintness of Bruges, just 30 minutes away by rail. The bracing seafront allows for beach time in the summer, but not at other times of the year.

Retreating Artists. Like many corners of countries, Ostend has it’s claim as an artist’s hideout, notably Marvin Gaye, who came here in 1981 at the invitation of Freddy Clousaert, a concert promoter, to recover from a period of drug abuse. One good way to get a structured walk around the city is to follow in Marvin’s footsteps with the city’s Midnight Love tour as he recuperated and wrote a few songs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IpLIR8IImc Head to the tourist office to upload the tour https://www.visitoostende.be/en/marvingaye. The painter James Ensor was from Ostend and lived there for almost his entire life, and has a good display at the local art museum.

Mu.ZEE. The Mu.ZEE, Ostend’s contemporary art museum at Romestraat 11, is worth a visit as it gives good insight into an energetic period of Belgian art, with focus on artists such as James Ensor and Leon Spillaert.

Léon Spilliaert, Self-portrait.

The MuZEE is a good way to see some of Belgium’s often eccentric 19th-20th century visual art tradition which includes, for reference:

Rene Magritte (1898-1967), surrealist painter.

James Ensor (1860-1949), expressionist, surrealist painter. Liked Ostend and stayed there.

Paul Delvaux (1897-1994), occasionally surrealist but very dreamscapy.

Léon Spilliaert (1881- 1946), symbolist and expressionist painter.

The Atlantic Wall. Ostend was badly shelled in World War II, although heavily fortified against coastal invasion by German occupiers both in World War I and more extensively in World War II as part of the Atlantic Wall, which ran from western France to northern Norway. This section was one of the most heavily fortified, because the Germans incorrectly assessed the main invasion threat as being in the Pas de Calais area, just west of Ostend, when in fact the Allies did two things (1) conduct an extensive intelligence deception effort to confirm that belief, including running fake military radio networks and (2) invading further west in Normandy.

There is an excellent preserved complex, the Raversyde Atlantikwall, 6 kilometers along the coast southwest of town, which you can access in a 15-minute coastal tram ride. These fortifications are in good condition, in part because the war passed them by and they didn’t get flattened. Buy your out and back tram ticket and get on at the Marie Joseplein tram stop, getting off at the Raversijde Domein stop (not the Oostende Raversijde stop). You cross over the sand dunes by the steps and path just east of the stop; once over the dunes head east to the entrance: https://www.raversyde.be/en/atlantikwall

Depending on your level of interest, you can easily spend two hours roaming the well-preserved and restored battlements and bunkers, including a faithful recreation of the commanding officers’ cottage.

The Kursaal. Depending on the season, the Kursaal Casino, apart from being a fine example of post-war Belgian modernism, has an extensive concert program which kicks in towards summer, and their calendar is worth checking before you go, especially if you miss 80s Europop and other eclectic acts, including a Frank Zappa homage. https://www.kursaaloostende.be/nl/kalender Check out the Marvin Gaye at the piano statue – he performed here during his retreat.

Logistics. Ostend is quite compact as befits it’s 19th century origins, and the rather grand Victorian railway station is a 10-minute walk on the quayside east of the city center. If you finish your Belgian trip here, you can connect to the Eurostar at Brussels Midi railway station.

There are plenty of food options and the Apero Fish Palace at Nieuwstraat 5 is a great seafood place. Café Botteltje at Louisastraat 19 has a comprehensive and well-kept Belgian beer selection and also serves food. Mussels are a local specialty (with fries of course) and two places to go are the Het Mosselhuis on Nieuwstraat 14 and Kombuis on Van Iseghemlaan 24. There is plenty of apartment accommodation on airbnb and the central hotels are decent –  I stayed at the City Partner Hotel Ter Streep on Leopold II-laan 14, which was fine.

Ostend: On the Beach Ostend is Belgium's prime seaside resort, dating from the first flush of post-independence national pride in the 1840s.

[jazzworldquest-blog]

USA: Joe Chambers Quartet “Landscapes” An Die Musik Baltimore, Md. Friday, April 26th Sets 8:00 & 9:30 pm #jazz #vibes #JoeChambers

