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Category: Nature
Photo and caption by Isabel Ball
Taken in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada, above tree line, these magnificent peaks come to life against the sky. Looking surreal and almost painted, in the summer time when this was taken, you can hike these beautiful peaks and look over the town of Jasper and the rest of the Canadian Rockies. On this particular day the clouds seemed so close that you could touch them, they made the huge mountains look even bigger, and gave them such character.
Location: Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada
More Nature Entries »
By Brenda Stevens
By Gian Luigi Fornari Lanzetti
By Chris Fries


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(First or Levin Report, 1965)
The recent proliferation of Comparative Literature, in colleges and universities throughout the country, could hardly have materialized without the support of the National Defense Education Act; but it marks the coming-of-age of a movement which has been spurred for some time by the revival of interest in language teaching, the introduction of programs and courses in great books, and the international crosscurrents and exchanges of postwar years. It appears that our subject is now represented in the catalogues of about eighty academic institutions within the United States, according to the canvass of our Secretary, which continues to enlarge from term to term. More than half of these manifestations seem to have emerged within the last five to ten years, and may therefore still be considered as in a formative stage, though it is obvious that whatever trend they take will have great influence over the field as a whole. Members of the ACLA profess, broadly speaking, a set of common objectives. What is needed with some urgency, before our subject gets too thinly spread, is a set of minimal standards. A preliminary question arises as to whether it is necessarily desirable or practical that Comparative Literature be represented in every institution; whether it does not make special demands, in the way of linguistic preparation and intellectual perspective, which ought to reserve it for the more highly qualified students; and whether it does not presuppose an existing strength in language departments and libraries to which not very many colleges, and indeed not every university, can be fairly expected to measure up. At this point we venture to suggest that, where it is not yet represented in a curriculum, it should not be introduced without a good deal of institutional heart-searching and a careful scrutiny of the facilities and requirements elsewhere.
This brings us to a second question, instrumental in character and multiform in its possible answers: whether the representation of Comparative Literature within a faculty ought to take the form of a department, a subdepartment, or a committee. So far as these distinctions are merely nominal, they do not much matter; and there are many differences in local organization or specific personnel which justify a variety of approaches. What matters is to recognize that courses and programs in Comparative Literature are not designed to compete with those in the other departments of languages and literatures, but rather to augment and bridge them, and that there must consequently be a certain amount of departmental interdependence. In this sense, Comparative Literature must always be embodied in a kind of interdepartment, since it must draw upon the cooperation of specialists in adjacent fields. In certain situations it has functioned as a subdepartment, generally through a member of members of a department of English, or modern languages, especially concerned with interrelationships; but this would seem to be a transitional pattern, leading toward some less ancillary arrangement. The interdepartmental committee would seem to be the most practical arrangement in the early years of a new program. There are at present very few professorial chairs which are wholly in Comparative Literature, and it may well be mutually helpful for the holder of such a chair--or for other appointees--to retain some footing in another department. However, an autonomous department may bring with it budgetary advantages, while administrative convenience may profit from the pattern of a central professor flanked by a number of cooperating colleagues. Perhaps we also need to consider here the relevance of other than literary disciplines: notably linguistics, folklore, art, music, history, philosophy, and possibly psychology, sociology, and anthropology. Our rigor in defining our own position should help us to clarify our interdisciplinary relationships.
Further clarification would also be helpful with regard to the course-offering. It is evident that, in many institutions where our official rubric is not used, courses that might otherwise be so designated are in the curriculum nonetheless--courses which cross the usual boundaries interposed by language, in dealing with such genres as the novel or such movements as the Renaissance. Now, where the approach is by way of a technique, such as the drama, or through the history of ideas, as in a course on the Enlightenment, there may be good excuse for studying works from a number of languages in translation. It is an exceptional undergraduate who can be expected to read works from more than one or two foreign languages in the original, albeit we should do as much as we can to cultivate such exceptions. Yet is it too much to expect that the teacher of literature, while not professing to be an expert in everything he teaches, should have some access to all the original languages involved? We need not be too much concerned with the problem of foreign literature in translation, if we distinguish clearly between such courses and courses in Comparative Literature; and, if the latter courses include a substantial proportion of work with the originals, it would be unduly puristic to exclude some reading from more remote languages in translation. A further distinction might conceivably be drawn between Humanities or World Literature or Great Books at the undergraduate level and Comparative Literature as a graduate discipline.
On the graduate level, it seems clear that much of the course-work in programs toward advanced degrees would have to be taken under the cooperating departments, where the sequences of literary history and the explication of individual texts can most relevantly be pursued. Far from seeking to replace such courses, we need them to build upon. On the other hand, these studies need to be integrated at some point by a series of seminars which bring together our students working in different literatures and focus on literary problems transcending national limits. For example, the history of criticism can help the student to define his terms and organize his knowledge, while exercise in translation, comparative metrics, and stylistic analysis could give him the most concrete experience in the relation of one language to another. Given the spread of our graduate students through differing courses and departments, according to their combination of interests in each case, it may be advisable to provide them all with one or two basic courses--let us say, proseminars in theory of literature and in textual methods or technical problems. Such courses often seem to attract, and profit from the presence of, the more adventurous students in other graduate fields. Comparative Literature performs a service for the other literary departments, and repays its incidental obligations to them, by widening the critical orientation of their students.
As to the desirability of an undergraduate major, there would seem to be more disparity here than anywhere else. The fact that the option is now available at about twenty places would seem to suggest that it is here to stay. There would seem to be general agreement that it should be relatively tough, admitting fit company even if few. The principal objection has been the language limitation for undergraduates; but even where the title of Comparative Literature is reserved for work at a more professional level, majors are sometimes open which involve a combination of languages--e.g., the Classics--or of an extra language with other relevant disciplines. More graduate programs in Comparative Literature would prefer that their candidates have solid training in a few languages, rather than that they have skimmed through a great many works in translation or literary history at second hand. One or two universities still require the M.A. in a single field as a prerequisite to the Ph.D. in Comparative Literature; this implies an even dimmer view of the undergraduate major, and makes it rather difficult for the candidate to progress from the one-or-two languages stage to the three-or-four. At the other extreme, it is noteworthy that a number of institutions have thus far been concentrating their efforts on a meaningful master's degree in the field of Comparative Literature itself.
At the doctoral level, most of us seem to agree that every candidate ought to have a strong major field around which to develop his comparative interests. Since there are not many posts in Comparative Literature, he should be competent enough to teach Spanish or Russian or whatever is taught in the particular department of his specialization. In other words, he should know one literature as a chronological whole and have some acquaintance with its philological background--i.e., the history of the language and a reading knowledge of its earlier texts. Then he should likewise know, within the limits of his special period or chosen concern, at least one and probably two minor fields. And, of course, we count on his curiosity regarding additional fields which he cannot be asked to master so fully, plus an informed concern with the methodology of criticism and scholarship. The value of a critical approach and the attractions of the modern period should not obscure the importance of sound historical training; a truly comparative method, after all, finds many points of reference in the past as well as among contemporaries. Certain auxiliary languages--notably French and German--will be important to the student, even if he does not specialize in their literatures; Greek and Latin are still of unique value to all exponents of Western culture, though Sanskrit or some other classical language has been relevantly substituted in the increasing number of programs where a span is attempted between Occidental and Oriental literature.
In a subject which thrives upon the diversity of the minds it attracts, no single canon ought to be laid down as to the qualifications of candidates. Ideally speaking, they ought to possess both linguistic competence and critical aptitude to a high degree; in practice they often tend to be weighted somewhat more on one side or the other. We should seek for balance in this respect, just as we balance the counterclaims of coverage and depth. It should be frankly recognized that a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature may take longer to acquire than one in most of the separate areas of language and literature; and if a candidate has any hesitations between the straight degree and ours, he may well be encouraged to make the more traditional choice. If we profess to cover more ground than our sister departments we should honestly acknowledge that we must work harder, nor should we incur their suspicion by offering short-cuts. It almost goes without saying that our students should also be encouraged to take advantage of whatever opportunities come their way for study abroad. Still further, we may look forward to a time of development when they find it advantageous to move about more freely among the Comparative Literature programs in various American universities.
Since there has been some talk about an American school of Comparative Literature, we should like to reaffirm our belief in the internationalism of our field. For historic reasons which must be respected, certain countries have figured prominently in its pioneering investigations, as indeed have certain periods and types of relationship. In attempting to extend its scope and to utilize newer methods of interpretation, there is no reason why we should neglect what has been validly established by our predecessors and colleagues across the sea. On the contrary, it is largely because of America's cultural pluralism, above all its receptivity to Europeans and European ideas, that we have been enabled to develop centers for the study of Comparative Literature since the last war. A generation ago, this would have been looked upon as at best a supplement to the national literary histories, and as such a luxury for most academic communities. However, as the literary and linguistic disciplines have reconsidered their criteria and reorganized their curricula, it has been moving from the periphery toward a more and more centralizing role. We can scarcely overemphasize that our relationship with the sister departments should be one of close collaboration, rather than rivalry; that we should not be living up to our standards unless we are also fulfilling theirs; and that, if we succeed, we shall be realizing together the richest potential of the humanities.
While recognizing that Comparative Literature is primarily a graduate discipline, we cannot help observing the steady growth of undergraduate programs in a variety of institutions across the country. The need for minimal standards in undergraduate programs in Comparative Literature is no less urgent than in the graduate area, but the circumstances and problems are basically different and warrant separate consideration.
We believe that, properly conceived and directed, undergraduate programs in Comparative Literature can make a useful contribution to the educational experience and growth of the student and can also serve as a sound basis for graduate study in Comparative Literature. It should be recognized, however, that not all institutions may or should wish to offer such programs, just as not every institution may wish to offer graduate training in Comparative Literature. A number of institutions may prefer, as at present, to represent the subject in the curriculum without making it available as a field of concentration. Where undergraduate programs in Comparative Literature are contemplated or already exist, we believe that certain minimal standards should be met:
I. The Institution
1. It should have strong departments in both classical and modern languages and literatures. Variety and balance of specialization are particularly important.
2. It should have at least one staff member with the doctorate in Comparative Literature or with equivalent training, who is directly connected with the program.
3. It should have substantial library holdings in several languages and literatures.
II. The Program
1. An undergraduate program in Comparative Literature should meet the needs of students preparing for graduate work in Comparative Literature, as well of other students interested in literary study.
2. A sound program of offerings should include courses in the major periods, movements, and genres, and in special topics. For the latter, independent study is recommended.
III. Minimum Requirements for the Undergraduate Major in Comparative Literature
1. Work of upper division caliber in at least two literatures, ancient or modern (one of which may be English), studied in the original languages.
2. Study in depth of at least one literature.
3. Where one of the literatures studied is English, students who plan to continue in graduate will be expected to acquire a reading knowledge of a second language.
4. Advanced undergraduate courses in Comparative Literature demanding considerable reading in original texts. These courses should provide training in the study of literature from an international perspective, and should be offered by a staff member trained in Comparative Literature.
5. Some acquaintance with the major writings of western literature from classical antiquity to the present.
IV. Comparative Literature for the Non-Major
1. As service courses, undergraduate courses in Comparative Literature are a legitimate and valuable part of liberal education.
2. The instructor should have the doctorate in Comparative Literature or a comparable background, and should be able to deal with all of the readings in their original text. Frequent recourse to the original text in class is strongly recommended.
3. The courses should be genuinely comparative. Courses exclusively in a single national literature should not be designated as courses in Comparative Literature.
4. Whenever possible, majors in Comparative Literature should be separated for instructional purposes from students who read exclusively in translation. When such separation is not possible, measures should be taken to insure reading in original texts by majors in Comparative Literature. It is particularly important for the instructor to make special provisions so that the presence of majors and of students without any foreign language ability in the same classroom will not affect standards of instruction.
We believe that, under proper circumstances, the undergraduate major in Comparative Literature can provide a solid foundation for graduate study. Its special advantage lies in its early inculcation of a comparative outlook and its emphasis on both breadth and depth as part of the student's undergraduate training. Students often come to Comparative Literature relatively late in their career; a strong undergraduate program can reinforce and support graduate training in comparative studies. It cannot be sufficiently emphasized, however, that study in Comparative Literature must proceed hand in hand with intensive work in the individual national literatures, at undergraduate as well as graduate levels.
A.O. Aldridge
Chandler B. Beall
Haskell Block Ralph Freedman
Horst Frenz
J.C. La Driere
Alain Renoir
Rene Wellek
Harry Levin, Chairman
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subset: commoncrawl


