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NHL: Caps' Backstrom won't be disciplined
Sochi, Russia (SportsNetwork.com) - The NHL said Sunday that Washington Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom likely won't face discipline from the league after testing positive for a banned substance at the Sochi Olympics.
Backstrom, playing for Sweden at the Olympics, was scratched from Sunday's gold medal game against Canada after the alleged doping offense.
A Swedish Olympic official said Backstrom's positive test came as the result of an allergy medicine he has routinely taken.
Sweden went on to drop a 3-0 decision to Canada.
The NHL said the specific substance in Backstrom's case is not on the league's banned list.
"It is our understanding that the positive test was the result of a common allergy medication taken by the player knowingly, with the approval of the team doctor and without the intention of gaining an illegal or improper performance-enhancing benefit," said NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly in a statement on Sunday. "In addition, the specific substance that resulted in the positive test is not currently on the league's prohibited substances list.
"Subject to confirmation of the facts as we understand them, and given the fact that the substance is neither prohibited in the NHL nor was used in an improper manner here, we do not anticipate there being any consequences relative to Nicklas' eligibility to participate in games for the Washington Capitals."
Backstrom would then be eligible to play when the Capitals resume the NHL season on Thursday against Florida.


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Hey everybody! How are you doing? Sad that its Monday? I know those feels. But you know what makes Mondays bearable? The weekend, and what makes weekends so spectacular is the queen of all meals, brunch! Brunch is everything we love about breakfast except you get to sleep in and then day drink, I mean who isn't about that life?
Dallas is basically (and I mean in the most basic b kind of way) famous for #brunchingsohard but with that being said brunch choices can get a little congested, and if you're anything like me, too many options is overwhelming. So here I am to help cut through the fog of bottomless mimosas and avocado toast to throw my advice your way and suggest you check out Oddfellows.
Oddfellows will always hold a dear place in mine and Dane's heart because we had brunch here on the day we got engaged. But let's get real that's not a good enough reason for you to go here. The real reason you should go here is because the food is phenomenal! Plus they serve their breakfast items (which make up a good portion of the menu) all day! Now of course like any brunch place worth its salt its busy on weekends 😦 but since Oddfellows is located in the bishop arts district you can walk around and check out the shops while you wait on your text informing you your table's ready! One of my husband's favorite stores is the cigar shop, I don't smoke but even I say its worth checking out while waiting for your table.
Cheers! Oddfellows makes a pretty delicious mix of cocktails!
Look how excited he is for pancakes!
Oddfellows does a pancake of the day so there's always something new for Dane to try, the boy freaking loves pancakes, this was a coconut walnut pancake and it was so decadent but perfectly fluffy! I'll be honest I've not had better pancakes at any other restaurant. Whether its a lemon blueberry pancake or a chocolate banana its always "the best pancake I've ever had" haha.
One of my all time favorites!!! You guys, their pork belly eggs benedict is other wordly! The flavors are so well balanced, I cannot help but do a happy dance anytime the meal is brought to the table…which is almost every time we go. I'm someone who will keep ordering something til I hate it…and you guys its been a while since eating this masterpiece and we are still very much in the honeymoon phase of our affection haha. Seriously just promise me at least one person orders this dish when you go to oddfellows so you can all try it and know what I mean.
I hope you all enjoyed this post and that you get to #brunchsohard this weekend! Happy Monday!