Joe Chambers’ Quartet “Landscapes” with Joe Chambers, vibes Allyn Johnson, piano Herman Burney, bass Dennis Chambers, drums and percussion An Die Musik 409 N. Charles St. Baltimore, Md. 21201 301-366-1118 Friday, April 26, 2019 Sets 8:00 pm and 9:30 pm Tickets & Info Joe Chambers Biography Joe Chambers has worked with some of the most influential jazz figures of the last several decades and is a recognized performer and composer whose works have been performed at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. As a sideman and leader, Chambers has recorded more than 500 albums and CDs. He has performed and recorded with Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard, Wayne Shorter, McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea, Sonny Rollins, Herbie Hancock, Dizzy Gillespie, Andrew Hill and many more. Chamber’s credits include Hubbard’s “Breaking Point,” Joe Henderson’s “Mode for Joe,” Hutcherson’s “Components,” Shorter’s “Schizophrenia.” and “Etcetera,” Hill’s “Compulsion,” and Tyner’s “Tender Moments,” as well as Archie Shepp’s “New Thing at Newport,” Charles Mingus’ “Like a Bird,” Chick Corea’s “Tones for Joan’s Bones,” and many others. Chambers’ compositions have been covered by Hutcherson, Hubbard and M’Boom; he has also contributed to soundtracks for several Spike Lee films, including “Mo’ Better Blues.” Chambers is the first Thomas S. Kenan Distinguished Professor of Jazz in Department of Music at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. His most recent recording is “Joe Chambers moving pictures orchestra live” of Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola in New York City, Savant 2120, released May 2012 and was nominated for a Grammy in 2013. Website: https://www.josephachambers.com Allyn Johnson Native Washingtonian ALLYN JOHNSON is a multi-talented musician, composer, arranger and producer whose trademark sound gives brilliance and fortitude to the art of jazz improvisation. Allyn, a prodigy who began playing piano at the tender age of five, got his start playing piano for the youth choir in his uncle's church. There he honed his inner musical gift. While a student at the University of the District of Columbia, Allyn was mentored by the late great jazz legend Calvin Jones, a venerable figure in the international jazz community. in 2005 Allyn started an ensemble combining Gospel, Jazz and Classical music called Divine Order. He also has a group called Sonic Sanctuary which may be heard as his trio or small ensemble which ranges from acoustic straight ahead jazz to jazz fusion and funk. No matter what configuration Allyn may be heard in, you can best believe it will be just "good music for the soul." Herman Burney Herman Burney is a native of Washington, DC, but was raised in the arts-nurturing state of North Carolina where he grew up listening to Mahalia Jackson, Aretha Franklin, and James Cleveland. During his early years Herman played clarinet, drums and tuba and later took up electric bass for a “hard-core funk group” in high school. After meeting jazz titan George Duvivier in 1987, Herman finally settled on his beloved double bass. Herman has traveled all over the world to establish an impressive list of performance credentials as bassist for Nneena Freelon, Marcus Roberts, Freddy Cole, Natalie Cole, Wynton Marsalis, Frank Wess and many others of equal renown. Herman’s first CD was was titled “First Fruits. ” His second is “Offering,” a collection of orginal tunes. When Herman is “at home” he is teaching at George Washington University and the Sitar Arts Center in D.C. Dennis Chambers Dennis Chambers (born May 9, 1959) is an American drummer who has recorded and performed with John Scofield, George Duke, Brecker Brothers, Santana, Parliament/Funkadelic, John McLaughlin, Niacin, Mike Stern, CAB, Greg Howe, and many others. Despite a lack of formal training, Chambers has become well known among drummers for his technique and speed. Chambers is particularly regarded for his ability to play "in the pocket" but can also stretch very far out of the pocket which is also a hallmark of his technique. Chambers exhibits a powerful style that is technically proficient, yet highly musical and groove-oriented. He can play in a wide variety of musical genres, but is perhaps most notable for his jazz-fusion, funk, and Latin music playing. He is mostly known for his fast hands and triplets on the bass drum. He has helped many young drummers, the most prominent being Tony Royster, Jr. Landscapes (review) SAVANT 2140 The reviewing equivalent of this publication’s Blindfold Test is to listen to an album knowing only the title and name of its leader. Taking that approach with veteran drummer Joe Chambers’ Landscapes, one is introduced to a vibraphone-driven four-piece unit à la the Modern Jazz Quartet. It’s a lush ambiance, full of complexity and color. A slinky version of Monk’s “Epistrophy” opens this dynamic album, and is followed by Horace Silver’s “The Outlaw,” which showcases a thoughtfully developed piano solo. Thee sustained vibraphone on “Never Let Me Go” emphasizes the lyrical themes of holding on and the potential pain of loss.Chambers’ strength as a composer is reinforced on “Samba De Maracatu,” which boasts standout solos by Chambers himself. Paul Arslanian’s lovely “Pas De Trois,” Sonny Rollins’ “Airegin,” another Silver number (“Ecaroh”) and Karl Ratzer’s “Underground System”—rechristened “Underground (Railroad) System”—follow. Chambers generously allows the pianist to conclude the album with a solo reading of the title track. Upon delving into the accompanying material, the big reveal is that this is actually a trio date with Chambers overdubbing the tuned percussion as well as all the other non-rhythm section instruments. And the nearly 10-minute solo piano number? That’s Chambers, too. Landscapes sounds like the fluid live studio recording of four or more musicians, so it’s impressive on multiple levels. —Yoshi Kat Landscapes: Epistrophy; The Outlaw; Never Let Me Go; Havana; Samba De Maracatu; Pas De Trois; Airegin; Ecaroh; Underground (Railroad) System; Landscapes. (59:58) Personnel: Joe Chambers, drums, congas, bongos, vibraphone, marimba, synthasizer, piano (10); Rick Germanson, piano (1-9); Ira Coleman, bass (1-9), Ordering info: JazzDepot.com  

via Blogger http://bit.ly/2IBRFQY

[newestbalance]

Major League Baseball roundup: Williams blast lifts Phillies past Mets

Nick Williams hit a go-ahead three-run, pinch-hit homer in the sixth inning Sunday afternoon as the Philadelphia Phillies came back to defeat the visiting New York Mets 4-2.

May 13, 2018; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Nick Williams (5) celebrates his three run home run with second baseman Scott Kingery (4) during the sixth inning against the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

The Phillies won for the fifth time in six games to earn a split of the series shortened to two games by rain. The Mets have lost 17 of 25 since an 11-1 start.

Yoenis Cespedes homered in the top of the sixth to put the Mets in position to overcome an abbreviated start by Jacob deGrom, who was lifted after throwing 45 pitches in a scoreless first tinning. The New York ace as a precaution due to the pitch count in his first outing back from the disabled list.

In the bottom of the sixth, Mets reliever Paul Sewald (0-3) gave up a leadoff double to Carlos Santana and issued a one-out walk to Scott Kingery. With two outs, Williams stepped to the plate for starting pitcher Aaron Nola (6-1) and crushed a 2-1 pitch deep into the right field seats for his second career pinch-hit homer.

Angels 2, Twins 1

Zack Cozart’s single in the bottom of the ninth inning scored Chris Young from second base to lift Los Angeles past visiting Minnesota in Anaheim, Calif.

Angels two-way player Shohei Ohtani had another impressive performance on the mound despite a no-decision. Ohtani gave up just one run on three hits and two walks in 6 1/3 innings, striking out 11.

Twins reliever Zach Duke (2-2) hit Young with a pitch to start the ninth inning. Martin Maldonado followed with a sacrifice bunt, moving the runner to second and bringing up Cozart, who swung at Duke’s first pitch and lined it into left field, Young scoring without a throw.

White Sox 5, Cubs 3

Matt Davidson homered and knocked in two runs, including the tiebreaker, as the visiting Chicago White Sox avoided a series sweep at the hands of their cross-town rival.