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5 Madeira Road
Opening Hours : Daily: 24 hours.
The Community Engagement Team has members based at HQ, on Division, and with Dorset's two Youth Offending Teams.
The Department has a clear focus on supporting the delivery of front-line policing through:
The development of relevant corporate policy, structures, systems and processes that support community engagement.
Performing the role of 'good practice' gatekeeper in partnership and diversity business areas, both locally and nationally.
Supporting Divisions and Departments in delivering the Force diversity agenda and ensuring that legislative requirements are met.
The development of products and services that will contribute to the achievement of Force priorities.
Share your experience!


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Notice of Public Scoping Meetings for the Environmental Impact Statement on the Effects of Oil and Gas Activities in the Arctic Ocean
Notice Of Public Scoping Meetings.
NMFS will hold five public scoping meetings in March 2010 to receive public comments on NMFS' intent to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) on the effects of oil and gas activities (e.g., seismic surveys and exploratory drilling) in the Arctic Ocean (U.S. Chukchi and Beaufort Seas).
Table of Contents Back to Top
DATES: Back to Top
The comment period for the scoping process is from February 8, 2010, through April 9, 2010. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION under the "Meeting Dates, Times, and Locations" heading for the dates and locations of the public scoping meetings.
ADDRESSES: Back to Top
The public has the opportunity to submit comments and statements regarding NMFS' intent to prepare this EIS using the following methods:
- Mail: P. Michael Payne, Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910;
- Facsimile (fax) to: (301) 713-0376;
- E-mail to: email@example.com; or
- Public hearings: submit oral or written comments at public scoping meetings.
Comments sent via e-mail, including all attachments, must not exceed a 10-megabyte file size. Information on this project can also be found on the Protected Resources webpage at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/eis/arctic.htm.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Back to Top
Michael Payne, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, (301) 713-2289 ext. 110.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Back to Top
Background Back to Top
On February 8, 2010 (75 FR 6175), NMFS announced its intent to prepare an EIS on the effects of oil and gas activities in the U.S. Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. In that notice, NMFS announced that it would hold a total of eight public scoping meetings in February and March 2010. However, the February 8, 2010 (75 FR 6175), notice only provided dates, times, and locations for the first three meetings.
NMFS has scheduled additional public scoping meetings to be held in Wainwright, Barrow, Nuiqsut, Kaktovik, and Anchorage. The purposes of these meetings are to provide an opportunity for the public to learn about the proposed action, identify issues to be addressed in the EIS process, and to submit oral or written comments on this proposal.
Meeting Dates, Times, and Locations Back to Top
The dates, times, and locations of the public scoping meetings are as follows:
(1) March 9, 2010, 7 - 9 p.m., Wainwright Community Center, Wainwright, Alaska;
(2) March 10, 2010, 7:30 - 9:30 p.m., Inupiat Heritage Center, Barrow, Alaska;
(3) March 11, 2010, 7 - 9 p.m., Nuiqsut Community Center, Nuiqsut, Alaska;
(4) March 12, 2010, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., Kaktovik Community Center, Kaktovik, Alaska; and
(5) March 23, 2010, 7 - 9 p.m., Egan Center, 555 West Fifth Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska 99501.
Special Accommodations Back to Top
These meetings are accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or auxiliary aids should be directed to Sheyna Wisdom by telephone at (907) 261-6705 or by e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com at least 7 days before the scheduled meeting date.
Dated: February 18, 2010.
Wanda L. Cain,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-3750 Filed 2-23-10; 8:45 am]


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She of the ever-present giant headphones is getting yet another new release soon, courtesy of Alphamax. Thankfully, they seem to have given the appropriate treatment to our pink-haired lass. Personally, I like seeing an old standby still remaining popular. It's a refreshing constant in an industry that so often focuses on the next big thing!
As for this Sonico, she's quite scantily clad even by Sonico standards, and you'll certainly get a look at her next big things, as Skytube's spared no expense on the, ah, details. I really enjoy her necklace, however, and one thing that's always seemed to stand out with Sonico figures is their eyes. That's no exception here, as I think they look just great! She'll be available in December for around ¥6,680, and is certainly worth considering if you're a fan!
[Pre-order at HobbyLink Japan | Otacute | Hobby Search | AmiAmi | CD Japan | J-List | Plamoya]


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Vt's Shumlin urges lawmakers against more taxes
Gas and diesel tax went into effect Wednesday
UPDATED 12:00 AM EDT May 02, 2013
Gov. Peter Shumlin says he's sorry Vermont's gasoline and diesel taxes had to go up this year, and he's urging lawmakers to pass no other tax increases.
Shumlin's remarks on Thursday came a day after the state Senate approved a bill that contains tax increases. Among them are: removing the sales tax exemption for bottled water and putting a new $12,000 cap on the home mortgage interest deduction.
Shumlin says he does not support those increases or others being pushed by the House.
He says he's confident he can work out his differences with lawmakers in the final couple of weeks left in the legislative session.
Copyright 2013 by WPTZ All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Definition of chesty in English:
1(Of a woman) having large or prominent breasts.
Example sentences
- Well, that and he always has pictures of chesty babes.
- By March we had started rehearsals, the chesty senior (whose name was Ann) was playing Helena (one of the main heroines), and Rick was playing Oberon king of shadows.
- It's an audacious bit of dialogue for a cheapo skin flick starring some of the most naturally chesty gals you'll ever see in your life.
2North American Conceited and arrogant.
Example sentences
- She writes, 'I hesitate to interrupt the victory laps, the chesty posing, the passing out of medals.'
- The genius, here, is that the athletic soar of that chesty attitude indicates not boyish high spirits or exuberant tough-guy mayhem, but a desperate cling to a fading image of the larger-than-life.
- And why do you get all chesty at the slightest provocation?
3Having a lot of mucus in the lungs: a chesty cough
More example sentences
- I would describe the symptoms as flu-like but the chesty cough made it appear like bronchitis.
- 'I'm prone to picking up chest infections, like chesty coughs, and I get violent headaches,' he said.
- As her other children - Ben, nine, and Kylie, six - played outside, only a chesty cough betrayed their mum's desperate struggle.
- Example sentences
- Rich looks slighter than I remember, and he is sounding bad, coughing chestily into his fist.
- He is fine company and laughs chestily at times, even if for the most part he assumes the patented demeanour of the serious, centred actor.
- I come down here wrapped in scarves, gloves and winter apparel, wheezing chestily and barely able to speak.
chestiness noun
- Example sentences
- If a speaker has any excess chestiness or other colorations, the sound gets too muddled and indistinct.
- If you think you have a cough, cold or any form of chestiness, consult a registered medical practitioner.
- Aside from some occasional chestiness on vocals and a slight sense of veiling, midrange transparency was also good.
Words that rhyme with chestytesty, zesty
For editors and proofreaders
Syllabification: chest·y
Definition of chesty in:
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= trending


