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Afternoon summary
Well, it's been a day of a lot of sabre-rattling and not much actual bloodshed. Sorry about that. Here's a summary of today's key events:
• Dame Helen Ghosh, the former permanent secretary at the Home Office, has attacked David Cameron for his cliquish leadership style, which she says disadvantages women.
• Key government figures have been reacting to the coalition's defeat on the EU budget last night, when Tory Eurosceptics joined Labour to back a real-terms cut in Brussels spending.
• The prime minister's official spokesman said the rebels' views were "not altogether surprising" and that the government's position had not changed: it wanted to get the "best deal for the UK".
• George Osborne, the chancellor, called on rebels to wait and see what the government was able to negotiate with Brussels. "Let us see what we bring home, if we think there's a good deal." At that point the deal would be put to the Commons. The implication was that rebels either should not or would not be so rebellious then.
• Nick Clegg backed the government's position of calling for a budget freeze rather than a cut, and used the opportunity to underline his opposition to the repatriation of powers from Brussels, which Tory frontbenchers are backing. He said Labour's support for the EU budget cut was dishonest and hypocritical.
• Tory rebels and Labour figures rejected the claim a cut would be an unachievable negotiating position, saying Cameron and Clegg should at least give it a try.
• At energy questions in the Commons divisions were evident between Lib Dem climate change secretary Ed Davey and his junior energy minister, the Tory John Hayes. Hayes made some controversial comments attacking wind farms yesterday. Today Davey said he was in charge of renewables policy, but Davey didn't seem to row back very far from his criticisms of wind energy. Labour made another attempt to try to get ministers to flesh out Cameron's plans to make energy companies put customers on the cheapest tariffs, but Davey provided little clarity.
I'm going to call it a day there. Thanks for all the comments.
I'm a bit late to this BBC video adding fake moustaches to pictures of leading politicians, but here you go. (Thanks FranzSherbert.)
Those who admire Boris Johnson for his quick wit even if they do not support his policies will be disappointed by his rather pedestrian reaction to some hecklers on a trip to Bristol yesterday to support the Tory mayoral candidate there. As this video shows, he called his antagonists "lefty tossers". Not his best ever comeback.
Dame Helen Ghosh, the former permanent secretary at the Home Office, has attacked David Cameron for his cliquish leadership style, which she says disadvantages women. The London Evening Standard reports that the recently retired senior civil servant told a talk to students in Cambridge:
If you look at the current government, not necessarily back to the Bullingdon Club days, but Cameron, it is true, it is well known, has a clique, a network of friends — the friends he made at school, friends he made at university.
That kind of clique network was reinforced in Cameron's case by the people who worked for him in opposition, the people who supported him in his leadership bid.
She added:
I do think the fact that politics is so driven by networks does impact on women.Women don't network. It is actually quite difficult for a woman to get in as part of an Old Etonian clique. They are far too busy doing other things, like bringing up their children, looking after their constituency. That kind of networking is actually a harder thing for women to do.
Back to the EU for a second. I love this elegant and baroque sentence in Paul Goodman's article for Comment is free on last night's rebellion:
The Conservative Euro-enthusiasts are a furtive and dwindling band, whose failure to push the case for their views is a cause of the situation they bewail.
Goodman suggests that a majority Tory government in 2015 would push Cameron towards leaving the EU - "and if his present form is anything to go by, he would bow gracefully to their command". Maybe so. But a majority Tory government in 2015 seems a very unlikely prospect to me.
By popular demand here is a picture of Ed Davey's yellow shirt. Don't say I never give you anything.
And here's Clegg attacking Labour over its stance on the EU budget. Same tie.
Here's Nick Clegg on the idea of repatriating powers from Brussels.
His golden tie backs up everything I said earlier about the fashion challenges faced by leading Liberal Democrats.
Here is the full list of the 53 Conservative MPs who rebelled over the EU budget last night, courtesy of the BBC.
Steven Baker (Wycombe)
John Baron (Basildon and Billericay)
Andrew Bingham (High Peak)
Brian Binley (Northampton South)
Peter Bone (Wellingborough)
Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire)
Aidan Burley (Cannock Chase)
Conor Burns (Bournemouth West)
Douglas Carswell (Clacton)
Bill Cash (Stone)
Christopher Chope (Christchurch)
James Clappison (Hertsmere)
Tracey Crouch (Chatham & Aylesford)
Philip Davies (Shipley)
David Davis (Haltemprice and Howden)
Nick de Bois (Enfield North)
Nadine Dorries (Mid-Bedfordshire)
Richard Drax (Dorset South)
Zac Goldsmith (Richmond Park)
James Gray (Wiltshire North)
Chris Heaton-Harris (Daventry)
Gordon Henderson (Sittingbourne and Sheppey)
Philip Hollobone (Kettering)
Adam Holloway (Gravesham)
Stewart Jackson (Peterborough)
Bernard Jenkin (Harwich and Essex North)
Chris Kelly (Dudley South)
Edward Leigh (Gainsborough)
Julian Lewis (New Forest East)
Jack Lopresti (Filton and Bradley Stoke)
Karl McCartney (Lincoln),
Stephen McPartland (Stevenage)
Anne Main (St Albans),
Nigel Mills (Amber Valley)
David Nuttall (Bury North)
Andrew Percy (Brigg and Goole)
Mark Pritchard (Wrekin)
Mark Reckless (Rochester and Strood)
John Redwood (Wokingham)
Simon Reevell (Dewsbury)
Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury)
Andrew Rosindell (Romford)
David Ruffley (Bury St Edmunds)
Richard Shepherd (Aldridge-Brownhills)
Henry Smith (Crawley)
Bob Stewart (Beckenham)
Sir Peter Tapsell (Louth and Horncastle)
Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight)
Martin Vickers (Cleethorpes)
James Wharton (Stockton South)
Heather Wheeler (Derbyshire South)
John Whittingdale (Maldon)
Sarah Wollaston (Totnes)
Lunchtime summary
Here's a summary of this morning's news so far.
• Key government figures have been reacting to the coalition's defeat on the EU budget last night, when Tory Eurosceptics joined Labour to back a real-terms cut in Brussels spending.
• The prime minister's official spokesman said the rebels' views were "not altogether surprising" and that the government's position had not changed: it wanted to get the "best deal for the UK".
• George Osborne, the chancellor, called on rebels to wait and see what the government was able to negotiate with Brussels. "Let us see what we bring home, if we think there's a good deal." At that point the deal would be put to the Commons. The implication was that rebels either should not or would not be so rebellious then.
• Nick Clegg backed the government's position of calling for a budget freeze rather than a cut, and used the opportunity to underline his opposition to the repatriation of powers from Brussels, which Tory frontbenchers are backing. He said Labour's support for the EU budget cut was dishonest and hypocritical.
• Tory rebels and Labour figures rejected the claim a cut would be an unachievable negotiating position, saying Cameron and Clegg should at least give it a try.
• At energy questions in the Commons divisions were evident between Lib Dem climate change secretary Ed Davey and his junior energy minister, the Tory John Hayes. Hayes made some controversial comments attacking wind farms yesterday. Today Davey said he was in charge of renewables policy, but Davey didn't seem to row back very far from his criticisms of wind energy. Labour made another attempt to try to get ministers to flesh out Cameron's plans to make energy companies put customers on the cheapest tariffs, but Davey provided little clarity.
The prime minister's official spokesman has given his view on the EU budget vote last night:
What we saw yesterday was people expressing their view on the EU and the EU's budget and, from what I could see, those people were expressing views that weren't altogether surprising.
We know that there are strong views about the EU budget.
The spokesman said the government's position had not changed in the wake of the vote.
Our approach is the same, which is that we want to get the best deal for the UK.
On the negotiations with other EU countries over the budget, the spokesman said there were other countries that shared Britain's desire for restraint, but acknowledged: "There are very different positions around the table."
Philip Cowley and Mark Stuart have written an impressive and exhaustive piece on the EU budget rebellion for ConservativeHome. Among other things, they point out that:
Last night was the first Commons defeat caused by internal opposition, and it is therefore much more serious ...
For the record, 48 of the 53 had rebelled on Europe already during this Parliament, and 52 of the 53 had rebelled previously on something ...
Rebellions on other issues come and go; the legislation is passed, or falls, tempers calm, the poison drains. But Europe is a chronic ailment to the Conservative body politic; there is always a summit, a treaty amendment, a budget, to cause the fever to return.