Lucas Giolito (2-4) survived seven walks and five stolen bases in his 5 2/3 innings to pick up the win. Giolito allowed only two hits and three runs, recording three strikeouts. Three relievers notched the last 10 outs, with Bruce Rondon working the ninth inning for his first save.

Kyle Hendricks (3-3) was tagged with the loss for the Cubs, yielding six hits and four runs, three earned, over six innings. The Cubs’ five-game winning streak ended.

Yankees 6, A’s 2

Giancarlo Stanton homered and had four hits as host New York beat Oakland following a rain delay of two hours, 45 minutes.

Stanton helped the Yankees win for the 19th time in 22 games by producing his second four-hit game of the season, with the first three hits off left-hander Brett Anderson (0-2). After his big day, Stanton is batting .429 (15-for-35) with seven homers and 15 RBIs off left-handed pitching.

Luis Severino (6-1) allowed one run and five hits in six innings. He struck out seven, won his fourth straight decision and allowed one run or none for the 21st time since the start of last season.

Nationals 6, Diamondbacks 4

Mark Reynolds hit two homers in his season debut, and Bryce Harper and Trea Turner also homered as Washington completed a four-game sweep of Arizona in Phoenix.

Reynolds hit a solo shot in the sixth inning and added a tiebreaking, two-run homer with one out in the eighth off Archie Bradley (0-1). He also singled in his first game since his contract was purchased from Triple-A Syracuse on Saturday when Ryan Zimmerman was placed on the disabled list. The Nationals won for the 13th time in 15 games.

A.J. Pollock and Ketel Marte had two hits, Jarrod Dyson had a two-run single, and David Peralta and Daniel Descalso knocked in runs for the Diamondbacks. Arizona has lost a season-high five in a row and eight of 11.

May 13, 2018; Philadelphia, PA, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Jacob deGrom (48) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Tigers 5, Mariners 4

Jose Iglesias smacked a game-winning single, Niko Goodrum homered and scored twice, and Detroit edged visiting Seattle. The Mariners lost second baseman Robinson Cano for an indefinite period with a fractured fifth metacarpal on his right hand after being hit by a pitch in the third inning.

Mariners left-hander James Paxton got a no-decision in his first start since his no-hitter at Toronto on Tuesday. He gave up three runs on six hits with four strikeouts in six innings.

JaCoby Jones led off the ninth against Juan Nicasio (1-2) with an infield single. Goodrum advanced him to third with another single, and Iglesias then slapped an opposite-field single against the drawn-in infield.

Red Sox 5, Blue Jays 3

J.D. Martinez hit a two-run homer and added an RBI single as visiting Boston defeated Toronto in the rubber match of a three-game series.

The win went to reliever Hector Velazquez (5-0), who allowed two hits and struck out two in two innings. Joe Kelly pitched a perfect ninth to earn his second save of the season.

Toronto’s Joe Biagini (0-2), recalled from Triple-A Buffalo for the start, allowed four runs, four hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings. The right-hander struck out three.

Brewers 7, Rockies 3

Freddy Peralta struck out 13 in his major league debut as Milwaukee beat Colorado to win three of four in a weekend series at Denver.

Peralta (1-0), whose parents watched him pitch as a professional for the first time, took a no-hitter into the sixth inning before allowing a one-out single to David Dahl. He then struck out Charlie Blackmon and left after throwing 98 pitches.

Travis Shaw and Jesus Aguilar homered and Domingo Santana had three hits for Milwaukee. Dahl and Tony Wolters homered, and Jon Gray (4-5) allowed six runs on 10 hits and fanned 10 for the Rockies.

Astros 6, Rangers 1

Dallas Keuchel worked seven shutout innings while Evan Gattis and Carlos Correa both homered for a second consecutive game as Houston claimed the rubber match of its three-game series against visiting Texas.

Keuchel (3-5) continued what has been a bounce-back month of May, allowing just three hits and one walk while recording a season-high eight strikeouts. After surrendering six earned runs in his final start of April, Keuchel has allowed four runs on 14 hits and three walks with 17 strikeouts over 22 innings this month, posting back-to-back wins for the first time this season.

Carlos Perez smacked a solo home run, his first, off Hector Rondon to get the Rangers on the board in the eighth inning. Texas totaled three runs in the series. Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre aggravated a left hamstring injury in the seventh.

Reds 5, Dodgers 3

Luis Castillo pitched effectively into the seventh inning, and Eugenio Suarez and Joey Votto supported him with two-run home runs, helping visiting Cincinnati complete a stunning four-game sweep of Los Angeles.

Slideshow (9 Images)

The Reds, who began the series with the worst record in the National League, limited the Dodgers to nine runs in four games, extending their winning streak to six straight.

Castillo (3-4) allowed solo home runs to Yasiel Puig in the third inning and Yasmani Grandal in the seventh but otherwise limited the Dodgers to just two other hits and one unearned run in six-plus innings. He struck out eight and did not walk a batter.

Braves 4, Marlins 3

Sean Newcomb pitched six scoreless innings, and Ender Inciarte slugged a two-run homer as Atlanta held on to win at Miami.

Miami had just one hit — a double by Brian Anderson — entering the ninth. However, after singles by Starlin Castro and J.B. Shuck, Justin Bour hit his third pinch-hit homer of the season.

Braves reliever Jesse Biddle allowed the two singles before making way for Arodys Vizcaino, who gave up the upper-deck homer by Bour. Vizcaino recovered to retire Miami’s final three batters to pick up his seventh save of the season.

Padres 5, Cardinals 3

Clayton Richard yielded two runs on five hits over eight innings, and San Diego ruined Adam Wainwright’s return from the disabled list, holding on to gain a split of the four-game series against visiting St. Louis.

Richard (2-5) picked up the win to snap a four-decision losing streak. He walked one while equaling his career high of 10 strikeouts.

Wainwright, 36, came off the disabled list to make his first start since April 23. He had missed four starts due to inflammation in his right elbow. He allowed two runs on three hits and issued a career-high six walks with three strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings.