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The most recent "new light" is, inter alia, that the other sheep are actually part of the "domestics" of Matt 24:45-47. I'm fairly certain that eventually they will declare new light that both the great crowd and 144k are altogether part of the new covenant although having different hopes (heavenly v earthly), thus it will be announced that prospective members of the great crowd can also partake of the emblems (while remaining an earthly class). This may be the new light announced at this year's AGM (but probably not). The number of partakers will then no longer be reported, thus ending the increasing embarrassment of the number of partakers increasing each year.
by WatchTower87 293 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
My money is on a scrapping of the literal 144K as well. This has been on the cards for years , they mention 144K less and less and the big increase in people partaking has pretty much forced the hand of the society. In the latest Watchtower (December ) they pointedly don't mention a 144,000 figure , even when citing Rev 14:1 - just " a relatively small number".
A new bible ( just a revision of the NWT with a few changes ) that is on all platforms also makes more sense. They can issue it primarily on tablets and include a lot of cross referencing features etc. If the WTBTS can reduce printing bibles by (say ) 500,000 a year then that makes a big difference to the bottom line.
The AGM is described as "HISTORIC". Another version of the NWT is just another version, they have released these in the past.
Is it historic because for the first time it is being transmitted around the globe?
As for the OS taking the emblems, they did point out in a WT study that John 6 applies not only to the heavenly class but also to those who receive an earthly resurrection.
I vote for a major change in doctrine - unless it is just hyping up the sheeples so they think even less.
Well, at the AGM they always tell people what the yearly text is gonna be. So, for sure that's something we know it's on the agenda.
I think that if they don't announce anything new, is going to be a big dissapointed for the R&F.
Maybe Armageddon came in 1975 after all... only invisibly.
Maybe we are in the new system already.
Maybe eyes of understanding can see all this..
Which is what I already foretold in the April 2010 Witchtower:
The August 1, 1975 Watchtower issue featured the articles "Who Qualifies to Be an Elder?" and "Elders Presiding in a Fine Way." These articles cast new light on the role of elders, who were at that time entrusted with administrative tasks on earth under the leadership of Jesus Christ. Christian elders now fully resembled the "chieftain" from Ezekiel's temple vision and met all requirements to 'take the lead' among God's people. – Hebrews 13:17.
The publication of these articles marked the beginning of the Thousand Year Reign, where Jesus Christ governs from his heavenly throne over the earth by means of his earthly organization. Meanwhile we live in the 80 th year of the New Order, and without doubt, the resurrection of the old-testament witnesses will begin within "this generation" of 1975. * As the Bible shows, these will rule as "princes" and sit in judgment on the remaining worldlings. (Psalm 45:16) That's why more than ever, it's about time to preach the good news of God's established Kingdom!
* Since then, Jehovah's people refused to deliver alleged criminals – like pedophiles – to worldly courts and instead introduced own trials according to the laws of the heavenly kingdom. Five years later, in 1980, they started to throw all disturbers of the theocratic order "out into the darkness outside." – Matthew 25:30.
The Watchtower, April 15, 2065
I betting on SBF rumor:
Maybe they are going to promote Farkel to the Governing Body and give him his own column in the Watchtower magazine.
Rumor is the column will be called: Questions from Dipf*ck Readers.
What if the rumour is that created their own bank and named it Bank of Paradise, where all donations can be automatically withdrawn every month to that "bank". When your account reaches a certain level you will deamed a "gold" member. This will allow you permission to get updated "new light" before others.
Or the big announcement might be that they added the dinosaur back in the bible map.
Doubting Bro
I think its just an additional fund raiser for the WTS. Invite everyone, float out rumors so that everyone will be excited, put contribution boxes all around and bingo, you just raised several million. Bethel monitors, you guys sure do know how to raise some cash!
JW GoneBad
I'm predicting an online 'Jehovah's Witness Research Tool' as one of the announcements. It was briefly mentioned at this past District Convention and the speaker stated that we'd hear more about it latter.
Because of the zillion refinements and changes to JW doctrine and the many more to come, the CD-Rom Library has become useless and a waste not to mention damaging to WT's reputation of being the 'Truth'.
To put it mildly-the WT's CD-Rom Library is too incriminating! WT is forced to dump it!
So to all you JWN members take good care of the 'WT CD-Rom Library' you currently have cause chances are you may not be seeing anymore.
Mr Fool
My guess is that it will be about "forced money donations", but I hope it is a change of the 144.000....to be just symbolic.
Rumors are a better way to live one's life than waiting for the end to come, but both can hardly be term fulfilling ways to get through life. The nature of Watchtower dogma is such that it both fosters and condemns rumor. When you're taught that every little sign and event in the world and in the organization is portentous, it's hard not to see meaningful likely Scriptural patterns in the clumps of grass you've newly mowed. Yet moving on from rumor is hard because it can lead to preferred outcomes. From the Witnesses' perspective, rumors make the tedium more bearable. And from ex-Witnesses perspective there's the prospect of seeing the Tower of cards weaken and collapse (slowly over real time). If I'm a sucker for the JW rumor mill, I blame the religion of my upbringing for fostering it.
I never heard it being called the AGM before.
It's the annual meeting of the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society of Pennsylvania. The formal business meeting is closed to the public.
Afterwards they have the talks by the gb members. Its a lot of hype and same old same old.
I am interested in hearing what is discussed there but doubt it will be anything of major importance.
JW Gonebad- the 2013 Wt library cd has been available for congregations to request for several months now.
It will most likely be available by December.
perhaps they'll announce that sisters are to be appointed to serve as elders and ms where there is a shortage of men..
JW GoneBad
Thank you factfinder:
JW Gonebad- the 2013 Wt library cd has been available for congregations to request for several months now.
It will most likely be available by December.
Surprises me that the CD-Rom Library is still being produced. There is waay too much outdated, useless and compromising information that is of no use to the anyone but the anti-JW community. While the speaker at the DC didn't mention anything per say about the eventuality of the CD-Rom Libray, he made it sound like the new JW Research Tool would be replacing the CD-Rom and that only new up-dated JW doctrine would be on the new Research Tool and online only. And if I remember correctly, the speaker was visiting from Bethel and a member of the writing department. We'll see what happens!
Your welcome JW GoneBad!
I wonder if the 2013 wt library cd will include the new JW research tool?
They usually include the new releases on the cd.
Any on-line tool will be a plus for the organization - readily modifiable and hihgly seletive in its content. In other words, the perfect research data base for the Watchtower's scholastically pragmatic purposes.
JW GoneBad
I wonder if the 2013 wt library cd will include the new JW research tool?
They usually include the new releases on the cd.
The speaker specifically stated that the New JW Research Tool would be available on-line only. Thats' why I'm thinking that WT's plan is to very soon....do away with the annual WT CD-Rom Library.
Any on-line tool will be a plus for the organization - readily modifiable and hihgly seletive in its content.
Bingo! Readily modifiable! Its' all about control!
WT's current problem is, and its' a big problem! There are literally millions of WT CD-Roms up to the year 2012 in circulation that contain all of WT's current and past mistakes, mis-calculations and inaccuracies and that will mean a big plus for us! These current WT CD-Roms will be enough to keep Mother on the defensive for years and years to come!
JW GoneBad-
I guess the 2013 edition may be the last one.
I wonder if the Reasoning book and Reference Bible are due to go out of print ?


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FREMONT -- With talk of a large earthquake hitting the Bay Area within the next 30 years, one Fremont teenager wants to make sure no one gets left in the dark.
Rohan Chandra, 15, looked around his community and saw the diversity -- and the need for such information to reach a wide audience.
As one of 10 first-place winners from across the country to receive a $2,500 "Be Big In Your Community" grant, he will create earthquake kits for seniors, with a twist.
"The differentiation between my earthquake kit and the ones being distributed right now is that they would be in different languages," Rohan said. "Due to many immigrants coming, they might not know English properly or might not know what's going on with the earthquake."
The kits would include items such as a medicine dispenser, a place to write emergency contacts, a flashlight and nonperishable foods. The information booklets would be translated into eight languages: Spanish, Mandarin, Taiwanese, Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, Farsi and Tagalog.
Rohan will work with a local organization, generationON, to create an overall plan and budget proposal. He hopes to have about 250 kits, ready sometime early next year, that would be distributed to seniors in Fremont for free.
Rohan's was the only entry from California selected out of 30 winners, which included one grand prize, 10 first-place and 19-second place winners.
Nearly 1,000 entries were submitted to the "Be Big In Your Community" contest, sponsored by publisher Scholastic. The contest encouraged participants of all ages to submit proposals on how to make the world a better place, something Rohan has been committed to since he joined the Boy Scouts in kindergarten.
"I imagine a senior-friendly community -- one that is proactive in supporting our most vulnerable seniors," he wrote in his proposal.
He described his project as "intergenerational," as he plans to involve fellow scouts and community members in assembling and delivering the kits to seniors.
Rohan also hopes to work with businesses that might be able to donate materials so he eventually can expand his project well beyond Fremont.
Despite being committed to spreading the word on emergency preparedness, he said he had a backup plan.
"I'm really into music, so I was thinking about possibly doing something with music and seniors or just music and the community," he said. "I actually started playing the trumpet and singing for seniors recently so (I was thinking about doing) music therapy for seniors or going to hospitals."
Rohan started playing the trumpet last year and has been visiting retirement homes around the Bay Area. He also has played the clarinet for five years and the piano for 10 years.
Currently a sophomore at the Harker School in San Jose, Rohan has some time before going to college but said he probably would pursue a major in math or science rather than the humanities.
"But I definitely want to continue doing community service throughout my whole life because it's an important thing to do," he said. "There are a lot of people out there who are less privileged."
Contact Kimberly Chua at 510-293-2463. Follow her at Twitter.com/kimberlyachua.
If you are interested in volunteering or sending donations, e-mail Rohan Chandra at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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By Abhishek Goenka, Founder & CEO, India Forex Advisors
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."- Mathew 7:7, the Holy Bible.
By Abhishek Goenka, Founder & CEO, India Forex Advisors
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."- Mathew 7:7, the Holy Bible.
In pretty much a similar fashion, distressed and cash-crunched Indian corporate desperately sought some form of relief from the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) head, and it seems that their prayers were answered this time around.
The RBI has played against the market expectation and given more than what was expected, after hiking the interest rate 13 times, from March 2010-October 2011, to tame the inflation in Asia's third largest economy.
Well, the easing has finally begun. But the real question is, for how long?
The repo rate was reduced by 50 bps and kept the CRR unchanged at 4.75%. The repo rate at which banks borrow money from the RBI now stands at 8% from 8.50% earlier.
Similarly, the reverse repo rate at which RBI borrows money from banks now stands at 7% from 7.50% earlier. But still, the move has come in spite of inflation being quite above moderate levels.
The headline inflation eased slightly to 6.89% for the month of March, but was still above the central bank's expectations. Data released by the government on Monday showed, food inflation rose 9.9% in the year to March as against 6.07% in the previous month.
The RBI officials have also shown concern over the up-side risk for inflation, which might reduce the room for aggressive rate cuts.
We have seen growth getting hampered in recent times, which is making the investors cautious about India's growth outlook. RBI's move of a rate cut will be welcomed by investors, but again the question arises for how long it can support growth?
The issues which might prove to be a sentiment dampener involve deteriorating current account and fiscal deficit, an insipid Union Budget 2012-13 and payback due in the form of FCCB's, FCNR's.
According to a report published by RBI, India's current account deficit (CAD) widened to $53.7 billion (4.0 per cent of GDP) during April-December 2011 from $39.6 billion (3.3 per cent of GDP) in April-December 2010, largely reflecting a higher trade deficit.
"Even though net FDI inflows were higher in April-December 2011 than in the comparable period of the previous year, portfolio flows were lower, resulting in a decline in overall capital inflows as compared with the previous year," said the report.
Buyer's Credit and higher Oil import bills going forward will be a big hurdle for the RBI and the Central government.
Talking about the rupee, we have seen the Indian currency depreciating almost 4% in last two months, on account of the poor local fundamental and overall positive developments in US.
The currency market eased in Q4 of 2011-12 reflecting a pick up in capital inflows as well as the impact of policy measures undertaken to improve dollar supply and contain speculation.
The central bank is also restricted to intervene to support the rupee, due to shortage of the dollar reserves, which has slipped below $300 billion.
RBI has sold a net of $20.14 billion in the spot market from September 2011 to February 2012.
The rate cut could result in a slight appreciation in the rupee to the tune of 30-40 paise or a percentage in near term on the back of positive sentiment. But overall the trend seems bearish for the local currency targeting 52 plus in 1-2 months.
(The views and recommendations expressed in this section are author's own and do not represent those of EconomicTimes.com)