subset: commoncrawl


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Source – alternet.org
– The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) recently released an in-depth report on terrorism in the United States. Covering April 2009 to February 2015, the report (titled "The Age of the Wolf") found that during that period, "more people have been killed in America by non-Islamic domestic terrorists than jihadists." The SPLC asserted that "the jihadist threat is a tremendous one," pointing out that al-Qaeda's attacks of September 11, 2001 remain the deadliest in U.S. history. But the study also noted that the second deadliest was carried out not by Islamists, but by Timothy McVeigh in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995—and law enforcement, the SPLC stressed, are doing the public a huge disservice if they view terrorism as an exclusively Islamist phenomenon.
The report, in a sense, echoed the assertions that President Barack Obama made when he spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast in February and stressed that Muslims don't have the market cornered on religious extremism. In the minds of far-right Republicans, Obama committed the ultimate sin by daring to mention that Christianity has a dark side and citing the Crusades and the Spanish Inquisition as two examples from the distant past. Obama wasn't attacking Christianity on the whole but rather, was making the point that just as not all Christians can be held responsible for the horrors of the Inquisition, not all Muslims can be blamed for the violent extremism of ISIS (the Islamic State, Iraq and Syria), the Taliban, al-Qaeda or Boko Haram. But Obama certainly didn't need to look 800 or 900 years in the past to find examples of extreme Christianists committing atrocities. Violent Christianists are a reality in different parts of the world—including the United States—and the fact that the mainstream media don't give them as much coverage as ISIS or Boko Haram doesn't mean that they don't exist.
Below are six extreme Christianist groups that have shown their capacity for violence and fanaticism.
1. The Army of God
A network of violent Christianists that has been active since the early 1980s, the Army of God openly promotes killing abortion providers—and the long list of terrorists who have been active in that organization has included Paul Jennings Hill (who was executed by lethal injection in 2003 for the 1994 killings of abortion doctor John Britton and his bodyguard James Barrett), John C. Salvi (who killed two receptionists when he attacked a Planned Parenthood clinic in Brookline, Massachusetts in 1994) and Eric Rudolph, who is serving life in prison for his role in the Olympic Park bombing in Atlanta in 1996 and other terrorist acts. Rudolph, in fact, has often been exalted as a Christian hero on the Army of God's website, as have fellow Army of God members such as Scott Roeder (who is serving life without parole for murdering Wichita, Kansas-based abortion doctor George Tiller in 2009), Shelley Shannon (who attempted to kill Tiller in 2003) and Michael Frederick Griffin (who is serving a life sentence for the 1993 killing of Dr. David Gunn, an OB-GYN, in Pensacola, Florida).
Although primarily an anti-abortion organization, the Army of God also has a history of promoting violence against gays. And one of the terrorist acts that Rudolph confessed to was bombing a lesbian bar in Atlanta in 1997.
2. Eastern Lightning, a.k.a. the Church of the Almighty God
Founded in Henan Province, China in 1990, Eastern Lightning (also known as the Church of the Almighty God or the Church of the Gospel's Kingdom) is a Christianist cult with an end-time/apocalypse focus: Eastern Lightning believes that the world is coming to an end, and in the meantime, its duty is to slay as many demons as possible. While most Christianists have an extremely patriarchal viewpoint (much like their Islamist counterparts) and consider women inferior to men, Eastern Lightning believe that Jesus Christ will return to Earth in the form of a Chinese woman. But they are quite capable of violence against women: in May 2014, for example, members of the cult beat a 37-year-old woman named Wu Shuoyan to death in a McDonalds in Zhaoyuan, China when she refused to give them her phone number. Eastern Lightning members Zhang Lidong and his daughter, Zhang Fan, were convicted of murder for the crime and executed in February. In a 2014 interview in prison, Lidong expressed no remorse when he said of Shuoyan, "I beat her with all my might and stamped on her too. She was a demon. We had to destroy her."
Eastern Lightning's other acts of violence have ranged from the killing of a grammar school student in 2010 (in retaliation, police believe, for one of the child's relatives wanting to leave the cult) to cult member Min Yongjun using a knife to attack an elderly woman and a group of schoolchildren in Chenpeng in 2012. Christian groups are not exempt from Eastern Lightning's fanaticism: in 2002, cult members kidnapped 34 members of a Christian group called the China Gospel Fellowship and held them captive for two months in the hope of forcing them to join their cult. Although mainly active in the communist People's Republic of China, Eastern Lighting has been trying to expand its membership in Hong Kong.
3. The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA)
The mainstream media have had much to say about the Islamist brutality of Boko Haram, but one terrorist group they haven't paid nearly as much attention to is the Lord's Resistance Army—which was founded by Joseph Kony (a radical Christianist) in Uganda in 1987 and has called for the establishment of a severe Christian fundamentalist government in that country. The LRA, according to Human Rights Watch, has committed thousands of killings and kidnappings—and along the way, its terrorism spread from Uganda to parts of the Congo, the Central African Republic (CAR) and South Sudan. The word "jihadist" is seldom used in connection with the LRA, but in fact, the LRA's tactics are not unlike those of ISIS or Boko Haram. And the governments Kony hopes to establish in Sub-Saharan Africa would implement a Christianist equivalent of Islamic Sharia law.
4. TheNational Liberation Front of Tripura
India is not only a country of Hindus and Sikhs, but also, of Muslims, Buddhists, Catholics and Protestants. Most of India's Christians are peaceful, but a major exception is the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT). Active in the state of Tripura in Northeastern India since 1989, NLFT is a paramilitary Christianist movement that hopes to secede from India and establish a Christian fundamentalist government in Tripura. NLFT has zero tolerance for any religion other than Christianity, and the group has repeatedly shown a willingness to kill, kidnap or torture Hindus who refuse to be converted to its extreme brand of Protestant fundamentalism.
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In 2000, NLFT vowed to kill anyone who participated in Durga Puja (an annual Hindu festival) And in May 2003, at least 30 Hindus were murdered during one of NLFT's killing sprees.
5. The Phineas Priesthood
White supremacist groups don't necessarily have a religious orientation: some of them welcome atheists as long as they believe in white superiority. But the Christian Identity movement specifically combines white supremacist ideology with Christianist terrorism, arguing that violence against non-WASPs is ordained by God and that white Anglo Saxon Protestants are God's chosen people. The modern Christian Identity movement in the U.S. has been greatly influenced by the Ku Klux Klan—an organization that has committed numerous acts of terrorism over the years—and in the 1970s, new Christian Identity groups like the Aryan Nations and the Covenant, the Sword and the Arm of the Lord (CSA) emerged. Another Christian Identity group of recent decades has been the Phineas Priesthood, whose members have been involved in violent activities ranging from abortion clinic bombings to bank robberies (mainly in the Pacific Northwest). On November 28, 2014, Phineas Priesthood member Larry Steven McQuilliams went on a violent rampage in Austin, Texas—where he fired over 100 rounds at various targets (including a federal courthouse, the local Mexican Consulate building and a police station) before being shot and killed by police.
6. The Concerned Christians
One of the ironic things about some Christianists is the fact that although they believe that Jews must be converted to Christianity, they consider themselves staunch supporters of Israel. And some of them believe in violently forcing all Muslims out of Israel. The Concerned Christians, a Christianist doomsday cult that was founded by pastor Monte "Kim" Miller in Denver in the 1980s, alarmed Colorado residents when, in 1998, at least 60 of its members suddenly quit their jobs, abandoned their homes and went missing—and it turned out there was reason for concern. In 1999, Israeli officials arrested 14 members of the Concerned Christians in Jerusalem and deported them from Israel because they suspected them of plotting terrorist attacks against Muslims. One likely target, according to Israeli police, was Jerusalem's al-Aqsa Mosque—the same mosque that was targeted in 1969 (when a Christianist from Australia named Denis Michael Rohan unsuccessfully tried to destroy it by arson) and, Israeli police suspect, was a likely target in 2014 (when Adam Everett Livix, a Christianist from Texas, was arrested by Israeli police on suspicion of plotting to blow up Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem).
In 2008, Denver's KUSA-TV (an NBC affiliate) reported that members of the Concerned Citizens had gone into hiding and that Miller hadn't been seen in ten years.
Alex Henderson's work has appeared in the L.A. Weekly, Billboard, Spin, Creem, the Pasadena Weekly and many other publications. Follow him on Twitter @alexvhenderson.