Indians 11, Royals 2

Jose Ramirez, Yan Gomes and Michael Brantley hit home runs to back the strong pitching of Corey Kluber, lifting the Cleveland to a victory over visiting Kansas City. The Indians took two of three in the series.

Staked to a 5-0 lead in the second inning, Kluber (6-2) became the American League’s first six-game winner, allowing just two runs, both of which were unearned, in seven innings. He gave up eight hits and did not walk a batter, striking out four.

The Indians took advantage of the Royals’ inability to turn a double play on either of two fielder’s choice ground balls to score five times in the second inning, with Ramirez capping the uprising with a three-run homer off Kansas City starter Danny Duffy (1-5).

Giants 5, Pirates 0

Derek Holland pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings, and San Francisco scored five runs in the sixth, including two homers, to break a season-worst, six-game losing streak with a win at Pittsburgh.

Holland (1-3) collected his first road win since last May 21, going 0-9 in 12 outings away from home in the interim. He allowed four hits, struck out seven and walked five.

Relievers Reyes Moronta, Will Smith and Hunter Strickland preserved the shutout and Gorkys Hernandez and Nick Hundley hit homers in the sixth-inning outburst. Pittsburgh had its five-game winning streak halted and missed a chance to sweep the series.

Orioles 17, Rays 1

Joey Rickard made his return to the major leagues in style, hitting two homers and driving in five runs as Baltimore ripped Tampa Bay to win for the fifth time in six games.

Rickard hit a solo homer in the second inning and got the big hit in a seven-run fourth inning, a three-run blast to give Baltimore an 11-0 lead.

Danny Valencia and Rickard hit back-to-back homers off starter Blake Snell (4-3) in the second for a 2-0 lead. Later in the inning, Trey Mancini banged a third solo homer.

—Field Level Media

The post Major League Baseball roundup: Williams blast lifts Phillies past Mets appeared first on World The News.

from World The News https://ift.tt/2jSGWnI via Everyday News

[spoiledsplendid]

Queen + Adam Lambert—A Royal Rock 'n' Roll Odyssey

Queen + Adam Lambert Concert

Date Seen: July 4, 2017

Cost of Ticket: $175 CDN

Rating: 83%

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

I have something to admit. I don't own a single Queen or Adam Lambert record/8 track/tape/cd. Earlier this year when their summer tour was announced, I looked at tickets and didn't bother making a purchase. Today while driving home, I saw the crowds filing into Rogers Place and remembered that the concert was taking place and was able to secure a couple great seats on StubHub. My expectations for the evening were hopeful but not overly high as I didn't know what to expect from this Queen + Adam Lambert concert. 

To begin, Adam Lambert is not Freddie Mercury. He goes on to admit that during the show. Lambert lacks the appeal and presence that Mercury was famous for. Lambert tries hard to channel the late superstar, but it is clear he lacks what other stars like David Bowie, George Michael and Annie Lennox possess. However, Adam Lambert's voice is as good (maybe even better?) as Mercury's and he is an ideal choice to fill the legend's shoes—even the 6 inch platform heels. He soars through song after song effortlessly and with precision. And while Lambert might not have the Freddie persona, he is not afraid to be playful and dress the part. There were more than a half dozen wild costume changes which puts him in the same league as Cher. Freddie would have been proud so perhaps we're on the right track afterall. 

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

Freddie Mercury may have been the frontman, but he wasn't the entire band. Today Brian May and Roger Taylor prove that old guys can still rock. May is a genius on the guitar and brings the classic rock feel to the night. Taylor not only rocks out on the drums but his falsetto singing voice is surprisingly good. I was glad that the show highlighted these two original members of Queen throughout the show. They are both legends and the crowd certainly appreciated them and their talents. 

For me, the highlight of the evening was certainly Lambert's ability to master the Queen catalogue. And what a vast catalogue it is! 2.5 hours of music and there were perhaps 5 songs I didn't recognize. Lets not forget—I'm not a huge fan. But there were no shortage of hits: We Are the Champions, Who Wants to Live Forever, Fat Bottomed Girls, Don't Stop Me Now, I Want It All, Somebody to Love, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Under Pressure, Bohemian Rhapsody, We Will Rock You and so many more. The only noticeably missing song was The Show Must Go On. But with a setlist this full of hits (a few I forgot were originally sung by Queen), I am not going to complain. 

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

Another surprise of the night was the stunning visuals throughout the show. Although the band has always been known as performers, I did not expect it to be this visual for a classic rock concert. The stage was well rigged with a series of moving lights and a screen that stretched the entire width of the stage. Not only were the projections interesting and playful, but it was also well used to pay tribute to Freddie Mercury on occasion. For Who Wants to Live Forever, a very impressive laser show stunned the crowd. During the encore of We Will Rock You, the largest disco ball I've ever seen descended from the heavens. And to finish it all off, the confetti cannons signalled the end of the show. 

The crowd was certainly mixed. As Brian May said: Queen played Edmonton almost 40 years ago...but that was to your parents...and grandparents...but it looks like they all still showed up tonight. The crowd's age ranged from late 20s to late 70s with the rowdiest being those in their 50s. But all ages were having a good time and there was plenty of security to ensure the crowd stayed orderly. 

All in all, I had a very pleasant surprise tonight. I learnt lots about this famous band and had the fortune of enjoying Lambert's voice on those classic hits. I doubt a studio album will happen but doesn't mean I can't hope! Check them out if they are coming to your city. 