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Research Update: Cinemark 'B+' Rating Outlook Revised To Positive On Good Operating Performance And Declining Leverage Dec 10
- December 2010
- Standard & Poors
U.S.-based movie exhibitor Cinemark has been outperforming its peers, and leverage has declined. We are revising our 'B+' rating outlook on the company to positive from stable. The positive outlook reflects the potential for the rating to be upgraded if we become convinced that the company can maintain leverage around 5x with adequate liquidity. On Dec. 29, 2010, Standard & Poor's Ratings Services revised its rating outlook on Plano, Texas-based Cinemark Holdings Inc. and its operating subsidiary, Cinemark Inc., to positive from stable. Ratings on the company, including the 'B+' corporate credit rating, were affirmed. The 'B+' rating on Cinemark Holdings Inc. reflects our expectation that leverage and capital spending will remain relatively high, but that the company will continue...
Companies mentioned in this report are: Cinemark Holdings Inc.,Cinemark Inc.,National CineMedia LLC,National CineMedia Inc.
Action: Affirmed
Action: Outlook: Positive
Standard and Poors RatingsXpress Credit Research provides in-depth coverage of international corporates, financial institutions, insurance companies, utilities, sovereigns and structured finance programs. RatingsXpress Credit Research lets users determine the credit rating of holdings and identify key factors underlying an issuer's creditworthiness, distinguishes the different risk exposures for new and existing deals, and provides an understanding of how their analysts interpret key regulatory, political and environmental events and their economic impact.
Product Type: Research Update
Research updates complement media releases. They offer more depth and detail than summary analyses by incorporating all information published in the media release. They are more up to date than summaries in that they are published simultaneously with media releases.
Cinemark Holdings Inc.,Cinemark Inc.,National CineMedia LLC,National CineMedia Inc.


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A Quote by Nikos Katzenzakis on books, christ, death, defeat, fear, fighting, pain, struggle, suffering, and temptation
This book was not written because I wanted to offer a supreme model to the man who struggles; I wanted to show him that he must not fear pain, temptation or death - because all three can be conquered, all three have already been conquered. Christ suffered pain, and since then pain has been sanctified. Temptation fought until the very last moment to lead him astray, and Temptation was defeated. Christ died on the Cross, and at that instant death was vanquished forever.
Contributed by: Zaady


text:
The soaring prices at the pump force one southeastern Kentucky college to make adjustments to it's class schedule.
Students at Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College spend a lot of time on the road to get their education.
Administrators realize that and they're now trying to do what they can to give students a break.
Heather Whitaker is studying physical therapy at Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College and also raising a family.
To attend classes she has to drive back and forth from Harlan to Cumberland and even to Corbin.
As you can imagine she spends a lot on gasoline.
She's looking forward to one less day of driving.
College administrators are trying to help students by reducing 3 day a week classes to two.
"Those costs mount up quickly so we decided we had to take action to help our students out in the best way we can," Wheeler Conover said.
College administrators are working with teachers who are trying to figure out other ways to teach that third day of instruction. Most likely through the internet.
"Juggling schedules being able to provide assignments in an alternative manner so students don't have to show up five days a week," Conover said.
"Those hours I'm not at work, I'm not getting paid for! So cutting down to two days a week will certainly help me on my budget by not spending on gas that extra day and then being able to work to support my family even more," Whitaker said.
With the new changes Heather Whitaker hopes she won't have to spend that extra money she makes at the pump.
Officials at Southeast point out nearly 20% of their courses are already taught completely over the internet already.


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Holiday Inn Express Long Beach places you within 2 miles (3 km) of Friendship Oak and University of Southern Mississippi-Gulf Coast. This 76-room, 3-star motel has conveniences like an outdoor pool, free in-room WiFi, and free self parking. Beauvoir-The Jefferson Davis Home and Presidential Library is also within a 20-minute drive of this Long Beach motel.
Free buffet breakfast is included with your stay and awaits you each morning from 6:30 AM to 9 AM. For a nice break, mingle with other guests at the free manager's reception.
All 76 air-conditioned rooms feature refrigerators, coffee makers, and free local calls. TVs come with cable channels, and guests can stay connected with free WiFi. Bathrooms have hair dryers and free toiletries. Free bottled water, ironing boards, and desks are also available.
Property features
At Holiday Inn Express Long Beach, guests enjoy features like an outdoor pool, a fitness center, and free WiFi in public areas. Free parking is included with your stay. Staff members are on hand to provide dry cleaning/laundry services, luggage storage, and a safe deposit box at the front desk. Other amenities at this beach motel include a meeting room, a 24-hour business center, and free newspapers.
- Free buffet breakfast
- Free WiFi in rooms and public areas
- Free parking
- Outdoor pool
Holiday Inn Express Long Beach300 W Beach Blvd Long Beach MS 39560
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
Holiday Inn Express Long Beach features an outdoor pool and a fitness center. High-speed wired and wireless Internet access is complimentary. This 3-star property offers access to a 24-hour business center and a meeting room. Guests can enjoy a complimentary breakfast each morning as well as a complimentary manager's reception on select days. Event facilities measure 336 square feet (30 square meters). This beach motel also offers a picnic area, complimentary newspapers in the lobby, and laundry facilities. Complimentary self parking is available on site.
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
- Beach towels
- One meeting room
- 24-hour business center
- Conference space size (feet) - 336
- Conference space size (meters) - 30
- Free WiFi
- Free wired high-speed Internet
- Total number of rooms - 76
- Number of floors - 6
- Free newspapers in lobby
- Free breakfast
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Fitness facilities
- Laundry facilities
- Picnic area
- Luggage storage
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Year Built 2008
- Free reception
- Free self parking
- Outdoor pool
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Outdoor pool
- Free Wi-Fi
- Laundry facilities
- Refrigerator
- Cribs/infant beds (complimentary)
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi , Free wired high-speed Internet
Free self parking
Room Amenities
- Free WiFi
- Free cribs/infant beds
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
- Premium TV channels
- Air conditioning
- Phone
- Free local calls
- Refrigerator
- Coffee/tea maker
- Free bottled water
- Daily housekeeping
- Free toiletries
- Hair dryer
- Iron/ironing board
- Television
- Desk
- Cable TV service
- Rollaway/extra beds (surcharge)
Where to Eat
A complimentary buffet breakfast is served each morning between 6:30 AM and 9 AM. The motel offers a complimentary manager's reception on select days.
Nearby Things to Do
Recreational amenities at the motel include an outdoor pool and a fitness center.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Bicycle rentals on site
To make requests for specific accessibility needs, complete the "Special or Accessibility Requests" section of "Trip Preferences" when you book your hotel.
- Accessible bathroom
- Roll-in shower
- In-room accessibility
Hotel Policies
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
Special check-in instructions:
Check-out time is 11 AM
Payment types
- Pets not allowed
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
Optional extras
- Rollaway bed fee: USD 20 per night
Hotel Name
- Holiday Inn Express Long Beach
- Holiday Inn Express Motel Long Beach
- Long Beach Holiday Inn Express
- Holiday Inn Express Long Beach Hotel Long Beach
- Holiday Inn Express Long Beach Motel
We should mention
The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation.