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It is entirely possible that Beyonce Knowles, Ruler of the R & B Divas, is a Greek Goddess sent down from Mount Olympus to spread Bootyliciousness, and in the now-famous words of Kanye West, make "one of the best videos of all time." So it's only fitting that Mrs. Carter make a fantastic entrance by creating visuals for every track on her most recent album, and then release them all as a suspenseful last-minute iTunes surprise. Her latest effort is part of an ongoing exercise in the mystery of her varied personas, which was most apparent on "I Am…Sasha Fierce," and now has new chapters: a sexy, at-the-same-time-subtle 17-video montage of her life, almost acutely appropriate for today's social media-driven world. But if current pop stars like Kanye, Kim Kardashian, and Miley Cyrus are the masters of trashy celebrity sexiness, Beyonce proves herself a virtuoso of graceful show-and-tell who by no means shies away from risqué topics. The videos for "Partition," "No Angel," and "Blow," all reveal Queen Bey in a range of racy costume changes, including but not limited to: high-waisted Levi's shorts, diamond-encrusted braziers, and neon-colored 80's workout gear. Not to mention that the lyrics "Can you lick my Skittles/It's sweetest in the middle" are sure to make Beyonce-lovers everywhere want to Taste the Rainbow. One would have to be a drooling adolescent of Justin Bieber age not to look past sex to the deeper themes on the album. Motifs like motherhood on "Blue," which features Beyonce carrying Blue Ivy Carter through the youth-flooded favelas of Brazil, and "Pretty Hurts," which sees Miss Bootylicious USA using a beauty pageant to make a lesson on superficiality sink in. Editor's Note: The "Pretty Hurts" video also features modeling's first ever albino male model, named Shaun Ross, who appeared in Lana Del Rey's "Tropico" as well. You can read our excellent review of it here. For a star of Beyonce's magnitude, who can sell 80,000 copies of a previously unannounced album in its first three hours, high standards dictate that such ambienced, bass-heavy production be handled by only the qualified elite of R & B: Frank Ocean, Miguel, The Dream, Justin Timberlake, and Hit Boy. That's not to say that too many cooks always spoil the soup, as the range of musical styles only serves to enhance the experience. Just take "Drunk in Love" for example, where Beyonce's southern drawl upstages her husband, and not only proves that she can be the Queen of Sizzurp just as much as southern rappers, but also that Jay-Z seems ever-more focused on other things besides his rhymes – perhaps negotiating contracts for Robinson Cano.
The whole visual album is executed perfectly, from classic Beyonce black-and-white video on "Rocket," to the kaleidoscope effects of "Grown Woman" that seem to reference the early days of MTV. There is one exception: given the rumors that Destiny's Child split up due to Beyonce's bossiness, one has to feel a little bad that Michelle literally can't escape her former bandmate's shadow in the video for a song quite ironically named "Superpower." Miss Knowles seems as determined as ever to hammer home the fact that she is now a mom and wife who has conquered not only the world of music, but that she is still a "Who Run The World? Girls"-style feminist (see "Flawless"). She is also a polyglot of international fame who speaks French on two of the albums 14 tracks. Whether rioting in the streets next to flannel-clad Hipsters, crooning alongside Drake, or premiering home videos of her and Destiny's Child practicing for "Star Search," Beyonce shows us there's very little she can't do. Our only regret is that it cost $15.99 for the experience. You can cop the full "Beyonce" album on iTunes, but we've got you covered with 30-second previews of all the videos below: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vlkrm8nLCJo&feature=share&list=UUuHzBCaKmtaLcRAOoazhCPA&index=2


text: CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Paul Goldschmidt doesnt keep track of his RBIs. The rest of the Diamondbacks are voluntarily doing it for him. Goldschmidt set a Diamondbacks record with his third grand slam of the season on Tuesday night and became the first NL player to drive in 100 runs, powering Arizona to a 5-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. Goldschmidt connected in the eighth inning off J.J. Hoover, ending the relievers streak of 23 scoreless appearances. His 31st homer tied him with Pittsburghs Pedro Alvarez for the NL lead. All of his career grand slams have come this season. "I hope hes got a big run left in him," manager Kirk Gibson said. "The team feeds off Patrick (Corbin) and Goldy. Theyve been our most consistent guys all year." Goldschmidt knew his RBI total was in the 90s coming into that at-bat, but didnt realize hed reached triple digits until he rounded the bases and his teammates pointed it out. They dont mind doing the counting. "Hes impressive to watch play every day," catcher Wil Nieves said. "Hes