The authors also add that "Tory divisions remain in the memory, Labour opportunism does not". Twenty years ago when the Maastricht Treaty was going through parliament John Smith "was prepared to use almost any parliamentary device available to drag the process out, finding areas where his party could disagree with the government, highlighting the Conservative divisions" - despite Labour's supporting the treaty. No one remembers or cares about that now. What they do remember is Tory MPs constantly at each other's throats.
Cowley and Stuart say the Europhile/Eurosceptic war in the Tory party is now over - and the Eurosceptics won. "The new battle lines for the Conservatives are now just between gradations of scepticism, between hard and soft sceptics."
That was definitely evident at the Tory conference last month, when the only pro-European voice I remember hearing all week was Ken Clarke's.
Labour's Chris Leslie was just talking to BBC News too. He echoed what Redwood said about Clegg's attitude that an EU budget cut would be impossible to get. Leslie said it all depended on Cameron's negotiating abilities.
Tory Eurosceptic John Redwood, who rebelled in the EU budget vote last night, is talking to BBC News now.
He says the prime minister wants to negotiate a reduced budget but thinks it would be difficult - "what parliament is saying is: try, have a go".
He says to Clegg you never win in a negotiation if you give away everything at the beginning. He says the government should go to Brussels saying our original proposals were too generous; let's try for an even lower budget.
Carswell says if Clegg thinks he can cut a deal with Brussels that doesn't reflect the will of the Commons "good luck". That means a real-terms reduction in the EU budget or "they will lose again".
(I'm not sure about that. I think the point made by Osborne and Clegg today that Tory MPs will vote with the government when an actual concrete deal is on the table was a threat to them rather than a prediction.)
Tory rebel Douglas Carswell is being interviewed on BBC News at the moment. He says "it's always wonderful hearing Nick 'Tution Fees' Clegg talking about hypocrisy".
He says Tory Eurosceptics did not play into Labour's hands last night. He denies he is a rebel - "I'm doing my job. I'm not here as a member of the government. Heaven forbid I ever should be a member of the government ... Why do you characterise as rebellion those of us who kept to our pre-election promise?"
He admits that he is going against his party whip: "Sure, but I think my party whip is on the wrong side of this debate."
For the first time in 40 years, the Commons said to "the Whitehall elite": "Enough is enough."
That's becoming quite a common Tory mantra.
Nicholas Watt has filed his full story on Nick Clegg's speech this morning.
As I reported earlier, Clegg backed the government position calling for a freeze in the EU budget despite last night's vote.
He also attacked Labour for backing an EU budget cut yesterday, saying: "Their change of heart is dishonest. It is hypocritical." (As some commenters have pointed out below the line, Clegg is not exactly on the strongest ground over changes of heart.)
Clegg also focused on Tory plans to opt out of around 130 EU law-and-order measures and then to opt back into a smaller number.
Clegg agrees with Cameron that Britain should opt out of some measures. But under the Lisbon treaty Britain has to opt out of all the measures and then negotiate with its EU partners which measures to opt back into. Clegg made clear that he would not agree to the opt-out until he and Cameron had agreed on which measures to opt back into.
The deputy prime minister indicated that he would give a veto to the police and MI5 which want to retain the European arrest warrant and Europol. He said: "We will led by the experts and the evidence at all time."
He also attacked the idea of repatriating EU powers to London in principle.
Energy questions are now over. Davey had a good go at emphasising that he was in charge - "I lead on renewables strategy, I decide the policy" - but Hayes's comments on wind farms were merely a more polite version of the remarks that got him in trouble in the first place. I certainly was left in no doubt that he remained broadly opposed to wind farms. The overall effect was that the government frontbench was divided on the subject.
Paul Waugh of PoliticsHome and Tim Montgomerie of ConservativeHome disagree slightly over Davey's (in my opinion strange) comment that he disagrees with Hayes sometimes on matters of substance but he really admires his style.
While we're on the subject of style, Hayes also said this:
For what it's worth, Davey is wearing a dreadful yellow shirt. But I've always felt sorry for Lib Dems who have to make yellow and orange work in order to telegraph to the public which party they belong to.
While we're on the subject, over at Comment is free Green MP Caroline Lucas asks: "How can John Hayes have a future in the energy department?"
Davey is asked if his relationship with Hayes is not sustainable. Davey says: "I lead on renewables strategy, I decide the policy and the industry has heard that."
Ed Davey is asked a question about wind farms by Tory Andrea Leadsom. He is a bit more positive about them than Hayes:
Our policy on onshore wind remains the same: to support onshore wind farms. Onshore wind is good for our energy security, good for emission reduction, good for economic growth and jobs and reduces pressures on consumer bills. The new wind projects deliver the ambition of 13 gigawatts by 2020 [and] are largely on the table. The government is clear that these must be properly sited and they must provide genuine benefits for local communities.
Leadsom says she is disappointed Hayes is not answering her question. She asks about her constituents who have fought a wind farm but had that opposition overturned on the basis that national policy overrides local wishes. Davey says ministers don't comment on particular planning decisions, "but I have made it absolutely clear, working with the DCLG [Department for Communities and Local Government], that the planning system needs to be more responsive to local communities".
Caroline Flint asks Davey how closely he is working on wind farms with his Conservative colleagues.
My honourable friend suggested I use the word "intimately", but, er ... I can say we are working very closely. My honourable friend, the minister for energy [Hayes], he and I may occasionally disagree on issues of substance and I certainly didn't agree with his remarks the other day but I have to say I really admire his style.
Flint runs through Hayes's negative comments about wind farms.
Davey says the prime minister supports his position that the government's renewables policy has not changed.
Charles Hendry (Con) stands up to back wind power and says the secretary of state has to give investors clarity about renewable energy. Davey is grateful for that.
Wind farms
John Hayes is asked about onshore wind farms being "forced on" the people of Lincolnshire. The minister replies:
My honourable friend will know that since I became the minister we have called for evidence on both the community benefit and the cost of onshore wind. It is critically important that communities see that benefit, feel that sense of ownership of developments that affect them. We will of course allow during that process the normal expression of interest from both the proponents and the opponents of onshore wind.
And then we'll consider that, as the prime minister said yesterday, when we've met our current targets, we will have to consider what to do. And as the prime minister also said yesterday, I suggest that all parties need to have that discussion.
Caroline Flint, the shadow energy secretary, says Davey has vowed to force energy companies to inform their customers of the cheapest tariffs, but he already has that power. Davey replies:
The honourable lady will know that I'm afraid I've already acted on this issue because two months into office I negotiated with the big six a voluntary agreement so they would provide the best available tariff on people's bills already. So I'm afraid she's behind the times again, Mr Speaker.
Energy tariffs
Labour's Katy Clark just asked Ed Davey, the Lib Dem climate change secretary, for more details about Cameron's comments a couple of weeks ago saying he would force energy companies on to the cheapest tariffs. Davey replied:
We will do everything we can including through legislating in the energy bill to get people on the lowest tariffs. We are now looking at the retail market review that we have just had from Ofgem, which has a number of excellent ideas. We will be bringing forward options just on this very issue and including legislation in the energy bill.
Here's some more on the parts of Clegg's speech and press conference I missed from Nicholas Watt:
Hayes says he won't be influenced by "bourgeois left academics" but by "the will of the people". (Here's a recap on his anti-wind farm comments, which caused such controversy for his Lib Dem coalition partners.)
Wind farms
Over in the Commons, anti-wind farm Tory energy minister John Hayes has just risen to answer a question, saying he was happy to do that "with the wind at his sails".
George Osborne, the chancellor, spoke about the EU vote debacle on BBC Radio 4's Today programme this morning. My colleague Hélène Mulholland has written about it here. Osborne said the government needed to listen to all coalition MPs and that "the real test" would be when the House of Commons was faced with a choice of whether to accept a deal or go for the alternative - as Clegg repeated earlier.
"Let us see what we bring home, if we think there's a good deal," Osborne said. Hélène writes:
Osborne said other member states had favoured a freeze, pointing to a letter Cameron signed in 2010 with the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, the former French president Nicolas Sarkozy, the Dutch prime minister and the prime minister of Finland "saying that they want a freeze, at worst a freeze and, actually, there was the possibility of a reduction. Let's see what happens in these negotiations and there are a lot of moving parts here."