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Poll: 2011 National League MVP
Posted by Andy on September 29, 2011
Two polls...one for who deserves it and one for who will actually win it.
89 Responses to "Poll: 2011 National League MVP"
Jimbo Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 10:53 am
This should be a no brainer on both accounts. The man had 10 WAR this year! The fact that he was on a subpar team should only amplify that number.
Dr. Doom Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 11:07 am
I would love to vote for Matt Kemp. He had a great, great year. In fact, a better year than Ryan Braun. But you know what? I voted Braun anyway, because I watched the guy play, he carried the team, he improved in every facet of the game, and, you know what? I'll admit it - it's a homer pick. I'm a Brewers fan, and I'm voting for Braun. That's all there is to it. Am I wrong? Probably. Do I care? Not really.
Steve Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 11:15 am
I find it interesting that the names are listed in different orders for each vote.
Steve Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 11:16 am
Wait, I just refreshed. I guess that polling site just randomly lists the names.
Andy Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 11:20 am
Yeah I set it to list randomly. I don't like listing stronger candidates first, or alphabetically, because I think it skews the voting.
w.k.kortas Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 11:25 am
It's an interesting question--Kemp's season is huge, but it took place a looong way from the pennant race. All things being equal, I would argue that a MVP-type season for a team in the race carries more weight than one for an also-ran; that said, if you want to argue that Kemp's season is of significantly higher quality than Braun's to override that caveat, I'd find it hard to argue that point.
Steve Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 11:30 am
Yeah, for a minute I thought you were doing a social experiment with your own orders, but then I saw it was random.
Stanton is my pick for MVP of moon shots. Just thought I'd throw that out there. Man that kid has some power.
Braun will probably win in the "best player from a contender" sense, since the "traditional" view seems to hold that you have to be on a winner to have value. I think most would agree that Kemp was the best player in the league though. He plays in a notorious pitcher's park with no protection in the lineup, where Braun gets Fielder. Braun drew 2 IBB to Fielder's 32 IBB, and Kemp had 24 IBB. Where the vote could be close, I think it's important to go deeper even if WAR suggests you don't have to. Braun had more chances to put up numbers because nobody wanted an extra base-runner for Fielder.
Paul E Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 11:47 am
@ 7 Steve:
No greater point can be made than yours....Braun (great player) had Fielder hittting behind him; Kemp (great player) had ?
D Forrest Y Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 11:59 am
Not a no brainer IMHO. I think Hunter Pence has really fueled the Phillies offense in the 2nd half & deserves a lot of consideration just for that. I'm not sure the Phillies would have the NL's home field advantage without the Pence trade. Instantly making him a very valuable player at the very least. Ever since coming to Philly in that trade (+0+Then+%28Hits%2BWalks%2BHitbyPitch%29%2F%28AtBats%2BWalks%2BHitByPitch%2BSacrificeFlies%29+ELSE+0.0+END&SortDir=desc&MinPA=150&MinG=0&MinGS=0&MinAB=0&MinR=0&MinH=0&MinDB=0&MinTP=0&MinHR=0&MinRBI=0&MinBB=0&MinIBB=0&MinHP=0&MinK=0&MinSB=0&MinCS=0&MinSH=0&MinSF=0&MinGDP=0&MinCI=0">July 30 - Sep 28), he's gone .324/.394/.560 and a 157 OPS+.
I think Kemp will win it though. He's had an overall better season and even outhit Pence since the trade. I just think Pence has had a bigger impact on the NL season than Kemp. Although, I do wonder where the Dodgers would be without Kemp.
topper009 Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 12:03 pm
When is this due? I have no idea who to pick, I think Braun vs Kemp is closer than the 10.0 WAR vs 7.7 WAR on this site suggests. Fangraphs has Braun 7.8 and Kemp at 8.7
zuke Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 12:08 pm
@7, 8
how many high-pressure situations has kemp played in this year?
Pops Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 12:25 pm
Compared to whom? Braun? The Brewers were a runaway winner in the NL Central. If high-pressure situations defines the MVP, then we're left with a Brave or Cardinal...
I voted for Kemp but imagine that Braun will win it. I don't like the "V" in MVP. What defines "value"? Is it value to his team? Value to the league? How much more "valuable" is Kemp to the Dodgers than Braun is to the Brewers? How "valuable" is either of them to a Mets fan? In my own mind, I've changed it from MVP to MOP - Most Outstanding Player. And for 2011, Matt Kemp gets my vote.
Cheese Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 12:34 pm
Their numbers are so similar, plus dWar so I don't think Kemp being an average CF tips the scales. I absolutely think Braun is the most valuable on the brewers, I don't feel that way for Kemp (Kershaw). The brewers won their division and don't without Braun.
Kemp has very consitant H/A splits, but even though Braun's H split is vastly better, his A stats aren't too shabby either.
Braun had a fantastic 2nd half, Kemp was also great.
Also, Kemp had more PA with RISP so the fielder argument doesn't hold as much weight with me.
Bottom line, both deserving, but I think Braun is the MVP because the Brewers don't make the playoffs without him. I am absolutely OK with Kemp winning the Hank Aaron award which is for the best offensive player. But I just don't think Kemp's season was so much better for him to warrant the MVP.
Genis26 Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 12:36 pm
Pujols really should be in the top 5 at the very least, because of the September he had carrying the Cardinals for the first 3 weeks. Plus, he still ended up with a great season by mere mortal standards. Maybe throw Allen Craig in there too...
w.k.kortas Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 12:42 pm
I would disagree with the characterization of the Brewer season as a "runaway"; they didn't move into 1st for more than a day or two until late July, and didn't really have a cushion until mid-August--the lead wasn't safe until they'd played more than 100 games.
As far as the MVP as MOP, my counter-argument would be this: if Jose Bautista and Matt Kemp win the MVP awards, will there be parades in downtown Toronto and LA, like there will be in, say, Detroit or Milwaukee if they win the World Series. The traditional argument that an MVP should be from a contender has its merits--to get all Herm Edwards, you play the game to win, and I would argue that putting together a great season in the middle of a pennant race is inherently more valuable than one for an also-ran. There are seasons where a player on a non-contender has a season that is so much better than one from any of the contenders that it deserves MVP recognition, and there is a very strong argument that Kemp has had that kind of a season. Still, you play to win championships, and I think that has to be taken into account when you talk about the "valuable" part of the MVP.
topper009 Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 12:43 pm
For those who don't know since Braun doesn't play in the AL East and gets almost no coverage compared to the season he is having. He missed 12 games with a pulled calf muscle around the all-star break, you may remember him not playing in the AS game. Also remember WAR is a counting stat, and those games gave Kemp a little bump. I understand if you want to penalize Braun for missing time, but just so everyone knows he did.
Here are his projected stats before the injury:
After missing 12 games used for those projections he finished:
and he essentially shut down stealing bases for a month.
---Looking at the WAR breakdown
Braun (runs above average)
51 rbat, 4 rbase, 3 roe, 1 rdp, -1 r(def+pos), 17 rrep
60 rbat, 6 rbase, 2 roe, -2 rdp 11 r (def+pos), 19 rrep
The big differences are +9 Kemp from batting and +12 Kemp defense + position. -Braun has a higher wOBA by a wide margin (.433 to .419)
-Braun's career UZR/150 = -6 and Kemp is -9.4
I think both are closer than this site suggests
Bill Tuck Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 12:43 pm
Braun deserves the award hands down. He got the home run that clinched the divisional championship for Milwaukee. He also did well in most batting categories.
Even though Kemp had great statisitcs, his record wasn't enough to win get his team into post season. If there were an award for best player, he probably deserves it.
Since there is talk of Kershaw winning the Cy Young, it is hard for me to believe both kershaw and Kemp would win both awards for a team that was never even a contender. Ian Kennedy should win the Cy Young because he brought a last place team to post season in one year.
One of my biggest gripes in the awarding is that the press always gives the benefit of the doubt to the Dodgers and Yankees when it comes to individual awards in a close vote. That is a subject I could write on for hours, but won't at this time.
Va Nat Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 12:44 pm
Am I being a total homer to complain that Michael Morse's name should have been included on the list?
topper009 Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 12:49 pm
Another thing that is getting almost no coverage, Kemp joined Vlad Guerrero (2002) in the 39 HR/40 Sb club... very close to the 5th 40/40 player.
Kemp cam on strong the last few weeks and there about a week's worth of Kemp triple crown talk, but if Braun didn't miss those 12 games we might have been talking about Braun for the triple crown starting in August.
DaveZ Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 12:54 pm
A question for those that think Kemp is the MVP...how was he valuable to an 82-79 Dodger team that finished 11.5 games back and in 3rd place?
Ed Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 12:55 pm
@12 Pop
Adding to what @15 W.K. Kortas said.....we just saw two teams with huge leads completely collapse down the stretch. Just because the Brewers had a large lead starting in mid-August doesn't mean that their players could let up and that their games were no longer "pressure filled".
Steve Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 12:58 pm
Whether it actually helps or hurts him I don't know, but Kemp seems to be a package deal with Kershaw. Without Kemp, we might be discussing Kershaw '11 vs. Carlton '72. Without Kershaw, the argument might be, "Should the MVP come from a last-place team?"
Here's a question. If you trade Kemp for Braun straight up, then where does the vote go?
Johnny Twisto Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 1:02 pm
One of my biggest gripes in the awarding is that the press always gives the benefit of the doubt to the Dodgers and Yankees when it comes to individual awards in a close vote. That is a subject I could write on for hours, but won't at this time.
Why, are you going to be busy polishing all of Derek Jeter's MVP awards?
Gary W Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 1:03 pm
Kemp. If not for him, L.A. is a last place team. All things said, I think his stats are the best.
Johnny Twisto Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 1:05 pm
how was he valuable to an 82-79 Dodger team that finished 11.5 games back and in 3rd place?
Um, by hitting lots of homers, catching balls, doing other things that helped them win 82 games?
Paul E Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 1:07 pm
@ 17 ) Bill
Years ago, Dick Butkus and Gale Sayers were the best players in the NFL (and AFL) on their respective "side of the ball". I don't think their shitty teammates detracted from their "value" or achievements. Same goes for Kershaw and Kemp....
@ 11) Zuke
If the goal is to win a game, the game at hand, the game being played...then the pressure is equal for all players. Except guys like Kemp who have the pressure of carrying their shitty teammates. How many runs does Kemp knock in with Weeks/Hart and Morgan batting ahead of him and Prince Vegan behind him. Do you think Braun's stats would have been better than Kemp's if he played in LA this past year? Do you think Braun could "play" CF? Just asking
@ 20) Dave Z
The Dodgers finish 4th in the Pacific Coast League w/o Kemp
BSK Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 1:10 pm
I'm surprised Kemp is getting as much love as he is in the "Who will actually win" poll. Outside of Keith Law, I haven't seen a major writer support his candidacy. In fact, I haven't even heard him mentioned. Part of that is because so much focus has been on Verlander's chances at the AL MVP. But I think people never even thought to consider him because he didn't do one thing you could point to and say, "SEE! MVP!" He didn't have some ridiculously hot month, his team never went on a long winning streak, and even though he was elite in the Triple Crown categories, he didn't really dominate any of those. He does everything very, very well (if not better). Unfortunately, those guys tend to do poorly in the MVP voting, unless there is already an appealing narrative around them (such as Pedroia, whose win had as much to do with being a short white guy playing for Boston as it did with his on-field contributions).
topper009 Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 1:16 pm
For those who like at account for "clutchness" but not penalize Kemp for having bad teammates:
Win Probability Added (WPA)
1. Fielder (MIL) 7.7
2. Votto (CIN) 7.1
3. Braun (MIL) 6.4
4. Kemp (LAD) 6.2
5. Berkman (StL) 5.7
Situ. Wins Added (WPA/LI)
1. Braun (MIL) 6.8
2. Kemp (LAD) 6.5
3. Fielder (MIL) 6.3
4. Votto (CIN) 5.5
5. Berkman (StL) 4.9
Johnny Twisto Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 1:31 pm
I'm surprised Kemp is getting as much love as he is in the "Who will actually win" poll. Outside of Keith Law, I haven't seen a major writer support his candidacy. In fact, I haven't even heard him mentioned.