so clutch. Hes unbelievable." Corbin (13-3) stymied Cincinnatis lefty-dominated lineup, allowing six hits, including Chris Heiseys two-run homer, during his second complete game. Corbin matched his career high with 10 strikeouts. He threw first-pitch strikes to 27 of the 33 batters he faced and didnt walk a batter in his most dominating performance of the season. "Today I had my best slider," Corbin said. "I felt good warming up in the bullpen. I thought it would be a good game. I knew I could go to my slider at any time." The left-hander shut down the Reds left-handed threats -- Shin-Soo Choo, Joey Votto and Jay Bruce were a combined 0 for 12 with seven strikeouts. "He makes some of their hitters look so bad -- and theyre unbelievable hitters, especially Votto and Bruce," Nieves said. The Diamondbacks evened their series at a game apiece and moved five games behind the Reds for the final NL wild card berth. Arizona has won six of its last eight games. "Weve got some work to do," Goldschmidt said. "Theres some good teams ahead of us. Its not like were one game behind." Cincinnati lost for only the fourth time in its last 14 games. A bigger concern: Tony Cingrani (6-3) left in the fourth inning with a strained lower back. The left-hander has been filling in for Johnny Cueto, who is on the disabled list for the third time this season with soreness behind his pitching shoulder. Cingrani said his back has bothered him in his last few weeks. "It finally bothered me enough that it was noticeable," Cingrani said. "I felt it before. It came on gradually. It hasnt been this bad." Cingrani retired the first 10 batters before Martin Prado hit his 12th homer. One out later, Aaron Hill doubled off the wall in left-centre, extending his hitting streak to 13 games. A trainer and manager Dusty Baker went to the mound to talk to Cingrani, who was replaced by Alfredo Simon. Baker said Cingrani had kept quiet about his bad back until he had to leave the game. "He didnt tell me," Baker said. "These young guys want to stay in the big leagues and stay in the rotation." The defending NL Central champions were feeling good about getting their starting lineup back to full strength with Ryan Ludwicks return last week from a shoulder injury that had sidelined him since opening day. Now, the rotation is in flux as they try to overtake Pittsburgh and St. Louis. Cingranis injury spoiled a matchup of left-handers born two weeks apart in July 1989. Corbin, who is two weeks younger than Cingrani, kept the Reds off-balance with his slider. The Diamondbacks are 21-4 when Corbin starts. He has allowed two runs or less in 19 starts this season, tied with the Dodgers Clayton Kershaw for most in the NL. He got a few words from Choo after throwing a chin-high fastball to the leadoff hitter in the sixth. Plate umpire Jerry Meals stepped in, Choo pointed to chin and said something, then got back in the batters box without further complaint and struck out. Notes: Fans brought more than 600 dogs to the game as part of an annual pet promotion. No fireworks were set off on Heiseys homer so as not to scare the dogs. ... Goldschmidts 100 RBIs match Adam LaRoches club record for a first baseman. ... Diamondbacks C Miguel Montero, on the DL since Aug. 1 with a strained lower back, felt fine a day after he caught five innings on a rehab assignment. He got the day off and will catch again on Wednesday. ... RH Brandon McCarthy (2-7) starts the third game for Arizona, trying to emerge from a slump. Hes 0-4 with a 6.41 ERA in his last four starts. The Reds go with RH Mike Leake (10-5), who has a 6.12 career ERA against Arizona. Air Max 95 Cheap Authentic . The team said Saturday that Lopez was hurt during its 121-120 overtime loss at Philadelphia on Friday. The Nets said they would issue another update next week after consultation with their doctors. Cheap Air Max 95 Mens . - Oakland Raiders running back Rashad Jennings was speaking to a group of local high school students earlier this week when the conversation turned to the importance of being prepared when opportunities in life arise. http://www.airmax95cheap.net/ .Y. - Jerome Samson scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the St. Cheap Air Max 95 China . "We have always prided ourselves on the way we play defence. Having two big pieces back is going to be a key for us moving forward for years to come," said Knighthawks head coach Mike Hasen. Air Max 95 Cheap Sale . -- If this was Aaron Gordons final home game at Arizona, and it almost certainly was, then he went out in style. NEW YORK -- Haveyougoneaway rallied to beat Quezon by 2 3/4 lengths Sunday in the $100,000 Dancin Renee Stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares at Belmont Park.Kendrick Carmouche was aboard for trainer Tom Morley as the 5-year-old split rivals in midstretch for her ninth win in 24 starts.The time waas 1:09.dddddddddddd10 for the six furlongs.Haveyougoneaway paid $7.20, $3.20 and $2.20.Quezon returned $3.70 and $2.50. Hot City Girl paid $2.20 to show as the 7-5 favorite. ' ' '