He said the moment of truth would come when the House of Commons was faced with a choice of whether to accept a deal or go for the alternative.
"It will come in the next year or so. It will only come if, in David Cameron's judgment and the judgment of the British government, a deal is better than no deal. If that is our judgment then we will put it to the House of Commons, but the House of Commons is sovereign and it will make that decision.
"The question is and the question that the House of Commons and the British government will have to face and, ultimately, I guess, it's also for the British people is: 'Is that deal better than the alternative?' And the alternative if we don't have a deal in Europe and, of course, we've not just got to get this past the House of Commons, there are also 26 other European countries who have also got vetoes and the like, are they also prepared to live with a deal?"
Hélène also has some reaction from Tory MPs. Sir Tony Baldry attacked the Tory rebels, urging them to "get a grip". Sarah Wollaston, one of the rebels, insisted the Tories were united and that Cameron still had her support. She said "the real sadness to me here is that this is being allowed to be portrayed as some kind of division".
Now that I've got my breath back, this is Paul Owen covering for Andrew Sparrow for the day.
Here are today's headlines:
• David Cameron last night suffered his first major Commons defeat on EU spending as 53 Eurosceptics joined forces with Labour to defeat the government by 307 votes to 294 and back an amendment calling for a real-terms cut in the EU budget. As Nicholas Watt reports, senior Conservatives have now served notice that they too will turn against the government if Cameron refuses to harden his position. Here's Simon Hoggart on the whole affair.
• Investment in renewable power worth tens of billions of pounds to the UK economy, capable of creating thousands of new jobs, has been thrown into doubt by another coalition dispute over energy policy, ignited by the Tory energy minister's rejection of new windfarm developments, report Fiona Harvey, Juliette Jowit and Patrick Wintour.
• The home secretary, Theresa May, has been told by peers and MPs that her £1.8bn internet monitoring proposals will be a "honeypot for hackers and criminals around the world" and that she must bring in prison sentences for those who hack databases.
• The government's plans for a new generation of secret courts faced a fresh setback yesterday when its own human rights watchdog warned the proposals could be incompatible with the law.
• Michael Gove is to introduce a new national curriculum for English that contains no mention of the importance of spelling for 11- to 14-year-olds, and waters down stipulations for reading, writing and speaking skills, according to leaked drafts.
• As we heard yesterday, the inquiry into the west coast mainline franchise competition has demanded a trawl of Department for Transport emails to search for rumoured "anyone but Branson" comments after finding that bidding companies were treated differently.
• Michael Heseltine's on the right road – so who's going to take it, asks Martin Kettle.
The BBC has cut away again. Sorry this is so fitful.
Back to Clegg. He says again that it sounds seductive to rewrite the rules of the EU. But by doing that you raise expectations you will never meet, because our EU partners will not allow the UK to do that. "You're on a trajectory to something much more serious" - ie leaving the EU altogether.
Of course when parliament votes you have to listen to parliament, he says, but as George Osborne pointed out the crunch decision will come when there is an actual deal on the table.
Of course he would like to see less money go to the EU, Clegg says. Cameron is going to go in to negotiations and see we want a real-terms freeze, the "toughest" stance of any member state, Clegg says. That's difficult to deliver, but deliverable, Clegg says.
It's not a choice between a freeze and a cut no one else is supporting, it's a choice between getting a deal and continuing to grant the EU money each month, which could end up costing the UK more, the DPM says.
We take last night's vote as a clear signal that parliament wants to bear down on EU spending - "that's what we believe as well".
Labour need to decide whether they're going to "grow up and stop playing these playground games in parliament", he says.
Patrick Wintour has some news about Andrew Mitchell, the former Tory chief whip and former international development secretary:
Clegg is now taking questions and the BBC has cut back to him.
There is an issue about some European countries using the European arrest warrant in a frivolous way, but crime, the environment and globalisation all "sweep across borders" and we will do better for our own people by co-operating with others, he says.
My colleague Nicholas Watt is at the Clegg speech and is tweeting away. He writes that Clegg has said he will only agree with Cameron to opt out of all EU justice measures if they reach agreement on which ones the UK will opt back in to.
The UK stands tall in Washington because we stand tall in Paris and Berlin, Clegg says. And that will remain the case no matter who wins next week's US election.
But the idea we can "float off into the mid-Atlantic, bobbing around" find new partners is not a sound strategy, Clegg says.
At that point, BBC News cuts away from the speech. Sky is not showing it either. Apologies. I will try to get hold of the text and let you know how it finished ...
Some think we should opt out of the bad bits, stay in the EU for the good ones. That's "a pretty seductive offer", Clegg says. But that is "a false promise wrapped in a Union Jack", he says with one of his trademark mixed metaphors.
He could give plenty of examples of EU madness, having worked for the union.
The idea that we could or should extract ourselves from the bulk of EU obligations is wishful thinking and nonsensical, he says. "The rest of Europe simply wouldn't have it."
If the French or Germans tried to opt out on their obligations "we would stop them - and rightly so". Many people who advocate repatriation are the same people who want the UK out altogether, Clegg says. "Repatriation is pulling a thread and they want to unravel the whole thing," the DPM says.
Heading to the exit would be the surest way to diminish our great country.
Should we become the next Norway or Switzerland, sitting and waiting to hear the next set of rules from Brussels but with no say in those rules. He calls this "fax democracy".
We need to focus on the UK's priorities, Clegg says: "Tough on the money, more jobs, and more criminals behind bars."
Clegg wants the UK to be "unambiguously in the inner circle", he says. The country shouldn't accept every edict from Brussels, but should co-operate where necessary.
That means "a tough budget settlement", the DPM says.
There are forces that want to pull Britain to the edge of Europe, Clegg says, hoping the Channel will become a gulf.
That's a mistake, the DPM says.
Hello and welcome to today's politics blog. Nick Clegg has just started making a speech in reaction to the government's defeat over the EU budget so I'm going to jump right in.