I don't think that's true at all. During the All-Star game, Buck and McCarver were calling him the MVP, and I think he's continued to be named as a major candidate all along. I can't identify any specific writers who have picked him, but it seems like he, Upton, and Braun have been the main names thrown around over the past several weeks.
Robert Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 1:36 pm
I don't buy the argument that you have to play for a contender to have value. The same argument would suggest that players from surefire division winners aren't as valuable. St. Louis barely made the playoffs, so if you take away any player (ex: Colby Rasmus) they probably wouldn't have made the playoffs. You could say that Colby Rasmus was more valuable to the Cardinals than Roy Halladay was to the Phillies.
A similar argument overvalues teams with more distinct stars. You could say that Kemp is more valuable because the Dodgers offense would be dismal without him but the Brewers offense would still be good without Braun. A good player makes the biggest impact on the worst team.
Braun put up almost the same numbers as Kemp and was theoretically in tougher situations, but Braun was also part of a better lineup. I'd vote for Kemp because if both were becoming free agents this year, I think you'd hear more of a fuss over him. Not to say that the guy with the biggest contract has to be the most valuable, but if lots of people with big checkbooks are willing to throw lots of money at a player, he's valuable!
w.k.kortas Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 1:53 pm
This might be a good time to mention that the Cardinals took Colby Rasmus away from the Cardinals.
Asher B. Chancey Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 1:54 pm
I am absolutely baffled that after all these years, and everything we collectively know, that the MVP debate still goes this way.
Asher B. Chancey Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 1:55 pm
Matt Kemp is my answer.
Jeff Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 2:12 pm
Being a Giants fan it pains me to choose Matt Kemp, but I will.
Here is what Kemp has over Braun:
Kemp plays in a top 3 pitchers park(helping Kershaw, wink wink).
Kemp has zero protection in the lineup
Kemp plays a premium defensive position(CF)
Kemp has more RBI on a far worse hitting team
Kemp has more HR
Kemp has a 10 WAR....that's TEN!
Kemp almost won the TRIPLE CROWN.
Braun is a great player, no doubt. But having Prince Fielder hit behind him is a huge advantage, so is playing in the superb hitters park known as Miller Park.
Ryan Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 2:16 pm
I'm surprised - I voted the same two names as the great majority of people, but reversed them. I feel like Braun deserves the award, but Kemp will get it.
Timothy P. Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 2:18 pm
Not trying to be a party pooper, but every post for the next week should be about the games last night! Every baseball lover should be thanking a God for the gift he gave us last night.
Doug B Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 2:24 pm
before anyone thinks Ryan Braun has great numbers in his career only because he plays in a good hitting park I just want to throw out his career numbers:
Home: .307/.373/.580
Road: .317/.368/.547
The numbers are a little more tilted this year. I'll grant that. And that's all you consider for MVP. I just didn't want people thinking his numbers aren't legit.
zuke Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 2:32 pm
"If the goal is to win a game, the game at hand, the game being played...then the pressure is equal for all players. Except guys like Kemp who have the pressure of carrying their shitty teammates."
i would argue the exact opposite. i think playing meaningful games (with or without shitty teammates) takes more of a toll on a player than months of meaningless games. of course, this can't be captured with statistics (as high/low leverage in-game situations are). unless there's an in-season leverage statistic that i don't know about (which is highly possible)
Jeff Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 2:36 pm
Lets look at this from another point of view, a subjective what if:
What if you switched Kemp and Braun?
Braun is in L.A. and Kemp plays for the Brewers. Would it be safe to say that Braun's numbers might decline a bit, and Kemps would increase?
Just wondering...
Doug B Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 2:37 pm
And here are Kemp's career numbers:
Home: .291/.346/.506
Road: .295/.353/.486
So I think the home park thing gets a little too much play. I'd point more to the number of games in Petco and vs. that Giants staff vs. games in Wrigley and Houston.
ctorg Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 2:41 pm
Kemp had an incredible season, particularly when you consider the lower level of offense. We got used to seeing big offensive numbers during the juiced era, but I try to look at Kemp's numbers with the mind I had for such things in the eighties (only more enlightened, I hope). To me, the MVP is the player who contributes the most value in the league, and it's independent of the use to which that value was put. So whether a guy contributed his value to a losing cause or a winning cause is not relevant, as far as I'm concerned.
I think Braun is more likely to win it, simply because he's on a playoff team. It wouldn't be a travesty if Braun won.
KB Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 2:41 pm
@ 32
It's so true.
But I still have to go with Kemp.
DaveZ Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 2:52 pm
@25 and 26...who cares of they finish last in NL West or the PCL...bottom line, they didn't win with Kemp doing what he did, impressive as it was, he ain't the MVP.
DaveZ Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 2:54 pm
@39...ridiculous and irrelevant, no way to even come to any type of conclusion.
Jeff Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 3:13 pm
So in theory, we can't subjectively talk about what either player might/might not do in different lineups'/parks?
How is it ridiculous? Tell me moving Adrian Gonzalez from San Diego to Boston didn't help his numbers...
Dark Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 3:16 pm
Gotta be Kemp. Braun's had a fantastic season, but Kemp leads in more categories. I also find it interesting that if somehow the Dodgers were good, this would be a lock for Kemp, but because they aren't playoff bound, a near Triple Crown winner is not automatic.
Jeff Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 3:22 pm
I'll also point this out in Kemp's case.
Kemp doesn't have a top 5 everyday player batting after him like Braun does. Fielder will be a top 5 MVP finisher, find me another Dodger position player that can say that. In fact, one could even say Fielder deserves top 3 credit.
Here's my ballot:
1.Kemp: numbers don't lie
2.Braun: deserves it but has a lot of help.
3.Upton: is in the Kemp discussion of only great player on team.
4.Fielder: 38HR, .299Avg, 120 RBI, .415OB, 556%...not bad protection for Braun
5.Berkman: literally carried the Cards when Pujols became human for 3 months
Zack Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 3:49 pm
Does Matt Kemp really have a WAR of 10?
Jeff Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 3:49 pm
I agree. How the Dodgers losing(even though they finished above .500)is Kemp's fault I will never understand. Last time I checked, there were several players who won MVP's on non playoff teams.
Andre Dawson in '87
A-Fraud in '03
Jeff Burroughs '74
Ernie Banks '58-59
Jeff Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 3:50 pm
Yes, he does...
Next closest is 8.6 Jose Batista.
BSK Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 3:51 pm
I must have missed all that, then.
Jeff Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 4:09 pm
Kemp: .324, .399%, .586slg, 39HR, 126RBI, 115 runs, 40SB, 171 OPS+, 353TB
Bautista: .302, .447%, 608slg, 43HR, 103RBI, 105 runs, 9SB, 182OBP+, 351TB
LAD team record 82-79
TOR team record 81-81
Isn't it funny how People want to give Bautista the MVP even though he played for a 81-81 ball club but not Kemp?
Now look at the splits for Ryan Braun at home and away vs. Kemp's splits.
Braun: home 268ab, .351, .423ob, .626slg, 17HR, 64 rbi, 57 runs, 1.068OBP
road 295ab, .315, .373ob, .573slg, 16HR, 47 rbi, 52 runs, 0.926OBP
Looks like that home park helped out Braun quite a bit.
Kemp: home 295ab, .329, .401ob, .580slg, 19HR, 63rbi, 57 runs, 0.981OBP
road 307ab, .319, .397ob, .593slg, 20HR, 63 rbi, 58 runs, 0.990OBP
Jimbo Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 4:16 pm
How is this a discussion? It's obviously kemp this year! I'd put money down that he gets at least an 85% share if not a unanimous vote!
Ed Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 4:19 pm
I don't care who anyone wants to support for MVP but I get REALLY annoyed when people start talking about "protection" and "lineup help". There are MYTHS. PERIOD!!! And it's hardly new information...Bill James showed it was a myth way back in 1985. And subsequent studies have confirmed his findings.
See here for example:
If anything, the above study shows that having a good hitter behind you is harmful. Pitchers are likely to bear down against Ryan Braun, not wanting to face Fielder with someone on base.
Jeff Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 4:31 pm
Tell that to the Giants and Barry Bonds who had Rich Aurilia hitting in front of him. Who got the pitches for strikes and who walked a million times?
Having a good hitter behind you is never a bad thing.
Steve Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 4:38 pm
A good hitter is a good hitter, but don't tell me there isn't something just a wee bit coincidental about Maris's 0 IBB and 61 HR in 1961.
Jeff Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 4:51 pm
Tell me about it.
If Bonds had zero IBB's in 2001 he might have hit 80+
Eric Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 5:14 pm
It look likes Kemp's 10.0 WAR is the highest since Barry Bonds in NL and Giambi in AL.
Kirk Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 5:46 pm
@27 - Peter Gammons has endorsed Kemp and Gammons is about as big an East Coast homer as there is.
I voted Kemp as who should win and Braun as who will win. Obviously they are both great and I would love to someday see Braun back home in LA playing next to Kemp.
You can argue the numbers to an infinite degree. I think Kemp comes up better strictly by the numbers, situation and style of play, but Braun is close.
The key to who wins MVP is not the stats, but the voters. They used to go pretty much by the raw numbers historically, then lately, they have tended to vote by best OPS on a playoff team (exception Rollins who had cachet as an all round player).
That being the case, Braun should be expected to win as having the highest OPS from a play off team.
Should the voters trend from raw numbers to OPS and then this year discover WAR and other advanced stats, maybe Kemp has a chance - also if the Brewer votes are split between Braun and Fielder
Doug B Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 5:48 pm
the park factors for Milwaukee/LA are something like 103 and 98 this year. So it's not that much of a factor.
yes, Braun did hit exceptionaly well at home this year. Terrificaly so. And by the way the Brewers were 57-24 at home. Just a coincidence of course.
Kemp has great numbers from a valuable fielding spot. Braun has great numbers and first place. Either would be a good winner.
Dan W Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 5:51 pm
Why Braun is MVP:
Brewers in playoffs.
Dodgers not remotely close to playoffs.
Andrew Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 6:30 pm
The MVP is an individual player award, not a team award. Voting for Braun over Kemp because he plays for a better team and thus they made the playoffs is ridiculous. Kemp could have hit .400 and clubbed 70 home runs and the Dodgers probably still would have missed the playoffs. Braun had a great season, and was slightly better offensively than Kemp, but Kemp's superior durability and much more valuable position make him the clear winner. I think that writers will recognize that, mainly due to the Triple Crown storyline (even if it fell short, they still love a HR and RBI leader).
Andy Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 6:48 pm
Check back tomorrow morning for the AL MVP poll post.
jimmyv Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 7:34 pm
Gotta lean with Kemp... slightly over Braun.. as far as being with a contender, if they swtiched teams, Kemp's numbers would go up with
the Brewer's lineup significantly....
John Autin Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 8:08 pm
Since BSK mentioned K-Law's vote for Kemp over Braun, I thought I'd post a Central piece of his rationale:
"Kemp put up roughly the same offensive numbers as Braun despite facing much tougher pitching than Braun did; four of the bottom six NL pitching staffs (by ERA) are in the NL Central."
I'm just putting the info out, not endorsing that exact reasoning. I note that Braun OPS'd over 1.050 combined against those 4 bad NLC staffs, while the Cards held him in check. At the same time, he crushed pretty nicely against a number of other teams, including SFG.
Here's the Law piece; sorry that it's "insider" access.
pauley Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 8:13 pm
I have the feeling that if you switched Braun with Kemp that Kemp's numbers would actually go down. Just get a vibe from him that he needs to be the top dog and with Fielder there he would press to be THE GUY. Voted Braun deserves it, Kemp will win it.
topper009 Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 8:24 pm
One thing for Braun that I think counts for something is that he was more consistent over the season. He won player of the month in April and it was just released that he won September player of the month.
Braun OPS+ by month
Kemp OPS+ by month
Not by much but Braun had 1 non-MVP month and Kemp had 2
Cameron Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 8:43 pm