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It is customary to focus on the breath in yoga, training the mind to quiet the daily chaos and focus on the internal breath that sustains life. Not only does it calm the senses but also focuses the mind and opens our heart to messages of Divine Wisdom and Understanding.
Wide awake or sleeping we don't think about breathing it happens automatically. Each day we breathe about 20,000 times.
When we practice mindfulness with each breath we become aware of the common link in all humanity. Without breath we cannot live.When we stop to focus on the breath we can quiet the busy thoughts in our minds that cause anxiety, worry, fear and hate. Until we quiet "self" we cannot hear "Divine".
Job 32:8"But it is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding".
John 15:5 5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
Another common part of a yoga practice is the Tree Pose. I find it fascinating that within the human respiratory system the bronchial tree is significant to the breathing process. The Bronchi themselves branch many times into smaller airways. The airways resemble an upside down tree.
Much like the bible verse states the branches of the bronchial tree cannot survive without the "trachea vine", and without breath we would not have life.
Although our minds may continue trying to make us focus on human differences if we choose to stop the thoughts, concentrate on the breath and listen to the Spirit within us. Our thoughts can turn from negative "selfish thoughts" to positive "Divine inspiration".
With Respect, Hope, Joy and Love,


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Thursday, 20 June 2013 11:37 AM EDT
Former UBS and Citigroup trader Tom Hayes conspired with employees from at least 10 financial institutions to manipulate benchmark interest rates over four years, British prosecutors alleged in court.
Hayes is the first suspect to be brought before a court in an inquiry stretching from North America to Asia into how traders rigged crucial benchmark rates such as Libor (London interbank offered rate), against which trillions of dollars of loans are priced.
The scandal, which has sparked public and political outrage and laid bare the failings of authorities and bank bosses, has to date seen UK and U.S. regulators fine three banks a total of $2.6 billion and prosecutors and police charge two men, including Hayes.
Dressed in a blue, open-necked shirt and cream trousers, 33-year-old Hayes stood in the dock at London's Westminster Magistrates' Court as eight offenses were read out relating to his employment in Japan at UBS and Citigroup between August 2006 and September 2010.
Prosecutors allege that together with employees from institutions including UBS, Citigroup, Royal Bank of Scotland, Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan Chase, HSBC, Rabobank and interdealer brokers ICAP, Tullett Prebon and RP Martin, Hayes conspired to defraud.
Hayes spoke only to confirm his name and address and that he understood the charges against him. He was granted bail on condition that he does not leave or attempt to leave the UK and was ordered to appear at the higher Southwark Crown Court on July 4 for further proceedings.
Hayes joined Swiss bank UBS in Tokyo in 2006, becoming a senior trader of interest-rate derivatives indexed to yen-denominated Libor. In late 2009, he left UBS to join Citigroup in Tokyo. He left the U.S. bank less than a year later.
Charges against him include conspiring with others "to defraud in dishonestly seeking to manipulate yen London interbank offered rates and other interbank offered rates ... with the intention that the economic interests of others would be prejudiced and/or to make personal gain for themselves or another."
In a statement after the hearing, ICAP said although an unnamed employee at one of its global subsidiaries had been referred to in one of the charges against Hayes read out in court, no ICAP company had been charged.
"ICAP has provided information to the SFO (Serious Fraud Office) and continues to cooperate with its investigation," it said.
Dutch Rabobank also reiterated it was cooperating with global investigations and that it would defend itself against civil litigation pending in the U.S. The bank said in February it expected to settle allegations of interbank rate rigging with U.S. and UK regulators.
Tullett Prebon said it was cooperating with UK authorities, adding that it had not been informed that it or its brokers were under investigation.
RP Martin, UBS, Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan, HSBC and RBS declined to comment.
The SFO has been under pressure to launch proceedings against Hayes since he was charged by the U.S. Department of Justice with conspiracy, wire fraud and an antitrust violation last December.
The SFO, a cash-strapped agency that narrowly avoided being scrapped in 2011, would have faced severe criticism had U.S. prosecutors extradited Hayes, a Briton, before he faced UK justice.
British politicians have said a UK trial for British Libor suspects will help show the UK justice system is as capable of tackling white-collar crime as its U.S. counterpart.
Having named some of the world's largest banks and brokers in its charges, lawyers say the SFO is now under increasing pressure to make more prosecutions.
"Without further prosecutions, now that a number of financial entities have been named in court, it is inconceivable to think that the public faith in Libor and the UK financial system as a whole will be fully restored," said James Carlton of law firm Fox Williams, who is not involved in the case.
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Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci came out with his annual "Year After Effect" column yesterday, based on his hypothesis that that young pitchers tend to break down the season after an increased workload. Specifically, a pitcher 25 and under is supposed to be at risk if he pitched at least 30 more innings than his previous career high.
Dubbed the "Verducci Effect" by Will Carroll at Baseball Prospectus, it's one of the most prominent early examples of a happy marriage between analytics and old journalism. Sabermetricians were some of the loudest critics of the overuse that may have contributed to the early decline of Mark Prior, Ben Sheets, and other pitchers who debuted in the early aughts.
But the Verducci Effect probably doesn't exist. Its continued popularity has little to do with the power of numbers to support rational observation and everything to do with their power to baselessly reinforce existing beliefs. The article is an example of three pervasive mistakes that the general public makes about statistics:
• Regression to the mean: When an outcome is far above or below expectation, the subsequent results tend to be closer to the average. How does a young pitcher make Verducci's list? By having been healthy and successful enough to earn a greater workload. So by chance alone, you'd expect some members of that group to pitch worse, and you'd certainly expect to see some of them get hurt. Derek Holland's good health allowed him to pitch 71 more innings than he ever had before. If he gets sidelined in 2012, it will have more to do with the random nature of injuries than with Rangers mismanagement.
• Confirmation bias: People tend to rely on anecdotal examples that confirm what they already think. There's little attention paid to the pitchers who repeat their healthy seasons the year after; instead, fans fixate on the ones that get hurt. Mets fans might look at Jon Niese's 2009 injury and point to Verducci's warning label. They'd be ignoring the fact that no other pitcher that Verducci identified in '09 spent a single day on the disabled list.
• Correlation does not equal causation: Verducci is correct that some pitchers who pitch 30 innings more than their career highs tend to get hurt. However, that doesn't mean that his rationale for why that happens is valid. After I read his article, I went to the bathroom and peed. That doesn't mean I peed as a result of reading.
Every study I could find on the Verducci Effect suggests that it at best doesn't exist and at worst is backwards. David Gassko's 2006 study focused on the possibility of a decline in performance, and found an increase:
OK, so what happens if we limit ourselves to pitchers who threw at least 100 innings in year two? Actually, a funny thing. The pitchers who best their career high by at least 30 innings go on to throw 90% more innings in year three than they do in year one, and those who didn't only throw 78% as many innings. What's more, while the [year-after effect] candidates have an ERA 9% lower in year three than it was in year one, the guys who were accustomed to the big workload do not improve their performance at all.
Jeremy Greenhouse's 2010 follow-up focused on injuries and also found nothing. JC Bradbury came up empty. Brian Burke used a card game to show how randomness, not overuse, is the likely culprit. Tom Tango expressed his concerns (there's elaboration in the comments.) Scoresheetwiz found nothing too.
Verducci's find is the Sports Illustrated Cover Jinx in a new dress. Athletes grace the SI cover because they've done something extraordinary; it's reasonable to expect that they would return to being average by the time the issue is in your recycling bin. Yet the idea of the jinx endures, because people notice when an athlete sucks after being on the cover and ignore the players who continue to do well.
It's time for Verducci to retire the Verducci Effect until someone comes up with evidence that an increase in workload has anything to do with a decrease in productivity in the following year. It's not even a rule of thumb or a kludge at this point, as the pitchers he picked out are probably more likely to succeed in 2012, not less.
I don't blame Verducci much for continuing to write the articles. He deserves a lot of credit for coming up with an interesting hypothesis—it's not his job to use advanced analytics to prove or disprove it. A lot of the fault lies with Baseball Prospectus's and Carroll's stubbornness on this particular point. He now insists that it's just a general warning about overuse and that "people who quantify it strictly are missing the point." But given the rule's origins as a hard-and-fast limit, he's just asking for writers without statistical backgrounds to misinterpret it. Here's the BP glossary entry for "Verducci Effect:"
Named for Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated, this is a negative forward indicator for pitcher workload. Verducci, who called this the 'Year After Effect,' found that pitchers under the age of 25 who have 30-inning increases year over year tend to underperform. Will Carroll independently found that pitchers who break the "Rule of 30" tend to get injured. Carroll renamed this 'rule' the Verducci Effect in honor of the man who initially found the evidence.
It's time for a new definition.