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Originally posted on Fangraphs | Last updated 4/30/13
Monday night and Tuesday morning, the A's and Angels played a game for the ages, a 19-inning affair that saw the hosts rally in the ninth and the 15th before walking off in the game's seventh hour. The game featured 18 runs and nearly 600 pitches, and in the end, the A's improved to 15-12, while the Angels fell to something much worse than that. Generally, such games are immediately thought of as turning points, and generally, such games don't go on to work that way. But this was a game that few will forget, regardless, simply because the duration grew to be so extreme. FanGraphs isn't in the business of issuing game recaps, particularly several hours after the fact. But still, some attention to the game should be paid, and I'm electing to focus on a particular intentional ball. With two out in the top of the 11th inning, Grant Balfour intentionally walked Albert Pujols. We consider the 3-and-0 pitch. Already, these were unusual circumstances. In extras, the Angels had a runner in scoring position, and the A's had a righty pitcher walk a righty superstar in order to face a lefty superstar. Based on his body language, Balfour wanted to come right after Pujols, but the decision was stripped from his hands, and so four balls he threw. The first was high and away, wild. The second and third were more on the target. Of the intentional balls, here is the fourth: The pitch clipped the outer edge of the strike zone. If you even want to call it a "pitch". Of course, it was too high to be an actual strike, and Pujols took his base, but intentional balls are supposed to be intentional balls, not balls that come dangerously close to being strikes. This pitch was a little under five feet off the ground, in the vicinity of being over the plate, and you can see that it's below Pujols' shoulders when he's standing. It was 31.6 inches from the center of the strike zone. In the past, I've joked about how pitchers are pretty bad at locating their pitches. In truth, they're incredibly good, once you account for the difficulty of the task, but if you expect pitchers to hit their targets right on, far more often than not you're going to be left underwhelmed. Pitchers miss. Pitchers miss, even when they really don't want to miss. To demonstrate the point, below please find screenshots of pitches from the game that were further from the center of the strike zone, despite not being in counts in which a pitcher would want to get a hitter to chase. These pitches were thrown in counts in which the pitcher would've wanted a strike, or at least an almost-strike. They missed by more than an intentional ball. 1 -Jerome Williams -12th inning Brandon Moss led off and this happened with the count 1-and-1. Williams came inside with a cutter that somehow didn't hit Moss in the foot. It did hit Kerwin Danley in the foot. The pitch was 32.8 inches from the center of the zone. 2 -Jerome Williams -12th inning The 3-and-1 pitch, in the same plate appearance. In extras, you don't want to walk the leadoff guy, so Williams would've been badly trying to throw a strike. The pitch was 34.4 inches from the center of the zone. 3 -Dan Straily -3rd inning The first pitch to Peter Bourjos nearly drilled him in the head. This was a breaking ball, not a fastball, so it probably just slipped out of Straily's hand, but that's not an excuse. This is a breaking ball that still missed the center of the zone by more than an intentional ball. It was thrown in a count in which Straily would've wanted to get ahead. The pitch was 34.6 inches from the center of the zone. 4 -Michael Roth -7th inning Now, this is an 0-and-1 count, so the zone can expand a little. But Roth buried a changeup in the dirt, which wasn't at all the intent behind the pitch. Afterward, Roth looked at his cleats and at the mound, as if he stumbled. Maybe the mound was to blame? But Roth didn't stumble on the other pitches. Roth's mechanics, therefore, were to blame. Which is always the case when a pitcher badly misses his spot. The pitch was 41.1 inches from the center of the zone. 5 -Dan Straily -2nd inning Again, all right, I get it, 0-and-1 count. Aggressive hitter at the plate. It makes sense to try a low, away breaking ball. But this pitch bounced in the middle of the opposite batter's box. This pitch was a tiny little catastrophe, and Straily shelved his slider for the remainder of the at bat. The at bat concluded with the hardest-hit home run of the young season. The pitch was 47.5 inches from the center of the zone. Pitchers miss, and they miss a lot. These have been examples of pitches that missed the center of the strike zone by more than an intentional ball, which by design should be really far away from the center of the strike zone. Before we wrap up, let us consider one more thing. This will be something of a thought experiment, and no conclusion will be reached. Let's look at that 3-and-0 intentional ball to Pujols again: The pitch is within Pujols' hittable range, so to speak. Pujols could have made contact, had he swung, and the pitch was a slow fastball at 74 miles per hour. The Oakland broadcast joked that the pitch was almost a strike, and that Pujols could've done damage had he been ready. As the screenshot shows, it didn't even cross Pujols' mind to attempt a swing, because he's already on his way to first base before John Jaso gloves ball four. Pujols was content to just take his walk, because at least walking provides temporary relief from running. And how often does one get thrown hittable intentional balls, anyway? How much value is there in being ready, just in case? One is instantly reminded of Miguel Cabrera hitting an intentional ball against the Orioles. Granted, that pitcher was lobbing the ball in, but the pitch arrived in a somewhat similar location as the pitch from Balfour to Pujols. Cabrera stood up and smacked a crucial line drive. This all made me wonder: what would be the expected BABIP of swings at intentional balls? We can't measure anything in practice, because we have so few examples. Seldom do intentional balls end up near the zone, and seldom are hitters looking to swing. There's a reason we still remember Cabrera after all these years. It seems to me there would be three factors. For one, the pitcher isn't trying. There's no deception, and intentional balls tend to be more or less similar in terms of velocity and movement. The hitter, conceivably, could time the pitches and anticipate the pitches. The hitter could try to put on a good swing. Then there's the matter of the defense not being prepared for a ball in play. Look at the first baseman as the pitch is on its way to Cabrera: He's watching, but he's not ready to play defense. Presumably, none of the defenders were prepared for a ball in play, and they were all stunned by Cabrera's swing. By watching, defenders would be ready to react, but they'd be delayed in their reactions, opening up more of the field. More ground balls could sneak through. More fly balls could drop or find gaps. The defenders' zones would "play smaller" because they wouldn't get good first steps. When there's an intentional walk taking place, just about everyone tunes out, and it's perfectly understandable. That's the element of surprise that Cabrera was going for. On the other side of the coin, intentional balls almost never end up within the actual strike zone itself. They can just get close, such that a hitter could make contact if he swung and maybe moved his feet. As we know, BABIP goes down when hitters swing at pitches out of the zone, and it's not like hitters would be taking their best swings. You'll probably never see an intentional ball get hit for a home run, or even a ball off the wall. A hitter would be going for a line drive, or maybe a sharply-hit grounder. With reduced swing quality, it stands to reason there would be reduced BABIP, although we can only guess at the effect. I don't have any idea what the expected BABIP would be in these situations. I wouldn't know where to begin. It seems to me like it'd be worth it for hitters to be prepared to swing, just in case, because a hit's more valuable than a walk. But is a possible hit more valuable than a guaranteed walk? If most of the hits would be singles, how many would need to drop in in order for the trade-off to be worth it? I think we'd all like to see more surprise swings at lazy intentional balls, just because we're all fans of baseball chaos, but it's entirely possible that would reflect a suboptimal process. You'd need to be pretty damn sure of your odds of getting a hit, and I just don't know how sure one could be.
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text:
Today's Devotional
Far Greater LoveWhat does it look like when you love the world more than you love God?
Top Music Videos
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On behalf of our Momblogger, "My Loonyverse," I am reposting this Fairytale Brownies review and giveaway for a Christmas Dozen!
"Oh. My. Word. For the first time ever, I like a base brownie recipe better than my own. I know how conceited that sounds but when you have been making something for years, you know exactly how to tailor it to your specific tastes. I was impressed from the get go- everything from the emails to the packaging had me thinking- this company is something special. The more I read, the more I found to like.
You can read their story - from how they got started to where they are now - it is impressive. A long time friendship, a family recipe and a passion for brownies along with a commitment to excellence and they are up to over 2.5 million brownies annually. Their little mascot and spreader of joy is Brownie, a cheerful fairy of Celtic lore who delights in doing good deeds. Fairytale Brownies are all natural, certified kosher and free of Trans fats, hydrogenated oils, preservatives and artificial colors.
Fairytale Brownies gives back- because it all started on a playground, Fairytale Brownies supports KaBOOM!, a national non-profit organization that empowers communities to build playgrounds. They donate brownies and a portion of their profits- you can help too- at checkout you can choose to donate a dollar by clicking give the gift of play at checkout.
We received the Christmas Dozen to review, and it was one of those gifts that are a delight to unwrap- you know the presents that you just know something special is inside because of the care that went into presentation- that's what you get with your package from Fairytale Brownies. We started with the white chocolate and didn't stop until we were almost sick from eating so much! Yes, they were that good. 12 delicious flavors including caramel, chocolate chip, cream cheese, espresso nib, mint chocolate, original, peanut butter, pecan, raspberry swirl, toffee crunch, walnut and the aforementioned white chocolate. Each was truly a delectable treat and all were excellent- as I've always said, quality ingredients and a passion for what you are doing makes all the difference.
As much as I wish I could toss in my brownie-making apron, I just can't justify ordering every time I get a brownie craving, however, I absolutely will be ordering them. They are very reasonably priced, and make an extremely impressive gift. In addition to the 3" x 3" Fairytale Brownies we received they have Fairytale Sprites 3" x 1.5" and Fairytale Magic Morsels 1.5" x 1.5".
There are several packaging options, including some with hot chocolate and Truffles and... no, I won't tell you everything they have because I want you to go to the site to see all there is and tell me your fave for your main entry. Try not to drool on your keyboard. That's right- Fairytale Brownies has generously offered one of our readers a chance to win the Christmas Dozen. I have to say we're wishing we could enter our own giveaway, they are so good!"
For the full review and giveaway information, visit http://www.myloonyverse.com/2009/11/fairytale-brownies-review-giveaway.html.


text:
Your Cat, Your Life
The Scoop
Cat News, Politics
Meow-Out-Loud Humor
Cat Chic
Gear and Glam
Your cat loves a clean toilet -- don't we all? Catster's singing Cat Lady, Sarah Donner, explains why.
Cat Breeds
Foods & Treats
Health & Care
Behavior & Training
Cats & Cleaning
Cat of the Day
Photo Comments
There's a new dog in the family. Her name is Pixie and she seems to think that I'm going to play with her! She bounces all round me, doing those silly play bow things. Bah! Cats don't play with dogs. Dogs are good for stealing food from and maybe, maybe if you're really cold, curling up next too.
Happy Meow Day to Me!! Mom wasn't really sure when my real meow day was, so today is the day she picked for me. Pretty sweet... now I just hope I get lots of canned food and treats!