The argument that players on teams that don't make the playoffs can't possibly contribute as much to their teams and therefore be as valuable as players on playoff teams makes no sense. If Carlos Lee has a WAR of 25 the Astros still wouldn't have made the playoffs and Lee would have clearly been the best player. Also no offense meant to Pauley but if we get to the point where were deciding the MVP based on somebody's vibe we may need to take a step back and look at what we might be missing.
Doug Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 8:48 pm
Kemp and Braun both deserve the MVP..i voted for Kemp, being in a worse lineup, to me anyway, works in Kemp;s favor concerning his value to his team. Who says the players "value" means they had to be on a pennant contender?
topper009 Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 8:54 pm
Players with multiple player of the month awards in one season:
Award was started in the NL in 1958, 1974 in the AL
1958 Mays
1968 Gibson
1971 Stargell
1975 Morgan
1976 Foster
1977 Foster
1978 Parker
1979 Foster
1987 Eric Davis
1988 Bonilla
1989 Will Clark
1992 Bonds
1993 Galarraga
1994 Bagwell
1995 Bichette
1996 Caminiti
1997 Piazza
1998 McGwire (3)
2000 Helton
2001 Bonds, Luis Gonzalez
2003 Pujols
2004 Bonds
2005 Andrew Jones
2006 Howard
2009 Pujols
2011 Braun
1977 Carew
1978 Rice
1979 Baylor
1985 Brett, Mattingly
1992 Puckett, Edgar Martinez
1993 Olerud
1994 Thomas
1995 Belle
1996 Thomas
1998 Belle
1999 Palmeiro
2002 ARod
2005 ARod
2007 ARod
2008 Hamilton
2010 Bautista
2011 Bautista
Wow a lot longer than I would have thought
KB Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 9:17 pm
Looking at the stats, Kemp had the better year defensively. This is enough to give Kemp the edge. Defense should have more influence on the MVP than it does. If defense isn't properly considered, then we are really debating who should win the Hank Aaron Award.
MrGJG Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 9:27 pm
I disagree with zuke #11 regarding playing in high pressure situations.
Most players will tell you it's easier to produce when you're playing meaningful games.
The energy in the clubhouse, dugout, stadium, etc. fuels your competitive juices
enabling you to focus more.
When your playing on a dead team, it's the opposite. I believe that.
If anything, it's probably harder to stay productive in Kemps scenario than Brauns.
Andy Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 9:49 pm
The first poll got to 1000 votes faster than any previous poll in the history of this blog...
Dr. Doom Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 10:41 pm
Topper, where'd you get the player of the month info? And, as an aside to Sean (if he's reading) is there any way we could get that on this site? It seems like something neat to have, and it would be really useful when looking back at seasons past. For example, I've done a lot of fact-checking for a small publishing company, and I worked on some baseball books (I gave you credit for research, by the way - don't know if they credited baseball-reference in the actual books, though), and it would be great to say stuff about that.
Bryan Monkhouse Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 11:24 pm
Nifty concept; these polls who "will" win involves predicting the behavior of people who have shown no clear trend; they mostly underweight defence, and discount the seasons of people on .500 teams somewhat; but there is often a bandwagon effect; all the writers suddenly come out on one side of a very close debate. One instructive parallel is 1996 ; Bonds had a 10.8 WAR according to this site, Ken Caminiti had an excellent season for a division champ , and was the unanimous winner.
topper009 Says:
September 29th, 2011 at 11:56 pm
@74, here you go. This site actually is decent for finding slightly more obscure stuff.
@75, Whenever someone wins an undeserving MVP they usually lead the league in Wins, RBI, or had a huge September for a playoff team. (as if the other months meant nothing to the team) Caminiti was player of the month in August and September for the Fathers when he went:
I think that Braun being named player of the month despite Kemp having a huge month has pretty much answered the what will happen pole.
Bryan Monkhouse Says:
September 30th, 2011 at 8:14 am
@76, Didn't mean to imply Caminiti was undeserving; great season + playoff team outweighs "best player" in the voter's minds if the gap between the two players isn't too great (whatever that means, numerically) . There are a significant minority here who think MVP= best player ,period. Others think there's no way you can give the award to a player on a .500 team, no matter what he does; We're about 50/50 here; with nuanced views in between , was was surprising, at least to me , about 1996 is that Ken got all 28 first place votes, Maybe ,as you say, it was the sick September
Dr. Doom Says:
September 30th, 2011 at 10:43 am
By the way, in the AL thread posted today, I suggested a method for determining the MVP. I will reprint it here, and give the results.
I added up the following:
rWAR (for those who don't know, that's this site's WAR)
fWAR (Fangraphs)
gWAR (Baseball Gauge WAR)
WARP (Baseball Prospectus WAR - the "P" stand for "Player")
In the NL, I can narrow it to 2 players. Here are their scores:
Kemp - 54.2
Braun - 48.9
I know above I said Braun (comment #2). I really, really hope he wins, as I'm a Brewers fan, and he's been my favorite player since he entered the league. I have no problem if Matt Kemp wins. He probably should win. But I think I would vote like a homer (hey - if a bunch of the BBWAA guys do it, why can't I?) and choose Braun. But it's probably Kemp.
As a sidenote, if one were to concentrate on rate stats rather than on counting stats, there's definitely a case for Braun. Offensive Win % and wOBA, for example, favor him over Kemp. However, as those don't include defense, Kemp probably makes up for it on the other side of the ball.
Joseph Says:
September 30th, 2011 at 12:47 pm
I think Kemp had the better year between Braun and Kemp, IMO. I'm no Brewers fan. But it somehow seems more fitting that the MVP come from a team that made the playoffs. Yes, I know it's not rational--it's just a feeling. Feelings are allowed in baseball, right? It's not like I'm crying.
Joseph Says:
September 30th, 2011 at 1:12 pm
And by the way, the player who perhaps seems to be most important to his team (which I will leave to the stat heads to explain why it's not really that way), is Pujols.
The Cards had a .533 WP first half and a .586 WP second half. And Pujols played lots better after the all star break, I think. The Cards made the playoffs despite the respective nose-dives of Holliday and Berkman.
Johnny Twisto Says:
September 30th, 2011 at 4:01 pm
Feelings are allowed in baseball, right? It's not like I'm crying.
Feelings inevitably lead to crying. Probably safer to just opt for the lobotomy now.
tim Says:
September 30th, 2011 at 6:00 pm
Cy Young Awards should be easy to pick. Pitcher Triple Crown winners in both leagues (Verlander, Kershaw). Hardly heard anything about that. I wonder when the last time that happened was, although I could've just looked it up on Baseball Reference before I wrote this, but didn't.
tim Says:
September 30th, 2011 at 6:02 pm
I think the player with the most RBI is the MVP. The criteria for that award seems to change every couple of years.
Johnny Twisto Says:
September 30th, 2011 at 11:53 pm
After running some numbers and doing some studying, I've decided to vote for Kemp, narrowly over Braun. I do consider pennant race impact. I can't fault anyone who goes for Braun. I do think those two appear ahead of the other position players. I'm still not comfortable with how to compare them to pitchers.
Haven't finished my ballot yet, and still haven't looked at the AL. Not enough hours in the day.....
tim Says:
October 1st, 2011 at 10:56 am
MVP and Cy Young from the third-place Dodgers. Interesting. They did finish above .500. Only complaint is with all these people that want to base their decisions entirely on WAR. That's a made-up stat, folks, base it on real stats.
Thomas Says:
October 3rd, 2011 at 10:23 pm
"Value" in MVP is much too vague a criteria. It simply encourages any homer, bigot or otherwise biased person to invent value stats.Let's face it. Some prefer the the dubious value of "white guys". Others prefer black guy "value". Still others prefer Latino "value". My read of historical Cy Young winners suggest such bias was minimized by not encouraging personal bias. A similar read of historical MVP winners suggests that "value" is usually ascribed to the white guy. A perfect example is Cal Ripken's MVP selection in 1991 over Frank Thomas. Ripken's Baltimore finished 6th in a 7 team division (67 wins, 95 losses). Thomas had similar numvers for the 2nd place White Sox, but the value pretzel was twisted conveniently that year to reward the white contender. Same thing this year for Justin Verlander. He adds all the "value" to Detroit. Latino Jose Valverde (best reliever in baseball - 49 saves of 49 opportunities) adds little value to Detroit per value bigots. Miguel Cabrera (best BA in baseball, excellent year in HR,RBI,etc. ) likewise adds little value to Detroit
per value bigots. Both contributed in more winning games than Verlander.
So much for pretending value is anything but a permissiive, subjective term.
MLB should be ashamed.
The only real measure of "value" is runs scored (offense) and opponent putouts(defense). All runs and outs have the same value no matter how achieved. The most valuable player is the one who produced the most runs and the most opponent outs in the most games. I guarantee that if you field consistent leaders (read most valuable) at each position in those categories you will win the bulk of your games, pennants and WS.Any of definition of value is a pretext at best and a copout at worst..
My proof is simple. The definition of value will change only when MLB opts to have umpires and/or writers VOTE on runs, outs and errors based on the individual and team style points that so many posters count as "value"
Korey Says:
October 5th, 2011 at 6:27 pm
Kemp's near-miss Triple Crown (.013 BA points short), near-miss 40/40 (1 homer short), and superior defense in a premium position EASILY surpasses Braun,Fielder, Pujols and Upton performances. (Never mind his WAR superiority). He clearly deserves the MVP for the most exciting Triple Crown chase in all of baseball since 1967. To suggest that is not meaningful or valuable is absurd. While it may not have value for the eventual WS champs, it had tremendous value for MLB and fans all across the country.
Verlander CLEARLY DOES NOT deserve two awards at the expense of Tiger teammates Jose Valverde and Miguel Cabrera. Valverde was credited with saves in 14 of Verlander's 24 wins. Where would Verlander be if Valverde hadn't been there to save his a** 14 times? If he was so dominant, why was he taken out in favor of Valverde? (Answer: Because Leyland believed Valverde was the lesser risk. Leyland was right all fourteen times). Valverde then saved 35 other games that Verlander DID NOT EVEN APPEAR in. Where would the Tigers be if Carbera hadn't produced offensively all year? Migue'd numbers: 161 games, 111 Runs, 197 hits, 30 HR , 105 RBI. .344 BA (MLB best) , 1.033 OPS (MLB 2nd best). Compare to Braun's numbers then tell me why Braun deserves MVP in NL, but Cabrera doesn't in AL.
Contending team bigots: Please explain Cal Ripken's MVP in 1991 on a 6th place Baltimore team. How valuable could he have been? Did he keep them out of 7th (last) place? I see how you can dismiss Kemp's performance. But please explain dismissing Fielder, Valverde and Cabrera whose numbers on same division winners match your selections I also understand that the stats for Berkman, Upton, and Howard are inferior, but why don't they rate as high or higher on your still undefined intrinsic value scale as Braun or Verlander? It seems you use or discard stats AND intrinsic when it is convenient.
East coast bigots: Please explain Jimmy Rollins MVP in 2007 over Cardinal's Matt Holiday. (Their numbers are not even close). Someone mentioned Dodger bias. Are they saying Fernandez' 1981 CY, Gibson's 1988 MVP or Hershiser's 1988 CY were biased selections? Are they kidding? All three performances were extraordinary AND the Dodgers won pennants, playoffs and World Series in both years. These were the ONLY Dodger awards in the last 30 years.
White guy bigots: How can you totally dismiss Valverde's 49 saves out of 49 opportunities in favor of teammate Verlander? Have you compared Valverde's stats to Eckersly's 1991 CY/MVP season? or Hernandez' 1984 CY/MVP season?
White guy bigots: How can you totally dismiss M. Cabrera's MLB best BA of .344 in favor of teammate Verlander? Have you compared his numbers to say, likely NL MVP Braun's numbers, or, for that matter, most of the previous AL/NL MVP winners over the last ten years? Only Barry Bonds' steroid era numbers clearly surpass Cabrera's.
Thomas Says:
October 5th, 2011 at 6:43 pm
I wonder who Willie Mays would choose as MVP - Kemp or Braun?
As a baseball fan from the old Dodger-Giant-Yankee rivalries of the 50's and 60's, Kemp is a throwback to the era of baseball's greatest centerfielders - Mays, Mantle and Snider.
He is simply awesome!
Steve B Says:
October 7th, 2011 at 8:48 pm
As a Dodger fan, I watched Kemp very closely during the latter part of the season. Having gotten over his sub-par performance in the homerun derby, he was having an absolute blast enjoying his new-found celebrity, seemingly unaffected by the pressure of having to lead his team to a playoff berth.
Ask yourselves what separates the great athletes in any sport from other athletes with similar talent. The answer, of course, is the ability to perform under pressure (something Tiger Woods used to be good at . . .). As such, I feel that hitting a homerun or stealing a base when you're trying to get into the playoffs or establish home field advantage is more of an accomplishment than doing so if you're playing for the Dodgers in 2011. So if winning the MVP award has anything to do with the value of one's accomplishments, then - objectively - I'd have to give it to Braun.
As an additional point: If I had to choose one player over the other to have on my team at this stage in their careers, I'd choose Braun, who is a perennial MVP caliber player . . . whereas Kemp has only just emerged as a player of Braun's mettle.