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One word.
I spent the last year reading a Psalm and Proverb pretty much every day. (P.S. This was one of many Bible reading plans you can get on with the YouVersion app–highly recommended!) That's 12 times through the book of Proverbs. Every day there would be new truths and surprises, as if I had never read them before. However, one verse often caught my attention:
The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe. (Proverbs 18:10)
Here is another Proverb my husband often quotes to me (in a kind way, of course!):
The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe. (Proverbs 29:25)
Finally, we just started with Heart of Dakota curriculum in our home school. The kid's verse to memorize this week just happens to be this one:
In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:8)
I admit it, this last verse is where I need the most help. Often you will find me awake in the wee hours, worrying about my family's safety. I'm the queen of finding worse case scenarios. That's why my word for 2015 is safe. It's a reminder to myself that with the God the Father's protection, we are always safe. His Word says it. It's true. It's true even when things happen don't feel safe. (Think about the situations David was often in when he wrote the Psalms—fleeing for his life.) Time to put my faith in action and believe. Incidentally, believe was my 2nd choice for one word 2015.
Wouldn't it be nice to sleep better? That's my hope for 2015.


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The initiative involves the Board adding narrow-scope projects to its agenda that stakeholders have identified as opportunities to simplify GAAP in a relatively short time period. The projects included in the initiative are intended to improve or maintain the usefulness of the information reported to investors while reducing costs and complexity in financial reporting.
Norwalk, CT, June 10, 2014—As part of its initiative to reduce complexity in accounting standards, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) added two short-term projects to its agenda to simplify Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
The FASB is in the process of researching several simplification ideas identified by stakeholders. At the May 28, 2014 Board meeting, the Board added the following two projects to its agenda:
- Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory. The Board tentatively decided that inventory should be measured at the lower of cost and net realizable value. This compares to existing GAAP that indicates organizations should consider net realizable value, replacement cost, and net realizable value less a normal profit margin when measuring inventory.
- Simplifying Income Statement Presentation by Eliminating Extraordinary Items. The Board tentatively decided to remove the extraordinary items concept from GAAP. This compares to existing GAAP that requires organizations to evaluate whether an event or transaction is an extraordinary item; and if it is an extraordinary item—to separately present and disclose the item.
Stakeholders who have suggestions and potential solutions to simplify existing GAAP for all public companies, private companies, not-for-profit organizations, and employee benefit plans can email their suggestions to email@example.com.
About the Financial Accounting Standards Board
Since 1973, the Financial Accounting Standards Board has been the designated organization in the private sector for establishing standards of financial accounting and reporting. Those standards govern the preparation of financial reports and are officially recognized as authoritative by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Such standards are essential to the efficient functioning of the economy because investors, creditors, auditors, and others rely on credible, transparent, and comparable financial information. For more information about the FASB, visit our website at www.fasb.org.


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Friday Photo: I Ching No. 23 Splitting Apart6 Aug
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Book Reviews: Prayers that Shake Heaven and Earth plus Advanced and Extreme Prayers
Author: Daniel Duval 2018, 2019 and 2021 respectively Seeking a solution to problem/s? This series of books will stretch your imagination and bolster your faith. Collectively they offer explanations, organization and structure that build on each other. Kindle suggested these. Great transitions between many subjects. Amanda Grace and Robin D. Bullock both have powerful spiritual […]
Fascinating Research and Adventures of Author Gavin Menzies
During a recent bookcase reorganization I realized I had not read the latest and last book by Gavin Menzies, adventurer and researcher extraordinaire. (Gavin passed away 12-April-2020.) His career in the British Navy as submarine Lieutenant Commander offered opportunities to develop as a seasoned, savvy world explorer. He authored these three books in his retirement […]
Corey Lynn encourages everyone to do their own research
coreysdigs.com Corey Lynn, investigative journalist, encourages the public to join her to find the truth. OPEN-SOURCE Information! I found Chapter 4 extraordinary. It very thoroughly explores Blockchain technology. I cannot begin to do justice by commenting on the reveals of who, what, when, where, why, how and how much. Then Chapter 5 masterfully relates a […]
Book Review: The Card Catalog
The Card Catalog is also a book! Published by the The Library of Congress this book chronicles the challenges of library science over centuries specifically focusing on early American History. More than delightful memories of classic books, this short and sweet book pairs well with The Library, A Catalogue of Wonders (reviewed 5/15/2019).
Book Review: End Times and 1000 Years of Peace
In the last four years, I have read Revelations three times and unfortunately did not get much for my effort. Thankfully, this book came to my attention via youtube video interview. Download for $2.99. Great investment. Scripture is expertly paired with commentary chapter by chapter, enthusiastic personal messages and encouragement. To me are the illustrations […]


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Quick summary of the problem – our bitcoins were valued by the trustee at approximately $483 at the start of the bankruptcy but are now worth an order of magnitude more. This means that the MtGox administrators can sell our 200,000 bitcoins, pay us a fraction of the money from the sale, and regard our claims as having been paid in full. The rest of our money may go to the parent company Tibanne, meaning the Tibanne shareholders Mark Karpeles and Jed McCaleb would be the beneficiaries. Karpeles claims he doesn't want the money because of the personal lawsuits it would attract, but says has no power over the process.
The lawyers were initially upbeat about the prospects of the creditors receiving the full value from their sold 200k bitcoins. But after more investigation their advice is now that it looks like the bitcoin creditors could be paid only the original valuation amount at around $483 per bitcoin, and the value above that would be passed into the company liquidation. Liquidation is performed under corporate law rather than bankruptcy law, and the remaining money in the company would go to the shareholders. They don't currently know of a way to avoid this situation. This is not good news.
Please note that the rest of this post is my personal opinion and not necessarily that of the lawyers.
The thoughts and plans of the bankruptcy trustee are as yet unknown. He may be able to perform actions which can change this. Give his stature and the uniqueness of a bitcoin bankruptcy, his suggestions hold a deep influence over the bankruptcy court. They must always comply with the letter of the law, but laws are often not clear-cut when applied to particular contexts – especially one as unprecedented as MtGox. And so there could be scope for either movement within the bounds of the law or for varying interpretations of the law.
The trustee's responsibility is to maximise return to creditors in a manner which is fair and in the interests of justice. If the creditors' money passed to the shareholders it would be neither fair nor in the interests of justice. The question is how able and willing he is to achieve this within the constraints of the law.
The lawyers have advised that the best way to discuss this situation with the trustee is to ask at the upcoming creditor meeting on 27th September. I'll be at the meeting to ask that and other questions, and will be providing a report here.
Having been to these creditor meetings before, I expect we won't get a significant answer on this. The meaty questions are rarely answered. Creditors come out of that meeting looking about as satisfied as a Bitcoin Core member who's wife just sold all his bitcoins for BCH.
If we don't get a resoundingly positive and clear answer at the meeting, I'll regard this bankruptcy and our money as being in a critical state of emergency. At that point I think it should be a major concern for everyone who wants their bitcoins back.
I've been making plans for if this happens. I'll be spending at least the next 2 months working on this full-time and longer if necessary.
For what it's worth I believe the situation can be resolved, but it may only be possible if we are all willing to push hard enough for it.
Let's see what happens at the creditors' meeting.