Sox Magee tagged me Here's how to play for those I tag, just copy/paste whats below, delete my answers and add your own and then tag four friends!
1)-What color is your collar? black & white zebra strip
2)-What kind of food do you eat? I'm on the "kitty atkins" diet, so it low carb/high protein can foods
3)-What are your favorite treats? Greenies
4)-Do you have a Valentine or significant other? Any one who will pet me
5)-Do you get table scraps? not since I'm on a diet :(
6)-What is your favorite toy? I really like the laser light
7)-When is your birthday? May 7, 2001
8)-How many times a day do you get to eat? 3 times
9)-Do you have a favorite color? not really
10)-Do you hope all your pals put this in their diary? Yes
Now 4 cats I is gonna tag to play are:
Charlie Clarence
Karma Kitty
Punkin Pooh
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text:
It was his own spiritual narrative and it was surprisingly, serenely, humbling.
"No, they expect to be late," answered Mrs. Brougham serenely.
"I can draw very well," said Hilda, serenely, and with perfect truth.
"You did that admirably, but it hasn't deceived me," said Paul serenely.
The lady stared at him steadfastly and smiled to him affably and serenely.
It was after Chatty had fulfilled this duty, and everybody was serenely preparing to go to bed, that the change came.
He made no response, and she was serenely aware of his silent disapproval.
Again and again religion has been pronounced obsolete, but passing through the midst of its detractors it serenely goes its way.
Jocantha Bessbury was in the mood to be serenely and graciously happy.
Seemingly he knew this as well as I, he was serenely at ease.
mid-15c., "clear, calm," from Latin serenus "peaceful, calm, clear" (of weather), figuratively "cheerful, glad, tranquil," of uncertain origin; perhaps from a suffixed variant of PIE *ksero- "dry," source of Greek xeros "dry" (see xerasia). In English, applied to persons since 1630s. Related: Serenely.


text:
With the Sport Chrono Package as standard, this car has been weaponised with a full arsenal of attack features. The off-the-mark speed is less of a launch and more of a jab at the horizon, undeniably earning the word 'Turbo', with a capital 'T', scribed across its rear.Book Your Test Drive
This 911 Turbo S Cabriolet simply oozes power and sex appeal, with 427kW ensuring it reaches its top speed of 330 km/h with ease.
Great eminence does not come from making grand statements. Sometimes a single appearance suffices. For the 911 Turbo, this occurred at the 1974 Paris motor show. This vehicle's power and presence proved to be a sensation. In times of an oil crisis and automotive restraint, Porsche showed uncompromising attitude. Based on a systematic approach. With the first production turbocharged sports car. The world held its breath. And does so whenever a new 911 Turbo makes its debut. And it's the same this time. Once again, our engineers have achieved something really special. Staying true to the 911 Turbo and its resolute lineage of development - and yet simultaneously reinventing it. How so? Well, the design retains its distinctiveness. In terms of the details, however, there is a touch more precision, power and aggressive attack. We also turned the ostensibly unsurpassable performance potential of the 911 Turbo up a notch. With the new Connect Plus module, the 911 Turbo explores new avenues in digital. Essentially, it's a sports car. But not just any sports car. For us, it will always be the sports car. The perfect expression of our brand and engineering philosophy. A combination of breathtaking performance and intelligent efficiency. And so it still holds true that the 911 Turbo is no end in itself. It is an idea that embodies one thing above all else: longevity. For us, strong performance in the future is just as important as here in the now. Past, present, future: the 911 Turbo is a vehicle with looks that leave us speechless. Quickening the pulse of time. Without gimmickry. Without taking over the limelight. Without needing to be loud. The fact remains that many may shake the throne, but there can only be one upon it.
Presence requires a strong foundation. On the 911 Turbo models, this is the 3.8-litre, twin-turbo six-cylinder engine at the rear. The engine of the 911 has the typical horizontally opposed arrangement for excellent balancing of masses and low vibration. The drive unit's low position at the rear gives the vehicle a low centre of gravity. Two exhaust turbochargers with variable turbine geometry (VTG) make for a dynamic response, high torque and exceptional performance figures. The engine comes in two power levels. In the 911 Turbo and the 911 Turbo Cabriolet, it delivers 397 kW (540 hp). By deploying larger turbochargers and electronics further optimised for performance, the 911 Turbo S models have 427 kW (580 hp) available. Despite achieving an increase in performance compared to the previous generation, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are remarkably low. This is the result of technologies that make efficient use of fuel. In addition to direct fuel injection and VarioCam Plus, a system that controls the camshafts on the inlet side and controls valve lift, the measures responsible include the auto start/stop function and the coasting function. Another important factor is that the low engine weight relative to its high output benefits both agility and fuel consumption. The engine features a lightweight metal design with integrated dry sump lubrication. Forged connecting rods are used as well as forged aluminium pistons moving in cylinders made from an aluminium/silicon alloy. Together these help deliver the 911 Turbo driving experience. Characterised by extraordinary engine power and surprisingly low consumption. And this truly special presence.
The chassis of the 911 Turbo models enables smooth high-speed manoeuvres. The car offers exceptionally high levels of stability. And cornering agility. Large 20-inch wheels play their part. The rearaxle cross member made of aluminium is new - for an additional reduction in weight.
Complementing the unadorned presence of the exterior: the interior character. Never frivolous, always direct, focused on the driver. Featuring clever technology and clear operating logic. Such as that of the two-zone air conditioning system or the suspension settings button. Rather than browsing one submenu after another, you can concentrate on what's important: the road.The interior materials are of high quality - with a sporty character. 911 Turbo models have the interior leather package as standard, including leather seats, dashboard and door and side panel trim. Alcantara has proven its credentials in motorsport and is used as standard for the roof lining of the Coupe models. On the 911 Turbo S models, the decorative trims for the dashboard, centre console and door trims are finished in carbon. With two-tone colour combinations or special colours and with materials such as carbon, aluminium and mahogany, there is plenty of scope for personalisation.
|Max. output
|Combined fuel cons.
|Max. torque
|0-100 km/h
|3.0 Seconds
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Porsche Children's 356 electric car
Porsche Battery Charger Special
Baby Porsche 4S – Blue
Porsche Cayenne Bootliner For 2011 To Current Models$255.00 incl GST
My first Porsche – wooden car
Baby Porsche 4S – Red
Windbreaker Jacket (Men's)$207.00 incl GST
Porsche children's 911 Carrera electric car
Windbreaker Jacket (women's)$243.80 incl GST
Porsche 911 Usb Stick
Black Crest Porsche Keyring$45.00 incl GST


text: The American Red Cross will be holding a blood drive at the Inn on the Lake, 770 South Main Street, Canandaiguaington, on Tuesday, July 9, 1:30-7 PM. You may be eligible to give blood if you are in general good health, weigh at least 110 pounds are are 16 or older. Log on to www.RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to schedule an appointment to give. You are always welcome to walk-in, but appointments are suggested.


text:
Nike USA 2008 Olympics Basketball Jersey
#11 Dwight Howard. A great player. A great jersey. Mesh panel on back and made from lightweight polyester. Pretty good lookin if you ask me.
Cool banner here with the NBA's best big man on it.Added 7 Years Ago from Dickssportinggoods
Support the Orlando Magic during their playoff run with this Magic wastebasket with Dwight Howard on it.Tags: Magic, NBA, orlando, wastebaskets, dwight howardAdded 7 Years Ago from Amazon.com
I have to say, I almost like China's basketball jerseys more than America's. They've got that pretty design on the back! Made from lightweight polyester with a mesh panel on the back, these look so cool!Tags: nike, China, basketball, Chinese, olympics, 2008 Summer Olympics, Summer Games, olympics 2008, beijing 2008Added 9 Years Ago from Football Fanatics


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July 28 event features hole-in-one contest, prizes and new chipping competition
Special to The Monitor
KEMP–Get your drivers out and practices those putts for the Cedar Creek Lake Area Chamber of Commerce (CCLACC) Red Hot "18" Golf Tournament Monday, July 28 at the Cedar Creek Country Club.
The popular tournament draws players from all skill levels so come on out and join the fun.
Check-in begins at 7:45 a.m. and the shot-gun tee off starts at 8:30 a.m.
The four person scramble fee is $70 per golfer for early registration and $75 the day of.
Entry fee includes a light breakfast, cart and lunch.