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

July 6th Denver, CO - Pepsi Center Arena

July 8th Omaha, NE - CenturyLink Arena

July 9th Kansas City, MO - Sprint Centre

July 13th Chicago, IL - United Center

July 14th St. Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center

July 17th Montreal, QC - Bell Centre

July 18th Toronto, ON - Air Canada Centre

July 20th Detroit, MI - The Palace of Auburn Hills

July 21st Cleveland, OH - Quicken Loans Arena

July 23rd Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena

July 25th Boston, MA - TD Garden

July 26th Newark, NJ - Prudential Center

July 28th New York, NY - Barclays Center

July 30th Philadelphia, PA - Wells Fargo Center

July 31st Washington D.C. - Verizon Center

August 2nd Nashville, TN - Bridgestone Arena

August 4th Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center

August 5th Houston, TX - Toyota Center

European and UK Tour

November 1st - Prague, Czech Republic, O2 Arena

November 2nd - Munich, Germany, Olympiahalle

November 4th - Budapest, Hungary, Sportarena

November 6th - Lodz, Poland, Atlas Arena

November 8th - Vienna, Austria, Stadhalle

November 10th - Bologna, Italy, Unipol Arena

November 12th - Luxembourg, Amneville Galaxie

November 13th - Amsterdam, Netherlands, Ziggo Dome

November 17th - Kaunas, Lithuania, Zalgiris Arena

November 19th - Hartwell Arena, Helsinki, Finland

November 21st - Friends Arena, Stockholm, Sweden

November 22nd - Royal Arena, Copenhagen, Denmark

November 25th  - Dublin, 3 Arena

November 26th - Belfast, SSE Arena

November 28th - Liverpool, Echo Arena

November 30th - Birmingham, Barclaycard Arena

December 1st - Newcastle, Metro Radio Arena

December 3rd - Glasgow, The SSE Hydro

December 5th - Nottingham Motorpoint Arena

December 6th - Leeds, First Direct Arena

December 8th - Sheffield Arena

December 9th - Manchester, Arena

December 12th - London, 02 Arena

December 13th - London, 02 Arena

December 15th - London, The SSE Arena, Wembley

December 16th - Birmingham, Barclaycard Arena

[frederickz-8021]

                                        THE PERFECT SEVEN

 To start off with this article, this subject has been in my mind for years and only now it has taken its form. It all got instigated in me when I was familiarizing the song “Ezhuvilakkin naduvil sobha poornanayi” (a famous Christian devotional song). I just wondered what’s all this about 7 lamps and its

importance.  Later after reading the book of Revelation from the Bible, I got to know about the 7             lamps            surrounding             Jesus  Christ,            which enlightened him. Besides, reading through the

book of Revelation, I noticed a particular significance about the number 7, which is the sole reason why I’m writing this article.

              The prominence of number of 7 is of utmost importance both

in our physical world as well as in the spiritual world. This humble attempt is only a very small speck of sand compared to the whole mount of knowledge both discovered and undiscovered.

REFERENCES OF SEVEN IN THE PHYSICAL WORLD

                          Nachmanides (12th century Spain) explains a beautiful kabbalistic concept: Seven is the number of the natural world. There are 7 days in the week, 7 notes on the musical scale and 7 directions (left, right, up, down, forward, back and center). “Seven” - represented by the 7 days of Sukkot, the world of nature.

The Sages teach that seven are the attributes of physicality:

1.     Height

2.     Width

3.     Depth

4.     Top and bottom (limits height)

5.     Front and back (limits width)

6.     Left and right (limits depth)

7.     The connecting of the other six

                                                      We all know about the Seven Wonders of the World, the amazing works of human hand.  

                 The human body, according to our Sages, is composed of seven major parts, namely: head, torso, right arm, left arm, right leg, left leg, and the Brit Mila (the organ of circumcision).Western musicians name the tones, or notes,

of a scale with the first seven letters of the alphabet--A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. The rainbow with its seven colors reflects the beauty. Seven seas is an ancient term describing all the seas and oceans of the world. Many people believe the seven seas referred to are the Arctic, Antarctic, North and South Pacific, North and South Atlantic, and Indian oceans. There are seven visible moving celestial objects: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, Moon, and Sun. In mathematics, seven is the lowest natural number that cannot be represented as the sum of the squares of three integers.

REFERENCES OF SEVEN IN OTHER RELIGIONS AND CULTURES

            Sanskrit's most ancient holy book, the Rig Vega, describes seven stars, seven concentric continents, and seven streams of soma, the drink of the Gods. In Hinduism, the Sanskrit word sapta refers to number seven. Indian Music has "Saptak Swaras," seven octats (sa re ga ma pa dha ni) which are basics of music, using which hundreds of Ragas are composed.  Celestial group of seven stars (7Classical Planets) are named as "Sapta Rishi" based on the seven great saints. Seven Promises [Saptapadi], Seven Rounds in Hindu Wedding and Seven

Reincarnation. Seven hills at Tirumala also known as ezhu malaiyan [in Tamil] means Sevenhills of God.  

             The Egyptians mapped seven paths to heaven. The newborn Buddha took seven strides. For numerologists, seven signifies creation, because it is the sum of the spiritual three and the material four; for alchemists, there are clear parallels between the seven steps leading up to King Solomon's temple and the seven successive stages of chemical and spiritual purification. Iranian cats have seven lives, seven deities bring good

luck in Japan, and a traditional Jewish cure for fever entailed taking seven prickles from seven palm trees and seven nails from seven doors. In Islam, there are 7 verses in the first sura (chapter) of the Quran. During the Hajj (religious pilgrimage to Mecca), pilgrims walk 7 times around the Kaaba (most sacred site in Islam) the ritual called Tawaf. The Quran was revealed in 7 local dialects.  

REFERENCES OF SEVEN IN CHRISTIANITY

The references of 7 in the bible is numerous both in the old and the New Testament. There about 700 times the number 7 is being referred of which 55 times in the book of Revelation alone.

          So starting with Genesis, the number seven is a number of completeness, divine perfection or “something that is finished”, as in the creation week. God spent six days in creating the universe, and rested on the seventh day. The seventh day was to be the Sabbath, “set apart” for Israel, a holy day of rest.

    In Exodus, we see the command for the animals to be sacrificed should be at least seven days old (Exodus 22:30). The command for leprous Naaman, the army commander was to bathe in the Jordan River seven times to effect complete cleansing (2 Kings 5:10). The instruction for Joshua was to march around Jericho for seven days (and on the seventh day to make seven circuits) and for seven priests to blow seven trumpets outside the city walls (Joshua 6:3-4). We find seven pairs of animals on the

Noah’s ark (Genesis 7:2); seven stems on the tabernacle’s lampstand

(Exodus 25:37); seven qualities of the Messiah (Isiah 11:2). The Lord would discipline Israel up to

sevenfold (up to seven times) if they refused to obey Him (Lev 26:18). Seven years of plenty and seven years of famine in Pharaoh's dream (Genesis 41). Seven days of the feast of Passover (Exodus 13:3–10).