text:
GOSHEN — The outcome of a close Orange County Legislature race between Democrat Roseanne Sullivan and Republican Legislator R.J. Smith will remain uncertain for days or even weeks because of a ballot mix-up at one polling station and several hundred untallied absentee ballots.
Sullivan led Smith by 25 votes Tuesday night, based on voting-machine results in the Legislature's 18th District, which encompasses much of the towns of Wallkill and Crawford.
County election officials say they're trying to figure out how to resolve mistakes involving 83 ballots distributed to voters at the Bullville fire station, which hosted three election districts — only one of which fell within the legislative boundaries and had the Smith-Sullivan race on its ballot. According to Election Commissioner David Green, 28 voters who live outside the 18th Legislative District were improperly given ballots that included the Smith-Sullivan contest, while another 55 people entitled to vote in the race were given ballots that excluded it.
Some voters who were mistakenly denied the opportunity to vote in the race have since filled out paper ballots, Green said. Election officials are awaiting guidance from the county's attorneys about whether to add those votes to the tally, which is now 3,278 to 3,253 in Sullivan's favor.
The Board of Elections hasn't decided when to count the race's absentee ballots. Some 416 voters in the district requested absentee ballots, and 325 have returned them. Under a timetable extended because of Hurricane Sandy, New York's boards of elections accept absentee ballots by mail until Nov. 19, if postmarked by Nov. 5.
Smith and Sullivan are competing to serve the final year of a seat vacated by Republican Dan Depew after he was elected Wallkill supervisor last November. Wallkill and Crawford town boards later chose Smith to fill Depew's seat until next election.
The race was the only contested seat on the 21-member Legislature in the midst of battles over the Government Center and county nursing home. A victory by Smith would preserve the Republicans' four-seat edge over Democrats; a Sullivan win would chop the advantage to two.
Location, ST | website.com


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Hey everyone, My name's Audrey and I discovered cosplay 3 years ago. Click ♥ on my pictures to let me know what you think of my costumes :)
Photographer / Videographer based in France. I do cosplay photography and cosplay videos too. My facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/omaru.photo.video Youtube Channels: For most of my general work on cosplay and convention: http://www.youtube.com/user/cosplaymag For my personal work and cosplay PVs (Vocaloid, School Idol) http://www.youtube.com/user/alarzy Vimeo http://vimeo.com/omaru/videos
Hi everyone! I'm Lyel, a french cosplayer since 2007. All my cosplays are handmade by myself. Sometimes , i'm a photographer ;) I hope you will enjoy my works ! Follow me on my >Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/LyelCosplay >Deviant art : http://lye1.deviantart.com/ >Cosplay-it : http://www.cosplay-it.com/Lyel Thanks <3


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Battle Frenzy latest news: Changing skin. Vote!
Welcome back; your last visit was on Aug 29 2016, 08:52 AM
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Well IPGL turned us down saying it would be a conflict of interests. So unless allot thier members join here there won't be a partnership. I'm going to keep this up though cause there a pretty cool site.
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