Single players are welcome and will be matched with a team the day of the tournament.
The Red Hot "18" Golf Tournament features a hole-in-one contest, prizes and a new chipping competition.
Prizes will be awarded for men and women closest to the pin and longest drive.
Mulligans are $5 each, drives are $20 per team, spots are $20 per team and the new chipping contest is $5 per player or $20 per team for three balls per player.
Proceeds from the tournament go to the CCLACC operating fund to provide benefits and services for chamber members and support for the Cedar Creek Lake community.
For more information or to register, call the chamber at (903) 887-3695.


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Investmentwatchblog.com November 15th, 2012 from Michael A. Gayed: The decline in the S&P 500 and worldwide equities has been unrelenting so far this month, as the corrective risks I highlighted Oct. 1 and in every single writing since then have abruptly ended the reflation trade post QE3. On Nov. 5 I began pounding the... »
Archive for November 16th, 2012
Michael A. Gayed: Very suddenly, it feels like we are in the midst of a perfect storm. Our ATAC models keeping the portfolios we manage completely out of the stock market.
Impeach Obama Petition Reaches Threshold For Official Response
Effort dovetails secession fever sweeping America Paul Joseph Watson Prison Planet.com November 16, 2012 A petition to impeach President Obama for repeatedly violating the Constitution has surpassed the required number of signatures to mandate an official White House response. The petition, which is posted on the 'We The People' section of whitehouse.gov, lists four... »
SteveQuayle.com Nov 16, 2012 I was in North Eastern Law Enforcement for 9 years. While I was there, we had writen plans to turn state prisons into relocation centers. Agencies involved were: FEMA, DHS, DOJ, BOP, State Police, State Corrections, state EMA, and local PD. We never trained to implement such plans, but we... »
6.0 magnitude earthquake shakes southern Mexico
TheExtinctionProtocol.com November 16, 2012 MEXICO – A powerful 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck southern Mexico early Thursday, according to the US Geological Survey. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the earthquake, which struck at 3:20 am (0920 GMT) some 31 kilometers (19 miles) east of the town of Altamirano, in the southern... »
One Million Robots: Our Replacements Have Arrived
Nicholas West Activist Post.com Friday, November 16, 2012 n the ongoing debate as to whether robots will help or hurt the job market in the U.S. and overseas, some concrete answers are beginning to appear. Foxconn is a Chinese electronics manufacturer of mobile devices and gaming consoles. The company has been the target of... »
Guardian Posts Fukushima Film: Reactors not repaired at all — With one more quake Japan will cease to exist; Resulting destruction will take half of planet along with it (VIDEO)
By ENENews November 16th, 2012 Title: CPM-703: After Fukushima Source: The Guardian Author: Jake Price Date: 16 November 2012 An in-depth portrait into the lives of a population living under the constant threat of radiation in Fukushima, Japan. The film, a work in progress directed by Jake Price, focuses on Fukushima born Shimpei Takeda... »
SilverDoctors.com NOVEMBER 16, 2012 The legendary Jim Sinclair sent an email alert to subscribers tonight, warning that all hell is about to break loose in the form of currency induced cost push inflation. Sinclair warns that the dollar index is headed towards .72 before crashing through long term support, gold is headed to $3,500... »
The Worst Economic Numbers In More Than A Year
TheEconomicCollapseBlog.com November 15th, 2012 With everything else that is going on in the world, a lot of people have failed to notice that we are seeing some of the worst economic numbers that we have seen in more than a year. For example, it was announced on Thursday that initial claims for unemployment benefits... »
Israeli Ground Invasion of Gaza Imminent
Richard Silverstein PrisonPlanet.com Nov 16, 2012 IDF heavy weaponry, including tanks and armored personnel carriers are massing near the Gaza border, signalling Israel's intent to launch a ground invasion of the enclave. 16,000 reservists have been summoned for military service, another sign of a planned assault. The AP has been speaking of tomorrow as... »
The Classified Report DHS Doesn't Want You To See: "The Electric Power Delivery System… Could Be Severely Damaged By A Small Number of Well-Informed Attackers"
Mac Slavo November 15th, 2012 SHTFplan.com In 2007 the National Academy of Sciences completed an extensive review of the national power grid infrastructure in a 164 page report titled Terrorism and the Electric Power Delivery System. In it the NAS detailed a wide array of physical, personnel and cyber vulnerabilities that could pose a... »


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I'm sad and humbled to tell you all that I had to quit CrossFit…
I told you in my recent post, "I'm A CrossFit Newby: My Thoughts So Far", that I loved it, that I loved my coach at Ruya CrossFit in Boulder, and that I felt strong in ways I've never felt strong before. That it helped my climbing, it was a quick and efficient way of getting fit, and that it's so expensive that you'll actually show up to classes.
All of that is still true. However, since I wrote that post 6 weeks ago, I injured my neck and had to cut back on CrossFit, and finally quit.
The reason I'm writing is to give you my thoughts on how CrossFit may or may not have contributed to the injury and why I didn't think I could continue doing the WODs, even in a modified way.
The Back Story
I had a car accident in 2000 that resulted in whiplash, a bulging disk in my neck and a messed up hip. Since then, I've had every kind of therapy you can imagine to fix my neck. Rolfing and chiropractic work have helped the most, and I wouldn't be a functional person if I hadn't spent a lot of time and money on both of those things over the years.
Anyway, I was relatively pain free until 2008, when I injured my neck again by holding a phone to my ear with my shoulder whilst irately yelling at an innocent AT&T employee. I got off the phone and could no longer move my head. That's when I was diagnosed with my second bulging disk in my neck. I spent about two months not exercising at all and moving my head only by moving my entire torso – kind of funny to watch, actually. Again, I got chiropractic work, Rolfing, massage, and acupuncture done, and finally relieved the pain and started exercising again. I invested in some belay glasses (prisms) so that I wasn't constantly craning my neck back to look up at my climbing partner on the wall.
I got better.
The Current Situation
The day I injured back in the beginning of January, I had done a really intense partner WOD at CrossFit and then went climbing without my belay glasses the same day. I woke up the next morning totally f-ed.
Lots of pain and no CrossFit or climbing for about 10 days. Then I went to CrossFit once I thought my neck was feeling better. The next day it was really messed up again. So I stopped CrossFit and just climbed a couple times over the next week. I felt better and then went in and did a 2k rowing WOD – probably the dumbest thing I could've done. The next day I couldn't move my neck and it was back to square one. Another week off with little exercise, it felt better so I did another WOD and I was screwed again.
So I quit.
Was It CrossFit's Fault?
Maybe CrossFit contributed to the injury, or maybe it was just a product of me straining my neck to belay that day, or perhaps it was the combo of all of it. The reason I think I was re-injuring myself in CrossFit was not because of the exercises themselves. If I take the time, listen to my body and go slowly, I can avoid injury for the most part. But when I'm in a competitive environment and I'm being timed, like you are in every WOD, I lose sight of my body and start working through pain. I lose good form and use muscles in ways they are not meant to be used. I will do one last pushup even if it means my forehead is the last thing to leave the ground.
Maybe my coach could've modified the WOD for me, but even then I'd find a way to push too hard. Even when he was checking in with me every 5 minutes, "You ok? Your neck feeling alright?" I would just lie to myself and him and tell him, "Yeah, I'm good". I'm a big dummy sometimes. My ego is large and I like to win.
So I'm sticking with things that are not timed and easily modified like climbing, slow weight lifting, and sprint sessions for now with the hope that I'll get back into it before too long. CrossFit was just too much fun for me I guess. It's getting better every day.
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33 Comments
Hi Neely,
I would suggest finding a really good chiropractor that does and is proficient in Active Release Technique (ART) a PT can also be licensed in ART. I love chiro for the immediate relief and spinal correction but ART will also work on the muscle dysfunction and movement pattern. I would also suggest after rest and inflammation has subsided you continue strengthening in pain free movements. P-rehab exercises may have to be permanently in your warm up in the future and I can't stress enough how important mobility work is before AND after a WOD. Roll out on the foam roller with your arms overhead and open up the shoulder and neck..It's good your doing other body weight movements though! There's always something you can do! But ya I know that feeling of being hurt and being in that competitive environment…you wanna push harder than your body will allow sometimes… Good Luck
I would not recommend a chiro. Where I am from, you have to sign an indemnity from before the chiro even looks your way! That is a legal requirement. Why would I want to go to a doctor where I have to sign an indemnity form! Speaks volumes! I would suggest you sign up for Pilates! It is the best exercise for any injury. My gran had a bad back through her youth. She started going to Pilates. She fixed her back problems, and could touch her toes with straight legs still well into her 70's. Try it, it's good stuff! P.S. Not a fan of Cross Fit. Too much jumping around like a palooka! Love your site. And LOVE the Carrot and Banana Muffins!