            The Bible, as a whole, was originally divided into 7 major divisions. They are The Law, The Prophets, The Writings or Psalms, The Gospels and Acts, The General Epistles, The Epistles of Paul, The book of Revelation. There are at least seven men in the

Old Testament who are specifically mentioned as the men of God. They are Moses (Joshua 14:6), David (2Chronicles 8:14), Samuel (1Samuel 9:6, 14), Shemaiah (1Kings 12:22), Elijah (1Kings 17:18), Elisha (2Kings 5:8) and Igdaliah (Jeremiah 35:4).

                        In the New Testament, Jesus told Peter to forgive a wrongdoer “seventy times”

(Matthew 18:22). Seven loaves of bread multiplied into seven baskets full of surplus (Matthew 15:32–37).  Seven demons were driven out of Mary Magdalene (Luke 8:2). Jesus performed seven miracles on God's holy Sabbath Day (which ran from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset), thus affirming its continued sacredness to God and necessity in the life of the believer:  

•      Jesus healed the withered hand of a man attending synagogue services (Matthew 12:9)

•      At a Capernaum synagogue he casts out an unclean spirit that possessed a man (Mark 1:21)

•      Right after the above miracle Jesus heals Peter's wife's mother of a fever (Mark 1:29)

•      A woman attending synagogue, who was made sick by a demon for eighteen years, is released from her bondage (Luke 13:11)  

•      At a Pharisee's house eating a meal with the host and several lawyers, Jesus heals a man with dropsy (Luke 14:2)

•      A man who is disabled and unable to walk is healed at the pool of Bethesda (John 5:8 - 9)

•      Jesus heals a man born blind at the pool of Siloam (John 9:14)

                        The seven sayings form part of the Christian meditation that is often used during Holy week and Good Friday. The last seven expressions of Jesus Christ on the Cross recorded in scripture (Seven Last Words from the Cross):

•      (Luke 23:34): Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.

•      (Luke 23:43): Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.

•      (John 19:26–27): Woman, behold your son. Son, behold your mother.

•      (Matthew 27:46 & Mark 15:34) My God, My God, why hast thou you forsaken me?

•      (John 19:28): I thirst.

•      (John 19:30): It is finished. (From the Greek "Tetelestai" which is also translated "It is accomplished.")

•      (Luke 23:46): Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit.  

                    In the book of Revelation there are seven churches, seven angels to the seven churches, seven seals, seven trumpet plagues, seven thunders and the seven last plagues. The first resurrection of the dead takes place at the 7th trumpet, completing salvation for the church.  

                            There is a famous saying “If six stands for the physical creation and seven for the spiritual(Shabbat), then eight stands for that which is completely outside our world, for the World to Come.” So man is 6, always one short of God. But with our acts and behavior we must try to achieve goals nearing a perfect seven that is by serving God and serving humanity.

                                                                                           By,

                                                                                                                                                                                                                    FREDDY. P. PORATHUR

[topinforma]

New Post has been published on Mortgage News

New Post has been published on http://bit.ly/2ldhF7B

mortgage-payments-take-up-biggest-share-of-income-since-2010

SEATTLE, Feb. 16, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — With interest rates and home values on the rise, the typical monthly mortgage payment now requires more of the average household income than it has anytime in the previous six years. Buyers can expect to spend 15.8 percent of the median household income on housing each month, up from 14.7 percent a year ago.

Home value growth accelerated at the end of 2016, and mortgage rates are rising again after hovering around historical lows for the past few years. The combined effect pushed the share of income households need to pay their mortgage to the highest levels since 2010 Q2, according to a Zillow® analysis of mortgage and rent affordability[i].

The monthly mortgage payment for the typical U.S. home was $758[ii] at the end of 2016, an increase of about $68 from 2015. Most of this increase — $47 — can be attributed to home value appreciation, while higher mortgage rates are responsible for the remainder.

The Federal Reserve is expected to raise the federal funds rate target two more times this year, which could further increase mortgage rates. A recent survey of 100 housing experts and economists found that rising mortgage rates and their effect on affordability will be the most significant driver of the 2017 housing market[iii].

“As mortgage rates rise, buyers will face higher financing costs and already expensive homes will come with even higher monthly mortgage payments,” said Zillow Chief Economist Dr. Svenja Gudell. “Nationally, mortgage rates still have room to grow before the share of income needed to pay the median monthly mortgage reaches the historical average, but many more expensive coastal markets are either close to or have exceeded what has been considered historically affordable. On the rental side, rent appreciation has slowed lately, giving renters’ incomes a chance to catch up as many are already committing a larger share of their income to a monthly rental payment.”

Among the nation’s 35 largest markets, monthly mortgage payments in Los Angeles, San Jose and San Francisco require the largest share of the median household income — more than 40 percent.

Rental affordability has been a bigger worry than mortgage affordability for the past several years as rents rose to historically high levels while low rates kept mortgage payments relatively affordable. As home value growth accelerated at the end of 2016, rents remained relatively flat, and the share of income needed to pay monthly rent has stayed stubbornly high since 2009. Renters would need to set aside 29.2 percent of the median income to pay the rent each month, slightly less than the 29.4 percent of income required in 2015 Q4.

The markets that require the most income from renters are Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Miami.