text: Since 1936, the Stillwater Chamber of Commerce has been tasked with improving our community's economic environment. We accomplish this in a few ways, recruiting businesses, growing businesses and improving quality of life. We are very thankful to not attack this mission alone. Our members are fighting for the same cause. I urge you to support our member businesses with your patronage. I also implore you to join the fight; we all have an obligation to leave this community better than where we found it. Onward!


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Blueberry rhubarb is my new thing this summer. I just can't get enough of it. After the muffins came a delightful blueberry rhubarb crisp.
The tart, tangy rhubarb is delightful with the sweet blueberries. Add an apple crisp topping... oh my!
Blueberry Rhubarb Crisp
Fruit Layer
5 C chopped rhubarb
1 C blueberries
1/2 C sugar
2 T flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 C oats
1/2 C whole wheat flour
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 C butter, melted
Toss rhubarb with flour and sugar.
Add in the blueberries and cinnamon.
Gently toss until well mixed.
Prepare the topping by mixing together the melted butter, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, oats, flour and cinnamon.
Pour the blueberry rhubarb mixture into a lightly greased 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Top with crisp topping.
Bake at 350 for 40ish minutes, until the base is bubbly and the top is golden brown.


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Monday, April 13, 2009
Adam Lind and Scott Rolen.....scorching.
Scott Downs.....clutch.
BJ Ryan..........................nails?
9 comments:
- Navin Vaswani (@eyebleaf) said...
Nails indeed, bro.
- April 14, 2009 at 12:06 AM
- Ian Hunter said...
I know, it's all very strange. But a step in the right direction. I just hope that Litsch is okay.
- April 14, 2009 at 12:08 AM
- The Ack said...
The fact he (BJ) couldn't put anyone away with 2 strikes worries me a little, but hey, Span hit a good pitch and Morneau's just a good hitter.
He was in the strike zone, his velo was OK (by his standards), and he put the Twins away.
- April 14, 2009 at 12:21 AM
BJ was NAILS???
He came in with a 2 run lead, brought the tying run to the plate, and got bailed out by a tough double play...that about as "NAILS" as Mike Timlin ever was!
Does anyone know why Frasor was brought in to face 2 tough lefties, when Downs and Carlson were available?? Hmmmm...perhaps they are trying to SABOTAGE HIM???
- April 14, 2009 at 12:25 AM
- The Ack said...
^^....that's why I closed with a "?" vs "!".
Anyway, baby steps. Like I said - Span hit a good pitch, and Morneau just went up and got one. Be thankful it stayed in the park!
6-2 baby.
- April 14, 2009 at 12:33 AM
- matthias @ mopupduty.com said...
Gotta agree with Andy MC's comment. BJ had me sweating bullets towards the end.
- April 14, 2009 at 12:50 AM
- Navin Vaswani (@eyebleaf) said...
BJ had me sweating bullets before he came in the game.
But the important thing is that BJ got ahead of every hitter he faced. At one point, he'd thrown one ball, and ten strikes. That's the BJ we know, the BJ we love. Nothing crazy in terms of velocity, but a cat who comes in and works quick, and throws motherfuckin strikes.
He did his job tonight. Those two hits were both reach out singles. It happens. He induced the ground ball for a huge double play, and then got a good lefty to fly out to second base with the game on the line. That's NAILS, alright.
- April 14, 2009 at 2:45 AM
- Peter Gentleman said...
On the Twins broadcast they had him clocked at 84-86. Both of the hits were on sliders that hardly moved and were right over the plate. Not exactly NAILS, but at least the control was there, which is certainly encouraging.
- April 14, 2009 at 4:52 AM
- Unknown said...
BJ scares me.
- April 14, 2009 at 9:41 AM