I am a crossfitter, 4 months in now, and I'm glad I read your post because I can see how it could be easy to hurt yourself. And you are absolutely right, as in most things, we need to listen to our bodies. Whether its our gut feeling about something or just feeling something that doesn't feel right. I'm fortunate that in out box we aren't pushed to hurt ourselves, we are encourages to push ourselves just a pinch more than we would if we didn't have the extra encouragement.
I'm sorry you got hurt and hope it heals quickly whichever method you choose to do. I haven't used a chiropractor or pilates – so I have no input there.
Good Luck!
I second the ART suggestion in the first comment. But as far as quitting crossfit goes… do you think you will ever try it again once you are feeling better? I have heard other people say the same thing about the timed WODs – they push themselves too hard despite fatiguing and losing proper form. I'm a crossfit newbie (this is my 3rd month) and I just haven't found anything that pushes me as hard and I actually enjoy (well – enjoy is relative but you know what I mean). I've been trying to be mindful of this but I may just not be as competitive – that might come later when I'm not the last one done on most of the WODs. Anyway – just curious if you think you are done for good or will try it again when you heal.
There is no reason to quit CrossFit for good. I am a Chiropractor and also avid crossfitter. I agree with the first post completely. But by no means do you have to sign your life away in ANY state (second post). Medicine is simple and universal as far as the law. If the Doctor is negligent in any way you have a case no matter what you have signed.
Rehab it and get back into the game knowing your predisposed to neck injury / flare ups and scale your workouts. It is hard not to do a WOD as Rx, but what good is it if you flare something up and are out for the next few months? You can scale anything and still improve. I have has several chronic shoulder and clavicle flare ups from crossfit. But my chronic shoulder issue is much more stable than it ever has been before it. I stop for a bit let it calm down and focus more on the mobility side of things and scale things to improve on the area.
Neely – sorry to hear about your injury. I don't believe in chiro (sorry Dale). Know of a bad outcome – as in paralysis from a manipulation. Work with some great neurosurgeons – so of course I'm biased. I had a discectomy 7 yrs ago for a bulging disc and aside from a 1″ scar have not had a problem. That said – I would try a different gym. Thanks to Paleo Plan and "Bootcamp" and other classes like TRX, Yoga, etc. at Prana Fitness up here in Wyoming, I am down 11 lbs in a month.( Probably be more but I tend to like my wine). The thing about bootcamp, TRX, etc. here is you go at YOUR OWN PACE. As Brandi said above – go at YOUR OWN PACE. Bootcamp is I believe a similar concept to Crossfit.
I feel GREAT and am always talking up paleo and your Plan at work. Thanks for great food and an easy to follow plan!!
It's also a bit about knowing your body, knowing its limits, allowing proper rest and leaving your ego at the door. As with anything there are good and not so good Crossfit coaches. Being a newbie you don't really know how your body is going to react to all the movements yet. So it doesn't hurt to tell the coach, that you feel achy here or there.. As you become more proficient in the movements you can work towards RX. I think you should give it 2-3 weeks rest and see how you feel.. You will be amazed at ART – of course my bias is for a PT :-) but a good chiro fixed my locked shoulder, THEN you have to strengthen. Everything has its place. The difference between Rolfing and ART is instead of jus smashing the tissue it is working and movin the tissue in its normal movement pattern. So when you use the muscles the way they are meant to be moved you won't have that locking up syndrome anymore.
I just wanted to also recommend the ART treatments. They work wonders. I was doing cross fit several years ago and after 6 months was walking around like a 90 year old with constant back pain. I had developed sciatica during my second pregnancy and was bothered by it off and on for years since. I finally convinced my doctor to do an MRI (since chiropractic and physical therapy had done nothing). That revealed that my L5 vertebrate was pitched forward and was being held in place by the bulging discs above and below it. The only fix was to have them fused (both a neurosurgeon and orthopedic surgeon recommended against surgery). They told me to stop running and lifting weights and just do yoga and pilates. I was quickly bored with both and missed cross fit. I found an amazing ART guy, who is also a cross fit coach. He worked wonders and I have been back at cross fit for about 15 months. I also found a different cross fit gym, with a trainer who is very aware of my issues and will tell me "no" when I try to push myself too hard. Good luck.
Neely – I completely agree with your assessment of crossfit. The environment of timed WODs and the modifcation of core excercises (e.g. a kipping pull up vs. a traditional, or power cleans vs. regular clean) for sake of "more reps" is a breeding ground for injury, no doubt. I've given crossfit a really good effort over the last year, and I think it is not the best option for people that want to be in shape, lead a healthy lifestyle, maybe do some races. In my opinion, if you want to participate in crossfit competions and the crossfit games open, then do crossfit. Otherwise, there are many other options out there for building strength and staying in shape. Traditional strenth programs (barbell deadlift, bench, press, squat, full squat cleans) couple with conditioning work like running, hill sprints, basic kettlebell exercises go a long way for good health. I too recently decided that I've had enough of crossfit. I did not have a major injury (although a couple of minor set backs here and there), but overall I found it to be stressful, trying to be good at a WOD – really? Do I really care if I can spin a rope twice everytime I jump once? Nope.
Being new to crossfit and having had previous shoulder surgery, I can say I love the WOD, but totally ignore the competitive aspect of it. I do what my body tells me it can do, then I stop. I am only trying to make myself better and cheer for my partners. If I am hurt, I can't do either.
You don't have to believe in chiropractic for it to work. (besides-you said yourself it has worked for you in the past) I prefer to go the conservative route before jumping into surgery. Because once the surgery is done, it's done. I have referred many patients to surgery and most do well. But the stats show that there is a 10-40% chance of failed back surgery syndrome (fbss). Yes there is a whole syndrome named for it. For those people the surgery was not a success. I personally would rather risk the 1/500,000-1,000,000 risk of a serious side effect from an adjustment over a 1/10-4/10 risk of failed back syndrome and worsening pain now complicated by post surgical scarring. I think the best treatment is when you find a group of various physicians that work together for the good of the patient, not pure posturing that mine is better then yours, because in the end everyone is different. I just prefer more conservative route first because I can always try surgery later if it doesn't work. Unfortunately it doesn't work the other way around.
I'm just getting into the Crossfit thing right now too… and after reading your post and a few others on the web I'm a lot more wary.
But I figure a lot of it is like jiu jitsu and will approach it the same way. I will do my best to leave my ego at the door… and I'll try to be mindful of when I'm fatiguing and losing form in Crossfit to just stop.. (similar to tapping out in BJJ).
Hopefully these two things will prevent Crossfit induced injuries…
I never had a serious injury with CrossFit, although I did have some problems with a shoulder… but I knew that I couldn't keep making progress without risking serious injury. I already ride horses, ski, and snowboard, and I didn't want to also risk injury in my fitness routine. That's one (of many) reasons why I switched to SuperSlow about a year and a half ago. If you're interested, my post on that is here:
Also, Doug McGuff had some interesting comments on CrossFit and injury in this awesome interview that I did with him a few months ago:
Good luck!
Your story is similar to mine. We're just too competitive. The advice of "I just listen and do what my body tells me it can do" is not compatible with CrossFit – the whole point of it is to push you beyond where you thought you could go, physically. For most people that goal is fine – they just won't over-do it because they're just not made-up that way mentally. For many, myself included, and it seems you too – we can't. If we have a coach yelling, or worse, those dreadful team WODs where teammates are screaming in your ear for one more rep, etc., and add a timer or scoring system to the mix and it's a recipe for disaster.
I blogged about why I quit crossfit, after ~5 months of it, here:
While I would love the opportunity to go to a WOD once every couple of months and treat it like a physical test or an "event", kinda like a 5k or a spartan race or something, that's what it's best for IMO – a competition to test yourself. It's not an everyday workout for anyone who has a goal other than competing in the CrossFit games.