Metropolitan Area

% Income Spent On Mortgage, 2016 Q4

Historic Income Spent On Mortgage (1985-2000)

% Income Spent On Rent, 2016 Q4

Historic Income Spent On Rent (1985-2000)

United States

15.8%

21.0%

29.2%

25.8%

New York, NY

26.7%

29.7%

40.5%

26.2%

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA

43.0%

35.2%

48.5%

36.2%

Chicago, IL

14.6%

22.8%

29.8%

25.2%

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX

15.1%

20.4%

29.9%

21.8%

Philadelphia, PA

15.0%

20.0%

28.0%

21.4%

Houston, TX

13.2%

15.3%

29.9%

24.3%

Washington, DC

18.6%

22.3%

26.5%

17.6%

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL

22.1%

20.0%

42.7%

28.5%

Atlanta, GA

12.9%

19.1%

25.4%

19.3%

Boston, MA

23.7%

26.2%

34.3%

26.3%

San Francisco, CA

42.2%

38.3%

43.8%

30.6%

Detroit, MI

11.6%

16.6%

25.5%

19.9%

Riverside, CA

25.9%

26.5%

36.2%

32.7%

Phoenix, AZ

18.7%

21.3%

27.1%

22.9%

Seattle, WA

24.7%

25.2%

32.0%

23.8%

Minneapolis-St Paul, MN

15.4%

18.4%

26.0%

21.3%

San Diego, CA

35.6%

34.1%

42.0%

34.6%

St. Louis, MO

12.0%

16.1%

23.1%

21.2%

Tampa, FL

16.9%

18.7%

32.2%

27.6%

Baltimore, MD

16.4%

21.4%

28.0%

26.9%

Denver, CO

22.9%

21.9%

33.0%

23.7%

Pittsburgh, PA

11.2%

15.5%

23.0%

28.4%

Portland, OR

25.0%

22.5%

32.6%

23.5%

Charlotte, NC

14.1%

18.3%

26.7%

19.3%

Sacramento, CA

25.3%

28.6%

31.3%

31.8%

San Antonio, TX

13.2%

17.7%

28.4%

26.2%

Orlando, FL

18.0%

20.4%

31.8%

22.6%

Cincinnati, OH

11.8%

19.3%

25.4%

19.2%

Cleveland, OH

11.6%

20.0%

25.9%

22.7%

Kansas City, MO

11.4%

20.1%

23.7%

17.5%

Las Vegas, NV

19.1%

25.9%

28.2%

24.1%

Columbus, OH

12.6%

20.0%

25.6%

22.0%

Indianapolis, IN

11.2%

20.8%

25.3%

21.8%

San Jose, CA

42.6%

36.0%

39.2%

26.0%

Austin, TX

17.9%

18.9%

29.8%

23.3%

Zillow

Zillow® is the leading real estate and rental marketplace dedicated to empowering consumers with data, inspiration and knowledge around the place they call home, and connecting them with the best local professionals who can help. In addition, Zillow operates an industry-leading economics and analytics bureau led by Zillow’s Chief Economist Dr. Svenja Gudell. Dr. Gudell and her team of economists and data analysts produce extensive housing data and research covering more than 450 markets at Zillow Real Estate Research. Zillow also sponsors the quarterly Zillow Home Price Expectations Survey, which asks more than 100 leading economists, real estate experts and investment and market strategists to predict the path of the Zillow Home Value Index over the next five years. Launched in 2006, Zillow is owned and operated by Zillow Group (NASDAQ: Z and ZG), and headquartered in Seattle.

Zillow is a registered trademark of Zillow, Inc.

[i] Zillow determined affordability by analyzing the current percentage of a metro area’s median income needed to afford the rent or the monthly mortgage payment on a median-priced home or apartment, and compared it to the share of income needed in the pre-bubble years between 1985 and 1999. For mortgage affordability, Zillow assumed a 20 percent down payment and a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage at prevailing mortgage rates pulled from the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey. If the share of monthly income currently needed to afford the median-priced home or apartment is greater than it was during the pre-bubble years, that area is considered unaffordable for typical buyers or renters. [ii] Assuming a 20 percent down payment on a 30-year fixed mortgage [iii] http://www.zillow.com/research/mortgage-interest-rates-2017-zhpe-14187/

SOURCE Zillow

[topinforma]

New Post has been published on Mortgage News

New Post has been published on http://bit.ly/2jo4xdu

pockets-of-affordable-housing-exist-within-the-most-expensive-markets

SEATTLE, Jan. 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Even in metros where homebuyers have the biggest mortgage burdens, some cities within those metros provide relatively affordable housing options.

The San Jose metro has been one of the hottest housing markets in the country. Homebuyers in Palo Alto can expect to spend 75 percent of their income on a house paymenti. But just 15 miles away, buyers in Milpitas, Calif. need only spend 35 percent.

This example of disparity in the Silicon Valley demonstrates how hot housing markets are fueled by cities where high demand for jobs and amenities drive housing values to far outpace incomes. The phenomenon is one reason there is more inequality in very expensive markets.

Zillow’s latest research on mortgage burdens at the city level illustrates how hot spots within popular housing markets have caused runaway housing costs that place significant burdens on the people who live and work there, even as the cities next door remain more affordable. However, choosing a more affordable city likely requires trade-offs, such as fewer amenities or longer commutes.

“The Bay Area and other expensive West Coast markets get a lot of attention for being unaffordable, but even they have some areas where the share of income spent on housing is relatively low,” said Zillow Chief Economist Dr. Svenja Gudell. “Of course, buyers have to be willing to make some trade-offs to live in more affordable cities within the metro. Some cities in the most in-demand housing markets across the country have such a high housing burden that they are simply not feasible for buyers with lower incomes. If income growth doesn’t keep pace with home value growth, especially as mortgage rates rise, inequality will persist.”

In San Francisco, the flourishing tech industry and physical boundaries of the city have created a housing market with a high housing burden – buyers in San Francisco need to spend nearly 54 percent of their income on mortgage payments. Across the bay, homebuyers in Oakland fare a little better. Mortgage payments there require 42 percent of the typical household income.

Within the Seattle metro, Bellevue buyers would have to spend the greatest share of income on housing – 29.6 percent. Less than 10 miles away, Kirkland buyers only need to set aside 22 percent of their income to pay their mortgage.

This phenomenon doesn’t play out in less heated housing markets. Buyers in almost any part of the Kansas City metro, for example, can expect to spend between 7.3 percent and 13.2 percent of their income on a mortgage.