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Crossing the border to Togo has become, somewhat surprisingly, a must-do on my bucket list. It's funny how a move to a new country can change your travel desires. A few years ago it was camping in the Barrington Tops, now it's Togo, a narrow slip of a country, wedged between Ghana and Benin. With a width (at the coast) of a mere 56 km, a length of 458 km, Togo is truly tiny. A Francophone country, like Benin further east, why Togo is not simply part of Benin (or vice versa) is a mystery to me, undoubtedly a relict of the colonial division of Africa. The differences to Ghana, not only in language, are immediately apparent, but I am getting ahead of myself in this story.
Our girls had a swim meet in Lomé, the capital of Togo, and I thought tagging along would be an easy way to visit a new country. After all, it's somewhat unlikely that we would visit Togo should we leave West Africa, and in the expat world of Accra fabled stories abound of French cheese and wine. Two very good reasons for me to visit.
Of equal stature to these stories of French shopping, are those of border crossings. My optimistic nature made me believe it would not be as bad as clichéd images of any African border crossing. But like many, many aspects of life in Africa, it is unpredictable.
The girls left with the school buses the day before us, and I followed their progress (on a very nifty app) on my phone. They seemed to be spending an inordinate amount of time at the border, and I thought perhaps once they crossed the border, their Ghanaian SIMs would drop out, leaving them virtually stranded at the border on my app. The SIMs did drop out not long after crossing the border, but the length of time at the border was real. But given there were literally dozens of students from a UN worthy list of passport countries, it is hardly surprising it took hours.
On Saturday morning we drove out of Accra. From the somewhat salubrious suburbs of Airport, we passed though the middle class neighbourhoods, and onto the dusty ugliness of the industrial Tema, Accra's port city. Beyond Tema, the villages become smaller and the flat, agricultural land of the Volta river floodplains surrounded us. Like much of coastal Ghana, unless you can actually see the coast, it is not an obvious feature of the landscape. The misty salt air does not penetrate more than a few hundred metres from the shore, and it was only the slender coconut trees, clustered in small islands of the rice paddies which gave any indication that we were passing along the Gulf of Guinea. Towering mounds of bright red tomatoes heralded the harvest, with farmers and their children inviting us to purchase with the distinctive downward flick of their fingers as we passed by. The hours passed quickly for the road all the way to the border is good. I chatted with my travelling companion about the changing nature of aid, particularly to rural people. But that is a conversation for another time.
Approaching the border, the road widens to 4 lanes, half of which are choked with tro-tros waiting to take those who have walked across the border to Accra. Ahead we could see a grand concrete arch, bearing the emblematic Black Star of Ghana. Grandiose, yet unpainted, it seemed a suitable gesture for an African border. Several large concrete buildings reeking of bureaucracy were scattered around both sides of the border and at the approach to these a man directed us to the customs building. These 'fixers' are a common sight at any point of bureaucracy in Ghana, and I presume Africa. For 'something small' they will assist you, generally whether you need the help or not.
To cross the border in your own car, you need an ECOWAS Brown Card, which is an insurance certificate covering the ECOWAS states. I would advise purchasing it in advance from your car insurance company. If you have not purchased a brown card it may be possible to purchase one from the insurance agents at the border, or failing that, leave your car in Ghana, walk across the border, and take a taxi to Lome (which is right on the border).
Customs cleared, we headed to Ghana Immigration, a cluster of small, dirty offices near the concrete arch. Ironically, as Ghana is a wealthier nation than Togo, the immigration procedure takes longer, as photographs must be taken and passports scanned. We entered the no-mans land between concrete arch and the real border, a rickety boom gate surrounded by haphazardly parked trucks and buses.
Our man shepherded us to park in front of a small, open fronted office, which was manned by five Togolese Immigration officers. While my companion went to clear the car at Togo customs, Jock and I were free to watch the immigration process on the Togo side. The small office was full of young foreign volunteers, each filling out forms I presumed to be visa applications (we had our visas already in our passports). The immediate difference between the two countries was, of course, language. Five feet of road and we were listening to French with a smattering of English. I couldn't tell which African language was being spoken, but I presumed it would be the same on both sides. This border and the languages that distinguish it reflect the recent past, the dividing up of Africa by the colonial powers, the African languages uniting the people for centuries before that.
Adjacent to the passport control office, which was filled with foreign, passport bearing travelers, was a narrow gap in a row of small shanty houses. What caught my eye, more so than the stream of women traders all heavily laden with parcels atop their heads, was a distinctive white bib with the Rouge Croix du Togolaise printed on it. In this era of Ebola, all the traders crossing the border were being temperature checked. In a bizarre demonstration of the lingering effect of colonialism, none of the foreigners were checked. [Although on the way home, random temperature checks were done on some of the children in the school buses, although not all].
With no passport scanners or cameras on the Togolese side, once the queue had cleared, our passports were stamped and we were quickly on our way. It was a strong contrast from the villages on the Ghanaian side of the border, to the Togolese side, whose capital city, Lomé is right on the border. People inexplicably pushing motorbikes across the border, mounted them and raced off into the city. The coast was immediately apparent. The coast in Accra is typically obscured by buildings, and never celebrated, but in Lomé the coast (at least from this ocean loving tourist's perspective) was the focal point of the city. The wide clean roads ran parallel to the wide stretch of yellow sand bordering the blue of the ocean. So tiny is Togo that at the first roundabout the border with Benin to the east is signposted.
We drove to the host school, along wide, uncluttered roads, surrounded by motorbikes bearing people of all description: grannies, families, couples, men with gas canisters and refrigerators and single women. While motorbikes are common enough in Accra, there is never the swell of motorbikes at a traffic light, and very rarely would you see a lone female motorcyclist. But here in Francophone Togo, the motorbikes swarmed around us and we jealously eyed the smooth flowing traffic.
Was this lack of traffic, and the clean roads and beaches because in Togo there is simply not the population crush that there is in Ghana? (a crude comparison is a 6.817 million compared to 25.9 million people in Ghana) Was it something to do with cultural habits of cleanliness? Amazingly, I did not see one open drain over the weekend. The infrastructure seemed somehow better…better roads, better drainage, and hence less of the ubiquitous city stink. Perhaps this is in part to the attitude of former colonial powers to 'look after their people', as a French woman once described the situation in Francophone vs Anglophone West Africa. I'm not sure, perhaps a combination of them all. Certainly after the hustle of Accra, Lomé felt like a country town in comparison. I met a lovely Australian teacher at the school, thrilled to have met us, as we boosted the [known] Australian population of Togo from 6 to 10 for the weekend!
Our hotel, modest by Western standards, somewhat salubrious by African standards, beyond the very large port/industrial area, was right on the beach. We walked over sand to our room. No sooner had we dumped our bags than we headed to the beach to catch the last of the days light. Compared to the beaches in Accra, the beaches here were very clean. Only the high tide line was marked by the predictable plastic bags and bottles, old toothpaste tubes and single, lonely shoes. Like much of this coastline, the waves were rough, but we ran through the foam, dodging the thousands of tiny white crabs out for their evening meal.
The morning brought a delicious breakfast of croissants, coffee and juice. Another sign of the French. After a few hours of watching the swimming competition, a trip to a small supermarket rewarded us with stinky cheese and cheap French wine ("we look after our people'!!), and while the extent of the shopping may have been overestimated, it was still very welcome.
Four hours after leaving Lome, we were home.
I was naively surprised at how different Togo felt from Ghana. The language of course is the most obvious difference, but the pace of life, the cleanliness of the city, and the 'feel' of Lome left me pleasantly surprised. I'm sure as an expat it is a very quiet place to live, but for a few days break from the traffic and stink of Accra, it was a very welcome break.
It's got me thinking, apparently the beaches in Benin are pretty fabulous too….


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