My 2 cents…
I too tried and quit Crossfit after throwing my back out three times over a year and a half. (You'd think that injuring my back just once would've been enough to quit. But that's where that obsessive, go-back-for-more-pain Crossfit mentality comes in.) I went into Crossfit with a healthy back and left with an SI joint injury that will never be fully healed. Had I never joined CrossFit in the first place I would to this day have many more fitness options and opportunities open to me. But now I'll always be limited to what I can't do because of my joint injury, despite years of PT and treatment. (A joint is kind of like a metal spring — once you've stretched it out it will never fully regain its form an flexibility.) Joining Crossfit was one of the worst decisions I've ever made, and quitting was one of the best. Injury in Crossfit isn't a possibility — it's an inevitability.
Neely, sorry you have to experience this. I have been battling sciatica since I was a teen. Interestingly enough, Crossfit has helped with my Sciatica and it only gets worse when I stop. I did, however, strain my back doing touch and go deadlifts. I got caught up in the competitiveness, just as you did. The problem is not Crossfit, but rather the inability to recognize our limits and scale accordingly. Why not try to do the WODs at home? No pressure, no time requirement and it will allow you to focus on your form. Good Luck!
Sorry about your injury. And sounds as though your doing much better. It's obviously not worth getting re-injured. I just completed my very first month of Crossfit. I loved it. But, my knee was giving me a slight problem before I started. Now it's a BIG problem! I am going to put Crossfit off for awhile. Maybe for good. I am 44 and have never had an issue with my joints,etc. Thing is I have so much equipment at home I can put to great use. It's just the motivation thats lacking some. Good luck to you!
Here is a study of CrossFit. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23439334
It find some impressive results from CrossFit, as described in the abstract, but apparently, if you buy the paper and read the details, it also finds that of 54 subjects in the study, 9 had to quit because of "overuse injuries". Two quit because of schedule conflicts. That is a 17% injury rate. I should say I haven't forked out the money to buy the article; I get this more detailed information from other people who apparently read it (http://www.strengthandconditioningresearch.com/2013/02/28/crossfit/). By the way, for me the term "overuse injuries" sounds like somebody is trying to minimize the problem. I mean to say, an overuse injury is still an injury. In fact, "overuse" injuries can be more difficult to heal, and more expensive, that other types of injuries, in my experience.
WOW, I'm glad I found this, because I am in the same boat. I did CrossFit for 5 lovely months, but because I have scoliosis and am naturally tight in every way (limited flexibility, especially in the shoulders/hips), I ended up with 3 bulging discs in my neck. I was doing all the right things (mobility work, stretching before and after, rolling, chiro), but it got to the point where the knots weren't coming out, and they tightened up enough to pull the discs out of place.
I've been out for almost 4 months now, and back to doing low/no impact cardio work, and not a lot of weights. I miss CrossFit terribly. I am hoping (as Dr. Dale says) that I can go back and modify. BUT, I'm also wired a lot like you — ask me if it hurts in the middle of a WOD, and that answer is NO. Ask me about 4 hours later, and I'm in a world of hurt. I'm so torn.
That being said, my sports ortho has been hinting a bit that maybe CF is not something that will be good for me long-term in combination w/my flexibility and my structural issues. "You'll have to spend 2x as much time stretching as strengthening from now on," he emphasized. Yep. I know. And yet…a part of me wants desperately to go back. NOW.
Ironically, my CrossFit coach just had neck surgery himself b/c of a recurring neck disc issue from his Army days that flared up every few years and finally left one of his arms useless. I haven't heard if he's back at it yet, but I find it interesting…
I'll be anxious to see what you find to replace CF. :) Good luck!
I here you – I had troublesome shoulders before I started Crossfit, injured one ice climbing just a couple of months after starting Crossfit, & tried to keep Crossfitting for about 6 months (with a variety of modifications). It got to paddling season & my shoulder caught with every stroke – that was the last straw. Quit Crossfit & did only exercises & stretches prescribed by my PT (plus low-impact cardio at a regular gym) for 6 months. I have my shoulder back! I restarted Crossfit in January – but I go only Monday, Wednesday & Friday so I don't get too sore or knotted up, & I try to spend a half hour or so most every day stretching. I also am able to tune out the competitiveness & take it relatively easy at Crossfit & still see benefits – it may take longer to get back in shape, but that's better than getting re-injured! Thanks for your posts & best of luck with your neck.
Crossfit is the best thing ever for my (former) practice! It is creating an entire generation of avid exercisers who will be completely destroyed in a matter of years.
As for your injury, find out WHY you keep getting injured. Find a DC or PT (the degree does not matter, what matters is that the practitioner knows what he/she is doing) that does not only ART, but the SFMA (Selective Functional Movement Assessment), and is VERY knowledgeable about exercise technique.
The big problems with Crossfit are technique and overtraining. There is no way to maintain proper technique on the final reps of a MetCon. Every Crossfit athlete I have treated is way overtrained.
Take a look at these two videos. This one – http://vimeo.com/1677805 – is the owner of a Crossfit showing fairly good unweighted squat technique.
Now look at this video – http://vimeo.com/1372056 – in which she is doing Clean and Jerks with weight for reps. OUCH! Look at her right knee!
I hope you discover the cause of your problem, learn how to train properly, and get healthy.
I am currently recovering from a neck injury that, unlike in your case, was not the result of an acute injury. Basically, some really aggressive loading in crossfit (deadlifts, etc.) I ended up with some serious pain in the back of my shoulder blades, front of my shoulders, etc.
I ended up experimenting with some self-massage and learned about the putative trigger points that can lie in the scalenes. Those seemed to be extraordinarily tight and was causing a lot of my referred pain. Perhaps poking around in that area (or getting a massage/physical therapist to do it for you) might help. I am slowing getting better and am returning very timidly to crossfit after 4-6 weeks off.
Chiropractors should be banned. Do a simple google search looking for sources that support statements with science.
Do same for Crossfit.
Good article, sums up perfectly the primary risk of crossfad. Exciting challenging environment that makes you push so hard at risky unstructured exercises that injury is virtually inevitable.
There were two chiropractor crossfit fanatics in my box… On reflection I bet they were there to hand out cards!
I recommend surgery. You will be relieved of 95% of your pain. I'm living proof. Feel free to ask me any questions about my neck surgery.
Hi. First, love chiropractors…I understand the mechanics of what they do so I have never really understood folks aversion to them. Are there bad ones…sure…but thats in anything. Now to crossfit. I found your website googling whiplash and crossfit. Like uoi I was in a car wreck several years back. And like yoi I found and fell in love with crossfit. And like yoi I had to stop due to reinjury regardless of how much I took time off. I cannot return.and that sucks. And yes I have looked into modifying taking my chiro and physical therapist with me…if I want to keep my neck and spine ok…no crossfit. Thankyoi for your post because I have really struggled with not being able to do crossfit…and have not found a combimation I want to do that I enjoy yet. Hope you found yours. Good site!
Scale the workout . Know your threshold . Get some on to one sessions and work on the core movements . Then add speed :)
I think CrossFit is wonderful for those without pre-existing conditions. For the rest of us, you find what you love or you choose what works. I am scared of high impact anything because I used to ride horses and do a lot of farm work in my youth. I continue to do farm work now. I have had several whiplash injuries from many "accidental dismounts." I have other issues with my body just from hard work. Then in 2012 after a major abdominal surgery I began having major neck spasms, where my neck muscles would just seize up on me. I needed thyroid and was put on medication for that. I still have neck problems but they are so much relieved by the thyroid. I love and support the CrossFitters in my family but I know it is absolutely not for me, and it is not meant for a lot of people. I also had to quit my pilates and walk, hike, and dance for exercise now because of my bad neck. Pilates will heal a weak back, because strengthening the core will stabilize the back. However, pilates will not heal degenerative spine disease or disc issues. Pilates is really not good for an already bad neck. I've found it difficult to find an exercise that tightens my core like pilates, however. Bottom line, do what you love and what gets results. Some people love running, some people can't run. Some people love yoga, other people can't stand its slowness. There is a fitness activity out there for everyone.


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Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.
Philip Morris to buy South Africa snuff maker
Philip Morris International, maker of Marlboro and other cigarettes for sale overseas, has agreed to buy a Swedish company's South African snuff and pipe tobacco operations for 1.75 billion South African rand, or roughly $222 million.