Similarly, buyers in the Las Vegas metro can expect to spend between 14.4 and 18.9 percent of their income on mortgage payments, no matter which city they are in.

Buyers moving to the Detroit suburbs will have similar mortgage burdens, with buyers having to spend between 10.2 and 15.3 percent of their income on mortgage payments. The city of Detroit itself has the smallest mortgage burden in the country – just 5.9 percent of the typical income needed to pay the monthly mortgage.

Metropolitan Area

Metro-level Mortgage Burdenii, 2015

City with the Smallest Mortgage Burden, 2015

City with the Greatest Mortgage Burden, 2015

United States

14.6%

Detroit, MI – 5.9%

Palo Alto, CA – 75.4%

New York/Northern New Jersey

24.9%

Brentwood, NY — 14.7%

Passaic, NJ — 45.7%

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA

39.7%

Lancaster, CA — 18.5%

Santa Monica, CA — 66.1%

Chicago, IL

14.0%

Gary, IN — 6.8%

Evanston, IL — 20.1%

Dallas-Fort Worth, TX

12.6%

Grand Prairie, TX — 10.6%

Lewisville, TX — 16.1%

Philadelphia, PA

14.2%

Camden, NJ — 11.8%

Wilmington, DE — 13.7%

Houston, TX

11.9%

Pasadena, TX — 9.6%

Baytown, TX — 9.9%

Washington, DC

17.8%

Waldorf, MD — 13.1%

Washington, DC — 29.9%

Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL

19.5%

Lauderhill, FL — 10.3%

Miami, FL — 42.8%

Atlanta, GA

11.8%

Johns Creek, GA — 14.0%

Sandy Springs, GA — 26.4%

Boston, MA

21.7%

Lowell, MA — 21.3%

Boston, MA — 35.9%

San Francisco, CA

39.0%

Antioch, CA — 21.9%

Berkeley, CA — 58.4%

Detroit, MI

10.3%

Detroit, MI — 5.9%

Rochester Hills, MI — 15.3%

Riverside, CA

23.6%

Victorville, CA — 18.1%

Upland, CA — 35.2%

Phoenix, AZ

16.8%

San Tan Valley, AZ — 12.0%

Scottsdale, AZ — 23.6%

Seattle, WA

21.4%

Marysville, WA — 16.2%

Bellevue, WA — 29.6%

Minneapolis-St Paul, MN

13.8%

Maple Grove, MN — 12.4%

Minneapolis, MN — 17.1%

San Diego, CA

33.0%

Chula Vista, CA — 29.5%

El Cajon, CA — 39.4%

St. Louis, MO

11.0%

Saint Louis, MO — 11.6%

Saint Charles, MO — 12.7%

Tampa, FL

14.3%

Riverview, FL — 11.3%

Clearwater, FL — 16.0%

Baltimore, MD

15.5%

Baltimore, MD — 11.8%

Ellicott City, MD — 20.4%

Denver, CO

19.6%

Highlands Ranch, CO — 16.3%

Denver, CO — 25.0%

Pittsburgh, PA

10.6%

Pittsburgh, PA — 11.1%

n/aiii

Portland, OR

20.8%

Hillsboro, OR — 17.1%

Portland, OR — 24.1%

Charlotte, NC

12.7%

Gastonia, NC — 11.3%

Rock Hill, SC — 14.9%

Sacramento, CA

23.3%

Elk Grove, CA — 18.3%

Davis, CA — 44.4%

San Antonio, TX

11.8%

New Braunfels, TX — 14.3%

n/a

Orlando, FL

15.5%

Pine Hills, FL — 10.5%

Kissimmee, FL — 14.9%

Cincinnati, OH

11.1%

Cincinnati, OH — 14.2%

n/a

Cleveland, OH

11.1%

Parma, OH — 8.3%

Lorain, OH — 8.3%

Kansas City, MO

10.8%

Kansas City, KS — 7.3%

Overland Park, KS — 13.2%

Las Vegas, NV

16.8%

Enterprise, NV — 14.4%

Paradise, NV — 18.9%

Columbus, OH

11.9%

Columbus, OH — 10.7%

n/a

Indianapolis, IN

11.4%

Fishers, IN — 8.5%

Carmel, IN — 12.1%

San Jose, CA

39.4%

Milpitas, CA — 34.8%

Palo Alto, CA — 75.4%

Austin, TX

15.9%

Round Rock, TX — 13.0%

Austin, TX — 20.3%

Zillow Zillow® is the leading real estate and rental marketplace dedicated to empowering consumers with data, inspiration and knowledge around the place they call home, and connecting them with the best local professionals who can help. In addition, Zillow operates an industry-leading economics and analytics bureau led by Zillow’s Chief Economist Dr. Svenja Gudell. Dr. Gudell and her team of economists and data analysts produce extensive housing data and research covering more than 450 markets at Zillow Real Estate Research. Zillow also sponsors the quarterly Zillow Home Price Expectations Survey, which asks more than 100 leading economists, real estate experts and investment and market strategists to predict the path of the Zillow Home Value Index over the next five years. Launched in 2006, Zillow is owned and operated by Zillow Group (NASDAQ:Z and ZG), and headquartered in Seattle.

Zillow is a registered trademark of Zillow, Inc.

i To calculate mortgage burden, Zillow first computes the monthly mortgage payment for the median-valued home in a city using the city-level Zillow Home Value Index for June of a given year and the 30-year fixed mortgage interest rate during that time period, provided by the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (based on a 20 percent down payment). Using one-year estimates of city-level median household income data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, Zillow calculates the proportion of monthly median household income that goes towards the monthly median mortgage payment for each city. ii The share of the median household income required to pay the typical monthly mortgage payment. iii Median household income is available for large cities only (populations over 65,000) and comes with a lag. As a result, Zillow does not produce a mortgage burden metric in smaller cities (with population under 65,000) or in cities for which we do not publish the Zillow Home Value Index. For these reasons, some metros only had one city for which mortgage burden was calculable.

SOURCE Zillow